8z The VignitieoftheScripture. truely fay ,to his Church ingenerall,as hedid once to.the Ifráelite&WA,tkauld Ihave done mere, Which l bane not done vmoyour r Ihaue fpoken toyoubyvìfr. ona,I haue revealed my holy will by the minifery ofAngels,Ihaue committed it t uiS42 to perpetuallrecord , that it might beeturned into alllanguages, and read and perufed byallmen. God had notbeene wanting to vs, ifwe fhall nowbeewan- tingtoourfelues,we ß,a11 bringvpon vs greater meafureofcondemnation: we (hall neuer beable tofay ; this amitieswe wouldhaue done, ifweehad know ne it it (hallalwayes be replied vponvs,as it wasto the people ofolde,he hashfhery g Mc. 6.6, ed thee, Oman, What isgood q: the Lordwasneuerfparing orcHfe-handed to wardshis Church,tokeepefecret any thing, which be a meanstobring it vnto life. Secondly,thismntuall followingeachof mearte of themaking knowne 1p 2. ofthe wordofGodvnro the Chureh,bytillons, and reuelations, andthenafter in the appointed time by writing, fetuethroihewvntovs, that as before the word was written, thcpower ofGodwas nottobe doubted of,but that he was fully able to acquaint his Church withall needfull matter ;fönow the wordbe, ing written, nu cillonsor reuelations mall belooked for. Now the written text is ouronely guide ; and whofoeuer heIhould bee , that vnder pretenceof force fpeciall matter traordinarílyreuealedto him fromhtauen,fiiouldisdeuourto perfwade vs anythingbefides that which is already written, though bee should bring neuer fo great probabilitiesand Iheweso£likehlrood, yet hewere not to be beleeued. It is true, Chrillprornifed to feud binSpiritcutohis Chhrch, and he bath, and dothHIMake goodhispromife; bat yet, not that menvnder a pretence of the Spirit , 4;ould contemne the Scripture, but that they fhould bee better able to profit bytheScripture. For the proofe whereof weehaue anex. cellent place in Lake, where it isfaide,that Chrìßcomming amonghis Difci- pies after his refurre&ion, opened theirvnderfanding,butto what end ? what ? that they should fromthat time defpifethe written wordiand take upon theta to deliuer what theywonld,vndetacolour of being infpired from abone ?No;. but he opened theirvnderltanding,that theymighevrrderJ land theScriprare':5e 4Lek-44f that the increafeofthe gift ofGodsSpirit in them,did not priuiledge themfrom eying themfelnes fl tothe do&rineoftheScripture. But you willmaruell per- haps to what end Jfpeake this; ou-fllaii know tirerefcrc,that astherewere in the elder times certaine heretiqucscalled Enthufiafis,which pretended (Iknow not what) vifions,andfecret conferenceswith the Spirit of God,andfo contem- ned the written word ,. fo outof thereafheshaue rifeninour dayes,tnenofthe famehumour, knowneby thename ofthe Familyof defpifed theordi- nary cowrie of the miniftery ofman, andofattaining to theknowledgeoffal.. cation by the written word,and foodvponprivate reuelations,andfuchother idle fancies,commending vntathemthereownedreamrs,vnder the nameofthe fpeciall inßin&s- ofGods Spirit : and thedregges of thisgrofeneffe are remai, sing amongll fome to thisday. Now,leß atany timewe Ihould be deceivedwith fuch fenceleffe and foolilh pretences, we mua vnderftand, that ßnceGodcom- mitred his wordtowriting,eytheraifrons, andthecourfesofthat nature haue been very feldome,or elfe all thofe towhomGodhath fo reuéaled any thing, haue been eyed to the judgement of the Scripture. The holyApoßleSaint Paul was taken vp into the third Heauen,andhad frange thingsdifkoueredro him,yet this wasfill hispleafor himfelfe,and thething heflood epos, that bee Act,afas: faid nootherthingsthen thofe which Mofes and theProphets did jayfhauldcame r. And therefore ifeitherPapifts,or Familills,or anyof thelike ffampe,lhall under any colour ofvißons or voicesfrom heauen,& the lrke,perfwade vsto any thing ITernd,de contrary tothatwe baneh intaught,letvs theft van themtontake theirmatters tauel good.by theword written;&then flrallwefindetha t truewhichan ancient father fatd,that ifyoubring themonceto defend their queßiousby fcripture alone,they cannot
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