"of GOD; which were to deny the Scriptures of "Truth, the Faith of the Antients, the Doctrine of "the Reformers, and Right Reason.

R. Barclay's Apobogy, p. 62.

I fhall close these Remarks with the Advice of our learned Apologift, "For my part, as I have never a whit the lower Efteem of the "bleffed Teftimony of the Holy Scrip tures; nor do the lefs refpect any "folid Tradition that is anfwerable, "and according to TRUTH; neither at all de"fpife Reason, that noble and excellent Faculty of "the Mind, because wicked Men have abused the "Name of them to cover their Wickedness, and de"ceive the Simple: So I would not have any reject or diffide the Certainty of that unerring Spirit which GOD hath given his Children, as that "which can alone guide them into all TRUTH, "because some have falfly pretended to it,

(a)

SECTION IV.

QUERY IV, Whether the promised Affiftance of the Holy Spirit, to true Chriftians in all Ages, be for the Revealing new Truths and Duties, not contained in the Holy Scriptures, or for enabling them to believe and obey thofe already revealed?

If they affert the former, then Query, Whether

(b)

Y

this be not parallel to the Popish Do atrine of Oral Traditions? And by what Rule fball we diftinguish Divine Infpirations from Diabolical Delusions?

And

And how fball fuch as pretend to Divine Infpiration, for the Discovery of fuch new Truths or Duties, convince others of it, fince they have no Miracles, nor extraordinary Gifts for their Credentials, as the Apoftles bad?

(d)

If the latter be true, then where is the need or ufe of that immediate objective Revelation they fo confidently pretend to? And bow plainly do their unwarrantable Pretences to it derogate from the Sufficiency and Fulness of the Holy Scriptures, as if they were not by the ordinary fubjective Illumination of the Holy Spirit able to make us wife to Salvation, and throughly furnished for every good Work? See 2 Tim. iii, 15, 16, 17.

TH

REPLY.

HIS Section brings a Dilemma to cut us down, whether we turn to the Right or Left: Howbeit, to blunt both Edges of this Logical Weapon, I answer in one Syllable, BOTH; and denying his Confequences, fhall confider, firft, what kind of Revelation we own, and what we difclaim, and diftinguish Duties into general and particular; next, prove the Poffibility and Neceflity of Revelation; thirdly, how a Man may diftinguish between true and falfe Revelations; laftly, fhow that there is now no Neceflity of new and outward Miracles: And of cach, with all poffible Brevity and Perfpicuity.

First, Of the Revelation we Own, and what we Disclaim.

The Revelation we own, is the Discovery and Illumination of the Light and Spirit of GOD, relating to those Things that properly and immediately concern the daily Information and Satisfaction of our Souls in the Way of our Duty to GOD and our Neighbour.

We renounce all fantaftical and whimfical Intoxications, or any Pretence to the Revelation of new Matter, Gofpel Faith or Doctrine, in Oppofition to, or Different from that which our SAVIOUR, His. holy Prophets and Apoftles taught, and is recorded in the Scriptures of TRUTH.

Truths and Duties alfo are diftinguished into Uni verfal and General, which concern and oblige all and every Man, or Singular and Particular, which concern only fome particular Perfons: For inftance, To do unto all Men as we would have them to do to us; To do Good, and communicate according to Ability, are univerfal and general Truths and Duties obligatory on all; but to preach the Gospel, and overfee the

Matth. 7. 12.
Heb. 13. 16,

Acts 13. 2.

20. 28.

Rom. I. I.

Flock, are fingular and particular Duties of fuch whom the Holy Ghoft bath Separated, conftituted and appointed for fuch Services.

Having premifed thefe Things, I now proceed to anfwer the Query more fully and exprefly: As to univerfal and general Truths and Duties, we believe the promised Affiftance of the Holy Spirit to true Chriftians in all Ages, (I fuppofe he means fince the firft Ages of Christianity) is to enable them to believe and obey fuch Duties already revealed in the Holy Scriptures.

As

As to fingular and particular Truths and Duties, and Services, we believe the promised Affiftance of the Holy Spirit, to true Chriftians, is for the revealing fuch New Truths and Duties, not contain'd in fo many Syllables in the Holy Scriptures; and alfo to enable them to believe and obey fuch Revelations : If it were not fo, I would ask the Querift, in what part of Holy Scripture I fhall find A B. or 7. B. by Name, appointed to preach the Gofpel; and if A. B. or 7. B. come by their Ministry, neither of these Ways, are they not fuch as run, and GOD never fent, and therefore do not profit the People, Jer. 23.

32.

We neither urge nor pretend the Neceffity of an immediate Revelation of any other general TRUTH or general DUTY, than what is already revealed in the Holy Scriptures. Howbeit, the Holy Ghoft is not to be limited, but when he manifefts a particular Duty to any particular Perfon, they stand bound to come up in the Practice of it: Thus we hold not the Revelation of New Things to All; though to Some the Holy Spirit may fhew them Things to come, as to that pious Primate Uber, and many others, for the Secrets of the LORD are with them that fear Him: But what we defire tenacioufly to adhere to and obey, is the renewed Revelation of the Eternal Way of TRUTH, which is the Life, Virtue, Condition, and very Soul of the Gofpel and New Covenant, oppofed by None, but fuch as the GOD of this World has blinded.

This then is directly contrary to the Oral Tradition of the Papift, which teacheth not only Things not commanded, but plainly forbidden, as Purgatory, Prayers to the Saints, Pilgrimages, &c. But we reject not only all Things forbid, but even pretend to the Revelation of no general Truth, or general Duty that is not contain'd in Holy Scripture.

Next, To prove the Poffibility and Neceffity of this Revelation.

We cannot apprehend how any Christian can think immediate Revelation is ceafed, and at the fame time believe the Promife of CHRIST Matth. xxviii. 20. That he would be with them to the End of the World: After what manner, is more fully explained in John xiv. 16. 17. By his bleed Spirit of Truth, which dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. How this bleffed Spirit fhould abide with Chriftians for ever, dwell with them, and be in them, and not immediately infpire them, if they be fubject thereunto, I confefs, is beyond my Comprehenfion; for there can be nothing more immediate, than that which abideth and dwelleth with, and is in us: And 'tis very evident from the Scripture Texts in this, and the former Section, that the Primitive Chriftians, witneffed the fulfilling of this bleffed Promife, particularly at Jerufalem; and in the Courfe of their Ministry, that they had the fame Experience, is clear from the Acts of the Apoftles and Tenor of the Epiftles, writ by the Affiftance of the fame Holy Spi rit, That it is not ceafed. I fhould think the pofitive and plain Words, FOR EVER, fhould put the Matter paft all doubt, with those who believe and acknowledge the Authority of the Holy Scripture, We are therefore fully perfuaded, that Divine immediate Revelation, is to continue as the common Privilege of all True Chriftians for ever, in proportion to their feveral Conditions, and the Service required of them; and the leaft Portion thereof, is the fame in kind, tho' not in degree: And that this is the only, moft true, certain, and unmoveable Foundation of all CHRISTIAN FAITH, I thus prove; That