in the judgement we must not admit of a staggering and reeling minde nor of a levity in our judgements to be driven and carried about with every winde of doctrine as the Apostle speakes Ephes 4. 14. Eph. 4. 14. Athanasius knew this well when he held his iudgement fast in the truth of the deity of Christ against the Arians so Saint Austin his iudgement fast in the doctrine of grace against the Pelagians and Cyprian against the Donatists or Novatians or Catharists It is an honour for a man to recant an errour but a perfidious shame for any Christian to suffer any truth to be supplanted by any errour 2 In the will and affection our love must hold the truth fast therefore the Apostle bids us to be glued unto it Rom. 12. 9. it is with truths Simile as with some plants which live and thrive not but in warme climates That ancient desire after truth and delight in it to take counsell from it and strength from it and comfort by it must not decay and dye within us but must remaine and abound though others hate disgrace and endeavour to make voyd the truth yet wee must cleave unto it and love it as David Psal 119. 3 In our profession hence that advice of the Apostle in Phil. 2. 16 to hold forth the word of life even in the midst of a darke and froward generation Christ would have us not onely to beleeve but to confesse him before men Remember that it was no small sinne in Peter when he pretended that he knew not the man Gregory Nazianzen reports in one of his orations against Iulian that some Christian souldiers being cunningly circumvented by him to idolatrous sacrifices perceiving the errour they all ran backe unto him and threw him his money againe and protested they were Christians and in what they did they were circumvented by him Heb. 10. Heb. 10. 23. 23. let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering the Christian must change neither his Master nor his service nor his livery 4 In our conversation wee must still practise truths and keepe our lives answerable unto them Saint Iohn cals this a walking in the truth then a man walkes in the truth when hee holds on his course of holy obedience unto it against all the encouragements and discouragements of the world as the three children in Daniel c. not with the Galathians beginning in the spirit and ending in the flesh or like those Israelites whose righteousnesse was as the morning dew But we must still runne the race set before us and keep stedfast our feet unto the pathes of righteousnesse and waies of truth Quest Why must divine truths heard and received be held fast Sol. Reasons thereof are many I will briefly point out some of them 1 Divine truth is a most precious and excellent thing therefore in Scripture it is compared to gold which of metals is the most precious nay it is more precious then gold or rubies and all the things which thou canst desire are not to be compared unto it see Pro. 3. 14. 15. Pro. 3. 14. 15. It is more excellent then the excellencies of the creatures not then some of them but then all of them and a man if hee were to imagine any excellency or if the utmost of his desires were enlarged yet could they not finde out and pitch upon such an excellency Therefore saith Saint Iohn to the Church of Philadelphia Revel 3. 11. Hold that Revel 3. 11. fast which thou hast that no man take thy crowne the crowne is the top of royalties such a thing is truth let no man take thy crowne Beloved there are two properties which assure us of the excellency of things 1 The more holy they are the Two things intimate an excellency more excellent they are all corruptions are diminutions of excellency the more mixt a thing is the more it is abased as if gold and tinne be mixed and the more pure it is as meere gold the more glorious it is Now the truths of God are holy not as persons are holy which is with mixture and imperfection but as the light at noone day is pure without darkenesse at all 2 The more that God is in any thing the more excellent it is for so much as we partake of him who is excellency it selfe so much more wee rise in our excellency But the great God is altogether seen in this word of truth there is his wisedome there is his power and greatnesse there is his love and mercifulnesse there is his Christ and faithfulnesse therefore it is most excellent and consequently to be held fast by us 2 Divine truths are as it were made over to us under termes of constancy and perpetuity I finde in Scriptures that they are termed sometimes Our heritage estates which are personall if that bee the phrase for possession may be sold as that which a childe buyes with his owne money but estates which are naturall or hereditary such I meane as come to be ours by descent these ought to be kept for posterity God forbid said Naboth that I should sell the inheritance of my fathers divine truths are an heritage to descend from us to our children and therefore wee are neither to dispossesse our selves of them nor to suffer our selves by any to bee dispossessed of them Psal 119. 