it may stand with Gods mercifull ends to those who are brought in that there should be many errours II. We are now come to the second how it may stand with Gods mercifull ends to those who are not yet called but in his purpose to call And it may stand with Gods mercifull ends to those yet in his purpose to call or those who are not yet called and brought in 1. To be a meanes to awaken them and put them upon the study and enquiry after truth the aboundance of errours abroad may put men to search and find out what is truth when you see men up in armes as it were in hot contentions to find out what is truth who save only Atheists but will think themselves concern'd in it every one will think surely it is their businesse also and so will fall upon inquisition and search of it If there be any thoughts of eternity in you if you be not Atheists if you doe conceive there is a Heaven and a hell and that errour leades one way and truth the other it cannot be but that aboundance of errours abroad must awaken you and put you on to enquire to heare to reade to confer to endeavour to find out truth It was the multitude of errours which put Luther to search out what was truth if there had not been so many errours it might be he had not enquired and sought out truth the like I may say of Calvin and others and the errours and corruptions in worship imposed did put on us to the triall of the whole and made us more strict to examine the bottomes whereon we stood 2. God suffers it to beate them off their sandy foundations whereon they build As it is a meanes to put you on to search what your foundation is whereon you build the bottome whereon you stand so it is a meanes to beat you off your sandy foundations When a man sees aboundance of opinions abroad one saith this another that sure it will make a man to put the question to himselfe upon what foundation doe I stand what is my bottome And how can he have any rest till he have gotten a better foundation to build on a foundation which none of these opinions can shake and unsettle when he sees so many faire buildings specious structures to fall down and not able to stand out the blast of triall and temptation because they are houses built on the sands It will make a man to enquire after the rock and endeavour to build there that when the wind blowes yet the house may stand firme This is the different working which opinions have upon the good and bad upon such whom God hath a purpose of good unto and upon such that he will not own That the one the multitude of opinions doth draw him away or else Atheist him that he will be nothing The other it doth un-atheist him put him upon the search and examination what is the truth of God One he is now more formall and minds no more but meere formality to goe to Church and say over a prayer and if God will save him with that well and good he will doe no more The other these things doe fire him out of his formality and he can have no rest till he come to some bottome to stand on And that is another end God hath he would awaken and beate us off our sandy foundations 3. God suffers multitude of opinions and out of mercy to them who are not yet brought in to clear the way unto those who are not yet brought into the ways of grace that when they are brought in they may be able to see their way more clearely As we our selves doe receive a great deale of light and benefit by the sufrings and clashings of others If there had not been such clashing and disputing in former ages our way had not been so cleare to us in many glorious truths So here God suffers it that posterities may inherit the benefit that after ages might be able to see more clearely what to doe and what is truth It is a great favour for a man that must goe a way dark and knotty to have one goe before him not only with a light to discover the way but with a weapon too to cut down those cumbrances which are in the way that there may be nothing to hinder the passage oh how sweetly how evenly and quietly a man may goe Such gracious ends hath God to after generations by suffering these multitude of opinions and errours to arise in our age and generation Seldome was any truth discovered and cleared but some errour or other was the occasion to draw it out The point of Free grace in opposition to mans free will in the work of conversion had not been so fully discovered if that Pelagius had not broached that errour that man might be saved if he would that he himselfe might beleeve repent if he would which occasioned Augustines so full debates and cleare setling of the truth The freenesse of Gods grace in the work of justification that it is of meere grace had not been so fully cleered to us if it had not been for the errour of the Papists that it was of works and not of grace So the doctrine of predestination that it is of grace and not of faith and works foreseen the contrary errour brought out this truth and helpt the full birth of it So the doctrine of the Sacraments the stability of Gods Covenant with his people perseverance of the elect All these and many thousand more whose birth hath been helped by the publishing of errours the publishing of errours have been a meanes to the cleering of the most precious truths we have which had not been so cleere to us now if that there had not been a cloud of errours over them before Nay I say since the defection of the Church and the universall corruption by Antichrist and popery there hath scarce any glorious truth been cleared or discovered but by opposite errour Errour hath been a meanes to help on to sift and to find out truth As we bring fire out of flint by striking it so out of these clashings truth Nay you see in Scripture that the publishing of errour was a good meanes or help or gave occasion to the publication of many glorious truths of God Acts 15. you see there the errour which was then broached to the disturbance of the Churches of Antioch was the occasion of the setling and clearer revealing of the opposite truth The Jews errour of being justified by the Law and looking for righteousnesse thereby was an occasion of the publication of the use of the Law the impotencie of it to justifie and save together with those glorious discoveries where and in whom mans righteousnesse did lie Againe The errour that men needed not to looke to their walking and obedience seeing we are justified by faith only gave occasion to the discovery of many precious truths
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
religion is the great distance and disunion there may be onenesse in heart and affections in lesser differences but differences of such height as Christ or not Christ when they doe arise so high as to un-Christ un-Church nay ungrace men as that opinion in a kinde doth that holds forth Christ It is a hard thing to keep onenesse of affection men that have salvation and eternity in their eye the glory of Christ their aim it is a hard thing to perswade them to take it well if they un-Christ them and ungrace them It is not probable that a man should be well pleased to have another spit in his face condemn his principles and practice and upon so high grounds when yet a man is perswaded upon knowing and conscientious grounds so farre as appears to him that he is in the right We may say what we will and wish and pray but this will be found that men of different Creeds will hardly be of one Pater noster Men differing upon so high grounds as what can be higher they can hardly be of the same affection In lesser and smaller differences they may but in so high differences when an opinion is held forth for Christ it will be more hard to turn all disaffection into pity if they apprehend them in an errour then to renounce their own and embrace theirs if it were apprehended to be a truth Men pity a persecuted errour or men persecuted in an errour but they enviâ— a prospering errour or men prospering in a way of errour That which raiseth the difficulty is the prosperousnesse and successefulnes of that which they do apprehend an errour when they see it to succeed to draw away the hearts of the most godly holy the best of their people it will be no easie matter in stead of disaffection to act pity to them and because they apprehend them to act affections rather then judgement in entertaining of them therefore they act disaffection rather then pity in the rejecting of them Happy were we if the grounds of their opinions were thorowly examined and impartially searched who do hold them forth under this notion Loe here is Christ and if true embrace them or that they who hold them up upon so high terms would convey them in a more low and humble manner seeing so many godly learned dissent from them if which be not there will be I fear the seed of as great differences among the godly as ever was in the Church and as much disaffection Assure your selves Christ or not Christ will be a great parting and dividing stone both to divide persons and affections I speak this with a bleeding heart fore-seeing the sad and miserable affects of it if this difference be not happily taken up God knows what a foundation of future misery will be laid for future generations The differences between Luther and Calvin were not so great but they might have been easily taken up in their time but posterity quickly turned these differences in judgement to the decisions of the hand and it hath been the ground of raising many a warre and shedding of the blood of thousands whose differences might easily have been composed at the first This remains a sad spectacle to us and all Christian Churches and makes me tremble to thinke what future times will be if God doe not mercifully unite hearts which should put men to pray to study an accord and not to fuell and heighten our differences and make them unreconciliable 4. Dangerous are these opinions if errours because they passe the highest censure upon those which doe dissent from them he that saith of any opinion or way Loe here is Christ doth negatively censure and condemn all those who doe dissent from it there is but one Christ one Lord one faith This opinion must needs hold forth both a doctrinall and a practicall censure against all such who dissent from it and not only censure their way but their persons and declare them who are contrary either to be men of corrupt affections of corrupt mindes who detain the truth of God in unrighteousnesse who are byassed with carnall respects secular advantages and ends or at the best that they are but ignorant blinde deluded or deceived such as yet know not the minde of God And what this will amount unto I leave any to judge And therefore happy still it were that men would strip themselves of all self and self-respects and faithfully debate that opinion that is held forth upon so high terms and if truth let us close with it or that those who doe hold it up so high would in regard it is in such dispute and so many godly differ from it that they would hand it to men and convey it and seek to passe it upon lower terms and more moderate grounds seeing such are the sad effects of it Indeed if the way be of God if it be that in truth which it pretends to be in holding forth and if they were necessary truths such as were necessary to life then if there were sadder effects then these did accompany the holding it forth yet there is comfort enough in it but when the thing it self is disputable first whether there be any such thing as an exact and uniform government and when this is disputable among those who doe hold there is such a way what is that government we see some godly holy and learned men assert one and no lesse godly and learned defend another and when all is done who ever is in the truth it will not be found that the income is proportionable to the sweat the truths held forth are not necessary but only accessory truths not such as concern the being of Christians but the wel-being I only demand whether the comfort and benefit that may come to the Church of Christ by the stiff maintaining and high passing of such an opinion may ballast and bear weight with the sad effects and trembling consequences that will surely come upon themselves and the Churches of Christ if so passed and if so maintained I leave it to you to judge And thus much for the first viz. that errour will work it self into the heart and affections of the receiver upon as high pretexts and specious pretences as truth it self And that which I have spoken upon it is not to charge any opinion to be an errour which doth seek to passe it self upon so high terms that is not my work to doe in this place but to make you circumspect in the entertaining of opinions though they carry such high pretexts as these seeing it is possible for errour to make the same pretences and seek it's entertainment upon as noble terms as truth it self We come now to the second 2. When an errour is entertained it will work upon the heart and affections as well as truth it will work love to it in them who embrace it it will work fear of betraying it will work hatred and displacency against the
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
THE ARRAIGNMENT OF ERROVR OR A Discourse serving as a curb to restrain the wantonnesse of mens spirits in the entertainment of opinions and as a Compasse whereby we may sail in the search and finding of truth distributed into six main Questions Quest 1. How it may stand with Gods with Satans with a mans own ends that there should be erroneous opinions Quest 2. What are the grounds of abounding errours Quest 3. Why so many are carried away with errour Quest 4. Who those are that are in danger Quest 5. What are the examens or the trials of opinions and Characters of truth Quest 6. What waies God hath left in his Word for the suppressing of errour and reducing of erroneous persons Under which generall Questions many other necessary and profitable Queries are comprized discussed and resolved And in conclusion of all some Motives and means conducing to an happy Accommodation of our present differences are subjoyned By SAMUEL BOLTON Minister of the Word of God at Saviours-Southwark 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in 2 Tim. 1 hom 2. 