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
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
we may take comfort to our selves against both our present and future ends from former experiences These markable Scriptures following especially are largely opened in this Treatise accordingly as the Margin points to ROm. 8. 16. The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the Children of God 2 Cor. 5. 16. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them 1 Joh. 4. 1. Dearly beloved belleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God for there are many false Prophets gon out into the World 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of prophesy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts Rev. 21. 22. 23. And I saw no Temple therein For the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the Temple therof c. Heb. 8. 11. And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour saying know the Lord for all shal know me from the greatest to the least A Table of the severall Chapters contained in this following Treatise CHap. 1. Of its Definition fol. 1. Chap. 2. Of the grounds or rise of this Opinion in generall fol. 5. Chap. 3. Of qualifications f. 15. Chap. 4. Of the immediate witnesse of the spirit f. 55. Chap. 5. Of the knowledge of Christ after the flesh or in his Mediatorship f. 68. Chap. 6. Of the Allegoricall sense of Scripture f. 91. Chap. 7. Of beleeving those truths of the Word that we are not yet convinced of by the spirit f. 104. Chap. 8. Of the Scripture as it is the Rule of Faith 115. Chap. 9. Of the VVord as Judge of spirits f. 133. Chap. 10. Of the VVord as profitable for Instruction f. 154. Chap. 11. Of the Scripture as profitable in its command for obedience f. 161. Chap. 12. Of the Scriptures as usefull in their promise for comfort f. 179. Chap. 13. Of the Gospell Communion of Saints or Church fellowship f. 192 Chap. 14. Of Gospell Ordinances in generall f. 186 Chap. 15. Of the Ministry of the word f. 205. Chap. 16. Of Prayer f. 233. Chap. 17. Of Experience f. 252. Chap. 18. Of the spirit of Christ as the Soules immediate Rest and Evidence f. 263. A farewell to the Reader f. 309. THE GENERALL CONSIDERATION of the ERROVR CHAP. I. Of its Definition in Generall IT is a pretence unto the immediate enjoyment of Definition the Spirit of God as alone the onely All-sufficient means to the Soul even for all intents and purposes especially for Evidence 1. It is a pretence Viz. As opposed to that that is true and reall or so indeed 2. The fallacy and formality of the Errour lies hid in the words Immediate as alone Means as they have their place and sense in this Definition 1. Immediate that is not to be taken in opposition to distance of place but to the meanes of enjoying But this word Immediate will be better cleared if we will joyne it with the second terme of fallacy mentioned as alone 2. As alone without the use of any means whatever subordinate thereunto Thus whatsoever we can call Religious helps Gospell means though owned and ordained by God himself is plainly excluded this their Canaan as imperfect or a very needless thing and all use thereof flatly condemned as a living and resting below God and Of false rests which is wholly used in this Treatise therefore oftentimes compared in his Book to the Children of Israels resting in the Wildernesse In a word it pretends to be in the Sunne and holds the beames in contempt trodden under foot It is in an everlasting Light and hath cast a vaile of darkenesse upon these things below it Viz. Ordinances Graces Scriptures Experiences and not onely upon those meanes but upon Christ Jesus the Mediatour himselfe These are forms types shadowes while it is swallowed up in the Power Truth Substance God its glorious Heaven 3. Means it is not said Efficient ' nor yet End I advise the Reader to take speciall notice of both those 1. The question is not whether the Spirit of God be not as alone the onely All-sufficient Efficient of all in the Soul of a Creature Here we dissent not but subscribe with both hands to that of the Apostle That it is God that worketh in us both to will and to doe of his own good pleasure 2. Neither is the question here whether God as alone be the onely All-sufficient End of the Soul in this we agree For God is our Portion for ever Nothing below God nothing but God is the rest of Souls in this sense The sound of this most frequent terme namely Rest is so equivocall and dubious that the weaker Reader had in a most especiall manner need to retain this Item That we controvert not about the Finall rest of our Souls but the means thereof not about our Objective but our Evidentiall rest 3. Therefore the Spirit here is to be understood as means or as the supply of all means to the Soul it is confest we cannot call the Spirit means but in an unusuall and improper sense yet we can no way better if any way otherwise expresse their sense who prefer I am sure and recommend their Spirit in stead both of the cause and means also 3. To all intents and purposes it stands in the room of all the means both of knowledge and grace but especially of comfort all our usuall and most comfortable Evidences of the truth of our grace Gods love and favour to and presence in us these especially are most suspicious and forcibly beat back with an high zealous Arm out of this their rest This Errour will tell you that Christ in us hath this Prerogative to be immediately i. e. without and above the use of any means both the Spirit of Truth Grace and Comfort even All in All unto its subject It pretends to the immediate injoyment of God as alone the onely All-sufficient meanes to the Soul even to all intents and purposes c. CHAP. II. Of the Grounds or rise of this Opinion in generall WEE come now to consider what may be the Grounds and Principles that afford most occasion and help to the bringing forth of this fond conceit into the inventions of men and among many others perhaps we have thought upon these following The first may be either a conceited or perceived abuse of the usuall Gospell means and helps either in themselves or others Sad experience witnesseth that this doth too too often create in many a most zealous prejudice against the very use of lawfull things such is the vulgar unstayed rashnesse it puts too an inconsiderate violent hand
in the Sense we speak of may not alwayes be true or false but the words true or false may be Ambiguous For 1. Qualifications may be said to be true or false 1. With respect to the Cause and Principle as Effects 2. With relation to their End as means because 3. They may be true or false with regard to our knowledge Now according to the first Interpretation gracious qualities cannot be false and therefore not either true or false for they are true effects of the Spirit of Truth and if that be his Sense his Argument is guilty of contradictory qualities he before having frequently granted them all to be truely wrought by the speciall operation of the Spirit and still denying them as to be Evidences of the true Enjoyment of God Page 22. line 22. Page 21. line 14. But if we conceive true or false in the later Constructions namely by our ignorance of the Truth thereof they may be false means with respect to this End Viz. The Evidence of the true Enjoyment of God I answer that as I have already so hereafter in their place shall more cleerly free them from this Romane scruple from being false i. e. fallible Evidences of the true Enjoyment of God Object If it be Objected that wicked men and Hypocrites have the same qualifications it is a needlesse thing For Answ Such men have the Spirit as much and more truely then Grace as it works upon such mens hearts with its common Effects and motions If this then hinders our infallible Judgement of the Truth of Grace how will ye judge of the Truth of your Spirit Object It is as little worth to affirm that Hypocrites may thinke their Grace to be true as well as the Godly For Answ Truth being seated in the understanding hath its answerable light and it doth not hinder the Godly mans assurance of the truth of his Grace because wicked men flatter and deceive themselves with a fals opinion of theirs not so because the Mad-man thinks he is a sober man cannot the man that is sober indeed be assured thereof The Childe accounts his Counter gold and so is mistaken therefore cannot the Father know his Gold to be Gold Men in the dark may err and no wonder but the Candle of David is Enlightned the Disciples of Christ have a light within them a light that manifests evil from good truth from Errour even that Anointing that teacheth them all things But to conclude a wicked man may as well and more easily mistake in his judgement of his Spirit if Judge thereof and not by its effects then of his Grace this being more visible descernable as corporall the other more subtill and indescernable as Spirituall The fourth and last Argument Object The last Objection against Qualifications lyes in experience the Abbettors of this way have found by experience that such Evidences as these are as a rotten wall to those that trust and lean thereon Answ It is most clear they lean too much upon their own phansied Experience But I shall onely put their Experiences in one scale and the many thousand Counter Experiences of Holy men of all Ages that have abundantly testified for such Qualifications as bearing invincible Truth of Evidence in the other scale leaving them to be poysed by indifferent Judgements Yea are not many Experiences of this very kind left recorded in Scripture on purpose for our clear instruction and strong consolation in this Case and that not onely in the old but new Testament also even of such as had attained Gospell perfection Our Pattern Christ Jesus takes great boldnesse to himself in Prayer to Heaven that he had glorified his Fathers Name and if you aske Holy Pauls advice and experience in this kinde you may hear his answer 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing even the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and Godly sincerity we have our Conversation in the world Yet then we may affirm what this Errour denies that Qualifications wrought by the Spirit are good and sure Evidences of our enjoyment of God Arguments to prove the Affirmative that Qualifications may be used as Evidences Having pulled downe and laid Errour desolate we shall now attempt to build up Truth and render it strong and glorious upon the Grounds following Arg. 1 The first Argument is taken from that of S. Peter 2 Ephes 1. 