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
unknown God I hope not yet Brethren notwithstanding all our high-raised notions and speculations of God he is truely in a Scripture-sence unknown to so many of us as know him not 1. Experimentally The Devils have more notions of God then the greatest Philosophers in the world It is possible for a man to have many conceptions and be able accurately to distinguish and solidly to determine concerning the grace of God and yet in a Scripture-sence know nothing of it unless he taste and see that the Lord is gracious Nicodemus a master in Israel yet ignorant of the work of regeneration in respect of which an ordinary Christian may know more then the greatest Scholar I have read of one Didymus a blinde man whom for his incomparable learning S. Jerome was wont to call his Seer many such there are blind as to the abstruse notions of God but Seers in respect of experience which is the onely true saving knowledge of God 2. Practically and operatively as our knowledge influenceth upon our lives to conform them to what we know otherwise the Gospel and God are but notions to us and Scripture interprets it as a deniall of God They profess they know God but in works they deny Tit. 1. 16. him All our notions of God without this suitable practise can but amount to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a form of knowledge not to any saving Rom. 2. 20. discovery If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them not John 13. 17. else If knowledge would do it the Devils might be in heaven The exprobratory sentence will be at last not well read or disputed great Scholar but well done thou good and faithfull servant Seneca speaks of some Philosophers of his days Boni esse desierunt simui ac docti evaserint who ceased to be good when they began to be learned I shall charitably believe no such will be found amongst us for I speak not these things as S. Paul saith to his Corinthians to shame you 1 Cor. 4. 14. but as my beloved Brethren and Friends I warn you and exhort you in the words of S. Peter to adde to your knowledge vertue that you 2 Pet. 1. 5. may be such as Seneca would have every teacher to be Magis miremur visum quà m auditum such as may be admired more for holiness of life then subtilty of learning which God accounts no knowledge if destitute of the study and practise of obedience Hereby know we that we know him if we keep his commandments He that 1 Joh. 2. 3 4 saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him Eighthly and lastly I beseech you Fathers and Brethren suffer the word of exhortation which quickens you to zeal and diligence in the dispensation of the Gospel committed to your trust that you may effect in your people by the preaching of the word what the highest improvements of nature as you have heard cannot reach to wit a saving knowledge of God God instituted the preaching of his word and Gospel to supply the defect of natural light the Apostle is express that when in the wisdome of God 1 Cor. 1. 21. the world by wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe God hath commissionated you on purpose as he did Paul to open mens eyes and turn them from Acts 26. 18. Mal. 2. 7. darkness to light The Priests lips must preserve knowledge that the people may seek the law at his mouth In order to bringing the people to a saving knowledge let me who would willingly lie as Disciple at your feet being by providence in this place take the boldness to give you a three-fold direction First Endeavour to bring those committed to your charge to a Scripture-knowledge of God Preach God not according to the abstruse Metaphysical notions of Plato and Aristotle all which Clemens Alexandrinus saith are but like a rotten nut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath no kernel nothing to feed souls which must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the same Authour but according to the revelation God hath made of himself in Scripture Thus you shall approve your selves to God in the discharge of your office Empty aiery speculations may perhaps gratifie the humour phansie and curiositie of men but scripture-Scripture-truths onely please and honour God S. Pauls advice to Timothy is very remarkable Study to shew thy self 2 Tim. 2. 15. approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed and the way to that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly to divide the word of truth Secondly Preach a God in Christ. The Heathen can arrive at the knowledge of a God abstractly considered but a God in Christ is beyond the reach of natural sagacity but is your Commission to make known God saith the Apostle hath committed 2 Cor. 5. 19. unto us the word of reconciliation but what is that why that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself Lay this as the foundation of all your building Christ in his person and Christ in his offices Christ in opposition to nature in contradistinction to merit and your own works and righteousness Thirdly Let all your other knowledge stoop to the discovering God savingly and so far as it is not consistent with a plain and profitable discovery of God to the people lay it aside S. Paul though brought up at the feet of Gamaliel yet layd down his learning at the feet of Christ and professeth that though he spake with tongues more then they all yet in the Church he had rather 1 Cor. 14. 18 19. preach five words that he might teach others then ten thousand words in anunknown tongue At Athens indeed a famous University he quoteth a Poet Acts 17. vers 28 but when he comes to 1 Cor. 2. 2. his Corinthians then he determines to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non magni feci is Grotius gloss I valued no knowledge but disesteemed it that I might bring you to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as crucified Our Saviour Coloss 2. 3. who had in him all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge yet condiscended to the capacity of those whom he instructed speaking Mark 4. 33. the word to them as they were able to hear it In this Christ is a fit pattern for our imitation to teach us by a familiar plainness to descend to the understandings of the people Quomodò paratus esset impendi pro animabus eorum si eum pigeret inclinari ad aures eorum saith Augustin in his book De catechizandis rudibus Rev. 2. 4. In a word you are stars in the right hand of Christ which speaks both your security and your duty it is the office of stars to shine in the night with that light which they borrow from the Sun so
