the story bee ready to cast him out whom in the beginning they did magnifie Must I not heere say with the Apostle Shall I praise you in this in this I praise you not Now happie might I account my selfe if the doctrine which I haue framed out of this Text might become a purgatiue receit for the remoouing of these three malignant humors then the which I professe I know none which doe more preiudice the good concoction of that heauenly wholesome doctrine which is taught vs. If we can say this Text is not the word of God or that it hath no authority to binde vs or that it doth not directly make against these 3 corruptiōs I see no cause but wee may cherish them and maintain our selues in them but otherwise it becommeth vs vpon the paine of the most High his displeasure to cast aside all either frowardnesse or neglect in this matter and to labour to haue skill in the performance of this Trying dutie We disclaime all Lordship ouer your faith we are set set on work for the seruice of your faith not for commanding it We leaue it to Papists to tyrannize ouer mens thoughts in matters of Religion and to require the people to lappe vp their faith in the generall beleeuing of the Church Wee desire you to Try we beseech you to enquire wee would faine bring you to stand in the wayes and aske wee knowe you can neuer till then haue stablished hearts you can neuer attaine to that of beeing fully perswaded euery man in his owne minde and when you shall doe this you will say to vs who haue preached to you as the Samaritanes said to the woman Now wee beleeue not because of your sayings for we haue found it our selues and knowe that this and this is so indeed or after after some such sorte as the Queene of the South said to Salomon The sweetenesse which wee now feele in Religion farre exceedeth your reporte Now because if I should winne you all to a resolution of Trying doctrines and then leaue you doubtfull how and which way to performe it my course would be vnprofitable therefore you shall giue mee leaue to bestowe some paines that way and to giue some necessarie directions in that behalfe That there is a meanes to attain to some sufficiency for the discharge of this seruice why shold I go about to proue God would neuer bid vs Try if it were not possible for vs to be able to Try Now all Triall of doctrine must bee by some Rule The Greeke word here translated Try betokens such a triall as Gold-smiths vse touching metall for the discerning whereof they haue a touchstone at which that which will not hold is reiected and laide by as counterfeit A touchstone there must be sought for this businesse And when wee haue found it we must vnderstand how to make vse of it to that end The maine Touch by which all doctrine must be tryed and by which it must either stand or fall is the will of God reuealed in the Scriptures Bring them to the Law and to the Testimonie saide the Oracle of God of olde and consider whether they speake according to that word By this our Sauiour himselfe was content to be tryed By this the preaching of Paul and Silas at Thessalonica was tryed Religious doctrines are Gods matters and shall wee haue a better then God to be tryed by in the things of God and how shall wee knowe what is Gods minde in a matter of doctrine but by the Scripture Excellently spake he who called the Scripture the heart and soule of God and he who affirmed that God hath left for vs in the Scriptures a Fortresse against errours Let Papists if they will needes persist in their blasphemous disclaiming the triall of the Scripture accounting Traditions to bee the touchstone of doctrine the Foundation of faith and reputing the Scriptures to bee rather a kinde of Store-house for aduice in matters of Religion yet we will euer account them the Diuine beame and the most exact balance and approoue that course of that great Constantine exhorting the Fathers assembled in the Nicene Councell to take the resolution of things in question out of the diuinely inspired writings And let men learne heer by the way how necessary it is for them if they would be rightly grounded in Religion to be well acquainted with the Scriptures Our Sauiours rule can neuer faile You are deceiued not knowing the Scriptures God forbid we should vnder any pretext dishearten you in your care to turne ouer Gods book Let profanenesse and poperie cast reproches vpon diligence and ordinariness herein we the Ministers of Christ shall rather call vpon you as Chrysostome of olde did vpon his hearers Heare O you men of the world get you Bibles It is saith another of the Ancients of all torments the greatest to the diuells if they see a man giuen to the reading of the Scriptures We would reioyce to see those dayes spoken of in Storie wherein the secrets of the Scriptures should bee familiarly knowne to Taylors Smithes Weauers Seamsters Deluers Neat-heards c. and of which Hierome speaks wherein euen seely women were wont to contend who should learne without booke most Scripture Neuer will wee holde with that blasphemous Papist that it was the inuention of the diuell to permit the people to read the Bible but we will still presse you with that of the Apostle Let the word of Christ dwell plentiously in you Thus haue wee found the touchstone let vs now enquire how it must bee vsed A little childe or a foole may easily finde a touchstone and yet when he hath it not know what to doe with it more then with an other ordinarie pibble Though the Scripture bee not so common as it should yet it is conuersed with by more then can tell how to turn it vnto good This then shall be the next parte of my taske to shew how the Scripture may bee made vse of for the Tryall of doctrines And heere there are two things considerable 1 How he must be qualified who aduentureth to meddle with the Scripture 2 How beeing so qualified as is necessarie hee may be able to apply it to this vse First whoso puts his hand to the Scripture in desire to get skill by it so as that by the helpe thereof he may be able to examine doctrines it is meet especially that hee be a man of an humble spirit They bee the humble to whom the Lord giueth grace hee dwelleth with such hee teacheth his way to such to them he reuealeth his secrets a man must humble himselfe that hee may walke with his God It is a good speech of Augustines The doctrine of the Scripture is so tempered that there is no man but may draw thence sufficient for himselfe prouided that he
they are also of two sorts The one sort are such as may lead the people into error though perhaps it be not their purpose throgh their insufficiency their rawness their vnskilfulnes their negligence for in the discharge of this great seruice of instructing Too many such there be who wanting the tong of the Learned who lacking Iudgement and skill of right diuiding the word of Truth beeing no well taught scribes to the kingdome of heauen and then withall being carelesse of that charge touching taking heed to Doctrine do vent many things vnsound vnsauorie sometimes things vain foolish as the Scripture tearmeth them ordinarily such as God neuer commanded nor spake neither euer came into his minde wherby the mindes of the simple are deceiued and the hearts of the righteous made sad These be such as Paul calleth Deceiued deceiuers They are beguiled themselues and so beguile others I will not be so vncharitable as to range such among purposed deceiuers yet this I say they themselues beeing through vnskilfulnesse and negligence mistaken doing the Lords worke more remisly then is fit they become an occasion of erring vnto others When men come to the handling of holy things not well instructed themselues and then doe that which they doe without any great conscience it may be they doe it for forme and binde themselues to speak according to the Times it cannot bee auoided though it may be their hearts are not so nought as to meane deceit but sometimes others by them shall be in danger to be misled The second sort of such as casually may deceiue are euen the best the most sufficient faithful Teachers It is possible that euen such notwithstanding all their care may at a time deliuer that which is not safe to entertain None since Christ neither companies of men nor particular persons haue had the infallible assistance of the holy Ghost except the Apostles Our knowledge here is but in part In sundry things as men wee are many times much mistaken And it falleth out many times thorough Gods wise dispensing that somewhat is reuealed to him which sitteth by which hee who occupieth the roome of the Teacher doth not vnderstand as is gatherable out of that saying of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 30. This is the first thing out of which there springs a possibility of being deceiued The second is from out of our selues which come to heare We are naturally in matters of Religion easily miscaried by reason of the vanity of minde and darkness of cogitation which we haue brought with vs from the Wombe wee are vnwise by nature and deceiued And then what through presumption trusting too much to our selues what through a kinde of natiue lothnesse to endure the paynes of Trying what through an affectation of Nouelty we are very lyable to deceit apt to drinke-in error as water and to bee carried vp downe with euery wind of doctrine As it is said of vs in the generall that we are clay to God and wax to the diuell so may it bee applyed to vs in the particular that we are hardly wrought to an entertainement of a truth but soone wonne to the embracing of an error The Iewes in regarde of their vntowardnesse to good were tearmed stiffe-necked and a gainesaying people and yet soone turned out of the way which God commanded them and the Galatians were soone remooued to another Gospell and yet the paynes of forming Christ in them was as a trauailing in birth Euer since the razing out of vs the image of the God of truth there hath been in our nature such an affinitie with falshood that that which S. Paul calls the deceiueableness of vnrighteousnesse is very preuailing speedily to entangle vs. That same canker or gangreane of vntruth doth soone seize vpon vs and it fretteth apace when it hath once begunne Hereupon the bringers in of heresies haue many to follow their damnable wayes and Antichrist hath small great rich and poore to receiue his marke Now for the danger of erring in matters of