the truth and power thereof and their wayes and practises with the fairest and most plausible colours of love and peace It is Peters observation concerning Teachers that such as have their hearts exercised with covetousnesse and therefore are best seene in the art and method of fetching in the world apace unto them still forsake the right way of the Gospel because there is little good to bee done in that way for such a purpose the world will seldome give much for truth and go astray after the way of Balaam the sonne of Bosor who loved the wages of unrighteousnesse 2. Pet. 2. 14. 15. What was Balaams work for the doing wherof he should have beene so richly and royally paid It was onely the cursing the people and children of God with their wayes and courses and consequently the justifying and blessing of Balack and his people in their proceedings against them And what was this in effect but to undertake to reconcile Christ and Belial and to divide Christ in or against himselfe Balack and his rout must bee righteous and just men and approved of God Moses and his company must be children of the curse enemies of God and hated of him I beleeve the better halfe of the Popes Kingdome two thirds of the triple crowne would be given to any man that shall undertake and quit himselfe like a man by a semblable performance to overthrow the State government doctrines practices of all the reformed Churches by the Scriptures but by the same labour he shall compound and reconcile the rule government doctrines and practises of the Sea of Rome with the Gospel Wee know the base descent and pedigree of farre the greatest part of promotions and preferments in the world they are begotten by the base desire of an earthly greatnesse upon an earthly greatnesse vainely desirous of being thought to bee of the house and lineage of goodnesse Thus in one sence the poore oppressed and persecuted Gospel makes many rich in the world Againe the same Gospel notwithstanding the povertie of it nay rather because of such povertie makes many rich and sad is the consideration that it makes not many more in a better way As the world gives no greater wages of such a treasure as it hath for any worke then for the pulling downe the truth and power of the Gospel where it riseth up against them So neither doth God open his hand wider in his way of bountie to any service then to the faithfulnesse of those that will labour to build them up againe and trie it out by a deepe and solemne contestation with the world whether light or darkenesse shall rule whether God or Baal shall bee hee When our Saviour promiseth a Prophets reward to him that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet doubtlesse hee promiseth more then bare measure even that good measure which he speakes of in another case heaped up pressed downe shaken together and running over Now the service or worke of a Prophet is as to hold forth the word of righteousnesse to the world so in speciall manner to hold fast the same word to convince the gainesayers Tit. 1. 9. and not to suffer the world to destroy elude or make voide any part or parcell of it So Paul upon the thought and mention of that good fight hee had fought whereby hee had kept the Faith as hee saith viz. against the subtile and outragious malice of the Divell wherewith hee had inspired his Angels in the world to make all the havocke and spoyle they could of Evangelicall truth was fil'd with the hope and confidence of that his crowne of righteousnesse which hee said was laid up for him and should bee given him by the righteous Judge at that day 2. Tim. 4. 7. 8. So that if thou desirest to make something of nothing J meane to make the best earnings of thy times and dayes on earth which were they not capable of a spirituall improvement were but as light as vanitie as little as nothing there is no labour thou canst undergoe no course thou canst runne no service thou canst performe either to God or men like unto this to stand up in thy might for the Gospel and to set thy foote by it and so come men come Divels come friends come foes against it come honour come dishonour come liberty come prison come life come death come Heaven come Hell to stand to the defence of it to the last haire of thy head Jt is a signe that a man knowes not to what purpose he was borne into the world that will suffer the Gospel to receive a wound by him or die before him And being prevented with such an opportunity season as is now given downe from heaven unto us even above our expectations and commensurable with our desires for contending for the Gospel not to attempt the moving and removing of every stone which God hath not fastned bee it never so hot or heavie not to doe not to suffer not to speak not to pray not to crie both unto God and men not to give not to lend not to ride not to run not to watch not to studie not to continue not to execute whatsoever the peace and safety thereof shall require and to professe that wee love not we regard not we desire not the Gospel are but expressions of one and the same interpretation Onely J must crave leave to touch thy conscience it shall bee gently with one caveat about thy contending and then the discourse it selfe take it thee and make thee a souldier in this warfare When thou contendest for the Gospel let it not bee grievous unto thee to looke very narrowly and to consider seven times over that thou contendest for nothing of thine owne for nothing of men instead of the Gospel and matter of Faith It is a thing not to bee passed over in our thoughts without much sadnesse and sorrow that there is not one of many that takes hold of shield and buckler