The Great Mystery of Godliness Opened, Exposition on verse · Verse 14
VERSE 14.
VVhat ſhall we ſay then? is there unrighteouſneſſe with God? no, God forbid.
COme we now unto the 14 Verſe. Our Apoſtle having from the ſixth verſe of this Chapter, hitherto cleared God from inconſtancy, from being inconſtant in his Word and Promiſes, notwithſtanding the rejection of the Jewes, for the body and greateſt part of them, though they be the ſeed of Abraham and Iſaac, and deſcended of Jacob, who was called Iſrael, yet God was not inconſtant; having cleared God from that imputation, now he cometh to clear God from iniquity, and injuſtice, and in this argument he continueth from this 14. verſe, to the 19. verſe of this Chapter.
Now in this 14 verſe, our Apoſtle preventeth a falſe inference, and a wrong concluſion, that mans corrupt and carnal reaſon might infer and bring upon that before delivered in the verſes foregoing: For the Apoſtle having made known thus much concerning theſe two brethren, that they being equal in birth, and neither of them in better or worſe eſtate in regard of nature, but both in equal conditions, God hated the one, and loved the other; this may ſeem very hard to fleſh and bloud, and the carnal humane reaſon of man at this might ſtumble, and hereupon be offended, and riſe up in a complaint againſt God, and charge him with injuſtice and partiality, that therefore becauſe he loved Jacob, and hated Eſau, the Lord is partial in his doings: Now this inference and concluſion our Apoſtle preventeth and meeteth with, and ſheweth it to be a mere cavil of the fleſh, and a falſe and wrong concluſion, drawn from the premiſe unjuſtly, and that on this manner; this is his manner of proceeding:
Firſt of all the Apoſtle knowing that that which he had delivered, was a truth, and is confident and bold in it, and doth provoke any one that doth cavil againſt him; to tell what they could ſay againſt him, or infer upon that poſition, VVhat ſhall we ſay therefore? Say what you can: he doth provoke every man, to tell him what they can ſay againſt this, God loved Jacob, and hated Eſau.
Then in the ſecond place, (having made this challenge, what can we ſay and infer againſt this holy poſition,) he delivereth that concluſion, which in all likelihood, fleſh and blood was ready to make and bring in: And that by way of interrogation, is there therefore unrighteouſneſſe with God? what canſt thou ſay, is there unrighteouſneſſe with God? to this he anſwereth Negatively, no, and that not barely, but anſwereth it by way of deteſtation and abhorring ſuch a concluſion, as groſſe and abſurd, ſaith he, God forbid: Shall we conclude, God is unrighteous? no, and that he denyeth moſt emphatically, and powerfully, and thereunto the Apoſtle ſubjoyneth a further and more ſpecial denyal of that groſſe concluſion, by a more ſpecial refutation, in the 15, 16, 17, and 18. verſes; but, to keep within the compaſſe of this 14 verſe, wherein is contained the Apoſtles challenge, the particular concluſion, and the powerful denyal: And firſt of all briefly to open the ſenſe of the words.
VVhat ſhall we ſay then?] Theſe words are to be underſtood, with reference; VVhat ſhall we ſay therefore? in the 13 verſe, where the Apoſtle bringeth in God ſpeaking from the teſtimony of the Prophet; I have loved Jacob, and hated Eſau; and they are thus to be conceived, VVhat ſhall we ſay therefore? ſee what concluſion we ſhall infer.
Is there unrighteouſneſſe with God?] Shall we hereupon bring and infer this concluſion? that therefore there is unrighteouſneſſe with God, becauſe God did from everlaſting purpoſe and decree, out of his mere good will and pleaſure; Jacobs eternal ſalvation; and alſo before the world was; out of his free good will and pleaſure, (nothing moving him) Eſau's rejection, that therefore God is unjuſt, and unequal, becauſe he ſo dealt with equal perſons, in his Juſtice and mercy?
