Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	bear_v	good_a	zion_n	25	3	8.7803	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76988	The arraignment of errour: or, A discourse serving as a curb to restrain the wantonnesse of mens spirits in the entertainment of opinions; and as a compasse, whereby we may sail in the search and finding of truth; distributed into six main questions. Quest. 1. How it may stand with Gods, with Satans, with a mans own ends, that there should be erroneous opinions? Quest. 2. What are the grounds of abounding errours? Quest. 3. Why so many are carried away with errour? Quest. 4. Who those are that are in danger? Quest. 5. What are the examens, or the trials of opinions, and characters of truth? Quest. 6. What waies God hath left in his Word for the suppressing of errour, and reducing of erroneous persons? Under which generall questions, many other necessary and profitable queries are comprized, discussed, and resolved. And in conclusion of all; some motives, and means, conducing to an happy accommodation of our present differences, are subjoyned. / By Samuel Bolton minister of the Word of God at Saviours-Southwark.	Bolton, Samuel, 1606-1654.	1646 (1646)	Wing B3517; Thomason E318_1; ESTC R200547	325,527	388

inticement not by demonstration they inveagle they doe not informe the understanding they perswade by inticing and not by evidence and reason A man may well suspect those opinions which are wrought upon the understanding by the affections and not by demonstrations the affections often inveagle the understanding sometime inforce it sometime they bribe somtime they threaten the understanding into an opinion its dangerous for the affections to work upon the understanding The lesse the understanding hath to deale with the affections in judgement of truth or errour and the lesse the affections with the understanding the safer and clearer is the judgement A man may well suspect those opinions which are wrought upon the understanding by perswasions and not by demonstrations The Philosophers used to say that to win the understanding by gaining first into the affections is to woe the Mistris by the maid Affections are to attend and serve the understanding and not to inforce it they are not to tell what is truth but to follow the understanding with love and delight in the embracing of it Suspect that for truth that you are threatned or bribed into And so much for the second ground 3. A third ground of credulousnesse is the similitude and likenesse which errour may carry to a truth of God you must know that though Gods people may entertaine errour yet no damning though defiling errours nor doe they entertaine any errour as an errour but under the notion nay apprehension that it is a truth and there is such similitude which an errour may carry to truth that they may entertaine it without debating and examining of it I told you from the 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. That Satan might transforme himselfe into an Angel of light and so may represent errour under such a shew of truth that it is not for every one to distinguish between that and truth There was never any errour set on foote but it was indeavour'd to be grounded on the Scripture the word is pleaded on all sides and many places alledged which may seeme to afford strength even to false opinions by which an errour may be represented to them who are not able to discerne as if it were a truth There are but few errours in our dayes but they carry some resemblance of truth with them at least the face and appearance of truth nay but few but have some ingrediency of truth in them and therefore carrying such a resemblance with truth looking upon the first view like a truth the best may be deceived with errour instead of truth if they take things on trust though this deceit shall not be an undoing deceit if it be not an undoing errour and that Gods people shall never be given up unto We say though error fortunae a mistake in the estate doth not cause an anullity in marriage yet error personae the errour of the person doth if you were married to one whom you tooke to be another person this doth cause an anullity in the marriage The entertainment of truth or errour is a kinde of marriage between the soule and it and there is a firme marriage between corrupt hearts and errour but the contract which is between a godly man and errour is a false contract and therefore that claime which errour hath to him is a false title because though it be an errour yet he entertain'd it for a truth and therefore it shall not damne him though it doth for the present defile him 4. A fourth ground of the credulousnesse of the godly their facile and easie beliefe it is the high and specious pretexts which an errour may carry Errour may beare as big a saile and hold up as high pretexts as truth it selfe and this may prevaile much to the entertainment of an errour this is a great advantage which errour hath It may hold forth the same authority beare it selfe up upon the same bottome it may pretend holinesse the glory of God the good of our soules c. and what not Doe not the Papists hold forth the same authority for their errours which we doe for truth doe they not perswade to the entertainment of them by the same arguments will they not tell you that these are for the glory of God for the good of your soules Was it not the usuall argument of the hierarchy for their superstitions and humane inventions for their Altars and Jesu-worship and bowing towards the East with the rest that all this was to declare our reverence humility c. in coming into Gods presence it was for the glory of God c. And are there any errors now that carry not as high as fair pretexts as specious shewes Who doth not say loe here is Christ and here is Christ who