the Spirit in the word Joh. 1.9 Joh. 1.9 That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world From whence 't is urged That every man hath a light within him displayed from Christ the true light of the world whereunto if he give heed he shall not need any outward illuminations or instructions from men for this is the work of Christ himself and himself hath sufficiently done it answer 'T is with all reverence and thankfulness acknowledged that Christ is the fountain of every perfect illumination whether natural spiritual or eternal But yet the words are not so to be understood as if every man saith the Father Non quia nullus est hominum qui non tlluminatur sed quia insi ab ipso nullus illuminatur Aug. were truly and fully enlightned immediately by Christ himself but that no man is enlightned but by him Sicut nemo à seipso esse sic aemo à sâ—…pso sapiens esse potest Beda For as no man can be so no man can be wise or holy from himself but from Christ But as it is in the effusion of the natural light of the world there is Lux lumen and luminare There is 1. the light it self 2. The medium that receives it 3. The splendid bodies from whence 't is displaid so it is in the spiritual light of the Church There is 1. Lux the true light it self and this is Christ 2. Lumen the medium whereby our souls are enlightned by Christ and this is a lively faith such a faith as is both doctrinal and practical Joh. 12.46 I am come a light into the world that whosoever beleeveth on me should not abide in darknesse 3. Luminaria the luminaries or personal lights by whose Ministery this light is imparted And these are the Apostles and Ministers of Christ in all ages to whom our Lord saith Ye are the light of the world Mat. 5.14 So that as every man is enlightned by Christ primarily and originally so by his Ministers also secondarily and instrumentally they are the earthen vessels that carry this heavenly treasure The Luminaries that convey unto others that light of Grace and Truth which from Christ they have received even as the Sun the Moon and the Stars are the conveyances of that material light which had its being before them And what the Psalmist speaks of the diffusion of the light of the heavens over the face of the whole earth Psal 19.4 is applyed by the Apostle to the Preachers of the Gospel Rom. 10.18 Their sound is gone out into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world And for the more full understanding of this text 't is worthy observation that the words may as well if not more properly be rendred thus in English He is the true light who coming into the world lighteth every man applying as Grotius notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this is most agreeable with the context for it immediately followes He is in the world and as long as I am in the world I am the light thereof Joh. 9.5 And this was Christs principal errand into the world to give light to them that sit in darkness c. Luk. 1.79 1 Cor. 14.30 1 Cor. 14.30 But if any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace whence 't is alledged that the people are capable of Revelations from heaven and may thereupon interrupt and silence the Preacher that their Revelations may be heard answer 'T is most true that every Preacher of the Gospel must yeeld all obedience to a divine Revelation and keep silence when God himself speaks by the mediate ministery of man or Angel but that no such immediate Revelation can be meant in this text is clear from the context the words immediately before are these Let the Prophets speak two or three and let the others judge whereupon it followes if any thing be revealed not immediately from heaven surely for that is not liable to humane judgement but as 't is vers 26. If any man hath a Revelation i. e. the gift of revealing or opening some Gospel Truth which is hid under the veile of some type figure or mystical expression in the Law For Evangelium est velatum in lege lex est revelat a in Evangelio i. e. The Law is but the veiled Gospel and the Gospel the revealed Law and he hath the gift or Spirit of Revelation not who brings in new Revelations which under a dismal curse is forbidden but who can reveal and open the old who can pull the veile off Moses face who can open the Law with the Gospel key and finde Christ and the mysteries of salvation under the types and dark expressions of the Law and the Prophets And this is that which is also meant by the Spirit of Revelation Eph. 1.17 and may serve to clear that text also from the like false collection thence Eph. 1.17 Only we may again remember herewithall for the clearing of both these and all other texts alledged to the same purpose that this gift of Revelation was extraordinarily and by more immediate inspiration communicated to the Apostles and first preachers of the Gospel and therefore 't is called The spirit of Revelation which no Enthusiast without sacriledge can now pretend unto no more then he may to the gifts of Tongues miracles c. All which were peculiar to those primitive times being then necessary for that first planting of the Gospel and working of faith in the hearts of the hearers but are now and have long since ceased as being no further useful since the Gospel is planted and wee all professe to believe the same So that what the Father said of Miracles the same is true of the gifts of Tongues of Wisdome Revelation and all extraordinary and immediate inspirations of the holy Ghost This were necessary before the world believed even to this end that the world might believe But he that now looks for such grounds of his faith as are extraordinary and miraculous is himself a miracle because he believes not with the rest of the world of Beleevers Miracula necessaria fuere priusquam crederet mundus ad hoc ut mundus crederet Quisquis adhuc prodigia ut credat inquirit magnum est ipse prodigium qui mundo credente non credit Aug. Other texts alledged for the proof of immediate inspiration are such wherein the inhabitation of Christ and his Spirit and our communion with them is expressed And Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of him Rom. 8.9 And 1 Joh. 3.6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not And vers 24. Hereby know we that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Rightly to understand which texts and the like expressions in all other texts and to free them
yet ordinarily and invisibly in the use of means he comes still and by his secret celestial influence visits enlightens and sanctifies the souls of men In every good thought in every good motion and pious desire of the soul in every devout sigh and sorrowful groan under the weight and burthen of sin in every striving and raising of the soul from under that weight in every elevation of the soul from the dust and rubbish of worldly vanities and aspiring towards heaven in every beam of holy truth and divine grace whether relating to piety or charity the holy Ghost descends from heaven Thus he daily comes unto us and thus he will ever come and be with his Church and people unto the end of the world according to that promise of our Lord Mat. 28.20 Mat. 28.20 And lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world He will be with us if we will be with him and not neglect the means he hath ordained to be made partakers of his ever blessed presence with us The means to fetch down this holy Spirit from heaven to sanctifie our souls by his grace here that he may exalt us to his glory in the heavens hereafter besides those natural and moral means for the attainment of spiritual gifts before remembred which are also dispensed from the Spirit of God the divine means or conveyances of the Spirit are either 1. Outward 2. Inward The outward means are no other but those three essential parts of divine worship 1. Holy Prayer 2. The holy Word 3. The holy Sacraments The most holy God commanding us nothing but what are the means and waies of our own happiness Quod homini proficit Deo servit Tert. de poen c. 2. viz. the means of grace and sanctification here as the way to our glorification hereafter For there is nothing that we poor frail mortal dust and ashes can perform that may any way add really add to the glory or happiness of the most high most glorious and ever blessed God And in that he lays his commands upon us and enjoyns us several waies of acknowledging our obedience to him 't is of his tender care and respect to us-ward even for our guidance and direction in the waies of our own felicity The Laws of God are no other then the rules of mans perfection even the sacred paths we must tread to attain that pitch of perfection whereunto we are created being instampt after the blessed image of our Maker So that the parts of Gods service commanded are to us the means of grace and salvation sincerely obeyed 1. Holy prayer in all the parts and species thereof is a means to fetch down the holy Spirit of God in his gifts and graces So saith our Lord positively and clearly Lnk. 11.13 Luk. 11.13 If ye being evill know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask him And that we might know what is here meant by the Spirit Mat. 7.11 St. Matthew records the words of our Lord thus How much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that ask him All good things being comprised under the name of the Spirit as the fountain from whence they flow And Joh. 14.14 Joh. 14.14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it and presently after he promiseth as the sum of all that they could ask for I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of truth c. God is in himself the fountain of all perfection every good and every perfect gift every divine celestial soul-sanctifying grace is in God as the original prototype and grand examplar as the root from whence the sap of every grace as the Sun from whence the beam of every gift for illumination is derived unto us Jam. 1.17 from the holy heavens they must come for there is their proper seat and habitation Wisd 9. as the Wise man confesseth when he petitioned the God of heaven for the wisdome of the Spirit And the same means must we use to fetch down both wisdome and the rest of the graces of the Spirit even by prayer commanded Jam. 1.5 Prayer is the blessed mean that unites God and man brings heaven and earth together 'T is that golden chain saith Basil that ties the gracious ears of God to the hearts and tongues of men 'T is the hand which reaches from earth to heaven and takes forth every good thing out of the Lords treasury Mat. 7.7 Therefore 't is said Mat. 7.7 Ask and ye shall receive seek and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you so that 't is also the ring or hammer wherewithal we knock at the gates of heaven and beg a blessing from the great Lord that dwelleth there Nay it is the key of heaven saith Aug. which opens unto us those everlasting doors of glory 'T is the blessed engine wherewithal we storm the heavenly Jerusalem and as it were by force and violence make our entrance into the holy City which is full of wealth and never fading treasures Mat. 11.12 The Kingdome of heaven saith our Lord suffers violence and the violent take it by force fervent importunate prayers being the scaling ladders Gen. 28. represented by Jacobs ladder which being set upon the earth the top thereof reacheth to the heavens our several prayers upon all occasions wants and opportunities are as it were the several rounds of this celestial ladder whereupon the desires and affections of our souls ascend from earth to heaven and leaving these frail earthy tabernacles of clay make their way unto the most high God which sits in the heavens Or it may be represented by that fiery chariot of Elijah 2 King 2.11 wherein he was wrapt from earth to heaven for so by fervent prayers and devotions are the souls of holy and religious men they are thereby enwrapt and mount from the earth to have their conversation in heaven with God on high whence they again descend enricht with celestial blessings or with the Spirit of God This is also further proved by the example of the Apostles who after they had prayed the holy Ghost descended on them Act. 4.31 And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they assembled together and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and the spake the Word of God with boldnesse 2. The holy Word of God in general but the Gospel of Christ in special in the preaching or reading hearing and understanding thereof 2 Tim. 3.16 is an effectual means for the obtaining of the Spirit for all Scripture is given by inspiration they are the very dictates the breathings of the Spirit upon the souls of men and are therefore profitable for doctrine or to teach the truth for reproof to convince what is false and erroneous for correction of the
