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
ashamed to professe it if we be Christ will be ashamed of us another day Mark 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the Sonne of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels And whosoever shall deny him before men him will he also deny before his Father which is in heaven Matth. 10.33 Christ will have his truth owned by his followers The devil indeed will allow men to professe truth while they harbour errour in their hearts but Christ will not allow of such discord between heart and tongue Corde creditur adjustitiam With the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Rom. 10. 10 11. for the Scripture saith He that believeth on him shall not be ashamed Profession is the badge of truth and a fealty due to the God of truth By constant profession of and bearing witnesse to the truth the truth it self is propagated and God's glory is advanced and other Professours of truth are much encouraged And when was there ever greater need of bearing witnesse to the truth than at this day when errour does on every side so much abound When the unclean spirits like froggs bred of the slime of the earth come out of the mouth of the dragon then blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garment Rev. 16. 15. Wherefore {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Let us hold fast the profession of our faith unmoved without wavering Heb. 10. 23. for beloved we count them happy which endure James 5. 11. and our Saviour assures us more than once that they that endure to the end shall be saved Matth. 24. 13. Mark 13. 13. Nay himself encourages us from heaven Rev. 2. 10. Bethou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee a crown of life again Hold that thou hast let no man take thy crown Rev. 3. 11. That 's a fifth way of holding fast that which is good by the constant profession of it Sixthly the sixth and last way that I shall name is by contending for it earnestly Indeed so long as a man can enjoy his house by an undisturbed possession he need not contend about it but when thieves shall attempt to break it open when a robber shall set upon him for his purse striving by violence to take it from him then he must resolve to contend for it if he mean to keep it Now such is the condition of truth in this world it 's in a state militant continually surrounded and beset with enemies whose ring-leader is Satan the father of lies who layes continuall siege to truth not that he desires to have it himself but that he may dispossesse others of it and slight it when he ha's done 'T was but needfull then that the Apostle should exhort us to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints Judo 3. They were betrusted with it as with a fort or castle and it would be treachery or cowardise not to defend it to the last And Paul's exhortation may be of singular use to us for our encouragement 1 Cor. 16. 13. Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit your selves like men and be strong A gallant speech of a tried souldier who had fought a good fight himself and was now ready to receive his crown Now though it be the duty of every Christian to contend for truth and that earnestly yet every one in his own rank and order for a man is not crowned except he strive lawfully Private Christians they must strive by earnest prayer to God that his truth may have a free passage and be victorious while others whom God hath given commission and abilities must also contend for it by preaching disputing and writing in defence of it all by suffering for it yea and dying in witnesse to it if God in his providence should call them forth to it Beloved ye have not yet resisted unto bloud but ye know not what times may come the clouds gather apace and some begin to fear a storm it concerns us in wisdome however to provide for the worst to be well-settled in the faith to buckle on our harnesse and to fortifie our selves in holy resolutions to stand to our arms having our loyns girt about with truth and we had need have truth girt close about us else we may chance to have a lap of it cut off and we never the wiser as Saul's skirt was by David while he slept and perceived it not Or else in time of persecution we may deal with it as the young man in the Gospel did by his linen cloth when souldiers laid hold of him he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked Mark 14. 51 52. Some it may be may think it but a nicety that some of the Primitive Christians sthood upon when they chose to sacrifice their own lives rather than sprinkle a little frankincense upon an idol's censer Some may imagine perhaps that the Martyrs of later years were too straight-laced many of them suffering upon the article of Transubstantiation but died Abner as a fool did those Worthyes foolishly and needlesly cast away their lives No surely they understood well enough that to deny the truth was to deny Christ and worshipping the bread was no lesse than grosse idolatry both grievous sinns had they been lesse they might not they durst not have committed them though to save their lives But as people and Ministers must contend for the truth so Magistrates are not excused from it What an abatement was it in the coats of divers of the Kings of Judah and those good Kings otherwaies that idol-worship was tolerated and winkt at in the high-places and not utterly rooted out O beloved God is a jealous God he will not endure his worship to be corrupted and do we think he will suffer his truth to be adulterated Will he not suffer the worship of devils but will he permit doctrines of devils Is not his truth precious to him and is he not jealous over that God will not endure those that worship another God besides him nor those who tempt others to it reade over Deut. 13. especially 6 7 8 9 verses and is Christ contented that they should be tolerated who openly declaim against his Godhead No certainly Our blessed Saviour blames the Church in Thyatira for suffering Jezabel to seduce his servants Rev. 2.20 and he professes that he hates the doctrine of the Nicolaitans and layes it heavily to the charge of the Church in Pergamos that she suffered those that taught it Rev. 2. 14 15. Thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate Repent or I will come quickly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth The Church it self was for the genetall and the Governours of it orthodox
