interpretationis as they were Pastours of the Church and while they conferred together seeking God they were in the use of the best means to find out truth and under a promise also but not of infallibility and therefore although we cannot make them the rule of our faith yet ought we not rashly to reject them when they are offered to us nor to slight their judgements as if they were nothing worth but seriously to examine their reasons and grounds on which they went We honour the Fathers as men whom God's providence raised up and indued with gifts to quell the growing heresies of their times and doubtlesse if they were more lookt into they would furnish us with tried weapons armour approved to subdue the self-same heresies risen again among us in these our dayes and prove as successefull as that stratagem of the Scythians was who put their rebel-slaves to flight by but shewing them the rods where with they had been wont to whip them But though we honour the Fathers yet we dare not worship them we may not believe in them nor make their writings the rule of our faith This is that which themselves did never desire but forbid and abhorre the thought of they seem to say to us Stand up for we also were but men subject to like infirmities with you {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Worship God believe in him I doubt not but they that mended many faults in their own writings left some behind and I wish others had not added more We admit them as witnesses but not as a rule since they also were but fallible The Church of Rome ha's boasted so long of the Fathers till at length they grow almost weary of it At first they had like to have put the Centuriatours out of countenance but afterwards Bishop Jewell was so bold as to challenge them in a Sermon at Paul's Crosse afterward printed and to offer that if they could produce any one ancient Father General Councel or example of the Primitive Church for the first six hundred yeares that sided with them against us in any one of 27 articles by him named and in controversie between us he would subscribe to them This challenge Dr. Humfryes thought was more than he needed to have made yet having made it he made it good against Harding and yet died a Protestant and this was no more than we all promise sayes learned Dr. Whitakar against Campian's fifth reason So that the Jesuite needed not to have arrogated to the Church of Rome that priviledge of the Jews Whose are the Fathers and Malone might have spared his scurrilous title-page against the Reverend and learned Primate Though you have ten thousand USHERS yet have ye not many FATHERS We boast not of ten thousand but are glad that we have one worth ten thousand of their Popish-Fathers and as many head-masters of their schools to boot But we hope we have the Fathers with us and I am sure we honour them more than they and yet make them not the rule of our faith neither They honour them not as Fathers but as Lords and Masters as Peter Cotton was wont to call him My Lord St. Austin At servum scis te genitum blandéque fateris Dum dicis dominum Sosibiane Patrem Let them therefore be the vassals if they please while we are the true and genuine sonnes of those ancient Fathers And yet some of the Papists to say the truth cared not overmuch for the judgement of the Fathers when it made against them Cardinal Cajetan will not fear to go against the generall torrent of all the ancient Doctours for which Canus indeed blames him but then Andradius takes his part and I am sure what Cajetan said was no other than what was put in practise by Maldonate Jansenius and divers others Fourthly Nor is the judgement or testimony of the Church a sufficient rule of divine faith The Papists cry up the Church as much as the Jews of old did the Temple but by the Church they mean their own which by that time the Jesuites have done with it is nothing else but the Pope But wee 'll keep their tearm the Church whose testimony they say is infallible and necessary to a divine faith of any one article in religion and although de-Valentia and Canus would fain mince the matter and make it onely necessary as a condition yet that will not serve the Romanists turn which Bellarmine and a-Sacro-bosco knew well enough and therefore make the testimony of the Church necessary as a medius terminus and Cause of assent in all divine faith and so they must say or come over to us Now infallibility as it is required to a rule of doctrine is nothing else but the constant assistance of the holy Ghost which the Papists require a man to believe that their Church hath before he can believe so much as that there is an holy Ghost for that 's one article of faith none of which say they can be believed without the infallible testimony of their Church Wee 'l leave the Jesuites to distinguish themselves out of this contradiction if they can and i' th' mean while let us examine their proofs They offer us Tradition for proof but for them to go about to prove the Churche's infallibity from the tradition of the Church is to beg the question Let them first convince us that the Church is infallible as it gives the tradition and then wee 'l spare them any further pains to prove that it is infallible They often attempt to prove it to us by Scripture by which very practise they do but condemn themselves For First then it seems the Scriptures infallibility may be first known before and without the believing of the Churches infallibility quod minimè vellent for then the latter may be spared And secondly hereby once for all they appeal to mens private judgements and that in a point on which their