of the Gospel might continue with the Galatians yet he was afraid of them lest he had bestowed labour upon them in vain and is forced to break out into that terrible Apostolical imprecation I would they were even cut off that trouble you Which imprecation although I dare not imitate him in with relation to any particular persons yet with an indefinite generality of comprehension only I hope I may be bold to say as he doth He that troubleth you shall bear his judgement whosoever he be Such troubles St. Paul not onely met with in the Churches where he had to do as appeareth almost in all his Epistles but likewise hath fortold unto others which to the end that all might be freer from the danger of he not only gives ordinary Christians warning to beware of them but especially layes a weighty charge upon them that are watchmen over others upon that occasion to take heed unto themselves and to all the flock over which the holy Ghost hath made them Overseers And to that purpose he sets divers marks upon them whom he would have to be avoided as Acts 20. â—9 30. Grievous wolves not sparing the flock speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Rom. 16.17 18. which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned they serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple 1 Cor. 3.4 One saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo 2 Cor. 10.12 Measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves amongst themselves Gal. 1.7 That trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ Gal. 2.4 False brethren unawares brought in who came in privily to spie out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into bondage Gal. 4.17 They zealously affect you but not well yea they would exclude you or us that you might affect them Phil. 1.15 16. Some preach Christ of envy and strife of contention not sincerely Phil. 2.21 All seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christs 1 Tim. 1.5 6 7. which having swarved from the end of the Commandment have turned aside unto vain jangling Desiring to be teachers of the law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm 1 Tim. 4.1 2. Giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils speaking lyes in hypocrisie having their consciencies seared with an hot iron 1 Tim. 6.4 5. Proud knowing nothing but doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy strife raylings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness 2 Tim. 3.6 7 8. Which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith 2 Tim. 4.3 4. The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears And they shall turn away their ears from hearing the truth and shall be turned unto fables Tit. 1.9 10 11. Gain-sayers unruly and vain talkers and deceivers who subvert whole houses teaching things which they ought not for filthy lucre sake ver 16. They profess that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and to every good work reprobate Agreeable whereunto is that which we find foretold by St. Peter in the second Chapter of his second Epistle and complained of by St. Jude especially that which seemeth to be the most peculiar and proper sin of these times despising dominion and speaking evil of dignities The truth of all which although in the general it cannot be denyed yet in the particular application thereof is bandied like a tennis ball by Christians of several professions against one another none daring to let it rest on their side lest withal they should be forced to confess a loss Which though it may appear to be an argument of that generous disposition which the very name and title of a Christian seems to bring with it possessing them that profess themselves such with a general aversness to acknowledge any thing as justly laid unto their charge which they suspect may barr them of that claim yet I cannot conceive it altogether to agree with that ingenuity or rather sincerity by which the spirit of truth may be distinguished from the spirit of errour whose property it is to make men willing to confess the truth although it be against themselves and to acknowledge with St. Paul that they can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor 13.8 For truth as the God of truth is but one and can no more contradict it self then cease to be so that they who are once convicted of untruth must of necessity either acknowledge themselves in an errour or else be left for ever inexcusable unless they can shew some special priviledge by which they are exempted from the general condition of all mankind In which respect methinks there is no equity at all in recriminations unless the parties accused can as well acquit themselves as charge their accusers Which though some men may do sufficiently in some particulars yet that any man can do in all I cannot easily believe until I see some limitation put upon that general pronunciate of St. James Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all and that by the same authority by which he spake it So that laying aside all partiality unto our selves and prejudice against others I suppose the readiest and indeed the onely sure and certain means to decide all controverted points either of opinion or practice amongst men purposely maintained and avowed by them is to examine them how they agree with that which they pretend and that which they pretend with that which all good Christians are agreed upon the clear and undoubted principles of religion so plainly expressed in the holy Scripture that an ordinary understanding may easily apprehend the meaning of them I mean not so that every one who hears them shall be effectually wrought upon both to believe them and obey them or be enlightned so as to see evidence of truth in every conclusion that in direct form of argument may be deduced from them but so that he agrees with others in the general sence and understanding of them and will acknowledge that what is contrary thereunto cannot be truth In which regard though many men have done worthily in confirming the truth and convincing gainsayers yet I conceive the most effectual means to reduce them that wander from the errour of their wayes is to represent unto them apparent evidences of their own inconstant contradictions and the irreconciliable inconsistence of their own opinions and practices
