〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so for the filioque added to the Nicene Creed Truth must not be lost by things that come near it if any Doctrine come not up to the Scriptures it must be rejected If it go beyond them it is straw and stubble on the foundation If it fall short it is errour also Remember that corrupt opinions like Changelings are many times laid in the place of the right Child which is Truth O foolish Galatians saith the Apostle who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth a Metaphor taken from those that use Witchery and present false shapes to the eyes as the Witch of Eudor did the likeness of Samuel to Saul but remember this is a Wile of Satan who himself abode not in the truth Joh. 8. 44. Labour to have the Signature of all Divine Truths imprinted on your minds Veritas animae pabulum as Lactantius cals it Truth is the food of the soul It is Sponsa humani intellectus ex eâ generat sobolem as Parisiensis the Spouse of the Understanding by which it hath issue It is a part of that Armour the Apostle calls Armour of light Converse then much with God the Father of Lights James 1. 17. with the Word which is a Book of light with the Saints the Children of light if you would escape this Wile SECT X. THe tenth Subtilty of Satan when these things will not do then under pretence of setting up the Spirit and Revelations he labours to cry down the Word of God and all the ordinary Ministerial Officers Christ hath appointed in his Church and all Doctrines and Explications of Scripture are cashiered and rejected These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our first worthy reformers found a bitter conflict herein For they no sooner had prevailed to restore the Gospel and expel the darkness of Popery in Germany and other parts but straitway Satan sows his Tares they called those that adhered to the Scriptures Vocalistae Literalistae Vocalists Literalists and hereby they made the work of Reformation odious as Eli his Sons made the Sacrifices of the Lord to be abhorred And as in Superstitious times he kept down the truth by Superstition and pompous Ceremonies so in times of Reformation by pretended Revelations and Teachings above the Word And this the Apostle doth much aim at when he saith 2 Cor. 11. 14. That Satan transforms himself into an Angel of light This delusion I speak the rather of because that in these times wherein Reformation hath been much pretended the World by pretences of Revelations and impulses of the Spirit hath cast off the Word This Art he improves two waies First Some are meer pretences when wicked and wretched miscreants do on purpose and knowingly use this way as a pretence to colour all their wickedness Thus Mahomet to colour his wickedness in the seducing the people pretended the fits of the Falling sickness he was troubled with to be certain Ecstacies and Ravishments at the appearance of the Angel Gabriel and the Dove picking the Corn out of his Ear to be the appearance of the Holy Ghost And thus often times those who use such cursed pretences come to be admired and esteemed who else would have been accounted as nought As Augustine speaks of two Donatists Primianus and Maximianus that if they had not taken that way Primianus might have been Postremianus and Maximianus might have been Minimiamus Secondly He improves this subtilty by deluding the fancies of men with a concurrence of pride and self-admiration so as to entertain thoughts that none know so much of God nor have such secret Communion with him as they and that thereby they have sundry particulars above all the world revealed to them Thus some have magnified themselves in particulars that have been revealed to them that have come to pass Acosta the Jesuite tells us of one that was a very great Schollar that through delusions and fancies fell into such a conceit as he believed he had holiness given unto him above Angels and that he was the Saviour of the world in regard of efficacy and Christ in regard of sufficiency that he had the Hypostatical Union offered to him and that he did refuse it Thus Satan puffs men up with pride that he may make them instruments of confusion and ruine to the Church Therefore as an Antidote against this keep to the Word 2 Pet. 1. 19. You have a more sure word of Prophecy Notwithstanding all Satans Stratagems to adulterate it by Hereticks to destroy it by Tyrants to debase it by prophane scoffing at it yet hold to the Word ad Legem testimonium if they speak not according to them it is because there is no light in them SECT XI THe eleventh Wile by which Satan winneth and allureth many to the hazard and peril of their Eternal welfare is by the working many lying Signs and Wonders and Miracles That look as God for the advantage of his Gospel did at the first publishing it confirm it with many Miracles and Wonders Heb. 2. 4. So Satan for the facilitating a belief the better to his lyes and falshood doth put forth much of his power in the working of lying signs and miracles This the Scripture often expresses as a policy above all he almost useth Mat. 24. 