ruine to themselves The second use is an use of instruction If wee must try all things then must we learne to get wisdome rightly to apply the rule to every particular which is to be regulated 1 Cor. 2.13 Comparing spirituall things with spirituall for to try is nothing else but to apply the rule or touch-stone to the thing to be tryed And when I speake of wisdome I meane that spirituall wisdome whereby the spirituall man comparing spirituall things with spirituall discerneth all things This man led by the Spirit acknowledgeth Christ and followes him in all things takes faith his companion and sets in his eye Gods glory the end and scope of all things Quest. Can you helpe us to some directions or Rules by which we may be guided in this application which is the onely difficulty now to be opened in this Treatise Answ. Yes and these Rules are of two sorts 1. Generall Preparative 2. Speciall Practicall The generall or preparative Rules to application are foure 1. We must be industrious to know and be acquainted with the Scriptures in their right sence of them whether historicall and litterall or allegoricall and figurative For this is to have our Rule at hand and in our hand without which it must be with us as with the Sadduces of whom our Lord said Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures And because true Scripture is not in words and sillables but in the true sence of it wee must be carefull not to rest in the words without the true signification of them The Papists heare our Saviour saying of the Sacramentall bread This is my body and sticking to the words and applying them without the sense runne into infinite absurdities and errours on one hand and so the Lutherans on the other Against both which wee may not unfitly mention one of the two rules of Augustine in his bookes of Christian Doctrine Si praeceptiva locutio videtur flagitium aut facinus jubere aut utilitatem aut beneficentiam vetare figurata est It is not a proper but a figurative speech which seemes either to injoyne a thing unlawfull or to hinder a lawfull So this speech of our Lord Vnlesse ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye have not life in you seemes at the first to impose on us a kinde of cruelty therefore it is figurative So Augustine 2. If we would be fit for this tryall we must lay up and hide in our hearts such Scriptures as wee understand that they may be neare us to serve our severall uses The Prophet David professeth that hee had hid the word in his heart that he might not sinne against God And Mary was commended that shee pondered all the sayings concerning Christ and hid them in her heart A Carpenter or Mason whose worke is squared or laid by rule is never without his rule in his hand or at his backe so should it be with Christians 3. We must absolutely submit our judgement to the word of God without reasoning or disputing though it be never so difficult and dangerous unto us for what is else the use of a rule but to rule Abraham left his owne Countrey and went he knew not whither at Gods commandement Heb. 11.8 One would thinke this were folly in Abraham but that the Scripture acquits him and saith he did it by faith And in a more difficult commandement hee rose earely went three dayes journey to kill his onely sonne whom he loved and reasoned no cases but went Good Moses would weigh the word of God in his owne ballance fixing his eye rather upon the impotency and impossibility of the meanes than upon the strength of Gods word which cleaves the hardest rockes therefore he sinned in striking the Rocke when God bade him onely speake to it and for it was barred out of Canaan 4. We must ayme at an absolute conformity betweene the whole word and our whole man This Rule takes place above all mens rules and lawes which rule the outward man but this the inner man the soule and the conscience the heart and the will yea the affections and thoughts which in regard of mens lawes are free but the word captivateth every thought and brings it into subjection 2 Cor. 12.5 It rules the whole outward man also our speeches and actions even the least our lookes and behaviours our callings and conditions our sports and recreations and as David saith of the Sunne Psal. 19.6 there is nothing hid from the heate and discoverie of it so nothing in man is exempted from the rule of the word We must therefore bring our practise thereto and thinke it not enough to be a rule in it selfe unlesse it be a rule to us also And lay this for a ground in our soules that there must be a proportion betweene the rule and the thing ruled Now we come to the speciall rules for the application of this Rule And they concerne 1. Doctrines 2. Actions and Practise Rules for the Tryall of Doctrines are sixe First all Doctrines must be brought to the analogy of faith and squared thereby Rom. 12.6 Whether wee prophecie let us prophecie according to the analogy of faith By analogy of faith the Apostle meaneth the measure of faith and Doctrine which is indeede the holy Scripture the heads of which Doctrine or the summe of which faith is contained in the Creede the Decalogue and the Lords Prayer If any Doctrine agree not with these which are the key and rule of faith it is unsound and to be rejected As for example 1. The Church of Rome teacheth that the bread in the Sacrament is turned into the very body flesh blood and bone of Christ which was borne of the Virgin We hold the cleane contrary Now bring this Doctrine to the analogie of faith that teacheth that Christ was born of the Virgin true man with a true humane nature like ours in all sinne things sin onely excepted visible circumscribed palpable in one place only at once as is ours that teacheth that he ascended into heaven in that humane nature and there fitteth at the right hand of God untill his second comming and therefore cannot be really and locally in the Sacrament 2. Romish Doctrine teacheth that a man may merit by his good workes remission of sins and eternall life they establish the merit of mans workes in the matter of justification we utterly exclude them Bring we this Doctrine to the analogie of faith The ten Commandements say The Lord sheweth mercy to thousands that love him and keepe his commandements If the reward be given by mercy then not for the merit of the worke done The Lords prayer teacheth us to pray for forgivenesse of debts and therefore we are farre from meriting The same prayer teacheth us to pray for every morsell of bread Is it not madnesse to thinke wee can merit the kingdome of heaven if we cannot merit a morsell of bread The Creede
I am Truth not Custome so Christians must frame themselves to Truth what ever the Custome be Custome we say is a tyrant but Truth must be our King and Guide and it is the part of a wise Christian to row hard against the streame of bad Customes wherof the world is full 2. For the example of great men it had beene good for Peter to have tryed the example of the Rulers in their dealing against Christ before hee had denied and forsworne him their example as little patronized him as themselves Well said Augustine Non debemus semper probare quicquid probati homines urgent sed judicium Scripturarum adhibere an illae probent We must not still approve whatsoever worthy men urge us unto but take with us the judgement of the Scriptures whether they approove it or no. 3. Suppose they be as good as great and as great as the Apostles yet must wee follow them no further than they follow Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 4. For the example of multitudes it is a good saying of the Father Wee are not to number the voices wee have on our side but to weigh them and it often comes to passe that the great part overcomes the better part And as I approove of Diogenes his wisdome who thought he should doe best when he did least what the common people did so I am sure out of the word that that course of life is most acceptable to God which is most contrary to the fashion of the world Quest. 4. What if any thing come with Authority and have the image and subscription of Cesar upon it must that be presently admitted without further question Answ. 1. Every soule must be subject to the higher powers and that for conscience sake but not without a conscience rightly enformed and guided onely so farre forth as God be not disobeyed nor his truth disparaged 2. We acknowledge with Tertullian and reverence the Emperour as one that is the second man under God and inferiour unto God onely And give unto Cesar the things that are Cesars but so as we give unto God the things that are Gods 3. It was the errour of the unbeleeving Iewes against Iason and the brethren Acts 17.7 These men doe against the decrees of Cesar saying there is another King one Iesus For wee may not doe against the decrees of Cesar yet we must say there is another King one Iesus whose decrees are of absolute authority and Cesars so farre as they crosse not his 4. No man blames his neighbour that brings a peece of money to the touch and weights though it have Cesars image and superscription upon it It is no disloyalty but wisdome and warinesse to try the Kings coyne there being so many slippes and counterfeits Thus wee see that nothing either in doctrine or manners can come so strongly armed with Civill or Ecclesiasticall Authority but it must passe the tryall before we can hold it as good and currant Now of the third generall Who must try all these things Answ. Our Apostle writeth to a whole Church and to every particular Christian in it Object What hath every Thessalonian without restraint granted him a power to censure and judge of Doctrines in all points of faith manners Is it not enough for a common man to give his consent to the Church and to beleeve as the Pastors beleeve Answ. Indeed so the Church of Rome teacheth and namely the Rhemists on 1 Ioh. 4.1 corrupting a most expresse text where the Apostle wisheth and commandeth every Christian to Try the Spirits But nothing is more plaine in Scripture than that people ought judicially to examine the Doctrine of their Pastors before they give it entertainment as afterward we shall more clearely proove But the Papists and the Rhemists on that place say Is it not absurd that every particular person by himselfe and of himselfe should take upon him to examine and controll Doctors and Doctrines I answer It were absurd if of himselfe or by himselfe onely hee should try them but for himselfe every Christian must and by such rules as God hath appointed to discerne whether a Doctrine be of God or no unto which not onely Doctrines of Pastors but of Councells Fathers and Popes are to be subjected unlesse we will take sowre for sweet and darknesse for light Hence it is that every Christian should have his senses exercised to discerne good and evill Heb. 5.14 That every man should abound with knowledge and judgement to discerne things that differ Philip. 