by Thomas Manton

Proposition.The Scripture is a sufficient rule of Christian Faith, or a record of all necessary Christian doctrines, without any supplement of unwritten traditions, as containing any necessary matter of faith, and is thus far sufficient for the decision of all controversies.


Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 2 Thes. II:15


The apostle, after he had comforted the Thessalonians, he exhorteth them to constancy in the truth, whatever temptations they had to the contrary. The comforts he propoundeth to them were taken (1.) From their election, ver. 13; (2.) From their vocation, ver. 14. His exhortation is to perseverance,

therefore, brethren, &c. In the words observe:

1. The illative particle therefore, because God hath chosen you and called you, and given you such advantages against error and seduction.

2. The duty inferred, 'stand fast'; it is a military word; you have the same in other places: 1 Cor. xvi. 13, 'Watch ye, stand ye fast,' &c; Eph. vi.

14, 'Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.' The word intimateth perseverance.

3. The means of perseverance, hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle.

Where observe: (1.) The act; (2.) The object. [1.] The act, hold with strong hand; the word implieth a forcible holding against assaults, whether of error or persecution. The Thessalonians

were assaulted in both kinds; the heathens persecuted them, and some were gone abroad that began the mystery of iniquity, and were ready to pervert them.

[2.] The object; which is propounded (1.) By a common and general term, the traditions which ye have been taught. (2.) By a distribution, whether by word or our epistle.

First, The common and general term, the traditions which ye have been taught. There are two sorts of traditions human and divine.

1. Human traditions are certain external observances instituted by men, and delivered from hand to hand, from progenitors to their posterity; these may be either beside or contrary to the word of God. (1.) Beside the word; as the institutions of the family of the Rechabites, in the observance of which, from father to son, they were so exact and punctual that God produceth their example

to shame the disobedience of his people: Jer. xxxv. 6, 7, 'Jonadab, the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine, nor build houses, nor plant vineyards,' &c. (2.) Contrary to the word of God; such as were those of the Pharisees, Mat. xv. 2, 'Why transgress ye the commandment of God by your tradition?' Human inventions in religion are contrary to, and destructive of, divine laws.

2. Traditions divine are either heavenly doctrines revealed by God, or institutions and ordinances appointed by him for the use of the church. These are the rule and ground of our faith, worship, and obedience. The whole doctrine of the gospel is a tradition delivered and conveyed to us by fit messengers, such as the apostles were: 1 Cor. xi. 2, 'Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances,' marg.

'traditions, as I delivered them to you.' So that holding the traditions is nothing else but perseverance in apostolical doctrine.

Second, Distribution; that no cheat might be put upon them under any pretence, therefore he saith, whether by word or our epistle; that is, by word of mouth when present, or by epistle when absent; and he saith not epistles, but epistle, as alluding to the former wrote unto them. They were bound to yield to both alike credence and obedience, for, whether in speaking or writing, the apostolical authority was the same. To improve this verse for your benefit, I shall lay down several propositions.

Prop. 1. That whatever assurance we have of God's persevering us in the truth, yet we are bound to use diligence and caution; for the apostle had said that God had chosen and called them to the belief of the truth, and yet saith, therefore, brethren, stand fast. First, reason will tell us (1.) That when we intend an end we must use the means, otherwise the bare intention and desire would suffice, and to the accomplishing of any effect we need no more than to will it; and then the sluggard would be the wisest man in the world, who is full of wishings and wouldings, though his hands refuse to labour; but common experience showeth that the end cannot be obtained without a diligent use of the means: Prov. xiii. 4, 'The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing, but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat;' that is, rewardeth with the intended benefit. (2.) The business in hand is, whether God's election, calling, or promise doth so secure the end to us, as that we need not be so careful in the diligent use of means. Such a notion or conceit there may be in the hearts of men, therefore let us attack it a little by these considerations.

1. God's decree is both of ends and means, for all his purposes are executed by fit means. he that hath chosen us to salvation bringeth it about by the belief of the truth and sanctification of the Spirit, 2 Thes. ii. 13, and without faith and holiness no man shall see God and escape damnation. God had assured Paul, that 'there should be no loss of any man's life among them, except that of the ship,' Acts xxvii. 22; and yet afterward, ver. 31, Paul telleth them, 'Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.' How could that assurance given to Paul from God, and Paul's caution to the mariners, stand together? Doth the purpose of God depend upon the uncertain will and actions of men? I answer Not as a cause, from whence it receiveth its force and strength, but as a means, appointed also by God, to the execution of his decree, for, by the same decree, God appointeth the event what he will do, and the means by which he will have it done; and the Lord revealing it by his word the conjunction of ends and means, there is a necessity of duty lying upon man to use these means, and not to expect the end without them. God intended to save all in the ship, and yet the mariners must abide in the ship; therefore, what God hath joined together let no man separate. If we separate these things God doth not change his counsel, but we pervert his order to our own destruction.

