The Dignity of the Scripture, Sermon 1
The firſt Sermon.
THis verſe is as it were the lords complainte touching the wretched careleſnes of the ſonnes of men, who inioying the greateſt benefit, viz. the bleſſed liberty of this word, yet notwithſtanding vtterly neglect it, and eſteeme it as a thing not worthy the regarding. That I may both for your profitte, and myne owne helpe proceed in handling of it, with the better order, I will diuide it into two parts; the firſt may be not vnfitly called. Gods bounty, I hauehave written to them the great thinge of my law; the ſecond may he termed. mans impiety, but they were counted as a ſtrange thinge. God hath vouchſafed the free vſe of his word; what greater bounty? Men paſſe by it as a thing not worth the looking to, what greater impiety? of theſe two points in order.
I hauehave &c: In the firſt part wee hauehave two things to conſider, firſt the commendation of gods word; ſecondly the mercy of god in vouchſafeing it vntounto vsus: The word of god is commended vntounto vsus in theſe termes; The great things of the law; The word which is out of the Heb. tranſlated heere (greate) ſignifieth, honorable, or pretious, or ample and plentifull: ſo that the word of God is cōmended heere, by two things, 1. the plenty, and abundance, and largenes of matter that is in it; 2. the price, and excellency, and worth of the matter. I wil ſpeak of both ſeuerally & I pray you let vsus wel obſerue them, that the word of God may grow into greater credit with vsus then it is.
Touching the largenes and amplenes of the word of god, I ſet down this point; That all neceſſary points either touching faith or manners, are aboundantly contayned, and layed forth in the ſcriptures; for proofe whereof, that one ſaying of the Apoſtle is ſufficient; The whole ſcripture is giuen by inſpiration of God,2. Tim. 3.16. and is profitable, to teach, to improoue, to correct, and to inſtruct in righteouſneſſe: now what ſpiritual occaſion can there be deuiſed, which is not here mentioned? what matter is there in the whole body of religion, but it may well be reſerued to one of theſe heads; either teaching, improouing, correcting, or inſtructing? ſo that the word of God being ſufficient to all theſe, is not wanting in any neceſſary matter whatſoeuer.Ioh. 20.31. Theſe things (ſaith Sainte Iohn) are written, that yee might hauehave life through his name; a plaine teſtimony that there is inough lefte written in the bible, for the begetting of faith, and for the guiding of the ſoule of eueryevery faithfull beleeuer vntounto life eternall. I gaue them my ſtatutes (ſaith God) I declared my iudgements vntounto them, Ezek. 20.11.which if a man doe he ſhall liue: the taking of that courſe which is preſcribed to vsus in the word, is all ſufficient to ſaluation. They hauehave Moſes & the Prophets ſaith Abraham to the rich glutton in hell; meaning that then they want no needfull inſtruction,Luk. 16.31. for the bringing of them by repentāce vntounto life. Infinite are the places of ſcripture to this end, ſhewing the abſoluteneſſe of that doctrine, which is contained in the written word, vrging vsus to reſt our ſelues ſatiſfied with that which is reuealed, condemning al the inuentions and traditions of man that are added thereunto. And ſeeing it is a ſure thing that the bookes of holy ſcripture, are penned by the ſpeciall guidance of gods ſpirit,2. Pet. 1.21. as Sainte Peter affirmeth; it muſt needs follow that if there be any needfull matter omitted in them, it came to paſſe, ether becauſe they which wrot, did not know it, or becauſe, knowing it they would not reueale it, or becauſe being willing to reueale it, they forgot it, or elſe becauſe though they forgot it not, yet they knew not how, and in what manner to performe it. Now whichſoeuer of all theſe wee ſhall thinke, wee ſhall caſte a very greate indignity and diſgrace, not ſimply vponupon the pen-men of the ſcripture, but vponupon the ſpirit of God, by whoſe ſpeciall direction, they wrote eueryevery word and title, and vponupon whome to lay any imputation, ether of weakenes or vnwillingnes to performe any thinge for the good of Godes Churche, were no leſſe then blaſphemie. Adde hereto for the