God forbid.] Oh far be it from us, let us never entertain ſuch a thought in our hearts, that God ſhould be ſo unequal, and ſo unjuſt, and that he dealt not according to the rule of equity and Juſtice. So then thus briefly conceive we the meaning of the Apoſtle, What ſhall we ſay? what concluſion ſhall we infer? that God did love Jacob, and hate Eſau, ſhall we thereupon make this concluſion and inference, that therefore God is unjuſt, and unequal, and that God proceedeth not according to the rule of equity and juſtice, (God dealing ſo unequally with perſons that be equal,) out of his mere good will and pleaſure? Oh no, far be it from us to infer that, the Lord keep us from bringing in ſuch a concluſion, ſuch an abſurd inference, the Lord keep us from uttering of ſuch a thought.
Come we now to ſuch things as may be obſerved out of the words of this verſe, and may be for our inſtruction. And firſt of all, note how confident the Apoſtle is, and reſolute upon the truth of it, that he provoketh any, to tell him what he would ſay againſt it; what ſhall we infer? what inference, or what concluſion can any man bring upon this poſition, that God loved Jacob, and hated Eſau?
And beloved, not to ſtand upon this, Thus confident ought we to be, in delivering the holy Word of God, and in preaching the truth of God; we are ſo to deliver Gods truth, and (eſpecially material and fundamentall truths,) that we may be able to avouch it againſt all gain-ſayers, and all that come againſt us, we muſt be able to challenge and avouch it to any man, and ſay, this is the holy and Divine truth of God; and to this purpoſe is that in 2 Tim. 2.15. That every Miniſter muſt ſtudy to ſhew himſelf a workman that needs not be aſhamed, dividing the Word of truth aright; and in Titus 1.9. He doth affirm, that the Preachers of the Word muſt hold faſt the faithful Word, and let none wring it out of their hands, and that according to doctrine, that he may be able to inſtruct the people of God by wholſome doctrine, and alſo reprove them that gainſay it, and refute them, whatſoever they be, that gainſay it; thus confident ought every Miniſter of the Word to be.
This ſheweth and diſcovereth unto us, Ʋſe. that many are juſtly to be blamed and taxed, that deliver their Doctrines careleſly and looſely, and alſo their Applications without any ground of truth in Gods Word, that when any come to object againſt it, they flye from it, and ſay it is the opinion of this or that man, of this or that Father, of this or that ancient Doctour, nay it may be of ſuch or ſuch a Poſtiller, or ſuch a Popiſh Doctour: Oh this doth not agree with the power, authority, and majeſtie of the Word of God: we ought to deliver the Word of God with ſuch power, as we may ſtand to it, and not flye to Fathers, or Doctours, or Poſtillers.
In the next place, obſerve we, our Apoſtle having delivered this holy truth of God, grounded upon the truth of God, (touching Jacob and Eſau,) he knew that ſome, out of their natural reaſon and underſtanding, would be ready to cavil againſt it, and to make a wrong concluſion of it; he knew that ſome would ſtagger at it, and wreſt and pervert the truth of God, and would draw from it this concluſion, (therefore God is unjuſt,) ſo that the Apoſtle is forced to cry out, VVhat ſhall we ſay then? is God unjuſt? hence the obſervation is this,
Doctrine. That the holy truth of God it is ſubject to miſconſtructions, to be perverted, and to be wreſted, and to have falſe inferences, and wrong concluſions, and forced opinions wreſted from it: Mans carnal and corrupt reaſon doth commonly pervert the holy truth of God, the doctrine of piety; yea, though it be made known to be the holy truth of God, yet mans carnal reaſon and underſtanding is ready to pervert it, and to force wrong concluſions from it. And for the farther manifeſtation of it, read Rom. 3.8. there it is ſaid that the Apoſtle was blamed, that he ſhould ſay, that we might do evil, that good might come thereby, Becauſe the Apoſtle ſaith, that by our wicked lives God was glorified; ſo we read of the Sadduces, Matth. 