or slubberlie performance of them and therefore they get not that strength over spirituall corruptions nor that fruitfull supply to their graces and consequently slip into dangerous languishings and decayings 7 Inactivity in our places and relations is another cause of spirituall languishing and decaying Simile A lazy Christian will quickly prove a dying Christian the Physitians doe observe that as too violent exercise overthroweth health so likewise too much rest may cause extreame sicknesse because therein the superfluous humours are not carried or breathed away and the spirits and naturall heat are not stirred up to performe their proper functions It is even so with Christians in respect of their graces if they let them lye still and dead they will quickly grow weake and dying though their life be an implanted by an operation of Gods spirit yet it is preserved by an operation of our spirits therfore grace is compared to fire which must be stirred up and blowne He who will not use grace will quickly lose it or decay in it But Christians many times imploy not their graces they do not any good with them they doe not stir up their hearts to beleeve to lay hold on God to call upon him to walke before him they doe not lay their knowledge their zeale their love c. in their particular relations but live together and do no good together meet together and provoke not one another unto further holinesse 8 Lastly all perturbations or excesse in passions cause a languishing V. Fernel l 1. de morb causis cap 18 p. 198. and therefore they observe in nature that immoderate feare or griefe or anger or joy or agony which consists of anger and feare or desire or care all these or any of these by their immoderation doe checke the spirit naturall heat immarcescere spiritus calorem and consequently diminish health and strength And surely so it is in the spirituall condition all inordinate affections are the empayrers of grace whether it bee desires of the world or delights in it or fears of men or griefe for losses c. but I cannot now inlarge Vse I now come to the application of this point which shall be in the first place to reflect upon our owne hearts to see in what condition our spirituall condition is whether we be not Sardians yea or not either having a name onely but are totally dead or if we doe live whether that life of ours be not growne so weake that wee are almost dying Reasons to move you to search your hearts in this particular are these 1 Many among you who Three things professe and have a name and I hope the truth also of grace doe not get on you doe not make progresse you have not advanced your selves in your spirituall condition Though the Lord hath given you plentifull and rich meanes yet what you were many yeers agoe the same you are now a man may say of you as we doe of our friends whom wee see perhaps once in ten yeeres that they looke and are just as wee found and left them then So many of you after many yeeres preaching and hearing are just as you were have not attained to any further perfection in holinesse Now it is an ill symptome this for a staying heart is seldome otherwise then a decaying heart Creation though perfect at once yet it is not so with sanctification the old saying is Non progredi est regredi grace is either getting or losing Simile like a river either fuller or lesser or like an oake growing or dying 2 Many persons expresse palpable decayings all who know them can see and say how strangely they are altered they are scarcely knowne now to be Christians but by the judgement of the most favourable charity who formerly have beene very forward even to exemplarity The judgements of men are so altered with fond opinions their strictnesse of conversation is so strangely slack'd into that which they themselves were wont to call a licentiousnesse of walking there is such a dumbnesse growne in their families and withall there is such a chilnesse come upon their affections oh where is that thy former zeale and love and joy and pitty and brokennesse of heart and flames for Christ and desires of strength and assurance and circumspection to please thy God 3 Though we be not dead Christians yet if we be dying Christians it makes our condition very evill and very sad 1 Very evill no man can Evill 1 Causally decay in good but by something that is bad it is alwaies some sinfull evill which makes us to wither in spirituall good And then it is a thing very 2 Formally evill in it selfe if it be a sinne not to thrive in grace it must be a greater sinne to be dying in grace And then it occasions much 3 Eventually sinne for it were a wonder to see a man dying in grace and not withall living in sinne however beleeve it that sinnes will live the more strongly in thee by how much the more weakely grace doth live in thee when naturall heat growes low then doe diseases multiply and grow high if that which should keep downe sinne be kept downe by sinning how exceedingly sinfull