sway with the vulgar very much but when these Sermons discourses and books come to the scanning of judicious ears and such who have the gift of discerning spirits all their preachments prove but unprofitable prattle if not profanations of Gods holy word Their discourses of Religion unreasonable and endlesse brabbles and their books fraught with impertinencies railings and lies For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips they shall be taken in their pride for why their preaching is of cursing and lies Ps 59.12 objection 3 But do not we hear many good things come from them and many sweet truths to the great contentment and edification of the hearers answer There are many sentences and sayings in holy Scripture and other good English books which are so plain and convincing that they cannot be wrested or perverted but when these come to be formed into a Sermon or into a continued discourse by rude and illiterate persons they are generally so disorderly and confusedly delivered so maim'd and obscur'd by insignificant impertinent and erroneous expressions which like dirt or poyson intermixt with wholsome food doth choak and kill rather then nourish and edifie the souls of the hearers The word of God which is the sword of the Spirit in the mouth of an ignorant blinde zelot is like a sword in a mad mans hand wherewith he wounds both himself and others for want of judgement to use it aright or as an unskilful Physitian though he have very good books of Physick and excellent physical receits if yet he do not fully understand these books and the nature and working of these receits and the several tempers withal to whom severally they are appliable he shall more often kill then cure his Patients Even so it is with the unskilful Physitians of the soul when they understand not the holy Word of God aright nor yet how where when and to whom the several divine receits therein are appliable they convert the soul-saving Physick thereof to a soul-killing poyson And the Word which is in it self the fountain of holy truths becomes through the misunderstanding and misapplication of ignorant interpreters and deceitful workers the nursery of Haeresies and errors And as in natural things corruptio optimi est pessima The best things corrupted are of all corruptions the worst so in supernatural and divine mysteries when the word of Truth it self is corrupted and deceitfully handled by ignorant and misguided persons there is nothing more baneful to the truth of Religion nor to the souls of men whereof true Religion is the Physitian and Guide objection 4 But hath not God expresly and plainly told us in his holy Word that he makes choice of such whom you call ignorant and illiterate persons to be the instruments of his grace and salvation unto men as Mat. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes and 1 Cor. 1.26 Not many wise men after the flesh c. answer 1. With all thankfulness and devotion of soul we acknowledge Gods infinite goodness and wisdome in the choice of Apostles and first preachers of the Gospel Non sapientes c Ne traduxisse prudentia ne redemisse divitiis ne potentiae nobilitatÃsque authoritate traxisse aliquos videretur Ambr. in Luc. 6. 1. Not many wise lest any might seem to have been inveigled and seduc't to Christianity by the inticing words of mans wisdome 2. Not many Rich lest our redemption might seem to be purchased with gold or silver or that worldly gain should become the motive to godliness 3. Not many Noble lest the authority of earthly powers and dignities rather then the authority of Christ and the convincing power of his truth might seem the allurement of our conversion therefore God hath chosen the foolish even Fishermen to confound the Philosophers Publicans and sinners to reprove the most rigid Stoicks and morally vertuous poor weak and unarmed men to make conquest of all nations to dissolve the armed powers of the world and without any carnall weapons to be mighty through God for the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 that so all the world might acknowledge the work of grace and salvation in Christ to be his Revelation not mans invention and that no flesh might glory in his presence presuming to ascribe to his own power wisdome wealth dignity c. what is the sole work of Gods grace and goodnesse But 2. It doth not hence follow that all vulgar and unlearned persons may understand and expound the Scriptures as well as the wise and learned for the reasons already alledged in answer to the first objection And because further under the notion of babes little ones foolish and weak things of the world Quid est parvos c. elegit i.e. non superbos elatos sed humiles mites Aug. is not meant so much the ignorant and unlearned as the meek lowly humble whom no spirit of pride and self-conceited knowledge and holiness had puffed up For it is not ignorance and want of learning but humility and self-dejection that enfits the soul for the impressions of Grace and Truth So that those unlearned persons who have so good an esteem of themselves as to prefer their own sense and judgement in spiritual things before that of the learned and of their Teachers cannot be of the number of those babes and little ones to whom the mysteries of Christ are revealed but rather to be rankt amongst those wise men after the flesh who are rejected objection 5 But against humane learning we are admonisht to take heed of it as dangerous Col. 2.8 Let no man spoyle you through Philosophy answer The best things may be and too commonly are corrupted and abused the holy Scriptures themselves which are given by divine inspiration for our guidance to eternal happiness have been and daily are by Hereticks and Schismaticks wrested to their own condemnation And so it fares with Philosophy and all the parts of humane learning 'T is confessed that many Philosophers opposed holy Christian Religion at the first as contradictory to some of their false erroneous positions and many Hereticks arose in the Church being seduced and seducing others with principles taken out of the heathenish Pythagorean Philosophy from the knowledge whereof they were called Gnosticks But true Philosophy is not therefore to be condemned because Heathen Philosophers held many false tenents no more then true Religion is to be condemned because some seduced professors thereof hold many Heretical and false opinions therein And herein the necessary use of Philosophy is apparent in that though many Heresies sprung from Philosophers Erasm in praefat ad Irenae yet by Philosophers they have been supprest and the truth maintained witness Moses skil'd in all the learning of the Egyptians against Jannes and Jambres with the rest of the Egyptian Magicians and
but nominally only and in relation to us which was the error of the Patripassians and others struck at by that clause of the Athanasian Creed so there is one Father not three Fathers one Son not three Sons one Holy Ghâ—st not three Holy Ghosts distinction 3 Thirdly that we may not confound the Person and the Office of this ever blessed Spirit of God but rightly understand what is meant by receiving the holy Ghost being filled with the Holy Ghost Act 9.2 Psal 2.4 Heb. 6.4 and made partakers of the Holy Ghost and all Scriptures which speak of having the Spirit being endued with the Spirit and the like we must in the third place rightly distinguish betwixt the Personal Essence of the Spirit and the impressions or workings of this Spirit upon the mindes of men Rac. catec It was the error of the Macedonians Samosatenians of old and of Socinians of late that by the Spirit of God is meant no other but virtus seu efficacia quâ homines fideles sanctificantur divinis usibus consecrantur i.e. That vertue or efficacy whereby faithfull men are sanctified and consecrate to divine offices And opposite to this extreme many now a dayes run into the other mistaking and misterming the efficacies and vertues of the Spirit for the person of the Spirit himself the holy orthodox truth lies coucht up betwixt these two extremes whilest neither on the one hand we presume to annihilate the personal being of the Spirit as if he were no more but a vertue or influence upon the creature nor yet on the other hand mistake the influences of the Spirit for his essential subsisting person And when you read in holy Scriptures of being filled with the Holy Ghost or made partakers of the Spirit of God Act. 8.17 Eph. 5.18 Wisd 1. Psal 139. is not to be understood of the Spirit in respect of his Personal Essence for thus he filleth the world and contains all things being really existent and present in and with all things and creatures giving unto all their life and breath and all things In whom we live and move and have our being Act. 17. viz. by his inexisting presence and this in respect of his Personal Essence If we should say then that the Spirit of God is in his Saints and servants here upon earth in a greater measure then in other men Personally and in respect of his Essence we should so divide and consequently define and limit the Essence of God which is undivided infinite and unlimited see Jer. 23.23 Am I a God at hand and not a God a far off Can any hide himself in secret places that I should not see him for do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Thus then those Scripture phrases of receiviag the Holy Ghost c. are not to be understood of the Spirit in respect of his Personal Essence which is undivided unlimited and filleth all things and so not one man more then another But 2. In respect of his impressions and workings on the souls of men in respect of his gifts and graces which are various and divers and carry their name from the cause or Author of them There are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 where the Spirit is plainly distinguished from his gifts as the cause from the effect the workman from the work of his hands or as the body of the Sun is distinguished from the light and heat which is darted and displayed from it And whereas it is said the Spirit is but one but his gifts are divers we may hence observe that if we should confound the Spirit of God with the gifts and qualifications dispensed from him we should be so far from acknowledging and worshipping the true God which is but one that we should fall into that grosse Idolatry of the Heathens of old making as many Spirits of God as they made gods who deified the moral vertues and worshipped their several vertuous qualifications as gods The unwary neglect of this distinction betwixt the person and qualifications of Gods Spirit is that very rock whereupon many a misguided and unstable soul hath suffered the shipwrack of the true Christian Faith for being by the cunning suggestion of the spirit of Lyes once perswaded in their hearts that they have the Spirit of God and that personally abiding in them they are hereupon puft up with such an excessive spiritual pride and self-conceited eminence as not only to exalt themselves above and despise their Christian brethren who are better qualified then themselves but even to extol themselves above the heavens and most blasphemously to professe and boast of an equality with God a blasphemy however 't is salved and minc't that cannot be paralleld but with that originall pride of the Devil He said in his heart I will be like the most High Gen. 3. and to this he tempted our first Parents perswading them to rebel against their Maker and become as Gods themselves knowing good and evil this was the very sin that hurled Lucifer like Lightning from Heaven his pride and presumption to be like the most High and therefore with all his Apostate crew he is now reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse to the judgement of the Great day Jude 6. And for our new Sect of Enthusiasts had they the Spirit of God as they pretend abiding in them and speaking in them Personally and Essentially this blasphemy must necessarily follow that they are equal with God in respect of the Spirit in them as themselves affirm it though not as George Robert c. To avoid which blasphemy and many other absurd and wicked opinions of the like nature which would follow thereupon and wherwith too many unstable souls are now infected we must remember that to have the Spirit in the language of the Scripture is not to be understood of his personal Essence but of his qualifications And because this distinction is very material as to the many present delusions under pretence of the Spirit 't will be necessary therefore to clear it by some Scripture expressions in this kinde 't is an ordinary piece of Rhetorick and an usual figure in the dialect of the Scripture to call the gifts and qualifications of Gods holy Spirit by the name of the Spirit as Exod. 31.2,3 Behold I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri c. Exod. 31.2,3 whom I have filled with the Spirit of God that is with the gifts of the Spirit for it followes in all wisdome and understanding and knowledg and in all workmanship so Numb 11.17 I will come down and talk with thee and take of the Spirit which is upon thee and put upon them and they shall bear the burthen with thee Numb 11.17 where what else can possibly be meant by the Spirit which was upon Moses to be put upon the Elders but that they should partake of the same spiritual gifts with Moses enfitting
6.6,7 All Offices Arts and profitable Sciences all great and publick things and imployments are distinguisht in the societies of men by proper and peculiar Professors Artists and Ministers How then should we think that Religion which is the Art of Arts may lye in common and be exposed to the profanation of every rude illiterate and unskilful mechanick to be unhallowed by the rude intermedlings of undiscerning persons and not rather separate from profane and vulgar touch by select distinct and qualified persons for that end by God ordained Who dares take upon him to raise forces to impose taxes to levie contributions to punish offenders or the like but such only who are designed thereunto and have commission for it And yet in the matters of God in the dispensation of his holy mysteries every man will be a Priest and a Prophet as if it were pardonable only to be disorderly in Religion or as if God would accept a lawless liberty in those things wherein the frailty of man is most apt and too likely to miscarry and wherein also the miscarriage is most fatal and ruinous to the soul for ever In Religion it is true that all have a common interest and so they have in the Lawes also and by the same reason that the one by the same the other also may be dispensed by all men promiscuously without order without distinction which must necessarily end in confusion 'T is true that under the Gospel all true believers are Priests unto the Lord and have spiritual sacrifices to offer 1 Pet. 2.5,9 But it is one thing for a man to be a Priest to himself another thing to be so to the whole Church Revel 1.6 Rom. 12.1 It is one thing to offer up our selves a living sacrifice acceptable unto God another thing to represent the Congregation unto God All ordinary and private devotions may and are to be done by private persons but the solemn ritual and publick Worship of God must be left to the publick Minister There is no good man but wisheth with Moses I would all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them Numb 11.29 Numb 11.29 But it is one thing to be qualified as the Prophets of the Lord another thing sacrilegiously to invade their Office Being qualified they may do the Office of Prophets privately to themselves and their family both by prayers for and with them and also by teaching and instructing them But in Gods house and in the presence of the whole Congregation to dispense the sacred mysteries of Salvation is only peculiar to the Stewards of his house nor may others presume to intermeddle therewithall If we search into the state and condition of the Church from the beginning of the world to this very instant of time we shall finde That both before the Law under the Law and under the Gospel also there were ever a certain select chosen sort of men saith the learned Zanchy design'd for the office of the Priesthood and that it was not lawfull for every one that list to thrust himself into the execution of this sacred function Ac primo quidam à statu ante legem à statu sub lege à statu subgratia semperenim reperâ—o certa hominum genera fuisse à deo ad hoc officium delecta non autem licuisse cuiquam se obtrudere Zanch. in 4. Praec The first priest we read of that is so called is Melchisedech of whom the holy Scriptures affirm that he was without father without mother c. Heb. 7.3 His original being unknown by reason of his antiquity And so saith a learned man of the Priesthood The antiquity of this great calling is so great that it cannot be found out nor can we finde its off-spring but with the first rising and being of a Church upon the face of the earth Card. Polus l. 1. ad H. 8. No man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5.4 who was called of God but consecrated by Moses Exod. 28.1,2 agitatus à Deo consecrationis principe saith Dionysius God was the principal Author and Moses the Minister of his Consecration Heb. 5.5 so likewise Christ did not glorifie himself to become High Priest but be was personally chosen and sent or in his own language sealed of the Father Joh. 6.27 and sent into the world that is ordained to be Priest and Prophet of the world The Apostles of Christ received their Commission from him Mat. