Nature appear in time and succession so have their errours done yet to answer directly we are not ignorant when their Principal Deformities befel them the Councel of Trent with many Acts before and since fay enough to this but I wave this at present only this much let me say He is no studied Scholler that is not acquainted with the grounds of an unreconcilable difference betwixt us and Rome See Bishop Hall Dr. Gauden c. Thus let old Rome take the Glory of Religion as of old but now statu quo as it is a Religion made up only of Heathenism Judaism and antient Heresies they are become more then the parallel of Scribes and Pharisees whom yet they do much resemble in many things 1. None pretend to more piety and devotion and to the honour of Christ then they None perform less or do more dishonour Christ then they 2. The reject the Commandment of God to observe the Popes Decretals What he saith must be good though against the express Word of God 3. The Pharisees were very quarrelsome about their Ceremonies and superstitious observations so are these to the height 4. They presecuted the Lord Jesus the great Shepherd of the Sheep and at last put him to death as an Imposter Deceiver These persecute the Pastors of Christs Flock and slaughter the sheep of Christ from Generation to Generation in the most cruel and barbarous manner imaginable Thus do they imitate the Jewes the persecuting Priests the hypocritical vain-glorious Scribes and Pharisees of those times But yet our Papists stay not here but having rejected the Scriptures the word of God and betaken themselves to their unwritten verities as they call them c. To gain credit to these they have recourse as much as any to Dreams and Visions to Apparitions and Revelations to Extasies and Enthusiasms yea and Diabolical Delusions for many amongst them have been and are the most skilful and exquisite Conjurers and Necromancers in the world And all this is only by such tricks and lying Miracles to gain credit and reputation to their own inventions and de 〈…〉 These things do sufficiently evidence to all that and how the Romanists are fallen from being amongst the first of Christians To be the prime Fanaticks of the world and indeed the principal Authors Patrons and Incouragers of all those kind of people wheresoever For if Fanaticks do pretend much piety and devotion reject the Holy Scriptures be zealous of their own Superstitions and be very violent against them that oppose them and persecute them to the utmost and if they do lean to visions revelations strange miracles c. more then to the Word of God The persecuting Popish Priests c. do act all these things to the utmost ☞ And yet further if I should descend to their Devotions and Religions Performances c. I should lead you into an endless Labyrinth of Idol-imaginations and ridiculous inventions in which they out-strip the very Pagans c. there you shall see such Congies and Crowching such Beads and Babies such Altar-worship and Image-worship such Crossings and Cursings with book bell and candle such advancement of mans and abatements of Christs merits such Adoration of holy Reliques of I know not whom for they have their holy bones and holy stones holy rags and holy bags holy wells and holy bells c. holy graves and holy knaves For some of their Saints were never men and others no better then monsters of men surely never honest men at the best In a word for why should I be endless in this they have so much Vanity and Foppery in their divine service as doth far exceed either Pagan Jew or Hereticks other then themselves in their Religious performances 4. If you add their most unwarrantable uniting the Apocriphal to the Canonical Books of holy Scripture a if of the same Authority and Spirit And that intollerable errour of Transubstantiation rightly styled A Subabomination above all other evils as being a complicated errour against Reason Sense the nature of subsistences and things real in being Against Faith Scripture and the limits of true Religion an Errour of Blasphemy Cruelty and abominable absurdity in changing the food of our souls into corporal food making us Cannibals and Deniers of the true humane nature of Jesus Christ with some antiekt Hereticks In a word The vanities of their divine service are innumerable and their abominations intollerable They have maimed the ten Commandments wounded the Sacraments turned prayer into vain babling and Preaching into legendical lying They defile whatsoever they touch Even the best things that remain amongst them what with their Additions Diminutions strange Interpretation and injurious concealment from the people they do plainly dicover themselves to be the right successors of those Hypocrites the Scribes and