9.5 You can have no communication of truth but there is a conveyance of life with it every notion will beget motion every beam of light will be a stream of life and carry you on with power to the obedience of truth revealed the same spirit which is the spirit of truth is the spirit of life and of power and where hee is a spirit communicating light and truth there he a spirit conveying life and power to the soul also To conclude this then you have entertain'd some opinions for truth but are they soul-quickning truths are they helpfull to the life of God and to the life of grace in you Tell me doe they dead you or doe they quicken you more and doe they quicken your graces or stirre up your corruptions Are they serviceable to grace or are they helpfull to sinne It is the nature of truth to quicken our graces but to dead our corruptions and this is the nature of errour to provoke our lusts but to dead our graces A fifth Operation of truth where it is entertain'd it hath a Opera 5 heart-inflaming power Truth is a beam of that Sun which doth not only enlighten but heat and warm us Claritas in intellectu parit arderem in affectu Light in the understanding begets heat in the heart the understanding is as the medium between the heart and Christ and serves as the burning-glasse to the heart whereby the heart is set on fire with those notions which are carried from Christ by the understanding to the soul hee that is baptized with the holy Ghost the spirit of truth is baptized with fire Fulget cherub intelligentia luce ardet Seraph charitatis igne Pic. Mirand de dig hom his affections are inflam'd with the love of it He that like the Cherub doth shine with light and truth like the Seraph burns with heat and love Truth hath an heart enamouring power could wee but see it in it's beauty as the Philosopher said of vertue I may of truth we could not chuse but be in love with it and that which doth enamour the heart must needs enflame the heart that which takes the heart must needs set the heart on fire either with desire to enjoy it or with love in the enjoyment of it Indeed it is true many are too hot in an errour and others are too cold in the truth and it is the ones sinne and the others shame the one is the fruit of the partiall reception of truth they take it into the head not into the heart Thâ—y receive not truth with the love of it as the Apostle saith 2 Thess 2. and the other is the fruit of the blinde entertainment of errour they have light without heat and thou hast heat without light their light is a false light because it is not joyn'd with heat and thy heat is a false heat because it is not joyn'd with light And yet I confesse many are zealous in a way of errour when the best are too cold in the truth it is our shame as their sinne But here is the comfort a little true heat is worth a great deal of false fire a little zeal acted with grace is worth a great deal spirited with corruption Men in ignorance are like those under the frigid zone they are cold and frozen and have no heats or affections in them Wee may love things we have not seen as the Apostle speaks of Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen Ignoti nulla cupidâ— Invisa pos summa amare incognita ne quaquam yet you love but wee cannot love things wee have not known and men in errour are like men under the torrid zone who burn with a false heat but men in the truth they are like those who live under the temperate zone whose heat is comfortable and makes them fruitfull or if you will take it in another comparison men in ignorance they are like dead men altogther cold and have no heat in them Men in errour are like men in a fever whose heat is their distemper but men in the truth they are like unto men in health whose heat is their health and enables them to action and resisteth corruption And that is a fifth operation of truth where it is entertain'd it hath a heart-warming a heart-inflaming power We come to the last Oper. 6 Sixthly and lastly Truth hath a heart-raising and spiritualizing property where it comes into the heart with power it doth raise and spiritualize a man indeed the naked knowledge of truth doth no more raise the heart then the sight of the Sunne doth lift a man up to heaven but when truth comes into the heart in it's power it carries the soul thither whence it came All truth as it came from God so it carryes the soule to God it rayseth and spiritualizeth a man it doth spiritualize and rayse his understanding his notions and conceptions of things it doth spiritualize a mans heart a mans affections a mans actions it makes him a spirituall man 1 Cor. 2.15 Men are much according to their notions of things men of low conceptions are men of low spirits men of higher and more spirituall notions are men of finer tempers of more refined spirits so farre as truth is received so farre it doth refine a man if it enter the head a man is part refined but if it be received into the heart the whole man is spiritualized A mans head may be refined and yet he may have a grosse heart as Christ saith Make their hearts grosse that seeing they might not see they did see in the head and that was refined but they did not see in their heart and therefore that was still grosse but if the heart once be spiritualized with truth then the whole man is made spirituall for truth is of a spiritualizing nature And so much shall serve for the operations of truth and this third and last Character viz. Truth doth advance the whole worke of grace in the hearts and lives of Saints Well then you see there are many opinions abroad Vse and it may be some of you have given entertainment to some of them I doe not say that they are all of them erroneous but many are others have much errour mingled with some truth I have given you three touches whereby you may be able to judge of them three Characters whereby you may be inabled to discover truth from errour And doe you try your opinions by them see are they such as are word-revelation doth the word plainly and evidently hold them forth or are they deductions drawne from the word But see is not the place mistaken are the deductions rightly gathered are they consonant to the harmony of Scriptures doe they suite with Gods maine end in Scripture By these you may be able to discover them Again the opinions which are held forth or you have entertained doe they I say advance God doe they advance all God all the Attributes all
of stability 69 3 Too much credulity 71. to 77 Where five grounds are laid down of our credulity 72. to 78 2 Wickednes proper to the wicked 77 Qu. 4. Who those are that are in danger to be carried away and led aside with errours 78 Four things first premised 78. to 84 The answer laid down in seven particulars 1 All such who have not retained the notions of God in a holy and pure heart 84 2 All such who have not entertained the truth with love of it ibid. 3 All such who have not walked sutably to those truths which God hath revealed to them 85 4 All such who have embraced former truth out of partiall respects 86 5 All such who are not grounded and established in the truth 87 6 Such who have rejected truths received upon corrupt grounds 88 7 All such who have the world for their god ibid. Four sorts of men noted who will never hold to truth 89 Means of establishment in the truth held forth from the Scripture 90 Qu 5. What may be the examenâ— of opinions This branched into four lesser Questions 1 Who are to examine 90 2 By what rule we are to examine 90 3 Who is to judge 90 4 What arâ— the Diagnosticks 90 qu 1. Who are to examine opinions The errour of the Papists and some distinctions â—ouching examination premised 90 to 91 A main position laid down in answer to the Question viz. That every one is bound to examine not only private opinions but even the sentences definitions determinations of Councels Synods c. and to embrace them or reject them as they are consonant or dissonant to the word of God 94 1 This position first clear'd by Scripture 94 95 2 Confirmed by arguments 96-103 3 Strengthned by testimony 103. to 106 4 Objections are answered 106. to 112 And this main position applied to our times 112. to 118 Quest 2. What is the rule by which we must examine After some generals are premised the answer is laid down that the Scripture is the rule and touch-stone whereby opinions must be tried 118 119 This confirmed by divers arguments wherein the properties of a rule are laid down 119. to 126 Some objections answered 126 to 130 Quest 3. Who shall judge that this is Gods minde in Scripture Some generals premised together with some distinctions of judges and truths and doctrines to be judged 130. to 134 And some generall answers laid down 134 to 137 Some more particular answers formed out of those premised distinctions with some directions to finde out truths doubtfull 137. to 144 Quest 4. What are the Diagnosticks where 1 The false marks 2 The true 1 The false marks or the commonly received Characters of truth and errour are 1. Examined in six Queries viz. Qu. 1. Whether antiquity or the ancientnesse of an opinion is not a true Charâ—cter of truth 145 After some distinctions the answer is laid down 145 146 c. Qu 2. Whether the newnesse of an opinion is not a sufficient mark to discover it an errour 147 Four distinctions premised to the answer of this and the Query answered in two conclusions with some admonitions to us in these times 147-154 Qu 3. Whether the wickednesse of them that maintain it be not sufficient to evidence an opinion to be erroneous Some generall answers laid down to which are annexed four rules requisite to be observed if you would judge of an opinion to be erroneous by the wickednesse of the maintainers 154. to 163 Qu. 4. Whether the holinesse of those who are the publishers and receivers of an opinion be not sufficient to discover their doctrine to be truth Some generall distinctions are premised and the Query answered in four conclusions 163. to 169 Qu. 5. Whether this be not sufficient to evidence an opinion to be true that it in maintained by learned men and on the contrary an opinion to be an errour because maintained by those that are illiterate and unlearned 169 1 The divers distinctions and acceptations of learning 169. to 175 And thereupon ansvvers framed 175. to 182 Qu. 6. VVhether the multitude or pancity of them who are the divulgers and entertainers of an opinion be not sufficient to characterize an errour or truth After the terms explained the Query is answered at large in many particulars 182. to 190 The mysterious workings and energy of errour laid forth in seven branches 190. to 204 2 The true and infallible Characters of divine truth 1 Character Divine truth is word-revelation 205 This branched into three maximes 1 What ever the word of God doth plainly and evidently hold forth that is infallibly truth 206 2 What ever may be collected by way of manifest consequences or made out by evident deductions from the word is certainely a truth 107 Yet three Cautions are laid down concerning this 207. to 209 3 Maxim What ever may be made evident to be consonant to Gods minde or the main end of God in Scripture though there be no particular place for it yet doubtlesse it is a truth 210 2 Charact. That which doth really and truly advance all God in Christ is certainly a truth of God This branched forth into four particulars and many opinions in our daies examined by it 210. to 216 3 Char. That which doth really advance the whole work of grace in the hearts and lives of Saints that is certainly a truth of God 217 This branched into four particulars and fix eminent operations of truth said down 217. to 214 As 1. It hath a soul-humbling power upon which some Objections are answered 221. to 228 2 It hath a heart-changing power 228 3 It hath a sin-subduing power 230 4 It hath a heart-quickning power ibid. 5 It hath a heart-inflaming power 231 6 It hath a heart-raising spiritualizing power ibid Use The whole applied to our times 233 The application branched into some 1 Cautions 2 Directions 235 1 Cautions where are four laid down 1 Beware of being too credulous where three great grounds of mens credulousnesse are noted 235-236 2 Beware of prejudices 237 3 Beware of being biassed with corrupt affections where four great biasses are laid down 239. to 243. 4 Beware of wilfulnesse and perversnesse Two directions 1 Consult impartially and diligently with the Word of God and God in the Word 244 This branched forth into four particulars and seven mediums laid down to enable us to finde out the right sense of Scripture 244. to 250 Direct 2. Get an humble heart 25â— Direct 3. Labour to be renewed in the spirits of your mindes ib. Direct 4. Get a heart prepared for the entertainment of truth 5 Enquire diligently 252 6 Walk answerably 252 Quest 6. What waies God hath left us in his Word for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons 253 Some generals premised The answer comprised under two heads 1 Ecclesiastical 255 2 Civil 255 Ecclesiasticall are 1 Fraternall 257 2 Pâ—stâ—â—all 3 Judiciall 1 Congregationall 1 Admonition 258
make his people keepe more close to him and more close to his word these we put together though they are two things 1. To keepe more close to him for counsell instruction direction who is the Prophet of his Church who hath undertaken to leade and guide his people into the wayes of truth to guide us with his counsells and this makes a soule to keepe close to God to lie at his feet for instruction and direction it brings a man to immediate dependance upon God 2. To keepe us close to the word the written word of God that our faith may not be built and founded on man but God In pictures the further you goe from the originall the moâ—e unlike they grow if you draw a picture by the originall by the person himselfe it may be something like but draw another picture from that picture though it may be like the picture yet it is lesse like the person and the further you goe from the originall the more unlike it is that if at last you come to compare the picture with the person though one picture might resemble another yet the last picture was nothing like the person now there is no way to rectifie this but bring this picture to the person to the originall and there upon comparison with it to mend it We have had too much of this divinity in our times first we have drawne plat formes out of the word then built upon them and drawn deductions and consequences from them and then consequences from those consequences till at last they be nothing agreeable to the originall the word of God Now God suffers errours to arise most of which will be found to be bottom'd upon false deductions and consequences drawne out of the word many opinions built and fastned on them And God suffers this to bring us back to the originall the word of God that there we might rectifie all We have taken up too many things on trust and our faith hath been too much built upon man the judgements writings and opinions of men which are but sandy foundations God whips us from it now by suffering so many errours to arise and all this to bring his people to the word to live upon the word that our faith might be resolved into God and not man Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them 4. A fourth mercifull end God suffers it to commend his love to them in preserving them from the poison and infection of errour to give you a tast and experience of his goodnesse in keeping of you that you are not carried aside with the wayes of errour And this doth exceedingly take the heart and raise it up to praise him Oh saith the soule Lord others of greater parts and greater abilities thou hast suffered to be led away and carried away with errour how comes it that thou hast preserved me This sets off and commends Gods love and raiseth up the heart in praises 5. A fifth mercifull end to discover to us that it is not by our own strength we stand but by the strength of Christ As we are kept in grace so we are preserv'd in truth and the Apostle tells us We are kept by the mighty power of God through faith When you see errours to abound and see them prevaile with so many others men of greater parts and abilities when you reade that they shall prevaile with them that shall perish oh this makes the soule keep close to Christ and herein doth God discover it is not our strength but his whereby we are preserved in a way of truth and kept from errour 6. A sixth mercifull end to make us prize truth more while we live nothing doth so much inhâ—nch and raise the esteeme of truth then errour It may be before you had low esteemes of the truths of God you did not value them and priâ—e them as you ought you cast them aside but now you take them lay them up hide them in your hearts you value of a truth as your best riches your honour your treasure the comfort in life and support in death When there are many false pearles false stones abroad it will make men gather up the true ones and if he have such to value of them When there is much counterfeit and light gold abroad it will make men to value of good gold you shall see good gold such as hath abidden the touchstone it is all gathered up and preserved at such a time as this is So when errours are abroad truth is then of value oh then every truth is entertained Before truth was looked upon but found little entertainment if it got any it was in our houses in bookes or in our heads only but now it finds welcome and entertainment in the heart Naked truth suffering truth persecuted truth it is now entertained truth is welcome any way And it is now own'd in the authority of it in the Majesty of it as a King to rule and governe us we will not rule it no more but it shall rule us It is own'd in the latitude of it in the extensivenesse of it extend it as farre as you will its welcome in its largenesse it is own'd in the universality of it all truth such as makes against you as well as such as makes for you they make for you in that they make against you for your soules though against your sins If ever truth be valued if ever it appeare worth something it is at those times when errours abound You see how the many false relations abroad doth make men value of a true relation if they can meete with a friend or a booke that speakes true and impartially they value much of it and what 's the reason because of the false relations abroad this heightneth the esteeme of truth So here the many errours abroad is a great meanes to heighten and advance truth and to make that great And therefore God doth permit errour to advance truth that truth may be more glorious in it selfe and more glorious to us 7. A seventh mercifull end which God hath in suffering errours and erronious opinions to abound is to make his people watchfull and wary of what they doe receive There are many glorious truths to be revealed towards the end of the world great things are spoken of the latter dayes for glorious revelations of the truths of God And there is many dangerous and fearfull errours that shall come abroad at that time too as Christ doth here foretell And it is a greater mercy there should be many then if there were but few if there were but few we should take them in with truth but being many divers of all kinds it makes the people of God watchfull and carefull what they entertaine There are so many truths now to be made known at the end of all things that if there should not be many
