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
TO THE WORSHIPFVLL AND MUCH HONOURED JOHN PYMME Esquire SIR IT is no part of my designe in this Dedication by the reflexion of smooth language to shew you yourselfe in your glory or to take the worke of admiring your worth out of the hands of all the world who are now very intent and busie at it If honour and approbation will pay debts the Nation I conceive is not much behinde with you for all the service you have done it for as farre as I understand you have scarce enemies enough to deliver you out of the hand of that curse of our Saviour Wo be to you when all men speake well of you Luk. 6. 26. I have no authority to question the singlenesse and uprightnesse of your heart in those notable and noble engagements that are upon you yet if you will plead your selfe to doe it the security attending thereon will beare the charges When credit and conscience are yoked and draw the Chariot together Conscience oft-times proves dull and heavie in the worke and if not sometimes remembred with the goade and put on will suffer credit to draw all on the one side and so lay her fellow on the wheele It argues an high and excellent frame of spirit where a man can follow with intensnesse of minde things that be of good report and yet not be over-acted with the goodnesse of the report but fetch the strength of that inspiration by which hee is carried on in his motion from the goodnesse of him that hath commanded it The more God is interessed in our intentions the more he is like to interest himselfe in our executions If wee make him a stranger in the proposition of our ends hee takes no pleasure to make himselfe knowne unto us in our prosecutions except it be by way of opposition and rising up against us The royall method in great actions to breake all difficulties and barre off discouragements in sunder as with a rod of iron is to digge out of our selves as much of our earth that is as much of our selves as wee can come at and fill up the pit or empty place with God and zeale for his glorie The consecration of an enterprise is soveraigne against abortion whereas to worke for a mans selfe alone is little lesse being interpreted than to betray his action and to give security to his enemies that God shall not build with him nor prosper him in his way and consequently that his labour in building shall be in vaine The least offensive I am sure and yet withall with serious and inside men as weightie a testimony as I conceive as can be given to your wisdome is to speake thus in the plaine dialect of the ancient simplicity unto you and not to spare you as farre as the truth may doe you good Neither doe I conceive wherein any mans worth or wisdome can do him better service than by strengthening others to lay on himselfe to beare greater weights of this treasure than men of an under-sufficiencie are able to stand under The Disciples themselves were great loosers for the time by their weaknesse in this kinde they wanted the sweete company and converse of many high and important apprehensions which doubtlesse had bin equall too if not much better then the society of so many Angels because in respect of the present infirmity of their spirits they were as unable to beare the strength of their influence and working as the frailty of the flesh and blood is to abide the glory and presence of those Embassadours of heaven Their gratious and great Lord and Master himselfe plainely professed this unto them I have many things saith he to say unto you but you cannot beare them now Joh. 16. 12. And had they not out growne this weakenesse afterwards by meanes of that golden showre from heaven wherein they were rained upon with the Holy Ghost and with power they had beene kept fasting from the feast of those fat things whatsoever they were all the dayes of their lives The reason why the world so generally drinkes old wine in our Saviours Metaphor which is of a lower and flatter taste is because their vessels are not new and strong and therefore not fit to have new wine which is of a stronger and more lively of a more stirring working and provoking spirit put into them for feare of breaking Wee have but the light of the Moone instead of the light of the Sunne or at most but the light of the Sun instead of the sevenfold light of seven dayes promised Esa 30. 26. shining to us because wee are tender eyed and inconsiderately afrayd lest an excellency of knowledge should undoe us Not to wrong in the least measure the rights of Heaven in point of thankfulnesse due from us nor to quench the least sparke of the joy of our congratulations for the blessing of knowledge powred out unto us so abundantly above the line and measure of former ages certaine it is that truthes of highest importance and which should joyne Heaven and Earth neerer together and heale a great part of that deplorable distance which yet lyeth betweene men and Angels and so advance and quicken the spirituall entercourse and commerce betweene the two worlds are little stirring in the world One maine reason whereof is because as the Disciples of Christ when they saw their dearest Lord Master comming towards them upon the water were sore afraid and cryed out supposing he had beene a spirit that had appeared as an executioner of present death upon them who yet was the glory and crowne of their security so many in the world no worse affected neither to the truth in generall than they were to Christ crie out as men out of measure troubled at the first glimmering and appearing of some truthes unto them as if they were the spirits of Devills comming upon the world for the spoile and ruine of the pretious soules of men whereas were they capable of their inspiration and either did or were but inwardly willing to know of what spirit they were they could not but acknowledge and confesse that they were of the dearest and deepest and sweetest confederacie with Heaven It was Austines complaint long since Nonnulli intelligentes citius volunt exagitare quod non intelligunt quam quaerere ut intelligant non fiunt humiles inquisitores sed superbi calumniatores Aug. de Temp. Serm. 72. I forbeare to make English of this Latine because the party chiefly interessed are for the most part men of the language But Sir I consider the weight and importunitie of your present imployments I know you are with your worthy Assistants about a great and laborious cure the Lord prosper it under your hands and farre be it from mee to desire that this should suffer in the least through any occasion of mine I had not presumed thus farre but that this little piece had stucke in the birth some yeares together and was well neere stifled found
