tells you that those pleasure of sin are but for a season in Heb. 11. 25. and the punishment is eternal Mat. 25. 46. And so much of the universalitic of the subject that it concerns all to search the Scriptures II. I come to the universalitie of the object expressed indefinitely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scriptures as well the Law as the Gospel as well the old Testament as the New The Manichees of old and many of later daies have refused the search of the old Testament as not usefull or necessarie to Christians under a Gospel dispensation I shall therefore endeavour at this time to demonstrate unto you the dutie of a general and universal search which lies upon all Christians If we had nothing but this text of Scripture to confirm it it were unanswerable our Saviour here speaking of the old Testament as is evident from the persons to whom he directs this command who were the Jews enemies to the Gospel but great admirers of the old Testament and diligent searchers into it Now observe the argument In them ye think ye have eternal life therefore profitable and they testifie of me therefore necessarie and all this is spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of commendation to the Jews and therefore much more to Christians as S. Chrysostom observeth in his fourteenth homilie on the Gospel of S. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord exhorting the jews to the search of the Scriptures does much more press us Christians thereunto even by their example But there are many other Scriptures which demonstrate unto us the usefulness of the Scriptures of the old Testament as Rom. 15. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever was written afore was written for our comfort and instruction that is what was written by the Prophets was written for the comfort and instruction of us Christians And again Eph. 2. 20. You see the faith of the Christian Church is built upon the foundation of the doctrine writings as well of the Prophets as of the Apostles both leading us to Christ as to that onely foundation Cor. 3. 11. viz. of salvation Again 2 Pet 1. 19. To which that is that sure word of prophesie you do well that you take heed even that which was written before by the Prophets is as a light to direct you And therefore observe how Abraham dispatcheth the Gluttons brethren to Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. 29. whence it is obvious to collect that the writings of Moses the Prophets are to be read heard and assented to by Christians under the Gospel To all which we may add that full place of our Saviour Matth. 5. 17. 19. I come not to destroy the Law or the Prophets c. If Christ did not dissolve them then certainly Christians must not neglect to search them but Christ was so far from dissolving that he did fulfill them and that in his doctrine which was suitable and comformable to that of the Law and the Prophets in his life by obedience exactly answering the commands of the law and in his sufferings to what the law threatned and the Prophets had foretold The reasons then why Christians are to search both are these I. Because both are the voice of God to us The Apostle tells us expresly that the same God who at divers times and in divers ways spake to the fathers hath in these last daies spoken also unto us Heb. 1. 1. both are by divine inspiration 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given not this or that and 2 Pet. 1. 21. The prophesies of old time c. what they wrote they were God's Amanuenses and wrote not their private phantasies but the dictates of the Spirit of God Holy men they were of God and therefore their authoritie unquestionable and immutable their value and use great and excellent To the moral law we are all obliged as a rule of our obedience and though not to the observance of the ceremonial yet to the knowledge and meditation of it as very usefull both to acquaint us with variety of God's dispensations and by the comparing of those shadows and types with Christ the bodie and substance they may be evidences of Christ already exhibited and come in the flesh The consulting all Scripture is both our interest and duty as having God the author of it II. The harmony and identitie of Scripture doctrine both in the Old and New Testament The same for substance though different in degrees the same object of faith viz. Christ to whom all the Prophets witnessed Acts. 10. 43. otherwise those under that dispensation had been in a lost undone condition for Acts. 4. 12. There is no other name given under heaven whereby men may be saved The Prophets represent Christ in his person as God and Man Isai 7. 14. In his offices as a Prophet Isai 42. 1 2 3. as a Priest Psal 110. 4. as a King Psal 2. 