contempt and disorder but the imposition of traditional observances in so needless a number as may seem to reduce us under the Jewish yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear Acts 15. 10. or as equally obligatorie to conscience as divine commands or as the immediate worship of God or as duties essentially necessarie in order to salvation we justly abhor as the Tyrannie of Rome as the infringement of Christian libertie as a violation and voiding the commandment of God as our Saviour told the Pharisees that they made the commandment of God of none effect that is sleighted Mat. 15. 6. disregarded by their traditions All our holiness all our worship must be regulated by Gods will not our own Non ex arbitrio Deo serviendum sed ex imperio not according to our own fancie but Gods command and prescription It may seem somewhat a strange expression at first Israel hath forgotten his maker and builded Temples Hosea 8. 14. one would rather think this was a reverencing of God this is the account of it God had appointed one Temple and they multiply and build many contrarie to Gods direction and institution I say of all humane invented will-worship of God as Tertullian of the Heathen-worship Ex religione superstitio compingitur eo irreligiosior quantò Ethnicus paratior Men in this are no better then laboriously superstitious taking pains to be irreligious And the judicious Hooker determines that in Gods service to do that which we are not is a greater fault then not to do that which we are commanded Amongst other reasons he gives this to our purpose in that we seem to charge the law of God with hardness onely in that with foolishness and insufficiencie which God gave us as a perfect rule of his worship and service I shall conclude this point with that of S. Paul As many as walk according to this rule peace shall be Gal. 6. 16. on them and mercie and upon the Israel of God 2. The perspicuitie and plainness of this revelation It is the design and plot of Rome to fasten an imputation of obscuritie upon the written Word that hereby she may with more plausible shew exalt Peters pretended successour into the infallible chair as an unerring interpreter and also discourage and dishearten the people from reading them As the spies reported the land of Canaan to be impregnable and so disheartned the Israelites Hence the Papists crie out of Scripture that it is unintelligible and obscure to vulgar and common capacities and thus they defame and raise a false report of the written Word and make the difficultie of it a pretence for their neglect and cloak for their ignorance The Scripture was made to be a Christians guide and rule of life as I said before a blinde guide a dark and obscure rule is a contradiction Thy word is a light to my feet and a lanthorn to my Ps 119. 105. paths saith David and the Apostle Peter bids us look to the Scripture as a light which shineth in a dark place the same Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 19. indeed observed in S. Pauls Epistles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things hard to 2 Pet. 3. 16. be understood this relates to the sublimitie and mysteriousness of things revealed not to the obscuritie of the revelation There is a depth of mysterie in Scripture cloathed with a plain and familiar expression Thy testimonies are wonderfull saith David There is the mysterie of Scripture yet follows The entrance Psal 119. 129. Ibid. v. â—30 of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple Here are mysteries to exercise the acutest wits depths for the profoundest judgements to fathom and yet so plain and obvious that the meanest and plainest using the means as prayer diligent search and the rest may profit by Here is meat for strong and grown Christians and here is milk for babes too In a word God hath so intermingled and interwoven Scripture-Revelations with some difficulties some facilities that plainness breeds not contempt nor difficultie neglect and disheartnings that by the plainness of them he might teach us knowledge and by the difficulties learn us humilitie 3. The certaintie and infallibilitie of Scripture-Revelation as being written by the guidance and dictate of an infallible Spirit All Scripture is given by divine inspiration no Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 20. of private interpretation so our translation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of any private spirit which reading I finde pleaseth Beza best as agreeing with what is said in the next verse that the pen-men of Scripture were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the prophecie came not of old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake Ibid. vers 21. as they were moved by the holy Ghost and therefore Scripture is a certain and infallible rule of faith and holiness This was one end of Scripture That we might have an infallible rule of life and judge of saving truth which had it been brought unto us onely by the acry conveyance of Tradition uncertain revelation might soon have been either forgotten or corrupted If we leave the Scripture once we are left at miserable uncertainties and lie open to all deceits and delusions If we rest upon Enthusiasticall revelations Satan can transform himself into an Angel of light and delude us our faith and obedience will 2 Cor. 11. 13 be alwaies at uncertainties The revelations of those who pretend to them be alwaies various sometimes contrarie and commonly pretended to to serve new interests and designs The Spirit is every mans pretence and therefore we must have some way to examine and judge of the truth or falseness and error of every mans spirit and this can be no other way but by the infallible Canon of the Scripture We never finde S. Paul alleadging any of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those revelations which he had when he was caught up into the third heaven but he hath recourse to the Scripture for 2 Cor. 12. 4. the vindication of the Doctrine he delivered as you may see in his Apologie before Agrippa I continue saith he to this day saying Acts 26. 22. no other things then what Moses and the Prophets did say should come And the Apostle Peter speaking of the voice from heaven though 2 Pet. 1. 18 19. that was a ture one yet adds we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a surer word of prophesie to wit the Scriptures the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 20. whereunto ye do well that ye take heed A voice from heaven may sooner deceive us then the written Word of God if we rest upon Traditions these are oft erronious as Rome can witness at best fallible and uncertain A man can scarce ever know when he hath believed and practised rightly or enough Traditions being variable and
Jews pricked at the heart and a John Baptist convince a Herod of his unlawfull and wicked enjoyment of his beloved Herodias How doth the word of God oft drive men from those forts and succours and delusions which they had framed to deceive themselves and encourage themselves in the ways of sin as others sin as well as I what saith Scripture to this Follow not a multitude to commit iniquity and Though hand Exod. 23. 2. Prov. 11. 21. joyn in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished I may deferre my repentance from youth to old age saith another See what Scripture saith to this Remember thy Creatour in the daies of thy youth c. and Eccles ' 12. 1. Hebr. 3. 15. Rom. 6. 23. To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts This is but a peccadillo saith another Scripture saith The ways of sin is death Such flatteries and deceits the deceitfull heart of man is apt to gull it self with The power of the word is to such as the voice of God was to Adam Where art thou and then he could lie hid no longer it convinceth and discovers them This is the effect of preaching the word as the Apostie saith If all prophesie to wit of the nature of sin Gods wrath against it and the like as Pareus glosses if there come in one that believeth not he is convinced of all he is judged of all and the secrets of his heart are Mr. Dod. made manifest When a reverend Divine amongst our selves had by a powerfull Sermon convinced a licentious wretch who heard him he fretting and very angry as wicked men cōmonly are at a convincing Minister came to him and charged him with preaching that Sermon against him out of malice and envy he returned him this answer If this Sermon had been preached in the dark when I could not have seen my Auditors this very word of God would have found thee out and convinced thee of thy sins In a word Rectum verum est mensura sui obliqui therefore Scripture containing all fundamental doctrines of faith and essential duties of holiness necessary to salvation must consequently be sufficient to confute and reprove all contrary sin and errour 4. That he may instruct the people and inform them of their whole duty Here they must expect and require their knowledge for The Mal. 2. 7. Priests lips shall preserve knowledge and the people shall require it at his mouth Unless their doctrine distill as the dew the field of the Lord the Church must needs be barren in holiness and fruitless in knowledge This is the last vse the Apostle saith the Scripture is profitable for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for instruction in righteousness 2 Tim. 3. 18. True indeed may the people say it is fit and necessary that Objection Apollos's Ministers should be mighty in the Scriptures but we hope we may be excused from searching the Scriptures it is not our duty we are to expect it from our teachers Indeed this is Rome's language If you were at Rome you might Answer be exempted that Church will gratifie you in this and thank you too they account it no better to suffer lay-men to read the Bible then sanctum canibus margaritas ante porcos projicere it is the expression of Hosius to cast pearles before swine or that which is holy to dogs you are little beholding to them for this But believe it though Antichrist will exempt you from reading the Scripture Christ will not who enjoynes it as a duty upon all to search the Joh. 5. 39. Scriptures and observe the argument he useth to enforce this duty for in them ye think to have eternal life If then you expect any interest in that happiness you are concerned and engaged in this duty of Scripture-search which is both commanded and cōmended in Scripture Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdome Coloss 3. 16. Acts. 17. 11 saith S. Paul and it was the commendation of the Bereans that they searched the Scriptures daily whether the things that Paul and Silas preached were true or no. The Church of Rome accuse and charge this promiscuous searching of the Scripture as the cause of Heresy pride and faction I deny not Scripture misunderstood is sometimes abused to promote these ends but this is not the natural and proper effect of reading the Scripture the ignorance of which if we believe our Saviour is the cause of Heresy and error Ye erre saith Christ to Matt. 22. 29. the Sadduces not knowing the Scriptures and indeed if wee be robbed of the Compass of Scripture we must needs split upon the rock of errour In a word then it is the Tyrannie of Rome to withhold it and it will be your sin to neglect it Application 1. This condemns and corrects that general neglect and undervaluing of Scripture which now Atheisme is justly feared to be growing upon us prevailes in the world men preferring every thing else before this The Papist exalts his unwritten Tradition above the written Word Pari pietatis affectu suscipimus veneramur may seem a modest determination of the Tridentine convention and much less then their practise speaks The Enthusiast magnifies his pretended revelation and Scripture to him is but a dead letter and the searcher of it but literalis and vocalis too But let us return home and see whither we can plead not guilty where are our Nepotians who by diligent perusal of the Scripture make their souls Bibliothecam Christi as Hierom saith of him Where shall we finde an Alphonsus who is reported to have read the Bible ten times over with a comment or like that Transylvanian Prince whom Maccovius reports to have read the Bible over twentie seven times Where shall we finde a David who meditates in the Law of God day and night preferring it before the honey and the honey-combe Psal 19. 10. Psal 119. 72. Job 23. 12. before thoughts of gold and silver or a Job who esteemeth the words of Gods mouth more then his necessarie food Nay have we not many proud cursed Politians who think it a disparagement to their parts and learning to condiscend to the studie of Scripture and as he said think they never spend their time worse then in reading it Do not idle Romances and lascivious Poems and the like take up the most of our youth-studies nay amongst us who look towards the Ministrie doth not a nice and intricate School-man an uncertain Father an antiquated Rabby justle out the Scripture I speak not against those in their due order and measure but I would not have Hagar drive Sarah out of doors I would not have the Hand-maids courted and the Mistress neglected If they be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let Scripture be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preposterous studying these before we be well grounded and setled in Scripture-knowledge doth oft fill the soule with such
ose who think these not worth lending an ear too The Gibeonites may draw water to the Sanctuary the Egyptian pearls may enrich the Israelites the Gentiles may be afforded an outward room in the Court of the Temple There is certainly excellent use of the Fathers of the Church to evidence the consent of truth and unity in several ages and if ever to be listned to in this age wherein we have almost lost the truth in a crowd of errours wherein yet they are most neglected To me next to Scripture-evidence universal consent if there be such a thing to be found seems the most cogent for embracing doctrines of faith we should especially attend to what the Revel 2. 7. Spirit saith unto the Churches But others may be listned to so they be cited without affectation and vain-glory S. Paul was resolved against coming to his Corinthians with enticing words of mans wisdome as desiring to know himself and preach to others nothing but Christ and him crusified yet himself hath adopted more then one of the expressions of the Heathens into Scripture and especially when he preached at Athens cited one of their own Poets Act. 17. 28. But all others are onely to be heard as they conform to the word of God which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as most worthy to be heard That 's the first Secondly As most necessary to be heard and that both in respect of Divine command and in reference to our own good for our illumination for as Clemens saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 psal 19. 8 9. Clemens p. 30. so is the world so is the soul without the light of the word of God notwithstanding all the star light of other knowledge So necessary for the begetting and increasing faith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3. 2. and the Apostle makes it an impossibility in an ordinary way to believe without hearing Rom. 10. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall they believe that is ordinarily they cannot So again necessary for the begetting and upholding the comforts through the Spirit creating the fruits of the lips peace In a Isa 57. 19. word necessary as the fiery pillar to gvide us to our heavenly Canaan for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 5. 20. the word of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13. 26. the Gospel of salvation Ephes 1. 13. Necessary for our spiritual strength and growth the vvant of it is compared to a famine What weak bodies have men in a famine what starved souls under the want of the word of God so as it is most worthy of hearing in it self so most necessary to be heard in respect of us It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It did not profit that is not truly and savingly From this exposition you may easily prevent me in your thoughts in what must be the subject of my discourse viz. Unprofitableness under the means of grace the preaching of the Gospel In speaking to which lest as it was said of Diogenes that he trampled upon Plato's pride but majori cum fastu I should preach unprofitably whilest I speak against unprofitableness under preaching I shall confine my self to this plain practical and I hope profitable Doctrine The generalitie or most of those who hear the word do not truely Doctrine and savingly profit by it A truth which they that run may read in the experience of this present age in which I think I may say it without any dishonourable reflexion upon the former or pride of present times the Gospel was never more frequently or powerfully preached yet how little profit by it I call to witness the profanation of Sabbaths noon day-sins neglect of ordinances contempt of Ministers those monstrous Sects and Heresies those outrages and that profaneness which prevails amongst us which might justly astonish and amaze us did not this lessen the wonder that from the first preaching of the Gospel it hath been so At the first dawning of the Gospel in that promise of the seed of the woman to break the serpents head yet Cain a murtherer Afterward Noah was a preacher of righteousness yet the old world remain ungodly Isaiah 2 Pet. 2. 5. Isa 53. 1. complaineth who hath believed our report Descend to our Saviours times there you finde Christ himself preaching the Pharisees deriding him Luke 16. 14. In the Apostles times Paul preached Christ at Athens and there he is accounted a babler and a setter forth of strange gods Acts 17. 18. Again he preacheth to a company of women and onely Lydia's heart 's opened Acts 16. 14. Simon heard the word and yet remained in the gall of bitterness Acts 8. 23. And the Apostle applies the Prophets complaint to Gospel times Lord who hath believed our report Rom. 10. 16. The Word is compared to meat but the richest fare will not make some men fat and thriving to seed yet you know in the Parable Mat. 13. 3. but one of those four grounds into which it was cast was good and brought forth fruit verse 23. So though this seed of the Word was sown in Jerusalem by the hand yea and watered too by the tears of her Saviour yet she remained fruitless and barren Luke 19. 41. and at Christs second coming he shall finde iniquity abounding charitie cold and scarce faith on the earth Matthew 24. 12. In prosecution of which Doctrine I shall shew First What it is savingly to profit by the Word Secondly The grounds and reasons of most mens unprofitableness under the Word Thirdly Apply it in two words one to the Minister and the other to the people For the first 1. Partic. In this it is necessarie to speak distinctly thereby to correct those common mistakes whereby most men do dangerously delude themselves One remembers the Text a second picks a flower of Rhetorick a third runs away with a notion a fourth admires the preacher a fifth gets a little floating head-knowledge a sixth makes a few formal resolutions a seventh is somewhat moved and affected at a Sermon another lastly praiseth the quaintness and elegancie of the preacher and each of these thinks himself abundantly profited by the Word It is then I. Not to profit and advantage a mans self in the world by the profession and constant hearing of the Word though this be all the profit they look after who count gain godliness Men care for 1 Tim. 6. 5. the Gospel no longer then it is consistent with their wordly advantages who when they come to serve God in attendance upon his word secretly sacrifice to the Idol Self and propound no more to themselves then secular advantages Quantas nobis divitias comparavit haec fabula Christi as Leo the tenth was oft heard to say Men may esteem the Gospel but a Fable and yet adhere to it for outward advantages care not for Diana but her silver-shrines that affect not the Gospel so much as that respect and
