so compleated in the Son of God that this should be the last and unchangeable testimony we should receive from God whose heavenly Doctrine delivered unto us is therefore termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an eternal Gospel Rev. 14.6 8. It were an opinion very much unworthy the Wisdome Power and Goodness of the great God of heaven that he should send his only begotten Son into the world to reveal and make known his will unto his people himself expressing this to be the last time of his sending also But last of all he sent his Son Mat. 21.37 And yet that his Revelation of himself should be still defective and incomplete Wherefore is Christ term'd the Light of the world Quia impossibile erat Deum sire Deo discere ideo per verbum suum decet homines scire Deum Iren. l. 4. c. 10. Joh. 1. 1 Cor. 1.24 Joh. 14.6 Joh. 1.5 and the sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 The storchouse of wisdome and knowledge Col. 1.19 The only mean of discovering unto us the knowledge of God without whom it is impossible to know God For no man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1.18 Wherefore is he termed the Word of God and the Wisdome of the Father the Way the Truth and the Life but by these and many more expressions besides these to signifie unto us that the knowledge of God and of his holy will is so fully by Christ revealed that here we must now fix and not expect any further Revelations or new Lights to be discovered He looks beyond the Moon that looks for Revelations beyond Christ and what already stands upon record to be revealed by him There is no need to be curious after knowledge since the Revelation of Jesus Christ saith Tertul. Nobis curiesitate opus non est post Christum Jesum nec inquisitione postâ—… Evangelium Cum credimus nil desideramus ultra câ—…edere Hoc 〈◊〉 â—…rius credimus non esse quod ultra credere dâ—…amus Tert. de praes advers Haer. c. 8. nor is there need of further search after Truth since we have found the Gospel where we beleeve in Christ we desire not to beleeve any thing beyond this belief for this we believe first of Christ and his Gospel that beyond this there is nothing ought to be believed 9. The Apostles of Christ had the honour after him to receive by Immediate Revelation not any new Gospel but the right understanding firm remembrance and powerful publication of the Gospel of Christ All whose epistles and writings are as so many Commentaries and illustrations of the Gospel as the Prophets of old were of the Law And as Moses and the Prophets compleat the old so Christ and his Apostles compleat the canon of the new Testament which was ever received in all ages by the Church of Christ as the Rule of Faith and summary of divine Revelation So Irenaeus Quod prophetae praeconiâ—zâ—verunt perfâ—ciâ—…a Christus Apostoli tradiderâ—… à quibus eccâ—…sia accipiens per universum mundum sela bene custodâ—…ns tradidiâ— filiis Iâ—en l. 5. advers Haer. What the Prophets foretold Christ hath perfected and his Apostles have delivered from whom the Church through the whole world dispersed receiving the same hath delivered it to her sons the true Members of the Church Catholick all which must undoubtedly believe and professe with the rest of the family we are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the head corner stone Eph. 2.20 And here it cannot be either impertinent or unprofitable to observe in what respects sometimes Christ and sometimes his Apostles are said to be the foundation we are built upon 1. Christ is called the Foundation 1 Cor. 3.11 Primarily as he is the fountain of all Revealed Truths originally they flow from him for no man hath seen the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son hath revealed him Joh. 1.18 The prophets and Apostles are the foundation too Secondarily from and under Christ as his Stewards 1 Cor. 4.1 Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5.20 Workmen together with but under Christ 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Christ is the Foundation as upon whose doctrine and example life and death the faith of the whole Church is setled and their salvation fixed for there is no other name under heaven in whom there is salvation but the name of Jesus Act. 4.12 The Prophets and Apostles are the foundation ministerially as they are the Administrators of this faith and salvation which is in Christ the Prophets more obscurely the Apostles more clearly delivering it unto us Christ is as 't were the acceptable year of the Lord Clem. Rec. l. 4. having his twelve Apostles as the twelve moneths which compleat and fill up the year Christ is Alpha and Omega the beginning and end of all divine Revelation the end of the Law the beginning of the Gospel the Supplement of the Prophets and the whole Tenor of the Apostles preaching even the corner stone in whom both Law and Gospel Prophets and Apostles meet or the centre in whom they are conjoyned And in this center we must fix our faith having found Christ Joh. 14.6 as by his Prophets and Apostles he hath revealed himself unto us we must seek no further He is the way the truth and the life Let us not seek any new waies or new Truths lest being misled by the Spirit of Error we wander in the by-waies of death and ruine Tert. de virg veland The canon or Rule of our faith saith Tertullian is one alone immovable and not possible to be better framed anew And what Rule this is he sheweth by rehearsing the Articles of the Christian Faith Iren. advers Haeres l. 1 2. 3. and Irenaeus before his time The Church though scattered through the whole world unto the uttermost borders of the earth hath received from the Apostles and their Disciples what to believe The parts of which belief he also writeth the same in substance with Tertullian and thereupon infers This Faith the Church spread far and wide preserveth as if one house did contain them These things it equally embraceth as though it had one common soul one heart and no more It publisheth teacheth and delivereth these things with uniform consent as if God had given it but one only tongue wherewith to speak He which amongst the Guides of the Church is best able to speak uttereth no more then this and lesse then this the most simple doth not utter i. e. when they make profession of their Faith Similiter n. fides nostra Revelationi Apostolis Prophetis factae qui canenicos libros scripserunt non aâ—… revelationi si qua suit aliis doctoribus factae Aquin. 1 p. sum q. 2. Art 8. ad secund And to conclude this second General Our Faith saith the Schoolman depends and is grounded upon that