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shew many signs and wonders Rev. 13. 13. 2 Thes 2. 9. Where the coming of that man of sin is described to be after the working of Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all power and signs and lying wonders Which words do imply as I conceive both the manner means of Antichrists working 1. The manner of Antichrists working is after the way and manner of Satans working that is it holds proportion unto that way that he useth to take 2. It is by the means of Satan he as a fast friend of Antichrist puts out his power in his behalf for the working many lying signs and wonders which are called lying signs and wonders in two respects 1. In regard of their formality they want that which should constitute a true miracle For a Miracle truly called is the doing some work extraordinary that runs into the senses exceeding the power of any Creature as to make the Sun stand still in the Heavens by a word c. Now all Satans workings are but sometimes a deceiving of the sense as Pharaohs Magicians sometimes a deluding of the fancy sometimes there is an exposing of secret things of nature to the sense of the Ignorant who not knowing the depths of nature think it a wonder sometimes by applying of Actives to Passives all which fall short of Miracles 2. They are called lying in regard of the end of them they tend to draw from the truth and therefore are not to be credited Gal. 1. 8. SECT XII THe twelfth subtilty of Satan is to assault and afflict Christians with such temptations as to their knowledge and experience are unheard
truth Eph. 6. 14. Truth in its Latitude is by some understood in this place but I shall propose it in a double consideration First Doctrinal and so truth implies a conformity in our understandings to the will and mind of God Truth in the general is nothing but the conformity of one thing to another whereof one is the Sampler the other the Exemplification The Sampler or Pattern is God and the mind of God in his Word and unto that ought every one to have their judgement and understanding so conformed as to have it agreeing with it and not to admit of other impressions that are different from the Word of God Thus in Scripture we are warned not to be tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine Eph. 4. 14. To hold fast the pattern of wholsome words 2 Tim. 1. 12. Secondly Truth may be morally considered as it is opposed to hypocrisie and so it is the correspondency of our outward actions to our inward affections for as our inward affections must have their stamp from God so must they endeavour to print their true stamp upon our actions as the seed that is sown in the ground beareth the like seed above ground and the fruit is not unlike the tree no more should we in our moralities sustain one person in our bosome another in our countenance This Aquinas calls simplicity Subjicit virtuti veritatis simplicitatem à quâ tantum ratione distinguitur docetque illam nominari simplicitatem ex eo quid non tendat in diversum as Cressolius observes saith he he refers simplicity to the topick of truth from which it is only rationally distinguished and informs us that it is called simplicity because it doth not tend to divers things as inwardly to intend one thing when outwardly it pretends another This the Scripture holds forth Josh 24. 14. Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in truth Psal 51. 6. Thou lovest truth in the inward man Now both these branches as they are included in this girdle of truth so they are both necessary to withstand the Wiles of the Tempter Get your judgements setled in the knowledge of the truth so as not to be removed from it as the Galatians were Gal. 1. 6. for it is the method of Satan to hold forth false Doctrines in the similitude of divine truths by which he deceives the eyes of their judgements who are unstable in the waies of God And here he begins in the judgment that is first corrupted and then derives its contagion to other faculties as the bloud-shed eye is first vitiated and then represents all objects of its own colour be sure therefore to keep sound your judgment Oh into what an Abyss of errour will corrupt principles in the understanding lead men into But then labour also for sincerity and uprightness of heart which alone works constancy and perseverance Let there be no hypocrisie in your profession of Religion Labour to be Nathanaels and Jacobs Get this in opposition to double mindedness diversity of interests will make the mind unstable in all its actions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A double-minded man saith the Apostle James is unstable in all his waies like a Wave of the Sea tossed to and fro But when the heart is sincere and single in the waies of God when a man doth with a single eye look at God and his glory he is greatly secured against Satan Satan cannot do with him as he doth with another man This girdle of truth is his ornament and his strength SECT IX NInthly I will lay down one general Rule or Antidote drawn from War those that write about Rules and matters of War give this as general counsel as it is laid down by Vegetius de re mil. Lib. 