Confession of His Faith, Chapter 3 · Section 5
SECT. V.
2. THe word Merit also is very ambiguous. 1. Sometime it is materially§. 5. taken for that which by the proportion of its worth to another deserveth somewhat answerable in Commutative Justice. In this sence our Divines use the word, against the Papists commonly, *Mereri enim est actus justitiae commutative: ideo aequalitatem operis & mercedis requirit. Paraeus in Matth. 25. 20.when they say that which Meriteth, must not be due to the other, must advantage him, must be proportioned to the Reward, &c. 2. Sometime it is taken for some desert by eminent service for the Commonwealth, above what the Law of that Commonwealth imposeth: as Davids killing Goliah; the acts of his worthies, Sampsons exploits, &c. which a Rector, as such, among men, is obliged in Justice to Reward, both for the common good thereby advanced, and for encouraging of gallant men. 3. Sometime it is taken for desert by so perfect obedience to the Rector as is very eminent and exemplary, or as perfect as he can require: Such as Adams in Paradise should have been. 4. Sometime it is taken for an act of meer love, supposed to deserve a return of love, though the party beloved receive no benefit by it. 5. Sometime for some eminent expression of that love, as by venturing ones life, or losing limbs or life in anothers cause, and for his sake, though he receive no benefit by it. 6. Sometime for very great sufferings or losses sustained in the execution of some commands, which it is supposed deserve some reparation, or benefit from the Commander: as maimed Souldiers deserve to be maintained. 7. Sometime it is improperly taken, for the performance of any condition to which a Reward is promised by the Rector, though it advantage him not, and have no proportion to the Reward, and were it self due; yet because the work pleaseth him, as being a thing he loveth, therefore he promiseth the Reward, and upon these two grounds conjunct▪ the vertuousness of the work, and the Obligation of the promise, they call the performance of the condition, Merit: much more, if any of the former concur. 8. Sometime it is taken for any performance of the condition of a Promise or Gift, though the nature of the condition be not so much positively to please, as negatively not to displease. As in a free gift, where naturally among all men these three conditions are supposed. 1. That you reject not, nor despise the gift, but accept it. 2. That you be not unthankfull. 3 That you abuse not him that gave it, as to spit in his face, or se…k his dishonor or death. And though the acts may be positive, yet it is rather a not displeasing, then a positive pleasing, which they are required for. 9 Sometime it is taken for any duness of a Benefit or Right to a thing, though by absolute gift, or natural Inheritance, &c. 10. Sometime for a meer comparative worthiness: as when two men, who do neither of them properly deserve well, yet one is far better then the other, and is said to be more deserving then he, that is, less undeserving: Or if one of them must have the benefit, he is the fitter. 11. Sometime for any acquisition. 12. And sometime it is taken in sensu forensi, for the Merit of the cause, as to the judgement to be passed. And so Lawyers say that every cause hath Evidence and Merit: and they define Merit, thus, Meritum causae est in quantum Juri Congruit, quod rectè estimatur ex sententia juris & aequitate, as Dr. Zouch saith. 13. Sometime it is taken for the fitness of any thing in Nature, Art or Morality, to be esteemed and denominated good, according to its Nature. As every good Work, or gracious inclination deserveth to be esteemed as it is. So he that performeth Christs conditions, deserveth to be esteemed or Judged a performer, and not a non-performer thereof. For every thing is worthy to be judged to be what it is. So Goodness or Amability is called Merit, because every thing deserves to be loved and accepted, so far as it is good and lovely: and consequently to be lovingly used. 14. Lastly, Merit is oft taken in an ill sence, commonly called Demerit, for the desert of some evil.
Now among all these senses, it is not fair to condemn any man of Error for the bare use of the word, till you know what sence he takes it in. Yet do Mr. E. and Mr. Cr. make me as bad or worse then any Papists, who own not the very word at all, in that whole book, which they write against: But only say, that improperly and largely it maybe thus taken, that is, will bear such a sence.
All these forementioned sorts of Merit are not properly called Merit. I was about setting down how many of them may be owned, and how many not, in our case, as to the matter, without looking to the propriety of the term Merit. But it would be too long, and you may partly gather it from what is said before, and it is not hard to see it in the nature of the thing, for the most of them. And therefore leaving every one to judge of the Matter as they see cause, How far Man hath any of these things, by men called Meritorious? I shall only speak to the very Word, according to my intent. And I shall speak my thoughts in these two conclusions following.