those smaller errors and mistakes wherewithall through ignorance or misperswasion the understandings of many good men are infected might by the opposition of Heresies be cleared and done away and the chaffe by the fan of temptation be winnowed and sifted from the purer grain so saith an ancient Father of the Church Datam scimus Sa anae potestatom ut servos Christi â—…ibâ—…ret ut quod de triâ—… invenâ—… pâ—ssiâ—â—…rreis Jung retur quâ—d de his aed igâ—…um alimenta transiret Anacleti epist We know that power is given to the Devil to winnow and sift the servants of God that what is found to be sound and good wheat might be gathered into the barn and carefully treasured up in the stedfast belief thereof and what proves but chaffe and fit for the fire might be shaken off The inundation of herefies being one of those fiery trials whereby every mans work shall appear whether it be geld silver and precious stones to be continued or whether no better then wood hay and stubble which too often is built upon the same foundation with the other and to be consumed 1 Cor. 3.11,12,13 2. Heresies are permitted to scoure off the rust of idleness sloth negligence and carelesness in matters of faith they render all careful and conscientious Christians more diligent in sifting and searching out the truth and more careful also of what they hear and of what they receive for truth according to those several commands given Beware of false Prophets Mat. 7.15 Take heed how ye hear Luk. 8.18 And take heed what ye hear Mark 4.24 Try all things and held fast that which is good 1 Thess 5.21 And beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God or no 1. Joh. 4.1 Therefore many false Prophets and false spirits there are and heretical assertions are interwoven with the Articles of the true faith that we might not grow dull and stupid and negligent and idle but be industrious vigilant and wary having our senses exercised to discern both good and evil and our understandings polished through the many exercitations and oppositions of untruths Because God would not have his servants without judgement saith Chrys Hâ—… 19. in Mat. 7. not to be able to discern betwixt light and darkness therefore he sends them temptations and because he would not have them to perish through ignorance and negligence therefore he commands them to beware 3. For the exercise and trial as of our sincerity so of our courage and spiritual sortitude in the opposition and resistance we make against the assaults of Heresies is another end why God permits us to be assaulted by them there is no greater sign of our sincerity in the love and service of God then by being stedfast in his covenant Psal 78.37 one chief and principal part of which covenant is stedfastly to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith from the which there is no man that loves the Lord with all his heart can be induced to swerve or go astray nor can all the machinations of the Devil or any sinful lusts of the world or of the flesh in this respect prevail against him For he that is verè pius est verè fortis True and sound piety never wants courage to defend the Truth and true courage through divine assistance is ever accompanied with constancy and victory over all temptations This is commanded Deut. 13.1 If there arise a false Prophet thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet And the reason is rendred why such should arise and why thou should not hearken unto them vers 3. For the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart c. q. d. If you truly love the Lord it will appear by the opposition to whatsoever does corrupt or deprave the waies of his worship God sends not temptations that we should hearken and yeeld unto them but that our love to him might appear by our resistance and vanquishment of them And our weapons in this spiritual warfare are fervent importunate prayes arising from a true sincere and sound piety and devotion of soul The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and will save them Psal 145.28,29 He will save them out of the windings and subtil waies of error and deceit who truly love and fear him and in the sincerity of their souls call upon him For God is faithful and will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but will even give the issue with the temptation that they may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 Vel cadere non sinit vel à casu erigit Gloss in loc either God suffers not the righteous to be moved Psal 55.22 Or if he fall yet shall he rise again for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand Qui tentanti dat licentiam tentato dat misericordiam The same God who suffers the tempter supports the tempted also and against the temptations of false Prophets upholds the true faithful soul that loves the Lord his God with all his heart with all his might 4. As our love to God so our love to our neighbour also is exercised and tryed by