outward exercise of them from which place we may note 1. That there can be no profiting without a door of utterance 2. That God must open it as he did for Moses who was of slow speech Exod. 4. 10 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Clemens Alexandrinus God is the onely teacher of us to speak and of you to profit He must open our mouths and your hearts as he did the heart of Lydia and the word to both before it can profit So God saies in regard of the people Esay 48. 17. and so Christ promises to his ministers Luk. 21. 15. 3. Prayer is the key to open this door of utterance to reveal the secret cabinet of Gods will and word Knock and it shall be opened is Christs promise in Matth 7. you must knock by prayer at the gate of heaven that this door of utterance may be opened to the Minister S. Paul mentions this to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 1. 11. II. That God would open your hearts God must do both or neither will be done Acts. 16. 14. S. Paul prayes for his Ephesians chap. 1. ver 17 18. and David for himself Psal 119. 18. Cathedram habet in caelo qui corda docet saies S. Augustin You may open your eares Lib. 4. cap. 16. de Doct. Christ to the word of God and all the while your hearts may be shut against it unless God open that As our Saviour spake to his disciples Having eares hear you not c. so it will be with every one whose heart God doth not open the Minister may bring the Word to the eare but it is the spirit onely can carry it effectually to the heart Prov. 20. 12. The hearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them God must not onely give thee the word but an eye to see it and a heart to embrace it as it is said of Christs preaching to his two disciples Luc. 24. 45. Then opened he their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures The summe of it is Prayer is the means to open the Ministers mouth to speak and your hearts to entertain the word so as to profit by it and therefore neglect of this must needs cause unprofitableness The Wiseman directs you to this course as in Prov. 2. 2 3 4 5 6. It is the Lord onely that gives it and if you would have it from him you must crie after it If any of you lack wisdome you must ask it of God James 1. 5. How deeply are most men to be charged here I accuse none of you but I wish you to deal faithfully with your selves How seldome do you pray seriously to God before you come here Have you this morning been upon your knees earnestly begging of God for the Ministers and your selves if not no wonder if you go away as you come charge it upon your selves quarrel not with God his Ordinances or his Ministers as the cause of your unfruitfulness if you come without praying I do not wonder that you go away without profiting Fifthly Pride when men come with proud hearts to the preaching of the word they are more ready to scorn and oppose the word then to profit by it This hinders I. Pride of our own righteousness When men are puffed up with a conceit of that they discover not their want of the word of God and so undervalue and sleight it this was the reason why our Saviours preaching wrought so little upon the Pharisees as you may see John 39. 40. they were not convinced of their blindness and sin but lifted up with an opinion of their own holiness so it was with the Jews too Rom. 10. 3. If ever we intend to profit by the word we must come emptied of our own righteousness and breathing after the righteousness of Christ held forth in the Gospel An humble though notorious sinner will profit more at the word then a proud self-justitiarie as the Publicans did at the preaching of our Saviour more then the Pharisees II. Pride of our own knowledge this makes men think that constant preaching of the word is needless we shall hear nothing but what we have heard before we know it as well as the preacher can tell us this is the pride of mens hearts It was the Athenians pride of their Philosophical notions which made them esteem Paul's preaching as a vain babling Acts 17. As some proud scholars think themselves beyond their Tutours reading so many are too goodly to be taught High Seraphical souls that are lifted up above ordinances that pretend to such growth that they can live without this spiritual food there is pride of heart at the bottome of all In heaven we shall live immediately upon God but here mediately by his ordinances there we shall see face to face but here in the glass of the word and if we desire to profit by it we must bring an humble frame of spirit Jobs language would become us well Job 34. 32. That which I see not teach thou me wait at wisdomes gates for further discoveries for here we know but in part and see nothing but darkly the best of us had need daily of eye-salve from Christ to have our eyes opened by the word we Acts 26. 18. must become sensible of our ignorance and in this become fools that we may be wise this pride must needs make the word unprofitable upon a three fold account 1. It makes men untractable and unteachable A proud heart is apt to set up many carnal reasonings and proud imaginations which exalt themselves against the word those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 2 Cor. 10. 4. whereby they quarrel with the truth of God as Nicodemus when our Saviour preached to him of regeneration he was as at his How can this thing be John 3. It was this pride made the Greeks count the Gospel foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23. This pride makes men despise the word and they think it a kinde of pusillanimitie of spirit to submit to it who is the Lord saith proud Pharaoh Exod. 5. 2. and thereupon rejects all his messages by Moses so those proud Jerem. 44. 16 Jews in Jeremiah Clemens Alexandrinus saies The word is not to be submitted to the judgement of those who are not yet humbled but have their minds pre-occupied and prejudiced by proud carnal reasonings Observe what the Psalmist saies Psal 10. 4. God is not in the thoughts of his heart The proud will not seek after God that is in his ordinances he thinks it needless or else below him the proud Pharisees were of all other men the most untractable of Christ's doctrine 2. Because pride makes men unwilling to hear what may most profit A proud heart cannot endure to hear his particular sins his darling corruptions struck at or discovered by the word of God A particular reproof of sin is certainly the most profitable 2 Tim. 4. 2. and this a proud heart cannot endure If Christ reproves
14. Magistrates should punish sin without fear or favour by an impartial execution of the Laws as for Sabbath breaking a reigning sin swearing drunkenness c. Nor be Gallioes when these sins are brought before you You care for none of these things Acts 18. 17. Magistrates should be zealous in punishing First-Table-sins for the Second-Table-sins such as Thefts Murders and the like are the issue and birth of Atheisme Swearing Sabbath-breaking c. as I suppose you have heard men when brought to suffer then we may judge them most serious crying out of their Sabbath-breaking as that which brought them to it Thus a Magistrate may promote the service of God by punishing Irreligion and Profaneness c. III. By countenancing and encouraging the godly viz. those who desire to walk strictly with and attend the publick service and Ordinances of God Thus did David Psal 101. 6. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me IV. By upholding the publick worship of God and bringing the people to the publick Ordinances Thus did Joshua if we credit Brentius who gives this as the reason why wickedness prevailed so much after Joshua's death Quia post Joshuam ministerium collapsum erat Then the Ordinances and Ministry were neglected upon which followed Atheisme and contempt of God and that let in an inundation of Profaneness I know Religion is an act of the minde and soul and so not liable to any outward restraint but is onely subject to him who hath an absolute command and Soveraigntie over the conscience but conformitie to an outward worship may be commanded by a Superiour without any Tyrannie over conscience or infringement of Christian libertie I know the Spirit of God can onely put them in but I believe it is the Magistrates dutie and charge to see them brought to the pool V. By protecting and countenancing the Ministry of the word of God and the publick preaching of the Gospel Magistrates are compared to Gates in Scripture Ruth 3. 11. intimating their dutie to let in and give a passage to the Gospel Then the Church and State is like to flourish sin discountenanced Religion propagated when Read Theodoret l. 1. c. 2. Moses and Aaron go hand in hand together the Magistrate to correct sin the Minister to reprove when the Magistrate makes use of the Ministers direction and the Minister enjoys the Magistrates protection It is said of good king Jehosaphat that he sent princes to teach in the cities of Judah 2 Chron. 17. 7. not that they did publickly dispense the word for they had Levites with them verse 8. and they taught verse 6. But they were sent to provide for and countenance the Levites in that office and this is certainly the Christian Magistrates duty to protect the Ministers of the Gospel 1. In their repute and credit lest the Gospel come to be scorned as we have found by lamentable experience that since the Embassadours of the Gospel have been disrespected and opprobries of ignorant men cast upon them to cloud their credit the Gospel hath been undervalued errours multiplied the Scriptures questioned and vilified and I fear the Magistrates will scarce wash their hands from much guilt of all this 2. In their maintenance and just rights Famem ministrorum sequitur Fames verbi as Luther long since foretold That famishing the Ministers would usher in a Famine of the word And if ever the maintenance of the Ministry comes to be arbitrary we should have none but Micha's Levites who serve for ten shekels by the year and a suit of apparel and his victuals This is Scripture Judg. 17. 10. And if you mark the circumstance of the story it was when there was noking in Israel c. vers 6. And that will befall the Ministers which God threatned as a curse upon Elie's house 1 Sam. 2. 36. And it shall come to pass that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread and shall say Put me I pray thee into one of the Priests offices that I may eat a piece of bread Would you account him a friend to the childe that should starve the nurse that she can give no milk to it no better friends are they pretend what they will who would starve the Ministers and so rob the people of the sincere milk of the word by which they should grow 1 Pet. 2. 2. This Scripture speaks of as the badge of bad Magistrates A persecuting Ahab that counted Elijah the troubler of Israel 1 Kings 18. the language of too many now adays and those ungodly Princes who cast Jeremy into the dungeon Jer. 37. 15. Good Hezekiah was of another spirit and temper See his remarkable zeal 2 Chron. 31. 2. that the people might not want the service of God and vers 4. he orders the Priests and Levites maintenance that they might neither want subsistence nor encouragement A good pattern for good Magistrates who desire to promote the worship and service of God VI. By building or repairing the places of Gods worship and service Thus we finde David both by his example and entreaty prepare for the building of the Temple 1 Chron. 29. 2 3. Solomon building it It was Davids trouble and that which he looked upon as an absurdity that he should live in an House of Cedars and the Ark of God remain within curtains 2 Sam. 7. 2. Thus Joas 2 King 12. 5 6 7 8. Josiah 2 King 22. 3 4 5. took care for repairing it And it spoke the pious care of Constantine that after the Church was come out of those ten furious persecutions he caused the Idol Temples to be shut up and the Christian Churches demolished by Dioclesian to be reedified And this piece of promoting the service of God you are not ignorant how your Magistrate now in being hath imitated in reedifying that place of worship formerly famous for Perkins and others which as you cannot without ingratitude but acknowledge as a testimony of his affection to your town thus they argued of their centurion to Christ Luke 7. 5. For he loveth our nation and he hath built us a Synagogue so we cannot without uncharitableness but apprehend it as a good presage of his future zeal in his Government for promoting and upholding the true worship and service of God VII And lastly The influence of a good Magistrate will appear if we consider the sad effects of the want of Magistracy For which I shall lead you no further then this Church of the Jews read at your leisure the five last Chapters of this book of Judges where you may see the sinfull and miserable estate of the Jews when there was no King in Israel not onely outrages and filthy abominations abounding as the abusing of the Levites Concubine unto death Chap. 19. But also Irreligion and Idolatry in the
