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goodness_n and_o alsufficiency_n 5._o though_o no_o man_n have_v ground_n enough_o to_o promise_v to_o himself_o a_o immunity_n from_o temporal_a calamity_n yet_o certain_o there_o be_v no_o better_a expedient_a in_o the_o world_n to_o secure_v a_o man_n against_o they_o and_o preserve_v he_o from_o they_o than_o this_o for_o the_o most_o part_n of_o those_o sharp_a affliction_n that_o befall_v man_n be_v but_o to_o make_v they_o remember_v their_o creator_n when_o they_o have_v forget_v he_o that_o he_o may_v open_v their_o ear_n to_o discipline_n and_o awake_v they_o to_o remember_v their_o creator_n read_v job_n 33._o a_o man_n that_o keep_v about_o he_o the_o remembrance_n of_o his_o creator_n prevent_v in_o a_o great_a measure_n the_o necessity_n of_o that_o severe_a discipline_n 6._o in_o short_a this_o remembrance_n of_o our_o creator_n be_v a_o antidote_n against_o the_o allurement_n of_o the_o world_n the_o temptation_n of_o satan_n the_o deceitfulness_n of_o sin_n it_o 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principal_o commend_v be_v the_o day_n of_o our_o youth_n and_o the_o reason_n that_o commend_v that_o season_n for_o this_o duty_n be_v principal_o these_o 1._o because_o this_o be_v the_o most_o accept_v time_n god_n almighty_n be_v please_v under_o the_o old_a law_n to_o intimate_v this_o in_o the_o reservation_n to_o himself_o of_o the_o first_o fruit_n and_o the_o first_o bear_v and_o sure_o the_o first_o fruit_n of_o our_o life_n when_o dedicate_v to_o his_o remembrance_n be_v best_a accept_v to_o he_o 2._o because_o this_o season_n be_v common_o our_o turn_a season_n to_o good_a or_o evil._n and_o if_o in_o youth_n we_o forget_v our_o creator_n it_o be_v very_o great_a difficulty_n to_o resume_v our_o duty_n common_o it_o require_v either_o very_o extraordinary_a grace_n or_o very_o strong_a affliction_n to_o reclaim_v a_o man_n to_o his_o duty_n who_o youth_n have_v be_v season_v with_o ill_a principle_n
the_o write_n of_o man_n especial_o when_o write_v by_o several_a man_n at_o several_a time_n their_o write_n do_v seldom_o or_o never_o agree_v but_o differ_v and_o cross_v one_o another_o and_o the_o reason_n be_v because_o they_o be_v write_v by_o several_a man_n who_o be_v all_o guide_v by_o several_a mind_n and_o judgement_n but_o the_o scripture_n though_o write_v by_o several_a man_n in_o several_a age_n many_o unacquainted_a with_o one_o another_o write_n yet_o they_o all_o consent_n and_o speak_v the_o same_o truth_n which_o be_v a_o evidence_n that_o it_o be_v one_o and_o the_o same_o spirit_n that_o do_v dictate_v they_o 2._o it_o be_v not_o possible_a for_o any_o man_n without_o revelation_n from_o god_n to_o foretell_v thing_n to_o come_v now_o these_o holy_a write_n foretold_a thing_n that_o most_o certain_o come_v to_o pass_v in_o their_o several_a season_n though_o many_o generation_n after_o the_o prophecy_n write_v therefore_o they_o be_v write_v by_o inspiration_n from_o god_n as_o for_o instance_n the_o babylonian_a captivity_n and_o the_o deliverance_n from_o it_o by_o jeremy_n the_o persian_a and_o grecian_a monarchy_n by_o daniel_n the_o birth_n and_o death_n of_o christ_n the_o final_a destruction_n of_o jerusalem_n and_o dispersion_n of_o the_o jew_n the_o conversion_n of_o the_o gentile_n by_o isaiah_n and_o the_o rest_n of_o the_o prophet_n 3._o the_o matter_n contain_v in_o these_o holy_a write_n be_v that_o of_o the_o great_a importance_n the_o will_n of_o god_n concern_v man_n the_o discovery_n of_o the_o creation_n of_o the_o world_n by_o god_n of_o