Lawless Liberty Set Forth, To the reader
TO THE READER.
Reader,
EVer ſince the world hath been planted with two different Seedes, all the words and actions of men have been expoſed unto ſeverall interpretations, as this following Sermon expected, and found; (which occaſioned this preface) at which if they who tooke moſt exception, could but know, how tender I am of thinking amiſſe, much more, of ſaying or doing any thing that may juſtly grieve the ſpirits of any who truely feare God: He would enter into conſideration, whether I in reprooving, or he in meriting juſt reproofe deſerved moſt blame.
It would trouble any one who hath not quite loſt himſelfe, to conſider how theſe preſent times have diſtracted a very great number amongſt us by variety of opinions: Many of which though they agree in the maine, (when a great number goe very much further and doe not) ſo quarrell and contend about the liſt and fringe of Chriſts garment, as if they meant to rend in peeces that ſeameleſſe coate which muſt cover our nakedneſſe. Alas Chriſt hath ſuffered abundantly for us already; why then deale we ſo injuriouſly with him, as to teare open his wounds afreſh by ſad oppoſitions, as if he were now to be divided twixt Paul, and Apollo, and Cephas, which thing the Apoſtle reproves and complaines of, 1 Cor. 1. 12. amongſt whom, ſome were taken with St. Pauls miniſtry, ſome with Apollo, ſome with Cephas, admiring one of them to the prejudice of the reſt. And there were ſome that ſaid I am of Chriſt. And what were theſe? But people of ſeverall factions in the Church of Corinth, the laſt of which (though we may parallel them all) were of the very ſelfe ſame minde, that many amongſt us; are growne ſuch perfectiſts, that they eſteeme themſelves above all ordinances, and therefore ſhamefully neglect them: So depending (as they ſay) upon Chriſt, that they care not for any Preacher in the world, they regard them not, they refuſe to heare, or pray with them, eſpecially if they be orthodox, or rightly principled.
God hath ſent forth abundance of light and truth, Pſal. 43. 3. Truth ſufficient to eſtabliſh, annd light ſufficient to guide us; and it would be very ſad, if an over curious ſearch after new light, ſhould put us out of the way, the old way, the good way, … 6. 16. and ſo make us to hazard the loſſe of old truth.
Alas, what would we have? What doe we expect? A new Chriſt, a new Paſſion, a new Reſurrection: What would we be? Members of a glorious Church that hath neither ſpot, nor wrinkle, nor any ſuch thing, Ephe. 5. 27. we muſt wait for that hereafter; Why in the meane time doe ſo many ſad quarrells, ſharpe contentions ariſe amongſt us? When we have, ſaid and done what we can Knowing, Beleeving, Doing, or Faith, & Practiſe well ſtudied that they may be known, include in them a Chriſtians whole duty here.
And doubtleſſe a number ſhall one day finde, (if ever they returne againe unto themſelves) themſelves moſt miſerably deluded, that have hoped to finde, ſome other, ſome nearer, and more ſafe and certaine way to Heaven, then that by which all the holy men of God have paſſed, then that, which hath been pointed out unto us, by the lives of the Saints, and enlightned for us by the flames of the Martyrs. Yet it is moſt notoriouſly manifeſt, that there are too too many amongſt us, that preſcribe a ſhorter paſſage to Heaven, then any of thoſe worthies have ſound, by removing all thoſe blocks and rubs which the Law of God caſts in a Chriſtians way thither, to make it more difficult: Which Doctrine if it were as true as it is plauſible, he were worthy to periſh without party, that would not cloſe with it: But this I am ſure of, that not any one of thoſe holy men of God mentioned in the ſacred ſtory before the comming of Chriſt, nor any ſince, whoſe praiſes are in the Goſpel, have made it appeare unto the world that there is any ſuch way to be diſcovered: That bleſſed Apoſtle himſelfe, who was ſuch a choſen veſſell, who had ſuch abundance of Revelations, 2 Cor. 12 7. was never acquainted with this; if he had, certainely he would never have complained ſo much, ſo often of the Law which gives ſuch a ſtrength to ſin and ſuch a ſting to death, 1 Cor. 15 56 He would never have ſo complained of that body of ſin, of that body of Death which was in him.
And therefore Reader, let me entreate thee now before thou leave me, to have the patience ſeriouſly to conſider of, theſe following particulars.
Firſt, and in a ſpeciall manner to take heede of ſpirituall Pride, that great ſin which banes thouſands, by ſad and ſeverall miſtakes, in entertaining a floating knowledge, for true wiſdome; a diſtempered heate, for true Zeale; Conceits and conceivings about Religion, to be true Religion indeede. Oh how doth this Pride ſwell, bladder, puffe up thouſands like empty veſſells, to make a great ſound; Putting low and baſe eſteemes upon others; Like the people of China, who boaſt that themſelves only have two eyes; when all the people in the world beſide, have but one. Know thou, that the moſt excellent Chriſtian in the world is moſt humble; And that a good man is firſt in another mans, laſt in his owne commendation.