Pharisees that did shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men so that they did neither go in themselves nor suffer them that would to go in Mat. 23.13 Thus have they lost their wheat corn in a heap of chaff their Needle in a bottle of straw or mow their Pearl in a Dung-hil their true first and best Religion in a Colluvies a Sink a Quagmire a Quick-sand of Ceremonies Superstitions and humane Inventions so that upon the whole matter they are the greatest Schismaticks Fanaticks yea and Hereticks now throughout the whole world Now to conclude with these whose Errours admit no period and their Superstition no conclusion If God be well pleased with such toyes and trinkets with such fine babies and rattles fit to please Children c. then no doubt they are in the best way to please God and far beyond any others whose Devotions are not so attended with Pageants and brave shews as these be 1. But if the Lord shall say as to them of old Isa 1.12 Who hath required this at your hands to do as you do to sacrifice and to serve me in such a strange manner and then shall proceed against them as there he did against Judah and Jerusalem see vers 21.25 of that Chapter How is the faithful City c. 2. And if Christ shall say of them as he did of those hypocritical Pharisees saying In vain they do worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments Decrees These things do sufficiently evidence and Traditions of men and turn them off with an Ironical speech a scorn saying Full well i.e. full ill ye do reject or frustrate the Commandment of God that ye may keep your own Tradition as it is in Mat. 15.9 Mark 7.9 And then proceed against them with all those woes thundred out against Scribes and Pharisees their Compeers by our Saviours own mouth and inflicted and executed accordingly Mat. 23. per totum Alas What will then become of all 1. Their Will-worship ceremonious and superstitious Devotions 2. Their Tantalogical repetitions of the name of Jesus c. 3. Their Innovation of Saints Images and holy Reliques all will then prove to be no better then vain-babling or
6.7 which bringeth forth meet fruits c. Nay wicked men in their way will be at great care and cost to compass their owne ends whether ambitious covetous luxurious c. though they be worse by obtaining They may teach us industry in better things but none will be at paines for nothing no fruit no success no good real or appearing and seeming so ☞ The event will be that the barren Land and Fig-tree c. and those that are fruitfull in evil who like that Earth bring forth Bryers c. is nigh unto cursing c. Heb. 6.8 2. The person in whom this grace and growth is This encrease becomes connatural with him that is a truly gracious Christian so that he cannot do otherwise As healthfull Children being supplyed with Necessaries cannot but grow As wicked men encrease in sin and grow worse and worse because sin is con-natural to them 2 Tim. 3.13 Ap. So the gracious man is better and better because Grace is become connatural with him by which he is become Nadibh a Free and voluntary mover as natural movers are For as the stone descending moves swifter near the Centre And the Sun ascending to the Zenith the Noon-point gives more and more light Prov. 4.8 And the Rivers flowing towards the Sea their proper Centre do encrease more and more as those waters did Ezek. 47 3 4 5. so moves and shines the gracious man in the Valley of Vision towards the Vertical-point and Centre of Felicity the heavenly glory encreasing still in light in grace and in good fruit Nor can he do but so as natural movers cannot do otherwise in their Motions Thus also do wicked men move freely in their way of wickednesse towards the centre of eternal destruction 3. This proficiency and encrease in its self is to be considered as praise-worthy and very commendable For if Skill trade or science be good then we should learn as the Apostle adviseth us Tit. 3.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pulchris operibus prestare to excel and surmount others in good works Schollars Artificers c. are worthily commended for their Encrease in Learning and Skill and exquisitnesse in both Profitable for by this encrease and growth in stature c. the empty Twig a poor weak plant becomes a fruitfull Tree yea the Child becomes a Man And the Novice a young beginner or raw practitioner in any Skill Art or Science one newly entred or but lately converted to the faith and into the profession of true Religion becomes an expert Artist his Crafts-master and an experienced Christian in the wayes of Faith and true Religion And by this we poor younger Brethren become like our elder Brother the Lord Jesus Christ and sharers with him in wisdom as well as Wealth