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing c. Mat. 28.19 And that we might understand that they had by virtue of this Commission power to Commissionate others to be their successors in all succeeding Generations of the Church it followes And lo I am with you untill the end of the world with you your selves until you have fulfilled your course and served your own Generation and with you in your successors untill the end of the world and more plainly in those other words of their Commission Joh. 20.21,22,23 Joh. 20.21,22,23 As my Father hath sent me so send I you and when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained which spiritual power and spiritual gifts communicated to the Apostles was not sure to expire with them except ye will also say all Ecclesiasticall Discipline and Government ended with the Apostles and that all scandals and offences heresies and errors sins and vices are left remediless and without cure or at least without a Physitian to prescribe administer and apply to wounded Consciences and sin-sick souls their proper salve and medicine As my Father hath sent me so send I you and as I have sent you so you are to send others Act. 14.23 Titus 1.5 and this we read they did They ordained Elders in all Churches and gave Commission to whom they ordained to Ordain others The Ordination was theirs but the power was from above and so the Apostles themselves acknowledged in the very first instance of Ordination when they chose Matthias in the room of Judas They prayed saying Thou Lord shew whether of these two thou hast chosen Act. 2.24 Act. 2.24 God chooses and man ordains God cals the person to the Office and man instals him therein The power is Originally from God as the Fountain but conveyed through the Ministry of man as the Conduit All power is given unto me both in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore c. Mat. 28.18,19 But because there is no man how sacrilegiously soever he invaded the Ministerial Office but will pretend a call and a power from God thereunto and he that is most bold and forward to publish his follies in this kinde is also apt to mistake his boldness for a call
from God he may fancy a call from above when it is only a noise in his own head or a deceitful eccho of his own heart therefore we must know this call from God to so high and honourable an Office as to be ordained for men in things pertaining to God is either extraordinary or ordinary the first beginning of a lasting necessity is extraordinary and 't is made ordinary in succession and by the lasting continuation of a fixed and determinate Ministry as Adam at the first was extraordinarily formed immediately created by God himself but all mankinde since ordinarily by the mediation of parents so the Apostles of Christ who received the first issues of Evangelical Ministry were extraordinarily called but all that have succeeded them have been admitted by an ordinary vocation because the succession is but of ordinary necessity now for any man to pretend an extraordinary calling and immediate from God without the Ministry of man is to pretend also to a new Gospel and new Revelations distinct from what Christ and his Apostles have delivered and such can be no other then the dictates of seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils and indeed such a pretence of immediate and extraordinary power and commission from above can in a fixed and setled Ministry by ordinary means have no other end and issue but to belie the Spirit of Truth and cousen the too credulous souls of the people when ever they have a minde to it nor is it any other but a meer pretence of folly to expect or relie upon an extraordinary calling or abilities by immediate infusion from heaven without the use of means as to the Ministerial Function since by ordinary and common means they may be supplyed for it is all one as if we should expect men to be created and by the hands of God immediately as Adam was at the first or being so formed to be fed and nourished with food from heaven without any care or industry for provision here upon earth CHAP. VI. Of ministerial Gifts ordinary and extraordinary THis call to the Ministerial Office under the Gospel both extraordinary in the Apostles and ordinary in their successors as it is in it self a grand inestimable gift of the Holy Ghost and the prime of them confer'd by our Lord in his triumph over our ghostly foes and victorious ascension into Heaven Ephes 4.11 for then he gave some to be Apostles some Prophets c. So it hath also other gifts of the Spirit attending as necessary contributaries to the accomplishment thereof that this gift may be compleated and fitted for the edification of the body of Christ Vers 12. through the work of the Ministry which proportionable to the two-fold calling are either extraordinary or ordinary also extraordinary they were even plentifull and miraculous in the persons of the Apostles viz. in such a measure and after such a manner as no mortal men could ever hope for since and very good reason there is that it should be so For the Apostles charge was much greater and their task more difficult then any mans either was or can be since They had all mankinde to instruct and principle in the doctrine of Christ the stiffe obdurate and incredulous Jewes to convert the fulnesse of the Gentiles to bring in both the rude Barbarians and learned Graecians to master and subdue The whole world was their Diocese the world sitting in darknesse and in the shadow of death devoted to the service of sin and Satan the Prince of darknesse Now to master and subdue the whole world and to turn all men from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to the living God Act 26.18 required sure gifts and endowments more then ordinarily powerful and effectual even such as were extraordinary and miraculous and whereof none of their successors none that ever followed them since in the Ministerial Office could possibly hope to be partakers for all Ministers since have but an handfull of men in comparison to deal withall and these broken to their hands being born and brought up in the holy Christian Religion As therefore there is no need of any such extraordinary qualifications so neither do we the best of us do not dare not pretend either to such sublime and eminent gifts of the Spirit or to any such immediate and extraordinary infusion of spirituall gifts The spiritual gifts of the Apostles differ from those of their successors in two respects 1. In respect of the measure or extent of them 2. In respect of the manner of acquisition First for the measure the Apostles were filled with the holy Ghost Act. 2.4 filled as full as they could hold Act. 2.4 they were endued with as many eminent gifts for the execution of the Apostolical Function as they were capable of but we even the best and ablest of the Sons of men are not so full but they could hold much more their 's was a Baptism with the holy Ghost ours is at the best Act. 1.5 but a Rantism they were washed washed as it were all all over with the Spirit we but sprinkled with his gifts they had the anointing of the holy One more plentifully we in a smaller scantling they were anointed above far above all their fellowes and successors who received ordinarily but an Hin to their Epha Psal 133.2 Their Unction was like the Ointment poured upon the head that ran down to the beard and all others since but like the thin droppings upon the skirts of the garment And from hence we may observe with S. Hierome Scio me aliter habere Apestolos aliter reliquos tractatores illos semper vera diâ—…re istos ut hemines in quibuldam aberrare Hier. ad Theo. That the Apostles excelled all other Ministers in this respect also that they were so guided and directed by the holy Spirit of God that all truths and nothing but truth did at all times flow from them in the execution of their Function but all other Ministers must confesse in all humility that as men they have their failings and mistakes in one respect or other Secondly for the manner the Apostles were endued with their fulnesse of spiritual gifts miraculously their Inspiration did publickly and visibly appear to be by miracle and immediate from Heaven Act. 2. But we as we can pretend unto no such extraordinary gifts so neither do we pretend unto or depend upon any such extraordinary and immediate infusion of spiritual gifts but ordinarily in the use of means even by much study labour and industry in the waies of wisdome learning and knowledge we do acquire our qualifications according to the command of the Apostle to Timothy we study for them 2 Tim. 2.15 Study to shew thy self approved a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth 2 Tim. 2.15 and yet Timothy sure had less need to study for his gifts then any of us as having more of
immediate Inspiration then the best of men can hope for since And yet though we study to be qualified for the work of the Ministry our qualifications are still the gifts of the Spirit all our wisdome and knowledge is from above even as of Daniel and the three children it is recorded that God gave them knowledge and understanding in all learning and wisdome Dan. 1.17 Dan. 1.17.4 And yet it is said before vers the 4. that they were brought up and instructed in knowledge and that by and among the Heathen too and were taught the learning and tongue of the Caldaeans So our humane learning tongues and languages so much declaimed against by the ignorant are the Handmaids to spiritual and Divine wisdome and knowledge and both the one and the other though acquired by instruction and study in the Schools of the Prophets are yet of Gods mercifull donation they are still the gifts of the Spirit And that first because from the Spirit of God it is that we have mindes capable and mindes inclinable to use the means for the attainment of such gifts for even our natural endowments and moral qualifications are gifts of the Spirit perspicacity quickness of wit ripeness of judgement together with a studious diligent and industrious minde in the search and dexterity in the discovery of the several waies of learning and knowledge even all of them are the gifts of God for every good and perfect gift whether natural moral or divine Jam. 1.17 Joh. 3.27 cometh down from above Jam. 1.17 for a man can receive nothing except it be given from above Joh. 3.27 The very speaking of an ordinary revealed Truth is called a speaking by the Spirit for no man can say that Jesus is the Christ but by the Spirit of God because the revelation of this as of every truth is from the Spirit originally and from him also is both the power and the act of this confession Secondly our qualifications though acquired by study are yet the gifts of the Spirit because it is by Gods blessing and the influence of his good Spirit upon our studies and endevours that we do acquire these qualifications and it is generally and for the most part that God distributes his gifts and blessings according to mens inclinations aptness and endevours for the reception of his gifts Habitus infusi infunduntur per modum acquisitorum All infused or inspired gifts are infused after the manner of gifts acquired i.e. as we are more or lesse industrious to acquire the gifts of the Spirit accordingly so they are more or lesse given and communicated to us by the Spirit which is signified unto us by the parable of the hidden Treasure Mat. 13.4 The Kingdome of heaven is like unto a treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field The treasure found without search denoteth Gods free and gratuitous revelation of himself unto us and the selling of all to buy that field signifies a mans utmost endevours and labours to be made partaker of these divine Revelations Thirdly because the qualifications acquired by study are by the Spirit of God himself directed to the ends of the Spirit which are to profit withall and then is Gods blessing the greater and the influence of his Spirit upon our studies the more effectual and powerful when we have in them no other aim or intention but to be thereby enfitted and enabled to become usefull instruments of Gods service and his peoples edification And both in that we do direct our studies to this end and also imploy our gifts acquired by study to this end also it is from the Spirit of God who works in us to will and to do of his own God pleasure Phil. 2.15 Phil. 2.15 And lastly all this is acknowledged that our gifts in all these respects are from the Spirit of God though