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
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
under that pretence treats of holy and spirituall things and shall not first by the rule of truth examine and try such things and persons shall be sure to have lies errors obtruded upon him under the dresse and attire of Truth because there ever was and ever shal be by Gods permission and the Devils suggestion false Prophets or false Teachers in the world and yet as fair and great pretenders to the truth as the very true patrons and promoters thereof such there were ever in the Church of God both under the Law of old and under the Gospelanew 2 Pet. 2.1 2 Pet. 2.1 But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you which privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and shall bring upon themselves swift destruction And 't were well if the poyson spread no further so that others were not infected therewith also but so nauseous is Truth to the mindes of men for its age and antiquity and so acceptable are Lies and Errors for their novelty that these false Teachers never fail of many disciples and followers so it follows vers 2. 2 Pet. 2.2 And many shall follow their destructions by whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of First then beleeve them not follow them not be not cousen'd by their fair pretences so as to be infected with their false doctrines 'T is our Saviours own command Matt. 24.23 Matt. 24.23 If any man shall say unto you Loe here is Christ or Loe there beleeve it not for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect But that being forewarn'd ye may be arm'd against their delusions Behold I have told you before Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desert goe not forth Behold he is in the secret places beleeve it not The same care and caution was commanded by God to his people under the Law If there arise among you a Prophet Deut. 13.1 or a Dreamer of dreams and give thee a signe or a wonder and the signe and the wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying Let us goe after other Gods Vers 2. which thou hast not known and let us serve them Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of the Prophet or unto that Dreamer of dreams For the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul From whence is also further observable The reason why God suffers false Prophets to arise viz. for the probation and tryall of our proficiency and integrity in the love and service of God for so saith the Father upon those words Aug. for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul Tentat nos Dominus non ut sciat ipse quem nihil latet sed ut scire nos faciat quantum in ejus dilectione profecerimus God suffers us to be tempted tryed and proved by the lying wonders of false Prophets arising amongst us not that he himself may know what is in us to whom the hearts of all men are naked and bare but that we may thereby know our selves and our own proficiency and constancy to the principles of truth and integrity The very same reason is given by the Apostle for the necessity of heresies 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 11.19 11.19 For there must be heresies among you that they which are approved among you may be known Aug. de civ Dei lib. 18. Quolibet errore caecentur c. With what errour soever our enemies are blinded or with what wickednesse soever they are deprav'd 't is for the proof tryall and exercise of the graces of Gods Spirit within us Have they received power to afflict persecute imprison c. 'T is for the tryall of our patience in suffering and charity in loving our enemies and praying for our persecutors as becomes the disciples of Christ Matt. 5.44 Matt. 5.44 Doe they onely by fair words and cunning speeches distill their false and poysonous doctrines 'T is for the tryall of our wisdome in resisting Gal. 6.1 and beneficence in perswading and endevouring to restore them with the spirit of meeknesse proving whether God will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may escape the snare of the Devill 2 Tim. 2.25 26. of whom they are taken captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.25 26. § 41 Secondly Try the spirits whether they be of God or no Try them how but by the revelations of the Spirit which is of God who being the Spirit of truth must necessarily therefore in all his qualifications and impressions be consentaneous and agreeable to himself Aug. Veritas veritati congrua one truth ever holds proportion with another nay all truths are as it were the images and resemblances one of another they are all links of the same golden chain which affixt to the throne of heaven displayes its radiant lustre unto the mindes of men upon earth They are all but streams flowing from one and the same fountain the God of truth There is nothing then that we are to receive for truth but what is consonant and agrees with the Spirit of truth which ever blessed Spirit speaking in the Word hath thereby