Light for Smoke, Section 22
SECT. XXII. Of ſtaying for the Spirit to give light of inſtruction to the reformation of the Church.
Smoke. Pag. 52. IS not that a very Gospel way to ſtay for the Spirits coming into the ſervants of the Lord? take heed of denying inspired diſciples, you know it is a part of the fulfilling of the great Prophecie, Act. 2. Indeed ſome of the Prelates, many of them being uninspired themſelves, and having little of the ſpirit or none, would needs ſay therefore that all inspirations and ſpirituall inlightnings, were ended in the Church, becauſe ended in them; and becauſe they were ſo carnall themſelves, they thought none was ſpirituall; and you remember how they made lawes even againſt the ſpirit in prayer.
Light. Firſt, I confeſſe it is a Goſpel way to ſtay for the ſpirits coming into the ſervants of the Lord; the Apoſtles were commanded by our Saviour not to depart from Ieruſalem, but to waite there for the promiſe of the Father, Act. 1.4. and they did ſo, and there the Holy Ghoſt came upon them, Act. 2.3. And ſo the Prophecy of Ioel of pouring out the ſpirit in the laſt dayes, Ioel 2.28. was fulfilled, and is ſo implied by Peter, Act. 2. verſ. 16, 17.
Secondly, by the laſt dayes is not to be underſtood our preſent Age, 1645 yeers after our Saviours firſt coming, and God knows how many before his ſecond coming; by the laſt dayes may be underſtood not preciſely thoſe which are next to the worlds end, but after times; as in the prophecie of Iacob, Gen. 19.1. which ſometimes may be further, as in that of Iacob and Ioel, ſometimes neerer hand, as the Prophecie of Peter that there ſhould come in the laſt dayes ſcoffers, 2 Pet. 2.3. which was fulfilled, and ſo is recorded in the laſt of the Apoſtolicall Epiſtles, for in the 17. & 18. verſes of Iudes Epiſtle, ſaith he, Beloved remember the words which were ſpoken before of the Apoſtles of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, how that they told you there ſhould be mockers in the laſt times, who ſhould walke after their owne ungodly luſts; but the dayes of the Goſpel are called the laſt times, becauſe after that is brought forth we muſt looke for no more changes of Religion, and the manner of Gods worſhip, as there was before in Moſes time from what was in uſe before with the Patriarchs, and ſince Chriſts time from the Ceremonials of Moſes.
Thirdly, though I doe not nor dare put limits to the Spirit, which is free as the winde that bloweth where it liſteth, Ioh. 3.8. and doe acknowledge and bleſſe God for it that there is … ſpirit of grace and ſupplications, Zach. 1….10. poured out upon many of Gods people; and not onelyonly upon Preachers, but alſo upon divers others which are not: and that it was a wicked part in divers of the Prelates (for all on my knowledge were not guilty of it) to ſtint the Miniſters of the Goſpel, as they did by the … forme in their Conan, which was rather a bidding invitation to prayer, then a prayer it ſolfe.
Yet fourthly, ſince the Apoſtle Paul foretels of the later times, that there ſhall be … ſpirits, and dectrines of Devils, ſpeaking lyes in hypocriſie, 1 Tin…. 4.1.12. and John the Apoſtle gives a caveat againſt credulity in this caſe, Beloved, beleeve not every ſpirit, but try the ſpirits whether they be of God, 1 Ioh. 4.1. and that Chriſtians are admoniſhed to try all things, 1 Theſ. 5.21. and the Church of Epheſus is commended for trying thoſe who ſaid they were Apoſtles and were not, and found them lyors, Revel. 2.2. and the tryall is to be made by the law, and by the teſtimonie of the Scripture; and if they ſpeake not according to this, it is becauſe there is no light in them, Eſa. 20.8. And ſince I have read of many horrid and abominable things committed upon pretence of revelation of the ſpirit;
Laſtly, ſince the Government of the Church is not a matter of private inſpiration, but of publique direction, and uſe to the whole Church, and that the Word of God, as a ſtanding ru…e, is to give us directions in Goſpel diſpenſations, I dare not expect where that ſpeakes nothing, that the defect will be made out, or made up with the whiſperings of a private ſpirſt, eſpecially againſt the concurrent judgement of the moſt Orthodox Divines of the Reformed Churches.