A Good Day Well Improved, Sermon

A Good Day Well Improved · Sermon

p. 244The form of Sound Words.

2 Tim. 1. 13.

Hold faſt the form of ſound Words, which thou haſt heard of me, in faith and love, which is in Chriſt Jeſus.

IN the 4^th verſe we find young Timothy weeping, not out of a childiſh weakneſs, but from a ſad apprehenſion of real danger. He a young Steerſman in his new office of an Evangeliſt was lanched out into the deep when windes were loud, and ſeas went high, and (it may be) he might think of that foreign of ſome making ſhipwrack of the faith which he had read of in the firſt chapter of the former Epiſtle. And then wonder not, if Moſes be loath that Jethro (who might Numb. 10 31.Num 10:31be in ſtead of eyes to him) ſhould p. 245have been in a wilderneſs, if the Diſciples cry out for fear in the Matth. 14. 26.Matt 14:26Tempeſt when they think Chriſt is abſent; if Aeneas ſigh, when Multa gemens caſus; animum concuſſus amici.he hath loſt his Palinurus, and if Timothy weep when Paul his former Pilot had left him. So hardly is this Nurſling ſnatched, Aeneid. 5.from the breaſt, ready (if not with the Galatians to pluck out, Gal. 4. 15.Gal 4:15yet) to weep out his eyes for ſuch a loſs. And therefore to buoy up his ſpirit, that it might not ſink in theſe deep waters, he writes this ſecond Epiſtle to him, in which, He

Partly incourageth him to keep up his heart, and to bear up againſt the ſtorme that lay upon him, in the foregoing verſes, and partly he directs him in This, to have his eye fixed on the card and compaſs which he had left with him, Hold faſt the form of ſound words, which thou haſt heard of me in faith and love, which is in Chriſt Jeſus.

In which words we have theſe particulars.

1. A forme of words, p. 246foreign.

2. Set out by their excellent quality, foreign they are ſound ones.

3. By the ſpeaker or utterer of them, Paul himſelf foreign, which thou haſt heard of me.

4. From the Subject matter, foreign, in faith and love.

5. From the Principall Author foreign, which is in Chriſt Jeſus.

6. By the Adjunct duty which we owe and muſt performe to them, in that word foreign, hold faſt. It is to have and to hold; ſo have it, that he hold it; and ſo hold it that he may ever have it. Hold faſt the forme of ſound words, &c.

From the firſt it ſeemeth that 1 A form of words.Formes ſo much decryed in our times, were not ſo undervalued in Pauls, who you ſee had left with Timothy foreign, a forme of words, which the Greek Interpreters, paraphraſe Chryſoſt. Theophylact. Oaecumen. Theodoret.by foreign, &c. a picture or pattern, p. 247&c. and make account that He alluded to the Painters or Limmers Art; as Polycletes made a Statue according to the rules of his Art, which he called his Canon, to be the ſtander or ſtanding rule and Sampler which others ſhould work by. Such a copy had Paul written Timothy, both for matter and forme, things and words, in his doctrine and preaching, that indeed it was not ſo much like the Painters foreign, which moſt properly ſignifieth the firſt lines or ruder draught, as the Orators Grotius.rather, which the Rhetoricians deſcribe to be a Repreſenting a thing Aretius.by words, ſo fully to the life, that it is not ſo much heard as ſeen. Such was that foreign, that forme of knowledge and truth Rom. 2. 20. and that foreign that Syſtem or ſhort Modell of the Principles of the doctrine of Chriſt, Heb. 6. 1. Such were of old their ancient Creeds, Canons of Councils, and ſince the Confeſſions and Catechiſmes whither of whole p. 248Churches or of particular men, their Summes, Inſtitutions, Syſtems, Syntagmes, Synopſes, or by what ever other name you call ſuch Modells of Divinity, as orderly lay down together ſuch divine truths as are ſcattered up and down in the Scripture, or explain ſuch as there ſeem to be ſomething obſcure, and ſo preſent them, in a full and clear diſtinct view, for the better help, eſpecially of a weaker eye againſt the faſcinations of jugling Impoſtors. A practiſe,

1. Ever in uſe, ſince God himſelf Exod. 20. 31. 18.Exod 20:31Exod 20:18wrote the Decalogue as the Summary of things to be done. And Chriſt taught us his own Mat. 6. 9.Matt 6:9prayer, as a Pattern of ours, in what is to be deſired. And the Apoſtles their Canons, Act. 15. and the Primitive Churches and Fathers their Creeds, and ſo along till the Arians and other Hereticks, who were pinched by them, did therefore complain of them, as in our times of deformity and confuſion we have ſyſtems and confeſſions of faith often p. 249twitted and ſlighted, but the beſt is that it is by ſuch as will in this, as other things tread in their dear friends the Socinians and Arminians ſteps, who cannot indure ſuch checks of their extravagant corruptions, and it is but the wild aſs that brayeth againſt ſuch incloſures, and treades down all fences, becauſe ſhe meaneth to run wild in the wilderneſs.

Of great uſe.

1. Not with the widow of 2 Sam. 14. 20.2 Sam 14:20Tekoah to fetch about foreign a form of ſpeech, the better to deceive, or to train up men to reſt in Formalities, as the Jews did in that Form of knowledge, Rom. 2. 20. or as thoſe Deceivers in a forme of godlineſs, 2 Tim. 3. 5. who yet are not there blamed becauſe they had a forme, but becauſe they wanted life and power, we very readily ſubſcribe to what Hierom ſaith, that Scripture truth, is in medulla, non in ſuperficie, non in terminorum foliis, ſed in radice rationis, and ſay with Syneſius that the holy Ghoſt foreign p. 250though every Title and Iota in it is ſacred yet it is the kernel of the doctrine, and not ſo much the ſhell of the words, that we ſo much ſtand upon. And therefore if any ſhall conceitedly affect and inſiſt upon any formes of words of their own making as are either meerly leaves, or that cover ſome poyſonous toad of error and impiety under them, we will very readily call them (as Nazianzen Orat. 6. de Spir. S.did his Adverſary) A. B. C. ſophyſters, and wording Sycophants; Such empty ſhells of Formalities we leave to more empty vain hearts (like children) to play with, and thoſe foreign thoſe formed feigned words (which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of) 2 Pet. 2. 3. to thoſe deceitfull Hukſters to make merchandiſe with, which ſome of them who now a dayes decry formes moſt, are moſt notoriouſly guilty of, and in this kind of all others the moſt affected Formaliſts: who with their new lights have got a ſet of newminted words, and phraſes, a ſtrain of high flown canting in p. 251their foreign and foreign right out thoſe foreign, 2 Pet. 2. 18.2 Pet 2:18even ſwelling words of vanity, which Peter obſerved and noted in the Seducers of his time, and Calvin in the Libertines and Inſtructio adverſus libert. cap. 7▪Quintiniſts of his, and the Shiboleth of many in ours, by which although we cannot underſtand their language, yet we may eaſily come to know them, whileſt their form of ſpeech bewraieth them.

2. Nor to be onelyonly bare Declarations of what we believe: An ecce fidem meam, or Apologies and Purgations of our ſelves from the Aſperſions and ſlanders of others, who either miſconceive or willfully miſreport us: For this Prefat. ad Confeſs. Atque etiam ſit Res propria Remonſtrantibus, qua ab omnibus aliis in tota Chriſtianit…te p…aeciſis ſ…ctis diſernuntur. Synod. Remonſtra. cap. 3.uſe the Remonſtrants themſelvs wil allow of them, and no wonder, becauſe when they are deſervedly taxed, they have need to Apologize. But this is all that they will allow them, becauſe they do ſo dearly hugg that Helena of theirs, their libertas prophetandi, as their main intereſt, and on which they have ſet their property, as being their p…c…lium onelyonly, and p. 252ſo become impatient of any ſuch reſtraint: though I cannot but wonder that they ſhould ſay, that the Primitive Churches and Chriſtians intended no more by their Creeds, Canons and Confeſſions, Prefat. ad confeſs. in libro de fide ad Petrum.then by them onelyonly to teſtifie, Non quid credendum eſſet, ſed quid ipſi crediderint, when they read ſo often in Auſtin, Firmiſſimè crede, & nullatenus dubites; and when in their Synods and Councils, they did ſo frequently (and I fear too too liberally) thunder out their Anathemaes Remonſtra. in exam. praefat. Cenſu…ae.againſt thoſe that taught contrary to their determinations, and when the Remonſtrants themſelves do ſo cry out of Athanaſius for pride, and in his Quicunque vult ſalvari, &c. which he prefixeth before the Articles of his Creed.

3. I add therefore in the 3^d place, that theſe Formes of ſound Words are uſeful, and in ſome caſes are neceſſary, and ſo have been uſed as Declarations, not onelyonly of what we our ſelves believe, but alſo, of what we judge that all ſhould believe (unleſſe we could p. 253think that others might rightly believe that as true, which we in our conſcience judge to be falſe, a goodly peece of our ingenuous loving-hearted Arminians charity) and alſo deſire and require, that all ſhould profeſſe, or at leaſt not openly contradict, with whom we joyn in neareſt Church Communion: So it was with the Apoſtles in their Canons, Acts 15. And ſo it is with particular Churches in their Articles and Confeſſions to this day; and ſo may it be alwayes; Ringantur licet & rumpantur Socino-Remonſtrantes. Notwithſtanding all the rage and invectives of Socinians, Arminians, Libertines, and other Sectaries, Haec ſacra aliter non conſtant. Praefat ad Apologiam.who will rather diſturb, yea and ruine both Churches and States, and ſnap aſunder the ſacred bond of Peace, then be thus hampred.

4. They are therefore in the 4^th place Communionis Teſſarae & Judices, not onelyonly badges of our Chriſtian Church Communion, but alſo great helps and furtherers of it, whereby uncomfortable p. 254diviſions may be prevented, and the peace of the Church the better preſerved, whileſt we all profeſs the ſame Truth, and ſpeak the ſame thing, being perfectly joyned together in the ſame minde, and the ſame judgement, 1 Cor. 1. 10. The Remonſtrants indeed tell us that there are Non pauci pii, & probi, many honeſt godly men Praefat ad Confeſſ.(they mean their own ſweet ſelves and their dear party, for who ſo honeſt and godly as they?) who diſlike ſuch Formes and Confeſſions as derogatory to the Authority, Sufficiency and perſpicuity of the Scriptures. 2. As a wrong to liberty of conſcience, and of Propheſying. 3. As a great cauſe of Schiſmes and Factions in the Church.

For the firſt, They fear where no fear is. No fear of taking from the Authority and Perſpicuity of the Scriptures, by theſe confeſſions which are wholly built upon them, and for matter wholly, and for Words and Phraſes in a great part taken out of them, not ſo much as by a ſingle private Miniſters p. 255confirming and explaining of them in the courſe of his Miniſtry, which I hope they are not againſt, unleſſe they who are ſo chary and tender of the liberty of Propheſying will quite take away both the office and gift of Propheſying, which when Chriſt inſtituted in his Church, he ſure never intended it ſhould be any blemiſh or prejudice to the Scriptures Authority or Perſpicuity.

For the 2^d let the Papiſts anſwer Solum pontificium atque Hiſpanum regnum videte; jumenta ibi ſunt non homines; quicquid imponitur id portat vulgus, ut aſcenus. Iſidi. Sacra.to God and man for their Tyranny over Gods Peoples Conſciences and true liberty: The Spaniſh Inquiſition, when God makes inquiſition for blood there ſhed, in this kinde will be ſadly accountable. We that have been this way pinched our ſelves I hope ſhould never have impoſed upon others the like yoke of ſlavery. Some indeed (that their tongues might be as licentious as their practiſes) laviſh it at large, ſpeak loud, as though they had hired a Tertullus to help them with invectives, or ſome mercinary Lawyer to draw up a bill in chancery p. 256with a moſt horrid charge that hath never a word of truth in it: General outcries againſt an intended acted Tyranny; but they ſhould inſtance in particulars and make them good; mean while as long as the skin is whole, though they pour vinegar on us, it will not ſmart, and we think Paul was a ſufficient anſwer, Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuſe me. I only here add Acts 24. 13Acts 24:13that whileſt this liberty of conſcience and Propheſying is ſo tendred in this particular by thoſe honeſt holy men the Remonſtrants ſpake of, we may conclude that they themſelves were thoſe holy men they meant, becauſe (as I ſhewed before) they have impropriated this plea for this liberty to themſelves, and therefore we onelyonly bring home theſe ſtray goods from the common, to the true owners incloſure.

But (to return from this digreſſion) the 3^d danger of Schiſmes and Factions which they ſuggeſt wil be the fruit of thoſe Formes and Confeſſions, is that which in p. 257this particular I am eſpecially to take notice of, and all that I ſhall now ſay to it is, that when they have put the pen into an Epiſcopius his hand, He knoweth how to flant and flouriſh it, make a great letter of it, and make a terrible Gorgons head in it, and his pen and tongue here runs riot. To all which, it will be ſufficient onelyonly to ſay, Verba quid audio, facta quum videam? Whatever either He or any of His may in umbra Philoſophare vel Rhetoricare, either write in his ſtudy, or talk to them that will believe him; I ſuppoſe they that will believe him are ſuch as are blinde, and ſo cannot ſee what is done in the world, and ſo cannot diſprove him, but that confeſſions breed Schiſmes and Diviſions, whileſt that liberty and Toleration which they ſo much plead for, will conjoyn all in peace and Chriſtian union, yet the ſad experience of the whole Church in ſeveral Ages, we might put them in minde of their own, we are too ſure that Ours in theſe wofully diſtracted times doth too ſadly inform us of p. 258the contrary, & cryeth aloud, that the not keeping more cloſe to ſuch Formes of ſound Words, (which our Church was ſometimes famous for in point of Doctrine) but every one may ſpeake and write the vain Phanſies of his own heart, and impunè ſpread fouleſt hereſies and blaſphemies, hath miſerably torn us in pieces, and divided us in ſemper diviſibilia. The Lord in mercy ſpeedily heal theſe gaſhes and ruptures; Of which cure this will be one ſpecial meanes of holding faſt foreign, the form of ſound and wholſome words, for ſo

5. That is a further ſpiritual end and uſe of it, that by the help thereof preſent controverſies as they ariſe may be the better underſtood and determined. So Acts 15.

6. And ſo alſo they may be as memorials to poſterity of their forefathers faith, and be left as depoſitums (as they are called in the verſe following the Text) to be kept as their legacies or inheritances, and ſo to be intailed as to be tranſmitted from father to ſon, p. 259ad natos natorum, & qui naſcuntur Pſal. 78. 2, 3, 4.Ps 78:2Ps 78:3Ps 78:4ab illis, in all ſucceſſions to the preventing of after innovations and corruptions:

But more particularly they are eſpecially uſefull

1. To weak ones (it was in relief to ſuch the Apoſtles that firſt framed their Cannons, Acts 15. 24.) whileſt what is more diffuſedly ſcattered up and down in the whole Scripture is gathered together in a Synopſis for their better view, and what may be there by reaſon of ſome Words or Phraſes which we now are leſſe acquainted with, more obſcurely expreſſed, is here more familiarly preſented to their weaker underſtanding: a right and fit cloſing of ſuch weak infants heads, as a Feſtuke in their hand to help them to ſpell, and pronounce right. Such fluid mettall hath need of a mould to bring it to a conſiſtent forme, ſuch weak lambs and ſilly ſheep need to be put into ſuch incloſures (which looſe heads and hearts will call and eſteem pinfolds) which otherwiſe will be ready to wander and go aſtray p. 260in the broad Common.