1. I do think it unfit to use the term Merit of any Actions of man, as to Gods Mercies or Rewards, and that Divines should agree together to disuse it, and reject it, and express their minds by some fitter terms.
My Reasons are these. 1. Mans heart is proud enough without such Instigations: We have more need to contrive all the most effectual convenient means, for the destroying of this most dangerous Master sin: and even to fit the very terms of our Doctrine to this end. And though the matter that some intend by the term Merit, have no tendency in it self to our puffing up, and we must not disclaim obedience, for fear of being proud of it, yet the term doth so strongly savour of more then any sober Christian may arrogate to himself, that I think it unsafe.
2. Or if it should not be so to the judicious, yet it is to the vulgar, who will use the word in imitation of them, when they cannot imitate them in the Caution and Interpretation.
3. The holy Scripture useth this term sparingly (I mean the words of the same signification) if at all; which many learned men do question. And we have great reason to use it as sparingly.
4. In its most proper sence, as it signifieth that which is Not due; which is to the benefit of another; which hath any proportion to the Reward, &c. Yea, or but any one of these, it cannot be used by us but with arrogant presumption, and such, as if it be heartily done, is destructive to our Christianity, and inconsistent with sincerity. It is not fit therefore ordinarily to use a phrase, though improperly, which is so dangerous in the proper signification. We know how we speak it, but we know not how others will understand and receive it.
5. The estate of man since his fall is so depraved and miserable, that it beseems him to speak in answerable language. For the poor to speak proudly, a sinner to use Arrogant terms, is an unnatural and unexcusable Error.
6. It sounds as a contradiction to the very design of the Gospel. God hath contrived the abasing of man before he glorifie him, and the honoring of Christ and Free-Grace by mans humiliation: and to take men off all conceits and confidence of proper Meriting, before he ever give them a tast of Reconciling Grace. Now to use such arrogant words, how well soever we mean, is to cast a stumbling block in the way of our Brethren, and to make an appearance of resisting Christ, and sacrilegiously violating the Temple of his Glory. All Christs true friends and followers should be tender of his honor, and study the advancement of his blessed ends, especially being so sweetly suited to our Necessities, as the way of Love and Free-Grace is; and not causelesly to run into such foul appearances and occasions of evil.
7. The very Phrase of Merit (if I may judge of others by my self) hath somewhat in it that is ungrateful, and of a displeasing sound to a Christian ear. I never hear it applyed to mans actions towards God, but me thinks there is something within me that disliketh and abhorreth it. The very work of the spirit of God upon a Christians heart, abasing him in himself, and carrying him out to Christ, hath methinks a Reluctancy against, and a distast of such terms as these, and is offended at them, as the senses at that which doth annoy them. And how unfit and dangerous a course it is, for Ministers to use such words, which sound so ungratefully to every gracious soul, is not hard to Judge. For my own part, it never entered into my thoughts, to my remembrance, to approve either of the term or proper sence, how ever Mr. E. and Mr. Cr. unworthily wrest my words, quite contrary to the most evident sence of them, and the whole scope of the place.