1.10 That every man should be perswaded in his owne proper minde Rom. 14.5 And every sheepe of Christ discernes Christs voice and will not heare the voice of a stranger because he is able to try and discerne that too Iohn 20.4 5. The fourth generall remaines By what must this tryall be made Answ. Every triall is made by some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or direction We try the soundnesse of solid things by weights and the ballance of liquid things by liquid measures wee try figures by line and rule and the kindes of mettall by the touch-stone Wee must therefore finde out some weight or rule or touch-stone to try the soundnesse and kinde of Doctrines concerning faith or manners Now there can be no perfect ballance or exact rule for the tryall of all things but onely the word writted Esa. 2.3 The law out of Zion and the word from Ierusalem must be Iudge among the Nations and chap. 8.20 all appeales must be made to the law and the testimony or else there is no light to be had Christ himselfe for his doctrine stood to the judgement of Scripture Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me And Paul subjected his Doctrine to the same rule Acts 28.23 And good reason For 1. The Scripture hath all in it that a sufficient rule should have It is 1. declarative 2. directive 3. explorative 1. It is of the nature of God who is the measure of all things and immediatly derived from him and so the first cause the rule of all that follow concerning Gods worship 2. It is full of direction for any thing that is to be beleeved or done as the Artificers rule directs his worke and hand 3. It is sufficient to try and proove all things when they are done as the touch-stone tries the mettall or the square tries the work squared In all which respects it is like the patterne shewed to Moses in the Mount after which he was to frame the whole Tabernacle and by which he might try it being framed That as nothing was in the Tabernacle which was not in the patterne so may nothing be with us which is not agreeable to the patterne of Scripture called the patterne of wholsome words 2. By what should causes be tryed but by the Lawes of the Body Civill where they doe arise But looke what the Law is in the Common-wealth the same is the
Scripture in the Church and speakes not as a man but as a Iudge 3. The word hereafter must judge all things Iohn 12.48 therefore it is meete that it should judge them here and try them 4. No man will deny but that the Oracle in the time of the Law was a most sufficient and certaine rule in all cases because it was the lively voice of God himselfe But the Scriptures are titled to be the Oracles of God Rom. 3.2 yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lively Oracles Acts 7.38 Because though they were not delivered by lively voice yet by immediate inspiration from God and must be as Oracles to us in all doubts as David made them the men of his counsell Bellarmine here objecteth and saith that the Scripture is a Rule indeede but a partiall one or rather a briefe Commonitory to be eeked partly by Tradition and partly by the help of the Church I answer 1. Wee are content to leave that honour with them to write and speake most basely of the Scripture to set up their owne Traditions But the very light of Nature is against them herein for the Philosopher himselfe maketh it the part of a wise Law-giver to conteine as much in the Law as is possible and leave as little as may be to the liberty of the Iudge Now shall Wisedome it selfe Christ himselfe who hath the fountaines and treasures of wisedome prescribe a law to his Church which must be imperfect unlesse it be eeked by Tradition and by the helpe of a supposed Iudge For the Iudge of the Church is not the Pope Christs pretended Vicar but Christ himselfe the Popes destroyer 2. The very writing of the Scripture was to this purpose that the hazard might be prevented which the truth were in if it should spread it selfe by report onely and passe from hand to hand by Tradition as formerly it had done 3. The state of the Church of the New Testament should by this account be worse than the Old the Patriarkes should have had a more perfect word than we for they were taught and ruled by immediate revelation and infallible voice and if we should hold truth as trailed through the corruptest ages of the world and the unfaithfull hands of men we should be farre behinde them and the Apostle was out when he said Wee have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1.19 that is a surer word of the Prophets 4. He hath lost his reason that will deny but that the first and chiefe Truth must be the rule and measure of all the rest and hee hath lost all religion that will deny that of all Truths behoofefull for salvation the Scripture is the principall and first the perfection of which David avoucheth Psal. 19.7 The Law of the Lord is perfect and Paul 2 Tim. 3.15 It is able to make the man of God perfect to every good worke Out of all this exposition ariseth this point of Doctrine That every Christian is bound in whatsoever thing he is to doe or beleeve first to try it by the touch-stone of Gods word Acts 17.11 the men of Berea are commended for searching the Scriptures to see whether the things spoken by the Apostles were so or no. 1 Ioh. 4.1 Try the Spirits And the same Commandement is in the Law Deut. 13.2 to try the Prophets not by events but by Doctrine if it were agreeable to the word This is that warinesse commended so often by our Saviour Christ as Matth. 7.15 I beseech you brethren marke them diligently which cause division and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have received and avoid them And for practises herein see Lament 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes c. that yee may proove what is that good that acceptable will of God Proving what is acceptable to the Lord. Let every man proove his owne worke and then shall hee have rejoycing in himselfe alone and not in another And why 1. Because there shall alwayes be false Teachers in the Church who shall easily misleade us into errour if we try them not This is the Apostles argument 1 Ioh. 4.1 Try the Spirits Why For saith hee many false Prophets are gone out into the world We reade of a lying Spirit in the mouth of 400 Prophets and in the New Testament that false Apostles came as they had beene the Apostles of Christ for if the Divell can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light no marvell if his Ministers can doe so More particularly the word of God witnesseth 1. That they shall come under Satans standart in great troupes 2 Tim. 4.3 Heapes of Teachers So wee reade that in the first foure hundred yeares after Christ which was the prime of the Church there arose 88 severall kindes of false Teachers seducing from the faith and mightily prevailing against the Church 2. That they shall come armed with all arts to deceive first they shall pretend simplicity they shall come in sheepes cloathing but inwardly are ravening wolves that is come in the habit of true Teachers being indeed false Apostles and deceitfull Teachers If Elias and Iohn Baptist come in rough and hairy garments the false Prophets also will weare a rough garment to deceive Zech. 13.4 Secondly for their Doctrine they shall alledge Scripture as the Divell did to overthrow Christ They shall obtrude errour under pretence of deepe learning as the sect of the Nicholaitans called their heresie profound learning but by the holy Ghost called the depth of Satan Rev. 2.24 So the Popish Doctours at this day pretend all the Fathers to be on their side all Schoolemen all Antiquity and Mysticall Divinity shut up in secrets and vaults of darke and unwritten Traditions when indeede it is a very cave of darknesse and the depth of the Divell Thirdly for their Authority they shall pretend themselves to be some great men as Simon the Sorcerer said he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 8.9 Angelicall Doctours Seraphicall Doctors the onely men of Authority Christs Vicars Peters Successours great Cardinalls on whom are set all the pillars of the state of the Church Catholikes and Catholike Doctours and the like yea sometimes they come armed with great signes and lying wonders pretending mighty miracles as Simon Magus did Acts 8.10 But alas What miracles did Calvin and Luther shew Romish Priests abound in miracles they cure strange diseases and cast out Divells c. Which indeede God may suffer them to doe sometime by sorcery sometime by jugling and knavery for a plague upon the unthankfull world which cared not to receive the truth in love as was foretolde 2 Thess. 2.9 10. For this purpose God sent them strong delusions Fourthly for their behaviour they shall pretend great humility Col. 2.18 Oh they dare not goe to God but by Mediatours Saints and Angels they must use much bodily affliction in chastising and whipping themselves as Baals
