m fi » ^^Br^ ~jW *„• *¦ «PEW:-^P TRUTH TRIUMPHANT, THROUGH THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE, CHRISTIAN LABOURS, AND WRITINGS, ABLE AND FAITHFUL SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST, ROBERT BARCLAY. TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, £n account ot fits JUtt anU fflfflta'tings. He being dead, yet speaketh.— Hub. xi. 4. IN THREE VOLUMES—VOL. II. PHILADELPHIA REPUBLISHED BY BENJAMIN C, STANTON. 1831. AN FOR THE TRUE CHRISTIAN DIVINITY, AS THE SAME IS HELD POKTH AND PREACHED B¥ THE PEOPLE CALLED IN SCORN QUAKERS, Beingf a full Explanation and Vindication of their Principles and Doc trines, by many arguments deduced from Scripture and right reason, and the Testimony of famous authors, both ancient and modern : with a full answer to the strongest objections made against them. PRESENTED TO THE KING. Written and published in Latin and English, BY ROBERT BARCLAY, AND SINCE TRANSLATED INTO HIGH DUTCH, LOW DUTCH, FRENCH, AND 'SPANISH, For the Information qf Strangers. Acts xxiv. 14. "After tbe way which they" call heresy, so worship ! the God of my fathers; believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets." , Tit. ii. 11, 12, 13i 14. " For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men ; teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world ; looking for that blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." 1 Thess. v. 21. "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." Jieto Spoilt: PRINTED BV SAMUEL WOOD AND SONS. 1831. INTRODUCTION TO THE PRESENT EDITION. The following brief account of the Author of the Apology, may not7 be uninteresting to the reader. It will tend to show that the tenor of his life corresponded with the holiness of his profes sion. It will also evince the high estimation in which his character and writings were held by his cotemporaries of the same religious faith. The truth of this last circumstance, has been call ed in question by some who have endeavoured to misrepresent the acknowledged faith of the Society; of which he was a bright and conspicu ous ornament. Robert Barclay was born at Gordonstown, in the shire of Murray, in Scotland, the 23d of De cember, (the then Tenth month,) 1648. He was the son of David Barclay, of whom Robert testi fies, that he was a favoured and valuable Friend, and made a happy end. See Barclay's works in folio, page 907. Robert received the rudiments of his education in his native country, and having attended the best schools there, he was sent *o the Scots' College at Paris, of which his uncle Robert was rector. Here he made so great proficiency, in his studies, as to gain the notice and praise of the masters of the college. In compliance with his mother's dy ing request; his father went to, Paris, and return ed with him home in 1 664, when he was about sixteen years of age. His father, during his ab- .2 : , sence, had embraced the principles of the Society of Friends, and Robert, when he had attained to the age of nineteen, being convinced of the truth of these principles, did not hesitate openly to pro fess 'them, and soon became a public advocate in 1 what he believed to be the cause. of truth; cheer fully submitting to the indignities and imprison ments which were often the lot of our early Friends. In his youth, and even in childhood, he appears to have been favoured with the visit ations of Divine love, b.y the tendering influence of which, he was fitted and prepared, for the du ties he was afterwards called to perform. For a particular account of these early , religious im pressions, the reader is referred to the Introduc tion to his treatise on Universal Love; and to the 7^ section of the Xlth Proposition ofthis work, pages 353—357. , Among his other extensive labours, it may be stated, that in 1677, he accompanied George Fox, William Penn, and. other Friends, in a religious visit to Holland^ a service in which they were much united, as- appears by George Fox's Jour nal, Vol. II. pages 235, 237. In 16B6, by the solicitation of George Fox and other Friends, he came up to London, and remain ed there some time, actively employed in various ways on behalf of the Society. In 1 690, he accompanied James Dickinson, in a religious visit to* some parts of the north of Scotland, and soon after his xeturn to his own house at Ury, he was seized with a fever, which in a short time put a period to his usefiil life, "on the 3d of 8th mo. (now the 10th mo.) in his forty- .second year. The estimation in which his character and wri tings were held by George Fox, who, in the Divine hand, was greatly instrumental in the founding 3 and settlement of the Society of Friends, will ap pear from the following short, but comprehensive testimony, prefixed to the folio edition of Robert Barclay's works; which being now rarely to be met with, the testimony is copied entire ; trusting that the reader will not be so fastidious as to-con- temn the simplicity of style of this eminent and faithful servant. * . " A testimony concerning our dear brother in the Lord, Robert Barclay, who was a wise and faithful minister of Christ, and writ many precious books in the defence of the Truth, in English and Latin, and after translated into French and Dutch. He was a scholar and a man of great parts, and underwent many calumnies, slanders, and re proaches, and sufferings, for the name of Christ: but the Lqrd.gave him power over them all. He travelled often up and down Scotland, and in England, and in Holland, and Germany, and did good service for the Lord ; and was a man of repute among men, and preacht the everlasting Gospel of Christ freely, turning people from dark ness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. And his father was a noble man for the Lord and his truth, and died in the Lord. And after, when his son Robert had fulfilled his ministry and fin ished his testimony, he also died in the Lord, and is blessed, and at rest, and ceased from his la bours, and his works follow hinu Much more might be written concerning this faithful brother in the Lord, and pattern in the church of Christ; who was a man. I very much loved for his labour in the truth: but I shall leave the rest to his coun trymen; and the Lord raise up mores faithful labourers in Christ Jesus, to stand jn his place, and preserve his tender wife and children in the truth. Amen. h The 13th of 9th mo. (now the 1 1 th'mo.) 1 690. G. F." William Penn, in his excellent Preface to Rob ert Barclay's works, speaking of the Apology^ says, "The book shows so much for us and itself too, that I need say the less; but recommend it to thy serious perusal, Reader, as that which may be kistrumental, with God's blessing, to inform thy understanding, confirm thy belief, and com fort thy mind about the excellent things of God's kingdom;" From the testimonies of George Fox, William Penn", Patrick Livingston, and Andrew. Jaflfrey, men who knew him well; and from his life and writings ; the following character of Robert Bar clay is faithfully delineated. " lie was distinguished by strong mental pow ers, particularly by great penetration, and a sound and accurate judgment. His talents were much improved by a regular and classical education. It does not, howeVer, appear that his superior qualificationsproduced that elationof mind, which is too often their attendant; he was meek, humble, and ready to allow others the merits they pos sessed. All his passions were under the mosfex- celleht government. Two of his intimate friends, in their character of him, declare, that they -never knew him to be angry. He had the happiness of early perceiving the infinite superiority of relig'r ion to every other attainment; and Divine grace enabled him to dedicate his life and all that he possessed, to promote the cause of piety and vir tue. For the welfare of his friends, he was sin cerely and warmly concerned, and he travelled and wrote much, as Well as suffered cheerfully, in support of the Society, and the principles to which he had conscientiously attached himself. Ejut this was not a blind and bigoted attachment. 'His zeal was tempered wi^h charity ; and he loved and respected goodness wherever he found it. His uncomipted integrity and liberality of senti ment, his great abilities, and the 'suavity of his disposition, gave him much interest with per sons of rank and .influence; and he employed it in a manner that marked the benevolence of his heart. He loved peace, and was often instru mental in settling disputes, and in producing re conciliation between contending parties. In the support and pursuit of what he believed to be right, he possessed great firmness of mind> which was early evinced in the pious and dutiful senti ments he expressed to his uncle, who tempted him by great offers to remain in France, against the desire of his father: "He is my father, (said he,) and he must be obeyed." All the virtues har monize, and are connected with one another: this , firm and resolute spirit in the prosecution of duty, was united with great sympathy and compassion towards persons in affliction and distress. They were consoled by his tenderness, assisted by his advice, and occasionally relieved by his bounty. His spiritual discernment and religious experi ence, directed by that Divine influence which he valued above all things, eminently qualified him to instruct the ignorant, to reprove the irreligious, to strengthen the feeble minded, to animate the advanced Christian to still greater degrees of virtue and holiness. In private life lie was equally amiable. His conversation wras cheerful, guarded, and instruc tive. He was a dutiful son, an affectionate and faithful husband, a tender and careful father, a kind and considerate master. Without exagge ration, it may be said, that piety and virtue were recommended by his example; and that though the period of his life Was short, he had, by the aid of Divine grace, most wisely and happily im-* proved it. He lived long enough to manifest in an eminent degree, the; temper arid conduct of a Christian, and the virtues and qualifications of a true minister of the Gospel." .•*¦ -» . •.*•;' Short account of the Life aud Jfritmgs of Robert Barclay, published at Philadelphia, in '1805.' • Among Robert Barclay's other valuable works, are his "Catechism and Confession of Faith," first published in 1673; the "Anarchy Of the Ranters," in 1677; and a treatise on "Universal Love," in "3677. Thedateof the address to-King Charles II. prefixed to the Apology, shows that the first edition was published in 167-5, in the 28th year of the Author's age; and this is corroborated by Wil liam Penn's Preface to Barclay's works, page 21, and by John Gough's History. From its first pub lication, it has received the unqualified approba* tion of the Society of Friends, as containing a just and correct exposition of their faith and princi ples.. ' In reply to an inquiry of a Correspondent inthe ".Christian Observer," a periodical work published in London, in which some statements made by Leslie, (a writer against the society in early times,) have been discussed* Henry Tujce, a valued Friend in England, since deceased, says* [see Christian Observer for 1804, vol. III., pages 73, 74,] " The first publication of the work, (Bar* clay's Apology,) was under the sanction of the So ciety; and it having passed through two or three editions in English, as Well as some in other lan-r guages, before Leslie could have written the con troverted passages, are circumstances which fix upon him a wilful misrepresentation pf the So ciety. It may be proper to add, v(he continues,) that it was first printed in Latin; has since passed through eight editions in English, under the sanc tion Ofthe Society, besides one printed in Dublin, and another at Birmingham, by Baskerville. It has likewise undergone three editions in German, two in Dutch, two in French, one in Spanish, and one in Danish;1 also a second edition in Latin. All or most of these in foreign languages, have like wise been at the direction and expense of the So ciety; and a year never elapses without a public recognition ofthe work by the Society at large, by reading over a list of books in their Annual Meet ings, in order to Consider of the republishing of such as are nearly out of print. Nor is this all; it is a book, as far as. my knowledge extends, the only book which has been given by the Society to many ofthe public libraries in Europe, as well as to some sovereigns and ambassadors, for convey ing a correct information of their principles^ and for counteracting those misrepresentations with which adversaries, such as Leslie, have endeav oured to impress the public mind." By this account, it appears that, to the time when H. Tuke wrote, 1804, twenty-one editions of the Apology had been published in „Europe. Four or five editions of tjie work have also been printed in America. It has twice been published under the sanction of the Yearly Meeting of Friends in New England, viz. in 1728, when an edition of one thousand copies was printed, by the direction ofthe Meeting, under the care of a com- wmittee appointed for that purpose; and again in 1774, the printing of another edition having been proposed, it is stated in the minute then made, that the proposal was unanimously approved by the Meeting, and a Committee appointed' to superin tend the printing, and correct the press. Friends having thus, at different times, and in various parts of the world, united in their appro bation ofthe work, this circumstance, it is thought, will be sufficient to convince a candid public, that as a Society, they have been uniform and consist- L ent in -their religious profession as to doctrine. This uniform sanction of the Society, together with the acknowledged piety of the author, as we'll as the intrinsic value ofthe wojk itself, will, it is confidently trusted, secure for it a candid perusal. The design ef the author in its first pub lication, was undoubtedly, the promotion of the cause of Truth and Righteousness in the earth. If this great cause snail be further promoted' by its more extensive circulation, the sincere desire of the present publishers will be realized/ . • TO CHARLES IL KING OF GREAT BRITAIN,. THE DOMINIONS THEREUNTO BELONGING: ROBERT BARCLAY, A servant of Jesus Christ, called of God to the Dis- . pensation of the Gospel now again, revealed, 'and, after, a long and dark night ofjlpogtacy., commanded N to be preached to all nations, wisheth health and sal- vatiqn. .. t ' ¦ ,¦ As the condition of kings and princes placeth them in a station more obvious to the view and obser vation ofthe world, than that' of other men, of whom, as Cicero..- observes, neither any word or action can be obscure; so are thqse, kings, dur ing whose appearance npon- the stage of this world it pleaseth the Great King of kings singu larly to make known unto men the wonderful steps of, his unsearchable providence, more signally observed, and their lives, and actions more dili gently remarked, and inquired into by posterity; especially if those things be such as not only, re late to the outward transaction? of this world, but also are signalized by the manifestation or reve lation ofthe knowledge of God in matters spirit- It, TO THE KING. nal and religious. These are the things that ren dered the lives of Cyrus, Augustus Cmsar, and Constan tine the Great in former times, and of Charles the Fifth, and some other modern princes in these hist ages, so considerable. , • But among all the transactions which it hath pleased God to permit, for the glory of his power, and the manifestation of his wisdom and provi dence, no age furnisheth ys' with things, so strange and marvellous^, whether with respect to matters civil or religious, as these that have fallen out within the compass pf thy time; who, though.thou be not yet arrived at the fiftieth year of thy age, hast yet been a witness of stranger things than many ages before .produced. So. that whether we respect those various troubles wherein thou foundest thyself engaged whfile scarce got out Of thy infancy;' the many different afflictions where with men of thy circumstances are often unac quainted;, the strange and unparalleled- fortune that befel thy father'; thy own. narrow escape, and. banishment following thereupon, with the great. improbability of .thy. ever returning, at least with out very much pains and tedious combatings ; 01 finally the incapacity thou wert under to accom plish such a design, considering the strength of those that had possessed themselves pf thy throne, and the terror they had inflicted xfpon foreign states; and yet that, after, all this, thou shouldest be restored without stroke of sword, the help or assistance of foreign states, or the contrivance and work of human policy; all these do sufficiently declare that iiis the Lord's doing ; which', as it is marvellous in our eyes, so it will justly fee a mat ter of wonder and astonishment to, generations to come; and may sufficiently , serve, if rightly ob served, to confute and confound that jftheism wherewith this age. doth sd much abound-. TO THE KING. 111. As the vindication of the liberty of conscience (which thy father, by giving way to the importu nate clamours ofthe clergy, the answering and ful filling of whose unrighteous wills has often proved hurtful and pernicious to princes, sought in some part to restrain) was a great occasion of those troubles and revolutions; soothe pretence of con science was that which carried it on, and brought it to that pitch it came to. And though no doubt some .that were engaged in that work designed good, things,- at. least in the beginning, albeit always, wrong in the manner theyi took to ac complish it, -viz.. by carnal weapons; yet so soon as they had tasted the sweets of the posses sions of them they had turned out, they quickly began jo dp those things themselves for which they had accused others. For their hands were found full of oppression, and they hceted the reproof of instruction, which is the way of life; and they evilly entreated the messengers of the Lord, and caused his prophets to be beaten and imprisoned, and persecuted his people, whom he had called and gathered out frqm among them, whom, he had made to beat their swords into- plough-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks, and not to learn car nal war any more : but he raised them up, and armed them with spiritual weapons, even with, his own Spirit and power, whereby they .testified' in the greets and highways, and publi,c markets; and synagogues1, against the pride^ vanity, lusts, and .hypocrisy- of that generation, who were righteous in their owrt eyes, though often, cruelly entreated therefor: and they faithfully prophesied and fore told them of their judgment and downfal, which came , upon them,, as by several' warnings and epistles delivered to Qljiver and Richard Cromwelf, the parliament, ahd other then powers, yet upon record, doth appeal v IV. TO THE KING. And after it pleased. God to restore thee, what oppressions, what. banishments, and evil entreat- ings' they have met with, by men pretending thy authority, and cloaking their mischief with thy name, is known to.most-men in this island> espe cially in England, where there is scarce a prison that hath not been filled whh them, nor a judge before whom they have not -been haled; though they could never yet be found guilty of any thing that might deserve that usage.; -Therefore the sense of their innocency did no doubt greatly ^contribute to -move thee, three years ago, to cause some hun dreds! of them to be set at liberty : for indeed their sufferings are singular, and obviously distin guishable from, all the rest of such as live under thee in thfcto two respects. ' ' - First, In that among all the plots contrived by others against thee since -thy return into Britain, there, was never any, owned of that' people? found or known to be guilty, (though many of them have been taken and imprisoned upon such kind of jealousies,;^? were always found innocent and harmless, as became the followers of Christ; not. coveting after, nor contend ing for, the kingdoms -of this world, but subject to every ordinance of man, for conscience'' sake.. - Secondly, In that in the hottest times of persecu tion, and the most violent prosecution of those laws made against meetings, being clothed' with innocency, they have boldly stood to- their testimony for God, without creeping into holes or comers, or onpe hiding themselves, as" all other Dissenters have done; Ami? daily met, according to their custom, in the public places appointed. for that end ; so that none of thy officers can say of them, thdt they have surprised them in a"corner, overtaken them in a private conventicle,' or catchedthem lurking in their secret chambers; nor needed they to send but spies to get them, whom they were sure -daily to find in their open assemblies, testifying for God and his' truth'. to the King. By which those who have an eye to see, may observe their Christian patience and courage, constancy and suffering joined in one, more than in any other people that differ from them* or op pose them. And yet,' in the midst of those trou bles, thou». panst> bear witness, that as on the one part they. never sought to detract from thee, orto render > thee and thy government odious to the people,, by nameless and scandalous pamphlets anci libels; so on the, other hand they have not .spared to admonish, exhort,, and. reprove thee ; and have faithfully discharged, their, consciences towards thee, without ^flattering words, as ever the true prophets in ancient times used to do to those kings and princes, under whose power vio lence ahd .oppression was acted. ., , And althonghJt is evident by experience to be most agreeable both to divine truth and human policy, to allow every one to servo God according to their consciences, nevertheless those other sects, who for the most part durst not peep out in theN times of persecution, while these, innocent people stood bold and faithful, do now combine in a joint, confederacy, notwithstanding all the former janglings and- contentions among them selves, to render Us odious; seeking unjustly to wrest our doctrine and words, as if they were both inconsistent with Christianity and civil :society: so that to effectuate this their work of malice against us, they have not been ashamed to take the help, and commend the labours, of some in vidious Socinians against us. So do Herod aud Pon tius Pilate agree to crucify Christ. . But our practice, known to thee by good expe rience to be more consistent with Christianity and civil society, and the peace and. welfare ofthis island, than that of those who thus accuse us, doth sufficiently guard us against this scalttiany; and VI. TO THE KING. we may indeed appeal to the testimony. of thy conscience, as a Witness for us in the face .of the nations. u These ithings moved me tp present the world with a brief, but true account ofthis people's prin ciples, in some short theological propositions ; which, according- to the. will of God* proving successful, beyond my expectation, to the satisfaction of seve ral,, and to the exciting in many a desire of -being farther informed concerning us, as being every where evil spoken of; and likewise meeting .with public opposition by some, as such will always do, so long as the devil rules in the children, of disobedi ence; I was thereby farther engaged, in the lib erty of the Lord, to present to the world this apology of the truth held by those people : Which, because, of thy interest, in them, and. theirs in thee, as having first appeared, and mostly increased, in these nations under thy rule, I make bold to pre sent unto thee; ; '. / ' Thou knowest, and hast experienced iheir faith fulness 'towards their God, ¦ their patience in suffering. their peaceableness towards the king, their honesty, plainness and integrity iri their faithful warnings and testimonies to thee; ahd if thou wilt allow thyself so much time as to read this, -thtou mayest And how consonant their principles are hoth.to scripture, truth, and right reqson. The simplicity of their behav iour, the generality Of their condition, as being poor men and illiterate; the manner of their pro cedure, being without the wisdom and policy of this world; hath made many conclude them fools and madmen, and neglect them, as not -being ca pable of reason. But though it be to them as their crown, thus to be esteemed, of the wise, the great, and learned of this World, and though they rejoice to be accounted fools for Christ's sake; yet of late some, even suchr who in the world's TO THE KING. Vlt account are esteemed both wise and learned, be gin to judge otherwise of them, and find that they hold forth things very agreeable both to scripture, reason, and true learning. As it is inconsistent with the truth 1 bear, so it is far from me to use this epistle as an engine to flatter thee, the usual design of such works; and therefore I can neither . dedicate it to thee, nor crave thy patronage, as if thereby I might have more confidence to present it to the world, or be more hopeful of its success. To God alone I owe what; I have, and that more immediately in matters spiritual; and therefore to him alone, and to the service of his truth, I dedicate whatever work he brings forth in me; to whom only the praise and honour appertain, whose truth needs not the pat ronage of worldly princes; his arm and power being that alone by which it is propagated, estab lished, and confirmed^ But I found it upon my spirit to take occasion to present this book unto thee; that as thou hast been often warned by seve ral of that people, who are inhabitants Of England; so thou mayest not want a seasonable advertise ment from a member of thy ancient kingdom- of Scotland; and that thou mayest know, which I hope thou wilt have no reason to be troubled at, that God is raising up and increasing that people in this nation. And the nations shall also hereby know, that the truth we profess is tiot a work of darkness, nor propagated by stealth; and that we are Hot ashamed of the gospel of Christ, because we know it to be the power of God unto salvation; and that we are no ways so inconsistent with gov ernment, nor such disturbers of the peace, as our enemies, by traducing us, have sought to make the world believe we are: for which to thee I dare appeal, as a witness of our peaceableness and Christian patience. 