10. where the Apostle doth exhort us To give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure now how shall we make our Election sure but by our Calling for we are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. And how shall we make Vers 5. our Calling sure but by the worke of Calling and the effects thereof but by adding unto Faith Vertue c. Now if ye doe these things you shall never fall do you fear your falling away is this your desire to make your Calling and Election sure This is the way add to Faith Vertue c. and if you doe these things you shall never fall c. Arg. 2 You must give us leave to make use of our Reason Whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder the Spirit of God and our Reason these two make up a truely enlightned and reformed judgement a sound minde Then 1. While the Scripture hath plainly laid down this Proposition He that beleiveth shall be saved If I can assume I beleive why may not blood be my witnesse and my Faith a blessed Evidence of salvation to me 2. If the Word of God witnesseth the deceitfulnesse of our heart in being apt to perswade us that we beleive when our Faith is dead doth not the Law of Reason as well as of Scripture command Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your owne selves But how Therefore 3. While the Scripture declares that Faith works by love purifieth the heart c. As it thus affords a Rule for triall so by measuring our selves by this Rule if we can truely finde That we are such as love God Christ our Brethren our Enemies c. and that our hearts are 1 Joh. 2. 3. cap. 3. 19. 21. Ver. 14. cap. 2. 3. purifying in the Refiners fire doth it not incourage yea command to conclude That we are past from Death to Life because we love c. And to strengthen in our Souls that blessed hope while we purifie our selves as he is pure and so for any other true Grace I close up this with that invincible Scripture that hath already been hinted and if truely weighed might end this Controversie 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your own selves know ye not even your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you unlesse you be Reprobates i. e. unapproved whence 1. the ordinary rule for the triall of our Faith of which it is a shame for Professors to be ignorant is the being of Christ in the Soul 2. The ordinary way for Professors to finde
whether Christ be in them is by a self-searching examination not by a waiting for the immediate invisible shining of the Spirit for its own discovery and evidence Arg. 3 A reflecting upon and reasoning from Grace for Evidence of our true enjoyment of God is but a judgeing of Gods presence by his working what absurdity or but a knowing of the Cause by the Effect and is this a strange thing I would fain know what hinders but that the Spirit may give us to see himself in his own work when as we behold the Creation and Providence of God this is that that may be known of God So the new Creation and Government within us is that that may be known of the Spirit Arg. 4 Since God is too wise a Work-man to make more work then needs why may not he make use of the Reason of man so easie and open and ready a way in this particular Case of Evidence as well as in those particulars following wherein I shall argue The Holy Ghost doth exercise the reason of man to evidence to him this state of Nature then why may he not by the same faculty Evidence to man his state of Grace These are in themselves proper contraries and both equally Relative unto man the one the depravation the other the recovery and reparation of his Nature yet we finde the first foot-steps of God for the Evidence of sinne in our first Parents trod in such a path God comes towards them to finde out and convince them of their sinne and Rebellion in eating c. How By a reasonable expostulation And hath the Spirit of Christ any other way then this according to the Gospell The Truth is my witnesse the Spirit at his comming this glorious dispensation of the Spirit shall convince the World of sinne John 16. 8. the Spirit may discover sinne long enough and I never see it unlesse it be with the eye of Reason and shew me Grace long enough and I never be comforted unlesse I see it with the same eye He shewes us the things of Christ but must not we see them too John 16. 14. else how shall we glorifie him God may accuse but he cannot convince us of sin without the enlightning of our own Reason and therefore that his ancient People might be convinced of their sinne and that he did not accuse them without a cause Come now let us reason together saith the Lord Isa 1. 18. Therefore to conclude as the Reprobate shall not be cast into Hell untill they be fully convinced of their sin by most cleare and invincible Evidence having all their Objections answered their mouths quite stopped when they have read their Debts in the Book that are in their own judgement sufficient to cast them into the Eternall Dungeon Matth. 25. 45. c. So if any of the Saints want the knowledge of the ground of Assurance while they are in the World they shall it seems with their reason enlightned by Christ at that day know it before they enter into his Kingdome Matth. 25. 37. to 40. The Holy Ghost maketh use of the reason of Man for his Conversion then why not also for his Consolation Is it not the same Object that doth convert Man to and comfort him in God On the one hand Hell and on the other hand Heaven and is it not the same Light that doth discover the same Object though for these divers Ends doth it not then require the same Organ the same Faculty Reason enlightned is the eye whereby we apprehend the terrour of Hell Law Justice c. with the glory of Heaven Grace and Happinesse and are changed in our thoughts and wayes and surely also whereby we apprehend the same Objects and our selves as freed from the one kind and interessed in the other and are ravished with joy unspeakable and glorious God is the Primum movens and he must first move our Primum mobile before the inferiour Orbes will turn towards him the will having its immediate Light and Evidence not from the Spirit of God but the mind the Candle of the Lord if the understanding be darkned it walks in darkness and seeth no light the heart is blinded but if this Candle be inlightned by the Spirit of God it is subservient not onely to the will but consequently to the whole Man in its turning from Sin and Nature to God and Grace Now the same light that doth convert the minde by Reflection doth comfort and refresh the heart The Holy Ghost doth work by our reason in the Creation of Faith then why not also for Hope and Assurance God hath provided a Saviour for Sinners the way of their Salvatian by him is beleiving in him Now that God might work up the Souls of sinners to beleive and be saved he hath ordained a Ministery hath put into its hand a word of Reconciliation to shew them the necessity and worth of a Saviour by convincing them of Sin and Righteousnesse offering them a Saviour and Life and Heaven with him will they but beleive beseeching in Christs stead that through him they would be reconciled to God and saved and all this is that he might not force but win Men to the Faith that Faith might come by Reason and in the day of Gods Power his Psal 110. People might be a willing People as we will not beleive so we cannot be assured but by Reason they are both Acts of the same Faith And now what should priviledge the reflex Act of Faith more then its direct from being beholding to Reason I know not The Scriptures say He that believeth shall be saved my reason being inlightned inabled to see the truth and stableness of the Proposition is effectually perswaded to close with this offer and to beleive But now I beleive cannot the same faculty of reason inlightned and assisted by the same Spirit reflect Consolation herefrom He that beleives shall be saved but I believe therefore I am sure I shall be saved this is the Joy of my Salvation What hinders but that the same reason that upon the perswasion of the truth of the Gospell caused me to beleive may upon the assurance of the truth of my Faith together with the veiw of the Glory of Salvation cause me to rejoyce because I did not doubt But he that beleiveth shall be saved therefore I beleived so for that I am assured I beleive I am assured of salvation and therefore am at rest What more neede of the immediate shining of the Spirit in us for Faith of Evidence then for Faith of Adherence as I reason about misery for the work of the first so I reason about happiness for the Act of the second that is the greatest difference Yea insomuch as we having assurance in Adam and not Faith Faith is the more difficult work Secondly insomuch as it being more difficult to attain to any habit then to Act from that habite when attained to act Faith of Evidence is far
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.
