Truths Purehl. to inflruR; nay,then ifthe Lord himfelfe fhould fpeake withCome audible voice toconvert vs. And furely, as in buying and felling, 'that bargaine is' by lawmoll warrantable, which is made inopen market ; fo I account thatknowledge moll acceptable untoGod, and moll like to receiue a biefsing from him , which is gottenp,ibliquely, by the ordinarie courfeappointed forthatpurpofr, Howfo- euer,Idoubt hot, butasaman hauing publikely bought a commodity,may pri- uatdy husband it, tohis ownebeft behoofe; fo that which is delivered openly may, (nay ought)by prirsatereading,prayer,meditatiOarand conference, been- creafed. And thus much for this fecond branch. The third thing in this PurchafeOf Truth, is skill to difcerne. For as in buy- The churl ing,in regard offo many counterfeit wares, of the mingling good with bad, and gchsnd the greatdeceit of the world, it is good for a man tohaue skilltopreferitehire- rherhrd 'fclfe fromcoofinage, and from cauffeffe capesen upon unprofitable goods ; fo doFtrine. in labouring afterknowledge, in refpca of fo much bendingmans inuentions with wholefomedoarine, it is requífite, that we be able toput a difference he- tuecne holy and corrupt, true and falle, profitable and unprofitable teaching... And this isa thing whichthe Scripture alfo in manyplaces requirethof vs. The the #irirr,faith lohn,whether theybeofGod,or no i.Trseall thingt,faith Pail k : and, .iJ Ioh.4.r. he isa foole, faithSalomon, that will beleeme emery thing ? : and for this taufe the k r l hd5.sn . noblemenof Bernaare commended, becauf rearing theApathies preach, they I Pro.. 4. r ç. fearched the Scriptures daily,whet herthafethings werefom. And our Saviour bath m Ioh. ro ç Aft.rv. r,, n pronounced itgenerally ofall hisfleecy; that they know his voyce,and willnotfol. lowafiranger, betfleefrom biro ",wc. For howfneutr we doevrgic allrentrent re.. fpe/o unto thepreachingof theword,asto theordinance of God, for thegathea ring togetherofhis Saint; 6--for the edificarionofthebodyofChriiJ O; yet weabhorre oEph,4,a. that Popifh tyranmzi^g ouer the faith ofout hearers, as though we would binde them to giu; credit to every thing we fpeake, becaufe we fpeake it : We know, 4otka,itai, that if hee werean Angel from heaven, that fhould comeamongft vs, yet his non,inia. doftrinemutt be broughtto the Lawand to theTefirmony t', un the Prophetfpea- Amb, in t, keth; and if hebe found to fwaruefrom that holy dodrine, whichwe hake recei- chfr. S. ned,he mutt got for occur ed't, and, bidhimnot omuch as God eede r, faithSaint I", Ira. f f lh John. And this skilfulneffcand abilirie todìfcerne,as it is ever neceffary , fo now r z.lu7r. to, efpecially. Frill of all,becaufe thereare (chat I may Rill follow the language of nayText) fomany pettychapmen ,Ir,reane,fo manypriuy workmen, who are all guidedwith the(phi: ofthebeafl, feat outand let on worke by that Antichrill, that manofRonce, whoare creptalmoft intoevery corner , and under pretence of their devotionsand Volontarie Religion, andHumbieneffeof winder, infinuate f Col, a. z,3> and winde themfeluesinto manymean affeetiotas,drawingfume totraiterons dii. loyalty,fome to titled Popery, others to indifferent and dependingencertenty, that fo they may fit and prepare them for thatday , which they haue long rape- and; and I pray GOD they mayRill with wearied eyes,andlanguilhing fpirits awaitfor. Now to theendthat theft falle brethren, whicharecome in 'Melly to bring vs into bondage °, may not carry vs away with droffe for filuer , glittering t Gl T.4: Ihewes foragolden fubilance,counterfeit profefsion, for found.Religion, wehad neede to labour and pray for difcerningfpirits. Secondly, this abilitie to diC- cerne is necelfary, in regardoffo many dangerous and infeetious Bookes,which (I knownotby whore default)are fparfed abroad into al parts,tending tothe de- famingoldieprefent Rate,andofour holyreligion, and to the working ofinens affettions toa more tollerable opinion (ifnot a totall embracing) ofPoperie. Thirdly, this skill is noIdleneceffary, in refpe&of fo muchcorrupt preaching, both in mannerand matter. Firft, for the Mannerofteaching ,itisan ordinarie thingwith many men ofgifrs,tofcorneto feeme toKnow nothingbut Chiifl, and him crucified",and to thinkebarelyof theplaine emideaee ofthefßirit e And there- u s Cor.z,a. fore they hauemore caretoabound withexcellent words, and with the enticing, E a seeshos 47
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