such a poore and humble spirit as Agur was surely I am more brutish then any man so the translation but as ye see the word any is in a smaller Character not being in the originall neither doe I think it ought to be supplied but we are to read it thus I am more brutish then man according to that of the Psalmist man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish Man being honoured with the image of God in wisdome and Holinesse his spirit shining with the Beauty and glory of Divine truth did not abide in this condition but lost the truth yeelding himselfe to be seduced by the father of lies and so no longer had the wisedom of man in him but degraded himselfe from his created Dignity debased himselfe to the ranke of brute creatures enthralled his immortall Soul and intellectuall nature to his brutish senses and affections and the next words of Agur confirm this sense And have not the understanding of Adam in me that understanding and knowledge of Holy truth which was in Adam and was properly belonging to the nature of man He that knoweth not thus much of himselfe knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know and is no fit Merchant to Trade for truth Christ first informeth the Laodicean of his wants Thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked and then counselleth him to buy vers. 18. Secondly He that buyeth giveth a considerable value But alas what have we to give that is considerable If we offer gold or silver what can we expect but such an answer as Simon Magus had Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money And Solomon telleth us This wisdom of Divine truth is better then rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it which maketh good what I said before we cannot buy truth too dear all outward things that can be desired are not to be compared to it And therefore we may conclude This buying is not of the nature of common contracts in which there is a just proportion between the price and the purchase but rather such as hath some remote Analogy or resemblance to it such as that where the Lord by solemn Proclamation offereth a free and open market Hâ— every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money Come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and milk without money and without price And indeed whosoever getteth possession of saving Truth he hath it by a free gift of meere grace yet so that we must give up whatsoever is necessary for the obtaining of Truth and cast away whatever may hinder us in the receiving or retaining of Truth or is inconsistent with it 1. We must give up our selves our hearts spirits souls bodies to the God of Truth We must bee content to part with any outward things for the procuring and promoting of Truth for the supporting and maintaining of Truth we must account our selves gainers by every losse which we can possibly suffer for Truth 2. On the other side we must renounce and cast away our lusts our own corrupt reason blind carnall notions and prejudices in a word we must out our selves of our selves and yeeld up our selves into the entire possession of the Truth and in all this we give nothing unto God for whatsoever we give up to him for Truth is his own already and cannot bee withheld from him without wrong and robbery what wee cast away is worse then nothing and if we leave it not we keep it to our losse and utter undoing It remaineth then that though we are said in some sort to buy yet Truth is a most free gift of God and conveyed to man by a meere Act of grace Thirdly If we will buy Truth we must get the propriety of it we must make it our own get it into our possession have a sure interest in it and title to it For the Truthes sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever Then hath a man bought the Truth when he hath so owned it and given it such possession of his heart that it is in him as in an everlasting Mansion so as to dwell in him and be in him for ever when he is so possessed of the Truth and the Truth hath such possession of him as to denominate and Characterize him according to that Hereby we know that we are of the Truth and shall assure our hearts before him As great Persons are denominated from their Seates Mannor-houses c. Such a Lord of such a place So he that will buy Truth must get such possession of it and propriety in it as that he may by good right take a title of honour from the truth his own conscience bearing him witnesse in the Holy Ghost that he is of the Truth Thirdly Of whom must we buy Truth This hath been intimated before even of him who is the God of Truth who is the first the Highest Truth the Fountain of all Truth who calleth himselfe I Am because he is in and of himselfe the onely infinite perfection of being and so the infinite perfection of Truth He seeth and knoweth his own essence infinitely perfect and glorious with a most exact knowledge of infinite perfection and some have conceived that this contemplation of God the Father reflecting upon His owne Majesty and glory is the eternall and unspeakable generation of the Son But we are to speak soberly of these mysteries so farre above us Howsoever when we use Scripture-language we are warranted by the highest Authority which calleth Christ the brightnes of his Fathers glory and the expresse image of his Person and the Son of God saith of himselfe I am the Truth And the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son is called the Spirit of Truth To this fountain wee must bring our empty pitchers if we would be filled with these living waters and take in these pure streames of Truth John being in the Spirit saw before the throne of God in heaven a Sea of glasse like unto Crystall The Saints may have their Vials filled with Truth but here is veritatis plenitudo An Ocean and full Sea of Truth and that without mud or mixture cleere as crystall wherein the faithfull Soule may see the glory of God shining in the Face of Christ Here is the Springhead of Truth and they which come not to God and are not inwardly acquainted with him in Christ are strangers to the Truth they never looked into this Sea of crystall which is before the throne of God And so I come to the fourth and last particular to shew the necessity of making this purchase ye see it is absolutely commanded in the Text and because a threefold cord is not easily broken observe how Solomon strongly twisteth together a threefold
