that Nay is there not such folly in people that they are as willing to be without Gods Word as mans inventions It is a necessary truth which all Magistrates all Ministers all people should beleeve that Gods Word is perfect There is enough in it as a rule to direct and worke holinesse in us How wretched then are the Papists that will have Images the Lay mans Bible as if Gods Word were not enough and see their perverse disputings they will not have the Scripture read in the known tongue lest people through mistake make errours whereas Images are suffered by them though they doe naturally teach idolatry When therefore these traditions and ceremonies climbe up like Reuben into their Fathers bed let them lose all their glory The Word of God is Heb. 9. 15. alibi called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a Testament now you know to a mans Will nothing may be added nor any thing detracted And this you will alwayes find to be true all subversion of true faith and pure worship floweth from this either because something of Scripture is neglected or something that is not Scripture is introduced 5. It is adequately proportionable unto our faith The rule and the thing regulated must be fitted one to another Faith and the Word of God must runne parallel all that is written must be beleeved and all that is beleeved must be written and oh that the Church of God had in all ages kept to the Scripture as Ruth to Naomi where the one liveth the other would where the one dyeth the other will Non credo quia non lego I doe not beleeve it because I do not read it was a known speech in Antiquity Thou art to say Hitherto thou shalt goe O my Faith and no further hitherto thou shalt goe O my worship and no further Hoc primum credimus cum credimus quod nihil ultra credere debemus this we first beleeve when we doe beleeve that we ought to beleeve nothing beyond Scripture and this also is to be extended unto your practise and conversation As you are to take no other Religion then what the Scripture allowes so neither to live any other life then what the Word commands come therefore thou who livest a prophane and wretched life let us expostulate with thee thou art no Papist thou wilt not hold transubstantiation why because it cannot be proved true by Scripture And can thy profanenesse thy lusts thy oathes be proved lawfull by Scripture Doth not the same Scripture that bids thee beleeve thus bid thee also live thus Is not Gods Word against profanenesse as well as popery If this were attended to men would have holy lives as well as sound judgements 6. And lastly a rule must be first and before the thing to be regulated a rule is a measure and therfore must be first in its kind To question whether the Church should be before the Scripture is to question whether man be before God 'T is true Divines doe well observe that the Scripture may be considered either quoad formale externum in respect of the outward forme as it is a writing or quoad formale internum in respect of the inward sonne and sense of it as it is the Word of God Now in the latter sense Gods Word was alwayes before a Church because by the Word we are begotten againe and so made the Church Hence it is that Gods Word is more ancient then Churches and Fathers and this is the antiquity we should set up It is true the Church in regard of her Ministery and leading us to beleeve is before the Scripture but we never put forth a Divine holy Faith till the Spirit of God worke our assent to his Word because it is his Word so that to stay in the authority of the Church is to stay in Iohn Baptist that did beare witnesse of Christ and not goe to Christ himselfe Seeing therefore the Word of God is most ancient why should men presse us in faith or worship to go and see what was done 5. or 600. or a thousand yeares agoe and not rather goe to the Scripture which was before this But as the Owle and Thiefe cannot endure the light so neither can errour or superstition the Word of God Now take these Cautions First the Word of God is the onely rule In Popery they share with God in every thing to grace they joyne freewill to Christs merits their owne to God Angels and Saints to the Scriptures their traditions and Church authority and this is urged so precisely that if the Church doe determine an errour to be a truth yet they are bound to beleeve it yea that they doe mereri credendo merit by beleeving it even as it was among the Sadduces and Rabbins if their Elders said the right hand were the left or the left the right they must assent to it If we would be content with this that the Scripture were an halfe rule all would be well but as God is a perfect God so is his Word a perfect Word we must have no other Gods besides him so also no other Scripture or Word beside this Doe not then in matters of Religion make this thy Compasre to saile by What say others and what is the custome but What saith Gods Word Are not politique considerations a rule to many is not custome a rule to many Vae tibi flumen moris humani quis tibi resistet Woe to thee ô thoutorrent of custome who is able to resist thee cryeth Austin It is true if this be received here will appeare much nicety much singularity here must be loud cries for a Reformation which the world