verse one line nay one word of holy Scriptures make in his heart so that he cannot eat sleep work keep company with his former companions and all because he is afraid that the damnation spoken of in Scripture will fall to his share Like Balaam who said I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord so long as he had something of the word of the Lord with authority severity and power on his heart but at another time he could teach Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel Rev. 2.14 3. Because the carnal Priests do tickle the ears of their hearers with vain Philosophy and deceit and thereby harden their hearts against the simplicity of the Gospel and word of God which things the Apostle admonished those that have a mind to close in with Christ to avoid Col. 2.8 saying Bewarâ—â—est any man be he what he will spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men and rudiments of the world and not after Christ And you who nuzzle up your people in ignorance with Aristotle Plato and the rest of the heathenish Philosophers and preach little if any thing of Christ rightly I say unto you that you will find that you have sinned against God and beguiled your hearers when God shall in the judgement-day lay the cause of the damnation of many thousands of souls to your charge and say He will require their blood at your hands Ezek. 33.6 4. Another reason why the carnal unbelieving world do so slight the Scriptures and word of God is because the judgement spoken of in the Scripture is not presently executed on the transgressors Because sentence against an evil act is not speedily executed therefore the hearts of the sons of men are wholly set in them to do evil Eccles 8.11 Because God doth not presently strike the poor wretch as soon as he sins but waits and forbears and is patient Therefore the world judging God to be unfaithful go to it agaiâ— and again and every time grow harder and harder till at last God is forced either to stretch out his mighty power to turne them or else send death with the devil and hell to fetch them Thou thoughtest saith God that I was altogether such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thy face Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal 50.20 21. 5. Another reason why the blind world do slight the authority of Scripture is because they give ear to the devil who through his subtilty casteth false evasions and corrupt interpretations on them rendring them not so point blank the minde of God and a rule for direction to poor souls perswading them that they must give ear and way to something else besides and beyond that or else he labours to render it vile and contemptible by perswading them that it is a dead letter when indeed they know not what they say nor whereof they affirme For the Scripture is not so dead but that the knowledge of it is able to make any man wise unto salvation through faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3.15 And is profitable for instruction reproof and correction in righteousness that the man of God may be throughly furnished to all good works ver 17. And where it is said the letter killeth he meaneth the law as it is the ministration of damnation or a covenant of works and so indeed it doth kill and must do so because it is just forasmuch as the party that is under the same is not able to yield to it a compleat and continual obedience But otherwise I will call Paul and Peter to witness that the Scriptures are of a very glorious concernment in as much as in them is held forth to us the way of life and also in that they do administer good ground of hope to us Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever things were written a foretime Mark whatsoever were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture mâ—ght have hope And again Rom. 16.25 26. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mistery which was kept hid since the world began but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith And therefore whosoever they be that slight the Scriptures they slight that which is no less then the word of God and they who slight that slight him that spake it and they that do so let them look to themselves for God will be revenged on such Much more might be said to this thing but I would not be tedious A word or two more and so I have done with this Consider the dangers of slighting the words of the Prophets or Apostles whether they be correction reproof admonition forewarning or the blessed invitations and promises contained in them 1. Such souls do provoke God to anger and to execute his vengeance on them They refused to hearken they pulled away their shoulder they stopped their ears lest they should hear the law and they made their hearts adament stone that they might not hear the law and the words that were spoken to them by his spirit in the former prophets Therefore came a great wrath upon them Zach. 7.11 12. 2. God will not regard in their calamity Because I called and ye refused I stretched out my hand no man regarded but set at nought all my counsels and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamities and mock when your fear cometh When their fear cometh as desolation and their destruction like a whirlewind Then shall they call but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Proverbs 1.25 26 27. 3. God doth commonly give up such men to delusions to believe lies Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie That they all might be damned 2 Thess 2.11 12. 4. In a word they that do continue to reject and slight the word of God they are such for the most part as are ordained to be damned Old Eli his sons not hearkenning to the voice of their father reproving them for their sins but disobeying his voice it is said It was because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2.15 Again see in 2 Chron. 25.15 16. Amaziah having sinned against the Lord he sends to him a prophet to reprove him But Amaziah sayes Forbear wherefore shouldst thou be smitten he did not hearken to the word of God Then the Prophet forbare saying I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast not hearkened to my counsel Read therefore
