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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76988	The arraignment of errour: or, A discourse serving as a curb to restrain the wantonnesse of mens spirits in the entertainment of opinions; and as a compasse, whereby we may sail in the search and finding of truth; distributed into six main questions. Quest. 1. How it may stand with Gods, with Satans, with a mans own ends, that there should be erroneous opinions? Quest. 2. What are the grounds of abounding errours? Quest. 3. Why so many are carried away with errour? Quest. 4. Who those are that are in danger? Quest. 5. What are the examens, or the trials of opinions, and characters of truth? Quest. 6. What waies God hath left in his Word for the suppressing of errour, and reducing of erroneous persons? Under which generall questions, many other necessary and profitable queries are comprized, discussed, and resolved. And in conclusion of all; some motives, and means, conducing to an happy accommodation of our present differences, are subjoyned. / By Samuel Bolton minister of the Word of God at Saviours-Southwark.	Bolton, Samuel, 1606-1654.	1646 (1646)	Wing B3517; Thomason E318_1; ESTC R200547	325,527	388

diff●rence in waies that those who doe agree in so many things should differ in one nay in one thing in many things whereof they also do agree I may s●y here as it is subscribed at the foot of a complaint concerning the differences of the Reformed Churches Oh that we should agree in so much and differ for so little It is a s●d thing and speaks more evil to us then all our evils upon us 2. Shall I say as this agreement is possible so it is exceeding desirable 1. It is desirable to Christ witnesse his prayer Joh. 17.21 That we may be one even as God and he is one Shall I say it would be the joy of Christ in heaven to see this accord on earth it is that which he sweat for that which he did bleed for it is a part of the travel of his soul the income whereof will be desirable to him And doe but thinke what a grief it is to your Saviour to see his people members of his body heirs of the same hope that lay together in the same bosome of election are sharers in the same priviledges born to the same hopes that they whose names he carries together and presents before the Father continually in heaven should be divided and rent asunder upon earth It is a patheticall passage which Luther hath in an Epistle to the Ministers of Norimberg Suppose saith he you saw Jesus Christ standing bodily in the midst of you and by his very eyes speaking thus unto your hearts What do you ô my dear children whom I have redeemed by my blood renewed by my word that you might mutually love one another There is no danger in your difference but there is much in your dissension Do not thus sadden my spirit Do not thus spoyl the holy Angels of their joy in heaven Am not I more to you then all your matters of difference then all your affections then all your offences Can any unjust trouble pierce your heart so much as my wounds as my blood as I the whole Saviour Jesus Christ Certainly as it is the grief of Christ in heaven so let me speak after the manner of men it would be his joy and glory in heaven to see the hearts and spirits of his own people united and made one in the truth 2. As it is desirable to Christ so it is desirable it self the miseries we feel in the want of it doe exceedingly heighten and advance the worth of it to us This indeed will be the crown of all our conquests the glory of all our deliverance the ruine of our enemies is nothing to the union of our friends nor are all sad calamities upon us to be compared to the divisions among the Saints Eusebius saith of Constantine He was more troubled at the dissensions in the Church then with all the warrs in his dominions Indeed these are the saddest of divisions and carry desolation in the face of them The Philosophers tell us that each naturall body doth no lesse desire it's unity then it 's being and how much more should the body mysticall without which unity it cannot long subsist in being Every difference from unity is a steppe towards a nullitie 3. It is desirable to us It is the subject of all our prayers of all our tears and so desirable that nothing will satisfie without it though God have done much for this kingdome and is still riding on in his glory to doe more yet we cannot but say with Abraham What will all this profit us if thy people be not one Alas how can we give up one another Those who have wept together prayed together worked together taken sweet counsell together hitherto been one how can we now be two how sad were it if that those who have been fellow-mourners fellow-suff●rers joynt prayers and contenders with God for these deliverances should not now be joynt enjoyers of the mercy and deliverance Certainly this is desired of all as the way to it let us breath after and hasten that of the Prophet Zeph. 3.9 When all that call on the name of the Lord shall serve him with one consent And that of the Apostle Rom. 15.5 6 7. That God would grant us to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that we may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God This is sure the desire of all and ô that we should be at one in our desires to be one and at difference in the waies whereby we may be one 4. It is desirable to all the Churches of Christ. Where hath Christ a Church on earth that is not now in travel to see the birth of this unio● where hath he a people that doe not pray and wait we may be one What the Historian said of Ormus I may say of England If all the world were a ring England were the jewel It is so looked upon as the Jewel of all the Christian world for eminency of grace and holinesse And as our differences are