doth not challenge patronage from Heaven for their severall opinions who doth not stamp their opinions with the authority and minde of Christ Is it not that which Christ doth here foretell they shall come in his name that is they shall pretend to doe so they shall pretend his authority and commission and they shall say I am Christ they shall pretend that that which is held forth is the minde of Christ which sets out the danger of the temptation such an errour comming with such high and specious pretexts being held forth with such authority may prevaile much towards the entertainment of it In our dayes if we looke upon the present contentions of the times the cause now on foote and acting sadly with the sword doe not our adversaries hold up the same pretences doe they not speake in our own language doe they not say the same things that they fight for the Protestant religion Liberty of the subject Laws of the Land and if we take all on trust how dāgerous to be deceived When the Pirate hangs forth your own colours there is danger of robbing The Crokadile sheds teares when he hath a minde to shed bloud the foulest designes are often masked with the fairest pretences the spiders webb is full of art but she her selfe is full of venome you may truly suspect most venome where you see most art There is not any bad cause nor any errour but is hand●d to us under faire pretexts and specious colours which wins many and that 's the fourth ground 5. A fift ground why men are apt to take opinions upon trust either because they cannot try them they want knowledge and wisedome to examine and try them or they want judgement to determine upon triall either they cannot or they are unwilling to put themselves to the trouble in the triall of them But I passe this We have done with the first ground why men are carried away with errours and that is weaknesse 1. Weakenesse of understanding 2. Want of stability 3. Too much credulity and I have given you the severall grounds of these also We come now to the second generall ground why men are carried away with errour The second ground and that is wickednesse A

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 Zeal● whether or no you will contend for the truth as you have it exprest it Jude 3. E●arnestly contend for the faith which was on●● 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. ● 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 R●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 me●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 p●●ne their f●●le 〈◊〉 their sleeves the Jews but this argument which of the ●●●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 Ladi●● 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

touching works and obedience to be annexed to faith not to justifie our persons but to justifie our faith the obedience of faith justifies our persons the obedience from faith justifies our faith which you see it is the great scope of St James to cleare in the second chapter throughout The doctrine of Christian liberty by Christ gave occasion to some to publish that they were set at freedome from obedience to Magistrates in the Lord and for the Lord and others used it as an occasion of scandall to them that were weake and thought that they had liberty to eate of meate offered to Idols though the weake were thereby scandalled and offended yet why should not they use their liberty I say these two errours which were strong in those times and seemed to be founded on the doctrine of Christian liberty which they were to maintaine gave occasion to the publication of many precious truths concerning the due bounds limits restraints and extents of Christian liberty by two great Apostles Paul and Peter Paul dealing with Christian liberty in points of scandall 1 Cor. 8.9 10 11. Take heed least by any meanes this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weake And Peter dealing with it in point of disobedience as you may reade it at large 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15 16. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man as free yet not using your liberty as a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God So that I say God hath mercifull ends towards them who are brought in to suffer errours to abound to cleare the way to those who shall be called and he hath ends in respect of truth it selfe not only to give occasion for the publication but the sifting and finding out of truth as you see I have shewed And thus much of Gods mercifull ends to them called and to them in purpose to call we come now to Gods judiciall ends which is the second particular 2. As God hath mercifull ends to the godly so he hath judiciall ends to the wicked in permitting errours abroad and that 1. To the seducers 2. To the seduced 1. To the promoters 2. To the receivers of opinions We will joyne these two together for brevities sake God may then suffer men to be led aside with errours and delusions 1. For the punishment of some former way of sin As a corrupt head will breed a corrupt life so a corrupt life will breed a corrupt judgement Sin in conversation is often punished with corruption in judgement with darknesse in the understanding God often suffers a corrupt judgement to be the punishment of a corrupt life You walke it may be in some way of sin and as yet though your affections and conversations are corrupted yet your understandings they are not corrupted you still retaine the truth But sure it cannot be long before the understanding be tainted before that light which glowes therein is obscured and put out It is a hard thing to keepe a sparke of fire alive in the midst of a sea of water to keepe a beame of light in the understanding under such darknesse in the heart and affection and such works of darknesse in your