and despise them 2 The remembrance must be ingenuous and not preiudiciall though we must sticke to yet not in the truths received our former remembrance must not contract a present or future neglect of any other truths which God shall reveale unto us as when many remember the Sermons of dead men and slight the discoveries of the living 3 There is a threefold remembrance of former truths One is notionall Simile which is like the often looking into a glasse or when a person beholds truths as hee doth pictures gaze on them and that is all Another is verball when a person renues his acquaintance and complements with truth onely his memory onely loades his tongue like a naked Astronomer who knowes heaven and can onely talke of it A third is practicall when the remembrance is like a cloud descending on the plants Simile or like a fire felt as well as seene this kinde of remembrance hath three degrees in it for it is partly Directive when truths remembred are made a compasse for us to sayle by or copies for us to write after still teaching and guiding us how to draw the lines and letters of our conversation Affective when truths remembred are like the conference of Christ rising from the dead burning and inflaming of our hearts with most affectionate love unto them Effective when truths remembred are truths obeyed we often consider former doctrines and still better our present conversations After this practicall forme are wee to remember received truths 4 There is 1 A materiall remembrance which is partly of the things themselves partly of the revelation of them partly of the manner and meanes of revealing them 2 Formall remembrance of For the manner five waies truths received which is rather of the manner how wee our selves did receive them we are often to thinke on truths received not onely as they stand in proposition or revelation but also how they stood with us when wee did receive them for energy or operation and thus I conjecture we are to remember truths received 1 With what estimations and admirations wee did receive them Simile like those people who have the Sunne but halfe the yeere they run after it and are ready to adore it in its approch so when we did receive holy truths at the first we received them as the very oracles of God not as the words of man but as they are indeed the words of God 2 With what subjection of spirit we did receive them wee did not onely admire their excellency but felt their efficacie the word came not in word onely but in power and authority over our very consciences and this power was a full power and an easie power the truths which wee received did command and awe and order our whole man and wee too were most willing to resigne up our selves to the obedience of the Gospell in all things and to be cast into that mould of heavenly doctrine 3 With what affections wee did receive them O then those conflictings of spirit Heb. 10. 32 Heb. 10. 32. those bathes of griefe and heavenly compunction with them Acts 2. 37. those flames Acts 2. 37. of love with those Christians Acts 4. 32. those raptures of joy Acts 4. 32. Acts 16. with Lydia Acts 16. yea those extensions of zeale with the Galathians to Saint Paul Gal. 4. Gal. 4. the word had a surpassing influence upon all our affections to melt and convert to raise and dispose of them 4 With what resolute loyalty so that we did hate and defie all contrary errors and waies and so were our hearts sworne to divine truths and as it were espoused to them that wee once resolved to live and dye in those truths and for those truths wee could not endure any mixture with them nor heare of any divorce from them 5 With what reverence wee did embrace the Ambassadors of heavenly truths they were as the Angels of God to us we were like almost with Cornelius to adore the Peters and Pauls I meane the ministers of God revealing his truths unto us the feet of them who brought unto us the glad tidings of our salvation were beautifull and most acceptable unto us Now here are two questions briefly to be resolved Quest What truths heard and received we are often to consider and remember Sol. To this I answer 1 There must be an endeavour to remember all the truths as Christ said of the fragments gather them up and let none be lost so it must bee said of holy truths on which the soule hath formerly fed gather them up all let none be lost Simile You see that the Goldsmith doth not onely looke after the massie piece of gold but he carefully lookes after every ray and dust of gold and preserves it Every truth of God is precious it is more precious then gold it is excellent and as it is excellent in it selfe so it may be usefull to us Simile there is not a star in heaven but is of some good to the lower world so there is not one truth of God but may be of some good use to a Christian But if either for the multitude of truths or the sublimity of truths or for the obscure manner of discovering these truths or for the impotency and irretentivenesse of an unholding and unclasping memory or for the space of time since truths were delivered and received it so fals out that all heard and once received truths will not stand upon record into which they have beene entred but are in many places defaced and cancelled 2 There must at least bee a faithfull remembrance of the most necessary and chiefe truths namely of those which more immediately and intimately and unauoydably concern our salvation of the which for methods sake I conjecture there may be three heads viz. 1 That vitall truth concerning Christ and faith in him this is the great fundamentall truth Note 2 That vivificall truth concerning repentance in the conversion of the heart from dead workes 3 That practicall truth concerning obedience in ordering the life and course of a converted person As the moralists say of Fame or of a mans good name Omnia si perdas famam servare memento Qua semel amissâ postea nullus eris i whatsoever commodity you lose be sure yet to preserve that iewell of a good name That is so choyce a iewell that whatsoever a man loseth hee must yet take heed and care of that The same may bee said of these forenamed truths though through some defect or frailty or malignity any other historicall or problematicall truths may slip from us yet these must be written in our hearts with the point of a Diamond and as in marble the characters of them are to bee kept fresh and alive and are never to be blotted out Object And why this faithfull and frequent remembrance or renewed consideration of truths heard and received Sol. Reasons thereof many 1 Though sometimes an assent may be
