him." So that though a man have the same Spirit wherewith the Scripture was written, yet he may not have the same inspiration. But because people understand not this, therefore they think that if they have the same Spirit, they may lay by the Scripture as to their rule. But,

If the law, and light, and Spirit that is in me, be my rule; then I may do any thing without sin: I may whore, be drunk, steal, or any thing without sin; for it is no sin to do what the rule commands me. And if the Spirit, light, and law within, do command me to do it, it is no sin to me, because my rule commands me to do it, and sin is a transgression of a rule. But the law, light and Spirit may command me to do such things as these, if it be my rule; for it may command any thing but sin, but it cannot be sin if the Spirit do command, for the very commanding of the Spirit takes off the sin of the action, because the rule commands it. Oh, what abominable practices will this doctrine lead a man into, namely, that the law, light and Spirit within, is his rule.

Yea, if the law, and light, and Spirit that is in me, be my rule, then am I my own rule, and so I am God; for he that is his own rule, is God. But if the law, and light, and Spirit within me, be my rule, then am I my own rule; and what is all this but horrid blasphemy? Surely therefore the law and the word without me, is not my rule. Though the law, and light, and Spirit in me, be my principle; yet it is not my rule, that is the word and Scripture only.

Though the law, and light, and Spirit within, be a great help unto us in our way to life, yet it must be tried by the word written; for if it be not tried by the Scripture, then it must be tried by nothing. But, John i. 4, he saith, “Try the spirits, whether they be of God or no." That law, or light, or Spirit within you, is Christ in you; but Christ in you, is to be tried or examined: 2 Cor. xiii. 5, " Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith, prove your own souls; know ye not that Christ is in you, unless ye be reprobates?" And if Christ without us, Christ in the days of his flesh, did submit himself to the trial of the Scriptures, "Search the Scriptures (saith he) for they testify of me;" then surely the Spirit of Christ in us, will not refuse the same: Christ in us, is not more privileged than Christ with

out us; but Christ without us was tried by the Scriptures, therefore Christ within us much more. And if all that light, and law, and Spirit within us, be to be tried by the Scripture, then surely the light of the word written, is a more excellent light than that light which is within. And thus I have now done with the fourth instance.

Instance V. As for experience, christian experience; the word of God written, and the light thereof, is more excellent than experience, and the light of it, simply considered. For so much light as there is in experience, is borrowed from the Scripture and the word of God written.

It is short of the Scripture; for Scripture light extendeth unto all our actions, a light unto our paths. There is nothing hid from the light thereof, no duty incumbent upon us that is hid from the light thereof. But though I have much experience in this way, yet I may have little or none in another. My experience cannot say, Nothing is hid from me, and from my light.

Though experience be a great help to our faith, yet take it alone, abstracted from the word, and it cannot heal our unbelief. The staff that is in a man's hand, is a good help to him, but it cannot heal his lameness. So is this staff of experience, though it be a good help in my way, yet it cannot heal the lameness of my unbelieving heart; but the word can, and the Scripture doth.

Is there then no use of our experiences? Is there no light therein ?

Yea, much, for it bringeth forth hope; experience worketh hope: Rom. v, "Tribulation worketh patience, patience experience, and experience hope," verses 4, 5. Here is the genealogy of hope; but the next parent of hope is experi"So the poor hath hope," Job v. 16. How so? He counteth up many experiments, and when he hath done, he concludes thus, " So the poor hath hope." It is experience then which doth work hope.

ence.

But though experience be the parent of hope, yet it is not the ground of our faith; it is an help unto faith, but not the first ground of our faith. The scripture and the promise under Christ is; Rom. xv. 4, " Whatever things were written afore time, were written for our learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might have

hope." So that the Scripture and the word of God written, is the first ground of our faith and hope.

And though we have much experience, yet if we do not trust in the word of promise under Christ, over and beyond all our experience, we do evil.

And if all our experience is to be reduced to the word written, then the Scripture is more excellent than all experience; but all our experience is to be reduced unto Scripture. Surely therefore the Scripture, or the word of God written, is more excellent than all experience, and the light thereof. And thus I have done with the fifth instance.

Instance VI. As for divine providence, the Scripture is a more sure light than it. For,

God doth sometimes try us by his providence; he doth sometimes lay a providential dispensation before us, to try and see what we will do. So he led the children of Israel in the wilderness forty years to try them, and to know what they would do, and to humble them. But the Scripture is the rule of our doing, and therefore a more safe and sure light to walk by.