pray always for you even you that yet oppose your 2 Thess 1. 11 12. selves that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may yet be glorified in you and ye in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. CHAP. VI. Of the Allegorical sense of Scripture WE have hitherto been imployed in the reconciliation of the Spirit to his Effects and Cause but now how great occasion of Endeavour have we put into our hands of making peace betwixt the Spirit and his Word Their unchangeable Spirit doth deny his own word and opposeth the Scriptures As Absolute and that both in the whole As Respective to our use and that both in in many parts First then we finde that this Error doth gainsay the Word of God in an absolute acception in these two particulars 1. That visible Scripture or the Bible is but a bare Allegory Page 64. Page 65 ult 2. We are bound to beleive no more of Gods Word then the Spirit doth perswade and clear up to us How much of Popery Familisme and Anti-scripturisme are couched under these two Propositions we may in a measure guess by the first hearing and may further understand by the following Discourse hereof But of them in order For the first of these that that lifteth an high hand to pull down the plain express and visible meaning of Scripture to exalt an allegorical sense I know no other seeming ground whereon it sets footing to do this feat but one and that is borrowed from the Scripture it selfe that it might be an Engine for its own subversion and is the word Mystery Arg. Because we reade many times of the Mystery of the Gospel Mystery of the Kingdom Mystery of Faith Mystery of Godliness c. They gather that in all that is written or spoken there is hidden Manna a hidden Mystery That the outward visible sense is not to be regarded but their inward sense alone their allegorical interpretation is the Word of God the Scripture Answ This Argument is very much ingaged to the so frequently mentioned Author who makes so very much of that little nothing in it But I answer hereunto First because we reade much of Mysteries in the Word is therefore the Word all allegorical Why then do you not take the word Mystery also in a mistical sense and look for a mystery in the word Mystery But let us more plainly seek a Revelation of the word Mystery Now we as readily grant as you can demand that the whole Fabrick and Frame of the Gospel is very mysterious deep and unsearchable yet not allegorical But that that makes the difference betwixt us is the Papistical Equivocation of the word Mystery this word is first made pregnant and then is delivered of a double sense though the Mystery that is in the literal meaning be onely lawfully begotten and that that is in the Allegorical be Illegitimate But since we are forced to be Midwife for want of one of more skill in this present exigency we deliver into the World this Distinction There is a Mystery of the Sense Allegorical Real Subject The first may be when we dis-regarding the plain and open meaning of the words seek and pick out a further mysterious interpretation of them The later namely the Mystery of the Subject the real Mystery is when in the very opening of the plain intention and sense of the words there is found contained some wonderfull rare deep and mysterious matter in the same And now how easily is it determined that the Mysteries so frequently mentioned in the Gospel are such as respect the Subject-matter of the Gospel and not at all the visible and outward sense and phrase thereof let any man that hath but the Spirit of the Gospel yea but the use of his Reason judge The Gospel is a Relation or Report of the most strong deep and unsearchable Truths of Heaven concerning the recovery Acts 26. 21. of miserable man out of the Kingdom of Darkness into marvellous light and from the power of Satan unto God by Jesus Christ. Now when you have found this out once assure your selves you have the Truth look for no higher vain imagination no other Mystery then this which is the Mystery of the Gospel O take heed as you prize your Souls and Heaven of catching at any seeming though seeming never so glorious a Shadow of the Gospel least you with the Dog in the Fable let slip away from you and lose irrecoverably the substance thereof When we reade of the Mystery of the Kingdome therefore let us take heed of mistaking it for the Mystery of the Sense but of the Subject the Mystery i. of the Kingdome i. the mysterious way of the Reign of the Gospel Mysterious because the Kingdom of Christ cometh conquereth ruleth and governeth so secretly strangely mysteriously The Kingdom Luke 17. 20. of God cometh not with observation i. with outward pomp and victory which makes it so worthily called the Mystery of the Kingdome Secondly when we reade of the Mystery of Godliness we must not understand it as if we were to look for an allegorical sense and meaning of Godliness how weak and ridiculous is such a construction and yet there is a Mystery and Great is the Mystery of Godliness notwithstanding Now what is this Mystery Must we allegorize God manifested in the flesh into Christ in the Spirit to make this Mystery of Godliness Yea God in the Spirit is no Mystery at all at least in comparison of the Mystery of God in flesh this is a Mystery though it be revealed in the plainest and easiest words and phrase a Mystery still and such a Mystery as is incomprehensible by the largest and deepest capacity of Reason for without all controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleived on in the World received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3. 16. So to conclude the Mystery of Faith is also to be revealed understood in like manner Faith is mysterious two ways Objectivè as Christ the former Mystery is the Object or Medium of Faith Secondly Effectivè its Effects are mysterious deep and unsearchable by humane Reason as it unites with Christ justifies adopteth regenerateth * 1 Tim. 3. 8 9. sanctifieth saveth Thus plainly there is a mystery in Faith And that far greater then ever can be found in any other allegoricall faith imaginable But what color or gloss can they possibly have for their allegorically interpreted resurrection day of judgment matters of such high import concernment I say no more but I will avouch and testifie they had as good in plaine English to deny them both What hindereth yet poor Soules but you may if God suffer you see your fallacy surely you
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
how large a step is that to a totall rejection of Scripture it gets it self above the reach of the letter and what is not proveable by an allegoricall glosse wicked men and seducers wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived CHAP. VII Of beleiving those truths of the Word that we are not yet convinced of by the spirit WE now shall endeavour to disapoint that other maine desperate Engine directed by the wicked cunning hand of this Errour against the scripture in generall namely that we are not bound to beleeve any more of the Bible then the Errour spirit doth perswade and cleere up to us The Grounds or Reasons thereof Grounds I finde amongst them to be these Because we can beleeve no more Because the Booke of the Scripture hath been and is still liable to corruption In the Vindication of truth against this Errour according unto my former method I should discover the Errour first and then the danger in convicting this assertion of Errour according to my use I shall weaken and ruine the grounds by refuting their reasons Arg. Then establish the truth for the first of these reasons that because we cannot it is not in our power therefore we ought not we are not bound by duty to beleeve of the Word more then the Spirit doth convince us of I answer Answ Is not this good reason because our debtor cannot pay his debts therefore he oweth us nothing at all then as it is injustice to demand so no mercy to forgive but cruelty to punish Yea moreover that that is in humane cruelty in man in Pharaoh though God should deale with us upon the same termes we could not say God is unjust yet God made man upright and mans own inventions trifled away the heate and fire of his own lusts burnt up and wasted the straw that God had allowed him for to do his worke Now shall our lie make the truth of God of none effect Shall our self-sought self-wrought inability discharge us of our duty how short and excellent a way is this to manifest and magnifie strength in weakenesse and being unable to do any thing in a trice by this sleight to performe all things But secondly We must distinguish in order hereunto of a double faith Faith perswaded Faith inspired The later beleeving the first truth for it self without or besides our reason is indeed the supernaturall gift or Geace of God For the first of these viz. Faith perswaded arising from the probability of reason is certainly reachable by naturall men And for beleiving of the Scripture in an historicall way this will I meane this faith perswaded by reason will clime very high 1. Reason perswading us to beleeve that God is omnipotent what will it not perswade us to conclude as feazable by him Secondly it perswading us further to beleeve that God is the truth and cannot ly What will it not urge us to beleeve if he speake it therefore to those that could not tell how to beleeve the resurrection our Saviour replieth you err not knowing the Scriptures and the Power of God Matth. 22. 