not perform it And Psal 56.4 In God I will praise his word And Psal 60.6 7. God hath spoken in his holiness I will rejoyce c. In a word It 's to little purpose to the children of God in a waiting posture to offer to be acquaint with the Word and make use of it except they lean their weight on it and be determined by it otherwise a man may sâ—arve beside his allowance he may see enough in the Bible to make him up and yet not be the better of it because he will not captivat his sense reason and carnal imaginations to credit and lay weight on it But to press and follow this forth I proceed to the 3d thing I proposed to be spoken to in this Head of Doctrine and it is the main thing to the end we may lean weight upon the Word and it may put an end to all controversies that may arise in our bosoms we would fix this principle that the Word of God is of Divine Authority and of infallible verity and certainty That 's a Principle a man that would live by Faith must fix that as it is Tit. 1.2 The Scriptures are the word of him that cannot lie Here it is that Faith resolving to wait on God must begin his exercise to fix this well that the Scriptures and the Doctrine contained therein are the Word of the faithful God that they are of infallible verity and Divine Authority and therefore when the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.19 is pressing upon believers to take heed to the Scriptures as a more sure word of prophecy than the voice that came from heaven He intimats in the two following Verses that that will be to no purpose except they know first that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation The meaning whereof is not that privat spirits must not Expone or give the sense of Scripture for the Passage speaks not of the interpretation or giving of the sense but of the authority of the Scripture In which sense Prophets were inspired to reveal the Word of God and his will betwixt him and men as Aaron was betwixt Moses and Pharaoh when Moses was unto him as a God as the Heathen Sybills werâ— called Deorum Interpretes and so the meaning is that the Scriptures are not of any private inspiration by men but from God as is contained in the reason which he gives in the next Verse For the Prophesie came not of old time by the will of men but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost These sure words of Prophecy â—ould he say to which I invite you to take heed are of Divine Authority spoken by holy men as they were inspired by the Spirit and his ye must know and believe ere ye can receive light and comfort from them Hence Paul dealing with Agrippa Act. 26.27 presses him to look to the Scriptures Divine Authority as being a solid ground of Faith King Agrippa believest thou the Prophets I know that thou believest he threaps upon him that he believed This Principle being necessary to be fixt our work in fixing it might soon be at an end if we were quit of the wicked and perverse clamours of Papists who expecting little kindness of the Scriptures as I asserted the last day are in tops with it at every bout they will have none to read the Scriptures without their licence and when they are read they will not have them a perfect rule for Faith and Manners without their traditions not will they grant that they can be understood without their interpretations And in the point I am upon they will not have the Scriptures to be of Divine Authority in respect of us what ever Authority they have of themselves more than the Fables of Aesop without the testimony of their Church so blasphemously speak they against that Scripture from which they expect so little friendship For us we acknowledge it is a mercy that there is a Church to hand down the Scriptures to us and that we have the testimony of the Church by her Ministry 〈◊〉 sure that testimony is not from the Romish Church only The Ancients when they speak of Testimonies concerning the Doctrine of the Scriptures adduce the Testimony of the Romish Church being then Orthodox only among other Churches and there are many other Churches beside the Protestants who acknowledge the authority of the Scripture and yet do not acknowledge the authority of the Church of Rome such as the Grecian Ethiopian Armenian Churches and others whatever the Church do in asserting the Authority of the Scriptures she is in that like the woman of Samaria Joh. 4. Who testified to the Samaritans concerning Christ saying Come see a man that told me all that ever I did is not this the Christ but when they came to him on her information they said Now we believe not because of thy information and saying for we have seen and heard him our selves and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world They founded not their faith on her Testimony though that was inductive to their meeting with Christ but ascended to their own perswasion which was founded on their hearing of him themselves But to batter out this a little which ye may have to do with ere long to let you see that the Scripture must not subject its authority to the Roman Church I shall speak a little to these four 1. I enquire whether they have given this Testimony or not Further Whether it be arbitrary for them to give it or not if it be arbitrary and the Word have no Authority but at their pleasure they put a cheat upon the World by asserting the authority of that which hath no antecedent authority in it self But if it be not arbitrary but they are bound to give it and have given their Testimony already as Pope Innocent long ago pronounced his authority in his Decretal concerning the Scripture Then they can no more be heard pleading against the Authority of the Scriptures determining in these Controversies that are betwixt them and us 2. Who gives this Testimony The Pope or his Counsel or both Again How came they to give this Testimony They are perswaded or not perswaded are they not perswaded and yet give it then are they the grandest cheats in the world If they are perswaded how came they to that perswasion If they go up to the Church preceeding how was that Church perswaded and let them ascend as far as they can ascend they must still fist at some who were perswaded of the truth of the Authority of the Scriptures without any antecedent Testimony of the Church as for Revelations witnessing the Divine Authority of the Scriptures they will not pretend to them they call us Enthusiasts though falsely on that account and if they had that perswasion from the Scriptures themselves why may not others having the Spirit of God discern that Divine Authority of