the dead what need have they of such a thing Have they not Moses and the Prophets hath not Moses told them the danger of living in sin Deut. 27. from ver 15. to ver 26. And chap. 28.15 16 17 18 19 20. c. to the end of the chapter also ch 29.18 19 20 21. hath he not there told them what a sad state these persons are in that deceive themselves with the deceit of their hearts saying They shall have peace though they follow their sins in these words And when he heareth the words of this curse he bless himself in his heart saying I shâ—ll have peace though I go on or walk in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare that man but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against him and all the curses that are written in this book shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven Agâ—in did not Moses write of the Saviour that was to come afterwards into the world Deut. 18.18 Nay have not all the Prophets from Samuel with all those that follow after prophesied and foretold these things therefore what need â—ave they that I should work such a miracle as to send one from the dead unto them They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them From whence observe again That God doth honour the writings of Moses and the Prophets as much nay more then if one should rise from the dead Should not a people seek unto their God what seek for seek for the living among the dead To the Law and to the testimonies saith â—od if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8 19 20. And let me tell you plainly I do believe that the devil knows this full well which makes him labour to beget in the hearts of his disciples and followers light thoughts of them and doth perswade them that even a motion from their own beguiled conscience or from his own wicked Spirit is to be observed and obeyed before them when the very Apostle of Jesus Christ though he heard a voice from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son c. Yet writing to the Churches and telling them he heard such a voice he commends the writings of the Prophets before it saying We have also a more sure word of the Prophets unto which ye do well to take heed c. 2 Pet. 1 17 18 19. Now if thou doubtest whether that place be meant the Scriptures the words of the Prophets or no read but the next verse where he addeth for a certain confirmation thereof these words Knowing this first that there is no prophecy of the Scriptures Mark it is the prophecy of the Scriptures There is no prophecy of the Scriptures of any private interpretation for prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And therefore O what a sad thing is it with those that go about to disown the Scriptures I tell you however you may slight them now yet when they come into hell and in bitterness of soul cry out Oh that one might go to forewarn my companions of their folly lest they come into this place of torment God doth and will answer them with these words they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Again it is very observable who they are that are so tossed to and fro with the several winds of doctrine that have been broached in these dayes They are such for the most part as have had a light esteem of the Scriptures for the ground of errour as Christ saith is because they know not them Mark 12.24 And indeed it is just with God to give them over to follow their own dark blinded consciences to be led into errours that they might be damned into hell who did not believe that the things contained in the Scripture were the truth that they might be saved and go to heaven I cannot well tell how to have done speaking for and on the Scriptures side onely this I consider Verse 30. A word is enough to the wise and therefore I shall commit these things into the hands of them that are of God and as for the rest if they convert not to Jesus Christ I shall say to them rather then God will save them from hell with the breach of his holy word if they had a thousand souls a piece God would destroy them all for the Scriptures cannot be broken Joh. 10.35 Ver. 30. And he said nay Father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they would repent THe verse before you know as I told you it was part of an answer to such as lose their souls so it is a vindication of the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets where he saith They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them as if he had said they should have closed in with the tenders of mercy held out by Moses Samuel David Isaiah Jeremiah together with the rest of the glorious certain truths that I moved them to utter and hold forth in their generation to the world and also which they have left on record both for the warning comfort and reproof of them who in after ages should come into the world both by holding forth the state of man by nature how miserable it was and by holding out the mercy and grace of God and how large that was and also how free God is and ever was to save them that did come the right way to him namely by Christ together with the lamentable and sad state that those were and are and shall be in that did turne their backs on what they did then speak and afterwards leave on record for the good of succeeding generations if they vvould or v ill be blessed that are yet alive let them ovvn them cloâ—e in vvith that vvhich is held forth by them namely the Mesias or Jesus that came from heaven to earth on purpose to lay dovvn his life for the rebellious as I said before Novv this verse is an ansvver to the former and such an one as hath in it a kind of rejectâ—on of the former ansvver Nay Father Abraham Nay saith he do not say so do not put them off vvith this send one from the dead and then there vvill be some hopes 'T is true thou speakest of the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets and sayest let them hear them but these things are not so vvell as I could vvish I had rather thou wouldst send one from the dead In these vvords therefore Nay Father Abraham there is a repulse given Nay let it not be so Nay I do not like of that ansvver Hear Moses and the Prophets nay The same expression is used by Christ Luk. 13.2 3. Think you that they upon whom the tower of
