The Arraignment of Error, Text (1 of 9)

The Arraignment of Error · Text (1 of 9)

p. 1THE ARRAIGNMENT OF ERROVRS.

MATTH. 24.4, 5.

And Ieſus anſwered and ſaid unto them, Take heede that no man deceive you.

For many ſhall come in my Name, ſaying, I am Christ: and ſhall deceive many.

THe multitude of opinions which are in our dayes (every one of them ſtamped with the name of Chriſt, and claiming his authority;) and the great danger of them, hath been the only inducement to me, to make choice of this text at this time, which God willing ſhall be the examination of many opinions now on foote.

Indeed there have many glorious truths been diſcovered to us, which before were hid in the darke; but when God is communicating truth, then is the time for the Devill to bring forth his ware, and vent his errours alſo. And therefore great care there ought to be, what we entertaine, and how we entertaine opinions; Take heed that no man deceive you: For many ſhall come in my name, ſaying, I am Christ, and ſhall deceive many.

p. 2The text which I have read to you, it is the beginning of Chriſts propheticall Sermon to his Diſciples: Where take notice of theſe two things.

1. The Occaſion of it.

2. The Sermon it ſelfe.

1. The occaſion is

1. More remote, and that was the Diſciples admiration of the building of the Temple, verſ. 1.

2. More neare, and that was the Diſciples queſtions which they put forth, ver. 2.

The Queſtions were three.

1. When theſe things ſhould happen which Chriſt had ſpoke off in the 2^d verſe?

2. What ſhould be the ſigne of his comming?

3. When ſhould be the end of the world? as you ſee verſe 3^d.

2. We have the Sermon it ſelfe, which was upon a double ſubject;

1. Of the deſtruction of Jeruſalem and the Temple.

2. Of his coming to judgement, and the end of the world.

Both which are ſo interwoven, that it is hard to ſeparate them.

Chriſt doth not here anſwer them directly determining the time and yeare when theſe things ſhould be. But he tells them of ſome foregoing ſignes of theſe things.

1. There ſhall be falſe prophets, impoſtors, ſeducers who ſhall come and deceive many.

2. There ſhall be warres, famines, earthquakes, peſtilences, &c. And he doth admoniſh them to beware of the one, and not to be troubled at the other.

My text is a branch of the firſt of theſe, Take heed that no man deceive you.

In the former words you ſhall obſerve a curious inquiſition; here in the text we have,

1. A neceſſary admonition, Take heed that no man deceive you.

2. The ground and reaſon of it, which is three-fold.

1. Multi erunt ſeductores, there ſhall be many ſeducers.

p. 32. Multos ſeducent, they ſhall deceive many. Here was ground to take heed, but yet there is a further ground.

3. Seductionis periculum, the danger of the ſeduction: Which is ſet downe in two things.

1. They ſhall come it my name, foreign, it is read, in my name: Calvin reades it ſub nomine mee, under my name; they ſhall uſe my name as their colour or pretext, the better to ſet off their errours: and there is great danger in that they ſhall come in my name, not that Chriſt ſent them, not that they had Commiſſion and authority from him, as the word is uſed otherwhere; but they ſhall come under pretence of my ſending, in my name, as if I had ſent them, and that is danger. No greater danger of being deceived, then when men come in Chriſts name.

2. They ſhall ſay I am Chriſt: Why but what danger of deceiving them in that that was ſo groſſe an errour, it was ſo obvious to them who had received Chriſt, and knew him, that there was no danger of being deceived by ſuch impoſtors?

But yet here is the danger, 1. They ſhall not ſay they are Chriſt perſonall, but Chriſt doctrinall; they ſhall ſay their opinions are Christs mind, Chriſts will, Chriſts doctrine.

If they had ſaid they were Chriſt perſonall, then how could they come in Chriſts name? they could not ſay they came in his name, and yet ſay, that they were Christ; and therefore I conceive that this is spoken of their opinions that they were to hold forth, that they ſhall ſtamp them with the name and authority of Chriſt, which yet are contrary to Chriſt.

And this makes the danger the greater; 1. They ſhall come in his name; they ſhall pretend they have Commiſſion from Chriſt, Chriſts authority, that Chriſt ſent them.

2. They ſhall pretend their opinions are Chriſts mind, his will.

And when that a deceit is fathered ſo high, when an errour doth claime Chriſts patronage, and comes cloathed with ſuch authority, when it is held forth under ſuch colours, there is great danger of deceiving thoſe who are ſimply honeſt.

p. 4And therefore it hath been the policie of Antichriſt, and of all who have been the patrons of errour either in doctrine or worſhip, to hold out their opinions and doctrines upon the higheſt pretences, to make men more willingly to cloſe with them and ſwallow them: And opinions ſo handed to us, come with great advantage.

Well then, ſeeing there ſhall be many ſeducers, and they ſhall prevaile to ſeduce many; and ſeeing there is ſuch danger of ſeducing others alſo, in regard they come with ſuch ſpecious pretences, giving out that I ſent them, that they have Commiſſion from me, and the opinions they hold forth they are my mind and will, therefore take heed that no man deceive you, Beza in loc.foreign, that no man ſeduce you; ſo the word ſpeaks, whence planus in Latin is taken pro impostore. It is a word doth properly ſignifie to be inticed out of the right way, into woods and groves in which there is danger. As a thiefe doth allure the travellour out of his way, into woods and groves, that he may rob and kill him; ſo the Devil who is the grand impoſtor, doth indeavour to draw men out of the way of life, that he may robbe them of their graces, and murther their ſoules. And therefore take heede that no man ſeduce you, for many ſhall come in my name.

I have the larger inſiſted upon this, that I might in the laying down the parts of the text, convay the meaning of the words to you alſo: Now we come to the Doctrines.

1. That there ſhall be many ſeducers, many erronious opinions before the end of all things.

2. That theſe ſeducers and ſeductions, theſe deceivers and deceits ſhall carry faire pretexts, the ſeducers ſhall come in Christs name, and their ſeduction ſhall be given out to be the mind of Chriſt.

3. That many ſhall be ſeduced and carried away with them. They ſhall deceive many.

4. That the Saints had need themſelves to take heed.

You ſee the ground, many are deceived; and the danger, they ſhall come in Chriſts name, and ſay I am Chriſt.

As we uſe to ſay, we are never deceived but by thoſe whom we truſt, ſuch as make ſhew of honeſty, a knave cannot p. 5deceive us, for we truſt him not. But now ſuch who have ſhew of honeſty, they may eaſily deceive, becauſe we never miſtruſted them, we looked for all good from them, and thought of no deceit. So there is greateſt danger of deceit, when opinions come with glorious b…ites and ſhewes; if men came in their own name, and gave them out for their own opinions, we ſhould mistruſt them, for every man is a liar, the beſt know but in part, but when they come to us under the authority of Chriſt, and are handed to us for the truths of Chriſt, here is moſt danger of being deceived.

And the errours in our time had not prevailed with ſo many, if that the ſeducers had not been ſo ſacrilegious, as to make Christ the patron of them, if they had not baited the hooke with ſuch a glorious bait, if they had not ſaid they came in Chriſts name, and held out nothing but Chriſt, and the truth of Chriſt. Wolves indeed in ſheepes cloathing.

But I speake not of all, God forbid; ſome that ſay ſo, of whom I ſhall be tender, in the diſcourſe, though their opinions may not be received.

But I will not anticipate my diſcourſe. We begin with the firſt doctrine propounded, and it ſhall be the whole I ſhall inſiſt on: And we will give it in theſe words;

That there ſhall be many dangerous and erronious opinions at the end of the world, Doct. which ſhall ſeduce and carry away many.

It was here foretold in propheſie, and it is fulfilled in our dayes. I need not ſpeake to the truth of it, it is plaine enough, he that runs may reade it; I ſhall therefore, omitting that, indeavour to cleere theſe things:

1. I will ſhew you how this may ſtand with Gods ends, with Satans, and with a mans own ends, that there ſhould be erronious opinions.

2. What are the grounds of ſo many abounding errours?

3. Why ſo many are carried away?

4. Who are thoſe that are in danger?

5. What are the Examens, touches or trials, whereby we may be able in theſe dayes of diſpute, to cleare what is errour and what is truth.

p. 66. What wayes God hath left in his word, for the ſuppreſſing of errour, and reducing of erronious perſons?

And I ſhall deſire ſo much from you, being a ſeaſonable diſcourſe, that you would lend me your attention till I have finiſhed it; and then I doubt not, but as it may be a check to the greedy entertainment and confident broaching of opinions, ſo it may be a help unto thoſe that are in the darke, and in ſome meaſure inable them to ſee their way cleare before them, and ſettle them in theſe unſetled times; and through the like bleſſing of God, thoſe who have been carried away, may be reduced out of the wayes of errour into the paths of truth: And if that be the end of the diſcourſe, as it is my end in the undertaking of this diſcourſe, both you and I ſhall have cauſe to bleſſe God; I that I undertooke it, and you that you heard it.

We will therefore begin with the firſt thing propounded. viz.

1. How this may ſtand with Gods ends, to ſuffer many abounding errours and opinions in the Churches. And

1. I ſhall ſhew you how it may ſtand with Gods ends to the good.

2. How it may ſtand with Gods ends to the bad.

1. It may ſtand with Gods mercifull ends to the good,

1. To them brought in.

2. To them in his purpoſe to call.

1. To them brought in God ſuffers errours;

1. To ſift and try his own people; theſe times are ſifting times: As times of calamity, when miſery abounds, ſo times of diviſion when errours abounds, they are times of ſifting; times wherein God will try what mettle you be made of, whether you be corne or chaffe, whether droſſe or gold, whether wheate or tares. He is ſaid in Amos 9.9. to ſift the Nations: I will ſift the houſe of Iſrael, as corne is ſifted in a ſieve, yet ſhall not the leaſt graine fall upon the earth. There is your comfort, not a graine ſhall be loſt, who ever is true graine, who ever is ſound and ſincere, they ſhall never be loſt, God will preſerve them, none ſhall be loſt. Every man hath his houre of ſifting one way or p. 7other, he hath his houre of temptations, and bleſſed are they which indure temptation, bleſſed are they who hold out the triall, James 1.12. A Souldiers valour and courage is not ſo well known in the Garriſon as in the field, there he is diſcovered: So a Christian is not known till an houre of temptation comes, and then he is diſcovered.

