is none of his But this seems to infer another Argument as subordinate to the main Conclusion taken from the spirit not onely as a Cause but as a necessary effect consequent signe adjunct or companion of Christs interest in us or relation to us he that hath not the spirit is none of Christs but he that hath it then is his his Disciple his member his Brother c. Now how shall we know that we have the spirit By sanctification for if the spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies c. vers 9. 11. And how shall we know that Christ hath relation or interest in us by that inseparable consequent or adjunct of the spirit for if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Lastly and that that brings the Conclusion Argument together is an Argument drawn from the highest and choisest effect of the Fathers love and our Saviours Office the principal causes of our salvation viz. our sonship vers 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God Or we may interpose between the terms of this truth Christs interest in us then thus those that are led by the spirit of Christ are his and those that are Christs i. his Members Brethren are by adoption the sons of God and then it is most clear that if sons then heirs co-heirs with Christ vers 17. and are for resolution of the case propounded in a state of life These and such like are the Rules by which a mans spirit according to Gods Word examining his condition doth either acquit or condemn if this speak peace viz. that he is a childe of God and an heir of Heaven this is the testimony and answer of a mans own spirit but to make this our testimony clear and demonstrative sure and infallible the spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit c. not onely together with as two diverse Witnesses of the same truth but with i. nor yet onely with the qualification of our spirit the matter of evidence Water and Blood but lastly and especially with i. with our spirit as subordinate in the work through by so with making use of the testimony of our spirit sealing and clearing our rational evidence with the truth and light of his that we are the children of God Nothing can indeed perswade us of our sonship to God but the Spirit of Adoption yet the spirit perswadeth us as rational Creatures viz. as we have heard by inabling us to reason our relation to God by Christs relation and interest in us and that by the having of his spirit and that by its holy effects of mortification of sin and spiritual life which gives occasion to close as we began that If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the spirit ye shall live therefore Examine your selves know ye 2 Cor. 13. 5. not even your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates and the Lord give you the comfort of the witness in your selves with the contest of the spirit to be an infallible assurance of your adoption to God Col. 1. 9. and of the truth of this point and for this cause also godly Reader since the day you heard of me do not I beseech thee cease to pray that with respect both to one and the other I may fight a good fight and finish my course that henceforth I may be comfortably assured with holy Paul that there is laid 2 Tim. 4. 8. up for me a Crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge shall give me at that day c. CHAP. V. Of the knowledge of Christ after the Flesh or in his Mediatorship BEfore we have reconciled the Spirit and its effects our gracious qualities infused by it But this following Chapter will ingage us to atone the same spirit on its Causes behalf the Person of Christ which I may call without offence the cause of the spirit both with regard to its Person and Office First the Person of Christ is the cause of the person of the Spirit by derivation the Spirit being the joynt breath and issue both of the Father and Son Secondly the Person of Christ is the cause of the Office of the Spirit first by merit 1 Pet. 1. 2. Secondly by mission Joh. 14 15 16. cap. Therefore is the holy Ghost in the Gospel so peculiarly stiled the Spirit of Christ Yet this their spirit and the Spirit of God by them so called how ungratefully wicked doth even stab at Christ himself with these two erroneous Points namely 1. That the Person of Christ is but a form type or shadow onely or a bare representation of the Spirit at his coming as the types and shadows of the Law were before of the coming of Christ See false rests in pag. 103 104. 2. That Christ is not to be the object or Medium of Faith i. We are not to believe on Christ as our Mediator and Saviour See the fifteenth false rest The first of these the Seekers own but the last is the very dregs of Socinianisme which affirms that Christ came not among men to procure satisfaction to God but to be an Object of imitation to men No wonder we have had boisterous Times of late while such Devils such Errours as these have been conjuring up Yet how great a wonder it is that such grosness of darkness should call it self light and that to the face of the Sun it self in this our day of Gospel when knowledge abounds amongst us But I shall not so far question my salvation as to receive my Saviour into doubtfull disputings yea doubtless the mention of such Errours as these is sufficient confutation and confusion of them also in all humble ears and godly judgements Yet though there be not the least shadow of Reason that will entertain either the one or the other there is one notable Scripture that seems to some eyes to cast a very favourable glance and countenance to the first of these Errours viz. That the Person of Christ is but a type of the spirit a dispensation Errour and form that is ruined or dissolved by the coming of the spirit The Scripture Scripture countenancing it is the 1 Cor. 5. 16. Yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him so no more To make this Scripture pass for them the Abbettors of this Errour have stamped upon it this Interpretation viz. That the knowledge of Christ after the flesh was the dispensation of his Person a fleshly dispensation which Paul had formerly been under but since the dispensation of the spirit the dispensation of Christs Person it chiefly meant the Office of his Preisthood is dissolved is dissolved to Paul though I have known Christ after the flesh and
have most plainly made it appear out of the Scripture I suppose Christs Will and Way is to make use of his effects in giving us assurance of his favour or presence we must as well acknowledge Christ to be our Lord as challenge him to be our Husband as his way is best in it selfe so let it seem to us For who art thou that repliest against God what is this lesse then a resistance of the Spirit with Carnall reason and our vain imagination while we pretend and plead for him Yet further consider and whether of the two gives most satisfaction to the Wife or best assurance of her Husbands love the expression thereof by mouth and words or its signall Testimony by life and actions Judge ye Moreover we ought to observe that our Saviour is not so properly our Husband here while we are but espoused or betrothed to him there is a day appointed which is not yet come for the Marriage of the Lambe and if we may speak Humano more or after the manner and custome and practice of Men for a Lover to assure his Beloved of his heart affection by the Speciall motions and effects thereof is not more strange then common especially if we commend this course and practice by these three considerable ingredients 1. Our beloved is at a distance of place and absent from us Secondly there are others plead interest in him and such as are inconsistent with ours Lastly we are too apt to delude our selves and to be deluded in this Case Affection is blinde and our hearts are deceitfull and that above measure But lastly were it acknowledged by al to be the most reasonable way among creatures of one nature and language to make their love known by word of mouth whil this bears Analogy to Christ the soul there is I conceive much difference for as a man and one that knows but in part according to my measure I must thus yet humbly Judge that Christ I mean not with regard to his power as absolute but as limited by his revealed Will in condescention to our reason and shallow capacity Christ cannot acquaint himself to the soul of man in such an immediate way and manner as is now discoursed and first not in his Person by reason of distance of place Secondly not in his spirit because of distance in natures to me and yet I humbly submit to higher apprehensions yet to me this seemes defended by the hand of sound and upright reason the presence of Christ in his Spirit is of too subtil and spiritual a nature to fal under or any way to bediscerned by such gross This is largly discussed in Chap. 18. and carnall Creatures as the Sons of men but by and through a medium I mean its effects is any thing that comes under the name of Spirit immediatly or in it self decernable to us Let us bethink our selves with what Eye do we see Spirits Is it not the Eye of Reason which alwayes Judgeth of their presence by Effects Can the wisest man tell me What Man or Beast or Tree is alive hath its formall Spirit in it but by the effects or motions of it Now the Spirit of the Lord is that pure Spirit infinitely far more pure Spirit the very name of spirit being grosse and carnall with respect thereto how shall we then judge of that immediately A man need not indeed to argue his life to himselfe by its motion c. For he knoweth he is alive by the first light and instinct of nature in himself So would we conceive that the Spirit of Christ did properly inform us and was part of our Essence we might know it to be in us in a way more immediate but this is the grossest absurdity imaginable Till then let us follow the Dictate of reformed Reason and hear our Saviour speaking his love by his Actions and revealing his Presence by his Effects whose spirit is therefore compared to Winde by his Word that blowes where it listeth and no man knoweth whence it comes nor whither it goes whose presence is knowable onely by its Effects upon us even so is every one that is borne of the Spirit which is onely perceivable by us as it makes a disturbance in the Naturall Man as it breathes into us Spirituall Life as it sweetly blowes upon the Spices Graces of our Souls and moves us dayly forward towards the blessed Haven Heaven Such gracious Effects and Operations in us The Truth Confirmed But so much may serve for the weakning of the Errour now a few things may be added for the further clearing of the Contrary Truth namely that though the spirit doth onely yet doth it not alone at least ordinarily much lesse of necessitie Evidence it selfe or testifie our true enjoyment of God For there are three that beare witnesse on Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood 1 Joh. 5. 8. and these three agree in one i. e. in one end the enjoyment of God Vers 10. With our right and interest in eternall Life Vers 11. And as they agree in their end so in themselves as the means or testimony the Spirit doth witnesse to the purenesse of the Water the truth of our Sanctification and in the Water we see the efficacy of the blood for our Regeneration Generatio fit per Sanguinem per aquam ablutio Indeed the Spirit doth witnesse eminently Zanch. and efficiently but Water and Blood materially and our Spirit and Reason instrumentally So the Spirit witnesseth with our spirits through or by our graces and qualifications that we are the Children of God Rom. 8. 16. As the spirit of God is derived into us through the sacred Ordinances so is it discovered in us by its holy effects therefore is it thus plainely sayd to witnesse with our spirits c. in this 8. of the Romans which Chapter read with impartiall and due observation it is so abundantly full for the present purpose is doubtlesse sufficient to end the controversie betwixt us The case resolved there seemes very neer the case in hand Viz. How wee shall know whether we be in a state of life or death Vers 13. The Efficient is Gods spirit the Instrument ours Vers 16. and the Medium or matter of the argument Viz. The rules layd downe for the tryall of the case such as follow if yee live after the flesh yee shall dye well but if yee through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall live Vers 9 10. The second Argument in order hereunto is Our having the spirit of Christ from the effect to the cause if we doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh it is through the spirit we have the Spirit and if we have the spirit we live therefore the spirit is a spirit of life and as it makes us free from the Law of sin and consequently death v. 2. This Argument is expresly contained v. 9. Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he
Christ who then shall be saved But Moses it seems must not enter Canaan nay nor * i. Jesus Joshua neither this new Jerusalem Dear Christians Let him that loves not the Lord Jesus be Anathema Maranatha How venomous is the Breath that blasts the mouth from whence it issues How ungratefull the effect that denies its Cause Can that be the ingenuous self-denying Humble Spirit of Christ that defames his Person and nullifies his Office A bad Servant surely that seeks to eclypse the glory of its Master and he that denies the Son is Antichrist O how needfull and seasonable a Caution is that for us viz. Try the spirits But that we may wipe off let us a little The Argument for this Errour examine the usuall gloss and colour which paints and sets off this Errours ugly and deformed face viz. That every new dispensation dissolves the former the spiritual dispensation must therefore put an end to the carnal or fleshly dispensation of Christ the coming of the Spirit which now is must drive away and banish the Person or the use of the Office of the Person of Christ Answ This is the aliquid nihil that would fain be something to mischief our Saviour but how vainly and idlely for 1. Though the dispensation of the means may in part be dissolved as the Figures and Types of the Law were by the coming of a better and higher dispensation of means viz. the Gospel Yet the last end is still aimed at and endeavoured by all viz. the knowledge and honour of the glorious Trinity among the sons of men Matth. 28. 19. 2. There is not any really distinct dispensation of the coming of the Son and holy Ghost into the World no more then betwixt the coming of the knowledge of the Father and Son into the World the Father was though darkly known unto his Children as appears in Malachy If Mal. 1. 6. I am your Father where is my honor Before the coming of Christ into the World But this knowledge I suppose of God as a Father in those days was only by vertue of the promise of the Son For how know we how have we God as our Father but by Adoption And how have we this viz. Adoption but through the Son So in like manner before the great and markable descention of the Spirit by our Saviours ascention there was some knowledge and faith of the Son of God which came from the more ordinary presence of the Spirit among us For flesh and blood did not reveal him to us And as we Matth. 11. 27. see not know not the Father aright but in the light and by the help of the Son None knowing the Father but the Son and him to whom the Son shall reveal him So the coming of the Spirit doth more clearly and excellently reveal them both for thus we receive the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Rom. 8. Iohn 16. Father which Spirit also takes off the things of Christ shewing them to us and for this very purpose That we might glorifie him as our Saviour can affirm Father I have glorified thy Name So the glory of the Son is not as the glory of Moses that must be done away by any future glory that excelleth the three Persons of the Godhead are not like the strong man and the stronger as if the Spirit at his entrance as the stronger man should binde both the Father and Son hand and foot and cast them out a doors Though indeed they come gradually into the World yet not successively when the second comes the first with-draws not and with the last they all appear that God may be all even all in all as Father Saviour Sanctifier for acceptance satisfaction and application in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost They are co-equal and co-honorable one in essence will power and in glory also not like to such Lights as eclypse and darken each other but rather as Beams of the same Sun or Lamps of an equal glory and lustre whose Lights do sweetly interweave incorporate and every one gains by other And to say no more in this case the Blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ are like the natural moisture and heat in man both mutual preservers of each other and both most necessary for our Salvation and the heat that eats out and consumes tht natural moisture that spirit that dries up the Blood i. mediation of Christ is false preternatural and Antichristian But to come a little closer Is Truth a Type Christ is Truth and that in distinction 3. Joh. 14. 6. with 16. 17. to the Spirit I am the Truth and I will send the Comforter my Spirit the Spirit of Truth c. Now nihil vero verius nothing is truer then Truth and as Christ therefore cannot be a Type so we may beleive the Truth The dispensation of the Son if so called must last and continue even while the last days iast Heb. 1. 1 2. And glory shall be to God by the Church in Christ Jesus throughout all generations Ephes 3. ult And God shall continue to tender salvation and happiness in Christ unto the World even after their new Jerusalem is built untill the last coming of Jesus Christ and by the Spirit himself For the Spirit and the Bride say Come Rev. 22. 17. and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely And he that testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen So come Lord Jesus Rev. 22. 17. 20. Further though Christ must give up his Ministerial Kingdom to his Father yet he shall most certainly retain the glory of a Saviour in his Mediatorship to the days of Eternity We that are Christs Sheep shall be set indeed at the right hand of God but our Fore-runner is there before us who therfore shall be still nearer to God then we and if we shal be at yet he is upon Gods right hand and to which of us yea To which of his Angels shall he say at any time Sit on my right hand c. Heb. 1. 13. Now doth not he sit betwixt us and God to the end that what we receive from God we might receive through him He is our Head and shall be our Head for ever And the glory of Heaven must first have its influence and pass first from God upon our Head and thence flow down upon us Even to the skirts of his Garments And we shall most undoubtedly continue in the presence and favour of God in Heaven untill the day we are able to pay our own Debts to the utmost farthing which will be even for ever and a day in the vertue of the Merits and Mediation of him that is the Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Jesus For * Psal 75. 3. He that bears up the Pillars of the Earth is the Rev. 2. 10.
