have not the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him he is none of his The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and to them it is given by the father to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God Mat. 13.11 Hereby saith the Apostle we know the things that are freely given us of God even by his Spirit which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 For a man professing the knowledge of Christ to swallow down without tryal or consideration all that he reads and hears if it comes from a person that he admires which yet is the practice not only of the blind Papists but of many seeming zealous Protestants that are too much addicted to a party Non est opus virilis intelligentiae sed puerilis inscitiae this rather becomes the simplicity and ignorance of a Child then the wisdome and understanding of a serious Christian Luther speaking of the blind implicite faith and obedience too of the Church of Rome tells us that 't is such an opinion and practice as renders a man Brutist and deprives him of Reason and man-hood and for this wicked opinion and practice of theirs namely for exercising an absolute dominion over the Faith and Consciences of men the Roman Prelates deserve to be driven out of the number of the faithful as Wolves and Tyrants But what shall every private Spirit will you say take this upon him Is not this to judge his Judges and to pass Sentence upon his Superior To which we answer that those persons be they never so great and learned judge of divine things by a private Spirit who depend upon their own corrupt Reason and Fancy and accordingly judge and determine and not he though but a private Christian that is taught of God and judgeth of the points of Religion by and according to the word of God Nor do we say that every private man is to judge by way of Authority in foro publico a publick Authoritative disquisition and tryal in matters of Religion is one thing and a private rational Christian examination is another 't is one thing judicare to judge of mine own acts and another thing judicem agere to act as a Judge Indeed the Spiritual man judgeth all things but how not in a juridical Authoritative way but only so far as concerns his calling and capacity if he be a private Christian Rational judgment belongs to him but Magistratica and Ministerial judgment belongs to others that are in a more publick capacity and office And therefore in this case he is to try and judge with much modesty and humility not rashly and headily as being self-conceited and leaning too much to his own understanding Let him walk orderly and keep his place and station giving due respect and reverence to Christian Magistrates and godly Pastors and submitting to them in the Lord Heb. 13.7 17. And this will be a means to preserve the Church of Christ from Anarchy and Confusion Thus we have shewed how the Scriptures may be proved by the light of Reason to be the word of God and that every Christian ought to exercise himself in searching the Scriptures and judging of Doctrines but yet we must distinguish between those external rational Arguments which are brought to prove the divine Authority of the Scriptures and the internal Testimony of the Spirit of God in the Scripture which is the most clear certain infallible publick Testimony and of it self worthy to be believed for it is the Testimony of God himself Hereof we shall treat more particularly in the following Chapter CHAP. XIV Of the Internal Testimony of the Spirit of God witnessing the divine Authority of the Scripture ALthough there are rational arguments which have been already mentioned to prove the Scriptures to be the word of God yet the inward Testimony of the holy Ghost himself is necessary to assure us of the divine Authority thereof which Testimony is better and more certain then all our Reason for as God is a sufficient witness of himself in his own word so the hearts and Consciences of men will never be fully satisfied that the Scriptures are by divine inspiration till the same be sealed and confirmed to them by the inward Testimony of the Holy Ghost till then they will be much in the dark often doubting and wavering notwithstanding all other reasons and proofs (l.) Calv. Instit Lib. 1. Chap. 7. S. 5. We should so believe the Scripture for it self and in regard of the Testimony of the Spirit of God witnessing the same as not to subject the divine Authority thereof to our Reasons and demonstrations When our understandings are once powerfully convinced and enlightned by the Spirit of God which endited the holy Scriptures then do we not believe by our own judgment or Reason or other mens that the Scripture is from God and by divine inspiration but above all humane Reason and Judgment we hold it most certain even as if we beheld the majesty of God himself there present John 4.42 And having attained this we seek not after humane Arguments to rest our faith upon but as a thing that admits of no doubt or dispute we take it for granted and do fully captivate and submit our Judgment and Reason to it such therefore is the perswasion of a true Spiritual Christian of the Authority of God in the Scriptures far different from other mens as requireth no humane Reason such is his knowledge and certainty as hath the best Reason for it even that wherein the mind more assuredly and stedfastly resteth then upon any humane Testimonies or Reasons whatsoever Such is the inward Spiritual experience of the power and wisdome and goodness of God in the holy Scriptures that if all the World should oppose the same yet he is fully resolved to give credit and adhere thereunto By nature every man is blind in Spiritual things and ignorant of the mind and mysteries of God and therefore though the Scripture be a shining light in it self yet unless our understandings be opened and enlightned we cannot behold it no more then a blind man can see the Sun when it shineth The Spirit of God is the Author of supernatural light and faith by the inspiration thereof were the Scriptures first written the secrets and mysteries of God are fully known unto and effectually revealed by this Spirit The same law and word which is written in the Scriptures this Spirit doth also write and impress upon the hearts of them that are endued therewith and therefore the Testimony of this Spirit where it comes in power must needs fully perswade and assure the heart and Conscience of a Christian that the Scripture is the infallible word of God As in other Sciences there are alwayes some principles per se nota indemonstrabilia whence other things are proved and demonstrated so it is in Divinity which is the most excellent Science all conclusions in point of faith and practice
are proved by the Scriptures but as for the Scriptures they prove and evidence themselves sufficiently to the judgment of every true Christian by their own light manifesting their divine Original They are primum visibile not like colour that cannot be seen till light make it apparent but like light it self which maketh all other things manifest and it self too by its own proper quality Now then if a true believer should be ask'd why he believes the Articles of the Christian Religion he may truly answer thus because they are revealed in the holy Scriptures If it be further demanded how he can assure himself that the Scriptures are the word of God he may answer that he knows it by the Scriptures themselves the Spirit of God enlightning his understanding to see those lively characters of divine truth which are imprinted upon those sacred Volumes If yet it be further demanded how he knows whether that is the right meaning of such or such a place of Scripture he may likewise truly say that he knows it by the Scriptures which being diligently examined and compared together do plainly discover to the humble teachable Soul their own true sense and meaning in the things which concern everlasting Salvation And thus the faith of a Christian is finally and ultimately resolved into the infallible word of God or a divine Testimony and into nothing less As for the Authority and Testimony of the Church and the judgments and writings of the Godly learned they are good helps to make us see the Truth but no causes why we believe it this we do for its own sake not for their sayings or determinations which if they do not accord with the Scriptures we ought not to assent thereunto Though we should give due Reverence to the Assemblies of Godly judicious men and thoroughly examine and weigh with humility and self-denyal the grounds of our dissent from them yet the bare Authority of men though never so eminent for learning and piety should not command our assent to any Article of Religion that shall be proposed to us For our faith should not stand in the wisdome of men as the Apostle speaks but in the power of God and the Testimony and demonstration of his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 5. The first and chiefest ground whereon is built the certainty of faith's assent is the infallible truth and Authority of divine Revelation because God hath said it we are to believe it and assent to it for whatsoever God saith is true now this is a principle of Nature and Reason which is deeply ingraven into the heart and Conscience of every Rational man that God himself is so infinitely wise that he can be ignorant of nothing nor can any Creature circumvent and over-reach him and withal he is so infinitely good holy and just that no lye or untruth can proceed from him wisdome it self cannot be deceived truth it self cannot deceive and God is both And therefore wheresoever any Revelation is certainly known or believed to be of God there the reasonable Creature doth fully assent to the truth of things revealed But now the great question will be how we know infallibly that God is the Author of the Scriptures and that what we find written therein is of divine inspiration the very Oracles of God Here lyes the great yea the irreconcileable difference between the Church of Rome and us for whereas we maintain according to the truth that the Scriptures are known to be of God by themselves and by their own light and power they hold that we cannot be certain of their divine Authority but by the Testimony of the Church which as they say doth infalliby propose unto us what is to be believed and what is not to be believed And so by this means our faith shall be resolved either into nothing at all for they differ exceedingly about the Church representative and the supreme Judge of controversies here on Earth or at the furthest it shall be resolved but only into humane Authority and so shall be but a humane faith That Circle which they falsly charge upon us (m.) Mr. W. Pemble nature and properties of grace and faith P. 210 211. they themselves are guilty of and can never be dis-intangled therefrom by their Principles For ask a Romanist why do you believe that the Pope cannot err he will tell you because the Scripture saith so thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and I have prayed that thy faith may not fail and the like Texts of Scripture But how know you that this is the infallible word of God and that your interpretation is the right sence and meaning of these places To this he answers because the Pope and the Councel of Trent say so or as some of them hold because the Pope only saith so or as others of them because a general Councel saith so If we further urge him yea but how know you infallibly that the Pope and Councel do not err in saying so he will answer you because the Scripture affirms they cannot err for thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church c. And thus they run round in a Circle (n.) The Popish Circle described and are so intangled that the wisest and most learned of them know not how to deliver themselves Indeed they accuse us with open mouth as if we were intangled in a Circle running round from the Scriptures to the Spirit and again from the Spirit to the Scriptures as thus how know you the Scriptures to be the word of God by the Spirit revealing the same to my heart and Conscience but how know you this Revelation of the Spirit to be true By the Scriptures which testifie that the secret of the Lord is revealed to them that fear him But then further how know you this and the like places of Scripture to be the word of God we know it by the Spirit which reveals to us the things that are freely given us of God And thus they pretend that they have caught us in a Circle but they greatly mistake us though we do not mistake their Doctrine we teach indeed that we know the Scriptures infallibly to be the word of God by the Spirit of God inwardly revealing and testifying the truth of them to our Consciences But what kind of Revelation or Testimony is this It is not any inward suggestion or immediate inspiration different from those Revelations of Divine truth that are in the Scriptures themselves as if the Spirit of God did by a second private immediate Revelation assure me of the truth of those former Revelations contained in the Scriptures we have no warrant for this in an ordinary way but the Spirit of God reveals and testifies to our Consciences the divine Authority and truth of the Scriptures by removing those impediments that hindred as namely our ignorance and unbelief and by bestowing upon us those graces that make us capable of
