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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A91894) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 120107) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 201:E1595[2]) The triumph and unity of truth, in two treatises; intended as a preservative against the many errours, and unhappy divisions of these times in point of religion. / By John Robinson, a lover of truth and vnity. Robinson, John, Preacher at East-Thorpe. [12], 172, [8] p. Printed for Thomas Iohnson, at the Golden Key in S. Paul's Church-yard, London, : Anno 1657. With engraved frontispiece. Annotation on Thomason copy: "Aprill 1st". Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

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THE TRIUMPH and UNITY OF TRUTH, IN TWO TREATISES; Intended As a Preſervative againſt the many Errours, and unhappy Diviſions of theſe times in point of Religion.

By JOHN ROBINSON, A lover of Truth and Vnity.

Stand, having your loynes girt about with Truth. Epheſ. 6. 14. Ieruſalem is builded as a city at unity in itſelf. (So Tindal's tranſlation hath it.) Pſalm 122. 3. Legant qui non ceciderunt, ne cadant; qui ceciderunt, ut ſurgant. Auguſtinus.

LONDON, Printed for Thomas Iohnſon, at the Golden Key in S. Paul's Church-yard, Anno 1657.

Mens Emblematis. BRight Truth, whoſe tabernacl's in the Sun,In ſole p ſuit tabernaculum ſuum. Sic vulg. Lat. Pſa. 19. 4. To the whole Univerſe can be but one; And (though in clouds ſhe for ſome time remain) Will with freſh luſtre yet break forth again. On the divided world the Furies ſet, Lab'ring t'extinguiſh her in vain do ſweat; Whilſt ſilly Mortals fluttring up and down, Sindge their fond wings at candles of their own. Be gone then with your petty lights, away; The Sun alone muſt rule, and have the day.

MAGNO CONATV NIHIL AGIMVS

AMBVLATE IN LVMINE IGNIS VESTRI 〈…〉

TO THE READER. READER; NO Theorem that Euclide builds uponSic unitatem veritatis Aegyptii in Hieroglyphicis per ſolem repraeſentarunt. Pier. Valer. lib. 44. cap. 4 Can be more firm then this, That truth's but one. More S ns then one in nature cannot be, Nor ſaving Truths in true Divinity. Or if ſometimes three Suns at once were ſeen, Two have but meerly Apparitions been: Thus Truth hath her Parelii, Which to eies Dimm'd with pride, ignorance or prejudice, Do ſeem her ſelf; and whilſt they are in view, The world's divided which should be the true. Now to diſcover this, the Prince of Night Perſw ades men candles of their own to light, And that they cannot dash on falshood's shelves, When guided by the light that's in themſelves. This counſell they embrace, untill they find, That what should light, doth burn and make them blind: And whilſt they buiſily, like flies, about Theſe twinkling falſe lights flutter in and out, His Emiſſaries, all the Furies ſw eatSic Libertinos iiſque ſimiles, qui S. Scripturas deſpiciunt, Furiis Calvinus aſsimilat. In 1. Theſsalon. cap. 5. verſ. 20. About extinguishing the true: But yet Tis all in vain, for this will then be done, When with their bellows they blow out the Sun: All this truths Hieroglyphic doth thee show Obſcurely legible, and more then ſo; For look again, and ſee this onely one Plac'd on a radiant and triumphant throne. Where she's beyond all blaſts, and gives forth light, Maugre thoſe clouds that would the world benight. If then Truths shadow thus illuſtrious be, How ſplendent is her ſelf in Majesty! Not violence, cra t, nor th' audacious rout Of Sectaries shall e're her light puffe out. But if thou wait a while, she'l shine more clear, Then in our troubled sky doth yet appear. So common is it for our eies to ſee The Sun grow brighter by obſcurity! Only sh'expects (though in a clouded ſtate) Thy true fidelity; nor will she bate One jot of that, but have thee conſtant prove, And ſerve her with thy joy, eſteem, and love.
To the much Honour'd and truly Religious Lady THE LADY HUSSEY of DODDINGTON. Madam;

IEſteem it an honour to be related to any ſtem of that Body, whereof your Ladyship is the Root; God having made you the happy Stock of a numerous & verdant Off-ſpring in your country, and at the preſent, of as many eminent Families there, as the golden Candleſtick in the Tabernacle Ex. 37. 18. had Branches proceedingSic de ſorore Nazianzenus; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Orat. 11. from it; who are all look'd upon as ſingular ornaments and examples of Vertue in it.

And I hope it will be (if an errour) eaſily pardonable, to ingratiate my ſervice here by this Relation, and humbly to beg your Ladyships patronage for theſe two ſmall Treatiſes: which may ſerve as a little vantage ground to ſtand upon, from whence you may ſee the Unity of Truth encompaſſed with Errours, as the Sun with Clouds, on every ſide, and puffed at by enemies of all ſorts, endeavouring (if it were poſſible) to blow it out; the ſtrangely-deſtructive wayes ſome take, whilſt they walk in the light of their own fires, and will not have the great Luminary of Gods Word to guide them; together with the ſad diviſions in this our Sion; & upon ſight thereof, take occaſion to mourn over her.

Now whether (Honour'd Lady) can I better addreſſe theſe Lines for Sanctuary, then to your ſelf, whom God hath given (what few of your Sex arrive at) Virilem intellectum, In underſtanding be ye men. S we tranſlate it, 1 Cor. 14. 20. to be as a man in underſtanding; able, not only to diſcern Truth from Falſhood, and Vnity of Religion from Combination in Faction; but alſo, with the Elect Lady and her children, (Oh let not envy grudge when the Grace of God is magnified) to walk in the2 Epiſtle of S. Iohn verſe 4. Truth with an upright and ſteddy heart?

Continue then your ſtand (moſt Chriſtian Matron) in the Reformed Religion you have received, as moſt conſonant to the word of Truth in the ſacred page; and your affectionate love to our Jeruſalem, Gal. 4. 26. which is from above, and the mother of us all, though now forced by the unkinde ſtruglings of her own children within her, to cryGen. 25. 22. out with Rebekah, vvhy am I thus?

Let your Conſtancy be made manifeſt to all men, for the Lord is nigh at hand: and perſevere (as you have begun,) that none take Rev. , 11. 7, 9. Sine perſeverantia nec militarem qui pugnat coronam, nec palmam victor conſequilur. Bern. Epiſt. 1 29. either the Crown or Palm from you; either the Crown from off your Head, or elſe the Palm out of your Hands.

Your Zeal hitherto hath provoked many; do but add to it the exerciſe of your Faith and Patience, and ſee the Salvation of God: For the poor shall not alvvayes be forgot, Pſal. 9. 18. the patient abiding of the meek shall not perish for ever: but Truth and Vnity, which are yet ſo much clouded with us, ſhall e're long (when God hath ſufficiently humbled us under the want of them)Clarius eluxit lumen Phoebi redeuntis à tenebris. Ovid. break forth again, and ſhine more gloriouſly then ever; the one triumphing over falſhood, and the other over diviſion. Which choiſe bleſſings that your Ladyship may live to ſee Gods Church here reinveſted with, and have a high enjoyment of, even till Shiloh come again, is the ſincere prayer of him, who is

MADAM, Your Ladyships moſt humble and faithfully devoted ſervant JOHN ROBINSON.
Mistakes to be corrected. PAge 32. line 35. after immediately, read relate. P. 48. marg. l. 6. read Liv. P. 97. l. 8. read covetouſneſſes. P. 108. l. 32. read as it did the. P. 129. marg. l. 2. read contra unitatem. P. 141. l. 18. read religand .
THE TRIUMPH OF TRVTH. Iames 1. ver. 18. beginning of the verſe. Of his own will he begat us with the word of Truth; or, by the Word of Truth, as the French tranſlate it.

THe writer of this Epiſtle was S. Iames. Par la parole de Verite. Now there were two of this name, andMat. 10. 2. both Apoſtles. The one was the ſon of Zebedee, and brother to S. Iohn the beloved diſciple, whom Herod Agrippa ſlew, as you read Acts 12.

The other was the ſon of Alpheus: and this isMat. 10. 3. our Apoſtle here, who in the 15. chapter of S. Mark verſe 40. is called Iames the leſs, to diſtinguiſh him from the former by his ſmall ſtature; and in the 1. chapter to the Galathians Creditur eſſe filius illius Mariae, quae fuit ſoror Domini. Sic Bucholc. ad annum Chriſti 63. et Spalata in his Reſp. Eccleſiaſtica, lib. 2. cap. 2. verſ. 19. he is ſaid to be the brother of the Lord, non natura ſed cognatione, not by nature but kindred, as being CouſingermanErat Cognatus domini, ideoque Hebraeorum more Frater; Gagu. in locum. to Chriſt by the mothers ſide.

And the Eccleſiaſticall writers tell us, That he was the firſt Biſhop of Ieruſalem, Euſeb. Hiſt. Eccles. lib. 2. cap. 23. Et Doroth. in Synopſi. unto whoſe ſpeciall charge the care & overſight of that Church was committed by the Apoſtles.

They to whom he wrote were the twelve Tribes that were ſcattered abroad, (as we read verſe 1.) For when S. Iames wrote this Epiſtle, God had put the faith of the Iews to the tryall by three great diſperſions, beſides ſome ſmaller ſcatterings.

The 1. was of the ten tribes, by Salmanazer king of Aſſyria.

The ſecond was of Iudah See M. Mede's Diatribe in Acts cap. 2. verſ. 5. and Benjamin the two remaining tribes by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

The third was of thoſe Iews that returned out of Babylon to Ieruſalem under Cyrus, and built the ſecond temple, of whom many were carried away captives into Aegypt by Ptolemeus Lagi one of the Graecian kings, when he ſurpriſed Ieruſalem.

Now the Apoſtle in this Chapter doth

1. Comfort the twelve Tribes in their ſad diſperſions and tentations: For the Apoſtle knew that comfort could never be more ſeaſonable then now in their needfull time of trouble; and a word ſpoken in ſeaſon (ſayes the Wiſe man) how good is it And this he doth from the 1. verſe to the 13.

2. Inſtruct them, as to the cauſe of tentations, (viz) That God, although he be the Author of penall evills, as the executions and acts of his punitive juſtice, yet not of ſinfull evills; for let no man ſay (ſayes S. Iames)De hoc vide Lipſ. de conſtant. lib. 2. c. 6. Et King in Ion. pag. 246. ad fol. 251. Vu t Deus fieri malum, licet non v lit malum. when he is tempted, he is tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man, verſe 13. And one reaſon is, becauſe he is the fountain of all good, verſe 17. and a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nazianz. Invect. 1. fountain cannot ſend forth at the ſame place ſweet water and b tter, chap. 3. verſe 11. Nay, he is not only good by nature, but further, even goodneſs it ſelf, andGod makes it a branch of his name that he is abundant in goodneſs. Exod. 34. 6. ſo cannot poſſibly be the author of any evill. Indeed God is granted in ſinfull evils to be permiſſive, reſtrictive and ordinative,S quid boni eſt (Domine) donum tuum eſt, & non est noſtrum n ſt malum. Auguſt. Soliloq. 15. ver. 14. 15. but not effective: No, their efficiencie is from their inward cauſe, which is our own luſt and naturall corruption; this being the wombe that brings forth actuall ſin, which once finiſhed brings forth death.

3. He exhorts them to aQuia de ſermone veritatis ſententiam proximae congruentem mox annecti , non dubito quin exhortationem hanc peculiariter inſtituto ſuo accommodet. Calv. in locum. moſt diligent and effectuall hearing of Gods word, verſe 19. And the ground of it is here premiſed in the Text, becauſe cauſe it is the inſtrumentall cauſe of our new birth.

Of his own will he begat us with the Word of Truth.

The Apoſtle then in theſe words layes down two things.

Firſt, the nature of true converſion, in this word Beg at. Our birth of Grace being in ſome reſpects like that of nature; wherein 1 Pet. 1. 3. the father that begets us is God; Hieruſalem quae eſt ſurſum, & communis noſtrum mater, eſt Eccleſia, originem habens à gratia coeleſti, Idem Galat. 4. 26. the mother that beares us and brings us forth, the Church; the men-widwifes, Gods miniſters,2 Cor. 6. 1. Gods co-workers (as the Apoſtle calles them:) and the Luc. 8. 11. ſeed of which we are begot, the word of God.

Secondly, the efficient cauſes of it. And they are two.

Firſt, the Principall, The will of God.

Secondly, the Inſtrumentall, The word of Truth.

Firſt, the principall is the will of God. His will is the ſource and fountain of all ſubordinate cauſes, which as inferior orbs have their influence and motion from this, and to this, as to the principall, is our converſion here attributed: before which there could be nothing, becauſe it is eternall; nothingCui ſemper ſubeſt cum volet poſſe, non aliud eſt in illo velle quam peſſe. 1. lib. Fulgent. ad Mon. cap. 12. greater, becauſe omnipotent, for what God wills, he doth in heaven and earth, ſayes the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 135. 6. nor any thing more juſt, Totus ordo juſtitiae originaliter ad divinam voluntatem reducitur. Carthuſian. in 4. Sent. diſt. 46. qu. 1. becauſe it is the rule of all juſtice & righteouſneſſe. There is nothing then without God deſervingNeque extra, ne que ultra divinam voluntatem cauſa eſt inquirenda. Aug. in Manich. l. 2. c. 2. this, nothing beyond him moving to it, nothing by way of activity concurring with him in it. Our birth of grace is neither from our Parents, nor our ſelves, whether by nature or induſtry: which makes S. Iohn ſay expreſly of thoſe that have the prerogative to be the ſons of God, that Ioh. 1. 13. they are not born of the will of man. Where the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . So the Hebrews diſtinguiſh betwixt Iſch and Adam, & the Latines betwixt Vir & Homo, reading it in their tranſlations generally, Ex vol ntate viri, not hominis. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which notes a man qualified with ſome goodneſſe or other, that ſerves to advance him above the common ſort. And though we grant a man that is to be converted and conſidered in the ſtate of degeneration a paſſive concurrence, as a ſubject endowed with reaſon, and therefore capable of grace, if God will give it; yet do we denie himThe will of man faln is able to do nothing to the performance of any ſpirituall actions, without the aſſiſtance of grace. Suffrag. Theolog. M. Britan. in 3. & 4. Artic. poſit. 1. any actuall concurrence whatſoever to it.

Our converſion is no work of nature, but of Grace; Nature being the ſubject of it, but not the cauſe: for there is this difference (ſayes Aquinas,) betwixtHoc intereſt inter gratiam Dei & hominis: quod gratia hominis non cauſat, ſed praeſupponit bonitatem in homine grato, vel veram, vel apparen em; Gratia vero Dei cauſat bonitatem, quia voluntas Dei eſt cauſa omnis boni creati. Sum. 3. part. qu. 86. Artic. 2. Gods grace & mans, that Gods grace creates goodneſſe, becauſe his will is the cauſe of all created goodneſſe, whereas mans grace preſuppoſes it. And hence it is that our converſion is here compared to the generation of a child: Now it is againſt nature for a child to be it's own parent: Generation is no act of the child, but of the Parent.

Let no manThe condition of man after his fall is ſuch, that he cannot turn and prepare himſelf by his own naturall ſtrength and good works to faith, nor do good works acceptable to God, unleſs prevented by the grace of God in Chriſt. So the 10. Art. of the Engliſh confeſſion. ſay then, that we are able by the ſtrength of nature to prepare and diſpoſe our ſelves for the grace of converſion, ſince it is God (ſayes S. Paul) that works Phil. 2. 13. in us both the will and deed of his good will and pleaſure; not only the deed,Dei eſt & ut bonum facere velimus, & ut bonum facere valeamus; Fulgent. ad Monim. lib. 1. cap. 9. but the will alſo which diſpoſes us for the deed. And here there is a diſtinction in Alvarez that may be taken notice of, and it is of a two-fold diſpoſition to Grace. Alvarez de auxiliis gratiae.

Firſt, negative, and this is when a man is not ſo practicall of ſin in the notorious courſes of it.

Secondly, poſitive, and this is when he hath an aptitude or fittingneſs to embrace and yield to the motions of ſanctifving grace.

Now one man (ſayes he) is more negatively diſpoſed for grace then another; and it is exemplified in the Scribe, of whom our Saviour ſayes, Non longe Mark 12. 34. erat â regno Dei, that he was not far from the kingdome of God: but no man poſitively. As dry wood is more negatively diſpoſed for fire, then the wet, as containing not thoſe ſo many hindrances of fire as the wet doth; and yet the dryeſt wood cannot poſitively make it ſelf fire.

But here it is not amiſſe (I ſuppoſe) to take in a grane or two of ſalt to ſeaſon this withall: As

Firſt, that every one by nature is alike indiſpoſed to good; for we have all ſinned (ſayes the Apoſtle)Rom. 3. verſe 22 and 23. and are come ſhort of the glory of God: nor is there any difference betwixt one and another, as to the corrupted maſſe, but we are all equally ſinfull, till grace come to give the difference, and are all Auguſt. in Soliloq. Nullum eſt peccatum quod unquam fecit homo, quin alter poſſit facere, ſi creator abſit, à quo factus eſt homo. diſpoſed na urally to commit the worſt of ſins that the worſt of men were ever guilty of. Again

Secondly, that the reaſon why one man is leſſe ſinfull in his life then anot er, is not becauſe he hath leſſe evill in his heart, or better diſpoſitions of himſelf then he; but from reſtrictive grace, which ſuppreſſes the naturall rebellion, and keeps it, not from being, but from breaking forth: as the lion hath the ſame nature when he is tyed up, as when he is free, though it expreſſes it ſelf more violently in a looſe then in a chained condition.

And thus much for the principall cauſe of our new birth, which is the will of God.

The Inſtrumentall follows, which is the word of Truth.

Now this preſents 2. things to our conſideration.

Firſt, that the word of God is the word of Truth.

Secondly, that the word of Truth is the ordinary meanes or inſtrument of our new birth and converſion.

Where by the word of Truth, I underſtand not any humane or morall truth, (though this may do ſomething to the reforming of the outward man in ſundry particulars; as we read of Polemon, a looſe young man at Athens, who by hearing Xenocrates read but oneValer. Maxim. lib. 6. cap. 9. lecture in the commendation of Temperance, became afterwards very ſober;) but that only which is divine and theologicall, there being no other truth that works throughly upon the inward man, and purifies the heart, but this alone. And that I call divine and theologicall, which is originally contained in the Scripture, is deducible from it, and conformable to it; whether conveyed unto us by preaching, as Gods ſolemn and publick ordinance, or elſe by reading, writing, conference, or otherwiſe, as his more private wayes of communicating it. All which God uſes as ſeverall chanels to let his word of T uth run in towards our converſion, though all of them be not alike clear and excellent, but every one of them in their own order, and in that rank of ſuperiority and ſubordination wherein God hath placed them.

Now that this word of Truth is a means or inſtrument of our new birth, (I think) needs not be queſtioned, ſince the major part of Divines is for it, and S. Peter, in that parallel place of his, ſeems to expreſſe, where he ſayes, that we are born again not 1 Pet. 1. 23. of corruptible but incorruptible ſeed, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by the word of God which lives for ever. And what elſe this prepoſition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſhould note there beſides the inſtrument, I do not ſee; nor this par la parole de Verite, this by the word of Truth in the Text, as the French tranſlate it. Nor ſhall I take upon me to determine what kind of operation it hath upon the ſoul; as whether it work upon it either as a phyſicall, or morall inſtrument: (though my judgement be for the Baxt. Sts Reſt, 2 part, pag. 160. latter of the two:) But that it is ſet a work by God the principall agentInſtrumentum agit diſpoſitive ad virtutem principalis agentis. Aquin. Sum. 3. part. q. 42. Art. 1. & Keck. log. p. 132. to operate upon the ſoul, and that powerfully too, the Scripture every where is plain enough, as in the 2 Cor. chap. 10. verſe 4. 5. where the Apoſtle ſayes, that the weapons of our warfare (the chief whereof there intended by the Holy Ghoſt, ſayes Chryſostome, Chryſoſtom. in locum. is the word of God,) are not carnall, but mighty through God to the pulling down of ſtrong holds; caſting down imaginations, or reaſonings of fleſh and bloud, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . every high thing that exalts it ſelf against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt. For what can be more powerfull againſt the hold of luſt, then the word of purity? againſt the hold of infidelity, then the word of faith? againſt the hold of preſumption, then the word of fear? or againſt the hold of falſhood and inſincerity, then the word of Truth?

But in the next place, that it is Gods ordinary meanes of our converſion, I am ſure was yet never doubted by any rationall Chriſtian. And by this I diſtinguiſh it from thoſe extraordinary meanes that God made uſe of at the firſt, before that this ſtanding Canon of the truth was fully ſetled and ſealed by the Holy Ghoſt for the ordinary meanes;Revela . laſt, v. 20. which now (there being not the ſame reaſon for them as before) we look upon as out of date in the Chriſtian Church, and have in their ſtead the more ſure word of the Prophets to reſt upon, or theFirmiſsimum Sermonem. 2 Pet. 1. 19. moſt ſure word, as Beza renders it.

And this makes me wonder at Rog. in 17. Artic. propoſit. 7. the Schwenckfeldians, and others of the ſame mol e in theſe times, who depending altogether upon Caſpar Schwenckfeldius Eques erat Sileſius, nobili ortus genere; Docuit Scripturam literam eſse mortuam, ac illuminationes & revelationes majoris eſſe faciendas. Spanhem. in Diatri . Hiſtoric. de Anabaptiſt. Numero 24. the immediate revelations of Gods ſpirit, do ſlight this word of truth, and Gods ordinary calling by the miniſtry of it, affirming the Scripture to be as a dead letter, and their own Enthuſiaſmes to be preferred before it: Whereas Gods word of Truth and his ſpirit of Truth go together; nor is there any other ordinaryIdeo Evangelium dicitur Miniſteriumſpiritus 2 Cor. 3. 8. quia eſt instrumentum per quod fidem in nobis vivificam Spiritus Sanctus operatur. way revealed unto us but this, to the truth of regeneration. The word of God therefore in the Scripture is compared to ſeed, withoutLuc. 16. 13 which we cannot in reaſon expect here any harveſt of grace, ſince the harveſt is potentially in the ſeed.

It is then but an idleChriſtianis ſpiritus non est phantaſma quod aliqui ſomniant, ſed quem prophtae commendarunt, & evangelium nobis in ſanctificationem praedicat. Calvin. Inſtit. lib. 3. cap. 3. Sect. 14. dream, to think of an immediate Spirit to work in us this n w birth without the word, or otherwiſe then the word preſcribes; ſince the work of Gods Spirit now is not to perfect the word, or to be in ſtead of it, but onely to clear the dimme ſight of our underſtandings, whereby they are enabled to ſee more plainly what is that good and perfect will of God revealed to us in the Scriptures.

And yet there be too too many now-a-dayes that have ſuch conceptions in their braines, which (like falſe conceptions in the womb) never come to have their perfect form, nor to amount to any ſubſtantiall birth: that as the evill ſpirits ſaid to the Exorciſts,Acts 19. 13. who took upon them to caſt them out in the name of Jeſus, Ieſus we know, and Paul we know, but who are ye? ſo ſay I to ſuch, The Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt we know, and the ſame ſpirit in the mouths of all his holy Prophets and Apoſtles we know, but that ſpirit whereof theſe men ſpeak, we doSpiritus iste qui multos nunc dierum ſanctos reddit, ac eſt ipſis pro norma fidei & doctrinae, mille formas induit, exuitque in dies, •• as, & momenta, dubiae ac fluxae inſpirationis. D. R. pag. 369. not know; nor have we any warrant at all to look after it; or if we ſhould, could we find any thing but error and thing but error and incertainty in it. But I forbear to ſpeak more of this, becauſe it is a theam obvious every where; and turnThat the word of God is the ordinary means of our new birth, ſee more in Reinolds on Pſalm 110. & Baxt. Saints reſt, 2. part. back to the former of the two, viz. That the word of God is the word of Truth: upon which I lay the main weight of my diſcourſe, & ſet down my reſt.

And it is called the Word of Truth not onely byPſa. 119. 43 2 Cor. 6. 7. 1 Epheſ. 13. 1 Coloſſ. 5. Ioh. 18. 38. S. Iames here, but alſo by the Prophet David, and S. Paul above once or twice.

Now in ſpeaking to this, I ſhall not goe about to anſwer Pilates queſtion to Chriſt, What is Truth?

Nor yet ſhall I give you any exact definition of it; it being like the eie, which although it ſee other things, yet doth it not ſee it ſelf; Democriti proverbiale, Veritas in profundo: Tull. 1. Academic. Eraſm. Adag. p. 453; & Are . Probl. de veritet . which made one of the ancients feign her dwelling in a deep pit under ground, and another ſay, that ſhe lyes there in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Plat. Epist. ad Dionyſium. a little room; both which imply ſome difficulty to find her out.

Though it will better appear if we conſider

Either the parts of truth, which are very numerous.De hoc lege Timplerum in Metaphyſic. lib. 2. cap. 4. & 8. ubi plura.

Or the conceptions of men, which are exceeding various.

Or the dim-ſightedneſſe of our in ward man, which is apt to miſtakeGen. 29. 25 Leah for Rachel, and falſhood for truth, as looking upon it here but through a glaſſe darkly.1 Cor. 13. 2.

Nor will I be ſo troubleſome as to tell you how ſome Polan. Syntag. de veritate; & Tilen. de Attrib. communicab. diſp. Ia. Theſ. 12. as to tell you how ſome diſtinguiſh her, viz. into Originall, Reall, Intellectuall and Signall. The Signall truth (they ſay) is that which is ſignified either by word o otherwiſe, as when the word agrees with the underſtanding; the Intellectuall truth they call that whereby the underſtanding doth ſuit and accommodate it ſelf to the true nature of the thing it ſearches after; the Real truth that whereby the things themſelves are agreeing and conformable to the Ideas and patterns of them in the mind of God; and the Originall truth that which reſides in the underſtanding of God himſelf, which had in it the Idea and pattern of all created truths from eternity; It being nothing elſe but the very eſſence and nature of God, which, although it be butVna eſt in rebus omnibus veritas, quia non in ipſis rebus, aut ex ipſis ſuum habet eſſe; ſed cum res ipſae ſecundum illam ſunt, tunc hujus vel illius rei dicitur verit s. Anſ. Dial. de Veritate cap. 14. Et Leſſius de Perfectionibu divini l. 6. cap. 4. one and the ſame in all created things it is given out into, yet, as the things themſelves are different, ſo doth this Truth receive diverſe names; like as the ſea, which although in it ſelf it be but one, yet according to the diverſe ſhores it waſhes in its paſſage, it hath diverſe names, being ſometimes called the Germane, ſometimes the Britiſh Ocean, and the like. Even ſo it is with Truth, which, when it lights upon natural things, it is then called Naturall Truth; when upon Morall things, Ethicall Truth; and when upon divine things, Theologicall Truth.

And from hence by the way, we may take occaſion to admire the excellencie of Truth, as being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the off-ſpring of God: for what is Signall Truth, but a conformity of words, or ſuch like, to the underſtanding of him that ſpeaks? again, what is Intellectuall Truth, but a conformity of the underſtanding to the things themſelves? or Real Truth, but a conformity of the things to the eternall mind of God?

So that every truth (you ſee) hath its foundation in the very Deity. And this made the Greek Poet call Truth the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Pindar. Olym. 10 daughter of Iupiter the chief of the heathen Gods.

But to wave this diſcourſe of Truth in generall, and to come more particularily to the point in hand. Now here know, that (as Divines make a twofold beginning, viz. of beingEſſendi, Gognoſcendi. ſee Keck. Syſt. Theolog. lib. 1. cap. 8. and knowing) ſo alſo is there a twofold Truth.

Firſt, veritas eſſendi, Truth of being; and this is God himſelf, who is the being of beings, or the moſt perfect and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Acts 17. 28. ex Arato. And thus underſtand that of Hermes Triſmegiſtus; That which is true, hath of it ſelf alone its conſtitution, and abides according to it ſelf, ſuch as it is. In l. 15. num. 26. De veritate. ſimple being: which is the reaſon that when God would make himſelf known to the Iſraelites by a name that would ſuite beſt with his own nature, he makes Truth one branch of it; as Exod. 34. 6. where the Lord proclaimes his name this, The Lord, the Lord God, mercifull and gracious, longſuffring, abundant in goodneſſe and Truth; Truth being eſſentiall to him, though to us onely contingent and accidentall. And our Saviour alſo ſtiles himſelf 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Truth, John 14. 6.

The ſecond is Truth of knowing God: which is 1. Naturall, by his works. Now this way of knowing God is afforded even to the heathen who are without the pale, and is but a duſkiſhQui foris ſunt. 1 Cor. 5. 12. and uncertain light; which makes S. Paul call it a feeling or groping after God, as men do in the dark after aActs 17. 27 thingthey are in ſome doubt to find.

2. Supernaturall, by his word. Now this, is a favour indulged only to Gods ownVerbum Dei in Scripturis, peculium Eccleſiae. Ambroſ. Sola Eccleſia pio affectu veritatem poſſidet. Id. tom. 2. p. 979. people, as in the 147. Pſal. verſe 19. where it is ſaid, that he ſhewed his words to Jacob, his ſtatutes to Iſrael; and is moſt clearly aſſured unto us in the propheticall and Apoſtolicall writings of the Old and New Teſtament; from whence they are called by S. Peter, the more ſure word of the prophets, and a light in a dark place 2 Peter 1. 19. And this is the word of truth here ſpoken of. And it follows upon the former: for if we believe that there is a God, we muſt believe him to beSi Deum credas, veratem credas oportet; & ſi veracem, nihil verius quam quod veritas ipſa in Scripturis inſpiravit. Eraſm. Enchirid. milit. Chriſtiani. true of his word; and if this be ſo, then can nothing be truer, then the word which truth it ſelf hath inſpired in the holy Scriptures. The Heathen hadCredite me folium vobis recitare Sibyllae, Iuvenal. Satyr. 8. their Sibylls leafe in high eſteem, inſomuch that they cry'd it up for truth by way of proverb; but with us Chriſtians, if any leafe be thus far truth, it is Scripture folium the ſacred page, called here the word of truth in four reſpects.

Firſt, Normaliter, by way of rule, becauſe it is the rule of all ſaving truths. Wherein obſerve

Firſt, what truths come under the cognizance of the Scriptures; and

Secondly, how they come under it.

Firſt, what truths come under the cognizance of the Scriptures, and theſe are all ſaving truths; to diſtinguiſh them from naturall, civill, and morall truths, whereof the Scripture takes ſmall notice, becauſe they make a man wiſe onely to the world, and not (as the Scriptures do) wiſe to ſalvation: yea2 Ti. 3. 15. and from ſome divine truths too, for all truths in divinity are not ſaving truths; of which ſort are many hiſtoricall, ethicall, eccleſiaſticall, and problematicall truths, that ſerve rather to puffe up the head with knowledge then to edify the heart with charity. Now theſe & ſuch like are vera, ſed libere credenda, Truths indeed, but ſuch as we have a liberty in, either to believe or not, without laying our ſalvation to ſtake upon them. But as for Doctrinall truths, that ſerve as well to reform our lives as to inform our underſtandings, theſe onely are neceſſario credenda ad ſalutem, neceſſarily to be believed to ſalvation, and ſo become ſaving truths, at leaſt in their fundamentalls, wherebyFundamentals muſt be believed with a faith explicit, abſolute and divine. Baxt. Saints reſt part 2. pag. 241. they challenge the holy Scriptures to be their rule; as in the doctrine of the Trinity, the deity of Chriſt, and others of like ſort.

And the reaſon is this, becauſe all ſuch truths are either in plain and expreſſe terms laidSee the 8. Article of the Church of England, and the 20. Article propoſit. 7. explained by Rogers. down in the Scriptures, or elſe are naturally and by good conſequence deduced from them as their grounds, or elſe reduced to them as to their rule.

Whereby the way take notice, that inference 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . (That is) There are ſome things that both are in the Scriptures, and are expreſſed there plainly in ſo many words and ſyllables: but other things that are there, though not ſo expreſſed, but onely collected from them; as that the Father is unbegotten, &c. Nazianz. orat. de Spiritu Sancto, ubi plura. of truth frō Scripture is ſcripture-truth, though not formaliter formally (as the ſchool ſpeaks) yet reductive & fundamentaliter, that is, as it is reduced to it, and founded on it: Chriſt being the perſonall foundation our faith muſt reſt upon, as in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinth. chap. 3. verſe 11. Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid, even Jeſus Chriſt; but the Scripture the Doctrinall, as in the 2. chap. to the Epheſ. verſe 20. Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets Ambr. in locum; ſupra vetus & novum teſtamentum and Apoſtles, i. e. ſayes S. Ambroſe, upon the propheticall and Apoſtolicall Doctrine of the Old and New Teſtament. And ſo much for the firſt.

The ſecond is, how all ſaving truths fall under the cognizance of the Scriptures: and this is by being ſubjected to them as to their rule. Whereby Rule I do not mean ſo much the materiall book wherein they are written, as the formall truth, which is the will of God revealed in them; as when we ſpeak of a rule, we intend not ſo much the materiall wood, as the formall meaſure. And S. Paul in two ſeverall places calls it ſo in expreſs words: as in the 3. chap. Philip. verſe 16. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Let us walk by the ſame rule; and 6. Galat. 16. As many as walk after this rule, &c. Where the word that we tranſlate Rule is in the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from whence we have the name of Canonicall Scripture, to diſtinguiſh it from the Apocryphall, admitted no further then as regulated by this, and conformable to it: And it is a Metaphor taken fromTranſlatum à fabris lapidariis, aut lignariis, qui funiculo illo regulari operis aequalitatem explorant, Eraſ. in his Adag. pag. 199. Maſons or Carpenters, who try by it whether their work be equall or no; ſo doth God, the great Architect, uſe the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament as his rule or ſquare to build his Church by.

Now a Rule hath four properties, all which are agreeable to the holy Scriptures.

Firſt, a rule hath a kind of authority over the things that are laid to it, to be tri'd and examin'd by it whether they be ſtrait or no: and ſo have the Scriptures a delegated power over all truths that are held out in order to ſalvation; every one of them may ſay of this word of truth as S. Cyprian did of Tertullian, Cedo Hieronym. in Catalogo virorum illustrium. Magiſtrum, Give me my maſter; this being the Magiſteriall truth, unto which all others reſort to be tri'd and examin'd, as the Scholar doth to his Maſter: to this rule and ſtandard they muſt go; To the Iſai. 8. 20. law and Teſtimony ſayes the prophet.

There is no particular Church, much leſſe any man, that can obtrude upon their own word and credit any Doctrines to bind their peoples faith, untill they have firſt weighed them in the ballance of the Sanctuary, this word of truth. For all humane aſſertions taſt much of the earthen veſſell through which they run:We have this treaſure in earthen veſſels. 2 Cor. 4 7. but what the Scripture affirms for truth, we muſt believe as the Oracle of God; and what it denies, we muſt reject as falſhood. Hence it is that truth in humane teſtimonies is truly ſaid to be Verit as probanda; but in divine, Veritas probans: becauſe the word of man, how true ſoever it be, yet is it in the great matter of ſalvation to be received only with a Quatenus, ſo far as it accords with this rule of truth,With the Pythagoreans, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Naz. 1. Invect. and no further. It is not then 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He ſaid it, that muſt ſway with us, (as it did with Pythagoras his Scholars) nor is it every word which this or that Miniſter ſayes, that is the word of Truth; for there ſhall ariſe many falſe Prophets Mat. 14. 11, 24. (ſayes our Saviour) and ſhall deceive many, yea, if it were poſſible even the elect: but it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 what God ſpake by the mouths of his holy Prophets and Apoſtles, in the verbum ſcriptum, in the written word of the Old and New Teſtament. AndIſai. 8. 20. if any ſpeak not according to this word (ſayes the Prophet) 't is becauſe there is no light Eraſm. Adag. ſub loco communt Libertatis. of truth in him. Amicus Plato was the old ſaying, that is, Plato is my friend; ſed magis amica veritas, but truth much more. And therefore though in matters of faith we that are Gods Miniſters expect your hearingNemo trahatur authoritate cujuſquam, ſed verita i potius ſaveat & cedat. Lactan. de falſa ſapient. lib. 3. cap. 13. and believing us too, yet (as they ſaid to the woman of Samaria) Non tam propter verbum noſtrum, Ioh. 4. 41, and 42. not ſo much becauſe of our word, as becauſe of Chriſt's word, which we carry in our mouths; for when it is ſaid of the people, that Crediderunt Exo. 14. 31 Deo & Moſi, that they believed God and his ſervant Moſes, the meaning is, that they believed the Doctrine which Moſes taught them, but yet only propter Deum, becauſe of God, from whom it came, and whether it tended. And if an angel from heaven Galat. 1. 8. (ſayes S. Paul) ſhall preach another Goſpel, another Doctrine then is held forth by this word of truth, let him be accurſed.

