first mercifull end which God hath to his people in permitting errours in the Church to sift his people 2. A second mercifull end which God hath to his own people in the permitting errours viz. to exercise and quicken our graces As God suffers corruptions in our persons to exercise and quicken us he could as easily destroy them as subdue them unbeâ— them as conquer them so he suffers errours in his Churches on purpose to exercise and quicken his own people We had need of quickning rather then God would suffer his people to be dead he suffers the Canaanites to be as thornes in their sides and rather then dead he suffers errours in the Church and if there be any life in you this will quicken this will raise it God hath on purpose permitted in all ages some errour or other on foote to exercise the graces of that generation the Fathers were famous in their times for contending against the errours of their dayes Augustine was famous in his Contests against Pelagius Athanasius in his against Arius Cyrill in his against Nestorius Gregory Nazianzen in his against Macedonius Leo in his against Eutyches Hierom in his against Jovinianus Ruffinus c. Every age hath had its poison and its antidote There was never any generation but as there were some suffering truths in it some truth that perverse generations would not close withall so there were some infecting and poisoning errours in former times the abounding errours were the errours on the left hand and God grant that the spreading errours now be not errours on the right hand The Devill hath been so long beaten at the other that now like a wily serpent he will goe and change weapons he hath long been a prince of darknesse who hath ruled in the children of disobedience and now he would become an Angel of light if possible to seduce the children of the light You have something of that insinuated in the text Deceivers shall come in Christs name and say of your opinions loc here is Christ and this is high deceit It may be God will exercise this generation with more of this kind then others because they have learn'd Christ better they have more knowledge he hath done more for this generation then any other and therefore God may exercise us more then others And this is another end God hath in permitting errours to quicken and to exercise the graces of his people And there are foure graces or gratious dispositions that God chiefely aimes at to exercise in his people by this suffering errours abroad 1. He would exercise their knowledge or rather their conscientious study and search to know the mind of God more fully God would put them on to reade more studie more converse more to search the Scriptures more to examine what is truth and that diligently Many that are too much of Gallios temper now of whom you reade when he heard of those things which Paul preached it is said he cared not for those things This is a prophane temper of spirit and is naught A man may as well reject truth as errour if a man doe not try and examine for ought he knowes he hath rejected a truth instead of errour if he doe not sit down to examine what is truth and search whether it be an errour or a truth how should he be able to close with the one or reject the other There are many that reject the opinions of these dayes for errours because they will not be troubled to search and examine them whether they be truths or no. We are commanded to try all things 2 Thess 5.21 and how should we be grounded and established in the truth or know truth from errour if we doe not search into the mind of God and learne what is his mind and will 1 Joh. 4 1. Beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God anno Many a truth is rejected in these dayes because many an errour is entertained You doe by opinions as you doe by Pamphlets because there be many lies abroad therefore you will not beleeve truth Certainly this is that which God preacheth to you in these times by the multitude of opinions to search what is truth to take more paines to examine and search out the mind of God It is not enough with Pilate to say what is truth and then sit still as many doe aske questions rather for discourse sake then out of desire to be satisfied but you must search the mind of God inquire diligently 2. God would now exercise your zeale of love if you have any love in you shew it to the Lord love is a zealous affection We say the fire burnes the hotter for the cold weather the colder the weather the hotter and more scorching is the fire it is per Antiperistasin so the more errours abroad the hotter will your love and zeale burne to the truth and in the truth As the bellowes blow the fire and intend it so doth this opposition intend our affections the more or love to God to truth to others 3. God doth it to exercise a dependentiall faith upon God that he would not suffer us to be carried away with errour If you have any faith you will now exercise it faith to beleeve promises he hath said we shall be taught of God he hath said he will leade us into the way of all truth c. here is faith exercised to close with promises to sue out promises and to depend on God for the performance of them Oh now the soule gets to a promise finds sweet there and some stay it the midst of his unsetlednesse now he esteemes a promise above a world 4. A fourth grace God would exercise is the grace of prayer Now will the soule goe and improve all his interest in Heaven that God would leade him into the way of all truth that he would not leave them to be carried away in any way of errour Now doth the soule ply the throne of grace indeed tells God of his pliablenesse to entertaine any truth of God truth with penury truth with prison truth with any affliction now he goes and tells him how willing he is to let in any light of God his eyes shall be broad open to receive what God shall reveale now he goes and beggs for the Fathers teaching the Spirits leading into the way of all truth professing the universall willingnesse of his spirit to close with naked truth upon any termes Such dispositions are now drawne forth which perhaps had no occasion to appeare all thy life before and there is comfort in exercise of them the soule is comforted in their actings although he cannot yet find what is the will and mind of God And this is the second mercifull end God hath to his people in the permitting and suffering errours as to sift them so to exercise them 3. A third mercifull end which God hath to his people in suffering errours and that is to
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
liberty nay they are bound to examine and judge of the definitions and determinations of them They desire not that their authority shall be valid with you unlesse they bring the authority of God nor that you should hear them unlesse you hear God in them It is their work to propound to determine to declare yours to examine to prove and judge As one speaks e Cum dogma prâ—ponitur credendum aut praeceptum aliquod faciendum quum credere facere sunt actus mei Si me hominem rationis participem praestare velim c. Examinare oportet quicquid proponitur ad scientiam meam when any doctrine is propounded to be believed or any thing commanded to be done because to believe and to doe are my acts if I will shew my self to be a man endued with reason I ought to examine what is propounded and so to assent or dissent so far as agreeable or disagreeable to the Word And indeed unlesse you will say we are bound ad personas titulos to persons and titles and not to the truth of the Gospel it is requisite that we should not only examine f Non modò qualitatem authoritatem docentium sed qualitatem doctrinae the quality and authority of the teachers but the quality of the doctrines and what conformity it hath with the minde of Christ Gal. 1.8 If an Angel from heaven should preach another doctrine let him be accursed Neither indeed is it possible you should assent to and receive any truth of Christ without the previous action of a mans own judgement unlesse there passe examination and judgement in a mans own spirit that it is a truth of God I say there can no man embrace a truth and assent to it upon the bare perswasion or determination of another Morton Apol. Cath. p. 2 l. 5. c. 9 10 12 c. although he doth never so much desire it unlesse there passe an examination and a proper act of a mans own judgement that the thing commanded is the minde and will of Christ Indeed a man may not contradict it or a man may give up his affections to it and subscribe to it out of corrupt affections and from humane or rationall grounds but he can never receive it as a man never subscribe to it as a Christian till there hath passed an act of his own proper judgement and this upon scrutinie and examination It is a shame to thinke how the common sort of people doe embrace doctrine the authority of the imposers doth give them eyes to see and judgements to assent and faith to believe and subscribe to what ever is imposed In the reign of former Princes how soon were the body of the Nation converted from Popery to Protestantisme receiving and rejecting embracing and refusing the sacred truths of God mainly if not meerly according to the aspects and commands of authority And is there not the same spirit in the multitude to this day ready to embrace and receive what authority shall command without any previous search and examination whether the things be of God or no A blessed and happie thing it is for a Nation to reject corruption in worship superstition in the service of God but then to doe this as men as Christians knowingly And as blessed it is to embrace a reformation to submit to the waies of God but to doe it knowingly upon scrutiny and examination this will make you men and to adhere to the truths of God received upon the utmost hazzard I see in many a preparation of heart to subscribe to what ever is of God but oh that there were the care the study the endeavour to examine things also that you might evidence them to be the truths of God that you might say as they of Samaria Joh. 4.42 Now we believe not because thou hast told us but because we have heard our selves and we know him to be the Messiah So now we embrace this Doctrine this way of worship not because it is imposed not because it is prescribed of men but because I see and am perswaded in my heart it is of God this were a work worthy a Christian This I exhort you unto away with blinde faith with blinde obedience you are men doe things as men you are Christians doe things as Christians embrace not any thing out of fear but out of faith not out of corrupt affections Nec ego Ariminensis concilij authoritate nec tu Nicaeni detineriâ— Au. but out of a pure and holy heart reject nothing out of pride prejudice but out of light do nothing ignorantly but all knowingly be resolved in your selves and that upon search upon examination Do not pin your faith upon the bare authority of men no not the best of men 1. You will wrong God what a wrong is it to God to attribute that to man which is proper to him alone to set man in Gods throne and to receive and subscribe to man before you see God to speak in them 2. And what a wrong is it to man to make them masters of your faith they claim it not it is Gods due and as you wrong God so will you them if you doe give it to them 3. You wrong your own souls you prejudice your selves in the wayes of God wound your souls with guilt of sin 4. It declares you either ignorant atheisticall or carelesse about the businesse of your souls or to be led and byassed with corrupt affections fears and hopes when you will close with any thing till you have tryed it and examined it and brought it to the barre past sentence and judgement on it It is the bravest thing in the world to see men do things knowingly if not you doe but side with a way out of faction and affection not out of knowledge and conscience It is not easie to determine whether is worse to be rationally and knowingly in an errour or to be ignorantly and blindely in a truth Get light therefore to discover and then to embrace 5. You prejudice the cause of Christ when you adhere to it upon slender grounds What a shame to doe that which we are not able to evidence is our duty to doe to walk in that way which we are not able to maintain 6. You endanger your own revolting that man can never hold to a way which he hath not clear'd and thereby is perswaded to be the way of God The same ground upon which he receives a truth he will reject it and embrace an errour If authority come in it shall cast the scale any way if it had not been for this that authority came in we should not have had so many Protestants and if that authority had not come in we should not have had so many Papists When the Standard is set up all flock to it but to the standard of authority not of truth I may say of most they are this way and they are not that they embrace
truth and reject errour not because the one is truth the other errour but because the one is commanded the other is condemned authority carries all And what will be the issue they will be as ready to reject as now to receive if authority come in as it was said of Israel they willingly followed the counsell of Jeroboam He no sooner comes with his authority but all stoop to it when they heard the trumpet blow all fell down to worship his Calves Oh that my voice would goe thorow England now that things are upon the wheels reformation in the birth things in a way of setling that they would be prepared to receive things as men as Christians that they would be ready to receive things knowingly subject not your souls meerly to any authority believe God prove all things and then you will hold to what is good I see a spirit in men some look what will authority settle others in what way will preferment lie And as the winde follows the abundance of exhalations so they where there is most abundance for the world I see others standing and enquiring which way such men go men so holy men so learned and few that will take the pains to enquire what is the minde of God They aske indeed with Pilate what is truth what is the way of God but they will not digge into the myne of Scripture to finde this treasure they will not take pains to search They best they hope that godly men and learned men will not settle any thing but what is good and there they rest what is this but resolving our faith into the determinations of men this we are not to doe though the best of men because it is sinfull it is not certain it is not safe nor is it a way like men This is the position that it is our duty to examine the doctrins determinations of Synods Councels c. And let it be our practice And as I would not have you to embrace any thing out of corrupt affections or ignorance so not to reject the sentences determinations of Synods unlesse you have firme ground Take heed they are weighty things though they may erre yet thou art liker and therefore take heed 1. Beware of pride 2. Of faction 3. Of partiality 4. Of corrupt affections 5. Of profanenâ—sse of spirit Ministeriall judgement is their due and the judgement of discretion rationall judgement is yours You are not to embrace without ground much lesse to dissent without cause lest thou be found to be a troubler of Israel a disturber of the peace of the Churches of God As I would not have you shut your eyes and goe by the light of others So I would not have thee put out their light and goe by the darke lanthorne of thine owne understanding I would have you to embrace knowingly and not to reject ignorantly I would give as much to such an Assembly as to any judgement upon earth I would give to such an Assembly as much as to man but not so much as to God They have not unerring judgements indeed their definitions and determinations are not infallible yet to be reverenced I say they are to be reverenced though not adored though their determinations are understandingly to be scanned yet not proudly and ignorantly to be sleighted Consul Whitak cont 1. q 5. c 9. p. 362. b. vel ad sinem cap. It is