all that they themselves are suspitious that either the spirit of God doth not immediately teach and lead us into truth or that what they vent and publish is not the truth But we know that the Judgement of God is according to truth against them which commit such things For thou that Rom. 2. 2. 22 3. preachest a man should not preach dost thou preach thou that abhorrest Idolls dost thou commit sacraledge thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which do such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape c. 2. Let us search the Scriptures and in the primitive times we shall finde a semblance at least of this glorious day of the Spirits coming Let us observe what an aspect that casts upon preaching there and we may thence partly judge whether it will be so malevolent or not at its fuller appearance Act. 2. We finde an abundant performance of the promise of the Spirit upon the Apostles assembled together And what did it now silence them all and forbid them to preach any more did this coming of Christ in the spirit disanull and dissolve this ordinance of preaching committed unto them by the Person of Mat. 28. ult Christ No certainly it came not to abolish but to fulfill the same Therefore it falls down upon them in no other figure and shape but of tongues and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and began to speak Act. 2. 3. 4. 11. immediately began to speak the wonderfull things of God as the spirit gave them utterance now let not any think that the spirit of the unchangeable God is fickle as themselves ever to despise that way and ministry that he hath so highly before promoted and honored 3. Paul we know was immediately called to his great Appostleship by the voice of the spirit he was a Minister of the spirit and not of the Letter Let us 2. Cor 3. make Paul Umpire then in the case But we finde Paul preacheth and preacheth this Doctrine that Faith commeth by hearing And how shall we heare without a Rom. 10. Preacher Obj. But doth not the Scripture directly tell us that we shall all be taught of God and we shall not need every one to teach his Neighbour Answ This is the strong hold whereby the teaching of the ordinary Ministery is oppugned Can we but preserve and deliver it from hence it hath undoubtedly both safely and fully escaped the snare of the Enemy Now for this end we shall attempt at least these two things 1. To take of the dint of this Argument that flourisheth it self and threatneth so much in this Scripture And secondly to shew the proper and naturall drift thereof 1. And first This Scripture cannot possibly make void the preaching of the Word if we consider this following gradation 1. That it is a branch of the Covenant of Grace 2. Christ is the Mediatour and Performer of it for us 3. Christ promised the spirit for the same purpose even to lead us into all truth 4. That the same Christ when he ascended Ephes 4. gave Ministers also for this same purpose 5. At the same time when as he ascended to give these gifts he sent his spirit upon the same errand And therefore not likely to beat his fellow Servant to jossle the Minister out of the World 2. Now for the meaning of this place In a word it is either to be taken hyperbolically or comparatively but mediately stil or with Calvin restraining the accent to these later words saying know the Lord the meaning then being no more then this As the effect of the powring forth of the spirit there shal be a general profession of the name of God abroad knowledge covering the earth as water doth the Seas in a generall sense of knowing the Lord. Therefore they shall not need every one to teach his Neighbour saying Know the Lord after this manner saying Know the Lord for all shall know me c. And therefore to conclude the Text fore-mentioned speaks not the ministry null but effectuall God will not take away meanes but make meanes more prosperous by a more especiall presence and help of his spirit God will teach us by his Son Christ will instruct us by his Spirit And the spirit shall lead us into all Universale accommodum truth by the faithfull ministry of the word And observe this Covenant was in force as well then as now Then why Note 1. should it null the preaching of the Word more now than then 2. The Ministry therefore was a Co-worker with God in that age and why not now also Obj. 2 Others say we should approve of preaching better if ministers would deal plainly with us and tell us that what they preach is their own opinion and judgment and preach unto us in their own names But they presume to bring us the word of God and that in the name of God also and this offends and troubles us Answ Alas how apt are men to stumble at a straw yea and to make Christ himself in his own Ordinance a stumbling stone and a Rock of offence to themselves we must look upon the Ministry either as of Christ or not of Christ If we receive it not as the Ministry of Christ that we have partly already and shal more fully presently when we prove the succession thereof make cleer to you if you grant it to be the ministry of Christ then are they not Stewards and what Stewards do is it not in the name of their Master again are they not Embassadors and do not Embassadors declare the word of their Master the word of Reconciliation is committed to them and they treat with man yet in the name and with the Word of God Obj. But then what means this expounding raising Doctrines giving reasons and making uses of the word is all this the word of God Answ There is a book abroad and but lately started that upon this very ground doth tax all the Churches of Christ since the daies of the Apostles with granâ— Apostasy indeavoring withall to destroy the preaching of the word and to bring us upon the other extream from living immediately upon the spirit to a bare reading of the word But let the Reader beware and consider its falacy indeed we grant that preaching expounding c. Is but the secundary not the primary truth and word of God Therefore our Sermons as they are to be deduced from so they are to be reduced to and examined by the rule the word of God Yet the word of God is either that that is expressed or implyed or that that is deducible from the holy Scriptures And that that is naturally drawn therefrom is as truly and properly the truth and minde of God as the Scripture it self Upon the very same tearmes Divines observe that though the Septuagint sometimes differs from the Text both in sense and words yet those very places are quoted by Christ himself for
and doth not onely bow as much the other way but even breake the sticke to make it streight Secondly most of the men that are thus deluded were never well and throughly taught grounded and experienced in the former surer wayes of God therefore it is that they are so easily inticed and drawn off their ground by every tempting and alluring Fancy The wayes of God are as Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver and they that enjoy the outside onely not tasting the sweetnesse can never know the goodnesse of Christs Apples Alas how easily are such cheated and guld by the subtle Serpent of this blessed Fruit of the Tree of Life for the dangerous Apple of the Tree of Knowledge and Speculation a prize is put into the hands of fools and they have no heart to it The Devill puts a gloss upon his brass and how willingly men part with their true and upright Crown-Gold for a Counter Many never trod enough the good old way to know the profit pleasure and safety thereof and therefore it is that they take out their foot and will not walk therein but seek out to themselves such strange inventions A third ground of this Errour may be from the now Commonnesse of the Ordinary means the old way they see is now the common Road the way of World which cannot be the way of God the ordinary means of Spirituall nourishment is now become common meat Such dainty pallats will now with Peter despise and reject them because they are common and Acts 10. 14 15. unclean But let such take heed of unclean lips and hear that voyce that checks from Heaven What God hath Consecrated count not thou common For satisfaction hereunto let us remember three things 1. That Jesus Christ himself did eat with Publicans and Sinners 2. God hath promised to those later dayes that he will powre forth his Spirit upon all flesh 3. The devices of Sathan are to Ape and immitate the best of Gods wayes as an Angel of Light In the fourth place comes in or rather is forced in the age and long continuance of the way we plead for as a Mid-wife to deliver this prodigious Progeny The fickle humour of the World to be given to change Est natura hominum novitatis Avida O how do our ears itch after noveltie How weary are we with walking so long in the old way the ordinary means are old enough such is the vanity of our thoughts to be dead and buried that a Spirit might arise out of their Ashes and carry up our Souls into a Fools Paradice Fifthly to the rest is added I fear a too willing and affected mistake about the use of means as if no distinction is reasonably put betwixt the Means and the End or betwixt the Actions that respectively refer using and injoying as if we could not use but we must rest upon the means as if we could not injoy God and yet use the means To this purpose the Author to whom I chiefly relate doth almost ever confound Rest and Evidence as if we made the Evidence our End when as it is onely used as the means of our Rest God we acknowledge is the onely Center of our Souls yet though Christ by the help of Scripture and Ordinances in our graces and experiences as Mediatour Means and Evidences do we Center in him Sixthly what hath been said before is mightily strengthened by that Religious Ecclesiasticall Principle grosly abused That Gods dealings in his Church are usually graduall loose and unsetled hereupon men imagine that it is time to put off their old cloaths to cloath themselves with som new light as with a Garment But men stretch this Principle too far when they will make it extend to things Morall unless it be to cleare and elevate the same Men make this Proposition setch too great a compasse when they will have it to bring in the Spirit upon the Stage of the World to fight against all its Freinds and Relations as as this Errour would have it Seventhly but all is warranted by Authority of Scripture this phansie would seem to be kindly stroakt with the smooth hand and mightily incouraged with the sweete and pleasant voyce of Scripture-Promise namely In those dayes I will powre forth my Spirit upon all flesh saith the Lord and such like 1. Here is indeed a Promise of the Spirit 2. Here is a Promise also of the spreading of the Spirit Viz. Vpon all Flesh 3. Here is a Promise of increase of the Spirit and that to abundance I will powre out my Spirit to which that is answerably said And Knowledge shall cover the Earth as Water doth the Seas Yet where is the Promise that God will inspire the World or Saints immediately with it that this breaking in of abundance of Spirit shall carry before it and utterly wash away all former helps and means Cannot we expect the performance of these Promises of Spirit as powred forth through the same Conduit pipes Must we needs expect such overflowings of Spirit as will keepe no bounds as will not onely overflow but also over-run and forsake its ancient Channell If not thus the Promises make nothing of countenance towards this Errour Eightly and that which gives ground and advantage to all the rest is a high Platonick Notionall Genius more properly peculiar to the hot upholders of this Novelty they have Towring Fancies most fit to invent and assert such speculations and it is to be feared that the Prince of the Aire takes too too much advantage hereof well fore-seeing that if he help them to an Inch they will take an Ell He darts into them a beame of false light and they with all joy presently receive it hug and imbrace it and kisse it with an holy kisse as a reall ray of God himself Truly I speak it with a meek and unpassionate Spirit I fear nothing else but the heat of Phancy and light of Satan upon the Seeds before scattered hath ingendred and begot this new Heaven God and Glory that seems so overcomming and so mightily ravishing in these sadly deluded Souls Lastly now that that pins the basket and maketh all aforesaid most wonderfully prevalent on this Errours behalf is doubtlesse a curse from Heaven secretly siding with and seconding the same Man over-presuming upon gracious Providence will sometimes above warrant take their foote off from the wayes of God and venter upon the rotten and deceitful grounds of Errour where God doth justly leave them even to sink away and fall into the Pit and irrecoverable plunge thereof When men will shut voluntarily shut their eyes God is not necessarily bound to open them but doth sometimes most justly seal them up least they should again see with their eyes and that for ever When men are bold to abuse or misuse that Talent of Light by seeking after strange inventions The hand of Heaven is stretcht out against them many times Matth. 25. 29. even to strik them blind
