more perform the conditions of the Covenant of grace of our selves then the Covenant of the Law Nature cannot do it because it must be done by the Spirit altogether Now here is a foundation for faith to stand on God so farre condescends as he gives his Word and his Seal and his Oath with his Word to convey that Word by way of a Covenant and to make that Covenant a Testament and Will to us that he will do this and to seal that Will with his own blood for a Testament is of no force till the Testatour be dead his own blood hath sealed the Testament you see here what ground there is for faith to stand upon Then again the sweet relation that God hath taken upon him in Christ he is our Father faith builds not on naked God divested of his sweet relations for then he is a consuming fire but upon God a Father in Christ what a sweet thing is it to consider God a Father In Christ the nature of God is Fatherly to us and our nature is sweet to him We are sonnes in Christ his nature is sweet to us and ours to him he will surely perform his relations For in Christ he is a Father not in creation onely but in the Covenant of grace Faith relies upon the Word of God upon the Covenant and Testament and upon God himself altered and changed in the Covenant of Grace to be a sweet Father But what is a further ground of this The nature of God himself who is a Father for if God himself were not cloathed with properties that might satisfie faith and satisfie the soul fully though he were a Father it were not a sufficient ground for faith But now who hath taken the relation of a father upon him God who is infinitely good infinitely merciful above all our sins it must be infinite mercy faith would not have footing else For the soul will so upbraid in the sense of sin that if God were not a Father and a Father infinite in mercy nothing but infinite mercy will satisfie the soul when conscience is awaked and infinite power to subdue all enemies and infinite wisdome to go beyond the reach and subtilty of all the Devils in hell God is such a Father as in his Nature is of infinite mercy and wisdome and power here is a foundation for faith to lay hold upon indeed to have a Father and such a Father that is Jehovah there we must rest in his essence he is Jehovah I am he is eternal and immutable an eternal being of himself and he gives being to all and all things have their dependance upon him The Devils in hell and wicked men he can quell them all and substract their being and turn them to their first nothing from whence they came You see if we resolve all to Jehovah I am to the eternity of God and then to his nature cloathed with power and wisdome and mercy and then to his relation of a Father and then how he condescends to convey himself sweetly by way of Covenant and Testament I beseech you is not here a foundation for faith to build upon in the Word of God when God hath thus opened himself to us You see what this standing is And how by faith we stand and what faith stands on and may well stand on To come to some Observations then First of all Observe hence That The foundation of faith must be out of a mans self That bottom that a man must lay his soul upon must be out of himself it must be Divine it must be God For the soul rests not till it come to God and if the Word were not Gods Word it would not rest on that God must open himself by his Word It must be Divine revelation that the soul must stand upon and at last resolve to pitch and build and rest there It must not be humane authority therefore not the authority of any creature that the soul must stand on because that that the soul stands on must stand it self Now nothing hath a firm consistence but that which is Divine Which I prove thus There is no creature but though it be true and good yet it is changeably true and may be otherwise then it is and yet be a creature still and a good creature There is no man but he is changeable and is changeable as a creature and as a creature severed from the consideration of sin he is changeable The very Angels are changeable as they are creatures all things created are mutable it is the Observation of Damascene Now that that is the foundation of faith must not onely be true but infallibly and unchangeably true there must be no danger of errour in that that faith layes it self upon It is an old rule Falshood cannot be under faith because faith must lye upon truth infallible and immutable truth and who is so but God and what revealed truth is so but Divine truth Therefore faith onely relyeth upon the first good and the first truth upon God and his truth Therefore we may see what to judge of that controversie between us and our adversaries that would have our faith to be resolved into the authority of the Church and not of the Scriptures and by consequent not to the authority of God himself The question is Who hath the best standing the Papists or we We say we stand by faith therefore we stand better then they They say they stand by faith too but how Their faith is resolved into the authority of the Church at length and there they rest But I say even by the confession of themselves or of any reasonable man the Word of God is more Divine then the authority of the Church can be For the authority of the Church is therefore infallible and true because the Word of God saith so That he will be with the Church c. and save his Church The ground is determined upon the Word Now the Word to which they have recourse to prove that they cannot erre that must be trusted before them if they have credit from the Word the Word must be believed before them before men for there is no man if God speak by him but he speaks by him so far as he understands the Scripture and builds upon the Scriptures first Therefore we must first found our selves upon the Scriptures and upon men as far as they agree to the Scriptures If the Scriptures were not the Word of God indeed they could not be the foundation of faith we could not stand upon them but they are the Word of God indeed for men wrote as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost Now that that comes from men it is not infallibly the Word of God but if they speak any thing that is good it is so far as it is agreeable to the first truth the Word of God Indeed the resolution of their faith is very rotten and unsound and bewrayes what their
to domineer over faith because it is onely a drawing from outward inforcement to the use of means Again it is not a ruling over faith nor a base slavery when men hear the Word of God opened directly and clearly when men shall perswade others according to their own judgment that this is so and when others shall yield There is some faith that may be called in some degree implicite faith and obedience that is not sinful but good and discreet As when men by their standing in the Church and by their experience and holinesse of life are thought to be men that speak agreeable to the ground of Scripture though they have not a direct rule and place of Scripture for it other mens conscience may follow what they say I have been directed by such men at such times that by reason of their calling have opportunity to advise But this frees it from base service that it must be with reservation till it appear otherwise by some place of Scripture or till better counsel may be yielded obedience to others with reservation and counselling with others this is no domineering because it is with reserving our selves to a further discovery and a further light That the Moralists use to call the opinion of an honest man where the Law speaks not it is much to be esteemed especially an honest discreet Christian when the Law of God speaks not directly then he that speaks out of conscience and some light he may perswade another man with this reservation till further light be discovered this is no domineering over faith I might take away many things that might breed a suspition as if we domineered over the faith of others when we do not But to come to shew you this positive truth what this tyranny over the faith of others is and where it is