this Divine knowledge and assurance illuminating our understanding renewing our wills and sanctifying our hearts and affections In which sence the Spirit of God in the Scripture is to us a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation opening the eyes of our understandings that we may see by a spiritual light the excellency of those divine Mysteries that are in the Word of God Ephes 1.17 18. Now this Doctrine of ours is no such Circle as the Papists pretend it to be but a plain and strait way for a sober Christian to walk in Thus How know you that the Scriptures are Gods Word We answer By the Scriptures themselves by that wonderful light and excellency of truth and holiness that shineth in them here we would rest and go no further But yet if we be asked How we come to see this light We answer It is by the only work of the Spirit of God giving us eyes to see and hearts to embrace and love the light If we be further urged for some are thus importunate But how know you that you do indeed perceive such a heavenly light as you speak of Or how can you make it appear to others that you are not deceived Now truly this is but a vain question it being an absurd thing to demand a reason of sense which is as if one should ask him that gazeth on the Sun How know you that you see the light Why he is certain that he sees it and knows that he is not deceived though he cannot convince a blind man of it and if in case he that is blind requires him that sees to prove unto him by sound argument that he beholds such an object he demands an impossible thing of him unless he could give him eyes to see it Some of the most learned Papists after all their disputing and wrangling are driven at last to acknowledge this inward illumination and testimony of the Spirit of God Stapleton himself even in that Book where he defends the Authority of the Church saith That the godly are brought to faith by the voice of the Church but being once brought and enlightened with the light of divine Inspiration then they believe no more for the Churches voice but because of the heavenly light And again in the last Book that ever he wrote against learned Whitaker he tells us plainly That the inward perswasion of the holy Ghost is so necessary and effectual for the believing of every object of faith that without it neither can any thing by any man be believed though the Church testified with it a thousand times and by it alone any matter may be believed though the Church held her peace or were never heard Hereby it appears that we may be infallibly assured of the divine Authority of the Scriptures though the Authority and testimony of the Church be not so regarded by us as the Papists would have it But yet when we have to do with Infidels and Atheists that scoff at this divine light and inward testimony of the Spirit we have more Reason on our side as hath been shewed at large to convince them and to prove that the Christian Religion is the true Religion and that the Scriptures do contain the Word and Laws of the most high God then any other Religion nay then all other Religions in the world As for the inward testimony of the Spirit witnessing the divine authority of the Scripture and how it is to be considered take these following Rules * Rules concerning the Spirits testimony for preventing mistakes First That the Spirit of God doth assuredly perswade the Conscience of a Christian that the Scriptures are the Word of God not by an immediate Vision or Revelation under which pretence Satan transforming himself into an Angel of light hath deluded and ensnared many poor souls but by enlightening the eyes of our understanding to behold the light writing the Law in our hearts and inward parts as God hath promised in the new Covenant sealing up the Promises to our souls and causing us experimentally to feel the powerful effects thereof Secondly This divine supernatural perswasion wrought in Believers by the Spirit of God is more certain and more satisfactory then can be proved by our weak imperfect Reason or expressed in words for things doubtful may be proved but as for things that are in themselves most clear and certain we say they need no rational proof or demonstration as the shining of the Sun which discovers it self by its own light needs not be confirmed by any rational Arguments to him that hath his eyes open to see the light thereof Thirdly It is such a testimony and demonstration of the divine Authority of the Scriptures as is certain and manifest to him that hath the Spirit for it makes it self evident where it comes but this is private and particular not publick and common testifying only to him who is endued therewith but not convincing others nor confirming doctrines to them In this case men must have recourse to the visible standing Rule to the written Law and Testimony if any man speak not according to this let him pretend never so much to the inward testimony and revelation of the Spirit it is because the light and truth of God is not in him Fourthly This testimony of the Spirit therefore is not to be severed from the Word which is the Instrument of the holy Ghost and his publick authentick testimony Nor is it injurious to the Spirit of God to be tried by the Word seeing there is a mutual relation and correspondence between the truth of the party witnessing and the truth of the thing witnessed And this holy Spirit the Author of the Scriptures is every where like unto and doth every where agree with himself as it is in a pair of Indentures there is no difference at all between them but the very same things that are mentioned in the one are also mentioned in the other so it is between the Spirit revealing and the truths of God revealed in the Scriptures Fifthly The testimony of the Spirit doth not teach or assure all and every one of the letters syllables and words of the Scriptures which are only as a vessel to carry and convey the heavenly light unto us but it doth seal in our hearts the saving truth contained in those sacred Writings into what language soever they be translated Hence it is that the Apostle tells the Corinthians that they are the Epistle of Christ written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of stone but in the fleshly Tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3.3 Sixthly and lastly The Spirit of God doth not lead them in whom he dwelleth and witnesseth absolutely and at once into every truth of God so as utterly to dispel all ignorance and darkness out of the soul but he leadeth them into all truth necessary to salvation and by degrees John 16.12 13. Being a free voluntary Agent he worketh when and
where and in what measure he pleaseth so that holy men partakers of the same Spirit in several degrees may err and mistake in some things and dissent one from another in matters that are not fundamental And thus we have given you some Rules to prevent mistakes touching the inward testimony and revelation of the Spirit of God It will not be amiss now to reflect a little yet without any rankor or bitterness against the persons of men upon their opinion that derogate from the Spirit of God and divine revelation and set up Reason as a Judge in matters of Religion and so resolve their Faith finally into Reason CHAP. XV. Briefly shewing when Reason is rightly used and when abused to the prejudice of the Spirits Testimony in the Scripture NO discreet rational man will deny the use of Reason in judging matters Civil and Religious in the sence formerly declared and proved If you will shew your self a man and not a beast a judicious understanding Christian and not a Child in knowledge and judgment then you must make use of your Reason in examining those matters that are propounded to you whether Civil or Religious but yet if you admit Reason to be the only Rule or Standard to measure the Mysteries of Faith by and to judge of and comprehend the most divine supernatural Doctrines and Truths of Christ then you ascribe too much to Reason and too little to the Spirit of God and Faith Eye hath not seen nor ear heard saith the Apostle neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him And as none know the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.9 11. The rational Creature is a competent Judge of things meerly rational but the spiritual man only in whom the Spirit of God dwelleth can rightly and spiritually discern and judge of things that are meerly spiritual and supernatural and therefore we must take heed that we confound not the Spirit and Faith of the Gospel with our natural Reason nor prejudice the divine Authority of the Scriptures by ascribing too much to Reason as we ought not to take from Reason that which is due to her in reference to divine matters First Then we acknowledge that Reason is the eye of mans Soul or that Organ which lets into his Soul that divine light and testimony of God which begets Faith and upon which Faith doth rest it self and into which it is finally resolved Reason is not the object on which our Faith resteth but that faculty which being sanctified takes in the light of Faith which leads us to Christ and the things that are heavenly and supernatural The judgment and determination of the Word of God inspired by the Spirit of God is that wherein we finally rest as the rule of our Faith and the light of divine Understanding and Reason sanctified is that whereby a Christian judgeth of spiritual things God in his Word speaks to reasonable Creatures not to brute beasts who by way of discourse weighing what goes before and what follows the Text and comparing Scripture with Scripture do come to a right understanding of the will and mind of God therefore we are commanded as men that have reason in us to search the Scriptures to try the Spirits and to judge what the Apostles say These are acts of Reason and Judgment by the help whereof we are enabled to give a sober rational account of our own Faith and to convince the Adversaries and gain-sayers If you be to deal with an Adversary that hates the Christian Religion how can you think to perswade him to Christianity unless you shew him a reason as indeed the Christian Religion is the wisest and most rational Religion If you say your Church is the true Church you must give a reason for it or else no discreet man will believe you seeing many pretend to the true Church that do not belong to it If you urge a Scripture for your opinion sober men will rationally judge whether it be agreeable to your sence and interpretation or not and accordingly will embrace or reject your opinion It concerns every man as he tenders the peace and salvation of his own soul to be certain of the truth of his Religion And seeing there are so many opinions and such variety of perswasions in the world touching matters of Religion we ought to consider which perswasion hath the best and surest grounds for it that we may with peace and safety venture our souls upon it Now this we cannot well do unless we make use of our Reason in comparing one thing with another that we may embrace the truth and reject error Secondly Though there are mysteries of Faith which Reason cannot comprehend yea in their proper nature they are contrary to the dictates of natural Reason Ex nihilo nihil fit saith Reason and Ex nihilo omnia fiunt saith Faith The dead cannot return again to life saith Reason Thy dead bones shall live again and this mortality shall put on immortality saith Faith yet the rational Soul of man being overpower'd and acted by a higher principle even by the Spirit of God sees the greatest reason in the world to believe these and all other divine supernatural mysteries and truths because the Scripture revealeth them to be of God and from God Is it not meet and reasonable and well becoming us that are rational Creatures to believe the God of Truth speaking to us in his Word though what he speaks seem never so unreasonable never so contrary to flesh and blood Yet Reason will tell us this That all that God speaks for from this pure Fountain can proceed nothing but pure streams is true and good divine and heavenly whatever our corruption saith to the contrary So then our Faith must be resolved into the divine truth and authority of Gods Word and our Reason captivated and subjected unto this higher principle to believe what we find revealed in the Scriptures because it is revealed and comes from the God of truth that cannot lye Thirdly As I have reason to believe all that God speaks in general as being the God of truth so I have reason also to believe in particular that the doctrine of Scripture is Gods revealed Mind and Will Nor is it sufficient to a well-grounded Faith for a man to say he believes all that God reveals to be true but he must also believe that the mysteries contained in the holy Scriptures are the things which God hath revealed for his salvation 'T is true according to the Judgment of our Divines that Faith may rightly be said to be a firm assent without evidence of many things in themselves which we do believe but yet the medium by force whereof we are drawn to believe must be evident unto us As now if I be asked by an enemy