good to see a ground of assenting and be sure also to see good reason of dissenting In brief this is all I commend to you receive not their determinations with blinde judgements neither doe you reject them with perverse wils Prove all things and hold fast to that which is good Men may erre the best men Councels of the best men and therefore prove thou may erre much more and therefore be not peremptory Though they may erre being but men yea holy men yet if I should rationally seek out for truth I should seek it among an Assembly of holy learned experienced men acquainted with much of Gods minde I would neither have you to sleight their judgements nor enslave your own Not to contemn the light they hold forth to you nor to give up your own eyes and resigne your selves meerly to their guidance Ministeriall judgement is theirs and their determinations are to be reverenced Rationall judgement is thine and their definitions are to be examined and in that we give reverence to them In receiving of their determinations shew your selves to be men in rejecting of them shew your selves to be Christians And thus much for the first great Question We now come to the second Qu. 2. What is the rule by which we must examine or the touch-stone by which we must try opinions And here again if you will consult with the Papists they will tell you that the dâ—finitions of Synods the determinations of the Pope these are the unerring rules these are the infallible Judges of controversies and opinions as for the Scriptures they say of that it is but nasus cereus a nose of wax which may be wrested any way and will receive what interpretation men will give it a Scriptura non potest esse judex controversiarum circa fidem Non Scriptura Dei vox sed ecclesiae praesentis vox est fidei nostrae magister judex injallihilis Not the Scripture say they which is the voice of God but the voice of the present Church is Master and infallible Judge of our faith But I purpose not to lanch into this vast â—ea of controversie but waving the long disputes about this poinâ— as succinctly and clearly as I can I shall give you the truth And that I may proceed more distinctly and clearly in the resolution of this Question give me leave by way of premisall to tell you what we mean by opinions and what we mean by rule 1. By opinions I mean b Dogmata fidei cultus divini the doctrines of faith and of divine worship or truths to be believed and things to be done 2. By Rule I mean the law or sentence of the supreme Judge set up for this end to be the touch-stone to reveal truth and discover errour This we meane by opinions and this by rule We now come to the answer of the Question viz. Qu. 2. What is the rule by which we must examine or the touch-stone by which we must try opinions That there is a rule all grant but what is the rule here is all the controversie We shall not now speak to this controversie according to the vastnesse and largenesse of it as it is handled by our learned c Consul doctiss Whit. con 1. q. 3 per totam praecipuè q 5. c. 8. 13. Consul Daven de judic norm fid per totam primaÌ„ partem Cons Parâ— de polit eccl l. 2 c. 2. ubi noniâ— argumentiâ— confirmatur Scripturam solam esse judicemâ— necnon Morton Apol. Cath. Bilson Reinold Jewel
for an errour There is nothing which a good heart doth entertain but he entertains it under this notion to maintain it he takes it intâ— his house his heart with a purpose to maintain it wicked men receive opinions to live on them but a good heart receives an opinion that it may live on him a corrupt heart entertains an opinion that it may maintain him but an honest heart that he may maintain it A bad heart takes in an opinion as his servant which he makes to serve him els he will not own it but a good heart entertains it as his Master which shall rule all and dispose of all if it say it must have his pains his estate c. to maintain it to promote it to advance it he is not master of any thing he hath but all must go to serve it And therefore seeing it is thus you had need to look strictly what you take into your heart you had need to know what you give entertainment to seeing you must give maintaining to it also and it may cost all you have I only say thus much all thou hast is not too dear for a truth too good for a truth But there is nothing so little but is too much for an errour And therefore take heed you be not deceived And thus much shall serve for the demonstration of the false marks we shall now come to the sure marks and characters whereby truth and errour may be evidenced You have seen hitherto though some of these which have been laid down may be said to be probable signes yet none of them can be set down for conclusive evidences We are now to deal with such viz. to lay down infallible and undeceiveable evidences of divine truth And this is the first and main Character Divine truth is word-revelation Truth proceeds from God Chara. 1 and is revealed in the Word to us All Scripture saith the Apostle * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3.16 It is given by inspiration of God and in the 2 Pet. 1.21 The prophecies came not in any time by the will of man Consul Morton Apol. Cath. p. 2. l. 5. c. 9 Rom. 11.4 but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost The Word of God it is the râ—vealer of all divine truth if you would know what is truth your way lies clear enquire not so much what this man saith or what that For all men are lyars but search and enquire what saith the answer of God Non debâ—mus attendere quia alij ante nos sed quid Christus ante omnes dixit We are not to attend what others before us but what Christ before all hath spoken the truth is in Jesus Ephes 4.21 The Word is nothing else but a beam of that eternall Sun but a ray of divine of God-communication It is called the Word of truth nay truth it self Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is truth and this makes the lest syllable in the Word to be more firm for a soul to rest on then all the protestations of men or Angels they though true yet they are not infallibly true they are not immutably true but God is and his Word is a beam of this truth a ray proceeding from this Sun and therefore saith the Prophet Isa 40 8. The grasse withereth the flower fadeth Isa 40.8 1 Pet. 1.25 Mat 5.18 but the Word of our God shall stand for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 Nay heaven and earth shall passe away before one iota one title of the Word shall fail Matth. 5.18 It is truth it is immutable it is infallible truth and divine truth is Word-revelation The Scripture is not only the revealer of divine truth but of all divine truth not that there is no more divine truth then what is revealed in the Word but that there is no more for us there is no more to be believed and obeyed then what God hath revealed in his Word It is the boundary of doctrine and the adequate measure of all divine truth Deut. 4.2 and therefore God sends us thither as to the place where we should finde all doctrine to be believed and obeyed and as to the touchstone whereby we should try all Doctrines Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them And the Apostle would have you know that Word-revelation is a surer way to evidence truth then a revelation from heaven as hee tells us 2 Pet. 1.16 17 18. where having been speaking of a revelation from heaven and the clearest that ever was revealed in the transfiguration of Christ the Apostles themselves were eye-witnesses thereof and heard that voice from heaven This is my well-beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased yet saith he vers 19. We have a more sure Word of prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning Word-revelation not that this is a more sure revelation then that was but that this is surer to us Word-revelation is more sure to us then a revelation from heaven God would have us to know truth by Word-revelation divine truth is Word-revelation And that is the first Character which yet for fuller and clearer conception I will branch forth into three particular maximes Max. 1 What ever the Word of God doth plainly and evidently hold forth that is infallibly truth the Word of God or God in the Word doth give out all Doctrine to be believed and obeyed and whatever the Word holds forth what ever hath a bottom and firm footing in the Word that is undoubtedly truth All is divinely true which the Word holds forth but all is not morally and practically good All is to be believed which the Word holds forth but all is not to be observed what ever is in the Word is the object of our faith but what ever is in the Word is not to be the rule of our life There are no provisoes to be laid down in point of faith all is truth and we must believe all Fides non eligit objectum faith doth not single â—ut it 's object it doth not pick and chuse but believes all which God hath spoken but there must be some provisoes in matter of practice though all to be believed yet all is not to be observed unlesse 1. It be of common equity and not of peculiar ingagement interest priviledge 2. Unlesse it be of perpetuall right and observance Vniversalis perpetui juris and not temporary and for a time only There were many things which the Word gave out to the Nation of the Jews to be observed which since Christ are as Statutes now repealed they were not of common and generall equity nor were they to be of perpetuall and everlasting observance and therefore are not to be observed by us though believed of us what ever the Word gives out is to be the object of our faith but not
nature of Christ who is pure and holy though it say Loe here is Christ yet believe it not it is an errour and no truth of Christ 3. That opinion which suites not with the life of Christ which was exact holy humble c. though it hold forth Loe here is Christ yet it is none of Christs 4. That opinion which obscures and robbs Christ of his glory and gives to man that which is due alone to Christ though it say Loe here is Christ yet it is an errour and no truth of Christ 5. That opinion which breeds a distance and estrangement between Christ and the soul that interrupts the soule in communion with Christ either in believing or obeying that draws the soul either froÌ„ the obedience of faith or the obedience to the command though it say Loe here is Christ yet it is an errour and no truth of Christ By these touches you may discover many opinions to be errours that goe under that name which shews you the danger of drinking in all opinions that language themselves unto you under the name of Christ A third ground why men are so apt to take opinions on trust is because besides all this they may carry some fair and lovely aspects which may render them lovely and desirable as if they were truth it self many men are tempted into an opinion rather then perswaded into it they are led rather by affection then by judgement the benigne and fair aspects which an opinion may carry may much take men and prevail with them for the entertainment of it It was our fall at first the lovely aspects which the fruit did bear and it is many an ones fall still even the fair and lovely aspects which an opinion seems to carry with it I have told you the Prince of darknesse may transform himself into an Angel of light and he may convey errour to you not only under the notion but under the habit of truth it self and render an errour every way as lovely desirable and acceptable as the truth it self And therefore there being so much danger dealing with so subtle an adversary we had need to beware what we entertain and sift it to the bottome before ever wee give it welcome into our hearts And that 's the first Caution I will be brief upon the rest 2. Beware of prejudice look not prejudicially upon an opinion As wee are not to look upon an opinion with affection and so give up our hearts to it before wee have tried it so wee must not look upon it with disaffection and so set our hearts against it before wee have examined it Indeed there are some opinions not worthy tryall Some are to bee lookt upon with abhorrency as such which are destructive to faith and godlinesse when I say you are not to look upon opinions with prejudice I mean not these for those you are to look upon with abhorrencie but I mean such as are controverted among the godly themselves and such as may consist with all holinesse of life and conversation of these I would be understood to speak when I say look not with prejudice against any way men when they receive prejudice against a way either they will not search at all or if they doe they will not know As affâ—ctions to a way doth hasten the understanding to know and the heart to embrace it so disaffection to a way doth hinder the understanding from knowing and hold off the heart from embracing It is a hard thing to perswade that man whose heart is either ingaged to a contrary way or his understanding prejudiced to this way Such a man may bee convinced but it is hard to perswade him his affections and ingagements act against all that light that he will not see he will not know it must be our work if wee will finde out truth to beware of prejudice You know it was that which hindered the Jews from closing with Christ who was the great truth and it will be that will hinder you from embracing of lesser truths Formerly the novelty of a way the paucity of professours the meannes of their condition the weaknesse of their parts and abilities the bad entertainment a truth had in the world were the great stumbling blocks or prejudices to the entertainment of truth It was so in the Gospel as you all know and it is well if the prejudices be not turn'd the other way and that the ancientnesse of an opinion the multitude of professours the quality of them the greatnesse of their learning and parts the favour it may finde in the world be not the great prejudices which may hinder from the closing with it God hath often times in providence smiled upon an errour and discountenanced a truth and he may please to let the truth finde favour and errour bee discountenanced Wee look for those daies when God shall make Kings nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to his Church when the Kingdoms of the earth shall become the Lords and his Christs this is promised and therefore this should bee no prejudice when God doth bring it about to hinder us from the entertainment of an opinion If you would finde out truth beware of prejudice on any side and look singly upon the opinion without any other respects at all 3. Beware of being byassed with carnall and corrupt affections most men of the world are carried with byasses rather then with principles they are moved rather by affections then judgement by things without them rather then principles within them There are four great Byasses which carry most men in the world 1. The first Byas is the love of the world which is a strong byas There are too many that stand as the people in the Market-place who would not goe into the vineyard till they were hired so they are not willing to entertain an opinion embrace a way till they can see what it can doe for them they must be hired with filthy lucre and will doe nothing till they see what will be most advantagious God keep us from such a spirit He who doth not see truth all riches shall never be the possessour of it such a man will see nothing to be truth or errour but what may stand with his own ends his secular advantages As they used to say of a corrupt Judge he had Bos in lingua he had money in his tongue and being bribed would say any thing So J may say of a worldly man he hath bos in corde the world in his heart and hee will not close with or embrace any thing but what may stand with his advantages where there is the love of the world Caeterae cupiditates ingenti cupiditati subservient there is desire to get the world and fear to lose the world and such a man will make all to serve his main corruption You see the desire of gain it made Judas to sell Christ Demas forsake Christ he forsook Christ and did cleave to this
