Seeing no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son revealeth him; Mat. xi. 27. and seeing the revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit; therefore the testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true knowledge of God hath been, is, and can be only revealed; who as, by the moving of his own Spirit, he converted the chaos of this world into that wonderful order wherein it was in the beginning, and created man a living soul, to rule and govern it, so by the revelation of the same Spirit he hath manifested himself all along unto the sons of men, both patriarchs, prophets, and apostles; which revelations of God by the Spirit, whether by outward voices, and appearances, dreams, or inward objective manifestations in the heart, were of old the formal object of their faith, and remain yet so to be; since the object of the saints' faith is the same in all ages, though set forth under divers administrations. Moreover, these divine inward revelations, which we make absolutely necessary for the building up of true faith, neither do nor can ever contradict the outward testimony, of the scriptures, or right and sound reason. Yet from hence it will not follow, that these divine revelations are to be subjected to the examination, either of the outward testimony of the scriptures, or of the natural reason of man, as to a more noble or certain rule or touchstone: for this divine revelation, and inward illumination, is that which is evident and clear of itself, forcing, by its own evidence and clearness, the well-disposed understanding to assent, irresistibly moving the same thereunto; even as the common principles of natural truths move and incline the mind to a natural assent: as, that the whole is greater than its part; that two contradictory sayings cannot be both true, nor both false; which is also manifest, according to our adversaries' principle, who (supposing the possibility of inward divine revelations) will nevertheless confess with us, that neither scripture nor sound reason will contradict it: and yet it will not follow, according to them, that the scripture, or sound reason, should be subjected to the examination of the divine revelations in the heart.

From these revelations of the Spirit of God to the saints, have proceeded the scriptures of truth, which contain, 1. A faithful historical account of the actings of God's people in divers ages, with many singular and remarkable providences attending them. 2. A prophetical account of several things, whereof some are already past, and some yet to come. 3. A full and ample account of all the chief principles of the doctrine of Christ, held forth in divers precious declarations, exhortations, and sentences, which, by the moving of God's Spirit, were at several times, and uponsundry occasions, spoken and written unto some churches and their pastors: nevertheless, because they are only a declaration of the fountain, and not the fountain itself, therefore they are not to be esteemed the principal ground of all truth and knowledge, nor yet the adequate primary rule of faith and manners. Nevertheless, as that which giveth a true and faithful testimony of the first foundation, they are and may be esteemed a secondary rule, subordinate to the Spirit, from which they have all their excellency and certainty; for as by the inward testimony of the Spirit we do alone truly know them, so they testify, that the Spirit is that guide by which the saints, are led into all truth: John xvi. 13. Rom. viii. 14. therefore, according to the scriptures, the Spirit is the first and principal leader. And seeing we do therefore receive and believe the scriptures, because they proceeded from the Spirit; therefore also the Spirit is more originally and principally the rule, according to that received maxim in the schools, Propter quod unumquodque est tale, illud ipsum est magis tale. Englished thus: That for which, a thing is such, that thing itself is more such.

All Adam's posterity (or mankind) both Jews and Gentiles, Rom. v. 12, 15. as to the first Adam or earthly man, is fallen, degenerated, and dead, deprived of the sensation or feeling of this inward testimony or seed of God, and is subject unto the power, nature, and seed of the serpent, which he sows in men's hearts, while they abide in this natural and corrupted state; from whence it comes, that not their words and deeds only, but all their imaginations are evil perpetually in the sight of God, as proceeding from this depraved and wicked seed. Man therefore, as he is in this state, can know nothing aright; yea, his thoughts and conceptions concerning God and things spiritual, until he be disjoined from this evil seed, and united to the divine light, are unprofitable both to himself and others: hence are rejected the Socinian and Pelagian errors, in exalting a natural light; as also of the Papists, and most Protestants, who affirm, That man, without the true grace of God, may be a true minister of the gospel. Nevertheless, this seed is not imputed to infants, until by transgression they actually join themselves therewith; for they are by nature the children of wrath, who walk according to the power of the prince of the air. Eph. ii. 1.

FIFTH AND SIXTH PROPOSITIONS.

Concerning the Universal Redemption by Christ, and also the Saving and Spiritual Light, wherewith every man is enlightened.

THE SEVENTH PROPOSITION.

Concerning Justification.

As many as resist not this light, but receive the same, in them is produced an holy, pure, and spiritual birth, bringing forth holiness, righteousness, purity, and all these other blessed fruits which are acceptable to God; by which holy birth (to wit, Jesus Christ formed within us, and working his works in us) as we are sanctified, so are we justified in the sight of God, according to the apostle's words, 1 Cor. vi. 11. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Therefore it is not by our works wrought in our will, nor yet by good works, considered as of themselves, but by Christ, who is both the gift and the giver, and the cause producing the effects in us; who, as he hath reconciled us while we were enemies, doth also in his wisdom save us, and justify us after this manner, as with the same apostle elsewhere, According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Tit. iii. 5.

THE EIGHTH PROPOSITION.

Concerning Perfection.

In whom this holy and pure birth is fully brought forth, the body of death and sin comes to be crucified and removed, and their hearts united and subjected unto the truth, so as not to obey any suggestion or temptation of the evil one, but to be free from actual sinning, and transgressing of the law of God, and in that respect perfect. Yet doth this perfection still admit of a growth; and there remaineth a possibility of sinning, where the mind doth not most diligently and watchfully attend unto the Lord. Rom. vi. 14., Id. viii. 13., Id. vi. 2.,18.
1 John iii. 6.

THE NINTH PROPOSITION.

Concerning Perseverance, and the possibility of falling from Grace.

Although this gift, and inward grace of God, be sufficient to work out salvation, yet in those in whom it is resisted, it both may and doth become their condemnation. Moreover, in whom it hath wrought in part, to purify and sanctify them, in order to their further perfection, by disobedience such may fall from it, and turn it to wantonness, making shipwreck of faith; and after having tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, again fall away. 1 Tim. i. 6.,
Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6. Yet such an increase and stability in the truth may in this life, be attained, from which there cannot be a total apostacy.

THE TENTH PROPOSITION.

Concerning the Ministry.

As by this gift, or light of God, all true knowledge in things spiritual is received and revealed; so by the same, as it is manifested and received in the heart by the strength and power thereof; every true minister of the gospel is ordained, prepared and supplied in the work of the ministry: and by the leading, moving, and drawing hereof, ought every evangelist and Christian pastor to be led and ordered in his labour and work of the gospel, both as to the place where, as to the persons to whom, and as to the times when he is to minister. Moreover, those who have this authority may and ought to preach the gospel, though without human commission or literature; as on the other hand, those who want the authority of this divine gift, however learned or authorized by the commissions of men and churches, are to be esteemed but as deceivers, and not true ministers of the gospel. Also, who have received this holy and unspotted gift, as they have freely received, so are they freely to give, Mat. x. 8. without hire or bargaining, far less to use it as a trade to get money by it: yet if God hath called any from their employments, or trades, by which they acquire their livelihood, it may be lawful for such (according to the liberty which they feel given them in the Lord) to receive such temporals (to wit, what may be needful to them for meat and clothing) as are freely given them by those to whom they have communicated spirituals.

THE ELEVENTH PROPOSITION.

Concerning Worship.

All true and acceptable worship to God is offered in the inward and immediate moving and drawing of his own Spirit, which is neither limited to places, times, or persons; for though we be to worship him always, in that we are to fear before him, yet as to the outward signification thereof in prayers, praises, or preachings, we ought not to do it where and when we will, but where and when we are moved thereunto by the secret inspirations of his Spirit in our hearts, which God heareth and accepteth of, and is never wanting to move us thereunto, when need is, of which he himself is the alone proper judge. All other worship then, both praises, prayers, and preachings, which man sets about in his own will, and at his own appointment, which he can both begin and end at his pleasure, do or leave undone as himself sees meet, whether they be a prescribed form, as a liturgy, or prayers conceived extemporarily, by the natural strength and faculty of the mind, they are all but superstitions, will-worship, and abominable idolatry in the sight of God; which are to be denied, rejected, and separated from, in this day of his spiritual arising: however it might have pleased him (who winked at the times of ignorance, with respect to the simplicity and integrity of some, and of his own innocent seed, which lay as it were buried in the hearts of men, under the mass of superstition) to blow upon the dead and dry bones, and to rake some breathings, and answer them, and that until the day should more clearly dawn and break forth. Ezek. 13., Mat. x. 20, Acts ii. 4.; xviii. 5., John iii. 6.; iv. 21., Jude xix., Acts xvii. 23.

THE THIRTEENTH PROPOSITION.

Concerning the Communion, or Participation of the Body and Blood of Christ.

The communion, of the body and blood of Christ is inward and spiritual, 1 Cor. x. 16, 17. which is the participation of his flesh and blood, by which the inward man John vi. 32, 33, 35., 1 Cor. v. 8. is daily nourished in the hearts of those in whom Christ dwells; of which things the breaking of bread by Christ with his disciples was a figure, which they even used in the church for a time, who had received the substance, for the cause of the weak; even as abstaining from things strangled and from blood; the washing one another's feet; and the anointing of the sick with oil; all which are commanded with no less authority and solemnity than the former; yet seeing they are but the shadows of better things, they cease in such as have obtained the substance. Acts xv. 20., John xiii. 14, James v. 14

THE FIFTEENTH PROPOSITION.

Concerning Salutations and Recreations, &c.

Eph. v. 11., 1 Pet. i. 14., John v. 44., Jer. x. 3., Acts x. 26., Mat. xv. 13., Col. ii. 8. Seeing the chief end of all religion is to redeem man from the spirit and vain conversation of this world and to lead into inward communion with God, before whom, if we fear always, we are accounted happy; therefore all the vain customs and habits thereof, both in word and deed, are to be rejected and forsaken by those who come to this fear; such as the taking off the hat to a man, the bowings and cringings of the body, and suchother salutations of that kind, with all the foolish and superstitious formalities attending them; all which man has invented in his degenerate state, to feed his pride in the vain pomp and glory of this world; as also the unprofitable plays, frivolous recreations, sportings and gamings, which are invented to pass away the precious time, and divert the mind from the witness of God in the heart, and from the living sense of his fear, and from that evangelical Spirit wherewith Christians ought to be leavened, and which leads into sobriety, gravity, and godly fear; in which, as we abide, the blessing of the Lord is felt to attend us in those actions in which we are necessarily engaged, in order to the taking care for the sustenance of the outward man.

PROPOSITION I.

