when press'd in the service of Error than we now think due to it If Antiquity will not do Reason shall be press'd to serve Error 's turn at a dead lift and indeed the Pencil of Reason can lay curions Colours upon rotten Timber and varnish over erroneous Principles with fair and plausible pretences What expert Artists have the Socinians proved themselves in this matter But because men are bound to submit human Authority and Reason to Divine Revelation both must give way and strike sail to the Written Word Hence it comes to pass that the great Patrons and Factors for Error do above all things labour to gain countenance to their Errors from the Written Word and to this end they manifestly wrest and rack the Scriptures to make them subservient to their Opinions not impartially studying the Scriptures first and forming their notions and opinions according to them but they bring their Erroneous Opinions to the Scriptures and then with all imaginable art and sophistry wiredraw and force the Scriptures to countenance and legitimate their Opinions But because pretences of Piety and Reformation are the strokes that give life to the face of this Idol and give it the nearest resemblance unto Truth these therefore never fail to be made use of and zealously professed in the favour of Error though there be little of either many times to be found in their Persons and nothing at all in the Doctrines that lay claim to it Eleventh Observation God in all ages in his tender care for his Churches and Truths hath still qualified and excited his Servants for the defence of his precious Truths against the Errors and Heresies that have successively assaulted them As Providence is observed in every Climate and Island of the World to have provided Antidotes against the poisonous Plants and Animals of the Countrey and the one is never far from the other So is the care of his Providence much more conspicuous in the case now before us When or wheresoever venomous Errors and deadly Heresies do arise he hath his servants at hand with Antidotes against them When Arrius that cunning and deadly Enemy to the Deity of Christ struck at the very heart of our Religion Faith and Comfort a man of subtil Parts and Blameless Life which made his Heresie much the more spreading and taking the Lord had his well-furnished Athanasius in a readiness to resist and confound him And as he had his Athanasius to defend the Deity of Christ so he wanted not his Basil to defend the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit against Macedonius so when Pelagius was busily advancing Free-will into the Throne of Free-grace Providence wanted not its Mallet in Learned and Ingenious Augustin to break him and his Idol to pieces And it is highly remarkable as the Learned D r. Hill observes that Augustin was born in Africa the same day that Pelagius was born in Brittain When Gotteschalcus published his dangerous Doctrine about Predestination the Lord drew forth Hincmarus to detect and confute that Error by evincing clearly that God's Predestination forces no man to Sin So from the beginning and first rise of Popery that centre and sink of Errors we have a large Catalogue of the Learned and Famous Witnesses which in all Ages have faithfully resisted and opposed it and when notwithstanding all it had even over-run Europe like a rapid Torrent or rather Inundation of the Ocean And Germany was brought to that pass that if the Pope had but Commanded it they would have eaten Grass or Hay more pecudum Then did the Lord bring forth Invincible Luther and with him a troop of Learned Champions into the field against him since which time the Cause of Popery is become desperate Thus the care of Providence in all ages hath been as much displayed in protecting the Church against the dangers that arose from false Brethren within it as from avowed persecuting Enemies without it and had it not been so the rank Weeds of Heresies and Errors had long since overtopt and choaked the Corn and made the Church a barrenâ—Field Twelfth Observation The want of a modest Suspition and just reflection gives both confidence and growth to Erroneous Opinions If matters of meer Opinion were kept in their proper place under the careful guard of Suspition they would not make that bustle and confusion in the Churches they have done and do at this day 'T is confessed that all Truths are not matters of meer Opinion neither are all Opinions of equal weight and value and therefore not to be left hanging in an equipendious Scepticisme And yet it is as true that matrers of Opinion oâ—ght carefully to be sorted from matters of Faith and to be kept in their own rank and class as things doubtful quibus potest subesse falsum whilst matters of Faith clearly revealed are to stand upon their own sure and firm Basis. The former viz. matters of meer Opinion we are so to hold as upon clearer light to be ready to part with them and give them up into the hands of Truth The other viz. matters of Faith we are to hold with resolutions to Live and Dye by them What is Opinion but the wavering of the understanding betwixt probable Arguments for and against a point of Doctrine So that it 's rather an inclination than an assertion as being accompanied with Fear Floating and Inconstancy In such cases there should be a due concession and allowance of other mens Opinions to them and why not whilst they offer as fair for the Truth as we And haply their Parts Helps and Industries arenot inferior to ours it may be beyond them and we may discern in them as much tenderness of Conscience and fear of Sin as in our selves In this case a little more modest Suspicion in our Opinions would do the Church a great deal of right and that which should prevail with all modest persons to exercise it is the just reflection they may make upon their own former confident mistakes Thirteenth Observation There is a remarkable involution or concatenation of Errors one linking in and drawing another after it Amongst all Erroneous Sects there is still some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some Helena for whose sake the war against Truth is commenced and the other lesser Errors are press'd for the sake and service of this leading darling Error As we see the whole Troop of Indulgences Bulls Masses Pilgrimages Purgatory with multitudes more flow from and are press'd into the Service of the Pope's Supremacy and Infallibility So in other Sects men are forcâ—d to entertain many other Errors which in themselves considered they have no great kindness for but they are necessitated to entertain them in defence of that great leading darling Opinion they first espoused Those that cry up and trumpet abroad the Soveraign power of Free-will even without the preventing Grace of God enabling men to supernatural works as if the Will alone had escaped all damage by the Fall
make one assault How many wavering Professors at this day lie in Temptation's way and how great a harvest have Errorists and Hereticks had among them There 's not a Mountebank comes upon the Stage but he shall find ten times more Customers for his Druggs than the most Learned and Experienced Physician The giddy-headed Multitude have more regard to Novelty than Truth The Remedies How necessary and desirable are some effectual Rules and Remedies in this Case O what a mercy would it be to the Professors of these days to have their Minds fixed and their Judgments setled in the Truths of Christ Happy is that man whose Judgment is so guarded that no dangerous Error or Heresie can commit a Rape upon it To this end I shall here commend the four following Rules to prevent this vertigenous malady in the heads of Christians Rule I. Look warily to it that you get a real inward implantation into Christ and lay the foundation deep and firm in a due and serious deliberation of Religion whenever you engage in the publick profession of it To this sense sound the Apostle's words Col. 2. 6 7. As you have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith as you have been taught Fertility and stability in Christ a pair of inestimable Blessings depend upon a good rooting of the Soul in him at first He that thrusts a dead stick into the ground may easily pull it up again but so he cannot do by a well-rooted Tree A colour raised by violent action or a great fire soon dies away but that which is natural or constitutional will hold Every thing is as its foundation is 'T was want of a good root and due depth of earth which soon turned the green Corn into dry stubble Matt. 13. 21. Rule II. Labour after an inward experimental taste of all those Truths which you profess This will preserve your minds from wavering and hesitation about the certainty and reality of them We will not easily part with those Truths which have sensibly shed down their sweet influences upon our hearts Heb. 10. 34. No Sophister can easily perswade a man that hath taâ—ted the sweetness of Honey that it is a bitter and unpleasant thing Non est disputandum de gustu you cannot easily perswade a man out of his Senses Rule III. Study hard and pray earnestly for satisfaction in the present Truths 2 Pet. 1. 12. That you may be established 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the truth that now is under opposition and controversie Be not ignorant of the Truths that lie in present hazard Antiquated Opinions that are more abstracted from our present Interest are no tryals of the soundness of our Judgments and integrity of our Hearts as the controversies and conflicts of the present Times are Every Truth hath its time to come upon the stage and enter the lists some in one Age and some in another but Providence seems to have cast the lot of your Nativity for the honour and defence of those Truths with which Error is struggling and conflicting in your time Rule IV. Lastly Be throughly sensible of the benefit and good of establishment and of the evil and danger of a wavering Mind and Judgment Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines saith the Apostle for it is a good thing that the heart be established c. Heb. 13. 9. Established Souls are the honour of Truth It was the honour of Religion in the primitive days that when the Heathens would proverbially express an Impossibility they used to say You may as soon turn a Christian from Christ as do it The Fickleness of Professors is a stumbling-block to the World They 'l say as Cato of the Civil Wars betwixt Caesar and Pompey quem fugiam video quem sequar non video they know whom to avoid but not whom to follow And as the honour of Truth so the flourishing of your own Souls depends on it A Tree often removed from one Soil to another can never be expected to be fruitful 't is well if it make a shift to live Fifth Cause Another inward Cause disposing men to receive Erroneous Impressions is an unreasonable EAGERNESS to snatch at any Doctrine or Opinion that promisesh ease to an anxious Conscience Men that are under the frights and terrours of Conscience are willing to listen to any thing that offers present relief Of all the Troubles in the World those of the Mind and Conscience are most intolerable And those that are in pain are glad of ease and readily catch at any thing that seems to offer it This seems to be the thing which led those poor distressed Wretches intimated Micah 6. 