c. Ae contrà where this encrease is not there is nothing praise-worthy or profitable all things void of it are despicable and abominable 4. Grace in it self It being once infused into the Soul it is expulsive of Death out of these pots or earthen-vessels our selves Jer. 18.4 c. Rom. 9.21 and that in the cause of Death as that Meal did 2 Kings 4.40 41. It is expulsive of badness and barrenness from us as that Cruse of Salt did from Jerico's Land and Waters 2 Kings 2.19 20 c. These are good preparations to growth and fruitfulness It is of a diffusive Nature and sweetens all making our fruit to be as the smell of Lebanon most pleasant delightfull and Odoriferous Cant. 4.11 Hos 14.5 6. Whereas Leaven and Vice do sowr and impoison all 1 Cor. 5.6 It is of it self of a growing and enlarging Nature like good Corn which lives not dead but putteth forth the Blade the Ear full Corn in the Ear Mark 4.28 Or like the grain of Mustard-seed Mark 4.30 31 32. which produceth a goodly Tree as Mat. 13.31 32. so that the Fowls of the Ayr may lodge there Gods power appears in the growth of Grace as of his Church also out of very small Beginnings far beyond all mens expectations so that the Fowls of the Ayr c. i.e. all the godly gave recourse to Grace and to the saving Word that works it as to a Refuge of Rest in all their tribulations and distresses Aretius in Mat. 13.31 5. The event and effect of this growth and fruit this encrease and abundance is that it is a singular Remedy against Apostacy the grown Tree is not easily writhed nor the strong man soon subdued But men still employed in good are like the Fowl upon the Wing without danger of Gunshot or the Fowlers snare which others are subject to Or like the swift flowing stream that doth not contract mud in the Channel as other Waters do Or like the Heavenly Bodies whose continual motion is profective it prevents and avoids Corruption Ap. So such Proficients as encrease and abound in Grace shall be free from Sathans Snares and wiles they shall not hurt them And from the Vice and filth the World it shall not infect them Lastly Like the heavenly Bodies they shall be established confirmed and perfected in their course and blessed for ever and ever You have had Scripture Proofs Instances and Reasons for the Point 4 The next thing to be spoken of is To take a view of Grace which you and all Christians are to encrease in Now Grace is put for divers things in Scripture I shall not trouble you with the several Acceptations but especially it is put for Gods free and eternal Love and Favour which is the Well-spring of all our happinesse 2 Tim. 1.9 For he hath saved and called us according to his own purpose and Grace before the world began Our free justification by the imputation of Christs Righteousness which is a fruit of the former Rom. 5.15 17 20 21. Our Sanctification by the work of the Spirit of God in us Renewing in our Souls the Image of God defaced by sin Enabling us to obey his will which power we had lost Furnishing us with Faith and all other graces needful to Everlasting happinesse 2 Cor. 12.9 My Grace is sufficient for thee all which we were empty of This is a Fruit of our free Election and Justification and this we call Sanctification an hallowing or sanctifying us in that it extends to all parts and powers of the whole man and is begun here and perfected in Heaven Here must be no Exception of parts head heart hand c. must all concur Nor may we presume to enjoy this Grace of Sanctification in Heaven if we have no sense of this Grace on Earth This is the Grace wherein we are to encrease viz. In growing more like to God in conformity to his Image and the likenesse of his Son Jesus Christ the absolute pattern of Holiness Encreasing in holinesse and performing obedience to Gods Will Abounding in the number and measure of all needfull Graces encreasing from a small beginning to a greater bulk or stature till we become Men and Women
of other Churches viz. the French Dutch Danish Suevick or any of the Lutheran or Calvinian Churches or with any of those of the Eastern Churches now extant The Armenian Constantinopolitan the Syrian Egyptick the Greek Aeuchology that of Cyril or St. Ambrose commonly called Officium Ambrosianum or any other antient or latter yet ours will appear to be the most exact and compleat of any of them and comprehensive of any thing that is excellent in any of them 8. Lastly Our Liturgy it is confessed was penned and allowed by learned Doctors and glorious Martyrs who sealed the truth of the Reformed Religion with their Bloods So than it was the truth of Religion expressed in the Articles set forth by King Edward the sixth An. Dom. 1552. Collected from and suitable to the holy Scriptures for