covenant and vow what was our baptisme but a devoting and solemne vowing of our selves to be faithfull to Christ and to his truths wee solemnly professed that none should be our Lord but God and that we should be his faithfull servants unto our lives end yea and wee have ratified this vow many a time by comming to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Now if we doe not hold fast the truths of Christ but forsake them or any of them wee are guilty of extreame perjury not in a matter betwixt man and man but betwixt God and man thou art forsworne again and againe unto the Lord thy God and hast as much as in thee lies made voyd the covenant of grace and life for thy poore soule 4 Consider but the necessary uses of divine truths and then we will acknowledge that they are to be held fast The use of the word or divine truths respects the everlasting and happy condition of the soule from the beginning to the end thereof Everlasting and true happinesse is the end and scope that every Christian lookes at and divine truths serve him fully and effectually to this end both to discover it and to bring man unto it There are many things required to set us in the true way to bring a man to heaven v. g. 1 Conviction of his sinfull condition but the word inlightens the minde and convinceth the conscience 2 Contrition for sinne but the word pricks our hearts as Acts 2. and humbles them 3 Conversion of soule but the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule Psal 19. 7. by it comes faith into the soule Psal 19. 7. which gets Christ Rom. 10. 17. Rom. 10. 17. by it comes repentance Acts 3. 19. 4 Augmentation of grace but by the word wee are built up Acts 20. 32. and grow more and more 5 Perseverance in grace but by the word wee are kept and established to the end it is the power of God unto salvation Rom. 1. 16. Rom. 1. 16. What should I say more reade the Apostle summing up all in 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is giuen 2 Tim. 3. 16. by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse 17 That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good workes 15 Yea they are able to make us wise unto saluation through faith â—hich is in Christ Iesus Againe there are many incouragements comforting and supporting in our way as divine consolations of the spirit of God peace in conscience joy in the holy Ghost all which are the myrrhe dropping onely from divine truths thy word hath comforted me said Dauid thy word hath quickned mee in the house of my pilgrimage they were the joyes of his heart and in the daies of his calamity they were the stay of his heart Now put all together if divine truths shew us the true happinesse if they onely put us into the true way unto that true happinesse if they onely keepe us in that way if they onely comfort and strengthen us in that way if they onely bring us to the end of our faith even the salvation of our soules will we not ought wee not to hold them fast Vse The first use of this point shall be to convince and reprove the wonderfull inconstancy of the sonnes of men that slipperinesse and unsetlednesse of spirit which is to be found amongst them Consider divine truths as they lye 1 In doctrine we may now complaine as the Apostle did of the Galathians chap. 1. verse 6. Gal. 1. 6. I maruell that ye are so soone remoued from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospell Some revolt from the Protestant doctrine to the Popish leven others fall off from the orthodoxe articles of our Church to Anabaptisticall fancies and Socinian Blasphemies and the Lord be mercifull unto us what daily unsetlednesse and giddinesse possesseth us if any novelty of doctrine though a root of bitternesse start up and be delivered with any confidence or cunning of deceiving wit how instantly we flye off from our old truths how greedily and madly wee sucke in poysonous errours and being thus driven with every winde what tempests of railing and disgraces doe wee heape upon those who crosse our ficklenesse with constant vindications and assertings of the true doctrines of faith and life It makes mee to pitty this great and famous City whiles I behold a colluvies a very rabble of all opinions and such a going and comming touchings at and saylings off from the land of uprightnesse One weeke this is a truth and almost an article the next weeke it is no such matter but some other thing is the right Simile Thus wee play many times with great truths as children doe with their Babies one while embrace them anone breake them and throw them into the dirt But are there so many waies to heaven as men will make or hast thou power to coine other articles of faith at pleasure or will the Lord beare all this resting and mocking with his truths Two things makes mee feare the Lord will punish us in the Gospell one is our generall barrennesse in life another is our great sicklenesse in matter of truths 2 In conversation many times we hold the truth in unrighteousnesse wee doe not prize the truth and love it nor live according to it with constancy but as the Prophet cryed out how is the beautifull City become an heape so may wee say of many how is their righteous walkings degenerated into an ungodly living their wine is sowred and lamp put out But I will tell you the reasons and causes of all this inconstancy The causes of constancy and apostacy v. g. 1 Men are very ignorant