walk by and not the Word Religion hath two great Enemies Superstition and Innovation he that would not be an old Time-server or a new Time-server must walk between these two if he would make streight paths unto himself and his Guide must be the Word My Son saith the wise man fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Prov. 24.21 Then we must meddle little with the times for what is more given to change than they the Scripture bids us instead of serving the times to save our selves from them Acts 2.40 to beware of them See that ye walk not as fools but as wise because the daies are evill Ephesians 5.16 17. And then the Apostle addes immediately Wherefore be not unwise but understanding what the Will of the Lord is We must labour therefore ye see especâ—ally in evill times to know what the will of God is out of the VVord that we may follow what is pleasing unto him not that which is pleasing unto the times otherwise we are not wise for the greatest wisdome is to comply with God as I think and not with the times The times that we live in are evill and perilous times he that shall bind himself Apprentise to serve them 7 year shal find it very difficult to serve them so as always to please the times and impossible always to serve them please God and remain idem homo 2. Not divine Providences 2. Make the VVord you rule not divine Providences VVe may make dangerous constructions of providences if we rest in them do not compare these Revelations of God in his works with and interpret them by the Revelation that he hath made in his word When David had spent some time and serious thoughts upon the study of that great point touching the outward visible prosperity of wicked men and the outward seeming infelicity of the godly he professeth Ps 13.16 17. when I thought to know this it was too painful for me until I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end It was evident from the event that it was the will of God the Israelites should be worsted in that war which they upon just grounds undertook against the Benjamites Jud. 20. but if any should from hence have concluded that the Israelites quarrel was not good because their success was bad he would have made a dangerous mis-construction of Gods providence in that particular case Therefore we must always make such a construction of the various works of Gods providence as may consist with the verity of the standing and invariable rule of his word otherwise we shall lose and incautelously engage our selves to justifie any unwarrantable opinion or practice which God in his just providence and for ends at present unknown to us permits to spread and prosper when he doth nothing less than approve of them to be true and just The judgements of the Lord are unsearchable and his ways past finding out Rom. 11.33 We must not think therefore to trace him here If we can parallel any passage of providence with the like instance out of Scripture then we may probably conjecture what the mind of God is in it and what disposition of heart and frame of life the Lord doth expect from us otherwise we cannot nor are we to fashion our lives hearts according to the providence of God but according to his word which teacheth us rightly to interpret providence For providence generally is a Revelation of what God had unknown to us decreed from eternity that he would do not a revelation of what he would have us do unless we know the mind of God in that Providence which if we cannot gather from the Word our own fancies are but incompetent Judges and long enough may we conjecture ere we make a right conclusion How many strange and almost not to be paralleld occurrences of Divine Providence have we in this Nation within a few years met withall if any one now should have steered his course not according to the Compass of the Word but every present and sudden apparition of Providence I doe not see how he could keep a streight path but either he must walk in crooked and by-ways and ways not cast up or else in Circulo and so for diverse years have rid no ground in his journey toward the heavenly Canaan 3. Make the Word your rule 3. Not the examples of men not the judgement or practice of any man be he never so learned and godly further than ye see them to be agreeable unto the Word Christs example we must follow for he left us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 But we may not write after any other Copy farther than we see it to agree with the original Be ye followers of me saith Paul as I also am of Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 So far as we see any man to follow Christ we may follow him but no farther I presume none of you will say that we are bound to follow Peter though a Disciple and Apostle of Christ in denying his Master The best men have had their errors and their failings which we have therefore recorded to teach us that we should make the exampâ—â— of no man how godly soever our rule to walk by for there is not the best man living but may and doth sometimes tread awry and I am perswaded the Lord suffers men of great parts many times to fall into errors of judgement and men of much grace to fall fouly in their conversation lest others might have their persons in