the sadning of the spirits of the Churches of Christ so our union would be the j●y of their souls even life from the dead a sufficient income for all their prayers their tears laid out for it Certainly it is desirable to all but those who desire to dance in our ashes and would rejoyce in our ruine the speeding of which doth lie in our differences one with another Thus I have shewed you that this agreement is possible it is desirable I might shew you the necessity of it the mischiefs which are like to follow if it be not but being done so fully by another hand I shall wave it And now in the last place unto these weak desires cast in some few thoughts which may be subservient in this happy union and accommodation 1. I wish that both parties would get their hearts more overcome with the love of union and peace this very love of peace would carry us a great way towards an union we can talk of it but our hearts are not taken with it we can play the Oratours say much in the commendation of it but who pursues it who makes it the businesse of his life to attain it Doe we not rather side with our dividing interests then with our uniting engagements and seek rather to be well alone then to be happy together Who is it that saith resolvedly we must be one we cannot live without you nor you without us It was a superlative expression of Luthers writing to the Pastours of Stratsburg I pray you saith he be perswaded that I shall alwaies be as desirous to embrace concord as I am desirous to have the Lord Jesus propitious to me O that we had more of this spirit That our hearts were so overcome with the love of union that we could be content to be any thing that this might be and to tread upon our choisest priviledges and interests if they might be a rise and advantage to this desired union 2. Silencing all

touching works and obedience to be annexed to faith not to justifie our persons but to justifie our faith the obedience of faith justifies our persons the obedience from faith justifies our faith which you see it is the great scope of St James to cleare in the second chapter throughout The doctrine of Christian liberty by Christ gave occasion to some to publish that they were set at freedome from obedience to Magistrates in the Lord and for the Lord and others used it as an occasion of scandall to them that were weake and thought that they had liberty to eate of meate offered to Idols though the weake were thereby scandalled and offended yet why should not they use their liberty I say these two errours which were strong in those times and seemed to be founded on the doctrine of Christian liberty which they were to maintaine gave occasion to the publication of many precious truths concerning the due bounds limits restraints and extents of Christian liberty by two great Apostles Paul and Peter Paul dealing with Christian liberty in points of scandall 1 Cor. 8.9 10 11. Take heed least by any meanes this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weake And Peter dealing with it in point of disobedience as you may reade it at large 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15 16. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man as free yet not using your liberty as a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God So that I say God hath mercifull ends towards them who are brought in to suffer errours to abound to cleare the way to those who shall be called and he hath ends in respect of truth it selfe not only to give occasion for the publication but the sifting and finding out of truth as you see I have shewed And thus much of Gods mercifull ends to them called and to them in purpose to call we come now to Gods judiciall ends which is the second particular 2. As God hath mercifull ends to the godly so he hath judiciall ends to the wicked in permitting errours abroad and that 1. To the seducers 2. To the seduced 1. To the promoters 2. To the receivers of opinions We will joyne these two together for brevities sake God may then suffer men to be led aside with errours and delusions 1. For the punishment of some former way of sin As a corrupt head will breed a corrupt life so a corrupt life will breed a corrupt judgement Sin in conversation is often punished with corruption in judgement with darknesse in the understanding God often suffers a corrupt judgement to be the punishment of a corrupt life You walke it may be in some way of sin and as yet though your affections and conversations are corrupted yet your understandings they are not corrupted you still retaine the truth But sure it cannot be long before the understanding be tainted before that light which glowes therein is obscured and put out It is a hard thing to keepe a sparke of fire alive in the midst of a sea of water to keepe a beame of light in the understanding under such darknesse in the heart and affection and such works of darknesse in your conversation This is sure either the truth will make you leave sin or your sin will make you leave the truth Either that light in you will overcome your darknesse or your darknesse will overcome your light Men that hold up affection to sin though not practise in sin they will betray the light they have they will smother it put it out at last When men are willing to sleepe they will put out the candle nay and draw the curtaines that no light may come in to trouble them So men that are willing to sleepe in sinne they will not only draw the curtaines that is labour to keepe out the receiving of more light but they put out the candle obscure that light they have that they may more quietly sleepe in sinne sinne without disturbance Sometimes indeed errour is the cause of sinne sometimes sinne is the cause of errour we will exemplifie this It may be that a man hath walked in