error. When you can tell us, how many years are required to turn an error into truth, then we will give more heed to antiquity, when pressed in the service of error, than we now think due to it.

If antiquity will not do, reafon fhall be prefs'd to serve error's turn at a dead-lift; and, indeed, the pencil of reafon can lay curious colours upon rotten timber, and varnish over erroneous principles, with fair and plaufible pretences. What expert artists have the Socinians proved themselves in this matter? But because men are bound to fubmit human authority and reason to divine revelation, both muft give way, and strike fail to the written word.

Hence is comes to pass, that the great patrons and factors for error, do above all things, labour to gain countenance to their errors from the written word; and, to this end, they manifeftly wrest and wrack the scriptures, to make them fubfervient to their opinions; not impartially ftudying the fcriptures first, and forming their notions and opinions according to them. But they bring their erroneous opinions to the fcriptures, and then, with all imaginable art and fophiftry, wire-draw and force the fcriptures to countenance and legitimate their opinions *.

But because pretences of piety and reformation are the ftrokes that give life to the face of this idol, and give it the nearest resemblance unto truth, these therefore never fail to be made ufe of, and zealously profeffed in the favour of error, though there be little of either many times to be found in their perfons, and nothing at all in the doctrines that lay claim to

it.

Obfervation 11. God in all ages, in his tender care for his churches and truths, hath still qualified and excited his fervants, for the defence of his precious truths, against the er rors and herefies that have fucceffively affaulted them. As Providence is obferved in every climate and island of the world, to have provided antidotes against the poisonous plants and animals of the country, and the one is never far from the other: So is the care of his providence much more confpicuous

* Every heresy has the devil for the parent of its invention, and is obnoxious to the fhame of so odious a name. It profeffes the Saviour's name, which is most excellent and tranfcends all, and is dif guised under fcripture expreffions. Athanafius against Arian

Take heed, faith one, that when zeal for reformation knocks at the door, fome new errors ftep not in with it, which will as much need an after-reformation,

in the cafe now before us. When, or wherefoever, venomous errors, and deadly herefies do arife, he hath his fervants at hand with antidotes against them.

When Arius, that cunning and deadly enemy to the Deity of Chrift, ftruck at the very heart of our religion, faith, and comfort; a man of fubtle parts, and blameless life, which made his herefy much the more fpreading and taking; the Lord had his well-furnished Athanafius in a readiness to resist and confound him. And as he had his Athanafius to defend the Deity of Christ, so he wanted not his Bafil to defend the doctrine of the holy Spirit against Macedonius.

So when Pelagius was bufily advancing free-will into the throne of free-grace, providence wanted not its mallet in learned and ingenious Auguftine, to break him and his idol to pieces. And it is highly remarkable, (as the learned Dr. Hill obferves), that Augustine was born in Africa, the fame day that Pelagius was born in Britain.

When Gottefchalchus published his dangerous doctrine about predeftination, the Lord drew forth Hincmarus to detect and confute that error, by evincing clearly, that God's predeftination forces no man to fin.

So, from the beginning and first rife of Popery, that center and fink of errors, we have a large catalogue of the learned and famous witneffes, which, in all ages, have faithfully refifted and oppofed it; and when, notwithstanding all, it had even overrun Europe like a rapid torrent, or rather, inundation of the ocean, and Germany was brought to that pafs, that if the Pope had but commanded it, they would have eaten grass or hay, more pecudum; then did the Lord bring forth invincible Luther, and with him a troop of learned champions, into the field against him; fince which time, the caufe of Popery is become defperate.

Thus the care of providence, in all ages, hath been as much difplayed in protecting the church against the dangers that arose from falfe brethren within it, as from avowed, perfecuting enemies without it; and had it not been fo, the rank weeds of herefies and errors had long fince over-topt and choaked the corn, and made the church a barren field.

Oferv. 12. The want of a modest suspicion, and just reflexion, gives both confidence and growth to erroneous opinions. If matters of mere opinion were kept in theirp roper place, under the careful guard of fufpicion, they would not make VOL. IV.

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that bustle and confufion in the churches they have done, and do at this day.

It is confeffed, that all truths are not matters of mere opinion; neither are all opinions of equal weight and value; and therefore not to be left hanging in an equipendious fcepticism. And yet it is as true, that matters of opinion ought carefully to be forted from matters of faith, and to be kept in their own rank and clafs, as things doubtful, quibus poteft fubeffe falfum; whilst matters of faith clearly revealed, are to ftand upon their own fure and firm bafis. The former, viz. matters of mere opinion, we are fo to hold, as upon clearer light to be ready to part with them, and give them up into the hands of truth. The other, viz. matters of faith, we are to hold with refolution to live and die by them.

What is opinion, but the wavering of the understanding betwist probable arguments, for and against a point of doctrine? So that it is rather an inclination than an affertion, as being accompanied with fear, floating and inconftancy. In fuch cafes there should be a due conceffion and allowance of other mens opinions to them, and why not, whilft they offer as fair for the truth as we? and haply their parts, helps, and induftries are not inferior to ours; it may be beyond them; and we may difcern in them as much tendernefs of confcience, and fear of fin, as in ourfelves. In this cafe, a little more modeft fufpicion in our opinions, would do the church a great deal of right; and that which should prevail with all modest persons to. exercise it, is the juft reflexion they may make upon their own former confident mistakes.