better opening of this point, that looke what is the ſpirituall neceſſitie of a chriſtian vponupon any occaſion, either of his calling, or of his degree and proceeding and eſtate in his profeſſion, the word of God is not wanting to giuegive him fulnes of direction. If he be a Magiſtrate, it teacheth him how to gouerne, if a Myniſter, it informeth him how to teach, if a maſter of a family, it inſtructeth him for the particular duties of his place, whether he be a huſband, or a father, or a maſter, or ſon, or ſeruant, it ſheweth him in eueryevery of theſe, how to demeane himſelfe as becomes a chriſtian: It giues him direction for his apparrell, his ſpeach, his diet, his company, his diſports, his labour, his buying and ſelling, yea and for his very ſleepe, and for thoſe things which may be thought moſt arbitrary and indifferent. It is vnpoſſible for him to deuiſe any thing, touching which he may not fetch a needfull direction from the ſcripture. Againe, conceiue of him how you will in regard of the ſeuerall degrees of Chriſtianity, the word of God is ſtill his councellor: if he be ignorant, there be plaine principles of religion, as milke to feed him; if he be better grounded, there be points of greater depth to imploy him; if there be any caſe of conſcience that troubles him, any ſcruple that diſquiets him, there is vnfallible certainty to reſolue him; if he be afflicted either in body ſickneſſe, or in goods with loſſes, or in good name with vndeſerued reproches, or in mind with the buffeting of Sathan, and his owne corruption; there is plenty of comfort to releeue him, there is ſtore of rules to informe him, how to profit by his tryalls: if he be zealous, there is matter to encourage him: if cold and falling backe; there is meanes to quicken him: if he be ſtubborne and obſtinate, there is iudgment to humble him: if he be broken hearted, there is a ſalue to reſtore him: if he be turned out of the way by ſome great ſinne, there is as it were a bridle to ſtop him: whatſoeuer his occaſion be, how euer his ſoule is affected, in what perplexitie ſoeuer he is, whether it be comfort or councell, or reſolution, or reprofe, or inſtruction that he needs; the word of God is a plentifull ſtorehouſe and meets to the full which eueryevery ſpirituall neceſſitie, ſo then this is my reaſon, why the law of God, the word of God, is called greate, or large becauſe looke of what extent & widenes our ſpirituall wants are, of the ſame are thoſe holy directions which the Lord hath reuealed in his word.Pſal. 19.96. I hauehave ſeene (ſaith Dauid) an end of all perfection, but thy law it exceeding large. Let vsus now make vſe of this doctrine. The vſe of this pointe touching the largnes and amplenes of the word of God, extending and ſtretching it ſelfe to all the ſpirituall occaſions of all Gods people, is firſt to ouerthrow the iudgment and practiſe of the Churche of Roome, which, as though there were ſome defecte in the ſcripture, or ſome needfull matter receiue the writtē word it ſelf, and muſt be beleeued alſo as profitable and neceſſary to ſaluation. Now this opinion and courſe is plaine againſt this place of ſcripture, in which the word of God is graced with this title, greate, or plentifull, or large, if there be any thing left out of it, which is neceſſary for the information of any mans ſoule vntounto life eternall, ſure it hath not deſerued that honorable name where with it is ſtiled: I meane, if a Chriſtian man either for the ſetling of his ſoule in a matter of faith, or the directing of his courſe in a matter of conuerſation, ſhould finde that ſcantneſſe and barrenneſſe in the ſcripture, that he ſhould be faine to goe ſeeke direction elſewhere: or if there were no want in the word of God, why ſhould he be ſo heauily curſed that puts ought vntounto it? wheras if there be any point needful to ſaluation, which is not mentioned in it, there muſt of neceſſity be ſome addition. And therefore wee muſt for euer ſeparate our ſelues from that Church, which (when God hath written his word as a perfect direction, full and entire in eueryevery reſpect) thruſts vponupon vsus the inventions of man, daring alſo to make them in authoritie equall to the ſcriptures.