practised Those tyrannize over the faith of others that do equalize mens Traditions some Canons of their own with the Word of God and presse them with equal violence perhaps more because they are braâ—…s of their own brain Those that will devise a voluntary worship of God and so intangle people and tell them This you must do when there is no ground for it in the Word of God it is will-worship God loves willing worship when we worship him willingly but he loves not-will-worship when it is the device of our own brain how we will serve him As if a servant or a slave must devise how his Lord will be served what impudency is this if we consider what God is They tyrannize over peoples consciences that equalize their own dotages though they account them witty devices and their own inventions with the worship of God that jumble all together as if conscience were equally bound to any device of their own as to Gods Word Again those do tyrannize over the faith of others that think they can make Articles in Religion to bind conscience Those that think to free themselves from the danger of errour as if what they said were unfallible they tyrannize over others Those that for trifles excommunicate whole Churches because they hold not correspondency with them in their errours they tyrannize over the faith of others Those that withhold the means of knowledge that so in a dark time all their fooleries may be more admired As we see masks and such like overly things they must have the commendation of some light that is not so glorious as the Sun to win admiration of men so those that would win admiration of their fooleries they shut people as much as they may in darknesse that they may have their persons and all other things in admiration this is to tyrannize over faith and to hinder them from that that is the means to reform them better But who are guilty of all this We see what Church especially is guilty of this of domineering over the faith of others that is the Church of Rome The Councell of Trent equalizeth Traditions with the Word of God they divide the Word of God into the written and unwritten and under a curse they pronounce that all must be received with the same reverence And then they have devised a will-worship of their own and follow and force their will-worship with greater violence then the worship of God and they set Gods stamp upon all their fooleries to gain authority under the name of Christs Church and the Word of God they carry all Again you know they hold the Church to be infallible they hold the judgment of the Pope the man of sin to be infalible he cannot erre and hereupon whatsoever he saith it must bind conscience because he is in his Chair and cannot erre whatsoever he saith is the scope of Gods Word infallible And this is a fundamental errour as we call it a first lie a leading lie This is moving to errour this is the mover that moves all other errours under it For where upon is all the abominations of Popery justified They are iustified by this though they seem ridiculous grosse and blasphemous they came from the Church and the Church is virtually in the Pope An absurd Position that the whole Church should be virtually in one man yet that is the Jesuitical opinion and the Church cannot erre therefore it is good because these tenents come from him whose judgment is infallible That is the errour that leadeth to and establisheth all other errours under it it is the first lie And in lies there is a leading one goes under another they never go alone so this is the leading lie of all Popery that the Pope cannot erre by this means they domineer over the faith of others and make the people even beasts indeed But to see the indignity of this that the Pope cannot erre it is the greatest errour of all and the prevention of all amendment on their side do you think that they will ever amend their opinion when they hold this that is a block in the way of all reformation that the Pope can erre for deny that and you call all the fabrick of their Religion in question and grant that it stops all reformation on their side What reformation may we hope for on their side that hold this Position that they cannot erre Hence come all their treasons and rebellions they have some dispensation from the Pope and he cannot erre though he prescribe rebellion and treason Another opinion they have that the Church is the Judge of all Controversies in which the faith of men must be resolved at last but it is the Pope that the Jesuits mean Now this is indeed to domineer over the faith to make a man of sin to be a Judge over all points of faith and faith to be resolved at last into that into the judgment of the Church The Church hath an inducing power a leading power perswading to the belief of the Scriptures and to hear what God saith in his Word but
a hair cannot fall from my head without his providence much lesse can the disposing of my calling which is a greater matter therefore I will seek his glory and frame my self and courses answerable to the will of him by whose will I am in this place Men have not their callings onely to get riches and to get preferment those are base ends of their own to serve themselves God placeth us in our particular callings not to serve our selves but to serve him and he will cast in those riches honour preferment dignity and esteem so much as is fit for us in the serving of him in our places The other party in the inscription from whom the Epistle is is Timothy our Brother HE sends his Epistle from Timothy as well as from himself This he doth to win the more acceptance among the Corinthians by the consent of so blessed a man as Timothy was who was an Evangelist Unitie by consent is stronger And there is a natural weaknesse in men to regard the consent and authority of others more then the things themselves And indeed if God himself in heavenly love and mercy condescend to help our weaknesse much more should all that are led by the Spirit of God We are subject to call in question the truths of God therefore he helps us with Sacraments and with other means and allurements and although that be truth that he saith yet because he would undermine our distrustful dispositions by all means he useth those courses So S. Paul that they might respect what he wrote the more as from a joynt spirit he writes Paul and Timothy our Brother It was an argument of much modestie and humility in this blessed Apostle that he would not of himself seem as it were to monopolize their respect as if all should look to him but he joyns Timothy with him so great an Apostle joynes an inferiour There is a spirit of singularity in many they will seem to do all themselves and carry all themselves before them and they will not speak the truths that others have spoken before them without some disdain As a proud Critick said I would they had never been men that spake our things before we were that we might have had all the credit of it Oh no those that are led with the Spirit of God they are content in modestie and humility to have others joyned with them and they know it is available for others likewise they will respect the truth the more And thus far we yield to the Papists when we speak of this whether the Church can give authority to the Word of God or no. In regard of us the Church hath some power in regard of our weaknesse but what is that power It is an inducing power an alluring power a propounding power to propound the mysteries of salvation but the inward work the convincing power is from the Evidence of the Spirit of God and from the Scripture it self All that the Church doth is to move to induce and to propound this quoad nos it hath some power in the hearts of men The Church thus far gives authority to the Scriptures in the hearts of men though it be an improper phrase to say it gives authority for as the men said to the woman of Samaria Now we believe it our selves not because thou toldest us c. The Church allures us to respect the Scriptures but then there is an inward Power an inward Majestie in the Scriptures and that bears down all before it Again here