2. To diſcover and repulſe Seducers, and ſubverters of the ſouls of Gods people, Acts 15. 24. As the ſame pale which keeps in the Deer, keeps out the ravenous wilde beaſt; and therefore although we do not make them either firſt or ſecond rules of faith, as the Remonſtrants are ready to aſperſe us, yet for Them to allow them, ne quidem ullum quantumvis infimum in Eccleſia locum (as their Ʋbi prius.words are) we cannot but think is too too illiberal, at leaſt in Clemens Alexandrinus his phraſe, with their good leave, let them be foreign, A fence to the vineyard, and ſo they will be in ſome place in the Church, and of ſome very good uſe too, indeed of more then they would willingly have them; and hinc illae lachrymae. Becauſe the foot is ſwoln, it therefore complains of the ſhoo as too ſtrait: and ſo none more cry out of theſe Formes, then they who have formed to themſelves ſome deformed monſters in opinion or practiſe, and then the crooked p. 261piece of timber would have the ſquare and ſtraight rule caſt away, as the painter drave away the true Cock, that it might not diſcover the fillineſſe of his painted one. There are few but know what made the Remonſtrants ſuch enemies to Synods and their determinations, whileſt they cryed up the liberty of Propheſying. And with us, when times were faſt haſting to Popery, the word Inſtitutions (becauſe Calvins) was ſcorned as proud with more pride; and of late ſince Church affairs have been in a confuſion, we here have had Confeſſions of Faith, and ſuch like Formes at every turn ſo taken up, and flurted, and all upon the ſame account, which will make me like Formes never the worſe, becauſe men of corrupt judgements, and ſuch as make Grace and Scripture, yea, Chriſt himſelf but Formes, think and ſpeak ſlightly of them; but rather the better, becauſe they who would manifeſtly bring in corruption, and all confuſion are againſt them, becauſe indeed ſuch Formes p. 262are againſt them. The dam ſtops and checks the violent ſtream, and that is it which makes it ſwell and murmur. The eye is ſore, and therefore cannot endure the Light; the wares they would put off are ſophiſticate, and therefore like not too light a ſhop. It's a ſign of the better phyſick, and that it meets with the peccant humour, if it makes the diſtempered Patient ſick of it, and the foul ſtomack ready to caſt it up with loathing.

But then the Phyſick muſt in it ſelf be wholeſome,

Which is the ſecond particular 2. Sound Words.in the Text. foreign but foreign. a form of words we would have, but then they muſt be ſound ones: A word which our Apoſtle oft makes uſe of, twice in the former Epiſtle, Chap. 1. 10. and 6. 3. and twice in this here: in the Text, and Chap. 4. 3. and four times in that to Titus, Chap. 1. 9. 13. and Chap. 2. 2. 8. in all w^ch that we may be ſound in the faith; He calleth for ſound words: Sani and Sanantes, Sound, and healing p. 263it muſt be ſound ſpeech, and wholſome healing doctrine, and theſe two Readings take up all that I wou… ſpeak of it, indeed all that is co…ained in it.

Theſe words muſt be foreign, found in themſelves, containing foreign Iliad. foreign.folid and ſavoury & ſaving truths, without traſh and mixture of vanity and error, eſpecially ſuch as are more poyſonous and deadly: Sincere milk, 1 Pet. 2. 2. without the poyſon of malice and guile, v. 1. pure wheat, Jer. 23. 28. without the chaff of vanity; perfect, Pſal. 19. 7. without defect. Right ibid. without crookedneſſe, pure without droſſe, v. 8. clear without ſpot, v. 9. true, ibid. in a word foreign truth in the abſtract, and foreign righteous altogether, in the whole complex. Such and ſo ſound are Gods words. But what is Jer. 23. 28.Jer 23:28the chaff to the wheat? Such are not.

1. The writings of Philoſophers in which, although ſome would now make us believe they can find out a new way to heaven, yet if they would but look better, or but read over Plutarchs book de Philoſophorum p. 264placitis, whilſt (with Auſtin) they could not finde Chriſt there, they would finde ſo much error and corruption, and folly there, as would fully make out Pauls foreign, and foreign, Rom. 1. 21, 22. and that they were become ſo vain and fooliſh, that there would be no ground of hope left to any of their greateſt Admirers, by them to be made wiſe to ſalvation, but that every learned man, at leaſt every ſpirituall Chriſtian may write Tertullians Motto on the backſide of their books, Animam non dant, quia non habent. Something Nota Ciceronis vox eſt, Ʋtinam tam facile vera invenire poſſem quam falſa convincere Lactantius lib. 2. cap. 3. 2 King 5. 12, 13.2 Kgs 5:122 Kgs 5:13they were able to do in diſcovering falſe Religions, but not at all able to manifeſt the true: Abana and Ph…rpar, and other rivers of Damaſcus, Naaman may think are better then all the waters of Iſrael. But for all that it's Iſraels Jordan that he muſt waſh in, if he would be cleanſed from his leproſie. They are theſe wholſom healing words that muſt work that cure, not a Philoſophers, not a Socrates his dictates.

p. 2652. Such is not the Jewiſh Talmud, with all the reſt of their Cabaliſticall difficiles nugae, and ridiculous Rabbinical fooleries; In which field whatever good corn is to be found (which ſome are ready to over-rate) yet it is ſo thin ſown, and ſo overgrown with the gayes of their vain fables, and up and down with the poyſonous weed of their falſe doctrines and ſuperſtitions, with a deadly enmity to Jeſus Chriſt the Tree of Life, that it appears to be like that earth which God hath curſed: and although ſome of them dare blaſphemouſly compare the Law to Water, and their Miſhne to wine, and their Talmud Vino condito, yet this precious peece of theirs is ſo mixt with ridiculous fables, and fooliſh conceipts, that in ſuch fooleries you may plainly read a Jew, who hath denied and crucified the Wiſdom of God: and ſome men, it may be, have not been much miſtaken, who have obſerved an odd tincture in thoſe Chriſtians ſpirits and notions, or Crotchets, who have too much doated p. 266on their Writings.

3. Such is not Mahomets Alcoran: which if learned men be beholden to for the pure Arabick language, and ſo for Words, yet it is ſuch an unlicked deformed peece, that I cannot call it a Form of Words, eſpecially ſo far from ſound ones, that except the often aſſerting of Gods Omniſcience, and ſome few ſuch particulars, which here and there you meet with in it, in ſtead of theſe foreign, we may ſafely ſay there is foreign. So confuſed and contradictory it is, both to the Scripture, and to it ſelf; ſo abſurd and ridiculous, that it is one of the great judgements of God upon this ſinfull world, that ſo great a part of it ſhould be taken with it; and but that it promiſeth bodily delights & pleaſures, which beſt ſutes with ſenſuall beaſts, and keeps down Learning, and ſo keeps them from being rationall men, it would never have ſo taken with Mahumetans abroad, or with us Chriſtians, I had almoſt ſaid us Engliſh men here at home, that it ſhould p. 267be ſo believed by them, or of late be tranſlated and printed by us in London Anno 1649this fruitfull ſeaſon, and rank ſoil, in which every ſprigg of any poyſonous weed ſo ſoon takes, whileſt others elſewhere burn it.In France.

4. And laſtly, ſuch is not the golden Legend, which is all over droſſe, or if there be any metall in it, Lud. Vives telleth you what it is, when he ſaith that he who made it was plumbei oris, & ferrei cordis, and he might have added aeneae frontis, for he had a braſen face, that could not bluſh at thoſe ridiculous lyes which he heapeth up in it. Nor the diſeaſed ſwoln body of the Popes Canon lawes, in which great heap is a great deal of chaff, which yet Pope Eugenius will have ſwept up, and taken in to make up the full meaſure of their iniquity, and to make the bulk the bigger, not onelyonly Gratians decreta, but alſo the Cardinals Paleae muſt be preſſed in: Totus liber approbatus eſt, etiam cum omnibus Paleis, as D^r Marta tels us.

