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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	add_v	book_n	prophecy_n	3,483	5	10.7451	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64336	The saints duty in contending for the faith delivered to them a sermon preached at Pauls church before the right honourable the Lord major, and aldermen of the city of London, July 17, 1659 / by John Templer ...	Templer, John, d. 1693.	1659 (1659)	Wing T666; ESTC R12673	26,766	48

of later date yet the thing was as early as this Epistle They pretended to a more refined and sublimated knowledge then others were arrived at Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 1. which the Apostle tels them Puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 They stiled themselves spiritual and all others carnal and therefore in the 19th verse of this Epistle it is charged upon them notwithstanding this pretence that they themselves and not those whom they would brand with that mark were carnal not having the Spirit Their false claims to the divine Spirit gave occasion for those words That ye be not shaken in mind neither by spirit c. 2 Thes 2.2 Irenaeus tells us Lib. 1. advers H. they drew their Rise from Simon Magus who was contemporary with the Apostles Oecumenius upon the place that the persons against whom the Christians were animated here to defend the Faith were the followers of Simon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These men crept into the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 4. by pretending to unusual severities they did by degrees insinuate themselves They made many meek condescentions to those whom they desired might become their Proselytes we find them there in a very lowly posture creeping upon their knees The minds of the vulgar sort were so low that they could not get into them without stooping Yet in the mean time their tongues were imploy'd in inveighing against the sacred Appointments of God in speaking evil of Dignities despising Dominion verse 4. He that considers the present danger the Doctrine of Faith is exposed unto by persons not much of a different stamp will conclude for the seasonableness of this Advice Earnestly contend for the Faith once delivered unto the Saints In these words three parts expose themselves to our view 1. An Act contend 2. The Object of this Act the Faith once delivered to the Saints 3. The manner how thir Contention is to be managed earnestly after the manner of the Agonists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall treat of these in their order 1. Here is the Act contend It speaks the using your most serious endeavours to maintain the Doctrine of Christ the opposing of every thing which may conduce to its prejudice the expence of your parts your Authority your Estates your Lives if God requires to maintain faith in its primitive purity it calls to every one to come into the help of the Lord against the mighty those mighty and strong delusions which prevail with many to the eclipsing of the glorious Gospel during this present state the Faith of Christ hath so many enemies to contest with so many prejudiced minds rebellious hearts seared Consciences that if there be any bowels or love in us we can do no less then side with him in this holy Conflict 2. Here is the Object we are to contend for Faith once delivered to the Saints It is Faith not the Faith whereby we believe though that merits our most vigorous contending but the Faith which is believed by us The Doctrine of the Gospel 1 Tim. 4.1 This Faith either pertains to the Foundation of Religion or else to the Superstruction this Distinction the Apostle makes 1 Cor. 3.10 11. If we would know what Faith belongs to the Foundation the best way is to examine its Connexion with that which is of undoubted necessity to salvation The Scripture mentions two heads Saving Faith and Holiness Heb. 11.6.12.14 without the first none can please God without the second none shall see him whatsoever hath an essential Connexion with these two is to be owned as a fundamental Truth and whatsoever is repugnant rejected as a fundamental Errour By the light of this Rule a great part of Socinu's his Divinity will appear to be a fundamental mistake for how can a man believe and devolve himself upon God in the way of his providence who is possessed with an apprehension of his not knowing future Contingents How can a man believe and relie upon Christ who conceives him to be but a mear man when the Scripture pronounces him cursed that relies upon man Jer. 17.5 As these Apprehensions are repugnant to saving Faith so they will appear to be as contrary unto Holiness The first prevents the Resignation of our Wills to the divine pleasure the principal part of a holy life The second destroyes the first branch of the Mysterie of Godliness God manifested in the flesh As for what belongs to the Superstruction the Apostle hath ranked it under these heads Gold Silver Pretious stones Gold that is next to the Foundation and therefore of the greatest value then Silver then pretious Stones Every stone in the Building is pretious though every Truth be not of equal importance in reference to salvation yet every one hath his just price and value It is a Faith once delivered once for all Indeed it was gradually discovered to the world first in the Promise to Adam then the Sun of Righteousness began to appear above the Horizon Then to Abraham He was injoyned to offer up his Son to signifie that the promised seed should break the Serpents head by being made an offering for sin in the very Act he was prohibited to denote the time was not yet come for the manifestation of that seed A Ram a principal Sacrifice amongst the appointments of the Law was substituted to express Gods acceptance of that service in the mean time The waters of life like Ezekiels waters did arise by degrees Eze. 47. v. 3 4 5. in Adams time they were to the Ancles in Abrahams to the knees in Moses and the Prophets to the loines in the times of the Messias they became a great River in time past God spake at sundry times and in divers manners but now he has spoken by his Son most fully once for all in the New Testament This is his last Will and Testament which Christ as his only Son and Heir hath opened and disclosed he hath spoken by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir Heb. 1.2 This Testament being the last will admit of no alteration and therefore at the End of the book which concludes it there is a curse pronounced against him who shall make any such Attempt I testifie to every man that heareth the words of this Book if any man shall add to these things God shall add to him the Plagues which are written in this Book and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this Prophecy God shall take away his part out of the book of life Rev. 22.18 By the Book of this Prophecy is not only meant the Revelation but the whole Scripture which is sometimes called the Prophets Act. 24.44 45. sometimes the Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 16.18 and here the Book of Prophecy because the greatest part of those who were imploy'd to pen it Omnes Canonici Thri veteris Testamenti scripti sunt a Propheris Vid. Whitakcri contrav 1. Q est cap. 5. had a prophetick