2 VHI. TO THE KING. Generations to come shall not more admire that singular step of Divine Providence, in restoring thee to thy throne, without outward bloodshed, than they shall admire the increase and progress of this truth, without all outward help, and against so great opposition; which shall be none of the least things rendering thy memory K remarkable. God hath done great things, for tnee; he hath Sufficiently shown thee, that it is ty him princes rule, and that he. can- pull down and set up at his pleasure. He hath often . faithfully, warned thee by his ser vants, since he restored thee to thy royal dignity, that thy heart might not wax wantoh against Mm, to forget his mercies and providences towards thee; whereby. he might permit thee to-be soothed up, and lulled asleep in thy sins, by the flattering of court-parasites, who, by their fawning, are the ruin of many princes. There is no king in the world, who can so ex perimentally testify of God's providence and good ness; neither is there any who rules so many free people, so many true Christians: which thing ren ders thy government more honourable; thyself more considerable, than the accession of many nations, filled wjth» slavish and superstitious souls. Thou hast tasted of prosperity and adversity; thou knowest what it is to he banished thy native country, to be over-ruled, as well as to rule, and sit upon the throne; and being oppressed,- thou hast reason to know how hateful the oppressor is both to God and man : If after all these warnings and advertisements, thou dost not turn unto the Lord with all thy heart, bujt forget him, who remem bered thee in thy distress, and give up thyself to follow, lust and vanity; surely great will be thy condemnation. Against which snare as well as the temptation of those that may or do feed thee, and prompt TO THE KING. IX. thee to evil, the most excellent and prevalent remedy will be, to apply thyself to that Light of Christ, which shineth in thy conscience, which neither can nor will flatter thee, nor suffer thee to be at ease in thy sins; but doth and will deal plainly and faithfully with thee, as those that are follow ers thereof have also done; GOD Almighty, who hath so signally hitherto visited thee with his love, so touch and reach thy heart, ere the day of thy visitation be expired, that thou mayest effectuaUy twrif, to him, so as to improve thy place and station for his name. So wisheth, so prayeth, Thy faithful friend and subject, • , Robert Barclay. From Ury, in my native country «f Scotland, the 25th of the month called November, in the year MDCLXXV. R. B. Unto the Friendly Reader wisheth Salvation. Forasmuch as that, which above all things I propose, to myself, is to declare and defend the truth, for the service whereof I have given up and devoted myself, and all that is mine; therefore there is nothing which for its sake (by the help and assistance of God) I may not attempt. And in this confidence, I did some time ago publish certain propositions of divinity, comprehending, briefly the chief principles and doctrines of truth; which ap pearing not unprofitable to some, and being be yond my expectation well received by many, though also opposed by some envious ones, did so far prevail, as in some part to remove that false and monstrous opinion, which lying fame, and the malice of our adversaries, had implanted in the minds of some, concerning us and our doctrines. In this respect it seemed to me not fit to spare my pains and labour; • and therefore, being actu ated by the same Divine Spirit', and the like inten tion of propagating the truth, by which I published the propositions themselves, I judged it meet to explain them somewhat more largely at this time, and defend them by certain arguments. Perhaps my method of writing may seem not only different, but even contrary, to that which is commonly used by the men called divines,* 'with which I am not concerned : inasmuch as 1 confess myself to be not only no imitator and admirer of the school-men, but an opposer and despiser of them as such, by whose labour I judge the Christian religion to be so far from being bettered, that it is rather destroyed. Neither have I sought to' accom modate this my work to itching ears, who desire rather to comprehend in their heads the sublime notions of truth, than to embrace it in their hearts: for what I have written comes more from my XII. TO THE FRIENDLY READER. heart than from my head; what I have heard with the ears of my soul, and seen with my inward eye's, and my hands have handled of the Word of Life, and what hath been inwardly manifested to me ofthe things of God, that dp I declare; not so much regarding the eloquence and excellency of speech, as desiring to demonstrate the efficacy and operation of truth; and if I err sometimes in the former, it is no great matter ; for I act not here the Grammarian, or the Orator, but the Christ tian; and therefore in this 1 have followed the certain rule of the Divine Light, and of the Holy Scriptures. . , And to make an end; what I have . written, is written not to feed the wisdom and knoioledge, or rather vain pride of this world, but to starve and oppose.it, as the little preface prefixed to the propositions doth show; which, with the title of them, is as. followeth. THESES THEOLOGICiE. TO THE CLERGY, -¦¦%¦¦ OE WHAT SORT SOEVER, UNTO WHOSE HANDS THESE MAY COME; BUT MOEE PARTICULARLY To the Doctors, Professors, and Students of Divinity in the Universities and. Schools of Great Britain, whether Prelatical, Presbyterian, or any other; ROBERT BARCLAY, { ¦>-• A Servant of the Lord God, and one of those who in derision are called Quakers, wisheth un feigned Repentance, unto the Acknowledgment ofthe Truth. Friends, Unto you these following propositions are of fered; in which, they being read and considered in the fear ofthe Lord, you may perceive that simple, naked truth, which man by his wisdom hath rendered so obscure and mysterious, that the world is even burthened with the great and voluminous tractates which are made about it, and by their vain jangling and commentaries, by which it is rendered a hundred-fold more dark and intricate than of itself it is: which great learn ing, (so accounted of,) to wit, your school-divinity, (which taketh up almost a man's Whole life-time & THESES THE0L0GIC.E. to learn,) brings not a whit nearer to, God, neither makes any man less wicked, or more righteous than he was. Therefore hath God laid aside the wise and learned, and the disputers ofthis world; and hath chosen* a. few despicable and unlearned instruments,, (as to letter-learning,) as he did fish ermen of old^to publish his pure and naked truth, "and to free it of those mists and fogs wherewith the clergy hath clouded it, that the people might admire and maintain them. And among several others, whom God hath chosen , to make known these things, (seeing I also have received, in mea sure, grace to be a dispenser ofthe same Gospel,) it seemed good unto me, according to my duty, to offer unto you these propositions; which, though short, yet are weighty, comprehending much, and declaring what the true ground of knowledge is, eyen of that knowledge which leads to Life Eter nal; which is here witnessed of, and the testimony thereof left unto the Light of Christ in all your consciences. Farewell.' R. B. THESES TIIEOLOGICK. THE FIRST PROPOSITION. Concerning the true Foundation of Knowledge, Seeing the height of all happiness is placed in the true knowledge of God, (This, is Ufe eternal, £ohn xvii- to krtow thee the only true God,, and Jesus Christ whom ' thou has sent,) the true and right understanding of this foundation and ground of knowledge, is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place. THE SECOND PROPOSITION. Concerning Immediate Revelation. ,k Seeing no man knoweth the Father but the Son, Mat.xi.27. and he to whom the Son revealeth him ; and seeing the revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit ; therefore the testimony ofthe Spirit is that alone by which the true knowledge, of God hath been, is, and can be only revealed ; who as, by the moving of his own Spirit, he converted the chaos of this world into that wonderful order wherein it was in the beginning, and created man a living soul, to rule and govern it, so by the revelation of the same Spirit -he hath manifested himself all along unto the sons of men, both patriarchs, prophets, and apostles ; which revelations of God by the Spirit, whether by outward voices, and appearances, dreams, or inward objective manifestations in the heart, were of old the formal object of their faith, and remain yet so to be ; since the object cf the saints'1 faith is the same in all ages, though set forth under divers admin istrations. Moreover, these divine inward revela tions, which Ave make absolutely necessary for the building up of true faith, neither do nor can ever contradict the outward testimony, of the scrip- 3 THESES THEOliOGICJE. tures, or right and sound reason. Yet from hence it will not follow, that these divine revelations are to be subjected to the examination, either of the outward testimony ofthe scriptures, or of the nat ural reason of man, as to a more noble or certain rule or touchstone : for this divine revelation, and inward illumination, is that which is evident and clear of itself, forcing, by its own evidence and clearness, the well-disposed understanding to as sent," irresistibly moving the same thereunto; even as the common principles of natural truths move and incline the mind to a natural assent : as, that the whdle is greater than its part ; that two contradicto ry sayings cannot be both true, npr both false;; which is also manifest, according to our adversaries' prin ciple, who (supposing the possibility of inward divine revelations) will nevertheless confess with us, that neither scripture nor sound reason will contradict it: and yet it^will not follow, according to them, that the scripture, or sound reason, should be subjected to the examination ofthe divine rev elations in the heart. ' : ; *¦ \ THE THIRD PROPOSITION. Concerning the Scriptures. From these revelations: of the Spirit of God to the saints, have proceeded the scriptures of truth, which contain, 1. A faithful historical account of the actings of God'a people in divers ages, with many singular and remarkable providences at tending them., 2. A prophetical account of sev eral things, whereof some are already past, and some yet to come. 3. A full and ample account of all the chief principles ofthe doctrine of Christ, held forth in divers precious declarations, exhort ations, and sentences, which, by the moving of God's Spirit, were at several times, and upon THESES THEOLOGIES. 5 sundry occasions, spokenj and written unto some churches and their pastors : nevertheless, because they are only a declaration of the fountain, and not the fountain itself, therefore they are not to be es teemed the principal ground of all truth and knowledge^ nor yet the adequate primary rule of faith and manners. Nevertheless, as that which giveth a true and faithful testimony of the first foundation, they are and may be esteemed a secondary rule, subordinate to the Spirit, from which they have all their excellency and certainty ; for as by the in ward testimony of the Spirit wre do alone truly know them, so they testify, that the Spirit is that 3^u xvi- guide by which the saints are led into ali truth: Rom. viii. therefore, according to the scriptures, the Spirit 14- is the first and principal leader. And seeing we do therefore receive and believe the scriptures, because they proceeded from the Spirit ; therefore also the Spirit is more originally and principally the rule, according to that received maxim in the schools, Propter quod unumquodque est tale, illud ipsum est magis r tale: Englished thus: That for which a thing is such, that thing itself is more such. THE FOURTH PROPOSITION. Concerning the Condition of Man in the Fall. Ml Adam's posterity (or mankind), both Jews Rom.v.12, and Gentiles, as to the first Adam or earthly man, 15, is fallen, degenerated, and dead, deprived of the sensation or feeling of this inward testimony or seed of God, and is subject unto the power, nature, and seed of the serpent, which he sows in men's hearts, while they abide in this natural and cor rupted State ; from whence it comes, that not their words and deeds only, but all their imaginations are evil perpetually in the sight of God, as pro ceeding from this depraved and wicked seed. P THESES THEOLOGICE. Man therefore, as he is in this state, can know nothing aright ; yea, his thoughts and conceptions concerning God and things spiritual, until he be disjoined from tliis evil seed, and united to the di vine light, are unprofitable both to himself and oth ers : hence are rejected the Socinian and Pelagian errors, in exalting a natural-light ; as also of the Papists, and most Protestants, who affirm, That man, without -the true grace of God, may be a true minister of the gospel. Nevertheless, this seed is not im puted to. infants, until by transgression they' ac- Eph. ii. i. tually join themselves therewith ; for they are by nature the children of wrath, who walk according to the power ofthe prince ofthe air. FIFTH AND SIXTH PROPOSITIONS. Concerning the Universal Redemption by Christ, and also the Saving and Spiritual Light, wherewith eve ry man is enlightened. THE FIFTH PROPOSITION. Ezek.xviii. God, out of his infinite love, who delighteth not isa. xiix .6. in the death of a sinner, but that all should live and be Johnia.i6. Saved, hath so loved the world, that he hath given his Tit.H. n. only Son alight, that whosoever believeth in him should Heb. ii. 9! ^e saved i wh° enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, and maketh manifest all things that are re- provedble, and teacheth all temper ance,righteousness, and godliness : and this light enlighteneth the hearts of all in a day,* in order to salvation, if not resisted : nor is it less universal than the seed of sin, being l cPr. xv. the purchase of his death, who tasted death for every man ; for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Pro tempore, for a time. THESES THE0LOG1CJE. 9 THE SIXTH PROPOSITION. , According to which ¦ principle (or hypothesis) all the objections against the universality of Christ's death are easily solved ; neither is it need ful to recur to the ministry of angels, and those other miraculous means, which, they say, God makes use of, to manifest the doctrine and history of Christ's passion, unto such who" (living in those places of the world where the outward preaching of the gospel is unknown) have well improved the first and common grace ; for hence it well follows, that as some of the old philosophers might have been saved, so also may now some (who by provi dence are cast into those remote parts ofthe world, where the knowledge of the history is wanting) be made partakers ofthe divine mystery, if they re ceive and resist not that grace?« a manifestation icor.xii.r. whereof is given to every man to profit withal. This certain doctrine then being received (to wit) that there is an evangelical and saving light and grace in all. the universality ofthe love and mercy of God towards mankind (both in the death of his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the manifesta tion "of the light in the heart) is established and confirmed against all the objections of such as deny it. Therefore Christ hath tasted death for every man ; Heb. ii. » not only for all kinds of men, as some vainly talk, but for "every one, of all kinds ; the benefit of whose offering is not only extended to such, who have the distinct outward knowledge of his death and suf ferings, as the same is declared in1 the scriptures, but even unto those who are necessarily excluded from the benefit of this knowledge by some inevit able accident; which knowledge we willingly confess to be very profitable and comfortable, but not absolutely needful unto such, from whom God himself hath with-held it ; yet they may be made 8 THESES THE0LOGICS. partakers ofthe mystery of his death (though ig norant of the history) if they suffer his seed and light (enlightening their hearts) to take place (in which light, communion with the ' Father and SOn is enjoyed) so as of wicked men to become holy, ahd lovers of that power, by whose inward and secret touches' they feel themselves turned from the evil to the good, and learn to do to others as they would be done by; in which Christ himself affirms all to be included. As they then have falsely and erroneously taught, who have denied Christ to have died for all men; so neither have they suffi ciently taught the truth, who affirming him to have died for all,' have added the absolute necessity of the outward" knowledge thereof, m order to the obtaining its saving effect ; among whom the Re monstrants of Holland have been chiefly wanting, and many other assertors of Universal Redemption, in that they haye not placed the extent of this Sal vation in that divine and evangelical principle of light and life, wherewith Christ ,hath enlightened every man that comes into the world,, which is ex cellently and evidently held forth in these scrip tures, Gen. vi. 3. Deut. xxx. 14. Johni. 7, 8, 9. Rom. x. 8. Tit. ii. 11. i ' t THE SEVENTH PROPOSITION, Concerning Justification. As many as resist not this light, but receive the same, in them is produced an holy, pure, and spiritual birth, bringing forth holiness, righteous ness, purity, and all these other blessed fruits which are acceptable to God; by which holy birth (to wit, J$sus Christ formed within us, and working his works, in us) as we are sanctified, so are we justified in the sight of God, according to the apostle's words, lCor.vi.ii. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are THESES THEdLOGICS. 9 justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Therefore it is not by our works wrought in our will, nor yet by good works, con sidered as of themselves, but by Christ, who is both the gift and the giver, and the cause produ cing* the effects in us; who, as he hath reconciled us while we were enemies, doth also in his wisdom save us, and justify us after this manner, as saith the same apostle elsewhere, According to his mercy Tit. iii. e. he saved us, by the washing of regeneration^ and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. THE EIGHTH PROPOSITION. Concerning Perfection^. In whom this holy and pure birth is fully brought Rom.vU4. forth, the body of death and sin comes to be cru- jf;™^ {%[ cified and removed, and their hearts united and l.Johnui subjected unto the truth, so as hot to obey any " suggestiqn or temptation of the evil one, but to be free from actual sinning, and transgressing of the law of God, and in that respect perfect. Fet doth this perfection still admit of a growth; and there remaineth a possibility of sinning, where the mind doth not most diligently and watchfully attend unto the Lord. THE NINTH PROPOSITION. Concerning Perseverance, and the possibility of falling from Grace. Although this gift, and inward grace of God, be sufficient to work out salvation, yet in those in whom it is resisted, it both may and doth be come their condemnation. Moreover, in whom it hath wrought in part, to purify and sanctify them, in Order to their further perfection, by disobedience 10 THESES THE0L0G1CJE. l.Tim.i.6. Heb. vi. 4, such may fall from it, and turn it to wantonness, making shipwreck of faith ; and after having tasted 5*6" " "' ofthe heavenly gift, and been made partakers of ihe Holy Ghost, again fall away. Yet such an increase and stability in the truth may in this life be attain ed, from which there cannot be a total apostacy % THE TENTH PROPOSITION. Concerning the Ministry. As by this gift, or light of God, all true knowl edge in things spiritual is received and revealed ; so by the same, as it is manifested and received in the heart by the strength and power thereof, every true minister of the gospel; is ordained, prepared and supplied in the work of the minis try : ancL-by the 'leading, moving, and drawing hereof, ought every evangelist and Christian pas tor to be led and ordered in his labour and work of the gospel, both as to the place where, as to the persons to whom, and as to the times when he is to minister. Moreover, those who have this author ity may and ought to preach the gospel, though without human commission or literature ; as on the other hand, those who want the authority of this - divine gift, however learned or authorized by the commissions of men and churches, are to be es teemed hut as deceivers, and not true ministers of the gospel. Also, who have received this holy and unspotted gift, as they have freely received, so are Mat.x.8. they freely to- give, without hire or bargaining, far less to use it as a trade to get money by it : yet if God hath Called any from their employments, or trades., by which they acquire their livelihood, it may be lawful for such (according to the liberty whifch they feel given them in the Lord) to receive such temporals (to wit, what may be needful to them for meat and clotliing). as are freely given THESES THEOLOGIZE. 1] them by those to whom they have communicated spirituals. THE ELEVENTH PROPOSITION. Concerning Worship. All true and acceptable worship to God is offer ed in the inward and immediate moving and draw ing of his own Spirit, which is neither limited to places, times, or .persons,; for though we be to worship him always, in that we are to fear before him, yet. as to the outward .signification thereof in prayers, praises, or preachings, we ought not to do it where and when we will, but where and when we are^moved? thereunto by the secret in spirations of his Spirit in our hearts, which, God heareth and accepteth of, and is never wanting to move us thereunto, when need is, of which he himself is the alone proper judge AH other wor ship then, both praises, prayers, and preachings* whieh man sets about in his own will, and at his own appointment, which he can both begin and end at his. pleasure, do or leave undone as himself sees meet, whether they be a prescribed form, as a liturgy, or prayers conceived extemporarily, by Ezek. 13. the natural strength and faculty ofthe mind, they Ac's £ 4? are all but, superstitions, will-worship, and abomi- &*vi^.5- nable idolatry in the sight of God ; which are to h\v.2y\. be denied, rejected, and separated from, in this ."t^*;* day of his spiritual arising : however it-might have 23. pleased him (who winked at the times of igno rance, with respect to the simplicity and integrity of some, and of his own innocent seed, which lay as it were buried in the hearts of men;„under the mass of superstition)- to blow upon the dead and dry bones, and to raise some breathings, and an swer them, and that until the day should more, clearly dawn and break forth. ¦¦- 4 12 THESES THE0L0GICE. THE TWELFTH PROPOSITION. Concerning Baptism. -> '' * . - ¦ Eph.iy.5. As there is one Lord and one faith; so there is Kom.vi!4. one baptism; which is not the putting away of the filth cl'-Na7' -of the fleshy but fhe answer of a goodyCQgscience be- Johamso. fore God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And this baptism is a pure and spiritual thing, to wit, the baptism of the spirit andjire, by which we are buried with him, that being washed and purged ICor.i. 17. from jour sins, we may .walk in newness of life; of which the baptism sof John was a figure, which was commanded for a time, and not to continue for ever. As to the baptism of infants,dt is a mere human' tradition, for .which 'neither precept nor practice is to be found in all the scripture. THE THIRTEENTH PROPOSITION. Concerning the Communion, or Participation qf the Body and Blood of Christ. 16 vi * '^'ne communion of the body and blood of Christ is inward and spiritual, which is the participation Johnvi. of his flesh and blood, by which the inward man l Gm'vs. 1S daily nourished in the hearts of those in Whom ' ' ' Christ dwells ; , of which things tne bteaking of bread, hy Christ with his disciples ~was a figure, which they even used in the church for a time, who had received the substance, for the cause Actsxv.20. of the weak,; ; even as abstaining. from things stran- John mi. gfcfi and from olood; the washing.one another's feet ; James v.H and the anointing of the sic^ with oil; all which are commanded with no less authority and solem nity than the former ; yet seeing they are but the shadows of better things, they cease in such as have obtained the substance. THESES THEOLOGIC.E. 13 THE FOURTEENTH PROPOSITION. Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate, in matters purely Religious, and pertaining to the Conscience. Since God hath assumed to himself the power and dominion of the conscience, who alone can rightly instruct and. govern it, therefore it, is not Lukeix. lawful for any whatsoever, by virtue of any author- Matfta. ity or principality they bear in the. government of -J?. 29. this world, to force the consciences of others ; and therefore all killing, banishing, fining, imprison ing, and other such things, which men are afflict ed with, for the alone exercise Of their conscience, or difference in worship or opinion, proceedeth from the spirit of Cain, the. murderer, and is con trary to the truth ; provided always, that no man, under the pretence of conscience, prejudice his neighbour in his life or estate; or do any thing destructive to, or inconsistent With human society ; in which case the law is for the transgressor,' and justice to be administered upon all, without re spect of persons. , v THE FIFTEENTH PROPOSITION. Concerning Salutations and Recreations,. Sic. Seeing the chief end of all religion is to redeem F . v u man from1 the spirit and vain conversation of this ipet. i.14! world, and to lead into inward communion with jgr"^44' God, before whom, if we fear always, we are ac- Acts x. 26. counted happy; therefore all the vain customs cofiTs and habits thereof, both in word and deed, are to be rejected and forsaken" by those who come to this fear; such as the taking off* the hat to a man, the bowings and cringings of the body, and such 14 THESES THE0L061C1E. other salutations of that kind, with all the foolish ahd superstitious formalities attending them ; all which man has invented in his degenerate state, to feed his pride in the vain pomp and glory of this world ; as also the unprofitable plays, frivo lous recreations, sportings and gamings, which are invented to pass away the precious time, and di vert the mind from thefwitness of God in the heart, and from .the living sense of his fear, and from :f that evangelical Spirit wherewith Christians ought to be leavened, and which -leads into sobriety, gravity, and godly fear; in which, as we abide, the blessing ofthe Lord is felt to attend us in those' actions in which we are necessarily engaged, in order to the taking care for the sustenance of the outward man. AN APOLOGY • FOR THE TRUE CHRISTIAN DIVINITY- PROPOSITION I. ¦'.' Concerning the true Foundation ofi Knowledge. Seeing the height of all happiness is placed in. the true' knowledge of God, {-This is life eternal, to John xvii. know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent!,) the true and right understanding of this foundation and ground of knowledge, is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place. ,- He that desireth to acquire' ahy art or science, seeketh. first those means by which that art or science is obtained. If we ought to dp so in things natural and earthly, how much mere then in spirit ual ? In this affair then should our inquiry be the more diligent, because he that errs in the entrance is not so easily brought hack again into ihe right way; he that misseth his road from the beginning of his journey, and is deceived in his first marks, at his first setting forth, the greater his mistake* is, the inore difficult will be his entrance into the right way. Thus when a rnan'first prOposeth to himself the The way knowledge of God, from asense of his own un- knowi-™* worthiness,' and from the great weariness of his *ds* of mind, occasioned by the secret checks of his con-* ° 16 PROPOSITION r. science, and the tender, yet real glances of God's light upon his heart ; the earnest desires he has to be redeemed from his present trouble, and the fervpnt breathings he has to be eased of his dis ordered passions and lusts, and to find quietness and peace in the certain kndwledge of God, and in the assurance of his love and goodrwiU towards him, make his h^art tender, and' ready to receive any impression'; and so (not haying then a distinct .^discerning) through forwardness embfaceth any thing that brings present ease. If either through the reverence fie bears to certain persons, or from the secret inclination to what dothjffiomply with his. natural disposition, he fall upon any principles or means, by which he apprehends he may come to know God, arid so doth centre himself, it will be hard to remove him thence again,, how •wrong soever they may be : for the first anguish being oVer, he becomes.mo.re hardy; and the enemy being hear, creates a false .peace, and a certain confi dence, which is strengthened by the mind's un willingness to enter again into new doubtfulness, or the former anxiety of a search. This is sufficiently Verified in the example- Qf the Jewish Pharisees and Jewish Doctors, whb most of all resisted and Phari- Chnst; disdaining to be esteemed, ignorant; for tins chris7S1St ^a*a opinion they had of their knowledge hindered them from the ^rue knowledge.; and the mean peo ple, who were not so much pre-occupied with for mer principles, nor conceited of their own knowl edge, did easily believe. Wherefore the 'Pharisees John vii. upbraid them, saying, Have any ofthe Rulers OrPhar- 48'49, isees believed on him? But this pebple, which know not the. law, are accursed: This is also abundantly proved by the experience of all such,- as being, sepretly touclied with the cajl of God's grace unto them, do apply themselves to false teachers, where the remedy proves worse than the disease ; because . instead of knowing God,' or the things relating to OF THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF KNOWLEDGE. 