and therefore very inconstant ignorance is the great spunge to sucke in errours as pride is the great Bawd to vent them Chaffe may be tossed any way that which is weak is also light 2 Though their apprehensions be large yet their affections are foule they know truth but love sinne which is contrary to truth Simile now a foule stomacke ever makes an ill head and a secret love of sinne works out the strength of truth in the minde men doe the more easily grow erroneous who first grow irreligious 3 There is an itch of pride Evah and Adam would know more then was fit and therefore lost all that was good you never reade of a proud person but either his life was notoriously tainted or his judgement notably corrupted the greatest errours have fallen from those that have beene most proud and have beene tooke up by those that have beene most ignorant 4 And then also many have Athenian wits they long for novelties though the old wine be best yet their palate must be in the fashion for new there is a sore vanity in a naturall minde that it cannot long fixe on any estate or on any truth 5 A colloging
every sinne Therefore take heed of all sinning especially of those against knowledge and conscience these are peccata vulnerantia divastantia wounding and wasting sinnes The tender heart and the upright these are the living and the lively hearts 7 I might adde that we must apply our selves to a living Christ and to living ordinances c. but these alledged rules shall suffice for this time Object But suppose wee are in a dying condition what meanes now Sol. 1 Finde out the speciall diseases or causes of thy decaying in what grace most and by what meanes and waies and acts 2 Be lowly humbled that thou hast so humbled and abased thy glory Thou shouldest grieve exceedingly that by thy great decayings God hath been so much dishonoured his spirit grieved religion shamed conscience wounded and grace impaired 3 Then use the meanes prescribed here in the Text strengthen the things which remaine that are ready to dye whence wee come to the next proposition viz. Doct. That spirituals if languishing and dying are to be strengthened For the understanding of this assertion premise with mee a few particulars 1 That there is a difference betwixt the Implantation Perfecting Strengthening of holy principles The Implantation of them is nothing but their free and effectuall communication unto a person from Gods holy spirit his hand alone sets all these heavenly plants and from his sole goodnesse and power are all those starres those shining and beautifull stars created in our soules Perfecting of holy principles is nothing but a successive addition unto grace received a rising or sprouting of those plants a going on from a weaker to a stronger degree The strengthening of them differs from both for it is not a new creation of holy principles but a restauration of them and so it differs from grace implanted and though it be an addition to grace received yet this addition is not to grace as meerely weake but properly to grace as weakened and so it differs from the perfecting of holy principles 2 The strengthening of decaying principles or habits of grace it is a spirituall and proportionable reparation of them unto their former liberty and ability and efficacie It is not a meere sustaining of them in genere gratiarum or in esse vitali that they shall not quite extinguish Simile as when a house is onely so kept that it fals not to the ground this is not sufficient to sustaining for graces may be strengthened as radicall habits when yet they may be pining in their vigour and remitted in their measure and graduals But strengthening of grace imports addition as well as sustentation Simile like recovery which is health in some measure comming and rising againe Nor is all regaining sufficient unlesse it be proportionable to the estate of grace when it began to decay sink when the decayed Christian recovers againe unto that ancient pitch of heavenly power and inclination and unto his old liberty of holy acts whether inward in the minde will and affection or outward in his open and visible duties now hath he rightly strengthened himselfe It is true that before he fully recovers that equall pitch hee may be said to strengthen his graces by way of disposition but punctually by way of habit the strengthening implyes a new equality as it were to the latitude of his former condition 3 There is a threefold strengthening of decaying principles A threefold strength of holinesse 1 One is by way of authority and plaine causality this strengthening is the worke of the spirit of Christ Iesus for as he onely is life to a dead man so he onely is medicine to a sicke soule his bloud is the onely comforting medicine to a troubled conscience and his spirit is the onely strengthening medicine to a decayed Christian It is he who must set us upon our legs againe and who must make our withered branches to flourish againe Now Christ Iesus doth Christ strengthens three waies strengthen the languished Christian as I suppose three waies 1 Excitando by awakening him out of his drowsie and deadly sleepe like those to Ionah what meanest thou O sleeper arise so doth Iesus Christ awaken the decaying Christian partly per sermonem sonantem by the powerfull knocking 's of the word which will not let him rest thus but charge on him all the wrath of God and the withdrawments of his love if hee will continue thus Partly per sermonem tonantem by some singular afflictions and neere corrections scourging of him in some singular outward mercies that hee may see his spirituall losses in temporary ones Partly per sermonem pulsantem by his owne spirit clearing the eyes of his understanding to open and reflect and consider on the decayed condition as also by exciting the conscience bitterly to accuse and judge him for this reciduation and witherings with much torment feare and shame 2 Adjuvando by conferring Alvarez de aux Gr. disp 88. p. 698. on him actuall and efficacious strength