maiest thou prove 2 Very sad the Christian condition is excessively perplexed and prejudiced by it v. gr 1 There is an extenuation of 7 Effects of it our chiefest excellencies Simile our gold is now clipt and washed Beloved we have not more reall excellencies here on earth then gracious and holy qualities If the naked soule be more worth then a whole world what is grace the which highly elevates and advanceth the soule But even our graces in a decaying condition are droop ing and pining for a man to have a finger withering is nothing to that as to have his heart consuming to behold a candle put out what is that to behold the Sunne growing dim or purblind When graces decay then that To lose an house a friend c. but which is as the heart to the members or as the Sunne to the earth or as the soule to the body a vitall spring decayeth as she said about the taking away of the Arke that we may say of diminution in grace Now the glory is departing from Israel now thy honour is lying in the dust the lesse good thou growest the more vile thou becommest it is as if thy faire hand should become leprous or thy sunne set at noon day 2 It is a depression of our heavenly strength when Sampsons haire was off he was then as other men he lost his haire and lost his strength too Simile When the fountaines are low and roots weake then the streames prove thinne and branches grow almost fruitlesse for these are the principles of being and of assistance unto them Our graces are a kinde of Springs to our gracious abilities when we be lesse good we shall alwaies doe the lesse good and the more evill Thy wheels
strength unto them by a constant application of the ordinances partly by hearkning unto some sinfull temptations So that now repentance may become more difficult and unable and godly sorrow can scarce be discerned for that extreame hardnesse of heart and faith can scarce finde the way or make any use of Christ and the promises but the gates of unbeliefe seeme to possesse the soule Yea the feare of God may now not so restraine and awe and the love of God may not so prevaile and excite as they have done in former times Object But you will demand what may be the causes of this dying condition Sol. I conjecture these 1 Simile Some deadly corruption which hath seized upon their spirits if poyson get into the body it works upon the spirits and so weakens and indangers life The people of God are sometimes tasting of poyson they are tampering with unsound doctrines which as they doe infect the judgement so they doe abate their spirituall principles and abilities The Apostle was afraid that he had lost his labour and spent himselfe in vaine to those of Galatia that they were even leaving their hold in Christ and what was the cause of it Surely some false Apostles had leavened them with errour about circumcision and the observation of the law When the judgement is corrupted with any errour then truths are not of that power with the soule where truth looseth in authority there grace will loose in its strength and efficacie 2 Some deadly wound is given unto them you know that a man may dye not onely by a draught of poyson but Simile likewise by the cut of a sword which divides the parts and le ts out the bloud that carries and preserves the life of man There are things which doe fight against the soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. 1 Pet. 2. 11. and not onely fight against it but wound it nay not the soule and conscience onely but likewise our very graces Sinnings doe not onely prove a troublesome wound to the conscience but likewise a killing and dying wound to our graces if any thing in the world extinguisheth or abateth our graces they are our sinnings which are to graces as water to the fire But now even the people of God doe many times hearken to some baser lusts and viler commissions as you know in David and others and when sinne hath got any favour in the judgement or affection it is like a disease which will not off without a manifest breach of health and strength Simile sinne lames our graces 3 Some deadly neglect Simile if the soule grow negligent it will quickly grow dying as you shal see that inordinate abstinence and neglect of food brings a man quickly into a consumption so when the people of God through spirituall pride shall grow carelesse of vitall assistances that they keepe not so close to the word of life nor to the Sacraments of life nor to the great principle of life by an earnest and constant communion in prayer no marvell if they grow dying persons It is with us in respect of God as it is with the plants in respect of the sunne which live or dye flourish or decay upon their conjunction if I may so speake and Grace is not a life and strength it selfe Minuit supra vires alimenti penuria said Fernelius l. 1 de morb causis neerenesse with its heat So our soules yea and our graces live by that conjunction which they have with God if we keepe not to him close and