Eighteen Choice and Useful Sermons, Sermon 9
The Ninth SERMON
2 PETER 1.21.
For the Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt.
THe ſcope of the Apoſtle in theſe words is this, to ſhew us the infallible truth of the Scriptures. And this he ſhews by the Author thereof two waies. Firſt Negatively, that the Scriptures are not of mans invention For the prophecy (ſaith he) came not in old time by the will of man. Secondly Affirmatively, that the Holy Ghoſt was the Authour of them; But holy men of God (ſaith he) ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt.
But ſome man may ſay, Indeed the Apoſtle ſaith thus, but how doth he prove it? He ſaith, as St. Paul doth, that the Scriptures are inſpired of God; 2 Tim. 3.16.but how doth he prove it? When Ariſtotle that great profound Philoſopher, ſaw the books of Moſes. and read what he wrote about the Creation of the world, he miſliked his Books, becauſe he proved not that which he wrote. Hic omnia dicit, nihil probat, This man ſaith he, ſaith every thing, but he proyes nothing: But we are to remember, that though we may doubt of that which men ſay, becauſe all men are lyars as the Scripture ſaith, and ſo need proofs to conſume their ſayings; yet the Scripture being the Word of God, is of it ſelf ſufficient to credit and need not any proof for the confirmation of it.
The Jewes have a ſaying, that the Law doth not need any fortification, in regard that God was the Authour of it: and ſo God being the Authour of the whole Scripture, it needs no fortification or proof to ſtrengthen it; but whatſoever we find written therein, we need make no queſtion of the truth thereof, but are bound to believe it.
True may ſome ſay, if we were aſſured that the Scriptures are the Word of God, & that God & not man was the Author of them, then we need make no queſtion of the truth of thoſe things which we find therein; But how ſhall we know them to be Gods word, and that no other was the Authour of them? Which becauſe it is the ſumme of that which the Apoſtle delivers in theſe words, I purpoſe briefly to handle this queſtion, How a man may know and be fully aſſured, that the Scriptures muſt needs be the word of God?
Concerning which queſtion, there is a great controverſie between us and the Church of Rome. They ſay, that the onelyonly Teſtimony of the Church, is ſufficient to perſwade us that the Scripture is the Word of God; and that if it were not for the Teſtimony of the Church, we could not give any credit to it. We ſay, that the Scripture is known to be Gods Word, by the inward Teſtimony of Gods Spirit; and that without this Teſtimony to perſwade us hereunto, the teſtimony of the Church and of all other whatſoever, is inſufficient.
Titubabit ſides noſtra, ſi Scripturae vacillet autoritas. Auguſt. de Doct. Chriſt. lib. 1. cap. 37.Our faith will ſtagger, ſaith St. Auguſtine, if the authority of the Scripture ſtand not firme. But how can the authority of the Scripture ſtand firme, if it be built onelyonly upon ſo weak a foundation as the teſtimony of man; For the Church is ſubject to errour, both in doctrine and manners; and therefore this teſtimony may deceive us: But we require an infallible proof for the certainty of the Scriptures. They ſay that the Teſtimony of the Church is infallible, and when we wil have them to prove it, they prove it thus, becauſe it is the pillar and ground of truth,1 Tim. 3.15. as the Scripture tells us. Thus if a man doubt of the authority of the Scripture, to prove it they ſend him to the teſtimony of the Church; and while he doubts of the truth of the teſtimony of the Church, to prove it, they ſend him back again to the Scripture. But if the Church be ſufficient to perſwade a man that the Scriptures are the word of God, how comes it to paſſe that Turks & Inſidels, who have often heard this teſtimony of the Church, are not yet perſwaded of the truth of the Scriptures.