if such as have no ballast at all in them be made the sport and pastime of every wind of doctrine no wonder if such as have been bred all their lives time in a dungeon do become dizzie and count all light new when they come first into it My self have known some that much cryed up for new discoveries some crude and raw apprehensions of those very truths which others who had the happinesse of better education had been very well acquainted with and grounded in from their child-hood But others there are who have learned the truth more by rode than by heart and received it from other men upon their bare word without seeing any evidence for it These men when they come once to see an appearance of reason for the contrary opinion which is more than ever themselves had for the taking up of truth it is not much to be wondred at if such are easily drawn aside to errour and then it is but very natural for them to call errour light and to condemn truth for darknesse because they never understood it And then if a little pride get but in once as it is never farre of to mix with their ignorance how easy a thing is it for them to grow conceited of their new attainments which yet wiser men cannot but pitty them for to despise the truth which before they did but ravish and to inveigh against those who formerly taught it them calling them blind guides whereas the fault was themselves had been blind followers and supposing them to have no ground for the truth because indeed themselves never had any yea and to loath the very ordinances in which the truth had been dispensed to them Thus the best food if it lie on the stomach undigested is oftimes vomited up again with the greatest abhorrency and detestation What a sad condition have those men brought themselves into A spirit of errour hath not onely taken possession of them but hath also bolted himself in and made them hate the very means of their recovery By this time the Devil hath got such a commanding power over them that he drives them about in herds and droves as he doth the Quakers at this day Who that it might be apparent unto all men that they are seduced are become mere Vagrants Whereas had they at first entertained truth upon good grounds they would never have proved so false unto it had it taken due possession of them or they of it they would never thus have quitted house and home to be carried about like empty clouds and wandring starres which though they may pretend unto new light yet are they fast bound in chains of darknesse and unlesse they do timely repent S. Jude tells us what their doom shall be verse 13. To whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever Now then Sir Since the danger is so great what need have we all as to beg of God that he by his Spirit would keep us stedfast in the truth so also our selves to neglect no means that may be available thereunto among which I conceive this one to be none of the least that we endeavour to understand our selves well in our religion to see truth in clear Scripture-evidence to be intelligent and knowing not merely-believing Christians to be rooted and well-grounded in the Faith so shall we be steà fast and unmoveable For which end if it shall please God to make this discourse in any measure profitable as I hope it is not altogether unseasonable unto his people neither shall I have any cause to repent myself that I ran this adventure nor you to be sorry that you have undergone the trouble of this dedication And thus Sir I take my leave recommending you to the gracious protection of the Almighty and to the riches of his love in our Lord Christ Jesus Sir Your Assured friend much obliged to serve and honour you William Dillingham Cambridge March 18. 1656 1. Thessal V. 21. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Prove all things hold fast that which is good SAtan the grand enemie of our salvation knowing that it is the truth which must make us free as it was a lie by which he brought us all at first into captivity labours by all means possible to keep men from the knowledge of the truth and that First if he can by detaining them in grosse and palpable ignorance those chains of darknesse Thus doth he the Turks and Indians to this very day and many millions of souls under the Papacy by a blind obedience and as blind a faith the Coliers faith they call it I doubt 't will come to th' fire at the last Secondly If this will not do but men will needs be knowing then he labours to seduce them into errour giving them husks for bread pro Deâ nubem This old deceiver wants not his strophae nor his methods He will Proteus-like screw himself into all modes and figures that so he may the better deceive Sometimes he assumes the shape of an Oecumenicall Bishop and dictates errours out of an infallible chair intoxicating with the cup of his errours the Kings of the earth otherwhile putting on the appearance of a simple plain man he creeps into houses and the greatest game he flies at are but silly women One while he presents errour under the reverend cloak of antiquity anon he bethinks himself that the newest fashion will give best content and so they shall be new lights Thirdly If both these fail then he raises a dust of controversie that so people may not be able to see the truth or not to know it when they see it He finds it good fishing in troubled waters and cutting purses in an hubub For while people are distracted to see so many opinions in religion whereof they are sure but one can be true and which that is they are not able to judge they resolve to be standers-by untill the learned be agreed supposing it the safest course and easiest to avoid errour by being of no opinion at all Fourthly Another device he hath to bring truth it self into suspicion Thus of old did he set the Poets on work to invent fables like unto many histories recorded in holy Scriptures that when the falshood of those should be discovered the truth of these might be call'd in question Just as he makes some play the hypocrites that when their hypocrisie is detected all professours may be thought to be like them But let us argue è contra If the Scripture were not true sure the devil would never seek to gain credit to his lies by imitating of it It 's an argument that there is true coin in the world because men counterfeit it had there never been such an one as Richard Plantagenet we had never heard of Perkin Warbeck Reject not therefore all coin for there is some good receive not all heedlessely because there is some counterfeit but bring it all to the test and to the touch-stone
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
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
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}