Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n
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A46626
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Ad clerum a visitation sermon preached at Beckonsfield in the county of Bucks, April the 9th, 1678 / by John James ...
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James, John, b. 1649.
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1678
(1678)
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Wing J427; ESTC R35427
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26,308
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47
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from him to treat with their fellow-Creatures in the business of Religion and to communicate the Mysteries of the Gospel to them which by a just Analogy may also be attributed to all succeeding Ministers who are legally appointed to serve at the Altar of Christ and to Minister to his People in Sacred things Which is the second part of the Proposition and respects the Office and employment of the Persons spoken of in the Text They are the Stewards of the Mysteries of God that the Gospel of Christ or the Doctrine of Christianity is intended under this Phrase will most evidently appear if we compare this Expression of the Apostle with others of the like Nature and then consider the most genuine import and signification of them in Col. 2.2 the Apostle professing his ardent Zeal and Sollicitude for the Church of God at Colossi and Laodicea inserteth this very expression into his prayer for them that they might be united with one accord into the the knowledge and profession of the Mysteries of God of which he affirms in the next Verse That all Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are contained in them the same he calls their Faith in Christ Vers 5. And receiving Christ Jesus the Lord Vers 6. Which Phrases can admit of no other Exposition to explicate their sence and meaning than to signifie the Christian Doctrine which at the first was delivered by the Lord and afterwards confirmed and perfected by them that heard him Parallel to which is that Illustrious Aphorism of St. Paul 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the Mystery of Godliness that is the Religion of Christ which prescribes the most excellent and perfect Rules of Piety and that this notion requires so general a signification appears by the several branches enumerated by the Apostle as a Basis or Foundation to support the Church of God which were the common received Articles of the Christian Religion For that men might not wander eternall◠in the dark and an everlasting blindness possess their Souls it hath pleased the infinitely Wise and Gracious God to communicate to the World by Divine Revelation many sublime and mysterious points and whatever else is necessary to be believed and observed in order to Mens Salvation and that these things might be perpetuated to the World and secured from the corruptions or invasions of Enemies it seemed good to the Holy Ghost to commit them to writing in the Sacred Records of Holy Scripture which by an especiall providence are preserved entire to this very day in the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament which latter was the only Foundation laid by the Apostles and therefore the Catalogue of Books contained therein the sum and substance of the Christian Faith which St. Paul saith was made manifest and known to the Saints and so certainly could not remain in unwritten Traditions for then it would have been hid from the World Rom. 16.26 And another Apostle calls it the Faith once or at once delivered Jude 3. Which directly opposeth any Innovation or Introduction of Doctrines into the Gospel after its consummation by the Apostles which is an assertion of such Catholick verity that all the Writers in the Church of Christ have constantly acknowledged it till those few persons in the late Councel of Trent durst venture to reject the universal Tradition of the Church and run counter with the best Antiquity which is plainly demonstrated by the incomparable industry and elaborate inquiry of the late Reverend Bishop of Durham in his Scholastical History of the Canon of Holy Scripture So that though the Writings of Apocryphical Authors may be Read in the Church of God for example of life and instruction of manners yet the Governours of our Church in Compiling her publick Liturgy have appointed no part of those Books to be Read but what is agreeable to Canonical Scripture and always accounted their Authority too weak to lay any Foundation for or to establish any necessary Doctrine upon Which was the Judgment of Saint Jerome concerning this matter who was also the most strenuous Assertor of the certain and indubitate Catalogue of Holy Writers for speaking of the Writings of Apocrypha he saith Legit quidem Ecclesia sed eas inter Canonicas non recipit and though we receive the Name and Number of Canonical Books from the Authority of humane Tradition and upon the same credit believe those Copies which now we enjoy to be Authentick and in all material parts agreeable to the most Primitive Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles yet we dare not receive the Traditions of men as the Doctrine of God nay we utterly reject such Impositions as presumptuous and impudent and are afraid of the Curse of God if we should receive them as Articles of Faith because the Holy Ghost in the Comsummation of the Gospel hath consign'd and Sealed it up with an Anathema Rev. 22.18 19. Itestifie c. Therefore the Church of England according to the practice of the Catholick Church in all Ages since the time of the Apostles hath prescribed the same Canon of Scripture and utterly disclaimed all pretence of Adition to or Detraction from it as 't is recited in the Sixth Article of our Religion So that the written Word of God the Sacred Records of the Gospel the several Contents therein the various parts thereof and no other Writings or Traditions whatsoever are that depositum committed to the charge of all Ministerial Officers whose duty it is to preserve and improve the same according to the pleasure of their Lord and Master for this purpose they are constituted Stewards of God and Dispensers of Holy Mysteries thus St. Paul affirms in general 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. God hath given Us the Ministry of Reconciliation and committed to Us the Word of Peace that we are Ambassadours for Christ to pray men in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God and in particular proclaims of himself that he was appointed a Preacher of the Gospel and an Apostle and a Teacher of the Gentiles 2 Tim. 1.11 And for this reason he exhorts Timothy to stir up the gift of God which was in him by the putting on of his hands to hold fast the form of sound words which he had heard of him and to keep by the Holy Ghost the good thing which was committed to him Vers 6 13 14. To which agrees that description of a Minister or President in Sacred affairs delivered by that Mystical Divine that he is the proper Interpreter of Divine Theology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Angel of Almighty God being to learn from those Divinely inspired Oracles and then to teach and explain them to the Church And if the Commission of those Apostolical Persons be restrained within the prescription of certain bounds that they durst not go beyond the command of the Lord to do either good or bad of their own mind had power to say nothing in the name of Christ but what he communicated to them
