write them down in order that he might know the Certainty of those things wherein he had been instructed From whence I infer that supposing St. Luke performed what he promised his Gospel must contain a full Declaration of the Christian Religion For First by promising to give an Account of those Things which were surely believed among Christians he engaged himself to give an entire Account of Christianity unless we will suppose that there were some Parts of Christianity which the Christians of that Time did not surely believe Secondly In promising to give an Account of those Things of which he had a perfect Understanding from the first and in which his Theophilus had been instructed he also engages himself to give a compleat Account of the whole Religion unless we will suppose that there were some Parts of this Religion which St. Luke did not perfectly understand and in which Theophilus had not been before instructed Thus also St. John testifies of his Gospel Chap. 20. 31. These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name And if it be objected that by these Things the Apostle only means the Miracles of Christ which are the Motives of our Belief and not his Doctrines which are to be believed by us this is notoriously false since by these Things St. John means his Gospel in which not only the Miracles but the Doctrines of Christ are contained and therefore in his first Epistle chap. 5. 13. he saith These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe or continue to believe on the name of the Son of God Where by These Things it 's plain he means only that Christian Doctrine which he had been teaching throughout the whole Epistle From which two Places I argue that all Things necessary to eternal Life are written because he expresly tells us that These Things were written to this end that they might beget and nourish in us that Faith by which we may obtain eternal Life but if that Faith which these written Things was designed to beget in us be not sufficient to eternal Life then were these Things written in vain and the End of writing them which was that we might obtain eternal Life by believing them was wholly frustrated but if that Faith were sufficient to eternal Life then these written Things which begot that Faith and were the Object of it must contain in them all Things necessary to eternal Life for how can they beget in us a Faith that is sufficient to eternal Life unless they propose to our Faith all Things that are necessary thereunto And thus I have endeavoured to demonstrate from Scripture it self which all agree is the Word of God and consequently the most concluding Authority in the World that the Holy Scripture is in it self a sufficient Rule of Faith and Manners to direct Men to eternal Life And if this be so I would fain know by what Warrant or Authority any Man or Church can pretend to obtrude upon the Faith of Christians any unwritten Traditions or Doctrines of Faith and Rules of Worship not recorded in Scripture as of equal Authority with those recorded in Scripture and equally necessary to the eternal Happiness of Men. For that there have been such bold Imposers in the Christian World Irenaeus assures us in the 2d Chapter of his 2d Book against Heresies where he tells us of a sort of Hereticks who taught that the Truth could not be found in the Scriptures by those to whom Tradition was unknown for as much as it was not delivered by Writing but by Word of Mouth And these Hereticks 1 De Praescrip Haeret c. 25. as Tertullian observes confessed indeed that the Apostles were ignorant and that they did not at all differ among themselves in their Preaching but said they revealed not all Things unto all Men some Things they taught openly and to all some Things secretly and to a few which secret Things were the unwritten Traditions which they sought to impose upon the Faith of Christians And how far the Church of Rome it self doth in this matter tread in the Footsteps of these ancient Hereticks is but too notorious For thus in the Preface of their Catechism it is expresly affirmed by the Council of Trent that the whole Doctrine to be delivered to the Faithful is contained in the Word of God which Word of God is distributed into Scripture and Tradition And in the Councel it self they declare and define that the Books of Scripture and unwritten Traditions are to be received and honoured with equal pious Affection and Reverence In which Words they expresly own another Word of God besides the Scripture viz. Tradition which they equalize with the Scripture it self And this is almost verbatim the very Assertion which both Irenaeus and Tertullian condemn for Heresy and as they are the same so we find they are grounded on the same Authority For those very Texts of Scripture which those ancient Hereticks urged for their Tradition are urged by Bellarmin for the Tradition of his Church Thus for their Tradition as Irenaeus and Tertullian acquaints us they urged that of St. Paul We speak Wisdom among them that are perfect and also O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust and again That good Thing which is committed to thee keep All which Texts are urged by Bellarmin in his 4th and 5th Books de Verbo Dei in behalf of that Tradition which the Church of Rome contends for And 't is something hard that that which was damned for Heresy in the Primitive Church should be made an Article of Faith in the present Roman Not that we do disallow of Traditions universally received in all Churches and Ages for we frankly acknowledge that what is now contained in Scripture was Tradition before it was Scripture as being first delivered by Word of Mouth before it was collected into Writing and therefore whensoever it can be made evident to us that there are any unwritten Doctrines bearing the same Stamp of Divine Authority with those that are written we are ready to recive them with the same Veneration as we do the Scriptures themselves For it is not their being written that doth authorize them but their being from God and our Saviour and his Apostles and therefore when once it 's made appear to us that Christ or his Apostles taught so and so that is sufficient to command our Assent and Submission whether it be made appear from Scripture or Tradition So that the Reason why we embrace some Doctrines and reject others is not merely because the one are written and the other not but because to us who live at so great a distance from Christ and his Apostles it can never be made so evident that what is not written was taught by
them as what is What is written hath been delivered down to us by the unanimous Tradition and Testimony of the Church of Christ in all Ages which I am sure can never be justly pretended of any one of those unwritten Traditions which the Church of Rome now imposes upon the Faith of Christians Let them but produce the same unanimous Testimony that any one of those Twelve Articles which they have thought meet to superadd to the ancient Creeds was taught by Christ or his Apostles as we do that what is contained in Scripture was so and we will as readily embrace it as any Proposition in Scripture but if this Article be neither to be found in Scripture nor delivered down to us as taught by Christ or his Apostles by the unanimous Testimony of the Church of Christ through all Ages we must crave their pardon if we cannot receive it as Part of the Word of God But how impossible it is to prove by the unanimous Testimony of the Church that any unwritten Doctrine is Part of the Word of God necessary to be believed by all Christians is evident from hence because for several Ages after our Saviour the Church unanimously taught that whatsoever was necessary to be believed was contained in Scripture and for the same Church at the same time to testify that this or that unwritten Doctrine is a Part of God's Word necessary to be believed and yet that all Doctrines necessary to be believed are written is plainly to contradict it self And yet we find the Primitive Fathers unanimously attesting that the Scripture is the Rule from whence we draw all the Assertions of our Faith the last Will and Testimony of our Saviour by