of stability 69 3 Too much credulity 71. to 77 Where five grounds are laid down of our credulity 72. to 78 2 Wickednes proper to the wicked 77 Qu. 4. Who those are that are in danger to be carried away and led aside with errours 78 Four things first premised 78. to 84 The answer laid down in seven particulars 1 All such who have not retained the notions of God in a holy and pure heart 84 2 All such who have not entertained the truth with love of it ibid. 3 All such who have not walked sutably to those truths which God hath revealed to them 85 4 All such who have embraced former truth out of partiall respects 86 5 All such who are not grounded and established in the truth 87 6 Such who have rejected truths received upon corrupt grounds 88 7 All such who have the world for their god ibid. Four sorts of men noted who will never hold to truth 89 Means of establishment in the truth held forth from the Scripture 90 Qu 5. What may be the examenâ— of opinions This branched into four lesser Questions 1 Who are to examine 90 2 By what rule we are to examine 90 3 Who is to judge 90 4 What arâ— the Diagnosticks 90 qu 1. Who are to examine opinions The errour of the Papists and some distinctions â—ouching examination premised 90 to 91 A main position laid down in answer to the Question viz. That every one is bound to examine not only private opinions but even the sentences definitions determinations of Councels Synods c. and to embrace them or reject them as they are consonant or dissonant to the word of God 94 1 This position first clear'd by Scripture 94 95 2 Confirmed by arguments 96-103 3 Strengthned by testimony 103. to 106 4 Objections are answered 106. to 112 And this main position applied to our times 112. to 118 Quest 2. What is the rule by which we must examine After some generals are premised the answer is laid down that the Scripture is the rule and touch-stone whereby opinions must be tried 118 119 This confirmed by divers arguments wherein the properties of a rule are laid down 119. to 126 Some objections answered 126 to 130 Quest 3. Who shall judge that this is Gods minde in Scripture Some generals premised together with some distinctions of judges and truths and doctrines to be judged 130. to 134 And some generall answers laid down 134 to 137 Some more particular answers formed out of those premised distinctions with some directions to finde out truths doubtfull 137. to 144 Quest 4. What are the Diagnosticks where 1 The false marks 2 The true 1 The false marks or the commonly received Characters of truth and errour are 1. Examined in six Queries viz. Qu. 1. Whether antiquity or the ancientnesse of an opinion is not a true Charâ—cter of truth 145 After some distinctions the answer is laid down 145 146 c. Qu 2. Whether the newnesse of an opinion is not a sufficient mark to discover it an errour 147 Four distinctions premised to the answer of this and the Query answered in two conclusions with some admonitions to us in these times 147-154 Qu 3. Whether the wickednesse of them that maintain it be not sufficient to evidence an opinion to be erroneous Some generall answers laid down to which are annexed four rules requisite to be observed if you would judge of an opinion to be erroneous by the wickednesse of the maintainers 154. to 163 Qu. 4. Whether the holinesse of those who are the publishers and receivers of an opinion be not sufficient to discover their doctrine to be truth Some generall distinctions are premised and the Query answered in four conclusions 163. to 169 Qu. 5. Whether this be not sufficient to evidence an opinion to be true that it in maintained by learned men and on the contrary an opinion to be an errour because maintained by those that are illiterate and unlearned 169 1 The divers distinctions and acceptations of learning 169. to 175 And thereupon ansvvers framed 175. to 182 Qu. 6. VVhether the multitude or pancity of them who are the divulgers and entertainers of an opinion be not sufficient to characterize an errour or truth After the terms explained the Query is answered at large in many particulars 182. to 190 The mysterious workings and energy of errour laid forth in seven branches 190. to 204 2 The true and infallible Characters of divine truth 1 Character Divine truth is word-revelation 205 This branched into three maximes 1 What ever the word of God doth plainly and evidently hold forth that is infallibly truth 206 2 What ever may be collected by way of manifest consequences or made out by evident deductions from the word is certainely a truth 107 Yet three Cautions are laid down concerning this 207. to 209 3 Maxim What ever may be made evident to be consonant to Gods minde or the main end of God in Scripture though there be no particular place for it yet doubtlesse it is a truth 210 2 Charact. That which doth really and truly advance all God in Christ is certainly a truth of God This branched forth into four particulars and many opinions in our daies examined by it 210. to 216 3 Char. That which doth really advance the whole work of grace in the hearts and lives of Saints that is certainly a truth of God 217 This branched into four particulars and fix eminent operations of truth said down 217. to 214 As 1. It hath a soul-humbling power upon which some Objections are answered 221. to 228 2 It hath a heart-changing power 228 3 It hath a sin-subduing power 230 4 It hath a heart-quickning power ibid. 5 It hath a heart-inflaming power 231 6 It hath a heart-raising spiritualizing power ibid Use The whole applied to our times 233 The application branched into some 1 Cautions 2 Directions 235 1 Cautions where are four laid down 1 Beware of being too credulous where three great grounds of mens credulousnesse are noted 235-236 2 Beware of prejudices 237 3 Beware of being biassed with corrupt affections where four great biasses are laid down 239. to 243. 4 Beware of wilfulnesse and perversnesse Two directions 1 Consult impartially and diligently with the Word of God and God in the Word 244 This branched forth into four particulars and seven mediums laid down to enable us to finde out the right sense of Scripture 244. to 250 Direct 2. Get an humble heart 25â— Direct 3. Labour to be renewed in the spirits of your mindes ib. Direct 4. Get a heart prepared for the entertainment of truth 5 Enquire diligently 252 6 Walk answerably 252 Quest 6. What waies God hath left us in his Word for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons 253 Some generals premised The answer comprised under two heads 1 Ecclesiastical 255 2 Civil 255 Ecclesiasticall are 1 Fraternall 257 2 Pâ—stâ—â—all 3 Judiciall 1 Congregationall 1 Admonition 258
heads but not into their hearts into their understandings and not into their affections will now certainly in this time of temptation foregoe the truth even truths professed truths preached truths contended for formerly The head is no safe casket to hide and lay up truth in it is easily stolen away if lodged in no safer a place But now if you have entertained it with love you will maintaine it too you may as well take away their hearts as take away their truth it is lodged there nay this love hath changed the heart into the nature of it truth doth so where it is received with love And hence it is that Gods people they have a rising of heart against errour when they want an argument against it and they have a love to truth when they cannot maintaine and dispute it As you see the Martyrs in Q Maries dayes they could say they could burne for Christ though they could not dispute they were notable to maintaine the truth with their heads but they could with their lives they could not give them reasons against their errours but they could lay down their blouds As a godly man said once he would desire no other confutation of Arminius but the work of regeneration 〈◊〉 any holy heart there was in every disposition of a gratious heart a reall confutation of all his tenents 3. God would hereby sift your Zealâ— whether or no you will contend for the truth as you have it exprest it Jude 3. Eâ—arnestly contend for the faith which was onâ—â— delivered to the Saints God will now try whether you will contend for the truth Rev. 1.3 or whether you will beare with them that are evill Thus God tried the Church of Pergamus Rev. 2.14 15. and he blames them for their lukewarmenesse that they had no more zeale to oppose those errours which were vented in their times Gods people though they be little when they be to deale with God dust and ashes as deale for God and they will not brooke with errour You see the hot contention between Paul and Barnabas Paul and Peter what zeale and affection Paul did shew for God and all was because they did not walk according to truth as you reade Gal. 2.10 11 12 13 14. As Moses would not yeeld to Pharaoh not in a hoofe the Orthodoxall Christians to the Arrians not in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a letter an Iota a title nor Paul to the Jewes no not for an houre so the soule who is zealous for God he cannot brooke with errour nor can he yeeld to any thing contrary to the truth of God 4. The fourth grace God would sift is our Stabisity whether or no we are bottom'd and grounded in the truth whether we have that full assurance of understanding Col. â— 2 whether we are established in the truth or whether so unfixed and unstable that we are carried away with every wind of doctrine of such the Apostle speakes of Ephes 4.14 Many Christians that are as 't was said of Râ—uben Gen. 9.4 as unstable as water that are found according to the vessell which doth containe them poore Christians that are up and downe not only weake in knowledge but they are fickle in their understanding like soft wax now receive this impression this stamp but are ready to receive another when ever it is impressed And this doth arise not only from weakenesse of the understanding but want of firmenesse of understanding from inconstancy of spirit Now opinions will try your stedfastnesse see how you are setled how you are bottom'd when a streame comes you know it takes away what ever lies loose upon the banks but those things which are setled trees and such things that are rooted it cannot stirre men that are not rooted in the truth are in danger to be carried away with errours they are like loose things upon the banks but such as are rooted and grounded they abide nothing shall move them from their stedfastnesse But are all those that abide rooted Object No. There are many who are rooted in sin and errour Answ that are not moved men may be fixed in errour as well as firme in the truth their fixednesse as the others unsetlednesse is their sin 5. The fifth grace God would fift and that is your Sincerity your grounds your ends upon what grounds you have entertained truth and for what ends Oh there are many in the world that doe adhere to truth upon easie grounds upon poore reasons low considerations Some that have entertained truth only by tradition they were borne in these places where Religion is established and therefore are of this Religion and if they had been borne in Turkie had they no better principle they would have been of that too Some that have entertained truth meâ—rely for gaine and doe adhere to truth as the Ivie to the tree not because it loves it but because it is nourished by it Others upon other grounds because their Fathers their friends were thus of this mind Others because such