charge in a quick and pressing stile 1. Take fast hold of instruction 2. Let her not go 3. Keep her and fasteneth all with this knot for she is thy life If thou lose her it is more than thy life is worth it were better to part with thy dearest heart-blood if thou get and keep the Truth it will keep thee alive in the very jawes of death if thou lose it thou art dead whilest thou livest and in the road-way to everlasting death What need we any farther witnesse yet if ye please to hear an argument or two take these briefly Reason 1 1. Whilest we are travailing here in this world toward our long home our way lieth through a wildernesse wherein are many by-pathes multitude of passengers wandring out of the right way abundance of snares and dangers and above all we are wofully benighted with the naturall darknesse and blindnesse of our mindes now Truth is that Pillar of fire which should guide us in the way wherein we must walk and direct us to the promised rest And though this Truth be never so cleerly held forth unto us in the ministry of the gospel yet unlesse we buy it and get possession of it so as to make it our own and to have it dwelling in us we are not able to follow it It is not enough to have the light of the Sun except withall there be a light in the eye to meet with that light without and take it in so that lumen externum that externall light of Truth which shineth forth in the word will never lead us to that rest which remaineth for the people of God except there be also lumen internum an inward light of Truth and principle of saving knowledge set up in the heart The Apostle having notably magnified his office as in other respects so in regard of that lustre and brightnesse of Divine Truth which shined in his Ministry 2 Cor. 3. proceedeth in the next chapter and saith that he had not handled the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth c. It must be objected What is the cause then that your Gospel is hidden to many thousands his answer is ready If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which beleeve not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them They want inward light Satan the prince of darknes hath filled them with darknesse within they will not buy the Truth and so the Gospel of Christ though it shineth out never so gloriously in it selfe yet it shineth not at all to them as the Sun when it giveth the greatest light shineth not to the blind 2. If we do not buy Truth the Truth will witnesse against us and condemne us A necessity lyeth upon us either wee must make the Truth our owne or else we shall be sure to have it our Enemy Consider that weighty speech of Christ He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day Who is he that rejecteth Christ he that doth not receive his words he that doth not buy Truth but shutteth his eyes or heart against that light of Truth which shineth from the face of this Sun of Righteousnesse These men perhaps may think in their hearts We will have nothing to do with this which they call Truth for which there is so much contention nor with the way wherein it leadeth those that receive it we will neither embrace nor oppose it Nay but saith Christ this will not serve thy turne either thou must receive it or be judged by it if thou doest not buy this Truth and embrace it with thine whole heart it will condemn thee at the last day If men could apprehend with what Majesty and authority that Truth of God which now they cast behinde their backs will appear against them in the day of Christ how would their Souls tremble to despise it How would they yeeld themselves convinced that the purchase of Truth is of absolute necessity whatsoever it may cost them The proudest spirits which now may think to out-face the Truth of God shall then not be able to hold up their faces before it So much for the proofe and opening of this point Let us see the Use of it and that may be 1. For Reproofe 2. For Exhortation Use 1 1. For Reproofe 1. of those who are so farre from buying truth that they labour to stop the trade Such were those Expounders of the Law to whom the Lord Christ saith ye have taken away the key of knowledge ye entred not in your selves and them that were entring in ye hindred they kept the store-house of truth locked up and carried away the key How many have we had of late in this land led by such a spirit who when the truth had many buyers beheld it with an evill eye like the Pharisees complaining of the multitudes that followed Christ the world is gon after him It was a vexation to their false hearts to see the streame of trade bend towards the Coasts of truth and especially when any upon whose habitations was a famine of the word travailed abroad to buy themselves a little food But how