used by the Papists against us concerning the Spirits testimony it is not by way of Enthusiasme or any new Revelation but by way of gift from God opening our eyes to discern the wonders of his Law and so it is not required to prove the Scriptures to be Divine but to assure us they are Divine because there be some to whom the Gospel is hid not that a saving work of the Spirit is requisite to take up these evidences of the Divinity of the Scriptures for a temporary may taste of the good Word of God and yet fall away Heb. 6. But a common illumination of the Spirit is necessary to take up these evidences the Scripture gives of its Divinity Now I have been long upon this Head which is Doctrinal and though it be so it shall not be in vain if it be a mean to fix your Faith and Hope in this Principle that the Scriptures are the Word of God and of Divine Authority The Scriptures are the Word of Truth by which we are begotten Jam. 1.18 His Law is the truth Psal 119.142 The Scriptures are a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye do well to take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 When David is comforting himself against the rising of enemies like the mighty Waters and Waves of the Sea he says Thy testimonies are very sure Psal 93.5 And then they are a tryed word Psal 12.6 The words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times Ye would reduce these things to your practice and seek to have the Word of God to be found that which it is called in your experience But that which I intended to have insisted upon is to leave a sad check upon the generality of you that see so little of God in your Bible Something hath been said to hold forth the Divine Authority of the Scriptures but I confess it 's but a spilt commendation that hath been given this word yea it fears me more hath been said than even ye that have Bibles discern O will ye consider how men of old have experienced the Divinity of this word and have found it to be of God and have fallen down and confessed worshipping God saying God is in you of a truth 1 Cor. 14.25 All the fores that Christianity now hath do not contribute to make the Word so successful as it hath been in times of persecution wherefore it is so soon passed from by many in times of trial because the Divine Authority thereof is not stamped on hearts and God is not made use of and imployed to write it upon the heart Let this be looked upon partly as the practical use of what ye have heard partly to excite you to bless God ye have this Word Ye are not behind so long as ye have your Bibles though ye were straitned in many other things and partly to humble you that ye may blush and be ashamed that the Divine vertue and efficacy that wont to accompany the Scriptures is so little found in this generation and upon your hearts SERMON XXIX Psalm 130. Verse 5. And in his Word do I hope WAiting for God being the great and trying task of of the godly man as ye have heard who afterhend his wrestling with the deeps of difficulties and with insupportable pressures of guilt must learn also by patient waiting for God to wrestle with delays to the answers of Prayer or the longed for outgate prayed for whether as to issue or comfort These that are put to this trying task and seriously engaged in it had need to be well supported that they may bide it out till they meet with the end of the Lord. This is it which I am now upon in these words wherein the Psalmist after that he hath profesâ— he is waiting waiting for the Lord that his soul doth wait he adds in the next place an account of his support in waiting that therefore he waited because he hoped in the Word of God I wait c. I have spoken already to the first general Doctrine in these words that patient waiting on God cannot be gotten cherisht without the exercise of Faith and Hope no man can say I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait but he that can say he hopes and trusts in God I wait saith he because I hope I have also near put a close to what I would say from the second general Obervation to wit that this Faith and Hope that supports the patient waiter for God that sends the believer and carries him thorow in waiting for God till the outgate come must take the Word for its ground and measure I wait because I hope and hope because I have the Word of God for the ground of my hope Ye may remember that from this I have spoken to these three which I wish may not evanish with the Preaching 1. That really needy Saints put to wait for God and in waiting for him put to live by Faith and Hope will be much conversant with the Word of God they must learn to be acquaint with the Scriptures to know what is there for their direction or encouragement or both 2. That these who would wait for God in the way of believing and hoping must learn to judge of things according to the Word and be determined by the Word that it may be the ground of Faith and beget Hope otherwise it will be to little purpose for a man to be acquaint with the Scriptures from end to end if he improve it not but starve beside his allowance And 3. For this end such as are put to wait for God and to have their encouragement from the Word that they may lean weight upon it they would be fixed in this Principle that the Word of God is of Divine Authority and infallible certainty they would believe and hope in in it as Gods Word In his Word do I hope And as the day before I pressed upon you thâ— use of your Bibles that ye might be better acquainted with them and with the grounds of your Faith and Hope therein contained so the last day I insisted long to give you a right impression of the Bible that it is the Word of God and of Divine Authority the Historical verity whereof being granted which cannot rationally be denyed the Scriptures will prove themselves to be of Divine Authority and I would now intreat you to study these two Sermons well that ye may have the Divine Authority of the Scriptures fixt upon your hearts that ye may lay weight on them feed on them and converse with them with more delight And then what shall I say for the need of proofs for the Divine Authority of the Scriptures when the efficacy of it upon your hearts shall be a proof thereof as the effects and success of it of old is a standing Witness that it is not the word of man but the Word of