which they dyed rather then for the Liturgy of their own composing which is a great mistake of many both which Articles and Liturgy with some alterations and additions were again revived and ratified by Q. Elizabeth in the beginning of her Reign viz. an 1. Eliz. c. 2. and the same Articles and Liturgy have been continued by K. James and K. Charles the first all of blessed memory and so they remain at this day Yet quaedam in pulchro corpore sunt desideranda emendanda the fairest face may have some blemish c. And I am sure there have been many wise judicious and very learned men who have earnestly and long desired that some few things both in Hierarchy and frame of Church-Government by Episcopacy as also 〈◊〉 the Lyturgy or Form of Gods publick Worship c. might without noise or tumult have been regulated and altered for the prevention of inconveniencies which might ensue But our late Reformers as they pretended and called themselves were of another strain nothing would serve but the ruine of the one and the utter expulsion of the other For my part 1. I should think him an evil Physitian who to cure a Mole a Freckle a Wart or small Wen in a fair face doth kill the person to effect it 2. And him to be as bad a Builder or Workman who to mend a Quarry of glass in a Window or to put on a Tyle upon the house-top c. plucks down the whole house to do it and thus did our late Deformers deal by Episcopacy and the Tyturgy But 1. As by the Extirpation of Episcopacy was ushered in and attended proceeded and succeeded no better then with a most terrible barbarous and bloody civil War to the amazement of wise men the consternation of the best men and the astonistment of all men 2. So the Expulsion of the Lyturgy was preceded with the death of the Arch Bishop of Canterbury nothing else would serve and attended with expunging the clause for the preservation of his Majesties Person out of the Commission of their General in the Army These were the bad Neighbours of two things which were absolutely bad enough in themselves And as the ruine of Episcopacy did serve to enrich a company of greedy Cormorants who Ostrich-like could devour any thing Or like that foolish Aeagle in the Fable would needs have a Morsel a Bit or Gobbet from the Altar though therewith she set fire on her own nest and ruined her self So the Expulsion of the Lyturgy opened a wide gap to all the whimsical fancies fanatiek Opinions Errours Heresies and Blasphemies that have so abounded and so much infested the Church of God ever since whilst every man was left to his own abilities inventions and expressions and every man that could but talk a little and make use of any good language was presently cryed up for a Gifted Brother and compleatly fitted for the Ministry without any more ado And hence no doubt hath been abundance of Non-sense if not worse uttered by men of weak abilities parts and gifts in celebrating the Mysteries of God And hence have sprung those swarms of Sectaries that have so long anoyed us Yet as the best vertues are attended with a vice on each hand as Liberality with Avarice and Prodigality c. And the best men have enemies and the best business shall be sure of some Opponents So the Liturgy or form of Gods publick worship or the Book of Common-Prayer hath two great enemies 1. Those that set it too high and deify it And 2. Those that vilifie it and too much undervalue it Those set it too high that make it equal in Authority with the holy Scriptures as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3.16 sent by immediate inspiration from God as the Oracles of God were although it be but the composure of wise and good but not inspired men These people do by the Book of the Common-Prayer as the Children of Israel did by the brasen Serpent reserved and kept as a monument of Gods mercy to their Ancestors was so doted upon as that they gave divine honour to it Then did that good King Hezekiah 2 Kin. 18.4 break it in pieces that God might no longer be dishonoured thereby Take heed beloved of perverting lawful and useful things to evil ends and purposes This sort of people do commit a three-fold Injury viz. Against 1. The Book 2. The Composers And 3. Themselves 1. Against the Book For God hath not given us this book but the holy Scriptures to build our faith and to lay upon them the foundation of our salvation 2. The Compilers and Composers of the Book who I dare say would no more assume the honour of immediate inspiration from God then the Angel would accept of divine worship from St. John Rev. 19.10 So far were they from the errour and vanity of Anabaptists Enthusiasts c. c. Themselves most of all both in the two former injuries now named and especially in the misbottoming their