Eccles p. 38. truth of all these miracles as he that was cured of his blindness argued with the Pharisees John 9. 30 31 32 33. Why herein is a marvellous thing that ye know not from whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eyes now we know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blinde if the man were not of God he could do nothing III. From that general expectation which the Jews themselves had of their Messiah to come into the world at that time when Christ lived which expectations were grounded upon the prophesies of the old Testament especially upon Daniel the ninth which occasioned a general conflux of the Jews from all parts to see the event That the Jews now expected their Messiah is evident from Luke 19. 11. So strong was this perswasion that the Messiah should appear about this time that as Grotius observes some took Groâ— p. 265. Hotâ—â—ng p. 12. Herod to be him whence the Herodians others one Judas whom they called Bar-Cochebah that is the Son of a star alluding to Numb 24. 17. There shall come a star out of Jacob c. some one some another to be the Messiahs by which the Jews themselves subscribe to the truth of the Messiah Though as Vives observes none before Vives p. 491. Christ durst profess himself the Messiah yet the expectation was so general that the Heathens themselves had report of the Jews expectation of their Messiah at that time as both Tacitus and Suetonius relate It was vetus constans fama saies Suetonius which Hornb p. 218. they could not have but from the Jews computation ex antiquis Sacerdotum libris saith Tacitus I might add further as confirmation of this Gospel-doctrine the spotless holiness of Christ the Teacher the exactness of that holiness it requires the repugnancie of it to interests and carnal designs which speaks it no politick plat-form the wonderfull propagation of it by weak instruments and against strong oppositions together with the glorie of that reward it promises to the obeyers of it all which speak it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation But this onely as a preface to the future discourse Thirdly The importance of this phrase 3. Partic. This phrase doth not speak I. Any local motion of the Divine nature for that being infinite and so every where is not capable of any local mutation Venit per quod home erat nam per quod Deus erat semper bic erat August Tom. 10. pag. 195. de verb. Apost which is the property onely of finite natures Christ did not leave heaven when he came into the world it is true he is said John 3. 13. to come down from heaven and to come from above verse 31. Which is not to be understood as if he had brought his humane nature from heaven as the Valentinians and Marcionists of old abused these places for that was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost Luke 1. 35. The holy Ghost shall come upon thee the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee Nor yet must we understand it as by any change of place but either because his humane nature was produced not by any earthly generation but by a heavenly manner or because of Christs willing submission and humbling himself to take this nature upon him and to appear in the form of a servant as he is said to do Phil. 2. 7. II. Not a real parting with any of his glory for that being infinite and eternal as he was God was as incapable of any diminution as of any accession even then when he came into the world and took upon him the form of a servant he counted it not robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2. 6. Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 7. he humbled himself as to his Divine nature not absolutely confidered in it self but in respect of that voluntary aeconomy and dispensation whereby he condescended to take upon him our nature and the form of a servant but even then when he was come into the flesh the Apostle tells you he was God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. Achilde born Isa 9. 6. yet the mighty God Mich. 5. 2. noting his being before born in those words whose going forth have been of old from everlasting But this phrase speaks five things I. The pre-existence of the Divine nature viz. that Christ was before he came into the world This is also hinted in other like expressions of Scripture as first that Christ was manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. which speaks that he had an existence before he came into the world see 1 John 3. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested and to name no more 1 John 4. 23. Hereby know ye the spirit of God every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God c. Hinc colligimus priùs fuisse apud patrem quò ostenditur coaeterna ejus Divinitas saith Calvin upon this place The Socinians use many shifts to evade this argument for Christ's Divinitie as that to come in the flesh is to appear in infirmitie misery and contempt but though flesh in Scripture signifies sometimes weakness yet to come in the flesh is never so used Besides the Apostle makes this an evidence of believers to confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh many unbelievers saw and acknowledged that he lived without pomp and worldly Majesty in poverty and infirmity See Isaiah 53. 2 3. A second like expression in Scripture is that God and man came to save sinners which is from God Mat. 16. 17. Object Yea but Antichrist is said to come 1 John 2. 18. and yet he doth not therefore exist before Answ A lamentable shift for Scripture must give light to Scripture as the Lamps in the Tabernacle were to be lighted by one another according to the Law Our faith must be built upon the Analogie of Scripture which in many parallel expressions speaks Analogy and Parallel this truth as Hebrews 2. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He took on him which must necessarily include the pre-existence of that nature which did assume flesh so S. John tells you That the word was made flesh joh 1. 14. and that that word was from the beginning and truely God verse 1. And nothing in this point is more clear then that saying of Christ's John 16. 28. I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father II. The asuming humane nature into unitie of person and subsistence with the divine and so appearing in the world This Scripture abundantly testifies though among the Socinian Doctors it be commentum hominum superstitiosorum as Heb. 2.
