A30574:360
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth, & tenth chapters of…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth, & tenth chapters of the prophesy of Hosea being first delivered in several lectures at Michaels Cornhill, London / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the seventh book published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth, & tenth chapters of the prophesy of Hosea being first delivered in several lectures at Michaels Cornhil, London / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the seventh book published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1650
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
This Question should be put to any that tender to us any way of Worship,1 or Doctrine of Religion under any specious show whatsoever; Where is it written? To the Law, and to the Testimony, (Isaiah. 8. 20.) If they speak not according to this Word, it is, because they have no light in them; Oh they seem to be very judicious and wise, but if they speak not according to this Word they have no light in them, not only to the Law and Testimonies, but to the written Law and Testimonies, this must be the Standard at which all Doctrines and ways of Worship must be tried: Many may put fair colours upon their ways, that it is for Common Peace, and a great deal of good may be done by it,2 and the like; But is it written? Did I ever command it saith God?3 Policy may say it's fit, Reason may say it's comely,4 and Experience may say it's useful, But doth the written Law say it should be? Nay, it's not enough to say, That we cannot say it is forbidden, But where is it written?5 In matters of Worship this is a certain rule. Saith Tertullian about the Crowning of the Soldier with Bays; If it be said, It is lawful, because the Scripture doth not forbid it; it may equally be retorted, It is therefore not lawful, because the Scripture doth not command it. No matter what the thing be (saith Luther) in matters of Religion,6 but who it is that bids it, who it is that commands it, we must look to that; Never argue thus in any point of Religion (I beseech you consider, it is a point that hath been, is, and may yet further prove to be of great use to us) ⟨p. 86⟩never argue thus, Why, what hurt is there in it? is it not very comely? I cannot think but it may do a great deal of good, these arguments are weak arguments in matters of Worship: but to all these Arguments we must answer, Is it written? As Christ answered the Devil and his temptations, it was enough to say, it was written thus and thus: So if you can but bring a word written against it, and if you can put them unto it to show what they would have you to do,