conversation This is sure either the truth will make you leave sin or your sin will make you leave the truth Either that light in you will overcome your darknesse or your darknesse will overcome your light Men that hold up affection to sin though not practise in sin they will betray the light they have they will smother it put it out at last When men are willing to sleepe they will put out the candle nay and draw the curtaines that no light may come in to trouble them So men that are willing to sleepe in sinne they will not only draw the curtaines that is labour to keepe out the receiving of more light but they put out the candle obscure that light they have that they may more quietly sleepe in sinne sinne without disturbance Sometimes indeed errour is the cause of sinne sometimes sinne is the cause of errour we will exemplifie this It may be that a man hath walked in some way of sinne and will not be reclaimed of it he hath some light within which gives in testimony to his conscience of the evill of his way this disturbs him now in a way of sinne but this will not reclaime him of his sinne he will sinne still but the light within him disturbs him he cannot sinne with that quiet and peace as others doe and therefore now his corrupt heart begins to undermine the light he hath the strength of sin in the affection begins to darken and blow up or blow out the power of light in the understanding that he may the better sinne with peace And therefore first he begins to find out some shifts for his sinnes he will have some excuses and this is a sowing of figge-leaves to cover his nakednesse If excuses and pretexts will not doe then he begins to dispute against the light why may I not doe this is this so much to doe If this will not doe then he falls to deny the light and say it is a needlesse scruple tush it s nothing And at last he comes to take in such an opinion as he may be quiet in his sinne as he may sinne without trouble And as many errours are bred and begotten out of this they are but opinions that a sinfull but troubled heart have taken up that he may be quiet in his sinne So many errours are received too because they do correspond and comply with their sinfull and corrupt hearts Christians it may be there be some of you that have many truths in you you understand more then others doe and it may be yea you walke in some way of sinne that light you have stares in your face gives evidence beares witnesse against you yet for all this you will not heare the counsels of truth you will not take notice of it yea but doe you take heed least God in punishment of your sinne doe give you up to a way of errour There are five sins which God doth often punish with errour some are intellectuall some are sensuall 1. A wilfull shutting out the light when God is comming in with light from Heaven when he is revealing himselfe and mind to us and yet we will shut our eyes we will not see we will not open our eyes nor owne the truth out of corrupt grounds feare love of the world c. I say this man is in danger to be given up to a way of error if you will be blind you shall be blind if you will not see you shall not see as Christ told the Pharisees he preached to them in Parables that * Quia cum loquebatur perspicuè noluerunt intelligere in poe●a● jam loquitur obscurè Muscul seeing they might not see Math. 13.13 This is that Christ said to the Jews Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would

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 a●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 gre●● 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 fin●entur unquamex determinatione cujuscunque authoritatis humane Da●en Qui ex scripturar●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 cōmissur● esset quin quando liberet pedē 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

to my faith and understanding M. Reynolds 110. Psal 273 274. Whitak cent 1. Jam. 1.5 Dixit aliquis patrū se orando magis quā studēdo ac legendo in cognitionē Scripturarum prosecisse Aug in l. Scal para c 2. Orationi lectio lectioni succedar oratio Hieron ad L●tam The Church of God is called The pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3.16 not that which gives being to truth nor that which gives authority to truth but the Church is the depository of truth the orb out of which this glorious light shineth the Candle-stick which holds the light the pillar not so much to hold up as to hold forth truth as the Law and Proclamation of Christ it doth not hold up the authority of it but bear witnesse to that authority in it 4. The fourth way is to goe to God by prayer and desire him who is the father of light to reveal the way of truth to thee Jam. 1.5 Are such and such things doubtfull Thou lookest upon many opinions abroad and thou art brought to a stand thou knowest not what to determine the cases are very doubtfull goe and strip thy self maked of self of by-ends of corrupt affections unbiasse thy self denude thy self before God and desire him to reveal his will to thee begg of him that he would lead thee into the way of all truth tell him he hath ingaged himself to teach thee he hath promised we shall all be taught of God he hath said He will lead us into the way of all truth urge God with his promise believe it conclude it either God will reveal it to thee or it is not necessary it should be known Cum Petro dicendum ediscere nobis Paraholam istam Hier. Non solum stuatū nobis adhibēdum esse ad discendas literas sacras ve um supplicandum Domino diebus ac noctibus obsecrandum ut veniat agnus de tribu Iuda ipse accipiens librum signatum dignetur aperire Orig. Hom. 12. in Exo Cons Whit. p 397. Whitgift p. 3. p 77 81 82 83 84. Hooker l. 3. Sect. 2. Sutclive tract de dis c. 1. p. 5 Heb. 3.2 Cons Park l 2 c 39. per totum We read in