prescribed and given us a sure and infallible rule of truth The first rule of trial then is the holy Word of God in general that 's the grand general rule that 's the great square or level according to which we are to try and examine the rectitude truth and integrity both of the doctrines and opinions of others without and also the impressions and workings of the Spirit within Gal. 1.8 Gal. 1.8 Though we or an Angel from Heaven should preach unto you another Gospel besides that you have received let him be accursed Though we preferring the authority of the Gospel they had preached before their own authority the Preachers thereof nay before the authority of celestial spirits Though an Angel from Heaven c. Aug. He saw saith the Father that it might so come to pass that Satan transforming himself into an angel of light and working by his mediators and instruments 2 Cor. 11.13 14. those deceitful workers who transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ might so cousen and deceive them if they did not keep close to the Gospel received which is the true rule of faith therefore hee saith another Gospel besides c. praeter any thing that is besides that holds not square and is not level to that rule Qui praetergreditur fidei regulam non procedit in via sed recedit a via he that goes besides and not according to the rule of faith goes not forward
in the way but backward from the way of truth so 1 Joh. 4.8 We are of God speaking of himself and the rest of his fellow Apostles He that knoweth God heareth us acquiescendo doctrinae nostrae cleaves to our doctrine Lyra. and he that is not of God heareth us not neither is obedient to our word And hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error q. d. He that cleaves to our doctrine is guided by the Spirit of truth and he that doth not so by the spirit of error § 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
Holy Sacraments The most holy God commanding us nothing but what are the means and wayes of our own happinesse viz. the means of grace and sanctification here as the way to our glorification hereafter For there is nothing that we poor frail mortall dust and ashes can perform that may any way add really add to the glory or happinesse of the most high most glorious and ever blessed God And in that he lays his commands upon us and enjoyns us severall ways of acknowledging our obedience to him 't is of his tender care and respect to us-ward even for our guidance and direction in the ways of our own felicity The laws of God are no other then the rules of mans perfection even the sacred paths we must tread to attain the pitch of perfection whereunto we are created being instampt after the blessed image of our Maker So that the parts of Gods service commanded are to us the means of grace and salvation sincerely obeyed 1. § 50 Holy prayer in all the parts and species thereof is a means to fetch down the holy Spirit of God in his gifts and graces So saith our Lord positively and clearly Luk. 11.13 Luk. 11.13 If ye being evill know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask him And that we might know what is here meant by the Spirit St. Matthew records the words of our Lord thus Matt. 7.11 How much more shall your heavenly Father give good things unto them that ask him All good things being comprised under the name of the Spirit as the fountain from whence they flow And Joh. 14.14 Joh. 14.14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will doe it and presently after he promiseth as the sum of all that they could ask for I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of truth c. God is in himself the fountain of all perfection every good and every perfect gift every divine celestial soul-sanctifying grace is in God as the original prototype and grand examplar as the root from whence the sap of every grace as the Sun from whence the beam of every gift for illumination is derived unto us from the holy heavens they must come Jam. 1.17 for there is their perfect seat and habitation as the Wise man confesseth Wisd 9. when he petitioned the God of heaven for the wisdome of the Spirit And the same means must we use to fetch down both wisdome and the rest of the graces of the Spirit even by prayer commanded Jam. 1.5 Prayer is the blessed mean that unites God and man brings heaven and earth together 'T is that golden chain saith Basil that ties the gracious ears of God to the hearts and tongues of men 'T is the hand which reaches from earth to heaven and takes forth every good thing out of the Lords treasury Therefore 't is said Matt. 7.7 Matt. 7.7 Ask and ye shall receive seek and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you so that 't is also the ring or hammer wherewithall we knock at the gates of heaven and beg a blessing from the great Lord that dwelleth there Nay it is the key of heaven saith Aug. which opens unto us those everlasting dores of glory 'T is the blessed engine wherewithall we storm the heavenly Jerusalem and as it