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
justificationis salutis humanae non fidei in Christum tendenti eum ad se attrahenti sed Deo ipsi assignamus credentem gratuitò justificanti Haec ille Et hanc gloriam ut Deo nos etiam servemus illibatam concludimus Fidem justificare sub ratione instrumenti FINIS THE LIGHT and DARKNESS OF NATVRE Discovered In a Sermon at S. Maries in Cambridge on the Commencement-Sabbath June 29. 1656. BY JOHN FROST B. D. then Commencer Deus est quod vides quod non vides Senec. Deus ubique secretus est ubique publicus quem nulli licet ut est cognoscere quem nemo permittitur ignorare Aug. ep 44. CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Field Printer to the Universitie Anno Dom. MDCLVII ACTS 17. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the unknown God ANd what such an inscription upon an Altar at Athens the eye of Greece and that the eye of the world and yet so blind as not to discover the true worship of the true God Had this Altar been erected in some ruder more obscure part of Greece it would have been just cause of wonder for the Grecians were the most raised and eminent of all the Gentiles the most curious and inquisitive searchers into the secrets of all knowledge which the Apostle takes notice of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeks seek after 1 Cor. 1. 22. wisdome In which they were such exquisite proficients that all other nations even the Romanes themselves in comparison of them are in Scripture-phrase accounted but Barbarians I am a Rom. 1. 14. debtour saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he seems to amplifie or explicate in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the wise and to the unwise But that such an inscription should be found at Athens a famous University so named from it's dedication to Minerva the Goddess of Learning the fountain from which the streams of knowledge were derived to the rest of the world the seat of the most eminent Philosophers who here disputed with Paul which Vers 18. Lib. de Anima cap. 3. Lib. 1. Deipnosoph therefore Tertullian calls linguatam civitatem in the same place stiling the Athenians caupones sapientiae facundiae the ingrossers and monopolizers of knowledge whence as Athenaeus calls Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the compendium of the world so the Grecians tearmed Athens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greece of Greece and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother of reason yet that this Athens should be no less infamous for Idolatry then famous for Learning must needs much heighten and enhance your admiration Let the advocates of the power and improvements of nature produce their case and bring forth their strong reasons as the Prophet speaks to evince a saving Isai 41. 21. knowledge of God attainable by them surely wee shall have the less reason to credit them since we have the wisest most raised and improved amongst the Gentiles confitentes reos in the Text by the inscription of their Altars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God Many such Altars there were erected at Athens if you credit Grotius Some of the Ancients as Oecumenius and Hierom especially Grot. in loc conclude that this was not the whole inscription onely the Apostle makes use of so much of it as might with advantage usher in his discourse of the worship of the true God from verse the four and twentieth to the one and thirtieth Calvin conceives that the inscription was not to any single Deity but Diis omnibus peregrinis Heinsius doubts not but it was erected upon the account of some signall unexpected benefit received as those which we read of in Tacitus inscribo adoptioni and ultioni whence the Apostle takes a sutable argument from the consideration of the benefits of Vers 24. 28 God as his making the world and giving to all things life motion and being to urge upon them the worship and service of the true God Some think the Altar was erected upon the Persians invading A Lapide Bâ—za Giotms Greece Others say it was upon the Athenians deliverance form the pestilence which they having in yain attempted to remove by homage and service to their native Gods at last consulting the oracle of Apollo receive a command to Instrate their city by sacrifice but no God named to whom they should perform it Epimenides then at Athens counsels them to let the beasts for sacrifice loose and where they stood still there to erect an Altar Deo ignoto propitio To the unknown and propitious Deity which being accordingly performed the plague ceased Others thinke it was set up out of superstitious fear lest some Deity whom they had omitted in their sacrifices should be incensed and so plague them I shall rather conclude this inscription to point at the true God neque enim ibi alius ignotus Deus praeter verum saith the learned Heins in locum Heinsius Else the words following the text would scarce be reconcileable to truth whom ye ignorantly worship preach I unto you intimating the inscription to have been to the true God Though whatever the occasion of the erection of this Altar was it is plain the Apostle had a fair opportunity offered him to discourse of the knowledge of the true God of whom they betrayed most gross ignorance by