The Principles of the Protestant Religion Maintained, Introduction · Reflections 3
Reflections on Cap. 2. of New Revelations and Inſpirations.
The Fancy of New Divine Revelations and Inſpirations, being the Pillar of Quakeriſm, it concerned him to treat the Scriptures with ſuch caution, as to leave room to introduce this Figment, elſe he had undone his whole Cauſe: and yet it will be found that he hath granted ſo much there, that he muſt needs contradict himſelfe here, as will be made evident.
In this Chapter the Diſpute is, Whether new divine Revelations & Inſpirations of the Spirit of God he now ceaſed? He undertakes the Negative againſt us: but indeed the whole is nothing elſe but meer Legerdemain.
The right Stating of the Controverſie between us, will abreviate and facilitate ou… work, in animadverting on this tedious and inſignificant Chapter. In order to that, theſ… three Terms, Inſpiration, Revelation & New, muſt be rightly underſtood. Words are uſed to expreſs our minds by, & are to be taken in the ſenſe commonly uſed among men; and when any are uſed aequivocally, ſuch as uſe them muſt have Liberty to interpret their own meaning.
As to the Word [Inſpiration] it is vulgarly underſtood (in Divinity) to intimate an Inward, extraordinary Diſcovery of the mind of God, made by the Holy Ghoſt in the hearts of His ſervants; ſo, 2. Tim. 3.16. and ſo we difference it from thoſe ordinary and mediate wayes in which we come to this acquaintance. [Revelation] is applicable indeed to any way in which a thing is made known to us which we knew not before: and ſo the word may be (as ſometimes in Scripture) applied to any Diſcovery which is made to us of the Will of God. But this word hath alſo attained a particular Appropriation to ſuch a Knowledge of Divine Truths, as would never have been attained by the beſt Improvement of natural light or reaſon, without the Manifeſtation of the Spirit: and this is either Immediate or Mediate, the Immediate is the ſame with Inſpiration: …e Mediate is that which is commonly cal…d Illumination, the Spirit of God helping us …ith His Influences, whenever we are in the …ſe of meanes. The word [New] may be ap…lied either to the kind of the things revealed …r to the Act of Revealing. Here then our Beleef in this matter may be reduced to …heſe Heads. We do believe, 1. That Sav…ng Illuminations of the Spirit, influencing the …earts of His people with the knowledge of Chriſt and His Truths, are common & needful to all Believers in all ages, Rev. 8.9. 2ndly. That in this ſence, there are new Revelations made from time to time to God's Children, i. e. ſubjectively, 2. Pet. 3.18. 3dly. That ſuch inſpirations as the Prophets and Apoſtles of old had, by which God diſcovered His mind to them immediately, enabling them to declare theſe things to others, were not common to believers in theſe times. 1. Cor. 12.29. & verſ. 10. 4thly. That the Scriptures do ſo fully contain the mind of God in all things neceſſary for Faith and Salvation, that there need no ſuch Inſpirations to be afforded to any and therefore they are now ceaſed. 2. Tim. 3.16.17. with Heb. 1.1, 2. 5thly. That therefore there are no new Revelations made, ſince the Canon was perfected, of things or Doctrines which ar… not contained in the Scriptures, we ar… therefore directed hither for our eſtabliſhment againſt Seducers, 2. Tim. 3.13, 14. and not to abide by this, is to make it appear that they have no light in them, Iſa. 8.20. If now we examine what he oppoſeth to this Doctrine, we ſhall find nothing but Fallacy and Foolery.
