will it be no blemish to my reputation may I thereby further such such purposes are ther any examples of men of some note and fashion in the world running the same courses Here is the ordinary religion of the world but as for laying the precepts of the word as precise rules for the ordering of al our waies and the guiding of our liues in the lords path it is a thing so ridiculous vnreasonable in common Iudgment and through discontinuance of these euill times so out of vse that when as the word challengeth that right of gouerning vs which the Lord hath giuen it men forth with so strange a thing is it vnto them to beare the yoke snuffe and are not afraid to expostulate with it as the Sodomits did with Lot Gen. 19.9 shall it being a stranger iudge rule ouer vs Thus I haue by particulars confirmed this pointe viz that wee are as deseruedly liable to this reproofe as the Iewes were The Lord wrote vnto them the greate things of his law so he hath done to vs they accounted them as a strange thing wee are very equall to them in contempt Now for the last pointe propounded namely the vse of all that hath beene saied it must needs be this viz That seeing to account the greate things of Gods law as a strange thing is 1 a faulte 2 a greuious fault 3 a faulte liable to so extreame punishment and 4 our faulte there is no remedy vnlesse by a bold persisting in an apparent euill wee will prouoke God but wee must henceforth giue all diligence that the word of God may be no more a stranger vnto vs but a dweller with vs and may become familiar vnto vs. That this is a dutie from which no man is exempted the scripture is manifest in which if the whole body of it throughout be examined there is no releasement or dispensation giuen vnto any to neglect the searching of Gods booke nether was it euer maintayned by any doctrine but by doctrine of Popery that ordinary men need not seeke to be made acquainted with the scripture Wee read that when the Philistins had the Israelits in bondage 1. Sam. 13. one pollecy to keepe them vnder and to detaine them in perpetuall thraldome was this they left them neuer a smith throughout all the land and what was their reason least saied they the Hebrewes make them sworde speares 19. ver if they tooke away their weapons from them it was an easie thing to oppresse them The very like pollicy was vsed in the dayes of Popery to the end to continue the people in blindnes that they might not descriy the abhomination of that religion by the light of the scripture They tooke the bible from them and shutt it vp in Colledges and libraries and suffered it not to passe but in a language which the vulgar vnderstood not And as in that bondage of the Israelites vnder the Philistins no man could shearpen his mattock his axe 20. ver and his weeding hooke but they must be beholding to the Philistins and take of them such helpe as they would vouchsafe to afford them So in the daies of Popishi blindnes no common man wanting the helpes of learning and knowledge in the tongues could enioy the benefite of any spirituall sharpening any comforte for his soule but as it pleased those tirants ouer Gods heritage to bestow vpon them So that the contempte of the scripture of God which is the common sicknes of the country is naught else but a very dregg of popery ignorance being the scepter of that kingdome and the reasons which euen the most learned papstis alleadge for the discharging of the Laity from conuerting with the scripture being the very same which euery profaine ignorant person is able by the priuate teaching of his owne corrupt hearte to pleade on the behalfe of his owne carelesnes Well the scope of this place which is a parte of that holy truth by which wee must be iudged at the last day requireth at our hands better things and if wee be any whit a shamed of our former neglect and thinke our selues bounde in conscience to grow into a farther degree of familiarity with the word of God the vseing of these helpes shal be a greate furtherance An humble setting our selues to schole to the publique ministery In Christe are hid all the treasures of wisedome knowledge and in the sound and a sincere preaching of the word there is plainely set out vnto vs the very mistery of Christ To this course is the blessing promised that it shall saue them that beleiue Col. 2 3. 1. Cor. 1.21 especially when it is yeelded to with humility with a holy disclaiming of a mans owne seeming wisedome For the Lord will guide the meeke in Iudgment teach the humble his way yea his very secret is reuealed vnto such according as on the contrary he catcheth the wise in their owne craftiues Psal 25.9.14 1. Cor. 3.19 Rom. 1.22 and maketh them become fooles when they professe the greatest wisedome If wee would then grow into more more acquaintance with the scripture wee must weare out the threshold of the Lords howse and wacth daily at his gates Pro. 8.33 Pro. 2.2 5. giue attendance at the postes of his doores For if thou cause thine eares to hearken vnto wisedome and encline thine heart then shalt thou vnderstand the feare of the lord and finde the the knowledge of God if in our affections and care we be strangers to publique teaching we may perhaps haue some smattering and superficiall knowledge but can neuer haue any true tast of the marrow and sweetnes of the scripture 2 priuate exercise namely an aduised intentiue and well prepared reading if we be able or a hearing others read This rubs vp the memory of things heard publiquely confirmes the iudgment makes fit to depend vpon the church instruction and inures to the phrase and language of the scripture 2 a busy and secret meditating and exercising the thoughts about such things as we haue receiued This doth as the Apostles speakes deliuer and as it were cast vs into the forme Rom. 6.17 and mould of doctrine which we heare and seasoneth the inner man euen the spirit of the minde with that holy truth which we haue learned 3. A reuerent and discreet conference touching heauenly things as occasion falleth sometime with our minister Mar. 4.10 Heb. 3.13 Chap. 310.24 Deut. 6.7 Luk. 24.13.14 sometimes with our neighbours sometimes at home with our famelies sometimes abroad euen as we walke by the way This is a notable quickning for our selues and a great help to others The lips of the wise doe spread abroade knowledge Pro. 5.7 Pro. 10.21 and feed many At the lest some of these priuate exercises should daily be performed for miserable is that man who for one whole day togeather doeth nether busie his tounge nor employ his thoughts nor apply his eares to some holy vse to heare or talke or muse about something by which he may be built vp in Christ Iesus 3 Carefull and stedfast practise proceeding from a resolute vow and as it were a soleume oath taken betwixt God and a mans owne soule to keepe the Lords righteous Iudgments and to haue respect to all his commaundements Vse in all things breeds cunning Psal 119.106 uer 6. and he which makes it his care to Put in execution such good duties as he heares taught praying the Lord to establish him in euery word good worke will in time grow so perfect in good things that he shall euen with a kind of pleasure for the Lords yoake is easie walke in the law of the Lord neuer being idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of Christ 2. Thes 2.17 Heb. 13.21 Math. 11.30 Ps 1.119.1 2. Pet. 1.8 Tit. 2.10 but adorning the doctrine of God our sauiour in all things The conscionable practise of these duties shall by the blessing of God reforme our common fault of being strangers in Gods booke and shall by making Christs word dwell with vs fit and make vs ready to dwell with him for euer in his kingdome The ende of the third Sermon Let God alone haue the glorie
The miraculous preseruation of it from the first writing till now 8. The maiesticall stile wherein it is written 9. The condition of the penmen before they were called to that seruice 10. The power efficacie of it in the working vpon mens consciences Howsoeuer as I haue said nothing is able to perswade the minde but only the spirit of God yet these particulars are of force to conuince and to proue vnto men whether they will or no that the scripture is no humane history but the oracle of God ordayned by him to be as it were a light shining in a darke place as Saint Peters words are that by the direction therof our feet may be guided in the way of peace The world groweth to a ripenes and perfection in al kind of sinne and the Lords long suffering hath made many to thinke that religion is but a toy and all scripture merely vanitie and many hearing manifest testimonies alleadged out of the scripture against their lewdnes are not afraid to say that sure it is not all from God which is saied to be his word Besides that euery man by nature shall find a spice of Atheisme euen in his owne bosome and he shall find doubtings arise sometimes euen in these maine Points how he shall know scripture to be scripture and that there is such a God and a Christ and a Hell and a Heauen as is there made mention of And therfore for strengthning of vs both againste the Atheists and scorners which wee shal meete with in the world and the doubtings which may spring vp in our owne hearts I haue thought good my text giuing me so iust occasion to discourse thus largely of this matter for wheras God saieth here he hath written to vs his law wee cannot possibly make any true profitable vse of this speach excepte wee be cleared in this pointe That that which wee account Gods law is that same doctrine which his will was should be committed to writing for our good The third Sermon BVt they were counted as a strange thing This is the second parte of this verse the former shewed the bounty of God vouchesafeing his law this sheweth the vnthankfulnes and impiety of men in despising his law sith that by the very course of the words it is plaine that