so nor follow it without sin neither so that the obligation which an erroneous conscience lays upon a man is not to act contrary to it but he ought to get that false light extinguished and his conscience better informed and a true light set up from the word of God Notwithstanding this therefore and all other pretended lights or rules contrary to or besides this I shall close this argument with that of the Apostle Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this rule Peace be on them and the Israel of God The second argument or ground for Scripture-search is Scripture plaineness and perspicuity It is the desire and plot of the Church of Rome to fasten an imputation of obscurity upon the Scripture that hereby she may with the more plausible pretence exalt Peters pretended successour in the infallible chair as an unerring interpreter and also discourage the people from reading them as perswading them that the treasure lies too deep for them to finde and therefore it is to no purpose for them to search but this is to bring a false report upon the Scripture as the spies did upon the land of Canaan All truths necessarie to salvation are plainly laid down in Scripture whence the Scripture is so oft compared to a light as in Psal 119. and Prov. 6. Indeed here we must distinguish between the mysteriousness and obscurity of the things revealed and the manner of the revelation Scripture-mysteries indeed are obscure and deep in which respect S. Peter observed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things hard to be understood in S. Pauls epistles 2 Pet. 3. 16. but the revelation of these mysteries are plain to those that use the means as devout prayer serious meditation frequent reading and the like This is that which David saith Psal 119. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull there is the mystery but in verse 130. The entrance of thy word giveth light there is the perspicuity Some things are less plain ob futuritionem because they foretell things to come as Prophesies and some ob majestatem for the loftiness of them as to instance The mysterie of the Trinity is incomprehensible yet most plainly revealed in 1 John 5. 7. what greater mystery then for God to take flesh for a childe to be born of a virgin yet these most clearly revealed in Scripture 1 John 1. 14. and the other Luke 2. 6 7. Thus that which is obscurely insiâ—â—ated in one place is clearly revealed in another at least in those things that be absolutely necessary to salvation for to this very end Nihil continetur fidei necessorii quod Scriptura per sensum literatem alicubi non manifestâ— tradit Aquin p. 1. q. 1. a. 10. it was written John 20. 31. Yet Scriptures are dark and obscure as to us 1. Because of our pride and though God be said to resist the proud yet he teaches the humble Psal 25. 9. 2. Because of mens unbelief 2 Cor. 4. 3. The Gospel is hid to them that are lost So that while men-are in a state of unregeneracy they are amidst all their acquired knowledge in the dark as to any true saving knowledge of Scripture-mysteries they have no relish of these things A carnal eye cannot see those things which eye hath hath not seen they being the things of the Spirit therefore Christ councels us to buy of him eye-salve Revel 3. 18. without which we can see but little The cloud was light to the Israelites but dark to the Egyptians so is the word of God light to the true Israelites that is believers but dark to unbelievers the dark side of the cloud is towards them who are conversant onely in the letter 3. Because of our weakness and infirmity The mysteries of the Gospel are profound our capacities but shallow we may say of them as the woman of Samaria said of Jacobs well John 4. It is deep and we have not to draw with 4. Because of our curiosity as not content to know onely what God hath revealed 5. Because of our idleness and carelessness in searching Difficultas non est ex re ipsa sed ex nostra oscitantia saies Paraeus He that rides post cannot take a map of the countrey he rides through so he that makes too much hast in reading the Scriptures cannot take an exact account of them To the best by reason of the remainders of their natural blindness it is not so plain as it is in it self therefore Scripture is more perspicuous to some then to others some are better scholars then others in this school according to the means of grace God hath bestowed upon them Ephes 4. 7. and according to the diversity of the Spirit working in opening their eyes but they who understand most have reason to say with the Apostle We know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and to pray with David Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes The use of this will be two-fold First Here we learn the unexcusableness of mens ignorance of Scripture Thou can'st not pretend that it doth not concern thee for Christ hath bidden thee search it nor yet make the obscurity of it a plea for all saving truths lies obvious and plain in it There is indeed strong meat for grown Christians but here is milk too for Babes in knowledge here are mysteries to exercise the acutest wits depths for the profoundest judgements but what may make thee wise to salvation is so plain that a man of the meanest capacitie may apprehend it therefore especially amidst so many means of knowing it as publick reading and preaching the ignorance of it in any is inexcusable Secondly Pray to God for the Spirit to be your teacher in these Gospel-mysteries that you may all be taught of God as it is in John 6. 45. Without this you will be in the dark and grope at noon-day The Sun is most perspicuous yet we cannot see it without its own light the things of the Spirit revealed in Scripture are clear and perspicuous in themselves but will not be so to us without the light of the Spirit There is indeed an external perspicuity of Scripture in the words this may be made out to the worst of men by the improvement of natural abilities and by accomplishment of Arts nay the devils may have a clear understanding of this but then there is an internal perspicuity of Scripture evidenced to the soul by the enlightning of the Spirit of God shining into the heart so irradiating the minde with a Divine light that it sees through the veil of the letter and discovers the mystery of the word This light conveys an experimental taste and a sweet relish of the truths of the word of God In a word the Scripture is plain though we want light to see it the Sun may shine though a blinde man cannot perceive it but now the Spirit brings a suitable light into the soul proportioned to these Scripture-truths which were indited and can onely be evidenced by
the Spirit in 2 Cor. 4. 6. and Prayer is the way to come by the Spirit Luke 11. 13. How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask him The third argument for Scripture-search is Scriptures authority which is divine and infallible S. Paul affirms that it is of divine inspiration in 2 Tim. 3. 16. and it is said to be a more sure word of prophesie by S. Peter 2 Pet. 1. 19. And herein I shall demonstrate this one thing That these Scriptures are the word of God That these Scriptures are the word of God I shall not trouble you with a multitude of arguments to evince it but yet I could not wholly omit it because all who do profess it do not really and fully believe it as I shall evidence to you anon and the faith of many Christians through the strength of Satans temptations and the corruption of their own hearts may sometimes doubt of it that I may therefore convince some and strengthen others I shall present to you these considerations I. The testimony of the Church is not the first or chief ground nor is it a sufficient argument of that faith whereby we believe the Scriptures to be the word of God Into this indeed the Church of Rome doth ultimately resolve its faith Bellarmine openly professes that He would believe the Bible no more then the Alcoran if it were not for the testimony of the Church It is true the outward testimony of the Church may be a motive or a means of our belief of the Scripture for so she is called the pillar and ground of truth to hold it forth and declare it as the pillar holds forth the Princes Proclamation but adds no authoritie to it It may inform us of the truth but not perswade us of the truth The Church hath the charge of Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Oracles of God being committed to her as it is said of the Jewish Rom. 3. 2. as a Trustee of Divine truth to maintain uphold expound and declare Scripture but not the first ground of our belief of it As the Queen of Sheba believed the report of Solomons wisdome by others but more when she heard it her self or as the Samaritans believed because of the report of the woman but more when they heard him John 4. 30 40. The Church may hand the Scriptures to us and we may believe them by but not for the testimony of it Or as a mother may shew the childe the sun and tell him that is the sun but yet the sun manifests its self by its own light so the Church may tell us this is Scripture but it is impossible that the ultimate resolution of a divine faith of supernatural truths should be made into any humane and so consequently fallible and uncertain testimony when as we are to judge of the true Church by the Scripture Nor can this be a conviction to any that the Scriptures are the word of God for either it must be to believers and to them it is unnecessary for they have already effectually entertained it upon other grounds viz. The inward evidences of the word and Testimony of the Spirit and it cannot be to unbelievers for they reject the Church as well as the Scripture and therefore they must be convinced of the true Church before they will admit its testimony and of this there is no other possible means to convince them then by the Scriptures which must be first evidenced unto them Therefore II. There are in Scripture sufficient evidences and convictions even to ingenuous reason that it is the word of God And this is necessary for though after any testimony appears to be Divine reason must not be suffered to dispute and question the thing so attested yet I cannot see why reason should not be used as an instrument or means to evidence such a Revelation to be divine otherwise though I may be otherwise convinced my self it is impossible to convince an Heathen or gainsayer that this is the word of God Our faith is not irrational and though the things revealed be above reason yet that it is supernaturally revealed must be evidenced to reason otherwise my belief is rash precipitate and irrational nor can I give a reason of the hope that is in me as the Apostle requires 1 Pet. 3. 15. Therefore omitting those which I conceive less evincing I shall lay down these few considerations to evidence this 1. Consider the sublimitie of and mysteriousness of the things revealed in Scripture such as the most prying reason could never search into nor the most improved raised parts and abilities ever reach such as the Philosophers never dreamt of such is the fall of man and our corruption by it of which if the Philosophers had some ruder notions yet the means of mans sin and misery viz. by the wilfull transgression of that Covenant made between God and man of not eating of the tree of knowledge c. this they were wholly ignorant of and much less could reason fathom the depth of that Wisdome and Mercy which Scripture discovers in mans recovery by Christ this is a depth which the very Angels desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Pet. 1. 12. to look earnestly into That Apostatized fallen miserable man should again be brought to life by the death of the onely Son of God and that in a way of such unspeakable wisdome and security to all the attributes of God with such a full reconcilement of justice and mercy is a mysterie reason can scarce apprehend now it is revealed much less discover and finde out at first So God's entring into Covenant with lapsed man an Unity in Trinity Redemption by the bloud of Christ Regeneration by the Spirit you know Nicodemus's reason was non-pluss'd here with a Quomodo How can this be John 3. Resurrection of the body being crumbled into dust A last judgement before the tribunal of that Christ who was crucified here these are things which the eye of reason could never have discerned and which the most acute profound Philosophers knew nothing of What Plato knew of God it is very probable he had from Moses of whom he was very studious if we will believe Clemens Alexandrinus S. August l. 7. c. 21. confess S. Augustin confesseth when he had diligently perused Plato he found nothing of our miserie by sin and recovery by Christ nothing of the blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances by the blood of Christ Hoc illae literae non habent saith he He could finde none there crying out with S. Paul Quid faciet miser homo c. What shall miserable man do Who shall deliver him None crying out Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ yet saith he Haec mihi inviscerabantur miris modis cùm minimum Apostolorum tuorum legerem c. Lord these truths were incorporated in me when I read the least of thy Apostles And truely one end of Gods giving us
Scripture was to supply the defect of reason This consideration will yet be more valid if you consider whom God was pleased to make use of as instruments to convey these mysteries to us not an eloquent Tully profound Plato but Amos an Heardsman David a Shepheard Paul a Tent-maker and many of the Apostles poor fishermen men no waies enabled by acquired parts Moses indeed was learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians Acts 7. 22. but there he could not learn the Law and Truths of God where Idolatry was so much overspread So Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel but there he did not learn the mysteries of the Gospel but during that time he thought himself bound to blaspheme the truth and to persecute the Professours of the Gospel which himself afterwards preached Matthew a Publican made a Pen-man of the Scripture All which speak as the admirable wisdome and omnipotent power of Gods grace in conquering their hearts to a closing with the Gospel so Gods revealing these things unto them and in an extraordinary manner furnishing them and acting them by his Spirit to write the Scriptures 2. The exactness of Scripture-holiness such as you shall meet with in no humane writings faith purifying the heart working by love What exact patterns and examples does Scripture hold forth of Purity and Holiness Enoch walking with God Abraham the friend of God and David a man after Gods own heart What strict laws does it prescribe whereas Humane laws tolerate some sins this discovers the wages of the least sin to be death Rom. 6. 23. whereas other Religions are fitted with Fleshly liberties to gratifie mens corruptions witness Mahomet's Alcoran indulging a libertie to the flesh this commands those pieces of holiness which are most contrarie and repugnant to our natural corruptions such as self-denial taking up the cross c. It discovers Original sin and man by the guilt thereof liable to the challenge of God the censure of the law in the first moment of his being and that the least sin every idle word must be accounted for Matth. 12. 36. Had it been an Humane invention you shall have found the flesh gratified as all Religions in the world have some way or other to do it Non habent saith S. Augustin of Plato istae Paginae vultum pietatis hujus lachrymas confessionis sacrificium tuum spiritum contribulatum cor contritum nemo ibi cantat Nonne Deo subdita erit anima mea that is All the Heathen Philosophie hath not so much as a shew of this piety the tears of a broken heart and a contrite spirit which is thy sacrifice no man here crys out with David Let all that is within me praise his holy name Psal 103. 1. The principles of moralitie might deck and granish the outward man but Scripture holiness onely repairs and renews the soul commands the very thoughts and curbs the very first irregular motions of the heart In a word this onely transforms the soul into the image of God from glorie to glorie by the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 18. 3. The excellency of Gospel-promises such as Philosophers never hinted such as the apprehensions of man cannot comprehend now they are revealed much less could they imagine or invent It would be infinite to enlarge I shall therefore instance but in two Ease to troubled wearied souls Nemo ibi audit Venite ad me qui laboratis saith S. Augustine speaking of the writings of Philosophers He could not among all the Platonick Philosophers finde such an expression so comfortable a promise as this Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden No sanctuary for troubled souls but the bloud of Christ which this Scripture onely discovers Isai 40. 1 2. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem c. And another Promise in Isai 43. 2. I will be with thee when thou passest through the fire and through the water not such a Promise in all the writings of men a Promise of Gods gracious presence here and then the Promise of eternal rest in another world The Heathens might dream of an Elysium Mahomet promise a confluence of sensual carnal delights in green meadows to his followers but an happiness made up of an eternal enjoying God by vision and love is a thing their reason could never reach but must certainly be a Divine Revelation as being that which Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive of 4. The nature and event of Scripture prophesies which are such as the eye of omniscience onely can reach as being beyond the foresight of the most perfect creature Moses foretold the seed of the woman should break the serpents head much above three thousand years er'e it was accomplished So Jacobs prophesie of the coming of Shiloh upon the departure of the Scepter from Judah Gen. 49. fell out accordingly a little before Christs birth when the Jews were subjected to the power of the Romans Thus all the Prophets foretelling the calling of the Gentiles a thing so strange that when accomplished many did not understand it and more were offended at it Isaiah prophesied the captivitie and destruction of Jerusalem even then when the kingdome was in a flourishing condition both which afterward fell out Thus Josiah's name and actions were foretold three hundred years before his birth 1 Kings 13. 2. and Cyrus's an hundred years before his birth Isai 45. 1 2. c. And what doth all this speak but a Divine revelation Man may see some things future as they are in their causes but to foretel such future events as are merely dependant upon the Divine will such as these are is onely proper to God Testimonium divinitatis veritas divinationis saies Tertullian The certainty of foretelling is a sure Testimony of Divinity And so we finde that in Isai 41. 22 23. the foretelling such futurities is made a distinction of the true God from all false ones 5. Consider how these Scriptures have gained authority and acceptance from the world by quite contrary means to other writings not by sinfull compliances with the humours and lusts of men which hath much promoted the Alcoran of Mahomet for these it impartially and severely taxes and condemns not insinuated into mens mindes by the pomp and pleasantness of Rhetorick no adornings with the flowers of Rhetorick to make them seem gratefull to the world but by a plain stile and homely expression It gains acceptance by the mysteriousness of the things more then eloquence of the stile so the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 2. 4. My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power It is the custome of men to slatter Great ones by a complemental dedication and thereby to gain honour and repute to their writings but observe the dedications of the Scriptures they are to the poor condemned scattered Saints at Corinth and elsewhere so 1 Pet. 1. 1.
