check our fears when trouble is near God is also near to counterwork our Enemies and support his People Zech. 3. 1 2. And he shewed me Ioshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him And the Lord said unto Satan the Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke thee is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire Where there is Satan to resist there is an Angel to rebuke as extremities draw nigh God draweth nigh When Laban with great fury followed after Iacob God followed after Laban and stepped between them and commanded Laban not to hurt him When Paul was like to be torn in pieces in an uproar God runneth speedily to his help 2 Cor. 1. 9 10. But we had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the Dead who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us When Danger cometh to be Danger indeed you will find him a present help Use. 2. To quicken us and encourage us actually to draw nigh to God with the more Confidence that is let us address our selves to converse with him in his Ordinances for his Favour Mercy and Blessing that we may not stand afar off but come boldly To this end Consider whither we come by whom we come in what manner we must come or draw nigh to him 1. To whom we draw near to God as reconciled in Christ. If God were inaccessible it were another matter but divine Justice being satisfied in Christ we come to a Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 16. Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Gods Throne is a Throne of Justice Grace Glory To the Throne of strict Justice no sinful man can approach to the Throne of Grace every penitent sinner may have access to the Throne of Glory no mortal Man can come in his whole Person his heart may be there so it is said Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Iesus as Petitioners are admitted to the Prince in the Presence Chamber the way to the Throne of Glory lyeth by the Throne of Grace we pass by one unto the other In short Christ stood before the Throne of Justice when he suffered for our sins Penitent sinners stand before the Throne of Grace when they worship him in Faith after the Resurrection we shall ever stand before the Throne of Glory and ever abide in his Presence Our business now is with the Throne of Grace to give answer and dispatch our suites There is a threefold Throne of Grace the Typical which was the Mercy-seat Psal. 80. 1. Thou that dwellest between the Cherubims shine forth the Real which is Christ Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus the Commemorative which is the Lords Supper where is a representation of Wisdom and Obsignation of the Grace of Christ in the New Testament This Throne of Grace is set up every where in the Church it standeth in the midst of God's People as the Tabernacle did in the midst of Israel For God is always in all places nigh unto such as call upon him in Truth Ioh. 4. 23. The hour is coming and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him Access to God may be had every where therefore let us come 2. By whom we come by Jesus Christ Eph. 3. 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him upon the account of his Merit and Intercession We should come without fear or doubt to him de facto as if his blood were running afresh 3. How we come with a true heart Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having an heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water SERMON CLXX PSALM CXIX VER 152. Concerning thy Testimonies I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever IN this Verse is a further Illustration of the last Clause of the former he had said there thy Commandments are ipsissima veritas now he amplyfieth that saying from Gods Ordination and Appointment Concerning thy testimonies I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever The Prophet ends this Octonary and Paragraph with some triumph of Faith and after all his Conflicts and Requests to God goeth away with this Assurance that Gods word should be infallibly accomplished as being upon his own experience of unchangeable and unerring certainty Two things you may observe in the Words First The constant and eternal Verity of Gods Testimonies Thou hast founded them for ever Secondly Davids Attestation to it I have known of old that it is so What the Word of God is in itself and then what is the Opinion of the Believer concerning it 1. What the Scriptures are in themselves 1. For their Nature they are Gods Testimonies or the significations of his Will 2. For their Stability they are Founded there is a great Emphasis in that word and that by God thou hast founded them 3. For their Duration and everlasting Use in that word for ever of an Eternal Use and Comfort II. Davids Attestation or Perswasion of this I have known of old I here observe 1. His Perswasion 2. The date and standing of his Perswasion it was ancient I have known of old 1. His Perswasion I have known there is a twofold Knowledge the Knowledge of Faith and the Knowledge of Sense both agree with the words 1. The Knowledge of Faith I know that my Redeemer lives that is I believe it what we read concerning thy Testimonies other Translations read by thy Testimonies I have known