this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the unknown God The text presents to your considerations 1 the light 2 the darkness of nature First The light of nature it is inscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here is a God discovered and a worship acknowledged due to him by the erection of an Altar Secondly The darkness of nature it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These discoveries are but darke and imperfect the true God of the Jews was but an unknown uncertain God to the wisest of the Gentiles as appears by that of Lucan dedita sacris Incerti Judaea Dei Hence two notes obviously arise 1. Some discoveries of God may be made by the light of nature 2. Natural light in it's most elevated and raised improvements can make no full and saving discoveries of God By this introductory explication of the words you easily perceive what is the subject of my present discourse which none I presume can rationally judge unseasonable or unsutable either to the place I speak in in an Athens an University no lesse famous for Learning then that of old and infinitely surpassing it for Religion or the persons I am to speak to men of eminent and raised improvements If by the first of these I may quicken any stupid supine sluggard to a diligent industry in reviving and improving those principles which God in nature hath implanted in him and by the second knock off any proud wits from resting or vainly glorying in their acquired accomplishments which is the sin of most and ruine of many Scholars perswade them amidst their highest improvements
the Apostle adjoyns in the Text as the cause of the Jews unprofitableness because it was not mixed with faith and truely this must needs cause unprofitableness both because we cannot draw near to God in his Ordinances without this Unbelief is a departing from God We may present our bodies indeed before God yet without faith can we not digest the word of God into spiritual nourishment as Clemens Alexandrinus saies There is required of us 1. An historical faith whereby we believe the word of God to be the word of God and close with the truth of it in our assent and judgement The understanding is the leading facultie of the soul and the guide of reason I shall never close with that truth in my affections to love it in my will to practise it which I do not first assent unto in my understanding nor can the will embrace that as good which the understanding assents not to as true But this is not enough for there is required further 2. A particular applying faith whereby the soul closeth with the word as proper to it self when it particularly applies the promises and closes with the reproofs and threatnings of the word This makes the word of God to be ineffectual because men shift it off from themselves as such a reproof of sin concern'd not me the Minister reproved such an one c. A man may assent to the truth of a promise and yet it be a dry-breast to him without the application of it by a particular faith so to the truth of a threatning and yet not be humbled Faith is necessarie to the hearing of the word profitably I. As the eye of faith discerns the truth of the word as it pries into the mysteries of the Gospel which the natural man perceives not The Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 14. gives a reason why a natural man cannot perceive these because they are spiritually discerned and so no object suitable to a carnal eye It is said of Christs entertainment John 1. 5. The darkness comprehendeth not the light every unbeliever is no better then mere darkness though improved with the height of acquired knowledge as Nicodemus and Paul are very pregnant proofs of this and I appeal to your selves Are men like to profit by the word they perceive not nor understand II. As it makes the soul to relish and delight in the word of God To an unbeliever the great mysteries of the Gospel are but foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. The carnal minde is not subject to the law of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 7. A carnal minde may approve of the word of God as true and good but never close with it throughly and heartily because it is contrarie to it As a learned man may approve of the light as excellent in it self but will not endure to look long upon it because it may be hurtfull to his weak eyes thus a carnal heart may assent to the truth of Gods word and be convinced of the equitie and goodness of it yet not close with it because contrarie to his carnal interests and corrupt principles and so long no profiting by it As S. Augustine saith Quid haec duo conferunt Aug. lib. 4. c. 13. de doctr Christ homini qui confitetur verum collaudat eloquium nec inclinat assensum who inclines not his assent viz. so as to practise it Ninethly The nineth ground is love of some darling and bosome sin and corruption The Apostle indeed James 1. 21. commands to lay aside all superfluitie of naughtiness but especially any darling sin which else will make the word unprofitable upon a double account I. As it prejudiceth the soul against the most profitable preaching Such an one must have placentia and speak the language of those in Isaiah 30. 