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 London Printed by G. Miller for Andrew Kembe and are to be sold at his Shop at the Talbot gate in Southwark M.DC.XLVI TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE And eminently Noble Patriot JOHN Lord ROBERTS Baron of TRURO Right Honourable I Have had the opportunity to speak often to your ear and have now the happines to present something to your eye The acceptance my weak endeavours have found in the former way is my encouragement to succeed in this later I have long thirsted after such an opportunity wherein I might impresse some of those deeper engravings which are upon my breast and by that perpetuate my just esteems and valuations of your Honour the hour is now come and I rejoyce in it yet now I am in a strait should I give out the full counterpane of what is in my heart and by that transcribe my whole soul it would but create envy on you and be interpreted weaknes in me though in so doing I should no way be conscious to my self either of over-rating or over-speaking your worth Your vertues as they have not been ambitiously published so neither can they be enviously secreted you have not been an ambitious seeker of glory rather desiring to do then to be seen to do nor can envy it self conceal and keep down your deserved praise L. VerulaÌ„ It is laid down for a maxime by a learned Statesman That envy is a wholsome Ostracisme in a State I am sure it would be the canker of ours the present exigencies of which cals out for emulations and out-doings of others worth rather then suppressing and concealing the deserts of them who are worthy It is true Fame is oftentimes a better Nuncio then a Judge but when worth it self is the foundation of fame and the praise of men is not meerly the breath of men but the reflexed beams of vertue though it should not be ambitiously courted and desired yet it may be kindely entertained and friendly embraced being Gods report in men heavens eccho an encouragement in our work and an earnest of our reward And though it be Machivils principle and is too much the foundation of practick wisdome in more politick men That the appearance of vertue is better then the truth the one being helpfull the other hurtfull to secular designs yet that honour will never hold whose foundation is in a shadow it is but glory writ in clay but honour engraven in the dust which will not last long we have seen the experience of it in our daies many who yet had the garments of vertue Rev. 16.15 but now walk naked and their shame is discovered My Lord you have not courted the shadow but adored the substance which as it was your honour before so now it hath been your strength and muniment in these daies of distresse Long before these times of trouble you were troubled for the times looking on them as the womb of all these present births of calamity fore-seeing as it were in vision the sad harvests which those seed times did portend if God did not avert them Since these times of trouble you have sate in counsel as a faithfull unwearied Steersman whom neither frowns nor favours promises nor threats could make to desist in your duty or decline your station All temptations being too little for that spirit which was too big for the world In the Armies you have not only been helpfull in councel exemplary in conversation but active in imployment and have continued in the midst of all discouragements bin fellow-commoner with them in their wants sharer in their necessities patient of heat and cold of drought and moisture and born a part both in the greatest sufferings and mightiest services Whose exemplary doing and suffering as it was said of the L. Howards in that exigent of time in 88. though his service was but small Camb. Eliza in an 1588. the towing of a Cable yet in that little because that little was exemplary he did more then many men In the field you have encountred with difficulties undergone hazards confronted dangers faced death as if nothing were fearfull but fear Vitam quamvis non posuit deposuit tamen standing up when so many have fallen on both hands though a monument of Gods preserving mercie yet a sacrifice readie to be offered up for this Cause and for that God whose glory you esteemed more dear and precious then your life Aurum igne probatuÌ„ dicitur is cujus fides rebus adversis expâ—â—rata spectataque est Quid sunt merita nostra nisi munera Dei Aug. Thus you have every way shewed your selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 approved gold all your trials rendering you more approved My Lord I reckon up these though your honours yet your duties though your adornments yet your engagements though your riches yet your debts for which you are bound to more thankfulnesse and more service As these are acts of differencing grace so they call forth for acts of discriminating duty And blessed be that God who will single us out to make us any way instrumentall for his glory if he will trust us with work we may trust him with reward where he cals forth to the one he hath surely designed the other ÎœÎΗΜΟΕΤÎΟΠPientissimae Honoratissimaeque HEROINAE Dominae LVCIAE ROBERTS Vxoris Nobilissimi Dom. Dom. JOANNIS ROBERTS Baronis Truroensis filiae Tris-honoratissimi Comitis WARWICENSIS And now my Lord among all your noble doings I cannot but sadly resent your eminent sufferings among which though the separation from your interests relations possessions be things of great weight and concernment and might much heighten and swell your sufferings yet they are drowned and swallowed up in this which is the summum genus of all the incomparable
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
heads but not into their hearts into their understandings and not into their affections will now certainly in this time of temptation foregoe the truth even truths professed truths preached truths contended for formerly The head is no safe casket to hide and lay up truth in it is easily stolen away if lodged in no safer a place But now if you have entertained it with love you will maintaine it too you may as well take away their hearts as take away their truth it is lodged there nay this love hath changed the heart into the nature of it truth doth so where it is received with love And hence it is that Gods people they have a rising of heart against errour when they want an argument against it and they have a love to truth when they cannot maintaine and dispute it As you see the Martyrs in Q Maries dayes they could say they could burne for Christ though they could not dispute they were notable to maintaine the truth with their heads but they could with their lives they could not give them reasons against their errours but they could lay down their blouds As a godly man said once he would desire no other confutation of Arminius but the work of regeneration 〈◊〉 any holy heart there was in every disposition of a gratious heart a reall confutation of all his tenents 3. God would hereby sift your Zealâ— whether or no you will contend for the truth as you have it exprest it Jude 3. Eâ—arnestly contend for the faith which was onâ—â— delivered to the Saints God will now try whether you will contend for the truth Rev. 1.3 or whether you will beare with them that are evill Thus God tried the Church of Pergamus Rev. 2.14 15. and he blames them for their lukewarmenesse that they had no more zeale to oppose those errours which were vented in their times Gods people though they be little when they be to deale with God dust and ashes as deale for God and they will not brooke with errour You see the hot contention between Paul and Barnabas Paul and Peter what zeale and affection Paul did shew for God and all was because they did not walk according to truth as you reade Gal. 2.10 11 12 13 14. As Moses would not yeeld to Pharaoh not in a hoofe the Orthodoxall Christians to the Arrians not in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a letter an Iota a title nor Paul to the Jewes no not for an houre so the soule who is zealous for God he cannot brooke with errour nor can he yeeld to any thing contrary to the truth of God 4. The fourth grace God would sift is our Stabisity whether or no we are bottom'd and grounded in the truth whether we have that full assurance of understanding Col. â— 2 whether we are established in the truth or whether so unfixed and unstable that we are carried away with every wind of doctrine of such the Apostle speakes of Ephes 4.14 Many Christians that are as 't was said of Râ—uben Gen. 9.4 as unstable as water that are found according to the vessell which doth containe them poore Christians that are up and downe not only weake in knowledge but they are fickle in their understanding like soft wax now receive this impression this stamp but are ready to receive another when ever it is impressed And this doth arise not only from weakenesse of the understanding but want of firmenesse of understanding from inconstancy of spirit Now opinions will try your stedfastnesse see how you are setled how you are bottom'd when a streame comes you know it takes away what ever lies loose upon the banks but those things which are setled trees and such things that are rooted it cannot stirre men that are not rooted in the truth are in danger to be carried away with errours they are like loose things upon the banks but such as are rooted and grounded they abide nothing shall move them from their stedfastnesse But are all those that abide rooted Object No. There are many who are rooted in sin and errour Answ that are not moved men may be fixed in errour as well as firme in the truth their fixednesse as the others unsetlednesse is their sin 5. The fifth grace God would fift and that is your Sincerity your grounds your ends upon what grounds you have entertained truth and for what ends Oh there are many in the world that doe adhere to truth upon easie grounds upon poore reasons low considerations Some that have entertained truth only by tradition they were borne in these places where Religion is established and therefore are of this Religion and if they had been borne in Turkie had they no better principle they would have been of that too Some that have entertained truth meâ—rely for gaine and doe adhere to truth as the Ivie to the tree not because it loves it but because it is nourished by it Others upon other grounds because their Fathers their friends were thus of this mind Others because such Learned men and great ones are of this mind they pâ—â—ne their fâ—â—le 〈◊〉 their sleeves the Jews but this argument which of the â—â—â—lers beleeve in him Others because of other grounds 〈◊〉 John said to the elect Lady whom I love for the truths sake They often love the truth so the Ladiâ—â— sake 〈…〉 other respects Now at such a time as this when errour have been a bread if there be any grounds upon which you have entertained truth but meere love to the truth you will never hold out If you have entertained it upon other grounds or doe close with it upon other ends then such as are sincere you will never hold to it God will try your ends what ends you have in adhering to truth if it hath been for the world it may be as much of the world shall be propounded to you in a way of errour and then you are gone He that will serve God for the world will serve the Devill for the world he that will for bye respects close with truth will for the same respects if they weigh down the other close with errour if they doe but outballance them if more weight be cast in he is gone He that serves God for a little will serve the Devill for more where he can mend his wages he will give his service Errours are great trials of our sincerity what our grounds and what our ends are if you have entertained truth meerely for corrupt grounds its possible you may mend your selves by entertaining of an errour and then you are gone And therefore to discover sincerity God permits errours in the Church as you see it 1 Cor. 11.19 I heare there are divisions among you and I beleeve it for there must be heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest and as they try so they doe discover our sincerity to our selves to God to others by which meanes we are approved And this is the
touching works and obedience to be annexed to faith not to justifie our persons but to justifie our faith the obedience of faith justifies our persons the obedience from faith justifies our faith which you see it is the great scope of St James to cleare in the second chapter throughout The doctrine of Christian liberty by Christ gave occasion to some to publish that they were set at freedome from obedience to Magistrates in the Lord and for the Lord and others used it as an occasion of scandall to them that were weake and thought that they had liberty to eate of meate offered to Idols though the weake were thereby scandalled and offended yet why should not they use their liberty I say these two errours which were strong in those times and seemed to be founded on the doctrine of Christian liberty which they were to maintaine gave occasion to the publication of many precious truths concerning the due bounds limits restraints and extents of Christian liberty by two great Apostles Paul and Peter Paul dealing with Christian liberty in points of scandall 1 Cor. 8.9 10 11. Take heed least by any meanes this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weake And Peter dealing with it in point of disobedience as you may reade it at large 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15 16. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man as free yet not using your liberty as a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God So that I say God hath mercifull ends towards them who are brought in to suffer errours to abound to cleare the way to those who shall be called and he hath ends in respect of truth it selfe not only to give occasion for the publication but the sifting and finding out of truth as you see I have shewed And thus much of Gods mercifull ends to them called and to them in purpose to call we come now to Gods judiciall ends which is the second particular 2. As God hath mercifull ends to the godly so he hath judiciall ends to the wicked in permitting errours abroad and that 1. To the seducers 2. To the seduced 1. To the promoters 2. To the receivers of opinions We will joyne these two together for brevities sake God may then suffer men to be led aside with errours and delusions 1. For the punishment of some former way of sin As a corrupt head will breed a corrupt life so a corrupt life will breed a corrupt judgement Sin in conversation is often punished with corruption in judgement with darknesse in the understanding God often suffers a corrupt judgement to be the punishment of a corrupt life You walke it may be in some way of sin and as yet though your affections and conversations are corrupted yet your understandings they are not corrupted you still retaine the truth But sure it cannot be long before the understanding be tainted before that light which glowes therein is obscured and put out It is a hard thing to keepe a sparke of fire alive in the midst of a sea of water to keepe a beame of light in the understanding under such darknesse in the heart and affection and such works of darknesse in your conversation This is sure either the truth will make you leave sin or your sin will make you leave the truth Either that light in you will overcome your darknesse or your darknesse will overcome your light Men that hold up affection to sin though not practise in sin they will betray the light they have they will smother it put it out at last When men are willing to sleepe they will put out the candle nay and draw the curtaines that no light may come in to trouble them So men that are willing to sleepe in sinne they will not only draw the curtaines that is labour to keepe out the receiving of more light but they put out the candle obscure that light they have that they may more quietly sleepe in sinne sinne without disturbance Sometimes indeed errour is the cause of sinne sometimes sinne is the cause of errour we will exemplifie this It may be that a man hath walked in some way of sinne and will not be reclaimed of it he hath some light within which gives in testimony to his conscience of the evill of his way this disturbs him now in a way of sinne but this will not reclaime him of his sinne he will sinne still but the light within him disturbs him he cannot sinne with that quiet and peace as others doe and therefore now his corrupt heart begins to undermine the light he hath the strength of sin in the affection begins to darken and blow up or blow out the power of light in the understanding that he may the better sinne with peace And therefore first he begins to find out some shifts for his sinnes he will have some excuses and this is a sowing of figge-leaves to cover his nakednesse If excuses and pretexts will not doe then he begins to dispute against the light why may I not doe this is this so much to doe If this will not doe then he falls to deny the light and say it is a needlesse scruple tush it s nothing And at last he comes to take in such an opinion as he may be quiet in his sinne as he may sinne without trouble And as many errours are bred and begotten out of this they are but opinions that a sinfull but troubled heart have taken up that he may be quiet in his sinne So many errours are received too because they do correspond and comply with their sinfull and corrupt hearts Christians it may be there be some of you that have many truths in you you understand more then others doe and it may be yea you walke in some way of sinne that light you have stares in your face gives evidence beares witnesse against you yet for all this you will not heare the counsels of truth you will not take notice of it yea but doe you take heed least God in punishment of your sinne doe give you up to a way of errour There are five sins which God doth often punish with errour some are intellectuall some are sensuall 1. A wilfull shutting out the light when God is comming in with light from Heaven when he is revealing himselfe and mind to us and yet we will shut our eyes we will not see we will not open our eyes nor owne the truth out of corrupt grounds feare love of the world c. I say this man is in danger to be given up to a way of error if you will be blind you shall be blind if you will not see you shall not see as Christ told the Pharisees he preached to them in Parables that * Quia cum loquebatur perspicuè noluerunt intelligere in poeâ—aâ— jam loquitur obscurè Muscul seeing they might not see Math. 13.13 This is that Christ said to the Jews Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would
