of a Man's attaining to the true Knowledge
of GOD, and Things necessary to Salvation,
without the Use of external Means, is
briefly consider'd.
By SIMON OCKLEY, M.A. _Vicar of_ Swanesey _in_ Cambridgshire.
_LONDON_, Printed in the Year, 1708.
* * * * *
[Illustration 8]
* * * * *
THE CONTENTS
§ 1, 2. _The Occasion and Design of this Discourse_. § 3, 4, 5.
_God's way of teaching his People was by Prophets_. § 6, 7.
_Prophecy not attain'd by any Applicatian or Industry, but depended
upon the positive Will of God_. § 8. _And, consequently the_ Vision
of God, _or beholding the Divine Being, which is superior to
Prophesying, cannot be so attain'd._ § 9. _That it was never
mention'd as attainable, nor the Search of it recommended by the
Prophet_ Moses, § 10. _Nor any other Prophets that succeeded him_.
§ 11. _What was not enjoyed in the early Times of Christianity,
when the Gifts of the Spirit were more plentifully poured out,
cannot be expected now._ § 12. _But such A Power, whereby a Man
might (without external Helps) attain to the true Knowledge of God,
and Things necessary to Salvation, was no where promis'd by our
Saviour_. § 13. _Nor enjoyed by devout Persons in the first times
of the Gospel; which is prov'd from the Example of the_ Eunuch. §
14. _And_ Cornelius. § 15. _The whole Tenour of the Apostles
Doctrine forbids us to expect the_ Vision of God _in this Life._ §
16. _From all which is inferr'd, that those Scriptures, which speak
of the plentiful Effusion of the Spirit in the Gospel Times, are
misunderstood by Enthusiasts_. § 17. _Why we are not to expect
Prophets now_. § 18. _If these things be denied to Christians, they
are not to be found amongst_ Heathens _or_ Mahometans. § 19, 20,
21, _The Enthusiasm of our Author and others censured_ § 23.
_Conclusion_.
* * * * *
_APPENDIX, &c_.
§ 1. Tho' the preceeding History, upon the account of the lively Image
and Representation which it gives of unspotted Virtue, unfeigned Love of
God, and Contempt of the Things of this Life, does very well deserve to
be read: So, as it contains several things co-incident with the Errors
of some Enthusiasts of these present Times, it deserves to be
consider'd. Upon which Account, I had no sooner suffer'd my self to be
perswaded to undertake the Translation of this Book, than I determin'd
to subjoin some Reflections upon such part of it as seem'd to me most
worthy of Consideration. Lest otherwise, that Book, which was by me
design'd for the Innocent, and not altogether unprofitable Diversion of
the Reader, might accidentally prove a means of leading some into Error,
who are not capable of judging aright; and of confirming others in their
Mistakes, who, through their own Weakness, or the Prejudice of a bad
Education, have the Misfortune to be led out of the way. And I was the
more willing to do it, because there has been a bad Use made of this
Book before.
§ 2. There are a great many Errors both in his _Philosophy_ and
_Divinity_: And it was impossible it should be otherwise, the one being
altogether _Aristotelian_, the other _Mahometan._ I shall pass over the
greatest part of them, as not being likely to do any harm; and confine
my self chiefly to the Examination of this Fundamental Error of my
Author, _viz_, _That God has given such a Power or Faculty to Man,
whereby he may, without any external Means, attain to the Knowledge of
all things necessary to Salvation, and even to the Beatifick Vision it
self, whilst in this State_[33]: In doing which I shall still have
regard to the Errors receiv'd concerning these things in the present
Age.
§ 3. In order to this I shall examine the Ways and Means by which the
People of God in all Ages, came to the Understanding of his Will. Now
'tis evident, from the absurd Notions which the ancient Heathens had of
the Deity, and their Idolatry, that Mankind was so far degenerated and
deprav'd, that they had lost the true Knowledge of God, and of his
Attributes, and consequently were ignorant of their Duty towards him;
for which reason, God was pleas'd, out of his infinite Love and Mercy
towards Mankind, to send at sundry times _Prophets_; that is, Men who
were inspir'd by the _Holy Spirit_, and had the Will of God
_immediately_ reveal'd to them; to the end that they might instruct
others how to serve him (the ancient Tradition receiv'd from our first
Parents, and those good Men which succeeded them, being now almost worn
out, and over-grown by the increasing Wickedness of the World) and
thereby avoid those Judgments which would otherwise infallibly overtake
them, if they continu'd in Impenitence and Disobedience.
