The Dignity of the Scripture, Sermon 2
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 hauehave proued vntounto you that it was not writtē at aduē tures 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 vntounto 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 hauehave one certaine and vnfallible rule, by which all doctrine may be tryed, all controuerſies in religion decided, all doubts reſolued, and eueryevery 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 eueryevery thing was referred vntounto 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 vntounto vsus, to make the written word, as it were the ſtandard or the kings beame, by which to try all doctrine that is tendred to vsus, accepting none for ſound & good, but only that which is agreeing therunto. So that looke what neceſſity ther was that the Church ſhould hauehave 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 hauehave 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 vntounto him from point to point, that he might hauehave 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 ſhalbe 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 vntounto 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 vsus that Chriſte the ſonne of Mary was the true Meſſias, who being once come, none other was to be looked for: To ſetle vsus 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 eueryevery promiſe was fulfilled, & eueryevery propheſie accompliſhed, might reſolue vponupon it, that hee indeed was the Chriſte; and that there is no name elſe giuen vnderunder heauen wherby wee may be ſaued. An example of this vſe of the written word, wee hauehave in Chriſte himſelfe, who falling into company after his reſurrection with two of his diſciples, who were in ſome doubt;Luk. 24.27. began at Moſes (ſaieth the texte) and interpreted vntounto them in all the ſcripture, the things which were written of him. And whoſoeuer markes the courſe of the hiſtory of the Goſpell ſhall often find, that when ſome ſpeciall action of Chriſt is recorded,Marc 14 49. Ioh. 13.8 Ioh. 19.34.36. this, or the like is added to it; This was done that the ſcripture might be fulfilled; which ſheweth how behoofull the writing of the promiſes, touching the Meſſias, was to be our ground in this maine pointe; that Chriſt Ieſus is the onelyonly appointed ſauiour of mankind. Heere then is the iſſue of my ſpeach: it was meete the word ſhould be written, that the Church might neuer want a rule of religion, and in particular might be ſetled in this pointe, that the Chriſt in whom we beleeue, is that Sauiour, whome wee neede not doubt to depend vponupon. Let vsus make vſe of this pointe.
The vſe is this: our courſes (conſidering the obedience that we owe vntounto God) ſhould be anſwerable to Gods intents; ſith therfore the intent of God in giueing order for the writing of his word, was the grounding and ſetling of our hearts in the truth of religion; it becommeth vsus to labour both to conceiue the doctrine of Godlines, ſo much as is neceſſary to ſaluation; and in matters that concerne the worſhip of God and our own ſoules health, not to build vponupon opinion, conceipt, or the traditions of men whatſoeuer they be, but only vponupon the ſcriptures: becauſe when we come to giuegive an account (as wee muſt) of our religion vntounto God; it ſhall not goe for currant, I beleeued, or I thought this, becauſe ſuch a one perſwaded me, or becauſe the law of the times ſo commāded me, or becauſe my fathers before me ſo thought, and from them I receiued it: but this anſwer onelyonly ſhall be accepted, when a man ſhal be able to ſay this; This my heart hath embraced, ad vppon this hauehave I built my faith, becauſe God bleſſing the miniſterie of his holy word vntounto me, I hauehave plainly perceiued, that it is the expreſſe doctrine of the written word, and the very ſame which God hath left vponupon record for me to beleeue. This is the only anſwere that ſhall be then accepted of. As many therefore as doe deſire to hauehave comfort of their religion at the day of iudgement, muſt giuegive great heed vntounto the reading & preaching of the word, & ſo in humilitie by praier be prepared to it, that in their ſecret thoughts they may conceiue, how the word of God is a warrant of their beleefe. Men thinke this is a matter of impoſſibilitie, and caſt many perils (the deuill helping them forward) with many ſhifts to nouzell themſelues in ignorance; but ſtill the ſaying of the ſpirit of God is true, knowledge is eaſie to him that will vnderstand, and God will alwaies giuegive a bleſſing,Prou. 14.6. Pſal. 25.14. and reueale euen his ſecret (as Dauid ſaith) vntounto thoſe that feare him, and will be found of thoſe that ſeeke him as they ought to doe. So much of this queſtion and the vſe of it, whie it was meete that Gods word ſhould be written.
