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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	abase_v	according_a	puff_v	30	3	12.1135	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93131	The Quakers wilde questions objected against the ministers of the Gospel, and many sacred acts and offices of religion. With brief answers thereunto. Together with a discourse [brace] 1. Of the Holy Spirit of God, his impressions and workings on the souls of men. 2. Of divine revelation, mediate and immediate. 3. Of error, heresie, and schism: the nature, kindes, causes, reasons, and dangers thereof: with directions for avoiding the same. All very seasonable for these times. / By R. Sherlock, B D. at Borwick-Hal in Lancashire.	Sherlock, R. (Richard), 1612-1689.	1655 (1655)	Wing S3255; Thomason E858_1; ESTC R203556	215,435	300

admit at any hand of other spirit then their own of other truth then the vision of their own heads or of other directions then the motions of their own hearts rejecting renouncing and crying down all but what themselves call holy with the Donatists of old Quod volumus sanctum est that they will have to be holy right and true shall be so and nothing else 't is the very ground whereupon this last upstart crew of Quakers build all their resolutions and strange fanatick opinions and heresies even that which they call the light within us This say they is the only Judge we must follow the Pilot we must steer by the voice whereunto we must give ear the only Sanctuary to which we must flie for resolution never remembring how this sanctuary is profan'd by continual acts of spiritual fornication or idolatry therein committed whilest in stead and even in opposition to God and Spirit of all truth they enshrine and idolize their own fond vain and lying imaginations which the Lord by his Prophet cals the vanity and deceitfulnesse of their own heart Jer. 14.14 Jer. 14.4 The Lord said unto me The Prophets prophesie lies in my Name I have not sent them neither did I command them neither spake I unto them but they prophesie unto you a false vision and divination and vanity and the deceitfulnesse of their own heart 'T is undoubtedly necessary for every man to be perswaded in his own conscience both of the truth of what he believes and of the justice and equity of what he undertakes but yet this perswasion of the conscience or the following the light within us or the dictates of our own spirit is not the first ground and prime rule either of our faith or of our works For the conscience it self must be regulated or else it will often prove a false witness and most especially in the things of God for as conscience is is set betwixt God and us so it must speak from God unto us And our spirit or the light within us must be guided by the light of Gods Spirit shining in his word S. Paul thought verily he ought to do many things against the name of Jesus This perswasion arose from the light within him Act. 26.9,11 and hereupon he made havock of the Church which no man that is not infatuate will say was either fit or lawful to be done 'T was first in the heart of Judas to betray his Master Joh. 13.2 Such was the light within him and according to this light he walked till at last he hanged himself And this delusion of mans own spirit following the deceitfull dictates of his own heart is seldome mentioned in holy Scripture without heavie threats denounced both against such deluders and all that suffer themselves to be deluded by them Ezek. 13.3 as you may read Jer. 14.15,16 And again Ezek. 13.3 Wo unto the foolish Prophets which follow their own spirit and have seen nothing Nothing but what their own foolish spirit dictates to them Such are noted by the Apostle also Gol. 2.18 Col. 2.18 Who intrude into those things which they have net seen or which they understand not being vainly puft up by their fleshly minde Gloss Sensualitatis non rationis following the dictates of sense rather then of right reason and in this place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is remarkable for even by that 't is easie to distinguish betwixt the dictates of a mans own carnal and sensual spirit and the impressions of Gods holy Spirit for the guidance of the minde The dictate of the fleshly spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inflatio a puffing up but the impression of the holy Spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afflatio an inspiration indeed but without inflation or puffing up The heavenly winde of Gods Spirit may fill but it never puffs up or swels the heart but rather humbles and abaseth the Spirit of man which is most conformable to the Spirit of Christ according to his own command Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Mat. 11.29 the minde that is either puft up with pride vain-glory and false conceited excellency in it self or that swels with malice