God All in All, Appendix
AN APPENDIX (Eſpecially) To Part 1. Sect. 10. And Part 2. Sect. 2. and 10.
HAving ſpoken in the precedent diſcourſe, of the enjoyment of God here by means, and of that ful ſight of him, which is offered us in the Goſpel, and obſerving how much this glorious Goſpel is undervalued, and vilified, by the ſubordination of it to natural reaſon, or ſuppoſed Revelations; and the diſhonour that is caſt upon it by ſome other miſcariages. I ſhal here ſubjoyn a conſideration of theſe four particulars, viz.
1. Whether we are bound to beleeve and reſt in no more of the Goſpel, then our reaſon will ſubſcribe to?
2. Whether we may be guided by any ſuppoſed inſpiration, or impulſe of ſpirit, that is beſide or contrary to the word of God?
3. What courſes diſhonour the Goſpel; and the evil of them?
4. What our behaviour ought to be towards it?
SECT. I. Whether we are bound to believe and reſt in no more of the Goſpel, then our reaſon wil ſubſcribe to?
TO this (having a purpoſe in each, to uſe as few words as may be) I ſhal onelyonly offer theſe
Ten Concluſions.
1. Concluſion, When Reaſon was in its primitive perfection, before it was purblinded by ſin: it was a very much better guid then it is now,
2. Concluſ. Even in that ſtate, as perfect as Reaſon was, we were not meerly left to the guidance of it; but a Law was added to be our directory, Gen. 2.17. We were not left in the hands of ſingle reaſon even when it was poſſible for it not to miſ-guide us.
3. Concluſ. After the fall, all the reaſon that was left in the world, was not able to direct us into a way of reſtitution: If it was, why did Adam hide himſelf from the preſence of the Lord God, amongſt the Trees of the Garden? Gen. 3.8.10. Yea, ſo far is a way to life for ſinners, from being diſcoverable by reaſon, that when it is diſcovered, if reaſon may be Judge, it is meer fooliſhneſs, 1 Cor. 1.23.
4. Concluſ. Where there is the fulleſt diſcovery of God, and is withal what himſelf doth limit us unto, that muſt be our rule, and we may not meaſure how fit it is by any thing elſe. Now ſuch is the Goſpel, and Chriſt ſpeaking in it, Mat. 17.5. Act. 3.22.23. Gal. 1.8.9. We are not ſent to natural reaſon for orders in ſpiritual things.
5. Concluſ. In things where reaſon and the light of nature can guide us; we are yet to be guided by a ſurer direction (in caſe it be afforded us) Whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do to you, do ye even ſo to them, is a *Principium naturaliter notum, in agibilibus. Diō. Carth. in Locum.principle in Nature and Reaſon; yet is our obedience to it preſſed upon another account; do it, not for this is rational; but for this is the Law and the Prophets, Mat. 7.12.
6. Concluſ. Reaſon even in men very rational is exceeding dark: Why elſe in matters of that cognizance, are wiſe and learned men ſo much divided? Truly then in matters of Religion, he that wil be meerly his own Scholar, is not like to have an infallible maſter.
7. Concluſ. What we reſt upon by faith; from the credit of God the revealer of it in the Goſpel, is more certain then what is demonſtrable by reaſon: Becauſe we conclude it from a higher and ſafer principle. Reaſon hath its evidence but from our own wiſdom: Faith hath hers from the Wiſdom of God.*Aliae ſcientiae certitudinem habent ex naturali lumine rationis humanae que poteſt errare: theologia ex lumine divinae ſcientiae quae decipi non poteſt, Aq. 1. p. q. 1. A. 5.
8. Concluſ. To beleeve no more then we have reaſon for is (in a ſtrict ſence) to beleeve nothing at al. Faith is an aſſent to what God reveals, not to what reaſon dictates, and doth then looſe it ſelf when it looks for grounds in natural reaſon, without which it wil not bottom. So then if we wil beleeve nothing but what we have reaſon for, and wil indeed beleeve ſo much, we muſt beleeve that we beleeve nothing at all: for this is proved by reaſon. (See a relation of the conference between Laud and Fiſher, Edit. 1639. in folio p. 75.)
