A80640:173
The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the…
The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the historical aspersions of Mr. Robert Baylie, in his book, called, A dissuasive from the errors of the time. In the latter, from some contradictions of Vindicæ Clavium : and from, some mis-constructions of learned Mr. Rutherford in his book entitled The due right of presbyteries. / By Mr. John Cotton, sometime preacher at Boston in Lincoln-shire, and now teacher of the Church at Boston, in New-England.The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the historical aspersions of Mr. Robert Baylie, in his book, called, A disswasive from the errors of the time. In the latter, from some contradictions of Vindicæ Clavium : and from, some mis-constructions of learned Mr. Rutherford in his book intituled The due right of presbyteries. / By Mr. John Cotton, sometime preacher at Boston in Lincoln-shire, and now teacher of the Church at Boston, in New-England.
London: printed by Matthew Simmons for John Bellamie, 1648
Treatise 1 › Chapter 3 › Section 12: Of Cottons pretended Montanism.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
These two latter Tenets, immediate Revelations without the Word, and them as infallible as the Scripture it self, I willingly confess they are vile Montanism; though I would not say (as he doth) the vilest. For the vilest is, to hold Montanus himself to be the Holy-Ghost, or to have received the Holy-Ghost in a more full measure then the Apostles themselves.
These two latter Tenents, immediate Revelations without the Word, and them as infallible as the Scripture it self, I willingly confesse they are vile Montanism; though I would not say (as he doth) the vilest. For the vilest is, to hold Montanus himself to be the Holy-Ghost, or to have received the Holy-Ghost in a more full measure then the Apostles themselves.
But for the first of these Tenets, touching the Personal Inhabitation of the Holy-Ghost in the godly, it may further be considered before it be condemned. Personal Inhabitation may be taken in a double sense: For, 1 It may hold forth no more but this, the indwelling not only of the Gifts of the Holy-Ghost, but of his Person also in the Regenerate. Or 2. it may hold forth further, the indwelling of the Person of the Holy-Ghost in the Regenerate, so far forth as to make us one Person with himself, or to communicate with us some Personal propriety of his own.
But for the first of these Tenents, touching the Personall Inhabitation of the Holy-Ghost in the godly, it may further be considered before it be condemned. Personall Inhabitation may be taken in a double sense: For, 1 It may hold forth no more but this, the indwelling not onely of the Gifts of the Holy-Ghost, but of his Person also in the Regenerate. Or 2. it may hold forth further, the indwelling of the Person of the Holy-Ghost in the Regenerate, so farre forth as to make us one Person with himself, or to communicate with us some Personall propriety of his own.