some way of sinne and will not be reclaimed of it he hath some light within which gives in testimony to his conscience of the evill of his way this disturbs him now in a way of sinne but this will not reclaime him of his sinne he will sinne still but the light within him disturbs him he cannot sinne with that quiet and peace as others doe and therefore now his corrupt heart begins to undermine the light he hath the strength of sin in the affection begins to darken and blow up or blow out the power of light in the understanding that he may the better sinne with peace And therefore first he begins to find out some shifts for his sinnes he will have some excuses and this is a sowing of figge-leaves to cover his nakednesse If excuses and pretexts will not doe then he begins to dispute against the light why may I not doe this is this so much to doe If this will not doe then he falls to deny the light and say it is a needlesse scruple tush it s nothing And at last he comes to take in such an opinion as he may be quiet in his sinne as he may sinne without trouble And as many errours are bred and begotten out of this they are but opinions that a sinfull but troubled heart have taken up that he may be quiet in his sinne So many errours are received too because they do correspond and comply with their sinfull and corrupt hearts Christians it may be there be some of you that have many truths in you you understand more then others doe and it may be yea you walke in some way of sinne that light you have stares in your face gives evidence beares witnesse against you yet for all this you will not heare the counsels of truth you will not take notice of it yea but doe you take heed least God in punishment of your sinne doe give you up to a way of errour There are five sins which God doth often punish with errour some are intellectuall some are sensuall 1. A wilfull shutting out the light when God is comming in with light from Heaven when he is revealing himselfe and mind to us and yet we will shut our eyes we will not see we will not open our eyes nor owne the truth out of corrupt grounds feare love of the world c. I say this man is in danger to be given up to a way of error if you will be blind you shall be blind if you will not see you shall not see as Christ told the Pharisees he preached to them in Parables that * Quia cum loquebatur perspicuè noluerunt intelligere in poe●a● jam loquitur obscurè Muscul seeing they might not see Math. 13.13 This is that Christ said to the Jews Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would

you study if you examine and be faithfull in your scrutiny God will reveal them to you also at least so much as is for your comfort and chearfull walking in the waies of God Fourthly I told you that accessory truths were either such as were evident and clear or such as were doubtfull and obscure The Question needs not to be asked of the first of these for those that are evident and clear of themselves every Christian may judge of But the Question will be of obscure and doubtfull truths * See Mast Reynolds on the 110 Psa p. 273 274. Of those which are doubtfull some are obscure respectu objecti rejectu subjecti Some are obscure in themselves and some are obscure not in themselves but to us If the Question be of such as are obscure in themselves who shall judge of Gods minde in them I say there are some truths which are beyond the fathom of the tallest understanding there are certain Abysses and depths that no man is able to sound no finite understanding can determine See Reynolds conf with Hart. p. 96 97 98. here we must fall down and adore fall down and admire the doctrine of the Trinity and of the Vnity of divine essence in the Trinity of persons the doctrine of the incarnation of Christ the hypostaticall Vnion of natures in one Person the doctrine of Predestination of the Jews rejection which was a depth to the Apostle himself over which he cries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.33 34. Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his waies past finding out for who hath known the minde of the Lord or who hath been his Councellour In other truths such as were necessary the Apostle when he makes the same Query he gives this answer But we have the minde of Christ as you may see in 1 Cor. 2.16 Who hath known the minde of the Lord that he may instruct him or who hath been his Counsellour We have here the same Query but not the same answer he answers this Query We have the minde of Christ which is to be understood in things necessary In the other you see he makes the Question and leaves it without answer only cries out Oh the depth of the wisdome So that if the Question be of Doctrines in themselves obscure It is beyond man to fathom faith is our best understanding admiring and adoring our best knowledge But now if the Question be of such truths that are not obscure in themselves but obscure to us not to all but to some which are therefore obscure by reason of the imperfection of our knowledge c. It is the office of the Ministers of the Gospel to preach them and reveal them of Synods and Councels to declare them and of every Christian to study them to examine to search them out There are four waies that we are to goe in the finding out of truths doubtfull 1. Look into the harmony of Scripture see what the agreement what the concord of the Word of God will doe to help thee Consul Whitak cont 1 q 5. c. ● ubi de mediis inveniendi verum Scripturarum sensum Scripturae Scripturis conferendae fi quid in Scripturis recte intell gere volumus See ●eynolds c. 2. divis 2. p. 95 96. Fa●eamur ergo necess● est justificationis nomen variè sumi nisi velimus exis●mare Apostolos à se dissentire pugnantia enunciare apud Jacobum ergo justificari idem valet quod justum