Tl>e tvftjchitfr of extmdil!g the Scriptttre ar a rJ\!_tle too far. ~ell:. 135. What are tl1e mifchiefr of menr error 011 the other extream who pretend that Scripture ir a rJ1..!1le where it ir not , a11d dmy the forefaid 'tawj 11 t tlmzgs, 011 pretwce that Scnptllre H a perfeEl rJI..!tle (Jay jom~, for all thingr) ~ Anfw. r. r~t:y fill their own minds with a multitude of caufclefs fcruples, which on their prin~ cJp\cs can never be refolvcd, and fo will give rhemfclvc:s no reil. 2• They rnake themfdves a Religion of their own, and fuperf\ition is their daily devotion; which being erroneous, will not ha~ together, but is full of contradictions in it fclf; and which being hu– mane and bad, can never gi.ve true llability to the foul. 3· Hmby they fpcnd their day_cs much in melancholy troubles, and unfetled difirading doubts and fears ; inficad of the Joycs at folid faith, and hope, and love. 4· And if they efcape, this their Religion is contentious, wrangling, cenforious and factious and thc:1r zeal flyeth out •gaint1: thofe that differ from their peculiar fuperfiitions and conceits. ' 5· And· hereupon they are ufually mutable and· unfedcd in their Religion : Tnis year for one and the next (or another; becaufe there is no Ceruinty in their own invencions and conceirs. ' . 6. And he~euP?~ they fiill_ fall into manifold puties, becau_fe eo.ch tn11_1 ma_k..:th a Religion to hunfelf, by h1s m1f-mterprctauon ofGot!s Word: So that there 15 110 end ot then di\o·ifions. 7• And they do a great deal of hurt in the Church,_ by putting the fame difiracting and dividing conceus mto the hc:ads of othciS. An~ roung ~hniha1ls, and Women, and lgnorant Wtll meaning people, that are not 2-ble to kno~ who ts tn the nghr, do often ~urn to that parry which they think mofi Hrid and godly, (though H be fuch as our Q,lakers.) And the very good conceit of thepeo· plc whom they take it from, doth fettle fo llrong a prejudice in their mind, as no argurilent or evi– dence fcarccly can work out : And fo Education, Convcrfe and humane et1:imation, brecdeth a fuc .. ceifion of dividers and troublers of the Churche5. 8. They fin againfi God by calling· good evil, and light darkncfs, and honouring fuperfiition which If.1. $ .1.o, 2 r. is the work of Satan, with holy names. ' 9• They fin by adding to the Word of God; while they fay of abundance of Lawful thing<, 'fhit is Col. 2• 21123 • unla~f~], and th.al is ag~int1: the ~ord of God,. and prt:tend that th~ir Touch no~, tafte not, handle not, ts m the Scuptures. For while they make 1t a Rule for every Cucumfta.nce m paniculu, they mu(\ fqueeze, and force, and wrcft it, to tind out all thofe Circumitances in k which were never there; and fo by falfe cxpofitions make the Scriptures a ther thiog. 10. And how great a fin is it to Father Satans works on God, and to fay that all thefe and rhefe things are forbidden or commanded in the Scripture, and fo to belye the Lord and the Word of Truth. 1 z. It cqj,agcth all Subjet\:s againft their Rulers Laws and Government, and involveth them in the fin of denymg them jull obedience: while all the Statute Book muH be found in the Scriptures, or clfe condemned as unlawful. 12. It maintainerh difobcdience in Churches, and caufeth Schifms and Confufions unavoidably: For they that will neither obey the Pafiors, nor joyn with the Churches, till they c•n {hew Scripture~ par– ticularly for every Tranfh.tion, Method, Meuc, Tune, and all thats done, muft joyn with noChur.. ches in the world. 13· It b..ingeth Rebellion and Confufion into families, while Children and Servants mufi learn no Catcchifm, hear no Minifier, give no account, obfc:rve no houts of prayer, nay, nor do no work, but what there is a particular Scripture for. 1 4• 1t fets men on Enthufia.ftical expeCtations, and jrrational Ccandalous worChipping of God, while all men'mufi avoid all thofe Methods, Phrafes, Books, Hdps, which arc not exprefly or particularly in Scripture, and men mull not ufc their own Inventions, or prudence in the right ordering of the wmks of -Religion. 15 .1t defiroyeth Chrifiian Love and Concord, while men are taught to cenfure all others, that ufc any ching in Gods Wodbip which is not particularly in Scripture, and fo io ccnfurc all true WorChippers in the world. . . . • _ 1 6. Yea, it will tempt men at !aft to be weary of thm own Rehgto ,_ .becaufe they w1ll find it an unfarisfad:ory, uncomfortable, uref~me thl_ng, t? ~o thc1r own fupcrllmo~s.\Vork. · 17 . And they will tempt all thot they draw mto thiS opm10n, to beweary of Rehg10n alfo. And truly had not Gods part, which is 'lf'i{e, and good, and pleafa~r, preva.led againfi the hur~fulnefs Of mens fuperfiition, which is fooli!h, bad and unpleafant, Rehgten had ere this been call Qrft as a wea-– rifome ditlrading thing: or which is as bad, been ufed but to delude men. 1 8. Yea it will tempt men at lafi to Infideliry : For Sltan will quickly teach rhem to argue, that if Scriprur~ be ·a perfect particular Rule, for forty things that were never there , then ir is de– fective, and is not of God, but an undertaking of tha.c which is not pcrformt:d, and rherefore is but ;1 deceit. 19 • And the notorioufncfs and ridiculonfnefs of this error, will tempt the prophane to make Re· ligious· people a fcorn. 20. Lafily,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=