for the truth that stands forth with zeale to pleade the cause of the Gospel but suffers this dead flie to lie putrifying in this box of so precious an oyntment he is not carefull to separate the vile from the precious but takes his owne and other mens opinions into part and fellowship of the same defence with that which is Faith and Gospel indeed Great pittie it is that darknesse should share in the priviledges of light or that error and truth should be joyned together in the same protection I easily apprehend how cutting and painefull it is to flesh and bloud to see those opinions which were long since begotten and bred within them and have for many yeeres beene tenderly nursed and cherished in their bosomes yea and happly have beene their glory and reputation in the world yea and perhaps that which is yet more part of their comfort and confidence in God to see these J say cast out upon the dunghill and reputed as good for nothing
§. 7. 7. Thirdly consider if we will contend earnestly for the truth as we have beene directed we shall have assured successe our enemies shall never say in triumph against us behold wee have prevailed wee shall bee able to rescue the truth out of the hands of all gainesayers and of all the powers of darknesse If we will buy the truth at Gods price no man shall have it out of our hands if wee bee willing to cleave to it and live with it God will never put us asunder by a strong hand hold fast saith our Saviour to the Church of Philadelphia lest another take thy crowne implying that holding fast will prevent it thy crowne shall alwayes stand upon thy owne head if thou wilt keepe thine owne as wee say if thou wilt set thy foote to the foote of the adversarie and not let him carry away the truth except hee carry away thee too or something of thine with him §. 8. 8. Continue saith St. Paul to the Philippians in one spirit and one minde striving together for or with the Faith of the Gospel and in nothing feare your adversaries Philip. 1. 27. 28. if wee will not contend if wee will make no resistance against Sathan then will he tyrannize over us and impoverish us of our great treasure and bring us to a morsell of bread hee will triumph in the ruines of the truth and of oursoules together but if wee will resist him in this case we know what the holy Ghost promises who knowes Sathans depths and tels all his secrets that he will flee from you Iames 4. 7. if hee findes resistance so that hee cannot speede presently or suddenly as he desires hee stands upon thornes as we say he must not lose time hee hath but a little left hee will away to others where he hopes to bestow his time and temptations to better purpose §. 9. 9. Consider that if we will come forth and shew our selves men in this conflict for the truth and partake in this most noble and honourable quarrell of the Gospel against the world wee shall share with Jesus Christ in his glorie and triumph in the day of his great victorie against Antichrist and his Angels and followers yea that which mee thinkes should bee the most sutable incouragement under heaven to the spirit of a Christian right bred the successe and glorie of that great victorie of the Lambe over the Beast shall bee divided between the Captain and the Souldiers and is in part ascribed to the faithfulnesse of those that bee with him in the battell Rev. 17. 14. these shall fight with the Lambe and the Lambe shall over-come them for they that are with him are called and chosen and faithfull Cast but an eye upon this glorie and it cannot but fill us with the highest courage and resolution for this service That which yee have already hold fast till I come saith Christ to the Church of Thyatira Rev. 2. 25. 26. For hee that overcometh and keepeth my workes unto the end to him will I give power over Nations The world is at his feete whose heart will but serve him to looke the Devill and his terrible ones in the face when they goe forth to battle against the truth §. 10. 10. Fifthly consider that if wee will therefore decline this warfare because it must bee undertaken at our owne cost and charges wee may sustaine losse in our estates losse of friends credit in the world our liberties our lives c. Consider I say and consider it againe it is a waighty and most important truth that all these may may yea must lose and part with it may be upon harder and worse termes a thousand-fold upon better and more honourable and with more advantage to our selves then in this warfare impossible it is that ever wee should Mee thinke this motive should cut off all reasonings and gaine sayings of the flesh If the flesh in any kinde should plead to bee spared or excused from this warfare it should not onely plead against the spirit but against it selfe also Therefore for such stuffe as this regard it not loe the whole Kingdome of heaven is before us and is ours §. 11. 11. Suppose that God at any time should cal for thy service herein thou seest thou canst not serve without expence of thy estate abridgement of thy libertie it may be danger of thy life and thou makest answer no thou wilt see what will become of the truth otherwise It may be the verie next day for ought thou knowest within a shorter space God will suffer that great extortioner death to spoyle thee of thy life and then as God saith to the foole Luke 12. 