the denyall of Peter is more expresly laid downe by Marke then by any other Euangelist And Paul sets downe with his owne pen his owne faults in more sharpe measure then any other man would doe 1. Tim. 1.13 I was a blasphemer a persecutor an oppressor This argueth that these men were guided by God in that they were so free from flattery that they spared not themselues We know it is contrary in other writers you shall see generally those that write histories speake partiallie ether of some mē or of their own natiue coūtries as if a man should read the Chronicles of England he would thinke that to be the only country It sheweth the scripture to haue been guided by some higher spirit it being so free from all partiality Seauenthly the wonderfull preseruation of the bookes of the scripture At the first the two tables of the law which were written by Gods owne finger were apointed by the Lord to be laid vp in the Arke Deut. 10 2 5 6. and the whole Tribe of Leui commanded to attend it Next the bookes which Moses himselfe wrot Exod. 24.27 Deut. 31.9 Iosh 24.26 1. Sam. 10.25 as he wrot them by the speciall appointment of god as appeares so he deliuered it to the sonnes of Leui also to be kept Ioshua tooke the same course for the preseruation of that which he had written So did Samuell yet this is nothing in respect of that which followed The prophesy of Ieremy was burned by king Iehoiakinne therby thinking to abolish the whole memory of it but the lord presently caused the same to be written againe yea and added thereunto many words Ier. 30. When Manasses and Ammon two wicked kings to the end they might the better draw the people to Idolatry and to keep them in it had suppressed the booke of the law 2. Chron. 34.14 1. Macc 1. yet in the daies of Iosias it pleased God that euen in the ruynes of the temple the booke of the law was found againe It is recorded in the booke of Maccabees how that king Antiochus cut in peices and burnt al the bookes of che law which he could find and followed the matter so extreamely that whosoeuer had a booke of the testament found by him he should be put to death And Eusebius an auntient writer of the story of the Church reports how Dioclesian a heathen Emperour and a cruell persecutor both forbad the vse of the bookes of the prophets and Euangelists and consumed them with fire also So that indeed it is a very miracle and an argument that the scripture is from aboue in asmuch as notwithstanding the perpetuall enmity of the deuill against it the indeauours of Heretiques to corrupt it the practises of Tyrants vtterly to abolish it and the many hazards which the Church hath been in which could not chuse but endanger it yet it hath ben preserued whole and entyre yea euē in the originall tongues the old testament in the Hebrew and the new in the Greek euen vnto this day we may well apply vnto it the words of the Psalme It is the Lords doing Ps 1.8.23 and it is marueilous in our eies Eightly the forme and dignity of the stile which is as I said Fulnes of maiesty in simplicity of words There is no parte or tittle of it which sauoureth of any earthlines the maiesty of the sentences is such as it cannot be fully and wholly conceiued and vttered by any man and yet it is alwaies more powerfull in matter then in words And we see the bookes called the Apochripha who haue endeauoured to expresse the excellency of that holy stile are yet so farre from it that they are but cold and euen barbarous in comparison Ninthly if when we consider the excellency of the matter and the heauenly Maiesty of the stile we shall remember also what kind of men they were which wrot it it will adde some strength vnto this proofe For if we consider them simply in themselues Exod. 3.1 Ier. 1.6 Math. 4.18 Math. 9.9 Col. 4.4 1. Tim. 1.13 we shall see how vnfit they were by all likelihood for such a story Moses first a shepheard then a prophet Ieremy a yery child by his own confession Peter a fisherman one that was neuer trayned vp in learning Mathew a publican a meere stranger to the things of God Luke a phisitian learned but yet not accustomed in things of that quality Paul a persecutor a professed enemy to the doctrine of the gospell It could not chuse but be some heauenly and spirituall power that should call afterwards enable these mē vnto this waighty busines to be the penmē of that in which so much admirable excellēcy doth appeare Tēthly let vs cōsider also the power efficacy of the scripture There is no man but if he obserue it and hearken to it shall finde the power of it how it searcheth into the very secrets of a mans heart and deuides asunder the soule and the spirit Heb. 4.11 and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents it striketh a terror into the very consciences of those which are the greatest enemies vnto it and would seeme to despite it and that is the very thing