word of life declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Lo how he declaâ—…eth that his fellowship was with the Son Jesus Christ. Though long before now his appearance after the Flesh was removed yet he had fellowship with that Life which remained and more gloriously appeared after he was taken up the Life which was in the beginning that he that heard saw and handled not with that which is born of the Flesh but of the Spirit and was partaker off even that Divine Nature or Life 2 Pet. 1. 4. And this Apostle Iohn calls it by other names such as the seed of God the Anointing or Unction the Truth c. And in Revel He calls it the Lamb and the Word of God And thus I have gone thorow Moses Prophets Christ himself in the dayes of his Flesh and his Apostles their Testimony concerning this Foundation or fundamental Principle which as they witnessed a Foundation and Fountain of Blessedness Life Joy and peace in themselves a substance beyond all Shaddows Words Pleasures Representations Comprehensions or Thoughts so they pointed their Hearers hereto and this was the work of their Ministry That people being brought to heâ—…r see handle and pareake of this Life in themselves they might have fellowship with them therein and so let People try themselves and the Churches they are Members off if they be built on this Foundation the Word of Life which was in the beginning or if they have never come to know any other Foundation as yet but words from without and from which they never knew any other ground to believe them but here say from man and not hearing the voice of God himself their Foundation is but false their Faith false their Church and Worship and their whole Religon is false and vain Argument II. And this was it to witt the Revelation of Jâ—…us Christ and the hearing of his own Voice by which these who heard the Ministers and Apostles sent by him believed their words and the things by them declared for had it not been this they comeing forth declaring of such unheard of things and so unlike so unprobable so foolish to the wisdom of Flesh and Blood they could never have been received nor gained such ground upon the World as they did This is somewhat touched before but is some-what more fully to be treated of here being so weighty This was it that gave to the people a proof of their Ministracy and Call and message that it was of God he who sent them Christ the Word which was in the beginning and spoke in them to the people the same spoke and beas Testimony to the same words and things declared by the words in the Hearts and Consciences of the hearers and this made them and their Doctrine Manifest they had no other proof so sufficient as this and this without any other was sufficient and so necessary that nothing else could certainly perswade them for many of the Prophets wrought no Miracles nor did they alwaies tell of things to come and how many were Converted to the Faith who never saw any outward Miracle wrought and these who were past feeling or discerning the witness of God in themselves would not believe for all the Miracles or other outward appearance they called them devilry and the like for their hearts were hardned and the heart that is hardned hath the ear that should hear stopped and the eye blinded so was it with Pharaoh and his servants yea and many times with the people of the Iews themselves but they who had the ear to hear the inward ear in the sensible heart did hear and such a power oft times went along with the Messengers of the Lord that it rent the hard Rockie heart and broke it in pieces and made iâ—… sensible and quickned the dead and opened an ear to hear the word in themselves and so the Lords Messengers declaring in the power and Word of God that spoke in them they directed them to hear that Word in themselves He that hath an 〈◊〉 to â—…ear said Iohn let him hear what the Spiriâ—… saith to the Churches And Ieâ—…miah said If ye will not hear within in secret as I have read it in a Latin Translation my Soul shall weep for you Hear the word of the Lord said they this was their Authority their Proof they had not aâ—… he and as this cleared their Call and the truth of their Message in themselves so did it in their hearers and nothing else could do it but that Word the word of Truth the word of Faith to which Moses pointed the Iews and Paul the Romans in their hearts and this made them Manifest and their Doctrine and witnessed to them was a Seal of confirmation unto it I have given him said the Lord as it is writ Isa. 55. 4. For a witness to the People and Revel 1. 5. He is called the faithfull witness See further Mal. 3. 5. Mica 1. 2. Clear Testimonies for this and he who believed had the witness in himself 1 Iohn 5. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness Christ the witness in himself and in the Testimony of this witness which said Amen to the words spoken thorow the Lords Messengers stood ther Faith not in their words but in the word in themselves testifying thereto and they believed not because they heard them but because they heard himself as did the Samaritans John 4. 42. And this is the Testimony of God which is greater than the Testimony of Man for which it is blessed and so their Faith stands in that which cannot be shaken let men be shaken and tossed and driven to another thing or testimony yet the Foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this Seal this Witness in ones self and the Faith that comes thus stands in the power of God the word of Power which witnesseth in them God speaking himself in them and this is the so called formal object of Faith Papists and Protestants so contend for both agreeing in this That it is God speaking which is the formal object But quoth the Papists It is the speaking in the Church of Rome and so upon the matter They make it her Tradition No quoth the now Protestant the degenerate Protestant for the pure primitive Protestants owned the true Foundation with us though their discovery of it was but little God speaking in the Scriptures is the object formal of our Faith or Foundation of it viz. The chief moving cause or medium ex parte Objecti why the Scriptures are to be believed which is in effect to make the Scriptures themselves it for they deny that God speaks in Man's heart or reveals immediately in man by voice or word of mouth from himself by way of object So that that which is heard seen or felt is not any object imrevealed from God himself that word it self
of man in him was life and that life is the light of man said Iohn and so the light shineth forth in the darkness to visit the seed shut up therein and the light breaths life into the seed in such a measure and degree as its capable of in that state and it draws out of the darkness out of the death out of the earth out of the evil into the light into the good into its self and a measure of power goe along with the drawings to quicken the seed and make it able to follow that which draweth and as it is obeyed cherished and followed not resisted and quenched it ministreth dayly more and more life and power and its drawings aâ—… felt more and more forcibly and so the eye opens which was shut in Adam to see God in the vertue and power of the light which reveals him and the ear opens to hear his voice and the tongue of the dumb is loosed to speak forth the praise of its Saviour and Redeemer and the Limb is made to leap as an heart for joy and Gods heavenly vertue and power is felt tasted and handled and the passage again into Paradise is opened by that new and living way and man gets access unto the tree of life and the river of Gods pleasure that runneth thorow the Garden of God and so man comes to live in God and God in his Son Jesus Christ lives in him and rules King and Lord in him and the law whereby he rules him is writ in his heart by the finger of his spirit and he reveals the whole counsel of his will unto him by the word of his mouth the light reveals the whole will of God unto him and as he abides in the light and waits in it it will manifest clearly in him what he should do what he should shun and he needs not go forth to seek a Law without him or a teacher without him the word is near in his heart and in his mouth and this is the word of faith to which Moses pointed the Iews and Paul the Romans thus it is manifestly demonstrated whaâ—… was mans blessed state before his fall what is his woful and miserable estate in the fall how he is recovered out of it by Jesus Christ his Power effectually working in him for his delivery and how he is brought by him into the blessed condition wherein Adam was created in the beginning ye and is into a state more safe and glorious then ever it was and this is generally acknowledged that it is so and the Scriptures testifie fully to the truth of it then it follows manifestly from the premisses that every true Believer and Christian gets this blessed priviledge of knowing God by the hearing of his voice and seeing of him in the Revelation of his light immediately proceeding from himself for this was Adams priviledge and his most glorious and principal if man were not restored to this he should come infinitely short of Adams blessedness and now if any should say man is to be restored through Christ to this priviledge but not in this Life that is reserved for heaven and the other Life the Scripture testifie 〈◊〉 fully that it is attainable and attained in some measure before the laying down of this earthly tabernacle by every true believer for every true believer is a man born again born from above not of the corruptible seed but the incorruptibâ—…e the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever and in this birth the spiritual eye is opened so is the ear and all the other sences then what hinders this birth from seeing of God whereas it lives in the incorruptible and divine principle did not Moses see God and indured by faith seeing him who is invisible And did not Iob see God and did not Isaiah see him and do not all the pure in heart see him and it s promised to them blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see him Now it is generally granted that the Patriarehs Prophets and Apostles saw God and heard his voice immediately but say they this was a special priviledge peculiar unto them and not granted unto all believers but from what is already said this is manifestly confuted and will yet more appear from what follows for Christ is not only the Saviour of the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles but of all that believe it is a common Salvation unto them all and they are all baptized into that same spirit and one life and Christ is head in all the Sun in all the glorious Sun of the soul whose beams open the blind eye and gives to behold in the light thereof the glory of the Lord in the face of Christ Jesus Argument 3. Herein lyeth the main and principle difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel the old Covenant and the new the ministration of the Law was an outward ministration and it had an outward Law a Law wâ—…it in tables of stone and this Law was ministred by the handâ—… of the mediator Moses a tipe of Christ and God spoke unto Moses and Moses unto the people and so terrible the voice was that it made the people sore affrighted and Moses himself did quake tremble and the people said let God speak no more unto us least we dye but let Moses speak unto us thus ye see how the Law and old Covenant had an outward and a mediate ministration and a carnal or litâ—…eral Commandement and therefore it was weak and could not give Life but was the ministration of death and therefore was to pass away for it was added because of transgression and given forth not as thereby man were to obtain liâ—…e or salvation but to be a School-master to lead unto Christ to point at him and shadow him the substance forth wherefore it had an outward temple tabernacle priest-hood sacrifice and stood all in outwards and according to this dispensation or Covenant God spoke not to all whoever under it immediately but mediately he spoke to to the fathers in the Prophets Heb. 1. 1. But now the Gospel ministration the ministration of the new Covenant is the ministration of the spirit which remaineth 2 Cor. from ver 6. to 12 and so is not ceased and it is God speaking to us in the last dayes in his son or by his son Heb. 1. 1. That is more immediately and this is the now Covenant Ier. 31. Heb 8. I will put my Laws into their minds and write them in their hearts and they â—…ail not each every man his neighbour and his brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest and this is a more excellent covenant whereof Christ the son and heir is mediator and he speaketh it unto the people not from Mount Sinay but Sion and his voice is a calm sweet still pleasant life giving voice and these under this ministration say let Christ the Lord of the house speak himself let God
