which reacheth to the outward Senses but that it leaneth or doth rely upon God himself inwardly exerting or showing his power in the Mind by an inseparable or undivided operation through that which is outward and determining or moving the Vnderstanding to elicit or bring forth the act of knowledg whence we deny not saith he the inward testimony in the hearts of those who have the outward Revelation Thus he But let the impartial Reader judge if he doth not here act the Enthusiast and plainly give up unto us the chief thing in controversie for which we contend For this concession of his being once granted the controversie betwixt him and us so far as concerneth Immediate Revelation as seemeth unto me is almost none at all In his Thirty Second Paragraph he doth again plainly act the Enthusiast agreeing with us and saying That God or the Spirit which revealeth note doth not only work effectively upon the intellectual Faculty to produce the act of believing but also doth move objectively or by way of object and formal representation of the same doth determine the Vnderstanding to assent And a little after in the same Paragraph That God when he saith or revealeth any thing by the outward voice of the Preacher or by the holy Scriptures doth concur with that saying or Revelation and as the principal moving cause doth effect it that men from an inward and supernatural motion or witnessing made within their minds but which doth exert it self by the outward act of Divine Revelation and reflecteth on God the speaker as its cause may understand that it is God himself who saith it whether by the voice of the Preacher or the Scripture what that Revelation saith or manifesteth But this is it which the Teachers and Preachers in Britain and many other places among the Protestants do commonly object unto us for Enthusiasm because indeed we say that this objective Illumination or that which is by way of object no less than the effective is given to all the faithful for which principally we believe the Scriptures Now there is this only difference betwixt the Adversary and us that he doth continually tye or bind up the operation of the Holy Spirit to the outward signs but we do not so although we do affirm that the Illumination of the Holy Spirit is frequently joyned by an undivided operation with the holy scripture and that it doth exert it self in the hearts of the faithful through the same And whether the inward operation of the Spirit be continually tyed to the holy scripture or left free though we do still affirm it is not so tyed it is all one as to the state of the Controversie concerning Immediate Revelation for in both cases the Illumination and Communication of the Spirit is immediate as I have oft already made appear In his Paragraph Twenty Three he seemeth to blame R. B. that he doth render the outward Revelations to be fallacious and uncertain and more lyable to delusion than the inward But R. B. hath not affirmed that outward Revelations are fallacious for these which are true and come from the God of Truth cannot deceive but R. B. doth plead that the outward Revelations however true and certain they are in themselves yet they are not clear and evident of themselves to be Divine Revelations but that they principally derive their clearness and evidence from the inward Revelations witnessing to them and therefore these inward Revelations are more clear and evident having a self-evidence and clearness in themselves And there is this difference betwixt our outward Senses which perceive the outward Revelation and those Divine inward Senses supernaturally formed in us that our outward Senses may be deceived at sometimes and in some cases but these inward Divine Senses Divinely begot and formed in us can never be deceived For although a mans imagination and inward thought may deceive him yet that Sense which a man hath inwardly begot in his heart by the Lord can no wise deceive him In his Twenty Fifth Paragraph he alledgeth that R. B. doth contradict himself while he teacheth that the outward Revelation of the Scriptures is the formal object of the Saints faith and yet not the formal cause or reason of believing But if the Adversary had carefully considered R. B. his words following in his Apology he had not imputed unto him such a contradiction For R.B. saith that the secret testimony of the Holy Spirit is the principal object of the Saints faith and the original and consequently unto this that the Scripture is the secundary and subordinate And therefore when R. B. saith that the outward Revelation of the Scripture is not the formal cause or reason of believing he did clearly enough signifie his mind to wit that the Scripture was not the principal and original cause of believing and therefore if it be granted that the outward Revelation of the Scripture doth contain in it self some secundary reason of believing for this cause it may be called a secundary formal object of faith but the primary formal object is the inward Revelation which distinction of the formal objects is expressed by R. B. in other words into the formal object quod i. e. which to wit the secundary and the formal object quo i. e. for or by which to wit the primary But because these terms of the formal object into quod i. e. which and quo i. e. for which are borrowed from Logicians and the simple and plain truth can be easily enough explained without these terms I shall not stay any more to explain or defend them For the substance of the thing is clearly enough confessed by the Adversary to wit that Saving Faith doth not stay or rely on the meer naked outward Revelation of the Scripture but reacheth beyond that unto God himself inwardly moving and objectively or by way of object witnessing by his Spirit to the truth of the Scripture And because that inward objective testimony of the Spirit is somewhat really distinct from the outward testimony of the scripture although not contrary unto it nor separate therefrom as the Adversary saith therefore he holdeth of necessity a two-fold object to wit the one outward the other inward and whether of these he holdeth to be the primary he hath not in words expressed although it may be said consequentially enough to his Principles that the inward object is the primary and the outward secundary wherein he doth very well agree with R. B. and us Moreover Seeing he granteth a two-fold object of Divine Faith and Knowledge one outward of the Letter another inward of the Spirit joyned together and inseparate because they are really distinct I suppose he will not deny but they may be separate one from another if God so pleased Let it then be supposed only upon a possible supposition that the inward be separate from the outward so that the outward being removed the inward object may remain which is proposed by the
