Christians are now to

in the same

manner as the saints of old.

Lastly, This is most firmly proved from a common and received maxim of the schoolmen, 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 nowadays 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.

§. X. I shall prove this by divers arguments, and be led by first from the promise of Christ in these words, John, the Spirit, 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 remem

brance. 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, οδηγήσει ύμας εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν ἀληθειαν.

Comforter?

As to the first, Most do acknowledge that there is Query 1. nothing else understood than what the plain words Who is this 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. If these men's Nonsensical reasoning might take place, wherever the Spirit is consequenmentioned in relation to the saints, thereby might be Socinians truly and properly understood the scriptures; which, scriptures what a nonsensical monster it would make of the being the Christian religion, will easily appear to all men. 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

As

ces from the

belief of the

Spirit.

Query 2.

bis place?

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 selfsame 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 a 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.

Secondly, That this Spirit is inward, in my opinion Where is, 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 abovementioned out of the epistle to the Romans, But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be the

main token

tian.

Spirit of God dwell in you. The context of which The Spirit showeth, that the apostle reckoneth it the main token within, the of a Christian, both positively and negatively for in of a Christhe 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 carcass 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, emboldened in their sufferings, and triumphed in The great the midst of all their persecutions. Yea, the writings and notable of all true Christians are full of the great and notable have been things which they all affirm themselves to have done, and are per- by the power, and virtue, and efficacy of this Spirit the Spirit of God working in them. It is the Spirit that quickin all ages. eneth, John, vi. 63. It was the Spirit that gave them

acts that

formed by

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 de