there is a faulte heare discouered therfore in the handling of this part I will follow this course 1. I will shew the nature of the fault 2. I will opē the greatnes of it 3. I will declare what punishmēt is belōging to it 4. I wil apply it to to see whether it be not also our fault fifthly when it is manifest that to count the word of God as a strange thing is a fault and such a one as shal be punished and which is also our fault I wil then teach of what vse all these points ought to be vnto vs and what we must indeauour to learne thereby these be the parts and points of this daies sermon all necessary to the profitable handling of this clause And first what the fault was and wherein this people trespassed when they are said to haue coūted the great matters of gods law as a strange thing The effect and substance of the faulte in a word was this that how be it the lord had committed and commended his word vnto them for their necessary vses intending that it should be familiar vnto them and alwaies at hand with them as a Councellor in all their occasions to aduise them yet they reputed it as a matter not pertaining to them so that wherin they ought to haue bene most conuersant in it they were the greatest strangers neither were they lesse seene or more slenderly experienced in any one thing then the rules and precepts of the scripture That is breifely the very true faulte for which the vnthankfull Iewes are challenged in this place and that was my first pointe Now lest when wee shall be found guilty of the same trespasse it should seeme vnto vs but a slight offence let me draw you to the next point which is the greatnes of it and how grosse a thing it is to counte the honorable matters of Gods law as a strange thing I will endeauour to make it manifest after as familiar a manner as I can This is that therfore which I say of it that it was a fault compounded and made of 3. grosse euills 1 is disobedience 2 vnthankfulnes 3 neglect of their owne priuate good euen the good of soules First it was disobedience for the commaundement of God was very straite that they should all one and other acquainte themselues with the things of his law wherof that one place which is in Deutronomy is a sufficiēt witnes chap. 6. 6 7. And these words c Therfore besides the ordinarie course of teaching by the Leuits in the Temple the Lord commaunded to bind them as signes vpon their heads and write them vpon the Postes of their house vpon their gates all to the end that the law of God by that means might become familiar vnto them so that it was a manifest contempte of Gods commaundement to passe that by as matter which concerned them not which the Lords desire and will was by all meanes to accustome them vnto As it was disobedience to the expresse will of God and so according to the saying of Samuell to Saule as bad as sinne of witchcraft 1. Sam. 15.23 so it was vnthankfulnes also a most odious abuse of gods kindnes Consider how marke the words of my text I haue written to them c saieth God so that the written word is as it were an epistle or letter sent from the Lord vnto his Church A letter I say of which the matter is waighty and such as concernes all euen in the hightest degree so the carriage frame of it considering what the Lord is in respect of vs is full of exceeding kindnes many gracious promises many kind entreaties many fatherly aduertisements euery word in a manner sauouring of vnspeakeable loue Now put case a king should write a letter to his meanest subiects nay to such as being traytors to him stood at his mercy to be disposed with at his pleasure for so is the case betwixt God and vs and should in all temperate manner speake gratiously vnto them promising vpon their submission a finall remitting of their misbehauiour yea a purpose to take them finally into his fauour yf these men thus at the kings pleasure and thus kindly written vnto should throw the letter aside not vouchsafeing to pervse it what name would wee giue vnto this demeanor we would say vnthankfullnes were too fauourable a terme presumtion villeny vntollerable insolency we would not know how to discribe it How must it not needs then be vngratitude in a higher degree that the lord writing to his enemies as we are all by nature such a gratious letter of reconcilement sueing to win vs when as it
it or else because though they forgot it not yet they knew not how and in what manner to performe it Now whichsoeuer of all these wee shall thinke wee shall caste a very greate indignity and disgrace not simply vpon the pen-men of the scripture but vpon the spirit of God by whose speciall direction they wrote euery word and title and vpon whome to lay any imputation ether of weakenes or vnwillingnes to performe any thinge for the good of Godes Churche were no lesse then blasphemie Adde hereto for the better opening of this point that looke what is the spirituall necessitie of a christian vpon any occasion either of his calling or of his degree and proceeding and estate in his profession the word of God is not wanting to giue him fulnes of direction If he be a Magistrate it teacheth him how to gouerne if a Mynister it informeth him how to teach if a master of a family it instructeth him for the particular duties of his place whether he be a husband or a father or a master or son or seruant it sheweth him in euery of these how to demeane himselfe as becomes a christian It giues him direction for his apparrell his speach his diet his company his disports his labour his buying and selling yea and for his very sleepe and for those things which may be thought most arbitrary and indifferent It is vnpossible for him to deuise any thing touching which he may not fetch a needfull direction from the scripture Againe conceiue of him how you will in regard of the seuerall degrees of Christianity the word of God is still his councellor if he be ignorant there be plaine principles of religion as milke to feed him if he be better grounded there be points of greater depth to imploy him if there be any case of conscience that troubles him any scruple that disquiets him there is vnfallible certainty to resolue him if he be afflicted either in body sicknesse or in goods with losses or in good name with vndeserued reproches or in mind with the buffeting of Sathan and his owne corruption there is plenty of comfort to releeue him there is store of rules to informe him how to profit by his tryalls if he be zealous there is matter to encourage him if cold and falling backe there is meanes to quicken him if he be stubborne and obstinate there is iudgment to humble him if he be broken hearted there is a salue to restore him if he be turned out of the way by some great sinne there is as it were a bridle to stop him whatsoeuer his occasion be how euer his soule is affected in what perplexitie soeuer he is whether it be comfort or councell or resolution or reprofe or instruction that he needs the word of God is a plentifull storehouse and meets to the full which euery spirituall necessitie so then this is my reason why the law of God the word of God is called greate or large because looke of what extent widenes our spirituall wants are of the same are those holy directions which the Lord hath reuealed in his word Psal 19.96 I haue seene saith Dauid an end of all perfection but thy law it exceeding large Let vs now make vse of this doctrine The vse of this pointe touching the largnes and amplenes of the word of God extending and stretching it selfe to all the spirituall occasions of all Gods people is first to ouerthrow the iudgment and practise of the Churche of Roome which as though there were some defecte in the scripture or some needfull matter receiue the writtē word it self and must be beleeued also as profitable and necessary to saluation Now this opinion and course is plaine against this place of scripture in which the word of God is graced with this title greate or plentifull or large if there be any thing left out of it which is necessary for the information of any mans soule vnto life eternall sure it hath not deserued that honorable name where with it is stiled I meane if a Christian man either for the setling of his soule in a matter of faith or the directing of his course in a matter of conuersation should finde that scantnesse and barrennesse in the scripture that he should be faine to goe seeke direction elsewhere or if there were no want in the word of God why should he be so heauily cursed that puts ought vnto it wheras if there be any point needful to saluation which is not mentioned in it there must of necessity be some addition And therefore wee must for euer separate our selues from that Church which when God hath written his word as a perfect direction full and entire in euery respect thrusts vpon vs the inventions of man daring also to make them in authoritie equall to the scriptures This is the first vse euen to teach vs heartily and vnfainedly to detest all additions to the word of God and al the not reuealed in it hath added to it a pack and rable of vnwritten traditions concerning which it teaceth that they are to be receiued and embraced with the same affection with the likezeale with the same respect as wee doe authors of them whatsoeuer and yet with this caution that wee must beware that wee be not deceiued in the right vnderstanding of that which we call an Addition to the scripture wee must not thinke as some doe that this ordinance of God which wee call preaching is an adding to the scripture it being a course which God in his wisedome hath appointed for the gathering of his Church and for the opening and discouering vnto the sonnes of men the hid treasure But that is called an Addition to the word of God which being commended vnto men as a matter of religion cannot be iustified nor warranted nor made good by the written word but is grounded onely either vpon carnall reason and conceipt or vpon the will of him that vrgeth it All and euery such addition wee must take heede of and remember what the Apostle saith If any man deliuer any other meaning any other for substance Gal. 1.8 though in wordes and manner of deliuery it may differ though he were an Angel c. let him be accursed 2. The second vse of this pointe is to condemne the common neglect and vniuersall contempte of the precepts and rules of holye scripture what occasion soeuer wee haue the word of God is still at hand to counsell vs and it is such a direction as cannot deceiue vs yet in the most of our cases and spirituall needes wee will seeke to any thinge rather then to the scripture In the worship of god wee doe much more esteeme our owne humors and the traditions of our fathers then the prescription of the word In matters of conuersation wee preferre the examples guises of the times the course practise of the multitude before the principles of gods spirite nay wee thinke it too much precisenesse