neere but draw off what doe we but draw off from the principle of our being and conservation 4 Inconsiderate toleration of particular evils not a timely expurgation of them Simile You know that if peccanthumours redound in the body and be not considered of and purged out in time they may of ordinary distempers turne into deadly diseases and so it is with particular corruptions admit they be such as wee are pleased favourably to call infirmities or any other sinnes if they be not quickly expelled and reformed they may bring us neere the gates of death one sinne may bring on another or the same sinne may steale unto a strange degree of strength so that a person unawares is languished extreamely and whence comes this not onely from an inconsiderate admission of sinnes but also from an untimely correction of sinne The soule should presently have physicked it selfe with first a right apprehension of the greatnesse of the evill in the beginning secondly speedy humiliation before the Lord thirdly fervent supplication for mercy and more strength fourthly resolute reformation and abandoning of it But the neglect of these hath brought the soule into a spirituall languor and perhaps into a deep consumption of graces 5 Defect of frequent examinations though at our originall and first conviction of sinne and a sinfull condition we are very tender and circumspect and ever and anon feared and overlooked our spirituall conditions whereby we found singular additions to our graces yet after a while after Christians have got over the pangs of the first birth and have procured more peace and comfort as if a gracious soul would thrive of it selfe they are generally apt to keepe on the course of obedience but thinke it superfluous at least not so necessary often to search and view and fannow themselves And what now befals them surely two great evils viz. that the estate and operation and acts of sin are not so strictly eyed secondly that the estate of their graces is not so well knowne and guarded against speciall motions and temptations whereupon it often fals out that the poor soul is reduced to great streights and leannesse the man cannot pray as heretofore nor finde that love to God and Christ as heretofore nor have that delight in the ordinances nor doe that good in society nor receive that profit nor feele that mournfulnesse of spirit as heretofore why hee did let and suffer his spirituall estate to run on at hazards and the lesse searching of heart the lesse strength of grace alwaies 6 Defect of solemne humiliations in extraordinary fasting and prayer Those meanes which beget our graces are likewise ordained to preserve them and as the use of singular meanes confers more power and life to our graces so a cessation in the use of them proves an exceeding decay unto them it is as if you should take away the pillars from the house or the raine from the earth Now this is certaine that extraordinary times of fasting and prayer they have beene blest with power from heaven to make the strongest temptation and corruption to flye no sinne is able to stand before them and so likewise they have been blest with an answer of singular enlargement addition to our spirituall estate oh how cheerfully how tenderfully how much more fully and fruitfully is thy soule inabled after those duties rightly performed but Christians grow very strangers to these solemne duties either totally omitting of them
Lord pardons all the sinnes of thy unconverted condition upon thy initiall repentance so he will pardon all the sinnes of thy converted condition upon renewed repentance and therefore hee cals upon backsliding and declining people to returne unto him and promiseth both to heale them Hos 14. 4. and to Hos 14. 4. love them freely ibid. which is as much as to pardon them but see the pardon expresly Micah 7. Mic. 7. 18. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his beritage c. 3 If thou wilt set upon the strengthening work the Lord will worke in thee sufficient strength for the worke There is a difference betwixt a man in his conversion there indeed he is without all strength hee can doe nothing and the Christian in his restauration there is now some living ability in him which can yet doe a little act a little strive a little at least in bewailings and desires Now if thou doest in any sincere degree set upon the right and full meanes of thy recovery the Lord God will come in with his owne strength Hee will strengthen what hee hath wrought in thee and will work the will and the deed in thee his own works in thee Object But then you will reply what meanes may a decayed Christian use to recover and strengthen himselfe againe Sol. I conjecture that the best course is this 1 A serious consideration of Seaven Meanes their condition this is the counsell which Christ gave to the Church of Ephesus decaying in her first love Remember from Revel 2 whence thou art fallen seriously consider take to heart peruse and