111. thy testimonies Psal 119 111. have I taken as an heritage for euer Gods trust something wee commit to God something God commits to us 2 Tim. 1. 12. He is able to keepe that which I haue committed unto him we trust God with our soules and God trusts us with his truths which are therefore called that good thing committed to us for to keep 2 Tim. 1. 14. now in matters of trust wee must be faithfull for we must be responsable for the whole wherewith wee are instructed as the servants in the Gospell who had talents committed to their trust they were called to an account for them so if the Lord trust any man with graces or with his truths the man must carefully keepe and preserve them for the Lord will aske him another day for his trust as Saint Iohn did of the Bishop of Jerusalem for his depositum They observe that a trust must be first redelivered secondly wholly thirdly onely to him who committed it to us for trust 3 Not to hold fast the truths is an exceeding and fearefull injury or wrong it is injurious 1 To God for he is the Lord or God of truth truths are ours for the efficacie of them but onely this for the authority of them Simile Should a private person presume of himselfe to sell the Kings Iewels it might bee as much as his life is worth truths are Gods Iewels hee reveales them he ownes them hee hath sealed them with the bloud of Christ and therefore thou doest presumptuously wrong the Lord to put off the things which belong to him 2 To our
sufficient to a particular word of truth for the present yet the vertue and use of that may be for the future Simile It is with truths as it is with treasuries whereinto much gold or siluer is put and kept safe a little whereof my serve for the time being but most or all of it may be brought out upon future and severall occasions Simile Or as it is with friends and garments which though wee doe not use every one of them every day yet ere we dye wee may have an usefull occasion for them all The truths which thou hast heard from the word ten yeeres agoe may serve thee twenty yeeres hence that discovery of the mercy of God of the bloud of Christ of the freenesse of grace c. these may be of great availe unto thee and of sweet and proper helpe unto thee when thou commest to old age or to a dying bed Simile It is not with truths heard and received as with our meat eaten and digested the vertue of which may bee gone in few daies but as it is with a lease for life which this yeere brings in our revenue and so it doth the next yeere c. so divine truths may yeeld unto thee present comfort and strength yea and they can being rightly embraced be the staffe in thy hand to morrow to support thee and the river in thy conscience to refresh thee that heavenly truth which was thy starre at this time may fitly upon occasions serve to bee thy guide at any time as the starre to the wise men which appeared the second time 2 Frequent remembrance of divine truths is as it were a spurre to further obedience and therefore Saint Peter joynes 2 Pet. 1. 13. putting in remembrance and stirring up as if then we should revive our services when wee did renue our memories Every truth newly and seriously thought on is as it were a second Sermon or repetition and inculcating of it upon our hearts I am sure it is like a further digestion which serves for the better health and strength of our bodies 3 It is a meanes much to strengthen our graces the Philosophers have a saying eodem nutrimur ex quo generamur that wee are nourished by that of which wee are generated the truths of God begat our graces and the same truths well remembred and perused will increase them Those promises which heretofore inclined thy heart and perswaded it to beleeve can perpetually beare and raise up thy heart to stronger degrees of beleefe as Christ when he would helpe his disciples against a particular infidelity objected unto them why doe ye not remember Mark 8. 18. intimating that a right remembring of his works would have inabled them much against unbeliefe And so doth the remembrance of the words of Christ of his truths which are as able to build us up in grace as to communicate it unto us 4 It is a revocation from sinnings as David said I considered my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies the same may be said of holy truths a remembring consideration of them is a recovering of an erring and falling soule Saint Peter forgate his Master and then forgate himselfe he forgate the words of a Master and then the duty of a servant but Peter recovered himselfe againe and how did he so the text saith that hee remembred the words of Iesus and when hee had thought thereon hee went out and wept bitterly 5 It is an avocation or withholdment from errours why doe men so commonly slip into new errors one maine cause is they have let slip old truths they have lost their