the author the God of truth pretious for the matter the glorious mystery of Christ pretious for the frame and forme plainnes of stile mixed with maiesty pretious for the end to make vs wise vnto saluation Let vs indeauour now to make the best vse of this doctrine 1. The first vse of it is to admoÌ„ish euery minister who by his office and calling is to handle the word of God to to doe it with reuerence and humility in as much as it is a thing of that exceeding price and therefore a woe shal be vnto him whosoeuer that shall rashly and vnaduisedly and vnreuerently dispence it Exod. 30.18 Wee shall read that among other the holy things which God ordayned to be made in the ancient tabernacle he appointed a lauer of brasse in which Aaron and his sonnes should wash their hands and their feete so often as they went into the tabernacle or did goe vnto the altar to minister which outward washing coÌ„manded to the preists and that with such a strait penalty that they must do it lest they dye ver â—0 serueth to teach all those that succeed them in the seruice of God in the Church to take heed how they do vnholily and without due preparing and study and an humble seeking of the lord aduenture to meddle with a thing of that heauenly price as the word of God is If any man speake let him speake as the words of God saith Saint Peter 1. Pet. 4.11 2. Secondly it is an admonition also to all that come to heare Eccles 4.17 to take heed as Solomon saith to their feete before they come into the house of God I may say to you touching the word of God as Christ saied to the people touching Iohn baptist Math. 11.7 what went ye out saith he into the wildernesse to see so what is it that you come from your houses to the Church to be pertakers of is it an idle song or an old wiues tale or a foolish history or a friuolous enterlude ro be laughed at or what is it that you come for is it not the word of God if you say it it is know you not of what price it is or doe you consider from whom it comes of whom it treates and to what end it aymes if you doe how do you dare to come vnto it with vnprepared vnreformed vnsanctified hearts how is it that we make no more account of hearing it then of any other vaine imployment Alas who is there amongst vs but generally he comes with as great preparation to his worke or to his market or to his play as he doth to the grauest exercises of the most pretious word of God nay our preparation vsually is greater vnto things of that nature then to this for whiles we are setting our selues to these occasions we will busy our tongues and our thoughts about the things pertaining to them but when we com to the word we neuer seeke to disburthen our thoughts of all other matters that we might be the more free to entertaine a thing of that exceeding price RemeÌ„ber what god said to Moses when he appeared vnto him when Moses was comming towards the place God called vnto him put off thy shooes Exod. 3.5 c. meaning by that ceremony to strike a kind of awfull reuerence into Moses when as he was now to come stand before God thereby also teaching vs that when we come to the exercises of Gods worshippe among which the vse of the word is the principal wee must labour as the Apostle saith to cast away euery thing that presseth downe to ease our selues from euery vncleane vnhallowed worldly or needlesse thought Heb. 12.1 from euery vnreuerent motion which may be a clogge or hinderance vnto vs in the saueing heareing of Gods word This is the second vse 3. Thirdly it is to be applied as an aduertisement to all those that Professe themselues to be knowers and doers of the word to beware how by theire euill liues they be a meanes to bring the precious word of God into disgrace wee see by euery daies experience how forward men of corrupt minds are to pry into the actions and courses of those which seeme to haue some more respecte vnto the word of God and to religion then they themselues haue how ioyfull a thing it is vnto them when they can haue but any colour of occasion to say Lo these be the men that be so ful of scripture that talke so much of Gods worde beholde their fruites marke If they be not as bad or worse then any other This is a game vnto such and by this meanes they wretchedly strengthen themselues in their contempt of all goodnes woe to him whosoeuer that shall giue iust cause to such people of exception and to make Gods precious word to become a byword in the mouthes of euill men how often doeth the Apostle giue charge to professors of religion to looke vnto it Tit. 2.5 that the word of God be not euill spoken of what a heauy accusatioÌ„ is it that is laied to the charge of the Iewes the name of God is blasphemed among the gentiles through you Rom. 2.24 what a sharpe expostulation is that which is vsed by God him selfe againste dissembling hipocrites which like a rower in a boate lookes one way and puls another to professe one thing Psal 50.19 and doe the contrary what hast thou to doe to take my couenant in thy mouth c. Dauid was a man deare vnto God yet because by his adulterie and murder he had made the enemies of God to blaspheme the Lord would not suffer the fact to goe away without some testimony of his displeasure 2. Sam. 12. And sure what euer thou be be sure the Lord will punishe thee if thy euill life thy not labouring to master thine owne affections and to make thy conuersation such as becometh the Gosple doe giue occasion to any profane person to ieast at religion and speake euill of the waies of Godlines Remember it therfore yee that loue the word remember it I saie that the word of God is precious be not you a meanes to bring it into disgrace This is the third vse 4. A fourth vse is to cutt off all vaine and idle vseing of the scripture It is a common grace of some to vse some words or sentences of scripture in steed of ieasts and prouerbs in their common talke by which to delight themselues and other The word of God is Precious and ought to be vsed with greate regard I will looke vpon him that is of a coutrite hearte and that trembleth at my words Isay 66.2 There is a great difference betwixt trembling at the word and making of a mans selfe merrie by playing and toying with the word the Lord lookes vpon the one and pittieth it he sets himselfe against the other and will reuenge it Wee haue an example of the practise of it
in the historie of the Church in that wicked Emperour Iulian his manner was to reach vnto the Christians boxes on the eare and withall to bidde them turne the other for saith he your master biddes you that whosoeuer smiteth you on the cheeke you should turne to him the other also And so whē he denied pay to the christiā souldiers that were hired by him and they complained therof vnto him his answer was that he did to make them fit for the kingdome of heauen because Christ had said Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen thus this prophane wretch scoffed at the scripture wee must labour to take heed of the like wretchednesse Pilate was but a Heathē yet the text saith that when he heard but the name of the sonne of God he was afraide Ioh. 19.8 Wee that professe our selues Christians should much more reuerence the holy word of God in euery title whereof Exod. 30.32 the maiestie of God may be seene You shall read that the oyle wherewith the tabernacle and the Arke and the Priests were annointed was holy and therefore no man might put it to any other vse either to annoint his owne flesh with it or to make a composition like vnto it The like may be said of the holy doctrine of the scripture it is appointed as an holy oile to supple and to refresh the soules and consciences of Gods people and therefore may not be diuerted by vs to any other profane or idle vse whatsoeuer It is a taking of the name of God in vaine and a breach of the third commaundement These are the vses I thought good to make of this that the things of the law of God are called honourable or pretious And thus much touching the first part of this clause the commendation of Gods word the matter of it is very large and it is very pretious I come vnto the second part of the clause touching the mercy of God in vouchsafeing his word vnto vs in these words I haue written vnto them In the handling of this clause sundry things are to be opened as 1 how it can be said that God hath written his word 2 why it was meete to write it 3 when the word of God began first to be writtē how it was preserued for the Churches vse all that time 4 how we shal be assured that that which among vs is now called the scripture is the very same word and pretious will of God which he hath written for the vse and comfort of his people These points are meete to be opened both for the well vnderstanding of this place in hand and for the setling of vs against Atheisme and the perswading of vs of the authoritie of the scripture Time will