Learned men and great ones are of this mind they pâ—â—ne their fâ—â—le 〈◊〉 their sleeves the Jews but this argument which of the â—â—â—lers beleeve in him Others because of other grounds 〈◊〉 John said to the elect Lady whom I love for the truths sake They often love the truth so the Ladiâ—â— sake 〈…〉 other respects Now at such a time as this when errour have been a bread if there be any grounds upon which you have entertained truth but meere love to the truth you will never hold out If you have entertained it upon other grounds or doe close with it upon other ends then such as are sincere you will never hold to it God will try your ends what ends you have in adhering to truth if it hath been for the world it may be as much of the world shall be propounded to you in a way of errour and then you are gone He that will serve God for the world will serve the Devill for the world he that will for bye respects close with truth will for the same respects if they weigh down the other close with errour if they doe but outballance them if more weight be cast in he is gone He that serves God for a little will serve the Devill for more where he can mend his wages he will give his service Errours are great trials of our sincerity what our grounds and what our ends are if you have entertained truth meerely for corrupt grounds its possible you may mend your selves by entertaining of an errour and then you are gone And therefore to discover sincerity God permits errours in the Church as you see it 1 Cor. 11.19 I heare there are divisions among you and I beleeve it for there must be heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest and as they try so they doe discover our sincerity to our selves to God to others by which meanes we are approved And this is the
revealed Indeed Satan hath many other ends as I have shew'd you and besides them divers other might be named Satan is busie when God is sowing wheate to sowe his tares when God is discovering of truth to be communicating of errours he hopes in the heate of the market to vent his own wares he hopes in the throng to put off one with another and that men will not so carefully observe it at least if men be shie to entertaine the one he hopes by this to lessen the authority and to prejudice the entertainment of the other And indeed the multitude of errours abroad they are great disadvantages to the entertainment of the truth they are a great prejudice to the receiving of it Men that heare of false reports abroad though they have not been abused with them will be shie to entertaine truth so men that heare of a multitude of erronious opinions abroad in the world though they have not been seduced or led aside with them yet will be shie and afraid to own the truths which God in that generation doth hold forth to them And by this meanes Satan hath a great advantage he perswades and prevailes with men to adhere to their former principles without any inquiry after more And this is dangerous As it is dangerous to stint and bound our selves in practise thus much we will doe and no more as it is the spirit of many men So it is dangerous to stint and bound our selves in principles or things to be knowne thus much I know and I will search into the revelation of no more 2 Pet. 1.9 1 Pet. 3.18 Heb. 6.1 As we are not perfect in grace and therfore we are to adde to faith virtue to our virtue patience c. to grow in grace to be led forward to perfection and he that sits down with any measure is yet to begin So we are not perfect in knowledge the Apostle tells you we know but in part and therefore we are still to study and search not only after clearer revelation of things known but fuller revelation of Gods mind to us and he that contents himselfe with the measure of revelation he hath is yet to begin in the knowledge of Christ And therefore this is a dangerous errour when Satan shall perswade and prevaile with us to adhere in those things we doe know and sleight any further revelation to be content with those measures of revelations we have and to seeke to know no more of Gods mind and will to us And this is another wile which Satan hath in the multitude of errours that thereby he might prejudice the further search and inquiry into the mind of God disadvantage the entertainment of truth and perswade with us to stick and adhere only in those which are already revealed to us It is good to adhere to those that are revealed but bad to adhere in them and seeke no further revelation because we are not perfect in knowledge therefore must grow As we say of grace so of truth It is good to have a heart stablished in grace but stinted in grace is nought stablishing doth keepe the heart from going backward and that is good but stinting doth keepe a man from going forward and that is nought You are to aspire to grow in knowledge as well as in grace But you will say what needs any more Object our Fathers held out these truths and sought no further and we hope they are saved and so shall we too if we doe but adhere in the truths of our fore-fathers and seeke no further 1. The reasoning is corrupt I say this is corrupt reasoning Answ that our Fathers held out these and these things for truth it is not enough to evidence they are truth that they went in this way is not sufficient to declare it was a good way and a way for us to walk in this is to take up our Religion by tradition not from Scripture the Papists have the same Arguments our Fathers were of this Religion and therefore it is good which you will all say is corrupt reasoning You have a place in Jer. 9.14 they walked after Balaam which their fathers taught them 2. But secondly admit our fathers held forth these things for truths yet they held not forth all truth they knew some but yet they knew not all truths It is said we know but in part And God is therefore said to appoint a Ministery in the Church for the further building us up in knowledge Ephes 4.12 13. for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the sonnes of God to a perfect man 3. Againe though our fathers held out these truths yet we wrong our fathers to say that they sought no further though they knew these and these truths yet they labour'd not only after a clearer revelation of truths known but after further revelation of truths not yet known and discovered to them and this appeares both in their writings and also upon experience every generation growes up in further knowledge of the mysteries of Christ and the Gospel as might be instanced in many points which have been debated between us and Papists and us and Arminians Pelagians all which truths have been the proper revelations to those particular generations And therefore you wrong them to say they knew these and sought no further And the experience of much more revealed in every generation is sufficient confutation of that Did our fathers in King Henry the eights dayes who first rejected the papall tyranny or our fathers in King Edward the sixths dayes who set up that infant reformation that wanting nursing fathers and mothers hath been kept back and held down so long where otherwise it might have come to manhood and perfection the thriving of the child lies much in the goodnesse of the nurse Kings and Queenes are called nursing fathers and nursing mothers to Religion this child this infant Reformation hath not had that nursing whereby it should thrive the breast of nourishment hath been kept from it and drawne out towards children of errour they have thriven the true child hath pin'd away Kings and Queenes are called shadowes as Josiah Lam. 4.20 32. Isa 2. And we speake it with griefe as things have been carried they have indeavoured to make them like trees which the papall faction have clasped about and adhered to as the Ivie to the tree not because they love it but because they have sucked sweet from it but they have been such shades as have hindered the growth of better things But to passe this If you come down to Queene Elizabeths dayes did our fathers in her time know so much had they that full revelation of that which is in our dayes he that reades may easily see And therefore this is a plaine confutation though our fathers did hold out some truths yet they sought after more they did not rest in that they had but
is charity in hell it was not out of love to their soules but love to himselfe because he had corrupted them with his life and practise before and had left a bad example behind him which they followed and therefore he desired that they might if not be saved for that I think a damned soule cannot desire yet that they might not for his cause and example be brought into that place of torment because this would be the increase of his torment too as he was guilty by his example and practise of the murthering and undoing of their soules It should be a caveat to you how you live and walke least the example of the husband the father the master be the undoing of the wife the child the servant and the increase of your torment too Your examples will prevaile more to their undoing then all our rules for their saving It is a fearefull thing by our examples to draw others to destruction when your children and servants shall see you walke in a way of sin they themselves are drawne aside and undone by your examples There are many have so much in them that though they will sweare and drinke themselves yet they will not allow it in their children their servants but if thou wouldst not have them walke in the same way of sin leave not such a sinfull example behind thee But this by the way It suits with Satans ends that men should broach erronious opinions for the increase of their torments Which it doth not only directly and in it selfe but indirectly and by consequent contracting the guilt of soule murther from those who are undone with their precepts and poisonous doctrines And thus Satan deales with all his servants they who doe him most service shall have most torment those who have been his statists designed all for him or his engineeres to act all for him this is the reward he gives them greater torment soarer damnation the deepest cellars and darkest vaults of hell are reserved for such persons But mistake me not I speake not this of all kind of errours in judgement what man is he that erreth not All errours are sinfull but all errours are not damning all errours are hurtfull but all errours are not destructive and undoing errours I told you there were some errours which were building errours and some which were fundamentall errours as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12 c. In the one the work shall be burnt in the other the workeman one shall be saved but so saved as by fire the other shall be destroyed in fire work and workman person and errours shall perish together 1 Cor. 3.13 14 15. And thus I have done with two of the first generals propounded and shew'd you how it may stand with Gods ends and how with Satans ends to suffer errours abroad We come now to the third how it may stand with mans ends It may then stand with mans ends also that there should be multitude of dangerous and erronious opinions The men with whose ends it may stand may be distinguished into three kinds 1. The contrivers 2. The actors 3. The abettors I shall only speake to two of them 3. It may stand with mans ends 1. Those that are the Contrivers of this designe to set on foot errours it may stand with their ends There are two maine ends