both in their particular Writings, and publick Cónfeffions, are forced to acknowledge this. Calvin's Tef Hence Calvin, though he faith, he is able to prove; mony, that if there be a God in Heaven, these Writings That the have proceeded from him; yet he concludes another Scriptures Knowledge to be neceflary. Inftit. Lib. 1. Cap. 7. from the Sect. 4. "But, if (faith he) we refpect the Confciences, "that they be not daily molefted with Doubts, "and ftick not at every Scruple, it is requi"fite that this Perfwafion which we fpeak of, be "taken higher than Humane Reafon, Judgment, "or Conjectures; to wit, from the fecret Tefti mony of the Holy Spirit. And again, To those "that ask, that we prove unto them, by Reason, that "Mofes and the Prophets were Infpired of God to "Speak, I Answer; That the Teftimony of the "Holy Spirit is more excellent than all Reason And again," Let this remain a firm Truth, That "he only whom the Holy Ghoft hath perfwaded, "can repofe himself on the Scripture with a true "Certainty. And lastly, This then is a Judgment, "which cannot be begotten, but by an Heavenly "Revelation, &c. Certainty is Spirit. French The fame is also affirmed in the first publick Con-The Confer feffion of the French Churches, published in the Year fion of the 1559. Art. 4. "We know these Books to be Cano- Churches. "nical, and the most certain Rule of our Faith, not "fo much by the common Accord and Confent of "the Church, as by the Teftimony and inward Per"fwafion of the Holy Spirit." fert the Thus alfo in the 5th Article of the Confeffion of Churches of Faith, of the Churches of Holland, confirmed by the Holland af Synod of Dort, "We receive thefe Books only for fame. "Holy and Canonical,-------not fo much because the "Church receives and approves them, as because "the Spirit of God doth witnefs in our Hearts, "that they are of God. I 2 And Westminster And lastly, The Divines, fo called, at Weftminthe fame. fter, who began to be afraid of, and guard against the Tettimony of the Spirit, because they perceived a Difpenfation beyond that which they were under, beginning to dawn, and to eclipfe them; yet could they not get by this, though they have laid it down, neither fo clearly, diftinctly, nor honeftly, as they that went before. It is in these Words, Chap. 1. Sect. 5. "Nevertheless, our full "Perfwafion and Affurance of the Infallible Truth "thereof, is, from the inward Work of the Holy "Spirit, bearing Witness by and with the Word in our Hearts." Apocrypha. Conc. Laod. Conc. Laod. excluded Canon Eccl. dith, Tobias, By all which it appeareth, how neceffary it is, to feck the Certainty of the Scriptures from the Spirit, and no where else. The infinite Janglings, and endless Contests of those, that feek their Authority elsewhere, do witness to the Truth hereof. For the Ancients themselves, even of the first Centuries, were not agreed among themfelves, conCan. 58. in cerning them, while fome of them rejected Books Cod. Ec.163. which we approve, and others of them approved held in the thofe which fome of us reject. It is not unknown to fuch as are the leaft acquainted with Antiquifrom the ty, what great Contests are concerning the feWisdom of cond Epistle of Peter; that of James; the fecond Solomon, Ju and third of John; and the Revelations, which many, the Macca- even very Ancient, deny to have been written by bees, which the beloved Difciple and brother of James, but by another of that Name. What would then become held in the of Chriftians, if they had not received that Spirit, Received. and thofe fpiritual Senfes, by which they know how to difcern the True from the Falfe? 'Tis the Priviledge of Chrift's Sheep indeed, that they hear his Voice, and refufe that of a Stranger; which Priviledge being taken away, we are left a Prey to all Manner of Wolves. the Council of Carthage, Year 399, §. II. tures are not the princi §. II. Though then we do acknowledge the Scriptures to be very Heavenly and Divine Writings, the Use of them to be very Comfortable and Neceffary to the Church of Chrift, and that we also admire, and give Praise to the Lord, for his wonderful Providence, in preferving thefe Writings fo Pure and Uncorrupted, as we have them through fo long a Night of Apoftacy, to be a Teftimony of his Truth, against the Wickednefs and Abominations, even of thofe, whom he made Inftrumental in preferving them; fo that they have kept them to be a Witness against themselves; yet we may The Scripnot call them the principal Fountain of all Truth, and Knowledge, nor yet the firft adequate Rule of pal Ground Faith and Manners, because the principal Fountain of Truth. of Truth muft be the Truth it felf; i. e. That, whofe Certainty and Authority depends not upon another. When we doubt