is a ground why St. Paul alledged humane authority sometimes in his Epistles and in his dealing with men because he was to deal with men that would be shamed the more with them Any thing that may strengthen the truth in regard of the weaknesse of those with whom we have to deal may be used in a heavenly policy One of your own Prophets saith St. Paul Tit. 1. towards the end And so in the Acts of the Apostles he quotes a saying out of an Atheist Timothy our Brother Brother he means not only by Grace but by calling As we know in the Law and other professions those of the same profession are called before Brethren So Timothy was St. Pauls Brother not only by Grace but by calling and two bonds binde stronger Here is a treble bond Nature Grace Calling They were men they were fellow Christians and they were teachers of the Gospel therefore he saith Timothy our Brother Timothy was an Evangelist yet notwithstanding it was a greater honour to him to be a Brother to St. Paul then to be an Evangelist an Hypocrite may be an Evangelist but a true Brother of St. Paul none but a true Christian can be All Christians are Brethren It is a word that levels all for it takes down the Mountains and fills up the Vallies the greatest men in the World the mountains if they be Christians they are Brethren to the lowest and it fills up the Vallies the lowest if they be Christians are Brethren to the Highest howsoever in worldly respects they cease in death as personal differences and differences in calling they all cease in death All are Brethren therefore he useth it for great respect St Paul was a great Apostle Timothy an inferiour man yet both Brethren Timothy our Brother To the Church of God at Corinth VVE have seen the persons from whom Paul and Timothy Now here are the persons to whom To the Church of God at Corinth Corinth was a very wicked City as where there is a great confluence of many people there is a contagion of many sins of the people and yet notwithstanding in this Corinth there was a Church For as Christ saith No man can come to me except my Father draw him so where the Father will draw who can draw back Even in Corinth God hath his Church he raiseth up a generation of men a Church which is a company of creatures differing as much from the common as men do from Beasts And yet such is the Power and Efficacy of the blessed Gospel of Salvation having the Spirit of God accompanying it that even in Corinth a wretched City this Word and this Spirit raised up a company of men called here by the name of a Church and Saints And such power indeed hath the Word of God with the Spirit not only in wicked places but in our wicked hearts too Let a man have a world of wickednesse in him and let him come and present himself meekly and constantly to the means of Salvation and God in time by his Spirit will raise a new frame of grace in his heart he will make a new Creation As at the first he created all out of nothing order out of confusion so out of the heart which is nothing but a Chaos of confusion of blindnesse and darknesse and terror there is a world of confusion in the heart of man God by his creating Word for his Word of the Gospel is creating as well
as his Word was at the first in the creation of the World it hath a creating Power he raiseth an excellent frame in the heart of a man he scatters his natural blindnesse he sets in order his natural confusion that a man becomes a new creature and an heire of a new World Let no people despair nor no person for God hath his Church in Corinth But what is become of this Church now Why alas it is under the slavery of the Turks it is under miserable captivity at this day At the first Corinth was overthrown by Numeus a Roman Captain for the abusing the Roman Ambassadors it was ruinated for the unfit carriage to the Ambassadors who would not suffer themselves to be contemned nor the Majestie of the Roman Empire But Augustus Caesar afterwards repaired it And now for neglecting of Gods Ambassadors the Preachers of the Gospel it is under another misery but Spiritual it is under the bondage I say of that Tyrant What is become of Rome that glorious City It is now the habitation of Devils a cage of unclean birds What is become of those glorious Churches which St. John wrote those Epistles to in his Revelation and which St. Paul wrote unto Alas they are gone the Gospel is now come into the Western parts And shall we think all shall be safe with us as the Jewes did crying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7. No No unlesse we respect Christs blessed Gospel of Salvation except we bring forth fruits worthy of it except we maintain and defend it and think it our honour and our crown and be zealous for it if we suffer the insolent enemies of it to grow as vipers in the very bosom of the Church what is like to become of us If there were no forraign Enemies to invade us we would let slip the glorious Gospel of Salvation God will not suffer this indignity to this blessed Jewel his truth he will not suffer the Doctine of the Gospel to be so disrespected You see the fearful example of the Church of Corinth Let those whom it may concern that have any advantage and authority let them put in for Gods cause put in for the Gospel labour to propagate and to derive this blessed truth we enjoy to posterity by suppressing as much as they may the underminers of it It is an acceptable service To the Church of God at Corinth And all the Saints in Achaia COrinth was the City Achaia the country wherein Corinth was There were then Saints holy men in all Achaia And St. Paul writes to All Saints to weak Saints to strong Saints to rich Saints to poor Saints because every Saint hath somewhat that is lovely and respective in them somewhat to be respected The least grace deserves respect from the greatest Apostle And all have one head all have one hope of Glory all are redeemed with the same precious blood of Christ and so I might run on The many priviledges agree to all Therefore all should have place in our respect To all Saints that the least should not think themselves undervalued weaknesse is most of all subject to complayning if it be disrespected Therefore in heavenly wisdom and prudence the Apostle puts in All Saints In all Achaia whatsoever Besides the mother City the Metropolis of that Country which was Corinth there were Saints scattered God in heavenly wisdome scatters his Saints As seed when it is scattered in the ground it doth more good then when it is on heaps in the barn so God scatters his Saints as Jewels as the lights of the World here he will have one to shine and there another here he will have one fruitful to condemne the wicked world where they are and by their good example and their heavenly and fruitful conversation to draw out of the wicked estate of nature those with whom they are Therefore he will have them scattered here and there not onely at Corinth but Saints in all Achaia besides scattered in other places But we must know by the way that these Saints had reference to some particular Church for though it be sufficient to make a Christian to have union with Christ there is the main the head yet notwithstanding he must be a branch he must be a member of some particular Congregation therefore we have it in Act. 4. God added to the Church such as should be saved Those that are added to salvation must be added to the Church a man must be a member of some particular Church So though these were scattered they were members of some Church Gods children are as stones in some building and there is an influence of Grace comes from Christ the Head to every particular member as it is in the body God quickens not stragling members that have no reference to any particular Church that I note by the way To the Church of God at Corinth and all the Saints in Achaia Saints The Apostle calls them Saints all believers are called Saints Are they so are all in the visible Church Saints Yes say some and therefore they say that our Church is not a true visible Church because many of them are not Saints say some that went out from among