that hath caused it to haue so many and greiuous aduersaries among men We may behold also how it works to the reclaiming of many men from their euill waies what fruits of holines it brings forth in the liues of diuers that professe it with contempt of the world what hatred of sinne what duties of mercy yea and how the loue and sweetnes thereof hath so possessed the hearts of some that they haue ben content not only to sacrifice their wealth their credit their good name their liberty for it but euen their very liues and to chuse rather to beare any torments then to disclaime that holy truth which by the teaching of the scripture they haue once throughly entertained Thus this power of the word in conuincing some in conuerting others in amazing some in reioycing others in drawing some earnestly to loue it in prouoking others deeply and tiranously to detest it this same secret and effectuall working of it I say vpon the secret powers of the soule is a testimony for the scripture that it is no deuise of man but the very sacred will of God These ten tokens I haue thought good to commend vnto your care and consideration by which it may be manifested vnto vs that that which we call the Bible and is dayly commēded vnto vs to be the word of god is indeed that which it is said to be and the very thing by which we shal be iudged at the last day 1. The purity of the law 2. The matter of the scripture the description of mans misery and of the true remedy for it 3. The antiquitie of it 4. The consent of it with it selfe 5. The certaine euent of all prophesies 6. The vnpartiall dealing of those that write it 7.
his hand shortened that he should not be able to see euery parcell of his holy pleasure put in execution It may seeme needles to insist vpon this pointe touching the vnfallible certaintie and fulfilling of the scripture but if wee consider our times wee shall see it is a needefull doctrine For whatsoeuer mens profession is their conuersation is such that a man may well thinke of them that they imagin the word of God to be but an idle tale a frightfull sound to amaze fooles full of terrible threatnings but yet lighter then vanity in performance Heb. 13.4 Gal 5.21 Psal 15.2.5 Doth the vnchast person think it true that whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge doth the drūkard beleiue that no such shall inherit the kingdome of God doth the vsurer imagin that there is any certainty in that speach that no such shal be receiued into heauen doth the contemner of Gods word suppose that that shall come to passe which Paul saith VIZ that the lord will in flaming fire render vengeance to them that do not obey the Gospell doth the despiser of knowledge perswade himselfe that Solomon spake with authoritie when he said 2. Th. 1.8 The lord would laugh at his dectruction doe those that presume vpon Gods mercy and thinke they may liue how they will and repent when they will giue credit to that where it is said Prov. 1.22.26 that these which doe despise the riches of Gods bounty and abuse his patience do but heap vp wrath to themselues against the day of iudgement And so I might say in many other things Is it likely that mē think there is any truth in the words which are so flat against these courses of which their life is a continuall practise Rom. 2. ◠◠sure it is not for out of all doubt if they had any such conceipt and did not rather say to themselues as they did in Ieremies time Ier. 5.13 it is but winde they would humble themselues before the Lord for their euills past and their future reformation should manifest their reuerent perswasion of the certainite of those Iudgements which stand vpon record in in the scriptures Therefore let vs remember this this scripture this word is not a deuise of man it was written by God euery curse writtē in it shall fall vpon the vnrepentant and euery blessing promised therein shall be made good to the soule of euery true beleeuer FINIS The second Sermon THe next question to be handled in this place touching that which God hath heere saied that he had written the great things of his law is why it was meete that the word of God should be cōmitted to writing As I haue proued vnto you that it was not writtē at aduētures out of the humors of som priuate mē but by the special appointmēt directiō of God so it shall appeare that the writing of it was not vndertakē but vpō very great reason and for very exceeding good purpose The maine and principall end was the spirituall good and edification of Gods Church that is not to be doubted in asmuch as in all things the Lord hath a cheife respecte vnto the Glorie of his owne name in the good of his chosen But how and in what manner and for what respects the writing of the word was necessary for the churches good it shal be worth our labour to enquire Vnderstand therfore that the writing of the word was and is for