Siloe fell were sinners above others I tell you nay for except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish So here Nay Father Abraham c. By this vvord nay therefore is signified a rejecting the first ansvver Novv observe I pray you the reason vvhy he sayes nay is because God doth put over all those that vvill be saved to observe and receive the truth contained in Scripture and believe that To have high esteem of them and to love and search them as Christ saith Search the Scriptures for they are they which testifie of me Joh. 5.39 But the damned say Nay as if he had said It is true the Scriptures are truth and every curse contained in and held forth by them shall be fulfilled and have its time to be executed on them vvho live and die in unbelief as novv I feel by vvoful experience for I svvim novv in the curses and vvrath vvhich once they told me I should partake of But this is the thing to be short my brethren are unbelievers and do not regard the word of God I know it by my self for when I was in the world it was so with me 'T is true many a good Sermon did I hear many a time was I admonished desired intreated beseeched threatned forewarned of what I now suffer But alas I was ignorant self-conceited surly obstinate and rebellious 'T is true many a time the preacher told me hell would be my portion the devill would wreck his malice on me God would pour on me his sore displeasure but he had as good have preached to the stock to the post to the stones I trod on 'T is true his words rang in mine ears but I kept them from my heart I remember he alledged many a Scripture but those I valued not the Scriptures thought I what are they a dead letter a little ink and paper of three or four shillings price Alas what is the Scripture give me a Ballad a News-book George on horseback or Bevis of Southhampton give me some book that teaches curious arts that tells of old fables but for the holy Scriptures I cared not And as it was with me then so it is with my brethren now we were all of one spirit loved all the same sins slighted all the same counsels promises incouragements and threatnings of the Scriptures and they are still as I left them still in unbelief still provoking God and rejecting good counsel so hardned in their wayes so bent to follow sin that let the Scriptures be shewed to them daily let the messengers of Christ preach till their hearts ake till they fall down dead with preaching they will rather trampleit under foot and swine like rent them than close in with those gentle and blessed profers of the Gospel Thus therefore these words Nay Father Abraham but if one should rise from the dead they would repent are to be understood That the world of ungodly men will not regard the Scriptures seriously Though they have Moses and the Prophets the Scriptures they will not repent or heartily close in with Jesus Christ though the Scriptures do witness against them If therefore there be any good done to them they must have it another way I think saith he it would work much on them if one should rise from the dead And this truth indeed is so evident that ungodly ones have a light esteem of the Scriptures that it needs not many strong arguments to prove it being so evidently manifested by their every dayes practice both in words and actions almost in all things they say and do Yet for the satisfaction to the Reader I shall shew you by a Scripture or two though I might shew many that this was and is true with thâ— geâ—erality of the world See the words of Nehemiah in his 9. Chapter concerning the children of Israel who though the Lord afforded them mercy upon mercy as it is from ver 19. to ver 25. yet ver 26. saith he Nevertheless they were disobedient for all thy goodness toward them and rebelled against thee but how and cast thy law behind their back And was that all No for they slew the Prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee and they wrought great provocations Observe 1. They sinned against mercy And then 2. they slighted the law or word of God 3. They slew the Prophets that declared it unto them 4. The Lord câ—unts it a great provocation See Heb. 3. from ver 10. to ver 19. And see Zach. 7.11 12. But they refusâ—d to hearken saith he there of the wicked and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear the law Yea they made their hearts hard as an adament stone lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts sent unto them by his spirit in the former Prophets c. Mark I pray you here is also First a refusing to hearken namely to the words of the Propehts 2. That they might so do they stopped their cares 3. If any thing was to be done they pulled away their shoulder 4. To effect this they labor to make their hearts hard as an adament stone 5. And all this lest they should hear and close in with Jesus and live and be delivered from the wrath to come all which things do hold out an unwillingness to submit to and embrace the words of God and so Jesus Christ which is testified of by them Many other Scriptures I might bring in for confirmation of the thing as that in Amos 7.12 13. also 2 Sam. 2.24 25. 2 Chron. 25.15 16. Jer. 7.23 24 25 26 27. and Chap 16 12. Read also seriously that saying in 2 Chron. 36.15 where he saith And the Lord God of their Fathers sent unto them How by his messengers rising up betimes because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place And did they make them welcome No But mocked them the messengers of God and despised his words And was that all No they misused his Prophets How long untill the wrath of the Lord arose against them In how high a measure Till there was no remedy See also Jer. 29.19 Chap. 25.3 4 5 6 7. Luk. 11.49 But alas we need not be so earnest in quoting the Scriptures so plentifully seeing any one or two places are enough And besides the conversation of almost all men doth bear witness to the same both religious and profane persons in that they daily neglect reject and turn their backs upon the plain testimony of the Scriptures As 1. Take the threatnings laid down in holy writ and how are they disregarded there are but a few places in the Bible but there are threatnings against one sinner or other against drunkards swearers liars proud persons strumpets whoremonger covetous railers extortioners theeves lazy persons In a word all manner of sins are reproved and without faith in the Lord Jesus there is a sore punishment to be executed on the committers