22.23. they laboured to pervert the truth concerning the reſurrection from the dead, and to draw from it a groſſe abſurdity, that if there were a reſurrection, how ſhould a woman that had ſeven husbands, know whoſe wife ſhe was: but Chriſt telleth them they are deceived, not knowing the Scripture: ſo in 2 Pet. 3.16. the Apoſtle ſaith ſome did pervert and wrong the Goſpel to their own deſtruction; and in Eſay 52.6. the Prophet ſpeaketh of the niggards, the niggard will ſpeak like the niggard, and in the middle of the verſe he ſaith, that he will ſpeak falſly againſt the Lord; he will labour to bring an untruth from the truth of God, that thereby he might have ſome ſtrength to his niggardlineſſe, that he might make hungry the weary ſoul, and cauſe the weak to fall. And (not to adde further teſtimonies of Scripture,) common experience doth ſhew the truth of it, for whence come errour and hereſies, but out of this bitter root, that men do abuſe and pervert the Scripture, and make men believe, that God ſpeaketh that in his Word which he ſpeaketh not; and make that the purpoſe of the Holy Ghoſt, which was never his purpoſe; as Papiſts, Anabaptiſts, and Separatiſts, and other erring ſpirits do; whence cometh it, but that they faſten their errours upon the Word of God? whence cometh it that men go on boldly in their ſins? but that they draw falſe concluſions from the Word of God: as in that the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Tim. 5.8. they that provide not for their own, are worſe then Infidels: and therefore may they upon this ground, practice the damnable ſin of uſury, and extortion, and of covetouſneſſe, and of hoording up, and alſo uſe fraud, coſening and deceit, and all unlawful meanes to enrich themſelves; ſo again, ſome out of Exod. 22.25. where the Lord ſaith, thou ſhalt not oppreſſe thy brother with uſury, Oh (ſay they) I may practiſe the ſin of uſury, if I do not oppreſſe; mine is not a biting, but a toothleſſe uſury; ſo that here is a wrong concluſion to imbolden men in ſin: ſo ſome hearing the ſpeech of Chriſt, the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, therefore (ſay they) we may upon the Sabbath uſe our recreations, and ſports, and paſtimes, and we may walk to Tavernes, and Ale-houſes: Oh what a groſſe concluſion is this, forced on the truth of God! ſo I might inſtance in many more, to ſhew how mans nature is ready to pervert the truth of God.
Ʋſe 1 Firſt of all, this holy truth of God is to be conſidered by us that are Teachers, and Preachers of the Word of God; it muſt teach us our Leſſon, that we delivering the holy truth of God, we are not to think it ſtrange, or to ſtand amazed, and wonder at it, that men ſhould pervert that truth, and wreſt wrong concluſions from it, yea draw ſuch things as are not thence to be drawn, and force ſuch concluſions as we never thought upon: Neither are we hereupon to ſhut our mouthes, and reſolve with Jeremiah, I will ſpeak no more in the name of the Lord, my words are wreſted and perverted: But we muſt remember, that the holy truth of God is ſubject to be perverted; yea it is an argument that the truth we deliver is a ſure truth of God, becauſe the devil and his inſtruments rage ſo much againſt it, and becauſe carnal men, and unſanctified hearts and ſoules, do wrangle againſt it, we muſt not therefore be driven away from delivering the truth of God, but we muſt be comforted in the truth.
Again, this being ſo, that the truth of God is ſubject to be perverted, Ʋſe 2: and to have wrong and falſe concluſions drawn from it; ſurely then let us take heed how we do either hear, or read the Word of God: I do not diſſwade any man from hearing or reading the Word of God; but take heed how we read or hear it: for the adulterer or the prophane Sabbath-breaker, or any other can draw a concluſion from the Word of God; but take heed what we conclude from the Word of God. And know, it is not enough for us, that we are taught the Word of God truly, and live under a good Preacher, a holy and faithful Miniſtery, as many do to increaſe their deep condemnation; but we muſt remember, that ſo great is the corruption of our hearts and underſtanding, our judgments are ſo perverted, and ſo out of order, that indeed unleſſe they be ſanctified and renued by grace, they are ready to pervert the truth of God, and wreſt wrong concluſions, eſpecially if that doctrine be applyed home particularly, and brought home to our ſoules; if we touch their careleſſe bands, or the long ſhaggy hair of their heads, then they ſtartle and flye, and fume out againſt the truth of God: ſurely beloved, this concerneth us; for if the Word did not flye home to our hearts, to the particular ſins we are guilty of, then they would lye ſtill; but, becauſe it doth, Oh what a ſtir, what a ſtriving, what a combuſtion there is about ſuch a matter, as the ſhaggy hair, careleſſe bands, and ſuch like. And therefore we muſt come to the truth of God with holy and ſanctified hearts, as God ſaith, Luke 8.15. the good ground that receiveth ſeed, receiveth it with an honeſt and good heart: and that thou mayeſt have it indeed, obſerve theſe two things.