for by his Word his immediate Word he does all things he speaks and it is done God made the Heavens and the Earth and this whole Fabrick of the Creation by his Word his immediate Word and he upholds all things thereby God said Let there be Light and there was Light Let there be a Firmament and there was a Firm ment Let the Waters be gathered together and they were Let the Earth bring forth Grass and it was so c. He spoke and it was done And he said Let us make Man in our own Image and it was so Gen 1. He had no other means but the word of his Mouth the word of his eternal Power which was in the beginning whereby all things were made and without it was nothing made And now does not Man in his being Created again unto good Works in his being formed again a new Creature depend upon the same immediate Word of Power which first Created him by this is man begotten again by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever and by this he liveth by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God so you may see it s the Scriptures testimony he does all things by his immediate Word the Word worketh in all things immediately which God ever made means are but ciphers without this means opperate but mediately but the Word immediately and this Word is Christ by whom all things are made and in whom they are upheld now here is the difference betwixt this noble piece of Workmanship Man Created a new in Christ Jesus the Word and the other parts of the visible Creation the Word is in him and opperates in them but that Word is not known felt tasted apprehended but God has given Man a knowledg thereof and herein is his glory beyond them he can feel the spring of his Life he can tast the good Word of God in which he liveth moveth and hath his being And he that knoweth not this Word of Life and heavenly Power and vertue in him is dead the corruptible earthly principle cannot apprehend it for it is spiritually discerned and then what differs he from a beast that perisheth but that he is the more miserable Argument 7. And hereby it is that man cometh to the knowledg of Sin and of Wrath and of the heavy displeasure of God because of it somewhat in his mind and conscience which awakeneth him as out of a dead sleep wherein possibly he has so many years seen the sorrows of death now begins to encompass him and the pangs of Hell takes hold on him and he is cast into a bed of torment and finds great troubles and sorrow the arrowes of the Almighty stick fast in him and he is distracted with the terrors of the Lord And the fearful sound of Judgment continually affrights him and what is it which worketh all this in man but the Word of the Lord immediately proceeding from himself God speaking in his Wrath and vexing him in his sare Displeasure As it is Psal. 21. And revealing his Wrath from Heaven against all his ungodlines and unrighteousness Rom. 1. 18. Is it not Christ to whom all Judgment is committed who thus judgeth him Is it not his Spirit which convinceth him of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment it is the Lord who bringeth to light when he comes to judg the hidden things of darkness and makes manifest the counsels of the Heart 1 Cor. 4. 5. And all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light and that judgeth them and reproveth the deeds of the evil doer John 3. 20. And worketh Condemnation in him this condemned Cain it condemned Saul it condemned Indas Whereby their punishment was unsupportable for them and now were it not God himself who spoke in them in his Wrath were it not his arm and finger that touched them and lay heavy upon them they could easily bear it they could be comforted against all their other troubles and anxieties could they get rid of this and fly from the fierce anger and wrathful countenance of God but where ever they goe his judgment follows them his witness in their consciences torments them the fire kindles which never goes out and the Worm that never dies gnaweth upon them this is the fiery flaming Sword which devoureth the adversary and cutteth down the man of Sin a fiery Law goeth out of the mouth of the Lord and burneth round about and by this Law is the knowledg of Sin whereof Paul speaks for before this Law came he was alive and secure in Sins his Legal righteousness touching the Law blameless it could not give him the knowledg of his Sin but when this Law came that gave him the knowledg of it and made it exceeding sinful and killed him Argument 8. And as it is God who speaking in man raiseth this storm in his Conscience he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind as it is written which all the powers of Heaven and Earth could not do besides him Man could remain invincible as a brazen Wall against all their assaults could he be hid from the fierce wrath of God revealed against him in his conscience all the words of Scripture all the curses writ therein could not move him he hath oft heard them and made light of mem all I say as it is God alone who raiseth this storm and bringeth this trouble upon him so it is he alone who can calm and quiet it again he must say to the Wind and raging Waves of the Sea be still and they obey him and that which brings peace and calmness true calmness and stillness to a mans conscience when it is so vehemently troubled demonstrates it self to bear eternal Power for nothing else can do it when God speaks peace who can let it as it is written when he giveth quietness who can make trouble Job 34. and 29. And who can give it but he the Lord speaketh peace in his People he and he alone bindeth up the broken Heart and healeth the wounded in Spiritâ—… he sendeth his Word and healeâ—… the word that cometh from his own mouth which saith in the Soul fear not It is I be not affraid be of good comfort thy Sins are forgiven thee and faith in this word alone can only stay quiet and comfort the wearie distrest Soul faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God the word which proceedeth immediately from himself and faith laying hold on that Word which is full of Power All the words of the Scripture cannot do it when God ceases to speak himself to the Soul it refuseth to be comforted it may read and search and meditate upon the Scriptures but the wounded spirit remains the doubtings the tossings the terrours continue I appeal to any who ever knew any thing of the terrour of the Lord upon their Spirits if it be not so it would fain apply the promises it would fain suck comfort out of the Scripture words but
to the People which he caused the Levites to keep and lay up in the side of the Ark see Deut. 31. 24 25 26 He falls a declaring concerning the New Covenant Deut. 30. from 11 ver to ver 16. This Commandment saith he which I Commanded thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far of It is not in Heaven that thou shouldest say Who shall go up for us into Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond Sea that thou shouldest say who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in my 〈◊〉 and in thine Heart that thou mayest do it Now that Moses in these Words points at the New-Covenant is manifest because first he points them to this Word and Commandment not writ in tables of Stone or in the book of the Law But to it in the heart The Word is very nigh thee sayes he in thy Heart This is that which more fully declared Ierem. 31. 32. For then the New-Covenant dispensation came to be more manifestly revealed but in Moses time was more hid and obscure for the Vail hung before his face Secondly 'T is maaifest also from Rom. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. When Paul according to the wisdom given him maketh a full and ample Interpretation upon Moses Words shewing how that Moses described both in the fore-cited place the Old Covenant and the New Which Paul calleth the Righteousness of the Law and the righteousness of Faith ver 5. for sayes he Moses descrybeth the righteousness which is of the Law that the Man which doeth these things shall live by them But the Righteousness which is of Faith saith he speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring up Christ again from the Dead But what saith it the Word is â—…gh thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that is the Word of Faith saith he which we Preach c. In which word it is clear he points at that spoken by Moses Deut. 30. 12 13. c And he calls them the words of the Righteousness of Faith and that Word Moses poynted the Iews too in their heart he calls it the Word of Faith and it is clear he understands it of Christ for he addeth by way of Interpretation to Moses words speaking from the same Spirit Say not in thy heart who shall Ascend into Heaven that is saith he to bring Christ down from above and this is it which Paul pleadeth so much for in the Epistles Rom. Gal. shewing that there is no Justification by Moses's Law to wit that writ in the book of the Law and delivered to the Levites nor that writ in the Tables of Stone which he calls the Righteousness of the Law but by the Righteousness of Faith the word of Faith which is the New-Covenant Faith in Jesus Christ the word in the heart And elsewhere he saith If there had been a Law which could have given Life then Righteousness had been thereby but now by this Word in the Heart Life is given and therefore is Righteousness thereby for it is â—…he Word of Life living and Powerful c. And Moses pointed at the same Jesus Christ before Deut. 18. 18. 19. where he calleth him a Prophet c. And the Iews and People of Israel who lived in Moses's time and were saved it was through Faith in this Word in this Prophet raised up in them in their hearts not at a distance but nigh the Word is nigh in thy Heart And this is Christ in them the hope of Glory the Mistery hid from eyes and Generations but was ever made manifest in his Saints but in the latter daies more clearly Christ in all that believe the hope of Glory and so from what is said It is Manifest that Moses pointed at this Foundation which is one in all ages of the Church which was not the Words writ in Tables of Stone or Books of the Law but the Word of Faith whereby comes the Righteousness of Faith and the believing Iews in Moses's time made not a Church different from that in the time of the Apostles and down-wards all are one Church and under one Covenant and were saved by one Faith in one Lord and Redeemer though the dispensations did differ in many Circumstances and these who succeeded had more full and large discoveries of the Mistery yet in substance they all agreed and were all one upon the matter This being so weighty and it lying before me so clearly and it being so useful to demonstrate so far as words may be serviceable therein the matter in hand I have been driven to insist the more largely upon it and now to descend to David and the Prophets and Apostles whereas I might instance many hundred places in the book of the Psalmes I shall only point at the 119 Psal. And desire the Reader in the fear of the Lord to ponder and weigh what is therein declared concerning this Foundation and fundamental Principle to witt the Word and what word is it he speaks so much and so frequently of here and else where when he sayes ver 11. Thy word have I hid in my Heart and ver 16. I will not forget thy Word and ver 25. Quicken thou me by or according to thy Word and ver 28. Strengthen me according to thy Word and ver 42. I trust in thy Word and ver 43. He calls it the Word of Truth and ver 50. Thy Word hath quickned me and ver 81 82. I hope in thy Word mine eyes fail for thy Word when wilt thou comfort me and ver 89. For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in Heaven and ver 105. Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Path. and ver 123. Mine eyes fail for thy Salvation and for the Word of thy righteousness and ver 133. Order my Steps in thy Word and ver 140. Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it and ver 160. Thy Word is true from the Beginning and ver 162. I rejoyce at thy Words as one that findeth great spoil and ver 169. Give me understanding according to thy Word Let that which is noble and ingenuous in any one answer me what Word this is whether it be the Letter of the Scriptures writ in a Book or that Word of Faith Paul and Moses long before spoke off the Word in the heart That it is not the Letter of the Scripture or any outward Word or Words whatsoever as the national Teachers give poor people to believe may be very clear to that in any man which ever had experience of any opperation of God on his Heart any Life quickning or Comfort from the Lord That which has found this will answer
