same account to be rejected. And for my part, as I have never a whit the lower esteem of the blessed testimony of the holy scriptures, nor do the less respect any solid tradition, that is answerable and according to truth; neither at all despise reason, that noble and excellent faculty of the mind, Let none because wicked men have abused the name of reject the certainty them, to cover their wickedness, and deceive the of the un- simple; so would I not have any reject or doubt rit of God, the certainty of that unerring Spirit which God because of hath given his children, as that which can alone tenders to guide them into all truth, because some have falsely pretended to it.

erring Spi

false pre

it.

XV. And because the Spirit of God is the fountain of all truth and sound reason, therefore we have well said, That it cannot contradict either the testimony of the scripture, or right reason: “ Yet (as the proposition itself concludeth, to the last part of which I now come) it will not from thence follow, that these divine revelations are to be subjected to the examination either of the outward testimony of scripture, or of the human or natural reason of man, as to a more noble and certain rule or touchstone; for the divine revelation, and inward illumination, is that which is evident by itself, forcing the well-disposed understanding, and irresistibly moving it, to assent by its own evidence and clearness, even as the common principles of natural truths do bend the mind to a natural assent."

He that denies this part of the proposition must needs affirm, that the Spirit of God neither can, nor ever hath manifested itself to man without the scripture, or a distinct discussion of reason; or that the efficacy of this supernatural principle, working upon the souls of men, is less evident than natural principles in their common operations; both which are false.

For, First, Through all the scriptures we may observe, that the manifestation and revelation of

God by his Spirit to the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, was immediate and objective, as is above proved; which they did not examine by any other principle, but their own evidence and clearness.

evidence

Secondly, To say that the Spirit of God has less The selfevidence upon the mind of man than natural prin- of the Spiciples have, is to have too mean and too low rit. thoughts of it. How comes David to invite us to taste and see that God is good, if this cannot be felt and tasted? This were enough to overturn the faith and assurance of all the saints, both now and of old. How came Paul to be persuaded, that nothing could separate him from the love of God, but by that evidence and clearness which the Spirit of God gave him? The apostle John,who knew well wherein the certainty of faith consisted, judged it no ways absurd, without further argument, to ascribe his knowledge and assurance,and that of all the saints, hereunto in these words, Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit, 1 John iv. 13. And again, chap. v. ver. 6. It is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

contra

Observe the reason brought by him, Because the Spirit is truth; of whose certainty and infallibility I have heretofore spoken. We then trust to and confide in this Spirit, because we know, and certainly believe, that it can only lead us aright, and never mislead us; and from this certain confidence it is that we affirm, that no revelation coming The Spirit from it can ever contradict the scripture's testimo- dicts not ny nor right reason: not as making this a more scripture certain rule to ourselves, but as condescending to reason. nor right such, who not discerning the revelations of the Spirit, as they proceed purely from God, will try them by these mediums. Yet those that have their spiritual senses, and can savour the things of the Spirit, as it were in prima instantia, i. e. at the first blush, can discern them without, or before they apply them either to scripture or reason; just as a

Natural demonstrations

from astronomy

etry.

good astronomer can calculate an eclipse infallibly, by which he can conclude (if the order of nature continue, and some strange and unnatural revoluand geom- tion intervene not) there will be an eclipse of the sun or moon such a day, and such an hour; yet can he not persuade an ignorant rustic of this, until he visibly see it. So also a mathematician can infallibly know, by the rules of art, that the three angles of a right triangle are equal to two right angles; yea, can know them more certainly than any man by measure. And some geometrical demonstrations are by all acknowledged to be infallible, which can be scarcely discerned or proved by the senses; yet if a geometer be at the pains to certify some ignorant man concerning the certainty of his art, by condescending to measure it, and make it obvious to his senses, it will not thence follow, that that measuring is so certain as the demonstration itself, or that the demonstration would be uncertain without it.