Concerning the true Foundation of Knowledge.

Seeing the height of all happiness is placed in the true knowledge of God, (This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent,) the true and right understanding of this foundation and ground of knowledge, is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place. John xvii. 3

HE that desireth to acquire any art or science, seeketh first those means by which that art or science is obtained. If we ought to do so in things natural and earthly, how much more then in spiritual? In this affair then should our inquiry be the more diligent, because he that errs in the entrance is not so easily brought back again into the right way; he that misseth his road from the beginning of his journey, and is deceived in his first marks, at his first setting forth, the greater his mistake is, the more difficult will be his entrance into the right way.

The way to the true knowledge of God Thus when a man first proposeth to himself the knowledge of God, from a sense of his own unworthiness, and from the great weariness of his mind, occasioned by the secret checks of his con-science, and the tender, yet real glances of God's light upon his heart; the earnest desires he has to be redeemed from his present trouble, and the fervent breathings he has to be eased of his disordered passions and lusts, and to find quietness and peace in the certain knowledge of God, and in the assurance of his love and good-will towards him, make his heart tender, and ready to receive any impression; and so (not having then a distinct discerning) through forwardness embraceth any thing that brings present ease. If either through the reverence he bears to certain persons, or from the secret inclination to what doth comply with his natural disposition, he fall upon any principles or means, by which he apprehends he may come to know God, and so doth centre himself, it will be hard to remove him thence again, how wrong soever they may be: for the first anguish being over, he becomes more hardy; and the enemy being near, creates a false peace, and a certain confidence, which is strengthened by the mind's unwillingness to enter again into new doubtfulness, or the former anxiety of a search.

Jewish Doctors and Pharisees resist Christ. This is sufficiently verified in the example of the Pharisees and Jewish Doctors, who most of all resisted Christ, disdaining to be esteemed ignorant; for this vain opinion they had of their knowledge hindered them from the true knowledge; and the mean people, who were not so much pre-occupied with former principles, nor conceited of their own knowledge, did easily believe. Wherefore the Pharisees upbraid them, saying, Have any of the Rulers or Pharisees believed on him? But this people, which know not the law, are accursed. John vii. 48, 49 This is also abundantly proved by the experience of all such, as being secretly touched with the call of God's grace unto them, do apply themselves to false teachers, where the remedy proves worse than the disease; because instead of knowing God, or the things relating totheir salvation aright, they drink in wrong opinions of him; from which it is harder to be disentangled, than while the soul remains a blank, or Tabula rasa. For they that conceit themselves wise, are worse to deal with than they that are sensible of their ignorance. Nor hath it been less the device of the devil, the great enemy of mankind, to persuade men into wrong notions of God, than to keep them altogether from acknowledging him; the latter taking with few, because odious; but the other having been the constant ruin of the world: for there hath scarce been a nation found, but hath had some notions or other of religion; so that not from their denying any Deity, but from their mistakes and misapprehensions of it, hath proceeded all the idolatry and superstition of the world; yea, hence even atheism itself hath proceeded: for these many and various opinions of God and religion, being so much mixed with the guessings and uncertain judgments of men, have begotten in many the opinion, That there is no God at all. This, and much more that might be said, may show how dangerous it is to miss in this first step: All that come not in by the right door, are accounted as thieves and robbers.

Again, how needful and desirable that knowledge is, which brings life eternal, Epictetus showeth, Epictetus saying excellently well, cap. 38. ἴθι ὅτι τὸ Κυριώτατον, &c. Know, that the main foundation of piety is this, to have ὀρθας ὑπολήψεις, right opinions and apprehensions of God.

This therefore I judged necessary, as a first principle, in the first place, to affirm; and I suppose will not need much farther explanation or defence, as being generally acknowledged by all (and in these things that are without controversy I love to be brief) as that which will easily commend itself to every man's reason and conscience; and therefore I shall proceed to the next proposition; which,though it be nothing less certain, yet by the malice of satan, and ignorance of many, comes far more under debate.

PROPOSITION II.

Of Immediate Revelation.

Mat. xi. 27 Seeing no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son revealeth him; and seeing the revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit; therefore the testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true knowledge of God hath been, is, and can be only revealed; who as, by the moving of his own Spirit, he disposed the chaos of this world into that wonderful order in which it was in the beginning, and created man a living soul, to rule and govern it, so by the revelation of the same Spirit he hath manifested himself all along unto the sons of men, both patriarchs, prophets, and apostles; which revelations of God by the Spirit, whether by outward voices and appearances, dreams, or inward objective manifestations in the heart, were of old the formal object of their faith, and remain yet so to be; since the object of the saints' faith is the same in all ages, though held forth under divers administrations. Moreover, these divine inward revelations, which we make absolutely necessary for the building up of true faith, neither do nor can ever contradict the outward testimony of the scriptures, or right and sound reason. Yet from hence it will not follow, that these divine revelations are to be subjected to the test, either of the outward testimony of the scriptures, or of the natural reason of man, as to a more noble or certain rule and touchstone; for this divine revelation, and inward illumination, is that which is evident and clear of itself, forcing, by its own evidence and clearness, the well-disposed understanding to assent, irresistibly moving the same thereunto, even as the common principles of natural truths do move and incline the mind to a natural assent: as, that the whole is greater than its part; that two contradictories can neither be both true, nor both false.

Revelation rejected by apostate Christians. §. I. It is very probable, that many carnal and natural Christians will oppose this proposition; who, being wholly unacquainted with the movings and actings of God's Spirit upon their hearts, judge the same nothing necessary; and some are apt to flout at it as ridiculous; yea, to that height are the generality of Christians apostatized and degenerated, that though there be not any thing more plainly asserted, more seriously recommended, or more certainly attested, in all the writings of the holy scriptures, yet nothing is less minded and more rejected by all sorts of Christians, than immediate and divine revelation; insomuch that once to lay claim to it is matter of reproach. Whereas of old none were ever judged Christians, but such as had the Spirit of Christ, Rom. viii. 9. But now many do boldly call themselves Christians, who make no difficulty of confessing they are without it, and laugh at such as say they have it. Of old they were accounted the sons of God, who were led by the Spirit of God, ibid. ver. 14. But now many aver themselves sons of God, who know nothing of this leader; and he that affirms himself so led, is, by the pretended orthodox of this age, presently proclaimed a heretic. The reason hereof is very manifest, viz. Because many in these days, under the name of Christians, do experimentally find, that they are not actuated nor led by God's Spirit; yea, many great doctors, divines, teachers, and bishops of Christianity, (commonly so called,) have wholly shut their ears from hearing, and their eyes from seeing, this inward guide, and so are become strangers unto it; whence they are, by their own experience, brought to this strait, either to confess that they are as yet ignorant of God, and have only the shadow of knowledge and not the true knowledge of him, or that this knowledge is acquired without immediate revelation.

Knowledge spiritual and literal distinguished. For the better understanding then of this proposition, we do distinguish betwixt the certain knowledge of God, and the uncertain; betwixt the spiritual knowledge and the literal; the saving heart-knowledge, and the soaring airy head-knowledge. The last, we confess, may be divers ways obtained; but the first, by no other way than the inward immediate manifestation and revelation of God's Spirit, shining in and upon the heart, enlightening and opening the understanding.

§. II. Having then proposed to myself, in these propositions, to affirm those things which relate to the true and effectual knowledge which brings life eternal with it, therefore I have truly affirmed that this knowledge is no otherways attained, and that none have any true ground to believe they have attained it, who have it not by this revelation of God's Spirit.

The certainty of which truth is such, that it hath been acknowledged by some of the most refined and famous of all sorts of professors of Christianity in all ages; who being truly upright-hearted, and earnest seekers of the Lord, (however stated under the disadvantages and epidemical errors of their several sects or ages,) the true seed in them hath been answered by God's love, who hath had regard to the good, and hath had of his elect ones among all; who finding a distaste and disgust in all other outward means, even in the very principles and precepts more particularly relative to their own forms and societies, have at last concluded, with one voice, that there was no true knowledge of God, but that which is revealed inwardly by his own Spirit. Whereof take these following testimonies of the ancients.

Aug. ex Tract. Ep. Job. 3. 1. "It is the inward master (saith Augustine) that teacheth, it is Christ that teacheth, it is inspiration that teacheth: where this inspiration and unction is wanting, it is in vain that words from without are beaten in." - And thereafter: "For he that created us, and redeemed us, and called us by faith, and dwelleth in us by his Spirit, unless he speaketh unto us inwardly, it is needless for us to cry out."

Clem Alex. 1.1. Strom. 2. "There is a difference (saith Clemens Alexandrinus) betwixt that which any one saith of the truth, and that which the truth itself, interpreting itself, saith. A conjecture of truth differeth from the truth itself; a similitude of a thing differeth from the thing itself; it is one thing that is acquired by exercise and discipline; and another thing which, by power and faith." Lastly, the same Clemens saith, "Truth is neither hard to be arrived at, nor is it impossible to apprehend it; for it is most nigh unto us, even in our houses, as the most wise Moses hath insinuated." PÆdag.

Tertullianus Lib. de veland. Virginibus cap. 1. 3. "How is it (saith Tertullian) that since the devil always worketh, and stirreth up the mind to iniquity, that the work of God should either cease, or desist to act? Since for this end the Lord did send the Comforter, that because human weakness could not at once bear all things, knowledge might be by little and little directed, formed, and brought to perfection, by the holy Spirit, that vicar of the Lord. I have many things yet (saith he) to speak unto you, but ye cannot as yet bear them; but when that Spirit of truth shall come, he shall lead you into all truth, and shall teach you these things that are to come. But of this his work we have spoken above. What is then the administration of the Comforter, but that discipline be directed, and the scriptures revealed? &c."

Hierom. Ep. Paulin. 103. 4. "The law (saith Hierom) is spiritual, and there is need of a revelation to understand it." And in hisEpistle 150. to Hedibia, Quest. 11. he saith, "The whole Epistle to the Romans needs an interpretation, it being involved in so great obscurities, that for the understanding thereof we need the help of the holy Spirit, who through the apostle dictated it."

Athanasius de Incarn. Verbi Dei. 5. "So great things (saith Athanasius) doth our Saviour daily: he draws unto piety, persuades unto virtue, teaches immortality, excites to the desire of heavenly things, reveals the knowledge of the Father, inspires power against death, and shows himself unto every one."