Now there are foure things which God puts us on to ſift, by permitting erronious opinions abroad. 1. To ſift our Conditions. 2. Our Graces. 3. Our Grounds. 4. Our Ends. I ſhall ſpeake only to the two firſt, and ſhall take liberty to ſpeake more largely to t…

1. God puts us on hereby to ſi… our conditions, whether we are in ſuch a condition as may fence us from ſeduction, as may comfortably evidence to us, and we may build upon it, that we ſhall not be led away. Indeed we cannot be in ſuch a condition here, but we may be led aſide with ſome errours, we are not perfect in grace, nor are we perfect in knowledge here; the Apoſtle tells us, we know but in part, but we may be, and Gods people are in ſuch a condition, that they ſhall never be led away with deſtroying errours, God will preſerve them from them; he hath promiſed, that his elect ſhall not be deceived, that is in deſtroying undoing errours, this they ſhall not be, Joh. 10.4.5. they ſhall not heare the voice of a ſtranger. And this now puts us upon the ſearch, whether we are in ſuch a condition as thereby we may be perſwaded we ſhall be fenced from undoing errours, that ſuch errours ſhall never prevaile over us.

Now there are 6. Conditions to which God hath promiſed direction in truth, and preſervation from undoing errours; and the ſoule is put on to ſearch whether he be in thoſe conditions.

1. Whether we are in covenant with God; he promiſeth to teach all ſuch, Jer. 31.34. He will teach all ſuch.

2. Whether we be the children of God; there is a promiſe to that, Iſa. 54.13. And all thy children ſhall be taught of God. So Joh. 6.45.

3. Whether we are the friends of God, Joh. 15.15. there is a promiſe to that; henceforth I call you no more ſervants p. 8but friends; for whatever I have heard of the Father, I have made knowne unto you: And the ſecrets of the Lord are with them that feare him, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith.

4. Whether we have the Spirit of Chriſt; there is a promiſe to that, Joh. 16.13. He ſhall leade you into all truth. And you have an unction whereby ye know all things, by which is meant the Spirit, 1 Joh. 2.20.

5. Whether we walke humbly and obediently to every truth revealed, whether we doe anſwer Gods ends in truths already made known, Pſal. 25.9. The humble he will teach, the meeke he will guide in judgement. And Phil. 3.15, 16. As many as be perfect let them be thus minded, and if any be any otherwiſe minded, God ſhall reveale it in his due time: Nevertheleſſe whereto we have already attained, let us walke by the ſame rule, let us mind the ſame thing.

6. Whether we have received the truth with love of it; 2 Theſſ. 2.10, 11. Becauſe they received not the truth with love of the truth, therefore will God give them up to ſtrong deluſions to beleeve lies. Theſe are the conditions in the perſons whom God will preſerve from undoing errours. And now this puts us upon the ſifting of our ſelvs and of our conditions: Ah ſaith the ſoule, there are many errours abroad in the world, if the Lord fence not my heart againſt them, if I ſhould receive them, I am undone; but what aſſurance have I that I ſhall not be led aſide; I ſee others who are men of greater parts, of greater appearing graces led aſide, and what aſſurance have I, that I ſhall not be carried away?

Am I in Covenant with God? am I one of his children? one of his friends? have I the Spirit of Chriſt? doe I walk humbly and obediently to every truth revealed? have I received former truths with love of them? if it be not ſo, I have no aſſurance to be preſerved from ſeducing errours. And thus it puts the ſoule upon ſearch of his condition.

And that is the firſt, God ſuffers errours to ſift his people, firſt, to put them upon ſearch of their conditions.

2. God permits it to ſift our graces; and this will try you to the back: There are 5. Graces God doth now ſift in his people.

p. 91. Their Knowledge, here God tries y…r knowledge, how you have thriven under meanes, what knowledge you have to diſcerne betweene errour and truth, light and darkneſſe. God expects after all the meanes you have had,foreign. Col. 2.….Col 2 that you ſhould not ſtill be children, but men in knowledge, and that you ſhould be able to diſcerne betweene light and darkneſſe. As we reade of a full aſſurance of faith, ſo we reade of a full aſſurance of knowledge, ſome that are weake in knowledge, ſome ſtronger; God doth by theſe, try what your knowledge is, under all the light you hauehave injoyed.

2. God doth now try your Love, whether or no you will adhere to his truth, whether you will hold cloſe to him, and not ſuffer your ſelves to be rent away, and carried away with every wind of doctrine. God expects that we ſhould be rooted and grounded in love. Epheſ. 3.Eph 3And now he would try your love, your love to God, your love to Chriſt, your love to truth; men that have not received the truth with the love of it, that have entertained it into their heads, but not into their hearts, into their underſtandings, and not into their affections, will now certainly in this time of temptation foregoe the truth, even truths profeſſed, truths preached, truths contended for formerly. The head is no ſafe casket to hide and lay up truth in, it is eaſily ſtolen away if lodged in no ſafer a place. But now if you have entertained it with love, you will maintaine it too, you may as well take away their hearts, as take away their truth, it is lodged there; nay this love hath changed the heart into the nature of it, truth doth ſo, where it is received with love. And hence it is that Gods people, they have a riſing of heart againſt errour, when they want an argument againſt it, and they have a love to truth when they cannot maintaine and diſpute it. As you ſee the Martyrs in Q Maries dayes, they could ſay they could burne for Chriſt, though they could not dispute; they were notable to maintaine the truth with their heads, but they could with their lives; they could not give them reaſons againſt their errours, but they could lay down their blouds. As a godly man ſaid once, he would deſire no other confutation of Arminius, but p. 10the work of regeneration … any holy heart; there was in every diſpoſition of a gratious heart, a reall confutation of all his tenents.

3. God would hereby ſift your Zeal… whether or no you will contend for the truth, as you have it expreſt it. Jude 3. E…arneſtly contend for the faith, which was on… delivered to the Saints. God will now try whether you will contend for the truth,Rev. 1.3.Rev 1:3 or whether you will beare with them that are evill. Thus God tried the Church of Pergamus, Rev. 2.14, 15. and he blames them for their lukewarmeneſſe, that they had no more zeale to oppoſe thoſe errours which were vented in their times. Gods people though they be little, when they be to deale with God, duſt and aſhes, as deale for God, and they will not brooke with errour. You ſee the hot contention between Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Peter, what zeale and affection Paul did ſhew for God: and all was, becauſe they did not walk according to truth, as you reade, Gal. 2.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. As Moſes would not yeeld to Pharaoh, not in a hoofe, the Orthodoxall Chriſtians to the Arrians not in**foreign. a letter, an Iota, a title; nor Paul to the Jewes, no not for an houre, ſo the ſoule who is zealous for God, he cannot brooke with errour, nor can he yeeld to any thing contrary to the truth of God.

4. The fourth grace God would ſift, is our Stabiſity, whether or no we are bottom'd and grounded in the truth; whether we have that full aſſurance of underſtanding, Col. ….2. whether we are eſtabliſhed in the truth; or whether ſo unfixed and unſtable, that we are carried away with every wind of doctrine; of ſuch the Apoſtle ſpeakes of, Epheſ. 4.14. Many Chriſtians that are as 'twas ſaid of R…uben, Gen. 9.4. as unstable as water, that are found according to the veſſell which doth containe them, poore Chriſtians, that are up and downe, not only weake in knowledge, but they are fickle in their underſtanding, like ſoft wax, now receive this impreſſion, this ſtamp, but are ready to receive another when ever it is impreſſed: And this doth ariſe not only from weakeneſſe of the underſtanding, but want of p. 11firmeneſſe of underſtanding, from inconſtancy of ſpirit.

Now opinions will try your stedfaſtneſſe, ſee how you are ſetled, how you are bottom'd; when a streame comes you know it takes away what ever lies looſe upon the banks, but thoſe things which are ſetled, trees and ſuch things that are rooted, it cannot ſtirre: men that are not rooted in the truth, are in danger to be carried away with errours, they are like looſe things upon the banks: but ſuch as are rooted and grounded they abide, nothing ſhall move them from their ſtedfaſtneſſe.

But are all thoſe that abide rooted? Object.

No. There are many who are rooted in ſin and errour, Anſw that are not moved; men may be fixed in errour, as well as firme in the truth, their fixedneſſe, as the others unſetledneſſe is their ſin.

5. The fifth grace God would fift, and that is your Sincerity; your grounds, your ends, upon what grounds you have entertained truth, and for what ends: Oh there are many in the world, that doe adhere to truth upon eaſie grounds, upon poore reaſons, low conſiderations. Some that have entertained truth only by tradition, they were borne in theſe places where Religion is eſtabliſhed, and therefore are of this Religion; and if they had been borne in Turkie, had they no better principle, they would have been of that too.

Some that have entertained truth me…rely for gaine, and doe adhere to truth as the Ivie to the tree, not becauſe it loves it, but becauſe it is nouriſhed by it. Others upon other grounds; becauſe their Fathers, their friends were thus of this mind. Others becauſe ſuch Learned men, and great ones are of this mind, they p…ne their f…le … their ſleeves; the Jews but this argument, which of the … lers beleeve in him. Others becauſe of other grounds: … John ſaid to the elect Lady, whom I love for the truths ſake. They often love the truth ſo the Ladi… ſake, … other reſpects.

