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
2. Some are worldly and covetous 3. Some are profane and luxurious or voluptuous 1. In case a man be a proud and ambitious man it will suite with his temper and his ends to broach erronious opinions to make himselfe a Rabbi one greater in esteeme honour and applause then other men he would be taken notice of for one to see further then others one that hath greater light communicated to him then others have he is a man that desires to be singular and loves no greatnesse but what is gotten by making others little nor no esteeme but what is wrought out of the disesteeme of others he is a man that loves to inrich himselfe by making others poore and to swell himselfe and make himselfe some body by making others no body he cannot be taken notice of in the crowde and therefore he thinks himselfe best seen when he goes alone Of this spirit was Diotrephes who you reade of in Joh. Epist 3. Who because he could not be great enough subordinate to the Apostles for saith the text he loved the preeminence Therefore he endeavoured to blast the Apostles and make himselfe great by making them little among the people he laboured to work up his own esteeme by bringing them into disesteeme Joh. Epist 3. ver 9 10. Diotrephes who loveth to have the preeminence and prated against them with malicious words and not content therwith c. And therefore it is hard for a proud man to find out truth God saith the humble he will teach and Christ saith how can you beleeve when ye seeke honour one of another so how should you discerne of truth when you carry an eye to your own applause and glory and not the glory of God 2. In case a man be worldly and covetous it may stand with his ends too by this meanes to enrich himselfe and fetch maintenance out of the very heart and bowels of truth such men seeke their own not the things of Christ And this is the ground of many errours in the world if you looke into Popery you may râ—solve many of their tenets into this their covetous desires of gaine could they be so simple to hold ouâ— so many childish opinions viz. Purgatory Dirges Prayers for the dead Pennances Pilgrimages Pardons Indulgences c. but that these bring in aboundance of wealth into their coffers all is to be sold at Rome Romae omnia venalia they will sell Christ or any thing for gaine and you see men will pleade for errours they will maintaine these because these maintaine them by this craft saith Demetrius we have all our gaine See 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. where he speakes of such as make merchandise of mens soules 3. In case a man be profane and voluptuous It will stand with his ends to broach errours that he may more securely sin truth will not prevaile with him to leave his sin and therefore his sinne prevailes with him to leave the truth while he entertain'd the truth it would not suffer him to live quietly in his sins it would be ever checking and reproving of him he could not sin without disturbance and therefore he must either foregoe the truth or his sin but his sin he cannot part withall and he now takes up such an opinion as he may keepe his sin without disturbance he may sin without trouble I have heard of one that went on in a way of sin and would not be reclaimed though conscience held out to him that if he did persist in that way he was sure to perish But for all this he held up sin and therefore he could not long hold up truth it was impossible that these two should stand togther he loved sin and could not leave it and he saw the truth flew in his face which told him that he should perish if he sin'd thereupon he tooke up an opinion which was said to be Origens that after a 1000. yeares torment in hell all men shall be saved and now he sinned with more quiet Others that come to this that none shall be damned God never made his creature to damne his creature These with many others might be named all which are taken up that themselves might sin without check and disturbance And Christians take heed you have some truths some light of God and you walke in wayes of sin notwithstanding all that light If you sin against that light you will sin away that light if the truth will not move you to forsake your sin your sin will prevaile with you to forsake the truth If a man were able to enter into the heart of an old sinner an old worldling he should see what a pack of unsound tenents he hath gotten up what subterfugies and fig-leaves he hath sowed together what a body of base divinity he hath gotten up together and all this that he might sin securely and be secure in sin he that converses with them shall have experience of the truth of all this And as it may stand with the ends of the Contrivers and Actors so with the ends of the Abettors which I might insist upon at large but I choose rather to conclude this first great generall which was propounded viz. how it may stand with Gods ends with Satans with a mans own ends of which I have spoken in each particular for clearer and fuller satisfaction We will now come to the second generall thing propounded viz. The second question Q. 2. What may be the grounds of abounding errours now at the end of the world And indeed the question may well be asked for at the end of the world it is prophesied that there shall be many glorious truths discovered it is said of these times that the knowledge of God shall abound even as the waters that cover the sea And it is prophesied that truths sealed and before hid shall be then manifested and revealed there shall not only be a clearer discovery of things already revealed but a fuller discovery a revelation of those things were not known as in Dan. 12.4 Daniel had prophesied of the latter dayes and he is commanded to shut up the words and to seale the Booke even to the time of the end when many shall run too and fro and knowledge shall be increased And Zechariah tells us that he that is feeble shall be as David Zech 12.8 And to this purpose I have read some that apply that place Rev. 1.13 where Christ is described to walke among the golden Candlesticks Weemes and girt about the paps with a golden girdle In the old Testament they were girt about the middle saith my Authour here about the paps which shewes saith he the Church is growing up nearer and nearer to perfection And without controversie there are glorious things spoken of these latter dayes not only glorious things to be done for God hath reserved most of his visible glory to the end of the world but glorious things to be revealed and made known And