Kingdom of God standeth not in words but in power And seeing a Christians Faith is a part of Gods Kingdom in his Soul the said Faith stands not in the words even of the Apostles by Pauls own Testimony but hath a greater and more noble and excellent Foundation to wit the Power and holy Spirit of God in the Heart of the Believer as that doth inspire and inwardly operate move and act upon the intellectual Faculties of the Soul And here possibly some will grant that the Spirit hath the greatest efficiency or stroke in working this spiritual assent or Perswasion to the Doctrine of the Gospel as an efficient Cause in the Souls of Believers but perhaps they will say as this Author saith of the common saving Graces of the Spirit that they are Moral Virtues insensibly wrought in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost and that therefore any Divine Assent or Perswasion which the Holy Ghost works in our Hearts is wrought insensibly and that the Holy Ghost in his Inspiration and Operation is incognitum quid as some Popish Schoolmen and others have affirmed the Spirits operation to be medium incognitum assentiendum i. e. an unknown medium or mean that worketh in us insensibly or without all perception on our part whose footsteps this Author seemeth to follow And seeing the Spirits Influence or Operation is altogether unperceptible to the Soul as having no objectve evidence whereby to make it self known as they affirm and that the Soul or Mind of man cannot assent to Truth without some objective evidence of truth The Scripture therefore is that medium or mean which alone as they say giveth this objective Evidence of truth to the Soul and moveth it objectively to assent to the truth Hence they distinguish betwixt subjective and objective Illumination and the Subjective and objective Influence and Assistance saying that the Spirit indeed giveth us the Subjective illumination and Assistance but the Scripture only giveth us the objective Illumination and Assistance But this distinction I have sufficiently at length refuted in my Book of Immediate Revelation above cited so that I need not insist to make a new Refutation of it here until the Author or some else disprove the Arguments I have brought there to evince that the Holy Spirit worketh sensibly and perceptibly in the hearts of Believers and giveth unto them an objective Assistance and Illumination as well as subjective or effective that both can be known and is known to be a divine assistance and to proceed from the Holy Spirit in them who have it and whose minds are well prepared and disposed to receive and observe it for the Spirits inward Operation and Inspiration or Influence is sufficiently observable and reachable enough by the inward and spiritual Senses of the Soul when excited and awakned by the power of the Holy Spirit as I can appeal to all who have the least measure of experience in the case and whose spiritual senses are awakned and duly exercised to discern betwixt Good and Evil. Such by an inward spiritual divine sensation are able to discern and distinguish betwixt a good motion and Inspiration that cometh from the Spirit of God and an evil motion and Inspiration that cometh from the Devil or some evil Spirit Again seeing by the Inspiration and Illumination of the Spirit of God we are principally inclined moved and perswaded to assent to the truth of the Scripture-Testimony and are made to believe that the Scriptures are no cunningly devised Fable but the Holy Oracles and Sayings of God by men divinely inspired as all good and sound Protestants do acknowledge we must needs consequentially affirm that the spirits illumination is the more noble Rule and preferable to the Scripture And thus we evite that fallacious Circle that some run into and for which they are derided by some of the Church of Rome because they say they believe the Scriptures for the spirits inward Testimony and to go round again they say they believe the spirits inward Testimony for the Scriptures This say the Romanists is a fallacious Circle and not to be allowed according to the Rules of right Disputation But say we as we own the Scriptures Testimony as a good secondary Confirmation to induce or move us to believe the spirits inward Testimony so we beleive the Spirits inward Testimony being chiefly moved or induced so to do by the spirit of God himself inspiring us and inwardly moving and inclining us thereunto and we principally believe the Scriptures for the spirit but the spirit we principally believe for himself or his own immediate Testimony in our hearts which is secondarily confirmed to us by the Scriptures Testimony And I see not how any true Protestant or sober rational man who owneth a necessity of the spirits Inspiration to produce saving faith in the soul can blame us for so doing And thus the Romanists have no occasion to deride or blame us for running into a vicious Circle in giving the reason of our Faith And we judge it no derogation to the Scripture to prefer the spirit of God and Christ as he doth immediately bear witness in our Hearts to the external Testimony of the Scriptures For as Iohn and all the Prophets and Apostles gave the preference to Christ as more worthy so no doubt the Scriptures which are their Words and Writings prefer the holy spirit of Christ whose servants and Instruments they are And here I give the Reader a necessary Caution which I desire him well to observe that when the Question is stated betwixt the inward and immediate Testimony of the spirit in the soul of a true Christian and the outward Testimony of the Scripture we affirm the inward is the more noble the greater and the more preferable even as the soul is the more noble part of a man and of greater value than the Body however so excellent or beautiful as being that which giveth life to the Body for as the soul quickneth the body and useth it as its Instrument so the holy spirit inspiring the Heart of a true Christian quickneth the Scriptures Testimony and maketh it to live and bring forth Fruit in the soul yet when the Question is stated betwixt the Scriptures and any Revelation Vision or Inspiration externally brought forth in Words or Writing that in this case we most willingly prefer the Scripture words and writings to any words and writings of ours how much soever inspired or proceeding from Inspiration and do most willingly submit all our Words and Writings to the publick standard Test and Touch-stone of the Scriptures to be tryed by them and not otherwise to be received than as agreeing with them A second thing which possibly this Author or some other may answer in the case is That though the Church of England according to the Common Prayer owneth the Inspiration of the holy spirit as necessary to saving Faith and to the begetting a saving and spiritual knowledge of God and the Scriptures yet
him do not say That the Gift of Praying by the Spirit was expired in his time and though Chrysostome had said so I suppose the Author himself doth not think that all Chrysostoms words are infallibly to be believed Yea the reason given by Chrysostome why God was pleased to give that Gift of Prayer doth still remain viz. Because without the spirit we know not what to pray for as we ought and therefore there is as great necessity for the spirit of Prayer now as then But it hath no weight what the Author saith Pag. 29. That the Christians might learn what to pray for and how out of the Scriptures which are an excellent Rule of Devotion as well as Faith and since that Gift was also rendred useless by the early general use of Liturgies I say this hath no weight to prove that the spirit of Prayer or praying by Divine Inspiration is expired for in the Apostles days the Scriptures were extant as much as now and therefore if the spiritual Gift of Prayer is made void by having the Scriptures in the room of it that Gift should have ceased in the Apostles days Surely it was not Gods design to give us the Scriptures that he might take away his spirit from us and leave us only the Scripture-words in his room but he promised that his spirit should remain or abide with his people for ever whose abiding and presence was necessary unto all true Christians to give them the inward and spiritual sense and understanding of the words of Prayer contained in the Scripture and to teach them what words to use at one time and what at another seeing they could not use them all at once And as for the early general use of Liturgies which this Author saith was in the Church to be sure there was none in the Apostles times as the Author confesseth and if there had been any need of them for the succeeding Ages the Apostles had been the fittest persons to have composed them which yet we do not find that ever they did It is too apparent that