thereto The spawn of all Error is born and bred with them Mans dunghil heart is the fruitful womb of all such weeds Sin grows into strength by custom therein it s more radicated and setled in them As it rejects the bounds of divine and humane Laws so doth it carry the soul headlong into all by-paths of Errour and folly It endures neither Physick nor Physitian though never so choyce Such a heart is dry tinder to the Devil but wet to God Reason 2. The deceitfulness of Error helps much that way that seed of the Serpent resembles him in this as in all things else It disguises its foul face under many fair colours it goes still masked it baits every hook sutably to mans deceitfull heart Thence the Scripture speaks so much of Errors Methods and crafts devices and subtilties snares and wiles Arts and stratagems Juglings and deceits Reason 3. The Just hand of Heaven giving up such to blindness of mind and hardness of heart to be led away by sin and Satan because they received not the Truth in love but abused and corrupted it and themselves thereby they harden themselves sinfully then God hardens them judicially Vse 1. See the ground of so many errors among us because iniquity so abounds in these later dayes Love to Truth waxes so cold Most turn practical Antinomians of the worst sort as they reject both God and his Law he gives them up to the Law of sin and death Whence so many Bedlams of all humours and complexions So many turns from one sin to another Sin being justly punished by sin So many carnal hypocrites and proud Novices fall daily into the Devils condemnation 2. Admonition to Lawless men it should convince such of their folly and misery See what it s to break the Banks and to be left to a mans will Whether will ignus fatuus lead but to bogs and precipices Such are next step to vilest Errors ready to be drawn into the snare All ignorant negligent souls that slight and oppose the Law of God and man should be throughly humbled To shake off Christs bands is a Heathenish part when the Apostle speaks against the Law it s still against the abuse thereof and resting thereon For the Law is good used Lawfully 3. Examination What kind of Christians are we like to escape the snares of Error Are not we lawless but under the Law to Christ Do we own and study love and practise that Law for sanctification though not for merit Is it written upon our heart Is his Spirit put within us so as to cause us to walk in his Statutes that we may keep his Judgements and do them Hath Grace freed us from our sinful bondage Hath the Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Jesus Christ made us free from the Law of sin and Death Superiours and inferiours should view themselves in this Glass of Truth Doth the principle of his Law within us quicken us still to the careful observance of the perfect Rule of his Law without us 4. Exhortation 1. To sinners Learn the Law of Christ see the need and use thereof Be willing to know the wretchedness of a lawless state It s sad to abide under the law of sin and Death To be the Devils slave and the drudge of sin Study the Beauty and sweetness the pleasure and profit of Gods Law Acquaint thy self with Christ and be at peace c. Receive I pray thee the Law from his mouth c. Thus are you invited in the Lords Name We are Embassadours for Christ c. Christ must do all the work in you and by you Come to him for all 2. To Saints improve your acquaintance Keep the Law of Christ that it may keep you Look to your fence and Rule all neglect here is very dangerous Error is soon let in before you be aware God will keep you in his wayes not in the Devils wayes If your compass be slighted you must needs rove If you attend not the Shepherds voyce how can you but wander Walk therefore circumspectly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see to it improve the Law of Christ against all internal corruptions 2. Against all external temptations Bring all things to that Touch let nothing pass untried if any Notion come under a dress of new Light bring it to the Law and Testimony Satan comes often under a Scripture-Mask pretending conscience aâ—d pleading very fair He must be sifted over and over and his Vizard must be pulled off Christ dealt with him thus This Gloss on Scripture still spoils the Text either in the sense or application Doctrine 2. Error will endanger Christians stedfastness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Emphatically to fall out as a man out of a window as Eutiches or as a member out of joynt THe word stedfastness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Metaphorical denoting the settlement of the soul in allusion to the strong composure of natural and artificial things well grounded and fixed The soul is then setled when united to Christ by a lively faith on conjugal terms and harmoniously settled in his Body Mistical in the place and fitness of an orderly member The Christian thus as a living stone well cemented on Christ the Foundation is orderly Knit to the whole Building of his Church Political also Such a living Twig ingrafted into the stock of Jesse is thereby established in that Root of David to receive all its sap and strength from thence by abiding in Christ This is further set forth by all Politick frames and corporations Error is that grand evil that endangers such a stedfastness that disorders such a symmetrie and discomposes the whole by disordering the parts putting them out of their propâ—r seat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their own station and stablishment It puts them out of Joint order and harmony According to the comport of that particular straying from the Truth more or less material the danger answerable appears more or less dreadful The sad experience of Gods people in all Ages of the Church both before and since Christ hath given to this day a woful Test thereof The poyson got into mens Brains doth easily slide into all inseriour parts and powers Fishes begin to stink in the Head Vain Notions soon breed vile affections such ill humours easily disperse into all the joynts to produce direful convulsions Christ gave warning of it so did his Apostles again and again who were as careful to warn all Christians that they might be kept stedfast in his wayes The sad Revolts of so many Apostates in all Ages who slighted Gods Word and followed Seducers practices stand on Record as Monuments of Salt to season the rest Reason 1. Error loosens the Christians Hold. The looser he is from Christ
Life a Turning of men from darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God by opening of their eyes and renewing their Will It s expressed by taking away the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh in putting his Spirit within us and giving a new heart and a new spirit in our special effectual Calling It s said to be our Regeneration and being born again absolutely needful to open an entrance into Gods Kingdom Though there be some Reliques of natural and moral Endowments left in men since the fall in their powers and parts as appears by the Heathens Improvements yet these only testifie the wofulness of mans desperate fall in ruining so glorious a Fabrick Thence the blindness and perversness of his mind and will are so aggravated the crooked distortions of his Affections the searedness and corruption of his Conscience with the disorder of every part are set forth so Emphatically to convince every man Thence men are said before Conversion to be Godless and hopeless because Christless Thence is the wonderful operation of Renewing Grace so extolled still in this new creation bringing forth Light out of darkness in making man partaker of the Divine Nature This supernatural Work is carried on rationally by the Spirit of Christ in a way suitable to mans rational Being He works strongly yet sweetly he opens their heart-springs with a special Key of his own framing This Renewing Grace runs parallel with the Fathers Electing and the Sons Redeeming Grace whom God did foreknow and predestinate those he calls effectually seasonably savingly Their corrupt nature doth much resist it till Grace prevails and conquers all its Forts The outworks of the Mind and Judgement Christs Spirit conquers first thence breaking through the Iron Gate of mans Will into the possession of all the powers and parts of the soul Many sins remain still in every part like so many Cananites and Tories to be gradually subdued These Rebels being broken in their Head and Reign Grace doth orderly dispatch by mortifying exercise The Spirit of Christ carries on his work in supporting and supplying still those gracious Beginnings which are weak at first By the Gospel Light he communicates his gracious Life Thus he perswades enables his people to embrace Jesus Christ upon Gospel terms by a Covenant of Marriage and Adoption Thus is mans dunghil heart by Renewing Grace broken up and dressed into a spiritual Garden sown and set with the fruits of his holy Spirit It differs exceedingly from common convictions and external Reformations as earth differs from Heaven That difference is still morally-specifical though it seems to be Physically but Numerical and gradual It s the same Spirit that works conviction on the Reprobate and on the Elect but not in the same manner He knocks at both and is resisted He leaves the Reprobate justly he opens the Elects heart mercifully and prevailingly The Reprobate may be externally and professedly sanctified in a partial superficial way Gods Elect are specially sanctified universally in every part and gradually through every part Mans free will by sin subjected to Satan is through this Renewing Grace set at liberty so far as Grace prevails The unregenerate is free only to spiritual evil being an enemy to spiritual good The Regenerate soul is so far free to spiritual good as it s renewed When Grace is compleated in Glory the soul like good Angels shall be free only to good The Nature of mans will is thus bettered by Grace which was made a slave by sin The Devils and damned do freely will sin so do unregenerate souls on earth yet necessarily Thus necessity man stand with freedom both to good and evil By this Renewing Grace the regenerate soul is made conformable to Gods Image and is so far called the new man and gradually learns to be holy as God is Holy That Seed