How many thouſands of Jewes are now living in Italie, and many of them in Rome, who deny the Goſpel, and are not yet perſwaded that Chriſt is come? If the onelyonly Teſtimony of the Church be ſufficient, why make they not proof thereof upon them, that the World may ſee the virtue and efficacy of it: But we know experience tells them daily to their faces, that they cannot do it; and if you ask them the reaſon, they can give none but this, becauſe of the blindneſs and unbelief of the Jewes: why therefore ſay we, that that which is able to aſſure a man, that the Scripture is Gods word, muſt be able to illuminate his underſtanding, and to give him faith that he may believe it, but this is onelyonly the work of Gods ſpirit. There is nothing more ordinary among the Prophets; then when they delivered Gods vvord to the People, to tell the People that it was Gods vvord which they delivered. Heare the word of the Lord, ſaith Eſay (1.10.) The word of the Lord came unto me, ſaith Jeremie (1.4.) and thus every one of the Prophets from the firſt to the laſt, do teſtifie that they delivered the vvord of God.Eſay 53.1. But who hath believed our report, ſaith Eſay, ſo that where there was one that believed it, there were many that did not: and therefore if neither the vvord it ſelf, nor the teſtimony of the Prophets concerning the vvord, could perſwade them that it was the vvord of God, much leſſe is the teſtimony of the Church ſufficient, when St. Paul preached at Phylippi, Acts 16. there were many that heard him; but it is ſaid there of Liddia, onelyonly that God opened her heart, ſo that ſhe attended unto that which he ſpake:Acts 16.14. now if ſhe could not ſo much as attend unto thoſe things which St. Paul delivered, unleſſe that God had firſt opened her heart; much leſſe could ſhe have believed, that that which he ſpake was the vvord of God, but by the inward operation of Gods ſpirit:
The Word is ſometimes called a light, becauſe it is lightſome in it ſelf as the Sunne, but as the Sunne though it be never ſo lightſome, yet it cannot be diſcerned by thoſe that are blind: So the Word, though in it ſelf it be never ſo glorious, yet it is not apparent to us till our hearts be opened. The Word is ſometime compared to ſeed, becauſe it is fruitfull like the ſeed that is ſowen; but as the ſeed which is ſowen cannot bring forth increaſe, but by the influence and virtue which it receiveth from Heaven; no more is the word fruitfull and effectual in us, till God by his ſpirit give a bleſſing unto it. The word is not unlike the poole in Jeruſalem, whereof there is mention John 5. The poole though it cured all outward Diſeaſes, yet it had not this virtue, but then onelyonly when the Angell did ſtir the waters: the word though it be the means to cure our inward infirmities, yet it cannot do it but onelyonly by the motion of Gods ſpirit.
Now the firſt Diſeaſe which is to be cured is out ſpiritual blindnſs, whereby we are ignorant of Gods will, his vvill is ſufficiently revealed in his vvord but we cannot diſcerne it to be his word till God by his ſpirit do inlighten our underſtanding. And therefore St. Paul ſaith, 1 Cor. 2. vve have received the ſpirit of God,1 Cor. 2.13. that we might know the things that are given us of God: and preſently after in the ſame Chapter, but the natural man, ſaith he, perceives not the things of the ſpirit of God, for they are fooliſhneſs unto him, neither can he know them becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned.
Now leaſt we ſhould imagine, that becauſe we are aſſured of the truth of Gods vvord, onelyonly by the teſtimony of Gods ſpirit, that therefore till his ſpirit do work faith in our hearts, the teſtimony of the Church, and the hearing of the word is but va…n and needleſs: we are to underſtand, that Gods ſpirit doth ordinarily beget faith in the godly by theſe outward meanes.
For firſt, the Teſtimony of the Church concerning the vvord, invites us to come with the reſt to hear it, and while we are diligent and attentive in hearing it, Gods ſpirit doth ordinarily beget faith in our hearts, whereby we believe it; and when faith hath once taken root in our hearts, then we are ſo fully reſolved of the truth of the Scriptures, that all thoſe arguments whereof before we made but light account, are now like infallible demonſtrations unto us. For then we ſee plainly how neceſſary it was, that God ſhould reveal his vvill unto us; and that if he have not revealed it in the Scripture, he hath revealed it no where. But that it is his will which he hath revealed in his vvord, theſe Reaſons will confirm us.
Firſt, In that the majeſty of Gods ſpirit doth appear in every part of the Scripture, wherein there is nothing that ſavours of humane wiſdom; but every thing therein is heavenly and divine, for if we conſider the matter thereof, it far exceeds all humane invention. For who could tell us of the Creation of the vvorld, and the fall of Angels? of the corruption of the whole nature of man, through the tranſgreſſion and diſobedience of our firſt Parents? of the redemption of the vvorld by the coming of the Meſſias? of the rewards of the faithfull in the life to come, and the puniſhment of ſinners? Theſe things and many other which the Scripture reveals, do ſo far go beyond the capacity of man, that had not God revealed them in his word, they could never have been known.
Secondly, If we conſider who penned the Scripture, we ſhall find them for the moſt part to be ſimple men, and therefore of themſelves not capable of thoſe heavenly myſteries which they have revealed in their vvritings.Hoſ. 11.1. Zach. 11.12.13. Pſal. 22.16.18. They were not learned, and yet they foreſaw things to come, as if they were preſent, and foretold many things which many hundred years after did come to paſſe. They were not eloquent, and yet more powerfull in moving the affections, then Tullie, Demoſthenes, and all the Rhetoricians in the vvorld beſides. They lived not together, but in divers ages and ſeveral places, and yet they agree ſo perfectly without the leaſt contradiction, as if they had had but one mind among them. In a word,Deut. 32.51. Jonah 1.3.6: Jonah 4.9. they were not as other men given over to ſin, but lived more uprightly then the moſt in their times, and yet they have regiſtred their own ſins and infirmities, to remain as it were upon the file unto all Poſterities, which had they been led by humane wiſdom, they would never have done. All which ſhewes, that howſoever the Scriptures were written here by men, yet they were indicted by God in Heaven.
Thirdly, If we conſider the perfection of the Law which is called the Decalogue, we ſhall ſee that none but God could be the Authour of it. For there is not any good either outward or inward, which we are bound to perform to God or man, but it is there commanded, nor any evil from which we are to abſtain, but it is there prohibited: all which to be comprized in ſo few words, farre exceeds the invention of men or Angels. Mens Lawes howſoever they fill many large Volums, yet they are ſtill imperfect, and daily want ſomething to be added unto them, which when they were made was not thought upon: Sometimes again they muſt have ſomething detracted, that being thought convenient for the time when the Law was made, which afterwards is found to be inconvenient, in regard that mens conditions do ſo often change. So that as it is in the fable, when the Moon upon a time begged a new Coat of her mother: her Mother replied, that it was impoſſible to make her a Coat which would be fit for her, by reaſon that her ſhape did ſo often alter, as being now in the full, now in the wane, one while in one form, and ſtrait in another: So it is impoſſible for men or Angels to make Lawes, which without adding or detracting ſhould ſerve for all perſons and all ages, becauſe their manners and conditions do ſo often change. But this Law which we find recorded in the Scripture, is ſo abſolute and perfect, that it ſerves for all perſons, in all places and all ages, and yet needes nothing to be added or detracted. All other Lawes extend no further then to mens ſayings or doings, their words and their actions, and take hold of them onelyonly if they be not anſwerable to the Law, but for the thoughts of mens hearts they do not inflict any penalty upon them, but do leave them free. The Civilians ſay, Cogitationis paenam in foro noſtro nemo luat, let no man be puniſht in our Court for a thought. But this Law doth ſearch into the ſecrets of the heart, not only reſtraining our actual ſins, but our ſinfull thoughts, even our very firſt motions and inclinations to ſin, though we do not yield our conſent thereunto, to put the ſame in execution.Rom. 7.7. St. Paul ſaith Rom. 7. that he had not known concupiſcence to be a ſinne, if the Law had not ſaid, Thou ſhalt not covet. For like as the Sunſhine doth make us to ſee the leaſt atomes or moaths, which if it were not for the bright light of the Sunne, we could not diſcerne: So this bright light of the Law diſcovers the leaſt and moſt ſecret ſins, which without this Law we could not have known. All other Lawes becauſe they cannot judge of the heart, do require no more then outward obedience, and judge well of him that lives according to the Law for his outward Carriage. But this Law which as the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 4. is a diſcerner of the thoughts and intents, Heb. 4.1….requires both outward and inward obedience, and judgeth not him to be a good man, who frames himſelf outwardly to the obſerving of the Law, but not inwardly. For as a man is not to be counted well and in good health, though his hands and feete, and all the reſt of his outward parts be ſound and perfect, if his lungs or any other of his inward parts be unſound and diſeaſed. So this Law doth not count him to be a good man, though his outward actions ſeem never ſo good, if his inward parts, his thoughts and affections be ill and diſordered. In a word, all other Lawes propound no other but temporall rewards to thoſe that obſerve them, and temporall puniſhments to ſuch as trangreſs them: but the rewards and puniſhments which this Law propounds, are both corporall and ſpirituall, temporal and eternall, both in this World, and the World to come. By all which it is plain, that this Law which we find recorded in the Scripture, is in many reſpects more abſolute and perfect, then all the flowers which men have invented, and therefore that God and no other could be the Authour of it.