the permission of Heresies amongst us And this 1. By our readiness to instruct the ignorant and strengthen the weak that they be not seduced and ensnared by them Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the saith receive ye but not to doubtful disputations 2. Before endevours in the use of all possible means to bring into the way of Truth all such as have erred and are deceived proving whether God will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may escape the snare of the Devil of whom they are taken captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.25,26 3. By your prayers for them that God would open their eyes to understand the truth and relinquish their errors that they may be converted and be healed Jam. 5.16 Praying one for another that ye may be healed 5. For the exercise of our patience and meekness For all Heretiques and Schismatiques whatsoever do generally and for the most part assume to themselves to be the only Church and people of God and all others besides themselves to be reprobates and castawaies whom therefore where they have power they constantly persecute and afflict and where outward power is wanting they shew their inward malice by bitter railings revilings and uncharitable censures and condemnations of them All which God permits for the exercise of our patience meekness and Christian moderation that being reviled we revile not again not rendring evill for evill nor railing for railing but contraniwise blessing and earnestly praying for their conversion who as earnestly wish for our confusion and this both according to the command and example of our blessed
dictates of the holy Spirit So that hereby preaching is not only turned into foolishness indeed but into sinfulness also and that holy ordinance intended by God for the conversion and confirmation of souls in Truth is become through the abuse of unskilful and illiterate Zealots one of the Devils engins whereby he entraps the unsteady souls of men into errors and deceits And that which further hath added to increase this infection and plague of the holy and true Religion is a crying Reformation and Liberty of conscience which are necessary if righly understood and kept within their due limits under which specious pretences many necessary and useful Truths are decryed and licentiousness of opinion hath got footing every one taking liberty to believe and disbelieve what he list to be of this of that and of every opinion but what is orthodox and true and under the cloke of Religion wounding and even stabbing to the heart that sacred body through its own bleeding sides using the sharp and severe instrument of Reformation not only to pare the nails but cut off the hands and many the most principal parts and Members of the body spiritual crying down publique Prayers confessions of Sin Catechisms Creeds the Commandements Sacraments and preaching down even Preaching it self and the preachers also there being not a few who with the same breath dare both presumptuously blaspheme and sacrilegiously invade the high and holy calling of the Priesthood calling learning a mark of the Beast and lawful ordination to the Ministery a badge of Antichrist Decency and order in Gods service the painting of the strumpet and deckings of the whore of Babylon reading of holy Scriptures singing of Psalmes and all discreet forms of devotion and methods of divine service beggerly elements pieces of wil-worship and carnal Gospelling and the Scriptures themselves a dead letter and uselesse to them who understand the Mysteries of godliness by immediate Revelation It would be endless to rake into the puddle of those manifold pollutions wherewith many thousands of people in these broken and distracted times have both polluted themselves and endevoured also to profane and unhallow what ever is most sacred and dear to all discreetly pious and knowingly conscientious Christians whilest the authors of all such confusions with those grand Heretiques the spawn of Simon Magus in the daies of Irenaeus are called by themselves The elect the perfect the seed of God having an unction from the holy One being taught from above c. Whereupon their hearts are so uplifted within them that they deny all respect to their superiours speak evil of dignities despise their Mother the Church smite their brethren and fellow servants with reproaches and injurious revilings calling them the wicked of the world the seed of the Serpent the Reprobate for whom is reserved blackness of darkness c. Nor may we here justifie our selves though perhaps free from the infection of such wilde opinions and bold heaven-daring presumptions as if therefore we did contribute nothing there unto But rather in all humility and godly sorrow we must confess that both our national and personal sins have provoked the most just God to give up our holy orthodox Church to be torn and mangled by such confusions and disorders and our holy Religion to be eaten up by such vermin as our own corrupt manners have bred and nourished For when men see such as professe the Truth to be guilty of all kinde of disorderly and licentious living the truth it self becomes hereby scandalized and that Religion which such wicked persons professe is called in question and doubted whether it be of God or no. That therefore which S. Paul said unto the Jewes Rom. 2.23,24 is too much appliable to many Orthodox Christians amongst us who professe the Law of Truth and declaim much against Heresies and Schisms in Religion and yet through their lewd and exorbitant lives breaking those very Lawes of Truth which they do professe the Name of God is thereby dishonoured and that Truth whereof God is the Author is blasphemed and evil spoken of by the Heretical gainsayers and opposers thereof