Firſt, labour to empty thy ſelf of all pride,Directions how to hear profitably. 1 Pet. 2.1, 2. and ſelf-conceit of thy own Judgment, of thy own will, and come to the hearing and reading of the Word of God with an humble heart, with meekneſſe of ſpirit, lay aſide pride, and ſwelling conceits, and lifting up of the mind, (that thou canſt underſtand it better then the Preacher,) yea trembling at the holy Word of God: for as the Prophet ſaith, Eſay 66.2. To this man will I look to him that trembleth at my words; not to him that ſitteth as a Judge; and in Pſal. 25.9. and the 14 verſe, The ſecrets of the Lord ſhall be revealed to them that ſtand in fear and reverence of his holy Majeſtie;Sequitur ſuperbos ulter à tergo Deus. and for the want of this fear and reverence, and awe of this great Majeſty of God it is, that men do dare to be ſo bold, as to draw ſuch concluſions from the Word of God; for then are men onelyonly fit to hear and read the Word of God aright, when the pride of their heart is brought down, and the ſwelling of their reaſon is brought down and humbled, when carnal reaſon, and natural affections are laid aſide, and brought under by ſome afflictions: a man that is under the hand of God, in ſome affliction, in ſome great diſtreſſe, then he is moſt tractable, and then he will hear you, when at another time he will kick and ſpurn againſt you, in time of health, and ſcorn the Miniſter and the Word; but in time of ſickneſſe, now ſend for the Miniſter, now call him, then they are fitted to receive his counſel: therefore learn to lay aſide all pride of heart.
Secondly,Direct. 2. we muſt come to the hearing and reading of the Word of God with a heart lift up unto God in prayer; as we muſt come empty of pride, ſo alſo lifted up in prayer; never touch the Book of God, but lift up thy heart unto God in prayer, to give thee a right underſtanding of his Word, not as many do ruſh upon the book of God careleſly, and never pray unto God to guide them in the truth of it: for no man doth know the will of God, unleſſe God giveth his Spirit; the book of God is a ſealed book, and a book locked up, impoſſible it is to underſtand it, unleſſe God by his Spirit open it, 1 Cor. 2.11. No man knoweth the mind of man, but the spirit of man; ſo no man knoweth Gods ſpiritual mind, but his Spirit: a man may be diligent in hearing and reading the Word of God, and yet underſtand it groſly, becauſe the Lord doth not guide him, and becauſe he prayeth not unto God to be guided, and directed in the hearing of it; remember to lift up thy heart unto God in prayer, for want of which, many hear & read from time to time, and after much reading and hearing are never the better. It may be thou art a man of great knowledg and wiſdom in the world, yet in compariſon of Gods wiſdom in his Word, thou art a fool, and muſt caſt away all conceit of thy own righteouſneſſe, and underſtanding, and come trembling to the Word of God, and not read it (as many do) to jeſt and make themſelves merry at it: ſhall the Lyon roar, and none of the beaſts tremble? ſhall the Word of God be read, and we jeſt at it for our merriment? Oh rather labour to come with an humble heart, and hearty prayer unto God, and then thou ſhalt be kept from perverting the Word of God.
VVhat ſhall we ſay then? is there unrighteouſneſſe with God? God forbid.
