very ill manners in you and not becoming either the humility or thankfulness of a Christian or a reasonable man to vilifie and undervalue Learning and learned men as to the understanding of the Scriptures since neither you nor any other man that only understands English had ever come to know any thing in the Scripture if learned men had not translated them to your hands 2. Since there hath been many Translations of the Scriptures out of Hebrew into Greek out of Greek into Latine out of Hebrew and Greek into Latine out of Latine into English out of Greek into English out of Hebrew and Greek into English which Translations being made at several times and in several Ages do therefore very much differ and vary in several places It is very unlikely sure that ignorant men who understand only their own Native Language should yet as well understand the Scriptures as the learned who have the gift of these several Languages and can examine and compare these several Translations with the Original and Fountain Truth And would it not much conduce think you to the understanding of the Scripture to read the Interpretations and pious Discourses of those holy religious Fathers of the Church which lived either in or about the Apostles time or immediately afterward and so are most likely to know the meaning of the Apostles in their writings then we who live so many hundred years since This I believe no man that hath not lost his sense and reason will deny Now to read and understand those ancient writings and the Scripture by those helps Greek and Latine is necessary for they wrote in those Languages Object But to all this I believe you will say that they who are endued with the Spirit of God understand the things of God without all this labour and leaâ—ning Answ We acknowledge and affirm as well as you that wisdom knowledge and understanding are the gifts of the Spirit Esa 11.2 and that we must wait upon God for them by Prayer Jam. 1.5.17 for from him cometh every good and perfect gift but yet God communicates not these gifts to the sons of men by miracle Dan. 1. compare v. 4. 6. with v. 17. but through the use of the means And to neglect and contemn the use of those ordinary means God has given us to attain spiritual wisdom by and to depend upon extraordinary and miraculous revelation from Heaven is to tempt the good Spirit of God Mat. 4.7 2 Thes 2.10 11. and to provoke him to give us up to strong delusions and to give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils which too often appear and insinuate themselves into the mindes of men 2 Tim 4.1 2 Pet. 3.15 16. under the visard shew and semblance of Revelations and Infusions and Qualifications of the Spirit of truth and this by sad experience we daily see to be too true and hath appeared in your several questions Now God Almighty deliver you and all Christian people from under the power of such delusions 'T is the daily Prayer of your Christian brother R. S. A DISCOURSE OF THE Holy Spirit His Workings and Impressions ON THE SOVLS of MEN. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12.5 Rectum est Index sui obliqui London Printed by E. Cotes for R. Roysion at the Angel in Ivie lane 1654. TO THE TRULY VERTUOUS THE Lady Rebecca Bingdloss MADAM THis following Discourse of the Holy Ghost his impressions and workings on the soul of man was first intended only for private satisfaction to your Ladyships pious desires That being well grounded in the Orthodox Doctrine and having a right understanding of the true Spirit of God it might be as an impregnable Bulwark against so many suggestions and temptations of the false and deceitful spirit For the minde of man being either devoid of the Spirit of Grace and Holiness or else of a right understanding of the things of Gods Spirit who is the Fountain both of Grace and Truth is too apt and prone to close with the suggestions of the evill spirit who is the author and promoter of sinfulness and error Never Age produc't so many spiritual Monsters as this wherein we live And I think few parts of England be so much infected with them as these Northern parts be They were very impudent and daring when they adventured to tempt your vertuous minde and by inticing words to allure your good opinion of them as full well knowing if they could but have effected thus much to have made you not an enemy to their proceedings though you did not close with them it would have given much lustre and credit to their erroneous Sect But God be praised that you are better grounded then to be Proselyted by such Ignoramo's better resolved then to be taken with such shallow delusions which a good Christian with half an eye unprejudic'd may easily see through It is your goodness for Bonum quo melius eo communius to desire the publique communication of this short Discourse of the Spirit as a Doctrine both seasonable in respect of the many spreading infectious Errors so much prevailing