Now at ſuch a time as this, when errour have been a bread, if there be any grounds upon which you have entertained p. 12truth, but meere love to the truth, you will never hold out. If you have entertained it upon other grounds, or doe cloſe with it upon other ends then ſuch as are ſincere, you will never hold to it. God will try your ends, what ends you have in adhering to truth; if it hath been for the world, it may be as much of the world ſhall be propounded to you in a way of errour, and then you are gone. He that will ſerve God for the world, will ſerve the Devill for the world; he that will for bye respects cloſe with truth, will for the ſame reſpects, if they weigh down the other, cloſe with errour, if they doe but outballance them, if more weight be caſt in he is gone: He that ſerves God for a little, will ſerve the Devill for more; where he can mend his wages, he will give his ſervice. Errours are great trials of our ſincerity, what our grounds and what our ends are; if you have entertained truth meerely for corrupt grounds, its poſſible you may mend your ſelves, by entertaining of an errour, and then you are gone.

And therefore to diſcover ſincerity, God permits errours in the Church, as you ſee it 1 Cor. 11.19. I heare there are diviſions among you, and I beleeve it, for there muſt be hereſies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest: and as they try, ſo they doe diſcover our ſincerity to our ſelves, to God, to others, by which meanes we are approved.

And this is the firſt mercifull end which God hath to his people in permitting errours in the Church, to ſift his people.

2. A ſecond mercifull end which God hath to his own people in the permitting errours, viz. to exerciſe and quicken our graces. As God ſuffers corruptions in our perſons to exerciſe and quicken us, he could as eaſily deſtroy them, as ſubdue them, unbe… them, as conquer them; ſo he ſuffers errours in his Churches, on purpoſe to exerciſe and quicken his own people. We had need of quickning: rather then God would ſuffer his people to be dead, he ſuffers the Canaanites to be as thornes in their ſides: and rather then dead, he ſuffers errours in the Church, and if there be any life in you, this will quicken, this will raiſe it. God hath p. 13on purpoſe permitted in all ages ſome errour or other on foote, to exerciſe the graces of that generation; the Fathers were famous in their times for contending againſt the errours of their dayes. Augustine was famous in his Conteſts againſt Pelagius, Athanaſius in his againſt Arius, Cyrill in his againſt Neſtorius, Gregory Nazianzen in his againſt Macedonius, Leo in his againſt Eutyches, Hierom in his againſt Jovinianus, Ruffinus, &c. Every age hath had its poiſon, and its antidote. There was never any generation, but as there were ſome ſuffering truths in it, ſome truth that perverſe generations would not cloſe withall, ſo there were ſome infecting and poiſoning errours; in former times the abounding errours were the errours on the left hand, and God grant that the ſpreading errours now be not errours on the right hand: The Devill hath been ſo long beaten at the other, that now like a wily ſerpent he will goe and change weapons, he hath long been a prince of darkneſſe, who hath ruled in the children of diſobedience, and now he would become an Angel of light, if poſſible to ſeduce the children of the light. You have ſomething of that inſinuated in the text; Deceivers ſhall come in Chriſts name, and ſay of your opinions, loc here is Chriſt, and this is high deceit. It may be God will exerciſe this generation with more of this kind then others, becauſe they have learn'd Chriſt better, they have more knowledge, he hath done more for this generation then any other, and therefore God may exerciſe us more then others: And this is another end God hath in permitting errours, to quicken and to exerciſe the graces of his people. And there are foure graces or gratious diſpoſitions that God chiefely aimes at to exerciſe in his people by this ſuffering errours abroad.

1. He would exerciſe their knowledge, or rather their conſcientious ſtudy and ſearch, to know the mind of God more fully. God would put them on to reade more, ſtudie more, converſe more, to ſearch the Scriptures more, to examine what is truth, and that diligently. Many that are too much of Gallios temper now, of whom you reade, when he heard of thoſe things which Paul preached, it is ſaid, he cared not for thoſe things. This is a prophane temper of ſpirit, and is naught. A man may p. 14as, well reject truth as errour, if a man doe not try and examine, for ought he knowes he hath rejected a truth inſtead of errour, if he doe not ſit down to examine what is truth, and ſearch whether it be an errour or a truth, how ſhould he be able to cloſe with the one, or reject the other. There are many that reject the opinions of theſe dayes for errours, becauſe they will not be troubled to ſearch and examine them whether they be truths or no. We are commanded to try all things, 2 Theſſ. 5.21. and how ſhould we be grounded and eſtabliſhed in the truth, or know truth from errour, if we doe not ſearch into the mind of God, and learne what is his mind and will. 1 Joh. 4 1. Beleeve not every ſpirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God anno. Many a truth is rejected in theſe dayes, becauſe many an errour is entertained; You doe by opinions as you doe by Pamphlets, becauſe there be many lies abroad, therefore you will not beleeve truth. Certainly this is that which God preacheth to you, in theſe times by the multitude of opinions, to ſearch what is truth, to take more paines, to examine and ſearch out the mind of God. It is not enough with Pilate to ſay what is truth? and then ſit ſtill, as many doe aske queſtions, rather for diſcourſe ſake then out of deſire to be ſatisfied; but you muſt ſearch the mind of God, inquire diligently.

2. God would now exerciſe your zeale of love, if you have any love in you, ſhew it to the Lord, love is a zealous affection. We ſay the fire burnes the hotter for the cold weather, the colder the weather, the hotter and more ſcorching is the fire, it is per Antiperiſtaſin: ſo the more errours abroad, the hotter will your love and zeale burne to the truth, and in the truth. As the bellowes blow the fire and intend it, ſo doth this oppoſition intend our affections the more, or love to God, to truth, to others.

3. God doth it to exerciſe a dependentiall faith upon God, that he would not ſuffer us to be carried away with errour. If you have any faith, you will now exerciſe it, faith to beleeve promiſes; he hath ſaid, we ſhall be taught of God, he hath ſaid, he will leade us into the way of all truth &c. here is faith exerciſed to cloſe with promiſes, to ſue out promiſes, and to depend on God for the performance of them. Oh now the ſoule p. 15gets to a promiſe, finds ſweet there, and ſome ſtay it the midſt of his unſetledneſſe, now he eſteemes a promiſe above a world.

4. A fourth grace God would exerciſe is, the grace of prayer: Now will the ſoule goe and improve all his intereſt in Heaven, that God would leade him into the way of all truth, that he would not leave them to be carried away in any way of errour. Now doth the ſoule ply the throne of grace indeed, tells God of his pliableneſſe to entertaine any truth of God, truth with penury, truth with priſon, truth with any affliction; now he goes and tells him how willing he is to let in any light of God, his eyes ſhall be broad open to receive what God ſhall reveale; now he goes and beggs for the Fathers teaching, the Spirits leading into the way of all truth, profeſſing the univerſall willingneſſe of his ſpirit, to cloſe with naked truth upon any termes. Such diſpoſitions are now drawne forth, which perhaps had no occaſion to appeare all thy life before; and there is comfort in exerciſe of them, the ſoule is comforted in their actings, although he cannot yet find what is the will and mind of God. And this is the ſecond mercifull end God hath to his people, in the permitting and ſuffering errours, as to ſift them, ſo to exerciſe them.

3. A third mercifull end which God hath to his people in ſuffering errours, and that is to make his people keepe more cloſe to him, and more cloſe to his word; theſe we put together, though they are two things.

1. To keepe more cloſe to him for counſell, inſtruction, direction, who is the Prophet of his Church; who hath undertaken to leade and guide his people into the wayes of truth, to guide us with his counſells, and this makes a ſoule to keepe cloſe to God, to lie at his feet for inſtruction and direction, it brings a man to immediate dependance upon God.

2. To keepe us cloſe to the word, the written word of God, that our faith may not be built and founded on man but God. In pictures the further you goe from the originall the mo…e unlike they grow; if you draw a picture by the originall, by the perſon himſelfe, it may be ſomething like, but draw another picture from that picture, though it may be like the picture, yet it is leſſe like the perſon, and the further you goe from the p. 16originall the more unlike it is, that if at laſt you come to compare the picture with the perſon, though one picture might reſemble another, yet the laſt picture was nothing like the perſon; now there is no way to rectifie this, but bring this picture to the perſon, to the originall, and there, upon compariſon with it to mend it.

We have had too much of this divinity in our times, firſt we have drawne plat formes out of the word, then built upon them, and drawn deductions and conſequences from them, and then conſequences from thoſe conſequences, till at laſt they be nothing agreeable to the originall the word of God. Now God ſuffers errours to ariſe, moſt of which will be found to be bottom'd upon falſe deductions and conſequences drawne out of the word, many opinions built and faſtned on them. And God ſuffers this, to bring us back to the originall the word of God, that there we might rectifie all.

We have taken up too many things on truſt, and our faith hath been too much built upon man, the judgements, writings and opinions of men, which are but ſandy foundations. God whips us from it now, by ſuffering ſo many errours to ariſe, and all this to bring his people to the word, to live upon the word, that our faith might be reſolved into God and not man. Iſa. 8.20. To the Law and to the teſtimonies, if they speake not according to this word, it is becauſe there is no light in them.

4. A fourth mercifull end, God ſuffers it to commend his love to them, in preſerving them from the poiſon and infection of errour; to give you a tast and experience of his goodneſſe in keeping of you, that you are not carried aſide with the wayes of errour. And this doth exceedingly take the heart, and raiſe it up to praiſe him. Oh ſaith the ſoule, Lord, others of greater parts, and greater abilities, thou haſt ſuffered to be led away, and carried away with errour, how comes it that thou haſt preſerved me? This ſets off and commends Gods love, and raiſeth up the heart in praiſes.

5. A fifth mercifull end, to diſcover to us that it is not by our own ſtrength we ſtand, but by the ſtrength of Chriſt. As we are kept in grace, ſo we are preſerv'd in truth; and the Apoſtle tells us, We are kept by the mighty power of God through p. 17faith. When you ſee errours to abound, and ſee them prevaile with ſo many others, men of greater parts and abilities, when you reade that they ſhall prevaile with them that ſhall periſh, oh this makes the ſoule keep cloſe to Chriſt; and herein doth God diſcover it is not our ſtrength but his, whereby we are preſerved in a way of truth, and kept from errour.

