The Shepherds Wanderings Discovered, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Wherein is examined Mr. Sheppards 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 pages, and his fifth propoſition, ſcann'd and examined.
YOur fifth propoſition is this: That the guift of Scripture expoſition and explication being a part of the prophecy which doth now remain in the Church, is a guift common to all the people of Chriſt out of Office, as well as the preachers of Chriſt in Office.
This now well proved were worth ſomething to your purpoſe. Here are two things to be proved:
1. That the guift of Scripture expoſition and explanation is a part of the prophecie which doth now remain in the Church.
2. That it is a common guift. I am miſtaken if I finde either of theſe well proved. You ſhould have proved the former firſt, but you begin with the latter; and I will follow your method. Now to prove that this is a common guift, you would prove,
1. That all Gods people have Gods Spirit, Jam. 4.5. 1 Theſ. 4.8. 1 John 4.13. Rom. 8.9.
2. That this Spirit is a Spirit of illumination, and Scripture interpretation, Zech. 12.10. Rom. 8.15, 26. Eph. 6.18.
3. That by this they are or may be enabled to ſee the ſenſe and meaning of Scripture, 1 Cor. 2 12. Eph. 1.17, 18. Jer. 31.33. Pſal. 40.7, 8. Jo. 3.27. Jo. 10.26. Jo 6.44, 45. Matth. 13.11, 12, 16.
This is the ſubſtance of your ninth and tenth pages.
For the firſt, I grant it, that all Gods people have the Spirit. But (Sir) ſurely you were not guided by this Spirit in the interpreting of Scripture, when to prove this you quote Jam. 4.5. The words are theſe. Doe you think that the Scripture ſpeaketh in vain, The ſpirit that dwelleth in us luſteth to envy. Is that meant of the holy Spirit of God, think you? But the thing is truth: that all Gods people have the Spirit now let us make it into an argument.
Whoſo hath the Spirit of God hath the guift of expounding Scripture.—But all Gods people have the Spirit of God.
Ergo, they all have the guift of expounding Scripture.
Nego majorem. Prove (Sir) your firſt propoſition: and to this purpoſe I ſuppoſe you bring your next medium, and tell us that this Spirit is a ſpirit of illumination and Scripture interpretation, in all that have it. Your Logick is this.
If the Spirit of God in all that have it be a Spirit of Scripture interpretation, then whoſo hath the Spirit hath that guift. But the Spirit in all that have it is a Spirit of Scripture interpretation. Ergo.
Nego minorem. The latter propoſition is falſe. I grant you that the Spirit is a Spirit of interpretation, that is, that the Spirit can teach a man the meaning of Scripture; for all Scripture is dictated by the Spirit, and ejuſdem eſt interpretari ac condere. Yet let me tell you, you are beholden to me for granting you this, for you have not proved it. You indeed bring in (againſt their wils) the Prophet Zachariah proving it, Zech. 12.10. where are theſe words, I will poure upon the houſe of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jeruſalem the ſpirit of grace, and of ſupplications, &c.
Here is no mention of the Spirit of Scripture interpretation. Your other place is Ro. 8.15, 26. v. 15. For you have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have rceeived the ſpirit of adoption whereby you cry Abba Father: v. 16. Likewiſe the Spirit alſo helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we ſhould pray for as we ought; but the Spirit maketh interceſſion for us, &c. Here is plain mention made of the ſpirit of bondage and adoption, and ſupplication, and interceſſion. But you are a better Logician then I, if you can from any of theſe Texts prove that the Spirit is a Spirit of Scripture interpretation; though the thing be a truth, (Sir) yet, I ſay, you are beholding to me to yield it you in arguing.
Nay, I will grant you a little further, that the Spirit of God in whomſoever it dwels doth ſo farre enlighten their minds in the knowledge of the Scriptures, that they may ſee all that is neceſſary for them to know in reference to their own ſalvation. But this the Spirit doth upon their reading and hearing, imprinting a perſwaſion of the truth of what they heare and read upon their hearts.
But though I yield you eaſily that the Spirit is a Spirit of Scripture interpretation; yet I deny that it is in all, ſo. Nay, I ſhall queſtion whether it be in any ſo as you would have it.