6. into their gross Mistakes and Errors about the method of the remission of their Sins Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and â—ow my self before the high God shall I come before him with Burnt-offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousand of Rams or with ten thousand of Rivers of Oyl Shall I give my First-born for my Transgression the Fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul They were ready to purchase inward peace and buy out their pardon at any rate Nothing but the twinges of Conscience could have extorted these things from them Great is the efficacy and torment of a guilty Conscience Satan who feels more of this in himself than any other Creature in the World and knows how ready poor ignorant but distressed Sinners are to catch at any thing that looks like ease or comfort and being jealous what these troubles of Conscience may issue into prepares for them such Erroneous Doctrines and Opinions under the names of Anodines and quieting Recipe's by swallowing of which they feel some present ease but their Disease is thereby made so much the more incurable 'T is upon this account he hath found such vent in the World for his Penanees Pilgrimages and Indulgences among the Papists But seeing this Ware will not go off among the Reformed and more enlightned Professors of Christianity he changeth his hand and fitteth other Doses under other names to quiet sick and distressed Souls before ever their frights of Conscience come to settle into true Repentance and Faith in the Blood of Christ by dressing up and presenting to them such Opinions as these viz. That they may boldly apply to themselves all the Promises of pardon and peace without any respect at all to Repentance or Faith in themselves that it is not at all needful nay that it is illegal and sinful to have any respect to these things forasmuch as their Sins were pardoned and they justified from Eternity and that the Covenant of Grace is in all respects absolute and is made to Sinners as Sinners without any regard to their Faith or Repentance and whatever Sins there be in them God sees them not To such a Charm of Troubles
that the want of a due observation of this plain Scripture-distinction betwixt God's free and absolute Covenant made with Sinners in Christ and our Covenants with God by way of return thereunto is the true reason of all our mistakes about the true nature of the Gospel-Covenant whilst we jumble and coâ—found together that which the Scriptures do so plainly distinguish To your first Answer I say It is true the Scriptures do distinguish betwixt Covenant and Covenant that of Works and that of Grace It also distinguishes the same Covenant of Grace for substance according to its various administrations into the Old and New Covenant It also distinguishes betwixt the promissory part of the same Covenant of Grace and the restipulatory part not as of two opposite Covenants as you distinguish them Gen. 17. but as the just and necessary parts of one and the same Covenant It also distinguishes betwixt Vows made by Men to God in some particular Cases and the Covenant of Grace betwixt God and them But what 's all this to your purpose Or in what point doth it touch my Argument You desire me to cast mine eye upon Ezek. 16. and Psal. 89. I have done so and that impartially and do assure you I admire why you produce them against my Argument That in Ezek. speaks of the enlargement of the Church by the accession of the Gentiles to it and the sense of those words seems to me to be this That this enlargement of the Church is a gracious addition or something beyond what God had ever done in his former dispensations of the Covenant to that People And for Psal. 89. I know not what you meant to produce it for unless it be to prove what I never denied That notwithstanding our failures in duty towards God God will still keep his Covenant with us though he will visit the Iniquities of his Covenant-pâ—ople with a Rod. To your second Answer That we are to deliberate the terms and count the cost with respect to those duties which are in order to the participation of the full end of the Covenant in glory by which I suppose you mean Self-denial Perseverance c. I have no Controversy with you about that Our Question is Whether there be no deliberations required of or to be performed by men who are not yet in Christ by justifying Faith but under some preparatory works towards Faith And whether at the very time of their closing with Christ there be not a consent of the Will unto those terms required of them If you say there be as by the places I alledged it evidently appears there are then you yield the point I contend for If you say they are not before or at the time of believing to consider any terms or give their consent to them by word or writing such an Answer would fly in the very face of those Scriptures I produced for then a man may be in covenant without his own consent he that deliberates not consents not non consentit qui non sentit And therefore you durst not speak it out for which modesty I commend you and so leave me with half an answer not touching that part viz. Antecedent deliberations which were concerned in this Argument And now let your most partial Friends judge Whether from this performance of yours you have any just ground for that vain boast which concludes your Answer viz. That the Covenants themselves which those Privileges are bottomed on are now repealed and that there is no room left for any other Argument to infer the Baptism of Infants at least I shall willingly commit it to the judgment of all intelligent and impartial Readers Whether Mr. Cary hath any real ground in this performance of his for such a Thrasonical Conclusion such a vain and fulsome Boast I find that with like confidence he hath also attempted a Reply to Mr. Ioseph Whiston a Reverend Learned and Aged Divine who hath accurately and successfully defended God's Covenant with Abraham against Mr. Cox and doubt not if Mr. Cary and his Party have but confidence enough to expose it to the publick view and to adventure the Cause of Infant-baptism upon it the World will quickly see an end of this long-continued and unhappy Controversy which hath vexed the Church of God and alienated the Affections of good Men and that the Wisdom of Providence hath permitted and over-ruled this last Attempt to the singular advantage of the Truths of God and tranquillity of good Men whose concernment at this time especially is rather to strengthen their Faith and heighten their Encouragements from God's gracious Covenant than to undermine it when all things beside it are shaking and tottering round about them And now Sir for a Coronis to all those things that have been controverted betwixt us about the Covenants of God and the right of Believers Infants to Baptism resulting from one of them which I have asserted and argued against you in my first Answer and you have silently and wholly pass'd over in your Reply hoping to destroy them all at once by proving God's Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. to be a pure Adam's Covenant of Works I judge it necessary as matters now lie between us to give the Reader the grounds and reasons of my Faith and Practice with respect unto the Ordinance of Infant Baptism and that as succinctly and clearly as I can in the following Theses which being laid together by an unprejudiced and considerative Reader will I think amount to more than a strong probability That it is the will of God that the Infant-seed of Believers ought now to be baptized But here I must remind the Reader and beg him to review what I have said before in thâ— third Cause of Errors That to arrive to satisfaction in this point requires a due and serious search of the whole Word of God with a sedate rational and impartial mind comparing one thing with another though they lie scattered at a distance in the Scriptures some in the Old Testament and some in the New Bring but these things to an interview as we do in discovering the change of the Sabbath and we may arrive unto a due satisfaction of the Will of God herein This I confess calls for strength of mind great sedulity attention and impartiality and yet what man would think all this too much if it were but to clear his Childrens Title unto a small Earthly Inheritance I intend not to give the Reader here an account of all the Arguments drawn from several Scripture Topics by the strenuous Defenders of Infants Baptism but to keep only to the Arguments drawn from God's Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. which is the Scripture mainly controverted betwixt us You affirming boldly and dangerously that Covenant to be no other than an Adam's Covenant of Works and I justly denying and abhorring your Position upon the grounds and reasons before given which you neither have nor ever will be able to destroy Now
