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A85050	Vindiciæ mediorum & mediatoris. or, the present reigning errour arraigned, at the barr of Scripture and reason. Wherein is discovered the falshood and danger of that late borne opinion, that pretends to an immediate enjoyment and call of the Spirit of God, both above and against its owne fffects, [sic] cause, word, ministry, and witness, in all respects. Occasioned by a pamphlet, intituled, The saints travell to the land of Canaan, or a discovery of seventeen false rests, &c. By one R. Wilkinson, a preacher of this errour about Totnes in the West. In the treatise following, the reader shall finde, most of the maine fundamentall doctrinall truths that this age doth controvert, faithfully vindicated, cleared, confirmed. By F. Fullwood, minister of the Gospell at Staple Fitzpane in the county of Somerset.	Fullwood, Francis, d. 1693.	1651 (1651)	Wing F2521; Thomason E1281_1; ESTC R202060	131,348	337

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

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

c. Atlas that upholds our Heaven also But I am so well perswaded of the love of all Christians both to their Saviour and themselves that I am perswaded I need not say more in the be half of this Truth or against its Enemies Will not every stone in the spiritual Temple threaten that hand that endeavours to remove the Corner-stone And every one that bears the name of a Christian abhor and detest that wicked Engine that seeks to subvert the very foundation of Christianity O let us fear and tremble to think of laying other foundation then what is laid by the wise Master Builder Jesus Christ that Rock of Ages I apply it not but should an Angel from Heaven preach another Gospel then that which consists Gal. 1. 8. with Acts 20. 21. in repentance towards God and faith towords our Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed rather then believed But let us sit down and consider a little and we shall hear the most absolutely necessary and immediate consequences and inferences of it discover and cry aloud against the wickedness and danger of this way and Errour which I tremble to mention for 1. It denies Christs Priestly Office for 2. It denieth Christs satisfaction to Divine Justice therefore 3. It denieth our Adoption 4. It denieth our imputative Righteousness 5. It thus puts the soul upon immediate communion with God 6. It confoundeth faith and holiness justification and sanctification All these are not onely immediately necessary inferences from the former principles in themselves but are all of them clearly hinted by the maintainers thereof as he that runs may reade Now as these race out every Letter of our Gospel so of our Names in the Book of Life also for how shall we pay our Debts without a Surety or appear before God without a Propitiation or have communion with him without a Mediator For can dry stubble embrace a consuming fire and Who can dwell with everlasting burning Are not those that walk in the way we are discovering even of all kinde of Professors the most miserable The Turk hath his Mahomet and the Jew beleives in his Messias to come but this strange Generation have cast off all notion of a Mediator as if their hinderance a moat in their eye accounting it their perfection to stand alone their onely full happiness to be taken up into the immediate enjoyment of God O how doth this way smell of Antichrist Popery gross Socinianisme yea it hath set one foot already upon the bank of Heathenisme and I fear it will not rest till it centre in Atheisme These men are gone beyond the Christian Turk or Jew they are about to shake hands with Socrates and Plato and it is much very much to be feared that their end will be to be drowned * The Ranters with some of their fore-runners in Aristotles sea and utterly lost in his * Ens entium universal being O my most dear Saviour who can choose but be zealously affected for him When I seriously think upon that heavenly glory that he was freely pleased to put off for us and in my sad Meditations become a Spectator to that matchless horrible and most inhumane Tragedy that naked Innocence acted or suffered rather upon the Stage of the World for our sakes and sins What contradiction of sinners for sinners he indured What cursings buffettings shames pains and death even from a combination of sin the World Hell and Heaven he received underwent and for no other end in the world but that he must be a Sacrifice Attonement Mediator Advocate and Saviour for us And with an eye of faith behold him maugre all to have spoiled Principalities and Powers and counting it his glory to make a shew of them openly triumphing over them as the Lord of Life and the Captain of our Salvation being made perfectly so by his Sufferings even the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him Moreover when as I consider all this as the Result Issue Act and Decree of eternal Counsel the most markable pregnant testimony and token of the Fathers everlasting love to the World most remarkable surely that God should give his Son most pregnant also in that with him he should give us all things else as the great Promise of the Law blessed Gift of the Gospel the whole sum and substance of divine Oracles Gods whole and onely revealed will and to conclude for the Application and efficacy whereof the holy Ghost himself hath his onely business and that special Embassie and Errand from the Almighty God and the Father and Christ to the sons of men When I reade with wondering eyes this sacred Story and hear with trembling and amazed ears the Tale this Error tels us viz. That Christ is notwithstanding all this but a Type a Shadow that we must not beleive in him that there is no trusting to him depending upon him for eternal happiness that they have found out a nearer way and cut to Heaven then by him that is the Way a Truth for the Truth opposing to Christ the immediate enjoyment of God in the Spirit without him I am and I judge deservedly at a stand what to think of the Abbettors thereof For ah what a rude Affront and Contradiction is this to divine Wisdome Counsel Will and Word at once What an horrid contempt and insufferable slighting of the Fathers everlasting Grace and Love so highly commended in him Yea what an ingratefull indignity undervaluing trampling under foot the Son of God together with a most desperately wicked despite of the Spirit of Grace And to conclude by a direct refusing our own mercies thereby a most bloody and cruell destroying and ruining miraculous Grace preventing us not of our most precious and immortal Souls for ever For of how much soever punishment shall he be thought worthy that hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. And to add a word more the punishment of such as it will be thus heavy and sore so sure and swift also sure and inevitable for how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. 3. Swift and unexpected for such as shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them bring 2 Pet. 2. 1. upon themselves swift destruction But let this be my trust support and comfort together with all those that wait for his appearing that he that is the Lord Jesus Christ which shall be revealed from 2 Thess 1. 8 9 10. Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that obey not his Gospel shall be glorified in his Saints and admired by all us that beleive appearing able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he Heb. 7. 25. ever loveth to make intercession for us Wherefore also we

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

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