admiration if not adoration Were I a man of the greatest learning and holiness of Conversation in the world I think I should as earnestly pray to God that others might not trust to me as that I might not trust to my self for when I once saw people begin to applaud me and imitate me ex industria I should then be very fearfull that the Lord would leave me to my self as he often doth the most able and Godly men that people may see they are men of like passions infirmities with themselves The Psalmist saith Bishop Hall compares the Law of God to a Lantern Psal 119.105 Good example bears it It is safe following him that carries the lighr but if he walk without the light he shall walk without me For that a man should be so wedded to any mans person that he must make no separation from his infirmities is both absurdly servile and unchristian And that for which I do the rather urge this so much is because I see in these times wherein godly men are of such different opinions many religious persons judge themselves most secure from falling by leaning unto the examples of some eminently learned and Godly Ministers but the safest way is to have recourse to the word examine by sound reasons and plain testimonies deduced from thence whether their opinions or practices be good and
perhaps they have neither power nor authority to rectifie them I beheld the transgressors and was grieved saith David because they kept not thy word Psal 119.158 and Psalm 139.21 Am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee There is but little love in that man to God who doth not grieve at that which grieves God But then in the last place I say the Moderate man though he do seriously hate and grieve for the evills and the errors done and declared by others yet it is with much Christian meekness without wrath and rancor so far as humane infirmity will permit I know thy works saith Christ to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evill and hast born and hast patience and for my name sake hast laboured and hast not fainted Rev. 2.2 3. This is a most notable place to our purpose I know thy Labour and thy Patience how thou hast born and hast Patience and yet canst bear them which are evill This might seem to be a manifest contradiction but it is not for it becomes a moderate Minister or Christian with all his might to strive to redress such evills as are within the compass of his power and calling and what he cannot redress patiently to endure being sensible of them hating them and grieving for them but not moved thereby unto a fretting impatience either against God or man Thou canst not bear them which are evill and yet hast born and hast patience and for my name sake hast laboured and not fainted The Lord will render unto every man according to his work to them who by patient continuace in well doing seek for glorie and honour and immortality eternall life but unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrightousnesse indignation and wrath Rom. 2.6 7 8. So the Apostle Iames having declared the wickednesse and oppression of rich men which was not in the power of poor men to redresse Be patient therefore saith he brethren unto the coming of the Lord be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Grudge not one against another lest ye be condemned behold the Judge standeth before the door take the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience behold we count them happie which endure James 5.7 8 9 10 11. If when you do well and suffer for it patiently this is acceptable unto God 1 Pet. 2.20 Contrary to this Moderation in the Affections in the defect is 1. when men are not sensible of nor doe they cordially hate and grieve for the evils and errors of others how loud and clamorous soever they are against them So I observe many who are very invective against the corruptions innovations and heresies of the times who yet are nothing affected with the dishonour that is done to God by them and the decay of religion As in that uproar which Demetrius raised some cried one thing and some another and the assembly was confused for the more part knew not wherefore they were come together Acts 19.32 So is it among our people generally they are confused some crie out against the Sects heresies and corruptions of the times for one thing some for another and the greater part know not wherfore only because that they hear others Some ther are again who profess to detest and be griev'd at the corruptions of the times but it is out of a politick respect as the Jews Jo. 11.48 opposed Christ If we let him thus alone Timemus ne subvertamur de ignominia verò Christi omnium minime dolemus Musc super Joan. cap. 2. v 17. say they all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation So they if we let these Sectaries alone thus not the truth of God shall fall in the Streets and be trodden under foot the Church rooted out Gods worship destroyed no but they will gather to an head over-runne us take away our estates from us and exercise tyrannie over us This is the Ground of the grief of knowing worldly Politicians not that they care for the promotion of the Church or the propagation of the Gospel yet now they profess to stand for them the reason is because