the rule of faith and practice concerning the things therein declared.

no

I will give a fhort inftance in Chrift's words about regeneration. He taught (and ftrange it was, doubt, to wife Nicodemus)" that unless a man be "born again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God." This is as plain a propofition as can be laid down, and may be credited hiftorically: but what is that to the knowledge and experience of the new birth? That they are never like to be informed of there. Nor can that fcripture be my rule in that heavenly travel, respecting the many and wonderful trials and exercises that are to be met with in the way to it; neither can any other writing whatever. This only is the office of that Spirit and Word immortal, by which we are begotten again. What, then, is my rule, to inform, order, ftrengthen, and lead through the whole operation, but the fame fpirit? All doctrinal fcripture was experienced before written, or they had not been true witneffes who wrote it.

Now that which was their rule, can guide us into the fame experiences; nor are they to be rightly known before experienced: "If any man will do his " will, he fhall know of the doctrine," faith Christ. I read the history of fuch things: this faves not: neither can the history be the rule leading into the mystery. That belongs only to the fpirit, that fearcheth out the deep things of God. Confequently the spirit, and not the fcripture, is the rule for fo believing and living.

Obj. But is not this to make void the Proteftants plea against the Papifts, viz. That the fcriptures are the rule of faith and practice?

Anfw. No fuch matter: for the question was not, Whether the spirit of Chrift, or the fcripture, was the rule; but, Whether the fcripture, which is God's tradition, or Popish traditions, were the rule to measure the truth of doctrines and practices by? We grant

that

that particular fcriptures, rightly understood, may measure what is agreeable or difagreeable to them: that is, fuch doctrines and practices as are contrary to that part of fcripture, more particularly relating to our days, are questionable by the fcripture; especially fince all parties pretend that what they fay and do is according to fcripture. Yet this concludes not the fcripture to be the general and evangelical rule.

Obj. But if God had not revealed thofe things that are in fcripture, by it to us, how could they have been known by us?

Anfw. They were known by the light and fpirit of Chrift before they were written; for from being written they are called fcripture. Therefore it is faid, “that "the prophets fearched diligently what, and what manner of time, the fpirit of Chrift, that was in "them, did fignify, when it teftified before-band of

c

the fufferings of Chrift."" Nor are they ever the more revealed to the blind and dark mind, because they are written. The mysteries of regeneration are as puzzling to natural wit and earthly wifdom, as before.

Therefore well faid Epiphanius, Only to the • children of the Holy Ghost all the holy fcriptures are plain and eafy.' Mens going to hammer out principles, without this infallible guide and rule, hath been the cause of that great confufion that is over mankind about religion to this very day.

Obj. But how else could you have known thofe prophecies to be true; for that is not matter of witneffing, but foretelling,

Anfw. That is an extraordinary revelation, not falling within the ordinary discoveries that are abfolutely neceffary to man's falvation; by which God fhews his power and faithfulness, that he is God, and can fore

tel, and will bring to pafs: but therefore must there be an extraordinary light or fpirit, and not rather an extraordinary and fenfe from one and the fame light and pint in them? Befides, that which gives me to be eve and favour it to be from the fpirit, and soc o impeture, is my rule for believing it. Now that the spirit to doth, both Calvin and Beza, as sve sted, ulert for me, viz. The fame fpirit that • pane oy the mouth of the prophets, muft pierce <o our hearts, to perfuade us that they faithfully • coured that which was committed to them of 206.

But this light you speak of, could not tell you ay fin came into the world: that there was an and Eve, that they fell after that manner, and that entered the world: that Christ was born of a virgin, ered death, and rofe again: that you ought not to fwear iny cafe, &c. if the fcriptures had not told you fo.