all partiality and prejudice and when you enter upon this enquiry to do it with all possible indifferency A preconceived opinion in the mind like perspective made of coloured glasse will render every thing as like it self as may be and if before you enter into your enquiry you entertain an opinion of other mens pretences that they are either agreeable unto or different from the ends which they intend indeed it will be a difficult matter to perswade you to the contrary almost by any argument Secondly I would have you to take heed of trusting too much unto any one apparent evidence for in conjectural cases where the resolution must be swaied by the most probabilities many circumstances must concur as several items to make up the total sum of that concluded argument wherewith the mouth of contradiction may be stopped Thirdly I would not have you too apt to entertain an opinion that any mans intended ends are otherwise then he himselfe pretendeth and professeth without very probable inducements to perswade you to it For though distrust as well as dissimulation be many times more agreeable to humane worldly policy then confidence and single hearted sincerity which made him in the Satyre say Haud rectè facit qui facile credit yet the rule of religious piety and Christian charity is rather to bear believe hope and endure all things then to be easily provoked to think any evil 1 Cor. 13 5 7. And I would rather have you be mistaken twice in esteeming better of mens intentions and purposes then they deserve then once in judging worse of them then you have just cause to do For though there be a woe pronounced against them that call evil good as well as against them that call good evil Isai 5.20 Yet of the two so they do it not wilfully or carefully I doubt not but they finde more favour with the Lord whose own sincerity makes them apt to be deceived by other mens hypocrisie then they whose own hypocrisie makes them over-suspitious of other mens sincerity SECT VIII Pretences are not alwayes to be taken upon trust from other men Aff. WEre it not best then for fear of offending in censuring too hardly of other mens intentions to give credit to their own pretences and take them upon trust without any further inquiry concerning them Judg. No for our Saviour requires in his sheep serpentine wisdom as well as dove-like simplicity Mat. 10.16 and St. John saith expresly Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God 1 John 4.1 which certainly he would not have done unless it were possible as well as necessary and unless there were some means to do it by as well as reason why it should be done And that which I have hitherto said tends not to discourage you altogether from entering upon such an inquiry but onely to give you warning to be circumspect and wary what you do that you may not be deceived with seeming shewes instead of solid truths SECT IX The best means to try the truth or falshood of other mens pretences Aff. I Pray you then if you can at last deliver me of this doubt how I may discern between falshood and truth in the pretences and professions which other men make of their intended ends Judg. This it were easier to do in some particular cases then to give any general rule that shall hold indiffently in all Yet as well as I can I will indeavour to satisfie your desire therein And to that purpose I would have you consider that as unity and verity are alwayes insepaparable companions so falshood is seldome or never severed from such variety as makes it inconsistent with it self which gives occasion to that common saying Oportet mendacem esse memorem Our Saviour himself speaking of the devil the father of lies saith He was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him John 8.44 His meaning is not that the devil can never speak any truth at all but that he cannot continue constant to that truth he speaks the truth is not in him no more then he is of the truth and the truth that he speaks sometimes is an evidence against him that at other times he lies Thus the spirit that undertook to perswade Ahab that he might go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead spake truth when he said he would go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahabs prophets 1 Kings 22.22 But he quickly fell off again from that truth when he contradicted Micaiah by the mouth of Zedekiah and pretended himself to be the spirit of the Lord. They went out from us saith St. Paul but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us 1 John 2.19 and Chap. 4.5 6. They are of the world therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour By this I suppose it may appear that the best means to try the truth of other mens pretences is to examine their own agreement