which all Controversies are to be decided the Boundaries of the Church out of which it is not to depart the Touchstone of Truth the Foundation and Pillar of our Faith for the Time to come and the only certain Principle of Christian Doctrine and Demonstration in Matters of Faith These are their own Expressions and abundance more than these we meet with to the same purpose and which is very observable they not only assert the Scripture to be a full and adequate Rule of Faith but severely declaim against all Additions to it Thus Eusebius Pamphilus in the Name of the Fathers of the Council of Nice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. those Things which are written believe those Things which are not witten neither think upon nor enquire after Thus also St. Austin Quicquid inde audieritisè Scriptura sacra hoc vobis bene sapiat quicquid extra est respuite ne erretis in nebula Whatsoever ye hear from the Holy Scriptures let it savour well with you whatsoever is without them refuse lest ye wander in a Cloud St. Bazil declares that it is a manifest falling from the Faith and an Argument of Arrogancy either to reject any point of those Things that are written or to bring in any of those which are not written and that it is the Property of a faithful Man to be fully perswaded of the Truth of those Things that are delivered in the Holy Scripture and not to dare either to reject or to add any thing thereunto Thus Tertullian advers Hermog Si enim non est scriptum timeat Vae illud adjicientibus aut detrahentibus destinatum If what he pretends be not written let him fear that Woe that is denounced against such as add or take away What Likelihood therefore is there that they who thus severely forbid adding any thing to the written Word of God did ever so much as dream of another Word of God consisting of unwritten Traditions And indeed methinks it is very strange if there had been any other Word of God besides what is written there should no notice be taken of it in that which is written especially considering that if it be as necessary to be believed as the Roman Church defines it it is as necessary that we should have Direction where to find it and how to know it when we have it but of this we have not the least Intimation in Scripture For as for those Words of St. Paul 2 Thess 2.15 Hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by Word or our Epistle all that can be justly inferred from them is only this that the Thessalonians at the Writing of this Epistle had only an Oral Tradition of a great Part of that Gospel which St. Paul had preached to them the Gospels being as yet either not collected into Writing or not dispersed abroad into the Churches so that then this and his former Epistle to them were perhaps the only written Part of the New Testament that was yet arrived to their hands and if so then this Command of holding the Traditions by word did oblige no longer than till they had received the written Gospel because then those Traditions by Word were all recorded in Scripture and being there recorded they were thenceforth obliged to hold them as Scripture and no longer as Traditions by Word But supposing there are still unwritten Traditions in the Church that are not in Scripture but yet were delivered by Christ or his Apostles and so are equally the Word of God with the Scripture I would fain know how we who live at so great a distance from Christ and his Apostles should either know where to find or be assured that they are such when we have them We know very well that even in the Primitive Ages there were sundry counterfeit Traditions which Hereticks pretended to derive from Christ and his Apostles and if it were so easy a matter to counterfeit Traditions then how much more easy is it now I confess Vincentius Lirinensis gives us a very good Rule how to distinguish counterfeit from true Traditions quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est hoc est vere proprieque Catholicum That which was every where and always and by all Christians believed that is truly and properly Catholick And by this Rule we are willing to abide if they can shew us any Article of Christianity not recorded in Scripture which hath been every where and always believed by all Christians we will readily admit it as an unwritten Word of God and with the same Respect and Reverence as we do that which is written But this we are fully assured they will never be able to perform seeing as was shewn before the Primitive Church doth with one Consent attest the Scripture to be an entire Rule of Faith in which all the Articles of Coristianity are contained But we are told that for these unwritten Traditions we must rely upon the present Church of every Age and receive as a divine Tradition whatsoever she defines to be so where by the present Church is meant the present Roman Church that is to say whatsoever this Church defines we must believe it because she defines it which we cannot but think is a hard Case First Because we
know very well that the Roman Church is at best but a Part of the Church universal and we know no Right that any Part hath to impose upon the Whole and to oblige it to believe whatsoever she proposes meerly because she proposes it Secondly Because in Fact we are very well assured that the Roman Church is so far from being a sincere Preserver of Tradition that there is no Church in the World hath more studiously attempted to counterfeit and deprave it of which innumerable Instances are given by our Authors many of which are now acknowledged even by their Authors to be true For even their Vulgar Latin Edition of the Bible it self which they prefer before the Originals is confessed by themselves to abound with manifest Errors and Corruptions and even to the very Canon of the Bible they have added sundry Apocryphal Books which we certainly know the Primitive Tradition never admitted as Parts of the sacred Scripture and it is notorious to all the World how many Books and Writings they have forged and how many of the Writings of the Ancients they have gelded and interpolated to defend and support those pretended Traditions which they have imposed upon the World as Articles of Faith And after she hath been guilty of so many apparent Falsifications we cannot but think it a very hard Case that we should still be obliged to believe her upon her own bare Word For in the third Place at this rate of Proceeding we must in many Instances condemn the Traditions of the Primitive Church in Complement to those of the present Roman which if we believe our own Eyes and the most authentick Histories and Records of those Times do expresly thwart and contradict one another and since if we would never so fain we can never believe both Parts of a Contradiction we must in believing the one give the Lye to the other Nay Fourthly and lastly though we should be perswaded as we think we have Reason to be that many of the Traditions of the present Church of Rome are not only not mentioned in Scripture but directly contrary to it as for Instance their performing Divine Service in an unknown Tongue which we think is as contrary to 1 Cor. 14. as one Proposition can be to another yet if that Churches Definitions do by their own Authority oblige our Faith we must believe her against Scripture it self And this we think intollerable that any Church or Christian should be obliged to believe the unwritten Word of the Church of Rome in a Matter wherein upon the most diligent and impartial Search they are verily perswaded it contradicts the written Word of God and if the Sentence of the one or t'other must be made void we think it is very reasonable that the Voice of her pretended unwritten Word should be silenced by that more certain one of the lively Oracles of God But after all if what I have endeavoured to prove be proved viz. that the Holy Scriptures are a sufficient Rule of Faith and Manners to conduct us to eternal Life this will be enough to evacuate all that is pretended for this unwritten Word of God For God and Nature we know do nothing in vain and therefore if one Word of God be sufficient viz. that which is written what need have we of this other which