The next queſtion neceſſarie for the clearing of this place, is, When the word of God began firſt to be written, & how tell that time it was preſerued for the vſe of Gods Church. Touching which wee muſt hold,Auguſt. lib. de. ciui. dei 15. c. 23. that Moſes was the firſt writer of the word of God that euer was. It is the opinion of ſome (I know) that Enoch the ſeauenth from Adam, wrot ſomething; and that they thinke may be proued out of the ſaying of Saint Iude, who alleageth ſome part of Enochs doctrine. But Iude ſaith, not, Enoch wrot, but Enoch propheſied: Iud. ver. 14.and it was poſſible for the ſumme of Enochs doctrine to be continued without writing. Beſides one Ioſephus,Ioſe. Antiq. l. 1. c 3. (who himſelfe was a Iewe, and writ of antiquities,) ſaith that Adams offſpring had erected two pillars, the one of brick the other of ſtone, in which they had engrauen many things; but theſe things are vncertaine.Rom. 3.2. And that there was no part of Gods word written before Moſes, it may thus be gathered. Firſt becauſe the Iewes, to whome as Saint Paul ſaith the oracles of God were committed, had not in their canon, any holy writ more auncient then Moſes: ſecondly our Sauiour labouring to prooue himſelfe to be the Meſſias,Luk 24.27. the text ſaith he began at Moſes: if there had beene any author of greater antiquitie then Moſes, no doubt our ſauiour would hauehave alleadged it, inaſmuch as all the ſcripture that was before him, was to giuegive teſtimony of him. And it is likely that God himſelfe by writing the 10. Commandements extraordinarily with his owne fingers, did acquaint Moſes with the manner of writing and the vſe of letters, which for ought wee can find to the contrarie, vntill that time, was vnknowne. If it be demanded then, whether till then, the church and people of God were vtterly deſtitute or the word?
I anſwer no; for it was alwaies a truth, that God would accept of no worſhip, but that which was according to his word; voluntarie religion was hatefull vntounto him, euen from the very firſt beginning. Sith then it is apparent, that before the word was written, God was truly worſhipped, as by Adam, Abell, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, &c. it muſt needs be that there was ſome word, or ſome reuealed and knowne wil of God to direct them. If you aske how the will of God was then made knowne, and how preſerued? I anſwere, that the Lord reuealed it by holy oracles, by viſions, & apparitions of Angells, yea and of Chriſt himſelfe, who is ordinarily meant by the name of Angell throughout the old teſtament. At ſundry times and in diuers manners God ſpake to our fathers in the old time, ſaith the Apoſtile. He ſpake to Moſes mouth to mouth: Heb. 1.2. Numb. 12.8.He vſed alſo the miniſtry of man for the ſpreading of that truth abroad to many, which by viſion oracle was reuealed to few.
Thus the father to the ſonn, one to another made known the will of God. But when the Church was enlarged, and (hauing beene ſhut vp in ſome few families) began to ſpread it ſelfe into a greater compaſſe, and with all, corruption in religion encreaſed, and the people of God by conuerſing with Idolaters were more ſubiect to be miſled; the lord gaue order to write the law, & in proceſſe of time added the the writings of the prophets as expoſitions of the law, and at the laſt, the new teſtament, to be a full and manifeſt diſcouerer of that miſtery of Chriſt, which was more darkely (as it were) lapped in the types and figures and propheſies of the old. So that this is the anſwere then to this queſtion; til Moſes began there was no word written, yet the church was not deſtitute, but by other meanes, was made acquainted with Gods will, and was informed in ſuch things as perteined vntounto life. We may make vſe alſo of the clearing of this queſtion.