is used both in a strict and in a large sense In a strict sense it is used for prediction or foretelling of things to come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to foretell So those holy penne-men of Scripture are called Prophets 2 Pet. 1.10 And Philips foure daughters Prophetisses Acts 21.9 In a large sense Prophecy is taken for the interpretation of the word of God and the holy Scriptures And this is a gift of the holy Spirit enabling men to expound Prophecies concerning Christ and to interpret and apply the writings of the Prophets and Apostles Thus the word is taken Rom. 12.6 Having Prophecy let us Prophecy according to the analogy of faith And Ephes. 4.11 Christ ascending into heaven gave some to be Prophets speaking of Evangelicall Ministers This latter Prophecy being here meant hath two parts preaching and prayer for every Prophet is partly the voice of God to the people and partly the peoples voice unto God God said of Abraham Gen. 20.7 Give the man his wife againe and hee will pray for thee for hee is a Prophet And both of them are joyned together 1 Cor. 11.4 Both these parts of Prophecy are here meant especially the former which hath two parts first teaching which stands in right interpreting of Scripture giving the right sense raising sound doctrines and beating downe contrary errours Secondly exhorting which is the applying of doctrines to the use of edification and consolation These were distinguished in the primative Church into seuerall offices of Doctors and Pastors because of the abundant gifts then given and the indistinct multitude of beleevers not brought into distinct congregations but now for the most part they are confounded into one For the proofe of these parts of Prophecy see 1 Cor. 14.3 He that prophecieth speaketh to men for edification for exhortation and consolation II. To despise is not onely openly to contemne preaching and publike prayers but lightly to regard or carelesly to heare the word for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies basely to account of a thing and esteeme it nothing worth and of no reckoning which indeede is all one with despising it And the Apostle intendeth when he saith Despise not that they should not onely not loath and contemne the word but honour it highly esteeme it heartily love it yea sincerely follow it So the children are said to despise the counsell of their parents when they doe not follow it For thus the phrase Not to despise is used in Scripture Psal. 51.17 A broken and a contrite heart O Lord thou wilt not despise that is highly esteeme value at a high prise and rate In such speeches by a meiosis lesse being spoken than meant Christian men and women must not onely not despise but conscionably embrace the preaching and ministery of the word 1 Cor. 14.1.3 Above all other speciall gifts desire and esteeme Prophecying Prov. 8.32 33. Heare instruction and be wise refuse it not Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates and giving attendance at the posts of my doores One reason hereof is in the Text By faithfull preaching the Spirit and his graces and motions are quickned and cherished as by it they are begun and continued 1. The Ministery is the chariot of the Spirit whereby he rides gloriously into the hearts of the elect Acts 10.44 While Peter spake the holy Ghost fell upon them which heard his words 2. Prophecy is that which inciteth and provoketh us in our dulnesse and quickens us to the faithfull imployment of such gifts as are given us by the Spirit Eccles. 12.11 The words of the wise are like goades and nailes fastened by the masters of assemblies As goades to pricke us forward when wee grow dull and sloathfull in the practise of piety and vertue and as nailes to fasten us to the sound love and obedience of the truth when we grow either wavering weake or weary for so the Apostles by preaching confirmed the Disciples at Antioch Acts 14.22 So Ieremy calls the word of the Lord a fire shut up in his bones which warme and heates our colde and frozen hearts and quickens our graces as the two Disciples whose hearts glowed in them while Christ opened to them the Scriptures 3. Prophecy is powerfull for Edification in the knowledge of God and Iesus Christ in faith in godlinesse love zeale repentance newnesse of life and all the heavenly vertues For Exhortation which containes admonition and reprehension both which are speciall good meanes to awake and quicken us when coldnesse and carelesnesse creepe on us And for Consolation for seeing it is the portion of the Saints by many tribulations to enter into the Kingdome they have great and continuall neede of matter of comfort and strength the which being onely to be had from the conduits of comfort in the Scriptures and from the gracious promises conteined therein what a forcible argument is this to make us highly esteeme and joyfully embrace so gracious a meanes not onely of instruction but of strong consolation 2. The gift of Prophecy and faithfull preaching is that precious gift which our Lord Iesus when he left the world bestowed on his Church Eph. 4.11 For the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the building up of the body of Christ. Now with what safety can any man despise so great a gift of so deare a friend which hee was so carefull at his last departure to commend to his friends to so gracious a purpose and end as to gather them from under the wrath of God and from the dispersed and lost estate of the world whereas without vision or prophecy people are lost or as the word is naked exposed to Gods wrath and their owne perdition Prov. 29.18 Nay more the Lord in this one gift offers a whole mint of mercy to be divided among beleevers He offers us life of grace in it and therefore it is called the word of life and the word of grace Ioh. 6.33 the word that I speake unto you is spirit and life He offers us light of grace and glory without the shine of which glorious light of the Gospell men sit in darkenesse and shadow of death having their understanding darkned and strangers to the life of God through the ignorance that is in them Hee offers by it grace and peace with himselfe and in our owne consciences and therefore it is called a Ministery of reconciliation and the Gospell of peace whereby God through us beseecheth men to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.19 He offereth us faith by this gift of Prophecy this being the ordinary meanes by which we attaine that precious gift of gifts Rom. 10.17 Without hearing no faith Rom. 10.8 The word of faith which wee preach Lastly he offereth us by it the end of our faith even the salvation of our soules 1 Pet. 1.9 and therefore it is called a word of salvation Acts 13.26 Now what
the waters of Israel with them of Damascus Are not Arbanah and Pharphar rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel And had not his servants beene wiser than he to perswade him to so small a thing his reason had returned him home without his errand Men thinke it reason to professe religion but so far as they may thrive prosper by it to trust in God but so far as they see him and as he leaves a pawne behinde him to favour religion and religious persons when the times favour them But they see no reason to forsake themselves to hate father and mother to part with their profits their lands liberties or lives and they never thought them wise men that for such conceits would so easily part with so precious things And what is the reason but because they never became fooles that they might be wise and because their religion is not now regulated by the proper rule of religion but of corrupt and naturall reason Against this use these considerations first how can corrupt reason be a perfect rule being made so crooked as it is and so contrary to the straight rule of the Scriptures and the greatest resister of conversion Nicodemus cannot see how an olde man can be borne againe and so disclaimes the Doctrine of Regeneration the blinde eye of naturall reason puts no difference between the light of the Sunne and darknesse nor the blind Samaritane betweene water of life and well water Secondly naturall reason is too short a rule and how it can it be a perfect rule because not onely made so crooked as it is but seeing if it were entire it is not able to comprehend many Mysteries of the faith and of the Gospell that must be ruled reason if entire yet it is too short for such mysteries as are above reason faith though it goes by the way of reason yet it goes farre beyond reason And no marvell for reason cannot reach many secrets in nature Eccles. 