6. and in all his benefits as Redemption and Salvation That in Isai 53. is a most pregnant testimony in our justification by faith verse 11. And both old and new Testament prescribe the same holiness obedience and love to God and our neighbour They differ indeed in the clearness of Revelation not in the substance of the doctrine The Gospel takes off the veil and lets us see the mysteries of Salvation more clearly Now the argument is evident that if the doctrine of salvation be the same in both then both are to be searched III. Because all the Scriptures both of old and new Testament were written for the use and good of Christians The commands of the Law for our practise as our Saviour told that Lawyer Luke 18. 26 28. How readest thou in the law The promises for our comfort as that promise which was peculiar to Joshua chap. 1. 5. is repeated to all Christians Heb. 1. 3. 5. The threatnings and judgements for our example and terrour as the Apostle speaking of the judgements which fell upon the Israelites 1 Cor. 10. 6 11 12. So the types observe how our Saviour applies the type of the brasen serpent to his own death John 3. 14. and that for the comfort and support of our faith verse 15. That as he who looked upon the brasen serpent was healed of the stings of the fiery serpents so they that look up to Christ by a true faith are healed of the spiritual wounds made by sin and Satan IV. Because of the excellencie of all Scripture which the Apostle fully describes to us in 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. What are usefull as children to know what may make us wise to salvation what is profitable for doctrine to inform us for reproof to reclaim us for correction to reform for instruction to guide us and furnish us unto every good work This the Apostle affirms universally of all Scripture not of this or that part of it therefore of the old as well as new Testament V. To strengthen and confirm the doctrine of the
seriously consider the burthen of Magistracy and through the turbulency disquiet and unruliness of many spirits the difficulty of managing it and how much wisdome and prudence is required to it and withall that all the enablements and assistances to go through it come from above from God will easily see that prayer and devotion is necessary to a Magistrate Magistrates should be men of knowledge and understanding as it is said of David that he was wise as an Angel of God 2 Sam. 14. 20. Moses bid the people seek out men of knowledge and understanding to be Rulers over them Deut. 1. 13. The way to come by this wisdome is prayer which Solomon was sensible of when being put to his choise what to ask he prayed for wisdome 1 King 3. 9. The same his father David had prayed for for him before 1 Chron. 22. 12. The Lord give thee wisdome and understanding both to govern thy self and others And the Apostle bids expressely those who want wisdome to ask it of God Jam. 1. 5. And if ever this were needfull then now certainly in our days A skilfull Pilot and Mariner is most required in a storm when the boisterous tumultuous waves threaten a ship-wrack and wise and skilfull Magistrates to secure the Church from splitting upon the rock of errour and heresie or the State of Anarchy and confusion 4. His courage and resolution to undertake any service for God though upon the greatest improbabilities and most difficult disadvantages If he sends him against Jericho onely with Rams-horns he undertakes it This God oft urgeth upon Joshua Josh 1. 18. Onely be strong and of a good courage A good qualification of a Christian Magistrate Courage to stand up for God and Courage to appear against sin Courage to bear up against reproaches and calumnies of men for these you must look to meet with that you be not afraid of the face of man Deut. 1. 17. Alexander was wont to say that this was verè regium well becoming Authoritie to do well and to hear ill such a Courage and equal greatness and magnanimitie of spirit becomes a Magistrate as may neither be over-heightned by anger and passion which oft makes Magistracie degenerate into a cruel Tyrannie nor yet emasculated and weakned by timorous low fearfulness which may cause him to pervert justice whilest he fears either the Malefactours greatness or his own disgrace and inconvenience Solomon's Throne was upheld by Lions A Lions heart upholds the Magistrates power and authoritle whilest a base pusillanimous cowardize betraies his Government to contempt his person to reproach and encourageth the people whilest through his cowardize they promise themselves impunitie to confidence in sin prophaneness It was a brave resolution of David which if all Magistrates as it is their dutie should take up we should not see such an overflowing of open prophaneness Psal 101. 7 8. He that worketh deceit c. V. The milde and sweet tenderness of his Government He rather chose to lead the people then to drive them to perswade then to force them An instance of this you have Josh 1. 12 13 14. c. He might by his power have commanded and compelled them or else justly stript and deprived them of that possession which was allotted them by Moses which was onely upon condition of their obedience in passing Jordan Numb 32. 