this kinde it is not hard to discouer it Religion is a matter which concernes the soule and the euerlasting happiness thereof A mistaking therefore must needs be followed with a more then ordinarie hurt I know there are differences and degrees of errors in matters of Religion Some do strike more directly to the heart of piety and weaken the very maine foundation of faith Some are not altogether of so dāgerous a nature being in points of lesse importance The former are as mortall diseases in the body the other are but as superfluous humours within or swelling tumours without But yet as in the bodie smaller griefes when they are multiplyed and continued become preiudiciall to the life of the whole so these inferiour kindes of mistakings when they are ordinarie encreased grow dangerous to the Maine A little leauen doth leauen the whole lumpe It is applyed by the Apostle to shew what incōuenience followes the entertainmēt of as it may seem a pettie error in the things of God The withall in the day of tentation when a man is either before the world called into question for that which he doth professe or else is sifted and winnowed by Satan about that which he beleeues how woefull and hazardous shall his case be if hee haue taken vp his religion onely as I may so speake vpon trust or raysed it vp out of his owne surmise There is neither of these but will bee a poore ground for him to relie vpon in the time of Triall Small courage shall one haue to engage his life for that for which his best proofe is the authority of him from whom he receiued it and it will not be easie to answer the diuell by alleadging the name of a man vnlesse he be able to iustifie his Tenent by diuine authoritie So then if either we consider the easinesse of erring in matters of Religion or the perill of mistaking therin we must needes acknowledge this doctrine touching the Triall of doctrines to be true How shall this easiness to erre bee preuented how shall this danger of not going aright be auoided but by this one course of considering all things and of examining each point before wee build vpon it as a certaintie The diuell labours to poison the fountain of Truth the publicke Ministrie so that oft times there streame euen from it very dangerous conceits and the olde saying may bee well applyed to our profession Many good inches but few good ploughmen So many aduenturers to speake from the pulpit not so many who obserue the rule of speaking as the words of God and then the best somtimes are ouershot I remēber what we learned when we were boyes How one Cannius was cozened in the buying of a garden in an Iland The seller first inuited him to it and
Fearing it will be a meanes to preuent it We liue in a cooling Climate and wee shall finde it as hard to keepe this heat in vs as it was to maintain Dauids naturall heate when hee was old I haue shewed our defect in the two first kindes of keeping let vs see what may be found in vs touching the third Keeping in practice And here me seemeth I am sodainely striken with astonishment and knowe not what to say not for lack of matter but for lack of skill to drawe into few words such a world of matter as this particularity doth afford Here a man might fill euen a roule of a booke within and without with accusations censures complaints threatnings against all degrees ages conditions sexes Somewhat happely we remember somewhat we seeme to esteme and to professe but what is our practice I speake not now touching those which are at a kinde of enmity with all religion and care not though they be noted and knowne to bee of none but let vs looke to our selues who would bee thought to haue a regarde to goodnesse and some respect to the best things who come to heare will needs be thought to loue that course to approue it to vpholde it and see how poore and barren is our practice Alas that we should not onely giue cause to papists to speak euill of our Religion Faith through our barrenness but which is worse should open the mouthes of profane wretches amongst our selues to tax profession and hearing as the nursery of licentiousnes The truth is the liues courses of many who yet will come and sit as Gods people vseth to come are very scandalous For my own part though I wil not ioyne with those who vrge this to the disreputatioÌ„ of al that are affected well yet I will nether seek to excuse their euils but say rather with the Apostle They shall beare their iudgement whosoeuer they bee I haue almost done I will now draw to an exhortation and I beseech you that I may preuail with you for this Keeping duty It is such a keeping as by which your selues shall bee kept vnto saluation I perswade entertainment for such a guest at whose entrance into thy soule thou mayst say as Christ did at his comming to Zacheus his house This day is saluation come to thee It shall be to thy soule as the presence of the Arke of Obed-edoms house Lose not al your labour I pray you in repairing hither you cannot bestow an houre worse then by going to a Sermon and get nothing Hearken what wee say we may say with an humble boldnesse we are the Embassadours of Christ wee are the Messengers of the Lord of hosts we speake wordes vnto