in the way but backward from the way of truth so 1 Joh. 4.8 We are of God speaking of himself and the rest of his fellow Apostles He that knoweth God heareth us acquiescendo doctrinae nostrae cleaves to our doctrine Lyra. and he that is not of God heareth us not neither is obedient to our word And hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error q. d. He that cleaves to our doctrine is guided by the Spirit of truth and he that doth not so by the spirit of error § 42 But the spirit of error will come with his scriptum est likewise as he did against our Lord himself Matth. 4. And all hereticks and schismaticks do generally alleadge scriptures wrest the very sayings of the Spirit of truth against himself to insinuate thereby their lyes and errors For as Tertullian observes of the writings of Ovid Virgil Homer both the matter of them hath been transferr'd unto other uses and the verses applyed to other matter Even so doe hereticks deal with the holy writings of inspired men De Praescr adv Haer. cap. 39. Nec periclitor dicere c. I fear not to say that the Scriptures were so disposed by the wisdome of God that they might accidentaliter and by the by even administer matter to Heresies since I read that heresies must come and without the Scriptures they cannot come For 't is in the production of heresies as of natural things Corruptio unius est generatio alterius the corruption of truth is the generation of herefie all hereticall opinions being generally grounded upon and following from the fountain of truth the Scripture not as they are in themselves rightly interpreted and understood but as they are wrested and perverted either in the words or in the sense either by additions or diminutions or by not considering them together but divided into parts and taken up by shreds and pieces for the avoyding whereof these following rules must be observed in the tryal of spirits by the Scriptures First try and examine by the coherence whether that be the very intent and aim of the holy Ghost in the text for the which it is urg'd and alleadged For the same words of the Spirit may be misapplyed both to other things and other persons then the Spirit ever meant or intended therein Secondly distinguish betwixt times ages persons when wherein and to whom this or that word was spoken For there are many things both said and recorded to be done in the Word which are onely agreeable to those times to that age of the Church and to some particular persons and are not at all applyable to the Church and people of Christ in these times or to any persons amongst us Thirdly examine diligently the phrase and manner of speech whether it be plain or metaphorical literal or allegorical a true history or a parable onely For many things are spoken in the Word by way of type figure allegory parable and the like which if we should apply in the plain and literall sense would prove strange monstrous lies and contradictions which God forbid any man should be so blasphemous as to impose on the Spirit of truth and wisdome Fourthly examine diligently what agreement every text of Scripture hath with other and receive not easily and sleightly the seeming sense of any text without comparing the same with its parallel texts For many things seem to be positively asserted in some places of the Word of God which yet are directly contradicted in others one place therefore is so to be compared with and interpreted by another that the one do not obscure or any way cloud the truth of the other Fifthly examine whether that which we conceive to be the sense of this or that Scripture be agreeable to those Articles of Christian faith contained in the Apostles Creed 2 Tim. 1.13 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or form of sound words in faith we must hold sast Jude v. 3. that modell of faith once given to the Saints for which we must contend and consequently receive no private sense or interpretation of Scripture that is contrary thereunto 2 Pet. 1.20 remembring that no Scripture is of any private interpretation 1 Cor. 14.32 but that even the spirits of the Prophets themselves are subject to the Prophets Sixtly examine what we conceive to be the sense of the Spirit in the Word by the rule of that Law written by the finger of God in two Tables of stone as a lasting square according to which to regulate all our actions and consequently all our conceptions and opinions from whence our actions flow The rule of obedience or that all perfect rule of Charity Rom. 13.10 which is the fulfilling of the Law is an infallible rule of tryal of the spirits whether they be of God or no Hereby saith the Apostle we are sure we know God if we keep his Commandements he that saith I know God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2.34 1 Joh. 2.34 It is not the Spirit of truth but the spirit of errour if it oppose or deny or any way impede and hinder our obedience to the laws of God For saith the same Apostle again He that keepeth his Commandements dwelleth 1 Joh. 3.24 in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us even by that Spirit which he hath given us even by the spirit of obedience to the Commandements of God So that even from hence 't is clear