touch-stone to try doctrine by they doe not remember what and how they have heard and received and therfore they destroy what they themselves have built Simile Like a ship which hath lost her anchor tossed with waves and windes every way so they are hurried and puffed up and downe with every winde of doctrine But he who rightly remembers the truth hath not onely thereby a touch-stone to try and discover contrary errours but likewise a buckler to secure his judgement and a sword to cut off the corrupt reasonings and fallacies of the gaine-sayer 6 Lastly it is of singular good and concernement to a distressed and deserted soule and to a debarred person The daies of famine may befall thee and then the food which Ioseph laid up may preserve thee if future meanes should faile will not former and remembred truths be of comfort and are you sure that seasons will last for ever where is Ierusalem who did not know her day of peace and where are the seven Churches of Asia or the daies of sicknesse may befall thee wherein thou art debarred of the market I meane the publike assembly of the Saints and art so weakened that reade at all thou canst not if now thy soule can remember God and remember the truths of God and can secretly confer with them they may be of blessed helpe and peace unto thee yea the daies of desertion may befall thee the Lord may not looke on thee as formerly hee may not confer at all with thee in sense and feeling and what refuge hast thou now but to flye to the truths of God through which thou didst heretofore heare him and perceive him and this may prove a support and solace to thy heart Sure I am Asaph in his desertions did so see him in Psal 77. 10. I will remember the yeeres of Psal 77. 10. the right hand of the most high I will remember the workes of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old former embraces are new encouragements Vse Thus for the explication and confirmation of the point I now come to the application of it to our selves Should received truths be remembred then 1 Hearing is not all some there are who heare not at all they are like the deafe Adders which refuse to heare the voice of the charmer Christ is pleased to speake but they are not pleased to hearken how much have these to answer for Others doe heare and that is all the word is but as a naturall sound to excite that naturall facultie of hearing but they understand not what they heare the word preached is as a book sealed up unto them they think it enough to come to Church c. Others doe heare and understand the truths delivered but then they minde them no more they leave all at the Church doore as wee doe our friends at the grave forgetting that we came to a feast to carry away and not to a grave to leave all behinde as if the word were a tale or a dreame it is instantly forgotten in comes the world out goes the word to secular businesses or sinfull acts they presently apply themselves and so is the word Simile squeized out like water out of a spunge or the characters of it glide away like the impressions of a Seale upon the slippery water Perhaps many a thousand Sermon they
thou hast heard a Sermon and art at home then call thy memory to an account how it hath played the faithfull steward for thee what truth it hath remembred by a daily striving to remember you shall daily perfect the remembrance 4 A distinct apprehension Saul was not easily found in the stuffe and confused mindes are seldome linked with exact memories the more orderly and exact that the understanding is the more easie is the remembrance of things Take heed of ignorant mindes that know not truths and of confused mindes that can mistake truths 5 Abundant conference this course Moses prescribed the Israelites to remember the lawes given unto them viz that they should often talke of them to their children conference is as the driving in of the naile one remembers that which the other forgets our memories helpe our lips and our lips doe strengthen our memories 6 Diligent practise the scholler by a daily writing after the copy doth thereby mend his hand and helpe his memory Truths are ordained for practise It cannot be but that truths should remaine faithfull in the memory which are made faithfull in our walking Truths easily take their leave of them who oppose them or do not act them Now to the second assertion viz. That acceptance of truths is Second not sufficient but there must be persistence in them and hold fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 serva or as Beza translates it observa Saint Paul is much in this doctrine hold fast the forme of 2 Tim. 1. 13. Titus 1. 9. sound words 2 Tim. 1. 13. so again to Titus 1. 9. hold fast the faithfull word and that this doctrine may not be thought proper and peculiar to the Preacher of the truth but common to all Christians hee therefore enlargeth the precept to all the Romans Rom. 12. 