The Lord and my own Conscience know, that my Iniquities are more before mine eyes, and a greater burden is upon my heart; then will suffer me to trust in any Merits of my own, or once to dream that I have such a thing. And though the desire of my soul is to walk with God, and I have tasted of his unspeakable love in his holy ways, and perceived that there only it is that he will be found, and by all the strivings of his spirit against my flesh, and all the workings of Grace upon any depraved heart, I well perceive how God loveth Holiness, and delighteth in Purity, and faithful obedience, and therefore by the Grace of God, I will never think or speak basely and contemptuously of the image of my Lord▪ to gain the reputation of being Orthodox among the most honorable of the sons of men, much less with such as Mr. E. and Mr. Cr. Nor will I sin against the Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier of the Church, by sleighting his blessed work; Yet I seriously profess, that among all the temptations of my life, I have felt so little temptation to dream of Merit, or to take any boldness with God upon confidence of the worth of any thing in my self, or to be lifted up before him upon a conceit of my good deservings, that I know not the best work that ever I did in my life, which doth not more humble me then exalt me, when I review it. I am so Conscious that I have nothing but what I received, and that it is God that worketh both to Will and to Do, and that without Christ I can do nothing, and that my best Actions are so lamentably defective and corrupted, that without abundant pardoning Grace in Christ, they will sink me to Hell, that I look with shame and sorrow on the best of my Works: I know my heart hath pride in it as well as others, and too oft do I feel it stirring in respect to the judgement of man, and otherways against God; but should I glory or trust in any Merit of my works, I should even be brutish in contradicting such a Sun of Evidence, and such lively sence of my own heart. May I take leave to open my heart in this point, and to speak what I feel there, and to lay by all my other grounds that while? it is thus with me: When I review any duty or work that ever I did, I feel no consolation accrew to my soul from it, as a work, or in respect to its value, but meerly Negative: that is, I escape the disquiet and trouble which would follow the contrary: The comfort that I have in this respect is positively none at all: Only I find no reason to discomfort my self for those sins which I never committed, (so far:) Were I a Drunkard, Adulterer, Murderer, &c. I might from the demerit of these expect more sorrow then I have. But yet in other respects I find a positive comfort from Holiness, and Obedience: As conditions of Salvation, they are conditions or occasions of my positive comforts; but not the cause. But as Gods Image, and the things which he loves, & sub quorum ratione, he loveth the soul that hath them. (I am loth to say for them, lest it be mistaken,) so I finde them positively comfortable; as making me a capable object of his Love. And yet further▪ as they do encline the soul to God, and dispose it to Communion with him, in holy Desires, Prayers, Prayses, in the exercise of Faith, Love, Delight, Confidence, Hope, &c. so I finde they are Causes of my Comforts. But I must needs say, that it is far harder to me in these kinds to take half that comfort in my Graces and Duties which I should take, then not to take too much: and I have no need of an Antinomian at my elbow to hinder these consolations, and to say to me, Take heed that you make not Holiness and Duty the Occasion, or cause of your comfort, lest you be a Papist: For I have Satan at my elbow, as it were pleading more effectually, diverting me from that Duty, diminishing the exercise of those Graces, without which God will not be enjoyed, nor my soul maintained in a comfortable frame. To have comfort and spiritual delights in God, from my Graces or Duties in any of these allowable ways, is no such easie matter with me, as that I should need such breath to cool my comforts. I think that were all one, as to say I have need of help to make me less holy, and to destroy my Graces and Communion with God. For the souls Delight and Complacency in God is the height of its Holiness, and the top of all its duties. I do not say that I have no temptation to Carnal confidence in Duties, or that I am not guilty of any such sin; But sure I am, when I take all the helps of consolation together, the Love of God, the Blood of Christ, the Glory promised, the Evidences of my interest, &c. I have more adoe to reach to the thousandth part of that delight and satisfaction of mind which I should have, then to keep it under.
And in this my experience answereth my judgement of the interest of our own Works or Graces in our Comforts. For if we look to the value of them, and the matter of strict Merit, I ever took that which some call Merit to be but▪ A not Meriting the ☜contrary. Even Adam in innocency, had he so continued, had more fitly been said to have not deserved death, then to have deserved-life. And they that believe and obey the Redeemer, may be said, Not to have Merited the loss of Christ and life by a final Rejection of him▪ (though in other respects they might) then to have Merited a part in Christ and life by believing and obeying. Yet dare I not say that holiness and duty hath no positive interest in the pleasing of God▪ because it hath none by way of strict merit: Nor dare I think that it is but Absentia contrarii, and not to be unholy formally that he expecteth: for so a tree or a stone should please God as well as a Saint. And the state of the glorified Saints would soon confute me. So much against the use of the term merit, and in explication and confirmation of the Negative Proposition.
Prop. 2. Aff. Yet where I meet with any sober Oothodox Christians, Prop. 2.who use the word Merit as applyed to mans Actions towards God, meaning thereby no more then is meet: though the term be unfit, I will not accuse such of Popery, or other false doctrine, nor alienate my self from them, nor defame them to the world; but will detest the practises of those that so do.
My Reasons for this resolution are such, as I dare say, all moderate, judicious Divines will allow, what ever furious, factious☞ firebrands may imagine of them.
