and the punishment of the wicked and withall prescrib'd him such rules of holy living whereby he might please God The authority of this revelation I shall not put to question but thus much out of holy Writ we are assur'd that God immediately revealed himself to Abraham calling and commanding him out of the land of Chaldea into the land of Canaan promising to him and his posterity this land as a type of Paradise or celestial Canaan entayling upon him and his posterity the priviledges and peculiar interests of Gods people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysost God making himself who is common to all to be Abrahams and his seed by peculiar interest and appropriation I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee Gen. 17.7 and withall revealing unto him that out of his loyns should come the promised Messias the defire of all nations and blessed Saviour of the world Gen. 22.18 In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed 16. These and what other revelations soever Abraham received immediately from God were upon this condition delivered to him that he should instruct his family who not immediately by revelation or inspiration from God but by the mediation and ministerial instruction of Abraham were to be taught the knowledge of God and of his holy Lawes upon this very ground God himself affirms himself to have revealed his will unto him Gen. 18.17 c. And God said Shall I hide from Abraham the things that I do c. For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. 17. From Abraham Isaac and Jacob the knowledge of God was by tradition transmitted from Patriarch to Patriarch and the Church or people of God now confin'd to the seed of Israel was by the several heads of their respective families instructed in the service of God till turning away after the Idols of Egypt God gave them up to a cruel bondage and slavery under the tyranny of Pharaoh In which great affliction when they besought the Lord he sent redemption to his people by the hands of Moses his servant and Aaron whom he had chosen Psal 105.25,26 18. Moses the seventh from Abraham was selected and immediately call'd by God as to be the leader and deliverer of his people so his Law-giver also who receiving the minde of God by immediate revelation made it known unto the people The sum whereof was engraven in tables of stone and commanded to be kept as the standing rule of Gods worship and mans obedience to all posterity and the people were herein so far from depending upon immediate revelation that they petition'd to receive the minde of God by the mediation and ministry of Moses Exod. 20.19 Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we die 19. The Law of God thus published and standing upon record there was now lesse need of immediate revelation then before the people of God had now a more sure word of prophesie then what formerly 1. By revelation from heaven 2. By tradition from Patriarch to Patriarch was delivered To these sacred writings therefore they were commanded to have recourse by them to be guided and directed and not to swerve from what was contained therein either to the right hand or to the left Josh 1.7 To the Law to the testimony if they speak not according to this word 't is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 Where all pretence to new lights is cut off and that pronounc't to be no true light which is not grounded on the Lawes of God 20. For the preservation of this law pure and inviolate a ministery or priesthood was ordained and by Gods special command transferr'd from the first born of every Tribe upon the Tribe of Levi. To them belonged the interpretation of the Law and the performance of all the sacred rites therein contained neither were the people either presumptuously to depend upon immediate revelation in respect of the one or sacrilegiously entermeddle with any part of the sacerdotal function in the other respect But as to the first 't was ordain'd that the Priests lips should keep knowledge and they i. e. the people should seek the Law at his mouth Mal. 2.7 And as to the second that no stranger that is not of the house of Aaron come neer to offer incense before the Lord that he be not as Corah and his company Numb 16.40 21. But because there is nothing amongst men so well established but through the Devils suggestion and mans corruption 't is liable to depravation and abuse God was pleased the better to restrain both his Priests and people from the violation of his written Law to stir up in every age some choice and select persons whom he enabled more immediately and extraordinarily some to understand and clear the Truth and true meaning of his divine Law when 't was corrupted or obscur'd by mis-interpretations and false glosses others to foretell and pronounce both judgements to come upon the transgressors and mercies upon such as observ'd and kept his commandements whose inspired writings both by way of History and Prophesie Doctrine and Example Praying and Preaching are as so many commentaries of the Divine Law and compleat the Canon of the Old Testament which is reduc't by our Lord himself to these two general heads the Law and the Prophets Mat. 22.40 22. Thus from Adam unto Christ there is no pretence or colour for a people to depend upon immediate revelation the will of God being made known to his people generally and ordinarily by the mediation and ministery of man and but seldome and by a