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
errour 2. And as he abuseth fear so doth he that tendernesse of spirit It would be strange to tell you how Satan doth take occasion to enslave a soule by his very tendernesse if the chaine of sin be broken he labours to make a chaine of our graces if he cannot keep us in bondage by our sins he labours to bring us into bondage by our graces You will think this strange but there is nothing more evident in men of tender spirits at their first bringing in when they are tender of every thing they are tender of such things which indeed is their bondage to be tender of they are tender not only of things indifferent which are of a temporall nature but of things lawfull and commendable A thousand cases there are wherewith Satan doth perplex their soules they can doe nothing now without a temptation and most of temptations are raised upon this ground and helped on by this advantage their tendernesse Though a tender spirit be a blâ—ssed thing the greatest mercy on this side Heaven a true tendernesse to sin and for sin yet this disposition may be a distemper as well as a grace there may be an excesse in it it may fall into nothing but scrupulosities and meere questionings without actings As there is a sin in defect the want of it when men will rush upon actions without warrant so may there be a sin in excesse when men will doe nothing for scruple Satan makes use of this disposition 1. Sometimes to fence out truth they dare not entertaine such a thing for fear it is an errour 2. Sometimes he makes use of it to let in errour they dare not reject such a thing for fear it should be a truth 3. Sometimes he makes use of it to overdoe actions 4. Sometimes to underdoe them 5. Sometimes to scruple the doing of them 6. Nay to neglect the doing of them he will prevaile it may be with a man not to pray because he sins in praying there is so much deadnesse coldnesse c. that he will tell you it is better not pray at all then so to pray or prevaile with a man not to preach because he sins in preaching because there is much pride ostentation hypocrisie in his preaching So not to give almes not to converse with men not to serve God with his talents because so much pride in the exercise of his guifts so much ostentation in his almes c. thus he will labour and sometimes prevailes to bury up a mans talents and make men unserviceable to God or to their brethren You had need to know the wiles of Satan that you may avoid them In vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird saith Solomon so in vain will he attempt this way when you once know his wiles This I insist the longer on knowing it of great use in these times lest otherwise Satan make use either of your tendernesse and fear to fence out truth or to let in errour I see many precious dispositions in many Christians you have had it pressed on you to stand ready for the entertainment of every truth to close with every truth of God it hath taken good eff ct in you many there are of you who are wrought up to a preparednesse to follow Christ in any way And I see this disposition in you and our next care must be to preserve this disposition that this readinesse to follow Christ be not abused to this to follow a stranger instead of Christ Indeed you shall not follow the voice of a stranger in destroying errours in undoing wayes so Christ saith but you may follow the voice of a stranger in sinfull in corrupting errours for a time Gods children are free from damning errours but none are free from defiling errours possibly the best may be misled and the tendernesse of the most tender is in danger of being abused especially when errour comes not only under the notion of truth but under great appearance of truth when it is held forth Loe here is Christ this is Christs mind and Christs will this is a truth of God And therefore you had need to beware take heed that no man deceive you you have good dispositions in you but you had need to get knowledge lest those good dispositions be abused either to the rejecting of truth or to the entertainment of errour either to keep you in the conditions you are without desire to enquire further or to hinder you from embracing any more of Gods mind if it be revealed for feare of being led away with errour or to make you to embrace errour for feare of rejecting a truth It is good to be as soft wax if there were no stamp no impression to be received but Gods and truth but soft wax is dangerous when so many false stamps and corrupt impressions are abroad Oh that God would make us wax to receive every impression of truth but rocks of flint against any impression of errour Oh that he would open our eyes broad to receive and let in any light of God in these knowing times and shut our eyes against any errour or false light Oh that he would give us a preparednesse of spirit to embrace any thing of him and a heart lockt up against any thing which is not of God Oh that he would make us tender of rejecting truth but harden us more against any way of errour that he would make us fearfull to reject truth but valiant also to resist errour in our generation 4. A fourth ground of abounding errour hath been the want of holy discipline and a regular way for the suppressing of errour Certainly such a blessing goes along with the right administration of the government of Christ as to suppresse errours and reforme the erronious Indeed a bad discipline as it doth restrain and suppresse many glorious truths for certainly truth hath but little shadow little shelter from a corrupt discipline I say as it doth suppresse and restraine many a truth so it may be a restraint unto some errours it may restraine some upon pollitick grounds but it can reforme none We have had a bad a corrupt discipline such an one as hath been a mother a nurse to many corrupt and sinfull opinions both in dâ—ctrine and in worship 1. In doctrine witnesse those grosse points of Arminianisme vented with license nay of Popery too as was evidenced in the Ministers Remonstrance and that out of many books put out by publike license viz Auricuâ—ar confession Authoritative absolution Prayers for the dead c. 2. In worship too witnesse all their Altars Crucifixes Adoration toward the East Pictures Images the Table was an Altar the Minister was a Priest the Sacrament was a Sacrifice and there wanted nothing to be added to it but the name of Masse and to call it the Sacrifice of the Masse It hath been a fence indeed against truth but a gap to let in errour a naturall mother to corrupt opinions but