Theſe and ſuch like empty vanities, and rotten foreign, are p. 268Eph. 4. 29Eph 4:29none of theſe ſound words, which a heart ſound in Gods ſtatutes will Pſal. 119. 80.Ps 119:80cloſe with, or ſtick to; neither Chriſtianity nor common prudence would have us magno conatu nugas, break our arme by throwing ſuch light feathers with our whole might, or lean with our whole weight on ſuch broken reeds of Iſa. 36. 6.Isa 36:6Egypt which wil break and wound us; and yet ſuch is our folly and vanity, that falling ſhort of that foreign that ſubſtantiall ſound Prov. 2. 7. 3. 24. 8. 14.Prov 2:7Prov 2:3Prov 2:24Prov 2:8Prov 2:14wiſdom, which Chriſt is, and his word affords us, pro Iunone nubem, we graſp ſuch ſhadowes, and having gone a whoring from God, and conceiving ſin, the womans Pica is become both the man and womans diſeaſe, we feed on traſh, and long for ſuch ſtrange Kickſhawes. A diſtemper which not onelyonly this laſt and worſt is, but even the firſt and beſt was ſick of, eſpecially our Timothies Epheſians, and Titus his Cretians, their foreign trained them up to curioſities, and the others ſlow bellies could riſe no higher then Tit. 1. 12 1 Tim. 4. 7Titus 1:121 Tim 4:7dull old wives fables, and ſome other p. 269ſuch like trifles. And therefore you ſhall finde that in theſe Epiſtles to Timothy and Titus ſuch toyes are more decryed then in all the reſt of the Bible, and they in them more bett upon then any other argument, as the earneſt contending about

Endleſſe Genealogies, 1 Tim. 1. 4. like ſome of our hot diſputes about ſome Punctilio in Chronologie.

Jewiſh and profane old wives fables, 1 Tim. 1. 4. 4. 7. Tit. 1. 14. It may be not much worſe then the duſt that is raiſed about ſome old Legend, or ſome doubtfull or falſe paſſage in Church Hiſtory, ſtrife about words, and Logomachies, 1 Tim. 6. 4. 2 Tim. 2. 14. Such Tully ſaith, made up the greateſt part of the ſage Stoicks diſputations: and how much better are the high and proud conteſts of thoſe who account themſelves the greateſt Scholars about their verball Criticiſmes?

Oppoſitions of ſcience falſly ſo called, foreign, 1 Tim. 6. 20. anſwerable to the ancient and our now preſent Gnoſticks, p. 270high flown ſublimated ſpeculations.

Fooliſh and unlearned queſtions, and perverſe diſputations and contentions about the Law, 2 Tim. 2. 23. 1 Tim. 6. 5. Tit. 3. 9. paralleled by our buſie Queſtioniſts and Queriſts, with whom all that ſhould prove fruit runs up into the blade: the power of godlineſſe evaporating into debates, debates indeed in more ſenſes then one, who ſtudy to diſpute more then to live, and that uſually about doubtfull Queries, whileſt they deny confeſſed and grounded even fundamentall truths; or about the Mint and Aniſe of Church Diſcipline Mat. 23. 23.Matt 23:23and Ceremonies, and ſuch Acceſſories, with the neglect of thoſe foreign the weightier things of the Law, more ſolid and ſubſtantiall truths, and ſuch as contain in them the life and power of godlineſſe. Quantum eſt in rebus inane? O the vanity of corrupt mindes, and deſtitute of the 1 Tim. 6. 5.1 Tim 6:5truth, that kindle ſuch fires in chips and ſtraw, to ſet all in a combuſtion! Our Apoſtle in one p. 2711 Tim. 6. 4.1 Tim 6:4place calleth it a diſeaſe, foreign, which our times are very ſick of; in another an Itch, foreign 2 Tim. 4. 3.2 Tim 4:3foreign: for as that is ſeated in the outward parts of the body, ſo this in the tongues and fancies of ſuperficiall Chriſtians, who after their own luſts heap to themſelves teachers, not being able to endure ſound doctrine.

But it is firm ground that a wiſe man treads hard on, good food that a good ſtomach feeds heartily on, that which the faithfull ſoul muſt hold faſt is the faithful word, Tit. 1. 9. The Form of ſound Words, as here in the Text. Firſt Sani, in themſelves Sound, and not traſh.

Sanantes, in their uſe wholſom, 2▪and not poiſon: for too many ſuch deſtructive words and doctrines there are, which eat like a canker, and ſubvert the hearers, 2 Tim. 2. 14. 17. make them erre from the faith, yea ſo as to make ſhipwrack of it, 1 Tim. 1. 19. 6. 21. Trent Canons are a Form of words, but ſo far from ſound ones, that ſome have not amiſs expounded p. 272Brightman.that in Revel. 16. 3. of them, that they made the ſea become as the blood of a dead man, that every living thing died in it.

H. Nichols his Evangelium Regni; A Raccovian Catechiſm; the Remonſtrants Confeſſion, are formes of words too, but many of them dangerous ones.

Many ſuch Formes are in theſe times of Deformation rather then Reformation minted daily, which He would ingage very far, who ſhould give his word, that they are ſuch words of truth and ſoberneſſe, that the ſoul which hungers Act. 26. 26.Acts 26:26after Chriſt may have wholſome food or Phyſick from them.

Some of them ſwelling the ſoul with the proud doctrines of perfection, and ſelf-exaltation.

Others (nay ſome of the ſame) 2 Pet. 2. 192 Pet 2:19rendring it very caryon and rottenneſſe, with their ranting Principles and anſwerable practiſes of Libertiniſme and looſneſſe.

Some ſtarving it by corrupting or denying the food of it, the holy Scriptures and Sacraments.

All ſo poyſoning it, that you p. 273may ſee thoſe of this diet like Amnon, 2 Sam. 13.2 Sam 13or ſome other man who hath ſome foul diſeaſe upon him, ill thriving colour fading, hair ſhedding, fleſh decaying and putrifying, even his bones and marrow conſuming; the very outward profeſſion of godlineſſe blaſted, and the inward power of it, not ſo much neglected as deſpiſed; witneſſes from Heaven againſt ſuch corrupt doctrines, and ſaddeſt evidences of Gods wrath from heaven Rom. 1. 18Rom 1:18againſt ſuch wretched men, whileſt he thus ſends leanneſſe into Pſal. 106. 15.Ps 106:15their ſouls. But is this wholeſome food that they no better thrive by? No, but ſuch as

1. A true ſavoury ſpirit reliſheth; for although ſome poyſon be ſo ſubtile as it's hardly at firſt diſcovered, yet as the ear tryeth words, and the mouth taſtes its meat, ſo Job 12. 1… ▪ 34. 3.Job 12:1Job 12:34Job 12:3the ſheep of Chriſts paſture, even by a divine inſtinct, diſcern what food is wholeſom, and what is otherwiſe: and not onelyonly they who have their ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern good and evil, but even the Heb. 5. 14.Heb 5:14new-born babe hath ſuch a taſte, p. 274as ſoon as it's made partaker of the divine nature, that it can tell 2 Pet. 1. 4. 1 Pet. 2. 3, 4.2 Pet 1:41 Pet 2:31 Pet 2:4when the ſincere milk of the word is adulterated, though, it may be, it cannot tell wherein or wherewith: as that godly Chriſtian (who had a better heart then head) had his ſpirit riſing againſt ſomething which he heard in a Sermon, but he could not tell why, which afterward was made out to him to be very corrupt doctrine: and I think He ſaid not amiſſe, who ſaid, that in judging doctrines and practiſes, he gave much, though not to vain Enthuſiaſmes, yet to the foreign or propenſion of the ſpirits of ſober believers; for although the Scripture be the Rule, or the Pole-ſtarre, yet the ſpirits of the faithfull ſavingly touched from heaven point to it; ſo that it is likely to be an unſavoury or poyſonous weed, which the flock of Chriſts ſheep generally will let ſtand, and not feed on; and I ſhould much ſuſpect that either Doctrine or practiſe, which the hearts of the godly univerſally have an inward Antipathy againſt: as p. 275on the contrary It ſeemed good to the holy Ghoſt and us, was the ground and tenor of a Synodical deciſion in the beſt times, Act. 15. 28. and proportionably the hearty complacential cloſing of thoſe who have the Spirit of God, (though not in the ſame kind or meaſure which thoſe had) is a great help, and a good guide to a right judgment of diſcretion, and to this concluſion, that it's like to be wholſome food which healthfull ſound men do generally and in a manner naturally reliſh and feed on.