declarari ac demonstrari apud Paulum verò justificari idem est quod à peccatis omnibus absolvi justumque apud Deum reputari Whitak loco citat many things seem to be truths if you look on one text alone that yet if you did but look upon the harmony of the Word would thereby be discovered to be errours For example St James saith Chap. 2. ver 21. Abraham was justified by works now if you look no further it holds forth this that we are justified by works for as the father of the faithfull was justified so all the children all believers must be justified and is this a truth then Certainly no. Why but how shall we know it we must compare Scripture with Scripture as for example in this point compare this place of James with Rom. 4.2 3. If Abraham were justified by works he had then somewhat whereof to glory for what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousnesse and therefore the one speaks of justification before men the other of justification before God the one of justification properly the other of declarative justification Study the harmony of Scripture see how one Scripture agrees with another and how this doctrine agrees with all Rom. 12 6 Analogia fidei nihil aliud est quam constans perpetua sententia Scripturae in apertis minim● obscuris locis quales sunt Articuli fidei in symbolo quaesque continentur in oratione dominica in decalogo c. Consul Whitak loc citat 2. Look upon the Analogie of faith whatsoever doctrine either directly or by way of immediate consequence opposeth the Analogie of faith is to be rejected as contrary to the platform of wholsome words that 's another way to finde out truth in doubtfull cases See the Analogie of faith look over your Creed the Lords prayer crooked things are discerned by bringing them to straight c. Many Doctrins would be found erroneous if they were but brought to the Analogie of faith That doctrine of Transubstantiation or rather monster of opinions which they would seem to build on Scripture This is my Body if it were but brought to the Analogie of faith you shall see at once it overthrows four severall Articles 1. The incarnation of Christ 2. His ascension 3. His sitting at the right-hand of God 4. His comming to Judgement for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread and in so many places at one time how can all this be The Doctrine of Christs kingdom and visible glory before the day of Judgement it seems to contradict another part of it he is gone to heaven sits at the right-hand of God and from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead So that nothing is between his sitting in heaven and his comming to judgement Alsted and therefore those that most rationally hold it doe say this Kingdom shall be in tempore judicij the time of judgement the Jews conversion and the fulness of the Gentiles are to be the morning of it 3. Look upon the concordant confessions of the Churches of Christ in all ages here is another way and certainly it doth afford a great deal of light and help in points and cases doubtfull this is not to submit my judgement and faith unto any authority of man but to goe to them who excell to be helpers

off the hearts of Gods people from spirituall and heart-warming truths then any controversie that ever was stirred up in any age of the Church I pray God there be not a temptation in it But to return Admit there be an exact government in the Word of God who shall judge what that is I told you there were the Essentials and Circumstantials of Government If the Question be asked of the first viz. Who shall judge of the Essentials I may say certainly of this point as well as of others there is a publike and a private judgement there is a ministeriall and there is a personall judgement It is the office of a Synod an Assembly to search to debate to determine and declare what they conceive is the minde of Christ in this and it is yours to prove to examine to judge of their results and determinations In which work as I hope they will be tender so I desire you may be humble neither to imbrace things with a blinde judgement nor to reject them with a perverse will And for Circumstantials If the Question be asked who is to judge of them I suppose it is granted on all hands that in those things God hath left us free and hath not determined and restrained us to any thing And where God hath left things indeterminate there is no Question but the Magistrate may determine you and you are to submit to those determinations And this shall suffice for this and for the answer to the Question Thus you see we have finished three of those Queries we propounded We come now to the fourth viz. Qu. 4. What are the Diagnosticks or marks whereby we may discover and discern of errour from truth and truth from errour When false Coyn is abroad if a man get a touch-stone whereby he may be able to try it and the skill in the use of it to distinguish between counterfeit and true he needs not fear being deceived I have told you there is a deal of false Coyn abroad and if you would not be deceived it was your speciall duty to try it I have shewed you the Rule and told you what is the touch-stone whereby you may try opinions And now I am come to give you the marks whereby you may be able in the use of this to discover and distinguish between truth and errour If a man have the touch-stone yet if he want wisdome to distinguish he may be deceived for all this So though you have the Word of God which is the touch-stone to try opinions yet if you want wisdom and skill to distinguish of touches you may be mistaken for all this And there is need of a great deal of skill an errour may give as fair a touch and make a fairer lustre and glitter then truth And therefore it shall be my work at this time through Gods assistance to lay down