17 their salvation aright, they drink in wrong opin ions of him ; from which it is harder to be disen tangled, than while the soul remains a blank, Or Tabula rasa. For they that conceit themselves wise, are worse to deal with than they that are sen sible of their ignorance. Nor hath it been less the device of the devil, the great enemy of mari kind, to persuade men into wrong notions of God, than to keep them altogether from acknowledging him ; the latter taking with few, because, odious ; but the other having*been the constant ruin ofthe wo$d : for there hath scarce been a nation found, but hath had some notions- or ¦ other • of religion; SO that not from their denying any Deity, but from their mistakes and misapprehensions of it, hath proceeded all the idolatry and superstition of the world ; yea, hence even atheism itself hath pro ceeded,:- for these many and various opinions of God and religion, being so much mixed with the guessings and uncertain judgments of men, have begotten in many the, opinion, That there is no God at all. This, and much more that might be said, may show how dangerous it is to,mis§ in this first step : All that come not. in by the right door, are accounted as thieves and robbers, , , • . • Again, how needful and desirable that knowl edge is, which brings Ufe eternal, Epictetus show.eth, Epictetu* saying excellently well, cap. 38. i'Sx btu to Kupto- ta/tov, &c. Know, that the main foundation, of piety is this, to have ybpdaz v7$o&n$/ei£, right> opinions ana appre hensions of God. This therefore I judged necessary, as a first principle, in the first place, to affirm; and I suppose will not need much farther explanation or .defence, as being generally acknowledged by ah '(and in these things that are without controversy I love to be brief) as that which will easily commend itself to every man's reason and conscience ; and therer fore Irshall proceed to the next proposition; which, 18 PROPOSITION II. though it be nothing less- certain, yet by the malice of satan, and ignorance of many," comes far more under debate. PROPOSITION II. Of Immediate. Revelation* ^- - * Matxi.2l Seeing wo m^ knoweth the^ Father but the JSon, ami he to whom- the Son reveafeth hint ; and seeing^ the "' revelation of the Sonizin andhy the Spirit ; there fore the testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true knowledge of God, hath been, is, and can be only revealed ; who as, by the moving : of his own Spirit, he disposed the chaos Of this world into that wonderful order in which it wia-s in the beginnings arid created- man. a living souh to rule and" govern it, so by the revelation of the same Spirit he hath manifested himself all along unto the sons of men, both patriarchs,v prophets, and apostles ; which revelations of God by the Spirnvwhether by outward Voices and appearan* 'ces, dreams, or inward objective manifestation* in the heart, were of Old the formal object of their ' faith, and remain yet' so to be; since the object of . th& saints', faith-is the same in aU- ages, though held forth under divers administrations.. Moreover, , these divine inward (revelations, which we make absolutely necessary for the building up of true faith, neither do nor can ever contradict the outward testimony ofthe scriptures, or right and sound. reason. Yetfromhenfee.it will notfolfow, that these divine revelations are to be-subjected . to the test, either of fhe outward testimony of the scriptures, or ofthe natural reason of man, as to a more noble dr certain rule arid touch stone; forthis divjne revelation, and inward illu- minationj- is that which is evident -and clear of OF IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 19 itself, forcing, by its own evidence 'and clearr ness, the well-disposed understanding to assent, irresistibly moving the same thereunto,' even as the common principles of natural truths do move and incline the mind to a natural assent : as, that - , the whole is greater than its part; that two contradict- ioriies-can neither be both true, nor both false. §. I. It is very probable, that many carnal and'nat: Revelation ural-Christians will oppose this proposition; who, "J*"4^ being wholly unacquainted with the movings and tate Christ. actings , of God's Spirit" upon their hearts, judge ians" the same nothing necessary ; and some are apt tofiout at it as ridiculous ; yea, to that height are the generality of Christians apostatized and de generated, that though there be not any thing more plainly asserted, more seriously recommend ed, or more certainly attested, in all the writings of the holy scriptures, yet nothing is less minded and more rejected by all sorts of Christians, than immediate and divine revelation ; insomueh 'that once to lay claim to it is matter of reproach. Where as of old none were ever judged Christians, but such as had the Spirit of Christ, Rom. viii. 9. Rut nbw manyr do boldly call themselves Christians, who make no difficulty of ^confessing they are without it, and laugh at such as say they have it Of old they were accounted the sons of God, who 7vere led by the "Spirit of God, ibid. ver. 14. But now many aver themselves sons of God, who know nothing ofthis leader; £md he that afihrms himself • so led, is, by the pretended Orthodox of this age, presently proclaimed a heretic. Thereason here of is very manifest, viz. Because many in these days, under the name of Christians, do experiment ally find jthat they are not actuated nor led by God's Spirit .; yea, iriany great doctor*,, divines, teachers, and bishops of Christianity,, (commonly so called,) have wholly shut their ears from hearing, and 5 20 , proposition 11. their eyes from seeing, this inward guide, and so are become strangers unto it ;" whence they are, by their own experience, brought to this strait, either to confess that they are as yet ignorant of God, and have only the shadow of knowledge, and not the true knowledge of him, or that this knotyiedm is ac quired without immediate revelation: ' ..' Knowi- v For the better understanding then^pf this propo- edge spir- sition, .wedO' distinguish hetwixt the .certain khowl- uteraidis- edge of God, and fhe uncertain ; betwixt (the spir- tinguish- itua.1 knowledge and the literal ; the saving hearjt- knowledge, and the soaring airy head-knowledge. The last, we confess, may be divers ways obtained ; but the first, by no other way than the inward immediate manifestation arid revelation of God's Spirit, shining jn and upon the, heart, eidightening and opening the. understanding. §. II. Having then proposed to myself,- in these propositions, to affirm.those things which relate to the true and effectual knowledge which brings, life N eternal with it, therefore )i.A have truly affirmed that ; this knowledge is no o,thftrways attained, tarid that rionehaye any true ground to believe; they have at tained it, who have it-not by this revelation of •¦:• God's Spirit. ' " r\\ ' The. certainty of which truthis such, that it hath been acknowledged by some of the most refinedand famous of all sorts of professors of Christianity ih all ages ; whoheing truly upright-hearted, and earn est seekers ofthe Lordj (however stated under the disadvantages and epidemical errors of their sev eral sects or ages,) the true seed in them bathbeen answered by God's love, who hath had, regard to the good, and hath had of his eject ones among all ; who findings distaste and disgust infill otheitoutr- ward means, even iij the very -principles and pre cepts more particularly relative to their own forms and Societies, have at last concluded, with one voice, that there was no true knowledge of God, but that of immediate revelation. 21 which is revealed inwardly by his own Spirit. Whereof take these following testimonies, of the ancients. -1. "It is the inward master (saith Augustine) that *u£;t *x teacheth, it is Christ that teacheth it is inspiration Joh.i that teacheth : where this inspiration and unction is wanting, it is in vain that words from without are beatert in." And thereafter : "For he that created us, and redeemed us, and called us by faith, and , dwelleth in us by his Spirit, unless he speaketh un to us inwardly, it is needless fpr us to cry out." 2. " There is a difference (saith Clemens Alexan- cjemAiex. drinus) betwixt that which any one saith ofthe truth, l- 1. Strom. and that which the truth itself, interpreting itself, saith A conjecture of truth differeth from the truth itself; a similitude of a thing differeth from the thing itself; it is one thingMhatis acquired by exercise and discipline ; and another thing which, by power and faith." Lastly, the same Clemens saith, «¦ Truth is Paedag. neither hard to be arrived at, nor is it impossible to apprehend .'it ; for it is riiost nigh unto us, even in our houses, as the most wise Moses hath insinuated." 8. " How is it (saith Tertullian)that since the devil Tertuiiia- always worketh, and stirreth up the mind to iniqui- ""{^a ' ds ty,that the work of God should either cease,or desist virgmibus to act? Since for this end the Lord did, send the capl" . Comforter, that because human weakness could not at ohce bear all things, knowledge might be by lit tle and lit)tle directed, formed, and brought to per fection, by the holy Spirit, that vicar of the Lord. I have many things yet (saith he) to speak unto you, but ye cannot as yet bear them ; but when that Spirit of truth shall come, he shall lead, you into all truth, ahd shall teach you these .things that are to come. But of this his work we have spoken above. What is then the admin istration of the Comforter, but that discipline be directed,and the scriptures revealed ? &c." 4. " The law (saith Hierom) is spiritual, and there *?ie1™^ is need of a revelation to understand it." And in his Un. 10a 22 PROPOSITION II. ¦f\ Epistle 150. to Hedibia, Quest. ll/hesaitlL/"The whole Epistle to. the Roirians needs an iriterpreta- tion,it being involved in so great ob,scurities,that for .- -.k the understanding thereof we need the help ofthe . holy. Spirit, who through the apostle dictated it.'" usthdaBi*' ^ " So great things, (saith Athariasius) doth our ' cam. V6r^ Saviour daily : he draws untopiety^ persuades unr" bi Dei. t0 virtue^teaches immortality, excites to the desire - , of heavenly things, reveals the knowledge of the Father, inspires power against death, and shows r himself unto every one." a... ¦ '*¦#.' ..-•': ••*- Gre'g.Mag. v. 6. Gregory the Great, upo»fteseiWtiirds [H®:shall upo^tHe- tweh you aU things] saith, " That1 unless the same Gospel. Spirit is present in the heart of the hearer, in vairt is the discourse ofthe doctor ;Tet no man then as cribe' unto the man that teacheth^ what he under stands from the mouth of him that speaketh ; for . unless he that teacheth be" within, the tongue of the ', doctor, that is without,'Iaboureth in vain." * -. py*^! 7. Cyrillus -Alexandrinus plainly affirmeth, " That r" lib. J3T men know that Jesus, is the Lord by the holy-Ghost, nO c- &• - otherwise, than they who taste honey know that / it is sweet, even by its proper quality." . ¦»,- ..¦*', - Bernard in s* 8. ." Therefore, (saith Bernard) we daily exhort '* '¦ • you, brethren, that ye walk the ways ofthe heart, arid that your souls be always in your hands, that, ye may hear What the Lord saith in you." And again, upon these words of the apostle, [Let 'him that glori- eth, glory in the Lord,} "With which threefold vice , (saith he) all sorts of religious men are less or more ¦ dangerously affected, because they do not so dili- sgently-attend, with the ears ofthe heart, to what the ' Spirit oftrqth,whieh natters norie,inwardly speaks." •This was the very basis, and main foundation, upon which the primitive reformers built. • ' Luther. -^ Luther, in his book to the nobility of Germany^, 76™ saith, " This is certain,- that no man can make him-? ' self a teacher of the holy scriptures, but the holy Spirit alone."-, And upon the Magnificat Tie saith, ' OP IMjJEhlATE REVELATION. 23 f " No man can rig'htly know God, or understand the wrord of God, unless he immediately receive it from the Holy Spirit ; neither can any one receive it from fhe'Holy Spirit, except he find it by experience in liimself; and in this" experience the Holy Ghost teacheth, as in his proper school; out of which „ / . school nothing is taught but mere talk." , Philip Melancthon, in his annotations upon John Phil. Me- vi. " Those who hear only an outward' and bodily . - voice, hear the creature; but God is a Spirit, and is neither discerned, nor known, nor heard, but by the Spirit; and therefore to hear the voice of God, to see God, is to know arid hear the Spirit By the BytheSpi- Spirit 'alone God is known and perceived. Which God is also the more serious to this day do acknowledge,' known- even all such who satisfy themselves not with the superficies of religion, and use it not as a cover or art. Yea, all those who apply , themselves effect ually to Christianity, and are not satisfied until they have found its effectual work upon their hearts, re deeming them from sin, do feel that no knowledge effectually prevails to the producing of this,but that which proceeds from the warm influence of God's Spirit upon the heart,' and from the comfortable shining of his, light upon their understanding." j And therefore to jthis; purpose a modern author, viz. Dr. Smith of Cambridge, in his select discourses, Dr. Smith saith well ; "To seek our divinity merely in books bridge™' and writings, is to, seek the living among the dead ; concer'n- we do but in vain many times seek Gcd in these, divinity!1 where his-truth is too often not so much enshrined V as ' entombed. ' ¦ Intra te quaere Deum, Seek God within thine own soul. He is best discerned voeoa; iTftw^- (as Plotinus phrasefh ity by an intellect ual .touch of him., We must see: with our 'eyes, and hear with our.- ears^ and our : hands rmust' handle ' the word of life, (to express it in St. John's Words,) e$V «&«' $v%fi$ -ai&yiGu; Vts, : &c. The. soul itself hatfi1 its sense as well as the body? And there- 24 PROPOSITION II. "• <<*» .fore David, when he would teach"" us to know what , the divine goodness is, calls not for speculation, but sensation: TastCf-and 'see how good the Lord is. That is not the best arid truest knowledge ofGodwhich 'is wrought out by the labour and sweatof the brain* but. that, which iskjridled within us, by an heavenly warmth in,our hearts." And again : " There is a knowing of the truth as it islin Jesus, as it is in a Christ-like nature.; as it is in that sweet, mild, hum- -ble, and loving spirit of Jesus, which spreads itself, like a morning sun-, upon the souls of good men, full of light and • lifer * It profits little to know Christ ¦ himself after" the flesh ; but he gives his Spirit to* good men, that searcheth the deep things of God." And again : " It is but a thin airy knowledge that is got by mere speculation, which is ushered inhy syllo gisms and demonstrations phut that which springs forth from true goodness, is Setotepbv how much God is acknowl edged in words, provided himself be ;but always served; he matters not how great and high specu lations the natural man entertains of God, so long as he serves his own lustsahd/passionsjarid is obedi ent, to Iris evil suggestions and temptations. Thus j Christianity -is become as it were, an art,- acquired ^"fX'- by human science and industry, .like any of her art come an or science; and men have not only assumed the redbyTu- name of Christians, but even have procured tliem- man sci- selves to be esteemed as masters of Christianity by industry" certain artificial tricks, though altogether strangers to the spirit and life 6f Jesus. But if we make a right' definition of. a Christian, according to the scripture,* That he is one who hath the Spirit^ and is led by it, how many Christians, yek, and of thes^e .!•«• great masters, and 'doctots of Christianity, so account ed, shall1 we justly divest of that noble title? . If those therefore, who have all the o*her means of knowledge, and are sufficiently learned therein, whether it be the letter, ofthe scripture, the tra ditions of churches, or the works of creation and providence, whence they are able to deduce strong and undeniable arguments,- (Which may be true in themselves,) are not" yet to be esteemed Christians, according to the certain and infallible definition above, mentioned; and if the inward and imriied- iate revelation of God's Spirit in the heart, in such as have been altogether ignorant of some; and but very little skilled in others, of these means of at taining knowledge* hath brought them to salva tion; then it will necessarily and evidently follow, B revela. that inward and immediate revelation is the only tion, is the sure and certain way to attain the true and saving Ilidge"""^ knowledge of God, ¦ . '* , . > .' - 06a. But the first is. true : therefore the last. Now as this argument doth very strongly con- elude for this way of knowledge, and against such 26 proposition huks as deny it, so in this respect it is the more to be regarded, as' the propositions from which it is de-. duced are so'clear, that our very adversaries can-/ not- deny them. For as to the first it is acknowl edged, that many learned men may be, and have been, damned." And as to the second, who will de ny but many illiterate men may be, and are, saved ? Nor dare any affirm, that none come to the knowl edge of God and salvation by the inward revela tion of the Spirit, without these other outward " Abel.seUi,. means, unless they be also so bold as to exclude instanced* 'Abel, Seth', Noah, Abraham, Job ;>' and aU the, holy patriarchs from true knowledge and salvation. ' , § IV. I would however not be understood, as if hereby I excluded those other means of knowledge from any; use or service to man; it is fay from.me so to judge, as Con'Gerning,the scriptures^m Xhe next propositktfv-will more plainly appear; *.- The ques>- tion is not, what may be,prOntable; dr. helpful, but what is absolutely necessary. Many things may 'contribute to further a- work, which yet are not the' main thing that makes" the work, go on. ¦" - The sum then of what is said amounts to this : That where the true inward knowledge pf God is,' through the revelation of -his Spirit, there is all; neither is there an absolute, necessity of any oth er. But where the best, highest, and most pro- , found knowledge is, without this, there is nothing, as to the obtaining the great end of salvation. This truth is very effectually confirmed by the first part ofthe proposition itself, which jn few words compre hendeth divers unquestionable arguments, which I shall in brief subsume. • . * , . I. First, That there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son. .^ ,", II. Secondly, That there is no knowledge' of ••- .',¦•¦ .- the Son but by the Spirit, III. _ Thirdly, That by the Spirit, God hathal- ways revealed himself to his children* OP IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 27 •IV. Fourthly, That these, revelations were the ¦* , ;¦ formal object of the saints! faith. *' - V. .. • And Lastly, That the same eontinueth to be -*¦ ; . the object of the saints' faith to this day. Of each of these I shall, sp'eak a little particu larly, and then proceed to the latter part. §- V. As to the first, viz. That there is no knowl- Assert- *• edge of the. Father but by the Son, it will easily be p proved, -being founded -upon the plain words .of ¦ scripture, and isthefefo re a fit medium from whence to-deduce the rest of our assertions. ^ ¦¦;'• • Forth© infinite- and most wise God, who is the foundation^ root, and. spring.' of all operation, hath* wrought all things by his eternal Word ^and Son'. This \is thai Word that was in the 'beginning with.God, j0hni. l, and: was God^ by whom- alt things- were madp, and with- -> 3- out whom- was not any thing made tliat was made.' This is that: Jesus Christ by whom God created -all .things, Eph. iii. 9, by whom, and for whom, allthings were created, that are irLheav.en.and in earth, visible dnd~ invisible, whether they be thrones, ordortlinions, or principalities, or powers, Col. i. Id. who therefore is called,1 The first born of ¦every creature, Gel. 'l 1.5s. -As, then that infinite and ., incomprehensible fountain of life and moticin ope rateth in the creatures by his own eternal wdjid and power, so no creature has aqcess again unto him but in and by the Son,, according to his own ex- pre'ss.words, 'No manJcnoweth the Father butihe Son, and.he fo- whom 4he JSon will reveal him^ Mat. xi. 27. Luke x. .gS.^And again, he himself saith, / am the, way^the trjuth,sand the life ; no man cometh unto the .Father bid by 7ne,J.ohn xiv. 6.- . ' s Jf" fence he is fitly Called, The Mediator betwixt God and-inan: for, having been with God from all eter nity, being hiniself God, and also in time partak ing of the natqre, of man, through him is the godd- s ness - and loye'orGpd conveyed "to. mankind;; and by him again man receiveth andpartaketh of these ¦¦'.-<¦ mercies., •-:..¦ ~ . » . Y\ :-- .;-,-, 6 28 V PROPOSITION II. i- *''. > Hence is easily deduced the proof of this first assertion, thus i . • - . < * ¦''", ' * v : ¦."'".' " ¦*"¦ If no man kfloweth the Father but the , Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him, then there is no knowledge of the, Rather but by the Son. But, no man*knoweth the Father-but the .Son. ¦ Therefore there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son. -•• '¦- r^v -The first part of the antecedent are the plain Words of scripture •: the consequence thereof is un deniable;; except one would say, that Jie hath the knowledge ofthe Father, while yet he knows him - hot; -which Mfcre an absurd repugnance,^ ¦¦'-•' Again, if the Son.be the way, the truth, and • :, the life, and that 'no , man cometh unto the Father, but by him; then there is no knowledge of the Father but by the. Son. r ... :-. .¦/ , ,;. But the first, i« fru©:, therefore the last. '*-i,. * The antecedent we the yery scripture words: the consequence is very- evident ; for how can any know a thing* who useth not* the way, without which it is not. knowable? Biit it is already ppdv- ed,that thereis no other way but by the Son;' so that whpsouses not that way, cannot know hinij t neither come unto him. > • »¦ '•: ;-.- Arovrtd 2 § - having then laid down this first, principle, I come to the second, viz:. That thereis no knowl edge of the Son but by the Spirit ; or, That the revelation, bfthe. Son of God is by the Spirit. " Where it is to be noted, that I always speak of the saving, certain, ahd necessary knowledge of Odd; which rfbat it cannot be -acquired otherways. than by the Spirit, doth also appear from many' clear scriptures. For Jesus Christ, inrand by whom ' the Father ^ is revealed, doth also reveal himself to his disciples arid 'friends in and by fiis Spirit. As- his "manifestation was outward, when, -he tes tified and witnessed -'for the truth iri this world, and approved himself faithful throughout, so be- OP IMMEDIATE REVELATION 29 ing now withdrawn,_as to the ouhvard man, he doth teach and instruct mankind inwardly by his own Spirit; He stdndeth at the door* and knocketh, and whoso, heareth his. voice and Openeth, he., comes in to such, Rev. iii. 20. A Of this revelation df Christ " in him Paul speaketh, Gaf i. 16. in which, he placeth the excellency of his ministry, arid the certainty of his calling. And the promise of Christ •to his disciples, Lo, I am with,yqu to the: end ofthe •world, confirmeth the same 'tiling ; -for this is an inward and spiritual presence, as all acknowledge : but what relates hereto will again occur. , I shall deduce, the proof of this proposition from two mani fest places of scripture : the first is, 1 Car. ii. 11, 12. -Proof L What manjcnoweth the things of a man, Save the spirit of aman which is in him? Even so the things of God The things knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God; Now we have li^l "by received not the spirit : • ?'¦ • Therefore the revelation -.of He^us'Christ, and the true and saving feiowiedgetof him,"can only he knoWh and discerned by the Spirit of God ^ by the Holy Ghost. This, scripture, &oS.us ° which is full of truth, arid 'answereth fullMt. for asHhat, or some other bird, may be taught to sound or u'ttet- forth a rational sentence, as it hath - learned it by the outward^ ear, and hot from any living principle* of reason actuating, it; S» just such is that knowledge ofthe things of God, which the natural and.carnal man hath gathered from the Words or "writings of spiritual men, -which are- not true to him, because conceived in the natural spirit,- and so-broughf forth. by the wrong organ, arid notproceeding froni' the; spiritual .principle ; no more than tjie words of a man acquired by art; and brought forth by the mouth of a bird, not pro ceeding from a rational principle, ape true,with respect -to the bird which utters them- "Where fore, from,. this^ scripture I shall further add this argument: If no' 'inanVcan say JesuS is the Lord, but by the Holy: Ghost; then no man can know Jesus to be the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. :< • \ " ¦;. ~" ' But the firs t.is true: therefore the second. " ; From this argument there may be another Re duced, concluding in the very terms of this asser tion: thus, f II 5 32 PRQpQsrfibN. ii. ;w If no man can know Jesus to be the Lord, but by ttie Holy Ghost, then therecan be no certain knowl edge or revelation of him but by the Spirit. r But -the first is true : therefore the second. Assert. 3. , §. VII.' The tturd' thing affirmed is,-That by the Spirit God alWayg revealed.himself to his children. For making the, truth of. this assertion appear, it will be but needful to. consider God's manifest ing himself towards and in relationtd his Creatures from the. beginning, which resolves itself always herein. The first step- of all is ascribed hereunto hy Moses, Qen. i. 2. And the : Spirit of God moved upari ihe face of. the waters. I sthink jt. will hot be Tbatreve- denied, that God's, converse with man, all along j }he°s mty fto,®*- Adamfo Moses,' was by the immediate mani- ofGod. festation of his Spirit : and afterwards,, through the whole tract of" ,the law, he spake to his chil dren no otherways; which, as it naturally ' folldw- eth from the principles above provecL.so, it cannot be denied hy such as acknowledge the scriptures ,' 7 of truth to, have, been written by the inspira tion of the Holy.Ghost : for these writings, from Mo&es to j}lqlachi,. dd' declare, that during-1 all that time 'God revealed himself >'. Secondly^, frpm this immediate fellowship were none shut out,., who earnestly sought after and waited for it ; in that many, besides the High- Priest, who were not so. much as ofthe kindred of OF IMMEDIATE. REVELATION. 33 Levi, nor of ihe prophets, did receive', it and speak from it ; as it is Written, ;Numb. xi. 2S. where the Spirit is said to have ^'rested 'upon the seventy elders -.Notre shut J, , , "0 •-, i ii i *^ ¦ out from wnich opint also reached unto two that were not in thisimme- the tabernacle, but in the camp; whom when some .f^J^-!,1" would have forbidden,' Moses would not, but re joiced, wismng that all the Lbrdh people were prophets,. and that hcivould put his Spirit uponthem, ver; -29. This is also confirmed -f^h. ix. where the elders of the people, after their return from Captivity^ when they began to sanctify themselves by fasting and prayer, numbering' -up the many mercies-, of God towards, their; fathers,' say, verse 20. Thou gavest also thy good Spirit lo instruct them. ; and verse 30. Yet many' years \ didsf thou forbear, arid testify against them by thy Spirit in thy prophets. L Many are the Sayings of. spiritual; -.David to this.purposej as- Psalm H. IV, '12- ' Take not thy holy Spirit from me ;) . uphold .wise viith thy free Spirit. ^ Psal. cxxxix. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit ? Hereunto doth the pr-oiphet-Isaiah ascribe the credit of his testi- mOriy, saying, "chap, xlviii. 16. And now r the Lord God and his Spirit ¦hath sent me, Arid that God re vealed himself to hjs children under the New Testament, to wit to the apostles^ evangelists, and primitive disciples, is confessed by all. How far now this yet continueth, and is to- bd expected, cpmes hereafter to be spoken to. '.,'¦'" ' .',§;'•. VIII. The fourth thing affirrried is, That these Assert. 4. revelations were the object of thesaints' faith of old. . This will easily appear by the' definition of faith, Proved. and considering What its object is: for which we shall not dive into the curious and various notions ofthe schdol-men, but stay in/ the plain and posi tive words of the apostle Paul, who, Heb. xi; de scribes it two ways. Faith (saith he) is the siibstdnce wiiat faith of things- hoped bfor, the evidence of things hot seSn i ''-¦ which, as the apostle1 illustfateth "it in the same chapter by many examples, is no other butva iirm 34 PROPOSITION n. , and certain -belief of the mind, whereby it resteth, and in ia sense possesseth the substance of some things hoped for, through its confidence in ifh'e promise of God: and thus. the. soul hath a most -firm evi dence, by its faith," ef things not yet seen nor come to^pass. The object df this faith is \he'promise, word, or testiniony^of God, speakingyirx the mind. Hence it hath been 'generally affirmedj> that the '^object object of faith is Deus loqttens,{£l'c.ythat >is, God Deus lo'- speaking, fyc. which is also manifest from ajl those quens. examples- deduced by the apostle throughout that whole chapter, whose faith was founded; neither upon any outward testimony, nor upon the voice or writing of man, but upon the .revelation of God's will, .manifest unto; them, and jit them j as inthe example of Noah, ver. 7. thus, By faith Noah, being: jvamed. of . God of things not seen' aS'^yet, moved ' with, feat, prepared- an ark to ¦ the. savirig.of his house.; by the which lie. CQndefnyieil the wqiid^ and becjame.heir: : /of Jhe righteousness aphiah is by faith. . What was here NoabJs the object of Noah's fiaitl^ hut God speaking untd him ? He had not-the writings nor prophesyings of any going before* nor yet the- concurrence of any church or people te strengthen. him; and yet his faithSn the- -word, by- which he contradicted the whole world, saved hiniand his'hoUse, ' Of whieh Abraham's also Abraham is setuforth as a singular example, be* ing therefore called the Father.of the Faithful, who is said against Jwpe to have believed in hope, in thai, he not only willingly forsook his father's country^ not knowing Whither he went j, in that he .believed con cerning the coming of Isaac, though Contrary to natural probability; but above all-in that he' re fused not to offer him/up, not . doubting but God Was able to raise him from. the dead; of whom? it is said, that, in Isaac shall thy seed be called.- And last, of all, in that te rested in the promise, thathis seed should possessithe land, Wherein he himself Was but a pilgrim, and which to them was not to be OP IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 3H> fulfilled while divers ages after. The object of Abraham's faith in all this was no other but in ward and immediate revelation, or God signifying his will unto him inwardly arid immediately by his Spirit J k But because, inithi.s part of the proposition, .we made aJsO mention of external voices, appearances, and d^ams-in the alternative, I think also fit tp speak hereof, what in that respect maybe Object ed; to wit, That those who found their faith now upon imme- Object. diateand objective revelation, ought to have also outward voicesjor visions, dreams or appearances ' It is hoi denied but God made use of the minis- Answ. try of'. angels, who, in the appearance of men, The minis- spake butwardl^.to the saints of old, and that he geu°speak. did also reveal some things to them in dreams and ins in th° visidrfe ; -none of which we will affirm to-be ceased, anceaof so as to limit the power and liberty of God in man- j^f"^'/1" ifestirtg himself towards, his children^ But while -old. we are considering the object of faith, we must not stick tcc&afwhich is but circumstantially and accidentally so, but to that winch is universally. and substantially so. / Njext again, We ,mast distinguish betwixt that which in itself is subject to doubt and delusion, and therefore is received for and because, of another; and that which is not subject to any doubt, but is received simply for and because of itself, as being primp Veritas, the very first and original truth. 