I grant you in theſe: 1. That the Spirit doth dwell in all. 2. That the Spirit can interpret Scriptures. 3. That it doth doe as I have ſaid. But I conceive that which you would have is this, That the Spirit by a ſecret immediate work doth enlighten men (without the uſe of ordinary means) ſuch as are the underſtanding the tongues, weighing conſequences, conſidering coherences, &c,) in the underſtanding of the Scriptures. That a Saint quà a Saint, by vertue of the Spirit dwelling in him, is able to interpret any Scriptures, ſo as to expound them to others. This is a falſe and dangerous opinion; I ſhall therefore ſpend a few words to ſhew you what aſſiſtance the Spirit of God ordinarily gives men in the opening of Scriptures.
That the Spirit of God hath by ſuch an immediate worke ſhewn its power in enlightning the minds of his Saints heretofore is true, ſo he did in the Apoſtles daies. But thus the Spirit doth not now.
Eam f…cultatem humana partim induſtria ſuperveniens uberior ſpiritus gratia non diſſolvit nec abſolvit, nec adimit ſed adjuvat qui ſicuti naturae …otes egregias nactus, magnificentius per eas exercet energiam ſuam, non aliter quam inſignis artifex li…entius & accuratius oſtendit artem ſuam in ſplendida tractabilique materia, ita noſtram induſtriam adeo non aſpernatur ſpiritus ille coeleſtis, ut exigat etiam, nec indignatur ſua dona noſtro viceſſimi ſtudio adjuvari, tantum abſit impia noſtri fiducia. Eraſmus de ratione concion. l. 2. p. 202. Edit Froben. 8.But thus far the Spirit aſſiſts: God hath allowed us means to finde out the meaning of his word, we have waies to come to the knowledge of the Languages in which they were writ, and the labours of many eminent ſervants of God who have taken paines in it, we may by ſtudy conſider the coherence of the words and paralel Scriptures. Now whoſoever he be that with an humble heart takes up the book of God, and in order to the finding out of the wil of God in any portion of his word, ſhall firſt ſeek God by prayer, that he would open his heart to underſtand the wonder of his law, and then give up himſelfe to ſtudy the word of God;Sint caſtae deliciae meae Scripturae tuae nec ſallar in eis nec ſallam ex eis. —Vide pateaſpice & approba & placeat in conſpectu miſericordiae tuae invenire me gratiam ante te, ut aperiantur pulſanti mihi interiora ſermonum tuorum. — q…i illi ſervo tuo dediſti hoc dicere da & mihi haec intelligere. D. Aug. confeſſ l. 11. c. 2. &c. 3. Optimus interpres hic eſt qui ſenſum è ſcriptura potius retulerit quam attulerit. Hilari…s l. 1. de Trin. uſing the means that God hath afforded him, conſidering the ſcope of the penman, and of the words precedent and conſequent, and other paralel places; and ſhall bring to this enquiry not diſcutiendi acumen, a diſputing head, but diſcendi pietatem a pious heart, deſirous to be inſtructed. This man ſhall be aſſiſted with the Spirit of God. 1. Raiſing up his naturall parts of reaſon and judgement to comprehend the will of God. — Secondly, Poſſibly bringing to his mind ſuch Scriptures as may paralel the place he ſeeks about, and help him in the interpretation of that Scripture, for the meaning of which he ſeeks. 3. Working in him perſwaſion of neceſſary truths. But for any other aſſiſtance, I know not where it is promiſed, nor how it can be expected.
1. Nor doe I take the two firſt to be any ſpeciall work of the Spirit, for then it were incommunicable; but we finde that not onelyonly Saints, but ſuch as have left little evidence of the work of grace in their hearts, have yet left us judicious and ſound expoſitions of Scriptures, which we have cauſe to bleſſe God for. And beſides, ſecondly,
2. If the Spirit by ſuch an immediate work inſpired Saints as Saints, Hoc perpetuo debet animo obſervari homines illos fuiſſe carne circundatos noſtri ſimiles qui in multis labi potuerunt & reverâ lapſi ſiat, & … Hyperius de ratione ſtudii theolog. l. 4. c. 9.then it were impoſſible their interpretations of any Scripture ſhould be falſe; but how much the holieſt ſervants of God have erred in ſome expoſitions of Scripture and doe erre, former times have evidenced enough. And Sir, I hope the Spirit of God dwelleth in you; yet as I hinted before, it did not thus aſſiſt you in the application of Iames 4.5. or Zech. 12.10. or Rom. 8.15, 16. p. 9. There might be a quick experience of this: Take a Saint and turn him to a difficult place of Scripture or two, and try if he can give an infallible interpretation; which he muſt doe if it proceed from the immediate work of the Spirit that dwelleth in him.
