The Way to the Tree of Life, Part 1 · Chapter 6
CAP. VI. Of the ſcope and end of the Scriptures, which is, Gods glory and mans ſalvation.
THat the honour of God, which is the principall end of all his workes, The firſt end of the Scriptures is Gods honour.Prov. 16.4. ſhould likewiſe be the main ſcope of his word, is agreeable to all reaſon: and that it is ſo, the Scriptures themſelves witneſſe. They teſtifie of Chriſt, Iohn 5.39. that God was in him reconciling the world to himſelf, 2 Cor. 5.19. and thereby magnifying the riches of his grace in his kindneſſe towards us through Chriſt, Epheſ. 2.7. and that to the praiſe of his glorious grace, Epheſ. 1.6. They witneſſe the Creation of the world, by the word of his power, and the adminiſtration of it in righteouſneſſe, even to this day, ſo that whatſoever Gods works witneſſe of him, his Majeſty, Greatneſſe, Goodneſſe, Compaſſion, &c. Pſal. 145.5, 6, 7, 8. that his word ſets out more fully and clearly, and by the ſame means furthers our ſalvation, by ſetting out the power, holineſſe, goodneſſe, and juſtice of God, moving us to fear and truſt in him, Pſal. 78.6, 7. that he may bring upon us all the good that he hath ſpoken, Gen. 18.19.
How the glory of God is manifeſted, and conſequently advanced, by, and in the Scriptures, will beſt appeare by particular inſtances. Manifeſted in the Scriptures, 1t By deſcribing his Nature.The firſt evidences for God therein, are the direct teſtimonies which are given of him, deſcribing the excellency of his nature, Exod. 34.6, 7. or aſcribing to him ſome of his glorious Attributes, as Iſa. 6.3. or admiring his wonderfull works, as his ſervants doe, Pſal. 104.1. that he is righteous and holy in them all, Pſal. 145.17. as all the world acknowledgeth, Pſal. 64.9. yea, wicked men themſelves, Judges 1.7. nay, the very Devils, Mark 1.24. whoſe teſtimonies, being, as they are, Gods profeſſed enemies, when they are for him, muſt needs much advance his honour: ſee Deut. 32.31.
The next of the moſt pregnant teſtimonies for God, whereby his honour is advanced, which we finde in Scriptures, are his Laws, 2ly Delivering his Laws.with the ſanctions annexed thereunto, wherein God is pleaſed to reveal his minde fully unto us, and to give us as it were a perfect mirrour of the thoughts of his heart, for whoſoever, in reading theſe Laws, findes them very pure, Pſal. 119.140. righteous and very faithfull, ver. 138. all of them right concerning all things, ver. 128. perfect every way, Pſal. 19.7. muſt of neceſſity conclude, that ſeeing all the ſtreams that flow ſo immediatly from God, ſavour of ſo much purity and perfection, the fountain whence they flow, which is himſelf, muſt needs be more pure, ſo that he muſt be a God of truth, without iniquity, juſt and right, Deut. 32.4.
The third cloud of witneſſes, 3ly By recording his Works, 1. Of Creation. 2. Of Providence. 1. In Preſerving.by which Gods honour is advanced in the Scriptures, are his works, both of Creation and of Providence. Creation, for the Heavens declare the glory of God, Pſal. 19.1. the inviſible things of him being ſeen from the Creation, Rom. 1.20. His power and wiſdome, in framing and ſupporting, his faithfulneſſe and mercy, in preſerving and providing for all that his hand hath made, ſee, Pſal. 33.3, 4, 5, 6. & 145.15, 2. Governing, wherin are diſcovered, 1. His Truth. 2. His Juſtice and Holineſſe.16. Nay, in that part of his Providence, which concerns the government of all his works, more eſpecially his truth, in performing all his promiſes, juſtice and holineſſe in rewarding every man according to his works, Job 34.11. (ſo that it ſhall be well with the righteous, Pſal. 58.11. and ill with the wicked, Iſa. 3.10, 11. though brutiſh men underſtand it not, Pſal. 92.6. as the prudent doe, Hoſ. 14.9.) are ſo clearly ſet out in the Scriptures, (as David found, Pſal. 73.17.) that he which beholds his ways and works in them, muſt confeſſe that they all praiſe him, Pſal. 145.10.