amongst us and also necessary as an Antidote against that contagion which issuing out of the mouth of Hell presumes most impudently and impiously to hide its venome under the name and title of the Holy Spirit I could wish the Doctrine were for this end manfully and satisfactorily cleared to the mindes of men by the Pen of some more Judicious Writer This mean Tract the Author in all humility acknowledges to be guilty of many defects and impertinencies and himself one of the meanest of the faithful and obedient sons of the Church The small acceptance it shall finde in the world will be derived from your white Name and Vertue in which Sanctuary it may escape the black-mouth'd Detractions of the Censorious and rest secure of the good acceptance if not benefit of others May you be every day more happy in the increase of all Christian vertues growing up in the knowledge of God and persevering in the constant Profession of his holy Truth and consciencious practise of the same till you arrive at the Haven of true Happiness This Madam shall be the constant endevour and is the dayly prayer Of your most faithful and affectionate Servant in Christ R. SHERLOCK The Introduction NO Age hath ever brought forth more pretenders to the Spirit of God then this wherein we live And amongst this Generation there be many so ignorant that they know not what they mean by that Spirit whereunto they so much pretend but blindfolded suffer themselves to be led by they know not whom and with the hood-winkt Samaritans Joh. 4.32 they worship they know not what Whose ignorance accompanyed with excessive pride of heart which makes their ignorance the greater that through pride they will not know or acknowledge it upon this ground The Devill hath sown his crop and reapt his Harvest even
or three are gathered together in his Name to worship him and call upon his Name there is he in the midst of them And this place of Assembly we cal a Church because the Church or People of God do there assemble to his Service and 't is a Scripture term too though you know it not for as there is a Church in God and in Christ Jesus 1 Thes 1.1 1 Thes 1.1 that is persons devoted to Gods service in and through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 11.22 So there is a Church of God 1 Cor. 11.22 The place namely where such persons do assemble and joyn in Divine Worship But since you cry down all distinctions as savoring of humane Learning whereby the naked truth of things might be clearly and distinctly seen as they are in themselves without conjunction with other things it is no marvel you are so blinde as not to distinguish men from houses persons from places the servants of God from the places of his service Quest 23 What Scripture is there to have a Clark to say Amen and to have groats a piece of the world for his trade Answ 'T is the duty of all good people to say Amen to every good Prayer or what is spoken tending either to Gods glory or their own good Psal 106.46 and this you shall finde both commanded and practised in the Scriptures Neh. 8.6 2 Pet. 3. ult Rev. 22.20 if you do but consult the Marginal Texts I may therefore rather demand of you why do not rather all the people say Amen then you ask of me why one man doth so And for the Groat he receives yearly of some persons in the world who are not all of the world as you uncharitably censure them I conceive it is not to be so much for saying Amen as for many other Offices wherein he is useful both to Pastor and People Quest 24 25 26. What Scripture is there for taking money for burying the dead or to have ten or twelve shillings for Preaching a Funeral Sermon or to take money for marrying man or woman Answ For our pains in laboring in the Word and Doctrine 5 Tim. 5.17 18. the Apostle gives this general rule The Labourer is worthy of his wages and what their wages is for their particular pains and labours in this or that Ministerial Function whether more or less is not of our choosing but partly the liberality of Founders and Benefactors partly custom amongst all people in all Christian Countries hath setled it Quest 27 When did any that was sent of Jesus Christ to Preach the Gospel sue men at the Law Answ We confess that to be contentious and ready to go to Law for every small trespass is a fault and far from the quality of faithful charitable and good members of Christs Church whether Ministers or People 1 Cor. 11.16 for if any list to be contentious we have no such custom nor the Churches of God But many such differences may arise betwixt party and party concerning temporal rights properties and interests as cannot well be decided without suit of Law Act. 19.38 So that it is not always a fault in it self to go to Law and sue one another but when it is done either contentiously or uncharitably and they that are guilty in this kinde let them answer for themselves And now for your conclusion Conclusion you say If thou be a