by thy Testimonies the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have been perswaded of this by thy Spirit out of the word it self 2. The Knowledge of Sense and Experience I my self have known by sundry Experiences heretofore which I shall never forget 2. The Date and Ancientness of this Perswasion of old it was not a late Perswasion or a thing that he was now to learn he always knew it since he knew any thing of God that God had owned his Word as the constant Rule of his proceedings with Creatures in that God had so often made good his Word to him not only by present and late but old and ancient Experiences Well then Davids perswasion of the Truth and Unchangeableness of the Word was not a sudden humour or a present fit or a perswasion of a few days standing but he was confirmed in it by long Experience one or two Experiences had been no Tryal of the Truth of the Word they might seem but a good hit
confession of sin with grief and desire of the grace of Christ with a serious purpose of newness of life this is the doctrine of the Scripture They think that to the essence of true Repentance there is required Auricular confession penal satisfactions and the absolvence of the Priest without which true faith profiteth nothing to salvation Again the Scripture teacheth this doctrine That the Ordinances confer grace by virtue only of God's promises and the Sacraments are signs and seals of the Covenant of Grace to them that believe And they would teach us that they deserve and confer grace from the work wrought The Scripture teacheth that good works are such as are done in obedience to God and conformity to his Law and are compleated in love to God and our neighbour They teach us that there are works of supererogation which neither the Law nor the Gospel requireth of us and that the chief of these are Monastical Vows several Orders and Rules of Monks and Friers The Scripture teacheth us That God the Father Son and Holy Ghost is only to be worshipped both with natural and instituted worship in spirit and in truth and they teach both the making and worshipping of an Image and that the Images of Saints are to be worshipped The Scripture teacheth That there is but one holy Apostolical Catholick Church joined together in one faith and one spirit whose Head Husband and Foundation is the Lord Jesus Christ out of which Church there is no salvation And they teach us the Church of Rome is the center the right Mother of all Churches under one head the Pope infallible and supreme Judg of all truth and out of communion of this Church there is nothing but Heresie Schism and everlasting condemnation Instead of that lively Faith by which we are justified by Christ they cry up a dead assent Instead of sound knowledg they cry up an implicite faith believing as the Church believes Instead of Affiance they cry up wavering conjectural uncertainty Thirdly Come to their worship Their adoration of the Host their invocation of Saints and Angels their giving to the Virgin Mary and other Saints departed the titles of Mediator Redeemer and Saviour in their publick Liturgies and Hymns their bowing to and before Images their Communion in one kind and that decreed by their Councils with a non obstante Christi instituto notwithstanding Christs express Institution to the contrary their service in an unknown Tongue and the like are just causes of our separation from them But it is tedious to rake in these things So that unless we would be treacherous to Christ and not only deny the faith but forfeit sense and reason and give up all to the lusts and wills of those that have corrupted the truth of Christianity we ought to withdraw and our Separation is justifiable notwithstanding this plea. The USE Here is Reproof to divers sorts 1. To those that think they may be of any Sect among Christians as if all the differences in the Christian world were about trifles and matters of small concernment and so change their Religion as they do their clothes and are turned about with every puff of new doctrine If it were to turn to Heathenism Turcism or Judaism they would rather suffer banishment or death than yield to such a change but to be this day of this Sect and to morrow of another they think it is no great matter as the wind of Interest bloweth so are they carried and do not think it a matter of such moment to venture any thing upon that account You do not know the deceitfulness of your hearts he that can digest a lesser error will digest a greater God trieth you in the present truth He that is not faithful in a little will not be faithful in much As he that giveth entertainment to a small temptation will also to a greater if put upon it Where there is not a sincere purpose to obey God in all things God is not obeyed in any thing Every Truth is precious The dust of Gold and Pearls is esteemed Every truth is to be owned in its season with full consent To do any thing against conscience is damnable You are to chuse the way of truth impartially to search and find out the paths thereof 2. It reproves those that will be of no Religion till all differences among the learned and godly are reconciled and therefore willingly remain unsetled in Religion and live out of the communion of any Church upon this pretence that there is so much difference such shew of reason on each side and such faults in all that they doubt of all and therefore will not trouble themselves to know which side hath the truth You are to chuse the way of truth And this is such a fond conceit as if a man desperately sick should resolve to take no physick till all Doctors were of one opinion or as if a traveller when he seeth many ways before him should lye down and refuse to go any farther You may know the truth if you will search after it with humble minds Joh. 