Secondly, a rule muſt be ſtrait and right: and ſo is the Scripture, a right word, (as David calles it;)Pſal. 33. 4. Eccleſiaſtes chap. 12. verſe 10. and the Preacher ſayes to the ſame effect, that what was written was upright, or, as Tremelius tranſlates it by the Hebrew, Scriptum rectitudine verba veritatis. It is not like that Lesbian rule whichRegula non quam formoſa, ſed quam recta ſit quaritur. Sen. Epiſtol. 76. would bend any way: no, it inclines neither too much on the right hand, nor yet on the left, either to maintain ſuperſtition on the one hand, or profaneneſſe on the other.

Thirdly, a rule is perfect, at leaſt in ſuo genere, and in relation to the things that are to be perfected by it; it being impoſſible to perfect any thing by an imperfect rule. And ſuch alſo is the holy Scripture, a perfect rule in order to ſaving and converting truths: which made the Prophet David ſay, That the law of Pſalm 19. 7. the Lord is perfect, converting the ſoul. Elſe why doth S. Paul tell us that all Scripture is given of 2 Tim. 3. 16, 17. God by inſpiration, that the man of God may be perfect? Now it cannot make perfect,Nihil dat quod non habet, nec minor eſt vir us cauſae quam effect us. Gerhard in locum. unleſſe it be perfect it ſelf. And it is Locus Claſſicus, a Signall place (ſayes one) againſt the Papiſts, in which the perfection of the Scripture is demonſtrated: and if (ſayes he) it can perfect the teachers, why not the heare s alſo?

Fourthly, A rule muſt be known: for though This Bellarmine acknowledges, lib. 1. de verbo dei cap. 2. Si regula catholicae fidei nota non ſit, regula nobis non erit. it have in it ſelf both authority, rectitude, and perfection; yet if I know it not, it is no rule to me; ſince there is the ſame reaſon for things that do not appear, as The law rule is this: De non en ibus & de non apparentibus eadem est ratio. for things that are not.

Now from that wch hath been ſaid (methinks) the Papiſts are much out.

Firſt, By making the Scriptures depend upon the Church, and not the Church upon the Scriptures; as if the reed ſpoken ofSic lapis ad amiſſis (non amuſſis ad lapidem) applicandus Eraſ. Adag ſub loco communi I ſti ae. Revel. 11. 1. were to be meaſured by the Temple, and not the Temple by the reed. Whereas we, although we honour the Church in diverſe reſpects, yet ſtill do we remember that of S. Paul, Non tu radicem, ſedra i te, That thou doſt not Ro. 11, 18. bear the root, but the root thee: ſo that the Scriptures bear up the Church,Where the Scripture is ſilent, the Church is my Text: where that ſpeaks, it is but my Comment. Relig. Medic. Sect. 5. and not the Church the Scriptures; The Church being Chriſts ſpirituall houſe or building, and the Scriptures the foundation of it, as it is in that place before cited, Ye are built upon 2 Ephe. 20. the foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles, that is, upon their Doctrine (asAnſe me, Gagnaeus, Cajetan. & Aquinas in locum. ſome of their own learned men expound it.) Now the building (youHuc etiam tendit illud Bielis; Veritates Catholicae abſque omni approbation E cleſiae ex natura rei ſant immutabiles, & immutabil ter verae. In Sent. lib. 3. diſt. 25. Concluſ. 6. dub. 3. know) depends upon the foundation, and not v ce verſa, the foundation upon the building.

Secondly, by telling us, That the Doctrine of the Church (meaning that of the Romane Chu ch) muſt rule us, though yet they will not rectifie it by the rule of Gods word; whereas particular Churches may and do often erre (as Rome now doth) from the right way of truth, becauſe Gods promiſe of ſendingIohn 14. 13 his holy Spirit to lead into all truth, was not made to any particular, but onely to the Catholick Ch rch.See Carlton's Directions to know the true Church, pag. 48. And therefore when they cry out to us ſo much, that their Doctrine muſt rule us, (methinks) it would do well, if withall they would let us know what rule ſhould rule their Doctrine; which is this rule of truth here ſpoken of.

Thirdly, By making unwritten truths (as they call Traditions) a part of this rule, as Bellarmine doth, whoſe words are theſe; I ſay that the Scripture is not the totall, but the partiall rule ofTotalis enim regula eſt verbum Dei, ſive revelatio Dei Eccleſiae facta, quae dividitur in duas regulas partiales Scripturam & traditiones. Bellarm. lib. 4. de Verbo Dei non ſcripto, cap. 12. faith. Whereas if the Scripture rule (as it is) be perfect, then is there no need of their traditions, which have onely a pretended OriginallDe hoc lege 6. q. clar. Theol. Whitakeri de Scriptura, ubi plura. from Chriſt & his Apoſtles, to complete and make it up.

Fourthly, by denying the reading of the Scriptures to the people in a tongue they underſtand; whereas no man canQui dat operam veritati, venit ad lucem, ut opera ejus ſint manifeſta. Iohn 3. 21. walk by a rule that is either not known to him, or elſe hid from him: Truth being likeNon amat veritas angulos, ſed in medi ſtat. Bern. in bis Serm. a candle, that is not brought to be put underMark 4. 21 a buſhell, but to be ſet on a candleſtick, to give light to all that are in the houſe.

2. The Scriptures are called the word of truth Efficienter, from the efficient cauſe, or authour of them; and this is God, who is eſſentially true: ſo ſayes the Spirit, Rev. 3. 7. Theſe things ſayes he who is holy and true. For which cauſe it is called the breath of God, as in the 2. Epiſt. to Tim. 3. chap. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . and 16. ver. where S. Paul ſayes, that all Scripture, whether Legall or Evangelicall, is inſpired or breath'd of God; even as the ſoul is ſaid to be breath'd into the body, Gen. 2. 7. to ſhew its immediate Originall from God the father of ſpirits.

Now though all truth calls God father, as flowing from him, who is as well the Summum verum, the higheſt Truth to fill up the underſtanding, as Summum bonum, the higheſt good to ſatisfie the will and affections; yet is there none that layes ſo ſtrong and near a claim toOf this Baxter diſcourſes at large in the 2. part of his Saints Reſt. him as Scripture truth; this being to God as Reuben was to Iacob, his firſt-born, and the beginning of his ſtrength: and you know that the nearer any ſtream is to the fountain, the more ſtrong and clear it runs; which is the reaſon that God owns it for his, after a more ſpeciall manner, both by his word, hand, and ſeal.

1. He owns it for his, by his word and hand; which were both immediate for the truth of the Law, as to the plain Tex: and ground-work of it, (forDeut. 5. 22. this he ſpake viva voce, with a lively voice from heaven, and wrote it with his own finger in two tables of ſtone) but mediate as to the expoſition and revelation of it, both by his Prophets in the Old Teſtament, and his Apoſtles in the New; for holy men of God ſpake it (ſayes S. Peter) as they were moved by 2 P t. 1. 2 . the holy Ghoſt. And S. Paul alſo tells us, that the things which he wrote were the commandments of1 Cor. 14. 37 God; God was the Dictator of them, and S. Paul onely his Spokes-man or Amanuenſis.

2. God owns it alſo for his, not only by his word & hand, but alſo ratifies and confirms it by his ſeal.

Now for propheticall Doctrine we have his ſeal in the 8. chap. of Iſai. verſe 16. where the Lord ſayes thus, Bind up the teſtimony, ſeal up the law among my diſciples; comparing there his word by the Prophet to a letter, which though the people ſlighted, yet was it of divine and authentick truth, becauſe it had Gods ſtamp and ſeal of authority impreſſed upon it.

And for Apoſtolicall Doctrine, we have that ſeal'd in the end of the Revelation, where we haveRev. laſt, verſe 20. his Amen to it, which S. Ierom Hieron. in Orat. Dominicam. calls well Sigillum or ationis Dominicae, the ſeal of the Lords prayer: And ſo is this Amen here the ſeal of the New Teſtament, to confirm and ratifie all the books of Evangelicall Doctrine for Gods ſpeciall and peculiar truth. And therefore if any one now after that God hath impreſſed his ſeal upon it, ſhall add any thing to it, God ſayes, that he will adde unto him all the plagues that are written in this book; or if any ſhall detract from it, God ſhall then take away his part out of the book of life.

And now by way of Corollary If God be the Authour of this word of Truth, who is but one, nay more, Uniſſimus (to uſe Bernard's expreſſion) moſtDeus (ſi dici poſſit) eſt uniſſimus. Bern. de Conſid. lib. 5. cap. 7. one, why then it will follow, that as God is one, ſo alſo is that truth of ſalvation, which is originally in the Scriptures, and derivatively from them, but one alſo: That as the ApoſtleEphe. 4. 5. ſayes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as but one Lord, ſo but one Faith; ſo may I here, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as but one God, ſo alſo but one Truth. And this did the Aegyptians repreſent Pier. Valer. lib. 44. p. 130. Totus mundus non ſufficit ad duos continendos ſoles, ſaid Alexander 〈◊〉 Q. Curt. hiſt. by the Sun, which is but one in the firmament of heaven. Indeed you may diſtinguiſh God into 3. perſons; but you cannot, you muſt not divide him into 3. ſubſtances: the eſſence and ſubſtance of all 3. being but one and the ſame. And ſo it is with this ſaving truth here, which is one for the nature of it, but not one for number; as there be many rayes of the Sun, and yet but one light: again oneUt ſolis multi radii, ſed lumen unum. Cyprian de unit. Eccleſ. truth, ratione Objecti for the object that is to be believed, but not one ratione Subjecti for the ſubjects that are to believe, who are all true Chriſtians. To this end know that the Law and the Goſpell are not at ods, as two ſeverall truths, but are onely one and the ſame; Diverſa, not Adverſas diverſe one from another, but not adverſe one to another: for the Law what is it but Verit as Dei elata, and the Goſpell but Verit as Dei revelata? the one Gods vail'd, the other his reveal'd truth; the one his condemning, the other his abſolving truth?

Indeed Multa novit vulpes, Aeſop. ſab. pag. 43. (as in the Apologue) t f lis unum magnum; the Fox bragged he had many ſhifts to ſave himſelf from the dogs, but the poor Cat ſaid that he had but one: yet that one was unum magnum a great one, and better then the Fox 's many; which was to leap up into a tree, and there to be ſecur'd.

And ſo doth the unſtable man find out to himſelf, many new lights to walk by, and many truths in order to ſalvation; but when falſe teachers, whomPhil. 3. 1. S. Paul compares to dogs for their barking and ſnarling nature, when they (I ſay) come to hunt for him, all his own truths will then leave him in the briars, as Abraham's ram was in the thorns to be ſacrificed. But as for the true Chriſtian, he hath but one truth to fly unto, and this is Gods Scripture 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 truth, his will revealed in his word; whither he retires himſelf in any danger, and is ſafe.

Let the unſtable man then coin unto himſelf many truths: ſure I am, that (as Ieſus told Martha) unum Luc. 10. laſt neceſſarium, that one onely is abſolutely neceſſary, one alone is current, which hath Gods image and ſuperſcription upon it; and this will go when other baſe coins ſhall be rejected.

And yet what a number of falſe and counterfeit pieces of Truth are put off in theſe dayes, becauſe father'd upon the word of God, andLege P. Samoſateni opuſcula, Eunomii, Priſcilliani, ubi cernes nullam omitti paginam, quae non novi aut vet. teſtam. ſententi is fucata ſit; ut qui humanum facile deſpiceret errorem, divina nonfacile deſpiceret oracula. Vincent. Lyrin. in lib. de cathol. fidei univerfitate. ſtamp'd upon with a forg'd impreſs of Scripture to hold them up? wherein (methinks) they are like thoſe who, to uphold a bad cauſe the better, uſe to entitle the King and his law to it; or elſeSicut quis gypſum aquae mixtum dat, ſeducens per ſimilitudinem coloris. Iren. lib. 3. cap. 19. like him that gives lime mixt with water inſtead of milk, ſeducing thereby the ſimple with the likeneſſe it hath to it in its colour: ſo do many now give a colour of truth to falſhood, that ſo by that means they may more eaſily deceive the ignorant, and make truth & falſhood cleave together, as the iron and clay did in the toes of Nebuchadnezzar's image, Sr. Fr. Bac. Eſſay 1. though they will never incorporate; ſo that we may well complain after this manner, Alas poor Truth! How art thou uſed, or rather abuſed in theſe times of ours? Even worſe then the Levite uſed his Concubine; for ſheludg. 19. 29 was divided but into twelve pieces, but thou into 12000. pieces, and art ſent away into all the coaſts of this our Iſrael.

Thus the Papiſts and Arminians have their truth, the Antinomians and Anabaptiſts theirs, and the Socinians and Millenaryes theirs alſo: Quot homines, tot veritates, look how many men, ſo many truths there are. And everySic Arriani 40. loca Scriptura proſe torquebant contra filii conſubſtantialitatem; ac Arrius ipſe nihil praeter Scripturas crepabat, Evangeium, Evangelium. Plura apud Phil. Boſqui. volum. 1. pag. 642. one hath now got the Devils trick, to cry up his own by Scripture, with Sifallor ego, fefellit me Scriptura; when God knows, if we look into the Scripture with a diſcerning eye, we ſhall find theſe mens truths to be but old errors newly varniſh'd, and then ſet out to the vulgar for new truchs.

That as the Heathen uſed to paint over a piece of old rotten wood, and ſet it up for a new God to be worſhipped: ſo do theſe with old falſhoods, and hold them forth to be adored for new truths, croaking them up with as much noiſe as the ignorant Epheſians did their Goddeſſe: I, and we hear what ſome call truth to day, but what they will call it to morrow we cannot tell; ſuch is their ignorance and unconſtancie in the truth.

So that it is much to beReligionem evertit, quiſquis libertate religionum inducit, ex qua contemptus Dei ſequitur, & confuſio. Lipſ. in lib. de una religione. feared that whilſt we admit of all religions, we may ſoon looſe the true one in the crowd; and that our having of ſo many truths, will bring us in a ſhortThat diviſions in religion are an in-let to Atheiſme, ſee Sr. Fr. Bacon Eſſay 16. time to have none at all, and to aske e're long with Pilate, what is Truth? But though there be many that are called Gods, (ſayes1 Cor. 8. 5. the Apoſtle) yet to us there is but one: ſo, though there be many nominallSeu potius multa veriſimilia, ſed unum verum. Sen. Epiſt. 118. truths, yet to us there is but one reall; and though many Idols, yet but one God; though many ſuperſtitions, yet but one faith; and though many falſhoods, yet but one truth, as God the author of it is but one.

And ſo much for the ſecond reaſon, why the verbum Scriptum the written word is called the word of Truth.

3. The holy Scriptures are called the word of Truth Eminenter, What he ſaid of philoſophy, is more truly verified of this, Hoc ſapientiae ſtudium eſt ſublime, magnificum; caetera ſunt pufilla & puerilia. Seneca Epist. 88. for their eminencie and excellencie, as the higheſt and moſt excellent truth that ever was made known to the ſons of men; which makes our Saviour call it, the Truth, per modum eminentiae, John 17. verſe 17. and S. Paul Ephe. 1. 13. prefix an emphaticall article before it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; not onely the word of Truth, but the word of that Truth, by way of eminencie, as communicating unto us the excellency of the Eminentiam notitiae Icſu Chriſti. Phil. cap. 3. v. 8. knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus, in compariſon of which he counted all things as loſs, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , qu ſi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , quae conibus projiciuntur. Corn. à Lapide. & Gagnaeus. & for whom he ſuffer'd the loſs of all things, & counted them as dung, or as ſcraps which are thrown away to dogs, that he might win Chriſt.

There is no liberall Art or Science but hath its truth, yea, & its word of truth too; but none its word of that Truth, that which brings us to eternall life, but onely this: for ſearch the Scriptures, (ſayes ourIoh. . v. 3 Saviour) in them ye think to have eternall life. Other truths lie very low, and mole themſelves in the earth, whereas this is high and ſublime, the head thereof (like Jacob's ladder) reaching up to heaven. Though I have all knowledge (ſayes S. Paul) yet if I1 Cor. 13. 1 have not charity, I am nothing; Bucholc. ad ann. Chriſti 212. and Severus the Emperour uſed to ſay, Omnia fui, & tamen nihilexpedit, I have been all I could deſire, yet this all is nothing: And ſo may I ſay here, that though we have the knowledge of all other truth, yet without theVulgare, ſed verum; Si Chriſtum neſcis, nihil eſt ſi caetera diſcis. true knowledge of Chriſt, which this word of truth teaches, it is nothing; much it may be to this life, but nothing to eternall life; for this is life eternall, to know thee, and whom thou Iohn 17. 3. haſt ſent thy ſon Ieſus Chriſt.

That as Eſan ſaid, I am now ready to die, and what Nec quicquam tibi prodest Aerias tentaſſe domos, animoque rotundum Percurriſſe polum moritur . Hor. lib. 1. od. 28. is this birth-right to me? ſo may a dyingman ſay of all other knowledge, Quid tu ſi pereo? in what ſtead canſt thou ſtand me if I periſh eternally? Surely in none at all, unleſſe it be (as King Iames ſaid well) to letIn Declar. in Vorſt. us ſee how to go to hell with more light then others,Haec eſt condemnatin, quod lux venit in mundum. Ioh. 3. 1 . which will but aggravate our condemnation.

It was ſaid of Themistocles a heathen man, that being now above a hundred yeares old, he ſhed tears, Quod tunc egrederetur ex hac vita, cum coepiſſet ſapere, becauſe he was Plutarch. in vita, & Bruſon. lib. 2. cap. 31. then going out of the world, when as he had yet but newly entred himſelf ut veritatis candidatus, as a Candidate of Truth in natures ſchool & had only gain'd ſome little ſmattering of her wiſdome. But had he been ſo happy as once to have heard of the Scriptures, Gods ſupernaturall truth, that is able to make a man wiſe unto ſalvation, (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) Tim. 3. 15. then think how much he would have been troubled, that he was to leave the world before he had ſo much as taſted of it. How would he then have ſlighted his naturall truth in compariſon of this, and have counted it (as Caligula was in Dion Appius) but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , aDion. App. Hist. lib. 59. great Dotage?

4. The holy Scriptures are called the word of truth Effective, for the effect they work upon the underſtandings and hearts of men, which per ſe is nothing but truth: and therefore if at any time we find the contrary in thoſe that profeſſe the knowledge of truth, we muſt conceive this to ariſe not cauſally from the word of God, which ſo conſider'd is the word of truth, and leades us into all truth, but occaſionally only; non ex natura ſua, ſed ex accidenti; the fault not lying in the word itſelf, but in thoſe that pervert the word, and deal with it as Caligula did with the imageSuetonius in vita Caligulae. of Iupiter Olympicus, who did proprio capite dempto ſuum imponere, who took from him his own head of gold, and put upon him one of his own making that was of aTantum veritati obstrepit adulter ſenſus, quantum & corruptor ſtylus. Tertull. adverſus hareſ. cap. 16. baſer metall: and ſo do ſome take off from the word of truth its pure and genuine ſenſe, and put upon it a falſe gloſſe and interpretation of their own, which doth ſpoile and mar the Text. And this is that which S. Peter ſayes 2. Pet. laſt chapter verſe 16. that ſome who were ignorant & unſtable did wreſt the Scriptures, or lay them upon the rack, (for ſo much 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . the word imports) that ſo they might extort a ſenſe from them they never meant; which is contrary to the proper end for which they were written, that being to lead us unto truth here and ſalvation hereafter.

Now by this that hath been ſaid, we may eaſilyUſe of Examination, ſee whether we be the ſons of the true Church, or the ſons of the falſe; of Gods holy Catholick, or elſe of Sathans malignant Church, (as the Septuagint hath it:) or elſe by this lapis Lydius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Pſal. 26. 5. by this touch-ſtone, we may eaſily diſcover where the truth of Chriſtian Religion is.

As whether it be with the Antinomian, who is all for the Goſpell rule as obligatory Ʋt rectum est index ſui & obliqui, ſic verum ſui & falſi. to believers, and nothing for the law: or whether it be with the Socinian and the Anabaptiſt, who are neither for the one, nor yet for the other; the one making reaſon his chiefeſt rule, the other his own private and immediate ſpirit: or elſe whether it be with us of the Reformed Religion, or elſe with the Papists, (for againſt theſe I ſhall chiefly bend my diſcourſe, as the moſt ſubtil and conſiderable enemies of Gods truth, above others.)

Indeed none have been ſo great pretenders to truth as the Papiſts, Fox in ſuo martyrolog. 2. part. which made Q. Mary at her coming to the Crown bear for her Impreſſe winged Time drawing truth out of a pit, with this Motto, Veritas temporis Aul. Gell. noct. Att. . 12. cap. 12. filia, Truth is the daughter of time. But whether ſhe or her ſiſter, whether the Papist or the Proteſtant have moſt right to that bearing, I leave it for you to judge. And here I lay down this for my ground to build upon, (viz.) That Church, whoſe Doctrine is accordingReligio è libris ſacris ſincere petita, vera eſt & Chriſtiana religio: Lipſ. in lib. de una religione. Ea demum vera religio eſt, quae verbum Dei pro cultus divini lege habet. Pleſſ. de verit. Chriſt. Relig. cap. 20. to the word of Truth, without queſtion hath the truth of Chriſtian religion; which if the Popiſh Church (qua Papalis, and diſſenting from ours) have, yea or no, we are now to ſee.

The Apoſtle in the ſecond Epiſt. to the Theſſal. chap. 2. verſe 11. ſpeaks of ſome upon whom God would ſend ſtrong deluſions, and infatuate ſo far in their pertinacie to errour, as that they ſhould believe a lie: and doth he not hereby ſeem to point at the Romane Church? The time would faile ſhould I tell you of all her Theologicall untruths, as of Freewill, praying to and for the dead, Juſtification by works, merit of condignity and congruity, the carnall preſence of Chriſt in the Euchariſt under the forms of bread and wine, the Doctrine of Purgatory, of humane ſatisfaction for temporall puniſhments, works of Supererogation, and the like: of all which the Scripture ſpeaks not a word of her ſelf, without enforcement.

But to wave theſe, and to inſtance only in 2. or 3. particular falſhoods that doe more immediately to the Scriptures, this word of Truth. For

Firſt, what? when our adverſariesInter alia quae ab Eccleſiae Praeſidibus ſunt optime conſtituta, illud non minimam meretur landem, quod biblias vernaculas populo interdixerunt. Stella in Luc. 9. ſhall commend as a meritorious act, the prohibiting of the ſacred Scriptures to be read of the people in a known language; though our Saviours command to all in the 5. chap. of S. Iohn and the 39. verſe, is to ſearch the Scriptures: And how ſhall they do this; when they keep them as a fountain ſealed up, to this end that they may not be ſearched into? Is this according to the word of Truth?

Secondly, again, when they teach that all deciſions of ſaving truth muſt be reſolved ultimately to the Pope, who cannot erre dogmatice in Cathedra, dogmatically in his chair; whereas the word ofIſai. 8. 20. Truth ſayes, to the law, and to the teſtimony; is this their Truth according to the Scriptures?

Thirdly, when they would obtrude upon us, that the written word (which is the formall object of faith) is not Veritas prima the firſt truth, but the teſtimony of the Church; whereas S. Iohn ſayes, that1 Iohn. 5. 9 the witneſſe of God is greater then the witneſſe of man; is this their Scripture Truth?

Fourthly and laſtly, when they hold not the true rule of ſaving Truth, viz. the Propheticall and Apoſtolicall Doctrine of the Old and New Teſtament, which the Church of Chriſt ever held, tillNon erat legitimum Chriſtianorum concilium, ſed Antichriſti conventiculum ad oppugnandam Evangelii veritatem inſtitutum. Whitak. 1. Q. cap. 4. de Scripturis. the Trent Conventicle (for ſo it may be called) did determine unwritten truths and Traditions to be reſpected pari Pietatis affectu In the 1. Art. of their 4. Seſſion. ac reverentia cum Scripturis (that is) with the ſame equall affection of piety and reverence that the Scriptures are; (for ſo their own words go) think you that this is the Truth of Chriſtian Religion, and yet ſo contrary to the word of Truth? Or1 Rom. 25. rather is not this to change the Truth of God into a lie, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks?

The harlot (you know) would have her child divided;1 Reg. 3. 26 whereas the true Mother would have her whole child or none at all. By this then you may judge which is the true Mother, I mean, that Church which hath the true Religion; and again, which is the harlot, or whore of Babylon, Quae adulteravit verbum Dei, (to uſe Calvin'sAdulterantes ve bum Dei, 2 Cor. 2. 7. expreſſion) that hath adulterated Gods word by her own traditions: whether we, who hold the verbum Dei ſcriptum, the written word to be the totall rule of ſaving truth; or elſe they, that divide this rule betwi xt the Scriptures and Traditions.

As Elijah ſaid, If God be God, then follow him: 1 Kin. 18. 21 ſo ſay I, if our Proteſtant faith be truth, let us follow it; but if Popery be truth with us, then we may follow that, and ſee what will be the ſad end thereof.

2. If the Scriptures be the word of truth, then ſeeUſe 2. from hence the great encouragement we have to ſearch the Scriptures, ſinceQuid veritate admirabilius, ad quam omnis ſp ctator per enire ſe cupere confitetur? Auguſt. in lib. de vera Relig. all men naturally do purſue after truth to enrich their underſtandings, as well as after goodneſſe to ſatisfy their wills and affections; and the word of God in the Scriptures is the onely mine where this rich treaſure of truth is to be found. Our Saviour therefore commands 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Iohn 5. 39. his diſciples, and us in them (for the verb is imperative) to ſearch the Scriptures: And it is a metaphor taken (it may be) from ſilver mines, as may be thought, by comparing this place with that of the Proverbs chap. 2. verſe 4. where Solomon ſpeaking of wiſdome ſayes, That we muſt ſeek for her as for ſilver, and ſearch for her as for hid treaſure. At que utinam omnes faceremus illud quod ſcriptum est, Scrutamini Scripturas; and it was Origen's wiſh, that we would all be ſearchersOrig. in Iſai. homil. 2. of them.

I but you'l ſay (it may be) to me, as the woman of Samaria did toThe true ſenſe of the criptures lies not in the Superficies, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but as a treaſure hid in great depth. Euthym. in Ioh. 5. 39. ex Chryſoſt. Chriſt, that the well is deep; ſo, that ſavingIohn 4. 11. truth lies deep in the Scriptures, and we have nothing to draw it out withall.

For anſwer to which know, that although the true ſenſe of the Scriptures lie very deep, and to draw it out from thence is the gift of God; yet dothIam. 1. 17. not he give it now by immediate inſpiration, or miracle, as he did, when he gave the Iſraelites Manna from heaven, or as he did in the Apoſtles dayes, but he gives it now unto us by the uſe of ordinary means.

And here (if I would tire out your patience in making uſe of the ſcholars Directory) I could then tell you of theſe means to be uſed for the extracting of it: As of the generall opinion and practiſe of the Church in all ages, of the Deciſions of Councells, the interpretation of the ancient and modern writers, the Inſpection into the fountains and Originall languages, the knowledge of humane Arts and Sciences, conference with learned men, and the like; all which are good helps towards the extracting of Scripture truth. But it ſhall ſuffice me to inſiſt here onely upon thoſe that are moſt obvious to the practiſe and capacities of the meaneſt. And to this end I ſhall fit and prepare you for the uſe of the ſubſequent means by 2. previous qualifications.

The 1. is Humility. For none erre more then proud perſons, who leane too much to their own wiſdome; which makes the Apoſtle exhort his Romans that they be not w ſe in their own The Greek is very elegant, and runs the third verſe with a double Paronomaſie. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . conceit. Rom. 12. 16. We muſt not then be highly conceited of our own knowledge, nor think of our ſelves more highly then we ought to think; but think ſoberly (verſe 3. of the ſame chapter) endeavouring chiefly to have a ſight of our own ignorance, and withEraſm. lib. 3. Apoph. Socrates, hoc tantum ſcire quod nihil ſcimus, to know only this, that our ignorance is above our knowledge. Chryſoſtome writing on the 3. chap. of the Ph l. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . verſe 15. ſayes, that it is the perfection of a Chriſtian to acknowledge himſelf to be imperfect. And ſo it is the knowledge of a Chriſtian to know himſelf ignorant of many things he ought to know. For if a man be fill'd before withIntus exist ns probibet alienum. A full ſtoma k loaths a hony-combe. Prov. 27. 7. his own wiſdome, there will then be no r om in him for the wiſdome of God to enter.

If then thou would'ſt be truths ſcholar, and a good proficient in her ſchool, go thither prepared with humility; for it is the meek (ſayes David)Pſal. 25. 9. whom God will teach his way: And a man is ſo muchTanto veritati vicinior, quanto longior ab ea tuo fueris arbitratu. Bern. de ordin. vit. ſol. 1126. Et Iſiodor. Hiſpal. Sentent. cap. 23. the nearer truth (ſayes Bernard) by how much further he is from it in his own overweening conceit: which makes the Apoſtle ſay 1 Cor. 8. 2. If any man thinks he knows any thing, (i. e.) hathMulti ad veritatem pervenire potuiſſent, ni jam putaſsent ſe perveniſſe. Ludov. Viv. in Introductione ſua ad ſapientiam Sentent. 198. a proud opinion of his own knowledge, he knows nothing as he ought to know; for the true knowledge of God begets humility, and this teaches a man alwayes to ſuſpect his own ſenſe in divine things, but then eſpecially, when he is ſingularQuam facile deviare poteſt, qui nec tramitem habet quem ſequatur, nec lucem! in it, and hath not the clear evidence of Scripture for it. And it is pulcher locus, an excellent place,Quē utinam omnes perdiſcerent! Calvin. in locum. ſaies Calvin (wch he wiſhes all men to be throughly acquainted with; if they were, there would not be ſo much novelty in religion, nor yet ſo much erroneous obſtinacie as there is in the world) for if any man (ſayes the Apoſtle) conſ nt 1 Ti. 6. 3, 4 not to whole ſome words, and to the doctrine a cording to godlineſſe, he is proud, knowing nothing. Alas! there is no rock more dangerous to a Chriſtian, then pride of ſpirit: it hath ſhipwrackt many a ſoul, and loſt it irrecoverablie. And here do but take a view of the Enthuſiaſts and Quakers in theſe times, and you ſhall find ſpirituall pride to have had a great influence upon them: for hence it is that (like the old Gnoſticks) they think themſelves the onely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and boaſt ſo much of their new light, and of thoſe immediate revelations of Gods Spirit, as their guides both for life and Doctrine; whereas now, new doctrinall and ſaving truths are vainly exſpected, and fondly pretended to, ſince this Goſpell we have fromThe Mendicant Friars publiſhed a book which they called their Evangelium aeternum, circaannum Domini 1250. cujus meminit Mat Paris, Chawcer in Roman. de Roſ. Et Fox Martyrol. 1. part. pag. 322. Chriſt is that Evangelium aeternum, that Goſpell which muſt continue for ever; neither needs the Church any ſuch in theſe dayes, as ſome heretofore would have obtruded on her. But oh the pride of graceleſs hearts! As if that in the great matter of ſalvation, the new light of their own fancie or reaſon (for it is no better) did ſhine as bright, if not out-ſhine the Scriptures: Whereas the Prophet Iſai ſayes, To the law and to Iſai. 8. 20. the teſtimony; and, if any ſpeak not according to this word of truth, it is becauſe there is no light in him. And ſuch were they againſt whom the Lord complains by the Prophet, who followed their ownEzech. 13. 1, 2. ſpirits, and ſaw nothing. Or elſe, as if the Scriptures were of little or no uſe at all unto them, but they muſt have the ſame unerring and immediate ſpirit to be their guide, which the Prophets and Apoſtles had who wrote the Scriptures, being moved thereunto by the Holy Ghoſt; which is too high a2 Pet. 1. 21. preſumption for the higheſt of men ſince their times to lay claim unto.

Again, hence it is that they profeſſe their own conſciences to be the rule of their Faith and Doctrine, conforming the Scriptures to them, and not them to the Scriptures; which is, as if a man ſhould ſet his Sundiall by Clock, and not his Clock by the Sun.

And they adde further, that nothing to them is Scripture-truth, till it be made out by the voice of the ſpirit within them. As if that the voice of Gods ſpirit ſpeaking infallibly in the Scriptures, ſhould ſpeak truth unto them no further then it doth anſwer the voice of their own ſpirit, (for their own it is, if not worſe) when it ſpeaks otherwiſe Euſeb. Eccleſiaſt. hiſt. lib. 2. cap. 2. then the Scriptures do: That as Tertullian ſaid of the Romans, who would not acknowledge Chriſt for God, becauſe he was not approved of by their Senate, Niſi homini Deus placuerit, nonne erit Deus? Muſt God be made by man, or ſhall he not be God? So, muſt the word of God pleaſe our taſt, or elſe muſt it not be his word? Yes; For prophecie (ſayes S. Peter) came not of old by the will of man, but holy men of God ſpake it as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt. 2 Peter 1. laſt. But laſt of all, hence it is, that they would make us believe they walk above all ordinances; whenQuis non harret hujuſmodi profanas novitates verborum & ſenſuum Bern. Epiſtol. 190. as both Chriſt himſelf, who was herein our great exemplar, & the children of God in all ages have ever had recourſe to Scripture-ordinances upon all occaſions.

Whereby we ſee, that theſe and ſuch like ſtrange Phaenomena are nothing elſe (whatſoever is pretended to the contrary)Libertini ſimileſque illis furiae, ſuperbe Scripturam ipſam deſpiciunt, ut ſpiritum aſſequantur, ac quot quot illis deſiria ingerit Sathan, pro arcanis ſpiritus revelationibus faſtuoſe venditant. Nos autem, Pauli exemplo, diſcamus ſpiritū cum voce hominū conjungere. Cal. in 1. Ep. ad Th. c. 5. v. 20 but either the furies, or dotages of our own brains, which Sathan puts in, that ſo we may in the pride of our hearts ſet up our own private ſpirits in the throne of rule and authority, & keep under the ſcepter of Gods ſpirit in the Scriptures from ruling over us; from whence we are eaſily led by Sathans inſtigation, and our own natural corruption joyning iſſue with him, into all manner of Atheiſme and profaneneſs without controul.

And ſuch as theſe doth S. Jude point at in the Gnoſticks, of whom he ſayes, that they did ſeparate Jude v. 19 themſelves and were ſenſuall, having not the ſpirit, (whatſoever they conceited of themſelves otherwiſe.) And therefore as the prophet I ſai ſpeaks to ſuch by way of Irony, ſo do I, Behold all ye that kindle a fire, that compaſſe your ſelves about with Iſai. 50. laſt ſparks, as refuſing to walk after the light of Gods word, that Ignis Sacer, that holy fire, and light in a dark place (as S. Peter calls it) walk in the light of 2Pet. 1. 19 your fire, and in the ſparks your ſelves have kindled: but this ſhall ye have from my hand, that ye ſhall lie down in ſorrow: that is, that not withſtanding all the fire which your ſelves have kindled, and all the dark lights you have ſet up, ye ſhall in the end, when ye come to die, find no eaſe or reſt therein for your ſouls, but lie down in ſorrow and perplexity.

Thus when S. Auſtin lay upon his death-bed, whither did he go for comfort but to the Scriptures? whereof he cauſed ſome choice and ſuitable paſſagesSibi juſſer at pſalmos Davidicos de poenitentia ſcribi, ipſoſque contra parietem poſitos legebat. Poſſidon. in vita Auguſtini. to be writ upon the wall before him, that ſo he might have them ready for his uſe on all occaſions. And ſo, when our ſouls ſhall one day come to ſit upon our lips, ready to take leave of our bodies, alas! howHaec eſt conſolatio mea in tribulatione, ſermonem tuum vivificare me. Pſal. 119. 50. little water of comfort ſhall we then find in our own broken ciſterns,Ier. 2. 13. when we have deſerted the ſacred Scriptures, which are the fountain of living waters!

And this is the firſt previous qualification in order to the means of extracting ſaving truth out of the Scriptures.