the marks whereby in this touch and examination you may be able to distinguish between errour and truth Now I must tell you before I enter on this work that as there are many false stones such as doe render errour truth and truth errour So there are many false marks by which if we should be guided we are sure to goe amisse It shall be therefore my chief work in this Discourse to reject the false and to discover to you the true And we will begin with the first of these viz. the rejection of the false marks which I will doe by propounding them in Questions and then giving answers to them and all this that they may have a fair tryall before they be condemned Qu. 1. Whether antiquity or the ancientness of an opinion be not a true Character of truth Answ There is no Question to be made of this but truth is ancient and that which is ancientest is truth Truth was before errour * Id verum quodcunque primum id adulterum quodcunque postremum Tertul. that is truth which is first and that is errour which is last And therefore you see it is Gods direction to us Jer. 6.16 Thus saith the Lord stand you in the waies and see and aske for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and you shall finde rest for your souls But now in regard that Antiquity hath been the pretence for many errours and that we may not mistake in it there is a necessity of some distinction to be premised before we give the full answer Antiquitas est vel primaria vel secundaria primar●a est pri●ae va cujusque rei o●igo haec ●o ta ho● tatis perfectionis est Secundaria antiquitas est eorum quae diu ante coeperunt c Et haec antiquitas veritatis nota non est Vid. Parker p. 156. l. 2. Consuetudo sine veritate vetust as erroris est Cypr. 1. Then there is a two-fold Antiquity a primary and secondary Antiquity Or things are said to be ancient in respect of Gods prescription or in respect of mens practice in respect of Gods institution and in respect of mens observation or if you will in respect of Gods command and in respect of mens custome And this will afford us this answer A. If antiquity be taken for Gods prescription for Gods command and institution then there is no Question but it is a certain badge character of truth But if you take antiquity for what men have anciently practised or observed for what hath been the custom of men and not the command of God then may it be an ancient a gray-headed errour That is not truly ancient which men have practised but that is true antiquity which God hath prescribed Antiquity of things is not to be taken from the customs and observations of men but from the commands and institutions of God * Veritas nō est tempore metiend● sed n●mine Hoc argumento usa est mulier Samaritana adversus Christum Patres nostri adorârunt in monte hoc nec falso nam referente Carolo Sigonio prius in Zilo quam in Jerusalem invocatum Dei nomen est Morton Apolog pag. 1. lib. 1. cap. 10 11. Truth is not to be measured by time but by revelation not by practice but by prescription not by custom but by command It was the errour of the Jews that they would follow the custom but they would reject the command You may see it in Jer. 44.17 18 19. We will bake cakes and burn incense to the Queen of heaven as our Princes and Fathers have done before us and they have an argument for this custom too for then it was better with us then now then we had plenty of victuals and were well and saw no evil but since we left off to doe this we have wanted all things we have been consumed by the sword and by the famine Just the same argument that men have for their customs now So the woman of Samaria she pleaded custom too against Christ Joh. 4.20 Our Fathers worshipped in

God which yet are enemies to the justice and holinesse of God Certainly faith and holinesse ever goe together even as heat and light in the Sunne c. And that opinion which doth not advance all God is certainly an errour If you single out some attribute● ●nd tell us this or that opinion is for the glorie of them if yet it be inconsistent with other attributes of God certainly it is no truth of God All divine truth hath not only a consistency with but tends to the advancement of every attribute of God That a man should be justified and saved by Christ here is the grand truth and here all the attributes of God meet here is wisdome mercy justice truth power grace holinesse all meet in this as lines in the Center as beams in the Sunne as Rivers in the Sea God and all God is advanced in the justification and salvation of poor miserable man So much for the first 2. As truth doth advance the nature and attributes of God so it doth advance the will of God by this doth Christ evidence that his words were true Joh. 5.30 Therefore my judgement is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of him that sent me If Christ who was truth essentiall doth evidence the truth of his Doctrine thus how much more may we evidence the doctrine of truth by this that it advanceth the will of God It sets up Gods will above the will of the creature it sets up his revealed will above all the authorities of men above all traditions what ever Now if we should examine opinions by this 1. There is an opinion that man hath freedom of will to spirituall good Is this a truth yea or no Why here you may be satisfied this tells you it is an errour because it advanceth not the will of God but the will of man I say it advanceth mans will but not the will of God it is a doctrin overthrows all the counsels of God if this were so where were election reprobation then the will of the creature should rule the will of God And as this opinion is contrary to Gods secret so this opinion is repugnant to the revealed will of God he tells us that it is God that worketh the will and the deed and that without him