11.5 Thou knowest not the way of the winde nor how the bones grow in the wombe Who ever gave a reason of the Loadstones drawing iron of the fig-tree taming a wilde bull of the little Remora fish that aresteth a ship passing swiftly on full seas of the dying of the corne in the earth before it can live and much more must it grope as in the darke and shut up it selfe as an owle eye against the shine of mysteries in grace How absurd and contrary to reason is the creation of all things out of nothing nature cannot beleeve it but faith must Heb. 11.3 The conception of a Virgin without hand of man The resurrection of dead bodies almost infinitely transmutated That life must be fetched out of death heaven out of hell that losses for Christ is gaine that not kisses but killings are love that death is advantage Philosophers laugh at these things Acts 17. So the life of reason is cleane contrary to the life of faith Thirdly the rule must goe before the thing ruled but reason must be an attendant to follow faith not an usher to goe before for the malepertnesse of reason is the raiser and feeder and ever hath beene the mother and nurse of all errour and heresies Carnall reason raised up Anthropomorphits who conceive of God every way as a man brought Images into the Churches hatched that monster of Transubstantion and all Popery And whence are our new Pelagian positions quickned in the profound mysteries of election and predestination but because we must with our candle drowne the light of the Sunne and receive into our spoone the deepe sea and Ocean The Apostle Paul gives faith unto that which reason cannot reach and cryes out Oh the deepnesse but proud reason must be a straine beyond Paul and must comprehend all this deepnesse in the slat and shallow of it selfe Thus wee see the unfitnesse of this rule reason must know her place and not presume to checke or prescribe to faith if Hagar will contest with Sarah shee must be cast out of doores 2. Some make the way of their fathers the rule of their religion and courses as the musled and misled Papists who depend on their Predecessours as Ruth upon Naomi there is no intreating of them to depart where they are gone thither will these where they dwell there will these where they die there will these and there they will be buried likewise the olde Idolaters Ier. 44.17 who would still offer sacrifice to the Queene of heaven because their fathers did so the case was over-ruled by the former ages So the Papists refuse knowledge will heare no Sermons come to no Church because their forefathers did no such thing which is altogether absurd Against which consider first how absurd it is in religion for what is this else but to consult with flesh and blood in the matter of our faith which Paul in the matter of his religion refused to doe Gal. 1.16 Immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood c. hee held it unmeete and absurd in the matters of God to conferre with men Secondly it is absurd in reason as if a sonne were bound to pull out his eyes because his father was blinde or hee must poyson himselfe because his grandfather was so Thirdly it is attended ever with a seduced conscience the very prop of false religion and studde of superstition as in blinde Papists and Iewes for come to these blinde seduced consciences and demaund of them thus why will not you goe to Church or take the oath of Allegiance or the like Oh say they my conscience will not suffer mee just as the Iewes conscience would not suffer them to goe into the Common Hall lest they should be defiled Ioh. 18.28 yet in the meane time their conscience could suffer them to accuse arraigne and condemne the innocent Son of God They made great conscience of putting the thirty silver peeces into the treasurie but none at all of giving thirty peeces to betray Christ. So these conscionable Catholikes make no conscience of Treasons of Equivocations of blowing up of Parliaments and the like And what a rule is that which Turkes and Infidels can truly alledge for their religion who suck in their impious Alcoran with their mothers milke from their forefathers which the Samaritanes alledge for their mixture Iohn 4.20 Our father 's worshipped in this Mount And this all limbes of Antichrist alledge for themselves which a man may frame unto and be without all religion As these bragge of Peter and Paul and of bones and relickes of Saints and Martyrs But for the Doctrine of faith of religion of holinesse and a good conscience they quite cast off Fourthly this is contrary to the rule which calls us from our forefathers to it selfe Ezek. 20.18 I said walke not in the statutes of your forefathers but walk in my statutes and judgements and doe them and he complaines of that stubborne and rebellious generation
discourses their idle complements their service of pleasure and unfruitfull spending of their time now they storme against the rule and the hand that holdes it here is a rule indeede that would make them as despised as he is despised of them that calls them from their vanities Our Ministery in generall holds in judgement the Scripture as the rule and that they ought to tie themselves to this rule but when this rule would tie them to instant teaching to carefull walking as examples to the flocke to prepare the people as a pure Virgin for Christ oh it tyes them too strait their conceits and gifts call them to higher things other affaires withdraw them as for diligent preaching they leave that to the inferiour sort that have nothing else to tend and no livings to trouble them But shall the word be a rule to our judgement and not to our practise Shall it be a rule for us and for our rights and shall it not be a rule for our duty and office Let all men know and consider first what a judgement of God it is to give up men to walk after the lusts of their own hearts as is noted of the Gentiles Ephes. 2.3 Secondly the rule chargeth us to affect all things in God and for God nothing above him nothing against him nothing like him Thirdly to feare the departure from the rule as the greatest evill because that is onely simply evill 5. Some depend upon the persons of some great men whom they reverence and holde in admiration What are not such and such great men and learned men in high degrees and preferments yet they doe thus and thus they are of another judgement and practise too and if it were not right they would not doe it And so they dangerously compare themselves with wicked men digest their oathes vanity pompe But consider first what a plague it is for great men to be carried along by flatterers who rivet them in their wickednesse by applauding them As Dionisius the Tyrant had flatterers about him who like dogges would licke up his spittle and commend it to him to be as sweete as Nectar Secondly no example can make that good which the rule judgeth evill Thirdly all persons must be tryed by the rule not the rule by any person Even the Apostles must be followed so farre as they goe by rule and follow Christ no further This is the difference betweene the Papists and us they receive no Doctrine no nor the Scriptures but so farre as warranted by Fathers and Councels we receive no Fathers nor Councels but so farre as they are warranted by the Scriptures For Let God be true and every man a lyer Is this our judgement and shall we slippe from it in our practise Fourthly there is no more compendious way to lose the truth than to walke by this rule of examples If truth had gone by persons who would not have taken part with 400 false Prophets men in great favour with the King and Queene all against one poore Micaiah esteemed the Kings enemy yet he alone held the rule This was the cause that puld all the Iewes into the guilt of Christs death they admired their Rulers and Rabbies as great and learned men having the key of knowledge and so easily and freely consented to that fearfull sinne which the Sunne was ashamed to beholde Fifthly in all imitation of men we must follow the light side of the cloud not the darke side for why are the falls of Saints else recorded but to shew that all examples are defective and measurable by the rule Sixthly the onely perfect example of our rule was Iesus Christ whom we must follow we are commanded to be perfect not as Abraham Moses David c. but as our heavenly Father whose absolute perfection shineth in his Sonne who is the ingraven Image of his Fathers person Now as the best picture must needes be that which is drawne from the lively face rather than that which is drawne out of another picture so must this which wee take from Iesus Christ himselfe who was the true idea and counterpaine of our Rule here described 6. Some make Successe their rule and walke by that as they that say If my course were not good God would not blesse me as he doth and if I sinne God would not be silent or if I sinne and God be silent he either sees not or regards not or will spare me and I shall ever escape reckoning Whereas first the rule telleth us Psal. 50. These things hast thou done and I held my peace but I will reproove thee and set thy sins in order before thee And Eccles. 9.2 The same event is to the good and the bad to him that sweareth and him that feareth an oath Many runne to witches and sorcerers and thinke it warrantable from the successe they finde some reliefe and some help and God would give no such successe if it were unlawfull Whereas it is just with God that such as runne to the Divell shall meete with the Divell to their further delusion Others runne to stage-playes and enterludes because they teach some good lessons and may edifie as well as Ministers by Sermons Oh profane mouthes who have cast away the rule which is farre from sending them to the stewes to learne chastity or to Atheists to learne religion or to learne vertue and good manners in the schoole of vices where things are expressed and acted which ought not to be named among Christians Secondly this rule telleth us that Gods patience shall not violate his justice nor forbearance is no payment hee will not beare the sword in vaine Thirdly no man easily forgets his owne name the Lord will not forget his justice but must returne to every man according to his owne workes Fourthly as thou hast thy time so surely will God have his when thy measure is heaped up and thy Epha is full although thou maist thinke with Agag the bitternesse of death is passed yet the Lords sword will come and hew thee in peeces Against all these crooked and distorted rules the Scripture shewes first that Christianity is no ranging course or a running at randome but a life led by rule Secondly this rule is expresly set downe Phil. 3.16 So farre as we are come let us proceede by one rule Thirdly there is a promise to all that walk according to this rule Gal. 6.16 As many as walk by this rule peace shall be on them mercy and on all the Israel of God that is the rule of Gods word which is to Christians as the pillar of the cloud and of the fire to the Israelites Fourthly it is evill to them that forsake this rule As a sonne left unto himselfe is the shame of his Father So the sonnes of God running their owne wayes and despising the counsells of God are a shame to their Father a reproach to their Fathers house the Church a dishonour to their profession and