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
errours and those dangerous errours also we should be in danger to receive all under the notion of truth to close with all and swallow all that comes under that pretext Where now by the aboundance of errours we are made more wary more watchfull If it be given out that there is a great deale of false Coyne of light gold abroad it will make men carefull of what they receive which if it were not so we should receive all that comes So here certainly God would by this permissive providence of his have us take heed as well what we heare as how we heare he would have us to take heed what we receive God seemes to speake he would have us to entertaine truth not traditionally but knowingly not because it is the mind of such and such men but because it is the mind of God not because discovered by such and such men but because revealed of God In our dayes in regard of the multitude of errours God seemes to speake to you to be more then ordinarily wary in the receiving of truth to receive it knowingly weightily humbly to receive it after sound debates not suddenly least you be deceived with an errour Let it passe through all debates before it be received under the notion of truth We have some things that are meerely divine and there is no debate to be in them if a toole come on this Altar it defiles it Some things which are mixtly divine and those admit of debate The Apostle tells us of two sorts of truths 1. Foundation truths 2. Building truths 1 Cor. 3.10 11 c. There are some truths that are to be entertained without debates of reason they are to be beleeved as soone as revealed faith is required to the entertainment of them As God in the Trinity of Persons and Vnity of Essence Christ in his Person hypostaticall Union of Natures the work of Creation the Resurrection a Rationes precedentes fidem minuunt fidem subsequentes augent here faith must goe before reason beleeve and know It is an unsound opinion b Vbi definit ratio incipit fides where reason ends faith must begin here reason must not begin at all reason pollutes its corrupt and will corrupt these these are supra above though not contra rationem against reason There are some truths againe and that is most of those which are in dispute and debate now adayes and they are not to be entertained without long debate dispute holy reasoning You are to use all your knowledge and Christian wisdome and all your skill in the word of God all your prayer and seeking A man may entertaine a truth as well as an errour too quickly that is when he entertaines it upon trust or without debate or because others say it or practise it or because at first view it seemes like a truth this is to entertaine it too quickly the Church of Ephesus is commended for her patience Rev. 2.2 And this may be one part of it one branch of her patience that she had tried them which said they are Apostles and found them liars and this was not done suddenly as the third verse implies So let this be your commendation that you have tried those opinions that carry the highest pretext that you have not been apt to beleeve every spirit but you have tried the spirits and the doctrines c. before you have owned them You would not take a man into your house that you knew not and will you entertaine any thing into your heart you would have tried servants such servants as are known such husbands and wives of whose goodnesse you have heard and will you let in a truth and not try it What ever you entertaine as truth you are to be subject to it and will you be subject to errour You are to maintaine truth to part with goods to endure friends to become enemies to part with liberty life for truth And shall I not try it shall I doe all this for an errour Indeed if you were to doe with truth as some others can that can take them up for their occasions and lay them down againe at pleasure that can embrace them and renounce them when they please then you did not need so much curiosity in search but when you are to entertaine truth as you doe your husbands and wives till death separate nay to take it not only till death but to all eternity this should make a man consider and not be too light of his beleefe and entertainment of truth Again if thou were to entertaine truth as a servant only that should only serve thy uses and be serviceable to thee as many doe with truth they aske what it can doe for them before they entertaine it if it were to be so entertained then there need no such great triall that truth that would be most serviceable to thy estate and advantage thee most in the world thou mightst embrace Religion were then nothing but a policie But being to entertaine it as thy King not to subject it to thee but thy selfe to it not to have it to moove according to thy mind but thou according to its motions this should make thee consider before we entertaine Againe if that we might entertaine a truth as we doe only our goods into our houses that would not endamage us any way though they bring in nothing yet they would not endamage us then the matter were not so much But when we are to entertaine truth as that which must live on us that for which I am to part with relations with comforts with riches with estate with liberty with life Beleeve it it would make a man in earnest and try throughly before he doe entertaine a thing for truth and to be sure that God saith it But adde to this your soule may depend on it and that to eternity and not only thine but thy posterities too how many families in this Kingdome that are Papists upon no other ground then their ancestors were and doth the soule of me my child husband wife c. depend much on me and shall not I be wary what I entertaine surely no honest heart but will Well this is another ground or end God suffers errours that we might entertaine opinions warily drop by drop is the best receiving of opinions We are commanded to buy the truth and surely the errours that are abroad tell us it is to be bought by retaile in parcels not by whole sale in the grosse for feare of receiving errour as well as truth there are many cheating chapmen abroad false lights I name none I aime at none in particular There are such who huosterize the word adulterate sophisticate the word And what 's that they mingle truth and errour linsey woolsey And if you take up all in the grosse you may be deceived therefore beware try before you trust examine search Take heed that no man deceive you And thus I have shewed you the first how
it may stand with Gods mercifull ends to those who are brought in that there should be many errours II. We are now come to the second how it may stand with Gods mercifull ends to those who are not yet called but in his purpose to call And it may stand with Gods mercifull ends to those yet in his purpose to call or those who are not yet called and brought in 1. To be a meanes to awaken them and put them upon the study and enquiry after truth the aboundance of errours abroad may put men to search and find out what is truth when you see men up in armes as it were in hot contentions to find out what is truth who save only Atheists but will think themselves concern'd in it every one will think surely it is their businesse also and so will fall upon inquisition and search of it If there be any thoughts of eternity in you if you be not Atheists if you doe conceive there is a Heaven and a hell and that errour leades one way and truth the other it cannot be but that aboundance of errours abroad must awaken you and put you on to enquire to heare to reade to confer to endeavour to find out truth It was the multitude of errours which put Luther to search out what was truth if there had not been so many errours it might be he had not enquired and sought out truth the like I may say of Calvin and others and the errours and corruptions in worship imposed did put on us to the triall of the whole and made us more strict to examine the bottomes whereon we stood 2. God suffers it to beate them off their sandy foundations whereon they build As it is a meanes to put you on to search what your foundation is whereon you build the bottome whereon you stand so it is a meanes to beat you off your sandy foundations When a man sees aboundance of opinions abroad one saith this another that sure it will make a man to put the question to himselfe upon what foundation doe I stand what is my bottome And how can he have any rest till he have gotten a better foundation to build on a foundation which none of these opinions can shake and unsettle when he sees so many faire buildings specious structures to fall down and not able to stand out the blast of triall and temptation because they are houses built on the sands It will make a man to enquire after the rock and endeavour to build there that when the wind blowes yet the house may stand firme This is the different working which opinions have upon the good and bad upon such whom God hath a purpose of good unto and upon such that he will not own That the one the multitude of opinions doth draw him away or else Atheist him that he will be nothing The other it doth un-atheist him put him upon the search and examination what is the truth of God One he is now more formall and minds no more but meere formality to goe to Church and say over a prayer and if God will save him with that well and good he will doe no more The other these things doe fire him out of his formality and he can have no rest till he come to some bottome to stand on And that is another end God hath he would awaken and beate us off our sandy foundations 3. God suffers multitude of opinions and out of mercy to them who are not yet brought in to clear the way unto those who are not yet brought into the ways of grace that when they are brought in they may be able to see their way more clearely As we our selves doe receive a great deale of light and benefit by the sufrings and clashings of others If there had not been such clashing and disputing in former ages our way had not been so cleare to us in many glorious truths So here God suffers it that posterities may inherit the benefit that after ages might be able to see more clearely what to doe and what is truth It is a great favour for a man that must goe a way dark and knotty to have one goe before him not only with a light to discover the way but with a weapon too to cut down those cumbrances which are in the way that there may be nothing to hinder the passage oh how sweetly how evenly and quietly a man may goe Such gracious ends hath God to after generations by suffering these multitude of opinions and errours to arise in our age and generation Seldome was any truth discovered and cleared but some errour or other was the occasion to draw it out The point of Free grace in opposition to mans free will in the work of conversion had not been so fully discovered if that Pelagius had not broached that errour that man might be saved if he would that he himselfe might beleeve repent if he would which occasioned Augustines so full debates and cleare setling of the truth The freenesse of Gods grace in the work of justification that it is of meere grace had not been so fully cleered to us if it had not been for the errour of the Papists that it was of works and not of grace So the doctrine of predestination that it is of grace and not of faith and works foreseen the contrary errour brought out this truth and helpt the full birth of it So the doctrine of the Sacraments the stability of Gods Covenant with his people perseverance of the elect All these and many thousand more whose birth hath been helped by the publishing of errours the publishing of errours have been a meanes to the cleering of the most precious truths we have which had not been so cleere to us now if that there had not been a cloud of errours over them before Nay I say since the defection of the Church and the universall corruption by Antichrist and popery there hath scarce any glorious truth been cleared or discovered but by opposite errour Errour hath been a meanes to help on to sift and to find out truth As we bring fire out of flint by striking it so out of these clashings truth Nay you see in Scripture that the publishing of errour was a good meanes or help or gave occasion to the publication of many glorious truths of God Acts 15. you see there the errour which was then broached to the disturbance of the Churches of Antioch was the occasion of the setling and clearer revealing of the opposite truth The Jews errour of being justified by the Law and looking for righteousnesse thereby was an occasion of the publication of the use of the Law the impotencie of it to justifie and save together with those glorious discoveries where and in whom mans righteousnesse did lie Againe The errour that men needed not to looke to their walking and obedience seeing we are justified by faith only gave occasion to the discovery of many precious truths
I have gathered you together c. but now these things are hid from thine eyes Oh hadst thou known the time of thy visitation And therefore take heed of this if God is comming in with any truth take heed of wilfull shutting of your eyes either out of pride corrupt affection love of sinne love of the world feare of men this is the way to be given up to errour 2. When a man doth entertaine the truth of God partially I say partially 1. In respect of the object not all truth It may be they will embrace such as may make for them but not such as may make against them such as whereby they may keep their lusts their sinnes too but not such as may disturbe them or are inconsistent with their sinnes 2. Or partially in respect of the subject our selves when we entertaine it into our heads not our hearts the notion of it but not the love of it when we doe not close with it in our hearts and affections This you see in the 2 Thess 2.10 11. where there is the same sinne and the same punishment because they received not the truth with love of the truth for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie What is that receiving of the truth with love of it but receiving it wholy in respect of the subject into the understanding will affection and the receiving of all truth in respect of the object Men that love truth as truth doe love all truth every truth is welcome A man that loves truth for other ends he will only entertaine so much of truth as may stand with those ends he will not dash his own designe in peeces When a man doth entertain truth for ends will he entertaine such truths as are destructive to those ends A man that loves the Law or a man that loves Divinity he will for it selfe entertaine it in the largenesse of it but now he that only loves these things for ends will take in so much as may be serviceable to him in his practise as a Lawyer but he cares for no more for he aimes at profit not excellency in knowledge Now this is another sinne that God doth punish with errour partiall receiving of truth 3. Entertaining of truth deceitfully you shall see many who will give entertainment to truth but upon what grounds It is with corrupt principles upon corrupt grounds and for corrupt ends and such men entertaine truth deceitfully and shall not hold it long 4. Unanswerable walking to those truths which God hath revealed You give your servants a candle to doe their work by if they will play you put out the candle let them play in the dark you will not be at cost to find them candle to play by God gave the light for this end that you might know how to walke and if you will not walk by your light God will put it out if you will doe works of darknesse you must be in darknesse It is one reason that God doth withdraw the light he hath given nay and suffer men to be given up to wayes of errour because they walke not answerable to the truth received You see this Rom. 1.21 24 25. 