First our Qualifications are changeable in their own nature Secondly and with respect to the givers disposall The first I thinke I may safely gather from these two expressions They shall come to nothing and are given to change the last is as clearly expressed in the later words They may be taken away at the owners disposall Now to the first of these that affirmeth Our gifts and graces are given to change Answ I Answer 1. By Concession that Grace in it self may be said to be changeable that is the gracious holy frame and disposition of the Soul may be spoyled by sin and lost in ruines as is sadly instanced in the unhappy fall of the first holy Man and glorious Angells Yet 2. By Exception to say notwithstanding That the Graces wrought by the Spirit of God in the Members of Christ the second Adam are given to change is an unsavory Arminian Position Let us learn to distinguish there is Naturall Common and Speciall i. e. saving Gospell Grace the Naturall Originall Grace that Image of God in our first Parents and the Grace that is wrought by the common influence of the Spirit of God upon Hypocrites was and is lyable to change and ruine yet that later speciall saving Gospel Grace that is the fruit and blessing of the Spirit and promise of the Gospell is not as the flower that fadeth away though it fadeth it shall never die Is it ever seemingly dead It is but as the Coal that is covered with Ashes buried alive Grace is of an Eternally conquering Immortall Seed Nature and spite of all opposition in the end shall discover it self most certainly effectuall in the Redemption of its Subject the Soul from Hell to Heaven Grace came from Christ and will return to him again but yet not empty it will do its work for which it was sent and carry our Souls to Heaven with it that where he is we may be also that Water that Radicall Moisture Christ gives and deriveth into his Branches is within them as a Well of water springing up into everlasting Life Though it meet with opposition that would keep it down and choak it it will up again and with a most prevalent force at the last overcome all enmity and in high contempt and triumph bubble up it self into life everlasting Jo. 4. 14. This Water shall never be wholly exhaust for the assurance of which the Church is a Fountain and for the more security a Fountain sealed A true Member of Christ shall never be without Grace for Grace while the immeasurable fulnes of the Grace of our Head and the inexhaustible Fountain of the Fathers love be dried up and emptied till the Principle and means die and fail how is it possible that Soul should wholly and finally fall away that is is kept i. e. held up By the power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1. Pet. 1. 5. Yet then our Grace may be a firm Evidence it is not fallible by being thus changeable Object But he that gave it I hope may take it away at his own pleasure This the second Plea Answ I answer that Gods Executive power as to take away that he hath given is to be considered either De Jure or De Facto 1. If we consider it in matter of right then the question is and indeed it is the main question for as it is concluded in matter of Right it must also be yeilded as touching Fact in God that injures none The question is whether God can justly take away that Grace that he himself by the speciall operation of the spirit hath given For the clering whereof we must look upon this Right as it De meritorie incurrit iram Dei licet non effect ve respecteth us and God First then with respect to our unworthinesse or abuse of Grace doubtlesse God as he might have denied us so he may most justly deprive us of it But secondly with respect unto himself if we take it in a sober sense he cannot and that because of his already acceptation of his Sonnes merits and his own voluntary Obligations for us 1. These outward gifts and mercies are given as but Exhypothesi we breaking the condition as we have forfeited so are we lyable to give them up at the owners pleasure and demand But God hath ingaged himself never totally to take away Grace and therefore lawfully without breach of Bond cannot do it Now this Engagement is Reall and Vertuall 1. God hath properly Engaged himself in Bargain with Christ not to recall the gift of Grace from his Christ loved us and gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from our vain conversation to be a holy People even with the price of his life and blood God accepted Justice is satisfied by his stripes we are healed the bargain ended it was then Isai 53. as we may read concluded That by this knowledge or by the acknowledgement of himself he should justifie many Now the price being tendred and received the property of the goods is altered Can God in Justice now for Justice is satisfied reclaim our Grace ours not onely by gift but purchase also 1 Tim. 2. 6. Heb. 3. 6. Christ is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ransome and the Mediatour of that bargaine of Grace also even to see it performed and kept Secondly as God properly Engaged Jer. 32. 40. by bargain not to take away Grace so by Promise also Hath not God promised Deut. 26. 18. and most solemnly Covenanted That he will put his feare into our hearts and to what end and effect Even that we should be kept thereby from falling away that we shall not depart ftom him For the gifts of God are without repentance yea let this add to our great comfort That he will not onely Isai 42. 3. not breake the bruised Reed not onely not quench the smoking flax but bring forth Judgement into Victory being confident of this very thing That he Phil. 1. 6. which hath begun a good work in us will perform or finish it to the day of Jesus Christ for shall not God be as good as his Word Let God be True and every man a lyar 2. There is likewise a Vertuall Engagement whereby God is bound never to withdraw his Spirit and Grace from his which is an addition of strength to the Engagement of Promise to hold God to his Word The Spirit and Grace is not onely the token of Gods love but a Pledge to supply Christs absence and our security for our Beloveds return Joh. 14. with 16. Our Seal whereby we are sealed and made Ephes 4. 10. Ephes 2. 13. 14. sure to the day of Redemption yea and the earnest of our Inheritance Is not the man bound to stand to his bargain that hath given Earnest he must either have the one or lose the other Now think yee is the precious Faith and Spirit of God so vile in Gods eyes that he will lose
his Earnest Is the Redemption of the Soul that is precious or that his Name his mercifull gracious Name that is exalted above all his Word so sleight or worthlesse in Divine thought Gratia semel recepta non potest am tti respectu Patris Jo. 10. 29. Filii 1 Cor. 6. 7. Spiritus Sancti Ephes 1. 13. Weams that God will or can suffer the one or the other to fail or miscarry Yea He delighteth in mercy and his mercy endureth for ever and precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints see here the heights and depths c. of Divine love and tendernesse to his for our Comfort and Joy with these Obligations God hath tied his own hands he can onely give not take away his Grace given he can blesse and onely blesse and not curse us so that it is but right and equity on his behalf not to deprive us of that Grace and Holinesse he hath once given us Now certainly if God cannot lawfully he cannot at all take away Grace 1 Joh. 1. 9. if he cannot De Jure he will not De Facto who is Just and Faithfull Just with relation to our Saviours Purchase Heb. 10. 23. and Faithfull that hath Promised To conclude then Grace is no fallible Evidence upon this account it is neither changeable in it self nor yet with respect to Gods disposall But were it so that our Grace were at the owners disposall what advantage yet is gained to this way of the Spirit by such a grant Is not Gods Spirit as much Gods own as our Grace We read of our Light our Grace but seldome of any such or so clear an interest we have in the Spirit is Grace Gods right and not much rather the Spirit Is Grace in Gods Power Will Disposal and the Spirit wholly in ours cannot God suck in his own Breath as easily as to blot or put out our Life hath not God the same if not more immediate Power over the Cause as effect Yet this is the way wherein we must walke to meet and close with the Spirits comming Object But it might be further added that though Grace cannot totally yet may it Not quoad habitum yet quoad gradum surely so far perish as not to be decernable and so not evidentiall Answ Suppose we grant yet what weight will it add to the scale in hand The question is not whether there may not be some Cases experienced wherein Grace cannot evidence but whether Grace is not able and apt in it selfe to Evidence or whether it be not lawfull to reflect upon our Grace to clear our Evidence for Heaven 2. For further satisfaction let us a little weigh this case in the ballance of Experience and we shall finde that as there is a two-fold desertion namely of Grace and Comfort so these seldome or never fall in together to the same person for where we finde an Ebb of Grace we usually find a Flood of Confidence and we many times see Streams of Grace flowing from the wounded bleeding Conscience The Spirit is called Fire and it doth many times give much heat and little light when it hath denied to bring with it the Light of Gods Countenance yet it hath been as a Refiners fire to purge the Soul to burn up its lust and to take away drosse and Tinn So that very many even while they do miserably labour under such sad desertions of Comfort they are zealously affected to the glory of God the benefits of Christ the comforts of the Spirit and doe even hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse But to apply If the desertion be of Comfort as is most agreeable to the Case in hand I conclude that all sincerity and fear of God is never so farre gone even under the greatest desertion of Comfort as not to be discernable even by the Soul it self that suffers if Enlightned assisted by the Spirit the Comforter doe not all the expressions of Spirits so laboring experience so much and testifie for them to all the hearers their fear to offend their prizing of Christ c But admit the desertion be of Grace as it is sad to think how far even those that are truely in Christ may fall so is it as hard to imagine how a person while under the state of Apostacy should ever have so serious a self-reflection as to have any occasion to make use of his Evidences t is all one to him while he lies in this state whether they be clear or blur'd Object But suppose him new enlightned newly convicted then he will have need of Evidences and finde none Answ As such light brings Conviction with it so such Conviction brings light with it I mean matter of Evidence and comfort For if a man be so far humbled as to question his condition and to bring himself to Triall and so to Conviction this is undoubtedly a good visible decernable mark in the light of the Spirit even of the true enjoyment of God So that we see it nothing avails either to our Case or indeed to any purpose to Object that Grace may not be visible and so not Evidentiall But let us observe two things by the by 1. That the Change with respect to Comfort is not in our Grace but in the Spirits presence or absence 2. The Spirit it selfe we finde thus far changeable My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Then what advantage hath this way of the Spirit against Qualifications by this discourse The second Argument The second Argument against Qualifications is found in page 23. line 26. It is an abuse of the Gift Viz. Qualifications and an affront put upon the Giver Viz. God to make the Gift and Evidence of the true enjoyment of God This Argument is so absurd and senseless that I shall onely call Earth Earth Sense and Nature to beare witnesse against it Such an instinct we finde in all tameable beasts even by the Gift to acknowledge the grace and favour of the Giver Doth not Nature teach you c. That herein hath God commended his love that while yet sinners Christ died for us Must not we now observe and acknowledge his love herein If we endeavour thereby to know the Love of God that passeth knowledge is this an abuse of the Gift an affront put upon the Giver to conclude acknowledge blesse and admire his Grace and Favour for Gifts and Mercies Earthy yea Heavenly the Graces of his Spirit the Image of his Sonne the Earnest and Seal of our owne Inheritance the proper End yea and appointed End of all Gods Mercies Especiall Spirituall and to his Saints That we might be to the prais of the Glory of his Grace Ephes 1. 6. The third Argument Object The third and most frequent Argument against the Evidence of Qualification is That nothing can be a sure Evidence that may be true or false but our Qualifications may be true or false Answ The second Proposition we deny Qualifications
more easy for beleivers then for such as doe not yet beleive to act Faith of Adherence It seems most strange that the Spirit should choose to work a Miracle where is least need and work no Miracle where most should make use of means or instruments for the creating of Faith and yet afterwards work comfort in the same soul immediately miraculously Faith of Adherence is a Creation and giving life Faith of Evidence is onely the motion of that life given For the first the Spirit must enlighten for the last he need onely snuff this Candle of the Lord in Man The worke of assurance is halfe wrought by and in the Faith of Adherence the Soul hath received the prime efficient of it Viz. The Spirit Secondly the Principle or second efficient Faith together thirdly with the matter of comfort Viz. Justification and a right to Heaven There wants nothing for the Soul to be assured of this but the work of his Faith through reason of his Qualification shewed to the Soul in the light of the Spirit Now how fitly doth enlightned Reason and this habit of Faith offer themselves for this blessed work Assurance God hath put an inclination in Reason and Faith towards this work and shall Potentiality never come to act Shall a Miracle be rather wrought to act their proper work without them No assuredly God will not spend his own Omnipotency in such Cases as this who as he maketh nothing in vain so he doth not delight to work a Miracle for that that is more easily Weames done in an ordinary way The Holy Ghost doth make an Exercise of our Reason about our Qualifications in the humbling of our Souls with Godly sorrow then why not also for heavenly Joy Why may not the Spirit as the Spirit of Adoption as well as a Spirit of Bondage work mediately through Qualifications There can be no Godly sorrow but it aims at Sinne is conversant about sin and can there be any Godly solace that springs not from Grace As reason exercised about sin causeth sorrow doth not Reason exercised about Grace work out comfort Let the rule of Contraries judge betwixt us It is the same that ascends and the same that descends the same Spirit that humbles and exalts the change is not in the efficient but the matter or object Sin and Grace But is there not the same reason for our exaltation and comfort from gracious as for our dejection from sinnefull Qualities Have I not as much cause to rejoyce at my recovery as to sorrow and greive at my decay or delay in sickness Why should not the Spirit discover our Grace for matter of rejoycing that discovers our sinne for cause of sorrow But all Reason and Scripture will affirm that that is no godly sorrow Evangelicall repentance that is not the fruit of conviction of sin That sorrow is again 2 Cor. 7. 8. with 13. to be sorrowed for and that repentance to be repented of that with its watery eyes lookes not at sinne whose tears fall not down on sinne For for what must I greive surely for something and for what must I greive with Gospel-sorrow surely for sin so consequently Is not Joy infidelious and also ridiculous that comes not from Reason and as exercised on Grace laughter is the immediate Affection of the reasonable Soul The Holy Ghost doth exercise our Reason about our Qualifications in our Petition then why not in our prayse and rejoycing also they are both parts of the same duty and both affect the same matter I pray for that for which when obtained I am bound to give prayse and I prayse and give thankes for that which is unto me the return of Prayer Now most Evident it is that Col. 1. 9 10 11. Heb. 4. 