2. Eſpecially that, which they recover and gain health and ſtrength, and ſo thrive by. It is foreign, ſincere milke which the new-born babe batten's and growe's by, 1 Pet. 2. 2. Jerichoes waters were healed, when the 2 King 2…. 21.2 Kgs 2:21Lands barrenneſs was removed, and the Sun of righteouſnenſs is then riſen with healing in his wings, when they who are under his beams and influence, go forth and grow as calves of the ſtall; and Mal. 4. … ▪Mal 4they are planted in the houſe of the p. 276Lord, who flouriſh in the Courts Pſal. 92. 13, 14.Ps 92:13Ps 92:14of our God, and ſtill bring forth fruit even in old age, and are fat and flouriſhing.

As on the contrary, it is but bad ſoile, in which good plants are ſtarved or cankered: Is it likely to be wholeſome diet, which men, otherwiſe well and healthfull, do not thrive on?

But it is no other then heavens ſhine and ſhowers that make the plants of righteouſneſs grow, and bud, and flouriſh, and bring forth fruit: for I cannot in this reſpect aſſent to the Remonſtrants dictates, Ex fructibus aeſtimandi ſunt homines, non ſemper doctrina, it's a good tree (our Saviour Mat. 7. 17.Matt 7:17tells us) which bringeth forth good fruit, and the ſame may be ſaid of good doctrin too, and al though by the corruption of mens hearts, good doctrine may not al wayes bring forth good fruit in their lives, yet it's bad doctrine which naturally bringeth forth what is bad and and abominable.

But wholſome food, even the bread of life let us ever eſteem that, p. 277by which the man of God liveth, and thriveth, cheerfully doth and ſuffereth Gods will, and conſtantly holdeth on in Gods way, and in the ſtrength of it (with Elijah) 1 King. 19. 8.1 Kgs 19:8walketh 40. days and 40. nights, through the wilderneſs of this world, till he come to the mount of God. In a word, that is ſound doctrine, which a ſound heart reliſheth and thrives by. But becauſe man liveth not by bread only, Matth. 4. 4.Matt 4:4but by every word that cometh out of the mouth of God; it is not ſufficient that theſe ſound words have mans approbation, if not withall Gods inſtitution, that as they are acceptable words, ſo alſo words of truth, words of the wiſe, Eccleſ. 12. 10, 11.Eccl 12:10Eccl 12:11but withall given by one Shepheard.

Which leads to the 3^d. particular 3. Which thou haſt heard of me.in the Text, viz. the Speaker by whom they were delivered, in thoſe words, which thou haſt heard of me. Non à quocunque magiſtro, as Lombard and Eſpencaeus paraphraſe it: not from every dogmatizing Maſter, but from an Apoſtle of Chriſt, infallibly p. 278directed by the Spirit of Chriſt. Such truths as have been delivered to us by Chriſt himſelf, the Prophets and Apoſtles, immediately inſpired by the Spirit of God, and now recorded in the Scriptures of truth, either expreſſed in them, or plainly and directly by good and ſtrong conſequence drawn from them: theſe are thoſe words, and formes of ſound words, which we are to hold faſt, and abide by, as a light to our feet, Pſal. 119. 105. 2 Pet. 1, 19. the rule of our faith and life, Gal. 6. 16. and therefore called Canonical, the Foundation on which we are to build, Epheſ. 2. 20. that foreign that mould of doctrine into which we are to be caſt, Rom. 6. 17. that foreign, that Form of knowledge and truth by which we are to be informed. No other fallible Land-mark, but the holy Scriptures Card and Compaſs and Pole-ſtar, which we are to ſteer our courſe by, if we would not make ſhipwrack of faith and a good conſcience. Theſe, theſe p. 279onelyonly are the words of this life; Act. 5. 20.Acts 5:20what ever therefore either they expreſſely affirm, or is from them ſoundly and directly gathered and commended to us, whether by whole Churches, or particular Perſons, although they be not expreſſed wholly in Scripture words, yet if according to the Analogy of faith, for the further clearing of Scripture ſenſe, and the better diſcovering of errors and hereſies as they ariſe, we willingly accept, and carefully hold faſt. But what ever Creeds, Canons, Confeſſions, Conſtitutions, Catechiſmes, &c. either of private men, or of whole Churches, yea of that Church which now nameth it ſelf Catholick, ſhall obtrude upon us any thing directly or by good conſequence contrary to the Scripture in any thing, yea or but foreign beſides what the Gal. 1. 9. 10.Gal 1:9Gal 1:10Scripture teacheth us in the parts and eſſentials of Gods worſhip, or in any thing in doctrine or practiſe pretended as neceſſary to ſalvation, eadem facilitate contemnitur Hieronym. in Matth.qua probatur, we ſtick not eaſily p. 280to reject it, and being backed with the Apoſtles authority, to pronounce him (whether man or Angel) Anathema, who ſhall teach and impoſe it: and in hoc ſenſu we particularly & eſpecially reject, 1. All humane unwritten Traditions: 2. All feigned Divine Revelations.

For humane unwritten Traditions, 1Bellarmine indeed applieth Traditions. De verbo Dei non ſcripto cap. 5.to them this Text, and maketh them at leaſt a part of that Depoſitum in the following verſe: nor can I deny, but that Chryſoſtom upon the Text, and other Greek Interpreters (after their manner following him) run their deſcant upon the word foreign, which thou haſt heard, as relating to what Paul had delivered to Timothy by word of mouth; from which Canus loc. com. lib. 3. Corn. à Lapide, Eſtius, Alii, in Textum.Popiſh writers take a riſe to cry up their unwritten Traditions, which being the ſtrongeſt ſtake in their rotten hedge they moſt highly cry up, and moſt earneſtly contend for.

In their Elogiums which they give them, they are their Homericum foreign their Antidote againſt all infections.

p. 281Lydius Lapis, by which they will try all doctrines.

Sacrum Theſei filum, ſafely to guide you in all Labyrinths and Meanders.

Gladius Goliath, non eſt ſimilis ei, the ſword of their Goliah Pope to offend and ſtrike down all oppoſors.

Ajacis Clypeus, to defend them, and to ward off all blows from eheir enemies.

Nay Fidei fundamentum, the very foundation of their Popiſh faith, and the onelyonly foundation of it ſo far as Popiſh, which if overturned, their Babel cometh down; and take but away, what partly we hold with them agreeable to Scripture, and what they maintain only by Tradition, and what is beſides left of Popery would be a poor thin nothing, and therefore here they fight tanquam pro aris & focis, or if you will we may leave out the tanquam: Elabor andum eſt ut hic locus quàm diligentiſſimè Loc. com. lib. 3. cap 6 ad fiuem.explicaretur & muniretur, ſaith Canus: and good reaſon when he had before (cap. 3.) p. 282ſaid, Traditiones majorem vim habere ad Haereticos refellendos, quàm Scripturas; good reaſon that they ſhould ſo earneſtly fight for Traditions, becauſe by them they can better confute us whom they call Hereticks, then by Scriptures. We kindly thank him for this fair acknowledgement, they are not ſo much the Scriptures as their Traditions, which they muſt knock us poor Hereticks down with. By which they rather appear to be the Hereticks: for of ſuch Tertullian of old ſaid, Lib. de Reſur. carni.nec ſtare ſe poſſe, ſi de ſolis Scripturis cogantur quaeſtiones ſuas ſiſtere.

Tradition is their Helena and Venus, which they ſo paint and trim up. They are modeſt men amongſt them that will afford the Scriptures an equall ſhare of dignity and reſpect with them, for it's as little, as they can give them, to be equall with the Scriptures: Aequè ſunt obſervandae, ſaith Eckius; and pari pietatis affectu In Enchiridio.& reverentia ſuſcipit &c. ſaith the Council of Trent, like him in p. 283Nicephorus, whom they call Beatus Lib. 16. cap. 33.Theodoſius (two names too good for ſuch a blaſphemer) who getting into the Pulpit denounced an Anathema, ſi quis quatuor Synodos quatuor Evangeliis non exaequet, pronounced that man accurſed who did not make the four firſt Synods equal with the four Goſpels: which yet he might better do, then the Cardinal Julianus Fox Acts and Mon. Tom. 1. pag 863.in the Council of Baſil, exhort them to give no leſs credit to the Council then to the Goſpel; Or the Council of Trent, anathematize all that did not thus equal their vain Traditions with the books of the Old and New Teſtament. But they ſtay not here, it is not enough with them to have their Traditions equalled with the holy Scriptures, if they be not much preferred before them:

1. For their Antiquity, as being Bellarmine de Verbo Dei non Scripto, cap. 4.before any Scripture was written; and therefore as firſt born muſt have the preheminence of primogeniture.

