Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BS2096.A1 1701 .P3

Ch. s . Falfe Prophets, II, Peter. Teachers:ami Seducers. Ch. Sore, I. It is the higheft honour and per- fe?tion of a Creature, to be loved and ',leafing to God. 2. God's Teftimcny of his Son front Heaven is our great Obligation to Faith and Obedience tohim, 18. And tisis voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. as. This Voice three of us heard, when we were with him in that Mount, which was fan- ftified by this glorious Appear<.red, and may well be called, T7eHely Mount. 19. We have alto a more fore word of prophecy, whereunto ye do weil that ye take heed, as unto a litht that fhineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-liar arife in your hearts: 19. And we have an in the Old Teflament a firm prophetick Word, many Prophets fore- telling theKingdomofChrift : And ye do well to fèarch and take notice of th-ufe, us toa Light that was let up by God, fir the tcfe of thole darkerAges, to lead them to the knowledge of Chrift, and fö is veryufeful f1í11, till the clea- rer preaching of that Gofpel come, and the Spirit of Chrift, as hisAgent and Wintefs, pof- fefe your Hearts. - Nore, The Word [ morefore) fignifietlt not more lute than the Gohel, but [very fare.] Or more fire to the 'yews than Peter's bare word of the Transfigurationand Voice on the Mount. 20. Knowing this firli, that no pro- phecy of the fcripture is of any private interpretation. 21. For the prophecy came not in old timer' the will of man : but holy men of God fpake as they were moved by the holy Ghofi.. 2c, 21. But this you muff firft know, that no Prophecy of Scripture is to be expounded es (peaking only of thole Perlons, whom the Speaker firfl meant, whether himfelfor others, nor according to the Speaker's proper private thought: For the Prophecy came not itt old tiene, by the Speaker's own Wifdom, Know- ledge, Invention or Will but holy Men of God were mov'd by God's Spirit to freak thole words, which lIgnined more than they defigt d or alwaies meant and underflood themfelves. Note. It feemeth firange to me that id`íut hnÀúoreys [proper or private interpretation i should be commonly by excellent Expofitors mifinterpreted, as if' it (poke of [ proper or pri- vate Efaßters I and fo let Men on difputing who muff be the publick Expo@or, when the words plainly (peak of [prefer or privuiefnf, or pbie live eapefuion.l AS when David oft l-seyketh Words, hticltatt: immediately true of himfef, or of Solomon, you nit&net expound them as meant properly ofthem who were prie vate Perfsns; and but Tpea : For it was the Ho, ly Ghoff freaking in them, whole fcnfe mull beknown, who meant C hrid the publick Per- kin as typified by the private, of whom they were hilt verified : And whether David (as in Pfel. 2 & 2s. and filch other) meant more than himfeland his Kingdom, or not, the Holy Ghoft meant more. If Grotius were in the right, that [fay meant but lererny or yofiah, in Ifa. ç 3, it's certain that they were but typical, and theHoly Ghoft meant Chrift. So that the plain fence ts, that Scripture-Prophecy, recei. ving its fill lente from the Spirit, and notfront the Speaker, mutt not in our Expolition be ap- propriated narroovly to thole private men, by whom, or ofwhom, they were proximately meant by the Speaker. CHAP.II, 1. BLit there were falle prophets al there !hall he Palle teachers among you, who privily Ihall bring ill dam- nable herches, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themfelves fwift de firuftico. r. But one of your great Trials will be, as theirs ofold by falfe Prophets, fo by falte Tea- chers, who will rife up among your felves,and will by ferret fed tieing perlons, with whom by familiarity they have advantage, bring in Setts holding damnable Errors, even by plain coofe- quence denying Chrift that bought them, while they deny what is eflëntial to his Pcrlon and Offices, or teaching that he may be denied wide the Tongue in dangers for (elf-prefervation, becaufeGod will have Mercy andnot Sacrifice, as long as the Heart clothnot deny him. Note, t. This all Chriftians have need to be fortified againft Elie 'fesehcrs, as well as againft pet Enemies. 2. Chrift is calledThe Lord that bought them, not becaufe they tidily profefs'd that he bought them, as Come lay, but becaufe hepurchas'dand made to them a Deed ofGift ofChrift, Pardos and Life, to he theirs on condition ofbelieving Acceptance. And becaufe they fttould not pe- rith for want of a Efficient Sacrifice for Sin. 2. And many Chatl follow their per- nicious ways, by reafon of whom the way of truth (hall be evil fpoken of. 2, And many that profef,'d Chriaitianity Stall be feduc'd by them, and follow their pernicious ways, by reafon of whom malignant Enemies will take bccalon to !peak evil ofChri4ianity, and make a Reproach of Truth and Goc linefs, as ifwe were all like titis hand ;logs Sea. fo among the people, even as At)tl

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