The difficulty of and the encouragements to a reformation a sermon preached before the…

6. Universality: To do as the most do; this is a great rule; they never consider what the Scriptures direct to, but they will believe, and worship, and live as the most do; now God hath expressly forbidden this, Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; They are but few to whom Christ revealeth himself: The whole world lieth in darkness; And as that mould of the earth which turneth into stones is far greater then that which becomes metal; and as the weeds are far more then the flowers; so are sinners far more then those that do truly worship God. This sect is every where spoken against, say they of Christs way; And you shall be hated of all men for my names sake; But as hell is not the more comfortable, because so many are there, so neither ought the paths thither to be the more pleasant, because there are so many companions, which lead to destruction.

6. Universality: To doe as the most doe; this is a great rule; they never consider what the Scriptures direct to, but they will beleeve, and worship, and live as the most doe; now God hath expresly forbidden this, Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evill; They are but few to whom Christ revealeth himselfe: The whole world lyeth in darknesse; And as that mould of the earth which turneth into stones is farre greater then that which becomes metall; and as the weeds are farre more then the flowers; so are sinners far more then those that doe truly worship God. This sect is every where spoken against, say they of Christs way; And you shall be hated of all men for my names sake; But as hell is not the more comfortable, because so many are there, so neither ought the paths thither to be the more pleasant, because there are so many companions, which lead to destruction.

7. Enthusiasm: That is, when men set up their private fancies ⟨p. 14⟩and spirits against the meaning of God in his Word. But because all the godly are traduced by following a private spirit, and because that place of Scripture is urged by some, No Scripture is of private interpretation, it is good to consider the distinction I shall bring, grant that it be read [Greek or Hebrew], not [Greek or Hebrew], (which signifieth an impulse or coming upon us:) An interpretation may be said to be private either 1. in regard of the person, and so that is not forbidden, for it is lawful for one private man to gain-say the whole world, if he have a true interpretation of Scripture; or 2. it is private ratione medii, when he takes a false medium, he doth not take the context, and the circumstances; and this private interpretation, which doth not publicly appear in the words, is forbidden: or 3. private is ratione finis, the end of a man, when though he take a right way and course, yet he hath some sinister end, and this also is forbidden: So then, a private spirit is then made a rule, when we take our own thoughts of the Scripture, and do not found or establish our meaning upon the context. The Papists and Enthusiasts are contrary one to another; Thus Christ, as Tertullian saith, is always crucified between two thieves, truth suffers between two contrary errors.