when the spirit of Prayer began to be lost composed Liturgies came to be set up and that the loss and decay of this spirit or spiritual Gift of Prayer was caused by the carnality and apostacy of the far greatest part of those called Christians though we have cause to believe it remained in the Hearts of a remnant all along CHAP. IV. BUT whereas the Author saith as for the Gift of Praying and Preaching by the Spirit there is no mention made of it in the Ecclesiastical Writers even where they enumerate the rest of the spiritual Gifts unless Irenaeus comprehended it under the Gift of strange Tongues with all sorts of which he saith many of the Brethren spoke in his time by the Holy Ghost Surely this the Author doth too confidently affirm for as concerning Praying by the Spirit Tertullians Testimony is clear who lived about the end of the second Century who discoursing of Prayer and the manner how the Christians used it said expressly That they prayed ex pectore siue monitore per spiritum sanctum i. e. out of the Heart without one to go before them and by the Holy Ghost And both Tertullian and Iustine Martyr and Eusebius make mention of the Gift of Prophesie by the Spirit remaining in the Church in their time And the Author himself acknowledgeth that under Prophesie Preaching and praising God by the Spirit is understood frequently in Scripture and why not also in the Ecclesiastical Writers Yea even Bernard who lived above a thousand years after Christ did say tepida est omnis oratio quam non prevenit inspiratio i. e. All Prayer is dead or lukewarm which Inspiration doth not prevent But it is easie to apprehend why when the Ecclesiastical Writers did mention the miraculous Gifts of the Spirit then remaining in the Church they said nothing commonly of Preaching and Praying by the Spirit because they did not reckon Preaching and Praying by the Spirit any of that sort of miraculous and extraordinary Gifts but judged it as a common and necessary Gift and therefore did not mention it among those that were miraculous and singular which is an argument rather against the Authors assertion than in favour of it And since the Author doth acknowledge that divers miraculous Gifts of the Spirit did remain in the Church for some hundreds of years after the Apostles it is strange he should suppose the Gift of Preaching and Praying by the Spirit to have expired before the rest but his prejudice against the Principle of Inspiration maketh him to fall upon such an absurd supposition Now when I say the Gift of Preaching and Praying by the Spirit was none of the miraculous and extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit I mean it had nothing of any external or outward Miracle in it any more than Faith Love Hope or any other of the Evangelical Vertues all which being supernatural were internally miraculous as much or rather more than the outward And whereas the Author pleadeth that none of these miraculous Gifts were of a moral consideration as having any immediate influence to sanctifie the persons so inspired consequently not necessary to remain in the Church If then it can be proved that Preaching and Praying by the Spirit are of a moral consideration and have a sanctifying Influence upon the persons inspired it will necessarily follow that they do and must remain in the true Church And first as to Praying by the Spirit that is a Moral Duty and of a moral Consideration which is a Gospel-precept but Praying by the Holy Ghost is a Gospel-precept see Eph. 6.18 Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit and Iud. 2. Praying in the Holy Ghost And as concerning all true Worship which is to be given to God Christ hath expresly taught that it is to be performed in Spirit and in Truth And I ask the Author whether he doth not think that Davids Prayers and Psalms which were by the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit had not a sanctifying Influence upon David himself And also whether the Prayers of those in the primitive times who prayed by Inspiration and brought forth such deep inward sighings with great contrition of Heart by the help of the Holy Spirit had not a sanctifying Influence going alone with them and were not those Prayers holy Prayers and those sighings holy sighings which left some holy Impressions both upon the Speakers and Hearers the which if they did as most certainly they did unto all sincere Christians who heard them then Prayers by Inspiration have a moral and intrinsecal excellency in them and consequently were to remain in the true Church to the end of the World Next as to Preaching by the Spirit it is clear that it had a sanctifying and converting power going alone with it so that many thousands were converted unto the Lord and became truly sanctified by means of such Preaching But if
neglect and lay aside the reading of the Holy Scripture and Meditation thereon and the use and exercise of other good means as Preachings or Declarations of Truth in the Assemblies of the Faithful through Holy Men who speak by the Holy Ghost and also prayers and supplications and giving of thanks unto God both in publick and private or the Pious and Christian Admonitions Exhortations and Reprehensions of their Brethren and Elders where they are needful how much sover they make a pretext of the Spirit yet they live not in the Holy Spirit of God and they may pretend to have a name to live with those of the Church of Sardis but they are very dead carnal rude and ignorant whereas the humble meek and faithful Servants of God in the first place they imbrace love and receive with great respect the Holy Spirit of God and watch and attend unto the same and then duely and chastly they regard the Holy Scriptures as the Instruments means organs and vessels of the Holy Spirit as the same useth them and appeareth in them and so frequently and daily make use of them and of all other means ordained and appointed of God and in their so doing find their great profiting to the praise of God and to the increasing in them Divine knowledge and vertue for they do well know and consider that it is a peculiar work and office of the Holy Spirit to expound the Holy Scriptures unto them explain and unfold their mysteries prophecies and hidden things and reveal their deep sence and that sometimes by the means of others preaching unto them and at other times by silent and solitary meditation within themselves which doth not hinder the immediate operation and communication of the Holy Spirit but is altogether made effectual thereby as is showed at large in this following treatise And how can they reject the Holy Scriptures or their use to read and hear them and meditate upon them who believe that the Holy Spirit is given them for that very cause that he may expound unfold and reveal the Scriptures unto them the Holy Scripture therefore is not to be rejected nor laid aside by any however so much inlightned and replenished with the Holy Spirit but greatly to be esteemed and improved according to their great worth The Apostle Paul exhorted Timothy who had that excellent gift of the Holy Spirit to read the Holy Scripture and praised him that from his Childhood he had known them and been exercised in them his faithful parents to wit his Mother and Grandmother procuring and moving him unto the same also the Apostles did exercise themselves in reading the Scriptures of the Prophets and did bring many excellent places out of them as the Holy Spirit taught them and opened them in their Preaching Christ and his Gospel and Faith to convince the unbelieving and in their Epistles unto the faithful they did frequently cite the Scriptures of the Prophets and did also meditate in them for the nourishing their hope and consolation as Paul hath expresly affirmed Whatever said he is written for our