5. When a man growes weary of that light he hath when God hath made knowne something to a man and because it will not suffer him to sinne quietly he growes weary of it or it will not stand with his ends and designes You see this Rom. 1.28 Because they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge therefore God gave them over to a reprobate mind c. So when you are weary of your light weary of Religion profession it is too exact precise too troublesome too laborious too costly because you like not to retaine God and the wayes of God therefore God gives you up to wayes of errour These sinnes doth God often punish with errour and I say more unreclaimednesse under any sin what ever will bring in errour Object But doth God punish one sinne with another Answ As God doth make one evill the cure of another to the godly so he suffers one sinne to be the punishment of another to wicked men As you see plaine Rom. 1.24 27. 2 Thess 2.10 11. So in Psal 81.12 13. My people would not obey here was their sinne Therefore I gave them up to their own hearts lusts there was their punishment yea and sinne too And woe be to that man to whom God makes one sinne the punishment of another It is not so much to make sicknesses losses death prison c. punishment of sinne as to make one sinne the punishment of another It is better to have any judgement the punishment of sinne then to have one sin the punishment of another then to have sinne punished by it selfe And is it not so with you your ignorance is a sin and is it not the punishment of neglect of meanes contempt of meanes the sleighting of it This is a still punishment but God keepe us from it better any evill then sinne to be our punishment 2. A second judiciall end which God hath to wicked men and it is a sad one too viz. for the further hardening of their hearts There are many long disputes of Divines against the Papists concerning hardening of the heart whether or no God doe harden the Papists charge us in this point that we make God the authour of sinne in saying that God doth harden any though there be many Scriptures that speake plaine God is said to blind to harden c. as you see Exod. 9.12 Exod. 4.21 Ezech. 14.9 Rom. 9.19 He hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he heardeneth And God may be said to harden the heart divers wayes 1. Abstrahendo by abstracting of his grace take away the light and darknesse must needs follow take away the Sunne and night must needs ensue So take away softning grace and man must needs be hardned Joh. 12.39 40. Non malum chirudendo sed gratiam non concedendo Aug. Therfore they could not beleeve because Isaiah said he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted and I should heale them 2. Proponendo which is objectivè by propounding objects by which a mans heart shall be hardened which may be the Word and Sacraments as you have it Isa 6.9 10. And oh what a woefull condition when that which should soften doth harden Jer. 6.21 Behold I will lay stumbling blocks before this people and they shall fall upon them Christ himselfe is an object to harden he is set up for the rise and fall of many c. and the word is said to be a savour of life and a savour of death 3. Tradendo by delivering a man up to the Devill to be blinded and hardened 2 Cor. 4.4 Whom the God of this world hath blinded 4. Permittendo by suffering a man to
2. Some are worldly and covetous 3. Some are profane and luxurious or voluptuous 1. In case a man be a proud and ambitious man it will suite with his temper and his ends to broach erronious opinions to make himselfe a Rabbi one greater in esteeme honour and applause then other men he would be taken notice of for one to see further then others one that hath greater light communicated to him then others have he is a man that desires to be singular and loves no greatnesse but what is gotten by making others little nor no esteeme but what is wrought out of the disesteeme of others he is a man that loves to inrich himselfe by making others poore and to swell himselfe and make himselfe some body by making others no body he cannot be taken notice of in the crowde and therefore he thinks himselfe best seen when he goes alone Of this spirit was Diotrephes who you reade of in Joh. Epist 3. Who because he could not be great enough subordinate to the Apostles for saith the text he loved the preeminence Therefore he endeavoured to blast the Apostles and make himselfe great by making them little among the people he laboured to work up his own esteeme by bringing them into disesteeme Joh. Epist 3. ver 9 10. Diotrephes who loveth to have the preeminence and prated against them with malicious words and not content therwith c. And therefore it is hard for a proud man to find out truth God saith the humble he will teach and Christ saith how can you beleeve when ye seeke honour one of another so how should you discerne of truth when you carry an eye to your own applause and glory and not the glory of God 2. In case a man be worldly and covetous it may stand with his ends too by this meanes to enrich himselfe and fetch maintenance out of the very heart and bowels of truth such men seeke their own not the things of Christ And this is the ground of many errours in the world if you looke into Popery you may râ—solve many of their tenets into this their covetous desires of gaine could they be so simple to hold ouâ— so many childish opinions viz. Purgatory Dirges Prayers for the dead Pennances Pilgrimages Pardons Indulgences c. but that these bring in aboundance of wealth into their coffers all is to be sold at Rome Romae omnia venalia they will sell Christ or any thing for gaine and you see men will pleade for errours they will maintaine these because these maintaine them by this craft saith Demetrius we have all our gaine See 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. where he speakes of such as make merchandise of mens soules 3. In case a man be profane and voluptuous It will stand with his ends to broach errours that he may more securely sin truth will not prevaile with him to leave his sin and therefore his sinne prevailes with him to leave the truth while he entertain'd the truth it would not suffer him to live quietly in his sins it would be ever checking and reproving of him he could not sin without disturbance and therefore he must either foregoe the truth or his sin but his sin he cannot part withall and he now takes up such an opinion as he may keepe his sin without disturbance he may sin without trouble I have heard of one that went on in a way of sin and would not be reclaimed though conscience held out to him that if he did persist in that way he was sure to perish But for all this he held up sin and therefore he could not long hold up truth it was impossible that these two should stand togther he loved sin and could not leave it and he saw the truth flew in his face which told him that he should perish if he sin'd thereupon he tooke up an opinion which was said to be Origens that after a 1000. yeares torment in hell all men shall be saved and now he sinned with more quiet Others that come to this that none shall be damned God never made his creature to damne his creature These with many others might be named all which are taken up that themselves might sin without check and disturbance And Christians take heed you have some truths some light of God and you walke in wayes of sin notwithstanding all that light If you sin against that light you will sin away that light if the truth will not move you to forsake your sin your sin will prevaile with you to forsake the truth If a man were able to enter into the heart of an old sinner an old worldling he should see what a pack of unsound tenents he hath gotten up what subterfugies and fig-leaves he hath sowed together what a body of base divinity he hath gotten up together and all this that he might sin securely and be secure in sin he that converses with them shall have experience of the truth of all this And as it may stand with the ends of the Contrivers and Actors so with the ends of the Abettors which I might insist upon at large but I choose rather to conclude this first great generall which was propounded viz. how it may stand with Gods ends with Satans with a mans own ends of which I have spoken in each particular for clearer and fuller satisfaction We will now come to the second generall thing propounded viz. The second question Q. 2. What may be the grounds of abounding errours now at the end of the world And indeed the question may well be asked for at the end of the world it is prophesied that there shall be many glorious truths discovered it is said of these times that the knowledge of God shall abound even as the waters that cover the sea And it is prophesied that truths sealed and before hid shall be then manifested and revealed there shall not only be a clearer discovery of things already revealed but a fuller discovery a revelation of those things were not known as in Dan. 12.4 Daniel had prophesied of the latter dayes and he is commanded to shut up the words and to seale the Booke even to the time of the end when many shall run too and fro and knowledge shall be increased And Zechariah tells us that he that is feeble shall be as David Zech 12.8 And to this purpose I have read some that apply that place Rev. 1.13 where Christ is described to walke among the golden Candlesticks Weemes and girt about the paps with a golden girdle In the old Testament they were girt about the middle saith my Authour here about the paps which shewes saith he the Church is growing up nearer and nearer to perfection And without controversie there are glorious things spoken of these latter dayes not only glorious things to be done for God hath reserved most of his visible glory to the end of the world but glorious things to be revealed and made known And
it that worked into her heart and then her heart consents But how farre Satan may deale with one without sin is a question he seduced her to looke seduced her in looking or by looking Satan gets into us but came to Christ and Eve in a bodâ—ly shape he could find no footing in them because there was nothing of his own there was no sin But to returne that is another ground of abounding errours the corruption of the heart A man may be carried away with an errour and yet not have a corrupt heart but errour must needs proceed from the corruption of the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minimè malus innâ—cens Decipiunt animos innocentum I say he may be led away and yet not have a corrupt heart it may be he hath nothing but honest ends and honest grounds in the entertainment of it The Apostle tels us of such Rom. 16.18 by good words and faire speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple the word signifies errour of them not evill but though the hearts doe not argue a corrupt heart yet it discovers corruption in the heart and that 's the second ground 3. A third ground why there are so many abounding errours is mens readinesse to drink in every opinion to entertaine every thing that comes under the name of truth to them without triall and examination of it Men that have their hands open to take all may receive false coyne as well as true we say all is not gold that glisters so men that are ready to entertaine what is suggested to them under the name of truth may take in errour as well as truth It is good and our duty to have a preparednesse of spirit and a ready disposition of soule to entertaine every truth of God that is discovered to us But Satan doth abuse this good disposition oftentimes deluding us and turning errours on us with a shew and name of truth And there may be many grounds why those who have yet a preparednesse of spirit to entertaine truth and all truth and nothing but truth alone may be carried away with an errour 1. Want of triall we take in all and swallow all as they are represented to us without any debate or any search and examination of them It is an Apostolicall injunction that we should not beleeve every spirit and that we are to prove all things and then to hold fast to that is truth that is hold fast to that which upon triall upon examination is really a truth of God the want of which is the cause why those who have a preparednesse of heart to entertaine truth alone and would not for a world give entertainment to errour are yet led aside with errour I have told you a man may be too quick in rejecting of an errour as well as too slow in receiving of a truth that errour is too soone rejected that is rejected without triall without evidence that it is an errour You think it unreasonable that a man should be condemn'd before his triall though the man may deserve to die yet it is to be made evident otherwise we may condemne the innocent So though an opinion be erronious yet let it have its triall otherwise you may reject a truth for an errour Certainly as truth is not to be entertained and received sleightly so errour is not to be rejected carelessely before you know it errour the choicest truths of the Gospel have been rejected for errour and yet are blessed truths We are to reject errour as we receive truth not passionately but rationally not with passion but reason not carelessely but religiously because otherwise you may receive errour for truth and may reject truth for errour Now I say many for want of triall and examination of things may give entertainment to an errour though they have a preparednesse of spirit to embrace nothing but the truth 2. Another ground why those who have a preparednesse to entertaine truth may yet be carried away with errour is they want knowledge to try and prove and also want judgement to determine what is errour and what is truth upon their triall Some errours that are very obvious to be discerned but some are very subtile and intricate yea and carry very specious shewes hold out glorious pretences For the first sort of errours these Gods people are seldome intangled withall but now for the other which are more subtile and carry high pretexts these few have knowledge to try them or upon their triall judgement to determine The best of us we know but in part here and as for the most they are but children and babes in knowledge we are not children in humility in innocencie but we are like them in knowledge we know but little and therefore may be over-reached with the sophistry of Satan with the wiles of men 3. Besides this good disposition which is in the hearts of Saints to receive all truths that God shall discover it may be abused yea and which is a wonder be made serviceable to let in an errour that it is abused there is nothing more plaine Rom. 16.18 Satan comes and works on that corrupt men they come and work on that good principle too they aske you have you not a preparation of heart to receive every truth of God how dare you then reject this how dare you shut your eyes against such an evident light how dare you turne your back against such a cleare manifestation of God thus it is often abused Nay and sometimes this disposition is made serviceable for the introducing and letting in an errour This preparednesse of heart to receive all truth works a fearfullnesse of rejecting truth if it be discovered to us It may be there is such and such a thing held out to us and it is well managed strongly carried on insomuch that it carries great appearance of truth now the soule who is prepared to receive all truth and fearfull to reject it he stands hovering he knowes not what to doe he cannot close with it he dare not reject it but at last upon that appearance of truth it hath and that feare in him to reject truth he gives entertainment to it though it be an errour and not a truth Thus the feare of rejecting of a truth may be a help to bring in an errour It is wonderfull to see how Satan abuseth these two dispositions fear and tendernesse of spirit 1. Fear it should be a fence to preserve us from errour but Satan often makes it a means to keep out truth fear is oftentimes a cause to keep us in errour as well as a fence to preserve us from errour Many are afraid of new opinions not because they are errours but because they are new I say fear is a means in many to keep out truth as well as to fence out errour It should only be the guard of the soule to keep out errour but Satan makes use of it to keep out truth and to let in