16. I must pray for Grace and that under the sense of the want of Grace I must addresse my selfe unto the Throne of Grace to finde Grace to help in time of need Therefore I may and must rejoyce in God as I reveiw that Grace the return of my Prayer derived into me from my Head Christ as the Spirit of Prayer doth make use of my reason to see and express my want of Grace and so teach me to pray so the Spirit of Prayse doth make use of my reason to reflect from Grace obtained my thanks unto and my Joy in God and so is my Comforter Lastly the Holy Ghost by reasoning from our Qualifications doth Evidence to us our right and interest in the Supper of the Lord then why not also by the same means our right and interest in Heaven and Happiness If hereby we come to know our propriety and interest in the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ Sacramentall why not hereby also our right and benefit in the flesh and blood of Christ reall and consequently in the fovour of Heaven The consequence is clear for we must put on the wedding Garment we must know our selves to be the freinds of the Master of the Feast before we may enter and venter to his Feast Now what is the matter of our Spirituall Joy yea what the Hellen we so much strive for but even this The Knowledge or Evidence of these conditions Viz. our Union with Christ our interest in Heaven c. So that we must know our interest in Heaven in order to the knowledge of our interest in the Sacrament or in our preparing for it But the Argument is proved from 1 Cor. 11. 28 29. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat c. Wherefore examine That he may eat c. of what examine Whether he be worthy i. e. fitly qualified for this Supper i. e. whether he have an interest in the Master of the Feast but whereby must he know this By searching trying and examining himselfe by exerciseing his reason about his Qualifications Viz. Whether hee can come in Faith Love c. But can this Examination prove a means effectuall for this end Yes verily ordained of God for that very purpose Let a man examine himselfe and by the Holy Ghost supposed effectuall and so let him eate having found himself worthily qualified for it by a sober due and rationall examination of himself so let him eate Then examin your selves in the like manner Whether you be in the Faith or no and if by the Evidence of your own Examination of your selves impartially exercised by your reason enlightned by the Spirit of God you can truely conclude you beleive Fear not but rejoyce in the light of this Evidence with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory in beleiving giving thankes unto the Father that hath made you meete not onely to be partakers of the Supper of the Lord Col. 1. 12 13. but of the inheritance of the Saints in Light Thus we have at length ended as we hope this Controversie for the fruit of Righteousnesse is Peace and the effect thereof assurance for ever Isa 32. 17. 18. Cautions about Qualifications But
before we conclude this Chapter we shall subjoyne these necessary cautious as a Qualification to Qualifications First let the Reader take a speciall difference in order to the deciding of the present question betwixt Assurance and Comfort For as assurance is the effect of Righteousness so Joy and Comfort are effects of Assurance and as they are divers in themselves so are they differently obtained by us Even as the Habit and the Act of the Habit. For when I would confirm my Brother in a by him doubted Truth as I fetch all the Arguments from Scripture and Reason to prove it to him even so must I deal with my doubting Conscience to bring it unto an assured knowledge of the truth of my State of Grace and Title to Heaven This as the obtaining of a Habit requires some time with a serious deliberate Exercise of Reason but as when we have gotten a habit there is nothing more ready and easie then to Act therefrom so Spirituall Comfort is the most proper and immediate Effluvium and effect of Assurance obtained Though we come very hardly to the assured knowledge of our state of Grace yet we passe most easily from that assured knowledge c. to joy unspeakable as the reflection of the Sun doth naturally recoile by or from its direct Act so that as it is necessary that there be some glance from the Exercise of beleiving reason upon Pardon Grace God Heaven c. For every Passion must have its Object for the begetting of Spirituall Joy from Assurance so doth it immediately and upon a sudden flash take life from thence as when a Candle is lighted light immediately springs all over the house yet this Joy is most reall sollid and substantiall Secondly it is not at all required especially from such as are already perswaded to Assurance upon good grounds that every Act of their Spirituall Joy should be the issue of their immediate Conception of Grace as if a Christian might never take Spirituall Comfort to himself but as from the reflexion of reason upon his Graces We many times rejoyce in our God and Saviour and by Faith that is the substance of things hoped for even bathe our Souls in those rivers of pleasure c. and that from Assurance already made and not now questioned the Spirit of God doth assure us by shewing us our own things and thus giving us matter of Joy doth comfort us mediately but he doth also shew us the things of Christ and John 16. thus is more immediately and properly our Comforter for we have received the Spirit of God that makes us know the things that are freely given to us of God To conclude as when I have sufficiently proved my Doctrine it would be but a needless perplexity and folly to turn back for the renewing of the proof of my Doctrine for every Vse that I make thereof so for a Saint upon every occasion of Spirituall rejoycing to go so far about as to the triall of the grounds of Assurance as it would be a sign of over much suspicion and infidelity so a grosse in that an ungratefull abuse of Assurance Lastly our reason most diligently exercised even upon the best of our Qualifications can give us but a dark indistinct and uncertain Evidence without the light and helpe of the Spirit of God as our eyes cannot give vs an exact distinct knowledge of colours without the light of the Sun by a candle Now the understanding of a man is the Candle of the Lord Prov. 20. 27. CHAP. IV. Of the immediate witnesse of the Spirit HAving done my Endeavour assisted I hope by the Spirit of God for the clearing of our Evidences we now proceed to lay hold on the other branch springing from the same roote which hath been before delivered in these words Viz. The Spirit of God doth manifest Errour his Presence to the Soul by his own immediate light Arg. 1 The first Reason that endeavours the maintenance of this and is every where hinted by the disturber of the false rests is the Spirits sufficiency to discover himself immediately to us Answ But he ought to know that from a sufficiency to an efficiency is no good arguing the death of that person that was God as well as Man being infinitely meritorious then how falls it out that all Men yea and Devils themselves are not saved 2. From the power to the Act gives no good Argument because the power of God is sufficiently able to destroy the World and all therein therefore will he must he doe it Can the spirit discover himself to the Soul immediately that therefore he will use no means in this work is a pure non sequitur yet this Assertion is built especially when illustrated with that that followes Viz. Arg. 2 The Spirit is a Sunne Page 60. line 17. Now the Sunne doth manifest it selfe unto the World in its owne Light therefore the Spirit in like manner to our hearts Answ It is said that Christ shall come as a theife c. therefore as a theif comes to do that that is sinnefull must Christ also Such it the absurdity of the precedent Argument for comparisons run not on foure feet 2. But secondly this comparison holds at least thus far First the Sunne doth manifest it selfe in its owne Light so doth the Spirit again the Sunne doth convey his Light whereby we see other Objects and himselfe through a Medium Viz. the Aire so the spirit through our Graces Moreover the Sunne requires an Eye of Sense in us whereby we must see and use his light c. so the Spirit an Eye of Reason Lastly we feel as some will have it the heat and comfort of the Sunne by reflection onely and thus by reflection we grant we have the sweet and comfort of this our Spirituall Sunne the Holy Ghost 3. But thirdly the Sun and the Spirit must in somewhat be unlike else not alike and this indeed may be received for full solution The Sunne is a necessary but the Spirit is a free Agent the Sunne must shine and shew it selfe but the Spirit blowes where it listeth therefore some have it and some have it not and others have it and know it not while the Sunne must alwayes and alwayes one way discover himselfe the Spirit is not bound by this means nor yet by that much lesse immediatly to shew himself to us Arg. 3 It hath been objected to me in discourse By one whom I judge both very knowing and Godly that Christ is our Husband and that therefore it should seem more answerable to that relation to tell us he loves us with his owne mouth and immediately then to leave his Spouse to construe his love from his tokens onely Answ For satisfaction hereunto I answer Suppose we that Christ is our Husband and that therefore it seems more fit that he himself declare his Love to us immediately What is it that must Judge of this Meetenesse our Phancy or Faith We
need not go beyond the materiall reall Gospel of Christ for one allegorical if this be all you seek to wit a mystery What part of the Gospell of Christ is not deep and mysticall which the Prophets of old counted worthy their inquiry and diligent search and which the intelligent Angells themselves desire to looke into 1. Pet 1. 10 11 12. But in setting my self for the defence or the Gospell that is so mightily struck at by this particular I shall bring some few Arguments for the subversion of this allegoricall way of interpreting the same First Then since that the immediate end and undertaking of the Gospell is for the advancement of Christ both in his Flesh and Spirit together for both our Justification and Sanctification and comfort I desire to be informed whether this way will lead us to an allegory in the former onely or in the later also If in onely one I desire to know the reason of the others exemption But if in the Spirit and Sanctification and comfort as well as in the flesh of Christ and our Justification then my request is what may be the allegory of Sanctification and comfort what is the Spirit of the Spirit But we may be wholly drawn out of this way by the strength of those following Arguments The first is taken from the Author the first and great Preacher of the Gospell to the Sons of men Now we read Heb. 2. 3. that it was at first preached by the Lord himself Moses indeed may be the Minister of types and shadowes but when Moses Antitype the Prophets which the Lord shall raise up Acts 3. like unto Moses he shall doubtlesse bring into the World the truth and substance with him The Son himself shall whatever the servant hath done declare his Fathers minde cleerely and plainly according as our Saviour himself assureth Yee are my freinds for all things that I have heard of my Father I Jo. 15. 15. have made known unto you to which we may heare his Disciples and Freinds ecchoing back an answer Loe now speakest Jo. 16. 27. thou plainly and no parable i. no allegory for though the Law was given by Moses yet Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Joh 1. 17. The second Argument against this Allegoricall way of expounding the Gospell is taken from the matter thereof The mediate sense and substance of the Gospell Viz. The way and meanes of fallen mans recovery This was first revealed in the first promise as man received it in the serpents curse the seed of the Woman shall breake the serpents head So much of this as was preached before was Gospell this is the Epitomy of that Gospell that is now more fully and clearely revealed to the World which is truly the truth and not an allegory But how is Christ to break the serpents head onely in the spirit surely as the seed of the Woman also who is as distinguished from the spirit the way the truth and the life as Joh. 14. Preist Prophet and King plainly and really so He that came to seek and to save that which was lost is the onely saviour but Christ in his person as well as in his spirit came to seek and to save that which was lost therefore he is as in both the onely saviour whose spirit as it is a spirit of Life so his flesh Joh. 6. 55. is meate indeed and his Blood drinke indeed i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly and really not allegorically The last is taken from the manner of the delivering of the Gospell to us 1. by our Saviour himself the truth who cannot ly he that eats my Flesh and Joh. 6. 40. 54. drinkes my blood not he that seeks for an allegoricall but metaphoricall meaning in this he that seeth the son and beleeveth on him hath everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day And secondly by Paul c. 1 Cor. 15. at the beginning which may serve for all Brethren saith he I declare unto you the Gospell which I preached unto you which also you have received and wherein you stand by which also you are saved Well now what is this Gospell to end all controversie verse 3. I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures that he was buried and rose again according to the scriptures c. Thus we preached you beleived were saved and the truth beleived is no more an allegory then the end therof salvation but all in plainness of speech not in mysteriousness in the simplicity of the truth not with double meaning and in the demonstration of the spirit notallegorically But I am jealous over you with a godly Jealousy fearing lest by any meanes as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your mindes should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. But Caveat Emptor for who ever deals with this opinion is miserably deceived She windes up all Religion to the airy Pinacle of towering speculation and there fairely promiseth the discovery of the glory of Heaven the new Jerusalem but in the end this is all it receives at her hand even to be cast down thence into a troublesome sea of uncertainties fallibilities absurdities and what not this spirit of theirs blowes up a specious amiable bubble but if you once but close with it it immediately desolves and vanishes into a meere and empty nothing lay but once a side the literall sense of the Word of God and let the allegorical passe for Authentical there must needs be admitted and that unavoidably as severall mindes of God as there are various Phansies and different apprehensions of men in the world every ones spirit will coin a new mystery Divinity Quot homines tot sententiae what divisions distractions confusions will follow hereupon we can hardly agree about the literall O how shall we then differ about this mysterious Allegoricall Truth and Gospell Methinks and truly I averr it with a minde unprejudiced there glides a perceivable though silent stream through every channel of this Error into the sea of Rome And especially in the case in hand It will have the Scriptures universally allegoricall so will the Papists and as the Papists descend below Scripture to unwritten traditions so this way ascends above the Scriptures into unwritten mysteries The worst of the Papists have said the Gospell was written not to rule our faith but to be ruled by it calling it a nose of wax a dumbe judge c. And doth not this way of allegorizing Scripture speake aloud all this And blush not to say that the Scripture is fitted to the time and variably understood the sense thereof being one while this and another while that according as it pleaseth the spirit to change its dictates as the Papist according as the Church is pleased to change her judgment that is all the difference and