Greg. Mag. Hom. 30. upon the Gospel. 6. Gregory the Great, upon these words [He shall teach you all things] saith, "That unless the same Spirit is present in the heart of the hearer, in vain is the discourse of the doctor; let no man then ascribe unto the man that teacheth, what he understands from the mouth of him that speaketh; for unless he that teacheth be within, the tongue of the doctor, that is without, laboureth in vain."

Cyril. Alex. in Thesauro lib. 13. c. 3. 7. Cyrillus Alexandrinus plainly affirmeth, "That men know that Jesus is the Lord by the holy Ghost, no otherwise, than they who taste honey know that it is sweet, even by its proper quality."

Bernard in Psal. 84. 8. "Therefore (saith Bernard) we daily exhort you, brethren, that ye walk the ways of the heart, and that your souls be always in your hands, that ye may hear what the Lord saith in you." And again, upon these words of the apostle, [Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord,] "With which threefold vice (saith he) all sorts of religious men are less or more dangerously affected, because they do not so diligently attend, with the ears of the heart, to what the Spirit of truth, which flatters none, inwardly speaks."

This was the very basis, and main foundation, upon which the primitive reformers built.

Luther. tom. 5. p. 76. Luther, in his book to the nobility of Germany, saith, "This is certain, that no man can make himself a teacher of the holy scriptures, but the holy Spirit alone." And upon the Magnificat he saith,"No man can rightly know God, or understand the word of God, unless he immediately receive it from the Holy Spirit; neither can any one receive it from the Holy Spirit, except he find it by experience in himself; and in this experience the Holy Ghost teacheth, as in his proper school; out of which school nothing is taught but mere talk."

Phil. Melancthon. Philip Melancthon, in his annotations upon John vi. "Those who hear only an outward and bodily voice, hear the creature; but God is a Spirit, and is neither discerned, nor known, nor heard, but by the Spirit; and therefore to hear the voice of God, to see God, is to know and hear the Spirit. By the Spirit alone God is known. By the Spirit alone God is known and perceived. Which also the more serious to this day do acknowledge, even all such who satisfy themselves not with the superficies of religion, and use it not as a cover or art. Yea, all those who apply themselves effectually to Christianity, and are not satisfied until they have found its effectual work upon their hearts, redeeming them from sin, do feel that no knowledge effectually prevails to the producing of this, but that which proceeds from the warm influence of God's Spirit upon the heart, and from the comfortable shining of his light upon their understanding."

Dr. Smith of Cambridge, concerning book divinity. And therefore to this purpose a modern author, viz. Dr. Smith of Cambridge, in his select discourses, saith well; " To seek our divinity merely in books and writings, is to seek the living among the dead; we do but in vain many times seek God in these, where his truth is too often not so much enshrined as entombed. Intra te quoere Deum, Seek God within thine own soul. He is best discerned νοερᾶ ἐπαφῆ (as Plotinus phraseth it) by an intellectual touch of him. We must see with our eyes, and hear with our ears, and our hands must handle the word of life, (to express it in St. John's words,) ἕςι και ψυχῆς ἅιθησις τις, &c. The soul itself hath its sense as well as the body. And thereforeDavid, when he would teach us to know what the divine goodness is, calls not for speculation, but sensation: Taste, and see how good the Lord is. That is not the best and truest knowledge of God which is wrought out by the labour and sweat of the brain, but that which is kindled within us, by an heavenly warmth in our hearts." And again: "There is a knowing of the truth as it is in Jesus, as it is in a Christ-like nature; as it is in that sweet, mild, humble, and loving Spirit of Jesus, which spreads itself, like a morning sun, upon the souls of good men, full of light and life. It profits little to know Christ himself after the flesh; but he gives his Spirit to good men, that searcheth the deep things of God." And again: "It is but a thin airy knowledge that is got by mere speculation, which is ushered in by syllogisms and demonstrations; but that which springs forth from true goodness, is θειότερὸν τι πάσης ὐποδέιξεως (as Origen speaks,) It brings such a divine light into the soul, as is more clear and convincing than any demonstration.

Apostacy and a false knowledge introduced. §. III. That this certain and undoubted method of the true knowledge of God hath been brought out of use, hath been none of the least devices of the devil, to secure mankind to his kingdom. For after the light and glory of the Christian religion had prevailed over a good part of the world, and dispelled the thick mists of the heathenish doctrine of the plurality of gods, he that knew there was no probability of deluding the world any longer that way, did then puff man up with false knowledge of the true God; setting him on work to seek God the wrong way, and persuading him to be content with such a knowledge as was of his own acquiring, and not of God's teaching. And this device hath proved the more successful, because accommodated to the natural and corrupt spirit and temper of man, who above all things affects to exalt himself; in which exaltation, as God is greatly dishonoured, so therein the devil hath his end; who is not anxious how much God is acknowledged in words, provided himself be but always served; he matters not how great and high speculations the natural man entertains of God, so long as he serves his own lusts and passions, and is obedient to his evil suggestions and temptations. Christianity is become an art, acquired by human science and industry. Thus Christianity is become as it were an art, acquired by human science and industry, like any other art or science; and men have not only assumed the name of Christians, but even have procured themselves to be esteemed as masters of Christianity by certain artificial tricks, though altogether strangers to the spirit and life of Jesus. But if we make a right definition of a Christian, according to the scripture, That he is one who hath the Spirit and is led by it, how many Christians, yea, and of these great masters and doctors of Christianity, so accounted, shall we justly divest of that noble title?

If those therefore who have all the other means of knowledge, and are sufficiently learned therein, whether it be the letter of the scripture, the traditions of churches, or the works of creation and providence, whence they are able to deduce strong and undeniable arguments, (which may be true in themselves,) are not yet to be esteemed Christians, according to the certain and infallible definition above mentioned; and if the inward and immediate revelation of God's Spirit in the heart, in such as have been altogether ignorant of some, and but very little skilled in others, of these means of attaining knowledge, hath brought them to salvation; then it will necessarily and evidently follow, that inward and immediate revelation is the only sure and certain way to attain the true and saving knowledge of God. By revalation is the true knowledge of God.

But the first is true: therefore the last.

Now as this argument doth very strongly conclude for this way of knowledge, and against suchas deny it, so in this respect it is the more to be regarded, as the propositions from which it is deduced are so clear, that our very adversaries cannot deny them. For as to the first it is acknowledged, that many learned men may be, and have been, damned. And as to the second, who will deny but many illiterate men may be, and are, saved? Nor dare any affirm, that none come to the knowledge of God and salvation by the inward revelation of the Spirit, without these other outward means, unless they be also so bold as to exclude Abel, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Job, and all the holy patriarchs from true knowledge and salvation.Abel, Seth, Noah, &c. instanced.

§IV. I would however not be understood, as if hereby I excluded those other means of knowledge from any use or service to man; it is far from me so to judge, as concerning the scriptures, in the next proposition, will more plainly appear. The question is not, what may be profitable or helpful, but what is absolutely necessary. Many things may contribute to further a work, which yet are not the main thing that makes the work go on.

The sum then of what is said amounts to this That where the true inward knowledge of God is, through the revelation of his Spirit, there is all; neither is there an absolute necessity of any other. But where the best, highest, and most profound knowledge is, without this, there is nothing, as to the obtaining the great end of salvation. This truth is very effectually confirmed by the first part of the proposition itself, which in few words comprehendeth divers unquestionable arguments, which I shall in brief subsume.

I. First, That there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son.

II. Secondly, That there is no knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit.

III. Thirdly, That by the Spirit, God hath always revealed himself to his children.

IV. Fourthly, That these revelations were the formal object of the saints' faith.

V. And Lastly, That the same continueth to be the object of the saints' faith to this day.

Of each of these I shall speak a little particularly, and then proceed to the latter part.

Assert. 1. proved. §V. As to the first, viz. That there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son, it will easily be proved, being founded upon the plain words of scripture, and is therefore a fit medium from whence to deduce the rest of our assertions.

For the infinite and most wise God, who is the foundation, root, and spring of all operation, hath wrought all things by his eternal Word and Son. John i. 1,2,3. This is that WORD that was in the beginning with God, and was God, by whom all things were made; and without whom was not any thing made that was made. Eph. iii. 9. This is that Jesus Christ by whom God created all things, by whom, and for whom, all things were created, that are in heaven and in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, Col. i. 16 who therefore is called, The first born of every creature, Col. i. 15.As then that infinite and incomprehensible fountain of life and motion operateth in the creatures by his own eternal word and power, so no creature has access again unto him but in and by the Son, according to his own express words, No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him, Mat. xi. 27.Luke x. 22. And again, he himself saith, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me, John xiv. 6.

Hence he is fitly called, The Mediator betwixt God and man: for, having been with God from all eternity, being himself God, and also in time partaking of the nature of man, through him is the goodness and love of God conveyed to mankind, and by him again man receiveth and partaketh of these mercies.

Hence is easily deduced the proof of this first assertion, thus:

If no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him, then there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son.

But, no man knoweth the Father but the Son.

Therefore there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son.

The first part of the antecedent are the plain words of scripture: the consequence thereof is undeniable; except one would say, that he hath the knowledge of the Father, while yet he knows him not; which were an absurd repugnance.

Again, if the Son be the way, the truth, and the life, and that no man cometh unto the Father, but by him; then there is no knowledge of the Father but by the Son.

But the first is true: therefore the last.

The antecedent are the very scripture words: the consequence is very evident: for how can any know a thing, who useth not the way, without which it is not knowable? But it is already proved, that there is no other way but by the Son; so that whoso uses not that way, cannot know him, neither come unto him.

Asser. 2. proved. § VI. Having then laid down this first principle, I come to the second, viz. That there is no knowledge of the Son but by the Spirit; or, That the revelation of the Son of God is by the Spirit.