faith he staggered not at the promise through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God And Paul Rom. 8.24 when he had told that we are saved by faith adds but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Hope and Faith are only for things invisible to any other sense or faculty And for the continuance of trials it is clear that it's Faith must see the issue as Hab 2.2 with Heb. 10.37 Write the vision and make it plain on tables that he may run that readeth it speak out my promise why For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry to sense wait for it c. And how shall this be done The just shall live by faith If it be enquired how it comes to pass that the Lord puts the mercies of his people so far out of sight by the greatness and long continuance of trouble That it is only Faith that can discern the issue I shall briefly clear this to you in four words 1. He doth it that he may acquaint his people with the solid truth of his promises that he may let them see and bring them to know experimentally that his promise is not a blaâ—lume but though all things in the world were against us it 's a true word it 's a tryed word like silver purified seven times in the furnace Psal 12.6 and shall have an accomplishment The longer folk rest on the Bible and the more they try it they will esteem of it the more It 's of Divine Authority to which I shall speak a word afterwards when I come to that of the Psalmist where he calls it his Word 2. For this end the Lord gives this work to the faith of his people that he may acquaint them more and more with himself in whom they believe that when they are put to the Bible to live by faith in his Word they may study his Divine Attributes his Veracity that cannot lie his Omnipotency that in greatest difficulties can commad deliverance to his people his infinite Wisdom that can by contraries bring out his Wisdom about their delivery and by this means they have a great advantage when they are brought to know God the Author of the Promises better Hence Psal 9.10 â—t's said They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee They that know him will put their confidence in him And Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 said For the which cause I suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed How is that For I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him to keep against that day therefore I am not ashamed therefore my confidence succumbs not 3. The Lord by giving Faith this work brings his people experimentally to know the worth of Faith and that 's a necessary Lesson we will not â—y get Sailing near the Shore within sight of Land but must Lanch forth into the deep that Faith may be put to it and in this case what advantage is it to know the worth of Faith Psal 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living What had become of me if I had not believed And that gave him to know the worth of Faith which had an excellent advantage And Psal 28.7 My heart trusted in him and I was helped I never tryed Faith but it brought me some ease and relief though not a compleat out-gate And 4. The Lord give faith this work that he may get much glory of his people by their dependance hoping and believing Thus Rom. 4.20 Abraham was strong in the faith giving glory to God Thou thinks it would honour God much if thy mouth were filled with songs for deliveries sweet comforts love-blinks c. I grant these are sweet and speaks his praise but God is more honoured by believing when thou wants these and hath only his naked word to lean to thou then glorifies God more eminently though not so satisfactorily to thy self when thou sticks by believing in continued difficulties when thou art tempted to cast away confidence All I say from this Branch and come to the 2d shall be to tell you that were these things believed we would not be so ready to stumble whatever our difficulties were when sense and carnal reason were laid by and non-pluss'd with want of all appearances and probabilities of an issue But who are they who when they are left on a word of God do not find themselves at a loss and as ye use to speak at the next best whereas if we considered that this were God way to exercise his people with such great and continued Trials that their Issues and Out-gates from them may be the Object of Faith and not of Sense or carnal Reason and particularly were this studied our being holden long at work hinging on would not tempt folk to weary and give over waiting on God a thing which many of us have cause to mourn for and many fear that if God refine us with silver we will discover more than we thought had been in us O consider it that ye stumble not weary not fret not quite not your confidence in great continued troubles it is an evil not so much to be dung from your confidence as to take the pet to cast it away and give way to discouragement and lie down and die But to press this I come to the second Branch in the Point That as the Tryals of Gods people may be such as only Faith can see an out-gate so when they are so Faith if it be chearfuly employed will apprehend a promised delivery in greatest difficulties it will make a man wait on God in the saddest exercises without succumbing and to say this with the Psalmist I wait c. for I hope in his word If a man be living by Faith and so a just man Though the Vision tarry to sense it will make him wait for it and expect it because at the appointed time it will speak and not lie And for the grounds on which this truth is founded amongst others take these three 1. That let Tryals be never so great and long continued they alter not the ground of Faith the ground that Faith goes on still continues the same Whatever befal the people of God they get not a new Bible or a new God all the gloomy days that past over them has not blotted out one Promise or Attribute of God and these things they see in God and his Promises in a fair day they may see them to be the same in a foul day now if the ground be the same if the Promises be the same if God be the same if our Rock have not sold us Faith closing with that ground must wait for a delivery were the Tryal never so great and long continued