Minister of Jesus Christ which exerciseth a pure conscience towards God and man clear thy self from the guilt of these things and answer them in writing by the Scriptures or Saints Examples oâ— else in siâ—â—nâ—e confess thy self guilty and one of those Christ cryed woe against acting the same things now as they did then filling up the measure of thy Fathers iniquity which said they were Jews and were not but were of the Synâ—gogue of Satan Answ Your challenge is very highly bitter and rayling both against me and all of my profession and calling and you rail in Scripture tearms too whereby you tâ—ke the garments of Gods Holy Spirit the Spirit of meekness and love and put them upon the Devils shoulders who is the reviler and accuser of his brethren Rev. 12.10 But I dare own my calling in spite of all the venom that the Devil and all his Instruments can spit against it and will be ever ready to maintain my integrity in the conscientious Exercise thereof in despite of all that oppose it your rayling Scripture woes and curses are very much misapplyed you have mistaken the object Prov. 26.2 The curse causless shall not come Prov. 26.2 You shoot out your arrows even bitter words at the mark they cannot hit the venom whereof is so far from being dreadful to me that it ministers rather cause of spiritual joy and exultation remembring the words of my Lord and Master Mat. 5.11 12. Mat. 5.11 12. Blessed are yee when men revile and persecute you and say all manner of evill against you for my sake falsly rejoyce and be glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you I have according to your desire answered your several questions in writing I will not retort your uncharitable application of Scripture woes and threatnings against your self least I should become guilty with you of the same sin but rather with all meekness beseech you in the fear of God seriously to weigh and consider what I have said and the Lord give you a right understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2.7 There remains yet one conclusive question which you ask so peremptorily as if it were impossible to give you an answer and thus 't is Prefac'd Quest Thou sayst They must be learned men and brought up in Scholastick ways and by that means they must open the Scripture because thou sayst they were first given forth in Greek and Hebrew which you call the Original and therefore ignorant men cannot understand them But answer me this question Whether the Scriptures as they are written in English be true as Christ and the Apostles spake them forth and if they be true as they are in English what need any other Language be learned by an English man to know them Answ First what I have said is no other then a truth undenyable that the Scriptures were given forth in Hebrew and Greek which we doe truly call the Original And as by learned men they are translated so by learned men who understood both the Translation and the Original which are most fully and clearly understood As waters be more clear and pure in the Fountain then in the stream so the holy Scriptures are more clear and intelligible to them that see them in the Fountain and read them in the Original then to those who only can see and read them in the stream as they are derived unto them from the hands of the Translators And I must here tell you withall that it is
The QVAKERS WILDE QUESTIONS Objected against the Ministers Of the GOSPEL And many Sacred Acts and Offices Of RELIGION With brief Answers thereunto TOGETHER WITH A Discourse of the Holy Spirit His impressions and workings On the SOVLS of Men. Very seasonable for these times By R. SHERLOCK B. D. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 COR. 11.19 London Printed by E. Cotes for R. Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane 1654. To the Honorable Sir Robert Bindloss Baronet SIR THese following Questions being sent to your house and receiving their short and sudden answers under your roof and the Author his subsistence from your courtesie and beneficence It being also your desires they should be made publick if perhaps some satisfaction might be given to any of those too too many seduced and wavering souls amongst us Be pleased therefore that under your name and patronage they may appear as a covert to veil their imperfections and defects Defective they must needs be in many respects neither can the Answers to so many strange scrupulous and unheard of questions being conceiv'd on a sudden by way of answer to a Letter be expected to be satisfactory and full as to all particulars Longer time for further and more mature deliberation might in some good measure have supplyed many defects but that I was unwilling to add any thing to what was dispatcht away by way of answer to the Letter or rather Libell of the scrupulous Questioner that so both might appear to the eye of the world verbatim without addition or diminution Hereunto as a back