'Let us then ^consider how or how far these outward voices, appearances, arid dreams' Wero the object of the saints' faith: was it because they weresim- kevela- ply voices, appearances* or dreams:" Nay, certain- dt^am/ ly ; ; for they were ,-not ignorant* that the devil ?nd vi>- might form a sound- of words, convey it to the (mt- ' ward ear, and deceive the outward senses, t>y making things to appear that are riot. Yea, do we 7 3& PROPOSITION Jl- " not see by daily experience, that this' jugglers and mountebanks can do as much as all that by, their legerdemain? < God forbid then that the saints' faith .should be founded, upon eo fallacious a fouhdatioh as man's outward andfallible senses'.^ What made them then give credit to these visions ?,'. Certainly nothing else, but the secret testimony of GtHd's Spirit in their hearts, assuripgfhe%thatthej'oices, dreams, and visions were ofand from (ytod. ^Abra-r ham believed the angels ; but who told him that these men were angels?' W# rims that think his faith then was, built upon 'his outward senses, but proceeded from the secret, persuasion of God's Spirit in his heart. This tlidrTmust n&?ds be ac knowledged to be originally and principally 'the object of the saints' faith, without which there is no'true and certain faith,ani byWhich many times faith is begotten and strengfhenea without any of these outward o-r visible helps ; as wte irfai^' ob serve in many passagesof theholy scripture, whepe t. it is only mentiogedr -*A$d God* said, fati l'And the word of the Lord. Came unto'such arid &ttc%:stiyiifg,'8,'c. But if any one' should- 'pertinaciously' affirm, Object That this did import an: outward audrole voige to the carnal ear; •'-'• *¦'' % Answ. I would gladly; know what other argutnentsueh ,- an one could bring for this his affirmation; saving his own simple conjecture. It is ^said indeed, The JSlfri*' SpiHt Wtnes&etli with our Spirit,' but not to our out- the spirit- ward ears, Rom. viii: 16. j\ And seeing the Spirit of to'thS God is within us, and notwithout us onlyvit speaks ward. to our spiritual; and not to our bodily ear. There fore I see no reason, where it is so often said in scripture, The Spirit said, moved, hindered, called such or such a one, to do or forbear Such or such a thing, , tfiat any have to conclude, that- this was not an inward , voice to the ear of the soul, rather than an<*mtward voice to' the bodily ear. If any be' otherwise minded, let them, if they can, produce OP IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 37 4heir arguments, arid, we may further consider of them. '¦-'.**'¦.• a From all therefore which is above; declared, I shall deduce- an argument to conclude the proof of this assertion, thus : > ¦• : •¦: That which anYonefiriftly believes, as the ground and fojjftdationipJF his hope in God,, and life eter nal, is the; formal object gf his faith. But the inward . and immediate revelation of God's Spirit, speaking, in and unto the saints, wa£ by them believed as the ground ^and'foundat ion of thjeir hjope in Gpd, and life eternal. : ' Therefore, these inward and immediate revela tions were the 'formal object of their faith. •( §. IX. That which now^cometh under debate, is ~l^b" what 'We asserted in the, last place,r to wit, That the same continuefh to be fhe object ofthe saints' faith unto this- day. ' Many will agree to what we have said before, who differ fromus herein. There is nevertheless a very firm argument, con firming the trrith of this assertion, included in the proposition itself, to ,wit, That the object of the saints' faith is the same in all ages, though held forth under divers administrations; which I shall reduce to an argument, and'prove thus: > .First, Where the faith is one, the object of the f^th is oqe. ¦¦*w».- , stance therewith,, and receiving' the same definition, it had been impertmentfor the appstte,,, I#£. xi. to ?fhte^afth have illustrated tho^efinition of dur faith by the saints ot examples dfthat, ofthe ancients, or to go-about to "ame^tb move us by the exa'mple of Abraham, $ Abraham's ours. *® PROPOSITION II» - X faith wej?e different in nature from ours.- Nor doth any difference arise hence,"iMcau?e Hhey believed, in Christ with respect to his appearance outwardly as future, and We, as already appeared : forrigither did they thenso%elieve in him to' come," lia. not to feel him present with them? and ^witness* him .near* seeing the apostfe .saith,'. They all dr^nk of ^spir itual rock which foilowed, them,, which rock wasvhrist; npr do we so believe concerning his appearance. past, as not also to Jeel and know him 'present with us, and. to feed upoy,.- Mm; except. Christ (saith the apostle) be in you^ye /xrereprohdtesj so ' that both Our faith is one, terminating- in We and th^ same thing, . And as to. th&difyer j&rt or ddnsequerice of the antecedent, to -^it, That the object is oife where th'e faith is one*' the apostle also proveth it in the fore-cited chapter, where he makes.fBl^fe Worthies of old examples to us. Now wherein' are thtey ,im- itable, but because, they Delieip^, in God? And what was the object of thejr^ait%hu^,inward^and immediate revelation, as vye pave, before proved^? Their, example caat be no ways applicable tons, except we believe in God, as they did ; ¦tfiatts, by the same object. The'apoMle clears this yetlur- ther by his own example, (Ural, i III. wher&he saith, So soon as Christ, was repealed, in himjhfi, counted r{i • , ¦" ,i ~ i are now to and first from the promise ot Christ in these-words, be led by John %fy.\6. And I will pray \ the Father, and he ivill ^thlPsarae giveyoU-another Comforter, that he may dfoide with you manner as forever. Ver. '17. Even the Spirit" of truth, whahi^eZmU' 40 PROPOSITION II. the world cannot receive, because® seeth Jhim mot, nei ther knoweth him; -but ye kn@whim\ for he\dweUefh with you, and shall bcin you..^ Again, ver. '2t5. But the: Comforter, which it? the Holy Gf^st^uihomihe Father will $pid in my name, he shaU tedchyou" aU things,;, and bring all things to your femembrance. Andftxvi. li. ffrtit whew, the, Spirit af truth shall come, he shcjjl lead yoii into all truth : for he shall not% speak $f himself ,; but whatso\eve¥- he shall hear he shed} speak, and 'shall de clare* unto .you ihings to dome.-: 'W e havehere first, •who this is, and, that is divers ways expressed, to wit, The Comforter, the Spirit^ of truth,: the, JHoly Ghost, the'senf-of fjie Father iii ^ the name' of .'Christ,. And hereby, is sufficiently 'proved the sdttishhess of those Socinians, and other carnal Christians, who neither know nor acknoWledgeiahy iriiferhal Spirit or power but that .which .is 'merely natural) by which they sufficiently declare themselves to be of the worldr who.cannot receive -the Spirit, because they neither see him nor knowhim. Secondly, Where this. Spirit is to beryHe dweUgth' %ithydu, and .shall be in you.. And Thirdly, What his work is.'' He shall teach yuoutdl things, and 'brift&t- all things to !- your 'x&mkmbran-ce-, and. guide you into' att truth, bby!ynff£ivih.gd^a^aa^^vd%^dEidv.}' " ' » '"¦'"' tjitery i. As to the First,, Most do acknowledge, that there woh^f^is is nothing else understood' than what the flain er.' words signify; whichis.also evident:- by'many othir places of scripture that will hereafter occur.; nei ther do I see how.'such as affirm otherways cart avoid blasphemy: for, if the. Comforter, the Holy Ghost, and Spirit of truth, beall one with the scrip tures, then it wilK^low that the* scriptures" are Nonsensj- God, 'Seeing jt is true that the Holy Ghost? is God. 0ai conse^ jf those men's reasoning might take place, where-- frpmthIei ever the Spirit -is mentioned, in relation to the beHei'o"3' saints, hereby might be truly artd*properly under- the scrip-, stood the 'scriptures ; T Which, what a nonsensical thelpirit.5 monster it Wtfuld make of the Christian religion, OF IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 41 * 1 Will easily-appear to. all men. As where it is said; A manifestation ofthe Spirit is 'given- to every man to profit ; withal; it might be rendered thus, A mani festation of the scriptures is given to every man to profit withal ; what notable sense this would make, and what a curious interpretation^ let us eortsider by the sequelpf the same chapter, i Cor. xii. ?, ID, 1 1 . To toiptKef the' gifts, of healing, by the same Spir it ; to another the working ofi wiirdcfes,' 8{c. But all these worketh that one and the- selfsame Spirit, divi ding to every man severally as he will. \ What would now these .great masters of reason, the Socinians, judge, if we should place the scriptures here in stead r-6f the ,Spirit? Would it answer their rea- sori, which is the great guide of their faith ? Would it be g-odd and sound reason in their logical *•. -- 7 Secondly^That this Spirit is inward, in my Query 2. opinion needs rto interpretation or commentary, wshe^Cg, He dwelleth' with youi, and shall be in you. 'This in dwelling ofthe Spirit in the saints,-as it is a thing. most needful to be known and believed, so is-it as positively, assertedin the scripture as any thirig.else can be. If so be )hat the Spirit of God dwell in youi, saith the apostleto the Romans, chap. viii. ,9. And' &gahiy Know ye>not. that your body is- the temple- ofthe W ' PROPOSITION ti. HoW Ghost, I Cor. Vi.l9,And that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you-? 1 Cor. iii. 16. Without, this; the apostle reckoneth no man-a Christian. - Ifadyman (saith he) have ndttheiSpirit of Christ, heis none of his. These words immediately follow- those aoove-men- tioned out of the epistle to the Romans, Jt}ut ye' art- . not in the fiesh,.iut inthe" Spirit, 'if 'sofe-the Spirit of -God The Spirit dwell inyfyu. • The Context of which'shdweth, tliat tlie within, the apostle reckoneth.it the maih token of a Christian, keVqfa'^ both positively and negatively: for in -the former christian. verse$ he showeth how4he> carnal mind is enmity against 6W,'and that such" as are in the flesh caringt pleusehim. Where subsuming, he adds concerning tke.:Rbmans, that ihey are not in the flesh, if 'the Spirit, of God dweMn-thejh.. What; is this but to- affirm, 'that they in whom the Spirit dwells are' no-longer m the; flesh, nor of those who pfease-^nbt God, but are become Christians 'indeed ? Again, in the nextverseh'e concludes negatively ,- that 'if any man have hot the Spirit bf Christ, he is none of his ;¦ tna&is-,. he is no Christian. ' He then that acknowledges himself ignorant.' and a stfaa^er to the inward in- being of the /Spirit, of. Christ hi. his heart, d^h thereby acknowledge himself to be yet inthe car nal mihd, which is. "enmity -to God; fo.be yet in the flesh, 'where God cannot be pleased 5. and in short,,whatever he may otherways know Or believe, pf Christfor 'however much skilled or acquainted with' the- letter of the holy scripture-; notyettd be5 notwithstanding all that, attained to the least- de gree of a Christian-; yea, nOt once to have evA- braoed the Christian religion? For take but aWay the Spirit, and Christianity remains no -more Christianity, than the deadearcase of a man, when the soril and spirit is departed," remains a man; , which the living can no more abide, but do Jbury out of their sight, as a rtoisome and useless thing, however acceptable it hath been When actuated and moved by the soul. Lastly, ; Whatsoever is ex» OF IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 43 cellent, whatsoever iii fibble, isShatsoever is worthy, what soever is desirflbf An the Christian faith, is ascribed to this ¦Spirit, without Which it could no more Sub sist than the outward wqrjd without the sun. Here unto hajge all true Christians, in all ages, attributed their -strength and life. It is by this Spirit that they avouch themselves to have been converted to God, to have been redeemed from the World, to have been strengthened , in their weakness, comforted iii their afflictions* confirmed in their temptations, imboldehed in their sufferings, and triumphed in the 'midst of all their persecutions. Yea, the" writings of all true Christians are full of The great and nota- the great and notable things* which they all affirm "le acts" themselves to have ffoline, by the power, and viriae, tlmt h&ve and efficacy of this Spiritof God working in them, arepe*- It is the Spirit that quickene\h, John vi. 63. It Was f?rmed.by ,, o ¦-<.! -• i a •• i, the Spirit the Spirit mat gave them utterance, Acts- \\. 4. It Was in au age», fhe* Spirit by' which Stephen spake, That the- Jews were hot able to resist, Acts vi. 10. It is such as walk after the' Spirit ''that receive nbj condemnation, Rom. viii. J. It is the law of "thp Spirit that makes free, ver. 2. It is by the Spirit Of God dwelling in us; that we are redeemed from the flesh, and from the carnal mind, ver; 9; It is the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us thai quickeneth- our mortal" bodies*, ver. 11. It is through.this -Spirit that the deeds- of \ the body are mortifim,; and life obtained, ver. 13. It is by this Spirit that we are adopted, and cry ABBA, Father, ver., 1& It is this Spirit that beareth lyitness' with our spirit fhat we are the children of God, ver. 16. It is t3|is Spirit that tielpeth our infirmities, and maketh inter cession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered, ver. 26. It is by this Spirit that thegloriqus things Which God hath laid «p for us, which neither aid- ward ear -hath heard, nor outward eye-hath seen, nor the Iieari of man conceived by all his, •reasonings, are revealed unto us* 1 Cb'r. ii. 9, 1Q. It is by this Spirit t hat botii wisdom and knowledge, and faith, 8 44 ¦ ., proposition II. and miracles, aiad tongues, and prophecies, are obtaMi- ed, 1 Cor. xii. 8, 9, JO. It ig by this .Spirit that we are .o ill baptized 'into one>body,ver< 13. In short, what ." thing relating to the salvation of the soul, andtb the life of, a Christian, is 'rightly performed, of ef fectually obtained, without it ? * And. what shall I say more? For the time .would, fail me to telfof all those things Whidh the holy men of pld have de clared, and^the saiafs of thisday do themselves- en- joyi by the virtue and power fefj.this Spirit dwelling in them.* Truly my paper could1 not contain the many testimonies whereby fnis*truth is-coflfjrmed; wherefore, besides what is above-mentioned "but of the fathers, whom all pretend to reverence, ajid those Of Luther and ]flelanctlib%,, I shall deduce fet one observable, testimony ofeit of Calvin, -beeause no^a few of ther followers of his doctrine" do rei fuse and deride (and that," as it is to. be feared, because , of their own- non-experience thereof) this way of the Spirit's u>d welling-, as>un<^rtairi apd dangerous? that so, if neither the testimony of the scripture, nor the sayings of others,, fior right reason can. move them, they may at least be 1%: proved fey the: words of their own. hiaster^ who. saith inthe third book/of his Institutions, cap; 2, onthis^wise: '¦:•'-.-.. ¦ • r - .? ^-. . - caivin of ; ¦*. But ¦ they allege,. It is a bold presumption for lit^ofthe' ' " any to .pretend to an undoubted," knowledge of spirit's in- « God's will ;*> which (saith heVl should grantunto dwelling ,, (i^_ ¦•/• ,' , , v ' ., -J ¦ fe ^ fa us. ° ".tnem, it we should- ascribe so much to ourselves "as to subject the incomprehensible counser*of "God to the rashness of our Understandings* Bit V while We simply say with Paul, that we have reeeiv- " ed not. the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is « of God, by whose teaching .we know those things *'that are given us of God, what can they prate " against :it without reproaching the Spirit of God ? V For if it be an horrible sacrilege to accuse any "revelation coming from him, either of a lie, of un- ^ OJPV IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 45* *• ... 7 certainty or ambiguity, in asserting its certain ty wherein do we offend ? But they cry out, That it is not without great temerity that we dare so boast ofthe Spirit of Christ. Who would believe .that the sottighness of these men were so great, to would^fe esteemed the masters pf the World,. t they should so- fail, in the first principles of religion? -f Verily I 'could not believe it, if their OWn writings did npt testify so much. ¦ Paul acr counts those the Sons ofijGod,. who- are actuated- by the Spirit of God ;%at these will have the children of God actuated by .their own spirits^without the Spirit Of God. He will have us call God Father, the Spirit- diai^at/ng that term-unto us, which only can witness to our spirits -that .we -are the Softfi of God. ^These^ thqughithey cease not tp call upon God, do nevertheless dismiss the Spirit, by whose guiding he is rightlptqjbe called upon. He denies ^them to be the Sons of God, or the Servants of Christ, who are not led by,his Spirit; but these feign a Christianity that needs not the Spirit df Christ. He takesaway the hope of a blessed resur rection, unless we feel the Spirit residing in us; but these feign, a hope without any such a feeling; but perhaps they, will answer, that they deny not but that itis necessary to have it, only of modesty and. humility we ougnt tq deny and not acknowl edge it/ What means he then-, when he commands theCorinthians to try themselves, if they .be inthe faitli;, to examine themselves, Whether they have Christ* whom whoseeyer acknowledges not dwell ing in him,, is a -reprobate ? Sy jhe Spirit which he hath given us, saith John, tt>,e kfoow. thafcke abideth in us> And What do we fhenvelse but call Jn question Chrises promise, while we would be esteemed the servants of God without his Spirit, which he declared he would pour out upon all his ? ¦« Seeing these things are the first grounds of piety, it is miserable blindnessHo accuse Christians of 46 - , %i PEorosiTioN,, ii. WitS°?' . " pride, because they dare glory of the presence ^ese^ce,5 " ofthe Spirit; without which glorying, €hri&ti$n- Smuift11' "it;y itself could not be< But by their exaerpfe cease™ " they declare, how truly Christ ,spake,'Sajjjpg, That "his Spirit was unknQ>wn,to\the JVorfd, and;4ha.t ¦ "those: only acknowledge it. wit&^whonvitftre- "mains." .Thus far Calvin. , * -fa. If therefore it be so, Why should any be so fool ish as to deny, pr so unwise as. not to seek after this Spirit, Which Christ ha$ promised shall dwell in his, children r They, then that *d of suppose the in dwelling add leading of his Spirit to, be ^Ceased, must also suppdse Christianity to he -ceased, which cannot subsist without it. , \ .-'.,-»- V»» ,.'¦ + Query a. !- Thirdly, What the workdf thfe Spirit is* is park, WMt is ly before shnWn?''.which Christ CQmprisethin two or of the Spir- three "things,, He' will guide-you into, cdkirhtfil; He will it? . 1 each ysm all things, and bring, al} thingtyfa [your remem- i3.a"dV1' brdnce. Since Chri&t hath provided for us so good xiv. 26. an, instructer,' why need we then lean so much to. those, traditions and .^commandments' of; ': me» , wherewith so many Christianshave burthjened|feipm- selves ? Why need we set up our own carnafand TheS irft corrupt reason for a guide to *us in matters spirif- thc guide, uah as some 'will deeds do ?, May it notbecpniT plained of all such, as the Lord did of old concern ing Israel by the prophets, Jer: ii. 13. For my peo ple have committed two evils, theyhave forsaken me; the fountain of living, waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water? Have not ma ny forsaken,. do not many deride and reject, this' inward and immediate guide* th'is Spirit that leads into all truth, and cast up to- themselves other ways, broken ways indeed, whichhave not all this while brought them out of the flesh, norout of the World, nor from under the dominion Of their own fusts and sinful affections, whereby truth,, which is1 only rightly learned by this Spirit, is so much a stran ger in the earth ? ', .'«.•¦;' OF IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 47 ** From alfthen that hath been mentioned' con- ^cerning this'promile', apd these words of Christ, it will folio w4hat Christians are always to be led in- AaPe^?*" wardly anc^immediately by the Spirit of God dwell- "nee to'"" ing- in them, and that. the same is- a standirfg and'i^f^h perpetual ordinance, as well to the church in gen-? andjpeo- eral in all ages" as to every individual member in pl% particular, as appears froni this argument : - The premises hf Christ to his Cnildjren are Yea and Amen\ and cannot fail, bu^» must of necessity be fulfilled. • ¦2 BufChislst hat^ promised, that the Comforter, the Holy -Ghost, the 'Spirit of truth, shall abide with his children forever1, shall dw^Il'^with them; shall b&' in them, shall lead them into all truth, shall' teach th^gm ajji. things, and bring all things* fo their remembrance: - m, ... ' ¦•¦-¦' Thereftre the Comforter* the Holy. Ghosi, the Spirit, of tru^h, his-^h?ding with his cnaldrenv&c. is Yea and Arn$n, ire / .#_ -; ',ti . Agfai^': -No map- is Redeemed from the carnal mind, whiehis at enmity with- God; which is not subject to the law of God, neither can be: no man iayet in the Spirit, but in the flesh, and cannot please ' . God, except he in wtiom'the Spirit of God dwells. ~ B$i,t every true Christian is m measure redeem ed from the^arnal mind, is gathered out of the en- y'mity,.and'tw be subject to the law of God ,- is out ofthe flesh, and iri the Spirit, the, Spirit of\God' dwelling in him.^ /- . *f ' !' :...¦: Therefore e^ery true. Christian|hath the Spirit of God dwelling fa him. - " • Agajn : Whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ, is noneof,his ; that i$, no child, no friend; no disciple of Christ ' • '- '.>**••' • * ¦ "-"•- But every true Christian is a 'child, a friend, a disciple of Christ : ' '•• : .-. ' Therefore every true Christian hath the Spirit of Christ. t. 48 *¦• . -PROPOSITION XJ. r.'-' .¦-' I ._ Moreover: Whosoever is the temple, of the Holy- Ghost, in him ihe Spirit of God dwjellefli and abideth. ''*. ¦ -jk- '' f \ • •' .'-' * '-''".'. But every true Christian is thetemple ofthe mo- lyGhSsty^-' *#•' '¦" ¦--..*>',. ¦¦'-- . i- ¦.'.'• , Therefore, in every true Christian the'Spirit of God dwelleth arid ahMeth. '* "•¦ r . But to conclude : He in whom the Spiritof God dwelleth, it, is not in him, a lazy ^- dumb, useless thing; but it ihoveth, . actuateth, goVernefh, in- strnctethi and teacheth him all things Whatsoever. are needful for him- to k'now;*jyea, bringeth all things to his remembrance.-- * ''-But the Spirit' of1 God dwelleth In every true Christian: ' v '¦—'-' ¦;•' -If'',' '"'¦¦' '4. '¦-. Therefore the Spirit of Gb(Meadeth#flstrjJct- eth, and teacheth eve#y true Christian Whatsbever is needful for him to :know. '\flfc' Object- ;. $. XI.. But there are some thatwill cogfess, That' the Spirit doth now lead adt infludtrce the.saints; but that he doth it only subjectively, oi*ih"# blind manner^ by enlightening -their understandings, to understand and believe the truth delivered in the scriptures ;. biit not at allbypresentfaig those troths to the mind by .way of Object, and this they call Medium incognitum assentiendi,as that of 'whose work ing a man is not sensible* , .- ¦ ¦« \ * i. •;' \ Answ. This opinion, -'thouglrsomewnat more tolerable than the former, is nevertheless not altogether, ac cording- to truth, toejther- doth it reach the fulness' of it. i. K . 1 >¦ - ¦?¦ .; ' Arg. 1. '¦ 1 • Because there be many truths, which, as they are applicable to particulars and- individuals,' and jnostneedful to be "known by them, 'are in nO^wise to be found in the' scripture, as in the folloWing proposition shall be shown. • \. * J--\: Besides, the arguments already adduced do prove, ' that the Spirit dothhot only subjectively help;Usto discern truths elsewhere delivered, but also bbjeet1'' OF IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 49 tvely present those truthsto. our minds. For that whichfeacheth tne. all "tilings, and is given me for that end, without doubt presents those things to my mind which it teacheth nie'. *It is not saidV It shall teach you how , to Understand those thingsHhat are fdrittett ; but, /if ahall teach yduall thmgs. Again, That which brings all things to toy remembrarice, must needs-present them, by way of object ; .else it were improper to say, It broughtthem to my re- memBrance; but only, that it helpeth to remem-. ber the objects brought from .elsewhere. ' My second argument shall be drawrt from the Arg. 2. nature of the new covenant ; by which, and those that follow, I shall prove that we are led by the Spirit both immediately and objectively. The nature of the new covenant is expressedhi divers places ; * and, . -..-.-. ..,*- » First, Isa-. lix. 21. As. for me, this is my .covenant Proof 1. with theni^ skitkthe Lord.; -"My Spirit that' is uponthee, and my words which I hav,e put into thy mouth, shall' npt^depart out of thy, mouth, nor put of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the. mouth of thy seed's- seed, saith thfe L^rd, from henceforth. and far ever. " By the lat- Theiead- terpart ofthis is.suffieiently expressed theperpet- g^tf the uity and continuance of this promise,. It shall hot depart, saith tk% Lord from henceforth and forever. In the former-part is the promise itself* Which is the Spirit of God being, upon them? and the Words of God being; put into their mouths. •« .^. . __ First j «This was inimediate, for there is no men- l.imme- tion made of any medium.; he saith not, I shall- by diately- the .means of such and. such .writing or books, - convey such and sue* words into your mouths; but My words, I, e$en I, saith the Lord, haiSeput into your mouths. . .-. ... ;¦ . « .•'<-..¦.-.• Secondly, This must be objectively ; for [the words # . object- put into the mouth] are the object pre'siented'by him. ively- Hesaith not, The words which ye shall see written, my Spirit shall onlyenlighten youtunderstandings, SO PROPOSITION II. to assent unto; .but positively, Mfwords, which I have' put into thymouth, Sfc... * Fr,om* whence I. argue thus: *: ' v y Upon whomscfever the Spirit rCmaineth always, "and putteth words Into his mputh,vhim doth the Spirit teach immediately, objectively; and- con^Siudlly. But the Spirit* is always upon the seed of the righteous,- aq*U putteth woids,hitO their mouths, neither depar'teth from them :' .,'. •¦-.¦¦' ... Therefore the Spirit teacheth the righteous im mediately, objectively, and wnfinually* * . ' ¦' Eroof 2. ' Secondly, The nature of fae'new covenant is yet more amply expressed, Jer. xxxi. "33. which is again repeated and reasserted hy the apostle, Heb. viii. 10, 11. in these Words, .For /Aw is*/Ae covenant that ' I will make with the house of Israel, after .those days, saith the Lord, I wittput my laws into their. minds, and : write Jhem in their hearts, and. I ivillbe to. them a Goik, and:jfoeyshallbeto nU a people.; And theij.&hall yxiot teach every man his neighbour, and every man h%s brother,! saying, Know the' Lord; for they shallkdl know mei from: the least to the greatest. The. object » here is God's law placed ja the , heart, and Written in the mind ; from whence they become God's people, and are brought truly to know him. '.';'> • Mc3e'bf*1>' In ^is then is the lato distinguished from the tween the gospel; the'/a'w before was outward, written in ZnTZ* tables of stone, but'. no"W is inward, written in the ward law. heart: of old the people depended upon thejr priests for the knowledge *pf God, but now they have all a de*rtain and sensij|le knowledge, of Him ; concerning' whichy Ay^ustine . speaketh well, in his book De Litera 3f*'Spiritu '; from whom Aqv^pW first of all seems, to have taken occasion tq move , this question, Whether the new law be a written %o, or an implanted lam-? JE*ex scripta, vel lex indita? Which he thus resolves, affirming, That the new law, or_gospel, is not properly a law written, as the old was, OF IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 5 1 out hex indita, an implanted law ; and that -the old law was written without, but the new law is written with in, on the table of the heart.. How much then are they deceived,- wfyq, instead of making • the gospel preferable to the law, haye made the condition of such as are under the gospel far worse ? For no doubt it is a far bette» arid more desirable thing to converse with God imme diately, than Only mediately, as being an higher and The gospel more glorious dispensation': and yet these men tioTwore acknowledge that many Under the law had immei SoriotV9. diate converse wfth God, whereas they now cry it ofthe law. is ceased. ¦'<-.>¦ Again: Under the law there was the holy, of holies, into which the high priest did enter, and received the word'of the Lord* immediately from 'be twixt the cherubims, so that the people could then certainly know the mind of the Lord ; but how, according to these men's Judgment, we are in afar Worse condition^ having nothing but the Outward letter of the scripture to guess and divine from ; concerning the sense or meaning of one verse of which scarce two can be found to agree. But Je sus Christ hath promised us better things, though many are so unwise as not to believe him, evento guide us by his own unerring Spirit and hath rent and removed the vail, whereby not only One, and / that once a year, may enter; but all of us, at all times, have access unto him, as often as we draW near unto him with pure hearts : he reveals his will to us by his Spirit, and writes his laws in our hearts. These things then being thus premised, largue, Where the law of God is put into the mind, and written in the heart, there the object of faith, and revelation of the knowledge of God, is inward, im mediate, and objective. But the law of God is put into the mind, and written in the heart of every true Christian, un der the new covenant. 