hatred or envie towards others is not inspired with the celestial Breath or Spirit of the holy Jesus but follows its own carnal and corrupt dictates and conceits being thereunto raised and moved by that grand Impostor the spirit of Delusion Besides mans own carnal spirit there is also A spirit of the World opposing and poysoning the truths of Gods Spirit The Apostle distinguisheth and opposeth these each to other 1 Cor. 2.12 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have not received the spirit which is of the world but the Spirit which is of God which spirit of the world he cals a little before the wisdome of the world and of the Princes thereof vers 6. and opposeth the same to the wisdome of God vers 7. And what else can be this wisdome of the world but those humane policies so frequent in the world whereby men steer their actions to their worldly ends and interests with this spirit of the world are all such possest who having set up and enshrined the world in their hearts do thereupon ground their Religion and thence deduce all their reasons arguments and religious conclusions so that they can finde in their hearts to be thus far religious and to close with this or that sect society and opinion in Religion as it stands with their worldly profit pleasure credit preferment or the like It was from the dictates of this spirit that Jeroboam the Son of Nebat made Israel to sin pulling down the holy and true Religion established amongst the people by the Lawes of God and erecting two golden Calves at Dan and Bethel which became a snare unto the people who were thereby inveigled into idolatry the cause of their utter ruine and extirpation in the end 1 King 12.28,29 And what other Spirit was it that moved this wicked Usurper thereunto but that of his own worldly respects and interests there was no other way as this worldly spirit dictated to him to uphold his present estate and new gotten Monarchy so we read 1 King 12.26 1 King 12.26 c. And Jeroboam said in his heart Now shall the kingdome return to the house of David c. Rather then the people should return to their obedience to their liege Lord and Soveraign religion must down and the true worship of God be laid in the dust to make way for superstition and idolatry to be set up the Priests of the Lord shall be discarded and the lowest of the people exaltted to that dignity and to make the office more contemptible every one that list may take up the trade and consecrate himself to be a Priest of the high places 1 King 13.33 1 King 13.33 It was this very spirit also that stirred up the

but nominally only and in relation to us which was the error of the Patripassians and others struck at by that clause of the Athanasian Creed so there is one Father not three Fathers one Son not three Sons one Holy Gh●st not three Holy Ghosts distinction 3 Thirdly that we may not confound the Person and the Office of this ever blessed Spirit of God but rightly understand what is meant by receiving the holy Ghost being filled with the Holy Ghost Act 9.2 Psal 2.4 Heb. 6.4 and made partakers of the Holy Ghost and all Scriptures which speak of having the Spirit being endued with the Spirit and the like we must in the third place rightly distinguish betwixt the Personal Essence of the Spirit and the impressions or workings of this Spirit upon the mindes of men Rac. catec It was the error of the Macedonians Samosatenians of old and of Socinians of late that by the Spirit of God is meant no other but virtus seu efficacia quâ homines fideles sanctificantur divinis usibus consecrantur i.e. That vertue or efficacy whereby faithfull men are sanctified and consecrate to divine offices And opposite to this extreme many now a dayes run into the other mistaking and misterming the efficacies and vertues of the Spirit for the person of the Spirit himself the holy orthodox truth lies coucht up betwixt these two extremes whilest neither on the one hand we presume to annihilate the personal being of the Spirit as if he were no more but a vertue or influence upon the creature nor yet on the other hand mistake the influences of the Spirit for his essential subsisting person And when you read in holy Scriptures of being filled with the Holy Ghost or made partakers of the Spirit of God Act. 8.17 Eph. 5.18 Wisd 1. Psal 139. is not to be understood of the Spirit in respect of his Personal Essence for thus he filleth the world and contains all things being really existent and present in and with all things and creatures giving unto all their life and breath and all things In whom we live and move and have our being Act. 17. viz. by his inexisting presence and this in respect of his Personal Essence If we should say then that the Spirit of God is in his Saints and servants here upon earth in a greater measure then in other men Personally and in respect of his Essence we should so