The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…

First, Those necessary things we are to explain more distinctly, and confirm more plainly, that so Faith may be the more settled. Necessary Principles of Religion, have many excellent conclusions latent in them; as fire lieth in a stone, which doth not appear, but by striking out. The Ministry therefore is, to explain, and distinctly to interpret these things. As the candle, though of it self it hath light enough, yet unless put on a candlestick, it cannot enlighten the whole room: so the Word of God, though it be full of light, yet there must be the interpretation and application of it. Therefore they are commanded to divide the Word aright, 2 Tim. 2.15. The bread must be broken and digested, else it cannot nourish. So that this building lieth in the further explication of what is believed: We do not preach nova but novè, not new things, but in a new manner.

First, Those necessary things we are to explain more distinctly, and confirm more plainly, that so Faith may be the more setled. Necessary Principles of Religion, have many excellent conclusions latent in them; as fire lyeth in a stone, which doth not appear, but by striking out. The Ministry therefore is, to explain, and distinctly to interprete these things. As the candle, though of it self it hath light enough, yet unless put on a candlestick, it cannot enlighten the whole room: so the Word of God, though it be full of light, yet there must be the interpretation and application of it. Therefore they are commanded to divide the Word aright, 2 Tim. 2.15. The bread must be broken and digested, else it cannot nourish. So that this building lyeth in the further explication of what is believed: We do not preach nova but novè, not new things, but in a new manner.

Secondly, Though we are only to build on this foundation, and no new thing be expected, yet matters of Religion may be said to be new in themselves, or unto us. In themselves, and so certainly there can be no new thing preached; for as there cannot be a new Christ, or a new Scripture, so neither any new Faith: Yea, the Apostles and Christ himself, did not bring any new necessary matter of salvation, to what the Patriarchs and Prophets had before. The Old Testament and the New are the same for the substance of Salvation, though there be new Rites, and new Sacraments, and a clear explication. But in the second place, things may be new to us: As in Popery, when the reformed Divines first preached Justification by Faith, denied the merit of works, as also the Pope to be head of the Church: These were said to bring a new Gospel: but it was a slander, it was new only to men corrupted with errors, and living in ignorance, as the sun is new to a man that was blind, but hath received his sight.