with themselves and how they keep constant to their own professed principles for if it appear that indeed they contradict themselves and that there is an inconsistent contrariety between the ends that they pretend to aim at and the principles upon which they ground their proceedings in action as with relation to those ends they must of necessity confess a falsehood in the one or in the other and either renounce their own principles and so condemn their own actions or else if they will stick fast unto those and justifie these you may certainly conclude that what ever they did before yet now they aim at other ends than they pretend For actions are never undertaken as means but with relations unto ends and it is impossible that any man should purposely persist in the use of those as means which he knows are destructive of the ends which he intends This I suppose is that which St. Paul aims at when he saith If I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor Gal. 2.18 and I doubt not but it would have been as true if he had said If I destroy again the things which I had built A man that is an heretick saith the same Apostle after the first and second admonition reject Knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself Tit. 3.10 11. And though there be no note of connexion between those two verses and the two former yet it may not be amiss to observe that the Apostle hath placed these words next unto those wherein he had said This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in
consequence to say Such a man doth the same that other men do therefore he aims at the same end with them Fourthly consider that divers men imployed at the same time in different actions may notwithstanding aim at and propose unto themselves one and the same end Thus the thirty thousand that lay in ambush against Ai and Joshua with the men of Israel that made as though they were beaten before the men of Ai and fled by the way of the wilderness all intended the destruction of the City Josh 8. Thus Ittai that would not be perswaded to return into Jerusalem but passed over the brook Kidron before David and Zadok and Abiathar that carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem and carried there and Hushaâ— the Archite that returned to the City and aboda with Absolom all intended Davids safety 2 Sam. 15. Therefore it is no good consequence to say Because this and that mans actions are different therefore their ends are not the same SECT V. Some probable occasions to suspect although not necessary evidences to conclude what other mens inintentions are Aff. GIve me leave Sr. to interrupt you a little I thought you would have given me some rules whereby I might have known what other mens intentions are and whether they purpose that indeed which they pretend or no. But for ought I perceive these considerations which you offer me are such as rather tend to darken the discovery and make me doubt whether all endeavours in this kind will not prove altogether vain and fruitless Judg. How apt you are to be mistaken My purpose is indeed to give you the best directions that I can how you may judge of other mens intentions and not be deceived therein but first I thought it requisite to let you see how many wayes you may be missed and what appearances you ought not alwayes to give heed unto as necessary evidences to ground a certain resolution on although I deny not but that they may give just occasion many times to some suspition or surmise especially then when you plainly perceive them agreeable unto or differing from that which is openly professed and pretended As if you perceive the ends which any man doth now pretend to be different from those which he formerly professed to intend you may very reasonably suspend your resolution that he deals sincerely now untill you have more then his own bare word to warrant it Thus when St. Paul was come to Heirusalem and assayed to joyn himself to the disciples they were all afraid of him and believed not that he was a disciple but Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way and that he had spoken to him and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus and then he was with them coming in and going out at Heirusalem Acts 9.26 27 28. So if you see the success of mens actions directly contrary to the ends which they pretended to aim at in those actions and yet that they are well pleased with and glad of such success you may probably suspect that notwithstanding their pretences the ends which they intended before were the same with the effects that followed after And on the contrary if the success of mens actions be agreeable unto the ends that they pretended and yet they appear to be grieved with it and displeased at it you have then just cause to conceive that either their pretences before were false or else that their intentions are altered since Thus David discovereth the falsehood of his feigned friends indeed his treacherous enemies by their rejoycing in his adversity Psal 35.15 And by their magnifying of themselves against him when his foot slipped Psal 38.16 But Saul pretending that he delighted in David and meant his advancement by the marriage of his daughter desiring no other dowry of him but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines it plainly appeared that he meant not truly but dissembled with David in that he was grieved with his good success and was the more afraid of him the more he prospered 1 Sam. 18.12 c. So when you see many men at the same time ingage themselves