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 [Page 2] 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 [Page 3] 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 [Page 4] 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, [Page 5] and Comfort; even All in All unto its subject: It pretends to the immedi­ate injoyment of God, as alone the onely All­sufficient 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.

1 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 [Page 6] against the very use of lawfull things: such is the vulgar unstayed rashnesse, it puts too an inconsiderate violent hand, and doth not onely bow as much the other way, but even breake the sticke to make it streight.

2 Secondly, most of the men that are thus deluded, were never well and throughly taught, grounded, and ex­perienced, in the former surer wayes of God; therefore it is that they are so easily inticed and drawn off their ground by every tempting and al­luring Fancy. The wayes of God are as Apples of Gold, in Pictures of Silver, and they that enjoy the outside onely, not tasting the sweetnesse, can never know the goodnesse of Christs Apples: Alas, how easily are such cheated and guld by the subtle Serpent, of this blessed Fruit of the Tree of Life, for the dan­gerous Apple of the Tree of Know­ledge and Speculation; a prize is put into the hands of fools, and they have no heart to it: The Devill puts a gloss upon his brass, and how willingly men part with their true, and upright [Page 7] Crown-Gold, for a Counter. Many never trod enough the good old way, to know the profit, pleasure, and safe­ty thereof, and therefore it is, that they take out their foot, and will not walk therein, but seek out to them­selves such strange inventions.

3 A third ground of this Errour may be from the now Commonnesse of the Ordinary means; the old way they see is now the common Road; the way of World, which cannot be the way of God; the ordinary means of Spiritu­all nourishment is now become com­mon meat. Such dainty pallats will now with Peter, despise and reject them, because they are common and Acts 10. 14, 15. unclean. But let such take heed of un­clean lips, and hear that voyce that checks from Heaven, What God hath Consecrated, count not thou common. For satisfaction hereunto, let us re­member three things.

• 1. That Jesus Christ himself did eat with Publicans and Sinners.
• 2. God hath promised to those later dayes, that he will powre forth his Spi­rit upon all flesh.
• [Page 8]3. The devices of Sathan, are to Ape and immitate the best of Gods wayes, as an Angel of Light.

4 In the fourth place comes in, or ra­ther is forced in, the age and long con­tinuance of the way we plead for, as a Mid-wife to deliver this prodigious Progeny. The fickle humour of the World to be given to change, Est na­tura hominum novitatis, Avida: O how do our ears itch after noveltie? How weary are we with walking so long in the old way, the ordinary means are old enough (such is the vanity of our thoughts) to be dead and buried, that a Spirit might arise out of their Ashes, and carry up our Souls into a Fools Paradice.

5 Fifthly, to the rest is added (I fear, a too willing and affected) mistake, a­bout the use of means; as if no distin­ction is reasonably put betwixt the Means, and the End; or betwixt the Actions that respectively refer; using, and injoying, as if we could not use, but we must rest upon the means, as if we could not injoy God, and yet use the means: To this purpose, the Au­thor, [Page 9] to whom I chiefly relate, doth almost ever confound Rest and Evi­dence, as if we made the Evidence our End, when as it is onely used as the means of our Rest.

God we acknowledge is the onely Center of our Souls; yet, though Christ by the help of Scripture, and Ordinances, in our graces and experi­ences, as Mediatour, Means, and Evi­dences, do we Center in him.

6 Sixthly, what hath been said before, is mightily strengthened, by that Re­ligious Ecclesiasticall Principle grosly abused, That Gods dealings in his Church, are usually graduall: loose, and unsetled; hereupon men imagine that it is time to put off their old cloaths, & to cloath themselves with som new light, as with a Garment. But men stretch this Principle too far, when they will make it extend to things Morall, unless it be to cleare and elevate the same. Men make this Proposition setch too great a compasse, when they will have it to bring in the Spirit upon the Stage of the World, to fight against all its Freinds, and Relations, as [Page 10] as this Errour would have it.

7 Seventhly, but all is warranted by Authority of Scripture; this phansie would seem to be kindly stroakt with the smooth hand, and mightily incou­raged with the sweete and pleasant voyce of Scripture-Promise; namely, In those dayes, I will powre forth my Spirit upon all flesh, saith the Lord; and such like.

1. Here is indeed a Promise of the Spirit.

2. Here is a Promise also of the spreading of the Spirit, Viz. Ʋpon all Flesh.

3. Here is a Promise of increase of the Spirit, and that to abundance, I will powre out my Spirit, to which that is answerably said, And Knowledge shall cover the Earth, as Water doth the Seas: Yet where is the Promise, that God will inspire the World, or Saints immediately with it; that this breaking in of abundance of Spirit, shall carry before it, and utterly wash away all former helps and means. Can­not we expect the performance of these Promises of Spirit, as powred [Page 11] forth through the same Conduit pipes? Must we needs expect such over­flowings of Spirit as will keepe no bounds, as will not onely overflow, but also over-run, and forsake its ancient Channell? If not thus, the Promises make nothing of countenance towards this Errour.

8 Eightly, and that which gives ground and advantage to all the rest, is a high Platonick, Notionall Genius; more properly peculiar to the hot upholders of this Novelty; they have Towring Fancies, most fit to invent and assert such speculations, and it is to be feared that the Prince of the Aire takes too too much advantage hereof; well fore-seeing, that if he help them to an Inch, they will take an Ell: He darts into them a beame of false light, and they with all joy presently receive it, hug and imbrace it, and kisse it with an holy kisse, as a reall ray of God himself. Truly, I speak it with a meek and unpassionate Spirit, I fear nothing else, but the heat of Phancy, and light of Satan upon the Seeds before scat­tered, hath ingendred and begot this [Page 12] new Heaven, God and Glory, that seems so overcomming, and so migh­tily ravishing in these sadly deluded Souls.

9 Lastly, now that that pins the bas­ket, and maketh all aforesaid most wonderfully prevalent on this Errours behalf, is doubtlesse a curse from Hea­ven, secretly siding with, and second­ing the same. Man over-presuming up­on gracious Providence, will some­times above warrant take their foote off from the wayes of God, and venter upon the rotten and deceitful grounds of Errour, where God doth justly leave them, even to sink away and fall into the Pit, and irrecoverable plunge thereof. When men will shut, volunta­rily shut their eyes, God is not neces­sarily bound to open them, but doth sometimes most justly seal them up, least they should again see with their eyes, and that for ever: When men are bold to abuse or misuse that Talent of Light, by seeking after strange in­ventions: The hand of Heaven is stretcht out against them many times, Matth. 25. 29. even to strik them blind, & to take away [Page 13] from them even that which they have▪ it deprives them many times of that Spirit of reason, discerning and judge­ment Rom. 1. 28. [...]. that they had before, delivering them up into an injudicious mind, and sending them strong delusions, that they should beleive lyes.

2. Especially, when in the day and season of light; when God by a more then ordinarily Providence, hath put a Prize into mens hands to get know­ledge: If men now love darknesse, rather then light; and when God comes to visit his Fig-trees, with full expectations of answerable Fruit, but findeth none; or in stead of Grapes, wilde Grapes: shall not God be a­venged on such a People as this? shall not his anger wax hot against the trees that bring not forth fruit in their sea­son, even to scorch, and to make them to wither immediately, pronouncing that speedy and effectuall Curs against them, Never Fruit grow on you more.

3. Finally, when men have happily for many years together (the Candle of the Lord within them enlightned, at least with common Illumination) have [Page 14] showne in a Christian Profession, if they will venture into the Pit, and wantonly hazzard the Candle of the Lord to the Damp of Errour; how easily may now the Father of Lights, and yet his Justice safe, suffer the light of these men to goe out, and leave the men offensive as the snuff of a Can­dle. Men that have a long time appa­rently drawne hard in the wayes of God; If they draw back, surely Gods Soul shall have no pleasure in them: but as an effect of his high displeasure, while they are drawing back, he shall let goe the Cord wherein they were holden, that they may fall as far back, as the violence and force of the swing wil cast them. Those that have set their [...]. Luke 9. 62. hands to this Plow, if they do but looke back, they are hereby ill disposed for the Kingdome of God, and made more meetely fit to be Satans Bond-slave, to goe to Plow for him: There­fore Wisd. 12. 25. unto them, as unto Children with­out the use of reason, thou didst send a Judgement to mock them.

CHAP. II. Of Qualifications.

NOw we shall descend to fixe a more strict and speciall eye and hand, upon the Errour aimed at; and that first in its Doctrine, Secondly, in its Use.

The Doctrine thereof in its divisi­on, divides betwixt the Spirit, and most of his near and dear Relations, it op­poseth the Spirit.

• 1. Against its own Effects, Viz. true and gracious Qualifications.
• 2. Against his Cause, namely Christ.
• 3. Against his Word, the Scriptures.
• 4. Against his Ministery, to wit, [Page 16] Church Communion and Ordinances.

Lastly, against its Witnesses, or for­mer Experiences.

The Doctrine of the first of these kinds, namely, touching Evidences, wherein the Holy Ghost is made to oppose its own effect in us, brancheth it self into these two Assertions.

1. That no Qualification of the Creature, whatever, can be, or may be, used as a sufficient Evidence of Gods Love or Presence: this as the intelligent Reader may finde, is the sense of the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 15. fals Rests.

2. That the Spirit of God doth ever manifest his presence to the Soul, with his owne immediate Light, Pag. 60.

Thus doth the Errours Rod in the first place, devoure the Antinomian Rod: But of them in order; For the first of these, we shall give you its Sense: Secondly, its Reasons. And having first raced the foundation of the Errour, we shall afterward build up the Contrary Truth, upon better Grounds; and though this undertaking be long, yet I hope not tedious, for that the Truth, this Errour gain-saies, [Page 17] is known by us all, to be opposed by many, questioned by more; and cheifly struck at by those that maintain this Opinion in hand. You may better un­derstand the sense of this particular, by the Booke of Rests, that tells us that,

No Qualification, that is, no Gifts, or Graces, though truely infused or wrought in the Soul, by the Spirit and Finger of God himself, either in their Root or Branches, themselves, or effects; whether it be the gifts of Knowledge, (Pag. 3. line 18.) or Prayer, &c. (the third false Rest) or whether that Grace more generall, to wit, a sutable answerable frame of Spirit to the Word of God, (false rest the Tenth:) or more particular, whether the Grace of Evangelicall Faith, (false Rest, 15.) Humility, (False Rest the third, page 22. line 22.) Ropentance, (false Rest the 6. page, 38. line 15.) or Zeal, (false Rest the fourth, page, 28. line 14.) Not any, or all of these, together with their acts and expressions, either of Negative, or Positive Godlinesse, Righ­teousnesse, or Sobriety, (false Rest, the first, second, and fifth,) can be, or are to [Page 18] be, the Creatures evidence of its true en­joyment of God.

The first Reason for this, we finde page 24. line 2. Of the false Rests, name­ly, Why, saith he, should any man place his Rest upon any thing which will come to nothing, or is given to change? or why should we make that the ground of our happinesse, which is but a Talent given onely to be improved, which may be taken away at the owners pleasure: which words would prove our Qualifications to be deceivable Evidences from their Mutability; but before we discover the Fallacy, let us understand the termes, and strength hereof.

For the termes, it is most requisite for us to consider his impropriated sense of this word Rest: which is here seconded with the ground of Happinesse, and we must know that it is utterly besides his intent and scope to mean by Rest, in the place now cited, or throughout his Book, the objective, finall objective Rest of Souls, which we as well as he acknowledge to be onely God. This terme may hear fallaciously in the Vul­gar eare, and therefore I here (at first, [Page 19] least we should both be by any mista­ken) take occasion to declare his mean­ing herein. For he certainly means no­thing else, when he calleth the particu­lars lately mentioned, false Rests, but that they are false means of Peace and settlement to the Soul, so far as we use them for the assuring of our Souls of Gods Love and presence; he means, they are no infallible or warrantable tokens of Gods Love, or symptomes of his presence to us: therefore he almost throughout his Booke, Ushers in the word Rest: with this Interpreter, Evi­dence: his most frequent Conclusion is this, that such and such things, as he there treats of, are not to be Rests and Evidences to the Soul. I am very confi­dent the Author will bear with, and ac­cept this Candid Interpretation of his sense and meaning, as in generall, throughout his Booke, so particularly in the place now mentioned; wherein his endeavor is to draw us off from this means of our rest and comfort, Qualifi­cations, with arguing their Changeable­nesse, and by consequence their False­nesse, that is, Fallibility.

2. For the strength of this Argument it seemeth double: First, our Qualifications are changeable in their own nature: Se­condly, and with respect to the givers disposall. The first, I thinke I may safe­ly gather from these two expressions; They shall come to nothing, and are given to change: the last is as clearly expressed in the later words, They may be taken away at the owners disposall.

Now to the first of these that affirm­eth, Our gifts and graces are given to change: Answ. I Answer,

1. By Concession, that Grace in it self may be said to be changeable, that is, the gracious holy frame and disposi­tion of the Soul, may be spoyled by sin, and lost in ruines, as is sadly instanced in the unhappy fall of the first holy Man, and glorious Angells. Yet,

2. By Exception, to say notwith­standing, That the Graces wrought by the Spirit of God in the Members of Christ the second Adam, are given to change, is an unsavory Arminian Po­sition: Let us learn to distinguish, there is Naturall, Common, and Speciall, (i. e.) saving Gospell Grace: the Naturall, O­riginall [Page 21] Grace, that Image of God in our first Parents, and the Grace that is wrought by the common influence of the Spirit of God upon Hypocrites, was and is lyable to change and ruine; yet that later speciall saving Gospel Grace, that is, the fruit and blessing of the Spi­rit, and promise of the Gospell, is not as the flower that fadeth away, though it fadeth, it shall never die: Is it ever seemingly dead? It is but as the Coal that is covered with Ashes, buried a­live.

Grace is of an Eternally conquering Immor­tall Seed. Nature, and spite of all opposition in the end, shall discover it self most cer­tainly effectuall in the Redemption of its Subject the Soul, from Hell to Hea­ven. Grace came from Christ, and will return to him again, but yet not empty, it will do its work for which it was sent, and carry our Souls to Heaven with it; that where he is, we may be also: that Water, that Radicall Moisture, Christ gives, and deriveth into his Branches, is within them, as a Well of water spring­ing up into everlasting Life. Though it meet with opposition that would keep [Page 22] it down, and choak it, it will up again, and with a most prevalent force, at the last overcome all enmity, and in high contempt, and triumph, bubble up it self into life everlasting, Jo. 4. 14.

This Water shall never be wholly ex­haust, for the assurance of which, the Church is a Fountain, and for the more security, a Fountain sealed.

A true Member of Christ, shall never be without Grace for Grace, while the immeasurable fulnes of the Grace of our Head, and the inexhaustible Fountain of the Fathers love, be dried up and emptied; till the Principle and means die and fail: how is it possible that Soul should wholly and finally fall a­way; that is, is kept, i. e. held up, By the power of God through Faith, unto Sal­vation? 1. Pet. 1. 5.

Yet then our Grace may be a firm E­vidence, it is not fallible, by being thus changeable.

Object. But he that gave it, I hope may take it away at his own pleasure: This the second Plea.

Answ. I answer, that Gods Executive power, as to take away that he hath given, is [Page 23] to be considered, either De Jure, or De Facto.

1. If we consider it in matter of right, then the question is (and indeed it is the main question; for as it is concluded in matter of Right, it must also be yeild­ed as touching Fact, in God that in­jures none.)

The question is, whether God can justly take away that Grace, that he himself by the speciall operation of the spirit hath given. For the clering where­of, we must look upon this Right, as it De merito­rie incur­rit iram Dei, licet non effect ve. respecteth us, and God. First, then with respect to our unworthinesse, or abuse of Grace, doubtlesse God, as he might have denied us, so he may most justly deprive us of it: But secondly, with re­spect unto himself, if we take it in a so­ber sense, he cannot; and that because of his already acceptation of his Sonnes merits, and his own voluntary Obliga­tions for us.

1. These outward gifts and mercies, are given as but Exhypothesi, we break­ing the condition, as we have forfeited, so are we lyable to give them up, at the owners pleasure and demand. But [Page 24] God hath ingaged himself, never total­ly to take away Grace, and therefore lawfully without breach of Bond, can­not do it.

Now this Engagement is Reall, and Vertuall.

