I. Scripture-light the most sure light ... delivered in three sermons on 2 Pet.…

But though God do speak much by Impressions sometimes, and there is much Light and Comfort, riseth in the Soul by them; Yet,

But though God do speak much by Impressions somtimes, and there is much Light and Comfort, riseth in the Soul by them; Yet,

If I do make an Impression the certain Judg of Doctrines, then am I much deceived. This is the great Privilege of the Scripture, saith the Protestant, against the Papists, to be the only Judg of Doctrines, and Controversies. Indeed God may please to open a place of Scripture to the Soul in the imprinting of it; but to make an Impression the certain Judg of a Doctrine, is without doubt, a great Error: for where do we find that ever God hath appointed an Impression unto this Chair. You read of Mr. Fox, that blessed man, who wrote the Book of Martyrs, That he had so great, and deep an Impression made upon his Soul, concerning the meaning of a Scripture, that he thought he could not be deceived therein. He tells the Story twice; once in the History of the Ten Persecutions of the Primitive Times; and once in his Commentary on Rev. 13. The Scripture opened, and sensed to him, was verse 5. of that Chapter; And he shall continue forty two months: Writing (saith he) the Story of the Ten Persecutions, I was so much affected therewith, that I even expostulated with God, why he would suffer his People to suffer such cruel things; and why he would not tell his Church, and Servants, when the time of the end of their trouble should be: whereupon (saith he) being in this sad conflict in my own soul, I heard a Voice, saith the English Relation,¹ but the Latin thus; Sine Voce tamen; only I did not hear a Voice, but had vehementem cogitationis impressionem, a vehement impression of mind, which whispered thus to me; O thou fool, count these Months by Sabbaths, as the Weeks of Daniel, are counted by Sabbaths; which I did (says he) with the help of some Godly Merchants, and found the Years to be two hundred ninety four, just the time of the Ten Persecutions: doubtless therefore, this is the time of the Beast, and herein I was fully satisfied. Yet this cannot be the true meaning of that Text, as is confessed by all hands; for this Beast that is to continue forty two Months, doth receive his Power from the Dragon; therefore it is not the time of the Dragon, but the red Dragon; that is, the Heathen, Roman Emperor, did persecute the Woman,