thus 1. Because they have most neede to borrow 2. Because they are most liable to wrong and oppression 3. The commandement of Loane is made especially for their good 4. Vsurie on them is a more grievous sinne and crying Exod. 22.21 Object But if it were unlawfull God would forbid it to the stranger Sol. 1. The morall Law forbids it to all 2. It is by God dispensed with by a Iudiciall for the hardnesse of the hearts of the Iewes for the unjustice of the Gentiles who exacted it on the Iewes and for the overthrow of the Canaanites The word is Deut. 23.20 not Lemicro but Lamicro extranc◠huic that is to this stranger meaning the Canaanite 3. It is no more lawfull than Poligamy or a bill of divorce which was against the Institutor 4. When the Canaanites were destroyed all usury was afterward absolutely forbidden Psal. 15. and Prov. 28.8 Ierome on Lev. 18. In the Law usurie is forbidden onely to brethren but in the Prophets to all absolutely and in the Gospell much more because all are now brethren So much for the second Rule Thirdly in all doubtfull Doctrines that is the truth which gives most glory to God and least unto any creature for as God in all things intends his owne glory most which is the maine end of all his courses so doth his word which after a speciall manner resembleth himselfe This word so propoundeth all the frame of mans salvation from the lowest staire to the highest as God may have his glory in all 1 Cor. 1.29.31 That he that glorieth might glory in the Lord and that no creature migh◠share with him in his glory which he never would communicate to any other verse 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That no flesh might glory in his presence To apply this to particulars 1. The Church of Rome maintaines a Doctrine that Saints departed are to be invocated as Mediatours though not of redemption yet of intercession Wee affirme the contrary according to the Scripture Bring now this point to this tryall whether gives more glory to God and lesse to the creature we who affirme him to be a God hearing prayer who onely knowes the hearts of the sonnes of men and is omnipresent to heare and omnipotent to helpe all which are incommunicable Attributes of the Deity or they which against the Scripture robbe God of this part of his honour and bestow it on creatures which are not capable of it Isay 63.16 2. The same Church of Rome teacheth that to the justifying of a sinner before God is required not onely an imputed righteousnesse but an habituall righteousnesse which are workes of charity which makes a man of just more just Wee in this Doctrine of Iustification utterly exclude humane merit Now bring this different Doctrine to this Rule Whether gives more to God and lesse to the creature that Doctrine of Iustification by faith onely which utterly takes from man all that hee can thinke of to justifie himselfe withall and ascribes the whole worke of salvation from first to last unto God or that Doctrine which puffes up man in conceit of some righteousnesse in himselfe and takes from the Lord this honour to be Hee that justifies the ungodly And this is the Rule to which the Apostle brings the same Doctrine to be tryed Rom. 3.27 28. By what Law is boasting excluded Not by the Law of workes but by the Law of faith And because this Doctrine excludes all boasting hee concludes Therefore is a man justified by faith without the works of the Law See Rom. 4.2 3. The Church of Rome also maintaineth the Doctrine of humane satisfactions and enjoynes many penances to satisfie the justice of God for veniall sinnes Wee on the contrary teach that wee must every day pray for the pardon of our daily sinnes Now bring this different Doctrine to this Tryall Which gives more to God and lesse to the creature that which applies an infinite justice to God the violation of which must be made up by an infinite person or that which imputes to him an imperfect justice such as a sinfull man may satisfie and an imperfect mercy if our owne workes make not supply 4. The same Church teacheth and so the Church of the 〈…〉 that God hath elected all to salvation and Christ hath redeemed all and every particular man We according to the Scripture holde that God hath chosen onely heires of salvation and that Christ for his part redeemed not all particulars but all kindes for hee that would not pray for the world would not die for the world How shall we bolt out the truth Answ. Bring the Doctrine to this Rule Wee aske If God have elected and Christ have redeemed every particular man why is not every particular man saved Because say they God foresawe who would beleeve and who would not which is to make Gods election frustrate as electing such as hee foresaw would not beleeve as also dependant on the will of man and mans will to overrule Gods And not mans salvation to depend on Gods will and election than which nothing can be more dishonourable to the Majesty of God Rom. 9 19. Who ever resisted his will Adde hereunto that in the Doctrine of falling from grace Gods glory suffereth for thereby the seede of God loseth the glory of being incorruptible and Gods truth suffereth who saith it abideth for ever 5. The same Church teacheth according to their ordinary practise at this day that the Pope hath power to make lawes to binde the conscience hee hath power to dispence with lawfull oathes and untie the conscience which Gods law hath bound he hath power to dispense for marriages within degrees prohibited by God the like We deny any such power can agree to any mortall creature and holde it a tyrannicall usurpation Bring these and the like positions to this Tryall Whether gives more glory to God and lesse to the creature to acknowledge him the Lord of his owne Law onely above it or to set a Prelate not onely in his chaire of estate but above God who is able to reverse and abrogate his Lawes at his pleasure and to sit in the consciences of men which is the Lords owne and onely consistory That is the third Rule Fourthly all sound Doctrine directs and leades unto Christ magnifies and sets up Christ who is the end of the Law and Gospel and as Christ prooved the Iewes not to be of God because they dishonoured him the Sonne of God Iohn 8. So whatsoever Doctrine dishonours Christ cannot be of God And if we bring the whole body of Popery to this rule of Tryall it will appeare not to be of God 1. Their whole Doctrine of merits and humane satisfactions how doth it obscure the merit of Christ yea abolish the absolute satisfaction of Christ who hath paid the uttermost farthing This Doctrine makes Christ but a peece of a Saviour halfe a Iesus for every man must be a
Gods part as well as their owne When Minâ—sters are diligent in doctrine careles in life they hold some good but not all Private men that carry themselves soberly and civilly and are fully content with the name of honest men holde some good but they reforme not their family nor walke religiously in the midst of their houses and so are farre from holding all good This is in matter of practise So in matter of judgement The truth and every part of it is our birth-right saith Cyprian wee must not lose a foote of it but hold the least truth Many hold fast the maine grounds and articles of religion but in things of lesser moment are altogether regardlesse as Bishop Latimer thought at first that the cause of the Sacrament was rather to be dissembled than suffered for but considering better that hee must holde all that is good himselfe happily suffered in it Nay we must not onely hold truth in sense but even the words wherein the Spirit of God hath conveyed it to us not departing easily from them for wee shall finde what great mischiefe hath oppressed the Church by taking liberty to depart from the very words of Scripture and in stead of them using other improper speeches to expresse the same thing As for example The Fathers used to expresse the Pastors of the Church by the name of Priests whereupon the Romish Church builds and backes her order of Priesthood Doctour Fulke in his sixth chapter of his defence of the translation against Gregory Martin hath these words It is a folly to thinke that a sacrificing office externall can be established in the new Testament which never calleth the Ministers thereof Sacerdotes or Priests They often call the Table of the Lord an Altar and the celebration of the Supper a Sacrifice and gave a reasonable good sence but had they kept to the words of the Scripture they had prevented much mischiefe springing thence For the Romanists make advantage of their speeches wrested out of their sense to set up that blasphemous doctrine of the sacrifice of the Masse And the word Masse what Papist knowes whence it comes being neither Hebrew Greeke nor Latine nor taken from any other language of any Nation but raked out of the bottomlesse pit without all signification unlesse it agree with our English word masse that is an heape a lumpe a chaos of blasphemies and abominations The like of the word Pope a strange unknowne and mysticall name the learned Papists knew it not but confounded themselves in the Etymologie of it some from Pape the interjection of admiration some from Papa which Latine children used to call their fathers by answering to our infants dad some from the Romane abbreviation of Pater Patriae expressed by pa pa and a pricke betweene some from the Siracusans word Papas signifying a father Such follies and ridiculous and childish dotages are they faine to wander in to seeke and finde their holy father the Pope who as himselfe is a beast rising out of the earth in whose forehead is written MYSTERIE so his name is mysticall and from men not from heaven not from the Scriptures yet is the name as ancient as Cyprian and used by the Fathers Wherein we may see how dangerous it is as Beza observes to decline from the word an hayre-breadth and not to hold all that is good even the least An arrow set a little awry at first makes a great errour before it fall at the marke How happy had it beene if the ancient Fathers otherwise godly and learned men had held them to the very names termes and proper words of Scripture rather than by departing therefrom have opened a flood-gate to Antichrists delusions who as Satan creepes in the darke and getting in his toe will shove in his bulke for give sinne an inch it will take an ell and so of the Man of sinne 4. Rule Hold most carefully the chiefe good things for so men doe in earthly matters Now there be three things worth most care in keeping 1. Gods favour presence and loving countenance Psal. 4. Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us let others keepe corne and wine keepe thou this feare sinne most of all as that which would most dangerously robbe thee 2. Thine owne sincerity uprightnesse and first love Iob 27.6 I will never lose my innocency till I die 3. The Crowne of life is promised to him that is faithfull to death Hold the kingdome fast in the meanes and so strive as thou maist obtaine As the Martyrs who apprehended it through fire and flames 5. Rule Hold all that is good stiffely and stoutly against with-holders and opposers for a man shall never hold good if he doe coldly approove it Hold it as one firmely glued to it for so the word signifies Rom. 12.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cleave to that which is good things glued are not easily disjoyned God hath by this phrase glued every Christian to every truth in judgement and practise and no man must separate himselfe from it Tit. 1.9 Holding fast the faithful word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against gain-sayers Take hold with both hands against hereticks tyrants false-teachers flatterers that have laid hold to snatch it from us or as men in perill of drowning lay fast hold upon any thing they can catch to save themselves and will not let it goe 6. Rule Hold the truth constantly to the death whatsoever the issue be Rev. 2.25 Hold fast that thou hast till I come as the renowned Saints and Martyrs who have rather parted with their lives than their depositum 2 Tim. 1.14 Let us therefore labour to see into every truth and seeing it let us hold it As that famous souldier Cynegrius held the shippe first with his right hand till that was cut off then with his left hand till hee lost that too and last of all with his teeth till his head and body were severed So let us resolve every one with himselfe That which I see to be good I will holde it so long as I live or breathe my hands my heart and soule shall cleave unto it I will carry it to heaven with me The second thing proposed is the meanes of holding that which is good I. If wee would hold things approoved to be good let us avoid carefully such things as would hinder us in holding them And they are of two sorts 1. Some shut out good things 2. others thrust them out or choake them The former are 1. Presumption of our owne wisdome and knowledge Humility stands porter at the doore of discipline Psal. 25.9 God teacheth the humble Ier. 13.15 Heare and give eare and be not proud Men of conceits will heare whom they list but an humble man will receive good even from the meanest though it be an earthen vessell Naaman from his servant and Iob from his hand-maid 2. Distempered affections as rash conceit
against the teacher which is an usuall bait of Satan to make all good things carelesly rejected Micaiah for this was turned out of dores as no fit Counsellor for King Ahab So the itching eare which is still desirous of novelties as the young man having heard the olde commandements would still heare more new And a tediousnesse in hearing the same things often which the Apostle calls a safe thing The latter are 1. Hardnesse of heart cast as much seede as you will among stones and cover them therewith no fruite followes for the stones hinder the rooting as we see in Pharaoh Mollifie the heart throughly and the word wil abide in it 2. Cares of the world which are as thornes to choake it All seede sowne among thornes getteth no strength but perisheth The Pharisies mocked Christ in his doctrine because they were covetous Luke 16.14.3 Voluptuous living makes men heare onely for fashion and to be like those widdowes which are ever learning but never come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3. or at least not to joyne vertue to their knowledge as the intemperate patient that heares the physitian but will not follow him II. Provide and furnish the soule with helpes to hold that which is good These helpes respect 1. Intention 2. Attention 3. Retention First the Intention must must bee cleane and sincere we must not heare for envie as the Pharisies and Iewes in Paules time nor for newes as the Athenians nor for gaine or curiosity as Felix but to receive as babes the sincere milke of the word to grow in grace thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 This intention shall be the better furthered by premeditation of the force use and efficacy of the word that it is the power of God to salvation the incorrupt seede the word of life the instrument of faith the sword of the spirit the bread and water that preserveth eternall life Secondly Attention must be used Acts 8.6 the people of Samaria gave heede to the things that Philip spake This attention is a keeping of the heart and affections to the word deliuered Acts 16.14 when Paul preached Lydia attended and the Lord opened her heart When Christ preached all the peoples eyes were fastened upon him Luke 4. Attention is the doore by which the word enters It is much furthered by a due estimation of the word Thy word saith David is wonderfull therefore my soule keepeth it Men will attend to their learned counsell when their free-hold is in question so here conceive aright of the word as a matter of life and death a matter that concernes thy inheritance in heaven thou wilt carefully attend it Thirdly Retention must follow In the body there are two nutritive powers one Attractive to draw meate into the stomacke the other Retentive to hold it there till it be turned into nourishment so in the soule And if the former draw too little the latter holds little and so the body pines and if the former draw too much that the body is not able to hold it the body pines still So here the soule must be still drawing but it must also forcibly holde it till the soule be refreshed Now this Retentive faculty is strengthened by 4. meanes 1. Meditation cleane beasts chew the cud Deut. 11 2. Consider the workes of the Lord Psal. 1.1 Meditate in his Law both day and night The acts of God must be in the mouthes of them that feare him Psal. 149. and 39.3 while David mused his heart was warmed Phil. 4.8 whatsoever things are honest just and pure thinke on those things men have therefore evill thoughts because they nourish not the good 2. Conference which is a whetting of holy lessons both on our selves and others Deut. 11. the Iewes are commanded to conferre of the word early and late Acts 17. The Bereans are commended for comparing the Apostles doctrine with Scripture 3. A full purpose of heart to practise good things Psal. 119.106 I have sworne to keepe thy law and 50.16 Why takest thou my word into thy mouth and hatest to be reformed 4. Fervent and constant prayer which is the key of knowledge gets the hearing eare and the soft heart it is a key to open the coffers of God out of which we may take those treasures which are not from our selves but from above our reach III. Chuse sure and safe places to hold good things in First in memory we must remember good things we heare Deut. 4.9 Take heed to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the things thine eyes have seene Psal. 119.16 I will not forget thy word and ver 93. I will never forget thy precepts because by them thou hast quickened me Secondly keep them in the faith of thy heart else all is unprofitable Heb. 4.2 for that onely gives them rooting in our hearts Col. 2.7 Prov. 4.21 Keepe them in the midst of thy heart then shall they be as alight in the lanthorne shining through every part of thy life This was the coffer that Abraham locked up the promises of God in and held them fast without reasoning though it was difficult and seemed impossible Rom. 4.20 and David Psal. 119.11 I have hid thy word in my heart Thirdly keepe it in the affections of thy soule love earnestly the word of God and all good things for the things that wee like not or affect not we care not for keeping The great commandement is to love the Lord with all thy heart And every Christian ought to appeale to the Lord himselfe as Peter to Christ Lord thou knowest that I love thee Iohn 21.16 And the tryall of our love to him is to keepe his commandements chap. 14.15 Fourthly keepe them in the practise of thy life and whole conversation 1. By professing good things as Christ himselfe professed a good profession before Pontius Pilate 2. By promoting all good causes to thy utmost power 3. By maintaining and defending all good things and causes 4. By suffering for good things and every way giving testimony and setting seale to them if neede be with thy dearest heart blood IV. If we would hold good things let us furnish and arme our selves against theeves and robbers 1. Our owne carelesnesse Many times we care not to understand the things of God vanity of minde worldly lusts and desire of riches partly take up the roome partly choake good things so as they are neither received nor held But if we understand not let us not be ashamed to enquire and seeke out till wee doe understand 2. Satans slynesse who steales the word and good purposes out of mens mens hearts strangely even while they looke on and consent Doe as Abraham who drave away the birds that troubled him in sacrificing Gen. 15.11 so doe thou drive away these ravenous birds that are sent by Satan 3. Temptation and persecution Much ground keeps the seede till the heate of persecution comes and in persecution falls away and