will not save him as hath been proved the other is written in the heart of man ratione luminis fidei by the light of faith By the former only natural and moral vertues are imprinted in the heart but by the latter the true knowledge of Christ and the Graces of the Gospel which a meer Moralist can never attain unto by the light of Nature and Reason for these are written and wrought by the finger of the Spirit of God If it be further objected That Cornelius was a Gentile that walked only by the light of Nature yet his Prayers and Alms were accepted of God Acts 10.1 4. This is a mistake for he had more then the bare light of Nature for though he had not at this time a clear explicite distinct knowledge of the Person and Offices of the Mediator yet he had the implicite knowledge and Faith of Christ and had imbraced the Doctrine of the Messiah that was to come which he had learned of the Jews with whom he had long convers'd and which was afterward more fully opened and explained unto him by the Apostle Peter And thus we have proved that no man be he never so rational and moral can be saved by the meer light of Nature and Reason yet nevertheless we cannot deny but that the rational intellectual delights of some Heathen Philosophers ought to be preferred far before all corporeal and sensual pleasures And withal it must be acknowledged that Reason and moral Vertues being improved will help a man to bear affliction yea to dye with more courage and composedness then others that are not so rational and moral And though Reason of it self without true Faith in the Blood of Christ will not bring us to Heaven yet we have great cause to bless God for the comfortable use of our Reason and Intellectuals which is a mercy that many are deprived of But of these particulars we shall speak more fully in the following Chapters CHAP. XVIII Shewing that those delights that are rational and intellectual do far excel all sensitive pleasures ALthough the light of Reason be but as a Candle in comparison of the light of divine and supernatural Revelation which is as the light of the Sun yet it is a pleasant thing to behold this Candle As for that light which is meerly corporeal 't is but a dark shadow of intellectual brightness The more noble and excellent any being is the purer pleasure and delight it hath proportion'd to it Sensitive pleasure hath more of dregs Intellectual pleasure more of quintessence in it If pleasure were to be measured only by the corporal senses truly then the brutes being more exquisite in sense might have a choicer portion of happiness then man can attain to but therefore hath Nature very wisely provided that the pleasure of reason in man should be far above any pleasure of sense There are divers degrees of pleasures such as they be according to every mans genius and disposition As he is more noble and excellent or more vile and abject so is the nature of those things wherein he delighteth and so is his pleasure either more noble or more base either more pure and unmixt or more impure and mixt either of longer or of shorter continuance Of those delights which man taketh in by the bodily senses we say that which is received by the sense of touching is the basest for as it is the most gross and earthy of all the external Senses so are the pleasures that are taken by it The delight that is taken by the Sense of tasting is not altogether so base but yet brutish enough As for the delight which is taken by smelling 't is but little and nothing so pleasant as the contrary is unpleasant for a good smell delighteth not so much as an ill smell offendeth and besides this Sense of smelling is not so quick and sharp in men as in beasts The pleasures that are received by the Sense of hearing in man have more beauty and excellency in them for the more they participate of the nature of the Air they are so much the less earthy and brutish and those delights which we receive by the eyes are yet more excellent then the rest because the eyes are of tne nature of fire which comes nearest to the Coelestial nature Howbeit the best and noblest of those pleasures which man receives by the corporeal Senses are baser and of less excellency then the least and meanest of those pleasures which are received by the powers of the rational Soul for as the Soul is much more worthy and noble then the Body so the pleasures and delights thereof are much more noble and generous then those of the body and such delights as are most proper to the spirit and mind of man are purest and best of all amongst which that delight which consists in the contemplation of God is the chiefest The pleasures of reason and of the mind and spirit of man continue much longer then corporeral delights and pleasures because the rational soul or spirit is not so apt to be weary and tired as the body is but doth recreate and refresh it self with variery of objects No marvel indeed if those that are wholly addicted to corporal and earthly delights deride and contemn such as highly esteem these rational and intellectual delights insomuch that they are willing to forgo the goods and pleasures of this world that they may enjoy the same these persons deride and speak evil of that which they know not of whom it may be truly said that they resemble the Swine that delights more in a dirty Puddle or Sink then in pretious Stones and sweet Odors because they want judgment rightly to discern and esteem the value of those things which they contemn and deride Every being chuseth to it self some kind of pleasure or other and the more excellent any being is the higher and more generous is its delight and pleasure For first If we look up to the chiefest being God himself he takes infinite delight in himself as all other perfections so the perfection of all true and real pleasure is enjoyed by God himself in a most spiritual and transcendent manner That which we call riches and honour is in him his own Excellency and Glory and that which amongst men is accounted pleasure is with him that infinite satisfaction which he takes in his own blessed Essence and the operations and works thereof His glorious Decrees and Contrivances and all his providential Dispensations are full of delight and pleasure to him the creating of all Beings yea the permission of all Irregularities contribute to his glory and pleasure the laughing of his enemies to scorn is a pleasure fit for infinite Justice and the smiling upon his Church and the countenancing and favouring of his people notwithstanding their great weaknesses and behindments is a pleasure fit for his infinite Mercy and Goodness Miracles are the pleasure of his Omnipotency Varieties are the delight
the Heart and the Brain and in these God hath placed the natural vital and animal spirits These spirits are carried by the veins arteries and Nerves the veins carry the vital spirits from the Liver the arteries carry the natural spirits from the Heart and the nerves carry the animal spirits from the Brain The several members of the body are helpful and serviceable one to another the superiour rule the inferiour as the Eyes guide and direct the whole Body and the inferiour support and uphold the superiour as the Feet Legs and Thighs support the whole Body and as for the middle members they defend the Body and provide things necessary for it as we see in the Hands and Arms. This variety of the members of the body sheweth the excellent Wisdom of God for if all were an Eye where would the seeing be 1 Cor. 12.15 So excellent is the body of man that there are sundry members thereof which God ascribes to himself as the Head the Heart the Eyes the Ears the Feet to express his Attributes to us yea God hath made the body of man a Temple for himself to dwell in and the Son of God hath assumed the body of man in one person to his Godhead a dignity which the Angels are not called unto After the making of man he left nothing unmade but to make himself man Secondly Man is curiously wrought and contrived in respect of his rational immortal Soul and those two noble faculties the Understandtng and the Will wherein man far excels all the sensitive Creatures The rational Soul is the better part of man more worth then all the World besides Mark 8.36 37. What is the body of man without the soul but a dead Trunk an empty Case 'T is the soul that is the pearl or precious jewel the creation infusion and operations whereof are like a curious piece of Embroydery well becoming the Creator and Contriver thereof who is a simple immaterial immortal Spirit the Spirit of spirits the Supream and Soveraign Spirit the God and Father of Spirits Numb 16.22 Bless God O man that hath given thee a reasonable Soul and inspired thee with an immortal Spirit wherein thou far excellest other Creatures For First The reasonable Soul of man can conceive of things by the light of understanding as well as by sense yea it can conceive of things that never were in the Senses as things absent which the Senses never saw nor apprehended it can conceive of things spiritual and immaterial as Angels and Spirits yea of the divine Attributes of God and that which is invisible by the things that are visible we come to the knowledge of God who is invisible Rom. 1.20 Secondly The rational Soul is able to reflect upon its self and its own acts and operations which no meer sensitive Creature can do it understands that it doth understand and knows that it doth know And this understanding and knowledge of the rational Soul is large and extensive for it can in a moment go over almost the whole World and view it all as it were at once whereas the Senses are limited and confined to a very narrow compass Thirdly The rational Soul can invent things that were never before in being What strange things for number and skill and variety are daily invented and contrived by mans wit and reason by which also many great matters both Civil Military and Ecclesiastical are ordered and regulated This is that Candle of the Lord which searcheth all the inward parts of the Belly Prov. 20.27 And God hath set the World in mans heart in regard of that reason and understanding that is in him Eccles 3.11 Fourthly The excellency of the reasonable Soul of man appears in this that his understanding after a sort is made one with and becomes the things that are understood in that it conceives a true Image and Idea of the things to be understood and herein the rational Soul doth somewhat resemble God himself who hath the perfect Idea of all other things in himself so the Soul of man doth as it were form Worlds of things within it self Fifthly The excellency of the rational Soul appears in that divine thing called Conscience which is more then a thousand Witnesses yet subordinate to a higher Tribunal beings Gods Deputy for God is greater then Conscience 1 John 3.20 No man be he never so great and potent can alwayes bribe Conscience but it will give an impartial verdict at one time or other either accusing or excusing him In these and other particulars men may contemplate the excellency of Reason and praise God for the