own salvation upon a wrong foundation and relying upon the inventions and composures of men rather then upon the Oracles of God in the holy Scriptures which were spoken and written by divine inspiration Now is not this to for sake the fountain of living waters and hew us out broken Cisterns that can hold no water Others there be who do vilifie and would exclude utterly all forms of prayer and indeed all things else that are conducible to order and decency unity and peace in the Church so much are these men taken with their own fancies and inventions All forms of prayer with them are carnal formal papal c. and do stint the spirit which last is yet no more done by this then by singing of set Psalms which they themselves do practise and make use of in their own Assemblies Sure if these men be in the right and that no forms of Prayers are to be regarded Then to what purpose are all those pious helps to devotion c. which were composed and published for the general good by so many worthy men who were truly learned and godly religious and renowned
lawful imployment the safer he is Diligence in Duty is our safety and Satan hath the less advantage against us The Bird upon the wing in flight is safe from Gun-shot till she stoop to the lure the Bait laid for her then she is in danger ☞ David in his Wars and Solomon whilest in pious Works of building the Temple were very right in their way But when at ease and out of good imployments each of them met with a fiery dart of the devil The first by anothers mans wife 2 Sam. 11. And the second by a multitude of Wives 1 King 11.1 which made a wound and left a scar almost indelible which before they were free from 3. It is by the instruction of this sword the word of God that Kings reign and Princes decree justice c. Prov. 8. That Kingdoms are established and prospered yea the very foundations of the earth were laid and the heavens established and all things governed by this Word Thit is the best sword of defence for any Countrey Nation or Kingdom yea and for the whole world Where this is wanting there is no safety but all goes to wrack The Nations are naked and exposed to all kind of Trouble Danger and Destruction 2 Chron. 15.3 to 7. ☞ In this lies the hope of Englands happiness and the misery and confusion of Infidels and Indians through the want of this 4. It hath a great influence upon life it self For by it our dayes are prolonged Deut 32.46 47. And the years of our life increased Prov. 9. By this our ways are made safe and our sleep secured Prov. 3.23 24. And our life it self is given and defended hereby Eccles 7.12 Wisdom is a defence and money is a defence but the excellency of knowledge is That wisdom giveth life to them that have it 5. By this Sword we do defend our selves in our best parts and abilities For by this our Souls are converted Understandings enlightned Thoughts purged Affections sanctified Wills confirmed to the Will of God Memories stored Consciences cleared Hearts changed cheared and comforted which before were as flint or Adamant 6. With this Sword we defend all our Graces Faith Hope Charity Patience Perseverance 7. With this Sword we do defend our selves from and against Idolatry Infidelity Heresie Strange Religions Mens Traditions Carnal security Presumption in iniquity Desperation of Mercy Idleness Evil Company Pride and vain Glory all manner of ungodliness and wickedness of Conversation usually practised by men in several kinds as you may see more at large in Mr. Tho. Becons Book intituled The Governance of Vertue printed above an hundred years ago 2. These things lead me to a second Use of Exhortation For since this sword of the Spirit is so exceedingly useful both for offence and defence 1. Let us be perswaded to let the Word of God dwell in us richly or plentifully as Col. 3.16 2. And let us labour to be like Apollo mighty in the Scriptures Acts 18.24 28. 3. And to use this sword so well in our several Stations Vocations and Occasions as that according to our ability and opportunity we may become instrumental that ignorant men may be instructed disordered men reformed dull Memories quickned cold zeal inflamed the afflicted comforted and the distressed relieved that errour may be convinced vice corrected death may be avoided and life eternal through Christ obtained In a word to conclude by this Word the righteousness of God is revealed the Church is sanctified and at last everlastingly saved and glorified in heaven so that we may well conclude with the wise man Prov. 8.34 35. He is a blessed man that heareth attendeth upon and gaineth wisdom by this word And with the Kingly Prophet his father Psal 19.11 That in the keeping and making a right use of this word there is true true safety