he that is born of God desire his Fathers face the Kings face the light of his Countenance this made David and so maketh it all the Children of God say We have more joy and gladness in the light of our Fathers Countenance though it were shut up in a Dungeon with Bread and Water than they whose Corn and Oyl and Wine doth abound Now whereas it is said The Scriptures are plain evident and manifest in themselves they have a secret glory Majesty and Purity in them which mans writings in his own wisdom have not and this abundantly manifests them to the spiritual Eye I grant it is so and certainly knows it to be so which makes them so precious unto me but consider a little what this Glory Majesty Plainness Purity c. is which makes them Manifest and to whom it Manifests them Such an Example will somewhat figure it forth having first known such a man of rare beauty comeliness and majesty which appears in his countenance and afterwards seeing his Portrait drawn so exactly as a Pensel could do this Image or Portrait has a pretty lively representation of him and the Characters of his Beauty and the Majesty of his Countenance appear somewhat in the Portrait whereby I Manifestly know That it is the representation of such a Man Now these Characters of Beauty and Majesty in the Image come far short of the Mans countenance and it was the seeing of him first made me know his Image to be his and so the glory and beauty of his Face may be called Primarie but that in the Portrâ—… Secondary or Derivative and the seeing himself makes me believe that it is his Description and it is Manifest enough so I reading in the Scripture wherein there are as it were rare and excellent draughts shaddowing forth Jesus Christ and I then coming to know himself the Scriptures lye open and plain unto me and they are very evident and manifest but to him that never saw the King of Glory himself they are hid and as a sealed Book and he who has heard God himself speak will manifestly know the words writ or declared by others in whom he has also spoken and he stands near himself to testifie and witness to the truth of these words which come from himself So Queen Sheba easily believed the report concerning Solomon and his wealth when she saw it and I reading the Description of such a Countrey I have been in and travelled thorow it is easie for me to know whether it be true or false and I being so long a hearer of such a Man speaking from word of mouth and afterwards reading a book containing his words I know them to be his having heard him before but the words as they lye in a book come far short of these which proceedeth from his own mouth for these had much móre Life and Power with them Then how much more do the words Immediately proceeding out of the Mouth of God excell a Declaration or writing of them though they be also precious and excellent but where the Word of the King himself is there is Power and blessed are they who know this joyful sound of the Voice of the living God in their hearts and have thus learned the truth as it is in Jesus having so learned Christ having heard himself and so having him the Witness in themselves Ephes. 4. 21. 1 Iohn 5. 10. They are built on a sure Foundation which gives them fullness of Assurance That the Prophets and Apostles Doctrine is of God having found himself Come and seen him of whom Moses and the Prophets wrot Iohn 1. 45. 46. And as it was the Spirit of Jesus Christ Witnessing in the hearts of them who believed to the Truth of the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles by which they were made Manifest in their Consciences and their words were believed which proceeded Immediately from their own Mouthes and seeing that was necessary then it must be also necessary now also much if not much more seeing these Apostles and Prophets are not alive themselves in the flesh to tell us that they spoke or wrot so but that their writings are transmitted to us through many generations from hand to hand and no question they have fallen into enemies hands and how can a man be so fully assured as is sufficient for his Salvation but that Papists Iews and others who had them before us have wronged them and both added and taken away and altered if the Spirit of the Lord perswade him not to the contrary seeing it is possible they might have done so if the Lord had permitted and what a light Foundation have they to their Faith which men of corrupt minds or Devils or any powers whatsoever of this World may brangle spoile corrupt add to or take from for as we know through the rich mercy and gracious Providence of God the Lord hath so wonderfully preserved the Scriptures Testimony so far uncorrupt and pure as that they abundantly testifie the true foundation and these things sufficient for Salvation not that they are sufficient themselves but they abundantly testifie to that which is sufficient and this we know by the Spirit of God that wrought them but what a tottering and Lubrick and uncertain Foundation ye have made to your selves some of you affirming and these men of great account with you that the points of the Hebrew Coppies in which Language the old Testament was writ are but mens aditions and the first writers used them not and it is affirmed by many of your selves they are but a late invention Now what a great difference and considerable the pointing makes any skilled in that Language but a little may know the points being the vowells even so great that the points otherwaies set or added may not only alter one or more words but whole sentances and if so what a loss are ye at in your Foundation I found it only to touch this a little and refer the Reader to Sammâ—…el Fishers Book where he treats of this at large and Iohn Owen Confesseth the points or vowels to be so weighty that if they be invented or added since the writeing of the Scriptures by fallible men it mightily threatens the ruine of the Christian Faith thus he in words to the same purpose as may be seen in his book and yet these men who set forth the Biblia Polyglotta and many others affirm the points to be added since or that the contrarie is not Certain but they are happy whose Faith depends not on mans saying or unsaying but on that Word which was in the beginning and this only can certifie us of the Scriptures Argument 12. And as by the Spirit of Jesus Christ his Revealing Immediately in mans heart and bearing testimony to the Scriptures that they are of God and writ from his inspiring and moving of these holy Men of God who penned them Man can only be sufficiently perswaded to believe them so this can only
new covenant dispensation of living in and walking after the spirit to have things revealed unto them from the Lord which are not to be found in the Scriptures particularly not so much as by consequence for indeed the Scriptures point us inward to the spirit of the Lord in our hearts which is more nigh then they are Blessed are they and shall be who make the testimony of Gods word and spirit in their hearts the men of their counsel they know the sure certain Path wherein the waysaring man though a fool cannot crie But this we further say which I add for a caution that the spirit of the Lord who is goodness and righteousness it self never can nor doeth command us to do things that are intrinsecally or in their own nature evil or contrary to the Scriptures 3. Thirdly We do not hereby understand any of these wayes following as of necessary continuance 1. Not any outward audible voice framed by the Lord immediately in the air and presented to the outward ear 2. Nor any outward visible appearance presented to the outward eye neither by the Ministry of Angels nor by the Ministry of Christ in the outward 3. Nor dreams and visions upon the imagination in the night season nor yet by transes so called which is by a cessation of the exercise of all the outward sences 4. Nor any outward miracles 5. Nor the discovery and Revelation of things from God meerly in the principle and light of reason or in that principle wherein a man is capable to know the things of a man as a man as he is placed in a region above the beasts and all other inferior living creatures for indeed man as a man hath a principle in him which is natural and essential to him in which he is capable to know higher things then the other animals can in their animal principle and through this principle which he hath in him as a man he not only knoweth many things as of Arts and Sciences natural but also he is capable therein to receive a knowledge from the Lord without any outward means by any inward manifestation and that either of things natural or supernatural now what a man hath revealed or communicated to him of knowledge from God touching natural things in the natural principle of his natural understanding or reason he hath a sufficient satisfactory intuitive knowledge of them because they are proportional unto his natural understanding but when things which are supernatural or revealed unto him in the principle of his natural understanding meerly though never so immediately even from the spirit of the Lord inwardly manifesting them his knowledge is not full and satisfactory as not being intuitive but abstractive for the mind of man can know no things in inâ—…tively fully and satisfyingly but when it reacheth them in a principle that is proportional unto them and which can apprehend them in their own-proper forms properties qualities and idea's which the natural cannot do as touching supernatural objects but only as touching natural for supernatural objects require a supernatural organâ—…or principle in which they can only be known intuitively and with satisfaction 4. Fourthly The way and manner of Immediate Revelation concerning God and the things of his kâ—…ngdom and the leadings and movings and workings of his spirit which tend unto and accompany salvation which we plead for as of necessary continuance which only giveth or can give the true saving satisfactory and intuitâ—…ve knowledge of these supernatural things aforesaid is that alone manifestation Revelation which is discovered and given from the Lords spirit unto the mind of man in the seed and birth of God in him and which the mind in that seed and Birth alone receiveth This seed and birth of God is only that suitable and proportionate Organ instrument or principle in which divine supernatural things can be sufficiently and satisfyingly that is to say intuitively known for as the objects are divine and supernatural so this seed and birth of God is divine and supernatural also therefore it hath a suitableness and proportion unto them which the natural hath not therefore the natural man cannot intuitively and evidently understand the things of God as saith the Apostle because they are spiritually discerned and he wants the spiritual birth which is the only suâ—…cient Organ or instrument whereby the mind can understand them Now the mind that is cloathed with the seed and birth of God is the spiritual man that is able to understand and discern spiritual things because he hath the Organ or instrument which can teach them in their own proper and immediate forms properties qualities and idea's this seed and birth of God hath only the true spiritual sences of seeing hearing tasting smeling and feeling the word of life and the wonderful powers and virtues thereof and which can only give unto man to discern how that Heavenly and divine word doth work its wonderous effects in man and how it moveth leadeth guideth inlightneth quickneth gladneth and refresheth him and every way influenceth him it is the ignorance and want of the true knowledge of this seed and birth of God which occasions such woeful ignorance and mistakes amongst people touching immediate revelation and the true manner of it for they do not neither Teacher nor people acknowledge this seed and Birth of God upon the saints to be a substantial living principle in which they have all the spiritual and supernatural sensations of spiritual and supernatural objects really present and manifest seen heard smelled tasted and felt as really as the outward birth is a substantial living principle in which we have the natural and animal sences and sensations of outward and natural things they only conceive regeneration to be but an accidental though supernatural change on the mind and that in its regeneration it putteth on no substantial principle but only some supernatural accidents so that according to them the seed and birth of God iâ—… but an accident but we know it to be a substance and feel it to be so as manifestly as we feel and know this outward birth of flesh and blood to be a substance for it hath all the properties and characters of a substance that the outward hath it giveth us to see heaâ—… smel taste and fâ—…l the substantial things of the spiritual inward and invisible world which is the throne and kingdome of God as the outward giveth us to see hear smel taste and feel the substantial thiâ—… of this natural outward and visible world so that it is as false and vain a thing to say the inward birth is but an accident as to say the outward birth is but an accident seeing the 〈◊〉 hath as real spiritual sences as the other hath natural 〈◊〉 which no accident can haue and if any further ask who are desirous of information from a true and honest desire of what nature it is and if it be a particle or portion of the very Deitie or