2. Hereupon in point of neceſſity: as though the Church had p. 284more need of Traditions then of the Scriptures, and accordingly Bellarmine in that chapter (whoſe title is Oſtenditur Neceſſitas Traditionum) in which he ſhould prove Traditions to be neceſſary, doth take a great deal of more pains to prove that the Scriptures are not neceſſary.

3. In point of authority: which they ſay the Scripture hath onelyonly from the Tradition of the Church, without which ſome of them are not afraid to ſay it would be of no more authority then Aeſops Fables: and the ſame Pighius who durſt call it a noſe of wax, when over ſhoos over boots, and therefore durſt go on and ſay, haec Scripta non praeeſſe noſtra religioni ſed ſubeſſe; and as Caranza adds, that the Scripture is to be regulaby the Church, and not the Church by the Scripture.

4. In point of extent. Traditions according to them containing much more of the word and will of God, then the Scriptures: for although Andradius be ſo modeſt (and that is a wonder, for he is not uſually p. 285wont to be found in that fault) as to grant that maxima pars, the greateſt part of Gods revealed will is contained in Scripture, yet others of his Fellows cannot but account him herein to have been over liberal; for on the quite contrary Hoſius ſaith, that multò maxima pars, that the greateſt part of it by far is contained in Traditions, and others of them ſay that minima particula, it is the very leaſt part of all that is contained in Scripture, whileſt Traditio omnem veritatem in ſe habet, containeth all the myſteries of faith and Religion, if you will beleeve Coſter.

5. For point of continuance. The ſame Author would have you beleeve that this unwritten word is more ſafely kept in their hearts, and not to be raſed out of the Popes, their high Prieſts breaſt-plate, whileſt moths and worms may ſoon conſume theſe written papers and parchments.

6. And ſo alſo in point of incorrupted certainty: whileſt the written word is but a dumb letter, ſpeaks not its own ſenſe, is a noſe p. 286of wax and leaden rule, which every heretick may bend to his purpoſe: on the contrary their Mufti, is a live Judge, and the Tradition of the Church is ſafely lockt up in his breaſt; he gives the true authentick ſenſe of it; and ſo preventeth both the Catholicks error, and the Hereticks depravation.

7. In point of tranſcendent worth and uſefulneſs. The unwritten word is of more moment, ſay ſome of them, and multis partibus ſuperat ſcripturas, ſaith Coſter, as much as the fleſhly tables of Beleevers hearts (in which no doubt their Traditions are written) exceed the Tables of ſtone, or papers or parchments in which the Old and New Teſtament are written.

And for uſe, Corn. à Lapide from thoſe words of the Covenant of Gods writing his Law in our hearts, Jer. 31. 33. would make ſuch weak men, and ſilly Novices as we are beleeve, that Traditions are more proper for the N. T. then the Scriptures. Hoc ſi animadverterent p. 287Haeretici magis proprias eſſe N. Teſtamento Traditiones, quàm Scripturas intelligerent. Euge Jeſuita! en pietatem Romanam! In this his bold and blaſphemous expreſſion, we hear the voice of the Beaſt, and ſee the whores braſen forehead, that bluſheth not to prefer their own dreams before the viſions of God, and their lying Cabala before that foreign the Scripture of truth, which alone is able to make us wiſe to Salvation, 2 Tim. 3. 15.

8. In particular, Canus and moſt of them hold and ſay, that although things of more common nature and concernment were written by Moſes and other Penmen in Scripture, yet the Arcana Imperii the higher myſteries, thoſe holy things were not to be caſt to dogs (for ſo they ſpeak) when they mean theſe rarities of their ſhould not be expoſed to publick view, as it was with the Heathen with their Abdita in Adytis, and as Pythagoras, and ſome other Philoſophers, and the Dryades would not have their p. 288Dictates written for all, but onelyonly communicated to their Scholars, ſuch myſteria to their Myſtae. So Chriſt and his Apoſtles beſides their foreign, their more ordinary and common doctrine which they either ſpake or wrote to all, had their foreign their more ſecret myſteries of So alſo our Enthuſiaſts & Caſtellio vide Beza. in 2 Tim. 3. 17.2 Tim 3:17more high and abſtruſe nature, which were onelyonly delivered by word of mouth to their greater Intimates and Confidents. To which purpoſe Canus feareth not blaſphemouſly to apply that, 1 Cor. 2. 2. but I determined to know (or make known) nothing but Chriſt Jeſus and him crucified, i. e. to you vulgar and ordinary hearers, howbeit we ſpeak wiſdome amongſt them that are perfect: No doubt their high-flown perfectioniſts. Profane Blaſphemer! as though Chriſt crucified, whom in the foregoing Chapter, v. 23. he had ſaid was the wiſdome of God, and the power of God, were but his ordinary and courſe every day doctrin, which he preached to the meaner & vulgar, p. 299but that he had higher ſpeculations which he imparted to thoſe of an higher Form, or (as our new minted word is) diſpenſation and attainment, which our Enthuſiaſts boaſt of in their Revelations, and the Papiſts (as it ſeemeth) promiſe us in their Traditions.

9. And therefore accordingly Lib. 4. de verbo Dei. c. 4.in their practice, as the Jewes (if you will believe Bellarmine) made more uſe of traditions then of the Scripture; ſo the Papiſts plainly ſhew that they ſet more by them, then they do by the written Word of God, whileſt they plead more earneſtly for them, and are more, ſedulous and copious in this controverſie then in moſt, do moſt rigorouſly preſſe them, and more ſeverely puniſh the neglect and tranſgreſſion of them, then of the expreſſe commands of God in Scripture, as the profaning (as they call it) one of their Traditionary Saints dayes, much more heavily, then of the Lords own Day; and a Prieſts marrying, then the committing of fornication or adultery: in this imitating not the true Iſraelites p. 300indeed, but the degenerate Jews who made the word of God of none effect through their Traditions: But Mat. 15. 3. ….Matt 15:3thoſe who have been ſavingly taught, as the truth is in Jeſus, abhor ſuch blaſphemies, and by all their ſweet words cannot be brought to reliſh their Traditions, which (as Irenaeus and other of the Ancients plainly ſhew) have been all along the ſubterfuge of Hereticks, and of which, for many of them, it is uncertain from whom in particular they firſt ſprang; and for all of them it is moſt certain that coming from men, at beſt, they are but fallible, and that in continuance of time they may be much altered from what they were at firſt; nor can Bellarmines four preſervatives be able ſo to keep them in pickle, as to prevent it. And therefore although the Truth of God was delivered from hand to hand before Moſes firſt writ the Law, and that Chriſt delivered to his Apoſtles, and they to others the Doctrine of the Goſpel, before the ſigning of the Canon of the New Teſtament p. 301which we grant, and although the Apoſtle 2 Theſ. 2. 15. (a place which the Papiſts much triumph in) commandeth his Theſſalonians to ſtand faſt, and to hold the Traditions which they had been taught, whether by word or his Epiſtle, yet for all that, they muſt give us leave to hold faſt to the Scripture, till they ſhall be able fully and clearly to prove,

1. That there is the ſame uſe and need of Traditions now, that the Canon of the Scripture is perfected, as there was before.

2. That there are now as immediate and infallible inſpirations, and manifeſtations of Gods will as there was to the faithfull before the writing of the Old Teſtament, and to the Apoſtles before the writing of the New. viz. Infallibly to direct about theſe Traditions, and to correct, in caſe there ſhould be any failure or corruption. Such extraordinary Manifeſtations, we, for our parts, do not pretend to, and that we cannot think that they are made to the p. 302Romiſh Antichriſt, it is not from want of charity, but of ground of faith to believe it, and indeed from ſenſe and evident experience of the contrary.