This is the firſt vſe, euen to teach vsus heartily and vnfainedly to deteſt, all additions to the word of God, and al the not reuealed in it, hath added to it a pack and rable of vnwritten traditions, concerning which it teaceth, that they are to be receiued and embraced with the ſame affection, with the likezeale; with the ſame reſpect, as wee doe authors of them whatſoeuer: and yet with this caution, that wee muſt beware that wee be not deceiued in the right vnderſtanding of that which we call an Addition to the ſcripture: wee muſt not thinke as ſome doe, that this ordinance of God which wee call preaching, is an adding to the ſcripture; it being a courſe which God in his wiſedome hath appointed for the gathering of his Church, and for the opening and diſcouering vntounto the ſonnes of men, the hid treaſure: But that is called an Addition to the word of God, which being commended vntounto men as a matter of religion cannot be iuſtified, nor warranted, nor made good by the written word, but is grounded onelyonly either vponupon carnall reaſon and conceipt, or vponupon the will of him that vrgeth it; All and eueryevery ſuch addition wee muſt take heede of, and remember what the Apoſtle ſaith: If any man deliuer any other (meaning any other for ſubſtance,Gal. 1.8. though in wordes and manner of deliuery it may differ) though he were an Angel, &c. let him be accurſed.
2. The ſecond vſe of this pointe is to condemne the common neglect, and vniuerſall contempte of the precepts and rules of holye ſcripture: what occaſion ſoeuer wee hauehave the word of God is ſtill at hand to counſell vsus, and it is ſuch a direction, as cannot deceiue vsus yet in the moſt of our caſes and ſpirituall needes, wee will ſeeke to any thinge rather then to the ſcripture. In the worſhip of god wee doe much more eſteeme our owne humors and the traditions of our fathers, then the preſcription of the word.
In matters of conuerſation, wee preferre the examples & guiſes of the times, the courſe & practiſe of the multitude, before the principles of gods ſpirite: nay wee thinke it too much preciſeneſſe, and a thing very ridiculous and childiſh, to tie a mans ſelfe ſo ſtraite, as not willingly to ſwarue frō the direction, and warrant of the ſcriptures. If wee be ſick, wee will goe firſt to carnall meanes, & laſt to the ſcripture: if wee be greiued in mind and touched in conſcience, wee will looke for comfort any where, before we will ſeeke it in the ſcripture: if wee be wronged and iniured in the world, wee will runne after the eggings on of our owne corrupt heart, to be our owne auengers, before wee will aske counſell of the ſcripture. As in theſe few, ſo almoſt in all other things, any rules pleaſe vsus better then the rules of the ſcripture. In apparrell wee are led by the faſhion, in meat and drinke by our ſenſuall appetite; in recreation by companie or by our owne in ordinate affections: in dealings with men, by our profit; in getting riches, by our vnſatiable deſires; theſe be our rules: the precepts of the word of God either wee doe not know, or we doe not eſteeme them, or wee thinke it a burden, and a kind of reſtraint to be tied to obſerue them.Ier. 2.13. Thus we are like vntounto thoſe of whome God cō plaines by Ieremie, They hauehave forſaken me (ſaith he) the fountaine of liuing waters, & digge themſelues pittes, euen broken pits that can hold no water, ſo wee let goe the beſt aduiſe which cannot erre, and deuiſe rules and precepts to our ſelues, which muſt needes deceiue vsus. To reforme this common euill, let vsus remember what we hauehave heard, viz. that God hath furniſhed his word with varietie of directions, the precepts of it are of equall largenes to our ſpirituall occaſions: as many as walke according to this rule, peace ſhall be vponupon them (ſaith the Apoſtle: but to eueryevery other courſe whatſoeuer it be;Gal. 6.16. Pro. 14.12. wee may boldly apply the ſaying of Salomon: There is a way that ſeemeth right vntounto a man, but the iſſues thereof are the waîes of death. And thus much of the commendation giuen to the law of God, it is large in matter, and abounding with varietie of doctrine.