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
Apoc praeâ—ect 4. Origen and Tertullian did greatly excell in learning insomuch that the one was esteemed the chief of the Greeks and the other of the Latines yet they fell into many errours and those who held their opinions were judged Heretikes and called Tertullianists and Origenists c. Yet in this I say thus much that so farre as they have learn'd of the Spirit so farre as their learning is implanted so farre it judgeth truly but that which is ours and the improvement of our knowledge by industry and diligence that improved knowledge is subject to errour and mistake The Father may leave his childe a good stock and well gotten but the childe may fail in his improvement of it his additions to it may be faulty The first stock is Gods and that is light in main things he gives his people an unerring an infallible light in essentiall and fundamentall truths or truths necessary to salvation but now the improvement of this stock is ours the additions and accretions to it in accessory and circumstantiall truths and herein we are subject to fail and erre Thus I have answered this Question Whether it be not enough to discover an opinion to be a truth that it is maintained and upheld by learned men c. But least you may think I have been too abstruse that I may speak plain to all take in these three things Learning then I say cannot be a conclusive evidence of truth 1. Because all learned men are not gracious men 2. Because learning without grace is but the forge of errour such men they are for the most part self-conceited part-proud and the pride of the head is a dangerous engine for errour 3. The most learned and the most gracious men may erre as I shewed before I see this spirit in many men that they are great admirers of learning indeed some give too little to it as well as others too much to it some wildly crie down all learning as if it were a prejudice and utterly disserviceable to the finding out of truth in divine things Indeed learning without grace is a forge for errour and an engine against the truth but if you take learning only as we speak it for the improvement of holy reason by the helps of Arts of Sciences tongues and the writings of men there is no Question to be made of it but that learning viz. holy reason thus improved is a great a mighty advantage to the finding out the minde of God and the want of this is the cause why men run headlong into many errours and for ought I see to the contrary that place of St Peter 2 Pet. 3.16 2 Pet. 3.16 where the Apostle speaks of some things hard and difficult in Pauls Epistles Which unlearned and unstable men doe wrest as they doe other Scriptures to their own perdition I say for ought I see to the contrary unlearned in that place may be taken in this latitude which I speak though it 's true those who have not this learning if they have this inward teaching shall never wrest Scriptures to their perdition they shall never erre and continue to erre damnably yet may they erre dangerously And we see this to be true in every daies experience the knowledge of divine things is exceedingly increased Pâ—â—ker de polâ—t ecclâ—â— 2. c 18 p 244. the hidden things of God are revealed truths revealed and confirmed errours discovered and condemned and the perusall of godly and learned men together with the study meditation and debate of things may much improve mens holy reason and strengthen men in the truths fence men against errour the want of which may render men lesse able to stand against the Sopâ—istries of men and more endanger men to be carried away with the stream of errour So that I would not be apprehended to speak against learning under that notion that is the use of any thing which might improve our holy reason and make us able to convince gain-sayers We have to deal with subtill Sophisters and there is need of the utmost of the improvement of reason in divine things But I speak against those who would give too much to it men are all in extreams Is there no middle between too much admiring of it and contemptuous despising of it though it doe not evidence where it is there is truth yet is it of no use to finde out truth Because gold is not good to eat is it not therefore good to buy meat So because learning is not truth is it not therefore serviceable to finde out truth Julian Indeed there are some give too little to it and there are some again which give too much Some that doe not give the least weight to it to cast the balance and others that are ready to resign up their faith and judgement to the learning of others if they see men of learning though they be not able to judge of it they are ready to resign up themselves and yeeld up look and key to them and let them take possession and have full dominion over their faith and consciences Most men are led by blinde obedience and implicite faith in divine things and seeing they will resigne up their understandings they act their reason thus farre that they will resigne up their judgements to those they apprehend most learned they will be of their opinions and of their judgements though they can say no more for it but that such a man saies so it is the opinion of such a learned man I tell you this is as blinde obedience as implicite faith as any is in Rome To conclude this Question there is both danger and folly in this too much admiration of learning 1. There is danger in it you are endangered to resigne up your judgement and faith to them which you are not to doe you are not to make any men the Masters of your faith you see how the Apostle abominaâ—â—d that when he saith 2 Cor. 7. We are not Masters of your faith but helpers of your joy You are not to give up your faith your conscience to the doctrines or opinions of men though the best the holiest the learnedst of men as I have shewed you at large 2. There is great folly in it 1. You are neither able to judge of learning 2. Nor is learning able to judge of truth If you will aske all the learned men in the world out of the Church they will tell you the Gospel is foolishnesse And if you will aske many of them in the Church there are many precious truths which they judge folly and the rest they receive them by tradition or as the received doctrine of the age they live in their knowledge in divine things it is gotten up by industry even as the knowledge in any Art or Science and it is but the improvement of their reason not the revelation of the Spirit If learning alone were a competent Judge of truth and errour and that