The 2. is Prayer; for it is but loſt labour to think of any means conducible to truth, unleſſe we firſt beg of God his bleſſing on them by our prayers. It was the preparative ſpeech the Primitive Chriſtians uſed in the Introitus to Gods publick ſervice, Ante omnia oremus; and it muſt prepare us alſo, ſince it is prayer that calls Gods ſpirit toSanctum ad ſe ſpiritum oratio advocat, ſerenat cor, abſtrabit à terrenis, redditque ad accipiende ſpiritualia capacius. Caſſiodor. in pſalm. 16. us, call'd therefore the ſpirit of ſupplication Zach. 12. 10. Prayer that clears the heart of earthly things, and makes it more capable of reciving ſpiritual comforts. In a word, prayer it is that ſanctifies the means unto us, and without which they availe nothing: which made Mr. Bradford (as Mr. Fox tells us) be everIn Martyrol. 2. part. Fulgentius alſo hath a good prayer to this purpoſe. A te (Domine) postulo, ut praeveniente ac ſubſequente gratia, quaecunque ſalubriter ſcienda ueſcio, doceas me; in his quoe vera ſunt, cuſtodias me; in quibus vero titubo, confirmes. Ad Monim. lib. 1. cap. 4. down upon his knees to God bleſſing, before he would preſume to take this book of truth into his hands. And to this purpoſe it will not be amiſs to make uſe either of that ſhort ejaculation of David, Pſalm 119. verſe 18. Open thou my eyes, O Lord, that I may behold the wondrous things out of thy Law; or elſe that other parallel place of his in the 43. Pſal. ver. 3. O ſend out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me; let them bring me to thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles.

And now being thus prepared and qualified,

The 1. means I ſhall commend unto you for the1 Means. extracting of ſaving truth out of the Scriptures is, the conſtant reading of them. That as S. Paul adviſes Timothy to attend unto reading, ſo muſt we1 Ti. 4. 13. give our daily ſervice and attendance upon reading the Scriptures: Even as the eyes of a ſervant do wait upon his maſter, ſo muſt our eyes wait on the ſacred Canon, to read it at all times, and upon all occaſions.Cum oramus, cum Deo loquimur; cum vero legimus, Deus nobiſcum. Sentent. lib 3. cap. 8. For as we ſpeak (ſayes I ſiodore) to God in praying, ſo alſo doth God to us in our reading the Scriptures. And if there be a Golden legend to a Chriſtian, I mean a book that deſerves (as the heathen man ſaid of the beginningQuidam Platonicus dicere ſolebat, Initium Evangelii S. Ioannis aureis inſcribi literis dignum. Auguſtin. de Civit. Dei lib. 10. cap. 29. of the S. John's Goſpell) to be writ in letters of gold, and to be read conſtantly of us, the holy Bible is that book, wherein is contained the word of truth. There is many a one reads the Scripture, yet doth not ſee preſently that truth which is embowell'd in it. Thou takeſt phvſick (it may be)Medicamentum ſumis, & non primo ſanat; an non altero die adhibebis? Lipſ. de conſtant. which doth not preſently cure thee; and wilt thou therefore give it over, and not take it again a ſecond time? So thou purſueſt after truth in thy reading of the Scriptures, and yet doſt not preſently overtake it; it may be, not at the firſt, nor at the ſecond time; what? wilt thou therefore flag thy diligence in reading of them? no; but rather read them over and over again, as oft as Alfonſus Panormit. lib. 1. de rebus Alſonſi. King of Arragon did, which was 14. ſeverall times: and ſo ſhould we be ſo enamo 'd of this book of truth, as that itNunquam de manibus tuis ſacra lectio deponatur. Hier. ad Nepotian. de vit. cleri or. Ne diſcedat lib. legis ex ore tuo. Ioſ. 1. 8. ſhould be ſeldome out of our hands, and ſeldomer out of our eyes.

It was a good wiſh of King James (our Mecoenas of learning) upon the ſight of thoſe chain'd books in Oxford Library, that he might be always impriſon'd with them; Simihi daretur optio, hiſce catenis cuperem ego me ſemper illigari. And ſo ſhould we tye, and chaine ourNocturna verſate manu, verſate diurna. ſelves to a conſtant task of reading the Scriptures, and be alwayes turning them over: for how knoweſt thou but God may give in toNemo ſenſum Scripturoe poteſt cognoſcere, niſi legendi familiaritate; ſicut ſcriptum eſt, Ama illam, & exaltabit te. Hiſpal. ſent. cap. 11. lib. 3. thy continued courſe of reading his book, that truth which otherwiſe he will deny?

The 2. means to extract ſaving truth out of the2. Means. Scriptures, is the light of reaſon which God hath ſet up in our underſtandings, that ſo (as the Apoſtle1 Co. 14. 15 would have us to pray with underſtanding) we may read the Scriptures with underſtanding alſo.

Now this, as it is a principall means of beating out truth in naturall and morall things, ſo alſo do we allow it for a ſubordinate means in things divine and Theologicall; for Baxt. in prafat. ad part. 2. of th Sis. reſt. if reaſon (ſaves one) were of no more uſe about divine truths, then ſome would make it, mad-men and infants were fitteſt to make Chriſtians of.

And therefore though we do not adore it ſo much as the Socinians do, yet do we not on the other ſide altogether ſlight it and lay it by, ſince the ApoſtleRom. 12. ſayes, that it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the reaſonable as well as the religious ſervice which God accepts. For wherefore hath God made us rationall creatures, and given us the talent of reaſon, but to make uſe of it to his glory, and our beſt advantage? reaſon making up the beſtOptimum in homine ratio eſt: Mac antecedit animalia, Deum ſequitur. Ratio perfecta bonum eſt hominis proprium, caelera illi cum animalibus communia. Sen. Epiſt. 76. part of our eſſence & humane conſtitution: for it is by this (ſayes the Moraliſt) that we excell other creatures, and become like untoThe Greek hath it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as creatures of no logick, of no reaſon. God, and without it2 Bet. 2. 12. are but as bruit beaſts (as we tranſlate it.)

Now our reaſon applyed inſtrumentally to our reading of the Scriptures, will be a good auxiliary to help us unto the ſaving truth that lies in them divers wayes, but eſpecially theſe four.

1. Per modum Conceſſionis, by way of conceſſion, that is, by yielding ſome things in the Scripture for truth primo intuitu upon our firſt ſight and reading of them. Alexander Severus cauſed this ſentence to be in-laid in the walls of his palace; and it is part of the Turks belief to this day. Aelius Lamprid. in vita; and Greg. in his notes on Scripture pag. 143. As when we read Mat. 7. 12. That we muſt do to others, as we would they ſhould do to us; That we muſt ſpeak everyVerum volo dici mihi, mendacem odi. Plaut. Moſt. one the truth to his neighbour, Zach. 8. 16. and not lie one to another, Col. 3. 9. That we muſt not break our oaths, Nu. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was one of Pythagoras firſt leſſons to his ſcholars; Iambl. in vita. Tu nequa parentum Iuſſatime, neu praeceptis parere recuſa. Virg. Ae eid. lib. 2. 30. 2. That we muſt be ſubject to Principalities and powers, and obey Magiſtrates our politicall parents, Titus 3. 1.

Now in theſe and ſuch like principles engrafted in us by nature, our meer reaſon will tell us, (as it did the Heathen) that theſe are the words of truth, without any further queſtioning of them; and on the other ſide, that the Romiſh Notandum, omnes qui ſunt haeretico aliqua obligatione obſtricti jurisjurandi five fidelitatis, liberari. Azor. Inſtit. mor. lib. 8. cap. 13. Erat quaſtio philoſophica in Comitiis Cantabr. an. 1606. Aequivocationis tenebrae pugnant cum rationis lumine. See Maſon's treatiſe of the Jeſuites new Art of lying or equivocation. Alſo Whites way to the true chruch, Sect. 43. digreſſ. 46. And King Iames Defence of the right of Kings, pag. 215, & 227. Doctrine of keeping no faith with hereticks, upon which advantage is taken of injurying them upon all occaſions; again, that her Doctrine of lying and equivocation, at which the Ieſuited Romaniſts are now very dexterous; that her Doctrine of abſolving ſubjects from their oaths of allegeance to their Rulers, yea and then murdering them, (if it will make in rem Catholicam for the advance of the Catholick cauſe,) muſt needs be falſhood, as being againſt thoſe common rules of honeſty and equity that flow from the naturall principles of reaſon that are within us.

2. Our own reaſon will help us to find out ſaving truth in the Scriptures per modum Diſpoſitionis, by way of diſpoſing thoſe things we conceive for truth in the Scripture to the main end they were ordered and appointed to. It is ſo in naturall and morall things, as well as divine. And here take this ſhort, and eaſy rule. viz.

That Doctrine which diſpoſes moſt to the glory of God, as in Bucan. Loci commun. de Sacr. Script. pag. 42. Thus Chriſt proved his Doctrine to be true, becauſe therein he ſought not his owne glory, but his that ſent him, Iohn 7. verſe 17, & 18. Of this ſee Biſhop Andrews alſo, in preface to the Decalogue. the beating down of corrupt nature, and comforting a diſtreſs'd ſinner after he is humbled, that certainly muſt be the truth of God in the Scriptures. And this is ſo evident, that he who hath but, the dim eie of reaſon may ſee it.

Now then, if we conſider which Doctrines, either the Romiſh or ours, doe this, then that will be eaſily yielded for the truth ofTutiores vivimus, ſi totum Deo damus, non autem nos illi ex parte, & ex parte nobis commi timus. Aug. de dono perſever. cap. 6. Itidem Bellarminus; Ob periculum inanis gloriae tutiſſimum eſt (inquit) fiduciam totam in ſola Dei miſericordia reponere. De Juſtificat. lib. 5. c p. 7. God in the Scriptures. As whether the Doctrine of free Grace or Works, the Doctrine of finall falling away from grace or of not falling, the Doctrine of laying hold upon ſalvation by our own merits or elſe by the merits of Chriſt, &c.

Without queſtion, there is no doctrine conducing ſo much to this end, as the doctrine of our Reformed Religion; and therefore this, and not Popery, muſt needs be the truth of God held out unto us in the Scriptures.

3. Per modum Illationis, by way of inference; and ſo our reaſon will help us to draw and conclude divine truths from Scripture grounds. As when we read Acts 3. 21. of Chriſt, that the heavens muſt receive him till the reſtitution of all things; here my reaſon will come in and conclude thus much from it, That then the body of Chriſt cannot be carnally in the Euchariſt; becauſe it is againſt reaſon to imagine a true body, whoſe inſeparable property is to be circumſcribed in one place, yet to be at once in two ſeverall places, as in heaven and at the Lords table.

4. Per modum Collationis, by way of compariſon: and that two wayes.

1. By comparing the doctrines collected out of the Scriptures with themſelves, that ſo we may ſee by their agreement one with another whether they be true or no: for reaſon will tell us, that not only in naturall and morall, but alſo in divine things there is no ſurer index of falſhood then contrariety, and of truth then concentVeritas Dei una, ſemperque ſui ſimilis. In praefat. ad Harm. Confeſſ. Veritas in omnem partem ſui ſemper eadem eſt. Sen. Ep. 79. Verum vero ſemper conſonat; Ariſtot. lib. 1. Ethic. cap. 8. Nullum est ſic arte compoſitum mendacium, ut undique ſibi conſtet. Eraſm. Ratio verae Theolog. and harmony of things compared together; it being the nature of truth to be one, and of falſhood to be manifold & diſagreeing. As you may ſee by thoſe that bare witneſſe againſt Chriſt, Mark 14. 57, 59. it is ſaid of them, that their witneſſe was falſe, for it did not agree together: And ſo in divinity one truth doth not give the lie to another.

And by this I would fain know how the Doctrine of Chriſts humanity can ſtand well with the doctrine of Ubiquity, the laſt of theſe pretending to Scripture-truth as well as the former, and ſo held out in one and the ſame religion.

Surely, a rationall Chriſtian needs nothing more to convince him of the falſhood of the Romiſh faith, then the diſſonancyA quibuſdam igitur veritas dicitur 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ex ae privat. & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 oblivio, quia mendacii comes eſt, non, veritatis, oblivio; ſecundum illud, Oportet mendacem eſſe memorem. Lipſ. Decad. 4. lib. 4. of the parts thereof: all errour being a lyar, and very apt to forget it ſelf; whereas the truth of God doth ſing alwayes one conſtant note.

2. By comparing the doctrines collected out of the Scriptures, withSee the 2. Article of the Engliſh Confeſſion, propoſit. 5. Analogia fidei nihil aliud eſt quam conſtans Scripturae ſententia in locis apertis minime que obſcuris, quales ſunt Articuls fidei in Symbolo, quaeque continentur in Decalogo & oratione dominica. Rainold. de lib. Apoc. & Keck. Log. lib. 2. cap. 1. Ita eſt temperata Scripturae obſcuritas, ut facile quis ſe poſſit expedire, modo cum ſimilibus locis Scripturae minus obſcuris locum obſcuriorem conferat, & inprimis oculos à ſcopo non dimoveat. Auguſt. de Doctr. Chriſtiana lib. 3. thoſe ordinary rules that Divines give us for the right interpretation of them: As whether they agree with the Analogy of faith ſpoken of in the 12. chap. of the Rom. ver. 6. with other parallel Scriptures leſſe obſcure of the ſame nature, with the ſcope of the place, with the antecedents and conſequents, and the like; all which a Chriſtian may do by the ſtrength of his own reaſon he carries about him, if he know how to make right uſe of it. And yet ſeldome do the Popiſh Commentatours on the Scriptures eie theſe rules in their expoſitions of it, which is the reaſon they many times give ſuch wilde ſenſes (as they do) of many places, and erre ſo groſly; elſe they would never alledgeSee King Iames Defence of the right of Kings, pag. 163. & 164. ubi plura. the two ſwords ſpoken of in the 22. chap. of Luke ver. 38. for the Popes ſpirituall and temporall power, nor yet the ſpirituall mans judging of all things, and his being judg'd of none, in the 1 Cor. chap. 2. verſe 14. for his infallibility: both which interpretations are ſo abſurd, that I wonder much how any ſober ChriſtiansTritum illud, Contra rationem nemo ſobrius. ſhould take them up. Which ſhows the untruth of their religion, by the diſſonancie of their Doctrines in theſe and many other places (if I would cite them) from the former rules.

The 3. is, the attentive hearing of the word3 Means. preach'd in the mouths of Gods Miniſters. That as the people ſpoken of in the 19. chapter of S. Luke ver. laſt, did hang upon Chriſt hearing 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . him; (for ſo the Greek hath it) ſo muſt we (as it were) hang upon the mouths of Gods Miniſters, even as bees do upon flowers, to ſuck out the ſweetneſſe of ſaving truth which falls from them: the Miniſtery of the Goſpell being Gods great Ordinance he hath conſtituted in his Church to lay hold on that Scripture-truth, which our own reading and reaſon doth often miſſe of. And God will not (on his part) be wanting to his own ordinance, ſince he hath promiſ'd alwayes toMat. 28. 19, 20. Acts 13. 2. aſſiſt the Miniſters of it with his gracious preſence: for to this end hath he ſet them apart, and enabled them after a ſpeciall manner for the better interpretation of the Scriptures, which S. Peter calls well2 Pet. 1. 20. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the untying of the hard and knotty expreſſions in them; which makes Chriſt bid his ſpouſe, (if ſhe would find him) to feed her Kids, that wereCant. 1. 8. newly taken into the fold of Chriſt, beſides the shopherds tents, or by the tents of thoſe good ſhepherds which of old led the flock, of which ſort were Moſes and Aaron, with all thoſe that ſucceed them, (as Athanaſius ſucceeded Marcus at Alexandria) no leſſe in knowledge and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . G. Nazianz. Orat. 21. piety then in place and office. And this is that which the prophet Malachy ſayes in the commendation of Levi, chap. 2. verſe 6. The law of Truth (ſayes he)See Deut. 17. 9, 10, 11 12. was in his mouth: and again in the 7. verſe he ſayes further, that the prieſts lips ſhould preſerve knowledge, and the people ſhould ſeek the law at his mouth; for he is Angelus domini the meſſenger of Iehovah, and interpreter of his will unto the people.

Now the word preached in the mouth of Gods Miniſters is a good means to extract ſaving truth out of the Scriptures two wayes. 1. By way of diſcovery. 2. By way of application.

1. By way of diſcovery; whereby the ſhell is broken that ſo we may come to the kernell, and the letter of the Scripture opened, that ſo we may ſee the truth that lies hid under it. And thus the Levites are ſaid to read the law diſtinctly, to give the ſenſe, and Neh. 8. 8. cauſe the people to understand the reading.

2. By way of application, by applying the truth diſcovered to our own uſe and practiſe; for elſe, though the word preached may be a truth in it ſelf, yet is it not ſo to me, till it be made mine own by application. The word of God therefore is called a rule: now there can be no right and orderly building up of the Church without application of the rule unto it.

The fourth is meditation of what we have read4 Means. our ſelves, or heard from others: elſe all that we read or hear is but as waterMeditaberis in libro legis diebus ac noctibus, Ioſ. . 8 put into a ſive, that will not ſtay with us; for Meditation is as it were a ſecond Sermon, or a review of truth,vide 1 Ti. 4. 15. when we look upon it with a more ſerious eie, and come to have a more diſtinct and ſetled knowledge of it: for what we know no (ſayes Iſodore of Sevill)Quicquil neſcimus lect onibus diſcimus, quod vero didicimus meditationibus conſervamus. Hiſpalenſis in lib. ſentent. de lectione. we learn by reading, but what we have learnt we keep by meditation; which made the prophet David break forth into that affectionate ſpeech, Oh! how I love thy law, it is my Pſa. 119. 97 meditation continually.

It is the beſt title that the law gives ad habendum & tenendum, to have and to hold; and to hear and retain is likewiſe the beſt poſſeſſion that is given us by the Goſpell: and this is done by meditation.

It is a ſign of health in nature, when the retentive faculty of the ſtomackCibus mentis eſt ſermo D i ubi alimentum non retinetur, de vita deſperatur. Greg. M in Mat. c 13. holds good, and doth not faileus; and ſo it is alſo in grace, when we retain thoſe truths we have gain'd by reading: but when our retentive faculty ſhall once ceaſe her office, we are then in great danger of death.

The laſt and chiefeſt means of all the reſt is the5. Means. Spirit of God, though not the onely means, (as the Anabaptiſts would have it.) And to this end it is called the Spirit of Truth Iohn 16. verſe 13. becauſe it is the principall means of leading us into all truth. For Truth is as it were the haven we ſail to, the means (before ſpoken of) as the tacklings we ſaile with, the promiſes of God as the Anchor we ſtay our ſelves upon in our paſſage to it, Faith as our cable we lay hold on, the Scriptures as the Compaſſe we ſaile by, and the ſpirit of God as the Pilot that ſtands at the ſtern to guide us according to that Compaſſe. All other means without this are little worth: for the letter kills (ſayes the Apoſtle) but the2 Cor. 3 6. Spirit gives life; quaſi dixiſſet, it is no outward means that can of it ſelf be quickningMagisteria forinſecus adjutoria quaedam ſunt, at in coelo cathedram habet qui corda docet. Aug. tract. 4. in Expoſit. Epiſt. Ioannis. and efficacious; for we may read the Scriptures, and apply our reaſon to them, hear them preach'd, and meditate on them; yet are all theſe nothing, unleſſe the ſpirit of God ſpeak to our hearts, as our Saviour did to the deaf man, ſaying, Ephphatha, Mark 7. 34. be opened.

Other means may ſuadere, move us to think this or that Doctrine we conceive from Scripture to be ſaving truth, but none of them can perſuadere, go through-ſtitch with it, and infallibly perſwade the heart that it is ſo, but the Spirit of God. This being Gods ſeale to imprint all ſaving truth in our hearts; for ſo much the Apoſtle intimates where he ſayes,1 Eph. v. 13 that after the Epheſians heard the word of Truth, they were ſealed with the holy ſpirit of promiſe.

Nor is it onely as a ſeale to imprint it, but alſo as a witneſſe to atteſt it: ſo ſayes S. Iohn, The ſpirit1 Iohn 5. 6. beares witneſſe, becauſe the ſpirit is truth, (that is) becauſe the Doctrine delivered by the ſpirit (which is there called the Spirit by way of Metonymy) is truth.

Oh how ſhould the conſideration hereof prevail with us to beg every day the aſſiſtance of his bleſſed ſpirit! And our Saviour tells us, that if we ask his Spirit of him, he will give it: which made theLuke 11. 13 Prophet David pray in one place, that God wouldPſal. 143. 10 lead him by his good ſpirit into the land of uprightneſſe; and in another, that God would not take away Pſal. 51. 11 his holy ſpirit from him. And ſo ſhould we pray too; for if he ſhould once take him from us,1 Tim. 4. 1. alas! how ſoon ſhould we give heed to lying ſpirits, and doctrines of Devils!

And thus much for the Means of extracting ſaving Truth out of the Scriptures.

And now having extracted it by theſe Means, what remains on our parts? but

1. To hold it firmly. 2. To rejoyce in it affectionately. 3. To prize it highly. 4. To love it dearly.

1. We muſt hold her firmly (at leaſt in her fundamentalls)Fundamenta nobis eſſe debent firmamenta. Auguſtin. de doct. Christiana. againſt all oppoſers, whether by way of contradiction or perſecution, as the Spouſe did her heloved; the text ſays, that ſheCant. 3. 4. held him, and would not let him go.

And this is that ſtanding faſt in the faith, or ſticking 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . cloſe to it, unto which the Apoſtle exhorts us in the 1 epiſtle to the Corinthians the 16. chapter and 13. verſe; that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quitting our ſelves like men, or playing the men for it; yea that gathering up our main ſtrength, and planting it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . in defence thereof; again, that fighting the good fight of faith, whereof he ſpeaks in his firſt epiſtle to Timothy chap. 6. verſ. 12. that reſiſting unto bloud, Heb. chap. 12. verſ. 4. and that earneſt contending for the faith in the 3 verſe of S. Jude's epiſtle, when we contend for theQuae praeter fidem, non impetuoſiùs proſequamur; quae autem fidei ſunt, cum vilae diſpendio ueamur. Bp. Hall in lib. qui inſc •• bitu , Pax in terris. ſubſtance of it even unto death, and ſtruggle for it as for life. And becauſe this is attended on all handsAd mortem uſque certa pro veritate, & pro te Deus pugnabit. Eccleſiaſticus cap. 4. verſ. 28. with troubles O r Saviour therefore encourages us to it with the profer of a crown, and a crown of life too, even of eternall life; which is enough to put the higheſt of our ambition to a ſtand, and to make amends for all kinds of deaths we are to undergoe, for all ſorts of ſufferings; for ſo he ſayes to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna, Fear none of thoſe things thou Rev. 2. 10. shalt ſuffer: behold, the Devill shall cast ſome of you into priſon, that you may be tryed, and ye shall have tribulation 10 daies; Theſe 10 dayes are ſaid to be the 10 generall perſecutuns within 300 years after Chriſt. Parſ. Chriſt. Directory, 2 part. pag. 674. & agnaeus in locum. but be thou faithfull unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. And again, in the next Chapter and the eleventh verſe, to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia, Hold faſt, that no man take away thy Crown from thee. A parallel place to which is that of S. James, whe e he ſayes,Iam. 1. 12 Bleſſed is he that endures temptation; for when he is tryed, he shall receive a crown of life.

And this was figu 'd in the Old Teſtament, where we read that the Ark of the Teſtament, which keptEx. 25. 11. the two tables of the Law, had a Crown of gold round about it, in manner of a circleBeda de Tabern. (ſays Beda;) to ſignifie thus much, that if we keep faſt the law of truth in the 2Mal. 2. 6. tables of the old and new Teſtament, we ſhall have for ou reward a Crown of Glory,Corona rotun a inſtar circuli ſignificat perfectionem b norum onmium fin c rentem. A Lapide in Revel. 2. 10. Vide Drexel. 1. conſider. de aetern. cap. 1. which hath in it the perfection of allimaginable good, and is as a circle, that hath no end: which is the reaſon that the Ancients made the Circle alwayes the Emblem of Eternity.

Nay, of how precious Crowns (ſaies theQuàm precioſis ille dignus coro is, cujus fidem n lla tyr nnorum vis ſubvert re, non minae frangere, non ludibria movere, nec delinire blanditia pote •• ! Fox in his Euch risticon. Martyrologiſt) is he worthy, whoſe faith holds up above all that tyrants can do againſt it, either by force o threats, ſcoffs or flatteries!

And here I cannot but make an honourable mention of S. Stephen Chriſts Protomartyr, Act. 7. who had his Crown legible in his name, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to whom all the ſtones in his Croſſe, that were flung at him by the hard-hearted and enraged multitude, ſerved only as ſo many pearls and diamonds to embelliſh his crown of Glory. For our light affliction (ſayes S. Paul) which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding Ʋpon this occaſion Tertullian wrote his book De corona Militis, when as a Christian So ldier refused the military crown that was pro ered him, ſayi g Non de et Chriſtianum in hac vita coronari. weight of Glory. In which place of the bleſſed Apoſtle we have laid down, as a ſupport to us in our ſufferings for Chriſt and his truth, not only a double Antitheſis between our afflictions and glory, as that the one is light, but the other heavy, the one momentany, the other eternall; but alſo a double Hyperbole, or exceedings 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . of Glory beyond our ſufferings, for it is a far more exceeding weight of glory (as we tranſlate it) 2 Cor. 4. 17.

And now (methinks) I ſee divine Truth riding in her Triumphall Chariot with that immarceſſible or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 1 Pet. 5. 4. never-fading crown of Glory (as S. Peter calls it) upon her head: where on the one ſide of her behold a glorious company of Prophets and Apoſtles confirming it to us by their writings; on the other ſide a troup of Confeſſours bearing it up with invincibleViros ortes & magnanimos eſſe volumus veritatis am cos. Tull. Offi . lib. 1. courage and fortitude before Kings and Princes, ſpeaking one to another in Heſter's language, If we perish, we perish, Heſt. 4. verſ. 16. here a Convocation of Miniſters ſpending their time, breath, bodies, minds, eſtates, and all in vindication of it; there a noble Army of Martyrs aſſerting and witneſſing it even with their blouds, embracing the Truth,We muſt rather 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Naz. Orat. 3. though with death and bonds, rather then falſhood with freedome of life and proſperity.

We can do nothing (ſays S. Paul) againſt the 2 Cor. 13. 8 truth, but for it. Where you ſee that S. Paul is ſo weak in acting againſt the truth, as that he can doe nothing, and yet ſo valiant for it, as that he can doe very much: And if you ask, what? take this account of it.

That he can write all his Epiſtles in defence of it: he can travail up & down like a pilgrim from one country to another to propagate it; as you may ſee in his peregrination written by S. Luke, from the 9. chapter of the Acts unto the end; where we read that he journied from Damaſcus in Syria (which was the place of his Chriſtendom; to omit Ilands, towns and cities, which were infinite) into 12. feverall countreys, viz. into Palestine, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Piſidia, Lycaonia, Phrygia, Galatia, Myſia, Bithynia, Achaia, Macedonia, and at the laſt into Italy, to ſow them all with the ſeed of Chriſtianity, with the truth of the Goſpell. Again, he can make the Magicians to burn their books, though worth 50000. pieces of ſilver, which amount (ſay Divines) to about 600 .In nuperrimis Annotationibus, on Acts 19. of our ſterling money at the loweſt eſtimate, being no inconſiderable ſum, that ſo they might thereby purchaſe to themſelves that invaluable pearl of the Goſpell truth, which S. Paul preach'd unto them. He can make Felix tremble by reaſoning about it.Acts 24. He can make an open profeſſion of it before Agrippa, Acts 26. and almoſt perſwade him to be a Chriſtian; and ſo ſtartle Demetrius the ſilver-ſmith, and his fellowcrafts-men, about the falſity of their Goddeſſe, as that they had no way to crutch her up, but by the vogue of the ſimple and fooliſh multitude, who whenActs 1 . they could not make good her Deity by reaſon, knew another way how to make it out, even as children doe, by cry and clamor, with Great is Diana of the Epheſians.

I but, ſome may ſay, can S. Paul onely doe for the truth, and not ſuffer alſo? Yes; he ſuffered (as2 Cor. 1. 8. he ſayes of himſelf) above meaſure: For he was counted by the Epicureans for telling the truth as a babler, a triviall fellow, and one made up of nothingActs 17. 18. but prate and noiſe; and by the Galathians as an enemy. But is this all? no; he can endure moreGal. 4. 16. from that glozing orator Tertullus then this; for in the generall, he taxes S. Paul for a peſtilent fellow, Acts 24. 5. nay more, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the abſtract. the very peſt and plague of the world (for ſo the Greek hath it) which is a diſeaſeSic etiam Lutherum, Germaniae calamitatem ae contagium, vocat Strada l. 2 de b llo Belgico pag. 33. & 34. Id animis hereſis, quod corporibus peſtis: Et duo ſunt quae pestem efficiunt terribilem; unum, quod momento extinguit, alterum, quod cum unum interficit, cen um alios inficit; Bellarm. in praefat. diſp. de controverſiis fidei. (you know) malignant and infections in the higheſt degree: ſo was S. Paul traduced for one whoſe Doctrine would infect and deſtroy the ſouls of men, as much and as ſoon as the plague or higheſt malignant feaver would their bodies, and therefore was not to be endured. But in particular, and more plainly,

1. For a mover of ſedition in the Commonwealth. And this he knew would render him very odious to Felix the Roman governour, becauſe it would ſpeak him an oppoſer, or at leaſt a diſturber of the power and authority that was then in being. Again

2. For an Arch-heretick in the Church, and a ring-leader of the Nazarene ſect, i. e. of thoſe that worſhipp'd Ieſus of Nazareth, which was then the onely true worſhip of God, though at that time cry'd down by the ſupercilious Phariſees for a Sect of all others moſt deſpicable; as you may ſee by that ſpeech of theirs Iohn 7. 52. Search and ſee (ſay they) for out of Nazareth, (ſo out of the Reformed Church ſay the Papiſts, and other malevolents to it) there ariſes no prophe .

Theſe and ſuch like aſperſions were then caſt upon S. Paul, yet is he content to ſuffer by them as a malefactor even to bonds: for ſo he ſayes of himſelf, 2 Tim. 2. chap. verſe 9. Neither is this all, but further,Gal. 6. 17. he can for the truth of the Goſpe l bear in his body the marks of the Lord Ieſus; the marks of the manacles in his hands, of the irons in his feet, of the rods on his back, and of the ſtones in his face and head; for he was in priſons frequent, thrice beaten with rods, once ſton'd, beſides his other ſufferings, whereof you may read at large in the 2 Epiſt. to the Cor. 11. chap. from the 23. verſe to the 28. Now all theſe marks we think very hard to be born, who are now unwilling to touch the leaſt of them with the leaſt of our fingers, or to endure any rent or ſcar in ourQui bonorum direptionem, ac capitis dolorem non patimur benigne, quomodo pro Chriſto capitis abſciſſionem pateremur? Hugo l. 2. de clauſtro animae. eſtates, much leſſe in our bodies: But yet S. Paul can ſuffer a Plus ultra, and that is, not onely to be bound and ſtigmatized, but alſo to die for truth of Chriſt; as he profeſſes of himſelf in the 21. chap. of the Acts verſe 13. That he was ready not onely to be bound, but alſo to die for the name of the Lord Ieſus.

But did S. Paul only ſufferVeritas odium parit. Te . in Andria, Scen. 1. this for the holding faſt of Chriſts truth, and not others of Gods children alſo? Yes; for did not the1 Kin. 19. 2. 1 Kin. 22. 8. Ier. 37. 15. Mat. 14. 10. truth coſt Elias danger, Micaiah diſgrace, Ieremy impriſonment, and Iohn Baptiſt his head? yea thouſands of Chriſtians the moſt cruell and barbarous deaths that could be invented? as you may read in the 11. chapter to the Hebrews, (which we may well call the Scripture Martyrology) from the thirty ſixth verſe of that chap. unto the end: where it is ſaid,Qui de paſſionibus Sanctorum plura volet, legat 8. caput ad Romanos verſ. 36. & priorem Epiſtolam ad Corinth. cap. 4. verſ. 11, 12, & 13. that they had triall of cruell mockings and ſcourgings, yea moreover of bonds and impriſonment; they were ſtoned, they were ſawen aſunder, were tempted, were ſlain with the ſword; they wandred about in ſheepskins, and goat-skins, being deſtitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy; they wandred in deſerts, and in mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth. And yet all theſe will the children of God ſuffer for the truths ſake; nay, rather then they will gratifie the greateſt perſecutours and hereticks with the leaſt inch or title of ſavingQui modica concedit, paulatim decidit. Aug. Conf. l. 9. c. 8. & fundamentall truth.

For many have been the tempeſts rais'd againſt it in all ages; yet never any ſo boiſtrous as was that of the Arrians againſt the Orthodox Chriſtians. And why was it? only for a ſmall thing in ſhew, but great in ſubſtance; becauſe (forſooth) they would not grant the Arrians one letter againſt Chriſts Divinity; and this was but a poor iotaQuod de lege Iudaei, idem nos de fidei confeſſione; de unaquaque ſyllaba magni montes pendent: Literulae unius mutatio quantat in Eccleſia vetere turbas cierit, ſenſit orbis. Scilicet quaeſono vix diſcrepant, reipſa tamen ita toto coelo diſtant, ut qui divinis enueriti unt eloquiis, millies mori mavelint, quam ut literam unam in fidei ſuae profeſſione corrumpi finant. B. H. in libro cui titulus Pax in ter is. too, the Orthodox holding Chriſt to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the ſame ſubſtance with the Father, but the Arrians only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the like ſubſtance. Now if we reſpect the matter of this ſpeech, we find that the Arrians brought up their tenet ſo near truth, that a man would have thought the contention could not have been great about it. And again, if we have reſpect to the terms, we ſhall find very little difference between them. Yet ſee how ſtiffe the Orthodox ſtood for one letter, that they would not yield it to them.

As the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtory ſays of Theodoret. hiſt. l. 3. c. 7. Marcus Arethuſus, that he would not give ſo much as one half-peny to the re-edifying of an idolatrous temple, though to free himſelf at that time out of the hands of his tormentors: ſo neither would they contribute one letter towards falſhood, which was the cauſe that ſo many ſtreams of bloud were drawn out from them by the Arrian Emperours, and thouſandsConſtantius, Iulian and Valens, &c. of them in defence of it breath'd out their laſt. Unto whom give me leave a little to addreſſe my ſpeech by a holy proſopopoeia after this manner.

O bleſſed and victorious champions for the truth of Chriſt! though I ſhould paſſe by all other combatants for it, as Iuſtin Martyr and Tertullian, who apologized for it againſt the Gentiles; and S. Auguſtin and Proſper, who vindicated it againſt the Manichees and Pelagians; again, Cyprian againſt the Donatiſts, with many others: yet you I cannot paſſe by without wonder and admiration. The whole world almoſt at that time was become Arrian; Totus mundus ingemuit, & Arrianum ſe eſſe miratus eſt. Vincent. Lyrin. cap. 6. and could not you have ſate down quietly among the reſt, & have ſaved vour own skins? If as much as a whole word had differenc'd you, was that ſo great a matter, as that you could not have yielded it?The Orthodox held Chriſt to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of the ſame ſubſtance with the father; but the Arrians 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , only of like ſubstance. yet was not the difference betwixt you ſo much as a word, but only a letter; yea and the leaſt letter alſo of the Alphabet, but a poor lota. Tell me, had you ſo little of Chriſtian wiſdome, yea even of nature and ſelf-preſervation in you, as that you would not be beholding to your adverſaries for your lives by granting them ſo little a letter? Or rather, was it your godly zeal to the truth that made you ſtand ſo much for the leaſt parcell of it? Yes; this it was, that made them valiant even unto martyrdome; and this it is that makes a true Chriſtian both do and ſuffer ſo much for it. I and if we have any good bloud running in our veins, if any heroick reſolution, if any undaunted fortitude and magnanimity, we will do the like: for as Scaevola ſaid, That it was Roman-like to ſuffer for our countly;Pro patria pati Romanum. Liv. hist. ſo ſay I, Pro veritate pati Chriſtianum, that it is moſt Chriſtian to ſuffer for the truth of Chriſt, for ſo did the Prophets, Apoſtles, and others of Gods children before us, that ſo thoſe words of our Saviour may be fulfill'd to the utmoſt, That heaven and Matt. 5. 18. earth ſhall paſſe away but, not one jot or tittle of the law (which is but one part of Gods ſcripture truth) ſhall paſſe away.

But it is here query'd,

1. Quare, why we muſt hold ſaving truth ſo faſt. 2. Quomodo, by what means we muſt do it.

And firſt for the Quare. Now for this take 3 reaſons.

