Errour and judge what is sound and what spurious Acts 17.11 The Bereans search'd the scriptures daily whether those things were so They weighed the Doctrine they heard whether it was agreeable to Scripture tho' Paul and Silas were their Teachers 2 Tim. 3.16 Use 1. See the wonderful goodness of God who besides the Light of Nature hath committed to us the Sacred Scriptures The Heathens are inveloped with Ignorance Psal. 147.20 As for his judgments they have not known them They have the Oracles of the Sybils but not the Writings of Moses and the Apostles How many live in the Region of Death where this bright Star of Scripture never appeared We have this blessed Book of God to resolve all our Cases to chalk out a Way of Life to us Iohn 14.22 Lord How is it thou wilt show thy self to us and not unto the World 2. Seeing God hath given us his written Word to be our Directory this takes away all Excuses from Men. No Man can say I went wrong for want of a Light no God hath given thee his Word as a Lamp to thy feet therefore now if thou goest wrong thou dost it wilfully No Man can say If I had known the Will of God I would have obeyed no thou art inexcusable O Man God hath given thee a Rule to go by he hath written his Law with his own finger Therefore now if thou obeyest not thou hast no Apology left If a Master leaves his Mind in writing with his Servant and tells him what Work he will have done yet the Servant neglects the Work that Servant is left without Excuse Iohn 15.22 Now ye have no Cloak for your sin Use 2. Is all Scripture of Divine Inspiration is it a Book made by GOD himself Then this reproves 1. The Papists who take away part of Scripture and so clip the King of Heaven's Coin they expunge the second Commandment out of their Catechisms because it makes against Images 't is usual with them if they meet with any thing in Scripture which they dislike either they put a false Gloss upon it or if that will not do pretend it is corrupted these are like Ananias who kept back part of the Money Acts 5.2 so they keep back part of Scripture from the People This is an high Affront to God to deface and obliterate any part of his Word by this they bring themselves under that Premunire Rev. 22.19 If any man shall take away from the words of the book this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the book of life Is all Scripture of Divine Inspiration 2. It condemns the Antinomians that lay aside the Old Testament as useless and out of date they call them Old Testament Christians God hath stamp'd a Divine Majesty upon both Testaments and till they can shew me where God hath given a Repeal to the Old it stands in force The two Testaments are the two Wells of Salvation the Antinomians would stop up one of these Wells they would dry up one of the Brests of Scripture There is much Gospel in the Old Testament The Comforts of the Gospel in the New Testament have their rise from the Old The great Promise of the Messiah is in the Old Testament A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son Nay I say more the Moral Law in some part of it speaks Gospel I am the Lord thy God here is the pure Wine of the Gospel The Saints great Charter where God promiseth to pour clean water on them and put his spirit within them is to be found primarily in the Old Testament Ezek. 36.26 So that they who go to take away the Old Testament do as Sampson Pull down the pillars they would take away the Pillars of a Christian's Comfort 3. It condemns the Enthusiasts who pretending the Spirit lay aside the whole Bible they say the Scripture is a Dead Letter and they live above it What Impudency is this till we are above Sin we shall not be above Scripture let not Men talk of a Revelation from the Spirit suspect it to be an Imposture the Spirit of God acts regularly it works in and by the Word and he that pretends a new Light which is either above the Word or contrary to it abuseth both himself and the Spirit his Light is borrowed from him who transforms himself into an Angel of Light 4. It condemns the Slighters of Scripture such are they who can go whole Weeks and Months and never read the Word they lay it aside as rusty Armour they prefer a Play or Romance before Scripture the Magnalia legis are to them Minutula O how many can be looking their Faces in a Glass all the Morning but their Eyes begin to be sore when they look upon a Bible Heathens die in the want of Scripture and these in the contempt of it They surely must needs go wrong who slite their Guide such as lay the reins upon the neck of their Lusts and never use the curbing Bit of Scripture to check them are carried to Hell and never stop 5. It condemns the Abusers of Scripture 1. Who do mud and poison this pure Chrystal Fountain with their corrupt Glosses who rest Scripture 2 Pet. 3.16 The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they set it