more apt to catch in low-built thatcht Cottages than in high-built Castles and Princely Palaces the higher we go still the more peace The highest Region is most sedate and calm Stars have the strongest influence when in conjunction Angels tho legions have no wars among them and as willingly go down as up the Ladder without justling each other And the Most High God is the God of Peace let us also be the Children of Peace And I do assure the Persons with whom I contend That whilst they hold the head and are tender of the Churches Peace I can live in charity with them here and hope to live in glory with them hereafter I remain Reader thine and the Truth 's Friend John Flavell THE CONTENTS OF THE Causes and Cures c. THE Etymology and definition of the word Error Introd p. 2 3. The difference between Heresy and Error Introd p. 4. Twenty general Observations Disc. p. 7. Obs. 1. Truth is the object and natural food of the Vnderstanding p. 7. Explain'd and confirm'd P. 8. Obs. 2. Several sorts of Knowledge amongst which the supernatural knowledge of saving Truths revealed in the Scriptures is the best 9. Obs. 3. Vnto the attainment of Divine Knowledge out of the Scripture some things are naturally yet less principally requisite in the subject and something absolutely and principally necessary 11. As the irradiation of the mind by the Spirit of God the benefits of which 12. Obs. 4. Among the manifold impediments to the obtaining of true Knowledge and setling the mind in the truth and faith of the Gospel these three are of special consideration viz. Ignorance Curiosity and Error p. 13. Obs. 5. Error is binding upon the Conscience as well as Truth and altogether as much and sometimes more influential upon the Affections and Passions than Truth is 14. Obs. 6. 'T is exceeding difficult to get out Error when once it is imbib ' d and hath rooted it self by an open profession 15. Obs. 7. Men are not so circumspect and jealous of the Corruptions of their Minds by Errors as they are of their Bodies in times of Contagion or of their Lives with respect to gross Immoralities 17. Obs. 8. 'T is a great Iudgment of God to be given up to an Erroneous Mind 19. Obs. 9. 'T is a pernicious Evil to advance a mere Opinion into the place or seat of an Article of Faith and to lay as great stress upon it as they ought to do upon the most clear and fundamental Point 21. Obs. 10. Error being conscious to it self of its own weakness and the strong assaults that will be made upon it evermore labours to defend and secure it self under the wings of Antiquity Reason Scripture and high pretensions to Reformation and Piety 23. Obs. 11. God in all Ages in his tender care for his Churches and Truths hath still qualified and excited his Servants for the defence of his precious Truths against the Errors and Heresies that have successively assaulted them p. 25. Obs. 12. The want of a modest suspicion and just reflection gives both confidence and growth to Erroneous Opinions 27. Obs. 13. There is a remarkable involution or concatenation of Errors one linking in and drawing another after it 29. Obs. 14. Errors abound most and spring fastest in the times of the Churches Peace Liberty and outward Prosperity under Indulgent Governors 31. Obs. 15. Errors in the tender bud and first spring of them are comparatively shy and modest to what they prove afterwards when they have spread and rooted themselves into the minds of multitudes and think it time to set up and justle for themselves in the World 33. Obs. 16. Nothing gives more countenance and increase to Errors than a weak and feeble defence of the Truth against it 35. Obs. 17 Errors of Iudgment are not cured by compulsion and external force but by rational conviction and proper spiritual remedies 36. Obs. 18. Erroneous Doctrines producing Divisions and fierce Contentions amongst Christians prove a fatal Stumbling-block to the World fix their Prejudices and obstruct their conversion to Christ p. 38. Obs. 19. How specious and taking soever the pretences of Error be and how long soever they maintain themselves in esteem among men they are sure to end in the loss and shame of their Authors and Abettors at last 40. Obs. 20. If ever Errors be cured and the Peace and Vnity of the Church established men must be convinced of and acquainted with the occassions and causes both within and without themselves from whence their Errors do proceed and must both know and apply the proper rules and remedies for the prevention or cure of them 42. Divine Permission an occasion of Error 44. Which must be prevented by avoiding 1. A want of love to the Truth 45. 2. Pride and wantonness of the mind 46. 3. The neglect of Prayer ibid. Culpable Causes of Errors in men are 1. A wrangling humor at the pretended obscurity of the Scriptures p. 47. Cod's wisdom manifested in leaving some difficulties in the Scriptures 49. For the prevention of this cause these Rules following to be heeded and practis'd viz. R. 1. To expound all obscure Texts of Scripture according to the analogy and proportion of Faith p. 50. R. 2. Not to wrest Scripture from its general and common sense in favour of our preconceived Opinions 51. R. 3. When we meet with a difficult place of Scripture to search the Context throughly 52. R. 4. Let one Testament freely cast its light upon the other the Old on the New and the New on the Old ibid. R. 5. Observe the sense which the current of Expositors do agree in and which naturally agrees with the scope of the place 53 Cause 2. The abuse of the Liberty given by Christ to all his People to read the Scriptures and to judge of the sense of them by a private judgment of Discretion ibid. Remedy of it is to observe the limits which Christ hath set to this Liberty which Limitations are 1. A liberty to read and study but not publickly to expound and preach the Word 57. 2. Christians of different Abilities ought to study some parts of Scripture rather than others 59. Cause 3. Slothfulness in a due and serious search of the Scripture 61. How to find the institution of the Sabbath in the Scripture 64. How to find the institution of the Baptism of Infants there 65. Several Considerations to cure this slothfulness 67. Viz. A serious search of the Scriptures is our duty ibid. No action of ours that is not agreeable to God's will is acceptable to him 68. This is the path in which the wisest and best of men have gone before us 69. Every discovery of the Will of God obtain'd in this method is highly pleasant 70. Confirms our Faith 71. An impartial search into the Will of God will be a testimony of our Integrity and Sincerity ibid. Cause 4. Instability of judgment and unsetledness of mind about the truth
Psal. 119. 105. the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do jointly make the Solid Foundation of a Christian's Faith Hence Eph. 2. 20. we are said to be built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets We are bound therefore to honour Old Testament Scriptures as well as New they being part of the Divine Canon and must not scruple to admit them as sufficient and authentick proofs for the confirmation of Truths and refutation of Errors Christ referr'd the people to them Ioh. 5. 39. and Paul Preached and Disputed from them Acts 26. 22. Third Observation Vnto the Attainment of Divine Knowledg out of the Scriptures some things are naturally yet less principally requisite in the Subject and something absolutely and principally necessary The natural qualifications desirable in the Subject are clearness of Apprehension solidity of Judgment and fidelity of Retention These are desirable requisites to make the Understanding susceptible of knowledg but the irradiation of the mind by the Spirit of God is principally necessary Joh. 16. 13. He shall guide you into all truth The clearest and most comfortable light he giveth to men is in the way of Sanctification called the teachings of the Anointing 1 Iohn 2. 27. When this spiritual sanctifying light shines upon a mind naturally enriched and qualified with the three forementioned requisites that Mind excels others in the riches of knowledg And yet the teachings of the Spirit in the way of Sanctification do very much supply and recompence the defects and weaknesses of the forementioned qualifications Whence two things are highly remarkable 1. That men of great abilities of natute clear apprehensions in natural things strong Judgments and tenacious memories do not only frequently fall into gross Errors and damnable Heresies themselves but become Heresiarchs or Heads of erroneous Factions drawing multitudes into the same sin and misery with themselves as Arrius Socinus Pelagius Bellarmin and multitudes of others have done And secondly It is no less remarkable that men of weaker parts but Babes in comparison through the Sanctification and direction of the Spirit for which they have humbly waited at his feet in Prayer have not only been directed and guided by him into the Truth but so confirm'd and fixed therein that they have been kept sound in their Judgments in times of abounding Errors and firm in their adherence to it in days of fiercest Persecution How men of excellent natural parts have been blinded and men of weak natural parts illuminated see 1 Cor. 1. 26 27. Matth. 11. 25. Fourth Observation Among the manifold impediments to the obtaining of true Knowledg and setling the mind in the truth and faith of the Gospel these Three are of special remark and consideration viz. Ignorance Curiosity and Error Ignorance slights it or despairs of attaining it Truth falls into contempt among the ignorant from sluggishness and apprehension of the difficulties that lye in the way to it Prov. 24. 7. Wisdom is too high for a fool Curiosity runs beside or beyond it This Pride and Wantonness of the mind puffs it up with a vain conceit that it is not only able to penetrate the deepest Mysteries revealed in the Scripture but even unrevealed secrets also Col. 2. 18. intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind But Error militates directly against it contradicts and opposeth Truth especially when an Error is maintained by pride against inward convictions or means of better information 'T is bad to maintain an Error for want of light but abundantly worse to maintain it against light This is such an affront to the Spirit of God as he usually punishes with Penal Ignorance and gives them up to a spirit of Error Fifth Observation Error is binding upon the Conscience as well as Truth and altogether as much and sometimes more influential upon the Affections and Passions as Truth is For it presents not it self to the Soul in its own name and nature as Error but in the name and dress of Truth and under that notion binds the Conscience and vigorously influences the passions and affections and then being more indulgent to lust than Truth is it is for that so much the more embraced and hugg'd by the deceived soul Acts 22. 4 5. The heat that Error puts the soul into differs from Religious Zeal as a Feverish doth from a Natural heat which is not indeed so benign and agreeable but much more fervent and scorching A mind under the power of Error is restless and impatient to propagate its Errors to others and these heats prey upon and eat up the vital Spirits and Powers of Religion Sixth Observation 'T is exceeding difficult to get out Error when once it is imbib'd and hath rooted it self by an open profession Errors like some sorts of Weeds having once seeded in a Field or Garden 't is scarce possible to subdue and destroy them especially if they be hereditary Errors or have grown up with us from our youth à teneris assuescere multum est faith Seneca 't is a great advantage to Truth or Error to have an early and long possession of the mind The Pharisees held many erroneous opinions about the Law as appears by their corruptive Commentaries upon it refuted by Christ Matth. 5. but did he root them out of their heads and hearts thereby No no they sooner rid him out of the world The Sadduces held a most dangerous Error about the Resurrection Christ disputed with them to the admiration of others and proved it clearly against them and yet we find the Error remaining long after Christ's Death 2 Tim. 2. 18. The Apostles themselves had their minds tinctured with this Error That Christ should be outwardly great and magnificent in the world and raise his Followers to great Honours and Preferments amongst men Christ plainly told them it was their Mistake and Error for the Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister yet this did not rid their minds of the Error it stuck fast in them even till his Ascension to Heaven Oh how hard is it to clear the heart of a good man once leaven'd with Error and much more hard to separate it from a wicked man Some have chose rather to die than to part with their darling Errors and Soul-damning Heresies I have read saith Mr. Bridges of a great Atheist that was burnt at Paris for blaspheming Christ held fast his Atheistical Opinions till he came to the very stake boasted to the Priests and Fryars that followed him how much more confidently he went to sacrifice his life in the strength of reason under which he suffered than Christ himself did but when he began to feel Torments indeed then he roared and raged to the purpose Vidi ego hominem saith the Author in hs Life he was Loose in his Imprisonments Sullen and at his Death Mad with the Horrors of Conscience Some inded have recovered the soundness of their Judgments after