Revel 5 9. That when John saw the book was clasped he fals down and weeps bitterly and then Christ comes and opens and unclasps the book thus let us doe are opinions doubtfull is the book clasped canst thou not read Gods minde in these and these things Oh fall down weep to him pray to him either I say again God will unclasp the book either he will unfold the doubt or assure thy self it is not necessary to be known And thus we come from the distinctions of the doctrine of faith to those we named of the doctrine of worship These I told you were either such as did concern internall worship of which I shall not speak or such as did concern externall worship viz. the outward Regiment of the Church of God in the world And I told you the doctrines of Gods externall worship were either such as were essential or such as were circumstantiall only Now if the Question be asked who shall judge of Gods minde in Scripture concerning the essentials of government It is hard to tell you who shall resolve you 1. Some say that doctrine only is contain'd in the Word and not discipline and that there is no particular and absolute form expresly prescribed in the Word nor yet any that can be made out of the word they lay this as a charge upon those who hold the contrary that they make Christ a Law-giver to his Church and do put no difference between Christ and Moses Indeed they may seem to come under a charge who make that comparison between Christ and Moses and say that as Moses had order for every pin in the tabernacle So Christ unlesse he was lesse exact then Moses and took lesse care of his Church under the new Testament then under the old left certain Rules for the ordering and regulating of all particulars in the Church of God an opinion very high and an expression very harsh 2. Others say there is a discipline in the Word but it is only morall not ecclesiasticall If that will not doe some goe farther and say there is an ecclesiasticall teaching but not an ecclesiasticall governing-discipline in the Word 3. Others say there are some foot-steps and rules of an ecclesiasticall Discipline in the Word Sutclive ib. but they are rather described then prescribed and those are neither perfect to which nothing may not be added nor immutable of which nothing can be altered but may be modified and tempered to the severall constitutions and tempers of States Kingdoms and Common-wealths as shall be seen convenient 4. Others say there are Essentials of government in the Word though not the circumstantials Danaeus in 1 Tim. 3.15 p. 169. etiam in 1 Tim. 5.13 p. 289. there are rules laid down for those things of chief concernment though not for things of a lesser and inferiour moment but amongst these here is this controversie whether those rules as touching essentials are immutable and unchangeable or whether they may be altered and changed according to the will of man and tempers of states 5. Others say there is a certain exact entire form of government prescribed in the Word of God and that not determined ad hic nunc to the Apostles daies the times of persecution and gathering of Churches but to be an unchangeable ordinance for the governing of Christs Church till his comming again And what that particular form is there is as much controversie one saith one another saith another Certainly if there be such an exact way in the Word its strange it cannot be found it 's a wonder it cannot be made out if it be it is no lesse wonder that those who are willing to open their eyes broad to let in light cannot yet be able to see To most men it appears a dark controversie and that there is not much in the Word to discover it if there be a great deal seems to be buried up in the dark and cannot be clearly made out It was once the speech of one that God had done by the externall government of the Church as he did by the body of Moses he hid it lest men should make an idoll of it Some doubt whether there be any such thing or no Cons Park l. 2. c. 41 42 43. others say if there be it s in the dark it 's hid but whether it be so or no this I am sure of it s made an Idol of men make that all and all the heats of their hearts are turn'd to contentions of the head I may say this controversie hath wrought more division in the hearts of Saints one towards another and more separation one from another and keeps them at greater distance in all the offices of love and hath more taken

contrary I say it will work not only on the passions which move in a lower orb but it will work on the affections As the sea is moved this way or that way by the strongest winde so the affections are moved and operated upon by the strongest perswasions though the perswasion be false yet if strongest it doth command the affections up to it Affections they are but the servants of and to the understanding and follow it according to it's results and dictates they are but coecae potentiae but blinde faculties and the understanding is their guide and they follow that though it be in an errour and that 's miserable for then The blinde leads the blinde and both fall into the ditch You know the lesser wheels move as the greater carry them the dyall goes as it is set so the affections they move according to the motion of the understanding if the understanding be in an errour the affections are carried with it there is no question but mens affections may be strongly wrought upon in an erroneous way the affections come up to those apprehensions which the judgment hath they follow the notions of the understanding they are but the servants of the understanding and follow it more faithfully in an errour then they doe in a truth because they are corrupt Errour and sin agree a corrupt head and a corrupt heart doe better agree then a sound judgment and a corrupt heart and therefore they doe not onely