as well as a great reward 7. This verse leads me to and gives us in the last piece viz. the 7th of our spiritual Armour wherewith to resist these mighty enemies before cited And this seventh piece of Armour is propounded last yet not as the least and most useless piece of the rest but of great concernment in reference to all the rest For we are commanded before Vers 10 11 13. To be strong in the Lord to take unto us and to put on the whole armour of God and how shall this be done without prayer to God to help us herein Besides how shall we get any good either in the way of offence or defence by all the former pieces viz. Truth Righteousness Gospel Faith Hope and the sword before named if God do not furnish us with them and give us wisdom and strength to make use of them aright until we have gained the victory Thefore to all these to bring up the rear and also to arm you compleatly add this seventh and last piece of our spiritual armour viz. Prayer and Supplication betwixt which I think you need not make use of that nice distinction betwixt them viz. That Prayer is put for Deprecation of some evil or temptation that it might not overtake us And Supplication is an earnest request to God for his help and grace against the evil of Temptations that may befal us 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you c. So Paul did 2 Cor. 12.8 9. both the words being promiscuously used and usually taken for the same thing Now this last piece of our armour is both offensive and defensive it subdues our enemy and supports our selves and this Prayer and Supplication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oratio Obsecratio Arias Mont. Thus conjoyned together do intimate to us the very nature of Adoration when any one doth humble himself before God and doth ask any thing of him and doth imply 1. An acknowledgement of the Omnipotency c. of God and Christ and Ergo doth adore and obsecrate him as the only God and Saviour 2. And of his own Indigence which sets him upon supplication for help and this is the first condition of true prayer The conditions of Prayer are divers you have had the first And 2. The next is when you must pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Always i. e. in every opportunity as ost as necessity requires When Evils and Enemies invade and assail vs we had need fly to God and have recourse to Christ for help Psalm 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver Luke 18.1 7 8. That men ought alwayes to pray Note That he speaks of free voluntary prayers and occasional Not of the ordinary prayers of the Church or several Families nor in favour of them that are ever babling as the Euchitae praying Hereticks who rejected all Ordinances Vocations Alsted Dr. Sclat p. 508. III. Prayer must be in the Spirit the holy Spirit is the procreant cause of our prayers and our own spirits must be set to work also it must not be only with our lips or in Hypocrisie as they did Esay 29.13
refuse to receive him Quest If Princes confer Honours or Favours upon Subjects will it be well taken if they refuse it Ap. Oh do not you thus provoke the Lord Almighty What shall the highest give to the lowest the best to the basest and worst of Creatures the most honourable to the most despicable and shall these refuse Sure this is madness and folly and much more to receive what Satan gives Mat. 4.9 2. The End of giving which is our good this is quite frustrated where is no Receiver to make use of it If the clouds give never so much rain to the rocks or desert all is lost so is good Counsel to the obstinate ☞ So the Receiver if he receive never so much if it be not from a lawful Giver that hath power and right to give it is not so properly receiving as taking stealing or usurping A Thief c. takes many things but who gave them to him Neither God nor man will say to such As you have received of us for we gave you not such things Ap. Many such we have had in this Nation of late so in Spirituals Many take up new Opinions strange fancies and errours c. But neither God nor good men ever gave them But the great Tare-sower the devil Mat. 13.27 Ap. In all they sin extremely that frustrate God and gratifie the Devil in receiving his Tares Bane and Poison Thus our good which is the main end of giving and receiving is quite prevented and frustrated if both the Giver and Receiver be not right and good inse in donis 3. The Gift it self see to that whether it be good or bad Every good and perfect gift is from above James 1.17 A good gift tends to make the Receiver good also and a bad gift to corrupt him as Bribes c. do which blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous Deut. 16.19 There be many gifts of that nature that serve to