doth so much oppugne The world is not able to beare this exhortation Let the Word of God rule you let the Word of God reforme you 2. When we say its a rule it must be extended to that end for which it is a rule for as the Scripture is not a rule to Physicians or Mathematicians in their proper arts so neither doth it particularly tend to this or that individuall action for all essentials it is a rule and a generall rule for circumstantials Nor doth this detract from the perfection of the Scripture that it doth not command every circumstance because then a thing is imperfect when it wants some perfection that is due to it It is not an imperfection in the body that it s not every where because this is not requisite to the body so neither is it to be expected from the Scripture that all circumstantials must be by name commanded It s true the Church must take heed that under the name of circumstances she doth not bring in worship which hath beene alwayes the subtilty of Satan Thus Altar-worship and Image-worship were made but circumstances in mens bookes by distinctions but in their practise as much as Gods owne instituted worship Be sure to give enough to the Scripture Adoro plenitudinem Scripturae I adore the Scriptures
Bishops must look to it when we go to the Bishops they answer they cannot do any thing unlesse there were a publike Constitution of the Realme for it But when that publike Senate is called there are so many civill businesses to bee handled that the cause of Christ is alwayes neglected Therefore we the Ministers of Gods Word are like John Baptist a voice crying out to you Prepare ye the way for the Lord and that by his Word It was said of the people of Israel That there was an ounce of that calfe they made in every punishment that fell upon them And may not we say that the generall neglect of Discipline hath had a great share in all our sinnes and punishments O yee blessed Fathers who were afraid to use the word Trinity and the like because it was not in Scripture how could you lie still in your graves for these yeares past and not rather haunt us as ghosts who had so much of doctrine and of worship that had no Scripture for them Now there are other rules set up by men 1. Antiquity This is the Gorgons head that all superstitious men hold up thinking to silence all men immediately whereas indeed they deale as the Gibeonites did who came with their mouldy bread and old shooes which they had newly got as if they had enjoyed them a long while so it is with most of their old traditions and their mouldy inventions which they obtrude upon us But how many things are improved are not your states your revenues improved and shall not the light and gifts that God hath given be improved Is it not Austins observation that the Epistles of the Fathers were mended by Provinciall Councels and Provinciall by Vniversall and the first Vniversall by the latter mark that the first by the latter so that what is said of old age naturall may sometimes be true of ecclesiastique ipsa senectus morbus It was the observation of an acute wit That time was like the River of waters that bore up all the frothy and empty things but all the ponderous things sunk and were seene no more 2. Custome This a rule more then all Scriptures to many This we and our fathers have been used to doe Now how vaine is this for by the same reason Heathens and Pagans might plead for their Idolatry Yea Symmachus did when he intreated the Emperour not to bring in Christian Religion Oh saith he sequendi sunt parentes qui sequuti sunt feliciter suos contumeliosa est emendatio senectutis our fathers lived quietly doing thus and thus it is a reproachfull thing to be wiser then our fathers And this is the great mountaine in the way of Reformation Customes though never so ridiculous though never so dangerous yet they will stand for Austin tels us that he came into a City where the people had a custome upon one day in a yeare to meet together and to throw stones at one another whereby many were killed yet because it was a custome he could not make them leave it 3. Fathers Thus the Papists were the fathers of this new Religion now although it be true that our learned Divines do prove all our orthodox positions out of them yet withall we say they are no rules of faith Call no man Father saith our Saviour that is so as to rely and rest upon his authority And indeed there are none set forth the fulnesse of the Scripture more then they It was the insolent speech of that proud Heretique Dioscorus {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} I am cast out with the fathers so let any error any will-worship be cast out of the Church then the cry is this is cast out with the fathers The Fathers works are uncertain they contradict one another yea themselves sometimes and how then can they be rules 4. The name of a Church This is another rule to many they will be of that faith which the Church they live in doth professe and this hath been the Goliahs sword none like that It was Erasmus his speech as Gerhard cites him That the Church had so much authority over him and he gave so much to it that if she should conclude the Arian and Pelagian opinions to be the true faith hee would beleeve it What do you goe