dispendium ex imputationis doctrina nisi eum obsurdescerent Haeretici ad ravim usque clamamus inhaerentem justitiam inseparabiliter cum imputata conjunctam studium bonorum operum fructum effectum asserimus fidei quâ haec justitia Christi applicatur meritum bonorum operum repudiamus usum necessitatem profitemur excludimus ex actu justificationis non ab homine justificato interim asserimus Justitiam Christi solùm valere eámque totam desiderari ad nostram justificationem concludimus Tota Christi justitia imputatur credentibus ad justificationem FINIS The qualification of a Gospel-Minister in a Sermon on ACTS 18. 24. And a certain Jew named Apollos born at Alexandria an eloquent man mighty in the Scriptures came to Ephesus NOthing more conduceth to the souls comfort and establishment of any Church then the constant presence of a learned and the pious example of a religious pastor as nothing betrayes people sooner to ignorance irreligion and apostacie then a want or absence of a judicious and religious minister Moses cannot Exod. 32. 1. stir from the Israelites to the mount though upon necessary occasion of converse with God but presently they fall into Idolatrie worshipping the calf and it is no great wonder if wolves should make a prey of the flock when they have no shepherd Let itinerarie non-residents think of this S. Paul was deeply sensible of it and therefore the care of all churches being upon him which he mentions as an additionall trouble to all his other when ever the 2 Cor. 11. 28 work of the Gospel called him from any church he was carefull to leave or send another to them as Titus to Crete and Timothy to Titus 1. 5. 1 Thes 3. 2. the Thessalonians to establish and confirm them in the faith and here when he was necessitated to leave Ephesus to go to Jerusalem at the Passeover conceiving that the fittest opportunitie to spread and propagate the Gospel there rather then any other time of the year he is carefull to substitute Apollos in which Calvin piously Calvin in locum admires the providence of God over his church not to suffer it without a setled minister who might recompence the loss of Paul and water that church which he had there planted Apollos I say one fully furnished for the work of the Gospel and most fit for Ephesus ministeriall gifts then proving most usefull when right placed the want of which hath rendred many great Pauls and men of eminent abilities unprofitable useless and unsuccessfull famous Cor. in locum then for Orators and Philosophers Ut artem arte eluderet that as Julian the Apostate cried out when convinced and non-pluss'd by the reasons of the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Theodoret. lib. 3. cap. 8. they were catch't in their own net and beaten at their own weapons so Apollos here might by his heavenly and ravishing eloquence catch them in the net of the Gospel who so much boasted of their fleshly and carnall wisdome Two things are considerable in the words 1. The person Apollos the same if you believe Grotius with In locum Rom. 16. 10. that Apelles S. Paul salutes and commends 2. The qualification that 's twofold 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An eloquent man 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mighty in the scriptures 1. The person Apollos of whom I intended to have spoken little or nothing but that I observe the Church-Levellers of our time who would remove the ancient land-marks pull up the hedges and lay the ministerial office open and in common to all whose confidence covetousness or ambition makes them pretend to Gifts or whom the less judicious multitude out of faction or separation or envy to the setled ministery or affectation of noveltie or weakness and rashness shall judge gifted though not called or ordained they make this instance of Apollos as one of their asylums to flee to whom they alleadge as a gifted brother no ordained preacher Give me leave therefore to suggest briefly some few hints to you which may lead us into a more full discovery of the person and may drive these pretenders from that refuge which they have betaken themselves to in this instance of Apollos 1. It is probable that Apollos being an Alexandrian was educated in the school of S. Mark who first planted the Christian faith here as Eusebius shews or as others conjecture among the Hâ—st Euseb lib. 2. cap. 16. Essens who had a famous school at Alexandria and if you believe Baronius were convert Jews turned Christians which he thinks probable both because those historians which speak of the Jews as Josephus Strabo and the rest are wholly silent concerning this sect and chiefly because all the sects of the Jews as Pharisees Sadduces Herodians the scripture speaks of as enemies to Christ but we read of no opposition Christ met with from the Essens nor doth Christ ever charge or denounce woes against them as against the rest though I know others impute this to the fewness of that sect in Jerusalem whilest our Saviour lived or else to the peaceable quietness and calm of their spirit not being given to contradiction as the Sadduces and Pharisees were men of more hot and fiery spirits it being part of their religion as it is of too many of our times to suffer every man in his certain it is and confessed of all that they were very diligent and industrious in searching the scriptures of the old Testament especially the Prophets and so might learn much of Christ and here it is likely Apollos might get his large scripture-knowledge which he so powerfully managed to the conviction of the Jews concerning Christ for verse 28. it is said that He mightily convinced the Jews and that publickly shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ 2. Observe the place where Apollos preached it was not a Christian constituted Church but a Jewish Synagogue verse 26. He began to speak boldly in the Synagogue It was a generall though corrupt custome amongst the Jews to indulge libertie to learned men though no priests to teach in their Synagogues as the Scribes and the Lawyers which the Gospel every where speaks of upon which custome it was that S. Paul though of the tribe of Benjamin was so oft permitted to preach in their Synagogues as we read throughout this book of the Acts hence the teaching of the Scribes is opposed to that authority wherewith Christ preached Mat. 7. 29. it is said Christ taught the people as one having authority and not as the Scribes who had none So we finde Apollos here preaching in the Synagogue non ut habens autoritatem sed scientiam saith the learned Estius as making use of and taking in locum Mat. 4. v. ult advantage of that indulgence of the Jews to preach and spread the doctrine of Christ 3. Observe the time when he preached it was when God for the more speedy
swadling-clothes in which Christ was wrapped Our reason is of too low a stature and therefore as Zacheus did upon the Sycamore we must climbe the tree of life the Scripture if we would get a sight of Jesus Naturall reason may discover the back-parts of God in the creature but if she pretends or presumes to discover the Sun of righteousness she betraies her weakness and degeneracie it is one end of Scripture-revelation to supply the shortness and defect of naturall reason Nay the glorious Angels the most quick-sighted of the whole creation could not have discovered these Gospel-mysteries Which things saith the Apostle the Angels desire to look into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stoop to peep to prie into as things vailed and hidden 1 Pet. 1. 12. alluding to the Cherubims which were made with their eyes looking down towards the mercie-seat the word signifies a diligent sollicitous and through search Tanta Evangelii mysterii salutis majestas est atque jucunditas saith Glassius either ravished with the pleasantness or confounded and blinded with the Majestie of these mysteries They desire to prie into them and so they might have done and been never the wiser had not God revealed them by Scripture What the Apostle speaks of that one mysterie of Ephes 3. 10. incorporating Jew and Gentile into one bodie by Christ we may say of these Gospel-mysteries that God revealed to the intent that unto principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdome of God without which revelation the Angels had been strangers to these mysteries to this very day 2. The excellencie of the revelation it self or manner of revealing them which appears upon a three-fold account 1. The fulness and sufficiencie of it both as to doctrine and practice faith and maners both to make a man of God wise unto 2 Tim. 3. 15 17. salvation and perfect to every good work 1. Scripture contains a full revelation of all foundations of faith or things necessarie to be believed to salvation either expresly or by convincing evident and undeniable consequence and needs not to be eeked out with unwritten traditions or pretended enthusiasmes and revelations Tradition which brings down and conveys Scripture-truths through the successive ages of the Church to us we cannot without ingratitude but acknowledge as an eminent instance and testimonie of Gods providence and none of the least arguments for the authoritie and Divinitie of Scripture and in this sence the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the pillar holds forth the Kings proclamation but contributes no authoritie to it And in this sence too S. Augustin's non credidissem Scripturae nisi Ecclesiae autoritas commoveret may go for good and currant Divinitie we could not have believed the Scripture because we could not have had it if providence had not handed it to us by the Church So revelation of Scripture-mysteries by the Spirit of God we acknowledge as the accomplishment of a great Gospel-promise of the Spirit leading us into all truth which therefore Joh. 16. 13. the Apostle Paul praies for for the Ephesians that God would give unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of revelation the knowledge Ephes 1. 17. of Christ but traditions or revelations as additionall or supplementall to Scripture we reject as detracting from the wisdome of God and the perfection of revealed truth Non est scriptum timeat Tertul. Revel 22. 18 vae illud adjicientibus to wit that wo if any shall adde unto these words God shall adde unto him the plagues which are written in this book and the Apostle passeth an Anathema upon whoever should though an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel then he had Gal. 1. 6. preached Notanter dicit praeter non contra not onely what is against but what is more then Scripture-revelation is to be rejected there is enough revealed to bring us unto salvation and what would you have more These things are written saith S. John that ye Joh. 20. 31. might believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name and Search the Scriptures for in them ye Joh. 5. 39. think to have eternall life and our Saviour doth not blame them for thinking so And if Scripture be not sufficient we may say as the disciples in another case ad quid perditio haec to what purpose Matth. 26. 8. was it written To the law and to the testimonie saith Isaiah Esay 8. 20. When the rich glutton in hell desired one should be sent from the dead to his brethren Abraham sends them to Moses and the Prophets let them hear them let them but believe what is in Moses and Luke 16. 29. the Prophets and they need not fear coming into this place of torment 2. Scripture is a full and perfect rule of holiness able to make the man of God throughly furnished to every good work Therefore 2 Tim. 3. 17. our Saviour when the Lawyer came and tempted him with that question What shall I do to inherit eternall life bids him have Luke 10. 25 26. recourse to the Scriptures What is written in the law how readest thou This is the onely perfect and unerring rule of true righteousness Those three words of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titus 2. 11 12. speak the whole dutie of a Christian in all his capacities and relations to God himself and his neighbour and this the Gospel teacheth and engageth us to do So perfect a rule it is that the most specious observances the most glorious performances the most exact worship is no way acceptable unto God if not commanded in and directed by the Word They may have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they may have a shew of wisdome in Will-worship Coloss 2. 23. to the pleasing of men not to the honour of God God gave Moses a pattern for the making of the Tabernacle and David for the Exod. 25. 9. Temple and all things were to be ordered and regulated according Heb. 8. 5. to this pattern God hath set us a perfect rule of worship in his word and no service pleaseth him but what is according to this rule as our Saviour told the woman of Samaria concerning the Samaritan worship at mount Garazim and Jewish worship at Jerusalem that the Samaritanes worshipped they knew not what the Jews knew what they worshipped for salvation was of the Jews Why so because the Jews had Gods speciall direction and appointment of Gods word for their service which the Samaritanes had not We acknowledge the Churches power to determine decent observances and constitutions for publick order in the service of God The Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will sufficiently warrant this 1 Cor. 14. 40. The Church is a cypher stands for nothing if it hath not power here and he who wilfully sleights these will be found guiltie of
oft in divers successions one contrarie to another in the guidances and direction of our Pastors and Teachers Nor can we certainly or safely resolve our belief into them for we are bid to trie these Spirits whether they be of God They may either out of ignorance 1 John 4. 1. or malice mislead you Scripture Canon is the onely infallible guide and God may as soon deceive you as Scripture can 3. The excellent ends fruits of this revelation and the knowledge of it that is not onely for discourse though I could heartily wish it were made more use of this way not onely to exercise a subtile wit though there be Scripture-mysteries will do this too not onely to ripen a lascivient fancie which are the greatest ends of all other knowledge but the ends of Scripture-knowledge are more heavenly and spiritual The Apostle hath enumerated them to our hands it is profitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 2 Tim. 3. 16. doctrine if thou beest ignorant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for reproof if thou beest erring and misled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for correction if thou beest sinning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for instruction in righteousness to lead the to and direct thee in thy dutie Consider the excellencie of it in these respects above all other knowledge 1. It is a confirming knowledge the foundation and principle of constancie and settledness in Religion The chief cause of the light Scepticisme and wavering unsettledness of our times is the want of a sound Scripture-knowledge of the Truth with which if mens spirits were well ballassed they would not so soon be tossed about and carried away with every wind of doctrine The Apostle speaking of such gives this account of it that they were children Ephes 4. 14. in understanding Observe who they are the Apostle speaks of who are led captive by those seducers who creep into houses they are sillie women And why they the reason is given because they verse 7. are ever learning and can never come to the knowledge of the truth No man can simply desire to be deceived Error as error hath no sutableness or adequation to mans understanding but many are deluded by error under the vizard of truth Jacob was deceived with blear-eyed Leah instead of fair Rachel While men are in the dark not enlightned by a clear Scripture-knowledge they oft court error for truth This never more easie then in these daies when that which will most secure us from Apostatizing from acknowledged and received truth is a sound Scripture-knowledge which therefore the Apostle prays God for the Colossians and others that they might have the full assurance Coloss 2. 2. of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mysterie of Christ and he gives the reason This speak I lest any man should beguile you with Verse 4. eâ—tising words 2. It is a comforting supporting knowledge So David found it Psal 19. 