the good of the Church in this respecte euen that it may haue one certaine and vnfallible rule by which all doctrine may be tryed all controuersies in religion decided all doubts resolued and euery conscience firmely grounded and setled in Gods truth For this cause we read that when there was no word written but Moses law the doctrine of the prophets was tried by it After when to the law of Moses were added the sermons of the prophets Isay 8.20 then euery thing was referred vnto them so Christ cleared his doctrine and made it good by Moses and all the prophets Luk. 24.27 Pauls defence was this that he had said no other things then those which Moses and the prophets did say should come And all the learned in the best times which followed Acts 26.22 toke the same course leauing themselues an example vnto vs to make the written word as it were the standard or the kings beame by which to try all doctrine that is tendred to vs accepting none for sound good but only that which is agreeing therunto So that looke what necessity ther was that the Church should haue a Iudge to decide doubts and a true rule to find out and to discern the truth the same is there that the word should be put in writing for the common and perpetuall good of all posterity If any man thinke that the word of God might as well and profitably haue proceeded for the Churches good from hand to hand by liuely voice as by writing the father commending it to his sonne and so continuing it one after another to the end he is much deceiued For first the mind of man is very slippery and weake and soone ready to forget the best things secōdly mans nature is very prone to error apt either to entertaine or to broch new religions and therefore to preuent forgetfulnes to auoid error and to preserue the truth of God from corruption it was meet the scripture should be written It is worthy to be marked the speach of Luke in the preface of his Gospel to that noble Theophilus Luk. i. 4. he confesseth that he had been instructed in the doctrine of religion yet he thought to write vnto him from point to point that he might haue the certainty of those things So that though he had indifferent good knowledge before yet writing the story was the meanes to beget certainty This shal be written for the generation to come saith Dauid Psal 102.18 writing is the best meās euen as we se by common course to preserue a thing vnto posterity Besides as in a generallitie it was necessary the word of god should be written that there might be one certaine rule to iudge the truth by so for one maine pointe of doctrine it was very behoofull viz. to assure vs that Christe the sonne of Mary was the true Messias who being once come none other was to be looked for To setle vs wherin there could be deuised no more direct course then this viz. that first the promises of his comming should be recorded the nature and office and all other circumstances of his person discribed and then the history of all his acts his birth doctrine miracles death exactlie registred that so the following ages comparing both togeather seeing how euery promise was fulfilled euery prophesie accomplished might resolue vpon it that hee indeed was the Christe and that there is no name else giuen vnder heauen wherby wee may be saued
also that so wee may by degrees make a way to that which is the vse and drift of the whole scripture And first heare to the end that it may appeare that this is our fault to neglect Gods word we must necessarily enquire whether the lord hath not afforded vs the same blessing I meane the liberty of his word It is a thing that cannot be denied that the kindnes of God in his behalfe towards vs is no whit inferior to that which in former times he shewed to the Iewes I do thinke that no man can name any one particular tending to the discouery and making manifest of the law of God which is not graunted to vs in as great a measure as it was to them Nay looke by how much the ministery of the gospell doth exceed the ministery of the law by so much is the mercy of God greater vnto vs then vnto them because it is free for vs to behold the substance of that wherof they saw but the shadowes only So that the lord may euery way and in euery respect say to vs as truly as euer he might say to them I haue written to you the great things of my law It is manifest then I thinke to euery one that vnderstandeth any thing that we are nothing inferior to the Iewes in respect of the blessing I doubt not but it shall also appeare that we do fully match them nay I beleeue go farre beyond them in the contempt And to the end I may make good that which I say let me shew it in particulars how he word of God the holy will of God reuealed in the sripture is a meere stranger vnto vs a thing that is farre from being so well knowne and so familiar vnto vs as it ought to be and let that which I