cause it was written whereby he includeth both himself and all the Apostles as well as other Saints that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope and if they be writ for the Saints as well as for others therefore they are to be read and heard and meditated upon by the Saints as well as others by Men and Women Old and Young and by young Children also that as it were with their Mothers Milk they may draw and suck in the most wholesome precepts institutions and examples of the Scripture and the most profitable Histories thereof for the begetting and forming them unto a good life by the assistance of the grace of the Holy Spirit which shall not be wanting to them who sincerely wish and desire it for all Scripture Divinely inspired and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good work 2 Tim. 3.16.17 Daniel who was a great Prophet of God understood some things out of books and especially out of Jeremiah his Prophecy as he himself did testifie John saith the things he did write concerning Christ were writ unto men that they might believe and by believing may attain everlasting life John 20.31 and therefore the Scriptures are given also in order to work or beget faith into Christ in mens hearts to wit as a means or instrument thereof in the hand of the Spirit and finally Paul saith that the mistery to wit of the Gospel of Christ which was kept secret since the World began but now is made manifest is by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment of the everlasting God to be made known to all Nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16.25 26. And although neither in the age of the Apostles nor unto this day the outward Testimony of the Scripture in the declaration of the Gospel is come to all and every one of Mankind yet it shall most certainly come into all before the end of the World and the Gospel as Christ hath declared shall be preached to all Nations both inwardly and outwardly for a Testimony to the Salvation of them that believe and to the greater condemnation of these who believe not And surely the time is near wherein God is to visit all Nations with his Spirit Light Life and Grace in a larger measure than in many ages by-gone and by the virtue and efficacy of his Spirit he will sanctify and bless unto the people the outward testimony of the Scriptures that with spiritual fruit and encrease they may read them and hear them and meditate upon them diligently and this my testimony as concerning the worth and use of the Scriptures and of all other true means appointed of God the Holy Spirit assisting I desired to have published ERRATA PAge 18. line 4. read tast p. 20. l. 27. r. airy p. 29. l. 24. r. where p. 41. l. 26. r. is Christ p. 75. l. 10 11 r. Books which they contain in so many words p. 78. l. 10. f. primitive r. intimate p. 78. l. 28. r. implanted and ingrafted p. 79. l. 9. r. worthy of belief p. 81. l. 17. r. at least p. 82. l. 14. r. antient writings p. 84. l. 29. r. refuted The Second Treatise Page 89. l. 16. r. was induced p. 93. l. 8. r. restricted p. 95. l. 23. f. acknowledge r. actually l. 24. r. absent p. 97. l. 6. r. to the Holy Ghost p. 98. l. 1. r. assentiendi p. 104. l. 9 13 18 r. Students l. 12. r. them p. 105. l. 2. r. pretend p. 109. l. 25. r. doth only conclude p. 110. l. 10. r. inspired l. 21. r. supposed p. 114. l. 13. r. inspiration p. 138. l. 19. r. Revelations p. 139. l. 4. r. within p. 145. l. 6. r. at most l. 26. r. partly p. 160. l. 24. r.
to the second interpretation of the word Galilee its signifying Revelation it is to be understood of Christ not in the form of a Servant but in that wherein he is equal to the Father which he promised in John to such as loved him when he said I shall love him and show my self unto him to wit not according to what they then saw and as after his Resurrection he appeared with the prints of his wounds both to be seen and touched but according unto that ineffable light whereby he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the World according to which he shineth in darkness and the darkness doth not comprehend him Where let the Reader notice how that Augustine believed that Christ did go before the outward Preaching of the Gospel with his Divine Grace and Revelation in the hearts of the Gentiles And if God be not present to his Creature to supply the defect of outward means and yet damn the Creature is not this to render God unmerciful and a hard Master and unjust who is yet most merciful meek just and benevolent to all his Creatures I thought these called Lutherans who are so zealous against the Calvinistical decree of absolute Reprobation had been more humane and merciful towards Mankind but now so far as I can gather from the words of our Adversary they are fallen into the same pit with the Calvinists or at least as bad For if so many thousands who want the outward means be damned eternally for the want of them this so miserable a case should seem to proceed from want of Love in God towards them and because he did not love them therefore he did reprobate and reject them I know not how the Adversary can save himself from falling into the deep ditch of the Calvinistical Doctrine of Absolute Reprobation But hath not Christ died for all men If so he hath then dyed for those who want the outward means and what hath Christ gained for them by his death if nothing of his Grace either already given them or afterwards to be given hath he not then dyed for them in vain But doth not the Scripture say that God hath his Elect ones in every corner and part of the whole world whither he is to send his Angels to gather them together even the children of God every where dispers'd And yet the outward Preaching of the Gospel is not yet gone to all the parts of the earth And what shall become of these good and honest Gentiles such as Cornelius was before Peter Preached the Gospel outwardly to him For do not Peters words plainly imply that there were many such good and honest men fearing God and working righteousness who were acceptable unto God through Christ although they had not heard of Christ as yet outwardly Again what was to be done with that good ground which was good before the seed was cast into it and whence was it that the ground was good before the outward Preaching of the Gospel And what did Christ signifie by that good ground in the Parable but men of a good and honest heart Suppose then that some of these were prevented by death long before the outward Preaching did come to their ears which is to be supposed in many by reason of the shortness of humane life shall therefore all these good men together with the bad and wicked be damned eternally Let every pious and sober man be ashamed so to conclude In his Sixth Paragraph he seemeth in part to acknowledge R. B. his distinction between Divine General Revelation and Special but he differeth herein that he will not have that General Revelation made to the Gentiles to be supernatural but natural nor immediate but mediate beside the inward or ingrafted notions of truth importing also an acquired knowledge by the things created and outwardly presented and the information and teaching of others concurring But as concerning the latter it followeth not that that Revelation was not immediate because these Gentiles had also an acquired knowledge by the things created c. For these two are not contradictory to wit one Knowledge immediate and implanted in them and another acquired but they both consist very well together And concerning the first he doth indeed affirm that the said General Revelation is only natural and not supernatural but he hath not so much as essayed to prove it Now as to that Question whether that General Revelation be natural or supernatural it may be answered that in a different respect it