And Laftly, That the fame continueth to be the Of each of thefe I fhall speak a little particularly, and then proceed to the latter Part. §. V. As to the First, viz. That there is no Know- Affert, « ledge of the Father but by the Son, it will not need proved. much Probation, being founded upon the plain Words of Scripture, and is therefore a fit Medium to draw the rest of our Affertions from." For the infinite and moft wife God, who is the Foundation, Root and Spring of all Operation, hath wrought all things by his Eternal Word and Son. This is that word, that was in the beginning with God, and John 1.13 was God, by whom all Things were made, and without › 3. whom was not any Thing made that was made. This is that Jefus Chrift, by whom God created all Things, by Eph. 317. whom, and for whom, all Things were created, the are in Heaven and in Earth, vifible and invifible, whether they be Thrones, or Domimons, or Principalities, or Powers, Col. i. 16. Who therefore is called, The first born of every Creature, Col. i. 15. As then, that infinite and incomprehenfible Fountain of Life and Motion, operateth in the Creatures, by his own Eternal Word and Power; fo no Creature has Accefs again unto him, but in and by the Son, according to his own exprefs Words, No Man knoweth the Father, but the Son, and be to whom the Son will reveal him, Mat. xi. 27. Luke x. 22. And again, he himself faith, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: No Man cometh unto the Father, but by me, John xiv. 6. Hence he is fitly called, The Mediator betwixt God and Man: For having been with God from all Eternity, being himself God, and alfo in Time partaking of the Nature of Man; through him is the Goodness and Love of God convey'd to Mankind, and by him again Man receiveth and partaketh of thefe Mercies. Hence is cafily deduced the Probation of this first Aflertion, thus: D If Proof II. Lord, &e. poitle's Words being reduc'd to an Argument, do very well prove the Matter under Debate, thus: If that which appertaineth properly to Man, cannot be difcerned by any lower or bafer Principle, than the Spirit of Man; then cannot these Things, that properly relate unto God and Chrift, be known or difcerned by any lower or baser Thing, than the Spirit of God and Chrift. But the firft is true: Therefore alfo the Second. The whole Strength of the Argument is contained in the Apostle's Words before-mentioned; which therefore being granted, I fhall proceed to deduce a fecond Argument, thus: That which is Spiritual, can only be known and difcerned by the Spirit of God. But the Revelation of Jefus Chrift, and the true and faving Knowledge of him, is Spiritual: Therefore the Revelation of Jefus Chrift, and the true and faving Knowledge of him, can only be known and difcerned by the Spirit of God. The other Scripture is alfo a Saying of the fame Apoftle, 1 Cor. xii. 3. No Man can fay, that Jefus is No Man can the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft. This Scripture, call Jefus which is full of Truth, and anfwereth full well to the enlightned Understanding of the spiritual and real Chriftian, may perhaps prove very strange to the carnal and pretended Follower of Chrift, by whom perhaps it hath not been fo diligently remarked. Here the Apoftle doth fo much require the Holy Spirit, in the Things that relate to a Chriftian, that he pofitively avers, we cannot fo much as affirm Jefus to be the Lord without it; which infinuates no lefs, than that the Spiritual Truths of the Truths are Gofpel are as Lyes in the Mouths of carnal and unfpiLyesĺpoken by Carnal ritual Men; for tho' in themselves they be true, yet are they not true, as to them, because not known, nor uttered forth, in and by that Principle and Spirit that Spiritual Men. 1 ought. ought to direct the Mind, and actuate it; in fuch Things they are no better than the counterfeit Reprefentations of Things in a Comedy; neither can it be more truly and properly called a real and true Knowledge of God and Christ, than the Actings of Alexander the Great, and Julius Cafar, &c. if now Tranfacted upon a Stage, might be called truly and really their Doings, or the Perfons reprefenting them might be faid truly and really to have conquered Afia, and overcome Pompey, &c. a Parrot This Knowledge then of Chrift, which is not by the Revelation of his own Spirit in the Heart, is no more properly the Knowledge of Chrift, than the Pratling of a Parrot, which has been taught a Like the few Words, may be faid to be the Voice of a Man; pratling of for as that, or fome other Bird, may be taught to found or utter forth a rational Sentence, as it hath learned it by the outward Ear, and not from any living Principle of Reafon actuating it: So juft fuch is that Knowledge of the Things of God, which the natural