§ 4. This was the Means which the Generality of the People of God had to
know his Will. They receiv'd it from the _Prophets_, who had it
_immediately_ from God. So that the Difference of their Knowledge
consisted in the Manner of their receiving of it, not in the Things
receiv'd, which were the same both to the _Prophets_ and the _People_.
Only the _Prophets_ receiv'd it _immediately_, but not the _People_: for
then consequently they would all have been Prophets, which it is plain
they were not.
§ 5. And when it had pleas'd God to give a clearer and fuller Revelation
of his Will to the Prophet _Moses_; what was deliver'd to him, was
committed to the Care of the Priests, of whom both King and People were
oblig'd to learn their Duty. Deut. xvii. 18. _And it shall be when he
sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom, that he shall write him a Copy
of this Law in a Book, out of that which is before the Priests the
Levites, and it shall be with him, and, he shall read therein all the
Days of his Life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep
all the Words of this Law, and these Statutes, to do them_. And Malachi
xi. 7. _The Priests Lips should preserve Knowledge, and they should seek
the Law at his Mouth, for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts_. So
that they were not to seek after any other more perfect manner of
Worship, than what was deliver'd in that Book, nor to expect that those
Truths or Precepts which were contained in it, should be reveal'd to
them anew, either by any Prophet living in their time, or by _immediate
Revelation_; but to draw all their Instructions from the aforesaid
Helps. And accordingly we never find any of the Prophets making any
Alteration in the Law, or calling the people to a more perfect way of
Worship. From whence 'tis plain that they were well assur'd of its
Sufficiency, till the _Messias_, who was to compleat it should come; and
their never bidding the People to look for any other way of teaching
than what was to be had from that Book, and the Mouth of the Priests,
proves evidently that they knew those means to be sufficient.
§ 6. Thus we have seen which way the generality of the People of God
were taught; let us now examine by what means the Prophets attain'd
their Faculty of Prophesying and wherein it did consist. Now it is most
certain that the Faculty of Prophesying cannot be attain'd by any
Application or Improvement of our Abilities whatsoever, but depends
wholly and entirely upon the positive Will of God, who upon important
and weighty Occasions, in his own due time, and to such Persons as seem
best in his infinite Wisdom, does send such as he is pleas'd to set
apart and qualifie for that Service, by the Inspiration of his Holy
Spirit. _For Prophecy came not in old time by the Will of Man; but holy
Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost_[34]. It must not
denyed, but that a sober, righteous and godly Life, a Heavenly
Conversation, and the keeping our selves pure both in Body and Spirit,
are excellent Means to invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in and abide with
us. And this is agreeable to right Notions of the Purity of God, and his
Love of that which is Good, and Abhorrence of that which is Evil: It is
confirmed by right Reason, the Testimony of ancient Churches and Holy
Scripture it self. But then the Question is, How does God dwell in those
that are his? Certainly, not so as to make Prophets of them, but to
strengthen them in their Holy Resolutions, and enable them to perform
such Things as tend most to his Glory, and their own Salvation. And upon
a due Examination, we shall find that this is all which the greatest
number by far of Godly Men ever attain'd; who notwithstanding must by no
means be accus'd of Slothfulness in not approving their Talent, nor of
being wanting in their Endeavours to make the nearest Approaches to God
that they were capable of.
§ 7. This will appear further, if we consider that those means which
were us'd by Holy Persons of Old, in order to the Improvement of
themselves or others, in the Exercise of Piety and Religion, cannot upon
any account be reckon'd as means of their becoming Prophets. Tho'
_Samuel_ was dedicated to the Service of God from his Birth, and it
pleas'd God to chuse him for a Prophet; yet there is no question to be
made, but that there were several others so dedicated, which did never
prophesy.