is both natural and supernatural Natural in respect of the Subject of its Inherence for many things receive their denomination from the Subject of Inherence as some Vessels are called golden others silver others brass according to the diversity of their subject matter Now God hath planted or sown this General Divine Revelation or Law in the very nature of Man and it is therefore called by Iames 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the innate Word or the Word planted in our Nature which is as the Ark unto which God hath committed this Divine Law to be preserved But it is Supernatural in respect of its Original Author and Efficient Cause For from whence cometh this Law placed in all souls but from that Supreme Lord and Father of all souls and therefore it is called by Philo the Jew An infallible Law and incorruptible Printed in the immortal Mind by an immortal Nature And by Plutarch A Faith ingrasted or innate into every reasonable Creature living in the Soul and never leaving the Soul destitute of Guidance Again this Law or Revelation is deservedly to be reputed Supernatural because it is the Law of God and whoever doth transgress it he doth transgress the Will of the most High God This Law therefore is above the Soul and the Souls nature which ought to be subject unto the said Law and consequently it is Supernatural And Lastly because Mans whole Nature in the Fall is corrupted but this Law doth remain in the Soul uncorrupted therefore it proceedeth not from Mans Nature but from a more noble Original and Fountain For who can bring such a clean thing as this Law is out of that which is so unclean as Mans corrupted Nature And indeed Augustine doth well discourse on this same purpose lib. 14. de Trinit cap. 15. Man saith he is admonished to turn to the Lord as unto that Light with which he was touched when he was departed from him For hence it is that even the wicked think upon eternity and do both reprove and commend many things in the manners of men But by what rules judge they of those things but such as in which they see how every one should live although they themselves do not so live When do they see them not in their Nature seeing they see them with a mind but it is manifest their minds are changeable whereas they see that these rules are unchangeable which every one may see in them Nor yet do they see them in
affirmeth That the Jews have corrupted the Scriptures in diverse places as first that they have taken out of Esdras where he declareth the Law of the Passover these following words and Esdras said unto the people This Passover is our Saviour and our refuge and if ye think and call to mind to restore him being cast off in a sign and then shall place your hope in him this place shall not be forsaken for ever saith the Lord of Hosts but if ye shall not believe nor hear his words teaching and preaching ye shall be a derision to all Nations and out of the 96th Psalm whereas he saith it was written say among the Nations the Lord hath reigned from the tree viz. the tree of the Cross mentioned by Peter on which Christ was crucified they have left out or taken away these words from the tree leaving only these other words the Lord hath reigned he mentioneth also a third place in Ieremiah corrupted by them XX. Athanasius in his Synopsis Sacris Scripturis acknowledgeth that many Books of the Prophets are lost as the Book of Nathan Addo Achias the Silonite Semei and Iehu and of three thousand Psalms of David only an hundred and fifty now remaining also there were five thousand Parables of Solomon and five thousand Songs also he wrote of Trees from the Cedar of Libanon to the Hysop on the Wall and of Beasts Fouls Creeping-things and Fishes which are not now to be found in the Hebrew and Iosephus declareth that Ezekiel writ two Books of Prophesie It is manifest saith Athanasius that all these are lost by the madness and sloth of the wicked Jews XXI Tertullian in his Book de Virgini Velandis cap. 1. saith The Law of faith remaining the other things belonging to discipline and conversation admit the newness of correction the grace of God working and promoting unto the end for what sort of thing is it that while the Devil is always working and daily adding unto the engines of iniquity that the work of God should either cease or leave off to profit seeing for this cause he sent the Comforter that because mans weakness could not receive all at once by degrees the discipline should be directed and ordered and brought to perfection by that Holy Spirit the Vicar of the Lord. XXII Gregory Nazianzen in his Oration concerning Athanasius saith expresly thus What the Sun is to things sensible the same is God unto things intellectual for the Sun enlightneth the visible World and God enlightneth the invisible World and the one maketh us see the Sun the other maketh us see God Again the same Author saith thus ibid. Whosoever breaketh through the matter and this fleshly body whether saith he it may be lawful to call it a Cloud or a Vail and obtaineth to be conversant with God unfolding or revealing himself and to apprehend that most pure or supream light fo far as is lawful to the nature of man such a man is blessed both because he hath ascended from what is here below and also because he hath obtained that oneness with God or deiformity gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the true Philosophie giveth These things saith he have been the care and study of some few both of old and now in this present time and among such he reckoneth Athanasius as equaling some and excelling others and falling little short of some others to wit even the Prophets and Apostles XXIII Clemens Alexandrinus already cited admon ad gent. As the true Sons of the Light let us behold the Light and look upward lest the Lord find us to be but Bastards as the Sun discovereth the Eagles And lib. 5. Stromatum he saith he who neither maketh use of his sight nor any other of his bodily senses in his contemplating but by the pure mind it self applyeth to things obtaineth the true Philosophy XXIV The same Clemens lib. 1. Stromatum directeth men in general to go to the Light and Water that is within themselves But he who hath the eye of his soul dimmed or made dull with evil education and doctrine let him go into his Domestick Light or the Light that is in his own House gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the truth which graphically manifesteth things that are not written Ye who thirst go unto the Waters saith Esaias and Solomon admonisheth saying drink Water out of your own Cistern Prov. 5. therefore Plato who is a Philosopher out from among the Hebrews as having learned much from them in his Laws commandeth the Husbandman not to pour Water upon the Land nor to take Water from others to water it but that they first dig by themselves even unto the earth which is called Virgin-earth and in the same Book he saith the Scripture exciteth or stirreth up that which is within us which he calleth the fire of the Soul igniculum animae XXV In his admonition to the Gentiles he saith The Saviour hath many voices and ways for the salvation of men threatning he admonisheth them and reproving he converteth them c. also he terrifieth them by the fire kindling a flame out of a Pillar which is both a signification of grace and of fear if thou obeyest it is light if thou dost not obey it is fire And in the same Admonition to the Gentiles who were unbelievers he saith It is not difficult to come unto the Truth nor impossible to apprehend her for she is most near in our Houses even as the most wise Moses declareth living in our three parts the Hands the Mouth and the Heart for so the Septuagint rendreth these words this saith he is a true symbol of the Truth which is fulfilled universally in three