the present interest of the Church is something linked with their own interest and they do but contend for the former with relation to the latter For were the Church and they at rest from the present disturbers of our peace ye should have it as much vexed and grieved with the scoffings and prophaneness of these men as now it is with the schisms and heresies of the other 2. Contrary to this Moderation of the Affections in the excesse is wrath and swelling Though others do evil yet that is no warrant for us to do evil Fret not thy self because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass cease from anger and forsake wrath fret not thy self in any wise to do evil for evill doers shall be cut off but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth Ps 37.7 8 9. wrath and envying are numbred among the works of the flesh as well as seditions and heresies Gal. 5.20 21. and we are commanded to put off wrath anger and malice as well as blasphemy they being no lesse deeds of the old man and members of the body of death than the other Coloss 3.8 Sure it is the wrath of man doth not work the righteousness of God James 1.20 And therefore is meekness so much commended in Scripture as an ornament of great price in the sight of God 1 Pet. 3.4 And we are commanded in evil times when the fierce anger of the Lord is breaking out to seek righteousnesse to seek meeknesse if that we desire to be hid in the day of the Lords wrath Zeph 2.2 3. Unto meeknesse it is that so many promises are made the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of inward if they want outward peace Ps 37.11 The Lord lifteth up the meek Psal 147.6 He will beautifie the meek with salvation Psal 149.4 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord Isa 29.19 It is a great honour to our profession and stops the mouths of false accusers 1 Pet. 3.14 If ye suffer for righteousnesse sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terrors neither be troubled but sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwaies to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and reverence that whereas they speak evil of you they may be ashamed who falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ 3. Moderation in the Conversation 3. This Moderation may be considered in the Conversation and that is when a man out of
if ye find that the Scripture approves of them then make use of their example for imitation and encouragement As a man in a ship hath his hand upon the rudder and his eye upon the Star so it is good to have your eye upon the examples of godly and judicious men but let your hand be alwaies upon the Scripture let go your hold of that ye will run the hazard of making a shipwrack of your faith I dare confidently say that there is no truly godly man though never so learned will presume so much upon himself as to impose upon others his example or practice farther than he can prove the necessity thereof by Scripture why then should any man take a yoke upon him which is not laid upon him I exhort you saith (t) Vos hortamur ut non quod vobis placet aut nobis audire quaeratis sed quod domino complacet consonum est Scripturis Basil in Hom. adv Sabellian Basil not so much to enquire what pleaseth you and what pleaseth me but what is pleasing to God and agreeable to the Scriptures To what inconveniences Augustine had bound himself if he had strictly tied himself to the Fathers before him though very holy and of great learning is well enough known But (u) Alios Scriptores praeter Canonicos ita lego ut quantâlibet sanctitate doctrinâve perpolleant non ideo verum putem quia ipsi ita senserunt sed quia mihi vel per alios auctores Canonicos vel probabili ratione quòd à veritate non abhorreat persuadere potuerint Aug. Epist 19. ad Hieron saith he other Writers besides those that are Canonical I so read that however they may excel in learning and pietie yet I do not think any thing to be true meerly because they have thought so unles they can perswade me by certain testimonies of the Scripture or probable reasons that what they say is true But was Augustine willing that other men after him should deal with his Writing as he did with the Fathers before him Yes For (x) Negare non possum nec debeo sicut in ipsis majoribus ita multa esse in tam multis opusculis meis quae possunt iusto judicio ac nullâ temeritate culpari Aug. ad Vincent Victor lib. 2. saith he I neither can nor ought to deny but as in the Antients so likewise in my works there are many things which may justly and without any rashness be blamed (y) Neminem velim sic amplecti omnia mea ut me sequatur nisi in â—is in quibus me non errata perspexerint Nam propterâ—ae nunc facio libros Retractionum ut nec meipsum in omnibus me secutum suisse demonstrem Aug lib. de Bon. perseverantiae cap. 21. And I would not have any man so to embrace all my writings as to follow me in all things unlesse he see that I have not erred in them for therefore do I make my book of Retractations to shew that I my self have not in all things followed my self Above all 4. Take heed of making crooked the rule and wresting it to the maintenance of any ertoneous or self-Conceit This is a dreadfull sin and he who doth it