were to joyne in execution of the sentence and willing râ—jection and casting him out Many others might be named but I shall wave them and come to the second 2. As you compare like places with like so unlike places with unlike viz. 6. Ioh. 53. Except ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man and drink this blood you have no life in you whence the Papists gather a corporall feeding now compare this with the sixth Commandment Thou shalt not kill if it be such a fault to kill much more is it to eat and devour a man as Papists do conclude by their doctrine Hence Aug. saith those words ought to be interpreted figuratively otherwise they had required a horrible sinne of us 7 M. All our expositions should agree with the Analogy of faith which you reade of 12. Rom. 6. Prophesie according to the proportion of faith now the Analogy of faith is nothing else but the constant and perpetuall sentence of Scripture in the cleerest places of it of which sort are the Articles of faith the Lords Prayer the ten Commandements and what ever is repugnant to this is a false exposition now for instance that exposition this is my body by which Papists interpret this bred is changed into my body the Lutherans they say the body of Christ is under this bread both these are false they differ from the Analogy of faith 1. That tells us Christ had a body like ours and such a body as cannot lye under the accidents of bread or be together with it 2. The Analogy of faith saith Christ is in Heaven therefore not in a box with them 3. Consul Whitak Cont. 1. q. 5 c. 9. It saith Christ shall not come from Heaven till judgement therefore not from the box nor can the words of the Priest who stiles himself Creator creatoris sui make him So the Papists say we are justified by works this is also contrary to the Analogy of faith because in the Lords Prayer we begg for pardon which shewes remission an act of grace not debt 8 M. Because we are weak not able to use these means therefore we ought to make use of the best helpes reading hearing meditating conferring together with the comments and expositions of the best and most orthodox Sed videÌ„dum interim ne nimium illis tribuamus néve putemus illorum interpretationes recipiendas esse quia sunt ab illis profectae Whitak ibid. Esek 43.10.11 But in this take heed of tying your faith to men give not too much be content to take in the light of others but doe not shut your own eyes and give up your selves wholly to be guided by them And if you use these meanes impartially plainely without prejudice you shall be inabled to finde out the minde of God so farre as concernes your everlasting peace And that is the first direction 2. Di. Get an humble heart God hath said he reveales his secrets to the humble the humble shall know his wayes God will breake his minde to the broken in heart that is the way to finde out any truth in generall and this or that particular truth in controversy you see this in the 43. Ezek. 10 11. Shew unto the house of Israel that they may be ashamed of their iniquities and then shew them the paterne And God grant we may be an humbled people certainely it is the way to finde out the truth of God in these times of errour 3. Di. Labour to be renewed in the spirit of your minde That is another direction An unrenewed man shall never know the minde of God God will not reveale his will to those who will doe their own This is that the Apostle layes down as a preparation before he did reveale some points to them Rom. 12.2 Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to the world but be ye renewed in the spirit of your minde that ye may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God where you see the Apostle layes down this as a necessary antecedent before we can know viz. the change of the heart and the renovation of the minde 4. Get a heart prepared for the entertainment of the truth of God upon any termes A heart that may value more of one truth of God then a world a heart that esteems truth honour truth riches truth friends truth to be all A heart that cannot deny it selfe in these things for truth or a heart byassed and drawne aside by carnall respects c. will never finde out any truth of God Sinne in the affection causeth darknes in the understanding a corrupt heart will breed a corrupt head c. sinne in the affection breeds errour and darknes in the understanding Truth is simple and none but a simple heart is fit to close with it doublenes of spirit will never close with singlenes of truth c. 5. Enquire diligently search to finde out Gods minde in this When men will take paines in searching God will shew mercy in revealing Then shall you know if you follow on to know the Lord saith the prophet Hose 6.3 Hos 6.3 Most men walke in the way of their fathers and never enquire whether it be according to God yea or no. And some men with Pilate they will slightly enquire what is truth but will not take pains to finde it And some there are who with the young man in the Gospel when they heare it they will turne their backs on it either it will not stand with their profits or pleasures and such shall never be professours of truth 6. Walke answerable to those manifestations you have walke in conformity to that measure you have received As it was with talents so here Talents not improved instead of increasing them they were taken away he that will not doe what he knowes shall not in time know what to doe If then God reveale any point of his minde to you in any thing beware lest either carnall feare or carnall respects doe cause you to smother the notions of God or detayne the truth of God in unrighteousnes Let your practice come up to your light let your walking be as large as your knowing And when God sees us faithfull in a little then will he reveale more to us when he sees you walke up to the light which he hath made known then will he reveale his whole minde to you David was a man that God would reveale his will unto and he was a man ready to doe all the will of God Act. 14. And you have a plaine Scripture for this Phil. 3.15 Let us therefore as many as be perfect that is upright be thus minded and if in any thing you be otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you neverthelesse whereto we have attained let us walke by the same rule let us minde the same thing And so much shall serve for the fifth great Quaery I have stood long upon it because it is of such main concernment I
Worthies Champions for God in their generations Shall I take the boldnesse to say That I conceive how ever the Apostles in the penning of Scriptures were assisted and directed with an immediate inspired spirit Yet in this Synodicall Convention they did not proceed by their Apostolicall authority nor had they an extraordinary concurrence or immediate inspiration of the Spirit of God I shall give you these reasons and shall then leave it to your thoughts to judge 1. We read vers 2. That Paul and Barnabas were sent from the Church of Antioch to the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem about this Question now Paul as an Apostle and a man immediately inspired did need not to goe to Jerusalem for the assistance of the other Apostles for he was able as an Apostle to have determined the Question himself he knew the whole mysterie of the Gospel Gal. 1.16 17. Gal. 1.16 17. Gal. 2.6 and was inferiour to none therefore he went not as an Apostle but as an ordinary Elder One Apostle as an Apostle might have determined the Question without the help of a Synod 2. The persons here assembled together do declare That they were not directed by an immediate inspired Spirit It is said The Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this Question Now if the Apostles were to act as Apostles what light and assistance could the Elders adde to the Apostles as Apostles But you see the Elders as well as the Apostles met together to consider of the matter and in Act. 21.18 25. Act. 21.18 25. All the Elders of Jerusalem with James take upon themselves these acts and decrees as well as the Apostles and in Act. 16.4 they are called the decrees of the Elders as well as the Apostles but now the Elders of ordinary Churches such as these were here conveened in this Synod could not be collaterall actors with the immediately inspired Apostles as in this Synod they were nay the whole Church say our brethren therefore certainly they did not act as Apostles 3. The manner of the Apostles proceeding in this Councel holds forth to us that they did not act as Apostles nor were immediately inspired because they proceeded by way of communication of Counsels It is said They met together to consider that 's one phrase of speech shews it was not acted by an apostolicall spirit where there are inspirations there is no need of considerations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.7 And it is said there was dispute nay much dispute great and earnest disputation vers 7. When there had been much disputing Peter stood up So that there was much debating to finde out the truth a great dispute And every one delivers his thoughts in order first Peter speaks vers 7 8. then Barnabas and Paul ver 12. and after James ver 13. So that you see here was a great dispute now immediate inspirations are not gathered up by disputes what the Apostles doe as Apostles they doe not by conferring and debating and seeking light one of another but they are directly and immediately inspired of God Indeed the immediate inspired spirit it may discourse and inferre a conclusion from such and such premisses as Paul doth Rom. 4.4 5 6. and Rom. 3.28 But the immediately inspired spirit of God in arguing doth not take the help of disputing one with another things immediately inspired are not gathered up by disputations but by revelations There is no concurrence of man to them they are done without the help of our own reason and without the help of others also 4. If they had been guided by an immediate inspired spirit then should every of them have rested in the sentence of another for the immediate inspired spirit is a like perfect in all his determinations and so Paul should have subscribed to Peters or Peter to Pauls and James to them all and not all to James especially when he doth for ought the phrase imports but set down his own judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 19. I judge and the manner and phrase of speech implies as if it were his private opinion with reverence to what Peter and Paul said to which yet all submitted Now I say if every one were guided by an immediate inspired spirit why should any recede from his own sentence And why should they all submit to the sentence of another seeing they were better able to clear the spirit whereby themselves spake was infallible then the spirit by which another spake 5. If here the Apostles speak by the immediate inspired spirit the Churches had been here left in some doubt which to follow for though one Apostle doth not speak contrary yet they speak divers one to another James speaks of abstaining from bloud and things strangled and things offered to idols which the other Apostles did not speak of and therefore if the other did speak as they were immediately inspired the Churches would have been left in doubt whether to follow what James said or what Paul and Peter said If it be said the occasion of doubt which of them to follow was removed because all of them afterwards agreed to what James said I say 1. Though the occasion of the doubt was thereby removed from them who were willing to be satisfied yet here was a great advantage given to them who would except against these results because the other Apostles who were yet directed say you by the immediate inspired spirit laid no such burthens nor imposed no such commandments of abstinence c. upon the Churches in what they had said and therefore they might say either this ultimate determination was not the minde of the spirit or the spirit was divers from himself in the procedure of these determinations 2. In that they all agree to James it is a plain evidence that they had not spoken by the immediate instinct of the spirit neither had been directed by any extraordinary dictate and assistance of him because they decline if not recede from what themselves had spoken and now as it were upon further and second thoughts do wholly concurre with James 6. And indeed which may be a sixth instance of the thing in proof though that which Peter and Paul said was a truth that the Gentiles should not be pressed to the observation of Moses Law upon necessity of salvation yet they did not so fully speak to the resolution of the Question nor would that they said have satisfied the consciences of the Churches in their present practice if James had seen no further or spake no more in the resolving of the Question then they did For notwithstanding what Peter and Paul said They might have eaten things offered to Idols and blood and things strangled which at that time had been a sinne against the law of nature and a great scandall and offence to the Jews and so notwithstanding this determination the divisions would have been greater the rents wider the scandall more dangerous then before the Jews they should