the answer of this where you say that many are proud in the truth It would be considered 1 Whether you are not mistaken many there are who mistake magnanimity and true noblenesse of spirit for pride as they doe basenesse for humility Gods people are often charged with rashnesse choler pride impatience when it is but their courage zeal and magnanimity of spirit for the truth of God Gods people are nothing when they are to deal with God but they are something when they are to deal for God they are little when they are to deal with men even with the least of men in their own cause but they are great when they are to deal with the greatest of men in the cause of God Luther cals a gracious spirit Spiritus principalis a princely spirit though it be an humble yet it is a Prince-like humility and not a Vassal-like basenesse this is one piece of the royalty of a gracious spirit hee is not too high to stoop to the meanest services and yet too high to stoop to the lest sin he is not too big to stoop to any condition without sin nor so little as to yeeld to the lest sin upon the greatest tenders or terrours look upon the Story of the three children I say hee is nothing when hee is to deal with God but something when he is to deal for God You see John Baptist how little hee was when hee was to deal with God I am not worthy saith hee of Christ to unlose his shoe-lachets yet you see how great when he was to deal for God see how he chargeth the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 3. O generation of vipers how he reproveth Herod for his incest this was not pride but magnanimity and noblenes of spirit And Moses how little was hee in his own cause and how nothing when hee was to deal with God hee is said to bee the meekest man upon the earth yet in the cause of God hee shews himself there hee stands upon his terms to the utmost and would not yeeld to Pharaoh to leave a hoof behinde the like of Abraham when hee was to deal with God how little was hee I am but dust and ashes yet when to deal with the King of Sodom which had respect to Gods providence and his glory he would take nothing from him not a shoe latchet no saith he It shall not be said that the King of Sodome hath made Abraham rich So Paul though he was humble and nothing when he was to deale with God yet he was something when he was to deal for God he could spare none in Gods cause if Peter walk doubly he will withstand him to the face as you see And it is remarkable what is spoken of the Church of Ephesus in the 2. Revel 2. I know thy patience and how thou canst not beare with them that are evil one would thinke those two to be ill coupled together patience and yet cannot beare wherein doth patience lye but in bearing therefore these are strangely coupled but they agree well in a gracious spirit there is patience in our own cause impatience in Gods patience in our own cause is a vertue but in Gods it is a vice it is not patience but cowardize but pusillanimity to be little in our own cause is commendable but to be little in Gods argues lownes of spirit And therefore you must take heed of mistaking magnanimity for pride That is the first Oper. 2 But secondly It is confessed there is too much pride and self even in the children of truth in the maintaining of it and it is a fault they are to be humbled for how doe men act themselves in all their actings for God expresse their heats more then Gods doe we not see in all undertakings what a deale of pride what a deale of passion how doe men swell one against another set their passion instead of their reason one against another insomuch that that which should be the soader of accord becomes but the bellows of strife and all means of union becomes means of dis-union and all reasons for accord prove but arguments of further distance And this ariseth first either from the crookednes and crabbednes of their naturall tempers Grace though it altâ—r nature yet it doth not abolish nature though it doe much correct and amend naturall tempers yet it doth not altogether either rectifie or free us of them The apple doth retaine the taste of the stock into which it is ingraffed though there be a great alteration yet there may be some taste Grace is ingraffed upon the stock of nature and though it may much alter our tempers though much amend naturall disposition yet there will be a taste of them there will be a relish of them It is a hard task when a man is not onely to deale with a corrupt affection but with a naturall constitution A little humility in some natures may shew more then abundance in another But that is grace indeed which is gotten upon the conquest of contrary tempers and dispositions 2. It ariseth from weaknes of judgement weaknes of judgment is often joyned with strength of will none have more strong passions then they who have the weakest reason Or it may be men may have strong affections to a way and may be ingaged for an opinion which perhaps they want judgement and ability to maintaine against opposition and this causeth them to fall into heats and passions and so much of passion so much of nothing to the purpose there reason as one saith spends upon a false sent and forsakes the question started 3. It ariseth from the heat of opposition which may much irritate and provoke the best of men are but men and have their humana quaedam they have their imperfections they have their corruptions and opposition will tempt and draw forth that corruption we use to say one froward man makes another With the froward thou wilt shew thy selfe froward Psal 18.26 It is spoken of God it is true of man One passion calls in another as deep calls in for deep pride occasions pride and passion passion which make men sometimes sadly think how in most disputes and contendings for the truth men are rather Satans then Saints one to another rather tempters of their sins then helpers of their graces 3. Thou sayest men are proud in the truth Why but though grace doe not expell pride yet it doth humble them for it though it doe not empty them of pride yet it empties and humbles them for it Grace and truth if it be not a bridle it will be a whip if not a curb it will be a scourge if it be not directive it will be afflictive if you doe not learn your duty from it it will chastise you for the neglect of it and so in the issue it humbles men it makes them nothing for their being something the higher the flood hath been the lower is the ebb the more sinfully they exalted