Firſt of all it giueth vsus iuſt occaſion to note and obſerue, the continuall care and prouidence of God ouer his Church, in that he hath neuer left it vnſupplied, but in al times and ages from the beginning, hath taken a courſe for the right informing it, in ſuch things as were behoofull and neceſſary thereunto.
Before Moſes he taught the world by viſions, & oracles, ſpeaking vntounto the ſons of mē frō heauē with his own mouth. In the following times he ordained, and with his owne finger (as it were) conſecrated the vſe of writing, for the perpetuall perſeruation of that truth, which otherwiſe in common reaſon, ether time might hauehave worne out, or men of corrupt minds hauehave falſified, to the corrupting and poyſoning of the church. So that God may truly ſay to his church in generall, as he did once to the Iſraelites, what could I hauehave done more, which I hauehave not done vntounto you. Iſa. 5.4.I hauehave ſpoken to you by viſions, I hauehave reuealed my holy will by the miniſtry of Angells, I hauehave committed it to perpetuall record, that it might be turned into all languages, and read and peruſed by all men. God hath not ben wanting to vsus, if we ſhal now be wanting to our ſelues, we ſhall bring vponupon vsus a greater meaſure of condemnation: we ſhall neuer be able to ſay; this and this we would hauehave done, if we had knowne it, it ſhall alwaies be replied vponupon vsus, as it was to the people of old, he hath ſhewed thee, O mā what is good: the lord was neuer ſparing or cloſe-handed towards his Church,Mic. 6.8. to ſecret any thing, which might be a means to bring it vntounto life.
Secondly, this mutuall following each of other, I meane of the making known of the word of God vntounto the Church, by viſions, and reuelations, and then after in the appointed time by writing, ſerueth to ſhew vntounto vsus, that as before the word was written, the power of God was not to be doubted of, but that he was fully able to acquaint his Church with all needfull matter; ſo now the word being written, no viſions, or reuelations muſt be looked for. Now the written text is our only guide; and whoſoeuer he ſhould be, that vnderunder pretence of ſome ſpeciall matter extraordinarily reuealed to him, from heauen, ſhould indeauour to perſwade vsus any thing beſides that which is already written, though he ſhould bring neuer ſo great probabilities & ſhews of likelyhood, yet he were not to be beleeued. It is true, Chriſt promiſed to ſend his ſpirit vntounto his Church, and he hath and doth, ſtill make good his promiſe, but yet, not that men vnderunder a pretence of the ſpirit, ſhould contemne the ſcripture, but that they ſhould be better able to profit by the ſcripture. For the proofe whereof we hauehave an excellent place in Luke, where it is ſaid, that Chriſt comming among his diſciples after his reſurrection,cap. 24. 45. opened their vnderſtanding, but to what end? what? that they ſhould from that time deſpiſe the written word, and take vponupon them to deliuer what they would, vnderunder a colour of being inſpired from aboue? no; but he opened there vnderſtanding, that they might vnderſtand the ſcripture.
