Truth Held Forth and Maintained, Part 1 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Concerning divine Inſpiration and Revelation.
MAny are the Teachers which hold, all divine Inſpiration and Revelation to be ceaſed ever ſince the Apoſtles days, and from that time that God hath wholly committed his Will and Mind to be known by the written Word.
To which I Anſwer: That God in Chriſt, before the World began, did determine all things neceſſary for mans Salvation, whom God did make in his own Image, and gave him Dominion over the Works of his own Hand, which Image of Holineſs Man loſt in the Fall. Now Adam is called the Son of God, and he that is a Son of God is alſo a Child of God, Luke 3.38. in whom the Spirit of God by meaſure dwelleth, which is for this end, to direct the mind of Man unto the true and living Knowledge of God; for which end there was a ſufficient gift of God Spirit to ſave Adam's Soul, which gift in meaſure is given to all the Children of Men, that they may know the Mind of God, and do it; for Salvation is not by the Works of the Law, but by Grace, through Faith in …eſus Chriſt; for the Law was given by …loſes, but Grace and Truth came by Jeſus Christ, who is the Author and Finiſher of his own work of in his people, John 1.1…. and for that end they have received a divine gift of his Spirit of Grace, which doth reveal the Mind and Will of God, in and through the Son of his love, the Lord Jeſus, which is Chriſt (by the divine Life and Light of his Spirit in his People the Hope of Glory, in which ſtate they ſerve the Lord of Life, according to the Revelation of his Spirit, of which all, in meaſure have received, or ſhall receive, for their Obedience to the Faith, through which Obedience of Faith, is the Juſtification of Life and Salvation, and Condemnation unto them whoſe Diſobedience is to the true Faith, which hath been delivered unto the Saints, unto whom the Lord, in meaſure, doth reveal himſelf in this day, as to his faithful Children in days paſt, it being granted, that God gave extraordinary Revelations, &c. to the holy Prophets and Apoſtles, beſide what he gave them in common with all Saints; for he changeth not, but is the ſame God yeſterday, to day and for evermore, who makes known the Myſtery of Salvation by the Revelation of his good Spirit of Grace, through their Faith in Jeſus Chriſt.
So now, as the Almighty God hath in all Ages made known of his Will and Mind to the Children of men, by the revealings of his Spirit in their hearts, even ſo is it among his Children in this Day, who behold with their ſpiritual Eyes the mighty Works of God to their Souls, by the Revelations of his Spirit, in and through Jeſus Chriſt; for he that was to come, is come, in whom the fullneſs is, and hath brought in the hope of Salvation to all them that believe in the gift of his Spirit, which doth reveal the Mind of God in his People, who witneſs him to be come, which hath fulfilled all Righteouſneſs, and brought in the Hope of Aſſurance, which is revealed by the Inſpiration of his holy …pirit in them, through which they are brought into a further acquaintance with the Lord of Life, whom to know, through the drawings of the Father, is Life Eternal, through the Son; for no man cometh to receive Life by the Son, but as the Father draws him, neither cometh any to the Father, but by the Son, John 6.44. Theſ. 65
So here is a drawing by the Spirit, which reveals the Will of God in the Children of his own begetting, thorough which, by Faith, they come into fellowſhip with the Son more and more, whom no man knoweth but the Father, neither knoweth any the Father, ſave the Son, and he to whomſoever the Son will reveal him, Mat. 11.2…. Therefore the true ſaving knowledge of God, is by the divine Revelation of his own Spirit, in and through Jeſus Chriſt, whom to know is Life Eternal, of which the Scriptures do declare, that the Power of God remains in the gift of his Grace, which c…me by Jeſus Chriſt, through which is the aſſurance of Salvation, to them that by Faith in Chriſt, through whom by his Grace, they are ſaved. Now the holy ſcriptures were given forth by the holy Spirit of God; therefore is his Spirit before and above the Scriptures, as the workman is above the inſtrument he works with; for the ſpirit worketh with the Scriptures inſtrumentally upon the ſouls of men, both to inform their Underſtandings, and to move and incline their Wills and Affections; and no man can underſtand the things o… the Spirit but by the Revelation of the Spirit; for they in days paſt did ſearch the Scriptures, thinking therein to find eternal Life, when tho' they