Tho' _Daniel_ was heard _from the first day that he did set his Heart to
understand, and to chasten himself before God_[35], and had an Angel
sent to him with a Revelation, yet cannot that disciplining of himself
be in any wise accounted a Cause of that Revelation; for if it were, the
same Method would produce the same Effect in another Man. And tho' there
were particular Advantages in being a Member of the College of
_Prophets_; as the Prophet _Amos_[36] intimates, where he says, _I was
no Prophet, nor A Prophet's Son_ (which must be interpreted _The Scholar
of a Prophet_, for the Scholars of the Prophets are always call'd _Sons
of the Prophets_ in Scripture) yet none of these Means were sufficient
to help Men to the Gift of Prophecy. The pious Parents thought it a very
good way of improving their Children in the Fear and Love of God, and
the Knowledge of his Will, to have them brought up under those Holy and
Exemplary Men the Prophets; and accordingly they waited upon them, went
on Errands and did their Service; at the same time enjoying the great
Advantage of their Example and Discourse. And according to their
Example, even after Prophesy was ceas'd among the _Jews_, the eminent
Men and chief Doctors of the Law had their Scholars and Disciples, more
or fewer, according to the Credit and Esteem of the Matter. So that our
Blessed Saviour's chusing his twelve Disciples, was no new thing among
the _Jews_, but had been practis'd all along, since those Schools of the
Prophets. But never did any one imagine, that these means of Discipline,
or any other, were Steps to the attaining the Gift of Prophecy, which
always depended, not upon Mens Acquirements or Improvements in that
which is good, but upon the _positive Will of God_.
§ 8. Now, if, as appears from what is already said, God has not afforded
to Man, any Means whereby he can attain to the more inferior Degree of
Prophecy, which consists in having only some part of his Will reveal'd;
and that not constantly or habitually, but as occasion serves: How vain
and fond is it then for any one to imagine that he has given him a
Capacity of enjoying his Presence as he is, and of seeing all things in
him?[37] Which is as much above the Attainments of the greatest
Prophets, as theirs is above the weakest of Men. For if we consider we
shall find that the Prophets Business consisted in delivering a
particular Message to one or more; the Contents of which sometimes they
receiv'd by Day[38], which sort of Vision is call'd _Machazeh_, or,
_Mareeh_, or else by Night in a Dream, and this was call'd _Hhalôm, a
Dream_, or _Hezyon Hallaiyelah, a Nocturnal Vision_. But what is either
or both these to the Intuition of the Divine Presence? There is as much
Difference, as there is between a great Courtier and a Favourite, who
when he pleases, enjoys the Presence of his Prince, and one who is now
and then sent by him on an Errand. And yet to such a degree of
Enthusiasm have some gone, as our Author here in particular, and several
more of the same strain in those former Ages, and the _Quietists_ and
other _Mysticks_ and Enthusiasts in our times, that nothing will down
with him less than the Intuition of the Divine-Being, and they despise
_Meditation_[39], as a mean thing, and too much below one that aspires
to Perfection. And this, it seems, is attainable by Application and
continued Exercise; whereby they have at once set all Mankind in a
Capacity of out-doing infinitely the ancient Prophets, who if they had
known any thing of this way, certainly would not have been so sparing of
it in their Writings, especially when their Business was to labour for
the Benefit and Instruction of Mankind. But there is not one word in all
their Writings which favours this Opinion, from whence we may safely
conclude, that they had no such Notion; and yet it must not be in the
least doubted, but that they were throughly acquainted with the Will of
God, and knew more of his secret Counsel than any other Men in the World
whatsoever.
§ 9. It must needs be acknowledg'd by us Christians, as well as by the
Jews, that _Moses_ was, without Controversie, the the greatest Prophet
that ever appear'd upon Earth before our Saviour's time, and had the
most frequent and greatest Revelations of the Divine Will. For tho' it
was a singular Favour which God vouchsafed the other Prophets, in
communicating to them some of the Secrets of his Purposes; yet _Moses_
was the Man whom God chose to be the Instrument of the Deliverance of
his People _Israel_, by such convincing Signs and Wonders, as were
undeniable Evidences of the Divine Power by which they were wrought, and
who was not only to be God's Messenger to his People in some few
Particulars, but the immediate Receiver of that Law, and all the
Oeconomy, both Ecclesiastical and Civil, by which God's People were to
be governed without any Addition or Diminution, so many hundred Years,
till the Coming of the promised _Messias_. God himself bears Witness to
this, _Numb_. xii. 6. _If there be a Prophet among you, I the Lord will
make my self known unto him in a Vision, and will speak unto him in a
Dream. My Servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine House.
