Chap+ Sett.n. Chrillian perfeCtion; he li:ts them who have well profited in_ the knowledge cfCorill, a• g 1 in11 the ruder and more i ~norant {art, and they may yet come to. more knowledge, only wirh th1s CautiOn, Ncvcrtbeh{j, w/JcretJ r~e h.1ve already .1t~amed, let us r>.Jal~ by v. ~6• tbc fame mle, let'" mitA tinf.mzc thi,g. Let ""''"lk.by thef"me rule. _( i.) Let ul walk by the word of God, which is the rule of faith and life, not crolhng one an'othei in mlf waics ofteaching, or courfc o~ life. · S· Be much converf~nt in reading and hearing tl.,. gooJ word ~lf_Go_d. Thi_s is the way that Jefus Chrill dn·ec:teJ the q.mrellmg Jew m, 10 have fattSfaCtton of hun and his mind, Se.1rch the Scripw,·.?(l1ith he) f or they . ..-c tbey rvhicb teffiJie of me. There John l· 39 , isenough in the fa.c~ed Scnptutes to kt u< all ltmght, and to keep us from errmm, elp,cially in all thmgs nectffJty to falvat10n. . ' But here's an Ohjeel:ton, The S;ripnne< are C1pJble of divers feufe;, and one holds Ob. forth this to be the lcnf<: of Sortprnrc, another hnlls that which i; the cbn contury, and therefore how fhould we know which is the 1i~ht fcufc.nd th~ Vc>y meaning of the holy Gholl ? I Anfwer: God lllth not left us without fomc helps, whereby we tmy come to the knowledge ofthe rig,ht fcnfc of SniptmtS :I Ou!l infhnce in tlitfc.-- Ail[w; 1 • Look upcn the !Cop~, rhc c.nJ) the matter, the circumfL10ces, viz. of perfons, pb.ce, timt:, tngetht:r with the antecedents and confequcnt<>, and by 'this me.1ns it wtll nt:ithel be difficult to r~.:futc many (rrrours> nor to del'\' many truths. 21 Compare:: one place with anmhn, It nuy bt: in one place the fenfe is dark, ant\ w< do not undtrlhod it, but if we' if compare that place more dark, with-another phce mote clear, w.; !hall rh"': hnd the fcnfe of both. Tl~us James z. 2 r. feems dark, but compare thiS w1th Icom. + 2· and 11 » cleared. Janus !peaks of a decla– rative JuHiticanon before; r,ne•: .and ~"''I of ~ ]uflificaf!On in thel_ight of God. , . Bo {ure that our Expcl!ttons agree Wtth the analogy of f;tth. Thts analogy is th: conllant and pcrpt:')ual fenlt of Sriptme in the clearelt places of it; of which fort are Aniclesof bith, the Lord> Prayer, the ten C<?mmandcments; whatever is repu0.- 11111t tn thefe, is a talfeExpolition. · " 4 • Confult with others, efpecia\ly with the Comments and Expofitions of the befl 3 nd moll Otthodbx. But in this take heed of tying your faith to men ; be content to take in the light of others, but do not OJUt your ow11 eye•. As there is a publike and authoritative judgement of concord and agreeme11t in Synods, Coun. cil.s, Affemblies ; I may call it a Minifierill judgement, for CounciJs are not for govern· mcut, but tOr unity and communion, and thiZ'rcforc their judgement is a judgelllent of concord; and as there is a publike and authoritative jud,.,ment elf dircCI:ion in the paft• urs and doCtors of the Church, which may beaccompanied with a commanding,"' an Herald ·or Pmfevant may cmr•1nand in the Princes Name, only this is limited to the fupcriour dtreCtion of the word of God ; fo there is a judgement of difcerving wnat i; found doCl:rine, a11d this btlon~;s to every Chrirlian fingly hy himfelf~ and for himfetff; Imay cail_ ~his :1 private~ ratimnl, f~lf-dircCbve judgement, in the court of eve:y mans .;onlctellcc; of whteh the Apolrks fpeak, Prove ' all tbinp, and bold faJIIo tb41 whiciJis good. And, Edicve ;tot cvf>y jpi.-it, bttttryt/;e JPi.-it/>vhether they beofGod, 'T'~·~·"' )'Ca or, no: And, Let every man be fully pcrfwadul in his o•vnmiml. Cerrainlyevcry ~o~.~/·s~· private Chrillian is tc> fearch the ~cripture, to examine, prove, try, and judge the mind of God rovealed in his word, fo lar as conc<rns hi; Own faith and praCtife. So 1hen part not with this, and yet as a means confult with others, and borrow all the \. hght rhLy can afford you, to guide you and lead you into truth. S· Mark if your own inward experience will not prove the bell Commetitary unto you. Wl1at? do you doubt ot the feRfe of fuch or fuch Scriptures> a< are indeed pra~ dical, and contam m them necefhry truths? fnrely they that are fanCtified and il· hm1inatcd by the fpirit of graqe, will find fomething within, anfwerable 'tci that word without, which will cbr up the meaning. Hence we fay that the Book of Canticla, which treats ofthat lpiritual and heavenly fellow01ip, which tiJe f•nCtified four h•th with Chrifl, cannot be throughfy undcrltood in tlw t-rue life of it, but by thole that ~re fancbhcd: Pc:t a carml man toir, to tell you the fence of fuch Texts as hold {orth I.Zegennation, the power of favi~1g faith, the mture of godly forrow, the {cnkofGods iwccn:ll merctcs 111 the xemiilmn of ilns, in his favourable coun– t~nanc.e, in communion _with c.h~ifr, in the tLf\:imony of his fpirir, as ro our adop .. tton, tn the whole art ot o~n fp1ntHJl warf.:.nc, cnntJinine the wile~ and fubclll mr.:· ~ thods
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=