thee on selfe purging but at last he that shall come will come 4. A fourth ground of instability may be the violence and heate of their affections to find out truth which puts them on to an inquisitivâ—nesse a triall a search of all things In which search it may be this appeares a truth and may be another time there seemes a truth in another men are not setled while they are searching they are not fixed while they are inquiring their good affections prompt them on to inquire after truth and during inquiry they are unfixed and unsetled in the truth And so much for the second generall ground why many are carried away viz. want of stability 3. A third ground too much credulity Some men are too slow to beleeve and some are too facile and easie of beliefe to be too slow to beleeve when God speakes is our wickednesse and to be too facile and easie of beliefe what man speakes is weaknesse It is not good to be slow to beleeve a truth and it is evill to be facile to beleeve an errour and yet both these may arise from the same grounds in the spirit A man is slow to beleeve a truth because he doth suspect it an errour and he is facile to beleeve an errour because he doth apprehend it for a truth so that both these may arise from the honesty of a mans spirit in the one he is fearfull to entertaine an errour and therfore slow to beleeve a truth in the other he is fearfull to reject a truth and therfore gives entertainment to an errour Feare is oftentimes made a shooing-horne to draw on an errour and to hold out a truth But this I am not now to deale withall That which I am now upon seemes the contrary to feare viz. too much credulity and easinesse of spirit to beleeve which though it be contrary yet two contrary causes may produce one and the same effect Errour may be the effect of an excessisive feare as well as of an easie faith though indeed it be more properly the effect of too easie faith then of an excessive feare Men that take all upon trust are like to be deceived And it is a maine ground why many are carried away with errour their overmuch credulity their easinesse of beliefe There is too much of this temper even in the godly themselves and I have thought of divers grounds of it 1. This easinesse to beleeve doth arise from the great esteeme of the wisdome and holinesse of those who hold forth an opinion if indeed he were learned and not godly or if he were godly and weake in knowledge it would give some place to jealousie but where these two meete together they have great authority upon the spirits of men and all that proceeds from such men is received as infallible truth men take things upon trust from an honest man but they will examine what a cheater brings if an honest man bring you gold you will scarce try it especially if he say it is weight he hath tried it and he knowes it to be weight but if a dishonest man bring it though he say it is good yet you will try it Men will suspect a truth if a liar tell it and therfore Christ would not own the Devils acknowledgement of him when he said thou art the Sonne of God But they will be ready to beleeve an untruth if an honest faithfull man affirme it When you heare any news of great concernment the first thing you enquire is of what credit is the authour and if he be thus qualified 1. That he be a man of great intelligence one who knowes much of affaires 2. If he be a wise man and an honest man one who is not over credulous that will beleeve all and disperse for truth what ever he heares if he be one who hath seldome failed in his intelligence one that hath often spoken truth you conclude that what ever he brings is truth and yet it is possible for this man to publish a falshood too So if you know one who is a wise learned man a man hath much commerce with Heaven and intelligence thence one who is godly and holy and a man not apt to receive all opinions not overcredulous to take in all nor forward to vent all which he hath heard nay and perhaps hath been one who hath delivered many glorious truths of Christ why such a man you are ready to receive all from him even as Gospell you beleeve all he saith every thing comes with a great deale of authority into your spirits And yet its possible for this man to be mistaken it is possible to erre we know but in part saith the Apostle and who can say he is infallible in his knowledge Indeed there is much to be given to a man thus qualified in points that are of lesse concernment and controverted on all sides and this may be done I conceive without any prejudice to faith I say it may be done and yet not to resolve our faith into the authority of men But when this carries all when opinions are drunke in because they are the judgement of such men or because such men so godly so learned so faithfull doe hold them forth this is to pin our faith upon anothers sleeve this is to resolve our faith into the authority of others and is a shread of that garment whereby Babylon is distinguished it hath much of the Roman doctrine in it I beleeve as the Church beleeves so I beleeve it because such hold it forth And that is the first ground of overmuch credulousnesse in men which we had need to beware of and the more because we are too apt to slide into it and put man in Gods steed to us 2. A second ground of this overmuch credulousnesse is the benigne and faire aspects which an opinion carries It may be you heare of an opinion and it is comely drest it carries such faire and benigne aspects it lookes so lovely that we are ready to receive it and give entertainment to it without any more examination Thus the Devil beguiled Eve at the first the Apostle tells us she was deceived and what deceived her it was the benigne aspects which the fruit carried you reade it Gen. 3.6 And when she saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise here were the benigne aspects the lovely lookes of it and what followes she tooke of the fruit thereof and did eate and did eate her death in it too so here when we looke upon the benigne and faire aspects which an opinion may seeme to carry we are ready to receive it and give entertainment to it without further triall This is to worke upon the understanding by the affections which is a preposterous and a dangerous way because the affections are blinde coecae potentiae and those gain'd they win the understanding to them by
second ground men are carried away with errour the first was incident to the godly this is proper to the wicked only A godly man may entertaine an errour out of weaknesse of head but not out of wickednesse of heart A godly man he entertaines an errour with honest affections and to honest ends and a wicked man entertains a truth with corrupt affections and for corrupt ends He is carried naturally to errour he is nothing else but darknesse and errour but he goes not to truth without a byasse To that which is evil he hath a naturall motion a principle within carries him but to that which is good he is mooved by weights either feares or hopes Naked evil he can close withall but truth must have a baite else he hath no heart to it Godlinesse is no gaine he thinks uâ—lesse he can make a gaine by godlinesse as he will forsake truth to preserve his estate so he will entertaine errour to gaine an estate men will make all serviceable to that which is their God Mammon is his God and therefore all is serviceable to that he will either wave truth or embrace errour upon this ground to advantage himselfe We say all other desires they are serviceable to the great desire Caeterae cupiditates ingenti cupiditati subservient what ever is a mans master-desire all the rest are servants to it as all other lusts they are serviceable to the master-lust c. Now Mammon the world is his master-desire and therefore all other vailes to it and serves it To be short he is a man who mooves not out of himselfe selfe is the spring and principle and selfe is the end of all his motions When he receives a truth he will aske what it can doe for him before he bid it welcome and so when he entertaines an errour here is the difference some truths he will not receive upon any termes and those he doth entertaine they shall bid high and offer largely before they shall be welcome but now errour shall be entertained at low rates even at any hand he will not stick with it it is his friend his flesh and bloud Corrupt men they seldome scruple errours but they scruple entertainment of truth I have heard some to scruple to goe to prayers in their family and they say Where have we a word for it its superstition and will-worship and yet they have never scurpled to drinke to bezzle Some who never scrupled to sweare oathes enough but yet scruple a religious oath The Jews scrupled not to murther Christ but scrupled to have him hang on the crosse because of the preparation to the Sabbath Mens scruples of conscience are oftentimes the punishment of their loosenesse of conscience I shall proceed no farther upon this It would be endlesse to set down the many grounds which corrupt hearts have for the entertainment of errour And because I have spoken already much to this purpose upon a former inquiry I shall therfore shut up this and come to the next question propounded which is the fourth generall laid downe Quest. 4. Who those are that are in danger to be carried away and led aside with errour Before I come to give a full answer to this we will premise three or foure things which may be serviceable to the more cleere and distinct answer 1. There is no man can plead immunity from all kinde of errours there is not a man but is in danger to be led aside with some errour or other as we say of sin â—in atham asher lo jechate there is no man which sins not so we may of errour there is no man who errs not There is no man on earth who hath an unerring priviledge an unerring spirit no not all men on earth together not Fathers Synods Counsells but are subject to errour as is confessed by all and largely proved against the Papists that is the first that no man can pleade an immunity and freedom from any kinde of errour Nemo sine crimine nemo sine errore are alike 2. That even the best men are subject to the worst of errours I say the best men on earth are subject to the worst of errours Subject I say what 's that that is they are incident to them they are liable to them that 's something as our bodies are incident to all sicknesse so our soules to all sin and errour too But that is not all to be subject to errour is not only to be incident to it but be inclinable and that 's more A man may be incident to many sicknesses which yet he is not inclinable unto inclinablenesse doth not only imply a passive capacity in the subject but a prepared disposition As in hard wax there is a passive capacity but in soft wax there is a prepared disposition to receive the impression of the seale And in saying the best of men are in themselves subject to the worst of errours I do not only meane they are incident but inclinable they have not only a passive capacity to be corrupted but they have a prepared disposition as to sin in practice so to errour in judgement yet this inclinablenesse is not alike in all it is capable of degrees not as it is by nature for so all are equally corrupted but as some have improved their corruptions more then other some are more inclinable and some to one errour more then another 3. That though none can pleade immunity from all kinde of errours nay though the best of men may be subject to the worst of errours in themselves yet are the Saints secured from such kinde of errours by the grace of Christ though they are subject to all yet they are secured from some I say by the grace of Christ I have formerly told you from that 1 Cor. 3.10 that there was foundation-truths and building-truths so there are foundation-errours and building-errours damning and defiling errours all errours are defiling but all are not damning all are dangerous but all are not destructive Though the godly are incident to defiling yet Christ hath secured them from damning errours though they may be carried away for a time with sinfull and dangerous errours yet hath Christ fenced them from destructive and undoing errours And this I conceive expressed in these two places Joh. 10.4 5. The sheepe follow him for thâ—y know his voice but a stranger they will not follow for they know not the voice of a stranger This place by all Interpreters is taken for following Christ in doctrinall truths and it must be meant of necessary or fundamentall not of accessary and building-truths It must be meant of such doctrinall points as are essentiall to salvation and the being of godlinesse not to such which are lesse necessary and are only of the welbeing of a Christian for if you looke there even the sheep of Christ have followed the voice of a stranger embraced errour instead of truth as I could instance in all ages which hath arisen
travel over the births of many ages especially if former ages have been as pregnant as our present age is Besides the Apostle tells us Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in faith do not receive to doubtfull disputation and why so lest you should stagger him unsettle him trouble him and certainly if they are not to be received to doubtfull disputations they are not to go to them if it had been their duty to go it had been the others duty to receive them Indeed we are to search let not any prophane loose carelesse secure atheist think I give indulgence to his lazinesse and security Let not any think I go about to patronize or countenance their carelessenesse You are to search God is revealing glorious things in the world many precious truths come masked to you under the notion of errour and many errours may be handed to you and seem to borrow the name of truth we had need to search we had need to pray we had need of a discerning spirit Only this take the measure of your own strength and put not your selves to difficulties above your measure if you meet with difficulties in these knotty times be not too swift to conclude make not your conclusions before your premisses are framed A man may be too soone in an errour too long out of a truth but that man is in a truth too soon who embraceth it in his affections before it be made evident to his understanding who entertains it before he can in some measure maintain it who concludes before he hath cleared That cannot be good judgement that is passed before evidence is brought in Nor that can be no orderly receiving of truth before which there hath not gone discussion and search But I will proceed no further these are the foure things which I thought to premise before I came to the answer of the query 1. That no man can plead an unerring spirit an immunity from all kinde of error Consul misner de eccl p. 657 c. 2. That the best of men are subject to the worst of errours 3. That though they be subject to them of themselves yet are they secured from them by the grace of Christ 4. That the way Christ doth secure us is in the use of means We now come to the resolution of the Query viz. Who are in danger to be led awâ—y with errour Qu. Who those are that are in danger to be led away with errour 1. All such who have not retained the notions of God in a holy and pure heart A corrupt heart is neither a fit receptacle for the receiving nor fit house for the entertainment of truth A sinfull heart will not long be the house nor truth long a tenant there Indeed where truth comes and abides it comes not as the tenant but as the Landlord the Master of the house that will dispose and order of all according to his own rules Now this no sinfull heart can brook withall he would take in truth to be his servant but not to be his Lord he would close with truth to serve him but not to serve truth he would live on truth but truth shall not live on him to speak plain he would entertaine truth no further then it will maintain him this is a corrupt heart and will not long be the receptacle of truth such a man is in the high way to be carried away with errour He that will not be Gods servant shall be the Devils slave he that will not be a servant to truth shall be a vassal to errour As we say he that will not be under the soveraignty of Christ shall be under the tyranny of sin he that will not be under the command of grace shall be under the power of lust so he that will not be subject to truth shall be enslaved to errour you have something of this expressed in Rom. 1.21 25 26. Rom. 1.21 25 26. Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God c. for this cause God gave them up to vile affections 2. All such who have not entertained the truth with love of it men that take it into their heads to know but not into their hearts to love Truth hath rather a tyranny then a soveraignty over some men it awes many whom it doth not perswade it convinceth their understandings but doth not convert and turne their hearts their heart is up in rebellion against all their light their affections are in armes against all their knowledge and their spirits are not brought into a peaceable subjection to those things revealed And such men truth will quickly be weary of them or they of truth where the heart doth not close with truths reveal'd but still stands up in armes against it this man is in danger to be given up to a way of errour You have this in 2 Thess 2 9 10. 2 Thess 2 9 10. Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie and be damned It may be God hath revealed some truths to thee and thou hast entertained them into thy head in notion but not into thy heart with love and affection here is light without heat thou hast no heart to embrace those things revealed may be upon examination thoâ— findest they will not suite with thy greatnes with thy interesâ— with thy hopes thy aimes thy ends and therefore cannot cordially close with them thou cannot deny thy selfe and become a servant to truth Thou art the man who art in danger to be given up to a way of errour 3. All such who have not walked sutable to those truths which God hath revealed to them It may be thou hast had many precious truths revealed to thee and thy corruptions would not suffer thee to walke sutable to them there is light in thy head but darknesse in thy life truth in the understanding but errour and sin in practice and conversation let me tell thee thou art in danger to be given up to errour Men that will not doe what they know shall not know what to doe men that will not follow the guidance of truth shall be led aside with errour Sinne in practice will bring in errour in principle Men of a bad life cannot long be men of a good beliefe 2 Thess 2.12 2 Thess 2.12 the Apostle tels us of such who were carried away with the deceiveablensse of errour who have not believed the truth but have taken pleasure in unrighteousnesse If you know Gods will and will not doe it if God have revealed his minde to you and yet you will not square your lives to it if you will walke in waies that are not good notwithstanding God hath revealed the evil of them you are the men are in danger to be given up to errour 4. All such who have embraced and adhered to former truths out of partiall respects private
and corrupt ends these are in danger to be led aside with errour Vix queritur Iesus propter Iesum There are many corrupt ends for which most men either embrace or adhere to truth few seeke Christ for Christ so few there are that doe embrace truth for truth Now this is certaine * Qui hoc desiderat propter aliud non hoc desiderat sed aliud he that desires any thing for another thing doth not desire this but the other thing and therefore can as well close with an errour as a truth if it may be serviceable to that end which he desires It would be an endlesse worke to tell you all the corrupt ends which men of corrupt principles have in the embracing of truth Indeed who can do it one man perhaps sees it a way of gaine of honour of preferment and advancement though this hath been very seldome that greatnesse did lie in the way of goodnesse and advancement in the way of truth yet such a time may come and therefore a corrupt heart sides with it or perhaps he sees such and such whom he knows and values this way and therefore he goes the same way with them Men that doe not believe truth nor love truth may side with it for corrupt ends Leo the tenth that monster of men though he had meane thoughts of the Gospell Quantas nobis divitias comparavit haec â—abula Evangelij yet he could side with the Gospell because it brought treasure into his coffers Most men doe entertain truths as you doe servants as I have told you and will examine and know what they can doe for them before they do entertain them or they adhere to truth as the Ivy to the tree which is not because it loves it but because it sucks from it berries and leaves because it nourisheth and succours it By this craft we have our gaine saith Diana's crafts-men As they said of an errour so many say of truth alas how few men that entertain naked truth and that are willing to embrace truth with singlenâ—sse of spirit We say men alwaies worship the rising not the declining Sunne So rising truths advancing truths enriching truths they will owne But who will owne a sinking a declining cause who will close with a persecuted truth an impoverishing truth an imprisoning truth Which is a plain evidence that truth is not entertain'd for truths sake Men will see nothing truth that stands not with their advancements their greatnesse their accommodations when truth comes once to live on us we grow quickly weary of truth And such men as these they are in the high way to errour he that will be of truths side shall not ever be of the rising side And when men cannot finde these things in the waies of truth and do see them in a way of errour they will forsake truth and close with errour 5. All such who are not grounded and established in the truth The house built on the sands stood not long sandy foundations can never hold men unbottom'd can never be firme like the weather-cock they stand but this way for want of a stronger winde many who are of this uncertainty of spirit like water that are formed according to the vessell that holds it so they according to company they converse withall like trees without root they are shaken with every winde with every breath of men It may be they reade this or heare this man and they are full in his thoughts another comes and leaves another impression on their spirits This man is a poore man he is nothing his light is in others he is darknesse his principles are in others he himselfe is nothing but what you will make him he is a man to be argued into errour or truth according to the temper of his companion he is upon a darke stormy sea and steers by the light is held out he hath none within him to guide him and he fastens his boat to the next barge moved by anothers motion for he hath none of his owne This is a man a peece of paste fit to be moulded up in what forme and to what temper you please When the streame or flood comes it cannot move trees and houses but it sweeps away what ever lies loose so here when the streame of errour comes though rooted Christians stand firme yet such who sit loose are apt to be carried away And therefore the Apostle bids us not to be ever children carried away with every winde of doctrine this is to be like weather-cocks which are moved with every blast he bids us to labour to get stablished in the truth even as a house upon a foundation that nothing can shake or unsettle us 6. Such who have rejected truths revealed upon corrupt grounds it may be there are such whom God hath made clear convincing discoveries of truth to them and yet because they could not stand with corrupt aimes and selfish ends therefore they have rejected them as the Jews did Christ how just is it with God to give up such to a spirit of errour It is the observation of Pareus upon the Jewes Act. 5.36 where you reade of many of the Jewes that were seduced he tels us * Iusto judicio Dei seducti multi fueruÌ„t ut crederent impostoribus quia Christo fideÌ„ habere nolucruat Par. It was just with God that they should believe imposters because they would not give credit to the truth It was just with God that they should be punished with embracing a shadow who had rejected the substance with errour who rejected truth Christians you have had many cleare discoveries of truth to you Let not corrupt ends selfish respects come in take heed of rejecting any truth for corrupt ends if you doe you will be in the high way to be led aside with errour 7. All such who have the world for their god men that have the world for their god must embrace such a religion as the world will dictate to them The Apostle tels us The love of money will cause men to erre from the faith it will make men any thing to get the world and any thing to keepe the world Demas is a sad example of this he had the world in his eye and he embraced the world and forsooke Christ The love of the world will make a man shie to acknowledge truth how shie was Nicodemus to acknowledge Christ and it was for feare of the Jewes It will cause a man to balke and decline truth Men that have Court designes will not owne any the Court frowns on they balke them So if men have worldly designes they will never owne those truths the world frowns on Nay it will make a man deny truth yea truths professed truths preached truths contended for upon this ground many of the Jewes renounced Christ because if they should acknowledge him they said the Romans would come and take away their place and Nation Nay the love of the
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
yeild your selves to be wholly and absolutely ruled by the will of any nor inthrall your judgements submit your consciences to the sentences lawes definitions doctrines of any man or Angell but onely to your Lord and Master Christ But if so be we were to receive all that is prescribed and submit to impositions of men without search and scrutiny whether they be of God or no we should make men Masters of our faith This were to set man in Gods stead to put man in Christs throne this were to yeeld an implicite faith and blinde obedience which to doe is to make men Gods and your selves beastes Thus you see I have laid downe the position I have cleared it to you by Scripture I have confirmed it by argument 3. I am now in the third place to shew you that this hath been the constant doctrine of our learned and orthodox Divines in opposition to the Papists ancient and moderne I thinke it not necessary to name many a few therefore for all Clem. Alex. hath this passage * Non absolutè enuntiantibus fidem habemus quibus licet contrarium enuâ—tiare c. Clem. Alex. Si contraria invicem senserint concilia debemus quasi judices probare meliora Hilar. de Synod advers Arianos We are not absolutely to assent to the doctrines and determinations of men who themselves may dissent from their owne opinions nor to expect the testimony which is given of men but to search and prove what is the voice of God Another this * If Synods should determine contrary we as judges should prove and approve of the better It is the speech of another viz. a Ego solis eis Scripturarum libris qui jam canonici aâ—pellantur didici hanc honorem timo remâ— differre ut nullum eorum authorem sâ—ibendo aliquid errasse firmissi nè credam c. Aug. Dâ—v 169. I have learned to give this honour and reverence to the Canonicall Scriptures only to believe what ever is therein is truth it self but for other writings though men excellent in learning and holines yet I reade them so as that I do not therefore think theÌ„ to be true because they have thus spoken thought but because they do thus appear to me to be consonant agreable to the minde of God the word of truth Another thus b Iâ— qui praeest si praeter voluntatem Dei vel praeter quod in Sacris Scripturis evidenter praecipitur vel dicit aliquid vel imperat tanquam falsus test is Dei aut sacrilegas habeatur Isidor If any that are in authority shall declare or command any thing which is not agreeable to the will of God or not evidently commanded in Scripture let him be held as a false witnes of God or one sacrilegious Another c Omnis homo dimittens rationem propter authoritatem humanam incidit in inspientiam bestialem Daven He that puts off reason or subjects reason to meet humane authority fals into beastly folly and the same Author d Nos plus rationi damus quà m cutcunque authoritati humanae c. We doe not preferre the authority of any meer man before reason and therefore seeing the fathers whether taken singly or joyntly in Councels are but meer men and their authority but meer humane authority The faith of Christians is not to be so subjugated to the determinations of them that there shall be left no use of reason much more of Scripture in proving and examining doctrines whether of God or no. e Sicut debitor est voluntas suae operationis in bonis volenâ—iâ— sic intellectus suae operationis debitor est in veris credendis seu cognoscendis quare nec error nec ignorantia excuset unquam a perditione Paris de leg cap 21. Pariensis hath this passage As the will is a debtor unto God in its operations for the choice of good so is every mans understanding a debtour to God in its operations for the beleeving of truth Therefore neither errour nor ignorance can excuse any before God if they perish Another saith this f Ad ipsum verbum Dei oportet nos omnes scientiarum disciplinaâ— opiniones tanquam ad lydeum lapidem examinare c quodcunque ab eo authâ—râ—tatem non habet eadem facilitate contemnitur quâ affertur Cornel. Agrip de vanit scient cap 100 de verbo Dei It is our duty to bring all opinions to the Word as the touch-stone of them and if any hath not its authority thence It may be as easily contemned as it is offered and held forth Luther also speaks the same thing he hath this passage g Over debent ferre judicium utrum Praeâ—ati vocem Christi vel alienorum proponant Luther Tom 2. pag. 375. Consul Dav. de Jud. nor fidei ubi plures recitantur pag. 167 186. c. etiam 168 c. It is the duty of the flock of Christ to examine whether their Pastors doe speak the voice of Christ or visions of their own heart The same man saith further Where the Word of God is preached the people have not only power and command to judge of doctrines but every godly man ought to performe this under danger of salvation And if we should consult with all they all speak the same language and say though there is not given to all the faithfull a spirit of interpreting Scripture in an authoritative and publike way yet every Christian hath a spirit to examine and judge of doctrine in his own conscience Learned Whitaker hath this expression h Non datur omnibuâ— fidelibus spiritus interpraetandi Scripturas ad authoritatem publicam in ecclesia sed tamen â—â—nâ—us cujuscunque Christiani est spiritâ—◠〈◊〉 ad privatam doctrinae probationem dijudicationem in conscientia ipsius Polan Syntag. l. 1. cap 45. Omnibus piis incumbit ut sibi caveant quam vis doctrinaÌ„ diligenter examinent ne falsa forsan pro veris suscipiaÌ„t quisquis debet niâ—i sua fide sueque judicio diviniâ—us in spâ—rato non ex alterius nutu arbitrio pendere Whitak cont 1. quaest 5. de interpret Script It lies all Christians much upon to examine all doctrine lest they doe otherwise take false doctrine for true and every one ought to lean to the perswasion of his own judgement enlightned and not to depend upon the will and judgement of others Another of our learned Divines saith i In doctrinis quorumvis mortalium admiâ—tenâ—is adhibendum est examen judicium discretionis ut possimus tanquam probi argentarij adulterinam à legâ—tiâ—â—a doctrina discernere Dâ—v In the receiving of the doctrines of any mortall man we are to examine and like unto tryers of silver are to discern between false doctrine and true Again k In doctrina investiganda non alienis tantum modo oculis sed suis utendum c. Daven In the finding out of doctrine we are