So that the increaſe of the gift of Gods ſpirit in them, did not priuiledge them from tying themſelues ſtil to the doctrine of the ſcripture. But you will marueile perhaps to what end I ſpeake this? you ſhall know therefore, that as there were in the elder times certaine Heretiques called Enthusiaſts which pretended (I know not what) viſions, and ſecret conferences with the ſpirit of God, and ſo contemned the written word: So out of their aſhes hauehave riſen in our daies, men of the ſame humor, knowne by the name of the Famely of louelove, who deſpiſed the ordinary courſe of the miniſtery of man, and of attaining to the knowledge of ſaluation by the written word, and ſtood vponupon priuate reuelations, and ſuch other idle fancies, commēding vntounto men their owne dreames, vnderunder the name of the ſpeciall inſtincts of Gods ſpirit: and the dregges of this groſſenes are remaining among ſome to this day. Now leaſt at any time wee ſhould be deceiued with ſuch ſenſleſſe and fooliſh pretences, wee muſt vnderſtand that ſince God committed his word to writing, either viſions, and the courſes of that nature hauehave beene very ſeldome, or els all thoſe to whome God hath ſo reuealed any thing, hauehave beene tied to the iudgement of the ſcripture. Saint Paul was taken vp into the third heauen, and had ſtrange things diſcouered to him, yet this was ſtil his plea for himſelfe, and the thing he ſtood vponupon, that he ſaid no other things then thoſe which Moſes & the Prophets did ſay ſhould come. And therfore if either Papiſts,Act. 26.…. or Familiſts, or any of the like ſtamp, ſhall vnderunder any colour of viſions or voices from heauē, and the like perſwade vsus to any thing contrary to that wee hauehave beene taught, let vsus ſtraight vrge them, to make their matters good by the word written; and then ſhall wee find that true which an ancient Father hath ſaid, viz. that if you bring them once to defend their queſtions by ſcripture alone, they cannot ſtand. It hath alwaies beene the badge of Heretiques, that they were (ſcripturarum Lucifugae) men that could not abide the light of the ſcripture. And thus much for this queſtion,Tertul. when the word was written, and how the Church of God was inſtructed vntill then.
Now come wee to the laſt and waightieſt, viz. that ſeeing God ſaieth heere in our texte, that he hath written his law vntounto vsus; how wee may be aſſured, that that which wee now hauehave, & is called by vsus gods word, is indeed that holy will of his, which he commaunded to be written for the good & comforte of his people? And this is a point of greate moment, becauſe yf wee ſtagger therin, wee can hauehave no certainty of religion. Wherfore I pray you let us obſerue it the rather, that wee may hauehave wherwith to ſtop the mouthes of Atheiſts and profane ſcoffers; and auoide alſo the doubtings & queſtiōs, which may ſometimes ariſe in our owne hearts. Vnderſtand therfore this firſt of all, that nothing is able to perſwade a mās conſciēce, that the ſcripture is the word of God, but only the ſpirit of God. The Apoſtle Paule ſaieth truly, that no man can ſay that Ieſus is the Lorde, 1. Cor. 12 3.but by the holy Ghoſte. Therfore my meaning is to ſpeake only of ſuch teſtimonies which are of force to conuince the conſcience, and to make men that thay ſhall not be able to deny the ſcripture to be from God, though to frame their hearts to yeeld vntounto it, is in the power of God only to effect. Now to come a degree neerer to the matter, wee muſt know alſo that the beſt proofes for the ſcripture that it is gods word, are to be fetched out of it ſelfe; for which cauſe it is called light, Pſ. 119.105. &. v. 2.14.22. &c.becauſe it diſcouereth it ſelfe; and many times the teſtimonies of the Lorde, becauſe it beares witneſſe to it ſelfe. The papiſts would hauehave vsus ſtand to the Iudgment of the Church, which is altogeather doubtfull; for there may be as greate queſtion made of the Church, whether it be the true Church of God, as of the ſcripture, whether it be the true word of God. The teſtimonie and authority of the Church may be ſome inducement to a man in this caſe, according as Saint Auſtine ſaieth it was to him; but it can be no certaine argument. Know this then, that there is a certaine euidence of Gods ſpirite, as it were imprinted in the ſcripture, which ſheweth the divine excellency therof, aboue all the writings of men whatſoeuer. And this ſtands vponupon ſundry particulars;How the ſcript is knowne to he the