And if the providence of God extendeth unto all our actions, good and evil, and to evil as well as unto what is good; then there is no certain rule or judgment to be made up from thence. Now so it is, that the providence of God extendeth unto all our sins: the Jews crucified Christ, God's providences did extend unto that; "Being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands ye have crucified him,” Acts ii. 23. When Jonah fled from God, there was then present a ship that was bound for Tarshish: here was a providence. And when Joseph's brethren sold him into Egypt, there came by certain merchants who did trade into Egypt: here was a providence. Now if the providence of God do thus extend to our very sins, then we cannot make up our judgment, our rule from a bare providence; but you may make up your judgment and rule from the Scripture and the word of God written.

Doth not God speak by providence; guide and direct by providence sometimes ?

Yea, he doth sometimes guide us with his eye, as the Psalmist speaks. Thus when the king could not sleep, he called for the records, and found therein that Mordecai had

been faithful to him; the providential eye of God did guide the king to do something for Mordecai. And when Abraham's servant prayed, and the damsel came forth to meet him according to his prayer, the providence of God did lead and guide to that marriage of Isaac and Rebecca.

But though the Lord doth sometimes guide us with the eye of his providence; yet if I make the providence of God the rule of lawfulness or unlawfulness, then am I in a great error, and exposed thereby unto all sin; for then may I say, if I be tempted to kill or murder myself, the providence of God is the rule of lawfulness or unlawfulness. Now here is a knife, a rope, a pond, or an instrument of death, which falls in my way by unexpected providence, therefore I will and must now murder myself. Understand the thing rightly therefore I pray you, thus: In case that two things are before me, and both are lawful; providence opening a door to one, and shutting the door upon the other, it doth direct to that one, and not to the other. But the providence of God doth not make a thing lawful, which is in itself unlawful. It doth direct us in doing of a thing lawful, but it doth not make a thing lawful; it is not the rule of lawfulness or unlawfulness. But the Scripture and the word of God is, it is the only rule whereby I may and must make up my judgment of lawfulness and unlawfulness; it is that only which doth stamp lawfulness upon an action. Surely therefore the light of the Scripture, is more excellent light, than divine providence. And thus I have done with the sixth instance.

Instance VII. As for human reason and the light thereof, Scripture light is more excellent than it. For,

Though human reason be a beam of divine wisdom, yet if it be not enlightened with an higher light of the gospel, it cannot reach unto the things of God as it should; it is panis pauperum, the poor man's bread, compared by some to the dough which the Israelites brought out of Egypt, which was prepared with much labour, and then called panis pauperum, Deut. xvi. 3. But the word of God in the Scriptures is compared to manna, called the bread of angels; for the gospel did come down from heaven in a special manner; for though reason be the gift of God, yet it doth proceed from God as he is God and general Ruler of the world: but the

F F

gospel, and the light thereof, did proceed from the Father by the Son to the church; Rev. xxii. 1, " And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb," John i. 17, 18.*

Though reason be the gift of God, and a beam of the wisdom of God, yet it cannot sufficiently discover a man's sins unto him; not his secret sins, not his original sin, not his sin of unbelief, and against the gospel; but the word of God, the Scripture light, can and doth.

And as mere human reason cannot make a sufficient discovery of sin, so it cannot strengthen against sin and temptation: temptations answered by reason will return again; it cannot convert the soul. "But the word of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul," Psalm xix.

Though the light of reason be good, yet it is not a saving light. How many are there in the world, who have strong reason, yet shall go to hell, and miscarry to all eternity? But the light of the Scripture, gospel light, is saving light. Surgunt indocti, said a great bishop and learned man, et capiunt cælum et nos cum omni doctrina nostra trudimur in infernum. Poor men arise, and take the kingdom of heaven by force, when we with all our learning are thrust into hell. Why so? The poor receive the gospel; not many wise, not many learned. "Father, I thank thee (saith Christ) thou hast revealed these things to babes." It is revelation light from the gospel that doth bring to heaven: mere human reason cannot do it.

Is there then no use of reason and of the light thereof? Yea, much, not only in civil things, but in the things of God, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.† Did not Christ himself make use of reason to prove the resurrection: There is a resurrection (saith he), for God is not the God of the dead but of the living. If God be the God of Abraham, then Abraham must rise again; but he is the God of

* Morn. Prefat. Lib de vera relig. Prefat. Lib. de Euch.

Ames. de traductione peccatoris ad vitam et de lumine naturæ et gratiæ. Dr. Voet. de ratione humana de rebus fidei.

Alting. Loc. com. pars i. Loc. 2. dg.

Tunc solum vere Deum cognoscimus quando ipsum esse credimus supra omne id quod de Deo cogitari ab homine possibile est.

Aquin. contra Gent. Lib. i. cap. 5. 6.

† Dr. Voeti. de ratione humana in rebus fidei. p. 5—7.