studied for In that together with those means that are outward and moral we use the Divine means also viz. prayer and devotion commanded Jam. 1.15 If any man lacks wisdome let him ask it of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Jam. 1.5 That the Ministers of the Gospell notwithstanding their gifts are from the Spirit are yet bound to use all means both Moral and Divine for the acquiring thereof is manifest even from Gods own example in the use of their Ministry In that God himself who is not tyed to means neither hath need of any is yet pleased to use the means and Ministry of some men for the instruction and conversion of others There is no question but he who at the first created man after his own Image could without the Ministry of man have again repaired the decayes of his blessed Image in man But yet in all ages it hath seemed good to his infinite wisdome to use the mediation and Ministry of men herein And this he doth out of his tender respect to mens infirmities considering the vast distance betwixt God and man Exod. 20.19 Deut. 5.27 18.16 Heb. 12.19 which moved the Israelites to Petition for a Minister betwixt God and them Exod. 20.19 Talk thou with us and we will hear but let not God talk with us lest we die As therefore no Minister of God may think that God useth his Ministry because he needs it so neither may the people think there is no need of Ministers because God useth them and he uses them as subordinate fellow-labourers in the whole course of mans salvation Gal. 4.19 2 Cor. 3.2 Mat. 16.19 1 Tim. 4.16 the Ministers are said to beget men unto Christ to nourish them in Christ to binde and loose their souls to open and shut heaven and in a word to save because all these things Christ doth by them they are causa conjuncta 2 Cor. 3.2,3 co-operating with and under Christ so Paul compares his Corinthians to a written Epistle the Authors whereof were himself and the Spirit the external writing was his the internal seal upon their hearts was the Spirits These two then may not be severed Neither 1. may we look for Inspirations from heaven without the Ministry of man upon earth Nor yet 2. may we imagine that the Ministry of man upon earth can be effectual without inspiration from Heaven CHAP. VII Of those operations and impressions that are opposite to the Spirit of Truth ANd because it is not enough for us to know the truth but also by that right and straight line to observe and discover what is repugnant and contrary thereunto Let us remember what by sad and lamentable experience we daily see and hear that as there is a holy and a good Spirit of God by his gifts and graces working on the mindes of men so there is also an evill and a bad spirit even the spirit of error and uncleanness the Devil who
it is also further observable The reason why God suffers false Prophets to arise viz. for the probation and trial of our proficiency and integrity in the love and service of God for so saith the Father upon those words Aug. for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul Tentat nos Dominus non ut sciat ipse quem nihil latet sed ut scire nos faciat quantum in ejus dilectione profecerimus God suffers us to be tempted tryed and proved by the lying wonders of false Prophets arising amongst us not that he himself may know what is in us to whom the hearts of all men are naked and bare but that we may thereby know our selves and our own proficiency and constancy to the principles of truth and integrity The very same reason is given by the Apostle for the necessity of heresies 1 Cor. 11.19 For there must be heresies among you that they which are approved among you may be known 1 Cor 11.19 Quolibet errore caecentur c. Aug. de civ Dei lib. 18. With what error soever our enemies are blinded or with what wickedness soever they are deprav'd 't is for the proof trial and exercise of the graces of Gods Spirit within us Have they received power to afflict persecute imprison c. 'T is for the trial of our patience in suffering and charity in loving our enemies and praying for our persecutors as becomes the Disciples of Christ Mat. 5.44 Mat. 5.44 Do they only by fair words and cunning speeches distil their false and poysonous Doctrines Gal. 6.1 'T is for the trial of our wisdome in resisting and beneficence in perswading and endevouring to restore them with the spirit of meeknesse proving whether God will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may escape the snare of the Devil of whom they are taken captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.25,26 2 Tim. 2.25,26 Secondly Try the spirits whether they be of God or no Try them how but by the revelations of the Spirit which is of God who being the Spirit of truth must necessarily therefore in all his qualifications and impressions be consentaneous and agreeable to himself Aug. Veritas veritati congrua one truth ever holds proportion with another nay all truths are as it were the images and resemblances one of another they are all links of the same golden chain which affixt to the throne of heaven displayes ' its radiant lustre unto the mindes of men upon earth They are all but streams flowing from one and the same fountain the God of truth There is nothing then that we are to receive for truth but what is consonant and agrees with the Spirit of truth which ever blessed Spirit speaking in the Word hath thereby prescribed and given us a sure and infallible rule of truth What the Apostle cals a being filled with the Spirit Eph. 5.18,19 he also cals the dwelling of the word of Christ in us richly which any one that will compare the places may perceive whence it is easie to observe that the Apostle means no other by being filled with the Spirit then to be full of the Word of Christ or to be mighty in the Scriptures and the reason is because the holy Spirit is not only the great Dictator of the Scriptures unto us but also our guide in several respects as to the right understanding of them rule 1 The first rule of trial then is the holy Word of God in general that 's the grand general rule that 's the great square or level according to which we are to try and examine the rectitude truth and integrity both of the doctrines and opinions of others without and also the impressions and workings of the Spirit within Gal. 1.8 Though we or an Angel from Heaven should preach unto you another Gospel besides that you have received let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 Though we preferring authority of the Gospel they had preached before their own authority the Preachers thereof nay before the authority of celestial spirits Though an Angel from Heaven c. He saw saith the Father Aug. that it might so come to passe that Satan transforming himself into an angel of light and working by his mediators and instruments those deceitful workers who transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11,13,14 might so cousen and deceive them if they did not keep close to the Gospel received which is the true rule of faith therefore he saith another Gospel besides c. praeter any thing that is besides that holds not square and is not level to that rule Qui praetergreditur fidei regulam non procedit in via sed recedit à via he that goes besides and not according to the rule of faith goes not forward in the way but backward from the way of truth so 1 Joh. 4.8 We are of God speaking of himself and the rest of his fellow Apostles He that knoweth God heareth us acquiescendo doctrinae nostrae cleaves to our doctrine Lyra. and he that is not of God heareth us not neither is obedient to our word And hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error q. d. He that cleaves to our doctrine is guided by the Spirit of truth and he that doth not so by the spirit of error But the spirit of error will come with his scriptum est likewise as he did against our Lord himself Mat. 4. And all hereticks and schismaticks do generally alledge Scriptures and wrest the very sayings of the Spirit of truth against himself to insinuate thereby their lies and errors For as Tertullian observes of the writings of Ovid Virgil Homer both the matter of them hath been transferr'd unto other uses and the verses applyed to other matter Even so do hereticks deal with the holy writings of inspired men De Praeser adv Haer. cap. 39. Nec periclitor dicere c. I fear not to say that the Scriptures were so disposed by the wisdome of God that they might accidentaliter and by the by even administer matter to Heresies since I read that heresies must come and without the Scriptures they cannot come For 't is in the production of heresies as of natural things Corruptio unius est generatio alterius the corruption of truth is the generation of heresie all heretical opinions being generally grounded upon and flowing from the fountain of truth the Scripture not as they are in themselves rightly interpreted and understood but as they are wrested and perverted either in the words or in the sense either by additions or diminutions or by not considering them together but divided into parts and taken up by shreds and pieces for the avoiding whereof these following rules must be observed in the trial of spirits by the Scriptures rule 1 First try and examine by
four properties 1. 'T was Sudden 2. Vehement 3. From heaven 4. It filled the place where they were sitting All these are the properties of Gods Spirit whose motions and inspirations are First sudden and unexpected neither admitting of any delayes nor put-offs Ambr. For nescit tarda molimina Spiritus sancti gratia Secondly vehement for the conversion and quite turning over of the soul he blowes upon 2 Cor. 10.4 casting down of strong holds the fortifications of sin and Satan and bringing into subjection every thought that exalts it self Thirdly from heaven as being the Spirit of God who dwelleth in the heavens and to heaven-ward wings and raises the soul which he inspires Fourthly it filled the house where they were sitting ever tends to the good of the Church 1 Pet. 2.5 which is the houshold of faith This heavenly winde never blowes but for the good of Gods houshold therefore are his people called a spiritual house By the two first of these qualities 't will be a hard matter to distinguish a false spirit from the Spirit of truth For as it is ordinary and common to every winde to be both sudden and vehement so 't is common to every spirit also both true and false nay commonly false and faigned spirits are more violent and vehement and make a greater noise and stir in the world then the true Spirit doth and there is good reason for it for the false spirit wanting the native strength and genuine efficacy of the truth to support it flies therefore to force and violence earnest zeal and forwardness to bear up in the mindes and good opinions of the world For the tryal of spirits then according to this rule we must look upon the two other properties of this divine winde which are not ordinary and common and not natural to that winde which blowes in the air First it came from heaven Windes do not naturally come from heaven but out of the caves and hollowes of the earth or out of the middle region of the air neither do they blow desursum downwards as this winde did but laterally from one coast or climate to another but this winde came directly downwards and de coelo from heaven it self Secondly it filled the house where they were sitting and no house but that The winde naturally blowes upon all places alike within its circuit but this winde blew electively as it were and by discretion making choice of one place only to blow upon and no other so that in both these respects it is manifest it was a winde extraordinary and supernatural And by these two properties we may try and examine both the truth of our own and of the spirits of others If first those desires opinions and actions which relate to Religion be from above if the ground thereof be fetcht de coelo from heaven so that they tend to make us heavenly minded to wean our hearts from the world to elevate and raise up our affections to things above to form and frame our conversations towards heaven Col. 3.2 If secondly they keep us within the pale and limits of the Church if they tend to the general benefit edification profit and good of the houshold of faith and to the conversation of peace and love and unity amongst Christians we may then be confident it is the heavenly winde the divine breath of the Almighty the holy Spirit of God that inspires them But if otherwise these motions and opinions that seem religious be either first grounded upon earthly and worldly respects have their private aims and intentions either of ambition vain-glory and popular applause as in some or of worldly profit benefit and preferment as in others or of hatred malice revenge as in a third sort of men or if secondly they tend to divisions schisme separation debate variance malice hatred envie c. If either they smell rank of the world or taste of any fruits of the flesh recorded Gal. 5.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication c. Then this winde comes surely not from heaven there is nothing in it but what is either natural or worse suggested by the spirit of error 'T is either a revelation of flesh and bloud arising out of the caves and hollowes of an earthly minde or else it is inspired and blown from those regions of the air which are the habitation of unclean spirits 'T is not defluxus coeli a divine breath inspired from heaven but either exhalatio terrae a terrene exhalation drawn from the hollows of a corrupt heart or a blast from the spiritual powers of the air a suggestion of Satan And by this rule also every man may try himself whether he be truly sanctified by the Spirit of God or not He that shall find his soul possest with motions and desires weaned from all the pomps and vanities profits pleasures and cares of the world hungring and thirsting and breathing after heaven whose soul dwels more in heaven then on earth whose affections are set on things above and not on things below may be well assured of the Spirit of God dwelling in him For all such motions and desires are but sparks of that heavenly fire the flame whereof is mindful of its own original ever mounts the soul aloft works towards its own center and tends to the place from whence it comes To denote which ascending quality of the Spirit of Grace is one reason more why the holy Ghost is represented by fire Mat. 3.11 Because 't is the property of fire both flame and smoke to mount upward so 't is the property of every heavenly inspired soul to ascend both in contemplation and desires neither the more pure nor yet the more drossie part of the soul cleaves unto the dust and continually dwels below that is endued with power from above or with the Spirit of God And for the same reason amongst others also the holy Ghost is represented by water Joh. 7.38,39 because as 't is the property of water even against its own nature to ascend as high as is the place from whence it descends so even against the stream of natural corruption the soul is mounted to heaven by the influence of Gods spirit who cometh down from heaven And the wings which the holy Spirit hath for this ascension and flight are devout and fervent prayers divine and celestial meditations and desires CHAP. X. Of the means to obtain the true Spirit of God general 4 THE holy Spirit of God which in the shape of a dove the embleme of the Spirit of love descended upon Christ our Lord Mat. 3.16 and which afterward both visibly and publickly also came down from heaven Act. 2. and filled the Apostles of Christ extraordinarily and miraculously with his heavenly gifts and graces doth daily descend still upon the members of Christs mystical body though not in such a plentiful measure nor yet after such a visible miraculous manner