2. God, that hath bidden us to believe his promises, hath forbidden us to tempt his providence, Mat. iv. 7. Now we tempt God when we desire him to give an extraordinary proof of his care over us, when ordinary means will serve the turn or be useful to us.

3. Though the means seem to have no connection with the end, yet, if God hath enjoined them for that end, we must use them. As in the instance of Namaan, God was resolved to cure him; but Namaan must take his prescribed way, though against his own infancy and conceit: 2 Kings v. 10, 'Wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again unto thee, and thou shalt be clean.'

Compare ver. 13, 'If the prophet had bidden thee to do some great thing,' &c.

So John xiii. 6, 7, Peter must submit to be washed, though he could not see the benefit of it. So John ix. 6, 7, the blind man must submit to have his eyes anointed with clay, and wash in the pool of Siloam; though the clay seemed to put out his eyes rather than cure them, and the pool could not wash away his blindness: but means appointed by God must be used, whatever improbabilities are apprehended by us.

4. That when God's will is expressly declared concerning the event, yet he will have the means used; as, for instance, 2 Kings xx. 5-7, God was absolutely resolved to add fifteen years more to Hezekiah's life, yet he must take a 'lump of figs and lay it on the boil;' which plainly showeth that no promise on God's part, nor assurance on ours, hindereth the use of means; God will work by them, not without them.

5. In spiritual things assurance of the event is an encouragement to industry, not a pretence to sloth: 1 John ii. 27, 28, 'Ye shall abide in him; and now, little children, abide in him.' The promise of perseverance doth encourage us to use endeavours, that we may persevere, and quicken diligence, rather than nourish security, or open a gap to carnal liberty: 1 Cor. ix. 26, 'I run, not as one that is uncertain;' we are the more earnest, because we are assured the means shall not be ineffectual.

Prop. 2. Our duty is to stand fast in the faith of Christ and profession of godliness, whatever temptations we have to the contrary. Stand fast being a military word, it alludeth to a soldier's keeping his ground, and is opposed to two things: (1.) A cowardly flight; (2.) A treacherous revolt.

1. A cowardly flight implieth our being overcome in the evil day by the many afflictions that befall us for the truth's sake: Eph. vi. 13, 'Wherefore take to you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, that after you have done all things ye may stand.' Their temptation was the many troubles and persecutions that befell them, called there the evil day. Their defence lay in the whole armour of God, which is there made of six pieces: the girdle of truth or sincerity, which is a strength to us as a girdle to the loins; the breastplate of righteousness, or a holy inclination and desire to perform our duty to God in all things; and the shield of faith, or a steadfast adhering to the truths of the gospel, whether delivered in a way of command, promise, or threatening; the helmet of hope, or a certain and desirous expectation of the promised glory, the shoe of the preparation of the gospel of peace, which is a readiness to endure all encounters for Christ's sake, who hath made our peace with God; and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Now, if we take this armour and use it in our conflicts, what doth it serve for?

To withstand and stand; the first is the act of a soldier, the second is the posture of a conqueror; here is withstanding till the field be won, and then standing when the day of evil is over. Here we make our way to heaven by conflict and conquest, and hereafter we triumph.

2. A treacherous revolt, or yielding to the enemy by complying with those things which are against the interests of Christ and his kingdom for advantage sake: 2 Tim. iv 10, 'Demas hath forsaken us, and loved the present world.'

Backsliders in heart are the worst sort of apostates, such as lose their affection to God, and delight in his ways, and esteem of his glorious recompenses, for a little pleasure, profit, or pomp of living; 'sell the birthright for one morsel of meat,' Heb. xii. 15, 16. Some fail in their understandings, but most miscarry by the perverse inclination of their wills; they are carnal, worldly hypocrites that never thoroughly mortified the fleshly mind; prize things as they are commodious to the flesh, and will save them from sufferings. The bias of such men's hearts doth easily prevail against the light of their understandings.

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