1. Becauſe we are only Leſſees to truth from our great Landlord: For Truth is not our own freehold to ſell or diſpoſe of at our pleaſures; which makes S. Paul enjoyn Timothy to hold faſt the pattern 2Ti. 1. 13. or breviary of ſound words; and one reaſon there given, is, becauſe it was committed unto him to keep by the Holy ghost: And they that are Feoffees in truſt muſt be faithfull, and not embezzle what was committed to them as a Depoſitum; but keep it ſafely to themſelves,Vid. Annot. in 1 Tim. 6. 20. and carefully tranſmit it to poſterity. Indeed Truth is ours for the uſe and efficacy of it, but Gods for the right and title; and we muſt neither ſell, nor diminiſh that which is committed to our cuſtody as a matter of truſt from God, for our own good, and the good of thoſe that ſucced us both in Church and State. If we do, Oh what a ſad account ſhall we have to give unto God, when he ſhall one day ask us, as S. Iohn did the Biſhop of Ieruſalem for the young man he committed to him, Ubi depoſitum, animaſcilicet fratris? where is that I committed to thy keeping, viz. the ſoul Euſeb. eccleſ. hist. lib. 3. cap. 26. of thy brother? Bonum reliqui ego fratris animae cuſtodem; I left thee a goodly keeper of thy brothers ſoul indeed: So, when God ſhall one day ſay unto thee after this manner, where is that Proteſtant and ſaving truth which I left depoſited in thy hands? what haſt thou done with it? Ah! bonum reliqui ego te veritatis cuſtodem, I have left you a good keeper of truth indeed; whenas you have thrown away one part the eof by Atheiſme and licentiouſneſſe, and loſt another by careleſneſſe; when as you have ſold away one parcell thereof for profit and preferment, and given away another by a willing apoſtancy. And yet ſuch keepers of truth we have in theſe daies too many. Our lands and temporall eſtates God hath given us as moveables, and over theſe he hath empower'd us with a right of paſſing them away to others, as may ſeem good to us; but as for his ſaving truth, this is ſomewhat of himſelf given out unto us, and therefore is not to be made away, but to remain as a ſtandard by us, untill the ſame hand that fixed it, do (for our unworthineſſe) remove it from us to ſome other nation that ſhall make better uſe of it then we have done: which God grant may never be untill time ſhall be no more!

Whatever then we part with, we muſt not part with Truth, but keep it for God our great Landlord and right owner of it: that ſo when he ſhall come to account with us, he may receive his own again with advantage, and reward us for faithfull ſtewards with an Euge bone ſerve, well done good and Mat. 25. 21 faithfull ſervant, enter into the joy of thy Lord; and not ſay to us as David to Abner, Thou art worthy 1 Sa. 26. 16 to die, becauſe thou haſt not kept the Lords anointed, even the doctrine of truth that ſhould have ruled over thee.

2. If we hold the truth, it will uphold us. For in2 Reaſon Iſai. 26. v r. 1. & 2. that day (ſaith the Lord) that we ſhall be called the righteous nation which keeps the truth, in that day ſhall God make ſtrong our cities, and appoint them ſalvation for bul warks. For the truth of God is like a ſhip at ſea, in preſerving whereof we preſerve our ſelves.

The valour of Crnegirus the Iuſtin. hiſt, lib. 2. Athenian Generall, in purſuit of the Perſian navy, was ſuch, that he eſpying a ſhip of the enemies making off to ſaile from him, preſently layes hold on it with both his hands to hord it; & when the Perſians had cut off his hands, he holds it then with his mouth: ſo ſhould we hold truth with our hands firſt in acting (if we can) or writing for it; but ſhould we faile of theſe, then with our mouths in ſpeaking for it, ſince our care of that ſhall reflect beneficially upon our ſelves: for as Iudah told Ioſeph, That Iacobs life was bound upGen. 30. 40. in the life of his youngeſt brother Benjamin; ſo is our welfare in the welfare of true religion; if we preſerve that, it will preſe ve us: which made David Pſal. 91. 4. call it his buckler for preſervation. Now it is reported of Epaminond as the Theban, Plutarch in vit. that he was wont to ſay of his buckler, That he would defend that, or elſe die for it: And ſo ſhould a good Chriſtian either defend the buckler of truth, or elſe die for it, becauſe he hath no ſuch defenſive weapon as this. Was it not then a good ſaying of Hezekiah, Is it 1 Reg. 10. 19 not good if there be peace and truth in my dayes? ſince upon theſe 2. pins all that is dear to a Chriſtian both in Church and State depends.Barklay de faelicit. p. 523. Lewis the eleventh of France uſed to ſay (ſpeaking againſt his court paraſites) that he wanted nothing but truth: as if hisPrincipes cum omnia habeant, unum ill is deeſt, ſcilicet qui verum dicat. Sen. Epiſt. want of this weigh'd more with him then all other things. And indeed ſo it ought to be with every good man, the poſſeſſion ofNon uſquam Reſp. ſt tit fine religione: quanta igitur verae illius vis eſt cujus umbra ſuſtinet bane molem! Lipſ. in ••• e una religione. truth ſhould be more to him then all other enjoiments: for I dare boldly ſay, that we hold our liberties, our lifes, our livelyhoods, and all, by holding the truth of religion among us. So that, if there be none with us (which God forbid) to plead for truth, (which was the miſerable eſtate of the Iews Iſai 59. 4.) how then can we think that truth ſhould plead a word for us, when God ſhall come to judge us? Or if Truth be faln in our ſtreets, as it was in theirs, verſe 14. it cannot be then, that we ſhould ſtand long after it, no more then Troy did after the Palladium was gone. For tell me, I pray, what was the fall of Lucifer, but becauſe he abode not in the truth? or ofIohn 8. 44 the Iewiſh Church, or of the 7. Churches of Aſia, or of the Greek Church and Empire too? And why ſhould we think to ſpeed better then they, when we let true religion, which is the ſtay and buttreſſe of the State and Church, moulder away to nothing, and take no care at all to keep it up?

The 3. reaſon why we muſt hold truth ſo faſt is,3. Reaſon. becauſe what ever becomes of men, the truth of God and his word ſhall be ſure to hold. And this S. Peter tells us, 1 Pet. 1. 24, 25. All fleſh is graſſe, and the glory of it as the flour of the field: the graſſe withers, and the flour fades; but the word of the Lord endures for ever.

For 1. when evill men and haters of truth, with all their contrivements and combinations, ſhall fall, this ſhall be ſure to ſtand.

I can doe nothing (ſayes S. Paul) againſt the 2 Cor. 13. 8 truth, but onely for it. A man then can doe no act againſt the truth, that will hold long, but onely for it. Wicked men have attemptedMalorum improbitate depreſſa veritas emergit, in ercluſa reſpirat. Cicer. Pro Cluent. ſtill from time to time to ſtub it up, yet never could. The light thereof hath been ſometimes hid under a buſhell, but not put out; ſnuffed, but not extinguiſhed. That, what S. Paul ſayes of himſelf, that he was as dying, and2 Cor. 6. 9 yet behold alive: ſo may I ſay of truth, that it hath been often moriens, but never mortua; often gaſping for breath, but yet never expiring: or as David ſpeaking of his enemies ſayes, Many a time have they afflicted me from my Hinc alii veritatem 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 dictam volunt ab 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 negativo & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pro 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 lateo; quod veritas latere non poſſit, ſed licet ad tempus prematur, tandem tamen victrix evadet. Paſor. Lexic. youth up (may Iſrael ſay;)Pſal. 129. 1 ſo, many a time have they afflicted me from my youth up (may the truth of God ſay) yet have they not prevailed againſt me: but if there hath been one againſt it, there hath been another for it; if one to diſcountenance it, there hath been another to favour it; if one to caſt it down, another to hold it up; a Ieſus to ſave it, as well as an Apollyon to deſtroy it.Rev. 9. 11.

Now for examples herein I could abound, did I not deſire to limit my ſelf to 4 or 5 moſt eminent ones above the reſt.

And I begin with Ieroboam, upon whom the ſcripture ſets this brand, that he made Iſrael to ſin; for in his daies it was, wherein the Prophet Azariah complains, how for a long ſeaſon Iſrael had been 1 Reg. 14. 16. 2 Chron. 15. 3. without the true God, without a teaching prieſt, and without the law, i. e. without the true ſervice of God in the tabernacle, and without prieſts called as Aaron was, to offer up both morning and evening ſacrifice unto him, and enabled by him to teach the law unto the people: for theſe they caſt out (ſaies the text) even the prieſts of the Lord, the ſons of Aaron, and the Levites, Or, he made the loweſt of the people priests. 1 Kings 12. 31. Chap. 13. 9 and made them prieſts after the manner of the heathen, ſo that whoſoever came to conſecrate himſelf, the ſame might be a prieſt unto them. By which it appeares, that the truth of religion lay under a very black cloud all his dayes. But as violent 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Nazianz. Orat. 1. things ſeldome hold, ſo neither did this: for yet a little while, and Ieroboam is no more, but good Aſa is ſent to clear the sky, to break down the altars of the ſtrange Gods, to reduce the Levites to their duties, & to re-eſtabliſh the true worſhip of God in Iſrael.

My next inſtance is inHence comes the word villain, as Iſai. 32. 6. The vile perſon will ſpeak villany. Antiochus, whom the Scripture notes for a vile perſon, as in the 11 chap. of Daniel verſe 21. Then ſhall ſtand up a vile perſon (ſayes the Text) meaning Antiochus Epiphanes, i. e. the Illuſtrious, who obtained the kingdome by flatteries, but having once gain'd it, became Antiochus Epimanes, Antiochus the Mad, ſuch was his rage againſt the truth; for he did according to his own will,Sic volo, ſic jubeo, &c. verſe 36. his own will was his law, yea he exalted himſelf above all that was called God, and ſpake marvailous things againſt the God of Gods. And if you would have aSee alſo another bedroll of his wicked acts in the 1. of the Maccab. and the 1. chapter. Among which this was one, that he cauſed the books of the Law to be rent and burnt with fire, and with whomſoever was found the book of the Teſtament, him he commanded to be put to death, verſ. 56. & 57. Ioſephus alſo ſayes as much in Antiq. lib. 2. cap. 7. further character of him, look back to the eighth chapter of Daniel, verſe 11. where you read that he took away the Iuge ſacrificium the Iewes uſ'd to offer up to God both morning and evening, & caſt down the place of his ſanctuary Dan. 8. 11. Nay farther, an hoſt was given him (ſaies the 12. verſe) againſt the daily ſacrifice, by reaſon of the peoples ſins; and it caſt down the truth to the ground, and proſper'd.

But yet though the truth of God were concuſſa fearfully ſhaken by Antiochus, yet was it not excuſſa quite ſhaken off, like the viper from S. Paul's hand into the fire, there to periſh; and though much disjointed, yet was it notSee Ierom in Dan. quite broken a pieces: for (notwithſtanding that falſe title of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Antiochus the God, wherewith he flattered himſelf) yet did he ſuddenly die as a man, or rather (to uſePſal. 22. 6. Davids expreſſion) as a worm and no man; for worms came out of his body (ſaies the Authour of the book of Maccabees) while he was yet alive, and2 Mac. 9. 9 did eat up this Deus ſtercoreus, this dunghill God, and ſet truth right again by Iudas Maccabeus.

My third inſtance is in D ocletian, a great enemy to the truth of Chriſt in theVide Euſeb. Eccleſ. Hiſt. lib. 8. cap. 3. primitive Church, and yet prevailing nothing; for which cauſe Oroſius the hiſtorian makes him Pharaohs parallel, both for his obſtinacy, Bucholc. Chronol. ad annum Chriſti 313. and his impotency againſt it. And ſo great an enemy he was, that the Devil ſeem'd (as it were) on purpoſe to have pickt him out among thoſe heathen Emperours,The laſt perſecution had 7 tyrants to make it out, viz. Diocletian, Maximinian, Galerius, Severus, Maxentius, Maximinus, and Licinius. to give a very ſore blow unto it: for he led the van of the tenth perſecution, and us'd all the waies of violence he could, to have raſed out all that was called Chriſtian; as appears by that Inſcription to him upon a pillar in Spain. Fox in Martyrol. 1 part.

Diocletiano, amplificato per orientem & occidentem Imperio Romano, Edicto praecepit ut libri ſacrorum bibliorum cremarentur, & Eccleſtarum praeſides ad ſacrificandum Idolis omnibus tormentis adigerentur, &c. Plura apud Bucholc. ad annum chriſti 303. ex Euſeb. hiſt. Eccleſ. lib. 8. cap. 2. & 3. & nomine Christianorum delcto: id eſt, To D'oeletian, who hath enlarged the Roman Empire Eaſt and Weſt, & utterly blotted out the name of Chriſtians.

But (by his leave) though he did blurre and blot the truth of Chriſt very much, yet blot it out he could not; and though he cut it off in many branches that ſprung from it, yet cut it up both branch and root he could not; no more then Pharaoh could ſtub up the I ſrael of God: becauſe he that ſets bounds to the ſea, and ſaies to the proud waters of it,Iob 38.11. huc uſque, thus far ſhall ye go, and no farther, did alſo bound Diocletians, pride, and forc'd him (maugre all his ſpite) after he had even tired out his ſpirits with foaming againſt it, to leave root thereof, viz. the word of truth, ſtill in the earth; which a little after, in the halcyon reign of Conſtantine, put forth again moreVeritatem aperit dies. Sen. lib. 2. deira. green and flouriſhing then before.

My fourth inſtance is in Iulian the Apoſtate, who brought up the Pagan religion in the rere, being the laſt of the Roman Emperours that held it up. An enemie as much beyond the former in his attempts againſt the truth of Chriſtianity, as ſubtilty is beyond force and violence.

For (as if Iulian had been aſham'd of all thoſe compulſory weapons that had been formerly drawn out in vain againſt it) he 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . In his 1 Invective. eekes out now (ſayes Gregory Nazianzen) the Lions with the Foxes skin, conſulting with his Daemons about politicks to deſtory it with: from whom (no doubt) he learn'c 3 curſed Maxims.

The firſt was, to deſtroy the Schools and nurſeries of it, by interdicting therein to the Chriſtians the reading of the liberall ArtsNam propriis (inquit Iulianus) pennis configimur. Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 8. Et Sozomen. lib. 5. cap. 17. and Sciences; for want whereof they muſt needs be diſabled to deal with their adverſaries at their own weapons, which of all others with the Heathen were moſt convincing.

The ſecond was, to take away from the Chriſtians their ſpiritual Fathers and Paſtors, their Orthodox Biſhops and Clergy. And this he Conceived would be done throughly, and with leſſe noiſe, by ſpoiling them of theirSathan ejuſque inſtrumenta tentant doctrina privare Eccleſiam, dum inopia & famis metu plurimos absterrent ne id oneris ſuſcipiant. Calvin. in 1 Tim. c. 5. ver. 17. temporall eſtates and livelyhoods: becauſe it would be ameans to deſtroy not only their perſons, by expoſing them to ſcorn and ſtarving; but their ſacred Diocletianus occidit piesbyteros, Iullanus autem presbyterium. L. Cook, 2 part of his Reports. Et Sr. H. Spelm. de non temer, ecclefiis. office too, which with ſuch hard uſage could not reaſonably exſpect any iſſue or ſucceſſion: for who will feed a flock (as the Apoſtle reaſons in his firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians Chap. 9. ver. 7. & 14.) and not eate of the milk thereof, or preach the Goſpell, and not live (as the Lord hath ordained) of the Goſpell? And (as if this were nothing) the Apoſtate doth but ſcoffe and gibe at them for their nakedneſſe, abuſing to that end the Scriptures (as the Devil did) to the patronizing of all his wickedneſſe, with a Scriptum 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Nazian. 1 Invect. in Iulian. eſt; It is written (ſayes he) in your law, that you Chriſtians muſt neither poſſeſſe any thing, nor call any thing your own: for your Maſter tells you Mat. 10. verſe 9. that you muſt make no proviſion for your ſelves either of gold or ſilver, nor muſt ve have two coats, or change of raiment: and beſides in the 5. chap. of S. Matthew verſe 3. he ſayes, that the poor are bleſſed, and that theirs is the kingdome of heaven: which if you believe for truth, then may you thank me for making you poor, and ſo forwarding your bleſſedneſſe.

His third Maxime he learned from them was, to ſpie out the ſeverall tempers and diſpoſitions of the Chriſtians, and accordingly to fit his gins and ſnares 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . ibidem. for them. As when he met with weak and fearfull natures, theſe he thought beſt to fright into paganiſme, by taking away from them all benefit of the law, and threatning them with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . in eadem Invect. bonds and baniſhment, death and torments. Again, when he had to do with ſimple and credulous perſons, his courſe was to ſtagger theſe in their Chriſtian faith, by making his falſhood (as near as he could) the ape of Truth. But when he was to work upon the ſelf-conceited and licentious, theſe he thought fit to court into compliance with him by a tolerationAmmian. Marcellin. lib. 22. of all ſects & opinions whatſoever in point of religion. And for the covetous & worldly-minded, theſe he flattered into his Idol-worſhip by conferring upon them places ofNounullos aſſentatione & muneribus ad immolandum allexit. Socrat. Eccleſ. Hiſt. lib. 3. cap. 11. profit and preferment; as well knowing that ſuch earthly advantages, although they contributed nothing to make his falſe religion true, yet did they put a fair gloſſe and out-ſide upon it, and ſo made it appear more worth receiving and embracing with carnall ſpirits.

Theſe and many other cunning fetches had Iulian againſt Chriſt and his truth; which was the reaſon of that Fathers exclaiming ſo tartly againſt him, O ſoul, wiſe onely to do evill! Yet all this deviliſh wiſedome 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Idem Naz. in eodem loco. (to uſe S. Iames hisIam. 3. 15. expreſſion) would not doe; but, like Achitophels, was ſoon turned to folly. For2 Sa. 15. 31. as Athanaſius foretold of this perſecution, that it would prove but a could which would preſently beNubes quae citiſſime diſſolveretur. Theodoret. l. 3. cap. 9. diſſolved: ſo it did indeed; when as he not long after being mortally wounded, threw up his own bloud into the aire, and acknowledgedViciſti Galilaee. Idem lib. 3. cap. 25. Chriſt and his truth to have been too hard for him.

Upon which a Chriſtian Hiſtorian of thoſe times Oroſius in his Chronic. gives this note, That Impii morte Deus impia diſſolvit conſilia; that God uſually diſſolves wicked counſels by the deaths of their authors. And Solomon hath a ſaying much to the ſame purpoſe Prov. 21.Nihil invitis fas quemquam fidere divis. Virg. Aeneid. verſe 30. I here is no wiſdome, nor underſtanding, nor counſell againſt the Lord. A ſentence ſo ſuccinct, and yet full, as that I wiſh all the Atheiſts and Machiavels of this age would write it in their hearts with a pen of iron, and engrave it there with the point of a diamond.

But to leave theſe, and cloſe up here with one of a later date, and more nearly relating to our ſelves. And this is the example of Q Mary: whom, as the ſpirit of God pointed out King Ahaz with This 2 Chr. 28. 22. is that King Ahaz, ſo may we her, with this is That Queen Mary; that None; ſuch of women, for her perſecuting the Proteſtant truth: for there is none of us (I ſuppoſe) can be ignorant, how low it ran in her dayes, though it did notSo I. Carl. the Martyr ſaid, That the main ſolution the Papiſts had for all queſtions was, fire and aggot. Mr. Fox in Martyr. 2. part, pag. 1750. clean run out; wherein the chief argument of the Papiſts againſt the Profeſſours of it, (as one of the Martyrs well ſaid) was Argumentum bacillinum an argument drawn from fire and faggot, to out the true Religion, and to eſtabliſh Popery in this nation, as by a law.

But yet, though the truth of God were (like Moſes Exod. 3. 2. buſh) all on fire in her reign, yet was it not conſumed by it: For Hoc non duravit aetatem, that law of hers did not endure an age (as ourIn Iuelli vita. Iewell foretold it;) but ended with her before 6. years end; and then did her ſiſter repeal that act which (like the laws ofHinc leges quas ſancivit, prae nimia earum rigiditate, non inepte vocavit Ariſtoteles 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , That is, not the laws of a man, but of a dragon. In Rhetori . Draco the Athenian Legiſlator) had been writ with bloud, even with the bloud of ſo many Confeſſours and witneſſes of the Truth, and reſtore us Gods Truth again to its former beauty and luſt e: for which ſhe deſerves ever to be honor'd by us, as the Repairer of our breaches, and Reſtorer of paths Iſai. 58. 12. to dwell in.

So that by what hath been ſaid, you ſee that to be verified of Truth, which S. Paul ſayes of himſelf, namely, how it hath been troubled on every ſide, but not distreſſed; perplexed, In the Greek there is an elegant Paronomaſia, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . but not in deſpair; perſecuted, but not forſaken; cast down, but not deſtroyed. 2 Cor. 4. 8, 9.

For if Sathan, the reputed God of the world, (as he is called in the 1 Cor. 4. ch. verſe 3.) if he (I ſay) thruſt ſore at truth that itPremente Deo, fert Deus alter opem. Ovid. de Triſt. may fall; the true God of heaven and earth will preſently put under his helping hand to bear it up. Beloved, the Truth can never die, becauſe it is an eſſentiall attribute of the Deity, a ray of God himſelf; and therefore as he is, ſo is that immortall. Mens perſons indeed may die, and ſo may their names, power and plots with them; yea, they are dead already (ſayes the Angel) that ſought the childs life, ſo, theyMa . 2. 20. are all dead already that ſought the life of Truth from the beginning: For where is the King of Hamath, Iſai. 37. 13. and the King of Arphad, and the King of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hevah and Ivah? ſo, where are the Grand perſecutours of Chriſts truth above mentioned? And (if I may but ſtain a little paper more with naming of them) where is Manes the heretick, upon whoſeDiabolus ſibi arcem ſtruxiſſe videbatur. In his 5. Serm. de Iejunio. madneſſe (ſays Leo) the Devil ſeemed (as it were) to have raiſed up to himſelf a high tower and fortification againſt the Truth? for he denied the holy Trinity, rejected the Old Teſtament, and held two beginnings, the one of good, and the other of evill.

Again, where is Arrius, who denied the Divinity of Chriſt, and by hisIngentes ſecum fluctus traxit. Niceph. lib. 8. cap. 31. ſubtilty drew great multitudes after him?

And laſt of all, where is ſchismaticall Donatus, (for I forbear to name farther) who confined the true Church (as ſome do now)Vide Auguſt. lib. 2. contra Petilian. c. 15. to thoſe of his own party, as altogether ſpotleſſe here, and without ſin; and taught alſo that the vertue of the ſacraments depended on the worthineſſe of the perſon adminiſtring them? Is not the skin of their hypocriſy long ſince pulled over their eares, their madneſſe manifeſted to all the world, their falſhoods uncaſed, their names gone out in a ſtench, their doctrines exploded out of the Church of God, their opinions condemned? and hath not the truth of Chriſt prevailed againſt them? nay, are they not all dead, and with them their power and malice againſt the truth alſo? Yes; their breath goes forth, (ſaies David) they return to their earth, in that Pſal. 46. 4. very day their thoughts perish.

But as for the truth of God, (as he ſaies in anotherPſa. 100. 5. pſalm) that endures to all generations: for one generation (ſaies the Preacher) paſſes away, Eccl. 1. 4. and another comes, but the earth, ſo the truth of God upon the earth, abides for ever. And if we look back but to Chriſts time, we ſhall find ſixteen generations and more to be paſt ſince that; wherein1600 years. the Centuriſts are very punctuall in relating the adverſariesTantam ſemper potentiam veritas habuit, ut nullis machinis, aut cujuſquam hominis ingenio vel arte ſubverti potuerit. Cic r. in Vatin. which the truth of Chriſt hath had of all ſorts, together with their particular names, the places where, and the times wherein they liv'd, the ſeverall inſtruments they made uſe of, and all their curſed policies to root it up: and yet hath it out-lived them all till this very day (bleſſed be the God of truth) and ſhall live till death be ſwallowed up in victory. For he that fights againſt the truth of God, doth (as much as in him lies) fight againſt the God of Truth; and it is as eaſy to pull God out of heaven, as his truth out of the earth, ſince God hath ſaid it Iſai. 40. verſe 8. that Verbum Domini manet in aeternum, the word of the Lord endures Ioannes Wolffangus in his Lect. Memor. ad annum Chriſti 1549. (viz) V. D. M. I. AE. for ever. A ſentence that ſome of the German Nobility were ſo much in love withall, that in the beginning of the Reformation they cauſed the initiall letters of the words to be embroider'd on the ſleeves of their garments; to let the world know, that they were not afraid to profeſſe it openly againſt all oppoſitions whatſoever, as being too weak to prevaile againſt it.

And therefore, if thou be an enemy to truth, let me adviſe thee, as our Saviour did Saul, not to kick Acts 9. 5. againſt the pricks; for it is but vain and fooliſh ſo to do, ſince thou canſt gain nothing but hurt unto thy ſelf. So ſayes the Proverb, Do not ſtrike Noli verberare lapidem, ne laecas manum. Eraſm. Adag. loco communi inanis gloriae, ex Plauto. a ſtone, leſt thou hurt thy hand; & the truth of God is that lapis offenſionis, that ſtone of offence ſpoken of Iſai. 8. 14. which if thou ſtrike and offer violence to, it will not onely hurt thy hand (as it did (you know) Ieroboams, when it was dried1 Reg. 13. 4. up upon his ſtretching it forth againſt the man of God) but (without repentance) deſtroy both body and ſoul for ever. For in that day (ſaith God) I will Zach. 12. 3. make Jeruſalem (ſo will God make his truth) as a burdenſome ſtone to all people, and they that burden themſelves with it ſhall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together againſt it: and upon whomſoever this ſtone ſhall M t. 21. 44. fall, him it ſhall grind to powder.

Little thought Libanius, Erat Libanius ſophiſta Iuliani in religione Ethnica praeceptor. when as he asked ſcoffingly what the carpenters ſon was a doing, of receiving this anſwer, that he was then a making a Coffin to carry Iulian in, and all his miſchievous intendments againſt the truth of Chriſt, to be buried. Yet ſo it was indeed; for Iulian theVide Theodoret. lib. 3. c. 21. & 23. & Sozom. lib. 6. cap. 2. Apoſtate had no ſooner vowed to ſacrifice the bloud of the Chriſtians (by him ſtiled, in deriſion, Galilaeans) to his heatheniſh Gods, but preſently the true God diſappointed him in it, by cutting him off in a battel againſt the Perſian. So truly ſayes the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 21. 11. That the wicked imagine a miſchievous device againſt the Lord, but ſhall not be able to bring it to paſſe. For why? He that ſits in heaven laughs them toPſalm 2. 4. ſcorn, the Lord ſhall have them in deriſion. He brings the counſels of the heathen to nought, he Pſal. 33. 10. makes the devices of the people to be of none effect. He diſappoints the devices of the crafty (ſayes Eliphas)Iob 5. 12. ſo that their hands cannot perform their enterpriſes.

Again, if thou be a friend to truth, be exhorted that, however thou mayeſt ſee the truth of religion obſcured in a nation for a time, as a juſt judgment of God for the peoples turning of their backs upon it; and their former unthankfulneſſe to God for it; yet

1. Not to be troubled at it, as one without hope, nor to give it over as quite loſt: but to ſtay thy ſelf a little upon God by faithHinc aiunt veteres, Olim operto capite rem divinam Saturno fieri; ſignificantes tegi aliquando veritatem, ſed tempore aperiri: Saturnus enim temporum author ac Deus fingitur. Plutarch. in problemat. and patience; and ere long, (ſo ſoon as God hath ſufficiently humbled the land by it) thou ſhalt ſee yet once more, that the loſt groat will be found, and the Sun ſhine again upon Gods inheritance. For (as the Heathen man ſaid) Time is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Euripides. mid wife to bring truth to light: which though it be ſpoke there of humane truth, yet will it hold alſo in divine;Veniet qui conditam, ac ſaeculi ſui malignitate compreſſam, veritatē dies publicet. Sen. Epiſt. 79. For the day is coming (ſayes the Moraliſt) wherein that truth which is now held down under the clods of Malignity, ſhall riſe again: That, as it was with Chriſt, who though he lay 2. dayes in the grave, yet did he riſe the third, the third day was a ſure day unto him; ſo ſhall it be with the truth of Chriſt, which, though it may lie a day or two buried under all ſorts of preſſures and ſufferings, yet after two dayes (to uſe the Prophets words)Hoſ. 6. 2. ſhall God revive it, and the 3. day he will raiſe it up, and it ſhall live in his ſight, to the comfort of his Church and people.

2. Be exhorted not to let the truth of God fall to the ground for fear of man: For there is nothing that prevailes more upon weak ſpirits then the fear of man; when as we are ſo timorous in the cauſe of Chriſt, as not to venture, therein (when he calls) to be ſtripped either of our lives or livelyhoods. Nor is any thing (ſayes G. Nazianzen) ſo to be feared, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . In Orat. 12. our fearing of ſomething more then God, and for that to deſert the Doctrine of faith and truth. S. Cyprian in his book De Lapſis, and M. Fox in his Martyrology, do furniſh us with many examples this way: (and to name no more then two) the one tells us of Nicomachus, how he being tormented in the city of Troas by the Proconſul under Decius the Tyrant, deſerted preſently his colours of Chriſtianity, and cry'd out Non ſum Chriſtianus. TheMartyrolog. 2. part pag. 1362. other tells us of Dr. Pendleton, how his fear alone ran him out of the field, and that before he had yet received the leaſt blow from the adverſary.

But it muſt not be ſo with us; for who art thou (ſayes the Prophet) that thou ſhouldeſt be afraid of Iſai. 51. 12. and 13. a man that ſhall die, or of the ſon of man that ſhall be made as graſſe; and forgetteſt the Lord thy maker, and haſt feared continually becauſe of the fury of the oppreſſor, as if he were ready to deſtroy? and where is the fury of the oppreſſor? Wherein there ſeems to be a holy kind of Sarcaſme againſt the oppreſſors of Gods truth, which teaches us to ſtick cloſe to it by Gods ſlighting the oppoſers of it. And the rather are we to hold it up in theſe declining times, wherein are held out ſo many falſities to oppoſe it; ſince God in his care and providence doth ſo order it, that whatſoever becomes of men, his truth ſhall be ſure to hold, if not by us, yet by ſome others. And to that end let us ſeriouſly lay to heart thoſe perſwaſive words of Mordecai to Heſter; If thou hold Heſt. 4. 14. thy peace at this time, then ſhall enlargement ariſe to the Jews (and ſo ſhall enlargement ariſe to the truth of God) from ſome other place and by ſome other hand; but then thou and thy fathers houſe ſhall be deſtroyed. For who knows whether thou art come for ſuch a time as this? Oh that every one of us then would think at this time, that we hear God ſpeaking unto us thus:

Thou ſeeſt, O Chriſtian, how my truth begins to totter almoſt every where in the world; and I muſt hold it up, becauſe my word and honour are engaged for it. Now, thou art the man whom I have ſet up (as I did S. Paul) to be my champion for thePhil. 1. 7. defence thereof; having not onely choſen and enabled thee for this great work, but alſo purpoſely reſerved thee for ſuch a time as this Know therefore, that I do now exſpect thy helping hand herein: elſe I ſhall, for thy default, ſoon employ ſome other in thy ſtead to doe it for me; but then thou and thy fathers houſe ſhall periſh. Again

2. When good men alſo and lovers of truth, with all their helps and aſſiſtances, ſhall leave us, the truth it ſelf ſhall be ſure to hold; and though the Candleſticks may be removed, yet ſhall the lightRevel. 2. 5 1 Sam 3. 3. Lev. 24. 2, and 3. Pſal. 27. 10. of them like the lamp of God in the temple burn continually, and not go out, untill the day of glory do appear. The prophet David obſerved it by his own experience, that when his father and mother for ſook him, yet the Lord took him up. Our naturall parents and friends they will die, (how ſoon we know not) and ſo will Gods Miniſters too, our Spirituall fathers:1 Cor. 4. 15 Zach. 1. 5. and the Prophet Zachary by that queſtion of his puts it out of all queſtion, Your fathers (ſayes he) where are they? and the Prophets, do they live for ever? No; and who knows but that the mouths of GodsFor he that follows truth (ſayes Sr. W. Rawleigh) too near at the heeles, is in great danger to have his teeth struck out. In his praef. to his hiſtory of the world. Miniſters, who are now the diſpenſers of his ſacred truth unto us, may be e're long ſtop'd, and the doors of their Churches ſhut up? But as for the truth it ſelf received by them, this ſhall never die;1 Eſd. 4. 38. for truth is immortall, (as in Eſdras) and lives for ever; and when they are dead and gone, this will remain to quicken us: ſo ſayes David, This is my Pſ. 119. 50. comfort in my trouble, thy word hath quickned me. S. Paul ſayes of himſelf, that he ſuffered trouble as 2 Tim. 2. 9. an evill doer, even to bonds, but the word of God is not bound: And ſo ſay I, that the faithfull miniſters of God may ſuffer trouble as evill doers even to bonds, and death alſo, for the truth of the Goſpell; but as for the word of God, this word of truth made known by them, this is neither bound, nor dies. For

1. If truth ſhould faile, ſo muſt God too, who is eſſentiall truth, and the ſource from whence all ſaving truth proceeds which is impoſſible.

2. We have beſides, Chriſt's prayer and promiſe for it at his perſonall farewell to the world. I will Io. 14. 16, 17 pray the Father (ſayes he) and he ſhall give you another Comforter, that he may Noli d fi ere, ubi te veritas reficere promi tat. Ber. epiſt. 106. abide with you for ever; even the ſpirit of truth. Now as his prayer was alwayes effectuall with his Father; (for I know, ſayes Chriſt to his Father, that thou heareſt me alwayes)Ioh. 11. 42. ſo is his promiſe true and firm; not as ours are, Yea and Nay, but yea and Amen. And to double our2 Cor. 1. 2 comfort herein, our Saviour doubles his promiſe, by telling his diſciples further in the next verſe, that he will not leave them comfortleſſe. The words inIoh. 14. 18. the Greek are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (i. e.) I will not leave you orphans: as if Chriſt ſhould have ſaid thus unto them; I ſee that you all eye me as your common parent in my proviſionary care for your future eſtate and welfare in a better life, but it will not be long that I ſhall ſtay with you: yet be not diſcouraged at it, forQuaſi dixiſset, Tempore ſepulturae meae eritis pupilli, ſed non manebitis tales; nam ſpiritum vobis, qui vice patris ſit, relinquam. H. Grot. in locum. though I am ſhortly to depart from you, as touching my bodily preſence; yet will not I for all that leave you as orphans that have none to look after them, but will abundantly ſupply your want of my perſon, by the continued preſence of my ſpirit.

And as our Saviour thought this a ſufficient cordiall to ſtay up their drooping ſpirits in the declenſion of outward comforts; ſo is it likewiſe to us, whenas we ſhall conſider, that although Christ himſelf be now in heaven, and there muſt abide untill the reſtitution of all things, yet in his ſtead hath he left us here on earth the Comforter, even the ſpirit of Truth, who ſhall continue with us for ever, and ever preſerve the truth of his Goſpel to us, which is ſuperabundantly more then all earthly enjoyments, as being his immediate inſtrument he works by to beg t us a new to holineſſe of life. So ſayes the text, Of his own will he begat us with the word of truth.

And ſo much for the firſt thing, which is the Quare, or reaſons why we muſt hold truth ſo faſt.

The ſecond is Quomodo, or by what means we are to doe it. And here I commend unto you theſe five.

1. Get a ſound knowledge of God in the Scriptures, at leaſt competentem ſcientiam, if not eminentem, a competent if not an eminent meaſure of it, that ſo thou mayſt be able in ſome degree to give1 Pet 3. 15. a reaſon of the truth thou doſt profeſſe, and of the hope that is in thee: for it is knowledge which is the ſettle-brainKing Iames uſed to ſay, that the reaſon why ſo many fell away to Popery and other errours was, their ungroundedneſſe and ignorance in the points of catechiſme, which are the grounds of Religion. of a Chriſtian, and bears him up ſteadily in any weather; whereas ignorance makes him unſtable in all his wayes. Ye erre (ſayes our Saviour to the Sadducees) not knowing the Scriptures. There is nothing will ſooner ſlide a man into errour then ignorance; for the wayes of darkneſſe (ſayes the Prophet) are ſlippery wayes, in which it isIer. 23. 12. eaſie to ſtumble and fall.

Alas! How eaſily is a ſimple ſoul led aſide fromEheu! quam miſeros tramite devio abducit ignorantia! Boet. l. 3. met . 8. the way of Truth! but then eſpecially, when he hath to dea with a cunning Ieſuite, or a crafty Pelagian, with a prating Anabaptist, or a ſtrong-pated Socinian, when they ſhall ſet their wits a work to glaze over old falſhoods, to ſet an edge upon them, and to ſet them out to ſale for new truths.