29 30. But see he chose rather friendly to admonish and intreat them and see the fruit of it it overcame the people into obedience Josh 1. 16 17. And no wonder Joshua was so tender and gentle being instructed and educated by Moses the meekest man upon the face of the earth Num. 12. 3. A fit temper sure of a Christian Magistrate as being that by which these God's of the earth resemble the God of heaven This is it which preserves and secures Government Prov. 20. 28. The reason sure is because nothing doth so powerfully yet so sweetly command the peoples obedience Thus Absalom stole away the hearts of the people of Israel 2 Sam. 15. 5. Whilest a morose imperious cruelty exasperates mens minds and makes them tumultous and rebellious a sweet milde elemencie makes them facile and flexible Historians observe that the cruelty of Nero Vitellius Domitian Heliogabalus others betrayed them to hastie and violent deaths whilest the sweetness and clemencie of Trajan Augustus Adrianus and Titus Vespasian who was hence called deliciae humani generis caused their Bellarm. p. 95. longer life and more honourable and natural death Pliny tells us that the king of the Bees hath no sting a Magistrate should be of such an equal temper that neither by an overmuch facilitie he might encourage sin nor yet by a too severe crueltie oppress and tyrannize VI. His Vigilancie and watchfulness of which we have an instance Josh 3. 1. And Joshua rose early in the morning c. A duty which lies much upon Magistrates Continual dangers attend them difficulties offer themselves to them they must be watchfull lest whilest they sleep the enemie comes and sows tares the Tares of Mat. 13. 25. Heresie in the Church or Faction and Sedition in the State 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It becomes not a Magistrate to sleep a Hom. Iliad ◠whole night the Heathen could say The Apostle exhorts them who rule that they should do it with diligence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12. 8. Magistrates would do well to consider whose work they are imployed in viz. the work of God His Deputies they are and therefore may tremble to think of that Jer. 48. 10. Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully or negligently as it is in the Margent and this may provoke them to care and vigilancie in their duty VII His care in the execution of justice carefully enquiring into the cause before he passed sentence A pregnant instance of which we have Josh 7. in his dealing with Achan how he searched first into the Tribes then into the Families then into the housholds till at last he found the person Then he was as just and severe in punishing as he had been diligent and carefull in enquiring This becomes all Magistrates in the execution of justice not to pass a rash judgement through a precipitate hast or passion but to search out the truth of the cause by which means they may come neither to spare or countenance the sin nor yet to wrong the person God himself hath set Magistrates a pattern in this before he would pour fire and brimstone upon Sodom Gen. 18. 21. I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me and if not I will know Which is spoke after the manner of men This God commands Magistrates Deut. 1. 16. Hear the causes between your brethren and judge righteously c. And again Deut. 17. 4. And it be told thee and thou hast heard of it and enquired diligently and
tells us they could tell you any word in it as readily as their own name All the Prophets spake of Christ as Peter tells the Jews Acts 10. 43. Three ways the Scriptures of the Old Testament speak of Christ which I rather mention because it is the chief interest of the Text as also to strengthen our faith in the true Messiah against the Jews and hereby to admonish us in reading and searching them to look after Christ and the knowledge of him I. By promises as the promised seed to Adam Gen. 3. to Abraham Genes 15. to Isaac Genes 26. to Jacob Genes 28. to the tribe of Judah Genes 49. and all these are great assurances to our faith II. By plain prophesies Christ is Jacobs Shiloh in Gen. 49. 10. Balaams star coming out of Jacob Numb 24. 17. Isaiahs Immanuel Isaiah 7. 14. Daniels man standing before the Ancient of daies Dan. 7. 13. Jeremiahs the Lord our righteousness Jerem. 23. 6. Zechariahs branch Zech. 3. 8. and Malachies Sun Mal. 4. 2. And this in general it would be infinite to descend to particulars not a circumstance of his birth life or death but was foretold by some of the Prophets The place of his birth Micah 5. 2. the manner of his conception Isai 7. 14. his humilitie and povertie of life Zech. 9. his death Isai 53. 7. Judas's betraying and selling him for thirtie pieces of silver Zech. 11. 12 13. his scourging Isai 53. 5. his being spit upon Isai 50. 6. his crucifying among thieves Isai 53. 12. and after death his resurrection and ascension Psal 110. and Hosea 13. 