and carnal Man hath gathered from the Words or Writings of Spiritual Men, which are not true to him, because conceived in the natural Spirit, and fo brought forth by the wrong Organ, and not proceeding from the Spiritual Principle; no more than the Words of a Man, acquired by Art, and brought forth by the Mouth of a Bird, not proceeding from a Rational Principle, are true, with refpect to the Bird which utters them. Wherefore from this Scripture, I fhall further add this Argument: If no Man can fay Jefus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft; then no Man can know Jefus to be the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft. But the firft is true: Therefore the fecond. From this Argument there may be another deduced, concluding in the very Terms of this Affertion: Thus, If Affert. IIL proved. If no Man can know Jefus to be the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft, then can there be no certain Knowledge or Revelation of him, but by the Spirit. But the first is true: Therefore the iecond. §. VII. The third thing affirmed, is, That by the Spirit God always revealed himself to his Children. For making appear the Truth of this Affertion, it will be but needful to confider God's manifefting himself towards, and in relation to his Creatures, from the Beginning, which refolves it felf always herein. The first step of all is afcribed hereunto by Mofes, Gen. i. 2. And the Spirit of God moved upon the Face of the Waters. I think it will not be That Reve- denied, that God's Converse with Man, all along spirit from Adam to Mofes, was by the Immediate Mani the of God. Object. Anfw. Sanctum feftation of his Spirit: And afterwards, through the whole Tract of the Law, he spake to his Children no otherways; which, as it naturally follow eth from the Principles above proved, fo it cannot be denied, by fuch as acknowledge the Scriptures of Truth to have been written by the Infpiration of the Holy Ghoft: For thefe Writings, from Mofes to Malachi, do declare, that during all that Time, God revealed himself to his Children by his Spirit, But if any will Object, That after the Difpenfation of the Law, God's Method of fpeaking was altered. I Answer: First, That God fpake always immediately to the Jews, in that he fpake always immediately to the High-Prieft from betwixt the CheSandorum, rubims; who, when he entred into the Holy of Holies, returning, did relate to the whole People the Voice and Will of God, there immediately Revealed. So that this immediate Speaking never ceas'd in J. .ge. Secondly, From this immediate Fellowship were none fhut out, who earnestly fought after, and waited for it; in that many, belides the High. Prieft, who were not fo much as of the Kindred of out from Levi, nor of the Prophets, did receive it and speak from it; as it is written, Numb. xi. 25. where the Spirit is faid to have refted upon the feventy Elders; None fhut which Spirit also reached unto two that were not in this Imme the Tabernacle, but in the Camp; whom when fome diate Fellowship. would have forbidden, Mofes would not, but rejoyced, wishing that all the Lord's People were Prophets, and that he would put his Spirit upon them, V. 29. This is alfo confirmed Neb. ix. Where the Elders of the People, after their Return from Captivity, when they began to fanctify themselves by Fafting and Prayer; in which numbering up the many Mercies of God towards their Fathers, they fay, verse 20. Thou gavest alfo thy good Spirit to inftruct them; and verfe 30. Yet many Years didft thou forbear, and teftifie against them by thy Spirit in thy Prophets. Many are the Sayings of Spiritual David, to this Purpofe, as Pfalm li. 11, 12. Take not thy holy Spirit from me; uphold me by thy free Spirit. Pfal. cxxxix. Whither fball I go from thy Spirit? Hereunto doth the Prophet Jaiah afcribe the Credit of his Teftimony, faying, chap. xlviii. 16. And now the Lord God and bis Spirit bath fent me. And that God revealed himfelf to his Children under the New Teftament, to wit, to the Apoftles, Evangelifts, and Primitive Difciples, is confeffed by all. How far now this yet continueth, and is to be expected, comes hereafter to be spoken to. 1. VIII. The fourth thing affirmed is, That thefe Aflert. IV. Revelations were the Object of the Saints Faith of old. This will eafily appear by the Definition of Faith, Proved and confidering what its Object is: For which we fhall not dive into the curious and various Notions. of the School-men, but stay in the plain and pofitive Words of the Apostle Paul, who, Heb. xi. defcribes it two Ways. Faith (faith he) is the Subftance of what Faith Things hoped for, and the Evidence of Things not feen.is. Which, as the Apostle illuftrateth it in the fame Chapter by many Examples, is no other but a firm and |