8. The statutes of the Lord are pure rejoycing the heart and verse 10 sweeter they are then the honey and the honey-comb The Wise-man and he spake it experimentally as having more wisdome then all that were before him in Jerusalem found the upshot of all his knowledge to be nothing but vexation of spirit Eccles 1. 16. passing this deliberate judgement and sentence upon it verse 18. that in much wisdome is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow But the comfort of Christians was one end of Scripture which was written That we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope Here an observant Rom. 15. 4. Reader may discover many glorious promises which are rich treasures of comfort full breasts of consolation from which the pious Christian may suck much supporting and chearing sweetness Here we may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation as the Prophet expresseth it Isaiah 66. 11. The promise is as full of comfort as a dugge is full of milk as crying children are quietted with the dugge so perplexed consciences are quieted and eased by the promises this all other knowledge in the world cannot help you too What refuges hath Seneca the wisest of Stoicks found for doubting and troubled mindes and yet all ended in mere disquietness Not Athens must teach this lesson but Jerusalem not Reason but Revelation not Nature but Scripture I have read of a woman who was much disquieted in conscience even to despair and endeavouring to prove her own executioner was comforted by that promise Isaiah 57. 15. Thus saith the high and the loftie one which inhabiteth eternitie whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit to revive the hearts of the contrite ones and of another who being readie to die Lord saith he I challenge thy promise by which thou art engaged to give rest to those who are weary and heavy laden and so was comforted 3. It is a Transforming knowledge which no other knowledge is We read Rom. 1. 21. of the Heathen who when they knew God glorified him not as God and the Psalmist having spoken of the knowledge of God in his creatures subjoyns this as the perfection of the word of God Psal 19. 7. that it converteth the soul The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul In a word natural knowledge is onely sufficient to make men without excuse but Scripture-knowledge to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. Secondly The usefulness and necessitie of it as to an Apollos is still in Scripture justly accounted the cognizance and commendation of of an able Minister It was Ezras commendation that he was a readie Scribe in the Law of Moses and Timothies that 2 Tim. 3. 15. from a child he had known the holy Scriptures which Paul notes as the badge of a good Minister Thou saith he to Timothy shalt be a good Minister nourished up in the words of faith and of good 1 Tim. 4. 6. doctrine This knowledge is necessarie 1. That he may truely and savingly make known and discover Jesus Christ This is the great dutie of Ministers which was the end for which S. Paul desired the door of utterance Colos 4. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak the mysterie of Christ and therefore he desired to know nothing among the Corinthians but Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2. 2. and him crucified Christ he is the summe of Law and Gospel the substance and as it were Epitome of the written Word Every thing in Scripture relates some way or other to Christ the Types shadowed him the Prophets foretold him the Sacraments signifie him and seal him The Law is a School-master to lead us unto Christ Gal. 3. 24. the Gospel offers him and conveys him our faith receives him our love imbraces him our hope expects him our obedience imitates and honours him the promises are grounded upon him by the Gospel-priviledges purchased by him Thus Christ is the
Center wherein all these lines of revealed truth meet and when a Minister hath discovered Christ he hath done all and this he cannot do without the Scriptures Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me saith Christ John 5. 3. We are Embassadors for Christ and 2 Cor. 5. 20. the Scriptures are our Credential letters which contain all the terms of reconciliation and peace upon which we must treat with rebellious sinners and act for the interest of our great Lord and Master 2. That he may preach according to the analogie of faith which is the Apostles exhortation Rom. 12. 6. let him that prophesieth prophesie according to the analogie of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the scope consent and harmonie of Scripture Scripture is its own best interpreter one Scripture gives light to another as it was an ordinance of old for the Priest in the Temple to light one lamp by another and the Jews were wont when they read Moses to read so much of the Prophets as was most answerable to that part of the Law To observe the consent of Scripture is an excellent means of understanding Christ The Apostles themselves though acted by the same infallible Spirit yet alwaies quote Scripture not so much to confirm their doctrine as to demonstrate the harmonie of revealed truth and so to explain obscurer Scripture by plainer as S. Peter having alleadged that place Psal 16. Acts 2. from v. 25. to 32. 10. Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell c. which might seem obscure he presently adds other Scriptures to prove that this could not be understood of David but of Christ as you may see Acts 2. verse 30. A Timothy must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a form of sound 2 Tim. 1. 13. words not onely some loose scattered confused notions of Truth but a methodical orderly Systeme of Scripture-truth that hereby discovering the dependance of one upon another he may the more fully understand all This notion of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly to divide the word of ruth to wit according to Scripture-analogie and consent canâ—not 2 Tim. 2. 15. be done without a laborious studie and perfect knowledge of the Scripture 3. That he may convince gainsayers which is a dutie the Apostle requires of every Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two sorts of Gainsayers a Minister is to grapple with 1. Gainsayers in Opinion 2. Gainsayers in Practise By Scripture-knowledge he may be able to convince both these 1. Gainsayers in Opinion whose errours contradict the truth of Scripture And if ever it were necessarie to be armed against such most certainly in our daies wherein it is the height of many mens ambition and a great attainment to be a Gainsayer to received and acknowledged truth None so successfull conviction of such as by Scripture-argument if you alleadge and urge Reason some of our Gainsayers are uncapable of it and will cast it of as Carnal if Learning too much say they makes you mad but as David said of 1 Sam. 21 9. Goliah's sword there is none like that no sword fitter to fight with these opposers then the sword of the Spirit the word of God none like this with this our Saviour routed Satan the Prince of darkness the father and patron of errour in three onsets Scriptum Mat. 4. 7. est c. as thus afterwards our Saviour dealt with Satans complices and abettors as the Sadduces who denied the resurrection Have ye not read he confutes them from Exod. 3. 6. I am the God Mat. 22. 3â— 32. of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living So the Pharisees errour concerning the lawfulness of divorce Christ confutes from Genes 1. and 2. Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made Mat. 19. 4. 5 6. them male and female and they twain shall be one flesh and so forth The Apostles afterwards trod in their Masters steps and wrote after his Copie Stephen confutes the Jews by epitomizing the historie Acts 7. of the Old Testament S. Paul confutes the Idolatrie of the Athenians from Psal 50. 8. Who giveth us life and breath and all Acts 17. 25. things as you may see And this was one effect of Apollos his accuratness in the Scripture that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he convincèd the contradicting Acts 18. 29. and gainsaying Jews that Jesus was Christ So true is that of Tertullian that Hereticks are lucifugae Scripturarùm they De resur câ—r hate the light of the Scriptures lest their errours should be detected and reproved The Papists denie the people the use of Scripture upon this pretence lest it should breed errours the truth is lest it should discover and confute them He that doth truth comes to the light but errour hates it Thus the Manichees errour of God being Psal 5. 4. Habak 1. 13. the cause of sin flees the light of those Scriptures Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness and A God of purer eyes then to behold sin and He that doth sin is of his father the devil So the Pelagian 1 John 3. 8. errour of Free-will and the Power of corrupted nature flees the light of those Scriptures Without me you can do nothing saith John 15. 5. Phil. 2. 13. Christ and God worketh both to will and to do of his good pleasure The Antinomian doctrine cannot bear the light of those Scriptures Mat. 5. 17. Rom. 3. 31. I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it and Do we make void the Law by faith God forbid nay we stablish the Law An induction of particulars would be too tedious but this in general that opinion which the Scripture confutes not either is no errour at all or be sure of no dangerous consequence in point of salvation 2. Gainsayers in practise who contradict the purity of the Gospel by holding the truth in unrighteousness and turning Gospel-grace into wantoness and these are more frequent then the former Many profess Gospel-truth yet do not embrace Gospel-holiness these are to be convinced by Scripture as our Saviour did Mat. 15. 7. Esay 29. 13. the Pharisees of hypocrisie from the Prophet Esay This people draweth near unto me with their mouth and their lip but their heart is far from me All things which are reproved are made manifest by the Ephes 5. 13. light that is to say by the light of the Scriptures There is a searching power in the word of God which is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and if it be powerfully and wisely managed Hebr. 4. 12. how may a Moses make the heart of a Pharaoh sometimes â—elent a Nathan make a David weepe a Paul put a Felix into a 〈◊〉 of trembling and a Peter make the
notions speculations and prepossessions as we shall finde it very hard afterwards to vail and submit to the simplicitie and truth of the Gospel Nay if the most pious practicall devout writings of men with which this age to the glorie of it abounds hinder our studie of Scripture it is our sin and provocation and a high disparagement of the word of God Nor indeed can we with the same confidence and securitie read them as being oft mixed with errour interest and inconsiderate zeal and those other imperfections which the frailtie of the best spirit betraies them to as waters though never so pure in the fountain will relish of that mine they run through as we may promise our selves from these Oracles of God penned by the unerring dictates and guidance of the Spirit of God It is well known what worth Luther's works are of yet he professeth Odi libros meos saepe opto interire quòd metuo nè morentur lectores abducant à lectione ipsius Scripturae quae sola omnis sapientiae fons est That he hated his own books and oft wished them perished lest they should be a means to withdraw men from the studie of the Scripture which is the onely fountain of true and saving wisdome 2. This should put every one of us upon the search and studie of Scripture Which that we may do successfully 1. Be much in prayer that 's the key to unlock these cabinets of precious jewels S. Augustine hath two remarkable stories to this purpose the one of Antonius the Hermite who was so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God that he could though he knew not one letter fully understand and by heart repeat the whole Scripture the other of a certain servant converted from Heathenisme to Christianitie who triduanis precibus obtinuit codicem oblatum stupentibus qui aderant legendo percurreret by three days continuing in prayer had such revelations that to the admiration of the beholders he could read the whole Bible This is the course the Wiseman directs to Prov. 2. 3 4 5. If thou searchest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding c. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God This S. James exhorts to James 1. 5. If any man lack wisdome let him ask of God This David practised Open my eyes as he praies to God Psal 119. 18. that I may see wondrous things out of thy Law The Spirit is the best nay onely rerevealer and true interpreter of Scripture What is said of the Jews that when Moses is read the vail is upon their heart may be 2 Cor. 3. 15 16. Rev. 3. 16. said of every one who is not enlightned by the Spirit of God whose eyes are not anointed with this eye-salve a vail of flesh a vail of ignorance a vail of corruption is upon their hearts To think to discover the things of the Spirit without the Spirit is to dream of seeing without light now prayer is the way to come to the Spirit How shall not your heavenly Father saith Christ Luke 11. 13. give the holy Spirit to them that ask him 2. Avoid a proud and prying curiositie this darkens Scripture when men are not content to know what God would have revealed but wrest out of the Scriptures what was never intended in them These are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which S. Peter speaks of 2 Pet. 3. 16. to whom he therefore saith the Scriptures are dark and obscure who play the Chymists with Scripture and as they endeavour to do with natural bodies extort that out of them which God and nature never put into them How have the forced Allegories obscure Cabbalas impertinent nice Criticismes obscured and darkned revealed truth which I am so charitable as to think rather Essays for exercising mens wits then for interpreting and clearing the Scripture I think it a good way to understand Scripture never to leave the literal sence unless when it is inconsistent and repugnant to the analogie of faith then we must seek a figurative else not as when Matt. 5. 29 30. we are commanded to pluck out our right eye and cut off our right hand which in the letter is repugnant to the command of not killing this must be interpreted figuratively of parting with our nearest and dearest corruptions which are as near and dear unto us as a right hand or a right eye 3. Resolve to practise what you read and understand in Scripture this is the reason men profit no more in the Scriptures they hear out of fashion and custome they read out of curiositie not conscience It is grace in the heart and obedience in the life which makes men fruitfull in Scripture-knowledge upon which the Apostle Peter grounds his exhortation 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. to adde to our faith virtue to virtue knowledge to knowledge temperance c. he subjoyns the reason v. 8 9. If these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall not be barren and unfruitfull in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ but he that lacketh these things is blinde The Turk writes upon the out-side of his Alkoran Let no man touch this book but he that is pure and the Philosopher gives this reason why a Arist lib. 1. Ethic. cap. 3. young man cannot be a profitable scholar in Moralitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because guided by lust and passion and the Apostle gives the same reason why some were ever learning and could never come to the knowledge of the truth because they were led away by divers 2 Tim. 3. 6 7. lusts on the contrarie nothing improves knowledge more then holiness which David gives as an account of his knowledge Psal 119. 100. I understand more then the Ancients because I keep thy precepts 4. Be diligent in reading the Scriptures which was Pauls charge to Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to reading make it thy work and business God is not wanting to the diligent and constant searchers of Scripture When the Eunuch was reading the Prophet Esay God provides him an instructer sends Philip to Acts. 8. 9. him to teach him I shall end all this with the exhortation of S. Paul Coloss 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome and S. Peters conclusion of his Epistles 2 Pet. 3. 18. shall be the Conclusion of my Sermon Grow in grace and in the Scripture-knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to him be glory both now and for ever AMEN FINIS THESIS DE FIDE JUSTIFICANTE SUB RATIONE INSTRUMENTI Quam SUB PRAESIDIO ANTONII TUCKNEY S. T. D. Ac in eadem Professoris Regii Kalend. Julii 1656. in die Comitiorum CANTABRIGIAE Tuebatur JOANNES FROST Collegii D. Joannis ibidem Socius pro gradu Baccalaureatûs in Theologia CANTABRIGIAE Ex Officina Joannis Field Almae Academiae Typographi Anno Dom. MDCLVII ORNATISSIMO DIGNISSIMOQUE VIRO