20. whose shall all these be Where is thy estate Where libertie Where credit Where friends Where life all is lost for ever whereas if thou hadest beene willing to have made over these things by such a Deed of gift as hath beene spoken of into the hands of God they had beene safe for thee for eternitie There is no way else in the world for these mortall comforts to put on immortalitie the outward and corruptible good things to put on incorruption but only to make a consecration of them to him that is immortall as the Scriptures every where teach If thy goods be otherwise spoyled thy libertie restrained life taken from thee God will not regard thee nor take compassion on thee It may be he will value thee and thy life at as little as thou doest him and his truth hee will sell thee for nought and take no money for thee as David speakes that is hee will not so much as punish or shew any judgement upon those that shall oppresse thee or destroy thee §. 12. 12. A Father that hath given an estate to a sonne that is improvident and wastes it with riotous living as the Prodigall did regardeth him not casts him off and suffers him to taste of want and all extremitie But if hee so layes out his stocke to make still a returne and increase the Father delights in him so doth God with men those that will wisely and providently dispose of such mercies as hee hath given them so that though they be out of hand for a while yet they are still returning and comming in againe such are his delight and men of his affection but for those that so order and mannage their present estates and comforts in the world that they wholly perish at last and are never heard of more nor seene in any returne of good his soule abhorreth hee loveth to see his children wise in their generation And in this sense I conceive that of our Saviour to bee understood Iohn 10. 17. therefore doth my Father love mee because I lay downe my life that I might take it againe that is because I lay it downe so in such a way upon such tearmes of obedience and submission to his will that I may in equitie and justice receive it againe wee cannot
now a way into the world by the providence of God and by the benigne aspect and influence of that happy constellation wherein your selfe shine as a starre in much glory And the subject of it being of that neere affinity and sympathy with the soveraigne piece of that great worke you have in hand the rescue and advancement of the Gospell I should I conceive have turn'd my backe upon that providence which look't mee in the face if I should not have presented it to some of those Worthies whom God hath anointed with wisdome grace and power as for the bringing of many greater and weightier things to passe so the event bearing witnesse for the helping forth of it also into the world In which great and honourable assembly I knew not one whom rather to cast mine eye for this dedication than on your selfe who as you are knowne to the whole Nation by your worth and zeale for the things both of God and Men so have you beene knowne to my selfe heretofore by some more particular acquaintance the discontinuance and decrease whereof I impute onely to mine owne unworthinesse and negligence in addressing my selfe unto you I doe not in these meditations put you upon any thing in the maine but wherein you have prevented my motion and are already home-engaged I know you are in for the Gospell with all your heart and with all your soule and if with all these with all whatsoever besides So that you might in that respect expostulate with mee the impertinencie of this my addresse unto you in those or such like termes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What neede you quicken him that maketh haste Yet make I no question but that of your selfe you know how fairly to salve the seasonablenesse and usefulnesse here of notwithstanding In which regard an apologie would prove the impertinency not the Dedication I verilly beleeve that Pâ—â—â— never met with Christians so abundant in the worke of the Lord but still hee exhorted them to a bound yee more Besides though I cannot say with the confidence of an intuitive knowledge that you meete with any secret feares discouragements conflicts of doubtfull thoughts and reasonings with your selfe in the way of that contention for the truth which now you sustaine yet can I hardly beleeve but that sometimes you feele the activenesse of the powers of darkenesse against you and finde some insinuations and grudgings if not stronger and sharper fits of feares touching the successe and issue of your great undertakings In which respect I conceive it should not be unseasonable altogether to administer unto you of those excellent comfortations and strengthenings of heaven which the Holy Ghost hath treasured up in the Scriptures for such times and occasions especially as these The Lord Iesus Christ himselfe being in deepe conflict was refreshed by the presence of an Angell from Heaven comforting him Luk. 23. 43. The consolations of the spirit in the Word of God administred by a hand consecrated thereunto have sometimes beene little inferiour in the glory of their effects to those of Angelicall dispensation I dare not undertake for any sapientiall advantage you are like to gaine for the Faith by the perusall of these few pages I know if there bee any to be gotten you will not overlooke it Yet give mee leave to say this that the best and wisest mens thoughts apprehensions purposes ends intentions in their best actions will never lye right and straight in their bowels nor with that ease and intimate satisfaction to their owne spirits except they be marshalled ranged and composed by the hand of the spirit of God stretched out from the Scriptures The God of grace and glory who in your selfe together with that worthy Senate of joynt consultations with you hath opened a doore of hope to a Land and People brought very low and hath begun by your mouthes to breath upon the dry