us I Answer all are or should be Saints St. Paul wrote here to those that were sacramental Saints and such as by outward covenant and profession were Saints not that they were all of them inwardly so but all should be so done he calls them so to put them in mind of their duty To cleare this point a little Sometimes the Church of God in the Scripture hath its name from the commixtion of good and bad in it so it is called a field where there is a mixture of good and bad seed so it is called a house wherein there are vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour because there is such a mixture in the visible Church Sometimes the Church hath the name from the better part and so it is the Spouse of Christ the love of Christ a peculiar people a holy nation and Saints as it is here Not that all are so but it hath the denomination from the better part all should be so and the best are so and it is sufficient that the denomination of a company be from the better part As we say of Gold Oare though there be much earth mixed with it yet in regard of the better part we call it Gold we give it that name so in regard that the best are Saints and that all should be so therefore he calls them all Saints should all in the visible Church be Saints by profession and by Sacrament should all that are Baptized and receive the Communion enter into a profession of sanctity What say you then to a prophane atheistical Generation that forsooth make a shew of holinesse and therefore we must look for none of them I say all prophane persons are grosse Hypocrites why
why do you not take them Your justifying them in the end will be little to your comfort if you condemne them all your life against your conscience for afterwards it is not so much a work of Grace for you to justifie good courses and to acknowledge good things in most men it is not so much a work of Grace as it is the evidence of the thing and when the cloud of sensuallity and the fume that riseth out of worldly pomp is taken away then the naturall conscience comes to see clearly better things not from the love of them not that it is changed and transformed with the love of them but God so discovers it to them to make them justifie his sentence of Damnation the more he discovered to them better courses then they tooke it shall justifie their damnation We are deceived oft-times in mens ends they acknowledge good waies and good courses and on the other side some of Gods good Children they pronounce the contrary but let none trust to that good courses are so evident and clear that if men be not Atheists they must acknowledge them especially when the impediment that hindred them before is taken away You must acknowledge therefore acknowledge now not in your hearts onely but acknowledge them in laying aside your opposition in casting away your weapons and by joyning with them in good courses set not your hands against good courses and good persons set your tongues to speak for their good Take Gods part stand on Gods side it is the best side if you allow it onely hereafter it will be a barren allowance it will be no comfort to you it often falls out to be so O beloved whatsoever courses else you take they will sink and fall they will sink first in your own soules and none will be readier to condemn you then your own conscience when God shall make you wiser you will censure your selves What folly was it how was I deluded with this ill company and with that as wicked company is wondrous powerfull to infuse ill conceits as the Spies they infused discouragement by the Oration they made of the Giants in the Land c. they altered the mind of the whole people It is a dangerous thing to converse with naughty persons the Devil slides together into the soul with their carnal reasoning and alters the judgement for the time that they are not so wise as conscience would make them and as they might be if they did not hearken to the hissing of the Serpent First if you take any conrse but good your own conscience is by and will be the first that will find you out For sin is a base thing a work of darknesse it must be discovered it is a madnesse it must be manifest to all men Popery and all their slights must be discovered and the Whore must lie naked and stink nothing shall be so abominable as Popery and Popish persons ere long Truth will get the victory in the consciences of people and good courses will get approbation Therefore if you approve them not first you shall be unhappy in this life and everlastingly hereafter this shall be the principal torment in hell that you saw better courses then you lived in and you would not give your judgments leave to lead you There was something better Conscience told you but you gave way to your lusts and to the insinuations of wicked men instruments of the Devill rather then to the motions of conscience and of Gods Spirit that awakened conscience This I say will more ease your torment in hell that you might have done otherwise if you had had Grace but you willingly betrayed your selves you silenced conscience you willingly condemned your selves in the things that you acknowledged were naught you did that which you condemned and you did not practise that which your judgment did allow God will have little to do at the day of Judgment with most men in the Church to condemn them for alas their own consciences will condemn them the consciences of all will condemn them that their courses were naught And that makes wicked men so cruel especially if they get into place of authority they know they are not allowed they are not acknowledged in the consciences of those that are judicious thèy know they are condemned there and they fret and fume and think to force another opinion of themselves upon others but it will not be and that makes them that they cannot endure the sight of them that are of a contrary judgment they think themselves condemned in the hearts of such men and that makes them cruel Especially those that have some illumination they cannot abide their own conscience to take its course they cannot abide to see themselves They think themselves condemned in the judgment of others and those that think they have the prejudice of others that their courses are naught they carry an implacable hatred it is a desperate case Hast thou knowledge that they think thy courses naught and on good ground and doest thou hate them and hate to be reformed thy self will this alway hold out No as I said before truth is eternal that which thou acknowledgest must continue it will be acknowledge it will get the victory at the day of Judgment by Men and Angels truth will have the victory it is eternal Take that course for the present that thou mayest be good for the present and hold out to the end as we see the Corinthians here You do acknowledge me and you shall acknowledge me to the end and testifie to the world that you acknowledge the best things and the best persons that you may be one with them by love here and in heaven for ever hereafter I trust you shall acknowledge to the end To shut up this point Let me seal it up with this Make this Quaere to your selves what estate you are in when you come to the Communion whether it be well with you or no if not why will you live any whit at all in the uncertainty of our lives and the shortnesse of them and the danger of the wrath of God when there is so little between you and eternal Damnation in a doubtful in a dangerous estate Are you resolved to be naught then No if you be not Atheists you will not say so Do you intend to be good and come and make your Covenant with God Yes why then resolve to be so A good conscience looks not onely back to sins past to repent of them but for the time to come it resolves to please God in all things and to hold out to the end Some make a mockery of the holy things of God one part of the year they will be holy a rotten foolish affection of people that are Popish In Lent they will use a little austerity O they will please God wondrously but before and after they are devils incarnate so they make that part of the
