believers that is commanded to hear and obey them? Nay, hath not Christ set them in the church purposely for the edifying of the body, and the perfecting of the saints, till we all come to a perfect man, &c. (Eph. iv. 11-14.) And purposely to keep Christians, that they may not be as children tossed up and down with every wind of doctrine according to cunning sleights and subtilty of men, by which they lie in wait to deceive? Nay, doth not Christ himself rule and teach by them as his officers? and say, "He that despiseth you despiseth me, and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." (John xiii. 20; Mark ix. 39; Luke ix. 48.) So that it is most evident that it was never Christ's intent to take down that ministry which by himself was set up, nor to make it needless, till men are perfected and have no more sin.

And as for that part of the objection from Jer. xxxi. 34, it is plain that it was far from the mind of the Holy Ghost, to make the ministry unnecessary to them that have the Spirit. For as the Spirit was given by the ministry of the apostles, so the same apostles were necessary for the building up of them that had the Spirit, and therefore did use to visit and teach the churches to that end, and set elders over them to be their constant guides and teachers. The text, indeed, doth assure us, that knowledge and the means of it shall much more abound under the Gospel than before; and that more persons shall have knowledge, and greater knowledge, and that of the Spirit's preaching. But the plain meaning of the words, "They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me," &c., seems to be this, they shall not be ignorant of God, as heathens, nor as to the elect, without the saving knowledge of him, as hypocrites, and therefore shall not have need to be taught to know God, as men that do not know him: it shall be no such rare thing to know the Lord. But first, this denieth not, but that they may have need to be taught to know more of God, though not simply to know God. We need not teach men that which they know of God already; but we need to teach them so much as they do not know. And Paul himself saith of himself and all men, "That we know but in part here." (1 Cor. viii. 2, and xiii. 9.) "And we must grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Pet. iii. 18; Phil. iii. 12, 15.) We have need to be fed with strong meat, after we have lived on milk, and to be taught higher when we have learned the principles. (Heb. v. 11, 12,

and vi. 1-3.) It seems these objectors would not learn of Paul himself, if he were alive, because he is a man. Secondly, And is there not much necessary to be known, besides the simple knowledge of God himself? We must know ourselves, and know many truths, and duties, precepts, promises, and threats, temptations, and dangers, rewards, &c. So that though the elect after conversion, have not need to be taught simply to know God; yet they have need to be taught a further measure of the knowledge of God, and also to know his will and word. As there is no mention in Luke xv. of righteous persons that need no repentance, that is, no such conversion or repentance as the impenitent and unconverted need, which is a turning from a state of reigning sin to God, though yet they need the repentance of imperfect saints, and therefore must daily pray, " Forgive us our trespasses ;" and he that saith," He hath no sin, is a liar, and deceiveth himself, and the truth is not in him for in many things we offend all." (1 John i. 8; James iii. 2.) So is it here; the illuminate do not need to be taught to know the Lord, as the blind world that know him not. Such a phrase also Christ useth to the woman of Samaria: "He that drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst." (John iv. 14.) That is, shall never have that necessity of new supply as before he had he shall not have the thirst of emptiness and former need, but yet he shall have the thirst of loving desire, and need of greater pleasure: so here.

Quest. Is it needful for that man to use extrinsic arguments to prove the Scripture and christian religion to be of God himself, and to resist temptations, who hath the witness within himself to prove it by?

Answ. God's evidences must not be separated, much less must one be pleaded to the neglect of the rest. We find the apostles oft pleading the first arguments of miracles, and the eyewitnesses' credit, and the like, with the churches of believers : as the work within us is not the first testimony, but a secondary confirming testimony, so doth it not make the first unnecessary or void. Our internal testimony hath relation to, and dependance on the evidences that are in, and with the word itself without us. Besides that, by the external we must convince other men.

Sect. XXI.

Quest. Will this testimony within us be as useful and advantageous to us, in particular points of controversy, as in the

main matter of Christianity itself? May we not think that he that hath most of the Spirit, is likest to be in the right?

Answ. You must difference between those particular points that are essential to Christianity, or of necessity to salvation, and those that are very useful, though not absolutely necessary, and those that are niceties of smaller use; also you must difference between the spirit of holiness in general, and some special gift of the Spirit in particular. And so I further answer :

1. In points essential to Christianity, or of absolute necessity to salvation, the witness within them will keep right the elect, who are true believers, when more learned, subtle men may be deceived.

2. In points of very great use to salvation, though not of absolute necessity, such true believers have a great advantage to hold right against all temptations, from this witness, or work of grace within them. But yet as they may possibly fall into a scandalous sin, and be recovered, so they may possibly for all the witnesses within them, be led into some foul and dangerous error, to the great wrong of the Gospel, the trouble of the church, and the wounding of themselves. Yet cæteris paribus, there being equal helps, and other advantages, a godly man is more likely here to be in the right, than an ungodly: but yet sometimes an ungodly man is more likely to be right here than he.