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
more solemne are the ingagements that lye upon the wicked to doe all homage and shew all height of respects to the Gospel being in it selfe lovely and beautifull beyond all admiration and with all lineally and immediately descended from that great King as himselfe speakes in Malachi who is Lord both of heaven and earth Secondly the tendernesse and high respect as it were that God had of it while it was with him hee scarce suffered it so much as to looke out into the world neither into heaven nor earth but reserved it for companie and socieitie to his owne Sonne when hee should be borne that then it should goe forth and not before it was a mysterie saith Paul kept secret since the world beganne Rom. 16. 25. These same signata or things sealed up and kept close are ever matters of greatest worth God as well as hee loved his Angels who stand continually in his presence and behold his face yet kept them fasting from the knowledge and contemplation of this transcendent mystery at least from the cleere and perfect knowledge of it from the day of their creation till the fulnesse of time came wherein it was to be revealed in the world Thirdly the maine ingredient whereof it is made which runnes in every veine of it and wherein the whole vertue and efficacie of it consist is the bloud of Christ so precious that gold and silver are scarce foile to it 1. Pet. 1. 18. Therefore to neglect this Gospel in any kinde not to bee jealous over it with a jealousie as strong as death is to prophane the bloud of Jesus Christ and count it as an unholy thing and so to tread under foote the Son of God himselfe Heb. 10. 29. Fourthly and lastly the vertue and efficacie it selfe that rules in it The Gospel is the life of the world Deut. 32. 47. it is not a vaine thing for you because it is your life and through this thing yee shall prolong your dayes c. and Salomon often speaking of wisedome still presseth this argument upon men to imbrace it because shee is their life Pro. 3. 18. 22. Prov. 4. 23. Alas what were the world but a place of darknesse and as the shadow of death were not the light of the countenance of God in the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ lift up upon it If this beautifull gate of the Temple of Heaven were shut up against it would not the precious soules and consciences of men bee amongst Lions continually I meane amongst devouring feares and terrors and horrid expectations of wrath and vengeance to come Therefore let this reason also be considered if wee do engage our selves never so deepe for the Gospel and the truth of it the worth and excellencie of it will beare us out and justifie all our undertaking in this behalfe yea and will condemne us with as high a hand if it ever mis-carrieth through any degeneratenesse any base and accursed fearefulnesse on our parts CAP. VII Foure generall rules or directions whereby to discover and judge what opinions are most like to bee contrary to the truth §. 1. BEfore we come to the use and application of things that wee may not contend with our owne shadowes or bee stricken with any panick feare like the wicked who feare where no feare is as David speakes i. e. where no cause of feare is or contend for that which is no part of our Faith I shall lay downe a rule or two by which we may be able in part to discerne and judge when it is time to looke about to lay hold and to contend or when Sathan is about to beguile us of our Faith let mee by the way give this one Item that our Faith or truth of the Gospel may bee two wayes indammaged or suffer waste upon it as the holy Ghost implyeth either first by adding or putting too or secondly by incroaching or taking away Rev. 22. 18. or indeed as oft by a certaine composition of both together by a kinde of exchange as by either alone for there is never any truth taken away but there is an errour in one kinde or other given or left in the stead of it As the Harlot pleaded before Solomon 1. King 3. 20. against her fellow that whilest shee slept her fellow tooke her living child from her side and laid her dead child in her bosome instead of it So may it bee said of Sathan and of those that are the men of his right hand for such a service they never take away any living truth from us but they lay some dead errours in the bosome of our soules in the roome of it But such charging as this is the most hatefull and accursed robbery of any other This briefly by the way §. 2. 2. Now to give some rules of direction whereby wee may bee able to judge whether at any time there be any speciall cause more then at an other to stand up in this case and to practise this duty of contending for the Faith at least they will serve to give aime they will serve to intimate when there is speciall cause to looke about and to consider and to suspect the worst as touching the losse and dammage of your precious Faith §. 3. 3. First that tenet or opinion in Religion which is assaulted and we perswaded to let go under pretence of being an errour contrary to our Faith if it hath beene established by men that have beene sober minded holy religious and no sinister cause known or suspected which would intangle their judgement but probable and sufficient reasons for the corrupting of their judgements by whom it is opposed as time serving covetousnesse ambition superstition c. This I say is a strong presumption that such a tenet is the truth and to be well considered before wee give it up or take exchange for it I only goe so farre in this rule as to say it is a strong presumption of truth because I know its possible that godly mens eyes may be held in respect of some particular truth and other mens may be opened and that there is no point of faith simply to be embraced upon the authoritie of men one or other nor simply to be rejected upon the prejudice of men yet this difference both reason and religion will countenance as meet to bee put between the judgement of holy and humble minded men and of men sensuall or sinfully addicted namely not to reject the judgement of holy men without very apparent cause against them nor to receive the judgement of the other without apparent reasons and grounds for them §. 4. 4. The equity or strength of the rule lyes in this naturall axiome that where there is a concurrence of more causes and these equally efficacious tending to the same effect greater likelihood there is that the effect should be produced then where the causalitie is weaker as for example in going a journey where a man is ignorant of the right way the