whole cause turns and if they think the Scriptures so cleare for the Churche's infallibility that a private Christian may discern it I do appeal to themselves whether many other articles be not laid down more clearly in Scripture we say all Well but it may be some will say the Churches infallibility is first known before we know the Scriptures to be infallible I say then 1. let them prove it 2. why do they go about to prove it by Scripture 3. let them avoid the above-named contradiction Or if they 'l be willing to draw stakes with us and have neither the infallibility of the one nor of the other to be first believed Then first let them never more quote Scripture for the Churche's infallibility Secondly let them not require us to prove the Scriptures by the testimony of the Church Thirdly they must give us leave to fetch all the articles of our faith immediately from the Scriptures without the midwifry of their Porphyry-chair and then wee 'l casily grant them if it
John chap. 4. vers. 1. Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God it commends the practise of this duty in the Bereans Acts 17. 11. where 't is said of them that they were {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} more nobly-spirited than those of Thessalonica for that they searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so as the Apostles preached notwithstanding they were assisted by an infallible spirit It was not any slownesse in them to believe which made them examine but an holy prudence for so the words are They received the word with all readinesse of mind and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so they received them readily and yet searched making no more hast then good speed But Bellarmine thinks to take off the edge of this place of Scripture by this distinction The Bereans were but beginners and had not yet entertained the faith and therefore might examine but such as are already Christians and believe the Churche's infallibility are bound to believe the doctrine it proposeth without examination I answer first by way of concession that as many as believe the Churches infallibility are bound consequently to believe whatever she propounds as farre as an errour can bind them But secondly If all be beginners but those that believe that truly for our parts We Protestants do professe our selves to be Bereans and therefore I hope he will give Us leave to examine their doctrine in the balance of the Sanctuary and so we have and found it light And thirdly is Bellarmine sure the Bereans were not believers when they searched since they received the word with all readinesse of mind and then 't is added and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so But fourthly If they were not I wonder how men before they beleive should be better able to judge than afterwards and how they should come to loose that power and priviledge by beleiving Besides these there are many other Scriptures which do ex consequenti not onely permit but also require to try the doctrines before we entertain them as Matth. 24. 4. where our Saviour bids See that no man seduce you and the Apostle Paul in Ephes. 5. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words and 2 Thessal 2. 3. Let no man deceive you by any means To what purpose are all these monitory cautions if we may not try nay do they not implicitly require and command us to try and examine the doctrines whoever they be that bring them S. Paul is bold in Gal. 1. 8 9. Though we or an Angel from heaven should preach any other Gospel let him be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} And that you may see that this expression proceeded neither from rashnesse nor passion but a most advised and well resolved deliberation he repeats the words in the verse following As we said before so say I now again If any preach any other Gospel unto you than that you have received let him be accursed Whence I observe these two things to my present purpose first that there must be an examen else how could they know it was another Gospel and so reject it and secondly that the hearers as such and not teachers were to be the judges unlesse wee 'l say they were bound to curse themselves But the truth in hand may be further evidenced to us by reason thus Because we must neither embrace all doctrines nor reject all nor take some such as come next no nor the truth it self upon slight grounds therefore we must examine 1. We must not reject all for so we shall be sure to reject the truth and besides we do ow so much reverence to the name of God as not rashly to reject without examen any doctrine that hath but an appearance of any just pretence unto it 2. Nor may we embrace all promiscuously for so we shall be sure to be in the wrong and I see not how possibly the soul can at the same time assent unto contradictions and yet such there are found among opinions 3. Nor in the third place may we take up a certain number of opinions as they come next to hand as they are offered to us by the place where we live or the next comer by for so there will be great danger of falling into errour and truth is of more concernment to us than that we should adventure it upon the hazard of such a contingency 4. Nor lastly may we entertain truth it self if we should happen on it on so slight grounds if we take no better hold of it we shall never be able to hold it fast If we build upon such a sandie foundation how do we think to stand when the winds and waves of temptation and persecution shall arise It remains therefore that we must examine that so we may both refuse the evil and also hold fast that