I have gathered you together c. but now these things are hid from thine eyes Oh hadst thou known the time of thy visitation And therefore take heed of this if God is comming in with any truth take heed of wilfull shutting of your eyes either out of pride corrupt affection love of sinne love of the world feare of men this is the way to be given up to errour 2. When a man doth entertaine the truth of God partially I say partially 1. In respect of the object not all truth It may be they will embrace such as may make for them but not such as may make against them such as whereby they may keep their lusts their sinnes too but not such as may disturbe them or are inconsistent with their sinnes 2. Or partially in respect of the subject our selves when we entertaine it into our heads not our hearts the notion of it but not the love of it when we doe not close with it in our hearts and affections This you see in the 2 Thess 2.10 11. where there is the same sinne and the same punishment because they received not the truth with love of the truth for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie What is that receiving of the truth with love of it but receiving it wholy in respect of the subject into the understanding will affection and the receiving of all truth in respect of the object Men that love truth as truth doe love all truth every truth is welcome A man that loves truth for other ends he will only entertaine so much of truth as may stand with those ends he will not dash his own designe in peeces When a man doth entertain truth for ends will he entertaine such truths as are destructive to those ends A man that loves the Law or a man that loves Divinity he will for it selfe entertaine it in the largenesse of it but now he that only loves these things for ends will take in so much as may be serviceable to him in his practise as a Lawyer but he cares for no more for he aimes at profit not excellency in knowledge Now this is another sinne that God doth punish with errour partiall receiving of truth 3. Entertaining of truth deceitfully you shall see many who will give entertainment to truth but upon what grounds It is with corrupt principles upon corrupt grounds and for corrupt ends and such men entertaine truth deceitfully and shall not hold it long 4. Unanswerable walking to those truths which God hath revealed You give your servants a candle to doe their work by if they will play you put out the candle let them play in the dark you will not be at cost to find them candle to play by God gave the light for this end that you might know how to walke and if you will not walk by your light God will put it out if you will doe works of darknesse you must be in darknesse It is one reason that God doth withdraw the light he hath given nay and suffer men to be given up to wayes of errour because they walke not answerable to the truth received You see this Rom. 1.21 24 25. 5. When a man growes weary of that light he hath when God hath made knowne something to a man and because it will not suffer him to sinne quietly he growes weary of it or it will not stand with his ends and designes You see this Rom. 1.28 Because they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge therefore God gave them over to a reprobate mind c. So when you are weary of your light weary of Religion profession it is too exact precise too troublesome too laborious too costly because you like not to retaine God and the wayes of God therefore God gives you up to wayes of errour These sinnes doth God often punish with errour and I say more unreclaimednesse under any sin what ever will bring in errour Object But doth God punish one sinne with another Answ As God doth make one evill the cure of another to the godly so he suffers one sinne to be the punishment of another to wicked men As you see plaine Rom. 1.24 27. 2 Thess 2.10 11. So in Psal 81.12 13. My people would not obey here was their sinne Therefore I gave them up to their own hearts lusts there was their punishment yea and sinne too And woe be to that man to whom God makes one sinne the punishment of another It is not so much to make sicknesses losses death prison c. punishment of sinne as to make one sinne the punishment of another It is better to have any judgement the punishment of sinne then to have one sin the punishment of another then to have sinne punished by it selfe And is it not so with you your ignorance is a sin and is it not the punishment of neglect of meanes contempt of meanes the sleighting of it This is a still punishment but God keepe us from it better any evill then sinne to be our punishment 2. A second judiciall end which God hath to wicked men and it is a sad one too viz. for the further hardening of their hearts There are many long disputes of Divines against the Papists concerning hardening of the heart whether or no God doe harden the Papists charge us in this point that we make God the authour of sinne in saying that God doth harden any though there be many Scriptures that speake plaine God is said to blind to harden c. as you see Exod. 9.12 Exod. 4.21 Ezech. 14.9 Rom. 9.19 He hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he heardeneth And God may be said to harden the heart divers wayes 1. Abstrahendo by abstracting of his grace take away the light and darknesse must needs follow take away the Sunne and night must needs ensue So take away softning grace and man must needs be hardned Joh. 12.39 40. Non malum chirudendo sed gratiam non concedendo Aug. Therfore they could not beleeve because Isaiah said he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted and I should heale them 2. Proponendo which is objectivè by propounding objects by which a mans heart shall be hardened which may be the Word and Sacraments as you have it Isa 6.9 10. And oh what a woefull condition when that which should soften doth harden Jer. 6.21 Behold I will lay stumbling blocks before this people and they shall fall upon them Christ himselfe is an object to harden he is set up for the rise and fall of many c. and the word is said to be a savour of life and a savour of death 3. Tradendo by delivering a man up to the Devill to be blinded and hardened 2 Cor. 4.4 Whom the God of this world hath blinded 4. Permittendo by suffering a man to
and corrupt ends these are in danger to be led aside with errour Vix queritur Iesus propter Iesum There are many corrupt ends for which most men either embrace or adhere to truth few seeke Christ for Christ so few there are that doe embrace truth for truth Now this is certaine * Qui hoc desiderat propter aliud non hoc desiderat sed aliud he that desires any thing for another thing doth not desire this but the other thing and therefore can as well close with an errour as a truth if it may be serviceable to that end which he desires It would be an endlesse worke to tell you all the corrupt ends which men of corrupt principles have in the embracing of truth Indeed who can do it one man perhaps sees it a way of gaine of honour of preferment and advancement though this hath been very seldome that greatnesse did lie in the way of goodnesse and advancement in the way of truth yet such a time may come and therefore a corrupt heart sides with it or perhaps he sees such and such whom he knows and values this way and therefore he goes the same way with them Men that doe not believe truth nor love truth may side with it for corrupt ends Leo the tenth that monster of men though he had meane thoughts of the Gospell Quantas nobis divitias comparavit haec â—abula Evangelij yet he could side with the Gospell because it brought treasure into his coffers Most men doe entertain truths as you doe servants as I have told you and will examine and know what they can doe for them before they do entertain them or they adhere to truth as the Ivy to the tree which is not because it loves it but because it sucks from it berries and leaves because it nourisheth and succours it By this craft we have our gaine saith Diana's crafts-men As they said of an errour so many say of truth alas how few men that entertain naked truth and that are willing to embrace truth with singlenâ—sse of spirit We say men alwaies worship the rising not the declining Sunne So rising truths advancing truths enriching truths they will owne But who will owne a sinking a declining cause who will close with a persecuted truth an impoverishing truth an imprisoning truth Which is a plain evidence that truth is not entertain'd for truths sake Men will see nothing truth that stands not with their advancements their greatnesse their accommodations when truth comes once to live on us we grow quickly weary of truth And such men as these they are in the high way to errour he that will be of truths side shall not ever be of the rising side And when men cannot finde these things in the waies of truth and do see them in a way of errour they will forsake truth and close with errour 5. All such who are not grounded and established in the truth The house built on the sands stood not long sandy foundations can never hold men unbottom'd can never be firme like the weather-cock they stand but this way for want of a stronger winde many who are of this uncertainty of spirit like water that are formed according to the vessell that holds it so they according to company they converse withall like trees without root they are shaken with every winde with every breath of men It may be they reade this or heare this man and they are full in his thoughts another comes and leaves another impression on their spirits This man is a poore man he is nothing his light is in others he is darknesse his principles are in others he himselfe is nothing but what you will make him he is a man to be argued into errour or truth according to the temper of his companion he is upon a darke stormy sea and steers by the light is held out he hath none within him to guide him and he fastens his boat to the next barge moved by anothers motion for he hath none of his owne This is a man a peece of paste fit to be moulded up in what forme and to what temper you please When the streame or flood comes it cannot move trees and houses but it sweeps away what ever lies loose so here when the streame of errour comes though rooted Christians stand firme yet such who sit loose are apt to be carried away And therefore the Apostle bids us not to be ever children carried away with every winde of doctrine this is to be like weather-cocks which are moved with every blast he bids us to labour to get stablished in the truth even as a house upon a foundation that nothing can shake or unsettle us 6. Such who have rejected truths revealed upon corrupt grounds it may be there are such whom God hath made clear convincing discoveries of truth to them and yet because they could not stand with corrupt aimes and selfish ends therefore they have rejected them as the Jews did Christ how just is it with God to give up such to a spirit of errour It is the observation of Pareus upon the Jewes Act. 5.36 where you reade of many of the Jewes that were seduced he tels us * Iusto judicio Dei seducti multi fueruÌ„t ut crederent impostoribus quia Christo fideÌ„ habere nolucruat Par. It was just with God that they should believe imposters because they would not give credit to the truth It was just with God that they should be punished with embracing a shadow who had rejected the substance with errour who rejected truth Christians you have had many cleare discoveries of truth to you Let not corrupt ends selfish respects come in take heed of rejecting any truth for corrupt ends if you doe you will be in the high way to be led aside with errour 7. All such who have the world for their god men that have the world for their god must embrace such a religion as the world will dictate to them The Apostle tels us The love of money will cause men to erre from the faith it will make men any thing to get the world and any thing to keepe the world Demas is a sad example of this he had the world in his eye and he embraced the world and forsooke Christ The love of the world will make a man shie to acknowledge truth how shie was Nicodemus to acknowledge Christ and it was for feare of the Jewes It will cause a man to balke and decline truth Men that have Court designes will not owne any the Court frowns on they balke them So if men have worldly designes they will never owne those truths the world frowns on Nay it will make a man deny truth yea truths professed truths preached truths contended for upon this ground many of the Jewes renounced Christ because if they should acknowledge him they said the Romans would come and take away their place and Nation Nay the love of the
Scripture but declares the necessity of the illumination of the spirit So much for the first objection 2 Obj. Another objection against the Scriptures being judge of opinions is this It is the worke of a judge so to declare his sentence that the one party may see he was in an errour and the other that he is in the right but the Scripture nor the Spirit of God in Scripture doth thus evince truth and convince of errour as to make the parties to know they are in truth or were in errour therefore the Scripture cannot be the judge of opinions Answ It is the worke of a Judge to declare the law to give his sentence declare his judgement and not to convince partyes It will be a hard thing to convince the loser that he is in the wrong Men who are given up to errour blinded with folly and bewitched with selfe-love in love with their owne opinions it is a hard thing to convince such that they aâ—e in an errour And shall we say the Word of God shall lose its judiciary authority because men in errour will not discerne of its judgement 2. Though they will not see now and be convinced yet the time will come that they shall see if not before yet at the greâ—â— day of account all things shall be made evident many that breake the lawes and are guilty of felony or of murther yet will not confesse to a petty Justice that he is guilty but at the Assize he is made evident and then he is convinced of it so however men sew fig-leaves and cover their nakednesse now will not confesse their error yet at the great day of Assize all shall be made evident and their mouthes stopped 3. I say that the Scriptures do sometimes so clearly evince truth and convince of errour that the parties themselves even in this life are convinced of it and cannot gaine-say or stand out against the evidence 4. I say againe if that the light and judgement and authority of the Word will not convince men of errour neither will any authority upon earth doe it * Quae controversiae siniri non possunt ex determinatione verbi divini neque finâ—entur unquamex determinatione cujuscunque authoritatis humane Daâ—en Qui ex scripturarâ—m lata sententia se victum non agnoscit nunquam agnoscet se victum ex sententia alterius judicis cujuscunque Daven Those controversies that cannot be concluded and determined by the judgement of the Word neither can they be determined and ended by any authority upon earth He that doth not acknowledg himselfe conquered by the evidence of Scripture will never acknowledge himselfe overcome by the sentence of any judge upon earth Give me leave to shut up what I have spoken in a word of application and I shall enter upon that enquiry Vse You see I have shewed you two things Who are to examine and by what rule to examine I have charged one upon you as your duty at all times It is the duty of every one to examine c. And I have given you here the rule by which you are to try viz. the Word of God This is the touch-stone It is