Fourthly, If we conſider what effects the Scriptures work in the hearers and readers of them, it will confirm our faith in this point, that they muſt needes have God for their Authour, and not man.
The Doctrine which is contained in the Scripture, is quite oppoſite and contrary to fleſh and bloud, and croſſes our nature. We naturally deſire to live in peace and proſperity, we affect honour and advancement, eaſe, riches, pleaſures, liberty and the like; which if the Scripture had promiſed, it would in all likelihood have been a motive to make men the more to affect and imbrace it. But we ſee the Scripture promiſes the quite contrary to theſe, croſſes and troubles, perſecution and hatred for the Goſpels ſake, and yet the ſound thereof is gone through the World, and thouſands do daily more and more affect it. When Cyrus would perſwade the Lacedemonians to follow him in the Warres, he made them this promiſe, whoſoever, ſaith Cyrus, will be my followers, if they be foot-men I will give them Horſes; if they be Horſe-men I will give them Chariots; if they have Houſes and Tenements of their own, I wil give them Villages; and if they have Villages, I vvill make them Lords of Townes and Cities; and for gold and ſilver, I vvill heap it unto them by vveight and by meaſure.
Thus Cyrus allured them by his fair promiſes, as the likelieſt meanes to vvinne their affections.Luke 9.23. But vvhat ſaith Chriſt in the Goſpel to his followers? If, ſaith he, ye will be my Diſciples, ye muſt daily take up my Croſſe upon you; you muſt leave your Parents, Wives, Children and Friends, and all you have to follow me, you muſt be reviled and perſecuted,Mat. 10.22. and hated of all men for my names ſake.
Now this ye know, ſhould rather hinder men when they read the Scriptures from imbracing the Goſpel, and becoming Chriſtians: yet ſo effectual are the Scriptures, through the operation of the ſpirit in thoſe that read or hear them, that nothing can hinder them from imbracing the ſame, which is an evident proof that no other but God could be the Authour thereof.
Laſtly, if we conſider the long continuance, and antiquity of the Scripture, how God in all ages hath miraculouſly preſerved it, notwithſtanding the malice of Satan, and all thoſe Tyrants, and Perſecuters, who have oppoſed themſelves againſt it, we may plainly ſee that it is the word of God. When the Jewes would have hindred the Preaching of the Apoſtles Acts 5.Acts 5.38.39. it was Gamaliels Counſell to let them alone, and he gave this reaſon, for ſaith he, if it be of men it will come to nought, but if it be of God ye cannot deſtroy it. All falſe Religions which have had their beginning and original from man, have continued for a time and have afterwards vaniſh't: but the true Religion which the Scripture containes, hath continued without change in all ages, nay the more it hath been oppoſed the more it hath flouriſh't, God having ordain'd that the Perſecution of thoſe that profeſſe the Goſple vvhichwhich in all likelihood vvould have been a meanes to have rooted it out, ſhould make men the more to affect and imbrace it. Hiſtories are full of examples to this purpoſe, I will onelyonly name one, and that out of Sozomen, when Chriſtianity began to increaſe in Perſia, the King being an enemie to the true Religion, ſought by all meanes to root it out of his Kingdome. And firſt he impoſed ſo grievous taxes upon the Chriſtians, that many thereby were brought into Poverty. And ſeing that the number ſtill increaſed more, and that they would not leave their Religion for the loſſe of their goods, he threatned them in the end with the loſs of their lives. Some few revolted for feare of Torment, but the number of profeſſers did daily increaſe, though they daily were Martyr'd. Amongſt the reſt, Simeon the Arch-Biſhop of Seleucia vvas apprehended, and becauſe he perſiſted in the profeſſion of the Goſpel the King ſent him to Priſon. And as he was going, Vſtazares one of the Kings chiefe Officers about his houſe (vvho had been a Chriſtian but for feare of torment had renounced his Religion) met the Biſhop in the way and offered to ſalute him, but the Biſhop turned away from him as from an Apoſtata, and would not vouchſafe to look at him;