Reas. 1. The Fathers, and the whole Church of Christ, so far as we are able to judge by their writings, did use the word merit (the Latine Writers) or one of like signification (as the Greek Writers did) for above a thousand years after Christ, for ought I finde, without so much as one contradicting voice. And what man that is a Christian doth not so much Reverence those ancient Worthies, and the whole Church, as to deal tenderly and honorably with them for a word, when they agree with us in sence? And what man that would seem to be a Protestant, dare make all these Fathers, and the whole Primitive Church to be Papists? that hath not a design hereby to set up Popery? For were that true, what sober man would not be strongly tempted to be a Papist?
Reas. 2. All our Protestant Divines that vindicate our Doctrine against the Papists, in this point (so far as I can remember) do unanimously endeavor to vindicate the Fathers & first Churches, from Doctrinal Popery herein, and do interpret the term Merit, as signifying no more then we confess: and so are tender of the honour of the Fathers and Church.
Reas: 3. The first Protestant Princes▪ Churches and Divines, from whom the Reformed Churches had the name of Protestants, in the Augustane Confession (which then was, and still is taken for the fullest test of the Protestant Doctrine among those Churches) do ordinarily use the word Merit. As, Artic. sidei praecip. Art. 6. Semper igitur sentiendum est nos consequi Remissionem peccatorum & personam pronunciari justam, id est, Acceptari gratis propter Christum, per fidem. Postea vero placere etiam obedientiam erga leg…m & reputari quandam justi…iam, & mereri praemia, &c. & de bonis operib: Quanquam igitur haec nova obedientia procul abest à perfectione legis, tamen est Justitia, & meretur praemia, ideo quia personae reconciliatae sunt: & postea, Debet ad haec dona accedere exercitatio nostra, quae & conservat ea & meretur incrementum, juxta illud, habenti dabitur. Et Augustinus praeclare dixit: Dilectio meretur incrementum Dilectionis, cum videlicet exercetur, &c. & de Confess. Monemus & illud: saepe puniri peccata etiam temporalibus poeni… in hac vita; ut David, Manasse, & alii multi puniti sunt. Et has poenas mitigari docemus bonis operibus, & universa poenitentia: sicut docet, Paulus, si nos ipsos judicaremus, non judicaremur à domino. Et poenitentia meruit ut Deus sententiam de delenda Nineve mutaret.
Reas. 4. The Wittenberg Confession useth the word Merit in like manner: yet it is well known that the Lutherans were drawn by the Flac…ian party, to run into the extream, in detracting from good works: as is too evident in many of their writings, Lege Con. schlusselburg. Contra Majoristas & Vossii Thes. de bonis operibus, & Melchior. Adamum in vita Georgii Majoris.
Reas. 5. Our most Renouned Protestant Divines do use the term Merit. Melancthon useth it in his Apology for the Augustane Confession: He and Luther, with the rest of their party, used it in that Confession. Calvin, Bucer and others of chiefest eminency, who are esteemed as of another party, did subscribe to that Confession. As many of the rest did offer to do, and the Lutheran Churches do to this day. And I take the Churches in Denmark, Sw…den, Saxonie, &c. to be Protestants.
Reas. 6. We have made the terms [deserving, and merit] somewhat less culpable, by using them familiarly in an improper sence our selves in our common speech. As is plain in the several instances given, when I opened the divers uses of this word. For example; First, In sensu forensi: we have so used the term Meritum Causae, that it is not very easie to find out another that shall sufficiently supply its place, and be well understood. And we call it Meritum Causae, and say, The cause deserves that the person be justified, even in case of a meer fals accusation brought against him; because every thing and cause deserveth to be Judged as it is. 2. In a legall sence, we have used to say, that an obedient subject deserveth protection, and a valiant souldier deserveth encouragement, &c. though perhaps the Prince were never the better for them, because the ends of his Government require this. 3. In a domestical Government, we commonly say, when one child is loving, thankfull and obedient to the father, when others are disobedient, and contemn him, that he deserveth the love of the father, and consequently the benefits which are the fruits of that love. 4. In Ethical respect, we are wont to say, that goodness deserves our love. Good actions or good persons, or those that love us, or those that run any great hazzards, or suffered much in love to us, deserve to be loved again. 5. Yea, we give the praise of merit commonly to bruits themselves, for some excellencies of nature wherein they excel others. Yet there is so great a distance between God and us, that we should be less bold in our expressions.