errours and those dangerous errours also we should be in danger to receive all under the notion of truth to close with all and swallow all that comes under that pretext Where now by the aboundance of errours we are made more wary more watchfull If it be given out that there is a great deale of false Coyne of light gold abroad it will make men carefull of what they receive which if it were not so we should receive all that comes So here certainly God would by this permissive providence of his have us take heed as well what we heare as how we heare he would have us to take heed what we receive God seemes to speake he would have us to entertaine truth not traditionally but knowingly not because it is the mind of such and such men but because it is the mind of God not because discovered by such and such men but because revealed of God In our dayes in regard of the multitude of errours God seemes to speake to you to be more then ordinarily wary in the receiving of truth to receive it knowingly weightily humbly to receive it after sound debates not suddenly least you be deceived with an errour Let it passe through all debates before it be received under the notion of truth We have some things that are meerely divine and there is no debate to be in them if a toole come on this Altar it defiles it Some things which are mixtly divine and those admit of debate The Apostle tells us of two sorts of truths 1. Foundation truths 2. Building truths 1 Cor. 3.10 11 c. There are some truths that are to be entertained without debates of reason they are to be beleeved as soone as revealed faith is required to the entertainment of them As God in the Trinity of Persons and Vnity of Essence Christ in his Person hypostaticall Union of Natures the work of Creation the Resurrection a Rationes precedentes fidem minuunt fidem subsequentes augent here faith must goe before reason beleeve and know It is an unsound opinion b Vbi definit ratio incipit fides where reason ends faith must begin here reason must not begin at all reason pollutes its corrupt and will corrupt these these are supra above though not contra rationem against reason There are some truths againe and that is most of those which are in dispute and debate now adayes and they are not to be entertained without long debate dispute holy reasoning You are to use all your knowledge and Christian wisdome and all your skill in the word of God all your prayer and seeking A man may entertaine a truth as well as an errour too quickly that is when he entertaines it upon trust or without debate or because others say it or practise it or because at first view it seemes like a truth this is to entertaine it too quickly the Church of Ephesus is commended for her patience Rev. 2.2 And this may be one part of it one branch of her patience that she had tried them which said they are Apostles and found them liars and this was not done suddenly as the third verse implies So let this be your commendation that you have tried those opinions that carry the highest pretext that you have not been apt to beleeve every spirit but you have tried the spirits and the doctrines c. before you have owned them You would not take a man into your house that you knew not and will you entertaine any thing into your heart you would have tried servants such servants as are known such husbands and wives of whose goodnesse you have heard and will you let in a truth and not try it What ever you entertaine as truth you are to be subject to it and will you be subject to errour You are to maintaine truth to part with goods to endure friends to become enemies to part with liberty life for truth And shall I not try it shall I doe all this for an errour Indeed if you were to doe with truth as some others can that can take them up for their occasions and lay them down againe at pleasure that can embrace them and renounce them when they please then you did not need so much curiosity in search but when you are to entertaine truth as you doe your husbands and wives till death separate nay to take it not only till death but to all eternity this should make a man consider and not be too light of his beleefe and entertainment of truth Again if thou were to entertaine truth as a servant only that should only serve thy uses and be serviceable to thee as many doe with truth they aske what it can doe for them before they entertaine it if it were to be so entertained then there need no such great triall that truth that would be most serviceable to thy estate and advantage thee most in the world thou mightst embrace Religion were then nothing but a policie But being to entertaine it as thy King not to subject it to thee but thy selfe to it not to have it to moove according to thy mind but thou according to its motions this should make thee consider before we entertaine Againe if that we might entertaine a truth as we doe only our goods into our houses that would not endamage us any way though they bring in nothing yet they would not endamage us then the matter were not so much But when we are to entertaine truth as that which must live on us that for which I am to part with relations with comforts with riches with estate with liberty with life Beleeve it it would make a man in earnest and try throughly before he doe entertaine a thing for truth and to be sure that God saith it But adde to this your soule may depend on it and that to eternity and not only thine but thy posterities too how many families in this Kingdome that are Papists upon no other ground then their ancestors were and doth the soule of me my child husband wife c. depend much on me and shall not I be wary what I entertaine surely no honest heart but will Well this is another ground or end God suffers errours that we might entertaine opinions warily drop by drop is the best receiving of opinions We are commanded to buy the truth and surely the errours that are abroad tell us it is to be bought by retaile in parcels not by whole sale in the grosse for feare of receiving errour as well as truth there are many cheating chapmen abroad false lights I name none I aime at none in particular There are such who huosterize the word adulterate sophisticate the word And what 's that they mingle truth and errour linsey woolsey And if you take up all in the grosse you may be deceived therefore beware try before you trust examine search Take heed that no man deceive you And thus I have shewed you the first how
And if any thing will treasure up sinne if any thing will make men as bad as the Devill it is the sinnes of the understanding those sinnes make men the likest to the Devill in sinne of any other sinnes of the spirit more then sinnes of the flesh for he hath no body sinnes of the understanding they are properly the sinnes of the spirit which as it is best renewed and therefore the Apostle saith Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind Ephes 4.23 so it is worst corrupted The understanding it is the purest spirituallest and refinest part corruptio optima pessima corruptio the corruption of the best part is the worst and most dangerous of corruption when that which should keep other faculties from corruption nay recover others out of corruption is it selfe corrupted how great is that corruption As Christ saith of the eye of the body the light of the body is the eye if the eye be darke if that which should give light be it selfe darknesse how great is that darknesse So I may say of the understanding * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glasse the eye of the soule if that be darkned if that be corrupted how great is that darknesse how great is that corruption Though the streames be corrupt yet if the fountaine be cleare there is more hope but when the fountaine it selfe is poison'd when the fountaine is corrupted the corruption is dangerous So though a man had many errours in his life and conversation yet if the understanding were kept pure and untainted if that were kept from corruption there were yet some hope but when the fountaine of action is corrupt when the understanding is polluted there is great danger of recovery It would be a hard question to resolve whether a sound judgement though with corrupt conversation which seldome meet yet if they doe whether it may not hold weight with a corrupt judgement though the conversation be not blameable Indeed a corrupt heart and a corrupt life is not so bad as a corrupt head and heart too Some say the corruption of the understanding is the worst corruption though minoris infamiae yet majoris culpae though of lesse scandall yet more fault And the grounds might be in regard that the corruption of the understanding doth make men likest to the Devill and may seeme to be most opposite to God God is a Spirit and the corruption of the spirit must needs be most opposite to God Indeed were the conversation sinfull and the spirit not corrupted then were not sinne in conversation so opposite to God as errour in understanding but both are corrupted in wicked men the practise and the principle affection and action and therefore to say that the corruption of the understanding is most opposite to God I dare not for as errour in the understanding is opposite to Gods truth so sinne in affection is opposite to Gods holinesse And yet there is thus much seemes to speake for it that the corruption of the understanding is most opposite to God because the understanding is not only our spirit but it is the spirit of our spirit as the Apostle Be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind Ephes 4.23 But however though that should not hold yet we may say that sinne in conversation is not so bad as sinne in affection nor sinne in affection and conversation so bad as errour in the understanding at least to a mans selfe 1. Because the one doth not fight against the meanes of his conversion as the other doth 2. Nor is he so hard to be reclaimed and recovered out of his condition as the other is I speake after the manner of men for it is all one when Almighty grace comes that knowes no difficulty all is then alike to Almighty power 3. Errour in principle will breed errour in practise and if it do then will a man run headlong and violently in wayes of sin if the understanding were not corrupted it would be as a bridle of restraint that our passions and affections could not drive so furiously in a way of sinne this would curb us and check us but when that is corrupted then the reines are laid upon the neck of our furious passions and affections and a man goes headlong in sinne Jehu's pace When that which should be our bridle becomes our spurre when that which should restraine us becomes it selfe an instigation to sinne such a man he sinnes twice at once he never scores but twice at once While