Verse 31. and the Lord give thee understanding For a miserable end will those have that go on sinning against God rejecting his word Other things might have been observed from this verse which at this time I shall pass by partly because the sum of them hath been touched already and may be more clearly hinted at in the following verse and therefore I shall speak a few words to the next verse and to draw towards a conclusion Ver. 31. And he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the dead ANd he said That is and God made answer to the words spoken in the verse before And he said unto him If they hear not Moses c. As if he had said Moses was a man of great renown A man of worthy note A man that talked with God face to face as a man speaketh to his friend The words that Moses spake were such as I commanded him to speak Let who will question them I will own them credit them bless them that close in with them and curse those that reject them I my self sent the prophets they did not run of their own heads I gave them commission I thrust them out and told them what they should say In a word they have told the world what my mind is to do both to sinners and to saints They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Therefore he that shall reject and turn his back either upon the threatnings counsels admonitions invitations promises or whatsoever else I have commanded them to speak as to salvation and life and to directions therein shall be sure to have a share in the many curses that they have spoken and the destruction that is pronounced by them Again if they hear not Moses and the Prophets c. As if he had said thou wouldest have me send one from the dead unto them what needs that They have my mind already I have declared unto them what I intend to stand to both for saving them that believe and damning them that do not That therefore which I have said I will make good whether they hear or forbear And as for this desire of yours you had as good desire me to make a new Bible and so to revoke my first sayings by the mouth of my prophets But I am God and not man and my word is immutable unchangeable and shall stand as fast as my decrees can make it Heaven and earth shall pass away but one jot or tittle of my word shall not pass If thou hadst ten thousand brethren and every one in danger of losing his soul if they did not close in with what is contained and recorded in the Scriptures of truth they must even every one of them perish and be for ever damned in hell for the Scriptures cannot be broken I did not send them so unadvisedly to recall it again by another consideration No for I speak it righteousness and judgement Isa 63.1 2 3. and in much wisdom and counsel It being therefore gone out of my mouth in this manner it shall not return in vain until it hath accomplished the thing whereto I have sent it But again thou supposest that miracles and wonders will work more on them which makes thee say send one from the dead But herein thou art mistaken for I have proved them with that once and again by more then one or two or three of my servants How many miracles did my servant Moses work by commandment from me in the land of Egypt at the red sea and in the wilderness yet they of that generation were never the sooner converted for that but notwithstanding rebelled lusted and in their hearts turned back into Egypt Acts 7. How many miracles did Samuel David Elias Elisha Daniel and the Prophets together with my Sonne who raised the dead cast out devils made them to see that were borne blind gave and restored limbs yet for all this as I said before they hated him they crucified him I raised him again from the dead and he appeared to his disciples who were called and chosen and faithful and he gave them commandment and commission to go and testifie the truth of this to the world and to confirme the same he inabled them to speak with divers tongues and to work miracles most plentifully yet there was great persecution raised against them insomuch that but a few of them died in their beds And therefore though thou thinkest that a miracle will do so much with the world yet I say No. For if they will not believe Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one should rise from the dead From these words therefore take notice of this truth namely that those who reject and believe not Moses and the Prophets are a very hard-hearted people that will not be perswaded though one rise from the dead Again they that regard not the holy Scriptures to turn to God finding them to testifie of his goodness and mercie there is but little hopes of their salvation for they will not Mark They will not be perswaded though one should rise from the dead This truth is confirmed by Jesus Christ himself If you read Joh. 5. where the Lord is speaking of himself that he is the very Christ he brings in four or five witnesses to back what he said First John Baptist. 2 The works that his Father gave him to do 3. His Father speaking from heaven 4. The testimony of the Scriptures when all this was done seeing yet they would not believe he layes the fault upon one of these two things 1. Their regarding an esteem among men 2. Their not believing of the Prophets writings even Moses and the rest For had ye believed Moses saith he ye would have believed me why For he wrote of me But if ye believe not his writings how can ye believe my words Now I say he that shall slight the Scriptures and the testimonie of the prophets in them concerning Jesus Christ must needs be in great danger of losing his soul if he abide in this condition because he that slights the testimony doth also slight the thing that is testified of let him say what he will and say the contrary never so often For as Jesus Christ hath here laid down the reason of mens not receiving him so the Apostle in another place layes down the reason again with an high and mighty aggravation 1 Joh. 5.10 saying He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself he that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the Record Mark the Record that God gave of his Son The record you will say what is that Even the testimony that God gave of him by the mouth of all the holy Prophets since the world began Acts 3.20 That is God sending his holy Spirit into the hearts of his servants the Prophets and Apostles he by