the punishment Lam. 3. of his sin The consequence is cleare as the Sun for what the Spirit hath revealed to us we cannot have an ignorant unbeleif thereof We are to beleive every Truth that God hath revealed to the World in Scripture But there are many Truths in the Scripture that the Spirit hath not yet revealed to most if to any Therefore we are to beleive more Truth and Scripture then the Spirit hath yet revealed to us The Proposition is clear because all revealed Truth is to be beleived First by that Law of Reason that is implanted in every man by Nature Secondly by the Law of God that condemneth every spirit as foolish and bewitched that obeyeth not the Truth in believing of it Gal. 3. 1. But now how shall we prove the Assumption to them that deny the Scripture viz. that there is more Truth in Scripture then the Spirit hath yet revealed to any They will be forced to grant it will they but yeild a little to consult their own experience for they will acknowledge that there are some that are more enlightened inspired with the spirit of Truth then others even among themselves Now that revelation that hath honored them above and beyond their Brethren was either made known by a spirit of Truth or Error but they not acknowledging the later of these then that they have received from the Spirit of Truth must needs be Truth and that may be the Truth for their sufficient conviction that is not revealed by the Spirit to many There is some Truth in Scripture that is not yet revealed to some men all the Truth in Scripture ought to be beleived by all men therefore men ought to beleive more Scripture then the Spirit hath yet made clear and manifest to them But a word to hint at the absurdity and danger of this Opinion and I shake hands yea wash my hands of this And first we must needs infer that there is no sin * Ignorantia Juris of ignorance can possibly be committed for if I am bound to beleive no more then the Spirit doth reveal I can be ignorant of nothing that I ought to know for whatsoever the Spirit doth reveal I must needs know There can be no sin of unbeleif for so far as the Spirit perswades and enlightens I must and cannot but assent There can be no actual sin at all among the Heathens for they either have the Spirit of Christ or not The first is too absurd to be imagined Then if they have not the Spirit they cannot have the Law revealed to them by it therefore the Law concerneth them not and where there is no Law there is no Transgression The Man of sin himself as so cannot sin i. against the Gospel the Saints or Christ since he is not perswaded by the Spirit of Truth that these are true Neither do I well conceive how the People of God can sin either for so far as they receive the Truth from the Spirit so far do they not obey it and no further are they bound to regard it Or to conclude if the Saints can sin the Saints it seems are the onely sinners in the World upon this account However men may wallow and tumble in the grossest prophaneness and yet not lose their Cloak The Spirit hath not revealed it to me it will be said I am not yet convinced that what I do is sinfull or evil And Happy thrice happy are ye blinde and ignorant Indians rise up and cal this way above all other blessed it freeth you from sin and punishment also for where there is no Conviction of spirit there is no Law and where there is no Law there is no Transgression and where there is no sin there is no punishment As this Opinion lays a good Foundation for sin so for Ignorance and Error also Well might the Papist say that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion it being so good a Preservative against sin and wickedness And for Error this will lead us to deny Jesus Christ and God himself the Resurrection of the Body Immortality of the Soul Heaven Hell and worse if possible and bring a man safely off and free from any sin or check upon this account plea ground and warrant I am not yet convinced hereof by the Spirit of God And to conclude it doth plainly levell the holy Bible with any other Book whatsoever whether godly or profane and make the Word of God of no better Authority then they which even the very very worst of which I am bound to beleive so far as the Spirit I mean by Scriptures shall convince and assure me of the truth thereof And yet which I greive to think and tremble to write this is a most commonly received Opinion among us in this Age. Ah! let us take heed of loosing that if such Errors as these once spread and prevail wherein our very Souls are bound up Religion it self CHAP. VIII Of the Scripture as it is the Rule of Faith WE now shal pass on in the defence of the Scripture to consider it respectively to our use thereof first altogether in the bulk whole therof as denied by this error in these two assertions 1. That the Scripture or Bible is not to be the Rule of Faith Page 128. 2. Nor the Judge and triall of the spirits page 66. line 2. 3. page 127. Both these are also known to every one that hath any knowledge of popish tenets to be ranke Popery The difference lies only in the different use hereof the Jesuist using them to advance his Pope and the men of this Errour making them a mean to carry on the designe of their spirit but of them in order Now in answer to the first viz. The deniall of the Scriptures to be the rule of Faith these popish assertions are found in the Jesuites Books Namely That the Gospell was written not to rule our Faith but to be ruled by it That it receiveth all the Authority it hath from the Church And that we must live more according to the Authority of the Church then Scripture c. Now may we but call the Church here the Pope and the Pope the Spirit a most easie mistake and in these and many other particulers the Abbettors of the Errour we are disputing against do willingly bow do obeysance to his holiness if not even fall down and kisse his Toe But there being nothing to be brought for this Errours upholding that I can think of at present that hath not already The truth proved received an answer upon an other occasion before I shall immediately betake my self for the strength and establishment of the contrary affirmative viz. That the Word or Scripture is to be the rule of our Faith For First we have cleere and pregnant scriptuâ—e for it 2. Tim 3. 15. The scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation through the Faith that is in Christ Jesus where observe 1. That Christ
is here held out to be the object of Faith Faith the prime meanes of our salvation and the Scripture the way rule and guide of Faith The practice of this hath attained an honorable record of the men of Berea the Holy Ghost still testifying that they of Berea were more noble then others even in this for that they would not give credit or Faith to the truths delivered by the Apostles themselves further then they made and found the word of Scripture to be the rule thereof they searching the scriptures daily whether these things were so Acts 18. 11. But the men we speake of while they winde up all Religion and rules of Faith into their unadvised presuming spirit what do they less so heinously obnoxious they are to the way of the spirit of truth then to be wise above that which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written But besides divine Authority seconded also as might be abundantly instanced if occasion did require with the numerous Testimony of the Spirit of God in Holy men of all ages plaine reason proves it viz. That the Word of God or Scripture is the rule of Faith 1. That is and only is the rule of Faith that is of infallible truth But the Scripture is and only is of infallible truth it being the word and minde of truth Therefore the Scripture undoubtedly is and only is the rule of Faith Truth being the proper immediate object of Faith it must needs be the rule Rectum norma sui obliqui therof i. of that that is to be beleived For truth or what ever is streight and right is the rule and measure both of it selfe and that that is Erronious and crooked The Rule of Faith must be certaine and known for if it be not certaine it is no rule at all And if it be not known it is no rule to us But nothing is more certaine nothing is more known then the Holy Scriptures contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles wherefore the sacred Scripture is the rule of Faith most certaine and most safe And for the case in hand it is worth our notice that the Scriptures must needs be better known then the spirit in some cases as namely where it is received where it speaketh plainly and the question is concerning the spirit These are Bellarmines own Reasonings not against us but Libertines relying upon Revelations which as they will serve to condemn the Scripture-blaspheming-Papists out of their own mouthes so also to confute our Anti-scripturists in this particular These things are written notwithstanding that we might have the certainty of that wherein we are instructed and that we might beleeve in Jesus and in beleeving have Life Eternal But how many absurdities and dangerous Danger consequences are the issue of the deniall hereof It followes 1. That the scripture is not the word of God it is all one in effect to say so and to deny it to be the rule of Faith for that that is the Word i. the will sense and truth of God revealed must needs be the rule of Faith And if the scripture be not the rule of Faith it may not be received as the Word of God for as we see God by the eye of reaeson in the World through that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Creation and Providence so with the eye of Faith alone in the Holy scriptures as he is there revealed to us by his Prophets and Apostles Thus 2. It robs the Lord of his infinite Glory and injuriously strips the World of the greatest Blessing wherewith ever God in blessing blessed it the scriptures for as to God they are the greatest outward pledge of his admirable favour and as to us the best yea the only ordinary way and meanes of heavenly light life and happiness To refuse the scripture as to the rule of Faith it must of necessity either expose us to the folly of acknowledging unwritten Traditions and to fall professed Papists or worse to the danger of waiting and attending on immediate Revelations and arise to Familisme But since the way of this Errour doth directly lead to the later of these we have a considerable price put into our hand to purchase though short yet seasonable digression touching Revelations of this Quere Qu. Is it not lawfull in these dayes of light to expect Revelations Answ The word Revelation is used in the scripture in the good sense but such Revelations as either take away from or add to the Scriptures and such Revelations as claime to be immediate may not be expected And such are the Revelations we now speake of Such as derogate from i. deny or contradict any part of the scripture is utterly unlawfull and ridiculous and cannot possibly be of the spirit of God For observe When there was but part of the Word express and extant and God shewed at any time by revealing his minde to the Prophets his intention to add an increase and inlargement towards the decreed perfection of the Holy Writ He never argued so much former improvidence or present contradiction to himselfe as by the now reigning spirit of truth to charge the other truth that had been revealed before by the same spirit to be false and Erronious And even as Gods word of six severall daies in that most admirable frame and fabrik of the World doth sing and set forth the praise of the Glory of Divine Wisdome with the sweetest Harmony even so doth the glorious building of scripture though the stones thereof were laid at sundry times by severall instruments and in diverse manners That Land is not surely the Finger of God that endeavours to demolish it yea or to take down a stone thereof But this Errour would remove the very corner stone and with violent hands labours every way to bury the beauty of this building in the ruines thereof denying not only the Word to be the rule of Faith but the triall of Faith at all yea Faith it selfe and Christ himself c. and almost what ever the scriptures affirme unlawfull abominable Revelations For I protest saith our Saviour unto every man that heareth the Words of the Prophesie of this Booke that if any man shall diminish of the Words of the Prophesie of this Booke God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life and out of the holy City the place you so much boast in and from these things that are written in this Book Rev. 22. 19. That Revelation that adds to the word is as impious unwarrantable also The top stone is laid the work is finished the whole Will and Minde of God is already revealed to us in the scriptures and we may looke for waite for no more Johns writings contemning every thing to be known to the end of the World even till he which testifieth these saith surely I come quickly c. Rev. 22. 20. And yet this Errour will expect more truths yet the scripture being not the rule