that would live by Faith he must not say in his heart Who shall ascend into heaven to bring down Christ or an issue from above or who shall descend into the deep to bring up a Christ or an issue from the dead But the word is near thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart The Word of Faith the Word in the Gospel which we preach This Point because there are several things in it of special concernment for us I shall deduce and branch out to you in four Heads 1. That really needy Saints who are put to live by Faith ought to be and will be much conversant with the Word that they may know what is for them and suitable to their case there 2. That as really needy Saints will be much conversant with the Word so they will judge of things according to the Verdict of the Word 3. That to fix them in that Resolution to judge of things according to the Word they must fix this Principle That the Word is of Divine Authority 4. That having fixt this That the Word is of Divine Authority the Believer must send out his Faith to believe and his hope to look for all that he finds in so Divine and sure a Word For the first of these I say That really needy Saints who are put to live by Faith ought to be and will be much conversant in the Word that they may know what is for them there and suitable to their case This is clearly imported in the Text while he saith I hope in thy Word He must know what is in the Word to lean his Faith and Hope upon for except he know he cannot lean his Faith and Confidence on it Hence David a great liver by Faith was much conversant with the Scriptures they were his meditation his meat his delight the men of his counsels his guides as ye may read at length what his esteem of the Scriptures was in that 119 Psalm And this being so it will infer not only that really needy saints should attend upon the Word preached but more especially that they should and will be much at the privat serious reading of meditation on and perusal of the Scriptures a duty that in the first place I would prove to be a duty And 2dly press it on you 1. I say it is needful to prove that it is a duty that the Scriptures be read by all in opposition to that cursed Popish principle that will not allow any laick or privat person without a peculiar licence to read the Scriptures whereby they turn that in a priviledge and confer on some only which God hath imposed as a duty on all yea further so Tyrannical are they in this that though they permit some to read the vulgar Latin or Translations according to it as they have turned it in English where Protestants are lest if they shuld hinder them in the use of that they should read other Translations without their liberty yet in other places as Spain and Italy they are sparing of these Licenses This is a damnable error not only contrair to the way of the ancient Church wherein they glory so much wherin privat persons were so well acquaint with the Word that they would make it the subject of their discourse while they were about their ordinary callings but is clearly repugnant to Scripture and principles deduced therefrom both in the Old and New Testament I shall not insist on controversial things but lay down first some instances from Scripture to which I shall add some Scripture arguments for clearing that Truth For Scripture instances look to the Old Testament it is marked Acts 15.21 That in old time Moses had in every City them that preached him being read in the synagogues every sabbath day and not the Books of Moses only but the Prophets And therefore our Lord in his solemn Sermon Luke 4.17 Read out of the Prophecy of Isaiah that Book being delivered to him Beside publick reading of the Scriptures we find privat reading enjoyned Deut. 17.18 The King was to have a Copy of the Law in a Book out of that which was before the Priests and Levits to be with him and he was to read therein all the days of his life Josh 1.8 The Commander of the people was not to let the book of the Law depart out of his mouth but to meditat therein day and night It was also to be read by mean persons for Deut. 6.6 These words commanded to the Jews they were to teach them diligently to their children to talk of them when they sat in their houses when they did walk by the way when they did ly down and when they rose up and this they could not do in all the ages of their Church unless they read the Books of Moses when Moses was gone We find that Eunuch in returning from Jerusalem in his journey reading the Scripture Act. 8.30 We find Timothy from a child instructed in the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 drinking it in with his milk and in a word Psal 1.2 We find the blest man in those days and in all ages of the Church to be that man who hath his delight in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth meditate day and night If again we turn to the New Testament we find that Christ commands the Jews to search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 We find the Bereans commended for comparing Christ Apostles Sermons with the Scripture searching the Scriptures whether these things were so Act. 17.11 We find it required That the word of Christ a well in us richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another Col. 3.16 which necessarily requires frequent reading of the Scriptures we find the Apostle supposing the Corinthians read them 2 Cor. 1.13 We wrote none other things to you than that you read and acknowledge and Eph. 3.4 Whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge We find him commanding it Col. 4.16 When this Epistle is read amongst you cause also that it be read in the Church of the Laodiceans and that ye likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea 1 Thes 4.27 He charges them by the Lord that that epistle be read unto all the holy brethren and if the Apostle John Rev. 1.3 pronounces them blest who reads the words of that prophesie which is a dark obstruse Book It is not the purpose of the Spirit of God that other plain Scriptures should be shut up from people But 2. Unto these Scripture instances we shall add a few Scripture Arguments as 1. For what end were the Scriptures plainly and legibly written and at first in a known language if not to be made use of and read when the Vision is written and made plain upon Tables Habakkuk tells the end of that is That he may run that readeth it 2. If the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did not spare to preach their Doctrine in the audience of all it cannot be rationally thought but that we may