9. Concluſ. To beleeve and practiſe what God to that purpoſe reveals in the Goſpel, is the greateſt reaſon, becauſe the truth and certainty of it depends upon a wiſdom that can neither deceive, nor be deceived: upon a light in which there is no darkneſs at al, 1 Ioh. 1.5. The Lawyers ſay, that natural reaſon may be alleadged where the Law hath not determined *Ratio naturalis poteſt allegari ubi deficit. Lex.; ſo it may where the Goſpel is ſilent; but in other caſes it muſt ſtand mute.
10. Concluſ. To take upon us to controle the dictates of the Goſpel by, or to refuſe them upon their non-adaequation to our reaſon: a deſign of being wiſer then the wiſdom; the manifold Wiſdom of God: a folly too ridiculous to have any reſidence in a ſober imagination. I hope, the fooliſhneſs of God is wiſer then men, 1 Cor. 1.25. In matters of Religion *Non aliam putes eſſe ſapientiā, niſi veritatem. Aug., nothing is wiſdom, but what is truth; and nothing is truth for us to beleeve, to walk by, to ſubſcribe to, but the Word *ſapientia eſt ſapida de Deo ſcientia.. Religious wiſdom is a ſavory knowledge of the things of God, and not to be attained by any other mediums then what God hath ordered to be written for our inſtruction, Rom. 15.4. and if any previous diſpoſition be neceſſary to fit a man for it, it is to become a fool, 1 Cor. 3.18, to deny himſelf and al his carnal wiſdom *Abnegando ſeipſum, & carnalem, ſuam ſapientiam. Piſcat. in locum..
SECT. II. Whether we may be guided by any ſuppoſed inſpiration, or impulſe of ſpirit, that is beſide, or contrary to theword of God?
THat I may not ſeem in the leaſt, to limit the Holy one of Iſrael, I ſhal anſwer by laying down this Propoſition
In matters of Faith and practiſe, in caſe it were not the onelyonly way, yet it is the ſafer way to be guided by the Scriptures, then by any impulſes ſuggeſtions, or revelations within us ſuppoſed to be from the ſpirit. Of this
Firſt in Hypotheſi, in caſe it were not the onelyonly way, the contrary to which I am abundantly perſwaded of, from theſe Grounds.
1. Ground, It ſeems to me a truth ſufficiently bottom'd upon the Scriptures, that the Spirit of God doth not immediately reveal any thing (in theſe latter days) beſide or above what is revealed in the Scripture. Becauſe
Firſt, The Scriptures contain al things neceſſary to ſalvation, 2 Tim. 3.15.16, 17. If an inſpiration be for Doctrine or reproof, or correction, or inſtruction, or to furniſh us to any good work, al this is done by the Scripture; and ſo the inſpiration is not beſide, or beyond it: If it be for more then this, it is for more then is neceſſary.
2ly. There is a curſe pronounced againſt adding any revelations or diſcoveries as of the mind of God, to thoſe that are in the Scriptures already read Apoc. 22.18, 19. and note
1. That this book is a diſcovery of the mind of God concerning the affairs and duty of his Church, cha. 1.1.
2. That it is a diſcovery of what ſhal concern the Church of God from the time it was written to the end of the world, chap. 1.19.
3. That it is a diſcovery of no more then is ſufficient; therefore he is curſed that ſhal take any thing from it, Chap. 22.19.
4. That (together with what we have in other Scriptures, for ſo I would in each particular be underſtood) it is a diſcovery of as much as is ſufficient and all the diſcoveries we muſt look for; and therefore is he curſed that ſhal add to it *Vid. Aret. & Forbes in locum..
2. Ground, What was unqueſtionable from the Spirit of God, was not yet impoſed upon us any further then as it was confirmed by the Scriptures. That the Apoſtles ſpake by in ſpiration, I ſhal take it for granted, (Gal. 1.1.11, 12.) Yet
1. They were wont to prove their Doctrine by Scriptures, and that you may ſee the ſweet correſpondency that is between both Teſtaments (as they are called) I ſhal ſet you down theſe inſtances
Rom. 2.24. Proved by Iſ. 52.5.
Rom. 2.24. Proved by Eze. 36.20.23
Rom. 4.5. proved by Pſal. 32.1, 2.
Rom. 9.7. proved by Gen. 21.12.