is unwritten And so I have done with the first necessary Property of a Rule of Faith viz. that it be full and shewn at large that the Holy Scripture is so as to all Things necessary to Salvation and therefore shall now proceed to II. The Second viz. That it be clear and intelligible to those whose Faith and Manners are to be regulated by it I do not mean when I say that the Scripture is clear and plain and intelligible to all those to whom it is a Rule of Faith and Manners that it is throughout so in all its Proposals For it cannot be denied but there are many Things not only in St. Paul's Epistles but also in other Parts of Scripture hard to be understood and such as do not only exceed the Apprehension of common Capacities but also puzzle the Understandings of the most acute and profound Enquirers But that which I assert is this That all those Doctrines of Faith and Rules of Manners which are necessary for Men to believe and practise in order to their Attainment of eternal Life are so plainly and clearly revealed in Scripture that there is no honest teachable Mind that is capable of understanding common Sense but may from thence received full Information of them upon faithful and diligent Enquiry And though in some Texts these Necessaries are not so plainly proposed as in others yet in some Text or other they are all of them so plainly proposed that no Man can read the Scripture and still be ignorant of them without being wilfully blind for which there is no Remedy either in the Scripture or out of it And this I shall endeavour to prove 1. From the express Testimony of Scripture 2. From the avowed Design of writing the Scripture 3. From the frequent Commands God lays upon us to read the Scripture 4. From the Obligation that lies upon us under Pain of Damnation to believe and receive all those Necessaries to Salvation contained in it 1. From the express Testimony of Scripture it is evident that in all Things necessary to Salvation at least the Scripture is clear and plain For to be sure if in any thing the Scripture be plain it is in those Things that are most necessary to be believed and known and therefore if it be obscure in these Things we may reasonable presume it is plain in nothing But that it is in many Things plain and easy to be understood is evident from its own Testimony For thus of the Mosaick Law it is expresly affirmed by Moses This Commandment which I command thee this day it is not hidden from thee neither is it far off Deut. 30.11 Where Moses speaks not only of the Ten Commandments which consisting for the most part of Laws of Nature are upon that Account more easy to be understood but of all the Commandments of Moses in general whether Ceremonial Judicial or Natural For so v. 16. This Commandment we find contains as well the Statutes and Judgments as the Commandments of the Law all which must take in the whole Mosaick Institution And accordingly Ps 119.105 David calls this Word of God a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path which how could it be if it did not burn clear enough to guide and direct him and if it did then to be sure it burnt clear enough to direct him in those Things wherein it was most necessary for him to be directed Again in the 19th Ps v. 7 8 we are told that the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple and that the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes But how can any Law make
IOHANNES SCOTT S. T. P. Printed for S. Manship at the Ship near the Royal Exchange THE Christian Life Wheren is shew'd I. The Worth and Excellency of the Soul II. The Divinity and Incarnation of our Saviour III. The Authority of the Holy Scripture IV. A Dissuasive from Apostacy VOL. V. and Last By JOHN SCOTT D. D. late Rector of St. Giles's in the Fields The Second Edition LONDON Printed for S. Manship and R. Wilkin and are to be Sold by W. Davis at the Black Bull in Cornhill and I. Bonwick at the Hat and Star in St. Paul's Church-yard 1700. To the Honourable SUSANNA NOEL Mother to the Right Honourable Baptist Earl of Gainsborough THis last Volume of the Works of my Dear Deceased Friend the Reverend Dr. Scott is humbly and gratefully Dedicated by Her Honours Most obliged and most Devoted Servant Humphrey Zouch The CONTENTS Discourse I. Of the Worth and Excellency of the Soul THe Connexion and Explication of the Text p. 1 2. The inestimable price and value of the Soul of Man in respect of its own natural Capacities represented under 4 Heads viz. Its Capacity of Vnderstanding p. 4 5. Of Moral Perfection p. 6 7. Of Pleasure and Delight p. 8 9 10. Of Immortality p. 11 to p. 15. Of what Esteem the Soul is in the Judgment of those who know the best worth of it viz. the whole world of Spirits p. 15. to p. 25. Four Inferences from hence p. 26. to p. 34. What is meant by losing ones Soul explain'd p. 34. The Soul liable to a sevenfold Damage in the other World p. 35. to p. 50. Seven Causes of the Danger we are in of incurring this Damage p. 51. to p. 69. Men may forsake Christ and thereby lose their Souls 4 ways By a total Apostacy p. 70 71. By renouncing the profession of his Doctrine p. 72. By obstinate Heresie p. 73. By a willful Course of Disobedience of which there are three degrees the first proceeds from a willful ignorance of Christs Laws the 2d from a willful Inconsideration of our Obligation to them the 3d. from an Obstinacy in Sin against Knowledge and Consideration p. 74. to 80. Four Reasons why our forsaking of Christ infers this fearful loss of our Souls p. 81. to p. 90. That God if he be so Determin'd may without any injury either to his Justice or Goodness detain lost Souls in the bondage of Hell for ever prov'd in 6 Propositions p. 91. to 101. That God is actually determin'd so to do demonstrated by 3 Arguments p. 102. to p. 108. A Comparison between the gain of the VVorld and the loss of a Mans Soul in 6 Particulars whereby it is shewn of which side the Advantage lies p. 109. to p. 128. Discourse II. Of the Divinity and Incarnation of our Saviour A General Explication of this Term The Word P. 130. A full account of it in 4 Propositions shewing that it was derived from the Theology of the Jews and Gentiles 131. to 135. That we ought to fetch the Sense of it from that ancient Theology p. 136 137. That in that Theology it signifies a vital and divine Subsistence p. 138 to 139. And that our Saviour to whom it is applied in the New Testament is that vital and divine Subsistence p. 140 141 142. To be the Word of God denotes 4 Things to be generated of the Mind of the Father To be the perfect Image of that Mind To be the Interpreter of the Fathers Mind and to be the Executor of it and in these is founded the Reason of our Saviours being call'd The Word p. 143. to 153. VVhat we are to understand by the Words being made Flesh p. 153 154. Five Inferences from this Doctrine p. 155 166. VVhat is meant by the Word 's dwelling among us explain'd p. 167. to 174. His dwelling among us full of Grace explain'd in five particulars p. 175. to 190. His dwelling among us full of Truth explained in general 191. to 198. Four Instances of his dwelling among us full of Truth in Contradistinction to that obscure typical way of his Tabernacling among the Jews p. 199. to p. 229. Four Inferences the first from his dwelling among us p. 229 to 234. The 2d from his dwelling among us full of Grace and that 1. in respect of his own Personal Disposition p. 235. to 238. 2. Of his Laws p. 238. 239. 3. Of the Gracious Pardon which he hath procured for us and promised to us p. 240 241. 4. Of the abundant assistance he is ready to vouchsafe us p. 242 243. And 5 Of the glorious Recompence he hath promised to and prepared for us p. 244 245 The 3d From his dwelling among us full of Truth p. 246. to 249. The 4th From all these laid together He dwelt among us full of Grace and Truth p. 250 to 256. The Glory of the Word which the Apostles beheld consisted in 4 Things 1. A visible splendor and brightness which encompass'd him at his Baptism and Transfiguration p. 258 259. 2. Those great and stupendous Miracles which he wrought p. 260 261 262. 3. The surpassing Excellency and Divinity of his Doctrine p. 263 264. 