exercise of it Thirdly and lastly The rational Soul of man becomes much more excellent and is like a curious piece of Embroydery by a new Creation being made partaker of the Divine Nature whereas by sin the Soul of man was corrupted and alienated from the Life of God yet now being born again of the Spirit of God and Christ being spiritually formed therein it recovers the Image of God and is restored to a holy fellowship and communion with him and will be a curious excellent Piece indeed when she is perfectly transformed as she shall be into the divine Image and cloathed with Glory and Immortality Psal 45.14 2 Cor. 5.2 Let us now briefly recapitulate the Heads of this Discourse * A Recapitulation of the several Heads touching Faith and Reason so far as we have proceeded It requires much spiritual Skill as hath been said rightly to distinguish between them and give to each its due though mans Reason be much weakened and obscured yet a good use may be made thereof both in Civil and Divine things There is a light in Reason though far inferiour to that of Faith How far this Light of Reason extendeth we have shewed The best Heathen Philosophers were sensible of great defects and languishings in their natural Reason and Abilities though they ascribed too much thereunto Some there are amongst Christians that give too little to Reason in Religious and Ecclesiastical concerns but others more generally offend in giving too much and therefore we have here declared how and in what respects Reason and moral Prudence should be exercised by us both in Civil and Church affairs The Light of Reason proves that there is a God or Supreme being and that the Soul of man is immortal and also the truth of the Christian Religion and the divine Authority of the Scriptures and is of excellent use in comparing and interpreting the Scriptures and judging of Controversies But though Reason be useful in these respects yet the internal testimony of the holy Ghost doth principally witness the divine Authority of the Scriptures and satisfie Conscience touching the same Here is shewed when it is that Reason is rightly used and when abused to the prejudice of the Spirits testimony in the Scripture and likewise the difference betwixt the meer rational and spiritual man and their knowledge faith and operations in and about
A SEASONABLE DISCOURSE OF THE Right Vse and Abuse OF REASON In MATTERS of RELIGION By PHILOLOGUS Ratio recta est Ratio lumine Spiritus Sancti directa LONDON Printed for Thomas Passinger at the Three Bibles on London-Bridge 1676. To the Right Honorable AND Virtuous LADY the Lady MARCHIONESS OF WORCESTER MADAM 'T IS truly observed That Worldly Greatness without Virtue and Goodness is nothing else but the vigour of Vice having both mind and means to be uncontrollably vicious But Nobility joyned with Virtue renders the person truly Honorable the true stamp of Nobility and Honour being upon the minds of men who are not so much to be valued by the grandeur of their outward Estates or Titles as by their inward Goodness Virtue and seriousness in Religion is commendable in all persons and at all times but more especially in persons of Your rank and quality at this time and in this Nation wherein alas Atheism Scepticism Drollery and all manner of Prophaneness aboundeth amongst those that would be thought to excel all others in Wit and Courage and Gallantry and who should give a far better Example to their Inferiors This Atheism and Irreligion which now aboundeth hath been partly occasioned by the uncharitable unchristian heats and animosities of men of contrary Opinions and Sentiments in matters of Religion together with those great Scandals which we can never sufficiently lament that have been given by some Professors of the Gospel in these Nations Hence men of proud spirits and corrupt principles have taken occasion to doubt and question all kind of Religion and to look on it only as a Political device and invention which doth no further oblige than the Humane Laws of several Countries do authorize it But though these common Scandals have been the occasion yet the true ground at the bottom of such mens prejudice and scepticism is the strictness and purity of the Christian Religion which of all Religions is the most holy and spiritual and which they find lays too great a restraint upon their exorbitant Lusts and carnal Passions To be good in bad times to be virtuous and pious in an Age wherein Vice and Wickedness is so generally countenanced and practised This Madam adds a great lustre to your Goodness and Virtue And indeed your greatest Interest and Happiness which I doubt not but you are sensible of consists in being truly serious and religious this is the whole Duty of Man to fear God and keep His Commandments Eccles 12.13 The serious practice of Religion is that which every considerate person after all his other disquisitions will find to be his chief Interest and that which doth deserve his utmost care and diligence This is the whole of Man or as the Septuagint reads it this is all this indeed should be the great Design of Man as being most profitable and advantageous to him Go on Madam in the strength of the grace of God and add Virtue to Virtue that your last days and last works may be your best days and best works and that you may practically confute the Atheists of our times who walk and talk and live and die as if there were no God in the World no certainty no seriousness in Religion These persons are under a Judicial Blindness desperately rebelling not only against the Light of Gospel-revelation but against that Light of Reason which is in them God has given them Reason and Understanding Eyes that they might see Hearts that they might understand but they wilfully shut their Eyes against that Light of Reason and so by the just Judgment of God it is taken from them and they given up to blindness of mind and hardness of heart and to the greatest Spiritual Plagues and Judgments 'T is to be admired seeing there are such convincing Reasons and Demonstrations even from the Light of Nature against Atheism and Infidelity that there should be any such Creatures upon the face of the Earth as these Atheists and Scepticks when certainly there are none such in Hell for the Devils themselves believe and tremble so that in this respect they are worse than the Devils And though they pretend to be the Wits of the Times yet for my part I am of opinion with the Noble Mirandula That there is no Atheist in the World that is in his wits the rational Souls of such Monsters being sunk down into meer sensuality and brutishness Plutarch that grave Moralist Lib. de Superstit stiles Irreligion a kind of stupor whereby men are as it were deprived of their senses And that it is an exceeding improper thing to ascribe true Reason to those who do not acknowledge and adore the Deity And Cicero that wise Philosopher and Orator De Nat. Deor. lib. 2. saith he can hardly think that man to be in his right mind who is destitute of Religion And again why should any one stile such an one a Man who by what he sees in the World is not convinced of a Deity and a Providence and of the Adoration which he owes to that Deity And the Satyrist * Juv. Sat. 15. speaking of Religion and the sense of divine things saith Separat hoc nos A grege multorum atque ideo venerabile soli Sortiti ingenium Divinorumque capaces 'T is this which doth distinguish us from brute Creatures that we have Souls capable of divine impressions So that such persons have no just pretence to Reason who renounce Religion or turn it into meer Scepticism But however some men for a little time may offer violence to their Reason and Conscience whilst they prosper in this World yet when they are once alarm'd by a violent Sickness or some other great affliction which at one time or other they shall be expos'd unto then will the sense of a Deity and of Eternal Wrath and Punishment seize upon them with so much the greater force and power which they shall never be able to shake off Hi sunt qui trepidant ad omnia fulgura pallent We may truly say of the Atheists of our times as Plato doth of Tyrants If any person could but see thorowly into their Souls he should find them all their lives full of fear guilt and torments Pectus inuste deformant maculae vitiisque inolevit Imago Doth now saith an excellent Author the conquest of Passions forgiving of Injuries doing good self-denial humility patience under crosses which are the real expressions of Piety speak nothing more noble and generous than a luxurious malicious proud and impatient Spirit Is there nothing more becoming and agreeable to the Soul of Man in exemplary Piety and a holy well-ordered conversation than in the lightness and vanity not to say rudeness and debauchery of those whom the World accounts the greatest Gallants Is there nothing more graceful and pleasing in the sweetness candor and ingenuity of a truly Christian temper and disposition than in the revengeful implacable Spirit of such whose honour is fed by the blood of
sensible of great defects in Nature and Reason THough the Heathen Philosophers and Moralists generally did ascribe too much to the Light of Nature and Reason yet the wisest of them after long experience were sadly sensible that this Candle at the best after all their snuffing did burn but dim Socrates than whom there was not a more prudent virtuous man amongst the Heathens doth so far complain of the weakness of his Candle-light i. e. his Intellectuals as that he tells us his lamp would shew him nothing but his own darkness and ignorance This only he knew that he was ignorant and knew nothing Other Philosophers besides him were deeply sensible of and groaned under these great decays and imperfections of natural light and reason You may hear them often complaining of a defluvium pennarum that the wings of the Soul flag and many of the feathers drop away One will tell you that his head his understanding akes another that his eye his reason is dimm'd a third that his Soul trembles with doubts and uncertainties As you heard Socrates the Master and the wisest man in Greece complaining of the languishings and faintings of natural light and reason so you may see Plato his Scholar sitting down by the waters of Lethe and weeping because he could not remember his former notions You may likewise hear Aristotle another of his Scholars bewailing his condition that his Abrasa tabula hath so few and such imperfect impressions upon it and that his Intellectuals are at so low an ebb that the motions of Euripus will pose and nonplus him And as for Zeno Epictetus and other famous Philosophers they confess ingeniously that they had not the right apprehension of things and that they were intangled with a spurious and adulterate kind of reason instead of that which is called right reason If you cast your Eye upon the most Eagle eyed Naturalist you will see him puzzled with an occult quality if you take a view of the exactest Moralist you will find him bewildred and at a great loss in his Morals not being able to attain to true peace and rest in his Soul by all these Virtues Shall these moral Heathens complain of their great defects and behindments and shall Christians pride themselves in their natural or moral improvements and set up the light and power of Nature and Reason as much or more than the light and power of Grace and Divine Revelation How unbecoming how unsutable is this to the glorious Gospel of Christ which clearly sets forth the corruption of Nature the natural man's subjection to Sin and Satan and the Curse of the Law and an absolute necessity of the new birth and regeneration Let not this Candle therefore which burns but dim aspire so high as to make it self equal with the Sun Salomon himself who had made many discoveries with this Candle of the Lord and had thereby search'd into the several veins of Knowledge into the hid Treasures of Wisdom into the depths of State Affairs and into the bowels and mysteries of Nature yet after much searching and a diligent improvement of his intellectual lamp he could not find the chiefest good in any of these or in all of them put together but as a man sufficiently wearied and tired out you may hear him complain that all is vanity and vexation of spirit and that there is no true rest in any thing under the Sun CHAP. V. Of them that give too little to the light of Reason SOme are so strangely prejudic'd against reason without reason that they would have no use at all made of it in Religious Concerns but utterly exclude it out of the Church of God Now this is an extreme which we should avoid and pray to be delivered from such unreasonable absurd men as will not in the least hearken to reason but fill our ears with noise and clamour to no purpose 2 Thess 3.2 First Those are to be blamed that cannot endure the name of reason in Discourses of Religion If you offer to make a Syllogism or a rational Discourse they will presently fall fowl upon you and cry it down as carnal reasoning If one man speak or write more reason than another if it cross some mens humours and interests he shall be term'd a Prudentialist if not a Conjurer or Magician He must needs be a dangerous man if he have better Intellectuals and more wisdom and understanding than others in matters Civil and Religious Secondly Such as wholly relye upon dreams and enthusiasms are Enemies to Reason and renounce their Intellectuals and Understandings Do they pretend to the Spirit of God! let them know that this Spirit is a sober wise and serious Spirit and doth not destroy the use of Reason but elevateth and raiseth up the rational faculties to a higher pitch than meer Nature can mount up to in His service It hath been truly observed both by the Ancient Fathers and our Modern Writers as a characteristical difference between the true prophetical Spirit and the false and counterfeit that the one leaves men in the free use and exercise of their reason and faculties but the other fills and distracts them with pannick fears tremblings and consternations both of body and mind Epiphanius and others discovering the folly and madness of Montanus and his followers gives this reason why they could be no true Prophets because in those that are so there is a great consistency of sense reason and discourse The true Prophet say they had always the free use of his reason and faculties and spake from the Spirit of God with consistency and coherence of discourse whereas it was quite otherwise with the Monatanists they were always trembling both in body and mind and used no consequence of reason in discourse their words had no proper sense but were all dark intricate and obscure Thirdly Those also are upon this extreme that hold an Annihilation or destruction of the Faculties of the Soul in the new spiritual Birth and Regeneration as if there were a new will and understanding not only for quality but for substance infused into us which is to take away our reason and unman us If there be any so absurd and irrational as would perswade us wholly to lay aside our reasons judgments and understandings in matters of Religion and not to make use of or ingage any of these in our Inquiries after things of a spiritual and supernatural concernment This is in effect to render us Bruitish and to extinguish that Candle which the Lord hath set up in our Souls wherewith we ought to search and try Spirits and Doctrines being enabled thereunto by the Spirit of God which reneweth strengthneth and raiseth the Rational faculties of Man's Soul but doth not destroy them Fourthly When Christians are members of a particular Society and will not be regulated by Reason in thing that are not contrary to the Word of God but are led more by humour and faction or by a worldly Interest than
subtilty of Antiochus Nero Dioclesian Julian the Apostate and other cruel and subtil Persecutors and notwithstanding that Egyptian darkness of Popery Error and Ignorance which overspread the World for some hundred years since Christ and his Apostles during which time these sacred Writings were laid aside and contemned and blind Ignorance extolled as the Mother of Devotion Fifthly The very Stile of the Scripture argues the divine Authority thereof By the Stile we do not understand the external superficies of words and phrases but the whole order contexture and frame thereof which fitly agreeth to the dignity of the speaker and the nature of the Argument treated of and is excellently and wisely tempered according to the capacity and condition of them for whose sake it was written Indeed every Prophet and Apostle almost had a peculiar Stile God making use of their several faculties and abilities Isaiah is Eloquent and sweet David affectionate Solomon Accurate Jeremiah vehement and more rough and so it may be said of the several Apostles and Evangelists that their Stile is somewhat different but all of them divine and Heavenly The Majesty and excellency of the Stile appears in that Majestick Title and dignity which the Author of the Holy Scriptures doth justly challenge to himself the which imports Independency of nature and essence Supereminency of power and soveraignty and excellency both of properties and works and is further displayed in the manner of teaching which is used in the Holy Scriptures commanding promising and threatning things above sense and reason In this Book there are hidden Mysteries divine and supernatural Truths such as exceed all humane capacity revealed unfolded without Argumentation or Rhetorical motives of perswasion and we are required to understand and beleive them relying only upon the Truth and credit of the Revealer God the great and absolute Soveraign requires in his word such and such things to be done such and such duties to be performed by the Sons of men with great strictness and severity and yet brings no argument to perswade or confirm the equity of these commands but only the will of the Commander which though it becomes not man to do yet it well becomes the Majesty of God In this Book also promises are made of good things to come whereof there is no humane probability nor reason given to assure us of the performance thereof but I the Lord have spoken it and I will do it In the manner of threatning also the like majesty and Soveraign Authority may be observed throughout the Scriptures which you shall not meet with in meer humane writings God commands and threatens without respect of persons be they what they will be 't is all one to him he prescribes his Laws to all men Magistrates and Rulers Schollers and Soldiers to whole Kingdoms and States commanding and requiring what is distastful to their fleshly nature and interest and forbidding what they approve and commend promising them not Earthly Honours and Riches but Life Eternal if they be obedient to the Gospel and threatning them not with Rack or Gibbet but with eternal Death and Torments if they disobey Neither let any man be offended with the low and humble manner of speech used in holy Scripture for it was penned for the use and benefit of the unlearned as well as the learned for those of weak parts as well as for those of strong parts and abilities And though the phrase or manner of speech be plain yet the matter is high and excellent profound and unutterable Plainness and perspicuity doth best become the truth A Pearl needs no painting True beauty needs not a whorish dress to set it forth nor needs the truth of God to be supported or underpropt with forraign aids for it is of it self sufficient to uphold and sustain it self It becomes not the Majesty of a Prince to play the Orator this would be more pedantick in him then in a person more inferior Though the Scripture seems to be plain in word and phrase yet it is great in power No writings of men be they never so well set forth with Wit Learning and Ornaments of Rhetorick can so enlighten the mind move the will pierce the heart and stir up the affections as the word of God doth Nor do the Scriptures want Eloquence if the matter be well weighed no other writing can equalize them The Song of Moses the beginning of the Prophesie of Isaiah and other portions of Scripture in variety and force of divine Eloquence do far exceed and transcendall other Authors Greek or Latine that are extant though never so excellently indited and penned yet it may be easily discerned that the one was written by a Divine the other by a humane Spirit Sixthly the wonderful powerful effects of this doctrine more then any other do clearly demonstrate even to an eye of reason the divine Authority thereof for it inlighteneth the understanding discovereth clearly the evil of sin and the vanity of the Creature converteth the Soul convinceth the gainsayer terrifieth the Conscience of a sinner quickeneth and reviveth the wounded Spirit manifesteth the thoughts of the heart man casteth down strong holds and the power of Satan and remains invincible notwithstanding all the opposition of men and devils for though the nature thereof be contrary to the will and wisdome of the flesh and world yet still it hath prevailed and overcome The enemies that have opposed this doctrine were many and mighty and subtil the Devil the Roman Emperor the learned Philosophers the zealous Jews and the common people being stirred up by them have with incredible fury and falshood and vigilancy endeavoured the utter abolition of it but could never do it This doctrine conquers where it comes either it converts or destroys its Adversaries And what manner of persons are they whom God chuseth as his Heralds and Embassadors to publish this doctrine are they great and many are they learned and wise are they potent and mighty in the world No no they are in number but few in outward appearance simple rude poor and weak despised of men things that are not in the judgment of men by these God hath confounded things that are and through their preaching the Cross of Christ hath subdued many Nations to himself in a little time a great part of this habitable world was converted and brought to the obedience of faith so that Paul filled all places from Jerusalem to Illyricum with the sound of the Gospel Nor is it to be forgotten that the Jews though wasted with many and great Slaughters and though they had and still have a desperate Enmity against Christ and the Christian Religion yet the Scriptures of the old Testament have alwayes remain'd safe and entire in their custodie even when the Hebrew language did lye almost unknown and had perished altogether had not God provided for the true Religion by the care of those Jews so that will they nill they they shall be instrumental
in maintaining and promoting the doctrine and kingdome of Christ Seventhly That sweet and admirable harmony and consent which is found in the sacred Scriptures cannot be rationally ascribed to any but to the Spirit of God and the divine wisdome each part agreeing so exactly with it self and with the whole which sufficiently appears by comparing the Prophesies of the old Testament touching Christ the calling of the Gentiles the reception of the Jews and other remarkable things with the accomplishment of them as the same is plainly declared and revealed in the new Testament Such exact consent and agreement as is here to be found is impossible to be feigned of men or Angels from whom the things foretold were hid till they were revealed Nor could there be forgery in these writings if we consider in a way of reason the length of time in which these writings have continued and been judg'd Authentick that they were not written in one or two but in many ages that there was a multitude of Books and of writers imployed in this Service and that these writers were distant in place one from another so that they could not confer together and withal if we consider the deep silence of the Adversaries who in all that long time whilst the Scripture was in writing could never detect any thing in those books as false or forged whose silence in this case is of great importance because they were eye witnesses of those things which our Saviour taught did and suffered according as it was prophesied of him so that they knew the prophesies saw the accomplishment of them and were acquainted with that which the Apostles had written Yea many or most of the things relating to Christ and his Apostles and the accomplishment of prophesies are mentioned and recorded in the writings of some heathen Authors that lived and wrote not long after those times If the Prophets and Apostles in their writings seem to dissent one from another for it is but a seeming not a real dissent in any circumstances this derogates nothing from their Authority for in themselves they differ not the fault is in our ignorance and misapprehension for by a right and just interpretation they may be easily reconciled and that dissonancy that seems to be amongst them in small things doth free them from all suspition of fraud and their sweet harmony and consent in all matters of importance may in reason convince us that they wrote by the guidance and