A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are discussed and resolved ... / by Mr. George Gillespie ... ; published by Mr. Patrik Gillespie ...

CHAP. XI. (Book 11)

Of Stability and firmnesse in the truth.

IT is good Divinity to maintaine that Skepticisme, flu∣ctuation and wavering concerning those things which God hath revealed, to be beleeved or done by us, is a sinne: and to bee firme •…•…xed and established in the truth, to hold fast the profession thereof, to stand fast in the faith, is a duty commanded. I shal first prove it to be so; then give reasons for it, and thirdly, some helps to this duty, and preservatives against this sinne.

For proof of the thing, somewhat might bee said from the very light of nature, for h•…•…th a nation changed their Gods, •…•…er: 2. 11. Religion hath the very name of it, a Religando, so farre it is, a Relaxando. The heathen Greeks cald a •…•…ubricus and inconstant man 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. They said also, that he who erres or miscarries in his Religion, doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, drink out of a bored or foraminous cup. How firme and constant

have heathen Philosophers been in maintaining their opinions? they could not onely displease their friends, amicus Plato, &c. but suffer the heaviest things for their opinions. And shall not we much more hold fast the profession of the true faith? Zonar∣as Annall, tom: 3. In the raign of Michael the Emperour, the son of Theophilus, tels us▪ that when the sister of the Prince of Bulgaria became a Christian, and the Prince also by her means conver∣ted, the •…•…ulgarians conspired against him for this change of Religion. This diabolicall stedfastnesse of theirs, provoked him to a true Christian stedfastnesse, till by Gods assistance and blessing, they were made to turne to him, but he turned not again to them. The Athenians impeached Socrates upon his life, for going about to innovat and change their Religion. But to set aside natures light, there is not any of the primitive Churches, to which the Apostles wrote Epistles, but they were expressely warned either positively to stand fast in the faith, to hold fast their profession, or negatively to beware of and to avoid false teachers, and not to be carried about with diverse and strange Doctrines. Now it must needs be, not on∣ly a truth, but a most speciall and necessary truth, which the Apostles thought fit, thus to presse upon the Churches in all their Epistles writen to them. See Rom: 16. 17, 18. 1 Cor: 16. 13 2 Cor. 11: 3, 4. Gal: 1 6, 8. Eph: 4. 14. Phil. 3. 2. 18. Col: 2. 6. 7, 8. 2 Thess. 2. 2. 3. Hebr. 10. 23 and 13. 9. Iames 5. 19, 20. 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2, 3. and 3. 16, 17, 18. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Iude ep: vers: 3. 4. All these Texts are full and plain, as to this point which I speak to, and in that respect most worthie of our frequent thoughts and observations, especially at such a time when this corner of the world is so full of new and strange Doctrines.

As for the reasons, take these. 1. If we be not stedfast and un∣moveable in the profession of our faith, we frustrat (as to us) the end for which the Scriptures were written. Luke gives this rea∣son

to his Theophilus, why he wrote the story of Christs birth, life and death. That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed, Luke. 1. 4. When Peter hath mentioned the voice which came from heaven concerning Christ, hee addeth the certainty of the Scripture as a greater certainty. We have also a more sure word of prophesie, whereunto ye doe well that yee take he•…•…d, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, 2. Pet: 1. 19. A voice from heaven might sooner deceive us, then the written word of God. 2. To maintaine and pro∣fesse the true Doctrine, and the true faith is by all protestant orthodoxe writers made one, (yea the principall) marke of a true visible Church. Christ himself▪ Ioh. 10. 4, 5. gives us this mark of his sheep, the sheep follow him (their shepherd) for they know his voice, and a s•…•…ranger will they not follow, for they know not the voice of strangers. 3. If once we forsake the way of truth, and goe into an erroneous way, wee shall not know where to finde our paths, we shall wander from mountain to hill, & forget our resting place As one wave comes after ano∣ther, so doth one error come after another. As a canker sprea∣deth, so doth error, 2. Tim 2. 17, Evill men and seducers, shall waxe worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived 2 Tim: 3. 13. Which hath made some, and I hope will make more, who were too inclinable to the new Doctrine and practises of Sectaries at first, now to fall off from them, when they increase unto more ungodlinesse, & unto more errour, and there is no end, one error breedeth a hundreth, and a hundreth will breed ten thousand. What was it that made so many fall off from the Prelats, who once joyned with them? Was it not, because they were grow∣ing from the old ceremonies to many new ones, and each year almost, brought in some new superstition, and from Popish rites, they grew to Popish doctrines? 4. If w•…•…e waver, and be led about with diverse and strange doctrine;, then the pro∣phesies which have gone before of the true Church, shall not