his Spirit in them did bear witness or record to the truth of salvation by his Son Jesus both before and after his comming And thus is that place also to be understood which saith There are three that bear record in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood That is the Spirit in the Apostles which preached him to the world as is clear if you read seriously 1 Thess 4.8 The Apostle speaking of Jesus Christ and obedience to God through him saith thus Now he that despiseth despiseth not us No who then Why God But it is you that speak True but it is by and through the Spirit He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who also hath given us of his holy Spirit This is therefore a mighty confirmation of this truth that he that slights the record or testimony that God by his spirit in his Prophets and Apostles hath testified unto us slights the testimony of the spirit who moved them to speak these things and if so then I would fain know how any man can be saved by Jesus Christ that slights the testimony concerning Christ yea the testimony of his own spirit concerning his own self 'T is true men may pretend to have the testimony of the Spirit and from that conceit set a low esteem on the holy Scriptures But that spirit that dwelleth in them and teacheth them so to do it is no better then the spirit of Satan though it calls it self by the name of the spirit of Christ To the law therefore and to the testimony Try them by that If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them The Apostle Peter when he speaks of the glorious voice that he had from the excellent Majesty saying of Christ This is my beloved Son hear him saith thus to them whom he wrote unto You have also a more sure word of prophecy or of the prophets for so you may read it unto which you do well that you take heed That is though we tell you that we had his excellent testimony from his own mouth evidently yet you have the prophets we tell you this and you need not doubt of the truth of it but if you should yet you may not must not ought not to question them Search therefore unto them until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts That is until by the same spirit that gave forth the Scripture you find the truth confirmed to your souls which you have recorded in the Scriptures That this word of prophecy or of the prophets is the Scriptures read on For saith he knowing this first that no prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation c. 2 Pet. 1.18 19 20. But you will say What needs all this ado and why is all this time and pains spent in speaking to this that is surely believed already This is a thing received by all that they believe the Scriptures to be the word of God that sure word of prophecy and therefore you need not spend your time in proving these things and the truth of them seeing we grant and confess the truth of it before you begin to speak your judgement of them Answ The truths of God cannot be borne witness unto too often you may as well say You need not preach Jesus Christ so much seeing he hath been and is received for the true Messias already 2. Though many may suppose that they do believe the Scriptures yet if they were but well examined you would find them either by word of mouth or else by conversation to deny reject and slight the holy Scriptures 'T is true there is a notional and historicall assent in the head I say In the head of many or most to the truth contained in Scripture but try them I say and you shall find but a little if any of the faith of the operation of God in the hearts of poor men to believe the Scriptures and things contained in them 'T is true many yea most men believe the Scriptures as they believe a fable a story a tale of which there is no certainty but alas there are but few do intend and in truth believe the Scriptures to be the very word of God But you will say this seems strange to me Answ And it seems as true to me and I doubt not but to make it manifest and plainly to appear that there are but few yea very few that do effectually for that I aim at believe the Scriptures and the truths contained in and spoken of by them But to make this appear and that to purpose if God will I shall lay you down the several operations that the Scriptures have on them who do effectually believe the things contained in them 1. He that doth effectually believe the Scriptures hath in the first place been killed I say killed by the authoirty of the holy Scriptures struck stark dead in a spiritual sense by the holy Scripture being set home by that spirit which gave them forth upon the soul The letter killeth the letter strikes men dead 2 Cor. 3.6 and this Paul witnessed and found before he could say I believe all that the prophets have spoken Where he saith I was alive without the Law once That is in my natural state before the Law was set on my heart with power But when the commandement came sinne revived and I died Rom. 7.9 and that law that was ordained to life I found to be unto death For sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and thereby stew me v. 10. Now that which is called the Letter in Cor. is called the Law in Rom. 7. which by its power and operation as it is wielded by the Spirit of God doth in the first place kill and slay all those that are enabled to believe the Scriptures I kill saith God That is with my law I pierce I wound I prick men into the very heart by shewing them their sins against my law Acts 2.36 37. And he that is ignorant of this is also ignorant of and doth not really and effectually believe the Scripture But you will say how doth the law kill and strike dead the poor creature Answ First the letter or law do kill thus It is set home upon the soul and discovers to the soul its transgressions against the law and shews the soul also that it cannot compleatly satisfie the justice of God for the breach of his law therefore it is condemned Joh. 3.19 Mark He that believes not is condemned already To wit by the law that is the law doth condemn him yea it hath condemned him already for his sins against it as it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them Gal. 3.10 Now all men as they come into the world are in this condition that is condemned by the law Yet not believing that their condemnation by