direction of one and the same Spirit of truth If they had all written one thing they might seem superfluous if each had written a new History there could not have been such a full harmony and agreement when they relate the same story with the same circumstances they have their use and benefit one sometimes speaking more plainly then the other and when they agree in matter and only seem to dissent in some circumstances the truth is the more confirmed and an argument of fuller credit and certainty may be drawn out of that seeming dissent for as it is truly and wisely observed too exact diligence in every little circumstance is neither approved by all nor doth it want suspition There is in the holy Scripture as a learned man writing in defence of their Authority saith a Majestick kind of security under many seeming contradictions which yet neither the honour of their truth nor that harmony which they have in and with themselves do or shall at all suffer by Nor do the Scriptures stand to excuse and purge themselves as if there were any cause to suspect them of any contrariety or contradiction No they speak from place to place whatever they have a mind to say with that liberty and freedome as if there were nothing said by them elsewhere that either was like to suffer the least prejudice by it or to cast the least prejudice on it To that sweet agreement and consent that is in the holy Scripture with it self we may further add that it agreeth with all other truths whatsoever there is nothing true in Divinity which is false in true Philosophy nothing in Philosophy is repugnant to the truth in Divinity but it may be overthrown by the principles of right and true Philosophy which are and ought to be subject to Divinity Eightly The matter treated of in the Scripture is divine and wonderful which may convince us that it is the word of the eternal God it opens and reveals the greatest and most glorious Mysteries as the nature properties attributes and high acts of God and how he will be worshipped and adored It describes the person natures virtues and excellencies of Christ so fully so clearly that if the mind of man consider it attentively he must of necessity acknowledge that it doth far exceed the reach of a finite understanding and humane capacity it discovers to us the corruption and misery of man by nature the great and unparalled love of God in Jesus Christ towards lost man and the happy agreement of his infinite justice mercy and wisdome in ordaining Christ to be our Mediator and reveals the covenant of grace which God made with man after the fall for restoring him again to Gods favour All which can be derived from no other fountain but the Spirit of wisdome and Revelation 1 Cor. 2.7 8 9 10. Eph. 1.17 18. The Scripture also contains the law of God which teacheth the whole duty of man towards God and towards men in the precepts of Scripture there are divers notes of a divine power and wisdome as First The surpassing excellency of the acts required of us namely that we should deny our selves and conform our hearts and lives to the Image of the word of God Secondly the wonderful equity that doth appear in every Commandment Thirdly The admirable strangeness of some acts and duties as regeneration self-abasement the renouncing of our own righteousness and parting with all we have for Christ which a meer natural man would count foolishness and madness yet prescribed as necessary Fourthly The manner how obedience is required to be performed by us it must proceed from an inward spiritual principle even from a pure heart a good Conscience and faith unfeigned Fifthly The perfection of the holy law of God commanding and allowing all good and forbidding and condemning all sin and wickedness whatsoever in thought word and action not only the filthiness of the flesh but also the filthiness of the Spirit and that with reference to all persons times and places without exception binding the Conscience and reaching the very thoughts and secrets of the hearts of men And do not all these things which would fill a great Volume if I should treat of them at large clearly and convincingly set forth the divine Authority of the Scriptures so as we should acknowledge no other Author of those sacred writings but God himself for who can contrive these things but he who is infinite in power and wisdome who can give eternal life
Court of his own Conscience and in reference to his own faith and practice he should so examine and judge of the things that relate thereunto as to be fully perswaded in his own mind Rom. 14.5 He should so prove all things as to hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 Thus Christ in his infinite wisdome goodness and faithfulness hath given two sorts of judgment to his Church and people One publick belonging to an Assembly of Godly Pastors and Elders for of that which the Prophets teach let the Prophets judge and the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets The other is a more private personal judgment which concerns all the faithful who are to judge of what is taught and to try the Spirits in both these judgments we should remember that Christ hath committed nothing to the Church but the ministry of giving judgment for as touching the Soveraignty of Judgment and Authority it belongs only to him Councels may expound and declare the doctrine of the Scriptures but they have no power from Christ to make any new Doctrines or Articles of faith And every Christian ought in a rational way to judge of their determinations according to the word of God and not yeild blind obedience thereunto for this were to unchristian yea to unman himself Of this opinion are all the Protestant Churches in general and particularly the Church of England (k.) See Rogers on 39. Articles P. 103. who maintains that every sound member of the Church hath Authority from Christ to judge in controversies of faith and so to imbrace truth and avoid error The Church as a faithful witness should give Testimony of the Doctrine of Christ but ought not to judge the word nor to judge otherwise then Gods word judgeth General Councels consisting of men that are not infallible may err The things therefore that are ordained by general Councels do so far bind as they are Consonant to the word of God and no further for we are not to ground our faith upon them but only upon the Authority of Gods word Now that such a rational judgment or a judgment in foro interno as hath been asserted belongs to every Christian so as he may and ought to make use of his Reason in judging of the Doctrines of Religion and of Ecclesiastical Laws and determinations is thus proved and demonstrated First From those plain Texts of Scripture Take heed that no man deceive you Mat. 24.4 Prove all things and hold that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 Beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God 1 Joh. 4.1 He that is Spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man 1 Cor. 2.15 Which Texts together with many other that might be alledged do not only concern publick Ministers but also private Christians yea chiefly them as being most in danger to be seduced Secondly This hath been also the approved practice of the faithful thus to search the Scriptures and try the Spirits and exercise their Spiritual Senses that they might discern things that differ Heb. 5.14 The Bereans are counted more noble then others because they searched the Scriptures and tryed Pauls Doctrine by the Scriptures though he spake from an infallible Spirit Acts 17.11 The Church at Ephesus is commended for trying them that said they were Apostles and were not and finding them lyers and deceivers after tryal Rev. 2.2 And Christ tells us that his true Sheep will follow him for they know his voice but a stranger they will not follow but will flee from him Joh. 10.4 5. Now this they could not do unless they did exercise a rational judgment in matters of faith Thirdly Every Christian is to give an account of his faith and practice to God yea he should be alwayes ready to give an Answer to every man that asketh him a Reason of the hope which is in him 1 Pet. 3.15 But how can he do this rationally and understandingly without tryal and examination If he be found to embrace whatever his superiors shall impose upon him truly then the blind implicite faith of the Collier will serve well enough Is this according to the Scripture which tells us that we cannot truly believe unless we have knowledge That every man should be perswaded in his own mind concerning the things which he doth believe and practice and that whatsoever is not of faith is sin Fourthly How shall a Christian cleanse his heart and wayes but by taking heed thereto according to the word of God Psal 119.9 How shall he walk as a Child of light unless the word be a Lamp to his feet and a light to his paths Psal 119.105 How can he walk wisely and Circumspectly as he ought to do understanding what the will of God is as the Apostle speaks Ephes 5.17 if we do not allow him a judgment of discretion and discerning in matters of this nature that so he may try Spirits and Doctrines Fifthly were it the duty of a private Christian to receive all Doctrines that are proposed to him by his Superiors without tryal and examination then could not he be justly charged with sin and guilt who receiveth error in stead of truth from those that are above him in dignity and Authority but we find that this will not excuse him If the Blind lead the Blind both shall fall into the pit Luk. 6.39 and we are to fly from Strangers and not hearken to the words of those Prophets that speak the visions of their own hearts and not out of the mouth of the Lord Jer. 23.16 We must not believe every Spirit but beware of false Prophets and Seducers which no Christian can avoid upon good grounds unless he pass a rational judgment upon them and their Doctrines Why was Ephraim oppressed and broken in judgment but because he willingly walked after the Commandment of his Ruler and Governor corrupting the worship of God and did not impartially examine and judge of the same by the rule of Gods word Hos 5.11 Sixthly God hath furnished a Christian with abilities for this end with Reason as man he hath a reflexive faculty which Beasts have not he hath a rational understanding Soul which is the Candle of the Lord that enableth him to compare one thing with another and to deduce genuine inferences and conclusions from such premises as are laid down and propounded And then further God hath not only given his people the light of humane Reason and understanding as rational men but hath also infus'd into them a principle of divine light and knowledge as Christians to search and try the Doctrines of Religion whether they be true or false God hath given them a Spiritual unction or understanding as the Apostle speaks 1 John 2.27 Chap. 5.20 that they may know him who is truth it self and they need not that any man teach them but as this anointing teacheth them which is truth and is no lye If any man