divide and consequently define and limit the Essence of God which is undivided infinite and unlimited see Jer. 23.23 Am I a God at hand and not a God a far off Can any hide himself in secret places that I should not see him for do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Thus then those Scripture phrases of receiviag the Holy Ghost c. are not to be understood of the Spirit in respect of his Personal Essence which is undivided unlimited and filleth all things and so not one man more then another But 2. In respect of his impressions and workings on the souls of men in respect of his gifts and graces which are various and divers and carry their name from the cause or Author of them There are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 where the Spirit is plainly distinguished from his gifts as the cause from the effect the workman from the work of his hands or as the body of the Sun is distinguished from the light and heat which is darted and displayed from it And whereas it is said the Spirit is but one but his gifts are divers we may hence observe that if we should confound the Spirit of God with the gifts and qualifications dispensed from him we should be so far from acknowledging and worshipping the true God which is but one that we should fall into that grosse Idolatry of the Heathens of old making as many Spirits of God as they made gods who deified the moral vertues and worshipped their several vertuous qualifications as gods The unwary neglect of this distinction betwixt the person and qualifications of Gods Spirit is that very rock whereupon many a misguided and unstable soul hath suffered the shipwrack of the true Christian Faith for being by the cunning suggestion of the spirit of Lyes once perswaded in their hearts that they have the Spirit of God and that personally abiding in them they are hereupon puft up with such an excessive spiritual pride and self-conceited eminence as not only to exalt themselves above and despise their Christian brethren who are better qualified then themselves but even to extol themselves above the heavens and most blasphemously to professe and boast of an equality with God a blasphemy however 't is salved and minc't that cannot be paralleld but with that originall pride of the Devil He said in his heart I will be like the most High Gen. 3. and to this he tempted our first Parents perswading them to rebel against their Maker and become as Gods themselves knowing good and evil this was the very sin that hurled Lucifer like Lightning from Heaven his pride and presumption to be like the most High and therefore with all his Apostate crew he is now reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse to the judgement of the Great day Jude 6. And for our new Sect of Enthusiasts had they the Spirit of God as they pretend abiding in them and speaking in them Personally and Essentially this blasphemy must necessarily follow that they are equal with God in respect of the Spirit in them as themselves affirm it though not as George Robert c. To avoid which blasphemy and many other absurd and wicked opinions of the like nature which would follow thereupon and wherwith too many unstable souls are now infected we must remember that to have the Spirit in the language of the Scripture is not to be understood of his personal Essence but of his qualifications And because this distinction is very material as to the many present delusions under pretence of the Spirit 't will be necessary therefore to clear it by some Scripture expressions in this kinde 't is an ordinary piece of Rhetorick and an usual figure in the dialect of the Scripture to call the gifts and qualifications of Gods holy Spirit by the name of the Spirit as Exod. 31.2,3 Behold I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri c. Exod. 31.2,3 whom I have filled with the Spirit of God that is with the gifts of the Spirit for it followes in all wisdome and understanding and knowledg and in all workmanship so Numb 11.17 I will come down and talk with thee and take of the Spirit which is upon thee and put upon them and they shall bear the burthen with thee Numb 11.17 where what else can possibly be meant by the Spirit which was upon Moses to be put upon the Elders but that they should partake of the same spiritual gifts with Moses enfitting

