tSs drroxfiuwor. The wordof God i, a mot cercenandin. fallible word: ptoont d,by I Arguments f ró it felfe. ACommezta:-ie uponthe whenfoeuer anyblaff of heretic, tyrannie , falfedoétriue, or flatterie, (hall rife againfl him ; yea he may holdfall that faithfull word: which is therefore a lure ground of found doélrine; and thence inflruél andedi- fie the confciences of his hearers in all necefl'atie doélrine. Whereby it (hall come topaffe, that he ( keepinghimfelfe con(lantly to this truth ) íhall.befitted fruitfully to turnehimfelfe toany dutie ofhis calling: that let himbe to dealewith either ofthofekinds ofhearers;whether fuch as areobedient and teachable, he (hall build them further, and make them found Chrilians byexhortation out ofwholeforoe -doElrine : or elfe loch as are fi~ubborne and oppofttecontradiEtors of the truth there he (hall con- nines , and with manifefl reafon put to filence. And thus in regard of both, Gods name (hall be glorified, true wifedome (hail be iullified, Gods kingdome ilia!! be enlarged, and amplified; and Satans kingdome (hall be defiroyed and damnified,. This is the (copeof the verle : which containeth two parrs. i. The duty enioyned euery Minifler, to hold fag thefaithful! word according to doí:rine. z. The ende, including a found reafonof it, in the tell of theverfe, That he may able toexhort, &c. For the meaningof the former part. Holdingfafl: the word properly- fignifieth fuch an holdingamen vie , when Tome other manbath laid hold on that which they will not part withall; even anholding with all their flrengch and force ; not fuch anholding, as a man careth not whe- ther hehold or no; for then the thing holden , wouldof it felfe flip out of a mans hand:but anholdingagainfl a contrarie hold, which vfeth to be the fìronger,and firmer: inforcing thusmuch, that the Miniflermuff lay hold with bothhands; <_'urelyapprehending the truth in the vnder- (landingof his foule, asalto in the affeEtions of his heart: in either of which ifhe faile,he holdech not fall; feeingneither can a man loue that which heknowveth not, nor hold that he loneth nat. But what mull he hold fo fall ? Theword, which is not tropically, as inmany other places, tobe conceiued, but properly. In which proper acceptation,it fignifteth all that heauenly doélrine, which is deliuered to the Church in the writings of theProphets, andApollles: which we call the holyScriptures. Now this word the Apoflle doth not nakedly men. tion,but adorneth it, z. by a notable adiunet, thefaithful/ word: s.from the proper ende of it , according todoîirine: which is fitted for the in- (lrutlion, and edificationof the Church,inall ages: whichwe will fur- ther expoundas we comevnto them.. Dottr. t. That the word of God is a faithful!word and infallible. r. If we Tooke to the anchor, he is hol, and true, Reuel. 3. ?. and, verf.14. Thefe things faith e4men, theft/aqua, and true witMes : euen Godwho. cannot
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