pertinet subditos esse pâ—testatibus ex illa verò parte qua credimus Dâ—o in regnum ejuâ— vocamâ—r non oportet nos esse subditos cuiquaÌ„ homini Deo enim potius obtemperandum quam hominibus Aug. It behoves us in things which concern this life to be subject to higher powers but in those things which concern another life we ought not to be subject to any man that is commanding things evil for he saith it is better to obey God then man If then these things be true that we are not to obey those commâ—nds which are contrary to greater power Nor are we to obey when the command doth transgresse and exceed the limits and bounds of his power Then this is clear that when any thing is imposed either to be believed or to be done it is the duty of all to exâ—â—ine whether in the obedience of the commands of man he doth not transgresse the will of God or give more to men then is his due and proper alone to God Obj. 3. The faith of Christians ought not to be conjecturall and uncertain but certain and firm but when men lean upon the judgements of their own private spirits in admitting or rejecting doctrines their faith is uncertain because private men may be deceived but the judgements of Councels and Synods are unerring and infallible Ans For the first part of this Objection viz. that the faith of Christians ought to be firm and certain and not conjecturall or uncertain we freely grant It is a maxime in Divinity * Fidei nihil potest subesse alsum aut incertum Nothing uncertain nothing doubtfull or false can be the object of faith and this takes away their main ground It is then impossible that we should believe the determinations or definitions of Synods or Councels without examination because they may be false for they are not infallible they are not unerring as I have shewed they are but men and therefore their results and determinations doubtfull and therefore cannot fall under faith For the other part of the Objection That they who lean to their own judgements and not to the judgement and determinations of Councels their faith is doubtfull and uncertain I answer If by leaning to their own judgment be meant to adhere to what their own humane reason doth dictate to them in divine things then I say that their faith is doubtfull and false for mans understanding is no fit measure nor judge of divine truths it is above reason But if by leaning to our private judgement be meant adhering to that which an understanding enlightned doth evidence to be in the Word or adhering to that which the Spirit of God hath revealed and perswaded the spirit of a man to be the minde of God in the Word then I say that this faith is neither uncertain or false And therefore it is rightly spoken by a learned Divine * Is nititur proprij spiritus judicio quod illud sentit de rebut divinis quod ratio dicta c. Consul Morton Apolog. Cathol p. 2. l. 5. cap. 10. Turpissime falluntur papistae quod judicium spiritus privati spiritus divini ex multitudine potius aestimant quam ex origine Dâ—â— He leans upon his private judgement that judgeth of divine things what his own humane reason doth dictate but not he who judgeth of divine things according as the Spirit of God doth perswade him by the Word In this therefore the Papists are miserably deceived that they esteem that which one man judgeth to be the judgement of a mans private spirit but what a multitude and Councell doe determine that they call the judgement of the divine Spirit and so take up their judgement of a private spirit or divine Spirit rather from the authority of the determiners â—en from the truth of the tâ—ing determined rather from the multitude then from the originall of it when yet it may happen that the judgement of many even of a Councel may flow from a private spirit and the judgement of one single man from the Spirit of God a Patreâ— qui in Concilio Nicaeno putabaÌ„t conjugaleÌ„ societatem sacerdotibus denegandam sequebantur judicium privati spiritus unus Paphnutius qui desendebat rerum immaculatuÌ„ etiam in sacerdotibus bonorabilem sequebatur judicium Spiritus divini Ib. You see in the Councel of Nice who denied marriage-society to Ministers certainly they followed the judgement of their private spirits it was not the judgement of the Spirit of God and on the contrary unus Paphnutius one Paphnutius who defended against them all the lawfulnesse of marriage to Ministers and the bed to be undefiled followed the judgement of Gods Spirit Truth may be alone and not with a multitude one Paphnutius may have the truth and the whole Councel be in an errour Truth is not tyed to multitudes to learning nor to multitudes of learned nay holy men yet there would I seek it when at a losse To conclude this then 1. That man who doth embrace any doctrine or opinion because it is sutable to his minde and pleaseth his private spirit that man is led by his private spirit 2. Or that man who closeth with a doctrine because such and such doe teach it or such command it this is his own humane credulity and he acts his own spirit b Siquis credat aliquid per propter internum dictamen Spiritus divini judicium ejus per verbuÌ„ illuminantis informaÌ„tis is solus credit uti oportet Daven ib. But he that doth believe a truth by and through the inward dictate of the spirit informing his minde by the Word he is not led by his private spirit but by the Spirit of God Obj 4. But you see most Christians are so ignorant that they are not able to judge of Questions of faith they themselves will confesse they are not able to determine of such points Ans I grant there is too much ignorance amongst them who should know we may say with the Apostle Heb. 5.12 When for the time we might have been teachers of others we our selves have need to be taught what are the first principles of the oracles of God It is never enough to be lamented the ignorance even among them that are godly themselves c Non quaeritur quid rudes inertes Christiani facere possint sed quid pij fideles facere debeant Dav. But the Question is not here what those that are idle and slothfull can but what those that are godly and faithfull should Certainly they should be able to give an answeâ— of their faith they should be able to know the voice of Christ from the voice of a stranger they should be able to discern between meat and poyson between truth and falshood That is their duty and in some measure those that are believers are able in those points that are necessary to salvation Obj. But you will say that
redditur Misner de eccles cap. de errandi possibilitate membr 1. Sect. 4 6 7. p. 626. private and self-directive judgment Now 1. If the Question be put Who is to judge of Gods minde in the Word in a Ministeriall publike way I say that it is the office of Councels and Synods to examine debate determine declare the minde of God out of the Word * Patres in Concilio non tantuÌ„modo inquisitores sed judices Councels they are not only inquirers what is the minde of God in Scripture but in some sense Judges that this is the minde of God in Scripture yet are they not supreme absolute infallible unerring Judges as the Papists say but Ministeriall declarative subordinate Judges who are not to goe beyond their bounds the Word of God a Concilia habent solummodo munus potestatem interpretaÌ„di Scripturas c. Reynolds confer with Hart. c. 2. divis 2 p. 100. Councels have only the office and power of interpreting Scripture from Scripture and the minde of the holy Ghost speaking in them Reynolds in his conference with Hart hath this passage Christ saith he hath given two sorts of judgement to his Church the one private the other publike private belongs to all the faithfull and b 1 Cor. 2.15 spirituall who are to c 1 Cor. 10 13. judge of what is taught and d 1 Joh. 4.1 to try the spirits 2. Publike that belongs to e Act. 15.6 the assembly of Pastors and Elders for of that which f 1 Cor. 14.29 Prophets teach let Prophets judge g 1 Cor. 14 38. and the spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets In both of which the Church must yet remember that God hath committed nothing but the ministry of giving judgement to her the soveraignty of judgement doth rest on the Word of God Thus farre he Another of our own Councels may propound expound declare to the people that Doctrine which the Scriptures hold forth but they have no power of making new Doctrine that is they are the publike Interpreters and publishers of holy Doctrine revealed in Scripture they may expound and declare Scripture but neither make Scripture nor become Scripture to us 1 Cor. 4.1 1 Pet. 4.11 To make Doctrine is proper only to God who is the Lord and Master of our faith and consciences Men are Ministers to our faith and not Masters of it but this were from a Minister to become a Master of our faith which the Apostle so much abhorrs 2 Cor. 1.24 We are not Masters of your faith but helpers of your joy Nay if they had power to make Doctrine then were we not to examâ—â—e and try their doctrine but our duty were to subject to what is imposed but I have clear'd this to you that it is our duty to examine all the Doctrines and definitions of men c. And if an Angel from heaven should preach another doctrine let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 It is not in mans power to make doctrines though to declare them Secondly if the Question be who is to judge of Gods minde in the Word in a private rationall self directive way then I say that every private Christian is to search the Scriptures to examine prove try and judge of the minde of God revealed in his Word so farre as concerns his own faith and practice I have shewed you that we are not to subject our understandings our faith and consciences to any authority nor to any definitions and determinations of men but are to prove and try all things by the Word for our own faith and practice we are to judge of Gods minde in his holy Wâ—rd with those cautions I laid down But this having been so largely insisted upon I shall say no more to it And this shall serve for the first the distinction of Judges Secondly I told you there were some distinctions of things to be judged Some there were that were doctrines of faith some of worship 1. The doctrines of faith I told you were such as were fundamentall or such as were superstructive Now if the Question be asked who shall judge of Gods minde in the Word concerning fundamentall doctrines I say the Word of God is evident and clear of it self in these things that if a man will not wilfully shut his eyes he cannot but see them we need not here aske who shall judge main truths are plain truths he that runs may read them And that these are plain to those who will not wilfully shut their eyes at least to see them in a rationall way the Apostle shews in Tit. 3.10 11. He that is an heretike which is one pertinaciously and obstinately erring in fundamentals such an one saith he after the first and second admonition reject or excommunicate him and he gives this ground of it knowing that such an one is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself as the word expresseth being self-condemned he sins against the secret checks of his own conscience he is self sentenced which declares that fundamentall truths are evident 1 Joh. 2.20 otherwise he had not been self-condemned Turks and Pagans they doe these things and are not self-condemned but men in the Church cannot and therefore are to be cast out Thirdly I told you that superstructive truths were either such as were more necessary or such as were accessory and necessary admits of many distinctions either such as were absolutely so or such as were necessary only by consequent or such as are primarily necessary and such as be secondarily necessary I speak not here of the first If the Question were Who shall judge of truths absolutely necessary It is the same with fundamentall truths and I say that every Christian is able to judge of Gods minde in such truths he tels us We have a Vot unctionem habetis id est vos spiritum sanctum habetis nostis omnia id est omnia necessaria Whitak Reynolds conf with Hart p 6â— middle of it Whitak cont 1. q. 5. c 8. Arg. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unction from the holy One whereby we know all things that is all things necessary to salvation and he hath told us His Spirit shall leade us into the way of all truth b Impium est putare Deum aliquando defuisse ecclesiae suae in rebus necessariis that is necessary truths and that we shall all be taught of God that the Sheep of Christ shall hear his voice and know it from the voice of a stranger This is a certain maxime c Donum intelectus nun quam se subtrahit sanctis circa ea quae sunt necesaria adsaluteÌ„ c. Aqu. 22. q. 8. a resp 3. God doth never fail his Church nor any member of Christ in truths that are necessary they shall learn they shall know and understand those things necessaryd And for those things which are lesse necessary Councels may declare and if you search if
the History of truth the historicall knowledge of things but the godly have the mysterie the mysticall conceptions of them To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God Others have the bark and outward rine of truth Illi corticem pij medullam veritatis 1 Cor. 2. ult but the Saints have the marrow and spirit of it We have the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2. ult Unregenerate men may have the out-side but there are secrets in truth in every truth which they know not The Apostle speaks plain The carnall man is not able to understand the things of the Spirit of God and upon this ground because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 1 Cor. 2.14 he may discern of them as a man but not as a Christian he may discern of them rationally but not spiritually As there is need of a naturall eye and light to see naturall things and of a rationall understanding to conceive of rationall things So there is need of a spirituall eye and light to discern of spirituall things there is as much disproportion between spirituall and rationall things and a spirituall and rationall eye as there is between an animal or sensitive eye and a rationall eye the rationall perception of things is not so farre above sensitive as the spirituall is above the rationall perception of things I say man is not so much above a beast as a Christian above a man there is something of animality of the beast in man but there is nothing of a Christian faith and spirituall understanding of things in him faith is as much above reason as reason is above meer sense Which might have been a 3d restriction that unrenewed men or men of corrupt life they may be of right judgement for a time in many things but as men not as Christians by the light of reason not the demonstration of the spirit And therefore you see though it be a probable signe of errour when the entertainers of it are men of loose and corrupt lives yet it is not an infallible evidence for even such men may for a time be right in judgement in main things The Raven might bring good meat to Elijah though she her self was an unclean bird the bird was unclean but the meat it brought was good indeed it was but once we never read of a second time that either the Raven brought it or Elijah received it and it was when he was in the wildernesse too when we are in the wildernesse and straits we may receive bread from a Raven God may make use of a Raven to bring bread but we are to expect and receive our daily bread from better hands Indeed it 's true Non quis sed quid affertur Morton Apol. Cath. p. 2. l. 5. c. 9 Isa 8.20 we are not to look so much upon him that brings it as the meat that is brought we are not so much to look upon persons as doctrines we should rather judge of truth and errour by Rule and Scriptures then by life and practice thither God sends us Isai 8.20 To the law and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this truth it is because the light is not in them Men of corrupt life may deliver to you many excellent truths either