Immedi

tion the

ble foun

dation of

§. XVI. But to make an end, I shall add one argument to prove, that this inward, immediate, objective revelation, which we have pleaded for all along, is the only sure, certain, and unmoveable foundation of all Christian faith; which argument, when well weighed, I hope will have weight with all sorts of Christians, and it is this:

That which all professors of Christianity, of what ate revela-kind soever, are forced ultimately to recur unto, immovea- when pressed to the last; that for and because of which all other foundations are recommended, and accounted worthy to be believed, and without which they are granted to be of no weight at all, must needs be the only most true, certain, and unmoveable foundation of all Christian faith.

all Chris tian faith.

But inward, immediate, objective revelation by the Spirit, is that which all professors of Christianity, of what kind soever, are forced ultimately to recur unto, &c.

Therefore, &c.

founda

and tradi

The proposition is so evident, that it will not be Papists denied; the assumption shall be proved by parts. tion, their And First, as to the Papists, they place their church foundation in the judgment of the church and tra- tion, why? dition. If we press them to say, Why they believe as the church doth? their answer is, Because the church is always led by the infallible Spirit. So here the leading of the Spirit is the utmost foundation. Again, if we ask them, Why we ought to trust tradition? they answer, Because these traditions were delivered us by the doctors and fathers of the church; which doctors and fathers, by the revelation of the Holy Ghost, commanded the church to observe them. Here again all ends in the revelation of the Spirit.

ants and

scriptures

and foun

And for the Protestants and Socinians, both which Protestacknowledge the scriptures to be the foundation Socinians and rule of their faith; the one as subjectively in- make the fluenced by the Spirit of God to use them, the their other as managing them with and by their own ground reason; ask both, or either of them, Why they dation, trust in the scriptures, and take them to be their why? rule? their answer is. Because we have in them the mind of God delivered unto us by those to whom these things were inwardly, immediately, and objectively revealed by the Spirit of God; and not because this or that man wrote them, but because the Spirit of God dictated them.

and not by

hold reve

It is strange then that men should render that so Christians uncertain and dangerous to follow, upon which by name, alone the certain ground and foundation of their nature, own faith is built; or that they should shut them-ation ca selves out from that holy fellowship with God, sed conwhich only is enjoyed in the Spirit, in which we scripture.

are commanded both to walk and live.

If any reading these things find themselves moved, by the strength of these scripture-arguments, to assent and believe such revelations necessary, and yet find themselve strangers to them, which,

trary to

cea

Who

wants his sight sees not the

light.

as I observed in the beginning, is the cause that this is so much gainsaid and contradicted, let them know, that it is not because it is ceased to become the privilege of every true Christian that they do not feel it, but rather because they are not so much Christians by nature as by name; and let such know, that the secret light which shines in the heart, and reproves unrighteousness, is the small beginning of the revelation of God's Spirit, which was first sent into the world to reprove it of sin, John xvi. 8. And as by forsaking iniquity thou comest to be acquainted with that heavenly voice in thy heart, thou shalt feel, as the old man, or the natural man, that savoureth not the things of God's kingdom, is put off, with his evil and corrupt affections and lusts; I say, thou shalt feel the new man, or the spiritual birth and babe raised, which hath its spiritual senses, and can see, feel, taste, handle, and smell the things of the Spirit; but till then the knowledge of things spiritual is but as an historical faith. But as the description of the light of the sun, or of curious colours to a blind man, who, though of the largest capacity, cannot so well understand it by the most acute and lively description, as a child can by seeing them; so neither can the natural man, of the largest capacity, by the best words, even scripture-words, so well understand the mysteries of God's kingdom, as the least and weakest child who tasteth them, by having them revealed inwardly and objectively by the Spirit.

Wait then for this in the small revelation of that pure light which first reveals things more known; and as thou becomest fitted for it, thou shalt receive more and more, and by a living experience easily refute their ignorance, who ask, How dost thou know that thou art actuated by the Spirit of God? Which will appear to thee a question no less ridiculous, than to ask one whose