29. you err in gainsaying this truth because as you do not beleive the Scriptures so neither do you certifie your reason about the Power of God to whom all things are possible Though it be impossible for us to beleive yet the all-wise God hath an excellent use of our duty and the force of his command viz. even for the glorifying of Justice in condemning of sinners And of mercy and grace in giving strength by commanding for the Obedience in giving glory hereafter for the reward of the obedience of all the Elect. This great mystery I shall have fitter occasion hereafter to unfold and therefore Lonely touch it here and lay it by till then Arg. 2 The second Argument follows which as the first was taken from the inability of beleiving more c. By reason of the reall corruption of our natures is drawn from the inconveniency of beleiving more viz. then the spirit shall cleere to be truth by reason of a supposed or feared possible or probable corruption of Gods Word Answ That abusive comparison that was most injuriously applied heretofore to Non-conformists and Puritans is most truly made good in the reign of this Errour For while they may happily imagine that they are running as fast from the Pope as their spirit can move them they are all the while tied by the tail to him as Sampsons foxes were joyned together while with contrary faces they endeavored to run from each other Yet among some of the more moderate Papists we may read a distinction that will sufficiently salve the present Objection namely translations are liable to corruption onely in respect of the words D. Stapleton not of the sense and if not translations surely not the originalls Papists themselves had never the power to meddle with the Text original the Greek Hebrew though they have sacralegiously formed up a Gospel even to their own minde and humor in Latine It is the greatest infidelity and mistrust of Providence to think or imagine at laest upon such slender supposalls surmises that God would suffer his witness record onely image of himself in the World to be falsified abused defaced what less then blasphemy to think as Hellish to perform There is an excercise of Charity as well as Faith then in beleiving the Scripture if this be all can be said against it Yet the foundation of our Faith is laid on divine not humane testimony or Authority Though the words of a man are the meanes to express Gods Minde unto us yet the light of Heaven in the face of Jesus Christ through scripture is our conversion and perswasion Argument for the Affirmative But that we may not leave the contrary truth in question take these things following for its confirmation If the Precepts of the Word whereby God is pleased both to command us to beleeve and by commanding us to worke Faith in us be reall Precepts then we ought to beleeve more truths of Gods Word then the spirit hath revealed and cleared to us But such Precepts must needs be acknowledged reall because they prove effectuall and the consequence is also undeniable because a command doth directly and immediately imply a duty and if the command be instrumentally used for our beleif then as the meanes is before the end we were commanded before we beleeved and by consequence ought to beleeve before we beleeved i. before the truth was revealed unto us by the Spirit of God If unbeleif comming from ignorance be sinfull then it is a duty to beleeve more truth then the spirit hath convinced us of but such an unbeleif is sinfull Which appeares First from Pro. 2. 3 c. the command of knowledge Secondly Faith as also from the punishment of Mar. 1. 15 such an unbeleif 2 Thes 1. and wherefore doth the living man complain a man for nothing else but for
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
Word and Gospel is the power of God unto salvation spirit and life and directly the means of sanctification so called and acknowledged by truth it self John 17. 17. Sanctifie us through thy truth thy Word is truth But Then if the spirit be indifferent with respect to the Word and other means which is your most pleasing and acceptable sense how fals it out that the Church of God is onely found where the Gospel dwels What reason can be given why God hath not an equal number and share of Professors among the Indians Is the spirit free yet surely it doth prize value and countenance that air to live and breathe in much more that is fill'd not to say blessed and purified with the sound of the Gospel A general darkness we see covereth the People where the Oracles of God give no advantage while the Land of Goshen is full of light But we have here most room and occasion to take notice and clear that Text on which indeed hang both the Law and the Prophets of Anti-scripturisme Obj. Some men do acknowledge the Scriptures are used to teach us our Rudiments and beginnings of the knowledge of Christ but this Milk is for Babes and strong men must have stronger meat when they have received the spirit once they put away these childish things to live above the Scriptures and harden themselves in such a practice as this upon that notable Scripture 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of Prophesie to the which ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn c. Hence say they we did take heed to Scriptures while we were ignorant untill we received the spirit but now what need have we thereof this place of Scripture it self inviting us to take no more heed thereto Answ This Text beareth to many weak sighted and prejudiced Christians a very fair gloss for the thing pretended But could we but stay a little upon it and take its genuine sense along with us we should certainly understand and know it to be otherwise There are two gross mistakes committed in this same fallacious construction of the words this way The first may be occasioned by the pointing of the words Let us leave out the Comma at the word Place read the words thus We have a sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed so far we both agree but these men would construe next untill the day dawn c. but upon what account let us reade construe and understand them as they lie in the Verse Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn c. Which words are not to limit the time how long but to describe the manner how we ought to take heed It is not we must take heed unto this Prophesie till the day dawn but to it as a light that shineth in the dark till the day dawn The second and more dangerous misconstruction and mistake is of the sense of the very termes themselves they reade the words as a Collation between the whole Book of Scripture and the coming of the spirit and indeed it is onely of the Law and the Prophets and the coming of Christ as the Context doth most clearly manifest The Prophesie of old shining in those Dayes that were dark till the Day not properly of the spirit but of Christ did dawn i. till the Gospel for Christ is called a Sun the Light of the Gentiles at whose coming into the World The day spring from on Luke 1. ult high did visit us And the Times and Dispensation of the Gospel the Day and the Children of the Gospel Children of the Light and of the Day God 1 Thess 5. 8. Ephes 5. 8. that commanded Light out of Darkness shining thence in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Therfore this is the sum of the Apostles sense in that place he having given them a glimpse of the Vision wherewith he was blessed with Christ on the Mount in vers 16 17 18. He seemeth in vers 19. somewhat fearfull least he should by this means have stirred up a hankering in their mindes after such Visions to the weakening of their heed and respect to the Writing of the Prophets and therefore thus addes We have a more sure word of Prophesie More sure i not more true in it self but as to you which you have means of more assurance of having been a long time received for the Word of God c. whereunto ye do well that ye take heed and not to slacken your faith or heed thereunto any thing said by me of my Vision notwithstanding but least they should err on the other hand and prize the Law and the Prophets above the Light of the glorious Gospel he addeth further whereunto ye do well that ye take heed but you must heed it no otherwise but as a Light that shineth in a dark place before the day or untill the day dawn the Dayes of the Gospel being Dayes of greater Light then the Dayes of the Prophets yet not to undervalue these Prophesies neither we must know this first No Prophesie Vers 20. in the Scripture is of any private Interpretation though we must look upon them as shining in a dark place untill the day dawn yet must we bear respect and heed thereto as unto the Word of God also For the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy Vers 21. men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost And now what advantage have any from hence for the Deniall of the Gospel or to make the Word of God of none effect for our teaching CHAP. XI Of the Scripture as profitable in its commands for obedience THis Error would strike at the very Majesty of God and his divine Authority in the holy Scriptures and therefore sticks not to deny the Commands thereof they being not by any to be heard or hearkened to as the voice of God And this I conceive upon a double respect as they look to the wicked and unregenerate world or relate to the godly and spiritual Church and upon this dilemma because the commands of Scripture cannot come in upon us at this or that door they must be shut out Reas 1 With respect to men unregenerate they imply the command is vain such having no power to obey it and God cannot inforce or intend it to them who doth nothing in vain Reas 2 And with relation to men regenerate the command is needless also they having the spirit the Law within them written in their hearts there is left no need no use of the letter or the Law without As the natural man receiveth no help so the man that is spiritual hath neither helpe nor need of
of this spirituall sense and greife might be applicable to them Yea what else can be the fit and proper season of promises what is it that renders any promise whatsoever comfortable yea appliable to us but the sense of the want of the things promised 2. Againe the abuse of the promises would faine be argued from the extent of our applying of them our resting too much upon and drawing too much comfort from them Answ Alas alas this is so little against the due Application of promises that let them be rightly applied and I know not which way we can possibly rejoyce too much therein This I am most certaine of that men very seldome err on this hand the most of Christians being rather guilty of too much infidelity and mistrust in the truth and fidelity of him that hath promised The Scriptures therefore every where plentifully warrant and powerfully injoyne even our rejoycing with exceeding joy joy unspeakable and full of Glory But what can the mouth of this abuse forced open speak against the Lawfull use of the promises at which indeed this errours spitefull hand strickes too hard May we not lie down and take our rest in the promises when moved driven thereunto by a restlesse spirit a hint unreasonable or may we not sinck over much from these breasts of Consolation a word unseasonable yet when in truth and measure the promises are taken applied closed with What can forbid or hinder or who can say unto that happy hand what dost thou The truth and safety of which comfort and practise I plead for and prove by the following Arguments quere-wise Argument for the affirmative 1. Why may not the promises truly and duely applied speak comfort to us as well as to our Fathers what kept Davids Head up even in the depths but the truth and word of God in the promise what incouraged our Father Abraham to beleeve against hope i reasonable hope Rom. 4. 18 but that he remembred the promise and staggered not and all the Saints of old we read that through patience and hope Heb. 6. 12. they inherited the promises yea lastly what invited our deare and blessed Saviour himself even to indure the Crosse to Heb. 12. 