There are but two waies for the suppression of those Heretiques who stop their eares and harden their hearts against the Doctrine and instruction of the Church 1. A well established Ecclesiastical Government by whose coercive Lawes the people may be kept within the limits of the true faith as to the outward profession thereof in themselves and debarred the seduction of others 2. An Exemplary piety in the professors of the Truth that others may be won by their good conversation to the acknowledgement of the truth And now that the former of these viz. The arm of Ecclesiastical Government is broken and the hedge of Gods inclosed Garden thrown down which should have kept out the Foxes from eating up the Vines there is no way left us to put to silence gain-saying and seduced persons but to adorn our profession with holiness of conversation and carefully to avoid all those disorderly and licentious manners which scandalize our Religion and unhallow the blessed name of Christ which is called upon us Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles and such as oppose the truth that whereas they speak against you as evil doers that they may by your good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation 1 Pet. 2.12 This is required of all persons whatsoever but most especially of persons of rank and quality after whose example even without command not only most of their Dependants but even of their inferior neighbours do frame their conversations Such therefore are obliged to remember that the main end why God hath plac'd them in degree above others is That as their superiority of place is a stamp of the divine Supremacy over all so their sutable demeanor should be a leading star of holy and divine perfections unto all Being followers of God in all piety and purity of life and action that therein their people and dependants may be followers of them Nor is it the least reason why God hath suffered this late upstart generation of Heretiques to deny that respect and honour which by the Lawes both of God and man is due to their superiors because superiors have not given unto God that honour which is due unto him by being as Images of his superiority so ensamples of his perfections in all holiness justice charity purity and integrity of conversation Since it is the desire therefore of all good Christians that all Heresies should be rooted out and holy Truth restored together with a respective obedience to all our superiors according to the several relations and conditions without which we must never hope either for Truth or Peace to flourish amongst us there is assuredly no readier way now left us hereunto but that every one in his place and calling make conscience of his waies or in the words of the holy Spirit himself That every one who nameth
hath his secret workings and continual countermines opposing hereunto which evil spirit working also by the frail and deceivable spirit of man doth by many subtile wayes obscure corrupt poyson and belye the sacred qualifications of the Spirit of Truth nor doth the Devil that grand enemy of mans salvation in any kinde of way so much cousen and cheat the souls of men into ruine as by putting false glosses and counterfeit vizars on vices errors and distempers that so they may be mistaken for holy vertues and divine qualifications To instance in some particulars First It is a truth by the Spirit of God both foretold promised and performed That the actings and impressions of Gods Spirit upon the mindes of men are both more strong and frequent as also more general and common under the Gospel then they were under the Law That the gift of the Ministry it self is dilated being not limited to the single Tribe of Levi but all men of what quality soever have a title thereunto meaning Genera singulorum not singula generum that is men of all sorts and kindes not all of all kindes but hereupon to make void pull down and level with the undistinguisht multitude the high and solemn order and offices of the Priest-hood instituted by God himself both under the Law and under the Gospel for a people to snatch the Divine Oracles from the lips of the Priest and presume to teach their Teachers to invade the chair of Moses and offer incense with unhallowed censors for private persons to assume the publique administration of Ministerial Offices without a lawful Call and due Ordination thereunto though they may be otherwise qualified with knowledge and piety These are false glosses imposed upon the former truths by the Spirit of lies Tares sowed by the Enemy of mankinde amidst the purer wheat And that 1. To the high dishonour of God and profanation of all that is religious and sacred 2. To involve the Church of Christ and bury it in the rubbish of confusion and disorder 3. To take away those bounds and limits distinguishing Priest from people which all Nations Jewes and Gentiles all Ages of the Church both Ancient and Modern have kept firm and inviolable 4. To pull down heavy judgements upon the heads of all such sacrilegious Usurpers and Invaders of Divine Rites 2 Sam. 6 6,7 2 Chron. 