note I took up here was That waiting on God will not be gotten cherisht without faith and hope I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait because I hope The Tryals of the people of God for greatness sharpness and continuance may be so ordered as an out-gate from them can only be discerned by faith and looked after by hope yet when it is so that things are most dark faith chearfully imployed will apprehend a promised delivery in the greatest difficulties Faith will see an issue worth the waiting for I wait and I hope says he The second general Observation that I proposed from these Words was that the faith and hope that sends a believer and carries him through in waiting for God that enables him to endure hard lots without succumbing must take the Word for its ground I wait because I hope and I hope because I have the Word of God for the ground of my hope Ye know that I proceeded to speak to four Heads in the prosecuting of this Note That really needy souls who are put to live by Faith ought and will be much conversant with the Word of God to know what is for them and their through-bearing there 2. That as they will be conversant with the Word so they will judge of things according to the verdict of the Word that it may ground their Faith and beget Hope 3. That to fix the Saints in this resolution and to the end they may lean weight on the Word they would be fixt in this Principle that the Word of God is of Divine Authority and infallibly certain In his Word do I hope 4. That the waiter having fixt this Principle that the Word is of Divine Authority he must send out his Faith to believe and his Hope to look for all he finds in so divine and sure a Word that he may be sure under foot as the Word of God makes him It 's his duty to put forth Faith and Hope to fend For the first of these that needy Saints who are put to live by Faith and Hope ought to be and will be much conversant with the Word I spoke to it the last day I both proved it that it was lawful and incumbent on all to read and be acquaint with the Scriptures against the tyranny of the man of sin that will have no Laickâ— â—s they call them to read the Scripture without his licence and I insisted to press the duty on you by several arguments which I shall nor resume Only I shall desire that it may be a Preaching daily practised as ye would prove your selves to be among these blessed folk who have their delight in the Law of God and meditate therein day and night who have the Word dwelling richly in you that ye may be acquaint with the Charter of your inheritance with your Card and your Compass your elder Brothers Testament the Magazine and Store-house of your Furniture and Touch-stone whereby ye try all things Let me I say exhort you that that Preaching may be conspicuously seen in your practice daily A 2d thing in the point is that as really needy Saints will be conversant with the Word so they must learn to judge of things according to the rule of the Word they must learn to be determined by what the Word says to have the Scriptures ending all controversies and debates to have the Scriptures grounding their Faith and Hope in all things The Psalmist doth so here he contents not himself to take a look of the word but he is so acquaint with and so improves it as he lives by Faith and Hope in it This Point will lead me to the 3d and therefore I shall pass it briefly by recommending to all that would be acquaint with the Scripture and judge things according to it that they would avoid two extreams one is the practice of wicked men who will not be determined by the Word but live and feed upon their own presumptuous dreams Let the Word of God say what it will against the generality of men and the way wherein they walk they will not take the Word for Gods final answer but still look out for some other thing from God I can compare the generality of Church-members to none better than these Luk. 20. where Christ tells of the ill usage of the Servants sent to seek the fruit of the Vineyard and of their killing of the Heir and said he will come and destroy these Husband-men they perceiving that he meant by them as the other Evangelist hath it v. 16. say God forbid They would not take that for Gods final answer and so it is with the generality of men speak of the Scriptures in general to them they will acknowledge them but shew unto them how the Scripture condemns their way and what judgments it hath denounced against sins that they are living in they will not take that for Gods final answer they will still look out for some other thing from God I shall not stand on this though it be the general disease of the visible Church but in opposition to that extream of wicked men I shall desire you to mark that word Joh. 12.48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day Thou wilt not take that word for Gods final sentence yet it is that which shall judge thee in the last day and all self-deceiving and self deluding souls shall find God is and will be no other thing than what he hath declared himself in his Word to be If this were believed and laid to heart folk would more labour to live so as they may have the Word more their friend But on the other hand as men in making use of the Word would guard against the presumptuous dreams of wicked men so they would guard against the faithless fears of the godly who see enough in the Word to make them and needy sinners happy but their fears and want of probabilities lays them by from improving what they find in the Word for their comfort and encouragement in duty and lean as little weight on the Word upon the one hand as wicked men do on the other I shall not resume what I said at another occasion what use ye should make of reason in the matters of Religion Sure ye should make use of it for taking up things revealed in Scripture in gathering what is exprest therein or may be drawn from it by native consequence But ye would remember that Reason must stoop to Divine Revelation your Reason must stoop and strike Sail to what God hath revealed in his Word though ye have no probability of the thing yea though ye have probability of the contrary remembring that Numb 23.19 God is not as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he should repent Hath he said and shall he not do it Hath he spoken and shall he