hath his secret workings and continual countermines opposing hereunto which evil spirit working also by the frail and deceivable spirit of man doth by many subtile wayes obscure corrupt poyson and belye the sacred qualifications of the Spirit of Truth nor doth the Devil that grand enemy of mans salvation in any kinde of way so much cousen and cheat the souls of men into ruine as by putting false glosses and counterfeit vizars on vices errors and distempers that so they may be mistaken for holy vertues and divine qualifications To instance in some particulars First It is a truth by the Spirit of God both foretold promised and performed That the actings and impressions of Gods Spirit upon the mindes of men are both more strong and frequent as also more general and common under the Gospel then they were under the Law That the gift of the Ministry it self is dilated being not limited to the single Tribe of Levi but all men of what quality soever have a title thereunto meaning Genera singulorum not singula generum that is men of all sorts and kindes not all of all kindes but hereupon to make void pull down and level with the undistinguisht multitude the high and solemn order and offices of the Priest-hood instituted by God himself both under the Law and under the Gospel for a people to snatch the Divine Oracles from the lips of the Priest and presume to teach their Teachers to invade the chair of Moses and offer incense with unhallowed censors for private persons to assume the publique administration of Ministerial Offices without a lawful Call and due Ordination thereunto though they may be otherwise qualified with knowledge and piety These are false glosses imposed upon the former truths by the Spirit of lies Tares sowed by the Enemy of mankinde amidst the purer wheat And that 1. To the high dishonour of God and profanation of all that is religious and sacred 2. To involve the Church of Christ and bury it in the rubbish of confusion and disorder 3. To take away those bounds and limits distinguishing Priest from people which all Nations Jewes and Gentiles all Ages of the Church both Ancient and Modern have kept firm and inviolable 4. To pull down heavy judgements upon the heads of all such sacrilegious Usurpers and Invaders of Divine Rites 2 Sam. 6 6,7 2 Chron. 16.16 c. 2. It is an impression of Gods Spirit upon the soul of man to wait and depend upon God for spiritual wisdome knowledge Prov. 3.5 c. and not to lean to our own understanding or trust too much to our own wit judgement reading learning Prov. 2.6 or the like as knowing full well That the Lord gives wisdome and from him cometh knowledge and understanding But hereupon either to despise or neglect those waies and means and helps which God in his merciful providence hath afforded us for to attain wisdome c. as the study of Tongues and Languages Arts and Sciences the reading and distinctly weighing the Discourses of the learned and to depend upon immediate Revelation and Infusion of such gifts from Heaven as if they should drop upon our barren hearts as did the Manna in the Wildernesse upon the Tents of Israel out of the clouds and by miracle this is a false gloss which the spirit of delusion puts upon the former truth thereby to inveigle us 1. To tempt the good Spirit of God 2. To be exposed and laid open to seducing spirits 3. To enshrine Lady Ignorance again as the Mother of Devotion which all men know but who are blinded with ignorance to be the Dam of superstitions errors and confusions 3. Rightly to beleeve in the Son of God as the mean of our justification here and ground of our hope of salvation hereafter this is an impression of Gods Spirit on the soul of man and in respect hereof we are said to have the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 2 Cor. 4.13 We having the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeved therefore have I spoken faith as it is doctrinal being a spiritual gift and reckoned amongst them 1 Cor. 12.9 And as it is practical 1 Cor. 12 9. Gal. 5.22 being a grace or fruit of the Spirit and reckoned amongst them also Gal. 5.22 But now to mingle and divide and as it were to cut asunder this true Evangelical Faith as it stands full and intire in all its integral parts both of doctrine and practice so as to be vainly puft up with a conceit of being ingraffed into Christ and thereby to be justified here and sure of heaven hereafter whether we live according to the rule of Faith and in obedience unto the Gospel of Christ or no to define and measure our Faith not by the sacred acts thereof commanded which is called the righteousnesse of Faith Rom 10.6 but by our own too too credulous fancies and apprehensions as if it were no more to be in Christ but presumptuously to pretend unto it and impudently without just ground to believe it This surely cannot be that true Evangelical Faith whereunto so many promises are annext but a false glosse which the spirit of Error hath put thereupon thereby 1. To puffe up the hearts of too too credulous men with spiritual pride and presumption and make them swell with the empty conceit and airy fancy of their own happy and eminent state and condition when there is no such matter And 2. To inveigle men to neglect the use and practice of Christian graces those fruits of the Spirit which are as it is already said the very life and soul of Christianity and consequently the way to heaven if ever we mean to arrive