Anfw. That is boldly faid. But confider well: Mofes,' fays the vulgar opinion, had that account • of the creation, above two thousand years after it, by revelation, which we find in Genefis. Now that there could be no revelation without this divine light or fpirit, which is the life of the eternal, creating Word, muft needs be granted; "for," faith the apoftle Paul," the fpirit of God only knoweth the things

of God; and whatever makes manifeft is light."" And that the fpirit and light are one, though two names, has been fufficiently evidenced already. If then it was this light of the eternal Word, that delivered those past things to Mofes, and gave that prof pect of future things to the prophets; as no doubt it was, if the fcriptures be credible; then to say, the light or fpirit could not do it,' is blafphemous, as well as abfurd. Again, to argue, because the light does not reveal every circumftance of hiftory to each

1 Cor. ii. 10, 11. Eph. v. 13.

individual

individual that hath already an account thereof, that therefore it could not, is unreasonable. Were the history of the transactions of Chrift and his followers wanting, (as before Mofes was that of Adam and his pofterity) and that the Lord faw it needful to acquaint mankind therewith, no doubt but the light and spirit which revealed the account of the creation, above two thousand years after, to Mofes, and foretold several hundred years many of thofe tranfactions of Chrift by the prophets, would alfo have fupplied that want: but inafmuch as an account is extant, and therefore not needed, that objection is vain.

Again, it does not follow, because every man has a measure of light to inform and rule him, that therefore he must needs know all which that light knows, or is able to reveal to him. I return that argument thus upon our adverfaries: they fay, they have the fpirit of God:' then they know all that the spirit of God knows, or can reveal to them. If the latter be abfurd, then the former. Again, fay they, The light within did not reveal Chrift to the Gentiles, and that Chrift fhould be born of a virgin, &c. therefore infufficient.' I return upon them thus; The fpirit of God, given to the children of Ifrael, Neh. ix. 20. did not acquaint them that Chrift should be born of a virgin, nor much more of his life and bodily tranfactions; therefore the fpirit of God was infufficient. The like may be concluded against the spirit in the prophets: for it is manifest from 1 Pet. i. 10, 11. that the fpirit had not revealed to all the prophets the time of Chrift's appearance and fufferings. Was the spirit therefore an infufficient rule to them? But that which falls heaviest upon our oppofers, is this, That the fcriptures, by their own argument, are a molt imperfect account themselves of what was done, not relating the hundredth part of things; therefore as infufficient in not relating what is behind, as they would weakly render the light or fpirit, in not revealing to every individual thofe things which are already paft. Nay, they may as well infer infufficiency

to

to the fpirit, or the light within, in that it does not fhew all that shall be to the end of the world, which in their proper feafons there will be a neceffity to know, as to reflect infufficiency upon it, &c. because it did not foretel things that are now paft unto former ages, or needlessly reveal them over again to us in this age. Neither is history, or can it be, the rule of that faith and life we fpeak of, which are fò abfolutely neceffary to falvation; which is the faith that God, and not hiftory, gives; and that works not by hiftory, but by love, and overcomes the world; by which millions of biftorical believers are overcome, and wallow in the spirit and practice of. And the rule must be answerable to the nature and workings of the faith: the fame in point of practice, which is duty done. Now hiftory, though it inform me of others actions, yet it does not follow that it is the rule of duty to me, fince it may relate to actions not imitable, as in the case of Adam and Eve in feveral refpects, and Chrift's being born of a virgin, dying for the fins of the world, &c. wherefore this cannot be the rule of duty. The like may be faid of the Jewish ftory, that was the particular concern and tranfaction of that people.

Obj. But these things ought to be believed.

Anfw. I fay fo too, where the history has reached, and the fpirit of God hath made a conviction upon the confcience; which, fays Dr. J. Owen, as before cited, gives them authority, verity, and perfpicuity." But where this hiftory has not reached any people, or they die ignorant of it, they are not refponfible for not believing any fuch paffages, as faith bifhop Sanderfon.P It is one thing to fay, The fcriptures ought to be read, believed, and fulfilled; and another thing to say, They are the evangelical rule of faith and life: for when I read, and believe, and witness them fulfilling, I must needs have a rule by which to read, under

* Prelect. 4. § 21, 22.

ftand,