bones so that there is some noyse and shaking heard already bring them together bone to his bone and flesh upon them also in due time and cover them with a skin and put a spirit of life into them that they may live and recompence abundantly into their bosome the labours and travells and faithfulnesse of those whose hearts and hands have beene and still are lifted up to the worke that tasting the presence and mightie hand of God with them they may rejoyce as strong men to runne the remainder of their race and not faint or waxe wearie till the great breach bee repaired till the throne and kingdome of Iesus Christ bee lifted up on high above the rage power and contradictions of those that seeke to lay the glory of it in the dust till judgement runne downe like water and righteousnesse as a mightie streame to wash and carry away all the filth and noysomenesse of the Land till the hearts and mouthes of all those who love the peace and prosperitie of the Nation bee filled with joy and gladnesse and the faces of all that are enemies unto it with shame and confusion And for your selfe your personall honour peace and safety you have an interrest in your selfe which sleepeth not in the prayers of Coleman-streete Decemb. the 4. 1640. Your Worships home-devoted in the things of Iesus Christ L. G. TO THE READER GOod Reader it was a saying of Erasmus concerning Luther that poore Luther made many rich His meaning seemes to have beene that many were raised to great places of promotion and dignity in the Church and otherwise highly rewarded for standing up in the Popes cause and quarrell against him The saying is capable of another interpretation also somewhat more spirituall and remote and may have this importance that many taking part with that poore servant of God who was fiercely assaulted on every side and presented againe and againe to death and hell by the sworne sides men of the Pope by this service commended themselves with termes of highest acceptation unto God and so were enriched with abundance of his grace and favour The Gospel which in this respect may bee called poore likewise but the truth glory and power of it are still suppressed and trampled on by that great and strong party the Divell hath in the world may in both senses be said to make many rich but in the latter would make many more rich then it doth if their hearts would serve them to be engaged in so honourable a service as to consecrate themselves and rise up in the defence of it The great men of the earth who desire to ride on the world as on a horse as God is said to ride upon the Heavens and to rule though not with God but by themselves yet with an opinion of ruling with God seldome or never shew themselves more magnificent and bountifull in rewarding never give grater wages to any workmen they imploy then unto those that are zealous active and dextrous to accommodate the Gospel unto them and to slay the hatred and enmity that burnes betweene
others except such as are willing to bee destroyed and as Salomon saith love death Prov. 8. and this destroying which Sathan feares from the Gospel is the true fountaine of that implacable enmitie he beares against it he knowes except hee can some wayes destroy it it will destroy him §. 3. 3. It is said Heb. 2. 14. That Christ suffered death that by such suffering he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill It is a new or further destruction to the Devill to bee throwne out of mens hearts and lose his interest in the precious soules of men this is his tumbling downe from heaven like lightning Luke 10. This was a secōd heavē to him after he was throwne downe from the third heaven and the best hee was now capable of to bee honoured and served like the most Highest in the hearts of sinfull blind and miserable man Now as it was the power of God to throw him down from the third heaven so it was the weakenesse of God the death of God being made man that fetched him downe from the second heaven out of the hearts of men And it is as much against his nature and inclination as tormenting a destruction to him to lose this second heaven as it was his first and therefore he is said to fall from this heaven like lightning That is fully against his nature and inclination with the greatest reluctancie and torture of spirit as it is the greatest naturall torment as wee may say to fire whose naturall inclination and motion is constantly upwards towards the circumference to bee compelled and forced downewards towards the center and the more pure the fire is as lightning is of the purest kinde it includs still the greater repugnancie to the nature of it to be forced downewards §. 4. 4. Now if it bee the death of Christ indeed that fetcheth Sathan downe like lightning from this heaven off his power and throne that hee hath gotten in the world yet doth it not this immediately without some other advantage as it is not a bullet or powder that batters the walles of the Citie or Castle at such a distance or cuts off the lives of so many men but by the advanrage of the enemie or Cannon so is it this same Gospel of truth that utters as it were and vents the death of Christ up and downe the world in that effectuall and saving manner according to which it worketh this is as the Hysope that sprinkles that bloud upon the consciences of men §. 5. 5. So that Sathans aimand project is to disable the Gospel from the performance of such a service to make it wholly unusefull for the dispencing of the death of Christ unto men in a saving way This hee knowes well enough will be done by corrupting the truth of it if the straight wayes and paths of it bee much perverted and made crooked the holy spirit will bee grieved and take offence at it and being a spirit of truth will refuse to goe forth with a lie or to worke by it as the Lord told the people by Ezekiel 28. 