against the Church where if you askt what is the Church it would have been found to have been nothing but the will and resolution of a proud Pope for he is the Papists virtuall Church It is true the authority of a Church that is holy and true ought to work much upon men We saith the Apostle nor the Church of God have no such custome and therefore that is commendable Contra rationem nemo sobrius contra Scripturam nemo Christianus contra ecclesiam nemo pacisicus but then still provided that the Church shines with the Scripture light The authority of the right Church must not be a cypher and yet must not be all things To keep Church-government from tyranny and Christian liberty from a Socinian {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or doubting is very hard 5. Reason And this hath been much extolled by a Socinian party a ate but they confound the instrument and the rule together reason is the instrument applying not the rule it selfe and they are not reasons truths but Scripture truths As the Artificer that beats out his golden metall into such and such forms it is not the hammers Gold but only it is formed by it And as they argue against Scripture that one interprets it thus and another thus so we may say of Reason this is right reason to one that is not to another Tu haereticus mihi ego tibi Especially all reason severed from Gods Word is corrupt and carnall a very ill Iudge in the worship of God and our conversation 6. Universality To doe as the most doe this is a great rule they never consider what the Scriptures direct to but they will beleeve and worship and live as the most doe now God hath expresly forbidden this Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evill They are but few to whom Christ revealeth himselfe The whole world lyeth in darknesse And as that mould of the earth which turneth into stones is farre greater then that which becomes metall and as the weeds are farre more then the flowers so are sinners far more then those that doe truly worship God This sect is every where spoken against say they of Christs way And you shall be hated of all men for my names sake But as hell is not the more comfortable because so many are there so neither ought the paths thither to be the more pleasant because there are so many companions which lead to destruction 7. Enthusiasme That is when men set up their private fancies and spirits against the meaning of God in his Word But because all the godly are traduced by following a private spirit and because that place of Scripture is
urged by some No Scripture is of private interpretation it is good to consider the distinction I shall bring grant that it be read {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifieth an impulse or comming upon us An interpretation may be said to be private either 1. in regard of the person and so that is not forbidden for it is lawfull for one private man to gain-say the whole world if he have a true interpretation of Scripture or 2. it is private ratione medii when he takes a false medium he doth not take the context and the circumstances and this private interpretation which doth not publikely appeare in the words is forbidden or 3. private is ratione finis the end of a man when though he take a right way and course yet he hath some sinister end and this also is forbidden So then a private spirit is then made a rule when we take our own thoughts of the Scripture and doe not found or establish our meaning upon the context The Papists and Enthusiasts are contrary one to another Thus Christ as Tertullian saith is alwayes crucified between two theeves truth suffers between two contrary errours Now if we follow Scripture Rules there will these consequents flow from it 1. Such a man will be sure and constant in his way for as the truth is yesterday and to day the same for ever so also will the frame and temper of the man be the same for ever whereas a man that doth not build upon Scripture he hath a weekly and a monthly Faith Hence are those phrases Holdfast the words of Life Tit. 1. 8. The godly men saith Fox were called the just and hold-fast men because they would not abate of the least tittle they held It was a proverbe to expresse the difficulty of a thing {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} you may sooner unteach a man Christ whereas men that have not built upon this foundation they are like Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria who was nick-named Euripus because of his ebbing and flowing in matters of Religion for a Bishopricke hee would sweare to the Nicene Councell and then to keep it he would forsweare it againe 2. He will be holy and spirituall in his conversation for such as those rules are such will he be The Scriptures are called holy not onely because the matter of them is holy and the efficient Author of them holy but because the end and effect of them is to make us holy They will not onely make orthodox in judgment but right in affections and conversations also Hence it is that there is as little holinesse in the lifes of the Papists as there is sound faith in their judgements and how can it be otherwise seeing the Church of Rome hath dealt with the people of God as if a man would commit a Ship into the Sea without Pilot Compasse or Sailes and so venture it into the Ocean And this Scripture holinesse doth as farre surpasse that which people call piety as the Sun doth the glow-worme 3. This will bring peace and security to him and to the Kingdome that receives it As many as walk according to this rule peace unto them Gal. 6. 