of Faith sufficient for it but I Protest unto every man that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this booke if any man shall add vnto these things God shall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Booke Rev. 22. 18. Immediate Revelations may neither be lawfully expected by us For though it was necessary or at least most convenient for God intending to blesse the World at the length though gradually with a standing visible mean for its recovery in knowledge c. To reveale his will at the first in a more immediate manner to some yet if I mistake not we never read of any such inspirations so absolutly immediate way of Revelation as my Antagonists boast of God for the most part making use of some kinde of mean more or lesse through which he conveyed his minde to the men of God themselves He did not distill inspire and reveale it into them much lesse into the People in so secret insensible a manner as this age mentions Which we shall further cleere unto you by a few meditations upon this scripture viz. God who at sundry and in diverse manners spake of old to our Fathers by the Prophets hath in the last daies spoke unto us by his Son Heb. 1. 1 2. These words may testifie not only that but how God hath declared himselfe to the World both in the first and last dispensation But the question in hand is not about the truth but the manner of these Revelations Quest First then how did God declare himself in the time of the Law Answ This Place informeth that then in diverse manners he spake to our Fathers by the Prophets Observe God did not of old before any part of the Bible was written immediately reveale his minde to our Fathers i. the People but by the meanes of his Prophets Gods speaking to our fathers by the Prophets here must needs be meant of his speaking to the Prophets and rather in then by them to our Fathers For the Prophets for ought I have read had only one way of revealing i. by voice the Word and Will of God to the People but here this speaking must therefore be the speaking of God to the Prophets since it is as that was not only at sundry times but in diverse manners also God spake that truth unto the Prophets that they were to declare to the People in diverse manners i. not immediately but by diverse waies and meanes Somtimes by Vrim and Thummim somtimes by a voice somtimes by dreames somtimes by visions c. these are all mediums in and through which God cannot reveale himself immediately These are all carnall waies of Revelation when compared with our late inspirations the spirit of our daies not only speaking into but in them without the help of the shadow of any meanes whatsoever But Hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son Whence observe 1. The Prophet of Gods People in the daies of the Gospell is the Son of God 2. The way wherein the son of God giveth us his Fathers minde and Councell is his word voice or speaking to us 3. Untill the very last of daies shall expire we must look for the Minde and Will of God in the word of Christ his Son Hath in these last daies c. 4. That in these very last of daies the Son of God instructeth immediately by speaking unto us by his Word rather then by speaking immediately in us by his spirit Object Then what use of the spirit is not it promised to lead us into truth yea and to put into our mindes what we shall say when occasion serves c. Answ We admire and adore the promise and blessing of the spirit in all its use yet doth not the spirit or breath of Christ still come with his Word see the Office of the spirit declared expounded Joh. 14. 26. vers 25. These things saith our Saviour have I spoken unto you being at present with you but the Holy Ghost ver 26. shall come and teach you all things but how it is immediately expounded for he shall bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Christ by his word both writ and preached declareth to the World his Fathers Councell As writ his minde is revealed as preached his Word is revealed to the World but the spirit can only take off the vaile from our hearts and make it effectuall and thus it doth its Office and maketh the Word to be spirit See Joh. 6 36. and life and the Ministers thereof the savour of Life unto Life and the ministration 2 Cor. 2. 16. of the spirit If it be in point of truth the spirit brings the word to our mindes or understanding and thus it is said to lead us into truth the way of truth is already laid in Scripture the spirit Joh. 16. 13 only leads us into it For he shall not speake of himself but whatsoever he shall heare that shall he speake if in point of Grace and Comfort The spirit doth worke these in us Joh. 1. 17. 17. by and in the use of the Word thus bringing the Word of Christ to our remembrance i. to our knowledge and improvement approving himself according to the Scripture in all respects as a Rom. 14. Acts 9. 31. spirit of truth and Holiness and consolation Obj. But he is also a spirit of supplication to us and doth he not then immediatly inspire when as he speaketh our praiers in us Answ Here is to be avoided a double fallacy 1. There is a difference observable betwixt the spirit speaking in us with respect to God by Prayer and with respect unto our selves by truth the sense we are now about Besides there is a double meaning in this little particle preposition in as in these two propositions it is used His speaking in us by praier is rather a speaking by us But his speaking in us by teaching is a speaking immediately into us 2. But more plainly the spirits speaking in us by Praier or as he is a spirit of Praier in us is not happily to be taken in such an immediate sense and way as some may think of it implieth as I can conceive only 1. A teaching us 2. An helping us to pray 1. The spirit as a spirit of praier teacheth us to pray either before praier or in our praying 2. The Spirit teacheth us how to pray before we pray by preparing our hearts to praier by meanes and by degrees by bringing unto us the knowledge of our estates wants the mercy and fulnesse of God by the word the Law and Gospel and by its daily increasing this habit of praier by daily acts Quest therefore it is that we never see a perfection of ability in the performance of this Heavenly duty of praier in instanti but by degrees But secondly It teacheth us to pray in the very exercise now is not that immediately Answ I answer not totally immediately
neither the spirit infuseth nothing into us while we pray that we had not some kinde of knowledg of before as the spirit in begetting a habit of praier in us at the first it brings things to our knowledge So in the very exercise it brings things to our remembrance viz. Our sins wants c. Gods Fulnesse Goodnesse and promises c. for petition 2. Our mercies priviledges hopes experiences c. For thanksgiving so teaching us how to pray 2. The spirits Office is to assist us in Prayer as well as to teach us to pray bringing things to our sense bearing up our infirmities So stirring up our affections to be carried up to God with our heart might and soul in a Heavenly powerfull importunity that the spirit as a spirit of Praier doth not any way incourage our expectation of an immediate Revelation the spirit only helping our infirmities For we know not what we should pray for as we ought therefore he directeth us the spirit himself making intercession for us with groanings which must be by us though they cannot be uttered Rom 8. 26. Obj. But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. 21. Answ Those holy men of God were the men that God made speciall choise of by them to leave his Scripture in the World in so much that had God revealed himself immediately to them it left us no advantage to expect the like The end of all such extraordinary Revelations viz. a visible word to leave Joh. 15. 22. the word without excuse being now attained 2. But remember that these were the men the Prophets whereby God in times past spake unto our Fathers in diverse manners How we have already found and cleared that these diverse manners were all of them meanes and such as stood betwixt a mediate Revelation and an immediate inspiration 3. Lastly Let us consider the Phraze a little neerer it is said they were moved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not said they were inspired Not inspired that they themselves might know it but moved that they might declare it to others and moved in their declaration thereof They were moved i. 1. by Impulsion 2. Guidance As a Scrivener moves his Schollars hand to the paper first and then guides the hand in writing thereupon that it may write and write true So these holy men of God spake and wrote as they were moved by the holy Ghost 1. to speake and write Secondly In speaking and writing so that they could not choose but declare and rightly and truely declare the things that they had seen and heard So the blessed Apostles the great and honorable Pen-men of the Gospell had in a more especiall manner the performance of that promise the Holy Ghost shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you in that their great undertaking But were they not rather moved guided to and in then immediately inspired with the infallible spirit in their glorious Work but in what I have here written concerning the Spirit I leave with submission to wiser and better judgments and pass on to CHAP. IX Of the Word as Judge of Spirits THe fellow of what hath been lately handled comming now to triall is That the Word of God or the holy Scriptures Error is not the Judge or Triall of Spirits This is a Papisticall Tenet Toridem verbis Arg. Now the only Argument that I finde for this part is because it is imagined that thus we set or advance the letter above the Spirit The Judge as so being ever above the Prisoner which we rank into mood and figure thus That which sets the Letter above the Spirit is not to be allowed But that which makes the Word the Judge of the Spirit sets the letter above the spirit Therefore that which makes the word the Judge of the Spirit is not to be allowed Answ The second proposition in answer hereunto is denied by distinguishing as 1. There is a judging or condemning and a judging of or thinking or conceiving of things or persons Now we must be advised that it is not said that the word is to judge the spirit but to judge of the spirit though the first hath its truth and place 2. There is a vertuall and a reall Judge The Law is the vertuall Judge It with a secret kind of vertue even of and in it self condemning the guilty and accquitting the innocent aforehand as it is the rule and square whereby the reall Judge doth actually measure the actions of men and in order to his last and determinate sentence judge of them but observe this judging of may as well precede acquittance as judgment or condemnation And to apply the word or Scriptures in the present sense is not the reall but the vertuall judge i. the Law the rule and measure whereby we judge of our own or others spirits we our selves or others that cal our spirits in question being rather Judges Obj. But thus we go about and is not that worse to lift up men above the spirit of God Answ The answer hereunto will bring us to the nick of the very businesse for we must here be mindefull that the spirit that is now upon the stage is not known but doubted for that which we have the knowledg of what need we put upon tryall Indeed upon assurance of the truth and Divinity of the spirit we speake of the word cannot properly be called the Judge and Triall of it but rather its Proofe and Evidence But as our Spirits are suspitious questionable so only we judge of and try them by Scripture the truth the touch-stone The Law being not made for a righteous man Yet if a righteous man fall under the shadow of Suspition the Law must try and cleere him He is not tried for judgment but satisfaction he is not tried as a good and righreous man but as one that is feared doubted to be an evill doer The Law being made for man and not man for the Law it is inferiour to him yea even his servant in this respect as it serveth to try and judge of suspitious and doubted men No more is the word above but a Servant to the spirit as it is the Judge and Triall of suspitious spirits Moreover 2. The word doth never try any spirit in it self but in its effects it doth properly therefore not judge of the spirit but as it trieth its effects and judgeth of them We finding our waies our thoughts to be truth conclude therefrom that they are guided and acted by the spirit of truth we by the Scriptures likewise trying and measuring mens opinions and practises do thus consequently and accidentally only judge of the spirit Lastly While we make the word of God the Judge and Triall of the spirit we try the spirit only by the word as its own effect and whether it be unreasonable to judge of the fire by its heat the
cause by its effects judge ye Then this is the result and resolution of the case by making the word the triall of the spirits we do no more abase or abuse the Holy spirit of God then we make the cause to stoop as inferiour to the effect by cleering or proving it by the same or then a righteous man is inslaved by the Law when as he is acquitted to liberty by it But somthing it behoveth us to speak in defence of the affirmative part namely That the Word of God and holy The affirmative truth Scriptures is the only Judg and triall of spirits that is to say To end all controversies cleere the truth discover Errour and every false way Which I argue 1. From the matter thus that which contains the Will of God must needs be the judge of the triall of truth and the decider of all Controversie But the Holy Scriptures confessedly contain the Will of God Therefore the holy Scriptures must needs be the Judge of spirits the triall of truth c. The second of these must needs be granted even upon most immediate reason God that is every way truth that cannot ly and speak any thing that is not in his thought or Heart his word must needs containe his mind and will Now for the Consequence in the first proposition viz. That which containes the Will of God must needs be the judg of spirits triall of truth Decider of all Controversies you have most easily the reason of it by considering what it is that the whol world of men do so much argue for what that is that is called and honored with the name of truth by every mouth that speaketh Is it not that very thing which we call the Will and sense of God in other words what is our truth the Helen for which the whole World is at debate and varience but the way the will the virgin truth of Heaven would we know who is true and who a lyar let God be true and every man and spirit else a liar his Word is truth and the measure therefore of it Would we know whether the first in Rectum norma sui obliqui our Land be strait or not the most ready way is by an even comparing it with that that is undoubtedly so So we doubt which way and spirit is of God of truth and which of Satan a liar from the beginning take the fruits thereof the practise and opinions and look into the word for the warrant of them The doubt is whether they be according to Gods Minde his Word revealeth his Minde look there and search the Scriptures The word of God is the Revelation of his Minde whither shall we go for truth or to know what is truth the word is truth Arg. 2 We must either deny the Bible to have the minde and to be the Word of God or else subscribe to this undoubted truth That the word of scripture is the Judge and Triall of truth and spirits From the Charge and Cammand of God concerning