were by force and violence make our entrance into the holy City which is full of wealth and never fading treasures The Kingdome of heaven saith our Lord suffers violence Mat. 11.12 and the violent take it by force fervent importunate prayers being the scaling ladders represented by Jacob's ladder which being set upon the earth Gen. 28. the top thereof reacheth to the heavens our severall prayers upon all occasions wants and importunities are as it were the severall rounds of this celestial ladder whereupon the desires and affections of our soules ascend from earth to heaven and leaving these fraile earthly tabernacles of clay make their way unto the most high God which sits in the heavens Or it may be represented by that fiery chariot of Elijah 2 King 2.11 wherein he was wrapt from earth to heaven for so by fervent prayers and devotions are the souls of holy and religious men they are thereby enwrapt and mount from the earth to have their conversation in heaven with God on high whence they again descend enricht with celestial blessings or with the Spirit of God This is also further proved by the example of the Apostles who after they had prayed the holy Ghost descended on them Act. 4.31 And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they assembled together and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and they spake the Word of God with boldnesse § 51 The holy Word of God in generall but the Gospel of Christ in special in the preaching or reading hearing and understanding thereof is an effectuall means for the obtaining of the Spirit for all scripture is given by inspiration 2 Tim. 3.16 they are the very dictates the breathings of the Spirit upon the souls of men and are therefore profitable for doctrine or to teach the truth for reproof to convince which is false and erroneous for correction of the negligent and delinquent and for instruction in righteousnesse to the proficient Gloss Lyra. That the man of God he who is ordained to divine offices as Timothy was may be to that end perfected and thoroughly furnished to every good work 2 Tim. 3.16 And of the Scriptures in the verse before 't is said they are sufficient to make us wise to salvation viz. being spiritually understood saith the Interp. Gloss That they are the means both of our illumination and sanctification which are the ends of the Spirit is clear from the prayer of our Lord Joh. 17.17 Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is truth The Word of God is the Word of truth for our illumination and the Word of grace for our sanctification and this prayer of our Lord was granted saith Lyra in behalf of his Apostles when the holy Spirit descended on them at the feast of Pentecost Regeneration which is the same with sanctification and to be born of God and to be born of the Spirit is ascribed to the Word of God as the conveyance of the Spirit in this respect or as the means of our new birth Jam. 1.18 Jam. 1.18 Joh. 1.17 Of his own will begat he us by the Word of truth And Joh. 1.17 The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Now what else are the gifts of the Spirit or at least whereunto do they tend but to the clear understanding of the truth of God revealed by Jesus Christ which revelations are the sum of his Gospel what else are the graces of Gods Spirit
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
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
the cursed tares of many and strong delusions for that subtil Serpent full well knows how both easily and powerfully to insinuate his Lyes and Errors into mindes unsetled and not grounded in the knowledge of the Truth So that most truly is that complaint of the Lord by his Prophet Hosea verified of this people Hos Hos 4.6 4.6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge even for lack of what they so much boast of That grand Enemy the Prince of Lyes hath taken them in the very Net themselves have made even in the snare of self-conceited knowledge and holiness Rom. 1.22 whilest supposing themselves wise they became fools And pretending to the Spirit of God whom they rightly know not they are intrapt by the Spirit of Error and miserably seduced to the ruine of their souls Hence it is chiefly though not only hence through ignorance intermixt with pride that the Devill hath made so great a harvest of tares overgrowing and choaking the pure wheat of Truth Matth. 