CHAP. III.

Other Teftimonies pleaded in the confirmation of the fame truth, John xvi. 13. opened. How far all true believers are infallibly led into all truth, declared. And the manner how they are fo, 1 John ii. 20, 27. explained. What affurance. of the truth they have who are taught of God. Eph. i. 5, 6. John xxx. 22. John vi. 45. Practical truths inferred from the affertion proved.

THERE are yet other teftimonies which may be pleaded unto the fame purpofe. For unto this end is the Holy Ghoft promised unto all believers. John xvi. 13. "When "the Spirit of truth is come, he fhall guide you into all

"truth."

The Holy Spirit is called the "Spirit of truth," principally on the fame account as God abfolutely is, called "the God of truth." He is fo effentially. He is the first, abfolute, divine, eternal Verity; fo he is originally called the Holy Spirit on the account of his effential holiness. But it is not on that account folely that he is here called the Spirit of truth. He is fo as he is the revealer of all divine fupernatural truth unto the church. As he is also called the Holy Spirit, as he is author of all holiness in others; therefore is he here promised unto the church as it is his work to "lead us unto all truth."

And two things are confiderable in this promife; (1.) What is intended by "all truth." (2.) How the Holy Spirit guides or leads us into it.

1. With refpect unto the object, it is not all truth ab folutely that is intended. There is truth in things natural, civil, and stories of things that are paft; nothing of this nature is comprized in this promife. We fee believers of all forts as ignorant of, as unacquainted with many of these things, as any other fort of men whatever. Yet doth not one word of the promise of Chrift fall unto the ground. Wherefore all that truth, or all truth of that

nature whereof our Saviour there fpeaketh, is alone intended. The mysteries of the gospel, of the kingdom of heaven, the counsel of God about the falvation of the church by Christ, and concerning their faith and obedience, are the truth which he is promised to guide us into. This the apostle calleth, "All the counfel of God," Acts xx. 27. namely, which respects all the ends of our faith and obedience, ver. 21.

2. It admits of a limitation with respect unto the diverfity of subjects, or the perfons unto whom this truth is to be communicated. They are not all of them as to the degrees of light and knowledge equally to be led into all truth. Every one unto whom he is thus promised, shall be fo far led into the knowledge of it, as is neceffary unto his own estate and condition, his duty and his work. For unto" every one of us is given grace according unto "the measure of the gift of Christ," Eph. iv. 7. It is. Christ alone, who in the free gift of all grace, affigns the measures wherein every one fhall be made partaker of it. In his fovereign will he hath allotted the measures of grace, light and knowledge, unto all the members of the church. And there is no lefs difference in these measures, than in the knowledge of the most glorious apoftle, and that of the meanest believer in the world. The duty, work, and obedience of every one, is the rule of the meafure of his receiving, these gifts of neceffary unto him; none shall receive any thing that he is not to use and improve in a way of duty.

2. Our fecond enquiry is, how the Spirit doth thus lead us into all truth. The external revelation of all truth is herein fuppofed. This he is promised to instruct us in the knowledge of, in a fpiritual manner, whereby I understand no more, but fo as it is required of us in a way of duty. To clear the truth hereof, fome things must be obferved. As,

1. The promises concerning the mission of the Holy Spirit in these chapters of the gospel, xiv. xv. xvi. are not to be confined unto the apostles, nor unto the first age

έως τ

or ages of the church. To do fo is exprefsly contradictory unto the difcourfe and whole defign of our Lord Jefus Christ unto that purpose. For he promifeth him in oppofition unto his own temporary abode in the world; namely, that this of the Spirit should be for ever, chap. xiv. 16. that is sas cursa&tus T8 avg, Math. xxviii. 20. unto the confummation of the whole ftate of the church here below. And to fuppofe the contrary, is to overthrow the foundation of all truth and comfort in the church. For their prefervation in the one, and the adminiftration of the other unto them, in Chrift, none fhall want any thing that depend on the accomplishment of this promise alone. And fo alfo do all the benefits of the interceffion of Christ, which are no otherwife communicated unto us, but by the Holy Spirit, as given in pursuit of this promise. For what herein he prayed for his apoftles, he prayed for "all them that should believe in him through this word "unto the end of the world," John xvii.

