Part 4
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when he testified and witnessed for the Truth in this World, and approved himself faithful throughout; so being now withdrawn, as to the outward Man, he doth teach and instruct Mankind inwardly, by his own Spirit; _He standeth at the Door and knocketh, and whoso heareth his Voice and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. [Sidenote: _Proof_ I.] I shall deduce the Proof of this Proposition from two manifest Places of Scripture: The first is, 1 Cor. i. 11, 12. _What Man knoweth the Things of a Man, save the Spirit of a Man which is in him?_ [Sidenote: _The Things of God are known by the Spirit of God._] _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 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.
[Sidenote: Proof II.] [Sidenote: _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. [Sidenote: _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 tho’ in themselves they be true, yet are they not true as to them, because not known, nor uttered 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, _Julius Cæsar_, &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.
[Sidenote: _Like the Pratling 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 Pratling 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 can there be no certain Knowledge or Revelation of him, but by the Spirit.
But the first is true: Therefore the second.
§. VII. [Sidenote: _Assert. _III._ Proved._] 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_. [Sidenote: _The 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.
[Sidenote: Object.] But if any will Object, _That after the Dispensation of the Law, God’s Method of Speaking was altered_;
[Sidenote: _Answ._] [Sidenote: _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.
[Sidenote: _None shut out from this Immediate Fellowship._] _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.
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, Ver. 20. _Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them_; and Ver. 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.
§. VIII. [Sidenote: _Assert._ IV.] The fourth thing affirmed is, _That these Revelations were the Object of the Saints’ Faith of old_.
[Sidenote: _Proved._] 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. [Sidenote: _What Faith is?_] _Faith _(saith he)_ is the Substance of Things hoped for, and the Evidence of Things not seen_: Which, as the Apostle illustrateth it in the same Chapter by many Examples, is no other but a firm and 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 this Faith, is the _Promise_, _Word_, or _Testimony of God_, speaking in the Mind. [Sidenote: _The Object of Faith_, Deus Loquens.] 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_. [Sidenote: 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. [Sidenote: 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 be fulfilled 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,
[Sidenote: 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._
[Sidenote: Answ.] [Sidenote: _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? [Sidenote: _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.
[Sidenote: Object.] But if any one should pertinaciously affirm, _That this did import an outward audible Voice to the Carnal Ear_;
[Sidenote: _Answ._] 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. [Sidenote: _The Spirit speaks to the Spiritual Ear, not to the Outward._] 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.
§. IX. [Sidenote: _Assert. _V._ Proved._] 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, is 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_.
[Sidenote: _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 imitable, 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 for ever_: Hereby notably insinuating, that in the Object there is no Alteration.
[Sidenote: Object.] If any now object the _Diversity of Administration_;
[Sidenote: _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: for 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 Scholastick; 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 guide 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. [Sidenote: _Christians are now to be led by the Spirit, in the same Manner as the Saints of Old._] 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 befal not many to be led in the same Measure) as the Saints were 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_, [Greek: hodêgêsei hymas eis pasan tên alêtheian: ὁδηγησει ὑμας εις πασαν την αληθειαν].