observations especially at such a time when this corner of the world is so full of new and strange Doctrines As for the reasons take these 1. If we be not stedfast and unmoveable in the profession of our faith we frustrat as to us the end for which the Scriptures were written Luke gives this reason to his Theophilus why he wrote the story of Christs birth life and death That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed Luke 1. 4. When Peter hath mentioned the voice which came from heaven concerning Christ hee addeth the certainty of the Scripture as a greater certainty We have also a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye doe well that yee take heâ—…d as unto a light that shineth in a dark place 2. Pet 1. 19. A voice from heaven might sooner deceive us then the written word of God 2. To maintaine and professe the true Doctrine and the true faith is by all protestant orthodoxe writers made one yea the principall marke of a true visible Church Christ himself Ioh. 10. 4 5. gives us this mark of his sheep the sheep follow him their shepherd for they know his voice and a sâ—…ranger will they not follow for they know not the voice of strangers 3. If once we forsake the way of truth and goe into an erroneous way wee shall not know where to finde our paths we shall wander from mountain to hill forget our resting place As one wave comes after another so doth one error come after another As a canker spreadeth so doth error 2. Tim 2. 17 Evill men and seducers shall waxe worse and worse deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim 3. 13. Which hath made some and I hope will make more who were too inclinable to the new Doctrine and practises of Sectaries at first now to fall off from them when they increase unto more ungodlinesse unto more errour and there is no end one error breedeth a hundreth and a hundreth will breed ten thousand What was it that made so many fall off from the Prelats who once joyned with them Was it not because they were growing from the old ceremonies to many new ones and each year almost brought in some new superstition and from Popish rites they grew to Popish doctrines 4. If wâ—…e waver and be led about with diverse and strange doctrine then the prophesies which have gone before of the true Church shall not be made good in us It was promised concerning the Church and kingdome of Christ Isa. 32. 4 5. The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly the vile person shall be no more called liberall c. that is those who simply and rashly were led about with every winde of Doctrine shall be so wise and knowing as to distinguish between truth and error between vertue and vice and call each thing by its right name So Isa. 33. 6. And wisedome and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times and strength of salvation 5. Instability and forsaking the way of Truth maks us losse much that we had gained 2 ep of Iohn vers 8. all the comfort we enjoyed all the good that ever our souls received of such a Truth such a cause such a ministery all that ever we did or spake or suffered for the Truth all this we losse when we turn aside after an erroneous way 6. It greatly hindereth our spirituall comfort and contentment Col 2 2. To be knit together in love is one mean and to have all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of Gospel truths is another mean by which the Apostle wisheth the hearts of Christians to be comforted It addeth much to Pauls comfort that he could say I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown c. 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8. 7. We run a great hazard of our soules and our saâ—…vation when we turn aside from truth to error It is said of the unstable that they wrest the Scriptures unto their own destruction 2 Pet 3. 16 Like a man fallen into quick sands the more he wrestles out the more he sinks When the Apostle hath spoken of Christs purchasing of our reconciliation justification and sanctification he addeth an If Col 1. 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard Not that our persevering in the true faith was acondition in Christs purchasing of these blessings but it is a condition without which we cannot possesse enjoy what Christ hath purchased that is he that falls away from the true Doctrine of the Gospel proves himself to have no part of the benefits of Christ. Some errors are in their own nature damnable and inconsistent with the state of grace or a fellowship with God 2 Pet 2. 1. So 2 ep Iohn v. 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God Sure it may be said of Arrians Socinians Papists Libertines they have not God because they abide not in the doctrine of Christ so Gal 5. 4. Other error there are of which I may say whatsoever they are comparatively impenitency and continuing in them doth condemne whence it is that the Apostle Iames reckoneth him who erres from the truth to be in a way of death and danger of damnation Ia 5. 19. 20. Now the preservatives against Wavering and helps to stedfastnesse in the Faith are these 1. Grow in knowledge and circumspection be not simple as Children in understanding There is a slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive So speaks the Apostle of these that spread diverse and strange Doctrines Eph 4. 14. and Rom 16. 18. he warres us that they do by good words and fair speaches deceive the hearts of the simple Thou hast therefore need of the wisedom of the serpent that thou be not deceived as well as of the fimplicity of the Dove that thou be not a deceiver Phil 1. 9 10. Do not rashly ingage into any new opinion much lesse into the spreading of it With the welladvised is wisedome Pythagoras would have us Schollers only to hear and not to speak for five years Be swift to hear but not to speak or ingage Prove all things and when thou hast proved then be sure to hold fast that which is good 1 Thess. 5. 21. Mat 7. 15. 17. There was never an Heresie yet broached but under some faire plausible pretence beguiling unstable souls as Peter speaks 2 Pet. 2. 14. Pro 14. 15. The simple believeth every word Be not like the two hundreth that went in the simplicity of their hearts after Absolom in his rebellion not knowing any thing but that he was to pay his vow in Hebron 2 Sam 15. 11. 2. Grow in grace and holynesse and the love of the truth for the stability of the