the Church of Rome a thousand years after and even now the affirmatives that we hold Do not they believe the Scriptures to be the VVord of God Yes but they adde patcheries of their own the Apocrypha and their own traditions to be the VVord of God too Do not they believe that Christ is Mediatour Yes but he is the onely Mediatour for Redemption and not for Intercession they joyn others with him Saints and Angels We are saved by faith that is the affirmative and so say they but they adde of their own That we are saved by faith and works Then again we say there are two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper and so say they but they adde five of their own So I might run over all their opinions whatsoever we hold they hold Therefore in their own confessions our affirmatives have been ever since the Apostles times if they had any Church we had a Church because our foundations are included in their Religion All that we say they say but then again they say many things that we do not Therefore they account us hereticks because we make not that that they hold to be our yea too Again the negatives that they believe and we do not believe they are but novelties in experience they are not of the ancient Apostolical faith That the Apocrypha should be had in equal authority with the Word of God in Scripture alas such a conceit was not thought of for 600 yeares after the Apostles That the people should not read the Scriptures it was but since the other day Transubstantiation since the Councel of Laterane a thousand years since Christ. That the Pope should be Supream and depose Princes such a thing was not heard of a thousand years after Christ. That he should have authority to Canonize Saints it was but since the other day Equivocation but of late time and so their idle babling of Divine service in Latine and twenty other trumperies So the things that we deny that are grosse and abominable in the judgment of every man that knowes any thing they were but since the other day they were not yea in the Apostles times Then the Apostolicall Church being not built on them they must be devised after As indeed a thousand years after Christ the most of these were never heard of The most of the points of Popery wherein they differ from us nay not any of them were never established by a Councel till the Councel of Trent except Transubstantiation by the Councel of Laterane which was a thousand years after Christ. The affirmatives that we hold and they hold too we say they are constant from the Apostles time they have been in all ages maintained and affirmed Our positive Points that we ground out of S. Paul and out of the Scriptures We seek the old way and the best way as Jeremy adviseth us There was none of the Popish trash in Abraham's time in the Patriarch's time in Christs and his Apostles times or in many hundred years after they came in by little and little for their own advantage a meer policy to get money and to abuse people I say they hold all our positive truths but their errour is in addition Now this question may be made whether their additions may be dangerous or no because it may be supposed that some among them will say that heresie is not in addition but in contrariety to the faith and detracting but when one holds more then they should that is no heresie because there is somewhat superabounds now we hold the truth and more too I say it is grosse and false foe if additions did not overthrow the foundation there should never be any idolatry nor never any heresie in these times What was Idolatry especially in the Church of God Among the Jewes was there not the worshipping of the true God Yes but before an Image their additions their false manner overthrew the true There is none of them fundamental Points as we call them though they make them fundamental they make their Traditions of as much authority as the Word of God and their fooleries as the Articles of faith they overthrow the main foundation they are such additions as are destructive to joyn with the Word of God Traditions To worship God under another species and kind is to be an Idolater though they worship the true God if it be after a false manner it is prohibited St. Paul saith and with a commination Gal. 1. If I or an Angell from Heaven teach otherwise beside put case it be not plainly and directly contrary if he teach other things that are not necessary to be believed Let him be accursed VVe ought not to go from the Scriptures in any fundamentall point of faith under pain of a curse Therefore Poperie is a cursed Religion in respect of their very additions Doth not St. Paul tell the Galatians they were fallen from Christ if they added circumcision to Christ He doth not say if they did that which was directly contrary to faith no but in adding circumcision and works to Christ they were fallen from Christ whole Christ or no Christ. In some cases additions are heresies and overthrow the foundation If this be so we may answer another question easily The Apostolical doctrine you see is onely yea Whether then it be safer to be a Papist or a Protestant considering that whatsoever we hold they do hold I answer to be a Protestant it is safer in any mans judgement because all that we say themselves say it hath been Apostolical we can prove in all ages of the Church our affirmatives we have a Catalogue of witnesses in all ages of them that held what we say it was founded in the Apostles and then came down to all ages But what they say distinct and differing from us they have not the like testimony for for indeed they are so beaten that Bellarmine hath this The authority of all Councels and Fathers and all depends upon the authority of the present Church bring to them Councels and Fathers Tush tush all authority depends upon the present Church VVhat authority gives the present Church when 20. yeares after the Church varies What certainty is there when all authority of former times shall depend upon the present Church In those things wherein they differ from us and that we deny any understanding reasonable man may see that they are novelties and corruptions As for the Pope to depose Princes if a man have but his naturals he may see it abominable To pray in a strange tongue to debar the people of the wine when Christ saith Drink ye all of it who that hath ordinary discretion but will think it absurd There is nothing that we differ from them in but a man that hath but his naturals will condemne Therefore ours is safer a great deal by their own confession the learnedest of them that it is enough to believe as we do Do we
with reasons discovering an absolute necessity of geting into Christ and of having him to be our Husband except we will lye under the wrath of God and be damned and withal discovering the fulnesse and excellency that is in Christ. Again it is God onely that must stablish the soul all the parts of it both judgment and conscience For I beseech you what can any humane creature what can any thing under God work upon the soul I mean so firmly as to stablish it and therefore our controversie with the Papists is just and good We say The reason and ground of our believing the Word of God to be the Word of God must not be the testimony of the Church and the authority thereof for alas what can the judgment of man what can the judgment of the Church do It may incline and move the will by inducing arguments and so cause a humane consent but to establish the soul and conscience and to assure me that the Word of God which is the ground of my faith is the Word of God it must be God by his Spirit that must do it the testimony of the Church will never do it The same Spirit that inspired holy men to write the Word of God works in us a belief that the Word of God is the Word of God The stablishing argument must be by the power of Gods Spirit God joyning with the soul and spirit of a man whom he intends to convert besides that inbred light that is in the soul causeth him to see a Divine Majestie shining forth in the Scriptures so that there must be an infused establishing by the Spirit to settle the heart in