judge over thy estate what it was formerly what it is now what strength then what weaknes now how much glory God had then what dishonour God hath now what good thou diddest then what evill thou doest now what peace in conscience then what woundings in conscience now what estimation among the Saints then what strengthening of the hands and opening of the mouthes of the wicked now And this is an excellent meanes to worke upon thy spirit or rather to worke of thy spirit David considered his wayes and turned his feet to Gods testimonies 2 A deep humiliation which will follow upon this thou must breake through all businesses and pleasures and impediments and retire thy selfe in a more solemne manner more then once or twice and set thy selfe before the Lord and fall down before his footstoole with shame and confusion of face with bitter weepings and lamentations with sound judgings and condemnations of thy selfe Ah how thou shouldest exquisitely afflict thy soule that thou shouldest be so mad and vile to lose a God to lose any thing of the graces of a God for a sinnes sake or a worlds sake That the Lord should shew thee more love then another and intrust thee with grace the least dram where of is more pretious then all the world and yet thou shouldest decline from the Lord not answer this trust not use those talents which have yeelded so much profit and comfort being improved but decay in them and fall behinde hand yea even under mighty meanes of strength alwaies continued unto thee and these things should cut and grieve and afflict and humble thy soul exceedingly 3 A solid resolution thou must with full purpose of heart resolve not to rest in thy decayed condition but to shake off all the causes and occasions of thy decayings If any wickednesse hath got into thy heart thou must put it farre away from thy tabernacles and if the morsels have beene sweet thou must cast them out with godly sorrow as bitter as gall and wormwood If carelesnesse and slothfulnesse of spirit hath caused thy decayings thou must with the Church in the Canticles stand no longer upon how shall I rise and put on my coat but rise thou must and get out of thy slothfull bed and thrust from thee a neglecting and negligent disposition Or if the world hath caused thy decayings either in the profits of it and gaine or in the honours of it and respects or in the friendship of it and acquaintance thou must resolve to bid them all farewell Think on it O Christian what gets he for profit who loseth in his graces or for honour who abaseth himselfe in his graces or for love who loseth himselfe in the favour of his God Ah poore soule thou mayest curse the day that ever thou knewest what did belong to thy drudgings in the world and unto thy great friends in the world and thy society with such and such persons at first thou didst converse with them with a regretting spirit then with a silent spirit then with an yeelding spirit many many a day hast thou come home with conscience accusing and smiting of thee unto which hadst thou hearkned thou hadst been much preserved well well if ever thou wouldest recover thy spirituall strength thou must peremptorily resolve on it to sever from wicked society better farre to be a poore man and a rich Christian then to thrive any way and bee decaying in grace 4 An active reformation Remember said Christ from whence thou art fallen and doe thy first workes so say I now goe to thy old workes againe be trading for thy soule set up prayer againe and reading againe and hearing againe and holy meditation and conference againe and solemne humiliations againe stir up those coales and cinders of grace there is life yet in thee oh act thy life faith can doe something for thee though it cannot see comfort for thee yet it can see helpe and strength for thee godly sorrow can mourna little set it to work perhaps it may quickly rise to a floud upon particular surveyes and so set repentance on work yea and all thy soul thy minde thy judgement thy memory thy affections to worke in all the duties of thy generall and particular condition 5 Ardent supplication for it is the Lord who must shew this power in thy weakenesse Psal 86. O turn unto me and have Psal 86. 16. mercy upon me give thy strength unto thy servant Beseech him to pitty thee beseech him to succour and helpe thee to be thy strength and thy salvation to beat downe and weaken the sinnes which have so much weakened thee to crucifie thy heart to the world which hath so much crucified thy heart unto thy God To breath upon thy graces as hee did upon the dry bones to stirre up and revive them by his Almighty spirit to put his hand of power upon thy hand of weakenesse as the Prophet did upon the Kings c. Yea and never give him over till then that though thou hast beene a backsliding childe yet hee is a gracious Father though thou hast been unfruitfull yet hee is faithfull though thou art weakened yet he is the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the earth who fainteth not who can give power to the