IN theſe words our Apoſtle ſtoppeth the mouthes of carnal Reaſoners, VVhat ſhall we ſay then? is there unrighteouſneſſe with God? is therefore God unequal and partial? is God therefore unjuſt in his dealing? no, ſaith the Apoſtle, far be it from us. You ſee then the Apoſtle doth utterly diſclaim that direful concluſion, that becauſe God hated Eſau, and loved Jacob, and that freely, without any reſpect to the one or the other, or any thing foreſeen in them; therefore God is unjuſt and partial, and unequal in his doings with men; this the Apoſtle renounceth and diſclaimeth. I will not here, as ſome would do, run out into the common place of Gods Juſtice, to an extravagant diſcourſe, and ſtand to avouch, that God is juſt, holy, and righteous, and we are ſo to acknowledge him; But keeping my ſelf, as near as poſſibly I can, to the Apoſtles meaning, and not to flye out to that which is not pertinent to the text. And hence note we thus much,
Doctrine: That God is moſt juſt, in his free, and in his abſolute and eternal decree, both of election and reprobation. The Lord having from everlaſting, e're the world was, freely, without reſpect had to any thing, either good or evil, purpoſed and decreed ſome particular perſons amongſt men, out of his mere good will and pleaſure to life and ſalvation, and as freely rejected others for ever: he is therein moſt juſt, and that free and eternal decree of God is alſo moſt juſt, and holy, and righteous; for why? we muſt conſider God in this act, in this buſineſſe of his decree of ſalvation, and rejection, not as a Judge, but as a Soveraign Lord, as having mere and abſolute power over his creatures, to do with them what he will, and as being not bound to any creature in any kind whatſoever, not reſpecting the fall of man, or this or that particular whatſoever; no, he hath abſolute power, and authority to chooſe ſome, and reject others, without any injuſtice, or any wrong at all, whatſoever fleſh and blood, or the carnal reaſon of man doth imagine, he hath ſoveraign power over his creatures, and that he holdeth, God is God alone, and it is his prerogative royal, and belongeth to no creature in heaven or earth, to do with his own what he will, Matth. 20.15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? this is Gods prerogative, and peculiarly belongeth unto him; ſo in the 15 verſe of this Chapter, he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy: The will of God is the ſoveraign cauſe of all righteouſneſſe, and the primary cauſe of all things holy, juſt, and good, becauſe God willeth it; though it ſeem harſh and hard to fleſh and blood: The things amongſt men, willed by men, muſt firſt be good and juſt, and then willed of them; but what God willeth, it is juſt, and holy, and righteous, becauſe he willeth it, it is far otherwiſe with God then with men; for the decree of God is abſolute, free, and eternal decree, is holy, juſt, and righteous, willed by God, becauſe it is the decree and will of God, who cannot decree unjuſtly, or will amiſſe.
And by this we muſt learn to acknowledge, Ʋſe. that God is righteous in all his decrees touching man, and we are to reverence, (Oh take heed of quarrelling,) we are to reverence and adore the holy, and eternal decree of God, both of election and reprobation, as holy, juſt, and righteous, whatſoever our corrupted reaſon doth or can ſuggeſt againſt it, we muſt adore, and reverence his free, and abſolute, and eternal decree, even that decree by which he decreed the rejection of ſome, without reſpect to any thing in man, or foreſeen in man, freely he did it, whatſoever our carnal affections gain-ſay it. Some Divines there be, as Arminius, and thoſe that are his followers, do ſay and hold, that God did from everlaſting decree to ſave ſuch men, as ſhould in time by faith lay hold of his mercy when faith is offered unto them in Chriſt. And that God did decree to caſt off others, which did caſt off Chriſt, and reject his mercy; which opinions of the Arminians and Anabaptiſts alſo, is not onelyonly groſſe and erroneous, but it doth croſſe the drift and purpoſe of the Apoſtle in this very Chapter, and it maketh the Apoſtle here to call a needleſſe doubt, and to take upon him to prevent ſuch an objection, which no man of wiſdom, reaſon, judgment, or underſtanding would make, and ſo make an abſurdity in the Apoſtles ſpeech; for what ſhew of injuſtice is there in God, in mans reaſon, (to God no farther) if ſo be this were true, that God did decree in time to ſave ſuch as ſhould truly believe in Chriſt, and reject thoſe that ſhould reject grace, and not believe in Chriſt, what ſhew or ſemblance of injuſtice were here, if this were true? I appeal to your ſelves, any reaſonable man, let him tell me, how is this unjuſt? how is this unequal, and partial dealing