and Root of Grace cast into it at first grows up by degrees as the grain of mustard seed as the corn as the Light as the living Child Thereby the soul is enabled to believe and Repent and further to actuate every sort of Grace being excited corroborated and directed still by the same Spirit Thence is the conflict so continuall between the spirit and flesh the Law in the members and the Law in the Mind Grace and sin which ends not till the death of sin in bodily death Thus acti agimus Implanted Grace then co-works still with the Lords gracious Spirit who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure This Grace appears also most free and full most choice sure to the glorifying of all Divine Attributes Man could not be conceived to have any skil power or will to procure the same By Grace the Lord cals unto Grace and so to Glory By Grace are we saved through Faith and that not of our selves it s the gift of God not of works least any man should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works so that it s not in him that wills nor in him that runs but in God who shews mercy Of his own will begat he us by the Word of Truth that we might be to the praise of his Glory Object But why then is man commanded to believe and repent to change his heart c Answ Because as we hinted before God deals with men by men rationally orderly to convince all of their Duty and insufficiency to humble and awaken them to put them upon all due means to render the most inexcusable and moralize many to convey his Grace into his Elect through those very means peculiarly sanctified to the spiritualizing of their heart Object But is not God partial in so doing Answ No. For he is not bound to any further then he pleases neither is he led by any sinful respects which render men partial Object But why doth he yet complain of the Reprobates if he give them not sufficient Grace as to others how can they help it Ans God justly complains of the wicked for insolvency and squandring away his goods wilfully and rebelliously both in their first Father and by themselves They smart not but for their fault their being Bankrupts is no payment nor discharge of their debts to him He gives them more then they could expect or make right use of Though they cannot change their own heart yet they might use the means better then they do they are still wilfully negligent and selfish in all they do and suffer justly for their demerits Can the wicked say they sin not wilfully Will not their own conscience condemn them Are they not all corruptly estranged from the womb and speaking Lyes by time Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Can the
A Soveraign Antidote AGAINST Sinful Errors the Epidemical plague of these latter dayes Extracted out of Divine Records the Dispensatory of Christianity FOR The Prevention and Cure of our Spiritual Distempers By Claudius Gilbert B. D. and Minister of the Gospel at Limrick in Ireland Luke 21. 8. See that ye be not deceived 2 Thes 2. 8 9 10 11 12. Whose coming is after the working of Satan in all Power c. and in all deceivableness c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecan Axioma 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehova Medicus tuus Exod. 15. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui seipsum habet prosapiente habent eum Deus homines pro Ignaro London Printed by R. W for Francis Titon and are to be sold at the sign of the three Daggers in Fleetsheet 1658. To the Honourable Colonell Henry Ingoldesby Governour of the Precinct of Limrick and Clare and to the Inhabitants of the City of Limrick Honoured and Beloved in the Lord. THe substance of this Tract was through the Lords help preached lately in your ears and is of right now presented to your eyes that through his Grace it may the better reach your hearts The subject thereof is as seasonable as its excellent The Lord make it yours as profitably as it s made yours affectionately The choice usefulness of its provisions will make full Amends for the plainness of its Order and Dress It s not my work to tickle and flatter you but to reach healing and food to your souls A Signal hand of Heaven brought me over and fixed me here near five years ago by the same good hand have I been kept here in the Lords charge ever since We have had much cause still to mind and improve the wonderful dealings of our God towards us from that very day as in former seasons Variety of Dispensations hath he carried us through both publiquely and personally Visits of Iudgement and then of Mercy we have had from him again and again No wayes hath he left unattempted that might do us good though our Returns have not been answerable The Sword Famine and Plague ranged in these parts upon Gods Errand at my first coming and continued a considerable time I was thereby occasioned to contribute my utmost by the Lords Aid to the relief and cure of mens souls and bodies It was then my cordial delight and desire to spend and be spent for the good of Limrick as the same is still my design and labour through the assistance of Heaven The Voyce of Gods Rod cryed loud to this City then that the man of Wisdom might observe