that both to have the Spirit abiding in us and the way to know we have him also and not a false counterfeit lying spirit is if thereby we be mov'd and enabled to keep Gods Commandements This is the very rule our Saviour himself prescribes to examine his own doctrine thereby Joh. 7.17 Joh. 7.17 If any man wil doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my selfe And this is the first generall rule of tryal of the Spirits even the Word of God § 43 A second rule according to which to try the spirits whether they be of God or no is by the fruits of the Spirit and 't is the rule our Lord himself hath given us to know them by Matt. 7.15 Matt. 7.15 Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves Beware of false Prophets for many such are gone out into the world who in respect of their exteriour dresse and outward appearance so plausible are their pretences so spirituall are their expressions so much of the language of the Spirit and scripture phrases flow from them that you would take them for the true sheep of Christ and undoubtedly to belong to his fold and yet for all this inwardly really and truely they are wolves in sheeps cloathing limbs of Satan deceiving and devouring the souls of
hand of God upon us prospering our labours and studies to that end that being well grounded in the truth we might not be deceived and mistake the inventions and errours of men and doctrines of seducing spirits for the doctrines and commandements of God 1 Tim. 4.1 2. Even as you went to School to learn to write and read that you might read the Scriptures indeed but not pervert them to your own dâ—struction 2 Pet. 3.16 and that you might write your mind in truth and sincerity but not to write scrupulous questions to puzzle and poyson the souls of the simple who cannot see into the depth of your delusions Quest 2 Whether you can give another meaning to the Scriptures then they are or whether the Apostles did not give the meaning to them when they spake them forth yea or no and if they did what need learned mengive a meaning to them Answ The sense and meaning of the Scripture is involved and infolded in it even as the kernell of a nut is within the shell to find out which sense and declare it and make it appear from under those severall kinds of metaphoricall and figurative expressions which commonly cloath and cover it is a part of our taske and duty And this we do by a serious diligent and intent searching weighing and pondering the texts of Scriptures by comparing and conferring severall places by observing the connexions and coherences by sincere and impartiall collecting and observing the severall truths contained therein and also flying unto God by prayer and devotion for assistance in the work And that it belongs to learned men to give the sense and meaning of the Scriptures we have in the old Testament the example of Ezra the Scribe â—eh 8. 4 5 6 〈◊〉 8. that is the Learned who stood upon a Pulpit of Wood high above all the people made purposely for preaching and the Levites caused the people to understand the Law and this they did not only by reading the Law distinctly but they gave the sense saith the Text and caused the people to understand the reading In the new Testament Christ himself tooke a text and preached upon it Luk. 4.17 22. Philip took the text which the Eunuch read in Esay and preached Christ unto him Act. 8.30 37. converting the Eunuch by giving the sense of the text being of himself not able to understand without an Interpreter Quest. 3 Shew me by the Scripture who ever was made a Minister of Christ that was called of men Master Answ The Prophets and Priests under the Law were tearmed Fathers and such as were bred under them to be made capable of that function as young Scolars are now in Oxford and Cambridge to be capable of the Ministry were tearmed the Sons of the Prophets 2 King 2.12 15. under the Gospell besides the titles of Apostles Prophets Evangelists ordinary or common Ministers are tearmed Doctors Pastors Shepherds of souls which are terms of more eminency and respect then Master Sir or the like and what else is meant by the Masters of the Assemblies Eccles 12.11 but the Pastors and Teachers of the people assembled in the service of God Masters is a title of civill respect and honour and we are commanded not only in generall to give honour to whom honour is due Rom. 13.7 but particularly to pious and painfull Ministers Let them be counted worthy of double honour that labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5.7 Now as on the one side it is a Gospell duty to give titles of honour to whom they are due so on the other fide it is a Gospell sin to affect titles of honour through pride vain-glory and popular applause Nor was it a sin in the Scribes and Pharisees to be called Master but because they loved to be called of men Master Mat. 23.6 7. Master their vain-glorious affectation of the title was their offence and of this no man can taxe us but only God who knoweth the heart Quest 4 Shew me by the Scriptures when ever the Ministers of Jesus Christ took tithes of the people or augmentations for preaching of the Gospell Answ That the Priests under the Law received Tithes and that God commanded the people to pay tithes unto them you cannot be ignorant 1 Cor. 9.13 14. Know you not saith the Apostle that they which minister about holy things eat of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar Even so also hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell Even so must the Ministers of the Gospell be maintained as were the Priests under the Law and that was by Tithes and offerings Luk. 11.42 Wo to you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of hearbs and passeover judgment and the love of God these things ought you to have done marke that and not leave the other undone Whence you see that to take and pay tithes is no other but what ought to be done and the fault cryed woe against was the neglect of judgment and the love of God Quest. 5 Shew by the Scriptures and what Scripture have you which speaks of the Word two Sacraments which you tell the people of and deceive the simple Answ We confesse the word Sacrament is not in the Scriptures but the holy actions which we call Sacraments are positively and expresly commanded there The first Sacrament of Baptisme is commanded Mat. 28.19 And for the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper the words of institution expresly command us to observe it Take Mat. 26.26 27. eat do this And sure we do not deceive the people when we tell them of no other things but what Christ himself commanded both us and them to observe But you do deceive your owne soul and the souls of those simple people you converse with all whilest you denie and oppose your self against the very expresse commands of our Lord. Quest 6 Shew me what Scripture you have which speaks that the Apostles sprinkled Infants Answ That the Apostles were commanded to Baptize all Nations and that they did Baptize whole families Act. 16.33 is clearly exprest in the Scripture And surely children are a part of all Nations though you should say there were no Children in those families that were Baptized which is a thing very hard and improbable to affirme But further for Chrildrens Baptisme we have severall grounds out of the Scriptures 1. Children under the Law were circumcised Rom. 4.11 and Circumcision was the seal of the righteousnesse of faith as Baptisme is now for other externall visible seal of our admission into the Covenant of Grace we have not commanded in the Scriptures or practised in the Church of Christ And that this seal of Baptisme both outward and inward must passe upon all before they be admitted actuall members of Christs spirituall Kingdome here
the Spirit of holiness gilding painting and setting out sinfulness and vice with the title shew and flourish of godliness and vertue thus covetousness on the one hand wears the painted mask and flourish of providence and good husbandry and prodigal profuseness on the other hand of nobleness and generosity Thus riot and excess drunkenness and gluttony carry the fair flourishing titles of bountifulness good fellowship and freedom of spirit Thus wantonness and uncleanness are painted over with the specious tearms of amorous kindeness and Courtship and pride and haughtiness of magnanimity greatness of spirit superiority of rank I might instance in most of sins and vices how men are inveigled and cousened into them by the Devil under the shews and false glosses of pretended vertues For full well that subtil Serpent knows that there is nothing so beautiful and comely nothing that hath so much power to win upon the hearts and affections of men as vertue and holiness and therefore in their habits and attire doth he dress his deformed strumpet vices puts them in colours and sends them forth under their names and titles and hence it comes to pass that the silly souls of men are so often cheated with the beautiful poyson of sinfulness whilst vicious dispositions undiscernibly insinuate themselves into our affections under the attire and dress of vertuous qualifications 2 Cor. 11.24 But thus the Devil transforms himself into an Angel of light whilst baiting his suggestions either with counterfeit vertues on the one hand or with false glosses of spiritual graces on the other he entraps the souls of men in the snares of sinfulness and error and leads them captivity captive to his pit destruction § 38 There are two Familiars whereby the Devil doth ordinarily work and lay his secret and subtil snares to catch cousen and delude our souls thus into sinfulness and error and these are either 1. the spirit of man or 2. the spirit of the world The dictates and workings of both which kinde of spirits being stirr'd and quickened by the evil spirit diametrally oppose the impressions and workings of the Spirit of truth First that the dictates of mans spirit the conceptions of natural sense and carnal reason with private resolutions thereupon do oppose the working of Gods Spirit our Saviour himself teacheth Matth. 16.17 Matth. 