the common adversary hath 1. To blast the truth 1. To divide the professors of it 1. Their end is to blast the truth to bring the truth of religion into disrespect among men to render the professors giddy and unstable and their profession unsound and unorthodox Doe not our enemies within our selves take advantage to cry down the truth to blast reformation and to bring religion into disrespect by the multitude of opinions that are abroad It may be they themselves have been the envious men have sowen tares and wheâ— they have done they tell us it is because the watchmen who were ever asleepe are taken away doe they not take occasion to blast the truth and to say that their oppugners are a sort of giddy and unstable empty and illiterate men who are certaine in nothing but uncertainty and stedfast in nothing but unstedfastnesse Anabaptists Brownists Antinomians And is it not the same argument their elder brethren hold forth doe not the Papists argue our religion to be unsound and indeavour to bring the truth into disrespect by telling men of so many opinions so much difference as there is among those who are the prefessors of it doe they not say our religion is divided into factions Lutherans Calvinists Arminians Socinians some of which differences they themselves have contrived and set on foote to bring religion into disrespect and to render it of lesse credit by reason of the multitude of divisions among us though all agree in this that theirs is false and erronious 2. A second end they have and that is to divide the professors of the truth Si sumus inseperabiles sumus in superabiles If we are unseparable we are unconquerable and therefore it is the Machivillian designe divide vince divide and conquer and hence it suits well with their designe that there should be a multitude of opinions that thereby the professors of the truth might be divided amongst themselves It was frequently observed in the raigne of the Bishops that those that were called non-conformists were farre worse handled then those who were called Brownists one would think this strange that they should deale better with them that said they were no Church then with those who said they were a Church but corrupted that they who cried their government down for Antichristian should fare better then they who only said it wanted reformation what should be the reason of it sure they were greater enemies that strooke against their being then they were who desired only reformation not unbeing But here was the businesse they liked division well enough and they feared one side it was too great but they slighted the other and therefore would rather countenance them in designe then suppresse them because all this served to weaken them that were their terrour And in this also they agree with them of Rome who send forth their Emissaries Jesuits Priests who shall turne Socinians c. and other opinions on purpose to divide the reformed Churches among themselves that so they may drive their mils with our breath and use our hands to doe their work and this designe hath been too successefull in the Netherlands especially in Socinianisme which was broached as is reported by a Jesuit on purpose to divide them So you see it stands with mans ends 1. The Contrivers 2. It stands with mans end the broachers and actors of this St John divides all that is in the world into lusts of the flesh lust of the eye and pride of life 1 Joh. 2.16 And I may ranke all the men in it into these three 1. Some are proud and ambitious
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
this passage Then doe we sufficiently know that the doctrine is of God when we perceive it to be propounded to us by our lawfull Pastor especiall a Councell assenting to it And if any will not rest here in the doctrine propounded but will try further and arrogate judgement over their judges and call to question whether those things are truths which are propounded by the Church by whom the spirit of God would teach us let such an one know he doth transgresse Gods bounds and the way and manner of trying of spirits commanded of God The same man saith further It is not fit that any private man should arrogate to himselfe to judge of the doctrines or opinions of his Priest Quic simpliciter omnes jubebantur sacerdoti de rebus controversis aâ—â—quid statuentâ— acquiescere Greg. Ecclesiae ministerio credimus simpliciter absolutè si ministri ecclesiae in aliquo dubio definiendo errarent populus Christianus errare posset imo deberet Stapl. because every one are simply and absolutely commanded to rest in the determinations of the Priest I will but name another who yet riseth higher We doe simply and absolutely believe the ministry of the Church And the people are so subjected to the sentences of their Pastors that if the Priest doe erre in any thing the people may and ought to erre in obedience of them So that you see if you aske the judgement of the Papists in this point you are in a poore case you are to stand to the determinations and definitions of Synods Councells without any doubt or examination whether they be true or no and that they might the better bring in this implicite faith and blinde obedience They tell you that they are infallible that you might the rather put out your owne eyes and be led by their light they tell you that they are unerring guides and in indeed if this were true the people might better shut their eyes and goe by theirs they might rather tye their boate to their ship follow the dictates definitions of them without either doubt or examination but they must believe the one that they cannot erre and then they must doe the other that is stand to all their sentences and determinations But we will passe this onely we shew you that they take away all power in any Christian man of judging or examining and prooving the doctrines which are propounded by their Councells and Bishops and doe require a blinde faith and obedience to them all saying that every particular person ought to stand to the determinations of the Church and to beleeve them to be truth because the Church hath an unerring spirit And this belief suits well with the people say they to believe as the Church believes for he that doth believe him that doth believe is not improperly said to believe though he know not what he doth believe An opinion which doth a Papistae in religione recipienda ethnicorum imo pecuduÌ„ more ducuÌ„tur beast men and denude them of all reason and what is of man in them Against which Luther speaks in these words b Hoc uno scelere meritos esse Praelatos Romanenses ut ex ecclesiae coetu tanquam lupi tyranni pellereÌ„tur Tom. 2. p. 375. Qu. Who are to examine opinions For this one wicked opinion viz. that absolute dominion which they claim over the faith and consciences of men the Roman Prelates deserve to be driven out of the number of the faithfull as Wolves and tyrants And under this censure we will leave them and come to the answer of the Question Qu. Who are those who are to examine opinions You have heard what the Papists say viz. that none ought to doubt of or examine the opinions definitions and determinations of the Church Before we come to give you our answer we will premise some distinctions as touching examination 1. First then there is an examination in foro publico or externo And 2. There is an examination in foro privato or interno that is 1. There is a publike and authoritative examination 2. There is a private and Christian examination Or 1. There is an examination in reference to publike censure 2. There is an examination in reference to private settlement The first is authoritative and is that which comes up to that which Divines call judicium ministeriale or ministeriall judgement which is when many Ministers are authoritatively called convened and met together there they are not onely inquisitors and examiners of opinions but Judges that is ministeriall and subordinate Judges or determinators of doctrines and opinions and may passe censure upon such opinions as are found erroneous And of this kinde is conceived to be that great solemn convention of the Disciples and Elders Act. 15. Where there was an examination and debate of things and thereupon a passing of censure and judgement And of this kinde were those ancient and famous Councels and Synods in the Primitive times of the Church famous against those errours and heresies in those daies And this is the first kinde authoritative examination 2. The second is a private and conscientious examination of opinions in a mans own Court the Court of conscience whereby a man doth try and debate whether those things which are prescribed or those things which are preached written c. be truths and agreeable to the Word of God And this doth amount to that which Divines call judicium discretionis or the judgement of discretion in which men have power to examine debate and to passe judgement in reference to their own practice and walking Every man is not only to be an inquisitor or examiner of all opinions nay of the definitions and determinations of Councels but he is to judge of them and this he ought to doe in respect of his own practice though his judgement is not binding to others or concerns not others no further then others shall finde that there appeares truth in it Now having premised this I shall come to the answer and passing by the first leaving it to another place viz. authoritative examination We shall only deal with the second and say That every Christian who hath care of his salvation ought to examine not only private opinions but even the sentences definitions determinations of Synods of Councels and to bring all to the rule of faith the Word of God the true touchstone of doctrines and to receive them and reject them as they are conceived to be agreeable or disagreeable thereto This position that we have here laid down in answer to the question I shall 1. Cleare it by Scripture 2. Confirme it by argument And 3. Strengthen it by the testimonie of Divines against the Papists And 4. Answer objections and so goe to the second 1. I shall clear it by Scripture and you have one here in the text Mat. 24.4 Take heed that no man deceive you c. 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things and hold fast