word of God. Firſt, the purity of the law of God written by Moſes, aboue all the lawes that hauehave bene euer enacted and deuiſed by the wiſeſt men. Wee read of many worthy law-giuers among the Heathen, that ordained ſtatutes of greate wiſedome for the gouernment of their people: yet was ther neuer any law deuiſed by the wit of man, but it needed ſome reviewing, and for ſome reſpect was ether to be repealed, or abridged, or enlarged; beſides that, ſcarce any law can be ſo wiſely framed by a ſtate, but ſome or other will find a ſhifte to doe the very thing, which the intente of the law was to forbidde, and yet free himſelfe from the danger of the law, & ſtand vponupon tearmes as if he had not brokē it. It is not ſo in the law of God, as it was firſt giuen out, ſo it ſtands, without any changing, nether was there euer any found, able to carrie himſelfe ſo cunningly in the practiſe of any euil, but this law in one reſpect or other would ſurely find him guiltie. Secondly, the qualitie of the matter in ſcripture: In the writings of the Heathen wee ſhall find ſome giuen here and there of the myſerie of mankind, and ſome cold comforts taught for the releiuing it, but the true opening of the direct cauſe of mans miſerie, to witte ſinne, and the entring in of ſinne into the world by Adams fall, and the perfect and full remedie for all this, namely Chriſts death, was neuer knowne or heard of, but only from the ſcripture. Thirdly, the antiquitie of the ſcripture; for the bookes of Moſes are more auncient, then any humane writers, in that they ſet downe a hiſtorie from the beginning of the world, a thing which other writers knew not of, or els borrowed from Moſes, or els, corrupted with many fables, and ridiculous narrations. Beſides there is no writer of any humane ſtory, that can be prooued to be more ancient then Nehemias & Ezra, who were about the yeare of the world 3500. Fourthly, the admirable conſent of the whole body of the ſcripture within it ſelfe, all conſpiring together in this one point,Act. 10.43. that through the name of Chriſt all that beleeue in him, ſhall receiue remiſſion of ſinnes. what ſhewes of vncertaintie and differences ſoeuer may appeare, either in numbring of yeares, or in any circumſtance of hiſtorie, or in any point of doctrine; are ſo fully & apparently reconciled by thoſe which hauehave laboured therein, that there can be no iuſt colour of exception. Fiftly, the certaine euents of the propheſies therof, as of the comming of the Meſſias, the calling of the gentiles, the reuealing of Antichriſt, of the the going of the poſteritie of Abraham into Egypt, & their deliuerance thence, of the fower Monarchies by Daniel. And it is worth the noting which wee read in Iſay, who ſpeaking of the captiuity of the people of the Iewes in Chaldea, doth not only prophecie their deliuerance,Iſay. 45.1. but names the very man by whom the Lord would ſaue them, Cyrus, and yet Iſay liued at the leaſt a thouſand yeares before Cyrus was borne. Like vntounto that was that prophecie of the man of God aginſt the Altar of Bethell built by Ieroboam, he names the partie Ioſiah, 1. King. 13.2.& relates the particulars what he ſhould doe, and yet it was at leaſt 330. yeares before Ioſiah was borne. So Ieremy told the people the iuſt number of yeares in which they ſhould be captiues vnderunder Babilon, (70. yeares).Ier. 25.11. And wee our ſelues if wee will obſerue it, may ſee daily how the propheſies of the ſcripture are accompliſhed. Paul ſaid in the laſt times men ſhould broch doctrines of devills, viz. forbidding to marry, & commanding to abſtaine from meates, 2 Tim. 3.2.we ſee it verefied in Popery: he ſaith againe, that in the laſt daies men ſhall be louers of themſelues, &c. doe wee not perceiue among our ſelues; how theſe euills daily doe increaſe? he ſaith further, the time will come when men wil not ſuffer wholeſome doctrine▪ we may behold how this is made good eueryevery day.2. Tim. 4 3. There is no doctrine more wholeſome, then that which is applied to mens particular ſinnes, & yet it is a thing which men will not endure Saint Peter propheſied, & ſo did Saint Iude,2. Pet. 3.3. Iud. 18. that in the laſt times, there ſhould be mockers, men walking after there owne luſts, we need nor goe farre to ſee the accompliſhment of this prophecy. How doe men deſpiſe the Iudgments of God; and ſcoffe at all goodnes, and prefer the ſatiſfying of there owne luſts, before obedience to the will of God? Thus that which we our ſelues are