the understanding was preserved it held the hand it awed the spirit restrained practise but now he sinnes fully he sinnes fully that sinnes with understanding as well as with his affection and that man sinnes with his whole heart his whole soule that man sinnes twice at once though he did wickedly before yet his understanding did not assent to it did not allow it he did not say it was well done but now the understanding allowes it and assents to it his life sinnes his affections his understanding and all sinnes heart and head are joyned all sinnes and nothing stands out and this man must need fill his measure quickly this man will quickly have done he ripens with a witnesse this doth aedificare ad gehennam build up to hell with a strong hand and so in the issue a corrupt life may hold weight with a corrupt understanding Besides a corrupt life is not so dangerous to others men are not corrupted by practise so much as by error errour in conversation doth not prevaile with men so much as errour in judgement this seduceth and drawes many away It is more destructive and dangerous then sinne in conversation men may more easily discerne evill in practise and conversation and so avoid it then they can errour in principle and therefore this is most dangerous for the corruption of others A third end Satan hath to the Promoters 3. It standeth with Satans ends to increase their torment As it suits with his end to increase their sin so it suits with his end to increase their torment too Satan is not content to bring wicked men to hell but he would have them as low in hell as he can faine he would have some as miserable as himselfe as he labours to make them as sinfull so he desires to have them as miserable as himselfe is And this bids faire for it Divines say of Pauls glory it receives augmentation and is increased every day as his labours and paines are fruitfull We may as well say the torment of wicked men is increased and augmented as their errours doe take effect and prosper in the poisoning and corrupting of soules which should make men beware as of what they vent in life so of what they leave after death The parable of Dives speakes something to this opinion he desir'd that Moses would send Lazarus to goe and preach unto his brethren that they might avoid that place of torment why we cannot think there
therefore how darknesse should be at that time when such aboundance of light is prophesied of how errour and abounding errour at such a time when truth and abounding truth shall be made known here is a wonder But Christ puts it out of question that this should be at the end of the world when many shall come in his name and say I am Christ And therefore we will enquire what may be the grounds that now in our times which are towards the end of all things that there should be such an aboundance of dangerous and erroneous opinions It is said indeed that at the end of the world Satan shall be loosed and he shall goe and deceive the nations Rev. 20.7 But I conceive that time of binding and loosing is not yet come Satan is not yet bound and therefore he hath yet liberty though the liberty of his chaine only and goes now about so farre as God will give him permission to be a spirit of seduction and delusion in the hearts of men And therefore 1. The first great ground of abounding errours now I conceive to be Satan who is called the god of this world and is the Prince of darknesse and therfore is the patron of errour As all truth is light so all errour is darknesse as God is the Father of light and truth so is Satan the grand-father of darknesse and errour who hath long walked as a Prince of darknesse and hath ruled and raigned in the darkest times and places and in the darknesse of our understanding till at last the glorious truth and light of the Gospel hath discovered him and therefore from a Prince of darknesse he labours now to turne to an Angel of light and so seduce those by a false light which he could not prevaile withall as a Prince of darknesse As he was a Prince of daâ—knesse so he blinded mens eyes lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.4 Whom the god of this world hath blinded lest the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them But as he is an Angel of light so he doth not blind but enlighten men with a false light which enlightning is a blinding As the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. where he tels them of false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ And no marvell saith he for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light He had long time been successefull with the Gentiles as a Prince of darknesse but he could prevaile in that shape no longer and therfore he comes now to deceive them as an Angel of light In the first he blinds in the second he deceives in the first he is an opposer in this a seducer And here is a great deale in this Satan transforming himselfe into an Angel of light Why how would an Angel of light come to win you to the truth would he tell you that this is a truth of God a glorious truth would he set out the danger of rejecting it the blessednesse of entertaining it would he commend the truth from the effects and operations of it if it were entertained how it would make us wise direct us in service be helpfull to our walking destructive to our lusts Why for ought I know Satan may use all the same arguments and motives to prevaile with us to the entertainment of errour what ever a blessed Angel of light might use as an argument or motive to prevaile with us to close with truth that may Satan use too to perswade with us to entertaine an errour otherwise he could not transforme himselfe into an Angel of light if he did not act and deale with us so as it is not possible by his acting to discerne him from an Angel of light how could he be said to be transformed into an Angel of light if men might say this is the Prince of darknesse And the same you see of those false Apostles and deceitfull workers who yet transformed themselves saith he into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11.13 that is not barely giving out that they were the Apostles of Christ as Rev. 2.2 you reade of some that said they were Apostles but were found lyers but it was a transforming of themselves into the Apostles of Christ and would preach errour as the Apostles preached truth and might use the same arguments motives perswasions which the Apostles did for the entertainment of truth for the embracing of errour Christ tells us the same here many shall come in my name and say loe here is Christ And this is the first ground of abounding errours at this time the malice of Satan who is the envious man who then loves to sow his tarâ—s when God is sowing wheate who then loves to communicate errours when God is discovering truth and perhaps will use the same arguments and motives to perswade to one which God doth to prevaile to the other nay and how farre he may convey false light as God doth true I know not 2. A second ground of abounding errours may be the corruption of mens hearts Satan is the father a corrupt heart the mother and errour the daughter Satan conveyes the seed the heart is the wombe which being formed and cherished there its full moneths at last the monster is brought forth There is not only seminarium hostis required to the birth of errour but partus cordis not only the suggestion of Satan but the conception of the heart we say seed will never grow in a living body unlesse there be a wombe to nourish it so Satan could not prevaile he could not set afoote his errours if he found not corruption in our hearts to receive and cherish them And therefore as Christ said Quid tibi facturuâ— est tentator te vince victâ—â— est Satan Aug. the Prince of the world commeth but shall find nothing in me Indeed its true he seduced Eve who yet had no sin in her upon which hath been raised many questions how Eve could consent to a sinfull action when yet there was no sin in her consent implies sin the Apostle tels us Satan beguiled her he was too crafty for her he deluded her he got her eare and by that stole into her heart he got her eye and by that worked into her spirit she was good but not immutably good she was wise but knew not all Satan therefore worked into her either making use of her naturals which in themselves were not sinfull making use of her eye her eare her naturall desires after further perfection or else being too hard for her by his sophistry who was the wily serpent and that 's implied Gen. 3.12 and 1 Tim. 2.14 That she tasted of that God had forbidden was her sin but yet there was sin before That she looked on it was sin not simply for she might looke upon all the fruit in the garden but looking upon it in the devils glasse as he discovered
Scripture but declares the necessity of the illumination of the spirit So much for the first objection 2 Obj. Another objection against the Scriptures being judge of opinions is this It is the worke of a judge so to declare his sentence that the one party may see he was in an errour and the other that he is in the right but the Scripture nor the Spirit of God in Scripture doth thus evince truth and convince of errour as to make the parties to know they are in truth or were in errour therefore the Scripture cannot be the judge of opinions Answ It is the worke of a Judge to declare the law to give his sentence declare his judgement and not to convince partyes It will be a hard thing to convince the loser that he is in the wrong Men who are given up to errour blinded with folly and bewitched with selfe-love in love with their owne opinions it is a hard thing to convince such that they aâ—e in an errour And shall we say the Word of God shall lose its judiciary authority because men in errour will not discerne of its judgement 2. Though they will not see now and be convinced yet the time will come that they shall see if not before yet at the greâ—â— day of account all things shall be made evident many that breake the lawes and are guilty of felony or of murther yet will not confesse to a petty Justice that he is guilty but at the Assize he is made evident and then he is convinced of it so however men sew fig-leaves and cover their nakednesse now will not confesse their error yet at the great day of Assize all shall be made evident and their mouthes stopped 3. I say that the Scriptures do sometimes so clearly evince truth and convince of errour that the parties themselves even in this life are convinced of it and cannot gaine-say or stand out against the evidence 4. I say againe if that the light and judgement and authority of the Word will not convince men of errour neither will any authority upon earth doe it * Quae controversiae siniri non possunt ex determinatione verbi divini neque finâ—entur unquamex determinatione cujuscunque authoritatis humane Daâ—en Qui ex scripturarâ—m lata sententia se victum non agnoscit nunquam agnoscet se victum ex sententia alterius judicis cujuscunque Daven Those controversies that cannot be concluded and determined by the judgement of the Word neither can they be determined and ended by any authority upon earth He that doth not acknowledg himselfe conquered by the evidence of Scripture will never acknowledge himselfe overcome by the sentence of any judge upon earth Give me leave to shut up what I have spoken in a word of application and I shall enter upon that enquiry Vse You see I have shewed you two things Who are to examine and by what rule to examine I have charged one upon you as your duty at all times It is the duty of every one to examine c. And I have given you here the rule by which you are to try viz. the Word of God This is the touch-stone It is not men not Councels not Synods much lesse the Pope whose unerring authority the Papists set above Councells But it is the Word of God which is the rule and judg a Theodor. histor Eccles l. 1. c. 7. In epist ad Innocent Epis 90. Inrer Epist Aug. and therefore by this the