Those very Words that were wel• used some Ages since in Matters of D• vinity and Religion cannot now be use without appearance of evil in them, because now their Signification is quite di• ferent from what it was then: I will instance but in one, and that is concerning the meriting of good Works: It is true ⟨p. 111⟩the Ancient Fathers of the Church did hold there was Merit in good Works; but yet it is clear also by their Writings that the Word Merit did not then signify as now it doth; then it signified only Rewardableness; and when any maintained that Works merited, the common Sense of them all, was no more than this, That their Works should be rewarded by God, and this is all that they did affirm. But now the Word Merit signifies Desert in Works arising from the Equality that is in them, to the Reward propounded and promised to them; and therefore now to assert that Works have Merit in them, is very unsafe and erroneous; which whilst the Papists do, they do indeed still retain the Expressions of the Ancient Fathers, but the Sense is gone; that is, they still hold fast the Feather when the Bird is flown away. We should therefore beware in our Discourses of the doubtful Things of Religion, that we venture not upon those Phrases and Expressions that either border upon Error, or that may likely lead into Error. And truly the generality of Christians have need of much spiritual Prudence and Sobriety, that while they desire and are taken with ⟨p. 112⟩luscious and sweet Words and Expressions, they do not withal suck in poisonous and destructive Errors. This shall suffice to be observed from the connection of the Words foregoing, Prove all things, that is, all Doctrines that are delivered to you, Hold fast that which is good, but abstain from that which hath but the appearance of evil in it; though the Doctrines themselves that are delivered be in some Sense sound and savoury, yet if they be delivered in a Sense and Expression that may be wrested aside to undue and erroneous Interpretations, abstain as far as is possible from such Expressions.
Those very Words that were wel• used some Ages since in Matters of D• vinity and Religion cannot now be use without appearance of evil in them, because now their Signification is quite di• ferent from what it was then: I will instance but in one, and that is concerning the meriting of good Works: It is tru• ⟨p. 111⟩the Ancient Fathers of the Church did hold there was Merit in good Works; but yet it is clear also by their Writings that the Word Merit did not then signifie as now it doth; then it signified only Rewardableness; and when any maintained that Works merited, the common Sence of them all, was no more than this, That their Works should be rewarded by God, and this is all that they did affirm. But now the Word Merit signifies Desert in Works arising from the Eqruality that is in them, to the Reward propounded and promised to them; and therefore now to assert that Works have Merit in them, is very unsafe and erroneous; which whilst the Papists do, they do indeed still retain the Expressions of the Ancient Fathers, but the Sence is gone; that is, they still hold fast the Feather when the Bird is flown away. We should therefore beware in our Discourses of the doubtful Things of Religion, that we venture not upon those Phrases and Expressions that either border upon Error, or that may likely lead into Error. And truly the generality of Christians have need of much spiritual Prudence and Sobriety, that while they desire and are taken with ⟨p. 112⟩luscious and sweet Words and Expressions, they do not withal suck in poisonous and destructive Errors. This shall suffice to be observed from the connexion of the Words foregoing, Prove all things, that is, all Doctrines that are delivered to you, Hold fast that which is good, but abstain from that which hath but the appearance of evil in it; though the Doctrines themselves that are delivered be in some Sence sound and savoury, yet if they be delivered in a Sence and Expression that may be wrested aside to undue and erroneous Interpretations, abstain as far as is possible from such Expressions.