out of evidence of reason convictions of conscience or for mercinary ends or for applause and ostentation the Apostle told us of some that preached Christ out of envie Phil. 1.15 Phil. 1.15 Certainly there is an errour of both hands we may have mens persons in too much admiration as the Apostle speaks Jude vers 16. Jude v. 16. You esteem too much of men when you will drinke in and receive an opinion because such bring it and you esteem too little of God and truth when you reject the minde of God because such reveal it it was the speech of Christ concerning the Pharisees Mat. 23.2 3. Mat. 23.2 3. They sit in Moses chair all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and doe but doe not after their works That which Christ spake concerning the Pharisees I conceive to be restrained to those times and to that subject of the Law 1. It was to be restrained to that subject of the Law they were the Interpreters and preachers of the Law Christ would have the people hear thē of it certainly he would not have them hear them upon other subjects if they had preached that Jesus was not the Christ that he was not the Messiah they were to expect a Messiah to come in visible royalty and glory to deliver them from their enemies as they understood that 110. Psalm and other places but as for Christ they knew who he was Is not Joseph his father and Mary his mother say they Joh. 6.41 and is not he the Carpenter No question this was the doctrine they preached and therefore Christ restrain'd them to the subject hear them while they preach the Law 2. Yea and it was to be restrained to the time too as yet the Mosaicall Law was not repealed those rites and Ceremonies were not yet abrogated and therefore as yet they might hear them and walk in the practice of those things but afterwards it would not be suffered they who preached this doctrine were called false teachers and the Apostle cals such deceivers seducers false teachers who preached observance of those things and told the people they were bound to be circumcised and to keep the whole Law of Moses This is certain * Veritas à quocunque dicatur à spiritu sancto est Au. truth by whomsoever spoken is of the holy Ghost We believe truth though the devil speak it but we doe not believe it because he speaks it nor doe we goe to him for the Revelation of it It was a truth which he said I know thee who thou art thou art Christ the Sonne of God but we doe not believe it because he said it but because God revealed it nor yet do we doubt of it because he published it who yet is a lyar and might perhaps speak this truth that we might the rather suspect it because a lyar said it but though he spake it yet we doe not doubt it because God hath revealed it So corrupt men may speak the truth I doe not say they ought to be speakers of the truth men of sinfull lives and practices are not to be in that office as dispencers of the Word and Sacraments but take it as I mean it may for ability in office nor for right to office I say corrupt men may speak the truth but we doe not believe it because they say it but because God reveals it nor doe we doubt of it because they publish it seeing God hath declared it Indeed I would not goe to a lyar to know the truth nor should I reject truth though it come from a lyar So I doe not goe to men of sinfull lives to know
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
ingage a man to doe and to doe out of conscientious respects so will it check conscience if he doe not Conscience walks according to it's light both in checks and comforts when conscience is perswaded of this or that to be a truth if he doe not walk answerable to it it will check him for it if conscience be not a guide it will be a scourge if not directive it will be afflictive it will charge him and check him if he have not walked answerable And this is a fearfull condition that such a man is in he sins in doing because he doth for an errour and he is tormented for not doing because he apprehends it a truth Indeed a man is not damned for following the dictates of conscience for this he ought to doe but he is damned for following an erroneous conscience we ought to follow the dictates of conscience but we ought to get conscience rightly enformed then And what need there is of that you see here because an erroneous conscience will ingage men to doe as well as an enlightened conscience and will punish and check him if he doe not as well as a conscience enlightned 6. As errour will ingage a man to doe so it will ingage a man to suffer too I know nothing that a man may doe or suffer for a truth but he may doe and suffer for an errour under the notion of truth 1. A man may suffer in his good name he may be content to be reproached defamed calumned and may binde all these reproaches as a crown about his head with Job and wear them as his crown and glory 2. He may suffer in his goods and be content rather to part with all then his opinion and when he hath done as a man would say for a truth so may he for an errour which he apprehends truth I thank God I had any thing to lose for it its worth all I had and much more 3. He may suffer in his body imprisonment and what other things may be inflicted on the body even the highest punishment of all death it self and all this for an errour As God hath Martyrs for truth so hath the devil Martyrs for errour what heresie but hath been sealed up by the death of some of the maintainers The Arians who denied the Deity of Christ they suffer'd nay which is wonder some of them would suffer for Christ as a Saviour though they denied Christ to be God The like I might say of the Nestorians Manichees and others What need we goe farther Will not the Papists themselves suffer death for their Catholike Cause Nay which is yet more stupendious a man may not only die but he may die comfortably in and for an errour he may die rejoycing as if he died for a truth though he die in a delusion And that 's the next 7. It 's possible for a man to have quiet of conscience and comfort of conscience when he doth doe or suffer for an errour the more uniformly he walks the more true and faithfull he is to his principles still the more comfort he findes he hath this comfort of his sincerity or honesty of heart that he hath been true to his light though that light be but darknesse A man may have comfort in an errour no true comfort from an errour Solomon had the greatest revelations when he was at Gibeah and where was that but at a high place but he had it not from Gibeah A man may have comfort in an errour but not from an errour I grant false notions may afford comfort But 1. Either false comfort a painted no reall comfort 2. Or the comfort is but the comfort of his naturall conscience in being true to his opinion not the comfort of God The Papists may finde some comfort in their way but either it is a deluded comfort or the comfort which ariseth from being honest to a delusion There is no question but there is fear and comfort in the Turkish Religion when they do not walk according to their principles received they may be troubled and when they doe possibly they may have comfort The ground of this is this because they walk answerable to their principles and then nothing within will check a man all is at quiet within this is but the quiet of a naturall conscience Naturall conscience will tell them there is a God and that this God is to be worshipped but it cannot direct the way now being either instructed or brought up and educated in this or that way he takes it for a truth though perhaps it be an errour and walking answerablâ— to it for want of further light his conscience is quiet he hath comfort of those principles he hath when he hath been true to them yet this is but false comfort Certainly if you have any comfort of God It is either 1. Comfort in an errour but not from an errour or it is comfort from your graces not from your errour Your graces may afford you comfort viz. your sincerity but your errour affords none 2. Many errours that may have some mixtures of truth in them and then your comfâ—rt is not from the errour but from truth mingled with it A man perhaps hath been in some trouble and his trouble arose from want of an evidence of his sincerity now it may be there is some opinions abroad which a man may close withall as persecuted truths though they are but censured condemned errours and in this act he gets comfort perhaps he hath the evidence of his sincerity that he is willing to close with a persecuted truth which may afford some comfort though the thing closed withall be an errour And I beleeve that many doe close with opinions upon this ground as persecuted truths and thereby evidence their sincerity which perhaps if they should not they would be troubled and could not be able to doe Indeed it were an honourable and desirable thing to suffer upon good grounds suffering for Christ is desirable he who knows the emptinesse of these things and what these things are in comparison of eternity would be glad and rejoyce to part with any thing for Christ. Indeed it is not too dear to purchase and maintain a truth with the hazzard and losse of all yet who would be at this cost for an errour There is none that are godly but would be content to maintain a truth and suffer truth to live upon them upon their estates comforts c. but who would doe this for an errour I only suggest this to you it may be you take in an opinion you receive it for a truth But take heed you be not deceived It may be that opinion may cost you your estate your liberty c. and therefore you had best consider well before you entertain lest you be at this cost to maintain an errour in steed of upholding a truth All is not too good to part withall for a truth but nothing but is too good to give
consonant to Gods minde or the main end of God in Scripture though there be not a particular place for it yet doubtlesse it is a truth there are many precious truths which yet would puzzle to finde a particular place upon which they may be fully established which yet agree with the generall drift and main end of God in the Scripture The great end of God in Scripture is to bring us out of our selves and to bring us up to him to render all the world emptinesse and discover fullnesse alone in himself to bring us to believe and close with Christ and give up our selves to him in waies of love and obedience and what ever doctrine doth truly serve for these ends what ever drives on this design is undoubtedly a truth though it be not contain'd in expresse words in Scripture And so much shall serve for the first Character by which many errours are struck down we come now to the second And Chara. 2 2. The second Character of truth is this That which doth really and truly advance all God in Christ is certainly a truth of God All truth as I told you was divine Revelation and it is the end of all divine revelation to advance and set up God in Christ it is the great design the great end which God doth aim at in all his Word-revelation to set up himself to advance the riches of his grace in Jesus Christ And therefore that which doth really and truely advance all God in Christ is certainly a truth of God For our better and clearer conception we must take this Character in pieces and shew you how it contains four conditions or there are four qualifications requisite to evidence any doctrine to be a truth of Christ 1. It must advance God 2. All God 3. All God in Christ. 4. It must doe all this really 1. Divine truth it doth advance God it sets up God and layes man low it raiseth up God upon the ruines of self and sin it makes God great and man little God all and man nothing it empties man of himself and makes him seek his fullnesse in God and that which doth thus hath a good evidence it is a truth of God Errour may advance the creature it may advance a mans self but it doth not advance God nay errour may seek God in the creature but it cannot seek it self in God it may give to the creature that which is Gods but not give to God that which is the creatures it may take from God to give to the creature but it doth not take from the creature to give to God And errour may lessen it self to make the creature great but it cannot make it self nothing to make God great you see this in Colos 2.18 Some in a voluntary humility did worship Angels here man lessens himself to make a creature great but he doth not make himself nothing to make God great Here he takes from himself and from God to give to a creature but he doth not take from the creature from himself to give unto God This is a genuine property of truth it advanceth God it makes God all and it self nothing it empties it self of it's self and seeks alone it's fulnesse in God that can be no truth that draws not up the heart to God and brings the soul to live in him as it 's utmost happinesse and that which doth thus must needs make all things little and God great and be content to lose it self in God and for God that it may finde it self in God Now if you should examine some opinions by this 1. There is an opinion that man hath ability to close with the tenders and offers of grace he hath power in his pure naturals to come over to Christ This opinion advanceth man but doth not advance God it sets up the will of man against the will of God it is an opinion against Word-revelation we are said to be dead in sin and dead men cannot move Christ tels us Without him we can doe nothing Joh. 15.5 2. Divine truth it advanceth all God 1. It doth advance the nature and attributes of God 2. It doth advance the will of God 3. It doth advance the waies of God 1. It doth advance the nature and attributes of God 1. The Wisdome of God 2. The Mercy 3. The Justice 4. The Power 5. The Immutability of God 6. The Holinesse of God There are some opinions which may seem to advance some of God but not all of God Some that may seem to advance his mercy but not his justice some his grace but not his holinesse some his power and his wisdome but not his truth that opinion which doth not advance the justice as well as mercy the holinesse as well as the grace of God certainly it is no truth of God God hath set himself to be wholly advanced in all his attributes and you doe not advance any of God if you doe not advance all of God To instance for illustration in a few particulars 1. Therâ— is an opinion that Christ came to save all here is an oâ—â—nion that doth advance the mercy but not the truth of God You know the Word tells us that he came to save them who shall believe in him now certainly if he came to save all then all believe but the Apostle tells us that all men have not faith therefore surely the death of Christ is no further to be extended then his prayer and his prayer is not for all as you may see Joh. 17.9 Joh. 17.9 I pray not for the world but for them thou hast given me 2. So secondly there is an opinion that Christ merited no love or mercy at his Fathers hands for us God loved us from everlasting and say they How can Christ be said to merit that which we had already Now would you know whether this is a truth or an errour You may examine it by this see doth it advance all God indeed this doth advance the love the mercy of God but not the justice of God it is indeed a wrong to his justice for Gods justice is no way advanced unlesse there be satisfaction made to it all the mercy that God bestows on sinfull men it is in relation to his precedent satisfaction Eph. 4.13 hence Christ is said to bear sinne to satisfie for sin c. and God for Christs sake is said to pardon sinne Ephes 4.32 3. There is an opinion that the Saints may fall from grace and they say this opinion doth much advance Gods justice but how that can be I cannot discern when I see it so evidently contrary to his truth to his promise and covenant he hath made with us as you see Jer. 32.40 certainly though the life of a Christian be a secret life it is hid yet it is a safe life it is hid in Christ Besides these there are many opinions which would seem to advance the grace of Christ and the mercy of