are we bound to blesse God who hath stirred up your spirits like so many Josephs already to open many to indeavour to open all the store-houses of truth in the Land that none may complaine of want who have hearts to buy No wonder if the enemies of truth oppose you in this worke It crosseth their maine designe He that doth evill hateth the light and cometh not to the light lest his deedes should be reproved Can the Blackmore change his skinne or the Leopard his spots Doe we expect a reconcilement betweene light and darkenesse Let all tremble to give them the right hand of fellowship in stopping the course of the word of truth and hindring the worke of reformation 2. Of those that are ashamed of the truth what hope is there that such will buy it He that will buy it must looke upon it as his crowne The Church was presented to John in a vision cloathed with the Sun and the Moone under her foote and upon her head a Crowne of twelve Stars The Churches cloathing and her Crown is Light and Truth Can any true-borne Childe of the Church account that his shame which is his Mothers glorie Let such weigh those words of him who is not ashamed to call himselfe the Truth Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the Sonne of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy Angells 3. Of those who will not take so much paines as to resort to
Christ must reign there in righteousnesse and thou must have a soul subdued to his Scepter The Peace of God must rule in thy heart and that is peace in truth when sin reigneth the soul hath no peace with God it may be in a dead sleep Then hast thou this truth of peace with God when the Peace of God ruleth within thee suppresseth mutinous affections subdueth rebellious lusts when the winds and sea obey it and it hath power to calme all the turbulencies and disorders of thy spirit So concerning joy in the Holy Ghost Thou must have thy heart possest with this joy if thou wilt purchase this truth How many read and hear of joy in the Holy Ghost unspeakable full of glory but yet content themselves with such joyes and delights as are full of shame at least full of vanity and end in mourning and misery these are false joyes as one saith Voluptates animi febres earthly joyes are soul-feavers carnall sensuall sinfull delights are even the agues of the inner man For what is the condition of a soul given up to pleasures of this nature but to be in a continuall agitation between hot paroxysmes or burning fits of lust and cold shaking fits of shame and horrour Now as there is a great difference between that unnaturall inflammation of a feaverish body drinking up the radicall moisture wasting the spirits and that kindly wel-tempered heat of an healthy body so there is a vast distance between those vaine and earthly or impure and sinfull delights which waste the conscience and those soul-ravishing sweet serene and heavenly joyes which flow from the bosome of Christ into the breasts of beleevers I might adde many other instances but I forbear Lastly if ye will buy truth ye must improve it It is none of those commodities which a man may buy and then suffer it to lie dead by him no man buyeth the truth but he that buyeth it for use I rejoyced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth as we have received a commandment from the Father It is no arbitrary thing or matter of indifferency but one of the great commandments of God that we should walk in truth and Paul having told the Ephesians Ye are light in the Lord he inferreth walk as children of light Then a man hath bought the truth when he walketh in the light and power of Divine truth when he prayeth humbleth his soul heareth the word and performeth every act of Divine worship in spirit and truth out of such true principles in such a manner with such a frame of heart and such aimes as the truth of God his word requireth when in his place and calling he improveth the truth of God to all purposes Those things which men buy at high rates they desire to make the most of The truth of God being so exceeding precious and costly those that buy it should labour to improve it to the uttermost It is none of those things which are the worse for wearing 2. Let us be perswaded not to thinke any cost too much that we may buy truth And first consider I beseech you what we must cast away which otherwise might hinder us either in getting or keeping truth 2. What we must be content to resigne and yeeld up into the Lord his hands that wee may buy truth The former are such things as are better cast away then kept the very losse of them will be our gain 1. In generall our lusts and sinnes Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God an heart cleansed from the filthinesse of flesh and spirit is like a cleer glasse fittest to give a reflection of those beams of truth which shine from the face of God in Christ The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant They that will see cleerly must do away these scales from the eyes of the inner man 2. In speciall let us renounce our carnall and naturall wisdom 1. If any man among you seemeth to be wise let him become a fool that he may be wise for the wisdom of this world is foolishnesse with God A spirit emptied of all self-sufficiency and selfe-conceitednesse is best fitted to receive the wisdom of God and to purchase His truth 2. Lay aside all prejudices against the truth and first quit all prejudices against the dignitie of Truth Take heede of thinking any Truth of God to be below thee too meane for thee to stoope to Do not thinke thy selfe thy place or parts