is of greater deformity than all the former) affectation, fingularity, worldly intereft. Of thefe I have already spoken.

3. The darkness of things themfelves: as where there is lefs of reafon to be faid for a thing; or where the rule of faith is fhort: as to that I take the rule to be, fo far as God hath not determined we are referred to reason, and to the sense of our nature. For God did not make one uncapable creature, when he made one that was intelligent. Reafon is the first participation from God.

Now, as to certain refolution, where there is neither conviction in the way of reason; nor assurance from revealed truth; in this cafe, our courfe (af ter diligent fearch) will be, ftay and expectance, rather than any peremptory conclufion in the point. 'Tis fafer to fufpend determination, than to be un groundedly refolved. Difficile eft deponere errorem. 'Tis hard to get rid of an error, therefore take heed of admitting one.

In this cafe, the knowledge of the thing is of lefs importance and the ignorance of it, is of lefs danger. An implicit faith in God, without particular knowledge is fafe in this case: and nothing is gained by temerity, rashness, and suddenness of opinion. He that is light of faith, by the fame reason, will be light of unbelief; he will as easily disbelieve truth, as believe error. So that he does whatfoever he does by accident, and chance; he doth nothing by a certain rule, fo that another may know what he will do next. I do not fuppofe uncertainty in neceffaries of faith, or life and practice; but there is darkness in other things. A 2

4ly. Not

4ly. Not improvement of intellectuals is another caufe of error. Men are nothing, where they have not thought. Men are as they have used themselves, fui cuique mores tingunt fortunam. A man's temper and improvement make him that which he is. We work out of ourselves. Knowledge is fetcht out of

us, not brought into us. Scientia educitur, non inducitur. The understanding is not in habit before it is in act. Intellectus non eft in habitu, ante actum.

There are common principles, which every one who confiders may come to the knowledge of: but before study and thought, the mind is abrasa tabula as white paper, that has nothing written upon it. The principles of reafon, are as the term of a reafonable foul: and those principles, are principles of action; fo the philofopher, anima eft in difpofitione ad quamlibet formam, in poteftate ad omnem actum. The foul may be made any thing; and may do any

action.

'Tis neceffary the mind of man should be enlightned, as to matters of faith; and excited as to other things within its fphere, within the compafs of reafon.

A man may be for a while in a falfe opinion, thus; upon prefumption, and imagination fortified by non-attendance, and a non-occurrence of an occafion of thorough examination as yet; which when once given, the error is discarded. A man may chance, by fome incogitancy, to be in an opinion, which when he comes feverely to examine and cenfure; he may wonder at his former inclination.

The

The materials of knowledge are large, and very various many are greatly incumbred with business. and have little leifure: and we are not confiderable where we have not thought, and examined. None is felf-fufficient, or born to actual knowledge; but to faculties and poffibilities only: we are much more ourselves, where we have taken pains and made enquiry.

5. Another cause of error, is want of neceffary helps and fupplies which others do enjoy ; as friends, fitting acquaintance, freedom of converfe, liberty of time, and opportunity. It betters mens healths and conftitution to live and breath in a free and open air. Had fome but once heard a fuppofition, or fuggeftion to the contrary, they had escaped their mistakes. Poffibly, if they had once imagined, that others had not fo thought, they would have confidered; fo fenfible is modesty and ingenuity.

Men acted by God's fpirit, imitate the divine fpirit; and come as refiners with fire, to do away man's drofs. One who hath well confidered, confulted, examined, is oraculor to the ignorant to perfons of no vacancy and leisure. These have prepared intellectual dainties, fpiritual food for them.

How comparatively defective in respect of others fuch an one is, who lives out of free and ingenuous converse, though of commendable self-improvement? This notion is so true, that I wonder will venture to speak, where he hath not thought, especially in fearching company.

any

These are the causes and occafions of error and
Secondly,

mistake,

A 3

Secondly, The prefervatives and fecurities against the danger of error, are,

1. Care of right information. We owe this to ourfelves, as of nearer concernment than food and raiment. We owe this, as to truth, in refpect of its worth and excellency; fo to our own fouls. Truth is of kin to our fouls, and natural to us : ́error is foreign, and a lie. No truth is fo useless and unprofitable, as by any principle we may admit, to be neglected. 'Tis the best apology for a mistake that we did look out after truth.

2. Let the temper of mind be modeft and humble. Secure the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. The meek God will lead in judgment, Pfal. xxv. 9. and, he gives grace to the lowly, Prov. iii. 34. Every one is encouraged to discover his sense to the candid and ingenuous. This is the learner's temper. 'Tis every one's duty to give anfwer to every fuch enquirer. To be ready always to give answer to every man that asketh a reafon of the hope that is in them, with meeknefs and fear, 1 Pet. iii. 15. But he is not likely to learn, who is not of a teachable fpirit.

3. A general intention to entertain and submit to all truth whatsoever, whenfoever it fhall appear: an implicit faith in God, where the fenfe of any text is not clear. This carries with it a double advantage; it doth qualify, prepare, and dispose the mind to be receptive of the highest truth whenfoever it shall appear and it is an antidote against the malignity of any error, which, in the mean while, any one may chance to be in. He is in an honeft meaning, whilst in error (in materia erroris.) 4. Deal

4. Deal ingenuously with truth, and love it for itfelf; both in refpect of the ground upon which you receive it, and of the use you make of it. The certainty and affurance we have that it is truth, we receive from reafon and fcripture; that it may be out of confcience to God, not out of compliance with humour and luft, nor out of a refpect to a party or faction. To compromife, and refer ourselves, is only excufable for a while, as we are yet weak, and in the ftate of learners.

Make not truth fubfervient to bafe ends. Have religion only to honour God with, to do good to men, to fanctify and fave thy own soul.

5. See the fatal iffue of wilfulness or wantonness of opinion, in the fhameful mifcarriages of fuch as have given themselves up to dreams and fancies. Hereof feveral hiftories give an account. Otherwhere we love to hear of dangers, that we may provide against them, and avoid them. As good

examples are for our imitation; fo the bad are for our admonition and warning. If we be not careful of good fecurity of truth, we give advantage to the devil to put his delufions upon us. We fhall be obnoxious to all the cheats and impoftors of all counterfeits among men.

Those at Munster in Germany, much about the time of the reformation, proved a scandal to the reafon of the world, and a reproach to christianity. So are all those who make religion reproveable by fober reason; or turn the grace of God into wantonnefs. The Gnofticks of old, and their fucceffors in fpirit ever fince, did this. There is nothing of af

ter