prefent with them and therefore they may truly fay with the Apoftle, Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

8. St. John fays, if we love one another, God dwelleth in us, 1 John 4. 12. And hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit, v. 13. And whefoever shall confefs that Jefus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God, v. 15. And he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him, v.16. But I am perfwaded, that whoever confiders what has been already difcourfed upon the foregoing words of the fame Apoftle, will not find the leaft difficulty in any of these Texts.

The fame may be faid of diverfe other Scriptures, which our Adverfaries are wont to make use of; particularly, 1. of Hag. 2. 5. where God fays to his people, my Spirit remaineth among you, which is exactly the fame as I am with you in the fourth verf. that is, I am favourably pretent with you to protect,affift and bless you in that work you are engaged in. 2.of 2 Cor.1.22. where the Apostle fays God has fealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. For when the Spirit has wrought fuch a change in our nature as God requires, then are we fealed by God, having a mark of diftinction fet upon us, whereby it appears that we belong to him. And this Renovation is the earneft of the Spirit in our hearts, a fure pledge given us of that inheri tance which we fhall afterwards enjoy. 3. of Ephef. 1. 13. where the Believers are faid to be fealed with that holy Spirit of promife. For that this fanctifying Spirit was promifed to the Church, I need not prove. 4. of Gal. 13.14. where Men are faid to receive the promife of the Spirit thro' Faith; tho',

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I confess, I think it more reasonable to underftand this Text of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghoft, which all true Chriftians cannot claim. The fifth verfe favors this Notion; but there is no need at prefent of contending for it. 5. of Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are fealed to the day of Redemption, viz. the day of the Refurrection. 6. of 2 Cor. 5. 5. where the Apoftle affures us, That he that hath wrought us for the felf fame thing (viz. a bleffed Immortality) is God, who alfo bath given us the earnest of the Spirit. 7. of Rom. 8.9,&c. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit; if fo be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of fin; but the Spirit is Life, because of righteousness, &c. All thefe Paflages, I fay, have been fufficiently vindicated, in what has been already faid, from the Perversions of our Adverfaries; and therefore I fhall not trouble the Reader with any thing more concerning them.

9. St. Paul fays, As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God, Rom. 8. 14. But will it therefore follow, that they are led by immediate Revelation? Certainly the Spirit may direct their actions by the Mediation of the Apoftles and infpired Writers, and by enabling them to act accordingly. Befides, being led by the Spirit imports, not only that the Spirit prescribes Rules, but that the Perfon to whom they are prefcribed, is obedient to them. For otherwife, thofe wou'd be led by the Spirit, who are not the Sons of God. Because the Spirit prefcribes Rules to a great Number, who are not the Sons of God. But now, if being led by the Spirit imports a Man's being obedient to his Rules; then, provided we

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are obedient to the Spirit, 'tis plain we received. his Rules; but it matters not after what manner we received them; whether that will of his, to which we are obedient, were fignified to us by mediate, or by immediate Revelation.

10. The fame Apoftle fays, Know ye not, that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Cor. 3. 16. And again, What! Know ye not, that your body is the temple of the holy Ghoft, which is in you? 1 Cor. 6. 19. But neither of thefe Texts will prove, that all true Chriftians. who are the Temples of the Holy Ghost, and in whom the holy Ghoft is, do enjoy immediate Revelation. For it has been already proved, that by, the Spirit's being and dwelling in Men, is meant his being and continuing favourably prefent with them, to protect, affift and bless them. And from this his being and dwelling in them, they are call-. ed his Temples, in allufion to the Temple of God at Jerufalem, in which the Divinity was faid to dwell between the Cherubims. But fince the Spirit's being and dwelling in Men will not prove, as I have already fhewn, that they do enjoy immediate Revelation; therefore neither will their being his Temples prove it. Because, tho' the Phrafes are different, yet the one is the confequence of the other; or rather they are two ways of expreffing one and the fame thing.

11. They alledge what our Savior promifed his difciples, when he was departing from them. I will pray the Father, fays he, and he shall give you ano_ ther Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot re ceive, because it feeth him not, neither knoweth him But ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shal be in you, John 14. 16, 17. He fays alfo, that

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the Comforter, which is the holy Ghost, whom the Father will fend in my Name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have faid unto you, v. 26. And again, when he the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth, for he fall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall be speak; and he will fhew you things to come, John 16. 13.

But thefe words will not prove the Doctrine of our Adverfaries. For, First, There are two promifes contained in them, which all true Chriftians cannot lay claim to. 1. Our Saviour fays, that the holy Ghost should bring all things to their remem brance, what foever he had faid unto them, John 14. 26. Now this promife could not be made to any Perfons, but thofe whom our Bleffed Lord had convers'd with and preach'd to, whilft he was upon earth. And confequently those Perfons who never faw Chrift in the flesh, cannot lay claim to it. 2. He fays, that the holy Ghost should bew them things to come, John 16. 13. and yet our Adverfaries do very well know, that all true Chriftians cannot foretel future Events. Secondly, As for all the other promifes contained in thefe Words, tho' it be granted that all true Chriftians can lay claim to them, yet I have already proved as to the greateft part of them, that they may be very well performed, altho' the Perfons to whom they are performed, do enjoy no immediate Revelation.

Thofe inftances which have not been as yet confidered, are that the holy Ghoft fhall, r. teach them all things; 2. guide them into all truth. By thefe Expreffions our Adverfaries themselves muft grant, that we are to understand his teaching us all things neceflary to Salvation, and guiding us into all truth

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neceffary to Salvation. And this the Spirit may and does do, by thofe Holy Books which he di&tated to the Infpir'd Writers, and which he has caus'd to be difpers'd abroad for the Direction and Inftruction of our Lord's Difciples to the end of the World. So that these particulars here mention'd by our Savior, which can be claim'd by all true Chriftians in general, do not imply, or fuppofe the neceffity of immediate Revelation.

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What is meant by being Taught of God. 12.Saiah fpeaking of the Gofpel-State, faies, Thy Children fhall be all taught of the Lord, ch. 54. 13. and our Saviour quotes thofe words to the Jews, faying, It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God, John 6. 45. from whence our Adverfaries argue, that God teaches Chriftians the Truths of the Gospel by immediate Revelation.

Now, before I return an Anfwer to this Objection, 'tis neceflary for me to obferve, that the method which the Father us'd to convince the Jews, that Jefus was the Chrift, never was by an immediate Revelation of that Truth to their Understandings; but, principally at leaft, by enabling our Lord to work Miracles, and thereby bearing witness that he was fent of God.

This will appear very plainly, if we confider, First, that our Lord and his Apoftles do not fo much as once upbraid the Jews for not believing that immediate Revelation, whereby the Father had declar'd even to themselves, that he was the Ckrift, And yet doubtless this could not but