too high for the least of God his holy Truthes Preach the word be instant in season out of season is a Truth of God which once was given in Charge to Timothy but some I beleeve who pretended to be of Timothy his Ranke looked upon this truth as a thing below their places On the other side when a cause of Religion was brought before Galliâ— he cared for none of these things he had no leisure to spend time about words and names his place ingaged him in Realities State-matters such as were worthy of a Proconsuls Cognizance 2. Take heede of prejudices against the necessity of truth looke not upon it as a matter of indifferency Regard it as that one thing necessary 3. Renounce all prejudicate opinions of dangers or inconveniences which seeme to attend or follow truth such as divisions and commotions these though accidentall to truth doe ordinarily throng in after it Suppose yee that I am come to send peace on Earth I tell you Nay but rather division and that betweene those of neere relations as it followeth there Hereupon some seeme to be as much afraid of the truth as of a ball of wilde-fire they dare not buy it they would rather banish it out of their Coasts whereas truth is no way the cause though the corruptions of some men and their malignity against it and the weakenes and mistakes of others often make it an occasion of those ruptures That there are oppositions betweene the friends and enemies of truth is not strange but that there are dissentions among some of those who unfainedly love and seek truth and agree in the most and principall parts of it is sad yet let not this prejudice hinder us from buying and imbracing truth Amongst those who in the Apostles daies received the Gospell and with joynt consent acknowledged the Lord Jesus to be the Christ there were differences about the observation of Mosaicall Rites and Ceremonies this prejudice did not keepe the faithfull from imbracing and holding fast the truth of the Gospell In Luthers time there were controversies betweene those who were newly come out of Babylon this prejudice did not so far prevaile with the Godly as to make them preferre their slaverie under Anti-Christ above the sweete yoake of Christ Let the unanimous and full consent of the Godly in many and those the most substantiall parts of truth encourage
falling stars giving some glimpse of light and suddenly vanishing the Lord should now hearken to the cryes of His people and give us a fixed Parliament like the Sunne standing still in the midst of Heaven that so there might be time for the discovery and establishment of Truth and for the scattering of the enemies of Truth 3. And lastly consider what will be the value and price of truth at the last on the death-bed in the day of judgement How many thousands of gold and silver yea of worlds if they had them would the greatest enemies or contemners of truth give at that day if then it might be had if then they could purchase the saving knowledge of God of Christ of the Gospel the Truth of Faith repentance sanctification then a whole world for a lamp full of this precious oyl Certainly Truth is alwayes of the same value every whit as much worth now as it will be then But now men looke upon Truth as they do upon rich wares in a dark-shop and so undervalue it whereas they take a full view of the things of the world and look upon them in the open Sun But then the Truth shall be fully discovered men shall see such a light as they never saw a glorious irradiation and Divine brightnesse from the face of Christ and Truth shall be exhibited sub dio in the broad day-light in the cleer light of that Great Day to which the light which now we see by is but as a twilight or evening light Then the worth of Truth shall be fully known they that would not goe to the price of it shall know their losse Oh ye that prize your wealth above the Truth ye will be of another minde when the pillars of the earth are trembling the heavens gathering together as a scroll and passing away with a great or hideous noise the elements dropping or melting the earth and the works in it burnt up if yee will seeke for that wealth which now yee value above the Truth ye must seek it in that heap of ashes and ye that preferre your pleasures above it as they are but shadowes now when they are at best so then they will be torments and ye that esteeme your honours credit reputation and the praise of men above the Truth ye will then see that this was but a blast an empty breath when ye enjoyed it and then it will be nothing yea it will turn into shame and confusion of face for ever On the contrary the beauty and glory of truth will then shine forth in perfection they that bought it at the highest rate shall cleerly understand what a blessed advantage they have made Oh that now we could be wise for our souls Let us be content to begger our selves if need be that we may bee rich Give any thing to buy Truth The time is short as the Apostle saith it remaineth then that those which buy the things of this world be as if they possessed not as men ready to part with them at any time looking upon them as things that little concerne them carrying their hearts above them keeping their spirits weaned from them but that those who buy Truth bee as those that possesse and improve it to the best advantage For the fashion of this world passeth away but the Word and Truth of God and the fruit comfort and benefit of it endureth for ever FINIS 1 Cor. 13 12. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Pellican Mercerus Junius Jansenius {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rev. 3. 