3. c. 26. Quicquid tibi prodest adversario nocet quicquid illum juvat tibi semper officit Whatsoever is profitable to the Enemy is hurtful to you and whatsoever is profitable to you that is hurtful to your Enemy For his gain is our loss his rise our fall his honour our shame his help our hinderance Therefore study with your selves what that is may advantage Satan in any kind and be sure that is hurtful for you And if there be any thing profitable to you that is hurtful to Satan As Prayer Heavenly Meditation Converse with Promises Society with the Saints all these and many other of the like must needs be good for us because they are detrimental to Satan SECT X. TEnthly and lastly As a powerful Antidote against Satans temptations have an eye often to Scripture encouragements The War into which a Christian is entred who wrastles with the Prince and powers of darkness is a fierce war but yet you are not without encouragements in this War If your enemy be great God hath furnished you with good Armour Put on then the whole Armour of God Eph. 6. 13. it is called Gods Armour because it is made by God The Hebrew uses to put the name of God to things to note the excellency of them No Weapons will serve to fight against the devil but Gods nothing will make you shot-free but the Armour of God Now as your encouragement is in having this Armour so your safety lies in putting on the whole Armour it hath all the same Maker it is all the same Mettal not like Nâ—buchadnezzars Image the head Gold the breast Silver all is alike precious and all alike useful Now therefore put on your Armour If your Enemy be subtil you have an expert Captain If the brunt and conflict be hard look often to the Crown that is promised Jam. 1. 12. Will not a Crown make a full recompence Si victoriosi fuerimus hic illic erimus gloriosi as Bernard saith If here we are victorious there we shall be glorious having instead of a Helmet a Diadem for a Sword a Palm for a Shield Chlamidem deauratam a Cloak or Mantle wrought with Gold for the Breast-plate the Robe of delight And is it not in the mean time better Premi quam perimi to be kept low than utterly ruined Is it not better to bear the weight of our Armour than feel the fiery darts of the malignant one If you dread because Satan is a fiery Serpent Remember Jesus Christ is that Brazen Serpent who can heal all his stings If you are afraid of his roaring because he is a Lion 1 Pet. 5. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a devouring Lion and a roaring Lion Remember Jesus Christ is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah he is a Lion for valour as the other is for cruelty You have then three great encouragements your Captain is stronger your Armour better and your Reward excellent and glorious And therefore when you think the pressure is hard and the fight bloudy remember these are the things which use to encourage other Souldiers and should much more encourage Christian Souldiers And now do not lay up these Antidotes in a paper as you use to do Antidotes that are prescribed by a Physician that you will use when you please but use these continually have them about you in a readiness Satan is alwaies tempting he hath alwaies fiery darts about him though he doth not throw them He is alwaies biting at the heel therefore be you alwaies ready to make resistance And do not think these things are useful in times of great trial but not now This is a Wile of Satan to keep you from profiting and therefore look on what hath been said as a Call from heaven to awaken you to diligence in your Christian Warfare and to resist him who hath many devices to destroy you and who abounds in all subtilty and industry to bring his devices to pass FINIS
us in this kind he may come again to morrow and do it because we cannot discern between his suggestions and our own thoughts Yet we may suspect them when we find that they are 1. Against nature such where the very shadow of a thought peeping out strikes the flesh into a trembling 2. When sudden and violent like lightning 3. When without reasonings being accompanied with importunity But the best remedy against this Wile is not to be curious in the search to distinguish between his suggestions and our concupiscence but to be careful not to consent and to remember Omnis mali cogitatio est antiqui serpentis caput as Parisiensis out of Jerom speaks that evil thoughts are the head of the old Serpent SECT IX THe ninth Wile which is a very great subtilty and device of Satan is in his delusions about Doctrine in seducing and drawing men a side into errour by plausible Opinions and Doctrines that seem to come near the Scripture in shew and being like unto it as Alchymy is like Gold Such are as Epiphanius saith of the Cantharides Auricolores but they spit poyson venenum ejaculantur A pregnant instance of this we have 2 Thes 2. 1 2. and 1 Pet. 4. 