corrupt and pervert men But do you receive none such only let it be said of you as in the Text That you have received how you ought to walk and to please God This is to receive that which tends to your perfection and salvation 4. The Danger of not receiving good gifts from God when they are proffered and tendered to us And of receiving Evil from the Devil This sin doth sharpen the displeasure of God against us and doth aggravate his wrath exceedingly Prov. 1.20 24 c. When Wisdom shall cry after us for our good and we shall reject her Counsel this doth provoke God to rejoyce at our destruction and mock when our fear cometh Vers 26. whereas e contra He that hearkeneth unto wisdoms counsel and receives it shall dwell safely and be quiet from fear of evil vers 33. Note That refusing God makes way for the devil to enter and pervert us with his gifts This not-receiving but rejecting the good Counsel of God was the great sin of the old world and of Israel of old throughout the old Testament and brought woful miseries upon them 2 Chron. 36.15 16. And as of the old world and Israel so also in the New Testament for the rejecting of Christ and his word How are they rejected of God and become the scorn of Nations Indeed this hath been the sin of all Ages For when was the Word and Messengers of God more slighted then in this present age our times Never Thus you have had the point and the proof of it The Reasons from 1. The Giver 2. The End of Giving 3. The Gift it self And 4. The Danger c. I descend to Use which is of instruction and Lamentation Use I. Instructs us Be we very cautious both in giving and receiving as the point bids us this deserves our utmost care and heedfulness It is not for us to give a stone for bread a Scorpion for an Egg or for a fish a Serpent or poison instead of wholesome food Mat. 7.9 10 11. But to give as God gives And this caution opens a wide door of Lamentation for very many Givers and Receivers Look but upon two or three things of greatest concernment I. For matter of Doctrine and publick instruction Quest How many strange Doctrines and erroneous opinions if not blasphemous abominations have been vented and given forth in these times Time would fail me to speak of the particular Errours of the manifold Sects of these times I have formerly or lately given you in a parallel of erroneous persons viz. Of Papists Antient and latter Separatists and their mutual concurrence in divers particulars viz. Schism by a Separation Strangeness and uncertainty of Doctrine in them all alike Independency and uncontroulableness all are stubborn Anrichristianism which doth act it sel◠in a fierce opposition to the power of Magistracy and the Ministry in the right office use power and efficacy of the same to do good amongst men For this all their principles do very punctually agree against Magistracy whatsoever any of them pretend to the contrary And as for the Ministry as the Papists overthrow the power of it by concealing the Scriptures in a strange language and turning it into a sacrificing Priest-hood and preaching into Legends c. so do Separatists by a Jerobams Priest hood crying down all Maintenance and defaming Ministers with the vilest names of Baals Priests to render them odious to all c. But alas These that give forth such strange Doctrines consider not their own Errours nor do they think how they do rake up and revive the antiently confuted exploded and condemned Errors of former times and in many things outstrip them so prodigiously fruitful have our late times been in producing to the birth many monstrous conceptions of novel opinions and unheard of Abominations Yet nevertheless the inconsiderate despicableness of any the Givers or the badness of the gift yet such Teachers want not their Sectaries and Followers whose itching ears do readily and earnestly drink in and greedily devour any novel fancy though it be stark poison and banesul to their souls Ap. Such Troublers there were both of sound Doctrine and of the Church in the Apostles times whom the Apostle wisheth cut off Gal. 5.12 as rotten members whose practise was to creep into houses and lead captive filly women laden with sins and led with divers lusts 2 Tim. 3.6 7 c. These are wells without water c. who while they promise liberty they themselves as well as their hearers do become the Servants of corruption 2 Pet. 2.17 18 19. How sad will the account be when the Teachers can only say What I taught them out of my own heart did please their fancy and suited well with the times c. And the Receivers can only say Of these men I did learn to be unsetled in religion and by them was rolled from one opinion to another till I had quite lost the truth c. as many Quakers Ranters may truly say