themselves with the more shame and sorrow they humble themselves before God they are as little before God as bigg with men This is the nature of truth where it is entertained either it will inable you to be humble or humble you for your pride it will worke one way either it will empty of pride or empty for pride if you have swelled those swellings are breathed out in sighes the sighes of the closet doe abate the swellings of the chayre and if it work either way notwithstanding this objection this operation may be a good evidence of truth that truth doth humble those who entertaine it and so much for the first eminent operation of truth I shall be briefer in the rest The second great operation of truth is this Secondly Truth hath a heart-changing a heart-transforming power I put them both together because I would draw up all as close as I can It hath I say a heart-changing power Paul had no sooner seen that great truth Jesus was the Christ but he became another man of a wolfe he is now a lambe of a sinner a Saint of a persecutor he becomes a Preacher So the Jaylor what an eminent change did the receiving of the truth make in him he that before was so cruell and inhumane to them how gentle how tender how sweet was he now Truth makes such a change upon the soul that this worke is called a new Creation and the man upon whom it is wrought is a new creature he hath a new judgement and notions of things a new heart and affections to them a new life and conversation in them he is a man who differs as much from himselfe as before he did from another man head and heart and life and all are changed And this change is not a morall a partiall a formall change but a thorow universall and spirituall change they are sanctified by truth Joh. 17.17 And therefore I say it doth not onely change but it transformes it hath a soul-transforming power truth doth transform the soul into the nature of truth it makes the soul holy as it is holy pure as it is pure spirituall as it is spirituall it makes a man like unto it selfe Be but at the paines to peruse two places for this the first is 1 Jam. 21. where the word is called an ingraffed word which indeed changeth the stock into the nature of it selfe As you cut off the boughs and branches of a crab-stock that you may ingraff the better fruit into it so the Apostle he bids us there to lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtines which are the corrupt branches in which a corrupt stock doth abound and saith he receive with meeknes the ingraffed word which as it is able to save your souls hereafter so now to change the whole stock into its own nature the second place I would present to you is the 2 Cor. 3 18. While looking upon him as in a glasse we are changed into his own image from glory to glory truth hath this transforming power where it is entertayned such as mens notions are such are their spirits ill precepts beget ill principles corrupt doctrines corrupt hearts A mans heart carryes a conformity with his notions and principles there is a great agreement between what is entertained into the understanding and what is wrought in the heart the worke of the heart is but the births of the understanding the issue begotten upon the heart by the power of the notions in the minde never face answered face more exactly in the water then the heart answers the head where truths are of divine reception you may receive truths partially and as men onely and yet be never the better for them there may be truth in the head and a lye in the heart but if you receive truth fully and as Christians as the wax takes the impression of the seale so doth the heart of truth and principles are bred in you suitable to those notions you have truly received truth where it is entertained in truth it hath a heart-changing and a heart-transforming power It makes you like it selfe holy as it is holy pure as it is pure spirituall as it is spirituall And when men are not so one of these two must surely follow 1. Either that is not truth which you have received 2. Or else you have not received it truly either that is not a good word which is ingraffed or that good word was never yet ingraffed into you Certainely where that is ingraffed both stock and fruit are changed And so much for the second Oper. 3 A third operation that truth hath upon the soul where it is entertained It hath a sinne-subduing power truth is of a purging healing purifying and commanding nature Where truth is received in power nothing is in power besides it where it commands in the soul the soul is under no other command but truth where it is truly a Master and it is not there truly where it is not a Master there nothing rules but truth what the Apostle saith of the spirituall man I may say of truth which is a great part of him It judgeth all and is judged of none and it commandeth all and is commanded of none Truth was never there in power where lust hath power nor never had command in that soul where corruptions beare sway Indeed sin may dwell where truth doth dwell but sin doth not command where truth doth reign No man can be under the reign of truth and under the power of lust a servant to truth and a vassall to his corruptions truth hath a sin-subduing power it can pull downe strong holds cast downe high imaginations and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Are you then under the authoritative power of any corruption are you under the command of any lust lusts of the understanding lusts of the heart or lusts of life Know this either that is not truth which you have entertained or you have not entertayned truth in the power of it Oper. 4 Fourthly A fourth operation that truth hath upon the soul where it is entertayned It hath a heart-quickning power as the main truth did raise us up from death and beget life in us at the first for every truth in its measure and proportion is serviceable to cherish and quicken life begotten in us Truth and life alwayes goe together truth alwayes carries life with it and life is ever the companion of truth Christ is called truth and he is called life too Joh. 14.6 I am the truth and the life hee could not bee the one if hee had not been the other Now as all light is in the body of the Sunne yet every ray every beam carries light with it So all life is in Christ who is the great truth and yet every truth is a beam from this Sunne and great truth it carries life with it it is therefore called the light of life Joh.