not men not Councels not Synods much lesse the Pope whose unerring authority the Papists set above Councells But it is the Word of God which is the rule and judg a Theodor. histor Eccles l. 1. c. 7. In epist ad Innocent Epis 90. Inrer Epist Aug. and therefore by this the Councell of Nice both tryed and condemned the Arian Heresy by this the Councell of Carthage of Melevis of Orange tryed and condemned the Pelagian Heresy It is the speech of a heathen Philosopher b Qui ponit legem judicem ponit Deum qui addit hominem addit Bestiam he that makes the law judge makes God judge but he that makes man substitutes a beast instead And he gives this reason c Quia homines optimi distorquentur affectibus lex autem vacua est hujusmodi preturbationibus Arist because the best men are wrested with affections but the law is free of these perturbations If so much is to be given to humane lawes above the judgements of the best of men how much more to the divine the Law of God It hath been my work to clear this to you the Scripture is the rule Oh that now you had wisdome in the tryall you had need of wisdome to search to examine and need of wisdom to determine It is a shame to see how men sit as if these things did not belong to them Some are slothfull and will not enquire like Gallio they care for none of these things I have read of a Story of Henry the fourth of France who asking the Duke of Alva whether he had not observed the eclipses he answered no he had so much he said to doe upon the earth that he had no leisure to look up to heaven and there are many of this spirit who are so taken up and have so much to doe with the businesse of the world that they have no leisure to look up to heaven Some who enquire but sleightly and overtly they aske with Pilate what is truth but doe not take paines to finde it Others again who enquire but with corrupt affections which either bribe the understanding into errour or blinde the understanding that it cannot discern of truth Others that perhaps finde but either fear to own it or turn their backs on it as the young man in the Gospel Pelago se non ita coÌ„missurâ— esset quin quando liberet pedeÌ„ referre posset and you know what the King of Navar is said to speak to Beza that he would lanch no further into the deep then he might come safe to shore Men look upon truth as an ignis fatuus that leads them into boggs most men would entertain truth as a servant but few as a King they would own so much as might be serviceable to them but they will not own any more not so much as may master them so long as they may live on truth they like it but cannot away with it when it comes to live on them nay and live on the best of their comforts to live on their estates wives children possessions nay liberty and life c. this is hard And he that sees not truth his honour truth his riches truth his friends truth his liberty life that man will never own truth alone In the disquisition of truth in the enquiring after truth in these daies beware of a double spirit beware there be not treachery in thee beware of a double spirit beware of being byassed with corrupt affections c. Aske the way to Sion with your faces thitherward that is with resolution to goe it when it is revealed be not only willing to know but stand resolved to doe and when God sees you willing to doe he will make you able to know And so much shall serve by way
you study if you examine and be faithfull in your scrutiny God will reveal them to you also at least so much as is for your comfort and chearfull walking in the waies of God Fourthly I told you that accessory truths were either such as were evident and clear or such as were doubtfull and obscure The Question needs not to be asked of the first of these for those that are evident and clear of themselves every Christian may judge of But the Question will be of obscure and doubtfull truths * See Mast Reynolds on the 110 Psa p. 273 274. Of those which are doubtfull some are obscure respectu objecti rejectu subjecti Some are obscure in themselves and some are obscure not in themselves but to us If the Question be of such as are obscure in themselves who shall judge of Gods minde in them I say there are some truths which are beyond the fathom of the tallest understanding there are certain Abysses and depths that no man is able to sound no finite understanding can determine See Reynolds conf with Hart. p. 96 97 98. here we must fall down and adore fall down and admire the doctrine of the Trinity and of the Vnity of divine essence in the Trinity of persons the doctrine of the incarnation of Christ the hypostaticall Vnion of natures in one Person the doctrine of Predestination of the Jews rejection which was a depth to the Apostle himself over which he cries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.33 34. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his waies past finding out for who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Councellour In other truths such as were necessary the Apostle when he makes the same Query he gives this answer But we have the minde of Christ as you may see in 1 Cor. 2.16 Who hath known the minde of the Lord that he may instruct him or who hath been his Counsellour We have here the same Query but not the same answer he answers this Query We have the minde of Christ which is to be understood in things necessary In the other you see he makes the Question and leaves it without answer only cries out Oh the depth of the wisdome So that if the Question be of Doctrines in themselves obscure It is beyond man to fathom faith is our best understanding admiring and adoring our best knowledge But now if the Question be of such truths that are not obscure in themselves but obscure to us not to all but to some which are therefore obscure by reason of the imperfection of our knowledge c. It is the office of the Ministers of the Gospel to preach them and reveal them of Synods and Councels to declare them and of every Christian to study them to examine to search them out There are four waies that we are to goe in the finding out of truths doubtfull 1. Look into the harmony of Scripture see what the agreement what the concord of the Word of God will doe to help thee Consul Whitak cont 1 q 5. c. â— ubi de mediis inveniendi verum Scripturarum sensum Scripturae Scripturis conferendae fi quid in Scripturis recte intell gere volumus See â—eynolds c. 2. divis 2. p. 95 96. Faâ—eamur ergo necessâ— est justificationis nomen variè sumi nisi velimus exisâ—mare Apostolos à se dissentire pugnantia enunciare apud Jacobum ergo justificari idem valet quod justum declarari ac demonstrari apud Paulum verò justificari idem est quod à peccatis omnibus absolvi justumque apud Deum reputari Whitak loco citat many things seem to be truths if you look on one text alone that yet if you did but look upon the harmony of the Word would thereby be discovered to be errours For example St James saith Chap. 2. ver 21. Abraham was justified by works now if you look no further it holds forth this that we are justified by works for as the father of the faithfull was justified so all the children all believers must be justified and is this a truth then Certainly no. Why but how shall we know it we must compare Scripture with Scripture as for example in this point compare this place of James with Rom. 4.2 3. If Abraham were justified by works he had then somewhat whereof to glory for what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousnesse and therefore the one speaks of justification before men the other of justification before God the one of justification properly the other of declarative justification Study the harmony of Scripture see how one Scripture agrees with another and how this doctrine agrees with all Rom. 12 6 Analogia fidei nihil aliud est quam constans perpetua sententia Scripturae in apertis minimâ— obscuris locis quales sunt Articuli fidei in symbolo quaesque continentur in oratione dominica in decalogo c. Consul Whitak loc citat 2. Look upon the Analogie of faith whatsoever doctrine either directly or by way of immediate consequence opposeth the Analogie of faith is to be rejected as contrary to the platform of wholsome words that 's another way to finde out truth in doubtfull cases See the Analogie of faith look over your Creed the Lords prayer crooked things are discerned by bringing them to straight c. Many Doctrins would be found erroneous if they were but brought to the Analogie of faith That doctrine of Transubstantiation or rather monster of opinions which they would seem to build on Scripture This is my Body if it were but brought to the Analogie of faith you shall see at once it overthrows four severall Articles 1. The incarnation of Christ 2. His ascension 3. His sitting at the right-hand of God 4. His comming to Judgement for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread and in so many places at one time how can all this be The Doctrine of Christs kingdom and visible glory before the day of Judgement it seems to contradict another part of it he is gone to heaven sits at the right-hand of God and from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead So that nothing is between his sitting in heaven and his comming to judgement Alsted and therefore those that most rationally hold it doe say this Kingdom shall be in tempore judicij the time of judgement the Jews conversion and the fulness of the Gentiles are to be the morning of it 3. Look upon the concordant confessions of the Churches of Christ in all ages here is another way and certainly it doth afford a great deal of light and help in points and cases doubtfull this is not to submit my judgement and faith unto any authority of man but to goe to them who excell to be helpers
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
what ever comes from them On the contrary if they see mens practices are irregular they presently conclude their judgement is irregular too and that is a false light which carries a man into by-paths certainly say they true light would direct and steer men into paths of holinesse This is still concluded on That men of a bad life are certainly men of as ill a belief and sin in practice is a sure note of errour in judgement And there is great reason for such thoughts because if the things received were truth they would have a great influence into mens lives they would have a great command over mens practices and waies And if the light within them were not directive certainly it would be afflictive if it did not guide them it would scourge them and they could not be able to live in sinfull practices against such eminent convictions of light to the contrary and therefore they conclude such as is the practice such is the principle and that sinfull life is accompanied with as bad doctrine where men doe walk in darknesse and doe works of darknesse surely they are in darknesse there is no light in them It was the Fathers argument of Nero who was a wicked man a monster of men Certainly that is the truth which Nero persecutes And so doe we conclude certainly that is errour which these men countenance and truth which they oppose those are errours in judgement which are accompanied with such sins in life and that judgement cannot but be erroneous where the life is so enormious Thus it is with most men they take up the judgement of things by mans practices not by Gods precepts by mens walking not by Gods rules and indeed the lives and practices of men are great obstacles and stumbling blocks to the entertainment of truth if bad and as great advantages to errour if unblameable And to speak truth these are probable grounds of truth and errour but they are not infallible evidences I say they are probable grounds The end of all truth is to reform our lives to transform our hearts And the power of truth doth enable men to live holily It doth not only teach us to doe so Tit. 2.11 12. The grace of God hath appeared teaching us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts But it doth inable us to doe so it is called a sanctifying truth Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth So that certainly it is a probable signe where men are sinfull in their lives they are erroneous in their judgements too But yet it is not an infallible evidence It 's possible to be erroneous in judgement and yet unblameable in conversation The Pharisees they were unblameable in their conversation who could charge them you may reade how he vaunts himself over the poor Publican Luk. 18.11 But yet you know he was erroneous in his judgement The like I may say of Arius of Arminius they were said to be men unblameable in their lives but yet fearfull erroneous in their judgements one denying the deity of Christ and the other denying the grace of Christ under the pretence of extending it to all they overthrow the nature of it and give it to none And are not many of the Papists also strict and unblameable in their lives as who more strict then they who look for justification and salvation by what they doe you shall have more charitable works from those who look to purchase heaven by them or those who thinke by them to perswade with God and to procure Gods favour to them I speak it not without sorrow then from those who yet have the affection of charity and only look for and are assured of their salvation by Christ alone Men doe not work so freely from ingagement as to ingage not from sense of mercy and thankefulnesse for it as to procure mercy and ingage God to them but this by the way Now to return I say some of the most devout of the Papists are strict and unblameable in their lives yet are they erroneous in their judgements so that you see it is possible to be erroneous in judgement and yet unblameable in life and conversation with men And again I say it is possible to be right in judgement and yet naught in life all convinced men are not converted men all that are sound in judgement in the main things are not holy of life their passions and corrupt and sinfull affections blinde their judgements in this or that particular act or may over-power their judgements and sway and carry them in those waies which their own light and conscience condemns them in And these are those which we call sinners against conscience against light of which sort are most of they who live in the Church of God They are men self-condemned their consciences and light within them tels them they doe wickedly and sinfully but yet their passions and corrupt affections carry them on violently in those waies of sin But now such men are right in judgement only by the power of argument the evidence of reason not by the demonstration of the spirit that light they have of truth it is but a common not a saving not a sanctifying light it is but a generall not a spirituall powerfull transforming and changing light The Toad though the whole body be poyson yet they say it hath a pearl in its head it serves thus farre for our turn it is one of the best pearls ever was found in it though men may have poysonous hearts and are of corrupt lives yet may they be for a time right in judgement in main things I say 1. For a time And 2. In main things with those two restrictions it may hold 1. For a time for it will not be long either the light will overcome sin in life or the sinfull life will darken and obscure the light God saith so 2 Thess 2.10 11. They who receive the truth and not with love of it they shall be given up to strong delusions to believe lies c. And because we know not when God may leave such men and give them up to blindenesse of minde to strong delusions and to their hearts lusts therefore is it not safe to receive knowledge or rather doctrine from their lips 2. The second restriction is in main things for a time they may be right in their judgements in main things that is in generall and common things which are of universall reception and have universall consent of which things either by education or by industry and art and diligence they have gotten and acquired the light and knowledge of God reveals no secrets to them those he reserves to impart to his friends he tels us The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Psal 25.14 And Christ tels his Disciples Henceforth I call you not servants but friends And upon this ground Because what ever I have heard of the Father I have made known to you Joh. 15.15 Joh. 15.15 Others have