not suffer me to enter into them all now I will proceed as farre as I can First how it can be said that God hath written his word God is said to haue written his word in two respects 1 because the 10 commandements of which all the rest that is written in the volume of the booke is but as it were a comment or exposition these I say were written after a secret vnknowne and vnutterable manner by God him selfe according as the scripture doth often mention it it is called the finger of God by which according to the most ordinary interpretation of the anchient fathers is meant the spirit of God Secondly God is said to haue written his word because all the rest that was written though men were the instruments yet it was done by his appointment and by his assistance As concerning Gods appointment we read how Moses was commanded to write so was Isay so was Ieremie so was Ezekiell so was Habakuk and so was Iohn as you shal read in the booke of the Reuelation and when as Christ commanded his Apostles to be witnesses of him and publishers of his truth and doctrine to the ends of the earth and to deliuer that of which the church should haue continuall vse to the worlds end no doubt he did in that charge insinuat that they should not only preach by word of mouth but should commit the summe of their doctrine to writing also that the same might be preserued to all posterities As it is plaine that God appointed the writing of the scripture so he assisted the pen-men of it by the extraordinary and immediate and infallible guidance of his spirit 2. Pet. 1.21 for which we need no better proofe then that one of Peters now once or twise already mentioned so then because God writte the law immediatly with his owne finger and then both gaue commandement and order for the writing of the rest and directed the writers so that they could not in any thing indited by them be mistaken the word is said to haue bin written by the lord The vse hereof is first to be a confirmation to that which I said before touching the perfection and price of the scripture it must needs be an absolute entire body without any ether superfluity or defect and containe a most necessary exact form of doctrine seing that god is the author of it who both in his wisedome knew what was conueniāt and in his loue would not keepe secret any thing which he knewe to be for the necessary behoofe of his own chosen Againe it can be no triuiall or base or vulgar matter which is commended vnto vs as it were out of the bosome of the Lord and for the ratifying whereof our Sauiour Christ spent his owne blood and in framing whereof the spirit of God hath breathed so extraordinarily But the principall and more proper vse which we are to make hereof is to be an assurance to vs of the irrevocable vnchangeable certaintie of the scripture Math. 5.28 and that as our Sauiour saith Heauen and earth shall passe away before one title therof doe fall to the ground vnfullfilled It is a good obseruation of one of the fathers if Pilate saith he being but a man after he had set the title ouer Christs head vpon the crosse Ioh. 19.22 was dealt with by the Iewes to alter it could say quod scripsi scripsi meaning that hauing set it downe vpon good aduise he would not change it much more may we be sure that the Lord hauing written his will and set it forth to the view of the world as an absolute rule vnto all will neuer alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth Men alter their writings many times because of some ouersight or mistaking or because of some second thoughts wiser then their former it were blasphemie to impute any such thing vnto God Againe there is much failing in the execution of mens lawes either through the remissenes of those that are intrusted with them or through want of power to goe thorough with them The Lord is neither slacke as men count slackenes saith Saint Peter 2. Pet. 3.9 neither yet is
his hand shortened that he should not be able to see euery parcell of his holy pleasure put in execution It may seeme needles to insist vpon this pointe touching the vnfallible certaintie and fulfilling of the scripture but if wee consider our times wee shall see it is a needefull doctrine For whatsoeuer mens profession is their conuersation is such that a man may well thinke of them that they imagin the word of God to be but an idle tale a frightfull sound to amaze fooles full of terrible threatnings but yet lighter then vanity in performance Heb. 13.4 Gal 5.21 Psal 15.2.5 Doth the vnchast person think it true that whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge doth the drūkard beleiue that no such shall inherit the kingdome of God doth the vsurer imagin that there is any certainty in that speach that no such shal be receiued into heauen doth the contemner of Gods word suppose that that shall come to passe which Paul saith VIZ that the lord will in flaming fire render vengeance to them that do not obey the Gospell doth the despiser of knowledge perswade himselfe that Solomon spake with authoritie when he said 2. Th. 1.8 The lord would laugh at his dectruction doe those that presume vpon Gods mercy and thinke they may liue how they will and repent when they will giue credit to that where it is said Prov. 1.22.26 that these which doe despise the riches of Gods bounty and abuse his patience do but heap vp wrath to themselues against the day of iudgement And so I might say in many other things Is it likely that mē think there is any truth in the words which are so flat against these courses of which their life is a continuall practise Rom. 2. ◠◠sure it is not for out of all doubt if they had any such conceipt and did not rather say to themselues as they did in Ieremies time Ier. 5.13 it is but winde they would humble themselues before the Lord for their euills past and their future reformation should manifest their reuerent perswasion of the certainite of those Iudgements which stand vpon record in in the scriptures Therefore let vs remember this this scripture this word is not a deuise of man it was written by God euery curse writtē in it shall fall vpon the vnrepentant and euery blessing promised therein shall be made good to the soule of euery true beleeuer FINIS The second Sermon THe next question to be handled in this place touching that which God hath heere saied that he had written the great things of his law is why it was meete that the word of God should be cōmitted to writing As I haue proued vnto you that it was not writtē at aduētures out of the humors of som priuate mē but by the special appointmēt directiō of God so it shall appeare that the writing of it was not vndertakē but vpō very great reason and for very exceeding good purpose The maine and principall end was the spirituall good and edification of Gods Church that is not to be doubted in asmuch as in all things the Lord hath a cheife respecte vnto the Glorie of his owne name in the good of his chosen But how and in what manner and for what respects the writing of the word was necessary for the churches good it shal be worth our labour to enquire Vnderstand therfore that the writing of the word was and is for the good of the Church in this respecte euen that it may haue one certaine and vnfallible rule by which all doctrine may be tryed all controuersies in religion decided all doubts resolued and euery conscience firmely grounded and setled in Gods truth For this cause we read that when there was no word written but Moses law the doctrine of the prophets was tried by it After when to the law of Moses were added the sermons of the prophets Isay 8.20 then euery thing was referred vnto them so Christ cleared his doctrine and made it good by Moses and all the prophets Luk. 24.27 Pauls defence was this that he had said no other things then those which Moses and the prophets did say should come And all the learned in the best times which followed Acts 26.22 toke the same course leauing themselues an example vnto vs to make the written word as it were the standard or the kings beame by which to try all doctrine that is tendred to vs accepting none for sound good but only that which is agreeing therunto So that looke what necessity ther was that the Church should haue a Iudge to decide doubts and a true rule to find out and to discern the truth the same is there that the word should be put in writing for the common and perpetuall good of all posterity If any man thinke that the word of God might as well and profitably haue proceeded for the Churches good from hand to hand by liuely voice as by writing the father commending it to his sonne and so continuing it one after another to the end he is much deceiued For first the mind of man is very slippery and weake and soone ready to forget the best things secōdly mans nature is very prone to error apt either to entertaine or to broch new religions and therefore to preuent forgetfulnes to auoid error and to preserue the truth of God from corruption it was meet the scripture should be written It is worthy to be marked the speach of Luke in the preface of his Gospel to that noble Theophilus Luk. i. 4. he confesseth that he had been instructed in the doctrine of religion yet he thought to write vnto him from point to point that he might haue the certainty of those things So that though he had indifferent good knowledge before yet writing the story was the meanes to beget certainty This shal be written for the generation to come saith Dauid Psal 102.18 writing is the best meās euen as we se by common course to preserue a thing vnto posterity Besides as in a generallitie it was necessary the word of god should be written that there might be one certaine rule to iudge the truth by so for one maine pointe of doctrine it was very behoofull viz. to assure vs that Christe the sonne of Mary was the true Messias who being once come none other was to be looked for To setle vs wherin there could be deuised no more direct course then this viz. that first the promises of his comming should be recorded the nature and office and all other circumstances of his person discribed and then the history of all his acts his birth doctrine miracles death exactlie registred that so the following ages comparing both togeather seeing how euery promise was fulfilled euery prophesie accomplished might resolue vpon it that hee indeed was the Christe and that there is no name else giuen vnder heauen wherby wee may be saued