specialem concursumro bur actuale whereby his will resolves to forsake those courses of death and to turne backe againe into the pathes of lite and is also inabled by that helping grace both to bewaile its former decayings and also earnestly and constantly to supplicate the throne of grace and mercy for pardon and for strength to recover 3 Renovando by a daily infusing in the use of meanes such new measures and degrees of holinesse untill the decayed Christian recovers his former ability and vigour shaking off his corruptions and attaining unto that strength of holy understanding faith will love desire feare care obedience as heretofore 2 Another is by way of ministery and office this concerns the Pastors of flockes who should consider the estate of their sheepe and if they finde any to wander to reduce them into the way of truth if any to be weake to beare them up in their armes with comfort if any to be pining and decaying to stirre them up by holy reproofes and pious counsels and directions for all the waies of a speedy and safe recovery and many interpreters thinke this the principall strengthening meant and intended in this place 3 A third by way of personal duty and so the decaying Christian strengthens himself when being awakened and excited and assisted by the Spirit of Christ he applies himselfe unto and continueth in the use of all holy and raising meanes whether private or publicke or both untill God againe strengthens what he hath wrought in him This strengthening is partly Privative in the expulsion of those diseases and occasions which have impaired the spirituall condition Positive in a continuall succouring of the spirituall condition till it recovers to its ancient degree and station Quest But why must the spirituall condition be thus strengthened Reasons hereof are many Sol. 1 Spirituall decaies are exceeding losses therefore to be repaired and strengthened they are a losse In that which is our excellency holinesse is the glory of a
in the judgement we must not admit of a staggering and reeling minde nor of a levity in our judgements to be driven and carried about with every winde of doctrine as the Apostle speakes Ephes 4. 14. Eph. 4. 14. Athanasius knew this well when he held his iudgement fast in the truth of the deity of Christ against the Arians so Saint Austin his iudgement fast in the doctrine of grace against the Pelagians and Cyprian against the Donatists or Novatians or Catharists It is an honour for a man to recant an errour but a perfidious shame for any Christian to suffer any truth to be supplanted by any errour 2 In the will and affection our love must hold the truth fast therefore the Apostle bids us to be glued unto it Rom. 12. 9. it is with truths Simile as with some plants which live and thrive not but in warme climates That ancient desire after truth and delight in it to take counsell from it and strength from it and comfort by it must not decay and dye within us but must remaine and abound though others hate disgrace and endeavour to make voyd the truth yet wee must cleave unto it and love it as David Psal 119. 3 In our profession hence that advice of the Apostle in Phil. 2. 16 to hold forth the word of life even in the midst of a darke and froward generation Christ would have us not onely to beleeve but to confesse him before men Remember that it was no small sinne in Peter when he pretended that he knew not the man Gregory Nazianzen reports in one of his orations against Iulian that some Christian souldiers being cunningly circumvented by him to idolatrous sacrifices perceiving the errour they all ran backe unto him and threw him his money againe and protested they were Christians and in what they did they were circumvented by him Heb. 10. Heb. 10. 23. 23. let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering the Christian must change neither his Master nor his service nor his livery 4 In our conversation wee must still practise truths and keepe our lives answerable unto them Saint Iohn cals this a walking in the truth then a man walkes in the truth when hee holds on his course of holy obedience unto it against all the encouragements and discouragements of the world as the three children in Daniel c. not with the Galathians beginning in the spirit and ending in the flesh or like those Israelites whose righteousnesse was as the morning dew But we must still runne the race set before us and keep stedfast our feet unto the pathes of righteousnesse and waies of truth Quest Why must divine truths heard and received be held fast Sol. Reasons thereof are many I will briefly point out some of them 1 Divine truth is a most precious and excellent thing therefore in Scripture it is compared to gold which of metals is the most precious nay it is more precious then gold or rubies and all the things which thou canst desire are not to be compared unto it see Pro. 3. 14. 15. Pro. 3. 14. 15. It is more excellent then the excellencies of the creatures not then some of them but then all of them and a man if hee were to imagine any excellency or if the utmost of his desires were enlarged yet could they not finde out and pitch upon such an excellency Therefore saith Saint Iohn to the Church of Philadelphia Revel 3. 11. Hold that Revel 3. 