Councell of Nice both tryed and condemned the Arian Heresy by this the Councell of Carthage of Melevis of Orange tryed and condemned the Pelagian Heresy It is the speech of a heathen Philosopher b Qui ponit legem judicem ponit Deum qui addit hominem addit Bestiam he that makes the law judge makes God judge but he that makes man substitutes a beast instead And he gives this reason c Quia homines optimi distorquentur affectibus lex autem vacua est hujusmodi preturbationibus Arist because the best men are wrested with affections but the law is free of these perturbations If so much is to be given to humane lawes above the judgements of the best of men how much more to the divine the Law of God It hath been my work to clear this to you the Scripture is the rule Oh that now you had wisdome in the tryall you had need of wisdome to search to examine and need of wisdom to determine It is a shame to see how men sit as if these things did not belong to them Some are slothfull and will not enquire like Gallio they care for none of these things I have read of a Story of Henry the fourth of France who asking the Duke of Alva whether he had not observed the eclipses he answered no he had so much he said to doe upon the earth that he had no leisure to look up to heaven and there are many of this spirit who are so taken up and have so much to doe with the businesse of the world that they have no leisure to look up to heaven Some who enquire but sleightly and overtly they aske with Pilate what is truth but doe not take paines to finde it Others again who enquire but with corrupt affections which either bribe the understanding into errour or blinde the understanding that it cannot discern of truth Others that perhaps finde but either fear to own it or turn their backs on it as the young man in the Gospel Pelago se non ita coÌ„missurâ— esset quin quando liberet pedeÌ„ referre posset and you know what the King of Navar is said to speak to Beza that he would lanch no further into the deep then he might come safe to shore Men look upon truth as an ignis fatuus that leads them into boggs most men would entertain truth as a servant but few as a King they would own so much as might be serviceable to them but they will not own any more not so much as may master them so long as they may live on truth they like it but cannot away with it when it comes to live on them nay and live on the best of their comforts to live on their estates wives children possessions nay liberty and life c. this is hard And he that sees not truth his honour truth his riches truth his friends truth his liberty life that man will never own truth alone In the disquisition of truth in the enquiring after truth in these daies beware of a double spirit beware there be not treachery in thee beware of a double spirit beware of being byassed with corrupt affections c. Aske the way to Sion with your faces thitherward that is with resolution to goe it when it is revealed be not only willing to know but stand resolved to doe and when God sees you willing to doe he will make you able to know And so much shall serve by way
Sermon on Hag. 1.2 3 4. p. 171 c. that as the name of Antiquity hath been the pretence for many errours so novelty hath been the plea which men have used in all ages against the truths discovered in their generations Since God hath broken the Antichristian yoak which lay upon all the world there is scarce any generation which he hath not honoured with some new or fuller discoveries of truth See Iewel to the same Sermon Mark 1.27 Act. 17.19 Antichrist had corrupted all both worship and doctrine and there must be a time of clearing that which he hath corrupted and when that is done he shall fall for he shall be consumed with the breath of Chirsts mouth and God doth honour every age with something he reforms us by parcels and this hath been the prejudice against truth in all generations the novelty of it this hath been the plea that corrupt hearts have had against the truths of their generation they are new things when indeed they are not new in respect of their being but in respect of their observation Nay and from the beginning it hath been the same pretence that careless and Atheisticall hearts have had against the truths of God You see in Christs time and in the Apostles time when they revealed the will of God they judged all to be new What new doctrin is this that we hear they said so of Christs Mark 1.27 and the like of the Apostles Act. 17.19 Let us hear what new doctrine is this you teach And in after ages there was the same spirit in men they adhered to their old customs and their ancient waies and rejected what ever was contrary to them as new It was Augustins complaint a Hic est mos diabolicus ut per antiquitatis traducem commendetur fallacia This is the devils custom to commend errour to us for truth under the notion of Antiquity Custom without verity is the antiquity of errour Again b Si consuetudinem fortassis opponas c. adverterdum est quod Dominus dicit ego sum via veritas vita if you doe oppose custom to truth consider what Christ saith I am the way the truth and the life c NoÌ„ lixit ego â—um consuetudo sed veritas Aug. He doth not say I am custom but I am truth And besides him others have had the same spirits to conflict withall Cyprian tells those of his time Every custom although old and common yet is inferiour to truth and that custom which is contrary to truth is to be abolished Another hath these words d Religionis authoritat non tempore aestimanda est sed numine neque enim quo die sed quid colere caeperis in tueri convenit quod verum est serum non est Arnob. Quod nos agemus novum quod vos priscum The authority of Religion is not to be reckoned by time but by revelation nor art thou to take notice what day this worship began but what this worship is which began at that time that which is truth is not late The same Authour dealing with those which did plead Antiquity against truth he saith That which we say is new and that which you doe is old but what doth this help you or weaken us The authority of truth is not to be measured by time but by revelation And Tertullian dealing with the same spirits in his generation saith f Hereâ—es non tam novitas quam veritaâ— revincit quodcunque contra veritatem sapâ—t haeresis est etiam vetâ—â— consuetudo Tertul. Novelty doth not confute an errour but the truth what ever is contrary to truth doth savour of heresie even though it be the most ancient custom And Bernard tels us of the wicked tongues of men g Qui cum manifestâ—â—â—umen obnubulare noÌ„ queunt de solu novitatis nomine ca villantur Bern. Cons Park de polit ecclesâ—t 2. c. 20 p. 254 who when they are not able to cloud or darken the evident light they cavil at it for a novelty But in vain doe those alledge custom who are convincâ—d with reason reason is to be preferred before custom much more is truth and the authority of God I name these for this end to shew you that it hath been the spirit of corrupt mâ—n in all ages to reject those things which are contrary to their erroneous customs for novelties and new things And it is the same spirit which acts in men to this day they will rather adhere to an old errour then embrace a new truth I say such a truth as is not new in respect of it's being but only in respect of our observing I might instance in many things what if I should single out this one only viz. our Lyturgie It may be you will say this was composed by learn'd and holy men such as were Reformers in their time it was so but there was never any Reformation since defection to Antichristianisme but in time that Reformation hath been discovered to stand in need of further Reformation we know but in part and God doth reveal his will gradually not all at once The Church grows to perfection not all at once but by degrees and it may be they went as farre then as the times would suffer there is something implied to that purpose in the front of it they had a contrary stream to conflict withall being newly come out of Poperie And I know not whether is the greater wonder of these two that they went so farre then at the first jump out of Popery when so many to oppose them or that we never went farther since after so many years preaching of the Gospel to us Certainly they were holy men precious men in their Generation but yet not perfect men thou rejects their holiness and closest with their imperfections thou adherest to their imperfections and makes use of their holiness for no other end but to retain their imperfections such which if they lived in our daies themselves would disclaim They were holy men and I may say of thee as Augustine did to the Donatists who alleadged Cyprian to patronize them in their errour i Quod in Cypriano naevuâ— in vobis fuligo est c. Aug. That which was a spot in Cyprian is Tartarian darkness and smoak in you Or as another answered the Armenians who said they held the same things with the Fathers k Quod in patribâ—â— error in Armenis haeresis est That which was but an errour in the Fathers is a heresie in the Armenians Or as another speaking of the African Fathers l Patres Africani ex ignorantia deâ—epti suere voâ— vero ex malitia peccatis Nobis vero qui admoniti edocti sumus nulla ejusmoâ—â— indulgentia relinquitur Cy The African Fathers were deceived out of ignorance but you sinne out of malice theirs was the impâ—rfection of their knowledge but yours is the perverseness of your wils Or
the History of truth the historicall knowledge of things but the godly have the mysterie the mysticall conceptions of them To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God Others have the bark and outward rine of truth Illi corticem pij medullam veritatis 1 Cor. 2. ult but the Saints have the marrow and spirit of it We have the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2. ult Unregenerate men may have the out-side but there are secrets in truth in every truth which they know not The Apostle speaks plain The carnall man is not able to understand the things of the Spirit of God and upon this ground because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 1 Cor. 2.14 he may discern of them as a man but not as a Christian he may discern of them rationally but not spiritually As there is need of a naturall eye and light to see naturall things and of a rationall understanding to conceive of rationall things So there is need of a spirituall eye and light to discern of spirituall things there is as much disproportion between spirituall and rationall things and a spirituall and rationall eye as there is between an animal or sensitive eye and a rationall eye the rationall perception of things is not so farre above sensitive as the spirituall is above the rationall perception of things I say man is not so much above a beast as a Christian above a man there is something of animality of the beast in man but there is nothing of a Christian faith and spirituall understanding of things in him faith is as much above reason as reason is above meer sense Which might have been a 3d restriction that unrenewed men or men of corrupt life they may be of right judgement for a time in many things but as men not as Christians by the light of reason not the demonstration of the spirit And therefore you see though it be a probable signe of errour when the entertainers of it are men of loose and corrupt lives yet it is not an infallible evidence for even such men may for a time be right in judgement in main things The Raven might bring good meat to Elijah though she her self was an unclean bird the bird was unclean but the meat it brought was good indeed it was but once we never read of a second time that either the Raven brought it or Elijah received it and it was when he was in the wildernesse too when we are in the wildernesse and straits we may receive bread from a Raven God may make use of a Raven to bring bread but we are to expect and receive our daily bread from better hands Indeed it 's true Non quis