errours and those dangerous errours also we should be in danger to receive all under the notion of truth to close with all and swallow all that comes under that pretext Where now by the aboundance of errours we are made more wary more watchfull If it be given out that there is a great deale of false Coyne of light gold abroad it will make men carefull of what they receive which if it were not so we should receive all that comes So here certainly God would by this permissive providence of his have us take heed as well what we heare as how we heare he would have us to take heed what we receive God seemes to speake he would have us to entertaine truth not traditionally but knowingly not because it is the mind of such and such men but because it is the mind of God not because discovered by such and such men but because revealed of God In our dayes in regard of the multitude of errours God seemes to speake to you to be more then ordinarily wary in the receiving of truth to receive it knowingly weightily humbly to receive it after sound debates not suddenly least you be deceived with an errour Let it passe through all debates before it be received under the notion of truth We have some things that are meerely divine and there is no debate to be in them if a toole come on this Altar it defiles it Some things which are mixtly divine and those admit of debate The Apostle tells us of two sorts of truths 1. Foundation truths 2. Building truths 1 Cor. 3.10 11 c. There are some truths that are to be entertained without debates of reason they are to be beleeved as soone as revealed faith is required to the entertainment of them As God in the Trinity of Persons and Vnity of Essence Christ in his Person hypostaticall Union of Natures the work of Creation the Resurrection a Rationes precedentes fidem minuunt fidem subsequentes augent here faith must goe before reason beleeve and know It is an unsound opinion b Vbi definit ratio incipit fides where reason ends faith must begin here reason must not begin at all reason pollutes its corrupt and will corrupt these these are supra above though not contra rationem against reason There are some truths againe and that is most of those which are in dispute and debate now adayes and they are not to be entertained without long debate dispute holy reasoning You are to use all your knowledge and Christian wisdome and all your skill in the word of God all your prayer and seeking A man may entertaine a truth as well as an errour too quickly that is when he entertaines it upon trust or without debate or because others say it or practise it or because at first view it seemes like a truth this is to entertaine it too quickly the Church of Ephesus is commended for her patience Rev. 2.2 And this may be one part of it one branch of her patience that she had tried them which said they are Apostles and found them liars and this was not done suddenly as the third verse implies So let this be your commendation that you have tried those opinions that carry the highest pretext that you have not been apt to beleeve every spirit but you have tried the spirits and the doctrines c. before you have owned them You would not take a man into your house that you knew not and will you entertaine any thing into your heart you would have tried servants such servants as are known such husbands and wives of whose goodnesse you have heard and will you let in a truth and not try it What ever you entertaine as truth you are to be subject to it and will you be subject to errour You are to maintaine truth to part with goods to endure friends to become enemies to part with liberty life for truth And shall I not try it shall I doe all this for an errour Indeed if you were to doe with truth as some others can that can take them up for their occasions and lay them down againe at pleasure that can embrace them and renounce them when they please then you did not need so much curiosity in search but when you are to entertaine truth as you doe your husbands and wives till death separate nay to take it not only till death but to all eternity this should make a man consider and not be too light of his beleefe and entertainment of truth Again if thou were to entertaine truth as a servant only that should only serve thy uses and be serviceable to thee as many doe with truth they aske what it can doe for them before they entertaine it if it were to be so entertained then there need no such great triall that truth that would be most serviceable to thy estate and advantage thee most in the world thou mightst embrace Religion were then nothing but a policie But being to entertaine it as thy King not to subject it to thee but thy selfe to it not to have it to moove according to thy mind but thou according to its motions this should make thee consider before we entertaine Againe if that we might entertaine a truth as we doe only our goods into our houses that would not endamage us any way though they bring in nothing yet they would not endamage us then the matter were not so much But when we are to entertaine truth as that which must live on us that for which I am to part with relations with comforts with riches with estate with liberty with life Beleeve it it would make a man in earnest and try throughly before he doe entertaine a thing for truth and to be sure that God saith it But adde to this your soule may depend on it and that to eternity and not only thine but thy posterities too how many families in this Kingdome that are Papists upon no other ground then their ancestors were and doth the soule of me my child husband wife c. depend much on me and shall not I be wary what I entertaine surely no honest heart but will Well this is another ground or end God suffers errours that we might entertaine opinions warily drop by drop is the best receiving of opinions We are commanded to buy the truth and surely the errours that are abroad tell us it is to be bought by retaile in parcels not by whole sale in the grosse for feare of receiving errour as well as truth there are many cheating chapmen abroad false lights I name none I aime at none in particular There are such who huosterize the word adulterate sophisticate the word And what 's that they mingle truth and errour linsey woolsey And if you take up all in the grosse you may be deceived therefore beware try before you trust examine search Take heed that no man deceive you And thus I have shewed you the first how
revealed Indeed Satan hath many other ends as I have shew'd you and besides them divers other might be named Satan is busie when God is sowing wheate to sowe his tares when God is discovering of truth to be communicating of errours he hopes in the heate of the market to vent his own wares he hopes in the throng to put off one with another and that men will not so carefully observe it at least if men be shie to entertaine the one he hopes by this to lessen the authority and to prejudice the entertainment of the other And indeed the multitude of errours abroad they are great disadvantages to the entertainment of the truth they are a great prejudice to the receiving of it Men that heare of false reports abroad though they have not been abused with them will be shie to entertaine truth so men that heare of a multitude of erronious opinions abroad in the world though they have not been seduced or led aside with them yet will be shie and afraid to own the truths which God in that generation doth hold forth to them And by this meanes Satan hath a great advantage he perswades and prevailes with men to adhere to their former principles without any inquiry after more And this is dangerous As it is dangerous to stint and bound our selves in practise thus much we will doe and no more as it is the spirit of many men So it is dangerous to stint and bound our selves in principles or things to be knowne thus much I know and I will search into the revelation of no more 2 Pet. 1.9 1 Pet. 3.18 Heb. 6.1 As we are not perfect in grace and therfore we are to adde to faith virtue to our virtue patience c. to grow in grace to be led forward to perfection and he that sits down with any measure is yet to begin So we are not perfect in knowledge the Apostle tells you we know but in part and therefore we are still to study and search not only after clearer revelation of things known but fuller revelation of Gods mind to us and he that contents himselfe with the measure of revelation he hath is yet to begin in the knowledge of Christ And therefore this is a dangerous errour when Satan shall perswade and prevaile with us to adhere in those things we doe know and sleight any further revelation to be content with those measures of revelations we have and to seeke to know no more of Gods mind and will to us And this is another wile which Satan hath in the multitude of errours that thereby he might prejudice the further search and inquiry into the mind of God disadvantage the entertainment of truth and perswade with us to stick and adhere only in those which are already revealed to us It is good to adhere to those that are revealed but bad to adhere in them and seeke no further revelation because we are not perfect in knowledge therefore must grow As we say of grace so of truth It is good to have a heart stablished in grace but stinted in grace is nought stablishing doth keepe the heart from going backward and that is good but stinting doth keepe a man from going forward and that is nought You are to aspire to grow in knowledge as well as in grace But you will say what needs any more Object our Fathers held out these truths and sought no further and we hope they are saved and so shall we too if we doe but adhere in the truths of our fore-fathers and seeke no further 1. The reasoning is corrupt I say this is corrupt reasoning Answ that our Fathers held out these and these things for truth it is not enough to evidence they are truth that they went in this way is not sufficient to declare it was a good way and a way for us to walk in this is to take up our Religion by tradition not from Scripture the Papists have the same Arguments our Fathers were of this Religion and therefore it is good which you will all say is corrupt reasoning You have a place in Jer. 9.14 they walked after Balaam which their fathers taught them 2. But secondly admit our fathers held forth these things for truths yet they held not forth all truth they knew some but yet they knew not all truths It is said we know but in part And God is therefore said to appoint a Ministery in the Church for the further building us up in knowledge Ephes 4.12 13. for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the sonnes of God to a perfect man 3. Againe though our fathers held out these truths yet we wrong our fathers to say that they sought no further though they knew these and these truths yet they labour'd not only after a clearer revelation of truths known but after further revelation of truths not yet known and discovered to them and this appeares both in their writings and also upon experience every generation growes up in further knowledge of the mysteries of Christ and the Gospel as might be instanced in many points which have been debated between us and Papists and us and Arminians Pelagians all which truths have been the proper revelations to those particular generations And therefore you wrong them to say they knew these and sought no further And the experience of much more revealed in every generation is sufficient confutation of that Did our fathers in King Henry the eights dayes who first rejected the papall tyranny or our fathers in King Edward the sixths dayes who set up that infant reformation that wanting nursing fathers and mothers hath been kept back and held down so long where otherwise it might have come to manhood and perfection the thriving of the child lies much in the goodnesse of the nurse Kings and Queenes are called nursing fathers and nursing mothers to Religion this child this infant Reformation hath not had that nursing whereby it should thrive the breast of nourishment hath been kept from it and drawne out towards children of errour they have thriven the true child hath pin'd away Kings and Queenes are called shadowes as Josiah Lam. 4.20 32. Isa 2. And we speake it with griefe as things have been carried they have indeavoured to make them like trees which the papall faction have clasped about and adhered to as the Ivie to the tree not because they love it but because they have sucked sweet from it but they have been such shades as have hindered the growth of better things But to passe this If you come down to Queene Elizabeths dayes did our fathers in her time know so much had they that full revelation of that which is in our dayes he that reades may easily see And therefore this is a plaine confutation though our fathers did hold out some truths yet they sought after more they did not rest in that they had but