9 • - < 52 PROPOSITION II» ¦-¦ Therefore the object of faith, and revelation; of the knowledge ,of;God to -every true Christian, is inward, immediate, and objective. The assutnptlpn is 'Tthe^-. express words of scrip ture : the proposition^ then must needs be true, ex cept that which is put' ihtor the mind, and written in the heart* were either not ihywdrd, not immediate, or not objective*, which is- most absurd. - . Arg. s. §. XIL The third argument is from these words The a- of John, 1 John ii. ver. 27;; But the anointing, which recom^ ye have received of hini,. abideth in you, and ye need mended,as not that any man teach~you : but the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie ; and even as it hath • taught you, ye shaU abide in him. ' •', .. ~- -¦-";,•. "i i. First, This could not be any special, peculiar, emmon. Qr eXtraor(jinary privilege, but that which is com mon to all the saints, it being a general epistle, directed to all them of that age. 2. Secondly, The apostle proposeth this anointing Certain. jn them, as a tnore certain touch-stone for them to discern and try seducers by, even than his own writings ; for having in the former verse said, that he had written some things to 'them concerning such as seduced them, he begins the next verse, But the anointing, #•&, and ye need not that any man teach yous, fye. ; which infers, that having said to them what can be said,' he refers them for all to the inward anointing, which teacheth all things, as the most firm, constant, and certain, bulwark against all seducers. L 3 And Lastly, That it is a lasting and continuing lasting, thing ; the anointing which abideth. If it had not been to abide in them, it could not have taught them all things* neither guarded them against all hazard. From which I argue thus, He that hath an anointing abiding in him, which teacheth him all things, so that he needs no man to teach him, hath an inward and immediate teach- OF IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 53 er, and hath some things inwardly and immediate ly revealed unto him.' But the saints have such an anointing .- Therefore, &c. s: I could prove this doctrine from many more places of scripture, which for brevity's sake I omit ; and now come to the second part of the proposition," where the objections usually formed against it are answered. • ¦-. §. XIII. The most usual is, That these revelations Object- ore uncertain. But this bespeaketh much ignorance in the op- Answ. posers ; for we distinguish between the thesis and the hypothesis ; that is, between the proposition and supposition. For it is one thing to affirm, that the true and undoubted revelation of God's Spirit is certain and infallible ; and another thing to affirm, that this or that particular person or people is led infallibly by this revelation in what they speak or write, be cause they affirm themselves to be so led by the inward and immediate revelation of the Spirit. The first is only asserted by us, the latter may be called in question. The question is not who are or are not so led : But whether all ought not or may not be so led ? ' Seeing then we have already proved that Christ ™£ce0rf hath promised his Spirit to lead his children, and the Spirit's that everyone of fhem.bofh ought and may be led (^oved?6 by it, if any depart from this certainguide in deeds, and yet in words, pretend to be led by --it into things that are not good, it will noffrom thence fol low, that the true guidance of the Spirit is uncer tain, or ought not to be followed; no more than it will follow that the sun showeth not light, because a blind man, or one who wilfully shuts his eyes, falls into a ditch at noon-day for Want of light; or that no words are spoken, because a deaf man hears them not ; or that a garden full of fragrant flowers has no sweet smell, because he that has Si PROPOSITION II. lost his srrielling doth not smell it; the fault then is in the organ, and not in the object. :% i All these mistakes 'therefore are to be ascribed to the weakness or wickedness of men, and not to that Holy ,. Spirit. Such5 as bend themselves most against the certain and infalljbie testimony ofthe Spirit use commonly tp allege the example of the old Gnostics, and the late monstrous arid mischiev ous actings ofthe Anabaptistk of Munster, alf which toucheth u's nothing at all, neither weakens a whit our most true doctrine. Wherefore, as a most sure bulwark against such kind of assaults, was subjoin ed that other part of our proposition thus : More over these divine and inward revelations, which we es tablish as absolutely necessary for the founding ofthe true faith, as they do not, so neither can they at any time, contradict the Scriptures'1 testimony, or sound reason. Byexperi- Besides the intrinsic and undoubted truth of this assertion, we can boldly affirm it from; our certain and blessed experience. For this Spirit never deceived us, never acted nor moved us to any, thing that was amiss ; but is clear and mani fest in its revelations,which are evidently discerned by us, as we wait ip that pure and undefiled light of God (that proper ahd fit organ) in which they are received. Therefore , if any reason after this manner, ' {That because some wicked, ungodly, devilish men have committed wicked actions, and have yet more wick edly asserted, that they were led into these things by the Spirit of God; Therefore; No man ought to lean to the Spirit of God, or seek to be led by it,) ••'"' The absur- ' utterly deny the consequence ofthis proposition, dity of the which, were it to bereceived as true, then wouldall quence. faith inGod and hope of solvation become uncertain, and the Christian religion be turned into mere Scep ticism. For after the same manner I might reason thus : ence. OP IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 55 Because Eve was deceived hyjth& lying of the serpent; ¦ ./•¦' -," . ; Therefore she ought- not to haye trusted to the promise of God. • ', • ' -'* . ./. • , Because the old world Was deluded .'by evU spir its ; ' .' ,'..;•' i "•¦-." % i Therefore ought neither Noah,, nor Abraham nor Moses, to have trusted the Spirit of the Lord.'-. Because a lying spirit spake through )the four hundred prophets, that persuaded, Ahab to go up and fight at Ramofh Gilead ; > ; Therefore the testimony of the true Spirit in Mi- caiah was uncertain, and dangerous to be followed. Because there were seducing 'spirits crept into the church of old ; Therefore it was not good, or it is uncertain, to follow the anointing,, which taught all things, and is truth, and is no lie, - Who dare say, that this is a necessary conse quence ? Moreover, not only the faith of the saints and church of God of old, is hereby render ed uncertain, but also the faith of all Sorts of Christians now is liable to the like/hazard, even of those who seek a foundation' for their faith else where than from the Spirit. For I shall prove by an , inevitable argument, ab incommodo, i.e. from the inconveniency of it, that if the Spirit be not to be followed upon that account, and that men may not depend upon it as their guide, because some, while pretending thereunto, coriimit great evils ; that then, neither tradition, nor, the script ures, nor reason, which the Papists, Protestants, and Socinians do respectively make the rule of their faith, are any whit more certain. The Romanists i- instan- reckon it an error to celebrate Easter any other duion. '*" ways than that church doth. This can only be decided by tradition. And yet the Greek church, which equally layeth claim to tradition with her self, doth it otherwise. Yea, so little effectual is 56 PROPQSITION II. Euseb. tradition :to 'decide the case, that Poly carpus, the ci«.' Hb. V disciple of John, and Anicetus, the bishop of Rome, c.26. wn0 immediately succeeded them, according to whose example both sides concluded the question ought to' be -decided, could not agree. Here of necessity One of therii.must err^ and that following tradition. - Would the Papists now judge we dealt fairly by themyif we should thence aver, that tradi tion is not to be regarded ? Besides, in a matter of „, far -greater importance the. same difficulty will oc- cur,to wit, in the primacy of the bishop of Rome; for many do affirm, and that "by tradition, that in the first six hundred years the Roman prelates nev er assumed the title of Universal Shepherd, nor were acknowledged as such. And, as that which alto gether overturneth this precedency, there are that allege, and that from tradition also, that Peter never saw Rome ; and that therefore the bishop of Rome cannot be his successor, -Would you Romanists think this sound reasoning, to say as you do? ; • -..-^ , ,'*'"-,_ . Many have been deceived, and erred .grievous ly, in trusting to tradition ; - , • Therefore We ought to reject all traditions, yea, even those by which we affirm the contrary, and, as we think, pi-ove the truth. >f „Conc Lastly, Jn the *council of Florence, the chief doc tor, sess. tors of the Romish and Gr-e'ek churches did debate Buodam'0 whole sessions lohg doncerning the interpretation conc.Eph. of orte sentence ofthe council of '-Ephesus, and of n'til.83' Epiphanius, and Basilius, neither could they ever Cone. agree about it. is"2o.es Secondly, As to the scripture, the same difficult c°"c- tyoccurreth: the Lutherans affirm they believe con- 21. p. 480. substantiation by the scripture ; which the Calvinists &seq. deny, as that which, they say, according to the same scripture, is a gross error. The Calvinists again affirm absolute predestination,which the Armin ians deny, affirming the contrary; wherein both OF IMMEDIATE , REVELATION. ' 57 affirm themselves to* be ruled by the scripture and reason in the matter. n Should I -argue thus then to(the Calvinists? , '" , , ¦ i - ,.,.,, Here the Lutherans and' Arminians grossly ert, -. by following the scripture ; ',<>-. Therefore the scripture is not a gbod nor cer tain rule ; and e contrario. Would either of them accept ofthis reasoning as good and sound ? What shall I say ofthe Episcopa- lians; Presbyterians, Independents, and Anabaptists- of Great Britain, who are continually buffeting one another with the scripture ? -To. whom the same argument might- be alleged, though they do all unanimously acknowledge it td be the rule. ' And Thirdly, as td reason, I shall not need to ^f rea" say much; for whence come all the controversies, contentions, and debates in the world, but because The Ae- every man thinks he follows right reason ? Hence }jfuecfe ari. of old dame the jangles between the Stoics, Pfa- sing be- tonists, Peripatetics, Pythagoreans, and Cynics, as of oTcUnd6 late betwixt the Aristotelians, Cartesians, and other Iatc phi- naturalists:. Can it be thence inferred, or will the °sop er?' Socinians, those great reasoners, allow us to- con clude, because many, and those very wise men, have erred; by following, as they supposed; their reason, and that with what diligence, care and in dustry they could, to find Out the truth, thatfhere- fore no man ought to make use of it at all, nor be positive in what he knows certainly to be ration al? And thus far as to opinions; the same uncer tainty is no less incident unto those other ^princi- ples. §. XIV. But if we come to. practices, though I '^"*j*P' confess I do with my whole heart abhor and detest their wild those wild practices which are written concerning j^p"?' the Anabaptists of Munster; I ani bold to say, as testants bad, if not worse things,, have been committed by p°st^or those that lean to tradition* scripture* and reason : their wars wherein also they have averred themselves to have ™edj H^ 58 PROPOSITION II. pretend- been authorized by these rules. I need but men- tufeSforPit. tion all the tumults* seditions, and horrible blood shed, wherewith Europe hath been afflicted these divers ages-; in. which Papists against Papists, Cal- vinisis against Calvinists,. Luiherfins against Luthe rans, and Papists assisted by Protestants, against Other PrOtestanfi assisted by Papists, have misera bly shed one another's blood, hiring and forcing men to kill each other, who were ignorant of the quarrel, and strangers one to another: all, mean-. while, pretending reason for so, doing, and plead ing the lawfulness of it from scripture. acripture-'.- ^°fc wnat h'aye tn encourage them, by burning and banishing, while their brethren, are so treated for the same cause ? Are not the islands of Great Dritain and Ireland, yea, and all the Christian world, a lively example hereof, which were divers years together as a theatre3 of blOod; where many lost their lives, and numbers, of families were utterly destroyed and ruined? For all which no other cause was principally given,, than the precepts of the scrip ture; If we then compare these actings with those of Munster, We shall not find great difference; for both affirmed and pretended they were called, and that it was lawful to kill, burn, arid destroy the wicked. We must kill all the wicked, said those Anabaptists, that we, that are the saints,, may possess the earth. We must burn obstinate heretics,, say the Papists, that the holy chureh of Rome may be purg ed of rotten members f and may lii)e in peace. -We OP IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 59 •must cut off seducing Separatists, say the Prelatical Protestants,'who trouble: the peace 'of the church, and refuse the divine hierarchy, and' religious cere'mo- niesthereof. *¦ We must kill-say the Cnhinistic Pres byterians, the, .Profane Malignanis, who' dciuse the Holy Consistdrial ane? Presbyterian government, and seek to defend the Popish and Prelatic 'hie rarchy ; as also those other sectaries that -trouble the peate of our church. What difference "I pray thee, impartial reader, seest thou betwixt these? ' If if be said,. The Anabaptists went without,. find Object- against the authority, ofthe rriagistrate ; so did not the, other ; I might easily refute it, by alleging the mutual Answ. testimonies of these sects against one another. 'The behaviour of the' Prapisfa .towards Henry the Third and Fourth of France; their designs upon Jame* ^p^fs" the Sixth in the gunpowder treason ;< as also their ;.,c«ieities. principle of the Pope's bpwer to depose kings for the cause of heresy, arid-to absolve' their subjects from their oath, dnd ;give them -to others, proves it against them. • - And as to the Protestants, how much their ac- Protestant lions differ ; from those other above-mentioned, vi°Jences i i • .i - • i . and perse- may be seen by the many conspiracies and tu- cutionsin multS which they -have been active in, both in 1^"^' Scotland and England, and which they have acted and Hoi- within these hundred years in divers towns arid lan ' provinces of the Netherlands. Have they not oft entimes sought; not only from the Popish magis trates, but even from those . that had begun tp re form, or that had given them. some- liberty of ex ercising their religion, that they * might only be permitted, without trouble or hindrance, toexer- cise their religion, promising they would not hin der or molest the Papists in the exercise of theirs-? And yet did they not on- the contrary, so soon as they had- power, trouble and abuse those fellow- citizens, and turn them put of the'city, and,: Which 10 dO PROPOSITION it. is worse, even such who! together with them had forsaken the Popish religion' ? Did they not these things iri many places against the mind of the mag-- istrates '? Have they not publicly^with contume lious speeches^ assaulted their magistrates, from whomuthey had but just before sought and obtain ed the free exercise of their religion ? Represent ing them, so soon as they opposed themselves to their hierarchy, as if they regarded neither God nor religion ? Have,; they riot hy violent- hands possessed themselves of the Popish churches^ so called, or by force, ;ag&inst the magistrates* mind, taken theni-away ? Have they not turned out of their office and authority whole councils of mag istrates, under pretence that they were addict- - ed to Popery ? . Which Popish magistrates neverthe less they did but a little .before acknowledge to be ordained by God ; affirming themselves obliged to yield them obedience andsubje'ction, not only for fear, but for conscience', sake ; to whom moreover the very preachers and overseers of the reformed church had" willingly sworn- fidelity ; and yet af terwards have they not '-said/t hat the people are /' bound to. force a wicked prince to the observation Of God's word ? There are many other instances of tfiis kind to, be found in ;. their histories, pot to mention many worse things, < which we know- to have1 been acted in Our times and which forhrevi- ty'-s sake I pass by. Lutheran r tI might say much of the Imtherans, whose tumult- aeain°tthe ^ou^ actions against their magistrates not pro- reformed fessing the Lutheran profession, are testified of by assault several historians worthy of credit. Among oth- upon the ers, I shall propose only one example to the read- Brandln-^ er's consideration, which fell out at Berlin in the jnUrJ'&c' year 1615. "Where the seditious multitude of „y, the Lutheran citizen's, being stirred up by the dai- ¦ ly clamours of their preachers, did not only with violence break into the houses of the reformed OP IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 6J teachers, overturn their libraries, and spoil their furniture ; but also with reproachful words, yea, and with stones; assaulted the Marqujs, of Bran denburg, the Elector's brother, while he sought by smooth, words' to quiet the fury of the multitude"; they killed ten of his guard, scarcely sparing him>. self, who at last by flight escaped out of their hands." AU which sufficiently declares, that the concurrence of the magistrate doth not alter their principles, -but only theh method of procedure^ So that for my own part, I-See no difference be twixt . the -actings -df: those of Monster, and these o.thers, (whereof the one pretended to be led by the. Spirit, the other by tradition,.scripture, and rea son,) save this, that the former were rash, heady, and foolish,in their p-rpceedings^and therefore were the sooner brought to nothing, and, so into con tempt and derision : .but the other being more po litic, and Wise in their .generation, held it out lon ger, and so have authorized their WickedneSs^more, with ,the seeming authority of law and reason. But both, their actings being equally evil," the: dif ference appears to me to be, only like that which is betWeen a simple silly thief, that is easily catch- ed,and hanged Without any more ado ; and a compa ny of resolute bold robbers,who being better guard ed, though their offence be nothing less, yet by violence do, to shun the danger, force their mas ters to give them good terms.: , From all which then it evidently follows, that they argue very ill, who despise and reject , any principle because men pretending to be led by it do evil ; in case it be not the naturaLand conse quential tendency of that principle to lead Unto those things that are evil. Again : It doth follow, from what is above as serted, that if the Spirit, be to be rejected upon this account, all those other principles ought on the €2 ¦ PROPOSITION II. . same account to.be rejected. And for my part, as I have never a, whit the lower esteem, of the, blessed testimony of .the holy scriptures, nor d,o..the less respect any solid tradition, .that is answerable and according to truth ; neither at all despise rea son*, that noble and excellent faculty of the. mind, L^ctn°the DeGause wicked "men -have abused the name of certainty .theft), io cover, their wickedness, and deceive the erringSM- SjBaple ; so Would I, not- have any reject or doubt nt of God, the certainty of that unerring, Spirit which God feise"Spre- hath given his children, as that which can alone tenders-to guide them into all truth, becausesome haye false ly pretended to it. '.' . .¦*.'¦-?. x '•¦",'¦¦ §>\XV. And .because .the Spirit of God is the fountain of all truiharid sound reason, therefore We have well said, That-«£ cannot-contmdict either, the testimony of the scripture] or right, reason :.^ Yet (as the proposition itself concluded!, to ibelastpartof which I -now come) it will not from thence follow, that these divine revelations are to be subjected to the examiriatidn either ofthe, outward testimony of scripture, or ofthe human or natural reason of man, as to a more noble and. certain rule, or, touch stone ;_for the divine revelation, and inward illuT mination, is that which is evident by -itself, forcing the well-disposed understanding, and irresistibly moving it, to assent by its own evidence and clear ness, even as fhe : common principles of natural truths, do bend the mind to a natural asseht." He that denies this part of the proposition must needs affirm? that the Spirit of God. neither can, nor ever hath manifested itself to man without the scripture,, or a distinct discussion of reason ; or that the efficacy of this supernatural principle, working upon the souls of men, is less evident than natural principles in. their common operations ; both which are false. - For, First, Through all the scriptures we may observe, that the .manifestation and revelation of 1 OF IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 63 God by his Spirit to the patriarchs, prophets,. and apostles, was immediate and objective, as is above proved'; which they did not examine by any. other principle, but their ownevidence and clearness. s Secondly, To say that the Spirit of God-has -less %desnec^" evidence upon the mind of man than natural prin- of the"spi- ciples have, is to have too mean and too low rit- thoughts of it How, comes David to, invite us to taste, and see that God is good, if this cannot be felt and tasted? . This were enough %to overturn the faith and assurance of all the saints, both now and of old. How came Paul, to be*p,ersuaded; that noth ing could separflte- him from the lovehf God, but by that evidence and .clearness which the Spirit of God gave hun? The apostle JbAh,who knew, well wh ere- in'the'certairity-of faith. consisted', judged it no ways absurd, without further argument, to ascribe his kriowledge.and assurance,and that of all the saints, hereunto in these words,'Hereby know tvethat. we dwell in him, and he in us, because he. hath given us "of his Spir it, 1 John iv.13. And .again; chap. v. ver. 6: It is the Spirit that beareth witness >, because the Spirit is truth, . Observe the reason brought by him.} Because the Spirit is tr^th ; of whose Certainty and infallibility I have heretofore spoken. We then trust to' and confide' hi this' Spirit, because we know, and cer tainly believe, that it can only lead us aright; arid never mislead us ; and from this certain confidence it is that we affirm, that np revelation coming The Spirit from it can ever contradict the scripture's testimo- dictsTnot ny nor right reasons not as making this a more scripture certain rule to ourselves? but as condescending to "easonf ' '¦ such, who not discerning the revelations of the Spirit, as they proceed purely from God,' will try them by these mediums. Yet those that have their spiritual senses, and -can savour the things of tbe Spirit,as it were in prima instantia, i.e. at the first blush, can discern them without, or before they ap ply them either to scripture or reason ; just as a 64 PROPOSITION II. de'mon- '- S00^ astronomer can calculate an eclipse infallibly, strations by which he can conclude. (if the order ofnature troITomy " continue, and* some, strange and unnatural revolu- andgeom- tion intervene not) there will be an eclipse ofthe etry' srin or mooh such a.day, and such an hour ; ' y^t can he not persuade an ignorant rustic of this,, until Jie visibly see it. So also a mathematician can infalli bly know, by the rules of art, thatthe three angles of. aright triangle are. equal to two right angles ; yea, can know them more certainly* than any man by measure. And some geometrical demonstrations are by all acknowledged, to be. infallible, whieh can be scarcely discerned of proved by the sen ses; yet if a ge.ome.teK> be at the' pains to- certify some ignorant man concerning fhe Certainty pf his art, by condescending to< measure it, and make it obvious to his- senses, it will npt thencef o'llow, that that measuring is so certain as the demonstration itself,; Pr that the deriionstraifon would be uncer tain without it, • ..• • " *' • > ¦:- §. XVL: But to make . an end, I, shall, add one ar gument to prove, that this, inward, immediate, ob jective revelation.,, which we have pleaded for all along, is the only-sure, certain, and unmoveable foundation of all Christian faith ; , which argument, Whert-Well weighed, Ihope will have weight with all sorts of .'Christians, and it is-this^ ¦¦ - -' immedi- That which all professors of Christianity, of what «onrethela kind soever, are forced ultimately to recuru'nto, immovea- wnen pressed to the last; that for arid because of dalion'of which all other foundations are recommended, and , fenfauh" accounted worthy ,to be believed, and without which they are granted to be of no weight at all, must needs be the only most true, certain, and im moveable foundation of all Christian faith. But inward, immediate, objective revelation by the Spirit,, is that which all professors of Christian. ity, of what kind, soever, .are forced ultimately td recur unto, &c. ... '¦ OF IMMEDIATE REVELATION. 65 Therefore, &c. .-•¦-¦ The proposition is so: evident; that it will not be J*&£ denied; the assumption shall be proved by parts, ifo™ their •• And First, as to the Papists, thev place their clTfh^ foundation in the judgment of the church and tra- tion, why? dition. If we press them to say, Why they believe as the church doth? their answer is, 'Because the church is always led by the infallible Spirit. So here the leading of the Spirit • is the utmost foundation. Again, if we ask' them, Why we ought to trust tra dition? they answer, . Because these traditions were delivered us by the doctors and fathers of fhe church ; which doctors and fathers, 'by the revelation of the Holy Ghost, commanded the church to observe them. Here again all ends in the. revelation ofthe Spirit. And for the Protestants and Sbcinians, both which Protest- acknowledge the scriptures to be the foundation socinians and rule df their faith; the prie, as subjectively in- ma!ce the fluenced by the Spirit of God -Ltd- use them, the. then-™ other as managing them with and by their own f ™f"„ reason; ask both, , or either of them, Why they dation, trust in the scriptures, and /take them to be their why? rule"?. their, answer is,' Because we have in them the mind of God delivered unto us by thd$,e to whom these things ,were inwardly., immediately, and objectively re vealed by the Spirit of ,. God ; and not because this or that iri/m wrote them, but because the Spirit of God dictated them. It-is strange then that men should render that so christians uncertain and dangerous to follow, upon which by.nan!eu . . ° i ~ -i - /• i ¦ f and not by alone the certain ground and foundation of their nature, own faith is built; or that they should' shut them- fatlon'ola- sejv.es out from that holy fellowship with God, sed con- which only is enjoyed in the Spirit, in which We J^ripture. are commanded both to walk and live.. If any reading these things find themselves mdv- ed, by the strength of these scripture-arguments, to assent and believe such revelations necessary, and yet find themselves strangers to them, which, 66 PROPOSITION Mi as I observed in the beginning, is the cause that this is sdmuchgainsaid'and contradicted, let them know, that it is not Because it is ceased to become the privilege of every true Christian that they do not feeli't but rather because they are not so much Christians by nature as by name ; and let such know, that the sedret light which shines in the heart, and reproves unrighteousness, is the. small beginning ofthe reVelatidnof God's Spirit, which was first sent into the world to reprove it of sin, John xvi. 8. And. as by forsaking- iniquity thou coinest to be acquainted with that; heavenly voice in thy heart, -thou shalt'fee'l, as the bid man, or the natural man, that savoureth not the things of Gpd*s kingdom, is put off, 'With his evil- arid- corrupt af fections and lusts; I'say," fehdu'ehalffeel the new man, or the spiritual birth: and babe raised, which hath its spiritual senses,' and can see, feel, tas'fe, handle, and smell 'the things ' of the Spirit;, but till then the knowledge Of things, spiritual is. but wants his- as an historical faith. But as the description of sight sees the light of the sun,- or of curious colours to a blind Tight!16 man, Who, though of the largest 'capacity, -carinot so well .understand if by the hiost acute and lively ^description, as a child can By seeing- them;' so ' neither can the natural man, of the largest capaci ty, by the best words, even scripture-words, ; so well understand the mysteries of God's kingd6m,as the least and Weakesfchild who tasteth; them, by having them revealed inwardly and objectively "by the Spirit. Wait then for -tins' in the small revelation of that pure light' which first feveals things1 more knoWn' ; and as thdu becdmest fitted for. it, thou shalt receivd more arid more, and by a living ex perience easily refute their ignorance, who ask, How dost thou know that thou art actuated £>y the Spirit of God ? Which will appear to thee a ques tion no less ridiculous, than to ask one whose OP THE SCRIPTURES. 67 eyes are open, How: he knOws the sun shines at noon-day } y And though this be the surest and certainest way -to answer all pbjectionsj yet by what is above written it may appear, that the mouths of all such opposers as deny this "doctrine may be shut, by unquestionable and unanswerable reasons.1 /• » ' '¦ *¦-'.'