upon the Rack they give wrong Interpretations of it not comparing Scripture with Scripture as the Antinomians pervert that Scripture Numb 23.21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob. Hence they infer God's People may take liberty in sin because God sees no sin in them 'T is true God sees not sin in his People with an Eye of Revenge but he sees it with an Eye of Observation He sees not sin in them so as to damn them but he sees it so as to be angry and severely to punish them Did not David find it so when he cried out of his broken bones In like manner the Arminians wrest Scripture Iohn 5.40 Ye will not come to me here they bring in Free-will This Text shows 1. how willing God is that we should have Life 2. that sinners may do more than they do they may improve the Talents God hath given them but it doth not prove the Power of Free-will for it is contrary to that Scripture Iohn 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him These therefore wring the Text so hard as they make the Blood come they do not compare Scripture with Scripture 2. Who do jest with Scripture When they are sad they take the Scripture as their Lute or Minstrel to play with and so drive away the sad Spirit as that Drunkard I have read of who having drunk off his Cups called to some of his Fellows Give us of your Oil for our Lamps are gone out In the fear of God take heed of this Eusebius tells us of one who took a piece of Scripture to make a Jest of who was presently struck with Frenzy and run mad And 't is
cross to Flesh and Bloud Faith obeys Heb. 11.8 By faith Abraham obeyed Faith is not an Idle Grace as it hath an Eye to see Christ so it hath an Hand to work for him Faith doth not only believe God's Promise but obey his Command It is not your having Knowledge will evidence you to be Believers the Devil hath Knowledge but wants Obedience and that makes him a Devil And the true Obedience of Faith is a chearful Obedience God's Commands do not seem grievous Have you the Obedience and obey chearfully What say you to this do you look on God's Command as your Burden or Priviledge as an Iron Fetter about your Leg or a gold Chain about your Neck 4. Faith is an assimulating Grace it changeth the Soul into the Image of the Object it makes it like Christ. Never did any look on Christ with a believing Eye but he was made like Christ. A deformed Person may look on a beautiful Object but not be made beautiful but Faith looking on Christ transforms a Man and turns him into his Similitude Faith looking on a bleeding Christ causeth a soft bleeding heart Looking on an holy Christ causeth sanctity of Heart looking on an humble Christ makes the Soul humble As the Camelion is changed into the Colour of that which it looks upon so Faith looking on Christ changeth a Christian into the similitude of Christ. 2. By the growth of it if it be a true Faith it grows living things grow Rom. 1.17 From faith to faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quest. How may we judge of the growth of Faith Answ. Growth of Faith is judged 1. By strength We can do that now which we could not do before When one is Man-grown he can do that he could not do when he was a Child he can carry a heavier burden so thou canst bear crosses with more patience 2. Growth of Faith is seen by doing Duties in a more spiritual manner viz. with fervency we put coals to the Incence from a principle of love to God When an Apple hath done growing in bigness it grows in sweetness thou dost Duties in love and now are sweeter and come off with a better relish Object But I fear I have no Faith Resp. We must distinguish between weakness of Faith and nullity a weak Faith is true The bruised Reed is but weak yet it is such as Christ will not bruise Though thy Faith be but weak yet be not discouraged 1. A weak Faith may receive a strong Christ. A weak hand can tye the Knot in Marriage as well as a strong a weak Eye might have seen the brasen Serpent The Woman in the Gospel that but touched Christ received Vertue from him The Touch of Faith 2. The Promise is not made to strong Faith but to true The Promise doth not say Whosoever hath a Giant-faith that can remove Mountains that can stop the mouth of Lions shall be saved but whosoever believes be his Faith never so small Though Christ sometimes chides a weak Faith yet that it may not be discouraged he makes a Promise to it Matth. 