narrownesse of the hearts whereinto he flowes 2 Cor. 6.12 as 2 Cor. 6.12 Ye are not straitned in us that is in our Ministry we preach abundance of grace unto you but you are straitned in your own bowels through the hardnesse of your hearts being not capable of the graces of the Spirit And the heart is made soft and pliable for the impressions of the Spirit by repentance and mortification the good seed of Gods Spirit will not take root amongst the thornes of impiety Jer. 4.4 therefore saith the Lord Jer. 4.4 Break up the fallow ground of your hearts and sow not amongst thornes be circumcised to the Lord and take away the foreskin of your hearts that is hardnesse of your hearts Deut. 10.16 Deut. 10.16 cald also the circumcision of the Spirit Act. 2.29 because it makes way for the Spirit Col. 2.11 and Col. 2.11 A circumcision made without hands even the putting off the sinful body of the flesh meaning the sinful crop of fleshly lusts which infest and infect the soul of these the soul must be disarayed and devested by repentance and mortification Rom. 8.13,14 Rom. 8.13,14 If ye live after the flesh c. The coherence of which verses imply before we can be led by the Spirit of God we must mortifie the deeds of the flesh the sordid rags of the old man must be put off before the soul can be clothed with the splendid garments of the Spirit of grace In vain is it to pray unto God for any spiritual grace or mercy while we continue in our sins for God heareth not sinners Joh. 9.31 In vain to hear or read the Gospel of grace Eph. 6.15 except our feet be shod with the preparation of repentance whereby we forsake our sins Therefore before the Gospel it self was published this was first proclaimed both by Christ and his forerunner Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Mat. 3.2 4.17 1 Cor. 11.28 In vain to participate of those mysteries of our salvation the body and bloud of our Lord Deus gratiam polliciuus qui in extremitatibus temporum per spiritum suum universo oâ—bi illuminaturus esset praeire intinctienem poenitentiae jussit ut quos per gratiam vocaret ad promissiâ—…em per poenitentiae subsignatienem aute componeret Tert. de poen c. 2. till first by self-examination we have cast out the venome of our sinful doings by repentance and stedfast purposes of amendment In a word it is our sins unrepented that make void and ineffectual all the blessed means of Grace and of the Spirit by those it is we quench the Spirit we grieve the Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 Ephes 4.30 we resist the Spirit we provoke the Spirit and poyson the blessed waters of life so that all the conveyances of the Spirit are barren and unfruitful whilest they reflect upon hardened and impenitent hearts See therefore repentance enjoyned as to the receiving of the holy Ghost Act. 2.38 8.19 And I would to God that all who pretend to the holy Spirit of God or to any the fruits and graces of the Spirit would first learn before they make their boast of the Spirit truly to repent them of their sins Gal. 5.19,20,21 and to root out of the ground of their hearts all the fruits of the flesh which are adultery fornication uncleannesse lasciviousnesse idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murthers drunkennesse revellings c. When these all of these sinful fruits are extirpated out of the ground of the heart there may be then some hopes that our prayers and other divine acts and offices performed in the sincerity of our souls may prevail with God for the direction and comfort of his Spirit of grace and truth God which hast taught the hearts of thy faithfull people by the sending to them the light of thy holy Spirit grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things and evermore to rejoyce in his holy comfort through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit one God world without end Amen A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE REVELATION Mediate and Immediate Secret things belong to the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law Deut. 29.29 Omnis religio supernis Revelationibus nititur aut niti praesumitur Mirand de fid ord cred London Printed 1656. The Introduction and general Heads GOD as he is in himself only knowes himself and consequently those waies of his worship Coeli mystarium me doceat Deus qui condidit non homo quiseipsum ignoravit Amb. which are holy and acceptable to himself Man who knowes not himself aright cannot of himself know God nor those divine and celestial mysteries which are the waies of Gods service and mans salvation For what man is he that can knew the counsel of God Or who can think what the will of the Lord is Wisd 9.13 Veritas i. e. arcanum summi Dei qui fecit omnia ingenio ac propriis sensibus non potest comprehendi Alioqui c. Lactant. lib. 1. c. 1. Truth which is the secret of the most high God who hath formed all things cannot by our own wit and proper senses be comprehended for otherwise there would be little distance betwixt God and man if mans cogitations could dive into the counsels and dispositions of Gods eternal Majesty Canst thou by searching finde out God canst thou finde out the Almighty unto perfection it is as high as heaven what canst thou do deeper then hell what canst thou know the measure thereof is longer then the earth and broader then the sea Job 11.7 c. 2. This therefore must be granted as the ground of all divine truth that nothing either of God or of his sacred service is to be believed and received by us but what from God is revealed or by revelation from heaven derived to us Secret things belong to the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law Deut. 29.29 Hilar. de Trin. lib. 5. Non potest Deus nisi per Deum intelligi sicut nec honorem à nobis Deus nisi per Deum accipit namque honorandus c. A Deo discendum est quid de Deo intelligendum sit quia non nisi se outhore cegnoscitur Id. God cannot be known but by himself neither doth he receive honour from us but by himself For that he is to be honour'd we understand not but that himself hath taught and commanded himself to be honoured The honour of God we are taught by God nor may we entertain any such thoughts of God as our own frail humane judgements suggest unto us our nature is
not so sublime and piercing as by its own innate force and vertue to be raised up and enrapt with celestial knowledge Wisd 9 15. For the corruptible body presseth down the soul and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the minde that museth upon many things and hardly do we ghesse aright at things that are upon earth and with labour do we finde the things that are before us but the things that are in heaven who hath searched out and thy counsel who hath known except thou give wisdome and send thy holy Spirit from above For so the waies of them that lived upon earth were reformed and men were taught the things that are pleasing unto thee and were saved through wisdome 3. The first and fundamental act of faith then which is to believe this or that Article of holy Religion to be a divine truth and the subject matter of our obedience depends upon Divine Revelation and command from God He hath shewed thee O man what is good Micah 6.8 What thing so ever I command thee observe to do it Holy Religion is not of an earthly but of a heavenly descent It is a beam displayed from that light of truth which is eternal and immutable her dwelling is in the holy heavens Wisd 9 10. where she waits upon the throne of glory And to earth she descends not by any natural investigation but by supernatural revelation Mirand de fid oâ—d cred Omnis religio supernis revelationibus nititur aut niti praesumitur All religion depends upon revelation from above Flesh and bloud hath not revealed it but my Father which is in heaven Mat. 16.17 4. That there is a general knowledge of God and some notions of that religious worship we owe unto him imprinted in the hearts of all men by nature and is legible in the book of the creatures the Apostle affirms Rom. 1.20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead But this sight of God being not clear enough to bring us to the beatifical vision and fruition of God which is that perfection and felicity whereunto by being enstampt after the image of God he hath created c. therefore it hath pleased him more clearly to reveal himself and the waies of his religious worship to his Church and people in all ages And this either 1. extrardinarily and immediately or 2. ordinarily and in the use of means 5. The first revelation of divine truth was immediate i. e. without the mediation or ministry of man intervening But yet so as that 1. All those holy persons to whom God immediately revealed himself by certain infallible signs did themselves know and make known to others that the revelations they recelyed were no delusions but from God himself the fountain of truth proceeding God never speaks so extraordinarily but by the same act he both makes known the things spoken and himself to be the speaker 2. That all immediate revelation was generally confirmed by miracle therefore the Jews required signs of Christ as the means to confirm every new and immediate revelation Joh. 2.18 6.30 1 Cor. 1.22 3. That not all nay nor all holy persons but only some few choice select vessels had the honour of this immediate revelation the main body of the people still received the knowledge of God by mediation i. e. from their hands in whom the office of Priesthood was in all ages enstated For the Priests lips should keep knowledge and they i. e. the people should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts Mal. 2.7 6. The truth whereof as also what we are to beleeve concerning divine revelation will appear if we do impartially consider and weigh 1. To what persons and after what manner God revealed himself from Adam unto Christ 2. That by Christ and his Apostles the whole minde of God is so fully revealed that we must not now look for the revelation of any new truths 3. That the right understanding of what is already revealed depends not upon Gods immediate inspiration or revelation from heaven but is to be acquired by Gods blessing in the use of means And that in order hereunto the knowledge of tongues and sciences is both useful and necessary 4. That to depend upon immediate revelation is not only dangerous but destructive to the truth already revealed 5. That all those texts of holy Scripture commonly alledg'd for the proof of immediate revelation are misunderstood and wrested OF DIVINE REVELATION Mediate and Immediate CHAP. I. Of divine Revelation from Adam unto Christ 1. MAn being created after the Image of God was undoubtedly at the first endued with such a perfect knowledge of divine truth as was necessary to the attainment of that felicity whereunto God created him viz. the beatifical vision and fruition of his Creator for ever For as Philosophers do affirm If it were possible that the invisible and all spiritual God could be represented under any visible or compounded shape and being His body then must needs be composed of Light and his soul of Truth So essential to the very being of God is knowledge and truth and so consequently to the being of man after the image of God 2. But this light of divine knowledge was by mans disobedience too soon eclipst and his soul involv'd in the darknesse of sinfulness ignorance and error our first parents out of a sawcy ambitious affectation to know what they ought not engulft themselves and all their posterity into a natural blindness and ignorance of what they ought to know so that ever since hoc tantum scimus quòd nihil scimus the most knowing man knowes best his own ignorance and want of knowledge For if any man think he knows any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 3. But since without the knowledge of God and of his most holy will that perfection of our being whereunto God hath created us cannot be attained Joh. 17.3 therefore it pleased God to restore our first faln parents in some measure to the knowledge of himself and of his will in the waies of his worship and this he did either immediately by himself or by the mediation of intervening Angels by the voice from heaven convey'd upon the wings of the winde for so we read Gen. 3.8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool or in the winde of the day Junins in loc winde conveying his voice into their ears and thereby his into their hearts 4. By vertue of this divine Revelation or some others not recorded in holy Writ Adam received from God both the knowledge of that religious service and obedience which God then required from man and therewithall the honour of the Priesthood also being as the first man so the first Priest in the world 5.