16. Ignorant and prophane people cry out it is this crying for Scripture so much that makes all this trouble but see the contrary 2 Chron. 5. 35. When there was no teaching Priest nor the Law in Israel then there was trouble to him that went in and went out Again 2 Chron. 17. 9. 10. when Iehoshaphat Reformed according to God then all was quiet and feare fell upon all the Nations round about The bringing in of Gods Word and a Scripture Reformation is like the bringing in of the Ark to Obed Edoms house it carries much blessing with it 4. This Scripture man will bee accounted nice and scrupulous If you doe regard his conscience which attends Gods Word only it must needs be nice and scrupulous in the Worlds account That as they wonder you runne not into the same excesse of riot with them so also that you cannot use all such Worship and receive all such Traditions as they doe A tender constitution feeles the least blast of wind so also doth a tender heart Look upon the carriage of our Saviours not washing his hands it was but a civill thing he knew how much the neglect of this would prejudice him and yet he would not doe it For as he will have a liberty of conscience where some are superstitiously fearefull so againe hee will have an holy feare of conscience where others are desperately bold never then let Reformers startle at this to bee thought more strict then needs 5. He will be judged singular from others This ariseth from the other for seeing his conscience is so tender thence also his life will be disagreeing to the most as the Apostles rule Rom. 13. 2. Not to fashion our selves according to this world and so Jam. 1. 27. pure Religion is to keep our selves unspotted from the world it is true on the other side if there be any irregularity it is in the most men of the world that they conforme not unto the Word of God which is the rule for the godly doe as they should doe as in a pasture where a flock of sheep is if all but two or three break the hedges and runne into the high-wayes who are wanderers the multitude no those two or three that abide in the pastures 6. It will make him become hated and abhorred of all You shall be hated of all men for my names sake Hence the Papists because we would have all decided by Scripture they call us Scriptuarios and atramentarios Theologos Inky Divines and to be a Bible bearing Puritan was matter of scoffe How would the fire of Chrysostom have kindled against these wretches who upon that place Let the word of God dwell plentifully in you Cor. 3. 16. cryeth out {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Hearken all you tradesmen get Bibles this undoeth you that you think it belongs onely to some speciall men to read the Scripture And how can it be but that the world must hate this seeing there is such a contrariety between a Scripture life and the life of carnall men A Scripture conversation and a Scripture reformation can be no more indured by the world then David by Saul because the pulling down of one is the establishing of the other Semper aliena virtus formidolosa est one mans vertue makes him that wants it afraid But how may we get good by this rule 1 Wee must be frequent in it see that Col. 3. Let it dwell in you you must know it and bee as familiar with it as your own houses and then plentifully that is both for the object and subject the object not this or that parcell of the Word of God but the whole Scripture and then for the subject in all the parts of
the soul the understanding the will and the affections it must be like Aarons Oyle running down from the head to the feet hence God would have the King himselfe to write his word with his own hand that so he may bee acquainted with it and rule accordingly Dent 17. 2 Pray for understanding Only a spirituall understanding and an heavenly eye can discerne an excellency in the Scripture it argued a prophane spirit in Politian who said there was more in one of Pindars Odes then all Davids Psalmes But David prayeth that God would open his eyes that hee might see the wonderfull things in Gods Law All truth is sweet but the Scripture truth above all men may reade the Scripture write Comments on it and yet not have spirituall and savoury understanding of it Nunquam Pauli mentem intelliges nisi prius Pauli spiritum imbiberis unlesse God give thee the heavenly spirit of Paul thou wilt never understand the heavenly meaning of Paul 3 Be humble and meek submitting to the simplicity contained therein The humble he will teach his way It is a great matter to stoop to the Scripture Austin complaineth of this that literarum typho tumidus swelling with pride of humane learning hee did refuse the simplicity of Scriptures Bradwardine speaking of himselfe before he felt the power of grace upon his heart saith that hee was much offended when hee heard Paul read in the Church because hee had not metaphysicum ingenium Thus proud men seldome ever come to know