Ver. 17. the 17thChapter of St. JOHN. 255 S E R M O N XXIX JOHN XVII. 17. SanElify them through thy Truth, thy Word it Truth. II. HE Church hath owned the Word. You fee how God hath owned it, he faith it is my Word. Let us fee how the Church hath owned it. 1 Here I Than fheW three things : I. What is the Churèh's Duty to the Word ? a. What Credit and Valtíe we ought to put on the Churches Te- Ilimony ? 3. How the Church hafli'witnelfed to the Word in all Ages. I. What is the Churches Duty ? To keep the Word, and to tranfmit it pure to the next Age, that nothing be added, nothing ditnini(hed 5 that it be pnbli(hed to the pre - fent Age, and tranfmitted pure to the next." 'Born. 3. 2. 7)nta them were committed the Oracles of God. We are Truftees ; Jude 3. Earnefily continding for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints. r Tim. 3.15. The Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth. The Church is to hold it forth, as n Pillar doth a Proclamation, that it may not be loft and extingui(hed. This is the Jewel Chrift hath left his Spoufe; as the Law was kept in the Ark. 2. What refpeft we ought to bear to the Churches Teflimony ? To hearken to it, till we have better Evidence. We do not ultimately refolve our Faith into the Churches Authority; for the Authority of the Church is not Abfolute, but Minifterial; as a Royal Edili doth not receive Credit by the Officer and Crier; he only declareth it. Yet the Church's Te(limony is not to be negle&ed ; for Faith cometh by hearing, Rom. Io. 14. It is'a preparative Inducement. John 4.42. Now we believe, not becaufe of thy faying, for we have heard him our (elves, and know that this is indeed theChr, the Savi- our of the World. If we would know the Truth of a thing before we haveexperience, go to them that have experience ; the judgment of others, whom we refpe& and reve- rence, caufeth us to have a good opinion of a thing, till we make trial. The Teftimo- ny of the Church hath inclined us to think, that the Scriptures are theWord of God: not that the Church can make and unmake Scripture when it pleafeth 5 as a Meffenger that carrieth Letters from a King, doth not give Authority to them. 3. How the Church hath witneffed to the Truth of the Scriptures in all Ages ? Part- ly by Tradition, partly by Martyrdom. (I.) By Tradition. Holy Books were indited one after another, according to the neceflìty of Times, and Rill the latter confirmed the former. Mofes was confirmed by yofhna, Chap. 23.6. Be ye couragious to keep, and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Mofes : And Jofluta and others, by fucceeding Prophets ; and all were con- firmed by Chrift ; Luke 24. 44. Thereeare the Words which I fpake unto you, while 1 was yet with you, that all things mull be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Mofes, and in the Prgphets, and in the Pfalms concerning me. For the New'Teftament, it was con- firmed by all the fuccceding Ages of the Church. Chrittians different in other things, yet agreed there to be the Writings of the Apoftles. So that we have a more general content than we have about any other Matter probable in the World. Men of excel- lent Parts and Learning, that were not apt to take Matters on truft, all affent to Scripture
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=