Sect. 1. His firſt charge here is upon the Aſſemblies Confeſſion, in the very firſt Article; and truly, If men lay the firſt ſtone wrong, the whole Fabrick muſt be weakned thereby. That which he alledgeth againſt them, is, they are admirably blind in their bringing in particular Citations of Scripture; and we may retort, that he is admirably baſe in perverting their ſenſe, and deſign in Citing of them. They had aſſerted ſeveral things in this paragraph, for proof whereof they directed to the Scriptures printed in the Margent, which he perverſly reflects upon, as brought only to prove that one Aſſertion (which is not totidem verbis made by them) That all new Revelation is ceaſed. They had ſaid that God had pleaſed to commit His declared and revealed will of things which concern man's ſalvation, wholly to Writing; for which they alledge, Prov. 2.19, 20, 21. and do not theſe Texts aſſure us, that God has written His Word to us, and that this Word tells us what God ſaith, yea, and to ſpeak otherwiſe is an evidence that men have no ſaving light in them? Which, by the way, tells us what to judge of the Quakers light; and one would think this is to purpoſe, and hath ſomething of proof in it, and to the ſame purport are Luc. 1.2, 3, 4. Rom. 15.4. Mat. 4.4. & 7.10. They had again told us, That God had made Scriptures neceſſary; and for the Evidence, direct us to, 2. Tim. 3.15, and can Impudence deny the Inference from that Text? Finally they tell us, That the Scripture being thus given to be a Rule for Faith and Manners, and being completely ſufficient to its ends, The former ways of Gods revealing Himſelf are ceaſed, for which they cite, Heb. 1.1, 2. 2. Pet 1.19. which one would think, if joined with the former, eſpecially 2. Tim. 3.15, 16, 17. might prove it. Doth not the Apoſtle Heb. 1.1, 2. renounce the former ways in the times of the Law, to give place to this one and better in Goſpel times; and what can he do that comes after the King? And does not the Apoſtle Peter in the fore-cited place, tell us there is a ſurer way than an Immediate voice from heaven? and what have ſtars to do when the Sun is riſen? In ſumme, all theſe Scriptures, ar… brought to prove what G. K. confeſſeth, Cap. 1. Sect. 1, 2, 3. nor do we ſee what abſurdity would follow, upon our granting that New revelations of any truth, not before made known, ceaſed, before John the Apoſtle deceaſed, though his other extraordinary gifts did continue.
Sect. 2. And pray what do we aſſert, but what he ſeems plumply to grant here viz. That the rule to try all doctrines is compleatly contained in the Scriptures: only the buſineſs is, that this muſt in no wiſe prove the ceaſing of new revelations, or inſpirations, or prophecying. Let it for the preſent ſuffice to ſay, that he who goes about to confound terms which are uſed for diſtinction, has ſome cheating trick to impoſe upon us: it hath therefore been the guiſe of Haereticks in all ages; but poſſibly he will interpret himſelf more fully in the next.
Sect 3. Here therefore he furniſheth us with a Diſtinction, which if he will give ſecurity that he will ſtand by, & make it appear that he intends no more, we will try for an accommodation. We have already told the world, that we deny not new Revelations, ſubjective and mediate, i. e. that the Spirit of God bleſſeth the Uſe of means, Reading, Hearing, &c with His Influence, opening the …es of their minds, and giving them a ſpiri…ual Illumination; and if that be all he would …ave, he might have let us alone.
But when he comes to interpret himſelf, …e pleads for the Immediate & extraordinary …ay of Revelation of theſe things, ſuch as …he Apoſtles had, whoſe underſtandings Chriſt …pened at once, to underſtand the Scriptures, …ithout ordinary helps, and upon whom the Holy Ghoſt came in cloven tongues, &c. which …s far another thing, and of which the Quakers can make no proof.