we can doe nothing that it is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy So that this opinion is opposite both to Gods secret and his revealed will both to his decree and to his Word 3. Divine truth as it advanceth the attributes the will of God so it doth advance the waies of God It advanceth obedience exact obedience it advanceth duty and exactnesse in duty though it set not duty above Christ nor in opposition to Christ though it set not up obedience above faith nor in opposition to faith yet it advanceth duty in Christ and obedience with faith the obedience of faith justifies our persons but the obedience from faith doth justifie our faith There are many opinions which cry up grace but de-cry holines that advance faith but cry downe obedience that set up Christ but cry downe the Law Indeed we all cry them downe in opposition to Christ and grace but we set them up in subordination And indeed there is a sweet subordination between the Law and the Gospell Christ and obedience The Law sends us to the Gospel and the Gospel having justified us sends us to the Law as the rule of our obedience I say the Law sends us to the Gospel for it cannot justify it cannot save Indeed it saith Doe this and live But not that we should doe and live by doing for God hath appointed another way but it saith Do this and live to empty us of our selves and bring us over to the Gospel that we might live and doe There may be a fault to put men to doing before they put them to beleeving or to put them to doe that they may be enabled to beleeve for faith is the rise and spring of action all action must begin from faith and by faith we are enabled to obey as it was said of Abraham Heb. 11. by faith Abraham obeyed and we are said to be created in Christ to good works there can be no doing without strength no strength but from Christ nothing from Christ but by union no union but by faith therefore the Apostle saith He that hath the Sonne hath life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life all which seemes to speake plainly that it is no good way to turne men to obeying before they put men to beleeving nor to put men to obeying that they may be enabled to beleeving But yet though we are not to put men to duty to enable them by any power in those duties to beleeve yet may we must we put men upon faith to enable them to obey though we may not substitute faith to obedience yet we ought to substitute obedience to faith And indeed it is the noblest piece of faith that it doth enable us to service The excellency of faith is not in this only that it justifies us but puts us into a capacity and gives us ability to serve God And he that lookes not upon faith as that wherein it 's excellency doth greatly consist that it doth enable us to duty that it strengthens us to service he doth not yet know what Christ and faith is he hath only a faith in notion but knows not faith in truth and power And so much for the second divine truth it advanceth all God the nature and attributes of God the will of God the wayes of God We come to the third Thirdly It doth all this in Christ I say divine truth it advanceth all God in Christ God hath set himselfe to be advanced and glorious to the creature to all eternity but in Christ Indeed all God is no other way to be advanced but in Christ nor hath God set himselfe to be wholly advanced any other way of the creature but in Christ Something of God is to be seen in every creature and something of God to be advanced in them much of God is to be seen and advanced in the whole creation the Heavens they declare the wisedome the power of God and he sets himselfe to be advanced in them the law declares the justice holines of God But now Christ declares all God you may see God in all his dimensions of glory in Christ In him hath God set himselfe to be visible in all his glory to the Saints In him dwels all the fulnes of the godhead bodily fulnes all fulnes all the fulnes of the godhead and all this dwells in him it is in him primarily originally it is in him as the proprietary as the Lord and master to dispose of it c. It is in him perpetually there it dwells and dwells for ever And in Christ hath God set himselfe to be seen in all his

were to joyne in execution of the sentence and willing r●jection and casting him out Many others might be named but I shall wave them and come to the second 2. As you compare like places with like so unlike places with unlike viz. 6. Ioh. 53. Except ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man and drink this blood you have no life in you whence the Papists gather a corporall feeding now compare this with the sixth Commandment Thou shalt not kill if it be such a fault to kill much more is it to eat and devour a man as Papists do conclude by their doctrine Hence Aug. saith those words ought to be interpreted figuratively otherwise they had required a horrible sinne of us 7 M. All our expositions should agree with the Analogy of faith which you reade of 12. Rom. 6. Prophesie according to the proportion of faith now the Analogy of faith is nothing else but the constant and perpetuall sentence of Scripture in the cleerest places of it of which sort are the Articles of faith the Lords Prayer the ten Commandements and what ever is repugnant to this is a false exposition now for instance that exposition this is my body by which Papists interpret this bred is changed into my body the Lutherans they say the body of Christ is under this bread both these are false they differ from the Analogy of faith 1. That tells us Christ had a body like ours and such a body as cannot lye under the accidents of bread or be together with it 2. The Analogy of faith saith Christ is in Heaven therefore not in a box with them 3. Consul Whitak Cont. 1. q. 5 c. 