1. qu. 23. art 5. p. 94. c. 3. merita sua illis applicasse qui praedestinati electi fuerunt consonant to this is Ioh. 17. 24. I will that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me c. they determinately not others 4. In respect of peculiar communications from Christ which proceed from that special relation which they have unto and peculiar union with Christ as members to the head for though there be a laying out of grace for some in divine purposes yet there is no effectual partaking of it till actual believing for communion is founded in union the bond of which is faith Eph. 3. 17. by means of this union a Christian partakes of grace of sense motion growth life from Christ as the head onely communicates to the united members Christ is the Saviour onely of his body Eph. 5. 23. III. This peculiarity appears in the peculiar workings of the spirit and here is a four-fold peculiarity 1. In respect of peculiar illumination The Apostle speaking of the shortness of natural light as to saving discoveries 1 Cor. 2. 9 14. yet addes ver 10. but God hath revealed them to us by his spirit c. so in that most excellent Scripture 2 Cor. 4. having said ver 3 4. that the Gospel is hid to those that are lost he addes ver 6. an intimation of a special illumination indulged to Saints For however he dealt with others God who commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ David makes this an argument in begging illumination of God I am thy servant saith he Psal 119. 125. give me understanding A wicked man may have much common illumination but such as vastly differs from the illumination of the Saints those puff them up with pride these humble them though I confess this leaven is apt to infect the best as Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7. Notwithstanding those the soul stands at a distance and enmitie from Christ nay oft apostatizeth from the profession of him but Heb. 6. 4. these bring the soul effectually to close with Christ Every man saith Christ Ioh. 6. 45. that hath learned of the Father cometh unto me That 's a head-floating illumination this an heart-affecting illumination that like the light of a glow-worm which hath no heat in it this like the light of the sun warmeth and quickneth where it comes it is called the light of life Joh. 8. 12. it provokes Saints to love God and to trust in God Psal 9. 10. they which know thy name will put their trust in thee Common illumination in a wicked man is like the sun shining upon a dung-hill calls out its stench and corruption whereas this illumination is a heart-changing and a life-reforming knowledge See Ephes 4. 20 21 22. 2. In respect of a peculiar sanctification so in the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might purifie unto himself a peculiar people so Tit. 3. 5. He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Sometimes Gods peculiar lie wallowing in the mire Ezek. 36. 25. of sin a long time with the rest of the world in the grossest pollutions till God by his grace and spirit sanctifies them to himself as a peculiar Therefore God promiseth in the Prophet his spirit as clean water to sanctifie the people I am sure so it was with the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. And such were some of you but how come they to be otherwise why ye are washed ye are sanctified by the spirit of our God Christ is made Sanctification as well as Righteousness 1 Co◠1. 30. to his people Righteousness by imputation Sanctification by powerfull and gracious energie and operation 3. In respect of peculiar sealing Seals note propriety we seal what is our own God sets the seal of his spirit upon believers to note that proprietie he hath in them it is peculiar to such Eph. 1. 13. in whom also after you believed you were sealed with that holy spirit of promise So 2 Cor. 1. 21 22. who hath sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts It notes that esteem God hath of his people we do not use to seal up trifles but jewels which we most value and his special love to his chosen ones Christ set his spouse as a seal Cant. 8. 6. upon his heart the seat of love thus you finde out of every tribe a peculiar number sealed to God Rev. 7. 5. God seals none with his spirit but whom he hath sealed with the privie seal of election of which the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his 4. In respect of special and peculiar communions with God Eph. 2. 18. For through him we both have an access by one spirit to the father through Christ as Mediatour meriting our access to God by the spirit directing and assisting us in our addresses to him 1 John 1. 3. Our fellowship is with the Father and the Son a thing which wicked men are wholly strangers to men in a natural condition are described to be without Christ and God that is can have no communion Eph. 2. 12. with him for as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 6. 15 16. What concord hath Christ with Belial what communion hath light with darkness fellowship with sin and communion with Christ are inconsistent all communion with God is grounded in a covenant-interest by the fall man lost all communion with God and cannot be restored to it but through a Mediatour in whom we have interest upon the account onely of the covenant of grace but wicked men are strangers to the covenant Ephes 2. 12. communion flowes from union now the spirit being the bond of union must also be the means of Communion and this is the Saints Peculiar whose communion with God here is mediate in Ordinances in which a wicked man enjoys nothing of Gods which is the Saints priviledge here as immediate Communion is their happiness and glory hereafter sed quorsum haec may some say This I shall endeavour now to shew you by some short and plain Application First It serves to silence those who rob God of his peculiar or at Applicati ∣ on least of his glory in having a peculiar people as those do who assert the death of Christ to have been equally intended for all those who lay all the success of Christs undertakings and of grace offered upon the arbitrary uncertain determination and compliance of mans fallible nay corrupted will By which means it may come to pass nay were it so it would come to pass certainly that God should have no peculiar people for the corrupt will cannot encline to close with grace till grace subdue the perversness of it or to speak the best should God have a peculiar upon
the seeming plausible pretences of reason should contradict it As the mysterie of the Trinity Incarnation Resurrection and the like are to reason seeming contradictions yet to be believed upon the account of Scripture testimony in which the ultimate resolution of our faith ought to be made not into the fallible evidences of reason or the erring dictates of men If you finde a scriptum est Let God be true though all men be liars Rom. 3. 4. 2. Because of that consent and harmony that is in Scripture testimony no jarring or contradiction in it but what the Prophets foretold the Evangelists speak of is fulfilled In humane writings how frequently may we observe one contradicting another and this reason clashing with that Nay the same authour through ignorance or forgetfulness inconsistent to himself but in Scripture there is a full and perfect consent as all proceeding from the dictate of the same infallible spirit as in 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God c. and 2 Pet. 1. 21. For the prophesie came not in old times by the will of man but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost And though there may seem sometimes to be some contradictions and inconsistences yet these arise not from the Scripture it self but from our shortness weakness or ignorance and the like therefore we say what our Saviour saith at vers 46. of this chapter Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me and as Paul speaks in his Apologie for himself Act. 26. 22. Saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come A sweet consent there is between Christ Moses and Paul 3. Because Scripture was given to this very end to be a certain and infallible ground of truth for though God during the infancy of the Church while it was inclosed in some few families revealed himself by visions and communicated his will from hand to hand by tradition from Adam to Moses and by extraordinary revelation yet when the Church increased and the people grew more corrupt and inclining to the heathen Idolatry God gave the law by Moses and so successively by the Prophets and Apostles by whom it pleased God to reveal his minde and will to all in writing both that it might be the better conveyed unto posterity as we finde it in Psal 102. 18. This shall be written for the generation to come and the more easily secured from corruption Had God still conveyed it unto us by the way of tradition either through the unfaithfulness of mans memory or his being subject to errour or affectation of novelty it had been laid open to a multitude of corruptions which if as experience shewes us scarce prevented by the penning of it how much less if it never had been written And also that the Church might have an exact standard of faith a perfect rule and an infallible judge of truth and therefore Ephes 2. 20. The Church is said to be built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Faith builds surer here then upon the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles And this S. Luke tells us expresly was his reason of writing the Gospel Luke 1. 3 4. That thou mightest know the certainty of those things c. And thus more certain then Humane testimony II. More certain then miracles for though it pleased God at first to confirm the truth of the Gospel by miracles to the conviction of the Adversaries as Nicodemus speaks to our Saviour in John 3. 2. Yet now God having compleated the Canon of Scripture and warned us not to receive any other doctrine though an Angel from Heaven should bring it Galat. 1. 8. and pronounced a wo upon all those who should add or detract from it Revelat. 22. 18. if any should bring any doctrine contrary to Scripture with pretence of confirming it by wonders and miracles we ought to reject it as erroneous and Antichristian and so we see the Apostle makes this one of the badges of Antichrist 2 Thessal 2. 9. III. More certain then Revelations There is a place that I have oft thought of it is in 2 Pet. 1. 18. A true voice of God from heaven of his son Christ yet the Apostle tells us that we may more infalliblely finde Christ in in the word of Prophesie what that is he tells us ver 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then by extraordinary revelations Revelations we acknowledge viz. of the spirit revealing and clearing up Gospel-truth and this is that the Apostle pray'd for in behalf of the Ephesians in Ephes 1. 16 17 18. I cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him c. and thus Christ revealed the Scriptures to the disciples Luke 24. 45 46. that they might understand them but not that under that pretence of Revelation they should reject and lay them aside It is fond and ungodly to pretend to Revelations besides or contrary to the Scripture S Paul would have an Angel from heaven if he brings it to be accursed Galat. 1. 8. and what are they then who receive them Again he tells the Church of Ephesus that he had declared unto them the whole councel of God Acts 20. 27. and yet at Acts 26. 22. he professes that he said nothing but what Moses and the Prophets had said should come yet this S. Paul was rapt up into the third heaven and there heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unspeakable words in 2 Cor. 12. 4. There can be no security for our faith from Revelations unless they be such as bring evidences and assurances that they are from God for Satan can transform himself into an angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. Now how shall we distinguish Satans delusions from Revelations but by the Testimony of the Scriptures by which we are commanded to try the Spirits 1 John 4. 1. For these Revelations and Enthusiasmes men pretend unto are oft as contrary and inconsistent to themselves as they are all contrary to the truth and therefore must be tryed by some infallible rule otherwise we shall constantly lie exposed to delusion unsetled in judgement and irresolved as to practise as not knowing what the next revelation may be perhaps quite contrary to the former Wherefore believe it they who will not rest upon the Scripture as the foundation of faith can rest no where When the Rich man in the Gospel would have had one extraordinary to have been sent from the dead to his brethren observe what answer Abraham gives him Luke 16. 29 30 31. They have Moses and the Prophets and if they hear not them neither will they hear though one come from the dead If one comes with Revelation and tells me It comes from God he must
a searcher of Scripture was David Psal 119. 72. who prized the truth of God more then thousands of gold and silver and such a searcher was S. Augustine also who says of himself sacrae Scripturae tuae sunt sanctae deliciae meae And surely the more a man searches into these mines the more will he prize and value them and he that these mines the more will he prize and value them and he that hath the spirit of God cannot certainly but prize those Scriptures even because they come from him II. A particular enquiry into Scripture He that digs in a mine turns over every particular clod of earth in which there is probably any gold lest he should lose any of it so should Christians in searching the Scriptures particularly examine every Scripture lest they lose any of that treasure that is hidden in those mines Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem saith Tertullian There is a fulness of divine treasure in the Scriptures which is able to make a soul rich in faith and enriched in all knowledge 1 Cor. 1. 5. And this treasure is not discovered by a perfunctory general view of Scripture but by a particular enquiry and examination into it for there is not any Scripture but hath more or less of this treasure in it every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it saith our Saviour shall be fulfilled Matth. 5. 18. III. A diligent and frequent perusing of Scripture He that digs in a mine makes it his every-days-work and gives not over till he hath found the riches and treasure in it It is not a superficial glance upon Scripture which will make a discovery of that heavenly treasure to us Scripture-search must be our every-days-work indeed it calls for our daily diligence thus David describes the blessed man to be one that meditates in the law of God day and night Psal 1. 2. This searching S Paul commends to Timothy Give attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4. 13. and for which the Bereans are commended Acts 17. 11. and this God commanded the children of Israel Deut. 6. 