18. They had defiled their Sanctuary by the multitude of their iniquities defiled it that is made it unfit for an habitation for him so great and holy a God and therefore hee would prophane it too as hee saith in another place that is hee would dwell no more there nor delight to manifest his presence any more to them there then in any other prophane and common place in all the world so if the Gospel bee defiled with mixture of errours and tenets and opinions of men the holy Ghost will loath and abhorre it and prophane it also and doe no more towards the salvation of men by the Gospel so corrupted then by any other prophane learning and writing whatsoever Sathan I say knowes this better then men doe or indeed care to doe and therefore hee is still busie to wring and wrest Gospel truths and because Sathan is still the Author of this worke the primus motor when any thing is stirr'd or shaken of the simplicitie and truth of the Gospel though the immediate actors above ground bee men hence it was that Paul with that severity Acts 13. 10. Set a black brand upon Elymas the Sorcerer calling him the child of the Devill because he still perverted the right wayes of the Lord those in the Scripture are called the children of the Divell that resemble him in his disposition and worke as all confesse therefore it is the indeavour and worke of Sathan to oppose the truth §. 6. 6. A second sort of enemies to the Faith in this sense given that is the truth of the Gospel are all wicked men in generall without exception That of our Saviour is not onely true here and there but it is a universall truth and layes hold upon the foure corners of the world hee that doth evill hateth the light Iohn 3. one said well that verbum Dei was lucerna ad quam fur deprehenditur the word of God was a light or candle by which the thiefe was taken no thiefe that meanes to steale but hates the light that should discover him true this evill affection against the truth doth not breake out in all some mens hearts are not so full as others It doth not ruine over our of every vessell neither hath it alwayes that malignancie in it to breake out at the lips and hands of men nay it is not at all to bee doubted but many evill men may and doe support it for carnall ends CAP. 3. A further discovery of the enemies of the truth §. 1. But there are some sorts of wicked men that are more dangerous enemies to the truth in this sense then others and from whom the ruine and subversion of it is more to bee feared men that have ends of their owne and not simply so for all carnall men have these but further are much intent and zealous in the advancement of such ends men whose motions eccentricall to the course and motions of the Gospel and yet are active and vigorous in their motion These are men who threaten great danger to the truth of God §. 2. 2. The reason is cleere because the bent and inclination and levell of the Gospel is in the straightest line that can be imagined to bee laid for the advancement of God and his glory and his Christ and not at all for the carnall ends and purposes of men It was never framed to serve turns The high-way of the Gospel lyeth through the midst of mens fruitfull and pleasant fields through their Gardens and Orchards and Vineyards yea many times through the middest of their palaces and stately houses through the middest of mens honours and preferments estates pleasures reputations c. and so if it bee sufferd to goe forth in its owne spirit and take the way it selfe desireth and chuseth it will make great spoyle of mens carnall advantages It will tread and
trample under foote the base and unworthie ends and designes of men therfore those men that are much intent upon such ends as these which are so incommensurable with the great end of the Gospel and cannot be content with God alone for their portion must needs seeke to turne the course of the Gospel another way that they may suffer no losse or prejudice by it in their particular ends yea if it were possible if the strength of their wit and learning and understanding authority and interest in others will reach to it they will haile and bring over the Gospel to themselves they will force it and compell it to plead for them and their wayes they will take the words of the Gospel and dispossesse them of that spirit of truth that lives and speakes in them and will informe and animate them with their owne spirits and give such senses and meaning unto them as if God himselfe spake to the heart as the Hebrew phrase is of their fleshly mindes and worldly ends §. 3. 3. Thus men do labour to perswade themselves that gaine is godlinesse as the Apostle speakes That honours and preferments are godlinesse that time-serving and pleasing men is godlinesse that opposition to the truth is godlinesse that drawing Disciples after them is godlinesse and every carnall end and way every carnall man makes godlinesse that is to make it seeme nothing else but what doth well stand and agree with the true rule and perfection of true godlinesse As Austins saying is quicquid amant volunt esse veritatem whatsoever men have a minde to that they resolve to make truth Thus merchandise is made first of the truth as Saint Paul speakes next of the precious soules of men as Saint Peter cleerely affirmes speaking of covetous men in this case 2. Peter 2. 