A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

Here we are taught a second duty how we are to oppose our selves against all heretical and schismatical teachers: namely, as they labour to publish their false doctrine; so must we endeavour to maintain the glory of God and his true religion. Hereunto a twofold labour is required: partly of the minister, and partly of the people. The labour of the minister stands in these things principally. I. He must endeavour by reading and study to furnish himself with the true knowledge of the foundation and substance of the Gospel & true religion, that he may be able soundly and plainly to teach the same. For this cause S. John is commanded to eat the little book, Re. 10.9, 10, which was as it were by study and meditation to have the same digested and settled in his heart. Hence Malachi saith ^(a)The priests lips should preserve wisdom, and thither should the people come for instruction. And every scribe taught of God must have store in the treasury of his har•, like a good householder, Matth. […], he must deliver the whole will and counsel of God, concerning salvation, truly and distinctly unto his people, as it is propounded in the booke• of the Prophets and Apostles. This Paul commendeth by his own example, Act. 20.27. testifying unto this Church that He had taught them all the will of God, and kept back• nothing which he was commanded to deliver unto them. III. He must labour to discern and be able to discover false teachers unto the people; that he may not only know them himself, but also cause the church to take notice of them, Tit. 19. Paul requireth that the teacher in the church, Be able to convince the gainsayers to his truth. In this discovery he must do two things. First, detect their heretical doctrines. Secondly, their wicked manners. Thus dealt our Saviour Christ in his own person living in the church of the Jews, with the Scribes and Pharisees: he did detect unto the people their false interpretations of the law, Mat. 5.21, to the end. And also their wicked lives and damnable hypocrisy, Mat. 23.3, 4. &c. to the end. And Saint Paul in all his Epistles, laboureth to discover the wicked lives, and to confute the heretical opinions of the false Apostles. IV. He must endeavour that the doctrine of the gospel thus published, may edify. This is the end of all teaching, as Paul showeth,