6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house c. There is more golden oare in a clod of earth then he that digs in a mine discovers at first so there is a mysteriousness in Scripture which by a cursory reading of Scripture cannot be discovered Great mysteries lie sub cortice literae wrapt up in the letter of Scripture which is discovered by oft reading and examining A Christian meets with that information those quicknings supports and comforts at one time which he doth not at another It is said of Alphonsus that he had read over the Bible ten times with a large comment upon it and of another a Transylvanian Prince that he had read over the Bible twenty seven times of Theodosius the Emperour that as Nicephorus relates had a lampe so artificially made constantly supplying Nicephor lib. 4. cap. 3. it self with oyle lest any thing might disturbe or interrupt his study of Scripture And this certainly is the ready way to discover the heavenly treasure which is hid in Scripture as we see God by the ministerie of Philip revealed Christ to the Eunuch while he was A through-search profundiùs effodere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So S. Chrysost thus diligently reading the Prophet Isaiah as it is in Acts 8. 28. IIII. A through search and scrutiny a digging deep in these mines We do not finde mines of Gold upon the surface and superficies of the earth but in the bowels of it therefore there must be a digging deep this word in the Text sometimes in Scripture expresseth Gods searching as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 27. which is so through and exact a search that not the deepest thought of the heart can escape this searching of God There are depths in Scripture which we must dig for before we can fathom them The Sctipture is a mystery 1 Tim. 3. 16. a mysterie hid from ages and generations Coloss 1. 26. Here are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. 10. the deep things of God his Nature his Attributes his Councels and Decrees which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unsearchable Rom. 11. 33. So there are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revel 2. 24. the depths methods wiles and subtleties of Satan which the Scripture discovers and provides us with armour against them Ephes 6. And there are the depths of our own hearts Psal 64. 6. the inward thought and the heart is deep and this Scripture discovers 1 Cor. 14. 25. But we must dig before we can finde them The secrets of Gods Councels had lain hid in his own breast had he not discovered them in his word and Satan doth not lay his plots above board obvious to every eye and for our own hearts they are deceitfull above all things who can know them Jerem. 17. 9. and therefore it must be a deep search to discover them V. And lastly It signifies labour and pains Digging in mines is a very tedious laborious work so is searching these spiritual mines Prov. 2. 4. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures We may observo what S. Peter saies of the Prophets enquiring after salvation 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at verse 10. searched diligently and so again at verse 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No gold without digging no heavenly treasure of knowledge and grace without a diligent and laborious search of Scripture And that for the first Secondly What searchers of Scripture Christ here points at There may be much searching to little purpose and people may take much pains and no profit may come of it but sometimes a great deal of mischief I shall shew them therefore First Negatively Secondly Positively First Negatively and here our Saviour means not I. The curious searcher of Scripture who reads it more to satisfie his curiositie then to regulate his life who in searching neglects that which is obvious and most necessarie and is prying into that which is more difficult and nice that feeds upon the husks as I may speak and pleaseth his phantasie with a few nice critical observations of some few passages of Scripture in the mean time neglecting the more subst antial food of his soul the plain truths of the Gospel One who plaies the Chymist with Scripture which some think is intimated in that expression of Scripture in 2 Pet. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who would get that out of the Scriptures as those out of natural bodies what God never put into them such as with that accursed Politian prefers an Ode of Pindar before all the Psalms of David because there he findes more satisfaction to his nice and vain curiositie Scripture was never written for this end to satisfie any mans
comes from the spirit of the world but if they can finde out any thing that may but seem in the least to maintain any of their phantasâ—s then they crie out This comes from the spirit of truth So that whereaes S. Paul saies All Scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable c. these look onely upon that Scripture as divine which will suite with their temper and errour X. Not the calumniating Antichristian as I may call them searchers of Scriptures who search it onely to oppose it Such searchers were the Jews of old who searched the Scriptures that they might contradict Christ as the Pharisees said to Nicodemus John 7. 52. Search and look for out of Galilee ariseth no Prophet Such searchers are the Socinians at this day who are indeed nice searchers of the Scriptures but it is to dishonour Christ and to rob him of the glorie of his Divinitie and us of the comfort of his satisfaction and if they can finde but the least title or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that seems to favour their blasphemie they can crie up that though in the mean time they either wholly disown or else crie down as obscure as the late Socinians do the Gospel of S. John or else pervert and clude all others that directly make against them Me thinks these are such searchers as Herod in Matth. 2. 4. who sent the wisemen to search diligently for Christ under a pretence to worship him but indeed it was to kill him so these pretend high to honour Christ but indeed in effect they destroy him while they invent a few idle niceties to cheat him of his Divinitie These are such searchers as the devil himself is who knew how to quote scripture against Christ as we may read in Mat. 4. XI And lastly Not the contentious searcher of Scripture who searches it onely to finde out and fill the world with a company of idle questions impertinent and unnecessary controversies Such as these the Apostle describes 1 Tim. 6. 4 5. that they are proud doting about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envie strife railing evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes c. and from these the Apostle would have Timothy to withdraw And these are none of the searchers which our Saviour here points at and having viewed these we are now to shew Secondly Positively What kinde of searchers of Scriptures our Saviour would have And they are these 1. The humble searcher one who comes to the search of Scripture in a real sence of his own ignorance not puffed up with high thoughts and conceits of his own knowledge Pride self-conceit aâ—â— great obstructions to any knowledge but most to a Scripture knowledge If any man thing he knows nothing aâ— he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. Humilitie is most becoming a Christian in the search of Scripture if he shall consider 1. The depth of Scripture-mysteries compared with the streightness and shallowness of our understandings In Scripture are revealed the deep things of God the mysterie of the kingdome which the natural man receiveth not 1 Cor. 2. 14. Even in the search of the nature of earthly things where yet reason is in its proper sphere how short and dark is it The nature of the meanest creature puzzles and puts to a non plus not the least and most contemptible creature but may teach us a modest humility much more in the search of these great mysteries Dicmihi formam lapidis so Scaliger to Cardan we are puzzled in the forms of created material compound Beings and shall we proudly intrude into Gospel-mysteries mysteries hid from ages and generations we are all dark-sighted in natural things but stark blinde in spiritual mysteries 2. God commmunicates himself in the search of Scripture onely to the humble he fills these emptie vessels Eliah bids the widow get emptie vessels that her oly might be multiplied 2 Kings 4. 3. We must get vessels emptie of pride and self-conceit if we would have our spiritual knowledge encreased for with the lowly is wisdome Prov. 11 2. Observe we the promise in Psal 25. 9. He will teach the humble and what our Saviour saith Mat. 11. 25. Thou hast revealed these things unto babes that is in their own opinion Believe it for true that to know your ignorance is a good step to true and saving knowledge 3. Without this humilitie we cannot entertain and embrace Gospel-truth Men pust up with a proud conceit of their own knowledge have often proved greatest enemies unto the Gospel hence it seemed at first to the Greeks foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23. It seemed absurd to their reason to expect life and salvation by a crucified Saviour Pauls preaching of the Gospel seemed but babling to the Epicurean and Stoick Philosophers at Athens Acts 17. 18. And they were the Scribes and Pharisees men high and proud in their own donceits which reject our Saviours person and doctrine It is hard for men not to be puffed up with pride and exalted above measure S. Paul himself was in danger of it Galen rejected the coctrine and profession of Christianity because he could not meet with Mathematical demonstrations to prove every thing in it as he did in other sciences It is the grace of humilitie makes men to submit to the simplicitie of the Gospel Receive with meekness the ingrafted word James 1. 21. and it so received will help to save the soul II. The reverent trembling searcher that when he reads the Scripture does it with an holy aw and reverence of that God whose word it is and of those mysteries of life and salvation by Christ which it discovers This is the man God looks at Isaiah 66. 2. To him will I look that trembleth at my word One that fears lest by his own phantasies and ignorance he may misinterpret Scripture or wrest it to his own or other mens destructions This holy fear becomes especially the Ministers of the Gospel in their search of Scripture that they do not as Spiders suck poison out of those flowers to the poisoning and infecting of others This does S. Paul urge upon Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed unto thy self and thy doctrine that thou mayst save both thy self and others intimating that if he did not take heed he might destroy both himself and others Ye know how the Beth-shemites fared for their irreverent gazing into the Ark 1 Sam. 6. 19. and so thou hast cause to fear who doest with an irreverent boldness search into Scripture without any awfull thoughts of the Majestie and Mysteries of God Moses was to pull off the shoes off his feet when he conversed with God and heard his voice When thou readest Scripture thou hast God speaking unto thee for it is his voice Heb. 1. 1. and therefore come with reverent affections What the Apostle saies of speaking 1 Pet. 4. 11. If any man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God the same say I of searching
are or at least resolve to be holy 3. Every ungodly and wicked man is really prejudiced against Scripture-light and knowledge Joh. 3. 19. Light is come into the world and men love darkness So many corruptions and lusts have all wicked men reigning in their hearts so many real bolts and bars they have against the true Scripture-knowledge it is irkesome and troublesome to them to entertain that truth which will discover their sins and so break and disturb the security they have been in a long time and therefore they rather with those in Job desire God to depart from them As the Philosopher observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Mâ—taâ—â— lib. 1. men desire a doctrine suitable to their corruptions and this is the reason of that variety of doctrines and religions now in the world which the doctrine of the Scripture will not in the least comply with and that is the true cause of mens averseness from an effectual entertainment of the Gospel and of their shutting eyes against Scripture-light and convictions The Philosopher gives this as the reason why young men are not fit scholars in morality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are guided by lust and passion and the Apostle gives the same reason why some are learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth because they are such as are led about by diverse lusts in 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. That soul which is resolved to give up it self unto obedience of the Scripture is that which will readily embrace the doctrine of Scripture because inwardly complyant with and conforming to the will of God Whereas a wicked man when he searches Scripture he hath something within him that rises up against the truths of God a carnal minde within him that is enmity to God which disputes the commands and quarrels with the truths of God â— A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Heathen that is What we learn that we may do while we do it we further learn it As knowledge must regulate our practise so our practise will promote and increase our knowledge of the Scripture VII The praying searcher that interchangeably reads and prays This the Wise-man directs unto Prov. 2. 4 5. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord c. This is an excellent way sure for as the Scriptures will afford us matter for our prayer so prayer will lead us into the knowledge of the Scriptures Searching scripture will enflame our zeal in prayer and prayer will promote and facilitate our study of Scripture Moses when the Ark set forward and when it rested again prayed devoutly as we may read Numb 10. 35 36. so when you set upon reading of the Scripture and when you rest from it do it with prayer S. Austin August prafat ad lib. de Doct. Christ hath two remarkable stories to this purpose One of Antonius the Hermite who was so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he could though he knew not one letter fully understand and by heart repeat the whole Bible the other of a certain servant converted from Heathenisme to Christianity Qui triduanis precibus obtinuit ut codicem oblatum stupentibus qui aderant legendo percurreret who by praying three daies obtain'd of God that he read through the Bible when offered him to the amazement of them that were present This was it the Apostle directs unto If any want wisedome let him ask it of God Jam. 1. 5. and David practised Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous thing out of thy law God infuseth not knowledge into us by miracles immediately as into the Apostles but by the use of means compare Prov. 2. 4 6. The freeness of God in giving does not dismiss us from endeavouring for though faith is said to be the gift of God Ephes 2. 8. yet it is said also faith comes by preaching Rom. 10. 17. Prayer is the way to come by the spirit which discovers the depths and treasures of the Scriptures Luke 11. 13. Your heavenly father will give the holy spirit to them that ask him This is the onely key to unlock those rich cabinets wherein are contained those precious jewels of saving truth and knowledge VIII The believing searcher and indeed without the eye of faith we are like to do little good in searching the Gospel is an hidden thing saith the Apostle to them that perish 2 Cor. 4. 3. who those are you may see at vers 4. those who believe not They who come not with faith may search into the letter and historie of Scripture but not into the mystery and spirit of Scripture The Apostle tells us the Jews had a veil upon their hearts and their minds were blinded while Moses was read 2 Cor. 3. 14 15. viz. the veil of unbelief that they could not see through those ceremonies or those clearer prophesies which in the old Testament were made of Christ So there is still a veil of unbelief upon every natural mans heart which veil is done away in Christ ver 14. viz. by faith in him then God reveales himself to such God when he manifested himself to Moses put him into a rock Exod. 33. 22. and this woâ—k resembled Christ God discovers himself and his minde to those who are in Christ by faith We have the minde of Christ saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 16. that is we believers Scriptura peculiaris est filiorum Dei schola saith Calvin They are the onely good scholars who read the Scriptures with faith The Scriptures are able to make perfect the man of God in 2 Tim. 3. 17. The man of God Nihil hic faciet filius hujus seculi saith Musculus A carnal heart will hardly be a proficient here IX The Christian searcher He who searcheth Scripture that thereby he may come to know and enjoy Christ and indeed without this all is in vain The most curious exact learned searcher doth but search them to his own destruction if he doth not hereby come to a saving knowledge of Christ They testifie of me saith Christ and therefore or to this end that you may know me whom they testifie of Search In searching the Scriptures search that you may know me And this brancheth it self into two parts First No knowledge of Christ without the Scriptures The things that are seen may lead us to the invisible things of God that is his eternal God-head and power as it is in Rom. 1. 20. but these lead us not to the knowledge of Christ Secondly The whole Scripture gives us a full testimony and discoverie of Christ more darkly in the Old more expressely in the New Testament That testifies of Christ to come this of Christ as alreadie come this is but the fulfilling of that Our Saviour here sends these to the Old Testament in which they were exactly versed so as Joscphus cont Appion l. 2. Josephus