loved him not wisely he blamed their ignorance And thus farre it holds men may doe things with honest affections and yet doe them ignorantly And if you grant not this what flesh can be saved There were many of our Fathers that have opposed many things as errours Cons Park de polit eccles l. 2. c. 20. p. 256. which are the received truths of God certainly they opposed them with honesty of heart though not with an understanding heart the fault was not so much in their heart as in their head they did not oppose them out of sinister and corrupt affections but with honesty of heart they walked according to their notion of things and that will serve to demonstrate a man an honest man though not an upright man a good Christian that demonstration must be taken in upon better grounds It was said of Asa That notwithstanding the high places were not removed yet his heart was perfect with the Lord all his daies 1 King 15.14 perfect that is sincere A man may have a perfect heart in this sense that is a sincere heart and yet have many failings in life nay and not only many imperfections in his judgement but some errours too such as are not damnable fundamentall errours but only circumstantiall and lesser but then these errours must a rise from the imperfections of his knowledge not from the corruption of his heart The Apostle seems to imply this Phil. 3.15 16. As many as be perfect let them be thus minded and if any be otherwise minded God shall reveal even that unto them Neverthelesse whereunto you have already at mined let us walk by the same rule let us minde the same things So much for the third 4. Here is another efficacy of errour it will ingage a man to doe much for it a man may doe much service for an errour as well as for a truth a man may preach may write may dispute may be at much pains spare for no cost to advance and promote to an errour I could give you as you all thinke innumerable testimonies and experiences of this It was said of the Pharisees that they would compasse sea and land take much pains to make a Profelyte which when they had done A man was much more the childe of the devil then he was before as Christ saith And what pains will not the Papists take how doe they compasse sea and land What unwearâ—able pains doe they take and all this to Proselyte men to bring them to their Religion Doth it not often fare that a servant of errour will doe much more for it then they who are the children of truth will doe for the truth What drudges are they often to Satan when we are too slack in the service of God and at two times especially the authours and maintainers of errour are active and sedulous viz. either in the rise of it or in the fall of it either when it first appears or when it doth decline then they set themselves with all their strength in the one to advance it in the other to hold it up When the beast was wounded there was great pains to lick him whole again It teacheth us what we are to doe for truth Indeed errour is more beholding to it's servants then truth is to hers Oh that men should doe so much for the devil and so little for God that they should think no pains too much for errour and that we should be at no greater layings out for the truth It is a consideration may humble us all that men should doe more for their sins then others for their graces Micah 6.8 That men should take more pains and be at more cost for errour then we will be at for the truth As men will spend themselves to nothing for a sin to maintain their lusts so will they doe for an errour nay and much more because when men spend themselves for a sin a lust they doe it not without some check of conscience for the doing of it they have inward troubles and stings of conscience in the doing of it they are self-condemned in it and therefore cannot do it without much regreeting but when a man doth any thing for an errour when a deluded man spends himself for his opinion he doth it chearfully he glories in it he looks upon all as set upon Gods score he looks upon what he doth as the evidence of his sincerity and love to God and therefore glories in it triumphs in it and doth it chearfully he is glad he hath been so serviceable to his opinion and looks upon it as being serviceable to God in it as no question many have done and many deluded Papists do and this is a great work of errour 5. As it will engage a man to doe so it will check a mans conscience if he doe not As when a man deals not faithfully with truth if for fear or hope or worldly respects he will either be shie to own it as Nicodemus Christ or if he will suppresse it baulk and decline it if he will detain the truths of God in unrighteousnesse or if he will deny a truth conscience is up in arms against him and flees in his face for it checks him reproves torments him So it may be with an errour if a man have received and entertained an errour and he is perswaded it is a truth though it be an errour if now he have not been faithfull to it if he have for fear favour carnall and worldly respects been either shie to own it in some company if he have baulked it and declined it if he have betrayed it receded from it and denied it conscience is presently up to check to reprove him and torment him for it Indeed a man may close with an errour for base ends and respects and for the same respects may recede from it and yet never be touched for it no checks within him but if a man have closed with an errour with an honest simple heart then if he doe not walk answerable to it if he baulk and decline it he shall hear of conscience If a Papist should be forced from his Religion for fear though his way be an errour yet not forsaking it out of light and conviction that it was an errour but out of fear of punishment his conscience will torment him for it and so in any other opinion if the heart embrace it with honest respects which hath caused some to say that men are neither to be bribed nor threatned out of their opinions but to be convinced and perswaded they are not to be compelled by force nor yet to be seduced allured or bribed by rewards this is to make men sinne against conscience It was Augustines but he retracted it * Fides non est imponenda sed suadenda contra haereticos nihil vi agendum No force is to be used against Heretikes which we shall speak to in the next great Querie Thus you see as errour will
ingage a man to doe and to doe out of conscientious respects so will it check conscience if he doe not Conscience walks according to it's light both in checks and comforts when conscience is perswaded of this or that to be a truth if he doe not walk answerable to it it will check him for it if conscience be not a guide it will be a scourge if not directive it will be afflictive it will charge him and check him if he have not walked answerable And this is a fearfull condition that such a man is in he sins in doing because he doth for an errour and he is tormented for not doing because he apprehends it a truth Indeed a man is not damned for following the dictates of conscience for this he ought to doe but he is damned for following an erroneous conscience we ought to follow the dictates of conscience but we ought to get conscience rightly enformed then And what need there is of that you see here because an erroneous conscience will ingage men to doe as well as an enlightened conscience and will punish and check him if he doe not as well as a conscience enlightned 6. As errour will ingage a man to doe so it will ingage a man to suffer too I know nothing that a man may doe or suffer for a truth but he may doe and suffer for an errour under the notion of truth 1. A man may suffer in his good name he may be content to be reproached defamed calumned and may binde all these reproaches as a crown about his head with Job and wear them as his crown and glory 2. He may suffer in his goods and be content rather to part with all then his opinion and when he hath done as a man would say for a truth so may he for an errour which he apprehends truth I thank God I had any thing to lose for it its worth all I had and much more 3. He may suffer in his body imprisonment and what other things may be inflicted on the body even the highest punishment of all death it self and all this for an errour As God hath Martyrs for truth so hath the devil Martyrs for errour what heresie but hath been sealed up by the death of some of the maintainers The Arians who denied the Deity of Christ they suffer'd nay which is wonder some of them would suffer for Christ as a Saviour though they denied Christ to be God The like I might say of the Nestorians Manichees and others What need we goe farther Will not the Papists themselves suffer death for their Catholike Cause Nay which is yet more stupendious a man may not only die but he may die comfortably in and for an errour he may die rejoycing as if he died for a truth though he die in a delusion And that 's the next 7. It 's possible for a man to have quiet of conscience and comfort of conscience when he doth doe or suffer for an errour the more uniformly he walks the more true and faithfull he is to his principles still the more comfort he findes he hath this comfort of his sincerity or honesty of heart that he hath been true to his light though that light be but darknesse A man may have comfort in an errour no true comfort from an errour Solomon had the greatest revelations when he was at Gibeah and where was that but at a high place but he had it not from Gibeah A man may have comfort in an errour but not from an errour I grant false notions may afford comfort But 1. Either false comfort a painted no reall comfort 2. Or the comfort is but the comfort of his naturall conscience in being true to his opinion not the comfort of God The Papists may finde some comfort in their way but either it is a deluded comfort or the comfort which ariseth from being honest to a delusion There is no question but there is fear and comfort in the Turkish Religion when they do not walk according to their principles received they may be troubled and when they doe possibly they may have comfort The ground of this is this because they walk answerable to their principles and then nothing within will check a man all is at quiet within this is but the quiet of a naturall conscience Naturall conscience will tell them there is a God and that this God is to be worshipped but it cannot direct the way now being either instructed or brought up and educated in this or that way he takes it for a truth though perhaps it be an errour and walking answerablâ— to it for want of further light his conscience is quiet he hath comfort of those principles he hath when he hath been true to them yet this is but false comfort Certainly if you have any comfort of God It is either 1. Comfort in an errour but not from an errour or it is comfort from your graces not from your errour Your graces may afford you comfort viz. your sincerity but your errour affords none 2. Many errours that may have some mixtures of truth in them and then your comfâ—rt is not from the errour but from truth mingled with it A man perhaps hath been in some trouble and his trouble arose from want of an evidence of his sincerity now it may be there is some opinions abroad which a man may close withall as persecuted truths though they are but censured condemned errours and in this act he gets comfort perhaps he hath the evidence of his sincerity that he is willing to close with a persecuted truth which may afford some comfort though the thing closed withall be an errour And I beleeve that many doe close with opinions upon this ground as persecuted truths and thereby evidence their sincerity which perhaps if they should not they would be troubled and could not be able to doe Indeed it were an honourable and desirable thing to suffer upon good grounds suffering for Christ is desirable he who knows the emptinesse of these things and what these things are in comparison of eternity would be glad and rejoyce to part with any thing for Christ. Indeed it is not too dear to purchase and maintain a truth with the hazzard and losse of all yet who would be at this cost for an errour There is none that are godly but would be content to maintain a truth and suffer truth to live upon them upon their estates comforts c. but who would doe this for an errour I only suggest this to you it may be you take in an opinion you receive it for a truth But take heed you be not deceived It may be that opinion may cost you your estate your liberty c. and therefore you had best consider well before you entertain lest you be at this cost to maintain an errour in steed of upholding a truth All is not too good to part withall for a truth but nothing but is too good to give
glory his wisedome his power his mercy his justice c. This is the rock into which we with Moses must get if we would see the glory of God God might have advanced his justice his power out of Christ in our condemnation but he hath alone set himselfe to be advanced in his glory to all eternity in his Sonne and that which advanceth God in Christ is certainely a truth of God I come now to the fourth Fourthly That which doth really doe all this that I say which doth really advance all God in Christ is certainely a truth of God I say really there are many opinions which advance our selves not God and perhaps some which seeme to advance some of God not all of God and some which may advance all God in Christ seemingly but yet not really not truly they may seemingly advance Gods glory and yet really be destructive and opposite to the glory of God It is said of the Chymickes that they will so counterfeit gold that no touchstone can discover it though you goe to the touchstone to try it yet you shall not be able to discerne whether it be true gold or no there is no way to try it but by the fire and the fire that will purify that which is good and render it more excellent but that which is counterfeit will evaporate into ayr and smoake it is not able to abide the tryall Christians ī there are many subtle opinions many that have a great deale of Chymistry in them they are good it may be at the touch but yet are naught at the test they may passe the touch here and not be discerned but the test shall discover them the fire shall try them how ever they may passe mans judgement yet at that great burning day they shall be discovered when that which is substantiall shall alone continue and that which hath been counterfeit shall evaporate into air and smoak the Apostle seems to imply this in the 1 Cor. ◠12 13 14 15. If any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble Every mans work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is where the Apostle tells us that there shall be a triall though opinions and doctrines may passe the touch yet they shall not passe the test this triall shall be by fire If his work abide he shall receive reward if be burned he shall suffer losse but hee himself shall bee saved yet so as by fire Now then would you know what is truth in those many opinions which are held forth see whether they be Word-revelation see whether they 1. Advance God 2. All God 3. All God in Christ and 4. whether they doe all this really that which doth really advance all God in Christ is certainly a truth of Christ and so much for the second Character We are come to the third Character which is this Charact. 3. That which doth really advance the whole Chara. 