this first principle and indeed in all other Divine principles that the Scriptures are the Word of God And to go on a little further this is a fundamental errour in our practice For what is the reason we have so many Apostates what is the reason so many are so fruitlesse in their lives what is the reason that men despair in death but even this because men are not built and stablished aright Gods Spirit never stablished their soules in Divine truths For first concerning Apostasie ask them what is the reason they are of this or that Religion They will say they have been taught so they have been brought up to it the company with whom they have conversed have been devout men and have been alwayes led with this opinion and they see no reason to thwart it Is that all Hath not the Spirit wrought these things in thy heart hath he not given thee a taste of them hath he not convinced thee in thy judgment that it is so hast thou not found the power of the Spirit working upon thy soul changing of thee raising of thee drawing of thee out of the world nearer to God hast thou not I say felt the power of the Spirit this way No but thus I was catechized and thus I have been bred and thus I have heard in the Ministery And no otherwise Alas it will never hold out there will be a falling away for when a man believes not that which he believes from the Spirit of God he will be ready when dangerous times come when there is an onset made by the adversaries to fall and to fall clean away as we see it was in the time of Popery for whatsoever is not spiritual whatsoever knowledge is not Divine and from the Spirit of God never holds out Therefore I beseech you what 's the reason that you have many illiterate men that set upon the truth and hold out to the end and on the contrary many great seeming Scholars that are skilful in school-learning and in other Authours do not The reason is the one hath the truth from the Spirit discovering all the objections that the heart of man can make against it and the strength that is in the truth to answer and silence all those objections The other man hath onely a discoursing knowledge an ability to gather one thing from another and to prove one thing by another by strength of parts But the Spirit of God never discover'd the sleights and the corruptions of his heart never fastned and settled his heart upon the truth he never had experience of the truth For indeed nothing doth stablish so much as the experience of the truth on which we are stablished Again what is the reason of that unfruitfulnesse that is amongst men but because truths were never settled in the soul by the Spirit of God That which men know out of the Word of God concerning Christ and the priviledges by him they were never perswaded of it in their hearts therefore they come not to a fruitful conversation It is impossible but that men should be abundantly fruitful that have spiritual apprehensions of Divine things of Evangelical truths Hence comes all our unthankfulnesse and undervaluing of the Gospel The Gospel of it self is an unprized thing however we esteem of it God values it highly we value it not because our apprehensions of it are customary and formal gotten by breeding and education and discourse and not by the Spirit we feel not the spiritual and heavenly comforts of those truths we think we know How comes likewise Despair in time of temptation and in death but onely because men want this stablishing by the Spirit of God Men go on in evil courses trusting to a formal dead humane knowledge gotten by humane meanes and not settled in them by the Spirit of God that hath not sealed the truth in their hearts and hereupon when sharp tryals come they despair because they have no feeling of the truths of the Gospel and so when conscience is awakened and smarts it clamours and cryes out upon all their formall and humane knowledge For they having not a spiritual sense of the mercies of God in Christ and the perswasions of comfort are not so near to support the soul as the tentations and vexations and torments are how can they but despair Now who can still the conscience but the Spirit of God Why now if the knowledge that men had were spiritual and heavenly in all accusations of conscience it would set conscience down and still it I am a sinner indeed I am this and this but I have felt the sweet mercies of God in Christ God hath said to my soul I am thy salvation he hath intimated to my spirit by a sweet voyce Son thy sinnes are forgiven thee Where there is I say a knowledge and an apprehension of these Evangelical truths wrought by the Spirit it sets down Conscience and stills it though the heart rage at the same time There are thousands in the very bosome of the Church that miscarry because of this resting in a literall outward formall knowledge gotten onely by discourse and by reading and commerce with others and never labour to have their hearts stablished in Christ by Gods Spirit You see here then a
ill upon slight grounds Now this oft-times ariseth and is fed with seeming probability Christ conversed with wicked men here was some colour for them to conjecture him so We say things have two hands a right hand and a left now suspition takes hold of the left hand alwayes if things will admit of a double construction suspition alway takes hold of the worst suspition takes hold of the ill part That is the nature of a diseased soul to take things by the wrong hand We see then it is a disposition that we are subject unto naturally and it is cherished by Satan and Satans instruments wicked men And why doth the Devill so cherish suspition and a jealous disposition Oh it hath been wondrous instrumental to Satan I dare say there is no disposition or frame of soul that hath been the occasion of more blood-shed of more unjustice in the Church and State from the beginning of the world then a jealous disposition especially in great ones Therefore the Devil labours as to breed jealousies of God so of Gods Church and Children from the beginning Was it not ever the disposition of ill-minded men to put jealousies into the hearts especially of those that were in authority concerning men far better then themselves Was it not Hamans policy when the Jewes had angred him Oh they are a people that care not for the Laws c. perhaps they were more obedient then himself had it not been the occasion of their ruine if God had not been more merciful Herod had a jealousie and suspition that Christ when he was born would turn him out of his Kingdome and all Jerusalem was in an uproar Alas Christ came to give a heavenly Kingdome and not to take away earthly yet this jealousie cost the lives of the poor Infants So in the Primitive Church there were wicked men put jealousies concerning the Christians into the heads of the Emperours when alas they reverenced the Emperours next God above all yet alway there were wicked instruments that sought to domineer and have their own ends under the Emperours they conveyed jealousies and thence came so much blood-shed In later times in Popish Countreys if a man read the stories whence came that blood-shed This was one chief cause jealousies and suspitions cast into the heads of Popish Princes by wicked men about them set on work by Satan himself O they are such as will turn you out of your state a people that are rebellious and unquiet This was the policy among us in former times we may consider of later times to see the disposition of a man that was a great States-man in his time and a man of great parts and learning but of a very fierce and cruel disposition I mean Stephen Gardiner The chief hurt that was done in that magnanimous Princes time it was done by him And how By jealousies as appears by his Letters c. Oh if these things prevail this and that will come he cast such jealousies that did affright thas great Prince Oh other Princes will fall out with you if you maintain not these things they will break with you And so upon his death-bed this doctrine of Justification if the people once know it all is gone God shewes that all these jealousies are but follies