A52591:23
A Declaration of the faith and order owned and practiced in the Congregational churches…
A Declaration of the faith and order owned and practiced in the Congregational churches in England agreed upon and consented unto by their elders and messengers in their meeting at the Savoy, October 12, 1658.
London: printed by John Field, 1659
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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 argues they had not their faith to seek; but, as is said of Ezra, that they were ready Scribes, and (as Christ) instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, being as the good householders of so many families of Christ, bringing forth of their store and treasury New and Old. It shows these truths had been familiar to them, and they acquainted with them, as with their daily food and provision, (as Christs allusion there insinuates) in a word, that so they had preached, and that so their people had believed, as the Apostle speaks upon one like particular occasion. And the Apostle Paul considers (in cases of this nature) the suddenness or length of the time, either one way or the other; whether it were in mens forsaking or learning of the truth. Thus the suddenness in the Galatians case in leaving the truth, he makes a wonder of it:1 I marvel that you are SO SOON (that is, in so short a time) removed from the true Gospel unto another. Again on the contrary, in the Hebrews he aggravates their backwardness, ⟨image 7⟩That when for the time you ought to be Teachers, 2you had need that one teach you the very first principles of the Oracles of God. The Parable contrary to both these having fallen out in this transaction, may have some ingredient and weight with ingenuous spirits in its kind, according to the proportion is put upon either of these forementioned in their adverse kind, and obtain the like special observation.
This argues they had not their faith to seek; but, as is said of Ezra, that they were ready Scribes, and (as Christ) instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, being as the good housholders of so many families of Christ, bringing forth of their store and treasury New and Old. It shews these truths had been familiar to them, and they acquainted with them, as with their daily food and provision, (as Christs allusion there insinuates) in a word, that so they had preached, and that so their people had believed, as the Apostle speaks upon one like particular occasion. And the Apostle Paul considers (in cases of this nature) the suddenness or length of the time, either one way or the other; whether it were in mens forsaking or learning of the truth. Thus the suddenness in the Galatians case in leaving the truth, he makes a wonder of it: