which is worse, he is not afcertained of the truth of what he is required to fubmit to. Therefore of all people they are moft condemnable, who, notwithftanding they keep fo great a ftir about religion, and fometimes ufe coercive means to compafs their defigned uniformity, acknowledge to us, they are not certain of their own faith. Since then the judge must be unerring, it will be worth our while to confider where this infallible judge is to be found. "There is none good but God," faid God himself, when manifefted in the flesh; that is, originally, or as of himfelf: fo, truly, there is none infallible but God, as of himself. Yet as the Supreme Good is communicated unto man according to meafure; fo (as well fays bifhop Latimer) is their infallibility, certainty, or affurance of the truth of things given to man, according to capacity: otherwife men would be obliged to believe and obey, and that upon damnation, thofe things concerning which there can be no certainty, whether they be true or false.*' Emmanuel, God with men, as he is their Rule, fo their Judge: he is the Law-Giver, and therefore the best interpreter of any point that may concern his own law: and men are fo far certain, as they are subject to his voice, light, or spirit in them, and no farther; for, humanum eft errare, man is errable. Nor can any thing rescue him out of error, or preferve him from the infections of it, but the found and certain judgment that God, by the light of his fpirit, gives unto him. Obj. But is not the fcripture the judge of controverfy? Anfw. How can that be, fince the queftion most times arises about the meaning of fcripture? Is there any place tells us, without interpretation, whether the Socinian or Trinitarian be in the right, in their differing apprehenfions of the "Three that bear record," = Book of Martyrs, vol. 3. p. 475 &c. &c. Alfo the Homoufian and Arian, about Christ's divinity; or the Papifts or Protestants about tranfubftantiation? If then things are left undefined and undetermined, I mean literally and exprefsly, in the fcripture, and that the question arifes about the fenfe of words, doth the fcripture determine which of thofe interpreters hit the mark? As this is not reasonable to think, fo muft it be acknowledged, that if interpretation decide the matter in controverfy, then not the fcripture, but the interpreter must be the judge. Now this interpreter muft either interpret by his own mere wisdom or fpirit, called by the apostle, 1 Cor. ii. 11. "the fpirit of a man," who, by weighing the text, confulting the intent of the writer, comparing places together, gives the judgment which the fcripture does not give of itself; or, from the fpirit of God, "which gives understanding," as Job xxxii. 8. and as the fame apoftle faith, in the fame place, "searcheth the deep things of God." If the firft, then a fallible; if the laft, then an infallible judge. I would fain know, whether it was the fcripture, or the Holy Ghoft, that prefided among the apostles when they were come together, Acts xv. when they faid, "It feemeth good to the Holy Ghost, and to cc us," &c. If the Holy Ghoft, then pray give us a plain scripture to prove we are to have another judge now if that cannot be done, then we must have the Jame, and confequently an infallible judge, viz. the fpirit of truth, which leads Chriftians into all truth, and is given of God, by Chrift, for that very end. Obj. It is granted that the fpirit is infallible: but how fball I know that any man determines a thing by this spirit, and does not rather obtrude his own fenfe upon us, under that specious pretence? Anfw. By the fame fpirit; as well faid Gualt. Cradock, The way to know whether the spirit be in us, VOL. I. Hh is is its own evidence; and that is the way to know it in others too: and the man that hath the spirit, may know the spirit in another. There is,' faith he, a kind of fagacity in the faints, to this purpose."' Which is alfo true in the judgment of abundance of Proteftant writers: for as they held that no man could know the scriptures, but by the fame spirit which indited them, fo, confequently, that the fame spirit only could affure him of the truth of the faid interpretation. And Peter Martyr, as before quoted, tells us, The Holy Ghoft is the Author or Judge.' Alfo Dr. J. Owen faith, That the Holy Ghost is the only • authentic interpreter of the fcripture:' and if the only authentic, then the only and infallible judge; then the judge of the mind or meaning of fcripture, is both an only and an infallible judge. But to wave this does not the very fame objection lie against the Jense of scripture, fince one fays, this is the fenfe, and another that? To know God's mind, men must come to God's spirit, elfe difficulties of that fort are infuperable. In fhort, it were greatly to be wifhed that all men would hold themselves unconcerned in difputing about what they have not received an affurance of from the Holy Spirit; fince they but beat the air, and obtain no folid fatisfaction, neither can they upon any other bottom. God never proftrates his fecrets to minds difobedient to what they already know. Let all practise what they affuredly know to be their duty, and be fparing in their fearch after nice and unknown matters. Weighty and feasonable was, and is the apostle's faying, "Nevertheless, whereunto we have e already attained, let us walk by the fame rule:”” where he both limits us to the prefent knowledge communicated to us, and exhorts us to live up to that; and if any thing be farther neceffary for us, "God in due time will reveal it by his fpirit," that G. Cradock's Divine Drops, p. 210. - Phil. iii. 10. anly only gives to know, difcern, and judge of the things that are of God, Obj. But how will this determine the controverfy, and allay the fury of debates that are on foot in the world? 6 Anfw. Nothing like it, if a man adhere to it! And if he does not, there is no way left but the wrath that is to be revealed. But most perfuafions are agreed about the abfolute neceffaries in religion, from that light and witnefs God has placed in man's confcience, viz. That God is: that he is a rewarder of them that diligently feek him. That the way of • God is a way of purity, patience, meeknefs, &c. without which no man can fee the Lord.' Nay, they accord in fome confiderable matters fuperadded, as fome of them speak, to wit, That God was manifefted extraordinarily in the flesh: that he gave his life for the world; that fuch as believe and obey his grace in their hearts, receive remiffion of fins, and life everlasting.' Now I fay, fince these things men generally confent to, let them live up to them, and forbear wanton fcrutinies after things or notions than gender to ftrife and contention, and leave not mankind better, but rather worse than they found them, and the world would foon be rid of controverfy. Holy living, and not difputing, would be the business of mankind. What more excellent judgment can be given, than that men quit their contentions about notions and opinions, and betake themselves to the practice of that good which God hath already fhewn unto them; as fpeak both the prophet Micah vi. 8. and the apostle Paul, Rom. i. 19. And if any thing be revealed to one more than another, let the reft judge in the fpirit, or be filent till God manifest more to them, in order to right judgment. It is good to "try all things;" but we must have fomething to try them by; and what ought that to be, but the Spirit that fearcheth," and "the anoint " Hh 2 "ing "ing that teaches all things,"" which is truth itself. Here mankind will live in love, having at least natural affections (now loft by the barbarity of fome of their cruel religions, or heats for their opinions) and a judgment of things will be made, not from the rash, partial, fhort-fighted, and froward mind of man, but that eternal light and spirit that never erred: which, however difguftful to fome Proteftants in this age, was no falfe doctrine in the account of John Philpot and bishop Latimer, two great founders of the reformation in England. The first, in his anfwer to the bishop of Chichefter, reproving his confidence about true faith in Chrift, Thefe heretics,' faith he, take upon them to be fure of all things they ftand in.'Let him doubt,' faith John Philpot, of his faith that lifteth; God give me always to believe that I am fure of true faith and favour in Chrift."' The second, in his answer to Sir Ed. Baynton, objecting the uncertainty of man in what he calls truth, thus recorded by J. Fox, Your friends deny not, but that certain truths are communicated to us according to capacity: but as to my prefumption and arrogancy, either I am certain, or uncertain, that it is truth that I preach. If it be truth, why may not I fay fo? If I be uncertain, why dare I be fo bold as to preach it? And if your friends be preachers themselves, after their fermon, I pray you ask them, whether they be certain and fure they preach the truth or not; and send me word what they fay, that I may learn to fpeak after them. If they say they be fure, you know what follows: if they fay they be unfure, when fhall you be fure, that have fo doubtful ⚫ and unfure teachers?" Let not Proteftants, for fhame, judge us for owning a doctrine, that is confeffed to, and confirmed by 1 Cor. ii. 10. 1 John ii. P. 577.. 20, 27. fome |