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. proved. §. IX. That which now cometh under debate, is Assert. 6. 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 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 saints of examples of that of the ancients, or to go about to old the move us by the example of Abraham, if Abraham's ours. of the same with 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 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 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. 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. are now to §. X. I shall prove this by divers arguments, Christians and first from the promise of Christ in these words, be led by John xiv. 16. And I will pray the Father, and he will the Spirit, give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you manner as for ever. Ver. 17. Even the Spirit of truth, whom of old. in the same the saints Query 1. Comfort er? you the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, nei- As to the First, Most do acknowledge that there Who is this 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 Nonsensi- God, seeing it is true that the Holy Ghost is God. cal conse- If these men's reasoning might take place, wherefrom the ever the Spirit is mentioned in relation to the belief of saints, thereby might be truly and properly underthe scrip- stood the scriptures; which, what a nonsensical the Spirit. monster it would make of the Christian religion, quences Socinians' tures being 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. Where is Secondly, That this Spirit is inward, in my query 2. opinion needs no interpretation or commentary, his place> 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 |