9. It saith Christ shall not come from Heaven till judgement therefore not from the box nor can the words of the Priest who stiles himself Creator creatoris sui make him So the Papists say we are justified by works this is also contrary to the Analogy of faith because in the Lords Prayer we begg for pardon which shewes remission an act of grace not debt 8 M. Because we are weak not able to use these means therefore we ought to make use of the best helpes reading hearing meditating conferring together with the comments and expositions of the best and most orthodox Sed vidēdum interim ne nimium illis tribuamus néve putemus illorum interpretationes recipiendas esse quia sunt ab illis profectae Whitak ibid. Esek 43.10.11 But in this take heed of tying your faith to men give not too much be content to take in the light of others but doe not shut your own eyes and give up your selves wholly to be guided by them And if you use these meanes impartially plainely without prejudice you shall be inabled to finde out the minde of God so farre as concernes your everlasting peace And that is the first direction 2. Di. Get an humble heart God hath said he reveales his secrets to the humble the humble shall know his wayes God will breake his minde to the broken in heart that is the way to finde out any truth in generall and this or that particular truth in controversy you see this in the 43. Ezek. 10 11. Shew unto the house of Israel that they may be ashamed of their iniquities and then shew them the paterne And God grant we may be an humbled people certainely it is the way to finde out the truth of God in these times of errour 3. Di. Labour to be renewed in the spirit of your minde That is another direction An unrenewed man shall never know the minde of God God will not reveale his will to those who will doe their own This is that the Apostle layes down as a preparation before he did reveale some points to them Rom. 12.2 Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to the world but be ye renewed in the spirit of your minde that ye may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God where you see the Apostle layes down this as a necessary antecedent before we can know viz. the change of the heart and the renovation of the minde 4. Get a heart prepared for the entertainment of the truth of God upon any termes A heart that may value more of one truth of God then a world a heart that esteems truth honour truth riches truth friends truth to be all A heart that cannot deny it selfe in these things for truth or a heart byassed and drawne aside by carnall respects c. will never finde out any truth of God Sinne in the affection causeth darknes in the understanding a corrupt heart will breed a corrupt head c. sinne in the affection breeds errour and darknes in the understanding Truth is simple and none but a simple heart is fit to close with it doublenes of spirit will never close with singlenes of truth c. 5. Enquire diligently search to finde out Gods minde in this When men will take paines in searching God will shew mercy in revealing Then shall you know if you follow on to know the Lord saith the prophet Hose 6.3 Hos 6.3 Most men walke in the way of their fathers and never enquire whether it be according to God yea or no. And some men with Pilate they will slightly enquire what is truth but will not take pains to finde it And some there are who with the young man in the Gospel when they heare it they will turne their backs on it either it will not stand with their profits or pleasures and such shall never be professours of truth 6. Walke answerable to those manifestations you have walke in conformity to that measure you have received As it was with talents so here Talents not improved instead of increasing them they were taken away he that will not doe what he knowes shall not in time know what to doe If then God reveale any point of his minde to you in any thing beware lest either carnall feare or carnall respects doe cause you to smother the notions of God or detayne the truth of God in unrighteousnes Let your practice come up to your light let your walking be as large as your knowing And when God sees us faithfull in a little then will he reveale more to us when he sees you walke up to the light which he hath made known then will he reveale his whole minde to you David was a man that God would reveale his will unto and he was a man ready to doe all the will of God Act. 14. And you have a plaine Scripture for this Phil. 3.15 Let us therefore as many as be perfect that is upright be thus minded and if in any thing you be otherwise minded God shall reveale even this unto you neverthelesse whereto we have attained let us walke by the same rule let us minde the same thing And so much shall serve for the fifth great Quaery I have stood long upon it because it is of such main concernment I

which threatned the ruine of the Churches New-England when those dangerous opinions grew up among them had spread farre gotten power poysoned many some of their Worthies were in danger to be drawn away from their stedfastnesse It pleased God to stir up their hearts to meet in a Synod where they found Gods assistance and since Gods blessing and I thinke can say by experience that there is no better no surer remedy against errour no better way to finde out truth then a Synod There is no age wherein the use of Synods hath not been found needfull and the right use blessed and successefull Zepperus alleadging Act. 15. for a patern of Synods declares That after the Apostles the Primitive Churches under the new Testament Concilia non sunt simplicit●● absolate necessaria tamen multum conserunt valde utilia sunt Wa●tak de Concil q. 1 p. 22. E●seb l. 1. c. 4● being most studious of this consociation or combination of