have heard in their daies and would thinke it a mortall fault not to heare but for meditating pondering reviewing of delivered truths calling them to minde the better to order their hearts and lives they will not trouble themselves so farre as if truth were a burden or an unworthy companion Now to the forgetfull hearer I would commend these things to be considered of 1 If his forgetfulnesse bee onely of good things when yet in any other thing and businesse his remembrance is quicke enough he can remember a tale or story twenty yeeres since it is a very uncomfortable signe I confesse that every good mans memory is not an equall treasurie nor perhaps a very fruitfull soyle but to have a memory like an utterly barren wombe retentive of no spirituall truths Simile but like sand in a glasse put in the one part and instantly running our to the other this totall and absolute falsenesse in our memories is a shrewd presumption that either wee doe not at all rightly conceive of and understand spirituall truths or if wee doe yet that we doe not much care for them and respect them 2 Forgetfulnesse of truths heard and received is a kinde of very evill ignorance the Schoolmen doe distinguish of Ignorantiae purae negationis wherein a man doth not know and of Ignorantiae pravae dispositionis wherein either a man will not or unfits himselfe to know Thus is it with forgetfulnesse truths forgotten are like truths unknowne and the more that the knowledge of former truths weare out the lesse capacity is there to apprehend and receive further truths Nor is this all forgetfulnesse is not onely a curtaine drawne over knowledge but it is a bar also to our practise the forgetfull Iam. 1. 22. hearer can be no good practitioner For no man acceptably practiseth more then hee knowes and no man properly knowes more then he remembers Nor is that all forgetfulnesse keeps us not only in an estate of ignorance and blindenesse nor onely in an estate of barrennesse and undoingnesse but further yet it keepes us in a condition of sadnesse and uncomfortablenesse for all our comforts depend upon divine truths they are our springs of joy but with this caution so farre as they are solidly and rightly applied by us Simile as strong waters refresheth when they are taken now the forgetting person is an unapplying person there can be no good using where there is no good remembring of holy truths So that now by thy forgetfulnesse divine truths are lost and the operations of them are lost they can neither guide thee nor helpe thee nor preserve or comfort thee at all and if all these be lost thou thy selfe canst not be safe whatsoever opinion thou wilt have of thy selfe Saint Iames assures thee that thou deceivest thine own selfe cap. 1. 22. Iam. 1. 22. 2 If remembring of truths heard and received be necessary then be pleased to act the point which Christ here chargeth Remember how thou hast received and heard thou hast perhaps heard of the doctrine of sinne and knowledge thereof by the law out of Rom. 7. 7. Thou hast heard of the manifold aggravations of sinne in severall texts as against knowledge meanes of grace mercies afflictions covenants c. and of infidelity that binding sin out of John 3. Thou hast heard many a Sermon of the power of the word for conviction and conversion and for consolation and for conversation and for salvation out of 2 Thes 1. Thou hast heard of the impediments of the soule from comming to Christ partly from the love of sinne Iohn 3. partly from the love of the world Mark 10. 22. partly from the perversenesse of our wils Math. 23. 37. Thou hast heard of the preparations of the soule unto Christ and much of the new covenant out of Mal. 3. 1. Thou hast heard much of faith for the nature of it out of Acts 16. for the degrees of it out of Mark. 9. for the use of it in all the promises out of 2 Cor. 1. and of our love to God out of Psal 31. 23. Thou hast heard the doctrine of repentance from dead works largely opened out of Acts 17. 30. and further unfolded in the conversion of the Prodigall out of Luke 15. and of the doctrine of temptations out of Luke 4. the kindes of them and methods of defence and conquest Thou hast lately heard of that comfortable ample perpetuall care and goodnesse of Gods providence over his Church and people out of Psal 23. all over Lastly thou hast heard something of a languishing and of a recovering soule from this out of Revel 3. 2. I call God to record at this day that according to my knowledge and ability I have as Saint Paul Acts 20. 