3. Further yet, if this were truth, Let twenty Saints expound the ſame Scripture, and they muſt all agree, if all their interpretations proceed from the Spirit; that doth not dictate to me this to be the ſenſe, and to another another ſenſe. But the contrary of this we ſee by daily experience. Quot ſancti, tot ſententiae.
4. If this were a truth, The ſame Saint could never alter his judgement upon any one text. But I believe you will ſee cauſe, Sir, to alter yours (as many Saints before you have done theirs) in the application of ſome Scriptures which you have made uſe of; and we live in times when moſt eminent Saints give this to be the ſenſe of a Scripture now, and another a twelve monethmonth hence.
5. Nor doe I ſee how you can ſhift granting, that every Saint muſt have this faculty; for in every Saint the Spirit dwels. But if this be true, you doe well in the eleventh page to give us reaſons why it doth not appeare. But you tell us there that your meaning is, That there is in all the people of God a ſeminall vertue and power more or leſse enclining and enabling them hereto, ſome ſparke of the heavenly fire of Gods ſpirit herein. 1 Jo. 20.27.
If you meant by ſeminall power and vertue, an habit of reaſon, and ſome degree of judgement. &c. I grant it you; but you mean I perceive ſomething elſe, viz. a ſpirituall ability, a ſpark of the heavenly fire of Gods Spirit herein; that there is ſomething of the Spirit in them I grant, there is ſome ſparks of that heavenly fire, ſhewing them things neceſſary to ſalvation, Quod autem omnia dicit noviſſe, non univerſaliter capi ſed ad praeſentis loci circumſtantiam referre debet. Calv. ad loc. V. Deodate ad loc.and ſhewing them the things freely given them of God (yet not that alwaies neither) and ſerving to burn up their luſts, and to enflame their hearts for God; but the word herein I queſtion, yea, and deny that in every Saint there is ſuch a Spirituall ability. Nor doth that Text you bring, 1 Io. 20.27. prove it. The knowledge of all things there ſpoken of, muſt not be taken in the latitude, for ſo we know the Scripture would not be true. The meaning is, all the parts of doctrine neceſſary to ſalvation, ſaith Deodate; but the interpretation of all the Scriptures, or an ability to doe it is not neceſſary to ſalvation. But you will quarrel with me if I leave behind what you have p. 9.
That all the Saints are or may be enabled by the Spirit more or leſſe to ſee and open the ſenſe and meaning of Scriptures, 1 Cor. 2.12. Now have we received not the ſpirit of the world, but the ſpirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given us of God.
This propoſition now is ſo mollified, that I know not how to touch it. Firſt, it is minced with are or may be; who can deny that ſo long as there is an Almighty God. Then it is minced with more or leſse; it were hard elſe, if there ſhould be any Saint, that ſhould not be able to tell the meaning of one line in Scripture. Then I meet with the term Scriptures, which I know not whether I ſhould underſtand it of the Scriptures generally, or ſo much of Scripture as is neceſſary for them to know in order to ſalvation: If in the latter ſenſe, it is true enough; if in the former ſenſe, the Author will underſtand it, ſtill he will ſave himſelfe in the arms of his are, or may be: or elſe of his more or leſſe. But to prove this he brings 1 Cor. 2.12. onelyonly he feares it will be objected againſt. How he hath warded it we will conſider by and by; onelyonly by the way I could have told him of a fitter place to prove this propoſition, which would have put it paſt diſputing; it is that Mark 10.27. With men it is impoſſible, but not with God, for with God all things are poſſible. This proves his may be. But let us heare what he concludes from 1 Cor. 2.12. the words I quoted before if he can argue from hence at all, it muſt be thus:
Thoſe which have received the Spirit which is of God, that they might know the things freely given them of God: thoſe have the Spirit given them to interpret Scriptures.
But the Saints have received the Spirit which is of God, that they might know the things which are freely given them of God. Ergo.
Num igitur ex his concludemus eos qui Spiritum Chriſti habent omnia noſſ…? fatebimur ſed quadantenus, ut a deo condita ſunt ad ejus honorem faciunt & ad noſtram ſalutem conducunt, &c. P. Martyr ad loc. Ʋ. Pareum ad loc.The Minor is unqueſtionably true, but the Major is falſe; and is ſick of that fallacy that Logicians call Fallacia a dicto ſecundum quid ad dictum ſimpliciter. The Spirit doth not teach all Saints all things that are freely given them of God. Many Saints doe not know they are juſtified or ſanctified, that Chriſt or Heaven is theirs, and yet are reall Saints; and the text (ſaith Mr. Leigh) is to be underſtood chiefly of that knowledge. All that the text proves, is this, that the Saints may know by the Spirit the things freely given them of God. It doth not prove that they doe know all of them the things given them of God: Nor that, they doe know all the things given them of God.