and soberly shall find that there are as many Characters shining in the Scripture it self as may refresh and satisfie him and all those who have their all in God God bless his Word to you for Christ's sake SERMON XXVIII Psalm 130. Verse 5. And in his word do I hope A Person without skill will readily mistake the best contrivances whoso without skill should look slightly upon a man building an House and digging very deep to seek a sure foundation for it whereby a great part of his expenses and pains is hid under ground would they not be ready to go and count that great cost but when the foundation is well laid the superstructure will stand the better So may it be with many in reference to the purpose I am now upon needy bodies would fain have something presently to fill their mouth they are not for frist but little do they consider that the Doctrine of this Text lays the foundations that cannot be destroyed The foundation of all their other food that they get from the Scripture and because this foundation is not well laid other things relating to their cases in the superstructure proves slipâ—y I am now upon the great Task of the Psalmist here waiting for God I have shewed the necessity of Faith and Hope for that undertaking the fastning of Faith and Hope in waiting on its sure ground the Word of God And I have laid before you the necessity of being acquaint with the Scriptures that it is your duty to be determined by the Scripture and to judge of all things according to the verdict of the Word and in prosecution of that I am led upon this great Truth That the Scriptures are of Divine Authority they are the Word of God I laid by the pretence of the Romish Church to assert the Authority of the Scriptures whose principles lead men in the matters of Religion to a labyrinth of unextricable uncertainties Now it would remain that I should hint at some things to clear the Divinity and Divine Authority of the Scriptures and the Doctrine therein contained not to Atheists to Whom I spake a word in the close of the mornings Exercise but to sober minded folk who would fain have their Faith helped in that concern and as the last day I recommended your Bibles to you to be made more use of that ye might have the word dwelling richly in you So this day I would recommend to all to take another and a better look of their Bibles that they may see them and the Doctrine held out therein clearly and distinctly to be Divine One word I premit which would lead me to that I would speak to here and ye will find it Psal 119.152 You read it in your Translation Concerning thy testimonie I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever but the Original reads it word for word thus From thy testimonies I have learned of old that thou hast founded them for ever wherein ye may take notice of these three 1. What he learned concerning the Scriptures that God had founded them for ever that is That they were and are an unalterable and everlasting foundation of Faith having a Divine Authority stamped upon them 2. When he learned this of old not only from experience but he learned it as the first principle he had drunken in That was would he say the A B C. of my Religion a Peter hath the word in that forecited place 2 Pet. 1.20 Know this first c. 3. Whence he learned this From thy testimonies I learned it saith he I needed not another evidence thy Testimonies when my eyes were open discovered to me their divine authority and infallible verity Hence ye may gather that which I closed with in the morning That if ye suppose the Historical verity of the Scriptures they will prove their Divinity to any who have the Spirit of God or to any who receive the Scriptures as a true History the Scriptures themselves will prove themselves to be Divine Writings So here ye have 1. The Historical verity of the Scriptures supposed 2. Their Divine Authority proposed and 3. The necessity of the Spirit to discern that 1. I suppose that men receive the Scriptures as a true History that is that men will give that credit to the Word that they give to any common History handed down to their days to wit that there was such a Nation as Israel that there was such a man as Moses that gave them Laws that was instrumental in working miracles in bringing them out of Egypt and in the Wilderness that there was such an one as Jesus Christ that preached in Palestine was crucified at Jerusalem that he had twelve Apostles that followed him c. This is to be supposed in this inquiry concerning the Authority of the Scriptures neither is it irrational to suppose it Though there be no vestige of that antient City of Troy now yet who doubts but such a City was And that Homer wrote not a meer Romance whatever Poetical enlargements he has when he wrote of it Who doubts of Alexander the Great though his Empire be now gone and that Q Curtius wrote of him Who doubts of the Roman Wars and that Titus Livius wrote of them when men get these Books in their hands they look not on them as fables and if so how rationally do we plead that the like Credit be given to the Scriptures that they may have the like acceptance if any account this irrational he must grant that he will not believe any thing done before his own time nay that he will not believe any thing done in his own time if he see it not done with his eyes and thus a man questioning the Historical verity of things should nonpluss himself with absurdities and declare that he were fitter for a Bedlam than to be Disputed with But 2. This being supposed there is their Divine Authority proposed to be spoken to the Scripture it self will prove it self a true Divine word they often do solemnly declare they are of God that God spoke them to Moses the Prophets and assert that what they spoke are the truths of God and that they do not cheat in this assertion whoso will go through the Characters of the words Divinity they will be convinced of it But a man falling on that subject must say as Psal 106.2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord Who can shew forth all his praise I might here speak of the form and stile of Scripture of the scope and end of it leading to God and Everlasting happiness but I shall limit my self to the antiquity of the Scripture the instruments employed in transmitting it to us the matter of the Scripture the efficacy and success of them and the adjuncts of the Scripture 1. For the antiquity of the Scripture that is most true which is most antient and so is the Scripture for however error may plead antiquity yet truth had