11. fast which thou hast that no man take thy crowne the crowne is the top of royalties such a thing is truth let no man take thy crowne Beloved there are two properties which assure us of the excellency of things 1 The more holy they are the Two things intimate an excellency more excellent they are all corruptions are diminutions of excellency the more mixt a thing is the more it is abased as if gold and tinne be mixed and the more pure it is as meere gold the more glorious it is Now the truths of God are holy not as persons are holy which is with mixture and imperfection but as the light at noone day is pure without darkenesse at all 2 The more that God is in any thing the more excellent it is for so much as we partake of him who is excellency it selfe so much more wee rise in our excellency But the great God is altogether seen in this word of truth there is his wisedome there is his power and greatnesse there is his love and mercifulnesse there is his Christ and faithfulnesse therefore it is most excellent and consequently to be held fast by us 2 Divine truths are as it were made over to us under termes of constancy and perpetuity I finde in Scriptures that they are termed sometimes Our heritage estates which are personall if that bee the phrase for possession may be sold as that which a childe buyes with his owne money but estates which are naturall or hereditary such I meane as come to be ours by descent these ought to be kept for posterity God forbid said Naboth that I should sell the inheritance of my fathers divine truths are an heritage to descend from us to our children and therefore wee are neither to dispossesse our selves of them nor to suffer our selves by any to bee dispossessed of them Psal 119. 111. thy testimonies Psal 119 111. have I taken as an heritage for euer Gods trust something wee commit to God something God commits to us 2 Tim. 1. 12. He is able to keepe that which I haue committed unto him we trust God with our soules and God trusts us with his truths which are therefore called that good thing committed to us for to keep 2 Tim. 1. 14. now in matters of trust wee must be faithfull for we must be responsable for the whole wherewith wee are instructed as the servants in the Gospell who had talents committed to their trust they were called to an account for them so if the Lord trust any man with graces or with his truths the man must carefully keepe and preserve them for the Lord will aske him another day for his trust as Saint Iohn did of the Bishop of Jerusalem for his depositum They observe that a trust must be first redelivered secondly wholly thirdly onely to him who committed it to us for trust 3 Not to hold fast the truths is an exceeding and fearefull injury or wrong it is injurious 1 To God for he is the Lord or God of truth truths are ours for the efficacie of them but onely this for the authority of them Simile Should a private person presume of himselfe to sell the Kings Iewels it might bee as much as his life is worth truths are Gods Iewels hee reveales them he ownes them hee hath sealed them with the bloud of Christ and therefore thou doest presumptuously wrong the Lord to put off the things which belong to him 2 To our
slavishnesse many give up their soules and faith to the religion of others and like waxe are still fashioned to the opinions of great persons they are afraid of their displeasures and therefore even in points of religion will dance after their pipe 6 A sordid and eminent love of the world for which Demas forsooke Christ and Iudas sold his Master and Hymeneus made shipwracke of faith the unsatisfiable slave to the world will never be a faithfull servant to truth hee who hath already pawnd his soule will with as much ease sell off the truth Spira for its sake abjured the truth but ventured the losse of it and himselfe too 7 Many men are licentious and therefore unstedfast corrupt doctrines give more scope then the true and heavenly wee are apt to beleeve that soonest which pleaseth us most erroneous points are more for pleasure and divine truths are more for strictnesse and Simile therefore as those Grecians if I forget not the story gave up their weapons to enjoy their sports so many give up the truth to enjoy their easie and loose kinde of walking Vse 2 But for you I hope better things though I thus speake hitherto you have heard the good truths and waies of God and have held them fast I have not found you as other people of so unsetled and inconstant spirits And therefore as Christ said to the Church of Thyatira the same I will presume to say unto you Revel 2. 24. 25. I will Rev. 2. 24. 25. put upon you no other burden but that which ye have already holdfast what need I urge this with many motives 1 If it be truth why should it Motives be left is errour better then truth then should darkenesse be better then light 2 Can you better your estates by leaving of truths when the divels fell from truth they fell from heaven when Adam fell from truth hee fell from Paradise 3 Will not the truth keepe you if you keepe the truth as the ship doth the Pilot who keepeth it truth will keepe thy soule and graces together thy soule and Christ together thy soule and comfort together thy soule and prosperity together therefore it is called the girdle of truth because as a girdle it holds all together Thou partest with strength with joy with safety with blessing with happinesse if thou part with truth 4 The reward is sure if thou be faithfull not a meane reward but that of life even a crowne of life Rev. 2. 10. Rev. 2. 10. Rules Now that you may for ever hold fast divine truths take these rules or directions 1 Lay a solid foundation in distinct knowledge of them confused braines cause unsetled hearts rest not in Pilates demand what is truth nor in the Israelites hovering betwixt two opinions nor in that grosse salary of religion to take up truth upon trust for any man sake whatsoever were he the sharpest Ieremiah or the learnedst Paul or the comfortablest Barnabas be not satisfied this is truth because this that man saith but as the honourable Beraeans searched the Scriptures about the things which even Saint Paul himselfe delivered so doe you prove all things saith the Apostle receive truth upon an evidence of truth if the first truth which is the word of God and the rule and compasse will not approve it it is errour and not truth Object Yea but how may wee know truths for there are many religions and many opinions obtruded to the world the truth of which cannot so or sily be discerned Sol. I answer that true doctrine may be discerned from false doctrines 1 by the unity of them unum verum convertuntur truth is one or none there is but one way saith Aristotle to hit the marke