1. God hath properly Engaged him­self in Bargain with Christ, not to recall the gift of Grace from his, Christ loved us, and gave himself for us, that he might Redeem us from our vain conversation, to be a holy People, even with the price of his life and blood: God accepted, Justice is satisfied, by his stripes we are healed, the bargain ended; it was then, Isai. 53. as we may read, concluded; That by this knowledge, or by the acknowledge­ment of himself, he should justifie ma­ny: Now the price being tendred and received, the property of the goods is altered. Can God in Justice now, (for Justice is satisfied) reclaim our Grace, ours not onely by gift, but purchase al­so? 1 Tim. 2. 6. Heb. 3. 6. Christ is our [...], Ransome, and the Mediatour of that bargaine of Grace also, even to see it performed and kept.

Secondly, as God properly Engaged Jer. 32. 40. [Page 25] by bargain, not to take away Grace, so by Promise also. Hath not God promi­sed, Deut. 26. 18. and most solemnly Covenanted, That he will put his feare into our hearts? and to what end and effect? Even that we should be kept thereby, from falling away, that we shall not de­part ftom him: For the gifts of God are without repentance, yea, let this add to our great comfort, That he will not one­ly Isai. 42. 3. not breake the bruised Reed, not onely not quench the smoking flax, but bring forth Judgement into Victory: being confident of this very thing, That he Phil. 1. 6. which hath begun a good work in us, will perform or finish it to the day of Jesus Christ; for shall not God be as good as his Word? Let God be True, and every man a lyar.

2. There is likewise a Vertuall En­gagement, whereby God is bound ne­ver to withdraw his Spirit and Grace from his; which is an addition of strength to the Engagement of Pro­mise, to hold God to his Word. The Spirit and Grace is not onely the token of Gods love, but a Pledge to supply Christs absence; and our security for our [Page 26] Beloveds return, Joh. 14. with 16. Our Seal whereby we are sealed, and made Ephes. 4. 10. Ephes. 2. 13. 14. sure to the day of Redemption; yea, and the earnest of our Inheritance: Is not the man bound to stand to his bargain, that hath given Earnest? he must either have the one, or lose the other. Now think yee, is the precious Faith and Spi­rit of God so vile in Gods eyes, that he will lose his Earnest? Is the Redemption of the Soul, that is precious; or that his Name, his mercifull gracious Name, that is exalted above all his Word, so sleight or worthlesse in Divine thought, Gratia se­mel recep­ta, non po­test am tti, respectu Patris. Jo. 10. 29. Filii, 1 Cor. 6. 7. Spiritus Sancti, Ephes. 1. 13. Weams. that God will or can suffer the one or the other to fail or miscarry? Yea, He delighteth in mercy, and his mercy endureth for ever, and precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints; see here the heights and depths, &c. of Divine love and tendernesse to his, for our Comfort and Joy: with these Obligations God hath tied his own hands, he can onely give, not take away his Grace given; he can blesse, and onely blesse and not curse us; so that it is but right and equity on his be­half, not to deprive us of that Grace [Page 27] and Holinesse he hath once given us. Now certainly, if God cannot lawful­ly, he cannot at all take away Grace, 1 Joh. 1. 9. if he cannot De Jure, he will not De Facto, who is Just and Faithfull; Just, with relation to our Saviours Pur­chase, Heb. 10. 23. and Faithfull, that hath Promi­sed.

To conclude, then Grace is no falli­ble Evidence upon this account, it is neither changeable in it self, nor yet with respect to Gods disposall.

But were it so, that our Grace were at the owners disposall? what advantage yet is gained to this way of the Spirit by such a grant? Is not Gods Spirit as much Gods own as our Grace? We read of our Light, our Grace; but sel­dome of any such or so clear an interest we have in the Spirit: is Grace, Gods right, and not much rather the Spirit? Is Grace in Gods Power, Will, Disposal, and the Spirit wholly in ours? cannot God suck in his own Breath, as easily as to blot or put out our Life? hath not God the same, (if not more immediate) Power, over the Cause as effect? Yet this is the way wherein we must walke [Page 28] to meet and close with the Spirits com­ming.

Object. But it might be further added, that though Grace cannot totally, yet may it Not quoad habitum, yet quoad gradum. surely so far perish, as not to be decerna­ble, and so not evidentiall.

Answ. Suppose we grant, yet what weight will it add to the scale in hand: The question is not whether there may not be some Cases experienced, wherein Grace cannot evidence, but whether Grace is not able and apt in it selfe to Evidence, or whether it be not lawfull to reflect upon our Grace, to clear our Evidence for Heaven.

2. For further satisfaction, let us a little weigh this case, in the ballance of Experience; and we shall finde that as there is a two-fold desertion, namely, of Grace and Comfort, so these seldome or never fall in together to the same person; for where we finde an Ebb of Grace, we usually find a Flood of Con­fidence; and we many times see Streams of Grace flowing from the wounded bleeding Conscience.

The Spirit is called Fire, and it doth many times give much heat and little [Page 29] light; when it hath denied to bring with it the Light of Gods Counte­nance, yet it hath been as a Refiners fire, to purge the Soul to burn up its lust, and to take away drosse and Tinn.

So that very many, even while they do miserably labour under such sad de­sertions of Comfort, they are zealously affected to the glory of God, the be­nefits of Christ, the comforts of the Spirit, and doe even hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse: But to apply, If the desertion be of Comfort, as is most agreeable to the Case in hand, I con­clude, that all sincerity and fear of God is never so farre gone, even under the greatest desertion of Comfort, as not to be discernable even by the Soul it self that suffers, if Enlightned, assisted by the Spirit, the Comforter: doe not all the expressions of Spirits so laboring experience so much, and testifie for them to all the hearers, their fear to offend their prizing of Christ, &c?

But admit the desertion be of Grace, as it is sad to think how far even those that are truely in Christ, may fall; so is it as hard to imagine, how a person [Page 30] while under the state of Apostacy, should ever have so serious a self-refle­ction, as to have any occasion to make use of his Evidences; tis all one to him, while he lies in this state, whether they be clear or blur'd.

Object. But suppose him new enlightned, new­ly convicted; then he will have need of Evidences, and finde none.

Answ. As such light brings Conviction with it, so such Conviction brings light with it; I mean, matter of Evidence and com­fort: For if a man be so far humbled as to question his condition, and to bring himself to Triall, and so to Conviction; this is undoubtedly a good, visible, de­cernable mark in the light of the Spirit, even of the true enjoyment of God.

So that we see it nothing avails ei­ther to our Case, or indeed to any pur­pose, to Object, that Grace may not be visible, and so not Evidentiall.

But let us observe two things by the by.

1. That the Change with respect to Comfort, is not in our Grace, but in the Spirits presence or absence.

2. The Spirit it selfe, we finde thus [Page 31] far changeable, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Then what advantage hath this way of the Spirit against Qualificati­ons by this discourse?

CHAP. IV. Of the immediate witnesse of the Spirit.

HAving done my Endeavour, assisted I hope by the Spirit of God, for the clearing of our Evidences; we now proceed to lay hold on the other branch springing from the same roote, which hath been before delivered in these words, Viz. The Spirit of God doth ma­nifest Errour. his Presence to the Soul, by his own immediate light.

Arg. 1 The first Reason that endeavours the maintenance of this, and is every where hinted by the disturber of the false rests, is the Spirits sufficiency to discover him­self immediately to us.

Answ. But he ought to know, that from a sufficiency to an efficiency, is no good ar­guing; the death of that person that was God as well as Man, being infinitely me­ritorious, then how falls it out that all Men, yea, and Devils themselves, are not saved?

2. From the power, to the Act, gives no good Argument; because the power of God is sufficiently able to destroy the World, and all therein; therefore will he, must he doe it? Can the spirit discover himself to the Soul immediate­ly? that therefore he will use no means in this work, is a pure non sequitur; yet this Assertion is built, especially when illustrated with that that followes, Viz.

Arg. 2 The Spirit is a Sunne, Page 60. line 17. Now the Sunne doth manifest it selfe unto the World in its owne Light; there­fore the Spirit in like manner to our hearts.

Answ. It is said, that Christ shall come as a theife, &c. therefore as a theif comes to do that that is sinnefull, must Christ al­so? Such it the absurdity of the prece­dent Argument, for comparisons run not on foure feet.

2. But secondly, this comparison holds at least thus far:

First, the Sunne doth manifest it selfe in its owne Light, so doth the Spirit: a­gain, the Sunne doth convey his Light, whereby we see other Objects and himselfe through a Medium. Viz. the Aire; so the spirit through our Graces: More­over, the Sunne requires an Eye of Sense in us, whereby we must see, and use his light, &c. so the Spirit an Eye of Rea­son.

Lastly, we feel, as some will have it, the heat and comfort of the Sunne by re­flection onely; and thus by reflection we grant, we have the sweet and comfort of this our Spirituall Sunne, the Holy Ghost.

3. But thirdly, the Sun and the Spirit must in somewhat be unlike, else not alike, and this indeed may be received for full solution: The Sunne is a ne­cessary, [Page 58] but the Spirit is a free Agent; the Sunne must shine and shew it selfe, but the Spirit blowes where it listeth: therefore some have it, and some have it not; and others have it, and know it not: while the Sunne must alwayes, and alwayes one way discover himselfe; the Spirit is not bound by this means, nor yet by that, much lesse immediat­ly, to shew himself to us.

Arg. 3 It hath been objected to me in dis­course, By one, whom I judge both very knowing and Godly, that Christ is our Husband, and that therefore it should seem more answerable to that relation to tell us, he loves us, with his owne mouth, and immediately, then to leave his Spouse, to construe his love from his tokens onely.

Answ. For satisfaction hereunto, I answer,

1 Suppose we, that Christ is our Hus­band, and that therefore it seems more fit, that he himself declare his Love to us immediately; What is it that must Judge of this Meetenesse? our Phancy, or Faith? We have most plainly made it appear, out of the Scripture I suppose, Christs Will and Way is to make use of [Page 59] 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?

2 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.

3 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 [Page 60] 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.

4 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 [Page 62] 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.

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 [Page 69] 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; [Page 70] 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 [Page 71] is but a type of the spirit, (a dispensation Errour. and form that is ruined or dissolved by the coming of the spirit.) The Scripture Scripture counte­nancing it. is the 1 Cor. 5. 16. Yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet hence­forth know we him so no more. To make this Scripture pass for them, the Abbet­tors of this Errour have stamped upon it, this Interpretation, viz. That the knowledge of Christ after the flesh, was the dispensation of his Person, a fleshly dispensation which Paul had formerly been under; but since the dispensation of the spirit, the dispensation of Christs Person, it chiefly meant the Office of his Preisthood, is dissolved, is dissolved to Paul, though I have known Christ after the flesh, and have had commu­nion with Christ in his death, suffering, satisfaction, for my peace, righteous­ness, justification; yet now I have a more immediate way to God, to wit, by, in, through the spirit, without Christs mediation in his person; there­fore henceforth know I Christ so no more; thus are both these Errours be­come one, and one Answer may serve for both.

Answ. O Paul (might it be retorted) now see your inconsiderate rashness, where is that shame and sorrow for your for­mer Prosopo­peia. (vain it seems though) so deeply re­solved determinations? Do you not re­member your self good Paul, how in 1 Cor. 2. 2. how solemnly you deter­mined there to know nothing else but Jesus Christ, and him crucified, &c. But let us reserve one ear unprejudiced, to hear Pauls Answer: Me thinks I hear him apologize after this manner; Alas, poor ignorant Wretches, how apt to mistake, weak and unadvised Babes, how easily seduced and overthrown! Ah, foolish People, who hath bewitched you? Do you make no difference be­twixt the knowledge of Christ after the flesh, and the knowledge of Christ and him crucified! as a Saviour and Me­diator?

How unworthy of so great a trust as is committed unto me in my great Apo­stleship, should I openly proclaim my self to God, the holy Angels, and Men; should I thus, as you would charge me, basely deny my Lord and Master, and cowardly withdraw my neck from his [Page 73] Cross? Should I be but as unstable in my words, resolutions, as you silly Scep­ticks are fickle in opinion, I should judge my self utterly unworthy of the name of a Christian, but you may be resol­ved, that (which might have prevented such unworthy, uncharitable a Censure of me, and so fond a delusion of your own souls) that intended nothing less, then the denying and dying to the knowledge and communion with Christ in his person, or Office of Mediator­ship: will you reade and understand the Verse but one immediately fol­lowing the Text abused, where I have left my acknowledgement, and plain profession of Christ Jesus, as Mediator of Reconciliation, as a Witness for me; expounding the same to the end of the Chapter, concluding all out of contro­versie with this undeniable, that Christ was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Did I in my former Avouchment give you any allowance for such a mistake, mis-interpretation; yet will ye reade on, you shall therein be prevented, before you have time enough to fasten such a [Page 74] foolish conceit in your mis-understand­ing. But take my Reproof, as precious Balm, and henceforth, I charge and be­seech you, to tremble with fear of groun­ding an opinion of so great importance upon one single Verse and expression, without an answerable, due, and suffici­ently serious considering the Context and Circumstances.

But let us reason the case a little fur­ther, and is there not light enough in the same Verse, at least (if not fully to clear Pauls truth) to convict this erro­neous Mistake?

Henceforth, saith he, know we no man after the flesh, yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, &c. Now can any man think, can any that hath but half the use of his Reason, imagine, that there is any difference in the, here twice mentioned, Knowledge after the flesh? the invincible meaning of Paul must needs be this, We henceforth wil know no man, yea, nor Christ himself after the flesh. So that the carnal know­ledge of Christ that he here resolves against, must needs be, doubtless, the very same, that he will not take, not own [Page 75] men in. Now if Paul meant a knowing and acknowledging of Christ in his person; in distinction, to his spirit; of Christ without, as the Object of Faith; to Christ within, as the Author of Ho­liness; then the same sense must be held in our or Pauls knowing of men after the flesh here also. Paul then resolves, it should seem, according to this Errour, not to know men in their persons as cru­cified, as Saviours and Mediators, but in their spirit, as comforting and sanctify­ing. And how ridiculous, how absurd is this?

Object. But it may be demanded, what then is the true sense and meaning of the words, viz. Know Christ after the flesh in this place?

Answ. It might suffice for our present satis­faction and purpose, to know it nega­tively, that this is a Mistake, and not the true meaning thereof.

2 Yet some affirm, this knowledge, here, after the flesh, is such as we reade in Rom. 9. 3. A knowing men as brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh. So say they. Paul in this place, resolves not to look on men, as men, so much as Chri­stians, [Page 76] not to acquaint and sociate him­self with men, so much, as they are re­lated unto him according to the flesh, but according to the spirit, and for Christ himself, for that he was, being a Jew, Pauls kinsman according to the flesh; Paul it seems, had been too apt to glory too much in his carnal relation to Christ, that he came of the same race and stock with the Messias himself; but Paul resolves, though he have known Christ thus, after the flesh, yet would he know him so no more; this might sa­tisfie.

3 But there may be more found happily, if we will but a little consider the Con­text; for Paul (as is most easie to ob­serve) especially throughout the whole Chapter upwards, was mightily trans­ported in a rich Contemplation of Hea­ven: now while he was walking upon the Battlements of Heaven by faith, and not by sight, v. 7. he perceiving how dan­gerous and hurtfull this carnal distin­guishing of men and Christ, this claim­ing an outward relation and interest in them, was to the truth, spirit, and power of Godliness, he makes this Resolution, [Page 77] Henceforth know I no man after the flesh; yea, though I have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know I him so no more. This I judge to be the di­rect, true, and onely true meaning of the words; and therefore he adds, If any be in Christ, by faith and profession, let the truth thereof appear by his Renova­tion: If any man therefore be in Christ let him be a new Creature; that is the thing I will henceforth regard, not any man will I henceforth look after, that is in Christ by relation, or outward professi­on alone, &c. unless he be a new Crea­ture. But is not this far from knowing, owning, or improving of Christ in his Person, or Office for Peace, Attonement, and Satisfaction? &c. Yea, we must be in him, though not satisfie our selves with the hopes of our ingrafture, by the means of any kinde of relation whatsoever, into a new stock, without bringing forth fruit worthy and answera­ble; we must be in Christ, and new Creatures too; If any man therefore be in Christ, let him be a new Creature.