. PROPOSITION III. Concerning the Scriptures. From these revelations of the Spirit of God to the . saints, haye.proceeded the Scriptures of Truth, "i-- , which contain, -.„ , '. . > - . I. A faithful historical account of the actings of God's people in divers ages; with' many singu lar and remarkable providences attending them. IL" A prophetical aeooUnt pf several things, where of some are already past, 'and? some yet to come. III.-' Afiill and ample account- of all the chief prin- * ciples of the doctrine of Christ, held forth in . divers precious declarations, exhortations, and sentences, which, by the moving of God's Spirit, « were at several times-," and upon-sundry occa- -sions, spoken and written Unto some churches . arid their pastorsr- , ¦'?..' ,; -¦ .- •'• Nevertheless, because they are only a declaration ofthe fountain, and not the fountain itself, there* . fore they are not to be esteemed the principal ; ground of all truth and: knowledge, nor yet the adequate primary rule of faith and manners. ':-'•: Yet" because they givea, true and faithful testi mony of the first foundation, they are and may be esteemed a secondary rule, subordinate to the spirit, from which they have aU their excel- Johnsvi lency and certainty : for as by the inward testi- ia Roml mony ofthe Spirit We do alone truly know them, VlUi 14, -so they testify, That the .Spirit «r that Guide by 1 11 68 /.proposition in. - which the saints are led into all Truth ; therefore4 according to the scriptures, the Spirit is the first and principal leader- Seeing then that we do , therefore receive and believe the scriptures be cause they proceeded from the Spirit, for the very same reason is the Spirit "more originally and principally the wile, according to the receiv- . ed maxim in the schools* Propter quod unumquod que est tale, illud ipsum est .magis" tali : < THa^ for , which a thing is such, that thing itself is more such. /¦; ¦¦<; -«.' '¦-"'' /¦ §. I. The former part ofthis proposition, though it.needs no apology for itself,- yet i£ is a good apol ogy for us, and will' fifelp .-to stfeep away, that, among niariy other Calumnies! iwheteWith We are often loadedj as if we Were : vilifiers and denie/rs Jcrf tar^s °^' ^fe scriptures ; ' for in that, which we affirm of the most the'm, it doth -appear at What high ratewe value writing?* them', accounting them, without all 'deceit or equiv- in the „ ocation, the most excellent Writings in the world ; to which not only no other Vvritings,are to bd pre ferred, but even in divers' respects, not comparable thereto. For as- we freely acknowledge that their authority doth not depend upon -the 'approbation or canons of any church or -assembly ;; seneither can we subject them to the fallen, Corrupt, and de filed reason of man :. and therein- as We do freely agree with the Proiestqnts!&gainst the error of the Romanists, so. pn the other hand, We cannot go the length of such Protestants -.'as make their authority to depend upon any virtue or power that is in thd writings themselves ; but we desirefctp iascribe all to that Spirit from which they proceeded: ' We confess indeed there wants not a majesty in the Style* a coherence, in-the parts;' agood scope in the whole ; but seeing these things are not dis cerned by the natural'hut only by the spiritual man, it is the Spirit of God that rridst giveus that belief world. OF THE SCRIPTURES. 69 ofthe scriptures which may satisfy our conscien- . ces ; therefore some of the chief among Protest- mts, both in their particular writings and public Confessions, are forced to acknowledge this. Hence Calvin, though he saith he is able-to prove Calyin's that if .there be a God in heaven, these writings that'the" .„ have proceeded from him, yet he concludes another ^afcr* knowledge tohe necessary.. Instit.iib. l.cap.l.sect.A. is from the "'' ".But if (saith he) we respect the consciences, Spint" " that they be not daily molested with doubts, and "hesitate, not at every scruple, it is requisite that " this persuasion which we speak Of be taken high- " er than human reason, judgment, or conjecture; "to wit, from the secret testimony of the Spirit" 5\nd again, " To those who ask, that we prove unto " them, by reason, that Moses, and the prophets were "inspired of God to speak, I answer, That thetesti- '.Vmdny'jcrf, the. Holy Spirit is -more excellent than " all reason.'.' , And again," Letthis remain a firm "truth, that he only whom the' Holy Spirit hath "persuaded, can repose himself on the scripture " with a true certainty." And lastly, " This then " is a judgment' which pannot be begotten but by '*, an heavenly revelation, &c" "The same is also affirmed in the fifst public con- Jhin these words, Chap. 1. Sect 5. "Nevertheless pur full. persuasion and, as-*. "surance of the infallible truth -thereof, is from ; " the inward, work of the.Holy Spirit, bearing wit ness by. and with the Word in our hearts." <•'¦ By aU- which it appeareth hpw- necessary it is to seek the certainty of the scriptures from the. Spirit, and no where else.- The infinite ' jang- lings and endless contests of those that seek their authority elsewhere, do witness to the truth, here of. ^ - • > ¦¦<¦'-¦ .- — ¦ ,,.'< -*;¦ ; Apocryr For^ the ancients themselves^ :.even of the ''first p a' centuries, Were not agreed among themselves con-. Cone cerningthem; while spriie of fhera rejected books 68ain'cod which we approve,, and others. df them approv"- Ec'.'i63. ' ed. those which some- of us, reject. 'It is 'not Laol'heid unknown to such as^are in the least- acquaint- in the year ed with antiquity,- What great contests are con- ded'from cerning the second epistle of peter, that of James, tee canon the second and third pf John,* and. the Mevela- wlsdomof tions, which many, even very ancient,' deny to §°l??^?» have been written by the beloved disciple. and Judith,To- i.i c r i i i n - i . ¦ bias, the brother of. James, but by .another, pt that narfye. bees°a What should then become of Christians, if~Ji?ey which the had not received that Spirit, and Mhose> spiritual Cartha'ge/ senses, by which they know -how tpi discern' the held \nthe Jrue- from the false £, it is the privilege of .Christ's isceivei sheep indeed that they hear- his voice,, and re fuse thatxdf a stranger; which privilege being ta ken away,. we are left a prey tp all manner of wolves, > s OF; THE SCRIPTURES. 71 .§,11. Though then we do acknowledgethe scrip tures to' be very heavenly and divine writings, the use of them to be very comfortable and necessary to the church of Christ, and; that we also admire andi-give praise to the Lord, for his wonderful providence in preserving these writings so pure and uneorrupted as we. have them, through so long a night of apostacy, to-be a testimony of his truth against the wickedness, and 'abominations even of those whom he made instrumental in preserving them, so that they have kept them tq be a witness against themselves ; yet we may not call them the The Sc"P- • n ' turcs ELl'6 principal fountairj. of aU truth and knowledge,- nor not the -yet the first adequate rule of faith and manners; Pri»ciPal i . , . ' *. , p ¦ . . r 1 , . ground of because the principaffountam of truth must be the tmth. Truth itself; i. e. that whose certainty and author ity depends not upon another. When wedoubt of the streams of any river or flood, we,, recur to the fountain itself; and havingv found it, there we de- «•" sisfc vye can go, no. far ther, because there it-springs out ofthe bdWels of the earth, which are inscruta- hle, Even so theTwritmgs and' sayings of all men we must. bring to the Word of God, I mean the Eternal Word,. -and if they agree hereunto, We stand there. '„ For this Word always proceeddthj and doth eferpaily proceeid from Godwin and by which the unsearchable' wisdom :'of God, artd un- searchable>counsel and Will conceived in the heart of God, is revealed unto us.' That then the scrip ture is not the principal ground, of . faith and knowledge, as it appears by what is- above spo ken, tso it improved in, the latter paft of the propo sition ; ^ which being reduced to an argument, runs thus: '.-¦' /-. I .¦-.¦¦ •>- •¦»•' ¦:,';¦ ,v -«•:•-•,'¦ That whereof the certainty and authority de pends upon - another, . and • which is received as truth because of its proceeding from another, is not to be accounted the "principal grpurid and ori gin of all truth and knowledge : 72 PROPOSITION III. But the scriptures' authority and certainty de pend upon the Spirit by which they were dictated ; and the reason why they were received as truth is, because they proceeded from the'Spirit : Therefore they are not the principal ground of truth. .... ',,-.>¦ ^r<_ '.', v. if^. To confinh thisarguriient, I added the^spBio'ol maxim, Propter (mod:unumquadque.pt tale, illud "ipsum magis est tale. Which'-imdxim; though I confess it doth not hold universally in all thingsy yet in this it doth and will very well hold, as by applying it, as we have, above intimated, will appear. Neither The sahie argument will hold as to tfilfe other the prima- branch of the proposition, That itis not the primary ry rule of adequate rule of faith and manner's; thus, iv ' . .] '-,.- '• manned ' Th'atwhich is riot the rule of my faith' in believ ing thd scriptures themselves,;" is' not" the' primary adequate rule of fakh and manners': • y v* But the scripture is- not, nor cah it be, the rule" of that faith hy which I believe them,' &c. ...-¦ Therefore,' &c. ,; •''» ' >'' "*'•¦ f;':. That the -^ut as to ^'s P^rt we-shall- produce divers ar* Spirit is guments hereafter. As- to what is anirmed, that the rule. ^ne gp^if^ an(J ^ fag scriptures, is the rule, it is large ly handled in the' former 'proposition ;. the, sum whereof I shall subsume in one argument', thus, . If by the' Spirit we can orily come to ' the true knowledge of Gpd ;' if by the Spirit we ate to he led into all ^tru£h,'and so be taught of all things; then the Spirit, and." not*' the scriptures, 'is the, foundation and' ground ! of all truth and knowl edge, .add the primary rule of faith and man ners ; .-- - > :'' ''"':'¦¦ • " ;, But the first is true, therefore also "the last. Next, the very nature of the gospeF itself de clareth that the scriptures cannot be the Only and ehief rule of Christians, e\s& there shouldibe no dif ference betwixt the laioj and the gospel; as from the nature of the new covenant, hy divers scrip- OF THE SCRIPTURES. 73 tures described in the former proposition, is proved. But besides these which are before mentioned, weh^w& herein doth the law and the gospel differ, in that gospel djf- the law, being outwardly written, brings under- condentfration, but haihnbt life in it to save ; Whereas the: gospel, as jit- declares and makes manifest the evik soy being an inward powerful things it gives poWer also to -obey, and deliver from the evil. Hence it is called "Rvafyefaov, which is glad tidings. The law or letter, which is without Us, kills ; bilt the gospel, which is the .inward, spiritual -law^ gives life; for it consists not so much in words, as in vir tue. Wherefore/such as come: to know it, and be acquainted with it, come to feel greater^ power Over their iniquities than aU outWard laWs or rules can give them. Hence the apostle concludes, Rom: vi. 14. Sin shall nbthavedopiinion over you: for yiare not under the IttW, but under grace. This grace then that is inward, and not an outward law, is to be the rule of Christians. Hereunto the apostle commends the elders of the church, saying, Acts xx'. .32. And now,- Brethren,^ I commend you to' Qod, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up,, and to< givei you- an -..inheritance among all them which -are sanctified. He. .dpth not commend theni here to outWard laWs or writings,, but to the word of grace, which i's 'in Ward; even the spiritual law, which makes free, as he elsewhere: affirms, Rom. viii. 2. The law of the Spirit of life in' Christ Jesus, hath made fne free from the ¦ law of ¦ sin and death. This spiritual law is that which the apostle de clares" he preached -and directed people unto, which was ^not outward, as by Rom.x. 8. is mani fest; where 'distinguishing it from the law, he saith, The word is nigh thee, in thy heartland in thy month; and this is the'.w.ord -of faith whieh¦¦'-.. «-.-\.\' As for instance^ Some arfecalled to theministry ofthe word: Paul saith, There was a necessity upon him to. preach the gospelj wo unto ma, if I preach not. If it be necessary that there .be now ministers of the church, as well as then, then-there is the same necessity upon some, more, than upon others, to occupy this place; whichnecessity,as.itmay be in- -_*'¦' OF- THE SCRIPTURES. 75 ctmibent upon particular persons, the scripture neither doth nor can declare. If ifebe said, That the vqualificatidns of a minister Object- are found in the scripture, and b^r applying these quali* fications to myself, I may knoiv whether I be fit for such a plaet or not ; ,.< » :. > ^ , , $ I- answer. The qualifications of a bishop, or mm- Answ. ister^XB they are mentioned both in the epistle to Timothy and, Titus, are such as may be found in a private Christian ; yea, which ought in some mea sure 'to" be in, every true Christian : iso that this giveth a man no certainty. Every capacityto an office giveth me not a sufficient call to" it. - Next again, -By" 'what rule shall I judge if I be So qualified R,: H0W do I know thatlam -sober, meek, holy, harmless ? Is it hot the testimony ofthe Spirit in my conscience that must assure, me hereof? Add suppose that I was qualified and Called, yet what scripture-rule shall* inform' hie^ Whether it be my - duty to -preach in this or that place, in France or England, Holland, or ¦Germtimg? Whether I shall take up mytind#in confirming the faithful, reclaim* ing heretics,^ converting' h^fMels; as also in wri^ ting epistles tp' this or that-church ?---"• v .".-... The general rules of the .scripture^ viz. To be diligent %nKmyduty, to -do all to the glory, bf Gbd, and for the good of his cAwrc/iycan-giveme no light in this thing. Seeing twodiffer^pt things may both have a respect to that way, yet may I commit a great error and Offence in doing the one, whenf am call- ,ed to the other. If Paul, When his face was turn ed by the Lord toward Jerusalem-, had gone back to Achaiq or Mtacedonia, he might have supposed he could have done God more acceptable service, in preaching and confirming the churches, than in be ing shut up.ittpris.ori in Judea; but would God have been pleased herewith ? Nay certainly1. Obedience , is better thdti sacrifice ; and it is not our doing that which is -good simply 'that pleaseth God, byt that 12 76 PROPOSITION tit.,. good which he willeth us to do* Every niefflher hath its particular place in the body,-as the apos tle showeth,' VCor. xii. > If then, i/beingtlje foot, should offer to ex ergjse the office of the hand;1 -Or being the hand, that ofthe tongue; my service would be troublesome, and not acceptable ; affd in stead of helping the bdoyyX should make asffiism That jn it. .So that that which is good fdtf another %6 do> goodfor may be sinful to me ; for as masters will'have their one to do, geryants to obey .them!, according to their good sinful to pleasure, arid not only in blindly doing that Which another, may seem to them to tend to their master's profit, „ whereby it diay chancefthe 'masted havirighusiness ", both in the f field and in the hpuse):6batme servant that knows not his master's Will .may. go to %e, field,' when it is the mind ofthe masterhe should Tstay and , ; dd the business of the hduse, Would not this ser vant then deserve' a reproof,. fop not answering hie "master's- mind ? ' Andwhatnia^tef-is ted sottish and dareless, as, having many servants", toleave' thejrt in such disorderas not to' assign each his particu- lar-«station,,and not ©My. the general terms' of , doing , tliat which is profitable ? which wpfll$ leave thern in various doubts, and ndddHot.erid^n confusion. - Shall We then dare, to ascribe unto Christ, in the ordering of his church and servants, that which in* man might justly be accounted disorder and. "con fusion? The apostle showeth this' distinction well, of^uU*69 R°m- *"• 6'' ?' 8- Having then gifts-Mfferiiig accord ing. to the, grace that is gwento^uS ;. whether prophecy, let us -prophesy according to the proportion of faith;. or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or .he that teacheth, on teaching; or he -that exhorteth^on exhor tation, j Now what scripture-rule showeth 'me that I ought to exhortj rather than prophecy? or to minister, rather than teach -? : Surely hone at all. Many more difficulties pf this kind occur in the life of a Christian. 1- - ¦--¦'¦-j 4. < Moreover, that which of all things is most need- OF THE SCRIPTURES. 7$ /*' ful for him to kndw,f to wit, whether he really be ^/^{j in the faith, and an' heir of' salvation, or not,' the Sn'caT" scripture can give him no certainty in, neither can *^ess"gP it be a rule to him.^'Tha^, this knowledge is ex- sure thee? ceedingly desirable and comfortable all do unani mously acknowledge ; besides that it is especially commanded, 2 Qor.xTii.5. Examine yourselves, wheth er yejbe in the faiths-prove yourselves ; know ye not your'owhselves,ihow that, Jesus Christ is in you, ex cept ye bt reprobates h. And 2. Pet. i. 10. Wherefore the rather, ^brethren, give dtt diligence to make yo^r calling And election, sure. r Now I sayj What scrip ture-rule can assure 'me that I have true afeith? That my calling and election is sure ? ... i If it be said, By comparing the scriplurermarks of true faith with mine : „ ~ •*¦ .< 1 demand, Wherewith sliall I make, this observa tion?, What shall ascertain me that 1 am iiot mis- .taken?-' It cannot be the scripture: that is the mat ter under debate. : r- r'.':. ( -,- + .-.'. | If it be said, My own heart.': 7 ' •«.-<' .-.. How unfit a judge is it in its own case ? And how like to' be partial, especially if it be yet un renewed? Doth not the scripture say, that it. is The heart deceitful abovcall things ? I, find the promises, I "eitfui. •find theAhreatefeings, in the scripture; but who tell- eth me that the ...; t,. v- ',. ." He that hath the .true .and '.certain marts/ gf true faith, hath true faith: - p. .-?;¦'-.. ,.-,. ,i ;.;-, ¦¦/*.'<¦}% ¦» ¦'¦.¦} ..-'. '- But I have t.bose^mapks : ' ' ¦¦'" *•-- ?'-.;'.„ -Y.:'' » ^Therefore I have trite faith. -,-, . -, . .1 •• For the'assumption is still here of.my oWn;mak- ing, and is not found in the scriptures ; and by con sequence the conc'fu^iori*can'beAno he tter, since it stih fojlpw?etij the weaker proposition, This is in deed so pungeht, that'tRe best of PrQtestantf, who"* The in-, v plead for this 'assurance,, ascribe' it to ^the, inward mony 6of' testihidnypf the Spirit; , S&Caifiin, in that larg§ cir J]je ^™t tation, cited inthe former proposition. So. that,, scripture- not to seekvfarther .intpthe writings of .the primi- pronuses. tive Protestants, which are full of suchfespressions, even the Westminster confession of faith. affirmeth, Chap. 18. Sect. 12. '"This certainty is .not a bare " conjecture and probable persuasion, grounded " upon fallible hope, but ap infallible-assurance of " faith;'founded upon the divine truth ofthe prom- *$ ise of salvation; the inward- evidences of these ? graces, unto which these promisepare made; the ' *' testimony of the Spirit of adoption, witnessing, to ". our spirits that we are the children of God ; "which Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, "whereby we are sealed to the day of redemptions ,. Moreover, the scripture itself, wherein we are so earnestly "pressed to seek after this assurance, doth dot at all affirm itself a rtde sufficient to give it, but wholly ascrlbeth it to jthe. Spirit, as Rom. viii. 16, > The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.^ 1 Jphn iv. 13. Hereby know we-" that we dwell in him, and he OF THE SCRIPTURES. 79 in us, because he hath given us- of his Spirit ; and chaprv. 6. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.— §. IV; Lastly, That cannot be the onlyprinci^f^^ pal, nor chief rule, whichdoifch not universally reach are not the every individual that- .needeth it to produce the chiefrule- necessary effect ; and from the use of which, either by. some innocent and sinless defect, or natural yet harmless and. blameless imperfection, many w:ho are within the compassof the visible church, and may, without absurdity, yea,, with great probabil ity, be accountedof the elect; are 'necessarily ex cluded, and that either wholly, or at least from the immediate use. thereof. Butitso falls outfreq uent- ly concerning the scripture^, in the case of deaf] Deaf pdople, children, and idiote; who can by.no means people, have the -benefit of the scriptures. ** Shall Ave then ^didiou affirm, sthat they are* without a'liy rule to God-' instanced. ward, or that they, are all damned?'' As such an opinion is in itself very absurd, and inconsistent ' * both with the justide^and nierey of G ad, so I knowr , no sound reason' can. be/alleged for it. ". Now if we may suppose ahy' such to.be under the new cbVen,- anb.dispensation, as I know none will deny but that we may suppose it without any absurdity, we can- ' not -suppose them without -some rule and rijeans of ' knowledge-; seeing it; is ^expressly affirmed, They shall atlbethught of God' John vi. 45. And ihey shall all know me from the least, to the greatest, Hen. Viii; -11. But secondly, Though we were rid ofthis diificulty, how" many, illiterate and yet good men are there in the church of God," who cannptread a letter in their own mother tongue ? Which imper fection,- though it he inconvenient, I cannot fell whether we riiay safely affirm it to' be sinful. These can have no- immediate knowledge of the rule of their faith ; so their faith must needs depend upon the credit of other men's reading or relating it un to them; 'Where. either the altering, adding, or omit- "" PROPOSITION HI.- ting of a littie word may be a foundation in the Eoor hearer of a very dangerous mistake, whereby e may either continue in sotn£ iniquity ignoraht- conceafS ly or believe a lie confidently. ' As for example, the second The Pdpists in all their catechisms, arid public ex- command- • '¦¦• ' /• .- , . , X ment from ercises ot examinations towards the people, have thepeopie. boldly cut away the second command, because it seems so expressly, tp, strike against their adora tion and use of/imaged; whereas many of these -people, in^whpm by this omiss'ipn this false opinion is .fostered', are under.1 a'simple impossibility, or at least a Very great •difficulty, to-be Outwardly in formed of this abuse. But further ; suppose all could read the scriptures in their oWn language ; where is there one of a, thousand ?!fhat' hath that thorough; knowledge df; the original languages'' in . which they -are written; so as in that respect im- 3. The iin- mediately to receive the benefit, of them? '(Must ofthe1 L- not all these here- depend' upon the honesty and of^tW*8 foithfolness ofthe interpreters?.- Which how un- srfipture, certain it is for a man to build his faith upon,' the aduiterT many corrections, amendments-,, and various essays, ting it. Which even .among' Protestants have been ; used, (whereof the latter have constantly blamed and corrected the former, as guilty of defects' and -er rors,,) dpth sufficiently declare., Arid that even the last translators in tne vulgar languages need' to bd corrected (as I could prdve at large; , -.-, ,?• ,,-,.:-:' . / But further, the various readings of' 'ihe' Hebrew ^ ™£[ chamcterhyy reason ; of the points^ which some plead ings of the for, as coeval with the first writings, which others, S^cter, with -no less probability, allege to ,be a later in- &°- vention; fhp disagreement of divers citations of Christ and the apostles with those passages in the Old Testament they appeal td.; the'greaf contro-- versy among thefathers;, whereof some highly ap prove the Greek Septuagint, decryipg and render ing very doubtfol the, Hebrew-copy, as in many pla- > ' ces vitiated, and altered by tlie. Jews ; other some, and particularly. Jerdm, "exalting the certainty pf the Hebrewr and rejecting, ye'a even deriding, the histpry '• of the 'Septuagint;. which the primitive church chiefly made' use of; and some fathers that lived Centuries before^hirm affirmed to be a'.most ' certain thing"; and the riiany various readings in divers copies df^ the frfeek,' and 1he great alterca tions among the fathers;df the first three cerfturies^ who had greater-opportunity td be better informed than -we can now lay claim Jto, concerning the bpoks to be admitted or rejected^, as is above ob served ; I sayf all* these and iriuch more .which might be alleged, puts' the minds even , of the learned into infinite doubts,r scruples, and inextri cable difficulties':, whence we may very safely con clude, that JesusjChrist, who promised fo be aiivays w.ith-,his v chiidreri, to lead- them into aM, ti-uth,' to, guard them against the. devices of the enemy, and to establish, their faith upon an tmmaveabh rock,; left them not to b,e principally ruled hy :that, 'Whidh ^ ! Was snbject in itself to many uncertainties: arid therefore he gave thdm jbis Spirit, as their princi- 82 .PROPOSITION *HI. " pal guid e, which neither, moths . nor time dan wear , put, nor transcribers nor translators/ corrupt; which none are so young, none so illiterate, nonein so re mote a: place but they may Come to be reached, and rightly informed by it ' . u':>'t •*» ¦ Through and by the clearness which that Spir it gives us it is that we are orily best rid of those ,l difficulties that occur to us concerning, tfie scrip tures.: The real and undoubted experience where of I myself have been-a* witness of, willi great ad« miration ofthe love of God to his children in these Wrong latter days : . for I have known some 'of my friends, tions of who profess the same- faith" With me, faithful ser- Sruneed vants of the.Most High God, and full of -dMae mthe Spir- knowledge of his truth, as it was imfnediately unlearned' arid inwardly revealed to them by the 'Spirit,' from in letters, a true and living experience, who not only w^rd ignorant of the Greek and Hebrew, but even sottfe ..of them could riot read their Own vulgar language, Who, being pressed by their adversaries with soriie citations, out of the English translation, and find ing them to disagree, with the manifestation of truth in their own hearts, havd'holdly affirmed the. Spirit of God neVer .said so,^ and that it was certainly Wrong;- for. tliey did not believe that ¦ any of the' holy prophets , Or appstles had ever -written so ';, Which wheal on this account seriously examined^ I really found to be errors and corrup tions, of the translators j who' (as in most transla tions) do not so much give us the genuine signifi cation ofthe words; as strain them to express that which ponies-nearest td that opinion and notion they* have of truth. And this seemed to me to suit very Well with* that saying -6f Augustine, Epist, 19. ctdHier.'Tom. ii. fol, AA, after he has said, "That "he gives only that honour to: those -books which ''.are called canonical, as^-to believe that the au- '" thors, thereof did; in writing, not -err," he adds, " And if ' I shall meet- with any thing in- these wri- OP THE SCRIPTURES. 8$ tings, that seemeth repugnant to truth, I shall not doubt to say, that either the volume is. faul ty or erroneous; that the expounder hath not reached what was said ; or that I have in no wise understood it." So that he supposes that in the transcription and •translation there may be er rors. §. V- If it be then asked me, Whether I think Object. hereby to render ihe scriptures altogether Uncertain, or useless ;~ ... I answer; Not at all. The proposition itself de- Answ. clares how much I 'esteem them ; and provided that to the Spirit froin 'which they came be but granted that place the scriptures themselves give it, I do freely concede to the scriptures the second place, even whatsoever they say df themselves ; which the apostle- Paul chiefly mentions in two places, Rom, xv. 4. • Whatsoever things 'were written aforetime, were written for our horning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope. 2 Tim. iri. 15, 16, 17. The holy scriptures are* able to make wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Je sus Christ. All^scripture'givehiby inspiration of Qod, is profitable for 'correction, for instruction in right eousness, that- the man, of God may be perfect, thorough ly furnished' unto every good work, • - For though God doth principally and chiefly lead us by his Spirit, yet he sometimes conveys his cdtti- fort and consolation to us through his'children, whom hd raises up arid inspires to speak or write a word -in season, whereby the saints' are inade instruments in th'e hand of the Lord to strengthen ^ arid encourage one another, which doth also tend to. perfect and make them wise unto salvation; and such as are led- by the Spirit cannot neglect, The saints hut dp naturally love, and are wonderfully cher- ^^ii( ished by, that which proceedeth frorij the same the same Spirit, ^n another ;.beaeuse such mutual emana- all!"*"* tions of the heavenly life tend to quicken the mind, 13 84 PROPOSITION III. - when at any. time it is overtaken with heaviness. Peter himself declares this to have .been the end of his; writing, 2. Pet. 