10. They say to the seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not to us right things but speak unto us smooth things c. Wholesome reproofs are too bitter pils for him to take down because they will stirre the humours that are corrupt And therefore you shall observe that some who have seemingly made large progress in the profession of the word have been wholly offended at it when it hath searched and disturb their secret bosome corruption Thus it was with Herod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did many things and demonstrated a very fair affection to the word of God as in Mark 6. 20. till it came to his Herodias and then he is incensed so far against John as to take off his head nay the young man went further to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these have I kept and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his youth Mark 10. 20. till it came to his covetousness then the commands of Christ prove ineffectual and he goes away sorrowfully While a man retains the love of any darling sin he is apt to come with a settled resolution let the Preacher say what he will shew him the nature danger and guilt of such or such a sin to go on still as it is Jer. 2. 25. II. As it disaffects them to the preacher That did disaffect the Pharisees so much against Christ his reproving their darling sin of Hypocrisie This caused Felix to dismiss Paul his touching upon his darling sin of intemperance and injustice And hence proceeds the ebbings and flowings of mens affections to the same Minister You shall have some who will constantly attend upon a Minister and afford him a very fair aprobation till he come powerfully to search his bosome corruption then he is offended nay and perhaps persecutes the Minister too Thus it fared with Christ himself one while they crie never man spake like him and another while Crucifie him crucifie him See the Galatians inconstancie to S. Paul in Galat. 4. 14 15 16. they afforded him both reverence verse 14. and love verse 15. rari amoris indicium oculos eruere plus est quà m vitam profundere saies Calvin but how soon is this love degenerated into hatred and enmitie verse 16. and that onely because he told them the truth Veritas odium as saith the Comoedian so tell men the truth in laying before them the evil nature and danger of those sins they live in they presently entertain a secret enmitie against them and if once mens spirits come to be embittered against the preacher suavis non erit doctrinae gustus they will finde no sweet relish in the word of God Tenthly The tenth ground is unpreparedness when men rush out of their worldly employments without prayer or meditation into the house of God never considering either into whose presence or service they come God requires a holy preparation to all our services and that not onely habitually but actually prepared and disposed for them Keep thy foot saith the Wiseman Eccles 5. 1. when thou goest to the house of God This holy preparation was shadowed out by the peoples washing their clothes before the deliverie of the Law Exod.
should be by the coming of the Messiah In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease Dan. 9. 27. as wholly needless after the coming of the Messiah whom they typified and prefigured God never intended the Jewish worship should continue alwaies as being a heavy yoke and after the coming in of the Gentiles especially as to the place of it impossible as Eusebius demonstrates in the third chapter of his first book De demonstratione Evangelica Moses himself spoke of another Prophet Deut. 18. 15 18. who should deliver from the bondage of sin to the heavenly Canaan as Moses had done from Egypt's as a Law giver to the Gentiles when the Jewish rites should be wholly abolished and prophesying and vision failed amongst the Jews when this great Prophet was come into the world IV. The heathen Oracles are silenced and their idolatrie destroyed which was to be at the coming of the Messiah according to the prophesie of Zechariah And it shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord of hosts that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land and they shall no more be remembred and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land Zech. 13. 7. and of Isaiah And the idols he shall utterly abolish Isa 2. 18. and at verse 20. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver and his idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the moles and to the bats And so it happened at the coming of our Messiah when Augustus consulting the Oracle about his successour received this answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. An Hebrew childe hath bid me leave these shrines which Oracle Augustus having received erected an Altar in the Capitol with this inscription Ara primogeniti Hottinger p. 35. Dei Plutarch in his book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de defectu oraculorum concerning the defect of the Oracles confesseth the thing though he knew not the cause Delphis Oracula cessant Juvenal observed in the time of Domitian and the rest decayed soon after Secondly That our Jesus is the promised Messiah appears I. From the evident fulfilling of all the prophesies of the old 2. Partic. Testament concerning the Messiah in Jesus Christ the Messiah He was to be born of a virgin Isa 7. 14. Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son so was our Jesus Matth. 