6. A ſixth mercifull end, to make us prize truth more while we live, nothing doth ſo much inh…nch and raiſe the eſteeme of truth, then errour; It may be before you had low eſteemes of the truths of God, you did not value them and pri…e them as you ought, you caſt them aſide; but now you take them, lay them up, hide them in your hearts; you value of a truth as your beſt riches, your honour, your treaſure, the comfort in life, and ſupport in death. When there are many falſe pearles, falſe ſtones abroad, it will make men gather up the true ones, and if he have ſuch, to value of them; When there is much counterfeit and light gold abroad, it will make men to value of good gold, you ſhall ſee good gold, ſuch as hath abidden the touchſtone, it is all gathered up and preſerved at ſuch a time as this is. So when errours are abroad truth is then of value, oh then every truth is entertained. Before truth was looked upon, but found little entertainment, if it got any, it was in our houſes, in bookes, or in our heads only; but now it finds welcome and entertainment in the heart. Naked truth, ſuffering truth, perſecuted truth, it is now entertained, truth is welcome any way. And it is now own'd in the authority of it, in the Majesty of it, as a King to rule and governe us, we will not rule it no more, but it ſhall rule us. It is own'd in the latitude of it, in the extenſiveneſſe of it, extend it as farre as you will, its welcome in its largeneſſe, it is own'd in the univerſality of it, all truth, ſuch as makes againſt you, as well as ſuch as makes for you, they make for you in that they make againſt you, for your ſoules, though againſt your ſins. If ever truth be valued, if ever it appeare worth ſomething, it is at thoſe times when errours abound. You ſee how the many falſe relations abroad, doth make men value of a true relation, if they can meete with a friend or a booke that ſpeakes true and impartially, they value much of it; and what's the reaſon, becauſe of the falſe relations p. 18abroad, this heightneth the eſteeme of truth. So here, the many errours abroad, is a great meanes to heighten and advance truth, and to make that great. And therefore God doth permit errour to advance truth, that truth may be more glorious in it ſelfe, and more glorious to us.

7. A ſeventh mercifull end which God hath in ſuffering errours and erronious opinions to abound, is, to make his people watchfull and wary of what they doe receive.

There are many glorious truths to be revealed towards the end of the world; great things are ſpoken of the latter dayes, for glorious revelations of the truths of God. And there is many dangerous and fearfull errours that ſhall come abroad at that time too, as Chriſt doth here foretell. And it is a greater mercy there ſhould be many then if there were but few, if there were but few, we ſhould take them in with truth, but being many, divers of all kinds, it makes the people of God watchfull and carefull what they entertaine.

There are ſo many truths now to be made known at the end of all things, that if there ſhould not be many errours, and thoſe dangerous errours alſo, we ſhould be in danger to receive all under the notion of truth, to cloſe with all, and ſwallow all that comes under that pretext. Where now by the aboundance of errours, we are made more wary, more watchfull. If it be given out that there is a great deale of falſe Coyne, of light gold abroad, it will make men carefull of what they receive, which if it were not ſo, we ſhould receive all that comes; So here, certainly God would by this permiſſive providence of his, have us take heed as well what we heare, as how we heare, he would have us to take heed what we receive. God ſeemes to ſpeake, he would have us to entertaine truth not traditionally, but knowingly, not becauſe it is the mind of ſuch and ſuch men, but becauſe it is the mind of God; not becauſe diſcovered by ſuch and ſuch men, but becauſe revealed of God.

In our dayes, in regard of the multitude of errours, God ſeemes to ſpeake to you, to be more then ordinarily wary in the receiving of truth, to receive it knowingly, weightily, humbly, to receive it after ſound debates, not ſuddenly, leaſt you be deceived p. 19with an errour: Let it paſſe through all debates, before it be received under the notion of truth.

We have ſome things that are meerely divine, and there is no debate to be in them, if a toole come on this Altar it defiles it.

Some things which are mixtly divine, and thoſe admit of debate. The Apoſtle tells us of two ſorts of truths; 1. Foundation truths; 2. Building truths, 1 Cor. 3.10, 11, &c. There are ſome truths that are to be entertained without debates of reaſon, they are to be beleeved as ſoone as revealed, faith is required to the entertainment of them: As God in the Trinity of Perſons and Ʋnity of Eſſence, Chriſt in his Perſon, hypoſtaticall Union of Natures, the work of Creation, the Reſurrection;aaRationes precedentes fidem, minuunt fidem, ſubſequentes augent. here faith muſt goe before reaſon, beleeve and know; It is an unſound opinion,bbƲbi definit ratio incipit fides. where reaſon ends faith muſt begin, here reaſon muſt not begin at all, reaſon pollutes, its corrupt, and will corrupt theſe; theſe are ſupra above, though not contra rationem, againſt reaſon.

There are ſome truths againe, and that is moſt of thoſe which are in dispute and debate now adayes, and they are not to be entertained without long debate, diſpute, holy reaſoning. You are to uſe all your knowledge and Chriſtian wiſdome, and all your skill in the word of God: all your prayer and ſeeking. A man may entertaine a truth as well as an errour too quickly: that is when he entertaines it upon truſt, or without debate, or becauſe others ſay it, or practiſe it, or becauſe at firſt view it ſeemes like a truth, this is to entertaine it too quickly: the Church of Epheſus is commended for her patience, Rev. 2.2. And this may be one part of it, one branch of her patience, that ſhe had tried them which ſaid they are Apoſtles, and found them liars, and this was not done ſuddenly, as the third verſe implies.

So let this be your commendation, that you have tried thoſe opinions that carry the higheſt pretext, that you have not been apt to beleeve every spirit, but you have tried the ſpirits, and the doctrines, &c. before you have owned them.

You would not take a man into your houſe that you knew not, and will you entertaine any thing into your heart? you would have tried ſervants, ſuch ſervants as are known, ſuch husbands and wives, of whoſe goodneſſe you have p. 20heard, and will you let in a truth and not try it? What ever you entertaine as truth, you are to be ſubject to it, and will you be ſubject to errour? You are to maintaine truth, to part with goods, to endure friends to become enemies, to part with liberty, life, for truth; And ſhall I not try it, ſhall I doe all this for an errour? Indeed if you were to doe with truth as ſome others can, that can take them up for their occaſions, and lay them down againe at pleaſure, that can embrace them and renounce them when they pleaſe, then you did not need ſo much curioſity in ſearch, but when you are to entertaine truth as you doe your husbands and wives, till death ſeparate, nay to take it not only till death, but to all eternity; this ſhould make a man conſider, and not be too light of his beleefe and entertainment of truth.

Again, if thou were to entertaine truth as a ſervant only, that ſhould only ſerve thy uſes, and be ſerviceable to thee, as many doe with truth, they aske what it can doe for them before they entertaine it, if it were to be ſo entertained, then there need no ſuch great triall; that truth that would be moſt ſerviceable to thy eſtate, and advantage thee moſt in the world, thou mightſt embrace, Religion were then nothing but a policie: But being to entertaine it as thy King, not to ſubject it to thee, but thy ſelfe to it, not to have it to moove according to thy mind, but thou according to its motions; this ſhould make thee conſider before we entertaine.

Againe, if that we might entertaine a truth as we doe only our goods into our houſes, that would not endamage us any way; though they bring in nothing, yet they would not endamage us, then the matter were not ſo much. But when we are to entertaine truth, as that which muſt live on us, that for which I am to part with relations, with comforts, with riches, with eſtate, with liberty, with life; Beleeve it, it would make a man in earneſt, and try throughly before he doe entertaine a thing for truth, and to be ſure that God ſaith it.

But adde to this, your ſoule may depend on it, and that to eternity, and not only thine but thy poſterities too; how many families in this Kingdome that are Papiſts, upon no other ground then their ancestors were; and doth the ſoule of me, p. 21my child, husband, wife, &c. depend much on me? and ſhall not I be wary what I entertaine? ſurely no honeſt heart but will. Well this is another ground or end, God ſuffers errours, that we might entertaine opinions warily, drop by drop is the beſt receiving of opinions. We are commanded to buy the truth; and ſurely the errours that are abroad, tell us it is to be bought by retaile, in parcels, not by whole ſale in the groſſe, for feare of receiving errour as well as truth: there are many cheating chapmen abroad, falſe lights; I name none, I aime at none in particular: There are ſuch who huoſterize the word, adulterate, ſophiſticate the word. And what's that? they mingle truth, and errour, linſey woolſey. And if you take up all in the groſſe you may be deceived, therefore beware, try before you truſt, examine, ſearch. Take heed that no man deceive you.

And thus I have ſhewed you the firſt, how it may ſtand with Gods mercifull ends to thoſe who are brought in, that there ſhould be many errours.

II. We are now come to the ſecond, how it may ſtand with Gods mercifull ends to thoſe who are not yet called, but in his purpoſe to call. And it may ſtand with Gods mercifull ends to thoſe yet in his purpoſe to call, or thoſe who are not yet called and brought in.

1. To be a meanes to awaken them, and put them upon the ſtudy and enquiry after truth; the aboundance of errours abroad, may put men to ſearch and find out what is truth; when you ſee men up in armes as it were, in hot contentions to find out what is truth; who, ſave only Atheiſts, but will think themſelves concern'd in it; every one will think, ſurely it is their buſineſſe alſo, and ſo will fall upon inquiſition and ſearch of it. If there be any thoughts of eternity in you, if you be not Atheiſts, if you doe conceive there is a Heaven and a hell, and that errour leades one way, and truth the other, it cannot be but that aboundance of errours abroad muſt awaken you, and put you on to enquire, to heare, to reade, to confer, to endeavour to find out truth.

It was the multitude of errours, which put Luther to ſearch out what was truth, if there had not been ſo many errours, it might be he had not enquired and ſought out truth; the like I p. 22may ſay of Calvin and others, and the errours and corruptions in worſhip, impoſed, did put on us to the triall of the whole, and made us more ſtrict to examine the bottomes whereon we ſtood.