'i. 12, 13:, Wherefore! will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these, things, though. ye know them, and-he established in the present, truth ; -yed,- 1 think it nieet, aslongjas I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting'you in remem- God is teacher of his, people himself ; and there. - is nothing mdr-e express, than that such as are un der the new Covenant, need' no man Jo teacfiy them : ydt it was a fruit of Christ's ^ascension to send teachers' and pastors for perfecting pf the saints. So that the same work .is. ascribed .to the scrip tures as to teachers ;v the . one tp make, the man of God perfect, ^the other for, the perfection of the saints. ' -, '• ,-;•<'.¦;.. As then teachers are not to go. before the teac-hn ing of God himself under the new-covenant, but to follow after, it ; neither are they to rob us of that great privilege whien Christ hath purchased un^ to us by his blood; so neither is the scripture to go before the teaching of the Spirit,, or to rob us pfit. ¦' ' ¦' ¦ . ;.-" '" - . • . . Ans. 2. ' Secondly, God hath seen meet that herein We should*- as in a looking-glass, see -the conditions The scrip- and experiences of the saints df old,; that finding looking our experience answer to theirs,.we might thereby fi1"8- be the more confirmed and: comforted,, and our hope of qbtaining the same end strengthened; that observing: the providences attending them; seeing the snares they were liable to, and beholding their deliverances, we may thereby be made wise unto salvation, and seasonably rdpr.dved apd instructed in righteousness. :,..- . v'/,. / The scrip* "Ehis is the -great work of the scriptures, and «»«$• their service to us, that we may witness them ful filled in us, ajid so discern the stapip of God's .Spir it and ways upon them, by. the inward acquaintance service. OP THE SCRIPTURES. We, have with -the same Spirit and work in our hearts. The prophecies ofthe scriptures are also very comfortable and profitable unto us, as the same Spirit enlightens us to observe them fulfilled, and to be fulfilled ; for in all this it is to be observ ed, that it is only the Spiritual man that can make a right: use of them : they are able td make the man of God perfect, (so it 1S not the natural man,) and whatsoever was written aforetime, was written for our comfort^ [bur] that are the believers,' [our] that are the saints ; "concerning such the apostle speaks: for asdbr the others, fhe^apostle - Peter ^plainly declares, that the unstable and unlearned wrest them to their own destruction : .these were they that were unlearned' in :the divine and heavenly learning of the -Spirit,, hot. in human" and. school l iterature ; in Which we may safely presume that Peter himself, being a fisherman, had no skill ; for it may with great probability, yea certainty, be LogiCi affirmed, that he had no knowledge of ¦ Aristotlis logic, which both Papists and Protestants now,* * 1675. degenerating from the simplicity of truth, make the handmaid of divinity," as they call it, -and a necessary introduction to. their carnal, natural, and human ministry. -By the infinite obscure la bours of which kind of rnen^ intermixing their heathenish stuff, the scripture is rendered at this day of so little service to the simple people ; where-n of if Jerome Complained in his time, now twelve hundred years ago, Hierom. Epist. 134. ad Cypr. Tom. 3. saying,- . It is wont to befall the most part qf 'learned men, that it is harder to understand their ex positions, than the.thjngs which they go about to ex pound;- what rAay.We say then, considering those great-heaps of commentaries since,,in ages yet far more corrupted ? -• ~r .... ^§. 'VI. rnthis,respectabpvermentionedthen;we have shown what service and use the holy scrip tures, as managed in and by the Spirit^ are of. to S5 86 PROPOSITION III. Sesaslfr- *^C church of God ; wherefore We do account them ondary aL secondary rule. Moreover, because they are TOle commpnly acknowledged by all -to haye been writ ten by the dictates of the Holy -Spirit, and that the errors which may be supposed by tlie injury of times to have slipped in, are not such but that there is a sufficient clear testimony left to all the es sentials of the Christian faith-; We' do look upon, them as the only fit outward judge of controversies aniong Christians; artd. that whatsoever doctrine is contrary unto their testimony, may therefore justly be rejected, as false. - And '.for our parts, v. We are very willing' that alf our doctrines and practicdfe be tried by them; which we never .re fused, nor ever shall, in all controversies with our adversaries, as the judgd and test. , We shall also he very willing to . admit it as a positive,' certain maxim, That whatsoever any do,"pretending to the Spir it, which is confmty to the Scriptures, bp accounted and reckoned a 'delusion of the devil, For as We never ,y.;; lay: claim to the Spirit's leadings, that we may cover ourselves in any thing that is evil; so We know, that as every evil (.contradicts the scrip tures, so it doth also the Spirit in the first place, from which the scriptures.came, and- whose mo tions can never contradifct one another, thpugh they may appear sometimes to be contradictory to the blind eye of the natural man, as Paul and James § hoping^ we have given thenj. their due place.'- But since they that Will nee.ds have them to be the only, certain, and principal rul£> want rtot some show of arguments, even from the scripture. itself, (though it no where calls itself so,) by Which they , labour to prove their, doctrine ; I shall briefly lay them down by way of objection^, and answer them* before I make an end of this matter. OP THE SCRIPTURES. 87 §. VII. Their first .objection is usually drawn Obj. 1 from Isajah viii. 20. Tp the' law audio the testimony v/ if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Now- this law,, testimony,' and word, they plead to be the scriptures. To '.which I .answer,' That that is to beg the Answ. thing in question, and remains yet unproved. Nor do I know for what reason,, we may not Safely af firm -this law and ivord to be inward: but suppose it was outward, it proves not. the case at all for them, neither makes it against us; for it may be confessed, without any prejudice to our . 'cause, that the outward law was, more particularly, to the Jews a rule, and more principally- than to us; seeing their law Was outward arid literal} but ours, under the new covenant, (as hath been already saidj),is expressly affirmed to, be inward and 'spir itual; so that this scripture is so far froni making against us? that it makes for us.( Fpr if the Jews Tofry SL were directed to try all things by their law, which wdat? was without them, written in tables of stone; then if we will hdve this advice of the prophet to reach iis, we must make it hold parallel to that dis pensation of the gospel which we are under ; so that we are to try all things, in the first place, by that word of faith which is.preached unto us, which the apostle1 Saith is in the heart ;, and' by that law which God hath gjven us,' which the apostle saith also expressly -'ii -Written and placed in the mind. ' " ' ' ' : Lastly, If we look to this place, according td the -Greek interpretation of the Septuagint, our ad versaries shall have nothingfrom, thence td carp ; yea, it will favour us much; for there it is said, that the law. iigivenusfor anjielp ; whiefi very Well agrees -with what is above asserted, . Their second objection is" from John y". 39. Search Obj. 2, the scriptures, ifc. 88 proposition in ^ Here, say they, we kr e: commanded hy Christ him self, tOKsearch the scriptures./ . Ans. 1, I answer, Ffrst, That the scriptures ought to be searched, we do not at. all deny ; but are very wil ling to be tried, by them, as hath been above de clared : but the-qUestion is,, Whether they be the only and. principal rule? Whjcfi4his is so -fer from.prov- ihg* that it proyeththe contrary; for Christ checks them here for too high an esteem of the scriptures, and neglecting pf him that- wasto be preferred be fore them, and to whom they hore witness, as the following words declare j -.for in them ye think1 ye Search the iJiayp -etemal life", and ihey are they which testify of me : k.c ' and ye will not come unto mc^ thatye might have. life. This shows, that while they thought they had eter nal life. in the scriptures, they neglected to come urtto Christ to, have life, of whjch the scriptures bore witness. 7-This answers wetfto our, purpose, since our adversaries now do also- exalt the scrip tures, and think to have life in them; which, is no more than to look upon them as the only principal rule andWay to life, -and yet refuse to come unto the Spirit ,0f jvhich they-testify, even the inward spiritual , law, which cpuld giyd.fhem life: so that the cause pf this people's ignorance an$ unbelief was not1 their want of- respect to the scriptures, which though they knew, and' bad an high esteem of, yet Christ testifies in , the former verses, that they had nejt]beE seen the-.Father, nor. heard his voice at dnftime;"- neither Itad his ivord abiding, in them; which had they then had, then they had believed Ans. 2. in the Son.. ; Moreover, that place may be taken ' in the indicative anpod, SJfc search the scriptures ; which interpretation the ;Greek word -will bear, and so Pasor .translateth it: .which,., by the re; proof following-, seemeth also to be the more gen uine interpretation, as^Cyrillus- long ago hath ob served. -.-. • -. '* OF THE> SCRIPTURES. 89 §. VIII. Their, third objection is "from these Obj. 3. Words, Acts. xvii.. Ill- These were more noble than those in Th^ssalohicd, \in that -they received the word with all readiness of mind, and Searched (he scriptures daily,whether those things were so. Here, say they, the Bereans are commended for searching the scriptures j and making them the rule: I' answer, That the- scriptures either "are the Ans. 1/ principalor only rule,' WilL not at all folloW from this ; neither will thijir searching the scriptures^ or being comriiended for it, infer any such' thing : for we recommend- and approve the use of them in that respect as much as any ; yet Will it not fol low, that we affirm them to be the principal and only rule. ."• •-',-•" Secondly, It is to be observed that these were Ans. 2. the Jews of B&r"ea, to whom these scriptures, which were the law and the drophetsv were more partic- TheBere- ¦ - 8.M S SfPtrcll -1 wlarly a rule ; and the thing under examination ing the was, 'whether the birth, life, works, and- sufferings ^j^"""' of Christ, did answer to the prophecies that Went them not before of him ; so that it was mestproper for them* ^feto'try being Jews, to examine the apostle V doctrine by doctrines. the scriptures ; seeing he pleaded it to be-a ful filling of them. It is s,aid nevertheless, in the first place, That they received the word uiiih cheerfulness ; and in the second place, Thefsedr'ehcd the scriptures : not that they searched the scriptures, and .then received-the wprd; for then could they hot have prevailed fd Convert them, had they rtot first mind ed the word abiding in them, which ^opened their understandings; no more than the Sqribes and Phar isees, who (as in the formerobjection we observed) searched the scriptures'} and exalted .^hem, and yet remained in their .unbelief, because they had not the Word abiding in them, *-.-¦•'-¦ , ' - But lastly, If this commendation of the Jewish Ans. 3, Bereans might infer that the scriptures were the only and principal rule to try the apostle's doctrine 90 'UROEOSlTION III. by, what should have become ofthe Gentiles? How should they ever have come td'have -received 'the faith of Christ, who neither; knew the scrip tures, nor believed them? ¦¦• We see. in the end pf the same chapter, how the apostle, preaching to The Athe- the Athenians," took another method, and directed stance'd. them to somewhat Of God within themselves, that they might feeiaffer himi. He did not go about- to prdsefyte them to the Jewish religion, and to the belief of the law and the prophets, and from thence to prove the coming of Christ; nay, , he vtook a nearer way. 'Now certainly the principal arid only rule is not different; one to the Jews, and another to the Gentiles ; but is . universal, reaching both : though secondary and subordinate rules and means. may be Various, and diversely suited, according as the people they are used to ape stated and circum- •. stantiated : even so we see -that the apostle to the Athenians used a • testimony of one of their own poets, which he judged would have; credit with them; and no doubt such testimonies, whose au thors they esteemed, had more weight with them than all the sayings _p'f Moses and the prophets? whom they, neither knew nor would have' cared for. Now because the apostle used the testimony of a poet to the Athenians, will it therefore follow he made that the principal or, only rule to try his doctrine by? So neither will it follow,, that though he made use ofthe scriptures to the Jews, as being a principle already believed by, them, to try his doctrine, that from- thence the scrip tures may ; be accounted the, principal or only rule. '- '„-'' §. IX. The last, and that which at first view seems to be the greatest objection, is this ; l>v, • . If the scripture be^not the adequate,, principal* and •*' "* only rule, then it 'would, follo'w that the scripture is not complete, nor the ; canon filled ; that if men be now->im- medialcly led and ruled by the Spinty they may add new OF THE SCRIPTURES. 91 scriptures of equal authority with the old; whereas eve ry one that adds is cursed: yea, what assurance helve we, but at this rate every one may brirfg in a new gospel according to hisfaney ? The dangerous consequences insinuated in this Answ. objection were fully answered in the latter part of the last proposition,- in what was said a little before, offering freely to .disclaim all pretended revelations contrary td the scriptures. But if it be urged, That it is not enough to deny Obj. 1. these consequences, if they -naturally follow front your doctrine of immediate' revelation^ and denying the scrip ture to be the only rule ; ' ¦'•"•¦ F answer*. We have proved both these doc- Ans. 1. trines to be true and neeessary, according td the scriptures themselves ; and therefore tofasten evil consequences upon them, which we make appear do not follow, is not to accuse u§, but Christ and his apostles, who- preached them. But secondly, we have shut the door upon all Ans. 2, such doctrine in this very position ; affirming, That the scriptures give a full and ample testimony to all the principal doctrines ofthe Christian faith. For we do firmly believe that there is no other gospel or doctrine' to he preached, but that which was de livered by the apostles ; and do freely subscribe to that saying, Let him. that preacheth any other gos- Gali '• S- pel, than thpt ' which' hath ibeen already preached by the apostles, and according t& the '.kcriptureSj be ac cursed. .. -x ¦'-- -; So we distinguish hetwixt a revelation of a new Anewre- gospel, and new db'ctr'ineS; and a new revelation of the not a new, good old gospel and doctrines; the last we, plead for, s°^el- but the first We utterly deny.. For we firmly be lieve, That no other foundation can any man lay, than that which is laid already. But that this revelation is necessary we have already proved; and this dis tinction doth sufficiently guard us against the haz ard insinuated in the objection. 14 <$2 PROPOSITION III. Bookscan- As, to the , scriptures being a filled., canon, I see °n,ca1' no necessity of believing it. And if these men, that believe the scriptures to be .the omy rule, will be consistent with. their own doctrine, they must needs be of my judgment; -seeing it is simply impossible to prove the capon by the scriptures. : For it can not be found in any book qf the scriptures, that these books, and- just these, and no other, are can onical, as all are forced to acknowledge ; how can they then evite this argument? . v That, which cannot be proved by scripture is no necessary article of faith. .. '.- .^But the canon of the scripture,' to wit, that jthere are so many books precisely,' neither more npr less, cartnpt be, proved -by scripture; •Therefore, it is- no necessary article of.faith. Obi". 2. ' ; If" they. shduld allege, That the admitting, of any Otherbooks to be now written by the same Spirit, might' infer the admission of new doctrines ; ¦¦• ' , - I deny - that consequence ; for the ' principal- or fundamental doctrines of the Christian religion,, are. contained, in. the tenth partof fhe scripture; but it WuTriot follow thence that the rest are im pertinent or useless. If it should please God to Jbringto us any of thosehooks, which by the inju ry of time are lost,! which are mentioned in the Books lost, scripture; as, The. Proph§cyt of Enoch; the Book of Necihan, 8fc. or, the Third Epptie of Paul to the Co rinthians; I see^no reason Why we ought npt to re ceive them,' and place them with the rest. That , * Which displeaseth me is, that men should first af firm that the -scripture is the only and principal . rule, and yet make a great article of faith of that which the scripture can give us no light ip. As for instance,:- How shall a- Protestant prove ' by scripture, to such as deny the Epistle of James to be authentic, that it ought to be received ? „• .First, If he would say, '.Because it-contradicts not the rest, (besides that there is no mention of it in OP THE SCRIPTURES. 93 any of the rest,) perhaps these men think it doth contradict Paul in relation to faith and works. But, if that should he grarited, it would as well fol low, that eyery writer that contradicts not the scripture, should be put into thexanon ; and by this means these men fall into a greater absurdity than they fix upon us : for thus they would equal eyery one the writings of their own*seet with the scriptures; for I suppose they judge their own confession of faith doth not contradict, the scrip tures: Will it therefore follow that it should be bound up with the bible? And yet it seems im possible, according to their principles, to bring any better argument to prove the Epistle of James ,™*e to be authentic. There is then this unavoidable of James necessity .to say,' We know it by the same Spirit j-® a™ jjjj n" frpm "which: it was written; or. otherwise to step how to back:ta Rome, and say, .We know by tradition that know rt" the church hath declared it to be canonical ; and the church is. infallible. Let them find a mean, if they. can. So that out of this objection we shall draw an unanswerable argument ad. hominem, to our purpose. . ... That which cannot assure me concerning an article of faith necessary to be believed, is not the primary, adequate, only rule of faith, &c. Therefore, &c. -.-.-¦• '- ; 1 prove the assumption thus : ¦> ,- »,. That Which. cannot assure me concerning the canon of the scripture, to wit, that such books are only to be admitted,- and the Apocrypha excluded, cannot assure me of this. • Therefore, &e."' , --- ->*• , And lastly, As to these words, :R%v.-. xxii. 18. Obj. 3. That if ahy man shall add unto these. things, God shall add unto Him the plagues -that are tyrittenin this book; I desire they will show me hdw it re- Answ. iates to any. thing else than to that particular proph ecy. It saith not* Now the canon of the scripture 94 PROPOSITION IV. is filled up, no man is tq- write more from, the Spir it; yea, do not all confess that there have been prophecies and true prophets since ? The Pa pists deny it not. And do npt the Protestants af firm, that, John Hus prophesied ofthe reformation ? Was he therefore, cursed ? Or ( did ne therein evil? ,1 could give many other examples, confess- ^eans'to ed by themselves. But,, moreover, the same was add to the in, effect commanded long before, Prov. xxx. 6. Add scnptures. ^0M m( y^fo his^ofds,,, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liafr Yet bow many books of the proph ets were written after? And' the .same was said by Moses, Deut. iv. 2. Ye shall, not add unto the word which I command you ; neither shall ye: diminish aught from it. - So that, though we should- extend that ofthe revelation beyond, the' particular- proph- dcy of tliat hook, it cannot he understood but of a new gospel, or new doctrines, or of restraining man's spirit, that he mix not his human words with the divine; and, not of a new revelation, of the old, a&we have sajd before. > PROPOSITION IV. ,_ Concerning the Condition of 'Man in the FaM. >*' - ¦ ''• " * -. - ' All Adam's posterity, or mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, as to the first Adam, or earthly man, is fallen, degenerated, arid dead;, deprived ofthe sensation or .feelings of this. inward testimpjiy or Rom.v.12, seed of God; and is subject urito the power, nature, and seed of the serpent, which he sow- eth in men's hearts, while they: abide in this. na tural and corrupted -Estate ; froni whence it comes, that not only -their wo^ds and deeds, but all their imaginations, are evil perpetually in the sight of God,, as proceeding from this de praved and wicked seed. Man therefore, as he , is in this state, can know nothing aright ; yea, OP MAN IN THE PALL. 95 his thoughts and conceptions, concerning God and things spiritual, until he be disjoined froin this evil seed, and united to, the Divine Light, are unprofitable both to himself and others. Hence- are rejected the Socinian , and Pelagiait errors, in exalting a natural light ;. as also of the , Papists, and most Protestants, who affirm, That man,without the true grace of Qod, may be a true min ister of the gospel. Nevertheless, this seed is not imputed to infants, until by transgression they ac- tually,join themselves therewith; for they are by nature the children of wrath, who walk according to the power of the prince of the air, the spirit that Eph. ii. ^norv worketh in the children of disobedience, having-- their conversation in the. lusts of the flesh, ful-"' - filling the desires of the flesh, and ofthe mind, §. I. Hitherto we have discoursed how the true knowledge of God is attained and preserved; also of what, use and, service the holy scripture is to the saints.- We come now to examine the state and condition of man as he stands in fhe fall; what his capacity and power is ; and how far he is able, as of himself, to ad vance in relation to the^things of God. Of this we touched a little in the beginning of the second proposition; but tlie full, right, and thorough un derstanding of it is of great use and service;' be cause from the ignorance and altercations that have been about it there have arisen great and dangerous errors, both, on the one. hand and on the other. While some do So far exalt the light of nature, or the faculty of the natural man, as ca pable of himself, by virtue of the inward, will, fac ulty, light, and power, that pertains to' his nature, to follow that which Is good,, and make real pro gress towards heaven: And of these are the Pela gians, and Semi-Pelagians of old; and of late the Socinians, and divers others among the Papists. 96 PROPOSITION IV. i:Others again will needs run into, another extreme, tinFszeai (*° w^om Augustine,'among the ancients, first made against way in his declining age, through the heat of his Peiagms. Zeal. against Pelagius,) not only Confessing man in capable of himself to do good; and prone to' evil ; , but that in his very mother's womb, and before he commits any actual transgression, he is contami nate With a real guilt, whereby he deserves eter nal death : in which respect they are not afraid to affirm, That many- poor infants are efernalljf damn ed, and forever endure the torments of hell. ^ There fore the God: of trutH, having noW again reveal ed his truth (that good and even way) by his own Spirit,, hath taught us to avoid both, these ex treme's. .. . -.- - - v"> ¦'.;¦' That-theri Which our proposition leads to treat of is, ' *: . I. First, What thk condition of man is in the fall; and how. far incapable to meddle in the things of God, II. • And secondly, That God doth not impute this evil to infants, until ihey actually join with it .-that SO, by establishing the truth, we iriay overturn the errors on both parts. ' - •-'- ' -' III. And as for that Third thing included in the proposition itself, concerning these teaekfrs Which want the grace of God,, we shall, refer that to the tenth proposition, Where the matter is more par ticularly handled. <:'¦¦:- • Part I. §. II. As to the first, not to divd* into the many curious notions which many have concerning the • Aj,,ams condition of Adam before the fall, all agree in this, That thereby he came to a very great loss, not only in the things which related to the outward man, but in regard of that true fellowship and: Communion : he had* with God. This loss was sig nified unto him in the command, For in the day thou eatpst thereof, thou shalt surely 'die, Gen. ii. 17. This death could not he an outward death, Or the dis solution of the outward man ; for as to that, he OP MAN IN THE FALL. 97 did not die yet many hundred years after ; so that it must needs respect his spiritual life and com munion with God. The consequence of this fall, besides that which relates to the fruits ofthe earth, is also expressed, Gen. iii. 24. So he drove out, the man, and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubims] and a flaming sword, which turned, every -V way, to keep the way of the tree of life. Now whatso ever literal signification this may have, we may safely ascribe to this -paradise a -mystical signifi cation,- and truly account it that spiritual commu nion and feTlowshipi, which the saints, obtain with God by Jesus Christ; to whom- only these cherU- bims give way, and unto as many as enter by him, who calls. himself the Door. So' that, though we 2^*,, do not ascribe any whit of Adam's^ guilt to men^ Adam's until they make it theirs by the like acts of diso- P03terity- bedience ; yet we cannot suppose that men, who are come of Adam naturally, can have any good thing in their nature", as belonging to it ; which he, from whom they derive their nature^ had not him self to communicate unto theim v',* 'If then we may affirm, that Adam did not retain iri his nature (as belonging thereunto) any will or light capable to -give him knowledge in spiritual things, then neitner.-ean his -posterity : for what soever real goodany man- doth, it proceedeth not from his nature,, as he is man, or the son of Adam ; but from, the, seedbf God in him; as anew visitation of life, iri order to bring him out of this natural condition : 'so that, though it be in him, yet it is not of Mini; and'this; the Lord -himself witnessed, Gen. vi. 5. where it is said', he saw that 'every imag ination of the thoughts bf hi-g- heart was only evil con tinually : Which' -words "as-. they are very positive, so are they very comprehensive. Observe the ^nation" emphasis of" them; First, There is every imagina- ofthe na- tion of the thoughts of his heart ; so that this admits *"ea,!aman 98 PROPOSITION IV, of no exception of any imagination ofthe thoughts of his heart. Secondly, Is only evil continually ; it is neither in sonie part evil continually nor yet only evil at some times ; but both only evil, and always and continually evil; which certainly excludes any good, as a proper effect of man's heart, naturally: for that which is only evil, and that always, can not of its own nature, produce any good thing. The Lord expressed this again a little after, chap,, viii. 21, The imagination pf mail's heart is evil from his youth : Thus inferring how natural and proper it is unto him ; from which I thus, argue, : . If the thoughts of man's heart he npt only evil j but always evil ; then are they, as they simply proceed from his "heart,, neither- good m parti nor at ahy tinie. ? But tfie first is true; therefore the last.i Again, If man's thoughts be always and only evil, then are ihey altogether useless and ineffectual to him in the things of God. But the first is true ; therefore the last. The heart Secondly, This appears clearly from thaU say- of man de- . . , • •> ' - , - ff ¦ » 1 -^ n rin. eeitfui. ing of the prophet Jeremiah, chap. xvii. 9. .Ihe heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wick ed: For who can with any colour of reason imag ine, that that which is -so hath any power of itself, or is in ariy wise fit, to lead a man to righteousness, whereunto it is of its own nature directly oppo site ? This is as contrary- to reason, as it ,is -ioh possible in nature that a stone, of its own nature arid proper motion, should fly -upwards.: for as a stone of its oWn nature inclineth and is prone to move downwards towards -the centre, so the heart of man is naturally prone and inclined to evil, some to one, and some to another.- From this then I also thus argue : That which is deceitful above all things, and desper- OF ALitf IN THE PALL." 80' -A Utely wicked, is not fit, neither can it /lead a man aright in things that are'good and honest. __ But the heart dfffiari is such : Therefore, &c. •''¦¦:',' But the apostle - Paul describeth the condition *°™- "': of men in the fall af large, taking it out of the & &$£*,' Psalmist-.' There is none righteous, no not one: there &c- is noiie that, under standeth, there is none that seeketh after God, ' They are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become unprofitable ; there is none' that doth good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre, M»n> «*¦ with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of ten, ' asps is under their lips: whose mouths are full qf ' , cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and* misery are in their njay9 • -and the wayof peace have they not-known.. There is no fear of God before their eyes: What more positive can be spoken ? He seemeth to be particularly ', ^ . careful to avoid that any good should be ascribed to the natural man ;' he shows how he~is polluted in all his ways; he shows how. he is void of right eousness, of under&tand ing, of the knowledge of God; how he is out of the way, and" in short un profitable ; than which nothing can be more fully said to confirm dur judgment r Jo & if this be the condition of the natural man, or of the man as. he stands in the fall, he is unfit to make one right step to heaven. - :'\- -,- . .