9. and under them to all Christians to adhere or cleave unto what is good the word in the originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they should bee glued unto it Salomon in effect delivers the same Pro. 23. 23. Buy the truth and sel it not a man may lawfully sell his house and lands as the Apostles did and followed Christ and in some sense his wife and children as Saint Ierome in epist ad Heliod would rather then hee would put off Christ yea and his owne life too as Saint Paul did not count Acts 21. 13. it deare for Christ But the truth must not bee sold it must be kept as a thing exceeding all price and bargain Now for the fuller understanding of this proposition premise with me these particulars 1 That I speake not of humane and morall truths such as are the rules in secular arts in which there may bee and is many times an infallibility but of religious and divine truths which are contained in the word of God 2 Religious truths are so either in the imagination of man or in the reality of the thing I am not bound to embrace much lesse to persist in all which every man propounds for truths or which he conjectures to be so onely I am to hold fast those truths which the word rightly and genuinely expounded teacheth and determineth to be so 3 Againe the truths which seeme to owne themselves on the word of God are either immediate and expresse or onely mediate and deduced expresse truths are to be held fast but deduced truths which are thence collected by the medium of a mans ability to judge these are to bee tried and examined by the prime and immediate truths and so far to be held as they are found upon due search to have conformity with the immediate expresse rules of truth 4 Expresse truths suppose them to be knowne and received may be considered either in the latitude of them or with restriction we may not thinke it sufficient to hold fast some particular truths either the greater or the lesser and leave the rest to shift for themselves But all knowne truths even those which are not of that maine concernement not any one of them must be forsaken or left but retained and maintained as Athanasius and others of the first Nicene Fathers would not diminish or adde one iota title about the deity of Christ or as Moses would not leave one hoofe behinde so we must not renounce or forsake any one branch of known truth seeme it never so little in the eyes of men 5 Though there be a difference of times yet there ought to bee no difference of holy truths there are times of prosperity for the Gospell as Constantines time was to the Church and there are times of calamity as Neroes time and Dioclesians and others the persecuting Emperours Truth must be held fast yea all truth at all times Simile you see that the stars doe shine in the coldest night of winter as well as in the calmest night of summer so truths must be held in the worst as well as in the best daies Iosephus reports of the Samaritanes that if any good and favour befell the Iewes then they would pretend affinity and kindred with them they came from Iacob but if any calamity then they were none of the stocke of Abraham It must not be thus with us to vary our hearty respect to truths according to the favour or discouragement that the world bestows upon them but to cleave unto them as Saint Paul did under the sword as S. Ignatius among the wilde beasts and Laurentius on the Gridiron and Daniel among the Lyons and the three children in the fiery furnace 6 Sixthly though there be a difference of persons yet wee must not differ and wave our respects to holy truths perhaps those holy truths which thou hast heard and tryed and received may bee contradicted and disputed by some bold schismaticall hereticall braines who would bleare and blur the truth that so they may bring in damnable doctrines by these they may be disgraced derided and reproched Simile these dogs may bark against the moone and its light yea or perhaps though they have forwardly courted professed the truths yet they may fall off with Hymeneus and Philetus and turne vile apostates But as Peter said of Christ that thou must say and act too of truth Though all men should forsake thee yet I will never forsake thee Against all subtilty of disputes variety of judgements schisme and malice of evill men and inconstancy of some men thou must be rightly ballanced Hold fast the truth which thou hast heard and received Quest But how must truths be held fast Sol. In foure respects 1 In the judgement and understanding 2 In the will and affection 3 In profession 4 In conversation and practise 1 In the judgement for assent and approbation there must be a firme evidence of them I confesse that there is a latitude in our credence upon more and more evidence of truth there may be a further and stronger assent unto them and approbation of them But there must be no wavering