4. The incomparable Sanctity and Purity of his Life p. 265 266 267. This Expression The Glory as of the Only-begotten Son explain'd p. 268 269 That the Glory of Christ in the Tabernacle of our Natures was such as became the Only-Begotten Son of the Father prov'd in the several particulars wherein it consists P. 270. to 279. Four Inferences from this fourfold glory of the Word which the Apostles saw p. 280. to the end Dis III. Of the Authority of the Holy Scriptures THe fulness of the Scriptures as a Rule of Faith and Manners prov'd in 3 Propositions 1. That the Holy Spirit inspir'd the Writers of them with all that is necessary to eternal Life p. 301. 2 That they preach'd to the World all those necessaries which they were taught p. 302. 3. That all these necessary Truths which they preached are comprehended in the Scriptures p. 303. to p. 316. The clearness of the Scripture prov'd 1 From express Testimony of Scripture p. 317. to p. 321. 2. From the avowed design of writing it p. 322 323. 3. From the frequent Commands God lays upon us to read it p. 324 325. 4. From the Obligation that lies upon us under pain of Damnation to believe and receive all those necessaries to Salvation contained in it p. 326. Four Considerations in answer to those of the Church of Rome who tell us that though all things are not revealed clearly in the Scriptures yet we have sufficient reason to believe them since God has left us to the Conduct of an infallible Church p. 327. to the end Dis IV. Of the Obligation of the People to read the Scriptures THat the People are obliged to search and read the Scriptures prov'd 1. From the Obligation the Jews were under to read and search the Scriptures of the Old Test p. 343
344. 2. From our Saviour and his Apostles approbation of this practice of the Jews p 345 346. 3 From the great design and intention of writing the Scriptures p. 347 348. 4. From the Directions of these Holy Writings to the People p. 349. to 352. 5. From the great concernmènt the People have in the Matters contain'd in the Scripture p. 352. to 356. 6. from the universal Sense of the Primitive Church in this Matter p. 355. to 359. An Answer to that Objection of the Church of Rome That a general Permission of the Scriptures to the People must necessarily open a wide door to Errors and Heresies p. 360. to 366. Another Objection That it will prove an unavoidable Occasion of great Corruptions in Manners answered p. 367. to 371. Two Inferences from the whole p. 372. to the end Dis V. A Dissuasive from Apostacy AN Explication of the Words of the Text p. 385. to p. 388. The general Proposition p. 389. Six Instances of the mighty Tendencies there are in a vicious course of Life to Error and Apostacy from true Religion As 1. It corrupts Mens Reason and Understanding p. 390 391. 2. It renders the Principles of true Religion uneasy to their Minds p. 392 393 394. 3. It deprives Men of the greatest encouragements to constancy and steadiness in Religion p. 395. 4. It weakens the natural force of Men's Consciences p. 396. to p. 399. 5. It strengthens and enforces the Temptations to Apostacy p. 400. to 402. 6. It provokes God to give us up to the Power of Delusion p. 403. to p. 406. Two Inferences from the whole p. 406. to the end OF THE Christian Life PART IV. MATTH xvi 26. What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Or what shall a Man give in Exchange for his Soul IN the 24th Verse our Saviour urges his Disciples to that necessary Duty of denying themselves that is of surrendering up their Wills to the conduct of his and renouncing all their Worldly Interest when it comes in Competition with their Duty and of taking up their Cross and following him that is of preparing themselves to endure Persecution for his sake and to persist couragiously in the Profession and Practice of his Religion whatsoever Oppositions they should meet with from the World And to press them hereunto he urges this Argument Ver. 25. For whosoever will save his Life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his Life shall find it Where the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render Life may perhaps be better render'd Himself it being familiar both with Hebrews and Syrians to call a man's Life and Soul Himself so the Psalmist thou shalt not leave my Soul in Hell that is thou shalt not leave me Perishing in my Grave Psal 16.10 And Levit. 20.25 Ye shall not make your Souls abominable i. e. your selves And that it should be so render'd here is evident because St. Luke so expounds it What is a Man profited if he gain the whole World and lose himself or be cast away Luke 9.25 And indeed the Soul being the Principal Part of a Man and that which advances him into a Species of Being above that of a meer Animal may very well be called himself according to that of Hierecles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy Soul is Thee thy Body thine and thy outward Goods thy Bodies And if instead of Life we render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Himself the Words will be very plain and easy for whosoever will save himself by renouncing me and my Religion shall lose himself for ever and whosoever will be content to lose himself for my sake shall save himself for ever And this he farther inforces in the Text What is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul that is what will it avail a Man to gain the whole World if he for ever ruin himself by it and when he hath thus ruined himself what would he give if it were in his Power to save and recover himself again The Words thus explained I shall resolve the sense of them into these five Propositions I. That a Man or the Soul of a Man is a Thing of inestimable Price and Value for our Saviour here weighs it against the whole World that is against all the Pleasures Profits and Honours that this inferiour World can afford and declares that in the just Ballance of his Esteem it out-weighs them all And certainly that must needs be exceeding precious whose Worth the whole World cannot counter-poise II. That this precious Soul may be lost This our Saviour plainly supposes in these Words if he lose his own Soul III. That our renouncing of Christ and his Religion will most certainly infer this Loss For these Words as I have shewed you our Saviour urges as an Argument to dissuade Men from Apostacy but if without losing our Souls we might renounce him and apostatize from him there would be no Force in all this Argument to dissuade us from it IV. That when this Soul is lost 't is lost irrecoverably What shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul where the Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render Exchange is used in the same sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a price of Redemption denoting that if a Man should or could give never so much to buy his Soul from Perdition yet no Price of Redemption will be taken for it V. That this irrecoverable Loss of a Soul is of such a vast Moment that the Gain of the whole World is not sufficient to compensate it What is a Man profited that is he is not at all profited nay he is so far from that that he is a vast Loser I. That the Soul of a Man is a Thing of an inestimable Price and Value And for the Proof of this Proposition I shall endeavour these two Things First To represent to you of what vast Worth it is in Respect of its own natural Capacities Secondly To shew you of what vast Esteem it is in the Judgment of all those who as we must needs suppose do best understand the Worth of it 1. I shall endeavour to represent to you of what vast Worth it is in Respect of its own natural Capacities particularly in these four 1. In Respect of its Capacity of Vnderstanding 2. Of Moral Perfection 3. Of Pleasure and Delight 4. Of Immortality 1. The Soul of Man is of vast Worth in Respect of its Capacity of Vnderstanding For certainly to understand is the greatest and noblest Operation that a Being is capable of for it is this that gives Beauty and Excellence to all our other Operations whether they be natural or moral 'T is this that proposes the Ends and directs the Course and Prescribes the Measures of all our other Actions and tho we had never so much Force or