It is true, that theſe works and ways of God, Theſe works of God are not clearly diſcovered but by the light of the Word.without the light of the word, doe ſet forth the glory of him that made them, as a curious piece of work ſhews the skill of him that formed it. But to a blinde man, who hath no eyes, and to him, who having eyes wants light to diſcover the form of it, neither the exactneſſe of the work it ſelf, nor the skill of him that made it appear. Whereas therefore men in themſelves, are as it were in the twilight, when they bring their naturall reaſon to judge of Gods ways and works; the word of God ſets them out in a clearer light, by diſcovering unto men, not onelyonly the workes themſelves, but withall the rules according to which they are wrought, and end at which they aim, as that the wicked are raiſed up aloft, that they may be caſt down into deſtruction, Pſalm 73.18. and flouriſh, that they may be deſtroyed for ever, Pſal. 52.7. a conſideration that clears Gods juſtice in this particular, and thereby much advanceth his honour.
To advance the honour of God yet farther, 4ly Diſcovering the weakneſſe of the creature.the Scriptures diſcover unto us the weakneſſe and inſufficiency of the creatures, that the all-ſufficiency of God may be more admired, as Iſa. 51.12, 13. & Pſalm 146.3, 4, 6. manifeſting that they were nothing at the firſt, have nothing now, but what is borrowed from God, and that too in a very ſcant proportion. So that if we enquire where wiſdome, power, ſufficiency and perfection are to be found, the depth ſaith, it is not in me, the ſea anſwers, it is not in me, all creatures they have heard the fame thereof, Job 28.22. but onelyonly the mighty Creator of heaven and earth, hath poſſeſſed all theſe things, in the beginning of his ways. Thus the Word ſets out riches, mens ſtrong City, Prov. 18.11. to be nothing, Prov. 23.5. ſtrong wals, no better then ripe figges that fall into the eaters mouth, Nah. 3.12. horſes and chariots, a broken reed, Pſal. 20.8. unable to ſave a man, Pſa. 33.17. honour an empty breath, gracing no man without wiſdome, Pſal. 49.20. men lighter then vanity, Pſ. 62.9. Princes but a puffe, Pſal. 146.4. nay, whole Nations but as the duſt of the ballance, Iſa. 40.15. nothing, nay leſſe then nothing, ver. 17.
Thus the Scriptures, ſetting God and the creatures one againſt another, like a foil under a diamond, God in his abſolute and tranſcendent perfections, the creatures, though excellent by the beauty that God hath given them, yet empty, weak, and contemptible, compared with God, doe advance his glory beyond compariſon. So that as the height of heaven is ſeen by this, that when wee have climed the top of ſome high mountain, which, when we ſtood in the low valley, ſeemed to touch the skye, we find our ſelves to be as far from heaven, as we were before: So when we have beheld the greateſt excellencies of the moſt admired creatures, it is no more in compariſon of Gods perfections, then if we had ſeen the baſeſt worm. By theſe divers ways doe the Scriptures advance Gods honour, and throw down all creatures at his foot.
The next ſcope of the Scriptures, The ſecōd ſcope of the Scriptures, our ſalvation furthered. 1. Propoſing the meanes thereof.is the furthering of mans ſalvation, which they effect two ways: Firſt, by propoſing the means of ſalvation: and ſecondly, by winning our hearts to entertain them. Firſt then, they preſent unto us God himſelf, offering life and ſalvation in Chriſt, that beleeving in him we might have eternall life, John 3.16. Next, the Scriptures propoſe the rules of an holy life, being the way that leads to ſalvation, and ſo ſerve for a guide to direct us, Pſalm 119.105. A Counſellor to adviſe us, ver. 24. ſhining out unto us as a light in a dark place, 2 Pet. 1.19. diſcovering unto us the way, and the crooked paths on either ſide of it, leading to death and deſtruction.
The next means by which the Scriptures further our ſalvation, 2. Winning our hearts to embrace it by the Spirit accompanying it.is by winning our hearts to embrace and ſeek it, which it performs by the Spirit that accompanies it, for that onelyonly quickens the ſoul, Iohn 6.63. by giving us a taſte of the heavenly gift, and enabling us to comprehend with all Saints, the breadth, length, depth, and heighth thereof, Eph. 3.18. whereupon we deſire, and ſeek it with all our ſouls. Withall, it cauſeth us to reliſh Gods Gommandements, which we finde ſweeter then honey to our mouths, Pſ. 119.103. or at leaſt provokes us to a longing deſire after them; as David opened his mouth and panted, longing for them, Pſ. 119.131. wiſhing that his ways were directed to keep Gods ſtatutes, Pſal. 119.5. craving Gods help to aſſiſt us therein, to order our ſteps in his word, Pſ. 119.133. promiſing to run the way of Gods Commandements, when he ſhall enlarge our hearts, Pſ. 119.32. afflicting our ſelves for our wandrings from them, and praying to be brought back into a right way, Pſ. 119.176. Thus Gods word ſtirs up the deſires of the ſoul after God and Chriſt, and thereby moves us to take hold of eternall life. An effect of which none miſſe, but ſuch as reject and put it off from themſelves, with thoſe Acts 13.46.