your selves you must be content to sacrifice all to the obedience of truth you must be content to give up your sinnes as a snare and your selves as a sacrifice for the enjoyment of it he that sees not truth more riches then all riches he that prizeth not truth above riches friends the world he shall never be a true owner of it Indeed he may own it but never be true owner of it he may own it as a servant and make use of it so farre as it may be serviceable but he will never own it as a Master to which he makes all serviceable Many love to command truth but few to be commanded by truth many love to be master of it but they will not be mastered by it they look upon truth as we look upon fire and water to be good servants but bad Masters and therefore as they entertain it when it may serve them so they can disclaim it when they are to serve it I see a deal of self in the world both in the setting on foot and in the entertaining and maintaining of opinions nothing would be so great a check to errour nor open so free a course for truth as the removing of this great obstacle of self out of the way let it be all our prayers we had never more cause Good Lord deliver us from our selves Let not self interpose it self either in the venting the searching the entertainment or rejecting of opinions lest we close with errours and deny the truth And so much shall serve for the third Caution I will be brief in the rest If you would finde out truth Caut. 4. beware of wilfulnesse and perversnesse of spirit we are oftentimes too stubborn in errour and too easie in the truth we are I say too facile in the truth and too tenacious in errour and though there be no reason why we should be so yet there is great reason why we are so errour you know errour hath more agreement with us then truth it is more sutable to our natures and our tempers and therefore we doe more strongly adhere to it besides it may be an errour may be the birth of our own hearts a brat of our own breeding and bringing forth and we love our own It is more easie to deny the births of our body then the births of our souls it is more easie for a man to deny his naturall affections then his sensuall affections sinne is more our selves then our substance is and there is much to heighten the difficulty Certainly it is an act of great self-emptying for a man to recede from and deny what he hath sweat for what he hath brought forth with a great deal of pains and handed to others under the most lovely and receptible notions of truth and hath perhaps gotten a great deal of honour of applause of gain thereby I say it is hard for such a man to deny himself in such opinions There is no man would be accounted either weak or wicked either a deceiver or a fool now he knows he shall run the censure of one of the two either men will look upon him as wicked and a deceiver one that hath been an impostor and seducer or else they will look on him as weak and simple And the present height of esteem which the opinion hath raised him up unto doth heighten the act of his self-deniall and make it more difficult for him to become nothing we have need to beware of such a spirit men have taken too much liberty in our daies to vent themselves and it may be have drawn many disciples after them they have gotten much applause and much honour by being singular none indeed have more esteem amongst many then they whose hearts are the forges of novelties It is a sad thing Oh! but take heed of being perverse in your way learn to deny your selves and judge it your honour to be conquer'd by truth It is greater honour to be the spoil of truth then to carry the trophies of errour a greater honour to be a servant a vassall to truth then to be a King in errour And with that I shall shut up the Cautions We shall now come to the Directions whereby you may be able to finde out truth in these daies wherein errour abounds Direct 1 1. Consult impartially and diligently with the Word of God and God in the Word There is much in this first Direction It is indeed the main of all and therefore we shall speak the more largely to it The Word of God is held by all the touch-stone to try and discover opinions the mine where truth lies the mint of doctrine the orb out of which truth shines the casket wherein this jewel is locked up the Starre by which we must sail if we would be preserved from those rocks and shelves which otherwise we are in danger to split our selves upon 1. But then 1. The Word of God must be consulted withall the Starre will be no guide if we doe not eye it nor will the Word be any direction if we doe not consult with it we must then consult with the Word which hath relation to the understanding for the affections are not to intermeddle in the finding out of truth 2. And secondly we must consult impartially that is without prejudice without prepossession without byassing without sinister affections without corrupt aims and ends consult impartially as men desirous to know and resolved to doe It was the fault of the Israelites they desired Jeremy to enquire what was the minde of God but they were pre-resolved before what to doe Optimus lector est qui dictoruÌ„ intelligentiam expectat ex dictis potius quam imponat retulerit magis quam attulerit Hillar Non enim sensum queÌ„ extrinsecus attuleris alienum extraneum debetis sed ex Scripturis sensâ—m capere veritatis Morton Apol Cath. p. â— l. 5. c. 9. de Scr. jud and therefore when Jeremy brought them a message contrary to their mindes and pre-resolutions they rejected it and said in plain termes they would not obey the Word of the Lord which he had spoken So many they enquire into the Word but not with impartialnesse of spirit they are men pre-resolved and rather enquire to strengthen their own resolutions and pre-possessions and engagements then as naked single inquisitours to know and obey the minde of God revealed this is the doublenesse of spirit in men these doe not enquire Gods minde but enquire to strengthen their own minde they are resolved of their way and rather search to fortifie themselves in their pre-resolutions then to alter their resolutions according to Gods discoveries Take heed of such a spirit Consult but consult impartially as men that doe apprehend it their happines to know the good and acceptable will of God 3. Consult diligently Wisdome is a treasure that must be digged for as the wise-man tells you and so is truth and I may say of one
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
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
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