by Divine Inspiration and none to diminish ought of what he bid them speak for though they enjoyed under Christ the greatest preheminence imaginable in Relious affairs yet they durst not detract from or add to the will of God by Preaching up their own fancies and the imaginations of their own Brains this St. Paul professeth of himself 1 Cor. 2.1 to 7. And both the Evangelists and Apostles do seriously protest that whatever they delivered to the World as to all the main and necessary parts of Doctrine they received it from Christ in Person or by Revelation from the Holy Ghost as we may well believe considering those miraculous gifts and graces which were communicated to them which was an irrefragable demonstration of the Spirit and Power of God by which they spake 't is highly absurd to imagine that their Successors should have greater liberty in the Church of Christ and especially at such a vast distance of time from the propagation of the Gospel and the cessation of Miracles indeed it might be deservedly accounted a Miracle not the least if we should be Soveraign Lords over mens Consciences or have absolute dominion in matters of Faith if our Ambassage should be of an unlimited Nature like the command which Tiberius gave Drusus upon a certain expedition Nullis certis mandatis exre consulturum that every man might have the power of a Plenipotentiary and deliver what seems good in his own eyes when every tittle of our Errand is comprized by God ratiâ—ed and confirmed fâ—om Heaven and explicitely contained in the grand Charter of our Commission the Records of the Gospel So that as the Civil Law adjudgeth those Ambassadors guilty of High Treason who transcend the bounds and limits of their Commission and both Modern and Ancient Histories Record that such presumption hath received a just recompence of reward the Apostles always accounted it a Sacrilege most horrid and inexcusable in the sight of their Master and loaded that Person with a most dreadful Anathema who should presume to broach his own Inventions and to intermingle them with the Doctrine of the Gospel Gal. 1.8 9. If we or an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Doctrine then that ye have already received let him be accursed which Apâ—stoâ—ical Constitution is of equal Authority in the Church to this very day for in reference to that Text is that gloss of St. Austin Maledictus est qui quidpiam praedicat praeterquam quod in Scripturis Legis and Evangelii recepimus And if these things be true what just indignation may the Master of our Religion conceive against the presumption and boldness of the Church of Rome which advanceth the Pope into His Tribunal and ascribes a like power might and dominion to him as to the eternal Son of God! For though Christ alone can instruct us in the Laws and Ordinances of his Kingdom and by the influence of his Spirit direct us in the way of life though that pretended Vicar of Christ be styled the Minister of our Lord and in his Canons and Decrees subscribe himself Episcopus servus Servorum Dei yet dares he proudly usurp the most proper Offices of his Master and boldly assume the Title of Head of the Church For he as they confidently boast hath received full Authority from Christ to deliver the whole will of God to the World and to decide all Controversies in Religion who according to them is certainly infallible when he acts as Head of the Church whom the Holy Ghost doth continually attend in Council lawfully Summon'd and in his Consistory assists him to Judge infallibly of Spiritual affairs he hath Supremacy over the Souls of Men can dispense with Divine Laws dissolve mens Obligation of obedience to them and secure their Persons from the wrath of God which for their disobedience they justly deserve he can constitute new Articles of Faith and impose his definitions on the whole World as Credentials necessary to mans Salvation the Keys of Heaven are delivered to him for though Chritst alone opens and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens Rev. 3.7 Yet by Succession to St. Peter he dares Sit and Reign as Universal Soveraign by his Papal Authority determining the Conditions of Life and Death and according to mens observation of them adjudging them to the one or other as if he that Reigns in Heaven above and Rules on Earth beneath had ceased to execute his Kingly Office over the Church and had derived it to St. Peter as his immediate Successor and to the Pope as Universal Vicar That these are indeed the Principles of the Church of Rome and not the slanderous suggestion of Protestants is apparently manifest not only from the Writings of their private Doctors but from the decretals of their general Councils and the most solemn Bulls of several Popes in which they have acted so directly opposite to the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Gospel that they have exercised Authority over Christ himself and by their Traditions made the Gospel of Christ of no effect Witness that Decree concerning the Canon of Scripture in the Fourth Session of the Council of Trent Celebrated under Paul the Third wherein it was declared that the Books of Apocrypha and all their unwritten Traditions are equally the Dictates of Gods Spirit with the most Canonical Scripture Synodus Libros Scriptos sine sc traditiones tanquam velore tenus a Christo vel a Spiritu Sancto dictatas pari Pietatis affectu ac reverentiâ suscipit ac veneratur Si quis autem sciens prudens contempscrit Anathema sit and as necessary to confirm any Article of Faith and to prescribe Rules for the regulating of manners and therefore to be embraced with the like affection of Piety and received with the same religious Reverence under peril of the most dreadfull Anathema And now I appeal to the judgment of and sober considerate man whether such Doctrines as these are agreeable to the Tenor of the Gospel and becoming the Ministers of Christ or not rather highly derogatory to the dignity and honour of his Majesty as being palpably erroneous and horridly blasphemous if tried by the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament which are the only Canon of Faith and good manners We have hitherto considered the Doctrine of the Text which was naturally contained in the two former Particulars that the Apostles and all other Persons lawfully Consecrated into their Spiritual Office are the Ministers of Christ and the Stewards of the Mysteries of God Now both the Nature of the precedeing Discourse and the Order of the Method propounded require our consideration concerning the last Particular which contains Two practical Inferences deduced from the truth of the Apostles Assertion One respecting the men to whom these Persons are employed as Ministers and Stewards Let a man so account of Us The other relating to the Persons themselves to whom this Office is committed Moreover 't is required in Stewards