which is good And for the further quickning of us unto this duty I shall propound onely two considerations and very briefly First Let us seriously consider what great danger there is in being deceived our souls ate at the stake no lesse than the everlasting good of our souls is concerned in it for errour in understanding begets errour in life and practise and the Scripture tells us of damnable heresies and what ever some may think of speculative errours yet surely as they proceed from that maim in the understanding which is the effect of original sinne and as they are cherished and abetted by corruption in the will they are sinns and make us guilty For the actions of the understanding as well as of the other faculties are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} under the law of God and the will shall answer at God's tribunal for not putting the understanding to school to Scripture as well as for not bridling the passions and not governing the outward man Since then there is such danger in errour as you have heard had we not need be carefull had we not need examine especially considering What danger there is of being deceived which is the second consideration For first the best are subject to errour themselves and so may though unwittingly and unwillingly be means of seducing others who do not examine and then their godlinesse and learning which were wont to keep them from errours will become arguments to draw others into them But then secondly how many false prophets deceivers and seducers are there in the world who make it their designe and purpose to deceive MANY shall come in my name faith our Saviour Matth. 24.5 and shall deceive many and Many false prophets ARE gone out into the world 1 John 4. 1. and that which makes them the more dangerous they are indefatigably industrious in their way compassing the earth with their master and compassing sea and land to make a proselyte Which they do the more easily effect by reason of the craft and
alone with greatest accuratenesse it will scarce have its just proportion till he doth compare it with the body notwithstanding the best diligence of the artist the wheels of a watch will need some filing when they come to be put together 2. A second character is that of S. John 1.4.3 Every spirit that consesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God of old whatsoever Prophet inticed the people unto idolatry was a false Prophet for all his signes and wonders and prediction of events Deut. 13. 1 2 3. So whatsoever doctrine tends to draw us off from Christ is nought and to be rejected and thus do not onely the Jews who deny that Christ is yet come but the Socinian also who denies him to be God and so by consequence to have come in the flesh in the Apostle's sense and to have made any satisfaction for sinne which was the end of his coming and the Papists also while they undermine him in all his offices and what do the Quakers but in effect deny Christ when they make him to be nothing else but a Metaphor and the Gospel a meer Allegory 3. The third mark is our Saviours own Matth. 7.16 By their fruits ye shall know them observe what the aims and designes are of those that promote them judge not rash judgement but observe the end A meteor may sometimes seem to be in heaven under the immediate tuition of some reall starre but let us watch the parallax and we shall find it many thousand miles below Some fowls there are that will hang hovering in the aire as if it were indifferent to them whether ever they came to earth again or no and yet if you observe them it is ten to one but you shall see them alighting in some puddle or other The Eagle soares high very high when her designe is nothing but carton It will therefore be our wisdome to observe carefully the tendencies of doctrines and their fruits if these be profanenesse or confusion the doctrines themselves cannot be from God for he is an holy God and not the authour of confusion And thus much be spoken concerning the second requisite to the proving of doctrines to wit the Rule and so I have done with the duty it self But here the Romanist pulls me by the sleeve with an objection or two which must be satisfied obj. 1. And first he objects that this would be pride and arrogance to examine the doctrines of our superiours as if private men knew more than they Answ. 1. It is no pride nor arrogance for us to endeavour to see that with our own eyes which our betters tell us they see with theirs especially sith God himself requires it of us 2. It is no whit unbecoming humility and Christian modesty to examine any mens doctrine while we acknowledge their superiority in gifts and reverence them accordingly They discern an hundred truths to my ten yet some of ten may possibly be none of their hundred I must not reject their doctrine without examen out of reverence unto them I may not trust to it as infallible out of reverence unto God I must therefore examine it by that golden rule the Scriptures which is no disparagement to them or to their doctrine for so ought they to preach and so ought we to believe If any man preach let him preach as the oracles of God and we must so heare and entertain the Gospel not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God able to save our souls see 1 Thess. 2. 13. obj. 2. O! but people are so ignorant they are not fit to judge Answ. Whose faults that you keep them from the Scriptures and the Scriptures from them and then say with the Pharisees This people who knowrth not the law are accursed John 7. 