forbid that any should lift up a hand against such an one I will say of such as Augustine saith to Procutianus the Donatist Such persons erring from the truth must be drawn home by milde instruction and not by cruel enforcement Spirituall weapons are most proper for such a conscience Carnall weapons will never accomplish their end this is sure A conscience that cannot be bribed cannot be frighted he that is above the favours he is above the tenours of the world too When the Emperour offered Basil great preferment to tempt him from the faith he rejects them with scorn saying Offer these things to children after he threatned him most grievously Basil contemns all and saith Threaten your purple Gallants who give themselves to their pleasures In vain are promises or threatnings to them to whom the whole world is despise d. A man truly conscientious though in an errour he is too bigg for the world to conquer morall weapons are the only way to deal with him his sufferings they doe confirm and establish yea and comfort him in stead of shaking and unsetling him in his way What ever is taken up upon conscientious grounds will not be left upon worldly discouragements if it be certainly there was no conscience in it or if any conscience it will quickly check him for it Men meerly forced from an errour certainly had either no conscience in it or if they had they injure conscience if meerly upon such grounds they doe recede from it It is therefore my earnest and vehement desire that men of conscience and such as are truly conscientious would separate themselves from those who falsly pretend conscience All march under your banner all shelter themselves under you and pretend conscience with you who are men of no conscience You that are truly godly and conscientious Come out from among them and be ye separate be not numbered up among Atheists Papists Socinians Arminians c. rid your selves of that generation who hold such destructive and soul-murthering errours and yet pretend conscience with you and we have done we will follow you no longer And thus I have done with two of the Rules to be observed in the prudentiall dispencing of this power viz. that it be dispenced with distinction of errours and with distinction of persons We come now to the third which is 3. This power is to be dispenced with distinction of penalties There are degrees of errour all errours are not alike culpable some errours are more sinfull more dangerous and destructive then others are and as all are not alike culpable so should not all be alike punishable Besides there is difference also in the persons who are in the wayes of errour some are seducers others seduced some are the promoters others but the followers some again are of proud arrogant turbulent spirits others are of meek humble conscientious and peaceable spirits all which layes down an unquestionable ground of distinction and difference to be made in the dispencing of this power Calvin layes down a three-fold distinction of errours 1. There are some saith he which ought to be tollerated and born withall by a spirit of meeknesse and are not by any means to divide and separate between brethren 2. There are others which though they deserve chastisement yet saith he Modicum castigationem sufficere gentle correction is sufficient 3. And there is a third sort of errours saith he which plucks up religion by the roots overthrows the foundations are full of blasphemies against God and carries poor souls into destruction c. And these saith he are to be cut off with the severest punishments And with this consents Bullâ—nger Beza against Bellius and Monfortius c. By which is evident from them that as they held a difference of errours Calv refu error M ch Servet p. 694. inter opusc so did they also affirm distinction of penalties All errours are not alike sinfull nor are all errours alike punishable Certainly there will be differences in opinions We know but in part and every one hath need of his grains of allowance otherwise the best may be found too light Frateâ—nam inter ecclesias evang licas coÌ„muâ—â—oâ—e n non esse rescindendaÌ„ ob diversas de questiooniâ—us controversis opiniones c. DaveÌ„ ad frater communionem inter eccl evan â—estaur adbort Zâ—nâ—h in quart praecept Fox Acts and Mon. And it is as certain that there are some errours which are better healed by patience then by punishment And I could wish that those which may be cured by patience may never taste of any outward punishment Pity it were that things of small moment should ever divide or alienate the affections of those whom one God one Lord one faith one spirit one calling bands of so great force have linked together Certainly much in this case is to be borne withall The bonds of the brotherly communion between Churches evangelical ought not saith Davenant to be dissolved upon every difference in opinion but only for the denying and opposing fundamentals And as their communion is not to be dissolved so is not the Magistrates power to be provoked against such differences It is a passâ—ge of Zanchy That those who would stir up Princes to have all pâ—ople Kingdoms Commonwealths which not overthrowing the fundamentals of Religion differ from them in any thing to be condemned of heresie excluded from favour driven out of their coasts those certainly are no friends either to their Princes or to the Church of Christ There is a Story in M. Fox in his Acts and Monuments taken out of Guil. de sanct Amor. whom he commends for a valiant Champion of Christ and opposer of Antichrist among other marks of false Apostles he sets down this True Apostles did not procure the indignation of those Princes with whom they were esteemed and regarded against such persons as would not receive and hear them according as we read in the life of Simon and Jude the Apostles the chief Ruler being very angry commanded a great fire to be made that the Bishops might be cast into the same and all other who went about to defame the doctrine of Christ and the Apostles but the Apostles fell down before the Emperour saying We beseech you Sir let not us be the Authours or causes of this destruction or calamity nor let us who are sent to be the preservers of men and to revive those dead through sin be killers of those that be alive Upon which the learned authour after this manner inferreth They then who have the favour of Princes and use it as an Engine against them who are contrary minded to them are no true Apostles I relate not this to give the least countenance to that licentious liberty which men take in differences in these daies Certainly this was farre from the intention of the authour nor would I have it extended beyond the bounds laid down but to caution men that they doe not devide their affections