either this doth fill his spirit with horrour to heare it and so doth awaken him and puts him upon reading praying studying searching or else he is carried away with the streame of the temptation and if not openly yet he â—acitely subscribes to the thing though he speakes not out witnesse the casting off that feare that awe that care he had before And thus Satan comes to Atheist men if he doe not awaken and unatheist you by this he will certainly Atheist you more 2. To discourage and take off the heart of men from doing any thing As it doth weaken the beliefe of truths so it wounds the practise of them much more if men faile in principles they will not long hold out in practise if in rebus credendis things to be beleeved surely in agendis of things to be done Men you know will not labour and take paines for that which they have no beliefe of you shall heare men discouraged and taken off from plaine common duties praying hearing reading why will a man say I see all I doe to no purpose I have done this and that I have prayed gone to Church walked in such and such wayes and now all this is cried downe there are opinions abroad which throw down all these as nothing and therefore as good to sit still and doe nothing as to doe all this and to no purpose 3. It may stand with Satans ends that there should be multitude of erronious opinions I say not only some errors but many should abound that he may the better suite himselfe to the tempers of men every fish is not to be caught with the same bait some with one and some with anâ—ther therfore the cunning Fisherman doth suite his baites to the fishes he angles for So every man is not carried away with the same error some are led aside with one and some with another there is a dissonancy between a man and some errours scelera dissident and therefore Satan he hath multitudes and variety of errours abroad to suit with every mans temper of lust As it is with errours of conversation every one is not carried away with the same lusts that may be lovely to one which is no way pleasing to another the covetous man he will not be prodigall and a spend thrift c. and therefore Satan suites temptations to the temper of spirit in men So it is with errours of judgement every one is not seduced and led aside with the same errour c. and therefore it suits with Satans ends not only to have errours but many errours on foote that he may have a bait for every mans temper provision for every mans lust As the lusts of life are diversified you see the Apostle tells us that wicked men served divers lusts Tit. 3.3 for we our selves were disobedient serving divers lusts they are diversified according to the measure of understanding according to notions received according to tempers of men relations interests and diversity of wayes men are ingaged in Every man is not carried away with the same bait temptation nor lust some are carried away with grosse lusts lusts of life and practise men of grosse and beastly temper sensuall men others againe of finer tempers and spirits that must be undone a finer way a more spiritfull way the grosse way is too low for them and here he hath the lusts of the understanding and yet every one of these are not taking with all some are taken with one errour some with another according to the difference of knowledge and understanding and the command of some lust in the heart And therefore Satan hath multitude of errours on foote that he may suite temptations to the tempers of men Non promotus sed expertum doctor Luth. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.14 Rev. â— 24 2 Cor. 3.2 14. And hence he is called a Serpent a wily creature yea and the old Serpent and his temptations the depths wiles methods of Satan You had need to take heed of him if he see a man conscientious he will not goe about with grosse temptations to corrupt him for there he thinks it will be labour in vaine but he endeavours to corrupt the understanding with errours and such as are agreeable and correspondent to the conscientiousnesse of his spirit as I might shew at large 4. A fourth end that Satan hath to the wicked in multitude of errours it is to corrupt them and defile them more errour is of a corrupting and defiling nature Satan labours all he can to corrupt the soules of men and his chiefe designe is to corrupt the fountaine the understanding He doth not so much care for to corrupt a man in his practise as to corrupt a man in his principle to corrupt a man in his life as to corrupt a man in his judgement he knowes an erronious head will quickly come to a sinfull life Mens lives are but squared according to notions received and impressions of things retained in the understanding As true notions doe help to frame a good life so false notions are serviceable to a bad the one is the seede of a holy the other of a sinfull life so that though you could not know truth and falshood in the seede in notion yet you might know it in the fruit in the conversation Men act surely according to their principles received if there be not a bridle and restraint upon them by something without And therfore if Satan can but corrupt a mans understanding he knowes such a man he will be sure for him he will sin without reluctance without check or disturbance If a man have some true notions or light in his understanding though for the present his life be bad and he be carried away with strength of temptation yet Satan is not so sure of this man as of the other he knowes so long as this light is in him he will not sin so fully if he sin yet not without controle and check and he is in danger to loose him at every turne Satan is ill troubled with a man sound in judgement though corrupt in life either the light in his understanding will overcome his darknesse in life or the darknesse in his life will overcome the light in his understanding and the combates such a soule finds makes Satan he cannot yet conclude which shall have the day But now if he can corrupt the understanding if he can pollute the spirit the refined part of man then he knowes this man is sure he can bring this man to maintaine his sinne yea and argue for it and doe all this with shew of religion I told you a corrupt heart will breed a corrupt judgement in time but a corrupt judgement will presently work a corrupt life A man that hath his understanding yet preserved he doth not work regularly in a way of sin he is off and on as his lust doth prevaile but now the other he walkes uniforme he is alwayes the same
is charity in hell it was not out of love to their soules but love to himselfe because he had corrupted them with his life and practise before and had left a bad example behind him which they followed and therefore he desired that they might if not be saved for that I think a damned soule cannot desire yet that they might not for his cause and example be brought into that place of torment because this would be the increase of his torment too as he was guilty by his example and practise of the murthering and undoing of their soules It should be a caveat to you how you live and walke least the example of the husband the father the master be the undoing of the wife the child the servant and the increase of your torment too Your examples will prevaile more to their undoing then all our rules for their saving It is a fearefull thing by our examples to draw others to destruction when your children and servants shall see you walke in a way of sin they themselves are drawne aside and undone by your examples There are many have so much in them that though they will sweare and drinke themselves yet they will not allow it in their children their servants but if thou wouldst not have them walke in the same way of sin leave not such a sinfull example behind thee But this by the way It suits with Satans ends that men should broach erronious opinions for the increase of their torments Which it doth not only directly and in it selfe but indirectly and by consequent contracting the guilt of soule murther from those who are undone with their precepts and poisonous doctrines And thus Satan deales with all his servants they who doe him most service shall have most torment those who have been his statists designed all for him or his engineeres to act all for him this is the reward he gives them greater torment soarer damnation the deepest cellars and darkest vaults of hell are reserved for such persons But mistake me not I speake not this of all kind of errours in judgement what man is he that erreth not All errours are sinfull but all errours are not damning all errours are hurtfull but all errours are not destructive and undoing errours I told you there were some errours which were building errours and some which were fundamentall errours as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 3.10 11 12 c. In the one the work shall be burnt in the other the workeman one shall be saved but so saved as by fire the other shall be destroyed in fire work and workman person and errours shall perish together 1 Cor. 3.13 14 15. And thus I have done with two of the first generals propounded and shew'd you how it may stand with Gods ends and how with Satans ends to suffer errours abroad We come now to the third how it may stand with mans ends It may then stand with mans ends also that there should be multitude of dangerous and erronious opinions The men with whose ends it may stand may be distinguished into three kinds 1. The contrivers 2. The actors 3. The abettors I shall only speake to two of them 3. It may stand with mans ends 1. Those that are the Contrivers of this designe to set on foot errours it may stand with their ends There are two maine ends the common adversary hath 1. To blast the truth 1. To divide the professors of it 1. Their end is to blast the truth to bring the truth of religion into disrespect among men to render the professors giddy and unstable and their profession unsound and unorthodox Doe not our enemies within our selves take advantage to cry down the truth to blast reformation and to bring religion into disrespect by the multitude of opinions that are abroad It may be they themselves have been the envious men have sowen tares and wheâ— they have done they tell us it is because the watchmen who were ever asleepe are taken away doe they not take occasion to blast the truth and to say that their oppugners are a sort of giddy and unstable empty and illiterate men who are certaine in nothing but uncertainty and stedfast in nothing but unstedfastnesse Anabaptists Brownists Antinomians And is it not the same argument their elder brethren hold forth doe not the Papists argue our religion to be unsound and indeavour to bring the truth into disrespect by telling men of so many opinions so much difference as there is among those who are the prefessors of it doe they not say our religion is divided into factions Lutherans Calvinists Arminians Socinians some of which differences they themselves have contrived and set on foote to bring religion into disrespect and to render it of lesse credit by reason of the multitude of divisions among us though all agree in this that theirs is false and erronious 2. A second end they have and that is to divide the professors of the truth Si sumus inseperabiles sumus in superabiles If we are unseparable we are unconquerable and therefore it is the Machivillian designe divide vince divide and conquer and hence it suits well with their designe that there should be a multitude of opinions that thereby the professors of the truth might be divided amongst themselves It was frequently observed in the raigne of the Bishops that those that were called non-conformists were farre worse handled then those who were called Brownists one would think this strange that they should deale better with them that said they were no Church then with those who said they were a Church but corrupted that they who cried their government down for Antichristian should fare better then they who only said it wanted reformation what should be the reason of it sure they were greater enemies that strooke against their being then they were who desired only reformation not unbeing But here was the businesse they liked division well enough and they feared one side it was too great but they slighted the other and therefore would rather countenance them in designe then suppresse them because all this served to weaken them that were their terrour And in this also they agree with them of Rome who send forth their Emissaries Jesuits Priests who shall turne Socinians c. and other opinions on purpose to divide the reformed Churches among themselves that so they may drive their mils with our breath and use our hands to doe their work and this designe hath been too successefull in the Netherlands especially in Socinianisme which was broached as is reported by a Jesuit on purpose to divide them So you see it stands with mans ends 1. The Contrivers 2. It stands with mans end the broachers and actors of this St John divides all that is in the world into lusts of the flesh lust of the eye and pride of life 1 Joh. 2.16 And I may ranke all the men in it into these three 1. Some are proud and ambitious
it that worked into her heart and then her heart consents But how farre Satan may deale with one without sin is a question he seduced her to looke seduced her in looking or by looking Satan gets into us but came to Christ and Eve in a bodâ—ly shape he could find no footing in them because there was nothing of his own there was no sin But to returne that is another ground of abounding errours the corruption of the heart A man may be carried away with an errour and yet not have a corrupt heart but errour must needs proceed from the corruption of the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minimè malus innâ—cens Decipiunt animos innocentum I say he may be led away and yet not have a corrupt heart it may be he hath nothing but honest ends and honest grounds in the entertainment of it The Apostle tels us of such Rom. 16.18 by good words and faire speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple the word signifies errour of them not evill but though the hearts doe not argue a corrupt heart yet it discovers corruption in the heart and that 's the second ground 3. A third ground why there are so many abounding errours is mens readinesse to drink in every opinion to entertaine every thing that comes under the name of truth to them without triall and examination of it Men that have their hands open to take all may receive false coyne as well as true we say all is not gold that glisters so men that are ready to entertaine what is suggested to them under the name of truth may take in errour as well as truth It is good and our duty to have a preparednesse of spirit and a ready disposition of soule to entertaine every truth of God that is discovered to us But Satan doth abuse this good disposition oftentimes deluding us and turning errours on us with a shew and name of truth And there may be many grounds why those who have yet a preparednesse of spirit to entertaine truth and all truth and nothing but truth alone may be carried away with an errour 1. Want of triall we take in all and swallow all as they are represented to us without any debate or any search and examination of them It is an Apostolicall injunction that we should not beleeve every spirit and that we are to prove all things and then to hold fast to that is truth that is hold fast to that which upon triall upon examination is really a truth of God the want of which is the cause why those who have a preparednesse of heart to entertaine truth alone and would not for a world give entertainment to errour are yet led aside with errour I have told you a man may be too quick in rejecting of an errour as well as too slow in receiving of a truth that errour is too soone rejected that is rejected without triall without evidence that it is an errour You think it unreasonable that a man should be condemn'd before his triall though the man may deserve to die yet it is to be made evident otherwise we may condemne the innocent So though an opinion be erronious yet let it have its triall otherwise you may reject a truth for an errour Certainly as truth is not to be entertained and received sleightly so errour is not to be rejected carelessely before you know it errour the choicest truths of the Gospel have been rejected for errour and yet are blessed truths We are to reject errour as we receive truth not passionately but rationally not with passion but reason not carelessely but religiously because otherwise you may receive errour for truth and may reject truth for errour Now I say many for want of triall and examination of things may give entertainment to an errour though they have a preparednesse of spirit to embrace nothing but the truth 2. Another ground why those who have a preparednesse to entertaine truth may yet be carried away with errour is they want knowledge to try and prove and also want judgement to determine what is errour and what is truth upon their triall Some errours that are very obvious to be discerned but some are very subtile and intricate yea and carry very specious shewes hold out glorious pretences For the first sort of errours these Gods people are seldome intangled withall but now for the other which are more subtile and carry high pretexts these few have knowledge to try them or upon their triall judgement to determine The best of us we know but in part here and as for the most they are but children and babes in knowledge we are not children in humility in innocencie but we are like them in knowledge we know but little and therefore may be over-reached with the sophistry of Satan with the wiles of men 3. Besides this good disposition which is in the hearts of Saints to receive all truths that God shall discover it may be abused yea and which is a wonder be made serviceable to let in an errour that it is abused there is nothing more plaine Rom. 16.18 Satan comes and works on that corrupt men they come and work on that good principle too they aske you have you not a preparation of heart to receive every truth of God how dare you then reject this how dare you shut your eyes against such an evident light how dare you turne your back against such a cleare manifestation of God thus it is often abused Nay and sometimes this disposition is made serviceable for the introducing and letting in an errour This preparednesse of heart to receive all truth works a fearfullnesse of rejecting truth if it be discovered to us It may be there is such and such a thing held out to us and it is well managed strongly carried on insomuch that it carries great appearance of truth now the soule who is prepared to receive all truth and fearfull to reject it he stands hovering he knowes not what to doe he cannot close with it he dare not reject it but at last upon that appearance of truth it hath and that feare in him to reject truth he gives entertainment to it though it be an errour and not a truth Thus the feare of rejecting of a truth may be a help to bring in an errour It is wonderfull to see how Satan abuseth these two dispositions fear and tendernesse of spirit 1. Fear it should be a fence to preserve us from errour but Satan often makes it a means to keep out truth fear is oftentimes a cause to keep us in errour as well as a fence to preserve us from errour Many are afraid of new opinions not because they are errours but because they are new I say fear is a means in many to keep out truth as well as to fence out errour It should only be the guard of the soule to keep out errour but Satan makes use of it to keep out truth and to let in