covenant and vow what was our baptisme but a devoting and solemne vowing of our selves to be faithfull to Christ and to his truths wee solemnly professed that none should be our Lord but God and that we should be his faithfull servants unto our lives end yea and wee have ratified this vow many a time by comming to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Now if we doe not hold fast the truths of Christ but forsake them or any of them wee are guilty of extreame perjury not in a matter betwixt man and man but betwixt God and man thou art forsworne again and againe unto the Lord thy God and hast as much as in thee lies made voyd the covenant of grace and life for thy poore soule 4 Consider but the necessary uses of divine truths and then we will acknowledge that they are to be held fast The use of the word or divine truths respects the everlasting and happy condition of the soule from the beginning to the end thereof Everlasting and true happinesse is the end and scope that every Christian lookes at and divine truths serve him fully and effectually to this end both to discover it and to bring man unto it There are many things required to set us in the true way to bring a man to heaven v. g. 1 Conviction of his sinfull condition but the word inlightens the minde and convinceth the conscience 2 Contrition for sinne but the word pricks our hearts as Acts 2. and humbles them 3 Conversion of soule but the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule Psal 19. 7. by it comes faith into the soule Psal 19. 7. which gets Christ Rom. 10. 17. Rom. 10. 17. by it comes repentance Acts 3. 19. 4 Augmentation of grace but by the word wee are built up Acts 20. 32. and grow more and more 5 Perseverance in grace but by the word wee are kept and established to the end it is the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. 16. Rom. 1. 16. What should I say more reade the Apostle summing up all in 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is giuen 2 Tim. 3. 16. by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse 17 That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good workes 15 Yea they are able to make us wise unto saluation through faith â—hich is in Christ Iesus Againe there are many incouragements comforting and supporting in our way as divine consolations of the spirit of God peace in conscience joy in the holy Ghost all which are the myrrhe dropping onely from divine truths thy word hath comforted me said Dauid thy word hath quickned mee in the house of my pilgrimage they were the joyes of his heart and in the daies of his calamity they were the stay of his heart Now put all together if divine truths shew us the true happinesse if they onely put us into the true way unto that true happinesse if they onely keepe us in that way if they onely comfort and strengthen us in that way if they onely bring us to the end of our faith even the salvation of our soules will we not ought wee not to hold them fast Vse The first use of this point shall be to convince and reprove the wonderfull inconstancy of the sonnes of men that slipperinesse and unsetlednesse of spirit which is to be found amongst them Consider divine truths as they lye 1 In doctrine we may now complaine as the Apostle did of the Galathians chap. 1. verse 6. Gal. 1. 6. I maruell that ye are so soone remoued from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospell Some revolt from the Protestant doctrine to the Popish leven others fall off from the orthodoxe articles of our Church to Anabaptisticall fancies and Socinian Blasphemies and the Lord be mercifull unto us what daily unsetlednesse and giddinesse possesseth us if any novelty of doctrine though a root of bitternesse start up and be delivered with any confidence or cunning of deceiving wit how instantly we flye off from our old truths how greedily and madly wee sucke in poysonous errours and being thus driven with every winde what tempests of railing and disgraces doe wee heape upon those who crosse our ficklenesse with constant vindications and assertings of the true doctrines of faith and life It makes mee to pitty this great and famous City whiles I behold a colluvies a very rabble of all opinions and such a going and comming touchings at and saylings off from the land of uprightnesse One weeke this is a truth and almost an article the next weeke it is no such matter but some other thing is the right Simile Thus wee play many times with great truths as children doe with their Babies one while embrace them anone breake them and throw them into the dirt But are there so many waies to heaven as men will make or hast thou power to coine other articles of faith at pleasure or will the Lord beare all this resting and mocking with his truths Two things makes mee feare the Lord will punish us in the Gospell one is our generall barrennesse in life another is our great sicklenesse in matter of truths 2 In conversation many times we hold the truth in unrighteousnesse wee doe not prize the truth and love it