Chap. 3 z. An Expoliition upon the Book of J o L Verf. 9. he gives here andnot there,he paffeth by this man,and takeshold of that , he fometimes paffeth by the rich, and rakes the peore, ( Eccl. 9. t 5.) ,7hepore wife man Paved the Citie ; fometimes he paffeth by the old, and takes the young ; and he doth all .this,.. that we might afcribe all to himfelfe, not to the age ofman, not toany thing inman, God lath prornifed to be with his Church, and with his Miniffersby his Spirit to the end of the world ; but the Spirit hash his choice as to particular men , and none have ''been more deceived then they that thought the Spt tt in bonds or tyed to them ; Come (fay they,'er.: i 8. 18. ) let as devfe devtcea agai ßJeremiah ; For the Lawflail not perifh, Pone the I'riê.fl, nor Counfell from thewife, nor the wordfrom the Prophet ; The Priefis areof this opinion, and Jeremiah is out of the way, 'he is a falfe Prophet, and therefore certainly we may proceed in our devices againfi him, for we have the opinion of the Priefis andProphets with us;Thus they fpake, as if the Spirit of God had been bound tip to that order. We ought to feeke wifdome at The Neilsmouth; yet they whoTeti u?on their vvifdome may footle be deceived ; knowledge may perith from the Priefts mouth, and couni "el from the ancient. ThegreatCheate which the Pope bath put upon the world jg That the Spirit of God is tyed to the puanells ofhis chaire,or t , °therehe cannot erre. But as particular men, fowhole Counfeils of learned and aged men have erred. True vvifdome is nog the birth of time , nor the peculiarof a party, but the free gift of the Spirit ofGod, who is moll free, both inwhat he giveth, and to whom he giveth. Therefore Secondly, Let menot pin our faith er oar Ccnfciences uponmen, howgreat, or how Anctent; foever they are ; Let us give refpef to the Ancient, and the honourable, ( not todoe it is not only un- civili but finfull) yet let us, not give up our Confciences to them'; For great menare not alwayes wife, neither doe the aged tinderiand Judgement; We muff not reverence any mans per- fon to the prejudice of the truth. Theopinions of great or anci- ent men are not to be received,as Oracles,without debate ; we have liberty to Confider ofthem,and to Compare themwith the rule : We muff prove all things, and hold fafi that only which is good. A heathen gave that direaion to thofe who hearephilofó- phd, phical1difcourfes; Tonmug take of all thofe confderations whichfophia dtruntur concerne the perfonfpealking, and only mind what is fpoken his An-ea oportet Wei- K :z ti.iimatione ejus
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=