The Fathers spent their strength in particular controversies 1against Pelagius, Arius, &c. that their chief strength ran that way, and when the water runs strong in one channel, it is weakened in another; but modern Writers are stronger in general, and when they wrote against the heresies, they were wonderfully assisted; so that there is no greater difference betwixt them. Their errors were more then the errors of modern Divines. Augustine, after his retractations fell into error, the reason was, because ⟨p. 320⟩he lived in the days when God made way for Antichrist. Calvin was raised up to abolish him. Where was heresy so great as in Popery? and therefore it was more needful that those that rose up in darkness should have more assistance then ordinary, so that modern writers are as well to be quoted. Now what remains but that we do consider what is said & be convinced, and practise that we know. Why go we beyond the doors to them, that is in an inordinate course? Why do we go into the wide waste to gather flowers, when the scripture is the garden of Eden, it is true we may find violets by the way, so may we in common writers, there is a choiceness in them, but nothing to this. They may shine as glow-worms in the dark, but having the Scripture, why do we so tenaciously adhere to them?
The Fathers spent their strength in particular controversies 1against Pelagius, Arius, &c. that their chief strength ran that way, and when the water runs strong in one channel, it is weakned in another; but modern Writers are stronger in general, and when they wrote against the heresies, they were wonderfully assisted; so that there is no greater difference betwixt them. Their errors were more then the errors of modern Divines. Augustin•, after his retractations fell into error, the reason was, because ⟨p. 320⟩he lived in the dayes when God made way for Antichrist. Calvin was raised up to abolish him. Where was heresie so great as in Popery? and therefore it was more needful that those that rose up in darkness should have more assistance then ordinary, so that modern writters are as well to be quoted. Now what remains but that we do consider what is said & be convinced, and practise that we know. Why go we beyond the doors to them, that is in an inordinate course? Why do we go into the wide waste to gather flowers, when the scripture is the garden of Eden, it is true we may find violets by the way, so may we in common writers, there is a choisness in them, but nothing to this. They may shine as glow-worms in the dark, but having the Scripture, why do we so tenaciously adhere to them?
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