or second I have annexed a Discourse both short and plain Of the Holy Spirit of God so much by those sâ—duced souls pretendâ—d unto and to the grief of all good Christian hearts too much profan'd by such pretences And 't is a Discourse which was desired by your virtuous Lady for her private satisfaction The subject whereof being fully cleer'd to the mindes of men by some more wise and abler judgements would both discover and strike at the root and dissolve the ground-work of many those infectious errours which at present so much overspread and prevaile amongst us And indeed how can we expect or hope for other since 1. unity and uniformity both in the publick worship of God whereby all men of the same Church and Religion do worship God in the same way even with one heart and one mouth and after one manner is not onely decryed but also dismist our Congregations And since 2. the Pale of Ecclesiasticall discipline is pull'd down by whose coercive laws all men were kept within the limits of the true Faith and of Obedience and Charity as to the externall profession thereof And since 3. under the name and priviledge of Liberty of conscience licentiousnesse of opinion hath got footing in the mindes of men who take liberty under that pretext to become vain in their imaginations to be of this or that or what opinion they please in Religion As also to perform the publick parts of divine worship according to the severall dictates of their owne mindes even in any way but what is decent reverend uniform and orderly Since such I say is the sad and confused condition of our Church it is no marvail though there daily arise new Sects and new Opinions such which are not onely strange wilde and fanatick but even destructive to the very being of true Christianity Nor must we hope for other till the God of all truth and peace be pleased together with his truth to restore unity and order in his worship whereof for our manifold sins he hath so long deprived us It is most true what the Apostle saith of the necessity of heresies 1 Cor. 11.19 They must come Ad hoc enim sunt Haereses ut fides habendo tentationem habeat etiam probationem Tert. de praesc adv Haeret. c. 1. that they which are approved may be made manifest But it is as true what our Saviour saith of Offences in general Matt. 18.7 Woe unto them by whom they come Their condition must needs be sad and deplorable who broach and introduce the infection as being herein the instruments of Satan or in the language of our Lord They are of their Father the Devill Joh. 8.44 and his works they doe for he was a lyar from the beginning and abode not in the truth Now although this Grand-father and promoter of lies aud untruths be by the God of all power and goodnesse enchained and limited otherwise he had long since overrun the world as in times of Paganisme of old Yet sometimes for the sins of a people whereof we are now too sensible his chain is lengthened 1 Pet. 5.8 and the roaring Lyon hath more scope then ordinary to roam about seeking whom he may devour And he devours or destroyes the souls of men two wayes 1. By blinding their unstandings whereby they become apt to be seduced in the entertainment of erroneous opinions and belief of lies 2. By poysoning their affections with the false paint of worldly vanities whereby they are inveigled into sinfulness and vice And now Sir that neither you nor any that belongs unto you may in either of these respects be deceived and perish neither with the blinde and giddy to fall into the ditch of error on the one hand or with the vicious and unclean to wallow in the mire of sinfulnesse on the other but to keep the way of the righteous and to walk in the path of the just which is no other undoubtedly but the way of your owne peace and tranquillity here and eternall felicity hereafter it shall be the endevour and is the daily prayer Sir of Your respective Devotor R. Sherlock The Quakers Questions The Letter of Questions Endorsed To the Priest at Borwick deliver The Quakers Questions directed by them as above To all you professed Ministers who have taken the title of the Ministers of the Gospell of Christ upon you who is the end of the Law and Prophets and shadowes who shadowed him forth a few Questions to you that have taken this office upon you Quest 1 WHether the Gospell be the same the Apostles preached and if it be why goe you to Oxford or Cambridge when the Apostle saith The Gospell he preached was not after man neither was he taught it by man Q. 2 Whether you can give another meaning to the Scriptures then they are or whether the Apostles did not give the meaning to them when they spoke them forth yea or no and if they did what need learned men to give a meaning to them Q. 3 Shew me by the Scripture who ever was made a Minister of Christ that was called of men Master Q. 4 Shew me by the Scriptures where ever the Ministers of Jesus Christ tooke Tithes of the people or Augmentations for preaching the Gospell Q. 5 Shew me by the Scriptures and what Scripture you have which speaks of the Word two Sacraments which you tell
hand of God upon us prospering our labours and studies to that end that being well grounded in the truth we might not be deceived and mistake the inventions and errours of men and doctrines of seducing spirits for the doctrines and commandements of God 1 Tim. 4.1 2. Even as you went to School to learn to write and read that you might read the Scriptures indeed but not pervert them to your own dâ—struction 2 Pet. 3.16 and that you might write your mind in truth and sincerity but not to write scrupulous questions to puzzle and poyson the souls of the simple who cannot see into the depth of your delusions Quest 2 Whether you can give another meaning to the Scriptures then they are or whether the Apostles did not give the meaning to them when they spake them forth yea or no and if they did what need learned mengive a meaning to them Answ The sense and meaning of the Scripture is involved and infolded in it even as the kernell of a nut is within the shell to find out which sense and declare it and make it appear from under those severall kinds of metaphoricall and figurative expressions which commonly cloath and cover it is a part of our taske and duty And this we do by a serious diligent and intent searching weighing and pondering the texts of Scriptures by comparing and conferring severall places by observing the connexions and coherences by sincere and impartiall collecting and observing the severall truths contained therein and also flying unto God by prayer and devotion for assistance in the work And that it belongs to learned men to give the sense and meaning of the Scriptures we have in the old Testament the example of Ezra the Scribe â—eh 8. 4 5 6 〈◊〉 8. that is the Learned who stood upon a Pulpit of Wood high above all the people made purposely for preaching and the Levites caused the people to understand the Law and this they did not only by reading the Law distinctly but they gave the sense saith the Text and caused the people to understand the reading In the new Testament Christ himself tooke a text and preached upon it Luk. 4.17 22. Philip took the text which the Eunuch read in Esay and preached Christ unto him Act. 8.30 37. converting the Eunuch by giving the sense of the text being of himself not able to understand without an Interpreter Quest. 3 Shew me by the Scripture who ever was made a Minister of Christ that was called of men Master Answ The Prophets and Priests under the Law were tearmed Fathers and such as were bred under them to be made capable of that function as young Scolars are now in Oxford and Cambridge to be capable of the Ministry were tearmed the Sons of the Prophets 2 King 2.12 15. under the Gospell besides the titles of Apostles Prophets Evangelists ordinary or common Ministers are tearmed Doctors Pastors Shepherds of souls which are terms of more eminency and respect then Master Sir or the like and what else is meant by the Masters of the Assemblies Eccles 12.11 but the Pastors and Teachers of the people assembled in the service of God Masters is a title of civill respect and honour and we are commanded not only in generall to give honour to whom honour is due Rom. 13.7 but particularly to pious and painfull Ministers Let them be counted worthy of double honour that labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5.7 Now as on the one side it is a Gospell duty to give titles of honour to whom they are due so on the other fide it is a Gospell sin to affect titles of honour through pride vain-glory and popular applause Nor was it a sin in the Scribes and Pharisees to be called Master but because they loved to be called of men Master Mat. 23.6 7. Master their vain-glorious affectation of the title was their offence and of this no man can taxe us but only God who knoweth the heart Quest 4 Shew me by the Scriptures when ever the Ministers of Jesus Christ took tithes of the people or augmentations for preaching of the Gospell Answ That the Priests under the Law received Tithes and that God commanded the people to pay tithes unto them you cannot be ignorant 1 Cor. 9.13 14. Know you not saith the Apostle that they which minister about holy things eat of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Even so also hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell Even so must the Ministers of the Gospell be maintained as were the Priests under the Law and that was by Tithes and offerings Luk. 11.42 Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of hearbs and passeover judgment and the love of God these things ought you to have done marke that and not leave the other undone Whence you see that to take and pay tithes is no other but what ought to be done and the fault cryed woe against was the neglect of judgment and the love of God Quest. 