2 But let us directly fix our eyes a little upon these Errours; that we may [Page 78] see and abhorr their loathsome mon­strousness: Is Christ, the Truth it self, a Type? What then is Truth? Is our Rock a Shadow? What then can sup­port us? Must we not believe in 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 [Page 79] 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 [Page 80] 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 [Page 81] 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 [Page 82] 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, [Page 83] 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 [Page 84] 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. &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 [Page 85] 4 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 [Page 86] 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 [Page 88] 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 [Page 89] 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 [Page 90] 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 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, [Page 92] 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 [Page 93] Author, who makes so very much of that little nothing in it. But I answer hereunto.

1 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?

2 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 [Page 95] 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.

1 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.

2 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 [Page 66] 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.

3 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 [Page 97] 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.

2 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?

2 But we may be wholly drawn out of this way by the strength of those fol­lowing Arguments.

1 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. [Page 99] 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.

2 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 [Page 100] 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: [Page 102] 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 [Page 103] 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 [Page 104] 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.

1 Because, we can beleeve no more.

2 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 [Page 105] 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 [Page 106] 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.

2 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 [Page 107] 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.

3 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.

2 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 [Page 109] 3 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.

4 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.

1 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; [Page 110] 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.

2 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 [Page 111] to us, we cannot have an igno­rant unbeleif thereof.

3 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, [Page 112] 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.

2 But a word to hint at the absurdity and danger of this Opinion, and I shake hands, yea, wash my hands of this.

1 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.

2 There can be no sin of unbeleif; for [Page 113] so far as the Spirit perswades and en­lightens, I must and cannot but assent.

3 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.

4 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.

5 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.

6 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 [Page 114] am not yet convinced, that what I do is sinfull or evil. And,

7 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.

8 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.

9 And to conclude, it doth plainly le­vell the holy Bible with any other Book whatsoever, whether godly or profane, [Page 115] 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 [Page 116] 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, [Page 117] 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 scriptu [...]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 [Page 118] 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.

2 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 [Page 119] right, is the rule and measure, both of it selfe, and that that is Erronious and crooked,

2 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 [Page 120] 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.

3 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 [Page 122] 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 [Page 123] 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.

2 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 [Page 124] 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.

3 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 [Page 125] 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.

2 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 [Page 126] Prophets, since it is as that was, not only at sundry times but in diverse manners also.

3 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 Ʋrim 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,

2 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.
• [Page 127]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 [Page 128] 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, [Page 129] 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 [Page 130] 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 [Page 131] 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 [Page 132] 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 Pen­men of the Gospell, had in a more e­speciall manner the performance of [Page 133] 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 [Page 134] 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 [Page 135] 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 [Page 136] 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 [Page 141] 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, [Page 142] 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 [Page 143] 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. [Page 144] 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.

5 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, [Page 146] 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 [Page 147] 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.

1 There are false Prophets as well as [Page 148] 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.

2 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.

3 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 [Page 149] 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,

1 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.

2 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.

3 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 [Page 150] 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,

1 Thou canst not possibly convince ano­ther [Page 151] 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?

2 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 [Page 152] 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.

3 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 [Page 153] 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 Ʋmpire. 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 Ʋmpire, 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 [Page 154] 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 [Page 155] 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.

1 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 [Page 156] 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,

2 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 [Page 157] 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 [Page 158] 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.

1 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.

2 The second and more dangerous miscon­struction and mistake, is of the sense of the very termes themselves; they reade [Page 159] 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 [Page 160] 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 [Page 161] 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, [Page 162] 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 the command of the Letter; and therefore the command in the Word is nothing to either.

Answ. To the first of these, I positively an­swer; that the commands of the Word are not vain, even as they respect dead, natural men, and such as have no power to obey the same.

In the clearing hereof, I shall first en­deavour to shew you the Truth, viz. that God doth lay Commands upon such men.

Secondly, the Grounds or Reasons [Page 163] thereof; it is most certainely true, that God doth lay commands upon men, that in the state in which they are at present, they are not able to obey: doth not the whole Scripture testifie as much both in Law and Gospell? Is not this a command, Repent, repent, the great command of the Gospell, Repent and beleeve the Go­spell: Mark 1. Now can a Leopard change his skin, or a sinner of himselfe repent, or beleeve? Take one Text for all, for this purpose, Ephes. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest, a­rise from the dead, &c. As the author of this command is God, so the object there­of must needs be impotent, naturall, and unregenerate men: Every one, sleeping, or dead in sin, who ever thou be, this command lyes upon thee, whether thou art able to obey it or no, thou art thus commanded by God himselfe, Awake thou that sleepest, arise from the dead.

Now could we finde no reason of such commands, yet we ought to beleeve they have their reason; shall our lye make the truth of God of none effect? this should satisfie us, when we read such commands, Viz. O the depth, both of the wisedome and power of Goa, &c. and not because we [Page 164] know not Gods end, wickedly explode and nullifie his meanes, nor terme it in a­ny point, tyranny or cruelty for God thus to command, more now then before, na­turall men before being altogether as in­sufficient and impotent, as to their obedi­ence of this great command of Awakening themselves, and arising from the dead as now; and what use could such commands as these, upon such objects as these serve for then, more then now.

But it is queried, what possible end or Cursit. intention can God have with himselfe, in laying such commands upon poore men, that are no way able to obey the same.

Answ. I make my reply, First, by way of ex­ception against; and secondly, of answer unto this Quere.

1. I except against it, for that, most u­sually, such cavills as these being the bub­lings up of a corrupt Fountaine, flow from the rebellion of unregeneracy: For this savours first, of a proud and arrogant, and secondly, of a prophane and disobedient heart, there is pride and arrogancy dis­covered in it, for that it replyeth against God; calling the wayes of an omnipoten­cy it selfe into question; yea, and setting [Page 165] the party that ownes it, so farr above his Master, King, and Maker, as he that is the party questioning, is superiour to him that is questioned; such will know a rea­son why God commandeth them, taxing the authority and Justice of him, to whom none may say, What doest thou?

2. Such questioning as this, as it sa­vours of pride and arrogance, so of a spirit of prophanenesse and disobedience also; and that not only as it cleerly argueth a loath and unwillingnesse to obey, by asking a reason of the command; but likewise as it offereth an easie oppertunity to fling off every yoke, and openeth a gapp for the vilest extravagancy whatsoever; the drun­kard, the Whoremonger, the Murderer, Blasphemer, &c. will they not all hence argue, why doth God command, men per­swade, and why should I spend any of my indeavour about things impossible: Can a Leopard change his spots? yet can I ne­uer leave my lust.

Let us not therefore be too busie, too witty, in such Queres as these, lest we discover our selves more then we should, or would, but rather, let us see the autho­rity of him that commandeth, and waite [Page 166] upon him, in our faithfull indeavour and prayer, for strength to obey; for all our sufficiency is of God.

Yet men of sincere intentions may pos­sibly move such a question as this, for their owne satisfaction, and conviction of gainsayers: I therefore proceed to con­sider what Gods ends and intentions may be, in such commands as these; and first, as they concerne naturall men in generall, secondly, in speciall.

1. The ends and intentions of God in such his commands as relate to unregene­rate men in common (i.) without dif­ference, distinction, &c. may be first con­cerning himselfe, secondly, his creatures.

Such ends in such commands, as respect God himselfe, may be,

1. To manifest that free and most ab­solute power and soverainty, that he, as the great Creatour of all things, hath over his Creatures: What though we can­not come up to obedience, yet we way learne this lesson, even by that command that we cannot obey, that King Nebu­chadnezzar learned in the Wildernesse, Viz. That God worketh all things accor­ding to his will, both in the army of Hea­ven, [Page 167] and among the Inhabitants of the Earth; that none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Dan. 4. 32.

2. To declare unto the World, That he is God and changeth not, with whom is no variablenes nor shadow of turning: though we have changed much, having lost our strength and power to obey, God is the same; his will, his authority is the same to command, and to command the same things: God made man perfect, and a­greeable to his ability, God measured his commands; but man having found many inventions, to loose his ability; yet re­taineth man his duty, and God his sove­rainty: therefore saith God, Remember the former things of old, Remember how suitable my will was once to the power I gave thee: Remember the former things of old, and condemne thy owne folly, not my Justice, thy owne instability, fickle­nesse, and changing, not my samenesse and immutability, For I am God, and change not, which declare in my commands, which thou art not able now to obey, the last things from the beginning; and from of old, the things that were not done; my will that was not fulfilled, saying, My counsel [Page 168] shall stand, and I will performe all my plea­sure, Isa. 46. 9, 10.

3. That all the World may know, that he, a holy God, and delighteth in holiness, although we cannot leave our sin, and be­come as holy, as God is himselfe, and com­mandeth us to be, yet his commanding us to be holy, declareth, it is his will that we should be so: proclaimeth holinesse to the Lord all the World over: For this is the will of God, even our sanctification; yee know, what commands we gave you by the Lord Jesus: and these commands de­clare the will of God, for this is the will of God, even our sanctification; that wee should abstaine from fornication, that every one possesse his vessell in holinesse, even our sanctification, 1 Thes. 4. 2, 3, 4.

4. Lastly, to shew his generall good wil and mercifull respect to falne man, as ra­ther inclined to save, then to ruine and destroy his poore creatures: God delight­eth not in the death of a sinner, but rather that he repent; not that any thing can happen besides the will and intention of God, but for that God taketh more de­light in the conversion and happinesse, then in the disobedience and ruine of any of his [Page 169] creatures. Judgement is therefore his strange work, but mercy pleaseth him: God is a Sun, which never doeth hurt but on­ly by accident; the reason why God, or the Sun, doth hurt, is ever unnaturall to the one and to the other, and onely in the evill and perverse disposition of the object; now the mercifull disposition in God towards sinners, is declared and glo­rified by his commands of conversion; which commands, though we cannot o­bey, which is our misery, yet they ever aime at our good, they are for our owne good alwaies, and testifie for God, that he could delight more in life then death, our blisse and happinesse, then Hell and misery: So that were there no other ends but these, such as concern God him­selfe, it might suffice us, who by his com­mands, though we cannot obey them, yet manifesteth to the World his owne glo­rious Attributes; his soverainty, un­changeablenesse, holinesse, and mercy: But,

Secondly, In such his commands as we cannot obey, God may intend some things concerning us, Viz. even our conviction and tryall thereby.

First, They may serve to convince us [Page 170] both of sinne and righteousnesse, John 16. 5.

1. Of sin, originall sin, or our disobe­dience to such Commands as lye upon us in our naturall condition, as wee are the seed and posterity of the first man, A­dam, Eph. 4. 10 it is by nature insensible to us; we nor knowing, nor feeling it: For first, it Ephes. 2. 1, 2. is our death, in its extent, and so it leaveth us past feeling: Secondly, in its quality, it is naturall to us, and so it is not per­ceivable; death transporting us beyond, and nature holding us on this side sense, in the Grave we complaine not of misery, neither can we perceive or greive for natu­rall imperfections: By nature therefore we being better conceited of our selves, then to know or suspect our guilt of sin, or lyability to any command; this good end, God may have in commanding, though we cannot obey, even to convince us of our sin, of our irregular and rebel­lious walking against God and his com­mands all our dayes, by the renuing and pressing his former commands, that wee know not of, upon us; Thus God is most mercifull to us, we knowing not sin but by the Law; for we had not knowne lust, ex­cept [Page 171] the Law had sayd, Thou shalt not co­vet. Rom. 7. 7.

2. And consequently such commands as these may convince us of duty and righ­teousnesse; we being by nature dead in sin, wee cannot know our Masters will, or what he requireth at our hands; and as we cannot, so we know not how, to walke so as to please him; but when the com­mand is opened to, and pressed upon us, we know by the Commandement, being holy, just, and good, that this is the will of God, even our sanctification.

2. Moreover commands serve, as for our convertion, so also for our tryall, when not for obedience, for we measuring our selves by such commands as lye upon us in unregeneracy, we may be able to know, both what we were, and what we are; how strong we were, and how weak we are: I know no plainer, safer way for man, now falne, to know his perfection of strength in innocency, then by comparing himselfe with such commands of God as then were layd and imposed upon him; God would not impose injunctions of ho­linesse on man, above his principles; that would have seemed harsh and cruell, nor [Page 172] yet beneath them, for then Adam would have been more holy then required. The commands being the rule and measure of our strength in innocency, wee may, as men consuming, measure our selves, and see how big and strong we are, and how we are decayed, how weak we are, we like melancholly men, are apt, presuming too much upon our strength, to think we can doe any thing before we try; now the commands put us upon tryall, and thus convinced of our, unthought of insuffici­ency, we are shamed of our boasting. I was alive once, saith Paul, without the Law, (i.) I counted my selfe of perfect vigor, life, and strength, before the Law was brought close upon me; before I knew what God required of me; but when the commandement came, I found my inability and weaknesse, the strength and glorying of sin over me, which made me hide my head in shame and sorrow; when the com­mandement came, sin revived, and I dyed, Rom. 7. 9, 10.

2. Againe, If we consider God, as re­garding the naturall seed and posterity of Adam, under the distinction of Elect and Reprobate; he hath ends and intentions [Page 173] in his imposing his commands upon them, severally, and as a Father that designeth one Childe for a Schollar, the other for a Tradesman, his intentions are different in the meanes of his Educating and bring­ing them up; so that one God, the Father of whom are all things, hath in his word and providence, not onely some generall ends towards naturall men as so, and in common, as we have heard; but also re­spectively different intentions, towards them, as Elect and Reprobate: For the end of Gods intention in such his com­mands and carriages toward wicked men, thus differenced, must needs be diverse (Gods intentions never frustrate) since the end of execution is so, to wit, salva­tion and damnation.

Quest. But what are Gods different ends in his commanding the Elect and Reprobate.

Answ. The Commands of God thus severally directed, worke the will of God, with re­spect unto himselfe, Viz. The glory of his mercy in the one, the glory of his Justice in the other, with respect unto the crea­tures, to the one kinde, perdition, to the Phil. 1. 28 other salvation, and that of God: and thus the ends are more ultimate.

2. But the primary and more immedi­ate ends of the commands of God upon men thus distinguished, are found both to­gether, in that 1 Cor. 1. 18. For the Preaching of the Crosse, is to them that pe­rish, foolishnesse, but to us that are saved, the power of God. Here wee have two widely different ends, come upon severall persons, by the same names; Salvation and Perishing, both by the Preaching of the Crosse; the reason hereof cannot be imagined to be in the meanes, the Preach­ing of the Crosse, but in the use and abuse thereof: Therefore, those that are de­signed to perish, they count the onely way of Salvation, foolishnesse, but to those that must be saved, it is the power of God (i.) unto salvation. Vers. 23. 24.

1. But a little more distinctly, in order to the glory of Justice, on reprobated men; the commands of God have a double intention, partly here, to harden them, as God by commanding Pharoah, did harden Pharoahs heart, Rom. 9. So men are hard­ned by the Sun-shine of the Gospell, and by its commands, fitted for destruction: Read and tremble at Isa. 6. 9, 10. And partly hereafter, by leaving them utterly [Page 175] without excuse; otherwise happily this might have been the Plea of ungodly men then; How should we beleeve except we had heard? But they having heard, the word being in their mouths, yea even and in their hearts, and yet they beleeved not; their mouths are stopped, they being judged by the Gospell: Had not I come, saith our Saviour, and spoke unto them, they had had no sin, (i.) in comparison; but now have they no cloke for their sin, John 15. 22.

2. And in order to the glory of grace on the Vessells of honour, the commands of God upon them have a twofold end al­so; one in this World, for their obedience (i.) to give them power, by the very command to obey the same, it being the power of God (i.) having the power of the spirit of God along with it, to make it successefully command us to obedience. Thus the Word of Christ is spirit and life, and he having the words of eternall life, while he calleth upon us, Awake thou that sleepest, he doth awaken us; and while he commandeth, Lazarus come forth, the dead John 11. 43. John 5. doe heare the voice of the Son of God, and those that heare, doe live.

And as one end of Gods commands to his Children here, is for their obedience; so the other end, both here and hereafter is for a reward of their obedience: Godli­nesse being profitable for all things, and having both the promise of this life, and Matth. 25. ult. also of the life that is to come, 1 Tim. 4. 8.

Thus we have largely shewed and clee­red, that we need not deny the commands of the Word, as they look towards wick­ed, unregenerate men, for want of an end, or as vaine and fruitlesse, though they in themselves have not power to obey them.

Obj. 2. But there is one branch of this Di­lemma yet above us, Viz. The commands are needlesse to the regenerate, they having the Law within them, what need of a Law without? They having the spirit, what need of the letter? But we shall now en­deavour to match it, with these Answers.

