Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	tradition_n	word_n	write_a	3,323	5	10.7817	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88578	A Christians duty and safety in evill times Delivered in severall sermons, upon four texts of scripture, viz. Christ's prayer the saints support, on Iohn 17 15[.] A divine ballance to weigh all doctrines by, on 1 Thes.5. 21[.] A Christians great enquiry, on Acts 16.30, 31[.] A description of true blessedness, on Luke 11. 28[.] By that faithfull messenger of Jesus Christ, Mr Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence-jury, London. Whereunto is annexed The saints rest, or Their happy sleep in death. As it was delivered in a sermon at Aldermanbury, London. Aug. 24. 1651. By Edmund Calalmy. B. D.	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.; Calamy, Edumnd, 1600-1666. Saints rest.	1653 (1653)	Wing L3147; Thomason E1434_3-4; ESTC R209589	82,542	242

Word of God which is his Testimonie and if any speak otherwise then according to Gods Word it is a cleare and evident signe that there is no Light nor Truth in them I give you this direction because there are multitudes of vaine people in these our daies who wave the written Word of God and run to Inspirations and Revelations to try Doctrines by which are no certain Rules and so by this means they entertain satanical delusions and not heavenly inspirations But I would desire such seriously to mind this one Text of Scripture 2 Pet. 1.18 19. It is in 2 Pet. 1.18 19. And this voyce which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount wee have also a more sure word of Prophesy The written Word of God is more sure in regard of us then if wee should heare a voyce from Heaven And that is the reason that when Dives desired that some extraordinarie course might be taken Luke 16. to prevent his brethrens coming to Hell and therefore desired that Lazarus might bee sent from the grave to forewarne them and then he thought they would beleive Abraham sends him to Moses and the Prophets and saith If they will not hear them neither would they be perswaded though one should rise from the dead If wee should hear a voyce in the aire we must not beleive that voice but we must beleive what we finde on record in the Word of God Deut 29 ult Deut. 29 ult Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our Children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law This I mention to shew you that men that pretend so much to Revelations and leave the written Word of God are in the ready way to run into Satanical delusions and grosse mistakes A second general Direction about trying such Doctrines as you heare is this 2 Generall Rule Rather maintain than dispure clear principles of truth viz. Clear principles of Truth must rather be maintained then disputed It is a rule in Philosophy that principles against principles are not to bee disputed and this Rule holds good in Divinity we must not dispute such principles as these viz. whether Christ be the Son of God Or the Scripture the Word of God The Resurrection of the body The Salvation of Saints the Damnation of Sinners Iudgment to come or Life everlasting Such fundamental principles as these are to be maintained but not disputed Thirdly maintain no opinion stifly until you have tryed it throughly 3 Generall Rule Maintaine no opiniuntill you have tryed it Such is the instability of mens minds in this erronious age that one Sermon many times shall more pervert them from the Truths of the Gospell then twenty Sermons shall settle them again Object But it will be further said such as are both learned and godly doe differ in many things one aserts this to be a truth another that to be a truth now how shall such a poor creature as I am judge whether such Doctrines be Truth or no Answer For answer hereunto As I have in the general directed you so I shall now more particularly give you some Rules and Directions by which you are to try all Doctrines that you hear Rule 1 First whatsoever the Word of God doth expresly hold forth to be beleived and received or whatsoever doth necessarily flow from Scripture by a natural and genuine consequence though it be not to be found in Scripture totidem verbis in open and expresse words or whatsoever doth agree with the genuine fence of any one place of Scripture although it may seem not to agree with the litteral fence of another place of Scripture or whatsoever Doctrine is agreeable to the end intent and scope of the Scripture This Doctrine is sound and to be embraced But on the contrary that Doctrine which is not to be found in Scripture which is not bottomed upon the Scripture which cannot be drawn rationally from the Scripture by a necessary consequence but is built upon