be made good in us. It was promised concerning the Church and kingdome of Christ, Isa. 32. 4, 5. The heart also of the rash, shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stam∣merers shall be ready to speak plainly, the vile person shall be no more called liberall, &c. that is those who simply and rash∣ly were led about with every winde of Doctrine, shall be so wise and knowing, as to distinguish between truth and error, between vertue and vice, and call each thing by its right name. So, Isa. 33. 6. And wisedome and knowledge shall be the stabi∣lity of thy times, and strength of salvation. 5. Instability and forsaking the way of Truth, maks us losse much that we had gained, 2 ep. of Iohn, vers. 8. all the comfort we enjoyed, all the good that ever our souls received of such a Truth, such a cause, such a ministery, all that ever we did or spake or suffe∣red for the Truth, all this we losse when we turn aside after an erroneous way. 6. It greatly hindereth our spirituall com∣fort and contentment, Col: 2, 2. To be knit together in love is one mean, and to have all riches of the full assurance of un∣derstanding to the acknowledgement of Gospel truths, is ano∣ther mean, by which the Apostle wisheth the hearts of Chri∣stians to be comforted. It addeth much to Pauls comfort that he could say, I have kept the Faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown, &c. 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8. 7. We run a great hazard of our soules and our sa•…•…vation, when we turn aside from truth to error. It is said of the unstable, that they wrest the Scriptures unto their own destruction, 2 Pet: 3. 16, Like a man fallen into quick sands, the more he wrestles out, the more he sinks. When the Apostle hath spoken of Christs purchasing of our recon∣ciliation, justification and sanctification, he addeth an If, Col: 1. 23: If ye continue in the faith grounded & setled and be not mo∣ved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard. Not that our persevering in the true faith was acondition in Christs purchasing of these blessings, but it is a condition with∣out

which we cannot possesse & enjoy what Christ hath pur∣chased; that is, he that falls away from the true Doctrine of the Gospel, proves himself to have no part of the benefits of Christ.

Some errors are in their own nature damnable and incon∣sistent with the state of grace, or a fellowship with God, 2 Pet: 2. 1. So 2 ep▪ Iohn v. 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abid∣eth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. Sure it may be said, of Arrians, Socinians, Papists, Libertines, they have not God, because they abide not in the doctrine of Christ, so Gal: 5. 4. Other error, there are, of which I may say, whatsoever they are comparatively, impenitency and continuing in them, doth condemne: whence it is that the Apostle Iames reckoneth him who erres from the truth, to be in a way of death and dan∣ger of damnation, Ia▪ 5. 19. 20.

Now the preservatives against Wavering, and helps to stedfastnesse in the Faith, are these: 1. Grow in knowledge and circumspection; be not simple as Children in understanding. There is a slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive: So speaks the Apostle of these that spread di∣verse and strange Doctrines, Eph: 4. 14. and Rom▪ 16. 18. he warres us that they do by good words and fair speaches deceive the hearts of the simple. Thou hast therefore need of the wisedom of the serpent that thou be not deceived, as well as of the fim∣plicity of the Dove, that thou be not a deceiver, Phil: 1. 9: 10. Do not rashly ingage into any new opinion, much lesse into the spreading of it. With the welladvised is wisedome: Pythagoras would have us Schollers only to hear, and not to speak for five years. Be swift to hear but not to speak or ingage: Prove all things, and when thou hast proved, then be sure to hold fast that which is good, 1 Thess. 5. 21. Mat: 7. 15. 17. There was never an Heresie yet broached, but under some faire plausible pre∣tence; beguiling unstable souls, as Peter speaks, 2 Pet. 2. 14. Pro: 14. 15. The simple believeth every word. Be not like the two hun∣dreth

that went in the simplicity of their hearts after Absolom in his rebellion, not knowing any thing, but that he was to pay his vow in Hebron, 2 Sam: 15. 11. 2. Grow in grace and holy∣nesse, and the love of the truth, for the stability of the minde in the truth, and the stability of the heart in grace, go hand in hand together, Heb: 13. 9. Davids rule is good, Ps. 24. 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord, him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse. Which is also Christs rule, Ioh. 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of my self. See also Deut: 11. 13, 16. Elisha healed the unwholesome waters of Iericho by cast∣ing salt into the fountain, 2, Kings 2. 21, so must the bitter streams of pernicious errors bee healed by geting the salt of mortification, and true sanctifying grace in the fountain.