sed quid affertur Morton Apol. Cath. p. 2. l. 5. c. 9 Isa 8.20 we are not to look so much upon him that brings it as the meat that is brought we are not so much to look upon persons as doctrines we should rather judge of truth and errour by Rule and Scriptures then by life and practice thither God sends us Isai 8.20 To the law and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this truth it is because the light is not in them Men of corrupt life may deliver to you many excellent truths either out of evidence of reason convictions of conscience or for mercinary ends or for applause and ostentation the Apostle told us of some that preached Christ out of envie Phil. 1.15 Phil. 1.15 Certainly there is an errour of both hands we may have mens persons in too much admiration as the Apostle speaks Jude vers 16. Jude v. 16. You esteem too much of men when you will drinke in and receive an opinion because such bring it and you esteem too little of God and truth when you reject the minde of God because such reveal it it was the speech of Christ concerning the Pharisees Mat. 23.2 3. Mat. 23.2 3. They sit in Moses chair all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and doe but doe not after their works That which Christ spake concerning the Pharisees I conceive to be restrained to those times and to that subject of the Law 1. It was to be restrained to that subject of the Law they were the Interpreters and preachers of the Law Christ would have the people hear thē of it certainly he would not have them hear them upon other subjects if they had preached that Jesus was not the Christ that he was not the Messiah they were to expect a Messiah to come in visible royalty and glory to deliver them from their enemies as they understood that 110. Psalm and other places but as for Christ they knew who he was Is not Joseph his father and Mary his mother say they Joh. 6.41 and is not he the Carpenter No question this was the doctrine they preached and therefore Christ restrain'd them to the subject hear them while they preach the Law 2. Yea and it was to be restrained to the time too as yet the Mosaicall Law was not repealed those rites and Ceremonies were not yet abrogated and therefore as yet they might hear them and walk in the practice of those things but afterwards it would not be suffered they who preached this doctrine were called false teachers and the Apostle cals such deceivers seducers false teachers who preached observance of those things and told the people they were bound to be circumcised and to keep the whole Law of Moses This is certain * Veritas à quocunque dicatur à spiritu sancto est Au. truth by whomsoever spoken is of the holy Ghost We believe truth though the devil speak it but we doe not believe it because he speaks it nor doe we goe to him for the Revelation of it It was a truth which he said I know thee who thou art thou art Christ the Sonne of God but we doe not believe it because he said it but because God revealed it nor yet do we doubt of it because he published it who yet is a lyar and might perhaps speak this truth that we might the rather suspect it because a lyar said it but though he spake it yet we doe not doubt it because God hath revealed it So corrupt men may speak the truth I doe not say they ought to be speakers of the truth men of sinfull lives and practices are not to be in that office as dispencers of the Word and Sacraments but take it as I mean it may for ability in office nor for right to office I say corrupt men may speak the truth but we doe not believe it because they say it but because God reveals it nor doe we doubt of it because they publish it seeing God hath declared it Indeed I would not goe to a lyar to know the truth nor should I reject truth though it come from a lyar So I doe not goe to men of sinfull lives to know
of humane learning Ephes 3.19 Eph. 3.19 That you may know the love of Christ WHICH PASSETH KNOWLEDGE by knowledge there is meant all humane knowledge or the improvement of mans understanding in all kindes of humane learning And so much for the first acceptation 2. Sometimes learning is taken divinely and that either more Strictly Or Largely Also 1. More strictly for the knowledge of the doctrine of Christ the mystery of the Gospel Eph. 5.20 Eph. 5.20 Ye have not so learned Christ 2. More largely for the sound understanding of all divine doctrine 2 Tim. 3.14 15. 2 Tim. 3.14 15. Continue in the things which thou hast learned knowing of whom thou hast learned and that from a childe thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise to salvation Thus it is said Rom. 15.4 Rom. 15.4 That all Scripture was given for our learning that is for our instruction and information in spirituall and divine things Now this knowledge in divine things which is diâ—â—â—e learning it may also be distinguished 1. It is either infused and revealed Or 2. It is meerly acquisite Or 3. It is partly acquisite and partly infused 1. It is either infused or immediately revealed and so was the knowledge of the Apostles and Prophets as the Apostle saith Ephes 3.2 3 4 5. Eph. 3.2 3 4 5. If you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given to me to you waâ—d how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men but is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit There the Apostle shews you plainly how they came to their knowledge 2. There is knowledge meerly acquisite by humane industry by education by arts and diligence by conversing with Scripture with the writings of learned and holy men together with the common assistance of the Spirit of God which is called generall and common illumination whereby a man may get a great deal of knowledge in divine things and be able to discourse preach to write to dispute of them and yet know nothing spiritually and savingly as he ought to know The heart is dark under all this light it 's but a dead knowledge it doth but tell the way it doth not inable to walk in it it doth but keep down it doth not mortifie and subdue sin it is but a daring it is no reforming light and what he knows he knows rather as a man then as a Christian rather rationally then spiritually he knows things but the godly know them by another light then he doth The light in an unregenerate man and one renewed it doth not differ in degree only but in kindes they see things different and have different sight of them one sees them by the evidence of reason the other by the demonstration of the Spirit the one is but like the light of the starrs the other of the Sunne as it may be night notwithstanding the Starrs so the heart may be dark notwithstanding all this light 3. There is knowledge partly acquisite partly infused I say partly infused of God and partly gotten by holy and religious diligence First God gives the eye to see and power for the eye to see and our sight is further cleared by the media the means of Gods appointment and ordination as reading hearing discoursing meditating and studying of the deep things of God The first is implanted light the second is improved light Divines distinguish between supernaturall habits of knowledge and such as are acquired by industry and diligence The knowledge God infuseth which is called the supernaturall habit of knowledge is properly a divine light whereby God doth break into and enlighten the soul and comes into a man as the Sunne ariseth upon the earth and dispels those foggs mists vapours of darknesse and ignorance which before clouded and darkned the soul and that which is acquisite is but the improving and using of that light to search out and know the minde and will of God more fully In the first God doth but as it were give man a candle whereby he sees and is able to search It is a candle within him not a light in his hand but in his heart many have the candle in the hand but not in the heart in the second it is but the use of this candle or this light which God hath given to search to know more of the minde of God and where ever he goes he hath a candle with him he hath an eye some measure of knowledge and light to discern of things that differ especially in those things which are essentiall to salvation And this is implied in those phrases you shall be all taught of God you have an unction of the holy One whereby you know all things There is many have the rationall eye that want the spirituall eye they have light in divine things but no divine light all the knowledge they have it is gotten up by industry by arts by common and generall helps they want that spirituall that holy humbling transforming light they have light but it is but the light of the starrs it is night for all this their heart is dark under all this light they have not the light of the Sun no light from Christ who is the Sun of righteousnesse which lightneth all that come into the new world of Saints You shall see a man get more knowledge of God in one half year after God hath come in with this spirituall light after God hath given him this eye then he had nay then others get all their lives Doe you not see it in every daies experience some men it may be your neighbours or kinred that before God worked on them they were dark understood nothing yet after God hath come in with this spirituall light they have in a short time grown up to wonder as farre exceeded thee as thou doest the poorest novice of the Parish and no wondâ—r they have been taught of God God hath implanted a light into them whereby like the Sun they shine more and more to a perfect day Thus having premised these necessary distinctions we will come to the answer of the Question Whether this be not enough to discover an opinion to be a truth that it is held forth by learned men c. Out of these distinctions laid down I shall frame these answers only 1. For one of these we shall cast it out there is no Question to be made of it That if by learning be meant that light that knowledge which is revealed of God to his Apostles and Prophets it is an infallible character of truth this is most certain All Scripture was given by inspiration of God holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. ult 2 Pet. 1. ult So that there is no Question if learning be taken for knowledge revealed by