that which is good 1 Joh. 4.1 Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God because many false Prophets are gone forth into the world So that you see the truth clear in Scripture That it is the duty of every one to examine not only private opinions but even the sentences definitions and determinations of Synods of Councels themselves and to receive them and reject them as they are evident to be agreeable and consonant or dissonant and contrary to the Word of God But against these places the Papists object Object That those commands of proving Praedicta mandata non ad omnes sed ad Doctores pertinent Bellarm. examining and trying of opinions doe belong unto the Doctors and Steers-men of the Church and not to all Answ First for that place in Matth. 24.4 though it may seem to be spoken to the Disciples yet are others alike concerned in it if the Disciples were to take heed much more others if the Disciples were in danger of seduction much more are others also who wanted that knowledge that light and illumination which they had And therefore there was greater necessity that ordinary men should take heed For the other place in the 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things It seems clearly that the Apostle did rather speak to the people then their Pastors for having before exhorted them to the due respect of those who were set over them vers 12. and that they should not despise prophesying he comes to admonish them that they doe not give too much as well as too little To despise prophesying is to give too little and to take all is said upon trust is to give too much It is to set up men in Gods steed It is to make masters of your faith in earth and therefore he exhorts prove all things and hold fast to that which is good And for that place in the 1 Joh. 4.1 It is evident the Apostle spake to believers in generall First in respect of his appellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children which appellation better suits with thâ— people then with the Doctors And secondly because he chargeth them concerning such as were teachers there are many false Prophets gone out and therefore take heed this seems the ground of his exhortation because there were many false teachers therefore they were to beware So that you see it 's clear in Scripture that it is the duty of believers to examine c. We will now come to the second thing propounded viz. confirm it by Arguments and we will put these Scriptures into an Argument which shall be the first Arg. If every beleeving Chistian be commanded of God to take heed to prove to try to examine doctrines then God would not have us to take things of trust to submit to the definitions and determinations of men the best of men without examination and search but this is the command of God to all Christians as I have shewed therefore All the doubt lyes in the consequence that if we be commanded to prove and try all things then God would not have us submit to any thing but upon examination and search And this is plaine for if we are to swallow all if we are to receive what ever is offer'd if we are to take all upon trust It is then impossible that ever we should doe these duties of proving and trying and examining before we embrace and therefore seeing God would have us to doe the one certainely God would have us to doe the other also viz. to examine things before we doe embrace them Obj. But this is spoken of doubtfull doctrine for that only needs tryall and proving but the doctrine which is commended by them who are in authority is manifestly good therefore are we to receive it without tryall this is Bellarmines Ans Were the doctrine that were prescribed good in it selfe yet if not evidently good it could not be received and it cannot be evidently good till it is evidenced to me to be established upon the Word and this cannot be till it have passed a scrutiny till with the Bereans we have search't whether these things are so or no Act. 17.11 This is certain doctrins may not be in se dubiae in themselves doubtfull and yet auditoribus dubiae incertae doubtfull to the people I say they may not be doubtfull in themselves and yet they may be doubtfull and incertaine to us and therefore we are not able to receive them though cleare in themselves and to others if not cleared to us And they cannot be cleare to us till we have tryed and examined them The doctrine that the disciples preached to the Bereans it was cleare in it selfe but yet it was not cleare to them till they had searched and examined it And if the doctrine of the Apostles were subject to tryall and they commended for their scrutiny and tryall of it much more any doctrine of man or any prescriptions of meere men and they deserve no lesse commendation who will take pains in the scrutiny and search of it 2. To the second part of the Objection viz. That the Doctrine commended by them in authority is manifestly good you know this is built upon a false foundation they say Councels and Synods are infallible they have an unerring spirit and therefore they say all their conclusions are good But we say Councels and Synods may erre * Et errore pâ—sse errasse coÌ„cilia certum est That Councels may that Councels have erred is certain and therefore their results in stead of being manifestly good may be evidently bad witnesse the results of the Councel of Neocaesariensis Doctores in Synodis congregati vel concilia sive particularia sive generalia sinâ— uti saepiuâ— in rebus fidei errarunt itâ— etiâ—â—num errare possunt Misner Praesbyteris in nuptiis bigami prandere non convenit quia cum poenitentia bigamus egeat quis erit Praesbyter qui propter convivium talibus nuptiis possu praebere consensum Post consecrationem corpus sanguis Christi est sensualiter in sacramentis manibus sacerdotum tractotur c. Confess Berenger errat apud Gratianum de Consecrat distinct cap 2. Consul Daven de judice normâ fidei p 136 usque ad p 142. Consul Misner de ecclesia pag. 615. usque ad pag. 744. which condemned second-marriages as a great sinne And the Roman Councel approved on by Nicolaus the 2d who concluded the reall presence in the Sacrament and in as grosse a manner as ever was viz. that after the consecration the body and bloud of Christ was sensually in the Sacrament handled by the hands of the Priests torn in peeces with the teeth of believers The like I might shew of the Councel of Laterens which is said for the greatnes of it to be an oecumenicall generall Councel who put in this as an Article into the Creed to believe that Christs body and bloud were
Scripture but declares the necessity of the illumination of the spirit So much for the first objection 2 Obj. Another objection against the Scriptures being judge of opinions is this It is the worke of a judge so to declare his sentence that the one party may see he was in an errour and the other that he is in the right but the Scripture nor the Spirit of God in Scripture doth thus evince truth and convince of errour as to make the parties to know they are in truth or were in errour therefore the Scripture cannot be the judge of opinions Answ It is the worke of a Judge to declare the law to give his sentence declare his judgement and not to convince partyes It will be a hard thing to convince the loser that he is in the wrong Men who are given up to errour blinded with folly and bewitched with selfe-love in love with their owne opinions it is a hard thing to convince such that they aâ—e in an errour And shall we say the Word of God shall lose its judiciary authority because men in errour will not discerne of its judgement 2. Though they will not see now and be convinced yet the time will come that they shall see if not before yet at the greâ—â— day of account all things shall be made evident many that breake the lawes and are guilty of felony or of murther yet will not confesse to a petty Justice that he is guilty but at the Assize he is made evident and then he is convinced of it so however men sew fig-leaves and cover their nakednesse now will not confesse their error yet at the great day of Assize all shall be made evident and their mouthes stopped 3. I say that the Scriptures do sometimes so clearly evince truth and convince of errour that the parties themselves even in this life are convinced of it and cannot gaine-say or stand out against the evidence 4. I say againe if that the light and judgement and authority of the Word will not convince men of errour neither will any authority upon earth doe it * Quae controversiae siniri non possunt ex determinatione verbi divini neque finâ—entur unquamex determinatione cujuscunque authoritatis humane Daâ—en Qui ex scripturarâ—m lata sententia se victum non agnoscit nunquam agnoscet se victum ex sententia alterius judicis cujuscunque Daven Those controversies that cannot be concluded and determined by the judgement of the Word neither can they be determined and ended by any authority upon earth He that doth not acknowledg himselfe conquered by the evidence of Scripture will never acknowledge himselfe overcome by the sentence of any judge upon earth Give me leave to shut up what I have spoken in a word of application and I shall enter upon that enquiry Vse You see I have shewed you two things Who are to examine and by what rule to examine I have charged one upon you as your duty at all times It is the duty of every one to examine c. And I have given you here the rule by which you are to try viz. the Word of God This is the touch-stone It is not men not Councels not Synods much lesse the Pope whose unerring authority the Papists set above Councells But it is the Word of God which is the rule and judg a Theodor. histor Eccles l. 1. c. 7. In epist ad Innocent Epis 90. Inrer Epist Aug. and therefore by this the Councell of Nice both tryed and condemned the Arian Heresy by this the Councell of Carthage of Melevis of Orange tryed and condemned the Pelagian Heresy It is the speech of a heathen Philosopher b Qui ponit legem judicem ponit Deum qui addit hominem addit Bestiam he that makes the law judge makes God judge but he that makes man substitutes a beast instead And he gives this reason c Quia homines optimi distorquentur affectibus lex autem vacua est hujusmodi preturbationibus Arist because the best men are wrested with affections but the law is free of these perturbations If so much is to be given to humane lawes above the judgements of the best of men how much more to the divine the Law of God It hath been my work to clear this to you the Scripture is the rule Oh that now you had wisdome in the tryall you had need of wisdome to search to examine and need of wisdom to determine It is a shame to see how men sit as if these things did not belong to them Some are slothfull and will not enquire like Gallio they care for none of these things I have read of a Story of Henry the fourth of France who asking the Duke of Alva whether he had not observed the eclipses he answered no he had so much he said to doe upon the earth that he had no leisure to look up to heaven and there are many of this spirit who are so taken up and have so much to doe with the businesse of the world that they have no leisure to look up to heaven Some who enquire but sleightly and overtly they aske with Pilate what is truth but doe not take paines to finde it Others again who enquire but with corrupt affections which either bribe the understanding into errour or blinde the understanding that it cannot discern of truth Others that perhaps finde but either fear to own it or turn their backs on it as the young man in the Gospel Pelago se non ita coÌ„missurâ— esset quin quando liberet pedeÌ„ referre posset and you know what the King of Navar is said to speak to Beza that he would lanch no further into the deep then he might come safe to shore Men look upon truth as an ignis fatuus that leads them into boggs most men would entertain truth as a servant but few as a King they would own so much as might be serviceable to them but they will not own any more not so much as may master them so long as they may live on truth they like it but cannot away with it when it comes to live on them nay and live on the best of their comforts to live on their estates wives children possessions nay liberty and life c. this is hard And he that sees not truth his honour truth his riches truth his friends truth his liberty life that man will never own truth alone In the disquisition of truth in the enquiring after truth in these daies beware of a double spirit beware there be not treachery in thee beware of a double spirit beware of being byassed with corrupt affections c. Aske the way to Sion with your faces thitherward that is with resolution to goe it when it is revealed be not only willing to know but stand resolved to doe and when God sees you willing to doe he will make you able to know And so much shall serve by way
