that way wherein he may do God most service. If a particular word be set upon his heart, whereby he is inclined one way rather than another, it may be some guide to him.

Or in case that a man doth see his way clear before him, yet knows that he shall meet with many difficulties and much opposition; if now God do give out a particular word to him, it will strengthen his heart and hands much, as in that case of Joshua, chap. i.

But though God do speak much by impressions sometimes, and there is much light and comfort riseth in the soul by them; yet,

If I do make an impression the certain judge of doctrines, then am I much deceived. This is the great privilege of the Scripture, saith the protestant, against the papists, to be the only judge of doctrines and controversies. Indeed God may please to open a place of Scripture to the soul, in the imprinting of it; but to make an impression the certain judge of a doctrine, is without doubt a great error: for where do we find that ever God hath appointed an impression unto this chair. You read of Mr. Fox, that blessed man who wrote the Book of Martyrs, that he had so great and deep an impression made upon his soul, concerning the meaning of a scripture, that he thought he could not be deceived therein. He tells the story twice, once in the History of the Ten Persecutions of the Primitive Times,' and once in his Commentary on Rev. xiii. The scripture opened and sensed to him, was verse 5 of that chapter: "And he shall continue forty-two months." Writing, saith he, the story of the ten persecutions, I was so much affected therewith, that I even expostulated with God, why he would suffer his people to suffer such cruel things; and why he would not tell his church and servants when the time of the end of their trouble should be: whereupon, saith he, being in this sad conflict in my own soul, I heard a voice, saith the English relation, but the latin thus; Sine voce tamen; only I did not hear a voice, but had vehementem cogitationis impressionem, a vehement impression of mind, which whispered thus to me; Oh, thou fool, count these months by Sabbaths, as the weeks of Daniel are counted by Sabbaths; which I did, says he, with the help of some godly merchants, and found the years to be two hundred and ninety-four, just the time of the ten persecutions: doubt

less, therefore, this is the time of the beast, and herein I was fully satisfied.* Yet this cannot be the true meaning of that text, as is confessed by all hands; for this beast that is to continue forty-two months, doth receive his power from the dragon; therefore it is not the time of the dragon, but the red dragon; that is, the heathen Roman emperor did persecute the woman, Rev. xii. standing before her, to devour the man child, the seed of the church, as soon as she was delivered, verses 2 and 3. Yet this good and holy man thought, that that must needs be the meaning of the forty-two months, because the interpretation came to him with such an impression. Possibly, therefore, a good man may be much deceived by impressions, especially when they come with a particular word. But where do we find in all the Scripture, that we are to judge of doctrines by impressions? No, but by the written word of God; that is the only rule whereby we must judge, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things, and one scripture with another.

Though there may be much comfort found in the way of impressions, especially coming with a word, yet if the word be not set upon the heart, according to the true sense and scope of it, we have cause to fear that the impression is not of God, but an illusion of Satan. For where do we find in Scripture, that ever God did set a word upon the soul, but in the true sense and scope of it? The devil brought a word to Christ, and applied it, not according to the true scope thereof; "Cast thyself down (says he); he shall give his angels charge over thee:" this was not according to the scope of the Scripture. But if God set on a scripture with a deep impression,

* Nomen illius qui responsum accepit non hic edo, nec opus est: fluctuanti in hunc modum hominis animo multumque secum cogitanti do his rebus, tandem felicior quædam Divini (ut reor) neminis gratia, quæ arcano quodam admonitionis sibilo velut respondens sine voce tamen at non sine vehementi cogitationis impressione, subito in mentem eis suggerit vel increpat potius stulte numera hos menses quem admodum Daniel numerit suas hebdomadas per septenarium numerum annorum, qui anni si rite supputentur faciunt 294, rem ipsam ita ut gesta est vera, simplicique narratione adnotandum duxi, Deus mihi testis nec mentior nec singo nec muto quicquam, nec postulo ut quisquam τέλοις τοις χρημαλισμενοις, fdem adhibeat nisi velit qui non velit, ipse de sua tripode, adferat meliora, mea quidem ita fert ratio ut credam Christum nec mortuum esse nec mutum, quorsum in ecclesia templum Dei aut in templo oraculum cum propitiatorio si nemo in cælis sit qui in dubiis Scripturæ locis vobis interpellantium respondeat.-Foxus in Apoc. xiii. page 216.

it was always according to the true sense and scope of the scripture. For example, Nehemiah being at prayer, as ye read chap. i., God gave him a word, with a sweet impression, and it was according to the true sense thereof. So Acts iv; the apostles were at prayer, and God gave a word to them out of the iind Psalm, and it was according to the true scope thereof. Where do we find that ever God did set on a particular word, but according to the true meaning of it? Have I therefore an impression with a word? yet if the word be not set on my soul, according to the true meaning and scope of it, then have I cause to fear that it is rather a delusion of Satan, than the impression of God.

own.