But a word more, Sir, before you and I part with this text. Doth not this text look as if it were to be underſtood of a reflex knowledge: ſuch a knowledge by which a man knows that he knows. The originall word is foreign, and doth ſignifie a certain and infallible knowledge; ſo Col. 3.24. Col. 4.1. and if it ſo ſignifie here, you doe ill to apply it to a direct knowledge. The words ſeem to argue ſuch a knowledge as is infallible; and thus ſurely every Saint doth not know the Scriptures. I perceive you were afraid we ſhould tell you, that the things here ſpoken of are thoſe good things which God hath prepared for them tha… love him, So Pareus underſtands it.as indeed the coherence tell you, v. 9. and the knowledge ſpoken of an infallible perſwaſion of our right unto them: And to defend your ſelfe you tell us,
That theſe things cannot be revealed to the ſoule but in and by the Revelation of the G…ſpel and word of God.
I am glad to heare you of that mind; that God hath grounded you in his truth againſt Enthuſiaſmes. But ſir, I muſt tell you, they may be known to us by the hearing of the word of God opened to us, and preached to us, and uſually are ſo. And therefore it will not follow, that a Chriſtian in order to his knowledge of them muſt have in himſelfe the ſpirit of interpretation. You further tell us.
"That the promiſes are the things freely given us of God; (ſome of them at leaſt.) 2 Pet. 1.20.
Truth, Sir; and the Spirit muſt make us to know that theſe promiſes belong to us: but doth it therefore follow that every Chriſtian muſt have an ability to open all the Scriptures? Many of the promiſes, thoſe eſpecially of greateſt concernment, are ſo plainly written, that he that runs may read and underſtand them. Some of the promiſes indeed are darker. Nor doe I think every Chriſtian hath an ability to underſtand all the promiſes fully; but God is pleaſed to enable his Saints to underſtand the promiſes, ſo many of them, and ſo far as they are neceſſarily to be underſtood in order to his ſalvation. But we (Sir) that are as much verſed, I believe, and ſomething more, then thoſe not in the Miniſtry, with the workings of Chriſtians ſpirits, finde it by experience, that Gods deareſt Saints oft times put ſtrange interpretations upon the promiſes: which is evidence enough, that the Spirit doth not enable all Saints to know the true meaning of them. But I return again to the 11. and 12. pages.
Having laid down for a poſition, that all the Saints have a ſeminall vertue enabling them to expound Scriptures, you come to enquire the cauſe why it doth not appeare; and you are pleaſed to charge it upon us, ſaying, The Preachers preach, and the people believe there is no ſuch power in them, nor to be exerciſed by them: and therefore the peopl… never look after it.
Upon this you dilate, p. 12, 13. ſhewing how gifts are improved by exerciſe, and loſt by neglect of it (a thing no one ever denied, that I know.) And there you take upon you to give us a fatherly advice.
Let the Preachers tell the people there is ſuch a ſeed in them, and preſſe upon them the neceſſity of improving it.
To all this impertinent diſcourſe I ſhall anſwer briefly. That the Preachers are charged falſely: we doe deſire all that fear God to ſtir up the guift that is in them, to be much in reading and ſtudying of the Scriptures, to meditate upon them, to inſtruct their families out of them. Indeed we doe not preſſe them to preach; for if you mean by guift foreign, the office, in which ſence the Apoſtle uſeth it, 1 Tim. 4 14, we believe according to that Scripture, that that guift is given them by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery. [That is] that by ordination they are impowred to the exerciſe of that Office. But you tell us, That ſuch as have this fire within them, cannot well forbeare, for it is like new wine, or materiall fire within them, which cannot be kept in, but will break forth, Amos 3.8 Acts 4.20. Jer. 20.8, 9. Pſal. 39.2. Joh. 1 41, 45. Jo. 4.28, 29 Job 32.19, 20.