Answ. 1. There is in the best of Gods Chil­dren that live in the World, even in Paul himselfe, nature as well as grace, flesh as well as spirit, A Law in their members warring against the Law of their mindes, and leading them captive to the Law of sin: And now to answer this, there is need of Kom. 7. [Page 177] a Law without to stirr up and assist the Law within, against that too often prevai­ling party of wickednesse in them.

2. As the commands were at first made use of for the beginning and begetting of grace; so afterwards they serve for the preservation, motion, and increase there­of: Read onely for each of these one Text, as Heb. 3. 12, 13. and Revel. 2. 5. and lastly, 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2.

3. Outward, or commands, without us, doe onely give occasion to manifest that grace that is within the heart, to the eyes of the World; of which is produced two notable effects: First, the Law, that we obey, being knowne and beleeved by others, as well as our selves, to be the Law of God; thus our light so shineth be­fore Mat. 5. men, that they seeing our good works, glorifie our Father which is in heaven. Se­condly, and thus the World becometh re­proved and condemned by us: We doing all things (i.) that are commanded us) without murmurings or reasonings, that we may be blamelesse and pure, and the Sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a wicked and crooked Nation, among whom we shine as lights in the World, holding [Page 178] forth the Word of life, Philip. 2. 14, 15, 16.

But for that we were so large upon the The affir­mative proved. preceding particular, we shall onely by a few breife hints of things, argue out to the Reader, the affirmative part, Viz. That it is not needlesse for God to lay out­ward commands upon such as are already regenerate, and conclude this Chapter. Then,

1. Christ, his Disciples heretofore had need of commands and a Law without, Matth. 5. 16. Joh. 15. 17. &c. and why not now also?

2. They that had the spirit of Christ here­tofore, even that anoynting within, that should teach all things, had yet need of, and use for commands in the letter, 1 Ioh. 2. 27, 28. and why not now also?

3. Those that are perfect with the per­fection of the Gospell, have use for such commands, Phil. 3. 15, 16. and why not we?

4. Yea Adam in innocency, that, with the perfection the Law it self requireth, was perfect & upright, had need and occasion for the Law without him, and what then can priviledge us? Lastly, and

[Page 179] 5. Jesus Christ himself, received words and commands from his Father, Ioh. 17. 8. have we more of the spirit and Law with­in us, then Christs Disciples, Apostles? are we more perfect and holy then they, then Adam, then Jesus Christ himselfe? let us then claime freedome and priviledg from the commands of the Word, but not otherwise, for notwithstanding what is yet objected against it, the Word is pro­fitable in its commands: not vaine, for such as are unregenerate, not needlesse or useless for the regenerate themselves.

CHAP. XII. Of the Scriptures, as usefull in their promises for comfort.

THat this way might sufficiently vent its spleen and enmity against the holy Scriptures, it having already most despe­rately endeavoured to abase and falsifie the soverainty and truth of the great God by rejecting his Doctrine, and denying his commands therein, it sets it selfe here [Page 180] to deject our Comforts, by weakning and sleighting, the Promises of God contained there also. It plainly telling us, that no promises, whether they be sought or cast in, Errour. are to be a rest unto any Heart. You may read this position in p. 73. of the false rests with its explication and meaning in the foot of p. 68. where he defines the twelfth false rest to be viz: a closing with, and drawing comfort from the promises, expres­sed Its mean­ing. in the letter of the Scripture.

Arg. All his argument, against the comfort of the Promises, so far as I can gather is taken from the abuse thereof. And that with respect to the principle of applicati­on, and the extent thereof.

1. The abuse of the promises is argued, first from the Principle that usually mo­veth thereto, viz. Necessity. Because we many times are driven for comfort to a promise by the sensile want of those things that are offered therein.

Answ. But doth our being driven to promises, by necessity, make the comfort we have thence weak or vain? Vanity of vanities! When men are pricked to the heart and out of a sense of their sin and misery, cry out, as we read, what shall we doe? why [Page 181] then doth the ministry of the Spirit pre­sently tender unto such, some special pro­mise.

Yea and prick them to the heart in or­der Acts 2. Acts 16. thereunto; even that a promise of salvation by beleeving in Christ, through the meanes 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. [Page 182] 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 [Page 183] 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 [Page 185] 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 [Page 186] 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 [Page 187] 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 lie, we might have strong Consolation. Heb. 6. 17. 18.

2. Experience strongly proves the end of the promise to be such as we speak of: In that they have so constantly been, throughout all generations, effectuall good means of rest, comfort, satisfaction, or ease in their application; we may safe­ly conclude these and such like to be the ends thereof. Nothing being an able and effectuall means in any of the works of God but such as are appointed and conse­crate thereto by God himself: And the end of Execution ever discovering, revei­ling the end of intention in God, who worketh all things according to the councell Eph. 1. 11. of his own will,

Yea certaine it is, this way of a promise is a means of a morall and eternall efficacy [Page 188] to gvie hope, rest, satisfaction, and the like.

This way is regular to the Law of right reason not being only the way of men, but God also. And may we not use the promises now, for the intents and purpo­ses, for which both reason and Scripture, nature and God hath appointed them? hath God sent us glad tidings of great joy in a promise? and shall we not? must we not beleeve the Gospell? and rejoyce therein? God hath made us pertakers of a better covenant, and must we not take comfort therefrom, because it is established upon better promises? Heb. 8. 6.

Gospell Christians, are the Heires of the promises, they inherit the promises, and shall not the Heire rejoyce and be glad, with his rich Inheritance; sit under his Vine and his Fig-tree singing Praises,

Yea the spirit our comforter himself, is Eph. 1. 13 the spirit of promise, Ephes. 1. 13. Where­in after ye beleeved, ye were sealed with the spirit of promise, we are invited, perswa­ded, to beleeve, by a promise, as so, in the form thereof, when we believe, we are Heires of the promise, that is, of the mattter thereof, then, we not able to ap­ply [Page 189] our Priviledges in promise of our selves, for our comfort; we are sealed with the spirit of promise, that seeing our riches by our right to the promise; we might rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious in beleeving.

4. And lastly, Why may not the pro­mises be the ordained means of comfort, as well as the meanes of Faith and Holi­nesse?

1. Promises in their tender and offer are the only ordinary Gospell way and meanes of incouraging and gaining sinners to beleeve: The Law in a sense may be said to lead or rather to drive a Soul to Christ, but the Gospell only (i) the tender of Christ in a promise, doth prevaile upon the Soule, to lay hold on him. The te­nour of the Gospell being in a word but this, he that beleeveth shall be saved. The promise of salvation herein, upon this condition of faith, set home upon the Soule by the spirit of Christ, doth but reasonably perswaded it to beleeve for Salvation: And why not likewise to re­joyce in the evidence of faith, applying the promise, yea a Soule groaning under the weight and burden of sin, must needs [Page 190] have some refreshment, from the very ap­prehension, much more application of the kindenesse of Christ, so sweetly expressed in the inviting promise: Come unto me all Mat. 11. 28. ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you. That there is such a pomise that gives any hopes of ease and rest, it giveth surely some ease and comfort to a truly weary and heavy laden Soul, as it in­courageth to come for it.

But furthermore, is not a promise more naturall and proper, to comfort being ap­plied, then to perswade to beleeve being apprehended? For I may know of a certain that the promise of salvation belongeth to me after I have Faith, but not before: So must needs have more incouragement, for application of the promise for comfort When I do beleeve before; then by a ge­nerall proposition to venter my selfe, for Faith. Yet as we have found, a tender of promise, by the blessing of haven is the only effectuall means of Faith.

Secondly of holinesse: Seeing we have 2 Cor. 7. 1 those promises, let us cleanse our selves; now is there not Wine to comfort, as well as water to cleanse, in the Fountaine of the Promises.

To us are given exceeding great and precious promises, that by these we might be 2 Pet. 1. 5. made Pertakers of the divine nature▪ And are the promises given for this end only, and not much rather that by them we might be pertakers of Divine comfort, strong consolation? I might, but I forbeare to digresse, to shew how these promises serve to sanctifie and cleanse us; yet thus much will cleare and strengthen the ar­gument; Promises, are meanes of holiness only accidentally indirectly: But of com­fort, directly and naturally. They are the breasts of consolation, though wanton and untowardly wicked Children, may vex, deface, and spit upon them: Yet let our Father incourage, inable us still to hugg and kisse them, to stroke them with the hand, and suck them with the mouths of our Faith, thence to draw sweet milk, to comfort and strengthen us against all temptations and trialls: And shrew be to all such as offer them despite, or injuri­ously indeavour to pluck them out of our mouths,

For the word of God notwithstanding what ever is said against it, is still [...], profitable to us, both in its pro­position, [Page 192] Precept, and Promise: For In­struction, Obedience, and Consolation.

CHAP. XIII. Of the Gospell, Communion of Saints, or Church fellowship.

WE now are fallen into a conside­rately capacity of attoneing and mediating for the poor despised ministry, with the Spirit of the Gospell. But we shall here undertake on its behalf in two respects only, viz. In its way and manner, and in its matter, its ordinances. (Lea­ving the condition of its contemned for­forsaken, and condemned Officers, as too too desperate and even past recovery, by my inexpert and impotent hand.

First, Then this errour indeavoreth, to Errour. subvert the way of Church-fellowship, condemning this, as the very worst and most false of all the rest. Now,

Reason. This is abundantly reprooved by the marvellous experience, of the fain­ed disturber of the false rests, for he was [Page 193] In the ninth false rest. never under more grosse darknesse, more Laodicean lukewarmnesse, he was never more spiritually proud, more carnall, more censorious, &c. Then when under this dis­pensation, Viz. a member of a visible church in Church fellowship.

Answ. And is this all (as indeed it is all) that you can say, against this good way of Church-fellowship, Viz. the corrupt abuse that your own and others hearts doe make thereof.

But how strangely argued, may it not be yet the way of God? though man abuse it? is it not possible for our unwashen hands to pollute and defile the holy things of God? was not the holy Childe Jesus, inno­cency it self, disgraced and spit upon? scourg'd and crucified? and the Servant is not greater then his Master, nor the things ordained then the Ordainer himselfe.

Moreover we might bring many thou­sand experiences, and those of as good authority perhaps as yours, for the way you explode, that will seal to the divinity and testifie to the most comfortable ex­cellency of the use and benefit of Church fellowship; answering that they were ever more fearfull to offend, never more [Page 194] humble and self denying, lesse carnall, lesse censorious, &c. Then while they walked in the good, sweet, safe, and sacred way of Saint-Communion.

But is his abuse, against this way? 1. Argu­ment for affirmative Gods own Command of use, is for it.

Let all things be done decently and in or­der, If no Church, no order in it, if no vi­sible Church, no disorder in the Church; there being no disorder in the Church in­visible.

2. Where there is no Church-Com­munion, there can be no Admission or Ex­communication: what then is become of these duties? what meant by 2 Cor. 5. and more the like places?

What is the meaning of the Keys of the Church? Which signifie both, a shut­ting some in, and the turning the Key upon others, as also the priviledge of the first, and the losse and disgrace of the la­ter.

3. If no Church fellowship, then what room, use, or occasion of the Sacra­ments?

4. And lastly, What is become, with the men of this way, of the ancient practise of primitive Christians (which was wont [Page 195] to be held the neerest to Perfection? for they ranked into a visible order, continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Acts 2. 42, 46, 47. fellowship, and breaking of Bread, and Pray­ers.

But the Saints joint experience hath, I hope, so powerfully, fully convinced them of the expediency, comfort, necessity hereof, that there need no more be said for their confirming in it. Only, let us hold fast the profession of our Faith with­out wavering, considering one another, to provoke one another to love and to good Works: Not forsaking the Assembly of our selves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more as yee see the day approaching; not so much the lesse, as we see Christ comming in his Spirit or Person, to guid or to judge Heb. 10. 33, 34, 35. us: But so much the more, assembling our selves and exhorting one another as wee see the day approaching.

CHAP. XIIII. Of Gospell Ordinances in generall.

BUT we passe on from the way of the ministry, to that is most materiall, viz. the Ordinances themselves, the matter thereof.

The generall conclusion of these men against Ordinances is plainly this.

Those forms that Christ appeared in, when Errour. in the flesh, are dissolved & cease, at his com­ing in the spirit. And they for their parts have received the comming of the Spirit, therefore all forms (i.) Ordinances cease to them.

The potent Scripture for this end and the ground. purpose, is, Revela. 21. 22, 23. And I saw no Temple therein: For the Lord God al­mighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereof, and the City hath no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to shine in it: For the Glory of God did light it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Hence they con­clude, they being in this City, therefore [Page 197] they have no Temple of Ordinances, no need of Sun or Moon, the Lord, &c. and the Lamb lighting them.

But in answer hereunto, I shall, I hope, prove these two things. Eirst, That this glorious City is not yet built. And se­condly, That when this glorious day shall be, it shall not, probably, dissolve or darken, but rather inlighten and certifie Gospell Ordinances.

1. First, to prove this glorious City, here mentioned, magnified, is not yet in the World. Some hold that it is the state of the Church in Heaven; and that, upon such like grounds as follow.

• 1. Because of its intire perfection, no
  ver. 27.
  uncleane thing being admitted into it, and none but such as are written in the Lambs Booke.
• 2. Because of the full, and even im­mediate
  ver. 23.
  Presence of God there.
• 3. Because then shall be the day of
  ver. 24. & ver. 4.
  Redemption, even of compleated Salvati­on.
• 4. Because the day of Judgment seem­eth
  chap. 20. ult.
  to precede it.

Now if we look upon this new Jerusa­lem, as the perfect Estate of the Church [Page 198] after Judgment in Heaven: As our Sa­viour will submit to give up his ministeri­all Kingdome to his Father, then, so those wickedly presume, that would take it out of his hand before.

But others, and they perhaps, more truly, conceive, this new Jerusalem to be the Church on earth, made exceeding glo­rious, by the wonderfull presence of the Spirit of Christ, (for we here take no no­tice of the presence of his person with it.

And this opinion hath these grounds amongst many more, against the for­mer.

• Cap. 12. 20
  1. Because the glory of this City see­meth to appeare before the last comming of Christ.
• Vers. 25. compared with Mat. 25. 10.
  2. Because there is yet a proffer of Sal­vation, and the water of Life, the Gates of this City being not shut by day, and there shall be no night there, but the Gate of Heaven at the last day is shut, upon the foolish Virgins.
• Vers. 10.
  3. And cheifly, because this great City, and new Jerusalem discendeth out of Hea­ven from God.

But to apply to our present drift, now as we cannot imagine, that, unlesse all [Page 199] tears, paine, sorrow, death, yea resurrecti­on, and Judgement, are already past us. Things most grosse, ridiculous, and sense­lesse; that the state of the Saints, is al­ready Heaven; and conceit our selves to be set free from the use and performance of duties and Ordinances upon that first account; so neither can wee plead our freedome from them, upon the second construction of this City; namely, to be that glorious appearance and presence of Christ, upon, and with his Church, at the day there spoken of, which though in­deed it be nearer to the World, our sins; yet I suppose it is as truely absent yet from us, as Heaven it selfe: And first,

1. Because this new Jerusalem cometh downe out of Heaven, after the condem­nation, Vers. 2, 3. judgement, and burning of the great Whore, the utter downfall and ru­ine of Antichrist.

2. This new Jerusalem cometh downe from God, after, or upon the glorious Forbes. and visible conversion of the Jewes, vers. 24. with 27. Now neither is Antichrist yet totally ruined, or the Jewish Nation and People, yet visibly converted.

3. Because this City shall be so illu­strious, [Page 200] as that it shall be glorious in the eyes of all: It shall be generally, both ver. 24. 26 by Kings and Nations, owned, honoured, and admired.

4. And lastly, There shall no unclean thing enter into it. Now is there any way, Church, People, yet in the world thus owned and admired by all? thus pure and undefiled? hath no uncleane Livers or lying hypocriticall men, to be the follow­ers of it?