An example of this vse of the written word wee haue in Christe himselfe who falling into company after his resurrection with two of his disciples who were in some doubt Luk. 24.27 began at Moses saieth the texte and interpreted vnto them in all the scripture the things which were written of him And whosoeuer markes the course of the history of the Gospell shall often find that when some speciall action of Christ is recorded Marc 14 49. Ioh. 13.8 Ioh. 19.34.36 this or the like is added to it This was done that the scripture might be fulfilled which sheweth how behoofull the writing of the promises touching the Messias was to be our ground in this maine pointe that Christ Iesus is the onely appointed sauiour of mankind Heere then is the issue of my speach it was meete the word should be written that the Church might neuer want a rule of religion and in particular might be setled in this pointe that the Christ in whom we beleeue is that Sauiour whome wee neede not doubt to depend vpon Let vs make vse of this pointe The vse is this our courses considering the obedience that we owe vnto God should be answerable to Gods intents sith therfore the intent of God in giueing order for the writing of his word was the grounding and setling of our hearts in the truth of religion it becommeth vs to labour both to conceiue the doctrine of Godlines so much as is necessary to saluation and in matters that concerne the worship of God and our own soules health not to build vpon opinion conceipt or the traditions of men whatsoeuer they be but only vpon the scriptures because when we come to giue an account as wee must of our religion vnto God it shall not goe for currant I beleeued or I thought this because such a one perswaded me or because the law of the times so commāded me or because my fathers before me so thought and from them I receiued it but this answer onely shall be accepted when a man shal be able to say this This my heart hath embraced ad vppon this haue I built my faith because God blessing the ministerie of his holy word vnto me I haue plainly perceiued that it is the expresse doctrine of the written word and the very same which God hath left vpon record for me to beleeue This is the only answere that shall be then accepted of As many therefore as doe desire to haue comfort of their religion at the day of iudgement must giue great heed vnto the reading preaching of the word so in humilitie by praier be prepared to it that in their secret thoughts they may conceiue how the word of God is a warrant of their beleefe Men thinke this is a matter of impossibilitie and cast many perils the deuill helping them forward with many shifts to nouzell themselues in ignorance but still the saying of the spirit of God is true knowledge is easie to him that will vnderstand and God will alwaies giue a blessing Prou. 14.6 Psal 25.14 and reueale euen his secret as Dauid saith vnto those that feare him and will be found of those that seeke him as they ought to doe So much of this question and the vse of it whie it was meete that Gods word should be written The next question necessarie for the clearing of this place is When the word of God began first to be written how tell that time it was preserued for the vse of Gods Church Touching which wee must hold August lib. de ciui dei 15. c. 23. that Moses was the first writer of the word of God that euer was It is the opinion of some I know that Enoch the seauenth from Adam wrot something and that they thinke may be proued out of the saying of Saint Iude who alleageth some part of Enochs doctrine But Iude saith not Enoch wrot but Enoch prophesied Iud. ver 14. and it was possible for the summe of Enochs doctrine to be continued without writing Besides one Iosephus Iose Antiq. l. 1. c 3. who himselfe was a Iewe and writ of antiquities saith that Adams offspring had erected two pillars the one of brick the other of stone in which they had engrauen many things but these things are vncertaine Rom. 3.2 And that there was no part of Gods word written before Moses it may thus be gathered First because the Iewes to whome as Saint Paul saith the oracles of God were committed had not in their canon any holy writ more auncient then Moses secondly our Sauiour labouring to prooue himselfe to be the Messias Luk 24.27 the text saith he began at Moses if there had beene any author of greater antiquitie then Moses no doubt our sauiour would haue alleadged it inasmuch as all the scripture that was before him was to giue testimony of him And it is likely that God himselfe by writing the 10. Commandements extraordinarily with his owne fingers did acquaint Moses with the manner of writing and the vse of letters which for ought wee can find to the contrarie vntill that time was vnknowne If it be demanded then whether till then the church and people of God were vtterly destitute or the word I answer no for it was alwaies a truth that God would accept of no worship but that which was according to his word voluntarie religion was hatefull vnto him euen from the very first beginning Sith then it is apparent that before the word was written God was truly worshipped as by Adam Abell Enoch Noah Abraham c. it must needs be that there was some word or some reuealed and knowne wil of God to direct them If you aske how the will of God was then made knowne and how preserued I answere that the Lord reuealed it by holy oracles by visions apparitions of Angells yea and of Christ himselfe who is ordinarily meant by the name of Angell throughout the old testament At sundry times and in diuers manners God spake to our fathers in the old time saith the Apostile He spake to Moses mouth to mouth Heb. 1.2 Numb 12.8 He vsed also the ministry of man for the spreading of that truth abroad to many which by vision oracle was reuealed to few Thus the father to the sonn one to another made known the will of God But when the Church was enlarged and hauing beene shut vp in some few families began to spread it selfe into a greater compasse and with all corruption in religion encreased and the people of God by conuersing with Idolaters were more subiect to be misled the lord gaue order to write the law in processe of time added the the writings of the prophets as expositions of the law and at the last the new testament to be a full and manifest discouerer of that mistery of Christ which was more darkely as it were lapped in the types and figures and prophesies of the old So that this is the
answere then to this question til Moses began there was no word written yet the church was not destitute but by other meanes was made acquainted with Gods will and was informed in such things as perteined vnto life We may make vse also of the clearing of this question First of all it giueth vs iust occasion to note and obserue the continuall care and prouidence of God ouer his Church in that he hath neuer left it vnsupplied but in al times and ages from the beginning hath taken a course for the right informing it in such things as were behoofull and necessary thereunto Before Moses he taught the world by visions oracles speaking vnto the sons of meÌ„ froÌ„ heaueÌ„ with his own mouth In the following times he ordained and with his owne finger as it were consecrated the vse of writing for the perpetuall perseruation of that truth which otherwise in common reason ether time might haue worne out or men of corrupt minds haue falsified to the corrupting and poysoning of the church So that God may truly say to his church in generall as he did once to the Israelites what could I haue done more which I haue not done vnto you Isa 5.4 I haue spoken to you by visions I haue reuealed my holy will by the ministry of Angells I haue committed it to perpetuall record that it might be turned into all languages and read and perused by all men God hath not ben wanting to vs if we shal now be wanting to our selues we shall bring vpon vs a greater measure of condemnation we shall neuer be able to say this and this we would haue done if we had knowne it it shall alwaies be replied vpon vs as it was to the people of old he hath shewed thee O maÌ„ what is good the lord was neuer sparing or close-handed towards his Church Mic. 6.8 to secret any thing which might be a means to bring it vnto life Secondly this mutuall following each of other I meane of the making known of the word of God vnto the Church by visions and reuelations and then after in the appointed time by writing serueth to shew vnto vs that as before the word was written the power of God was not to be doubted of but that he was fully able to acquaint his Church with all needfull matter so now the word being written no visions or reuelations must be looked for Now the written text is our only guide and whosoeuer he should be that vnder pretence of some speciall matter extraordinarily reuealed to him from heauen should indeauour to perswade vs any thing besides that which is already written though he should bring neuer so great probabilities shews of likelyhood yet he were not to be beleeued It is true Christ promised to send his spirit vnto his Church and he hath and doth still make good his promise but yet not that men vnder a pretence of the spirit should contemne the scripture but that they should be better able to profit by the scripture For the proofe whereof we haue an excellent place in Luke where it is said that Christ comming among his disciples after his resurrection cap. 24. 