the Writings of Men especially when written by several Men at several times their Writings do seldom or never agree but differ and cross one another And the reason is because they are written by several Men who are all guided by several Minds and Judgments But the Scriptures though written by several Men in several Ages many unacquainted with one anothers Writings yet they all consent and speak the same Truth which is an evidence that it was One and the same Spirit that did dictate them 2. It is not possible for any Man without Revelation from God to foretel things to come Now these holy Writings foretold things that most certainly came to pass in their several seasons though many Generations after the Prophesie written therefore they were written by Inspiration from God As for instance the Babylonian Captivity and the Deliverance from it by Jeremy the Persian and Grecian Monarchy by Daniel the Birth and Death of Christ the final destruction of Jerusalem and Dispersion of the Jews the Conversion of the Gentiles by Isaiah and the rest of the Prophets 3. The Matter contained in these holy Writings is that of the greatest importance the Will of God concerning Man the discovery of the Creation of the World by God of assurance of the Life to come of the means of Peace between God and Man These are things of the highest concernment in the World yet things which could never be discovered but by God himself and such as never any writings of Men only ever could discover or durst pretend unto The height and rarity and excellence and weight of the matter of these Books do evidence that they were the Revelations of God to Man and by his Providence committed to writing and delivered over to Mankind as the Rule to attain their Chief End 3. As the Rule to attain our Chief End must come from God and as the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God so we say That these Scriptures are the Rule and the only Rule to attain our Chief End Good Books of other Men good Education good Sermons the determinations of the Church are good helps but there is no other Rule but this It is by this Rule we must try other Mens Books and Sermons yea the very Church it self Thus the Bereans tried the Doctrine of the Apostles themselves by the Scriptures which they then had and are commended for it Acts 17.11 And Peter prefers the evidence of the Scriptures before a voice from Heaven 2 Pet. 1.18 19. And Christ himself appeals to the Scriptures to justifie himself and his Doctrine Joh. 6.39 And if the Scriptures be the only Rule 1. Then not a Natural Conscience especially as the case now stands with Mankind for that is many times corrupted and false principled puts good for evil and evil for good It is and may be a great help guide and direction not a perfect Rule 2. Then not the Writings and Traditions of Men God that appoints the End and Means must be the discoverer of the Means of our Salvation 3. Then not pretended Revelations those may be Mens imaginations or the Devils delusions to prevent and discover which God hath set up this great and standing Revelation of his Scriptures 4. Then not the Church for that may err and it hath no way to evidence it self but by the Scriptures which are its Foundation The business of Mans Salvation is of that importance and the Wisdom of God so great that he will not commit so weighty a matter to such uncertain Rules as these but hath provided one of his own making the Holy Scriptures Thesis III. The Principal Subject of the Scriptures is what Man is to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of Man It is the Principal Subject of the Scriptures 1. Because it is of the greatest importance and concernment Eccles 12.13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of Man Fear God which cannot be without the knowledge of him and keep his Commandments which contains his duty of Obedience to him 2. Because all the other Matters of the Scriptures have a kind of dependance upon and connexion with this Principal Matter or Subject But though this be the Principal Matter or Subject of the Scriptures yet they also contain very many other matters that do very much concern us to know and believe as namely What we are to understand concerning our selves the State of our Creation the Fall of Man the State wherein that Fall hath put all Mankind the means of our recovery the Immortality of the Soul the Resurrection the different estate of the good and bad after death the History of the Church and Houshold of God from the Creation of Man till some thirty years after the Resurrection of Christ and divers other and necessary Matters to be known both for our direction instruction and comfort And as the Scriptures do principally teach the Knowledge of Good and our duty as the principal Subject so they do principally teach it above other teachings or means It is true that the very Light of Nature doth teach us much of what is to be known concerning God and our duty to him As namely that there is a God and that there is but one God that this God is the first Cause and also the preserver of all things That he is Eternal without beginning or end Infinite Spiritual without mixture most Perfect and therefore most free most Powerful most Holy most Wise most Just most Bountiful and Merciful And upon all these Grounds the Light of Nature teacheth that he is to be Honored to be Feared to be Worshipped to be Obeyed This the Apostle shews us Rom. 1.20 For the Invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal Power and Godhead so that they are without excuse And this light of Nature gives this Manifestation of God 1. By the Works of Creation and Providence 2. By the Workings of the Conscience 3. By a Traditional delivery over of some truths from man to man which by the study and pains of some wise men and Law-givers raised up by the Providence of God have been perfected and delivered over to others But the Preheminence of the Scriptures in their instruction of Mankind in the Knowledge of God and his duty to God appears partly in these considerations 1. The knowledge the Scriptures give in these things is more easie to be attained because it sets down these truths plainly that the most ordinary capacity may understand Whereas the knowledge of these things by the Light of Nature is more difficult requires much observation and industry and attention deducing and drawing down one thing from another and so arriving at their knowledge by much pains and study 2. The knowledge of these things delivered by the Scripture is much more