on our faithfulnesse whereas our Apostle makes it wholly depend upon Gods 2. This devise makes Gods faithfulnesse dependant upon ours which is as absolute as his owne unchangeable essence is and no unfaithfulnesse of man can make him unfaithfull 2 Tim. 2.13 3. This conceit plainly dissolves our Apostles Argument which he hath so firmely knit together God is faithfull and therefore hee will doe it and God hath already called and he will glorifie And if wee looke into the Scripture wherein this faithfulnesse of God manifests it selfe wee shall see it descrying it selfe in two things neither of which will suffer his end to be frustrate First in keeping the Saints from evill 2 Thess. 3.3 The Lord is faithfull who will stablish you and keepe you from evill Doth Stapleton still doubt that those that have received true grace shall fall away see here the faithfulnesse of God puts it out of doubt for it shall keepe them from all such evills as might frustrate their perseverance Secondly in confirming the Saints in grace received Who shall confirme you to the end that yee may be blamelesse in the day of the Lord Iesus Christ. Papists doubt whether the Saints shall lose their grace but where then is Gods faithfulnesse who shall confirme them in grace to the end This faithfulnesse stirres them up to the meanes excites them in their dulnesse raiseth them after their falls and leades them by the hand to eternall life Object The Arminians drawing the same line with these Bellarminians object That God in all his decrees implies some conditions and deales with a man as a physitian doth in restoring a patient He tells him he will cure him conditionally that he follow his directions keepe good dyet abstaine from the feeders of his corrupt humour But Answ. There is a difference betweene these Physitians one cannot rule his patient but the Lord can and will keepe his patient temperate his grace shall remove all lets and impediments of cure 2. Gods promises of perseverance imply conditions of holinesse watchfulnesse unblameablenesse But Gods faithfulnesse enables him to keepe these conditions Iohn 6.3 Whosoever are given unto Christ shall be raised up at the last day III. In his will God is unchangeable he hath bound himselfe by his promise and oath to effect the salvation of the heires of life Heb. 6.17 God being willing to shew to heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by an oath that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie we might have strong consolation Object I finde my will so mutable and so inclinable to grosse evills that I have great cause to feare my falling away Answ. But art thou effectually called then is this will of thine by Gods over-ruling will confirmed to perseverance unto the end IV. For Gods affection to the Saints it is perpetuall Iohn 13.1 Whom he loved once he loveth to the end Ier. 31. His love it is everlasting love This love causeth him to keepe them as the apple of his eye This love makes them love him and it will uphold them in his love This is the first reason Secondly The second reason is drawne from the power of God which preserves them to salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 His strength is such as none can plucke them out of his hands The Father is stronger than all Iohn 10. 2 Tim. 1.28 I know he is able to keepe that I commit to him Object I know hee is able too But will hee keepe me Answ. Yes if thou beest effectually called this brings thee within compasse of Christs intercession Ioh. 17.14 15. They are not of the world I pray that thou shouldest keepe them from evill Hath Christ prayed his father to keepe thee certainly then he will keepe thee safe for he was heard in all things Object God is strong enough I know but I am weake Satan is strong against mee sinne is strong in me how then may I holde out Answ. 1. No mans weaknesse shall disappoint the strength of God but manifest it rather 2. No strength of Satan can prevaile against the faith of him that is effectually called for God is faithfull and will not suffer him to be tempted above his strength 1 Cor. 10.13 Thirdly The third reason may be taken from the gifts and calling of God which are without repentance Rom. 11.29 that is such peculiar gifts as flow out of Gods eternall love and election whereas naturall morall and many spirituall gifts are sometimes lost This calling of God according to purpose is never frustrate Object But though God repent not of his gifts yet the gifts of God are in themselves changeable and men may cast away their gifts and fall from their faith and repentance and shake off the calling Answ. 1. The gifts are indeede in themselves changeable for nothing is simply unchangeable but God himselfe But they are all kept by another gift namely of perseverance which crowneth all the rest 2. If the elect should cast away the gifts received then should they be tempted above their strength and God should be unmindfull of his promise which is impossible Nay Gods strength suffers them not to cast away their gifts 3. For shaking of the calling if you speake of the inward calling it is false for then how should God abide constant to them or his word be true which saith Whom he calleth he glorifieth Or how holdes he under his hand in their falls Besides he giveth these gifts to none but such as know the worth and use of them and not to such as will reject them or cast them away Fourthly The last reason is taken from the stat◠of a Christian who as a member must be conformed to Christ his head for as Christ being once risen from the grave never returnes againe or dieth any more so the life of grace in his members once called out of the grave of sinne never dies more no not in death nor in the grave It is the Apostles reason Rom. 6.8 9 11. As Christ raised dieth no more so thinke ye Object The prodigall sonne after a sonne was dead and alive againe a sonne lost and found againe Answ. It is a Parable and nothing but the maine scope proves any thing 2. The prodigall is every man lost in Adam who by creation was the sonne of God but in Adam lost and dead and in the second Adam found and quickened if by faith set into him 3. This lost and dead childe was so both in his fathers opinion and in his owne seeming So may the childe of God even after conversion seeme lost and dead in his owne sence and others conceit but is indeede alive and found First This serves for humiliation of us who are so weake and wretched as having our salvation put into our hands yet cannot keepe it so many temptations from without and corruptions frō within that it is Gods great mercy that keeps us in grace unto
that which is an effect of Gods mercy in Christ. 183 Perseverance of Saints set on 3 sure grounds 303 Perseverance is never divorced from true faith 3 reas 312 Perseverance most assaulted by Satan 314 Lets of it 5.324 Meanes 3.322 Meditations to stablish it 326. Motives to it 329. Examples 330 People must pray for their Ministers 3 reas 401 People neglecting to pray for their Ministers lay themselves under the guilt of many sins 5 instances 402 Perseverance of Saints all grounded on Gods faithfulnesse 351 Places choyse and safe to keepe good things in 4. 140 Popish doctrine leades men away from Christ 6 instances 101 Popery most pleasing to corrupt nature 6 instances 104 Popish doctrine a most desperate and uncomfortable doctrine and therefore false 5 instances 107 Pope a strange mysticall name unknowne to the learned Papists themselves 135 Power of Christ discernable in our effectuall calling by 4 signes 362 Preservatives against decay in the measure of graces 3. 29 Present at Idolatrous service unlawfull with pretence of keeping the heart to God 5 reasons 156 In all our prayers we must behold God a God of peace 177 Prayer a meanes of growth in holinesse in 4 things 212 Prayer for perseverance not in vaine for them that shall persevere 3 reas 306 Prayers of faith all grounded on Gods faithfulnesse 347 Prophecy what 40 Prophets not to be despised 49 Propound to our selves still an higher pitch and degree in grace 37 Prosperity of the wicked no true peace 4 differences 182 Profession of faith must all be grounded on Gods faithfulnesse 348 Q. To quench the Spirit more damnable than to want him 16 Questions Whether a doctrine backed with consent of ancient Fathers or the authority of Councels or other Antiquity may not be free from tryall 54 Whether any thing comming backed with example of great men or of the generall multitude or custome ofttimes be free from triall 55 Whether any thing comming with Caesars authority and superscription be exempted from triall 56 Who must try all things 57 How a man may know anothers calling 354 Whether a man called alwayes know his calling 359 R. Reason corrupt no right rule of tryall for 3 reasons 74 Recreations on the Sabbath of what kinde 119 Regenerate said to be blamelesse in 5 respects 196 199 Renovation in all the faculties 197 Renovation must be without as well as within 3 reas 278 The retentive faculty of the soule strengthened by 4 meanes 140 Rules of tryall whether the Spirit be quenched reduced to 5 heads 27 Rules in respect of our owne sinnes shewing the Spirit to be abated 5. 31 Rule of all tryalls what 58 Our Rule must be ever in our hand 88 Rules for tryall of all doctrines 6 132 Rules for holding good 6 90 Rules to keepe the affections unblameable many 257 S. Sanctification unsound wants 3 things which should make it hold out 382 Sanctification the description explained in 4 things 189 Sanctification of the Spirit why so called sundry reas 190 Sanctification in perpetuall motion 4 reas 191 Thorow sanctification in this life in 4 things 192 Full sanctification in the life to come in 4 things 193 Sanctification stockes up the roote of sinne civility onely cuts off some waste boughes 307 No Saint in earth none in heaven â—â—8 Saints have all the same Spirit for 4 reasons 6 Scriptures the rule of all tryalls 4 reasons 59 Scriptures afford us five safe rules concerning following our forefathers 78 Shew of evill in doctrines must be avoided 153 All shewes of evill must be shunned in practise and behaviour 154 Signes of the Spirits presence 6. 