what ever comes from them On the contrary if they see mens practices are irregular they presently conclude their judgement is irregular too and that is a false light which carries a man into by-paths certainly say they true light would direct and steer men into paths of holinesse This is still concluded on That men of a bad life are certainly men of as ill a belief and sin in practice is a sure note of errour in judgement And there is great reason for such thoughts because if the things received were truth they would have a great influence into mens lives they would have a great command over mens practices and waies And if the light within them were not directive certainly it would be afflictive if it did not guide them it would scourge them and they could not be able to live in sinfull practices against such eminent convictions of light to the contrary and therefore they conclude such as is the practice such is the principle and that sinfull life is accompanied with as bad doctrine where men doe walk in darknesse and doe works of darknesse surely they are in darknesse there is no light in them It was the Fathers argument of Nero who was a wicked man a monster of men Certainly that is the truth which Nero persecutes And so doe we conclude certainly that is errour which these men countenance and truth which they oppose those are errours in judgement which are accompanied with such sins in life and that judgement cannot but be erroneous where the life is so enormious Thus it is with most men they take up the judgement of things by mans practices not by Gods precepts by mens walking not by Gods rules and indeed the lives and practices of men are great obstacles and stumbling blocks to the entertainment of truth if bad and as great advantages to errour if unblameable And to speak truth these are probable grounds of truth and errour but they are not infallible evidences I say they are probable grounds The end of all truth is to reform our lives to transform our hearts And the power of truth doth enable men to live holily It doth not only teach us to doe so Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God hath appeared teaching us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts But it doth inable us to doe so it is called a sanctifying truth Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth So that certainly it is a probable signe where men are sinfull in their lives they are erroneous in their judgements too But yet it is not an infallible evidence It 's possible to be erroneous in judgement and yet unblameable in conversation The Pharisees they were unblameable in their conversation who could charge them you may reade how he vaunts himself over the poor Publican Luk. 18.11 But yet you know he was erroneous in his judgement The like I may say of Arius of Arminius they were said to be men unblameable in their lives but yet fearfull erroneous in their judgements one denying the deity of Christ and the other denying the grace of Christ under the pretence of extending it to all they overthrow the nature of it and give it to none And are not many of the Papists also strict and unblameable in their lives as who more strict then they who look for justification and salvation by what they doe you shall have more charitable works from those who look to purchase heaven by them or those who thinke by them to perswade with God and to procure Gods favour to them I speak it not without sorrow then from those who yet have the affection of charity and only look for and are assured of their salvation by Christ alone Men doe not work so freely from ingagement as to ingage not from sense of mercy and thankefulnesse for it as to procure mercy and ingage God to them but this by the way Now to return I say some of the most devout of the Papists are strict and unblameable in their lives yet are they erroneous in their judgements so that you see it is possible to be erroneous in judgement and yet unblameable in life and conversation with men And again I say it is possible to be right in judgement and yet naught in life all convinced men are not converted men all that are sound in judgement in the main things are not holy of life their passions and corrupt and sinfull affections blinde their judgements in this or that particular act or may over-power their judgements and sway and carry them in those waies which their own light and conscience condemns them in And these are those which we call sinners against conscience against light of which sort are most of they who live in the Church of God They are men self-condemned their consciences and light within them tels them they doe wickedly and sinfully but yet their passions and corrupt affections carry them on violently in those waies of sin But now such men are right in judgement only by the power of argument the evidence of reason not by the demonstration of the spirit that light they have of truth it is but a common not a saving not a sanctifying light it is but a generall not a spirituall powerfull transforming and changing light The Toad though the whole body be poyson yet they say it hath a pearl in its head it serves thus farre for our turn it is one of the best pearls ever was found in it though men may have poysonous hearts and are of corrupt lives yet may they be for a time right in judgement in main things I say 1. For a time And 2. In main things with those two restrictions it may hold 1. For a time for it will not be long either the light will overcome sin in life or the sinfull life will darken and obscure the light God saith so 2 Thess 2.10 11. They who receive the truth and not with love of it they shall be given up to strong delusions to believe lies c. And because we know not when God may leave such men and give them up to blindenesse of minde to strong delusions and to their hearts lusts therefore is it not safe to receive knowledge or rather doctrine from their lips 2. The second restriction is in main things for a time they may be right in their judgements in main things that is in generall and common things which are of universall reception and have universall consent of which things either by education or by industry and art and diligence they have gotten and acquired the light and knowledge of God reveals no secrets to them those he reserves to impart to his friends he tels us The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Psal 25.14 And Christ tels his Disciples Henceforth I call you not servants but friends And upon this ground Because what ever I have heard of the Father I have made known to you Joh. 15.15 Joh. 15.15 Others have
holinesse of those who have been the Reformers and Institutours of such things And certainly it is a great advantage to an errour and prejudice to a truth the holinesse and loosnesse of those who are the maintainers and entertainers of it It is that which the Heathens alleadged against Christianity in the first times of the Gospel the sins of those who had received and made profession of it which the Apostle doth so often charge upon them that they caused the crosse of Christ and the Gospel of Christ to be blasphemed by their unworthy walking And it is that which the Turks doe say against the Christians at this day * â—cce quates suâ—t qui ChristuÌ„ colunt si bona discerent boni essent Christum legunt impâ—j sunt Christum oud â—nt inebriaÌ„tur Christum sequuntur iapiunt Sâ—l â—â—â—â— Behold the servants of the crucified God certainly if their way were truth their lives would not be so sinfull Insomuch that we may well say it is a great prejudice to the truth of God the disorderly walking of them that are the professours of it and it is a great advantage to an errour in the mindes of men the sanctity and holinesse of those who walk in it men are more led by practice then by rule by example then by argument by the eye then by the Word and this is their argument See their lives and by that you may judge of their opinions But we will come to the answer of the Question Whether the holinesse of those who are the publishers and receivers of an opinion be not a sufficient discovery that the opinion is a truth Before I answer give me leave in a word to distinguish of errour of truth and of holiness 1. There are fundamentall truths and building truths and so there is fundamentall and damning errours and dangerous and defiling errours all errours are not damning but all are dangerous and defiling 2. There is an appearing holinesse and a reall holinesse and so there is a religious strictnesse and a superstitious strictnesse one commanded of God the other taken up of man Now having laid down these two distinctions we will come to the answer and I will answer the Question in four Conclusions Concl. 1 Conclus 1. The appearing holinesse of those who hold an opinion is not enough to demonstrate it a truth A man may be in a dangerous I had like to have said damning errour and yet to the view of men appearingly holy Many men have put on a form of godlinesse and shew of holinesse till they have gotten strength and power enough to back them in their opinions and then they have discovered the venome of their spirits and let loose their spirits to those corrupt waies which their erroneous understandings did lead them to Arius as they write on him who yet held that damnable opinion against the Deity of Christ that Christ was not God he was a man in all appearance humble and holy insomuch that his holinesse drew many after him and those who received the opinion they were many of them of unblameable life and conversation but yet when they had gotten power on their side they acted their venome The like I might say of Nestorius Maniche c. And Arminius of late who in his time discovered much appearing holinesse and humility yet held dangerous errouâ—s It is the subtilty of Satan and the policy of the first promoters of opinions to difference themselves as much from others in life and conversation as they doe in judgâ—mâ—nt and opinion that so their errours might get more ground and finde better entertainment with others As the Pharisees made long prayers but it was to prey upon and devour widows houses they made the practice of holinesse but the cloak of their hypocrisie and the stalking horse to compasse their own ends So many doe walk in the waies of strictnesse but to set off their own wicked errours and advantage their opinions they know that an ill life will be disadvantagious to the receiving of their opinions and therefore put on a form of godlinesse but deny the power of it that they might the better advantage the reception of their errours But though some I say doe walk in a way of holines to set off those things which they know to be errours they put on a sheeps garment to deceive yet others though they be in an errour may apprehend it for a truth and with honest affections may walk holily to adorn their profession and make their doctrine more receptible in the hearts of others So that I say first the appearing holinesse and strictnesse of the maintainers and entertainers of an opinion is not enough to discover it a truth It is certain a man may be strict in an errour and yet a libertine in a truth though no truth doth make men libertines or countenance them in it yet some errours may make men strict strict I say not a religious strictnesse but a superstitious strictnesse strict not in observing the precepts of God but the traditions and prescriptions of men as the Pharisees were and many of the poor deluded Papists are And therefore no appearing strictnesse or holinesse can evidence an opinion to be truth I say appearing for you can goe no further you cannot difference between false and true between appearing and approved holinesse you know what Christ saith of them who justified themselves before men that is that walked unblameable before men That which is highly esteemed amongst men is an abomination in the sight of God Luk. 16.15 Luk. 16.15 Concl. 