49. Well but if they must not judge of the doctrine what must they do to be resolved whether the Protestants or the Papists doctrine be to be followed de Valentia tells them they must adhere to that doctrine whose teachers have the most authority but how shall they know that why forsooth by their multitude sanctity antiquity and miracles Which is all one as if he had said Because thou art not book-learned thou art not fit to examine doctrines by Scripture therefore take onely this course travell over all the world and count how many Papists there be and then how many Protestants and by the way enquire into their lives then reade but over the histories of all ages and see which were the most ancient and lastly take notice of the number of miracles that have been done but let him believe none but those who saw them done and then thou shalt know which doctrine is the truest at least if these marks fail him not Now I think I should set the poore man an easier task if I should bid him reade or get some other to reade the Scriptures to him and there he should see what he might trust unto The necessary points of faith are cleare enough laid down there for any ordinary apprehension and such an one is as capable of the donum intellectûs without which none can savingly understand as a more learned man and I am sure the Scripture is the best collyrium which doth not onely cleare the sight but also enlighten the eyes and that of babes and simple ones obj. 3. But thirdly they object When you have done all every private Christian will be fallible in his judgement why then do ye refuse the Fathers Councels and the Church upon that account Answ. 1. I am speaking of an infallible Rule not an infallible Judge if the Faculty be fallible the Rule at least had need be infallible It is true an house that is built on a rock may fall if it be weakly built but that which is built upon the sand cannot possibly stand he that walks upon firm ground may stumble and fall and rise again but he that walks upon a quake mire must needs sink and that irrecoverably when the ground it self sinks under him 2. But thus much I say for the believer's infallibility 1. That while he keeps to the infallible rule he cannot erre 2. The spirit of God will infallibly guide every believer so as that he shall not swerve from the rule in any thing necessary to salvation 3. Nor in any point whereof it works in him a divine faith which is as good security as is needfull and a thousand times better than the Papists can give to any by believing in the Church So that these few rubs being removed out of the way we may safely proceed to the practise of what the Apostle here exhorts us to to prove all things Age verò nè semper forum But we must not be alwayes trying triall is in order to holding fast and that not of all things but of that which upon triall we find to be good So
fountains and returns to it again by the rivers Col. 1.9 10. We desire that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding that ye might walk worthy of the Lord in all well-pleasing there 's the first being fruitfull in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God there 's the second Let it be our care therefore brethren so to try all things as not to let go our hold of the things that are good and hold fast that which is good that we may the better prove all things and let this be the end of all our proofs and of all our trialls that having found out that which is good we may believe and practse accordingly Thus have I done with the words in their relative consideration I come now to speak to them absolutely and in themselves II. Sermon Hold fast that which is good IN handling whereof I shall briefly shew by way of explication First what is meant by that which is good Secondly what it is to hold it fast and then proceed First for the first that which is good There beimany that say Who will shew us any good Worldlings they are and worldly goods they mean such as are corn and wine and oyl these they are apt enough to hold fast quocunque modo rem and vestigia nulla retrorsum Here they are close-fisted enough what they get by diligence they will keep with care and need no exhortation to good husbandry The good here spoken of is a greater good and of another nature Three things there are as I conceive very pertinent to the Apostle's scope and the meaning of the words 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for the Apostle speaking here about doctrines it 's impossible a doctrine should be good that is not true To make one's word good is to make it true True doctrine is good doctrine This was that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that good thing committed to Timothie's charge which S. Paul exhorts him for to keep 2 Tim. 1. 14. and this is that which S. Paul himself kept I have fought a good fight I have kept the faith 2 Tim. 4. 7. where faith is put for truth the object of it for 't is no commendation to believe a lie and to persist in errour is but obstinacy Our Saviour Christ commends the Church in Pergamus for holding fast his nam Rev. 2.13 Thou holdest fast my name and hast not denied my faith my faith that is either the true doctrine concerning me or the true doctrine which I taught thee So then Paul charges Timotby to keep the truth he professes himself had kept it and our blessed Saviour commends the Church in Pergamus for keeping of it what hinders then but that we may conclude that S. Paul exhorting the Thessalonians to hold fast good doctrine did partly mean such as was true Ertour has done us the mischief and it must be truth must do us good 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Good doctrine is holy doctrine All true doctrine is good but holinesse adds a greater degree of goodnesse to it There are some truths which tend onely to enrich the understanding and to accomplish the intellect but there are others which do change and sanctifie the heart and make it good That doctrine which is agreeable to the holy and good will of God and which tends unto sanctification whereby we are made good is holy and good doctrine as the Law is said to be holy and just and good Rom. 7. 