but many waies to misse it errour is manifold and divers Simile like the image which Nebuchadnezzar saw mixt of gold and clay and as Aristotle speakes of Vices that they are contrary both to vertues and themselves so erroneous doctrines are opposite to truth and to themselves Simile there is no errour but is like a lyer apt to forget and wound it selfe but truth is single like Christs garment undivided as there is but one Christ so but one faith 2 The purity of them all false doctrine like treacherous physicke gives ease Simile or like a whore much in beauty when false in honesty what it wants in verity it makes up in liberty like ill wares which therefore have the larger allowances the doctrine which is unsound generally is licentious as is evident in the Mahometan or Popish tenents But truth is holy in it selfe and to us teaching it within the heart and ordering it in the life It is an adversary to sin because all sin is an adversary unto God 3 The efficacy of them usually corrupt doctrines adde to our notions but meddle not with our corruptions they swell us but doe not edifie us they are pils which onely worke upon the braine they neither bring true grace or sound peace with them onely this Satan makes the erroneous very violent that thereby they may thinke themselves in the right But the doctrine which is true is strong it is heavenly in its nature and mighty in its operation comes from God and brings to God makes the bad good and the good better there is no such salve to heale a corrupt heart nor balme to refresh a troubled conscience as truth 4 The antiquity of them errour is but the shadow and ape of truth the saying is id demúm verissimum quod antiquissimum Truth is the first borne for God spake it before the divell spake the other errors may be old but truth saw the light before them the whole farrago of corrupt doctrines amongst the Papists for transubstantiation invocation of Saints prayers for the dead merit supremacy their originals were of yesterday though they boast antiquity yet they dare not stand to the triall of Christ and his Apostles who must decide all truths 5 The simplicity of them errours came in by the Serpent at the first and are much of its nature full of windings and turnings all corrupt doctrines are deceiveable and subtile how many arts were fained by Arrius and the Arrian Bishops to bring in their damnable errour what forging of lyes and odious accusations of Athanasius that he was dishonest with a woman and cut off a mans hand as Eusebius relates and so the Iesuites about Calvin and Luther and Melancthon and Beza c. and so for the establishing of the Councell of Trent the Popes Cloke-bags were weekely filled with devices and carriages Yea and observe the very Papists at this day how deceiveably confident they are that al◠antiquity and testimony is on their side when either it is a packe of their owne writers onely or other authors which they have forged or else antiquity miserably lanced and cut and interlaced by their Index expurgatorius yea and I pray God that many of the opinions in this City be
not bolstered up with high clamours and with artificiall lyes But truth is naked and plaine it is neither of a cruell nature like Caine nor of a subtile spirit with Absalom nor of a lying spirit with Ahabs false Prophets it flatters no man nor beguiles any being truth it is not ashamed of light or triall and it alone can maintain it self against all contrary quarrels a good cause is like a good conscience even a bulwarke to it selfe like the sunne in its light and heat against all clouds c. 5 The duration of them truth like the sunne hath runne down through all ages not that all men have embraced it but that by some it hath still beene embraced some one or more hath still beene at the barre to beare witnesse unto it New men have still risen up and sometimes out of the ashes as it were of the dead to maintaine and either by tongue or pen or bloud to defend the truth but Erroneous doctrines as they want an inward harmony so also an outward consent like a deceitfull brooke they are spent after a while or like commotions in a state Simile though strong or long yet they come to an end at length either some speciall judgements on the ringleaders or the authority of Princes as Alexander against Arius or the prayers of the Saints or the decision of lawfull counsels have still cashiered these meteors but as it is said of divine mercy that it endures for ever the same is affirmed of divine truth it runs from one generation to another till Christ make his Church triumphant the militant Church shall be the pillar of truth 6 The conformity of them to the rule or word Erroneous doctrines like unsound flesh cannot abide handling and Simile like an ill favoured woman would have all glasses broken But truth like sound gold will endure a touch-stone truth will be found truth upon search bring it to the conscience it will worke as truth bring it to the death-bed it will uphold as truth bring it to the scriptures it will hold out as truth 2 When truths upon search are found to be truths then embrace them for the truths sake not upon personall and mutable causes or ends 3 Firme refolution after tryall by which our knowledge comes to be cleare and without doubt there must be now a plain resolution and purpose of heart in cleaving to such faithfully evidenced truths thou must by an immoveable faith as it were root thy very heart in the truths of Christ as Saint Paul though bonds and afflictions though good report or evill though death it selfe abide him for Christ come what will come disputes fancies errors troubles losses I have found the truth and it will I hold for ever 3 Loyall affection then it is loyall when it is inclusive to every truth c. exclusive to nothing but truth this loyall affection will make us to first doe secondly suffer thirdly cleave love truth and then truth will be held I held him and would not let him goe said the Church then in love with Christ Cant. 3. Love is the easiest key to open the heart to Cant. 3. Christ and the strongest locke to keepe sure the truth in our hearts when thou hast experimentally felt the heavenly strength and comfort of Gods truths then wilt thou certainly sticke unto them 4 Ioyne conscience to science O when people have the truths still sounding in their eares and ungodlinesse still stirring and ruling in their lives it cannot be that they should have strong hands who have wicked hearts Hymeneus made shipwracke of faith and of conscience both together 1 Tim 1. 