of the Streams of any River or Flood, we recur to the Fountain it felf, and having found it, there we defift, we can go no farther; because there it fprings out of the Bowels of the Earth, which are infcrutable. Even fo the Writings and Sayings of all Men we must bring to the Word of God, I mean the Eternal Word, and if they agree hereunto, we ftand there; for this Word always proceedeth, and doth eternally proceed from God, in and by which, the unfearchable Wisdom of God, and unfearchable Counsel, and Will conceived in the Heart of God, is revealed unto us. That then the Scripture is not the principal Ground of Faith and Knowledge, as it appears by what is above fpoken; fo it is proved in the latter Part of the Propofition, which being reduced to an Argument, runs thus: That, whereof the Certainty and Authority depends upon another, and which is received as Truth, because of its proceeding from another, is not to be accounted the principal Ground and Origine of all Truth and Knowledge. But Neither are But the Scriptures Authority and Certainty depend upon the Spirit, by which they were dictated; and the Reason why they were received, as Truth, is, because they proceeded from the Spirit. Therefore they are not the principal Ground of Truth. To confirm this Argument, I added the SchoolMaxim, Propter quod unumquodque eft tale, illud ipfum magis eft tale. Which Maxim, though I confcfs it doth not hold Univerfally, in all Things; yet in this it both doth and will very well hold, as by applying it, as we have above intimated, will appear. The fame Argument will hold, as to the other they thepri Branch of the Propofition, That it is not the primary adequate Rule of Faith and Manners; thus, mary Rule of Faith and Man ners. That the Spirit is the Rule. That which is not the Rule of my Faith in believing the Scriptures themselves, is not the primary adequate Rule of Faith and Manners: But the Scripture is not, nor can it be the Rule of that Faith, by which I believe them, &c. Therefore, &c. But as to this Part, we fhall produce divers Arguments hereafter. As to what is affirmed, That the Spirit, and not the Scriptures, is the Rule, it is largely handled in the former Propofition, the Sum whereof I fhall fubfume in one Argument, thus, If by the Spirit we can only come to the true Knowledge of God: If by the Spirit we are to be led into all Truth, and fo be taught of all Things; Then the Spirit, and not the Scriptures, is the Foundation and Ground of all Truth and Knowledge, and the primary Rule of Faith and Man ners: But the first is true; Therefore alfo the laft. Next, the very Nature of the Gospel it felf declareth, that the Scriptures cannot be the Only and Chief Rule of Chriftians, else there fhould be no Difference betwixt the Law and the Gospel. As from the Nature of the New Covenant, by divers Scriptures described in the former Propofition is proved. the Law and Gofpe But befides these which are before-mentioned, wherein herein doth the Law and the Gospel differ, in that the Law being outwardly written, brings under Con differ. demnation, but hath not Life in it to Save; whereas the Gospel, as it declares and makes manifeft the Evil; foit being an inward and powerful Thing, gives Power alfo to obey, and deliver from the Evil. Hence it is called Evayynov, which is Glad Tidings; the Law or Letter, which is without us, Kills: But the Gospel, which is the inward Spiritual Law, gives Life, for it confifts not fo much in Words as in Virtue. Wherefore fuch as come to know it, and be acquainted with it, come to feel greater Power over their Iniquities, than all outward Laws or Rules can give them. Hence the Apoftle concludes, Rom. vi. 14. Sin fhall not have Dominion over you: For ye are not under the Law, but under Grace. This Grace then, that is Inward, and not an Out ward Law, is to be the Rule of Chriftians: Hereunto the Apostle commends the Elders of the Church, faying, Acts xx. 32. And now, Brethren, I commend you to God, and to the Word of his Grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an Inheritance among all them which are Sanctified. He doth not commend them here to outward Laws or Writings, but to the Word of Grace, which is Inward, even the Spiritual Law, which makes free, as he elsewhere affirms, Rom. viii. 2. The Law of the Spirit of Life in Chrift Jefus, bath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death. This Spiritual Law is that which the Apostle declares he preached and directed People unto, which was not outward, as Rom. x. 8, is manifeft; where diftinguishing it from the Law, he faith, The Word is nigh thee, in thy Heart, and in thy Mouth; and this is the Word of Faith which we Preach. From what is abovesaid, I argue thus, The |