they were taught by the Spirit all Things necessary to eternal Life so what they were taught they preached and delivered to the World For so our Saviour commanded them to go forth into all the World and teach all Nations to observe all those things which he had commanded them Matth. 28.19 20. Which Injunction of his they strictly observed for so we are told that in Obedience to it they went forth and preached every where Mark 16.20 And that their preaching extended to all Things necessary to Salvation is evident from their own Testimony For thus St. Paul tells the Ephesians that he had not shunned to declare unto them the whole Counsel of God Acts 20.27 And to be sure in the whole Counsel of God all that is necessary to Salvation must be included And concerning that Gospel which he had preached to the Corinthians he thus pronounces By which also ye are saved if ye keep in Memory what I preached unto you unless ye have believed in vain 1 Cor. 15.1 2. but how could they be saved by that Gospel he preached to them unless it contained in it all Things necessary to Salvation And this very Gospel which the Apostles in their constant Ministry proposed to the World St. James calls the ingrafted Word which is able to save our Souls Jam. 1.21 And for the same Reason it is also called the Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 The Word of Salvation Acts 13.26 And the World of Life Acts 5.20 And the Savour of Life unto Life 2 Cor. 2.16 And also the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes Rom. 1.17 Neither of which it could be justly stiled supposing it to be defective in any Thing necessary to the eternal Happiness of Men. 3. And lastly That all those necessary Truths which they preached are comprehended in those Writings of theirs of which the Holy Scripture consists It is true before the Christian Doctrine was collected into those Scriptures of which the New Testament now consists it was all conveyed by Oral Tradition from the Mouths of the Teachers to the Ears of the Disciples but in a little Time those holy Men who first preached it found an absolute Necessity of committing it to Writing as a much surer Way of preserving it uncorrupted and transmitting it down to all succeeding Generations for thus Eusebius tells us 1 Hist Eccles l. 2. c. 15. That the Romans not being satisfied with St. Peter ' s preaching of Christianity to them earnestly desired St. Mark his Companion that he would leave them in Writing a standing Monument of that Doctrine which St. Peter had delivered to them by Word of Mouth which was the Occasion says he of the Writing of St. Mark ' s Gospel Which thing St. Peter understanding by a Revelation of the Spirit being highly pleased with their earnest Desire he confirmed it by his own Authority that it might afterwards be read in the Churches It seems in those Days the Romans did not think oral or unwritten Traditions a sufficient Conservatory of divine Truths nor did their Bishops then forbid the reading of the Scriptures to the Laity in their own Language After which he tells us 2 L. 3 c. 24. that St. Mathew and St. John were the only Disciples of our Lord who had left written Commentaries of the Things which they had preached behind them and it was says he Necessity that impelled them to write For Matthew having preached the Faith to the Hebrews and intending to go from them to other Nations wrote his Gospel in his own Country-Language that thereby he might supply the Want of his Presence to those whom he left behind him And afterwards when Mark and Luke had published their Gospels John who had hitherto only preached the Gospel by Word of Mouth being at length moved by the same Reason betook himself to write And the Three former Gospels says he arriving to the Knowledge of all Men and particularly of St. John he approved them and with his own Testimony confirmed the Truth of them From which Relation it 's evident that that which moved those holy Men to commit their Gospels to Writing was this that they judged it necessary for the Conservation of the Christian Doctrine that so these in their Absence might be standing Monuments of the Faith to preach that Gospel to Mens Eyes which they had preached to their Ears And if they wrote to preserve the Faith to be sure they would leave no necessary or essential Part of it unwritten There are several Propositions in these Gospels which though very useful are far from being essential Parts of Christianity and can we imagine that those holy Men who wrote on purpose to conserve Christianity should take so much Care to write many Things which are not necessary Parts and in the mean time omit any Things that are Eusebius tells us of St Mark in particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. he took great Care of this more especially not to pretermit any of those Things which he had heard even from St. Peter nor to affix any thing to them that was false And if he were so careful not to omit any Thing to be sure he would be particularly careful not to omit any thing which he judged necessary to the eternal Happiness of Men. But what need we depend upon humane Authority when as if we consult those Sacred Writings themselves which so far as they go all Christians allow to be the Word of God we shall find they give this Testimony of themselves that they comprehend in them all Things necessary to eternal Life For thus the Writers of the New Testament testify of the Old That they are able to make us wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 3.15 And if the Old Testament alone was able to do this then much more the Old and New together but how could they make Men wise to Salvation if they were defective in any Article that is necessary to Salvation and then the same Author goes on and tells us that all Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works v. 16 17. And if the Old Scriptures were sufficient to make the Man of God perfect and to furnish him throughly unto all good Works one would think that the New and Old together should not be defective For that the Scriptures of the New Testament as well as of the Old contain in them all Things necessary to eternal Life they themselves do plainly testify of themselves For thus St. Luke in the Beginning of his Gospel tells his Theophilus to whom he writes that forasmuch as many had set forth a Declaration of those things that were surely believed among Christians it seemed good unto him also having had a perfect understanding of all things from the first to
evident to any one that reads it to be sure among these Things are contained all that is necessary for Men to know and understand 2. From the avowed Design of writing the Scripture it is also evident that in all Things necessary it is plain and clear For thus concerning the Old Testament St. Paul tells us that whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 And if they were written for our Learning and Instruction to be sure they were so written as to teach and instruct us that is plainly and clearly especially as to those Things wherein we have most need to be instructed And then as for the New Testament St. Luke tells his Theophilus that the Reason of his writing his Gospel was that he might know the certainty of those things that were surely believed among Christians and wherein he himself had been instructed And if it were to ascertain us of the Principles of Christianity that he wrote his Gospel certainly he would take care to write it after such a Manner as that those that read it might understand it otherwise he must run counter to his own Design Thus also St. John saith that he wrote his Gospel that Men might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God but how could his Gospel induce Men to believe This unless it be so written as that Men may understand it And so also for his Epistles he tells us that he wrote them that they that believed in Jesus might know that they have eternal Life and that they may believe or continue to believe on the name of the Son of God And if this were his End to be sure he would take care to write so as that they might