16.17 Flesh and bloud hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven So that flesh and bloud hath their Revelations that is private men have their opinions and conceits which oppose the truth that is revealed from heaven The same opposition of private resolution to holy inspiration doth St. Peter observe 2 Pet. 1. ult 2 Pet. 1. ult For prophesies of old time came not by the will of Man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost not as they were moved by their owne private will wit judgement reason and resolution but as they were moved by the holy Ghost Et haec ideo dicuntur c. Glos ord These things are therefore said by the Apostle that no man should presume to interpret the holy Scripture after his owne private minde or fancy as too often opposing and thwarting perverting and wresting the same and the meaning of the holy Ghost therein The Church of Christ hath in all ages been infested and in these last times more then ever with such kinde of persons who pretending to be holy men of God to have the gift of prophesie and interpretation of scripture even to speak by the holy Ghost and yet are led by their own ghost onely following their own private will and desires imaginations and opinions as their onely guide and dictator who pretend to the Spirit of God and yet will not admit at any hand of other spirit then their own of other truth then the vision of their own heads or of other directions then the motions of their own hearts rejecting renouncing and crying down all but what themselves call holy with the Donatists of old Quod volumus sanctum est that they will have to be holy right and true shall be so and nothing else 't is the very ground whereupon this last upstart crew of Quakers build all their resolutions and strange fanatick opinions and heresies even that which they call the light within us This say they is the onely Judge we must follow the Pilot we must steer by the voyce whereunto we must give ear the onely Sanctuary to which we must fly for resolution never remembring how this sanctuary is profan'd by continual acts of spiritual fornication or idolatry therein committed whilst in stead and even in opposition to God and Spirit of all truth they enshrine and idolize their owne fond vain and lying imaginations which the Lord by his Prophet calls the vanity and deceitfulnesse of their own heart Jer. 14.4 Jer. 14.14 The Lord said unto me the Prophets prophesie lies in my Name I have not sent them neither did I command them neither spake I unto them but they prophesie unto you a false vision and divination and vanity and the deceitfulnesse of their own heart But this delusion of mans own spirit following the deceitfull dictates of his own heart is seldome mentioned in holy scripture without heavy threats denounced both against such deluders and all that suffer themselves to be deluded by them as you may read in the following words And again Ezek. 13.3 Ezek. 13.3 Woe unto the foolish Prophets which follow their own spirit and have seen nothing nothing but what their own foolish spirit dictates to them Nor were there such under the Law onely but under the Gospel also They are noted by the Apostle Col. 2.18 Col. 2.18 Who intrude into those things which they have not seen or which they understand not being vainly puft up by their fleshly minde sensualitalis non rationis Gloss following the dictates of sense rather then of right reason and in this place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is remarkable for even by that 't is easie to distinguish betwixt the dictates of a mans own carnal and sensual spirit and the impressions of Gods holy Spirit for the guidance of the minde The dictate of the fleshly spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inflatio a puffing up but the impression of the holy Spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afflatio an inspiration indeed but without inflation or puffing up The heavenly wind of Gods Spirit may fill but it never puffs up or swels the heart but rather humbles and abaseth the Spirit of man which is most conformable to the Spirit of Christ according to his own command Matt. 11.29 Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart the minde that is either puft up with pride vain-glory and false conceited excellency in it self or that swels with malice hatred or envy towards others is not inspired with the celestiall Breath or Spirit of
but accumulative an obedience to this truth even an obedience to the Gospell of Christ 1 Cor. 1.24 Hence it is tearmed the power of God and the wisdom of God And his Gospel the law of the Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. 3.6 3.6 So that the preaching reading hearing or in a word the clearing of this Gospel unto the mindes of men is the conveyance of the Spirit thereinto An example whereof see Act. 10.44 Act. 10.44 Whilest Peter yet spake these words the words of the Gospel the holy Ghost fell on them all that heard the Word § 52 The Holy Sacraments both Baptism and the Supper of the Lord are effectual means also for the conveyance of the holy Spirit 'T is promised upon our Baptisme with repentance Act. 