13.25 No Age of the Church having ever been so fruitful in Heresies and Errors whilest the ever blessed Name of the Spirit of God is abused by persons most impudently pretending to him that yet remain ignorant of him for had they known this Lord of life it had not been possible the spirit of Delusion could have prevailed so far with them as to infix so many Lyes Impostures and Blasphemies upon his score as therefore Saint Paul directed the Athenians to the knowledge of the true God whom they ignorantly worshipped Act. 17.23 and so their pious intentions through ignorance degenerated into gross Idolatries so it cannot but be an office both seasonable and charitable as also of great benefit and present necessity plainly to set down and deliver the true Orthodoxall Doctrine of the Holy Ghost his Impressions and Workings on the soul of man that so men may have a right understanding of this ever Blessed Person of the Godhead so much mistaken and his Sacred Name to the high offence of his Majesty so much profaned by impudent and false pretences A DISCOURSE OF THE Holy Spirit § 1 THE Doctrine of the Holy Ghost in respect both of his Person and Office is by the Nicene Creed thus clearly and fully set down I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth both from the Father and the Son who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets To give you my Comment upon this Text were but to hold a candle to the Sun the Doctrine delivered is so clear and perspicuous All that can be said upon this Article of our Christian Faith is reducible to four heads 1. Of the Person of the Holy Ghost in himself 2. Of his Office or Workings on the mindes of men 3. Of the trial of the true from false spirits 4. Of the means to be made partakers of the Spirit of Truth The two first are doctrinal and speculative points for the rectifying and fitting the understanding rightly to conceive and believe aright this Article of Christian Faith The two last are practical and applicatory for the guidance of our actions and Christian performances according to this belief § 2 The more clearly to understand the Doctrine of the Spirit of God it will be necessary to use the light of some distinctions for so the naked and plain truth of any thing is most clearly and distinctly seen when namely 't is divided and distinguisht from its conjunction with other things of the same or like name and nature which is the ground of that old Maxime Qui bene distinguit bene docet The way to teach well or clearly to deliver any truth is rightly to distinguish that truth from other truths that are of near affinity thereunto either in name or nature or in the words of the Apostle which is the language of the Spirit of Truth Rightly to divide the Word of Truth 2 Tim. 2.15 2 Tim. 2.5 which was one of those many qualifications of the Apostles of Christ wherewithall they were immediately inspired by this Spirit of Truth for the propagation of the Gospel intimated in that he descended from Heaven upon them in cloven or divided Tongues § 3 And first that we mistake not the creature for the Creator Distinct 1 God over all blessed for ever we must remember that a spirit is either Create or Increate or more plainly sometimes the word Spirit is in holy Scripture applyed to the creature sometimes to the Creator § 4 There are several kindes of created spirits as 1. Those glorious Inhabitants of the highest Heavens the holy and blessed Angels Heb. 1.14.2 Are they not all ministring spirits c. Heb. 1.14 2. Those cursed inhabitants of the neather Hell the chained Devils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 6.11.3 the Apostles styles them Ephes 6.12 spiritual wickednesses or wicked spirits 3. The souls of men which quicken and enliven these our frail and mortal bodies every man being composed of two natures a body and a soul or flesh and spirit Gen. Get. 2.7 2.7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the earth meaning his body and breathed into his Nosthrils the breath of life meaning his soul and so man became a living soul or living by his soul or spirit created or infused by God into his earthly body 4. The life and animation of each sensitive creature therefore we read Psal Psal 150.6 150.6 Let every thing that hath breath or spirit prayse the Lord All these are several kindes of created spirits some more some less pure fine and spiritual § 5 But there is an increated Spirit also who being neither made or created in himself is the great Maker and Creator of all spirits and of all things who being the prime Fountain and Original of all beeings is so eminent and transcendent a Beeing that as he is in himself he only knows himself nor is it possible for us or any creatures who derive their beeing from him to attain the perfect knowledge of him and therefore is he pleased in his holy Word wherein he reveals himself unto us to describe himself by the names and properties of his excellent and most eminent kinde of creatures which are spirits so that God is tearmed a Spirit Analogically because Angels or Spirits are the purest finest quickest most active and intelligent beeings But that we may not rank God with Angels or Spirits for he hath no match or equal we must learn this one general rule in Divinity Whatsoever is spoken of God in the Scriptures and withall is applyable to any creature must be understood of God eminenter by way of eminency and transcendency as the Prototype and grand Exemplar of that perfection which is applyed to the creature As here Angels are Spirits and the souls of men are spirits but God is not a Spirit at they are spirits for he