1â— Signes of generall Apostacy among our selves 6 316 Silence of God must not animate sinners 4 reasons 85 Singlenesse of heart knowne by 3 signes 249 Similitude betweene calling effectuall and ineffectuall five instances 367 Sinnes of others great meanes to quench the Spirit 24 Small evills to be shunned for 4 reasons 156 167 Speech given men why 3 uses 294 Spirit what is meant by it in Scripture 1 Spirit the same in the godly and wicked but differently 7 Spirit subject to be quenched in the best 14 Spirit of God is holy both in his nature and operation 15 Spirit discerned to be quenched both in the 1. number 2. measure of graces 27 Spirit referred to man what it meaneth 193 Spirit how taken away from the Saints 4 wayes 307 Stage-playes ought not to be frequented 6 reasons 121 Successe no certaine rule for actions 85 T. Teachers no way disparaged by triall of their doctrines but the truth a gainer by it 70 Things to be tryed what 52 Theeves and robbers incessantly stealing good things from us 3 sorts 142 Three things in a mans selfe call on him for growth in holinesse 223 Thoughts how to be holily ordered 242 Thoughts to be watched and why 243 Time of a mans calling not alwayes knowne 3 reas 357 Tongue abused 5 wayes 295 Tongue to be ordered and watched for 4 reasons 298 Trialâ— whether the Spirit be quenched in regard of good motions 29 Whether in regard of good duties 4 rules 30 Triall of things what 52 Trialls of growth in holinesse 5. 16 Traditions unwritten rejected 4 reasons 61. â—01 Transubstantiation against the analogy of faith â—0 Truth not to be tryed by persons but persons by truth 54 True teachers not so assisted but that they may deceive and be deceived â—â— That is the true doctrine which giveth mos◠〈…〉 â—â—stances â—7 V. Vniversall election and redemption derogateth from Gods glory 99 Vsury condâ—mned 96 W. Well watching of the heart stands in 4 things 250 The will to be rightly ordered 4 rules 253 The will must determine with God and for God in every thing Instances 254 The will renewed knowne by many signes 255 The will of man why it must be well bended 3 reasons 256 Wicked men esteeme the godly unpeaceable because they will not lose their peace 188 Christian wisdome will avoid all beginnings and appearances of evill 151 Seeking to witches condemned by 6 reasons 118 Whole man sanctified throughout in 3 things 195 Word and Sacraments in their reverent use doe notably excite the Spirit in us 33 Word a meanes to increase holinesse 4 wayes 212 The word upholds us in our way 4 wayes 327 Our words must be faithfull 4 reasons 338 Working on the sabboth day condemned 7 reasons 119 Worst things must be most hated 260 GOod Reader among some smaller faults in printing which wee desire thy curtesie to passe by two are observed as changing the sence Page 268. line 28. reade those 4 lines thus All wise and 〈◊〉 walking is included under the affections of the feare of the â—ord 〈◊〉 the â—uties of the whole Law are all 〈◊〉 prized under 〈…〉 Love Page 319. liâ—e 3 〈…〉 highly 2 Tim. 2.25 Magnes amoris amor From my study Novemb. 17. the happy day of that admired Queene Elizabeth the worlds wonder the famous Mother of our
Country and nurse of our religion 1630. Luke 12.42 Exod. 5.4 2 Tim. 4.2 Luke 19.47 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 19.48 Math 15 32. Acts 2 46 Acts 13 42. In tempore sabbatis interiecto Pisc. Vt intra proxime sequens sabbatum exponerentur sibi haec verba Beza Object Answ. Object Answ. Dan. 6.10 Psal. 119.164 Object Answ. Luke 14.5 Matth. 12.11 Psal. 34 1â— Psal. 84.11 What is meant by the Spirit The graces of the Spirit compared to fire Fire of the Spirit how quenched Luke 22.3 Grace quenched in what degrees Doct. 1. The Saints have all the same Spirit 1 Cor. 6.19 The Spirit in the godly and wicked but differently Reason 1 2 3 4 Vse 1. 1 Pet. 4.14 Vse 2. Iohn 14.16 Vse 3. Vse 4. Signes of the Spirits presence 1. Conviction 2. Subiection 3. Direction 4. Sanctification Gal. 5.19 5. Consolation 6. Supplication Doct. 2. The godly must be carefull not to quench the Spirit Reason 1 2 The spirit of God is holy both in his nature and operation 3 To quench the Spirit more damnable than to want him 4 No fall so wofull as to fall from grace Woefull changes in the soule of Gods childe who hath queÌ„ched the Spirit 5 Motions of the Spirit much different in the godly and hypocrite Cant 7. Vse 1. Meanes of quenching the Spirit 1. When we let grace die of it selfe As 1. 2 3 2. When grace is violently smothered 1. By our owne sinnes Gal. 5.17 A burning aguish heate eates out naturall Psal. 39.1 Three sorts of actuall sinnes more violently quench the Spirit 2. By others sinnes 3. When the Spirit is grieved Non solum quâ—ad internam operationem Spiritâ—s effâ—â—â—cem sed et quâ—ad externum Prophetarum ministeriuÌ„ 〈◊〉 vâ—s seq Vse 2. To observe what gifts of the Spirit wee have received Reasons Rules of tryall whether the Spirit be quenched 1. In respect of grace For number For measure 2. In regard of good motions 3. In respect of good duties Rom. 8. 4. In respect of sinne 5. In respect of the worke of Gods Spirit on thy affections Vse 3. Motives to stir up the Spirit of God Means to blow up the Spirit 7. Motions of the Spirit to be observed Motives Prophecy what Parts of Prophecy Donum Propheâ—iae duplex 1. Quod studio meditatione paratum est 2. Quod gratiae extraordinaria spiritus aliquibus donatum est Doct. Every powerfull Ministery must be conscionably embraced Reason 1 Luke 24 32. Acts 14.22 Reas. 2. Acts 20.32 Acts 10 36. Reas. 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Meanes to embrace Prophecy Coher Divis. 1 To try what 2 What must bee tryed He said he had spent 22 yeares in tryall of Religions Ioh. 14 6. Mat. 23.6 An ex personis probamus fidem an ex fide personas Tertull. Quod antiquissimum illud vâ—rissimum Doctores non Doctrinam in authoritate posuit Christus Stapl de Authorit Script lib. 3. cap. 7. Veritas non vetuâ—â—as Concil Caerthag August lib. 2. Epist. conâ— Gaudeâ—ium Nen numeranda suffragia sed appendende August in Psal. 39 Rom 13.1.5 Colimus Imperatorem ut hominâ—m a Deâ— seâ—â—â—cum solo Deo â—mmâ—rem Tertul ad Scapulam 3. Who must try all things Rhemists on 1 Ioh 4 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 By what wee must try all things The Scriptures the oâ—ely rule of tryall 2 Tim 1 1â— Psal 119 24 Object Answ. Arisâ— Rhet lib. 1 capt 1. Doct. All things to bee beleeved or done are first to bee tryed by the Scriptures Rom. 16.17 Rom. 12.2 Ephes. 5.10 Gal. 6.4 1 Kings 22 22. 2 Cor. 11.13 Verse 14. Rev 9 Swarms of locusts darkning the Sun and eating all the greene things of the earth 1. Simplicity Mat 7 15. Chap 4 6. 2 Profundity Theologia mystica 3. Authority Doctor 1. Angelicus 2. Seraphicus 3. Subtilis 4 Irrefragabilis c. 2 Thess. 2 9. 4. Humility The locusts have faces and haire like women insinuative and flattering 1 Kings 22.15 5. Constancy Causa non poena facit Martyrem Reas. 2. Reason 3. Specie virtutis umbra Reason 4. Vse 1. Protestants implicit faith Motives to bring all things to this tryall 7. False rules of tryall are sixe 1. Corrupt reason 2 Kings 5 12. 1 Cor. 3 18. Reason cannot be a right rule 3 Reas. 2. The way of forefathers Ruth 1.16 17. This can be no sure rule Rules of Scripture concerning imitation of our forefathers 5. 3. Humane Lawes Euseb. hist Eccles. lib. 2 cap. 2. Tertul. in Apolâ—get Humane lawes imperfect rules 4 reasons 4. Crooked and corrupt affections 5. Admiration of mens persons Rom 3 4 6. Successe Eph. 5.3 Vse 2. Matth. 22.29 August de Doctr Christ. lib. 3. cap. 16. Iohn 6.53 2 Tim. 1.3 Keepe the patterne of wholsome words which thou hast heard of mee 1. All sound Doctrine must agree with the analogy of faith Rom. 11.6 2. True Doctrine ioyneth the two Tables together Per Calcatum aiunt perge paâ—rem Sola in hoc genire pietas est esse crudelem Ab hoc usuram eâ—ige quem non sit crimeâ— occidere Ambr. Vide profectum c. Ieron 3. That is the true Doctrine which giveth most glory to God Iohn 17.9 4 All true Doctrine leadeth unto Christ The ambitious word merit not found in the Scripture Acts 14 12. Concil Trident Heb. 3 5 6. 1 Tim 2 5 Rom 8 34 Tit. 2 13 Phil. 2 9 10 5. That is most sound Doctrin which is most contrary to corrupt nature Gal. 5 24 Col. 3 5 Vanus est labor iqui Scripturis Hupenditur â—â—ius de expresso Et verbo Dei nos ipsas Scripturas facessere iubenius et Deum loquentem potius audiemus quam ut ad egena isâ—a elementâ— nos convertamus 2 Cor. 13.5 Luke 10 30. Eph. 2 1. Micah 2 11 6 That is the soundest Doctrine that most soundly comforteth distressed consciences Isay 50 4 1 Pet. 1.8 Verse 5. Psal. 19.12 Psal 129 92. All actions must be done 1. By vertue of a word 2 In Gods presence 3. For Gods glory 1 Cor. 10 30 Every action must be done in due circumstances David sinned in numbring the people how Davids mourning for Absolom culpable 4 reasons Why Dauid refused to drinke the water of Bethelhem 3 reasons Every action must be done by a due agent How Elias did well in calling for fire from heaven and not the Apostles Two Differences Luke 9 45. Matth. 22 39. To love our neighbour as our selves how Mark 2 27. Eph. 5 3. Mat. â—2 36. â— Pet 3.3 4 Eccles. 7 3 Doct. All things must be tryed but onely good things must be held Reason 1. Non minor est virtus quam quarere parta tueri Reas. 2. 3 4 5 Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Rules of holding good 1 Vpon tryall 2 Hold onely good 3. Hold all that is good Matth. 5. 4. Hold chiefly the chiefe good 5. Hold good against with-holders 6. Hold it constantly Meanes of holding that