Now followeth to ſpeake of the next thing by which it commended; It is pretious, the value and price of the matter, doth equall the largenes and varietie of it. The pretiouſneſſe and excellencie may many waies be made knowne vntounto vsus; firſt by the author of it,1. Pet. 1.25. Pſ. 1.2. Act 20.27. Rom. 3.2. 2. Tim. 3, 16. 2 Pet. 1.21. which is God, for which cauſe it is ſo often called the worde of God: the law of God, the counſell of God, the oracles of God: The whole ſcripture was giuen (ſaith Paul) by inſpiration of God: And it came (ſaith Saint Peter) not by the will of man, but of the holy Ghoſt: and I hauehave written it (ſaith he) heere in my text. So that it is no idle tale deuiſed as Atheiſts ſay by the witte of man to keepe the vulgar in ſubiection; but it is the very mind of God, & the very expreſſe patterne of that truth, which is originally in the foūtaine of al truth, which is the lord: ſecōdly by the matter of it; the matter of ſcripture is in a word, that great miſtery of godlines of which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, God manifeſted in the fleſh &c. 1. Tim. 3.16. Col. 1.27. 1. Cor. 2.8.A glorious miſtery: A hid miſtery which non of the princes of this world could know; A miſtery which no man by the witte of man is euer able to conceiue; A myſterie which the Angells in heauen do admire, and the Deuills in hell doe tremble at: A miſterie which the Atheiſts in their mouthes doe ſcoffe at, but euen at the ſame time in their hearts doe quake to conſider. This is the matter of the ſcripture, Ieſus Christ, yesterday, to day, the ſame for euer: he is the yea, and the amen of all the promiſes,Heb. 13.8. 2. Cor. 1.20. Reuel. 1.11. the Alpha and the Omega, the firſt, and the last, the pith and marrow of the whole: thirdly by the ſtile of it; Fullneſſe of maieſtie in ſimplicitie of words, the like temper no where elſe to be found in any humane writer whatſoeuer. I know that in ſundry parcels of the ſcripture, there are to be ſeene many more then ſteppes or prints of eloquence, which the wiſedome of God did to make vsus know, that he could if it had pleaſed him, hauehave frettiſed (as it were) the whole volume of the booke with the excellencie of words; yet generally it is ſo carried, in ſuch a low phraſe of ſpeache, which yet doth not ſauour of any earthly mould, but makes a man euen as it were in deſpight of himſelfe to admire it Thy teſtimonies are wonderfull (ſaith Dauid) yet in the next verſe he ſaith, the entrance into them ſheweth light, Pſal. 119.129.& giueth vnderſtanding: ſo that there is a depth of miſterie in plaines of words. Fourthly, the end of it; the end of the ſcripture is not to pleaſe idle humors with variety of delightfull matters, nether to exerciſe buſy wits with ſubtilty of queſtions, nor to be as a matter of ſtorie only to acquaint men with the courſe of times, nor to furniſh mē with ability to diſcourſe; the word of God aimes at none of theſe ends, (which yet notwithſtanding are the cheife ſcope, and euen the happineſſe of the moſt Authors,) but it driues at this one point, to make a man wiſe vntounto ſaluation. To ſhew the path of life; 2. Tim. 3.15. Pſal. 16.11. Luk. 1.79 Rom. 1.20.To guide our feete into the way of peace, we may read in the great booke of the creatures (as I may ſo call it,) the inviſible things of god, his eternall power & godhead; yet the knowledge of God gotten there is of no power, but only to make vsus inexcuſable. And therefore Dauid haueing ſpoken of the maieſty of God which appeareth euen in the creation of things,Pſal. 19. Ver. 7.comes at laſt, to this, The law of the lord is perfect conuering the ſoule, to ſhew, that without the word of God, though man might gaine knowledge enough to condemne him, yet he could get none to ſaue him. And ſo many other places hauing declared the teſtimonies of the power of God which are to be ſeene euen in the very waues of the ſea,Pſal. 93. at laſt he concludes the pſalme, O lorde thy teſtimonies are very ſure, meaning that there is no certaine and comfortable knowledge of God to be gotten, but only from thence, And for the ſame cauſe Chriſt told the woman of Samaria, that they worſhipped they knew not what; and that the true worſhip was only among the Iewes,Ioh. 4.22. becauſe they only had the ſcriptures. Now then looke how farre ſaluation, life eternall, euerlaſting happineſſe, doe exceed all other things, by ſo much is the doctrine of the ſcripture of greater price, then all other doctrines, then all other writings whatſoeuer. Thus you ſee the price and exellency of the word of God; pretious for the author, the God of truth; pretious for the matter, the glorious myſtery of Chriſt; pretious for the frame and forme, plainnes of ſtile mixed with maieſty: pretious for the end, to make vsus wiſe vntounto ſaluation. Let vsus indeauour now to make the beſt vſe of this doctrine.