Humane writings gain acceptance by the command and Patronage of Great ones as Mahomet's upheld by a continued war Nebuchadnezzar makes a fiery furnace for them who will not bow down to the Image he sets up but here it was quite contrary a furnace fiery tryals and persecutions prepared for them who did receive and profess the word under many Heathen Emperours yet it thrived and the professours thereof multiplied not withstanding all opposition and disadvantages Which certainly even in the conviction of reason speaks the hand of God stretched out to preserve his word and bringing in many to the acknowledgement of it that notwithstanding the opposition these Scriptures have met with from persecuting Emperours cunning Hereticks and at first promulged onely by a few poor fishermen sent out with that commission Matth. 28. 19. to preach a crucified Saviour to an obstinate world that notwithstanding all this I say it should be preserved and propagated speaks it from God as Gamaliel a Pharisee argued Acts 5. 38 39. Had it not been thus from God surely God would long since have stopped the mouths of us Ministers of it as the greatest deluders and impostours in the world whom yet he hath oft miraculously preserved and encouraged and have countenanced the opposers of it whom yet his severest judgements have overtaken witness Antiochus Julian and the rest That the Professours of the Gospel should be as lambs among wolves yet not devoured that persecution should be illecebra magis sectae as Tertullian saies and that it should thrive by Tertull. Apol. cap. 49. opposition this speaks it surely to be from God 6. Consider the confirmation of this word by miracles such as created power could never reach The Apostle indeed foretels the coming of Antichrist to be with many signs and wonders 2 Thessal 2. 9. yea but lying wonders but Scripture-miracles are such as can be effected onely by the arm of omnipotency as Dividing the sea curing one born blinde Feeding thousands with a few loaves and fishes Raising the dead from a setled corruption as Lazarus these are such as Antichrist I think never pretended to therefore as the Magicians when they could not do the like miracles as Moses did cryed out This is the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. so we here This is the truth the word of God God would never certainly lay out his power or work miracles to confirm or seal to alye At John 5. 36. our Saviour urgeth this as an argument why his person and doctrine should be entertained 7. Consider Satans enmity against the Scripture His great design is if possible to keep men from the letter of the Scripture to hinder men from an effectual entertainment of the Gospel and therefore hath stirred up in all ages almost Persecutours to oppose it and Hereticks to delude and wrest it It strikes at and threatens ruine to his kingdome therefore he endeavours his utmost to subvert it and therefore all the designs now on foot against the Scripture you must look upon them as the plots of Satan You may read a piece of Philosophy History or any Humane writing and finde little or no reluctancie against the entertainment of it Now why should not men bring as ready a belief to Scripture or entertain the truth of it when they read it surely it is from the Devil tempting them to unbelief even because the God of this world hath blinded their eyes as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 4. 4. Tertullian gathered the goodness of the Gospel from this Quòd à Nerone damnatum because it was so persecuted by Nero and we the excellencie of the Scriptures from this because the Devil so much malignes it 8. Consider how it advances God and debases man It gives God the glory of all his Attributes and Works both in the work of Creation and Redemption It gives him the glorie of what we have and do What hast thou that thou hast not received I Cor. 4. 7. there in what we have and in what we do S. Paul acknowledges I Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly yet not I but the grace of God within me It tells us that of our selves we are not able to think a good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. yet that we are able to do all things through Christ Phil. 4. 13. Now in Humane writings men seek their own applause and credit and this moves them to write but these writings the glory of God which our Saviour more then once makes the badge of the truth of his doctrine John 7. 19. and John 8. 50. c. Scripture advances God as the first cause and last end And thus having finished the Doctrine I proceed to the Fifth General The Application of it Use First See here the cruel Antichristian tyranny of the Church of Rome which forbids private Christians the use and search of the Scriptures Antichristian surely in this Christ bids Search them for in them ye think ye have eternal life they forbid the search of them for fear of Heresie and Errour The Apostle tells us The Scripture is profitable they say it is pernicious our Saviour would have the light be set upon a cà ndlestick Matth. 5. 15. they put it under a bushel and so leave the people in darkness How much against nature is it to with-hold milk from a childe so much it is to withhold the sincere milk of Gods word from his children or to send a souldier into the field unarmed how cruel is it So to rob the people of this spiritual armour this sword of the Spirit and expose them naked to the power and fury the delusions and stratagems of Satan As the Philistines out of envy dealt with the wells of water Gen. 26. 15. so do these with the Scriptures they envy the people the water of life therefore stop up these wells of salvation or else throw dirt into them so that the people can have little of the pure water but as it is pudled with the dirt of their traditions or Monkish and Jesuitical glosses and depravations and being thus robbed of the compass of the Scripture they quickly split upon the rock of errour Use Second Hence we learn that they are inexcusable who neglect this duty whom neither the command of God their own good and advantage neither Religion or Policie can prevail with but a few obscene Poets or idle Romances or ridiculous Ballads are more searched by them then the Scriptures Get you Bibles saith S. Chrysostom which are the physick and medicines of your souls Surely the neglect of this is intolerable God hath not over-burthened you with Scripture There are many things that Jesus did which are not written but these are written John 20. 30 31. that is these few It is neither so costly nor dear but the meanest may purchase it nor so voluminous but the most employed may read and search it The motives to it as you heard before are weighty and therefore the neglect of it the more
dangerous But because many things may be pretended for the neglect hereof I shall remove a scruple or two First Object Say some I am unlearned I cannot search into it Answ To this I answer I wish thou wert learned and able to read they self but then know thou oughtest so much the more carefully to attend and conscienciously wait upon the publick reading of the Scripture in these publick assemblies This hath been the constant practise of the Church in all ages as is evident partly in Luke 4 16 17. and partly in Acts 13. 15. where you see in both places it was the usual custome to have the Scriptures read in their publick assemblies and after reading followed preaching The ground whereof was surely as to preserve the purity of Scripture-doctrine in the Church that the people hearing the word so frequently read might not be imposed upon by errour or delusions of men so also for the profit advantage and edification of those who cannot read or search the Scriptures and that the preaching of the word might come with more light and power upon their hearts If you cannot read your selves get others to read unto you and be you so much the more in prayer and meditation Second Object I have so much employment in the world that I have no leisure to search the Scriptures If I should privately search Scripture and attend frequently upon the preaching of the word it would set me behinde hand in the world and hinder my thriving Answ I answer This is much what the Apologie that those made who pretended their farms and oxen as an excuse for not coming unto the wedding Matth. 22. But Christians break through your worldly employments prefer God before the world and your souls before your bodies an act of Religion before all worldly business and believe it you will be no losers by it God will succeed and bless your labours more Never was any man a loser by his Religion See what God promised to the lews Exod. 34. 24. that He would secure their land for them while they went up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. And what our Saviour said to the Disciples Luke 22. 35. When I sent you out without purse and scrip and shoes lacked ye anything Thou pretendest no leisure the truth is Non parùm temporis habemus sed multùm perdimus saies Seneca Yes we have time enough but we loose too much of it Thou hast no leisure for this but Art thou at leisure for thy pleasures and not for Religion for the world and not for God for shame cheat not your own souls with such vain pretences but as thou desirest the knowledge of Christ here and the enjoyment of Christ hereafter be consciencious in this duty of Searching the Scriptures Use Third It reproves those who believe not this truth that the Scripture is the word of God But you will say This concerns not us Go charge the Turks and Indians with this No my Brethren many of our selves here are guilty of this for though mens mouths profess it yet their hearts deny it as the Apostle speaks of some In words they profess God but in works they deny him Tit. 1. 16. Did men really believe the corruptions of their natures and their constant liableness unto wrath would there be so much pride so much confidence in sin Did men really believe that of every idle word they must give an account would there be so much idle frothy ungodly profane lascivious talking and discourse Did men believe the Apostle Gal. 5. 19 20 21. that all those vices there rehearsed were the works of the flesh would those sins so much abound Did men believe that they who did no wrong to their neighbour should enter into and dwell in the Tabernacle of God Psal 15. 1 5. would there be so much oppression and extortion Did men believe that God will come in flaming fire to render vengeance upon all them that know not God and obey not his Gospel as in 2 Thess 1. 8. would there be such a contented wilfull ignorance of God Truth where it is effectually entertained will have an influence upon the life How do most men hold Gospel-truth in unrighteousness as the Apostle saies the Gentiles did the light of nature Rom. 1. 18. so these with-hold Gospel-truths for certainly wickedness in the life speaks an ineffectual entertainment of the truth Use Fourth It condemns those who do not value and prize the Scripture How did the Heathens prize their Oracles yet the generalitie of Christians do not prize these Oracles of God as the Apostle calls them Rom. 3. 2. Three things there are that make this out unto us 1. Mens wilfull and contented ignorance of Scripture What things we prize we search into How does the Scholar pry and search into those notions he affects and values So would men do if they did value and prize the word aright but the contrarie to this rather is evident by their language Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21. 14. II. Mens weariness in searching the Scripture What things we prize in the search of them we finde delight but how are men tyred at a Sermon or Sabbath in which the Scriptures are read Is not the language of those Israelites in Amos 8. 5. the language of too many among us When will the Sabbath be ended c. Men are sooner weary of this then any other III. Mens seldom discoursing of Scripture As they said to Peter in another case Matth. 26. 73. Thy speech bewrayeth thee so mens speeches bewray their want of affections to the Scriptures The Scholar upon every occasion is discoursing of those notions which he prizeth but men are far more wise to discourse of the world then of heaven and heavenly things Use Fifth Of exhortation That you would endeavour to get your faith well grounded in this fundamental truth that neither Satan tempt you nor men dispute you out of it for till then I. Your faith will be uncertain and weak as a building without a foundation as a ship without ballast or anchor soon tossed and ship-wrackt and this we may think is the cause of most mens Apostacie in these declining times II. Your lives will be but loose If you be not throughly convinced of your dutie of walking by Scripture-rule you will walk at uncertainties and so amiss III. Your comforts weak if not grounded on Scripture-promises This is one main reason why mens comforts ebb and flow so much they are not grounded on a sure belief of Scripture and if once your faith in this truth waver the foundation of your comfort must needs be shaken For the attaining whereof I can give you no better direction then that you Pray earnestly for the Spirit that he would please I. To open the eyes of your minde illightning and irradiating the understanding to see those arguments and evidences of this truth which lie in the Scriptures So S. John tells us I John 2. 26. These things have I written unto you that no man seduce you And without this all other arguments will be ineffectual to the begetting of a saving and through belief of this truth As Agar when her eyes were opened saw a well of water Gen. 21. 19. so there are arguments to evince this truth sufficient in the Scriptures but they will never be brought home to the soul with a full conviction till the Spirit open our eyes to see them for this is one end why the Spirit of God is given to us and received of us that we may know the things that are freely given unto us by the Spirit of God as in I Cor. 2. 12. 2. To remove that natural enmitie and prejudice that we have against an effectual assent to the Gospel and so sanctifie our hearts as to make it close with and heartily embrace it as the truth and word of God Truth resists our corruptions and they it What is the great Gospel truth but Christ his coming to undertake as our Jesus this we cannot savingly assent unto but by the Spirit as in I Cor 12. 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit Corruption fills the soul with prejudices against the truth The Philosopher observes that the Mathematicks though abstruse in themselves are sooner learnt by a young man dissolute and that hath not tamed his passions then morality because those being mere speculations bring no oppositions to his lusts which the precepts of morality curb and restrain So mens corruptions and unsubdued lusts prejudice the soul against the belief of Gospel-truth which the sanctifying work of the Spirit doth subdue and remove and so disposes the soul for the entertainment of the truth of the Gospel as we see in S. Paul who having his lusts subdued once came to preach that Gospel which before he had persecuted FINIS