12. in respect of the first it 's called the good and acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12. 2. and as it relates unto our sanctification and salvation it 's called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 Tim. 6. 3. The doctrine which is according to godlinesse {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 1 Tim. 6. 3. 2 Tim. 1. 13. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tit. 8. and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} 2 Tim. 4. 3. found and wholesome words and doctrine Sound not rotten which will deceive a man if he trust unto it and wholsome both for food and Physick a nourishing word and an healing word With this {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} this sincere milk of the word was Timothy nourisht and brought up {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from an infant he suckt it in with his mothers milk {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as the words are of him 1 Tim. 4. 6. nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine which carryes in it both a corrasive to eat off and subdue corruption and also a cordiall to restore and comfort the fainting soul That doctrine which is according to the will of God is such as sanctifies the heart for this is the will of God even your sanctification This all truth cannot do onely the truth of God which is his word whence it is that our Saviour prayes John 17. 17. Sanctific them through thy truth thy word is truth Such doctrine then as kills sinne and corruption by purging it out of the soul and restores the soul to a spirituall health by working saving grace in the heart and nourisheth it unto eternall life by making it like unto God in righteousnesse and true holinesse such I say is holy doctrine and therefore good 3. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that which is tried and approved This is a further requisite in the doctrine which we are to hold fast It may be true and holy in it self but unlesse we know it to be such we are not yet sufficiently prepared to assent unto it But now when we have proved it compared it with the rule and brought it to the touch-stone and tried in the furnace and upon triall found it to be pure and true and good then must we close with it and hold it fast we must no longer doubt of it or question the goodnesse of it When the Assay-master ha's once tried a piece of gold and it endures the test he pronounces it to be good and so it passes for current So that if a doctrine be true and not false doctrine if it be holy and pure and not corrupt doctrine and if upon examination by the good word of God we find it to be so then 't is good doctrine and such as we are here exhorted to hold fast Which is the second thing to be explained viz. What it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to hold fast The word is sometimes used to signifie to detain and so the truth is said to be detained both when we conceal and keep it from the knowledge of others and also when we depose it from bearing rule in our hearts and keep it down from springing up and bearing fruit in our lives this is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}
subtilty which they use We have it exprest emphatically in Ephes. 4. 14. Be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive Our Saviour hath foretold us that they should come as wolves in sheeps-clothing and the Apostle {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and again With all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse 2 Thessal 2. 9 10. All which places do loudly bespeak our earnest care to look to our selves and to examine doctrines before we embrace them lest unawares we entertain doctrines of devils in stead of the truths of God By this little that hath been said I hope it does appeare that it is our duty to examine But two things there be which are necessarily requifire to the right performance of it as we ought An infallible rule and a faculty rightly prepared the one by which the other with which we are to judge 1. There must be a faculty or a soul rightly prepared and that must be 1. A reasonable soul this is the subject of faith and all our other graces and is the principium quod of all the actions that flow from them Faith is a rational grace although it do not alwayes act discursively E.g. in its assent to the primò credita which is to a testimony not for a testimony no more than the understanding does by discourse induce it self to an assent unto first notions 2. This soul or faculty must be enlightened and assisted by the holy Spirit else it cannot apprehend aright spiritual things The natural man perceives not the things of the sprit neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. Not but that a natural man may apprehend and assent unto divers truths recorded in the Scriptures but not with a saving kind of apprehension and assent nor as they are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the things of the Spirit so they are not known but in a spiritual manner and by the assistance of the same Spirit Which assistance consists in the infusion of an