few choice persons and upon extraordinary occasions by immediate revelation The truth whereof will further appear and the weak grounds whereupon immediate revelation depends will be discovered in the succeeding chapters CHAP. II. Of the several manners of extraordinary and more immediate Revelation 1. GOD at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past to our fathers Heb. 1. The divers manners of Gods extraordinary revelation of himself to his people of old are reducible to six heads 1. By the ministery of Angels who frequently appeared in humane shape and revealed the minde of God to some of his choice extraordinary servants as Gen. 32.1,2 Zach. 1.9 Mat. 28.2.5 Act. 23.9 and many of those Texts wherein 't is said the Lord appeared unto such and such are to be understood of the appearance of Angels Ob honorem sc mittentis ut plena sit ejus authoritas hoc dr isti qui missus est quod est illi qui misit ut saepius factum est de Angelis Clem. Rec. lib. 2. see for this Exod. 3.2 compar'd with Act. 7.30 where in one place 't is said the Lord appeared unto Moses in the other an Angel of the Lord and Exod. 29.20 ch compar'd with Act. 7.53 and Exod. 23.20,21
narrownesse of the hearts whereinto he flowes 2 Cor. 6.12 as 2 Cor. 6.12 Ye are not straitned in us that is in our Ministry we preach abundance of grace unto you but you are straitned in your own bowels through the hardnesse of your hearts being not capable of the graces of the Spirit And the heart is made soft and pliable for the impressions of the Spirit by repentance and mortification the good seed of Gods Spirit will not take root amongst the thornes of impiety Jer. 4.4 therefore saith the Lord Jer. 4.4 Break up the fallow ground of your hearts and sow not amongst thornes be circumcised to the Lord and take away the foreskin of your hearts that is hardnesse of your hearts Deut. 10.16 Deut. 10.16 cald also the circumcision of the Spirit Act. 2.29 because it makes way for the Spirit Col. 2.11 and Col. 2.11 A circumcision made without hands even the putting off the sinful body of the flesh meaning the sinful crop of fleshly lusts which infest and infect the soul of these the soul must be disarayed and devested by repentance and mortification Rom. 8.13,14 Rom. 8.13,14 If ye live after the flesh c. The coherence of which verses imply before we can be led by the Spirit of God we must mortifie the deeds of the flesh the sordid rags of the old man must be put off before the soul can be clothed with the splendid garments of the Spirit of grace In vain is it to pray unto God for any spiritual grace or mercy while we continue in our sins for God heareth not sinners Joh. 9.31 In vain to hear or read the Gospel of grace Eph. 6.15 except our feet be shod with the preparation of repentance whereby we forsake our sins Therefore before the Gospel it self was published this was first proclaimed both by Christ and his forerunner Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Mat. 3.2 4.17 1 Cor. 11.28 In vain to participate of those mysteries of our salvation the body and bloud of our Lord Deus gratiam polliciuus qui in extremitatibus temporum per spiritum suum universo oâ—bi illuminaturus esset praeire intinctienem poenitentiae jussit ut quos per gratiam vocaret ad promissiâ—…em per poenitentiae subsignatienem aute componeret Tert. de poen c. 2. till first by self-examination we have cast out the venome of our sinful doings by repentance and stedfast purposes of amendment In a word it is our sins unrepented that make void and ineffectual all the blessed means of Grace and of the Spirit by those it is we quench the Spirit we grieve the Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 Ephes 4.30 we resist the Spirit we provoke the Spirit and poyson the blessed waters of life so that all the conveyances of the Spirit are barren and unfruitful whilest they reflect upon hardened and impenitent hearts See therefore repentance enjoyned as to the receiving of the holy Ghost Act. 2.38 8.19 And I would to God that all who pretend to the holy Spirit of God or to any the fruits and graces of the Spirit would first learn before they make their boast of the Spirit truly to repent them of their sins Gal. 5.19,20,21 and to root out of the ground of their hearts all the fruits of the flesh which are adultery fornication uncleannesse lasciviousnesse idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murthers drunkennesse revellings c. When these all of these sinful fruits are extirpated out of the ground of the heart there may be then some hopes that our prayers and other divine acts and offices performed in the sincerity of our souls may prevail with God for the direction and comfort of his Spirit of grace and truth God which hast taught the hearts of thy faithfull people by the sending to them the light of thy holy Spirit grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things and evermore to rejoyce in his holy comfort through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit one God world without end Amen A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE REVELATION Mediate and Immediate Secret things belong to the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law Deut. 29.29 Omnis religio supernis Revelationibus nititur aut niti praesumitur Mirand de fid ord cred London Printed 1656. The Introduction and general Heads GOD as he is in himself only knowes himself and consequently those