understand otherwise how could they know by his Writing that they had eternal Life or be moved thereby to continue to believe on the name of Jesus For there is nothing can create in Men either Knowledge or Faith but what they understand Seeing therefore the great End of Writing the Scripture was to instruct the World in the great Things of Religion either we must say that both the Writers of the Scripture and the Holy Ghost that inspired them were defective in Skill or in Care so to write as to obtain this End or that their Writings are an effectual Means to obtain it which it is impossible for them to be unless they are plain and clear as to the great Things of Religion In short every wise Agent pursues his End by the most proper and effectual Means and I would fain know whether to write plainly or obscurely be the most proper Means to instruct Men by Writing if to write plainly then either the Apostles wrote so or they were not wise Agents since to instruct was the great End of their Writing The most natural Way of conveying to Mens Minds the Notices of Things is by Words either spoken or written and seeing whatsoever can be spoken in plain and intelligible Words may be written in the same Words there can be no doubt but those Words will be as intelligible when they are written as when they are spoken for why should the same Words be more obscure when conveyed to us by our Eyes than when conveyed to us by our Ears Seeing then the Sense of Scripture may be as plainly conveyed by Words written as by Words spoken and seeing that even those who deny the Plainness of Scripture do yet allow that the Sense of it may be plainly conveyed by Words spoken or which is the same thing Oral Tradition if the Scripture be not plain it can be resolved into no other Reason but this that God would not have it so for there is no Doubt but he could have spoken as plainly as Men and have written as plainly as he spoke and therefore if he hath not done so it was because he would not but to say that he would not write those Things plainly which he thought necessary for all Men to know and which he wrote on purpose that all Men might know is to say that he would and would not at the same time or that he wrote them on purpose that Men might know them and yet that he wrote so as that they might not know them 3. From the frequent Commands God lays upon us to read the Scripture it is also evident that in all necessary Things it is plain and clear That God doth not only allow but will and rquire us to read the Scripture I shall shew at large hereafter when I come to treat of searching the Scripture Supposing therefore at present the Thing to be true I would fain know to what purpose should God require us to read the Scripture if in those things which are necessary for Men to know and believe it be not plain and intelligible Doth God require us to read it for the sake of reading it or for the sake of understanding it If the former reading any other Book might as well have answered God's End as reading the Scripture because reading is reading whatsoever it be that we read if the later then either the Scripture is plain and intelligible as to all those Things which he requires us to understand or he requires us to read it in vain For to what Purpose should we read that we may understand if that which we are to read be not plain enough to be understood by us As for Instance the Bereans Acts 17.11 are highly commended for searching the Scriptures daily now I would fain know was this a Virtue in them or was it not If not why are they commended for it if it were it was certainly their Duty What was the Intendment of it was it only that they might be expert Readers Why are they so commended for reading the Scriptures above any other Book seeing that reading any other Book would have done as well for that Purpose as reading the Scriptures But the Text it self tells us that the Intendment of their reading the Scripture was that they might know whether those things were so or no which St. Paul had preached to them but how should they know this by reading the Scripture if the Scripture which they read were not plain enough to be understood by them Again St. Paul gives this as a great Commendation of his Son Timothy that from a Child he had known the Holy Scriptures whence by the Way we may learn that it is not so great a Reproach to our Church as the Romanists intend it for that we permit Women and Children Tinkers and Coblers to read the Scripture But I pray what was the Meaning of Timothy's knowing the Holy Scripture from a Child Was it that he knew the Words of it only or the Sense of it also If the former a Parrot may be taught as much as Timothy had learned and consequently deserve as high a Commendation as he if the later then
act Conciliariter as they call it that is so as to render their Decrees perpetually and universally obliging that though we were resolved to build our Faith upon the Authority of this Church yet if we will use that Caution in believing that we ought to do in a Matter of so great Moment we should find our selves involved in greater Uncertainties concerning these Things than we are concerning the Sense even of the most difficult Places of Scripture But then Thirdly When we are pass'd over all these Difficulties we are still at as great a Loss to understand what is the Sense of the Church to be believe by us as what is the Sense of Scripture For the Church hath no other way to deliver her Sense to us but either by Oral Tradition that is by Word of Mouth or by Writing If She deliver her Sense to me by Oral Tradition how can I know what that is who never heard Her speak either in its diffused Body or in a General Council or in any other Representative unless it be that of my own Parish-Priest perhaps who for all I know may be Ignorant or Heretical and so either not understand himself the Church's Oral Tradition or whilfully pervert it to a contrary Meaning And if the Church deliver here Sense to me by Writing as She hath done in the written Decreesof her General Councils must I read over all her Decrees How should I do that who understand not so much as the Languages in which they are written Or suppose they were Translated how shall I know that they are faithfully render'd any more than I do that the Scripture is so But suppose I were certain of this and should thereupon proceed to read them alass I find in them a great many difficult and dubious Expressions yea and at least seeming Contradictions to each other how then can I be more certain of the true Sense of these Writings than of the Sense of the Writings of Scripture But you will say the Church hath digested her Sense of all her Articles of Faith into a plain Creed and Catechism viz. that of the Council of Trent whereby the plainest Reader may without any laborious Enquiries be ready instructed what he ought to believe This I confess is something but as for those Articles of Faith wherein We and the Church of Rome are agreed we find them as plainly express'd in Scripture as in that Creed and Catechism and therefore we have Reason to believe that if those Articles wherein we disagree had ever been intended for Articles of Faith they would have been as plainly express'd there as these but 't is no wonder we should not find them plainly express'd there when we cannot find them express'd there at all But do we not find that the Scriptures even in the plainest Expressions of Articles of Faith have yet been perverted by Hereticks into a contrary Meaning And what then Are not the Words of Councils as liable to be perverted into a contray Meaning as the Words of Scripture For do not the Roman Doctors differ as much about the Sense of their Councils as we do about the Sense of our Scriptures Yea and have we not a notorious Instance of it at this very Day For what can be more contrary than Belarmine's Exposition of the Trent Faith and the Bishop of Condom's And yet both allowed by the Pope who by the Authority of that Council is made sole Arbitrator of the Sense of it But then Fourthly and lastly As to the Sense of Scripture our Reliance on the Authority of that Church leaves us at as great an Uncertainty