Rom. 10.9 proved by Iſa. 28.16.
Rom. 11.7. proved by Iſa. 29.10.
1 Cor. 2.29. proved by Ier. 9.23.
That the Gentiles ſhould be called the Apoſtle affirms was made known to him by revelation, Eph. 3.5.6. yet he proves it from Gen. 12.3. Gal. 3.8. And
2. Thoſe that would not receive theſe inſpirations until they had examined them by the Scriptures, are paſſed with a noble character for ſo doing, Acts 17.11, 12. From theſe grounds am I convinced, that in matters of faith and practiſe our onelyonly way is to be guided by the Scriptures. However,
Secondly. In theſe it is a ſafer way then to be led by any impulſe, ſuggeſtion or revelation within us ſuppoſed to be from the ſpirit: which I am conſtrained to beleeve by theſe Reaſons.
1. Reaſon, Many have pretended to revelations from the Spirit of God, when there was no ſuch thing: but the pretenders were either Impoſtors, and deceivers, or deluded by a lying ſpirit, and deceived, See 1 Reg. 22.23. 2 Theſ. 2.11. 2 Tim. 3.13. of this we have examples of above 1500 years old, *Roſſe his View of all Religions, ſect. 7. p. 184. Martinium de vera relig. p. 58and in our days, if there be two men pretending to an immediate inſpiration from God, and the ſpirit that is in one be contradictory to the ſpirit that is in the other, one of them (at leaſt) is a ſpirit of deluſion: Whence a
2. Reaſ. We cannot ſo certainly know whether it be God that ſpeaks in us, as that it is God that ſpeakes in the Scripture, in that we may be miſtaken, 2 Cor. 11.14. not ſo in this, 2 Pet. 1.21. Ioh. 9.29. Heb. 1.1. Galat. 1.1.11, 12.
3. Reaſ. Be the Inſpiration or Impulſe from whence it will, yet muſt the Word of God be obeyed before it. I argue thus: That Power that is ſupream, muſt (caeteris paribus) be obeyed before that which is but ſubordinate: But the power of Gods Word is ſupream, and the power of Inſpirations (as ſuch) is ſubordinate to it; ergo, &c. the minor propoſition onelyonly needs proving, which the definition of a ſupream power will ſufficiently doe. Now a *Summa poteſtas eſt cujus actus alterius juri…n…n ſubſ…nt. Grot. de jure belli, l. 1. c. 3. ect. 7.ſupream power is that which is not queſtionable by any other juriſdiction: But every Inſpiration is ſo far under the juriſdiction of the Word of God, as that it ought to be tryed and judged by it; for which ſee, Gal. 1.8. 2 Theſ. 2.2. 1 Ioh. 4.1. Acts 17.11. And this hinteth a
4. Reaſ. That which proves Inſpirations to be true (in caſe they be ſo) muſt needs be more certain and infallible (at leaſt) to us, than the Inſpirations themſelves. Elſe it were to prove ignotum per ignotius, a leſſe obſcurity by a greater: Or thus that which hath its evidence and certainty that it is ſuch or ſuch from it ſelf, *Vera & perſpicua cenſentur ea, quae non ab aliis, ſed à ſeipſis fidem habent. Sanderſon. Juſt. Dialect. l. 3. c. 2.is more evident and certain than that which borrows it elſwhere; but the Scriptures (I ſpeak to ſuch as grant them to be the Word of God) have their evidence and certainty (viz. that they ought to be the rule of our faith and practice) from themſelves: revelations pretended to be from the ſpirit have theirs elſwhere: [as before Reaſ. 3.] therefore the Scriptures are more evident and certain, and by conſequence a ſafer guide.
5. Reaſ. I am bound to follow the written Word of God abſolutely, whatever contradict it; not ſo Inſpirations, which in caſe they be contradicted by the Scriptures, I am to ſuppoſe them not to be from the ſpirit of God, which were not a ſpirit of truth, Ioh. 14.17. nor of holyneſſe, Eph. 4.30 were it contrary to it ſelf, to ſay one thing in the Scriptures, another thing in the Saints.
This is my faith as to this particular; thoſe Impulſes that are indeed from the Holy Spirit of God will not; ſanctified Reaſon will not, and (by the grace of Chriſt) carnal reaſon ſhall not tempt me from ſeeing as much of God as I can (where there is ſo full a ſight of him) in the Goſpel of his Son.