3. In the knowing of natural things, or the grammatical construction of the Scripture, and so in opening many particular texts, and in understanding and maintaining the truth in many particular, lower controversies, though the spirit of holiness be much advantage to men, yet the particular and more common gifts of the Spirit, which ordinarily accompanieth natural wit and diligent study, is a greater advantage; and, therefore, it is ordinary for the Spirit of interpretation to be given, where the the Spirit of sanctification is denied; and for God to give many the saving knowledge of himself in Christ, to whom he gives not the knowledge of many truths in nature or theology, nor the knowledge of the meaning of much of the Scripture, as to having those helps which are necessary thereto; for in these things, and in natural knowledge, God is pleased to work by natural means, and by men's industrious studies.

4. He that hath both the Spirit of sanctification, and acquired gifts of knowledge together, is the complete Christian, and likely to know much more, than he that hath either of these alone. Where nature, grace, industry, and outward helps all meet together, they make the most useful, accomplished men.

5. They that have the greatest measure of the Spirit, are bound to use study and human helps, in subordination to the Spirit. Diligence and common helps, with God's ordinary blessing, may bring them in a natural, acquired knowledge, and grace will sanctify it, and cause them to use it aright for God.

Sect. XXII.

But because they are points of great use, I will review two of these before-mentioned, and show you, First, That it is a great advantage against temptations, to those particular sins or errors that are plainly against holiness, to have this witness of the Spirit of holiness in ourselves; Secondly, That it is a great advantage even to the holiest man, to the clear understanding and opening of Scriptures, to have natural and acquired knowledge, commonly called human learning, and to be a laborious, diligent student.

1. And for the first, all the reasons before-mentioned do prove it; for if the Spirit do so much befriend Christianity in the main, it must needs also befriend the several parts of it, and apparent means and necessaries to its support.

First, If any man should tempt a sanctified man to doubt whether the Gospel written by Mark, or John, were the word of God; the same Spirit which attesteth to the christian doctrine in general, would do much by its testimony to fortify him in this. He would find something within him so suitable to those Scriptures, as would hold him to them in an honour and admiration ; and so of others.

Secondly, If a libertine should tempt him to think that sin is no great evil, nor displeasing to God, and that it is only as men's consciences make it, and judge of it: the Spirit of holiness within him, would fortify the believer against this temptation. Alas, he hath felt that sin is bitter; and he hath that within him, that will force him so to judge! It goes against his present taste, as bitter things are to us; and it will need to be a very subtle argument, that should force the veriest fool, or child, or any man of sound senses, to believe that gall or aloes are sweet, when he hath tasted them. There is a Spirit in a saint, that is an enemy to sin, and causeth a hatred of it, wherever he comes; and, therefore, is a great help against all such temptations.

Thirdly, If any man should tempt a true Christian to question any of God's attributes, especially those manifested in his deal

ings with men, as whether he be wise, and knoweth all things; whether he be holy, just, and hateth sin; or whether he be good and merciful to those that fear him? The witness within him would help him very much to resist such temptations. All these attributes of God are written out in the believer's heart, and make up God's image there; he hath tried that God is most wise and good, and holy, and just, and great: if any should say, that God is the cause of men's sin, he hath that within him that will not suffer him to entertain that conceit; if any should tempt him to carnal, corporeal conceits of God, he hath that within him that will not suffer him to be of such a mind.

Fourthly, If any should teach him, that there is no heaven, nor hell, but what is in men's own conceits; he hath that within him that will not suffer him to be of that opinion. The very life of grace within him, doth carry up his heart to heaven, and it is the end of his very religion and life; and the fear of God within him, doth cause him to fly from the jaws of hell, and he, as it were, hears the Spirit say to him, as the angel to Lot, when he carried him out of the danger of Sodom's flames: "Escape, fly for thy life look not behind thee:" the Spirit within him causeth him to fear God, as one that can destroy both body and soul in hell fire.

Fifthly, If any should tempt him to doubt, whether Christ hath any congregate church on earth, as the seekers do; he hath in him the experience of comfortable communion in that church; and withal he hath that within him, which will not suffer him to have such base, extenuating thoughts of Christ, as if he were a titular king without a kingdom, or could not convey to men the benefits which he hath purchased, or had failed to fulfil his promises to his church, or to make good his ground, and maintain his interest.

Sixthly, If they would tempt him to deny that Christ hath any ministers in office, or to revile the godly ministers as antichristian, or to reproach them as no ministers of Christ, he hath that experience of Christ speaking in them, and working by them, and maintaining by them his truth, and order in his churches; which is a witness within him against such temptations.

Seventhly, If he be tempted to ways of separation and division, to withdraw from the minister as unworthy to rule him, or from the church as unworthy to communicate with such as he, and so to betake himself causelessly into separate societies; he.