16.16 c. 2. It is an impression of Gods Spirit upon the soul of man to wait and depend upon God for spiritual wisdome knowledge Prov. 3.5 c. and not to lean to our own understanding or trust too much to our own wit judgement reading learning Prov. 2.6 or the like as knowing full well That the Lord gives wisdome and from him cometh knowledge and understanding But hereupon either to despise or neglect those waies and means and helps which God in his merciful providence hath afforded us for to attain wisdome c. as the study of Tongues and Languages Arts and Sciences the reading and distinctly weighing the Discourses of the learned and to depend upon immediate Revelation and Infusion of such gifts from Heaven as if they should drop upon our barren hearts as did the Manna in the Wildernesse upon the Tents of Israel out of the clouds and by miracle this is a false gloss which the spirit of delusion puts upon the former truth thereby to inveigle us 1. To tempt the good Spirit of God 2. To be exposed and laid open to seducing spirits 3. To enshrine Lady Ignorance again as the Mother of Devotion which all men know but who are blinded with ignorance to be the Dam of superstitions errors and confusions 3. Rightly to beleeve in the Son of God as the mean of our justification here and ground of our hope of salvation hereafter this is an impression of Gods Spirit on the soul of man and in respect hereof we are said to have the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 2 Cor. 4.13 We having the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeved therefore have I spoken faith as it is doctrinal being a spiritual gift and reckoned amongst them 1 Cor. 12.9 And as it is practical 1 Cor. 12 9. Gal. 5.22 being a grace or fruit of the Spirit and reckoned amongst them also Gal. 5.22 But now to mingle and divide and as it were to cut asunder this true Evangelical Faith as it stands full and intire in all its integral parts both of doctrine and practice so as to be vainly puft up with a conceit of being ingraffed into Christ and thereby to be justified here and sure of heaven hereafter whether we live according to the rule of Faith and in obedience unto the Gospel of Christ or no to define and measure our Faith not by the sacred acts thereof commanded which is called the righteousnesse of Faith Rom 10.6 but by our own too too credulous fancies and apprehensions as if it were no more to be in Christ but presumptuously to pretend unto it and impudently without just ground to believe it This surely cannot be that true Evangelical Faith whereunto so many promises are annext but a false glosse which the spirit of Error hath put thereupon thereby 1. To puffe up the hearts of too too credulous men with spiritual pride and presumption and make them swell with the empty conceit and airy fancy of their own happy and eminent state and condition when there is no such matter And 2. To inveigle men to neglect the use and practice of Christian graces those fruits of the Spirit which are as it is already said the very life and soul of Christianity and consequently the way to heaven if ever we mean to arrive there 4. It is an impression of Gods Spirit on the soul of man To be zealous for the Lord of Hosts 1 King 19.14 that is to be exceedingly fervent and forward earnest and desirous by all possible waies and means to advance the religious worship and service of God but to be so factious and forward so fiery and furious as by any illegal extravagant and disorderly means to advance the truth it self much lesse to set up any private opinions in relation to Gods Service which have not been semper ubique ab omnibus Vincent the three rules of Catholick Doctrine and Worship to be generally and for the most part of the Primitive times at least of all persons at all times and in all places received and not now and then here and there by hereticks and schismaticks only introduc'd I say to be zealous for such pieces of Religion Doctrine and Worship and that per fas nefásque through just or unjust means by right or by wrong to endevour the advancement thereof this is not true zeal but a false gloss which the Devil puts thereupon even through the violence of this distempered heat 1. To divide separate and break men into sects factions and parties that they might so
presumptuously arrogate to themselves an un-erring judgement in all spiritual and divine things vilifying all other persons besides themselves be they never so learned or pious as blinde and ignorant under the notion of matural men whose presumption in the wresting of this text and the true meaning thereof will appear by considering 1. What is meant by the natural and spiritual man 2. And what by the things of the Spirit of God For the first the natural man is such a one whose understanding and affections soar no higher then outward sensible objects So that there are two kindes of natural men 1. One who is meerly natural in respect of the understanding of his minde And 2. Another who is natural in respect of the manner of his life Of the 1. sort were the heathen Philosophers of old who received not the things of the Spirit of God but accounted them as foolish idle and ridiculous because they did seemingly contradict the dictates of their natural reason Of the 2. sort are all vicious sinful persons who are so wedded either to their carnal delights or to their worldly ends and interests that holiness humbleness self-denial taking up the crosse and the rest of such commands in the Gospel are altogether disrelished they are foolishnesse unto them For the 2. The things of the Spirit of God are reducible to two heads 1. Pia dogmata 2. Bona opera i. e. either 1. Holy doctrines to be believed Or 2. Good works to be performed The first are contradictory and seemingly foolish to the natural mans reason and judgement and the 2d. to the natural mans affections and conversation And the reason is given because they are spiritually discerned For 1. The holy doctrines of Christiany many of them are above the reach of natural reason and only by the eye of faith which is a gift of the Spirit to be discerned 2. The good works by Christ in his Gospel enjoyned many of them are cross to the natural mans inclinations It must be a higher principle even the quickning grace of the Spirit that does open our eyes to discern them to be the way of blessednesse and so incline our hearts to yeeld obedience thereunto So that the truth delivered in