Dreams and Visions Extasies and Entrancings I will go forth and I will be a lying spirit in the mouthes of his Prophets 1 King 22.22 Thus the heavenly Doctrine and miracles of Christ are confronted by the devillish doctrines and lying wonders of Antichrist 2 Thess 2.9 And a departure from the true saith there ever was and ever will be in the Church whilest militant here upon earth even by giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils 2 Tim. 4.1 2. Nor does this evil spirit work his deceits and inspire his damnable doctrines but by Gods permission 1. King 22.22 and therefore the evil spirit is said to be from the Lord. Because 1. He is licenc'd by the Lord. And because 2. His actings upon and by his seduced instruments are like the actings of the Spirit of the Lord upon his servants so we read 1 Sam. 18.10 An evill spirit from the Lord came upon Saul and he prophesied i. e. was entranced and demean'd himself as did the Prophets of the Lord when extraordinarily mov'd with the Spirit of Truth 3. Because therefore some persons amongst us that pretend to immediate Revelation have their trances and pretended extasies also in order hereunto 't will be pertinent here to add some notes of difference betwixt the extraordinary actings of the good Spirit and those agitations and turbulent motions of the evill spirit that the one may be the better distinguisht from the other But first 't will be necessary to understand what an Extasie is and the kindes thereof 4. And rightly to understand the nature of an Extasie we must remember that man is of a middle nature betwixt Angels and Beasts and this in respect of the two parts or regions of his soul the superior and inferior The first is cal'd the reasonable and the second the sensitive soul The first man hath in common with the Angels of heaven and the second with the Beasts of the earth now these two being combined into one soul there followes hereupon such a combination betwixt the faculties of each that the working of the one without the other is preternatural and cal'd an Extasie 4. So that from hence doth necessarily flow two general kindes of Extasies the one of the Reasonable soul when that either works or is wrought upon without the instrumental mediation of the senses being for the time enwrapt and separate from the use thereof And the other of the Sensitive soul when that either acts or is wrought upon by sensible objects without the guidance or direction of reason The first Extasie is above us as we are men for it renders us like to the Angels of heaven which act not by any organs of sense The second Extasie is below us as we are reasonable men for it renders us like unto the beasts that perish And the greater that either of these Extasies be the harder it is for the soul to return to her self or produce contrary operations to the Extasie wherein she is Hence some holy and Angelical souls have been so enwrapt with divine and heavenly contemplations that their outward senses have been for the time useless unto them whilest they have not minded any earthly thing And on the other side some sensual and carnal persons which is the far greater number are so taken up and pleas'd with their sensual and worldly lusts as if they had not an immortal soul to be cared for nor were endued with reason to be the guide of their actions 5. But withal we must know that all the former kindes or all the Extasies of the Reasonable soul are not holy heavenly and Angelical but some are natural and some supernatural 1. By natural Extasies I mean such as proceed from natural causes As 1. The serious intention of the minde which in some deep study or contemplation whether the object be good or evil true or false may be abstracted for the time from its operation by the external senses upon outward sensible objects which is no other but an ordinary natural Extasie 2. The strange Relations of Angels and Devils visions and revelations together with the indoctrinations strange demeanor gastly looks and other mystical waies of persons desirous to deceive may produce in others not only belief in them but a secret transportation besides themselves and strong fancies of having the like visions revelations c. 3. There are many bodily distempers as Feavers Epilepsies Melancholy Hypochondriacal and Religious the which as they are more or lesse violent and intense accordingly do make greater or lesse impressions in the brain and fancy and so produce either more ordinary or extraordinary conceited visions and fancied Revelations Too many of such Revelations as these have in all ages since divine Revelations are compleated been made use of by the subtilty of the Devil and cunning craftiness of men whereby they lie in wait to deceive that they may be esteemed by the vulgar for inspired persons and obtrude their distempered imaginations upon the credulous for holy and divine inspirations from above The several kindes whereof have been observed by Dr. Casaubon in his late Treatise of Enthusiasm whither I refer the Reader for further satisfaction herein 2. Supernatural Extasies are those only that are pertinent to our present discourse meaning also by supernatural not those holy divine and ravishing contemplations wherewithall all truly and fervently pious and heavenly minded men are ordinarily extasied and transported which are also undoubtedly the influences of a supernatural power but the extraordinary and supernatural actings either of the holy and good Spirit of God of old or of the false and evill spirit in all ages For both the Divine and Diabolical spirit have not only their ordinary but also their extraordinary workings and entrancings of the mindes of men which distinguishes the persons so wrought upon either into true or false Prophets 6. And the differences betwixt the one and the other will appear as in many other so in these ensuing Particulars 1. The Extasies of the Lords Prophets though their senses were bound up that the intellectual soul might more immediately receive the impression of those celestial truths which were at such times revealed yet their gestures and demeanor in such extasies were notwithstanding grave sober and modest But the entrancings of false Prophets are accompanied with wilde exotique and uncivil gestures being by the evil spirit whose delight it is to torment and vex whom he inspires and possesseth haled and tumbled tanquam furiis perciti as if they were prickt provok'd and spurr'd up by Furies swelling foming frothing at the mouth throwing themselves upon the ground rending their flesh tearing their hair wallowing sometimes like drunkards in their vomit and raving like men distracted Vid. Chrys in 1 Cor. 12. Hom. 29. as Chrysostome observes of the Pythonesse of Apollo and is observable also of many Daemoniacks in the Gospel as Luk. 9.39 A spirit taketh him and he suddenly cryeth out and it teareth him that
Philosophers And S. Paul by the help of his great learning and judgement Act. 17. confuted the Stoick Philosophers and Epicureans and maintain'd the truth of Christs resurrection which they denied witness also Justin Martyr a Philosopher maintaining the truth against that Philosopher and grand Heretick Valentinus so Tertullian a Philosopher against Marcion a Philosopher Origen against Celsus Chrysostome against Libanius Prudentius against Symmachus And many of the Fathers more by the help of Philosophy and humane Learning confuted the false positions of Heathen Philosophy and the many errors that from thence crept in and infested the holy Christian Religion So that 't is not against Philosophy and humane learning but the abuse of it to the forging and maintaining of false opinions that the Apostles admonition is directed objection 6 But against the present way of breeding up Ministers in Colledges it is yet further objected by the Enthusiasts that the very end of all such breeding is meerly to make a trade of the Ministery that they may get livings and preferments in the world The Scholars study for Benefices and Tithes and Degrees and the Priests teach for hire and the Prophets prophesie for money thus the holy Ghost is bought and sold and the office of the Ministery it self being Simoniacal is thereby unlawfull answer 'T is confessed That if Livings and preferments were the only end of our studies and endevours either for or in the work of the Ministery it were iniquity in us And although it cannot be denied but that some persons amongst us are too much guilty of this iniquity yet the guilt of some few and their ambitious and covetous desires do's neither first impeach the way of breeding in Colledges and Schooles nor yet secondly any way impugn the use and necessity of the Ministerial office As to the first not only under the Law the Prophets of the Lord both ordinary and extraordinary were generally such as were bred up in the Schools of the Prophets as before but under the Gospel we read of Christ himself that he had recourse unto the Temple where he sate amongst the Doctors hearing them and asking them questions Example ejus nobis ostendens ne infirmus docere quis oudeat si ille puer doceri interrogando voluit qui per divinitatu potentiam verbum scientiae ipsis doctoribus ministravit Lyra. Luk. 2.46 not that he who was the wisdome of the Father had need of any instruction from men but to give us an example by this gracious act of condescension first to hear and learn from them whom God and publique order has plac't over us before we presume to be the teachers of others As in temporall and civill affairs He to whom all things in heaven and earth do bow and obey was notwithstanding obedient to his parents and to Caesar that he might be unto us a pattern of the like obedience so in spiritual and divine things He who is the fountain of wisdome and truth vouchsaft notwithstanding to be taught by learn from the Doctors of the Law that he might be unto us an example to observe the same way of instruction and breeding Exemplified The example of S. Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles bred up at the feet of Gamaliel his Divinity Lectures for the space of seven years together preached in the School of one Tyrannus hath both warranted and exemplified the joynt use of Philosophy and Divinity Lectures in our Colledges and the useful combination of humane and divine learning of humane Arts and divine Theologie Reason and Religion the one as the Handmaid and the other as the Mistresse or rather the Queen of saving knowledge and wisdome As to the second Those who either study to preach or preach what they have studied and learnt out of ambitious and covetous desires only as their intentions desires are best known unto God the Judge of all so to his just judgement 't is our Christian duty to refer them Bern. in cant Serm. 36. citat per. Th. Aq. Est in 1 Cor. 8.1 And herein 't is to be heartily wished that those pious and prudent directions of S. Bernard might by all students and preachers both be remembred and observ'd Necesse est ut scias c. He that will study aright for knowledge and rightly imploy it when he hath obtained it it is necessary that he consider and observe 1. A right order 2. A right endevour 3. A right end in his studies and spiritual labours And 1. He observes a right order who studies to know that first which is most conduceable to eternal salvation 2. A right endevour is observed when that is most earnestly laboured for which most tends to the inflaming of the soul with the celestial fire of holy charity 3. He observes a right end in his studies who studies not either 1. out of curiosity or 2. of vain-glory or 3. for filthy lucre and preferment or in a word for any sordid and worldly ends but only for the edification of himself and others For 1. there are some saith the Father who study to know only that they may know and this is a fantastick and misbecoming curiosity Others 2. study to know that they may be known and taken notice of for learned and knowing men and this is pride and vain-glorious ostentation against whom that satyrical lash of the Poet is directed Scire tuum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat alter Others 3. study to know that they may make sale and gain of their knowledge and this is filthy covetousness Others 4. do study for knowledge and widom for their own edification in the most holy Faith and this is prudence And others 5. study for the aedification of others And this is Charity Only the two last saith the Father abuse not their knowledge because for this end only they labour for knowledge that they may know to do good both to themselves and to others The necessity of learning as to the understanding of holy Scriptures will further appear by induction of particulars CHAP. X. The several parts of Learning required to the understanding of the holy Scriptures I. TO the right understanding of the true and genuine sense of Gods holy Word first The knowledge of Tongues and Languages is requisite For tongues are the gates of knowledge or the doors to the house of wisdome and as ordinarily no man enters a house but by the doors thereof so no man how piercing soever his understanding be can enter the cabinet of divine mysteries contained in holy Scriptures but by some insight in those languages wherein they were written For 1. 't is not enough to see these waters of life in their streams except we see them also in their fountain not only as they are severally and variously translated by men but as they are the immediate dictates of the Spirit of God for as waters are more clear in the fountain then in the stream so