there 4. It is an impression of Gods Spirit on the soul of man To be zealous for the Lord of Hosts 1 King 19.14 that is to be exceedingly fervent and forward earnest and desirous by all possible waies and means to advance the religious worship and service of God but to be so factious and forward so fiery and furious as by any illegal extravagant and disorderly means to advance the truth it self much lesse to set up any private opinions in relation to Gods Service which have not been semper ubique ab omnibus Vincent the three rules of Catholick Doctrine and Worship to be generally and for the most part of the Primitive times at least of all persons at all times and in all places received and not now and then here and there by hereticks and schismaticks only introduc'd I say to be zealous for such pieces of Religion Doctrine and Worship and that per fas nefásque through just or unjust means by right or by wrong to endevour the advancement thereof this is not true zeal but a false gloss which the Devil puts thereupon even through the violence of this distempered heat 1. To divide separate and break men into sects factions and parties that they might so

sway with the vulgar very much but when these Sermons discourses and books come to the scanning of judicious ears and such who have the gift of discerning spirits all their preachments prove but unprofitable prattle if not profanations of Gods holy word Their discourses of Religion unreasonable and endlesse brabbles and their books fraught with impertinencies railings and lies For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips they shall be taken in their pride for why their preaching is of cursing and lies Ps 59.12 objection 3 But do not we hear many good things come from them and many sweet truths to the great contentment and edification of the hearers answer There are many sentences and sayings in holy Scripture and other good English books which are so plain and convincing that they cannot be wrested or perverted but when these come to be formed into a Sermon or into a continued discourse by rude and illiterate persons they are generally so disorderly and confusedly delivered so maim'd and obscur'd by insignificant impertinent and erroneous expressions which like dirt or poyson intermixt with wholsome food doth choak and kill rather then nourish and edifie the souls of the hearers The word of God which is the sword of the Spirit in the mouth of an ignorant blinde zelot is like a sword in a mad mans hand wherewith he wounds both himself and others for want of judgement to use it aright or as an unskilful Physitian though he have very good books of Physick and excellent physical receits if yet he do not fully understand these books and the nature and working of these receits and the several tempers withal to whom severally they are appliable he shall more often kill then cure his Patients Even so it is with the unskilful Physitians of the soul when they understand not the holy Word of God aright nor yet how where when and to whom the several divine receits therein are appliable they convert the soul-saving Physick thereof to a soul-killing poyson And the Word which is in it self the fountain of holy truths becomes through the misunderstanding and misapplication of ignorant interpreters and deceitful workers the nursery of Haeresies and errors And as in natural things corruptio optimi est pessima The best things corrupted are of all corruptions the worst so in supernatural and divine mysteries when the word of Truth it self is corrupted and deceitfully handled by ignorant and misguided persons there is nothing more baneful to the truth of Religion nor to the souls of men whereof true Religion is the Physitian and Guide objection 4 But hath not God expresly and plainly told us in his holy Word that he makes choice of such whom you call ignorant and illiterate persons to be the instruments of his grace and salvation unto men as Mat. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes and 1 Cor. 1.26 Not many wise men after the flesh c. answer 1. With all thankfulness and devotion of soul we acknowledge Gods infinite goodness and wisdome in the choice of Apostles and first preachers of the Gospel Non sapientes c Ne traduxisse prudentia ne redemisse divitiis ne potentiae nobilitatísque authoritate traxisse aliquos videretur Ambr. in Luc. 6. 