It was ſaid of Schwenckfeldius, Errores ſuos in ſuperioris Germaniae provinciis diſſeminavit circa annum M D XXVIII. Vide Spanhem. Diatrib. hiſtoric. de origine, progreſſu, & ſectis Anabaptiſtarum, Numer. 25. who pretended ſo much to Enthuſiaſms and Revelations, that he had a good heart, at caput illi bene regulatum defuiſſe, but that he wanted a head well-regulated: and the ſame may be ſaid of many poor people in theſe dayes, that they have good meaning hearts to God and his truth, but as for their heads they are very weak, and not well balaſted with the principles of true Religion; which is the reaſon that they ſtagger to and fro therein like a drunken man, and are not fixed. And theſe S. Paul calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 2 Tim. 3. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; which (if we underſtand actively) will ſignifie, men of no judgement concerning the faith (as the marginall note in our Bibles hath it:) and prayes for the Philippians, that they may abound in all knowledge and judgement, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Phil. 1. 9, 10 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (that is) that they may be able to diſcern with judgement the things that differ. Now what cauſes the falling-ſickneſs, but a weakneſs in the brain? or an apoſtacy from the truth, but a weakneſs in the underſtanding,Cognita judicio constant. Cato in Diſtich. when as we are either altogether ignorant of the will of God in the Scriptures, or elſe know it but ſuperficially, and not with a judicious knowledge.

2. Diſpute not againſt the grounds and principles of Truth, which are plainIn Theologia duplicia reperiuntur principia: Eſſendi, ut Deus; cognoſcendi, ut Scriptura; Keck. Syſt. Theol. cap. 8. Scripture, common ſenſe and reaſon; it being a true ſaying, that Contra negantem principia non eſt diſputandum, that there can be no diſputing with a man about any art, that denies the principles of it.

For you muſt know, that in every art and ſcience there are allowed ſome firſtHinc illud Ariſtotelis, Principia non ab aliis, ſed à ſeipſis fidem faciunt. 1 Poſt. c. 2. Itidem, Principia non accipiunt, ſed dant. Keck. Log. pag. 144. Et hoc vulgare; Oportet diſcentem credere. principles, which are not to be demonſtrated a priori, from any preceding cauſe, to him that learnes it, but to be granted by him, and believed of him; and theſe they call Poſtulata, that is, ſuch things as the art it ſelf requires the Scholar to grant unto her, and believe, or elſe ſhe will not undertake to teach him. Now of theſe he is not to aske a former cauſe or reaſon, Quia unumquodque Primum ſuperiorem in ſuo genere cauſam non habet, becauſe every firſt thing in any kind hath in the ſame no ſuperior cauſe to retreat unto, and ſo, not being demonſtrable a parte ante by any thing that was before it, is not be queſtioned.

Thus, if any one (ſayes the Philoſopher) will queſtion whether there be motion in nature, or no, it is fit that he have Argumentum See Parſ. Chriſt. Directary Part 1. cap. 2. a fustibus, that he have a club argument to convince him of it, and be well cudgelled untill he yield it; for it is only a feeling argument that is moving to a ſottiſh and ſtupid nature. Again if he deny the fire to be hot, let his hand be held in it, till it extort from him a confeſſion of it. Or if any one ſhall deny all liberty from neceſſitations, let him be wellSee B . Bramhalls defence of true liberty from antecedent and extrinſecall neceſſity, pag. 90. and. 91. ſcourged till he be a ſuppliant to him that beat him, and conſeſſe him to have either power him to ſtrike, or elſe to hold his hand.

Evident ſenſe and reaſon muſt not be queſtioned by us as we are men, in ſuch things as are within their verge; nor as we are Chriſtians, the greatVerbum Dei eſt commune principium ab omnibus conceſſum. Bell. Proef. in Diſput. de Contr. fidei. principle of Religion, the Sacred Scriptures. It was Eves fault, and our miſerie, that ſhe entertainedGen. 3. 2. a parly with the ſerpent about the truth of Gods word: and ſhould we come once to the ſame paſſe, the Devil need trouble himſelf no further with us, as being his ſure enough. I and it is his ſhorter cut, and more hopefull way too, to make us Atheiſts thus,Dr. Hammond in his book of the rationality of Christian Religion. by our breaking up the foundation it ſelf, then (while that remains firm) to demoliſh what is erected on it. And therefore when Sathan ſhall watch us a fall to the purpoſe, his main deſign will be to make us queſtion the Scriptures whether they be the word of Gods truth or no; as well knowing that when he hath once got us upon this lock, he can be the break-neck of all Religion with us when he pleaſes: for what then can hinder us from turning Ranters, or Quakers, or any thing elſe but what we ſhould?

It is then very dangerous to admit any queſtion about the truth of the Deity, the Doctrine of the Trinity, the Deity of Chriſt, the authority of the Scriptures, the immortality of theOf this ſort is Crellius de uno vero Deo, againſt the Trinity; the book De tribus mundi impoſt oribus not long ſince tranſlated into Engliſh; Divers Socinian books againſt the Deity of Chriſt and ſatisfactorineſs of his death; Many Quakers pamphlets againſt the Authority of the Scriptures; and a Treatiſe lately publiſhed and entituled Mans Mortality, aſſering that our ſouls die with our bodies. ſoul, and ſuch like fundamentalls; about which ſome have been of late too buiſy, and have miſemployed their brains and pens too much: there being no other end and fruit to be exſpected from theſe men labours, but to heathenize and unchriſtian the world a ſecond time. For when the foundations are deſtroyed, what can the righteous doe? or whether ſhall he go for ſaving truth? If to any, it muſt be to the Church his mother. But alas! what can he expect from her, when as the ſon of Sirach ſayes, that he who roots out foundations Eccl. 3. 9. hath the curſe of his mother upon him. The heatheniſh Epheſians, when the deity of their goddeſs came once to be diſcuſſed, which they took pro conceſſo for a granted truth, this they would not endure at any hand, but carried it away with a loud hollow, Great is Diana of the Epheſians. Acts 19. 28

Now if theſe heatheniſh Epheſians would not endure to hear their falſe grounds to be queſtioned, as well knowing that the whold ſuperſtructure of their ſuperſtition would fall with them; how much leſſe ſhould we Chriſtians endure the true fundamentalls of our Religion? If we do, there is no ſaving truth will ſtay long with us, but we ſhall quickly be at a loſſe therein.

And therefore, when any ſuch truths ſhall be called in queſtion by wandering heads, and graceleſſe hearts, let us cry them down with, Magna eſt veritas Chriſtianorum. Why, theſe are the foundationsSi ipſa fundamenta destruantur, quid faciat juſtus? what can the righteous do? ſo we tranſlate it. Pſ. 11. 13. Videtur eſſe vox impotentis ad agendu, aut ignorant is quid agat: & Metaphora eſt ab oedificiis, quoe dirutis fundamentis, tota concidere, & poſsum ire neceſſe eſt. Calv. in locum. of our Religion, and without theſe we ſhall not know what to doe, nor which way to turn our ſelves towards heaven and happineſſe, but be in a moſt deſperate and loſt condition: yea, theſe are the great pillars of Truth in Chriſtianity, that are not to be moved; for if we once ſuffer theſe to be ſhaken by the gain-ſayings and contradictions of ſimple and unſettled men, we ſhall quickly ſee the whole ſtructure of our religion to be ſhaken with them, and Sampſons fate befall us, who had no ſooner pulled down the pillars of the houſe wherein the Philistines were aſſembled, but preſently the whole houſe fell upon his head, and buriedIud. 16. 30. him in its ruines.

3. Be not too credulous: For the Orator could ſay as much, That if we will diſcern truth from falſhood, we muſt not give ourNoli incognita pro cognitis habere, nec his temere aſſentire. Tull. Offic. lib. 1. Tarda ſolet magnis rebus adeſſe fides. Ovid. Ep. 16. aſſent raſhly to ſuch things as are propoſed as truths unto us, untill we throughly know them to be ſo. If we do, we ſhall thereby ſhow our ſelves very weak and ſimple: for the ſimple believes every word (ſays Solomon;) whereas thePro. 14. 15 wiſe Chriſtian will not take every thing for truth which is offered to him, but weigh it firſt in the ballance of the ſanctuary, before he pay his belief unto it. And here that poſie of Epicharmus is good, Memento diffidere, remember not to truſt too ſoon. And this accords Eraſm. Adag. pag.. 181. with that of S. Iohn, Not to believe every ſpirit, but to try the ſpirits whether they be of God, orNemo verius fidit, quam qui ſic diffidit. Eraſm. Epiſt. ad Volſium. no. 1 Iohn 4. verſe 1. For there be many falſe prophets (ſayes our Saviour) who ſhall ſay, Lo here is Chriſt, Mat. 24. 23, 24. and lo there is Chriſt; ſo, Lo here is truth, and, lo there is truth: but believe them not. And hence it is that the wiſe man will have us buy the truth; thatPro. 23. 23. is, to deal with truth, asThe ſaying is, Caveat emptor. buyers do with wares: not to believe all wares to be good, which the ſeller would obtrude upon us, becauſe there is a great deal of naughty and counterfeit ſtuff, which the ſeller (if he can) will labour to foiſt upon credulous perſons; but rather let us doe as thoſeActs 17. 11 noble Bereans did, let us bring thoſe nominall truths to the bar of Scripture, there to be examined; and if they can acquit themſelves for truths at that tribunall,Quod ſi unquam, hoc tempore maximopere ſatagendum, quo tot haereſes pullularunt. Del Rio Adag. Sacr. vet. Teſtam. 404. parte 2. Sen. Epiſt. 3. De hoc vide Calvinum, in 1 Theſſal. 5. 20. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Heſiod. (that is) belief and unbelief have been alike deſtructive; belief of every one, and unbelief of any one. then we may believe them, but not before. Namutrumque in vitio eſt, (ſayes the Moraliſt) & nulli credere, & omnibus; for both are in fault, as well to believe none, as to believe every one. The one is obſtinacie, the other lightneſſe: the one lets truth knock at her door a long time, and it is well if ſhe get in at laſt; whereas the other lets her quickly in at one door, and outs her again at the other.

And as not too credulous, ſo neither too curious, nor prying into thoſe things which God hath clouded: for this itch of knowingPrurigo ſciendi ſcabies Eceleſiae. more then we ſhould is very dangerous, and proves an hereticall ſcab at laſt not eaſily cured. It was the diſeaſeGen. 3. 6. of our firſt parents, and from them we caught it. Oh that their fall by it, would be a means to make us ſtand againſt it, and that we would be wiſeRom. 12. 3. unto ſobriety (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks!)

For why art thou ſo inquiſitive to know all the ſecrets of predeſtination, whenas S. Paul tells thee, that it is one of GodsHere Traske was out, who took upon him by his inſpection upon any mans countenance, infalliblie to reveale unto him whether he was elected to life eternall, or 2 Tim. 2. 15 no. See Dr. Slater in 1 Epiſt. Theſſal. c. 1. verſe 4. foundations, and ſuch a one too that God hath ſet his ſeale upon; The Lord knows who are his? Now it is very dangerous to break up ſeales, and eſpecially Gods, the indorſement being enough for us to read, viz. That he who calls upon the name of Chriſt, depart from iniquity.

Again, to know what God did before the beginning of the world; when thePrudens futuri temporis exitum caliginoſa nocte premit Deus; Ridetque ſi mortalis ultra Fas rogitat. Horat. lib. 3. carm. ode 29 preciſe day of judgement ſhall be; and the like: which are therefore hid from us,Mark 13. 32 that ſo we may not call our wits to an inquiſition about them; ſince Moſes tells us, That ſecret things belong Deu. 29. 2 to the Lord, but revealed to us and to our children. And here that common rule is good, Relinque incertum & tenebis certum, Touch not at that which is uncertain, and by this means thou wilt fix the better upon that which is certain. And it would doe well if we would take the advice of Syracides Eccleſiaſt. 3. 21, 22, 23. in this point. Seek not (ſays he) the things that are too hard for thee, neither ſearch the things that are above thy ſtrength: But what is commanded thee, think upon with reverence; for it is not needfull for thee to ſee with thine eies the things that are in ſecret. Be not curious in unneceſſary matters; for more things are ſhewed unto thee then men underſtand.

I read of Thales, that he gazingStobaeus Serm. 78. on the ſtars, fell into a pit; whereupon a maid took occaſion to laugh at him, ſaying, That it hapned deſervedly to him, becauſe he would firſt learn to know theNe plus ſapiasquā oportet, ne dum lucem ſectaris, impingas in tenebras, illudente tibi daemone meridiano. Bern. Serm. 90. heavens, before he did well know the earth. And ſo are pryers into Gods ſecrets juſtly ſuffered to fall into the pit of errour, becauſe they run diviſion in religion, before they know the plain-ſong of it. Had Thales look'd into the water firſt, its like he might have ſeen the ſtars; but looking firſt upon the ſtars, he could not think to make them his perſpective to behold the water. And ſo, if we ſhall begin and take our riſe from the lower points of religion, we ſhall come in time, and by degrees, up to the higheſt; but if we begin firſt to build our houſes at the roof, we ſhall ſhow our ſelves thereby but diſordered builders, and cannot think our ſtructure ſhould ſtand long having no foundation to hold it up.

And here S. Austin hath two excellent ſayings; which are theſe. Multo facilius In ſerm. de Eclipſi ſolis. inveniet ſyderum conditorem humilis pietas, quam ſyderum ordinem ſuperba curioſitas: Compeſcat De Gen. contra Manich. lib. 1. cap. 3. Et Calv. Inſtitut. lib. 3. cap. 23. ſect. 2. itaque (ſays he) humana temeritas, & ne quaerat illud quod non eſt, ne illud quod eſt non inveniat. i. e. An humble piety will ſooner find the maker of the ſtars, then a proud curioſity can the order of the ſtars: let humane raſhneſſe therefore keep within thoſe bounds God hath ſet it, and not ſeek after that truth which is not to be found; leaſt in ſo doing, he looſe that which he ought to ſeek, and may be found. For he thatMelior eſt ſidelis ignor antia, quam temeraria ſcientia. Lomb. lib. 1. diſt. 41. hath a modeſt ignorance will ſit down in the way of truth, when he that hath a preſumptuous knowledge will ſoon looſe himſelf and his faith too in the many winding Meanders of an over-bold and curious inquiry.

4. If we would hold faſt ſaving truth, we muſt not lay too faſt hold on the world. And this made the prophet David ſay, If riches increaſe, ſet not Pſ. 62. 10. your hearts upon them: He that will take liberty to diſobey Chriſt in ſome gainfull particular, will not ſtick in his own defence (that he may appear congruous to himſelf) to caſt off at laſt Chriſtianity it ſelf; Dr. Hammond in his introduct. to the rationality of Chriſt. Religion. for if our hearts be once tenacious of the world, we ſhall ſoon let go our hold of truth. Nay I dare boldly ſay, that more have been won from truth by the ſmiles and embraces of the world, then have been forc'd from it by her frowns and hard uſage: as the ſun (you know) in the Apologue Plutarch. & Aeſop. ſab. pag. 32. Mundus ille periculoſior blandus, quam moleſtus. Auguſtin. epiſt. 144. made the traveller caſt away his cloak when the bluſting wind could not, but rather cauſed him to gather it up the cloſer about his loines.

Now for examples of this; we read in Chriſt's time of a young man who to preſerve his eſtate deſertedMat. 19. 22 Chriſt, and of a Judas, who to gain an eſtate turn'd traitour to him for 30 pieces of ſilver: ſo hard is it (ſaies our Saviour) for them that truſt in riches Mar. 10. 24. to enter into the Kingdome of God. And in the Apoſtles daies we read of a Demas that forſook2 Ti. 4. 10. Paul, to hug and embrace the preſent world.

Again, in the Primitive times that preſently ſucceeded, and were wholly clouded with heatheniſh perſecutions, we read of many that took up the name of Chriſt; but to deſert it ſo ſoon as their Apoſtacy might be any waies gainfull to them: from whence (it may be) the Heathen might take occaſion ſo wickedly to falſifieVide Suetonium in vita Tiberii claudii Drufi Caeſaris. the name of Chriſt, in turning it by way of nick-name and reproach into 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which ſignifies Gaine, and calling the followers of Chriſt 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , rather then 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Men made up of gain rather then Godlineſſe. And of ſuch we hear S. Ignatius (who Ignatius in Epiſt. ad Trallianos. was S. Iohns contemporary) complaining thus, That they were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , rather Merchants of Chriſt, then true Chriſtians indeed. And Gregory Nazianzen alſo (who lived in the third Century after Chriſt) tells us of great numbers during the reign of Iulian the Apoſtate, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,In his 1 Invect. in Iulianum. who (miſerable men as they were) had not reſiſted falſhood in the leaſt meaſure, (much leſſe reſiſted it unto bloud) but had exchangedHeb. 12. 4. and barter'd away for a little gain their own ſalvation. And now after thoſe 10. dayes,Rev. 2. 10. thoſe ten primitive perſecutions were ended, and that the See of Rome began to be honoured and enriched by the favour and bounty of Princes, then preſently do we hear of her Apoſtacie from her former faith. So truly was it ſaid of her, that Religio peperit divitias, & filia devoravit matrem; that Religion brought forth riches, and the daughter had devoured the mother. AndNon inepte igitur Pontificiae Religionis caput, Miſſam; Purgatorium autem caeteraſque lucroſas quae ab eo pendent Doctrinas ventrem quidam appellavit Sadeel in Praefat. lib. adverſus human ſatisfact. Hinc excitatus primum Lutherus, ut Indulgentiarum Pontificiara nundinationi obicem poneret. Lucri bonus eſt odor ex re qualibet. Iuven. Satyr. 14. indeed, he that looks now into her Doctrine, will eaſily find a great deal of mercenary wares in it; as that of Supremacie, Reliques, Purgatory, Humane ſatisfaction for temporall puniſhments, the Treaſure of the Church, Pardons, Indulgences, & the like; as if that the main deſign of Popery were onely to be a meer engine of gain, to heighten and ſcrue her up to the top of worldly wealth and glory.

But to leave Rome, and to come to our ſelves.

Now here I would fain know why ſo many in theſe times joyn with the Anabaptiſts, to deſtroy the Miniſteriall function in thePercute paſtores, & diſpergentur ves. Zach. 13. 7. Church of Chriſt, being that great inſtrument ordain'd by him to preſerve us from apoſtacie in theſe latter dayes. Surely, if men would but impartially examine themſelves herein, they would ſoon find the main ground thereof to be covetouſneſſe, even a greedy deſire of preying upon that portion of maintenance which God himſelf hath given in dowry with it, and dividing it among themſelves, ſaying, as the husbandmen did of the heir, Come and let us Ma . 21. 38. kill him; ſo, come and let us kill and deſtroy the Miniſtry, that the inheritance of it may be ours.

They may pretend herein (it may be) as ſome Noble men of Scotland did at the beginning of Reformation there, the ſpirituall good of the Church, the purity of religion, and the like; but if you look near unto them, it will then appear that they intend by it to get ſpoiles, to gripeHiſt. Sco . ſub Knoxi nomine edita, pag. 503. the poſſeſſions of the church, and to have their ſhare of Chriſts coat to cloath themſelves and their children withall. That as Caligula laid cloaths upon Tiberius being ſick, as if he would have befriended him in the want of heat, when it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Di. App. hiſt. l. 58. was to ſmother him: ſo do they with the ſick Church, cloath her with pity and commiſeration, when indeed it is to kill her, and ſet up themſelves in her ſtead; crying out as theSaepe mantelo religionis velatur ambitio & avaritia. Lipſ. in lib. de una religione. Iews did, Templum Domini, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, but-to deſtroy it, and to ſpin a ſacrilegious web for themſelves out of her bowels. Which makes a Learned Divine Baxter in his Sts rest part 4. pag. 282. of our own take up this ſad complaint againſt theſe times. Alas! that we muſt ſee the cauſe of Chriſt and his Church toſt about in contention from one to another, like a football among a crowd of boyes; every one ſweating about it with a fooliſh violence to get it into his own power, that ſo he may drive on by it to the goal of his private and worldly intereſts. And this we need not wonder at, eſpecially if we conſider the ripeneſs of ſin among us: for when the ſins of a nation are ripe, it is then uſuall with God, in his juſt judgement, to ſuffer a varice to give law to religion, whilſt generallyDe civit. Dei lib. 7. Et Lact. de origine erroris, lib. 2. ſub obtentu numinis, under the cloak of religion, men ſatisfie their own luſts and covetous deſires upon it, as S. Auſten notes.

This hath been ſo heretofore, & it will be ſo ſtill, ſo long as there is a Pluto inErat Mammon idolum quod Syrii colebant, ac opibus praefuiſſe credebant. Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 8. Hell, and a golden Mammon Mat. 6. 24. on earth to worſhip. S. Peter in his ſecond epiſtle, his 2 chapter, and 3 verſe, ſpeaking of falſe teachers, who ſhould ſpeak evil of the truth, and the wayes thereof, makes the originall of it to be Covetouſneſſe, where he ſayes, that through covetouſneſſe they ſhould make merchandiſe of their brethren; and again verſe 14. that they had hearts exerciſed with covetous practiſes: the Greek word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, with covetouſneſſe; not only with the practiſes, but alſo with the principles of covetouſneſſe: by which means we read verſe 15. that they forſook the right way, and went aſtray by following the way of Balaam the ſon of Bozor, who loved the wages of unrighteouſneſſe. And S. Paul alſo ſayes of ſome who reſiſted the truth, that they2 Tim. 3. 8. were men of corrupt mindes; that is, ſuch as being bribed with rewards, andAvaritia fidem & probitatem ſubvertit, ac pro his Deum negligere, ac omnia venalia habere docuit. Saluſt. de conjur. Catilin. corrupted with earthly principles, would either be Polytheiſts in religion, or elſe Atheiſts; either of any religion, or elſe of none at all. And there be too many now adays of this mind: like him, who being ask'd not long ſince of what principles he was, anſwered, that in troubleſome Theodor. Ver. in Hiſt. Ind. times he profeſſed no principle but gain; as for his religion, this he would not trouble his head withall, but would think upon that, when the times were for it.

He then that is principled with covetouſneſſe, will never be brought to hold any principles of religion long; covetouſneſſe being the root of all evil (as the Apoſtle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 1 Tim. 6. 10. Ac 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Philone, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , H. Grotius. calls it) which whilſt ſome ey'd too much, they have erred from the faith. And without all queſtion, there is no ſuch bait to draw a carnall mind from truth, as the pleaſing things of the world: for what (ſayes the fig-tree) in Iotham's parable, ſhall I leave my Iudg. 9 9, 11, 13. ſweetneſſe? and the olive, ſhall I leave my fatneſſe? and the vine, ſhall I leave my wine that cheeres God and man? So ſayes the worldling, ſhall I leave my ſweet bits of profi , my fat morſels of places and honours, or my delicious wine of pleaſures, for truth? No; there is noNullum eſt officium tam ſanctum, quod non avartia violare ſoleat. Tully pro Quinti . duty ſo ſacred, but love of gain will violate. And whoſoever thou art, if thou be once taken with theſe, Gods ſacred truth will never be ſure of thee; but, if the world will give thee higher wages and entertainment,Such was Euſtathius Bp. of Sebaſte, who was one day for the Homouſian, and another for the Homoiuſian confeſſion, according as they ſuited with his preſent turn and advantage. Magdeb. cent. 4. cap. 11. actum eſt de veritate, farewell poor truth, thou art her ſervant no longer. And the picture of ſuch a one the Scripture holds out unto us in Demetrius and his fellow crafts-men, Acts 19. (crafty enough I'le warrant you to keep up their ſilver ſhrines;) for when S. Paul preached the truth among them, which they conceived would be much to their loſs in their means and fortunes, you find verſe 23. that there was no ſmall ſtirr at Epheſus about that way of truth which he made known unto them: and that Demetrius beſtirred himſelf luſtily in it, you may ſee by his ſpeech to them verſe 25. Sirs, ye know that by this craft we get our wealth. As if he ſhould have ſaid thus; What? doth Paul think by his new upſtart kind of truth to out us of our outward poſſeſſions? Hath he nothing elſe to buiſy himſelf about, then about our D ana, our Tutelary Goddeſſe, by making of whoſe medals we have our trade andWhat we tranſlate ſilver ſhrines, is in the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſilver temples, that is, Medals of ſilver having the figure of Dianas temple ſtampt upon them, which the Aſiaticks bought up very mu h and kept by them in h nor of their Goddeſs. Beza in ver. 24. Horum fabros 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vocari, notaet Salmaſ. ad Solinum. livelyhood, our means and ſubſiſtence? If he think with his truth to undoe us in our fortunes, he will be much miſtaken in it; for rather then he ſhall begger us with that way, we are reſolved what way to take, and that is to buz about him like ſo many drones to ſome purpoſe, to decry his truth, & to cry up our falſhood, with Great is D ana of the Epheſians.

In the firſt chapter of Iſai, verſe 22. the Lord complains of Iſrael, that ſhe mixed his wine with water, which doth much abate the ſtrength and efficacie of the wine: and in the ſecond Epiſtie to the Corinthians, the ſecond chapter and the laſt verſe, we find the like expreſſion, where the Apoſtle ſayes of ſome that they did corrupt the word of God. Now the Greek word there uſed is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; and it is a Metaphor (ſayes one) from deceitfull vintners, that A corrumpendo vino, atque infuſcando, ut caupones ſolent. Iun. Annotat. in locum. uſe to corrupt their wine by mixing water with it: and what moves them to doe this, but onely gaine? And ſo there are ſome in theſe dayes who do corrupt Gods truth with the watry conceptions of their own brains; and if they can gain to themſelves this way never ſo little, they think they have done well enough, though in the mean time the truth be at a great loſſe with them in its former ſtrength and efficacy. But as Simon Peter ſaid to Simon Magus, Thy mony periſh with thee: Acts 8. 20. ſo ſay I to all ſuch, your gain periſh with you, who can ſo far abaſe your precious faith (as S. Peter 2 Pet. 1. 1. calls it) as to make it wait on your earthly intereſts.

But as for us, let us beware of ſuch mixtures; and if they be offer'd to us, let us reject them: for though ſometimes we may get by them here, yet ſure I am, that we ſhall looſe hereafter; and if we gain the world, we ſhall looſe our own ſouls: and what profitMark 8. 36. will there be in this (ſayes our Saviour) when as that is onely true gain which will abide with us in another life? He then that looſeth an eſtate here for Chriſt and his truth, ſhall be ſure to find it hereafterMat. 19. 19. with advantage. Nor can we call him (ſayes our kingly Divine) a looſer, that looſes all, yet ſaveth his own 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 p. 219. ſoul at laſt.

5. and laſtly, If we would hold the truth of God faſt, we muſt watch over the flexibility of our own corrupt nature, which is very apt to wheel about to any thing which is called truth. For the world can have no ſuch power to unſettle us of truth, did not the inclination of our own ſpirits joyn iſſue with it againſt us. And thus alſo may truth be well comparedAſtringit hominē veritas, recte igitur baltheo c mparatur. H. Grotius in Eph ſ. 6. 14. to a girdle, becauſe a girdle is of a reſtraining nature, and tyes up that which is looſely diſpoſed: ſo are all our hearts naturally very looſe, and love not to betyed up cloſe to any conſtant rule. Hence it is that in the 1. Epiſtle of S. Paul to Timothy, chap. 4. verſe 1. the Apoſtle ſpeaking there of ſome who in the latter dayes ſhould prove Apoſtates from the faith, he makes the inward cauſe of their apoſtacie to be the lightneſſe of their own ſpirits, whereby they did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , give heed too much to wandring ſpirits and Doctrines of Devils; for a lightminded man is naturally 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Naz. 1 Invect. apt to believe any thing to be truth.

And ſuch a light-head was Marcus Antonius de Dominis Erat primo Archiep. Spalat. apud nos autem Decanus de Windſor. (the Grand Ecebolius of later times) who (beſides his eying of wordly profits and preferments) was of himſelf, in religion, ſo light and unconſtant, as that he knew not where to ſtand, but ſtill took it up a new whereſoever he came; even as children do flowers, tanquam ſpectaculi & spiraculirem (as Tertullian In lib. de Reſurrect. Carnis. ſpeaks) even as a matter only of ſight and ſcent, and then threw it away again: for ſo we read in Socrates of him, that he was a Chriſtian under Constantius, under Iulian a Pagan,Adeo levis & inconſtans erat Ecebolius, ut ſe ad Imperatorum ingenia in Religione ſemper conformaret. Socrat. Eccl. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 11. under Iovinian a Chriſtian again: ſuch a jugling Impoſtor he was all his dayes! And there have been too many of late like unto him, who have pinned their Religion more upon the ſleeve of the times, then upon the truth, turning themſelves (like the heliotropium) ſtill towards the ſun; and if they do but ſee a thief, (as David ſpeaks)Pſa. 50. 18 I mean a theeviſh and upſtart opinion ſtealing upon Gods free-hold, do preſently get up, and ride after it, as Iehu did, furiouſly. How ought we then2 Kings 9. 20. every day to ſet a guard over our vagrant and yielding ſpirits, and to pray inCited by Calvin, Opuſ . pag. 470. thoſe words of S. Auguſtin, A me ſalva Dom ne, Lord keep us from our ſelves. A ſaying that the Spaniards are ſo much taken with, that one tells us howMonſ. de Scudery in his Cenſure of Math as Corvinus King of ung ry, Curi Politiae. they do ordinarilie uſe it by way of Proverb, Guarda me D os de mi, that is, God guard me from my ſelf. And it were a good prayer for us alſo, that God would daily guard us from our ſelves, I mean, from that unſettledneſſe of ſpirit that is within us.

And ſo much for the firſt thing, viz. That we muſt hold it firmly.

The 2. follows; which is, That we muſt rejoyce in it affectionately.

And to this end I lay before you theſe two conſiderations.

1. The great joy and delight that the underſtanding hath in naturall truth; which is ſuch, that ſome have conceited a proper unionLd. Brooks in his book of the ſouls union with truth. and identity between truth and the underſtanding: which though I cannot ſee how to grant, yet am ISummum in unione conſiſtit gaudium; quo que propio unio, eo major oblectatio. Aquin. ſure of this, that there is a more inward, and nearer conjunction of the Intellect to truth, then there can be of the quickeſt ſenſe to any outward object, and ſo more rejoycing in it.

Thus when Archimedes Vitruvius de Archit. l. 9. c. 3. Et Eraſm. Adag. pag. 543. had found out but one naturall Truth (which was the proportions of mixture in gold) he was ſo raviſhed with it, as he cry'd out in the ex aſy of his joy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I have found it. I have found it: And Democritus alſo was ſo taken with it, as that it made him willing to looſe his bodily eyes, that ſo heAul. Gellius lib. 10. Noct. Attic. cap. 17. might with the eyes of his mind (whenas he had no outward objects to call them off) be wholy taken up with a moſt clear contemplation of natures truths. And hath God beſtowed upon thee divine Truth, and art thou no wayes affected with it? Oh why doſt thou not break forth into that affectionate ſpeech of the Prophet Ieremy, Thy word I have found, Ier. 15. 16. I have found it, and it was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart? It was great joy whenas Artaxerxes Eſt. 7. ſent his letters to the Iews, the contents whereof were Peace and Truth. And hath God given thee his Goſpell, with the Superſcription of peace and truth upon it, and yet can it extract no joy from thee? Thy teſtimonies (ſayes David) have Pſalm 119. 111. I claimed for my heritage, and they are the rejoycing of my heart.

A good man rejoyces as much in the poſſeſſion of truth, as a man doth in his heritage, which he is to enjoy for him and his heirs for ever. And this may appear further by the indefatigable labour and travel that natu es Scholars have taken to attain it. S. Ierom, writing to Paulinus, ſayes of Hieron. Epiſt. Paulino, in prae at. vulg. Latin. Bibl. Plato and Pythagoras, that they travelled over all Aegypt, Italy and Perſia, to find it out;De Apollon. vide Philoſtrat. in vit. Sophorum. & of Apollonius, that he ſearched no leſſe then 19. ſeverall countries to come to the knowledge of it.

Nature hath then taught her Scholars to joy in nothing ſo much as truth: for what do you tell them either of their own nativeChara eſt patria, uxor; chari liberi, parentes, fratres, propinquis ſed omnes omnium charitates veritas una complectitur; Sa Tully Offic. lib. 1. Nullus animo cibus ſuavior quam cognitio veritatis. Lactant. Inſtit. l. 1. cap. 1. country, of their wives and children, of their parents, brethren and kinſmen in the fleſh? all theſe are nothing to them in compariſon of truth. So that you ſee there is no delight like that which the ſoul hath in the knowledge of the truth.

And if truth be ſo much to nature, then much more to grace.

Which made S. Ierom (of whom we ſpake before) goe from S ridon in Hungary unto Rome for his education, which was then in his time, (being the 3. Century after Chriſt) Veritatis ſchola (as one calls Hutter. in Prae at. lib. de Sacrific. Miſſae. it well) longe celeberrima; and from thence after to travell over the greateſt part of Europe, to confer with learned men; and at laſt to fix himſelf at Bethlehem in Iudea, to acquaint himſelf there with the Hebrew tongue, the primitive language of Scripture truth.

Indeed we need not go ſo far in theſe dayes for theNon eſt ultra mare, ſed p opinquū eſt tibi verbum hoc valde. Deu. 30. 13, 14 word of truth, nam venit ad limina, for it is come home to our threſholds: and yet how few be there now among us, that will give it any entertainment, much leſſe ſuffer it to dwell in us richly, as the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Apoſtle exhorts us Col. 3. 16. For which God may juſtly give us up to that fearfull judgment he threatned Iſrael with, Amos 8. 12. viz. that we ſhall e're long wander up and down from ſea to ſea, and from the North to the Eaſt ſhall we run to and fro, to ſeek the word of the Lord, this word of truth, and ſhall not find it; becauſe we took ſo little pleaſure in it when we were in poſſeſſion of it.

The 2. Conſideration to this end is, the great pleaſure that men take in falſhood, when it goes mask'd with the vizor of truth to cover its deformity. For let a man think but any falſhood to be truth, and it will pleaſe him to enjoy it, though with the enduring of the greateſt evils.

Thus, if the old Carthaginians Solebat ea gens infantes ſuos aeneae Saturni ſtatuae cavae, & intus incenſae, in ſinum ponere; qui velut in Dei complexu enecabantur. Hinc refert fabula, ſe omnes ſuos devoraſſe filios. Plut. in Apoph. be perſwaded that the ſacrificing of their children be the true way of pleaſing their idoll-God, they will then make 200. of them at once victims to him. And the like the Scripture ſayes of the idolatrous Iſraelites, Lev. 18. 21 how they made their children paſſe through the fire to the Idol Moloch, in the vally of theIdolum hoc quando que vocatur Melcham vel Malcham, Zeph. 1. 5. ab Hebraeo Melech, quod regem denotat, quem alii Saturnum (ut ſupra) alii Martem volunt. Minuc. Fel. ſons of Hinnon, after the pattern of the Canaanites and Amorites; while their miſerably-deluded parents did at the ſound of the drum, cornet, and other loud inſtruments, dance about the Idoll, that ſo they might not hear their infants cryes.

So again, if Friderick Barbaroſſa the Emperour be but perſwaded that the Pope is the true head of the Church, and Succeſſour of Peter, how ſordidly then will he lay his neck under the Popes feete; but eſpeciallyAlexander the 3. Fox in Martyrol. Et Bucholc. chron. pag. 685. when he heares him quote that place of Scripture for it, Super aſpidem & baſiliſcum ambulabis? thoughPſal. 91. 13 every novice could ſee how pitifully he tortured and miſapplied that place, to ſerve his own turn upon him.

Tell me then, what is it that a perſwaſion of truth in point of religion, though never ſo falſe, is not able to doe? Sleidan in his Commentaries tells us, that Sleid. Comment. lib. 10; & Lambertus Hortenſius lib. de tumulibus Anabaptistarum. Ignorant zeale is too blind to goe right, and oo active to ſtand still. F ller, Prof. ſtate, l. 5. . 1 . it did too much in Germany: and it is ſad to ſay what it hath done with us of late; but what it will doe, or rather undoe hereafter (unleſſe God prevent) is like to be a great deale more.

Tantum religio poterit ſuadere malorum! Lucrer. 1.

Such a Colluvies of evils doth uſually attend uponDe ho qui plura velit, legat eruditam I. Arm. oration m de compon ndo diſſidio religionis inter Christianos. error, when it is miſcall'd by the name of truth, & bleareyed Leah is miſtaken for comely Rachel; but thenGen. 29. 17 and 23. moſt of all, when we are hurried to it either by a miſguided zeale, or elſe by ſelfiſh intereſts. And if ſeeming and apparent truth be ſo pleaſing, what ſhould that be which is reall?