for all that he feared came to passe In good Queen Elizabeths time Religion that he was so jealous of was established and she cared not for Princes correspondency that were of other Religions further then might stand with reasons of State and did not she flourish and her people in quiet all her time notwithstanding all former jealousies as if Religion established could not stand with peace So that the event proved what kind of jealousies these were Do we think then that a great deal of hurt is not done among particular persons when in States there is such a world of hurt done by Satan and his instruments Well let us take notice therefore of our disposition and of the inclination of men this way that we may the better prevent it and that will appear in the second thing That We should labour by all means to avoid suspition and to decline it as much as we can It should be the care of Ministers and others it generally belongs to all Christians to free themselves from any ill suspition in the hearts of others as much as they can as S. Paul did here the suspition of inconstancy and lightnesse and want of love to them that he did not come among them Suspition is a Canker that eats into the soul where it is and it will consume and waste all love It is the very venome of Love and friendship A little thing will breed it but will not work it out Therefore we ought first of all to take great heed that we give no ground of suspition at all or if we do that we be careful to get it out as soon as we can for usually where it takes place it boyls till it break out into words and then words when they are discovered breed strangenesse and that breeds other inconveniences And the rather we should labour to avoid it because Quod suspectum c. that which is suspected is made unprofitable for a man when he unwarrantably suspects another thing it is unprofitable to him We take little good by those that we suspect are ill or ill-affected to us and then we do little good to them for love is much danted by the ill conceit we have taken against them A man cannot do that good that he might when he is suspected there lies a barre in the way ill suspition in the other party which is an obstruction between him and the good he might do Therefore even for the love of others we ought to avoid suspition as much as may be that they may receive good from us As we ought not uncharitably to suspect others that we may do good to them so we ought to avoid by all means suspition from them left it be a barre for that good we might do towards them Let us labour to clear our selves from all suspition of want of love and ill carriage what we may that so there may be nothing between our spirits and theirs that may hinder the good that might come from us to them but that all may passe clear You see how curious holy men have been in all times to avoid suspition as much as they could Even God himself we cannot have a more glorious pattern what course hath he taken from the beginning of the world with mankind he hath condescended and stooped to mans weaknesse to clear himself of suspition of unkindnesse to man that man might not cherish suspition that he doth not love him For there is that poyson in the cursed nature of man that do God what he can he will lay imputations upon God to bear himself out in stubborn courses as if God delighted not in him
after there is inward intrinsical grounds in the Word that make us to know the Word without the Church Now they would have the authority of the Word depend upon the Church and so over-rule mens consciences in that case Whereas all that the Church hath is a leading inducing perswading to hear the Word under which Word and Ordinance we shall see such light and majestie in the Scriptures that from inward grounds we shall be perswaded that the Word of God is the Word of God Therefore the Church is the first inducer to believe the Word of God not the last object to which all is resolved For they themselves crosse it in their tenents when they speak discreetly Is this opinion so and so The Church holds it but what authority hath the Church to maintain it where is the authority of your Church then they bring some place of Scripture I will be with you to the end of the world And He that heareth you heareth me c. I do but a little discover to you the danger of this errour They make the Word of God to be believed because the Church saith so they make truth to be believed because their man of sin whom they depend upon saith so Do we believe the Trinity or that Christ is our Redeemer because the Church saith so should we not believe it except the Church say so what if the Church teach the Doctrine of Devils as they do they cannot shake it off we must believe because the Church saith so so upon equal grounds they shall teach the Doctrine of Devils and the Doctrine of Christ because the Church saith so As it was said anciently he that believes two things the one for the other he believes not two but one in effect because he believes the one for the other So in effect they believe nothing but the Church that is themselves believe the truth to be divine because they say so so they may believe any devillish errour because they say so so any treason or rebellion must go current because they say so because they cannot erre Yyou see how they domineer over the faith of others shall not Christ be Christ nor God be God nor the Devil be the Devill except the Church say so Again in the very matters themselves in the points that themselves do not urge the Church of Rome domineers and tyrannizeth over the souls of people For example they hold that the intention of a Minister in the Sacrament makes it effectual What a fear doth this breed in the souls of men that they know not whether they be baptized or no because it must be in the intention of the Minister And then in confession they must confesse all what a tyranny is this to the souls of people when perhaps there is somewhat that they have not confessed and so their confession is of no worth And in satisfaction perhaps I have not made satisfaction enough by their injunction laid on me and therefore I must satisfie in hell what a rack is this to conscience So what a rack to conscience is that opinion that the Pope cannot erre when I cannot tell perhaps whether he be the right Pope or no if he came in by Simony or is not in Cathedra and many conditions they have to salve that Point If any of those conditions be not observed he is not the man he should be what tyranny do they force upon people over their faith Therefore they are called in the Revelations scorpions indeed they are spiritual Scorpions that sting the souls of Gods people The Devil is the King of darknesse and is not he the Prince of darknesse that maintains ignorance of the Word of God that all his old tenents and opinions may have the better sway that he may sit in the blind and dark consciences of people It is said 2. Thess. 