Sect. 4. The Fallacy of this Paragraph (& …ndeed of the whole Chapter) lies in his con…ounding Inſpiration, Revelation, & Illumina…ion, which ought warily to be diſtinguiſhed. That Chriſt by His Spirit doth give to His Children another ſenſe of the Excellency, ſweetneſs and Glory of divine Truths than natural men have, we believe, and experience confirms; but what is this to Inſpiration? Here therefore for once, let us obſerve the main differences between Inſpiration and Illumination: Illumination is common to all Believers: Inſpiration is peculiar to ſome, as Prophets, Apoſtles, &c. as hath already been obſerved and proved. Illumination ordinarily accompanies the diligent Uſe of the means; Rom. 10.17. Inſpirations uſually came upo… men immediately, and without uſing an… means for them. Illumination becomes habitual; Inſpiration was tranſient, off and on Illumination encreaſeth gradually, Inſpirations were greater or leſſer, as God ſaw meet Finally. Illumination is alwaies underſtood when as Inſpirations ſometimes are not underſtood by ſuch as had them. Dan. 12.8.
His inference, viz. that on ſupoſal of Illlumination, or mediate Revelation, we muſ… needs grant it to be the ſame in kind wit… what the Saints had of Old, is dubious. We ask him what ſaints he intends? If he means ordinary Believers, we grant it; if inſpired Prophets, we deny it; for ſuch Inſpirations differ ſpecifically from ordinary Revelations: and his ſpirit misinformed him, when he cited Cant. 2.4. He brought me into his banqueting houſe, & again, He brought me into his wine-cellar. What again is there, when it is the ſame Text, and the ſame word, diverſly rendred?
His following Rhapſody in commendation of the Quakers ſilent Meetings we leave to themſelves; for our own parts we have no ſuch way of the Communion of ſaints, and yet let not any think that we deny the ſweetneſs of retired Communion between God and the ſouls of His People in ſecret prayer, medita…ion &c. his language therefore about it …oucheth us not.
To what purpoſe he (p. 16.) concludes his long Section with a Compariſon taken …rom humane ſciences, which are taught only …o ſuch as have innate principles in them …pon which Teachers build, we know not, …f it be (as it ſeems) to prove that men have the ſeeds of all Divine Truths in their natural light, and therefore the Revelations of God's Spirit are only the drawing out of theſe Principles into exerciſe, by the meer improvement of their Reaſon, and diſcovering only that the knowledge whereof they had in them ſeminally before; it labours of two faults, Falſhood and Impertinency. Falſhood, inaſmuch, as, tho' the light of nature hath in it the Remains of many Theological notions, and tho' man, as a reaſonable Creature, is a Subject capable of receiving the impreſſion of Revelations, yet there are no ſeeds of Evangelical Truths in the hearts of men; nor is there, any witneſs antecedently in the Conſciences of men, to aſſert to the Truth of them; the credit of them wholly depending upon divine Teſtimony. Impertinency, becauſe it ſerv's not to prove new Inſpirations, but rather to prove them needleſs; the meer Excitation of the light within, b… his inward Teachings, being (on this princ… ple) ſufficient; we hope he will not deny … manifeſt difference to be between Inſpiration and Excitation: nor is the Text he alledgeth (Act. 17.) any thing to his purpoſe… if he would prove new Revelation from it▪ for the Apoſtle is there only endeavouring t… convince 'em, that the light of Nature woul… (if attended) inform them of the vanity o… Idolatry, of the Being of the eternal God, o… the Incongruity of their manner of worſhipping Him; & this in order to his preparing o… them to hearken to the Revelations of the Goſpel.
Sect. 5. How arrogantly and falſly he chargeth Nonſenſe upon the Reverend Aſſembly, for acknowledging Illumination, and denying of New Revelation, will be gathered from the premiſes, and needs not to be here agen inſiſted on; for indeed, inward Illumination is not Revelation in the ſenſe wherein we deny it; nor do his Texts cited help him; for we ſtill deny that every one who is taught of God is inſpired, and he hath not proved it.