knowingly speaketh lies in hypocrisie It was a fearfull evil for Lucifer to say I will ascend up and be like the highest is it not as great a sin for any to seek to make the highest become like Lucifer so do they that drag down the Scriptures to patronize any erroneous opinion of their own heads or any evil of their own hearts they go about to make the blessed God and the Holy Ghost the Father of lies than which what can be more abominable It is accounted a capital crime in a Commonwealth to put the States stamp upon false Coin and to put the stamp of the Spirit of God upon an error upon a conceit of a mans own is certainly a great evil before the Lord. We doe with one consent blame the Papists for making the Scriptures a nose of wax that a man may writhe which way he pleaseth let not any Protestant practise that which he so severely condemns in a Papist be his pretence never so plausible Yet alas who doth not see and cannot but be grieved to see how horribly we wrest the Scriptures I should not have said it but that it is too manifest to be hid For it is but usual when mens opinions do not agree with the Scriptures to wrest the Scriptures to make them agree with their opinions The reason of it is this Men receive opinions before they have well examined them by the Scripture having once entertained them out of weakness the strength of their pride causeth them to use this means for the maintaining of them and though it be but some additional point in Divinitie yet now it must needs be fundamental in Religion because it is fundamental to his reputation (z) Optimus Scripturae lector est qui dictoruÌ„ intelligentiam ex dictis expectat potius quà m importat et retulerit magis quà m attulerit nec cogat id videri dictis contineri quod ante lectionem praesumpserit intelligendum Hilar lib. 1. De Trin. Hilarie hath an excellent saying with which I will shut up this head He is the best reader of the Scripture saith he that carrieth away the sense of any place of Scripture after he hath read it not he that bringeth 〈◊〉 with him and so even after a forcible manner labours to make that appear to be in such a Scripture which he presumed was to be found there before he came to read it Men that do thus may not unfitly be compared to Camels that diink not of the fountain as Historians tell us till they have pudled in them with their feet But what if the Scripture in some things be silent prescribing only rules in the general as that 1 Cor. 14. Let all things be done decently and in order not peremptorily enjoining any thing in particular to be observed in such a Church what is most convenient for a moderate man to do in such a case To this I answer according to mine own judgement Fifthly That it is most meet where the Scripture is silent we should hearken to the voice of the Church in the first place the Primitive Church and next to that the Church wherein we live Where the Scripture speaks I would have the Church only our Comment but where the Scripture is silent I would have the Church our Text and judge it most fitting that men should follow the great Wheel of the Church and move by that not reserving any proper poles or motions from the Epycicles of their own brains It argues monstrous pride in any man in things of indifferency for in things of absolute necessity I presume the Scripture is resolute to lean unto his own judgement or the opinion of a party against the general assent of the Church I see no reason why our own Church should be slighted by them that cannot deny themselves to be her children much less the Primitive and Ancient Church from the Apostles times Where the Scripture is silent let us hearken and adhere to her testimony I knew that Novelty hath much prevailed against Antiquity in this last age but I see little hopes of Moderation till Antiquity come into more estimation than at present it is In the mean time for so I chuse to break off abruptly Consider what hath been spoken and the Lord give you understanding and Moderation in all things FINIS
understanding Now saith Mr. Vines though I do not concurre with this supposal that heresie is a meer act of the understanding for it hath its denomination from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an act of the Wil chusing the error yet thus far I go with it that such pretended Physicians as hold that to be poison which is wholesome and on the contrary are not to be licensed to practise nor such mad men suffered to exercise their fury And if such a Physician shall after he is forbidden to practise yet go on and in the exercise thereof kill a man I see no reason at all why he should not be put to death as one guilty of murther for tho it proceed from ignorance yet it is a pertinacious ignorance In a word therefore a moderate judgement is a judgement well-weighed with truth and love one that is neither credulous nor censorious A moderate man will not have any mans person in such admiration or estimation as thereby to be drawn to an approbation of his errors for so he shall wrong the truth and wrong his own judgement yet however he hate the error he hath a charitable opinion of the person that holds it and walks according to it so it be not with obstinacy and a desire to seduce conceiving