Obj. But this erronious way, we plead a­gainst will say, comparatively, there is none unclean or hypocriticall person that entreth into her; if you compare her followers with 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 bot [...] 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 [Page 201] 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 [Page 202] 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 [Page 203] 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 th [...]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 [Page 204] 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 [Page 205] 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 [Page 206] 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 [Page 208] 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 [Page 209] 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, [Page 210] 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 Co­worker 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 [Page 212] 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 gran [...] 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 [Page 213] Christ himself (for that they are accor­ding to the Analogy of Faith) as very Scripture. So that while our Sermons are the truth of God, and we our selves in commission from God, the words that we speak are the words of God, and we may speak them boldly, as in the name of God; and he that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

Obj. 3 The two former Objections would have none, but this third (on the contrary) would have all, Preachers: it knows not why we should put such a difference be­twixt Ministers and others: And therefore will have those that are gifted to preach without any more adoe.

Answ. Ministeriall gifts are of two sorts, such as belong to Officers, and such as are com­mon to Members also; but they both have their place proper to them, and do 1 Cor. 12. 17, 29. not lash or jossle: And are all teachers? if the whole Body were an eye, where were the hearing?

Que. But did not the persecuted Saints, Ast. 8. 4. go preaching the Word every where? and why have not we the same Gospell li­berty?

Answ. This, if considered, gives no license at al [Page 214] towards the wide and common practise of preaching by the presuming illiterate men of our times. For,

1. First, It is to be observed, that the word here use▪ for Preaching is common­ly used for publishing or declaring any thing abroad in the World: The same is used of the impotent man that was healed Luke 8. 39. it is said he went away, [...], preaching (i.) declaring the same and praise of him that had healed him, so the Disciples here went preaching, (i.) reporting the word, Gospell, Christ, for which they suffered.

2. Observe that before they went out of Jerusalem, as also when once they came into Jerusalem again, where the Ministry was setled, we heare nothing of their preaching. And we dispute not here how far private Christians may, excercise their gifts, where there are none that may preach by way of office: But we dispute and argue against such only as by their al­lowance of common preaching, would de­stroy the Function.

Que. The Apostle telleth us that we may all prophesie and by prophesying is meant 1 Cor. 14. 31. preaching, therefore, why may not all preach?

Answ. Prophesying (at least in the place now urged) doth not mean preaching. All conclude it is either more extraordinary, or else more ordinary then, but none the the same with preaching, or the preten­ded Prophesying of our daies, if we receive these Prophets among the Corinthians as extraordinary Officers, as their name and 1 Cor. 12. 28, 29. Cap. 14. 5. place (they being still ranked with Apo­stles and such as speak with tongues would seem to intimate) then without doubt the Prophets among us do not so much as pretend to their work or office.

But and if we take these Prophets in a more ordinary capacity, then they are as much below, as before they were above Pastors and Teachers. For it is generally concluded, even by such as complain of the losse of this excercise in our Churches, that this way of Prophesie was but an ex­cercise of our gifts as members, not Offi­cers: Acts 13. 15. 1 Cor. 14. 29, 30, 31, 32. And that it was only used in a Church, that had Officers, and that by their invitation: and not till after pub­like preaching ended, and both it and its spirit were ever liable and ready to be tri­ed, and censured by the rest of the Pro­phets, the spirit of the Prophets, being sub­ject [Page 216] to the Prophets: All which circum­stances cleerly differ prophesying and prea­ching, prophesying being only subordinate unto, not at all opposed against, much less the same with, preaching: Not but that as Vision by the Prophets; so prophesying Prov. 29. 18. may be sometimes use! by the Apostles, either by a Metanimy, or an abuse of speech, for that, that is properly called preaching.

Obj. 4 We grant, say others, that while the A­postles lived in the World, there was a preaching, by way of Office, but that there is any succession of Ministry from them to us, as is pretended, wee de­ny.

Answ. But we shall cleerly prove, what is de­nied, viz. That the ministry of preaching, by way of Office, did not expire with the age of the Apostles, but rather it hath use and place in the Church in the last daies, which we shall demonstrate from its transition, promises, and ends, as they all are cleerly recorded in scripture.

1. First, let us observe, the transition which the Gospell discovers, whereby this Office is transmitted, or made over to po­sterity. As the Father, saith Christ, sent [Page 217] me, so (or upon that account) send I you: the Apostles sent by Christ, say also, in effect, as Christ sent us, so we send others: Instanced especially in Timothy and Titus God sent Christ into the World, not only Heb. 2. 3. 2 Tim. 1. 11. Tit. 1. 3. to be a King, and Preist, but a Preacher or Prophet also Christ sent Paul and the rest, not only to be Apostles but Preachers al­so; Paul, &c. sent Timothy and Titus, not to be Evangelists, but preachers al­so; and withall let them know their place, power, and duty. That they should send others and ordaine Elders and Bishops in every City: whence we may aptly observe two things, both the Tit. 1. 5, 7. truth and the manner of the successi­on of the Ministry of preaching from the Apostles downward: The Father gave the Son, and the Son gave his Servants, the ministers, power by and in their own missi­on, to ordaine and send others successively to the end of the World. Which by unde­niable consequence must needs follow, for the Bishops or Pastors ordained, or sent by Titus with the Angels in the Revel. with­out question, lived and ruled after the A­postles. The former of which, not being immediately ordained by Apostolicall [Page 218] power (however the later were) what then should hinder? but by the same the Ministry of Preaching, may, and doth pass to the end of the World.

2. But secondly, We may further de­monstrate the succession and use of prea­ching in the Church, even to, and after the daies we live in, from the promises be­longing to it, viz. the promises of it and to it. First, There are promises of Preach­ers, even to the last & purest times, to the purest times, which shew that the com­ing of the spirit is not the going away, of the Ministery: And to the last daies, wit­nessing, that there is a succession and use of the same, even to, and with us. When the new Jerusalem shall come down from Heaven, it shall be built upon the founda­tion of the twelve Apostles, that is, their Doctrine, as laid down by the Ministry of it: But how doe you prove that? there­fore compare therewith, Ezek. 47. 10. For even then the fishers (i.) of men, shall stand and spread out their nets, &c. But let us al­so more plainly add, that of, Jere. 3. 15. Where God speaking of the restitution of his Church, or the building of the new Jerusalem by the conversion of the Jews, [Page 219] promiseth thus, I will give you Pastors after mine own heart.

2. Again it is as cleer, from the promi­ses to it: Go teach, saith our Saviour, and I am with you alwaies, even to the end of the Mat. 28. ult. World. If there be no succession of the Ministry to the end of the World, how can Christ be faithfull that hath promised? and be with it to the end of the World? Yet it is most certain, their Commission lasts so long as the promise mentions, go teach and I am with you, while you teach, even to the end of the World.

Obj. But this promise extendeth but to the end of that age, as (say they) the originall signifieth.

Answ. Although you of this way have so deeply abjured the Originall Text, if you have any spark of Ingenuity left, say thanks to the Originall for this, yet.

But those that imploied themselves to teach you this, might have learned you also, viz. That though that Originall word, doth more properly signifie an Age, yet it is very frequently used in Scripture for the World also: As is noted in the Luke 18. 30. Heb. 11. 3. Act. 3. 21. Margin, where you have severall Scrip­tures, wherein the very same word is so [Page 220] used that it cannot signifie an Age, or a­ny other thing but the World: Therefore also [...], from [...], (the word dis­puted) Rom. 16. 26. doth signifie Eternall.

2. Again, the interpreted sense, being, as most agreeable to the sense and Analo­gy of other Scriptures, so rendred to us by the most learned councell of many grave and Godly Divines, what reason or good end can move a change of it.

3. But if this ordinary translation of the words, viz. the end of the World be que­stioned: Let their Interpreter speak for them, I mean the word, alwaies, that stands in the same verse, and for the very same use, viz. As the terme of Christs presence with the Ministry of the word, let that resolve us: I will be with you alwaies, how long is that? even to the end of the Age; a poor short alwaies indeed. Christ cannot be alwaies with us; and not at all times and in all ages also: Therefore the comfort of the Ministry is, Lo, I am with you alwaies, even to the end of the World.

4. Lastly, but seeing that this Commission is strictly and immediately the universall Commission of the Apostles, who were [Page 221] indeed to expire with that age; suppose we should grant you this desired sense, yet what advantage would this give you against the common preaching, the ordi­nary continued Ministry of the word, e­specially considering, that there are so ma­ny undeniable Texts; discovering, not on­ly its continuance, but the way of its suc­cession: Declaring Gods promises, not onely of, but (which is the end and use of the Text discussed) to it also: For hath not God said it, that in the last daies, there shall not be only Fishers, but those Fishers Ezek. 47. 10. shall cast forth their Nets, and of Fish there shall be exceeding many; yea, he will give us Pastors after his own heart, which shal Jer. 3. 15. 17. feed you with Knowledge and understan­ding, and even then, when they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord, &c. I will blesse the Labours of my faithfull Shepherds among you, neither shall you walk anymore after the Imagination of your evil Hearts. And again, I will set up Shep­herds over them which shal feed them, and the blessed effects therof shal be, viz. they Ier. 23. 4. shall fear no more nor be dismaid, neither shal they be lacking, saith the Lord.

3. We may in the third place argue [Page 222] the continued succession of the Ministry from the ends thereof: Namely intrinsi­call or extrinsicall, naturall or positive.

And first, from the end of the Ministry, that is intrinsically in the nature of it; and what is that? namely Faith, for what doth naturally answer or receive a report (as the preaching of the Gospell is) our Isa. 53. 1. Faith or a beleeving of it. And how do we obtaine Faith or credit, but by a report? therefore heare we the Prophet complai­ning Posito fine ponuntur omnia me­dia ad fi­nem. thus, who hath beleeved our report? while there be any unbeleeving and igno­rant Creatures, that yet belong to God in the world, there is need of preaching, and let us be assured that while there is any Sublata causa tol­litur effe­ctus. need of it, there is place, and use, for it al­so: For, as how shall they know except they be taught? so how shall they beleeve except they have heard? and how shall they Rom. 10. hear without a Preacher? and observe, the Apostle there argueth it, a thing as ex­traordinary for men to beleeve without hearing. As for men to heare without speaking, without a Preacher.

Be not deceived, for as the word revealeth Christ, so the Ministry of the word reveal­eth the word: As the word is the means [Page 223] of the knowledge of Christ, so preaching is the means of the knowledge of the word. The word, is the word of Reconci­liation, 2 Cor. 5. 19. and the word of Reconciliation is committed to us.

2. But secondly let us add hereto, the other end, viz. That that is more extrin­sicall to the nature of this ordinance, have­ing its being in, and dependance upon the will, intention, and appointment of the Ordainer himself: And for that now let us examine that invincible Text, Ephe. 4. That plainly resolves us, that when he as­cended, Christ gave the World gifts, some Ephes. 4. 11, 12, 13. Apostles, some Evangelists, some Prophets, some Pastors and Teachers: The question is, but how long did Christ intend, that those should remain in the World or Church, only for that age, no verily, but even untill the work of their Ministry, we shall all come in the unity of Faith and knowledg, &c. To a perfect man, now are some of these, (viz. The extraordinary of­ficers) gone; yet assuredly others shall remain in the Church, till their appointed end is come, till we all come, not till a few, but till we all come, &c. Then indeed (but let no wicked hand indeavour it before) [Page 224] Christ shall give up the Kingdome to his Father.

Obj. 5 But there is one main scruple yet behind, and that is this, viz. That though it be granted that the Ministry of preaching is an ordinance, yet remaining in the Church of Christ, yet where may we finde it? for as for those that pretend unto it, they, all the World knows, were ordained by Bi­shops, and the Bishops by the Pope, and therefore it is plain their call is Antichri­stian.

Answ. Two things deserve our undertaking here, viz. To answer the Objection, and to satisfie the scruple.

1 1. Then first, in answer to this argu­ment, that we are Antichristian, because ordained by them that had their call from Rome, I propound these ensuing conside­rables.

Those that first broke the Ice of the Sea of Rome, I mean, those Ministers, that first obeyed that call of God. Come out of her, &c. They undoubtedly had both an out­ward call from men, because they were Preachers in Rome; and an inward call from God, for that they came out of Ba­bilon: Now 'tis most unreasonable to [Page 225] judge, that they lost their inward call to teach, by leaving Rome: and for their outward call unto it, either the Essentials of their commission received from men be fore, remained; the Antichristian circum­stances being shaken off, like Eliahs man­tle, when he went to Heaven (as it did their Baptisme) upon the old rule, Fieri non debuit, factum valet: or else their call was extraordinary to them, their ne­cessity giving a sufficincy of warrant ther­to.

2. The calling of such Ministers, being received many yeares before they left Rome, might for any thing we know be received, when the Church of Rome was a true Church, though extreamly corrup­ted: For as soon as ever the Pope was the man of sin, the Antichrist (i.) When his iniquity was ripe, may we not think, that God would not suffer his People or Ministry, much lesse, any longer under him, but both called and brought them from under him; and then there is no difficulty left, but we have found and granted a succession of Persons in the Ministry of Christ from the Apostles times.

But suppose that Rome was so far apo­statized, as that she was undoubtedly Babylon, before both these Ministers, or­dination by her, and leaving of her, yet what reason is there, that when they have left the Church of Rome, with her Anti­christianisme, that they should stil be con­demned for Antichristians? the People leaving the Romish Church, were there­fore honored as the true Church; and why not the Ministry, upon the same ac­count, as the true Ministery?

Que. But to the Ministery, leaving Rome; is is there not required a new Ordinati­on? seeing their former was Antichristi­an?

Answ. Those Ministers that saw reason for lea­ving Rome, it seems, saw no reason for a new Ordination.

2. When God denieth an ordinary way for things that he purposeth to continue, he himself supplieth extraordinarily: as he fed Elias, supplied the womans Bagg and Cruse, and might doe here, viz. By the consent of the Church, having all Vox popu­lt, vox Dei. power radically in her, that Officers should have even for Ordination, and in such a case, the voice of the People is the [Page 227] voice of God: Again, it is granted by the very doubt, that there is, and must be a true Ministery some where; and urged by the Objection also, that the Ministery of Rome is Antichristian: Therefore the true Ministery must needs be with us, that is, the discenting, Reformed Churches: Let the way of Devolution, Derivation of it, be either extraordinary or ordinary, or whatsoever.

2. But we shall add a few things more for satisfaction to the scruple, viz. To prove that the Ministery, of the Reformed Churches, and perticularly of England, is the Ministry of Christ. I mean not, every idle, blinde, and corrupt guid among us, but such as be in life, Godly, and honest, in Labours abundant and faithfull among us, such as these are truly sent by Jesus Christ.

1. Therefore consider, it being granted that there is, and hath been still since the daies of the Apostles, a succession of the Ministery of Christ, where should it be? before God called us out of Babilon, it must be either in the Church of Rome, or among the Turks or Jews: The two later no Christian, none will say that they had [Page 228] the Ministery of Christ, therefore it fol­lows, the Ministery of Christ, before the reformation, was in Rome (i.) under the Romish power: But when we devided and abjured Rome as Antichristian: The true Ministery must be either with Rome, or us, that did discent from Rome, it is most unreasonable, and a contradiction to say, that the true Ministery is with the false, and not with the true Church: Now if it be granted, (as it cannot with any kind of colour be denied) that when the people of God first came out of Babylon, they brought the true Ministery out along with them, it is most clear that the Mi­nistery of England, hath had a Successi­on most known and visible from those that first brake off from Antichrist: Now the only difficulty is, whether we or those that seperate from us, have this Blessing pleaded for; and it is cleer from what hath been just now said, that we once had it, and it behoovs them to shew when and how we lost it: But as for them that se­perate from us, tis very unlikely that the true Ministry should be with them, for first none of their Preachers, at least very few of them, in his great Harvest, pretend un­to [Page 229] it; And again, their own pretences, or vain imaginations, would not create their lawfull call unto it: Which call consists of two parts, viz. Qualification, and Tit. 1. 2 Cap. Commission: The first they only pre­sume they have, the last, they care not for.

2. Moreover we may prove the truth of our Ministry from the truth of its fruit▪ and Effects.

First, Our Saviour in giving us rules for the triall of Teachers, saith, By their Fruit ye shall know them.

Their Fruit, that is, their Doctrine: you shall know them, that is, whether they be of God. If there be a Ministery of Christ in the World, where should it be? but where the Doctrine and truth of Christ is taught? and though we cannot cleare a Succession of persons, yet doubt­less a Succession of Doctrine, is in this sense enough to clear the truth of our Ministery: We have the Doctrine of Christ truly preacht among us, I mean, the reformed Churches, above all other Churches in the World, and upon evident consequence it follows, that we the Refor­med [Page 230] Churches, have a cleerer evidence of the truth of our ministery then any o­ther.