2. despise the shame but the Joy that was set before him how why in a promise Isa 53. ult are not these examples for our instruction and imitation we may look unto Jesus surely we whom the Gospel it self hath stiled the Children the Heires of promise we may take up our Crosse and follow our forerunner even in this in Rom. 9. 8. applying the promises for our Joy and Comfort Being the rather willing to suffer here with him for that it is promised us that if we suffer with him we shall also raign with him The promises belong unto us as wel as to our Fathers And is not the comfort of the promises ours also the promise belongeth to You and to your Children and to all that are afar off as well in time as place even to as many as the Lord our God shal call and why not then appliable to us even to as many as the Lord our God shal call also for the comfort therof Act. 2. 39. What true sollid I mean spirituall comfort can be possibly received by any other way and means whatsoever and not through the promises All our hopes depending thereupon all our Joyes must flow therefrom We having no pure and spirituall Joy but what hath entrance into us by the doore of hope and the Object of hope being nothing else but the substance of the promises Secondly Aagain Faith is the only hand whereby we take to our selves all reall and spirituall joy and comfort and now the only matter of Faith is the Promises It being the substance of things hoped for i the matter Heb. 11. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 8. of the promises therefore all joy unspeakable and glorious is by beleeving i applying the promises 3. What can be imagined by any reasonable phansy to be the proper and genuine end of a promise but rest support comfort c. The world being a Wildernesse so full of annoyance to the Children of God he surely hath so filled his word with promises plainly intending to lift up their heads to beare up their hearts against all their trialls with promises i Of the supports and comforts of his presence with them here and of another a better place Land Canaan Heaven and rest hereafter Quest But how shall we be sured that God hath such an end and intention to comfort us by promises Answ This may be demonstrated first from the forme thereof a promise doth properly yea formally speak and declare comfortable things This is essentiall to it it cannot be a promise unlesse its most direct and immediate intention aime something towards comfort endeavour some satisfaction and rest in its Object more or lesse Either these parts of holy scripture are not promises or there end an intention is comfortable to us 2. From the matter that being comfortable also now the matter an form do mutually illustrate and prove each other as in the promises For let a promise be made and confirmed with all possible Zeale and strength of security yet if the matter be of no worth it speakes no comfort so if the matter be never so precious and rich what is it to me unless I either have it already or have some hopes and assurance thereof by promise but now the things of Heaven being a Pearl a Treasure an Inheritance a Kingdome c. The matter is most rich and precious but al this being promised there being a promise of the eternall inheritance and the Kingdome promised Heb. 9. 15. Jam. 2. 5. The form is also most cordial and comfortable and both together made precious promises exceeding great and precious promises Pet. 1. 4. 3. From the end of promises as God himself hath declared it to be by his own authority in the holy Scriptures and sealed it according to his truth and power in mans experiences 1. Gods own end in promising that none might have the least occasion left of so grosse an errour is almost every where found with his promise in Scripture And what is it but the end we speak of rest quietnesse peace contentation c. Fear Isa 30. 10. not thou my servant Jacob but is it demanded how Jacob must remedy fear I answer the beleeving and applying the promises following loe I will save thee from far c. Again be contented with such things as you have but upon what ground for or because he hath said I will never leave Heb. 13. nor forsake thee Yea let us heare one famous Scripture speak for all the rest For God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heires of promise the immutability of his Councell confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things a promise being one of the two in which it was impossible for God to
other Professors And the place is to be taken comparatively and not absolutely Answ We need not go about to pick holes in the Coat of the maintainers of this errour But accepting this distinction botâ— for this and the Verses or Termes viz. of Temple Sun Moon c. We now are discussing We shall indeavour and desire to end the Controversie and conclude That As it cannot easily be imagined that no unclean thing shall be admitted into this City so neither that there shall be no form or Ordinances allowed or practised there Let both these expressions be received in a sense comparative and not absolute and without much difference we may here shake hands in the receiving thereof Yet Not that we argue in the least we having sufficiently proved the contrary that this way or any other yet in earth is this new Jerusalem but only thus much we consent to that when ever God shall please to send down this holy City from himself in Heaven there shall not be so much of form in the World yea in the Church as now Observe me I dare not say there shall not be even in this City so many forms in your sense Ordinances much lesse none at all but not so much form opposed to power not so much formality opposed to Reality and Spirit in Holinesse and Worship The second thing I have promised to speak to Therefore The true meaning of the Text. 2. Could it be thought that this City is already come or coming down from Heaven I see not that the fall thereof must needs crush Ordinances Must needs take away the use but rather and only the abuse therof The full and genuine meaning of the place being thus viz. The most of this Chapter is a beautifull rare and goodly discription of the glorious Estate of the Church at the conversion of the people of the Jews therefore the Church the Lambs Wife here is called the City of the new Jerusalem Therefore also we read the whole description almost in the language of the Jews we have an Application of the promises formerly made for the restitution recovery Glory of the Jews and to conclude we therfore read here of a Temple a place of worship peculiar to the Jews and something even God and the Lamb to beare Analogy thereto And now when it is said that there shall be no Temple in the City it is not meant that the Gospell Churches of the Gentiles shall loose and leave there Gospell Ordidinances but that the Jews must not here expect a Iewish Temple a rituall Jewish worship as if it had plainly been said that the Iews may not be so far deceived as to expect the restitution of their old Legall and rituall worship Let them know that in this City the wonderfull presence of God in Christ in a purer truer worship of him shall fully supply all their heretofore externall Pedagogy that they had by their Law in their Temple then The Vaile of this errour yet lying over their hearts they being two much wedded to thâ—ir Law the Law of Moses and the rites thereof in opposition to the Gospell and the spirituall service and worship thereof the Apostle telleth them that this new Jerusalem hath no Temple but that God and the Lamb are Ezek. 48. 33. 2 Cor. 3. ult Rev. 21. 21. the Temple thereof And when their heart shall be turned to the Lord this Vaile shall be taken away and they shall then see with open face as in a Glasse the Glory of the Lord for the Glory of God shall light the City and the Lamb shall be the light thereof And the Jews of the glorious appearance and enjoyment of God and the Lamb among them forsaking their former formall way of worship shall now worship the Father in spirit and Truth for the People that are saved shall walk Joh. 4. 23. Vers 24. in the light thereof Not that all or any the Ordinances of Jesus Christ but of Moses only signified here by the Temple shall be taken away Now Arguments against 1. Cor. 15 24. The performance of them being only cleered brightned and purified in the light of this new Jerusalem holy City For 1. The ministeriall Kingdome of Christ according to his Gospell doth not terminate untill the end shall be 2. Christ must raine in his ministerial ver 25. 26. Kingdome till he hath subdued the last of his Enemies death till there be no more Rev. 21. 4 death As 1. The Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord must be done in remembrance of Christ till he come 2. The Commission of Baptisme reacheth Math. 28. ult alwaies even to the end of the World 3. For the preaching of the word even after this new Ierusalem is come from Heaven there is a tender of the Gospell Rev. 22. 17. and water of life not only the Spirit but the Bride saith come c. 4. And Prayer is exercised after it also for the hastning of the coming of Christ Rev. 22. 12. and 20. to Judgement Amen even so come Lord Iesus Thus it then appeareth that none much lesse not all of the Ordinances of the Gospell of Christ do expire at the coming down of the new Ierusalem from Heaven Much lesse are they to be dissolved or abolished before as the men of this errour would have them But In the Chapters following we shall single out the two maine standing Ordinances in the Church which we finde in these daies too too much neglected sleighted and contemned by many viz. the preaching of the Word and Prayer And indeavour at least if possible to recover their credit and practise again CHAP. XV. Of the Ministry of the Word WE are now discended to the speciall defence of these two speciall and most profitable Ordinances the ministry of the Word and Prayer Against the first of these viz. The ministry of the Word they argue thus Obj. 1 The coming of the spirit brings so much Light and Knowledge with it that we have no need of the teaching of men such low and inferiour meanes of Knowledge We shall Heb. 8. all be taught of God and we shall not need every one to teach his neighbour saying know the Lord for all shall know him from the greatest to the least Answ I wonder how this man can reconcile their Judgements and practise in this very case Preaching is dissolved and yet the World must know this by their preaching they go up into the Pulpit to pull down beat down preaching and yet at the very same time and for that very end they preach is their hand so happy that while they go about to ruine they must needs build or so unhappy that they by building it must needs destroy must all be taught of God immediately then why do they that beleeve make so much haste and darken the work of Gods own hand by being the meanes of teaching themselvs doth not this their own practice discover to