viz. Counsel Action and Speech XXVI Athanasius whom I formerly mentioned as one greatly approved among the Fathers in his Oration against the Gentiles saith As God who is over all so the way which leadeth unto him is not far off nor is it forth without us but it is in us and the beginning of it may be found out by us even as Moses taught in these words the word of Faith is within thy heart which our Saviour also signified and confirmed saying the Kingdom of God is within you for because we have in us Faith viz. the word of Faith and the Kingdom of God therefore we may speedily understand and contemplate the King of the University to wit the saving word of the Father Neither can the Heathens pretend any cause who serve Idols nor let any man vainly deceive himself as if he wanted that way or method and therefore find out a pretext of his impiety for we all stand upon that way and have it although all do not endeavour to walk in it but transgress it being drawn a-away by the outward pleasures of this life XXVII Origin reputed by many inferiour to none of these called Fathers both for his great piety and great knowledge of the Scriptures who lived before Athanasius and was a Disciple of Clemens Alexandrinus
the ministry of the outward senses or those of its own making is necessary unto the attaining the fruitive or intuitive knowledge of God as aforesaid and the conversing with him nearly and intimately This I prove first from the testimony of Scripture Psalm 46.10 Be still and know that I am God and as the Septuagint hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otiamini vacate vake ye Psalm 4.4 Speak in your heart upon your Bed and be silent so the Hebrew doth carry it Observe here by the Bed is signified the inward rest of the mind which when it attaineth it is fittest to speak unto God and vers 8. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep c. Psalm 23.2 He maketh me to lye down in green pastures he leadeth me beside the still waters Eccles. 5.1 2. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to hear then to offer the sacrifice of fools for they consider not that they do evil Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God Observe in that he saith let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before the face of the Lord so the Hebrew he layeth a restraint not only upon rash words of the mouth but upon rash thoughts also of the heart which it may utter before the face of the Lord which face of the Lord is the Light of the Lord that shineth in mans heart according to the words of the fourth Psalm called the light of his Face or Countenance Now which thoughts may be called rash or hasty thoughts Surely all such as are its own as proceeding simply from the heart it self without the Divine Instinct and Inspiration of the Spirit of God for saith the Apostle not that we are sufficient to think any thing as of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 Canticles of Solomon 5.2 I sleep but by heart waketh how Bernard undestandeth this place I shall shew afterwards and Cant. 2.3 Cant. 2.3 I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast Observe this whole speech being allegorical the sitting down must needs signifie the quiet and still condition of the mind and then to wit in this inward quietness of mind the fruit of her beloved is sweet to her tast Again Cant. 1.7 Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon Isaiah 26.23 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee and as the Hebrew hath it the thought being stayed Isaiah 66.2 And on whom will I look but upon the humble and the silent and who tremble at my words So do the Septuagint translate the place And Isaiah 41.1 Keep silence before me O Islands and let the people renew their strength And Isaiah 30.15 In returning and rest shall ye be saved in silence and expectation shall be your strength Lamentations 3.26 He shall wait and be silent for the salvation of the Lord. Observe here the Scripture expresly mentioneth silent waiting or waiting in silence let the Opposers and Adversaries of Truth consider this who speak so much against silent waiting or waiting in silence and who say they read not of such a thing in Scripture and they acknowledge no waiting upon God but as they are exercised in somewhat as reading or hearing or speaking which they call waiting in Ordinances but here is a waiting in silence which is as real an Ordinance or appointment of God as any other which they utterly deny and are ignorant off Again Lamentations 3.28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence Hosea 2.14 I will perswade her and bring her into a solitary place remote from all speech and I will speak unto her heart Zechariah 2.13 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his holy habitation Moreover notwithstanding all the disdainful language which the opposers of Truth use against silence yet see what the Prophet saith of it in the Psalm Psalm 65.1 Unto thee silence praise O God in Zion so doth the Hebrew bear it and so doth Arias Montanus translate it Tibi silentium laus Deus in Sion which may be understood either 1. That silence is praise as well as words unto God or 2. That silence is due or belonging unto God as where he said Psalm 62.1 My soul is silent verily unto God or 3. That silence is necessary as a preparation unto praise all which are true Now that silence mentioned so frequently in Scripture is not a bare outward silence but a silence of the mind or soul from its own thoughts whether arising from corrupt and inferiour nature or from the active part of it self as it can act so much as in thought without the Divine Inspiration of the Spirit of God for without this all thoughts of mans heart touching Divine and Spiritual things are but barren and hurtful but such as are conceived in the mind by vertue of a Divine Instinct and Inspiration of God are profitable and fruitful and sweet unto the soul above hony or the hony comb even as David said how sweet are thy thoughts unto me O God For as I have already showed out of Bernard such thoughts are the words or speech of God as he speaketh in us by the Spirit Now when we speak of being silent from thoughts we do not understand these thoughts which are conceived or formed in us by Divine Inspiration for they are not inconsistent with the true silence but arise out of it and remain or spring up therein Secondly I prove the same from Antiquity I. Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 5. Stromatum he who neither maketh use of his sight nor any other of his senses in his thinking or contemplating but by the pure mind it self applieth to things obtaineth the true Philosophie Also Pythagoras his five years silence had this signification that he commanded his disciples that they should turn away from sensible things and behold and Contemplate God with the pure mind observe by the pure mind he understandeth the mind not only cleansed from its lusts but separated from the sensible Images of sensible things II. Augustin lib. 9. cap. 10. of his Confessions If to any the tumults of the flesh were silent and the phantasies of the Earth Water and Air were silent and the Poles of Heaven were silent and if the soul were silent unto it self and should pass beyond it self not thinking on it self and if Dreams and Imaginary Revelations were silent and every Tongue and Sign and whatever is made passing from one to another if to any it can be silent for if any hear all these things speak we have not made our selves but he hath made us who remaineth for ever Having said this if now they be silent because they have roused or awakened up the ear to him who made them let him speak alone not by them but by himself that we may