errour 2. And as he abuseth fear so doth he that tendernesse of spirit It would be strange to tell you how Satan doth take occasion to enslave a soule by his very tendernesse if the chaine of sin be broken he labours to make a chaine of our graces if he cannot keep us in bondage by our sins he labours to bring us into bondage by our graces You will think this strange but there is nothing more evident in men of tender spirits at their first bringing in when they are tender of every thing they are tender of such things which indeed is their bondage to be tender of they are tender not only of things indifferent which are of a temporall nature but of things lawfull and commendable A thousand cases there are wherewith Satan doth perplex their soules they can doe nothing now without a temptation and most of temptations are raised upon this ground and helped on by this advantage their tendernesse Though a tender spirit be a blâ—ssed thing the greatest mercy on this side Heaven a true tendernesse to sin and for sin yet this disposition may be a distemper as well as a grace there may be an excesse in it it may fall into nothing but scrupulosities and meere questionings without actings As there is a sin in defect the want of it when men will rush upon actions without warrant so may there be a sin in excesse when men will doe nothing for scruple Satan makes use of this disposition 1. Sometimes to fence out truth they dare not entertaine such a thing for fear it is an errour 2. Sometimes he makes use of it to let in errour they dare not reject such a thing for fear it should be a truth 3. Sometimes he makes use of it to overdoe actions 4. Sometimes to underdoe them 5. Sometimes to scruple the doing of them 6. Nay to neglect the doing of them he will prevaile it may be with a man not to pray because he sins in praying there is so much deadnesse coldnesse c. that he will tell you it is better not pray at all then so to pray or prevaile with a man not to preach because he sins in preaching because there is much pride ostentation hypocrisie in his preaching So not to give almes not to converse with men not to serve God with his talents because so much pride in the exercise of his guifts so much ostentation in his almes c. thus he will labour and sometimes prevailes to bury up a mans talents and make men unserviceable to God or to their brethren You had need to know the wiles of Satan that you may avoid them In vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird saith Solomon so in vain will he attempt this way when you once know his wiles This I insist the longer on knowing it of great use in these times lest otherwise Satan make use either of your tendernesse and fear to fence out truth or to let in errour I see many precious dispositions in many Christians you have had it pressed on you to stand ready for the entertainment of every truth to close with every truth of God it hath taken good eff ct in you many there are of you who are wrought up to a preparednesse to follow Christ in any way And I see this disposition in you and our next care must be to preserve this disposition that this readinesse to follow Christ be not abused to this to follow a stranger instead of Christ Indeed you shall not follow the voice of a stranger in destroying errours in undoing wayes so Christ saith but you may follow the voice of a stranger in sinfull in corrupting errours for a time Gods children are free from damning errours but none are free from defiling errours possibly the best may be misled and the tendernesse of the most tender is in danger of being abused especially when errour comes not only under the notion of truth but under great appearance of truth when it is held forth Loe here is Christ this is Christs mind and Christs will this is a truth of God And therefore you had need to beware take heed that no man deceive you you have good dispositions in you but you had need to get knowledge lest those good dispositions be abused either to the rejecting of truth or to the entertainment of errour either to keep you in the conditions you are without desire to enquire further or to hinder you from embracing any more of Gods mind if it be revealed for feare of being led away with errour or to make you to embrace errour for feare of rejecting a truth It is good to be as soft wax if there were no stamp no impression to be received but Gods and truth but soft wax is dangerous when so many false stamps and corrupt impressions are abroad Oh that God would make us wax to receive every impression of truth but rocks of flint against any impression of errour Oh that he would open our eyes broad to receive and let in any light of God in these knowing times and shut our eyes against any errour or false light Oh that he would give us a preparednesse of spirit to embrace any thing of him and a heart lockt up against any thing which is not of God Oh that he would make us tender of rejecting truth but harden us more against any way of errour that he would make us fearfull to reject truth but valiant also to resist errour in our generation 4. A fourth ground of abounding errour hath been the want of holy discipline and a regular way for the suppressing of errour Certainly such a blessing goes along with the right administration of the government of Christ as to suppresse errours and reforme the erronious Indeed a bad discipline as it doth restrain and suppresse many glorious truths for certainly truth hath but little shadow little shelter from a corrupt discipline I say as it doth suppresse and restraine many a truth so it may be a restraint unto some errours it may restraine some upon pollitick grounds but it can reforme none We have had a bad a corrupt discipline such an one as hath been a mother a nurse to many corrupt and sinfull opinions both in dâ—ctrine and in worship 1. In doctrine witnesse those grosse points of Arminianisme vented with license nay of Popery too as was evidenced in the Ministers Remonstrance and that out of many books put out by publike license viz Auricuâ—ar confession Authoritative absolution Prayers for the dead c. 2. In worship too witnesse all their Altars Crucifixes Adoration toward the East Pictures Images the Table was an Altar the Minister was a Priest the Sacrament was a Sacrifice and there wanted nothing to be added to it but the name of Masse and to call it the Sacrifice of the Masse It hath been a fence indeed against truth but a gap to let in errour a naturall mother to corrupt opinions but
inticement not by demonstration they inveagle they doe not informe the understanding they perswade by inticing and not by evidence and reason A man may well suspect those opinions which are wrought upon the understanding by the affections and not by demonstrations the affections often inveagle the understanding sometime inforce it sometime they bribe somtime they threaten the understanding into an opinion its dangerous for the affections to work upon the understanding The lesse the understanding hath to deale with the affections in judgement of truth or errour and the lesse the affections with the understanding the safer and clearer is the judgement A man may well suspect those opinions which are wrought upon the understanding by perswasions and not by demonstrations The Philosophers used to say that to win the understanding by gaining first into the affections is to woe the Mistris by the maid Affections are to attend and serve the understanding and not to inforce it they are not to tell what is truth but to follow the understanding with love and delight in the embracing of it Suspect that for truth that you are threatned or bribed into And so much for the second ground 3. A third ground of credulousnesse is the similitude and likenesse which errour may carry to a truth of God you must know that though Gods people may entertaine errour yet no damning though defiling errours nor doe they entertaine any errour as an errour but under the notion nay apprehension that it is a truth and there is such similitude which an errour may carry to truth that they may entertaine it without debating and examining of it I told you from the 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. That Satan might transforme himselfe into an Angel of light and so may represent errour under such a shew of truth that it is not for every one to distinguish between that and truth There was never any errour set on foote but it was indeavour'd to be grounded on the Scripture the word is pleaded on all sides and many places alledged which may seeme to afford strength even to false opinions by which an errour may be represented to them who are not able to discerne as if it were a truth There are but few errours in our dayes but they carry some resemblance of truth with them at least the face and appearance of truth nay but few but have some ingrediency of truth in them and therefore carrying such a resemblance with truth looking upon the first view like a truth the best may be deceived with errour instead of truth if they take things on trust though this deceit shall not be an undoing deceit if it be not an undoing errour and that Gods people shall never be given up unto We say though error fortunae a mistake in the estate doth not cause an anullity in marriage yet error personae the errour of the person doth if you were married to one whom you tooke to be another person this doth cause an anullity in the marriage The entertainment of truth or errour is a kinde of marriage between the soule and it and there is a firme marriage between corrupt hearts and errour but the contract which is between a godly man and errour is a false contract and therefore that claime which errour hath to him is a false title because though it be an errour yet he entertain'd it for a truth and therefore it shall not damne him though it doth for the present defile him 4. A fourth ground of the credulousnesse of the godly their facile and easie beliefe it is the high and specious pretexts which an errour may carry Errour may beare as big a saile and hold up as high pretexts as truth it selfe and this may prevaile much to the entertainment of an errour this is a great advantage which errour hath It may hold forth the same authority beare it selfe up upon the same bottome it may pretend holinesse the glory of God the good of our soules c. and what not Doe not the Papists hold forth the same authority for their errours which we doe for truth doe they not perswade to the entertainment of them by the same arguments will they not tell you that these are for the glory of God for the good of your soules Was it not the usuall argument of the hierarchy for their superstitions and humane inventions for their Altars and Jesu-worship and bowing towards the East with the rest that all this was to declare our reverence humility c. in coming into Gods presence it was for the glory of God c. And are there any errors now that carry not as high as fair pretexts as specious shewes Who doth not say loe here is Christ and here is Christ who doth not challenge patronage from Heaven for their severall opinions who doth not stamp their opinions with the authority and minde of Christ Is it not that which Christ doth here foretell they shall come in his name that is they shall pretend to doe so they shall pretend his authority and commission and they shall say I am Christ they shall pretend that that which is held forth is the minde of Christ which sets out the danger of the temptation such an errour comming with such high and specious pretexts being held forth with such authority may prevaile much towards the entertainment of it In our dayes if we looke upon the present contentions of the times the cause now on foote and acting sadly with the sword doe not our adversaries hold up the same pretences doe they not speake in our own language doe they not say the same things that they fight for the Protestant religion Liberty of the subject Laws of the Land and if we take all on trust how daÌ„gerous to be deceived When the Pirate hangs forth your own colours there is danger of robbing The Crokadile sheds teares when he hath a minde to shed bloud the foulest designes are often masked with the fairest pretences the spiders webb is full of art but she her selfe is full of venome you may truly suspect most venome where you see most art There is not any bad cause nor any errour but is handâ—d to us under faire pretexts and specious colours which wins many and that 's the fourth ground 5. A fift ground why men are apt to take opinions upon trust either because they cannot try them they want knowledge and wisedome to examine and try them or they want judgement to determine upon triall either they cannot or they are unwilling to put themselves to the trouble in the triall of them But I passe this We have done with the first ground why men are carried away with errours and that is weaknesse 1. Weakenesse of understanding 2. Want of stability 3. Too much credulity and I have given you the severall grounds of these also We come now to the second generall ground why men are carried away with errour The second ground and that is wickednesse A
that which is good 1 Joh. 4.1 Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God because many false Prophets are gone forth into the world So that you see the truth clear in Scripture That it is the duty of every one to examine not only private opinions but even the sentences definitions and determinations of Synods of Councels themselves and to receive them and reject them as they are evident to be agreeable and consonant or dissonant and contrary to the Word of God But against these places the Papists object Object That those commands of proving Praedicta mandata non ad omnes sed ad Doctores pertinent Bellarm. examining and trying of opinions doe belong unto the Doctors and Steers-men of the Church and not to all Answ First for that place in Matth. 