Where it is to be noted, that I always speak of the saving, certain, and necessary knowledge of God; which that it cannot be acquired otherways than by the Spirit, doth also appear from many clear scriptures. For Jesus Christ, in and by whom the Father is revealed, doth also reveal himself to his disciples and friends in and by his Spirit. As his manifestation was outward, when he testified and witnessed for the truth in this world, and approved himself faithful throughout, sobeing now withdrawn, as to the outward man, he doth teach and instruct mankind inwardly by his own Spirit; He standeth at the door and knocketh, and whoso heareth his voice and openeth, he comes in to such, Rev. iii. 20. Of this revelation of Christ in him Paul speaketh, Gal. i. 16. in which he placeth the excellency of his ministry, and the certainty of his calling. And the promise of Christ. to his disciples, Lo, I am with you to the end of the world, confirmeth the same thing; for this is an inward and spiritual presence, as all acknowledge: but what relates hereto will again occur. I shall deduce the proof of this proposition from two manifest places of scripture: the first is, 1 Cor. ii. 11, 12. Proof I. What man knoweth 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. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things which are freely given us of God. The things of God are known by the Spirit of God. The apostle in the verses before, speaking of the wonderful things which are prepared for the saints, after he hath declared that the natural man cannot reach them, adds, that they are revealed by the Spirit of God, ver. 9, 10. giving this reason, For the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God. And then he bringeth in the comparison, in the verses above-mentioned, very apt, and answerable to our purpose and doctrine, that as the things of a man are only known by the spirit of man, so the things of God are only known by the Spirit of God; that is, that as nothing below the spirit of man (as the spirit of brutes, or any other creatures) can properly reach unto or comprehend the things of a man, as being of a nobler and higher nature, so neither can the spirit of man, or the natural man, as the apostle in the 14th verse subsumes, receive nor discern the things of God, or the things that are spiritual, as being also of an higher nature: which the apostle himself gives for the reason, saying, Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. So that the apostle's words, being reduced to an argument, do very well prove the matter under debate, thus:

If that which appertaineth properly to man, cannot be discerned by any lower or baser principle than the spirit of man; then cannot those things, that properly relate unto God and Christ, be known or discerned by any lower or baser thing than the Spirit of God and Christ.

But the first is true: therefore also the second.

The whole strength of the argument is contained in the apostle's words before-mentioned; which therefore being granted, I shall proceed to deduce a second argument, thus:

That which is spiritual can only be known and discerned by the Spirit of God.

But the revelation of Jesus Christ, and the true and saving knowledge of him, is spiritual:

Therefore the revelation of Jesus Christ, and the true and saving knowledge of him, can only be known and discerned by the Spirit of God.

Proof II. No man can call Jesus Lord &c. The other scripture is also a saying of the same apostle, 1 Cor. xii. 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. This scripture, which is full of truth, and answereth full well to the enlightened understanding of the spiritual and real Christian, may perhaps prove very strange to the carnal and pretended follower of Christ, by whom perhaps it hath not been so diligently remarked. Spiritual truths are lies spoken by carnal men. Here the apostle doth so much require the Holy Spirit in the things that relate to a Christian, that he positively avers, we cannot so much as affirm Jesus to be the Lord without it; which insinuates no less, than that the spiritual truths of the gospel are as lies in the mouths of carnal and unspiritual men; for though in themselves they be true, yet are they not true as to them, because not known, noruttered forth in and by that principle and spirit that ought to direct the mind and actuate it; in such things they are no better than the counterfeit representations of things in a comedy; neither can it be more truly and properly called a real and true knowledge of God and Christ, than the actions of Alexander the Great, and Julius Caesar, &c. if now transacted upon a stage, might be called truly and really their doings, or the persons representing them might be said truly and really to have conquered Asia, overcome Pompey, &c.

Like the prattling of a parrot. This knowledge then of Christ, which is not by the revelation of his own Spirit in the heart, is no more properly the knowledge of Christ, than the prattling of a parrot, which has been taught a few words, may be said to be the voice of a man; for as that, or some other bird, may be taught to sound or utter forth a rational sentence, as it hath learned it by the outward ear, and not from any living principle of reason actuating it; so just such is that knowledge of the things of God, which the natural and carnal man hath gathered from the words or writings of spiritual men, which are not true to him, because conceived in the natural spirit, and so brought forth by the wrong organ, and not proceeding from the spiritual principle; no more than the words of a man acquired by art, and brought forth by the mouth of a bird, not proceeding from a rational principle, are true with respect to the bird which utters them. Wherefore from this scripture I shall further add this argument:

If no man can say Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost; then no man can know Jesus to be the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

But the first is true: therefore the second.

From this argument there may be another deduced, concluding in the very terms of this assertion: thus,

If no man can know Jesus to be the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, then there can be no certain knowledge or revelation of him but by the Spirit.

But the first is true: therefore the second.

Assert. 3. proved. § Vll. The third thing affirmed is, That by the Spirit God always revealed himself to his children.

For making the truth of this assertion appear, it will be but needful to consider God's manifesting himself towards and in relation to his creatures from the beginning, which resolves itself always herein. The first step of all is ascribed hereunto by Moses, Gen. i. 2. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. That revelation is by the Spirit of God. I think it will not be denied, that God's converse with man, all along from Adam, to Moses, was by the immediate manifestation of his Spirit: and afterwards, through the whole tract of the law, he spake to his children no otherways; which, as it naturally followeth from the principles above proved, so it cannot be denied by such as acknowledge the scriptures of truth to have been written by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost: for these writings, from Moses to Malachi, do declare, that during all that time God revealed himself to his children by his Spirit.

Object. But if any will object, That after the dispensation of the law God's method of speaking was altered;

Ans. Sanctum Sanctorum. I answer: First, That God spake always immediately to the Jews, in that he spake always immediately to the High-Priest from betwixt the Cherubims; who, when he entered into the Holy of Holies, returning, did relate to the whole people the voice and will of God, there immediately revealed. So that this immediate speaking never ceased in any age.

Secondly, from this immediate fellowship were none shut out, who earnestly sought after and waited for it; in that many, besides the High- Priest, who were not so much as of the kindred of Levi, nor of the prophets, did receive it and speak from it; as it is written, Numb. xi. 25 where the Spirit is said to have rested upon the seventy elders; which Spirit also reached unto two that were not in the tabernacle, but in the camp; whom when some would have forbidden, Moses would not, but rejoiced, wishing that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that he would put his Spirit upon them, ver. 29. None shut out from this immediate fellowship.

This is also confirmed Neh. ix. where the elders of the people, after their return from captivity, when they began to sanctify themselves by fasting and prayer, numbering up the many mercies of God towards their fathers, say, verse 20. Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them; and verse 30. Yet many years didst thou forbear, and testify against them by thy Spirit in thy prophets. Many are the sayings of spiritual David to this purpose, as Psalm li. 11, 12. Take not thy holy Spirit from me; uphold me with thy free Spirit. Psal. cxxxix. 7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Hereunto doth the prophet Isaiah ascribe the credit of his testimony, saying, chap. xlviii. 16. And now the Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me. And that God revealed himself to his children under the New Testament, to wit, to the apostles, evangelists, and primitive disciples, is confessed by all. How far now this yet continueth, and is to be expected, comes hereafter to be spoken to.

Assert. 4. §. VIII. The fourth thing affirmed is, That these revelations were the object of the saints' faith of old.

Proved. What faith is. This will easily appear by the definition of faith, and considering what its object is: for which we shall not dive into the curious and various notions of the school-men, but stay in the plain and positive words of the apostle Paul, who, Heb. xi. describes it two ways. Faith (saith he) is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen: which, as the apostle illustrateth it in the same chapter by many examples, is no other but a firmand certain belief of the mind, whereby it resteth, and in a sense possesseth the substance of some things hoped for, through its confidence in the promise of God: and thus the soul hath a most firm evidence, by its faith, of things not yet seen nor come to pass. The object of faith, Deus loquens. The object of this faith is the promise, word, or testimony of God, speaking in the mind. Hence it hath been generally affirmed, that the object of faith is Deus loquens, &c. that is, God speaking, &c. which is also manifest from all those examples deduced by the apostle throughout that whole chapter, whose faith was founded neither upon any outward testimony, nor upon the voice or writing of man, but upon the revelation of God's will, manifest unto them, and in them; as in the example of Noah, ver. 7. thus, By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Noah's faith. What was here the object of Noah's faith, but God speaking unto him? He had not the writings nor prophesyings of any going before, nor yet the concurrence of any church or people to strengthen him; and yet his faith in the word, by which he contradicted the whole world, saved him and his house. Abraham's faith. Of which also Abraham is set forth as a singular example, being therefore called the Father of the Faithful, who is said against hope to have believed in hope, in that he not only willingly forsook his father's country, not knowing whither he went; in that he believed concerning the coming of Isaac, though contrary to natural probability; but above all, in that he refused not to offer him up, not doubting but God was able to raise him from the dead; of whom it is said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called. And last of all, in that he rested in the promise, that his seed should possess the land, wherein he himself was but a pilgrim, and which to them was not to befulfilled while divers ages after. The object of Abraham's faith in all this was no other but inward and immediate revelation, or God signifying his will unto him inwardly and immediately by his Spirit.

But because, in this part of the proposition, we made also mention of external voices, appearances, and dreams in the alternative, I think also fit to speak hereof, what in that respect may be objected; to wit,

Object. That those who found their faith now upon immediate and objective revelation, ought to have also outward voices or visions, dreams or appearances for it:

Answ. The ministry of angels speaking in the appearance of men to the saints of old. It is not denied but God made use of the ministry of angels, who, in the appearance of men, spake outwardly to the saints of old, and that he did also reveal some things to them in dreams and visions; none of which we will affirm to be ceased, so as to limit the power and liberty of God in manifesting himself towards his children. But while we are considering the object of faith, we must not stick to that which is but circumstantially and accidentally so, but to that which is universally and substantially so.

Next again, we must distinguish betwixt that which in itself is subject to doubt and delusion, and therefore is received for and because of another; and that which is not subject to any doubt, but is received simply for and because of itself, as being prima veritas, the very first and original truth. Let us then consider how or how far these outward voices, appearances, and dreams were the object of the saints' faith: was it because they were simply voices, appearances, or dreams? Revelations by dreams and visions. Nay, certainly; for they were not ignorant, that the devil might form a sound of words, convey it to the outward ear, and deceive the outward senses, by making things to appear that are not. Yea, do we not see by daily experience, that the jugglers and mountebanks can do as much as all that by their legerdemain? God forbid then that the saints' faith should be founded upon so fallacious a foundation as man's outward and fallible senses. What made them then give credit to these visions? Certainly nothing else but the secret testimony of God's Spirit in their hearts, assuring them that the voices, dreams, and visions were of and from God. Abraham believed the angels; but who told him that these men were angels? We must not think his faith then was built upon his outward senses, but proceeded from the secret persuasion of God's Spirit in his heart. This then must needs be acknowledged to be originally and principally the object of the saints' faith, without which there is no true and certain faith, and by which many times faith is begotten and strengthened without any of these outward or visible helps; as we may observe in many passages of the holy scripture, where it is only mentioned, And God said, &c. And the word of the Lord came unto such and such, saying, &c.