Goodness and Bounty of God that he doth not only injoyn Man his Duty to Glorifie him but also joyns with it Mans Happiness to injoy him for ever He that observes the former shall be sure not to miss of the latter In the same path and tract which leads us to Glorifie God which is our Duty we are sure to meet with our injoyment of him which is our everlasting Happiness and Blessedness And the business of the true Religion revealed in the Scriptures is to lead us to that Duty and to that Happiness which is the Chief End of Man He that wants this will be miserable in the midst of all worldly Enjoyments and he that attains this his Comforts here shall be blessed his Crosses Sanctified and his Death a gate to let him into a most Blessed and Glorious and Everlasting Life Thesis II. The Scriptures of both Testaments are the only perfect Rule for Mans attaining his Chief End This is the End why Man was made and which he ought principally to attend and look after but because to the attaining of the End it is necessary that the due means of attaining thereof be known and used And because as Almighty God the Maker of Man is he that alone must design the End of his own Work so likewise it belongs to him alone to chuse and appoint and order the means belonging to that end therefore as he is not wanting to us in appointing a Fit and Blessed End to Mankind so neither is he wanting in designing and discovering unto Mankind the Means for attaining to that End This means is called a Rule a fixed and setled direction teaching and shewing us what is to be known and what to be done and avoided in order to that end Beasts follow instincts of Nature in their actions But Man that is indued with higher faculties and ordered to a better End is to be directed to that End by a Rule given by that God who hath appointed his End This Rule therefore that must guide Man to his great End of his Creation requires 1. That it be a Rule given by God himself For as he appoints the End of Mankind so he alone must appoint the Means of attaining it and therefore the discovery thereof must come from him 2. That it be a certain Rule in respect of the great consequence that depends upon it Mans everlasting Happiness 3. That it be a fixed and setled Rule for Mankind is apt to straggle and wander full of vain imaginations which were not the Rule fixed and stable would corrupt and disorder it 4. A plain and easie Rule because it concerns all Men as well the unlearned and weak as the wise and learned their concernment is equal and therefore the Rule that tends to that common concernment is fit to be plain and familiar Since it is necessary therefore that there should be a Rule and such a Rule we are to consider whether God hath afforded such a Rule and what it is which is set down in these three particulars 1. That God hath given his own Word to be this Rule 2. That the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are that Word of God 3. That those Scriptures are the Rule and the only Rule whereby Man may attain his Chief End 1. That God hath given us his own Word to be this Rule And this as before appears was necessary that the Direction to our Chief End should come from God 2. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God Herein is to be observed 1. What those Scriptures are They are the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament excluding the Books commonly called Apocrypha These were written in several Ages by holy Men inspired with the Spirit of God 2 Tim. 3.16 Some parts thereof as the Five Books of Moses above Three thousand five hundred years since and that of the New Testament above One thousand six hundred years since And Almighty God who hath had a most special care of the Everlasting Good of Mankind hath by a wonderful Providence hitherto preserved them uncorrupted and hath dispersed them over all Nations in their several Languages that as the common Salvation concerned all Men so the means of attaining it might be likewise common to all Men. 2. Why the Divine Providence hath ordered it to be put into Writing It is true in the first Ages of the World till the time of Moses which was near Three thousand five hundred years the Will of God was not put into writing but was delivered over by word of mouth from Father to Son And this was the direction that Men had to know and to obey God 1. Because in those ancient Ages of the World Men lived long For Adam the first Man lived above Twenty years after Methusalem the eighth from Adam was born and Methusalem lived almost an hundred years after Sem was born and Sem lived above sixty years after Isaac was born So that in these three Men Adam Methusalem and Sem all the Truths of God for above Two thousand years were preserved and delivered over 2. Because the select Churhes of God were preserved in Families and were not National and so the knowledge of the true God kept in a smaller compass But when after the Ages of Men were shorter and when the Church of God grew to be National as it was after the Jews came out of Egypt then God himself wrote his Law in Tables of Stone and Moses wrote his Five Books And then and from that time forward the Sacred Histories and Prophesies under the Old Testament and the Gospel and other parts of the New Testament was committed to Writing for these Reasons principally 1. That they might be the better preserved from being lost or forgotten 2. That they might be the better preserved from being corrupted For that which is delivered only by word of Mouth is many times varied and changed in the second or third hand 3. That it might be the better dispersed and communicated to all Mankind And this was done in the Old Testament by Translations of it into Greek about two hundred years before Christ and dispersing it into a great part of the World And after Christs time both the Old and New Testament Translated into several Languages and since dispersed over the World which could not have been so well done had it not been at first in Writing Thus the Wisdom and Providence of God provides for the exigence of all times most wisely and excellently And having preserved part of this precious Jewel the Old Testament for the most part within the Commonwealth of the Jews till it was broken about the time of Christ by the Romans hath now delivered both to all Mankind 3. It is to be inquired Which the Author hath elswhere more largely considered What evidence we have to prove those Writings to be the Word of God And omiting many others we insist upon these principally 1. In