assurance_n of_o the_o life_n to_o come_v of_o the_o mean_n of_o peace_n between_o god_n and_o man._n these_o be_v thing_n of_o the_o high_a concernment_n in_o the_o world_n yet_o thing_n which_o can_v never_o be_v discover_v but_o by_o god_n himself_o and_o such_o as_o never_o any_o writing_n of_o man_n only_o ever_o can_v discover_v or_o dare_v pretend_v unto_o the_o height_n and_o rarity_n and_o excellence_n and_o weight_n of_o the_o matter_n of_o these_o book_n do_v evidence_n that_o they_o be_v the_o revelation_n of_o god_n to_o man_n and_o by_o his_o providence_n commit_v to_o writing_n and_o deliver_v over_o to_o mankind_n as_o the_o rule_n to_o attain_v their_o chief_a end_n 3._o as_o the_o rule_n to_o attain_v our_o chief_a end_n must_v come_v from_o god_n and_o as_o the_o scripture_n of_o the_o old_a and_o new_a testament_n be_v the_o word_n of_o god_n so_o we_o say_v that_o these_o scripture_n be_v the_o rule_n and_o the_o only_a rule_n to_o attain_v our_o chief_a end_n good_a book_n of_o other_o man_n good_a education_n good_a sermon_n the_o determination_n of_o the_o church_n be_v good_a help_n but_o there_o be_v no_o other_o rule_n but_o this_o it_o be_v by_o this_o rule_n we_o must_v try_v other_o man_n book_n and_o sermon_n yea_o the_o very_a church_n itself_o thus_o the_o berean_o try_v the_o doctrine_n of_o the_o apostle_n themselves_o by_o the_o scripture_n which_o they_o then_o have_v and_o be_v commend_v for_o it_o act_n 17.11_o and_o peter_n prefer_v the_o evidence_n of_o the_o scripture_n before_o a_o voice_n from_o heaven_n 2_o pet._n 1.18_o 19_o and_o christ_n himself_o appeal_v to_o the_o scripture_n to_o justify_v himself_o and_o his_o doctrine_n joh._n 6.39_o and_o if_o the_o scripture_n be_v the_o only_a rule_n 1._o than_o not_o a_o natural_a conscience_n especial_o as_o the_o case_n now_o stand_v with_o mankind_n for_o that_o be_v many_o time_n corrupt_v and_o false_a principled_a put_v good_a for_o evil_n and_o evil_a for_o good_a it_o be_v and_o may_v be_v a_o great_a help_n guide_n and_o direction_n not_o a_o perfect_a rule_n 2._o than_o not_o the_o write_n and_o tradition_n of_o man_n god_n that_o appoint_v the_o end_n and_o mean_n must_v be_v the_o discoverer_n of_o the_o mean_n of_o our_o salvation_n 3._o than_o not_o pretend_a revelation_n those_o may_v be_v man_n imagination_n or_o the_o devil_n delusion_n to_o prevent_v and_o discover_v which_o god_n have_v set_v up_o this_o great_a and_o stand_a revelation_n of_o his_o scripture_n 4._o than_o not_o the_o church_n for_o that_o may_v err_v and_o it_o have_v no_o way_n to_o evidence_n itself_o but_o by_o the_o scripture_n which_o be_v its_o foundation_n the_o business_n of_o man_n salvation_n be_v of_o that_o importance_n and_o the_o wisdom_n of_o god_n so_o great_a that_o he_o will_v not_o commit_v so_o weighty_a a_o matter_n to_o such_o uncertain_a rule_n as_o these_o but_o have_v provide_v one_o of_o his_o own_o make_n the_o holy_a scripture_n thesis_n iii_o the_o principal_a subject_n of_o the_o scripture_n be_v what_o man_n be_v to_o believe_v concern_v god_n and_o what_o duty_n god_n require_v of_o man._n it_o be_v the_o principal_a subject_n of_o the_o scripture_n 1._o because_o it_o be_v of_o the_o great_a importance_n and_o concernment_n eccles_n 12.13_o let_v we_o hear_v the_o conclusion_n of_o the_o whole_a matter_n fear_v god_n and_o keep_v his_o commandment_n for_o this_o be_v the_o whole_a duty_n of_o man._n fear_v god_n which_o can_v be_v without_o the_o knowledge_n of_o he_o and_o keep_v his_o commandment_n which_o contain_v his_o duty_n of_o obedience_n to_o