waies of his worship Coeli mystarium me doceat Deus qui condidit non homo quiseipsum ignoravit Amb. which are holy and acceptable to himself Man who knowes not himself aright cannot of himself know God nor those divine and celestial mysteries which are the waies of Gods service and mans salvation For what man is he that can knew the counsel of God Or who can think what the will of the Lord is Wisd 9.13 Veritas i. e. arcanum summi Dei qui fecit omnia ingenio ac propriis sensibus non potest comprehendi Alioqui c. Lactant. lib. 1. c. 1. Truth which is the secret of the most high God who hath formed all things cannot by our own wit and proper senses be comprehended for otherwise there would be little distance betwixt God and man if mans cogitations could dive into the counsels and dispositions of Gods eternal Majesty Canst thou by searching finde out God canst thou finde out the Almighty unto perfection it is as high as heaven what canst thou do deeper then hell what canst thou know the measure thereof is longer then the earth and broader then the sea Job 11.7 c. 2. This therefore must be granted as the ground of all divine truth that nothing either of God or of his sacred service is to be believed and received by us but what from God is revealed or by revelation from heaven derived to us Secret things belong to the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law Deut. 29.29 Hilar. de Trin. lib. 5. Non potest Deus nisi per Deum intelligi sicut nec honorem à nobis Deus nisi per Deum accipit namque honorandus c. A Deo discendum est quid de Deo intelligendum sit quia non nisi se outhore cegnoscitur Id. God cannot be known but by himself neither doth he receive honour from us but by himself For that he is to be honour'd we understand not but that himself hath taught and commanded himself to be honoured The honour of God we are taught by God nor may we entertain any such thoughts of God as our own frail humane judgements suggest unto us our nature is
brought even upon the sacred function it self that great contempt and reproach under which it now lies oppressed there being nothing so frequent in the mouthes of the people as the sins of their ministers the Perjury time-serving and wavering inconstancy of some the faction and sedition of others the pride the covetousness the drunkenness of others Etenim non solum doctiesse volumus sed docti boai qualis ommno est qut recte quidem verbis sed multo rectius moribus vita philoso phantur Sabel orat 7. have made even the profession contemptible and our labours in the word and doctine ineffectual and vain fervent prayers and holy living being those spiritual engines whereby those holy truths delivered in sermons have their influence upon the hearts and lives of the hearers and where an exemplary purity of life is wanting 't is no mervail that God who is the fountain of purity deny his blessings upon our labours and turn our preaching into foolishness And herein the Enthusiasts of the age have found so great a flaw in the Ministery as that they absolutely decry the calling or if not so yet the best terms they can afford the most upright and conscientious amongst us is false Prophets and deceivers of the people But yet that the error of this opinion and sinfulness of the railing accusations though against some persons they have too much of truth may appear 't is necessary to take notice of these following considerations 1. That 't is the sins of the people that provokes God to give them ignorant and sinful shepheards And there shall be like people like Priests saith the Lord and I will punish them for their waies and reward them their doings Hos 4.9 and again The daies of visitation are come the daies of recompence are come Israel shal know it The Prophet is a fool the spiritual man is mad and what 's the reason for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred Hos 9.7 Non est à plebe aut vulgaribus hominibus arguendus out accusandus episcopus licet sit inordinatus quia pro meritis subdâ—… rum disponitur a Deo vita dectorum Evar. ep fratribus Aegypt And therefore saith Evaristus A Bishop and Pastor of souls is not to be reviled by the people though be disorderly because God disposeth of the lives of the Teachers according to the deserts and qualities of the hearers And so of Princes as well as of Priests wicked Princes God gives in his wrath Hos 13.11 viz. when he is angry with a people for their sins And even the errors of the best kings are ascribed to the sins of their subjects As Davids sin in numbring the people was caused by the anger of the Lord against Israel 2 Sam. 24.1 For the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord and he turneth it whither soever he will Prov. 21.1 either for a blessing or curse upon their subjects Anacleti epist tertia Sic pro meritis plebis saepe pastores depravantur ecclesiae ut procliviùs corruant qui sequuntur 'T is even so with the Pastors of the Church who are deprav'd and diorderly in their lives because the people by their sins have deserv'd to have such leaders whose directions shall sooner tend to the ruine then to the health of their souls 2. 