the Spirit it is an infallible character of truth But there are four other acceptations of learning which we shall speak unto 1. Learning taken for the knowledge of tongues 2. For knowledge in Arts and Sciences 3. As it is taken for that knowledge which is meerly acquisite in divine things 4. As it is taken for knowledge partly acquisite and partly infused Out of these distinctions we shall frame these answers 1. If by learning be meant the knowledge of tongues only as I told you it was taken in my first distinction of humane learning then I say that neither is that learning sufficient to evidence that a man is in the truth nor the want of it conclude a man to be in an errour Indeed that kinde of learning hath but little of man and reason in it even the least of man it is conversant rather about words than about reason it rather helps to judge of words then of matter it is little help to judge of errour or truth it judgeth more of words then things 2. If by learning be meant the knowledge in Arts and Sciences neither is this conclusive those that excelled most in this kinde of learning have been the greatest enemies against the truth all their knowledge hath been but the strengthnings to carnall reason the fortifications of corrupt reason to make it more strong to oppugne and oppose the truth When the Apostle came to Athens which was the eye of the world or the chief Magazine of the earth for this kinde of learning you see what strong opposition he found all their learning did but fortifie them against the truth which he published And when he preached to them of the resurrection they cry out What will this babler say they judged all but babling which gain-sayed their tenents And he tels you what entertainment the Gospel found among them 1 Cor. 1.23 24. 1 Cor. 1.23 24. We preach Christ crucified which to the Jews is a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishnesse They looked upon this glorious mystery of the Gospel but a silly folly That 's the second 3. If by learning be meant meer acquisite knowledge in divine things or a knowledge gotten up meerly by conversing with Scripture with the writings of holy and learned men then I say again that neither the enjoyment of this will be conclusive that man is in the truth nor will the want of much of this evidence a man is in an errour I have known a man full read in all the writings of men that could better tell you another mans judgement then his own and when out of the abundance of his reading he hath set you down many severall opinions of Fathers and others concerning a point he hath at last concluded with the worst himself Besides there be many errours in the writings of the Fathers and so indeed in all humane writings and he that goes to others to â—ake up his knowledge of truth and wants light within him to distinguish of things that differ may sooner side with an errour then close with a truth Nay if he converse with Scripture and have not a light within him for want of that he may by mistakes run upon errour in steed of truth if the holiest men who have the light of the Spirit out of the imperfection of their light and knowledge may mistake then much more may he who hath no light in him he who though he have a rationall yet wants a spirituall light The Apostle tels us The carnall man is not able to understand the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 1 Cor. 2.14 I know they distinguish between animalis homo homo non renatus between a carnall man and an unregerate man and say that though the carnall man is not able to discern of the things of the Spirit of God yet the unregenerate man may he hath common gifts light knowledge which puts a difference between him and a carnal man though they do not declare him a renewed a regenerate man But yet I say that if we respect the kindes of knowledge neither the carnall nor the unregenerate man can understand the things of the Spirit of God and the Apostles ground shall be mine because they are spiritually discerned which is as much as this because he is not spirituall because he wants an eye from above because he hath no light that is adaequate proportionable to the things revealed they doe exceed captum humanum mans reason and apprehension they are depths above his line to fathom there is a sublimity in the object and a debility in the subject he wants an eye as the naturall eye must enable you to discern of naturall things so a spirituall eye must enable you to discern of spirituall things he may talk of them and dispute of them and have rationall apprehensions of them but no spirituall and divine discoveries of them to his soul he sees them but by the light of the Starrs not by the light of the Sun he sees them by a rationall conception as a man but not by the spirituall notion of them as a Christian As the Apostle shews afterward when he tels you That God hath revealed these things to us by his Spirit such things as eye hath not seen c. that is no naturall eye could apprehend nor any eye which is not enlightned by the light of Christ and the reason why they perceived them was because they had a spirituall eye nay the minde of Christ as in the last verse And so much for the third 4. If by learning be meant such knowledge as is in godly men or if you will so put it up to the utmost such knowledge as is not only in the ordinary ranke of godly men but such as is in those who doe excell and have improved their knowledge by industry by reading and have heightened and refined their intellectuals by the best and choicest helps afforded to man Yet I say though this be a probable signe that the opinion which such men hold forth is a truth yet it cannot be a conclusive and infallible evidence the best of men and the most learned of men have their imperfections their blots their failings It may be said of the most knowing man in the world He knows but in part which though the Apostle spake of degrees and measures of the knowledge of good and truth in the Saints yet it may be meant in respect of the degrees of the knowledge of evil and errour in them also We know but in part I have read of a passage in Reynolds * Quanto ingenio Origines Tertullianâ—s quanta doctrina quam singulari eloquentia suerint omnes intelligunt adeo ut alter Graecorum alter Latinorum Princeps est habitus aâ—qui isti in errores multos inciderunt qui vero pertinaciter eorum sententias defenâ—eruÌ„t haeretici habiti suâ— Terâ—â—â—â—anistae Origenistae appellati Censur
as he of the other Then shall you finde it if you digg for it as for hidden treasure You have another promise for that Hos 6.3 Then shall you know if you follow on to know the Lord where ever the Antecedent duty was ever truly done the consequent priviledge was never denied A man may with Pilate ask what is truth and with him never be the wiser he asketh rather out of complement then out of affections to be resolved And a man may enquire overtly and remisly and yet never know but he that doth enquire diligently and industriously that diggeth for it as for hid treasure shall surely finde Truth is a treasure it is the choisest treasure upon earth and treasures must be digged for and there was never any that digged but he found Nunquam Pauli sensum ingredieris nisi Pauli spiritum imbiberlâ— Bernard at lest so much treasure of truth as was needfull for glory and for grace 4. You must consult with God in the Word not only with the Word of God but with God in the Word As one saith of Pauls Epistles Thou shalt never attain to the right sense of Pauls Epistles till thou drink of Pauls spirit so thou shalt never know the minde of God in Scripture till thou consult with God in Scripture Indeed you may know the history of Scripture but not the mysterie of it you shall read the words but you shall not know the minde of Christ as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 2. ult till you consult with God and the Spirit of Christ in the Word it is he only that must unfold his own meaning enlighten his own Word reveal his own truth otherwise thou wilt be dark in the midst of light and ignorant under all the discoveries of wisdome as the Apostle sets it down at large 1 Cor. 2.7 8 9. 14 15 16. And this is our first direction if you would finde out truth Consult impartially and diligently with the Word of God and God in the Word Scriptura seipsam noÌ„ interpretatur quia varios ensâ—â— praebet Bellarm Obj. But you will say though it be granted the Word is the supreme Judge yet the Scripture is capable of many and divers senses and we see divers interpretations of them one holds forth this to be the sense of Scripture another holds forth another clean contrary and therefore How should we know what is the right sense of Scripture Answ 1. I answer first the divers senses the Scripture doth receive they are not from the Scriptures themselves but from us they are rather different senses put upon it then given by it that diversity of senses is not from the spirit inspiring but from the persons enquiring it is the ignorance and perversnesse of men who wrest Scripture to their own condemnation Morton Apo. Cath. p. â— l. 5. c. 9 Consul Whitak de mediis inveniendi veruÌ„ Scripturae sensum Contro 1 q. 5. c. 9. p. 361. 2. But secondly though men give divers senses of Scripture yet God hath not left us without some helps and means whereby we may come to the knowledge what is the right sense of Scripture Some of the Papists they set down four waies whereby we might come to the right sense of Scripture 1. Regula fidei the rule of faith 2. Praxis Ecclesiae the custome of the Church 3. Patrum consentiens interpretatio the agreement of Fathers 4. Conciliorum praescripta decreta c. the decrees of Councels this seems passing fair it is a wonder they yeeld to thus much but if this be examined to the bottome I fear you will see the Pope to lie hid under all this so that the issue would be that he is the only unerring interpreter of Scripture for they say 1. 1. Regula fidei est quam Papa probat 2. Praxis ecclesiae est quam Papa servat 3. Patrum interpretatio est quaÌ„ Papa â—equitur 4 Concilioâ—um definitio est quaÌ„ Papa confirmat Whitak cont 1 q 5. c 12. pag. 365. Consul Whitak cont 1. q. 5. c. 9. p. 361. Theologus quidam dixit se orando magis quam studendo ac legendo in cognitione Scripturaru a profecisse Orationi lectio lectioni succedat oratio Jerom. In versionum rivulis non est haerendum sed ipsi Scripturarum fontes adeundi sunt Whit. Pax in terra hominibus boâ—ae voluntatis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunquam significat liberum hominis arbitrium sed gratuitam Dei erga homines benevolentiaÌ„ Whit. Consul Whitak loc cit That is the rule of faith which the Pope approves on And 2. That is the practice of the Church which the Pope retains 3. And that is the interpretation of Fathers which the Pope doth follow 4. And that is the determination of Councels which the Pope doth confirm so that in the issue of all faith is resolved into him alone But we will leave them and their waies unto themselves God I say hath not left us without waies and helps whereby we may come to understand the right sense of Scripture Among many I shall lay down these eight severall waies for the finding out the right sense of the word Med. 1. The first and the great means is prayer Prayer is the key which opens the hidden things of God It is Gods direction If any lack wisdome let him ask it of God who gives liberally and upbraideth not Jam. 1.5 As he forgives and doth not upbraid with the injurie so he gives and doth not upbraid with the courtesie It is but ask and have Mat. 7. It was Gods direction and it hath been the Saints practice Open mine eyes saith David that I may understand the wonderfull things of thy Law And if he had cause to pray how much more have we you read and understand not because you doe not pray if you would profit more you must pray more Goe therefore unto him who hath the keyes of David and opens and no man shutteth and desire him to open and reveal his minde to thee We read in Dan. 2 28. that Christ is said to reveal mysteries goe to him and desire him who reveals mysteries that he would open and reveal the mysteries of his Word to you desire him to unclasp this book begg of him to take the veil from thy heart the scales from thy eyes that thou may understand the wonders of the Law the mysteries of the Gospel you have a promise that you shall all be taught of God Joh. 6. Turn this promise into a praier and desire him who onely can teach that he would teach thee A second way whereby we may be enabled to finde the true sense of Scripture is to acquaint our selves with and enquire into the originall languages of Scripture the knowledge of them as it is great establishment unto many truths So it would be the confutation of many errours take an instance or two Luk. 2.14 Glory to God on high on earth peace good