SECT. III. What courſes diſhonour the Goſpel, and the evil of them.
I Shall not mention any thing of the language of thoſe tongues againſt the Goſpel, which have been ſet on fire of hell, and endeavour to faſten upon it a complexion as black as the mouths it drops from, leſt I ſhould teach what my deſign is to reprove nor the opinion that ſome perſons have of ſuch as eſteem the Goſpel of Chriſt, and profeſſe to beleeve and practice by it, leſt I ſhould ſeem to accuſe an age of very high pretences to religion and piety of ſuffering the definition of both to be turned in and out. There be three waies of diſhonouring the Goſpel, which I ſhall deſire leave to complain of, viz.
1. When we profeſſe it, and walk anſwerable to it: when we doe ſee ſo much of God in it, and doe coppy nothing of God upon our hearts, and practice from it; this expoſeth it to the deriſion and contempt of the vileſt men. Have not ſome of them ſaid, Aut hoc non eſt Evangelium, aut hi non ſunt Chriſtiani, Either this is not the Goſpel in which there is ſo much goodneſſe, or theſe are not Chriſtians in whom there is none at all? Did not one wiſh, Sit anima mea cum Philoſophis, Let my ſoul be with the honeſt Philoſophers who were Heathen, than theſe wicked and lewd men called Chriſtians? Have not others aſcribed the upholding of our Religion all this while to the excellency of our faith *Hall Chriſtian Moderation, l. 2. p. 118., being well aſſured that our works were ſo bad, they could never have done it. Who is it that hopes to be happy in the fruition of God, that can chuſe but make tears his meat day and night, to ſee that Goſpel reproacht, which is ſo full of this God?
2. When we are not only lewd and licentious, but plead allowance for it from the Goſpel, pretending the liberty it proclaimes to be carnal, and a licence for us to ſin, by turning the grace of God into laſciviouſneſſe, Jude 4. and expounding the deſign of it into a proviſion for the fleſh to fulfill the luſts thereof. Is it not a damnable faculty thoſe men have, to be able to fetch any thing of hell out of that Goſpel where there is ſo much of heaven? Is that foreign, that great gulph 'twixt theſe two places removed, that they can raiſe ſuch a line of Communication? This is to throw dirt in the very face of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 4.6. it is to accuſe the Goſpel of little leſſe than panderiſm to our moſt abhorred luſts.
3. When we meaſure the exhibition of our reſpects to the Goſpel by our worldly intereſts; owning or diſowning the truths and ordinances of it, according to what it is like to advantage or prejudice us in our outward concernments. *Joſeph. Antiq. l. 11. c. 8.It is the manner of the Samaritanes when the Jews are in affliction to deny all acquaintance with them, they have no relation to any one of the Tribes; but if the Jews (as ſuch) have any beam of proſperity breaking out towards them then the Samaritanes are their neareſt Coſens, they can derive their pedigree from Ephraim, and Manaſses the Sons of Joſeph. Thoſe men no doubt have wit enough to make ſome uſe of this ſtory, who have not grace enough to make a better uſe of the Goſpel: A very fooliſh and ſottiſh ſin! Is not all that of God which is diſcovered in the Goſpel a proſpect worth the looking upon, unleſſe you can ſee the world there too? Will you not have as much of heaven as you may, leſt you ſhould not have ſo much of earth as you would? Will you have nothing to doe with God, unleſſe you can enjoy him in conjunction with other things? Pray conſider, whether the full enjoyment of God in heaven, be to be adventured upon, untill we have ſtudied, how it will ſuit our intereſt.
SECT. IV. What our behaviour ought to be toward the Goſpel.
THis will not ſeem impertinent to the times we are fallen into (however it may to the precedent ſubject) if we have any ſence how much we doe underlive our moſt holy profeſſion. Yet, this additional ſheet not being in my firſt thoughts, I ſhall be as brief as in the reſt of it, and only point at theſe Duties.