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
if Prayer or Petition fall short of this Honour and preferment it is because it wants only proper occasions a fit and hard season in Heaven It is dead in its use and matter only things externall to it being as truly alive and eternall in its root and nature as thanksgiving Imagine we but an occasion of prayer in Heaven it self viz. Never so short a winter of want or misery there and prayer behold it hears the voice of cries and tears and will not dy but live and put up it self with strength of importunity while praise is silent We have an instance of this in our blessed Saviour who his Heaven of glory and happiness being seemingly ecclipsed in the daies of his flesh with strong cries and tears petitioned heavily My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Prayer it is an immortall spirit most like unto fire not in the Embers but in the flint where it lives for ever in vertue and power and any hard dealing will strike it forth into art and use imagine it in Heaven or any where else Prayer is no more dead in Heaven then it is betwixt its set houres or upon a thanksgiving day in the World Prayer I mean the Petitionary part of Prayer is eternall after the same manner with the heads of Logick the principles and conclusions of reason all naturall and morall truths which are produced into use and art but by occasion only Petition or the craving of things which we want it is the natural effect of a cause viz. sense of want The proper and rationall means of an end The obtaining our desires both witnessed in their observed rise in children and their generall use and practise among all People and Nations and in both these respects eternall Yea so far as is discovered any occasion thereof in Heaven experience testestifieth Prayer lives and breaths there also 1. Our Saviour is there and there lives ever lives to make intercession or to pray Heb. 7. 25. for us 2. And John saw the soules of them that Rev. 6. 9 10. were slaine c. And they cried with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them which dwell on the Earth Arg. 2 Secondly For the strength and application of what hath been said for the proof of the warrant of Praier to all of this world we shall argue now from the subject of prayer Man And as Prayer is of an eternall nature and power and is only suspended till occasion acts it So every man alive a Tenant of this World hath continuall matter and occasion thereof and therefore every man alive have their warrant most ready for the practise of Prayer Now that every man alive hath occasion and matter of prayer will appear in the truth of these two propositions 1. That want or misery of any kind whatsoever is the proper and naturall occasion and season of Prayer 2. That the best and most perfect of men in this life are the Subjects of want or misery of one kinde or other while they live in the World 1. Now for the first of these because the want of spirituall Heavenly things as it is an occasion of Prayer is as lesse doubted so lesse sensible also we shall therefore demonstrate that even earthly and temporall wants are a fit and seasonable occasion of prayer 1. Even temporall blessings are promised and therefore may and must be praied for Godlinesse having a Promise of and therefore a Prayer for this life also I will saith God multiply the fruit of the Eze. 36 30. 37. Tree the increase of the Feild c. Yet for this will I be inquired of by the house of Israell to do it for them saith the Lord. 2. And therefore our Saviour that was free from sin the most perfect of men he prayeth notwithstanding if it be possible let this Cup passe 2. And as any misery is the occasion of prayer so the best and perfectest of men alive are subjects of misery in one kinde or other and least men should boast of perfection of Grace though such boasting is vain yet we may infallibly convince them of outward sufferings as liable to them as to any others and therefore affording to them an equall occasion and season of Prayer with others They will not deny that man that is born of a woman let him be who he will our Saviour God himself hath but a short time to live and is full of misery Yea and a man that is born of the spirit much more For those that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution and here no argument will heal and help the men of this errour in this fruit their rience visible all the world over discovers and proclaims their vanity and sufferings they being subject to greifs sicknesses wants death as well as other men Now unlesse they will maintain their Resurrection is past before their death one of their Paradoxes how can they escape the dint of this argument how can they put of the impetious motion of their wants and miseries in their Freinds themselves their Soules Bodyes Estates Names c. And still resist and quench the spirit of Prayer 3. Thirdly We argue the warrant of this practise by all from the principle of it the Efficiens adjuvans the assisting helping cause of prayer the Spirit of God For that prayer dependeth upon its occasion and season and man in this life hath continuall occasion and season thereof and man is foolish and weak and not able or wise of himself to improve this occasion for this end and purpose Gods Grace hath provided him the Help and assistance of his own spirit to teach him Rom. 8. how to pray But to make it as cleer as the Sun that the coming of the spirit doth not put to silence but rather raise and elevate the voice of prayer we consider him 1. In his promise 2. in his Office 1. In his promise and we read many pregnant promises of the spirit and of its abundant powrings forth especially at the famous conversion of the Jews towards the later ages of the World The great question is what will be the manner and effects of his coming from some generall discriptions thereof some men as our Antagonists imagine that such shall be the powring forth of the spirit then as that he shall drown and wash off from the earth all former Ordinances of the Church and this of praier among the rest but as we defended the rest in their place so here we shall read upon that promise in Zach. 12. 10. Which declareth after this manner the spirit shall come in the Zach. 12. 10. plentifullest powrings forth thereof even at his most glorious coming upon the new Jerusalem With relation to the duty in hand Prayer Let us read to be satisfied I will power upon the House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of Grace
our Soules c. Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death let us fear no evill concluding thence with the Psalmist that surely goodnesse and mercy Psal 21 shall follow us all our daies and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever 4. And to conclude what is reckoned by God as a more hainous aggravation of the sin of unbleife or mistrust of providence then this means and help of experience for which to passe by many let us fix our serious eye and thought upon that notable Testimony recorded by David against the People of Israell with whom because they beleeved not in God nor trusted in his salvation though he had commanded the Clouds from Heaven above and given them of the Corn of heaven c. Therfore Psa 78. 21 22. 23. 24. the Lord was wroth and a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger also came up against Israell Which is aptly appliable to us in the daies of the Gospell For if we sleight the Experiences of mercy and deliverance hardning our hearts after Heb. 3. 4. Ca. this sinfull similitude according to the judgment of the Author to the Hebrews we shall also fall after the same example of unbeleife chap. 4. 11. CHAP. XVIII Of the spirit of Christ as the Soules immediate Rest and Evidence WE have at length dispatched this Errour on the absolute consideration of it Wherin as you have if very busy to oppose the spirit to its effects cause word Ministry and witnesse so you have us as carefull to make and keep an answerable Peace and Concord betwixt them We are now ascended to the Bench that having called this exorbitant spirit to its last triall we might answerably passe a sinall judgment and sentence upon it But as before we have found it erroneous and and guilty in an absolute capacity so the triall of it here is as it is respective unto its speciall end as a Rest and Evidence The end and conclusion of this Way and Errour is that since all the fore-handled The Errour particulers are but false and unwarrantable means and helps c. The spirit immediate and as alone is the only all-sufficient means to the Soul for all ends and purposes whatsoever but especially fort its Rest and Evidence The specialty subjoyned as being neerer to the shadow of scripture and reason and more dearly imbraced commended by my Antagonists then any and all other of the uses of their spirit I shall cheifely and only question here viz. Whether the spirit be alone and immediately the only all-sufficient evidence of it self or Gods favour to us Though the vanity hereof hath been discovered all along while the right way of means hath been cleered and confirmed in every particuler of it yet my present undertaking shall more directly demonstrate the same and condemn it first even out of the mouth of that very Medium and argument as Umpire betwixt us that this way it self hath chosen and every False rest Pag. 90. 30. and many other places where appealed to against us viz. that is not to be rested upon as an infallible Evidence that may be either true or false Which Medium we grant could the false and erroneous assumption viz. that the truth of our Evidence is not knowable have been made good would have undeniably concluded against us that the best of our Evidence is but fallible and in their sense a false Rest. But as we have fully vindicated the truth of our against the spite and power of this by them abused argument so we shall by the light of the same reflected upon them plainly manifest the fallibility and weakness of this their Evidence The Argument may be thus framed That which for ought we can possibly 1. Argument against the spirits immediate witnesse gather may be true or false cannot be an infallible and undoubted Evidence But the spirit as alone and without the use of any means and considered abstractedly from its effects for ought we can possibly know may be true or false Therefore the spirit as alone without use of any means c. Cannot be infallible and undoubted Evidence There is nothing here questionable but the second proposition viz. that the spirit as alone without use of any means abstracted from all its effects may for ought we can possibly know be true or false which is also cleer from scripture and reason according to scripture 1. First These direct and most visible inferences from 1. John 4. 