you by which you and yours may be saued Yet heare vs as men subiect to infirmities hear vs with discretion Bring vs to the touch Oh that you would once doe vs that honour to Try our doctrine If you finde any thing to be good as no doubt you shall what will you do to it looke vpon it awhile and as it were play with it as little children with a new-bought toy which within awhile they cast away God forbid God will not be so answered Labour to locke it vp in your memories resolue with Dauid I will not forget thy wordes pray the God of peace to write his law in your hearts striue to loue it and that will be a good helpe to remember it Can a maid forget her ornament and a bride her attire Her loue to it makes her not to forget it I neuer heard saith the Orator of any man so old as that hee forgot where he laid his treasure When you remember it striue to worke your affections to embrace it more and more Be constant to the death and you shall receiue the crowne of life Resolue touching that which you haue found to bee true so accordingly haue begun to professe as that worthy Thebane souldier did touching his buckler I will either defend thee or die vpon thee Say to the Truth when thou hast once met with it as Ruth did to Naomi The Lord do so to me and more also if ought but death departe thee and mee And when you haue thus fastned your affections to it then let mee say to you as Iehosaphat did to his Officers when hee sent them on the circuit Be of courage and doe it and the Lord shall bee with that good Let your vertue and your knowledge go together Thus do the God of peace shall be with you Especially remember to bee practitioners of good in your particular places Magistrates in yours Ministers in yours Masters of families in yours In your ranks standings make your care of obedience to appeare This is that course which shall bring you peace and comfort at the last God will bee good vnto those that are good such as turne aside by their crooked waies them shall the Lord leade with the workers of iniquity Woe vnto their soules for they haue rewarded euill to themselues FINIS Erratum Page 56. line 7. of Religion for of that Religion The order of the place The general scope thereof The diuision of it The first Doctrine a 1 Iohn 4. 1 b Act. 17. 11 c Mat. 2. 7 d Pr. 23. 23 Gyrare negotiatorem vnum alterum Chry. Hom. 44. in opere imperfect e Luk. 8. 18. f Eph. 4. 14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g Act. 20. 30 h 2 Pet. 2. 1 i 1 Kin. 22 22 k Isa 3. 12 l Ier. 23. 32 m 2 Pet. 2. 1 n Isa 50. 4 o Mica 3. 8 p 2 Tim. 2 15 q Mat. 13. 52 r 1 Tim. 4 16 s Lam. 2. 14 t Ier. 19. 5 u Rom. 16 18 x Eze. 13. 22 y 2 Tim. 3 13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 z 1 cor 13. 9 a Eph. 4. 18 b 1 Tit. 3. 3 c Eph. 4. 14 d Act. 7. 51 e Rom. 10 21 f Ex. 32. 8 g Gal. 1. 8 h Gal. 4. 19 i 2 Thes 2 10. k 2 Tim. 2. 17 l 2 Pet. 2. 2 m Apoc. 13 16 n Gal. 5. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o 1 Pet. 4. 11 Cicero Offi. lib. 3 The vse p Mat. 16 13. 15 q 1 Cor. 7 23. r 1 Cor. 2. 5 s 1 Cor. 4. 1 t 1 Cor. 3. 5 u Gal. 1. 8 x Heb. 5. 14 y 2 Pet. 1. 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 z Iud. 9. 36 a 2 Sam. 17 4. 14. b Act. 14. 19 c 1 Cor. 11 22 d 2 Cor. 1. 24 e Phil. 2. 17 f Ier. 6. 16 g Heb. 13. 9 h Rom. 14. 5 i Ioh. 4. 42 k 1 King 10. 7 l Isa 8. 20 m Ioh. 5. 39 n Act. 17. 11 Cor animam Dei. Gr. in Reg. 3 Firmamentum contra errores Aug. in Ioh. 1. tract 2 Lindanus Panop l. 1 c. 9. calleth them Lidium lapidem lib. 5. c. 2. Fundamentum fidei CoÌ„monitoâ—ium Bellar. Diuina statera Aug. lib. 2. Bap. c. 6. Exactissima trutina Chr. hom 13. in 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Th. lib. 1. Inst Cap. 7 o Mat. 22 29 Audite seculares coÌ„parate vobis Biblia hom 9. in Ep. ad Colos Super omnia tormentoruÌ„ genera si quem videant verbo dei operam dare Orig. in Num. hom 27 Theod. de Corrig graecoruÌ„ affect lib. 5. Hier. in Psa 133 Mart. Peres de 〈◊〉 44 p Col. 3. 16 q 1 Pet. 5. 5 r Isa 57. 15 s Psal 25. 9 14 t Mic. 6. 8 Modò ad hautiendum accedat deuotè Aug. de vtilitate credendi c. 6 u 1 Cor. 3 18 x Pro. 1. 4 y Ps 119. 18 z Ps 119. 34 a Ps 119. 66 b 1 Tim. 1. 6 c 1 Tim. 6 20 d Ioh. 4 11 Orandus est deus dicendum cuÌ„ Apostolit edissere nobis hanc parabolam Hier. Epi. ad PammachiuÌ„ e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6. 17. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1. 13 g Heb. 6. 1 h Luk. 1. 4 i 1 King 3 k Isa 42. 8 l 1 Cor. 1. 31 1 Cor. 10. 15 n 1 Pet. 3. 4 x 1 Cor. 1 21 Habet nescio quid latentis energiae viua vox Hier. y 2 Cor. 5. 21 z Mat. 18. 18 a Iob. 33. 23. 24. b Psal 119. 140. The second Doctrine c Pro. 2. 1 d Pro. 4. 21 e Deut. 4. 9 f Deut. 6. 6 g Ioh. 15. 20 h Iude 17 i Heb. 2. 1 k Pro. 3. 14 l Luk. 12. 42 m Luk. 8. 11 n Reu. 3. 11 o Reu. 2. 4 p Gal. 4. 18 q Luk. 11. 26 r 1 The. 4. 1 s 2 Pet. 3. 18 t Psa 84. 7 u Pro. 4. 18 x Phil. 3. 14 y Luk. 11. 28 z Iam. 1. 25 a Ps 119. 11 b Iam. 5. 3 c Ps 119. 11 d Pro. 27. 16 e Iob. 32. 19 The Vse f Iob 6. 15 g 1 Kin. 1. 1 h Ezek. 2. 10 i Ezek. 33 31 k Gal. 5. 10 l Luk. 19 9 m 2 Sam. 7 11 n Psa 119 16 o Ier. 2. 32 p Reu. 2. 10 q Ruth 1. 17 r 2 Chr. 19 11 s 2 pet 1. 5 t psa 125 4. 5 u Isa 3. 9