45. opened their vnderstanding but to what end what that they should from that time despise the written word and take vpon them to deliuer what they would vnder a colour of being inspired from aboue no but he opened there vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the scripture So that the increase of the gift of Gods spirit in them did not priuiledge them from tying themselues stil to the doctrine of the scripture But you will marueile perhaps to what end I speake this you shall know therefore that as there were in the elder times certaine Heretiques called Enthusiasts which pretended I know not what visions and secret conferences with the spirit of God and so contemned the written word So out of their ashes haue risen in our daies men of the same humor knowne by the name of the Famely of loue who despised the ordinary course of the ministery of man and of attaining to the knowledge of saluation by the written word and stood vpon priuate reuelations and such other idle fancies commeÌ„ding vnto men their owne dreames vnder the name of the speciall instincts of Gods spirit and the dregges of this grossenes are remaining among some to this day Now least at any time wee should be deceiued with such senslesse and foolish pretences wee must vnderstand that since God committed his word to writing either visions and the courses of that nature haue beene very seldome or els all those to whome God hath so reuealed any thing haue beene tied to the iudgement of the scripture Saint Paul was taken vp into the third heauen and had strange things discouered to him yet this was stil his plea for himselfe and the thing he stood vpon that he said no other things then those which Moses the Prophets did say should come And therfore if either Papists Act. 26. â—â— or Familists or any of the like stamp shall vnder any colour of visions or voices from heaueÌ„ and the like perswade vs to any thing contrary to that wee haue beene taught let vs straight vrge them to make their matters good by the word written and then shall wee find that true which an ancient Father hath said viz. that if you bring them once to defend their questions by scripture alone they cannot stand It hath alwaies beene the badge of Heretiques that they were scripturarum Lucifugae men that could not abide the light of the scripture And thus much for this question Tertul. when the word was written and how the Church of God was instructed vntill then Now come wee to the last and waightiest viz. that seeing God saieth heere in our texte that he hath written his law vnto vs how wee may be assured that that which wee now haue is called by vs gods word is indeed that holy will of his which he commaunded to be written for the good comforte of his people And this is a point of greate moment because yf wee stagger therin wee can haue no certainty of religion Wherfore I pray you let us obserue it the rather that wee may haue wherwith to stop the mouthes of Atheists and profane scoffers and auoide also the doubtings questioÌ„s which may sometimes arise in our owne hearts Vnderstand therfore this first of all that nothing is able to perswade a maÌ„s conscieÌ„ce that the scripture is the word of God but only the spirit of God The Apostle Paule saieth truly that no man can say that Iesus is the Lorde 1. Cor. 12 3. but by the holy Ghoste Therfore my meaning is to speake only of such testimonies which are of force to conuince the conscience and to make men that thay shall not be able to deny the scripture to be from God though to frame their hearts to yeeld vnto it is in the power
of God only to effect Now to come a degree neerer to the matter wee must know also that the best proofes for the scripture that it is gods word are to be fetched out of it selfe for which cause it is called light Ps 119.105 v. 2.14.22 c. because it discouereth it selfe and many times the testimonies of the Lorde because it beares witnesse to it selfe The papists would haue vs stand to the Iudgment of the Church which is altogeather doubtfull for there may be as greate question made of the Church whether it be the true Church of God as of the scripture whether it be the true word of God The testimonie and authority of the Church may be some inducement to a man in this case according as Saint Austine saieth it was to him but it can be no certaine argument Know this then that there is a certaine euidence of Gods spirite as it were imprinted in the scripture which sheweth the divine excellency therof aboue all the writings of men whatsoeuer And this stands vpon sundry particulars How the script is knowne to he the word of God First the purity of the law of God written by Moses aboue all the lawes that haue bene euer enacted and deuised by the wisest men Wee read of many worthy law-giuers among the Heathen that ordained statutes of greate wisedome for the gouernment of their people yet was ther neuer any law deuised by the wit of man but it needed some reviewing and for some respect was ether to be repealed or abridged or enlarged besides that scarce any law can be so wisely framed by a state but some or other will find a shifte to doe the very thing which the intente of the law was to forbidde and yet free himselfe from the danger of the law stand vpon tearmes as if he had not brokē it It is not so in the law of God as it was first giuen out so it stands without any changing nether was there euer any found able to carrie himselfe so cunningly in the practise of any euil but this law in one respect or other would surely find him guiltie Secondly the qualitie of the matter in scripture In the writings of the Heathen wee shall find some giuen here and there of the myserie of mankind and some cold comforts taught for the releiuing it but the true opening of the direct cause of mans miserie to witte sinne and the entring in of sinne into the world by Adams fall and the perfect and full remedie for all this namely Christs death was neuer knowne or heard of but only from the scripture Thirdly the antiquitie of the scripture for the bookes of Moses are more auncient then any humane writers in that they set downe a historie from the beginning of the world a thing which other writers knew not of or els borrowed from Moses or els corrupted with many fables and ridiculous narrations Besides there is no writer of any humane story that can be prooued to be more ancient then Nehemias Ezra who were about the yeare of the world 3500. Fourthly the admirable consent of the whole body of the scripture within it selfe all conspiring together in this one point Act. 10.43 that through the name of Christ all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes what shewes of vncertaintie and differences soeuer may appeare either in numbring of yeares or in any circumstance of historie or in any point of doctrine are so fully apparently reconciled by those which haue laboured therein that there can be no iust colour of exception Fiftly the certaine euents of the prophesies therof as of the comming of the Messias the calling of the gentiles the reuealing of Antichrist of the the going of the posteritie of Abraham into Egypt their deliuerance thence of the fower Monarchies by Daniel And it is worth the noting which wee read in Isay who speaking of the captiuity of the people of the Iewes in Chaldea doth not only prophecie their deliuerance Isay 45.1 but names the very man by whom the Lord would saue them Cyrus and yet Isay liued at the least a thousand yeares before Cyrus was borne Like vnto that was that prophecie of the man of God aginst the Altar of Bethell built by Ieroboam he names the partie Iosiah 1. King 13.2 relates the particulars what he should doe and yet it was at least 330. yeares before Iosiah was borne So Ieremy told the people the iust number of yeares in which they should be captiues vnder Babilon 70. yeares Ier. 25.11 And wee our selues if wee will obserue it may see daily how the prophesies of the scripture are accomplished Paul said in the last times men should broch doctrines of devills viz. forbidding to marry commanding to abstaine from meates 2 Tim. 3.2 we see it verefied in Popery he saith againe that in the last daies men shall be louers of themselues c. doe wee not perceiue among our selues how these euills daily doe increase he saith further the time will come when men wil not suffer wholesome doctrine we may behold how this is made good euery day 2. Tim. 4 3. There is no doctrine more wholesome then that which is applied to mens particular sinnes yet it is a thing which men will not endure Saint Peter prophesied so did Saint Iude 2. Pet. 3.3 Iud. 18. that in the last times there should be mockers men walking after there owne lusts we need nor goe farre to see the accomplishment of this prophecy How doe men despise the Iudgments of God and scoffe at all goodnes and prefer the satisfying of there owne lusts before obedience to the will of God Thus that which we our selues are witnesses of declares the certaine euents of the foretelling of the scripture and it is an assurance vnto vs that it is the word of God Sixtly the vnpartiall faithfullnesse of those that haue been enditors of the seueral books In Moses it is worth the noting how he preferreth the relating of the truth of the story Gen. 49. before the discrediting of his owne birth he was borne of the tribe of Leui yet if you read Gen. 49. you shall finde he doth not spare to report the hard sentence that old Iacob gaue of Leui at his death ver 5. Simon and Leui brethren in euill instruments of cruelty into their secret let not my soule come c chap. 12. And in Numbers he doth not spare Aaron and Miryam his owne brother and sister but hath left their sinne and the displeasure of God against it vpon perpetuall record nay he is not ashamed to reueale his owne error and how much the lord was offended with him and how for it he threatned him that he should neuer come into the promised Canaan he doth in the story many times make mention of it It is said that Saint Marke wrot the gospell out of Peters mouth and yet