5 Shew by the Scriptures and what Scripture have you which speaks of the Word two Sacraments which you tell the people of and deceive the simple Answ We confesse the word Sacrament is not in the Scriptures but the holy actions which we call Sacraments are positively and expresly commanded there The first Sacrament of Baptisme is commanded Mat. 28.19 And for the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper the words of institution expresly command us to observe it Take Mat. 26.26 27. eat do this And sure we do not deceive the people when we tell them of no other things but what Christ himself commanded both us and them to observe But you do deceive your owne soul and the souls of those simple people you converse with all whilest you denie and oppose your self against the very expresse commands of our Lord. Quest 6 Shew me what Scripture you have which speaks that the Apostles sprinkled Infants Answ That the Apostles were commanded to Baptize all Nations and that they did Baptize whole families Act. 16.33 is clearly exprest in the Scripture And surely children are a part of all Nations though you should say there were no Children in those families that were Baptized which is a thing very hard and improbable to affirme But further for Chrildrens Baptisme we have severall grounds out of the Scriptures 1. Children under the Law were circumcised Rom. 4.11 and Circumcision was the seal of the righteousnesse of faith as Baptisme is now for other externall visible seal of our admission into the Covenant of Grace we have not commanded in the Scriptures or practised in the Church of Christ And that this seal of Baptisme both outward and inward must passe upon all before they be admitted actuall members of Christs spirituall Kingdome here
and followers were either guilty of the sin or liable to the curse Quest 11 Whether aâ—y naturall man can preach the Gospell yea or no. Answ He cannot preach the Gospell who understands it not and he that in some good measure understands the Gospell is not to be called a naturall man because 1. The contents of the Gospell are the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.13 which the naturall man receives not neither knows them and 2. Because knowledge Isa 11.2 wisdome and understanding especially of spirituall things are the gifts of the Spirit with which gifts spirituall the Ministers of the Gospell are through the use of means endowed some more plentifully some more sparingly 1 Cor. 12.11 according as God by his holy Spirit blessing our studies has imparted unto us who distributes to every one severally as he will Quest 12 Whether that any Ministers of God was made Ministers by the will of man or no shew it me by the Scriptures Answ There is no Minister of God is or can be made so by the will of man only but by man in subordination to the minde and will of God for 1. God by his holy Spirit puts it into our hearts to use the means to be qualifyed for so great a calling 2. He blesseth and prospereth our studies and endevours for the attainment of those gifts which qualifie us for it 3. He gives us hearts to imply those qualifications in his service which gifts and qualifications being examined and approved by the more able learned and reverend Fathers of the Church 1 Tim. 5.21 22. Tit. 1.5 we are so by them through fasting prayer and imposition of hands set apart to this office Paul and Barnabas though they were called of God immediately and by miracle to the office of the Apostleship Act. 13.2 3. which no man must hope for since yet even they were commanded by the Elders to be sent forth through fasting prayer and imposition of hands Quest 13 Shew me it by the Scriptures whether a man shall grow up to that condition that he need no man teach him but the Lord or no. Answ We must not look for any immediate extraordinary miraculous teaching by revelation from the Lord And yet all men are taught of God too some more some lesse according as 1. They have soules more or lesse capable of teaching 2. As they more or lesse apply themselves to the means which God hath ordained for our learning and instruction and according to our endevors in the use of means so God gives his blessing thereupon That promise Jer. 31.34 they shall teach no more every man his neighbour saying Know the Lord for all men shall know me from the least to the greatest is expressed indeed to be fulfilled under the Gospell Heb. 8.4 10. because the means of knowing God under the Gospell are more plentifull and effectuall then under the Law to wit through the revelation of Jesus Christ and the miraculous inspiration of his Apostles immediately from heaven And whereas t is promised thy children shall be taught of the Lord Isa 54.13 this promise is fulfilled in that we have the teaching the doctrine of the Lord Jesus even his holy Gospell who came down from heaven on purpose to teach us Tit. 2.11 12. Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God which brings down salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying c. thus we are taught by the Lord Jesus outwardly in the doctrine of his Gospell and inwardly by the motions and dictates of his holy Spirit And yet for all this the best and most knowing of men aime not to such a perfection of knowledge in his gifts as not to need teaching because whilest we are in this life we know but in part 1 Cor. 13.9 10.11 12. and prophesie but in part but when that which is perfect c. Quest 14 Whether they be not Antichrists and disobey Christ that have the chiefest places in Assemblies stand praying in the Synagogues which Christ did forbid his Disciples to act such things and cryed woe against those that did act them Answ They that vain-gloriously affect the chiefest places in the Assemblies to offer up their private prayers standing in publick places that they may be seen and they that love to be called of men Master are hypocrites and sinners and lyable to the woe denounced by Christ against such But it is one thing to occupy the chief place in any meeting for some one must have it and another thing out of pride and vain-glory to affect it and so of being called Master T is one thing to stand praying in the publick Assemblies that the people may both see and hear and joyne with us and another thing to stand praying privately in publick meetings only to be seen and thought religious And whereas you seem to apply these mistaken and misunderstood sayings of Christ to all Ministers and most uncharitably demand whether such be not Antichrists to this I shall only say the Lord forgive you the hardnesse of your heart and unjust censures of your Christian brethren Is it a mark of Antichrist to preach and pray with the people of God in publick and at such times to stand in an higher and more convenient place that the people may hear and joyne with us examples of which practise I have already given you out of Scripture If we do these things in the pride of our hearts the Lord only knowes it and will avenge it T is not for you to censure and condemn us herein for in so doing you discover more pride of heart and look more like Antichrist then those you uncharitably taxe and tearm so Quest 15 Whether they be not Antichrists and of the Devill and no Ministers of Christ which doth not abide in the Doctrine of Christ Answ They that swerve from the Doctrine of Christ are of the spirit of Antichrist 1 Joh. 4.6 And they that oppose the dictates and commands of the Spirit of truth speaking in the words are led by the spirit of errour Isa 8.44 which is the Devill who was a lyer from the beginning Mat. 4.4 6. and afterward coloured his lies with errours with the words of truth perverted quoting and misapplying the Scriptures the better to insinuate his falshoods which things I could wish were not too applyable to you and your sect I am sure that your malice and hatred to Ministers because they oppose your errours your bitter envyings raylings and revilings both of them and other your Christian brethren whom you call carnall the wicked and the people of the world your false and uncharitable applications of the woes and curses of the Scriptures to all such who are wiser then to be brought under your delusions and in a word your justifying your selves and condemning others are all of them undenyable signes that you are not led by the spirit of truth which is the
in the way but backward from the way of truth so 1 Joh. 4.8 We are of God speaking of himself and the rest of his fellow Apostles He that knoweth God heareth us acquiescendo doctrinae nostrae cleaves to our doctrine Lyra. and he that is not of God heareth us not neither is obedient to our word And hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error q. d. He that cleaves to our doctrine is guided by the Spirit of truth and he that doth not so by the spirit of error § 42 But the spirit of error will come with his scriptum est likewise as he did against our Lord himself Matth. 4. And all hereticks and schismaticks do generally alleadge scriptures wrest the very sayings of the Spirit of truth against himself to insinuate thereby their lyes and errors For as Tertullian observes of the writings of Ovid Virgil Homer both the matter of them hath been transferr'd unto other uses and the verses applyed to other matter Even so doe hereticks deal with the holy writings of inspired men De Praescr adv Haer. cap. 39. Nec periclitor dicere c. I fear not to say that the Scriptures were so disposed by the wisdome of God that they might accidentaliter and by the by even administer matter to Heresies since I read that heresies must come and without the Scriptures they cannot come For 't is in the production of heresies as of natural things Corruptio unius est generatio alterius the corruption of truth is the generation of herefie all hereticall opinions being generally grounded upon and following