reſtifie of him, yet there is no Life to them th… by true Faith, in Obedience to the gift of his Spirit, will no… come unto him, Joh. 5.39, 40, Here is Life tendered, but not barely and only by the Scriptures, but by coming to Chriſt; for they in that day had the outward knowledge of the Letter, which kills without the ſaving knowledge of God in Chriſt, which by Faith is revealed thorough the Gift of his own Spirit in his People; for all that either tends to Salvation or Condemnation, it is by the Revelation of Gods Spirit in man, for the Spirit of God keeps ſtriving againſt the Enemies Power in them whom God hath armed with his ſpiritual Armor againſt the Devils Temptations, and in them that diſobey God, thorough their Life of Diſobedience to the gift of his divine Light, in them it is their condemnation for ſin and evil, Joh. 3.19. Rom. 1.18, 19. 2 Cor. 3.6. for it is by the Revelation of Gods Spirit, that men come to the knowledge of which thought and intent is for him or againſt his Truth; for the thoughts and Intents of men, whether good or evil, the Lord ſhews it unto them in their own heart and conſcience, by the Revelation of his ſpirit, which Juſtifies the thoughts and intents of the Righteous, but condemns the thoughts and intents of the Wicked. Now the holy Scripture is ſhort in giving men the knowledge of their thoughts and intents, without the ſearchings of the Spirit of God; for the Lord ſearcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reigns and decleares unto Man what is his Thoughts, Amos 4.13. Alſo, the Prophet hath ſaid by the Spirit of Truth, That they ſhall all be taught of God, which is according to Chriſts ſaying, John. 6 45. Every man that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, cometh to me… neither hath Eye ſeen nor Ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath Prepared for them that love him, but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit, for the Spirit ſearcheth all things, even the deep things of God; for what man knoweth the things of a man, ſave the ſpirit of a man which is in him, even ſo the things of God, knoweth no man, but the ſpirit o… God, and to whom the Spirit reveals them; for true believers in this day, as well as in dayes paſt have not received the Spirit of the World, but the ſpirit which is of God, that they might know the things that are freely given to them of God, 1 Cor. 2 9, 10, 11, 12 By which it is manifeſt, that divine Revelation, by the inſpiration of Gods holy Spirit, is of abſolute neceſſity for Salvation, in and thorough Faith by Jeſus Chriſt, whom no man can know, but by the revealed gift of his Spirit, which through Faith begets the inward man into the ſaving knowledge of God, and of his Son, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, through which every true Believer in him, comes to receive of the like benefit with the Saints in their day, to ſee with their ſpiritual Eyes, and to hear with their ſpiritual Ears, and with their ſpiritual hands, they come to handle the Word o… Life, 1 John 1.1. Then if all divine Revelation and Inſpiration of Gods Spirit to his Children be ceaſed, muſt not all ſpiritual ſeeing and ſpiritual hearing be ceaſed alſo? which by their Doctrines doth ſeem to me, as if they conclude Chriſt alſo to be ceaſed; for if the Inſpiration of Gods holy Spirit of Revelation be ceaſed, then how ſhall God and Chriſt be heard and ſeen ſpiritually, as believers in dayes paſt did ſpiritually hear and ſee him? Alſo if God hath committed his whole Will and Mind to Writing, then by what means are theſe ſaved, which have not received the knowledge of the Letter of the holy ſcripture? Will they conclude, they all periſh, for want of the Letter, when the Mind and Will of God is, that a Remnant of all Nations, of them that fear him and work Righteouſneſs ſhall be ſaved. And though the holy Scriptures do give Infallible Marks of ſuch an eſtate yet there is no ſcripture can infallibly aſſure any man that he hath theſe marks, but it muſt be the ſpirit of God, that gives every true believer ſuch an aſſurance; for the ſpirit it ſelf beareth witneſs with our Spirits, that we are the Children of God, Rom. 8.6. So it is the Spirit of God by which that aſſurance is revealed to beleivers, or more properly in believers, by which they come to witneſs, that they have the Son, and he that hath the Son of God, hath Life, 1 Joh, 5.12. Now the holy Scriptures hold forth, that he that hath the Son of God, hath Life, but give no aſſurnce of Life, but the Spirit of God doth reveal an aſſurance; which proves, that all divine Revelation is not ceaſed.