commanded to prove all things? Thef.

5.21.

Anf. Will you try poifon whether it will kill you or no? Therefore the meaning of this place must needs be, that we are to examine the Doctrines that are delivered unto us, by the Scripture, whether they are built thereon, or no. Like thofe noble Bereans, Acts 17.11, who fearched the Scriptures whether those things were fo, that were delivered to them for the Truths of God. And let that place, Rom.14.1. be confidered by all fuch as are not throughly grounded in the principles of Chriftianity, Him that is weak in Faith, receive, but not to doubtful disputations. Every private Chriftian is not fit to cope with hereticks,and fuch as are skilfull to deftroy the Faith of others. You would not allow a man to come and undermine the foundation of your house; This do they, and worfe, that go about to undermine your Faith, and labour to shake and unfet tle you in the grand truths of the Gospel. Surely they that rob and rifle foules of Truth, are morfe felons, than they that rob and rifle konfes.

6. Forfake not the publick Ordinances, nor faithful Minifters of Chrift, whose endeavours God hath born witneß to, by the real converfion of many thousand foules. 'Tis not fafe to balk the known and ordinary waies, wherein God ufes to difpenfe his fpiritual bleffings. Wifdem's dole is to be expected at wisdom's gate. Eph.4.11.

And

And he gave fome Apostles, and fome Prophets, and fome Evangelifts, and fome Paftours and Teachers, V.12. For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Miniftry, for the edifying the body of Chrift. v.14. That we henceforth be no more children toffed to and fro,& carried about with wind of Doctrine,by the flight of men & cunning craftineffe, whereby they ly in wait to deceive.

every

7. Remember thou art not only to bestedfaft in the truth, and to hold fast the truth, as to thine own particular, but also to be valiant for the Truth, Jer.9.3. To contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints, Fude v.3. Thou must shew thy felf a Champion for Truth, when it is oppofed. Truth 'tis one of the choiceft treasures and greateft priviledges that ever God bestowed on any people, And thall we fo easily and tamely part with it? Shall we fuffer crafty perfons that are now abroad, to rob us and steal from us our beft treasure? Shall we suffer them to cheat us, and our pofterity of our richest Jewell? Not long ago, the great bickerings were about difcipline: Now the Doctrine of the Gospel is in danger; And fhall we fuffer the interest of our Lord and Mafter to be troden under foot? Indeed we are not to be bitter against the perfons of the erroneous, yet we are to be fenfible how God is dishonoured, and thoufands of foules endangered by their pernicious errours. And therefore it deeply concerns us to

have a care of our felves to preserve our owne foules from this infection; and not of our felves only, but to have a regard to our posterity alfo; that we tranfmit truth down to them. We would be willing to leave our eftates to our children; And fhall we not be more careful to leave them truth? Believe it, we are to perform the part of faithful Trustees, and to keep the Doctrine of falvation pure and unmix'd (as much as in us lies) and fo to leave it to those that are to come after us.

8. and Laftly, Confider how the Scripture has forewarned us there must be Herefies, 1 Cor. 11.19. Now there is a twofold neceffity; Abfolute, Conditional

1. Abfolute, when a thing cannot poffibly be otherwife; as God must needs be just.

2. Conditional, when a thing must be, fuppofing fuch another thing to be before: As Suppofe the Sun be rifen, it must be day; fo here, upon fuppofition of these two things, I. Satans malice. 2. Mans Corruption, there must be Herefies, Far be it from us ever to think that God imposes a neseffity on any to be Hereticks: but he permits them & fuffers them to fpring up in the Church; and that for these three reasons,

1. That his glorious truths may be the more cleared up, and evidenced, and strongly confirmed and maintained: Many parts of true Doctrine have been but flenderly guarded, till assaulted

by Hereticks; then old evidences have been fearched and found out. Many truths have been occafionally most cleared and fetled by the oppofition of the Adversary.

2. That they that are approved may hereby be made manifeft. This is an effect the Devil never intended by raifing Herefies; But 'tis the Chimistry of Heaven to bring good out of evil: That is pure gold that endures the trial of the fire. A quick fiart wind fevers the folid grain from the chaff. They are but chaff who are blown away with every wind of Doctrine: The good wheat re maines ftill in the floor of the Church. When you fee an Army march, you know not who is valiant, and who not; when the enemy approaches, then is the trial.

3. That the obftinate may be rendred inexcufable, who wilfully fhut their eies against thefe more open manifeftations, and greater clearings up of the Truth, which (uccafionally) by the oppofition of the adverfary, God is pleafed to afford his Church.

Fude v. 3. Beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common falvation; it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you, that ye fhould earnestly contend for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints. V.4. For there are certain men crept in unswares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation,

condemnation, ungodly men, turning the Grace of our God into lafcivioufneffe, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Fefus Chrift. 2 Pet.2.1. But there were falfe Prophets alfo among the people, even as there fhall be falfe Teachers among you, who privily (ball bring in damnable Herefies, even denying the Lord that bought them, aud bring upon themselves swift deftruction.

V.2. And many shall follow their pernicious waies, by reafon of whom, the way of truth shall be evil poken of

V.3. And through Covetoufneffe fhall they with feigned words make marchandise of you; whose judgment now of a long time lingreth not, and their damnation fumbreth not.

1 Tim.4.1. Now the Spirit speaketh exprefly that in the latter times fome shall depart from the Faith, giving heed to feducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

V.2. Speaking lies in hypocrifie, having their Confciences feared with a hot Iron.

2 Tim 2 17. And their word will eat as doth a Canker, of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus. V.18. Who concerning the truth have erred, fay ing the Refurrection is past already; and overthrow the Faith of fome.

2 Tim.4.3. For the time will come when they will not endure found doctrine; but after their own lufts shall they heap to themselves Teachers, V 2 having

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