3. That for the ſubſtantials of faith and life (for of eternall circumſtantials I now ſpeak not) there be any ſuch Divine or Apoſtolicall Traditions which the Apoſtles vivâ voce preached and delivered from hand to hand, which were not for ſubſtance written in the Old Teſtament before, Acts 26. 22. or not in the New Teſtament afterwards. Many indeed of their Traditions which they obtrude, are not, as holding forth not Apoſtolical divine Truth, but partly ſuch errors and ſuperſtitions, and partly ſuch ridiculous fooleries, as are not fit to be much leſſe in the ſacred writings, much leſſe in the ſacred Writ. But for what ever is neceſſary to be known or practiſed in order to ſalvation, we muſt believe Irenaeus, ſaying, Quod tunc praeconiaverunt, poſtea per Dei voluntatem in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt, till p. 303Lib. 3. cap. 1.they be able to prove the contrary; and mean while we are confident, that this expreſſion of Irenaeus, in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt, and yet more evidently that place to the Theſſalonians, which they ſo much urge, where they are exhorted to hold the Traditions which they had been taught, whether by word or Epiſtles fully evinceth, that what is written in Scripture may be, and is there called Tradition. Such traditions, and ſo written we allow to be within the compaſſe of this Form of ſound Words; but not (firſt) Humane unwritten, or Popiſh forged Traditions.

Nor (2^dly) The Enthuſiaſts 2feigned and Divine Revelations. Feigned RevelationsTheſe the Papiſts decry as loud as we, Non enim novis revelationibus Deverbo Dei non ſcripto cap. 9.nunc regitur Eccleſia, ſaith Bellarmine: though, by their favour, they cannot ſo eaſily waſh their hands of them, whileſt according to their Doctrine, the laſt reſolution of matters of faith is to be made into the determination of the Pope, and that as infallibly directed by Divine Revelation as his p. 304Sycophants would flatter him: So that thereby he is made the prime and greateſt Enthuſiaſt. An artifice w^ch ſeducers in all ages have made uſe of to conciliate the more credit to their deluſions, by intituling them to Divine Revelation. I do not here ſpeak of Numae's Aegeria, or Mahomets Dove, or the practiſes of other Heathen Founders of Commonwealths, who out of craft and policy to gain more reverence and obedience to their lawes and government have deluded their ſilly people into a belief of their being appointed by divine inſpirations: But even in the Church of God, the Apoſtles in their times gave warning of ſuch as pretended the Spirit, 2 Theſſ. 2. 2. As alſo charge and direction how to try them, 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 John 4. 1, 2, 3. 6. The Nicholaitans of old, Swenckfield and the Familiſts of Germany in the former age, and their ſpawn both in Old and New England in this age, have been all for immediate Revelations: with a ſupine, nay a moſt ſcornfull neglect, not onelyonly of other ſtudies p. 305and learning, but even of the holy Scriptures alſo, which to them is but a dead Letter, a Covenant of works: &c. And before their new lights, ſuch ſhadows muſt fly away: They are but Hiſtory to their myſtery, and as the Papiſts, in their way, and Caſtellio in his, ſo theſe in theirs make account that the Spirit revealeth to them higher and more hidden myſteries then the Scriptures teach or contain, ſuch indeed as are not onelyonly beſides, and (as they think) above it, but ſometimes, nay oftentimes quite contrary to it: a moſt proud and dangerous deluſion, and therfore Auſtins watchword Prolog. ad Doctrinam Chriſtianam.in regard of ſuch is, Caveamus tales tentationes ſuperbiſſimas & periculoſiſſimas; the direct inlet of all corruption into the Church, and confuſion into the Commonwealth, as other places have felt, and the Lord grant, that we who in this kind have already found ſo much, may not yet feel much more. Pureſt Primitive times have been defiled with them.

The darkeſt and blindeſt times p. 306have talked much of ſuch viſions. In the times of in-breaking light and Reformation, ſtill a great noiſe of Revelation. But for our better ſettling in the Truth, know, that Revelation we acknowledge and humbly bleſſe God for, if rightly underſtood.

1. It was a moſt happy revelation of God to the Prophets and Apoſtles, when he made known to them his will, and directed them to write the Scriptures, one of the Books whereof bears the name of the Revelation. But I pray know too, that theſe Revelations were on purpoſe vouchſafed to give us a ſtandard of Scripture, by which we might diſcover the impoſtures of thoſe other fained Revelations.

2. The Scripture alſo calleth it a ſpirit of wiſdom and revelation, Epheſ. 1. 17, 18. that ſhews and ſeals to us our Intereſt in Chriſt, and the riches of the glory of the Inheritance of the Saints in light: But now this Spirit is a ſpirit of promiſe, v. 13. which onelyonly ſealeth that, whch the p. 307Scripture writeth.

3. I deny not, but that ſometimes poſſibly there may be ſome more then ordinary intimation of Gods will to ſome of his ſervants; For their perſons, holy, humble, faithfull, and Orthodox.

For the things declared, …t may be they may be helped to apply ſome generall word in Scripture to a part…cular caſe.

But never thereby put upon others either to believe or do any thing above, much leſſe contrary to the Scripture, in all which our chief pretenders to Revelations are notoriouſly exorbitant; but the Scripture remaineth the ſquare, and ſtanding rule ſtill; which the more others ſlight, and neglect, and blaſpheme, the more let us honour, and ſtudy, and ſtick to. And therefore take care that your otherwiſe well-furniſhed Libraries want not a Bible, as it hath been with ſome; that none of our Doctors may have cauſe with ſhame to confeſſe, as ſome of the Popiſh Schoole-Doctors have done, that when they were 50. years old, they p. 308had never read any of the Scripture, but what onelyonly they met with in Hierom and the Canon-law: See Voetii diſp. pag. 26.And as Caroloſtadius acknowledgeth that it was ſeven years after he was Doctor, that he began to read the Bible. Nay, poſt galeros & infulas, after ſome have been Biſhops and Cardinals (Canus complaineth) Non Prophetas, Cani. loc. com. lib. 9.non Apoſtolos, non Evangeliſtas, ſed Cicerones, Platones, &c. You ſhould ſee in their hands not the Bible but Tully, or Plato, or Ariſtotle. Quibus Averroes Paulus eſt; Alexander Aphrodiſaeus, Petrus; Ariſtoteles, Chriſtus; Plato non Divinus, ſed Deus: to whom Averroes is their Paul, Aphrodiſaeus their Peter, Ariſtotle in ſtead of Chriſt, and Plato no longer onelyonly Divine, but a Deity: In all whoſe books ſome now adayes become ſo learned, that although they cannot finde Chriſt in them, yet they think they can ſpell ſalvation out of them. Sure I am, that Paul could not in them finde this Form of Sound Words in the Text, for that Timothy had p. 309heard from him; and ſo it was Apoſtolicall, not Philoſophicall, and was in faith and love which is in Chriſt Jeſus.

Which words contain the 4^th 4particular in the Text, which ſeveral In ſaith and love.Interpreters refer ſeveral wayes;

Some to Pauls preaching, viz. That he had preached them out of a principle of Faith, and out of that love which he bare to him in Chriſt Jeſus.

Others to Timothy receiving: As telling him, that if he would hold them faſt (as in the firſt words he exhorted him) it muſt be by faith and love which is in Chriſt Jeſus.

I (as at firſt I ſaid) with moſt and beſt Interpreters rather refer this clauſe to the ſubject matter which theſe Sound Words hold forth. It's faith and love, and that in Chriſt Jeſus: for quae circa alia ſunt ſanè ſana non ſunt, as Eſpencaeus expreſſeth it.

Faith and love.

1. A moſt lovely paire, moſt loving ſiſter Twins. Egregia biga, p. 310foreign, and therefore are Grotius in Philem. 5.Phlm 1:5uſually met going hand in hand together up and down in our Apoſtles writings;

Love with Faith, Eph. 6. 28.

And Faith with Love, 1 Tim. 1. 14. 6. 11. 1 Theſſ. 3. 6.

And Faith working by love, Gal. 5. 6.

The work of Faith, and labour of Love, 1 Theſſ. 1. 3.