With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark
Speeches, and the Similitude of the Lord shall he behold_. Now _Moses_
had not been faithful in God's House, if he had not reveal'd the whole
Will of God to his People, as it was deliver'd to him; which most
certainly he did. But how? Why, he commands the People thus, _Deut_. vi.
17. _You shall diligently keep the Commandments of the Lord your God,
and his Testimonies and his Statutes which he hath commanded thee_;
which were, no doubt, the very same which he had received upon Mount
_Sinai_. Nor did this Holy Man, this _faithful Servant in God's House_,
ever recommend, or so much as hint any such Service of God, as is
dream'd of by our _Mysticks,_ or give the least Encouragement for any to
hope for the Gift of Prophecy, or an Intuition or beholding the Divine
Being in this State. And yet it is certain that both _Moses_ himself,
and Multitudes of others after him, were Heavenly-minded Men, and did
that which was acceptable in the Sight of God, and shall be Partakers of
Everlasting Glory.
§ 10. Nor did any of the Prophets, which came after him, ever advance
any such refin'd way of Worship; but constantly blam'd the People for
not observing the Law of _Moses_, and neglecting the Statutes and
Ordinances which he had left them. And the Sum of their Prophecies
consists, either in Exhorting, Reproving, Promising or Threatning, and
some Hints of the _Messias_. But not one Syllable concerning any such
abstracted Worship, nor any Mention made of Mens attaining the
_Beatifick Vision_. Notwithstanding which, there have been, and still
are, a great many deluded Souls, who imagine that the warm Conceptions
of distemper'd Brains, are a great Measure of that Holy Spirit by which
the old Prophets spake; and pretend to such a Familiarity and intimate
Conversation with God; such an entire Communication and Intercourse,
that they might, if what they said were true, seem to be glorified
Spirits, rather than _Prophets_, subject to the like Infirmities with
other Men; and to have left the Church Militant to take their place in
the Triumphant. Not considering, that all this is only a pleasing sort
of an Amusement, a Fool's Paradise, and grounded upon no better Reason
or Foundation, than the Man that was distracted had to fancy himself an
Emperor, and all that came about him his Subjects. These Men do not
consider that we live in such an Age of the World, as we are not to
expect such extraordinary Effusions of the Spirit: All that we can
reasonably expect, or that God has promis'd, is, to give his Holy Spirit
to those that ask it of him; that is, so to guide them by his gracious
Assistance, as that they may overcome their Spiritual Enemies, and be
crown'd hereafter with Glory and Immortality; which certainly ought to
content any reasonable Man, without aspiring to _Immediate Revelation,
Prophecy_, obtaining the _Vision of God_, and such like Things,which God
has deny'd to us, whilst in this State.