far thy inferiour So may our Reason say to the blessed Word of God I am far inferiour to thee and have need to be regulated and reformed by thee and comest thou to me No no it is my greatest honour to submit my self to thee and thy Divine Authority Thirdly Upon this ground also mans Reason is denyed to be the Rule and Judge in matters of Faith because one man cannot prove infallibly to another man that his Reason is the right Reason in such a case He pretends Reason so do I A third man comes and pretends to as much Reason as either of us and experience shews that divers men yea good men have different Reasons and different apprehensions in many points of Religion Nor can a man be certain that this or that is the true meaning of a Text if he have nothing to assure him thereof but the appearance and probability of his own Reason for others that differ from him think they have and may really have as much or more Reason on their side then he Indeed if we compare our own Reason with the Reason and Authority of other men which have decreed thus and thus then must we give the preheminence to our own Reason when a clearer evidence is propounded and presented to our Reason for every one is to judge for himself with a judgment of discretion and discerning as hath been formerly proved and 't is unreasonable and absurd for a man to assent to a lesser evidence when a clearer evidence is propounded to him 'T is true there are not many that are well able to judge for themselves in the Controversies of Religion and therefore God hath provided spiritual Guides and Shepherds to go before them and help them but yet Christians must not resign up their wits and senses to follow them where-ever they go if they would lead us blindfold we should not put out our eyes to follow them but should rationally and impartially weigh and consider the grounds of their doctrine and practice Doth such a godly learned man tell you that this is firm ground you may go safe upon it And do you see it to be so by the eye of your Reason enlightened by the Spirit of God Then you may follow him as a man of judgment and understanding and not like a beast that is led he knows not whither and herein you have the advantage of his Reason and of your own too CHAP. XVI Of the difference between the meer rational and spiritual men and their knowledge and acts about spiritual things THe light of Reason should be made use of and improved by every Christian in searching the Scriptures and trying Spirits and Doctrines yet so as we must not confound the principles knowledge and operations of the natural man or meer rational man with the principles knowledge and operations of the spiritual man There is a twofold knowledge of spiritual things a natural or rational knowledge and a spiritual and supernatural knowledge The former is but Historical as when a man reads of such a Country in a History or sees it only in a Map at a great distance but was never there himself to take a full view of it and report the things that are there of his own certain knowledge The latter kind of knowledge is intuitive or a knowledge of spiritual vision beholding the things themselves in the light of Gods Spirit distinctly and at hand No Creature or created thing can go beyond its sphere or comprehend that which is beyond its capacity The vegetative creature cannot reach so far as the sensitive nor the sensitive so far as the rational nor can the meer rational creature comprehend that which the spiritual man doth Such as are alive to God and have spiritual union and conjunction with Christ the second Adam the quickening Spirit live and act from a higher principle and in another kind then meer natural or rational men do The soul of the natural man acts his body and the more he improves the light of reason the more rational and considerate he is in his actings and operations But the soul of the spiritual man is under the power of Gods Spirit and the glorious operations thereof and as far as Gods Spirit is above the spirit of man so far is the life of Grace or the life of the spiritual man above that of Nature 'T is true saith Luther (o) Luth. Com. on Gal. cap. 2. v. 20. that I live in the flesh but this life whatever it is I esteem as no life for indeed it is no true life but a shadow of life under that which another liveth that is to say Christ who is my true spiritual life which life thou seest not but only hearest and I feel as thou hearest the wind but knowest not from whence it comes or whither it goes even so thou seest me speaking eating walking sleeping and doing other things as other men do and yet thou seest not my true life This spiritual life which far transcends the meer natural or rational life must be discerned spiritually the spiritual man hath a white stone in which his name is written which none can read but himself He is the Son of God an Heir of Heaven therefore the world knows him not even as we know not the Sons of Princes were they amongst us who dwell in Countreys far remote from us but his life which now is hid with Christ in God shall fully appear when Christ appears in glory Col. 3.3 4. First Then the spiritual man hath Christ formed in him by the holy Ghost Christ is in him the hope of glory and he lives the life of Christ which a meer rational man doth not there is a spiritual supernatural principle or ability planted in him which still remains and abides and which differs much from natural habits for these are partly and sometimes wholly acquired by use and frequent practise whereas this spiritual principle is not gotten or acquired but infused nor can it be utterly lost as natural habits may but abides for ever John 14.16 Sometimes 't is called the Seed of God which shall grow up to perfection 1 John 3.9 Sometimes a Fountain yielding continual supplies of Grace John 4.14 sometimes from the Author from whom it is derived 't is called the life of Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 11. and sometimes the new birth or being regenerated and born again John 3.5 7. Doubtless it is a most powerful spiritual principle which raiseth and elevateth the soul far above natural strength and reason Those Creatures that have no higher principles and faculties then sense use them sensually but as for man who enjoyes the fame faculties under the command of a reasonable Soul he useth them rationally but when he is new born and becomes a spiritual man those faculties of the understanding will and affections which when they had no other command but Reason had no more but rational operations being now governed and acted by the Spirit of
Christ they work spiritually Hence he is said to be led by the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit and after the Spirit Gal. 5.18 25. Rom. 8.1 Secondly This divine Principle this new spiritual Birth and Regeneration is more then the improvement of the most excellent natural or rational abilities for it being infused and wrought in the soul of man by the mighty Power of God and the invincible operation of the holy Ghost this argues that man or the reasonable Creature is meerly passive in his first receiving this spiritual supernatural life and thus much the very phrases of Scripture import that as we are passive in our first Creation or Generation so we are passive in our Renovation or regeneration Ephes 2.1 5 10. 1 Pet. 1.3 23. John 3.3 5. Gal. 6.15 Indeed if it were no more but the improving of something which we had in us before or the strengthening only of that which was weak in us then man himself might co-opperate with the Spirit of Christ in producing this new Birth but seeing it is the infusing or planting of a divine Principle which was not at all before in the rational Creature man must needs be passive in the first work of regeneration Nature being corrupted can do nothing unless it be to hinder and oppose this work for it is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 At the best Nature is but the matter which is renewed or new formed and matter as we all know can have no operation at all and therefore it is rightly termed a supernatural work or a work beyond Nature (p) See Mr. White on the Scriptures cap. 7. of the Spiritual Mans Acts. Thirdly Man being thus passive in his spiritual renovation or new Creation 't is impossible for him with all his Reason to discover how and after what manner it is first wrought in him as it is impossible for one to know how he receives his own life though he may discern some terrors of Conscience and consternation of spirit in himself as preparatories thereunto and may also understand the motions and operations that are performed by him after his regeneration for then his spirit or the principle of his reason and understanding being renewed and sanctified works together with the Spirit of Christ yet as to the first act of ingenerating and receiving Grace the same being wrought in him not by him yea and that in an instant and not by degrees it cannot be discerned how and in what manner it is wrought either by natural Reason for that cannot spiritually understand spiritual things or by spiritual sense and experience for that flows from spiritual life already received and therefore cannot discern what was done before it had any being at all The giving of spiritual life and the giving of the sense of it to Christians are two distinct acts of the Spirit of God which seldom or never go together in an ordinary way This heavenly mystery of regeneration is beyond the understanding and capacity of a meer rational man as Christs words to Nicodemus and his words to Christ again do import John 3.3 4 5 6 9 10 11 12. Fourthly The spiritual mans acts and operations do far transcend the acts and operations of the natural or meer rational man both in reference to things natural or the things of this life which the one apprehendeth and useth in a meer natural or rational manner the other after a holy and spiritual manner and for a spiritual end and more especially in reference to things spiritual as the unsearchable Treasures and Riches of Christ and the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel such spiritual things are apprehended and used by the natural man carnally for he knows Christ only after the flesh as on the contrary outward and carnal things are apprehended and used by the spiritual man spiritually but much more those things that are spiritual in their own nature 1 Cor. 2.15 which he may be said to apprehend and receive spiritually in respect of the object or that which is spiritual in the object by a spiritual light and judgment beyond the natural light of Reason and in a spiritual supernatural way Now this is more then any natural or meer rational man though never so much improved can attain unto by the Principles of Reason Fifthly The meer rational man and the spiritual man both living under the means of Grace and both of them believing differ much in the nature and effects of their Faith as they do in their knowledge of spiritual things The Faith of the spiritual man is a true justifying Faith grounded and built upon a divine testimony but the Faith of the meer rational man is but temporary or historical First They proceed from different causes and principles the one being infused by the Spirit of Christ dwelling and abiding in the spiritual man the other being the effect only of natural Reason further enlightned and improved at the most by some common operations and assistances of the Spirit of God in the Ministry and Ordinances of the Gospel which a Reprobate may partake of Heb. 6.4 5 1. Secondly They are found in divers subjects Ttrue effectual Faith is only found in persons that are truly regenerate born of God and partakers of the divine nature John 5.24 and 3.5 1 John 5.1 But historical or temporary Faith may be in such as have no root no seed of God abiding in them such as are not born of God for these are both one in Scripture Luke 8.13 1 John 3.9 Thirdly There is that spiritual evidence and certainty in the faith of the one which is not in the faith of the other True divine Faith so apprehends spiritual and heavenly things as having a real being in the Promise of God though they have no subsistence as yet in themselves Heb. 11.1 Rom. 4.17 John 8.56 Heb. 11.27 Now this Faith which is the evidence and demonstration of things that are invisible to the outward Senses makes no use in its spiritual sight or apprehension either of Sense or Reason not of Sense for things invisible cannot be the object of Sense nor of Reason which in this case can help but little more then Sense seeing it receives information by Sense from whence it gathers things by way of discourse which indeed may convince a man that things are but can give him no evidence or demonstration of the things themselves what they are in their own nature Hence it is that when a man comprehends things by Reason he may be able by discourse of Reason to inform another man of that which he knows and by that means may cause him to understand it as well as himself but he that apprehends spiritual things themselves as the true Believer or Spiritual man doth cannot by discourse of Reason make another man that is a stranger to what he enjoyes understand what he himself seeth feeleth and tasteth But as for historical Faith or that Faith which is in the meer rational man it
