neffe and loofeneffe, who do not as themfelves do; but this Scripture reproves them, fhewing that it is not through Reshly wisdome, and providing for cafe that is the cause others do not as they do, but the fear of God in a right way ballafting their spirits; God will own his fear to be in their hearts, ordering them aright, when thy diforderly, mixed zale (hall receive rebuke from Chrift.

But doth not Chrift fay, Hee came into the world to witneffe to the truth, and is not every truth more worth then our lives?

That man who in the former five cafes wherein profeffion is fhewed to be our duty, ball witness to the truth, he the wes that truth is indeed precious to him, and gives that teftimony to the truth, that he was born for, although in the fix latter he fhall forbear.

But when the fe latter cales fball fall out, how shall the truth be maintained? will it not fuffer much prejudice?

1. Chrift will not be beholding to mens weakneffes for

the maintenance of his truth.

2. If every man according to his place to deliver his own foule, fhall declare (obferving the rules we fhall (peak to prefently) what he conceives to be the mind of God, though he shall not either in words or practice continually hold forth the fame, yet thereby the truth is maintained.

3. The truth is maintained, by forbearing that practice which those opinions of men that are contrary to the truth, puts them upon, not doing as they do is a continual witnelle againft them, and fo a witneffe for the truth, & this is a Cariftians duty at all times, although I muft never upon any ground do that which my confciencé fayes is in it felfe fin, in the leaft thing, yet I am not ever bound to do that which my confçience fays is in it felf good (as it may fall out) in fome great thing. A thing in it felfevill can never be made my duty to do, what ever circumstances it may be cloathed with, what ever good I conceive may be done by it; but a thing in it felf good, may by circumstances attending of it, be such, as at this time it is my duty to forbear it, fo that in not doing it I cannot be charged of a fin of omiffion, of not living according to what my judgment and confcience is convinced of to be truth, and good.

M

That

Object.

Anfw.

Object.

Answ.

Five rules for

That we may under fand yet further our duty of profeffion the ordering fo as we may caule no divifions by it, let these five rules be Our profeffion confidered for the ordering of it.

of truth.

First, we must be wel grounded in fundamentals, before we make profeffion of other truths; feldome or never have you known men who in the beginning of their profeffion of Reli gion have laid out the firft of their ftrength in Controversies, but that they have vanished & come to nothing in their profeffion. Be firft well rooted in the faith, in the great things of godlineff, the abfolute neceffary things of eternall life, and then thy fearching into other truths of God which are for thy further edification, will be seasonable.

2ly. Take heed that what thou doft be not out of affectation of novelties, which men naturally have itching defires after. It is very pleafing to the flesh, to convey fuch things to othere, to be the first that shall bring to others, things wch be

re they understood not, whatsoever the things be. As there is much wickedness in raising up old errors, as if they were new truths; fo there is much vanity in bringing forth old truths in novell and affected phrafes, as if men defired to be thought to find out fome new thing that yet hath not been, or is very little known in the world, when indeed upon examination, when it is uncloathed of its new expreffions, it proves to be the fame old truth, that ordinarily hath been known & taught, and fo the man appears to be no knowing man, more then ordinary. Take heed of this vanity cf fpirit in the holding forth of truth, efpecially when in publike you speak of Gods truths, fpeak of them with reverence of the name of the great God, as the Oracles of God, clearly, plainly, not in obfcure, uncouth, unknown expreffions, as the Oracles of the Idols were wont to be delivered in.

3. Whatsoever is differing from others who are godly, is not to be held forth and profeffed without ferious examinati on: we may venture more fuddenly upon thofe things which are generally received of the Saints; but if they be differing, then we had need examine them over and over again, with a jealous eye over our own hearts, and to take heed to our fpiritt, & how we behave our felves in fuch things wherein we are like to go away fo much differing from fo many of our

godly,

godly, able brethren. Wee must take heed of publishing any fuch things rawly, undigestedly, left we wrong the truth. of God, and make the profeflion of it become ridiculous. If the thing be true today, it will be true to morrow.

4. We must not think it enough boldly to affert things,but, according to the rule of the Apolle, 1 Pet.3.15. we must give an account, 1. with meekness; we must not do it in a paffionate, froward way, not with our affe&ions hurrying and tumultuous ; not after a contentious manner, as if we desired victory rather then truth; but with quietneffe and compofednesse of fpirit. We must not think it much to bear contradiction from others, yea though it fhould arife to contemptuous carriage against us, and with fear, that is, either in refpe& of our felves who make the profeffion, or in refpect of those before whom we make it. For our felves, we must not do it in a conceited way, not in a high, arrogant way, with foolish confidence in our felves, in our own apprehenfions and abilities, but with feare, manifefting our fenfibleness of our own weakness, vanity, and nothingnes : 2. In respect of those before whom the profeffion is made. We must manifeft our due, reverent eft sem of them; no unbefeeming behaviour, no fcornfulness, lightnefs, contempt, if it before Magiftrates, efpecially then whatfoever they are in regard of their perfons, yet reverentiall refpects ought to be given to them in refpe&t of their places; and if they be men of worth, learning, graces, publike use in the Church or State, that refpe&t that is due to their worth, is to be manifefted alfo in our carriage towards them. Grace teacheth no man to be unmanner ly, rude, fcornfull, furious, or foolish.