Synods did not only communicate by letters but meeting together in Nationall and generall Councels did hear causes try doctrine and convinced condemned heresies c. and sent their decrees unto all Churches with the names of the persons and heresies which were condemned And indeed there is no age of the Church where Synods have been rightly used but they have been successefull The Papists Arminians Socinians decry them as unnecessary and unprofitable they dare not bring their opinions to the test Indeed they are not simply not absolutely necessary to the being but they are necessary to the well-being of a Church Eusebius doth exceeding celebrate the piety of Constantine for assembling the Nicene Councel wherein Arius was condemned and he doth as much charge Licinius for seeking to ruine the Churches by depriving them of Synods Nazianzen hath indeed a sad complaint I am minded saith he to shun all assemblies of Bishops because I never saw any good event in any Councel Ego si vera scribere oportet ita animo affectus sum ut omnia op●scoporū concilia ●ugiam quoniam nulli us Concilij finem loetū fou●tumque vidi Epist 42. ad pro cap B●z tract Theo● vo● 2. p. 211 212. every one rather increasing then diminishing our evils Calvin calls it dura quaerimonia a harsh complaint Beza opposeth against this complaint the Apostolicall example the history of things done Indeed saith he the Nicene Synod did not quite allay the furies of Arius no nor some that followed after but who will therefore judge that there hath been no fruit of that Synod which even at this very time we doe abundantly reap● yea the Apostolicall Synod hath not altogether restrained Cerinthus and those obstinate maintainers of circumcision but who would therefore say it was not necessary for the Church And a little after he saith The sentence of Nazianzen doth not concern Synods rightly ordered unlesse we thinke that he would detract from the Synod of Nice which indeed is very absurd seeing it is well known how great a Defender he hath been thereof if neverthelesse Arians ceased not to rage thorow the world how much the more may we thinke that they would have done it if the authority of that holy Synod agreeing with the Word of God so often objected against them had not repressed their renewed endeavours The same we avouch saith he concerning the Macedonians Nestorians Eutycheans and their issue whom as many Oecumenicall Synods if not with one wound yet with reiterated blows have by the Word of God stricken down Concili●r●i in ecclesia saluberrima authoritas Aug. epist 118. Whitak de Concil 〈◊〉 1. c 3. p. 13 14 15. in so much that they doe afford us arms against the like errors springing up again in this our age Thus farre he Besides him learned Whitaker also opposeth to this complaint of Nazianzen the speech of Austin The authority of Synods in the Church of God is most wholsome The same Authour saith It may seem strange that Nazianzen denies that ever he had seen any good issue of Synods for in those two Synods viz Nice and Constantinople truth got the victory and heresie was put down And though it be certain saith he that Arianisme was increased and grew stronger then before yet this is not to be imputed to the Synod but to the perversnesse and ambition of men Again saith he Nazianzen was to be pardon'd because he lived in the worst and most turbulent times of the Church when by means of Valens the Emperour who degenerated from the Catholike faith heresies more prevail'd Again he objects to Nazianzen Christ himself Mat. 18.20 When two or three are gathered in my Name I will be in the midst of them Vrsine also answereth this complaint of Nazianzen after the same manner and tells us Ursin admon de lib. concord c. 12. op tom 2. col 686. That he spake of the Synods of his time whereof some were Arian others confusedly undertaken and governed But admit that he never saw that successe of Synods that was desired suppose that errours did grow the more for being sentenced and condemn'd in Synods yet shall men be discouraged from doing their duty There have been good effects of Synods After that in Act. 15. the Churches were established Act. 16.4 5. Admit we see no present fruit yet it is our duty to wait as well as work if it doe not appeare in our age yet something may be laid in for future generations Such consociations upon earth are like the conjunctions in the heavens the fruit whereof comes not in perhaps in many years Nay admit in steed of good we see evil in steed of abatement of errours we see the increase of them yet should not this discourage us accidentall evils not springing out of the nature of an ordinance are no arguments to prove the unlawfulnesse of an ordinance especially when as the ordinance it self and in it's own nature serves for the preventing or removing of such evils as are complained to be the fruit of them Men are usually worse at their first taking physick yet is this a means to remove the distemper So errours may like bad humours stirred rise the higher grow and conflict the more under this physick yet is this a means for the helping and removing of them But of this sufficient we will come to the fourth particular which indeed is the main viz. Quest 4. What power God hath endued and enabled a Synod withall as serviceable to this end viz. The suppressing of errour and the reducing of erroneous persons About which I finde three severall opinions whereof the first doth certainly give too much the second is questioned to attribute too little the third is thought to set down the just bounds of power 1. The first which certainly gives too much is that of the Papists in which they attribute to Synods and Councels an absolute infallible binding power against which none are to dispute to which all men are bound to yeeld