'T is the duty of all Christian people rather to cover and veil then to disclose and publish the enormities of their Pastors For they are their spiritual Fathers 1 Cor. 4.15 And the nakedness of Fathers must not be discovered by the children that the curse of Cham fall not upon them Gen. 9.22.25 If the Pastors neglect their duty towards God the people must not therefore neglect their duty to their Pastors but wisely distinguish betwixt their example and doctrine obeying the truths they deliver but avoiding the sinfull practises they follow which is positively commanded by our Lord Mat. 23.2,3 The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses chair All therefore whatsoever they bid observe that observe and do but do not ye after their works for they say and do not Etiam si quisquam traditor subrepsisset c. saith Aug. Though some traytor or wicked person creep into the chair of Moses Aug. Epis 165. it should nothing hurt the Church or innocent Christians for whom Christ hath provided saying of evil prelats what they say do ye 3. The knowledge of the Truth may be obtained in the use of outward means and the ministerial office thereupon conferred upon such persons as want the internal qualification of true piety which is clear from the examples of Balaam who loved the wages of righteousness and yet had the gift of prophesie of Judas who was sent out by the Lord himself to preach the Gospel and yet had a Devil and Nicholas chosen by the Apostles one of the Deacons and yet was the father of the Nicholaitan Haeresie so much detested by God Rev. 2.6 Shall we therefore accuse and rail upon the Prophets of the Lord for the sin of Balaam or disparage the Apostles of Christ for the sin of Judas or impute to the rest of the holy Deacons the error of Nicholas or shall we not hear and obey the truth because it comes from the mouthes of some wicked as well as good Ministers It is rather our duty to admire the wisdome and magnifie the goodness of God who to give the greater testimony to the Truth and to make it more illustrious and evident is pleased to deliver it unto us by his Ministers of both sorts good and bad both by the holy and by the profane And 't is the Spirit of God undoubtedly that works in and by all persons that deliver the truth though not in all alike but in men of divers qualifications after a different manner in good men as ingredient and insident in bad men as urgent and impellent by good men more frequently and effectually he works the conversion of his people and by bad men sometimes also though more rarely that the working of his grace may appear in all and the glory thereof may to him as the supreme cause and not to his instruments be ascribed 4. That the gifts of Gods holy Spirit are not limited to those that receive his graces is further clear Mat. 7.22,23 Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have not we prephesied in thy name Here were great gifts bestowed and that upon wicked and unsanctified persons for it followes immediately Then will I professe unto them I never knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquity so also 1 Cor. 13.2 Though I have the gift of prophesie and understand all mysteries and though I have all faith so as to remove mountains viz. of seeming impossibilities and have not charity I am nothing From whence two things are plainly and clearly observable 1. That the understanding of holy Scriptures and of the mysteries of godliness or prophetical and
so may be reduc'd to two general heads viz. 1. In respect of the faith it self 2. In respect of the professors thereof 1. In respect of the faith of Christ 1. The excellency thereof doth appear from the manifold assaults and machinations of the devil thereagainst for were not the stedfast profession of the Christian faith and the conscientious practise thereof the way both of Gods acceptable service and of mans salvation the devil would never be so busie to corrupt and adulterate the same whose inveterate enmity both to God and man incites provokes him perpetually to deprave and falsifie the pure worship of the one and hinder the salvation of the other 2. The holy faith of Christ appears more pure sincere and illustrious by the test and opposition of heretical positions we read Numb 16.36 that the Lord commanded Moses to take the censers of those proud rebels which rose up against Moses and Aaron wherein they offered strange fire before the Lord and to make broad plates for a covering of the Altar for they offered them before the Lord therefore are they hallowed sc sanctificata in mortibus peccatorum Through the death of the offenders they were sanctified to be a memorial to the children of Israel to beware of the like schism insurrection and sacriledge These censers saith the Father are a figure of the holy Scriptures wherein Heretiques offer strange fire by imposing a strange sense and distinct from the minde of Gods Spirit therein which is so abominable unto God that 't is commonly the ruine of the Authors and abettors thereof But yet if we bring these brazen censers to the golden Altar of God and compare the strange fire therein with the true fire from heaven the lustre of the one will appear more clear and eminent through the false and counterfeit glosse of the other for as that maxime is true in general Contraria inter se opposita magis elucescunt All contraries by their mutual opposition do more clearly shew themselves so this in particular also is as true veritas falsorum comparatione magis fulgebit Truth when compared and opposed to falshood appears like gold from the dross when tryed in the fire more illustrious and shining 'T is one reason therefore why holy catholick doctrine is so much besieged and impugned by heretical