the first part of this text consists of two branches or The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God two waies 1. In that the mysteries of the holy Christian faith are not discernible by the eye of natural reason 2. In that the Christian duties or good works of the Gospel are not relished nor obeyed by men of meer natural affections and inclinations But he that is Spiritual judgeth all things The spiritual man is such a one 1. Whose understanding is enriched with the Gists 2. Whose affections are rectified by the Graces of the Spirit Or 1. Whose natural reason looks into the things of the Spirit viz. the doctrines duties of Christianity with the eye of faith 2. Whose affections and desires are inclined hereunto by love and obedience He judgeth all things viz. All those things of Gods Spirit which natural men judge to be foolish and contrarious to their reason and to their felicity he rightly judges to be most wise and most conducible to the attainment of that perfection and blessedness whereunto being after the image of God he is created Yet he himself is judged of no man As being above and out of the reach of the censures and judgements of natural men All whose censures and censorious detractions of him he values not as knowing them to be both rash and idle foolish and false 2 Cor. 4.3 But if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost Whence 't is alledged that the Gospel of Christ is clear and intelligible enough to the children of Gods election and heirs of the promise without the help or assistance of any humane learning answer But the Apostle treats not in this place of the understanding but of the preaching of the Gospel affirming only that the word of God was not deceitfully handled but the truth thereof was made so manifest by the sincere preaching of the Apostles vers 2. that it remained dark and obscure to none but such as were in a lost condition men of an obstinate obdurate reprobate sense In whom as it followes vers 4. the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them that beleeve not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them And the Gospel is hid to them that are lost two waies 1. When they receive it not being plainly preached to them or approved to their conscience in the sight of God as in vers 2. Or else 2. When they do hear and receive it but not aright And men do not rightly receive the Gospel 1. When they do not acquiesce and rest in it as the undoubted way of life 2. When they do not readily obey and put in practise what the Gospel enjoyns and commands 3. When they persevere not are not constant in this faith and obedience To this text many more are urg'd wherein the priviledge of the Saints and servants of God as to the understanding of his will both mediately and immediately is affirmed Psal 25.14 Mat. 5.8 Joh. 10.4 c. Ps 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God Christs sheep do know his voice and follow him but a stranger will they not follow neither do they know the voice of strangers Joh. 10.4,5 with the places before remembred Mat. 11.25 2 Cor. 1.26,27 From which and many other places both of the old and new Testament 't is alledged that the elect the Saints holy and humble men and such as fear God have a secret teaching from God whereby they understand his Word and will without the help of humane learning they are that new Hierusalem which hath no need of the light of Sun Moon or candle but the Lord God is the light thereof Rev. 21. They are the Saints that know all things and need not that any should teach them And though they be illiterate yet do they know more of God then the Learned and great ones of the world whom the god of this world hath blinded that they cannot see Christ through the thicket of profane learning and unprofitable speculations To clear all which Texts from the false glosses which unlearned and unstable men have put upon them to patronize their own want of learning and inconstancy in the way of truth T is confessed 1. That only the pure and holy only such who are sanctified by the Spirit of Grace have the true and saving knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ But withall we must remember that there is a twofold knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ 1. The one doctrinal and speculative which is not ordinarily
amongst you And the better to conceive what is meant by these schisms and contentions 't is exemplified vers 12. One saith I am of Paul another I am of Apollo another I am of Cephas and another will not depend upon any acknowledging neither Paul nor any mortal man to be his Tutor and instructer and he saith I am of Christ Thus the immaculate body of Christ is divided into parties and sects the partakers and followers of which several sects are therefore called Sectarists and Separatists viz. Such as cleave not to the whole body but follow some one part that is broken off and divided from the whole 2. Heresie and Schism in the mystical body of Christ do differ as an inward sicknesse and outward wound in the natural body of man but yet so that there are several internal aswel as external parts and branches of Schism for by how many waies and means communion is maintain'd amongst Christians by so many waies it may be broken and dissolv'd And every breach of communion is a Schism 3. Now the Communion to be maintained amongst Christians is either Internal External The internal communion hath several branches viz. 1. To beleeve and assent to all those saving truths revealed to us by Christ and his Apostles and in all ages of the Church maintained 1 Cor. 13.7 2. To be with all obedience prepared in heart to assent to the Dictates of the Church whether universal or particular that are agreeable to such revealed Truths