1. Not many wise lest any might seem to have been inveigled and seduc't to Christianity by the inticing words of mans wisdome 2. Not many Rich lest our redemption might seem to be purchased with gold or silver or that worldly gain should become the motive to godliness 3. Not many Noble lest the authority of earthly powers and dignities rather then the authority of Christ and the convincing power of his truth might seem the allurement of our conversion therefore God hath chosen the foolish even Fishermen to confound the Philosophers Publicans and sinners to reprove the most rigid Stoicks and morally vertuous poor weak and unarmed men to make conquest of all nations to dissolve the armed powers of the world and without any carnall weapons to be mighty through God for the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 that so all the world might acknowledge the work of grace and salvation in Christ to be his Revelation not mans invention and that no flesh might glory in his presence presuming to ascribe to his own power wisdome wealth dignity c. what is the sole work of Gods grace and goodnesse But 2. It doth not hence follow that all vulgar and unlearned persons may understand and expound the Scriptures as well as the wise and learned for the reasons already alledged in answer to the first objection And because further under the notion of babes little ones foolish and weak things of the world Quid est parvos c. elegit i.e. non superbos elatos sed humiles mites Aug. is not meant so much the ignorant and unlearned as the meek lowly humble whom no spirit of pride and self-conceited knowledge and holiness had puffed up For it is not ignorance and want of learning but humility and self-dejection that enfits the soul for the impressions of Grace and Truth So that those unlearned persons who have so good an esteem of themselves as to prefer their own sense and judgement in spiritual things before that of the learned and of their Teachers cannot be of the number of those babes and little ones to whom the mysteries of Christ are revealed but rather to be rankt amongst those wise men after the flesh who are rejected objection 5 But against humane learning we are admonisht to take heed of it as dangerous Col. 2.8 Let no man spoyle you through Philosophy answer The best things may be and too commonly are corrupted and abused the holy Scriptures themselves which are given by divine inspiration for our guidance to eternal happiness have been and daily are by Hereticks and Schismaticks wrested to their own condemnation And so it fares with Philosophy and all the parts of humane learning 'T is confessed that many Philosophers opposed holy Christian Religion at the first as contradictory to some of their false erroneous positions and many Hereticks arose in the Church being seduced and seducing others with principles taken out of the heathenish Pythagorean Philosophy from the knowledge whereof they were called Gnosticks But true Philosophy is not therefore to be condemned because Heathen Philosophers held many false tenents no more then true Religion is to be condemned because some seduced professors thereof hold many Heretical and false opinions therein And herein the necessary use of Philosophy is apparent in that though many Heresies sprung from Philosophers Erasm in praefat ad Irenae yet by Philosophers they have been supprest and the truth maintained witness Moses skil'd in all the learning of the Egyptians against Jannes and Jambres with the rest of the Egyptian Magicians and

to strictness and austerity of life then others have and there is a natural quickness and volubility of language and a natural ardour and fervency of minde wherewith some men are endowed more then others which are not therefore infallible tokens that all opinions such persons maintain are orthodox and true Scultetus tels of an arch-heretique in Germany cal'd Swenchfield Abrab Scult annual eccles a great Sect-master who amongst other extravagancies held many blasphemous opinions touching the Scriptures and yet this man did ardentes ad Deum preces creberrimè fundere was both very fervent and very frequent in his prayers unto God Hacket who was executed for blasphemy in the daies of Queen Elizabeth is reported to have excelled so much in the gift of extempore prayer that his disciples did believe him to be altogether inflamed with the Spirit of God and that his expressions were immediately from the Spirit and that there was nothing he might not obtain from God by his prayers Basilides the great Duke of Muscovy was very much exercised both in Prayer and Fasting and very severe towards others under his command that did not conform to his example He had his feigned Visions Paulus Odor bornius in vita quat l. 2. and Revelations also and yet a greater Tyrant and a more bloudy villain Christendome hath not seen The Scribes and Pharisees of the Jewish Church and the Novatians and Donatists of the Christian were far greater pretenders to piety and strictness of life then the truly orthodox of either Church and yet very great and notorious Schismatiques Not to be cousened therefore with fair and goodly pretences of any party or sect of men how seemingly holy and zealous soever and pretending that they have Christ that they have the Spirit that they only are in the right when they are deeply involv'd in an abysse of errors our Lord hath