Obferv. 13. There is a remarkable involution or concatenation, of errors, one linking in, and drawing another after. Amongst all erroneous fects, there is still some ptov Yeudos,, fome Helena, for whofe fake the war against truth is commenced; and the other leffer errors are preffed for the sake and fervice of this leading darling error. As we fee the whole ** troop of indulgences, bulls, maffes, pilgrimages, purgatory, with multitudes more, flow from, and are preffed into the feryice of the Pope's fupremacy and infallibility; fo, in other fects, men are forced to entertain many other errors, which, in them

*

Пparov eudos. The leading error of the church of Rome is, That all things must be fubjected to the fupreme judgment and tribunal of the church over which the Pope prefides. Thence it is concluded, That all the traditions of the Romish church, and all their tenets and decrees, whether of the Popes or their councils, are to be stedfaftly maintained. Fred. Span. Elench, Controv. p. 55.

felves confidered, they have no great kindness for; but they are neceffitated to entertain them in defence of that great, leading, darling opinion they firft efpoufed.

Thofe that cry up, and trumpet abroad the fovereign power of free-will, even without the preventing grace of God, enabling men to fupernatural works, as if the will alone had efcaped all damage by the fall, and Adam had not finned in that noble virgin-faculty. To defend this idol, which is the pro evos, they are forced to oppugn and deny feveral other great and weighty truths, as particular, eternal election, the certain ty of the faints perfeverance, the neceffity of preventing grace in converfion: which errors are but the out-works raifed in defence of that idol.

So in the baptifmal controverfy, men would never have adventured to deny God's covenant with Abraham, to be a covenant of grace; or to affert the ceremonial law, fo full of Christ, to be an Adam's covenant of works; and circumcifion, exprefly called the feal of the righteousness of faith, to be the condition of Adam's covenant. Much lefs would they place all the elect of God in Ifrael, at one and the fame time, under the feverest curfe and rigour of the law, and under the pure Covenant of grace, were they not forced into thefe errors and abfurdities by dint of argument, in defence of their darling opinion.

Obferv. 14. Errors abound most, and spring fafteft, in the times of the church's peace, liberty, and outward profperity, under indulgent rulers. Arianifm fprung up under Con ftantine's mild government*.

Christian, benevolent rulers are choice mercies and bleffings to the church. Such as rule over men in the fear of God, are to the church, as well as civil state, "like the light of the morn"ing, when the fun arifeth; even a morning without clouds,

as the tender grafs fpringing out of the earth by clear shining "after rain," 2 Sam. xxiii. 4.

But this, as well as other mercies, is liable to abuse; and under the influences of indulgent governors, error, as well as truth, fprings up, flowers and feeds. Perfecution gives check to the wantonnefs of mens opinions, and finds them other and better work to do. Caterpillars and locufts are swept

* Eufebius records, That Arius Alexandrian began to vent his distracted herefy at Alexandria, in the year of our Lord 324, and in the 15th year of the reign of Constantine.

away by the bitter eaft winds, but swarm in halcyon days, and fall upon every green thing. So that the church rides in this refpect, more fafely in the ftormy fea, than in the calm har bour. Peace and profperity is apt to call its watchmen into a fleep; and whilft they fleep, the envious one foweth tears, Matth, xiii. 25.

It was under Conftantine's benign government, that poifon was poured out into the churches. The abufe of fuch an excellent mercy provokes the Lord to cut it fhort, and caufe the clouds to gather again after the rain. We have found it so once and again (alas, that I muft fay again!) in this wanton and foolish pation. Profeffors could live quietly together, converse, fast, and pray in a Chriftian manner together, under common cala mities and dangers: differences in opinion were fufpended by confent. But no tooner do we feel a warm, fun-blast of liber ty and peace, but it revives and heats our dividing lufts and corruptions, instead of our graces. The sheep of Christ fight with each other, though their furious pushing one at another is known to prefage a change of weather.

Obfervation 15. Errors, in the tender bud, and firft fpring of them, are comparatively shy and modeft, to what they prove afterwards, when they have spread and rooted themselves. into the minds of multitudes, and think it time to fet up and juftle for themselves in the world *.

They ufually begin in modeft fcruples, confcientious doubts and queries. But having once gotten many abetters, and, amongst them, fome that have fubtility and ability to plead and difpute their caufe, they ruffle it out at another rate; glory in their numbers, piety and ability of their party; boaft and glery in the conceited victories they atchieved over their oppof ers. The mask drops off its face, and it appears with a brow of brafs, becomes infolent and turbulent, both in church and ftate. Of which it is eafy to give many pregnant inftances, in the Arians of old, and more recent errors, which I thall not at prefent be concerned with, left I exafperate, whilst I feek to heal the wound.

† Should a man hear the fermons or private discourses of er

Eunomius, by advice of Eudoxus, for fome time spread his berefy fecretly, intricately, and ambiguously; but at length taking courage, he openly avowed in public affemlies what he heretically aintained. Theodoret, book 3. c. 29.

The Donatifts, in Auguftine's time, modeftly moved, That men

might