18. Mat. 25. 9. Phil. 3. 20. 1. Veritas rei Psal. 1. 6. Mat. 25. 12 2. Veritas Scientiae 3. Veritas Signi 2. What it is to Buy Truth Pro. 14. 18. pro 30. 2 3 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Psa. 49. 12 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Revel. 3. 17 18. Acts 8. 10 Pro. 8. 11. Isai. 55. 1. 2 Iohn 2. 1 Ioh. 3. 19 Deus est summ maxima Veritas Snarez {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Hebr. 1. 3. Ioh. 14. 6. 17. Rev. 4. 6. Pro. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 4. 2 3. Ioh. 12. 48. Reproofe Luke 11. 52. Ioh. 12. 19. Gen. 41. 56. Rev. 12. â— Mar. 8. 38. Mat. 15. 32 Mat. 13. 19. Mat. 13. 22. Luke 8. 14. Mat. 19. 16. 1 Cor. 13. 3 Exhortation 1. Generall 1. to make this purchase 1 Tim 3. 16. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Heb. 4. 2. Math. 4. Jun. in Parallel Res transit cum onere 2 Thes. 2. 10. 1 Kings 21. 20. Col. 3. 16. Eph. 5. 8 Caveat Emptor Luke 13. Suet in Calig Rom. 14. 17. Col. 3. 15. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 John 4. 2. Part of the generall Exhortation Mat. 5. 8. 1. Cor. 3. 18 c. Intus â—xiflens prohibet 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4. 2 Luke 12. 51. Joh. 1. 45. Joh. 7. 49. 2 Chro. 25. 16. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Rom. 8. 32 Joh. 21. 21 22. Mat. 16. 26. Mat. 12. 42 43. Act. 26. 24 Aelian {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Josh. 22. 10. c. Psal. 119. 15. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Ioh. 18. 37 2. A more speciall exhortation 2 Cor. 13. 8. Rev. 3. 14. Gal. 6. 4 5. Phil. 1. 27. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} iâ—de Athleta {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Verse 28. Veâ—itatem sub hasta vendere vel potius praedae et direptioni exponere Agelius Sisinnius {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Soz. lib. 7. cap. 12. Socr. lib. 3. cap 10. Soz. lib. 2. cap. 30. Tit. 3. 10. Rom. 14. 1 2. Comment. de statu reipub. et relig. sub 9. An 1561 Osiand Cent. 16 Joh. 3. 21. Rom. 3. 13. 1 Cor. 4 3. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Livy As they worshipped goddesses or female gods so they had female Priests Soz l. 5. 15 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Senec. Motives Dan. 2. Rev. 3. Exo. 12. 41 John 8. 31. 32. Triumphs of Nassau Motive Vocatus a rege Angliae Edvardo amplissimis promissionibus Mel Ad in vita Brontii Josh. 10. 12 Motive 2. Pet. 3. 10 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 Cor. 7. 30
the market though it be neere their owne doores who grossely neglect precious opportunities of hearing the word upon slight pretences Did they know the worth of truth and looke upon it as their life they would not think every petty inconvenience a just excuse A little change of weather or distemper of body will not keepe those within doores who are necessitated to seek out for that without which they cannot live Those that followed Christ sometimes three dayes together having nothing to eat might have had a fair plea in appearance to shift off their attendance Such as will suffer nothing in this case but make the hearing of the word a meere recreation when they can doe it with ease and at pleasure are not likely to go to the price of truth 4. Of those that come onely as meere spectatours rather than buyers who view many glorious Gospel-truthes openly proposed and freely tendred to all but are content to looke on whilst others buy Such are our common sort of ignorant hearers compared to the way side who hear the word and understand it not The seed lieth above ground then commeth the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sowne in his heart The father of lies easily robbeth such a one of the word of truth 5. Of such as seem to cheapen but doe not buy those who are somewhat affected with the truth and think it worth the carrying home if they might have it at their own price they hear it perhaps talk of it repeat it c. And of these there are two sorts the one compared to the stony the other to the thorny ground the former would own the truth were it not accompanied with the crosse but when persecution ariseth because of the word by and by they are offended They never gave the truth rooting in their hearts and so when the Sun ariseth it is scorched and withered The latter suffer it to be overgrown and choaked with thornes there may be some stirrings in their spirits some springings of their affections upon the receiving of the seed of truth but then their unmortified lusts the care of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches and pleasures of this life draw away the strength of their hearts from the truth and it becometh unfruitfull they will not renounce their earthly-mindednesse or their voluptuous ambitious corrupt affections to make a full purchase of truth Herod did many things and heard John gladly but would not yeeld so far to the commands of truth as to forsake his Herodias there was a thorny lust which choaked all The yong man also seemed willing to buy What good thing shall I doe that I may have eternall life what shall I give to buy truth again All these have I kept from my youth what lack I yet Thus much I have offered if this be not enough I am willing to give more I beleeve he thought hee offered like a chapman But when he heard Christ raise his demands so high Goe and sell all that thou hast and give to the poore he brake off went away sorrowfull as if the price had been unreasonable I feare many who countenance the cause of truth some