Mat. 18.17 3. To judge charitably each of other accounting all such for our Christian brethren who profess this same Christian faith and are of this Christian minde and spirit Col. 2.16 4. To sympathize in each others affections which includes several particulars as 1. To sorrow for the sins and errors of others 2. To condole in the sufferings of others or to weep with them that weep Rom. 12.15 As also to congratulate the prosperities of others or to rejoyce with them that rejoyce which enjoynes also 3. To rejoyce as do the Angels of heaven at the conversion of a sinner or any misguided soul from the errors of his waies Luk. 15.7 5. To pray for the growth and perseverance of all holy and orthodox persons in faith and obedience and for the conversion of all profane schismatical and heretical persons and for the reunion of all such to the Church as are divided from it 1 Sam. 12.23 Psal 122.6 1 Tim. 2.1 6. To hold communion in our desires and affections with all such as are divided from us in perswasion and judgement and by all means to endevour an external communion with them according to our several powers and in our several places and offices Gal. 6.1 The external communion consists also of several branches As 1. In the oral confession of the same Creeds or Symbols of Christian Faith Rom. 10.9,10 2 Tim. 1.13 2. In the participation of the same Sacraments 1 Cor. 10.16 3. In the admission of and submission unto the same Apostolical discipline and government Heb. 13.17 4. In the use of the same Liturgies or publique forms of external divine worship 1 Cor. 1.10 Rom. 15.6 4. Hence by the rule of contraries 't wil appear plainly who is a Schismatique or in what respects the guilt of Schism is contracted 1. He is guilty of Schism who withdrawes his assent from the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles either as 't is by the Church universal professed or else as 't is exprest by the doctrine and establisht by the Lawes of that particular Church whereof he is a member whilest this particular Church opposes not the doctrine of the Church Catholique for when any particular person shall in any point of faith oppose his private opinion against the publique judgement of the Church this is not only Schism in him but such a branch of Schism also as coincident with Heresie whereof before 2. He who shall limit the Church of Christ to his own particular sect or fraternity Recepimus pro missiones de universalitate ecclesiae tote mundo diffusae si ergo angelus de coelo tibi has premissiones tenenti diceret Dimitte Christianitatem totius orbis tene partem Donati anathema esse deberet quia tea tote pracicidere in partem contrudere conaretur alienare à promissis Dei Aug. Epist 165. saying we are the Church we are the elect and people of God and all who joyn not in communion with us are cast-awaies and out of the State of salvation he is guilty of Schism in that he cuts off the main body of Christian people or rather cuts off himself and his own fraternity from the main body of Christs holy Catholick Church So the Donatists of old limited the Church of Christ to their own sect and the confines thereof to that part of Africk where they inhabited contrary to the promises of God who hath given unto Christ the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Psal 2.8 Gen. 22. In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed whereupon the Father infers since we have the promises of God concerning the universality of the Church to be diffused and spread over the face of the earth if therefore an Angel from heaven should say unto thee Forgo thy relation to the Catholick Church and be of this or that particular Church or sect which saith we and we only are the Church and people of God he ought to be accursed because he hath endevoured to cut thee off from the whole and to limit thee to a part and thereby to alienate thee from the promises of God in Christ Jesus A third branch of Schiâ—m necessarily depends upon and flowes from the second And this is rashly to judge and uncharitably to condemn the Churches or societies of our Christian brethren so the Montanists perswaded their followers to speak evil of the universal Church where ever spread over the face of the earth Euseb eccl hist l. 5. c. 16. and not only to deny thereunto all reverence and esteem but also in no wise to joyn with them of this kinde of Schism are all such guilty who refuse to joyn with their Christian brethren in the publique service of God under pretence of separating from the wicked of the world who with the proud Pharisee in the Gospel presumptuously justifie themselves and their own Church and faction and unjustly condemn all others Verè existimemus posse aliquid esse occultum in alio quo vobis superior sit etiam si bonum nostrum quo illo videmur superiores esse non sit occulium Aug. de verbis Apo. ser 21. Luk. 18.9 who are so pure in their own eyes as to say to others Stand by thy self come not neer to me I am holier then thou Isa 65.5 little esteeming the exhortation of the Apostle Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of minde