1. c. Might wholy satisfie as 1. There are false as wel as true spirits 2. The false as well as the as good and true spirit hath access to knock at the hearts of Saints 3. The Saints may be apt to beleeve both the false as well as the true spirit 4. The Saints are forbidden to beleeve every spirit 5. The Saints and such as have the spirit of God cannot discern spirit from spirit but by Triall 6. Therefore it is not commended only but commanded as we see even upon such to try the spirits Beloved beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God for there are many false Prophets gone out into the World The Gleaning after the full Harvest we formerly have reaped from this Text may be gathered thus Our Hearts lying open to the various suggestions both of the good and evill spirit the great question is how we shall know which is the good and which is the evill that we put not evill for good and good for evill how we should discern which is the comming of the spirit of God to make it to us an infallible Evidence Moreover my great Antagonist himself acknowledging that indeed there is no form though never so glorious but Satan will transform himself into it there is no working of the spirit 〈◊〉 God Pag. 127. within man but he will resemble it So that none shall be able to know whether it be true or false untill Christ come in c. how then shall we know in the light of Christ this we grant But how doth Christ enlighten immediately without the use of meanes then I should demand why should not Christ evidence the truth of his word as well as the truth of his spirit immediately to us 2. Again why doth not the spirit while it evidenceth it self discover also every false and erroneous spirit immediately to us as he saith the true rest sheweth us the vanity of every false Pag. 34. lin 18. 3. And then why doth the spirit command us here not to beleeve every spirit much more what need of triall of the spirits or any marks or outward rules Ver. 1. 2. 3. 6. whereby we might know the spirit of truth and the spirit of Errour The Text is thus far most cleer to all that the spirit that dictates to or dweleth in us may be true or false for ought we know until we try and examine it by outward
means Is it answered that thus it is knowable so is the work thereof in our hearts are they not known to be true or false but by the light of the spirit through our examining no more is the spirit himself Which it acknowledged to be knowable to us in the use of means by his own light we are agreed But this you may not allow that deny and oppose by the same pretended spirit all means of tryall your errour and misery 2. Secondly And doth not right reason also set to its Seal that this is true for thus I argue 1. Where the truth of the effect can-cannot be discerned without light from the cause how shal the truth of the cause be discerned without help from the effect now as to the case in hand it is received by all hands that the truth of the effect to wit Grace cannot be known but by the light of the cause viz. the spirit And the consequence is cleer from this common truth the effect is more knowable then the cause The reason thereof is for that the effect is more obvious to sense then the cause and things are conveyed by sense into the understanding for look how much the more any thing hath de ratione objecti viz. of sense it is so much the more easily discerned again that that is farther off from our knowledg is usually argued by that that is neerer and more known to us as we usually gain acquaintance with strangers by the means of our knowledge and acquaintance before Now according to these rules since the effects of the spirit are neerer to our knowledge then the spirit it self and yet we are not able to discern the true effects of the spirit without the spirits assistance how can we then be possibly at least probably able to make the truth of the spirit indubitable to us without regard to its Effects without use of means Secondly It seems to appeare that the The second way of arguing spirit as alone without the use of any means and considered abstractedly from its effects cannot be known to be true or false from the consideration of the nature of spirits in generall Spirits are knowable to men in their Essence residence and quality With respect indeed to the first of these we may know them both that they are and what they are as by way of Negation so by way of eminence but with respect to their place of residence and qualities where they are and what ones they are whether true or false good or bad we can know them only by way of causality or by their operations symptomes effects c. Secondly for in order hereunto we can only judg of them by sense or reason the only principles competent to man of knowledge and discerning Now therefore let us examine whether spirits either in their where or kind are to be known by sense or reason immediately without some signe effect or other 2. For there where or place of abode this certainly cannot be discerned immediately by sense Spirits being no sensible Objects imagine what kinde of spirit you will whether it be Angelicall rationall animall much more divine and though things of a grosser substance viz. Bodies may yet the spirit cannot Propter ejus excessum or by reason of its excelling purity be thus discovered We may take up a little of the knowledg of spirits for our present purpose from the purest of Bodies viz. Fire though Fire as corrupted may and is yet fire in its Element cannot be seen and as some affirm nor felt c. Therefore our daily experience sheweth us that the fire with us so soon as ever it hath conquered and overcome its matter gotten out of the cage the flame that thickned it it is immediatly invisible if not insensible and though it passeth upward towards its center and Element before our eyes yet who can perceive it now spirits the grossest of spirits are superiour to fire not only in degree but kinde also and that that elevateth the purest fire to exceed our senses viz. its purity is far more eminently contained in spirits and is the very thing that gives spirits their name and the very name that puts a distinction betwixt them and bodies the purest of Bodies fire it self It is a thing most apparant to experience that we cannot know whence any spirit is immediately by sense for wherein can they be sensible They have no colour therefore invisible They are not Bodies therefore not audible They have no sensible qualities not cold hot dry moist c. Therefore they cannot be smelt felt or tasted Therefore we read that when Angells were sent to accompany men they still assumed bodies according to scripture Secondly now since the presence of spirits is not knowable discernable by sense there is no other way left for the knowledge thereof but by reason Angells indeed see and know intuitive but this way of knowledge doth not Competere with us men We are reasonable creatures and know and judge of things not obvious to sense by our reasons only But let us be our selves and seriously consider and how is it possible that we that are reasonable Creatures should judge of the presence of any thing not obvious to our senses without an exercise of reason about some effects signes c. 2. Moreover if we cannot discern the presence of spirits either by our sense or reason how much lesse shal we ever be able to judge aright of their nature kinde or qualities without regard to their Effects without use and help of some signe mean Companion or other thereof As for example how shall I know whether the spirit in thee be rationall or animall onely But because it acteth a humane form or figure of Body in generall Because it discovereth it self by rationall discourse more speciall Giving some signe or Effect or other what spirit it is Further how shall I know whether the spirit in any be weak simple or of ripe understanding but by some outward operations and fruits thereof How do we try a mans Person whether good or bad but by his Actions The Tree as our Sahath taught us being known by his fruit by their fruit ye shall know them Yea neerer yet a man may most easily mistake through self-conceit and flattery in the knowledg and Judgment of his own spirit imagining himself to be informed acted and guided by a discreet wise and upright spirit when indeed there is no such matter unlesse he be so wise as to take a true measure for his knowledge of himself by comparing himself with such rules and patterns as are fit and known for a Foole may be wise in his own conceit But to apply if it be a thing so difficult to know our own so impossible to know anothers spirit how improbable it is then that we should be able to discern betwixt the spirit of God and the spirit of Satan without the help of some Effect or sign or other
let a man of reason judge 3. Things especially do make this difficulty more difficult this impossibility more impossible then the rest The First respects the nature of God himself and is its transcendent purity In comparison whereof all other spirits are to be imagined even as Bodies The second proceeds from this and is the distance there is betwixt our capacity and nature and this infinite purity and the last is from the unconceivable subtilty of Satan changing himself into an Angell of light who in his very ministers would deceive if possible the very Elect and whose Ministers themselves as our Saviour warneth cannot be discovered but by their fruits And let us be assured that if the good spirit will perswade us of the truth of it self without tryal much more wil the evil Truth seeks no Corners but the deceiver the Prince of the powers of darknesse he hates the light because his deeds are evill and dare not come to tryall Obj. Though naturall men have no better no other faculty of discerning then the eye of Sense and reason yet we hope that the beleever hath an eye of Faith wherewith he is able to see far above and beyond the gift and ability both of sense reason Answ And therefore he assuredly partakes of such Joyes as neither eye hath seen ear hath heard as never entred into the heart of a naturall Man to conceive of I answer that Faith is not another power and faculty of knowing distinct from reason It is but a higher and more noble act and excercise of reason being seated in and acted by the reasonable soul * Altior cognitio de Deo in hoc vita habetur per gratiam quam per naturalem rationem Ut lumen naturale intellectus confortatur per infusionem luminis gratuiti Par. 1. Aquin sum quis 13. art 13. There is indeed a higher knowledge of God in this life had by Grace far above what is attained by naturall reason yet this is not without but by the heightning and improving of naturall reason Grace not destoying but perfecting nature is Grace or the spirit the light yet certainly reason is the eye of Faith it I mean reason being lightned by the spirit