as it found us For where the Scripture designs to speak plainly as it doth in all Things necessary to Salvation the Church cannot speak plainer and therefore there we may understand the Scripture as well without the Church as with it but where it doth not speak plainly the Church of Rome hath left us not infallible Commentary whereby to understand it so that where the Scripture is plain She hath not made it plainer and where it is obscure She hath left it as obscure as ever So that after all the Noise that is made of Infallibility her Doctors are fain to apply themselves to the same Methods of Understanding Scripture that is to consult the Sense of Antiquity and compare Text with Text and the like that we fallible Protestants do and when they have done all are as lyable to be mistaken as we Nay they themselves confess that even General Councils themselves may be mistaken in their Applications of Scripture that is that they may misapply them to wrong Purposes which they cannot do without mistaking the Sense of them of which there are a great many notorious Instances in the second Council of Nice which to prove it the Duty of Christians to worship Images urges God's taking Clay and making Man after his own Image and likewise that of Esay There shall be a Sign and Testimony to the Lord in the Land of Egypt and also those Passages of David Confession and Beauty is before him Lord I have loved the Beauty of thy House O Lord my Face hath sought for thee O Lord I will seek after thy Countenance O Lord the light of thy Countenance is sealed over us And from that Passage As we have seen so have we heard they argue that there must be Images to look on and because it is said God is marvellous in his Saints they conclude that the Church must be deck'd with Pictures And from No man lighteth a Candle and putteth it under a bushel they wisely infer that Images must be set upon the Altar all which are as remote from their Sense as the first Verse of the first Chapter of Genesis What greater Certainty have they with their Infallibility than we without it We can know as well the Sense of plain Texts of Scripture as of plain Texts of Councils or Creeds or Catechisms and we can as easily pervert the Sense of the one as of the other And as for those that are not plain even Genreal Councils you see for all their Infallibility may be mistaken about them as well as we So that when all comes to all by forsaking the infallible Authority of Scripture to rely upon the infallible Authority of that Church we are so far from ariving at a greater Certainty of Faith that we are involved in greater Uncertainties than ever But then 4. And lastly in relying upon the Authority of Scripture we are left to no other Uncertainties than just what are necessary to render our Faith vertuous and rewardable whereas by relying upon the Authority of the Church of Rome supposing it were as sure a Ground of Faith as it is pretended our Faith would have little or nothing of Virtue in it It is pretended though falsly you see that that Church's Authority is so sure a Ground of Faith that while a Man depends upon it he cannot be mistaken in any necessary Article
then to be sure our Saviour here mentions it at least with Approbation and what he approves when done that to be sure he would have us do Whether therefore it be delivered in the Form of a Command or of a bare Assertion it is equivalent to a Command it being at least an Assertion of a Thing which he approves and consequently would have all Men to Practise But because there is a numerous Party in the Christian World which doth not only forbid the People to Search the Scriptures but represents it as a Practice of very dangerous Consequence it is hereby become necessary that we should not only assert but prove their Obligation to it which otherwise would be very needless there being nothing more plain and evident in it self Now to prove that the People are obliged to Search and Read the Scriptures I shall as briefly as I can argue the Point from these following Topicks 1. From the Obligations which the Jews were under-to Read and Search the Scriptures of the Old Testament 2. From our Saviour's and his Apostles Approbation of their Practice in pursuance of this their Obligation 3. From the great Design and Intention of Writing the Scriptures 4. From the Direction of these Holy Writings to the People 5. From the great Concernment of the People in the Matters contained in them 6. From the Vniversal Sense of the Primitive Church in this Matter 1. From the general Obligation which the Jews were under the Read and Search their Scriptures For so God requires them to keep the words which he commanded them in their Hearts and to teach them diligently to their Children and to talk of them as they sat in their Houses and as they walked in the way and when they lay down and when they rose up and to bind them as a sign upon their hands Deut. 6.6 7 8. And elsewhere This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shatl meditate therein day and night speaking to the Children of Israel in general Jos 1.8 And again Ye shall lay lip these my words in your heart and in your soul that your days may be multiplied and the days of your Children in the Land which the Lord sware unto your Fathers to give them as the days of heaven upon the earth Deut. 11.18 21. And to meditate on God's Law day and night David makes a Part of the Character of the Blessed Man Psal 1.3 Now if they could not keep God's Laws in their Hearts as most certainly they could not if they could not teach them to their Children if they could not talk of them upon all just and proper Occasions and in a word if they could not meditate on them day and night without being very well acquainted with them by diligent Search and Reading them it is most certain that to Read and Search into them was their indispensible Duty Now if there be the same Reason why we should Read the Scriptures as there was why the Jews should then the Obligation of these Commands must extend to us as well as to them because the Reason of the Law is the Law but 't is evident even beyond Contradiction that there is no good Reason assignable for the one which is not of equal force for the other and whatsoever is objected by our Adversaries in this Point against our Reading the Scriptures is of equal validity against the Jews Reading them It is Objected That our Reading them through our Incapacity to understand them must occasion a great many Errors and Heresies in the Church And why should not their Reading them occasion the same since neither their Understandings were larger than ours nor their Scriptures clearer and more intelligible than ours It is farther objected that because of the many ill Examples recorded in Scripture it is dangerous for the People to read it because of their Aptness to be misled and corrupted by Example But I beseech you are there not more bad Examples in the Old Testament than in the New And were not the Jews as apt to be corrupted by them as we Christians And therefore since these Objections do press as much against their reading the Scriptures as ours it is certain they ought to keep both from it or neither Seeing therefore notwithstanding these Objections God obliged the Jews to read them it 's plain they are not of Force enough to disoblige us from doing the same 2. From our Saviour and his Apostles Approbation of this Practice of the Jews in Pursuance of their Obligation to it it is also evident that we are obliged to the same That the Common People of the Jews did ordinarily read the Scriptures in our Saviou's Time is evident not only from the Text Search the Scriptures which if you take them Indicatively are an express Declaration that they did read them and if you take them Imperatively necessarily imply that they themselves owned that they ought to read them but also from those Questions which our Saviour frequently ask'd them in his Conferences with them such as Have ye not read Have ye never read in the Scripture And hath not the Scripture said so and so Which Question would be very Impertinent if reading the Scripture were not then ordinarily practised by that People