they would deceive the very elect The Apostles of Christ treading in the same steps with their Lord and even in their own daies seeing his words fulfilled Gal. 1.7 1 Tim. 5.12 2 Tim. 3.6,7 4.3,4 2 Pet. 2.1,2,3 Jude 8. Eph. 4 14. Rom. 16.17,18 1 Joh. 4.1 and false Prophets arising not only severely inveigh against them but also impose upon us the same strict care and caution not to be seduced by them or like children to be tossed to and fro and carryed about with every winde of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive To yeeld obedience to these several injunctions and to stand fast in the true faith rooted and built up therein against the assaults of false and deceitful workers these following directions will be useful 1. To be well and throughly instructed in the grounds and principles of holy Religion For as no firm and durable building can be raised without a good foundation laid so no man can be built up in the most holy faith and firmly setled in the truth except the foundation and ground-work be first well and surely laid in the right understanding and firm adherence to the principles of holy Religion Now the general ground and foundation of all holy and saving Truth is the word of God or the divinely inspired writings of Moses and the Prophets in the old and of Christ and his Apostles in the new Testament Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the head corner stone Eph. 2.20 But although all things contained in the holy Scriptures be infallibly true and in some respect or other usefull and edifying yet all are not therefore fundamentall Truths Those principles of holy truth contained in the Scriptures which are fundamental are according to the doctrine of the Church reduced to five Heads 1. Repentance 2. Faith Ch. catec 3. Obedience 4. Prayer 5. Sacraments If any winde of doctrine move us from off any of the grounds our souls must needs suffer the shipwrack of holy Truth and be split upon the rocks of false erroneous opinions As to these principles therefore these particular rules must be observed for the avoiding of errors 1. And first for Repentance which is termed the foundation of Christian Doctrine Heb. 6.1 He that will not build but upon what is the foundation of truth must not admit of any opinion whatsoever that shall take him off from the constant confession of his sins with all humility and godly sorrow remembring that there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccl. 7.20 And the only means left us to recover our selves out of the snares of sin is by Repentance to wash our hearts with the tears of godly sorrow for sin to empty our souls of them by confession and make them clean by more stedfast purposes and strong resistance against all temptations unto sin And this is the first part of that Baptismal vow or of that covenant we made with God when any of us by holy and lawful Baptism were admitted into the bosome of his Church even to forsake the devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the sinful lusts of the flesh or manfully to fight under the banner of Christ against the devil the world and the flesh which is no other but to adhere to the doctrine and to continue in the practise of true Repentance 2. As to Faith which is joyned with Repentance as another essential part of the same foundation of Truth Heb. 6.1 't is necessary for the avoiding of Errors to admit of no opinion relating to Religion that is not agreeable to those Articles of the Christian faith summarily exprest in the Apostles Creed which is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or form of sound words in faith Symbolum Apreslolorum est regula sidei vestrae brevis grandis brevis numero verborum grandis pondere sententiarum Aug. de Temp. we are commanded to hold fast 2 Tim. 1.13 That modell of faith once given to Saints we are commanded earnestly to contend for Jud. 3. The Apostles Creed saith S. Aug. is the rule of your faith which is though short yet weighty short in the number of words but weighty in sentences or the several articles thereof The Gospel of Christ is indeed the grand Rule of faith whereof this lesser Rule the Apostles Creed is the sum and Epitome And he that goes besides and not according to the Rule of faith goes not forward in the way but backward from the way of Truth 3. As to Obedience To entertain no opinion that agrees not with that all-perfect rule of Righteousness the Decalogue or ten Commandements of the moral Law for whatsoever shall oppose thwart make void or any way take off our obedience to any of Gods Commandements is to be rejected as false and erroneous Whosoever saith our Lord shall break one of these least Commandements and teach men so to do he shall be called least in the Kingdome of heaven that is saith the Glosse the most despised in the Church of Christ Minimus in regno h. c. despectissimu in ecclesia quia decidit à fide Lir. in loc and the reason is given because he is faln from the faith he is lapst into error which is expresly asserted by S. John Hereby we are sure we know God if we keep his commandements he that saith he knowes God and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2.3,4 And in order to this Rule 't is necessary also to admit of no opinion that tends to the breach of either of those general Rules of Charity which is the fulfilling of the Law viz. To love God above all and thy neighbour as thy self for on these two hang all the Law and the Prophets Mat. 22.37 c. Whatsoever therefore doth not tend either 1. to the inflaming of our souls with the sacred fire of divine love to the advancement of Gods glory and the promoting of his service both inward and outward As also whatsoever 2. tends not to the maintenance of love and unity justice and charity innocence and beneficence towards our neighbors is not to be entertained as a beam shining from the light of holy Truth but as a flash of illusion suggested by the spirit of Error Hereby shall all men know that you are my disciples if ye love one another Joh. 13.35 Aug. He omits saith the Father the gift of Miracles Tongues Prophesies Knowledge to understand all mysteries Faith to remove mountains by none of those but by your charity you shall be known to be my disciples 6 As to the doctrine of Prayer That we admit of no opinion that shall take us off either from the frequent and fervent use of holy Prayers in general or more particularly from the use of the Lords