habit of spiritual wisdome and understanding and the Spirit 's gracious excitation of it and concourse with it whereby the eyes of a believer's mind being enlightened he is enabled in some measure to discern and apprehend the truths and will of God objectively revealed and propounded to him by the same Spirit in the Scriptures This is that donum intellectûs and illumination which is bestowed upon every believer at his first conversion though in a lesser measure both of evidence and object than afterwards for it grows and increases according to the proportion of faith which God hath dealt to every man and extends itself as large as a divine faith does from which it is inseparable Now because all believers have sooner or later a divine faith of all things necessary for them so to be believed and some of more accordingly is this donum intellectûs dispensed all have some more or lesse none all but onely Christ to whom alone the Spirit was given without measure and of whose fulnesse we all receive grace for grace And as it is of the same extent so is it of the same original with a divine faith wrapt in the same womb and nursed by the same breasts it 's both attained and kept by the self same means prayer hearing of the word reading and meditating on it This the Papists are not willing to allow unto private believers yet Aquinas is cleare in the point Nullus habens gratiam caret dono intellectûs quod nunquam se subtrahit sanctis circa ea qua sunt necessaria ad salutem A very cleare and full testimony So that I shall forbear to adde any more 3. That the soul may be rightly fitted for to judge it must be sanctified First It must have a reverence of the divine Majesty and of his word then will it not so boldly go about with Socinus and our modern circulatours to bassle Scripture just as a Sophister would deal with a peice of Aristotle Then shall we not profanely abuse it by I know not what kind of mystical cabalistical interpretations Is this to reverence the word of God would any man take it well at our hands to have his words so played withall so screwed and wrested from their simple and most apparent sense and meaning Secondly the soul must be humble Such the Lord himself hath undertaken to teach they shall be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} he resists the proud while he gives grace to the humble grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from those that fear him psal. 25. 14. and 84. 11. A proud man is a bad scholar he will confide in himself rather then in God he is fond of his own opinions and will not yield unto the truth being stubborn and disobedient in will and affections but if any one be humble and obedient if any one will do God's will he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God There is great need of humility also upon this account that those who have the gift in a lesser measure be not presumptuous so as to wade beyond their depth Which Saint Paul thought a seasonable caution in the matter in hand Rom. 12.3 Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith the words are emphaticall {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} not out of an overweening opinion of self-sufficiency to enterprise things beyond their strength but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith for according to that is the measure of this gift as you heard before I might adde also in the third place that the soul must be indued with a sincere love of the truth that it must obey the truth and mortifie its own corruptions but of these more conveniently afterwards Thus much may suffice for the first thing required that we may judge aright a faculty rightly prepared 2. The second is the Rule according to which we must judge by which we must examine all doctrines and according to their agreeing or disagreeing with it either entertain or reject them This rule must be 1. in it self infallible 2. in respect of us clear and known 3. in respect of the doctrines to be tryed it must be adequate These are agreed upon as necessary properties of a rule of divine faith Now such a
will do tnem any good that there is no prius and posterius in the belief of the infallibilities of the Scriptures and of the Church because there is no posterius that of the Church being none at all Fifthly nor are the words and doctrine of our teachers and ministers to be looked upon as an infallible rule of divine faith A private Christian ought to be very observant of his Pastour the Scripture every-where calls for it he is to reverence him as his spirituall Father to obey him as his governour to follow him as his guide yet no farther then he ha's the Scripture for his warrant Be ye followers of me saith the Apostle as I am of Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 The words of a godly and able pastour are of great authority as of one that for his fidelity would not willingly for a world lead souls into errour and for his ability hath a greater measure of the spirit of discerning joyned with the advantages of acutenesse of parts much study and reading and long experience therefore must he be heard with reverence not rashly dÃsbelieved nor his doctrine rejected unlesse upon examination we find it to be condemned by the Scriptures Among humane authorities such an ones testimony is of very great weight but a divine faith will digge till it come to the rock of infallibility before it build which is not to be found save in that holy breath of the unchangeable Spirit which is the Scriptures Sixthly therefore the onely true adequate and infallible rule of divine faith is the holy Scripture this