discriminating characterizing names which are nothing else but badges of faction bellows of strife markes of division fewell of debate stampes of difference trumpets of discord and mainly obstacle a happy and desired union These making us two and in aliquo tertio two opposite one to another It hath ever been Satans design to sowe the seeds of division in the Church of Christ hoping that Christs kingdom if once it be divided will quickly be ruined And that he might effect this design the better he hath still laboured to brand men with siding and dividing names which hath been too succesfull not only to beget and keep up but to fewel and encrease strife and divisions in the Churches of Christ The Germane Churches can tell you the truth of this in their sad and wofull experience whose names of divisions Lutherans Calvinists Zuinglians Hussites c. have so long torn and divided them that it is a wonder that any of them have so much as a name Some of the Fathers not without cause did exceedingly declaim against these names of division Epiphanius who though he himself writ against 80. Epiphan â—er 42. 70. Non Petrianos non Paulianos sed Christianos nos oportet vocari heresies yet he would not allow the Christians to bear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any other name to be super added to the name of Christian And I have read it was the speech of Nazianzen We ought not to be called Petrians or Paulians but Christians Certainly he that sees any thing cannot but see these characterizing names to be the very bellows of strife the trumpets of faction and carry division in the very fore-head of them and I know no end of them but to enlarge the differences among the Saints and under these ill names to render up one another to be wooried by the multitude Nullum criminis nomen nisi nominis crimen Tertul. who see no further then the name and think the name crime enough when all the crime is often but the name 3. Bury up and forget all bitter and distastefull passages Let an act of oblivion be made in which all disrelishments either in language or action word or deed may be buried up in silence and let him be unworthy the name of a brother who doth either renew them or revive them Bitter pils had need to be swallowed not chawed It was said of the Polonian Churches seeking union Though they could not conclude all their controversies yet they could bury up and banish all contentions I wiâ—h we might do the like though we cannot strait conclude our controversies yet let us banish all contentions And in seeking to compound our differences in judgement let us not by mutuall provokings beget a disunion in affection which will enlarge our differences and make them more irreconcilable Differences at the first are often times small but like rivers the further they go the greater they grow and the incandid unbrotherly harsh proceedings in them are none of the least means of the inlarging of them It were a happy thing if in all debatings and writings for the future harsh and unbrotherly passages like rockâ— might be avoided and what ever in this kinde hath escaped any in the heat of the contention might be expunged obliterated and forgotten Lest seeds of future division if our differences may not be compounded which God forbid should be left to succeeding posterity who will be ready to imitate if not out-act those who have gone before them We see a sad example of this in the contentions among the Germane Churches which stand up no land-marks to sail by but sea-marks rocks to shun and avoid It would be a preparing way to our union and agreement if by consent of all there might be a mutuall act of oblivion passe whereby all former exasperatings might be forgotten and buried up in an eternall silence and a mutuall obligation never to provoke or imbitter the spirits of one another more we had all need rather to carry buckets than fagots and to seek to lessen than to enwiden our differences unbrotherly proceedings makes a difference where there is none and where there is any it makes it twice as great so that at the last though the controversies might be easily accommodated yet the mindes and spirits of men exasperated imbittered and provoked become hard to be reconciled 4. Retract unjust charges in consequentiall or strained deductions fastened upon either It is a usuall fault in controversies to extend disagreements beyond the purpose or thoughts of the persons dissenting if they doe not differ they will make them differ if they disagree in a little and come not up to their thoughts they will make their disagreements too wide ever to be composed How ordinarily do men by drawing deductions and consequences from their adversaries assertions fasten such opinions and tenents on them which they abhorre and neither apprehended nor granted I grant there is some use to be made of such reasonings we may labour to make an opinion odious to the maintainers of it by discovering to them what consequences and absurdities do follow and what deductions may be made from such a doctrine but we must not strain their assertions and make inconsequentiall deductions much lesse must we be so unbrotherly as to fasten all those consequences and deductions we make upon them as their own sense and professed assertions Though Tertullian and others held the propagation of the soul which certainly was an errour yet they never held it to be mortall they expressely disclaimed that and yet who sees not but from the one the other might be inferred The Calvinists charge the Lutherans with Eutychianisme which they utterly disclaim but yet may be inferred from their erroneous doctrine of Consubstantiation They again charge us for making God the authour of sin which we deservedly abhor and yet they think it may be gathered from our assertions of predestination and providence Nostrum est noÌ„ quid per se ex quovis sequaâ—ur dogmate sed quid in illorum sequatur conscientia spectare qui tenent illud dogma c. DaveÌ„ adhort ad frat con inter eâ—an eâ—cl p 12. One of our own learned Divines who did cast in his labours to the healing of the differences of the German Churches alledgeth this passage out of Bucer We must not so much consider what will follow in the thing it self froÌ„ every assertion as what will follow from it in the judgment of those who do ma ntain such assertions And he gives this reason for as he who assents to the truth of some principle cannot therefore be said properly to believe and understand what ever may be deduced from it so neither can he who maintains an errour justly be thought to hold all those absurdities which abler men may infer from such an opinion c. It should therefore be our care not to strain or force such consequences from their assertions which differ