3. We are to prize it highly: for the truth of Chriſt3. is that rich pearle ſpoken of Mat. 13. verſe 46. which when the merchant finds, he ſells all that he hath and buyes it. All that we have then we muſt ſell to purchaſe truth, but not ſell truth at any rate: So ſayes the wiſe man, Buy the truth, but ſell it not. Pro. 23. 23.

To this end conſider her admirable propertyes and effects.

For it is Truth that informes our underſtandings, that directs our wils, that regulates our lives, & ſits a Conquereſs over our paſſions. In the 1 of Eſdras chap. 3. and 10. verſe, we read of a great contention before King Darius about what ſhould be ſtrongeſt, whether wine, or women, Kings, or Truth: and in the 4. chap. ver. 38. King Darius determins the controverſy right enough, by giving the garland to him that ſpake in the behalf of Truth. For wine (ſays he) is ſtrong, ſo are Women, and Kings; but above all Truth is ſtrongeſt. And there are added in the ſame place diverſe high prerogatives that are given to Truth, and all of them truly enough (though found in an Apocryphall book.) Truth (ſays he) endures, and is alwayes ſtrong, it lives and conquers for evermore; ſhe is the ſtrength, kingdome, power, and majeſty of all ages. Bleſſed be the God of truth, for great is truth, and mighty above allL. Tract. Theolog. lib. 2. c. 12. pag. 95. things. That if God (ſayes one) were to be corporeal, he would have light for his body, & truth for his ſoul: for GodDeut. 32. 4. Pſal. 31. 5. Iſai 65. 16. Luc. 23. 46. Iohn 14. 16 delights in no title more then to be called the God of truth; and what was the name that Chriſt took to himſelf, but the Way, the Truth, and the Life?

And what was one of the main ends of his coming,Ioh. 5. 33 but to bear witneſſe to the truth? And what was the chief thing he prayed for in ourIohn 17. 17 behalf, but that we may be ſanctified through the truth? And what is one of the chief Epithe s the Holy Ghoſt is known by, but the Spirit of truth?Iohn 15. 26

And what is the high dignity of the Church of God, but to be called the ground and pillar of truth?1 Tim. 3. 15 And what is the firſt piece of St. Pauls Panoply, butEph. 6. 14 the girdle of truth?

Oh the admirable properties and effects of truth! Oh the high elogiums that are given to it!

It is truth that commends men of all ſorts and degrees. For (if we ſpeak of great men) it was the commendation that Quintilian gave of Veſpaſian the Emperour, that he was Patientiſſimus In Institut. Oratoriar. lib. veri, that he would endure the truth. Or if we ſpeak of Iudges and Magiſtrates, you ſhall find in Jethro's counſel to Moſes, that truth is one of the chief things to be ey'd in their election. Thou Exo. 18: 21 ſhalt provide (ſays he) out of all the people men of truth. Or if we ſpeak of Miniſters, it is the badge and cognizance of their profeſſion, to be ſearchers and holders out of truth. And to this purpoſe is the Proverb of the French Leighs Annotat. in Mark 13. 32. Miniſtre ne doit ſcavoir que ſa Bible. Proteſtants, that a Miniſter muſt know nothing but his Bible; nothing ſo much as this book of truth. Which makes St. Paul ſay, that2 Cor. 4. 2. he had his miniſtry by the manifeſtation of the truth. 1 Tim. 6. 5.

And on the other ſide, ſpeaking of falſe teachers, he brands them for men of corrupt minds, and deſtitute of the truth. Or, if we ſpeak of man in general, the Orator tells us, that eſt homini Tul. Offic. lib. 1. propria inquiſitio veri, that the ſearching out of truth is proper to us as men, much more as Chriſtians.

Again it is Truth that enfranchiſes us, and makesIohn. 8. 32. us free; Truth that ennobles us, and makes us honorable: I ſay not ſo much in reſpect of that civil ſtate we are members of (as it did the Veres family in this nation, who with reference to their name and fidelity that way, bear this honorable Cambden in his Remains. Motto in their coat of Arms, Vero nihil verius;) but in reſpect of our ſpiritual eſtate, as did the Bereans, who are ſaid to be more noble then thoſe of Theſſalonica, becauſe Acts 17. 11 they ſearched the Scriptures, this word of truth.

Again, it is Truth that preſerves us in the midſt of all dangers; as it is in the 40. Pſal. ver. 11. Let thy mercy and truth continually preſerve me. Truth, that ſhields us from Sathans darts; as in the 91. Pſal. ver. 4. Thy truth (ſays David) ſhall be my ſhield and buckler: Et O felix anima, (cryes Bernard) quae tentationum Bern. in Pſal. 91. jacula ſcuto veritatis repulerit! and O happy ſoul that canſt repell Sathans darts with the ſhield of truth! Truth, that comforts us in all diſtreſſes: for which cauſe our Saviour calls the John 14. 16, 17. Holy Ghoſt both the Comforter, and the Spirit of truth. Truth, that ſanctifies us; as in the 17 Chapter of S. Iohn, and the 17 verſe, Sanctifie them in thy truth. Truth,Hoc eſt, Ʋitam eorum indies per veritatem tuam redde puriorem. H. Grotius in locum. that confirmes and ſtrengthens us: from whence it is, that the Apoſtle alſo may compare it to a belt or girdle in the 6. Chapter to the Epheſians and the 14 verſe; and ſuch a one (I ſuppoſe) the Apoſtle means, as Souldiers uſed to wear, which was beſet with iron and braſs plates to ſtrengthen their loins. In a word, truth, that regenerates us; as in the Text, where it is ſaid, That we are begotten with the word of truth.

Now, what ſhall I ſay more? Surely, if all this will not ſet up truth in her throne of excellency, then may it truly be ſaid of us, what God doth by way of complaint againſt Iſrael, that Truth is faln in ourIſai. 59. 14 ſtreets; ſhe is of very low and baſe account among us, and hath need of an Atlas from heaven to comeAtlantem fingunt coelum humeris ſuſtinuiſſe. Nat. Com. l. 4. cap. 7. and ſhore her up: for it is Pſal. 119. 116. time, Lord (ſayes David) for thee to ſet thy ſelf to the work, whenas men doe their utmoſt to make void thy law, even that law of truth thou haſt eſtabliſhed with us.

And ſo much for the third thing, that we muſt prize it highly.

The 4. and laſt follows, viz. that we muſt love it4. dearly; i. e. not look towards truth for fear, (as many doe) but meerly out of love; for truth is Per ſe pulchra beautifull enough of her ſelf; yea, Incomparabiliter Auguſtin. in Epiſtol. ad Hieron. pulchrior (ſayes S. Auguſtin) eſt veritas Chriſtianorum quam Helena Graecorum, (that is) The truth of the Chriſtians is incomparably fairer then Helen was with the Greeks, and needs no ſlaviſh motive to draw our eyes unto her; this being more ſuitable to ſervile natures, then to the ſweet and ingenuous ſpirits of Gods children. For this cauſe the Lord exho ts the houſe of Iudah to loveZach. 8. 19. the truth. And there is no ſlaviſh fear in love (ſayes S. Iohn) but perfect love caſts out fear; for no man1 Ioh. 4 18. was ever ſcared into truth, that was notNon viextorqu nda fides, ſed ſuadenda. Hiſpal. ſe . lib. 2. cap. 2. Gods ſlave, more then his, ſervant in it.

And good reaſon that we ſhould love truth: for there are but 3. objects of love, viz. God, our neighbour, and our ſelves; and if we love theſe, or any of theſe, we muſt needs love truth.

1. If we love God, we muſt needs love truth, becauſe God is Summum verum as well as Summum bonum, the higheſt truth as well as the higheſt good; which makes David call him the God of truth, and Moſes alſo.Pſal. 31. 5. Deut. 32. 4.

2. If we love our neighbour alſo we muſt needs love truth, becauſe without truth neighbourly love and unity cannot be continued. And in this ſenſe (if there were no other) may we underſtand that of the Philoſopher, that Verum & unum convertuntur, that truth and unity are convertible: which made our Saviour, in that zealous prayer of his for the preſervation of his elect in unity, deſire of his father, that he would ſanctifie them through theIoh. 17. 17. truth; and tells them further, that his word is truth. The word of truth then is a ſpeciall means to preſerve the people of God in unity: For did not the word of truth direct all the members of Chriſts myſticall body to act orderly in their ſeverall charges, you ſhould ſee none of them keep their proper ſtations; but the tongue would fall out with the hand, the hand again with the foot, and all of them ſtand out againſt the command of the head, to the deſtruction of the whole body.

3. If we love our ſelves alſo we muſt needs love truth, becauſe herein the happineſſe of the ſoul, the better part of us, conſiſts. And to this purpoſe is that ſaying of S. Auſtin, Quid aliud eſt beate vivere, quam Auguſtin. in lib. contra Academicos. in diſquiſitione veritat is conſeneſcere? (i. e.) what is it to live bleſſedly in this life, but to grow old in the ſearching out of truth?

For the happineſſe of the ſoul wherein doth it conſiſt, but in its uni on with God? Now our underſtanding is the higheſt faculty of the ſoul, and truth the object of it. The more then that the underſtanding is employed about truth its object, the nearer doth it come to God, who is purus & aeternus Intellectus, Biel, Aquin. &c. (as the School-men call him) and ſo make us happy. Now becauſe Love is an inward affection, & probatio dilectionis eſt exhibitio operis (as Gregory Greg. Magn. in Mor. ſpeaks) and the beſt triall of our love to a thing is to doe ſomething for it; therefore would I have you to manifeſt your love to truth theſe 2. wayes.

1. By your prayers for it. 2. By your practiſe of it.

1. By your prayers for it. For wherefore was it S. Paul's deſire & prayer for Iſrael that they mightRom. 10. 1 be ſaved, but onely out of the overflowings of his, love to them? which if it were not highly exceſſive, you may judge by that hyperbolicall wiſh of his, verſe 3. of the 9. chapt. and the three-fold proteſtationRom. 9. 1, 3. he premiſes to it verſe 1. I ſay the truth in Chriſt and lie not, mine own conſcience bearing me witneſſe in the holy Ghoſt; that I could wiſh my ſelf to be accurſed for my brethren and kinſmen according to the fleſh.

You ſee then, that love is an excellent Oratour, and there needs not a better key to open our hearts to God in the behalf of the truth then this. Our own keeping will not keep truth ſafe enough: No; Except Quae habemus ab eo, ſervare non poſsumus ſine eo. Bern. in Pſal. Qui habitat, pag. 283. the Lord keep the city (ſayes David) the watchman waketh Pſal. 127. 1 but in vain.

And they are our prayers chiefly that keep God from taking away his truth from us. For Philoſophy tells us, that eodem nutrimur Ariſtotel. lib. 7. de anima. quo generamur, that we are preſerved with what we are begotten; and Politicks, that empires areIiſdem artibus quibus parta ſunt, retinentur imperia. Saluſt. in conjurat. Cat. kept by the ſame means that they were gained. It coſt the Martyrs many prayers and teares too in Q. Marry's dayes to re-inſtate us with it afterwards in her ſiſters time; witneſſe that zealous Fox in Martyr. 2. part. Ejaculatory of Latimer at the ſtake, Vel ſemel, Domine, Once again, O Lord, reſtore the truth of thy Goſpel to England. They gain'd it for us by their prayers, & let not us looſe it now for want of our own; but every day beg of Almighty God with the prophet David, That hePſ. 119. 38. would establiſh his word of truth unto his ſervants, that are devoted to fear his name: that ſo they who ſucceed us both in Church and Commonwealth, may have cauſe in after-times to bleſſe him who is the God of love and truth for us.

Or elſe we may this way (if we pleaſe) collect our ſelves in the words of S. Auguſtin; Our ſtrength Coram te eſt firmitas & infirmitas mea (Domin :) Illam ſerva, iſtam ſana. Ad calcem lib i 15. de Trinitat. and weakneſſe, O Lord, in the Orthodox faith are both before thee: Preſerve (we humbly beſeech thee) the one, and heal the other.

2. Our love muſt appear to it by our practiſe of it: for it is not ſo much prayer that is prevalent with God, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an effectuall or workingIam. 5. 16. prayer; nor is love ſo much verball as real: ſo ſays S. Iohn, Love not in word and tongue, but in deed 1 Iohn 3. 18. and truth.

S. Paul was a lover of truth, and all that he could doe for her he thought little enough; for he denied himſelf, he chaſtiſed his body, and kept it under by1 Cor. 9. 27. faſting, he injured no man, was malicious to no man, but lived with a good conſcience, and inoffenſivelyActs 24. 16. before God and man. And ſhall we profeſſeNon penitus amat, niſi qui moribus e primit Evangelium. Eraſmus in Cyclope Evangeliophoro, per quem talem denotat, qui Evangelii veritatem ſemper habet in ore, cum in vita nihil ſit evangelicum. In Colloq. a love to the truth of God in his word, and yet doe nothing for it; but live looſely, ſcandalouſly and inordinately, in riot and drunkenneſſe, in chambring and wantonneſſe, in malice and envy, without mortifying of any one luſt, or denying our ſelves in any thing? Surely, as that learned controverſall Divine of ours Dr. Whitaker ſaid once in a Sermon of his, upon the like conſideration, inIn Concione ad Clerum. So Linacre ſaid, whenas upon his reading of Chriſts Sermon in the mount, he found the lives of Christians in his time, ſo far diſagreeing with the rules laid down in it. the words of Linacre, Aut hoc non eſt Evangelium, aut nos non ſumus Evangelici, Either this is not the Goſpel, or elſe we are not profeſſors of it: ſo may I ſay in relation to our practice, Either that faith we profeſs is not the true Proteſtant faith according to the word of truth, or elſe we are not faithfull Proteſtants, and true profeſſours of it. For what? ſhall the Papiſts walk more cloſe to the rule of truth with their glow-worm light, then we with our ſun-ſhine? ſhall they faſt often, and we never? ſhall they be ſtrict in their blind devotion, and we looſe in our knowing ſervice? they juſt toPleri que nostrum qui Chriſtianam religionem profitemur, ita vivimus ac ſi ni il plane crederemus. In Prae at. Pleſſaei de verit. Chriſtianae religionis. their neighbours, and we injurious? they charitable to the poor in giving of them bread, and we hard-heartedLuc. 11. 11 in giving them a ſtone inſtead of bread, and inſteadPudet haec opprobria nobis Et dici potuiſse, & non potuiſſe reſelli. Ovid. metam. of fiſh a ſcorpion? Oh what a diſhonour is this to our holy profeſſion! what a ſhame and blemiſh is it to our religion! It is enoughIt was taken up as proverb againſt the Athenians, Athenienſes ſcire quae recta ſunt, ſed facere nolle. Tully, lib. de Senectute. for bats and owls, heathen and infidels, thoſe children of darkneſſe, to doe thus: but as for us, who (as the Apoſtle ſpeaks) are the children of the light, and the children of the day, 1 Theſ. 5. 5. how ſhould we endeavour to put off theſe works of darkneſs, becauſe they are not for the truth, but againſt it! For the grace of God (ſays St. Paul) that Titus 2. 11, 12, 13, 14. brings ſalvation (ſo ſay I, the truth of God, that brings ſalvation) hath appear'd, teaching us, to deny ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, and to live ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in this preſent world: looking for that bleſſed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Savious Jeſus Chriſt; who gave himſelf for us to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify us unto himſelf a peculiar people zealous of good works.

St. Athanaſius therefore begins wel his Creed thus, Whoſoever will be ſaved, above all things it is neceſſary that he hold the Catholick faith; and not only ſo, but alſo keep it undefiled, without the leaſt ſoil and blemiſh from worldly luſts; like the ſtone Amianthus, whereof Iſiodore of Sevill Iſiod. Hiſpalenſ. Etymol. lib. 6. c. 4. ſpeakes, that will endure the fire and not be blemiſhed by it. And to this purpoſe St. Iames hath a ſaying very pertinent, Iam. 1. 27. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (that is) Pure religion Dictum hoc ſaeculo (inquit H. Grotius) maximè ogitandum. In locum. & undefiled, which like the ſtone Amianthus will be able to endure a fiery triall without blemiſh, is to be charitable to thoſe that want, and to keep a mans ſelf unſpotted from the world; whether it be either the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, or pride of1 Iohn 2. 16. Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet. life: for all that is in the world is one of theſe three. An undefiled religion and a defiled life non bene conveniunt, do not well ſuite together; but are as great an incongruity, as that of the fooliſh actor, who being to pronounce O Coelum! pointed down toO Heaven! the earth: which made Pol mon ſay of him, that he committed a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Philoſtrat. in vit. Sophor. ſoloeciſm with his hand. And ſo do they that are of a heavenly profeſſion, and yet of earthly converſations. If we will be called the ſons of the Reformed Church and Religion, we muſt be of reformed lives & converſations; and live (as the Apoſtle would have the Philippians)2 Philip. 15. 16. blameleſs and harmleſs, the children of God, without rebuke, in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe generation, among whom we are to ſhine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life, that ſo we may rejoyce in the day of Chriſt, that we have not run in vain, nor labour'd in vain (and I add alſo) nor received the word of truth in vain.

It was the ſaying of Luther, that Verba Scripturae non ſunt verba legenda, but vivenda; And ſo ſay I, that the ſaving truths of Scripture are not ſo much credenda, as vivenda; requiringQui volet facere voluntatem Patris mei, cognoſcet de doctrin , an ex Deo •• t; Iohn 7. 17. not ſo much our knowing, or believing of them, as our living up to them. And this is the very life of truth, this is truth indeed; not only to believe, but alſo to obey it. Nam errat (ſays St. Auguſtine) Auguſtin. in lib. de Agone Chriſtian. quiſquis ſeputat veritatem cognoſcere, ſi adhuc nequiter vivat, i. e. He errs much, who thinks he knows truth effectually, if he live wickedly. Ferrerius ſaid, that the Proteſtants might well laugh at them, and ſay, thatPatres ſcire, ſed facere n ll . Hist. Concil. Trident. pag. 539. the Trent Fathers had knowledge enough, but would not doe thereafter: and I wiſh, we did not in theſe dayes give our adverſaries too much cauſe to ſay the like of us, that the Reformiſts indeed know the truth, but will not doe it; and that this is the Iohn 3. 19. condemnation of England, that the light of divine Truth is come unto us, and yet have we loved darkneſſe more then light, becauſe our deeds are evill. It were well then that we would labour now at laſt to be not ſo much diſputants for truth, as agents of it. For what talk we either of wording orSic ille apud Ovid. Quid verbis opus est? ſpectemur agendo Metam. l. 13 knowing truth? or why are we taken ſo much with men of knowledge, when they are not men of conſcience? Alas! to admire a man for his knowledge of the truth, whenas he makes no conſcience of ſteering his practice accordingly, is juſt as if a man (ſayes our Kingly Divine)Iacob. Rex. ſhould admire a ſouldier for his goodly head of hair, who is a coward, and dares act nothing. If then we be truths children, we muſt ſhow our ſelves ſuch by doing the Truth, and making it our work, (to uſe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 3 Iohn 21. our Saviours words;) that ſo our knowledge be not confuted by our practice, but that the word of truth and the work of it may meet together.

And there be 3. reaſons of reducing truth to practice.

1. Becauſe the chief end it was ordained for was practice: which made ourIoh. 17. 17. Scopus Christianae religionis eſt, ut qu ex doctrina veritatis didicimus, opere impleamus. Auguſt. Ser. de blaſphemia in S. S. Saviour pray for his Elect, that they might be ſanctified through the truth; not onely enlightned by it, but ſanctified through it.

2. To be active is a ſign of health; and ſo to be acting in ſaving truths is a ſign of ſpirituall health; which is one reaſon why the Apoſtle gives it the name of a Rule, and ſayes, We muſt walk by it.Gal. 6. 16. If we do not, it is a ſhrewd ſign that we are ill at the heart, and unſound in the faith. And therefore in the 1 Tim. chap. 1. ver. 10. we read of ſound or healing Doctrine. And it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . is ſo called, either

Becauſe it is of a healing nature, and a means to cure us of thoſe ſpirituall maladies and corruptions that do adhere to us; as of the inflammationThey burned with lust. Rom. 1. 27. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, Corrupt communication. Eph. 4. 29. A metaphor (ſayes Zanchy) either from rotten apples, or a ſtinking breath. Some ſhall fall from the faith. 1 Tim. 4. 1. Then Antiochus ſwelled with anger. 2 Macab. 9. 4. of luſt, the rotten or corrupt breath of evill ſpeeches, the falling ſickneſſe of apoſtacy, the ſwelling of anger, and the like: or elſe

Becauſe when it hath once recovered a Chriſtian out of theſe diſeaſes, and ſet him upon his legs, it preſently puts him upon walking and action, to preſerve his ſpirituall health.

3. Becauſe it is not knowledge,So alſo S. Iames, Whoſo is a doer of the work, this man ſhall be bleſſed in his deed. c. 1. v. 25. but practice that muſt make us for ever happy: ſo ſayes our Saviour, If ye know theſe things, happy are ye if ye doe them. John 13. 17.

But to cloſe up all; as the Authour to the Hebrews ſpeaks, ſo do we, Beloved, we are perſwaded Heb. 6. 9. better things of you, and ſuch as accompany ſalvation, though we thus ſpeak: and hope that we may praiſe God for you, as S. Paul did in the behalf of his Romans, with Deo gratias, Godbe thanked, that Rom. 6. 17 ye were the ſervants of ſin, but now ye have obeyed from the heart, the form of doctrine which was delivered unto you; and conclude (as S. Paul doth his 2 chapter to the Theſſalonians)

Now our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who hath 2 Theſ. 2. 16, 17. loved us, and given us everlaſting conſolation, and good hope through grace, comfort our hearts by the word of Truth, and ſtabliſh us in every good word and work. To whom, with the Father and the everbleſſed Spirit, be all glory and honour both now and for ever.

Trin-uni Deo Gloria.

THE UNITY OF TRVTH.

THE UNITY OF TRUTH. 15. Romans 5. Now the God of patience and conſolation make you like-minded one towards another, according to Ieſus Chriſt. But the Greek runs it thus; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The Lord give you to mind the ſame thing.

THe Church of Chriſt may well be reſembled to Rebekahs womb, whereinGen. 25. 2 there was a great deal of ſtrugling betwixt the ſtrong and weak child, about the honour of primogeniture. And we need not goe far for an example of it, no further then the newly-converted Romans in the Text; with whom there was a hot ſtrife about meats forbidden to be eaten by the Leviticall Law as unclean. For the ſtrong Romans were throughly perſwaded of their liberty in the uſe of things indifferent, and therefore did eate what was ſet before them, makingTi •• 1. 15 no queſtion for conſcience ſake, becauſe to the pure all things are pure; but the weak Romans, being not yet fully inſtructed about the lawfullneſſe of it, forbore.

Thus were they divided in opinions; and not only ſo, but in affections too: for the ſtrong took upon them with a great deal of liberty to deſpiſe the weak, and the weak likewiſe on the other ſide to judge and cenſure the ſtrong. The one are deſpiſed as ſimple and ignorant, the other judged as ſcandalous and uncharitable.

Now S. Paul ſeeing the breach ſo wide betwixt them, doth here, like a good umpire, endeavour what he can to arbitrate the matter in difference with them, and to reduce them to concord and unity. And this he doth 2. wayes.

1. By diſſwading the weak from judging the ſtrong. Who art thou (ſayes he) that judgeſt another mans ſervant? He ſtands and falls to his own maſter. chap. 14. verſe 4. And it is an argument drawn from common equity, which tells us that we muſt not uſurp upon anothers right. For there are 3. prerogatives that God will not have us to entrench on.

The 1. is his own glory. Iſai. 42. 8.

The 2. is vengeance; for vengeance is mine, I will repay, ſaith the Lord. Rom. 12. 19.

The 3. is judgement; as in that place of S. Paul, He that judgeth me is the Lord. 1. Cor. 4. 4.

2. By perſwading the ſtrong to bear with the infirmities of the weak; as in the 1. verſe of this chap. where the word that we tranſlate bear, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : and it is a Metaphor either from Porters, who make it their livelyhood to bear other mens burdens; or elſe from Nurſes, who bear up their weaklings in their hands, leaſt at any time they daſh their feet againſt a ſtone.

And the arguments here uſed by the Apoſtle are two.

The firſt is drawn from the good of their neighbours unto edification, verſe 2. Let every one of us pleaſe his neighbour for his good unto edification. Where the reaſon is this, That their bearing with the weak would be a means every day to build them up into a better liking and opinion of the ſtrong; for it is not the beating down of weakneſſes, but the bearing with them,Nobile vincendi genus eſt patientia Ovid. that gains upon ingenuous natures.

The 2. is taken from the example of Chriſt, verſe 3. For even Chriſt pleaſed not himſelf (ſayes the Apoſtle;) as it is written, This is cited out of 69 Pſverſe 9. The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me. As if the Apoſtle had ſaid thus unto them; Even he that is infinite in ſtrength, and ſo could not have been forced to have born with any thing in his people, yet was he pleaſed notwithſtanding for their ſakes to bear their ſins, that were ſo reproachfull to his father, by ſuffering the utmoſt puniſhment due unto them, in his own body upon the 1 Pet. 2. 24 tree (as S. Peter ſpeaks.) And this example of Chriſt (which is a perfect pattern for all morall duties) ſhould move thoſe that are ſtrongeſt among you, to bear with the weakneſſes of your brethren.

And now, when he could not lay their heat this way, he then bethinks himſelf of another courſe to doe it by; and this is by prayer: That what he could not gain at their hands by reaſoning with them, he may now obtain at Gods hands by praying for them. And this he doth here in the words of the Text, which run in the form of a ſolemn benediction,More Patriarcharum & prophetarum, Romanis hanc grandem precatur benedictionem. Anſelm. the more affectionately thereby to expreſſe his wellwiſhes and prayers for them: Now the God of patience and conſolation make you like-minded, &c.

In which benediction 3. things offer themſelves unto your conſideration.

1. The duty wiſhed or prayed for in the behalf of his new Chriſtian Romans; and this is, to be like-minded one towards another, both in opinion and affection: for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here uſed is a general word, (as one notes) and is Zanch. in locum. to be referred unto all the endeavours of the mind, whether intellectuall or affectuall.

2. The efficient cauſe of this like mindedneſſe; and this is God: For it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 God (ſayes David) that ſets the ſolitary in families, (as it is in our new tranſlation after the Septuagint) Pſal. 68. verſe 6. or that makes men of one mind in an houſe, (as it is in the old;) for the Hebrew word there uſed (ſayes one) Fiſher in his defence of the Liturgy, pag. 295. comes of a root ſignifying to unite or make one.

Like-mindedneſſe then is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Gods gift: therefore it runs here, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Lord give you to mind the ſame thing. That, as the Apoſtle ſayes of our ſalvation, that it is not of our ſelves, it is the gift of God: ſo ſay I of like-mindedneſſe,2 Epheſ. 8. that it is not of our ſelves, it is not of our planting, but a graft implanted in our natures by the hand of God; for we are all naturally (as Iacob ſaid of his firſt-born Reuben) unſtable as water, Gen. 49. 4. (i. e.) of a wavering and unſetled temper, of ſcattered and divided ſpirits, (as to worldly things, ſo alſo to religious duties:) which makes the Prophet David pray Pſal. 86. at the 11 verſe, that God would unite his heart to fear his name.

Now this Efficient is deſcribed here by the two attributes of patience and conſolation.

2. But why is he not call'd here the God of faith and hope, as well as of patience and conſolation?

R. Either becauſe S. Paul would ſuit the attributes he gives to God according to the ſenſe of their loſſes, as having by their diviſions ſenſibly loſt much of that patience and comfort which they receiv'd by Chriſt; or elſe becauſe he would mind them whether to have recourſe for the recovery of their loſſes, and that is to God, who is a full ſtore-houſe of patience and conſolation: for the ſtrong were not patient towards the weak, nor the weak to the ſtrong; which was the cauſe of ſuch animoſities and heart-burnings among them, as did much waſt and conſume their ſpirituall joyes and comforts.

And now if God be the Authour of Unity and like-mindedneſſe, it will then eaſily follow, that Sathan is the authour of diſunity and diviſion; and you may know him (ſay the common people) by his cloven foot, which is the Emblem of diviſion. And if they be Gods childrenSi Dei vocantur filii qui unitatem colunt, proculdubio Satanae ſunt, qui pacem confundunt. Greg. in Paſtor. that love unity; who can think otherwiſe, but that they are Sathans brats that love diviſion?

3. The reſtriction of the duty; and this is, according to Chriſt. Nam bene addidit, ſecundum Ieſum Chriſtum Anſelme in locum. (ſayes Anſelme) for he hath well added this clauſe, becauſe there is an agreement 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Nazianz. Orat. 1. propace. which is not according to Chriſt: as in the 2 Pſalm, ver. 2. where we read that the Kings of the earth ſtood up and took counſell together, or agreed together Convenere in unum. in one (as the vulgar Latine hathi ;) but it was againſt the Lord, and against his Chriſt. For asSicut Dei una Ieruſalem, it a Diaboli una Babylon. S. Auguſt. initio lib. de civit. Dei. Gods Ieruſalem is one, ſoPſal. 112. 3 Mark 3. 26. is Sathans Babylon one alſo.

Examples of this abound. As of Sime on and Levi, who as they were brethren by nature, ſo alſo byGen. 34. 25 combination in evill; as in killing of Hamor King of Sichem and his people: which made Iacob their Father highly deteſt them for it; as appeares by that patheticall Apoſtrophe unto his ſoul, O my ſoul, Gen. 49. 6. come not thou into their ſecret; unto their aſſembly, (mine honour) be not thou united: For in their anger they ſhew a man, and in their ſelf-will dig'd down a wall: Therefore was their rage accurſed.

And the like example we have in Iudas and the high Prieſts; the former being of the tribe of Sime on (if the Iews may be credited in it) and the latter of the tribe of Levi: and both theſe enter into a covenant one with another, to ſlay the man Chriſt Ieſus. Mat. 26. 15

So alſo in Herod and Pilate, who the ſame day Luc. 23. 12. (ſayes the Evangeliſt) were Sic h retici, licet mutuo ſe lacerant, ſic tamen invicem ſeſe collidunt, ut contra eccleſiam ſimul exiſtant uniti. Iſiodor. Hiſpal. Sent. l. 1. cap. 19. made friends together, (for before they were at enmitie among themſelves;) but it was againſt Chriſt, and to deſtroy him.

But above all look upon the 83. Pſalm, which was penn'd on purpoſe againſt the joynt combination of ſeverall malicious enemies, to deſtroy the Church of God in Iehoſaphats time; (the ſtory whereof is ſet down at large in the 2 Chron. chap. 20.) where the Pſalmiſt complains thus; That they took crafty counſell together Auguſtine calls this unilatem contra veritatem, Serm. 6. de verb. domini c. 12. againſt Gods people, & conſulted Verſe 3, 4, and 5. againſt his hidden ones: that they ſaid, Come, let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Iſrael be no more had in remembrance: Yea, that they conſulted together with one conſent, and were confederate againſt the Lord. And who theſe were he tells us in the 6, 7, 8. verſes; viz. the tabernacles of Edom and the Iſmaelites, of Moab and the Hagarens; G bal, Ammon and Amalek, the Philiſtins, with thoſe of Tyre. Aſhur alſo is joyned with them; and they have holpen the children of Lot.

But our agreement muſt not be ſuch: if it be, it is perverſa unitas & execranda Serm. 5. in Aſſump. B. Marioe. (as Bernard calls it;) or rather Conſpiratio magis quam unitas, a conſpiracy rather then an unity; and ſo it is call'd Acts 23. 13. where it is ſaid, that more then 40 men made a conſpiracy againſt Paul, binding themſelves with an oath, that they would neither eat nor drink untill they had kill'd Paul: as if all the bluſtring power and malice of hell had been ſtirred up to blow out the taper of S. Paul's life.

Firſt then, for the duty wiſhed or prayed for by the Apoſtle in the behalf of his new Chriſtian Romans; and this is, to be like-minded one towards another. From whence I commend unto you this obvious, but ſeaſonable obſervation.

That it is the duty of Chriſtians to be likeminded, Obſervat. or at unity one with another.

Now this truth I ſhall make good unto you both by precept and example.

1. By precept: as in the 2. Epiſt. to the Corinthians, 1. the laſt chapter, and 11. verſe, where the Apoſtle in his valediction to them leaves theſe jewells to be depoſited with them, & Gods benediction upon them; Finally, brethren, fare ye well: be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace ſhall be with you.

And again in the 4. chapter to the Epheſians; where, being now a priſoner at Rome, and ready to be offered up in the ſervice of their faith, he begs this one boon of them before Ʋnitas in abſtracto nuſquam legitur in novo teſtamento, niſi in hoc capite. his departure, that they would endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: And among many other unities wherewith he doth ballance his ob eſtation, there are none (methinks) more attractive, then that trinity of unities (if I may ſo ſpeak) verſe 5. and which may ſerve as a three-fold cord to enforce the duty, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , there is but one Lord, even the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. For though the Heathen had1 Cor. 8. 5. their many that were called lords, and their many that were called Gods, who had their ſeverall ſacrifices and ſervices from them; yet to us Chriſtians (ſayes the Apoſtle) there is but one God, the Father, 6. verſe. and one Lord Ieſus Chriſt: And therefore in our religious worſhip of this one God we are to be as one; for ſo it was prophecy'd of the Gentils by theZach. 14. 9. prophet Zachary, In that day ſhall there be one Lord over all the earth, and his name ſhall be one.

2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , there is but one faith, but una fides qua cred mus, and una fides Lomb. lib. 3. Diſtinct. 23. Sic etiam Auguſtin. lib. 13. de Trinitat. cap. 2. quam credimus (as the School ſpeaks;) that is, but one grace of faith whereby we believe, and one Doctrine of faith which is to be believed: and beſides, but unum objectum fidei, but one object of juſtifying faith in whom we believe; and this is Chriſt: who was not one to the Iews, and is now become another to the Gentiles; no; Chriſt is not divided (ſayes the Apoſtle) but is the ſame yeſterday, to day, and for ever; Velatus in 1 Cor 1. 13 Heb. 13. 8. veteri, revelat us in novo, vailed in the Old Teſtament, revealed in the New, and therefore we muſt be one.

3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , there is but one baptiſme: and this is given us too by one ſpirit, and incorporates us into one body, whereof Chriſt is the head: and therefore we muſt be one, for by one ſpirit (ſayes1 Cor. 12. 13. the Apoſtle) we are baptized into one body.

2. By Example. As in the children of Iſrael, 2. who are ſaid at the building of the ſecond templeEzra 3. 1. to be gathered together as one man unto Ieruſalem, as if there had been but one heart among them all. So alſo we read of the twelve Apoſtles, Acts 1. that when they began to build up the Chriſtian Church in the world, (whereof that of Zorobabel was but a type) they aſſembled all together in Ieruſalem, and continued there with one accord daily in prayer and ſupplication, verſe 14. So that the firſt grand Jury (you ſee) that ever gave in their verd ct for Chriſtianity, did all agree together in ſacred duties: And not onely in theſe, but alſo in common actions; as in breaking of bread from houſe to houſe, and eating their meat with gladneſſe and ſingleneſſe of heart. Acts chap. 2. v. 46. They had a ſingle heart as well in common, as ſacred duties: Not Cor duplex (as the Pſalmiſt ſayesSee the Margin of our Bibles. of the wicked, Pſal. 12. 3. or elſe a heart & a heart, (as the Hebrews expreſſion is;) much leſſe Cor d viſum, a divided heart among ſo many: but (as it is more fully ſet down Acts 4 32.) there was to them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , one heart and one ſoul. I ſay not in ſubſtance (whichVide Zanch. in locum. Non eſt animus ubi animat, ſed ubi amat. Eraſ. Dialog. Proc. was Averroes dream) but in concent and affection; for the ſoul is not ſo much where it lives, as where it loves.

And this was foretold of the Gentiles by the prophet Zephany, in his third chap. and 9. verſe, That they ſhould ſerve God with Humero unc; ſic T emel. Vulgar. Lat. Beza, &c. one conſent, or with one ſhoulder, (as moſt of the Latine tranſlatours render it after the Hebrew.) A phraſe (it may be) taken See Exod. 25. 14. and 1 Chro. 15. 15. from the Levites, who were to bear the Ark of God upon their ſhoulders; and were ſo agreeing together in it, as if there had been among them all but one ſhoulder in bearing of it. And thus muſt we Chriſtians ſo unite our ſerverall ſtrengths together to ſupport the ark of Gods Church, (wherein the two tables of his truth are preſerved) as if the ſtrength of each ſeverall were to be reſolved into the ſhoulders of one particular man for the bearing it up.Q.