Oh wo is me: ſaith Vſtazares, what favour can I look for at Gods hands, whom I have denied, when in regard of my apoſtacy, my familiar friend will not vouchſafe me a word? And thus mourning and lamenting he ran to the King, and openly profeſſed himſelf a Chriſtian, and added further, that he would never recant the ſecond time whatſoever became of him. The King commanded that he ſhould be beheaded at ſuch a time, and when the time came, Vſtazares ſent this meſſage to the King, to deſire him that for all the faithfull ſervice which he had ever done him, he would grant him this favour, that while he was led to the place where he ſhould be beheaded, a Herald or Crier might go before him, and make proclamation, that Vſtazares was to ſuffer, not for any treaſon or evill that he had committed, but only becauſe that he was a Chriſtian. The King granted his ſuit, as thinking that this would be a means to terrifie others, when they ſhould hear that the King would not ſpare, no not thoſe who were his chief Officers, if they profeſſed themſelves Chriſtians. This in all likelihood ſhould have been a means to make others revolt, but this made them to be far more couragious and reſolute. Some imbracing the block where they were to be beheaded, as if their beheading had been their coronation: others running with ſuch alacrity to the ſtake where they were to be burnt, as if the very flames which they were to enter into, had been the Gates of Heaven: The perſecution of the faithfull in all ages, being the whetſtone of faith, as Saint Jerome calls it, which makes the godly that are perſecuted the more willing to ſuffer, and the perſecutours when they ſee they cannot prevail, the more willing to give over. In ſo much that Diocleſian a grievous perſecutour, when he had uſed all the means that ever he could for the utter aboliſhing of the Chriſtian profeſſion, when he had ſent out his Edicts for the burning of the Scriptures, for the torturing of Chriſtians, and putting down their Churches, and ſaw in the end that he could prevail nothing, for very ſpight and anger he gave over his Kingdom. I might further ſhew you this, by the miſerable ends of all thoſe, who have profeſſed themſelves enemies unto the profeſſours of that Doctrine which the Scriptures teach. Pharaoh the firſt perſecutour of the Church that ever was, was overwhelmed in the red-ſea with all his hoſt. Dathan and Abiram, the firſt Sciſmaticks that ever were, were ſwallowed up of the earth, with all their Conſederats: and ſuch have been the ends of ſuch as have ſucceeded them.
To paſſe over the examples which the Scriptures alledge,Pilat. Pilat who had unjuſtly condemned … Saviour,Euſeb. lib. 2. cap. 7. fell afterwards into ſuch miſery that he ſlew …, and ſo of an unjuſt Judge became a juſt Executioner.Nero. Nero after that he had made havock of the Church of Chriſt, he fell in the end into ſuch extreamity, that he would have accounted it for a favour of any man that would have ſlain him, Ergone (ſaith he) nee amicum habeo, nee inimicum? as complaining that he could find neither friend nor foe, that would vouch ſafe to kill him, in the end he grew deſperate, and ſtabbed himſelf.Maximinus. Maximinus as great a perſecutour as ever Nero was, was ſtruck by God with a ſtrong diſeaſe, an inviſible fire, as Euſebius writes, inwardly eating and conſuming his fleſh, and leaving him nothing in a ſhort time but skin and bones, his eyes burnt out of his head through the extreamity of his torments, and he cried out before he died, that now Gods vengeance was lighted … him for his former perſecutions.Valerian. Valerian the Emperour another perſecutour, was firſt taken captive, and led in triumph in his Emperours robes, & afterwards by the command of Sapores the King of Perſia, he was flead alive, and ſo was tortur'd himſelf as he had tortur'd the Chriſtians.Julian Apoſtata. Julian the Apoſtata in his wars againſt the Perſians was wounded on the ſuddain, he knew not how nor by whom, Theoderet thinks he might be ſmote by an Angell, Calliſtus that was preſent, ſaith he was ſtruck by the Devill, whoſoever he was he was ſent by Chriſt, by Julians own confeſſion, for caſting up ſome of his blood towards heaven, he cried out againſt Chriſt, Vieiſti Galilee, Thou haſt got the victory thou Galilean: and thus he died raving. Nay, when he was dead, the earth opened (ſaith Nazianzen) and ſwallowed it down, as not vouchſafing to bear ſo accurſed a burthen.