he_o 2._o because_o all_o the_o other_o matter_n of_o the_o scripture_n have_v a_o kind_n of_o dependence_n upon_o and_o connexion_n with_o this_o principal_a matter_n or_o subject_n but_o though_o this_o be_v the_o principal_a matter_n or_o subject_n of_o the_o scripture_n yet_o they_o also_o contain_v very_o many_o other_o matter_n that_o do_v very_o much_o concern_v we_o to_o know_v and_o believe_v as_o namely_o what_o we_o be_v to_o understand_v concern_v ourselves_o the_o state_n of_o our_o creation_n the_o fall_n of_o man_n the_o state_n wherein_o that_o fall_n have_v put_v all_o mankind_n the_o mean_n of_o our_o recovery_n the_o immortality_n of_o the_o soul_n the_o resurrection_n the_o different_a estate_n of_o the_o good_a and_o bad_a after_o death_n the_o history_n of_o the_o church_n and_o household_n of_o god_n from_o the_o creation_n of_o man_n till_o some_o thirty_o year_n after_o the_o resurrection_n of_o christ_n and_o divers_a other_o and_o necessary_a matter_n to_o be_v know_v both_o for_o our_o direction_n instruction_n and_o comfort_n and_o as_o the_o scripture_n do_v principal_o teach_v the_o knowledge_n of_o good_a and_o our_o duty_n as_o the_o principal_a subject_n so_o they_o do_v principal_o teach_v it_o above_o other_o teach_n or_o mean_n it_o be_v true_a that_o the_o very_a light_n of_o nature_n do_v teach_v we_o much_o of_o what_o be_v to_o be_v know_v concern_v god_n and_o our_o duty_n to_o he_o as_o namely_o that_o there_o be_v a_o god_n and_o that_o there_o be_v but_o one_o god_n that_o this_o god_n be_v the_o first_o cause_n and_o also_o the_o preserver_n of_o all_o thing_n that_o he_o be_v eternal_a without_o beginning_n or_o end_n infinite_a spiritual_a without_o mixture_n most_o perfect_a and_o therefore_o most_o free_a most_o powerful_a most_o holy_a most_o wise_a most_o just_a most_o bountiful_a and_o merciful_a and_o upon_o all_o these_o ground_n the_o light_n of_o nature_n teach_v that_o he_o be_v to_o be_v honour_v to_o be_v fear_v to_o be_v worship_v to_o be_v obey_v this_o the_o apostle_n show_v we_o rom._n 1.20_o for_o the_o invisible_a thing_n of_o he_o from_o the_o creation_n of_o the_o world_n be_v clear_o see_v be_v understand_v by_o the_o thing_n that_o be_v make_v even_o his_o eternal_a power_n and_o godhead_n so_o that_o they_o be_v without_o excuse_n and_o this_o light_n of_o nature_n give_v this_o manifestation_n of_o god_n 1._o by_o the_o work_n of_o creation_n and_o providence_n 2._o by_o the_o working_n of_o the_o conscience_n 3._o by_o a_o traditional_a delivery_n over_o of_o some_o truth_n from_o man_n to_o man_n which_o by_o the_o study_n and_o pain_n of_o some_o wise_a man_n and_o lawgiver_n raise_v up_o by_o the_o providence_n of_o god_n have_v be_v perfect_v and_o deliver_v over_o to_o other_o but_o the_o pre-eminence_n of_o the_o scripture_n in_o their_o instruction_n of_o mankind_n in_o the_o knowledge_n of_o god_n and_o his_o duty_n to_o god_n appear_v partly_o in_o these_o consideration_n 1._o the_o knowledge_n the_o scripture_n give_v in_o these_o thing_n be_v more_o easy_a to_o be_v attain_v because_o it_o set_v down_o these_o truth_n plain_o that_o the_o most_o ordinary_a capacity_n may_v understand_v whereas_o the_o knowledge_n of_o these_o thing_n by_o the_o light_n of_o nature_n be_v more_o difficult_a require_v much_o observation_n and_o industry_n and_o attention_n deduce_v and_o draw_v down_o one_o thing_n from_o another_o and_o so_o arrive_v at_o their_o knowledge_n by_o much_o pain_n and_o study_n 2._o the_o knowledge_n of_o these_o thing_n deliver_v by_o the_o scripture_n be_v much_o more_o