1. The firſt vſe of it, is to admōiſh eueryevery miniſter, (who by his office and calling is to handle the word of God) to to doe it with reuerence and humility, in as much as it is a thing of that exceeding price, and therefore a woe ſhalbe vntounto him whoſoeuer, that ſhall raſhly, and vnaduiſedly, and vnreuerently diſpence it.Exod. 30.18. Wee ſhall read, that among other the holy things which God ordayned to be made in the ancient tabernacle he appointed a lauer of braſſe, in which Aaron and his ſonnes ſhould waſh their hands and their feete, ſo often as they went into the tabernacle, or did goe vntounto the altar to miniſter; which outward waſhing cōmanded to the preiſts (and that with ſuch a ſtrait penalty, that they muſt do it leſt they dye, ver. …0.) ſerueth to teach all thoſe that ſucceed them in the ſeruice of God, in the Church, to take heed how they do vnholily and without due preparing, and ſtudy, and an humble ſeeking of the lord, aduenture to meddle with a thing of that heauenly price, as the word of God is. If any man ſpeake, let him ſpeake as the words of God (ſaith Saint Peter.1. Pet. 4.11.
2. Secondly it is an admonition alſo to all that come to heare,Eccleſ. 4.17. to take heed (as Solomon ſaith) to their feete before they come into the houſe of God. I may ſay to you touching the word of God, as Chriſt ſaied to the people touching Iohn baptiſt, Math. 11.7.what went ye out (ſaith he) into the wilderneſſe to ſee? ſo what is it that you come from your houſes to the Church to be pertakers of? is it an idle ſong, or an old wiues tale, or a fooliſh hiſtory, or a friuolous enterlude ro be laughed at? or what is it that you come for; is it not the word of God? if you ſay it it is, know you not of what price it is, or doe you conſider from whom it comes, of whom it treates, and to what end it aymes? if you doe, how do you dare to come vntounto it with vnprepared, vnreformed, vnſanctified hearts? how is it that we make no more account of hearing it, then of any other vaine imployment? Alas who is there amongſt vsus, but generally he comes with as great preparation to his worke, or to his market, or to his play, as he doth to the graueſt exerciſes of the moſt pretious word of God? nay our preparation vſually is greater vntounto things of that nature, then to this: for whiles we are ſetting our ſelues to theſe occaſions, we will buſy our tongues, and our thoughts, about the things pertaining to them; but when we com to the word, we neuer ſeeke to diſburthen our thoughts of all other matters; that we might be the more free to entertaine a thing of that exceeding price: Remēber what god ſaid to Moſes when he appeared vntounto him; when Moſes was comming towards the place, God called vntounto him; put off thy ſhooes, Exod. 3.5.&c. meaning by that ceremony to ſtrike a kind of awfull reuerence into Moſes, when as he was now to come & ſtand before God: thereby alſo teaching vsus, that when we come to the exerciſes of Gods worſhippe, (among which the vſe of the word is the principal) wee muſt labour (as the Apoſtle ſaith) to caſt away eueryevery thing that preſſeth downe, & to eaſe our ſelues from eueryevery vncleane, vnhallowed, worldly or needleſſe thought,Heb. 12.1. from eueryevery vnreuerent motion, which may be a clogge, or hinderance vntounto vsus, in the ſaueing heareing of Gods word. This is the ſecond vſe.
3. Thirdly it is to be applied as an aduertiſement to all thoſe that Profeſſe themſelues to be knowers and doers of the word, to beware how by theire euill liues, they be a meanes to bring the precious word of God into diſgrace, wee ſee by eueryevery daies experience, how forward men of corrupt minds are, to pry into the actions and courſes of thoſe, which ſeeme to hauehave ſome more reſpecte vntounto the word of God, and to religion, then they themſelues hauehave, & how ioyfull a thing it is vntounto them, when they can hauehave but any colour of occaſion to ſay. Lo theſe be the men that be ſo ful of ſcripture that talke ſo much of Gods worde, beholde their fruites, marke If they be not as bad, or worſe then any other: This is a game vntounto ſuch, and by this meanes, they wretchedly ſtrengthen themſelues in their contempt of all goodnes: woe to him whoſoeuer, that ſhall giuegive iuſt cauſe to ſuch people of exception, and to make Gods precious word, to become a byword in the mouthes of euill men: how often doeth the Apoſtle giuegive charge to profeſſors of religion, to looke vntounto it,Tit. 2.5. that the word of God be not euill ſpoken of? what a heauy accuſatiō is it that is laied to the charge of the Iewes; the name of God is blaſphemed among the gentiles through you; Rom. 2.24.what a ſharpe expoſtulation is that which is vſed by God him ſelfe againſte diſſembling hipocrites, which like a rower in a boate, lookes one way, and puls another, to profeſſe one thing,Pſal. 50.19. and doe the contrary, what haſt thou to doe to take my couenant in thy mouth &c. Dauid was a man deare vntounto God, yet becauſe by his adulterie and murder, he had made the enemies of God to blaſpheme, the Lord would not ſuffer the fact to goe away without ſome teſtimony of his diſpleaſure:2. Sam. 12. And ſure what euer thou be, be ſure the Lord will puniſhe thee, if thy euill life, thy not labouring to maſter thine owne affections, and to make thy conuerſation ſuch as becometh the Goſple, doe giuegive occaſion to any profane perſon, to ieaſt at religion, and ſpeake euill of the waies of Godlines. Remember it therfore yee that louelove the word, remember it, I ſaie, that the word of God is precious, be not you a meanes to bring it into diſgrace. This is the third vſe.