the denyall of Peter is more expresly laid downe by Marke then by any other Euangelist And Paul sets downe with his owne pen his owne faults in more sharpe measure then any other man would doe 1. Tim. 1.13 I was a blasphemer a persecutor an oppressor This argueth that these men were guided by God in that they were so free from flattery that they spared not themselues We know it is contrary in other writers you shall see generally those that write histories speake partiallie ether of some mē or of their own natiue coūtries as if a man should read the Chronicles of England he would thinke that to be the only country It sheweth the scripture to haue been guided by some higher spirit it being so free from all partiality Seauenthly the wonderfull preseruation of the bookes of the scripture At the first the two tables of the law which were written by Gods owne finger were apointed by the Lord to be laid vp in the Arke Deut. 10 2 5 6. and the whole Tribe of Leui commanded to attend it Next the bookes which Moses himselfe wrot Exod. 24.27 Deut. 31.9 Iosh 24.26 1. Sam. 10.25 as he wrot them by the speciall appointment of god as appeares so he deliuered it to the sonnes of Leui also to be kept Ioshua tooke the same course for the preseruation of that which he had written So did Samuell yet this is nothing in respect of that which followed The prophesy of Ieremy was burned by king Iehoiakinne therby thinking to abolish the whole memory of it but the lord presently caused the same to be written againe yea and added thereunto many words Ier. 30. When Manasses and Ammon two wicked kings to the end they might the better draw the people to Idolatry and to keep them in it had suppressed the booke of the law 2. Chron. 34.14 1. Macc 1. yet in the daies of Iosias it pleased God that euen in the ruynes of the temple the booke of the law was found againe It is recorded in the booke of Maccabees how that king Antiochus cut in peices and burnt al the bookes of che law which he could find and followed the matter so extreamely that whosoeuer had a booke of the testament found by him he should be put to death And Eusebius an auntient writer of the story of the Church reports how Dioclesian a heathen Emperour and a cruell persecutor both forbad the vse of the bookes of the prophets and Euangelists and consumed them with fire also So that indeed it is a very miracle and an argument that the scripture is from aboue in asmuch as notwithstanding the perpetuall enmity of the deuill against it the indeauours of Heretiques to corrupt it the practises of Tyrants vtterly to abolish it and the many hazards which the Church hath been in which could not chuse but endanger it yet it hath ben preserued whole and entyre yea euē in the originall tongues the old testament in the Hebrew and the new in the Greek euen vnto this day we may well apply vnto it the words of the Psalme It is the Lords doing Ps 1.8.23 and it is marueilous in our eies Eightly the forme and dignity of the stile which is as I said Fulnes of maiesty in simplicity of words There is no parte or tittle of it which sauoureth of any earthlines the maiesty of the sentences is such as it cannot be fully and wholly conceiued and vttered by any man and yet it is alwaies more powerfull in matter then in words And we see the bookes called the Apochripha who haue endeauoured to expresse the excellency of that holy stile are yet so farre from it that they are but cold and euen barbarous in comparison Ninthly if when we consider the excellency of the matter and the heauenly Maiesty of the stile we shall remember also what kind of men they were which wrot it it will adde some strength vnto this proofe For if we consider them simply in themselues Exod. 3.1 Ier. 1.6 Math. 4.18 Math. 9.9 Col. 4.4 1. Tim. 1.13 we shall see how vnfit they were by all likelihood for such a story Moses first a shepheard then a prophet Ieremy a yery child by his own confession Peter a fisherman one that was neuer trayned vp in learning Mathew a publican a meere stranger to the things of God Luke a phisitian learned but yet not accustomed in things of that quality Paul a persecutor a professed enemy to the doctrine of the gospell It could not chuse but be some heauenly and spirituall power that should call afterwards enable these mē vnto this waighty busines to be the penmē of that in which so much admirable excellēcy doth appeare Tēthly let vs cōsider also the power efficacy of the scripture There is no man but if he obserue it and hearken to it shall finde the power of it how it searcheth into the very secrets of a mans heart and deuides asunder the soule and the spirit Heb. 4.11 and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents it striketh a terror into the very consciences of those which are the greatest enemies vnto it and would seeme to despite it and that is the very thing that hath caused it to haue so many and greiuous aduersaries among men We may behold also how it works to the reclaiming of many men from their euill waies what fruits of holines it brings forth in the liues of diuers that professe it with contempt of the world what hatred of sinne what duties of mercy yea and how the loue and sweetnes thereof hath so possessed the hearts of some that they haue ben content not only to sacrifice their wealth their credit their good name their liberty for it but euen their very liues and to chuse rather to beare any torments then to disclaime that holy truth which by the teaching of the scripture they haue once throughly entertained Thus this power of the word in conuincing some in conuerting others in amazing some in reioycing others in drawing some earnestly to loue it in prouoking others deeply and tiranously to detest it this same secret and effectuall working of it I say vpon the secret powers of the soule is a testimony for the scripture that it is no deuise of man but the very sacred will of God These ten tokens I haue thought good to commend vnto your care and consideration by which it may be manifested vnto vs that that which we call the Bible and is dayly commēded vnto vs to be the word of god is indeed that which it is said to be and the very thing by which we shal be iudged at the last day 1. The purity of the law 2. The matter of the scripture the description of mans misery and of the true remedy for it 3. The antiquitie of it 4. The consent of it with it selfe 5. The certaine euent of all prophesies 6. The vnpartiall dealing of those that write it 7.
were meeter that we should euen with teares of bloud importune him yet the sonnes of men whose breath is in their nosthrils not waighing this vnutterable kindnes should dare to set at naught such a message and to let it flip as if it were some idle stuffe not worth the looking on Againe wheras it is often touched in the scripture that the lord had a speciall regard ouer the Iewish nation more then to any other vnder heauen the liberty of enioying the law of god is noted as the principal benefit which the lord vouchsafed them Deut. 4.8 What nation is there so great saith Moses that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous as all the law which I set before you this day And Dauid in the Psalmes haueing spoken at large touching the prouidence of God ouer all mankind cōmeth at last to shew wherin the Iewes had the preeminence aboue all other Ps 147.19 20. in these words He shewed his word vnto Iacob his statutes and Iudgments vnto Israell he hath not dealt so with euery nation Rom. 3.1 2. And Saint Paul propounding to himselfe this question what is then the preferment of the Iew answereth it thus cheifly because vnto them were committed the oracles of God So then seing among all the blessings that God bestowed vpon thē this was the choise that the great things of the law were committed vnto them in it must needs be an argument of extreame vnthankfulnes in them to make so slight account of so great a fauour The third euill of which this euill here reproued in them was compounded was neglect of their owne priuate good For the lord had not commended to them the things of his law simply as a meanes by which they might shew their obedience vnto his authority Eze. 20.11 but the intent of the lord therin was the furtherance of their good I gaue them saith God statutes and ordinances which if a man doe he shall liue in them the glory should haue returned to God by their obedience but the cheife profit should haue beene their owne and therfore for them to let the law lie like some old booke out of vse or some other forlorne or forraigne matter it could not but argue a most miserable neglect and bewray them to be men of a most profane and dissolute disposition so then if you demaund what great matter this was for which this people was so highly blamed in these words They haue accounted the great things of the law as a strange thing I answere it was an error comprising vnder it 3. soule euills 1. rebellious disobedience to Gods expresse cōmādment 2. presumtuous contempt and base estimation of gods great kindnes 3. the desperate neglect of the saluation of their owne soules This is the second point Now for the third Which is touching the punishment due to this fault if we haue obserued what hath beene said before touching the nature of the sinne we cannot doubt ether that it deserues a punishment or that the lord will surely proceed against it in his due time but yet if we shall consider what the scripture saith of it in particular it wil much more affect vs. Thus much therefore we may generally vnderstand that the lord punisheth no sinne more greiuously then the contemning of his word and thereof we haue no more full and pregnant example then this Iewish nation For wheras sundry times before the comming of Christ in the flesh the wrath of God came vpon them that the iudgments wherwith they were visited made euē their eares to tingle that heard them and brought that very people whome he had carried as it were in his armes out of Egipt to become a hissing and a by-word to the whole world whosoeuer obserueth the course of the prophets shall finde that the principall ground of all this was their slight account of the holy doctrine of God their preferring the inuentions of men the guises of other nations and the traditions of their fathers before the blessed will of the lord manifested and reuealed to them in his law But lest we should thinke this is nothing to vs though indeed it was left written to admonish vs concerning this matter there are two places of holy scripture especially to be considered and they are both in the booke of the Prouerbs Chap. 28. 