gainsayers and tares of erroneous opinions are intermixt with the pure grain of sincerity and truth viz. That the holy faith might not loose its gloss and lustre but appearing like it self clear and perspicuous might more effectually conduce to the illumination of our souls 3. The holy faith by the opposition of Heresie is elevated and raised to a higher pitch of perfection and the mysteries thereof become thereby to be more acutely handled more narrowly sifted and throughly considered whereas otherwise like children we should ever be content with milk and neglect the more solid and substantial food Haereticos permisit Deus ne semper lacte nutriamur in bruta infantia remaneamus Aug. Tract 36. in Joh. resting in generals and not descending to the discussion and right understanding of particular truths So saith the Father God therefore suffers Heretiques amongst us that we might not alway be nourished with milk and continue for ever in the more brutish estate of infancy 4. The holy faith by the opposition of Heresie is the more confirmed and strengthned even as trees shaken with the winde take the faster hold and are thereby more firmly enrooted in the earth so the more the foundation of our faith is assaulted and shaken by the gusts of heretical opinions the faster hold is taken and more firmly the principles of holy truth are enrooted in our hearts Nor is this the weakest argument to perswade us of and confirm us in the truth of all the Articles of the Christian faith that notwithstanding the several oppositions of Heresies in all ages many whereof have for the time so prospered and prevailed as to infect the greater and more eminent sort of Christian professors yet the true faith hath ever in the end triumphed over them they have dasht themselves in pieces like waves against a rock have broken into a foam and vanisht in to smoke for magna est veritas praevalebit As for truth it endureth and is alwaies strong it liveth and conquereth for evermore Esd 4.38 The second general end why God permits Heresies is in respect of the professors of the holy faith And these being of two sorts good and bad either such as are sound grain or else such as are empty chaffe therefore he suffers the fan of temptation to passe over all by the assaults of erroneous opinions that the one might be distinguisht from the other that the corn might be winnowed from the chaffe the wheat separate from the tares and soundorthodox Christians might be known from the unsound hollow-hearted Chrys Hom. 19. in Mat. 7. hypocritical professors of the faith That the evil may not be crowned with the good therefore God sends temptations saith the Father and that the good may not perish with the evil therefore he commands us to beware of false Prophets 2. The reason why the unsound and sinful professors are tempted and by temptation overcome by the assaults of erroneous opinions in Religion is by the just judgement of God permitted for a punishment upon them for as it is in the way of sinfulness one sin is commonly the punishment of another God most justly withdrawing the assistance of his divine grace from such as wilfully transgress his most holy Lawes Peccatum quod non per poenitentiā diluitur mox suo pondere ad aliud trahitur Greg. So that when sin saith the Father is not washed away with the tears of repentance the weight thereof sinks the soul into the puddle of following sins His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins Prov. 5.22 So it is in the way of Error they who receive not the truth in the love and life thereof which is sound and sincere obedience thereunto For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thess 2.10,11,12 So Saul for his disobedience 1 Sam. 15.22,23 The Spirit of the Lord departed from him and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him 1 Sam. 16.14 So Ahab for his many abominations refused to ear hthe voice of the true Prophet Micaiah and listned to false Prophets to his own ruine and destruction 2 Chron. 18. And so Judas whose faith in Christ was never sound but his Religion lay in his purse not in his heart was therefore suffered to be tempted and eternally ruined by that temptation to betray his Master 3. In respect of the sound and sincere professors of Christianity God permits Heresies for many useful and profitable reasons 1. That
those smaller errors and mistakes wherewithall through ignorance or misperswasion the understandings of many good men are infected might by the opposition of Heresies be cleared and done away and the chaffe by the fan of temptation be winnowed and sifted from the purer grain so saith an ancient Father of the Church Datam scimus Sa anae potestatom ut servos Christi â—…ibâ—…ret ut quod de triâ—… invenâ—… pâ—ssiâ—â—…rreis Jung retur quâ—d de his aed igâ—…um alimenta transiret Anacleti epist We know that power is given to the Devil to winnow and sift the servants of God that what is found to be sound and good wheat might be gathered into the barn and carefully treasured up in the stedfast belief thereof and what proves but chaffe and fit for the fire might be shaken off The inundation of herefies being one of those fiery trials whereby every mans work shall appear whether it be geld silver and precious stones to be continued or whether no better then wood hay and stubble which too often is built upon the same foundation with the other and to be consumed 1 Cor. 3.11,12,13 2. Heresies are permitted to