the law really they do not also believe really and effectually the law that doth condemn them For as men have but a notion of the one that is their condemnation because of sins against the law Verse 3 so they have but a notion of the condemning killing and destroying power of the law for as the one is so in these things alwayes is the other there is no man that doth really believe the law or Gospel further then they do feel the power and authority of them in their hearts Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Now this letter or law is not to be taken in the largest sense but is strictly to be tyed to the ten Commandments whose proper work is onely by shewing the soul its sins against this law to kill and there leaves him stark dead not giving him the least life or support or comfort but leaves the soul in an helpless and hopeless condition as from it self or any other meer creature 'T is true the law hath laid all men for dead as they come into the world but all men do not see themselves dead untill they see that law that struck them dead sticking in their souls and having struck them that fatall blow As a man that is fast asleep in an house and that on fire about his ears and he not knowing of it because he is asleep even so because poor souls are asleep in sin though the wrath of God Verse 31. the curse of his law and the flames of hell have beset them round about yet they do not believe it because they are asleep in sin Now he that is awakened and sees this sees that through this he is a dead man Even so they that do see their state by nature being such a sad condition do also see themselves by that law to be dead men naturally But now when didst thou feel the power of this first part of the Scripture the law so mighty as to strike thee dead if not thou dost not so much as verily believe that part of Scripture that doth contain the law in it to be the truth of God Yet if thou shouldest have felt something I say something of the killing power of the law of God in thine heart this is not an argument to prove that thou believest all the things contained in Scripture for there is Gospel as well as Law and therefore I shall speak to that also That is whether thou hast felt the power of the Gospel as well as something of the power of the Law 2. Then if thou hast found the power of the Gospel and so believed it thou hast found it thus with thy soul 1. Thou hast been shewed by the word or truth of the Gospel in the light of the Spirit of Christ that by nature thou wert without the true faith of the Son of God in thy soul For when He the Spirit is come he shall shew men that they believe not in me saith Christ Joh. 16.9 For mark though thou hast as I said before felt somewhat of the power of the Law Letter or ten Commandments yet if thou hast not been brought to this to see by the spirit in the Gospel that thou art without faith by nature thou hast not yet tasted much less believed any part of the Gospel For the Gospel and the Law are two distinct covenants as I have before shewed And they that are under the law maybe convinced by it and so believe the law or first covenant and yet in the mean time to be a stranger to the covenant of promise that is the Gospel so have no hope in them Eph. 2.12 There is not any promise that can be savingly believed untill the soul be by the Gospel converted to Jesus Christ For though men do think never so much that they believe the things of the Gospel or the word of the Gospel of our salvation yet unless they have the work of grace in their souls they do not cannot rightly believe the things contained in the Scriptures Again as the law killeth those that believe it even so the promises contained in the Gospel do through faith administer comfort to those that believe it aright My words saith Christ my words they are spirit and they Mark and they are life Joh. 6.63 As if he had said The words contained in in the law as a covenant of works they wound they kill they strike dead those that are under them But as for me the words that I speake unto you they are spirit and they are life That is whosoever doth receive them believingly shall find them full of operation to comfort quicken and revive their soul For as I did not come into the world to destroy mens lives so the words that I speak as I am sent to preach the Gospel they have no such tendency unto those that believe them The promises that are in the Gospel Oh how do they comfort them such a promise and such a promise O how sweet is it O how comfortable to those that believe them Alas there are many poor souls that think they believe the Scriptures that they believe the word of God and yet poor souls that they are they never enjoyed any thing of the life and power of the promises to comfort them after they were killed by the law For mark If thy comfort be indeed by the promises they come in upon thy heart to quicken to revive thee to raise thee from the sentence of death that is passed on thee by the law And through the faith that is wrought in thy soul by the operation of Gods holy Spirit though once killed by the Law or Letter thou art made alive in the Lord Jesus Christ presented to thy soul in the promises 3. Dost thou indeed and in truth believe the Scriptures to be the word of God then the things contained in them especially the things of the Gospel are very excellent to thy soul as the birth of Christ the death resurrection intercession and second coming of Christ O how precious and excellent are they to thy soul insomuch that thou regardest nothing in comparison of them O! it is Christs birth death blood resurrection c. according to the Scriptures that thou doest rejoyce in exceedingly and abundantly desire after 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3 4 5 6. compare with Phil. 3.6 7 8. 4. Doest thou believe the Scriptures to be the word of God Then thou standest in aw of and dost much reverence them Why they are the word of God the true sayings of God they are the counsel of God they are his promises and his threatnings 'T is like poor souls are apt to think If I could hear God speak to me from heaven with an audible voice then sure say they I should be serious and sure I should believe it But truly if God should speak to thee from heaven except thou wert converted thou wouldest not regard nor really believe him But if thou