follow the understanding in an errour but follow it more faithfully more uniformly and universally The Master and the servant are well agreed Indeed they may follow the understanding with gain-saying with reluctance and bearing back in a truth but they follow it freely naturally chearfully in an errour So that you see errour may work upon the heart and affections too you know while Paul was an enemy to the Gospel and doctrine of Christ he was in an errour yet it was such an errour as worked strongly upon his heart and affections he was in an errour with conscientious respects and his affections they were moved according to his false light insomuch that he was zealous in his way and tells us that he was eminent in his zeal for his errour and in opposition of those who professed the contrary as he tells us Phil. 3.6 As touching the righteousnesse of the Law he was blamelesse and as concerning zeal he persecuted the Church So eminent was he in his love and affection towards his own erroneous way and so eminent in his opposition of the contrary that he persecuted them of a contrary minde And he saith upon his own experience the same of the Jews who were in the same way of errour Rom. 10.2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge here were affections zeal is amor intensus as the Schools say it is the heat of love or if you will it is an affection compounded of love and anger love to that which they apprehend to be truth and displicency and anger against the contrary they had a zeal to God but it was not according to knowledge that is according to sound and right knowledge it was according to their knowledge but not right knowledge they might walk conscientiously and with conscientious respects according to that knowledge and apprehension they had but yet walk in a way of errour their affections might move according to their notion and apprehension of things and yet you know they moved in an errour And I conceive plain experience doth tell us this that errour will work upon the affections as well as truth if you look abroad upon any erroneous Religion or if you look at home upon erroneous opinions they will all tell you this that errour doth work and work strongly upon the affections as well as truth 3. Error will not only work upon the affections but it will steer a mans life conversation according to it It will put a man to speak according to it and act according to it live according to it mens practices are but the results of their principles their lives waies they are but the expressions of their doctrins and opinions Men may be as true to erroneous as others are to religious principles erroneous opinions may not only have an influence upon the conscience but the conversation too will cause a man to order his waies and steer his conversation according to them Errour entertain'd doth binde the conscience as well as truth to walk answerable to it they dare no more recede from their erroneous principles walk unanswerable to them without wound of conscience then a man dare recede from the truth it self Nay here is a wonder as a godly man will walk holily to adorn the truth and dignifie the Gospel of Christ and dare not walk disorderly lest the waies and truth of Christ should be blasphemed for his cause so may a man in an errour out of the like conscientious respects endeavour to walk holily for the gracing and adorning of an errour which yet he apprehends to be a truth and he dare not walk disorderly lest he should give occasion to others to condemn and speak against that opinion which he apprehends truth but is indeed an errour And this I could evidence by instances enough if it were need I suppose that Scripture speaks to it Phil. 3.6 Paul while in ignorance held up the righteousnesse of the Law against Christ as they did in Rom. 10.1 and he walked answerable to this knowledge For as touching the righteousnesse of the Law he was blamelesse And no question but he made conscience to walk so much the more exactly that he might adorn this opinion and give out to the world that there was no lesse exactnesse no lesse strictnesse and holinesse in that way he was in then there was in the Apostles who held out the contrary way men may walk with honesty of heart in an erroneous way when they walk answerable to their principles though they be erroneous It is one thing to walk with an understanding another thing to walk with an honest heart in a way Such a man as doth not close with an opinion for base respects nor recede from his principles for worldly respects either gain or losse such a man as walks answerable to his opinion though an errour may be said to doe this with honesty of heart without hypocrisie but yet with a deluded heart They have a zeal but yet without knowledge When the Disciples were sorrowfull because Christ told them he was to goe away Christ saith to them If you loved me you would rejoyce I goe to my Father Certainly they loved him they had forsaken all to follow him and Christ did neither doubt of their love nor blame their want of love here * Christus culpavit non affectum sed consilium He blamed their judgements not their affections though they loved him yet they

