Thirdly, Faith resigns to the word, as the only way in which a man may be taught of God: All men are ambitious of so grand a privilege. The very Gentiles in the puddle of their filthy Idolatries, thought themselves taught of God in ⟨p. 93⟩their Oracles. The Mahometans think themselves more sure of it in their Alcoran, at which (say they) the devils themselves rejoiced, and turned to God; no question they rejoiced at such a bundle of lies and blasphemies, but that they turned to God is a wild delusion. The Jews boast themselves no less in their Oral Law, which (say they) God delivered over to Moses, and Moses to Joshua, and Joshua to the Elders, and they to the Prophets, and they to the Sanhedrin, and they at last to writing in the Talmud; calling it, lux illa magna, that great light, which yet is but a dark labyrinth of errors and horrible falsities. The Papists run to their traditions and unwritten verities as Divine, and so bring in a load of fopperies and vain superstitions. The Enthusiasts cry up the spirit in an extra-scriptural way, and so turn aside from the main principles of Religion. In such false ways do men lose themselves and the Divine teaching, whilst the believer knows where to find it, even in the Scriptures; in reading them, he sits at Christs feet, and every where looks for Maschil, instruction from God. In them is the Oracle, the Urim and Thummim, by which God answers him; here he opens his heart, and spreads abroad all his sails to take in the gales of the holy spirit, and be filled in all the will of God, Col. 4.12. [Greek or Hebrew], filled with it as the sails are with the wind; Whilst the Eunuch was reading the Prophet Isaiah, the spirit joined Philip to his chariot, Act. 8.29. Whilst the believer hath his being in the Scriptures, the spirit joins himself to his heart, and ⟨p. 94⟩by the infusion of holy light, makes him go on rejoicing in the way of knowledge. Here and only here doth he wait to be taught of God; such is and, since the sealing up of the Canon, ever hath been, the way of knowledge. And what of extraordinary dispensation hath been since, hath either directly turned men to their Bibles,1 as the voice to St. Austin, tolle, lege, tolle, lege, pointing him to the Scripture; or else hath quoted or ratified some Scripture-truth.
Thirdly, Faith resigns to the word, as the only way in which a man may be taught of God: All men are ambitïous of so grand a priviledge. The very Gentiles in the puddle of their filthy Idolatries, thought themselves taught of God in ⟨p. 93⟩their Oracles. The Mahometans think themselves more sure of it in their Alcoran, at which (say they) the devils themselves rejoyced, and turned to God; no question they rejoyed at such a bundle of lies and blasphemies, but that they turned to God is a wild delusion. The Jews boast themselves no less in their Oral Law, which (say they) God delivered over to Moses, and Moses to Joshua, and Joshua to the Elders, and they to the Prophets, and they to the Sanhedrim, and they at last to writing in the Talmud; calling it, lux illa magna, that great light, which yet is but a dark labyrinth of errors and horrible falsities. The Papists run to their traditions and unwritten verities as Divine, and so bring in a load of fopperies and vain superstitions. The Enthusiasts cry up the spirit in an extra-scriptural way, and so turn aside from the main principles of Religion. In such false ways do men lose themselves and the Divine teaching, whilest the believer knows where to sind it, even in the Scriptures; in reading them, he sits at Christs feet, and every where looks for Maschil, instruction from God. In them is the Oracle, the Ʋrim and Thummim, by which God answers him; here he opens his heart, and spreads abroad all his sails to take in the gales of the holy spirit, and be filled in all the will of God, Col. 4.12. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, filled with it as the sails are with the wind; Whilest the Eunuch was reading the Prophet Esaias, the spirit joined Philip to his chariot, Act. 8.29. Whilest the believer hath his being in the Scriptures, the spirit joyns himself to his heart, and ⟨p. 94⟩by the infusion of holy light, makes him go on rejoycing in the way of knowledge. Here and only here doth he wait to be taught of God; such is and, since the sealing up of the Canon, ever hath been, the way of knowledge. And what of extraordinary dispensation hath been since, hath either directly turned men to their Bibles,1 as the voice to St. Austin, tolle, lege, tolle, lege, pointing him to the Scripture; or else hath quoted or ratified some Scripture-truth.
- 1Confess. l. 8. c. 12. Melch. Adam in vità Zuinglii.