doest believe the Scriptures thou seest that they are the truth as really as if God should speak to thee from heaven through the clouds and therefore never flatter thy self foolishly thinking that if it were so and so then thou couldest believe I tell thee saith Christ If they believe not Moses and the Prophets neither will they believe though one should rise from the dead But 5. Doest thou believe the Scripture to be the word of God Then through faith in Christ thou endeavourest to have thy life squareed according to the Scriptures both in word and practice Nay this I say thou mayest have though thou do not believe them all My meaning is that if thou believe none but the ten Commandments thy life may be according to them a legal holy life and if thou do believe the Gospel too then thy life will be the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ that is either thou wilt live in the blessed and holy enjoyment of what is testified in the Scripture concerning the glorious things of the Lord Jesus Christ or else thou wilt be exceedingly panting after them For the Scriptures carry such a blessed beauty in them to that soul that hath faith in the things contained in them that they do take the heart and captivate the soul of him that believeth them into the love and liking of them 6. He that believes the Scriptures to be the word of God if he do but suppose that any one place of the Scripture doth exclude him and shut him out of and from a share in the promises contained in them O it will trouble him grieve him perplex him yea he will not be satisfied until he be resolved and thâ— contrary sealed to his soul for he knowâ— that the Scriptures are the word oâ— God all truth and therefore he knowâ— that if any one sentence doth excludeâ— or bar out him for want of this or the other qualification he knows also that not the word alone shuts him out but he that speaks it even God himself and therefore he cannot will not dare not be contented untill he find his soul and Scripture together with the things contained therein to embrace each other and a sweet correspondency and agreement be between them For you must know that to him that believes the Scriptures aright the promises or threatnings are of more power to comfort or cast down then all the promises or threatnings of all the men in the world And this was the cause why the Martyrs of Jesus did so slight both the promises of their adversaries when they would have overcome them with profering the great things of this world unto them and also their threatnings when they told them they would rack them hang them burn them none of these things could prevail upon them or against them because they did most really believe the Scriptures the things contained in them as is cleerly found and to be seen in Heb. 11. and also in Mr. Fox his records of their brethren 7. He that believeth the Scriptures to be the word of God believeth that men must be borne again and have that faith which is of the operation of God or else they cannot be saved And he that believeth this believeth also that if he be not borne again and also be partakers of that faith which is of the operation of God according as he hath read and believed he must and shall be damned And he that believeth this aright will not be contented until according as it is written he do partake of and enjoy the new birth and until he do find through grace that faith that is wrought by the operation of God in his soul For this is the cause why men do satisfie themselves with so slender a conceited hope that their state is good when it is nothing so namely because they do not credit the Scripture for did they they would look into their own hearts and examine seriously whether that faith that hope that grace which they think they have be of that nature and wrought by that spirit and power that the Scripture speaketh of I speak this of an effectual believing without which all other is nothing unto salvation Now then because I would not be too tedious I shall at this time lay down no more discoveries of such an one as doth savingly believe the Scriptures and the things contained in them but shall speak a few words of examination containing the things already mentioned As 1. Thou sayest thou dost indeed and in truth effectually believe the Scriptures I ask therefore wast thou ever killed stark dead by the law of works contained in the Scriptures To be killed and to be struck dead you will say what is that Why to be killed by the law or letter is by the power thereof to be made to see thy sins against it and to be left in an helpless condition by that law for I say the proper work of the law is to slay the soul and to leave it dead in a helpless state For it doth neither give the soul any comfort it self when it comes nor doth it shew the soul where comfort is to be had and therefore it is called the ministration of condemnation as in 2 Cor. 3.9 Yea in plain termes the ministration of death 2 Cor. 3.7 For though men may have a notion of the blessed word of God as as the children had yet before they be converted it may truly be said of to them Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Mark 12.24 2. You say you do believe the Scriptures to be the word of God I say again examine wast thou ever quickened from a dead state by the power of the Spirit of Christ through the other part of the Scripture That is to say by the power of God in his Sonne Jesus Christ through the covenant of promise I tell thee from the Lord if thou hast thou hast felt such a quickning power in the words of Christ Joh. 6. that thou hast been lifted out of that dead condition that thou before wast in and that when thou wast under the guilt of sin the curse of the law and the power of the devil and the justice of the great God that thou hast been inabled by the power of God in Christ revealed to thee by the Spirit through and by the Scripture to look sin death hell the devil and the law and all things that are at enmity with thee for thy sins with boldness and comfort in the face through the blood death righteousness resurrection and intercession of Christ made mention of in the Scriptures And thirdly on this account O how excellent are the Scriptures to thy soul O how much virtue dost thou see in such a promise in such an invitation O sayest thou there are some promises in the book of God that I have had nourishment from and through Christ in them O they are so large they say Christ will in no