14. III. In types and shadows The whole Ceremonies were nothing else but shadows Christ the substance Thus was Christs passion typified by the Passover by the Brasen serpent lifted upon a pole John 3. 14. His taking away our sins by his death typified by the scape goat Levit. 16. 10 21. His lying three days in the grave and his resurrection typified in Jonah chap. 1. The pillar of cloud and of fire the Red-sea Manna Rock all types of Christ of which latter the Apostle speaks expresly that rock was Christ 1 Cor 10. 4. I have mentioned these to lay an engagement upon you in search of Scripture especially to look after Christ he is the scope and substance and center of all Scripture Doest thou read the Ceremonies of the old Law look upon them as shadows of which Christ is the bodie and substance Doest thou read the Promises look upon them all as Yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. Doest thou read the Sacraments eye Christ as the thing sealed by them Doest thou search the Law Read it as thy school-master to bring thee unto him Galat. 3. 24. The Prophesies Christ the fulfilling of them Thus all the lines and draughts of Scripture meet in this centre all Scripture light centres in this Sun of Righteousness without which search Scripture never so much you are still in the dark if it be not your star to lead you unto Christ And so much of the second thing What searchers of Scripture Christ here points at I come now to the third General The universality of the duty And this is two fold I. The subject All men II. The object All the Scriptures I. The universalitie of the subject All men none being exempted from this dutie Ministers of the Gospel are especially concerned in this who are to dispence the Mysteries of salvation unto others It is an old and true saying sealed by the experience of all ages that Bonus textuarius est bonus Theologus A good Scripturist is a good Divine and therefore does the Apostle give this especially in charge to Timothy Till I come give attendance to reading in 1 Tim. 4. 13. But not onely these every Christian is concerned in this duty if upon no other considerations then these in the Text they are abundantly evincing Every Christian is concerned in eternal life Therefore ought to studie Scripture which directs him the way thither and it is therefore called the word of life Philip. 2. 16. and the Gospel of our salvation Ephes 1. 13. As a traveller that is ignorant of his way wili be oft consulting his Maps examining and enquiring which is the way we are all naturally ignorant of the true way to life and therefore we must oft search Scriptures which are the Map of that Jerusalem which is above directing us the way thither So Christ is the onely way out of of whom no man can come thither John 14. 6. And then the knowlege of Christ is every Christians interest and concernment Hence are those frequent exhortations of Scripture to Christians To grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. 18. And this we come to by Scripture They testifie of me saith our Saviour in the Text. Besides these all are engaged to the search of the Scriptures upon these accounts 1. In obedience to Divine command God exempts none from this dutie Deut. 6. 6 7 8. but sends all to the law and testimony Isai 8. 20. and it is the Apostles frequent command Coloss 3. 16. and his charge is very short 1 Thess 5. 27. and what are all the Elogiums and commendations of those who conscienciously perform this duty but so many motives and arguments for us to do it Such are that character of a godly man Psal 1. 3. that he meditates in the law of God both day and night that commendation of the Bereans who searched the Scriptures Acts 17. 11. and that of S. Peter to whom he wrote telling them that they did well in taking heed to that sure word of prophesie 2 Pet. 1. 19. Therefore the neglect of this searching Scripture is a disobedience to a Divine command 2. In conformitie to the practise of the Saints in all ages Aquila and Priscilla ordinary tent-makers so well skilled in the Scriptures that they were able to instruct an eloquent Apollos Acts 18. 24 25 26. It spoke Gods approbation of the Eunuchs searching the Scriptures when he sent Philip to him Acts 8. 28. Timothy was an apt scholar in this school 2 Tim. 3. 15. instructed questionless not by his father who was a Greek but by his grand-mother Lois and his mother Eunice whose faith the Apostle highly commends 2 Tim. 1. 5. whence it is obvious to collect the industrie of Godly women in those times in searching themselves and instructing their children in the Scriptures a good copie for others to write after Amongst the Jews it was accounted a crime to have a family without a Bible I wish it were so now 3. Thereby to promote the interest and advantage of their own souls Hereby Christians you may be inabled to try the Spirits to discern truth from falshod and not so easily to be imposed upon or tossed about with every wind of doctrine hereby to prove all things that you may hold fast that which is good 1 Thessal 5. 21. Hereby you may be