Object. But if any one should pertinaciously affirm, That this did import an outward audible voice to the carnal ear;

Answ. The Spirit speaks to the spiritual ear, not to the outward. I would gladly know what other argument such an one could bring for this his affirmation, saving his own simple conjecture. It is said indeed, The Spirit witnesseth with our Spirit; but not to our outward ears, Rom. viii. 16. And seeing the Spirit of God is within us, and not without us only; it speaks to our spiritual, and not to our bodily ear. Therefore I see no reason, where it is so often said in scripture, The Spirit said, moved, hindered, called such or such a one, to do or forbear such or such a thing, that any have to conclude, that this was not an inward voice to the ear of the soul, rather than an outward voice to the bodily ear. If any be otherwise minded, let them, if they can, produce their arguments, and we may further consider of them.

From all therefore which is above declared, I shall deduce an argument to conclude the proof of this assertion, thus:

That which any one firmly believes, as the ground and foundation of his hope in God, and life eternal, is the formal object of his faith.

But the inward and immediate revelation of God's Spirit, speaking in and unto the saints, was by them believed as the ground and foundation of their hope in God, and life eternal.

Therefore these inward and immediate revelations were the formal object of their faith.

Assert. 5. proved. §. IX. That which now cometh under debate, is what we asserted in the last place, to wit, That the same continueth to be the object of the saints' faith unto this day. Many will agree to what we have said before, who differ from us herein.

There is nevertheless a very firm argument, confirming the truth of this assertion, included in the proposition itself, to wit, That the object of the saints' faith is the same in all ages, though held forth under divers administrations; which I shall reduce to an argument, and prove thus:

First, Where the faith is one, the object of the faith is one.

But the faith is one: Therefore, &c.

That the faith is one; are the express words of the apostle, Eph. iv. 5. who placeth the one faith with the one God; importing no less, than that to affirm two faiths is as absurd as to affirm two Gods.

The faith of the saints of old the same with ours. Moreover, if the faith of the ancients were not one and the same with ours, i. e. agreeing in substance therewith, and receiving the same definition, it had been impertinent for the apostle, Heb. xi. to have illustrated the definition of our faith by the examples of that of the ancients, or to go about to move us by the example of Abraham, if Abraham's faith were different in nature from ours. Nor doth any difference arise hence, because they believed in Christ with respect to his appearance outwardly as future, and we, as already appeared: for neither did they then so believe in him to come, as not to feel him present with them, and witness him near; seeing the apostle saith, They all drank of that spiritual rock which followed them, which rock was Christ; nor do we so believe concerning his appearance past, as not also to feel and know him present with us, and to feed upon him; except Christ (saith the apostle) be in you, ye are reprobates; so that both our faith is one, terminating in one and the same thing. And as to the other part or consequence of the antecedent, to wit, That the object is one where the faith is one, the apostle also proveth it in the fore-cited chapter, where he makes all the worthies of old examples to us. Now wherein are they irritable, but because they believed in God? And what was the object of their faith, but inward and immediate revelation, as we have before proved? Their example can be no ways applicable to us, except we believe in God, as they did; that is, by the same object. The apostle clears this yet further by his own example, Gal. i. 16. where he saith, So soon as Christ was revealed in him, he consulted not with flesh and blood, but forthwith believed and obeyed. The same apostle, Heb. xiii. 7, 8. where he exhorteth the Hebrews to follow the faith of the elders, adds this reason, Considering the end of their conversation, Jesus Christ, the same to-day, yesterday, and forever: Hereby notably insinuating, that in the object there is no alteration.

Object. If any now object the diversity of administration;

Answ. I answer; That altereth not at all the object: for the same apostle mentioning this diversity three times, 1 Cor. xii. 4, 5, 6. centereth always in the same object; the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God.

But further; If the object of faith were not one and the same both to us and to them, then it would follow that we were to know God some other way than by the Spirit.

But this were absurd: Therefore, &c.

Lastly, This is most firmly proved from a common and received maxim of the school-men, to wit, Omnis actus specificatur ab objecto, Every act is specified from its object: from which, if it be true, as they acknowledge, (though for the sake of many I shall not recur to this argument, as being too nice and scholastic, neither lay I much stress upon those kind of things, as being that which commends not the simplicity of the gospel,) it would follow, that if the object were different, then the faith would be different also.

Such as deny this proposition now-a-days use here a distinction; granting that God is to be known by his Spirit, but again denying that it is immediate or inward, but in and by the scriptures; in which the mind of the Spirit (as they say) being fully and amply expressed, we are thereby to know God, and be led in all things.

As to the negative of this assertion, That the scriptures are not sufficient, neither were ever appointed to be the adequate and only rule, nor yet can grade or direct a Christian in all those things that are needful for him to know, we shall leave that to the next proposition to be examined. What is proper in this place to be proved is, That Christians now are to be led inwardly and immediately by the Spirit of God, even in the same manner (though it befall not many to be led in the same measure) as the saints were of old.

Christians are now to be led by the Spirit, in the same manner as the saints of old. §. X. I shall prove this by divers arguments, and first from the promise of Christ in these words, John xiv. 16. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. Ver. 17. Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. Again, ver. 26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance. And xvi. 13. But when the Spirit of truth shall come, he shall lead you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear he shall speak, and shall declare unto you things to come. We have here first, who this is, and that is divers ways expressed, to wit, The Comforter, the Spirit of truth, the Holy Ghost, the sent of the Father in the name of Christ. And hereby is sufficiently proved the sottishness of those Socinians, and other carnal Christians, who neither know nor acknowledge any internal Spirit or power but that which is merely natural; by which they sufficiently declare themselves to be of the world, who cannot receive the Spirit, because they neither see him nor know him. Secondly, Where this Spirit is to be, He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. And Thirdly, What his work is, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, and guide you into all truth, ὅδηγήσει ὑμας εἰς ωᾶσαν τήν ἀληθειαν.

Query 1. Who is this Comforter? As to the First, Most do acknowledge that there is nothing else understood than what the plain words signify; which is also evident by many other places of scripture that will hereafter occur; neither do I see how such as affirm otherways can avoid blasphemy: for, if the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, and Spirit of truth, be all one with the scriptures, then it will follow that the scriptures are God, seeing it is true that the Holy Ghost is God. Nonsensical consequences from the Socinians' belief of the scriptures being the Spirit. If these men's reasoning might take place, wherever the Spirit is mentioned in relation to the saints, thereby might be truly and properly understood the scriptures; which, what a nonsensical monster it would make of the Christian religion, will easily appear to all men. As where it is said, A manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal; it might be rendered thus, A manifestation of the scriptures is given to every man to profit withal; what notable sense this would make, and what a curious interpretation, let us consider by the sequel of the same chapter, 1 Cor. xii. 9, 10, 11. To another the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles, &c. But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. What would now these great masters of reason, the Socinians, judge, if we should place the scriptures here instead of the Spirit? Would it answer their reason, which is the great guide of their faith? Would it be good and sound reason in their logical schools, to affirm that the scripture divideth severally as it will, and giveth to some the gift of healing, to others the working of miracles? If then this Spirit, a manifestation whereof is given to every man to profit withal, be no other than that Spirit of truth before-mentioned which guideth into all truth, this Spirit of truth cannot be the scripture. I could infer an hundred more absurdities of this kind upon this sottish opinion, but what is said may suffice. For even some of themselves, being at times forgetful or ashamed of their own doctrine, do acknowledge that the Spirit of God is another thing, and distinct from the scriptures, to guide and influence the saints.

Query 2. Where is his Place? Secondly, That this Spirit is inward, in my opinion needs no interpretation or commentary, He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. This indwelling of the Spirit in the saints, as it is a thing most needful to be known and believed, so is it as positively asserted in the scripture as any thing else can be. If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you, saith the apostle to the Romans, chap. viii. 9. And again, Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. vi. 19. And that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Cor. iii. 16. Without this the apostle reckoneth no man a Christian. If any man (saith he) have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. These words immediately follow those above-mentioned out of the epistle to the Romans, But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you. The Spirit within, the main token of a Christian. The context of which showeth, that the apostle reckoneth it the main token of a Christian, both positively and negatively: for in the former verses he showeth how the carnal mind is enmity against God, and that such as are in the flesh cannot please him. Where subsuming, he adds concerning the Romans, that they are not in the flesh, if the Spirit of God dwell in them. What is this but to affirm, that they in whom the Spirit dwells are no longer in the flesh, nor of those who please not God, but are become Christians indeed? Again, in the next verse he concludes negatively, that If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his; that is, he is no Christian. He then that acknowledges himself ignorant and a stranger to the inward inbeing of the Spirit of Christ in his heart, doth thereby acknowledge himself to be yet in the carnal mind, which is enmity to God; to be yet in the flesh, where God cannot be pleased; and in short, whatever he may otherways know or believe of Christ, or however much skilled or acquainted with the letter of the holy scripture, not yet to be, notwithstanding all that, attained to the least degree of a Christian; yea, not once to have embraced the Christian religion. For take but away the Spirit, and Christianity remains no more Christianity, than the dead carcase of a man, when the soul and spirit is departed, remains a man; which the living can no more abide, but do bury out of their sight, as a noisome and useless thing, however acceptable it hath been when actuated and moved by the soul. Lastly, Whatsoever is excellent, whatsoever is noble, whatsoever is worthy, whatsoever is desirable in the Christian faith, is ascribed to this Spirit, without which it could no more subsist than the outward world without the sun. Hereunto have all true Christians, in all ages, attributed their strength and life. It is by this Spirit that they avouch themselves to have been converted to God, to have been redeemed from the world, to have been strengthened in their weakness, comforted in their afflictions, confirmed in their temptations, imboldened in their sufferings, and triumphed in the midst of all their persecutions. The great and notable acts that have been and are performed by the Spirit in all ages. Yea, the writings of all true Christians are full of the great and notable things which they all affirm themselves to have done, by the power, and virtue, and efficacy of this Spirit of God working in them. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, John vi. 63. It was the Spirit that gave them utterance, Acts ii. 4. It was the Spirit by which Stephen spake, That the Jews were not able to resist, Acts vi. 10. It is such as walk after the Spirit that receive no condemnation, Rom. viii. 1. It is the law of the Spirit that makes free, ver. 2. It is by the Spirit of God dwelling in us, that we are redeemed from the flesh, and from the carnal mind, ver. 9. It is the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us that quickeneth our mortal bodies, ver. 11. It is through this Spirit that the deeds of the body are mortified, and life obtained, ver. 13. It is by this Spirit that we are adopted, and cry ABBA, Father, ver. 15. It is this Spirit that beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, ver. 16. It is this Spirit that helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered, ver. 26. It is by this Spirit that the glorious things which God hath laid up for us, which neither outward ear hath heard, nor outward eye hath seen, nor the heart of man conceived by all his reasonings, are revealed unto us, 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10. It is by this Spirit that both wisdom and knowledge, and faith, and miracles, and tongues, and prophecies, are obtained, 1 Cor. xii. 8, 9, 10. It is by this Spirit that we are all baptized into one body, ver. 13. In short, what thing relating to the salvation of the soul, and to the life of a Christian, is rightly performed, or effectually obtained, without it? And what shall I say more? For the time would fail me to tell of all those things which the holy men of old have declared, and the saints of this day do themselves enjoy, by the virtue and power of this Spirit dwelling in them. Truly my paper could not contain the many testimonies whereby this truth is confirmed; wherefore, besides what is above-mentioned out of the fathers, whom all pretend to reverence, and those of Luther and Melancthon, I shall deduce yet one observable testimony out of Calvin, because not a few of the followers of his doctrine do refuse and deride (and that, as it is to be feared, because of their own non-experience thereof) this way of the Spirit's in-dwelling, as uncertain and dangerous; that so, if neither the testimony of the scripture, nor the sayings of others, nor right reason can move them, they may at least be reproved by the words of their own master, who saith in the third book of his Institutions, cap. 2. on this wise:

Calvin of the necessity of the Spirit's indwelling in us. "But they allege, It is a bold presumption for any to pretend to an undoubted knowledge of God's will; which (saith he) I should grant unto them, if we should ascribe so much to ourselves as to subject the incomprehensible counsel of God to the rashness of our understandings. But while we simply say with Paul, that we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God, by whose teaching we know those things that are given us of God, what can they prate against it without reproaching the Spirit of God? For if it be an horrible sacrilege to accuse any revelation coming from him, either of a lie, of uncertainty or ambiguity, in asserting its certainty wherein do we offend? But they cry out, That it is not without great temerity that we dare so boast of the Spirit of Christ. Who would believe that the sottishness of these men were so great, who would be esteemed the masters of the world, that they should so fail in the first principles of religion? Verily I could not believe it, if their own writings did not testify so much. Paul accounts those the Sons of God, who are actuated by the Spirit of God; but these will have the children of God actuated by their own spirits without the Spirit of God. He will have us call God Father, the Spirit dictating that term unto us, which only can witness to our spirits that we are the Sons of God. These, though they cease not to call upon God, do nevertheless dismiss the Spirit, by whose guiding he is rightly to be called upon. He denies them to be the Sons of God, or the Servants of Christ, who are not led by his Spirit; but these feign a Christianity that needs not the Spirit of Christ. He takes away the hope of a blessed resurrection, unless we feel the Spirit residing in us; but these feign a hope without any such a feeling; but perhaps they will answer, that they deny not but that it is necessary to have it, only of modesty and humility we ought to deny and not acknowledge it. What means he then, when he commands the Corinthians to try themselves, if they be in the faith; to examine themselves, whether they have Christ, whom whosoever acknowledges not dwelling in him, is a reprobate? By the Spirit which he hath given us, saith John, we know that he abideth in us. And what do we then else but call in question Christ's promise, while we would be esteemed the servants of God without his Spirit, which he declared he would pour out upon all his? Seeing these things are the first grounds of piety, it is miserable blindness to accuse Christians of pride, because they dare glory of the presence of the Spirit; without which glorying, Christianity itself could not be. Without the Spirit's presence, Christianity must cease. But by their example they declare, how truly Christ spake, saying, That his Spirit was unknown to the world, and that those only acknowledge it with whom it remains." Thus far Calvin.

If therefore it be so, why should any be so foolish as to deny, or so unwise as not to seek after this Spirit, which Christ hath promised shall dwell in his children? They then that do suppose the indwelling and leading of his Spirit to be ceased, must also suppose Christianity to be ceased, which cannot subsist without it.

Query 3. What is the work of the Spirit? John xvi. 13. and xiv. 26. Thirdly, What the work of this Spirit is, is partly before shown, which Christ compriseth in two or three things, He will guide you into all truth; He will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance. Since Christ hath provided for us so good an instructer, why need we then lean so much to those traditions and commandments of men wherewith so many Christians have burthened themselves? The Spirit the guide. Why need we set up our own carnal and corrupt reason for a guide to us in matters spiritual, as some will needs do? May it not be complained of all such, as the Lord did of old concerning Israel by the prophets, Jer. ii. 13. For my people have committed two evils, they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water? Have not many forsaken, do not many deride and reject, this inward and immediate guide, this Spirit that leads into all truth, and cast up to themselves other ways, broken ways indeed, which have not all this while brought them out of the flesh, nor out of the world, nor from under the dominion of their own lusts and sinful affections, whereby truth, which is only rightly learned by this Spirit, is so much a stranger in the earth?

From these revelations of the Spirit of God to the saints, have proceeded the Scriptures of Truth, which contain,

I. A faithful historical account of the actings of God's people in divers ages; with many singular and remarkable providences attending them.

II. A prophetical account of several things, whereof some are already past, and some yet to come.

III. A full and ample account of all the chief principles of the doctrine of Christ, held forth in divers precious declarations, exhortations, and sentences, which, by the moving of God's Spirit, were at several times, and upon sundry occasions, spoken and written unto some churches and their pastors.

Nevertheless, because they are only a declaration of the fountain, and not the fountain itself; therefore they are not to be esteemed the principal ground of all truth and knowledge, nor yet the adequate primary rule of faith and manners. John xvi. 13.
Rom. vii. 14. Yet because they give a true and faithful testimony of the first foundation, they are and may be esteemed a secondary rule, subordinate to the spirit, from which they have all their excellency and certainty: for as by the inward testimony of the Spirit we do alone truly know them, so they testify, That the Spirit is that Guide by which the saints are led into all Truth; therefore, according to the scriptures, the Spirit is the first and principal leader. Seeing then that we do therefore receive and believe the scriptures because they proceeded from the Spirit, for the very same reason is the Spirit more originally and principally the rule, according to the received maxim in the schools, Propter quod unumquodque est tale, illud ipsum est magis tale: That for which a thing is such, that thing itself is more such.

The holy scriptures the most excellent writings in the world. §. I. The former part of this proposition, though it needs no apology for itself, yet it is a good apology for us, and will help to sweep away that, among many other calumnies, wherewith we are often loaded, as if we were vilifiers and deniers of the scriptures; for in that which we affirm of them, it doth appear at what high rate we value them, accounting them, without all deceit or equivocation, the most excellent writings in the world; to which not only no other writings are to be preferred, but even in divers respects not comparable thereto. For as we freely acknowledge that their authority doth not depend upon the approbation or canons of any church or assembly; so neither can we subject them to the fallen, corrupt, and defiled reason of man: and therein as we do freely agree with the Protestants against the error of the Romanists, so on the other hand, we cannot go the length of such Protestants as make their authority to depend upon any virtue or power that is in the writings themselves; but we desire to ascribe all to that Spirit from which they proceeded.

We confess indeed there wants not a majesty in the style, a coherence in the parts, a good scope in the whole; but seeing these things are not discerned by the natural, but only by the spiritual man, it is the Spirit of God that must give us that belief of the scriptures which may satisfy our consciences; therefore some of the chief among Protestants, both in their particular writings and public confessions, are forced to acknowledge this.

Calvin's testimony that the Scripture certainly is from the Spirit. Hence Calvin, though he saith he is able to prove that if there be a God in heaven, these writings have proceeded from him, yet he concludes another knowledge to be necessary. Instit. lib. 1. cap. 7. sect. 4.

"But if (saith he) we respect the consciences, that they be not daily molested with doubts, and hesitate not at every scruple, it is requisite that this persuasion which we speak of be taken higher than human reason, judgment, or conjecture; to wit, from the secret testimony of the Spirit." And again, "To those who ask, that we prove unto them, by reason, that Moses and the prophets were inspired of God to speak, I answer, That the testimony of the Holy Spirit is more excellent than all reason." And again, "Let this remain a firm truth, that he only whom the Holy Spirit hath persuaded, can repose himself on the scripture with a true certainty." And lastly, "This then is a judgment which cannot be begotten but by an heavenly revelation, &c."

The confession of the French churches. The same is also affirmed in the first public confession of the French churches, published in the year 1559. Art. 4. "We know these books to be canonical, and the most certain rule of our faith, not so much by the common accord and consent of the church, as by the testimony and inward persuasion of the Holy Spirit."

Churches of Holland assert the same. Thus also in the 5th article of the confession of faith, of the churches of Holland, confirmed by the Synod of Dort. "We receive these books only for holy and canonical, --not so much because the church receives and approves them, as because the Spirit of God doth witness in our hearts that they are of God."

Rom. v. 12, 15. All Adam's posterity, or mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, as to the first Adam, or earthly man, is fallen, degenerated, and dead; deprived of the sensation or feeling of this inward testimony or seed of God; and is subject unto the power, nature, and seed of the serpent, which he soweth in men's hearts, while they abide in this natural and corrupted estate; from whence it comes, that not only their words and deeds, but all their imaginations, are evil perpetually in the sight of God, as proceeding from this depraved and wicked seed. Man therefore, as he is in this state, can know nothing aright; yea, his thoughts and conceptions, concerning God and things spiritual, until he be disjoined from this evil seed, and united to the Divine Light, are unprofitable both to himself and others. Hence are rejected the Socinian and Pelagian errors, in exalting a natural light; as also of the Papists, and most Protestants, who affirm, That man, without the true grace of God, may be a true minister of the gospel. Eph. ii. Nevertheless, this seed is not imputed to infants, until by transgression they actually join themselves therewith; for they are by nature the children of wrath, who walk according to the power of the prince of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, having their conversation in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind.

§. I. Hitherto we have discoursed how the true knowledge of God is attained and preserved; also of what use and service the holy scripture is to the saints.

We come now to examine the state and condition of man as he stands in the fall; what his capacity and power is; and how far he is able, as of himself, to advance in relation to the things of God. Of this we touched a little in the beginning of the second proposition; but the full, right, and thorough understanding of it is of great use and service; because from the ignorance and altercations that have been about it, there have arisen great and dangerous errors, both on the one hand and on the other. While some do so far exalt the light of nature, or the faculty of the natural man, as capable of himself, by virtue of the inward will, faculty, light, and power, that pertains to his nature, to follow that which is good, and make real progress towards heaven: And of these are the Pelagians, and Semi-Pelagians of old; and of late the Socinians, and divers others among the Papists.

