Latitude according to the variation of its aggravations As diseases do vary in their gradual recess from health being either simple or compound either more or less malignant hurtfull Thus Errors admit of many adjuncts which render them more or less sinful and injurious In every Error there is a sinfulness an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a defect of Truth privative a disposition to falshood positive As in every disease there is an evil deflection from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sound disposition of the body so in Error from that of the mind But this deflection is not alike in all but is cloathed with numerical differences and personal aggravations Some Errors are more and others less rooted Some are more single and others complicate Some are more submissively held and others more pertinaciously some are kept close others published some have more of the Will and Affections attending them others less some are more and others less pernicious some are more quiet others more turbulent As the malignity of infectious diseases admits of a great Latitude as the variety of venomous Creatures whether Plants Minerals or Sensitives is multipliciously diversified by the variations of their clime intentions of degrees c. some being cold as Hemlock others hot as Euphorbium some in the first or second others in the third or fourth degree some working more slowly others more quickly some by their Tail as the Scorpion some by their Teeth as the Viper and Rattle-snake some by their Tongue others by their Excrements some more sensibly as a mad Dog some more insensibly as the Asp So do Errors appear under variety of offensive qualities and adjuncts 5. The Cause of Error also as of every disease is multipliciously observable especially in a three-fold Division of Evident Antecedent and Continent 1. An Evident Cause among Physicians is much from Externals if not altogether whereby a Distemper is occasioned in the body So in mans soul this sickness of Error may be occasioned by external Causes as by infection ill company bad books various Temptations c. 2. An Antecedent Cause of sickness bodily is from some thing within whether vapor humor or Spirit distempering any part disabling it from its proper Action Thus the foregoing Cause of this spiritual disease lies in some flatuous humorous or spiritual evil that disorders the mind from its right discerning of the Truth causing it to deviate into the way of falshood Habitual Corruption within flowing from Adams first sin which is ours by Imputation attended with the want of original Righteousness and often called original sin because the womb of all sin in us is the chief cause from which all other evils flow that breed and increase these sad distempers This Corruption acts variously in the way of Pride and Self-seeking Security and Worldliness c. 3. The Continent Cause of a corporal distemper is that immediate thing which cherishes it being cherished from the remote cause whether corrupt blood wind water gravel c. So the continent Cause of Error is that peculiar Corruption whether Ignorance or Pride self-conceitedness or worldliness c. which sticks close to the mind to breed and cherish its several dyscrasies and distempers Thence such clouding of mens Iudgements and disorders in their Reasonings hence perverse Disputings of men that are reprobate concerning the Faith as Ambition and Pride carried Simon and Menander Nestorius and Macedonius away Discontent and Envy prevailed with Arrius Covetousness carried on Demetrius and his Comrads There is a Complication of such causes in most 6. The Effects of Error as of every corporal disease are likewise variously numerous according to the variations of its numerical Idea of its specifical nature of its descent gradations causes This spiritual sickness is a Tendency to further sin eternal Death as every bodily sickness is the beginning of corporal death The wages of sin is death sin deserves it it binds ever it leads to it it fits for it it begins it As much as there is of sinfulness so much is there of death attending it Corporal civil spiritual and Eternal Grace indeed doth restrain and limit it pardons and subdues it purges out gradually and at last exterminates all sin in Gods Elect yet it changes not the Nature or desert of sin though it chances the sinners nature and relation Providence limits and over-rules this sinfulness also in the Reprobate As the wise Physitian corrects his Opium in a Confection so doth God correct sin remaining in his Children As the same Physitian appoints fit means against infection to all indefinitely so doth our Soveraign Physician by shewing the dangerous effects of Error As the effects of Poisons are very various yet always sad so are sin and sorrrw inseparable Twins Error was set forth to the Life by that Leprosiy of the head which had a peculiar mark of Ignominy Infection and danger It s like to those poisonous Minerals and Vegetables which strike first ai the head and thence at all other parts It s a spiritual Plague which cannot but be mischievous still though not in all alike All sorts of men in all relations are made to feel the sad Consequents thereof It s a fruitfull womb a breeding dung hill a poisoned spring Lerna malorum It engages and leads insensibly to more evil notional and practical It disgraces God opposes his Truth distempers mens souls endangers their families blasts their Profession stains their Repute scandalizes many ensnares divers troubles Church and State and complies with Satan in his various designes by nursing of his brood This Age gives sad demonstations thereof As Cephalical diseases are on many accounts the most dangerous of all in the Body so are these heady distempers in the soul which are easily communicated to all the vital inferior parts The poison of some works in a stupifying way as Opium Henbane Hemlock c. others venom acts by an enraging quality as Elaterium Euphorbium Scammony The effect of some is more speedily mortal as in the Touches of a Basilisk and Asp of the Viper and rattle Snake if not very timely look'd to others are more slow and less dangerous as in the operations of various simples appears The Parallel of spiritual Poisons therewith is easily drawn by an observing Christian 7. The Symptoms or Signs of Error as of Corporal deseases are of divers sorts some more Common others more Proper 1. The common signs are such as attend divers distempers in a general way as enfeebling of the parts change of complexion Indiposition to action c. Thus Errors have their Common signs wherein many of them agree appearing much in their sad effects against Gods Honor and mans good though often under far Colors like that Indian Apple in the Western Islands which seems beautifull and yet is rank poison 2. There are proper Tokens and characteristical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and notes of each