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self The meek he will teach the way If you be diligent you may come to a certainty notwithstanding this difference 3. It reproves those that take up what comes next to hand are loth to be at the pains of study and searching and prayer that they may resolve upon evidence that commonly set themselves to advance that faction into which they are entred Alas you should mind Religion seriously though not lightly leave the Religion you are bred in yet not hold it upon unsound grounds As Antiquity Joh. 4. 20. Our father 's worshipped in this mountain Or custom of the times and places where you live Eph. 2. 2. According to the course of the world the general and corrupt custom or example of those where we live nor be led by affection to oâ—… admiration of some persons Gal. 2. 12. Holy men may lead you into error Nor by multitude to do as the most do follow not a multitude to do evil but get a true and sound conscience of things for by all these things opinions are rather imposed upon us than chosen by us 4. It reproves those that abstain from fixing out of a fear of troubles as the King of Navarre would so far put forth to sea as that he might soon get to shore again You must make God a good allowance when you imbark with him though called not only to dispute but to dye for Religion you must willingly submit If any man come to me and hate not his own life he cannot be my disciple Luke 14. 26. How soon the fire may be kindled we cannot tell times tend to Popery though there be few left to stick by us the favour of the times run another way we ought to resolve for God
2. There are certain things that cannot be discerned by external senses yet a Christian may have a feeling of them by internal sense 3. The outward senses sometimes set the inward senses awork 1. Because in those things which are liable to external sense a man may have an outward sense of them when he hath not an inward as in Seeing Tasting Touching In Seeing Deut. 29. 2. compar'd with ver 4. Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt and yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day They saw yet had not an heart to see they saw those wonders with the eyes of their body they had a sense outward and natural but not a sense inward and spiritual So for Taste There is a Taste of God's goodness in the creature all taste it by their outward senses Psal. 145. 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works The wicked are not excepted from this taste for the creatures are as useful for the preservation of their lives as the lives of others They do not mind God's love in it and so do rather taste the creature than God's goodness in the creature but the child of God tasteth his love therein The Fly finds no Honey in the Flower but the Bee doth A fleshly â—…alate relisheth only the gross pleasure of the creature not that refined delight which a spiritual Palate hath who hath a double sweetness it doth not only receive the creature for its natural use but it tasts God and feels the love of God in the conscience as well as the warmth of the creature in his bowels So for Feeling Ier. 3. 25. We lie down in our shame and our confusion covereth us for we have sinned against the Lord our God Men may feel the blows of his Providence and be sensible of the natural inconvenience yet they have not a spiritual feeling so as to be affected with God's displeasure and have a kindly impression left upon the soul that may make them return to God 2. It differs from the outward senses because they can by a spiritual sense discern that which cannot be discerned by the outward sense as in that place Heb. 11. 27. By faith Moses saw him that was invisible See the invisible God and are as much affected with his eye and presence as if he were before the eyes of the body as others are awed by the presence of a worldly Potentate this is matter of internal sense So for Taste they have meat which the world knows not of invisible comforts Iohn 4. 