Thus St. John, he seeing that it might seem a new Commandment, to walk as Christ hath walked, he tells them; It is no new Commandment that I write unto you, Jer. 6.16. Job 8.8, 9, 10. and Moses sharply reproved the Is∣raelites for serving new gods, Deut. 32.17. Act. 26.22. he continued witnes∣sing no other truth but what Moses and the Prophets had delivered before him.
Obj. Is it not said, Mat. 13.52. is it not the part of a good Scribe to bring forth things both new and old?
Ans. True, he is to bring forth new things; but,
1. Such as may be new to the people, not new to the Word, such as they never heard of, yet not new to the Word, for it is their duty to bring their sheep to new fresh green Pastures, Psal. 23.2. but it must not be new in it self, but anciently delivered by the Prophets and Apostles.
2 A Minister that delivers an old Doctrin, and known to the people, yet he must bring it in in a new manner, that it may affect them the more, being drest after a new manner; the appetite desires new dishes more, as for our Saviour, he taught no new Doctrin, but he spake it in such a manner, in such Parables, that it seemd strange to them.
3 He should have so much respect to newnesse, as to bring out all old Do∣ctrin with a new vigour of Spirit, not with the old Spirit, but with a new af∣fection and vigour, that so the people may be more affected therewith, hee must deliver the same matter with a new Spirt, he must drink a new draught of the Wine of the Sanctuary, but a Minister must not teach any thing that is new to the Scripture.
Reas. From the perfection of the Scripture, Psal. 19.7. Gods perfection is more seen in this than in any other works, the World is perfect in its kinde, vers. 6. but vers. 7. How perfect is the Law of God? Now, as it were a Fran∣tique thing to go about to create new Creatures, so to come with Nova dog∣mata, and new Opinions; it is as if a man should come with new Creatures, there is not any new Creature in the World, so let a man survey all Doctrins, he shall finde them to be the same which were from the Creation.
Ʋse 1. To mortifie a new-fangled trick of Ministers and People, when the Minister fits their itching ears with New-fangled Doctrin, and the people af∣fect new Doctrin, this is against the Apostles practice here, 2 Tim. 4.2, 3. Act. 17.19, 20, 21. they thought Paul came in with new matters, and they were affected with news, but though this Doctrin was new to them, yet it was not new to the Word.
Ʋse 2. To reprove the Popish-Religion, it is new, some are Franciscans, and some Dominicans; these are new, we never read of them in the Scripture,