3 work of grace in the hearts and lives of Saints that is certainly a truth of God There are three eminent discoveries of truth 1. Truth may be discovered from the seat of it 2. It may be known by the qualities of it 3. It may be discerned by the operations and workings of it By these three eminent Characters I have endeavoured to evidence truth 1. From the seat of truth * Eph. 4.21 It is in Jesus and that was our first Character Divine truth is Word-revelation 2. From the qualities of it and the second Character was one of the most mainest can be laid down viz. Truth doth really and truly advance all God in Christ 3. We are now upon the third which is to discover truth by the operations and workings of it and here I tell you That truth doth really advance the whole work of grace in the hearts and lives of Saints And when I have done this I hope there will be sufficient spoken to evidence truth from errour unto you Now for our fuller and clearer proceeding upon this wee must give you out this Character in four particulars 1. I say Truth doth advance the work of grace 2. It doth advance the whole work of grace 3. It doth advance the whole work of grace in heart and life 4. And it doth all this really We shall speak to these particulars briefly and then summe them up and speak to them all joyntly as they are comprised in the Character 1. First Truth doth advance the work of grace In the former Character I had to doe with truth as it advanced grace in God here I have to doe with it as it doth advance grace in us In the first I had to doe with it as a divine affection and disposition in God here I have to doe with it as a divine quality implanted into us the first hath respect to grace without us this second hath respect to grace within us inherent and imparted grace our holinesse and therefore I call it here the work of grace 2. Truth doth advance the whole work of grace It doth not only advance some but the whole work of grace There may be some opinions which may seem to advance some part of the worke but they carry not on the whole worke of grace in a sweet and even proportion you have many opinions which may seem to be serviceable to the advancement of some graces but not of all they may seem helpfull to some particulars but yet are not serviceable to the whole frame It is the nature of truth to serve the advancement of the whole work of grace Indeed it is true there bee some truths that have a more proper and peculiar influence upon one then upon another and may be serviceable to one more then to another grace but yet there is no truth that is disserviceable to any nay no truth but is helpfull to all Truth advanceth the whole work of grace 3. It advanceth the whole work of grace both in heart and life not but that which doth the one truly doth the other as really but because many will pretend the advancement of the work of grace in the heart when there is no such thing seen in the life therefore I put them both together and say Truth advanceth the whole work of grace both in heart and life Truth doth not onely help your comforts but they help your service not only your graces but your duties it doth not only relieve your faith but your obedience also though indeed some truths that may be more naturally and immediately serviceable to one then to the other Some truths may be said to be cordials others physick and others food some that are more proper for comfort others for purging and others for strength and enablement but though one truth may have a more proper influence into such a work then another yet you may suspect that
themselves with the more shame and sorrow they humble themselves before God they are as little before God as bigg with men This is the nature of truth where it is entertained either it will inable you to be humble or humble you for your pride it will worke one way either it will empty of pride or empty for pride if you have swelled those swellings are breathed out in sighes the sighes of the closet doe abate the swellings of the chayre and if it work either way notwithstanding this objection this operation may be a good evidence of truth that truth doth humble those who entertaine it and so much for the first eminent operation of truth I shall be briefer in the rest The second great operation of truth is this Secondly Truth hath a heart-changing a heart-transforming power I put them both together because I would draw up all as close as I can It hath I say a heart-changing power Paul had no sooner seen that great truth Jesus was the Christ but he became another man of a wolfe he is now a lambe of a sinner a Saint of a persecutor he becomes a Preacher So the Jaylor what an eminent change did the receiving of the truth make in him he that before was so cruell and inhumane to them how gentle how tender how sweet was he now Truth makes such a change upon the soul that this worke is called a new Creation and the man upon whom it is wrought is a new creature he hath a new judgement and notions of things a new heart and affections to them a new life and conversation in them he is a man who differs as much from himselfe as before he did from another man head and heart and life and all are changed And this change is not a morall a partiall a formall change but a thorow universall and spirituall change they are sanctified by truth Joh. 17.17 And therefore I say it doth not onely change but it transformes it hath a soul-transforming power truth doth transform the soul into the nature of truth it makes the soul holy as it is holy pure as it is pure spirituall as it is spirituall it makes a man like unto it selfe Be but at the paines to peruse two places for this the first is 1 Jam. 21. where the word is called an ingraffed word which indeed changeth the stock into the nature of it selfe As you cut off the boughs and branches of a crab-stock that you may ingraff the better fruit into it so the Apostle he bids us there to lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtines which are the corrupt branches in which a corrupt stock doth abound and saith he receive with meeknes the ingraffed word which as it is able to save your souls hereafter so now to change the whole stock into its own nature the second place I would present to you is the 2 Cor. 3 18. While looking upon him as in a glasse we are changed into his own image from glory to glory truth hath this transforming power where it is entertayned such as mens notions are such are their spirits ill precepts beget ill principles corrupt doctrines corrupt hearts A mans heart carryes a conformity with his notions and principles there is a great agreement between what is entertained into the understanding and what is wrought in the heart the worke of the heart is but the births of the understanding the issue begotten upon the heart by the power of the notions in the minde never face answered face more exactly in the water then the heart answers the head where truths are of divine reception you may receive truths partially and as men onely and yet be never the better for them there may be truth in the head and a lye in the heart but if you receive truth fully and as Christians as the wax takes the impression of the seale so doth the heart of truth and principles are bred in you suitable to those notions you have truly received truth where it is entertained in truth it hath a heart-changing and a heart-transforming power It makes you like it selfe holy as it is holy pure as it is pure spirituall as it is spirituall And when men are not so one of these two must surely follow 1. Either that is not truth which you have received 2. Or else you have not received it truly either that is not a good word which is ingraffed or that good word was never yet ingraffed into you Certainely where that is ingraffed both stock and fruit are changed And so much for the second Oper. 3 A third operation that truth hath upon the soul where it is entertained It hath a sinne-subduing power truth is of a purging healing purifying and commanding nature Where truth is received in power nothing is in power besides it where it commands in the soul the soul is under no other command but truth where it is truly a Master and it is not there truly where it is not a Master there nothing rules but truth what the Apostle saith of the spirituall man I may say of truth which is a great part of him It judgeth all and is judged of none and it commandeth all and is commanded of none Truth was never there in power where lust hath power nor never had command in that soul where corruptions beare sway Indeed sin may dwell where truth doth dwell but sin doth not command where truth doth reign No man can be under the reign of truth and under the power of lust a servant to truth and a vassall to his corruptions truth hath a sin-subduing power it can pull downe strong holds cast downe high imaginations and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Are you then under the authoritative power of any corruption are you under the command of any lust lusts of the understanding lusts of the heart or lusts of life Know this either that is not truth which you have entertained or you have not entertayned truth in the power of it Oper. 4 Fourthly A fourth operation that truth hath upon the soul where it is entertayned It hath a heart-quickning power as the main truth did raise us up from death and beget life in us at the first for every truth in its measure and proportion is serviceable to cherish and quicken life begotten in us Truth and life alwayes goe together truth alwayes carries life with it and life is ever the companion of truth Christ is called truth and he is called life too Joh. 14.6 I am the truth and the life hee could not bee the one if hee had not been the other Now as all light is in the body of the Sunne yet every ray every beam carries light with it So all life is in Christ who is the great truth and yet every truth is a beam from this Sunne and great truth it carries life with it it is therefore called the light of life Joh.
the will of God all the wayes of God and doe they advance all God in Christ And doe all this not seemingly but really Certainely if so they are truths of God Besides you that have entertayned and closed with any opinions tell me let conscience speake hast thou found them to be serviceable to advance the whole work of grace in thy heart and in thy life What operations have they had upon thee have they humbled thee quickned thee made thee more holy more exact in thy walking c. Indeed its true truths are more infallibly known in their esse then in their operari in thesi then in praxi in their revelation then in their operations But yet they may be discerned by their operations also because all truth workes like unto it selfe its holy and it worketh holily pure and it workes purely spiritually and it workes spirituall many who know not the simples of things as they grow that yet know them by their operations and many who know not a truth in its esse and being who yet know it in its operations and workings they know not truth as it is in Iesus but they know truth as it workes like Jesus they cannot evidence truth so fully in its being in the word as they can in its operations upon the heart many that know it better by experience then they can evidence it by arguments And you shall be able to judge of most opinions if you doe but look upon them in their operations upon the heart Certainely that which doth humble us quicken us make us more holy c. it cannot likely be an errour if an opinion hath these influences and operations upon the heart it is surely a truth And on the contrary if an opinion doth make us more proud self-conceited uncharitable lesse exact in our walking c. it is not probable to be a truth truth is holy and it works like to it self holily If a man had received a pill and he see it worke kindly upon the humours he concludes it is good and proper but if instead of working upon them and emptying the body of malignant humours it doth swell a man c. he will presently conclude it is poyson So when you have entertayned an opinion and you finde it workes kindly upon your corruptions it doth humble you purge you and is helpfull to your graces it doth quicken you and make you more holy you have some comfortable evidence that this is a truth it workes like truth But on the contrary if we finde an opinion doth swell us up with pride make us proud and censorious and uncharitable deads our hearts to duty slackens the hand to the exercise of godlines and you see this not onely the fruit but the proper effect of the opinion you may be sure that opinion is an errour Christians you are fallen into those times wherein errours doe abound as some truths are discovered so many errours are revealed you need to take heed you be not deceived especially seeing every opinion doth language it self unto you in the words of the text Loe here is Christ. And me thinks I did not need to say any more that which I have spoken might be sufficient to discover errour and to confirme you in the truth But yet in regard there are so many opinions abroad and many of those so dangerous so subtle so seductive I shall in the conclusion of this Question adde a few particulars which may serve instead of a fence to preserve you from errour and a starre to guide you in the wayes of truth And I shall branch this discourse into these two generall heads 1. Cautions 2. Directions 1. Beware of being too credulous of taking all upon trust and drinking in all you heare many men whose souls are but like to blanke paper fit for any to scroll upon or like to soft wax ready to receive what impression men will stampe in them Wee are commanded to examine to try to prove all things as I have shewed at large Non opus est virilis intelligentiae sed puerilit inscitiae therefore hath God given you the light of reason as you are men the light of grace as you are Christian men that you might prove and examine doctrines If we were to take all on trust there were no need of the understanding of men the simplicity of children would serve the turne for that Now I finde there are three great grounds why men are so apt to take opinions upon trust 1. a Qualitatem docentium non doctrinae One is because they come handed to us by the best men b Non personis fides probanda est sed potius ex fide persona Men examine more the quis then the quid the quality of the doctor more then the nature of the doctrine which is held forth if they see an opinion handed to them by holy men and learned men they presently receive it even as Gospell without any scruple or any doubt of it and thus oftentimes though they thirst after truth Quamvis evangeliuÌ„ sitiunt venenum hauriant Consul Morton Apol. Cath. p. 2. l. 5. cap. 12. p. 421. Hoc lantuÌ„ scio quod nihil scio Consul Mort. Apol Cath. p. 2. l. 5. cap. 12. Estote probait numularij siquis numâ—aus fit adulterus figuraÌ„ Caesaris non habeat nec signatus fit moneta publica reprobetur Morton yet they drinke in errour you had need to take heed of this in these dayes I have told you the best of men are but men and being men they may be deceivers though they are not willing to deceive the Apostle tells us We know but in part And this is not the least part of our knowledge to know that our knowledge is imperfect 2. A second ground men are so apt to take an opinion upon trust is because an opinion comes languaged under the most receptâ—ble termes it is conveyed to them under the highest notions perhaps it may speake the language of the Text Loe here is Christ And indeed if you looke abroad you shall scarce see any opinion that will stoop to seek its entertaynment or procure its reception upon lower termes then as the minde of Christ every opinion pretends Christs commission for its passe and will carry as bigg a saile as truth it self And though this prevaile much with men to give up their understandings and subject their hearts to such an opinion either they feare to reject it or for the very name sake they embrace it yet certainely all is not truth that goes under that name too many doe stamp Christs image upon their own coyne To discover some of those opinions to you which goe under that name you may take in these few particulars 1. Certainely that opinion which suits not with the minde of Christ though it say Loe here is Christ yet it is an errour not a truth of Christ 2. That opinion which suites not with the