in the same actions you must have other reasons more then their own professions onely to induce you to be of another opinion or else you may very well suppose it probable that the ends they aim at are the same Thus Sampson would have the three thousand men that came to him in the top of the rock Etam to swear unto him that they would not fall upon him themselves before he would believe that coming to binde him as the Philistines did they meant not to kill him too Judg. 15.12 13. And when you hear divers men professing to aim at the same end and yet notwithstanding see that they engage themselves in different actions you may probably conjecture if you should give credit to their bare pretences that you might be deceived Thus the disciples till they were better instructed by our Saviour Christ forbad him whom they saw casting out Devils in his name because he followed not with them Luke 9.49 So that every appearance though it be not a sufficient evidence of truth in that opinion which is guided by it yet may be an occasion to suppose it so till further enquiry discover what it is indeed SECT VI. Mens actions and intentions are not alwayes of the same kinde either good or bad Aff. IT seems then you think that even in the prosecution of good actions some men may have evill intentions and that some men who aim indeed at good ends may take advantage of some evil Actions to attain them by Judg. It is true that they may for experience shews plainly that they have done so Judas his end in saluting his Master with a kiss was to betray him Mat. 26.48 49. Davids end in the kind entertainment he gave unto Vrijah was the cloaking of his own adultery 2 Sam. 11. And on the contrary Hushai his counterfeit kindness and professed fidelity to Absalom was purposely intended to defeat Achitophels counsel 2 Sam. 16.26 c. Rebecca to get the blessing for her son Jacob perswaded him to lye unto his father Isaac Gen. 27.8 c. Sarah to provid for the propagation of the promised seed perswaded her husband Abraham to go in unto her hand-maid Hagar Gen. 16.2 Therefore to argue the goodness of the end from the goodness of the action or that because the action is evil the end is also such is never a necessary but may be sometimes a false illation SECT VII Rules of direction for the better discovery of the truth or falshood of the ends which men pretend Aff. WHat other rules of direction will you give me then whereby I may guide my self better in discovering the truth or falshood of the ends which men pretend Judg. First I would have you as much you can to rid your self of
the royal standard of the word wherein the spirit of truth undoubtedly doth speak and try them there It is Gods own advice to his people Israel by his Prophet Isaiah Is 8.19 20. And our Saviours to the Jewes John 5.39 c. Aff. This indeed may be a means to try such motions as proceed from private spirits by in regard of the matter whether it proceed from the spirit of truth or the spirit of errour but how shall I know in regard of the manner whether it be by an ordinary or by an extraordinary work of the spirit that such motions in the minde are stirred up Judg. The onely means I know to this end is to consider these two things First the causes and occasions of such motions as proceed from an extraordinary work of the spirit have themselves something more then ordinary in them as in Gideons incounter with the Midianites Judges 7. Jonathans with the Philistines 1 Sam. 14. David with Goliah 1 Sam. 17. When the holy Ghost in the book of Judges had often said that the spirit of the Lord came upon such or such a one or that God raised him up to be a deliverer and that he judged Israel intending thereby an extraordinary special and immediate motion of the spirit of God whereby he was both stirred up and warranted to undertake that imployment he addeth in the end In those dayes there was no King in Israel every man did that which was right in his own eyes as intimating extraordinary motions of the spirit to take place onely in the absence of ordinary means And therefore when the government was once setled we hear no more of that phrase to import an extraordinary motion of the spirit stirring any man up to undertake and exercise that charge So since the sacred volume of the Scriptures is complete for them that acknowledge the sufficiencie thereof to be the light of faith and rule of life either to expect in themselves or pretend unto others extraordinary revelations now is in effect as much as to light a candle at noon day and fetch water in a bucket from a spring to pour into not a river onely but the Ocean it self Secondly the adjuncts and effects of such motions as proceed from an extraordinary work of the spirit have themselves something more then ordinary in them as in the former examples of Gideon Jonathan David their extraordiconfidence before hand and their success beyond expectation afterward But both these marks may be indifferent common to all extraordinary motions of a private spirit whether good or bad and therefore that which I spake of before is that which you must chiefly look unto to try the spirits by the word of God If by your own private spirit whether speaking in an ordinary or extraordinary manner you be moved and guided to any thing that accordeth and agreeth with the written word that hearken to as the voice of the good spirit of God and of truth but if unto any thing contrary unto and inconsistent with that word that stop your ears against as the voice of the evil spirit of Satan and of