3. And through covetousnesse shall they with feighned words make merchandize or with framed words as the word beares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 framed for their purpose that is they will glose over the truth with such cunning and faire colourable meanings and interpretations so well pleasing and sutable to us that except we bee very warie to discover them and what they are like to do they will sell us into the hand of Sathan and eternall death only for a little mony w ch they shall gain by that which will bee our destruction Namely the corrupting the truth of the Gospel and bringing in those damnable herefies ver 1. If a mans profession be to make bowes or hoopes and the growth of the wood or timber whereof hee is to make them be straight there must bee violence offered unto them that which is straight must bee made crooked or bending or else the Artificer cannot follow his trade nor make a living of his Art so men having carnall and unworthy ends if they will seeke to justifie or advance them by the Scriptures which are spirituall and in their naturall posture lye a crosse to them must bow and winde them this way and that and carrie them quite beside their owne intent and meaning CAP. IV. Conteyning a more full and particular discovery of the enemies of the truth §. 1. IF we desire more particularly to know what kindes of men these are that are so dangerous enemies to our faith and by whom the Gospel is like to suffer great spoyle and losse of truth I answer they are these and such like as both Scriptures and Histories of the Church in all ages cleerely shew Amongst the divers kindes of the principall and those that still have beene most frequent in undermining the truth are §. 2. 2. First men that are of ambitious aspiring dispositions that love to have the preeminence as we see in Diotrephes though not alwayes they that have preeminence men that love to mount upon the high places of the earth to see others sitting below at their feete that cannot goe on foote but they must ride on horse backe as Solomon speaketh that cannot frame to the humility of Elias spirit and gird up their loynes to runne by Ahabs Chariot but must ride in Chariots as well as hee especially if with all they have in the meane time a desire to seeme but humble and modest and moderate men These men must attempt to corrupt the Scriptures that they may seeme to speake for them at least to connive at them and to say neither good nor evill of them as Baalack would have indented with Balam Because if the Gospel bee permitted to speake its minde freely it would fill the eares of men and perhaps the consciences of the delinquents themselves with out-cries and clamours from heaven against the ambitious distempers or such men therefore they must beate their braines and set all their learning and bookes to worke to finde out some other sinne that the Scriptures should condemne that so their sinne may not be thought to be araigned and sentence given against it by God in his word As the Papists they finde out one kinde of Idolatrie which they confesse the Scriptures condemne but as for their Idolatrie that is none of it the Scriptures speake not against that we know the example of Ieroboam to set up and maintaine the Kingdome to himselfe hee stucke not to maintaine Idolatrie too §. 3. 3. The like may bee said of the second sort of some affinitie with the former and many times materially the same men that are resolved to serve times and please men That set downe with themselves that what men soever or what humour or opinion of men soever raigne where they live they will raigne with them as Paul speakes they will have a share in an earthly Kingdome these men are very obnoxious to doe injurie to the truth of God and will hardly forbeare we know the Scriptures beare hard upon the upper formes and rankes of men in the world and speake as if few of them were likely ever to rise higher then they are few that now ride on horses but are likely to goe a foote for the dayes of eternity not many wise not many mightie not many noble 1. Cor. 1. 26. therefore these being for the farre greatest part the reffuse of the world and therefore enemies to the truth and professors of it as Iames speakes of the great and rich men of the world Iames 2. 6. Those that will strike in with these and give contentment to them and gaine indeerement with them must make them glad with lies Hosea 7. 3. As the false Prophets did with the Princes of Israel for with the truth they with never bee able to doe it they that will know men after the flesh themselves will make the Scriptures doe as they doe that is know men after the flesh too which we know they will never doe except they bee mightily wrested or perverted and so are not themselves §. 4. 4. Thirdly another sort like to prove enemies to the truth of the Gospel and to seeke the destruction of it are men led
more wayes there be to distract him the likelier hee is to mistake them if there bee but one way onely to mislead him The reason given of the extraordinary heate of that season of the yeere which wee call the Dogge-dayes is because there is a second cause the Starre so called that joynes influence of heate with the Sunne so in godly men there is but one cause of mistake in matter of religion naturall darknesse upon their judgement and understanding which yet in part is healed whereas in other men there is that cause in the full strength of it and besides corrupt affections which are apt to turne men aside from the truth too §. 5. 