2. It is granted, that fundry things in the promises of the Holy Ghoft were peculiar unto the apostles, and had their accomplishment on the day of Pentecoft, when he defcended on them in that glorious vifible manner, Acts ii. 1, 2, 3, 4. For as they were commanded by our Saviour to wait for this his coming before they engaged in the difcharge of that office whereunto he had called them, Acts i. 4. fo now they were fully empowered and enabled unto all that belonged thereunto. But their peculiar intereft in these promises, refpected only things that were peculiar unto their office; fuch as that mentioned in this place is not.

3. It is not an external guidance into the truth by the objective revelation of it, that is intended; for fuch revelations are not granted unto all believers unto whom this promife is made, nor are they to look for them. And the revelation of truth in the minifterial propofal of it, is common unto all the world unto whom the word is preached, and fo is not the subject of an especial promise.

4. Wherefore it is the internal teaching of the Holy

Ghoft giving an understanding of the mind of God, of all facred truths as revealed, that is intended. For (1) It is the fame with that other promise, we "fhall be all taught "of God." For we are thus taught of God by the Spirit's leading us into all truth, and no otherwife. (2.) This the word enforceth; the Spirit of truth, nyneet vuus, hall lead and guide you in the right way to the knowledge of the truth. So when Philip asked the eunuch whether he understood the things which he read out of the prophet Ifaiah, he replieth, "how can I? eis pen is odaynon μa, 'Acts "viii. 31. unless one lead me" to the fenfe of it; that is by his interpretation give me an underftanding of it. Thus the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth by giving us that understanding of it, which of ourselves we are not able to attain. And other interpretations the words will not admit. It is therefore his work to give us an ufeful faving understanding of all facred truth, or the mind of God as revealed in the Scripture. All fpiritual divine fupernatural truth is revealed in the Scripture. Herein all are agreed. The knowledge, the right understanding of this truth as fo revealed, is the duty of all, according unto the means which they enjoy, and the duties that are required of them. Neither can this be denied. Unto this end that they may do so, the Holy Spirit is here promifed unto them that do believe. His divine aid and affiftance is therefore neceffary hereunto. And this we are to pray for, as it is promised. Wherefore of ourselves, without his especial assistance and guidance, we cannot attain a due knowledge of, and understanding in the truth revealed in the Scripture. As unto the efpecial nature of this affiftance it fhall be spoken unto afterwards.

This is again affirmed concerning all believers, 1 John ii. 20, 27. "You have an unction from the Holy One, " and you know all things; the anointing which you have "received of him abideth in you; and ye need not that

any man teach you, but as the fame anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie; and even "as it hath taught you, ye fhall abide in it."

That by the unction and anointing in this place the Spirit of God and his work, with refpect unto the end mentioned, are intended, is not queftioned by any that are converfant about these things with fobriety. And it is plain in the text. For (1.) That the Holy Spirit in his efpecial operations, is called an unction, or is faid to anoint us, is evident in many places of the Scripture. See Heb. i. 9, 2 Cor. i. 22, 23. Neither is a spiritual unction afcribed unto any thing elfe in the whole Scripture. (2) That expreffion which you have from the Holy One (Acts iii. 14. Rev. iii. 7.) that is Jefus Chrift, doth exprefsly answer unto the promife of Chrift, to fend his Holy Spirit unto us, and that for the end here mentioned, namely to teach us, and lead us into all truth; whence he is called "the Spirit of the Lord" or of Christ, 2 Cor. iii. 17, 18. Ephef. iii. 16. Phil. i. 19, &c. That also of his abiding in us, is nothing but an expreffion of the same promife of Christ, that he shall abide with us for ever," John xiv. 16. (4.) The work here affigned unto this unction, is exprefsly affigned unto the Holy Spirit, John xvi 13. The "Spirit of truth fhall guide you into all "truth." (5.). What is faid of it, namely, not only that it is true and not falfe, but that it is truth, and no lie, doth plainly intimate his effential verity. And I cannot but wonder that any persons should against this open and plain evidence, afcribe the things here mentioned unto any thing else, and that exclufively unto the Holy Ghoft. For fo do fome contend (Epifcop. in loc. after Socir. on the fame place) that by this unction the doctrine of the gospel only is intended. It is true that the doctrine of the gospel in the preaching of it, is the means or inftrumental cause of this teaching by the Holy Ghoft. And on that account what is fpoken of the teaching of the Spirit of God, may be fpoken in its place of the doctrine of the gospel, because he teacheth us thereby. But here it is spoken of objectively, as what we are to be taught, and not efficiently, as what it is that teacheth us. And to fay as they do, it is the instruction which we have by the gospel that is