2 Conclus 2. That a reall and approved holinesse is a sure note that the errour which they hold is not a damning destroying errour I say though the holines of those men that maintain an opinion be not a sure note that the opinion they maintain is a truth yet it is a certain evidence that it is not an undoing and destructive errour Christ saith That the elect shall not be deceived Mat. 24.24 Mat. 24.24 that is though they may be carried aside with some sinfull yet they shall not be drawn away with undoing errours And we have all the harmony of Scripture for that he tels us That they who doe his will shall know his doctrine Joh. 6.45 Joh. 7.17 Joh. 10.4 5 that we shall all be taught of God that we shall hear his voice and shall not follow the voice of strangers and that we have received an anointing of the holy One wherby we know all things Al which places are to be understood of necessary truths not accessory of truths that are essentiall and fundamentall not circumstantiall and it proves fully to us that God will never give up his holy ones to undoing errours That 's the second answer that holinesse is a sure note that the opinions which they hold though an errour yet it is not a damning and destroying errour Concl. 3 Conclus 3. Reall holinesse in the maintainers and
entertainers of an opinion it is a probable signe that the opinion is truth Indeed God doth not honour wicked men or men of corrupt hearts with the first discoveries of truth what they have they have from others A man may well suspect that opinion which a corrupt heart is the revealer of God reveals his hidden things to his hidden ones The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him and the humble he will teach and guide in all truth as he tels us Psal 25.14 Psa 25.14 Other men have no promise of Gods making known his minde unto them nor are they under any condition for God to doe it But now the godly they are under a promise he hath said He will lead us into the way of all truth he hath told us we shall be taught of God and we are under the condition of such revelation for we are in Covenant with him and that 's one condition Jer. 31.33 Jer. 31.33 34. Isa 54.13 Joh. 15.15 Hos 6.3 34. We are his children that 's another Isa 54.13 We are his friends Joh. 15.15 We are such as seek him Hos 6.3 Then shall we know if we follow on to know he will reveal his minde to them that seek him And being under these gracious conditions we may expect that God should reveal his minde and truth to us So that is the third Answer Reall holinesse in the publishers and receivers of an opinion is a probable signe that the opinion is a truth I would not give too much to holinesse in this kinde for I am not to be led by any mans practice but Gods precepts but this I would say in doubtfull cases where there is not a clear rule in the Word though I would not submit my judgement nor give up my understanding to the opinion of any yet holinesse should prevail much with my affections and I should conclude it is either a truth or certainly it is no dangerous errour that these hold And if I should see two contrary opinions held by godly and holy men I would not goe about to dispute and debate which of them are most holy nor can I conclude that both are truths But this I would conclude that certainly neither of them are dangerous errours both of them are but circumstantiall truths This is a maxime God is never wanting to his Church and people in necessary truths nor doth he leave them to undoing errours And that 's the third Answer That reall holinesse is a probable signe the opinion such hold forth is a truth Conclus 4. Though a reall holinesse be a probable signe Concl. 4 that the opinion is a truth yet it is not an infallible evidence 1. The best men are but men and therefore not infallible not unerring what Whitaker said of the ancient Bishops a Etiam illi Episcopi qui martyres fuerunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passi sunt Whit. cont 4. so I may say of all even the best of men they have their failings they have need of some grains of allowance Another speaking of the Fathers saith b Sancti quidem fuerunt sed tamen homi nei affectus suos habuerunt They were holy men but yet were but men and had humane affections and humane frailties Origen Tertullian Cyprian they were holy men c At qui isti in errores multos inciderunt but they fell into many errours d Qui verò pertinaciter eorum sententias desenderiit haeretici habiti sunt Tertullianistae Origenistae appellati Reynold cens Apoc. praelect 4. Jude v 16. And those who took them up and maintained them were called heretikes Tertullianists and Origenists The best men are but men and imperfect in knowledge the Apostle tels us we know but in part we have many corruptions which are too apt to byas us and lead us aside The best men the most godly may be led aside 1. Either from weaknesse of judgement for we know but in part 2. Or from partiality of affections 3. Or from over-weening the maintainers of an opinion It is a dangerous thing for us to have mens persons in admiration men are apt to take things upon trust from honest men 4. Or from the benigne and fair aspects which an opinion may carry thus the affections sometime work upon the understanding and gain the understanding not by demonstration but by allurement this is to bribe us and inveagle our judgements into an opinion not to reason and perswade us Certainly the lesse the understanding hath to deal with the affections and the affections with the understanding in the finding out truth and errour as I said before the safer and clearer is your way 5. Or from over-credulousnesse Or 6. From fear of denying a truth all which I spake to at large in the fore-going Discourse Certainly the best men may be led aside as men they are incident to errour as corruption in them inclinable Nay the Apostle tels us Rom. 16.18 By good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple Ro. 16 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hearts of them not evil as the word is As many followed Absolom in the simplicity of their hearts So there are many who may follow an errour not out of corrupt affections for by-ends or for advantage but even out of the simplicity of their hearts Men may have corrupt hearts in a truth and honest hearts in an errour that is honest ends and honest aims And so much for the fourth answer Though reall holinesse in the maintainers be a probable signe yet it is not an infallible evidence of the truth of an opinion And so much for the fourth Question we now come to the fift Qu. 5. Whether this be not sufficient to evidence an opinion to be true that it is held up and maintained by learned men and on the contrary to discover it an errour that it is maintained by illiterate and unlearned men It hath been the great argument the Papists have had all must needs be truth which such learned Doctours have held and again that must needs be an errour which is upheld and maintained by a sort of unlearn'd and illiterate men and we have had the same note sung to us Cons Park Polit. Eccl. l. 2. c. 20. c. And there are some places of Scripture which seem to favour it that the want of learning is a great cause that men run into many errours as you see 2 Pet. 3 16. where the Apostle speaking of Pauls Epistles he tels us That there are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable doe wrest as they doe also other Scriptures unto their own destruction By which the Apostle seems to inferre that the want of learning is the cause that many doe run into errour And yet if this place be conferr'd with other places it will appear not to make so much for that purpose but on the contrary
learned men were faithfull to their light and would not be byassed or corrupted for a world then one would thinke it some wisdom to resigne up our judgement to such and be of their opinion but first it is not a competent judge Christ tels us there is a learning from which truths are concealed and hid he blessed his Father Who hid these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to babes And secondly learned men are not uninterested men they have corruptions in them and this doth bias them often times to the maintaining of errour and opposing truth and therefore dangerous Nay though there be grace as well as learning yet they are subject to passions they have corruptions in them and how farre those may work in the delivering of truth or opposing errour how farre their fears and hopes their pride may work you know not And therefore though they were learned and holy men yet you are not to resign up your faith and judgements to their opinions 1 Thess 5.21 1 Joh. 1.4 but are to trie all things and prove the spirits whether they be of God or no. And thus much shall serve for the answer to the fifth Question one more and we will conclude the false marks the sixt Question then is this Qu. 6. Whether this be sufficient to discover an opinion erroneous or declare it to be a truth the multitude or the paucity of them who are the divulgers and maintainers of it It is you know the great Argument the Papists have and therefore they set it down as one note of the true Church the multitude of professours And though it was opposed against the Papists yet was it an Episcopall argument against the reformed Churches * Mos totius orbis omniuÌ„ teraporum ecclesiarum potior esse debet eo qui est exigui populi parvi temporis Sarar Cons Park de polit eccles l. 2 c. 35 p. 297. 