19. Therefore strive to obey the 1 Tim. 1. 19. truths adde to thy faith vertue be a doing Christian as well as a knowing Christian 5 Be watchfull in prayer to God with David to uphold thee with Saint Peter to establish thee still to keepe thee that thou mayest keepe his truths excellent is that speech of Bernard S. Bernard in Psal qui habitat pag. 283. Basil neque enim quae habemus ab eo servare aut tenere possumus sine eo that God by whose light alone we know the truth by his strength alone we keepe it Thus much for the text and now for the occasion and here I cannot be long neither my affections nor yours will admit of large discourse onely a word of you and a word to you Of you so regardfull have you beene to my Ministery so loving to my person so faithfull in your maintenance so cheerefully encouraging generally from you all but chiefly from the chiefest that had it pleased the Lord to have given mee health the which I have scarce enjoyed one whole yeere together since I have beene heere I should not have stirred easily from such a people for the best preferment that could be conveniently offered unto me I speake my heart freely I cannot tell on which side the unwillingnesse is most whether on your part who are left or on my part who am constrained to leave you But to say no more of your goodnesse give mee leave for the close of all to leave a few Legacies with you being all my friends and hearken to my words as the words of a dying man for the Lord knowes how short my daies may be My Legacies are these 1 Lay out more time for your soules the soule is a precious thing the soule is a corrupted thing sinnes are in it much guilt is upon it there is a Christ that it needs holinesse that it must have heaven that it would have thy body is but clay thy soule a spirit the world a vanity thy soule immortall all is well if the soule be wel nothing is well if that be evill I beseech you pray more heare more know more confer more doe more and more for your soules when you come to dye you will then finde it to be all your worke O then whiles health is in you make it thy chiefest worke to seeke the kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof for your soules feed not the slave and starve the childe 2 Vpon good grounds make sure of a reconciled God live not in an unreconciled condition no enemy like an ill conscience and a good God study the right of thy sinnes and the bloud of Christ repentance from dead workes and faith in the Lord Iesus so shalt thou behold the face of God and live The waies of reconciliation with God and the setling of thy conscience about it may cost thee many prayers and teares and diligent studies but the love of God and heaven will answer and recompense all 3 Wisely improve all heavenly seasons the Lord hitherto hath continued unto you daies of peace and salvation heavenly opportunities publike and private and I beseech him for ever so to doe Now receive not the grace of God in vaine lay hold on these occasions if there be not wisedome to improve them there may be sadnesse for neglecting
them You see how many worthy and faithfull Ministers God hath taken away of late by death and shall the present Prophets live for ever O then in your day and time hearken regard repent beleeve live and thrive under holy and faithfull Ministers make more use of their doctrines of their rules of their counsels of their comforts of their experience and prayers the night will come when neither we nor you must worke any longer 4 Study the grounds and principles of religion better first lay good foundations and then build on them errours in the entrance weaken all in the progresse Take paines to know what that good and acceptable will of the Lord is a well bottomed Christian is like a well-bottomed vessell at sea which can ride out in all weathers no Christian stands so fast or thrives so well as the well grounded Christian 5 Be rather an agent then a disputant in religion the vanity of wit is to argue much but the sincerity of the heart is to doe much for doubtfull points and subtile novelties let others beat them and serve them and in the meane while pray thou much that thou mayest obey the truths which thou kno west In speculatives be wise to sobriety in practicals be as good as thou canst it is not the wittiest scholler but the truest Christian who shall goe to heaven 6 Be lesse formall and more fruitfull know that as we must be brought to an account for every word which we speake so much more for every word that God speakes Meere godlinesse is not enough under constant and great meanes of grace God expects much when he gives much if it doth not utterly cast thee yet it must excessively trouble thee to be thin in bearing when God hath been large in sowing 7 Let all Christians bee of more fruitfull hearts and charitable spirits one towards another There are treacherous and malitious hearts enough in the world thou needest not to helpe the divell to be an accuser of the brethren It is a sad thing when one Christian can hardly trust another and that they who should pitty and heale infirmities are yet inventers of lies and obloquies these are the wounds which my friends gave me said the Church in the Canticles If thy fellow Christian doe faile rather compassionate and succour him then hate and reproach him thou shalt never establish thy graces or name upon the ruines and scandals of another man if thou be a strong Christian be more tender if weake be more