When he ſaith (p, 19.) to be taught of God, &c. as the Prophets & Apoſtles, what is it but to be taught by Divine inward Revelation? It it is a meer Sophiſm. We conſider the Prophets and Apoſtles, either as ſuch ex…aordinary Officers, or as they were Believ…s, for they had this double Capacity: to …y that all were or are taught as they were, … the former ſenſe is utterly falſe, as …as bin …roved; to acknowledge them ſo in the lat…er ſenſe, proves not ſuch Revelations; yea, …aul himſelf, was not alwaies inſpired, but …ometimes gave his Judgment as one illumi…ated. 1. Cor. 7.40. Nor can he prove, that …. Cor. 2.10. is applicable to all Believers …n the ſame ſenſe; the Revelation or Inſpi…ation belonged to the Apoſtles, the Applica…ion, or diſcovery by Illumination belonged to all believers in their meaſures: how ungroundedly therefore does he here aſſert, that Paul holds forth that his Illumination was Revelation? muſt he not ſo contradict himſelf in 1. Cor. 12.29, 30.?
Nor can we altogether paſs the ſcurrilous Title, he puts on the Reverend Aſſembly, calling them Faith-Makers; who never pretended to any new Revelations of any Article of Faith more than is contained in Scripture, and therefore have little Reaſon to be charged for making a new Faith. But if it were enough for the Archangel to ſay to the Devil, we content ourſelves with ſo ſaying to one of his Emiſſaries, The Lord rebuke thee.
Sect. 6. Here he makes a Clutter betwee… Subjective and Objective Illumination; he ha… no great matter to ſay againſt the Diſtinction it ſelf; but he finds fault with us for denying Objective Illumination; but he migh… have ſpared his labour and heat, for if h… will be patient, we will not deny that neither; i. e. That the Spirit of God reveals the Object to the ſoul, as well as enlightens the Subject, & if this will do, let him be quiet: only we ſay, He reveals no new object beſides what is revealed in the Scripture, & we thought that he had ſaid ſo too in this very Chapter, S. 3. But now he would inſinuate (p. 21. which he dares not ſpeak out) that he would have new Truths, or Objects, beſides what are revealed in the Scripture, i. e. either expreſly or conſequentially, or he ſaith nothing; let him but reconcile his third and ſixth Paragraph, and we ſhall know where to have him.
As for the Compariſon by which he doth illuſtrate (or rather ſcandalize) our Doctrine, as if we acknowledged No other ſight of the Truth, but as one that ſees England in a map, but never ſaw the land, or one that heares and reads of meat, but never ſaw and taſted it: it is altogether aliene: we believe with the Apoſtle, that all our ſight here is in a glaſs, and that darkly or aenigmatically, 1. Cor. 13.12. and that we walk by faith, and not by ſight. 2. Cor. 5.7. and yet we believe that here is a ſpiritual feeling, & taſting, and ſatisfaction in all this, Heb. 11.1. we are not therefore concerned in this peice of Raillery, with which his 22nd page is ſtuff'd; only we obſerve his ſpirit, like that of the primitive Perſecutors, who clothed Chriſtians in ſkins of beaſts, and then worried them.
Sect. 7. We diſſalow not his Diſtribution of the knowledge of God into Diſcurſſive & In…uitive; but how poorly he improves it to his purpoſe, let the Reader judge: for if …n the mean while our Intuitive Knowledge brings no new truths to us, but what are contained in the Word of God, he hurts not our Doctrine in the leaſt. That Intuitive as well as Diſcurſſive Knowledge may be in di…erſe Chriſtians in different degrees, we never …ueſtioned; but when he hath made all the …plutter he can about his intuitive knowledge, …e can never prove it to be any other than …hat inward Satisfaction which the Spirit of God affords to the minds of His people about …he things that are contained in the Holy …criptures, by the particular and perſonal …pplication of them to their hearts, and let G. K. or any other of his friends (if they can) produce any once inſtance to evidence that ever they had any Intuitive Knowledge of one divine Truth, whereof they had not a diſcurſive knowledge before.
And how much he viliſies the Word of God by comparing it only to the Cup which revealeth the wine, and the Spirit to the Wine in the Cup, is plaine, David had another Opinion of the word, Pſ. 19.7 &c. and Chriſt giveth it another Encomium, Joh. 6.63.