298. etiam l 2 c 6 7. That which hath been the custom of the whole world and of all times of the Churches ought to be more desirable then such a discipline which is maintained by a few and is but of late standing Again It is most just and equall that seeing the number of the reformed are but few they should yeeld unto the other who are many yea and many of them in authority and office in Church and Common-wealth Another speaks yet plainer a AbsurduÌ„ est Deum velle inspirare unum potius quaÌ„ multos Sutâ—l It is absurd to thinke that God should inspire one man rather then many by which expressions of theirs it may seem too evident that though they opposed this argument of the Papists and b In rebus fidem concerneÌ„tibus judicium unius private hominis praeferenaum est Papae toti Concilio si ille moveatur meltoribus rationibus authoritatibus N V. Testam D. White citing Panormitan against the Papists held it forth to be of no weight when they were to deal with them because the Papists might glory most in multitude yet they esteemed it of some weight against the reformed Churches they being farr lesse in number then they were It shews a cause to be weak when they have recourse to such poor weapons and that surely there is not much to maintain it when such arguments as are taken from number and multitude are made use of But to come to the answer of the Question which I conceive will not require much pains The Question is Whether this be sufficient to discover an opinion erroneous or to declare it to be a truth the multitude or paucity of them who are the divulgers and maintainers of it I shall answer this in brief 1. If by multitude be meant the greater number of mankinde then it is a certain evidence of errour The greatest number of mankinde lies in darknesse and errour as St John saith 1 Joh. 5.19 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lies in wickednes If you divide the world into four parts you will finde above three parts to be Pagans Heathens Mahometans Idolaters Atheists how few will be the residue Alas they are but a few in the North-east passages that doe professe and acknowledge a Christ and of those how few 2. If by multitude be meant the greatest number of men in the Church who doe adhere to an opinion neither will this be sufficient to discover it a truth And that upon these two grounds 1. Because the greatest number they are ignorant and so are not able to judge of truth and errour blinde men cannot discern of colours they want knowledge to discern of things that differ they are not able to try nor upon triall are they able to determine 2. Because the greatest number they are corrupt and vicious they are for the most part either Atheisticall or prophane or proud and ambitious men or worldlings covetous hypocrites formall professours If you look upon the multitude they adhere to doctrines 1. Either out of ignorant grounds 2. Or out of corrupt ends 1. Out of ignorant grounds viz. because this was the way of their Fathers and they doe traditionally adhere to it or because such men whom thâ—y respect and honour are in that way or because it is commended to them by the learned or prescribed and commanded by authority Indeed it is an easie matter to make any thing of the multitude they are soft wax in regard of their religion and can receive any impression they are fit for any stamp their superiours will put upon them they are but a body and authority is their soul which moves them which way they pleâ—sâ— in point of Religion truth and errour are all one to them It is an easie matter to make them any thing who are indeed nothing It was a heavie charge was cast upon us by our right hand adversaries that England was converted from Popery to Protestanisme by the blast of one trumpet In Q. Maries daies they were Papists and upon her death within an hour after as soon as Qu. Elizabeth was proclaimed here was a Kingdom of Protestants a nation was converted at once Though this charge is not true in all for after her Coronation besides Commissioners sent unto all parts to deface all the monuments of Idolatry Vid. The most grave and modest confuâ—aâ—ion puâ—lâ—shed by Mâ—st Rathbone p. 10. there were Ministers sent about to preach the Word of God viz. Knox Leave Gilby Sampson Whitingham Goodman who in Q. Maries daies had exercised their Ministery in the best reformed Churches beyond the seas who were now sent out to gather the people to the Lord to discover the errours of Popery to reduce men to the knowledge of the truth And upon the meeting of a Parliament those acts which were formerly made in Qu. Maries daies were repealed and the doctrine of truth again with Religion established And it were well to avoid this charge if Ministers were sent thorow the Kingdom at
this time with Commission to preach and instruct men in waies of worship to reveal to men the truth and prepare mens hearts that so when things come to be setled we might not if possible have any to yeeld to things with implicit faith and blinde obedience It was the practice of good Hezekiah when he restored the worship of God 2 Chron. 29. beg he sent out Posts like to Evangelists to prepare the people and to humble them for their revoltings and to reduce them to the worship of God And if this be not done 2 Chro 29. beg compared with the 2 Chro. 30.6 7. we may fear either great opposition in men or else blinde submission and implicit obedience 2. Or the multitude adheres to doctrines out of corrupt ends As the Ivy adheres to the tree not because it loves the tree but because the tree feeds it with berries and leaves it adheres to it for its own advantage because out of it it may suck berries So doe most men adhere to Religion and doctrine Or as the winde follows the abundance of exhalations So they go where there is the most advantage to be got indeed innumerable are the corrupt ends that corrupt minded men propound to themselves in the entertaining doctrine some out of fear others out of faction a third for repute the most for profit and advantage all speak this language Who will shew us any good It was the great Argument of the Craftsmen of Diana why they adhered to that Idolatry By this craft we have all our gain And it is a great motive to a carnall heart he that hath no principle of motion and life within he either stands still or is moved with the crowd or if he have any motion of his own something without him is the spring of it The multitude is a great body and a dull body and indeed hath no motions of it 's own it is carried about meerly with weights and the great weights are outward things which taken off there is no motion at all they are like the dead sea and cannot stirre So that you see if we goe about to take up our judgement of truth or errour from the multitude of them who adhere to it how dangerous it is to be mistaken 3. If by multitude be meant the greater number of holy and learned men in the Church of God I say then this is a probable signe though no infallible evidence that the opinion held forth is a truth 1. I say it is a probable signe I have told you God doth never desert his people in necessary essentiall truths He hath promised they shall be taught of God and they have an unction of the holy One whereby they know all things that is all things necessary to salvation And for accessory and circumstantiall truths It is a probable signe that the things which upon impartiall search and debate they hold forth are truths though it be not sufficient for us to conclude them so because they have determined so but we are to examine and search whether they be so or no. I say it is a probable signe but we are not to submit to it as their judgement but are to see the judgement of God in them Cons Park l. 2 c. 11. de authoritate PatruÌ„ not to conclude our selves upon the authority of men unlesse we see the authority of God in them 2. Though it be a probable signe yet it is not an infallible evidence We all know that godly and learned men have yet much darknesse in their understanding they doe but know in part none can plead an unerring spirit none are infallible I have shewed you that Synods and Councels may erre What David confessed he spake in haste we may speak upon best deliberation so farre as men All men are liars As the learnedst men have darknesse in their understanding so they have corruption in their hearts there is self and pride and corrupt aims and ends which may creep into the hearts of the best And how farre God may suffer men to be byassed by these things it is not for man to determine how farre corrupt aims and ends may winde themselves into the heart and bribe a mans understanding or blinde his sight it is not for man to judge they who are most acquainted with their hearts doe finde cause enough to be jealous and suspect them yea and upon known experience And therefore though the multitude of godly and learned men concurring in an opinion to be a truth though it may be a probablâ— signe yet can be no infallible evidence that what they hold forth is a truth I say it is no concluding evidence There may be cases wherein one man may be in the truth and yet many godly and learned men may be in an errour * Vnâ—â— Puphnutius toâ—um Concilium Nicaâ—â—um direxit Niceph. l. 8 c. 19. Eliâ—s nuâ—s erat sed totus mundus non erat dignus qui rependeretur ipsi Chr. One Paphnutius was in the truth when the whole Councel of Nice were in an errour they were learned men and it appears they were godly by their humble submitting of themselves to better reason though but one man brought it they were not so partiall as to adhere to their own votes nor were they so proud as not to recede from their opinions and be concquered by truth nor did they stand upon their number when they saw truth against them One naked truth should conquer them and make them throw down their weapons and one man having truth with him should be too big for that great Assembly they did not plead their number their votes and the multitude which adhered to them but as men that came to search out truth not victory they yeelded up themselves to the power and conquest of it A mighty argument of their humility and sincerity Indeed we are not to measure truth by the number of votes but by the authorities of Scripture a Nos numero sen â—enitam noÌ„ metimur Verâ—tas numero non astimatur vel unuâ— qui veritatem habet sufficienter munitur adversus totum mundum Mat. D. White de eccl l. 30 p. 127. Whit. cont 2. q. 5. c. 5. We doe not judge of truth by the number of men though a man be alone yet if he have the truth with him he is sufficiently armed against the whole world One Micheas having the truth with him was too hard for the 400. Prophets who were in an errour 1 King 22.15 Indeed it is not impossible that one man should be in the truth and many in an errour nor is it absurd to prefer the judgment of one man in the truth before many in an errour It was well spoken of Augustine a Si justus es noli numerare sed appende stateram afferaequaÌ„ non dolesaÌ„ Aug. in Ps 39. If thou would passe right judgment of an opinioÌ„ do not number but weigh weigh not in the false