It were endleſſe to inſtance in all thoſe particulars, whom God for their perſecuting his truth in the Scriptures, hath made fearfull examples unto all others. The ſame may likewiſe be ſaid of Hereticks, who ſeeking by their falſe & impious doctrins to corrupt the truth, have miſerably periſhed in all ages.Simon Magus. Simon Magus the father of all Hereſies, as Euſebius calls him, having gotten great credit by his ſorcery and Magick, perſvvaded the people that he vvas God, but through Peters prayers as he was flying in the aire, his god-head failed him, and he vvas fetcht dovvn head-long. Olympius vvho blaſphemouſly denied the Trinity, Olympius.vvhile he askt contemptuouſly, hovv three could be one, and one three? vvas ſmote with three fiery darts from Heaven, the points of theſe three joyning all in one.Arrius. Valent. Manes. Montanus. Neſtorius. Lucian. Arrius, while he was doing that which nature requires, his bowels guſht out, and he miſerably periſht. Valens the Arrian was burnt by the Gothes, Manes, was flead alive by the Perſians: Montanus became his own hangman like Judas, Neſtorius had his tongue eat a ſunder with wormes. Lucian was worried and torne in pieces with Doggs. In a word, God hath alwayes been ſo zealous in the defence of his truth, that they who have oppoſed it, have not eſcaped unpuniſhed; but howſoever, he hath let them go on for a time, yet in the end he hath payed them home, bringing vengeance and deſtruction like a whirlewind upon them; which evidently ſhewes, that God is both the Author and Protector of the Scriptures.
Are the Scriptures then the word of God, 1. Ʋſe.this therefore firſt ſerves te condemn the Papiſts, who vilifie the Scriptures and magnifie traditions, giving more then they ſhould do unto traditions, and leſſ… … Scriptures, by making traditions to be more then they are, and … Scriptures leſſe. Which put me in mind of a certain Epitaph, which one made of Eraſmus, and when he had made it, he ſhewed it to his friend, and willed him to read it.
The Epitaph was this.
Hic jacet Eraſmus, qui quondam bonus erat mus,
Rodere qui ſolitus, roditur a vermibus.
Out upon't, ſaith his friend, why what have you done? be in bonus is ſhort, and you have made it long: true, ſaith the maker, but therefore I hope ver in vermibus is long, and I have made it ſhort, and ſo have made amends for the former fault. And ſo do the Papiſts, they give more then they ſhould do unto traditions, but therefore leſſe to the Scriptures, ſeeking to cover one fault with another, and ſo double their fault, and make it the greater.
Secondly, 2. Ʋſe.This ſerves to condemn thoſe, who believe not the Scripture to be Gods word, as they ſhew they do not, who are not carefull to conforme their lives unto it. For do they who ſecurely go on in their ſins, believe what God threatens in his vvord againſt ſinners? Doth the profane ſwearer, who can hardly ſpeak a word but an Oath muſt follow it, believe this for certain, that God as he threatens, will not hold him guiltleſs that takes his name in vain? Exod. 20.7.Doth the common Drunkard believe this,1 Cor. 6.10. that no ſuch ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven? Doth the Adulterer believe this, that Whoremaſters and Adulterers God will judge? Heb. 13.4.Doth he that withholds the Labourers hire believe this,James 5.4. that the hire of the Laborers doth crie in the eares of the Lord of Hoſts? Doth he, that deferrs and puts of his repentance, and yet preſumes upon Gods mercy, believe that to be true, that they who deſpiſe the riches of Gods bounty, and abuſe his patience, Rom. 3.5.treaſure up wrath to themſelves againſt the day of Wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgement of God? In a word, doth any wicked liver believe this to be true,Rom. 2.9. 2 Theſ. 1.8. that tribulation and anguiſh ſhall be upon every ſoule that doth evill? and that the Lord in flaming fire ſhall render vengeance to thoſe that obey not the Goſpell? For if they believed theſe things, it would ſtrike ſuch a terror into their ſoules, that they would not ſuffer their eyes to ſleep, nor the temples of their heads to take any reſt, till they had unfainedly humbled themſelves for their ſins paſt, and had teſtified to the World, by the reformation of their lives, that they are aſſured that God is the Authour of the Scriptures.
And laſtly, Seeing God is the Authour of the Scriptures, it may therefore teach us, both to hear and read them with all reverence, 3. Ʋſe.to renounce all Doctrines which agree not with the Doctrine which the Scripture containes, and if occaſion requires, to ſtand in defence of the truth of thoſe things that we find written therein, even to … loſſe of our lives, as many Thouſar …oly Martyrs have done …re us.
FINIS.