27. not shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God requisite to your salvation testifying unto you all repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ verse 21. yea in season and out of season in strength in weakenesse in publike in private have I desired and endevoured your everlasting good Now let not these pious truths slip from you or be as water spilt upon the ground Ministers dye but let not truths dye Ministers depart but let not truths depart stony hearts are bad but iron memories are good if ye have heard truths and received them why still retaine the truths for the truths sake let them ever abide with you live with you dye with you And doe not locke up the truths onely but let your memories faithfully serve out those truths according to your particular occasions and occurrences of your life hold them out to keep out errors bring them out to keep up graces improve the directions of the word to leade your waies and the comforts of the word to refresh and encourage your hearts and that you may skill the art of heavenly memory know that There are sixe things which Sixe things will much availe to helpe and inable the remembrance of truths heard and received 1 Ardent affection love is a safe locke and a ready hand which we much like we shall much minde David was fervent in love and therefore frequent in thinking of Gods law Psal 119. Oh how I love thy law Psal 119 97. it is my meditation all the day here was great love and great studying Simile a childe will not forget his mother 2 Frequent meditation many earthly things weare out by handling as characters in gold or silver but heavenly characters abide longest where they are most perused Every new and serious contemplation of them makes a fairer and firmer impression it is like a second stamping of them The memory is like a glasse and the understanding as an eye looking back into it the more frequent acquaintance and familiarity that the understanding hath by reflecting on the memory the more strongly are things ingraven in our remembrance 3 Constant operation if memory were more used memory would be more usefull when
slavishnesse many give up their soules and faith to the religion of others and like waxe are still fashioned to the opinions of great persons they are afraid of their displeasures and therefore even in points of religion will dance after their pipe 6 A sordid and eminent love of the world for which Demas forsooke Christ and Iudas sold his Master and Hymeneus made shipwracke of faith the unsatisfiable slave to the world will never be a faithfull servant to truth hee who hath already pawnd his soule will with as much ease sell off the truth Spira for its sake abjured the truth but ventured the losse of it and himselfe too 7 Many men are licentious and therefore unstedfast corrupt doctrines give more scope then the true and heavenly wee are apt to beleeve that soonest which pleaseth us most erroneous points are more for pleasure and divine truths are more for strictnesse and Simile therefore as those Grecians if I forget not the story gave up their weapons to enjoy their sports so many give up the truth to enjoy their easie and loose kinde of walking Vse 2 But for you I hope better things though I thus speake hitherto you have heard the good truths and waies of God and have held them fast I have not found you as other people of so unsetled and inconstant spirits And therefore as Christ said to the Church of Thyatira the same I will presume to say unto you Revel 2. 24. 25. I will Rev. 2. 24. 25. put upon you no other burden but that which ye have already holdfast what need I urge this with many motives 1 If it be truth why should it Motives be left is errour better then truth then should darkenesse be better then light 2 Can you better your estates by leaving of truths when the divels fell from truth they fell from heaven when Adam fell from truth hee fell from Paradise 3 Will not the truth keepe you if you keepe the truth as the ship doth the Pilot who keepeth it truth will keepe thy soule and graces together thy soule and Christ together thy soule and comfort together thy soule and prosperity together therefore it is called the girdle of truth because as a girdle it holds all together Thou partest with strength with joy with safety with blessing with happinesse if thou part with truth 4 The reward is sure if thou be faithfull not a meane reward but that of life even a crowne of life Rev. 2. 10. Rev. 2. 10. Rules Now that you may for ever hold fast divine truths take these rules or directions 1 Lay a solid foundation in distinct knowledge of them confused braines cause unsetled hearts rest not in Pilates demand what is truth nor in the Israelites hovering betwixt two opinions nor in that grosse salary of religion to take up truth upon trust for any man sake whatsoever were he the sharpest Ieremiah or the learnedst Paul or the comfortablest Barnabas be not satisfied this is truth because this that man saith but as the honourable Beraeans searched the Scriptures about the things which even Saint Paul himselfe delivered so doe you prove all things saith the Apostle receive truth upon an evidence of truth if the first truth which is the word of God and the rule and compasse will not approve it it is errour and not truth Object Yea but how may wee know