themselves with the more shame and sorrow they humble themselves before God they are as little before God as bigg with men This is the nature of truth where it is entertained either it will inable you to be humble or humble you for your pride it will worke one way either it will empty of pride or empty for pride if you have swelled those swellings are breathed out in sighes the sighes of the closet doe abate the swellings of the chayre and if it work either way notwithstanding this objection this operation may be a good evidence of truth that truth doth humble those who entertaine it and so much for the first eminent operation of truth I shall be briefer in the rest The second great operation of truth is this Secondly Truth hath a heart-changing a heart-transforming power I put them both together because I would draw up all as close as I can It hath I say a heart-changing power Paul had no sooner seen that great truth Jesus was the Christ but he became another man of a wolfe he is now a lambe of a sinner a Saint of a persecutor he becomes a Preacher So the Jaylor what an eminent change did the receiving of the truth make in him he that before was so cruell and inhumane to them how gentle how tender how sweet was he now Truth makes such a change upon the soul that this worke is called a new Creation and the man upon whom it is wrought is a new creature he hath a new judgement and notions of things a new heart and affections to them a new life and conversation in them he is a man who differs as much from himselfe as before he did from another man head and heart and life and all are changed And this change is not a morall a partiall a formall change but a thorow universall and spirituall change they are sanctified by truth Joh. 17.17 And therefore I say it doth not onely change but it transformes it hath a soul-transforming power truth doth transform the soul into the nature of truth it makes the soul holy as it is holy pure as it is pure spirituall as it is spirituall it makes a man like unto it selfe Be but at the paines to peruse two places for this the first is 1 Jam. 21. where the word is called an ingraffed word which indeed changeth the stock into the nature of it selfe As you cut off the boughs and branches of a crab-stock that you may ingraff the better fruit into it so the Apostle he bids us there to lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtines which are the corrupt branches in which a corrupt stock doth abound and saith he receive with meeknes the ingraffed word which as it is able to save your souls hereafter so now to change the whole stock into its own nature the second place I would present to you is the 2 Cor. 3 18. While looking upon him as in a glasse we are changed into his own image from glory to glory truth hath this transforming power where it is entertayned such as mens notions are such are their spirits ill precepts beget ill principles corrupt doctrines corrupt hearts A mans heart carryes a conformity with his notions and principles there is a great agreement between what is entertained into the understanding and what is wrought in the heart the worke of the heart is but the births of the understanding the issue begotten upon the heart by the power of the notions in the minde never face answered face more exactly in the water then the heart answers the head where truths are of divine reception you may receive truths partially and as men onely and yet be never the better for them there may be truth in the head and a lye in the heart but if you receive truth fully and as Christians as the wax takes the impression of the seale so doth the heart of truth and principles are bred in you suitable to those notions you have truly received truth where it is entertained in truth it hath a heart-changing and a heart-transforming power It makes you like it selfe holy as it is holy pure as it is pure spirituall as it is spirituall And when men are not so one of these two must surely follow 1. Either that is not truth which you have received 2. Or else you have not received it truly either that is not a good word which is ingraffed or that good word was never yet ingraffed into you Certainely where that is ingraffed both stock and fruit are changed And so much for the second Oper. 3 A third operation that truth hath upon the soul where it is entertained It hath a sinne-subduing power truth is of a purging healing purifying and commanding nature Where truth is received in power nothing is in power besides it where it commands in the soul the soul is under no other command but truth where it is truly a Master and it is not there truly where it is not a Master there nothing rules but truth what the Apostle saith of the spirituall man I may say of truth which is a great part of him It judgeth all and is judged of none and it commandeth all and is commanded of none Truth was never there in power where lust hath power nor never had command in that soul where corruptions beare sway Indeed sin may dwell where truth doth dwell but sin doth not command where truth doth reign No man can be under the reign of truth and under the power of lust a servant to truth and a vassall to his corruptions truth hath a sin-subduing power it can pull downe strong holds cast downe high imaginations and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Are you then under the authoritative power of any corruption are you under the command of any lust lusts of the understanding lusts of the heart or lusts of life Know this either that is not truth which you have entertained or you have not entertayned truth in the power of it Oper. 4 Fourthly A fourth operation that truth hath upon the soul where it is entertayned It hath a heart-quickning power as the main truth did raise us up from death and beget life in us at the first for every truth in its measure and proportion is serviceable to cherish and quicken life begotten in us Truth and life alwayes goe together truth alwayes carries life with it and life is ever the companion of truth Christ is called truth and he is called life too Joh. 14.6 I am the truth and the life hee could not bee the one if hee had not been the other Now as all light is in the body of the Sunne yet every ray every beam carries light with it So all life is in Christ who is the great truth and yet every truth is a beam from this Sunne and great truth it carries life with it it is therefore called the light of life Joh.