Augustine's zeal against Pelagius. Others again will needs run into another extreme, (to whom Augustine, among the ancients, first made way in his declining age, through the heat of his zeal against Pelagius,) not only confessing man incapable of himself to do good, and prone to evil; but that in his very mother's womb, and before he commits any actual transgression, he is contaminate with a real guilt, whereby he deserves eternal death: in which respect they are not afraid to affirm, That many poor infants are eternally damned, and forever endure the torments of hell. Therefore the God of truth, having now again revealed his truth (that good and even way) by his own Spirit, hath taught us to avoid both these extremes.

That then which our proposition leads to treat of is,

I. First, What the condition of man is in the fall; and how far incapable to meddle in the things of God.

II. And secondly, That God doth not impute this evil to infants, until they actually join with it: that so, by establishing the truth, we may overturn the errors on both parts.

III. And as for that Third thing included in the proposition itself, concerning these teachers which want the grace of God, we shall refer that to the tenth proposition, where the matter is more particularly handled.

§. II. Part I. Adam's fall. As to the first, not to dive into the many curious notions which many have concerning the condition of Adam before the fall, all agree in this, That thereby he came to a very great loss, not only in the things which related to the outward man, but in regard of that true fellowship and communion he had with God. This loss was signified unto him in the command, For in the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die, Gen. ii. 17. This death could not be an outward death, or the dissolution of the outward man; for as to that, he did not die yet many hundred years after; so that it must needs respect his spiritual life and communion with God. The consequence of this fall, besides that which relates to the fruits of the earth, is also expressed, Gen. iii. 24. So he drove out the man, and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. Now whatsoever literal signification this may have, we may safely ascribe to this paradise a mystical signification, and truly account it that spiritual communion and fellowship, which the saints obtain with God by Jesus Christ; to whom only these cherubims give way, and unto as many as enter by him, who calls himself the Door. Guilt not ascribed to Adam's posterity. So that, though we do not ascribe any whit of Adam's guilt to men, until they make it theirs by the like acts of disobedience; yet we cannot suppose that men, who are come of Adam naturally, can have any good thing in their nature, as belonging to it; which he, from whom they derive their nature, had not himself to communicate unto them.

If then we may affirm, that Adam did not retain in his nature (as belonging thereunto) any will or light capable to give him knowledge in spiritual things, then neither can his posterity: for whatsoever real good any man doth, it proceedeth not from his nature, as he is man, or the son of Adam; but from the seed of God in him, as a new visitation of life, in order to bring him out of this natural condition: so that, though it be in him, yet it is not of him; and this the Lord himself witnessed, Gen. vi. 5 . where it is said, he saw that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually: which words as they are very positive, so are they very comprehensive. Every imagination of the natural man is evil. Observe the emphasis of them; First, There is every imagination of the thoughts of his heart; so that this admits of no exception of any imagination of the thoughts of his heart. Secondly, Is only evil continually; it is neither in some part evil continually, nor yet only evil at some times; but both only evil, and always and continually evil; which certainly excludes any good, as a proper effect of man's heart, naturally: for that which is only evil, and that always, cannot of its own nature produce any good thing. The Lord expressed this again a little after, chap. viii. 21. The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth: Thus inferring how natural and proper it is unto him; from which I thus argue:

If the thoughts of man's heart be not only evil, but always evil; then are they, as they simply proceed from his heart, neither good in part, nor at any time.

But the first is true; therefore the last.

Again,

If man's thoughts be always and only evil, then are they altogether useless and ineffectual to him in the things of God.

But the first is true; therefore the last.

The heart of man deceitful. Secondly, This appears clearly from that saying of the prophet Jeremiah, chap. xvii. 9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. For who can with any colour of reason imagine, that that which is so hath any power of itself, or is in any wise fit, to lead a man to righteousness, whereunto it is of its own nature directly opposite? This is as contrary to reason, as it is impossible in nature that a stone, of its own nature and proper motion, should fly upwards: for as a stone of its own nature inclineth and is prone to move downwards towards the centre, so the heart of man is naturally prone and inclined to evil, some to one, and some to another. From this then I also thus argue:

That which is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, is not fit, neither can it lead a man aright in things that are good and honest.

But the heart of man is such:

Therefore, &c.

Rom. iii. 10.
Psa. xiv. 3. & liii. 2, &c. Man's estate in the fall. But the apostle Paul describeth the condition of men in the fall at large, taking it out of the Psalmist. There is none righteous, no not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh, after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become unprofitable; there is none that doth good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre, with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. What more positive can be spoken? He seemeth to be particularly careful to avoid that any good should be ascribed to the natural man; he shows how he is polluted in all his ways; he shows how he is void of righteousness, of understanding, of the knowledge of God; how he is out of the way, and in short unprofitable; than which nothing can be more fully said to confirm our judgment: for if this be the condition of the natural man, or of the man as he stands in the fall, he is unfit to make one right step to heaven.

Object. If it be said, That is not spoken of the condition of man in general; but only of some particulars, or at the least that it comprehends not all;

Answ. The text showeth the clear contrary in the foregoing verses, where the apostle takes in himself, as he stood in his natural condition. What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise; for we have before, proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin, as it is written: and so he goes on; by which it is manifest that he speaks of mankind in general. Object. If they object that which the same apostle saith in the foregoing chapter, ver. 14, to wit, That the Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law, and so consequently do by nature that which is good and acceptable in the sight of God;

Ans. 1. By what nature the Gentiles did do the things of the law. I answer, this nature must not, neither can be understood of man's own nature, which is corrupt and fallen; but of the spiritual nature, which proceedeth from the seed of God in man, as it receiveth a new visitation of God's love, and is quickened by it: which clearly appears by the following words, where he saith, These not having a law (i.e.) outwardly, are a law unto themselves; which shows the work of the law written in their hearts. These acts of theirs then are an effect of the law written in their hearts; but the scripture declareth, that the writing of the law in the heart is a part, yea, and a great part too, of the new covenant dispensation, and so no consequence nor part of man's nature.

Ans. 2. The natural man discerneth not, &c. Secondly, If this nature here spoken of could be understood of man's own nature, which he hath as he is a man, then would the apostle unavoidably contradict himself; since he elsewhere positively declares, That the natural man discerneth not the things of God, nor can. Now I hope the law of God is among the things of God, especially as it is written in the heart. The apostle, in the viith chap. of the same epistle, saith, verse 12. that the law is holy, just, and good; and verse 14. the law is spiritual, but he is carnal. Now in what respect is he carnal, but as he stands in the fall unregenerate? Now what inconsistency would here be, to say, That he is carnal, and yet not so of his own nature, seeing it is from his nature that he is so denominated? We see the apostle contra-distinguisheth the law as spiritual, from man's nature as carnal and sinful. Wherefore, as Christ saith, Mat. vii. 16. There can no grapes be expected from thorns, nor figs of thistles; so neither can the fulfilling of the law, which is spiritual, holy, and just, be expected from that nature which is corrupt, fallen, and unregenerate. The Gentiles spiritual nature in doing the law. Whence we conclude, with good reason, that the nature here spoken of, by which the Gentiles are said to have done the things contained in the law, is not the common nature of men; but that spiritual nature that ariseth from the works of the righteous and spiritual law that is written in the heart. I confess they of the other extreme, when they are pressed with this testimony by the Socinians and Pelagians, as well as by us when we use this scripture, to show them how some of the heathens, by the light of Christ in their heart, came to be saved, are very far to seek; giving this answer, That there were some relics of the heavenly image left in Adam, by which the heathens could do some good things. Which, as it is in itself without proof, so it contradicts their own assertions elsewhere, and gives away their cause. For if these relics were of force to enable them to fulfil the righteous law of God, it takes away the necessity of Christ's coming; or at least leaves them a way to be saved without him; unless they will say, (which is worst of all,) That though they really fu!fil the righteous law of God, yet God damned them, because of the want of that particular knowledge, while he himself withheld all means of their coming to him from them; but of this hereafter.

§. III. Socinians exalting the light of the natural man. I might also here use another argument from those words of the apostle, 1 Cor. ii. where he so positively excludes the natural man from an understanding in the things of God; but because I have spoken of that scripture in the beginning of the second proposition, I will here avoid to repeat what is there mentioned, referring thereunto: yet because the Socinians and others, who exalt the light of the natural man, or a natural light in man, do object against this scripture, I shall remove it before I proceed.* *Ante-quam pro grediar.

Object. They say, The Greek word ψυχικὸς ought to be translated animal, and not natural; else, say they, it would have been φυσικὸς. From which they seek to infer, that it is only the animal man, and not the rational, that is excluded here from discerning the things of God. Which shift, without disputing about the word, is easily refuted; neither is it anywise consistent with the scope of the place. For,

Answ. 1 The animal man is the same with natural. First, The animal life is no other than that which man hath in common with other living creatures; for as he is a mere man, he differs no otherwise from beasts than by the rational property. Now the apostle deduceth his argument in the foregoing verses from this simile; That as the things of a man cannot be known but by the spirit of a man, so the things of God no man knoweth but by the Spirit of God. But I hope these men will confess unto me, that the things of a man are not known by the animal spirit only, i. e. by that which he hath in common with the beasts, but by the rational; so that it must be the rational that is here understood. Again, the assumption shows clearly, that the apostle had no such intent, as these men's gloss would make him have, viz. So the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. According to their judgment he should have said, The things of God knoweth no man by his animal spirit, but by his rational spirit: for to say, the Spirit of God, here spoken of, is no other than the rational spirit of man, would border upon blasphemy, since they are so often contra-distinguished. Again, going on, he saith not that they are rationally, but spiritually discerned.

Answ. 2 Secondly, The apostle throughout this chapter shows how the wisdom of man is unfit to judge of the things of God, and ignorant of them. Now I ask these men, whether a man be called a wise man from his animal property, or from his rational? The rational man in the natural state excluded from discerning the things of God. If from his rational, then it is not only the animal, but also the rational, as he is yet in the natural state, which the apostle excludes here, and whom he contra-distinguisheth from the spiritual, verse 15. But the spiritual man judgeth all things. This cannot be said of any man merely because rational or as he is a man, seeing the men of the greatest reason, if we may so esteem men, whom the scripture calls wise, as were the Greeks of old, not only may be, but often are, enemies to the kingdom of God; while both the preaching of Christ is said to be foolishness with the wise men of the world, and the wisdom of the world is said to be foolishness with God. Now whether it be any ways probable that either these wise men that are said to account the gospel foolishness, are only so called with respect to their animal property, and not their rational; or that the wisdom that is foolishness with God is not meant of the rational, but only the animal property, any rational man, laying aside interest, may easily judge.