in God? even to the reaſon of man, if this were true? it is juſt with God to ſave a ſoul that believeth, and reject an unbeliever; this is Juſtice, here is no ſhadow or ſhew of injuſtice, and then the Apoſtle needeth not to break out in this pathetical manner; VVhat ſhall we ſay, Is there unrighteouſneſſe with God? and then the matter of election, and reprobation, would not ſeem ſo harſh and hard to fleſh and blood. And ſo we ſhould make the Apoſtle by this kind of reaſoning to fight with a ſhadow, and to combate with the ayr, and to go about to prevent an objection, that no man of reaſon would make. No beloved, we need not to make theſe concluſions, or to frame such a lye for the Lord, Job 13.7. ſo to go about to make excuſes to clear Gods Juſtice, that God did decree to ſave ſuch as ſhould believe, and to damn ſuch as ſhould not believe; But we may ſafely and boldly affirm it for certain truth, that Gods eternal, free, and abſolute decree, both of election and reprobation, it is juſt, holy, and righteous; yea though God hath from everlaſting, and before the world was, (not from the fall of Adam, as ſome imagine,) freely out of his mere good will and pleaſure, purpoſed and decreed the ſalvation of ſome, and the rejection of others, and their caſting off for ever; yet we need not ſeek to find out ſtarting holes to defend Gods Juſtice, for he is the ſoveraign Lord, and may do with his own what he will, and no man can call him to account, and ſay, Why doeſt thou ſo? therefore let us ſtill lay aſide our carnal reaſonings, and humble our ſoules to the truth of God.
Obſerv.Again, Obſerve we further, the Apoſtle having here ſaid, Is God therefore unrighteous? becauſe he loved Jacob, and hated Eſau, freely, nothing moving him thereunto? I ſay, having delivered this, the Apoſtle preſently ſubjoyneth a flat denyal, and he ſaith, no, God is not herein unjuſt; and he doth not deny it barely, but his denyal is with a deteſtation, with an abhorring of it, (abſit). God forbid: he doth not ſay, Is there unrighteouſneſſe with God? no, but he joyneth, God forbid. Oh far be it from us to infer ſuch a concluſion, to bring in ſuch an abſurd inference: hence then obſerve we thus much from the Apoſtles manner of denyal, viz.
Doct. That we muſt not onelyonly diſclaim errours, and erroneous opinions, and groſſe concluſions, (that ſome do force from the holy Word of God, eſpecially fundamental errours, that are againſt ſome fundamental truth,) we muſt not onelyonly diſclaim them, but abhor them, yea we muſt diſclaim them with a deteſtation, and abhor them with an hatred and loathing: Not onelyonly ſay, I renounce Popery, or this or that errour, but hate it with an utter deteſtation. And to clear this a little further, it is the exhortation of the Apoſtle, Rom. 12.9. abhor that which is evil; not only abſtain from it, but abhor evil, that is, evil in opinion, and alſo any moral evil whatſoever; yea the word foreign, is very ſignificant and weighty, it is as much as if the Apoſtle had ſaid, Let errour, evil in opinion, or any manner of evil whatſoever, be hateful and odious to thee as hell it ſelf, ſo ponderous is the word; and in Pſal. 119.113. ſaith David, I hate vain inventions, they are odious and hateful unto me: and in verſe 128. therefore I eſteem all thy precepts to be right, and I hate every falſe way: and in Pſal. 139.21. ſaith David, Do not I hate them that hate thee, O Lord? yea in the 22. verſe he ſaith, he hateth them with a perfect, and unfeigned hatred: ſo alſo in 2 Theſſ. 2.10. Receive the truth with love unto it; and by the rule of contraries, Deteſt errours with hatred to them, eſpecially thoſe that are againſt ſome fundamental truth of God, hate them unfeignedly
Reaſon. For why? errour and ſin is hateful and odious to God himſelf, it being contrary unto the truth of God, and againſt the nature of God, which is good in it ſelf: And we profeſſing our ſelves to be the children of God, we muſt endeavour to be like our heavenly Father, who doth not onelyonly diſlike and diſapprove ſin, but he hateth it, but he hates and abhors it, Prov. 6.16. theſe ſix things doth the Lord hate, yea ſeven doth his ſoul abhor: yea it is worth our marking, in the 17. and 18. verſes, God doth not onelyonly hate ſin, ſaith Solomon, but he hateth the very members of the body which are the inſtruments of ſin; as the haughty eye, and lying tongue; he doth not onelyonly hate the pride, and the lye, but the haughty eye, and the lying tongue, and the heart of wickedneſſe, and the feet running to miſchief; ſo odious and hateful is errour and ſin to God: therefore we muſt herein endeavor to be like our heavenly Father, and not onelyonly diſclaim errour and ſin, but hate it with a loathing deteſtation, like unto God our Father, yea hate the members of ſin.