And what in Scripture are ſo joyned together, let them not in our hearts or lives be put aſunder; All will prove Nothing if they be, 1 Cor. 13. 1, 2.

2. Of very large extent: And therefore from this very Text, made the two main parts of Divinity, which is, foreign; So Theophylact. foreign; So Oecumenius paraphraſeth the Text, containing Credenda, Agenda, all things both concerning Doctrine and Converſation.

3. Eſpecially and moſt expreſly containing the ſubſtantials of godlineſs; whence (to omit many things which I might obſerve) p. 311I deſire to hint to you, what of all ſound words, we are to hold faſteſt: Let Jet catch ſtraws, but let the Loadſtone draw Iron; let want on ſtomachs be greedy of traſh, but let more healthfull conſtitutions feed on more ſolid meat: Let Nominals and Rationals diſpute, but let Reals beleeve and love; let light heads and vain hearts buſie their brains with Notions and Niceties, (the onelyonly oyle which feeds the blaze of many of our Saints zeal, but eateth out of them all the power of godlineſs) but let Faith and Love be the exerciſe of every ſolid and ſerious Chriſtian. Oh had we more faith grounded on the word, we ſhould have leſs error founded for the moſt part on our own phanſy; and had we more love, either we ſhould have fewer breaches, or they would be ſooner healed and made up.

But we muſt be ſure then that 5. In Chriſt Jeſus.this Faith and Love be in Chriſt Jeſus, which words contain the 5^th particular of the Text, and which ſome refer only to Love. p. 312In love which is in Chriſt Jeſus; Grotius.others to both Faith and Love and ſo In Chriſt Jeſus, is For Chriſt. So ſome,

Which Chriſt hath taught and expreſſed, ſo Eraſmus: ſicut Chriſtus inſtituit, ſo Lombard, foreign, ſo Oecumenius.

But yet ſo as that moſt conceive Sauſbout. Grotius.this clauſe to adde a reſtriction, telling us, that it is not every kinde of faith and love, that is to be held ſo faſt, as here is preſcribed, and ſo cloſe ſtuck to; for we have now adays a great variety of Creeds, Religions, and miſhapen bodies of Divinity, and of Families of love.

As in the Apoſtles times ſeverall combinations of Hereticks, as there were Sects and Fraternities enough of Heathen Philoſophers and their followers, whoſe books and diſputes were often better then themſelves, and yet both by ſome now adays, thought ſo good, that their charity concludes for their Salvation, and for every honeſt moral mans in every Religion, or p. 313of what ever perſwaſion. But ſhall we wrong God, to gratify men? or be ſo charitable to them, as to be injurious to Chriſt? by thinking that he would needleſly and laviſhly ſhed his blood to purchaſe that Salvation which they could compaſs without him, or at beſt, only to ſet open a more convenient paſſage to life, which they were able (though ſomething about) to come to another way. For certain, many of the Primitive Fathers were of an other perſwaſion, elſe ſo many of them would never have ſo much diſputed againſt them, and Juſtin Martyr muſt be judged too prodigal of his life in provoking Euſeb. lib. 4. cap. 25.Creſcens the Philoſopher to be a means of taking it away, by calling them Theeves and deceivers: and he ſaid therein no more, then what Chriſt himſelf had before ſaid of others like them, that all that came before him were theeves and robbers, and that the ſheep did not hear them, John 10. 7, 8, 9. I wiſh we did not too much, and ſo come to want that p. 314Eare-mark, that either we would not read them ſo much, or the Scrptures more, and ſo prove either leſs Philoſophers, or more Chriſtians, I mean more ſpiritual, and then this Heatheniſh morality would appear, at leaſt comparatively, a flat dull thing, were we more acquainted with Chriſt, ſo as experimentally to know what that foreign, that ſuper-excellent knowledge of him meant all other knowledge, and things then would be nothing but loſs and dung to us, Phil. 3. 7, 8. But it is becauſe ſome want children, that they ſo play with Puppets, and they who could not obtain Penelope her ſelf, took up with her Maids. But let divine ſparks fly upward and we that are ſo ſtudious of truth, let us above all ſtudy the truth of the Goſpel, Gal. 2. 5. the truth as it is in Jeſus, Epheſ. 4. 21. hold faſt the faith which is in Chriſt Jeſus, as it is in the Text.

And if it be that, Then be ſure 6. Hold Faſt.to hold it faſt, which is the laſt particular in the Text, which is p. 315our duty to be preſſed upon us as the Application of the whole, and as Chriſt ſaid to the Church of Thyatira, unto you and as many as have not this doctrine (viz. of the Propheteſs Jezabel) and which Revel. 2. 24, 25.Rev 2:24Rev 2:25have not known the depths of Satan, I will put upon you none other burden, but that which you have already, hold faſt till I come. So all that I have at preſent in Commiſſion from the Text for you, is onelyonly to call upon you carefully, and with an awakened heart to remember the Apoſtles watch-word in it: foreign be ſure that we hold faſt, take heed that we be not juggled out of it, but that we be ſure that we Have it; which is the firſt ſignification of the word and that we hold it, as the word, is often taken, Revel. 6. 9. and many other places foreign, nay foreign, Tit. 1. 9. hold we it ſo faſt againſt all oppoſition that no ſtrength of man or divel may force us from it, but that we may maintain it againſt all.

1. It is Heavens pledge v. 14. with which God hath betruſted us, p. 316as our ſouls are our pledge, v. 12. which we truſt God with, be we as carefull of his pledge, as we would have him be of ours: and although we ſhould prove careleſs of ours, be ſure we ſhall be called to an account for his: How ſad will our doom be if our caſe prove like his, 1 King. 20. 39, 40.

2. It is our godly forefathers bequeſt which they have conveyed to us their poſterity; ſhould not our care be alike to tranſmit it to ours? Pſal. 78. 3, 4.

3. The martyrs have ſealed it with their blood, which we ſhall prove guilty of through our unfaithfulneſs, as they are accounted to tread underfoot the ſon of God, and to account his blood an unholy thing who deſert his truth, and deſpited the ſpirit of his grace, Heb. 10. 29.

4. It will be the beſt part of our childrens inheritance: as the Law was Jacobs, Deut. 33. 4. Look to it therefore, that at our laſt reckoning our forefathers be not aſhamed of us, and our poſterity at the Reſurrection do no not p. 317riſe up, and, I ſay not, call us bleſſed, as Prov. 31. 28. but curſe us for betraying Gods truth, and our truſt, and their and our own ſouls all together.

5. And remember from this word foreign hold faſt, that it is not the catching at what we have not, but onelyonly the holding faſt what through Gods mercy we yet have; and therefore as Chriſt ſaith to the Church of Philadelphia, Hold faſt what thou haſt, let no man take away thy crown. It hath been the Crown of our Engliſh Church, if that in any meaſure have fallen from our head, now woe to us that we have ſo ſinned, Lam 5. 16.Lam 5:16and if we have any whit looſned our hand, it is now time to lay on faſter hold then ever: if with thoſe lovely Churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia, our proper Cue for the preſent be not to hold faſt what we have, having loſt ſo much, yet at leaſt with the decayed Churches of Epheſus and Sardis, let us p. 318Remember from whence we are Revel. 2. 5. 3. 3.Rev 2:5Rev 2:3fallen, and how we have once received and heard, and hold faſt and repent. Repent that in any meaſure our hand-hold hath been looſned, and now the Second time take faſter hold on that faith and truth, once delivered to the Saints: Hold Jude v. 3.Faſt, is given in charge to many of thoſe Churches, Revel. 2. and 3. both beſt and worſt, but to him that overcometh, &c. is ſaid to all. This holding faſt may coſt us tugging and contending; and this overcoming many and ſoar conflicts, but be we faithfull in the conflict, and then we may be ſure of the Conqueſt, Magna eſt veritas & praevalebit. For theſe things ſaith he that is holy and true, him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he ſhall goe no more out, but I will write upon him the name of my God; and the name of the City of my God. p. 319He that hath an eare, let him hear what the Spirit ſaith to the Churches. Amen.

Tibi Domine Jeſu, qui via es & veritas & vita:

FINIS.