7. Some false Teachers for Satan hath his Apostles and Ministers as well as Christ came with the plausible Doctrine of Mortification For what could tend more to Mortification than the thoughts of the nearness of the Day of Judgment and to strengthen this opinion they pretend they came to the knowledge of this truth partly by Revelation from the Spirit partly by computing the Years and partly by something the Apostles had written Now what was there in this opinion that was hurtful Two things may be said for it 1. That it is an opinion that comes very near the Scripture doth not Peter say almost the same thing Be sober and watch the end of all things is at hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay doth not Paul say the very self-samething 1 Cor. 10. 11. The ends of the World are come 2. It tends much to Mortification and the practice of holiness Do you think men would not live holily if they did apprehend the Day of Judgment near that it would be shortly Would not this keep down abundance of corruption How doth Jerom profess himself overawed with this that he thought he heard the sound of the last Trumpet whatsoever he was a doing But to discover this Wile let me again tell you two things 1. Wherein it differs from the Scripture 2. To shew the danger of it First It differs from Scripture thus the word Peter uses is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appropinquat approaches and so Paul saith the ends of the world are coming But the word Paul expresses their opinion by is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instat it shall be upon them living hoc anno as Grotius saith this year and so the word is in other places used for things present 1 Cor. 3. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all are yours things present Rom. 8. 38. Now they said the day of the Lord is upon us it is a word as Grotius saith noting proximity nearness So that their drift was to bring the day of the Lord within such a small space as within a year or few months Secondly Wherein lay the danger of it what got Satan by it To shew the hurt of this opinion he might aime at three things by it 1. It might occasion liberty in sin some might reason as they 1 Cor. 15. 13. Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye The rage of wicked and ungodly men might put them into excess of riot Rev. 12. 12. Satan himself hath great rage knowing his time is but short and so wicked men when they know their time is but short that they have but a little space to take their fill of sin in they might be brought to a greater animosity against what was good and to a greater excess in all that was evil 2. It might work a great deal of consternation and dejection in weak Christians whom the very thoughts of so great and sad a day approaching might either with trembling or fear or many jealousies overwhelm 3. The main end was this to weaken the authority of Scripture admit but a lye in Scripture and all its Authority will fall to the ground Let it be once entertained or taught by Scripture or divine Revelation that Christ shall come at such a time and this time not answering now faith comes to be weakened as the delay of Christs coming bred scoffing in some 2 Pet. 3. 4. and made others say there is no Resurrection or that it is past already And thus Augustine in his 80 Ep. writing to Hesichius that was troubled in this kind and apt to think the day of judgment might be such a time thus advises him to beware how he leaned to such opinions reproaches and insultations of enemies Multos infirmos a Christianâ fide avertentium dicendo tam fallacitèr regnum esse promissum quam fallacitèr dicebatur cito esse venturum That many weak ones would be drawn by them from the Christian Faith and they would say there was no more certainty in the thing it self than in the Prediction that it should be so suddenly And he adds Qui dicit dominum citius esse venturum optabilius loquitur sed periculosius fallitur The Doctrine of Christs speedy coming is more desirable but the mistake is more dangerous So that the danger is in this a man may call in question many other truths as well as them which before he thought he did believe Therefore let me speak to you that are Christians do not think those Doctrines that seem to come near and be like the Scripture may presently be entertained or hearkened to but be sure that they come up to the Scripture and be adaequate to the Rule if not they are in no wise to be hearkened unto O that we had in this kind the Zeal and Affection of our Fore-fathers who did contend for the truth that they would not lose an Iota one tittle of it The Council of Nice would not gratifie Arrius in a Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he would grant Christ was of a like not of the same substance By the sound he seemed to come near the truth But as two men upon the top of two Mountains seem so near they can shake hands but must go a great way before they meet So it is here they seem near the truth in words but were a great way off it And so the Nestorians in acknowledging the Virgin Mary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a letter only changed but made a wide difference and so the Latine and Greek Church in the procession of the Holy Ghost differed in a Preposition The Greek would grant the Holy Ghost to proceed by the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