errour SECT XX. What to do in such things as are neither necessary nor unlawful in themselves nor unto us in particular but indefinitely only unto men of such particular places and callings estates and conditions as for the present we are in Aff. BUt what shall I do in the last place by those particulars which are not by God forbidden in general unto all men nor unto my self in particular but indefinitely unto men of such particular places and callings estates and conditions as for the present I am in Judg. All that you have to do in this case is First to consider what particular place and calling estate and condition for the present you are in as whether a superiour in authority over or an inferiour in subjection unto others whether poor or rich in prosperity or in adversity and the like Secondly to consider what general rules the holy Ghost in Scripture hath laid down for the ordering and governing of all men in such a particular place and calling estate and condition as yours is The result of these two must be your resolution as that which is the conclusion of a practical syllogism whereof the proposition or major is given you by God in his word the assumption or minor you finde by experience in your self and can no more deny the conclusion then you can renounce your reasonable soul and yield your self to be a beast Aff. I pray you Sr. give me an example of this as you have done of the other particulars Judg. Take that of Joab then though otherwise not so good a man as he should have been yet in this an eminent pattern of loyalty Joab was a subject and servant unto David intrusted by him with the managing of the war against the children of Ammon 2 Sam. 11.1 c. The general rule for those that are in that estate and condition wherein Joab then was is not to seek their own honour to the disadvantage of the honour of them by whom they are imployed whose subjects and servants they are For a son honoureth his father and a servant his master Mal. 1.6 In consideration hereof when Ioab might have perfected the victory himself in Davids absence yet he will not but sends for David to come and be present himself in his own person and gives the reason least I take the city and it be called after my name 2 Sam. 12.27 28. So 2 Sam. 24. when David bade Ioab number the people though the Kings word were abominable to Ioab as the phrase is 1 Chron. 21.6 that is though Joab were altogether of another minde and would have disswaded David from it as a needless or unfitting thing yet being an action not unlawful in it self Ioab is content to yield and the Kings word prevailed against Ioab and the captains of the host and they did as they were commanded by the King The neglect of which respect at other times in that he treacherously slew Abner and Amasa and trayterously attempted to advance Adonijah to the throne of the kingdom in Davids life time without his knowledge and consent cost him his life nor could the horns of the altar protect him though he thought to take sanctuary in the Tabernacle of the Lord. 1 Kings 2. 28 c. SECT XXI Things in themselves indifferent may become either necessary or unlawful to inferiours being commanded or forbidden them by their superiours Aff. IT seems then you think that things in themselves indifferent as those which are neither commanded nor forbidden by God unto all men in general may become either necessary or unlawful unto those that are inferiours being commanded or forbidden them by their superiours Judg. It is true I do so and so must you too and every one else that will not be an utter enemy to all humane authority professed friend of confusion For order is the
plainly His bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible 2 Cor. 10.2 10. Thus the chief Priests and Pharisees yea even Nathaniel an Israelite in whom was no guile at first had an hard opinion of our Saviour himself for his very countrys sake Search and look for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet say they John 7.52 And can there any good thing come out of Nazareth saith he John 1.46 These as the two great rubs that usually lie in the way of religion I suppose St. Paul endeavours to remove from amongst the Corinthians when he would have them learn not to think of men above that which is written that none of you saith he be puffed up for one against another 1 Cor. 4.6 And he gives the reason of that weighty charge which he layes upon Timothy to preach the word and to be instant in season and out of season For saith he the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned to fables 2 Tim. 4.3 4. And therefore that general rule which he gives 1 Thes 5.21 is of perpetual use Prove all things hold fast that which is good SECT XXXIV What difference is to be made between the opinions and practises of men eminently vertuous and notoriously vicious Aff. WOuld you have men make no difference then between the opinions and practises of those that are generally known to be orthodox honest and religious and those whose credit hath already been crackt and liable to just exception for errors and enormities whereof they may be apparently convicted For I presume your instances already given reach not so far but onely to false or vain unjust or ungrounded surmises and suspitions onely Or do you think it is to no purpose that our Saviour saith A good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit c. Luk. 6. 