4. A fourth vſe is to cutt off all vaine and idle vſeing of the ſcripture: It is a common grace of ſome to vſe ſome words or ſentences of ſcripture, in ſteed of ieaſts and prouerbs, in their common talke, by which to delight themſelues and other. The word of God is Precious, and ought to be vſed with greate regard. I will looke vponupon him that is of a coutrite hearte, and that trembleth at my words. Iſay. 66.2.There is a great difference betwixt trembling at the word, and making of a mans ſelfe merrie by playing and toying with the word, the Lord lookes vponupon the one and pittieth it; he ſets himſelfe againſt the other and will reuenge it. Wee hauehave an example of the practiſe of it in the hiſtorie of the Church, in that wicked Emperour Iulian, his manner was to reach vntounto the Chriſtians boxes on the eare, and withall to bidde them turne the other; for (ſaith he) your maſter biddes you that whoſoeuer ſmiteth you on the cheeke, you ſhould turne to him the other alſo: And ſo whē he denied pay to the chriſtiā ſouldiers that were hired by him, and they complained therof vntounto him; his anſwer was, that he did to make them fit for the kingdome of heauen; becauſe Chriſt had ſaid; Bleſſed are the poore in ſpirit, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen; thus this prophane wretch ſcoffed at the ſcripture: wee muſt labour to take heed of the like wretchedneſſe. Pilate was but a Heathē, yet the text ſaith that when he heard but the name of the ſonne of God, he was afraide. Ioh. 19.8.Wee that profeſſe our ſelues Chriſtians ſhould much more reuerence the holy word of God, in eueryevery title whereof,Exod. 30.32. the maieſtie of God may be ſeene. You ſhall read that the oyle wherewith the tabernacle and the Arke, and the Prieſts were annointed was holy, and therefore no man might put it to any other vſe, either to annoint his owne fleſh with it, or to make a compoſition like vntounto it: The like may be ſaid of the holy doctrine of the ſcripture, it is appointed as an holy oile, to ſupple, and to refreſh the ſoules and conſciences of Gods people, and therefore may not be diuerted by vsus, to any other profane or idle vſe whatſoeuer. It is a taking of the name of God in vaine, and a breach of the third commaundement. Theſe are the vſes I thought good to make of this that the things of the law of God are called honourable or pretious; And thus much touching the firſt part of this clauſe, the commendation of Gods word, the matter of it, is very large, and it is very pretious.
I come vntounto the ſecond part of the clauſe, touching the mercy of God in vouchſafeing his word vntounto vsus, in theſe words, I hauehave written vntounto them; In the handling of this clauſe, ſundry things are to be opened, as 1 how it can be ſaid that God hath written his word: 2 why it was meete to write it: 3 when the word of God began firſt to be writtē, & how it was preſerued for the Churches vſe all that time: 4 how we ſhalbe aſſured, that that which among vsus is now called the ſcripture, is the very ſame word and pretious will of God, which he hath written, for the vſe and comfort of his people. Theſe points are meete to be opened, both for the well vnderſtanding of this place in hand, and for the ſetling of vsus againſt Atheiſme, and the perſwading of vsus of the authoritie of the ſcripture. Time will not ſuffer me to enter into them all now, I will proceed as farre as I can. Firſt how it can be ſaid that God hath written his word?