they to long as they abide in their opinion which is that these things aforesaid are not objective in themselves and so are not sensible or feelable nor can men have a feeling or tasting of them but there are some among the people who are ashamed of this answer of the priests and affirm against them with us that the power vertue spirit light life of God may be seen felt relished and tasted of in it felf no less then the natural vertue of natural things as of spices flowers oyntments wine and bread light and warmth can be felt and descerned to the natural sences Now if any grant that the things aforesaid and the divine power vertue light life and spirit of God can in itself be felt and tasted of that it is sensible by or unto the spiritual mind such must also grant that it is objective for because it is objective therefore it is sensible or may be felt as because outward light and colours are objective therefore they are visible or I can see them and because an outward sound is objective therefore it is audible and I can hear it and so of the rest for what ever is objective is sensible and whatever is sensible feelable or perceiveable in it self is objective but what is not objective is not feelable cannot be felt tasted favoured And so if the Lord himself be not objectively manifest in us he cannot be seen nor heard nor tasted nor felt and thus it is according to the School men and national teachers doctrine who generally being men void of all sence and feeling of God have in the blindness of their minds and in the wisdom from below that is carnal earthly and divilish framed and invented this perverse doctrine for their own gains and ends that all seeing and hearing of God himself or immediate converse with him by object ve manifestations is not a thing to be expected as being ceased and never given as a general priviledge unto the Saints but only unto some particular persons by way of special priviledg and extraordinary and some who have both seen and tasted the things of God in themselves in some small measure have been staggered through their leaning more unto the false Doctrine of their teachers in this thing then unto their own felt and known experience whereby I am perswaded some contrary to what they have sâ—…en heard tasted and felt from the presence and appearance of God in themselves have denyed objective Immediate Revelation and used that distinction with others of subjective or effective and objective revelations affirming the effective and subjective only to remain but denying the objective This distinction I find not only used by Robert Baron an Episcopal man who some years ago professed to teach Theologie in the City of Aberdeen who in his book intituled Apodixis Catholica de formali objecti fidei treats of it at large and calls the revelation ex parte subjesti medium incognitum as aforesaid but that ex parte objecti medium cognitum a known midst Tract 9 Anth. Dup puncto 2. num 14. 14. 15. p. 6. num 5. 6. But also I finde it made use off by George Gillespie a man famous in the Presbyterian way in his book of miscellanies cap. 21. pag. 261. And the national Teachers to day both Episcopal and Presbyterial much use it affirming all objective manifestations of the very truths of the Gospel and essentials of religion to be ceased and no otherway to be objectively revealed but by the Scriptures outward Testimony so that but as a man bears such and such worde of Scripture in his minde and is exercised in the thinking meditating and turning them over and over in his minde at such and such times he only hath the actual knowledge of God but if he should come to such a stilness and silence of minde as not to think upon scripture words and turn them over in his mind or not to have the eye of his understanding fixed upon them in that time he should have no actual knowledge of God or any of the things of his kingdom because they are the alone objective manifestations of the things of God of God so if they be out of view they can know nothing actually as when the object is removed out of my sight I cannot see it and if it be removed out of the view of my mind I cannot remember it We on the contrary affirm and I affirm it from the manifold and blessed experience given me thereof from God and many are witnesses with me in this matter to the stopping the mouthes of all gainsayers that God himself his power vertue light life and spirit his truth his goodness holyness rightteousness his beauty and glory is prelent in us by way of object is objectively manifest so that he can be heard seen tasted and felt if all scripture words were out of our present remembrance so that if we had not one scripture expression in our veiw to mind it or turn it up and down in our minds we could feel and enjoy the Lord and have fellowship with him whose eternal life vertue and power is present as a most glorious object in us so that if we retain this object God in our knowledge in our mind in our feeling in the seed and birth of his own sowing and begetting in us and all words should be let pass so as not at that time to mind them we should have and often have had a true knowledge and enjoyment of God even beyond what ever any words could contribute unto us yet we despise not words nay we dearly esteem and value them as a sweet and pretious testimony of the eternal life from which they came but then only do we feel and find the sweetness and comfort of them when the same eternal life which first breathed them forth doth either again breath or speak them forth in us or sendeth forth of his living and powerful influences into them as they have a place in our minds or memories which when that life withdraws its influences from them though they remain in our minds they are but as an empty vessel which we cannot make use off for our refreshment till the life again open and send forth of its living streams into them so but as the life influenceth them we lay them by out of our very thoughts for we find it to hurt and weaken and deaden us to thiâ—…k any thoughts even from the Scriptures but as the life and spirit of God influenceth and concurreth so that we still are for putting the Scripture in such a close conjunction with the life and spirit from which they came that we may not nor dare not make use of the Scripture but in the life and spirit as that opens and influenceth so that we are not for separating the letter from the spirit or the words from the word and life but for conjoyning them these only separate the letter or the
words of the spirit from the spirit who make use of them so as to think or speak them otherwise then in the openings and influencings breathings and living communications of the spirit who think or speak the spirits words not in the spirit of the Lord but in their own spirâ—…t which we dare not nor ought not to do and if at any time we do it we find our selves rebuked and chastised by the Lord therefore But now though we limit bind up and tye the words of the Scripture unto the Spirit so as not to use them but in and by the spirit yet we may not bind up limit tye and confirm the spirit within such narrow bounds as the Scripture word nay nor within any words whatsomever so as if we could not enjoy the spirit of the Lord nor feel nor taste nor savour of his divine power and vertue but in or by words for the power and vertue of Gods spirit can be felt savoured and tasted in it self without all words and depends not on words in order to its being tasted and felt more then spices perfumes or oyntments depends on words to make them to be felt sme'led or savoured so that the manifestation of the sweetness and sweet savour of the life and spirit depends on no words but the manifestation of the words depends on the spirit which have no glory nor sweetness nor refreshment but what the spirit makes manifest in them through his shinings breathings quicknings and living communications 6. Sixthly And whereas a great part of the controversie betwixt our adversaries and us touching this matter of Immed ate Revelation doth relate unto that of infallibility they affirming that none in these our dayes are led assisted and guided in what they think speak write or do by an infallible spirit so as that the spirit is to be tasted or leaned into in his own inward manifestation alone and without any outward testimony if their were no outward to stand by it or where the outward is yet to prefer the inward unto it as more evident and manifest unto us in whom it is given I find it with me in a few words to open this also and state the controversie touching this thing of infallibility Now when we affirm that we are taught and led infallibly and think speak write or do infallibly we understand it not promiscuously and in that latitude as if in every thing whither we act in the spirit of the Lord or not in his spirit but in our own we did act think speak or write infallibly nor do we affirm that there is such a close and near conjunction as yet made up betwixt the spirit of the Lord and us as if in nothing we could act in a disjunction from the spirit but should find such a powerful constraint and bounding of our spirits in all things whatsomever within the leadings and assistings of the spirit of God that we could not act or do things alone in our own spirit yea and in a wrong spirit for we do freely acknowledge that such is our state and condition as we are capable to run out and both think speak write and do things that are not only not infallible but may be very wrong and false yea whatever we do in our own spirit in a disjunction from the immediate manifestation and coeoperation and assistance of Gods spirit we ought to suspect it and judge it fallible and so not at all to lean to it in more or less but this we say whatever we think speak write or do in the spirit of God his immediate manifestation and coeoperation in us as we are sound in conjunction therewith is infallible and what the seed and birth of God in us judgeth or discerneth or doeth that is ever infallible the eye of the seed alwayes seeth infallibly its ear always heareth infallibly its hand always acteth infallibly its foot treadeth every step of its way infallibly and if we see hear act and walk in it and with it we are so far and no further nfallible so that this infallibility as it relates unto the seed birth and spirit of God is absolute but as it relates unto us is limited and conditional and is rather a possibility of not being deceived then an impossibility of being deceived And it is the gross and woful ignorance of people touching the nature of this divine seed and birth and its sensations which 〈◊〉 giveth unto man of divine things that occasions them to think infallibility such an impossible thing for they are so sunk down into the natural principles of the animal and humane life that they apprehend not a higher principle to be in the very Saints as a substantial living birth giving unto that mind which is cloathed with it true and real tensations of divine and spiritual objects and seeing they know no other principles but the two inferior one animal or brutal and the other humane or natural to man as a man which cannot reach to divine and supernatural things as in themselves it is no wonder they account infallibility such a hard and impossible thing but if they did once but apprehend or conceive ought of this divine birth as a substantial principle giving unto man as real sensation and feelings of divine and supernatural things as the outward substantial natural birth giveth him of outward things or as the principle of his own natural understanding giveth him an infallible natural knowledge of things naturally intel igible whereof there are many instances in the Sciences of the Mathematicks and Metaphysicks so called they could the more easily at least be convinced of this thing of infallibility that such had an infallible knowledg of God and this requirings and leadings and the things of his kingdome who have attained unto this divine substantial supernatural birth to see taste and feel divine and supernatural objects therein for if the Animal principle be infallible in respect of its objâ—…ct which it sees hears smels tastes and fee's and if the humane principle or natural understanding be infallible in respect of its objects as in the sciences afore said which is by all acknowledged then it could not be denyed but that the divine and supernatural birth and principle which giveth unto mans mind by way of Organ as of seeing hearing tasting c. The spiritual and supernatural knowledg of spiritual and supernatural objects is no less if not more infallible at least more evident in respect of its objects but this is the loss they conceive not aright of this seed and birth nor do they acknowledge any other operations in the mind of man touching God and spiritual things but what are meer mental abstractions but deny all spiritual sensations of spiritual objects properly so called for this were to acknowledge immediate objctive reveâ—…ations which they so much oppose and contradict 7. Seventhly I find another great mistake among our adversaries in this matter touching immediate revelation the teachings of
Gods spirit as if thereby we did understand such a dispensation as excludes and shuts out the service and usefulness of all means and instruments whatsomever whether books or men Now for the removing of this prejudice and clearing us in this matter I find it in my heart to add somewhat to this purpose It is not the usefulness of outward means that our testimony is against but such as an absolute indispensible neccessity of them as if without them no knowledge of God nor fellowship with him could be had Indeed we have often known and do know the usefulness of means or instruments and have found much comfort through them and there is a real suitablness and aptness in means to beserviceable in conveying the influences and communications of the life and spirit of God into our bosomes which he poureth forth through them into us at times when he pleaseth and makes them as conduit pipes to transmit them unto those to whom they are given these are the golden pipes which convey the golden oyl mentioned in Zechary And wee are pâ—…rswaded of it that it is a great offence against God for any of never so high attainment on earth though come to possess never so near and immediate felâ—…owship with the Lord to flight and reject the service of any mean though never so mean or small which the Lord appointeth unto them for the Lord will be absolute and soveraign and free in the communications of himself his life power will and council unto men so as to dispense these his heavenly blessings unto them either with means and through them or without them according to his good pleasure and we find that somtimes he useth outward means and somtimes he useth them not but coveyeth unto us from and through his own feed and birth in us the living manifestations and communications of his life will council many yea most times without all means or instruments from without for most times wee are left alone as to instruments or means without us but as we abide faithful with God he abideth with us alwayes and we are never left alone as to him for in him we live move and have our being even as to our spiritual life which can no more subsist without his living communications and inbreathings or inspirations than our