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A61010
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The Bishop of Exons Caution to his diocese against false doctrines delivered in a sermon at Truro in Cornwall at his primary visitation.
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Sparrow, Anthony, 1612-1685.
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1669
(1669)
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Wing S4822; ESTC R31955
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10,922
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20
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The Bishop of EXONS CAUTION TO HIS DIOCESE Against False Doctrines Delivered in a SERMON AT TRVRO in CORNWALL at his Primary Visitation Confusion of Tongues Gen ii 7. 8 London Printed for Timothy Garthwait 1669. THE PREFACE TO THE DIOCESE WHEN I see so many false Teachers subtilly insinuating themselves into the affections of the people and busily inticing them by many artifices from the stedfastness of their faith and Allegiance to God in his Anointed and his Church The care of the Diocese committed to my charge and the remembrance of the Account which I must give to God for your souls sets me not only to my prayers but my study too to prevent your ruine And I know no better way to do it then by performing the Watchmans part Ezek. 4. Giving you warning to avoid the temptations and encouraging you to stand fast in the Lord and I could not finde any way to do that but by making my advice so publick that all who listed might receive it And because that counsel and advice is most acceptable when it is put into the dress of a Sermon I resolved to make use of that Method which was most likely to instill effectually this Caution When I had determined this I resolved further to present it as short and plain as might be that it might be the more serviceable to those who most needed it those namely who have least time to read and least ability to understand But withall I have indeavoured in this short piece to deliver all necessary Cautions with as clear evidence and demonstration out of Scriptures as I could It was not possible for me to Caution against every particular Error or false doctrine spread amongst you there be so many that it would have required a volume to recount and refute them and few would have given themselves the trouble to read so large a discourse nor was it necessary for it is more easie and as safe to secure from the danger of all by some general Rules and Prescriptions which if they be observed will certainly preserve you from all damnable doctrines and keep you stedfast in the holy Faith I shall heartily desire you to believe that this Caution is given you by him who loves you as his own soul and can with the greatest sincerity say of you as St. Paul of his Thessalonians What is my hope or joy or crown of rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of the Lord Ye are our Glory and joy if any of you shall draw back and fall from the stedfastness of the faith my Soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 But Now I live if you stand fast in the Lord. THere is lately published A RATIONALE upon the Book of Common-Prayer of the Church of England By the Lord Bishop of Exon. 1 Thessal 3.8 Now we live if you stand fast in the Lord. SAint PAUL having lately converted the Thessalonians to the Christian Faith was call'd to preach the Gospel in other parts in this his necessary absence he still retains a tender fatherly affection for his children We being taken from you for a short time endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire chap. 2.17 Wherefore we would have come unto you once and again I Paul especially but Satan hindred us He had put upon Saint Paul a necessity of staying where he was to settle some unseasonable Disputes and Controversies with the Stoicks and Epicureans rais'd by this great enemy of Souls on purpose to divert the blessed Apostle from his charitable design towards the Thessalonians When St. Paul found himself thus hindred he sends Timothy with a Commission in his name to Visit his Thessalonians to stablish his new Converts to comfort them and to know their faith lest by some means the Tempter hath tempted you and our labor be in vain verse 5. When Timothy had finish'd his Visitation he returns to St. Paul to give an account of his Enquiries and proceedings and brought this good tidings that he had found the Thessalonians firm and stedfast in the Faith which St. Paul had taught them at the hearing of this good report St. Paul breaks out into this Rhetorical expression of his joy and contentment in the Message Now we live c. I AM come hither on the very same errand to know your Faith and though I cannot but hope that after so long profession of the holy Faith ye are well rooted and grounded in it yet I cannot but know that there are amongst us many busie and cunning Tempters who use various and subtile arts to withdraw you from the holy Faith and I have reason to fear as St. Paul did lest by some means the Tempter hath prevailed upon some and therefore could no longer forbear to come and know your Faith and if I shall find you like these Thessalonians strong and stedfast therein I shall say with the same sincerity that the Apostle did Now I live if you stand fast in the Lord. AND that you may continue constant and stedfast in the holy Faith which our Lord hath delivered I shall briefly and plainly set before you such rules and directions out of the holy Scriptures and ancient Writers as by Gods assistance upon your hearty prayers shall undoubtedly preserve you I. RULE Is to make a serious and hearty Resolution of Believing and adhering to this Christian Faith whatsoever it may cost This is that which our Saviour advises Luk. 14.28 Which of you intending to build a towre sits not down first and counteth the cost whether he hath sufficient to finish it lest happily after he hath laid the foundation and is not able to finish it all that behold him begin to mock him It will be no less ridiculous for any man to profess himself a Disciple of Christ and his holy doctrine that doth not first consider the cost he may be at and resolve to go on with it And the cost may be great the loss of Father and mother and whatsoever is nearest and dearest to us Verse 26. If any man come to me and hates not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also He cannot be my Disciple he cannot be stedfast in the Profession of the holy Faith which may and sometimes will put him upon this cost Let no man so far mistake our Lord as to think that he teaches disobedience to Parents whose first commandment with promise is Honor thy father and mother or that he teaches us to hate our children who by his Apostle St. Paul tells us that they are worse than Infidels who provide not for their family 1 Tim. 5.8 or that he teaches us to hate our selves who hath summed up his Commandments into these two grand precepts Love God above all and thy neighbour as thy self St. Mat. 22.40 St. Lukes phrase of hating father and mother c. is best expounded by St. Mat. 10.37 He that loves