5.3 Beati qui esuriunt 3. A weak Faith may be fruitful Weakest things multiply most the Vine is a weak Plant but it is fruitful Weak Christians may have strong Affections How strong is the first love which is after the first planting of Faith 4. Weak Faith may be growing The Seed springs up by degrees first the Blade then the Ear then the full Corn in the Ear. Therefore be not discouraged God who would have us receive them that are weak in Faith Rom. 14.1 will not himself refuse them A weak Believer is a Member of Christ and though Christ will cut off rotten Members from his Body yet not weak Members Effectual Calling ROM 8.30 Them he also called Quest. XX. WHat is effectual Calling Answ. It is a gracious work of the Spirit whereby he causeth us to embrace Christ freely offered to us in the Gospel In this Verse is a golden Chain of Salvation made up of four Links this is one Vocation Them he also called Calling is nova Creatio a new Creation the first Resurrection There is a twofold Call 1. An extrinsick or outward Call 2. An intrinsick or inward effectual Call 1. An extrinsick or outward Call which is God's offer of Grace to sinners inviting them to come in and accept of Christ and Salvation Matth. 20.16 Many are called but few chosen This outward Call shews Men what they ought to do in order to Salvation and renders them inexcusable in case of Disobedience 2. There is an intrinsick or effectual Call when God with the offer of Grace works Grace by this Call the Heart is renewed and the Will effectually drawn to embrace Christ. The outward Call brings Men to a profession of Christ the inward to a possession of Christ. Quest. What is the means of this effectual Call Resp. Every Creature hath a Voice to call to us The Heavens call to us to behold God's glory Psal. 19.1 Conscience calls to us God's Judgments call to us Repent Mic. 6.9 Hear ye the Rod. But every Voice doth not convert There are two means of our effectual Call 1. The preaching of the Word which is the sounding God's silver Trumpet in Mens Fears God doth not speak by an Oracle he calls by his Ministers Samuel thought it had been only the Voice of Eli that called to him but it was God's voice 1 Sam. 3.6 So perhaps you think it is only the Minister speaks to you in the Word but it is God himself speaks Therefore Christ is said Now to speak to us from Heaven Hebr. 12.25 How doth he speak but by his Ministers as a King speaks by his Ambassadors Know that in every Sermon preached God calls to you and to refuse the Message we bring is to refuse God himself 2. The other means of our effectual Call is the Holy Spirit The Ministry of the Word is the Pipe or Organ the Spirit of God blowing in it doth effectually change Men's hearts Acts 10.44 While Peter spake the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the Word of God Ministers knock at the door of Men's hearts the Spirit comes with a Key and opens the door Acts 16.14 A certain woman named Lydia whose heart the Lord opened Quest. From what doth God call Men Resp. 1. From sin He calls them from their Ignorance and Unbelief 1 Pet. 1.14 By Nature the Understanding is inveloped with Darkness God calls Men from darkness to light Eph. 5.8 as if one should be called out of a Dungeon to behold the Light of the Sun 2. From Danger As the Angel called Lot out of Sodom when it was ready to rain fire so God calls his People from the Fire and Brimstone of Hell and from all those Curses they were exposed to 3. He calls them out of the World as Christ called Matthew from the Receipt of Custom Iohn 17.16 Ye are not of the world Such as are
Eye he hath a singular sharpness of sight therefore among the Gracians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Serpent's Eye was a Proverbial Speech for one of a quick Vnderstanding in this we should be like the Serpent Get the Serpent's Eye have a quick in-sight into the Mysteries of the Christian Religion Knowledge is the Beauty and Ornament of a Christian Prov. 14.18 The Prudent are Crowned with Knowledge Get the Serpent's Eye be divinely illuminated Faith without Knowledge is Presumption Zeal without Knowledge is Passion Prov. 19.2 without Knowledge the Mind is not good For one to say he hath a good Heart who hath no Knowledge is as if one should say he hath a good Eye when he hath no sight in this be like the Serpent of a quick Understanding Secondly The Serpent hath a Prudence and Subtilty in his Ear the Serpent will not be deluded with the Voice of the Charmer but stops its Ear In this we must be Wise as Serpents stop our Ears to false Teachers who are the Devil's Charmers 1. We must stop our Ears to Arminian Teachers who place the chief Power in the Will as if that were the Helm that turns about the Soul in Conversion 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ from another Ego me ipsum discerno said Grevinchovius I have made my self to differ Be as the Serpent stop your Ears to such Doctrine 2. We must stop our Ears to Socinian Teachers who raze the Foundation of all Religion and deny Christ's Divinity This the Apostle calls a damnable Heresie 2 Pet. 2. 