Reas. 7. The Scripture useth these words, which we well translate Worthiness, Reward, &c. And how much these are related to merit; and of how neer importance they are to [merit] I leave to consideration. Mr. Eyre saith, that the Scripture useth these improperly; and then why should I censure that man as erroneous, that useth a word of so neer signification or importance improperly?
Reas. 8. Yet neerer; Whether the Scripture contain not those terms applied to mans actions, which may be translated meriting, or merit, &c. some doubt upon these grounds. …. foreign and foreign are found in Scripture: whether these signifie meriting and merit, as well as worthy and worthiness, needs not much enquiry, if we stand to the common Iudgement of Lexicons and Authors. Vid. Math. Martinium Lexic. in verbo Mereor. Perottus, Merere & Mereri significat Dignum esse, cum post se accusandi casum habet, &c. But foreign is commonly translated Dignus. Vid. etiam Martinium in adverbio Merito, et nomine, Meritum. Perot. Dignum dicimus quod Meretur, Scalig. l. 4. Poet. c. 10. Graeci foreign dicunt: unde foreign sententiae quae omnium consensu dignae sunt ut suapte natura sine ulla probatione verae credantur. Erit igitur Dignitas conditio personae, que putatur aut ab omnibus, aut à pluribus, aut à melioribus Digna vel laude vel praemio. And meritum is commonly defined (as Martin. noteth) Actio qua Justum est ut agenti aliquid detur. It is a Righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you that are troubled, Rest with us, when, &c. 2 Thes. 1. 6, 7, 8. As a Righteous Judge he shall give the Crown of Righteousness to all that love his appearing, 2 Tim. 4. 8. He is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love, Heb. 6. 10. saith Martin. Meritò est secundum Jus▪; ex Justa ratione seu causa: How commonly do Philosophers, Zabarel, Zuingerus, Scheggius, and others, saith Goclevius, Lexic. Philosop. in Merito, use the word Merito even for Per or Gratia, and all Latine Authors use meritissimè & meritissimo, pro optimo Jure. foreign saith Beza, proprie de eo dicitur quod aequalis est ponderis ac momenti, translatione à ponderandi ratione sumpta. And from the Apostles foreign, Rom. 8. 18. He concludeth, Sophistae multa de Merito congrui & condigni nugantur; quorum tamen doctrina vel ex hoc loco optimè refellitur. And if à negatione foreign, Merit may be directly confuted; then they think that from those Texts that assert it, and use that word, the use of the term meriting will be justified. And Beza renders it ibid. Minime. Pares, and saith, Ita{que} foreign recte & proprie usurpavit quod nomen testantur Gramatici de iis dici quae appensa ejusdem ponderis inveniuntur, foreign quod quae preponderant lancem attrahant. If so, then foreign and foreign are words of as high a signification as Meritum, and need as much an acknowledgement of impropriety, when applied to mans actions towards God. Tho. Grotius saith, in Mat. 10 10. that foreign Graecis & quae huic respondent Hebraeis ac Latinis non semper▪ foreign sed qualemcun{que} rei convenientiam not at ut liquet, Eph. 4. 1. Phil. 1. 27. Col. 1. 10. 1 Thes. 2. 20. 3 Joh. 6. But whether the word be taken largely or strictly, if it signifie Meritus, the word Merit may seem to be as fitly used, either more largely or strictly. Now that this word is so used of us, and our actions in the New Testament, is plain, 2 Thes. 1. 5. foreign. That ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer. And next follows, for it is a Righteous thing with God, to recompence, &c. Luk. 20. 35. foreign. They that shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, Luk. 21. 36. foreign, that ye may be acounted worthy to escape, Rev. 3. 4. foreign: for they are worthy, Luk. 10. 7. foreign. The labourer is worthy of his wages. So on the evil part, Rom. 1. 32. foreign: worthy of death, and in Job 11 6 the septuagint have foreign, that God exacteth of thee less then thine iniquity deserveth, a… our translation hath it. It seemeth then that there are words in Scripture used as to mans actions Godward, which signifie properly Merit, and therefore must be taken improperly; and so may the word Merit, on the same ground, as well as the word Worthy, which we use in our translation. The same may be said of foreign which is oft used, 1 Tim. 1. 18. the same with that in Luke before cited, foreign. And Heb. 11. 