2. For their holding or retaining it. A person may take a lighted Candle in his Hand, and soon put it away again; but when it's put into a Candlestick, the design commonly is, that it should there abide and continue giving Light. Well, as the Churches of Christ receive light from him, so they should retain it, hold it fast; They should Buy the Truth and Sell it not, also Wisdom, and Instruction and Understanding, Prov. 23.23. They should get as much Spiritual light and knowledge as they can; and keep it as a most precious Treasure▪ Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love, which is in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. 1.13. They should not be Children tossed to and fro by every wind of Doctrine, Eph. 4.•4. Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines, Heb. 13.9. The Apostle Paul directed, that Ministers should hold fast the faithful word as they had been taught, (that they might the better teach others to do so too) Tit. 1.•. ⟨p. 11⟩He himself •d so, and said, 2 Tim. 4.7▪ I have kept the Faith. It was part of the commendation given by Christ to the Angel of the Church in Pergamus, Rev. 2.13. Thou holdest fast my Name, and hast not denied my Faith. Rev. 3.3. Remember therefore how thou hast received, and heard, and hold fast. The Churches of Christ, should retain, hold fast, all those Truths and Doctrines which are contained in the Holy Scriptures; they should not set them go, should not corrupt them, should not change them for Errors, and Heresies; nor suffer them to be depraved by mixtures thereof if they can help it. Act. 16.5. So were the Churches established in the Faith. Again, Churches may be compared to Candlesticks,
2. For their holding or retaining it. A person may take a lighted Candle in his Hand, and soon put it away again; but when it's put into a Candlestick, the design commonly is, that it should there abide and continue giving Light. Well, as the Churches of Christ receive light from him, so they should retain it, hold it fast; They should Buy the Truth and Sell it not, also Wisdom, and Instruction and Ʋnderstanding, Prov. 23.23. They should get as much Spiritual light and knowledge as they can; and keep it as a most precious Treasure▪ Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love, which is in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. 1.13. They should not be Children tossed to and fro by every wind of Doctrine, Eph. 4.•4. Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines, Heb. 13.9. The Apostle Paul directed, that Ministers should hold fast the faithful word as they had been taught, (that they might the better teach others to do so too) Tit. 1.•. ⟨p. 11⟩He himself •d so, and said, 2 Tim. 4.7▪ I have kept the Faith. It was part of the commendation given by Christ to the Angel of the Church in Pergamus, Rev. 2.13. Thou holdest fast my Name, and hast not denied my Faith. Rev. 3.3. Remember therefore how thou hast received, and heard, and hold fast. The Churches of Christ, should retain, hold fast, all those Truths and Doctrines which are contained in the Holy Scriptures; they should not set them go, should not corrupt them, should not change them for Errors, and Heresies; nor suffer them to be depraved by mixtures thereof if they can help it. Act. 16.5. So were the Churches established in the Faith. Again, Churches may be compared to Candlesticks,