Secondly, know that there is a naturall aptneſſe, and propenſity in all, to ſet up Idols in their hearts and heads, Ezek. 14. Where they are hardly diſcovered, and whence not eaſily remooved, which they doe not only love, but dote on, and therefore they hug, and dandle thoſe deformed iſſues of their owne braines, as women doe the Children of their bodies, and eſteem, what ever others thinke of them, as the Crow their Bird moſt faire, Woe unto them ſaith the Prophet, that call evill good, and good evill; that put darkeneſſe for light, and light for darkeneſſe, and woe unto them that are wiſe in their owne eyes &c. Iſaiah 5. 20. 21. becauſe wiſedome preſumed on, and drawne from the broken ciſterne of a mans owne braine, is in the reputation of God, and hath as great an woe before it in that Chapter, as the ſins of Covetouſneſſe, or Oppreſſion, or Drunkenneſſe.
Thirdly, take this for granted before hand, that there is very much deceit in appearance, if not, our bleſſed Saviour had ſpared that precept in the ſeventh Chapter of Iohn v. 24 not to judge of things according to appearance, but to judge righteous judgement. Becauſe many things that appeare, are not what they appeare to be: Becauſe Satan that he may the more certainely deceive, can transforme himſelfe into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14.
Laſtly, in all thy undertakings before thou conclude of any thing, order thy actions, and thy reſolutions by thoſe words in the nineteenth of Judges the laſt verſe, firſt, conſider, ſecondly, take advice, thirdly, ſpeake thy minde, or reſolve what to doe: Or as that Scripture is rendred in the former tranſlation 1 conſider, 2 conſult, 3 give ſentence.
Firſt, ſeriouſly conſider of the thing in queſtion; for Inconſideration, and Prejudice were never made for competent Judges. Conſider of things whether they be true or falſe. Now for the triall of truth; Antiquity muſt ground, and bottome it: The un-erring word of God muſt balance and trie it: And the lives and practiſes of all the holy men of God, whom God hath propoſed to us for examples muſt ratifie and confirme it, and this ſcrutinie muſt be moſt impartially carried.
Firſt, truth is grounded upon Antiquity; it was from the beginning, for there are no new Divine truths, quod verrum antiquum, quod falſum recens.
Secondly, the word of God muſt ballance and trie it, and therefore trie before thou truſt. Beleeve not every ſpirit, but trie the ſpirits whether they be of God, 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Repaire to the Law and Teſtimonie &c. Iſaiah 8. 20 Prove all things, hold faſt that which is good, 1 Theſ. 5. 21. Loane not to thine owne underſtanding, Pro. 3. 5. But beleeve how that others who labour to get the knowledge, the right interpretation of Gods revealed will declared in his word; Firſt, from God by prayer; Secondly, from men by conference; Thirdly, from Bookes by reading; And are further able to reade the holy Scriptures in that language wherein they were firſt written, may be able (to ſpeake no more) to give the ſenſe of a Scripture as well as thou, that canſt but, or happily ſcarce reade it in the Engliſh. For thy further and better inſtruction therefore:
Secondly, conſult not with men only of thine owne opinion, but with others alſo: for if we will ſee things aright, we muſt ſometimes make uſe of other mens eyes, as well as of our owne; for in our owne there may be ſome defect, and we know that pore-blind, and blood-ſhot, and ſquint-eyes cannot ſee well, the laſt looking over, or beſides the object, and the other two cannot well diſcerne things as they are.
And thirdly, when thou haſt wiſely conſidered, and carefully conſulted, then reſolve: And that thou maieſt ſo doe, to the quiet and comfort both of thy ſelfe and others, know that the wiſedome which is from above is firſt pure, then peaceable, Jam. 3. 17. and therefore follow peace and holineſſe, Heb. 12. 14. Never think thou art too good, too upright, too holy, too religious, ever in the right uſe of all good meanes, ſeeke, labour, ſtrive, ſtudy, covet to be better, for this is a juſtifiable covetouſneſſe, 1 Cor. 12. 21. and follow peace too, every one ſtriving to exceed one another in love, for this is a godly emulation.
Thus have I inſerted ſomething by way of Preface before theſe following meditations: if this, or they ſhall prove any way uſefull, I have my reward: if otherwiſe, my very hearty deſires to caſt in my mite, by offering ſome word in ſeaſon amongſt thoſe many (by much more worthy) that have made themſelves publicke, ſhall be my comfort.
Thine, as far as thou art a friend to Truth, and Peace, Ed. Terry.