37. They have hidden Manna to feed upon and are as deeply affected with a sense of God's love and hopes of eternal life as others are with all outward dainties Then as to Feeling many things the outward sense cannot discern sometimes they feel spiritual agonies heart-breakings when all is well and sound without a man would wonder what they should be troubled about that abound in wealth and all worldly comforts and accommodations they have an inward feeling they feel that which worldly men feel not when they are afflicted in their spirits carnal comforts can work nothing upon them when they are afflicted outwardly spiritual comforts ease their heart And as they feel soul-agonies and soul-comforts so they feel the operations of the spiritual life they have a feeling of the power of the Spirit working in them they live and know that they live Now no man knows that he lives but by sense therefore if a Child of God knows he lives he hath internal sense as well as external We know we live naturally by natural sense and we know we live spiritually by spiritual sense Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me He lived and knew that he lived they have a life which they feel within themselves the operations and motions of the spiritual life they feel its impulsions to duty its abhorrencies from sin tendency of soul to God and spiritual supports and they feel the stirrings of the old nature workings of heart towards sin and vanity which the outward senses cannot discover 3. The outward senses sometimes set the inward senses a work The sweetness of those good things which are liable to sense put us in mind of the sweetness of better things as the Prodigal's Husks put him in mind of the Bread in his Father's House or as the Priests of Mercury among the Heathen when they were eating Figs they were to cry Truth is sweet because the god whom they worshipped was supposed to be the inventer of Arts and the discoverer of Truth So Christians when by the outward taste they find any thing sweet the inward sense is set a work and they have a more lively feeling of spiritual comforts as David Honey is sweet but the Word of God was sweeter than honey to him or the honey-comb Thus Christ when he was eating Bread Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God Luk. 14. 15. and they that have Christ's Spirit they act suitably 2 This sense differs from a bare and simple act of the understanding why for a man may know things that he doth not feel Simple apprehension is one thing and an impression another An apprehension of the sharpness of pain is not a feeling of the sharpness of pain Jesus Christ had a full apprehension of his sufferings all his life-long but felt them not until his agonies therefore he said Iohn 12. 27. Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say We have Notions of good and evil when we neither taste the one nor the other It is one thing to know sin to be the greatest evil and another thing to feel it to be so to know the excellency of Christ's love and to taste the sweetness of it this doth not only constitute a difference between a renewed and carnal man but sometimes between a renewed man and himself 1. Between renewed men and carnal men they know the same truths yet have not the same affections A carnal man may talk of truths according to godliness and may dispute of them and hold opinions about them but doth not taste them so he does but know the grace of God in conceit not in truth and reality as the expression is Col. 1. 6. As a man only that hath read of Honey may have a fancy and imagination of the sweetness of it but he that tasts it knows it in truth and in effect they know the grace of God and the happiness of being in communion with God by the light of nature in conceit but not in reality but the other they taste it If so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2. 3. There 's an impression of sweetness left upon the soul and real experience of the goodness of God in Christ so as to make them affect him with all
disobedience Surely there is no doubt in all this because they are revealed by God who is the supreme and original Truth and who neither is nor can be deceived for Gods understanding is the rule and measure of all other truths nothing is true but what is constant to his knowledge And he cannot deceive us that will not agree with the goodness of his Nature and love to Mankind therefore he is called God that cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. Secondly In making good God hath given us the most solemn assurance Heb. 6. 17 18. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation He hath demitted himself to the terms of a Covenant given us a Seal Rom. 4. 11. And he received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith Pledge 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given the Earnest of his Spirit in our hearts He hath stood upon his truth above all things Psal. 138. 2. I will worship towards thy holy Temple and praise thy Name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name One part of the Word verifieth another in one part you have the promise in another the accomplishment the great promise of sending Christ Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not but a Body hast thou prepared me In burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure then said I Lo I come to do thy will O God He would not go back being willing to keep the promise afoot It was on our part a hand Writing against us in testification of our guilt and need of expiation but on Gods part an Obligation of Debt to pay our ransome Still he accomplisheth promises in the return of prayers and though the great payment be in the other World yet here God remembreth us still accomplishing the intervening promises and giving proof of his truth So that they that are acquainted with his Name will never distrust him Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee They that have known his way and the course of his dealings will have a confidence in him Prop. 5. They that would receive the Word as the Word of God must be soundly convinced of and seriously consider this righteousness and faithfulness in the Testimonies which he hath commanded for till then the Word worketh not on them 1 Thess. 2. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe And till then they are but customary Christians and can never rightly believe nor obey Iohn 4. 42. Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know That this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world First their Faith depends on the common Tradition or the testimony of the Church afterwards on the sure ground of the Word it self in which they find such clearness and efficacy that they cannot but yield to God The authority of man is nothing to it when our Faith is bottomed on a surer ground the authority of God speaking in his Word 1. There must be sound conviction or belief of this This is called The acknowledgment of the truth Tit. 1. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Col. 2. 2. The riches of the assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. An assurance that God will keep touch with me that he will not delude me in the terms propounded in the Gospel This full perswasion of the truth of Gods Testimonies we must all aim at and seek after The assurance of my interest and my salvation is another thing and yet that I am not to neglect but with this I am to begin 2. There must be serious Consideration for that improveth all truths and maketh them active and effectual Gods Complaint of his people is That they will not consider Isai. 1. 3. The Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider They do not lay truths in the view of Conscience Food without mastication and chewing nourisheth not A thing not considered doth profit as little as if not believed as a forgetting God is a kind of denying of him Seriously then debate it with your selves You must consider the authority of God Authority is that right which a Superior hath to prescribe to such as are under him Doth God usurp upon you when he giveth you a Law or hath he left you in the dark that you do not know whether this be his Law yea or no Are there no strictures of his Majesty in the very oeconomy and frame of it Can any but a God speak at such a rate And for his Justice hath he commanded any thing to your hurt No it is all for thy good Deut. 6. 24. And the Lord commanded us to do all these Statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always And for his Truth Men may deceive and be deceived and though they often speak truth they do not always so but God seeth by his own light not by discourse but vision Truth is his Nature from which he can no more swerve than from himself and what need he court a Worm and flatter us Thus should we urge our hearts Use 1. Let us owne and improve the Word as a righteous and faithful Word which God hath commanded for our good 1. Owne the authority of it It is not an arbitrary thing the Truths revealed imply a command to believe them the Duties required imply a command to obey them Mat. 17. 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him God hath commanded us to hear Christ to believe in his name to love one another 1 Iohn 3. 23. And this is his Commandment That we should believe in the name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment As we value his Word and would one day see his face with comfort we should bind his precepts upon our hearts Say to thy soul As thou wilt answer it to God another day take care of this 2. Owne and improve the righteousness of his Testimonies Man having a total and absolute dependance upon God God might govern us in what manner it pleased him for it is just That one may do with his own what he will Matth. 20. 15. But what hath the Lord required of thee but to love him
part of Mankind fear the Prince more than God and the Gallows more than Hell If every vain thought or carnal motion in our hearts were as the cutting of a finger or burning in the hand men would seem more afraid of that then they are of Hell Nay I will tell you men can dispense with Gods law to comply with Mans. Hos. 5. 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in Iudgement because he willingly walked after the Commandment A little Danger will draw men into the snare when Hell will not keep them from it Oh let us Rouze up our selves Is not Man Gods Subject Is not he a more powerful Sovereign than all the Potentates in the World Doth he not in his Word give Judgment on the Everlasting estate of men and will his Judgment be in vain Hath not God appointed a day when all matters shall be taken into consideration If you can deny these Truths go on in sin and spare not but if Conscience be sensible of Gods Authority oh break off your sins by Repentance and walk more cautiously for the time to come Every sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ioh. 3. 4. a breach of Gods Eternal law and will God always wink at your disloyalty to him Nothing remaineth to be spoken to but the last Clause Thy Law is truth Doctrine Gods Law is Truth 1. I shall shew in what sense 't is said to be Truth 2. The Reasons why 't is Truth 3. The end of this Truth First In what sense 't is said to be Truth 1. 