But it is here query'd, wherein we are to be like-minded.R.

To which (becauſe in this ſubject of Unity we would run as little diviſion as may be) it is anſwered, onely in two particulars. 1. In our judgements and opinions. 2. In our affections. The one relating to faith, the other to love.

And 1. we muſt be like-minded in our judgements and opinions. Which makes the Apoſtle beſeech his Corinthians by the name of the Lord Ieſus Christ, to be perfectly joyned together in the ſame mind, and the ſame judgement, 1. Cor. 1. 10. We muſt not then every day ſet abroach new opinions, to the prejudice of the truth we have received, and diſquict of the Church; For no man (ſayes our Saviour) having drunk of old wine, straightway deſireth Luk. 5. 39 new: for he ſayes, the old is better. Indeed new wines may be more guſtfull and pleaſing to men of a gluttonous and licentious appetite; but to thoſe that are of ſtay'd palats, the old is moſt deſirable, as being more helpfull for the ſtomack, and refreſhing for the ſpirits. Our opinions then & judgements when they are once for the truth, there they are to ſtand and fix.

It was the Motto of Q. Elizabeth, (who was a Glory to the age wherein ſhe lived) to beCambden. Semper eadem, alwayes the ſame: And the like Eulogy is given to Venerable Uſher, a great It was the Anagram was given him, when Bp. of Meath, (viz.) Iames Meath, I am the ſame. Master of learning (while he lived) in this our I ſrael, that he was, without wavering, alwayes one and the Barn. in li . de vita & morte Iacob. Armac. pag. 52. & 106. ſame, holding faſt the form of ſound words in Doctrine and practice to his laſt. And ſo muſt we be no Changelings of our holy faith, but alwayes the ſame men in it. And therefore it was a good ſaying of Melanchthon, (the learned Phoenix of Germany) that he would be neither the Author Senovi dogmatis in Eccleſia nec Authorem fore, nec Defenſorem. Meminit bujus Overallus noſter in Oratione ad convocat. of any novell opinion in the Church, nor the Defender of it; neither beginning to others in the cup of errour, nor pledging any one that ſhould begin to him therein.

And this condemns that boundleſſe liberty of opinion that ſome are ſo eager after in theſe dayes.

For if it be ſo, that a child of God hath a liberty (as they ſay) in the Doctrines of faith purchaſed for him by Chriſt, to what end then doth S. Paul here pray, that the ſtrong and weak Romans be likeminded? For what (might the weak Romans ſay) if we be of opinion that circumciſion and the law of ordinances given by Moſes be ſtill in force? why, this is our conſcience, and why ſhould not that be free?

But to this we anſwer, That (doe what we can) offences muſt come (ſays our Saviour;) ſo alſo willMat. 18. 7. differences in judgements and opinions: for even the very Angels differ thus, Tilen. Syntag. ſub loco communi bonorum angelorum. Et Bucan. p. 71. as Divines teach truly. And one reaſon thereof the Apoſtle gives 1 Cor. 13. 9. becauſe here we know but in part. And as we know imperfectly, ſo alſo unequally: for God hath not made the judgements of men all of one complexion, no more then their faces; nor our knowledge in Divine things all of a ſize, no more then our bodies; the acies of one Chriſtian being a great deal more dim then of another. Now different degrees of ſight cannot but cauſe a difference of judgements among Chriſtians. Beſides, the Church of God hath ever had in it ſome babes in Chriſt, ſome 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſome children in knowledge, who, like ſhips wanting ballaſt, are not able to ſail an even and ſteddy courſe, but are ready to topple over with the leaſt wind of contradiction, or perſecution that blows upon them. And the reaſon of it is this, becauſe every one is ſwayed and biaſsed in his judgement according to his knowledge: So that a weakneſſeIgnorantia veritatis incertam facit labentemque ſententiam. Lactant. in Inſtit. Chriſt. Relig. in knowledge muſt needs beget an unſettledneſſe in judgement.

But yet take this Caveat by the way: That this liberty of ours be not in ſuch things as are clearly and poſitively laid down in Scripture as eſſentialls of Faith and Worſhip. For there are ſome things in Scripture that are onely Credibilia, that is, ſuch things, as we either may, or elfe may not believe, without perill of eternall damnation: and in theſe that of the vulgar Latine in the 14, chap. to the Romans 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which we tranſlate better thus, Let every one be fully perſwaded in his own mind. at the 5. verſe, (though very ill tranſlated there) yet here will it hold well enough, Abundet quiſ que ſenſu ſuo, every one may abound in his own ſenſe. Again, other things there be that are Credenda, things abſolutely to be believed; as, that there is a God, andHeb. 11. 6. that he is a rewarder of thoſe that ſeek him; the one againſt the Atheiſt, the other againſt the Epicure: again, that this God is one in eſſence, and three in ſubſiſtence; and that there is no other way of attaining eternall ſalvation but by Chriſt, who is the way, the truth, and the life; Via in exilio, Veritas Iohn 14. 6. in conſilio, & Vita in praemio, (as Armachanus Richardus Arm. erat Hiberniae Primas in diebus Edv rdit rtii 1350. See Fox Martyrol. 1 part. well gloſſes that paſſage in his Doxology) the way to guide us, the truth to counſell us, and the life to reward us.

Now in theſe and ſuch like fundamentals, our liberty is tied up to the word of God: for (as the Author to the Hebrews hath it in the place before cited) He that comes to God must believe that he is; ſo, we muſt believe theſe things; and to believe contrary to theſe, is no part of our liberty purchaſed by Chriſt, but rather of that vaſſallage wherewith Sathan hath enthrall'd us.

It is true indeed that Chriſt hath purchaſed for us a liberty by his death, not onely from the ceremoniall,Si liberet vos filius, vere eritis liberi. Ioh. 8. 36. but alſo from the morall law, both in reſpect of terrour, curſe and juſtification; he hath alſo purchaſed for us a liberty from the power of ſin, and a liberty in the uſe of things indifferent. But that Chriſt ſhould purchaſe for us a liberty from our obedience to the morall law (as the Antinomians ſay; or elſe liberty that excludes the being of ſin in the elect, as the Cathariſts teach; or elſe a liberty to cloſe with any fundamentall errour, as the Anabaptiſts would have it; this is a licentiouſneſſe of erring,Licentia errandi, non libertas credendi. Vid. Gerhard. in loc. com. de Magiſtrat. & B. H. in his Peace-maker, Sect. 7. rather theh a liberty of believing, and the bane of all religion.

It was a ſtrange image which Nebuchadnezzar ſaw in a dream, Dan. 2. v. 32. whereof one part was of gold, another of ſilver, a third of braſſe, and a 4. of iron. And they are as ſtrange Chriſtians that1 Reg. 3. 26 can be content to divide their religion, as the harlot did the child; a •• to be either Iews or Arrians, Papiſts or Proteſtants, Socinians or Antinomians. Deus bone! quomodo hic So Gualter ſaid, when in Henry the 8ths. dayes he ſaw Papiſts hang'd for denying the Kings ſapremacy, and others burnt for denying Chriſts carnall preſence in the Sacrament. Fox in Martyrolog. 2 part. vivunt gentes! (as one complained) good God! how atheiſtically do ſome men live! as if, with the old Romans, they would ſet up a new Pantheon, wherein every one may have a deity of his own to fall down before and worſhip! But the Lord charges the Iews Levit. 19. 19. that they ſhould not ſow their field with mingled ſeed, nor wear a garment of linſeywoolſey: which you muſt not underſtand according to the letter, Hoc enim (ſays theGloſſa ordinaria. gloſse upon that place) videtur ridiculum, for this is ridiculous; but you muſt underſtand it (ſay Divines) as ſpoken againſt mixtures in religion, when we ſow truth and falſhood in oneHerein ſeems to be imply'd an inſtruction againſt mixtures in religion. Sic nuperrimae Annotationes in locum. Church, and wear a cloak of religion patch'd up of ſound and hereticall Doctrines; much like the Samaritans, 2 Reg. 7. 41 who would fain fear God, but their idols too, or like the Iſralites, Zeph. 1. 5. who would ſwear by the Lord and Malcham.

It is enough for Poland to be a miſcellany of indifferentmen, and a medly of mungrell Chriſtians: ſome there following the Romiſh, others the Reformed Church; and of theſe one is for Luther, and another for Calvin; ſome admitting the Bohemian, ſome the Augustane, and others the Helvetian confeſſion. But for my heritage (ſays God) to become as a ſpeckled bird, or a bird of diverſe colours, as it is Ier. 12. 9. this God ſeems to much troubled at, and therefore interrogates them by way of admiration (as the vulgar Latine reads it) Numquid avis diſcolor haereditas mea mihi? What? is my heritage become as a bird of diverſeNotat hic inconstantiam in religione, modo enim Deum colit, modo idola ſectatur. Sanctius in locum. colours to me? As if he ſhould have ſaid, It would never have put me to any wonder or trouble at all, to have ſeen others as ſpeckled birds unto me; but for the dearly-beloved of my ſoul, verſe 7. yea for my heritage too, ver. 9. and her that was my pleaſant portion and vineyard, verſe 10. for her (I ſay) to be a ſpeckled bird unto me, and to wear a particolour'd coat made up of diverſe ſuperſtitions borrowed from the Heathen, this is a wonder and trouble unto me indeed. For though Iſrael play the harlot (ſays the prophet Hoſea)Hoſ. 4. 15. which had inured herſelf to a ſtrange worſhip of God ever ſince Ieroboams defection, (who to keep up that uſurped power he had got into his hands, made himſelf a religion ſuitable to it) yet let not Iudah, ſo, let not England tranſgreſs.

It was a happy age, when as the whole earth was of one language, or of one lip (asSic nuperi Expoſitores. the marginall note hath it;) which was till about 130 years after the Deluge: and ſo it would be ſtill, if in the ſubſtance of religion, mens lips and opinions were but one. But when that one language was cleft aſunder into 72, according to the nations that deſcended from Noah's ſons, then, and not before, was Babel built, which ſpeaks confuſion.Gen. 11. 9.

Indeed, a rainbow hath many ſeeming and ſpecious colours in it; but if you mark, you ſhall ever ſee it in oppoſition to the ſun: ſo hath this liberty of opinion a fair ſhew of pleaſing our corrupt nature, which loves not any tye upon it; but yet it is ſtill in oppoſition to Chriſt the Sun of righteouſneſſe, who is but one; and precedes a ſtorm in the Church, if not the ſhipwrack of it. For I look upon (as he did) a toleration or connivence Brinſly's arraignment of ſeparation, pag. 73. at all ſects whatſoever in religion, as the paſsing-bell to the Churches peace and glory, if not to the true religion of God in this nation.

2. As we muſt be one with our brethren 〈◊〉 opinion, ſo alſo in affection; for love is (as the School Aquin. Sum. 1a. 2ae, Quae. 28. Art. 1. ſays well) an affection of Union. And thence it is that one calls Charity, theArc. Cant. in his Sermon on 4. Epheſ. verſe 3. glew of the ſpirit. For there is a Law of love, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a royall law (as S. Iames ſpeaks) that GodIames 2. 8. hath ſubjected us to, as well as a law of faith Rom. 3. 27. Now we muſt not (as they ſay commonly) rob Peter to pay Paul; I mean, under pretence of keeping one law, break another: but though we be at ſome diſsenſion one from another, yet muſt we not be at diſcord and enmity with oneSo Conſtantine told Alexander Bp. of Conſtantinople, and Arrius, that although they did diſſentire in matters of opinion, (ſiquidem neque omnes de omnibus idem ſentimus, neque una ademqu in nobis indoles, aut mens verſatur) fieri tamen poteſt ut inter vos integre ſervetur concordia, ac benevole alter alterum excipiatis. Euſeb. de vita Conſtantini lib. 3. cap. 67, & 68. another. For there is a great deal of difference betwixt Diſſentire, & Diſcordare, diſsenſion & diſcord; the one relating to our intellectualls, the other to our affectualls: and though we may be different as touching the one, yet muſt we not be divided as touching the other.

Hence it is that S. Peter writing to thoſe of the Circumciſion, 1 Peter 3. 8. exhorts them to be all, not onely of one mind, but alſo of one affection: which you may ſee by the following expreſſions that breath out nothing elſe; as

1. That they were to have compaſſion of one another in all their failings and infirmities. The word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which notes a ſympathy or fellow-feeling of anothers miſery; as when one member ſuffers, all the members ſuffer with it, (ſayes the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 12. 26.) or rather ſuch aLeighs Annotat. ſympathy as men have who ſuffer in the ſtead of others.

2. They were to love one another as brethren. NowThe Greeks therefore call it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Brotherly love. Heb. 13. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . the very name of brethren ſhould be ſufficient to exclude all differences whatſoever ariſing from diſaffection, according to that of Abraham to Lot, Gen. 13. 8. Let there be no ſtrife between thee and me, for we are brethren: Which muſt be underſtood in a large ſenſe, either for brethrenSo it is taken Acts 15. 36. and 2 Cor. 8. 18. by profeſſion of the ſame religion, or elſe by conſanguinity: for elſe (if it be taken ſtrictly and in its proper ſenſe) Lot was not brother, but nephew unto Abraham.

3. They were to be pitifull to one another; even as affectionate parents, who have a naturall propenſity this way towards their children. And ſo much ſeems to be intimated by that of the prophet David in his 103. Pſal. 13. verſe; Like as a Father pities his children, ſo doth the Lord thoſe that fear him.

Laſtly, they were to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , friendly-minded or courteous (as we tranſlate it) i. e. as full of affection as Ionathan was toEſt amicus conjunctior fratre. Prov. 18. 24. Antiqui dixerunt amicorum eſſe unam animam, propter vim ſcilicet amoris; quia igne charitatis conjuncti unum ſine diſſenſione ſapi bant. Iſiodor. Hiſpal. l. 3. ſentent. c. 28. Sic ab Alexandro dicitur Epheſtion, Alter Alexander, in Q. Curt. Hiſt. David, as one friend is to another. Now we call a friend uſually Alter idem, another ſame; viz. another from us in perſon, but the ſame in affection.

And this is that knitting together in love, whereof the Apoſtle ſpeaks in the 2. chap. of the Coloſſ. and 2. verſe; and that bond of love in his 3. chap. and 14. verſe. Now the uſe of a bond (you know) is to bind things together that are ſevered from oneSic Aquin. 2. 2ae. quaeſt. 81. Ar ic. 1. Ex Auguſtino in lib. de vera Religione, non procul à fine. another: And we can never be truly religious, unleſſe this bond be upon us as well as the other; the bond of love as well as the bond of faith. For which cauſe the word Religion hath its Etymon a religanda, from binding to and again; as firſt to God by faith, and then by love to our neighbour.

Neither can we believe aright without it: for it is a part of our Creed to believe a communion of Saints on earth; and we cannot profeſſe this truly, without love, which is one of the two uniting graces.Fides & Charitas. And to this the Apoſtle exhorts us 4. Epheſ. the laſt, Be ye kind (ſays he) one to another, and tender-hearted, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . or well-bowell'd (as the word ſignifies) i. e. as tender in affection, as we would be to our own bowels, which are our moſt inward and tender parts: and in order to this he tells them before, that all wrath and clamour, and evil-ſpeaking verſ. 31. muſt be put away from us, with all malice.

It was this which was the charge that our Saviour left with his Diſciples in his laſt will and teſtament, before his departure out of this world: Little Ioh. 13. 34. children, as I have loved you, ſo do alſo ye love one another. And by this cognizance he would have them known when he was gone, ver. 35. By this ſhall men know ye Hoc ipſum Christi praeceptum ut alterutrum diligamus, Joannes quinquies prius ipſiſſimis verbis in duabus epiſtolis inculcarat; ut 1 Joh. 3. ver. 11. & 23. Itidem 1 Joh. 4. ver. 7. & 11. 2. Epiſt. Joh. ver. 5. are my diſciples, if ye love one another. Yea, it was this which was the ſtanding Sermon of S. John the beloved diſciple and ultimus Evangeliſtarum to his auditours, in his age and weakneſſe; Little children, love one another. And being asked why he inculcated it ſo oft unto them, his anſwer was this, Hieron. in comment. ad Epiſt. Joannis. Quia praeceptum Domini eſt, & ſi hoc fiat, ſufficit; becauſe Chriſt commanded it, and thought it command enough, as being the breviate both of the law and goſpel. And Athanaſius notes it, That this might be the reaſon why our Saviour dyed not after the mannerMiſſo carnifice decollavit Joann m Baptiſtam Herodes in carcere. Mat. 14. 10. Doroth. in Synopſi. that John did, with his head cut off, nor yet was cut aſunder, as Iſaias was; that ſo even in death he might keep his body undivided: by Athanaſ. de Incarnat. verbi. which no occaſion might be taken for the dividing of his Church, which is his myſticall body. And had we ey'd this in our differences of late, we ſhould not have had with Jeruſalem ſuch cauſe of complaining as we have, that the Lord hath daſh'd us one againſt another, and his anger hath divided us; or elſe with trees in the Apologue,Aeſop. Fab. that we are cleft aſunder with wedges taken out of our own bodies. For behold (ſayesAmos 6. 1 the Prophet Amos) the Lord hath ſmote the great houſe with breaches, and the little houſe with elefts. Yea, and ſo wide are thoſe breaches and clefts now grown among us, as that there is little or no hope at all to ſee them cloſed again; but rather much fear that e're long they will ſwallow us up, as the earth did Corah and his rebellious rout, unleſſe by faithNumb. 16. and repentance we get into the clefts of the rock, into the wounds of our Saviour, there to be ſecured, untill this ſtorm of Gods indignation be over-paſt.

And now, as Del Rio a learned Spaniard ſaid of his countrymens opinionsBenedictus Deus, quod unus adhuc in Hiſpania populus ſumus! In bis 153. Sacr. Adag. V. Teſtam. parte prims. and affections to the Popiſh Religion, Bleſſed be God that we are yet in Spain an undivided people! ſo do I wiſh I could ſay the like of our ſelves in this Nations, as to the truth of our Reformed Religion, Bleſſed be God, that we are yet therein unus in Anglia populus, a people at unity in England, and undivided!

But alas! I cannot: for we have been ſo indeed; but how ſad and unhappyQuam miſsrum eſt dixiſſe (fuimus) & non (ſumus!) is it to ſay, that we have been ſo for the time paſt, and not to ſay, that we are ſo for the preſent! which gives me rather occaſion of bewailing the generall want of unity now among us. Devout Bernard bewail'd itmuch in his time:De modo vivendi Ser. 41. Ecce (ſays he) ſumus in domo una diver ſi homines, diverſa corda, diverſae animae! See (ſays he) how many ſeverall men we are in one houſe, and every one of us of diverſe minds, of diverſe hearts! And have not we cauſe to take up alſo the ſame complaint in theſe dayes? We have doubtleſſe. And not onely cauſe of complaint againſt the want of unity, but alſo againſt the want of any care and endeavour after it. That although the bleſſed Apoſtle will have us ſtudy to keep the unity of the ſpirit in the bond of peace, Epheſ. 4. 3. yet is it with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſome now-a-dayes a greatMaxima pars ſtudiorum eſt ſtudere partes. part of their ſtudies to ſtudy parts-taking and diviſion. For ye have ſeen the breaches of Sion (ſays the prophet) that they are many, Iſai. 22. 9. Therefore in that day did the Lord call the Jews to weeping and mourning, verſe 12. not only to weeping with the eye, but alſo to mourning with the heart. And ſo have we ſeen the ſad breaches of this our Sion, that they are many, and therefore have great reaſon to weep bitterly for them. Yea S. Auſtin thinks it ſtrange we ſhould not; and ſays withall, That the agreement of the very Heathen in their ſuperſtition ſhould move us to it. Aug. de utilitate jejunii. Ecce Pagani (ſays he) multos Deos indiviſi colunt; See (ſays he) how the Pagans are undivided in the ſervice and falſe-worſhip of their many Gods: and ſhall we worſhip the only true God, and yet not be ſub uno in unitate, at unity under that one true God? Et tu non doles Chriſtiane, tu non gemis? and doſt not thou, O Chriſtian, grieve and ſigh for this?

Or if this come not home enough to us, let me add here what one of our ownMr. Ley of Budworth. ſays, in his notes upon that paſſage of Scripture in the tenth chapter of Geneſis verſe 25. The name of the one was Peleg, for in his dayes was the earth divided: where he ſeems to be ſo much troubled for our want of unity, as that he makes this ſtand by the way to vent his grief. Alas! How great cauſe (ſays he) have we to call the children that are born in theſe dayes by the name of Peleg or diviſion! For how are we divided, not in tongues alone (as at Babell) but in heads, hearts and hands! and not onely ſo, but ſubdivided too, and ſnipt Ʋt Titus Quintius apud Livium: Qui finis erit diſcordiarum? Ecquando unam urbem; ſo, ecquando unam Angliam, unamque Angliae Eccleſiam babere licebit? into many Schiſms! Oh when ſhall it once be, that the manifold ruptures of our ſacred peace ſhall be made up again!

It is true that there have been breaches among Chriſtians in all times: as at Rom: (you know there were in the Apoſtles dayes; where the heat was not onely inter ignes minores, among the leſſer ſtars, but among thoſe that were primae magnitudinis of the firſt magnitude, as between Paul and Barnabas, Acts 15. 39 between whom there was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a ſharp contention, a ſharp fit, which, like the fit of an ague, put the Church into a great ſhaking for a time.

So alſo in after-times we read in the eccleſiaſticall hiſtory of the Church, that there was a hot contention between the Greek Euſeb. eccleſ. hist. lib. 5. c. 22. & 23. and Latine, between the Eaſtern & Weſtern churches, about the celebration of Eaſter: which conteſt held off and on for the ſpace of 200 years together,Praefa ad Harm. confeſſionum. and proceeded ſo far as to the excommunication of each other.

And of late dayes, ſinceThe Lutherans rail as bitterly againſt the Calviniſts as ever, not forbearing to profeſs openly, That they will return rather to the papacy, then ever admit their ſacramentary peſtilence Sr. Edw. Sands in Relig. of the W. parts, pag. 63. Prolaeus l. 1. faſcicul. q. 7. the Reformation, we are not ignorant of the virulent invectives of the Lutherans and Calviniſts one againſt another about the preſence of Chriſt in the Sacrament; as if the coate of Chriſt were not onely of different colours, but alſo of different ſeames; but eſpecially on the Lutheran part, inſomuch that one of them hath not ſtuck to pray thus, A fraternitate Calviniſtarum libera nos Domine, from the brotherhood of the Calviniſts Lord deliver us.

Thus have the children of God been divided in all ages. But yet either their differences have been about Scholaſticall niceties, or elſe in things circumſtantiall, and indifferent, or in Churches newly planted, as here in the Church of the Romans, or elſe in Churches differing one from another by ſeverall forms of Eccleſiaſticall polity.

But for Proteſtants ſo called, of one and the ſame nation, and of one and the ſame viſible Church, (that hath been now planted among us 100. years and more, and ſince wateredCranmer, Ridly, Taylor, Iuell, Raynolds, Whitaker, Andrews, Perkins, Davenant, Ʋſher, &c. with the bloud of ſo many Martyrs, with the writings and Sermons of ſo many pious and learned Divines, as that we were herein the boaſting, or rather the envy of our neighbouring nations) for theſe, yea multitudes of theſeThus Dr. Barnard tells us of Arch-B. uſher (one of ſingular learning and piety in our Church) That he did, a little before his death, much lament the disjointings of affections of men, one against another, by their ſeverall opinions in religion, both in oppoſition to the Ministry and ſacraments. In his funerall Serm. pag. 90. to divide ſo far, as to the queſtioning, if not denying, both our Baptiſme, which is the door to let them into the Church, as likewiſe our Miniſtry, which opened that door unto them, and preſerves them in it; Oh this is ſad indeed.

Well then might the poet call us aEt penit ut t to diviſos orbe Britannos. Virgil. people by our ſelves, and divided from others; for (ſure) in diviſion we are like no body elſe, nor will any be like us. Gregory Nazianzen ſpeaking ofNazianz. Orat. 14. diviſions at Conſtantinople in his time; as that a liberty of all things was granted to all men, and that he was to day a Judas who was yeſterday an Elias; and all this to be done 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in ſuch a city as Conſtantinople, which was the glory of the Eaſtern Empire; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (ſayes he) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for theſe things I weep. And can we ſee ſo manyDouble-minded men. Iam. 1. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (to uſe S. James his expreſſion) who, like travellers, coming to a bivium, to a place where two wayes of gods worſhip meet, are at a ſtand preſently, and neither know, nor reſolve which of the two to take; or elſe can we hear that call'd hereſy to day, which was Orthodox yeſterday; and that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in ſuch a nation as England is, which hath hitherto been accounted Antiſtita Veritatis the prime defendreſſe of the truth, and reformed religion; and yet be never affected with it? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for theſe things ought our eyes to weep, and our ſoules to mourn in ſecret; toFor every one to publiſh what he thinks in matter of religion, and to gather diſciples to what he publiſheth, thi liberty, or licentiouſneſſe rather, is the bane of all religion. B. H. in his Peace-maker, Sect. 7. ſee how many are (as it were) Pelagians in this particular, by affecting freewill in opinion: as if novelty and truth were all one now-a-dayes; and whatever ſome apprehend for truth, were free to be vented by them, though to the enſnaring of the weak conſciences of their brethren, without any reſpect at all to unity in religion.

There goes a fable of fire, water, wind, and truth, how they travell'd together: and at their parting, it being their joynt deſire to know where they ſhould find one another again, the fire told them, that they ſhould be ſure to find him again in a flint; the water ſaid that ſhe ſhould be found at the root of a bul-ruſh; the wind, that they ſhould find him in an aſpen leaf; but when truth came to ſpeak, ſhe told them, that ſhe knew not where they ſhould find her, for ſhe had no houſe to put her head in, no place whereon to ſet down her reſt.

Now to apply this is eaſy enough: Mr. Sedgwick doth it for me in a lateHis ſermon entitled, Chriſts counſell to his languiſhing Church. printed Sermon of his: One week (ſayes he) this is a truth, and cry'd up almoſt to an article; and the next there is no ſuch matter, but another thing is in the right. And it is caſt (ſayes Baxt. Sis reſt, part. 1. pag. 119. another) as a juſt reproch upon us, that we profeſſe our religion with reſerves, and reſolvedly ſettle upon almoſt nothing; that we are to day of one opinion, and within a day, week, moneth, or year, of another. Again, (ſayes another) I muſt herein accuſe thoſe ofRelig. Med. Sect. 25. mine own Religion; for there is not any of ſuch a fugitive faith, that transform themſelves into ſeverall ſhapes of Chriſtianity, as we do.

Alas, poor truth! whither art thou going, or where ſhall we ſeek thee, o ſeeking, where ſhall we find thee? For what? Num Ovid. Met. lib. 1. terras, Aſtraea, relinquis? art thou leaving the earth, and going back again to heaven from whence thou cameſt? There, there indeed mercy and truth ſhall meet together, righteouſneſſe and peace ſhall kiſſe each other; and when we are come thither, there we ſhall be ſure to have a full enjoyment of thee in him who is eſſentiall truth. But ſtay, oh ſtay thou heavenly paſſenger; why goeſt thou away ſo faſt? Though parents, friends, and all earthly comforts leave us, yet do not thou, but let peace and truth be in our dayes, and in the dayes of our children, even untill Shiloh come again. Yet indeed we are ſo far happy, as to call our ſelves by thy name, and to wear thy badge and livery; but to do ſo long we cannot think, ſince we ſlight thee every day more and more, and are willing to court every phantaſme inſtead of thee: for which thou mayeſt juſtly leave us to that ſad complaint which Phinehas wife made when the ark of God was taken, The 1 Sam. 4. laſt. Glory, the glory is departed from Iſrael.

Q. But from whence (you'I ſay) ariſes ſuch diſunity among us?

R. To which I anſwer; Either from Pride, Anger, or Impatience.

1. From pride; when like Narciſſus we fall in love with our own ſhadows, and with the Phariſee Luk. 18. 11 contemn our brethren, though never ſo regular, with a non ut caeteri, nec ut hic publicanus, we are not as other men are, nor as this ſlight publican.

The belly is one part of the body, and a principallWith this Apologue Menenius Agrippa pacified the Commons of Rome, whenas they roſe up againſt the Senatours. Liv. l. 2. dec. 1. & Quintil. Inſtit. lib. 1. cap. 11. one too; yet if the other parts ſhall out of pride conſpire againſt her, and deny her food, becauſe (to their thinking) ſhe lives more idlely then the reſt, what will they gain in the end by it, but onely waſting and deſtruction to themſelves?

It is pride then that makes a rent in the naturall body, yea and in the body of the Church alſo. To this end is that paſſage of S. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. G. Nazianz. orat. 1. propace. Paul 1 Cor. 12. verſe 21. where he ſays, that the eye muſt not deſpiſe the hand, by ſaying out of pride and ſingularity, I have no need of thee, nor the hand to the foot, I have no need of thee. And one reaſon there given is, becauſe this will make a rent in the body; whereas God hath ſo well temper'd the body together, that there may be no ſchi me in the body, verſ. 25. but that the members ſhould have the ſame care one for another, ſince the hurt and welfare of any one member reflects upon every one, becauſe they all joyntly conſider'd make up but one and the ſame entire body.

Now the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there us'd by the Apoſtle is not found (as one notes) in any Leigh. Crit. Sacr. profane authour, nor yet in any Greek verſions of the Old Teſtament; onely in theMat. 9. 16. Mark 2. 21. Ioh. 7. 43. Ioh. 9. 16. Ioh. 10. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 18 1 Cor. 12. 25 New it is uſed eight ſeverall times: but as for the thing ſignified by it, which is the cutting our ſelves off from the unity of the Church, which is the myſticall body of Chriſt, both in opinion and practice, it is hard to ſay how many thouſand times this hath been done by men of arrogant and preſumptuous ſpirits.

And here take theſe few inſtances inſtead of many.

1. What made Simon Magus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Euſeb. hist. l. 2. c. 13. the ring-leader and Patriark of all others hereticks, affirm ſo blaſphemouſly of himſelf, that he was the father and the ſon in the Trinity and his harlot Iren. l. 1. cap. 20. Helena the holy Ghoſt, but onely pride? for the Text ſays, He gave out that he wasActs 8. 9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſome great one.

2. What made Diotrephes caſt out of the Church thoſe that would have been fellow-helpers to the truth, and prate ſo much againſt S. Iohn with malicious words, but only becauſe he was proud, and3 Ep. v. loved the preeminence?

3. What made Novatus Vixit Aceſius Novatus tempore Decii, circa annum Chriſti 251. primo Presbyter Carthaginienſis. Cyprian calls him, Importunum Innov torem, & poenitentiae interfectorem, in epist. fall off from the reſt of the Church, in not receiving into the boſom of the Church, but denying all means of recovery after baptiſme, to them that had lapſed their faith in thoſe times of perſecution for fear of torments, though they gave afterwards never ſo good teſtimony of their true repentance and converſion. As if it were impoſſible for him that is once ſhipwrack't, to find any Tabula poſt naufragium, any plank of repentance to ſave himſelf upon, but of neceſſity he m ſt periſh unavoidably. The Eccleſiaſticall hiſtory ſpeaking of him, ſays, that he was a man blown up with pride and ſelf-conceit:Superbia inflatus. Euſeb. lib. 6. cap. 42. which made Conſtantine give him this tart reproof, Go to, Aceſius; make Erige tibi ſcalam, Aceſi, ac in coelum ſolus aſcende; Sozomen. lib. 1. cap. 21. a ladder, and ſet it up for thy ſelf to go alone into heaven And what hath been ſaid of him, may be ſaid alſo of Arrius, Pelagius, and multitudes more of the ſame gang, did I not forbear.

But to paſſe them by, and to inſtance it now in whole Churches. And here tell me, what made the Eaſtern Church a ſeparatiſt from the Weſtern, about the Proceſſion of the Holy Ghoſt onely from the father, (a point in our Chriſtian Religion of higheſt concernment) but only pride? The fault (ſays Reverend Hooker) lying in the Hookers Eccleſ. polit. l. 5. p. 191. ſubtil wits of the Graecians, being ever proud of their new conceptions. Or what cauſed Rome, Abſit ab Eccleſia Romana vigorem ſuum dimittere. Cyprian. epist. 31. ſometimes the moſt eminent member of the weſtern Church, (from whoſe breſts Conſtantine le bon as well as legrand, with multitudes of Gods children moreIdem Hooker. eccl. pol. l. 4 did ſuch that food which nouriſhed them to eternallO Roma à Roma quantum mutata vet ſta es! W. Thom. hiſt. of Italy. life) yet afterwards to make ſo manifeſt a declenſion from her primitive faith unto Antichriſtian falſhood, but onely pride; which then began to work, and ſwell her up above all that was called God, whenas Boniface the 3. arrogated to the PrelatesGregory the Great and firſt of that name oppoſed Iohn Biſhop of Constantinople, in obtaining the name of Oecumenicus Patriarcha from Mauritius the Emperour, ſaying, it was a proud t •• le yet afterward his ſucceſsour gain'd •• of Phocas that murdered Mauritius his Soveraign. Greg. l. 4. epiſt. 32. & Fox Martyr. pag. 120. & Buchol . Chron. ad ann. Christi 609. of that See the univerſall rule and headſhip over the Church of God? A title ſo full of pride, that his predeceſſor ſaid it belonged to none but him who was Pr curſor Antichriſti, the fore-runner of Antichriſt.

Whereby we ſee that it is pride which hath uſher'd in all the hereſies that have been in the world.

Indeed Knowledge unſanctify'd is as the toole or inſtrument to ſhape and faſhion them, Vain-glory as the trumpet to blow them about, Ignorance as the ſpunge to receive and ſuck them in, and Obſtinacy as the bolts and fetters to hold them faſt: but as for the harbinger that goes before to make way for them, this is Pride; which makes the wiſe man ſay Prov. 16. verſe 18. that pride goes before a fall; for if pride goe before, a hundred to one but a defection will follow after, either from faith to God, or elſe from love to our brethren.

Again it is pride that is the firſt ſtick to kindle contention •• ns omnis diſſidii eſt ſuperbia, dum ſibi quiſque tribuit, alteri minimum. Eraſm. Ratio verae Theologia; pag. 130. Onely by pride comes contention. Prov: 13. 10. in the Church of God; ſo ſays Solomon Pro. 28. 25. He that is of a proud heart ſtirs up ſtrife. Pride, that divides the ſeameleſſe coate of Chriſt (as the rude ſouldiers did) into as many parts as there be particularIoh. 19. 23. perſons: And pride ſtill that alienates us from our brethren, and makes us of other minds from them, though they walk up never ſo cloſe to the Scripture rule. And this is the ground of the Apoſtles exhortation in the 2. chap.Hence it is, that the Apoſtle will have us, Not to think of our ſelves more highly then we ought Rom. 12. 3. to the Philippians verſe 3. Let nothing be done out of ſtrife and vain-glory, but in lowlineſs of mind let each eſteem others better then Et contra hoc praeceptum (inquit Grotius) peccarunt omnium fere Schiſmatum authores. themſelves. And in the 4. chap. to the Epheſians and the ſecond verſe, the Apoſtle there in his invitation to keep the unity of the ſpirit in the bond of peace, tells us of the manner how it muſt be done; and that is with all lowlineſs and meekneſs: for Chriſtian unity is then at the higheſt, when Chriſtian humility is at the loweſt; and were many of us more humble then we are, without queſtion we ſhould not be, as we appear at this preſent, ſo much divided.

2. From anger: which makes Solomon ſay, ThatPro. 29. 22. anger ſtirs up ſtrife and diviſion. For anger is as a cloud to the underſtanding, interpoſing betwixt it, and the light of Gods truth; or as the fire is to the eie, which ſcatters the viſive beames too much.