Gem ar Senhedrin cap 11. sect 38. So that here are two sorts of necessary consequences from the Law one is a majori aut minori or if ye will a fortiori another a pari either of which being refused the Law it self was despised yea t is further to be observed with Mr. Selden in his Vxor Haebraica lib 1. cap 3. that the Karaei or Iudaei scripturarii who reject the additaments or traditions of the Talmudicall Masters and professe to adhere to the literall and simple sense of the Law without adding to it or diminishing from it yet even they themselves do not require expresse words of Scripture for every Divine Institution but what they hold to be commanded or forbidden by the law of God such commandment or prohibition they draw from the Law three wayes either from the very words of the Scripture it self or by argumentation from Scripture or by the hereditary transmission of interpretations which interpretations of Scripture formerly received the following Generations were allowed after to correct and alter upon further discovery or better reason The second way which was by argumentation was by the principles of the Karaei themselves of two sorts a pari or a fortiori Which agreeth with the passage of the Talmud before cited And herein our writers agree with the Karaei that all kinds of unlawfull and forbidden mariages are not expresly mentioned in the law but diverse of them to be collected by consequence that is either by parity of reason or by greater strength of reason for instance Levit 18. 10. The nakednesse of thy Sons daughter or of thy daughters daughter even their nakednesse thou shalt not uncover For theirs is thine own nakednesse Hence the consequence is drawn a pari Therefore a man may not uncover the nakednesse of his great grand-child or of her who is the daughter of his Sonnes daughter For that also is his own nakednesse being a discent in linea recta from himself From the same Text 't is collected à fortiori that much lesse a man may uncover the nakednesse of his own daughter which yet is not expressely forbiden in the Law but left to be thus collected by necessary consequence from the very same Text 't is likewise a necessary consequence that a man may not uncover the nakednesse of her who is daughter to his wives sonne or to his wives daughter For here the reason holds 't is his owne nakednesse his wife and he being one flesh which gives ground to that generall receaved rule that a man may not marry any of his wives blood nearer than he may of his own neither may a wife marry any of her husbands blood nearer then she may of her owne Again Levit 18. 14. Thou shalt not uncover the nakednesse of thy fathers brother c. Hence it followeth à pari that a man may not uncover the nakednesse of his mothers brother and by parity of reason ever since that law was made 't is also unlawfull for a woman to marry him who hath been husband to her father sister or to her mothers sister the nearnesse of blood being alike between Uncle and Neece as between Ant and Nephew Other instances may be given but these may suffice to prove that what doeth by necessary consequence follow from the law must be understood to be commanded or forbidden by God as well as that which is expressely commanded or forbidden in the Text of Scripture 3. Argument If we say that necessary consequences from Scripture prove not a jus divinum we say that which is inconsistent with the infinite wisdome of God for although necessary consequences may bee drawen from a mans word which do not agree with his minde and intention and so men are oftentimes insnared by their words yet as Camero well noteth God being infinitly wise it were a blasphemous opinion to hold that any thing can bee drawne by a certaine and necessary consequence from his holy word which is not his will This were to make the onely wise God as foolish man that cannot foresee all things which will follow from his words Therefore wee must needs hold 't is the minde of God which necessary followeth from the word of God 4. Argument diverse other great absurdities must follow if this truth be not admitted How can it be proved that women may partake of the Sacrament of the Lords supper unlesse wee prove it by necessary consequence from Scripture How can it bee proved that this or that Church is a true Church and the Ministery thereof a true Ministery and the Baptisme Ministered therein true Baptisme Sure no expresse Scripture will prove it but necessary consequence will How shall this or that individuall beleever collect from Scripture that to him even to him the Covenant of grace and the promises thereof belong Will Scripture prove this otherwise than by necessary consequence How will it be proved from Scripture that the late warre against the Popish and Prelaticall party in desence of our Religion and Liberties was lawfull that the solemne League and Covenant was an acceptable service to God Necessary consequence from Scripture will prove all this but expresse Scriptures will not The like I say of fastings and thansgiving now and then upon this or that occasion God calls us to these dueties and it is his will that we performe them yet this cannot bee proved from Scripture but by necessary consequences This fourth Argument will serve for the extension of the present assertion which I now prove to ' its just latitude that is that Arguments from Scripture by necessary consequence will not onely help to prove and strengthen such things which may bee otherwise proved from expresse and plain Scriptures but will be good and sufficient to prove such things to be by the will and appointment of God or as we commonly say Iure divino which cannot be proved to be such from any expresse Text of Scripture 5. Argument I shall here take notice of the concession of Theophilus Nicolaides the Socinian in his Tractat de Ecclesia missione ministrorum cap. 10. pag 121. Although hee professeth his dissent both from the Reformed and Romane Churches thus far that he doeth not beleeve things drawen by consequence from Scripture to be equally necessary to salvation as those things contained expressely in Scripture yet he yeelddeth the things drawne by consequence to be as certaine as the the other quantumuis saith he aeque certa sint quae ex sacris literis de ducuntur atque ea quae in illis expresse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 habentur And generally it may be observed that even they who most cry downe consequences from Scripture and call for expresse Scriptures do notwithstanding when themselves come to prove from Scripture their particular Tenents bring no other but consequentiall prooffs So farre is wisdome justified not onely of her Children but even of her Enemies Neither is it possible that any Socinian Erastian c. can