24.4 though it may seem to be spoken to the Disciples yet are others alike concerned in it if the Disciples were to take heed much more others if the Disciples were in danger of seduction much more are others also who wanted that knowledge that light and illumination which they had And therefore there was greater necessity that ordinary men should take heed For the other place in the 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things It seems clearly that the Apostle did rather speak to the people then their Pastors for having before exhorted them to the due respect of those who were set over them vers 12. and that they should not despise prophesying he comes to admonish them that they doe not give too much as well as too little To despise prophesying is to give too little and to take all is said upon trust is to give too much It is to set up men in Gods steed It is to make masters of your faith in earth and therefore he exhorts prove all things and hold fast to that which is good And for that place in the 1 Joh. 4.1 It is evident the Apostle spake to believers in generall First in respect of his appellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children which appellation better suits with thâ— people then with the Doctors And secondly because he chargeth them concerning such as were teachers there are many false Prophets gone out and therefore take heed this seems the ground of his exhortation because there were many false teachers therefore they were to beware So that you see it 's clear in Scripture that it is the duty of believers to examine c. We will now come to the second thing propounded viz. confirm it by Arguments and we will put these Scriptures into an Argument which shall be the first Arg. If every beleeving Chistian be commanded of God to take heed to prove to try to examine doctrines then God would not have us to take things of trust to submit to the definitions and determinations of men the best of men without examination and search but this is the command of God to all Christians as I have shewed therefore All the doubt lyes in the consequence that if we be commanded to prove and try all things then God would not have us submit to any thing but upon examination and search And this is plaine for if we are to swallow all if we are to receive what ever is offer'd if we are to take all upon trust It is then impossible that ever we should doe these duties of proving and trying and examining before we embrace and therefore seeing God would have us to doe the one certainely God would have us to doe the other also viz. to examine things before we doe embrace them Obj. But this is spoken of doubtfull doctrine for that only needs tryall and proving but the doctrine which is commended by them who are in authority is manifestly good therefore are we to receive it without tryall this is Bellarmines Ans Were the doctrine that were prescribed good in it selfe yet if not evidently good it could not be received and it cannot be evidently good till it is evidenced to me to be established upon the Word and this cannot be till it have passed a scrutiny till with the Bereans we have search't whether these things are so or no Act. 17.11 This is certain doctrins may not be in se dubiae in themselves doubtfull and yet auditoribus dubiae incertae doubtfull to the people I say they may not be doubtfull in themselves and yet they may be doubtfull and incertaine to us and therefore we are not able to receive them though cleare in themselves and to others if not cleared to us And they cannot be cleare to us till we have tryed and examined them The doctrine that the disciples preached to the Bereans it was cleare in it selfe but yet it was not cleare to them till they had searched and examined it And if the doctrine of the Apostles were subject to tryall and they commended for their scrutiny and tryall of it much more any doctrine of man or any prescriptions of meere men and they deserve no lesse commendation who will take pains in the scrutiny and search of it 2. To the second part of the Objection viz. That the Doctrine commended by them in authority is manifestly good you know this is built upon a false foundation they say Councels and Synods are infallible they have an unerring spirit and therefore they say all their conclusions are good But we say Councels and Synods may erre * Et errore pâ—sse errasse coÌ„cilia certum est That Councels may that Councels have erred is certain and therefore their results in stead of being manifestly good may be evidently bad witnesse the results of the Councel of Neocaesariensis Doctores in Synodis congregati vel concilia sive particularia sive generalia sinâ— uti saepiuâ— in rebus fidei errarunt itâ— etiâ—â—num errare possunt Misner Praesbyteris in nuptiis bigami prandere non convenit quia cum poenitentia bigamus egeat quis erit Praesbyter qui propter convivium talibus nuptiis possu praebere consensum Post consecrationem corpus sanguis Christi est sensualiter in sacramentis manibus sacerdotum tractotur c. Confess Berenger errat apud Gratianum de Consecrat distinct cap 2. Consul Daven de judice normâ fidei p 136 usque ad p 142. Consul Misner de ecclesia pag. 615. usque ad pag. 744. which condemned second-marriages as a great sinne And the Roman Councel approved on by Nicolaus the 2d who concluded the reall presence in the Sacrament and in as grosse a manner as ever was viz. that after the consecration the body and bloud of Christ was sensually in the Sacrament handled by the hands of the Priests torn in peeces with the teeth of believers The like I might shew of the Councel of Laterens which is said for the greatnes of it to be an oecumenicall generall Councel who put in this as an Article into the Creed to believe that Christs body and bloud were
pertinet subditos esse pâ—testatibus ex illa verò parte qua credimus Dâ—o in regnum ejuâ— vocamâ—r non oportet nos esse subditos cuiquaÌ„ homini Deo enim potius obtemperandum quam hominibus Aug. It behoves us in things which concern this life to be subject to higher powers but in those things which concern another life we ought not to be subject to any man that is commanding things evil for he saith it is better to obey God then man If then these things be true that we are not to obey those commâ—nds which are contrary to greater power Nor are we to obey when the command doth transgresse and exceed the limits and bounds of his power Then this is clear that when any thing is imposed either to be believed or to be done it is the duty of all to exâ—â—ine whether in the obedience of the commands of man he doth not transgresse the will of God or give more to men then is his due and proper alone to God Obj. 3. The faith of Christians ought not to be conjecturall and uncertain but certain and firm but when men lean upon the judgements of their own private spirits in admitting or rejecting doctrines their faith is uncertain because private men may be deceived but the judgements of Councels and Synods are unerring and infallible Ans For the first part of this Objection viz. that the faith of Christians ought to be firm and certain and not conjecturall or uncertain we freely grant It is a maxime in Divinity * Fidei nihil potest subesse alsum aut incertum Nothing uncertain nothing doubtfull or false can be the object of faith and this takes away their main ground It is then impossible that we should believe the determinations or definitions of Synods or Councels without examination because they may be false for they are not infallible they are not unerring as I have shewed they are but men and therefore their results and determinations doubtfull and therefore cannot fall under faith For the other part of the Objection That they who lean to their own judgements and not to the judgement and determinations of Councels their faith is doubtfull and uncertain I answer If by leaning to their own judgment be meant to adhere to what their own humane reason doth dictate to them in divine things then I say that their faith is doubtfull and false for mans understanding is no fit measure nor judge of divine truths it is above reason But if by leaning to our private judgement be meant adhering to that which an understanding enlightned doth evidence to be in the Word or adhering to that which the Spirit of God hath revealed and perswaded the spirit of a man to be the minde of God in the Word then I say that this faith is neither uncertain or false And therefore it is rightly spoken by a learned Divine * Is nititur proprij spiritus judicio quod illud sentit de rebut divinis quod ratio dicta c. Consul Morton Apolog. Cathol p. 2. l. 5. cap. 10. Turpissime falluntur papistae quod judicium spiritus privati spiritus divini ex multitudine potius aestimant quam ex origine Dâ—â— He leans upon his private judgement that judgeth of divine things what his own humane reason doth dictate but not he who judgeth of divine things according as the Spirit of God doth perswade him by the Word In this therefore the Papists are miserably deceived that they esteem that which one man judgeth to be the judgement of a mans private spirit but what a multitude and Councell doe determine that they call the judgement of the divine Spirit and so take up their judgement of a private spirit or divine Spirit rather from the authority of the determiners â—en from the truth of the tâ—ing determined rather from the multitude then from the originall of it when yet it may happen that the judgement of many even of a Councel may flow from a private spirit and the judgement of one single man from the Spirit of God a Patreâ— qui in Concilio Nicaeno putabaÌ„t conjugaleÌ„ societatem sacerdotibus denegandam sequebantur judicium privati spiritus unus Paphnutius qui desendebat rerum immaculatuÌ„ etiam in sacerdotibus bonorabilem sequebatur judicium Spiritus divini Ib. You see in the Councel of Nice who denied marriage-society to Ministers certainly they followed the judgement of their private spirits it was not the judgement of the Spirit of God and on the contrary unus Paphnutius one Paphnutius who defended against them all the lawfulnesse of marriage to Ministers and the bed to be undefiled followed the judgement of Gods Spirit Truth may be alone and not with a multitude one Paphnutius may have the truth and the whole Councel be in an errour Truth is not tyed to multitudes to learning nor to multitudes of learned nay holy men yet there would I seek it when at a losse To conclude this then 1. That man who doth embrace any doctrine or opinion because it is sutable to his minde and pleaseth his private spirit that man is led by his private spirit 2. Or that man who closeth with a doctrine because such and such doe teach it or such command it this is his own humane credulity and he acts his own spirit b Siquis credat aliquid per propter internum dictamen Spiritus divini judicium ejus per verbuÌ„ illuminantis informaÌ„tis is solus credit uti oportet Daven ib. But he that doth believe a truth by and through the inward dictate of the spirit informing his minde by the Word he is not led by his private spirit but by the Spirit of God Obj 4. But you see most Christians are so ignorant that they are not able to judge of Questions of faith they themselves will confesse they are not able to determine of such points Ans I grant there is too much ignorance amongst them who should know we may say with the Apostle Heb. 5.12 When for the time we might have been teachers of others we our selves have need to be taught what are the first principles of the oracles of God It is never enough to be lamented the ignorance even among them that are godly themselves c Non quaeritur quid rudes inertes Christiani facere possint sed quid pij fideles facere debeant Dav. But the Question is not here what those that are idle and slothfull can but what those that are godly and faithfull should Certainly they should be able to give an answeâ— of their faith they should be able to know the voice of Christ from the voice of a stranger they should be able to discern between meat and poyson between truth and falshood That is their duty and in some measure those that are believers are able in those points that are necessary to salvation Obj. But you will say that
off the hearts of Gods people from spirituall and heart-warming truths then any controversie that ever was stirred up in any age of the Church I pray God there be not a temptation in it But to return Admit there be an exact government in the Word of God who shall judge what that is I told you there were the Essentials and Circumstantials of Government If the Question be asked of the first viz. Who shall judge of the Essentials I may say certainly of this point as well as of others there is a publike and a private judgement there is a ministeriall and there is a personall judgement It is the office of a Synod an Assembly to search to debate to determine and declare what they conceive is the minde of Christ in this and it is yours to prove to examine to judge of their results and determinations In which work as I hope they will be tender so I desire you may be humble neither to imbrace things with a blinde judgement nor to reject them with a perverse will And for Circumstantials If the Question be asked who is to judge of them I suppose it is granted on all hands that in those things God hath left us free and hath not determined and restrained us to any thing And where God hath left things indeterminate there is no Question but the Magistrate may determine you and you are to submit to those determinations And this shall suffice for this and for the answer to the Question Thus you see we have finished three of those Queries we propounded We come now to the fourth viz. Qu. 4. What are the Diagnosticks or marks whereby we may discover and discern of errour from truth and truth from errour When false Coyn is abroad if a man get a touch-stone whereby he may be able to try it and the skill in the use of it to distinguish between counterfeit and true he needs not fear being deceived I have told you there is a deal of false Coyn abroad and if you would not be deceived it was your speciall duty to try it I have shewed you the Rule and told you what is the touch-stone whereby you may try opinions And now I am come to give you the marks whereby you may be able in the use of this to discover and distinguish between truth and errour If a man have the touch-stone yet if he want wisdome to distinguish he may be deceived for all this So though you have the Word of God which is the touch-stone to try opinions yet if you want wisdom and skill to distinguish of touches you may be mistaken for all this And there is need of a great deal of skill an errour may give as fair a touch and make a fairer lustre and glitter then truth And therefore it shall be my work at this time through Gods assistance to lay down the marks whereby in this touch and examination you may be able to distinguish between errour and truth Now I must tell you before I enter on this work that as there are many false stones such as doe render errour truth and truth errour So there are many false marks by which if we should be guided we are sure to goe amisse It shall be therefore my chief work in this Discourse to reject the false and to discover to you the true And we will begin with the first of these viz. the rejection of the false marks which I will doe by propounding them in Questions and then giving answers to them and all this that they may have a fair tryall before they be condemned Qu. 1. Whether antiquity or the ancientness of an opinion be not a true Character of truth Answ There is no Question to be made of this but truth is ancient and that which is ancientest is truth Truth was before errour * Id verum quodcunque primum id adulterum quodcunque postremum Tertul. that is truth which is first and that is errour which is last And therefore you see it is Gods direction to us Jer. 6.16 Thus saith the Lord stand you in the waies and see and aske for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and you shall finde rest for your souls But now in regard that Antiquity hath been the pretence for many errours and that we may not mistake in it there is a necessity of some distinction to be premised before we give the full answer Antiquitas est vel primaria vel secundaria primarâ—a est priâ—ae va cujusque rei oâ—igo haec â—o ta hoâ— tatis perfectionis est Secundaria antiquitas est eorum quae diu ante coeperunt c Et haec antiquitas veritatis nota non est Vid. Parker p. 156. l. 2. Consuetudo sine veritate vetust as erroris est Cypr. 1. Then there is a two-fold Antiquity a primary and secondary Antiquity Or things are said to be ancient in respect of Gods prescription or in respect of mens practice in respect of Gods institution and in respect of mens observation or if you will in respect of Gods command and in respect of mens custome And this will afford us this answer A. If antiquity be taken for Gods prescription for Gods command and institution then there is no Question but it is a certain badge character of truth But if you take antiquity for what men have anciently practised or observed for what hath been the custom of men and not the command of God then may it be an ancient a gray-headed errour That is not truly ancient which men have practised but that is true antiquity which God hath prescribed Antiquity of things is not to be taken from the customs and observations of men but from the commands and institutions of God * Veritas noÌ„ est tempore metiendâ— sed nâ—mine Hoc argumento usa est mulier Samaritana adversus Christum Patres nostri adorârunt in monte hoc nec falso nam referente Carolo Sigonio prius in Zilo quam in Jerusalem invocatum Dei nomen est Morton Apolog pag. 1. lib. 1. cap. 10 11. Truth is not to be measured by time but by revelation not by practice but by prescription not by custom but by command It was the errour of the Jews that they would follow the custom but they would reject the command You may see it in Jer. 44.17 18 19. We will bake cakes and burn incense to the Queen of heaven as our Princes and Fathers have done before us and they have an argument for this custom too for then it was better with us then now then we had plenty of victuals and were well and saw no evil but since we left off to doe this we have wanted all things we have been consumed by the sword and by the famine Just the same argument that men have for their customs now So the woman of Samaria she pleaded custom too against Christ Joh. 4.20 Our Fathers worshipped in