43 44 45. Judg. Yes I deny not but there is a great difference to be made between the opinions and practises of men eminently vertuous or vitious indeed yea if they be but generally reputed and esteemed such but that difference must reach no further but unto the first apprehension which we have of them not to the final resolution whereupon we must settle and set up our rest The consideration of the persons whose opinions or practises they are may give us just occasion to suspend the censures which at first we may think them worthy of until we have further examined and tried them Or rather indeed for the honour that we owe to truth and holiness and the detestation which we should have falshood and wickedness in we ought to do so But when it comes to the upshot that we are to resolve which side we will sit down upon or as our Saviour speaks of the choice we would make between two masters whether we will hate the one and love the other or else hold to the one and despise the other then the adherent circumstances of the persons must be wholly laid aside and the things themselves must be considered as they are or as they ought to be otherwise we may be much mistaken An handful yea a grain of wheat is no less good corn because it is covered with an heap of chaffe and tares are tares although they be shed amongst good seed Dead flies will send forth a stinking savour even in the oyntment of the Apothecary and a jewel of gold should not be undervalued although it be found in a swines snout But it may be you look for examples rather then similitudes and the holy Ghost in Scripture hath furnished us with those as well as these That mirrrour of divine and miracle of humane wisdom Solomon even he whose name was called Jedidiah beloved of the Lord 2 Sam. 12.25 yet loved many strange women who when he was old turned away his heart after other gods 1 Kings 11.1 c. Even Peter that made that famous confession concerning our Saviour Thou art the Christ the son of the living God and received from him that excellent attestation Blessed art thou Siman Bar Jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven shortly after presuming to advise his master as he supposed for his own good receives this sharp reproof Get thee behinde me Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men Mat. 16.16 c. And though he seemed to be a pillar yet St. Paul when he saw that he was to be blamed made no scruple to withstand him to his face Gal. 2.9 11. It were easie to be almost infinite in instances of this kinde and to confess the truth it is a more ordinary thing to finde a little folly in him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor as Solomon speaks Eccles 10.1 then to observe in them that are notoriously evil any thing worthy of praise and imitation And yet we are not altogether destitute of examples to that purpose Even Balaam that loved the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 yet blessed Israel more then once Num. 23. and 24. Ahab that did sell himself to work wickedness and did very abominably in following idols yet took so to heart the judgements threatened against him and his house by the Prophet Elijah that he rent his clothes and put sackcloth upon his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went softly 1 Kings 21.25 c. Yea upon Elijahs motion he sent unto all the children of Israel and gathered the Prophets of Baal together unto mount Carmel and permitted them by Elijahs direction to be apprehended and slain 1 Kings 18.20 c. Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart yet he destroyed Baal out of Israel and did well in executing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord against the house of Ahab 2 Kings 10.28 c. Even Pilate that condemned our Saviour and Judas that betrayed him and one of the thieves that was crucified with him testified his innocence Yea the Devil himself acknowledged Christ to be the holy one of God Luk. 3.34 and Paul and his companions to be the servants of the most high God and the Gospel which they preached the way of salvation Acts 16.17 So hard it is or rather impossible to finde any wisdom or goodness upon earth so pure and perfect but that there may be observed in it some course allay of errour ignorance or evil which ought to be entertained with no more respect then poyson in a golden cup and scarce is there any man so desperatly given over to a reprobate mind but that in one particular or other at least now and then some beams of truth and sparks of honesty may be
natural body conceived by the holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary and that in the same individual body he was crucified died was buried rose again from the dead ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God That interpretation which accords with these and all other principles you may be sure is true as the latter evidently doth and that which is contrary to and inconsistent with these or any other certain principles must needs be false as the later apparently is And the like may be said in other controverted points of doctrine Secondly for matter of practice It is disputed between the divines of the reformed Churches and those of Rome how that passage of St. Paul Rom. 13.1 c. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers c. must be understood whether of the subjection of all persons and causes as well Ecclesiastical as civil unto those Magistrates in whom the supreme authority resides or of civil only To try which of these is the true meaning of the place bring them both to those undoubted principles which no good Christian no nor reasonable man can deny Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feceris and suum cuique which we may see attested by our Saviour Mat. 7.12 All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do you even so to them Mat. 22.21 Render unto Cesar the things which are Cesars and by St. Paul Rom. 13.7 8. Render unto all their dues c. That interpretation which accords with these principles as the former doth you may be sure is true and that which is contrary to and inconsistent with these principles as the latter is must needs be false and the like may be said in other cases and questions Aff. But what if I be not able to resolve of that accord or contradiction Judg. Such a case can hardly happen if you seriously consider all particulars and if it could the equal evidence on either side which should leave you without any certain ground of resolution would manifest the question it self to be but vain and frivolous and the indifferencie such that it would be no matter at all whether ever you resolved or no. But however having used all the means you can for your best information when you resolve let it be according as you shall be led by the most convincing evidence What is the other particular wherein you desire to be satisfied SECT XVIII Special immediate revelations from God to shew what is unlawful or necessary to our selves in particular although useful heretofore are neither to be expected nor easily to be believed now Aff. YOu said even now that as I must esteem that unlawful in it self which by God is forbidden unto all men in general so I must esteem that unlawful for me which God hath forbidden to my self in particular or though not unto all men in general yet unto men of such particular places and callings estates and conditions as for the present I am in For the former you have told me that my resolution must be guided by the holy Scriptures interpreted according to the rules of right reason and the general received principles of religion but for the latter I am yet to seek How shal I know that that which is lawful in it self as not being simply forbidden by God unto all men in general is yet unlawful for my self in particular or that that which is not absolutely necessary as not being by God required of all men in general is yet necessary for my self as being particularly required of me Judg. Whilst special immediate revelations were in use as in the dayes of the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles the spirit by which those particular instructions and directions were given was able also sufficiently to manifest his own authority and as well to subdue and incline the will and affections to assent unto and imbrace the truth of such discoveries as to enlighten the minde and understanding to apprehend the meaning of them This made even Balaam to say If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God to do less or more Num. 22.18 And the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 20.9 Then I said I will not make mention of him nor speak any more in his name But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay St Luke of St. Paul and Timothy saith That after they were come to Mysia they assayed to go into Bithynia but the spirit suffered them not Acts 16.7 That when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia Paul was pressed in spirit and testified unto the Jews that Jesus was Christ Acts 18.5 and St. Paul of himself that he went bound in the spirit to Jerusalem 20.22 But this was extraordinary proper unto those times and must neither be expected now nor easily believed either of our selves or others although I doubt not but that even now adayes there are some that are both deceived themselves with false perswasions and deceive others with fair pretences that in some particular cases they are immediately directed by the spirit of God when indeed it is either the voice of their own corrupt hearts only which they hearken to or the subtile suggestions of Satan who sometimes transforms himself into an angel of light and his ministers into the Apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousness 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. And we need not think it strange since the holy Ghost hath so long ago expresly given warning of it 1 Tim. 4.1 c. Aff. Do you think there may be no special immediate revelations now adayes whereby some men may be guided and directed themselves and stirred up and enabled to guide and direct others in the performance of particular actions as necessary or effectually conducible to special ends Judg. I doubt not but there may for the holy Ghost is not limited or straitned any more in respect of time then place but divideth severally to whom and where and when and how he will 1 Cor. 12.11 But it is not ordinary now nor easily to be believed as I said before either of our selves or others for fear lest in stead of the spirit of truth and of Christ we either be deceived our selves or deceive others by the spirit of error and of Antichrist SECT XIX Some directions to try the pretended revelations of private spirits by Aff. WHat directions can you give me then to try the pretended revelations and instructions of private spirits by Judg. Even the same that I mentioned before viz. their accord and agreement with or their inconsistent contrariety to and contradiction of themselves or of the written word The good spirit the spirit of truth is alwayes constant to it self the evil spirit the spirit of errour is alwayes contrary either unto it self or unto the spirit of truth Bring them then unto