who are great actours in it yea some who may venture their lives in the prosecution of it may deceive themselves There may be some thornes not rooted up some root of bitternesse not killed some corrupt principle which may carry men far this way some by-end which may poison all If I give my body to be burned and have not love it profiteth me nothing A man may seem to die for the truth and yet never buy it Use 2 2. This is for for exhortation 1. In generall to us all 2. In speciall to those whom the Lord hath honoured above others for the patronage and promoting of the great cause of his truth And 1. let me stir up you and my selfe by all meanes to make this purchase 2. Not to think any cost too much for that purpose concerning the former 1. Get a cleer and solid understanding of all the main and most necessary truthes Learn to be throughly acquainted with the Fundamentalls of Faith Great is the mystery of godlinesse And the knowledge of it is of great concernment it is a great mystery and requireth a deep search An overly slight and superficiall view of those great secrets which the Angels desired to looke into must not satisfie them who will indeed buy truth Labour for a right understanding of the Alsufficiency and infinite excellency of God in all his attributes as hee hath revealed himselfe in his word of the person natures offices of Christ of the covenant of grace of the fountain of all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ the eternall love and good purpose of God toward his and those glorious wayes and meanes whereby the Lord is pleased to bring poore lost soules to glory reconciling them to himselfe by the death of his Sonne calling them by his Word and Spirit uniting them to Christ adopting them for his children and heires justifying them freely by his grace sanctifying quickning and keeping them by his mighty power through Faith unto salvation These and the like are especially to bee studied and wee are to take heed lest Satan intangling us in doubtfull disputes about things of an inferiour nature should cunningly divert our thoughts from searching into these hid treasures I confesse the rents and divisions which follow upon contrariety of opinions are sad and such as we have cause to lament but I am perswaded this is not the onely nor the greatest mischiefe I feare Satan gaineth much advantage by engaging young beginners and wanton wits in the agitation of controversies ere they have laid the foundation much more before themselves have taken root in Christ or so much as proved themselves to be in Christ and Christ to be in them 2. Let us labour to make those Truths which we understand our owne 1. By mixing them with faith The word preached did not profit the unbeleeving Israelites not being mixed with faith in them that heard it they did but view not buy the truth we cannot make the truth our owne nor truly say we have bought it unlesse we so mixe and temper it with faith as that it becometh one with our soules or rather our soules become one with it faith strongly closing with the word digesting it and so leavening all the powers of the soule with the truth and causing them to relish of it 2. By receiving the truth in sincere love No man buyeth truth who doth not truly love it So much truth as thou lovest is thine owne Some may hastily conclude from hence Then all the promises of pardon are mine for these I love from my heart though not those precepts of obedience and qualifications of repentance morification and holinesse But know this It is easie to mistake lies of our owne coyning for God his
dependeth wholly upon the death of the Testatour To this end saith he was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse to the Truth How many thousands of God his Saints have drunk of the same Cup in severall Ages It is appointed to all men once to dye and that is a blessed improvement of death when a man dyeth not onely in the Lord but for the Lord and His Truth He that loseth his life shall find it He shall find mortality swallowed up of life His life is hid with Christ in God far above the reach of any weapons of warre and when Christ who is his life shall appear then shall he also appeare with him in Glory And now give me leave Much honoured Worthyes to bespeake your selves in the Name of the God of Truth whom I looke upon as precious Instruments of the Lord for the advancing and promoting of His Truth Truth of doctrine of worship of discipline truth and power of Godlinesse Ye are farre engaged in this Cause of truth already and it concerneth you to goe on both in Conscience and in point of Honour but chiefely for the Honour of your God who hath so highly dignifyed and so many wayes encouraged you by notable testimonies of His Presence Let it appeare that ye are so possessed with the truth so overpowered by the truth that ye may justly apply that of the Apostle to your selves We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth and then Christ will not fayle to make good that title which he hath assumed to himself The Amen the faithfull and true witnesse The People of God have reposed a great trust in you and they expect truth from you And blessed be God they have had their desires in great measure already answered and the Worke is yet in your hands these first-fruits seeme to be pledges of a full Harvest if our sinnes doe not blast our hopes One of the cleerest evidences I conceive which ye can give of the truth of your hearts to the Publick Cause is Selfe-denyall and quitting of Private Interests Of this ye have given reall demonstration in your