2. that he sits in the Temple of God that is in the Church nay he labours to have another Temple to sit in mans soul which is the Temple of the Holy Ghost It is not sufficient for him that is the man of sin to have any other place he must sit in the very souls and consciences of men Satan hath a special malice to sit in the place of God since he was turned out of heaven and cannot come thither he will come to that place if he can upon earth where God should be and where will God be God will especially be in the hearts of his people in the souls and consciences of his people Conscience is Gods throne Satan being thrust out of heaven labours to stablish his throne there Now they that are Satans vicars led with his spirit they are of the same mind let them be what kind of great ones they will they desire to sit in Gods throne in the conscience and if a man will not tie his conscience to them he is no body to them This is the property of Antichrist in the highest degree as far as any are addicted to this that they will not be satisfied but the consciences of men must be tied to them they must deny all honesty and justice and law and all to please them and to gratifie them with particular kindnesse so farre they are led with the spirit of Antichrist and of the Devil himself who labours to sit in Gods throne that is in the hearts and consciences of people And therefore as I said they labour to keep people in darknesse for this very purpose that people may let them into their consciences and rule them as they please As Sampson when they had put out his eyes they led him to base services so do they with Gods people they put out their eyes and then they lead them to grind in the mill to all the base services they can It is not to be spoken of the brutish slavery and ignorance that is in Spain and other Countreys where that Devillish Inquisition reigns which is a great help to Popish Tyranny What should I speak of the state of the Romish Church indeed the main scope of it is to subdue all to them to subdue all Kings and Kingdomes to them that is the grand scope of the greatest of them others have their particular scope for their bellies and base ends but those among them that have brains that are Governours their scope is to bring all under their girdle and how shall they do this They cannot bring their persons but they must bring their consciences for where the conscience is the person will follow presently therefore they labour to lay a tie upon the conscience of Prince and people upon all that so they may domineer and rule over their consciences And for that end they labour to nourish them up in blindnesse for by blindnesse they rule in the conscience and ruling their conscience they may rule their persons and Kingdomes This is their main scope this hath been their plot for many hundred years So
Adam Our estate in Christ better then Adams or the Angels why p. 438 445 Affliction Gods Children subject to Afflictions and why p. 47 60 74 126 Gods people are sensible of Afflictions and why p. 129 c. Good men lying under Afflictions and Crosses are subject to rash and hard censures p. 120 124 The Afflictions of the Saints are for the good of others how p. 102 103 The good we get by others Afflictions is by stirring up grace in us p. 109 God aimes at many things in the same Affliction p. 114 Effects of Afflictions to Gods Children and to the wicked p. 163 Affliction called Death p. 171 See more in Persecution Suffering Tribulation Aime Holy men work from holy Aimes and Ends p. 347 All. Christ is all in all to us p. 391 Alone The Devil set on Christ when he was alone p. 71 See Solitarinesse Amen Amen what and how taken pag. 401 A double Amen p. 440 All Promises in Christ Yea and Amen p. 401 c. 410 c. Anointing What kind of persons were formerly anointed p. 463 464 467 The order of our Anointing in Christ p. 464 467 468 The graces of the Spirit resembled to Anointing or Oynment why pag. 464 c. Antiquity Antiquity of our Church and Religion proved against the Papists p. 394 395 396 Popish Religion not ancient pag. 396 c. Apology Christians are often driven to their Apologie p. 215 Apostle The Priviledge of Apostles above ordinary Ministers and how they differ from them p. 2 S. Paul's Prerogative above other Apostles ibid. Apostles and Prophets how subject to erre and mistake and how not p. 374 Application Necessity of application of the Promises to our selves p. 441 Assent Four degrees or kinds of Assent pag. 541 542 Assurance A Christian ought and may be assured of his estate in grace p. 487 All Christians have not a like assurance nor at all times p. 488 Gods Children may be assured that they shall persevere to the end p 489 See Perseverance We may be assured from a little measure of grace that we are in the state of grace p. 491 Authority Why S. Paul alledged humane authority in his Epistles and in his dealing with men pag. 4 What power or authority the Church gives to the Scriptures p. 3 4 545 See Church Scripture B. Believe HOw hardly mans heart is brought to believe p. 48 486 Best A true Christian is best where he is best known p. 273 Blesse To blesse God what p. 17 How God blesseth us and how we blesse Gâ—…d ibid We adde noâ—…hing to God when we blesse him ibid. Whâ—… we ought to blesse God ibid. We ought to blesse God for Christ p. 21 Blessing what p. 9 The Popes blessing nothing worth ibid. See Praise Thankfulnesse Brother Timothy S. Paul's Brother how p. 4 All Christians or all Believers are Brethren ibid. C. Called MEn in Scripture are often called by that which they are led and ruled by p. 275 365 Censure Against censuring those that are under crosses and afflictions p. 124 150 Men are prone to censute mens callings for some particular actions p. 375 Sin must be censured and judged when it is committed p. 510 Certainty A double Certainty p. 120 440 How the Prophets and Apostles were certain and infallible and how not p. 374 Christ. Christ three wayes taken in Scripture p. 77 Christ is the main object of preaching p. 388 Christ is all in all to us p. 391 How to think of Christ p 390 Gods love to us founded in Christ p. 404 405 How to get into Christ p. 415 Christ a Prophet Priest and King p. 467 The Scripture sets forth Christ by all comfortable terms that may be p. 55 Christian. What is done to Christians is done to Christ p 81 A true Christian is best where he is best known p. 273 A sound Christian loves and values all Christians p. 450 Christians are Prophets Priests and Kings how p. 468 c. See Saint Church Whether the Church can give authority to the Word or Scripture p. 3 4 545 God hath a Church in most wicked places and among most wicked people p. 4 Every Christian ought to be a member of some particular Church or Congregation p. 6 The Church hath its name sometimes 1. From the mixture in it 2 From the better part of it ib. Churches not to be left or forsaken for some corruptions in them p. 339 Civil A meer civil man who p. 8 Comfort Consolation Comfort or Consolation what p. 39 8â—… God the God of comfort how p 39 40 What this Title attributed to God implies p. 42 Whatsoever the means of comfort be God is the Spring and Fountain of it p. 43 God can create comfort out of nothing p. 42 God can raise comfort out of contraries p 42 3 What use to be made of this that God is the God of comfort p. 43 44 c. Reasons or grounds why Christians are uncomfortable p. 45 God comforteth his people in all tribulation p. 46 48 Objection against this answered p. 47 69 God applyeth comfort answerable to all miseries in this life p. 48 To comfort wha p. 49 What use to be made of this that God is the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation p. 49 50 c. How to derive comfort from the God of comfort p. 50 No comfort for such as go on in sin p. 51 Comforts for those that are relapsed p. 52 General comforts should be had for all kind of maladies and grievances and which be they p. 52 53 Means for obtaining of comfort p. 52 to 60 69 To keep a daily course of comfort how p. 54 to 60 Christ in Scripture is set forth by all terms that may be comfortable p. 55 Means whereby we may be enabled to comfort others p. 60 61 64 65 All Gods Children have interest in divine comforts why p. 61 Divine comforts are not impaired by being communicated ibid. God conveyes comfort to men by men p. 62 63 We should be willing ready and able to comfort one another p. 62 63 64 70 71 Experience a great help to comfort others why p. 65 66 67 Objections of such as complain of want of comfort answered p. 69 Our comforts and consolations are proportionable to our sufferings pag. 82 Greatest comforts follow greatest sufferings why ibid. What hinders comfort in affliction p. 97 No comfort for wicked men p. 98 Comfort or consolation abounds by Christ p. 99 Why Christians are no more comfortable p. 100 Suffering a necessary precedent of comfort why p. 117 Those that suffer as they should are sure of comfort p. 118 Commendation A man may speak in commendation of himself and in what cases pag. 215 Communion Bond of Communion of Saints pag. 450 Companion Companions in sin shall be companions in suffering p. 119 Conceit We should have a good conceit of others p. 322 323 It's good to have a good conceit of others p. 344