the Scriptures the end of Gods intention in giving our use and duty in having them being to try and judge of the spirits by them Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no Light in them This Text though dis-regarded hath certainly very much in it for the defence and cleering of the truth in hand the whole drift thereof and not only the face of the words directly looking with great respect to our present purpose for here is a cleere command a strait charge we see To the Law and to the Testimony c. the Word of God may be called a Law it containing those rules according to which we must be obedient a Testimony as a standing and visible witnesse and evidence of the Minde and Will of God concerning the World about which we may observe for the better application of the same to our purpose somthing precedent in the verse immediately standing before and somthing consequent in the following words of this same verse The part of the context preceding and observeable is the occasion whereupon this charge is brought in the part of the context subsequent is the reason therof First for the occasion thereof ver 19. It should seem that the People in those daies of old had some wise men among them men wise above what is written who boasting of the spirit a spirit of divination promised an answer and undoubted resolution of all their doubts and inquiries Obj. But what saith the spirit of God as touching these when they shall say unto you inquire at them that have a spirit of Divination c. answer them thus should not a people inquire at their God But it may be demanded now how shall a people inquire at their God Answ Read on and read an answer sufficiently satisfactory To the Law and to the Testimony there and there alone you may know your Gods Minde and finde to your selves satisfaction and quietnesse which is further pressed by the reason and motive already hinted following viz. If they if any man the best Southsayer diviner of them all if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Now did not God know very well that these men were acted by a lying spirit Yes verily but this is spoken for our sakes doubtless that we might have a way to know them also and Southsayers may murmure what their hellish spirit dictates endeavoring to answer by inquiry but rest not here venter not the least weight of credit or faith thereupon untill thou have tried this their spirit by my revealed will written Word For if they speak not according not only not against but if not according to this word it is because there is no true spirit nor light in them All light proceeding from the Father of lights by the beam of his spirit through the Window of his Word both for satisfaction to thy self to the Law and to the Testimony inquire at thy God and for the triall of their spirits to the Law and to the Testimony for if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Whence we may conclude and conclude with these foure things 1 That spirit that speakes not according to the Word hath no light in it 2 The only Judge and trial of spirits is the written word 3 Upon every doubt and suspition of spirits we are commanded and charged to the Law and to the Testimony 4 So much of Gods will as hath been already revealed hath been alwaies sufficient for his People in generall In Moses his time we read that secret Deut. 29. 29. things belong to God and things revealed to us and not to us alone but to all that shall come after us and to our Children Therefore not only so in Moses time but in these daies of the Prophets to the
Law and to the Testimony Now if but part of the Minde of God now revealed to the World was sufficient for Gods People in these former daies is not the whole sense and truth of God both in Law and Gospel sufficient for us when as we have so much of written word let us not be so foolish as to be wise above it our Saviour our King commands the like therefore upon us that live under the Gospell Search the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. The whole Chapter argueth the wicked infidelity of the Jews against Christ himself who did not only doubt of his spirit but said in plain tearmes he was a blasphemer and in any other place that he was acted assisted by the Joh. 5. 18. Prince of Devils the spirit of Belzebub Yet Christ will have his owne spirit tried even by scripture search the scriptures to the Law and to the Testimony your Law is my Testimony they are they that testifie of me I protest to every one that shall add to the Words of this book I will add all the curses that Rev. 22. are written in it Now if God hath commanded this way he hath surely intended it if it be the way of God surely then it is the way and we may conclude it in divine authority to be truth also viz. That the word of scripture is the judge and triall of spirits 3 From example that way that Christ and his Apostles did try and judge of spirits cleere the truth and discover Errour by must needs be the best and surest way But that way that these walked in Mat. 21. 42. 22. 29. Luke 4. 1. Joh. 7. 42. Acts 17. 2. 18. 28. for this end was the written word which must needs be therefore the best and surest way 4 From Divine Testimony 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. Framed thus that which is able to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished c. is a sufficient good Judge and triall of spirits But the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect c. therefore the Scriptures are a sufficient good Judge and triall of spirits The major must needs be granted as the minor is unquestionable for it most properly belonging to the man of God or a Minister of Christ to try the spirits whether they be of God it being a necessary qualification in him and an essential part of his ministerial perfection to be able to convince Gainsayers if the Tit. 1. 9. Scriptures be not found sufficient for this it cannot make him perfect and throughly furnisht to every good work But doubtless All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improve to correct and to instruct in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect and throughly furnished unto every good work From divine encouragement that which the holy Ghost hath not onely appointed commanded to be the judge and triall of spirits in general but hath also highly and honorably commended to all future posterity in holy Writ for the judging and trying of himselfe must needs be the Judge and triall of spirits The Assumption is most clearly found Acts 18. 11. where we have it not onely related not barely commended but highly honoured and honorably recorded for an act of a truly and bravely noble spirit that they searched the Scriptures whether those things were so that they would not receive any truth from Paul himself yea the Spirit of God in Paul without searching the Scriptures making the Scriptures the Rule Judge and triall thereof How easily then may we conclude that the Scriptures are the judge and triall of all other spirits unless we will deny divine truth divine commands divine examples divine authority and divine encouragement and invitation But this Branch will appear more worthily cut off if we will but a little Danger of the Error consider what wilde and dangerous fruit it bears For If this be concluded that the holy Scripture is not the judge and triall of spirits we strip our selves of all possible means for this important and most weighty end Once it is our duty to take heed what we hear to try all things yea and expresly to try the spirits John 4. 1. Doth God command his Children to make him Brick without straw It is their duty totry the spirits and have they no way left no means of obedience Dearly beloved beleive not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God I desire my candid Reader to bear with a short Digression for the opening of this Text. We finde the holy Ghost hath not onely laid this Command upon us negatively Beleive not every spirit and positively but Try the spirits but hath also pressed this Doctrine with a Reason or Motive seconding that with Directions respectively The Reason why we should try the spirits is immediately subjoyned viz. For many false Prophets are gone out into the world The fals and heretical Prophets go out into the World but the true ones are sent for how shall they preach Rom. 10. except they be sent But this Motive here hath three steps in it whereon we might ascend to obedience There are false Prophets as well as true and therefore try c. There are men abroad that bearing the name of Prophets though false carry Lies in their right hand that carry on Errour very dexteriously and thou maist if thou take not good heed if thou do not try before thou trust thou maist happily shake such a hand therefore Try the spirits There are many false Prophets as they are deceitfull in quality so numerous in quantity he that walketh in a place over-crept with many Snakes Adders c. will he not take heed be very carefull watchfull over every step he treads Now are there not many Wolves in Sheeps cloathing many Snakes and Serpents under the hearbs in Gods Church Garden Take heed therefore Try therefore c. Many false Prophets are gone out into the World the Plot to deceive is not onely laid but executing and that not in private or secret only but publickly openly the Deceivers very cunning or the Times most corrupt Many false Prophets are gone out into the World therefore beleive not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God Quest But how shall we try the spirits Answ There are Rules sufficient in the Word of God and amongst the rest Saint John hath left us two or three here as being more seasonable for those Times and happily not unsuitable for ours For Hereby ye shall know the spirit of Error every spirit that denieth that Christ that is come in the flesh is not of God but this the spirit of Antichrist who is already in the World Vers 3. Whosoever heareth not us i. doth not with Faith and Conscience receive the Word whether written or preach't is not of God for hereby know we the spirit of Truth and the spirit of Error Vers 6. He that loveth
not knoweth not God i. He that doth censoriously uncharitably contemn or condemn his Brethren doth not shew himself by love and the carriages of love knoweth not God for God is love Vers 8. Quest But what need of these Rules Is not the spirit of Truth in it self sufficient to discover Error and Heresie I answer Answ Though I have already before sufficiently spoke to immediate Revelations of the spirit I adde that the light of the Text doth clear the contrary for who were they to whom John writeth Were they not such as had the Spirit of God Vers 4. Yet this command of trying the spirits reacheth and immediately falleth on them as if most fit and properly convenient for such as have the spirit to try the spirits though they are Children of Light they cannot immediately discern betwixt things that differ but these must use means for the exercise of their spirit of discerning these must try the spirits Quest But those spirits which are of God have not they sufficient Light with them to discover themselves Answ No not immediately for we must try the spirits whether they be of God if of God we must know them to be so by triall and examination But it is now high time to shake hands with that Text and to weigh the Consequence of this bold Deniall of the Word of God to be the judge and triall of spirits For then Thou canst not possibly convince another of the Error of his spirit upon good Grounds What course wilt thou take with such a spirit Wilt thou tel him that thou art assured that he is in an Error And will not he answer with assurance as stout that he is in the truth And if thou wouldst convince him by reasoning the Case can this be done without some outward Rule and Ground to which both parties acknowledging it Umpire must make their Appeal Now this outward third this Rule Judge Umpire must of necessity be the Word of God or some humane Tradition The Word of God is silenced in the Case by this same spirit and what a Popish Absurdity followeth A man of an erroneous spirit the Word of God not being his triall cannot possibly convince himself of Error upon good Grounds For what shal be the word or Rule of Truth for his instruction reproof conviction if the Word of God be not The spirit that is undoubtedly true But then I demand how shall we know that spirit that is of Truth to be so Or since None know the things of a man but the spirit of a man that is in him How shall I know what is the truth of such a spirit of truth in any man but by his word alone and now is not the word of Man preferred above the Word of God The Word of God must not and must the word of man be the judge and triall of truth and spirits The word of a frail and fallible man exalted above the Word of the true and infallible God The word of a private single man take up the place and Office of the publique Word of God that hath been so highly honored and had in so famous acknowledgment and credit by all religious holy men of all Ages successively Profanum vulgus this way speaks every man true and God alone a Lyar Let God arise and let his Enemies be scattered May not the Word in this use laid aside every man make his own spirit to be the Rule and Standard of all Truth and Faith While one more presumptuous then the rest intrudeth his Tenets for Truth another bringeth in his so a third so a fourth c. Every man self-conceited beleiving his own way and opinion to be truth why may not every man claim the same priviledge By what Law is he forbidden The Law of Gods Word that is repeal'd the Law of spirits they are all equal How shall we now be reconciled What can end the Controversie Whom shall we hear Whom follow How shall we become of one minde one Faith What Town-clerk can allay this Hubburl Confusion Disturbance and make Peace and Union Either every man must yeild retreat draw back to himself into his own opinion going away quickly guided by his own spirit the blinde corrupted Dictates of decayed Nature or by a proceeding and that of necessity either by a Sword or Vmpire First by the Sword one urging thou shalt yeild to me another threatning subscribe to me a third swearing you both are heretical and I am alone in truth you both must and shall be of my way c. untill a Bacillous Argument end the Controversie the strongest arm be the best spirit and the Sword hath cut and decided the matter Or secondly by an Vmpire all pitching upon one to mediate betwixt them to end and reconcile their Differences to whom they must give all power and soveraignty to command them Truth Peace and Union thus creating to themselves a Pope and themselves Papists But to prevent all this let us hold-fast what we have received that the Word of God is both the Rule of Faith and the judge and triall of spirits CHAP. X. Of the Word as profitable for Instruction HAving reconciled the spirit to its Word whether taken absolutely or respectively to our use in the whole body or bulk thereof we now have occasion to make peace betwixt the same spirit and some special parts or particular uses of the same Word for this spirit that claimes to be the Spirit of God denieth the Word to be any way profitable either for instruction obedience or consolation in its Doctrine Commands or Promises First then it denieth the Word to be profitable in its Doctrine for our teaching and instruction Now the Scripture False rest pag. 45. l. 14. saith he doth not reveal Christ within any man his sense must be that the Scripture is not the means appointed or made use of by God for the spiritual teaching of the soul of man This being so general to the particulars behinde we shall have direct and just occasions of Answer hereunto in answering to them yet for present satisfaction I make a Proposal of these two Queres If the Word of God is not a means to reveal Jesus Christ within any man what then is meant by such Attributes of it as are found Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is lively and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entereth through even to the dividing of the soul and of the spirit and of the joynts and of the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and of the intents of the heart we say not the Word without the spirit but yet the spirit with the Word doth according to most sure and frequent experience all whatever we here have read therefore it is otherwhere called the Sword of the Spirit Eph. 6. 17. and what cannot that do when set home by such a hand Yea the weakness of God is stronger then men but now the