nature of Christ who is pure and holy though it say Loe here is Christ yet believe it not it is an errour and no truth of Christ 3. That opinion which suites not with the life of Christ which was exact holy humble c. though it hold forth Loe here is Christ yet it is none of Christs 4. That opinion which obscures and robbs Christ of his glory and gives to man that which is due alone to Christ though it say Loe here is Christ yet it is an errour and no truth of Christ 5. That opinion which breeds a distance and estrangement between Christ and the soul that interrupts the soule in communion with Christ either in believing or obeying that draws the soul either froÌ„ the obedience of faith or the obedience to the command though it say Loe here is Christ yet it is an errour and no truth of Christ By these touches you may discover many opinions to be errours that goe under that name which shews you the danger of drinking in all opinions that language themselves unto you under the name of Christ A third ground why men are so apt to take opinions on trust is because besides all this they may carry some fair and lovely aspects which may render them lovely and desirable as if they were truth it self many men are tempted into an opinion rather then perswaded into it they are led rather by affection then by judgement the benigne and fair aspects which an opinion may carry may much take men and prevail with them for the entertainment of it It was our fall at first the lovely aspects which the fruit did bear and it is many an ones fall still even the fair and lovely aspects which an opinion seems to carry with it I have told you the Prince of darknesse may transform himself into an Angel of light and he may convey errour to you not only under the notion but under the habit of truth it self and render an errour every way as lovely desirable and acceptable as the truth it self And therefore there being so much danger dealing with so subtle an adversary we had need to beware what we entertain and sift it to the bottome before ever wee give it welcome into our hearts And that 's the first Caution I will be brief upon the rest 2. Beware of prejudice look not prejudicially upon an opinion As wee are not to look upon an opinion with affection and so give up our hearts to it before wee have tried it so wee must not look upon it with disaffection and so set our hearts against it before wee have examined it Indeed there are some opinions not worthy tryall Some are to bee lookt upon with abhorrency as such which are destructive to faith and godlinesse when I say you are not to look upon opinions with prejudice I mean not these for those you are to look upon with abhorrencie but I mean such as are controverted among the godly themselves and such as may consist with all holinesse of life and conversation of these I would be understood to speak when I say look not with prejudice against any way men when they receive prejudice against a way either they will not search at all or if they doe they will not know As affâ—ctions to a way doth hasten the understanding to know and the heart to embrace it so disaffection to a way doth hinder the understanding from knowing and hold off the heart from embracing It is a hard thing to perswade that man whose heart is either ingaged to a contrary way or his understanding prejudiced to this way Such a man may bee convinced but it is hard to perswade him his affections and ingagements act against all that light that he will not see he will not know it must be our work if wee will finde out truth to beware of prejudice You know it was that which hindered the Jews from closing with Christ who was the great truth and it will be that will hinder you from embracing of lesser truths Formerly the novelty of a way the paucity of professours the meannes of their condition the weaknesse of their parts and abilities the bad entertainment a truth had in the world were the great stumbling blocks or prejudices to the entertainment of truth It was so in the Gospel as you all know and it is well if the prejudices be not turn'd the other way and that the ancientnesse of an opinion the multitude of professours the quality of them the greatnesse of their learning and parts the favour it may finde in the world be not the great prejudices which may hinder from the closing with it God hath often times in providence smiled upon an errour and discountenanced a truth and he may please to let the truth finde favour and errour bee discountenanced Wee look for those daies when God shall make Kings nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to his Church when the Kingdoms of the earth shall become the Lords and his Christs this is promised and therefore this should bee no prejudice when God doth bring it about to hinder us from the entertainment of an opinion If you would finde out truth beware of prejudice on any side and look singly upon the opinion without any other respects at all 3. Beware of being byassed with carnall and corrupt affections most men of the world are carried with byasses rather then with principles they are moved rather by affections then judgement by things without them rather then principles within them There are four great Byasses which carry most men in the world 1. The first Byas is the love of the world which is a strong byas There are too many that stand as the people in the Market-place who would not goe into the vineyard till they were hired so they are not willing to entertain an opinion embrace a way till they can see what it can doe for them they must be hired with filthy lucre and will doe nothing till they see what will be most advantagious God keep us from such a spirit He who doth not see truth all riches shall never be the possessour of it such a man will see nothing to be truth or errour but what may stand with his own ends his secular advantages As they used to say of a corrupt Judge he had Bos in lingua he had money in his tongue and being bribed would say any thing So J may say of a worldly man he hath bos in corde the world in his heart and hee will not close with or embrace any thing but what may stand with his advantages where there is the love of the world Caeterae cupiditates ingenti cupiditati subservient there is desire to get the world and fear to lose the world and such a man will make all to serve his main corruption You see the desire of gain it made Judas to sell Christ Demas forsake Christ he forsook Christ and did cleave to this
will towards men the Vulgar latine reads this clause Peace on earth to men of good will and hereupon the Papists doe establish the doctrine of free-will now from the originall they are easily confuted for there it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth ever signifie the free-grace of God and it is never used for the free-will of man And so some of the Papists grant take another instance Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works The Vulgar latine reads it we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus in good works hence the Papists doe gather that we are justifi'd by good works but by the originall they are easily confuted for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place signifies to not in and so must be read Vnto good works not in good works so it is said that the Church of Jerusalem consisting of above 8000 wâ—re but one particular Congregation and it 's gathered from that Act. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which they render in one place but compare that with Act. 4.26 27. where you have the same words after used but yet it is not meant or a Convention of persons in one place but a consent of mindes in the same thing But so much for the second A third means we are to consider in the perusall of Scripture what speeches are proper and what are figurative when words are to be taken figuratively they are not to be interpreted properly Miserabilis servitus est animae signa pro rebus accipere Aug. That is a miserable servitude to interpret those speeches properly which are spoken figuratively the great quarrell that is between us and the Papists about transubstantiation it doth arise from those words This is my bodie which they interprer properly and they should be taken figuratively Origen who in other places was much for allegories yet he understood that literally which was to be taken mystically And it is to be feared as the taking of the literall in an Allegoricall sense was his sinne So the taking of a figurative in a literall was his punishment But how should we know what is to be taken literally and properly and what to be taken figuratively and by way of Allegory Hence the 4. The fourth meanes we are to looke upon the scope Ille qui cor habet leget superiora inferiora inveniet sensum Aug. Ad cruendam Scripturarum interpretationem dog na tatissimè patens hoc erit loca clariota consulere antecedentia consequentia perpendere Greg. Tales homines qui suis meritis confidunt meritò ad legem amaÌ„dantur ut sic quantum à perfecta justitia absunt in elligant Morton Apol. Cathol p. 2. l. 5 c. â— Nihil ferè in Scrip uris obscurum est quod non alibi planissimè dictum reperiatur Aug. Non modo similes loci cum similibus sed dissimiles etiam cun dissimilibas conferendâ— Ista verba figuratâ—e intellegenda atque interpretanda qua alioqui sâ—elus flagitium praeciperent Aug. l 3. de do Christ c. 16. Omnes nostrae expositiones debent Analogiae fidei convenire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ista analogia nihil aliud est quam constans perpetua sententia Scripturae in apertis minime obscuris locis Scripturae the end the matter the circumstances viz. of persons place time and to attend to the antecedents and the consequents And by this meanes it will neither be difficult to refute many errours nor to cleare many truths For instance 1 Pet. 4.8 the Apostle saith charity shall cover the multitude of sins hence the Papists inferre that charity hath power of taking away sinne and justifying us before God and therfore say they we are not justified by faith only Now if we consider the occasion the scope the antecedent and the consequence and other circumstances we shall finde the Apostle doth not speak of a charity which doth justifie us before God I know none such but of a brotherly charity one towards another why how shall we know that I answer by the context because before he said Have fervent charity among your selves and compare this with Prov. 10.12 whence Peter had it and there you shall see it plain Hatred stirreth up strife but love covereth all sinnes The like instance might be alleadged from Matth. 19.17 If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments Hence the Papists say we are justified by works but in the mean time they doe not attend the man to whom Christ speaks It was to one leaning and resting upon his own righteousnesse and puft up with pride that he should be saved by his own obedience and therefore Christ to convince him and empty him of that frothy opinion he turns him to the Law not to be justified and saved but to be convinced and self-condemned that he might look for righteousnesse in another 5 M. One place is to be compared with another possibly in one place the sense is very darke and we doe not understand it then it is our worke to compare that more darke place with such places as are more plain and by that you shall finde the sense to give you an instance of that 2 Jam. 21. where it is said Abraham was justified by works it seems obscure but compare this with the 4 Rom. 2. by that you shall understand it there it is said that Abraham was not justified by workes And he gives this reason of it for if Abraham were justified by works then he had whereof to boast and Iames therefore speaks of a declarative justification or a justification before men and Paul of a justification in the sight of God as is usually and truly answered thus by comparing of Scripture with Scripture the truth is discovered and found out That is the fifth way 6 M. In comparing of places remember these two particulars First compare like places with like viz. 6. Joh 53. with this Joh. 4.14 that water is spirituall and the way of drinking is spirituall and there is the same reason for eating the way of eating Christs flesh is also a spirituall eating so 16. Matth. 19. with the 18. Matth. 17. Ioh. 20.21 So that 6. Act. the choice of deacons It is to be expounded by the 1. Deut 9 10 11 12 13. where you have the same occasion It was too hard for Moses and you have almost the same qualifications of the persons So 1. Cor. 5. the casting out of the incestuous person It may be best expounded by 13. Deut. 5 8 9. where you reade the seducer to idolatry was to be killed which is not to be meant as if every particular man were to doe it this had been murther but there must be processus judicialis it was actus judicialis and all this secundum allegata probata they were first to complaine then the Iudge was to inquire and to sentence then the people were to lay their hands on him they
the Magistrate is to follow jubendo sanciendo cogendo in commanding â—stablishing and compelling I am sure there is more reason that the one go before then there is necessity the other should follow after Yet mistake me not I speak not this to countenance the skepticalnesse of these times as if a man should be afraid to speak write act against any opinion what ever for fear it be a truth I leave that to them who have their God and religion to seek Nor doe I thinke Gamaliels speech to be so good divinity as many make it Act. 5.38 39. to me he seemes no better then a meer Polititian and a nullifidian by his speech doubting whether the Apostles doctrine was from God or men Such Skepticalnesse is better in Philosophy then in divinity Certainly we are not to fluctuate and doubt in a pyrrhonian vacillation and uncertainty As there is such a duty so there is such a sinne to be ever learning and never comming to the knowledge of the truth And it is a greater judgement then men are a ware of to be given up to this Skepticalnesse of spirit certain in nothing how ever men look upon it yet sure it is no better then a diffusive Atheisme Scruples are not ever the arguments of a broken heart but some times of a broken head and how ever men look upon such a spirit yet sure I am such a spirit argues 1. Weaknesse of knowledge of the truth 2. And slendernesse sleightnesse of faith in the assenting to the truth of the Word and 3. In many it is no better then a temptation to divert and turn the stream of their desires affections endeavours from things certain to the search and enquiry into things uncertain that they may spend their money for that which is not bread and their labour for that which will not satisfie Isa 55.2 And I wish that those who are now laying out their money in such wayes would hear God speaking to them in the heat of the market why do you spend your mony for that which is not bread for my own part if I were an assertour of liberty and against all coercive power yet I should abominate this medium to prove and defend it by which overthrows all religion and wounds the soul in the belief and certainty of all known truth Certainly there are errours there are heresies there are strong delusions which carry many away yea and these errours these heresies may be known els truth cannot be known a man may be as certain that this or that is an errour as that this or that is a truth he that saith we cannot be certain of the one doth or would alike say we cannot be certain of the other It is easily granted That we know but in part yet we may know certainly though not fully this is knowledge in part hath respect to the measure and degrees of knowledge not to the nature and certainty of our knowledge in this life fulnes of knowledge is not required to acting but certainty of knowledge though that be capable of improvement also there may be certainty of knowledg though there want fulnes of knowledge it is not required I should know all the will of God but know that this which I do is the will of God And of that I speak when I say the Magistrate is to act knowingly that is he is to act from the certainty of faith though not from fulnesse of knowledge 1. He is to be fully perswaded that what he opposeth is an errour 2. That it is such an errour as is the object of his power to suppresse And 3. That he doth a thing pleasing to God in the suppressing of it And this certainty of knowledge