the History of truth the historicall knowledge of things but the godly have the mysterie the mysticall conceptions of them To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God Others have the bark and outward rine of truth Illi corticem pij medullam veritatis 1 Cor. 2. ult but the Saints have the marrow and spirit of it We have the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2. ult Unregenerate men may have the out-side but there are secrets in truth in every truth which they know not The Apostle speaks plain The carnall man is not able to understand the things of the Spirit of God and upon this ground because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 1 Cor. 2.14 he may discern of them as a man but not as a Christian he may discern of them rationally but not spiritually As there is need of a naturall eye and light to see naturall things and of a rationall understanding to conceive of rationall things So there is need of a spirituall eye and light to discern of spirituall things there is as much disproportion between spirituall and rationall things and a spirituall and rationall eye as there is between an animal or sensitive eye and a rationall eye the rationall perception of things is not so farre above sensitive as the spirituall is above the rationall perception of things I say man is not so much above a beast as a Christian above a man there is something of animality of the beast in man but there is nothing of a Christian faith and spirituall understanding of things in him faith is as much above reason as reason is above meer sense Which might have been a 3d restriction that unrenewed men or men of corrupt life they may be of right judgement for a time in many things but as men not as Christians by the light of reason not the demonstration of the spirit And therefore you see though it be a probable signe of errour when the entertainers of it are men of loose and corrupt lives yet it is not an infallible evidence for even such men may for a time be right in judgement in main things The Raven might bring good meat to Elijah though she her self was an unclean bird the bird was unclean but the meat it brought was good indeed it was but once we never read of a second time that either the Raven brought it or Elijah received it and it was when he was in the wildernesse too when we are in the wildernesse and straits we may receive bread from a Raven God may make use of a Raven to bring bread but we are to expect and receive our daily bread from better hands Indeed it 's true Non quis sed quid affertur Morton Apol. Cath. p. 2. l. 5. c. 9 Isa 8.20 we are not to look so much upon him that brings it as the meat that is brought we are not so much to look upon persons as doctrines we should rather judge of truth and errour by Rule and Scriptures then by life and practice thither God sends us Isai 8.20 To the law and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this truth it is because the light is not in them Men of corrupt life may deliver to you many excellent truths either out of evidence of reason convictions of conscience or for mercinary ends or for applause and ostentation the Apostle told us of some that preached Christ out of envie Phil. 1.15 Phil. 1.15 Certainly there is an errour of both hands we may have mens persons in too much admiration as the Apostle speaks Jude vers 16. Jude v. 16. You esteem too much of men when you will drinke in and receive an opinion because such bring it and you esteem too little of God and truth when you reject the minde of God because such reveal it it was the speech of Christ concerning the Pharisees Mat. 23.2 3. Mat. 23.2 3. They sit in Moses chair all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and doe but doe not after their works That which Christ spake concerning the Pharisees I conceive to be restrained to those times and to that subject of the Law 1. It was to be restrained to that subject of the Law they were the Interpreters and preachers of the Law Christ would have the people hear thē of it certainly he would not have them hear them upon other subjects if they had preached that Jesus was not the Christ that he was not the Messiah they were to expect a Messiah to come in visible royalty and glory to deliver them from their enemies as they understood that 110. Psalm and other places but as for Christ they knew who he was Is not Joseph his father and Mary his mother say they Joh. 6.41 and is not he the Carpenter No question this was the doctrine they preached and therefore Christ restrain'd them to the subject hear them while they preach the Law 2. Yea and it was to be restrained to the time too as yet the Mosaicall Law was not repealed those rites and Ceremonies were not yet abrogated and therefore as yet they might hear them and walk in the practice of those things but afterwards it would not be suffered they who preached this doctrine were called false teachers and the Apostle cals such deceivers seducers false teachers who preached observance of those things and told the people they were bound to be circumcised and to keep the whole Law of Moses This is certain * Veritas à quocunque dicatur à spiritu sancto est Au. truth by whomsoever spoken is of the holy Ghost We believe truth though the devil speak it but we doe not believe it because he speaks it nor doe we goe to him for the Revelation of it It was a truth which he said I know thee who thou art thou art Christ the Sonne of God but we doe not believe it because he said it but because God revealed it nor yet do we doubt of it because he published it who yet is a lyar and might perhaps speak this truth that we might the rather suspect it because a lyar said it but though he spake it yet we doe not doubt it because God hath revealed it So corrupt men may speak the truth I doe not say they ought to be speakers of the truth men of sinfull lives and practices are not to be in that office as dispencers of the Word and Sacraments but take it as I mean it may for ability in office nor for right to office I say corrupt men may speak the truth but we doe not believe it because they say it but because God reveals it nor doe we doubt of it because they publish it seeing God hath declared it Indeed I would not goe to a lyar to know the truth nor should I reject truth though it come from a lyar So I doe not goe to men of sinfull lives to know
learned men were faithfull to their light and would not be byassed or corrupted for a world then one would thinke it some wisdom to resigne up our judgement to such and be of their opinion but first it is not a competent judge Christ tels us there is a learning from which truths are concealed and hid he blessed his Father Who hid these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to babes And secondly learned men are not uninterested men they have corruptions in them and this doth bias them often times to the maintaining of errour and opposing truth and therefore dangerous Nay though there be grace as well as learning yet they are subject to passions they have corruptions in them and how farre those may work in the delivering of truth or opposing errour how farre their fears and hopes their pride may work you know not And therefore though they were learned and holy men yet you are not to resign up your faith and judgements to their opinions 1 Thess 5.21 1 Joh. 1.4 but are to trie all things and prove the spirits whether they be of God or no. And thus much shall serve for the answer to the fifth Question one more and we will conclude the false marks the sixt Question then is this Qu. 6. Whether this be sufficient to discover an opinion erroneous or declare it to be a truth the multitude or the paucity of them who are the divulgers and maintainers of it It is you know the great Argument the Papists have and therefore they set it down as one note of the true Church the multitude of professours And though it was opposed against the Papists yet was it an Episcopall argument against the reformed Churches * Mos totius orbis omniuÌ„ teraporum ecclesiarum potior esse debet eo qui est exigui populi parvi temporis Sarar Cons Park de polit eccles l. 2 c. 35 p. 297. 298. etiam l 2 c 6 7. That which hath been the custom of the whole world and of all times of the Churches ought to be more desirable then such a discipline which is maintained by a few and is but of late standing Again It is most just and equall that seeing the number of the reformed are but few they should yeeld unto the other who are many yea and many of them in authority and office in Church and Common-wealth Another speaks yet plainer a AbsurduÌ„ est Deum velle inspirare unum potius quaÌ„ multos Sutâ—l It is absurd to thinke that God should inspire one man rather then many by which expressions of theirs it may seem too evident that though they opposed this argument of the Papists and b In rebus fidem concerneÌ„tibus judicium unius private hominis praeferenaum est Papae toti Concilio si ille moveatur meltoribus rationibus authoritatibus N V. Testam D. White citing Panormitan against the Papists held it forth to be of no weight when they were to deal with them because the Papists might glory most in multitude yet they esteemed it of some weight against the reformed Churches they being farr lesse in number then they were It shews a cause to be weak when they have recourse to such poor weapons and that surely there is not much to maintain it when such arguments as are taken from number and multitude are made use of But to come to the answer of the Question which I conceive will not require much pains The Question is Whether this be sufficient to discover an opinion erroneous or to declare it to be a truth the multitude or paucity of them who are the divulgers and maintainers of it I shall answer this in brief 1. If by multitude be meant the greater number of mankinde then it is a certain evidence of errour The greatest number of mankinde lies in darknesse and errour as St John saith 1 Joh. 5.19 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lies in wickednes If you divide the world into four parts you will finde above three parts to be Pagans Heathens Mahometans Idolaters Atheists how few will be the residue Alas they are but a few in the North-east passages that doe professe and acknowledge a Christ and of those how few 2. If by multitude be meant the greatest number of men in the Church who doe adhere to an opinion neither will this be sufficient to discover it a truth And that upon these two grounds 1. Because the greatest number they are ignorant and so are not able to judge of truth and errour blinde men cannot discern of colours they want knowledge to discern of things that differ they are not able to try nor upon triall are they able to determine 2. Because the greatest number they are corrupt and vicious they are for the most part either Atheisticall or prophane or proud and ambitious men or worldlings covetous hypocrites formall professours If you look upon the multitude they adhere to doctrines 1. Either out of ignorant grounds 2. Or out of corrupt ends 1. Out of ignorant grounds viz. because this was the way of their Fathers and they doe traditionally adhere to it or because such men whom thâ—y respect and honour are in that way or because it is commended to them by the learned or prescribed and commanded by authority Indeed it is an easie matter to make any thing of the multitude they are soft wax in regard of their religion and can receive any impression they are fit for any stamp their superiours will put upon them they are but a body and authority is their soul which moves them which way they pleâ—sâ— in point of Religion truth and errour are all one to them It is an easie matter to make them any thing who are indeed nothing It was a heavie charge was cast upon us by our right hand adversaries that England was converted from Popery to Protestanisme by the blast of one trumpet In Q. Maries daies they were Papists and upon her death within an hour after as soon as Qu. Elizabeth was proclaimed here was a Kingdom of Protestants a nation was converted at once Though this charge is not true in all for after her Coronation besides Commissioners sent unto all parts to deface all the monuments of Idolatry Vid. The most grave and modest confuâ—aâ—ion puâ—lâ—shed by Mâ—st Rathbone p. 10. there were Ministers sent about to preach the Word of God viz. Knox Leave Gilby Sampson Whitingham Goodman who in Q. Maries daies had exercised their Ministery in the best reformed Churches beyond the seas who were now sent out to gather the people to the Lord to discover the errours of Popery to reduce men to the knowledge of the truth And upon the meeting of a Parliament those acts which were formerly made in Qu. Maries daies were repealed and the doctrine of truth again with Religion established And it were well to avoid this charge if Ministers were sent thorow the Kingdom at
you And therefore as you are not to give too little so beware of giving too much make not Gods of men set not man in Gods stead you know who hath said call no man Rabbi no man Master upon earth you have one who is your Lord and Master in heaven which you know is meant of subjection of our judgements and consciences to men in spirituall things for touching the outward man we have Masters but touching the inward man our faith and conscience this should not nay this cannot be subjected to any power below God And thus much shall serve for the answer of this sixth Question We have now done with the false marks besides which I am now to shew you that there are yet closer agreements which errour hath with truth I say there are nearer touches which have deceived many there are certain strange mysterious workings of errour which carry great resemblance with truth it self We read of an energie of errour a certain energeticall power an active efficacious working power which error hath in which it carries much resemblance with truth it self You read in the 2 Thess 2.11 of an efficacy of errour the energie of errour as the word imports which shews us that errour may be very energeticall very operative and active as well as truth This energeticall power or efficacie and mysterious strong working of errour I will set down in these seven generall heads 1. It will work it self into the heart and affections of the receiver upon as high pretexts and specious pretences as truth it self can doe I say it will convey it self to the understanding and insinuate it self into the heart and affections of a man and procure its reception and purchase its entertainment upon as noble terms and high pretexts as the truth it self And this is implied in the Text Many shall come in my Name and shall say I am Christ and shall deceive many that this was a deceit a seduction Christ speaks plain and that this errour or deceit did procure it's reception upon high pretexts the Text shews plain They shall come in my Name that is they shall pretend my authority my mission and commission that 's high but yet higher They shall say I am Christ that is Christ doctrinall not Christ personall they shall stamp their opinions with the name of Christ and deliver their opinions in the name under pretence of the authority of Christ and how can there be a higher way to purchase entertainment for an errour how can truth convey it self to our understanding and consciences upon higher pretexts and more noble terms I know nothing that truth can say to procure room in your hearts to purchase entertainment in your affections but errour may use the same language doth truth say This is the minde of Christ errour may say the same doth truth say This is for the glory of God for the advancement of holinesse why errour will hold forth the same things The Apostle puts this out of controversie in the 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. where he tells us of false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ And no marvell for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light therefore it is no great thing if his Ministers also be transformed as Ministers of righteousnesse whose end shall be according to their works Where the Apostle shews plain that the Prince of darknesse may convey himself into the hearts and affections of men as an Angel of light that is he may procure his entertainment not under the notion of a Prince of darknesse so every one would tremble at him but he conveys himself to mens affections and purchaseth his acceptance under the pretext and representation of an Angel of light so the false Apostles they did transform themselves into true Apostles and there is nothing which the true Apostles may hold forth but the false may hold forth the one will hold forth errour upon as high terms and specious pretexts as the other can doe truth it self So that I say errour may convey it self into the heart and conscience and purchase its entertainment upon as high terms as truth it self And these are the most dangerous errours that claim the patronage of Christ and hold forth as specious pretexts as truth it self this is the Devils countermining and by this he would blow up truth Christ himself in his own mine by this he would drive on his own design with Christs strength and further errour with Christs weapons and tools I say not that all that come thus handed to us are errours but this I say these if errours are the most dangerous of all and that upon these four grounds 1. Because they are the most ensnaring and seductive errours most are taken with them under this notion most men they are not able to judge of truth and falshood they are taken with fair pretexts and specious colours such a pretext as this doth strongly force it self into the heart of those who are weak in understanding either by love or by fear if they will not receive it as under this notion for love yet they dare not reject it comming under that notion out of fear lest perhaps they should be found to reject Christ and fight against Christ himself and therefore are they the most ensnaring and seductive opinions if errours and therefore most dangerous 2. Dangerous they are because such opinions if not truth they are a great injury to Christ himself they wrong Christ it must needs be a wrong to Christ to stamp his image upon mens own adulterate and false coyn As men who doe stamp the Kings picture upon their false coyn and to procure the more easie and undoubted reception of it doe in this doe a great injury to the King it is crimen laesae Majestatis they wound Majesty in it and make the King so farre as they can to serve to advance their deceit So men to procure the more facile and free reception of errour they may stamp their opinions with the image and authority of Christ but yet this is a great wrong to Christ for herein they make him who is truth it self the Patron of an errour they draw in Christ as farre as they can to side with or if not yet his name and authority to set off an errour It must needs be a great wrong to him who is the King of light and glory to make him serviceable to the advancement of the design of the Prince of darknesse And a man had need to be full and clear in his opinions and thoughts which he stamps with the Name of Christ lest we prove to be such as stamp his image upon our own false and adulterous coyn 3. They are dangerous because they are the most separating and dividing opinions that can be Christ or not Christ is indeed and justly too the great parting stone Religion is the foundation of all unions it is the great band and difference in