fore-arm'd us with sound and saving counsell Mat. 24.23 c. Then if any shall say unto you Lo here is Christ or lo there believe it not for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets Wherefore if they shall say Behold he is in the desert goe not forth behold he is in the secret chambers believe it not for as the lightning cometh out of the East and shineth unto the West so shall the comming of the Son of man be Two rules for the avoiding infection by false Prophets under specious pretences are hence observable 1. Habet unaquacunque Haeresis vel certas mundi partes unde 〈◊〉 ecce hic ecce illic Every Heresie saith the Glosse is limited to some particular parts of the world and the infection is not universally diffused therefore 't is said Lo here or lo there If any man then shall limit Christ to his particular Church much lesse to his particular sect or fraternity believe it not for such are false Christs and false Prophets Ne credatur schismaticis nomine autem orientis occidentis torum orbem designat Gloss ordin For the Truth displaid from Christ the Sun of righteousnesse like the light of the heaven is diffused from East to West or spread over the face of the whole earth which renders the Church i. e. all sound and sincere professors of the Truth as well Catholique as Holy 2. Vel in occultis aut obscuris conventiculis curiositatem hominum decipit haeresis Id. Heresie and Schism seek out obscure and retired places and begin in conventicles and private meetings therefore 't is said Behold he is in the desert behold he is in the secret chambers So the Apostle of deceivers also they creep into houses and lead captive silly women c. 2 Tim. 3.6 But Veritas non quaerit angulos Truth seeketh no lurking holes is not ashamed to appear in publique being like the light that shineth from East to West open free and manifest to all except forc't to retirement by persecution and violence 9. For the avoiding of errors 't will be necessary to observe further that a Truth is not to be disbelieved or rejected because 't is profest by lewd and licentious persons or maintained by a Church and people that are in other respects erroneous and misguided For Truth is Truth by what mouth soever it bee spoken and 't is the more confirmed to be Truth because 't is even by the enemies of Truth attested to be so The unwary neglect of this rule hath not been the least inlet to manifold errors for 't is too usual with many to object both against orthodox truths and ecclesiastical orders on the one hand that this or that the Papists hold and against a strict careful conscientious life on the other that thus and thus the Puritans profess Hence many truths have been rejected for errors and many decent useful orders customes ceremonies and necessary acts of discipline have been cryed down as superstitious idolatrous and antichristian and the sacred body of religion it self is almost wholly turned out of the Church under the style of Popery Nor hath that piety and integrity of life which is required of particular persons escap'd better but under the notion of Puritanism hath been too much banisht from the lives and manners of men for fear of being branded with the guilt of Schism faction and separation 10 He that will not unawares headlong himself into the gulph of error must not presume upon any extraordinary infusion of Gifts and Graces from above but in all humility wait upon God in the use of means and the careful improvement of what gifts and graces he hath already received It is the manner of Heretiques and Hypocrites saith a learned man Joh. C●st ever to pretend to high lights of the Spirit and to finde new and unheard of waies of walking with God slighting all that is common though never so commendable and catching at all that is curious though never so dangerous and thus they lose themselves in their chymerical conceptions and pretending to refine ancient piety and truth are puft up with secret pride and presumption and grasp nothing but froth and vanity That there are such things as Extasies and more then ordinary ravishments of spirit and infusions of divine gifts and qualifications is not doubted but such supereminences only superexcellent souls are capable of neither yet are they afforded to all pious devout and heavenly minded persons that so none may presume to depend upon them but that every man should keep his station and walk humbly with his God not relying upon extraordinary inspirations in the neglect of ordinary means which is in many respects destructive and dangerous as in the former Treatise And although it be most true that the conversion of every man to the truth being a work of the Spirit is therefore sudden and at one instant or moment of time begotten and wrought in the soul yet notwithstanding our progress towards perfection and bliss in the waies of Truth and Holiness goes on step by step