3. When you deal with the errors of the time (for certainly that is necessary ; we must stablish our hearers * in the present truth,' 2 Peter i. 12), do it with a great deal of caution and wariness. Though I would not prescribe, yet give me leave humbly to offer three things, which possibly may prevent some abuses : —
[1.] Beware of loose flings and general declamations against errors and heresies ; these do but exulcerate minds, prejudice our testimony, and much hinder it from being received. This is a miscarriage on both sides : men urge their ways in loose flings, conceited nicks, and implications, general outcries of one side against superstitious anti- christianism and the men of the world (words soon spoken) ; on the other side, against errors, new lights, and new opinions. The word worketh most when it is most particular and demonstrative : thunder at a distance doth not so much startle me as a clap in my own zenith. It is good to go by way of particular proof and argument against opinions ; prove them to be errors, and then call them so ; otherwise loose and general invectives will make but superficial impressions. It is very observable that when James had proved that conceit of God's being the author of sin to be an error, then he said, James i. 16, ' Err not, my beloved brethren ;'
^ Nazian. in Carmine 12 ad Constantinapolitanos.
- ' Hoc bsereticorum negotitim est, nou etlmicos convertendi, sed nostros evertendi ; nos- tra suffodiunt, sua sedificant.' — Tertull. lib. de Prcescript. adversus Ilcerctlcos, cap. 42.
^ ' De quo postea restitutus uuuquam contendenduui putavit, miuune tamen dissimu- laus quid alioquin esset probaturus.' — Bcza in Vita Calvini.
ZeCH. XIV. 9.] MEAT OUT OF THE EATER. 403
he first disputeth and then dissuadeth. It is very observable too, Mat. xxiii. from the 13th to the 33d ver., that our Saviour never de- nounceth a woe as^ainst the Pharisees, but he presently rendereth a reason for it : ' Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye devour widows' houses,' &c. ; ' Woe, /or ye shut the kingdom of Grod,' &c. Usually ungrounded zeal stayeth in generals, and ordinarily it is out of deceit or weakness.
[2.] Deal herein with all soberness and meekness. ' We should do what we can to remove prejudices ; men drink in truths when they are sweetly propounded ; God was in the still voice ; the small rain falleth sweetly upon the tender grass ; men presently engage themselves to a fervour and heat, and that marreth all ; it is but as oil to the flames. I remember a speech of Darius, when one of the soldiers of the camp railed against Alexander, he telleth him, I kept you to fight against Alexander, not to rail against him : those arrows of bitter words are not the weapons of our warfare. Passion showeth we are angry more against the person than the error; too often it maketh us forsake the main controversy and go on upon a wrong scent. One saith. He that speaketh to kings must speak py^fxacn ^vaaivoi.<i, with silken words : he that speaketh to dissenters had need make his speech as smooth and soft as may be. I am sure it is agreeable to the apostle's advice, ' In meek- nessinstruct those that oppose themselves,' 2 Tim. ii.25. And in the same place he showeth that the servants of God must be gentle and patient.
[3.] Take heed of aggravating and greatening matters, making them of more importance than indeed they are ; former ages were possessed with this spirit, every lesser dissent and mistake Avas made a heresy or error in the faith, as appeareth by their catalogues.
Tertullian had but spoken two or three words in favour of Montanus, and the priests of Kome presently cried him up for a Montanist, and accordingly dealt with him, quo protinus offensiis (saith he that wrote his Yvhy ijrorsus in Montani partes transivit. I confess it is good to be watchful to dash Babylon's brats, and take the little foxes, Cant, ii. 15, i.e., to oppose the first and modest appearances of error : the party last amongst us began with words, and would have brought in things. Therefore, I say, it is good to be watchful ; however this will not justify rough dealing with those that vary from us but in an ex- pression, and straining everything to the worst sense and most odious consequences, that it may appear to be heretical. Christ's own words were mistaken and wrested into a sense which he would not OAvn ; he said he would destroy the temple in three days, John ii. 19. He meant it of his body, they accused him of the same words ; and yet they are called false witnesses, Mat. xxvi. 61, who accused him of it, because they wrested it to another sense, applying it to the material temple. Many have a faculty of turning Eloi into Elias, molehills into moun- tains, making men offenders for a word, and by false glosses causing innocent things to seem odious.
[4.] Let me entreat you to improve your interests for brotherly and friendly collations ; public conferences cannot be had without tumult, and there is a prejudice against public sermons ; and, again, private disputes are more for victory than truth ; usually there is more of strife