3. We must stop our Ears to Popish Teachers who teach Merit Indulgencies Transubstantiation who teach that the Pope is the Head of the Church Christ is called the Head of the Church Eph. 5.23 For the Pope to be Head is to make the Church Monstrous to have two Heads Popish Teachers teach the People Nonsense and Blasphemy they cause the People to Pray without Understanding to Obey without Reason to Believe without Sence it is a damnable Religion therefore worshiping the Beast and drinking the Cup of God's Indignation are put together Rev. 14.9 Oh! in this be Wise as Serpents stop your Ear to the charming of false Teachers God hath given his People this Wisdom to stop their Ears to Hereticks Ioh. 10.5 A Stranger will they not follow but flee from him 3. The Serpent hath a chief care to defend his Head a blow there is deadly so in this we should be Wise as Serpents our chief care should be to defend our head from Error The Plague in the Head is worst Loose Principles breed loose Practices If the Head be tainted with Erroneous Opinions That Believers are free a Lege Morali That there is no Resurrection That we may do Evil that Good may come of it What Sin will not this lead to or keep your Head Error is a Spiritual Gangrene 2 Tim. 2.17 which spreads and if not presently cured is Mortal Heresies destroy the Doctrine of Faith they rend the Mantle of the Churches Peace and eat out the Heart of Religion The Gnosticks as Epiphanius observes did not only pervert the Judgments of their Proselytes but brought them at last to Corporeal Uncleanness Error damns as well as Vice Vice is like killing with a Pistol and Error like killing with Poison O be wise as Serpents defend your Head Be ye Wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves Our Saviour Christ here commends to us the Wisdom of the Serpent and the Innocency of the Dove The Elect are call'd wise Virgins Mat. 25.4 Virgins there is the Dove Wise there is the Serpent We must have Innocency with our Wisdom else our Wisdom is but Craftiness and we must have Wisdom with our Innocency else our Innocency is but Weakness We must have the Innocency of the Dove that we may not circumvent others and we must have the Wisdom of the Serpent that others may not circumvent us Doctr. Christians must be both wise and innocent This Union of the Dove and the Serpent is Hard to find but it is possible Moses was learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians Acts 7.22 There was the Prudence of the Serpent and he was meek above all the Men upon the face of the Earth Numb 12.3 There was the Innocency of the Dove But the most famous instance of Wisdom and Innocency was in our Saviour When the Iews came to him with an insnaring Question Mark 12.14 Is it lawful to give Tribute to Caesar or not Christ answers wisely v. 17. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's Deny not Caesar his Civil Right nor God his Religious Worship Let your Loyalty be mixed with Piety here he shew'd the Wisdom of the Serpent And would you see Christ's Innocency 1 Pet. 2.22 There was no guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled reviled not again He opened his Mouth in praying for his Enemies but not in reviling them Behold here the Innocency of the Dove Two Things I am to speak of the Serpent and the Dove I. The Serpent Quest. Wherein should we be like the Serpent Answ. In Prudence and Sagacity Be ye wise as Serpents The Serpent is the most prudent Creature therefore the Devil made use of the Serpent to deceive our first Parents Gen. 3.1 The Serpent was more subtil than any Beast of the Field There 's a natural Wisdom and Subtilty in every part of the Serpent and herein we should endeavour to imitate him Be wise as Serpents 1. The Serpent hath a subtilty in his Eye he hath a singular sharpness of sight therefore among the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Serpent's Eye was a Proverbial Speech for one of a quick understanding In this we should be like the Serpent have a quick in-sight into the Mysteries of the Gospel Get the Serpent's Eye Prov. 10 14. Wise men lay up knowledge Faith without Knowledge is Presumption Zeal without Knowledge is Frenzy 2. The Serpent hath a Prudence and Subtilty in his Ear the Serpent will not be deluded with the Voice of the Charmer but stops its Ears In this be wise as Serpents stop your Ears from such as would discourage you from strict holy walking Some inspired by Satan would raise prejudices against the Ways of God that they are strew'd with Thorns of Mortification and Persecution If you will be religious you must hang your Harps upon the Willows and bid Adieu to all Joy Acts 28.22 This Sect is every where spoken against Oh be wise as Serpents Stop your Ears to such as would discourage you from holy walking they are the Devil's Charmers Godliness is the Root on which all true Joy grows solid Joy though not wanton Psal. 138.5 Yea they shall sing in the ways of the Lord. Acts 9.31 If we leave God whither shall we go When Saul left God he went to the Witch of Endor 1 Sam. 28.8 3. The Serpent hath a Subtilty in its Wings For