hear his word not by the tongue of flesh nor by the voice of an Angel nor by the noise of a Cloud nor by the dark riddle of a Similitude but let us hear him whom we love in them without them as we now stretch after it and by a most swift cogitation are arrived unto a touch of that Eternal Wisdom which is over all if this were continued and all visions of a far other kind were removed and this one should ravish its beholder and swallow him up and hide him in its inward joys as that his life must be for ever like unto this moment of understanding after which we have breathed were not this enter into the joy of thy Lord. III. The Author of the Treatise de Spiritu anima bound up among Augustins Works who is thought to be Hugo de Sancto victore cap. 32. The reasonable soul saith he is above all these things which are created of God and therefore it is most near unto God when it is pure and how much it cleaveth unto him by love in so much being well besprinkled and enlightned by him with intelligible light it beholdeth God not by the bodily eyes but by its principal part to wit the understanding in whom is most perfect beauty and a most blessed vision by which it is made happy let it therefore remove from its cogitation all knowledges which are received by the bodily senses and cap. 2. yea surely the soul withdrawith it self unto it self from all bodily senses as hindring and resisting with their noise that it may see it self in its self and may know it self and when it would know God it lifteth up it self above it self with the eye of the mind and cap. 34. Let the mind therefore return to it self and collect or gather it self into it self that without bodily images it may consider it self and the invisible nature of God Almighty let it reject the phantasms of earthly Images and whatever earthly thing presenteth unto its thought and let it consider it self such as it is created under God above the body then let it rise above it self and forsake it self and let it come in a manner into a forgetfulness of it self and subject or bow down it self humbly and devoutly to the comtemplation of God for when the mind beginneth to exercise it self by the pure intelligence or understanding and in whole to behold that glory of the incorruptible Light and to draw out of the things which it seeth inwardly a taste of most inward sweetness and thereof to season its understanding and turn it into wisdom in this so great an excess of mind that peace is found and obtained which passeth all sense so that there is silence in Heaven as it were half an hour so that the mind of the beholder is troubled with no tumult of contending thoughts finding nothing that it seeketh by desire or blameth by loathing or accuseth by hatred but within the quietness of the Contemplation is wholly gathered and is let in into a certain affection or delight very unusual to a sweetness of I know not of what kind which if it were always felt surely it would be a great happiness Here sensuality doth nothing imagination doth nothing but all the inferiour powers of the soul are made destitute of their proper Office but the more pure part of the soul is led into that secret of most inward quiet and that mystery of the greatest tranquility in a happy joyfulness IV. Antiochus a Greek Author homilia 103. How good and seasonable a thing is silence the mother of the wisest thoughts for the good Spirit fleeth multitude of speech as remaining without all perturbation and imagination therefore silence is a good Mother of all vertues Again also the Prophet Amos instructing us by his Oracle saith in that time the understanding shall be silent for it is an evil time and Isaias to whom shall I look but unto the humble and the silent and who tremble at my words so the Septuagint also Isaias 66. V. Bernard in his 52d Sermon on the Canticles Blessed is he who can say behold I have gone far away in fleeting and have remained in a solitude Psalm 54. He was not content to go forth unless he should go far away that he might be at rest hast thou passed beyond the delights of the flesh that thou dost not obey the desires thereof neither art thou held with its baits thou hast profited thou hast separated thy self but hast not gone far away unless that by the purity of thy mind thou canst flee beyond the Phantasms or images of bodily similitudes that rush in from every hand until thou comest hither promise not rest to thy self thou art in an error if thou being short of this thou thinkest to find the place of quiet the secret of solitude the clearness of light the habitation of peace And in the Treatise of the degrees of humility There to wit in the Bedchamber of the King for a little space as it were for half an hour silece being made in Heaven sweetly reposing in the desired embracements she indeed sleepeth but he heart waketh or watcheth whereby verily in the mean time she searcheth into the secrets of the truth Observe Here it is plain how Bernard understandeth this sleeping to be the silencing or quieting of the thoughts and imaginations and all the workings of the inferiour powers of the soul at which time the heart waketh or watcheth and is in the fittest condition to converse with the Lord and to search into those inward secrets which he revealeth only to those who are brought in thither And in the Treatise of the inward house cap. 70. But he who would vake unto the contemplation of truth it is necessary that he learn to rest not only from evil works but also from superfluous thoughts for many although they know how to vake in body yet they cannot vake in the heart not knowing to make a Sabbath of a Sabbath and therefore they cannot fulfill that which is said vake ye and see that I am God for vaking in body but vaging in heart every where they are not worthy to see how sweet the Lord is and how good unto Israel to them who are of a right heart Again in the same Treatise cap. 5. he often visiteth and willingly inhabiteth the tranquillity of the heart and the rest of the quiet mind for he is peace and his dwelling place is in peace Again Bernard in his 341. Epistle The discipline of silence saith he seemeth burthensome unto some but the Prophet considering that it was rather a strength than a burden saith in silence and in hope shall be your strength in silence he saith and hope for it is good to wait for the Lord in silence for the consolation of present things weakneth the soul but the expectation of future things doth strengthen it Observe what a testimony Bernard giveth to silent waiting whereas he saith it
declared concerning Divine Inspiration as being absolutely necessary for the attaining of the true knowledge of God are unto the principles of Socrates and Plato whom Augustin in his Books de Civitate Dei commendeth as the best Philosophers I shall give you a summ of their Doctrine out of Marsilius Ficinus his argument in Euthydemum Platonis that wisdom is not acquired so much by humane study as it is divinely infused into purified minds yea Socrates in his discourse with Theages denyeth that ever any men learned ought from him neither would he acknowledge himself to have any further use unto men than to be as a Spiritual Midwife unto them to help to bring forth that wisdom or knowledge which God himself had put in them And concerning the necessity of inward silence and unmoveableness of mind in order to converse with God how agreeable it is to Socrates and Plato let us further hear Marsilius Ficinus Theol. Platon lib. 9. cap. 3. love God alone saith he O soul love the Light alone the infinite Light of the bountiful God love thou infinitely now thou shalt shine and be delighted infinitely I pray thee therefore seek his face and thou shalt rejoyce for ever but I pray thee be not moved that thou may touch that Light because it is stability be not scattered through diverse things that thou may