2. Two things, especially, hindered me from resting therein. 1. Because the same thing which they propounded, only as their private judgment, the Answered pressed as a law to me, wherein I must rest, that is, conform thereunto, and this my resting therein must be the condition, whereupon he would consent to my settling there, else not. So that his finger was heavier upon me, in this, then their loins, & he assumed a power to himself of prescribing rules to me, which the government of these churches hath not given him, yea, more then is given to the Classes themselves by any Synod, or to any Synod by the word of God, to enjoin this thing to a Minister as a condition of his call to a pastoral charge. 2. Because the five Ministers propounded their private judgment nakedly without showing their grounds from the Scripture, so that they seemed to me to deal by their authority, not by argument. Now the mere authority, that is, the bare affirmation of godly and learned men, is less to be regarded then their reasons, and yet their reasons, without the word, are of no value, in Divine matters. For all men are liars, apt to be deceived, and so to deceive, impossibility of erring being proper to the Scriptures, which therefore are only fit to be the Canon or rule for the ordering of Ministers concerning their whole behaviour in the house of God. 1Hence Christ and his Apostles, 1. reproved disorders by Scripture (so Christ did the profaning of the Temple) 2, justified things well done by Scripture (so Christ did the pulling of the ears of corn) 3. resolved & answered questions by Scripture (so Christ did,2 in the case of Divorce) 4. confuted errors by Scriptures (so Christ did the Pharisees and Sadducees) 5. confirmed and proved Doctrines by Scriptures (so Peter proved the resurrection and ascension of Christ &c.) 6. gave advice, and made orders, not by their own authority, but by the direction of the Holy Ghost, which immediate assistance seeing we want, light must be fetched from Scripture, if we will guide others safely by our counsel, without which learned men may err, have erred, and do err, & ⟨p. 175⟩therefore their judgments must be tried, and judged by it, and no further be rested in, then they agree with it. According to that of Jerom Quod ex Scripturâ non habet authoritatem câadem facilitate contemnitur, quâ acceptatur.
2. Two things, especially, hindred me from resting therein. 1. Because the same thing which they propounded, only as their private judgment, the Answered pressed as a law to me, wherein I must rest, that is, conforme thereunto, and this my resting therein must be the condition, whereupon he would consent to my setling there, else not. So that his finger was heavyer upon me, in this, then their loynes, & he assumed a power to himselfe of prescribing rules to me, which the government of these churces hath not given him, yea, more then is given to the Classes themselves by any Synod, or to any Synod by the word of God, to injoyne this thing to a Minister as a condition of his call to a pastorall charge. 2. Because the five Ministers propounded their private judgment nakedly without shewing their grounds from the Scripture, so that they seemed to me to deale by their authority, not by argument. Now the mere authority, that is, the bare affirmation of godly and learned men, is lesse to be regarded then their reasons, and yet their reasons, without the word, are of no value, in Divine matters. For all men are lyars, apt to be deceived, and so to deceive, impossibility of erring being proper to the Scriptures, which therefore are only fit to be the Canon or rule for the ordering of Ministers concerning their wholl behaviour in the house of God. 1Hence Christ and his Apostles, 1. reproved disorders by Scripture (so Christ did the profaning of the Temple) 2, justified things well done by Scripture (so Christ did the pulling of the eares of corne) 3. resolved & answered questions by Scripture (so Christ did,2 in the case of Divorce) 4. confuted errours by Scriptures (so Christ did the Pharisees and Sadduces) 5. confirmed and proved Doctrines by Scriptures (so Peter proved the resurrection and ascention of Christ &c.) 6. gave advice, and made orders, not by their owne authority, but by the direction of the Holy Ghoast, which immediate assistance seing we want, light must be fetched from Scripture, if we will guide others safely by our counsayle, without which learned men may erre, have erred, and doe erre, & ⟨p. 175⟩therefore their judgments must be tryed, and judged by it, and no further be rested in, then they agree with it. According to that of Ierom Quod ex Scripturâ non habet authoritatem câadem facilitate contemnitur, quâ acceptatur.
- 11. Tim. 3.14.15. Mat. 21.13. Mat. 12.3
- 2Mat. 19.4 Mat. 15.4 Mat. 22.29.32. Acts. 2.1.34. Act. 15.