§. IV. Infants, no sin imputed to them. I come now to the other part, to wit, That this evil and corrupted seed is not imputed to infants, until they actually join with it. For this there is a reason given in the end of the proposition itself, drawn from Eph. ii. For these are by nature children of wrath, who walk according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Here the apostle gives their evil walking, and not any thing that is not reduced to act, as a reason of their being children of wrath. And this is suitable to the whole strain of the gospel, where no man is ever threatened or judged for what iniquity he hath not actually wrought: such indeed as continue in iniquity, and so do allow the sins of their fathers, God will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children.

PROPOSITIONS V. & VI.

Concerning the Universal Redemption by Christ, and also the Saving and Spiritual Light, wherewith every man is enlightened.

As many as resist not this light, but receive the same, it becomes in them an holy, pure, and spiritual birth, bringing forth holiness, righteousness, purity, and all those other blessed fruits which are acceptable to God: by which holy birth, to wit, Jesus Christ formed within us, and working his works in us, as we are sanctified, so are we justified in the sight of God, according to the apostle's words; But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, 1 Cor. vi. 11. Therefore it is not by our works wrought in our will, nor yet by good works considered as of themselves; but by Christ, who is both the gift and the giver, and the cause producing the effects in us; who, as he hath reconciled us while we were enemies, doth also in his wisdom save us and justify us after this manner, as saith the same apostle elsewhere; According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, Tit. iii. 5. §. 1. The doctrine of justification comes well in order after the discussing of the extent of Christ's death, and of the grace thereby communicated, some of the sharpest contests concerning this having from thence their rise. Many are the disputes among those called Christians concerning this point; and indeed, if all were truly minding that which justifieth, there would be less noise about the notions of justification. I shall briefly review this controversy as it stands among others, and as I have often seriously observed it; then in short state the controversy as to us, and open our sense and judgment of it; and lastly prove it, if the Lord will, by some scripture testimonies, and the certain experience of all that ever were truly justified.

Observat. The method of justification taken by the church of Rome. The pope's doctrine of merits, the most beneficial of all his revenue. §. II. That this doctrine of justification, hath been and is greatly vitiated in the church of Rome, is not by us questioned; though our adversaries, who, for want of better arguments, do often make lies their refuge, have not spared in this respect to stigmatize us with popery, but how untruly will hereafter appear. For to speak little of their meritum ex condigno, which was no doubt a very common doctrine of the Romish church, especially before Luther, though most of their modern writers, especially in their controversies with Protestants, do partly deny it, partly qualify it, and seem to state the matter only as if they were propagators and pleaders for good works by the others denied; yet if we look to the effects of this doctrine among them, as they appear in the generality of their church members, not in things disapproved, but highly approved and commended by their father the Pope and all his Clients, as the most beneficial casualty of all his revenue, we shall find that Luther did not without great ground oppose himself to them in this matter: and if he had not run himself into another extreme, of which hereafter, his work would have stood the better. For in this, as in most other things, he is more to be commended for what he pulled down of Babylon, than for what he built of his own. Whatever then the Papists may pretend, or even some good men among them may have thought, experience showeth, and it is more than manifest by the universal and approved practice of their people, that they place not their justification so much in works that are truly and morally good, and in the being truly renewed and sanctified in the mind, as in such things as are either not good nor evil, or may truly be called evil, and can no otherways be reckoned good than because the pope pleases to call them so. Papists' justification depends upon the pope's bulls. Proof I. Their sacraments. Papist's penance. So that if the matter be well sifted, it will be found, that the greatest part of their justification depends upon the authority of his bulls, and not upon the power, virtue, and grace of Christ revealed in the heart, and renewing of it, as will appear, First, From their principle concerning their sacraments, which they say confer grace ex opere operato. So that if a man partake but of them, he thereby obtains remission of sin, though he remains as he was; the virtue of the sacraments making up the want that is in the man. So that this act of submission and faith to the laws of the church, and not any real inward change, is that which justifieth him. As for example; if a man make use of the Sacrament, as they call it, of penance, so as to tell over his sins to a priest, though he have not true contrition, which the Lord hath made absolutely necessary for penitent sinners, but only attrition, a figment of their own, that is, if he be sorry he hath sinned, not out of any love to God, or his law which he hath transgressed, but for fear of punishment, yet doth the virtue of the sacrament, as they affirm, procure to him remission of sins; so that being absolved by the priest, he stands accepted and justified in the sight of God. This man's justification then proceedeth not from his being truly penitent, and in any measure inwardly changed and renewed by the working of God's grace, in his heart, but merely from the virtue of the sacrament, and authority of the priest, who hath pronounced him absolved; so that his justification is from somewhat without him, and not within him.

Pr. II. Papist indulgences. Papist mass what it is. Secondly, This will yet more appear in the matter of indulgences, where remission of all sins, not only past but for years to come, is annexed to the visiting such and such churches and reliques, saying such and such prayers; so that the person that so doth is presently cleared from the guilt of his sin, and justified and accepted in the sight of God. As for example: he that in the great jubilee will go to Rome, and present himself before the gate of Peter and Paul, and there receive the pope's blessing; or he that will go a pilgrimage to James' sepulchre in Spain, or to Mary of Loretto, is, upon the performance of those things, promised forgiveness of sins. Now if we ask them the reason how such things as are not morally good in themselves come to have virtue? they have no other answer but because of the church and pope's authority, who being the great treasurer of the magazine of Christ's merits, lets them out upon such and such conditions. Thus also the invention of saying mass is made a chief instrument of justification; for in it they pretend to offer Christ daily to the Father a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the living and dead: so that a man for money can procure Christ thus to be offered for him when he pleases; by which offering he is said to obtain remission of sins, and to stand justified in the sight of God. From all which, and much more of this nature which might be mentioned, it doth appear, that the Papists place their justification not so much in any work of holiness really brought forth in them, and real forsaking of iniquity, as in the mere performance of some ceremonies, and a blind belief which their teachers have begotten in them, that the church and the pope having the absolute dispensation of the merits of Christ, have power to make these merits effectual for the remission of sins, and justification of such as will perform those ceremonies. This is the true and real method of justification taken by the generality of the church of Rome, and highly commended by their public preachers, especially the monks, in their sermons to the people, of which I myself have been an ear and an eye-witness; however some of their modern writers have laboured to qualify it in their controversies. Luther and the Protestants opposing the popes doctrine of works, fell into the other extreme of no good works necessary to justification. This doctrine Luther and the Protestants then had good reason to deny and oppose; though many of them ran into another extreme, so as to deny good works to be necessary to justification, and to preach up not only remission of sins but justification by faith alone, without all works, however good. So that men do not obtain their justification according as they are inwardly sanctified and renewed, but are justified merely by believing that Christ died for them; and so some may be perfectly justified, though they be lying in gross wickedness; as appears by the example of David, who they say was fully and perfectly justified while he was lying in the gross sins of murder and adultery. As then the Protestants have sufficient ground to quarrel and confute the Papists concerning those many abuses in the matter of justification, showing how the doctrine of Christ is thereby vitiated and overturned, and the word of God made void by many and useless traditions, the law of God neglected, while foolish and needless ceremonies are prized and followed, through a false opinion of being justified by the performance of them; and the merits and sufferings of Christ, which is the only sacrifice appointed of God for remission of sins, derogated from, by the setting up of a daily sacrifice never appointed by God, and chiefly devised out of covetousness to get money by; Papists' device to get money. so the Protestants on the other hand, by not rightly establishing and holding forth the doctrine of justification according as it is delivered in the holy scriptures, have opened a door for the Papists to accuse them, as if they were neglecters of good works, enemies to mortification and holiness, such as esteem themselves justified while lying in great sins: by which kind of accusations, for which too great ground hath been given out of the writings of some rigid Protestants, the reformation hath been greatly defamed and hindered, and the souls of many ensnared. Whereas, whoever will narrowly look into the matter, may observe these debates to be more in specie than in genere, seeing both do upon the matter land in one; and like two men in a circle, who though they go sundry ways, yet meet at last in the same centre.

Papists' belief of justification meets in the same centre with the Protestants' belief. So saith the Westminster Confession of Faith, chap. 11. Sect. 1. For the Papists say, They obtain remission of sins, and are justified by the merits of Christ, as the same are applied unto there in the use of the sacraments of the church, and are dispensed in the performance of such and such ceremonies, pilgrimages, prayers, and performances, though there be not any inward renewing of the mind, nor knowing of Christ inwardly formed; yet they are remitted and made righteous ex opere operato, because of the power and authority accompanying the sacraments and the dispensers of them.

The Protestants say, That they obtain remission of sins, and stand justified in the sight of God, by virtue of the merits and sufferings of Christ, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous, they resting on him and his righteousness by faith; which faith, the act of believing, is not imputed unto them for righteousness.

PROPOSITION VIII.

Concerning Perfection.

In whom this pure and holy birth is fully brought forth, the body of death and sin comes to be crucified and removed, and their hearts united and subjected to the truth; so as not to obey any suggestions or temptations of the evil one, but to be free from actual sinning and transgressing of the law of God, and in that respect perfect: yet doth this perfection still admit of a growth; and there remaineth always in some part a possibility of sinning, where the mind doth not most diligently and watchfully attend unto the Lord.

§. 1. Since we have placed justification in the revelation of Jesus Christ formed and brought forth in the heart, there working his works of righteousness, and bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit, the question is, How far he may prevail in us while we are in this life; or we over our souls' enemies, in and by his strength? Those that plead for justification wholly without them, merely by imputative righteousness, denying the necessity of being clothed with real and inward righteousness, do consequently affirm, "That it is impossible for a man, even the best of men, to be free of sin in this life, which, they say, no man ever was; but on the contrary, that none can, neither of himself, nor by any grace received in this life (O wicked saying against the power of God's grace,) keep the commandments of God perfectly; but that every man doth break the commandments in thought, word, and deed:" whence they also affirm, as was a little before observed, "That the very best actions of the saints, their prayers, their worships, are impure and polluted." These are the words of the Westminster larger catechism. Whether it is possible to keep the commandments of God?

Part I.

I.

II.