apprehend it for it is Unity Stay the motion gather together the multitude immediately thou shalt find God who hath already found thee In this search Oh how repugnant is the mind unto all bodys how much doth it despise their Images and deceits How much doth it condemn the phantasie and bodily senses Thirdly As concerning that great duty of returning or turning in into the heart which our opposers who deny Immediate Revelation and Inspiration do so much speak against as nonsense and the like that it is a thing required of God and commanded This I prove first from the testimony of Scripture Deuteronomy 4.39 and know this day and return unto thy heart So the Hebrew Deuteronomy 30.1 And shall return to thy heart Hebrew 1 Kings 8.47 if they shall return unto their heart so the Hebrew and 1 Kings 8.48 and shall return unto thee in their whole heart Isaiah 46.8 Return O ye transgressors unto the heart so the Hebrew and the Old Latine Lamentations of Ieremy Therefore or for this will I return unto my heart that so I may wait cap. 3.21 Secondly I prove the same from antiquity I. Augustin quinquagena 2 a Psalm 57.10 citante Beda The written Law what cryteth it unto them who have forsaken the Law written in their hearts return O ye transgressors unto the heart Observe it is worth your observation that all along the Translators have otherwise translated all these places of Scripture which expresly mention this great duty of returning unto the heart because as seemeth they were ignorant of it as people generally now are who when they hear us bidding them turn into their hearts or minds are ready to gnash their teeth at us and to say as I have heard them there is no good in our hearts what should we turn in unto them for and surely if there were no Divine Revelation in the heart it were in vain to turn in unto it Again Augustin in his Confessions lib. 7. cap. 10. And being upon this admonished to return unto my self I entred even into my inwards thou O Lord leading me and I was able to do it for thou becamest my helper I entred into my self and with the eye of my soul I saw over the eye of my soul over my mind the unchangeable Light of the Lord. Observe how Augustin first turned in to his heart that he might see the Light of the Lord but they who believe not that there is any Light of the Lord to be seen in their hearts think it in vain to turn into their hearts And verily most men are so turned or extraverted unto outward objects that for them to be turned inward unto an invisible object of Light and Life from God in their hearts is to make them change their element which they are as unwilling to do as the Fish is to leave the water And on the contrary one that is truly an inward liver and is come to converse with the inward Light and Life and Word of God in his heart is an unwilling to leave this place and go forth unto outward things which are but as shadows in respect of that inward substance which is to be found and enjoyed in the heart II. The Author de Spiritu Anima joyned with Augustin cap. 34. Let the mind therefore return unto it self and gather it self into it self III. Bernard de Conversione ad clerum cap. 2. as yet wisdom cryeth in the streets return unto the heart O ye Transgressors for this is the beginning of the Lords speech and it appeareth that this word hath gone before unto all who are turned unto the heart Observe how Bernard understandeth it to be one of the first things which God speaks to the heart to return unto the heart Again Bernard in Sermone de verbis Habakkuk super custodiam meam Stabo But he calleth back sinners unto the heart and reproveth them for the error of the heart because he dwelleth there and there he speaketh Again Bernard Tractatu de Precepto Dispensatione Surely to seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof ye shall endeavour rather to enter within your selves than to go sorth or to ascend above Again in his Epistle 108. I pray thee return unto the heart Again e Sermone parvo de tribus panibus A Friend cometh unto me off the way when forsaking transitory things I return unto the heart as it is written return unto the heart ye Transgressors Isa. 46.8 Again in the Treatise de Domo interiori cap. 14. But now saith he perhaps thou hast ascended Now thou hast returned unto thy heart and hast learned there to stand neither let this suffice thee learn to dwell there and to make it a mansion and by whatsoever wandring of mind thou be drawn from thence hasten always to return thither again Without doubt by much use at some time it shall become a delight unto thee insomuch that without any difficulty of labour thou maist be there daily yea it will be rather a pain unto thee to make a stay any where else but there And as touching waiting or watching for the Lord in the inward retiredness or recollection of the mind see what Bernard saith Bernard Sermone de visitationibus Domini Who is among us so vigilant and observant of the time of his Visitation and diligently searching after the coming of the Bridegroom at all moments so that when he cometh and knocketh it is opened unto him and after Surely our want doth argue us of neglect and carelesness for if any of us uprightly and perfectly according to the word of the Wise man would deliver up his heart to watch for the Lord early who made it and would pray in the sight of the Most High and also by all endeavours study according to the Prophet Isaiah to prepare the ways of the Lord and to make straight the paths of his God Who hath to say with the Prophet my eyes are ever unto the Lord and I have had the Lord always in my sight shall not he receive a blessing from the Lord and mercy from the God of his Salvation Surely he shall be frequently visited neither shall he ever be ignorant of the time of his Visitation however so secretly and as a thief he cometh who visiteth in Spirit who is a modest lover and while he is yet afar off he well watching soul with a sober mind shall perceive him Now that silent waiting is according unto Scripture I have above showed out of the Lamentations Also the words of Habakkuk do plainly hold forth the same I will stand on my watch and I will hear what the Lord will speak in me Moreover that Socrates and Plato taught this doctrine of the converting or turning in of a man to himself to within himself to behold the innate idea of vertue in him see Plato his Charmides And as concerning profiting by silence in the company of good men Seneca that renowned Philosopher saith thus Epistola 94. est aliquid quod ex magno viro vel tacente proficias there is somewhat that thou mayst profit by a great man to wit who is great in virtue even when he is silent And concerning retiring unto a mans self to converse with the Divine Spirit that is within him that famous Emperor and Philosopher Marcus Aurelius Antoninus in his Books of Meditation concerning himself lib. 4. num 3. saith thus A man cannot any whther retire better than to his own soul. And again he saith afford then thy self this retiring continually and thereby refresh and renew thy self and lib. 2. num 11. It is sufficient saith he for a man to apply himself wholly and to confine all his thoughts and care to the tendance of that Spirit which is within him and truly and really to serve him his service doth consist in this that a man keep himself pure from all violent passion and evil affection from all rashness and vanity and from all manner of discontent either in regard of the Gods or men Note that by the Gods Antonius Seneca Socrates Plato and others of the best Philosophers understood Angels and Immortal Spirits which the Scripture at times calleth also Gods for they did believe there was but only one supream and infinite God the Creator and upholder of all things who is over all blessed for ever THE END See Cor.