equall Nor would Christ have one Church to forego communion with another Church but upon presupposed censure some foregoing act of authority if he would not have a brother to renounce communion with a brother but upon some fore-going Church-authority Mat. 18.15 16. much lesse would he have a Church And as it is a censure and so declares authority in Synods so it is to me a censure proportionate to excommunication and so certainly the brethren would have the Churches to receive it otherwise I conceive they were not to withdraw communion from them Ames saith Ames cas consc l. 4 c 29 q. 11. th 26. Rutherf though whole Churches and members of another Church cannot properly be excommunicated by a Synod yet for manifest heresie a Synod may 1. Condemn 2. Forsake 3. Reject such a Church which saith he is proportionable to Excommunication And is Excommunication in the essence and substance of the act as the other brethren say Of which I shall speak more by and by Now in the close of all this Discourse of the power of Synods we have two main Objections which we shall endeavour to answer and so conclude this Discourse Ob. 1. But it will be said Are the Churches to obey such a sentence meerly because the Synod commands it If indeed a Synod were guidâ—d by such an extraordinary and infallible spirit as that in Act. 15. and could say with them It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and us then were the Churches bound to obey but our Synods now are not assisted with any such infâ—llible spirit nor have they that extraordinary concurrence of the spirit therefore we are not bound to obey Answ For the first part of this Objection viz. Whether the Churches are to obey because a Synod commands and enjoyns such things I answer No and demand what Protestant Authour ever said so Certainly the power of a Synod is not absolute but limited not magisteriall but ministeriall a power only in the Lord nor are we to be meer instruments moved by the will of those in authority as the Papists say but are morall Agents and ought no lâ—sse to obey in faith then they command in faith and are to give câ—re and diligence we be not accessary to unjust sentences lest we also partake in other mens sinnes But though we are not to obey meerly because they command yet are we to obey because we are commanded in the Lord A Synod is to be looked upon as a solemn ordinance of Christ And the Elders are to be looked upon as the Officers of Christ and they decreeing and commanding in the Lord Manuscr quoted by Rutherf Due right of Preâ—b p. 365. we are to obey Our brethren say thus much Though every particular Church of Christ hath right and power to exercise its own Ordinances Christ hath left them yet in difficult cases we are bound to seek advice of other Churches and to give so much authority to the concurrence of judgements in a Synod as shall and ought to be an obligation to us not to depart from any such resolutions as they shall make upon any consideration what ever but where our conscience and our peace with God is apparently concerned 2. For the second branch of the Objection which is taken from the different concurrence with and the assistance of the Spirit to our Synods and to that in Act. 15. they were guided by an extraordinary and infallible Spirit and could say It seems good to the holy Ghost and us our Synods have only at the best the ordinary assistance of the Spirit nay and may erre and therefore there is a vast difference An. I answer to this 1. This Argument strikes against all jurisdiction in a particular Congregation as wel as against all power in a Synod for a particular Congregation is not infallible neither they may erre in their administrations and therefore shall they not administer censures at all who will say this Nay 2. This strikes against all authoritative delivering of doctrine in single Pastours â—s well as the Dogmaticall and doctrinall power of delivering doctrine in Synods ordinary Pastours they have not that extraordinary concurrence of the spirit they are not infallible they may erre therefore are they not to preach 3. A man and so a Synod may be guided by an infallible spirit although his or their spirit be not infalliblâ— And the results of a Synod may be infallible and founded upon a certain word though a Synod it self be not infallible 4. I conceive these two are not convertible an infallible and an extraordinary spirit A man may be guided by an infallible yet not by an extraordinary spirit the ordinary presence and guidance of the spirit of truth in the word may be infallible yet but ordinary It is not an extraordinary assistance and guidance 5. But fifthly you suppose that here which cannot be made evident and clear that the Apostles were guided in this Synod by an extraordinary spirit or by the extraordinary assistance of the spirit The Papists indeed do affirm it and hence take a ground to inferre the infallibility of their Councels and Synods Non sequitâ—â— spiritus sanctus huic Concilio adsuit ergo aâ—iis adest VVhitak And many famous Protestant Authours in their Tracts against the Papists affirm the same and make use of this as a medium to prove the fallibility of Councels that Councels may erre because they are but men and subject to errour and not guided with such an extraordinary assistance of the spirit as the Apostles were in thâ—s great Councell a Chamier Tom. 3. l 15. c. 10. sect 3. Illis aderat extraordinem spiritus sanctus adeo ut quae illi propoâ—erent adâ—â— simplicitèr manarent at reliquis pastoribus adsistentia spiritus nulla extra ordinem One speaking of this Convention saith The holy Spirit was extraordinarily present with them in so much that whatever they propounded was simply Gods communications but God affords no such extraordinary assistance to ordinary Pastours The like Whitaker also b VVhitak de authoritate Sac. Scrip. l. 1. p. 78 etiam controv 3. q. 6 c. 2. p 610. Certum est hoc fuisse singulare concilium singularibus privilegiis donatum c. It is certain this Councel was a singular Councel and was endued with singular priviledges in regard of the presence of the Apostles Shall we compare saith he the Councel of Trent yea that famous Councel of Nice to this in which there were so many Worthies endued with the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost farre be it from us to make such a comparison And a little after he saith c Omnes definâ—tiones ecrâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scripturis pares fuere Ibid p. 115. All their determinations were inspirations of God and equall to the Scriptures And in this opinion runs the stream of our famous Writers against the Papists With reverence to the vast abilities of these famous
have gone on in a totall abstinence of all Ceremonies which might have been scandalous to some Gentiles and the Gentiles should have gone on in eating blood meats offered to Idols and things strangled which had been highly scandalous to the Jews which certainly had Paul or Peter acted here as Apostles by vertue of the immediate inspired spirit they could not have overseen nor had they let it passâ— By all which to me it seems clear that the Apostles and Elders in this Convention did not act by vertue of an immediate inspired spirit nor had they any further extraordinary assistance of the spirit Possunt alia legitima concilia similiter asserere decreta sua esse decreâ—a spiritus fancti si huic concilio similia fuerint si eandem regulam servaverint quam in hoc concilio servaverint secuti sunt Apostoti Whâ—t cont 3. q. â— c. 2. p. 610. a but as ordinary Pastours and Elders in this act That this Synod or Convention was led by the holy Ghost is evident by vers 25 28. where it is said It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and us But that this was the holy Ghost immediately inspiring the Apostles and Elders upon these grounds alledged I deny But that it was the ordinary concurrence of the spirit such as ordinary Pastours and Elders may have in the truth And thus Whitaker himself notwithstanding all those former passages affirmes saying That other lawfull Councels may in like manner assert their decrees to be the decrees of the holy Ghost if they were like to this Councel and if they did observe the same rule which the Apostles did observe and follow in this Councel meaning the word of truth And indeed if otherwise then either we have no patern for Synods or else all Synods doe act with the same spirit I say either we must with the Papists say That all Synods are infallble or we must say with the Socinians and Arminians we have no patern for Synods at all And thus I have shew'd you that the Apostles and Elders in this Synodicall Convention were not immediately inspired nor had they an extraordinary concurrence of the spirit nor did they act by their Apostolicall spirit but as ordinary Pastours And in this we have the concurrence of some of the Brethren who have written on this subject The Apostles did not in this great Convention determine the matter by Apostolicall authority Cotton Keyes p. 48 49. from immediate revelation but they assembled together with the Elders to consider of the matter ver 6. and a multitude of brethren together with them vers 12 22 23. And after searching out the cause by an ordinary means of disputation vers 7. Peter cleared it by the witnesse of the spirit to his Ministery in Cornelius family Paul and Barnabas by the like effect of their Ministery among the Gentiles James confirmed the same by the testimony of the Prophets wherewith the whole Synod being satisfied they determine of a judiciall sentence in which they censure the false teachers as troublers of the Church subverters of souls They reject the imposition of Circumcision as an insupportable yoke They impose on the Churches none but some necessary observations and them by way of that authority which the Lord had given them vers 28. By all which you see it is fully granted by some of the Brethren themselves That the Apostles in this Convention did not act as Apostles or as men immediately inspired And so much for the first great Objection we come to the second Object 2. But it will be said Though it be granted that a Synod hath power to counsell admonish rebuke an erring Church nay and to publish their errours to other Churches to caution other Churches to beware of them yea and to declare those erring Churches unworthy communion and to charge other Churches to withdraw from them yet notwithstanding all this suppose that an erring Church will yet persist in it's errour and will not be healed and reclaimed hath a Synod no further power to put forth to the gaining of them May not a Synod proceed to further censure viz. the Excommunication of such an erring obstinate Church Answ And here indeed is the great knot of the controversie this is the great dividing point between some of the Brethren on both parts at this time In the perusall of Discourses I finde men various in their thoughts concerning this I will lay down five severall opinions about this Question 1. Some say that no Church or member of any Church is under the jurisdiction of any Church or Church of Churches whatever but that every single Congregation is a Church of Christ and hath full and entire power within it self to administer ordinances dispence censures and independent upon any other or others either for the enjoyment or imployment of this power and when they seek to other Churches it is for assistance and direction not for precepts and injunctions It is not to adde to their authority but to strengthen their ability in the managing of it Park polit eccl l. 3. p. 335. 2. Others say That not only person 's but Churches also are subordinate unto the power and jurisdiction of a Synod or Church of Churches and that a Synod hath not only power to excommunicate erroneous persons but erring Churches also if they will not be reclaimed And this they establish by way of proportion upon Matth. 18. Goe tell the Church of which before and say there is the same reason for the Excommunication of whole Churches as of some persons in them viz. the taking away the scandall the conversion of the sinners and the preserving of other Churches from seduction As two or three persons may scandall and give offence to one Church so may two or three Churches give offence and scandall to many Sister Churches The Apostle implies so much 1 Cor. 10.32 1 Cor. 10.32 where he saith Give no offence neither to the Jew nor to the Gentile nor to the Church of God And if Churches may be offended certainly Churches may offend And therefore without doubt Christ who hath provided remedies for the scandall and offences that may arise among a few in a particular Congregation hath not lâ—ft many Churches and Congregations without some remedy against the scandals and offences of a few Certainly remedies there are And some thinke th s viz. Excommunication and say a Church fals under a two-fold consideration 1. As having communion with it self Pagets power of Classes Synods p. 109. in answâ—â— to D. Ames 2. As having communion with other Churches Though a Church cannot be cast out of communion with it self Yet it may be cast out of communion with other Churches of Christ So Paget in answer to D. Ames 3. Some again thinke that a whole Church is not to be excommunicated and yet not upon D. Ames grounds because a Church cannot be cast out of communion with it self c. Ames Cas