God that works effectually in them that believe I proceed now to a 4 thing which I have yet to add and that is to put the two Points together Faith and Hope and hoping in his word That since we have the Scriptures and since the Scriptures are of Divine Authority we would put forth Faith and Hope to feed upon that which is contained there Faith to believe and Hope to look for all that we find in so divine and sure a word and that I may make something out of this and so have done with this Verse I shall hint at some things distinctly required both to Faith and Hope And 1. For Faith the Apostle tells Heb. 11.1 That faith is the substance of things hoped for The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies that it is the subsistence of things hoped for Things hoped for being held forth in the Word Faith gives them a subsistence before they exist in themselves which is not to be understood absolutely for it is in the Promises of God revealing the purposes he hath concerning these things and the Power of God effectuating them that gives them an absolute subsistence before they be Faith gives them a subsistence instrumentally and relatively while it leads the believer to close with the Promises wherein those things subsists and while it gives them a subsistence in the heart of the believing man Now this subsistence Faith gives to things promised two ways 1. More absolutely while Faith enables the believing man to look on whatever God hath promised as no less certain than if it were in his hand like these that reckon their riches not so much by their present stock or that which they have in their hands as by what they have owing them by Bonds of responsal Debitors So the Believer reckons God's Promises as so many Bonds making the things promised as sure as if they were in his hands and this had need to be looked to by us for I know not if every man that hath the Promises among his hands puts forth his Faith vigorously to believe them a man may have the Promises and not contradict them nor doubt of them while he lets them ly by him and does not rouze up his Faith to actual exercise in closing with them and resting upon them and when folks are not actually doubting Christ finds it necessary to rouse up and quicken them actually to believe as Mark 11.22 Have faith in God saith he to the Disciples look that your Faith be on foot and in exercise that ye take not the Promises lying by you without contradicting them for Faith but rouze it up to improve them and Joh. 11.25 When Christ is holding out precious Promise◠to Martha That he is the resurrection and the life That he that believeth on him though he were dead he shall live he shall never die He finds it necessary to put her to it with this question Believest thou this I suppose thou wilt not doubt of it Martha but is thy Faith quickned and put forth to exercise on what I have said to thee actually to close with it and rest upon it as the true and faithful sayings of God But 2. Faith gives things a subsistence not only by way of contemplation in bringing the Believer to believe they are true but by way of application to himself that is it so gives a Subsistence to them as the believing man gets the substance of them as the word is Translated in that forecited place Heb. 11.1 for his present use comfort and encouragement till the performance come It gives them a subsistence when the substance of the things promised is made out to the believer as if they were performed ye use to account them dyvors and spend christs that forenail their rent continually but Faiths vertue stands in forenailing yet without diminishing the things promised the believer suspends not all the things in the Promises till he get them in his hand the beeing of the Promise is a foundation to him and Faith brings in the substance of the thing promised 1 Pet. 1.8 Though he see not Christ yet believing he rejoyceth with joy unspeakable and full of glory and it is a notable word which ye have Joh. 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life He is not a man only that shall have everlasting life but he hath it already in several respects in right and tittle and in the first fruits his very believing puts him in a begun possession of everlasting life this is the unknown Art of the Life of Faith that it fetches its food from far to him that hath it it brings the first fruits of the promised Land to the wanderer in the wilderness a cluster of Grapes from the brook Escol to the barren desart it mounts up with wings as Eagles to bring down life and quickning to our creeping and wrestling motions here below Thus ye have a very brief hint of Faith of that Faith whereby ye are to live and feed on what is in the Word of Promise though it be not accomplished I shall only give you one instance of it which may discover to many how little they know of this Act of living by Faith closing with the Promise and feeding on it ere the performance come The instance is that of the Patriarchs who lived before Christs Exhibition in the flesh look upon it in Abraham of whom it is said Joh. 8.56 He rejoyced or as the word will bear he skipped for joy to see Christ's day and he saw it and was glad whether he saw it in the Promises only or generally in the Sacrifices also or particularly in that Providence of the Ram put in his hand to offer up in stead of his Son Isaak Gen. 22.13 It is all a matter he got such a sight of Christ in those and so closed with the thing Promised that he skipped for joy And the like instances we have given of all the Patriarchs in that word Heb. 11.13 which may make many blush when they read it These all says the Apostle died in faith They were not content meerly to have a life of Faith but they died in faith not having received the promises or though they received not the things promised But what did they Having seen them a far off to wit in the Promises and in the Types illustrating them What more They were perswaded of them the first thing I said before of Faiths giving a subsistence to things hoped for and what more They embraced them they hugged them and what more They confest they were pilgrims or strangers on the earth They saw as much by Faith in the Promises which were not to be accomplisht in all their lifetime as made them up and made them to confess that they were pilgrims here Try your selves by these measures and see what ye have won to like this Faith believing and putting forth Faith to exercise feeding on and fending by Faith in the word