of an inward complacency Whoever surfeited of rational joy Sensitive pleasures ingratiate themselves by intermission Voluptates commendat rarior usus whereas all intellectuals heighten and advance themselves by frequent and constant operations The pleasures of the body do but emasculate and dispirit the soul they do not at all satisfie it but rational pleasure raiseth and cheers the soul and oyls the very members of the body making them more free and nimble nay speculative delights will compensate the want of sensitive pleasures Hence it was that a Philosopher put out his eyes that he might be the more intent upon his study he shut his windows close that the Candle might shine the more clearly within Amongst all mental operations reflex acts tast pleasure best for without some reflection men cannot tell whether they rejoyce or no Now these acts are the most distant and remote from sense and are the highest advancements of Reason Indeed sensitive pleasures make more noise and crackling like thorns under a pot whereas mental intellectual delights like the touches of a Lute make the sweetest and yet the stillest and softest musick of all Intellectual vexations and troubles have most sting in them for a wounded Conscience who can bear why then should not intellectual delights have most honey and sweetness in them Sensitive pleasures are very costly and chargeable there must be much preparation and attendance much plenty and variety if a man will enjoy them 'T is too dear for every one to be an Epicure or Sensualist but the pleasure of the mind doth freely and equally diffuse it self we need not pay any thing for it if we can but love and imbrace it As for sensitive and corporal pleasures a sick man cannot relish them nor an old man imbrace them a Crown of Rose-buds becomes not a grey head nor a grave Senator but the pleasure of the mind is a delight most fit for a Senator for a Cato 't is an undecaying a growing pleasure 't is the only pleasure upon the bed of sickness and the staff for old age to lean upon when all other pleasures forsake a man the mind of him that has the Gout may delight it self and make musick whilst the body is in pain A moral Philosopher was so affected with the rational intellectual delights of the Soul when out of the body in another World that he breaks out into these expressions There saith he shall I have the pleasure of seeing all my Friends again there I shall have the pleasure of more enobled acts of Reason there shall I tast the so much long'd for sweetness of another world Now if Philosophers and Moralists have been so much affected with meer rational delights how much more should Christians prize and be affected with those spiritual supernatural and heavenly delights and pleasures which are revealed in the Gospel and which eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath entred into the heart of a meer rational man With God is fulness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore Here are the best and chiefest delights and pleasures which contain the very quintessence of all other delights Seneca could say Hoc habet animus Argumentum divinitatis quod eum divina delectant This is an Argument of the Souls Immortality that it is delighted with divine and spiritual things Indeed the spiritualiz'd Soul of a Saint by the perfect enjoyment of God comes near the pleasure of God himself If that small tast which we have of God and spiritual pleasures here in this life bringeth much joy and satisfaction to the Soul far beyond all meer rational delights and Philosophical pleasures how great will the delights and pleasures of the Saints be in their most happy and glorious vision and contemplation of God in Heaven when they shall behold him face to face and know him as they are known of him whereas here they see him but darkly as in a glass and through a cloud CHAP. XIX Shewing that the light of Reason and much more the light of Faith fortifies men against the excessive fear of death ALthough there be a far more excellent way then that of reason and morality to overcome the fear of death namely by Faith in the death and resurrection and victory of Christ O death I will be thy death O grave I will be thy victory Blessed be God who hath given us victory through Jesus Christ Yet we find that the improvement of the light of Reason and moral Vertues in some Heathens have tended much to the composing of their spirits and the allaying of their passions in their greatest sufferings and when their immortal Souls were about to forsake their mortal bodies The wisest and most rational amongst them have dyed with most composedness and serenity of spirit Concerning Death The Reason of a man Arguments drawn from the light of Reason against the fear of death will suggest these and the like Considerations to him First That a wise man should not be like the inconsiderate vulgar sort of people that are of cowardly ignoble spirits and afraid to dye nor should he be led by opinion but by judgment in this matter No man knows what death is that he should fear it and there is no reason that he should fear a thing whereof he is wholly ignorant and therefore Socrates the wisest man amongst the Philosophers when he was about to dye by the sentence of the Magistrates speaks thus to his Friends That to fear death is to make shew of greater understanding and sufficiency then can be in a man by seeming to know that which no man knoweth And being sollicited by his Friends at his death to plead before the Judges for his life and in the justification of himself made this Oration to them If I should plead for my life saith he and desire you that I may not dye I doubt I may speak against my self and desire my own loss and hindrance because I know not what it is to dye nor what good or ill there is in death They that fear to dye presume to know it As for my self I am utterly ignorant what it is or what is done in the other World Perhaps death is a thing indifferent perhaps a good thing and to be desired Those things that I know to be evil as to offend my Neighbour I fly and avoid those that I know not to be evil as death I cannot fear and therefore I commit my self to you and because I cannot know whether it is more expedient for me to dye or not to dye determine you thereof as you shall think good Secondly That a man should continually torment himself with the fear of death argues great weakness and pusillanimity There is scarce a Woman though she be the weaker vessel but in a few dayes she will be pacified and contented with the death of her Husband or Child And why should not Reason and Wisdom in Man effect that in an hour which
Authority of the sacred Scriptures proved by Reason Page 97 1. Because no other or better Revelation of Gods Will can be produced 2. The Old Testament hath been throughout all Ages witnessed to and wonderfully preserved by the Jews 3. The whole universal Church of Christ have all along witnessed the Divine Authority of the Old and New Testament even to the death 4. God hath confirmed the Authority thereof by great and strange Miracles from Heaven 5. The Scriptures are the most antient and authentical of any writing 6. The stile order contexture and frame of the Scripture shew the Divine Authority thereof 7. Another Reason is taken from the wonderful powerful effects of the Doctrine of the Scriptures 8. From the admirable harmony and consent thereof 9. The matter treated of therein is divine and wonderful Here are mentioned five notes of a Divine Power 10. The end which the Scriptures aim at is divine and heavenly CHAP. XIII Of the use of Reason in the interpreting of Scripture and judging of Controversies Page 110 1. Here is a discovery of the unreasonableness of the Popish implicite Faith and blind Obedience 2. Their Doctrine of Transubstantiation is made apppear 1. To be against Sense 2. Against Reason 3. Against Faith 3. 'T is also shewed that there is a twofold Judgment in matters of Religion one in foro publico another in foro privato 4. That every private Christian ought to make use of his Reason and to exercise a Judgment of discretion in trying Spirits and Doctrines This is proved by six cogent Arguments Objections against this tenet and practise answered CHAP. XIV Of the Internal testimony of the Holy Ghost proving the Divine Authority of the Scriptures Page 123 1. It is here shewed that this Testimony is more satisfactory to the Conscience then all other proofs 2. That a Christians Faith should be ultimately and finally resolved into the Testimony of the Holy Ghost and not into the Testimony of the Church which is but humane 3. The Popish Circle is described and the Protestant Doctrine herein vindicated 4. Some Rules and Cautions concerning the Testimony of the Spirit are here propounded to prevent mistakes CHAP. XV. Shewing when Reason is rightly used and when abused to the prejudice of the Spirits Testimony in the Scriptures Page 133 1. Reason is the Organ which lets into the Soul the Light of Faith 2. It being overpowered by the Spirit of God sees the greatest reasonableness in the Truths and Wayes of Christ 3. Reason is exceeding useful in maintaining the Doctrine of Christ 4. Nevertheless we should not make Reason the Judge in Divine matters nor subject the Authority of the Scriptures to our Reason as Socinians do Three Arguments against it CHAP. XVI Of the difference betwixt the meer rational and spiritual man and their Acts about spiritual things Here is shewed Page 142 1. That the Spiritual man hath Christ formed in him and lives the life of Christ which the meer rational man doth not 2. That the divine Principle which acts the Spiritual man is more then the improvement of the most excellent natural and rational abilities 3. That man is passive in the new spiritual Birth and cannot by all his Reason discern how this spiritual life is wrought 4. How and wherein the spiritual Mans Acts and Operations do far transcend the meer rational Mans. 5. They differ in the nature and effects of their Faith in reference to Christ and the Promises in five Particulars CHAP. XVII Proving that none can be saved by the meer improvement of the Light of Reason Page 152 1. Divers of the Fathers and some modern Writers have err'd in this Point 2. Four things are laid down for the better opening of it God might reveal his Son if he so pleased in an extraordinary way to some Heathens 3. It is proved by nine Arguments that no rational moral Heathen can be saved without faith in Christ as Mediator One or two material Objections answered CHAP. XVIII Of rational and intellectual delights Here is shewed Page 16â— 1. That every being chuseth to it self some kind of pleasure As 1. God who is the chiefest Being 2. The Angels 3. Men that have rational Souls 4. The sensitive Creatures 2. In what particulars the delights of Reason and of the Mind do far excel the pleasures of the Body CHAP. XIX Shewing that Reason and much more Faith doth fortifie a man against the excessive fear of death Page 172 1. Here are eight Considerations drawn from Reason against the slavish fear of death 2. Seven Arguments are also drawn from Faith in the Word of God against the fear of death 3. The famous sayings of some dying Christians are mentioned CHAP. XX. That humane Reason and the due exercise thereof is a great mercy Page 187 1. This is opened in some particulars 2. It is here shewed that man who hath a reasonable Soul is wonderfully made like a curious piece of Embroydery 1. In respect of his Body and the members thereof 2. In respect of his rational Soul wherein Man far excels other Creatures Five things mentioned relating to the excellency of the reasonable Soul 3. In respect of his new spiritual Birth and participation of the Divine nature CHAP. XXI A Recapitulation of particulars touching the use of humane Reason and Knowledge in reference to the Christian Religion Page 195 1. Here are five Considerations premised 2. The excellency and use of humane Reason and Knowledge is particularly held forth As 1. Some that have been famous Instruments in the Church of God have abounded therein 2. The Penmen of the holy Scriptures make use of it 3. It helps us to understand the Grammatical literal sense and the Chronology and Prophesies of Scripture 4. It 's useful for convincing Heathens and Infidels 5. In trying Spirits and Doctrines comparing Scripture with Scripture 6. As a passive qualification of the subject for Faith and Repentance in which case there must be a Principle of Reason CHAP. XXII How and in what respects Reason comes short and is abused in Divine things Page 206 1. Reason cannot discover the mystery of the Trinity Incarnation of Christ c. 2. Nor the sinfulness and corruption of mans heart and nature 3. It cannot prescribe the true worship of God 4. Nor enable us perfectly to perform natural and civil Actions without the general assistance of God 5. Our assent to the Gospel should be the assent of Faith and not of meer Reason 6. The Scripture and not Reason is the Rule for a Christian to walk by in spiritual matters he must be crucified to his Reason Here is also shewed in six particulars when and wherein humane Reason and Knowledge is abused and so becomes dangerous to the Christian Religion