conceive better of his intellectuals Nulla res aequabilius inter bomines distributa quam bona mens Cartes method p. 1. then the merit of them will bear It is the observation of a Philospher that nothing is more equally distributed by nature amongst men then Understanding and Reason for every man thinks he hath enough That mind which is never satiated with honour or with profit would deem it a disparagement to be thought not to have wisdom and understanding enough Upon this account 't is not expedient that any should judge in his own case when he is invested with sufficient ability to warrant the relinquishing his own and the invading anothers place This breaking our ranks hath exposed the Faith of Christ to the assaults of the enemy Let the magistrate continue in his sphear the Minister in his the private Christian in his Let Magistrates and private Christians conspire to uphold a powerful Ministry What disparagement soever men may think fit to cast upon it yet in the thoughts of him who was both God and man it was of that moment that when he ascended on high and as a Conqueror did spargere missilia distribute his bounty he made choice of it as the most excellent gift and cast it as a peculiar Testimony of favour to his own spouse Ephes 4.11 12. I having thus directed my self to all sorts do desire to leave this Exhortation with you that every one which is a Saint would remember Gods Depositum what he hath committed to his Trust that he may keep it as it was delivered in its primitive Perfection Bessarion writes of Pythagoras that when he died Lib. 1. in 〈…〉 p. 2. he left with his daughter in a large volume the whole summe of his doctrine with an injunction upon no terms to part with it She was so obsequious that although she was reduced to poverty and had a great summe of money tendred for it yet made it her choice rather to suffer the inconvenience of penury then to violate her fathers commands T is a good pattern for our imitation our heavenly Father hath delivered the doctrine of faith to all the Saints with the same injunction let us be carefull to buy the truth but sell it not And now I am come to the third particular the manner how this contention is to be managed We are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to contend after the manner of the Agonists in their games and exercises and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to denote the intension or reinforceing of their action The manner of their contending will appear from the Lawes they were regulated by to which the Apostles alludes in these words He is not crowned except he strive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lawfully 2. Tim. 2.5 Amongst their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Laws they were obliged to conform to Three I observe very applicable to my present purpose 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Theophyline in Epist 2. ad Tim. cap. 2. v. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Before the Contest they were bound to prepare themselves by a set diet and to acquire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good and full state and habit of body 2. In the Contest they had their bounds and limits on either side which they might not transgress 3. At the end of the Contest they had their judge by whom doubtfull cases were decided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whom no appeal was lawfull These rules will declare what our deportment ought to be before in and after our contending for the faith delivered to the Saints Before the Contest we must aquire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good state and habit of mind as they did of body Three Ingredients are requisite to make up this state Information Purity and Peace The mind must be well informed Pure Peaceable Well informed of these five things 1. Of the Soveraignty of Gods will 2. The infinity of his understanding 3. Of his prescience 4. Of the order and importance of all his particular truths 5. Of the seasons when he requires we should openly contend for them 1. Of the Soveraignty of the divine Will The great Misteries of the Faith of the Gospel being acts of Will and Soveraignty having no necessary connexion with the holiness of the divine nature are with difficulty entertained None dare but own such Truths as have an immediate relation to the essential goodness of God but those which result from meer pleasure and Soveraign will are received but by few The reason is manifest his essentiall goodness hath the advantage of innate ideas within to make it known His Soveraign Will appears only from Scripture without Now these impressions being nearer then the Scripture will naturally produce a more facile assent to what complies with them Therefore he having displayed much of Soveraignty in the Gospell in imputing the sin of the first Adam the righteousness of the second in preparing effectuall grace for some in not preparing of it for others the ready way to arm the mind with resolution to appear in the asserting of such truths which have not the help of an inbred notion to commend them is frequently to meditate upon and possess our selves with deep apprehensions of this attribute 2. Of the Infinity of his Understanding Some truths too big to be confined within a created mind do cast a damp upon Zeale Every one in the midst of his pursuit is ready to stop at them as the Israelites did at Amasa Men have an aversness from contending for and giving credit to that which they are not able to comprehend Ti 's natural to desire not only to render a reason of our belief but of the thing believed by us The ready way to prepare the mind that it may be fit to engage for such truth is to ponder the nature of an immense and infinite understanding How unfit a finite being is to take a survey of it how unable to penetrate its Counsels to perceive the reason of all its Contrivances that somtimes it is the interest and glory of God to conceal a mattet to teach us who are apt to judge of Divine things by our own measure that there is an understanding far more excellent then ours that he steers by One propounds this Question Despagne upon the Creed why sometimes in scripture Man seems to reason better then God he instances in the story of Abimelech Gen. 20. He him-himselfe is threatned with death his wife and women-servants struck with barrenness his whole family afflicted In his own Justification he pleads the innocence of his family the integrity of his heart which God himselfe acknowledged if man might judge Abimelech seemes to have the better The reason is obvious we being men easily understand his reasons who was but a man of a finite extraction but we do not so easily comprehend the reasons of God who is infinite This is that which gives so great an advantage to the