his Name who had appointed it in hearing his Rod. Our Heavenly Physitian saw it best then to diet and physick us suiting his Prescripts to our distempers Few in this place did miss of a Touch the deeper smartings of many among us warned all the rest Our sins deserved much worse from his hand yet he afflicted us very favourably In the midst of wrath he remembred mercy and stayed his rough wind in the day of his East wind After Purgations he gave us Cordials and turned in due time our mourning into joy Thanksgivings followed our humiliations and our bitter waters were turned into sweet Wine The Springs of Elim followed our Marah and they reaped in joy that had sown in Tears If the peaceable fruit of that Rod may in Righteousness appear among us the Glory will be his and the Comfort ours If our ill humours have been kindly removed it will best appear in the right use of our health If any grow wanton after Recovery shame and sorrow will be their portion It glads my heart that Gods Word and Works have not been quite fruitless in the midst of us yet I cannot but lament with a bleeding soul the sad improvements of his renewed Kindness What could more be done for us then he hath done Why then is our fruit so wild and so empty That it proves better with any of us it s of his Grace that divers others seem to grow still worse it s through their fault The Lord hath bestowed much cost upon us but like the cursed Ground we bear still many weeds He hath not spared for dressing or dunging it will much aggravate their sin and judgement if any of us remain still barren The good Husbandman hath cast in good seed in this Ground of his but the enemy hath crept in in the dark to scatter his Tares Multiplicious Errors still spread among us as in other parts which grow much faster then Christs spiritual Plants Too many are found to play with their Light and abuse it to do the Devils work by That good Word which proves savour of Life to some proves too often savour of Death to others The Spirits of divers are grown so childish that neither Barnabas nor Boanerges will please their Palate God hath restored us to health and plenty but many souls are still diseased and starved Sinful Infection troubles all Relations yet is little felt because spiritual Much malignity attends those ill humours which work so strangely and perniciously Some are Brain-sick with giddy Notions and others heart-sick with feavourish Affections The Heads of some labour with Convulsions the Vitals of others suffer defections Spiritual Lethargies benumb some into sleep and mortal dreams raging Phrenzies do inflame some others Some are merrily mad with pleasing Conceits others melancholy through a sullen spirit Lethal Apoplexies take some few suddenly and spiritual Palsies seiz upon others more gradually Some have lost Appetite to the dainties of Heaven others seem to hunger but digest not well Spiritual Rickets do possess divers and sinful Gouts trouble not a few Various obstructions disorder mens souls whence the disfiguring of their Life and Acts. Internal stoppages often discolour the external man the falling-sickness and the swounding fits do also take turns in souls and Societies Consumptions and Dropsies appear so visibly that they prognosticate but Ominous things Sad Symptoms are seen in mens faces and speech their tongues and breathings concurring therewith If you feel their pulse and Beatings of heart you may soon descrie Syncopal Tokens Schirrhus ' s and hardness are easily felt swellings and sores manifest themselves Thus this world appears a sinful Hospital for the God of mercy to give visits to What comes away from men proves a Semeiotick that points at the Cure by sad Characters The Causes of such dangerous Affects must needs be various and multiplicious Diseases complicate and inveterate bespeak a difficult and a dubious Cure Secresie and strength add much to that evil besides senslesness and unruliness Disorder in food and in exercise with sloth and slumber aggravate the same Strains and Ruptures with Dislocations Tumors and Wounds manifest more evil Humours and spirits being distempered do soon disorder the substantial parts Excess in Repletion and vacuity in number and extent still do make it
oppositions total or partial will rightly mark out what our case will prove The Sun of Righteousness passing through our houses will carry Light and Life into every part His Aspects direct oblique or opposite signifie Influence benign or malign according to the station of things about it When the Lord ascendent doth rule all the rest it prognosticates all propitiousness If quaking Saturn and the ranting Mars if notional Mercury and ambitious Jupiter if unstable Luna and voluptuous Venus come to cross this Sun what can men expect but a Combustion Wandring Planets and floating Meteors are still over-ruled by his fixed motions He is regular in his Light and heat the only fountain of benign Influx He is no Retrograde but still in progress to dispell darkness and death from his friends Would men study him in his word and works they would soon banish sinful Astrology His Law and Gospel suffer so much by it that no wise Christian