readines to devest your selves of militarie and civill dignities that ye might reserve your selves for your proper worke Hereupon yee may with greater Authority exact truth from those whom yee shall imploy a true accompt of the publick service and for the future at least a true accompt of the publick treasure though perhaps for the time past it may be difficult if not impossible in regard of those many sudden exigents confusions unexpected occurrences which have happened yea inasmuch as ye have made your selves such eminent precedents of self-denyall how can others in modesty refuse if you require them not to seeke great things for themselves in making over much advantage of the publick miseries especially such whose service is attended with no hazard and very little labour some redresse in these things might encourage the well affected to more cheerefulnesse in assisting the common Cause and stop the mouthes of others More particularly let me beseech you in the first place to examine every man the truth and sincerity of his owne heart in managing the great businesse which yee have in hand To professe a mans selfe engaged in the Cause of truth and yet to be salfe-hearted toward it and to harbour treacherous aimes against it is not onely contrary to the duty of a Christian but a thing far below the spirit and ingenuity of a Gentleman it suiteth better with the basenes of common cheaters then with men of place and worth A man who by his corrupt principles is led out of the way and put into a posture of defiance and open hostility against the truth is lesse odious by many degrees then a false brother I am perswaded there was more of the Devill in one Judas then in all the High Priests Cavaliers and that Christ resented more hellish malignity in that one Traytours kisse than in all their swords and staves Wherefore Let every man prove his owne worke and then shall he have rejoycing in himselfe and not in another For every man shall bear his owne burden It is not enough to joyne with those who are sincere in the Worke of the Lord but every man must prove his own worke with what heart out of what inward principles to what end upon what grounds and motives in what manner he doth it that he may have rejoycing in himselfe and not in those with whom he joyneth in a good cause nor by comparing himselfe with those who either directly oppose or basely desert it For in the great day of account every man shall beare his owne burden men shall not be ranked on the right hand by whole Companies Corporations Regiments Brigades Armies Houses of Parliament but as in that search which was made in Achan his case they shall be singled out man by man and every mans worke shall be tried in particular 2. Be united among your selves in the great cause of Truth according to that of the Apostle Stand fast in one spirit with one minde striving together for the Faith of the Gospel The expressions are strong he speaketh to them as to Champions of the Truth as the originall word importeth and to whom may it bee applyed if not to such â—oble Champions as your selves stand fast keep your ground Servate gradum as Beza maintain your station and that in one spirit in the power and strength of that Holy Spirit of Truth with one minde or one soul wrestling or striving together as if ye were a combination of many bodies associated and concentred together by one soul as one man with joynt forces contending for the Truth of the Gospel and for the cause of Truth so should ye be able to strengthen your spirits with that encouragement following In nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Your uniting would be a terrour to the adversaries a strengthening to your selves an encouragement to those who are friends to the truth and your friends and servants for the Truthes sake If a noble Heathen out of a morall bravery of spirit could privatas inimicitias reipublicae condonare passe by private quarrells for the Common-wealthes sake far be it from any Member of a Christian Parliament not to lay down all private grudges and crosse designes at the feet of this afflicted Church and State far be it from them not to quit them for the truthes sake lest the cause of truth should miscarry through their default If the greatest persons who will approve their hearts to God must throw down their Crownes at the footstoole of Christ how much more their corruptions But especially let every one take heed of raising or fomenting divisions out of a secret desire to hinder the carrying on of the great work
Differences in judgement about things directly relating to conscience are to be pitied in contemplation of the common imbecillity of mans understanding But when men for sinister ends delight to make rents or cherish factions this is fearfull let none such deceive themselves God is not mocked In extraordinary times such as these upon which the providence of God hath cast us men have extraordinary opportunities of doing God more then ordinary service and on the other side they have extraordinary occasion of bringing more then ordinary guilt upon themselves and wrath upon their posterity This is a time when those who have hearts to improve it may wonderfully further their account and a time when men may exceedingly aggravate their condemnation 3. Let me beseech you to go on as you have begun in opening a free passage and procuring a free trade and open market for the truth of God that all may have liberty and be encouraged to buy and furnish themselves And for this end to remove of obstructions in restraining the spreading of grosse and dangerous