natural life can subsist without Aâ—… The benefit that the Lords people find in one another as instruments unto one another for good for their mutual refreshment quickning strengthning and edification makes their very outward fellowship and meeting together very acceptable and desireable when it may be had in the will of the Lord yea fellowship with the Saints is the next desireable thing unto fellowship with God Wherefore we cannot but acknowledge a great úsefulness in instruments from without but we may not overvalue them so as to set them up in Gods room as if wee could not live without them the Lord himself is become the life of his people he is in them in that which is of his own sowing planting and begeting in them an everlasting fountain and well spring of life and refreshment opening and shutting according to his good pleasure and communicating unto man of himself through his own seed and birth somtime through the seed in a mans own vessel and sometime through the seed in an other mans vessel so that the seed and birth of life it self in the vessel is the greatest and most principal and absolutely necessary mean and instrument of conveying life unto man and the vessel at best is but the secondary and subordinate mean or instrument which can do nothing but as the life opens in the seed and conveyes it streams and influences their through Now here is wisdome which only the Lord giveth to know the time means and instruments for many things are called means that are not so and these only are the true means which are off the Lord his choosing and fitting as also to know when they are serviceable and that is only when he useth them and causeth his eternal life to spring forth and break through them they are but as vessels and conduits which can conveigh no liquor nor water but such as is poured forth into them nor may they conveigh but what is given to them to spare as the overflowings of their own cup and it is to no purpose nor doteh it any good but hurt and is idolatry for any man to run to use the mean though it be of Gods own choosing and fitting when the Lord doth not use it appeareth not in it poureth not forth in it of his living streams It is even as if an hungry man should sit down at a covered table that has no meat set on or as a thirsty man should put an empty flagon or cup or conduit to his head which filleth his belly with wind instead of drink if he suck at it now when the Lord appeareth in any mean or instrument and shineth through it sendeth forth of his living communications their through unto others such a way of communication though it be through a means yet this hinders it not in a true sence to be immediate because the mean hâ—…ir is transmitting and not intermitting and the transmitting mean hinder not the immediateness of the communicatione but only the intermiting as when light sounds and shapes of visible things come to our eys through and by the means of the air c. This hinders not our vision to be immediate and so if the light and life of God shine through any meanes or instruments unto us for our refreshment we receive it no less immediately then if we had it without al outward means whatsoever but these who minister not immediately from the immediate communication of life in their own hearts are no true means can do us no good for they cannot minister and transmit the communications of life who have it not in themselves such are but wells without water and clouds without rain George Keith The second Part God speaking in man by the word proceeding immediately from his own mouth THis being the main and cheif principle together with that other that Jesus Christ the light of the world doth enlighten every man that cometh in o the world according to Iohn 1. 9. whereby man heeding this manifestation of light that comes from him and following it in its drawings movings and requirings and giving up to be led thereby he may come into the true and saving knowledge of God and of his son and holy spirit not only professed but witnessed and professed by us the people of the Lord in dâ—…rision called Quakers wherein we differ as from the many religions and professions abroad so from that which is professed by the people of these three Nations and generally from all the so called protestant reformed Churches and professors and teachers as they stand at this day though the primitive Protestants in some measure owned it and they all one and
perfidiously and treacherously for their filthy lucres sake and ye are generally convinced that they are but time servers wicked and bad ye are now openly and avowedly come to plead for a wicked ministry that such who are natural men and wicked may be Ministers of Christ and ought to be heard followed and maintained and such whom the Lord has sent forth to Minister in the power of his life and spirit ye call deluders Fanaticks and the like oh oh remember the day call to mind the time when your souls â—…oathed such Ministers and ye would travel many miles from one remote corner of the nation to another to hear a man who could speak lively to your souls in demonstration of the spirit and of power then there was in you a measure of pure discerning whereby ye could favour the man of God and distinguish the formal dry withered cold and dead preacher from the living and all his painted fine good words could not deceive you e had then a mouth a sence that could taste words as meat and such ye would follow and hear who could speak from and Minister of the power and spirit of life the Ministers of the Letter the dead formal preacher who could chant and talk the Scripture words and steal from other mens lines the good words made ready to their hand ye could not away with they were loathsome and burthensome unto you but now-having lost the discerning these ye can follow and maintain them And such who deny them ye call denyers of the Ministers of Christ a standing Ministry and yet when it was better with you then it is now ye denyed them and many a day cryed in good earnest of your souls to God that he would remove them and whip out of his house such buyers and sellers and purifie and purge the sons of Lev how cryed ye out and breathed to the Lord for a spiritual Ministry a Gospel Ministry a powerful Ministry and now when it s come and coming ye oppose it and bend your force to keep it down oh foolish people and unthankful do ye thus requite the Lord return return from whence ye are fallen repeâ—…rand do you first works turn to the Lord the fountain of living waters from whom ye have deeply revolted cease cease from the broken Cisterns ye have hewed out unto your selves drink no more at the pudled waters the dead waters which who so drinketh off dye they are dead because not freshly issuing and springing from the fountain of life if ye will return come and walk in the light of the Lord with us O house of Iacob O ye lost scattered sheep who have been driven from the fold of rest the sweet pleasant green pasture of your souls the still runing waters the pure sweet Christaline river of life that issueth fresh in living streams from the fountain it self Lo every one that thirsteth come unto the waters and drink wihout Money and price that your souls may live for of a truth the Lord God his opened unto us the fountain a vein of life a well-spring of life a well of living water hath he revealed in us who have believed in his light and hearkned to his voice which cryed in our hearts many a day saying in us turn ye turn ye why will ye die turn ye at my reproof and behold I will pour ouâ—… my spirit upon you this is the well of living water the gift of God which who so drinketh off will never any more drink or thirst to drink of these dead waters that is the good words uttered from a dead killing spirit the waters of the Whore on which she sits and holds forth this cup of fornications unto the inhabitants of the earth whereby they are made drunk bewitched and killed for her lips drops as an hony comb and her mouth is smoother then Oyl but her end the breath and spirit of her mouth from which the words proceed and which accompanies them is bitter as Wormwâ—…od and sharper then a two edged Sword to kill and destroy that of the Lords begetting and starving of it but to the edifying feeding and building up of the false birth Babilons brats which are not to live but to be starved and dye and happy are they who taketh them and dasheth them against the stones And now I say for your sake O ye my kiâ—…olk according to the flesh my little Sister who hath no breasts 〈◊〉 scattered sheep who have no pasture for your souls but that which feedeth death and maketh you live in the earthly corrupt principle which is the Serpents meat that if by any means I may provoke some of you and be serviceable as a mean in the Lords hand who am nothing of my self unto you that ye may return unto the Bishop and Shepherd of your Souls I am drawn in the tender love of God to write unto you concerning this principle to wit Jesus Christ revealed and revealing in man God and the things of his Kingdom even these veins and passages of liâ—… which runs through Paradise the City of God whâ—… streams make glad every inhabitant thereof who because of this can sit and sing God is our refuge we will not fear though the earth be removed and cast into the midst of the Sea God is known for a refuge in her palaces she is beautiful for Scituation the joy of the whole earth is and shall be Mount Sion on the sides of the North the City of the great King 〈◊〉 it must be he alone even this great King who must open an eye in you by the revelation of himself where by ye can behold thâ—… glorious Mountain of his Holiness on whâ—…ch his City Ierusalem from above is built where a feast of fat things full of marrow of wines on the Lees well refined is given to all who enter thereinto the vultures eye the eye of the natural understanding that eye which now seeth cannot see it and the path thereunto is short from all living in the natural earthly corrupt principle and it must be the Light of Christ that can only open the true eye to see this blessed path of Life which if ever ye know it must be known alone by Immediate Revelation and manifestation of Christ in you And it were a great step in its pâ—…ace for you to be convinced of this that it must be so And for this cause this is written to the simple hearted who are willing to see and loves to know the truth that ye being convinced by sound reason and it being demonstrated to you that there is such a thing among the Lords people and must be and that there is no other way to know God or the misteries of his Kindom but as this â—…ey of knowledge which your teachers take from you viz. Jesus Christ revealed in you opens them up then ye may be brought to wait for this glorious dispensation which many thousands can truly witness is come and I in my
it cannot find it for the comfort is not in them but the Life from which they came and till it speak them afresh they are but as a sounding Brass and tinksing Cimbal a killing Letter it is only the words that Christ himself speaks that are Spirit and Life and they who see life in the Letter see the living among the dead for it declares of the Life but it is not therein but in him and why is it that so many Souls continue dead notwithstanding their hearing reading searching and meditating upon the Letter but because they come not to Christ himself to get life who will turn their Water into Wine unto them the oldness of the Letter into the newness of the Spirit and all that they call their applying their promises is but the work of their own imagination and sparkes of their own kindling which will cause them to lie down in sorrow till they come to know the great and precious Promises given unto them spoken unto them Immediately from the mouth of Jesus Christ In whom all the Promises are Yea and Amen Argument 9. And that there is somewhat in Man where there is any true renderness and simplicity which can be satisfied with nothing else but God himself seen heard felt tasted and with a knowledg which cometh from his own Mouth and the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation This manifestly demonstrateth there is such a thing to be attained and might be attained were not the poor Soul missed and turned aside from the true path where it is to be found Oh All ye simple tender hearted ones in whom there are any true breathings towards God at any time I appeal to that which breathes in you and it will answer me as for the dead form a withered Professor who is past feeling I have nothing to do with him here and he will be apt to laugh at this argument Do ye not find something in you which is not satisfied with all the knowledg ye have drank in from the Scriptures or the hearing of Man Preach upon them are ye contented with all this find ye rest herein is your thirst quenched with these Waters is your hunger satisfied or rather is it not so with you as when a man in his sleep dreameth that he eateth and drinketh and when he awaketh behold he is hungry and thirsty deal impartially with your selves and then let that which is simple and tender and ingenuous answer me and it will acknowledg it is so Is not there somewhat in you that sayes in your hearts ye are yet ignorant of God ye have not heard his Voice nor seen his shape at any time ye have not heard and learned of the Father and so ye are not come unto Christ feel ye not something in you which Laments after God and Mourns because of its distance from him and can have no joy or content because it wants the light of his Countenance And