10. And partly hereafter by leaving them utterly without excuse otherwise happily this might have been the Plea of ungodly men then How should we beleeve except we had heard But they having heard the word being in their mouths yea even and in their hearts and yet they beleeved not their mouths are stopped they being judged by the Gospell Had not I come saith our Saviour and spoke unto them they had had no sin i. in comparison but now have they no cloke for their sin John 15. 22. 2. And in order to the glory of grace on the Vessells of honour the commands of God upon them have a twofold end also one in this World for their obedience i. to give them power by the very command to obey the same it being the power of God i. having the power of the spirit of God along with it to make it successefully command us to obedience Thus the Word of Christ is spirit and life and he having the words of eternall life while he calleth upon us Awake thou that sleepest he doth awaken us and while he commandeth Lazarus come forth the dead John 11. 43. John 5. doe heare the voice of the Son of God and those that heare doe live And as one end of Gods commands to his Children here is for their obedience so the other end both here and hereafter is for a reward of their obedience Godlinesse being profitable for all things and having both the promise of this life and Matth. 25. ult also of the life that is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. Thus we have largely shewed and cleered that we need not deny the commands of the Word as they look towards wicked unregenerate men for want of an end or as vaine and fruitlesse though they in themselves have not power to obey them Obj. 2. But there is one branch of this Dilemma yet above us Viz. The commands are needlesse to the regenerate they having the Law within them what need of a Law without They having the spirit what need of the letter But we shall now endeavour to match it with these Answers Answ 1. There is in the best of Gods Children that live in the World even in Paul himselfe nature as well as grace flesh as well as spirit A Law in their members warring against the Law of their mindes and leading them captive to the Law of sin And now to answer this there is need of Kom 7. a Law without to stirr up and assist the Law within against that too often prevailing party of wickednesse in them 2. As the commands were at first made use of for the beginning and begetting of grace so afterwards they serve for the preservation motion and increase thereof Read onely for each of these one Text as Heb. 3. 12 13. and Revel 2. 5. and lastly 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. 3. Outward or commands without us doe onely give occasion to manifest that grace that is within the heart to the eyes of the World of which is produced two notable effects First the Law that we obey being knowne and beleeved by others as well as our selves to be the Law of God thus our light so shineth before Mat. 5. men that they seeing our good works glorifie our Father which is in heaven Secondly and thus the World becometh reproved and condemned by us We doing all things i. that are commanded us without murmurings or reasonings that we may be blamelesse and pure and the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a wicked and crooked Nation among whom we shine as lights in the World holding forth the Word of life Philip. 2. 14 15 16. But for that we were so large upon the The affirmative proved preceding particular we shall onely by a few breife hints of things argue out to the Reader the affirmative part Viz. That it is not needlesse for God to lay outward commands upon such as are already regenerate and conclude this Chapter Then 1. Christ his Disciples heretofore had need of commands and a Law without Matth. 5. 16. Joh. 15. 17. c. and why not now also 2. They that had the spirit of Christ heretofore even that anoynting within that should teach all things had yet need of and use for commands in the letter 1 Ioh. 2. 27 28. and why not now also 3. Those that are perfect with the perfection of the Gospell have use for such commands Phil. 3. 15 16. and why not we 4. Yea Adam in innocency that with the perfection the Law it self requireth was perfect upright had need and occasion for the Law without him and what then can priviledge us Lastly and 5. Jesus Christ himself received words and commands from his Father Ioh. 17. 8. have we more of the spirit and Law within us then Christs Disciples Apostles are we more perfect and holy then they then Adam then Jesus Christ himselfe let us then claime freedome and priviledg from the commands of the Word but not otherwise for notwithstanding what is yet objected against it the Word is profitable in its commands not vaine for such as are unregenerate not needlesse or useless for the regenerate themselves CHAP. XII Of the Scriptures as usefull in their promises for comfort THat this way might sufficiently vent its spleen and enmity against the holy Scriptures it having already most desperately endeavoured to abase and falsifie the soverainty and truth of the great God by rejecting his Doctrine and denying his commands therein it sets it selfe here to deject our Comforts by weakning and sleighting the Promises of God contained there also It plainly telling us that no promises whether they be sought or cast in Errour are to be a rest unto any Heart You may read this position in p. 73. of the false rests with its explication and meaning in the foot of p. 68. where he defines the twelfth false rest to be viz a closing with and drawing comfort from the promises expressed It s meaning in the letter of the Scripture Arg. All his argument against the comfort of the Promises so far as I can gather is taken from the abuse thereof And that with respect to the principle of application and the extent thereof 1. The abuse of the promises is argued first from the Principle that usually moveth thereto viz. Necessity Because we many times are driven for comfort to a promise by the sensile want of those things that are offered therein Answ But doth our being driven to promises by necessity make the comfort we have thence weak or vain Vanity of vanities When men are pricked to the heart and out of a sense of their sin and misery cry out as we read what shall we doe why then doth the ministry of the Spirit presently tender unto such some special promise Yea and prick them to the heart in order Acts 2. Acts 16. thereunto even that a promise of salvation by beleeving in Christ through the meanes
be God or not Answ I answer that if the truth of the deliverance being spirituall be known this cannot be doubted For if I am truly delivered from the dominion of any sin this cannot be from Satan who wants both will and power to such a holy work If it be of my self it can onely be by Christ his assistance sevened from whom we can do nothing so that we John 15. must of necessity conclude that in the strength of the Lord we have done valiantly the Lord is our strength and our redeemer Especially being inlightned with the knowledge of the premises and assisted to lay down the conclusion by the spirit of Christ that is as fire that hath not only heat to consume our corruption but light to manifest the World to be done and by whom it is done likewise And did not the Prophets of old without doubt beleeve that their Dreams and Visions were from God did not Paul know that his calling and Apostleship was of the Lord and the primitive Christians were they not assured that they received the Holy Ghost even so we the Redeemed of the Lord may infallibly know that the Lord is our Rock and our Deliverer And though the whole World lieth in wickednesse yet we are of God And that the things we have received are freely given to us of God And therefore this renewing of this Argument here hath but offered an occasion of discovering its rottennesse more and more and not in the least darkned the evidence of our experiences Argument for the affirmative But let us examine what may positively be said for the farther cleering thereof And first of all it is worth our remembrance that the own experience of those men hath usually been their strongest argument in other points though here they dispute against experience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Yet what more cleerer and convincing way of arguing then from experience it is therfore called the Mistres of fools it makes them understand and be wise It is not a naturall Dictate Maxime viz. Experientia docet yet Christians may not observe or gather any thing from their experiences How unnaturall unreasonable is their Religion Do we not yea according to the Law of reason must we not judge of men as we finde them we will first try and then trust and is God more variable and man more constant dare we venter our credit upon the experience of men and yet not of God O let God be true and every man a Liar Let man be changeable but God be God that changeth not even the same yesterday to day and for ever O let the Method and order of Gods Creation and Government the cours of his daily providence speak and intreat for him And perswade us to beleeve that he is faithfull to his own Rules and to his servants trust that he is constant the same with whom is no variablenes nor shadow of turning that what you found him hitherto either to his Freinds or enemies even such you will finde him still the Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy works but those experiences that come in the Fathers name that they may fare no better then the Son you will not beleeve but Joh. 5. ult others that come in their own name them ye will beleeve Do we not argue the love and good will of men by their gifts especially in want from their help an assistance espeally in straits yet though God hath been a present help in time of trouble to us though he hath in the midst of extreamest want most constantly and seasonably still supplied us though he satisfied and conquered all our doubts and dangers for us Yet we may not we must not beleeve that he did those things out of any love he bore to us we may not for future put any trust and confidence in him upon this incouragement Nor looke upon our selves to be safe under that protection that hath hitherto been as Wals and Bulwarks to us Most strange and ureasonable Doctrine most wickedly ungratefull practise is his hand shortned that it cannot save stil or his ear that was open heavy that it cannot heare 3. And as the way of this errour thwarts reason and experience so it doth flatly contradict the authority of scripture in this particuler which speaketh it expresly that experience worketh Hope Ro. 5. 4. 5. Experience and hope are mutually a morall cause and effect it being the proper nature thereof to produce and to be produced He adds that Hope maketh not ashamed i. giveth great boldnesse because thereby the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Thus we see then that the holy Ghost or the comming of the Spirit doth not make null the use of experience but rather makes use thereof for the working of hope that by hope he might shed the love of God abroad in our hearts and give us great boldnesse against future sufferings In this very place we may read the use of Experience now pleaded for to be the truth of scripture seconded by reason strengthned by the spirit and all set down as the Saints experience also 2. Moreover no argument in scripture is more frequent and potent for the raiseing up of the hopes and the hearts of Gods Children then this of experience we have the strength of Davids Lion and bear yea and of Pharoah and all his hoast over and over and over for it it is no easy thing to reckon up how many severall times David makes mention of the wonderfull deliverance of the People of Israell out of Egypt besides the honour the frequent mention of our scriptures give it for the comfort of the Church in the time of persecution and are not we now in the Wildernesse your most frequent Allegory then why may not we also remember the Fatherly Pity of God towards us when we groaned under the Egyptian Bondage and rejoyce in that goodnesse and mercy that hath so graciously delivered us out of the powers of darknesse comforting our selves with this hope and confidence that he that hath brought us out of Egipt will lead us into Canaan that though we are opposed with spirituall wickednesses yet we shall be more then Conquerours over them and though through much tribulation yet we shall enter into the Kingdome of God and see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living 3. May not we say with one breath that he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith that he that hath begun a good work in us will also finish it to the day of Christ that he that hath given us his only Son to dye for us so loved us yea since he hath delivered and doth deliver we may surely gather conclude and trust that he wil stil deliver 2. Cor. 1. 10. us And because he hath lead us as our most careful Shepheard into green Pastures and by the still waters restoring