faith reverence and obedience to every Revelation from heaven how mean soever the person be that receives it as we do to any part of Gods Word already revealed though by the greatest Patriarch or Prophet that ever lived upon earth 7. All dependence upon new Revelations laies a secret stain of dishonour upon God and this in two respects 1. That God notwithstanding his several methods of divine Revelation by the Patriarchs and Prophets of old by his own Son Jesus Christ and his Apostles in these last daies should yet be defective in making known to his people the waies of his service and of their own salvation 2. All pretence to new lights and Revelations makes God the Father of Lights with whom is no variablenesse or shadow of change to vary and change his minde as oft as the fickle and deceitful mindes of men do alter Nay thus God is made to speak things quite opposite and contrary to himself whilest the several conceits secret suggestions and whispers of mens hearts which are as numerous as the sand and contrarious as light and darkness are yet all under pretence of immediate Revelation fixed upon God who changeth not 8. It doth extremely much derogate and detract from the honour of holy Christian Religion to have no better ground and foundation then either the divinity of the Heathens of old or that of the Mahometans which of later times hath so far overspread and swallowed up so many Christian Kingdomes and flourishing Common-wealths in the world and both the one and the other of these not only derive their original but also their progresse successe and present continuance doth depend upon immediate Revelations which no good Christian surely doth doubt to be any other then Diabolical Delusions The Divinity of the Heathens was such as the Priests of their respective Temples and Oracles delivered to the people in their prophetick trances for celestial Responses and divine inspirations And the more subtil and sublime of the heathen Philosophers recommend unto us an Ecstatical contemplation even to the abolition of the understanding and Reason as the highest and most perfect way of divine knowledge Mahomet began with Raptures and extasies and supposed Revelations of Angels He therefore that shall seriously consider the monstrous Idolatries of the one and the horrid Blasphemies of the other will be careful surely how he trusts unto or depends upon immediate Revelations 9. This doctrine of immediate Revelation should it be granted is not safe for sober and peaceable-minded Christians to embrace or depend upon it but is fittest rather for such persons whose destructive plots and designs under the mask of Religion are to dethrone and murder Christian Princes ruine well establisht government and governors both Ecclesiastick and Civil massacre their Christian brethren rob ruine and destroy whatever opposes their designs and private perswasions in point of faith and manners how sacred and useful soever it be such mischiefs and barbarous cruelties when open force is wanting to effect may be and too often have been effected by pretended Revelations and men of ecstatical and seduced fancies who have thought they have greatly merited thereby and done God good service by destroying the enemies of his Truth and abolishing Haeresie Superstition c. when as indeed they have made havock of a people more righteous then themselves destroy'd the truth and true worship of God open'd the way to disorder and confusion and this through perjury sacriledge murder rebellion and the breach of all the lawes of piety justice and charity 10. The neglect of the means of saving knowledge viz. learning divine and humane and to depend upon Revelation without the use of such means is the way to advance Lady Ignorance again as the mother of devotion Espencaeus to drown the world in Barbarism to reduce the Church of Christ to that sad condition wherin it was in the ninth age which was called The unlearned and the unhappy age of the Church wherein he that studied Philosophy and the Mathematicks was counted a Magician he that knew the Greek tongue was shrewdly suspected but if he understood Hebrew also he was no better then an Haeretique 'T is observed by the learned both Historians and Divines that all the ten bloudy persecutions of the Church by the Heathen Emperors did not so damage holy Christian Religion as did the subtil underminings of Julian the Apostate Euseb eccl hist l. 10. c. 32. Soz. l. 5. c. 5. Theod. l. 3. c. 7. who fought not against Christian Religion as did the rest of the persecuting Emperors with fire and faggot but by taking from them all offices of dignity and places of preferment all Ecclesiastical promotions and Church priviledges and more especially by putting down and forbidding all Schools of learning for the training up their youth in the knowledge of tongues and sciences that so the light of holy Religion might be lost in the dark of ignorance and decay of arts For Arts and Tongues are the handmaids to holy Religion these as 't were hold the candle whilest the sacred light of Truth is display'd for our direction in the waies of light and life everlasting 11. He tempts the good Spirit of God who expects to receive the knowledge of Truth by immediate Revelation and miracle which by ordinary common Dominum tentare est novo miraculo velle perficere quod aliis rationibus fieri potest and known means is attainable so the Devil tempted our Lord to feed himself with the bread of a miracle when Gods ordinary and common providence yeelded bread enough Mat. 4.3 and to cast himself down from the pinnacle of the Temple when the way to come down by steps was plain and easie without any such praecipitation That dependence upon immediate Revelation is unnecessary and consequently uselesse and unprofitable is manifest from what hath been already said from the sufficiency of Gods revealed Truth and is yet further manifest from the vain and bootlesse issue of all such dependence For what sacred Mysteries of holy Religion have been either made known or more plainly unfolded by immediate Revelation in these last daies since the time of Christ and his Apostles many Impostures and lies many Haeresies and errors many Schismes and divisions have fancied Revelations brought forth but that any sound soul-saving truth hath been of later times immediately revealed I could yet never hear or read of by any authentick witnesses and it is most just with God to give men up to the vanity of their minde and to the delusions of their own hearts who thus tempt his holy Spirit by leaving the known and beaten paths of Truth revealed to depend upon what is unnecessary useless and vain and not only so but also 12. Dependence upon immediate Revelations laies us open to the delusions of Satan 2 Cor. 11.14 who transforming himself into an angel of light insinuates his suggestions and diabolical doctrines under the shew and vizard of
divine Revelations Many pious men have been deluded by this wile of the Devill Tert. de anima c. 9. and have faln into grosse errors Tertullian though he observed this and saw how grosly many of Montanus sect were cheated into foul mistakes and errors upon fancied Revelations yet notwithstanding so strongly doth the Devil work upon the fancy by the force of this inchantment that he himself was deceived also and became a Montanist being cousened hereunto especially by the pretended Revelations of a holy sister whom he much extols in his tract de Animâ whose pretended vision of the substance of a soul corporally exhibited to her view made him believe the soul to be corporeal and although for this opinion he was not condemned for haeresie neither yet was guilty of those more gross and blasphemous opinions of the Montanists which their fancied Revelations brought forth yet because more zealously then discreetly he maintained private Revelations the Church of that age seeing the many mischiefs that ensued upon that doctrine severely censured him for it which made him desert the communion of the Catholick Church and set up a congregation of his own which were called from him Tertullianists and are reckoned by S. Aug. amongst his Catalogue of Haereticks A story not much unlike this of Tertullian Jos Acost de temp noviss l. 2. c. 11. is remembred by Doctor Casaubon out of Acosta who records of a learned Doctor of Divinity and a very great zealot who was cousened into strange and blasphemous opinions first by the pretended Revelations of an ordinary woman the story is at large set down in English by the said Doctor in his 3. ch of Enthusiasm with many other remarkable stories of deluded persons under pretence of Revelations Those two great pretenders to Revelation Prisca and Priscilla Montanus his minions were so long cousened with Satanical illusions which they took for divine Revelations that at the last it was revealed unto them that they should hang themselves that they might passe from the miseries of this life to the joyes of the other Euseb eccl hist lib. 5. c. 16. And Theodotus a Montanist had a vision that he should be taken up into heaven and beleeving the spirit of error he was lifted up on high and thence let fall down to the earth again and so miserably ended his life And many of Montanus sect which were great pretenders to Revelation and had withdrawn themselves from communion with the Catholick Church at several times ended their lives in an halter being thereinto incited by the Devil that inspired them who was the father of their Revelations There were another ancient sort of Haereticks in the Church cal'd Messalians and from their assiduity in prayers more then ordinary they were also called Euchites Their tenents were that every one brought into the world with him an evil spirit wherewith they were possest until by earnest prayer the evil spirit being driven away the good Spirit of God did take possession of their souls and after this they needed no more no Sacraments no Sermons no Scripture to make them perfect for they could see the holy Trinity visibly and foretel things to come and all by immediate Revelation But by this pretence to perfection and dependence upon Revelation most of them if not all prov'd to be really possest by the Devil Theod. Hist eccl as is recorded by Theodoret in his Ecclesiastical History I might stuffe this chapter with multitudes of holy persons that have been cousened with illusive and lying Revelations Katharine a holy woman said it was revealed to her that the Virgin Mother of our Lord was conderved in sin And Briget as holy as she Joh. Franc Picus pretended a Revelation quite contrary to that of the other viz. that the holy Virgin was free from original sin venerable Bede remembers a vision saith Bellarm. Bell. de purgat l. 2. c. 7. wherein it was shewed to a certain devout person That there was a fourth place besides Heaven Hell and purgatory not unlike the Elizian fields describ'd by the heathen Poets wherein lived those souls which suffered nothing being not as yet made fit for the beatifical vision and this saith the Cardinal is not improbable since like to this Revelation Dionysius Cart. and Greg. have many others but contrary hereunto saith Suarez another Jesuite Revelationes Bedae Carthusiani c. The Revelations of Bede and Carthusianus are not to be believ'd but in a metaphorical sense Suarez Jes to 4. in Thom. disp 46. 4. Num. 9. S. Augustine in his Confessions Aug. conf l. 10. acknowledges himself to have been mercifully delivered from the curiosity of visions and miracles For it is both a sin and a judgement to be curious in affecting and depending upon such extraordinary means of divine Revelation since the ordinary is not only sufficient but more certain and infallible which is affirmed by S. Peter preferring the Word of God before immediate Revelation by voice from heaven 2 Pet. 1.18,19 And this voice which came from heaven we heard But we have a more sure word of prophesie c. the meaning is that an immediate voice from heaven revealed Christ to be the son of God But the written word of God is a more sure and infallible way of revealing Christ and what 's the reason but that voices from heaven visions and immediate Revelations may be and often are counterfeited by the devil But the holy Scriptures rightly understood are a sure and infallible guide and an unerring rule of Truth as being the Dictates and inspirarations of the Spirit of Truth himself CHAP. XVI Several texts alledged against humane Learning and against the Ministery and for immediate Bevelation explained Jer. 31.34 Heb. 8.10,11,12 THE tenor of the new covenant recorded Jer. 31.34 and remembred to be accomplisht Heb. 8.10,11,12 is the chief place alledged against the necessity of Learning or the teaching of man as containing the promise of an immediate teaching from God himself This is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Lawes into their minde and write them in their hearts And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more In which Text consisting of three verses there is a threefold difference betwixt the old covenant and the new delivered 1. The old Law was written in Tables of stone but the new in the fleshly tables of mens hearts vers 10. I will put my Lawes into their mindes c. i. e. my Lawes under the new covenant shall be more agreeable to the mindes and more approve themselves to the Spirits of men to be the waies of perfection and felicity and consequently shall have a stronger