for an errour There is nothing which a good heart doth entertain but he entertains it under this notion to maintain it he takes it intâ— his house his heart with a purpose to maintain it wicked men receive opinions to live on them but a good heart receives an opinion that it may live on him a corrupt heart entertains an opinion that it may maintain him but an honest heart that he may maintain it A bad heart takes in an opinion as his servant which he makes to serve him els he will not own it but a good heart entertains it as his Master which shall rule all and dispose of all if it say it must have his pains his estate c. to maintain it to promote it to advance it he is not master of any thing he hath but all must go to serve it And therefore seeing it is thus you had need to look strictly what you take into your heart you had need to know what you give entertainment to seeing you must give maintaining to it also and it may cost all you have I only say thus much all thou hast is not too dear for a truth too good for a truth But there is nothing so little but is too much for an errour And therefore take heed you be not deceived And thus much shall serve for the demonstration of the false marks we shall now come to the sure marks and characters whereby truth and errour may be evidenced You have seen hitherto though some of these which have been laid down may be said to be probable signes yet none of them can be set down for conclusive evidences We are now to deal with such viz. to lay down infallible and undeceiveable evidences of divine truth And this is the first and main Character Divine truth is word-revelation Truth proceeds from God Chara. 1 and is revealed in the Word to us All Scripture saith the Apostle * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3.16 It is given by inspiration of God and in the 2 Pet. 1.21 The prophecies came not in any time by the will of man Consul Morton Apol. Cath. p. 2. l. 5. c. 9 Rom. 11.4 but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost The Word of God it is the râ—vealer of all divine truth if you would know what is truth your way lies clear enquire not so much what this man saith or what that For all men are lyars but search and enquire what saith the answer of God Non debâ—mus attendere quia alij ante nos sed quid Christus ante omnes dixit We are not to attend what others before us but what Christ before all hath spoken the truth is in Jesus Ephes 4.21 The Word is nothing else but a beam of that eternall Sun but a ray of divine of God-communication It is called the Word of truth nay truth it self Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is truth and this makes the lest syllable in the Word to be more firm for a soul to rest on then all the protestations of men or Angels they though true yet they are not infallibly true they are not immutably true but God is and his Word is a beam of this truth a ray proceeding from this Sun and therefore saith the Prophet Isa 40 8. The grasse withereth the flower fadeth Isa 40.8 1 Pet. 1.25 Mat 5.18 but the Word of our God shall stand for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 Nay heaven and earth shall passe away before one iota one title of the Word shall fail Matth. 5.18 It is truth it is immutable it is infallible truth and divine truth is Word-revelation The Scripture is not only the revealer of divine truth but of all divine truth not that there is no more divine truth then what is revealed in the Word but that there is no more for us there is no more to be believed and obeyed then what God hath revealed in his Word It is the boundary of doctrine and the adequate measure of all divine truth Deut. 4.2 and therefore God sends us thither as to the place where we should finde all doctrine to be believed and obeyed and as to the touchstone whereby we should try all Doctrines Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them And the Apostle would have you know that Word-revelation is a surer way to evidence truth then a revelation from heaven as hee tells us 2 Pet. 1.16 17 18. where having been speaking of a revelation from heaven and the clearest that ever was revealed in the transfiguration of Christ the Apostles themselves were eye-witnesses thereof and heard that voice from heaven This is my well-beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased yet saith he vers 19. We have a more sure Word of prophecie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning Word-revelation not that this is a more sure revelation then that was but that this is surer to us Word-revelation is more sure to us then a revelation from heaven God would have us to know truth by Word-revelation divine truth is Word-revelation And that is the first Character which yet for fuller and clearer conception I will branch forth into three particular maximes Max. 1 What ever the Word of God doth plainly and evidently hold forth that is infallibly truth the Word of God or God in the Word doth give out all Doctrine to be believed and obeyed and whatever the Word holds forth what ever hath a bottom and firm footing in the Word that is undoubtedly truth All is divinely true which the Word holds forth but all is not morally and practically good All is to be believed which the Word holds forth but all is not to be observed what ever is in the Word is the object of our faith but what ever is in the Word is not to be the rule of our life There are no provisoes to be laid down in point of faith all is truth and we must believe all Fides non eligit objectum faith doth not single â—ut it 's object it doth not pick and chuse but believes all which God hath spoken but there must be some provisoes in matter of practice though all to be believed yet all is not to be observed unlesse 1. It be of common equity and not of peculiar ingagement interest priviledge 2. Unlesse it be of perpetuall right and observance Vniversalis perpetui juris and not temporary and for a time only There were many things which the Word gave out to the Nation of the Jews to be observed which since Christ are as Statutes now repealed they were not of common and generall equity nor were they to be of perpetuall and everlasting observance and therefore are not to be observed by us though believed of us what ever the Word gives out is to be the object of our faith but not
to be the rule of life I come to the second maxime What ever may be collected by way of manifest consequence Max. 2 or made out by evident deductions from the Word is certainly true This is the second maxime Morton Apol. Cat. p 2. l. 5. c 9 Though a Doctrin asserted be not in totidem verbis as we say expressed in Scripture yet if it may bee made out of Scripture by manifest and undeniable consequence this is certainly a truth there are many precious truths which are not yet in distinct words expressed in the Scripture For example if a man hold forth this doctrine that it is possible for a man to come to the knowledge of his renovation or his own condition This is a truth but where do we finde it in these distinct words in Scripture and yet it may be soundly collected from such Scriptures as these Examine prove try your selves know you not your own selves All which imply that upon tryall a man may be able to come to the knowledge of himself and the like may be said of many other points which though in terminis are not contain'd in Scripture yet may be made out by manifest consequence and evident deduction and therefore are truths So that I say what ever may be made out of the Word by evident deduction is to be received as a truth But here I must lay down three Cautions The place of Scripture or that Word from whence the deductions Cau. 1 are made must not be mistaken The Pharisees read in Scripture that Christ should be a King and thence they made these deductions that certainly Jesus was not the Christ here was a mistake of the place The Disciples had read in the Law that Christ should live for ever and thence they made these deductions that Christ should not die We have read in the Law that Christ shall live for ever how saiest thou then that thou must die here was a mistake of the place So the Apostles they preached Christian liberty and had said that Christ had purchased and instated all believers into a blessed freedome which they were to maintain against any who went about to defraud them of it But now if they or others should take this Christian freedom to consist in exemption from all laws both of God and man here were a great mistake farre from the Apostles thoughts and those deductions are a building without a foundation and cannot stand Cau. 2 2. The deductions must be rightly gathered they must naturally arise from the Scripture There are many false deductions made and I may say so many errours founded upon the Word of truth Take an instance or two you have here a Scripture Take heed that no man deceive you for many shall come in my name c. when a man shall gather from thence that the Saints may be seduced and carried away with damnable errours this is a false deduction the 24. verse doth plainly shew us that where it is said They should deceive if it were possible the very elect by which is implyed the elect cannot be deceived So we have another Scripture where it is said Keep me from presumptuous sins and now when from this a man shall gather such a doctrine as this that the Saints may sin presumptuously this is a false collection and contrary to that Scripture in Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not raign in you for you are not under the Law but grace c. The like may be said of that Scripture Let him that stands take heed lest he fall when a man shall inferre thence that the Saints may fall totally and finally this is a false inference and contrary to the expresse Word of God and his own Covenant which is Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant and I will never depart from you from doing you good but I will put my fear in your heart you shall never depart from me We read also of such a Scripture as this You would not come to mee that you might have life when a man shall draw such conclusions as these from it that it is in the power of man of himself to come over to Christ it is a false deduction So we read such an expression as this Work out your salvation with fear and trembling and when thence we shall gather that no man can be assured of his condition this is a false deduction Many more might be named but these shall suffice by which you see what need we have of adding this caution viz. That the deductions be rightly gathered we will come to the third 3. Those Deductions they must agree with the harmony of Cau. 3 Scripture it may be there may be deductions made and those rightly gathered nay and the place be rightly understood too and yet those deductions may be erroneous Nihil serè in Scripturis obscurū est quod nō alibi planissimè dictum reperiatur Au. Scriptura eam studiosè perscrutantibus est sui interpres Mort. Ap. Cath. p. 2. l. 5. c. 9 10 c. because they agree not with the harmony of Scripture Truth is not ever found by one place what is spoken in one place may be repealed in another and therefore we must consult with the harmony see the agreement how one place doth bear witnesse to another though you look upon some places and see them disagreeing yet there is a sweet harmony and agreement in all like Nathan and Bathsheba they speak the same thing assure your self it is none of the least of the noble works of the Ministers of Christ to study the harmony of Scripture and see how they doe mutually give hands and bear witnesse one to another it is the fault of some the better to strengthen their opinions to set one Scripture at difference with another it is our work to search the agreement and discover how in their disagreements they are yet serviceable one to another and to the purpose of God in the saving them that doe believe It was Pauls course you see in his whole Epistle to the Hebrews Whit. cont 1. q 5. c 9. p. 361. 〈◊〉 medijs inveniendi Scripturae sensum not to decry the old Testament which indeed was but the Gospel vailed but to take the vail off which was upon those places and upon their eyes in the reading of them as he tells them and shewd them that all this was but Christ in figure all this was but Christ in type they were but the figure of those things that were to come I am confident that the want of study and endeavour to seek to preserve the harmony of Scriptures is the great ground of many errours among us those deductions are not safe which overthrow the harmony and agreement of Scriptures the Word of God And those are certainly true with which the whole harmony of Scripture doth agree and so much for the third Caution and second particular Max. 3 What ever may be made evident to be