Now here I ſpeak not ſo much of a light anger, which like a bubble is as ſoon down as up; but of anSic inter iram & iracundiam diſtinguit Hiſpalenſis, lib. 1. de verborum differentiis. anger that is ſettled, & congealed by long ſtanding into malice & hatred againſt the perſons of our brethren, and reflected (as it is uſually) from their perſons upon their opinions and practices. Hence it is that S. Paul exhorts his Epheſians, Eph. 4. 26. not to let the Sun goe down upon their wrath; and he premiſes this ground for it, becauſe we are members one of another. As if he ſhould have ſaid, If the Sun do once but goe down upon your wrath, and your anger boile long againſt your brethren, thisNe diutius iram concoquatis, Gagnaeus. will ſoon diſunite and diſſociate you ſo far, as if you were not members of the ſame myſticall body with Ariſtoteles in Politic. Sic etiam Author Diſtic. qui inſcribitur Cato, Impedit ira animum ne poſſit cernere verum. them. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , (ſays the Philiſopher,) for they that are far gone with paſſion cannot diſcern the truth; no more then he that looks upon things through a red glaſſe, can rightly apprehend them, and in their proper colours. So that if we once look uponOmnem inquirendae veritatis rationem amittit occupatus affectibus: astu fertur, & velut rapido flumini obſequitur. Quintilian. Inſtit. Orator. lib. 6. cap. 3. any one through the falſe ſpectacles of anger and hatred, all that he doth then (be it never ſo good) will be repreſented unto us as under the notion of evill; and from this miſapprehenſion, we ſhall be eaſily drawn to divide from him, or (which is more) to walk contrary to him; and this ſometimes to the loſſe of our reaſon and religion too.

Thus we read of Aquila, theHiſt. Magdeburg. centur. 2. ancient tranſlatour of the Pentateuch into Greek, that he being angry at a ſentence of excommunication againſt him, turned to Iudaiſme. Again of Lucian and Porphyry, that theyIn eadem Centur. were firſt Chriſtians, but upon a ſuppoſed injury received from the Church, did both of them in meer ſpight and ſtomack againſt her turn Atheiſts. And one tells us of an Italian, being at deadly feud with a great rivall ofBalth, Caſtil. de aulico. honour, how he ſhould ſay, when he came to vote in the ſenate, that he voted againſt that which ſuch a one ſpake: but being told that his adverſary had yet ſpoke nothing; then (ſays he) againſt what he will ſpeak.

And ſo have thereProclivis admodum lapſus est in diſsenſionem Doctrina ipſa veritatis quim veri profitentur Chriſtiani, quum id studio habeat, qui odit, nequid commune ipſi ſit cum adverſario; ut Arabes, qui Heraclii, ac eorum qui ſub illo merebant, odio, ab iss diſc ſſerunt religione. Arm. orat. de compon. Rel. diſſidio. been ſuch waſpiſh ſpirits in all times, who have ſet themſelves both againſt what is profeſſed, & to be profeſſed by their adverſaries, though never ſo right; as accounting it better to be any wayes pſeudodox in oppoſition to them, then orthodox Chriſtians in union with them.

But as, when Patricius was angry with John Patriarch of Alexandria, and at evening received from him thisDr. T. in vit. & mort. Chriſti. meſſage, Sir, the Sun is ſet; the good man preſently threw away his anger, and was ruled by him: So, if when we are angry with the perſons of any, we ſhall but mind our own hearts before we goe to ſleep, that the Sun is ſet, and that the Apoſtle ſays it muſt not go down upon our wrath; Eph. 4. 26. this happily will make us not onely think well of their perſons, but alſo, in ſtead of croſſing thoſe wayes of God wherein they walk, embrace them our ſelves, or at leaſt take no prejudice againſt them.

3. From impatience; when we will not forbear our brother in the ſmalleſt matters, but make every graſhopper, every ceremony, circumſtance, andEccl. 12. 5. thing indifferent, to be a burden; whereas S. Paul exhortsIt is one thing to affirm Chriſt to be God, & another to ſay, It is lawfull to eate all meats: for the one I may contend to death; for the other I may not break the peace of the Church, but forbear my brother. Parr in Rom. c. 14. ver. 19. us to deal gently with a bone out of joynt, and to reſtore it into its place with the ſpirit of meekneſſe, and not to break it in pieces with the ſpirit of bitterneſs. Gal. 6. 1. And hence it is, that the Apoſtle exhorts his Epheſians, to keep the unity of the ſpirit, not onely with lowlineſſe of mind, but alſo with long-ſuffering, and forbearing one another in love. For the bond of unity will ſoon be broke, if every errour, every miſcariage and infirmity be made a forfeiture.

And this was the cauſe of ſuch heart-burnings here between the ſtrong and weak Romans; that the ſtrong, who were beſt able, were not patient towards the weak; and the weak, who had moſt cauſe, were not patient towards the ſtrong, but condemned them as ſcandalous and uncharitable.

Oh that we would then ſtrive to cloſe up theſe Ʋſe of exhort. 1 Means. cle ts that are among us with our tears!

And to help us herein, it will be good a little to caſt our eies upon them. It is ſaid of our Saviour, that he Luke 19. 41 be held the city, and wept over it: And it would do well, if we did behold the diſtractions both in city & country; elſe we ſhall never come to weep affectionately overthem. Vidi contradictionem in civitate, Pſal. 55. 9. ſays David; and ſo have we alſo ſeen contradictions both in city and country, the diviſions of Reuben being very many. See then, O ſee how theIudg. 5. 15. Church is rent in two by the ſtruglings of her own children, and cryes out to us as in the Lamentations,Lam. 1. 12 Is it nothing to you, O all ye that paſſe by the way, and behold by ſorrows, under which I groan as a woman in travail, and long to be delivered? The time would faile me to tell you of all the ſtinking hereſies that are now revived, as Iudaiſme, Olim damnata & ſopita dogmata, nunc dierum ſuſcitare conamur, inſuper & nova addimus. Surrexerunt à mortuis multorum baereſes, quae dormierant, & apparuerunt multis. Bern. Epist. 190. & 191. Arrianiſme, Pelagianiſme, Antinomianiſme, Socinianiſme, and the Doctrine of the Millenarys. Theſe, with many ſuch like, are the monſtrous iſſues of our ſad diſunions; and we ought to look upon them as our ſin, as our ſhame, that ſo our eyes may affect our hearts in mourningLam. 3. 48. for them.

And yet this is not enough, unleſſe in the next place2. Means. we do every day contribute our prayers unto God for the ſewing up of our great rents and diviſions. And this was Davids practice Pſal. 60. 2. Thou haſt made (ſays he) the land to tremble, thou haſt broken it; oh heal the breaches of it, for it ſhakes.

We are much in prayer for pardon of ſin, for holineſſe, for patience under perſecution, &c. and we doe well in it: but where is he among us that prayes with S. Paul here in the text, that the God of patience and conſolation would make us like-minded one towards another: or elſe in the Apoſtles language . 4. ver. 14. to his Epheſians, that we be no more as children, toſs'd to & fro with every wind of doctrine, by the ſleight of men, and cunning craftineſs, whereby they lye in wait to deceive. Where the word that we tranſlate (ſleight) is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which ſignifies ſuch a ſleight as falſe gameſtersuſe by cogging of dice to deceive the ſimple: So who prayes for poor ignorant ſouls, that they be not cheated out of their religion by falſe teachers into Socinian blaſphemies, and Anabaptiſticall fancies?

Whatever then we omit in order to union, let us not omit prayer; for when other meanes ſhall fail us, this will be ſure to hold. And this made our Jewell pray ſo earneſtly upon his deathbed,In Iuelli vita. that God would give Unitatem Eccleſiae ac piam pacem, unity to his Church and godly peace. And our Saviour, he pray'd fourJohn chap. 17. verſ. 11, 21, 22, 23. times for it in that affectionate prayer of his for his diſciples, before his departure from them, that they may be one, as he and his father were one. And the of prayer to this end our Apoſtle here knew well enough, when not being able to work his Romans into union by his reaſoning and argumentation, he doth here by his prayers intereſt God in it; Now the God of peace, &c.

But yet this is not all neither,3. Means. for there is one thingNon ſais eſt plangere vel orare, ſed opus eſt etiam ut cur a geratur qua ratione graviſſima Eccleſia tempeſtas ſedetur. Chryſoſt. Innocentio. ſtill behind; and this is, to have manus ad clavum, our hands to the helme, as well as oculos ad coelum, our eyes to heaven, and to endeavour after unity, (as the Apoſtle exhorts his Epheſians) as well as to eye itEph. 4. 3. in our prayers and teares. And this we muſt do with the utmoſt of our ſtrength, care, and vigilancy: which is the reaſon of that expreſſion in the Pſalmes, Pſal. 34. 14. Rom. 14. 19. of purſuing peace, and in the Romans, of following after it; which are taken (I ſuppoſe) from hunters, who uſe eagerly to purſue and follow after their prey untill they have taken it. Nay, we muſt Nullum Eraſm. Adag. ſub loco communi Conatus. non movere lapidem, leave no ſtone (as they ſay) unturn'd, nor any meanes unaſſay'd to procure the Churches peace. But all this, intra ſphaeram activitatis, within our own ſphere and orbe, within our ſeverall places and ſtations wherein God hath ſet us: for elſe our endeavours will not be regular, but we ſhall (to uſe S. Peters word) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 1 Pet. 4. 15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (that is) play the Biſhops in anothers dioceſe, and ſo doing, make a rent in the body, by inverting that order, which the God of order hath ſetledNon eſt Deus confuſionis author, ſed pacis. 1 Cor. 14. 33. there to preſerve the unity of it.

And here for a whetſtone to your endeavours, do but take a little into your conſideration the ineſtimable good of Unity. It being a good

1. In it ſelf abſolutelySo the ſtoicks of old diſtinguiſhed their good into Honeſtum, Iucundum & Utile. And the Septuagint here expreſſes good by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which the Scripture uſes in all 3. ſignifications. 1 Pro bono honeſto, Rom. 12. 17. 2 Pro jucundo, Gen. 3. 6. 3 Pro utili, 1 Cor. 7. 1. conſidered; whereof David ſpeaks Pſal. 133. ver. 1. Behold how good it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

2. As it is to us, jucundum & utile, a pleaſant and profitable good; comparing it for the one to Aarons precious ointmentHinc illud Ethnici, Perſuſus liquidis urget odoribus. Horat. lib. 1. Ode 5. verſe 2. which was made up of the moſt fragrant and pleaſing ſpices, whereof we read in the 30. chap. of Exod. verſe 23. and 24. and for the other to the dew of Hermon, that made fruitfull the hill of Sion, in the beginning of the 3. verſe: and ſo doth unity make the Church of God Ʋt Menenius Agrippa dicere ſolebat, ſio Eccleſia; ſe multum huic debere ſententiae, Concordia res parvae creſcunt. Sen. Epi. 94. fruitfull in works of piety and charity; the Church of God being much beholden to it, both for her being and well-being here on earth.

But in the cloſe of the Pſalm he goes further, and ſayes, That where unity is, there hath the Lord commanded the bleſſing, and life for evermore. The meaning whereof may be this:

1. That God hath beſtowed upon unity not only that inferior good which appertains unto this tranſitory life, but alſo the Summum bonum, the higheſt good of all others, even eternall life, or life for evermore called here the bleſſing 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by way of eminency; as if that the naming of this were loadſtone enough to draw us to unity, without the leaſt reſpect to any other good whatſoever.

And this made that learnedErat Ep. Davenantius vir apprime doctus, ac inter noſtrates non poſtremi nominis Theologus. Divine of ours, a little before his death, cloſe up his pen with that golden Treatiſe, which he calls, Adpacem Eccleſiae Adhortatio, An Exhortation to the peace of the Church, it being as his Viaticum to eternall life, which he now enjoys.

2. That God hath laid a ſpeciall charge and command upon eternall life, to wait as a handmaid on Unity. An expreſſion (methinks) that hath a great deal of Majeſtie in it: for it brings in God ſpeaking 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 like a King, by way of command, or rather 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , above any earthly King; becauſe a King on earth, though he command a thing to be done, yet may he faile in the execution of it for want of power, whereas God, (whoſe power is, as himſelf, infinite) his command and deed are all one, as in the 33. Pſalm verſe 9. He ſpake and it was done, he commanded and it ſtood faſt. So that whether we eie this life or a better, in either of them we ſee a ſufficient attractive unto unity.

But that I may yet ſet off the good of unity the better, it will not be amiſſe to give you a clearer proſpect thereof 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ariſt. 2 Rhet. cap. 13. by the evill of Diſunity, which is contrary to it; ſince it is a good rule, That contraries laid one by the other do beſt appear.

And this evill of Diſunity is two-fold: Either the evill of ſcandall, or of ruin

1. The evill of Scandall.

And here I dare boldly ſay that no one thing hath caſt more dirt in the face of our Religion, and hardened the Papiſts our adverſaries from embracing it, then the differences and diviſions that are among us: for how do they upbraid us with them, and caſt them in our teeth upon all occaſions?

It is an uſuall ſaying among them, Ex uno Luthero quam multoe fides! How many ſeverall faiths hath one Luther brought forth! and how many byways of Religion are cut out of that one they call the Reformed Religion! evenQuot Confeſſiones, tot Religiones. In Proefat. ad harm. Confeſſionum. as many as there be Confeſſions of ſeverall Churches among them. Tuſh (ſay they) do you Proteſtants ever think to gain us to your religion, whenas you do not yet agree your ſelves about it? but have run ever ſince King Henry the eighths dayes round about in a maze of Reformation, and know not where to fix? Surely, if you were in the right, you would be at more certainty then you are, and not take up every day ſo many new Doctrines, according as they ſuite with the changeable fancies of particular leading men among you ſeverally biaſs'd.Monſieur de la Militiere in his book lately dedicated to C. R. It is eaſie (ſays one of them) to conclude upon the Maxims of the Proteſtants Reformation, that they have neither Church nor Faith; for how many Sects and inſects ſwarm among them? and let there be with them what difference there will, they ſtill agree in nothing more then in their indifferency.

Lactantius ſays of Arceſilas, that he having conſidered the many contradictions among the Philoſophers, was drawn from it to ſlight them all: and ſo hath there been of late many a one drawn to ſlight, (which is more) to renounce their former Communion with our Church, meerly upon the conſideration of thoſe contradictions and differences among them who profeſſe themſelves to be her children; and among the reſt (to name no more) Hugh PaulindeCreſsy, whoErat nuper nonimi apud nos ſubſell i, ſed Decanus de Laghlin in Hibernia, & Pioebendarius e windſor in Anglia. makes our averſion from unity, one motive of his converſion to Popery; adding alſo touching the French Churches, That whatſoever union among themſelves in the Proteſtant religion they boaſt of, they owe it entirely to the Civill power there: for world, that allow them but the liberty, they would ſoon fall intoIn his exomologeſis cap. 14. num. 4. as many diviſions as any of their brethren.

Thus doth the cauſe of God ſuffer diminution every day by our diſcords, which proclaim it too much to the world, that either the Religion we profeſs accuſeth our errours, or elſe that we profeſſours accuſe our Religion, and are our ſelves either without Chriſt, Cauſſin in his book entitled, The Angel Peace. or elſe Chriſt without peace and unity. Even Heathen and Inſidels have alwayes upon this account kept off from Chriſtianity: for Chryſostome obſerved as much of his times, ſpeaking of the Gentiles, A HeathenVenit Gentilis, & dicit, vellem fieri Chriſtianus, ſed neſcio cui adhoeream. Multoe inter vos pugnoe, diviſiones mulioe. Singu'i dicunt, ego verum dico. In Act. Apoſt. Homil. 33. Et in 1. cap. ad Galat. comes (ſayes he) and ſays, Fain would I become a Chriſtian, but to whom among them I ſhould adhere for truth I do not know; for I ſee many differences and diviſions among you, and every party ſays, that they onely have the truth. And the like alſo may be ſaid of theſe times; a Papiſt comes, and ſays thus, Fain would I be of the Reformed Religion, but I ſee that there is much ſiding in it, and which ſide I ſhould be on to gain the truth I do not know; for I hear how every one lays claim to it, even as the cities of Greece did to the birth of Homer: as the Lutheran Hinc templa templis oppoſita frequentantur, ubi non modo diverſa, ſed & contraria Religionis dogmata proferuntur, u que adeo, ut in quo pars un a proram & puppim ceritatis conſtituit, altera horrendam blaſphemiam vocet; in gi o hi pictatis apicem, illi exſcerandam idololatriam appellent. I. A. in Orat. ſays, that the Truth is on his ſide, but the Calviniſt ſays, No; and what the Calviniſt hugs for truth, the Anabaptiſt rejects, and what one ſays is Chriſts cauſe, the other ſays is Antichriſts. So hard is it to reſolve Pilates queſtion, What is Truth! Which makes us to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as Gregory Nazianzen ſpeaks concerningG. Nazianz. Orat. 14. the diviſions of Constantinople) even a laughing-ſtock to our enemies; who take occaſion by it to clap their hands, and inſult over us in thatHec ipſum Priamus totoque Troja velit. Ovid. Epiſt. 1. language of Davids Pſal. 35. 25 enemies, So, So, thus would we have it.

But why doe we ſuch things? (ſays the ſame Father) why repent we not? nay, why are we not aſhamed of them, if for nothing elſe, yet at leaſt to ſilence the tongues of our adverſaries, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , who do eaſily faſten falſe crimes upon us, and ſtrengthen themſelves in evill by our differences about good?

Tacitus ſays, that when the Romans had heretofore overrun a great part of this Iland, Galgacus a noble Britan told hisIlli diſceſſionibus noſtris clariores facti, vitium hoc in gloriam exercitus ſui vertent. In vit. Agricoloe. countrymen, That it was their own diviſions which turned moſt to the glory of the Roman army. And ſo may we ſay now, That there is no one thing the Romanists make more uſe of, to credit their ſuperſtition by, then our differences in Religion; judging their own waters therefore clear, becauſe they ſee ours are mudded.

Oh that our hearts thenSee Baxt. in his Dedic. Epiſt. to the Sts reſt. could bleed to look upon the preſent ſtate of England! to ſee how few places there be that are not cut into ſhreds, and crumbled as to duſt by ſeparations! to think how by this we have wounded the Chriſtian name, rent the ſeameleſs coat of Chriſt into pieces, and broke his bones aſunder, yea hardned the ignorant, confirmed the Papiſts, and are become the ſcorn of our enemies, and the grief of our friends! And that this could never have been told in Gath, nor publiſh'd in the ſtreets of Aſcalon, for the 2 Sa. 1. 20. daughters of the Philiſtines to rejoice and triumph in!

2. The evill of Ruine, which alwayes waits on diviſion, as the ſhadow on the body. The Church therefore is well reſembledNavicula (id est, Eccleſia) turbatur fluctibus in profundo, unda aſcendit ſuper naviculam cum perſecutio venit &c. Auguſt. de verbis domini in Mat. Ser. 14. to a ſhip at ſea, where the waves that beate againſt it are troubles and perſecutions of all ſorts, and whoſe leaks are diviſions, through which the waters enter to ſwallow it up: Or elſe to a naturall body, which (ſays Gregory) Gregor. Moral. lib. 29. Eandem habet & ſimilitudinem Seneca lib. 2. de Ira, cap. 31. as it conſiſts in unitate membrorum, in the unity of its members; ſo doth the myſticall body of Chriſt the Church in unit ate fidelium, in the unity of the faithfull: which unity if it be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Nazianz. 1 Invect. once broke, all the members will be ill at eaſe, and the whole ſtructure of the body (without a miracle intervening) be preſently diſſolved with it.

Thus when Sathan would have deſtroyed Chriſt,Matth. 4. 6. the means he makes uſe of to this end is Fallacia diviſionis, a fallacy of diviſion, (as Logicians ſpeak) betwixt Gods promiſe ofPromiſſionem objicit, at conditionem abijcit. Pareus in locum. preſerving him, and the condition annexed unto that promiſe, which was the walking in the wayes of God. And the ſame method alſo doth Sathan (like a cunning ſophiſter) now ſeem to uſe for our deſtruction, by urging the promiſe of God unto us, and telling us, that we are his vineyard, which he hath promiſed to hedge about againſt waſt and ſpoile; but in the mean time waving the condition, and ſaying not a word of walking in Gods ways, (whereof one is the way of love and Unity) that ſo we may have a right claim to this promiſe of his for preſerving us, the neglect whereof hath made ſo many ſciſſures among us, as (without Gods great mercy) muſt bring ſwift and inevitable deſtruction upon us: for truth it ſelf hath ſaid it overMat. 12. 25. Mark 3. 24. Luc. 11. 17. and over again, in the 3. former Evangeliſts, that ſo we may the better take notice of it, that every kingdome divided againſt it ſelf is brought to deſolation, and every city or houſe divided againſt it ſelf cannot ſtand.

If then the honour of ourMixture of falſhood is like allay in gold and ſilver, that doth embaſe the coin. Sr. Fr. Bac. Eſſ. 1. Religion be not of force enough to make us lay aſide our differences, yet let our own ſafety and preſervation be ſo far prevalent with us. Now every thing naturally labours to Ʋt in animalibus, cum in unum coeunt ac permanent anima corpuſque, id animal vocatur: cum vero haec unitas utriuſque ſeparatione diſſolvitur, interire, nec jam animal eſſe liquet. Boet. de Conſolat. lib. 3. proſ. 11. Singula, eo ipſo quo unum quid ſunt, idipſum ſunt quod ſunt, & in eo quod ſunt, unione iſta conſervantur. Arm. ad initium orat. de comp. relig. diſſidio. preſerve its own being, and the being of every thing conſiſts in unity: For Omne quod est (ſayes one excellently) tamdiu eſt quamdiu unum, (i. e.) every thing that hath a being, hath it no longer then it continues one. Which makes Gregory Nazianzen ſay, That unity is the great preſerver of all things: whereas confuſion (ſayes he) breeds thunder in the air, ſhakings in the earth, ſhipwrack in the ſea, diſeaſes in mens bodies, ſin in their ſouls, diſſipation in families, ruine in Churches and States; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Greg. Nazian. Orat. 26. for all theſe (ſayes he) are not the names of peace and unity, but of confuſion and perturbation.

It was this that deſtroy'd the Eaſtern Church and the Greek Empire: and who knows what it may doe with us? for if the Duke of Roan be right in his cenſure,In his book entitled the Intereſts of the Stages of Chriſtendome. That England is a great Animal which will never dye till it kill it ſelf; thenIn hoc poſit est ſalus reip. nempe in una fide; quae ergo ſpes regnis eſſe poteſt, ubi quot capita tot fides. Del Rio Adag. Vet. Teſtam. 153. parte prima. may we fear much by our home diſſenſions, that ſhe is now very nigh her end.

When ſome ſparks of diſcontent began to fire betwixt the Engliſh and the Netherlanders towards the latter end of Q. Elizabeths reign, the ſtate of both Cambd. in his Remains. was repreſented by two pitchers floting upon the water, with this motto, Si collidimur, frangimur, (i. e.) if we beat one againſt the other, we are broken. And ſuch ſeems the ſtate of our Church and nation at this time, like two pitchers floting upon an Adrian ſea of trouble, and daſhing one againſt the other, to the ruine and deſtruction of both. All other ſins deſtroy the Church conſequentially, but none ſo directly as diviſion; for if building the Church be an orderly joyning of the materialls, what then (I pray) is disjoyning, but pulling it down?

We find in the Scriptures falſe teachers compared to dogs, as Philip. 3. 2. where there is a threefold 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or caveat againſt them, Beware (ſayes he) of dogs, &c. And they are ſo call'd,

1. Either to note their wilfull obſtinacy againſt the truth, alwayes barking at it, as the dog doth at the moon, though he be unable to reach or hurt it.

2. Or elſe to note their watchfulneſſe in ſpying out all occaſions for worrying of the ſheep, if they keep not within the fold. And S. Cyprian notes it of the primitive Chriſtians, that if they had agreed betterNon veniſſent haec fratribus mala, ſi in unum fraternitas eſſet animata. Cypr. lib. 4. Epiſt. 4. together, they had not been worried and perſecuted ſo much by their bloudy adverſaries as they were, no would they have endured ſo great evils as they did.

Alas! the Papiſts are not any way ſo conſiderable to deſtroy the Church, Gods pillar of truth ſet up among us, (ſo the Apoſtle calls it) as our ſelves1 Tim. 3. 15 divided; even as the ſword without kills not half ſo many as thoſe diſeaſes thatPlures gula quam gladius. Eraſm. Adag. pag. 468. are from within, which ever are with ſome breach of unity. For diſeaſes are either by inflammation in ſome vitall part, or by ſtrife in the humours, or luxation in the joynts, or breaking veines or ſinews; all which ſpeak ſome way or other breach of unity.

And therefore, as it was the Apophthegm of Severus the Emperour, by way of advice to his ſons, when Bucholc. chronol. ad annum Christi 212. he lay a dying, Eſtote concordes & caeteros contemnite: So ſay I, ſimus unanimes & concordes, let us all be of one mind and one heart among our ſelves, and then we need not fear what Papiſts or Anabaptiſts, men or devils, can do againſt us; but we may ſlight all that oppoſe us without danger: for this it is that Sathan is moſt Bern. de modo vivendi, ſerm. 41. afraid of. And it is Bernards obſervation, that there be ſome good duties the devil doth not fear: as he doth not fear our faſting, quia ipſe nunquam comedit, becauſe he himſelf never eates; nor doth he fearThe devil is therefore called a roring lion 1 Pet. 5. 8. Now the Egyptians made the lions head the Hieroglyphick of watchfulneſſe, quia hoc ex animalibus recurvos ungues habentibus, ſimulatque natum eſt, cernit. Pier. Val. lib. 1. p. 2. our watching, becauſe he watches too as well as we, and never ſleeps: ſed ſi charitatem & concordiam tenemus, hoc diabolus vehementer timet, but if we be in love and unity one with another, the devil is much afraid of this, quia hoc tenemus in terra quod ipſe in coelo tenere noluit, becauſe herein we hold that on earth which he would not keep in heaven, and therefore was thrown down fromInveniat vos diabolus concordia armatos, quia pax veſtra bellum illi. Tertul. ad Martyres. thence; which makes him ever ſince look upon our peace as a ſet war raiſed up by us, on purpoſe to deſtroy him and his kingdome here upon earth.

And as Sathan is afraid of our unity, ſo alſo are all his evil inſtruments here on earth; for it is unity that makes the Church of God terrible to her adverſaries, even as an armyAcies bene ordinata. vulg. Lat. with banners, or as a well-order'd army (ſo the Iſiodor. Hiſpal. in Cantic. cap. 6. vulgar Latin reads it) Ubi nullus locus hoſti per malum diſcordiae aperitur (as he gloſſes it) when we give no advantage to our adverſaries by our diviſions. But if ſtill Manaſſeh ſhall devoure Ephraim, Iſa. 9. laſt. and Ephraim Manaſſeh, and they both be againſt Judah; they are then ſure to be carried a way captives with the other tribes. And ſo they were by Salmanazar king of Aſſyria in the ſixth year of Hezekiah, which Iſai lived to ſee. And let us look to it, leſt while we bite and devoure one another, weGal. 5. 15. be devoured one of another.

The conſideration whereof ſhould make us run to Chriſt our heavenly phyſician, and ſay with the prophetPſal. 6. 2, 3. David, Reſtore us, O Lord, for we are feeble and ſore broken, all our bones are out of joynt, our ſouls alſo are ſore troubled for it: but, Lord, how long?

Let that exhortation then of the prophet Zephany Zeph. 2. 1, 2, 4. take place with us, Gather Sileant bumanarum contentionum animoſa certamina, & inclinemus verbo Dei. Auguſt. in lib. de unitate Eccleſ. cap. 7. your ſelves together, yea, gather your ſelves together, O nation not worthy to be deſired, before the decree come forth, and the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you; when Gaza ſhall be forſaken and Askalon made a deſolation.

Oh that the name of unity were amiable in all our eyes! and that we were butRogers in his Preſace to the 39. Articles. of Mr. Calvins mind, who ſaid Ne decem maria, that he would not refuſe to paſſe ten of the rougheſt ſeas, ſo that he might be any wayes by it inſtrumentall for the reconciling of the differences betwixt the Proteſtants. Yea, how happy were the Church of God in this nation, if that prophecy ſpoken of Ezek. 37. chap. and the 19. verſe were now to be fulfill'd with us, namely, That God would take the ſtick of Ioſeph, the ſtick of Iſrael, and make it into one ſtick with the ſtick of Iudah!

And let it ſhame us to hear the Turks Knolls Hiſt. Turc. call themſelves Iſlami (i. e.) men of one mind, in their Mahometan ſuperſtition; and yet we be of ſo many minds as men in our Proteſtant profeſſion: or that the Papiſts, Arminians, Pelagians, Socinians, Antinomians and Anabaptiſts ſhould be tied together like Sampſons foxesIudg. 15. 5. with firebrands at their tails,In his Praf. to the Galat. (as Luther makes the compariſon) to deſtroy the good corn growing in the field of Chriſts Church; and yet we agree together ſo little to preſerve it.

But I have ſaid enough; and cloſe up all with thoſe endearing expreſſions of the bleſſed Apoſtle to his Philippians: If there be any conſolation in Phil. 2. 1, 2. Chriſt, if any comfort of love, if any fellowſhip of the ſpirit, if any bowels of mercy; fulfill ye my joy, that ye may be like-minded, having the ſame loves being of one accord, of one mind.

And my earneſt deſire and prayer to Almighty God is that in the text;

Now the God of patience and conſolation make you like-minded according to Ieſus Chriſt, that we may with one heart and one mind glorify God the father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, to whom with the holy and ever-bleſſed Spirit be all Glory both now and for ever.

Trin-uni Deo Gloria.
Aſpiratio.

OH that the God of Truth and Peace would inſpire Magiſtrates, and people of all ranks, with an ardent deſire of both! That he would plainly diſcover unto them the foul and curſed miſchiefs that flow naturally from the bitter ſource of Diſunity in Religion; and affect their hearts ſo deeply with a ſerious apprehenſion of them, as that they may gather up all their prayers, counſells and endeavours, to procure ſuch ſafe and gentle remedies for the ſick body of Chriſt his Church, as the nature of her preſent diſtempers requires, to the cloſing up of all her rents, and reſtoring her to health again! And all for Chriſt Ieſus ſake, our only Lord and Saviour.

A Generall view of the Heads contained in the firſt Treatiſe, out of James 1. 18. 1 The Occaſion and Coherence of the words. 2 The Diviſion of them. From whence ariſe 3 Propoſitions. 1 The principall cauſe of our new Birth is the will of God. From whence is inferred, That we cannot by the help of Nature prepare our ſelves for the Grace of Converſion. 2 The Word of Truth is the ordinary means and inſtrument of cur new Birth. Under this head the Schwenckfeldians are taxed, for preferring their Enthuſiaſms before Scripture. 3 The Word of God is the Word of Truth. And this is the Point chiefly inſiſted on. In the proſecution whereof, Truth is diſtinguiſhed 1 More generally, into Originall. Reall. Intellectuall. Signall. 2 More particularly into 1 Truth of Being: which is God himſelf. 2 Truth of knowing God: which is 1 Naturall, by his Works, and common to all. 2 Supernatu all, (and peculiar to his Church) by his Word, contained in the books of the Old and New Teſtament, which is here called the Word of Truth, 1 From its being the Rule of all ſaving Truth. Now a Rule hath theſe properties agreeable to the Holy Scripture: That it is Authoritative, Straight. Perfect. Known. And here our Adverſaries are taxed, who do in effect deveſt the Scriptures of theſe properties. 2 From its immediate efficient Cauſe, viz. God, who is eſſentiall Truth. And from hence is inferred, That as there is but one God, ſo alſo but one Truth of Salvation, which is originally in the Scriptures, and derivatively from them. 3 From its eminency above other Truths. 4 From the effect thereof, which is of it ſelf nothing but Truth. Uſes. 1 For diſcovery, where the truth of Chriſtian Religion is: whether with us, who conform therein to the Word of Truth; or with others, who are but pretenders to it. 2 For encouragement, to ſearch the ſacred Scriptures, becauſe in them lyes that ſaving Truth we deſire to find. And from thence we are 1 To extract it for our own uſe & comfort. In order to which we muſt be prepared 1 With humility of ſpirit. And here the Enthuſiaſts are taxed for want of it in ſundry particulars. 2 With prayer for a bleſſing upon the means to be uſed for the extracting of it. And theſe (ſetting aſide the Scholaſticall) are 1 A conſtant reading of the Scriptures. 2 The appyling of our reaſon to our reading of them. And this helps us to extract out of them ſaving Truth four wayes. 1 By way of conceſſion. 2 By way of diſpoſition. 3 By way of inference. 4 By comparing the doctrines collected out of the Scriptures with thēſelves, or with the ordinary rules given for their interpretation. 3 The Word preached in the mouths of Gods Miniſters; which helps us to ſaving Truth out of the Scriptures 2 wayes. 1 By way of diſcovery. 2 By way of application. 4 Meditation of what we have read our ſelves, or heard from others. 5 The Spirit of God, as the chief and principall. 2 Having, &c. See the following page. 2 Having extracted ſaving Truth out of the Scriptures by theſe means; we are 1 To hold it firmly againſt all oppoſers. And to do ſo we have 1 Encouragement 1 From the reward annexed to it. 2 From the examples of Gods children, who have done and ſuffered much, rather then they would yield their adverſaries one tittle of ſaving and fundamentall truth. 3 From theſe Reaſons. 1 Becauſe we are only Leſſees to Truth. 2 Becauſe in holding that up we uphold ourſelves. 3 Becauſe though men may fail, yet ſhall the truth of God beſure to ſtand immoveable. And this is inſtanc'd 1 In thoſe that have been haters of truth; as in the notorious examples of leroboam, Antiochus, Diocletian, Iulian, & others. Inferences frō hence are 1 Of advice to the perſecutours of Gods truth, To deſiſt from their rage againſt it as vain and fooliſh. 2 Of exhortation to the friends of Truth; 1 Not to deſpair of ſeeing Truth recover her former luſtre, though for the ſins of a nation ſhe may be for a time obſcured. 2 Not to let the truth of God fall to the ground for fear of man. 2 In thoſe that are lovers of Truth, who though their perſons may dye, and the exerciſe of their Miniſtry be taken from them, yet ſhal the Truth, taught and maintain'd by them, live for ever.! 1 Becauſe God who is Eſſentiall Truth is Immortall. 2 Becauſe of Chriſts prayer & promiſe.

2 Direction, &c. See the next page.

2 To rejoyce &c. See the next page.

2 We have direction as to the means how to hold faſt the Truth: which are 1 A ſound knowledge of God in the Scriptures. 2 Not queſtioning the principles of Truth. 3 Not being too credulous nor curious. 4 Not laying too faſt hold of the world. 5 Watching over the flexibility of our own natures. 2 We are to rejoyce in it affectionately. Which is preſſed upon 2 conſiderations. 1 From the great joy which the Underſtanding hath in naturall Truth. 2 From the pleaſure men take in onely apparent Truth. 3 To prize it highly, from its admirable propertyes and effects. 4 To love it dearly: which we cannot but do, if we conſider it in relation to. 1 God. 2 Our neighbour! 3 Our ſelves And our love muſt appear by our 1 Prayers for it. 2 Practice of it. Becauſe 1 Practice is the chief end that Truth was ordain'd for. 2 It is a ſymptome of ſpirituall health. 3 Eternal happineſs conſiſts in it.
A Generall view of the Heads contained in the ſecond Treatiſe, out of Rom. 15. 5. 1 The Occaſion and Coherence of the words. 2 The Diviſion of them. Out of which ariſe three Obſervations. 1 That God is the Efficient Cauſe of Ʋnity. 2 That there is a like-mindedneſſe which is not according to Chriſt. 3 That it is the duty of Chriſtians to be likeminded, or at unity one with another. And this is the point chiefly inſiſted on: which is 1 Confirmed 1 By eminent places of Scripture. 2 By Reaſons. 3 By Examples. 2 Demonſtrated in two particulars. 1 In our Opinions and judgments in relation to Faith. Under which head is condemned that exorbitant liberty of opinions in Religion, ſo much purſued in theſe dayes. 2 In our Affections, in relation to Love. Uſes. 1 To diſcover the exceeding want of Unity now among us; and to let us ſee how great cauſe we have to mourn for it. And to this end are ſet before us 1 The ſad diviſions that have been in the Church of God in former times. 2 The aggravation of our differences compared with theirs, by way of complaint. 3 The grounds & cauſes of diſunity in religion: which are 3. 1 Pride: which is exemplified 1 In particular men. 2 In whole Churches, as in the Eaſtern & Weſtern Churches. 2 Anger, and hatred to mens perſons. 3 Want of Patience to our brethren. 2 To exhort us unto Unity. In order to which we are to make uſe of theſe means. 1 To have an affectionate eye upon the preſent diſtractions. 2 To pray unto God for his aſſiſtance. 3 To conſider the ineſtimable good of it. Which is 1 Demonſtrated to be 1 In it ſelf, an HoneſtGood. 2 As to us, pleaſant and profitable. 2 Illuſtrated by the contrary evil that attends Diſunity in Religion: which is taken 1 From the ſcandall and diſhonour it brings upon our Reformed Religion. 2 From the inevitable Ruine it draws upon the hurch & State. FINIS.