amongst you And the better to conceive what is meant by these schisms and contentions 't is exemplified vers 12. One saith I am of Paul another I am of Apollo another I am of Cephas and another will not depend upon any acknowledging neither Paul nor any mortal man to be his Tutor and instructer and he saith I am of Christ Thus the immaculate body of Christ is divided into parties and sects the partakers and followers of which several sects are therefore called Sectarists and Separatists viz. Such as cleave not to the whole body but follow some one part that is broken off and divided from the whole 2. Heresie and Schism in the mystical body of Christ do differ as an inward sicknesse and outward wound in the natural body of man but yet so that there are several internal aswel as external parts and branches of Schism for by how many waies and means communion is maintain'd amongst Christians by so many waies it may be broken and dissolv'd And every breach of communion is a Schism 3. Now the Communion to be maintained amongst Christians is either Internal External The internal communion hath several branches viz. 1. To beleeve and assent to all those saving truths revealed to us by Christ and his Apostles and in all ages of the Church maintained 1 Cor. 13.7 2. To be with all obedience prepared in heart to assent to the Dictates of the Church whether universal or particular that are agreeable to such revealed Truths Mat. 18.17 3. To judge charitably each of other accounting all such for our Christian brethren who profess this same Christian faith and are of this Christian minde and spirit Col. 2.16 4. To sympathize in each others affections which includes several particulars as 1. To sorrow for the sins and errors of others 2. To condole in the sufferings of others or to weep with them that weep Rom. 12.15 As also to congratulate the prosperities of others or to rejoyce with them that rejoyce which enjoynes also 3. To rejoyce as do the Angels of heaven at the conversion of a sinner or any misguided soul from the errors of his waies Luk. 15.7 5. To pray for the growth and perseverance of all holy and orthodox persons in faith and obedience and for the conversion of all profane schismatical and heretical persons and for the reunion of all such to the Church as are divided from it 1 Sam. 12.23 Psal 122.6 1 Tim. 2.1 6. To hold communion in our desires and affections with all such as are divided from us in perswasion and judgement and by all means to endevour an external communion with them according to our several powers and in our several places and offices Gal. 6.1 The external communion consists also of several branches As 1. In the oral confession of the same Creeds or Symbols of Christian Faith Rom. 10.9,10 2 Tim. 1.13 2. In the participation of the same Sacraments 1 Cor. 10.16 3. In the admission of and submission unto the same Apostolical discipline and government Heb. 13.17 4. In the use of the same Liturgies or publique forms of external divine worship 1 Cor. 1.10 Rom. 15.6 4. Hence by the rule of contraries 't wil appear plainly who is a Schismatique or in what respects the guilt of Schism is contracted 1. He is guilty of Schism who withdrawes his assent from the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles either as 't is by the Church universal professed or else as 't is exprest by the doctrine and establisht by the Lawes of that particular Church whereof he is a member whilest this particular Church opposes not the doctrine of the Church Catholique for when any particular person shall in any point of faith oppose his private opinion against the publique judgement of the Church this is not only Schism in him but such a branch of Schism also as coincident with Heresie whereof before 2. He who shall limit the Church of Christ to his own particular sect or fraternity Recepimus pro missiones de universalitate ecclesiae tote mundo diffusae si ergo angelus de coelo tibi has premissiones tenenti diceret Dimitte Christianitatem totius orbis tene partem Donati anathema esse deberet quia tea tote pracicidere in partem contrudere conaretur alienare à promissis Dei Aug. Epist 165. saying we are the Church we are the elect and people of God and all who joyn not in communion with us are cast-awaies and out of the State of salvation he is guilty of Schism in that he cuts off the main body of Christian people or rather cuts off himself and his own fraternity from the main body of Christs holy Catholick Church So the Donatists of old limited the Church of Christ to their own sect and the confines thereof to that part of Africk where they inhabited contrary to the promises of God who hath given unto Christ the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Psal 2.8 Gen. 22. In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed whereupon the Father infers since we have the promises of God concerning the universality of the Church to be diffused and spread over the face of the earth if therefore an Angel from heaven should say unto thee Forgo thy relation to the Catholick Church and be of this or that particular Church or sect which saith we and we only are the Church and people of God he ought to be accursed because he hath endevoured to cut thee off from the whole and to limit thee to a part and thereby to alienate thee from the promises of God in Christ Jesus A third branch of Schiâ—m necessarily depends upon and flowes from the second And this is rashly to judge and uncharitably to condemn the Churches or societies of our Christian brethren so the Montanists perswaded their followers to speak evil of the universal Church where ever spread over the face of the earth Euseb eccl hist l. 5. c. 16. and not only to deny thereunto all reverence and esteem but also in no wise to joyn with them of this kinde of Schism are all such guilty who refuse to joyn with their Christian brethren in the publique service of God under pretence of separating from the wicked of the world who with the proud Pharisee in the Gospel presumptuously justifie themselves and their own Church and faction and unjustly condemn all others Verè existimemus posse aliquid esse occultum in alio quo vobis superior sit etiam si bonum nostrum quo illo videmur superiores esse non sit occulium Aug. de verbis Apo. ser 21. Luk. 18.9 who are so pure in their own eyes as to say to others Stand by thy self come not neer to me I am holier then thou Isa 65.5 little esteeming the exhortation of the Apostle Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of minde
to strictness and austerity of life then others have and there is a natural quickness and volubility of language and a natural ardour and fervency of minde wherewith some men are endowed more then others which are not therefore infallible tokens that all opinions such persons maintain are orthodox and true Scultetus tels of an arch-heretique in Germany cal'd Swenchfield Abrab Scult annual eccles a great Sect-master who amongst other extravagancies held many blasphemous opinions touching the Scriptures and yet this man did ardentes ad Deum preces creberrimè fundere was both very fervent and very frequent in his prayers unto God Hacket who was executed for blasphemy in the daies of Queen Elizabeth is reported to have excelled so much in the gift of extempore prayer that his disciples did believe him to be altogether inflamed with the Spirit of God and that his expressions were immediately from the Spirit and that there was nothing he might not obtain from God by his prayers Basilides the great Duke of Muscovy was very much exercised both in Prayer and Fasting and very severe towards others under his command that did not conform to his example He had his feigned Visions Paulus Odor bornius in vita quat l. 2. and Revelations also and yet a greater Tyrant and a more bloudy villain Christendome hath not seen The Scribes and Pharisees of the Jewish Church and the Novatians and Donatists of the Christian were far greater pretenders to piety and strictness of life then the truly orthodox of either Church and yet very great and notorious Schismatiques Not to be cousened therefore with fair and goodly pretences of any party or sect of men how seemingly holy and zealous soever and pretending that they have Christ that they have the Spirit that they only are in the right when they are deeply involv'd in an abysse of errors our Lord hath fore-arm'd us with sound and saving counsell Mat. 24.23 c. Then if any shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or lo there believe it not for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets Wherefore if they shall say Behold he is in the desert goe not forth behold he is in the secret chambers believe it not for as the lightning cometh out of the East and shineth unto the West so shall the comming of the Son of man be Two rules for the avoiding infection by false Prophets under specious pretences are hence observable 1. Habet unaquacunque Haeresis vel certas mundi partes unde 〈◊〉 ecce hic ecce illic Every Heresie saith the Glosse is limited to some particular parts of the world and the infection is not universally diffused therefore 't is said Lo here or lo there If any man then shall limit Christ to his particular Church much lesse to his particular sect or fraternity believe it not for such are false Christs and false Prophets Ne credatur schismaticis nomine autem orientis occidentis torum orbem designat Gloss ordin For the Truth displaid from Christ the Sun of righteousnesse like the light of the heaven is diffused from East to West or spread over the face of the whole earth which renders the Church i. e. all sound and sincere professors of the Truth as well Catholique as Holy 2. Vel in occultis aut obscuris conventiculis curiositatem hominum decipit haeresis Id. Heresie and Schism seek out obscure and retired places and begin in conventicles and private meetings therefore 't is said Behold he is in the desert behold he is in the secret chambers So the Apostle of deceivers also they creep into houses and lead captive silly women c. 2 Tim. 3.6 But Veritas non quaerit angulos Truth seeketh no lurking holes is not ashamed to appear in publique being like the light that shineth from East to West open free and manifest to all except forc't to retirement by persecution and violence 9. For the avoiding of errors 't will be necessary to observe further that a Truth is not to be disbelieved or rejected because 't is profest by lewd and licentious persons or maintained by a Church and people that are in other respects erroneous and misguided For Truth is Truth by what mouth soever it bee spoken and 't is the more confirmed to be Truth because 't is even by the enemies of Truth attested to be so The unwary neglect of this rule hath not been the least inlet to manifold errors for 't is too usual with many to object both against orthodox truths and ecclesiastical orders on the one hand that this or that the Papists hold and against a strict careful conscientious life on the other that thus and thus the Puritans profess Hence many truths have been rejected for errors and many decent useful orders customes ceremonies and necessary acts of discipline have been cryed down as superstitious idolatrous and antichristian and the sacred body of religion it self is almost wholly turned out of the Church under the style of Popery Nor hath that piety and integrity of life which is required of particular persons escap'd better but under the notion of Puritanism hath been too much banisht from the lives and manners of men for fear of being branded with the guilt of Schism faction and separation 10 He that will not unawares headlong himself into the gulph of error must not presume upon any extraordinary infusion of Gifts and Graces from above but in all humility wait upon God in the use of means and the careful improvement of what gifts and graces he hath already received It is the manner of Heretiques and Hypocrites saith a learned man Joh. Câ—st ever to pretend to high lights of the Spirit and to finde new and unheard of waies of walking with God slighting all that is common though never so commendable and catching at all that is curious though never so dangerous and thus they lose themselves in their chymerical conceptions and pretending to refine ancient piety and truth are puft up with secret pride and presumption and grasp nothing but froth and vanity That there are such things as Extasies and more then ordinary ravishments of spirit and infusions of divine gifts and qualifications is not doubted but such supereminences only superexcellent souls are capable of neither yet are they afforded to all pious devout and heavenly minded persons that so none may presume to depend upon them but that every man should keep his station and walk humbly with his God not relying upon extraordinary inspirations in the neglect of ordinary means which is in many respects destructive and dangerous as in the former Treatise And although it be most true that the conversion of every man to the truth being a work of the Spirit is therefore sudden and at one instant or moment of time begotten and wrought in the soul yet notwithstanding our progress towards perfection and bliss in the waies of Truth and Holiness goes on step by step