or strengthning of the Soule in such a Testimony or assurance as it hath setled upon contrary to the Scripture And here is a great difference between these Antinomian principles and ours We hold the assurance or evidence of marks to be privative they yeeld no more but that it is at most cumulative to the evidence of the Spirit of God and of Faith For my part I dare not think otherwise but that person is deluded who thinks himlseffully assured of his interest in Christ by the voice of the Spirit of the Lord and by the evidence of Faith when in the mean time his Conscience cannot beare him witnesse of the least mark of true grace or Sanctification in him And I must needs hold that whatsoever voice in man speaking peace to him is antecedaneus unto and separated or disjoyned from all or any evidence of the marks of true although very imperfect Sanctification is not the voice of the Spirit of the Lord neither speaketh according but contrary to the written Word of God I heartily yeeld that the Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of Revelation and it is by the Spirit of God that we know the things which are freely given us of God so that without the Comforter the Holy Ghost himself bearing witnesse with our Spirit all our marks cannot give us a plerophory or comfortable assurance But this I say that which we have seen described by the Antinomians as the Testimony of the Spirit of the Lord is a very unsafe and unsure evidence and speaks beside yea contrary to the written Word The Word speaks no peace to the wicked to the ungodly to hypocrits to morall Christians to the presumptuous to the self confident to the unmortified carnall professours to temporary believers Christ and his benefits are indeed offered and held foorth unto all that are in the Church and all cal'd upon to come unto Christ that they may have life in him and whoever cometh shall not be cast out this is certain but yet the Word speaks no peace nor assurance save to the humble and contrite to those that tremble at his word to those that are convinced of sin to those that do not regard iniquity in their hearts but hate sin with sincere hatred to those that believe on the Son of God that love the Brethren c. Now therefore the Spirit of the Lord which speaks not to the soul but according to the word of grace as is confessed doth not speak comfort or assurance to any others but these only And if a man would know certainly whether the voice or Testimony which speaks to his Spirit be a delusion or not he must to the Law and to the Testimony and search whether it speak according to this Word T is granted to us that if the voice which speaks peace in man be not according to the written word of God it is not the Spirit of the Lord. But withall t is cautiously declined by these men that the voice which speaks in the soul be tryed by the written word They tell us it is not the Word that maks us believe the Spirit But it is the Spirit that makes us give credit to the Word That it is only the Spirit of God that can truely satisfie the spirit of a man that it is his own testimony and not the spirit of Delusion That as in all Arts and Sciences there are some Principles beyond which there must be no inquiry so also in divine things Is there any thing in the world of better credit or that may rather be believed with men then the Spirit himself Nay can any believe but by this Spirit If not then nothing else is able satisfyingly to bear witnesse to the Spirit but it self This is as if we should receive the Testimony of the Spirit upon the credit of some other thing Whereunto I answer first T is to be remembred The question is not whether the Word of the Lord can satisfie or pacifie a sinners conscience without the Spirit for we say plainly that as the best marks of grace so the richest and sweetest promises and comforts of the word cannot make the soule sit down satisfied till the spirit of the Lord himself speak peace and comfort within us Whence it was that after Nathan had said to David in the name of the Lord The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not die yet even then David prayed Make me to hear joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit Psal. 51 8 12. with 2 Sam. 12 13 But t is another thing which is here in question for clearing whereof observe that the efficient cause or revealing evidence which maks us believe and be assured is one thing The objectum fomale fidei or that for which we believe and are assured is another thing In humane sciences a Teacher is necessary to a young Student yet the Student doth not believe the conclusions because his Teacher teacheth him so but because these conclusions follow necessarily from the known and received principles of the Sciences and although he had never understood either the principles or the conclusions without the help of a Teacher yet he were an ill scholler who cannot give an accompt of his knowledge from demonstration but only from this that he was taught so In seeking a legall assurance or security we consult our Lawyers who peradventure will give us light aud knowledge of that which we little imagined yet a man cannot build a wel grounded assurance nor be secure because of the Testimony of Lawyers but because of the deeds themselves Charters Contracts or the like So we cannot be assured of our interest in Christ without the work of the holy Ghost and his revealing evidence in our hearts yet the ground and reason of our assurance or that for which we are assured is not his act of revealing but the truth of the thing it self which he doth reveal unto us from the word of God Secondly this is not to receive the Testimony of the Spirit upon the credit of some other thing for the Spirit that speaketh in the Word is not another thing from the Spirit that speaketh in our hearts and saith we are the Children of God when we receive the Testimony or evidence in our hearts upon the credit of the Word we receive it upon the Holy Ghosts own credit comparing spirituall things with spirituall as the Apostle saith The holy Scripture is called a more sure word then that voice of God which came from heaven concerning his welbeloved Sonne 2 Pet. 1. 17 18 19. and so by parity of Reason if not a fortiori the written word of God is surer then any voice which can speak in the soule of a man and an inward Testimony may sooner deceive us then the written word can which being so we may and ought to try the voice