2. The next office of the church is to preserve the truth, and trans- mit it pure to the next age. As the law was kept in the ark, so was truth delivered to the church to be kept : 1 Tim. i. 11, ' The glorious gospel committed to my trust.' There is a trust lieth upon us ; upon the apostles first to publish the whole counsel of God, and then upon pastors and teachers in all ages to keep it afoot, and upon all believers and members of the church to see that after ages be not defrauded of this privilege. We are to take care that nothing be added, Deut. iv. 2, and xii. 32 ; there is enough ' to make the man of God perfect ; ' nothing diminished ; none of the jewels which Christ hath left with his spouse must be embezzled ; that it be not corrupted and sophisti- cated , for we are not only to transmit to the next age the scriptures, those faithful records of truth, but also the public explications of the church in summaries and confessions must be souud and orthodox, lest we entail a prejudice upon those that are yet unborn. Every one
^ ' Non crederem scrip turae nisi me ecclesise moveret auctoritas.' — A u{/.
VeR. 3.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. Ill
in his place is to see that these things be accomplished. So much for the tradition itself.
Secondly, Now for the manner, once delivered; that is, once for all, as never to be altered and changed ; and when the canon or rule of faith was closed up, there was nothing to be added further, as a part of the authentic and infallible rule, though the daily necessities of the church do call for a further explication. But you will say, You told us but now how the word was many times delivered, how then once ? I answer — The apostle speaketh not of the successive manifestations of God's will to prophet after prophet till the Old Testament was per- fected, but of that common doctrine which the apostles and evangelists by one consent had published to the world, and which was now to settle into a rule, and so to remain without change till the coming of the Lord. Observe, that the doctrine of salvation was but once de- livered, to remain for ever without variation. Paul chideth them for being withdrawn to ' another gospel,' Gal. i. 6 ; and Peter tellefch them, to prevent the reception of feigned oracles, that they had ' a surer word of prophecy,' 2 Peter i. 19, a safe rule to trust to ; and Paul biddeth Timothy ' continue in the things which he had learned,' 2 Tim. iii. 14, 15 ; and our Lord saith. Mat. xxiv., ' This word of the king- dom shall be preached to all nations.' Now the doctrine of salvation is but once delivered — (1.) Because all is done so fully and perfectly, that nothing can be added ; there is enough to ' make us wise to salva- tion,' 2 Tim. iii. 15, and what should Christians desire more ? There is enough to ' make the man of God perfect,' ver. 17, that is, to furnish him with all kind of knowledge for the discharge of his office ; there needeth no more ; there is enough to make us wise to preach, and you wise to practise ; and it is certain enough that you need not spend your time in doubting and disputing ; and it is full enough, you need nothing more to satisfy the desires of nature, or to repair the defects of nature : here is sufHcient instruction to decide all controversies, and assoil all doubts, and to give us a sure conduct to everlasting glory. (2.) Because this rule can never be destroyed. The word hath often been in danger of being lost, but the miracle of its preservation is so much the greater. In Josiah's time there was but one copy of the law ; in Diocletian's time there was an edict to burn their bibles, and copies were then scarce and chargeable ; yet still they were kept, and so shall be to the end of the world, for the sacraments must continue * till Christ come,' Mat. xxviii. 20, and 1 Cor. xi. 26 ; and the word must be preached till we all ' grow into a perfect body in Jesus Christ,' Eph. iv. 12, 13 ; not only dejure, but de facto, not only it must be so, but it shall be so. AVell, then, expect not new revelations or dis- coveries of new truths beside the word, which is the immutable rule of salvation : ' Hold fast till I come,' Kev. ii. 25. Again, it checkcth them that expect new apostles, endowed with a spirit of infallibility, to resolve all doubts and questions. We must give heed to the scriptures, ' till the day-star arise in our hearts,' that is, till we have full com- munion with Christ ; for our reward in heaven is expressed by ' the morning star : ' Kev. ii. 28, ' To him that overcometh I will give the morning star.' Again, it confuteth the Familists, that dream of some days of the Spirit, wherein we shall have a greater light than is in the