the truth God hideth these things from the prudent and wise of the world 4 Get love to Gods truth And this is the reason of all Anti-christs errours and beleeving such lies as they doe because they receive not Gods Word in the love of it They loathed this Manna and therefore God makes a famine among them and there is no more terrible prognostique of Gods delivering up a people to blindnesse and hardnesse then their rejecting of the Word Take we heed then how we reject God reforming lest he sweare in his wrath that we shall never be reformed What is the great crying sinne of England this day even an hatred of Gods truth they love not the power and purity of it but as the Gadarens had rather have their Swine then Christs presence so these their brutish lusts rather then Gods truth God removeth these meanes of grace when people are incurable as when the Patient is dead all the physick boxes and cups are taken away Now that the Word of God may be set up these three things are necessary 1 To incourage preaching which is that great work so severely charged upon the ministers Hezekiah spake comfortably to those that taught the good knowledge of God There was a very noxious and destructive opinion that reading was preaching The question is not whether reading may not in some sense be called preaching taking preaching for any declaration of Gods truth But whether it be ministeriall preaching whether whē the Apostle saith he must divide Gods Word aright he meaneth no more then to reade whether when he saith who is sufficient for these things he meaneth who is able to reade when he saith Give thy selfe to study that thy profiting may appeare to all men he meaneth that all men see thou readest better then thou didst 2 Catechizing This would doe good both to Minister and people the ministery in the first place Memorable is that which Chemnitius relates of his Master Chytraeus that when he read over divers Authors and devoured many Volumes he set himselfe to prove the Catechisticall points of Divinity by Scripture and then he sound himselfe in a new world he was not able to doe it As for the Minister so much more for the people Who will give us to weep rivers of teares for the generall ignorance in all Parishes and Congregations Bellarmine saith that faith may be defined better by ignorance then knowledge This is true that the faith of the common people such as it is may bee so defined Help the the Church of God O you Wotthies in this 3. Incouraging learning and the knowledge of the tongues for howsover translations may be good yet in regard of the emphasis of the Originall we may say as the Queen of Sheba to Solomon that which shee heard was nothing to the glory she saw Then came in errour and superstition when it was Heresie or at least suspicion of it to understand Greek and Hebrew A Divine ought to bee that which was said of Nazianzene {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an Ocean of Divinity Wee come now to the Testimony it selfe Prepare yee the way of the Lord c. which doth containe the effect of Iohns Ministery as also the duty of his hearers who were fallen into a corrupt time when the Philistims had filled up all the Wels the Pharisees Scribes had corrupted the Word of God by false interpretations The word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} he wil prepare and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} prepare yee are taken from the custome of great Ones who use to have way made for them or as others when great Commanders were to lead an Army they sent some before who were called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that did complanate and make levell the way and the Hebrew Word is emphaticall which signifieth such a removall of all offensive things that the face may no longer behold them and thence wee observe that It is the duty of a people to remove all difficulties and oppositions in the way that so Christ may come and dwell with them for so the Text carrieth it either literally to take every thing away that may stop their speedy returne from Babylon or typically what should oppose the spirituall restauration of the Church by the Messias and so proportionably whatsoever mountaine or valley may be in the way where Christ is comming As they threw garments in the way and with much acclamation cryed Hosanna blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord so are we with all earnestnesse of affection to cry Blessed be that Reformation which commeth in the name of the Lord This also the Psalmist cryeth Lift up your heads yee gates that the King of glory may come in We will first shew what are the impediments the hills and valleyes that hinder Christs comming to reigne in his Church 1 A corrupt judgement as if there were no necessity of preparation of Reformation That was Laodicea's case shee thought her selfe full and rich therefore she is counselled to buy eyesalve Rev. 3. 18. Thus the Church of Rome is in a desperate disease because she thinks she cannot be sick she cannot erre Thus all Reformation is accounted needlesse what need we any more doe As he said many had been learned if they had not conceited they were so so many Churches had beene more pure and reformed if they had not thought