scoure off the rust of idleness sloth negligence and carelesness in matters of faith they render all careful and conscientious Christians more diligent in sifting and searching out the truth and more careful also of what they hear and of what they receive for truth according to those several commands given Beware of false Prophets Mat. 7.15 Take heed how ye hear Luk. 8.18 And take heed what ye hear Mark 4.24 Try all things and held fast that which is good 1 Thess 5.21 And beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God or no 1. Joh. 4.1 Therefore many false Prophets and false spirits there are and heretical assertions are interwoven with the Articles of the true faith that we might not grow dull and stupid and negligent and idle but be industrious vigilant and wary having our senses exercised to discern both good and evil and our understandings polished through the many exercitations and oppositions of untruths Because God would not have his servants without judgement saith Chrys Hâ—… 19. in Mat. 7. not to be able to discern betwixt light and darkness therefore he sends them temptations and because he would not have them to perish through ignorance and negligence therefore he commands them to beware 3. For the exercise and trial as of our sincerity so of our courage and spiritual sortitude in the opposition and resistance we make against the assaults of Heresies is another end why God permits us to be assaulted by them there is no greater sign of our sincerity in the love and service of God then by being stedfast in his covenant Psal 78.37 one chief and principal part of which covenant is stedfastly to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith from the which there is no man that loves the Lord with all his heart can be induced to swerve or go astray nor can all the machinations of the Devil or any sinful lusts of the world or of the flesh in this respect prevail against him For he that is verè pius est verè fortis True and sound piety never wants courage to defend the Truth and true courage through divine assistance is ever accompanied with constancy and victory over all temptations This is commanded Deut. 13.1 If there arise a false Prophet thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet And the reason is rendred why such should arise and why thou should not hearken unto them vers 3. For the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart c. q. d. If you truly love the Lord it will appear by the opposition to whatsoever does corrupt or deprave the waies of his worship God sends not temptations that we should hearken and yeeld unto them but that our love to him might appear by our resistance and vanquishment of them And our weapons in this spiritual warfare are fervent importunate prayes arising from a true sincere and sound piety and devotion of soul The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them Psal 145.28,29 He will save them out of the windings and subtil waies of error and deceit who truly love and fear him and in the sincerity of their souls call upon him For God is faithful and will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will even give the issue with the temptation that they may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 Vel cadere non sinit vel à casu erigit Gloss in loc either God suffers not the righteous to be moved Psal 55.22 Or if he fall yet shall he rise again for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand Qui tentanti dat licentiam tentato dat misericordiam The same God who suffers the tempter supports the tempted also and against the temptations of false Prophets upholds the true faithful soul that loves the Lord his God with all his heart with all his might 4. As our love to God so our love to our neighbour also is exercised and tryed by the permission of Heresies amongst us And this 1. By our readiness to instruct the ignorant and strengthen the weak that they be not seduced and ensnared by them Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the saith receive ye but not to doubtful disputations 2. Before endevours in the use of all possible means to bring into the way of Truth all such as have erred and are deceived proving whether God will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may escape the snare of the Devil of whom they are taken captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.25,26 3. By your prayers for them that God would open their eyes to understand the truth and relinquish their errors that they may be converted and be healed Jam. 5.16 Praying one for another that ye may be healed 5. For the exercise of our patience and meekness For all Heretiques and Schismatiques whatsoever do generally and for the most part assume to themselves to be the only Church and people of God and all others besides themselves to be reprobates and castawaies whom therefore where they have power they constantly persecute and afflict and where outward power is wanting they shew their inward malice by bitter railings revilings and uncharitable censures and condemnations of them All which God permits for the exercise of our patience meekness and Christian moderation that being reviled we revile not again not rendring evill for evill nor railing for railing but contraniwise blessing and earnestly praying for their conversion who as earnestly wish for our confusion and this both according to the command and example of our blessed