2. God ſuffers it to beate them off their ſandy foundations whereon they build. As it is a meanes to put you on to ſearch what your foundation is whereon you build, the bottome whereon you ſtand, ſo it is a meanes to beat you off your ſandy foundations. When a man ſees aboundance of opinions abroad, one ſaith this, another that, ſure it will make a man to put the queſtion to himſelfe, upon what foundation doe I ſtand, what is my bottome? And how can he have any reſt till he have gotten a better foundation to build on, a foundation which none of theſe opinions can ſhake and unſettle; when he ſees ſo many faire buildings, ſpecious ſtructures to fall down, and not able to ſtand out the blast of triall and temptation, becauſe they are houſes built on the ſands; It will make a man to enquire after the rock, and endeavour to build there, that when the wind blowes, yet the houſe may ſtand firme. This is the different working which opinions have upon the good and bad, upon ſuch whom God hath a purpoſe of good unto, and upon ſuch that he will not own. That the one, the multitude of opinions doth draw him away, or elſe Atheiſt him, that he will be nothing. The other it doth un-atheiſt him, put him upon the ſearch and examination what is the truth of God; One he is now more formall, and minds no more but meere formality, to goe to Church, and ſay over a prayer, and if God will ſave him with that well and good, he will doe no more; The other, theſe things doe fire him out of his formality, and he can have no reſt till he come to ſome bottome to ſtand on: And that is another end God hath, he would awaken, and beate us off our ſandy foundations.

3. God ſuffers multitude of opinions, and out of mercy to them who are not yet brought in, to clear the way unto thoſe who are not yet brought into the ways of grace, that when they are brought in, they may be able to ſee their way more clearely. As we our ſelves doe receive a great deale of light and benefit by the ſufrings and claſhings of others; If there p. 23had not been ſuch claſhing and diſputing in former ages, our way had not been ſo cleare to us, in many glorious truths; So here God ſuffers it, that posterities may inherit the benefit, that after ages might be able to ſee more clearely what to doe, and what is truth.

It is a great favour for a man that muſt goe a way dark and knotty, to have one goe before him not only with a light to diſcover the way, but with a weapon too, to cut down thoſe cumbrances which are in the way, that there may be nothing to hinder the paſſage; oh how ſweetly, how evenly and quietly a man may goe! Such gracious ends hath God to after generations, by ſuffering theſe multitude of opinions and errours to ariſe in our age and generation. Seldome was any truth diſcovered and cleared, but ſome errour or other was the occaſion to draw it out; The point of Free grace, in oppoſition to mans free will in the work of converſion, had not been ſo fully diſcovered, if that Pelagius had not broached that errour, that man might be ſaved if he would, that he himſelfe might beleeve, repent if he would; which occaſioned Augustines ſo full debates and cleare ſetling of the truth.

The freeneſſe of Gods grace in the work of juſtification, that it is of meere grace, had not been ſo fully cleered to us, if it had not been for the errour of the Papiſts, that it was of works and not of grace.

So the doctrine of predestination, that it is of grace and not of faith and works foreſeen; the contrary errour brought out this truth and helpt the full birth of it.

So the doctrine of the Sacraments, the ſtability of Gods Covenant with his people, perſeverance of the elect: All theſe and many thouſand more, whoſe birth hath been helped by the publiſhing of errours, the publiſhing of errours have been a meanes to the cleering of the moſt precious truths we have, which had not been ſo cleere to us now, if that there had not been a cloud of errours over them before. Nay I ſay ſince the defection of the Church, and the univerſall corruption by Antichriſt and popery, there hath ſcarce any glorious truth been cleared, or diſcovered but by oppoſite errour. Errour hath been a meanes to help on to ſift, and to find out truth. As we bring p. 24fire out of flint by ſtriking it, ſo out of theſe claſhings truth. Nay you ſee in Scripture that the publiſhing of errour was a good meanes or help, or gave occaſion to the publication of many glorious truths of God. Acts 15. you ſee there the errour which was then broached to the diſturbance of the Churches of Antioch, was the occaſion of the ſetling and clearer revealing of the oppoſite truth.

The Jews errour of being juſtified by the Law, and looking for righteouſneſſe thereby, was an occaſion of the publication of the uſe of the Law, the impotencie of it to juſtifie and ſave, together with thoſe glorious diſcoveries where and in whom mans righteouſneſſe did lie.

Againe, The errour that men needed not to looke to their walking and obedience, ſeeing we are juſtified by faith only, gave occaſion to the diſcovery of many precious truths touching works and obedience to be annexed to faith, not to juſtifie our perſons, but to juſtifie our faith; the obedience of faith juſtifies our perſons; the obedience from faith juſtifies our faith, which you ſee it is the great ſcope of S^t James to cleare in the ſecond chapter throughout.

The doctrine of Chriſtian liberty by Chriſt, gave occaſion to ſome to publiſh, that they were ſet at freedome from obedience to Magiſtrates in the Lord and for the Lord; and others uſed it as an occaſion of ſcandall to them that were weake, and thought that they had liberty to eate of meate offered to Idols, though the weake were thereby ſcandalled and offended, yet why ſhould not they uſe their liberty. I ſay theſe two errours which were ſtrong in thoſe times, and ſeemed to be founded on the doctrine of Chriſtian liberty which they were to maintaine gave occaſion to the publication of many precious truths, concerning the due bounds, limits, reſtraints and extents of Chriſtian liberty, by two great Apoſtles Paul and Peter: Paul dealing with Chriſtian liberty in points of ſcandall, 1 Cor. 8.9, 10, 11. Take heed least by any meanes this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weake: And Peter dealing with it in point of diſobedience, as you may reade it at large, 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 15, 16. Submit your ſelves to every ordinance of man as free, yet not uſing your liberty as a cloake of maliciouſneſſe, p. 25but as the ſervants of God. So that I ſay, God hath mercifull ends towards them who are brought in, to ſuffer errours to abound, to cleare the way to thoſe who ſhall be called; and he hath ends in reſpect of truth it ſelfe, not only to give occaſion for the publication, but the ſifting and finding out of truth; as you ſee I have ſhewed. And thus much of Gods mercifull ends to them called, and to them in purpoſe to call; we come now to Gods judiciall ends, which is the ſecond particular.

2. As God hath mercifull ends to the godly, ſo he hath judiciall ends to the wicked, in permitting errours abroad; and that

1. To the ſeducers.

2. To the ſeduced.

1. To the promoters. 2. To the receivers of opinions. We will joyne theſe two together for brevities ſake. God may then ſuffer men to be led aſide with errours and deluſions.

1. For the puniſhment of ſome former way of ſin. As a corrupt head will breed a corrupt life, ſo a corrupt life, will breed a corrupt judgement. Sin in converſation, is often puniſhed with corruption in judgement, with darkneſſe in the underſtanding.

God often ſuffers a corrupt judgement, to be the puniſhment of a corrupt life. You walke it may be in ſome way of ſin, and as yet though your affections and converſations are corrupted, yet your understandings they are not corrupted, you ſtill retaine the truth; But ſure it cannot be long before the underſtanding be tainted, before that light which glowes therein is obſcured and put out. It is a hard thing to keepe a ſparke of fire alive, in the midſt of a ſea of water, to keepe a beame of light in the underſtanding, under ſuch darkneſſe in the heart and affection, and ſuch works of darkneſſe in your converſation.

This is ſure, either the truth will make you leave ſin, or your ſin will make you leave the truth. Either that light in you will overcome your darkneſſe, or your darkneſſe will overcome your light. Men that hold up affection to ſin, though not practiſe in ſin, they will betray the light they have, they will ſmother it, put it out at laſt. When men are willing to ſleepe, they will put out the candle, nay and draw the curtaines that no light may come p. 26in to trouble them: So men that are willing to ſleepe in ſinne, they will not only draw the curtaines, that is labour to keepe out the receiving of more light; but they put out the candle, obſcure that light they have, that they may more quietly ſleepe in ſinne, ſinne without diſturbance. Sometimes indeed errour is the cauſe of ſinne, ſometimes ſinne is the cauſe of errour; we will exemplifie this. It may be that a man hath walked in ſome way of ſinne, and will not be reclaimed of it, he hath ſome light within, which gives in teſtimony to his conſcience of the evill of his way, this diſturbs him now in a way of ſinne, but this will not reclaime him of his ſinne, he will ſinne ſtill, but the light within him diſturbs him, he cannot ſinne with that quiet and peace as others doe; and therefore now his corrupt heart begins to undermine the light he hath, the ſtrength of ſin in the affection, begins to darken, and blow up or blow out the power of light in the underſtanding, that he may the better ſinne with peace. And therefore firſt he begins to find out ſome ſhifts for his ſinnes, he will have ſome excuſes, and this is a ſowing of figge-leaves to cover his nakedneſſe: If excuſes and pretexts will not doe, then he begins to diſpute againſt the light, why may I not doe this? is this ſo much to doe? If this will not doe, then he falls to deny the light, and ſay it is a needleſſe ſcruple, tuſh its nothing. And at laſt he comes to take in ſuch an opinion as he may be quiet in his ſinne, as he may ſinne without trouble. And as many errours are bred and begotten out of this, they are but opinions that a ſinfull but troubled heart, have taken up that he may be quiet in his ſinne. So many errours are received too, becauſe they do correspond and comply with their ſinfull and corrupt hearts.

Chriſtians, it may be there be ſome of you that have many truths in you, you underſtand more then others doe, and it may be yea you walke in ſome way of ſinne; that light you have ſtares in your face, gives evidence, beares witneſſe againſt you; yet for all this you will not heare the counſels of truth, you will not take notice of it: yea but doe you take heed leaſt God in puniſhment of your ſinne, doe give you up to a way of errour.

There are five ſins which God doth often puniſh with errour, ſome are intellectuall, ſome are ſenſuall.

p. 271. A wilfull ſhutting out the light when God is comming in with light from Heaven, when he is revealing himſelfe and mind to us, and yet we will ſhut our eyes, we will not ſee, we will not open our eyes nor owne the truth, out of corrupt grounds, feare, love of the world, &c. I ſay this man is in danger to be given up to a way of error, if you will be blind you ſhall be blind, if you will not ſee you ſhall not ſee, as Chriſt told the Phariſees, he preached to them in Parables, that **Quia cum loquebatur perſpicuè noluerunt intelligere, in poe…a… jam loquitur obſcurè. Muſcul.ſeeing they might not ſee, Math. 13.13. This is that Chriſt ſaid to the Jews, Oh Jeruſalem Jeruſalem, how often would I have gathered you together, &c. but now theſe things are hid from thine eyes. Oh hadſt thou known the time of thy viſitation. And therefore take heed of this, if God is comming in with any truth, take heed of wilfull ſhutting of your eyes, either out of pride, corrupt affection, love of ſinne, love of the world, feare of men, this is the way to be given up to errour.

2. When a man doth entertaine the truth of God partially; I ſay partially; 1. In reſpect of the object, not all truth; It may be they will embrace ſuch as may make for them, but not ſuch as may make againſt them, ſuch as whereby they may keep their luſts, their ſinnes too; but not ſuch as may diſturbe them, or are inconſiſtent with their ſinnes. 2. Or partially in reſpect of the ſubject our ſelves, when we entertaine it into our heads not our hearts, the notion of it but not the love of it, when we doe not cloſe with it in our hearts and affections. This you ſee in the 2 Theſſ. 2.10, 11. where there is the ſame ſinne and the ſame puniſhment, becauſe they received not the truth with love of the truth, for this cauſe God ſhall ſend them strong deluſions, that they ſhould beleeve a lie. What is that receiving of the truth with love of it, but receiving it wholy in reſpect of the ſubject, into the underſtanding, will, affection, and the receiving of all truth in reſpect of the object. Men that love truth as truth, doe love all truth, every truth is welcome. A man that loves truth for other ends, he will only entertaine ſo much of truth, as may ſtand with thoſe ends, he will not daſh his own deſigne in peeces: When a man doth entertain truth for ends, will he entertaine ſuch truths as are deſtructive to thoſe ends? A man that loves the Law, or a man that loves Divinity, p. 28he will for it ſelfe entertaine it in the largeneſſe of it; but now he that only loves theſe things for ends, will take in ſo much as may be ſerviceable to him in his practiſe, as a Lawyer, but he cares for no more, for he aimes at profit, not excellency in knowledge. Now this is another ſinne that God doth puniſh with errour, partiall receiving of truth.

3. Entertaining of truth deceitfully; you ſhall ſee many who will give entertainment to truth, but upon what grounds? It is with corrupt principles, upon corrupt grounds, and for corrupt ends, and ſuch men entertaine truth deceitfully, and ſhall not hold it long.

4. Unanſwerable walking to thoſe truths which God hath revealed. You give your ſervants a candle to doe their work by, if they will play, you put out the candle, let them play in the dark, you will not be at coſt to find them candle to play by. God gave the light for this end, that you might know how to walke, and if you will not walk by your light, God will put it out; if you will doe works of darkneſſe, you muſt be in darkneſſe.

It is one reaſon that God doth withdraw the light he hath given, nay and ſuffer men to be given up to wayes of errour, becauſe they walke not anſwerable to the truth received: You ſee this, Rom. 1.21, 24, 25.

5. When a man growes weary of that light he hath, when God hath made knowne ſomething to a man, and becauſe it will not ſuffer him to ſinne quietly, he growes weary of it, or it will not ſtand with his ends and deſignes: You ſee this, Rom. 1.28. Becauſe they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge, therefore God gave them over to a reprobate mind, &c. So when you are weary of your light, weary of Religion, profeſſion, it is too exact, preciſe, too troubleſome, too laborious, too coſtly, becauſe you like not to retaine God, and the wayes of God, therefore God gives you up to wayes of errour. Theſe ſinnes doth God often puniſh with errour, and I ſay more, unreclaimedneſſe under any ſin what ever, will bring in errour.

Object. But doth God puniſh one ſinne with another?

Anſw. As God doth make one evill the cure of another to the godly, ſo he ſuffers one ſinne to be the puniſhment of another to wicked men. As you ſee plaine, Rom. 1.24, 27. 2 Theſſ. 2.10, 11. p. 29So in Pſal. 81.12, 13. My people would not obey, here was their ſinne: Therefore I gave them up to their own hearts luſts: there was their puniſhment, yea and ſinne too. And woe be to that man, to whom God makes one ſinne the puniſhment of another. It is not ſo much to make ſickneſſes, loſſes, death, priſon, &c. puniſhment of ſinne, as to make one ſinne the puniſhment of another. It is better to have any judgement the puniſhment of ſinne, then to have one ſin the puniſhment of another, then to have ſinne puniſhed by it ſelfe. And is it not ſo with you? your ignorance is a ſin, and is it not the puniſhment of neglect of meanes, contempt of meanes, the ſleighting of it? This is a ſtill puniſhment, but God keepe us from it: better any evill, then ſinne to be our puniſhment.

2. A ſecond judiciall end which God hath to wicked men, and it is a ſad one too, viz. for the further hardening of their hearts.

There are many long disputes of Divines againſt the Papiſts concerning hardening of the heart; whether or no God doe harden? the Papiſts charge us in this point, that we make God the authour of ſinne, in ſaying that God doth harden any, though there be many Scriptures that ſpeake plaine. God is ſaid to blind, to harden &c. as you ſee, Exod. 9.12. Exod. 4.21. Ezech. 14.9. Rom. 9.19. He hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he heardeneth.

And God may be ſaid to harden the heart divers wayes:

1. Abſtrahendo, by abſtracting of his grace; take away the light and darkneſſe muſt needs follow,; take away the Sunne, and night muſt needs enſue: So take away ſoftning grace, and man muſt needs be hardned: Joh. 12.39 40.Non malum chirudendo ſed gratiam non concedendo, Aug. Therfore they could not beleeve, becauſe Iſaiah ſaid, he hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, that they ſhould not ſee with their eyes, nor underſtand with their heart, and be converted, and I ſhould heale them.

2. Proponendo, which is objectivè, by propounding objects, by which a mans heart ſhall be hardened, which may be the Word and Sacraments, as you have it, Iſa. 6.9, 10. And oh what a woefull condition, when that which ſhould ſoften, doth harden: Jer. 6.21. Behold I will lay ſtumbling blocks before this people, and they ſhall fall upon them; Chriſt himſelfe is an object to p. 30harden; he is ſet up for the riſe and fall of many &c. and the word is ſaid to be a ſavour of life, and a ſavour of death.

3. Tradendo, by delivering a man up to the Devill to be blinded and hardened: 2 Cor. 4.4. Whom the God of this world hath blinded.

4. Permittendo, by ſuffering a man to harden his owne heart.

5. Efficiendo, actually hardening or induring. I doe not ſay I agree to all theſe; theſe are the ſeverall wayes which are laid downe by Divines againſt the Papiſts, to cleare our ſelves of that charge of ſinne, in ſaying God hardeneth.

But in this diſcourſe of Gods hardening the heart. It will not fall here in controverſie, whether God doth effectively and actually harden, that which I ſay here is permiſſive, and in this all agree. I ſay God permits a man to fall into errour, for the further hardning of his heart. Errour hardens, Iſa. 63.17. Why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes, and hardened our hearts from thy feare; firſt erre, and then harden.

And God permits errours for this end, namely for the further hardening of the hearts of the wicked.

Object. There is an objection againſt this; If it be ſo? It will be ſaid, then God puniſheth one ſinne with another, he puniſheth ſinne with errour, that is, one ſinne with another, and he puniſheth errour with hardneſſe of heart, there is the ſame?

Anſw. Though this be a doctrine much oppoſed by Papiſts and Arminians, and upon this ground, becauſe ſay they, hereby we make God the authour of ſinne, &c. yet as God ſometimes makes one ſinne the cure of another in a godly man, ſo he makes one ſinne the puniſhment of another in a wicked man: You ſee it plaine in Pſal. 81.12, 13. My people would not obey, there was one ſinne; and therefore I gave them up to their own hearts luſts, there is another, and the puniſhment of the former.

And this ſhall ſuffice to have ſpoken of the firſt great head, how it may ſtand with Gods ends, to ſuffer men to be leſ… aſide with a way of errour;2. How errour may ſtād with Satans ends. we now come to the ſecond.

2. As it may ſtand with Gods ends, ſo it may ſtand with Satans ends too.

1. His ends to the good. 2. His ends to the bad.

p. 311. It may ſtand with Satans ends to the good: Satan hath theſe foure ends in the ſetting on foot errours.

1. To ſeduce the godly, to draw them into errour. He attempted this upon Chriſt, as you ſee in his temptation, Matth. 4. and much more will he attempt it on us, having farre more hope to prevaile. Chriſt was all pure, all cleare, all light, and no darkneſſe, and therefore could be no more prevailed upon then to make Heaven, hell; but he knowes we are poore compound creatures, have light and darkneſſe in us, errour and truth, a dark ſide and light; as there is ſomething within us which is an enemy to him, ſo there is ſomething within us which is his friend too, ſomething that holds correſpondency with him, and that is ready to give entertainment and ſet open the gates to let him in, when he comes with a temptation. And if he would attempt it on Chriſt, nay if he were too hard for Adam in his innocency, who had reaſon at will, and wit at command, and grace too, righteouſneſſe at leaſt, and no errour in him, nothing of his ſide, but only this, that he was mutably good, that it was poſſible for him to be ſeduced and drawne away, how much more will he attempt it on us. Its true God hath ſaid, that the elect ſhall not be deceived, they ſhall deceive if it were poſſible the elect, ſaith Chriſt; by which is evident the elect ſhall not be deceived; And he knowes that if they be elect he ſhall not prevaile, becauſe God hath ſaid it: But he knowes not whether they be ſuch or no, though he have ſome gueſſes at it, yet he hath not the infallible knowledge of it; neither hath he entred into Gods eternall decrees, nor can he know the heart, for that is proper to God alone; but though he ſhould know it, yet he would be tampering, he would endeavour to ſeduce the elect. He knew Chriſt was the Son of God, and had heard God ſo declare from Heaven, and yet he durſt venture to attempt to ſeduce Chriſt, or rather, to uſe the words of Scripture, tempt Chriſt; therefore much more will he endeavour the ſame with you, though he ſhould not be able to ſeduce you, nay and though he knew that too, yet he hath other ends as I ſhall ſhew anon, which may put him on to attempt it.