- ..*¦ s If it be said, That is not spoken of the condition of Object. man m general; but only of some particulars, or at the %ast that ikcomprehends not all ; j ".-* " •> The text showeth the clear contrary in the fore- Answ. going verses, where the apostle takes in himself, as he stood in his natural condition. " Whaf-then? Are we better than they? Nb, in no wise; for im have be fore proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are aU under sin, as,. it is written: and so he goes on ; by ._y which it is manifest that he speaks of mankind in general. - - ¦: t - - v ¦>:-¦. 15 ¦-**:, 1 00 PROPOS itjon rv. Object- If they object that which the same- apostle saith ' in the foregoing chapter, ver; 14. to wit,' That the ' Gentiles do by^nature the things ' contAinedfin the law, and so consequently do by nature that ¦whichis -good )' and acceptable int the' sight of God ii! v . \* Ans. 1. , -I ariswer, this nature must not, neither dan be understood of rnanls own nature, ' whf c'hyis corrupt and fallen ; .but ofthe spiritual nature, which pro- ceedeth from* the seed of God in man, as it receiv eth a neW visitation of God's love, and is qujcken- Bf what - ed by it : which clearly appears, by' the following Ctentue?* wdrds, 'where he saith, Thesenot having a law fi. e;) diddothe outwardly, are ¦ a lap unto . themselves ¦;'¦ which' shows tJjeTawf the work of the law, written in their hearts. 'These acts.of thejrs then are an effect of the law writ ten in the,ir hearts ; but the scripture declareth, that the writing of the law- in 'the heart is a part, yea, and a great part too, ;'of 'the .dew ; covenant dispensation, and so no consequence nor part of man's nature. -»". < • ,, -,M,,-., , , Ans. 2. Secondly, If this nature here spokendf cduld be; ' understood of man's own nature, which ihe. hath as he is a.man, then would the apostle unavoidably contradict himself; since he elsewhere positively The natu- declares, That the natural man discemeth not the dScwneth,^l'B|'s °f God, nor can. Now I hope the law of not,&c. God is among the things of God, especially as • -.' it is written in the heart. * The apostle, in theyiith chaplof the same epistle, saith, versd 12, that the law is holy, jusf, and good.; and verse 14. the lawjs spiritual, out he is carnal.. ( NOw^ in ,w,hat respect is he, carnal, but as he stands, in the fall unregene- ', rate? Now what inconsistency would here be, to say, That he is camahand yet not sp of his Own nature, seeing it is from his nature that he is so denominated? We see the apostle, contra-dis- tinguisheth ;the law as. spiritual, from man's natures as carnal and sinful. Whereforef as Christ saith, Jlatvffl.16. There can no grapes be expected from thorns, OP MAN IN THE FALL. 101 nor figs of thistles ; so neither can the fulfilling of the law, which is spiritual, holy, and just, be ex pected from that nature, which is corrupt, fallen, and unregenerate, Whence We conclude, with good reason, that the nature here spoken of, by Which the Gentiles are said to have done the things TheGe.n: contained, in the law, is not the common nature of uai'nrture" men; but that spiritual nature that ariseth froiri the ^ed^j°s WOrks Of 'the righteous and spiritual law that is Written in the heart. I confess they pf the other [ extreme, when they are pressed with this testimo ny 'by the Socinians and Pelagians, as well as by us when we use thi£ scripture, to shpw them- how some ofthe heathens,' by the light of Christ in.their heart, dame to be saved", are very far to seek; giv ing this' answer, That there were isome' relics bf the heavenly image left in Adam, bywhich the heathens could db some good "things: Which,1- as- it is in itself Without proof, so it contradicts their own asser tions elsewhere, and gives away their cause. For if these relics were of force to enable them to ful fil the righteous law of God, it takes away the ne cessity of Christ's coming r orat least leaves them a way to he saved without hihi; unless they will say, (which is worst of all,) Thai though they really fulfil the righteous law of God, yet God damned them, because of the want of that particular knowledge,mhile he himself withheld, all means of their cbmihg to him from them; but ofthis hereafter. - §. III. I might also here use another argument from those words of the apostle, 1 Cor. ii! where he so positively -excludes the natural man from an un derstanding inthe things of God; but because I have spoken of thatfecripture in the, beginning of the second proposition, Iwill here dydid to repeat socftians what is there mentioned, referring thereuritp : yet *h\al,gftof because tfie Socinians and Others; who exalt the light the natural, of the natural man, or a natural light in man, do mm JO? PROPOSITION IV. * Ante- - object against this scripture, I shall remdve.it be- quam pro- i. J T j' * • ' grediar. fore I proceed.* , ¦'-•'-- Object They say, The Greek 'word 4^Xl,cOi 'ought. to be translated animal, and hot naturali . else, , say" they, it would .have been fyvaixbg. 'From which they .seek to-infer, that it is only tjie^animal man., and not the rational, that is excluded here from discerning the things of God. , Which «/««/?;, without disputing about the wqrd, is easily refuted; neither is it anywise con sistent with the scope of the place. For, Answ.l First, Theaninlal life is no other thanthat which The anir man hath in common with other living creatures; isthesame for as he is a mere. man, he differs no, otherwise withnatu- feom Deastg. than by the raiional property. Now the apostle deduceth his argument in the forego ing verses from, this simile; That as, the. tkingSof a man cannot >be. known but by the Spirit of, anion, so the things of God no man knoweth -biit by the Spirit of God. But I hope 'these- men will confess unto hie, that the things of a man are not known by the animal spirit only, i. e. by that which he hath in common with the beasts, but. by 'the rational; so that it must be the rationabthat ishere understood. Again, the assumption shows clearly, that the apostle had no such intent' as these men's gloss would make him' have, viz. /So the, things of God knoweth ho man, buf the Spirit pfGod: According to their judgment he should have said, The thijigs of God knoweth no man by his animal spirit, but- by his ra tional spirit: for to say, the Spirit of God,' here spoken of, is no other than the rational spirit of man, would border upon blasphemy, since they are so of^ep contra-distinguished. Again, going on, he saith not that they are rationally, bint .spiritually Answ.2 Secondly, The apostle throughout this chapter shows hdw the wisdom of man is unfit to judge ofthe things of God, and ignorant of them. Now I ask these men, whether a man be called a wise OP MAN IN THE FALL. 103 man from his animalproperty, or from his rational? If, from his rational, then it is not only the animal, Jhthe Greeks of old, not only may be, but often are, enemies tp.the kingdom of God; while both, the preaching of Christ is said to be foolishness with the-wise. men^ofthe world, and- the wisdom of the world is. said to he foolishness with God. Now whether it be any ways probable that either fhese wise men that are said to - account the gospel foolishness, are only' so called with re spect to their, animalproperty, and pot their ration-, al ; or jihat the ywisdom that is foolishness withGod is not meant pf the rational, but only the animal property; any rational man, laying aside interest, may easily judge. <" - • '§. IV, I come, now to the other part, to wit, That this evil arid corrupted seed is. not imputed to in- si'n^mpu1- fants, until they actually join with it. -For this there l*dia ,. is a reason given in the end of theprdposition- it self, drawn from Eph. ii. For these are. by nature children of wrath, who walk according to the prince of the power of: the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. ' Here the (apostle gives their evil walking, and net any thing- that is not reduced ,to act, as a reason of- their heingehildrm of wriith. And, this is suitable tothe whole strain ofthe gospel, where no man is ever threatened or judged fo.rw what iniquity he hath not actually wrought:, such indeed' as -continue in iniquity, and so do allow the sins of their fathers, God will visit the iniquity of theTathers, upon the children. 104 ^PROPOSITION IV. \- !/ Is it not strange then that* men should entertain an opinion so absurd in itself, and so cruel and con trary! to the nature as Well of God's mercy as jus tice, concerning which the scripture is altogether silent? But it; is manifest that man hath inVehted this opinion out of self-love, and from' that • bitter > root from which all 'errors spring; -for the most Ste deS-6" Part °f Protestants that hold this, having, as they cree of fancy, the absolute decree of election to secure them brings" and their children, so as they cannot miss of sal-< from self- vation/ tfiey -make no difficulty to serid all others, 1 both old and -young, to hell. Fop whereas self- love,- which is always apt to believe that which it desires, ppssesseth them with an hope that their part is secure, they are -not solicitous how they leave their neighbodrs, which are the far greater part of mankind, in these inextricable difficulties. The* Papists -again use this f opinion as an art *0 augment the esteem of their church; and rever ence of its1 sacraments, seeing they, pretend it is washed, aWay by baptism ; only, in this they ap pear to be a little more merciful, infhat they send not these uribap'tized infants to hell, but to a cer- ''' tain limbus, concerning which the scriptures are. as silent as' of the of her. This then is not Only ,no* ' authorized in the scriptures', but, contrary tothe express tenor of them. , The apostle saith plainly, Rom: iv. 1 5. Where" no law is, there is no transgres- , sioii. And again, v. 13, But sin is not imputed, where' there is no lata'. ¦ Than which testimonies To infants there is nothing more positive ; , since fo infants there is no; there isv no law, seeing as such they ard utterly in- tran'sgres- capable of it ; the law canrtbt reach any but such sion. as have in some measure' less or more the exercise of their understanding, , which infant's have not. So that from thence I thus argue:' Sin is imputed to ndne, where there is no law. But to infants there is no law : -,','. Therefore sin is not imputed to them. OF MAN IN THE PALL. 105 The proposition is the apostle's own words ; the assumption is thus prpved:'- , , Those who are under a physical impossibility of either hearing, knowing, or understanding any law, where the impossibility is not brought upon them, by any act of their own, but is according to, the very order of nature appointed by God; to such there is no law. But infants are under this physical impossibility : . Therefore, frc. Secondly, What can be more positive than that of Ezek. xviii. 20. The soul that' sinneth, it shall die : the son. shall not bear the father's iniquity. For the prophet here first showeth what is the cause of man's eternal death, which he saith is his sinning; and then, as if he purposed expressly to shut put such afi opinion, he assures us, The son shall not bear the father's iniquity,.. From which I'.thuS argue : , If the son bear not the iniquity of his father, or infants of hip immediate parents, far : less shall he -bear' '/Jam's the iniquity of Adam. ' transgres- But the, son shall not bear the iniquity of ; his father: - Therefore, Sec. ¦ §. V. Having thus far shown how absurd this opinion is, I shall briefly examine the reasons its authors bring for if. ¦ <.-¦'. ' First, They say, Adam was a public person, 'and Obi. 1. therefore all. men sinned in, him,, as being in his loins. And forthis they allege that of Rom. v. 12. Where fore: as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed 'upon all -men, for that all have -.sinned,- fyc. These last words, say they^ may be translated, In whom all have sinned. To this. I answer : That Adam is a public per- AnsW. spn.is hot denied; and that through him there is a seed of sin propagated to all men, Which in its own nature is sinful, and . inclines men to ini quity; yet it will not folloW from thence, that In- 406 -- PROPOSITION IV. fonts, who join not with -this seed, are guilty. As for these, words in the Romans^ihe reason of the guilt there alleged is, For that cut haye sinned. Now no man is said to sin', unless he actually sin in his Own person; for the Greek-words §q> 0 may very weH'relat d to B6.vaCi@-p which is the nearest antecedent ;, sd that they hold* forthf how that Adam, by his sin, gave an entrance to sin iir the world: and so death entered by sin, I90 i. e. upon which [viz. occasion] oi", m which [viz. death] all others have sinned; that is, actually in their Own persons; to wit, allfhat were capable-df sinning: of which dumber' that infants could hot- be, the apostle clearly shows by the following verse, Sin is not imputed^where 'thkri iis no law: and since, as is above proved/there is no law to infante, they can not be herd included. • ¦'""¦ Obj. 2. Their second objection is from Psalm li. 5. -'Be hold I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Hence, they gay,, it appears that infants from their conception are' guilty.*. .*;> Answ. How they infer this, consequence, '.for my part I See not The. iniquity and sin here appears to be far more aseribable to the parents' than to the Conceived cij{j3 ' ft js sa[& indeed, In sin did my mother con- in sin an- . ' , . J f swered. ceive me; not my mother did conceive me a sifSrier. Besides that, sd interpreted, contradicts expressly the scripture before-mentioned, in making child ren guilty of the sins of their immediate parents, (for of Adam there is not'here any mention,) con trary-id the plain words, the son shall hot bear the father's iniquity. . .' v- -. : - ... Obj. 3. Thirdly, They object, That the' wages of sin is death ; and that seeing children are subject to diseases and death, therefore they must be guilty of sin. Answ. I answer, That these things are a consequence Death the of the fall, and of Adam's sm, i& confessed ; but wages of that that infers necessarily a guilt in all Others swered. that are subject to them i& denied. For though OP MAN IN THE FALL. 107 the whole outward creation suffered a decay by }Adam's fall, which groans under vanity; accord ing to which it is said in /b6,;that the heavens are not clean inthe sight of God; yet will it not from thence follow, that the herhsj earth, and trees are sinners. '""'- '¦ ~ .' Next, death, though a corisequerit of the fall, incident to man's earthly nature, is not the wages of sin in the "'saints; but rather a sleep; by which they pass froni death to life; which is so far from being troublesome and painful to them, as all real punishments for sin are, that the apostle Counts it gain: To me, saith he, to die is gain, Philip, i. 21. Some are So foolish as to make' 'an objection Obj. 4. farther, saying, That if Adam's sin be not imputed to those who actually have not sinned, then it would fol low that all infants are saved; But we are willing that this supposed absurdity Answ. should be the consequence of our doctrine, rather than that which it seems our adversaries reckon not absurd, though the Undoubted and hna void able consequence of theirs, viz. That many infants' eternally periSh~,yiot for ,any sih of their own, but only for Adam's iniquity ; where we are willing to let the controversy stop, commending both to the illu minated understanding of the Christian redder. This error of Our adversaries is both denied and refuted by Zuinglius, that eminent founder of the Protestant churches of Switzerland, - in his book De Baptismo, for which he is anathematized by the council of Trent, in the fifth session, i We shall only add this information": That we confess then that a seed of sih is transmitted to all -men from Adam, although" imputed to none, until by sinning they actually join with it; in which seed he gave occa sion to all to sin, and it is the origin of all evil actioils arid thoughts in men's hearts, £.. PROPOSITION V. God, out of his infinite love, who delighteth not in the death of , a sinner, but that all should live and be .saved, hath so loved the world, that he hath. given his only Son a Light, that whosoever* believeth in him shall be saved,. John iii. 16. who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, John i. 9. and maketh manifest all things fhat are reproveable, Eph. v. 13. and teacheth all temperance, righteousness, and godliness;. and this* Light enlighteneth: the hearts of all for a time," in order to salvation; and this is it Which reproves the sin- of all indi viduals, and would work out the salvation of all, if not resisted. Nor is it less : universal than the seed of sin, being the purchase of his death, who tasted death for every man: for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive, 1 Cor. xv. 22. OP UNIVERSAL AND SAVING LIGHT. 109 > PROPOSITION VI. According to which principle Or hypothesis all the objections: against the universality of Christ's death are easily solved ; neitheifis it needful to recur to the ministry of angels, and thoseo ther miraculous means which they say God useth to manifest the doctrine and history of Christ's passion unto such, who, living in parts ofthe world where theout- ward preaching of the gospel is unknown, have well improved the first and common grace. For as hence it well follows that some of the old phi losophers might have been saved', sd also may some, who by providence are cast into those re mote parts of the world where the knowledge of the history is wanting, be made partakers ofthe divine inystery,if they reeeive-and resist not that -grace, a manifestation whereof is given to every man iCor.xii.?. to profit withal. This most certain doctrine be ing then received, that there is an evangelical and saving light and grace in all, the universality of the love and mercy of God tpwards mankind, both in the death of his beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the manifestation of the light in the heart, is established and confirmed, against % aU the objections of such as deny it. There fore Christ hath tasted death for every man; not only Heb. ii. 9; •>¦- for all kinds of men, as some vainly talk, but for every man of all kinds : the benefit of whose of fering isnot only extended to such whohave the distinct outward knowledge of his death and suf ferings, as the same is declared in the scriptures, but even unto those who are necessarily excluded from the benefit ofthis knowledge by some inev itable accident ; which knowledge we Willingly confess to be very profitable and comfortable, but not absolutely needful unto such from whom God himself hath withheld it ; yet they may be HO PROPOSITIONS V; ¦& VI. made partakers of the mystery? of his death, though ignorant of the history, if tliey suffer his ; seed and light, ^enlightening their hearts, to take ' place, in which light communion With the Father and ^ the Son is enjoyed, so as of wicked>men,to become holy, and lovers, of that power, by whose iri Ward and secret touches: they feel themselves turned frOm the evil to the good, and learn fa do toothers as they would be done by, in which Christ liimself affirms all to be included. As- ihey have then falsely and erroneously taught, who have deni ed Christ to have died for all men ; so neither have they sufficiently taught the truth,' Who, af firming him to have di ed for, .all, have addej the absolute necessity ofthe outward knowledge thereof, in order,, to obtain its saving effect. Among whom the. Remonstrants, of Holland haye been chiefly wanting, and .many other asserters of universal redemption, in that they have not pla- > < ced.the extent of this salvation in that divine and evangelical principle of light and life, wherewith ., -Christ hath enlightened every man that cometh into the ywprld, which is excellently and evidently held ^ forth in these scriptures, Gen. vi. 3. Deut. xxx. 14. John i. 7, 8, 9, 16. Rom. x. 8. Titus ii. 1 1. Hitherto we have considered man's fallen,, lost, Won, that, corrupted, and degenerated condition. Now it is and' lias- nt to inquire, how and by what means he may come tp phemoua :be freed out of this miserable and depraved condition, described. which in these two propositions is declared and demonstrated; which I thought meet, to place to gether because of their affinity, the one being as it were an explanation of the other. As for thajtdoctrine which these1* propositions chiefly strike at, to wit, absolute reprobation, accord ing to which some are not afraid to assert, "That " God, by an eternal and immutable decree, hath " predestinated to eternal damnation the far greater Absolute reproba. OP UNIVERSAL AND SAVING LIGHT. Ill " part of .mankind, not Considered as made, much " less as fallen, without any respect to ttair diso bedience or sin, but only for the demoistrating " ofthe glory of his justice ; and that for he bring- " ing this about, he hath appointed these niserable1- " souls necessarily to walk in their, wicled ways, "that so -his justice may lay hold ontiem: and "that God doth therefore no,trdnly suffer them to " be liable to this misery iri -many pats of the " wprjd, by Withholding from them the preaching : " of the gospel and the knowledge of Christ, but " even in those places where the gpspelis preach- " ed, and salvation by Christ is. offend; whom " though he publicly invite them, yet hejiistly con- " demns for disobedience, albeit he hah withheld " from them all grace by Which they could have "laid hold of the gospel, viz. Because he hath, by " a secret will unknown to all men, ordained and '^decreed (without any respect had fo their obe- "dience or sin) that they shall not pbey, and that " the offer of the g°spel shall never prove effectual "for their salvation, but only serve to aggravate,, " and Occasion their greater condemnation." I say, as to this horrible and blasphemous dopr trine, our cause is common with many others, wlo have both wisely and learnedly, according, to scrip ture, reason, and antiquity, refuted it. Seeing then that so much is said already and so well against this doctrine, that little can be superadded, ex cept what hath been said already, I shall be short' in this respect ; yet, because it lies sp in ppposi- tion to my way, I cannot let it altogether passi §. I. First, . We may safely call this doctrine a This doc novelty, seeing the first four hundred years after ^{i® * n0" Christ there is no mention made of it; for as it is contrary to the scriptures' testimony, and to the tenor of the gospel, so all the ancient, writers, teachers, and doctors of the church, pass it over with a profound silence. The first foundations of lhe riae 0! 112 5. PROPOSITIONS V.& VI. it werejlaid in the latter writing^ ;df. .Augustine, who, inlhis heat against Pelagiw, lei fall some expressions which' some, have- unhappily gleaned up, to the establishing of this error f, thereby con tradicting the truth, and sufficiently gainsaying many othrs,aijd many more and frequent expres-i sipns of tie same Augustine. Afterwards was this> loctrine hmentdd by Dominicufr & friar, and the monks of his order; and at last -unhappily taken up by Johi Calvin, (otherwise a man in1 divers re spects, to be commended,) to the great staining of his reputation, apd defamation both of the • Pro testant andChristian religion ; which; though it re ceived fhedecrees ofthe Synod - of Dbrt for its confirmation; hath since lost ground, and begins to be- exploded by most men of learning and piety in all Protestant churches. However, we should not oppugn it for the silence of the ancients, pau city of its assertersj ' or for the learnedness of its opposers, if We did observe it td have any real bottom in the Writings or sayings of Christ and the apostles, and that it Were not 'highly injurious to Gid himself, to Jesus Christ' our Mediator andRedeem- erl and to the power, virtue, nobility, and. excellency of hii blessed {gospel? and lastly unto all mankind. Highly in- S. II. First, It is highly injurious to God,'be- .¦Godjn10 causelt makes him the author of sin, which of all making , thifigs is most contrary to his nature. '• I confess thor of sin. the asserters of this principle deny this conse-. quince; but that is but a mere illusion, seeing it so natjirally follows from this doctrine, and is equally ridiculous, as if a man should, pertinaciously deny that one and tivo^make three. For if God has decreed that the reprobated ones shall perish, without all respect to their evil deeds, but only of his own pleasure, and if he hath also decreed long before they were in being, or in a capacity to dp good- or evil, that they should walk in those wicked ways, by which, as by a secondary means, they OP UNIVERSAL. AND SAVING LIGHT. 113 are led to that end: who, I pray; is the first au thor and cause thereof but God, who so willed and decreed ? This is as natural a consequence as can be : and therefore, although many of the preachers of this doctrine have sought out various, strange, straiped, and intricate distinctions to defend their opinion, and avoid this horrid consequence; yet some, arid that ofthe most eminent of them, have been so plain in the matter, as they have put it beyond all doubt. Of which I shall instance, a few among many passages. '"*•/ say, That, by the ordina-' *f "3 {? j," tion and will of God Adam fell. Gpd would have man id. i. ins" to fall. :f Man is -blinded by the wilLand commandment jj1^9^1' of God. We refer the causes, of- hardening us' to God. Prad. id. The highest br'remote cause of hardening is the will of ^d ? nr°t* God. .It followeth that the hidden counsel of God is C.23.S.1. the cause ofr hardening. These are Calvin's expres sions. 1.God (saith Bezel)' hath predestinated not only > Beza lib. unto damnation, but also unto the causes of it, whomso- dePr£ed- ever he saw meet. 3 The' decree of Gad cannot be ex- *Id- de eluded, from the causes of corruption. ~3It is certain Art. 1. (saith Zanchius) tliat God is. the first- cause of obdu- ''J'&nch Ac ration. Reprobates - are • held so fast under. God's- 5'. id. lib. almighty decree,, that they cannot but sin-.and perish. n'ef^z 4 It is the opinion (saith Parceus) of our doctors, That depra-d. Goddid inevitably decree the temptation and fall of man. Jjb^f de' The creature sinneth indeed necessarily, 'by the most just Amis, gra- judgment:of Godi Our men do most rightly affirm, that m&cc. {. the fall of Man was necessary and inevitable, by acci dent,, because of God's decree.,' 5God (saith Martyr) 'Martyr doth incline and force the wills of wicked men into great sins. 6 God (saith ZuingUus) moveth, the robber to kill. '.Zuing. He killeth, God forcing him thereunto. But thou wilt v. 5.® say, he is forced to sin; I permiijruly that he is forced. 7 Reprobate persons {saith Piscator) are -absolutely ' Resp. ad ordained, .to this two-fold end, to undergo, everlasting Y0TSt:^ punishment, and. necessarily to sin; and therefore to sin, that they may be justly punished. - , $gjL' -':,'" 114 PROPOSITION^ V. (fc^VI.* If these sayings do not plainly and evidently import that God is the author of sin, 'we must not then seek these men's opinions from their words, but some way else. Itseems as if they had as sumed to themselves that monstrous, and two-fold will they feigiv of God; one by which they de clare their minds openly, and another more se cret and hiddehj- Which is quite contrary to the other. Nor doth it at all help them, to say that man sins willingly, since that willingness, procliv- ity,and propensity to evil is, according to their judgment, sO necessarily imposed upon him, that 'he canpOt but be Willing, because God hath will ed and decreed him to be so. Whiehshift is just as if I should take a child incapable to resist me, and throw it down from a great '. precipice ; the Weight of the. 'child's body indeed makes it go readily down, arid the violence of thes fall upon some rbck-or stone beats put its brains and kills it. Now then, I pray, though the Tbddy of the child goes willingly down,'(fp¥ I suppose it, as to its mind, incapable of any Will,) and the weight of its body, add not any immediate' stroke of my hand, who perhaps am at a great distance, makes it die, whether is the, child or I the proper cause of its death? Let any man of reason judge, if God's part be, With them, as great, yea, more immediate, in the sins of men, (as by the .testimonies above brought doth appear,) whether doth not this make him not only the author of sin, but more unjust than the unjustest of men ? 2. itmakes §. HI. Secondly, This doctrine, is injurious to God, light inthe because it makes him delight in the death of sin- death of a ners, yea, and to will many to die in their sins, sin n€*r » * * rn* contrary to these scriptures^^-efcxxxni. 11. 1 -*«»»• ii. 4. 2. Pet. iii. 9. For ifhe hath created men drily for this very end, that he might show forth hisj us-' tice and power in them, as these men affirm, and for effecting thereof hath not only with-held from OF UNIVERSAL AND SAVING; LIGHT. 115 them the means of doing good, but also predesti nated the evil, that they, might fall into it ; and that he inclines and forces .them into great sins; Certainly he must necessarily delight in their d eath? and will them to die; seeing against his own will he neither doth, nor can do any thing.