1. 23. And that too in the citie of Bethlehem Mich. 2. 2. But thou Beth-lehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel and so was Christ Matth. 2. 11. brought up too in Galilee Matth. 2. 22. and he rode in triumph into Jerusalem Matth. 21. as it was prophesied of the Messiah Zech. 9. 9. Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh unto thee c. There is not a passage in the death of Christ but was in answer to some prophesies of the old Testament his side pierced as foretold by Zechariah They shall look upon me whom they have pierced Zech. 12. 10. his drinking of vinegar in Psal 69. 21. In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink his crucifying amongst thieves Isa 53. 12. He was numbred among the transgressours his death and burial Isa 53. 9. He made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death yet so as not to see corruption Psal 16. 10. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell nor suffer thy holy one to see coruption but to be raised again as in Acts 2. 25 26. By the harmony of which events to the prophesies the Gentiles were convinced to leave their Idolatrie and to embrace the Doctrine and Gospel of Jesus Christ witness whole nations whose conversion from a setled inveterate Idolatrie in a short time without worldly power and force no enticements of pleasure or profit no carnal means in the face of fire and faggot brought over to the acknowledgement of a crucified Messiah must needs speak God in it and must certainly be imputed to the care of God in fulfilling those prophesies which he that runs may read concerning the calling and coming in of the Gentiles at the coming of the Messiah see Isaiah 2. 2 3. Jer. 16. 19. Malachi 1. 11. Genes 49. 10. all which evidently speak the truth of our Messiah II. From those many miracles by which Christ confirmed his Doctrine which if you observe are the very same which the Prophet Isaiah foretels should be wrought by the true Messiah Isaiah 35. 5 6. In reference to the fulfilling which prophesies Christ bad John's disciples tell him as an argument that Christ was he which should come that the blinds received their sight c. Matth. 11. 5. It was a rational conclusion which they made John 6. 14. when they had seen the miracle of the multiplied loaves This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a teacher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And far be that blasphemie from the thoughts of any of our hearts that these were done by Magick or the power of the devil why did not his enemies accuse him of it especially when it was one condition in the judges of the Sanhedrim that they should be skill'd in Hornbeck pag. 234. magick that they might detect and Judge others for it For certainly then others who envied Christ the glorie that he got by these miracles would out of envy and emulation have learnt the same art which yet no history makes mention of that ever I saw or heard of Nor were they done by the power of the devil for the manner of Christs miracles were casting out of devils and Beelzebul could not cast out Beelzebul and surely Christ would have affected privacie and solitude if he had intended to have imposed upon the credulitie of the ignorant who yet chose the most conspicuous places and the greatest multitude to work his miracles amongst having oft thousand eyes witnesses of them The Jews themselves can give no other account to a Pagan why they credit Grot. de veritat Relig. pag. 222. c. the miracles of the old Testament then the testimony of those that saw them the rapture of Elias onely upon the bare testimony of Elisha 1 King 2. 1. If they will not give credit to the Apostles testimonies though no reason why an historical faith should not be given them yet let them credit Josephus which the Jews say â—â—s phus Antiq. lib. 18. c. 4. cannot be found in their copies and no wonder Nam Judaei non habent Josephum filius Malachiae qui graves scripsit libros Antiquitatum de quo nos loquimur sed Josephum filium Gorionis qui aliquid simile scripsit Hebraicè saies Bellarmine And these things speak the Bellarm. de script
to make him throughly perfect 2 Tim. 3. 17. Nay it is so perfect a rule that the most specious observances and most glorious performances and most exact works are no way acceptable unto God if not commanded in and regulated by this word They may have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shew of wisdome in will-worship as the Apostle speaks Coloss 2. 23. to the pleasing of men but not to the glory of God God gave Moses a pattern for making the Tabermacle and David of the Temple God hath set us a perfect rule of worship and holiness in his word and nothing pleaseth him but what is according to that rule When our Saviour told the woman of Samaria John 4. 22. We know what we worship We that is the Jews the ground sure was because the Jews had a particular appointment of God for their worship which the Samaritanes had not Therefore nothing must be imposed upon Christians as obligatory to conscience though something for order and decencie 1 Cor. 14. 