6. God is called foreign, A Rewarder of them that deligently seek him. And his action in rewarding is called foreign: Great Recompence of Reward; or giving the Reward by way of recompence. And its said of Moses, Heb. 11. 26. foreign; he had respect to the Recompence of Reward. Many times is the like word used by Christ and his Apostles. Its true as Grotius saith, that the Hebrew and Greek words, Promiscue Mercedis & Doni habent significationem: quo magis apparet non eam essem vim hujus vocis ut aequalitatem inter sactum & rem desideret. But then he addeth withall: sed neque Latina vox id exigit. Est quidem Merces, ut Varro vult, à merendo: at Merere aut Me…eri Latinis veteribus erat consequi▪ Merces ea quam Deus rependit obedientiae nostrae fundamentum habet in liberali & miserecordi ipsius promissione. Alioqui non digna sunt quae hic patimur, glorioso praemio quod nobis obventurum est. Grot. in Mat. 6. 3. And on Jam. 2. p. 14. he saith also, (mentioning that of Cyprian, preceptis ejus & monitis obtemperandum est, ut accipiant Merita nostra Mercedem) Quo in loco, & veterum aliis, vox Meriti, sic sumenda est, sicut vox Mercedes, non apud ipsos tantum sed & in sacris literis, Mat. 5. 12. & 10. 42. Luk. 6▪ 35. 1 Cor. 3. 14. …imirum non ex aequalitate operis & retributionis, quae hic certè nulla est. Sed ex liberalissima promissione quae laborantibus nobis Jus dat; ita ut hoc negotium ad Donationem sub conditione, quam ad proprie dictam locutionem & condictionem, cui contractui agnatae Mercedis & Merendi voces, propius accedat: quo sensu etiam Paulus dicit redditurum Deum piis secundum ipsorum opera, Rom. 2. 6. quorum operum explicatio foreign per complexione est, Mat. 25. circa finem, redditurum scilicet Judicio non rigido, sed mira quadam clementia temperato, & directo ad naturam benigniss…mi foederis per & propter Christum facti. Moreover, our Divines take the Latin word Merces, not onelyonly to be tollerable, but to be Scripture sence, for they oft retain it in our translations of the Scripture: But it seems the word Meritum hath nothing in it, which should make it much more improper then Merces: for they are both Relatives: and they come both from Mereor.
I must intreat the judicious Reader not to mistake my end in all this, nor to suppose me to conclude contrary to my former Proposition. I stand between two extreams, and therefore must speak against both. I onelyonly hence conclude, that therefore we should not too much quarrell about the bare word, when we agree in sence: nor should we censure any for the bare use of the word Merit, as erring in Doctrine, when it seems to him to be a term warranted by Scripture: But yet where Scripture it self useth a term improperly, we should in our disputes lay by such terms usually, if we have more proper; and where use hath made a term dangerous to the souls of men, it may be fit to forbear it, without necessity, or explication. I have said the more also of this, that it may appear to all impartial Readers, on what grounds, and with what Truth and Modesty Mr. E. and Mr. Cr. charge me with Error, and flat Popery; because that when I was speaking against Merit, I yielded that improperly, and in a larger sence, as Promise is an Obligation, and the thing promised is called Debt or Due, so the performers of the Condition are called worthy▪ and their performance Merit, though properly it is all of Grace and not of Debt. I appeal to any competent Judge, whether these men do not hereby make all the Fathers and Churches of Christ to be Papists, till about Islebius his daies; or at least for above 1000. years after Christ (and I think between that and Luthers time, the doctrine of Merits was not much decayed)? Yea, some will doubt whether they make not Christ and his Apostles Papists? and then no wonder if they make Luther, Melancthon, and all the Protestants that subscribed the Augustane Confession, to be Papists: yea, Bucer, Calvin, and many of the most eminent Divines of his Judgement, who also subscribed, and offered to subscribe the same Confession. I had as live be a Papist with all these, as an Antinomian, calling my self a Protestant. And I think I have said enough to manifest that the Spirit of these two Brethrens writings, is not so like the Spirit of Christ, that covereth his peoples fa…lings, but never accuseth them for truth and duty, as to the Spirit of that professed Accuser of the Brethren, and enemy to the Truth.