Ʋſe. Upon this ground of truth it followeth by way of Uſe and Application, thnt it muſt be far from every one of us, we profeſſing through Gods mercy the holy truth of God, and the holy religion of God, which now ſtandeth in force and authority amongſt us, we muſt take heed that we be not indifferent perſons, perſons of indifferent minds, in reſpect of the errours of Popery, Anabaptiſme, or any other errours whatſoever, not caring what end goeth forwards, or what Religion is in force, whether Papiſtry, or the truth or no, but diſclaim them, and hate them with deteſtation: And it is but a phantaſie, and a dream of ſome of the Polititians, and Politick heads in this age, that turn Religion to a matter of policy, that forſooth there may be a pacification between us and the Papiſts in matter of Religion, and there may be a mixture of our Religion with Popiſh Religion, if there were but a moderation, and a yeelding of both ſides; this is abominable and odious to make this compoſition of Religion; for why?Againſt Tolleration. the Religion we hold and profeſſe, it is grounded upon the holy truth of God, revealed unto us out of the holy Scriptures: and the Popiſh Religion is contrary unto it, and doth overturn, and throw down, the truth of God, yea it doth overturn all the Articles of our Chriſtian Religion, in their tenents, and therefore in the 2 Corinth. 6.14. ſaith the Apoſtle, What fellowſhip is between light, and darkneſſe? What agreement between us and the Papiſts, in matter of Religion? therefore we muſt hate their religion.
And to ſtirre us up unto this duty, there being never more need then now, wherein many men of unſtable, and unſanctified hearts, begin to link and encline to Popery; let us therefore know, that we do not truly diſclaim and hate Popiſh religion, unleſſe we hate them, and account their Poſitions as dangerous, and ſuch as will deſtroy our ſoules, if we cleave unto them: howſoever ſome ſay they cannot endure Popery, yet aſſuredly unleſſe they hate it with unfeigned hatred, they do not aright deteſt them: for when men begin to ſpeak favourably of Papiſtry, and of Anabaptiſme, and of other errours, and ſay they have ſome truth in them, and they begin to like of them; theſe men do not as they ought to do, they do not hate and diſlike errours and falſe doctrines, but aſſuredly a thouſand to one, in ſhort time they will be inſnared, and intangled with the poſition of Popery or Anabaptiſme, as the holy Prophet ſaid to the people, 1 King. 18.21. how long will ye halt between two opinions? this is not to go out in the right profeſſion of the truth with unfeigned hearts, aſſuredly, he that loveth God, and good things, will hate evil; as, he that loveth chaſtity, will abhor uncleanneſſe, and filthineſſe; he that loveth juſt dealing, will hate coſening: he that maketh conſcience of the Sabbath, cannot endure the prophanation of the Sabbath; ſo he that loveth the truth, will diſclaim all errours, as Popery, and Anabaptiſme, and ſuch like fooliſh opinions; as if a man ſee a Toad, a Serpent, or Snake, he will flye from it, it being poyſonful, and hurtful, and not receive that for his nutriment, which he knoweth will procure his detriment.
And therefore let us never reſt untill we find a deteſtation in us of Popery and all other errours, and then we ſhall be ſure to ſtand faſt in the true Religion, in the middeſt of Popery: if Popery ſhould come, (as God forbid it ſhould,) we might by our hatred of it, be kept from embracing it: therefore labour to hate and deteſt it.