Severall Scriptures, but ſtrangely applied; as if Saints under the Goſpell had generally ſuch a ſpirit of prophecy as Jeremy and Amos, Why doe you put rules and reſtrictions upon them then Sir, in your 78, 79, 80. p. 25.and Peter, and John had: but indeed it ſeems they cannot forbear, for the Law of God cannot reſtraine them, their pretended ſpirit is like new wine indeed (that hath intoxicated them.) And like fire (for it hath broke forth, to the burning up of a great part of the Lorde heritage.) But (Sir) you are miſtaken in ſaying that we doe not perſwade them to refreſh themſelves with their new Wine; we onelyonly wiſh them to forbeare Ivy buſhes, except their Wine were better, and to keep their bottles for their own uſe, and not to make their guifts means of others drunkenneſſe. We doe perſwade them foreign, to blow up their fire onelyonly, we adviſe them to keep it within the chimney.
But y…u think it would be an excellent means to make the ſparkles flame, if we that are Preachers w…uld but preſſe upon them the improvement of their guifts.
I ſuppoſe you mean publiquely, or elſe you both charge us falſly, and ſay nothing to the purpoſe too. But (Sir) we muſt finde God commanding us to doe it, before we durſt take your counſell. But yet your experiment hath been tried, and is (God knows) too much. There is a liberty enough given to men this way, and the people are ready enough to take it. Nor are there ſome wanting that have bidden them God ſpeed. The Socinians and Arminians of old, after them the Browniſts, and lately ſome of our more valuable reverend diſſenting Brethren; and I believe any time theſe ten yeeres in ſeverall places this liberty hath been pleaded. But where's the flame, Sir? or what is the fruit of it? is not T. Colliers ſpark blown into a flame? ſee his blaſphemous diſcourſe at Axbridge. It is indeed miſerably true, that their ſparks are blown into flames, but they are ſuch flames as have conſumed the Church of God, and endanger the Elect: the blowing up of theſe ſparks hitherto in all places in the world where they have been endured, hath proved a ſad flame. Enquire of the Churches in New England, did not Mrs. Hutchinſon, and the reſt of her followers ſparks come into flames? Aske the Churches in Holland what pretty flames theſe ſparks made; did not the Yorkſhire Sadlers ſparks make a flame too in Mr. Oxenbridges Church (if I have not been miſ-informed.) I believe our judicious brethren will ſoon ſee if this practice goe on, that they will be troubled with ſuch flames that they will hardly be able to quench. We have ſeen theſe ſparks by blowing grow into flam s of Anabaptiſme,Ʋbi Africa everſa fuit per Manichaeos mox ſecuti ſunt eos Donatiſtae, qui & ipſi inter ſe diſſentientes diviſi erant in tres ſectas — Ita ſecta ſemper parit ſectam & alia aliam damnat. Lutherus. Antinomianiſme, Blaſphemy, Ranting, Diviſions, &c. Theſe are the beſt fruit we or any of the Churches of Chriſt ever ſaw of it. But to paſſe this diſcourſe which I believe will hardly pleaſe you.
I perceive you are afraid that the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. …2 10. ſaying that all men have not gift of prophecy, hath thwarted your large maxime. Now to this you anſwer.
1. That that Text may be meant of extraordinary prophecy, which is now ceaſed.
Very right; but ſurely tis the ſame prophecying ſpoken of in all that Chapter and the two following; and if that be extraordinary, you have loſt the beſt ſtring to your bow. But it ſeems you have two ſtrings to it. For ſecondly you tell us, If it be to be underſtood of that prophecy which doth continue, it is not againſt your point; for then it is to be underſtood of a great degree of Scripture expoſition and application. Every one that hath the guift of prophecy hath the guift of expounding and applying; but every one that hath a guift to expound and apply Scripture, hath not a guift to prophecy, that is, to ſpeak in publike aſſemblies.
The latter clauſe is unqueſtionably true; but, Sir, I muſt mind you again of your marginall note, p. 29. Ʋbi lex non diſtinguit, non diſtinguindum eſt, you force a ſence here upon the Apoſtle. In ſhort, to turn this trifle out of the way, your ſence is this, Every one hath the guift of prophecy, but every one hath not an eminent guift to prophecy; then, Sir, the ſence of the foregoing words muſt be this, Every one hath the guift of healing, but every one hath not the eminent guift of healing? Every one hath a guift to work miracles, but every one hath not an eminent guift to work miracles; every one hath the guift of Tongues and interpretation of Tongues, but every one hath not an eminent guift of Tongues, and interpretation of Tongues. Is this the Apoſtles ſence (Sir) think you? if it be, bring forth your linguiſts, and your miracle-working Saints; or elſe ſhew us a reaſon why the Apoſtle in the words before and after ſhould ſpeak de re, and in thoſe words onelyonly de gradu. — Et eris mihi magnus Apoll…. And now I have done with your fifth propoſition.