Sect. 8. He introduceth an Hypotheſis, If they ſay, &c. but who of us ever ſaid ſo? make a Caſtle in the Air, and then diſcharge pot-Guns at it: but we do ſay, that all this makes nothing for his New Revelations, although it affords glad Tidings to the ſouls of God's Children.
Had he any Fore-head left him, he would never have here affirmed, that we preach altogether an abſent Chriſt; we alwayes profeſſed our ſelves to believe, That Chriſt is really and properly preſent with His people in His Ordinances and Application of Himſelf to them, only we ſay, He is ſo ſpiritually & not corporally, and it is ſtrange that ſuch pretenders to ſpirit, ſhould deny a Reality and Property to it.
Sect. 9. What little Reaſon he hath to charge us with Nonſenſe, will be ſeen in what hath been already ſaid at the beginning of this Chapter: to which we refer the Reader. But how comes G. K. by ſo much modeſty as to grant, That there is both ordinary and extraordinary Revelation, and that theirs is but ordinary and pretends not an equality to that of the Apoſtles, either in degree or variety? Some Quakers have been otherwiſe perſwaded; elſe had their Lucas never ſaid, If thou haſt a mind to a Scripture, thou maiſt write as good an one thy ſelf. But if he mean no other Revelation but what Chriſt did Joh. 5.25. we allow it; only that differ'd more than in degree from what the Apoſtles had as ſuch officers.
Reflections on Chapt. 3d. of the Supreame Judge & Rule of Controverſies in Religion.
Let us not wrangle before we know what it is for. The Diſpute here is about the Judge or Rule of Controverſies in Religion: and obſerve, 1. That it is only about Matters of Religion. 2. That Judg, and Rule here intend one and the ſame thing, viz. the Standard by which things are to be tryed and judged. 3. It refers to Controverſies, i. e. where principles are in debate. Now wee'll ſuppoſe two kinds of Controverſies, one between men & men, one party and another, each pretending to have truth on their ſide. The other between a man & himſelf, having a debate in his own mind, and not being as yet ſettled: The Queſtion then is, What (as a Rule) is to ſet men down, & put an end to theſe Debates? and let us go together as long as we can.
Sect. 1. He ſeems here to bid fair for an Agreement, at leaſt in the firſt ſort of the Controverſy, i. e. between men & men, for we have only outwardly to deal one with another; and he aſſures us that the Scripture is the Touchſtone by which the Doctrine is to be tried; and then ſurely it muſt judge and determine, or what is the Advantage of Trying? Only he ſpoils all by telling us, They have a greater proof, viz. the inward Teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt. We would only for the preſent ask him, (though that is not all we have to ſay to him) whether this inward Teſtimony be greater (as a rule) to judge another by, & ſet him down? and this becauſe his words import that we are to judge by the Scripture whether the Teſtimony be from the Spirit or no; for in what other way can the Spirit of the Prophets be ſubject to the Prophets? elſe when a Quaker comes to tell us he hath a Revelation, and this is a Teſtimony above the Scriptutes, it would be impudence in us to ſearch the Scripture, if the thing revealed be ſo or no.
What though the Spirit witneſſeth in us that this is the Rule, doth it hereby become no Rule, or an inferior one? how abſurd!