and Adam had not sinned in that noble Virgin-faculty To defend this Idol which is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are forced to oppugn and deny several other great and weighty Truths as particular eternal Election the certainty of the Saints Perseverance the necessity of preventing Grace in Conversion which Errors are but the outworks raised in defence of that Idol So in the Baptismal Controversie men would never have adventured to deny God's Covenant with Abraham to be a Covenant of Grace or to assert the Ceremonial Law so full of Christ to be an Adam's Covenant of works and Circumcision expresly called the seal of the Righteousness of Faith to be the condition of Adam's Covenant Much less would they place all the elect of God in Israel at one and the same time under the severest Curse and Rigor of the Law and under the pure Convenant of Grace were they not forced into these Errors and Absurdities by dint of Argument in defence of their darling Opinion Fourteenth Observation Errors abound most and spring fastest in the times of the Churches Peace Liberty and outward Prosperity under Indulgent Rulers Arrianism sprang up under Constantine's mild Government Christian benevolent Rulers are choice Mercies and Blessings to the Church Such as rule over men in the fear of God are to the Church as well as Civil State like the light of the morning when the Sun ariseth even a morning without Clouds as the tender Grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain 2 Sam. 23. 4. But this as well as other mercies is liable to abuse and under the influences of indulgent Governours Error as well as Truth springs up flowers and seeds Persecution gives check to the wantonness of mens Opinions and finds them other and better work to do Caterpillars and Locusts are swept away by the bitter East-winds but swarm in Halcyon days and fall upon every green thing So that the Church rides in this respect more safely in the stormy Sea than in the calm Harbour Peace and Prosperity is apt to cast its Watchmen into a sleep and whilst they sleep the envious one soweth Tares Matth. 13. 25. 'T was under Constantine's benign Government that Poison was poured out into the Churches The abuse of such an excellent mercy provokes the Lord to cut it short and cause the Clouds to gather again after the Rain We have found it so once and again alas that I must say again in this wanton and foolish Nation Professors could live quietly together Converse Fast and pray in a Christian manner together under common Calamities and Dangers differences in Opinion were suspended by consent But no sooner do we feel a warm Sun-blast of Liberty and Peace but it revives and heats our dividing Lusts and Corruptions instead of our Graces The Sheep of Christ fight with each other though their furious pushing one at another is known to presage a change of Weather Fifteenth Observation Errors in the tender bud and first spring of them are comparatively shy and modest to what they prove afterwards when they have spread and rooted themselves into the minds of multitudes and think it time to set up and justle for themselves in the World They usually begin in modest Scruples conscientious Doubts and Queries But having once gotten many Abetters and amongst them some that have subtilty and ability to plead and dispute their Cause they ruffle it out at another rate glory in their numbers piety and ability of their Party boast and glory in the conceited Victories they have atchieved over their Opposers The Masque drops off its face and it appears with a brow of Brass becomes insolent and turbulent both in Church and State Of which it is easie to give many pregnant instances in the Arians of old and more recent Errors which I shall not at present be concerned with lest I exasperate whilst I seek to heal the Wound Should a man hear the Sermons or private Discourses of Errorists whilst the Design is but forming and projecting he should meet with little to raise his jealousie They speak in Generals and guard their Discourses with politick Reserves You shall not see tho you see to see the tendency of their Discourses Hence the Apostle saith 2 per. 2. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall privily or covertly bring in damnable Heresies As the Boy in Plutarch being asked by a Stranger what is that you carry so closely under your Cloak wittily answered You may well know that I intend you shall not know it by my so carrying it Sixteenth Observation Nothing gives more countenance and increase to Error than a weak and feeble defence of the Truth against it The strength of Error lieth much in the weakness of the Advocates and Defendants of Truth Every Friend of Truth is not fit to make a Champion for it Many love it and pray for it that cannot defend and dispute for it I can dye for the Truth said the Martyr but I cannot dispute for it Zuinglius blamed Carolostadius for undertaking the Controversie of that Age because said he non habuit satìs humerorum his shoulders were too weak for the burthen It can be said of few as Cicero speaks of one Nullam unquà m in disputationibus rem defendit quam non probârit nullum oppugnavit quem non everterit He undertook no Cause in disputation which he could not defend he opposed no Adversary but could overthrow him He is a rare and happy Disputant who can clear and carry every point of Truth of which he undertakes the defence 'T were happy for the Church if the abilities and prudence of all her Friends were commensurate and equal to their love and Zeal Every little foyl every weak or impertinent Answer of a Friend to Truth is quickly turned into a weapon to wound in the deeper Seventeenth Observation Errors of Iudgment are not cured by compulsion and external force but by rational conviction and proper spiritual Remedies Bodily sufferings rather spread than cure intellectual Errors I deny not but fundamental Heresies breaking forth into open Blasphemies against God and Seditions in the Civil State ought to be restrained 'T is no way fit men should be permitted to go up and down the World with Plague-sores running upon them Nor do I understand why men should be more cautious to preserve their Bodies than their Souls But I speak here of such Errors as may consist with the foundations of the Christian Faith and are not destructive to Civil Government They take the ready way to spread and perpetuate them that think to root them out of the World by such improper and unwarrantable means as external force and violence The Wind never causes and Earth-quake till it be pent in and restrained from motion We neither find nor can imagine That those Church or State Exorcists should ever be able to effect their end who think to confine all the Spirits of Error within
hateth Errors Rev. 2. 6. the God of Order and hates Confusions and Schisms in his Church 1 Cor. 14. 33. is yet pleased to permit Errors and Heresies to arise without whose permission they could never spring And this he doth for the tryal of his Peoples Faith and Constancy and for a spiritual punishment upon some men for the abuse of his known Truths and by the permission of these Evils he advanceth his own Glory and the good of his Church and People Augustine answers that Question Why doth not God since he hates Errors sweep them out of the World Because saith he it is an act of greater power to bring good out of evil than not to suffer Evils to be at all Satan's Design in Errors is to cloud and darken God's Name and precious Truths to destroy the Beauty Strength and Order of the Church But God's ends in permitting and sending Errors are 1. to plague and punish men for their abuse of Light 2 Thess. 2. 11. For this cause God shall send them strong Delusions c. 2. To prove and try the Sincerity and Constancy of our hearts Deut. 13. 1 3. I Cor. 11. 19. And lastly By these things the Saints are awakened to a more diligent search of the Scriptures which are the more critically read and examined upon the tryal of Spirits and Doctrines by them 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits And Rev. 2. 2. Thou hast tried them that say they are Apostles c. The Prevention Though Heresies and Errors must for the Reasons assigned break forth into the World and God will turn them eventually into his own glory and the benefit of his Church yet it is a dreadful judgment to be delivered over to a spirit Error to eb the Authors and Abetters of them this is a judicial stroke of God and as ever we hope to escape and stand clear out of the way of it let us carefully shun these three following Causes and Provocations thereof 1. Want of love to the Truth which God hath made to shine about us in the means or into us by actual illumination under the means of knowledge 2 Thess. 2. 10 11. Because they received not the love of Truth God gave them up to strong Delusions They are justly plagued with Error that slight Truth False Doctrines are fit Plagues for false Hearts 2. Beware of Pride and Wantonness of Mind 'T is not so much the Weakness as the Wantonness of the Mind which provokes God to inflict this Judgment None likelier to make Seducers than Boasters Iude 16. Arrius gloried that God had revealed some things to him which were hidden from the Apostles themselves Simon Magus boasted himself to be the mighty Power of God The erroneous Pharisees loved the praises of Men. When the Papist reproached Luther that he affected to have his Disciples called Lutherans he replyed Non sic ô fatue non sic oro ut nomen meum taceatur he disdain'd that the Children of Christ should be called by so vile a name as his 3. Beware you neglect not Prayer to be kept sound in your Judgments and guided by the Spirit into all Truth Psal. 119. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not wander or err from thy Commandments This do and you are safe from such a judicial Tradition The First Cause We shall next speak of the Causes of Error found in the evil Dispositions of the Subjects which prepare and incline them to receive Erroneous Doctrine and Opinions and even catch at the Occasions and least Sparkles of Temptation as dry Tinder and amongst these is found 1. A perverse wrangling Humour at the pretended OBSCURITY of the Scriptures The Romish Party snatch at this Occasion and make it the proper Cause when indeed it is but a pickt Occasion of the Errors and Mistakes among men They tell us the Scriptures are so difficult obscure and perplext that if private men will trust to them as their only Guide they will inevitably run into Errors and their only relief is to give up their Souls to the conduct of their Church whereas indeed the true Cause of Error is not so much in the Obscurity of the Word as in the corruption of the mind 1 Tim. 6. 5. 2 Tim. 3. 8. We do acknowledge there are in the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. the sublime and mysterious nature of the matter rendering it so and some things hard to be interpreted from the manner of expression as indeed all mystical parts of Scripture and Prophetical predictions are and ought to be delivered The Spirit of God this way designedly casts a veil over them till the proper season of their revelation and accomplishment be come Besides as the Learned Glassius observes in Paul's style there are found some peculiar words and forms of speech which ordinary Rules of Grammar take no notice nor give any parallel Examples of as to be buried with Christ to be baptized into his death to which I may add to be circumcised in him c. There are also multitude of words found in Scripture of various and vastly different Significations and accordingly there is a diversity and sometimes a contrariety of senses given of them by Expositors which to an Humourist or quarrelsome Wit gives an occasion to vent his Errors with a plausible appearance of Scripture-consent And indeed Tertullian saith Non periclitor dicere ipsas Scripturas ità dispositas esse ut materiam subministrarent Haereticis The Scriptures are so disposed that Hereticks may pick Occasions and those that will not be satisfied may be hardened See Mark 4. 11 12. But all this notwithstanding the great and necessary things to our Salvation are so perspicuously and plainly revealed in the Scriptures that even Babes in Christ do apprehend and understand them Matth. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 1. 27 28 29. And though there be difficulties in other points more remote from the foundation yet the Spirit of God is not to be accused but rather his Wisdom to be admired herein For 1. this serves to excite our most intense study and diligence which by this difficulty is made necessary Prov. 2. 3 4 5. the very Prophets yea the very Angels search into these things 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. 2. Hereby a standing Ministry in the Church is made necessary Nehem. 8. 8. Eph. 4. 11 12 13. So that to pretend Obscurity of Scripture to be the culpable cause of Error when indeed the fault is in our selves this is too much like our Father Adam which would implicitly accuse God to excâ—se himself he laid it upon the Woman which God gave him and we upon the Scriptures which God hath given us The Remedies The proper Remedies and Preventives in this case are an heedful attendance to and practice of these Rules Rule I. Let all obscure and difficult Texts of Scripture be constantly examined and expounded according to the
as this how earnestly doth the Ear of a distressed Conscience listen how greedily doth it suck in such pleasing words Are all Sins that are pardoned pardoned before they are committed and does the Covenant of Grace require neither Repentance nor Faith antecedently to the application of the Promises how groundless then are all my Fears and Troubles This like a Dose of Opium quiets or rather stupifies the raging Conscience for even an Error in Judgment till it be detected and discovered to be so quiets and comforts the heart as well as principles of Truth but whenever the fallacy shall be detected whether here or hereafter the anguish of Conscience must be increased or which is worse left desperate The Remedies To prevent and cure this mistake and error in the Soul by which it is fitted and prepared to catch any Erroneous Principle which is but plausible for its present relief and ease I shall desire my Reader seriously to ponder and consider the following Queries upon this Case Query I. Whether by the vote of the whole Rational World a good Trouble be not better than a false Peace Present ease is desirable but eternal safety is much more so and if these two cannot consist under the present Circumstances of the Soul Whether it be not better to endure for a time these painful pangs than feel more acute and eternal ones by quieting Conscience with false Remedies before the time 'T is bad to lie tossing a few days under a laborious Fever but far worse to have that Fever turned into a Lethargy or fatal Apoplexy Erroneous Principles may rid the Soul of its present pain and eternal hopes and safety together Acute pains are better than a senseless stupidity Though the present rage of Conscience be not a right and kindly conviction yet it may lead to it and terminate in faith and union with Christ at last if Satan do not this way practice upon it and quench it before its time Query II. Bethink your selves seriously Whether Troubles so quieted and laid asleep will not revive and turn again upon thee with a double force as soon as the vertue of the Drug I mean the Erroneous Principle hath spent it self The efficacy of Truth is eternal and will maintain the peace it gives for ever but all delusions must vanish and the Troubles which they damm'd up for a time break out with a greater force Satan employs two sorts of Witches Some to torment the Bodies of Men with grievous pain and anguish but then he hath his White-Witches at hand to relieve and ease them And have these poor Wretches any great cause think you to boast of the cure who are eased of their pains at the price of their Souls Much like unto this are the cures of inward Troubles by Erroneous Principles I lament the Case of blinded Papists who by Pilgrimages and Offerings to the Shrines of Titular Saints attempt the cure of a lesser Sin by committing a greater Is it because there is not a God in Israel who is able in due season to pacify Conscience with proper and durable Gospel-Remedies that we suffer our Troubles thus to precipitate us into the Snares of Satan for the sake of present ease Query III. Read the Scriptures and inquire whether God's People who have lain long under sharp inward Terrors have not at last found settlement and inward peace by those very Methods which the Principles that quiet you do utterly exclude If you will fetch your Peace from a groundless Notion that your Sins were pardoned and your Persons justified from all eternity and therefore you may apply boldly and confidently to your selves the choicest Promises and Privileges in the Gospel without any regard to Faith or Repentance wrought by the Spirit in your Souls I am sure holy David took another Course for the settlement of his Conscience Psal. 51. 6 7 8 9 10. And it hath been the constant practise of the Saints in all Ages to clear their Title to the Righteousness of Christ wrought without them by the Works of his Spirit wrought within them Sixth Cause The next Evil Temper in the Subject preparing and disposing it for Error is an easie CREDVLITY or sequacious humour in men rendring them apt to receive things upon trust from others without due and thorough examination of the grounds and Reasons of them themselves This is a disposition fitted to receive any impression Seducers please to make upon them they are said to deceive the hearts of the simple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. credulous but well-meaning People that suspect no harm 'T is said Prov. 14. 15. the simple believeth every word Through this Sluce or Floodgate what a multitude of Errors in Popery have overflowed the People They are told they are not able to judge for themselves but must take the matters of their Salvation upon trust from their Spiritual Guides and so the silly People are easily seduced and made easily receptive of the grossest Absurdities their ignorant Leaders please to impose upon them And it were to be wished That those two Points viz. Ministrorum mut a officia populi caeca oâ—sequia the dumb Services of their Ministers and the blind Obedience of the People had stay'd within the Popish Confines But alas alas how many simple Protestants be there who may be said to carry their Brains in other mens Heads and like silly Sheep follow the next in the tract before them especially if their Leaders have but wit and art enough to hide their Errors under specious and plausible Pretences How many poisonous Drugs hath Satan put off under the gilded Titles of Antiquity Zeal for God higher attainments in godliness new Lights c. How natural is it for men to follow in the Tract and be tenacious of the Principles and Practises of their Progenitors Multitudes seem to hold their Opinions Iure Haereditario by an Hereditary Right as if their Faith descended to them the same way their Estates do The Emperour of Morocco told King Iohn's Ambassadour That he had lately read St. Paul's Epistles And truly said he were I now to chuse my Religion I would embrace Christianity before any Religion in the World but every man ought to dye in that Religion he received from his Ancestors Many honest well-meaning but weak Christians are also easily beguiled by specious pretences of new Light and higher attainments in Reformation This makes the weaker sorts of Christians pliable to many dangerous Errors cunningly insinuated under such taking Titles What are most of the Erroneous Opinions now vogued in the World but old Errors under new Names and Titles The Remedies The Remedies and Preventions in this Case are such as follow Remedy I. 'T is beneath a man to profess any Opinion to be his own whilst the grounds and reasons of it are in other mens keeping and wholly unknown to himself If a man may tell Gold after his Father then sure he may and ought to try and examine