But beſides, though he ſhould not ſeduce them to damnable, yet he may ſeduce them to dangerous errours; the Saints may p. 32be led aſide with ſinfull, though not with damnable errours, and if he can but prevaile in that, to draw them aſide with ſinfull errours, he counts it worth the while. The Devill will take a great deale of paines to bring a Saint to one ſinfull errour.

Its true it may be and I eaſily grant, that a godly mans ends are honeſt in the entertainement of it, otherwiſe he could not be godly, and I doe not queſton but he entertaines it for truth, but though he doe, yet Satan cares not much for that if he can bring him to entertaine an errour, he matters not much under what notion they receive it and entertaine it, ſo the thing be entertained. He is glad if he can make him to receive an errour for a truth, if he can foyſt in eggs of his own laying, if he can ſhuffle in errour for truth, and can have himſelfe who is the Prince of darkneſſe, to be entertained under the notion of an Angel of light, he is proud of that, this is unknowingly, unwittingly to ſet the Devill in Gods ſteede. As one ſaith, he that doth a good action to a bad end, makes God ſerve the Devill; but he that doth a bad action to a good end, makes the Devill ſerve God. So we may ſay here, he that entertaines a truth for an errour, ſets God in the Devils place, and he that entertaines errour for truth, ſets the Devill in Gods ſteede. And the Devill muſt needs looke upon this as a gratefull ſervice; and that is the firſt: It ſtands with his ends, 1. To ſeduce.

2. A ſecond end he aimes at in the godly, it is to unſettle them, if he cannot ſeduce them and draw them away, yet he labours if he can to unſettle them in the truth, if he can bring us to an unſetledneſſe, whether we are in the truth or no, if he can unſettle us in thoſe things we are eſtabliſhed in, he hath his deſire and what he aimes at.

And multitudes of errours and opinions abroad, they have too great an influence into the unſetling of the hearts of the godly in the truths that they have received and been eſtabliſhed in. If it be given out that there is aboundance of falſe gold abroad, it will put men to the triall of what they have received, as well as to the care of what they are to receive. So when there are many errours, and falſe opinions abroad, it puts not men only to the care of what they are to receive, but to the p. 33triall of what they have received, and by this to labour to unſettle us.

There is indeed a triall that is good, and a triall that is bad, to try thoſe things that man hath ſaid is good, wee are not to beleeve every spir…, but to try all things, but to try thoſe things which God hath ſaid is bad, thoſe things which God hath ſaid we are commanded to truſt, to beleeve, and then try, but thoſe things which men have ſaid we are commanded to try them before we trust them, as you ſee, 1 Joh. 3, 1. Beleeve not every ſpirit. In the other beleeve, here beleeve not, what then? why you muſt prove all things, try them by the word as the Bereans did.

But did not the Bereans try what the Apoſtles ſaid, Object. and yet commended for it, and what they ſaid was infallible, and therefore may we try what God hath ſaid, as well as what men have ſaid?

1. They tried what they ſaid by what they had ſaid, Anſw. and ſo may we doe, or they tried what they ſaid by what was written: they tried the word by the word, to ſee how they agreed. As Chriſt bids you, ſearch the Scriptures, for they testifie of me: So they tried what the Apoſtles ſaid, by what was written, and ſuch a triall there may be.

2. Againe, there is a two-fold triall: 1. A ſuſpitious triall, a triall ariſing from jealouſie and miſtruſt, that the things we have received are unſound, and that is bad, if it be truth which hath been received. 2. There is a confidentiall triall, whereby a man is aſſured of the truth of thoſe things he hath received, and rather goes for confirmation in it, then out of dubitation or doubt and queſtioning the things are not true.

The firſt triall is bad, and that which the Devill aimes at in the multitude of opinions and errours, to bring us to a queſtioning and jealouſie, and miſtruſt of thoſe things we have received; he would now labour to make us looke upon all Religion as a fancie, as a meere notion, and all the truths we have received as chimaeras, meere notions without foundation, he would bring us to entertaine all doubtfully, that ſo we might worke deadly.

3. A third end he hath if he cannot ſeduce us, nor unſettle us,A third end Satan hath. then he labours to ſhake us, though he cannot unſettle us in the p. 34beliefe of truth, yet he labours to ſhake us in it; you know it is the fruit of the many lying pamphlets abroad, it makes men doubt of the very truth it ſelfe, it ſhakes men in the very confidence and beliefe of thoſe things which are true. So the Devill he doth vent his errours and his untruths now, that he might ſhake us in the beliefe of thoſe things are true.

Object. But how doth this ſhake us?

Anſw. 1. You know that all have not attained to the ſame meaſure of ſtedfaſtneſſe, all are not ſo rooted and grounded in truth; all have not attained to the ſame meaſure of knowledge; ſome are but weake and babes in knowledge, though ſome that are men growne. Now the variety of opinions, and errours, and diſputes, they are a perplexing, a ſhaking of weake minds, though at laſt they ſhall but roote firmer; for this puts them on ſearch, triall, prayer, and ſo they ſhall be firmer, yet this may ſhake them for the preſent. Hence the Apoſtle, Rom. 14.1. Him that is weake in faith receive ye, but not unto doubtfull diſputations. Why ſo? becauſe this was enough to ſhake, and unſettle, and trouble a man weake in faith. And ſurely that's another end, why Satan raiſeth up doubtfull diſputations, and ſets afoote errours, viz. to ſhake the weake.

A fourth end which Satan hath.4. A fourth end Satan hath to the godly, and that is to perplex them, if he cannot ſeduce them, nor unſettle them, nor ſhake them, yet if he can but perplex them and trouble them he's content. This is that which God ſaid of him, and it is the utmoſt of his chaine. Thou ſhalt breake his head, and he ſhall bruiſe thy heele, though he cannot breake our head, ſeparate us from Chriſt, yet he will bruiſe our heele, though he cannot bring us out of the way of life, ſeduce us from the wayes of truth, yet he will doe all he can to perplex and trouble us in them.

If he cannot ſeduce us out of the way, yet if he can hedge up our way with thornes, if he can caſt blocks in our way, if he can disturbe us in our courſe, which he labours to doe this way, he is well content, and can afford his labour. And this hath been his great deſigne in all ages of the Church of God, to raiſe up ſome impoſtors, ſome notable ſeducers, to perplex and to trouble the Church of God. I might carry you down from the Apoſtles dayes till now, you may have enough out of Eccleſiaſticall p. 35hiſtories, how Satan hath ſtill raiſed up ſome notable juglers, who have troubled the Church of God: In the Apoſtles times, you reade of many, and afterwards not of a few; witneſſe the Arrians, Manichees, Neſtorians, Pelagians, and hundreds more in our dayes, the Papiſts, Arminians, Socinians, with multitudes more both of the right and the left hand; by all which he labours to perplex the Church of God, and trouble the hearts of the people of God; he hath no comfort himſelfe, and he envies comfort where ever he ſees it; he hath no peace himſelfe, he hath all trouble, and he is an enemy to peace in us, his endeavour is to bruiſe our heel, though in Chriſt we breake his head.

5. A fifth end that Satan hath to the godly, and that is,A fifth end Satan hath. to prejudice the entertainment of further truth. Satan knowes full well, that towards the end of the world, there will be aboundance of truth revealed and made known, the knowledge of the Lord ſhall be as the waters that cover the ſea.

God hath ſpoken glorious things of the latter dayes, every child ſhall be as David, Zach. 12.8.

The Sun of righteouſneſſe, the light of the glorious Goſpell of Chriſt, it aroſe in its glory and brightneſſe, in the firſt dayes of the Apoſtles, but it was not long before this ſun was obnubulated, clouded and darkened, with the mists of errour, and foggs of darkneſſe, which Antichriſt and corrupt men raiſed up, which was fore-ſeen by the Apoſtle, and in his time it began to work, although the cloud like Elijahs cloud, was no bigger then a mans hand, yet the Apoſtle did then foreſee it would ſpan the Heavens, and even darken the Sun, and ſhadow the glorious light it ſelfe, as he that hath but looked into the hiſtories of former times may evidently perceive.

Now towards the end of all things, God will ſcatter theſe clouds, he will cleare the truth, and the knowledge of the Lord ſhall be increaſed, Dan. 12.4. And at this time Satan will vent his errours, he will ſet on foote many dangerous errours, to prejudice the hearts of the people of God, in the receiving and entertaining of truths to be revealed. Indeed Satan hath many other ends, as I have ſhew'd you; and beſides them divers other might be named; Satan is buſie when God is ſowing wheate, to ſowe his tares, when God is diſcovering of truth, to be communicating p. 36of errours; he hopes in the heate of the market, to vent his own wares, he hopes in the throng, to put off one with another, and that men will not ſo carefully obſerve it; at leaſt if men be ſhie to entertaine the one, he hopes by this to leſſen the authority, and to prejudice the entertainment of the other.

And indeed the multitude of errours abroad, they are great diſadvantages to the entertainment of the truth, they are a great prejudice to the receiving of it: Men that heare of falſe reports abroad, though they have not been abuſed with them, will be ſhie to entertaine truth, ſo men that heare of a multitude of erronious opinions abroad in the world, though they have not been ſeduced or led aſide with them, yet will be ſhie and afraid to own the truths, which God in that generation doth hold forth to them.

And by this meanes Satan hath a great advantage, he perſwades and prevailes with men to adhere to their former principles, without any inquiry after more: And this is dangerous.

As it is dangerous to stint and bound our ſelves in practiſe, thus much we will doe and no more, as it is the ſpirit of many men: So it is dangerous to stint and bound our ſelves in principles, or things to be knowne, thus much I know, and I will ſearch into the revelation of no more.