Sect. 3. Here alſo he begins fair, and would make us believe he is good natur'd, for he gives the Scripture a preference to all other Writings, and for that reaſon allows it to be a ſufficient outward Standard; and one would think that were enough to try Controverſies between men and men, and determine them, though his Reaſon is but awk; viz. Becauſe Scripture-Writers had greater Meaſures of Wiſdome &c. ſo that he allows them a gradual difference of Revelation, and not ſpecifical, which may be judged of by what hath been already ſaid, and what is it to us how or in what meaſures God revealed Himſelf extraordinarily to His Prophets, who pretend to no ſuch Revelation at all? It ſufficeth, that the loweſt degrees of theſe Revelations were infallible, and therefore one Scripture is not leſs ſo than another: Nor ſhall we trouble our ſelves to preveſtigate his Rabbinical Fopperies about the different degrees of Revelation, by which (no doubt he hath raiſed his credit much with the poor blind Quakers; whereas indeed, if a man had ſtudied to make himſelf a Fool in print, he could not eaſily have done it more effectually; and though we grant, That God revealeth Himſelf gradually to His ſervants, and to ſome more than to others; yet his Citatation of Exod. 6.3. proves not what he brings it for; it intends not that the Fathers did not know the Name Jehovah, (we find the Contrary, Gen. 22.14.26.24.27.20.) but that He did in His providence rather exemplifie Himſelf by the name of Almighty, in Protecting and defending of the Patriarchs, but now He would moſt eminently diſplay that of Jehovah in the compleating of the promiſes which He had made unto them.
In fine, he confeſſeth (p. 32.) That the Quakers degrees are ſo low that they are not in the ſtate of Perfection, but they may by humane frailty in ſome meaſure or way, more or leſs (tread ſoftly) decline or depart from the pure infallible teachings of the ſpirit; and then we hope this kind of ſpirit is not ſuperior to that which ſpake infallibly in the Scripture; and from which we are aſſured that the Prophets, and Apoſtles in their Dictating or Writing the Scripture, did not decline in any meaſure or way more or leſs.
When he infers from hence, that their Doctrine is to be tryed by the Scripture; and their ſpirit by the Spirit of Truth: We would ask him what Difference he here puts between Doctrine and Spirit; and let him (if he can) ſhew how their ſpirit is to be tried but by their Doctrine, or what Spirit they can be tryed by which will carry Conviction, but only that which breathes in the Scriptures: and it would be a great ſtroke he would drive, if he could reconcile our being led infallibly by the Spirit, to our being mean while in the ſame things left to miſtakes; which is the very ſenſe of his Words.
Sect. 3. Here alſo he will grant the Scripture (or the Spirit ſpeaking in it) to be a Supreme Judge in a figurative ſenſe, ſo we do not reſtrain it hither, but allow Him to ſpeak ſomething without Scripture: But this hath been already detected of vanity, for how ſhall we jugde of the Spirit, but by the Scripture? That the Spirit of God muſt open our Underſtandings to diſcern the ſpiritual meaning of the word of God, we never doubted; and that Prayer and Meditation are helps to it, who queſtions? But what's this to the purpoſe? In ſumme, the Spirit is the Interpreter, but to call Him the Rule is Nonſenſe.
Sect. 4. We had waited long to know the Reaſon why, Cap. 1. S. 1. he calls the Scripture the Outward Rule, and now he fairly tells us, viz. Becauſe the Spirit is the inward rule. i. e. To determine all Controverſies, at leaſt ſuch as we have in our ſelves a debate about. The Text alledged is impertinent, for the Teſtimony of God there ſpoken of is the Scripture witneſſed to by the Spirit: and we muſt diſtinguiſh between the Teſtator & the Teſtimony, the latter of which can in any proper ſence be called the Rule, and let it here be well obſerved, That the Scripture is a Judge in it ſelf, and doth alwaies carry the Determination in it, whether we underſtand it or no, ſo as to be able to make uſe of it as ſuch. And further, That it is not neceſſary that we have a ſaving Illumination for the meer Doctrinal improvement of it, ſince the Scripture is delivered in humane Language, and there is a logical knowledge of it to be attained by Induſtry, ſo far as to decide Controverſies in Religion, by ſuch as are not ſavingly illuminated, nor is it the ſpirit of the Diſputant, but the convincing light of the word of God it ſelf, which is to ſway our Judgements and ſet them down ſatisfied as to the Doctrine.