all your Scripture literal traditional knowledg and wisdom is a burthen unto this in you it can neither satisfie its hunger nor quench its thirst one crumb of Comfort from God himself would be better to you than it all a drop of living water out of the Eountain ye would prefer to it all for one glimpse of the glory and beauty of Jesus Christ ye would be content to count all your other knowledg loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledg of him thus in the immediate manifestation of himself this I am certain it is with many and so was it with my self and with many others who have much literal knowledg we have drunk in partly from our own reading and partly from mens speaking upon the Scriptures but there was somewhat that cryed unto the Lord in our Souls of his begetting for a better knowledg a knowledg that was Life and Peace and fruitful in the works of Righteousness and that other knowledg became a burthen to us and was as Death for we found it empty barren and unfruitful in the works of Righteousness and as it increased it increased our sorrow and the Lord in his great mercy heard that which cryed and breathed in us the living knowledg and opened the Ear to hear and the Eye to see and broke down the partition-wall and rended the Vails which with-held from us the Light of his Countenance and the streamings forth of his Life in the light into our Souls and it was God that begot that desire in us of a more immediate fellowship and communion with him in the Light of his life and he would never have begot it had the thing desired been impossible to be attained and till we come to the accomplishment and fulfilling of our desire even the sweet fellowship of him in the Revelation of his Light we have not rest peace nor content nor shall any ever have it whereby it appears that the one is as necessary to a Christian as the other and he that believes hath entered into his rest Argument 10. Iesus Christ Revealed in Man is the foundation of the true Church and of every Member thereof in particular and therefore if the true Church remain this must remain also This is that which Christ Jesus taught himself in the daies of his Flesh. Mat. 16. 16 17 18. Asking Peter who he was To whom he answered Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Then said he Blessed art thou Simon Barjons for Flesh and Blood hath not Ravealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Now this Rock on which he said he would build his Church is not the Man or vessel Peter himself as the Papists foolishly plead But the Rock was himself Isa. 28. 16. Behold I lay in Sion for a Foundation a Stone a tryed Stone a precious Corner Stone a sure Foundation And said Paul 1 Cor. 3. 11. Other Foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Iesus Christ See further those Scriptures Dan. 2. 3 4. Mat. 21. 42. 1 Pet. 2. 4. Ephes. 2. 20. So from these Scriptures it is manifest That Christ himself is the Foundation and not one nor all the Apostles they are not the Foundation they are but a part of the building And Christ is their Foundation the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles as 't is Ephes. 2. 20 He himself is the chief corner Stone or as it is in Beza's Translation the undermost corner-Stone He is the undermost Stone of all the building and he is the corner-Stone that which knits every Stone or part of the building together being the Foundation Stone in every Member That is every Believer they have all immediate access unto this Stone To whom comming saies Peter As unto a living Stone 1 Pet. 2. 4. and Ephes. 4. 15 16. He is the Head in all From whom the whole
me That it is the Word of Power even that Eternal Word which is Sealed in Heaven as it is ver 89. and which Created the Heavens and Earth and no less Power can quicken a dead fainting Soul or comfort a weary distressed Mind Alas What can Scripture Words do read of a Book or spoken from mans Mouth when this Eternal Omnipotent Word breathes not in the Heart when it speaks not can the Heart open to receive any Consolation Oh how does the Soul that has once felt living touches and breathings of this Word of Life faint for it how does it wait all the day long till it come how does it watch more than for the Morning And when it reads in the Words of Scripture concerning the sweet and lively opperation of this Word what it has wrought in others and remembers what it has wrought in it self and finds no moving or streaming forth of its Vertue how does it lament after the Lord till he send his Word aâ—…rest and heal and restore and quicken and comfort it to its full satisfaction and then was this Word even then present with it in its Languishing time begetting in it desires after a more full Manifestation and that this Word is that I am pleading for whereof David speaks so much can be the more easily demonstrated to such who are the more insensible of this Word what it is not being acquainted with its living vertue in themselves and therefore are apt to call it a fancy for that David was a Prophet a Man inspired of God to whom the Word of the Lord came immediately from his own mouth for this is generally acknowledged Now was not this a rich dispensation and a glorious Would not David prefer this Immediate Word to the Words writ in a Book either from himself or these before him and in Davids time there was but little of the Scriptures written and if he would prefer this Word immediately proceeding from the mouth of the Lord whereby he was Inspired and Prophecied and Prayed and sung Psalms to the words writ in a book which were but the effect of that Word of Prophecy or Inspiration in the Heart Then is it not clear that in these places above cited he understands this Word and this was the Word in the beginning the Word of Power of Truth of Righteousness of Faith of Life in his Heart which taught him the Laws Judgments Statutes Commandments Precepts Testimonies c. He so much mentions in that Psalm This quenched him this strengthened hâ—…m this comforted him this taught him and made him wiser than his Teachers this was a Rule unto him a Lamp unto his seet and a light to his Paths in this his steps were ordered ver 133. In this he Worshiped â—…e Prayed he sung Psalms and all his springs were in this it was life in his heart and sweet as hony in his Mouth and caused his lips drop as a hony Comb. And Solomon Davids Son how much doth he speak of this Word but under an other Name for it hath many names because it hath many vertues or properties some name pointing at one some at another he calls it Wisdom in his Books of the Proverbs and Eccles. and in the Song he calls it Love Beloved and by many other Names So Iohn Baptist calleth it the Light Iohn the Apostle the Anoynting the Light the Lâ—…mb the Witness and he is most frequently called in the Wrightings of the Evangelists and Apostles Jesus Christ and by whatever name or vertue signified whereby he was known to be a Saviour to all that believed in him whether Iew or Gentiles who enlightens every man that cometh into the World And to return to Solomon how fully and maniâ—…estly points he at this Principle and Foundation under the name of Wisdom and wisdom it is for Jesus Christ is the Wisdom and Power of God how does he bring it in under the designation of a Woman a Spouse a Wife of youth a Mother c. So powerful so earnestly so convincingly pleading with man and even with all men Prov. 1. 20. Wisdom crieth without she uttereth her voice in the streets she cryeth in the chief places of Concourse in the openings of the Gates in the City she uttereth her words or as it is in Iunius and Tremelius Translation more truly In every Ciâ—…y she speaketh her words for her sound is gone forth into all the Earth and her words unto the end of the World Rom. 10. 18 How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and scorners delight in scorning and Fools hate knowledg â—…urn you at my reproof behold I will powr out unto you my Spirit and make known my words unto you ver 22 23 and Prov. 8 3 4. She cryeth at the Gates at the entry of the City at the comming in at the dores unto you O men I call and my voice is to the Sons of Men or as it is in the Translation aforesaid I call upon you the Vulgar or the Commons of the Sons of Men She calleth upon all many are called but few hearken and obey and so it is that few are chosen And is not her crying in this place at the â—…ates in every City that is in every man at the coming in at the Doors the same with Jesus Christ his standing at the door the door of the heart saying Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man will open unto me Revel 3. 20 and hear my voice I will come into him and Supp with him c. Now what doth she promise to these that hearken to her and receives her instructions and lay hold thereon Prov. 2. 2 5. If thou incline thine ear unto Wisdom and apply thine heart to understanding c. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God And Prov. 1. 33. VVho so hearkneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil and ver 23. Turn you at my reproof behold I will pour out my spirit unto you and Prov. 3. 13. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom c. For her Merchandize is better than silver and the gain thereof than fine Gold She is more precious than Rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her length of daies are in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honor her wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace she is a tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her and happy iâ—… every one that retaineth her and Prov. 3. 23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely and thy foot shall not stumble when thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid yea thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet unto thee and Prov. 4. 6. Forsake her not and she shall preserve thee love her and she shall keep thee wisdom is the principal thing exalt hâ—…r and she shall promote thee she shall
bring thee to honour when thou dost embrace her c. and Prov. 6. 22. As it is in the Latin Translation VVhithersoever thou shalt go she shall lead thee when thou sleepest she shall keep thee and when thou awakest she shall talk with thee for the Commandment is a Lamp and the Law is Light and reproofs of Instruction are the way of Life to keep thee from the evil â—…man c. That is the false deceitful whorish spirit the spirit of this world whâ—…ch bewitches the whole Earth and rules in the children of Diobedience and Prov. 8. 14. Counsel is mine and sound Iudgment or VVisdom and ver 28. I lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the Pathes of iudgment that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their Treasures and ver 34. 35. Blessed is the man that heareth me waiting daily at my Gates waiting at the postes of my dores for who so findeth me findeth Life and shall obtain favour of the Lord. and Prov. 9. 3. She hath sent forth her Maidens she cryeth upon the highest places of the City who so is simple let him turn in hither as for every one that wanteth understanding she saith to him come eat of my Bread and drink of my Wine which I have mingled c. Lo How universal is her call and how particular to all and to every one and she not only sendeth forth her Maidens that is her Ministers to cry but she crieth her self and how sufficient is she being the very fulness of God himself to answer all Mens necessities and to be unto him above all that his heart can desire wanteth he Counsel counsel is hers needs he direction whithersoever he shall go she shall lead him pants he for life she is a Tree of Life would he be at substance somewhat beyond all shaddows all temporals all things that may be seen or heard by the eye or ear of flesh she causeth to inherit substance that which is eternal beyond all words thoughts or comprehensions of man which the Moth nor the Rust cannot corrupt nor the Thief break thorow and steal would he have long life riches and honours length of daies are in her right hand riches and honour in her left would he have the fear of the Lord and the knowledg of God she giveth it him Is he hungry she feedeth him with the bread of Life which is heavenly Vertue and Power the â—…ood of Angels Doth he thirst she giveth him of the Wine new in the Fathers Kingdom even that which groweth in the Paradise of God Would he have a rule to walk by her Commandments is a Lamp and her Law a Light VVould he have peace and preservation and pleasure her wayes are peace and her paths pleasantness and who so hearkneth unto her shall dwell safely c. Or needeth he company when he goeth or sitteth when he lyeth down or riseth up when he walketh in the Field or is shut up alone in a Prison or desolate place where none hath access unto him then she talketh with him and she is more to him than Ten thousands of Companies for sweet is her voice and her countenance is comely she is like the loving Hind and pleasant Roe and her breasts satisfie him at all times and he is alwaies ravished with her love and now where is this wisdom to be found Oh! How are men bewitched from the true path where it appears and how are we in a day bewitched with them seeking her without us and following after these Idol Shepherds who with destruction and Death hath heard the fame thereof with their ears but never saw her and so could not tell us where to find her but cryed Lo here Lo there in this sermon that fine book this or that place of Scripture this or the other Ordnance while as we were led out from watching at the posts of her Doors waiting to hear her voice in us and her reproofs which were the way unto her and her path was in the light which shined in our Consciences but our blind Watch-men told us that was not wisdoms voice which reproved us in our hearts in secret for ous sins but the checks of a Natural Conscience and the light which shined in our dark hearts and made manifest the hidden things of dishonesty in us said they is not the path of wisdom nor can it lead unto her but a natural Light a light which is darkness and blind as to the things of God but we have found them Iyars for it hath led us unto her and that which reproved us we have found to be her voice and we turning at her reproofs we have found her promise verified even the powering forth her spirit upon us Prov. 1. 