God is ſaid to hauehave written his word in two reſpects, 1 becauſe the 10 commandements (of which all the reſt that is written in the volume of the booke, is but as it were a comment or expoſition) theſe I ſay were written after a ſecret, vnknowne, and vnutterable manner by God him ſelfe, according as the ſcripture doth often mention it, it is called the finger of God, by which according to the moſt ordinary interpretation of the anchient fathers, is meant, the ſpirit of God; Secondly God is ſaid to hauehave written his word, becauſe all the reſt that was written (though men were the inſtruments) yet it was done by his appointment, and by his aſſiſtance. As concerning Gods appointment we read how Moſes was commanded to write; ſo was Iſay, ſo was Ieremie, ſo was Ezekiell, ſo was Habakuk, and ſo was Iohn as you ſhal read in the booke of the Reuelation: and when as Chriſt commanded his Apoſtles to be witneſſes of him, and publiſhers of his truth and doctrine to the ends of the earth, and to deliuer that, of which the church ſhould hauehave continuall vſe to the worlds end, no doubt he did in that charge inſinuat, that they ſhould not only preach by word of mouth, but ſhould commit the ſumme of their doctrine, to writing alſo; that the ſame might be preſerued to all poſterities. As it is plaine that God appointed the writing of the ſcripture; ſo he aſſiſted the pen-men of it, by the extraordinary, and immediate, and infallible guidance of his ſpirit;2. Pet. 1.21. for which we need no better proofe then that one of Peters, now once or twiſe already mentioned: ſo then becauſe God writte the law immediatly with his owne finger, and then both gaue commandement and order for the writing of the reſt, and directed the writers ſo, that they could not in any thing indited by them be miſtaken; the word is ſaid to hauehave bin written by the lord.
The vſe hereof is firſt to be a confirmation to that which I ſaid before, touching the perfection and price of the ſcripture; it muſt needs be an abſolute & entire body, without any ether ſuperfluity, or defect, and containe a moſt neceſſary & exact form of doctrine, ſeing that god is the author of it, who both in his wiſedome knew what was conueniāt, and in his louelove would not keepe ſecret any thing which he knewe to be for the neceſſary behoofe of his own choſen.
Againe it can be no triuiall or baſe or vulgar matter, which is commended vntounto vsus, as it were out of the boſome of the Lord; and for the ratifying whereof, our Sauiour Chriſt ſpent his owne blood; and in framing whereof the ſpirit of God hath breathed ſo extraordinarily. But the principall and more proper vſe which we are to make hereof, is to be an aſſurance to vsus, of the irrevocable & vnchangeable certaintie of the ſcripture:Math. 5.28. and that as our Sauiour ſaith; Heauen and earth ſhall paſſe away before one title therof doe fall to the ground vnfullfilled. It is a good obſeruation of one of the fathers; if Pilate (ſaith he) being but a man, after he had ſet the title ouer Chriſts head vponupon the croſſe,Ioh. 19.22. & was dealt with by the Iewes to alter it, could ſay, quod ſcripſi ſcripſi, meaning that hauing ſet it downe vponupon good aduiſe he would not change it: much more may we be ſure that the Lord hauing written his will, and ſet it forth to the view of the world as an abſolute rule vntounto all, will neuer alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth. Men alter their writings many times, becauſe of ſome ouerſight or miſtaking, or becauſe of ſome ſecond thoughts wiſer then their former; it were blaſphemie to impute any ſuch thing vntounto God. Againe there is much failing in the execution of mens lawes, either through the remiſſenes of thoſe that are intruſted with them, or through want of power to goe thorough with them. The Lord is neither ſlacke as men count ſlackenes ſaith Saint Peter,2. Pet. 3.9. neither yet is his hand ſhortened that he ſhould not be able to ſee eueryevery parcell of his holy pleaſure put in execution. It may ſeeme needles to inſiſt vponupon 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 drū kard 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 ſhalbe 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 vponupon Gods mercy, and thinke they may liue how they will, and repent when they will, giuegive 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 vponupon record in in the ſcriptures. Therefore let vsus remember this; this ſcripture, this word, is not a deuiſe of man, it was written by God; eueryevery curſe writtē in it, ſhall fall vponupon the vnrepentant, and eueryevery bleſſing promiſed therein, ſhall be made good to the ſoule of eueryevery true beleeuer.
FINIS.