1. Duty: Bleſſe God for bringing you forth in Goſpel-times, when Alexander was born, his Father Philip bleſſed ſuch Gods as he had, not ſo much that he had a Son, as he had him in Ariſtotles daies *Diis gratias agere debeo, non quia natus eſt mihi filius, ſed quod tuis temporibus ipſum naſci contingit.; he was thankful for natural and moral diſcoveries. The Goſpel is a diſcovery of God, yea it is a viſion of him in the next degree of clearneſſe to that which we ſhall have in heaven. The bleſſing of theſe gracious times is ſhort of nothing elſe but the bleſſing of that glorious eternity. The Saints had their Hallelu-jah's for darker diſpenſations, Pſal. 147. ult.
2. Duty: In all your doubts and ſcruples have recourſe to the Goſpel. Never ask what the Phariſees or Rulers doe. Sure where there is moſt of God, you are like to find moſt ſatisfaction.
3. Duty: Acquieſce and reſt in the determinations of the Goſpel. Will you appeale from God? or is there more of him any where elſe?
4. Duty: Love the Goſpel. Is any thing amiable that is not here? Sure I am, if it be wiſdom, here is the wiſdom of God, 1 Cor. 2.7. Beauty, heres the face of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 4.6. the faireſt of ten thouſand, Cant. 5.10. Splendor, 'tis a glorious Goſpel, 2 Cor. 4.4. Truth, 'tis the word of truth, Eph, 1.13, Goodneſſe, 'tis the good Word of God, Heb. 6.5. Piety, 'tis a Doctrine that is according to godlineſſe, 1 Tim. 6.3. Power, 'tis the arm of the Lord, Iſa. 53.1. Peace, 'tis the Goſpel of peace, Eph. 6.15.
5. Duty: Take off by your practices whatever diſparagements ſhall be caſt upon the Goſpel. Will any ſay it is not the Word of God, and ſo make it ſuch an impoſture as would cheat the whole Chriſtian world of their precious ſouls? Pray confute this blaſphemy, by giving it ſuch a power over your hearts and lives, as none but the Almighty God can either challenge or exerciſe. Suffer it to ſway you, ſimply without any quatenus or limitation, againſt any counter-cōmand under heaven. Will any ſay it is not a compleat Rule for belief and practice? You muſt diſprove this ſlander, by keeping only and conſtantly to it; and by profeſſing that you doe ſo; that peace may be upon you and mercy, Gal. 6.16. becauſe it is able to make you wiſe unto ſalvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. becauſe you may not receive any other, though an Angel offer it you, Gal. 1.8, &c.
6. Duty: Be not aſhamed of the Goſpel, Rom. 1.16. Will you be aſhamed of your God, wil you bluſh at any degree of heaven? *Timor juſtae vituperationis, & rei turpiter actae.Shame is a fear of reproof for ſome unſeemly action, and is it ſuch to own your higheſt bleſſedneſſe? It was a preamble to Peters denyal of Chriſt, that he followed him afar off, Mat. 26.58. and Nicodemus was but in the infancy of his Diſcipleſhip when he came to Jeſus by night, Joh. 3.2. [Read 2 Tim. 2.12. Luke 9.25, 26.]
7. Duty: Hold faſt the Goſpel: Do not part with one truth, one ordinance, one duty of it. You have ſad experience of the Devils nibling away of one piece of ſome mens Religion after another, till they have no more left than Davids fool had, Pſal. 14.1.
8. Duty: Let your converſation be as becometh the Goſpel, Phil. 1.27. So holy, humble, harmleſſe, honeſt, ſober, juſt, chaſt, peaceable, as becomes perſons owning a Goſpel ſo full of a holy God. See Phil. 2.15, 16. 1 Tim. 6.1. Tit. 2.10. Why elſe doe ye profeſſe it? Anſwer that Quaere of Chriſt if you can in Luke 6.46. See Mat. 7.23. Mat. 3.10. The Chriſtianity of thoſe that live counter to this Goſpel is but meerly *Qui non vivit ut ipſe docuit, certum id documentum eſt, non eſſe Chriſtianum. Juſt. Mart. ad Anton. orat, p. 128.titular, that which is indeed true, *Chriſtianiſmus eſt ſimilitudo Dei quantum poſſibile eſt humanae naturae. Baſil.is as fair and full a draught of God upon the ſoul as it is capable of in a body of death. For a concluſion take Phil. 4.8, 9.