23. And she hath revealed in us a measure of all these blessed things aforesaid and many a day read weof them in the Scriptures and heard the same thereof with our ears but both she and they were hid from us till our minds were turned to her own voice and light in our own hearts and this gave us the knowledg of her and of these heavenly and spiritual blessings which accompany her and we assuredly know that it is the Lord alone that giveth her immediately out of his own mouth Prov. 2. 6. She is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the Fowls of the air c. God understandeth the way thereof and unto man he saith Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding Iob 28. 21. 23 28 And blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see her And thus I have largely pointed unto this Principle and Foundation from Solomons Testimony and now I shall descend to Isaia's and passing many places might be instanced I shall cite but a few Isa. 2. 2 3 4 5. And it shall come to pass in the last dayes that the Mountain of the Lords House shall be established in the top of the Mountains c. And all Nations shall flow unto it c. For out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem and he the Word for that is his Name Rev. 19. 13. shall judge among the Nations and shall correct or reform many people as it 's in the Latine Translation And they shall beat their Swords into Plow-shares c. O house of Jacob come ye and let us walk in the Light of the Lord. And Isa. 4. 25. In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious and the form of the Earth shall be excellent c. And the Lord will Create upon every dwelling place of Mount Sion and upon her assemblies a cloud and smoak by day and the shining of a flaming Fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence and there shall be a Tabernacle for a shaddow And Isa. 42. 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold
feeling in his Spirit the Lord giving him liberty and how far short do the Scriptures fall to tell a man what he is to do in all the circumstances and emergencies of Providences which fall out in his life time no rational man but seeth a World full of Books could not contain rules and directions to a man in all things which yet are all to be done in Faith the Foundation whereof is the Word of God and his Revealed Will and if one should plead that general rules of Scripture and examples may serve the turn who see not they cannot but fall short there being no rule immaginary so generall concerning things in themselves indifferent but suffer thousands of exceptions and examples also yea and many times these things which in the general look as duty when the particular comes to be weighed in the ballance of Righteous Judgment it is Sin As for instance Parents are to be obeyed but now what if they command that which God forbids then they are to be denied therein and many times the case is so doubtful whether the thing commanded be against or with the command of the Lord one sayes it is and seeks to Justifie it by Scriptures another sayes it is not and condemns it from Scriptures and what can be a touch-stone in such cases but the Light of Christ which makes all Manifest and many have seen this how general rules the best of them all as they lye in words fail to determine particulars as in that and the like Fus suum est cuique tribuendum every man is to have what is proper or belonging to him and yet this suffers many exceptions as if a Mad-man would demand his own knife from another that has it to cut his own Throat it is to be denied and oft times the case in the particular cloathed with such and such circumstances is exceeding doubtful when the general is clear and therefore they make a vertue they call Epieikeia in Greek and to this they give the Office of Modifying and Judging in such cases how far the general rule of equity is to be kept to or receded from in such cases as requires exception as for instance mans right must yield to Gods right and the right of particulars must yield to the right in general and this is the work of that vertue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they terme it to define the true midst or miâ—…di â—…ity betwixt the two extreams and the many circumstances which falls in betwixt them to touch the Center in â—…is large circumstance and what can do this but the very Wisdom of God which would lead man through all these intricacies according to its promise Prov. 6. 22. above mentioned And what a blessed Priviledg do they cut themselves short of who â—…enies such a thing can be expected as the immediate leadings of the Lord teaching man and giving him counsel in the wearie affaires and circumstances of his Life and instructing him in the Will of his God and calling him to what ever place calling or imployment he betakes himself too as the Lord who is his Judge is Chastly waited upon and we can set too our Seal to it that we have found it so And without this it is impossiâ—…le to please God and now having shewed the deceipt of the enemy in this thing whereby they are betrayed into an opinion That the Principle which moves in man or gives him his knowledge cannot be known in its own immediate Manifestation I proceed further to demonstrate that it s to be known and that the true ear or eye which Gods spirit opens in mans Soul as it is Spiritual Heavenly and of an incorruptible Nature so is its object and therefore the objective Revelation immediately from the Spirit of God is as necessary as the subjective I am constrained to use their terms and find freedom so to do for their sake and so whereas they say there is no object to be revealed but that which is already revealed in Scripture and is evident and clear enough in it self and requires onely one opened ear or eye to discover it is utterly false we look not saith Paul on things that are seen but at things which are not seen for the things which are seen are Temporal but the things which are not seen are Eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. Now observe what he makes the object of a Christians sight knowledg or discerning not words but things and how far short words fall of the things is above manifested next he makes this object not things temporal things visible that falls under the preception of the carnal eye or ear or whatever is of this corruptible World now though the things reported of in Scripture be eternal yet the words of the Scripture as they can be read or heard with the eye or ear of flesh are not eternal for nothing they can perceive is such now again see how far the Apostle shuts forth words or the best of conceptions or thoughts or speculations of Mans heart or whatever can be perceived that way from being the object of this eye or sence of the Lords begetting in man 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Now all the words of the Scripture the eye hath seen or may see the ear hear and they may enter into the heart of man to conceive the words and form many conceptions on them but the things have never entred which the Scriptures report off into his heart it is true he may form one image or likeness of them in his mind as if I should form a likeness of such a Man or Countrey I never saw but only heard off this were not the true representation no more is that it s but an Idol and Revelations 2. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a white Stone and in the stone a new Name written which no man knoweth but he that receives it Lo here is the object of his knowledge that overcometh and none knew this object but he The hidden Manna the white Stone and the new name and what is this object but the Son of the Fathers Love Jesus Christ himself not only revealing but revealed in the Soul not only causing a man to know but being himself known The eternal Life it self manifested He is this hidden Manna this white Stone in which the Name is written and now is not a sight of him manifested seen heard handled more than all words is not this one object revealed which onely himself can reveal Oh what an indignity do ye to Christ and to that holy pure chaste birth of his begetting in man who deny that any more of the glory of Christ is to be known but what letters of Sylables or sounds in the Air can contain they give indeed a true report of him
and of his glory but infinitely falls the report short of a sight of himself one glimpse of his lovely Coâ—…ntenance one look of his eye would swallow up all that knowledg of him drunk in by the report and fame of him which death and destruction can have but is eternally excluded from the sight as the Light of the day at noon swallowes up the Light of the Starrs and makes them all disappear what a vast difference was betwixt the report of Solomon and of his glory to the Queen of Sheba and her sight thereof 1 Kin. 10. 4. And when the Queen of Sheba had seen all Solomons Wisdom and the House he had built and the meat of his Table and the attendance of his Ministers and their Apparrel c. ver 6. She said to the King it was a true report that I heard in my own Land of the Acts and of thy Wisdom howbeit I believed not the words untill I came and mine eyes had seen it and behold the half was not told me thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the same which I heard And ver 5. When she saâ—… the things themselves there was no more Spirit in him Now if Solomons glory and wealth exceeded far the report or fame thereof yea of all that could be written or spoken in words which truly did report of him how infinitely more does the glory of Christ the true Solomon and of his House and Table and the meat thereof and his Servants and the Appaâ—…el the substance of all these things whereof they were but a Figure exceed the report or sound thereof if they come short in the description of the shadow how much more in the substance and now Let any one who ever felt any true experience of the Love of Christ shed abroad in the heart answer me does not all words fall infinitely short of it all that ever the eye saw or ear heard or the heart or mind conceived till that it was revealed by the fountain it self was nothing to that which was felt seen tasted of the love of Christ which passeth knowledg and it is past knowledg it passeth words and the joy unspeakable and full of glory and the peace that passeth understanding do they not infinitely exceed all the fame and report of them in words they pass the understanding the knowledg the thoughts of the heart much more pass they words O how blind and insensible are they who will deny this and if they pass words all words that can be uttered to represent them then what can reveale them but the spirit of God it self Cor. 2 and 10. God saith he hath revealed them to us by his Spirit and ver 12. Now we have received not the Spirit of this World but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God And what are the things the love of God felt O how it peirceth how it ravisheth the pure mind how sweet is it and more precious than the best Wine is not this a glorious thing and the Peace of God and the Joy of his Salvation and the Spirit of Glory and of Power which resteth on all Gods faithful witnesses and followers and the bread of Life which comes down from heaven a heavenly substance and vertue which is Angels food and the water of Life which springeth forth in full fresh living streams from the Well Spring and Fountain which is opened in the heart of every true believer what glorious things are these and how infinitely words or all outwards conceivable fall short in the description of them and if they exceed all that is writ or reported in Scripture concerning them yet are known then what is it but the Spirit that reveals them and is not this an immediate objective Revelation If I should read a description of Italie make it never so exact or lively and of the rich Buildings the pleasant Vineyards and Orchards the excellent Wines and other Fruits that grow there and then come afterwards to see the Land it self and its Buildings and to eat of the Wine-Grapes and taste of the Wine have I not then another manner of knowledg and are they not new objects discovered to me the things themselves being now seen and known whereas formerly they were but as reported of and when the Soul is brought to see that Land afar off and yet nigh the Land of Pâ—…omise according to what is promâ—…sed which Land is the Kingdâ—…m â—…hich is Riâ—…teousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Chest and the Power of an endless Life a Land flowing wiâ—…h Mâ—…ss and Hony continuall Rivers of Pleasures and Consolaâ—…n from the presence of the Lord and is admitted to drink of â—…se Waters out of the Wells of Salvation and to eat of tâ—…ese Appies that grow upon the Tree of Life which beareth Twelve manner of Fruit every Moneth Does iâ—… not discover and know new objects infinitely exceeâ—…ing the report of these things for my self and I know all who have tasted with me of the heavenly gift will say Amen to my declaration I read the Scriptures all over several times I studied them I meditated upon them and dived into them and heard them weekly Pâ—…eached on and I thought I had the Spiritual Eye and the Ear and had the knowledg of the things of God in some Measure and yet I can truly say it the Lord hath opened that Eye in me now whereby I discern Manifestly that I then was very blind and knew little more of these things but the report and when it pleased the Lord to Reveal himself in me and the things of his Kingdom Oh how did my Spirit fail how was I struâ—…k with Admiration of thâ—…t glory which appeared How did it ravish my heart and daily ravishes it with its beauty and sweetness and now I see That all the knowledg of these things at a distance by report is exceedingly short of the true substantial knoâ—…ledg and what I could apprehend of them by that Spirit which tâ—…en bare rule in me which was the Spirit of the World was buâ—… an Idol and Image of the Beast which bewitched me And â—…lory to the Lord who has given me with many others victory over thâ—…s Beast and his Name and Image and yet there was that even then which lay captive in me under this Spirit that thirsted for the true knowledg of God as the Hare pants after the Waâ—…er brooks and could be satisfied with nothing else and the Lord heard and relieved and gave me the knowledg of himself and has raised up a Birth of his own begetting in me and is daily more and more raising it up which cannot live but in the Light of his countenance nor be satisfied with all the reports of him if himself be not heard seen and enjoyed as 't was said Let me see the Kings face and if there be any iniquity in me Let him kill me 2 Sam 14. 32. How much more doth