wise cast me out My crimson sins shall be white as snow I tell thee friend there are some promises that the Lord hath helped me to lay hold of Jesus Christ through and by that I would not have out of the Bible for as much Gold and Silver as can lie between York and London piled up to the stars And why so O because through them Christ is pleased by his Spirit to convey comfort to my soul O I say when the law curses when the Devil tempts when hell-fire flames in my conscience my sins with the guilt of them tearing of me then is Christ revealed so sweetly to my poor soul through the promises that all is forced to fly and leave off to accuse my soul So also when the world frowns when the enemies rage and threaten to knock me in the head then also the precious yea the exceeding great and precious promises do weigh down all and comfort the soul against all This is the effect of believing the Scriptures savingly for they that do so have by and through the Scriptures good comfort and also ground of hope Rom. 15.4 believing those things to be its own which the Scriptures hold forth 4. Examine dost thou stand in aw of sinning against God because he hath in the Scriptures commanded thee to abstain from it Dost thou give diligence to make thy calling and election sure because God commandeth it in Scripture Dost thou examine thy self whether thou be in the faith or no having a command in Scripture so to do Or dost thou notwithstanding what thou readest in the Scripture follow the world delight in sin neglect coming to Jesus Christ speak evil of the Saints slight and make a mock at the ordinances of God delight in wicked company and the like Then know that it is because thou dost not indeed and in truth believe the Scriptures effectually For as I said before if a man do believe them and that savingly O then he stands in aw he looks to his steps he turns his feet from evil and endeavours to follow that which is good which God hath commanded in the Scriptures of truth yet not from a legal or natural principle that is to seek for life by doing that good thing but knowing that salvation is already obtained for him by the blood of that man Christ Jesus on the Cross because he believes the Scriptures therefore mark I pray therefore I say he labours to walk with his God in all well pleasing and godliness because the sweet power of the loves of Christ which he feels in his soul by the Spirit according to the Scriptures constrain him so to do 2 Cor. 5.14 5. Examine again dost thou labour after those qualifications that the Scriptures do describe a child of God by that is faith yea the right faith the most holy faith the faith of the operation of God And also dost thou examine whether there is a real growth of grace in thy soul as love zeal self-denial and a seeking by all means to attain if possible to the resurrection of the dead that is not to satisfie thy self until thou be dissolved rid of this body of death and be transformed into that glory that the Saints shall be in after the resurrection day and in the mean time dost labour and take all opportunities to walk as near as may be to the pitch though thou know thou canst not attain it perfectly yet I say thou doest aim at it seek after it press towards it and to hold on in thy race thou shunnest that which may any way hinder thee and also close in with what may any way further the same knowing that that must be or desiring that it should be thine eternal frame and therefore out of love and liking to it thou dost desire and long after it as being the thing that doth much please thy soul Or how is it with thy soul Art thou such an one as regards not these things but rather busie thy thoughts about the things here below following those things that have no sent of divine glory upon them if so look to thy self for it is high time for thee so to do for thou art an unbeliever and so under the wrath of God and wilt for certain fall into the same place of torment that thy fellows have fallen into before thee to the grief of thy own soul and everlasting destruction both of soul and body Consider and regard these things and lay them to thy heart before it be too late to recover thy self by repenting of the one and desiring to close in with the other O I say regard regard for hell is hot Gods hand is up the Law is resolved to discharge against thy soul the judgement-day is at hand the graves are ready to fly open the trumpet is near the sounding the sentence will ere long be past and then you and I cannot call time again Now then from what hath been spoken there might many things be spoken by way of Use and Application But I shall be very brief and but touch some things and so wind up And first I shall begin with the sad condition of those that die out of Christ and speak something to that Secondly to the latter end of the parable which more evidently concerns the Scripture and speak somewhat to that 1. Therefore you see that the former part of the parable contains a sad declaration of the state of one living and dying out of Christ how that they lose heaven for hell God for the devil light for darkness joy for sorrow 2. How that they have not so much as the least comfort from God who in the time they live here below neglect coming to him for mercy not so much as one drop of cold water 3. That such souls will repent of their folly when repentance will do them no good or when they shall be past recovery 4. That all the comfort such souls are like to have they have it in this world 5. That all their groanings and sighs will not move God to mitigate in the least his heavy hand of vengeance that is upon them for the transgressions they have committed against him 6. That their sad state is irrecoverable or they must never mark never come out of that condition 7. There desires will not be heard for their ungodly neighbours From these things then I pray you consider the state of those that die out of Christ Jesus yea I say consider their miserable state and think thus with thy self Well if I neglect coming to Christ I must go to the devil and he will not neglect to fetch me away into those intollerable torments Think thus with thy self What shall I lose a long heaven for short pleasure shall I buy the pleasures of this world at so dear a rate as to lose my soul for the obtaining of that Shall I content my self with a heaven that will last no longer then my life time What advantage