errours and heresies I am confident in your wisedome and piety that ye are far from entertaining those motions for an unlimited and prodigious licentiousnesse which some have seemed to plead for What were this but to make port-sale of the truth if not rather to give over the protection of truth and to expose it to be spoiled sacked and plundred in a promiscuous way by all sorts of enemies Let it bee free for all sorts to buy any truth of God but let not Satans factours and pedlars have liberty to vent his falshoods Object Object But some may say either ye must give liberty to all or else shew no indulgence to any who doe not in every point comply with that which is established by authority Answ I answer I was never yet able to understand this Logick the consequence seemeth very strange I am sure it will not be admitted in Chirurgery if a man be constrained to cut off a limme desperately infected with a gangrene must he therefore part with an usefull member for every little inflammation and distemper That famous Emperour Theodosius did not only bear with the Novatians but countenance and familiarly consult with some of them about Church-affairs though differing in matter of discipline being sound in the Faith and having pastors of eminent gifts and godlinesse And it is recorded of Constantine that though he made a law in terrorem which was so comprehensive that these were obnoxious to it yet in point of execution he spared them And the Apostle maketh a cleer difference of one sort he saith A man that is an heretike after the first and second admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe Of the other he writeth in a far different straine Him that is weak in the Faith receive ye but not to doubtfull disputations For one beleeveth that he may eat all things another who is weak eateth herbes Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth and the reason is very observable For God hath received him Surely much respect is to bee had to those who give forth strong convincing evidences that God hath received them and that they have received his Truth in love If those are to bee tenderly dealt with in whom there is aliquid Christi something of Christ how much more they in whom there is plurimum Christi very much of Christ much of that unction wherewith hee was anointed above his fellowes much of those graces which serve for the edifying of his mysticall body and much of those which accompany salvation There is a passage recorded which hapned between Anthony of Bourbon King of Navariâ— and the Ambassadour of Denmark The King being a Peere of France and first Prince of the blood challenged the Regency of that kingdom during the French Kings minority and told the Danish Ambassadour that he hoped in short time to procure a free passage for the Gospel throughout the Kingdome of France the Ambassadour shewed himselfe pleased with this but withall admonished him to take care that Luthers doctrine not Calvins might passe for current the King replyed Luther and Calvin agree in forty points against the Pope and differ from each other but in one let those then who follow the severall tenents of these two joyn their strength against the common enemy and at better leisure in a more convenient season compound their own differences I am perswaded it is far from your Christian Wisdom and moderation to esteem alike of those who obstinately shut their eyes against the bright beams of truth where it shineth out with full rayes those who vary from you in lesser things wherein Scripture-light is not so cleer but that good eyes may judge diversly and hearts cordially affected to the truth may for a time dissent I grant much prudence and many cautions are needfull as 1. That the persons be known to be modest pious and peaceable lest some of another spirit for evill ends should make claime to and so abuse such a liberty 2. That all bitternesse insolency turbulency of spirit all reproachfull language and tumultuous carriages be forborne for these I am sure are no parts of liberty of conscience 3. That no Church-meetings for worship be allowed but in places known that there may be free accesse for any in which respect I have often commended both the wisedome and ingenuity of the French Protestants who in one of their Treaties of peace I take it made this motion that some officer of the King might be deputed to be present at their assemblies for preventing of State-jealousies and vulgar calumnies For he that doeth truth commeth to the light that his deedes may bee made manifest that they are wrought in God Many other meanes the Lord may suggest unto you for the ordering of things in such a way that some mens priviledge may not be other mens prejudice but that brethren may walk together in love so far as they have attained untill the Lord may please to give farther light 4. It is a busines worthy of your care to encourage the Ministers of the Gospel with a competent and comfortable maintenance that they may attend upon their calling without destraction and that their hands may be strengthened in the work of the Lord in so doing ye shall be fellow-helpers to the Truth for these are persons entrusted by the Lord as his agents to call in men to buy his truth And for the same cause be pleased also to vindicate them from the foul reproaches of those who have The poison of aspes under their lips A faithfull Minister may say with the Apostle With me it is a very small or the least thing that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement But let it be considered whether the truth be not concerned