next proof is 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have a more sure word of Prophecy c. Answ. Supposing but not at all granting hereby he meaned the Scriptures writ or spoke from without he points them to this but till the day dawn and the Day star arise Now some were come to the day and were Children of the day and had the day star arisen in them and then they needed not the Light of the Moon or night starrs But I have shewed before this word of Prophecy is the word in the Heart which was in the beginning before Scriptures was and is that word that came to David Isai Ieremiah and inspired them from which the Scripture came and this Word in my heart maketh me believe the Scriptures and is the more sure and Manifest Word or the most sure as it s in Beza's Translation even surer than Scripture Words which outward violence can rob me off or I may forget them but this remaineth for ever and here lyeth a great deceipt in them where Scripture speaks of the Word and it's Vertue and Excellency and Sufficiency O say they This is Scripture whereas I have shewed though the Scriptures declare of that word yet they are not it but came from it and point to it again for the word is Christ which was in the beginning The next proof Heb. 1. 1 2. This directly proves against them as I have shewed before God spoke to the Fathers in the Prophets but to us in the Son that is more Immediately The next proof Luk. 16. 29. 31. This proves that Moses and the Prophets Testimony is of greater weight then if any should arise and testifie from the dead but it proves nothing that we should stick only to what is written by them for much was writ after nor does it prefer Moses and the Prophets Testimony to the Testimony of the Spirit of Christ this is more certain and satisfactory and the end of their Testimony Their next proof is Ephes. 2. 20. Hereby they would prove That the writeings of the Prophets and Apostles were the foundation of the Church but this Scripture sayes nothing of that kind for Jesus Christ is the Foundation of Prophets and Apostles and the chief or undermost Corner-Stone he is both Foundation-Stone Corner-Stone and Cop-Stone also the First and the Last and there is no other Foundation saith Paul himself 1 Cor. 3. 11. and that Scripture is fully cleared above Their next proof 2 Pet. 3. 15. 16. 17. But of all the Scriptures they have brought this proves least for them but much against them for it mentions Pauls Epistles and Writings which we own and their usefulness also in their place but it sayes nothing that either his Writing or any other are a compleat Cannon or Rule or that Revelation is Ceased but it sayes some things in them are hard to be understood which the unlearned and unstable wrest c. Then I say there is the more need of Revelation to make a man Learned and to open up these hard things seeing only the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation can sufficiently do it as is above Demonstrated The next proof is Gal. 1. 8 9. If any man or an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel unto you let him be accursed Answer The Gospel was Preached unto Abraham saith the Scripture Gal. 3. 8. as well as unto us and it was Preached unto Abel Enoch Noah and to all believers who lived before Scripture was writ in a book and it was spoken into their Hearts by the Spirit of Jesus Christ and the Saints who then lived and were Inspired of God preached the Gospel and the Gospel is the same in all Generations for it is the everlasting Gospel Rev. 4. 6. But now the Declarations Discoveries and Manifestations of this one Gospel hath been many and different under the Law more darkly in the time of the Prophets more Manifestly in the time of the Apostles yet more Manifestly and yet all one Gospel and we Preach no other but the same everlasting Gospel which is the Power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1. 16. The last proof is 2 Thess. 2. 2. Wherein Paul beseeches them not to be shaken in mind or troubled neither by Spirit nor Word nor Letter as from him as that that day of Christ were at hand but this proves nothing against the Inspiration of the Spirit of God as if it were then ceased or to cease for it continued with him and many others long afterwards only it proves they should not recite any such Doctrine aâ—… that That day were suddenly to come he speaks of though some should 〈◊〉 it as proceeding from the Spirit or from Pauls Words or Letters and so that they might not be deceived by pretenders as is said because some has falsely pretended to the Spirit it follows not that none have it in reality And thus I have gone thorow all their Proofs and shewed that they prove no such thing as is intended by them but are abused O j. 5. We much suspect this Doctrine of Immediate Revelation and are feared to receive it lest people coming to this slight the Scriptures and a Ministry Worship and Ordinances for we find you so doing who say ye are come to it and what use hath Scripture or Ministrâ—… if God teach Immediately by the Immediate Revelation of his Spirit Answ. This Doctrine ought not to be suspected by any-honest hearted Man or Woman for it will never teach any to slight the Scriptures but on the contrary They will never know how to use or esteem the Scriptures aright till they come to that Life and Spirit which gave them forth and to which they point and these who were formerly Inspired of God and were taught of him Immediately used and esteemed the Scriptures nor slighted any Ministry Worship or Ordinances of Jesus Christ as neither do we and we acknowledge the Ministry who are sent of God is both useful and comfortable to us and we are bound to hear them and acknowledge them and at all times have we found their Ministry usefull and refreshing unto us having Ministered of the Life and their Gospel came unto us not in Word only but in Power and in the holy Ghost and in much Assurance as Pauls did unto them 1 Thess. 1. 5. And we have also been refreshed with their Prayers in the heart and found the fruit of them and now in our measures are brought to the same Life and yet their Ministry will alwayes be dear and comfortable to us but not absolutely necessary being come to a Teacher even the Spirit of Jesus Christ that cannot be removed into a Corner from us when all men may and be seperated from us and we from them as to bodily presence but indeed who come to the Teachings and Ministry of the Spirit of Christ in themselves this will lead them as it hath done us from the Natural Ministry Worship and Ordinances for that they neither Worship nor
Revealeth in Man these he believeth But if he or any other would thus reason then every one who have the gift of Faith must have the Prophetical Revelation and so all believers are Prophers and do Prophecy Answ. 2. All Saints have the same Spirit and Word of Prophecy in some measure more or less that the Prophets had who ever directed people to the same Spirit and Word in their hearts from which they spoke that they might in themselves hear the same Word and Spirit whereby the true Faith comes and such who turned in their minds to this Word and Spirit in them or rather by the drawings thereof were turned by it believed the Prophets Testimonies and all others did not believe but rejected their Testimony as false and seigned I shall not need to cite Scriptures for this or produce reasons having done both at large in the fore-going Treatise but whereas they say then all should be Prophets and Prophecy who believe Answ. 3. All the Saints must know the sheepherds voice in them and witness Christ Jesus the great Prophet Prophecying or speaking in them and must carry his Testimony which is the Spirit of Prophecy Revel 19. 10. compared with 12. 17. But we do not say neither followeth it from our Doctrine That all are called forth as Prophets to Prophecy or Minister or Teach or have the gift of utterance given them only this we affirm That none ought to Minister or Teach but who witness the Internal Call and furnishing of the holy Spirit given them what to speak Immediately from it self and inwardly revealing the truth of these things in them whereof they declare and they who Prophecy or Preach of Faith ought to believe themselves and to have the same Spirit of Faith according to that 1 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same Spirit of Faith believe therefore we speak and so speaking a Prophecying of the effect or consequent of Faith in all whom God calleth thereunto Thirdly saith he This opinion too openly favoureth the Swendefieldians Anabaptists and others vaunting of Internal Breathings or Inspirations and enthusiasms for saith he that Internal Revelation which is upon the part of the object and which is ever by Supernatural and disjoynedly Infused representations truly and properly is Enthusiasme Answ. Lo how the fleshly denies the Inward Breathings or Inspirations of Gods Spirit whereby alone the understanding is opened and the true Wisdom and Life received but what saith he here against it but that the Swendefieldians and Annabaptists maintain this Doctrine and vaunt themselves to be Inspired but this will not prove it false though they had not been Inspired more than when the false Prophets in Ieremiah's daies said They were Inspyred by the Spirit of God that therefore Ieremiah was not Fourthly saith he Hence it followeth that the whole Church that is all the faithful are ruled by new Revelations Answ. What evil is this or rather is it not a blessed dispensation for all who believe to walk after the Spirit and to Witness God dwelling and walking in them as he hath promised It is observable how both this man and all his brethren take it for granted rather it hath passed all along among them as a Principle then that ever any of them could prove it That there no Immediate Revelation and upon this sandy Foundation they have built their Church Ministry Worship and Ordinances which is now a falling and great is and shall be the fall thereof but this we say and certainly know such who can receive it let them all true Christians have the dayly and hourly Manifestations Revelations and Influences of the Life eternal fresh and new from the Fountain as the Israelites gathered the Manna new from Heaven every day c. Fifthly saith he Internal or Immediate Revelations cannot make us more certain of the Divine Authority than the outward Revelation viz. the Scriptures therefore if the outward is not to be believed for it self neither the inward and so either an infinite progress or vitious Circle must be committed Answ. The Antecedent is Manifestly false and therefore it concludes not truly for what man of the meanest discerning will not acknowledge that God Immediately Revealing or speaking in Man whose voice is full of heavenly vertue sweetness and holiness which his Sheep by their heavenly nature hear and discern from the voice of a stranger maketh him more certain than when he has but a report from another Writ in the time of my Imprisonment in the Tolbooâ—…h of Aberdeen in Scotland where I was shut up ten Months for no other cause but my Testimony to the Truth The 3d. of the 6th Month 1668. G. Keith Errata or faults escaped in Printing PAge 10. Line 13. for annull read animal p. 12. l. 27. for God r. of God p. 25. l. 33. for stuffe r. strife p. 17. l. 15. for light r. life p. 52. l. 9. for misery r. mercy p. 88. l. 25. for swords r. words p. 92. l. 31. for him 1. her p. 109. l. 15. for darkness r. drunkenness p. 137. l. 3. for none r. is there none p. 121. l. 21. for Christians r. Christians have p. 126. l. for with r. â—…ot with THE END Prov. 5. 2. and 3. 2 Cor. 4. 6.