2. From the Effects thereof, wrought by preaching in the hearts of the Hearers, cut off the Beams from the Sun, and they cease any longer to be conveyances of light unto the World. And the Ministery cannot do the work of Christ, but as de­pending upon Christ, who are only Mi­nisters▪ by whom you beleeve, as God gave to every man. Now if the Ministry do the work of Christ, and this be only by the strength and help of Christ, surely it is Christs Ministery; and it may say with the Apostle to all the true Converts in England, ye are the Seale and witness of our Apostleship, and call from Heaven, who have been owned and used by the hand of Omnipotency, in your spirituall Creation, Resurrection, and Regenerati­on: This reason may be by no means sleighted: As to say, there were never a­ny truly converted among us by the Mi­nistry of the word, is against very sense, and most uncharitable; so to deny the mean to be of God, is no lesse then Blas­phemy: To conclude, remember, that [Page 231] the seven Stars are in the hand of Christ, not only to be used, but kept by him: Rev. 2. 1. and his presence is with us, not only to blesse our faithfull labours, but also to Matth. 28. ult. blast and curse our Opposers and Ene­mies.

This gives me an occasion to shake hands with the first of these Objections against the Ministry, and thereby I shall take my leave of this chapter, and let no man think (as is most apt and agreeable to the dangerous Principles of the errour questioned) that the spirit and the Mini­stry of the word are a [...], or In­consistent. The Ministry of preaching is according to the Apostle, and as hath been already observed, a Co-worker with God, 2 Cor. 2. ult. 3 Cap. pri. the Ministry of righteousnesse, the savour of life unto life, yea and to conclude, and put all out of doubt, expresly called the Ministry of the spirit. The Ministry of the word and spirit do as peaceably agree in one and the same Age and Work; as the Soul and the Body in one and the same person and action; even so, as that he that despiseth Prophesiing, quencheth the spirit.

Let us therefore fear, least a way being left us, and we not being willing to walk therein, the Father of lights should with­draw his direction, and we loose both our way and our selves too. Let us never disco­ver our selves to be a generation so foo­lish and unwise, yea so desperately wicked as eternally to perish with the plague of our Hearers, while we trample under foot the sole Remedy: As willfully refusing our own mercies, most cruelly to murder our own seals rather then to accept of re­covery and life, which the hand of the preaching of the word would administer to us. But,

Let us be wise, and rather repent of our former great abuses of the light thereof, Rev. 2. 5. least the Lord come quickly and remove his Candlesticks away from us, as a wicked generation, most unworthy therof, except we repent.

CHAP. XVI. We having sufficiently spoken, for the VVord, it followeth that we make intercession for Prayer.

Obj. ANd now what can be said against this harmlesse and innnocent duty? this heavenly, and profitable Ordinance, Prayer? Why Prayer is too poore and contemptable a practise, say they, for us: The Miserable effect, and consequent of want, but we want nothing: The deje­cted companion of impotency, weaknesse, and imperfection, &c. But we are strong, intire and perfect: We wanting nothing, we have no need of prayer, for what shall we pray for? we having attained perfe­ction already, we are perfectly above all means of supply and what shall we pray for?

Answ. After this vain manner, these men, while they walk upon the Battlements of heaven in their proud imaginations, they trample under foot this sacred ordinance, as a car­nall, [Page 234] base, and unworthy thing. But even in this, while they plead their perfection, how do they in the interim discover their weaknesse and imperfection?

1. Do we not think that he that knew no sin, even the Lord from Heaven, was as perfect as holy as these men are? yet how many severall times do we finde our Saviour himself upon his knees in Praier? surely those then are none of the follow­ers of Christ, that cast off prayer, his so frequent practise.

2. Yea certainly Jesus Christ (if there a thing as perfection here) had attained perfection just before his death, yet even then he findes occasion to authorize the excellent practise of prayer by his own Joh. 17. 1. example: Jesus spake these words, and lift up his eyes to Heaven, and said, Father, &c.

Obj. But it may be said, that although we are not actually perfect yet we are as sure of all things by the promises of God, that can possibly add any thing to our ab­solute perfection, that it would but ex­presse, and manifest our unbeleeving hearts to pray for any thing.

Answ. Alas, the exceeding great and precious [Page 235] promises are so far from forstalling, pre­venting prayer, that they are the only ground of incouragement, whereon it as­cendeth to Heaven; God standing upon Gen. 28. the top of the Ladder, as the God of the promises.

2. As that all the promises are made unto, and are to be performed by the mo­tion of Prayer. As Ezek. 36. ult. Where God concludeth his everlasting Gospell-covenant, and all the better promises whereon it is established, with this provi­so, Yet for all these things will I be inqui­red of by the House of Israell, to do it for them, saith the Lord.

3. And as for Faith, prayer is so far from hindering, that it is the very means of excercising Faith. Yea they agree so well together, that God to shew his likeing and incouragement thereof, hath promi­sed a Grant, even of whatsoever we ask beleeving. As Math. 21. 22. Mark. 11. 24. Jam. 1. 5. 6.

But we shall have occasion more abun­dantly to cleer these things, in the posi­tive proofe of this Haevenly exercise, which we shall immediately undertake; by confirming. 1. The warrantable. se­condly, [Page 236] the usefull and necessary practise thereof.

1. We shall warrant the practise of prai­er, even by all that live in this World, by arguments taken, First,

1. From the nature of prayer: which is not temporary, but Eternall. Let us there­fore consider it a little as devided, distin­guished into its two main parts. Petition, and Thanksgiving: And now for the la­ter of these, all joyne hands to lift it to Heaven; by the acknowledgement of all, it must, yea is long agon arrived the hea­venly Canaan: And why must Petition, the Companion of Praise, a part of the same Duty, Ordinance, dy in the Wildernesse? what is there more inherent to praise then Petition, to make it more Eternall? or what in petition, to make it more mortall then praise? have they not both the same Subject, man? have not they both the same Object, God? and is not the matter for which we pray, or give thanks one and the same also? only prayer stands before, and praise after: in the want we praying Joh. 11. Compare 38. & 41. in the injoyment we praising, yet both with respect to the same thing? and why then should the one be more immortall [Page 237] then the other? hath God commanded, Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies, and hath he not said also, pray ever more?

Que. But why then doth Petition dy on earth, while praise and Thanksgiving is alive, and tryumphant in Heaven, for ever and ever?

Answ. Petition and praise are two different Branches of the same root; which though contrary weather, and seasons, (even summer of mercy the one, a winter of want and misery the other) make them flourish in themselves, yet they live to­gether in their root continually. Praise hath its season and matter in Heaven; and therefore it flourisheth there: Its matter, I mean, not any internall part or cause of Praise, but that, causa sine qua non, that occasion, or subject matter of it, those hea­venly injoyments for which we praise or give thanks to God; and therefore it, ra­ther then petition hath its work, business, imployment, and exercise there in Hea­ven.

And 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 [Page 238] 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, [Page 239] 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, [Page 241] 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 [Page 242] 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 [Page 243] 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 and Supplications: this will [Page 244] releive some light more, if compared with that of Eze. 36. where having first laid down a most large description of the Co­venant of Grace, which will not be expres­ly or fully performed till the powrings of the spirit, upon this House of David and Inhabitants of Jerusalem; all is conclu­ded with this, yet the spirit I have pow­red upon you, as a spirit of supplication, shall make you pray for what I have pro­mised; yet for all this will I be inquired of by the house of Israel, &c. Not that we imagine that the Sun of this spirit is thus full risen upon any among us, do we ar­gue; but for the conviction of the folly of such, as upon such a supposition, have denied themselves of the benefit and pra­ctise of prayer. They have only the foo­lishnesse of casting away prayer, and not the fullnesse of the coming of that Spirit that is even then in its fulnesse a spirit of Grace and Supplication.

2. Secondly, Let us consider the spirit of God in its office also: And we shall finde that it is not sealed, to dissolve, but indeed appointed to uphold, yea perform this duty of prayer, in us and for us; its Office is (answerable to his name) ex­presly [Page 245] performed, in bearing up our In­firmities; Rom. 8. 26. teaching us what to ask, yea and by making intercession or praying in us. Is the Hoast or the Kingdome of Heaven then, devided? is the spirit his comming, to teach us what to ask and yet to put an end to the duty of prayer? help Oedi­pus.

Obj. But if any interpose, that the spirit ac­cording to this, Rom. 8. is said to pray in us which may bear an immediate intercessi­on to God for us, without the means or use of our hearts or mouths; I answer, that according to, and in the very same Text, verse, there are two sufficient Expressi­ons to detect and prevent such a fond E­vaision.

1. The spirit is said to help our infirmi­ties, intimating, that we are the Subjects or undertakers of Prayer, but indeed we being weak and insufficient for it, the spi­rit is to help and assist us in it.

2. It is also said to make intercession in us with groanes, &c. implying thereby, that the spirit doth not pray in us only, but by us also.

The spirit being no waies capable in it self of groaning, it intercedeth in and by [Page 246] our groanes: We being only capable of groanes, that are capable of the feeling of those heavy miseries that are prayed a­gainst.

It being high time I end, having set the Seale of the spirit to the warrant of the duty of Prayer, my spirit also making Intercession both for the duty and the Opposers thereof, with groanes unuttera­ble.

2. But as I have been large in warran­ting the practise, so might I be much more large in pressing the duty of Prayer.

It being as good as true, as usefull as lawfull, yea most necessary (which I shall only touch with that usuall di­stinction of necessity and leave) and that.

1. With a necessity of command; We have not time, scarce Arethmetick, to reckon up and set down how many seve­rall times, this exercise of prayer is com­manded in scripture; which, by the au­thority Phil. 4. 7. 1 Thes. 5. 17. of one only, is made not only to be no sin, but a duty also. In every strait, at all times, in all ages Pray; in every thing make known your request unto God. And pray continually. Now doth any man [Page 247] plead that this duty or command, is of no force to him, I demand where, when, and of whom hath he had a dispensation ther­from? neither can the power or authori­ty thereof be weakned by extinction, for the want of occasion: Every man alive, having, while alive here, some crosse, some want, or other as hath been largely de­monstrated before. And to want and the Crosse, is prayer still nailed and joyned, or injoyned rather upon such as suffer them; if any man lack let him ask of God Jam. 1. 5. that giveth liberally, and upbraideth not.

2. Prayer is necessary with a necessity of means also. And it is indeed both a Ra­tionall and a Religious means of good to us: The first, we heretofore have cleered, and the later appears, in that it is not on­ly a Gospell command, but such, as is still incouraged, and followed with the atten­dance of a gracious Promise.

Prayer, it was the Ladder by which our Saviour himself must clime, and ascend to Psal. 2. 8. his Kingdome and Glory: Ask of me, saith God unto him, and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and the uttermost part of the earth for thy possession: [Page 248] It is the Rope whereby he also draweth us up after him, that where he is we may be also: So prayeth he that ever liveth to make intercession for us, Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may be­hold the Glory which thou hast given Joh. 17. 24 me.

Prayer is that whereby we also cry Ab­ba Father; and receive from his hands, both the generall and particuler blessings of Children.

In generall, Prayer is the Sword in our hand that cutteth off the head of the beast Babilon, being drowned in the Sea of tears, and the great Whore burnt in the Zeale of cries. Prayer with the strength of its importunity breaks the Heavens, so that the Glory of God may discend upon his Church, and make it the praise and beauty of the World. Yea, and hastens the glori­ous marriage-day betwixt the Lamb and the Lambs wife; as we prize those things, let us practise Prayer, joyning therein, with glorified Martyrs, Apostles, and Pro­phets, even Heaven and Earth, and say, Rev. 6. 10. Isa. 62 1. 2. How long, Lord, holy and true, wilt thou not judge and avenge our blood, &c. For [Page 249] Sions will I not hold my peace and for Jeru­salems Rev. 22. 20. sake will I not rest, til the Gentiles see her Righteousnesse, and all Kings her Glory; Amen, even so come Lord Je­sus.

And all particular private mercies are to be handed by prayer also; it being a means, not only of our own but our neigh­bours good; not only of temporall, but spirituall and Heavenly Mercies al­so.

It is the meanes of knowledge and Wis­dome, Pro. 2. 3. 1 Kin. 3. 9. as we may read, both in the wise mans Doctrine and experience: therefore if any man lack Wisdome let him ask and Jam. 1. 5: have it of God, who giveth liberally, &c.

It is the means of Grace, both pardo­ning Psal. 15. 1. 2. &c. and healing Grace; therefore let us come with boldnesse to the Throne of Heb. 4. ult. Grace (both to finde Grace) and to obaine mercy, &c.

It is the means of comfort and consola­tion, therefore the Psal: Restore unto me Psa. 51. 12 the joy of my salvation: Let us make re­quest by prayer, and the peace of God, &c. Phill. 4. 6. 7. shall keep our hearts and mindes in Christ Jesus.

Of perseverance, I have prayed, saith our Saviour to Peter, that thy Faith faile Luke 22. 32. not.

And of all spiritual and heavenly blessings in one, of Salvation it self. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be Rom. 10. saved. Whatsoever ye shal ask in my name, Knowledge, Wisdome, Pardon, Grace, Perseverance, Comfort, Salvation, Hea­ven. John 16. 23, 24. And what more can you think of, whatsoever you ask in my name, the Fa­ther will give it you, and it is but ask and have, O let us then ask and receive that our joy may be full.

Prayer, O the divine prevailency of praier! it shutteth and boulteth up the Dan. 6. 11 12. mouths of Lions: It openeth the doores of the Prison house: It openeth when no man shutteth, and it shutteth when no man Acts. 12. 5. openeth.

Prayer, administreth liberty to prison­ers: Plenty to Famine, Health to Sickness. Peace, Wisdome, Fullnesse, God, Christ, the spirit. All, are stored in the promi­ses; and Prayer is the key that opens this Ezek. 36. ult. Cabinet; and hath access unto this Trea­sure; and by the hand of Faith takes all, appropriates all. By Prayer, our hearts are [Page 251] lifted up to our Treasure, we have our conversation above, we have talk, enter­course, and Fellowship with Heaven, and are by its glory misterious still, wrapt up John 17. with God and Christ in one. O the excel­lency, prevalency, and Mistery of Pray­er.

But if the black and dark suit of prayer, petition (which must, by Heaven, as darknesse by light be done away) be glo­rious? How shall not the bright and faire side of it: Thanksgiving and praise in the reflection, where both Saints, and An­gells, Christ, and God, shall be glorious for ever, exceed in Glory? O the Riches, Grace, the Kingdome Power and Glory, of Prayer.

Who can declare the noble acts of prai­er? who can shew forth all its Praise? blessed be that God that heareth Prayer; and blessed be the Sons of Prayer.

CHAP. XVII. Of Experiences.

WE have hitherto indeavored, that the spirit might owne his owne effects, Cause, word, and Ministry: And it followeth lastly, that we reconcile him to the knowledge and acknowledgment of his owne former Seale and witnesse, viz. in our Experiences. The errour is, that all the experiences that we have had of God Errour. in his deliverances of us, and that not only outward but inward also: these (saith my frequently quoted Author in his sixteenth false rest) are false rests when we make them evidences of Gods Love, and matter enough, to conclude, safety rest and happinesse.

This same Author would prove this er­rour with his old argument now applied, viz. For, saith he, some mens deliverances Ground. are of God, some of themselves, and some of Pag. 90. lin. 25. Satan; but none of these are to be rested upon seeing they may be true or false.

Answ. I answer. Spirituall expriences (for [Page 253] such he especially instanceth in) as true and fals, in his sense here, must of necessity be meant, not to be so in themselves, but with respect to our knowledge and judg­ment of them. For as in themselves, they must be (and can be but) one; either true or false: So in his argument are they supposed to be of God or not of God, viz. of man or Satan. His meaning is, when he ur­geth that our deliverances may be either true or false, that for any thing we can know, they may be either, or as well false as true; and therefore we can build no infallible assurance of Gods Love there­upon; since the knowledge with respect to the evidence thereof is fallible.

Again, hence then there will arise a double question. 1. With respect to the matter of deliverance, is, whether we can know, whether we are truly delivered or no; whether our deliverance be reall. 2. To the Author of deliverance, and is, whether we can possibly know, whether our deliverance be wrought by God, or no; (i.) by Satan or our selves.