truths for there are many religions and many opinions obtruded to the world the truth of which cannot so or sily be discerned Sol. I answer that true doctrine may be discerned from false doctrines 1 by the unity of them unum verum convertuntur truth is one or none there is but one way saith Aristotle to hit the marke but many waies to misse it errour is manifold and divers Simile like the image which Nebuchadnezzar saw mixt of gold and clay and as Aristotle speakes of Vices that they are contrary both to vertues and themselves so erroneous doctrines are opposite to truth and to themselves Simile there is no errour but is like a lyer apt to forget and wound it selfe but truth is single like Christs garment undivided as there is but one Christ so but one faith 2 The purity of them all false doctrine like treacherous physicke gives ease Simile or like a whore much in beauty when false in honesty what it wants in verity it makes up in liberty like ill wares which therefore have the larger allowances the doctrine which is unsound generally is licentious as is evident in the Mahometan or Popish tenents But truth is holy in it selfe and to us teaching it within the heart and ordering it in the life It is an adversary to sin because all sin is an adversary unto God 3 The efficacy of them usually corrupt doctrines adde to our notions but meddle not with our corruptions they swell us but doe not edifie us they are pils which onely worke upon the braine they neither bring true grace or sound peace with them onely this Satan makes the erroneous very violent that thereby they may thinke themselves in the right But the doctrine which is true is strong it is heavenly in its nature and mighty in its operation comes from God and brings to God makes the bad good and the good better there is no such salve to heale a corrupt heart nor balme to refresh a troubled conscience as truth 4 The antiquity of them errour is but the shadow and ape of truth the saying is id demúm verissimum quod antiquissimum Truth is the first borne for God spake it before the divell spake the other errors may be old but truth saw the light before them the whole farrago of corrupt doctrines amongst the Papists for transubstantiation invocation of Saints prayers for the dead merit supremacy their originals were of yesterday though they boast antiquity yet they dare not stand to the triall of Christ and his Apostles who must decide all truths 5 The simplicity of them errours came in by the Serpent at the first and are much of its nature full of windings and turnings all corrupt doctrines are deceiveable and subtile how many arts were fained by Arrius and the Arrian Bishops to bring in their damnable errour what forging of lyes and odious accusations of Athanasius that he was dishonest with a woman and cut off a mans hand as Eusebius relates and so the Iesuites about Calvin and Luther and Melancthon and Beza c. and so for the establishing of the Councell of Trent the Popes Cloke-bags were weekely filled with devices and carriages Yea and observe the very Papists at this day how deceiveably confident they are that al◠antiquity and testimony is on their side when either it is a packe of their owne writers onely or other authors which they have forged or else antiquity miserably lanced and cut and interlaced by their Index expurgatorius yea and I pray God that many of the opinions in this City be
not bolstered up with high clamours and with artificiall lyes But truth is naked and plaine it is neither of a cruell nature like Caine nor of a subtile spirit with Absalom nor of a lying spirit with Ahabs false Prophets it flatters no man nor beguiles any being truth it is not ashamed of light or triall and it alone can maintain it self against all contrary quarrels a good cause is like a good conscience even a bulwarke to it selfe like the sunne in its light and heat against all clouds c. 5 The duration of them truth like the sunne hath runne down through all ages not that all men have embraced it but that by some it hath still beene embraced some one or more hath still beene at the barre to beare witnesse unto it New men have still risen up and sometimes out of the ashes as it were of the dead to maintaine and either by tongue or pen or bloud to defend the truth but Erroneous doctrines as they want an inward harmony so also an outward consent like a deceitfull brooke they are spent after a while or like commotions in a state Simile though strong or long yet they come to an end at length either some speciall judgements on the ringleaders or the authority of Princes as Alexander against Arius or the prayers of the Saints or the decision of lawfull counsels have still cashiered these meteors but as it is said of divine mercy that it endures for ever the same is affirmed of divine truth it runs from one generation to another till Christ make his Church triumphant the militant Church shall be the pillar of truth 6 The conformity of