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you Act. 2.38 in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost And this is also verified from the example of Christ our head upon whose baptisme in Jordan the heavens were opened and the holy Ghost descended in shape of a dove and lighted on him Matt. 3.16 Matt. 3.16 denoting unto us that by the virtue and power of Baptisme not onely the heavens are opened Remig. but also the gift of the holy Ghost is received therefore are we said to be born again of water and of the holy Ghost and without that the heavens are shut against us There is no admission into the celestiall Kingdome Joh. 3.5 Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born again of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven The Apostle St. Paul couples both Sacraments together 1 Cor. 12.13 as the conveyances of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body and are all made to drink of one Spirit where we have the Spirit joyned with Baptisme and with the Lords Supper also for what else can be meant by drinking of one Spirit but an allusion to the eating and drinking of the holy body and bloud of our Lord whereof himself testifies Joh. Joh. 6.55 56. 6.55 56. My flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him that is is made partaker of my Spirit or of my gifts and graces For in such a spiritual sense we must needs understand the words except we admit them in the grosse carnall and corporall sense of the Romanists Hence Christ is tearmed by the Apostle a spiritual mâ—at and a spiritual drink 1 Cor. 10.3 1 Cor. 10.3 4. 4. And they did all eat that same spiritual meat and did all drink of the same spiritual drink for they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ A spiritual meat and a spiritual drink Christ was to the Israelites of old in those sacramentall Symbols of his presence with them the Rock and the Manna and the like he is to us in those consecrated Elements of his holy Supper which being rightly administred and rightly received are spiritual food indeed for we eat and drink the very Spirit of Christ therewithall that is are made partakers of his gifts and graces § 53 But how comes it to passe then that these blessed means of grace these conveyances of the Spirit are so often ineffectuall Many men do daily pray often hear and read the Word of God have been engraffed into the body of Christ by Baptisme and many times receive the blessed Eucharist and yet little or no news doe they hear of the Spirit very little stirrings of the heart few good motions do they feel within they are never the better nor a whit the more enricht either with spiritual gifts or graces for the use of these means The cause whereof is the hardnesse of mans heart which receives not the impressions of the Spirit the corruption of mans nature which quenches the sacred fires of Piety and Charity before they be well inkindled in the soul the exorbitant and unruly lusts of the flesh and of the world which resist the good motions lustings and strivings of the Spirit of God Intus existens prohibet alienum when the fruits of the flesh have overgrown the soul there 's no room for the fruits of the Spirit to take rooting there These two kindes of fruits cannot grow both in one heart but the one will choak overgrow and destroy the other To this outward means of grace then and of the Spirit the inward qualifications the infitting of the soul to receive the impressions of the Spirit must be added Actus activorum in patiente disposito as the Patient is disposed and fitted to be wrought upon accordingly so is the power and efficacy of the Agent so that according as the hearts of men are more or lesse perspicable and plyable to the impressions of the Spirit accordingly so are his workings and inspirations upon the heart The holy Spirit is compared in Scripture to water Joh. 7.38 39. and as the water is of a diffusive nature and knows no bounds but as 't is limited by the channel or vessel that holds it so the Spirit is in himself of a spreading quality and is onely straitened by the narrownesse of the hearts whereinto he flows as 2 Cor. 6.12 2 Cor. 6.12 Ye are not straitened in us that is in our Ministery we preach abundance of grace unto you but you are straitened in your own bowels through the hardnesse of our hearts being not capable of the graces of the Spirit And the heart is made soft and pliable for the impressions of the Spirit by repentance and mortification the good seed of Gods Spirit will not take root amongst the thornes of impiety therefore saith the Lord Jer. 4.4 Jer. 4.4 Break up the fallow ground of your hearts and sow not amongst thornes be circumcised to the Lord and take away the foreskin of your hearts that is hardnesse of your hearts Deut. 10.16 Deut. 10.16 cald also the circumcision of the Spirit Act. 2.29 because it makes way for the Spirit Col. 2.11 and Col. 2.11 A circumcision made without hands even the putting off the sinfull body of the flesh meaning the sinfull crop of fleshly lusts which infest and infect the soul of these the soul must be disarayed and devested by repentance and mortification Rom. 8.13 14 Romans 8.13 14. If ye live after the flesh c. The coherence of which verses imply before we can be led by the Spirit of God we must mortifie the deeds of the flesh before she can be cloathed with the splendid garments of the Spirit of grace In vain is it to pray unto God for any spirituall grace or mercy while we continue in our sins for God heareth not sinners Joh. 9.31 In vain to hear or read the Gospell of grace Eph.