1. First, Then let us examine whether we may know the truth and reality of our deliverance: And to this I answer, what [Page 254] should hinder us, if the spirit of God as­sist us? can any thing be more knowable to the Soul then its own actions and pas­sions? if I know any thing, do not I know that I know it? if I love any thing, do not I know that I love it? if I hate any thing do not I know that I hate it? can there be any reall change within me, especially more then ordinary, any motion, alterati­on, conversion, more then ordinary, and I know it not? but what is more sensible then the deliverance from under the bon­dage of the Lordly power of corruption (to use one of his own instances. For this same purpose) then the cutting off a right hand, plucking out of a right eye, the mortifica­tion of a beloved lust; what is more know­able then the peace of God passing all un­derstanding, when delivered from a troub­led, vexed and tormented conscience? what more perceiveable then, then joy unspeakable and full of Glory to me?

Obj. But the very heart and core of this ob­jection, that is so hard to be gotten out, it is, viz. that Hypocrites do think their deliverance as true and firm as the best.

Answ. I answer, this is not denied; and yet this as I have shewed before, cannot a jot [Page 255] make a true Christians evidence fallible: or the knowledge of his true deliverance, weak and deceiveable. The Reason is plain, for though a man in the dark, or blind, may easily be deceived, yet a man that hath his eyes in his head indubitab­ly knoweth what he seeth or feeleth. A man a sleep, may dream and phansy to himself that he hath full Barns, ful Chests, full Tables, all the ground and matter and occasion of joy imaginable: But though this man doth but dream, and is deceived, cannot another that hath these things in­deed be assured thereof? shall another mans lie make my truth of none effect? because some menare dead, are there none that know themselves alive? some blind, do none see, and know they see? because the half recovered blind man in the Gos­pell, saw men as Trees, should this make the standers by, question, whether they did indeed see men or no? yea, could they not be assured thereof, because of his doubting? we that are delivered out of the Powers of darknesse, we have our eyes ope­ned and are in marvelous light; besides, and can we see no more then such as are blind and in the dark? then Hypocrites? our [Page 256] eyes being opened and we seeing in Gods light, having received the spirit to this end that we know the things that are free­ly given to us of God, why may not we 1 Cor. 2. 1, 2. know, and give thanks with St. Paul and Collossians; for that he hath delivered us Col. 1. out of the powers of darkness into the king­dome of the Son of his love.

Obj. 2 Secondly, But if it yet be queried, whe­ther we may know the author of our de­liverance to be God or not; Answ. I answer, that if the truth of the deliverance, being, spi­rituall, be known, this cannot be doub­ted. For if I am truly delivered from the dominion of any sin; this cannot be from Satan, who wants both will and power, to such a holy work: If it be of my self it can onely be by Christ his assistance, sevened from whom we can do nothing; so that we John 15. must of necessity conclude that in the strength of the Lord we have done valiant­ly, the Lord is our strength and our redee­mer: Especially being inlightned with the knowledge of the premises, and assi­sted to lay down the conclusion, by the spirit of Christ, that is as fire that hath not only heat to consume our corruption, but light to manifest the World to be [Page 257] done, and by whom it is done likewise. And did not the Prophets of old, without doubt beleeve that their Dreams and Vi­sions were from God? did not Paul know that his calling and Apostleship, was of the Lord? and the primitive Christians? were they not assured that they received the Holy Ghost? even so we, the Redee­med of the Lord may infallibly know, that the Lord is our Rock and our Deli­verer. And though the whole World lieth in wickednesse, yet we are of God: And that the things, we have received are free­ly given to us of God. And therefore this renewing of this Argument here, hath but offered an occasion, of discovering its rottennesse, more and more; and not in the least darkned the evidence of our ex­periences.

Argument for the af­firmative. But let us examine what may positively be said for the farther cleering there­of.

And first of all it is worth our remem­brance, that the own experience of those men hath usually been their strongest ar­gument in other points, though here they dispute against experience, [...].

2. Yet what more cleerer and convin­cing [Page 258] way of arguing, then from experience it is therfore called the Mistres of fools, it makes them understand and be wise. It is not a naturall Dictate, Maxime, viz. Ex­perientia docet, yet Christians may not ob­serve or gather any thing from their ex­periences: How unnaturall, unreasonable is their Religion. Do we not, yea, accor­ding to the Law of reason, must we not judge of men as we finde them? we will first try, and then trust, and is God more variable and man more constant? dare we venter our credit upon the expe­rience of men, and yet not of God? O let God be true and every man a Liar: Let man be changeable, but God be God that changeth not, even the same yesterday to day and for ever. O let the Method and order of Gods Creation and Government, the cours of his daily providence, speak, and in­treat for him: And perswade us to beleeve that he is faithfull to his own Rules, and to his servants trust: that he is constant & the same, with whom is no variablenes nor shadow of turning: & that what you found him hitherto, either to his Freinds or e­nemies, even such you will finde him still, the Heavens declare the Glory of God and [Page 259] the Firmament sheweth his handy works; but those experiences that come in the Fathers name, that they may fare no bet­ter then the Son, you will not beleeve, but Joh. 5. ult. others that come in their own name, them ye will beleeve.

Do we not argue the love and good will of men by their gifts; especially in want? from their help an assistance, espe­ally in straits? yet though God hath been a present help in time of trouble to us: though he hath in the midst of extrea­mest want most constantly and seasonably still supplied us, though he satisfied and conquered all our doubts and dangers for us: Yet we may not, we must not beleeve that he did those things out of any love he bore to us; we may not for future, put any trust and confidence in him, upon this incouragement: Nor looke upon our selves to be safe, under that protection, that hath hitherto been as Wals and Bul­warks to us. Most strange and ureasona­ble Doctrine, most wickedly ungratefull practise! is his hand shortned that it can­not save stil, or his ear that was open, hea­vy, that it cannot heare?

3. And as the way of this errour [Page 260] thwarts reason and experience, so it doth flatly contradict the authority of scrip­ture in this particuler; which speaketh it expresly, that experience worketh Hope. Ro. 5. 4. 5. Experience and hope are mutually a mo­rall cause, and effect, it being the proper nature thereof, to produce and to be pro­duced. He adds that Hope maketh not asha­med (i.) giveth great boldnesse, because thereby the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Thus we see then that the holy Ghost or the comming of the Spirit, doth not make null the use of experience, but rather makes use there­of, for the working of hope, that by hope he might shed the love of God abroad in our hearts, and give us great boldnesse a­gainst future sufferings.

In this very place, we may read the use of Experience now pleaded for, to be the truth of scripture, seconded by reason, strengthned by the spirit; and all set down as the Saints experience also.

2. Moreover no argument in scripture is more frequent and potent for the raise­ing up of the hopes and the hearts of Gods Children then this of experience▪ we have the strength of Davids Lion and [Page 461] bear, yea and of Pharoah and all his hoast over and over and over for it; it is no ea­sy thing to reckon up, how many severall times, David makes mention of the won­derfull deliverance of the People of Isra­ell, out of Egypt, besides the honour, the frequent mention of our scriptures, give it, for the comfort of the Church in the time of persecution; and are not we now in the Wildernesse (your most frequent Allegory?) then why may not we also remember the Fatherly Pity of God to­wards us, when we groaned under the E­gyptian Bondage; and rejoyce in that goodnesse and mercy, that hath so graci­ously delivered us, out of the powers of darknesse, comforting our selves with this hope and confidence, that he that hath brought us out of Egipt will lead us into Canaan, that though we are opposed with spirituall wickednesses, yet we shall be more then Conquerours over them; and though through much tribulation, yet we shall enter into the Kingdome of God, and see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living.

3. May not we say with one breath, that he is the Author and Finisher of our [Page 262] Faith? that he that hath begun a good work in us, will also finish it to the day of Christ, that he that hath given us his only Son to dye for us, so loved us, yea since he hath de­livered and doth deliver, we may surely ga­ther, conclude, and trust, that he wil stil de­liver 2. Cor. 1. 10. us: And because he hath lead us as our most careful Shepheard, into green Pa­stures, and by the still waters, restoring 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 [Page 263] 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 [Page 264] 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 [Page 265] 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 [Page 266] 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 [Page 267] 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 [Page 268] 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 can­cannot [Page 269] 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 [Page 270] 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 [Page 272] 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, [Page 273] 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, [Page 274] 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 [Page 275] 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 [Page 276] 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 [Page 277] 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 its 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 [Page 278] 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 [Page 279] 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 [Page 280] see spirits per Essentiam, but per effe­ctum. which I shall breifly open. First, With respect to God. Secondly, to An­gells. Quamvis primus ho­mo in statu innocentiae, alitori qua­dam cogni­tione Deum cognoverit quam nos cognosca­mus: non tamen De­um per es­sentiam videt, cum peccaverit, Tho. Aqu. sum. Par. 6. quaes. 9. Art. 1.

1. Then, man in the state of innocency, did not see God in his Essence, but by or in his effects. Adam saw God, per effe­ctum Creatum, by or through the Crea­tion; which being a Medium: Tho. telleth us that he saw God in Enigmate, or in a Glass: the Creature being. Quid obscurum, if compared with the brightnesse and pu­rity of the Essence of God; yet that Glasse of the Creature being far more advanta­gious to Adam in innocency for the let­ting in the knowledge of God then the mud wall of seperation, that sin hath made; we must needs conclude that Adam had then a more cleere and certain knowledge and sight of God, though it was also by the word and effects of God, then we have Multo emi­nentius vi­detur De­us per in­telligibiles effectus quam per sensibiles & corpo­reas, Ibid. now. But if you ask wherein Aqui. answe­reth, insomuch as Adam saw God through the intelligible Effects of God; while we see him cheifly through Effects corpo­reall and sensible; a far more inferiour manner, a far more dark confused and im­perfect way. Adam being no way, but we [Page 281] every way hindred by these outward thingss, from a cleer and firm contempla­tion Non enim oportebat primum hominem pervenire in Dei cog­nitionem per demon­strationem sumptamab aliquo ef­fectu, sicut nobis est necessari­um: sed si­mul in effe­ctibus [...]re­cipue intil­ligibilibus suo modo, Deum cog­noscebat. Ibidem. of intilligible Effects. And yet some­what higher, Adam in that state did not need to gather the Knowledge of God as we of necessity must, from some Effect; but he saw and knew God together at once in the Effect especially intelligible. Yet still he was beholding to the Effects of God for the knowledge of him; he not being able to see God in his Essence, and consequently there being not a third way left, he came to the knowledge of him by his effects only.

2. Moreover, as man in the state of in­nocency could not see God, so neither had he then so neer a society with An­gells, as to see and know them, Per essen­tiam; that neer immediate and familiar way we now speak of. But to be breife, the reason of both, is built upon the very Essence and form of man. We read, that when God made man at first, he breathed into him the breath of Life; which inti­mateth to us that the reasonable soul, the form of man, is that, that giveth him an Gen. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 45. 47. animall life: Therefore it is also said, that the first man was made a living Soule. [Page 282] (i.) A Soul giving life, and that life, and life animal: As Aquin. glosseth, so that in Cum ani­ma 1. Ho­mims in statu inno­centiae sue­rit accom­modata ad corporis guberna­tionem & perfectio­nem sicut & nunc atque ita intelligere debuerit per phan­tasmata; non ponit in illo sta­tum Ange­los per es­sentiam di­dere, Par. 1. Aquin. sum ques. 94. Arti. 2 Vide. the state of innocency, the Soul of man was accommodated, fitted, to govern, act, and inform the Body, even as it is now, and therefore it must needs have had then the like way of understanding and know­ledge that it hath now (more and lesse not differing the kind) which is by a con­version of Objects, to the Phantasme, and thereby to convey them into the under­standing, of which way divine Essence, and the Essence of angels, are by no means capable.

And now to conclude, if a man in the state of perfection, yea in the state of that perfection that did cheifly consist in an excellent admirable knowledge of, and communion with God and Angells, could not see; or receive into his know­ledge either the spirit of God or the spi­rits of Angells, but by their effects: then how shall he be able to do it? we that are fallen from that very perfection by sin, whose discerning of spirits is by our Fall much more obscured and dark then his; and the best among us in the life that now is, being but, & that but in part the renued [Page 283] restored, and prepared Adam: the same image of God, being but in part repair­ed in us, by the spirit of the Gospel, and that in the same respect, viz. according to knowledge as well as holinesse. And therefore as the first, even so the, in part received and repaired Adam, sees God but in a Glasse, beholding with open Face as Cor. 3. ult. in a Glasse the glory of the Lord we are changed into the same Image.

2. Now let us turn our eyes to take a view of Canaan, and consider the height of the perfection to come, in order here­unto: For we shall finde it very doubt­full if not groundedly deniable that the perfection of Heaven it self shall inable us to discern of spirits thus immediately, and not in or by their Effects.

As there is very much reason against, so truly I know, no Text of scripture in­vincible for it. First, reason seemeth to ar­gue against it; and first.

1. Heaven is indeed the place of perfect and compleat redemprion, and of the most absolute recovery to us: but are not these Relative tearmes; having a respect to our fall, as also to the former conditi­on from which we fell? may we not part­ly [Page 284] gather and guesse, whither, and what our recovery shall be, by remembring from whence we are falne: Now wee have cleared this before, Viz. That the soule of Adam in the state of his innocency, could not possibly see, either God or An­gels, Per essentiam, but onely Per ef­fectus.

2. The perfection of man was this, viz. his body being every way subject; no way an impediment to his soule; from this man fell by sin, and by grace, he is to this Servato e­odem modo essendi se­cundum naturam, Par. 1. A­quin. sum quaes. 94. Art. 2. recovered; the same way of being in all estates, retained according to nature: and also by consequence, the same way of knowing, Viz. By a conversion of things to the Phantasme; to which, neither the divine, nor intelligent essences can be sub­ject: The soule of man in its threefold condition, Viz. of innocency, Apostacy, and recovery, being still accommodated to informe the body, it cannot be easily imagined to take knowledge of spirits, but by their effects in any of them.

3. Therefore further we offer, that it is not necessary to the very forme and es­sence of man, to come to know this way, Viz. By a conversion of things to phansie, [Page 285] by reason; and when man shall once ar­rive to this immediate knowledge and sight of spirits, God and Angels, must he not cease to be man? If wee shall be, continue to be men, when in Heaven, I submit, but I cannot imagine, that then we shall ever enjoy such a vision as this: Can a reasonable creature know, or un­derstand, and not by reason? And can reason discerne of God and Angels, and not by effects? We shall attain, we grant and desire, a farr more high and large de­gree and measure of knowledge and dis­cerning in Heaven then we have here, or then we had in Paradice; either our per­fection there, by reason of that world of experience, both with respect to our selves and God we have gained by our fall: But shall not this be by the same faculty? Our light shall be other, our objects other; but must our eyes be o­ther also? Then must not we be men, but some other creatures: But it is gran­ted that we shall see with the same eyes, we must also conclude that so long, wee must not, we cannot discerne of spirits thus immediately.

This is therefore the conclusion of ma­ny, [Page 286] both learned Divines and Phyloso­phers, Intellectus noster im­possibilis nunquam potest ad hoc prove­nire ut in­telligat sub stantias seperatas, as Alpha­rabius, and others. Theologi posuerunt, intellectus Humanus nunquam potest ad hoc ut De­um per es­sentiam videat, Aquin. in que. Invisibilis quidem Deus propter excellentem claritatem, sed claritas eius si­cut excedit intellectum hominis in via, ita excedit intellectum hominis in patria, ergo sicut invisibilis est in via sic erit invisibilis in patria, Dionil. Plut. distat Deus ab intellectu nostro quam intelligibile creatum a sensu; sed sensus nullo modo pertingere ad creaturam spiritualem videndum; ergo nec intellectus noster po­tucrit pertingere ad videndum divinam essentiam that our understanding (i) While ours, or humane, cannot possibly attain so high, as to understand seperated substan­ces, that that moveth them hereto, is the distance betwixt our humane intellect and them, but especially, and God; our understanding in act being one with that, that is in act understood thereby: whence Crysos. scrupleth thus, Quomodo creabi­le videt in creabile? Whence also Dioni­sius reasoneth: God is invisible because of his exceeding brightnesse: But the brightnesse and splender of God as it doth exceed the understanding of man on earth, so also doth it exceed the un­derstanding of man in heaven also, there­fore as God is invisible here, so in Hea­ven also.

Again, there is a greater distance be­twixt God and our intellect, then be­twixt [Page 287] a created intelligible Object and sense; but sense can no way attain to the sight of a spirituall Creature, intelligible Object; therefore our understanding cannot by any means attain to the sight of Divine Essence.