5. If you would make profeffion or pra&ice any thing differing from others who are godly and judicious, you should first acquaint those who are most able, with what you intend, and not go to youths, & women, and weak ones fift, fecking to promote what you apprehend, by poffeffing your hearts firft with it, and to get them to be a party for you; this is not the way of God. If God hath revealed fome new thing to you, you have fome new light that is not yet made known to your Brethren, which not only by profane men, but I fear by fome who are godly, is in a profane manner (corned at;and it were

M 2

well

5.

The fixth dividing principle.

wel it none of those who pretend it, did not give fome occafifion: were not the temptation to the defpifing of that expreffion, yet you fhould firft goe to those who are moft able to judg, acquaint them with what apprehenfions you have, and fee whether they cannot make it appeare to you that you are mistaken; if not, they may confirm you in the truth, that you may go on in it with the more confidence.

If Churches were fetled as they ought, I fhould think it very ill for any Minifter to preach any thing not ordinarily received by the Saints, before they have acquainted other Elders, yea fome of other Churches with it, if out of an eager delire to be formoft in venting fome new thing, they fhall do it meerly from themselves, they may be meanes to raise and engage themselves in woful difturbances before they are aware. That common union and fellowship that there is between Elders and Churches, requires mutual advife and confultation in matters of difficulty, though to lay a law upon them to advile in every thing, be it never fo clear, would be hard..

CHAP. XII.

The fixth dividing Principle. What is in it felfe beft must be chofen and done, not weighing circumstances, or references.

T

His brings much trouble to the Churches; yea it caufeth much trouble in the fpirits and lives of many truly godly. It caufeth men to break the bonds of their Callings, of their Relations, of their publique Interefts, therefore certainly it must needs be a dividing Principle. ·

Some men whofe calling is only to a private employment, yet having fome gifts, and having used fometimes in their Families to take a Scripture, and fpeak fomething out of it; upon this they think it is a better thing to be exercifed in preaching Gods word, then to fit in a fhop all day, at fome meane worke, or felling out wares, therefore they thinke they are bound to give over their Callings, which they look at as too low, mean things, and be Preachers of the Word, not regarding thofe due ways that Chrift would have men come into fuch an employment by. Although Ldo not think, but that Tradefmen,

Trade(men, who have good knowledg in the Scripture, and are gifted by God to fpeak the Word to people for their edification, when there is a want of able men, who have been all their lives preparing for fuch a work, and are fet apart for it, rather then people fhould continue in ignorance, and fo perifh (if those who are able and fit to judg, fhal judg them meet for fuch a work) they may be employd to make Chrift known to them; yet for every man that takes himself to be a gifted man, and it may be is fo judged, by fome who are willing to flatter him, to take upon him of himselfe, or by the advice of two or three of his friends,to leave his other employment for the work of the Miniftry,because that is a more noble and excellent work; this is not a way of God,but a way of confufion and diforder.

Again, it is in it felfe a better thing to enjoy a Miniftry of the most eminent gifts and graces, then one of lower; but if this fhould be made a rule, that a man who is under a Paftor, who is faithfull, and in fome good measure gifted, upon another mans coming into the Countrey that is more eminent, he fhould forfake his Paftor, and joyn to the others and if af.ter this ftill a more eminent man comes, he fhould leave the former and joyn to him;and by the fame Law, a Paftor who hath a good people, yet if others be more likely to receive more good, he may leave his own people, and goe to them, what confusion and diforder would there be continually in the Church? Men muft confider, not only what the thing is in isown nature, but what it is to them, how is ftands in reference to their relations. If you be joyned to a Paftor, so 23 you believe he is fet over you by Chrift, to be a Paftor to you (not because the Bishop hath fent one, or an old Ufurer dyes, and leaves the Patronage of a living to fome Oftler or Tapwench in an Alchoufe, and he or the fhall fend one by vertue of their right to the patronage, this cannot tie a mans confci ence to depend upon him for the ordinances of Chrift all his days, in cafe he cannot remove his dwelling, but if you cannot but look upon the man as the Paftor that Chrift hath fet over you.) Though this man hath meaner gifts then others; and it would be more comfortable to you to have another Paftor;yet this is not enough to cause you to difert him whom Chrift