Ì "he Dignitie oftheScripture. 73 'though there were Come deft& in the Scripture ,orfome needful!matter notre. uealedinit,hath added toirapacke and rabbleofvnwritten traditions ,comer. Wogwhich it teacheth , that they are to bercceiued and embraced with the fame aff:ftion, withthe likewale, with the fame refpe&,as wedoereceiue the written word itfelfe,and mull beebeleeued alto asprofitable andnecelfarie to faluation. New this opinion and coma isplaineagainit this placeofScripture,inwhich the wordofGod is graced with this title,great, orplentiful, orlarge. if their be any thing leftout of it, which is neceffary for the informationofany mans fouleun- to life eternal!, Cure it hach not deferued that honourablename wherewith it is Riled : I meáne, ifa Chrillian man, eyther for thefetling ofhit Conic in amatter of faith,or the dnefting olhis contfe in a matter ofcuimerfation,fhould find that fcantneffe and barrenneffe in theScripture, that her Iiould befaine to gotfeeke dire&ioa elfewbere : or if there were nowant in theword ofGod,why lhould he be Cò heauilyturfd that putsought veto it? whereas ifthere be any point =de- full to faluation, which is not mentioned in it,theremuttofnecefsity be Come ad.. dition. And therefore wee mutt for euer feparareour(Clues fromthat Church which (when God bathwrittenhis wordasa perfe& direâion, full andentire in euery refpe&) thruftsupon vs the inventionsofman, daringalto tomake them in authority equall to the Scriptures. This isthe firitefe. euen toteach vshear- tily and vnfainedlyto deteft all addition's to the wordofGod,andall theauthors Nctá of them whacfoeuer:&yet with thiscaution,that weomit bewarethat webenot deceiued in the right vnderlláding of that which we callan addition totheScrip_ tore we mutt not thinke as Comedoe,that thisordinanceofGod which weecall Preaching, is an adding to theScripture, it beinga courfe whichGodinhiswife- dome hash appointed tor thegathering ofhis Church, and lortheopeningand dacnucring esto the Ions ofmen, the hidireafure. But that iscalledan addition to the word otGod,wnich beeisgcommendedvetomen assmatterofreligion, cannot be iuiified , nor warranted , normadegoodby the writtenword, butis groundedonly eyther epos carnallreafon andconceit , or upon the willofhim that vrgeth it r All andeuery filchaddition weemull take heed of, and remem- ber what the Apoltle faith t !f say mandebtor styother, (meaning any otherfor fubilance, though in words and mannerofdeliueryit maydiffer) aweigh bee were 0a1.1.8, an Angel,&c. let himbe accurfede. 8 The fecond vieofthispoint, is to condemne thecommonneglea, andvni- crc üerfall contempt oftheprecept} and rules ofholy Scripture what occalion1er. tier wee haue, theword ofGothshill at hand to counfellvs, and it isfacha dire- ftion ascannot deceiue vs, yet in themolt clout cafesand fpirituall needs, wee will feeke toany thingratherthen tothe Scripture. In theworfhip ofGodwe do much more dicesse ourowne humours and the traditionsofour Fathers, then theprefcriptionofthe Word. In matters ofconuerfation, .we preferre theexam- ples and guifesof the times, the courte andpraft:feofthe multitude, before the principlesof Gods Cpirit :nay,we thinke ittoomuch precifeneffe,anda thing ve- ry ridiculous and childifh,to tieamans Celfe fo ftreight,as notwillingly to fwarue from the dire&ion anda arrantofthe Scripture. Ifwe be ficke,we will goefait to carnal) meanes,and lull tothe Scripture :if weebe grieued in minde,andtous ched in confcience, weewill looke for comfort any were, before we willfeeke it intheScrip ure : ifwee be wrongedand inured in theworld,we will runneafter theeggings onof ourowne corrupt heart, tobee our owneauengers,beforewa will aske counfell oftheScripture. Asin theft few, fo almostinall otherthings, any rules pleafe vs better then the rulesoftheScriprure. Inapparel) weeareled by the fathion, in meate and drinke byour fenfuallappetite; inrecreationby company, or by our owne inordinateaffiaionz in dealings with men, by our profite; in getting riches, by our aril-viable delires; there bee ourrules : the preceptsof the word ofGodeytherweedoenot know,or weedoc not elteeme G 3 them
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