2 Pet. 1.9. 1 Pet. 3.18. Heb. 6.1.2 Pet 1:91 Pet 3:18Heb 6:1As we are not perfect in grace, and therfore we are to adde to faith virtue, to our virtue patience, &c. to grow in grace, to be led forward to perfection, and he that ſits down with any meaſure is yet to begin. So we are not perfect in knowledge; the Apoſtle tells you, we know but in part, and therefore we are ſtill to ſtudy and ſearch, not only after clearer revelation of things known, but fuller revelation of Gods mind to us; and he that contents himſelfe with the meaſure of revelation he hath, is yet to begin in the knowledge of Chriſt.

And therefore this is a dangerous errour, when Satan ſhall perſwade and prevaile with us to adhere in thoſe things we doe know, and ſleight any further revelation, to be content with thoſe meaſures of revelations we have, and to ſeeke to know no more of Gods mind and will to us.

And this is another wile which Satan hath in the multitude of errours, that thereby he might prejudice the further ſearch p. 37and inquiry into the mind of God, diſadvantage the entertainment of truth, and perſwade with us to stick and adhere only in thoſe which are already revealed to us.

It is good to adhere to thoſe that are revealed, but bad to adhere in them, and ſeeke no further revelation, becauſe we are not perfect in knowledge, therefore muſt grow. As we ſay of grace, ſo of truth; It is good to have a heart ſtabliſhed in grace, but stinted in grace is nought, ſtabliſhing doth keepe the heart from going backward, and that is good, but ſtinting doth keepe a man from going forward, and that is nought: You are to aspire to grow in knowledge, as well as in grace.

But you will ſay, what needs any more? Object. our Fathers held out theſe truths, and ſought no further, and we hope they are ſaved, and ſo ſhall we too, if we doe but adhere in the truths of our fore-fathers, and ſeeke no further?

1. The reaſoning is corrupt, I ſay this is corrupt reaſoning; Anſw. that our Fathers held out theſe and theſe things for truth, it is not enough to evidence they are truth; that they went in this way, is not ſufficient to declare it was a good way, and a way for us to walk in, this is to take up our Religion by tradition, not from Scripture; the Papiſts have the ſame Arguments, our Fathers were of this Religion and therefore it is good, which you will all ſay is corrupt reaſoning. You have a place in Jer. 9.14. they walked after Balaam which their fathers taught them.

2. But ſecondly admit our fathers held forth theſe things for truths, yet they held not forth all truth, they knew ſome, but yet they knew not all truths: It is ſaid, we know but in part. And God is therefore ſaid to appoint a Miniſtery in the Church, for the further building us up in knowledge, Epheſ 4.12, 13. for the edifying of the body of Chriſt, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the ſonnes of God, to a perfect man.

3. Againe, though our fathers held out theſe truths, yet we wrong our fathers to ſay, that they ſought no further, though they knew theſe and theſe truths, yet they labour'd not only after a clearer revelation of truths known, but after further revelation of truths not yet known and diſcovered to them, and this appeares both in their writings, and alſo upon experience; p. 38every generation growes up in further knowledge of the myſteries of Chriſt and the Goſpel, as might be inſtanced in many points which have been debated between us and Papiſts, and us and Arminians, Pelagians; all which truths have been the proper revelations to thoſe particular generations. And therefore you wrong them to ſay, they knew theſe and ſought no further.

And the experience of much more revealed in every generation, is ſufficient confutation of that. Did our fathers in King Henry the eights dayes, who firſt rejected the papall tyranny, or our fathers in King Edward the ſixths dayes, who ſet up that infant reformation, that wanting nurſing fathers and mothers, hath been kept back and held down ſo long, where otherwiſe it might have come to manhood and perfection: the thriving of the child lies much in the goodneſſe of the nurſe; Kings and Queenes are called nurſing fathers and nurſing mothers to Religion; this child, this infant Reformation hath not had that nurſing whereby it ſhould thrive, the breaſt of nouriſhment hath been kept from it, and drawne out towards children of errour, they have thriven, the true child hath pin'd away.

Kings and Queenes are called ſhadowes, as Joſiah, Lam. 4.20, 32. Iſa. 2. And we ſpeake it with griefe as things have been carried, they have indeavoured to make them like trees, which the papall faction have clasped about and adhered to, as the Ivie to the tree, not becauſe they love it, but becauſe they have ſucked ſweet from it; but they have been ſuch ſhades as have hindered the growth of better things.

But to paſſe this; If you come down to Queene Elizabeths dayes, did our fathers in her time know ſo much? had they that full revelation of that which is in our dayes? he that reades, may eaſily ſee. And therefore this is a plaine confutation, though our fathers did hold out ſome truths, yet they ſought after more, they did not reſt in that they had, but ſtudied to know more of Gods mind.

4. Though this were true, that our fathers held out ſome truths, and that they did not ſeeke and enquire after more, which yet I cannot grant, and hold their condition good, yet they did not reject further diſcoveries, if revealed to them; this p. 39is certaine, where any truth is received with love, there is a readineſſe of ſpirit to embrace all truths that ſhall be diſcovered and revealed. For this is an undeceiveable evidence of a man that hath received the truth, as he is willing to receive all truths, he opens his eyes broad for any communication of God; ſo againe he will not reject any truth which is revealed to him.

Indeed he may reject a truth held forth to him, becauſe as yet he doth not apprehend it to be a truth, but he cannot reject a truth diſcovered to him; no bye ends, wordly reſpects ſhall prevaile with him to reject it, if God have diſcovered it.

5. But fifthly, thou ſayeſt againe, our fathers held out theſe, and ſought no further, which I have diſproved. And yet thou ſayeſt they were ſaved, and ſo ſhalt thou if thou adhere in thoſe which they have left thee; well for this I ſay thus much.

Admit that they were ſaved, I will grant that, yet it will not be enough to cleere this to thee, that thou ſhalt be ſaved if thou goe on no further; they held out theſe truths, but were willing to receive more, ſure they rejected none that God revealed.

Thou holdſt out theſe truths, and ſayeſt thou adhereſt to them, but doſt not adhere to them, thou holdſt them forth in thy understanding, but they are not wrought into thy heart, nor held forth in thy life, never a truth which thou ſayeſt thou adhereſt unto, which thou liveſt anſwer…ble to in thy converſation.

Againe thou adhereſt rather in them, then to them, thou ſeekeſt to know no more, but they did; nay thou rejectest thoſe di…coveries of God which are made to thee, which they did not. They might be ſaved by that little light, if true light, when they were true to it, when they walked anſwerable to it, when they were willing to receive more, when they rejected not that which was diſcovered. But you cannot when you walke not anſwerable to what you have received, when you are not willing to receive more, when you reject what is diſcovered to you, &c.

Men may be ſaved with many errours, if not fuundamentall errours, and by a little light if true light, when no more is revealed. But if thoſe errours be diſcovered to be errours, though not fundamentall errours, and more truths be revealed to be truths, though not foundation truths, if you doe reject p. 40the one, and embrace the other, you cannot then looke for ſalvation. Grace embraceth all truths, rejects all errour. God would have all ſaved by comming to the knowledge of the truth.

The Patriarchs lived in the ſin of poligamy, marrying many wives, and eſteemed it no ſinne to take to themſelves as many wives as they pleaſed, ſo that they were not the wives of another. And notwithſtanding this great errour, the Patriarchs were ſaved, they knew no better, and times of ignorance may plead ſome indulgence.

But now we cannot looke for life and yet practiſe ſuch a ſin, becauſe God hath revealed the truth in this which was more concealed before, as Chriſt ſaid, from the beginning it was not ſo. And if any had cauſe of two wives, then the firſt man, to populate the world, but God made them male and female. And this ſhall ſuffice for anſwer to that objection.

Object. But is not the ſame truth ſaving, and the ſame errour damning in any age, and therefore that which ſaved them will ſave me?

Anſw. The truth which is ſaving now, is ſaving hereafter, but the reaſon why that truth which ſaves others, will not us; it doth not ariſe from any defect in the object truth, but in the ſubject man, if the ſubject receive ſome truths, but not all, if willing to entertaine ſome, but to reject others, and ſo to reject ſome errours, but yet to retaine others though convinced of them, then there is no ſalvation.

2. The ſame truth which ſaved them will ſave us, if received, but if received of them and not of us, it cannot ſave; now there is no greater evidence that truth is not received, then that you are not willing to entertaine more. Truth where it comes, where it is received into the heart, it holds open the doore to let all its kindred in, bids all truth welcome; and therefore if thou ſay, thou receiveſt ſome truth as truth, and thy heart is ſhut up againſt other truths revealed, thou deceiveſt thy own ſoule; there is no ſurer character of received truth, then willingneſſe and univerſall willingneſſe to embrace all: Indeed men that receive truth into the head only, doe not embrace all truth, they pick and chooſe, but if it be received into the heart, then the doores are open to all truth, and every truth comes with p. 41authority, and carnall reſpects, ſhall not hinder the embracing of them. And thus we have done with the firſt, how it may ſtand with Satans ends to the good; we come to the ſecond, how it may ſtand with Satans ends to the bad.

2. It may ſtand with Satans ends to the bad, and that both to the

1. Receivers, and

2. Promoters.

1. It may ſtand with Satans ends to the receivers, or to the bad in generall; which we will ſhew you in five particulars.

1. To leſſen the credit, or if you will beliefe of thoſe things which they doe know. Men who are yet of unregenerate life, may know many truths of God, and though they have not much faith of them, yet ſome credit they give to them, which begets awfull thoughts of the truth of God, and this generall beliefe of theſe things, doth reſtraine many from many ſinnes, and puts them upon many generall duties.

Now Satan cannot endure this light in them, he knowes not what in time it may come too, and therefore he ſets many errours on foote, that if poſſible he might leſſen the beliefe of thoſe things which are reall truths, and render all you know which keepes you in ſome awe, by virtue of that power the generall beliefe of them hath upon your ſpirit: I ſay to render them all, but notiones ſecundae, chymeraes, meere fancies, or pollicies, the better to keepe men in awe, and under rule, and ſome government.