9. the one is he that turneth away his care from hearing the law euen his prayer shal be abhominable marke I pray you there is no duty in the holy scripture to which the lord hath promised a greater blessing then the duty of prayer Ps 65.2 the lord takes it as an honor vnto him to haue this title to be called the hearer of prayers yet the neglect of Gods word the making no account of the meanes to bring vs to the knowledge of it turnes all a mans prayers into sinne stops vp the eares of the lord vnto all his sutes doth as it were barre vp the gate of heauen against him that though his request be neuer so earnest yet it is vnpossible for him to haue entrance God will heare no prayer that proceeds from him which doth not esteeme the knowledge and vnderstanding of his word a fearefull Iudgment Chap. 1. 22. The other place is O you fooles how long will you loue foolishnes the fooles hate knowledge ve◠25. and againe you haue despised all my counsell would none of my aduice mark now what followes I will also laugh at their destruction mocke when their feare commeth I beseech you in the feare of God let vs consider it The lord is often reported of to vs in the scripture by the name of a mercifull God a God that doeth not punish willingly a God that doeth not take delight in the death of him that dieth what a grieuous sinne then must that needs be which turneth that so sweete and gratious nature of God into that extremity that he should euen reioice at mens destruction take pleasure in their tormente And yet this reckoning the word of God as a strange thing brings forth this strange effect and makes that God who delights in mercy to please himselfe in the feirce execution of his vengance Thus then wee end this pointe if you aske what iudgment is due to this offence of not regarding the greate things of Gods law I answere in generall it sets open the very floodgate of Gods wrath as appeareth by the example of the Iewes 2 in perticular it makes all our praiers odious and the torment of our soules Luc. 14.28 a matter of reioyceing and pleasure to the Lord. It is truly saied of our Sauiour To whom God giues much of him he requires much The liberty of his word is the greatest blessing and therfore the contempt therof must needs bring vpon vs the greatest vengance Come wee now to the next point to see whether this fault thus described and thus deseruing to be punished be not our faulte
also that so wee may by degrees make a way to that which is the vse and drift of the whole scripture And first heare to the end that it may appeare that this is our fault to neglect Gods word we must necessarily enquire whether the lord hath not afforded vs the same blessing I meane the liberty of his word It is a thing that cannot be denied that the kindnes of God in his behalfe towards vs is no whit inferior to that which in former times he shewed to the Iewes I do thinke that no man can name any one particular tending to the discouery and making manifest of the law of God which is not graunted to vs in as great a measure as it was to them Nay looke by how much the ministery of the gospell doth exceed the ministery of the law by so much is the mercy of God greater vnto vs then vnto them because it is free for vs to behold the substance of that wherof they saw but the shadowes only So that the lord may euery way and in euery respect say to vs as truly as euer he might say to them I haue written to you the great things of my law It is manifest then I thinke to euery one that vnderstandeth any thing that we are nothing inferior to the Iewes in respect of the blessing I doubt not but it shall also appeare that we do fully match them nay I beleeue go farre beyond them in the contempt And to the end I may make good that which I say let me shew it in particulars how he word of God the holy will of God reuealed in the sripture is a meere stranger vnto vs a thing that is farre from being so well knowne and so familiar vnto vs as it ought to be and let that which I say be credited onely so farre as your owne consciences shall find it to be true The word of God is a strange thing to our iudgments a strange thing to our thoughts strange to our affections strange to our tongues and speaches strang to our courses and to our ordinary conuersation if this be true how shall we be able to shift of the like challenge from the lord which is heere made against the Iewes vz that we haue accounted the great things of Gods law as a strange thing First it is straung to our iudgments that appeareth by our exceeding ignorance in the things of God and by that extreame dulnes of conceipt which is still to be seene in vs There is scarcely any one thing of those which doe necessarily generally concerne men wherein the greatest parte of our people are lesse seene then the doctrine of Gods word there is nothing which they heare spoken of in any company or vpon any occasion the meaning course and scope wherof they doe lesse apprehend then the rules precepts and instructiōs of the scripture men of yeares and great experience skillfull in the courses of the world wise in their affaires and very pollitique well seeme in matters of law able to speake well and with good aduise about outward things a man would wonder to heare their weaknes and simplicity in religiō This shewes that the law of god is a strange thing to our Iudgments there is nothing lesse knowne there is nothing lesse conceiued Secondly it is strange to our thoughts Truth is Thoughts are knowne only vnto God who is the sole searcher of mens hearts but yet if our consciences being appealed vnto wee will speake the truth as it is I beleeue that wee must whether wee will or no confesse that our mindes are so in a manner wholly taken vp with couetous ambitious ydle wanton reuengfull thoughts rising out of our corrupt hearts as from a continuall spring that there is scarcely any roome or time for any priuate questionings or communings wich our selues touching the words of eternall life and the greate things of Gods law Ioh. 6.68 Such meditations may sometimes perhaps knock at the outward doore of our hearts or it may be find vpon a fit some sodaine and superficiall entertainement but alas they are quickly vanished and like a serpent vpon a stone Pro. 30.19 Coss 3.16 or a shippe in the middes of the sea leaue no print behind them and by that meanes neuer come to pitch with vs or to dwell plenteously in our heartes Thirdly there is as small acquaintance betwixt the word of God and our affections I neede say no more to proue it but this namely that there is nothing which doeth sooner tire vs aut and make our spirits dull lumpish then the exercises of the word in what kind soeuer In other things wee are like to the Horsele aches daughters which crie Pro. 30.25 giue giue and we are seldome heard to say it is enough but in matters of religion we are very moderate compendious sermons breife discourses short prayers hasty meditations these please vs best Indeed were it not for very shame we would haue none at all Thus Gods word is not to vs as a beloued freind of whose sweet acquaintance we could neuer be weary but as some vnwelcome stranger who it may be by importunity getteth a nights lodging with vs but his departure pleaseth vs better then his comming Now fourthly for our tongues and speaches let vs call to minde our ordinarie conferences at home at worke in iournies in meetings in going and coming too and from the church and then saie truly whether if our sauiour Christ should suddainly chop in amongst vs as he did to see the two disciples traueling to Emaus Luk. 24.15 and should saie to vs as he did to them what manner of communications are these that you haue one to another we should be able to answere him for on time of a thousand that we are reuerentlie and soberlie communing together of good things conferring of the things in which publiquelie we haue beene taught that so we might both edify our selues in our most holy faith and might also prouoke and stirre vp one another to good workes doubtles as it was said to Peter our very speach would bewray vs Iud uer 10. Arb. 10.24 and the barrennes of our talke would discouer the drines and deadnes of our hearts But now lastlie although the word of God doe now and then twang vpon some mens tongues and be made a matter of discourse and table-talke to take vp the time or to shew wit or els be called in by some profaine ones Iudg. 16.25 as Sampson was by the Philistins to make them pastime yet it is most vniuersally a stranger to mens liues and conuersations It is madnes in the worlds account for a man in all things with Dauid to make the testimonies of the lord Psal 19.24 his councellors and to stand vpon these strict and nice termes of consience as not to aduenture vpon any thing but that which he may warrant vnto his owne soule therby Shall it not hinder my profit