5. Secondly the opinion which is called for out of your hands or that you are pressed any wayes to take exchange for under pretence of your spirituall advantage if it be an opinion as Paul speakes according to godlinesse that is an opinion that directly and without any circuit of reasoning and dispute tends to the advancement of the service and worship of God and hath no degree of aspect upon any unlawfull or sinfull way or end of men but the opinion profer'd instead of it stands in full conjunction with carnall ends or sensuall desires or dispositions that opinion is to be contēded stood for as for a piece of your Faith the ground of this rule is Because it is an essentiall character of the Gospel and Paul useth it more then once for a description thereof to be a doctrine according to godlinesse 1 Tim. 6. 3. that is a frame or systeime of such rules and truths and precepts As godlinesse it selfe were it such a person as had power and authoritie to make lawes for its owne advancement would set up and no other and on the contrary a Doctrine that teacheth to denie all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Titus 2. 12. §. 6. 3. Thirdly if the opinion which you are any wayes tempted to deliver up and to part with because it hath an evill report and is rejected by great and learned men in the world if it makes for the exaltation of him whom God would have exalted namely of Jesus Christ and his free grace for the throwing downe of such things as God would have thrown downe namely nature works c. Whereas the opinion you are sought to to give entertainment unto tends to the contrarie as David speaking in the Psalme as one Translation reades it of wicked men all their delight is to put downe him whom God would exalt and as true it is in the contrary toexalt him whom God would pull downe in this case the opinion is to bee contended for the reason of this is evident because the Gospel labours as it were and travels onely with the advancement of the free grace of God and exaltation of Jesus Christ to the uttermost and layes all other excellencie low in the dust before him §. 7. 7. A fourth and last rule which may bee tearmed the rule of ruls in this case to direct men what is truth and to be contended for and that which containes the vertue and strength of many rules is that of our Saviour Iohn 7. 17. that if any man will doe his will that is Gods will hee shall know the doctrine whether it be of God or no or whether I speake of my selfe and so concerning any man besides whether they speake of themselves or from God If a man will doe the will of God that is if a mans spirit bee cleere and perfect with God that hee pitches upon a right end and labours with all his might for doing of the will of God or glorifying of God for that is the substance of his will and suffers no by or base ends to defile the puritie of his heart or intention this way but compels all other ends whatsoever to doe hommage and service unto this such a man saith our Saviour shall be able to put a difference betweene Doctrine and Doctrine and to discerne what closes with the truth and what stands off from it shall be able to taste by the spirituall eare the words of men as the palate doth meates for it selfe that is whether they be agreeable to it or no. Iob. 12. 11. §. 8. 8. This abilitie stands not so much in any depth or reach of judgement or sharpnesse of understanding whereby a man is able to sist out truth by subtil or exquisite disputs or argumentations but rather in the spirituality of a mans judgement or that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Paul calls it by which a man inwardly tastes and relishes both truth and errour as many men that using to taste Wine both good and bad and so having their sense exercised with the taste of both can give a judgement of the one and of the other though they be no Philosophers nor able to dispute of the nature of tastes nor of the foure first qualities how they are to bee tempered and compounded to make either the one taste or the other so a man that is of a spirituall disposition will have a kind of inward sensiblenesse whether an opinion pleases or sutes his spirit or whether not according to that speech of the Woman in the storie of the Martyrs that answered shee could dye for the truth but could not dispute for it she was as confident of truth upon her taste as any man could be upon his judgement and depth of understanding and willing to lay as great a wager upon it §. 9. 9. And yet this rule is not so to be taken nor understood as if a regenerate or sanctified judgement were an infallible judicatory of all spirituall and divine truth no it was said by one that had a preeminence this way above all his fellowes I conceive and next to his Lord and Master himselfe as well concerning himselfe as others Wee know in part and we prophecie in part 1. Cor. 13. 9. to which may be added also as included in them we judge but in part neither And many daily and sad experiences teach us that Saints on earth are not Angels in heaven this way able to put a difference betweene all light and darknesse betweene all errour and truth for then the whole generation should be knit together in the same minde and in the same judgement in all the things of God whereas now they are little other then divided and scattered upon the face of the whole earth about them But the meaning of the rule is that the simplicitie singlenesse and uprightnesse of the heart before God propounding to it selfe no other end whatsoever but such as have a perfect consistence with the will and glorie of God are a rich and blessed advantage where ever they are found to to enable a man to see and to discerne the smallest line of partition that runnes betweene errour and truth to divide them and that especially upon this ground and for this reason because such a man hath no need of hath no