silent the strong should beare the infirmities of the weake and the weake should hearken to the directions of the strong your graces are strong and safety surer by love then by division therefore be of one minde and live in peace let brotherly love continue 8 Minde death often and prepare for it betimes hee who is a stranger to dying thoughts is ordinarily a stranger to a godly life thou wouldest hasten and better thy worke if thou didst more looke backe on thy life and more forward on thy death 9 Be diligent in your particular places the idle body can hardly hold a good soule that man is in danger who is all for heaven or all for earth both our callings must be regarded 10 Be much in praier the Christian usually gets the greatest blessings on his knees God is much with him in grace who is most with God in praier And pray not for your selves onely but for others and as for others so for me as Saint Paul desired of the Ephesians c. 6. 19. that utterance may be given unto mee that I may open my mouth boldly to make knowne the mystery of the Gospell that therein v. 20. I may speake as I ought to speake and so as the same Apostle in his ultimum vale said to those Ephesians the same I say unto you Brethren I commend you unto God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance amongst all them which are sanctified FINIS The Table A ACtivity of love to set on graces p 144 Affections are many times dying p. 11. 45 Ardency of affections an exceeding helpe 1 to the remembrance of truths taught 2 to the holding fast of the truth p 198. 213 The different carriage of a weakened and a strengthened Christian under afflictions p 111 The application of Christ the ordinances and other meanes helpefull against decaying p 72. 98. 131 Apostasie from the truth seven causes of it p 272 Gods approbation to be studied p 158 A distinct apprehension of truths needfull to the remembrance of truths p 200 C CAuses of a dying condition p 16 Christ strengthens a languishing Christian three waies p 79 Comforts attend Christians and when p 40 Communion with God and its kindes p 38. 39 Conference about truths taught usefull p 201 Conscience to be joyned with science p 250 Conscience wounded and vexed p. 16. 40 Corruptions have a decaying power p 16 Considerations of a mans condition is necessary p 121 A dying conversation p. 10. 50 Truths taught to be kept in a mans conversation p 215 Lively consociation what p 135 D DAmping of communion with God p 38 Depression of heavenly strength p 36 Delight taken in godly company p 108 Delightfulnesse in love p 145 Diligence in love ibid. True doctrines discovered from false in seven things p 240 Seven disadvantages in a weakened condition p 92 Desertion a consequent of decaying p 40 A dying disposition opened p 8 Christians are dying in seven respects p 10 Dying in duties how knowne p 44 53 E EXamination neglected the evill of it p 22. 23 Excesse in passion dangerous p 28 Excellency hath two things in it p 217 Expressions of grace 1 passionate 2 deliberate p 63 Extenuatiōs of excellencies by decayings p 34 Truths are to be embraced p 248 F FAintnesse in acts of religion p 53 Faith a radicall and strengthening grace p 14. 142 Forgetfulnesse of the word evill and hurtfull p 190 Formality to be checked p 69 G MEn may decay in gifts and graces and how p 13 14 Graces given to men for three ends p 54 Graces are inclining inlarging and cleansing principles p 55 56 57 Graces bestowed are to be kept in repaire p 88 Graces diffused and graces imployed how to be understood p 64 H HEaring not enough for a Christian p 187 A plaine and a pliable heart p 132 Helpes first to remember secondly to hold fast truths p 198. 238 Hold fast the truth p 210 Divine truths a Christians heritage p 219 Humbling under decayings p 67 Deep humiliation a meanes to strengthen a decayed Christian p 123 I IEalousie and three things arising from it p 70 Inconstancy and its causes p 232 Implantation of holy principles what it is p 74 Interruption in duties p 64 Decaies in judgement p 12 The imperfection of our estate before God p 157 Truths held fast in judgement p 211 L THree things in love furthering duties p 144 145 Loyall affection to the truth p 299 Ten legacies p 253 M MEditation an helpe to memory p 199 Meanes to keepe up graces p 67 Meanes to recover out of a dying condition p 73 Meanes of strengthening p 121 N NEglect and its danger p 19 O COnstant operation what p 200 Opposition against dying causes p 137 Ordinances and three things about them 97 P THree sorts of people living under the meanes p 7 Perfection and a striving unto it p 68 Perfecting of holy principles p 75 Persistance in holy truths p 202 Practise a keeper of truths p 202 Practicall remembrance what it is p 167 Practicall truths what they are p 175 Preparation to the ordinances p 97 Physicking the soule what p 22 Dying in profession what p 10 Truth is held by profession p 214 R REasons for the strengthening of a spirituall condition p 84 Reasons to hold fast divine truths p 216 Active reformation what p 128 Truths taught are to be remembred p 163 The nature sorts waies causes and meanes of rememembrance p 160. to 202 Resistance of sinne p 102 Rising of graces p 110 Solid resolutions p 125 Resolution to cleave to the truth p 249 Revolting from doctrine p 228. and in conversation 231 S SIlence in heaven what and when p 41 Sin and a Christian in sinning p 60 61 Seriousnesse in society p 71 Standing at a stay p 70 Strengthening of spirituals under decayes p 74. 78. 83 Supplication must be ardent p 129 Suspition of a mans owne condition p 42 Sen siblenesse and spiritualnesse not equall p 62 T TImes of spirituall troubles p 41 Truths add their sorts p 175 205 206 Divine truths is Gods trust p 220 Three things about a trust p 221 Z A Case resolved about decayings in zeale p 62 FINIS Errata PAge 8. line 16. for a reade secondly p. 147. l. 3. for wit r. we all know c. p. 221. l. 4. for instructed r. intrusted Octob. 22. 1639. Imprimatur IOH. HANSLEY