'T is the Chief Truth there is some truth in the laws of Men and the writings of Men even of Heathens but they are but sorry Fragments and Scraps of Truth that have escaped since the Fall But the Truth of the Word is transcendent to that of bare Reason here are truths of the greatest Concernment matters propounded that are very comfortable and profitable to lost sinners 1 Tim. 2. 16. Here Moral Duties are advanced to the highest Pitch Deut. 4. 6. Keep therefore and do them for this is your Wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the Nations The end of these is not only to regulate your Commerce with men but to guide you in your Communion with God and help you to the Everlasting Enjoyment of him 2. 'T is the only Truth that is the only Revelation of the Mind of God that you can build upon 't is the Rule of Truth A thing may be true that is not the Rule of truth There is veritas regulata veritas regulans the Word is the measure and standard and they are true or false as they agree or disagree with it Every Custom and Tradition must be tryed upon it from the beginning it was not so from the beginning my Christianity is Jesus Christ. We must not attend to what others did but what Christ did who is before all every dictate of reason must be tryed by it for here is the highest reason It is written to make the Man of God perfect or else it cannot guide you to your happiness 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. Every Revelation must be tryed by it Gal. 1. 8. If an Angel or Man bring any Doctrine if it differ from or be besides the written Word 't is a cursed Doctrine This is the Rule 3. 'T is the pure Truth in it there is nothing but the Truth without the mixture of Falshood every part is true as truth it self 't is true in the Promises true in the Threatnings true in the Doctrines true in the Histories true in the Precepts true in the Prohibitions God will make it good to a tittle True in Moralities true in the Mysteries of Faith not only true in Duties that concern man and man but in the sublimer truths that concern commerce with God where Nature is more blind Psal. 19. 9. The Testimonies of the Lord are true and righteous altogether 'T is true where a Carnal Man would not have it true in the Curses and Threatnings If Gods Word be true wo to them that remain in a sinful way they shall find it true shortly and feel what they will not believe 'T is true where a godly man feareth it will not be true no Promises contradicted by sense but will prove true in their performance Whatsoever in the hour of Temptation Carnal Reason may judge to the contrary within a while you will see your unbelieving fears confuted 4. 'T is the whole Truth it containeth all things necessary for the Salvation of those that yield up themselves to be instructed by it Ioh. 14. 26. He shall teach you all things and remember you of all things Ioh. 16. 13. Lead you into all Truth In all things that pertain to Religion and our present Conduct towards everlasting Happiness Therefore nothing is to be hearkned to contrary to what God hath revealed in his Word there is no room left for Tradition nor for extraordinary Revelations all that is necessary for the Church is revealed there 't is a full perfect Rule Reasons 1. From the Author God is a God of Truth and nothing but Truth can come from him for God cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. The truth of the law dependeth upon the truth of God therefore it must needs be without Error yea it corrects all Errour if God could deceive or be deceived you might suspect his Word 2. The matter it self it commends its self to our Consciences by the manifestation of the truth 2 Cor. 4. 2. Approving your selves by the Word of truth 2 Cor. 6. 7. If the Heart be not strangely perverted and become an incompetent Judge by obstinate Atheisme and corrupt Affections it cannot but own these truths to be of God if our Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost 1 Cor. 4. 4. 3. The end of it which is to regulate man and sanctifie man Now it were strange if he should be made better by a lie and a cheat Ioh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them by thy truth thy word is truth Certainly 't is the most convenient Instrument to reduce man to his Wits and make him live like a Man 4. It pretends to be the law of God it is so or else it would be the greatest cheat in the World for it speaketh to us from God all along and by vertue of his Authority None can be so bruitish as to think that the wisest Course of Doctrines that ever the World was acquainted with is a meer Imposture Use 1. Is to commend the Word of God to us we cannot have true Doctrine nor true Piety nor true Consolation without the Scriptures Not true Doctrine Isa. 8. 20. To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word there is no light in them 'T is to be condemned of Falshood if not according to the Word you cannot have true Holiness for Holiness is but Scripture digested and put in Practice Iam. 1. 18. The Foundation of the spiritual life is laid in