Though the impression be of God, yet if the application be beyond the impression, I am still in an error. There is an impression of a word, and there is the application of it: the impression may be God's, and the application may be mine The Lord gave Abraham a word, that his seed should be as the stars; but he made a false application thereof when he went unto Hagar for the fulfilling of that word. So the Lord gave a word to Eliphaz, Job iv. 12, "Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof; fear came upon me and trembling: (verse 14) then a spirit passed before my face, it stood still, but I could not discern it: then I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more just than God," verse 15. Here was an impression with a word, and this was from God; but he applies this to and against Job, chapter v. 1; the impression was of God, but the application was his own. Possibly, then, a man may have an impression from God with a word, yet the application may be his own; but though the impression be never so full and deep, yet if the application be beyond the impression, he is still in an error. And therefore, seeing that it is an easy thing, and usual, even for the children of Abraham to make application beyond the impression, the safest, surest way, is to keep close to the written word of God, which is both the judge of all our doctrines, and the only rule of all our practices; and therefore above and beyond all impressions, whether with or without a word. And thus I have done with the third instance.

Instance IV. As for that light and law of grace which is

in the saints, the light of the Scripture is beyond and more excellent than that. For,

The light and law within us here is imperfect, for we see but in part, and know in part; 1 Cor. xiii. 9, "Now we see through a glass darkly." And lest any man should think that Paul spake this only of some babes in Christ, he speaketh out yet more expressly, putting himself into the number; verse 12, "Now I know in part ;" and this in part is set in opposition to what is perfect, for says he, verse 9, "We know in part, and prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come," &c. verse 10. So that whatever law, or light, or knowledge is within us now is imperfect, but the word of God written, the Scripture and the light thereof, is perfect : for says the Psalmist, "The law of the Lord is perfect," Psalm xix.

The law of grace within, and the light within, is not able to convince others. If I feel a light and law within me, and say, This must needs be so, for I find it thus within me, I have a light within me for it; this will not convince another. But the Scripture, by the breathing of the Spirit of God with it, will convince another, and is able to convince another: Titus i. 9, "Holding fast the faithful word, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convince gainsayers." How are gainsayers to be convinced then? What, by the light or law within? No, but by sound doctrine fetched from the faithful word.

Is there, then, no use of the law, and light, and Spirit within us: doth not God speak and direct thereby?

Yea, "The spirit of a man (saith Solomon) is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward rooms of the belly." When God doth set up a light or candle in the soul, he may thereby go into all the inward chambers of the soul, discovering those heaps of sin that are in the soul.

Yea, This inward law and light doth not only discover evil, but it doth incline to good, and strongly incline the soul thereunto; therefore it is called a law: not because it is a rule to us (for the body of death and sin is called the law in your members), but because of its power and force to incline the soul unto what is good.

Yea, it doth not only incline a man unto what is good, but it enables him thereunto. It is that principle upon which

all his good actions grow, and from whence they spring. All true good must proceed from a good principle; and this law, and light, and Spirit within, is that principle whereby a man is enabled unto what is good. But,

Though the law, and light, and Spirit within us, be a principle of good, yet it is not the rule of our goodness or lives. For,

If the law, and light, and Spirit within, be our rule, then what need the Scripture or the word without any longer? But the Scripture and the word of God written, is a rule still, it is settled in heaven, and doth endure for ever. Psalm cxix. 89, "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." And saith Paul to Timothy, "I charge thee, in the sight of God, that thou keep this commandment until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ," 1st epist. vi. 14. Timothy doth not live in person to the appearing of Christ, but those that succeed him do and shall, unto whom this charge is made. And if ye look into chap. iii. ye find that Paul saith to him, "These things write I to thee, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God:" yet Timothy had a light, and law, and Spirit of God within him. So that though a man have the Spirit, light, and law within him, he is yet to be ruled by the word of God written; the Scripture and the word written is yet to be a rule unto him; and as many as walk according to this rule, peace shall be upon them.

But if the Spirit that is in me, be the same Spirit with that which did write the Scripture, what need I wait on or be ruled by the word without, or the Scripture, any longer?

I answer, Because when the Spirit comes, it takes of the things of Christ, and opens them to you. It is sent to open the Scripture to you, not to take away the Scripture from you; it is not sent to be your rule, but to be your help to understand the rule.

Because, although ye have the same Spirit which did write the Scriptures, yet you have not the same inspiration of the Spirit. All believers in Paul's time had the same Spirit that Paul had, but not the same inspiration of the Spirit; that is very diverse. The apostle speaking of diversities of gifts, 1 Cor. xii. 11," But (saith he) all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every one as it pleaseth