that he is misled through ignorance and upon better information will recant And if the error be in things of less moment that are meerly circumstantial he bears with him altogether being willing that he should speak as a child and understand as a child and think as a child till he come to more maturity of understanding 1 Cor. 13.11 remembring that of the Apostle That the strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please themselves Rom. 15.1 Contrary therefore to this moderate judgement I say is first a credulous judgement in the defect which is apt upon the good opinion it hath of such a mans person with better liking to entertain his errors whether in Doctrine or practice and to think certainly there is not so much poison in them because administred by such a person This though it doth argue much honesty yet it doth also argue much weakness Charity is commendable but not this credulity I will never be so charitable to any as to wrong my own judgement and the truth out of a good affection that I bear to any mans person (m) Cypriani literas non ut canonicas habeo sed ex canonicis considero quod in iis divinarum Scripturarum autoritati congruit cum laude ejus accipio quod autem non congruit cum pace ejus respuo Aug. adv Crescon lib. 2. ca. 32. St. Augustines practice in this is worrhy our imitation I do not hold saith he the writings of Cyprian though a famous godly and learned Martyr for canonical but I compare them with those that are canonical and what I find in them agreeable to the authority of divine writ I do with his praise receive but what I find doth not agree with the Scripture I do with his leave refuse 2. Contrary to this moderate judgement is a censorious judgement and this respects a mans person as the other did his error A credulous man is apt too much to like the Error for the Person sake the censorious too much to dislike the Persons for the Errors sake now the moderate man goes between both he likes not the Error one jot better for the Persons sake no more than he would poyson presented in a Golden Cup neither doth he at the first much more dislike the Person for the Errors sake till he see him proudly obstinate in his Error after admonition and take up a loose and carnal course of life in patronage of his Error then indeed he shakes hands with him as one departed from the Church yet with Prayers that he may rerurn again A censorious judgement therefore I call that which is too rash too harsh 1. Too rash Iudging things before the time 1 Cor. 4 5. Iudging what men will be before they profess themselves to be so and what they will do before they do it A wisely suspicious judgment is commendable but a rashly censorious is to be condemned 2. Too harsh in judging of mens affections and conditions towards God by one or two unjustifiable actions 2 Kin. 9 10 cha For I am so charitable as to think that as Jehu destroyed Ahabs house and the Idolatry thereof which was a good action with a corrupt intention so may good men sometimes do unjustifiable actions yet with a sincere and upright intention Now as he errs in the one hand that should go about any way to justifie their actions so he erres no less in the other that doth rigidly censure and condemn their persons and their affections before they profess themselves to be such Hence it is that we are in Scripture so much warnd to to take heed of judging Judge not that ye be not judged Mat. 7.1 Why dost thou judge thy Brother let us not judge one another any more Rom. 14.10 13. Iudge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will manifest the counsels of the heart 1 Cor. 4.5 For though some mens sins are open before hand going before to judgement yet some mens they follow after 1 Tim. 5.24 They are so secret or else so specious that they must be referred wholly to the judgment of the last day The sum of all is this a moderate man though he be not so judicial or judging as to wrong others yet he is so judicious as not to wrong himself or wrong the truth and therefore I say this Moderation in the judgement is a mixture of discretion and charity 2. Moderation in the affections 2. This Moderation may be considered in the Affections and that is when a Christian is seriously sensible of and thereupon doth hate and grieve for the evills and errors practised and professed by others yet with much meekness First I say when he doth hate the evills and errors practised and professed by others Ye that love the Lord hate evill Psal 97.10 I hate the works of them that turn aside saith David Psalm 101.3 I hate every false way Psal 119.104 And the Church of Ephesus how ever she was in some things defective having left her first love yet saith Christ this thou hast that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes which I also hate Rev. 2.6 Again I say a moderate man as he hates so he grieves for the evills and errors of others When I came to Jerusalem saith Nehemiah and understood of the evill that Eliashib did for Tobiah in preparing him a Chamber in the Courts of the house of God it grieved me sore and I cast forth all the Houshold-stuff of Tobiah out of the Chamber Nehe. 13.7.8 Every Christian may be thus grieved as Nehemiah was when such evills are done though