should plead for the same Was there ever a great Astrologer that hath not bewrayed some Satanical cheat May not London speak loud in this case if late experience be but testified We may challenge all Records divine humane to shew any good Prince or State owning it Who ever were found hearkning thereto history brands them by Tragical ends Oh That great Brittain would consider this that Satan may not fix his Throne among us Christ will not endure so ill a Neighbour nor suffer this Trade to go unpunished Compacts with the Devil though but indirect do challenge both frowns and Judgements from above Superiors must act under Christ for him to punish this great evil with sutable Wages If men be so bold and presumptuous Powers are ordained for terror to such They are errand cheats or Conjuring knaves that fortell events of humane matters by their star-gazing If men slight Gods Law and testimony to follow such peeping muttering Wizards it s because there is no Light in them Christ will right himself for all such Affronts cast upon his Word and his Providence The Lord awaken all concerned herein that we repent not when it s too late II. IMprove this Antidote against Apostacy the wofull Issue of dreadful Errors Lot him that doth stand take heed lest he fall Let none therefore stand on his own strength Be we of Pauls mind in studying Christ to account all loss and dung for him Be we found in him not in carnal self stripp'd off our Righteousness and cloathed with his Let 's know him still more fiducially more improvingly in the power of his Resurrection and in the fellowship of his sufferings conforming to his death This will hasten our pace to the Resurrection that will make an end of sin and sorrow We are not yet perfect but must press forwards with Christian bearing and forbearing still Beware we Brethren lest in any of us be found an evil heart of unbelief to make us depart from the living God See to it with all care possible that none of you come short of that Grace of God lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled But exhort one another daily whilst it s called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin And follow Peace with all men in the pursuit of Holiness without which none shall see the Lord. Blessed are such Peace-makers especially in this dividing age for they shall be called the Children of God About this blessed work of Christian Peace-making we design another Piece if the Lord give strength and time to stir up all Gods people thereto in this selfish generation that we may all be effectually helped thereto and preserved from the wofull delusions and divisions now so prevailing Be we all so much the more pressed to grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS Adag Arabic Eâ—eg Erronibus sibi solis sapient buâ— adaptatum Deut. 8. 2 3 c. Ezek. 14. 17 18 19 20 21. Micah 6. 9. Habac. 2. 2. Esay 27. 6 7 8. Psalm 30. 11. John â— 9. Psalm 126. 5. Heb. 12. 11. Esad 5. 3 4. c. Heb. 6. 7 8. Esay 5. 5. Matth. 13. 24 25. 2 Cor. 2. 16 17. Act. 4. 36. Mark 3. 17. Phil. 2. 12 13 Rom 9. 16. * An eminent Physitian the Son of the Sun among Poets Mal. 4. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Esay 64. 5. Psalm 37. 4 5 c. Prov. 3 6. Heb. 12. 10. Eph. 6. 13 19. Col. 4. 3 4. Psalm 46. 1. 2 Cor. 12. 9. See Mr. Boltons Arraignment of Error Danaeus Epiphan August Hieronym de Heretic c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 8. 44. Iude 6. Levit. 14. 44 45. Deut. 28. 27. Dato uno absurdo mille sequuntur Cadmei Proles Adag Veritas Radicis Indicis Entis apud Scholasticos Errores quidom citra alii circa alii contra fundumentum Primi divertunt Secundi pervertunt tertii subvertunt fidem Orthodoxam Rom. 5. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Rom 6. 23. Levit. 13. 29 30 c. See Sleidan Cloppenburg Hornebeck Bulinger Luther Calvin c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Galen Providence affords in every Country Remedies suited to their Maladies and Counter-poisons against their Poisons witness the Rattle-snake and Snakeweed of Virginia and of New England The Italian Tora and Antitora c. So hath the Lord provided a sutable proportion of divine Truths and helps to be duly applyed for effectual Relief Gal. 2. 7 8 9. 1 Pet. 1. 1 2. 2 Pet. 1. 1. * Câ—nsult Epiphan August Athan. Concil Laodicen Carthagâ—n Damascen Bed Centur-Magdeb c. about it verse 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See about them Euseb Socrat. Epiphan Austin Ammian Marcel v. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 3. ver 9. 10 11. Verse 13. Verse 14. Verse 15. Verse 16. Verse 17 18. Athenaeus l. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 7. Rom. 8. 7. Rom. 7. 11 22. Gal. 2. 19. 2c 1 cor 9. 2r 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16 17 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 c. Iud. 1. to 19. Mat. 24. 5. 11 23 24. Luke 21. Mar. 13. 1 Ioh. 4. 1 2 3 c. Psal 58. 3. Psal 14. Psal 53. Rom. 3. 11 c. Ier. 17. 9. 2 Tim. 3. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impostors and prostigators bewitching Cheats 2 Thess 2. 8 9 10. Eph. 4. 11 19 c. Mat. 24. 12. Psal 18. 2 Thess 2. 10