40. as Divine commands or as the immediate worship of God or as duties essentially necessary in order to salvation This is justly abhorred as the Tyranny of the Church of Rome and as an infringement of Christian libertie and as a detracting from the perfection of the word of God Non ex arbitrio Deo serviendum est sed ex imperio What Tertullian saith of the Heathen worship I shall say of all will-worship which is besides the word of God Ex religione superstitio compingitur eò irreligiosior quantò Ethnicus paratior Men in this case are laboriously superstitious and take a great deal of pains to be irreligious It seems to be a strange expression Hos 8. 14. Israel hath forgotten his maker and buildeth temples but sure the reason is because God had appointed but one Temple To be righteous without or beyond the word of God is to be righteous overmuch and to make our selves over-wise indeed wiser then God himself which is forbidden Eccles 7. 16. Be not righteous overmuch neither make thy self over-wise why shouldest thou destroy thy self To offer to God observances not prescribed in his word is but with Nadab and Abihu to offer strange fire unto the Lord Levit 10. 1. strange because God had not commanded it The use whereof before we pass further shall be First An encouragement to search What encouragement must it be to men to dig in a mine when they may finde a fulness of what may supply all their necessities there is such a fulness in Scripture-mines Doest thou want information in matters of faith Here is a fulness of Saving truth Or doest thou want direction for thy life and walking with God here is a perfect rule of holiness Secondly When you have searched it walk according to this rule Take the word of God to regulate your lives by this is an evidence and note of a true upright sincere Christian to take the word of God as his rule So David describes them Psal 119. 1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord that is a note that they are undefiled upright and sincere This evidenced Jobs uprightness Job 23. 10 11 12. And yet how few walk by this rule some by the fashions of the world custome and example of others education the invention of men and the like but David had another rule Psal 119. 113. I hate vain thoughts but thy law I love And there is a new lately unheard of generation now start up who neglecting the Scriptures pretend to be wholly led and guided by a light within them Let us if you think it worth the while examine this opinion and I think it may be confuted sufficiently by Mat. 6. 23. If the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Whence these things are obvious to be collected 1. That it is possible the light within a man may be darkness as the light which the Heathens had within them was who had their understanding darkned Ephes 4. 18. and as the light of every natural man is I Cor. 2. 14. 2. That if it be so it is a miserable darkness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How great is that darkness that is he that followeth such a light is in a lamentable deplorable condition as he that followeth the light of some Meteor in the night which leads him into ditches 3. This light within as being every mans pretence and in most men a false light and in one contrary to another must be tryed and then presently it supposeth some certain rule by which it must be tryed otherwise we shall never be secured from delusion and errour and this rule can be no other then the infallible word of God All that light is darkness which is not lighted at the Lamp of Scripture so the Prophet Isaiah tells us expresly Isai 8. 20. If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Therefore as David so all Christians should walk by that light Psal 119. 105. 4. If this opinion supposeth a light naturally set up in every mans soul which by following its direction may bring them to heaven then this is plain down right Pelagianisme and speaks the grace of God needless and tells God that he was at an unnecessary expence of wisdome and mercy when he gave us Scripture which the Apostle tells us is onely able to make us wise unto salvation in 2 Tim. 3. 15. 5. God hath no where commanded us to walk by any such rule as a light within By the Prophet David he sends us to his word Psal 119. 9. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed according to thy word and S. Paul would have all walk by the same rule Phil. 3. 16. 6. Suppose it a true law and light an effect of regeneration yet not a rule because imperfect for still the Prophet remits us to that law written in the volume of the book of God Psal 40. 7 8. and by it it does evidently appear that there is no law or light within the heart to be accounted of but what is agreeable with and consonant to the law written in the volume of the book But however be it what light it will be which these pretend to walk by I shall demonstrate to you that those are not in the light but in darkness from 1 John 2. 8 9 10. And certainly into the number of those whom the Apostle there mentions it is no uncharitableness to put these whose constant practise is to spit hell and damnation in every mans face though such as walk holily and umblameably But you will say Is not every man concerned to follow the light and inward guidance of his own conscience I answer No unless his conscience be rightly informed and regulated by the word of God For conscience is but Regularegulata and though he cannot disobey a false light of conscience without sin