The Life of Faith. fed ; and all that is done by God is petted as tohis ends, and as it is a part in the frame ofhis own means to that end which man underflandeth not : But many things are imperfect in the receiving fubjel . If nor, why fhould any man ever leek to be wifer or better than he was in his infancy, or at the word. 3. Therefore we here fee that the Spirit. in ,the Scripture is the Rule by which we muff try the Spirit in our !elves, or any etber. The Fanatieks or Enthuliafis, who rail againl us, for trying the Spirit by the Scriptures, when as the Spirit was the Author of the Scriptures, dobut rave in the dark, and know not what they fay. For the Elfcnce of the Spirit is eve- ry where; and it is the effells of the Spirit in both which we mull compare : The Spirit is never contrary to it fell: And feting it is the Sunfhine which we here cal-1 the un, the que- Iìionis but, where itfhinetbmoil ? whether in the Scripture, or in our hearts ? The Spirit in the Apotiles indited the Scri- ptures, to be the Rule of our faith and life unto the end : The Spirit in us doth teach and help us to underhand and to obey thole Scriptures. Was not the Spirit in a greater meafiare is the Apotiles, than in us ? Did it not work more compieatly, and untomore infallibility in their writingtheScriptures,than. it doth in our Vnderftanding, and obeying them ? Is not the leal perfcd, when the impretlion is oft imperfect ? Doth not the Matter write his Copy more perfdly, than his Scholars imitation is;- though he teach him, yea and hold his hand ?' He that knoweth not the Religious dillrad'ions of this age, will blame me for troubling the Reader with the confutation of fuch dreams : But fowill not they that have leen and tailed their tfft`.fs. al.. Hence we may learn that be that would know what the. Cbriftian Religion is indeed (to the honour of God, or their own jutt information) muff rather look into the Scripture to . know.it, than into Believers. For though in Believers it be moredifcernable in the kind (as mens lives are more confpi- cuous than Laws and Precepts, and the imprefs than the teal, &c.) yet it is in the Laws or Scriptures more conrpteat and perk£#, when in the beft ofChrifians (much more in the mog) rt is broken, maimed and confuted. . 5, This telleth us the reafon why iris unfafa tomake tacit', nets 425
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