them to the rule or word Erroneous doctrines like unsound flesh cannot abide handling and Simile like an ill favoured woman would have all glasses broken But truth like sound gold will endure a touch-stone truth will be found truth upon search bring it to the conscience it will worke as truth bring it to the death-bed it will uphold as truth bring it to the scriptures it will hold out as truth 2 When truths upon search are found to be truths then embrace them for the truths sake not upon personall and mutable causes or ends 3 Firme refolution after tryall by which our knowledge comes to be cleare and without doubt there must be now a plain resolution and purpose of heart in cleaving to such faithfully evidenced truths thou must by an immoveable faith as it were root thy very heart in the truths of Christ as Saint Paul though bonds and afflictions though good report or evill though death it selfe abide him for Christ come what will come disputes fancies errors troubles losses I have found the truth and it will I hold for ever 3 Loyall affection then it is loyall when it is inclusive to every truth c. exclusive to nothing but truth this loyall affection will make us to first doe secondly suffer thirdly cleave love truth and then truth will be held I held him and would not let him goe said the Church then in love with Christ Cant. 3. Love is the easiest key to open the heart to Cant. 3. Christ and the strongest locke to keepe sure the truth in our hearts when thou hast experimentally felt the heavenly strength and comfort of Gods truths then wilt thou certainly sticke unto them 4 Ioyne conscience to science O when people have the truths still sounding in their eares and ungodlinesse still stirring and ruling in their lives it cannot be that they should have strong hands who have wicked hearts Hymeneus made shipwracke of faith and of conscience both together 1 Tim 1. 19. Therefore strive to obey the 1 Tim. 1. 19. truths adde to thy faith vertue be a doing Christian as well as a knowing Christian 5 Be watchfull in prayer to God with David to uphold thee with Saint Peter to establish thee still to keepe thee that thou mayest keepe his truths excellent is that speech of Bernard S. Bernard in Psal qui habitat pag. 283. Basil neque enim quae habemus ab eo servare aut tenere possumus sine eo that God by whose light alone we know the truth by his strength alone we keepe it Thus much for the text and now for the occasion and here I cannot be long neither my affections nor yours will admit of large discourse onely a word of you and a word to you Of you so regardfull have you beene to my Ministery so loving to my person so faithfull in your maintenance so cheerefully encouraging generally from you all but chiefly from the chiefest that had it pleased the Lord to have given mee health the which I have scarce enjoyed one whole yeere together since I have beene heere I should not have stirred easily from such a people for the best preferment that could be conveniently offered unto me I speake my heart freely I cannot tell on which side the unwillingnesse is most whether on your part who are left or on my part who am constrained to leave you But to say no more of your goodnesse give mee leave for the close of all to leave a few Legacies with you being all my friends and hearken to my words as the words of a dying man for the Lord knowes how short my daies may be My Legacies are these 1 Lay out more time for your soules the soule is a precious thing the soule is a corrupted thing sinnes are in it much guilt is upon it there is a Christ that it needs holinesse that it must have heaven that it would have thy body is but clay thy soule a spirit the world a vanity thy soule immortall all is well if the soule be wel nothing is well if that be evill I beseech you pray more heare more know more confer more doe more and more for your soules when you come to dye you will then finde it to be all your worke O then whiles health is in you make it thy chiefest worke to seeke the kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof for your soules feed not the slave and starve the childe 2 Vpon good grounds make sure of a reconciled God live not in an unreconciled condition no enemy like an ill conscience and a good God study the right of thy sinnes and the bloud of Christ repentance from dead workes and faith in the Lord Iesus so shalt thou behold the face of God and live The waies of reconciliation with God and the setling of thy conscience about it may cost thee many prayers and teares and diligent studies but the love of God and heaven will answer and recompense all 3 Wisely improve all heavenly seasons the Lord hitherto hath continued unto you daies of peace and salvation heavenly opportunities publike and private and I beseech him for ever so to doe Now receive not the grace of God in vaine lay hold on these occasions if there be not wisedome to improve them there may be sadnesse for neglecting