say be credited onely so farre as your owne consciences shall find it to be true The word of God is a strange thing to our iudgments a strange thing to our thoughts strange to our affections strange to our tongues and speaches strang to our courses and to our ordinary conuersation if this be true how shall we be able to shift of the like challenge from the lord which is heere made against the Iewes vz that we haue accounted the great things of Gods law as a strange thing First it is straung to our iudgments that appeareth by our exceeding ignorance in the things of God and by that extreame dulnes of conceipt which is still to be seene in vs There is scarcely any one thing of those which doe necessarily generally concerne men wherein the greatest parte of our people are lesse seene then the doctrine of Gods word there is nothing which they heare spoken of in any company or vpon any occasion the meaning course and scope wherof they doe lesse apprehend then the rules precepts and instructiōs of the scripture men of yeares and great experience skillfull in the courses of the world wise in their affaires and very pollitique well seeme in matters of law able to speake well and with good aduise about outward things a man would wonder to heare their weaknes and simplicity in religiō This shewes that the law of god is a strange thing to our Iudgments there is nothing lesse knowne there is nothing lesse conceiued Secondly it is strange to our thoughts Truth is Thoughts are knowne only vnto God who is the sole searcher of mens hearts but yet if our consciences being appealed vnto wee will speake the truth as it is I beleeue that wee must whether wee will or no confesse that our mindes are so in a manner wholly taken vp with couetous ambitious ydle wanton reuengfull thoughts rising out of our corrupt hearts as from a continuall spring that there is scarcely any roome or time for any priuate questionings or communings wich our selues touching the words of eternall life and the greate things of Gods law Ioh. 6.68 Such meditations may sometimes perhaps knock at the outward doore of our hearts or it may be find vpon a fit some sodaine and superficiall entertainement but alas they are quickly vanished and like a serpent vpon a stone Pro. 30.19 Coss 3.16 or a shippe in the middes of the sea leaue no print behind them and by that meanes neuer come to pitch with vs or to dwell plenteously in our heartes Thirdly there is as small acquaintance betwixt the word of God and our affections I neede say no more to proue it but this namely that there is nothing which doeth sooner tire vs aut and make our spirits dull lumpish then the exercises of the word in what kind soeuer In other things wee are like to the Horsele aches daughters which crie Pro. 30.25 giue giue and we are seldome heard to say it is enough but in matters of religion we are very moderate compendious sermons breife discourses short prayers hasty meditations these please vs best Indeed were it not for very shame we would haue none at all Thus Gods word is not to vs as a beloued freind of whose sweet acquaintance we could neuer be weary but as some vnwelcome stranger who it may be by importunity getteth a nights lodging with vs but his departure pleaseth vs better then his comming Now fourthly for our tongues and speaches let vs call to minde our ordinarie conferences at home at worke in iournies in meetings in going and coming too and from the church and then saie truly whether if our sauiour Christ should suddainly chop in amongst vs as he did to see the two disciples traueling to Emaus Luk. 24.15 and should saie to vs as he did to them what manner of communications are these that you haue one to another we should be able to answere him for on time of a thousand that we are reuerentlie and soberlie communing together of good things conferring of the things in which publiquelie we haue beene taught that so we might both edify our selues in our most holy faith and might also prouoke and stirre vp one another to good workes doubtles as it was said to Peter our very speach would bewray vs Iud uer 10. Arb. 10.24 and the barrennes of our talke would discouer the drines and deadnes of our hearts But now lastlie although the word of God doe now and then twang vpon some mens tongues and be made a matter of discourse and table-talke to take vp the time or to shew wit or els be called in by some profaine ones Iudg. 16.25 as Sampson was by the Philistins to make them pastime yet it is most vniuersally a stranger to mens liues and conuersations It is madnes in the worlds account for a man in all things with Dauid to make the testimonies of the lord Psal 19.24 his councellors and to stand vpon these strict and nice termes of consience as not to aduenture vpon any thing but that which he may warrant vnto his owne soule therby Shall it not hinder my profit