nor live according to it with constancy but as the Prophet cryed out how is the beautifull City become an heape so may wee say of many how is their righteous walkings degenerated into an ungodly living their wine is sowred and lamp put out But I will tell you the reasons and causes of all this inconstancy The causes of constancy and apostacy v. g. 1 Men are very ignorant and therefore very inconstant ignorance is the great spunge to sucke in errours as pride is the great Bawd to vent them Chaffe may be tossed any way that which is weak is also light 2 Though their apprehensions be large yet their affections are foule they know truth but love sinne which is contrary to truth Simile now a foule stomacke ever makes an ill head and a secret love of sinne works out the strength of truth in the minde men doe the more easily grow erroneous who first grow irreligious 3 There is an itch of pride Evah and Adam would know more then was fit and therefore lost all that was good you never reade of a proud person but either his life was notoriously tainted or his judgement notably corrupted the greatest errours have fallen from those that have beene most proud and have beene tooke up by those that have beene most ignorant 4 And then also many have Athenian wits they long for novelties though the old wine be best yet their palate must be in the fashion for new there is a sore vanity in a naturall minde that it cannot long fixe on any estate or on any truth 5 A colloging
them You see how many worthy and faithfull Ministers God hath taken away of late by death and shall the present Prophets live for ever O then in your day and time hearken regard repent beleeve live and thrive under holy and faithfull Ministers make more use of their doctrines of their rules of their counsels of their comforts of their experience and prayers the night will come when neither we nor you must worke any longer 4 Study the grounds and principles of religion better first lay good foundations and then build on them errours in the entrance weaken all in the progresse Take paines to know what that good and acceptable will of the Lord is a well bottomed Christian is like a well-bottomed vessell at sea which can ride out in all weathers no Christian stands so fast or thrives so well as the well grounded Christian 5 Be rather an agent then a disputant in religion the vanity of wit is to argue much but the sincerity of the heart is to doe much for doubtfull points and subtile novelties let others beat them and serve them and in the meane while pray thou much that thou mayest obey the truths which thou kno west In speculatives be wise to sobriety in practicals be as good as thou canst it is not the wittiest scholler but the truest Christian who shall goe to heaven 6 Be lesse formall and more fruitfull know that as we must be brought to an account for every word which we speake so much more for every word that God speakes Meere godlinesse is not enough under constant and great meanes of grace God expects much when he gives much if it doth not utterly cast thee yet it must excessively trouble thee to be thin in bearing when God hath been large in sowing 7 Let all Christians bee of more fruitfull hearts and charitable spirits one towards another There are treacherous and malitious hearts enough in the world thou needest not to helpe the divell to be an accuser of the brethren It is a sad thing when one Christian can hardly trust another and that they who should pitty and heale infirmities are yet inventers of lies and obloquies these are the wounds which my friends gave me said the Church in the Canticles If thy fellow Christian doe faile rather compassionate and succour him then hate and reproach him thou shalt never establish thy graces or name upon the ruines and scandals of another man if thou be a strong Christian be more tender if weake be more silent the strong should beare the infirmities of the weake and the weake should hearken to the directions of the strong your graces are strong and safety surer by love then by division therefore be of one minde and live in peace let brotherly love continue 8 Minde death often and prepare for it betimes hee who is a stranger to dying thoughts is ordinarily a stranger to a godly life thou wouldest hasten and better thy worke if thou didst more looke backe on thy life and more forward on thy death 9 Be diligent in your particular places the idle body can hardly hold a good soule that man is in danger who is all for heaven or all for earth both our callings must be regarded 10 Be much in praier the Christian usually gets the greatest blessings on his knees God is much with him in grace who is most with God in praier And pray not for your selves onely but for others and as for others so for me as Saint Paul desired of the Ephesians c. 6. 