And that even their holy Women were then so well instructed in the Scriptures as to be able to instruct their Children Timothy is a signal Instance who though his Father were an Heathen had known the holy Scriptures from a Child 2 Tim. 3.15 which knowledge he must necessarily have derived from his Grand-Mother Lois and his Mother Eunice whose Faith St. Paul celebrates 2 Tim. 1.5 And this Practice of reading the Scriptures which was so common among that People in our Saviour's time is so far from being discontinued either by himself or his Apostles that it is always mentioned by them with Applause and Approbation Thus the Bereans are commended as a People of a nobler Strain than those of Thessalonica because they searched the Scriptures daily whether those Things which St. Paul had preached to them were so or no. And St. Paul is so far from reprehending Timothy for medling with the Scriptures whilst he was a Lay-man that he mentions it to his Honour that he had known the Scriptures from a Child And in all those Passages wherein our Saviour takes it for granted that the Common People of the Jews did read the Scripture we have not the least Intimation of his dislike of their Practice which we should certainly have had had he apprehended it to be either dangerous or unwarrantable Seeing therefore neither our Saviour nor his Apostles do in the least disallow of the Scriptures being read by the Common People but on the contrary do expresly commend it this is a plain Argument that it was their Intention to perpetuate the Practice of it to future Ages For seeing the Jews read the Scriptures in Obedience to an express Command of
God as was shewn before had our Saviour intended that they should not continue it he would doubtless have repealed that Command by some Countermand which he was so far from doing that he not only every where allows of their reading the Scriptures but also expresly approves and commends it whereby he plainly establishes the Obligation of that ancient Command in Obedience to which they did read them 3. From the great Design and Intention of Writing the Scriptures it is also evident that the People are still obliged to Read them It is plain the great Design of Writing the Scripture was to instruct Men in the Knowledge and persuade them to the Practice of True Religion For thus of the Scriptures of the Old Testament St. Paul tells us That whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning Rom. 15.4 and for our admonition 1 Cor. 10.11 And as for the New Testament we are told That it was written that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing we might have life through his name Joh. 20.31 And St. Peter tells us That he wrote both his Epistles to stir up the pure Minds of Christians by way of remembrance and to put them in mind of the words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets and of the Commandment of the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour 2 Pet. 3.1 And St. John gives us this account of his Writing his Epistles These things have I written to you that ye sin not 1 Joh. 2.1 And St. Jude this of his Beloved when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common Salvation it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints v. 3. These are the Ends for which the Scripture was written but how can the Writing of it contribute to these Ends if we are not permitted to Read what is written For the Scripture was written to the People as well as to the Clergy as I shall shew by and by but to what purpose should it be written to the People to instruct and admonish them if the People are not allowed to Read its Instructions and Admonitions What Influence could the Writing it have upon the People's Belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God if they had been debarr'd from acquainting themselves with what is written concerning him How could it stir up their Remembrance if they might not Read what it suggested to their Memory By what other way can it keep the People from Sinning but by Motives and Persuastions But how should its Motives and Persuasions affect their Minds if they are not allowed to consult and understand them Upon what Account can it move the People earnestly to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints if they are not allowed to learn from it either what that Faith is or what those Reasons are which oblige them to contend for it So that to write to the People on purpose to instruct and reform them and at the same time to purpose to debar them from Reading it is either to suppose that the Writing will operate like a Charm or to purpose a downright Contradiction For how oddly would it have lookt if in the afore-cited Passages the Apostles had exprest themselves thus These thinge are written for your Learning and Admonition but 't is by no means fit you should learn from them what they teach and admonish you These Things are written that ye should believe that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God but they are not written that you should enquire of them whether Jesus be the Christ or the Son of God These Things are written to put you in Mind of what hath been spoken by the Prophets and Apostles but they were not written that you might acquaint your selves by them what the Prophets and Apostles spake These Things are written that you should not Sin but beware you do not read them lest the bad Examples recorded in them occasion you to Sin In short These Things were written to excite you earnestly to contend for the Faith once delivered to the Saints but you are by no means allowed to enquire into them lest you should misunderstand them and and so instead of contending for the Faith you should contend for Heresie and False Doctrine Had the Apostles thus express'd themselves I appeal to any reasonable Man whether these Passages would not have startled his Understanding and tempted him to question whether the Authors of them were well in their Wits and yet this must have been their meaning supposing that they meant that the People should not read what they wrote 4. From the Direction of these Holy Writings to the People it is also evident that the People are still obliged to Read or acquaint themselves with them For so we find the Law of Moses was delivered by God to all the People as well as to him and Aaron and as was shewn before they were all of them commanded to search and enquire into it And so also were the Sermons of the Prophets which are usually prefaced with an Hear O Israel Hear O House of Judah Hear O House of Jacob and Hear all ye of Judah So also our Blessed Saviour Preach'd his Sermons and Parables not only to his Apostles and Seventy Disciples but also to the People and to the Multitudes And so also his Apostles direct their Epistles not only to the Saints to the faithful in Christ Jesus to the Beloved which in the Language of Scripture includes every Christian but also to all that are at Rome to all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord to all the Saints which are in Achaia to all the Saints which are at Philippi to the twelve Tribes which are scattered abroad to the Strangers scattered through Pontus Galatia c. and to them which have obtained like precious Faith with us that is to all the Jewish Christians dispersed over the World Seeing therefore the Scriptures were directed to all as well Laity as Clergy this not only gives a Right to all to Read them but also lays an Obligation upon all to acquaint themselves with them For the very directing such a Writing or Epistle to such or such Persons doth in the Sense of all the World imply that he who writes doth design and intend that they to whom he directs it should Read and Peruse it and therefore since the Scriptures were written to all that is a plain Intimation that it was the Intention of the Writers that all should Read them And for us not to Read what God hath written and directed to us is by implication of Fact a Prophane Neglect and Contempt of his Mercy and looks as if we either thought him such an Insignificant Being or our selves so little concerned in any thing that he can say or write to us as that it