did lead him And all these and a world of the like Expressions in the Book of God to unvail the love of God to his Creatures and thereby to draw out an aweful love to him and an humble boldness to make an approach unto him Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace and to bless our Redeemer who by the price of his Blood hath purchased this free liberty of access unto God as our Father Ephes 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence Who as he hath purchased access for us so when notwithstanding that we are fearful and backward and ashamed to come is pleased in the virtue of his own Mediation to stand between the Glory and Brightness of the Father and us poor Creatures and to shew us more of his Goodness and Mercy than of his Glory and to receive our desires and to bring both them and us into the presence of his Father and our Father 2. As this Expression leads us unto God and gives us access so it gives us assurance of success in our Petitions This Prayer as is said is a comprehensive Prayer we thereby in an Abridgement ask whatsoever is necessary for this life or that to come but the Name of a Father is a comprehensive Name the Petitions that thou art asking are large Petitions and the Promise is yet more large John 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you Matth. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you But here is the Foundation thy application is to thy Father Matth. 7.11 If ye being evil know how to give good things to your Children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him Whatsoever thou canst find or expect from thy Natural Father so much and much more may'st thou expect from thy Heavenly Father Patience to bear with thy infirmities and failings Psalm 78.18 Compassion to pity thy suffering Psal 103.13 Goodness to supply thy wants Justice to avenge thy injuries Psal 105.14 Protection to defend thee from dangers Vigilancy and care to support thee against Temptations Mercy to pardon thy back-slidings Jer. 3.14 Skill to interpret and Tenderness to accept thy weak and stammering Petitions Providence and Bounty abundantly to reward all thy sincere performances Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock it is my Fathers good will to give you a Kingdome And this Consideration of God as our Father when we come before him in Prayer as it teacheth us our duty so it doth most naturally teach us the three first Petitions to desire the Glory of his Name the Increase of the manifestation of his Kingdom and Power the full submission unto and desire of the fulfilling of his Will And as that relation looks downward upon us so it concludes the three last Petitions From whom shouldest thou desire or expect Mercy to forgive thee Conveniencies to supply thee Care and Protection to preserve and deliver thee from Evil if not from a Father and as from this appellation of a Father we gather Confidence in his love so in the next qualification or description of this Father we gather Confidence in his Power Which art in Heaven or Heavenly Father Matt. 6.26 To denote 1. The eminence of his Glory and Power The Heavens are the most Eminent and Glorious Creatures that our Eyes behold and speak much of the Glory and Majesty of God Psal 19.1 and in this adjunct of Heavenly we give him the acknowledgement and attribution of the Greatness of his Power and Glory Psal 1.5 For our God is in the Heavens and he hath done whatsoever he pleaseth 2. Heaven the Throne of his Majesty Psal 11.4 Isa 66.1 The Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Foot-stool Psal 68.4 Extol him that rideth upon the Heavens Deut. 33.26 who rideth upon the Heavens for thy help and in his excellency upon the sky 1 Kings 8.49 Heaven thy dwelling place Which though it be the Seat of his glory yet it is not the circumscription of his Presence 1 Kings 8.27 The Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee Psal 113.4 his Glory is above the Heavens Isa 57.15 The high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity an incomprehensible infinitude Psal 139.8 If I ascend into Heaven thou art there and if I make my bed in Hell thou art there Isa 40.22 It is he that sitteth on the Circle of the Earth So that his Presence is in all places and though in respect of his Creatures the greatest manifestation of his Presence is above the Heaven yet his Infinite and Essential Glory is equally in all places Now from this attribution we learn 1. Our Duty in Prayer As a Christian should always have his Conversation in Heaven from whenee he expects his Saviour Phil. 3.20 so in a special manner when he comes to God in Prayer Hence Prayer is called a drawing near to God Heb. 10.22 lifting up the Heart unto God Know therefore thou do'st or at least shouldest in Prayer bring thy Heart up into Heaven before the Throne of the Infinite Majesty which imports or inforceth these Consequents 1. Let thy Spirit be mingled with thy Prayers for there is no other way to draw near to God but by bringing thy spirit into his presence He is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit thy Body is here upon the Earth and thy words vanish before they are gone far from thee Thou canst not get before the presence of the Lord of Heaven but with thy Spirit and Soul and unless thy Prayer be the drawing near of thy Spirit to him thy Prayer is a Provocation and not a Service unprofitable and useless for thee and unaccepted and not regarded by God it dyes and is rotten in the Earth and it cannot come up to thy Father which is in Heaven 2. Let thy Spirit be a pure Spirit and thy Prayers be pure Prayers for what hath any thing that is impure to do with Heaven a place of Purity and Holiness None but the pure in spirit can see God Matth. 5.8 and none but pure hands are fit to be lifted up to him 1 Tim. 2.8 Psal 24.4 And that thy Spirit may be pure and fit to come up into this High and Holy Place and to have Communion with the Holy and Glorious God get thy Spirit and Soul and Conscience washed by the Blood of Christ and thy Prayers mingled with the Incense of Christ Rev. 8.3 and labour to get an Inherent Holiness a pure and a sanctified Heart and from that will thy Words and thy Conversation and thy Services and thy Sacrifices all which are but the Emanations and Fruit of thy Heart be Holy and bear some though a weak proportion to that place and to that Person whither thou art sending thy Prayers And more especially and particularly labour to cleanse thy Heart when thou art about to pray because thy Prayers are a drawing near unto God