19. that utterance may be given unto mee that I may open my mouth boldly to make knowne the mystery of the Gospell that therein v. 20. I may speake as I ought to speake and so as the same Apostle in his ultimum vale said to those Ephesians the same I say unto you Brethren I commend you unto God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance amongst all them which are sanctified FINIS The Table A ACtivity of love to set on graces p 144 Affections are many times dying p. 11. 45 Ardency of affections an exceeding helpe 1 to the remembrance of truths taught 2 to the holding fast of the truth p 198. 213 The different carriage of a weakened and a strengthened Christian under afflictions p 111 The application of Christ the ordinances and other meanes helpefull against decaying p 72. 98. 131 Apostasie from the truth seven causes of it p 272 Gods approbation to be studied p 158 A distinct apprehension of truths needfull to the remembrance of truths p 200 C CAuses of a dying condition p 16 Christ strengthens a languishing Christian three waies p 79 Comforts attend Christians and when p 40 Communion with God and its kindes p 38. 39 Conference about truths taught usefull p 201 Conscience to be joyned with science p 250 Conscience wounded and vexed p. 16. 40 Corruptions have a decaying power p 16 Considerations of a mans condition is necessary p 121 A dying conversation p. 10. 50 Truths taught to be kept in a mans conversation p 215 Lively consociation what p 135 D DAmping of communion with God p 38 Depression of heavenly strength p 36 Delight taken in godly company p 108 Delightfulnesse in love p 145 Diligence in love ibid. True doctrines discovered from false in seven things p 240 Seven disadvantages in a weakened condition p 92 Desertion a consequent of decaying p 40 A dying disposition opened p 8 Christians are dying in seven respects p 10 Dying in duties how knowne p 44 53 E EXamination neglected the evill of it p 22. 23 Excesse in passion dangerous p 28 Excellency hath two things in it p 217 Expressions of grace 1 passionate 2 deliberate p 63 Extenuatiōs of excellencies by decayings p 34 Truths are to be embraced p 248 F FAintnesse in acts of religion p 53 Faith a radicall and strengthening grace p 14. 142 Forgetfulnesse of the word evill and hurtfull p 190 Formality to be checked p 69 G MEn may decay in gifts and graces and how p 13 14 Graces given to men for three ends p 54 Graces are inclining inlarging and cleansing principles p 55 56 57 Graces bestowed are to be kept in repaire p 88 Graces diffused and graces imployed how to be understood p 64 H HEaring not enough for a Christian p 187 A plaine and a pliable heart p 132 Helpes first to remember secondly to hold fast truths p 198. 238 Hold fast the truth p 210 Divine truths a Christians heritage p 219 Humbling under decayings p 67 Deep humiliation a meanes to strengthen a decayed Christian p 123 I IEalousie and three things arising from it p 70 Inconstancy and its causes p 232 Implantation of holy principles what it is p 74 Interruption in duties p 64 Decaies in judgement p 12 The imperfection of our estate before God p 157 Truths held fast in judgement p 211 L THree things in love furthering duties p 144 145 Loyall affection to the truth p 299 Ten legacies p 253 M MEditation an helpe to memory p 199 Meanes to keepe up graces p 67 Meanes to recover out of a dying condition p 73 Meanes of strengthening p 121 N NEglect and its danger p 19 O COnstant operation what p 200 Opposition against dying causes p 137 Ordinances and three things about them 97 P THree sorts of people living under the meanes p 7 Perfection and a striving unto it p 68 Perfecting of holy principles p 75 Persistance in holy truths p 202 Practise a keeper of truths p 202 Practicall remembrance what it is p 167 Practicall truths what they are p 175 Preparation to the ordinances p 97 Physicking the soule what p 22 Dying in profession what p 10 Truth is held by profession p 214 R REasons for the strengthening of a spirituall condition p 84 Reasons to hold fast divine truths p 216 Active reformation what p 128 Truths taught are to be remembred p 163 The nature sorts waies causes and meanes of rememembrance p 160. to 202 Resistance of sinne p 102 Rising of graces p 110 Solid resolutions p 125 Resolution to cleave to the truth p 249 Revolting from doctrine p 228. and in conversation 231 S SIlence in heaven what and when p 41 Sin and a Christian in sinning p 60 61 Seriousnesse in society p 71 Standing at a stay p 70 Strengthening of spirituals under decayes p 74. 78. 83 Supplication must be ardent p 129 Suspition of a mans owne condition p 42 Sen siblenesse and spiritualnesse not equall p 62 T TImes of spirituall troubles p 41 Truths add their sorts p 175 205 206 Divine truths is Gods trust p 220 Three things about a trust p 221 Z A Case resolved about decayings in zeale p 62 FINIS Errata PAge 8. line 16. for a reade secondly p. 147. l. 3. for wit r. we all know c. p. 221. l. 4. for instructed r. intrusted Octob. 22. 1639. Imprimatur IOH. HANSLEY