will be sufficient to inable a man to act in this nature though there want fulnesse of knowledge And so much shall serve for the second he is to act knowingly 3. This power must be dispenced wisely and prudentially Not only justly and knowingly but wisely and prudentially And this prudential dispencing of this power lies in these three things viz in the dispensation of it with distinction 1. Of errours 2. Of persons 3. Of penalties 1. It must be dispenced with distinction of errours Certainly it is not every difference in judgement or practice no nor every difference from the truth no nor every errour maintained that is to be the object of the Magistrates power this were to deny a Christian latitude to men this were to kill flies with beetles The remedy may be worse then the evil is It is said of Domition the Roman Emperour that he spent his time in killing of flies it was a work unworthy such a person as he was Certainly the Roman Empire was not so much disturbed with a flie It is unworthy the power of a Magistrate to make every puny difference every dissent from the apprehended truth or common rule the object of his coercive power Without doubt there is a latitude to be afforded to men of different judgements yea and of different practices in smaller matters otherwisâ— this power in being a relief would be a scourge to the Churches of Christ There must be a distinction made of errours I have told you that some were errours in doctrine some in practice And both these either such as were principall or lesse principall either fundamentall or circafundamentall or but circumstantiall I shall not run into the many distinctions thâ—t might be made Certainly there are some errours of which I may as well as of some truths that their suppression is their growth this way of lessening them is the way of increasing them That by which you thinke to be their death doth but give them life And this ariseth 1. Either from the crossenesse of mens spirits Nitimur in vetitum Men love still to taste of forbidden fruit 2. Or from the conscientiousnesse of men they are ready to thinke there is some good in that way that is opposed and suppressed the world lies under prejudice it hath seldome been a friend to truth And that jealousie that is in men concerning earthly powers having so many interests and ingagements to tempt and bias them doth perswade much with men who contemn the world to thinke there is something in that which the world as they look upon it doth oppose 3. Or it may arise from the rigorous and violent causes that may be used against some opinions which hath been ever harsh to men of tender and conscientious spirits Insomuch that often times those opinions which otherwise would expire and breath out of themselves By this means their date is lengthened and their asserters increased and breaches are multiplied And what ever others doe yet God forbid that we who but even now came out from under a cruell tyranny should ever so farre forget as to be oppressours of others even for differences of the like latitude which we complained under and desired relief of but could not enjoy it Yet I speak not
diffâ—rence in waies that those who doe agree in so many things should differ in one nay in one thing in many things whereof they also do agree I may sâ—y here as it is subscribed at the foot of a complaint concerning the differences of the Reformed Churches Oh that we should agree in so much and differ for so little It is a sâ—d thing and speaks more evil to us then all our evils upon us 2. Shall I say as this agreement is possible so it is exceeding desirable 1. It is desirable to Christ witnesse his prayer Joh. 17.21 That we may be one even as God and he is one Shall I say it would be the joy of Christ in heaven to see this accord on earth it is that which he sweat for that which he did bleed for it is a part of the travel of his soul the income whereof will be desirable to him And doe but thinke what a grief it is to your Saviour to see his people members of his body heirs of the same hope that lay together in the same bosome of election are sharers in the same priviledges born to the same hopes that they whose names he carries together and presents before the Father continually in heaven should be divided and rent asunder upon earth It is a patheticall passage which Luther hath in an Epistle to the Ministers of Norimberg Suppose saith he you saw Jesus Christ standing bodily in the midst of you and by his very eyes speaking thus unto your hearts What do you ô my dear children whom I have redeemed by my blood renewed by my word that you might mutually love one another There is no danger in your difference but there is much in your dissension Do not thus sadden my spirit Do not thus spoyl the holy Angels of their joy in heaven Am not I more to you then all your matters of difference then all your affections then all your offences Can any unjust trouble pierce your heart so much as my wounds as my blood as I the whole Saviour Jesus Christ Certainly as it is the grief of Christ in heaven so let me speak after the manner of men it would be his joy and glory in heaven to see the hearts and spirits of his own people united and made one in the truth 2. As it is desirable to Christ so it is desirable it self the miseries we feel in the want of it doe exceedingly heighten and advance the worth of it to us This indeed will be the crown of all our conquests the glory of all our deliverance the ruine of our enemies is nothing to the union of our friends nor are all sad calamities upon us to be compared to the divisions among the Saints Eusebius saith of Constantine He was more troubled at the dissensions in the Church then with all the warrs in his dominions Indeed these are the saddest of divisions and carry desolation in the face of them The Philosophers tell us that each naturall body doth no lesse desire it's unity then it 's being and how much more should the body mysticall without which unity it cannot long subsist in being Every difference from unity is a steppe towards a nullitie 3. It is desirable to us It is the subject of all our prayers of all our tears and so desirable that nothing will satisfie without it though God have done much for this kingdome and is still riding on in his glory to doe more yet we cannot but say with Abraham What will all this profit us if thy people be not one Alas how can we give up one another Those who have wept together prayed together worked together taken sweet counsell together hitherto been one how can we now be two how sad were it if that those who have been fellow-mourners fellow-suffâ—rers joynt prayers and contenders with God for these deliverances should not now be joynt enjoyers of the mercy and deliverance Certainly this is desired of all as the way to it let us breath after and hasten that of the Prophet Zeph. 3.9 When all that call on the name of the Lord shall serve him with one consent And that of the Apostle Rom. 15.5 6 7. That God would grant us to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that we may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God This is sure the desire of all and ô that we should be at one in our desires to be one and at difference in the waies whereby we may be one 4. It is desirable to all the Churches of Christ. Where hath Christ a Church on earth that is not now in travel to see the birth of this unioâ— where hath he a people that doe not pray and wait we may be one What the Historian said of Ormus I may say of England If all the world were a ring England were the jewel It is so looked upon as the Jewel of all the Christian world for eminency of grace and holinesse And as our differences are the sadning of the spirits of the Churches of Christ so our union would be the jâ—y of their souls even life from the dead a sufficient income for all their prayers their tears laid out for it Certainly it is desirable to all but those who desire to dance in our ashes and would rejoyce in our ruine the speeding of which doth lie in our differences one with another Thus I have shewed you that this agreement is possible it is desirable I might shew you the necessity of it the mischiefs which are like to follow if it be not but being done so fully by another hand I shall wave it And now in the last place unto these weak desires cast in some few thoughts which may be subservient in this happy union and accommodation 1. I wish that both parties would get their hearts more overcome with the love of union and peace this very love of peace would carry us a great way towards an union we can talk of it but our hearts are not taken with it we can play the Oratours say much in the commendation of it but who pursues it who makes it the businesse of his life to attain it Doe we not rather side with our dividing interests then with our uniting engagements and seek rather to be well alone then to be happy together Who is it that saith resolvedly we must be one we cannot live without you nor you without us It was a superlative expression of Luthers writing to the Pastours of Stratsburg I pray you saith he be perswaded that I shall alwaies be as desirous to embrace concord as I am desirous to have the Lord Jesus propitious to me O that we had more of this spirit That our hearts were so overcome with the love of union that we could be content to be any thing that this might be and to tread upon our choisest priviledges and interests if they might be a rise and advantage to this desired union 2. Silencing all
from us as the matter will not bear much lesse to fasten such deductions upon them as their professed judgement and if such things have been done it were a good way to agreement to retract those unjust charges which obstacle and block up the way to a happy union 5. Let there be a truce and cessation from all matters of strife and contention agreed on Print not preach not spread not your differences let there be a mutuall consent not to publish severall opinions which makes the people like a troubled sea without rest tossed with contrary winds and doth but heighten disagreements and make them more difficult to be composed and reconciled partly because in so doing men are more engaged and so harder to retract and their parties are encreased whom it is more difficult to satisfie 6. Lastly Set upon a brotherly and amicable conference And here I fear I speak it with grief I am as a man born out of due time yet I will speak my heart in it though former attempts in this kinde have been abortive yet after endeavours may be succesfull miscarrying wombs may be fruitfull let it be again again commanded and attempted In this conference let it not be thought presumption if I humbly suggest the consideration of four things 1. The persons undertaking it 2. The intention with which 3. The manner how to be carried 4. The obligations in it I will speak to them in brief 1. The persons undertaking it must be considered it is the main requisite to a happy agreement Certainly they are to be holy men principled from above and not byassed with carnall and corrupt interests humble men not great in their own thoughts and opinions not too big to close wiâ—h any truth nor so little as to side with an errour Meek men such as are under the reign of reason not the command of passion and in the acting of the one can silence the other Self denying men such as can trample under foot their own concernments Quis non vita sua redimat submotum istuc infinitum disfidij scandalum to advance the interests of Jesus Christ It was the speech of Bucer Who would not purchase the removing that infinite scandal that comes by dissension even with his life Men truly of such spirits might do much for the composing of our differences And yet alas I dare not but perswade my self such we have had and yet may say in the words of the Prophet We looked for peace but there is no good and for the time of hâ—aling but behold trouble 2. A second thing to be considered in this conference is The intention with which it is to be carried Not to non plus silence or conquer one another much lesse to search out disagreements and enlarge them but brotherly and humbly to finde out the truth and conscientiously to soader and compose our differences 3. A third thing to be considered is The manner how it is to be carried certainly not passionately and contentiously as adversaries striving for mastery but brotherly friendly humbly as men mutually seeking out for truth All strife is unsutable unles it be this Who shall be furthest off from strife If once men fall to crossing and contending one with another they will never be able to perswade much lesse to procure and settle any happy agrâ—ement Noluit haÌ„c laudem ad versae parti concedere quod pacis concordiae stud oâ—â—ores quam ipse essent Daven p. 4 It was the speech of Luther at the agreement at Marperg That he would not by any means suffer the adverse party that honour to outstrip him in the desires of peace and amity O that we could thus out go one another in the desires after this happy agreement and pursue it in an humble brotherly way in which should we happily prevail with either party they would not look upon themselves conquered but conquering nor would they be ashamed like those overmatched and overcome by their adversaries but would rather rejoyce at those bettered by their friends 4. A fourth thing to be considered is The obligations in it And it were well if such persons meeting for such ends were under some solemn obligations or covenants to lay aside all other interests and engagements and faithfully impartially and conscientiously to search out for the truth and to imbrace what ever overtures and hints of agreement God in his Word will afford them When mens spirits are under such weighty and solemn bands they will not without clear and demonstrable grounds from the Word oppose or dissent one from another nothing but God and truth shall part them And I read of this practice in some former Synods and Conventions we need to go no further then that of late the Synod at Dort wherein the members of it first the President of the Synod then all the Professours Pastours and Elders of the Netherlands deputed to the Synod and lastly all the Divines of other Nations did all joyntly binde themselves in a solemn oath wherein they engaged themselves unto an impartiall examination and decision of those five Articles in controversie according to the Word of God and undoubted rule of faith promising in this whole action to propound nothing to themselves See Paget power of Class and Synods p. 239. but the glory of God the peace of the Church and preservation of the truth And it were very requisite that those who are singled out and set apart for such a work might be under such engagements that in the whole procedure of the work they might act as such who have the vows of God upon them and might not be in such danger to be led aside with their own interests engagements affections or disaffections but might faithfully and singly seek after truth and peace And thus now a conference being setled there are but three main things to be looked after 1. To avoid all unnecessary controversies 2. To conclude and establish agreements 3. To accommodate differences 1. All unnecessary controversies are to be avoided As in doctrin there are fundamentall and superstructive truths Videl de episc Const praefat so in government there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things immutable and unalterable and some things prudential and changeable It was one way which * Epist of Casaub to Car. PerroÌ„ K. James advised for agreement That there should be care to distinguish between necessary and unnecessary truths the one is to be preached pressed urged by the sons of peace and truth and a consent therein to be obtained the other was to be forborn and place given to Christian liberty being but a needles occasion of difference and dissension It was said by a learned man concerning the healing of the differences of the Germane Churches That as often as Divines of both sides have set themselves seriously about this work they still effected in it as much as they desired to effect and