is that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} this is that balance of the sanctuary wherein faith weighs and tries all mens doctrines before it entertain them That this was infallibly inspired by the Holy Ghost is granted on all sides and that it may be known to be such may sufficiently appeare by what hath been already said That it is and ought to be the rule of faith might be fully and at large demonstrated but since it hath already devoured all the other pretended rules as Aaron's rod did those of the Egyptian Sorcerers and because I would not be prevented in that which lies before me I shall content my self briefly to have pointed at an argument or two and so passe on to what remains But first give me leave to premise onely thus much that whereas some of our Divines make Scripture the judge others the rule of controversies I conceive by a little distinguishing both may be admitted and that the Scripture is both Judge and Sentence the Law Rule and Principle of faith The holy Ghost in Scripture is the Judge Every truth exprest in Scripture is a definitive Sentence when ever it se lf is called in question and in respect of truths deducible from it it is a Law and Principle in respect both of truths formally contained in it and rightly deducible from it it is and may be truly called a Rule or canon of faith and life a rule to try and examine doctrines by and this I shall prove briefly in three words thus 1. The Bereans are commended by the holy Ghost for making the Scripture the rule and trying doctrines by it and that such doctrines as were delivered by the immediate assistence of the holy Spirit as was said before 2. The Scripture is the rule according to which men ought to preach and therefore also ought their doctrine to be examined by it To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no morning-light in them Isaiah 8. 20. and 1 Tim. 6. 3. These things teach and exhort and if any man teach otherwise or any other thing {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse he is proud knowing nothing c. See also Deut. 13. v. 1 2 3. and in the 12. Rom. 6. Let us prophesie according to the analogy or proportion of faith by which is usually understood the doctrine contained in the Scriptures But that is a remarkable place Gal. 1.8 9. if we or an angel from heaven if any man preach any other Gospel than what ye have received let him be accursed 3. The Scripture is the rule by which we must be judged at the last day therefore ought it to be the rule of our faith and life here Rom. 2. 16. God shall judge the secrets of men according to my gospel and this we may be sure of that that must needs be suitable to God's will accepting and approving which is agreable and according to the same will commanding and prescribing faith and duty to us which is revealed in his word But this truth having been so much insisted upon by our writers and being so well known as it is I forbear further inlargement on it at the present The Scripture then is the onely rule of faith And though some would admit of something else for a secondary rule for my part I see not how that can be admitted for if that same supposed secondary rule do exactly accord with the Scripture then is it not another and so not a secondary rule but if it swerve never so little from it then is it false and erroneous and not fit to be a rule at all but take it at the best it is but regula regulanda a rule that must be tried it self and who will choose to measure with a Carpenters rule when he hath the standard by him The Scripture is the rule and the standard by which all doctrines may and must be tried by arraigning them before the tribunall of the Spirit in the Scriptures but it will not be amisse to draw forth of Scripture a character or two to judge of doctrines by 1. The first shall be that of Paul but lately mentioned good doctrine must be according to the analogy and proportion of faith There is a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} spoken of in Scripture a body of divine truth as I may call it between the parts and members whereof there is an exact harmony symmetry and proportion as therefore in the natural body a member would become monstrous should it exceed its due proportion to the other its fellow-members so is it here We must therefore carefully compare a doctrine concerning one article with the truth concerning others and for instance so speak of the unity of God's essence as not to impair the Trinity of persons so treat of the justice of God as not to let it devoure his mercy and so to advance his mercy as not to violate his justice since he is so said to be love 1 John 4. 8. as that he is also called a consuming fire Heb. 12. 29. Let a man study a single point
rule are not First the maxims of naturall reason For 1. they are farre from being infallible many of them being but the product of humane discourse and fallible observation and therefore some of them false if they be extended beyond the sphere of Philosophy for whose meridian onely they were calculated at the first I do not think there is any truth in Philosophy which contradicts any truth in Divinity yet am I sure that many sayings are true in Philosophy which are false in Divinity For maxims and general rules being but collections observed from particulars if the survey be short ad nimis pauca respiciens not taking in all particulars the verdict or maxime must needs be defective and the general rule be liable to exceptions So that a rule may be true in Philosophy as to all those particulars included within the object of Philosophy but false if stretched