and it only doth discover the ground and receiveth and giveth us the incouragements of Faith By Faith the understanding is alwaies Tides cognitio quaedam est in quantum intellectus determinatur per sidem ad aliquod cognoscibile Ibid. determinated to that that is knowable And what ever we beleeve is known and the cause why we beleeve it is also known by the understanding a reasonable Creature as man is as he cannot beleeve he knoweth not what So will he never beleeve and know not why I will have some ground if it may not be called a reason why I beleeve any thing Though the matter of Faith is not understandable to carnall reason unsanctified nature yet reason inlightned nature changed or according to the Gospell that sound minde renewed spirit is fully satisfied with and seeth reason enough to beleeve even in the will and power of God and such as wil not beleeve they err they are guilty of this errour in their understandings not knowing the scriptures and the power of God Both which to wit the truth of God having said and the power of God to do laying a Foundation sufficient for a man most wedded to reason to beleeve upon And whatsoever we know by Faith whether it be spirits or God himself we know by reason yea in our very knowledge of Faith reason is and wholly is execised Faith brings a higher but yet a regular knowledge Faith giveth a cleerer and fuller knowledge of God yet it s still by Intellectus noster per gratiam fidei Deo adhaeret Ibid. mending and widening the cundit pipe Reason not by forsaking or overflowing it For our understandings themselves adhere and cleave to God by the Grace of Faith Obj. 2 But by the comming of the spirit we are spiritualized and as the scripture calleth us we are spirituall men This principle of the spirit is far above sense or reason This anointing can teach us the knowledge of spirits a more excellent way then by the use of our reason about their effects Can it not thinke yee Answ I answer it doth not the presence of the spirit doth not by any means darken or eclipse the light of reason that finger of God is not to put out but snuff this candle of the Lord in man Or rather the understanding of a man or the reasonable faculty of a man is the very Candle that receives holds out the light of the spirit and the eye or Organ that useth it and seeth with it It is the office of the spirit at his comming as the Sun to bring us light wherein we may see and so shew Objects to us even the things of Christ to see but we see them with our own eyes Therfore it giveth us to know it is not said that it knoweth in us but it giveth us to know the things that are freely given us of God And as we see the Sun in by through its own light yet with our eyes Videlicet of sense so we see the spirit only in its own light yet without our eyes to wit of reason The spirit is so far from hurting or shutting up the eyes of our reason that they do not only agree and shine together but the spirit in his name ab effectu is called 2 Tim. 1. 7. not only the spirit of Wisdome but of a sound mind whose Office is answerable he being sent to open the eyes of the blind the spirit of wisdome revelation being given Ephes 1. 17 18. through the knowledge of Christ on purpose to open the eyes of our understandings and that to this very end now in controversy that we might know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance in the Saints But we may further demonstrate the Third way of arguing same by the arguments followings Which are taken from a state of perfection to a state of imperfection And thus first from the perfection behinde us and afterwards from the perfection before us Man in the state of innocency and perfect recovery now if it appeare that man in neither of these two conditions wherein he hath the most perfect injoyment of the spirit did or shall attain to the discerning and knowledge of spirits immediately i. without the use and help of their Effects I think we may safely conclude that the imperfect condition of this life that now is while we injoy but a small nothing of the spirit in comparison here shall not 1. But in the first place there is not any thing more certain then that the soul of man in its state of innocency did not see spirits per Essentiam but per effectum which I shall breifly open First With respect to God
part and this his knowledge here is by reflection in a glasse darkly though he promiseth to himself to see more immediately face to face hereafter Therefore I conclude Si aliquis videns Deum intellexit quod vidit non ipsum vidit sed aliquid corumquae sunt eius Dioni in Episto 1. Adcapiam Monacham and end this Argument with that saying of Dionis If any man whoever have a sight of God and understandeth what he seeth let him know that he seeth not God himselfe but only some effect or symptome of him We might further proceed were it not too injurious to our designe of hast to discover the vanity of this delusion to wit that we may discern the truth or falshood of spirits immediately without regard to their Effects in the light of these and such like Maximes Arg. 2 for the negative Nothing can act beyond its one kind and nature Now it is infinitely beyond the nature of our reason the bounds of Nihil agit extra genus suum our intellect to discern of spirits and not by their Effects To know whether or no they be true or fals immediately i without the use of means about the Effects or signes thereof The Office and naturall work of reason as over and again we have shewed is to judg of spirits by their works and symptomes and no otherwise for men do not gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles Secondly Phylosophers affirm that Deus ipse non potest supplere vicim causae formalis even God himselfe cannot supply the place of a formall cause i cannot make on the one side spirits to be Bodies and things intelligible to become visible nor on the other side make us to see without eyes to understand without understanding or to know but by our reason All which God must do before we can be able and yet be men to discern of spirits immediately or to know whether they be true or false good or bad without respect had unto their signes or effects But many men are deceived with their Eccle ca. 3. 24 25. own vain opinion and an evill suspition viz. Of Qualifications hath overthrown their judgments yet without eyes thou shalt want light profess not the knowledge therefore that thou hast not Obj. 3 But men of much wisdome and piety great Divines affirm that the spirit Dr. Sibs doth sometimes immediately comfort us then surely the knowledge of the truth of the spirit may be immediate also which is the ground of comfort Answ I answer and grant that some learned and pious Divines have said it yet questionless not intending in the least to lay a foundation thereby for such a rejection of Marks and the means of triall as we have in dispute and therefore they immediately Dr. Sibbs in sealing of the spirit subjoyning this question but how shall we know the perswasion of the spirit of God from a delusion they set down such rules of discerning as may help us to know the spirit of truth and the spirit of Errour intimating to us that upon the least suspition or occasions of suspition of spirits we should have ready and speedy recourse to the Tryall thereof thereby But secondly there is to be observed a considerable difference betwixt the comforts the spirit giveth us and the assurance we give or gain to our selves of the truth of the spirit is the spirits ability the measure of ours yea is it not far more difficult to work assurance out of doubting then comfort from assurance Moreover doth it follow that because the spirit can and sometimes doth comfort us immediately that therefore we must not use means for assurance for no man may imagine that we can as easily work upon the spirit for assurance as the spirit upon us for comfort 3. Yet farther for my part though I reverence the judgment of those Godly I must conclude with Scotus in another case Me magis propter autoritatatesquam propter rationes putare posse men yet I cannot well see how the spirit doth comfort us immediately either the comforts of the spirit are most sollid and consequently most rationall if rationall not immediate because then they are convaid into the heart upon reasonable grounds Now the spirit cannot supply the stead of our reason and therefore doth not give in comfort immediately The spirit cannot inlighten our hearts but by our reason though he be a light he can not be an eye or faculty to us And therefore cannot immediately comfort us If we take suggestions upon trust how shall our reason be sanctified and if our reason be not our conscience can never be satisfied and then how weak how superficiall our comfort and how unworthy to be owned by the spirit of God our comforter or to be called that Peace of God which keeps Phil. 4 our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus 4. We are apt to imagine and mistake a flash of our own spirits which may be occasioned by many unknown secret ways to be the unspeakable ravishing comforts of the spirit of God sensitive joy to be spirituall comfort but the difference is as wide as Heaven and Hell And we may be assured fully that what revishments of spirit we know no account of as they are not reasonable so not spirituall the comforts of the spirit whose office it is as comforter to shew us the things of Christ and to give us to know the things that are freely given us of God being ever built upon grounds most rationall and such as are known to us Obj. But I have heard men of parts and piety both to set forth this mediate comforting of the spirit by the comfort we have from the presence of a 20. Sibs Freind Answ To which I answer that if in this act of our comfort the spirit be taken materially and not Essentially I undestand it well as the Apostle affirms hereby we know Joh. 3. ult that he abideth in us by the spirit that he hath given us But secondly Let us consider how the presence of our Freind doth comfort us Either because he is present or because he is our Freind both how do we know he is present but by the means of seeing him and how do we know that he is our freind but because of our experience in the Effects of his freindship and comforts immediate after this manner we grant are attainable by the presence of our freind the spirit viz. By assurance of its freindship by true experience of as also of its presence by due reasoning about the Effects thereof 3. But now unless thou try for ought either I or thy self can know thy spirit may be false as well as true thy joy counterfeit as well as reall Thy spirit may be of the Devill and thy comfort no other then a flash of Hel Yea thou maist be acted by no other then thine own deceitfull and melencholly spirit and thy joy be but sparks of