hath purchased for them by his Blood and setled upon them in the Gospel-Charter A Liberty from Satan Sin and the rigour and Curse of the Law and yet you read 1 Pet. 2. 16. of them that used this Liberty for a cloak of maliciousness 'T is true Christ came to be a Sacrifice for Sin but not a Cloak for Sin to set us at Liberty from the Bondage of our Lusts not from the Ties and Duties of our Obedience Under the pretence of this Liberty it was that the Gnosticks Carpocratians and the Menandrians of old did not only connive at but openly taught and practised all manner of leudness and uncleanness St. Augustin in his Book of Heresy makes this sad complaint The Menandrians saith he do willingly embrace all uncleanness as the fruit of the Grace of God towards Men. And not only the Liberty purchased by Christ but the very Person and Gospel of Christ are liable to abuses and oftentimes through the corruptions of Mens hearts become Stones of stumbling and Rocks of offence What then Shall we renounce the Grace of God our Christian Liberty the very Gospel yea and Person of Christ himself because each of them have been thus vilely abused by wicked wretches At the peril of our eternal damnation be it if we do so Blessed is he saith our Lord that is not offended in me Beware lest by this means Satan at once wound the Lord Jesus Christ by scandal and thy Soul by prejudice Remedy II. Consider also that it is the nature and temper of a gracious Soul to raise his esteem and heighten his love to those Ordinances which are most abused and disgraced by Men. The more they are abused and opposed by others the higher they should be valued and honoured by us Psal. 119. 126 127. It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy Law therefore I love thy Commandments above gold yea above fine gold q. d. The more they are disgraced and abused by wicked men the more do I honour and prize them A like spirit with David's was found in Elijah 1 King 19. 14. I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts because the Children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant thrown down thine Altars and slain thy Prophets with the Sword A good Man will strive to honour and secure those Truths and Duties most which he finds under most disgrace or danger He loves the Truth sincerely who cleaves to it and stands by it under all opposition This is a good tryal of the soundness of thy heart and purity of thine ends in Religion Such a proof as the honour and reputation of Religion in the World can never give thee In Solomon's time the Iews were very cautious how they admitted and received Proselytes suspecting that by-ends and worldly respects may draw men to it but they were not so cautelous in times of disgrace and persecution Remedy III. Before you part with any Ordinance or practice in Religion bethink your selves whether you never found any spiritual blessings or advantages in that path which you are now tempted to forsake Had you never any spiritual meltings of your hearts and affections in that Heavenly Ordinance of Singing And may there not be now Thousands of Mercies in your possession in consequence to and as the fruit of your solemn dedication to God in Baptism by your Covenanted Parents For my own part I do heartily and solemnly bless God for it upon this account and so I hope Thousands besides my self have cause to do However such a Practice may by no means be deserted by you because abused by others Cause XIII Another Method and Artifice by which false Teachers draw multitudes of Disciples after them is by granting to their Ignorant and Ambitious Followers the LIBERTY of PROPHESYING flattering them into a conceit of their excellent Gifts and Attainments when God knows they had more need to be Catechised and taught the Principles of Christianity than undertake to expound and apply those profound Mysteries unto others Satan hath filled the Church and World with Errors and Troubles this way When ignorant and unexperienced Persons begin to think it a low and a dull thing to sit from year to year under other mens teachings and to fancy that they are wiser than their Teachers their Pride will quickly tempt them to shew their Ignorance and that mischievous Ignorance will prove dangerous to the Truth and troublesome to the Church The Apostle forbids the Ordination of a Novice lest he be puffed up and fall into the condemnation of the Devil and in 1 Tim. 1. 7. he shews us the reason why some swerved and turned aside unto vain jangling and it was this That they desired to be Teachers of the Law neither understanding what they said nor whereof they affirmed That is They affected to be Preachers though not able to speak congrucusly with tolerable sense and reason I do not here censure and condemn the use and exercise of the Gifts of all private Christians There are to be found amongst them some Persons of raised parts and answerable modesty and humility who may be very useful when called to service in extraordinary Cases by the Voice of Providence or exercise their Gifts in a probationary way or in due subordination unto Christ's publick Officers and Ordinances by and with the consent of the Pastor and Congregation But when unqualified and uncalled Persons undertake such a work out of the conceit and pride of their own hearts or are allured to it by the crafty Designs of Erroneous Teachers partly to overthrow a publick regular and standing Ministry in the Church to which end the Scriptures are manifestly abused such as Ier. 31. 34. Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 14. 1 Pet. 4. 10. with many others This is the practise I here censure which like a Trojan Horse hath sent forth multitudes of Erroneous Persons into the City of God to infest and defile it I cannot doubt but many a sincere Christian may be drawn into such employment whichputs him into a capacity of honouring God in a more eminent way which is a thing desirable to an honest and zealous heart and that the temptation may be greatly strengthened upon them by the plausible suggestions of cunning Seducers who tell them That those Ministers who oppose and condemn this practise do it as men concerned for their own Interest as desirous to monopolize the work to themselves and as envying the Lord's People and that Christ hath given them a greater liberty in this case than those men will allow them By this means they daw many after them and fix them in their Erroneous ways I have no mind at all here to expose the Follies and Mischiefs introduced this way as neither being willing to grieve the hearts of the Sincere on one side nor gratify scoffing Atheists and prophane Enemies to Religion upon the other side only this I will and must say That by this
are great Boasters they usually give out to the World what extraordinary Comforts they meet with in their way which proves a strong temptation to young Converts who have been so lately in the depths of spiritual Trouble to try at least if not to embrace it for the expected Comforts sake Ah how many pious Ministers in England upon such Grounds and Pretences as these have had their spiritual Children rent from them as soon as born they have travailed as in birth for them and no sooner did they begin to take comfort in the success of their Labours but to the great grief and discouragement of their hearts they have been this way bereaved of them those that have owned them as their spiritual Fathers one month would scarce vouchsafe to own them when they have met them in the Streets another month Many sad Instances I could give of this and some as remarkable as they are fresh and recent but I silence particulars Oh see the advantage Satan and his Instruments gain by nicking such a critical Season as this is The Cure or Remedy The Remedies in this case are twofold the first respects the spiritual Fathers and the second the spiritual Children both are concerned in the danger and the Lord help both to attend to their duty Remedy I. Let all those whose Ministry God blesses with the desirable fruits of Conversion look carefully after the Souls of young Converts No Nurse should be more tender and careful of her Charge than a Minister should be and unto the care of a tender Nurse Paul compareth his care over the young Converts in Thessalonica 1 Thess. 2. 7. for alas they lie exposed to all dangers they are credulous and Seducers cunning they want judgment to discern Truth from Error have not yet attained unto Senses exercised and Age in Christ to discern Good from Evil when Errors are made palatable Children will be hankering after them and Seducers have the very art to make them so Veluti pueris absynthia tetra medentes Cum dare conantur prius or as pocula circum Contingunt dulci Mellis flavóque liquore Shepherds look to your Flocks imitate the great Shepherd of the Sheep who gathereth the Lambs with his Arms and carries them in his Bosome visit them frequently exhort and warn them diligently and use all means to establish them in the present Truths Remedy II. Let young Converts and weak Christians look carefully to themselves by an heedful attendance unto the following Truths First It is not safe to try nor upon trial likely that you should find Christ in one way and comfort in another God doth not usually bless those ways to mens comfort and edification into which they turn aside from that good way wherein they first met with Christ and Conversion The same Ministry and Ordinances which are appointed and blessed for the one are likewise appointed and commonly blessed for the other Eph. 4. 11 12 13. Secondly 'T is a manifest Snare of the Devil and you may easily discern it to take you off from the great Work you are newly engaged in by entangling your minds in Notions that are forâ—ign to it Your hearts are now warm with God Satan labours this way to cool and quench them the cunning Cheat labours to steal away the sweet and nutritive Food which is before you and lay the hard and dry Bones of barren Controversies and insipid Notions in their room Your business is not to frame Syllogisms or study Solutions to cunning Arguments about lower and lesser matters so much as it is by Prayer and Self-examination to clear your Interest in Christ and to solve those doubts that lie with weight upon your Spirits with reference to that great Concern Thirdly 'T is a sad thing to grieve the hearts of those faithful Ministers that have travelled in pain for us and rejoyced in our Conversion as the Seal of their Ministry Oh serve not your godly Ministers as the Hen is sometimes served that hath long brooded brought forth and with much care and self-denial nourished up young Partridges which as soon as fledged take the wing and return no more to her Cause XVI There is yet another Artifice of false Teachers to draw Men into Errors and that is by pressing the Consciences of those they have made some impressions upon unto all HASTE and SPEED openly to declare their new Opinions and avow and own them before the World as knowing that this will rivet and fix them to all intents and purposes When they find Men under half Convictions and strong inclinations to their way they are sure then to ply them with a thick succession of Motives and Arguments to joyn themselves by a free and open profession to that erroneous Party which are headed by themselves And the Arguments usually pressed to this purpose are 1. The danger of delay 2. The comfort of declaring themselves First They press them with the danger of the least delay by telling them That now they must live every day and hour in known sin and hold the truth of God in unrighteousness the evil whereof they skilfully aggravate and the more tender and sensible the Conscience is the deeper impressions such discourses make although the Case indeed will not bear the weight they lay upon it as having not that due allowance God gives of time and means of full information in matters of this nature yea possibly driving them into as great a snare by precipitation and too hasty engagements under a Doubting Conscience Secondly They press them to a quick resolution with the expectations of abundance of comfort inward peace and joy which will result from a full engagement of themselves and open declaration of their Judgment proseliting to a Party being the main design they drive at This was the very Art and Method by which Satan prevailed with Eve to swallow the bait Gen. 3. 5. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil q. d. The sooner thou tastest the better for the first taste will give thee a God-like knowledg and marvellous advancement of thy understanding Didst thou but know the benefit that would accrue to thee thereby thou would'st not delay one moment And thus by setting before her the speedy and immediate benefits of eating he prevailed and drew her into the fatal snare In this the Ministers of Satan imitate the Ministers of Christ As these press Men to make haste to Christ lest by consulting with flesh and blood and listening to the temptations of Satan hopeful inclinations should be blasted in the bud so the others push Men on to hasty resolutions lest by hearkening to the voice of God's Spirit and their own Consciences the design they have so far advanced should be lost and disappointed The Ministers of Christ urge Men to a speedy change of their Company and to associate themselves with spiritual and profitable Christians
as well knowing of what great use this will be to confirm and strengthen them in the ways of God So Errorists in like manner vehemently urge them to associate with their Party as knowing how one wedges in and fixes another in the ways of Error for such Causes Satan pushes on half-convictions into hasty resolutions quick dispatch being his great advantage This the Apostle intimates Gal. 1. 6. I marvel saith he that ye are so soon removed c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what so soon yes if it had not been so soon it might never have been at all for Errors as one ingeniously observes like Fish must be eaten fresh and new or they'I quickly stink The Cure or Remedy The Remedies and Preventatives in this Case are such as follow Remedy I. Consider that hasty engagements in weighty and disputable matters have cost many Souls dear As hasty Marriages have produced long and late repentance so hath the clapping up of an hasty Match betwixt the Mind and Error By entertaining strange persons Men sometimes entertain Angels unaware but by entertaining of strange Doctrines many have entertained Devils unawares 'T is not safe to open the door of the Soul to let in strangers in the night let them wait till a clear day-light of information shew you what they are Remedy II. Weighty Actions require answerable Deliberations It was the worthy saying of Augustus Caesar That 's soon enough that 's well enough There be many things to be considered and throughly weighed before a Man change his judgment and embrace a new Doctrine or Opinion Luther in his Epistle to the Ministers of Norimberg cites an excellent passage out of Basil He that is about to separate himself from the society of his Brethren had need to consider many things even unto anxiety to beg of God the demonstration of Truth with many tears and to pass many solitary nights with waking eyes before he attempt or put such a matter in execution By the vote of the whole rational World Time and Consideration ought to be proportionate to the weight of an Undertakement Remedy III. The only season Men have to weigh things judiciously and impartially is before their affections be too far engaged and their credit and reputation too much concerned Men are better able to weigh Doctrines and Opinions whilst they are other mens than when they have espoused them and made them their own Before an Opinion be espoused the Affections do not blind and pervert the Judgment as they do afterward Self-love Love pulls down the balance at that end which is next us If therefore by hasty resolution you lose this only proper and advantagious season of deliberation you are not like to find such another Remedy IV. Trust not to the clearness of your own unassisted eyes nor to the strength of your single reason but consult in such cases with others that are pious and judicious especially your godly and faithful Ministers and hearken to the Counsels they give you Paul justly wondered that the Galatians were so soon removed and well he might For had they not a Paul to consult with before they gave their consent to false Teachers Or if he was at a distance from them about the work of the Lord in remote places had they no godly and judicious Friends near them whose Prayers and assistances they might call in as Daniel did Dan. 2. 17. Wo unto him that is alone in a time of temptation except the Lord be with him by extraordinary assistance and direction Remedy V. Lastly Suspect that Opinion as justly you may for erroneous that 's too importunate and pressing upon you and will not allow you due time of consideration and means of information That which is a truth to day will be a truth to morrow But that which looks like a truth to day may be detected and look like it self an odious Error to morrow And this is the reason of that post-haste that Satan and his Factors make to gain our present consent lest a speedy detection frustrate the suit and spoil the design The Vses follow in Six Consectaries Consectary I. From all that hath been said about Errors we see in the first place the great usefulness and plain necessity of an able faithful standing Ministry in the Church One special end of the Ministry is the establishment of the peoples Souls against the Errors of the times Eph. 4. 11 14. He gave some Apostles c. that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men c. Ministers are Shepherds and without a Shepherd how soon will the flock go astray Moses was absent but a few days from the Israelites and at his return found them all run into the snares of Idolatry A Sheep is animal sequax a creature that follows a Leader One stragler may mislead a whole flock A Minister's work is not only to feed but to defend the flock I am set saith Paul for the defence of the Gospel Phil. 1. 17. An Orthodox and Faithful Minister is a double blessing to the people but wo to that people whose Ministers instead of securing them against Errors do cause them to err Isa. 9. 16. they are the Dogs of the Flock Some in Scripture are called dumb dogs who instead of barking at the Thief bite the Children But faithful Ministers give warning of spiritual dangers So did the worthy Ministers of London Worcestershire Devon c. in their Testimonies against Errors Consectary II. This discourse shews us also how little quietness and peace the Church may expect till a greater degree of light and unity be poured out upon it what by persecutions from without it and troubles from within little tranquility is to be expected 'T is a Note of St. Bernards that the Church hath sometimes had pacem à Paganis sed rarò aut nunquam à filiis peace sometimes from Pagan Persecutors but seldom or never any peace from her own Children We read Zech. 14. 7. the whole state of the Christian Church from the primitive days to the end of the World set forth under the notion of one day and that a strange day too the light of it shall neither be clear nor dark nor day nor night but at evening time it shall be light i. e. a day full of interchangeable and alternate providences Sometimes persecutions heresies and errors prevail and these make that part of the day dark and gloomy and then Truth and Peace break forth again and clear up the day Thus it hath been and thus it will be until the evening of it and at even-even-time it shall be light then light and love shall get the ascendant of error and divisions Most of our scuffles and contentions are for want of greater measures of both these Consectary III. From the manifold Causes and Mischiefs of Errors before mentioned we may also see what a choice mercy
of receiving Doctriâ—es so destructive to the great Truths of the Gospel as these are And I do solemnly profess I have not designedly strained them to cast reproach upon him that publish'd them But the matters are so plain that if Mr. Cary will maintain his Positions not only my self but every intelligent Reader will be easily able to fasten all those odious Consequents upon him after all his Apologies Sir in a word I dare not say but you are a good Man but since I read your two Books you have made me Think more than once of what one said of Ionah after he had read his History that he was a strange Man of a good Man yet as strange a good Man as you are I hope to meet you with a sounder Head and better Spirit in Heaven The Second APPENDIX Giving a brief Account of the Rise and Growth of ANTINOMIANISM the deduction of the principal Errors of that Sect With modest and seasonable Reflections upon them THE Design of the following Sheets cast in as a Mantissa to the foregoing Discourse of Errors is principally to discharge and free the Free-grace of God from those dangerour Errors which fight against it under its own Colours partly to prevent the seduction of some that stagger and lastly though least of all to vindicate my own Doctrine the scope and current whereof hath always been and shall ever be to exalt the Free-grace of God in Christ to draw the vilest of Sinnersâ— to him and relieve the distressed Consciences of Sin-burthened Christians But notwithstanding my utmost care and caution some have been apt to censure it as if in some things it had a tang of Antinomianism But if my publick or private Discourses be the faithful Messengers of my Judgment and Heart as I hope they are nothing can be found in any of them casting a friendly aspect upon any of their Principles which I here justly censure as erroneous Three things I principally aim at in this short Appendix 1. To give the Reader the most probable Rise of Antinomianism 2. An Account of the principal Errors of that Sect. 3. To confirm and establish Christians against them by sound Reasons back'd with Scripture-authority And I. Of the Rise of Antinomianism The Scriptures foreseeing there would arise such a sort of Men in the Church as would wax wanton against Christ and turn his Grace into lasciviousness hath not only precautioned us in general to beware of such Opinions as corrupt the Doctrine of Free-grace Rom. 6. 