3 Be sure to cleave to thy faithfull and sound teachers, the sheep that followes the shepherd, are best keeped from the Wolfe. I finde the exhortation to stability in the faith, joyned with the fruitfull labours of faithfull Teachers, Phil. 3. 16. 17. Heb: 13 7, 9. So the Apostle Eph: 4. from the work of the Ministry verse 11. 12, 13. draweth this consequence v. 14. that we hencefoorth be no more Children tossed to and fro, and carried a∣bout with every winde of Doctrine. The Galatians were easily se∣duced, als soon as they were made to disgust Paul.

4 Watch and be vigilant against the first beginnings of de∣clining, against the first seeds of error, Gal: 5. 9. It was while men flept, that the enemy came and sowed tears among the Wheat, and when he had done, went his way, Mat. 13. 25. Therefore watch ye, stand fast in the faith, 1 Cor. 16, 13. go hand in hand together. 5. Avoid and withdraw from the Authors and fpreaders of Heresies and dangerous errors, Rom. 16. 17. 1 Tim: 6, 5. 2. epist. Iohn. 10. 11. Phil. 3. 2. He that would be godly should not use ungodly company, and he that would be Or∣thodox should not use Hereticall company, unlesse he have

some good hopes to convert some who have erred from the truth, and come into their company only for that end, Ia: 5. 19, 20: I remember Chrysostome in diverse places warneth his hearers how much they indangered their soules by going into the Jewish synagogues, and there was a great zeale in the An∣cient Church to keep Christians that were Orthodox from the Assemblies and companie of Hereticks. 6. Get Church Discipline established & duely exercised, which is ordained to purge the Church from false Doctrine. Rev 2. 14. 20. 7. Leane not to thy own understanding, and be not wise in thine owne eyes, Prov. 3. 5. 7. Let reason be brought in captivity to the o∣bedience of Christ, 2 Cor: 10, 5. That which made the Antitrini∣tarians and Socinians fall away from the belief of the Trinity of persons in the godhead, and of the union of the two natures of God and Man in the person of Christ, was because their rea∣son could not comprehend these articles: which is the ground of their opinion professed by themselves. When I speak of Captivating reason, I do not mean implicite faith: the eyes of my understanding must be so far opened by the holy Ghost, that I may know such an article is held forth in Scripture to be believed, and therefore I doe believe that it is, though my reason cannot comprehend how it is. 8. Count thy cost, and be well resolved before hand what it will cost thee to be a Disciple of Christ, to be a constant professor of the Truth. Luk: 14. 26. to vers: 34. Act 14. 22. Confirming the souls of the Disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdome of God. This is surer then to confirme our selves with the hopes of a golden age of prosperity in which we shall feel no affliction. 9. Search the Scriptures, Ioh. 5. 39, Act, 17. 11. Do not take upon trust new Lights from any man, be he never so eminent for parts or for grace, but to the law and the Testimony.

The up shot of all is that we ought to hold fast the professi∣on

of our faith without wavering, and be stedfast and even un∣moveable in the truth, and not to give place to the adversa∣ries, no not for an houre, Gal: 2, 4, 5. I do not mean pertinacy in the least error, nor a vain presumptuous overveening conceit of our knowledge, to make us despise any Light which others may give us from Scripture: Pertinacy is an evill upon the one hand, and to be too tenacious of our own opinions. But that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that Levity, inconstancy, wavering, Scepti∣cisme is an evill upon the other hand, 2 Thess: 2, 2, be not soone shaken in minde, &c. And this is the Epidemicall disease of the Sectaries of this time, which I have now been labouring to cure, their word is yea and nay, and not unlike to that which Salust objected to Cicero, that he said one thing sitting, another thing standing, yet it may be sometimes observed that these who are the greatest Sceptiks and Pyrrhonians in reference to the common and received tenents, are the most pertinacious and tenacious in Tenents invented by themselves. I have read it observed of Socinus, that as he set at nought Fathers, counsels, and the whole current of ancient and moderne interpreters of Scripture, so vain glory made him to maintaine stiffely and te∣naciously any opinion or invention of his owne, as if he had been infallible, men are sooner drawne from truth then from error. Some are unstable in the truth, and unstable in error too, you may finde among them annuas atque menstruas fides (to use Hilaries phrase) they are of a new faith, and a new reli∣gion, every year, if not every Moneth. Remember Reubens re∣proach, Gen, 49. 4. unstable as water, thou shall not excell. One sort of the Sectaries there is indeed, which will not ingage to hold any thing, but are known by believing nothing, these passe now under the name of Seekers: yet if one of the ancient Fathers, or of the Reformers themselves who lived an hundreth years agoe, were now alive, they could tell us that these Seek∣ers▪ were in their dayes called Atheists, and in deed what

other name is due to these Nullifidians who are of no Religion?