balance of the multitude but in the balance of truth the Word of God This is certain b Veritas neque à nultis neque à paucis pendet Park l. 2. p. 253. Truth doth neither depend on many nor few And therefore we are not to goe by number of votes and voices in finding out of truth but by the authorities of Scripture we are not here to goe by the pol but by the line the Word of God To the Law and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this the light is not in them most voices are not here to carry it but enquire What saith the answer of God You know if the diall be not set by the Sunne you care not what it saith So if men be not guided by the Word it 's no matter what they say though they be myriads of men that speak it Indeed we may give too little and too much to multitude 1. We give too little when the concurrent opinions and deliberate thoughts of a number of godly learned and holy men is of no weight with us when we will reject their results ignorantly wilfully without an impartiall debate and examination of them an honour that you give to the opinions I may say the errours of men of no name Certainly as you are not to submit to the judgement of any Assembly or company of the learnedst and holiest men with a blinde obedience So neither are you to reject their results and determinations with a perverse will you are to try them and be so farre from unprejudiced thoughts that you are charitably to judge that probably so many holy and learned men are not in an errour probably they are in the truth and if you thinke otherwise before triall and debate you give too little to them and it is your sin 2. We give too much to multitude and number 1. Either when we judge of an opinion to be truth because the promiscuous multitude doth adhere to it 2. Or when we blindly subscribe to an opinion for truth because many learned and holy men are the Patrons and maintainers of it 1. When we judge of an opinion to be truth because the promiscuous multitude abundance in the Church adhere to it And this is indeed the great errour men are carried away with the crowd they are not able to stand against the stream they are carried down with the multitude and the number of them in the way is the great argument that concludes them in it also Christ tells us here in the text That many shall come in his Name and say they are Christ and shall deceive many Here you are told there may be a multitude of seducers and a multitude of seduced they shall deceive many And it is the worst of arguments to prove truth by multitude It is a passage of Chrysostom * In theatris multitudo quaeratur Multitudo nota ecclesiae ac proindè veritatis noÌ„ est quia ecclesia saepe in paucis confistit deinde quia multitudo malorum impiorum major est post reâ—â—ò faâ—sa Religio majora occupavit spatia quaÌ„ vera Chry. ad pop Antioch â—om 26. The multitude can be no true Character of the truth and he gives three reasons 1. Because the Church of God doth consist in a few 2. Because the number of wicked men are the greatest 3. Because errour hath gotten more ground then truth the possessions and territories of errour doe farre exceed the bounds of truth you know there are more tares then wheat in Gods field more Goats then sheep in his fold more chaff then corn in his floor more bad fishes then good in his net if Atheisticall prophane men unbelievers proud ambitious men coverous and worldly persons hypocrites and formall professours were singled out the residue would be but few you would see ground why Christ calls his flock a little flock a small remnant and to take up the complaint of the Prophet that the number was but as the gleanings of grapes after the vintage is over but as the shaking of an Olive-tree after the fruit is gathered even one of a City two of a Tribe and to say with Christ Broad is the gate that leads to death and many there be that enter thereat but narrow and strait is the gate which leads to life and few there be which enter therein So that you see if we take up judgement of truth by the number of men in the Church that adhere to it we may be mistaken we are commanded not to follow a multitude to evil * Quae nam precor utilitas est multuÌ„ esse foenum quaÌ„ paucos lapides praeciosos non in numeri multitudine sed in virtutis probitate multitude consistit There is much drosse little gold much hay and stubble and little precious stones If there be any validity in this argument of number it is not in the weight but in the worth a Non in quantitate molis sed in qualitate virtutis Non salvat Christianum quod pontifex dicit praeceptum suum esse justum sed oâ—o tet illud examinare atque se iuxta regulaÌ„ superius dataÌ„ dirigere Ger. Laicus temerè doctoribus ecclesia credere non debeat sed coriaÌ„ doctrinas examinare praesertiuâ— cum populi aures sacerdotum cordibus sape sanctiores sim Hieronâ— Epist. not in the bulk or quantity but in the worth and quality of the persons that are the maintainers of it And yet therein we may erre also which is the second way whereby we give too much to multitude When we blindely subscribe to an opinion for truth because many learned and holy men are the Patrons and maintainers of it I have clear'd this to you at large that it is the duty of every Christian to examine not only the private opinions of private men but the sentences definitions debates of Synods and Councels and to embrace or reject them as they shall appear consonant and dissonant to the rule of truth the Word of God And the Scriptures are plain for it we are commanded to try all things 1 Thess 5.21 And not to believe every spirit 1 Joh. 4.1 and to search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 Isa 8.20 And the Bereans were commended for the same notwithstanding the doctrine they examined was the doctrine of the Apostles Act. 17.11 And it will not be sufficient for you to say you followed the doctrines of your leaders Christ tells you If the blinde lead the blinde both shall fall into the ditch And therefore we shall give too much to a number of holy and learned men to drinke in and receive what ever they doe propound to subscribe our judgement to their positions without further debate and examination of them though the things be truths yet we erre in our way of closing with them we give blinde obedience and implicit faith to them we make men the masters of our faith which wrongs God and injureth
the Magistrate is to follow jubendo sanciendo cogendo in commanding â—stablishing and compelling I am sure there is more reason that the one go before then there is necessity the other should follow after Yet mistake me not I speak not this to countenance the skepticalnesse of these times as if a man should be afraid to speak write act against any opinion what ever for fear it be a truth I leave that to them who have their God and religion to seek Nor doe I thinke Gamaliels speech to be so good divinity as many make it Act. 5.38 39. to me he seemes no better then a meer Polititian and a nullifidian by his speech doubting whether the Apostles doctrine was from God or men Such Skepticalnesse is better in Philosophy then in divinity Certainly we are not to fluctuate and doubt in a pyrrhonian vacillation and uncertainty As there is such a duty so there is such a sinne to be ever learning and never comming to the knowledge of the truth And it is a greater judgement then men are a ware of to be given up to this Skepticalnesse of spirit certain in nothing how ever men look upon it yet sure it is no better then a diffusive Atheisme Scruples are not ever the arguments of a broken heart but some times of a broken head and how ever men look upon such a spirit yet sure I am such a spirit argues 1. Weaknesse of knowledge of the truth 2. And slendernesse sleightnesse of faith in the assenting to the truth of the Word and 3. In many it is no better then a temptation to divert and turn the stream of their desires affections endeavours from things certain to the search and enquiry into things uncertain that they may spend their money for that which is not bread and their labour for that which will not satisfie Isa 55.2 And I wish that those who are now laying out their money in such wayes would hear God speaking to them in the heat of the market why do you spend your mony for that which is not bread for my own part if I were an assertour of liberty and against all coercive power yet I should abominate this medium to prove and defend it by which overthrows all religion and wounds the soul in the belief and certainty of all known truth Certainly there are errours there are heresies there are strong delusions which carry many away yea and these errours these heresies may be known els truth cannot be known a man may be as certain that this or that is an errour as that this or that is a truth he that saith we cannot be certain of the one doth or would alike say we cannot be certain of the other It is easily granted That we know but in part yet we may know certainly though not fully this is knowledge in part hath respect to the measure and degrees of knowledge not to the nature and certainty of our knowledge in this life fulnes of knowledge is not required to acting but certainty of knowledge though that be capable of improvement also there may be certainty of knowledg though there want fulnes of knowledge it is not required I should know all the will of God but know that this which I do is the will of God And of that I speak when I say the Magistrate is to act knowingly that is he is to act from the certainty of faith though not from fulnesse of knowledge 1. He is to be fully perswaded that what he opposeth is an errour 2. That it is such an errour as is the object of his power to suppresse And 3. That he doth a thing pleasing to God in the suppressing of it And this certainty of knowledge will be sufficient to inable a man to act in this nature though there want fulnesse of knowledge And so much shall serve for the second he is to act knowingly 3. This power must be dispenced wisely and prudentially Not only justly and knowingly but wisely and prudentially And this prudential dispencing of this power lies in these three things viz in the dispensation of it with distinction 1. Of errours 2. Of persons 3. Of penalties 1. It must be dispenced with distinction of errours Certainly it is not every difference in judgement or practice no nor every difference from the truth no nor every errour maintained that is to be the object of the Magistrates power this were to deny a Christian latitude to men this were to kill flies with beetles The remedy may be worse then the evil is It is said of Domition the Roman Emperour that he spent his time in killing of flies it was a work unworthy such a person as he was Certainly the Roman Empire was not so much disturbed with a flie It is unworthy the power of a Magistrate to make every puny difference every dissent from the apprehended truth or common rule the object of his coercive power Without doubt there is a latitude to be afforded to men of different judgements yea and of different practices in smaller matters otherwisâ— this power in being a relief would be a scourge to the Churches of Christ There must be a distinction made of errours I have told you that some were errours in doctrine some in practice And both these either such as were principall or lesse principall either fundamentall or circafundamentall or but circumstantiall I shall not run into the many distinctions thâ—t might be made Certainly there are some errours of which I may as well as of some truths that their suppression is their growth this way of lessening them is the way of increasing them That by which you thinke to be their death doth but give them life And this ariseth 1. Either from the crossenesse of mens spirits Nitimur in vetitum Men love still to taste of forbidden fruit 2. Or from the conscientiousnesse of men they are ready to thinke there is some good in that way that is opposed and suppressed the world lies under prejudice it hath seldome been a friend to truth And that jealousie that is in men concerning earthly powers having so many interests and ingagements to tempt and bias them doth perswade much with men who contemn the world to thinke there is something in that which the world as they look upon it doth oppose 3. Or it may arise from the rigorous and violent causes that may be used against some opinions which hath been ever harsh to men of tender and conscientious spirits Insomuch that often times those opinions which otherwise would expire and breath out of themselves By this means their date is lengthened and their asserters increased and breaches are multiplied And what ever others doe yet God forbid that we who but even now came out from under a cruell tyranny should ever so farre forget as to be oppressours of others even for differences of the like latitude which we complained under and desired relief of but could not enjoy it Yet I speak not