1 2. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid but hath particularly indigitated and marked those very Opinions by which it would be abused and made abundant provision against them as namely 1. All slighting and vilifying Opinions or Expressions of the Holy Law of God Rom. 7. 7 12. 2. All Opinions and Principles inclining men to a careless disregard and neglect of the Duties of Obedience under pretence of Free-grace and Liberty by Christ Iam. 2. Matth. 25. 3. All Opinions neglecting or slighting Sanctification as the evidence of our Justification and rendring it needless or sinful to try the state of our Souls by the Graces of the Spirit wrought in us which is the principal scope of the First Epistle of Iohn Notwithstanding such is the wickedness of some and weakness of others that in all Ages especially the last past and present men have audaciously broken in upon the Doctrine of Free-grace and notoriously violated and corrupted it to the great reproach of Christ scandal of the World and hardning of the Enemies of Reformation Behold saith Contzen the Iesuit on Matth. 24. the fruit of Protestantism and their Gospel-preaching Nothing is more opposite to looseness than the Free-grace of God which teacheth us That denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Nor can it without manifest violence be made pliable to such wicked purposes And therefore the Apostle tells us Iude 4. That this is done by turning the Grace of our Lord into lasciviousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transferring it scil foedâ interpretatione by a corrupt abusive interpretation to such uses and purposes as it abhors No such wanton licentious Conclusions can be inferr'd from the Gospel-doctrines of Grace and Liberty but by wresting them against their true scope and intent by the wicked Arts and Practices of Deceivers upon them The Gospel makes Sin more odious than ever the Law did and discovers the punishment of it in a more severe and dreadful manner than ever it was discovered before Heb. 2. 2 3. For if the word spoken by Angels were stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation It shews our obligations to duty to be stronger than ever and our encouragements to holiness greater than ever 2 Cor. 7. 1. and yet corrupt Nature will be still tempting men to corrupt and abuse it The more luscious the Food is the more men are apt to surfeit upon it This perversion and abuse of Free-grace and Christian-liberty is justly chargeable though upon different accounts both upon wicked and good Men. Wicked Men corrupt it designedly that by entitling God to their Sins they might sin the more quietly and securely So the Devil instigated the Heathens to sin against the Light and Law of Nature by representing their gods to them as drunken and lascivious Deities So the Nicolaitans and School of Simon and after them the Gnosticks and other Hereticks in the very dawning of Gospel Light and Liberty began presently to loose the bond of restraint from their Lusts under pretence of Grace and Liberty The Aetiani blushed not to teach That Sin and perseverance in Sin could hurt the Salvation of none so that they would embrace their Principles How vile and abominable Inferences the Manichaeans Valentinians and Cerdonites drew from the Grace and Liberty of the Gospel in the following Ages I had rather mourn over than recite And if we come down to the 15 th Century we shall find the Libertines of those days as deeply drenched in this Sin as most that went before them Calvin mournfully observes That under pretence of Christian-liberty they trampled all Godliness under foot The vile Courses their loose Opinions soon carried them into plainly discovered for what intents and purposes they were projected and calculated and he that reads the Preface to that Grave and Learned Mr. Thomas Gataker's Book entituled God's Eye upon Israel will find That some Antinomians of our days are not much behind the worst and vilest of them One of them cries out Away with the Law away with the Law it cuts off a man's Legs and thâ—n bids him walk Another saith T is as possible for Christ himself to sin as for a Child of God to sin That if a man by the Spirit know himself to be in the state of grace though he be drunk
rage against my Book One while I thought it proceeded from want of discretion that you were not able to distinguish betwixt an Adversary in a Controversie and an Adversary to the Person but thought every blow that was given to your Error must needs be a mortal wound to your Reputation But Sir how close and smart soever my Discourses against your Errors be I 'm sure they are more full of civility and respect to you than such a Reply as you have made deserves And if in exposing your Errors your Reputation be expos'd you must blame them for occasioning it and not me Some times I thought it an effect of your Policy that when followed close and hard put to it you endeavoured an escape this way Camero speaking of this kind of subtilty in his Adversaries saith Faciunt quod quarundam ferarum ingenium est ut foetore graveolentiâ— defectae jam viribus ac fractae venatorem abigunt Some cunning Animals as Foxes c. when pursued at the heels drive away both Dogs and Huntsmen with their intolerable stench And Hierom long ago told Helvidius his Adversary Arbitror te veritate convictum ad maledicta converti being vanquished by Truth he betook himself to ill Language After the same manner you act here being no longer able to defend your self by solid and sober ratiocination you trust to your faculty in crimination Bad Causes only drive Men into such refuges In a word I am satisfied nothing but your extravagant zeal for your Idolized Opinion could have thrown you into such disingenuous Methods and Artifices as these The Ephesians were quiet enough till their Diana began to totter Your passionate Outcries signify to me something is touched to the quick which you are more fondly in love with than you ought When one told Luther what hideous Out-cries his Enemies made against him and how they reviled him in their Books I know by their roaring said he that I have hit them right You tell me in your Reply p. 24. That you perceive I have a mighty itch to find out your Absurdities I wish Sir you were no more troubled with the itch after them than I am after the discovery of them Had I affected such Employments I could easily have gathered three to one out of your Book more than I did And have represented those I gather'd much more odiously and yet justly than I did But Friendship constrain'd me to handle them because yours as gently as I could I might have justly charg'd you from what you say p. 174 175. of your Solemn Call where you place all the Believers on Earth without exception of any under the Covenant of Works as a ministration of Death and Condemnation and the severest Penalties of a dreadful Curse I might thereupon have justly charg'd you for presenting to the World such a monstrous Sight as was never seen before since the Creation viz. A whole Church of condemned and cursed Believers This I might as well have charged upon your Position and done it no wrong I could tell you from what you say p. 76. of your Reply That God doth indeed in the Covenant of Works make over himself to Sinners to be their God in a way of special Interest but it being upon such hard terms that it is utterly impossible that way to attain unto life c. I could justly have told you That these Passages of yours drop pure nonsense upon the Reader 's Understanding as if Salvation were impossible to be attain'd by the same Covenant wherein God becomes our God and makes over himself by way of special interest to us Had I had an itch to expose the Burlesque and ridiculous Stuff which lies obvious enough in your Book I should then have told your Reader That according to your Doctrine how opposite and inconsistent soever the two Covenants of Works and Grace be yet the same Subjects viz. Believers may at once not only stand under them both but that the same common Seal viz. Circumcision equally ratifies and confirms them both for you allow in your Call p. 205. That it sealed the Covenant of Grace to believing Abraham and yet was a Seal of the Covenant of Works yea the very condition of that Covenant as you frequently affirm it to be Vide p. 81. of your Reply and Passim I could as easily and justly have told you That the most malicious Papist could scarcely have invented a more horrid Reproach against our famous Orthodox Protestant Divines than you I dare not say maliciously but ignorantly have done when you charge such men as Mr. Francis Roberts Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick and indeed all that assert the Law complexly taken to be an obscurer Covenant of Grace that they comprize perfect doing with the consequent Curse for non-performance and believing in Christ unto life and salvation in one and the same Covenant This is an intolerable abuse of yours p. 5. of your Reply They generally assert the Law in that complex sense and latitude you take it to be a true Covenant of Grace though more obscurely administred and that the distinction of the Covenants into Old and New is no parallel distinction with that of Works and Grace or Christ's and Adam's Covenant Your publick recantation of the Injury you have done the very Protestant Cause herein is your unquestionable duty yet scarce a due reparation of the Injury In a word I cannot but look upon it as a discovery of your great weakness That when you meet with such a difficulty as poses your Understanding and you cannot possibly reconcile with your Notion as that of Paul's circumcising Timothy and you affirming that the very act of Circumcision did in its own nature oblige all on whom it pass'd to the perfect observation of the Law for Righteousness You will rather chuse to leave the blessed Apostle in a contradiction to his own Doctrine than to your vain Notion For what do you say p. 95. of your Reply That however the case stood in that respect this is certain c. It also argues weakness in you to insist upon aggravate jeer and reproach at that rate you do p. 83. of your Reply For the mistake and misplacing of one Figure viz. Gen. 12. for Gen. 17. as if the merit of the whole Cause depended on it The like I may say of your charging me with Nonsense for putting Gen. 17. 7 8. for Gen. 17. 9 10. when yet you your self p. 205. of your Call tell us That Circumcision was appointed as a Sign or Token of the Covenant Gen. 17. 7 8 9. What pitiful Trifles are these to raise such a mighty triumph upon When Dureus accused our famous Whitaker for one or two trivial verbal Mistakes Whitaker return'd him the same Answer I shall give you Benè habet his in rebus non vertuntur fortunae Ecclesiae 'T is well the Case of the Church depends not upon such Trifles For a Conclusion I do seriously wâ—rn all men to beware