the Traditions Inventions of men which ads to the Word or detracts from the Word which doth wrest and pervert the Scripture or strain it to mens corrupt opinions or whatsoever Doctrine will not abide the tryall of the Word will not abide the Light That Doctrine is false and to be abhorred Rule 2 Secondly whatsoever Doctrine doth advance the grace of God in Christ and debaseth man that putts the crown of glory upon Gods Free grace that Doctrine is sound But on the contrary that Doctrine which debaseth the grace of God in Christ and advanceth the corrupt Will of man and which sets Free-will against Free grace that Doctrine is unsound Rule 3 Thirdly whatsoever Doctrine doth advance the Will of God as well as the Grace of God which shewes what God would have us to doe as well as what he hath promised to doe for us that Doctrine is a true Doctrine But on the contrary that Doctrine which cries up the Free grace of God and in the mean time gives liberty to men to live as they list which doth make the Will of God for obedience and the Grace of God for salvation to be contrary one to the other that Doctrine is a false Doctrine Rule 4 Fourthly that Doctrine which advanceth all the Attributes of God the Justice of God as well as the Mercy of God the Holinesse of God as well as the Grace of God and approves of and commends all those wayes and paths which God hath set out in Scripture for us to walk in which teaches us Faith Repentance Piety towards God and Charity towards man that Doctrine is sound and good But on the contrary whatsoever Doctrine doth rob God of his glory in any of his Attributes that makes God either unmercifull or unjust c. or that sleights any one of those waies that God hath chalked out in Scripture for us to walk in or that dis-joines the two Tables of God separating Pietie from Charitie acts of Righteousnesse from acts of Holinesse Let it pretend never so much Charity to men if it doth not acknowledge Pietie to God or if it pretend never so much Pietie to God if it directs not Charitie and Righteousnesse to men that Doctrine is false and corrupt Rule 5 Fiftly whatsoever Doctrine discovers the sinfulnesse of vain thoughts lustfull imaginations as well as sinfull practices that Doctrine is true But that Doctrine which requireth only outward reformation and reach eth not unto heart purification that Doctrine is unsound Rule 6 Sixthly that Doctrine which advanceth all Truth the directing Truth as well as the comforting Truth the commanding Truth as well as the promising Truth that advanceth both Law and Gospel that Doctrine is sound But on the contrary that Doctrine which is pleasing to the corrupt nature of man easie to flesh and blood that makes way for loosenesse and prophanesse

that Doctrine is unsound Rule 7 Seventhly whatsoever Doctrine doth necessarily tend to settle and compose a troubled Conscience by teaching us to bottom only upon the merits of Christ for salvation and not upon our own good works that Doctrine is sound But that Doctrine which leaves a distressed perplexed Conscience without any sound bottom to rest upon by teaching men to place the stresse of their salvation upon the mutable Will of man this is not only an uncomfortable but an unsound Doctrine Rule 8 Eightly that Doctrine that tends to the advancement of godlinesse in a mans Christian course which as the Apostle speakes Titus 1.1 acknowledgeth the truth which is after godlinesse which conduceth to the perfecting of holinesse that puts us on to diligent care to work out our salvation with feare and trembling that helps on the work of grace in the soul that tends to inform the judgement reform the heart and conform the life to the whol Will of God that Doctrine is true and good But on the contrary that Doctrine which tends to Licentiousnesse and Libertinism causing men to neglect the Ordinances of God and to grow weary of Congregationall Worship Family Worship and Closet Worship that turns the grace of God into Wantonnesse that magnifies the Death of Christ but destroyes the Life of Christ that sets up the Blood of Christ the Priestly Office of Christ but regards not the Commands of Christ the Kingly Office of Christ that makes men confident of Mercy but carelesse of Repentance that makes Christ mercifull but leaves them sinfull or at the best brings them but to a form of godlinesse without the power thereof that Doctrine is erronious and dangerous Truth ever advanceth godlinesse but erronious Doctrine is contrary thereunto 2 Tim. 2.16 2 Tim 2.16 Shun prophane and vayn bablings for they will encrease unto more ungodlinesse We finde in our dayes the fruit of vain bablings and Disputes to be the broaching of such damnable Opinions as these viz That a man must not mourn for sinne must not confesse sinne must not pray for pardon of sinne and thus three parts of Prayer are taken away So concerning the Decree of God that if they bee decreed to bee saved they shall bee saved let them live as they list and if they bee decreed to bee damned they shall bee damned let them doe what they can Whereas the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation should bee a spur to stir us up in pursuit after holinesse So concerning the Law of God that it is of no use to believers And many such like pernicious Doctrines are occasioned by vain Disputes all which tend to more ungodlinesse which is enough to prove them to be false for truth ever advanceth practical godlynesse in a mans Christian course Rule 9 Lastly Doctrines of truth will be true when they are tryed truth fears no tryal it is error that fears the light that creeps into houses and dares not appear in publique that seiseth upon silly women laden with corruption as the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 3.6 but dares not encounter with a knowing Christian 2. Tim. 3.6 And therefore it is that the Turks doe forbid any man to dispute against their Alkoran And therfore it is that the Church of Rome will not suffer the common people to read the Bible but they must pin their Faith upon other mens sleeves and believe as the Church believes And thus they cause their Errors and Idolatries to bee swallowed down whereas were they brought into the light the weaknesse and sinfulnesse thereof would appear The sum of all is this When you heare any Doctrine delivered compare it with the VVord of God and if you finde that it doth crosse any part of the old or new Testament believe it not for it is not Truth but Error These Rules and Directions for the trying of such Doctrines as you hear may be of great advantage unto you in these loose and erronious times if the Lord give you hearts to make a right improvement thereof Nay Conscience doth not tell mee of any thing delivered unto you repugnant unto the Scripture But trust nothing that I preach untill you have tried it and if you finde any thing disagreeable to the written Word of God reject it Prove all things hold fast that that which is good FINIS A CHRISTIANS great Enquiry Text. Acts 16.30 31. And said sirs what must I doe to be saved And they said beleive on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt bee saved THis Text is propounded by way of interrogation the manner of its composure intimates that it is the Ebulition of a perplexed mind the Quere of a distempered and distressed soul and that about a businesse of the greatest moment in the World There are many critical curious and controversial Questions that men enquire after in these daies But this Question that the poor Jaylor here asked is a Question of the greatest concernment that ever can bee made by any man It was no lesse then this what he might doe to be saved The Question seems to be the expression of a man in great anguish and consternation of mind and truly the matter the Question is about is such as might trouble all the World As a grave Divine answered one that came unto him saying Sir I am troubled about my Salvation saith hee freind it is a businesse that might trouble all the World So here this poor man cries out to Paul and Silas what must I doe to be saved I shall not spend time about the Explication but shall dispatch what I have to say in a practical prosecution of these words Before I come to the points of Doctrin I intend to handle There are 3 concurrent circumstances about the words from whence 3 Observations will arise 1 From the consideration of the condition of the man that propounds this serious Question a Iaylor a calling in those times especially full of infamy because the followers of Christ were most of all in bonds when Oppressors and men of violence escaped free yet behold a Iaylor the object of pardoning mercy Hence Observe 1 Observation From the condition of the man that propounds this Question That men of the most despicable condition in the World may become the objects of Gods pardoning mercy Salvation is not impailed within the rank of the rich and honourable of the World but sometimes men of the lowest rank become the objects of Gods mercy Pardoning grace reacheth sometimes to the vildest and most notorious sinners in the World Christ came not to call the righteous Mark 2.17 but sinners to repentance 2. From the consideration of the occasion or manner of this Jaylors conversion for it is said In the night there was a great Earth-quake in the prison and the Keeper awakened out of his sleep and when he arose he saw all the prison doores open and thinking that all the prisoners had been gone hee was in great perplexity of minde