This Scripture-Light, is a more sure, and certain Light: For if God should now speak unto you by Visions, or Visional Revelations, how would you know that this were the Voice of God and not a delusion of Satan? Would ye know it by the Truth that is spoken? how do ye know the Truth, but by Scripture?1 And who doth not know that the Devil will speak an hundred Truths, that he may crowd in one Lye amongst them? Or would ye know that it is a true Revelation, and not an illusion, by the high things that should be revealed? What greater, higher things, than the things of the Gospel? these are the mystery of the Kingdom, called the deep things of God; and says the Apostle Paul, I fear, lest by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. And how did Satan beguile Eve, but by persuading her to high things, that she should be like to God? And thus I fear, many are beguiled even at this day amongst us. Or would ye know a Revelation of Gods from the delusion of Satan by the event, in that some future thing is revealed to you, which doth fall out accordingly? then read what the Lord says in Deut. 13.1. If there arise among you, a Prophet, or a Dreamer of Dreams, and ⟨p. 16⟩giveth thee a sign, 2or a wonder, and the sign or wonder come to pass, saying, Let us go serve other Gods, which thou hast not known. Verse 2. Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet, for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God. God may suffer a Revelation to come to pass, and yet it may not be from the Lord, but to prove you, whether you love him, and will cleave unto him. Or will ye know a true Revelation, from a Delusion, by your Taste, per saporem, which is said to be the way whereby they did know that thing was of God? Then what an uncertainty will here be, that your whole Salvation shall hang upon, and be ruled by your own Taste. But now the written Word of the Lord is certain, sure, and steadfast; Heaven and Earth shall pass, but not one tittle of the Word shall pass: the least apex, and tittle of it, is more established than the Mountains.
This Scripture-Light, is a more sure, and certain Light: For if God should now speak unto you by Visions, or Visional Revelations, how would you know that this were the Voyce of God and not a delusion of Satan? Would ye know it by the Truth that is spoken? how do ye know the Truth, but by Scripture?1 And who doth not know that the Devil wil speak an hundred Truths, that he may crowd in one Lye amongst them? Or would ye know that it is a true Revelation, and not an illusion, by the high things that should be revealed? What greater, higher things, than the things of the Gospel? these are the mystery of the Kingdom, called the deep things of God; and saies the Apostle Paul, I fear, lest by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. And how did Satan beguile Eve, but by perswading her to high things, that she should be like to God? And thus I fear, many are beguiled even at this day amongst us. Or would ye know a Revelation of Gods from the delusion of Satan by the event, in that some future thing is revealed to you, which doth fal out accordingly? then read what the Lord saies in Deut. 13.1. If there arise among you, a Prophet, or a Dreamer of Dreams, and ⟨p. 16⟩giveth thee a sign, 2or a wonder, and the sign or wonder come to pass, saying, Let us go serve other Gods, which thou hast not known. Verse 2. Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet, for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God. God may suffer a Revelation to come to pass, and yet it may not be from the Lord, but to prove you, whether you love him, and wil cleave unto him. Or wil ye know a true Revelation, from a Delusion, by your Tast, per saporem, which is said to be the way whereby they did know that thing was of God? Then what an uncertainty wil here be, that your whol Salvation shal hang upon, and be ruled by your own Tast. But now the written Word of the Lord is certain, sure, and stedfast; Heaven and Earth shall pass, but not one tittle of the Word shall pass: the least apex, and tittle of it, is more established than the Mountains.
- 1Ditamus preterea quoniam non est humanitus regula generalis, vel ars dabilis ad discernendum semper et infallibiliter quae verae sunt et quae falsae aut illusotiae revelations. Gersom. Tract. de distinctione verarum et falsar. visionum. Tom. 1. 175, 176, &c.Ditamus preterea quoniam non est humanitus regula generalis, vel ars dabilis ad discernendum semper et infallibiliter quae verae sunt et quae falsae aut illusotiae revelationes. Gersom. Tract. de distinctione verarum et falsar. visionum. Tom. 1. 175, 176, &c.
- 2Sancti autem viri inter illusiones atque Revelationes ipsas visionu• voces aut imagines quodam intimo sapore discernunt ut scient vel quid à bono spiritu percipiant vel quid ab illusore patiantur nam si erga haec mens caura non fuerit per deceptorem spiritum multis see vanitatibus immergit, qui nonnunquam solet multa predicere, ut ad extremum valeat animam ex una falsitate laqueare. Gregor. Dialo. Lib. 4.Sancti autem viri inter illusiones atque Revelationes ipsas visionu• voces aut imagines quodam intimo sapore discernunt ut scient vel quid à bono spiritu percipiant vel quid ab illusore patiantur nam si erga haec mens caura non fuerit per deceptorem spiritum multis se vanitatibus immergit, qui nonnunquam solet multa predicere, ut ad extremum valeat animam ex una falsitate laqueare. Gregor. Dialo. Lib. 4.