But Aquinas hath a salve for every wound of his maintained affirmitive, viz. by imbodying, the Sun into a Candle; he telleth us that God (we being so neerly united to him in Heaven) is even as it Proportio divinae es­sentiae ad nostram in­tellectum est, ut pro­portio for­mae ad ma­teriam, A­quin. in quaes. were the form of our intellect; implying thereby that we in our selves cannot see Gods Essence, yet God in us can see him­self: He doth not affirm that God is really the form of the Soul, but saith, that the proportion of the divine Essence, is to our intellect, as the proportion of the form to the matter: To which, if I may presume to answer) I say. that,

In this blessed vision, neither we see God our selves, or God doth see himself in us.

The first will not be strictly granted for then: himself hath largely proved that our reasonable soules as they are fit­ted to inform our Bodies, can onely see and know by a conversion of things [Page 288] to the Phantasme, which rendreth it im­possible Per nul­lam simili­tudinem re­ceptam in intellectu creato po­test Deus intellegi ita quod essentia e­jus videa­tur imedi­ate. Aqi. upon the questi­on. Quia qua­cunque alia forma in­formaretur intellectus noster non posse per eam duci inessentiam divinam. Claritas Dei non tamen ex­cedit ipsam essentiam divina que erit quasi forma in­tellectus in patria. as to see the Essence of God or Angells; therefore he here doth admit that God cannot possibly be immediately seen in his Essence by any similitude, had or received in a created intellect. and that whatsoever other form (except God onely) the understanding is informed, it cannot be possibly led thereby into the divine Essence.

But therefore, it is said that God seeth himself in us. And therefore though it be purity of God doth exceed the form of our understanding here; yet it wil not ex­ceed the Divine Essence it self: Which shal be as the form of our intellect in Heaven. Then I demand whether God shall see himself in us and with us, or in us and without us: Whether he will make use of our principles or Faculty, or not.

If the first of these be chosen, viz. That God in heaven wil make use of our Facul­ty, the eye of our reason and understan­ding, and only give us a cleerer light, and a higher use of our selves by his im­mediate dwelling in us; for this great blessed sight, Viz. Of his own Essence: I answer that as God doth not cannot com­pell [Page 289] the will: so neither can he wind up­reason above reason, and make reason continue to be reason still. The reasona­ble soul as so, can no more see the divine essence, though never so much inlightned, extended; then the eye of sense as so can see intelligible Objects, though it had all the help and light in the world, imagina­ble.

2. Moreover, as God cannot make a sensi­tive Creature to be reasonable, and accor­dingly to act, but the Creature must leave its former form, and become a creature of another kind; even so how can we ima­gine that God should make man to act a­bove its kind, man whose form is reason, to see and know things by inlightning and heightning his principles, that are not knowable by reason; yet man be man, Deus ope­ratur in quolibet operante: ut tamen & ipsa eti­am agant non ut & ipsa non o­perantur. Aqu. Par. ques. 105. arti. 5. and a reasonable Creature still?

2. But if the later be owned, viz. that God in us and without the use of our eies doth see himself in us: then Aquin. may seem to contradict himself, while he o­ther where teacheth us, That though God indeed doth work in every Creature, yet so as the Creature it self doth also act, and by no means so, as that the Creature doth [Page 290] not work also: Therefore in order to our present purpose in another place, he tel­leth us, that Deus ut prima cau­sa movet intelle­ctum crea­tum, Viz. secundam causam, viz. Dan­do ei ver­tutem ad intelligen­dum, &c. Aqui. Pr. Par. ques. 105. art. 3. God doth move our under­standing; yet only so, as that he is the first, and it is still the second cause.

Secondly, If God doth see himself in us, and not by us; it must either be as he is our form, or not our form. The later, (if he see himself in us, and not by our eys not through those faculties we had be­fore, nor as he is a new form as a new eye or new faculty to us) maketh this his see­ing of himself in us, nothing to us.

That cannot be a beatificall vision to us, which is not our sight; thus God seeth himself in every, the most stupid, yea and most miserable Creature.

2. Again, if God be indeed our eye as well as light and Object; things very dif­ferent: so that as Aqui. expresseth, the divine Essence, is both the thing seen, and Essentia Divina ip­sa est quod intelligitur & quo in­telligitur. Aq. upon the que­stion. the thing whereby we see, both the Ob­ject and the faculty: And thus truly a new form of our understanding in Hea­ven; is not then the divine Essence ours? is not our Essence divine? do we not only not cease to be men, but even arise to be Gods? what now can hinder us, for For­ma [Page 291] dat nomen & esse, according to our form even such we are, and such we may be called.

But to conclude, and to speak all in a word, could we imagine such a thing, as that the Essence of God should be the form of the Soule of man; doth it there­fore inevitably follow, that the Soul of man must see and know God in his Es­sence? The Soul of man is the form of the Body, yet doth not the Body therefore see the soule, yea nor yet the Soul see its own Essence.

The great Argument that (according to The argu­ment for the affir­mative. Aqnin. and others, both Philosophers and Schoolemen and Divines) maintains and necessitates our seeing of God in his Essence in Heaven, is, because our hap­pinesse See Aqui. upon the que­stion. consists in the knowledge of God. But we may reply, that do not we know the spirits of our friends, yea and our own souls, because we do not see them, Per essentiam? again, was not A­dam perfect? was not he happy? yet he confessedly saw neither God nor Angells The scrip­tures for the affir­mative considered. in their essences.

And as reason seemeth to declare a­gainst: So neither, doth scripture, for [Page 292] ought that I yet perceive, do more then seem to speak for it, viz. Our seeing the Essence of God in Heaven. The cheifest Texts are only these two.

1. The first is this, when he shall appear 1 Joh. 3. 2. we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is, (i) say they we shall see the Essence of God. But to this, we oppose the exposi­tion Beza, Ca­mer, and Villectus. so frequent, which taketh it for gran­ted and undeniable, that this (Him) is Cheifely Christ, in these words we shall be like the Son of God himself, and shall enjoy his sight indeed, such as he is now.

This Exposition is strongly confirmed by that expression before, viz. When he shall appear: who? why surely Christ, ac­cording to the whole Analogy of the Gospell, Which speaks so much, for the exercise of Faith and hope, concerning the appearance of Jesus Christ our Lord, even every where, as also by that other▪ viz, We shall be like him, if compared espe­cially with that of Saint Paul; From Heaven, we look for a Saviour even the Phil. 3. 20. 21. Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile Body that it shall be fashioned like un to his glorious body.

The other is, we now see through a 1 Cor. 13. 12. Glasse darkly, but then we shall see face to face, &c.

The exposition before mentioned, tea­cheth us to construe al this by comparison, (i.) in comparison of what we see now. There shall be as much difference betwixt our knowledg of God in Heaven; and the knowledg we have of him in this life, as there is betwixt our seeing a man in a Compare, Gen. 32. 30. with this, &c. Beza translateth it Coram. glass, and out of a Glasse, Face to Face,

But why may not this be understood of Christ also? God hath not a face, Christ hath. If we will understand it in a strict sense, why not in a litterall sense (i) so far as it will hold. The sense may then be this, we here have only some let­ters of our beloveds, which do more medi­ately and darkly give us some hopes and comforts, but this we expect, this shall be our happiness another day, we shall come into the Shall see, is not in the greek Text. In seculo suturo tam perfectam Dei cogni­tionem as­sequemur, quam hu­mana mens capere po­test, &c. Morton in Lo. presence of our Lord and Hus­band, seeing Face to face or being face to face.

We grant that in the World to come we shall attain to so perfect a knowledge of God, as our humane minde can take, or can be made to take up: but as it is fi­nite [Page 294] it cannot comprehend that, that is infinite, nor see or discern that, that is too pure and excellent for it, Divine Es­sence.

3. If any man add, that we in the re­surrection, shall be as the Angells of God, and that therefore we shall see God then in his Essence, I answer, that that is to be restrained to the particular purpose, and case there spoken to. We shall be as the Math. 22. 30. Angells: not marrying or giving in marriage.

2. Crysostome concludes from this very Text, that we shall never see the Essence of God. The Angells shall never see God in his Essence, and our Estate in Heaven is promised to be but equall to the An­gels, therefore we when in Heaven shall never attain to see God in Essence so im­mediately.

Deum nemo vidit unquam: nec ipsae Caelestes Essentiae, ipsa dico Cherubim & Seraphim, ipsum ut est, nunquam videre potuerunt: Sed hominibus non promittitur nisi equalitas Angelorum. Chrys. Hom. 14. in Joh.

Now to bring these premises to a con­clusion, as lesse in the same respect can [Page 295] never be more then more: So cannot the Estate of Grace, our recovery inchoate here, bring our Souls to a cleerer and more immediate discerning of God and spirits then our recovery consummate in glory, in Heaven hereafter. If the fullest injoy­ment of the spirit of God in Heaven shall not give us to attain to the knowledge of God in his Essence, how shall that parti­all assistance thereof in this life make us so suparlatively perfect think ye? yea e­ven a doubt of the first doth withall cer­tainty deny the later the improbability, of that, reckons and concludes this impos­sible.

2. And those very scriptures, that seem to take into favour the opinion questio­ned, viz. that in Heaven we shall see God and Angells in their Essence: doth ex­presly reject the Error, viz. of our discern­ing of spirits immdiately in this world. As for that of Ioh. 3. we shall not see him as he is till the time of his appearance, and in the Text to the Cor. Paul professeth, that though he shall know as he is known, yet here, he himself knoweth but in part: and this his knowledge here is by reflecti­on in a glasse darkly; though he promi­seth [Page 296] 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 [Page 298] 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 [Page 300] 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 [Page 301] 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 thine Isa 50. 11 own kindling, that shall go out in Sor­row.

Have not as incredible things as this been effected by melencholly? men ha­ving been so far possessed, besotted by it, that they have imagined flesh, even the flesh of their own Bodies to be glass, &c. And may not these happily bare Analogy with thee? could not they discern of flesh nor thou of spirits? thy phansy a little more sublime and lofty seemeth religious, [Page 302] theirs, as good and true in it self, yet a a little lower, is plainly rediculous.

4. And furthermore doth not he that ha­teth Qui vult finem vult media ad finem. the light most justly deserve to dwel in darkness? now he that hath the means of light hateth the light it self, how great is our folly! it is the most difficult thing in the world to discern betwixt spirits, and yet how willfully we fling away the very means, that God himself hath appointed and afforded to us, with a promise of a blessing to our use and indeavours, for this most desirable and difficult end. And may we not expect a Judgment answera­ble? and that not only to be given up to a reprobate sense, having our understanding darkned here; but even that the God of this World (whom we would not dis­cern right by triall) having blinded our eyes, should lead us on, in our security in this blind, confused, and non-discerning way of darkness, untill he hath plung'd and fettet'd us in utter darkness, and the powers thereof for ever and ever. There­fore unto them, as unto Children, without the use of reason thou didst senda judgment Wisdome 12. 25. to mock them.

But (to draw towards a generall close [Page 303] of this Argument) you see that this your A generall conclusion of the ar­gument. supposed infallible Evidence, Viz. The immediate injoyment of the spirit must needs be fallible: The spirit what e­ver it be, being not capable to be known or discerned whether true or false, and by consequence granted, not able to evidence with any certainty, as both Scripture and reason have plainly proved, immedi­ately Brethren, one end of my labour, is Reconciliation and Ʋnion betwixt us: and what doth yet hinder it? may we not be happy both with peace and truth? we would come over to you, but then we buy our Peace too too dear, viz. with the loss of truth, besides the deceit and rottenness of the ground whereon you stand dete­cted, threatning, desperately threatning the loss of peace also, yea with all our joy, our Souls, and God too, discourageth, de­terreth. But how great (and me thinks not gain-sayable incouragement, invite­ment, have ye (not only from the proved, both falacy and weaknesse of your own, but also from the tried, both strength and truth of ours, the ground whereon we stand) to come over to us? have you not seen our ground, to bare up, both it self [Page 304] and us under the very same weight, that shook and sunk yours, before your eyes? and hath not the very same beam of light, the same principle of truth, that discove­red the errour and danger of the way you walk in, made it manifest to you, that the way we plead for, is true, and safe; and even the very way of God?

Your principle, as a curse sent out, of a wicked mans mouth, it not being able to ceaze on its Object, and returning home again; doth its mischeif and worst in the bosom of him that sent it; it not being a­ble to weaken or shake the ground of our Evidence, hath returned home again and ruined yours: And now my hearty de­sire, and prayer, for you is, that God would open your eyes, and give you to see the glorious resurrection of Jerusalem, truth comming out of the smoake of the great Whore burnt, the rumors of Errour: that the curse might not ceaze or rest on you.

And to conclude, since this hath been the rule and measure, the Law and Judge of both, viz. That, that which may not be known whether true or false, is the falli­ble Evidence: And while yours hath [Page 305] been condemned, ours hath escaped, and been commended thereby; O that you would be wise at length, and lay down the Buckler of a cause so desperate, and know the things that belong to your Peace, both with God, and us: Ye know not how ready we are, to give the right hand of fellowship to you; that, being agreed we may walk with God together, in the good old way, for strong consolation, according to the scriptures.

Argu. 2. in ge. against the imme­diate wit­nesse of the Spirit. Lastly, And we have but this one word more; every letter whereof is a sentence, sufficient for ever to condenm the rest pre­tended, had there been nothing yet, yea could there be nothing else said against it viz.

That, that is not true in it self, can ne­ver be a true rest to us.

But we trust we have sufficiently pro­ved in this little treatise, that the spirit that exalteth us above and against, our Qualifications, Jesus Christ, the word of God, the Gospell, ministry, and all former ex­periences of Gods grace towards us, (in e­every perticular, of which we have found this spirit deeply guilty:) is no waies true but a grand impostor and a blaspheming [Page 306] lying spirit. Therefore it can never be a true rest to us.

The breadth of this false winde, spirit, may seem for a while, to fill our sailes and [...]. to mount us up a loft as upon Eagles wings towards heaven it self: But when you are soaring neer to the Sun, will not the Sun think ye, scorch your plumes that have sleighted his beams? and then behold you fall, even from your high­est pitch of boasting, Heaven, to the lowest Earth, that I said not, Hell: And that your unexpected fearfull downfall (unless the undeserved abused hand of grace interpose and save) will most cer­tainly break and ruin you, without reco­very.

Let us humbly ascend from the doubts and scruples, our Companions in the flesh, to the Sun by his Beams, and who knows but that thus the gracious God of heaven may ecclipse and cool his overbright and scorching beams of Glory, and condes­cend to bless us with some, and infallible to him, that he is our Father, and that we are undoubtedly the Sons and Daughters With Phae­ton. of the Lord almighty.

But is not he a Theife that entereth not [Page 307] into our Mr. his joy by the doore? and O how sadly will his expectations fail him, when the Lord shall say, Freind, how camest thou in hither? Binde him hand and foot and cast him into uttter darknesse where all his stollen, presumed joy shal be miserably turned into weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth for ever.

Be not deceived dearly beloved, your boasting is vain and your rejoycing not goood: Can your deceived Phansy indeed refresh you with the clusters of Canaan, that never set foot upon the borders ther­of? can you build a sure Castle of happi­nesse and blisse upon no foundation? or can aery Notions that have no ground at all. bare up the stresse of immortality? be not deceived, you cannot gather Grapes of Thornes or figs of thistles.

If the foundation be strong and surely laid, the house that is built thereupon may stand: But if the foundation be rot­ten or sandy, the house must fall. Your ground is false, your rest cannot be true, O take your Babell down and build your house, your soules, your rest, upon the sure foundation: Yea take it down in time least worse, it fall, and great and la­mentable [Page 308] the fall thereof, while you are buried in its ruins.

Now, of the things which we have spo­ken concerning this immediate Evidence of the spirit, this is the summ,

• 1. That which cannot be certainly known to be true, cannot be a certain or infallible Evidence.
• 2. That which is not true in it self, can­not be a true Evidence.

And we have found, that the spirit that refuseth to be tryed by any signes, rules, effects, or relations whatsoever, can­not be certainly known to be true, yea is in it self certainly untrue.

Therefore such a spirit cannot be a cer­tain, nay cannot be a true, though uncer­tain, evidence, of Heaven to us. And must be therefore concluded and added for the eighteenth false REST.