§ 11. Indeed, if it were in _Religion_, as in _Arts and Sciences_, it
might with a great deal more Reason have been expected; that considering
the vast Distance of Time since the first planting of the Christian
Religion to this present Age, we might have been improved to a Degree of
Prophecy. For _Arts_ and _Sciences_ receive their Beginnings from very
small Hints at first, and are afterwards improved proportionally to the
Industry and Capacity of those who cultivate them; and therefore we may
reasonably expect, that the longer they continue, the more they will be
advanc'd. But the case is vastly different in Religion, which is always
best and purest at its first setting out. And there is a very good
Reason to be given, why it should be so; for after the first Covenant
made by God with Mankind in the Person of _Adam_: every other
Dispensation has found Men under a State of Corruption, and in the
actual Possession of Errors, diametrically opposite to those Truths
which it came to instruct them in; and therefore it was requisite that
the means to remove these at first, should bear Proportion with the
Difficulties they were to encounter. Upon which account, at the
Beginning of any new Dispensation, those Persons whom God was pleas'd to
employ to publish it to Mankind, have been endu'd with more Zeal and
greater Abilities, than the Professors of the same Religion in after
Ages. And as no Person can doubt, but that the Jewish Religion was much
more perfect in the Days of _Moses_, and those which immediately
succeeded him, than in after Times, when it was obscur'd and mudded by
Pharisaical Inventions and Traditions: So must it also be confess'd,
that the Christian Religion was much more perfect in the Days of the
Apostles, and the Ages immediately succeeding them, than since it has
been obscur'd by the Interest of the Designing on the one hand, and the
Prejudice and Ignorance of the Unlearned on the other. And this is what
is plainly confess'd by the Practice of most contending Parties amongst
the Professors of Christianity; who constantly make their Appeals to the
earliest Writers of the Primitive Christian Church, and use all means to
bring them over to their own Side; which is an evident Concession that
they value their Authority, and look upon them as the most competent
Judges of their Controversies. Now, if I shall make it appear, that
there was no such thing as is contended for by our Enthusiasts, in those
early Times, when the Holy Spirit must be confess'd on all hands to be
more plentifully pour'd out than in the succeeding Ages; I hope it will
appear evidently to any unprejudic'd Person, that it is not at all to be
expected under the Christian Dispensation.
§ 12. To begin therefore with our Blessed Saviour himself. It is evident
that he never recommended any such way of worshipping God, as is
contended for by the _Mysticks_, nor promised to reward the most sincere
of his Followers with the _Vision of God_ whilst in this State. As for
his own Life, which is certainly the most perfect Pattern, it was
_Active_ to the greatest Degree; and bating some times of Retirement, to
pray or the like, was wholly spent in Conversation, and doing Good to
others. Then as to the Substance of his Doctrine, it consisted in
acquainting the _Jews_ that he himself was the _Messias_, whose Coming
was so long ago, and so often foretold by the Ancient Prophets. He also
acquainted them with the Nature of his Office and Mediatorship, and
shew'd them how mightily they were mistaken in their Interpretations of
the Prophets concerning him. He let them know, that, contrary to their
Expectation, his Kingdom was not of this World; but that his Business
was to bring Men out of Darkness to Light, and from the Bondage and
Slavery of Sin, to the Liberty of the Sons of God. He taught them to
abandon all ungodly Lusts, and to set their Hearts upon Things above;
assuring them, that if they continu'd in his Love, they should be
rewarded with everlasting Happiness. And lest his Disciples,and those
Churches which should be planted by their Ministry, should be destitute
of necessary Encouragement and Assistance, he assures them, in most
endearing Terms, of his Love towards and Care over them, and promises
speedily to send them _the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth_[40], which
should not only assure them of his own, and the Father's Love towards
them, but also enable them to work such Miracles as should be sufficient
to confirm the Truth of their Mission. But no where promises the
Enjoyment of the _Beatifick Vision_ here; but bid them to expect their
Reward hereafter; assuring them, that _whither he went they could not
follow him now, but should follow him afterwards_[41], and _that he went
to prepare a place for them_. Nor did he even mention his having
purchas'd for Mankind such a Privilege, as that they might, by
diligently improving what was given them, come to God without any other
Means, but rather the quite contrary: For he says, _No Man cometh to the
father but by me_[42]; now certainly the way to come to Christ, is to
believe in him; which, according to the Apostle S. _Paul_, presupposes,
hearing him preach'd.
§ 13, And as our Blessed Saviour did never promise to reward the
Endeavours of sincere Persons, with such a Power whereby they might
attain, without any External Means, all Things necessary to Salvation,
much less the Intuition, or beholding the Divine Presence whilst in this
Life; so neither do we find that they either expected or enjoy'd it. The
Method of God in teaching his People, was still the same as it ever had
been, _viz_. by revealing his Will to some few, in order to the having
it communicated by their Ministry to others. And I desire any one that
thinks otherwise, to produce me one single Instance of any Person that
came to the true Knowledge of God, and the necessary means of Salvation,
but by this way. The contrary is evident from the Example of the
_Eunuch_ (_Acts_ viii.) who was a devout Person, and well dispos'd; and
we find his Zeal and Sincerity rewarded by God's sending to him a proper
Person to instruct him.