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
death and to air that Bed for our Repose His God head held his soul and body asunder from each other yet still inseparably united to himself Thus may you see a man drawing out his sword holding in his hands still both sword and scabret till it be put up again Thus it was needfull that Christ should suffer and so make entrance into his Kingdom Secondly Christs Exaltation is further worthy the best observation Therein his glorious person unvailed himself of all humane weakness though he still retained the nature of man and its properties He laid down his sable weeds to put on the roabes of Immortality His God-head did then raise up his Man-hood in his Resurrection and the Son of man declared himself by his divine Power to be the Son of God The Price paid for his people in his humiliation he applies by power through his exaltation to them orderly and effectually He is God-Man still and therefore tearmed the Man Christ Jesus Thus his office was to be compleated by the compleating of his saving Progress He conversed then among his Disciples the space of forty days to confirm their faith and to instruct them in the affairs of his Kingdom Thence his Ascention was solemnly performed followed with his Session at the Fathers right hand and Intercession for his people These are the four main steps of his exaltation to be singularly improved He rose that we might rise from death to Life he ascended that we might ascend he sits at Gods right hand that we may sit with him on his Throne and he still intercedes to make all our Intercessions effectual Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It s Christ that died yea rather that rose and ascended siting now at the right hand of the Majesty on high and ever lives to make Intercession Thus is Christs progress of chief worth and consideration 4. Christ is most considerable in his purchase also made for all his People which hath both value and vertue in it 1. THE value of his whole Obedience was of infinite worth being the merits of God-man giving full satisfaction to Gods Justice for all the sins of all his elect and making a full acquisition of all the good they were should be capable of This price of Christs perfect Righteousness active and passive was put into Gods Coffers to be seasonably and effectually applied to all his people orderly and actually from their conversion to their utmost salvation by his Spirit according to his eternal Purpose By the same value were all Gods elect from Adam to Christs death delivered from the guilt wages of sin upon Christs engagement of seasonable performance For he is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world intentionally in the divine purpose and promise 2. The Vertue of Christs perfect Obedience extends to the effectual application thereof to all Gods people So the Fathers purpose in electing and the Sons Intention in redeeming do run parallel That value which Christs merits presented to God cannot but be attended with answerable vertue for the making good thereof to the utmost The Son of man came to seek save that which was lost and that to the utmost seeing he ever lives to perform all Whilst therefore he was gone into Heaven to act his part there he was carefull to send his Proxie even his own Spirit that should make a through application of all his Purchase by the conveyance of his saving Grace to all his Chosen His Oblation is living and lively still even as Christ himself who abides for ever The ceremonial Oblations had him shadow'd out to represent the efficaciousness of Christs Oblation A wise man paying a Ransom or Debt as surety for another will be sure to know for whom and to see his purpose fulfilled to his power The agreement or Covenant made between God and Christ distinct from the gracious Covenant made conditionally with the visible Church in Christ imports as much As the Father required that he should offer his soul a Sacrifice for sin which the Son willingly undertook so was it engaged to him that he should see of his seed and the good pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand So that the vertue of his blood is still included in the value of it both being directed by divine intention which terminates in the proper subjects thereof Therein concurs his threefold office he being still a Prophet and prince as far as he is a Priest unto any The vertue of Christs Merits is indeed intrinsecally infinite like himself and only limited with the value thereof by the divine pleasure This purchase of his may be said occasionally and secundarily to comprehend the whole Creation in subserviency to divine Intentions but directly and primarily the Scripture limits it to Gods Elect for whom he came and lived prayed and died rose and intercedes still It extends to the removal of all evil both of sin and sorrow inchoatively progressively and consummatively It reaches also the Import of all sutable good spiritual temporal and eternal All things are ours and for our sake that are truly his and so far as we are his Is not this a choice Jewel to be duly viewed Doth not such a purchase challenge our best knowledge The possessive Our gives rellish to all It doth us little good to hear of Indian Treasures that are not our own Fifthly Christ is most precious in his Relation multipliciously expressed to his people by Allusion to all choice relations in things natural civil and artificial The perfection of all creatures is radically in him originally from him and reductively leads to him again None of them can sufficiently set out his wonderfull Relation wherein he stands towards his chosen Ones he therefore borrows the cream and quintessence of them all to shadow out to our shallow capacity the marvels of his glorious Grace Thus he speaks to his Babes in their known Dialect that he may gradually and familiarly be understood of them He calls himself their root giving sap and life to every branch of his He is the Head that conveyes all motion and sense to all his members He is the Fountain-Spring from whom all living waters flow into the streams by his proper conduits He is that Sun who carries Light and Life by his access unto all Creatures He is the Father that tenders his Children He is the husband that cherishes his Spouse the elder brother that looks to his adopted Brethren the Master that hath the best care of Servants That Foundation is he on whom the Fabrick stands that garment that must cover us that food that must sustain us that Portion that must maintain us to saving purpose Look into the whole compass of creatures what ever good you can find therein is
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