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 DIGNITIE OF the Scripture togither with The Indignity which the vnthankfull world offereth therunto In three sermons vpon Hose 8.12 By Samuel Hieron Psal 119. v. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull HINC LVCEUM ET POCVLA SACRA ALMA MATER CANTA BRIGIA Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1607. And are to be sold at the signe of the Crowne in Pauls Church-yard by Simon VVaterson TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND MY VERY REVErend freind M. Doctor Goad Provost of the Kings Colledge in Cambridge WHen I remember the times and furtherances of my education and consider with my selfe by whose free choise I was preferred into that worthy societie the head-ship whereof your worship hath so many yeares enioyed I cannot but say to you as Hierome did to a freind of his Tibi quod possū debeo Hiero. Sephron quod non possum I am indebted to you both to the vtmost extent of my ability and in much more then I can performe Giue me leaue therefore I beseech you not as by way of requitall for I will not so much either vnder-value your fauour or abridge my debt but as by way of acknowledgement leauing this as it were a bill of my hand what I haue receiued and how deepely I am engaged to present you with these three sermons They are of the Dignitie of the scripture and therefore their subiect considered are not vnworthy your patronage being so auncient and so indicious a professour of Theologie The manner of handling because as it is liable to censure in this taxing age so it may perhaps through my want either of skill or care deserue reproofe therefore I doe submit it wholly to your worships triall that after it may either step further into publike view or els stop where it is according as you shall please to dispose How soeuer it be albeit I must confesse that I should much reioyce in your approouing furtherance yet at the least I shall herein find contentment that I haue endeuoured out of my vnfained sensiblenes of your worships respectiue kindnesse to make the world a witnes of my thankefullnes And so in the fulnes of my desire that he in whom all Fulnes dwelleth may so replenish you with spirituall blessings in heauenly things Col. 1.19 Eph. 1.3 Psa 92.13.14 that like the Trees planted in the house of the Lord you may still euen in your Age bring forth fruit and be fatte flourishing I humbly take my leaue Modbury in Deuonshire this 2. of Iuly 1607. Your worships euer in the Lord Samuell Hieron ERRATA Pag. 2. l. 10. for reserued read referred p. 3. l. 28. with with sicknes p. 4. l. 15. after needfull matter put in these words viz. not revealed in it hath added to it a packe and rable of unwritten traditions concerning which it teacheth that they are to be receiued imbraced with the same affection with the like zeale with the same respect as we doe p. 4. l. 37. after all the read the first words of the 5. p. viz. authors of them c. there be other smal faults escaped which would desire the gentle reader to amend as he read Hosea 8.12 J haue written to them the great things of my law but they were counted as a strange thing The first Sermon THis verse is as it were the lords complainte touching the wretched carelesnes of the sonnes of men who inioying the greatest benefit viz. the blessed liberty of this word yet notwithstanding vtterly neglect it and esteeme it as a thing not worthy the regarding That I may both for your profitte and myne owne helpe proceed in handling of it with the better order I will diuide it into two parts the first may be not vnfitly called Gods bounty I haue written to them the great thinge of my law the second may he termed mans impiety but they were counted as a strange thinge God hath vouchsafed the free vse of his word what greater bounty Men passe by it as a thing not worth the looking to what greater impiety of these two points in order I haue c In the first part wee haue two things to consider first the commendation of gods word secondly the mercy of god in vouchsafeing it vnto vs The word of god is commended vnto vs in these termes The great things of the law The word which is out of the Heb. translated heere greate signifieth honorable or pretious or ample and plentifull so that the word of God is cōmended heere by two things 1. the plenty and abundance and largenes of matter that is in it 2. the price and excellency and worth of the matter I wil speak of both seuerally I pray you let vs wel obserue them that the word of God may grow into greater credit with vs then it is Touching the largenes and amplenes of the word of god I set down this point That all necessary points either touching faith or manners are aboundantly contayned and layed forth in the scriptures for proofe whereof that one saying of the Apostle is sufficient The whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God 2. Tim. 3.16 and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse now what spiritual occasion can there be deuised which is not here mentioned what matter is there in the whole body of religion but it may well be reserued to one of these heads either teaching improouing correcting or instructing so that the word of God being sufficient to all these is not wanting in any necessary matter whatsoeuer Ioh. 20.31 These things saith Sainte Iohn are written that yee might haue life through his name a plaine testimony that there is inough lefte written in the bible for the begetting of faith and for the guiding of the soule of euery faithfull beleeuer vnto life eternall I gaue them my statutes saith God I declared my iudgements vnto them Ezek. 20.11 which if a man doe he shall liue the taking of that course which is prescribed to vs in the word is all sufficient to saluation They haue Moses the Prophets saith Abraham to the rich glutton in hell meaning that then they want no needfull instruction Luk. 16.31 for the bringing of them by repentāce vnto life Infinite are the places of scripture to this end shewing the absolutenesse of that doctrine which is contained in the written word vrging vs to rest our selues satisfied with that which is reuealed condemning al the inuentions and traditions of man that are added thereunto And seeing it is a sure thing that the bookes of holy scripture are penned by the speciall guidance of gods spirit 2. Pet. 1.21 as Sainte Peter affirmeth it must needs follow that if there be any needfull matter omitted in them it came to passe ether because they which wrot did not know it or because knowing it they would not reueale it or because being willing to reueale it they forgot
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