to take in the things of Divinitie as an observation concerning men may be true of men in France or Italy but false if applyed to those in England who were never attended to in the raising 2. As these maxims are not infallible so neither are they adequate to the things to be believed and therefore cannot make a fit rule of divine faith For there are many divine truths which are nothing at all of kind to any peice of naturall knowledge neither flowing from these maxims nor being reducible to them 3. It is not possible for any of those maxims to be the foundation of any divine faith at all for all assent that is wrought in the soul by them is but either science or opinion both which arise from the evidence of the thing whereas faith assents unto an article without any such respect but meerly for the sake of a testimony and if the faith be divine such also is the testimony which produceth it And yet the Socinians make reason the rule of their faith Quod absurdum est rationi debet esse falsum saith one others more modest or more subtile will seem to grant that reason ought to believe what God sayes be it never so contrary to their apprehensions but then when the question is put whether God say such a thing or no here they will deny it if it agree not with their maxims Thus what they give with the one hand they take away again with the other they passe it in the head but stop it in the house decline the volie but take the rebound which comes all to one at last But how little reason there is for so doing especially in hac foece Romali in this Apostate and fallen condition of humane nature the alone sense of our own infirmities and weaknesses may sufficiently convince O but yet Right Reason Ay where is it many make account they have it and that in those very things wherein yet they contradict one another Some think Aristotle did but bid his scholer go look when he made the judgement of a wiseman the rule of vertues mediocritie many pretend to be wise and many more think themselves such but it 's seldome that either prove so So that indeed a man may sooner find vertue than a wise-man especially considering that he had need to be one himself to know one when he meets him All reason then is not right nor have all men right reason that think they have it reason it self then stands in need of a rule to be tryed by Reason is then right when it is true and then only true when it judgeth according to the truth of things themselves now things to be believed are contained in Scripture let us carry our reason thith'er and trie it by them For as Amesius very well Ratio quaedicitur recta si absoluta rectitudo spectetur non alibi nobis est quarenda quà m ubi existit id est in Scripturis neque differt quatenus spectat bonum aequum à voluntate Dei ad nostrae vita directionem revelatâ Mcdullae lib. 2. cap. 2. So then although the maxims of natural reason may be of singular use in Divinity if rightly limited by the Scriptures yet are they not fit to be canon they are both too short and too weak to make a rule of divine faith of Secondly nor is Antiquity such a rule as is required Antiquity barely considered is no good mark much lesse rule of truth The Romanists in giving marks of the true Church do as Painters who draw the Virgine Mary by their own Mistresses they do not choose the Church by her marks but indeavour to make their marks by their Church In like manner here they do not square their doctrine by the true rule but strive to find out a rule that will fit their doctrine and yet herein too they are oft times much to seek They cry up Antiquity very much bidding us ask for the old way for multitude of dayes shall teach us wisdome and make account they have praised themselves all this while but no such matter unlesse we should look at antiquity and nothing else but then I know who may vie with them the devil was a lier from the beginning For our parts we professe we do very much reverence antiquiry but it must be then in conjunction with truth we cannot admire old errours but as Solomon speaks of the hoary head Prov. 16. 31. The hoary head is a crown of glory if it be found in the way of righteousnesse We shall alwayes rise up before a reverend hoary-headed truth but we must have something else besides its gray hairs to know it by lest in stead of truth we salute her mask and worship a cloud in stead of a goddesse And as for the Papists for all their boasting so much of the antiquity of their doctrine we can easily shew them who brought in this doctrine and that doctrine into their Church this ceremony and that ceremony this corruption and that corruption We need no microscope to see how patcht their coat is of how different a thread and spinning so that it could never hang together but that the new would rend the old in sunder the strong the rotten were it not for that same Catholick plaister of infallibility But while we make the Scriptures to be our rule our doctrine is ancienter than much of theirs pretends to be Thirdly not the writings of the Ancient Fathers nor Canons of Councels neither of these are fit to be made the rule of a divine faith We do attribute much unto the judgements of those ancient Fathers those primitive Saints and Worthies whether exprest in their private writings or signified in lawfull Councels When the Councels were such as they ought to be consisting of holy able and learned Pastours of the Church we look upon them as bright constellations whose light was the greater because of their conjunction They had not onely donum intellectûs and that in a great measure too as they were single Christians but also donum