of Promise In the next place I shall speak somewhat to hoping in his word The term in the Text is In his word do I hope as Faith gives subsistence to things promised and doth not suspend all benefit and use of the Promises until they be performed So hope looks out for the actual accomplishment and performance of the Promises A Saint believing the Word and feeding on that which Faith gives a subsistence to in the word he looks out by hope for the accomplishment of that which it finds to subsist in the word I shall deduce this as briefly as I can and leave this Note and the Verse in these two 1. Remember that true Believers wealth lyes in hope or things before their hand They have no existence but in the word of promise The first or at least a very conspicuous mark of an adopted Child of God is that he is put to his Hopes to his Too-looks and to live that way he that 1 Joh. 3.2 can say I am a son of God and it doth not appear what I shall be but when he appears I shall be like him for I shall see him as he is Must add in the 3. verse He that hath this hope in him must purifie himself c. He that according to Gods abundant mercy is begotten again is begotten unto a lively hope His Regeneration breaths out Hope because his happiness is before his hand 1 Pet. 1.3 And beside his too-looks to issues here that he holds by hope his great too-look is his Hope which is laid up for him in Heaven Col. 1.5 and in that forecited place 1 Pet. 1.3 He that is begotten again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead it is to the hope of an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved for him in Heaven his great hope is the hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began Tit. 1.2 His hope is a hope set before him Heb. 6.18 Now a Believers wealth lies in things before his hand or the Saints portion lies in their hopes and too-looks because God is reserving their happiness for the fittest place and season he will have them brought where their happiness is before he give them the wealth he hath promised because neither could they be capable of it nor guide it here and while he suspends their Hope he does them good by holding them waiting looking out and pursuing for these things promised a pursuers life being the best life 2. As the great portion of the Saints is before their hand so their great work lyes in the exercise of Hope It is not enough for a saint to be begotten again to a lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fades not away reserved for him in heaven but he must be putting out his Hope to feed upon it to look and long for it If ye consider Negatively what a saint is without hope in reference to temporal issues David will tell you in that Psal 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living if my hope had failed me I had been undone and in reference to Eternity Paul tells us 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men the most miserable which may be understood both of things hoped for of the Grace of Hope looking for them and hence Heb. 6.19 Hope is called the anchor of the soul sure and stedfast entring into that within the vail to assure us that if hope be not exercised storms will drive a tossed soul and make it run the hazard of shipwrack but hope the souls anchor cast upon good ground drives not and preserves the soul from ruine Hence also Eph. 6.17 Hope is called the helmet of salvation because it is that which keeps off many a deadly stroke off a saint The head being the seat of the senses especially of the judgment and memory If a man keep his head and a bit about his heart well there is the less hazard of wounds in other places of his body that they prove deadly Now Hope is an Helmet to keep the head And as considering Negatively what a saint is without hope we will find great need of the exercise of hope So look on it positively hope exercised and kept at work brings in many noble advantages to the soul as I said of the man that is a Believer so may I say of him that is a hoper indeed O what a made up man is he he may say I will wait because I hope in his word he is a great gainer by Tribulation and may glory in it when tribulation works patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope makes not ashamed Rom. 5.3 Ye have it recommended Rom. 12.12 To rejoyce in hope and that will produce patience in tribulation and continuing instant in Prayer hope exercised makes patience and prayer to thrive well and a man to go on in his way not heartlesly but rejoycing And Heb. 3.6 We are bidden hold fast our confidence and the rejoycing of hope firm unto the end what shall I say of them Heb. 10.34 who not only sympathised with others in affliction but took joyfully the spoiling of their goods Why knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance they had the hope of a better Treasure From all that hath been said on this let me exhort you who have been put and may yet more be put to it To wait for God to study to be better acquaint with your Bibles to believe the divine Authority of the Scriptures and on that account to put forth your Faith and Hope to exercise upon the Scriptures that ye may feed on the Promises by Faith and rejoyce in hope of the accomplishment of them that will make you patient in tribulation and to continue instant in prayer And for a close of all that hath been said to you on this matter would ye know what ye are doing in this exercise of Hope in your waiting for God or the good things be hath promised or what Characters ye have of it I shall only desire you to look to these three 1. Look to Hopes langour if ye be waiting for God and if your waiting be an affectionat waiting if your soul be waiting and looking out in hope to that great and ultimat hope of Believers try what languor is in thy affection for the marriage day What languor thou hast to see how the Crown and the Robe will set thee to see God as he is to see God incarnat in thy own nature to see the Lamb and to follow him wherever he goes and to be made like him Try what there is of warmness of affection longing without fretfulness haste or passion upon the one hand and careless indifferency and stupidity upon the other that is a good