from the fountain of truth the Scripture not as they are in themselves rightly interpreted and understood but as they are wrested and perverted either in the words or in the sense either by additions or diminutions or by not considering them together but divided into parts and taken up by shreds and pieces for the avoyding whereof these following rules must be observed in the tryal of spirits by the Scriptures First try and examine by the coherence whether that be the very intent and aim of the holy Ghost in the text for the which it is urg'd and alleadged For the same words of the Spirit may be misapplyed both to other things and other persons then the Spirit ever meant or intended therein Secondly distinguish betwixt times ages persons when wherein and to whom this or that word was spoken For there are many things both said and recorded to be done in the Word which are onely agreeable to those times to that age of the Church and to some particular persons and are not at all applyable to the Church and people of Christ in these times or to any persons amongst us Thirdly examine diligently the phrase and manner of speech whether it be plain or metaphorical literal or allegorical a true history or a parable onely For many things are spoken in the Word by way of type figure allegory parable and the like which if we should apply in the plain and literall sense would prove strange monstrous lies and contradictions which God forbid any man should be so blasphemous as to impose on the Spirit of truth and wisdome Fourthly examine diligently what agreement every text of Scripture hath with other and receive not easily and sleightly the seeming sense of any text without comparing the same with its parallel texts For many things seem to be positively asserted in some places of the Word of God which yet are directly contradicted in others one place therefore is so to be compared with and interpreted by another that the one do not obscure or any way cloud the truth of the other Fifthly examine whether that which we conceive to be the sense of this or that Scripture be agreeable to those Articles of Christian faith contained in the Apostles Creed 2 Tim. 1.13 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or form of sound words in faith we must hold sast Jude v. 3. that modell of faith once given to the Saints for which we must contend and consequently receive no private sense or interpretation of Scripture that is contrary thereunto 2 Pet. 1.20 remembring that no Scripture is of any private interpretation 1 Cor. 14.32 but that even the spirits of the Prophets themselves are subject to the Prophets Sixtly examine what we conceive to be the sense of the Spirit in the Word by the rule of that Law written by the finger of God in two Tables of stone as a lasting square according to which to regulate all our actions and consequently all our conceptions and opinions from whence our actions flow The rule of obedience or that all perfect rule of Charity Rom. 13.10 which is the fulfilling of the Law is an infallible rule of tryal of the spirits whether they be of God or no Hereby saith the Apostle we are sure we know God if we keep his Commandements he that saith I know God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2.34 1 Joh. 2.34 It is not the Spirit of truth but the spirit of errour if it oppose or deny or any way impede and hinder our obedience to the laws of God For saith the same Apostle again He that keepeth his Commandements dwelleth 1 Joh. 3.24 in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us even by that Spirit which he hath given us even by the spirit of obedience to the Commandements of God So that even from hence 't is clear that both to have the Spirit abiding in us and the way to know we have him also and not a false counterfeit lying spirit is if thereby we be mov'd and enabled to keep Gods Commandements This is the very rule our Saviour himself prescribes to examine his own doctrine thereby Joh. 7.17 Joh. 7.17 If any man wil doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my selfe And this is the first generall rule of tryal of the Spirits even the Word of God § 43 A second rule according to which to try the spirits whether they be of God or no is by the fruits of the Spirit and 't is the rule our Lord himself hath given us to know them by Matt. 7.15 Matt. 7.15 Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves Beware of false Prophets for many such are gone out into the world who in respect of their exteriour dresse and outward appearance so plausible are their pretences so spirituall are their expressions so much of the language of the Spirit and scripture phrases flow from them that you would take them for the true sheep of Christ and undoubtedly to belong to his fold and yet for all this inwardly really and truely they are wolves in sheeps cloathing limbs of Satan deceiving and devouring the souls of