The Principle of All Principles Concerning Religion, Title page – Dedication
THE PRINCIPLE OF ALL PRINCIPLES Concerning RELIGION. OR THE SVMME OF certaine SERMONS: Prooving The Scriptures to be the very VVord OF GOD.
Ioh. 5.39.
Search the Scriptures; For in them yee thinke to hauehave eternall life.
LONDON Printed by I. D. for Nicholas Bourne, At the South entrance of the Royall Exchange. 162…
TO THE WORSHIPFVL, Mr HVMPHREY BROVVNE, Increaſe of Grace, and the ſaving knowledge of Ieſus Christ.
AMongſt other Doctrines heretofore gathered from my Text, viz Act. 24.14.15.16. We learned, that, Wee are to ground our Faith onelyonly vponupon the Word written. Which Doctrine aroſe out of this Obſervation, That Paul doth not ſay, He beleeved all things whatſoever as directions of his worſhipping the God of his Fathers; but Beleeving all things written in the Law, & the Prophets, ſo worſhip I, &c. This point is worthy due conſideration, in theſe prevaricating times, wherein Papiſts doe ſo fearefully decline the Word written, and runne vntounto Traditions, which they call Vnwritten Verities; though indeede Traditionall very lyes; they runne (I ſay) vntounto theſe, as vntounto the rocke of their refuge. For if they could, but in ſhew, iuſtifie their Antichriſtian Idolatry, and Superſtitions by the Word written, how boaſting they would then be, may appeare by their catching at ſyllables thereof, which ſound, in phantaſticall eares, to ſome of their purpoſes. So that Chriſt his cenſure vponupon the Scribes and Phariſes, may be iuſtly layd vponupon them, viz: Yee hauehave made the Word aMat. 15.1.6.written of none authoritie by your Traditions: But whoſoever ſpeaketh not according to this Word, it is becauſe there is no light in them bIſa. 8.20.. For the whole Scripture that is, The Word written) is given by Inſpiration of God, and is profitable to teach, to convince, to correct, and to inſtruct in righteouſneſſe, that the man of God may be abſolute, being made perfect vntounto all good works c2 Tim. 3.15.16.17..
Amongſt other Vſes of the ſayd Doctrine, this was one, If we are to ground our faith only vponupon the Word written, then all, who are wiſe vntounto Salvation, muſt diligently read the ſame; or, If they cannot reade, diligently heare them read in publique Congregations, & els-where, as they may. For to what ende was the Word of God committed to Writing; but that Gods people ſhould reade, or heare it read diligently? Therefore let vsus religiouſly take to heart, and conſider the wiſe exhortation of our Maſter Chriſt, viz: Search the Scriptures, For in them yee thinke to hauehave eternall life dIoh. 5.39.. Wherein obſerue, that He calleth the word of God Scriptures, that is, Writings, and not onelyonly ſo, but The Scriptures, that is, Writings incomparably excelling all other. For (indeed) they are given by inſpiration of God. Therefore we are to ſearch them. Which word Search, implieth Diligence. As where we are exhorted ePro. 2.3.…to Search for the Knowleage of God as for Treaſures. But how are Writings ſearched otherwiſe, than by diligent reading? Thus did the Nobly-minded Baereans fActs. 17.1…Search the Scriptures daily. So that Chriſt his exhortation is this in effect. If ye thinke (indeed) to hauehave eternall life in the Scriptures, then ſhew your ſelues wiſe vntounto ſalvation by your diligence in reading, or hearing them read. This point requireth much preſſing in theſe times, wherein too many are like thoſe, whom Iſaiah taxeth. gIſa. 29.10.VVho, being covered with a ſpirit of ſlumber, dreame of eating, but when they are awake their ſoules are emptie; Yet when a Booke is offered them to be read, they refuſe, ſaying either The Booke is Sealed, as doe the Papiſts; or, They cannot Reade, as doe thouſands of irreligious people, whoſe careleſneſſe to heare the Scriptures read, (diſcovered by their late comming to the Church, where the Scriptures be read, and their readineſſe to heare the reading of vaine Bookes and Ball…des) doth manifeſt their want of religious zeale, to ſupply their diſability to reade the Scriptures, by diligence in giuing attendance to the reading thereof. But there may come a time of tryall, when the Deafe ſhall heare the words of the Booke, as ISAIAH Prophecieth in the ſame Chapter. Verſ. 17.1…VVhichWhich Prophecie implieth, that he, who ſayd, He could not reade, ſhould (yet) hauehave ſignified deſire to heare the Booke read. To prevent which tryall (if it may ſo pleaſe our moſt gracious God) let's imitate, yea, emulate the religious Iewes, hActs. 13.14.15. And 15.21.who ſo diligently heard the olde Teſtament read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day, that Chriſt, and his Apoſtles ſaw it not neceſſary to quote Chapter, and Verſe, when they preached, or wrote. And why? Becauſe, by diligent hearing the Scriptures read, their memory was ſo confirmed, that they could preſently acknowledge every allegation to be conteined in the Scriptures. To which ende, viz: the confirmation of memory by reading, was the Word of God written; Yea ſo, That the children of Iſrael were commanded iDeut. 11.19.18.as well to write Gods words vponupon the poſts of their houſes, and vponupon their gates, as to be ſpeaking of them, when they ſit, walke, &c. that they might lay them vp in their hearts. Theſe things I now write, that thereby I may ſtirre you, and others vp, by reading, to renew, and confirme your memory, that it may, vntounto your farther edification, reflect vponupon this ground of Religiō. The Scriptures be the very Word of God. VVhichWhich (indeed) is, The Principle of all Principles concerning Religion, and therefore is (as it ought to be) eſteemed accordingly of all that doe the Truth kIoh. 3.2… Deut. 17.19, that is, Obey God in Sinceritie, ſo as they come to the light thereof, that their deeds may be made manifeſt, that they be wrought according to God. Therefore not onelyonly David a King, and an olde man, profeſſed l…al. 37.25.…9.105.9.Gods Word to hauehave beene a Light to his paths, but the Spirit alſo, by way of a Queſtion, doth, with a ſtrong aſſeveration, affirme, That young men (if they feare God) muſt redreſſe their wayes in taking heede to them according to Gods Word. To which our moſt holy God, and to the Word of his grace, m…ct 20.32.which is able to build further, and to giuegive you an inheritance amongst all them which are ſanctified, I heartily commend you.