from being a truth which doth not all that is no good cordiall which is not physick and food too here There is nothing doth comfort but it doth nourish and purge the heart also Free grace is the best cordiall to a poor soul and is not to be given to faintings in comfort as men give strong-water to men in a swoon but it is to be given to faintings in duty many have been afraid to preach the doctrine of free grace and many afraid to hear it they think it is only to be used as a cordiall to poor fainting dejected souls But it is not only a Cordiall but it is the best physick too nothing more serviceable to the purging of our hearts 2 Cor. 7.1 Having therefore such precious promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit Nay and it is the best food you can feed upon to strengthen and enable you to all duty and obedience It is not onely serviceable to faintings in comfort but faintings in duty Indeed that hath been no good help to your comfort that hath not been serviceable to your obedience also if it have relieved thy faith it hath relieved thy obedience if it have been serviceable to the work of grace in the heart it hath been helpfull to the work of obedience in thy life otherwise thou may well suspect that comfort 4. Truth doth all this really It doth really I say advance the work of grace both in heart and life it doth it not apparently onely but really not in shew onely but in truth Some opinions there are which seem to doe it but doe it not really they seem as if they would hold up grace when they are destructive to grace they cry up grace without them but never minde grace within them they are all for comfort nothing for duty all for cordials but they neglect food Certainly you may suspect that from being a truth which is not as really subservient to the work of God without you as to the work of God within you and to your duties as to your comforts Those are no right conceptione of grace which beget not awe as well as love fear as well as faith and serves obedience as well as comfort Thus having spoken a little to this Character asunder I shall now speak to it entire Truth doth really advance the whole work of grace in the hearts and lives of Saints As there is a great agreement between errour and sin not only as they are both children of the same Father but as one is serviceable and helpfull to the other Sinne in the affection hath much dependance upon errour in the understanding and a corrupt head is greatly serviceable to a corrupt heart There is such an agreement between errour and sinne that wee may safely say what ever doth tend to the advancement of sinne to the fuelling of corruption what ever affords subsidies succours contributions encouragement and strength to sinne that is doubtlesse an errour So there is a great agreement between grace and truth they have also both one Father even the Father of light and they are both serviceable one to another Truth is serviceable to grace as errour is to sinne and we may as safely say what ever it is that serves to advance the work of grace in the hearts and lives of Saints that is certainly a truth of God As we say of false comforts that they will never inable to Gods services So we may say of false notions they will never work Gods motions in us As that cannot be truth which is naturally serviceable to sin so that cannot be errour which is naturally serviceable unto holinesse Indeed the best comforts and so the most precious truths of God may be made serviceable to the advancement of sin but yet they doe not this naturally and directly but occasionally and by accident It is one thing what a truth may doe by accident or occasionally another what it doth naturally and truly The advancement of sinne is not the work of truth but it is the fruit of our own corrupt and sinfull hearts which Spider-like doe suck poyson and venome out of the choisest sweet even the best of truth and the best of comforts in which regard we say truths are more infallibly known by their revelation then by their operations but yet there may be enough in the operations of opinions to discover them truth or errour to a mans self though not to others All truth it works like it self it is holy and it works holily it is pure and it works purely it is spirituall and it works spiritually it came down from the Father of light and it carries the soul to the place whence it came In which regard we may say that the operations and workings of opinions being received and entertain'd into the heart may be good characteristicons of the truth or falshood of them if not to others to whom the workings are not so obvious yet to a mans self to whom they are apparent if we will not wilfully shut our eyes and obscure what is evident And that it may be more evident to all I will here lay down 5 or 6. speciall operations that truth hath upon the soul where it is entertain'd by which you may be able to evidence whether the opinions you have entertain'd be truth or errour 1. The first and great operation which truth hath upon the Oper. 1 soul where it is faithfully entertain'd it is this it humbles the soul Truth where it comes it hath a soul-humbling power discoveries doe humble men truth is a discovery from God to the soul it is a beam of light darted from the Father of light who if he doe but dart one beam of himself into the heart it humbles the soul and laies it in the dust before him the nearer you come to God and God to you the more you see the distance between God and you and hence it is that the greatest soul-abasements doe ever follow the greatest God and Christ-manifestations You see this plain in those three famous examples of Job of Isaiah of Agur I have heard of thee saith one of them by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhorre my self in dust and ashes Job 42.5 6. Another cries out Wee is me for I am a man undone because I am a man of unclean lips for I have seen the Lord of hosts Isa 6.5 A third hee cries out Surely I am more brutish then any man I have not the understanding of a man Prov. 30.1 2. who was yet a man of choice high and excellent revelations but he saw God and looking upon himself in opposition to him hee was humbled hee was laid in the dust before him And this is a naturall and genuine property of truth rightly entertain'd it humbles it empties a man it makes man nothing and God all None are more humble more sweet then those who are the children of the truth
this time with Commission to preach and instruct men in waies of worship to reveal to men the truth and prepare mens hearts that so when things come to be setled we might not if possible have any to yeeld to things with implicit faith and blinde obedience It was the practice of good Hezekiah when he restored the worship of God 2 Chron. 29. beg he sent out Posts like to Evangelists to prepare the people and to humble them for their revoltings and to reduce them to the worship of God And if this be not done 2 Chro 29. beg compared with the 2 Chro. 30.6 7. we may fear either great opposition in men or else blinde submission and implicit obedience 2. Or the multitude adheres to doctrines out of corrupt ends As the Ivy adheres to the tree not because it loves the tree but because the tree feeds it with berries and leaves it adheres to it for its own advantage because out of it it may suck berries So doe most men adhere to Religion and doctrine Or as the winde follows the abundance of exhalations So they go where there is the most advantage to be got indeed innumerable are the corrupt ends that corrupt minded men propound to themselves in the entertaining doctrine some out of fear others out of faction a third for repute the most for profit and advantage all speak this language Who will shew us any good It was the great Argument of the Craftsmen of Diana why they adhered to that Idolatry By this craft we have all our gain And it is a great motive to a carnall heart he that hath no principle of motion and life within he either stands still or is moved with the crowd or if he have any motion of his own something without him is the spring of it The multitude is a great body and a dull body and indeed hath no motions of it 's own it is carried about meerly with weights and the great weights are outward things which taken off there is no motion at all they are like the dead sea and cannot stirre So that you see if we goe about to take up our judgement of truth or errour from the multitude of them who adhere to it how dangerous it is to be mistaken 3. If by multitude be meant the greater number of holy and learned men in the Church of God I say then this is a probable signe though no infallible evidence that the opinion held forth is a truth 1. I say it is a probable signe I have told you God doth never desert his people in necessary essentiall truths He hath promised they shall be taught of God and they have an unction of the holy One whereby they know all things that is all things necessary to salvation And for accessory and circumstantiall truths It is a probable signe that the things which upon impartiall search and debate they hold forth are truths though it be not sufficient for us to conclude them so because they have determined so but we are to examine and search whether they be so or no. I say it is a probable signe but we are not to submit to it as their judgement but are to see the judgement of God in them Cons Park l. 2 c. 11. de authoritate PatruÌ„ not to conclude our selves upon the authority of men unlesse we see the authority of God in them 2. Though it be a probable signe yet it is not an infallible evidence We all know that godly and learned men have yet much darknesse in their understanding they doe but know in part none can plead an unerring spirit none are infallible I have shewed you that Synods and Councels may erre What David confessed he spake in haste we may speak upon best deliberation so farre as men All men are liars As the learnedst men have darknesse in their understanding so they have corruption in their hearts there is self and pride and corrupt aims and ends which may creep into the hearts of the best And how farre God may suffer men to be byassed by these things it is not for man to determine how farre corrupt aims and ends may winde themselves into the heart and bribe a mans understanding or blinde his sight it is not for man to judge they who are most acquainted with their hearts doe finde cause enough to be jealous and suspect them yea and upon known experience And therefore though the multitude of godly and learned men concurring in an opinion to be a truth though it may be a probablâ— signe yet can be no infallible evidence that what they hold forth is a truth I say it is no concluding evidence There may be cases wherein one man may be in the truth and yet many godly and learned men may be in an errour * Vnâ—â— Puphnutius toâ—um Concilium Nicaâ—â—um direxit Niceph. l. 8 c. 19. Eliâ—s nuâ—s erat sed totus mundus non erat dignus qui rependeretur ipsi Chr. One Paphnutius was in the truth when the whole Councel of Nice were in an errour they were learned men and it appears they were godly by their humble submitting of themselves to better reason though but one man brought it they were not so partiall as to adhere to their own votes nor were they so proud as not to recede from their opinions and be concquered by truth nor did they stand upon their number when they saw truth against them One naked truth should conquer them and make them throw down their weapons and one man having truth with him should be too big for that great Assembly they did not plead their number their votes and the multitude which adhered to them but as men that came to search out truth not victory they yeelded up themselves to the power and conquest of it A mighty argument of their humility and sincerity Indeed we are not to measure truth by the number of votes but by the authorities of Scripture a Nos numero sen â—enitam noÌ„ metimur Verâ—tas numero non astimatur vel unuâ— qui veritatem habet sufficienter munitur adversus totum mundum Mat. D. White de eccl l. 30 p. 127. Whit. cont 2. q. 5. c. 5. We doe not judge of truth by the number of men though a man be alone yet if he have the truth with him he is sufficiently armed against the whole world One Micheas having the truth with him was too hard for the 400. Prophets who were in an errour 1 King 22.15 Indeed it is not impossible that one man should be in the truth and many in an errour nor is it absurd to prefer the judgment of one man in the truth before many in an errour It was well spoken of Augustine a Si justus es noli numerare sed appende stateram afferaequaÌ„ non dolesaÌ„ Aug. in Ps 39. If thou would passe right judgment of an opinioÌ„ do not number but weigh weigh not in the false
balance of the multitude but in the balance of truth the Word of God This is certain b Veritas neque à nultis neque à paucis pendet Park l. 2. p. 253. Truth doth neither depend on many nor few And therefore we are not to goe by number of votes and voices in finding out of truth but by the authorities of Scripture we are not here to goe by the pol but by the line the Word of God To the Law and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this the light is not in them most voices are not here to carry it but enquire What saith the answer of God You know if the diall be not set by the Sunne you care not what it saith So if men be not guided by the Word it 's no matter what they say though they be myriads of men that speak it Indeed we may give too little and too much to multitude 1. We give too little when the concurrent opinions and deliberate thoughts of a number of godly learned and holy men is of no weight with us when we will reject their results ignorantly wilfully without an impartiall debate and examination of them an honour that you give to the opinions I may say the errours of men of no name Certainly as you are not to submit to the judgement of any Assembly or company of the learnedst and holiest men with a blinde obedience So neither are you to reject their results and determinations with a perverse will you are to try them and be so farre from unprejudiced thoughts that you are charitably to judge that probably so many holy and learned men are not in an errour probably they are in the truth and if you thinke otherwise before triall and debate you give too little to them and it is your sin 2. We give too much to multitude and number 1. Either when we judge of an opinion to be truth because the promiscuous multitude doth adhere to it 2. Or when we blindly subscribe to an opinion for truth because many learned and holy men are the Patrons and maintainers of it 1. When we judge of an opinion to be truth because the promiscuous multitude abundance in the Church adhere to it And this is indeed the great errour men are carried away with the crowd they are not able to stand against the stream they are carried down with the multitude and the number of them in the way is the great argument that concludes them in it also Christ tells us here in the text That many shall come in his Name and say they are Christ and shall deceive many Here you are told there may be a multitude of seducers and a multitude of seduced they shall deceive many And it is the worst of arguments to prove truth by multitude It is a passage of Chrysostom * In theatris multitudo quaeratur Multitudo nota ecclesiae ac proindè veritatis noÌ„ est quia ecclesia saepe in paucis confistit deinde quia multitudo malorum impiorum major est post reâ—â—ò faâ—sa Religio majora occupavit spatia quaÌ„ vera Chry. ad pop Antioch â—om 26. The multitude can be no true Character of the truth and he gives three reasons 1. Because the Church of God doth consist in a few 2. Because the number of wicked men are the greatest 3. Because errour hath gotten more ground then truth the possessions and territories of errour doe farre exceed the bounds of truth you know there are more tares then wheat in Gods field more Goats then sheep in his fold more chaff then corn in his floor more bad fishes then good in his net if Atheisticall prophane men unbelievers proud ambitious men coverous and worldly persons hypocrites and formall professours were singled out the residue would be but few you would see ground why Christ calls his flock a little flock a small remnant and to take up the complaint of the Prophet that the number was but as the gleanings of grapes after the vintage is over but as the shaking of an Olive-tree after the fruit is gathered even one of a City two of a Tribe and to say with Christ Broad is the gate that leads to death and many there be that enter thereat but narrow and strait is the gate which leads to life and few there be which enter therein So that you see if we take up judgement of truth by the number of men in the Church that adhere to it we may be mistaken we are commanded not to follow a multitude to evil * Quae nam precor utilitas est multuÌ„ esse foenum quaÌ„ paucos lapides praeciosos non in numeri multitudine sed in virtutis probitate multitude consistit There is much drosse little gold much hay and stubble and little precious stones If there be any validity in this argument of number it is not in the weight but in the worth a Non in quantitate molis sed in qualitate virtutis Non salvat Christianum quod pontifex dicit praeceptum suum esse justum sed oâ—o tet illud examinare atque se iuxta regulaÌ„ superius dataÌ„ dirigere Ger. Laicus temerè doctoribus ecclesia credere non debeat sed coriaÌ„ doctrinas examinare praesertiuâ— cum populi aures sacerdotum cordibus sape sanctiores sim Hieronâ— Epist. not in the bulk or quantity but in the worth and quality of the persons that are the maintainers of it And yet therein we may erre also which is the second way whereby we give too much to multitude When we blindely subscribe to an opinion for truth because many learned and holy men are the Patrons and maintainers of it I have clear'd this to you at large that it is the duty of every Christian to examine not only the private opinions of private men but the sentences definitions debates of Synods and Councels and to embrace or reject them as they shall appear consonant and dissonant to the rule of truth the Word of God And the Scriptures are plain for it we are commanded to try all things 1 Thess 5.21 And not to believe every spirit 1 Joh. 4.1 and to search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 Isa 8.20 And the Bereans were commended for the same notwithstanding the doctrine they examined was the doctrine of the Apostles Act. 17.11 And it will not be sufficient for you to say you followed the doctrines of your leaders Christ tells you If the blinde lead the blinde both shall fall into the ditch And therefore we shall give too much to a number of holy and learned men to drinke in and receive what ever they doe propound to subscribe our judgement to their positions without further debate and examination of them though the things be truths yet we erre in our way of closing with them we give blinde obedience and implicit faith to them we make men the masters of our faith which wrongs God and injureth