consc l. 4. c. 29. Nor yet upon this ground because the other remedies alleadged are sufficient remedies But for this reason because probably the whole Church is not corrupted and it were better to spare many offenders then to censure one innocent And therefore it is judged safer that this censure of Excommunication should be dispenced distributively rather then collectively by singling out the chief offenders in a Congregation rather then by the cutting off the whole body and society And this is one thing objected against the sentence of Non-communion that it doth without any distinction or difference cut off a whole Church from communion and fellowship with other Churches of Christ when it may be the whole Church is not corrupted and guilty 4. Some thinke the way to deal with an hereticall Church if I may so call it is not by Excommunication but by dissolution of the society But this not being a Church-censure I have nothing to doe with it here 5. And lastly Some thinke That though a Synod cannot excommunicate an erring Church yet may they doe that which is proportionable to it they may censure them condemn them forsake them reject them and render them odious to other Churches for their errours And if this be not Excommunication yet certainly it is analogicall and proportionable to Excommunication Ames cas consc l 4. c. 29 q 11. thes 26. So Ames And is held by some to be it self Excommunication The learned Authour of the book entituled Observations and annotations upon the Apolog. Narration p. 43. hath this expression to those Brethren It is a mistake in you to thinke that in declaring of your non-communion with other Churches you doe not excommunicate them for what is Excommunication but a privation of Cimmunion c. And indeed Excommunication being an ecclesiasticall word and not found in Scripture and the substance of that we finde in Scripture being done why do we lengthen out the contention Object 3. But it will perhaps be said by some That all this is not Excommunication this is but the half of it the negative part of it and not the positive part of it which indeed is that wherein the proper nature of Excommunication doth lie viz. a dâ—livering up to Satan Answ And here we are now come up to the highest step of the controversie This is the the very point of the difference 1. For the first part of the Objection That this is not Excommunication because it wants the positive part To me it seems evident that which is granted by Ames in the fifth opinion and which our Brethren grant in the sentence of non-communion hath something positive as well as negative in it Yea but you will say here is not the delivering up to Satan and in that consists the formality of this sentence of Excommunication Indeed this is a great Question and requires more pains and time then I can spend about it 1. Some there are indeed that thinke in this to lie the formality of the censure viz. The delivering up to Satan 2. Some again thinke it a higher and more dreadfull degree of the sentence The authour of the Observations on the Apâ—l Nar p. 43. 3. Others thinke this Delivering up to Satan to be a fruit and consequent of the sentence and not of the formality of it 4. And there are some that thinke that this delivering up to Satan is neither of the formality of the sentence nor yet a fruit and consequent of it but an act of Apostolicall power put forth by the Apostles towards eminent and great offenders And such an act as ordinary Pastours and Elders neither in the Apostles daies nor ever since could put forth beiâ—g a power proper to the Apostles onely Pet. Molin vat c. 11. p. 10â— De potestate Apostolorum in corpora whereby they delivered up the bodies of great offenders to be tormented by Satan That the soul might be saved in the day of Christ. And this they call that virga Apostolica which you read of 1 Cor. 4.21 Shall I come to you with a rod Such a rod as Peter came withall to Ananias and Sapphira such an one as Paul put forth to Elymas the Sorcerer and such an one as he put forth to Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.20 and towards the incestuous person 1 Cor. 5.3 5. I have decreed that this man shall be delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh That is say they for I will give you their thoughts for the punishing and tormenting of the body by weaknesse sicknesse griefs c. for so by flesh they understand the body * Cum spiritâ—â— manifestè hic significat animam necesse eâ—t per â—aâ—nem spiritui oâ—positam corpuâ— intellâ—gâ— Mol. p. 10â— And say the opposition here between flesh and spirit doth make much for it for if by spirit be meant the soul as in this place it must then by flâ—sh to hold the opposition must needs be meant the body and the sense will then be he hath delivered such an one to Satan for the d struction of the flesh that is for the punishing and tormenting of the body which they exemplifie in Job that the spirit that is the soul may thereby be brought to repentance and saved in the day of the Lord and this extraordinary and miraculous power of inflicting torments on the bodies of eminent malefactours in the Apostles daies is conceived by some to be afforded to the Apostles for to supply and make up the defect of the Magistrates power which they wanted in those daies But yet they deny not but that Paul would have the incestuous person to be cast out of Communion with the Church but this he would have done by the Church of Corinth and by the authority of the ordinary Elders as appears vers 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump so in vers 13. Put away therefore from among your selves that wicked person But when the Apostle speaketh about delivering to Satan he doth not expect the consent of the Church of Corinth but decrees this by his apostolicall power and authority to which decree of his he requires the Churches consent to be joyn'd as he saith I as absent in body but present in spirit have decreed that he that hath done this thing should be delivered up to Satan And that which he adds When ye are gathered together and my spirit it is not to be understood say they as if the decree of the Apostle did depend upon the consent of the Church but having decreed he requires their assent to it And this they prove in the example of Hymenaeus and Alexander whom he delivered up to Satan without the consent of any Church what ever So that you see there is a great deal of difference in mens thoughts concerning this delivering up to Satan 1. Some you see would have it an act of apostelicall power and a punishment inflicted upon the body
they might no doubt have done more if their own wills had not stood in their way We cannot say the first Daven ad frat com adhort p. 3 4. hitherto our endeavours in this kinde have not been so prosperous and succesfull And it speaks sadly to us if all waies of union shall become means of disunion if all waies of agreement shall beget matter of strife if all reasons for accord shall prove but arguments of further distance and if our very pursuits of peace and accommodation do set us farther from it and render our agreements more difficult more impossible This is a sad omen So that it is our misery we cannot say the first and I am perswaded it were our sin to say the second It cannot but be imagined that all parties know how scandalous how dangerous destructive our divisions are and how sweet how desirable and beneficiall both to our selves and others who love us our union and agreements would be therefore it cannot in charity be imagined that our differences are lengthened because we have no minde to conclude them What worldly thing is it that can compensate or ballance such an evil as this Pax una tryumphis Innumeris potior Agreement in it self alone is more to be valued then the triumphs and trophies of strife but is not here our misery do we not stumble in the threshold do we not in the very entrance or first lancing forth into this mare pacificuÌ„ cumber our beginings with needles remoraâ—â— and split our selves upon the rocks of unnecessary disputes which blast all our hopefull beginings retard us in our way ends in nothing but sâ—rrow and fâ—rther divisione 2. A second thing to be looked after is To conclude and establish our agreements We dâ—ffer in some things but we agree in more what is there asserted by one in point of doctrine but is as zealously maintained by the other and for matter of government though in some things we dâ—ffer yet in many things we do agree It were a good step towards this desired accommodation to conclude and publiâ—h our agreements that as men have taken notice of our differences which by too much artifice hath been rendered and so apprehended wider then in truth it is so they might take notice of our agreements also and be comforted in the one as they are troubled for the other And it cannot but be wondered at that we hear so much of the one and no more of the other Indeed it is a work requiring an abler pen but it is well-worthy the best endeavours of the eminentest sons of men it being a better work to unite then to divide to build then to pull down and to heal differences then to inlarge and increase them 3. A third thing to be endeavoured is To accâ—mmodate our difference of which we may say as one said of the divisions among the Protestant Churches Europae speculum p. 173. That unlesse God did stirre up some and clothe them with a mighty spirit for this work the end of them may be that our enemies will laugh when we shall weep And indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is sufficient for these things It is easier to lay down accommodating motives then accommodating media's We have accommodating motives enough and enough of them And I am confident there is not want of accommodating graces both parties are replenished with love with humility with self denial Here is fire and wood but where is the lamb O that we could say with the same fulnesse of perswasion Deus providebit or God will provide or God will discover mediums of his own to soader us together This we breathe after certainly none but he can and we are now within the ken of it Two things would hid fair for it if not wholly accomplish this desired accommodation 1. To settle the power of particular Congregations 2. To allay the jurisdiction of Synods In the first there was a great agreement and if God would but clear up the second all other differences would fall in with them It is our work to be mighty with God that he would shew the might of his own grace to make all difficulties easie and rough things plain That the glory of the Lord might be revealed And let me breathe out the desires and travels of my soul in the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the Name of the Lord Iesus that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you and that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement To which let me add what the Apostle saith by way of argument to it Ephes 4.4 5 6 We are one body have one spirit one calling one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all Oh that we should be one in so much and two for so little I will conclude all with that vehement exhortation of the Apostle Rhetorick above withstanding Phil. 2.1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies fuâ—fill you my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde And the God of peace direct our hearts into the waies of all truth love and pâ—aâ—e FINIS