Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v3

Ir Chap,-8 Ali Elofition upon the Book of n O B. Verf io. three, ibbrahane anfwers him, They have Mofes and the Prophets, let them hear them, &c. If tliey hear not Mofes and the Prophets nei- ther will theybe perfcvaded though one rofefrom the deap. They have Mofes and the Prophets ; but Mofes and the Prophets were dead and gone ; how have they Mofes and the Prophets ?they have not the men before them,but they had their writings and records: they who read the Prophets writings hear their fpeakings. Books are filent voices. IfMofes and the Prophets may be heard when dead and gone, then much more maywe hear Chrift, oncehe died and role, and l is Apottles who are dead. And whereas fome-have an opinion that theydo not know the mindof Chrift, or that they cannot reform the Churchor their Churches tillChritt himfelfcome from heaven to do fit, or till there be Apottles fent perfonally to do it (they wantingan Apoftle,cannot order the worthip and ordinances of God, and therefore conclude againft a prefent Church-ftate) I lay to fach, ifthat be your ground that you mutt have Chrift and his Apottles to fettle all for you;you have your dcfires. Look into the works and word ofChrift, into the writings and pra fifes of hisApottles, both foryour rule andpattern.IfAbraham could fay, they have Mofes and the- Prophets, t hey may hear them:furely,wc may fay much more,we haveChrift and his Apottles whom we may hear and confult about all the inflitutions andordersthat con- cern the frameof his Church. We need not flay till Chriti come down inperfon from heaven,or till newApoftics axe fent,and fur- iifhed with inlrudion for this work,for we have Chrift and his Apoftles already, we hear what Chrift fpake, we read the rules which he gave concerning the wayes of his worfhip and govern- ment ofhis Church(in all the effential and conftitutive parts ofei- ther) to theend of the world. Thirdly, obferve, They that teach othersfhould teach their own hearts tofpeak; It is belt (peaking to others with the heart.The heart will teach better then the tongue, yea better then the underftanding, The word which comes from the heart of the teacher; goes foonefil t e the heart ofthe hearer. Fourthly oblerve,:The heart is the true repofitory or treafury of holy truths. You may fee wherethe fathers,the holymen in ancient tame,laid up truth:they utter words out ofthe heart,then,truthwas layed up

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