witneſſes of, declares the certaine euents of the foretelling of the ſcripture, and it is an aſſurance vntounto vsus, that it is the word of God. Sixtly, the vnpartiall faithfullneſſe of thoſe that hauehave been enditors of the ſeueral books. In Moſes it is worth the noting how he preferreth the relating of the truth of the ſtory,Gen. 49. before the diſcrediting of his owne birth; he was borne of the tribe of Leui, yet if you read Gen. 49. you ſhall finde he doth not ſpare to report, the hard ſentence that old Iacob gaue of Leui at his death,ver. 5. Simon and Leui, brethren in euill, inſtruments of cruelty, into their ſecret let not my ſoule come, &c: chap. 12.And in Numbers he doth not ſpare Aaron and Miryam his owne brother and ſiſter, but hath left their ſinne, and the diſpleaſure of God againſt it, vponupon perpetuall record: nay, he is not aſhamed to reueale his owne error, and how much the lord was offended with him, and how for it he threatned him, that he ſhould neuer come into the promiſed Canaan: he doth in the ſtory many times make mention of it. It is ſaid that Saint Marke wrot the goſpell out of Peters mouth, and yet 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 hauehave 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 vntounto this day: we may well apply vntounto 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 hauehave 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 vntounto 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 vntounto this waighty buſines to be the penmē of that, in which ſo much admirable excellēcy doth appeare. Tēthly, let vsus 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 vntounto it, and would ſeeme to deſpite it: and that is the very thing, that hath cauſed it to hauehave 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 louelove and ſweetnes thereof hath ſo poſſeſſed the hearts of ſome, that they hauehave 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 hauehave 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 louelove it, in prouoking others deeply and tiranouſly to deteſt it, this ſame ſecret and effectuall working of it (I ſay) vponupon 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 hauehave thought good to commend vntounto your care and conſideration, by which it may be manifeſted vntounto vsus, that that which we call the Bible, and is dayly commēded vntounto vsus to be the word of god, is indeed that which it is ſaid to be, and the very thing by which we ſhalbe 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. The miraculous preſeruation of it from the firſt writing till now. 8. The maieſticall ſtile wherein it is written. 9. The condition of the penmen before they were called to that ſeruice. 10. The power & efficacie of it in the working vponupon mens conſciences. Howſoeuer (as I hauehave ſaid) nothing is able to perſwade the minde, but only the ſpirit of God, yet theſe particulars are of force to conuince, and to proue vntounto men, whether they will or no; that the ſcripture is no humane hiſtory, but the oracle of God, ordayned by him, to be as it were, a light ſhining in a darke place, (as Saint Peters words are) that by the direction therof, our feet may be guided in the way of peace.
The world groweth to a ripenes and perfection in al kind of ſinne, and the Lords long ſuffering hath made many to thinke, that religion is but a toy, and all ſcripture merely vanitie: and many hearing manifeſt teſtimonies alleadged out of the ſcripture againſt their lewdnes, are not afraid to ſay, that ſure it is not all from God, which is ſaied to be his word. Beſides that eueryevery man by nature ſhall find a ſpice of Atheiſme, euen in his owne boſome, and he ſhall find doubtings ariſe ſometimes euen in theſe maine Points, how he ſhall know ſcripture to be ſcripture, and that there is ſuch a God, and a Chriſt, and a Hell, and a Heauen, as is there made mention of. And therfore for ſtrengthning of vsus, both againſte the Atheiſts, and ſcorners which wee ſhal meete with in the world, and the doubtings which may ſpring vp in our owne hearts, I hauehave thought good (my text giuing me ſo iuſt occaſion), to diſcourſe thus largely of this matter for wheras God ſaieth here he hath written to vsus his law, wee cannot poſſibly make any true profitable vſe of this ſpeach, excepte wee be cleared in this pointe; That that which wee account Gods law, is that ſame doctrine which his will was ſhould be committed to writing for our good.