A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 4 (Question 2)
SERMON IV.
QUESTION II.
WHAT RULE hath God given to direct us, how we may glorify and enjoy Him?
ANSWER.
The WORD of God (which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old & New Teſtament) is the ONLY Rule in direct us, how we may glorify and enjoy Him.
EVERY wiſe Agent always obſerves this method, he firſt propounds an End to himſelf, and fixeth upon if and then he ſets himſelf …o ſtudy and find out proper & ſutable Means, which he may improve in his regular purſuance of it. This Scheme Idea, or Exemplar of the means, and the way rightly to apply them to his purpoſe, is that which is called his Rule of … …tion. And ſuch a Rule is requiſite in order to the practice of every Art; and he that is throughly acquainted with it, and dexterous at it may only be called an Artiſt. Such a method as this is followed in our Catechiſm, in laying down the Doctrine of Religion or Divinity. Having therefore rightly ſtated and limitted man's great End, in the former queſtion, there remains nothing but to ſet him in the Way to his unfailing obtainment of it, which is the deſign of all that follows. And there are two things here requiſite, viz. that we be ſatisfied about our Rule, and that we be well acquainted with the Contents of it. The former is end…red in the Queſtion we are now upon; the latter is pu… in th…ſe that follow after.
THE main ſoop…th…n of the preſent Inquiry, is about the Rule is …. Man's happineſs is a … and momentous thing, if he miſs of … hath laboured in vain. He had need therefore have a ſure & …erring Rule to direct him thereunto, that he be not deceived & diſappointed; becauſe his loſs will be irreparable. We are therefore here pointed to this Rule, and have it characterized unto us.
FOR a right Underſtanding, and full Explication of this Queſtion and Anſwer; there are theſe things will call for our diſtinct Conſideration.
(1.) That Man muſt have a Rule to direct him, or elſe he can never attain to his chief end.
(2.) That this Rule can be but one.
(3.) That the Word of God is the only Rule.
(4.) That this word, which is the Rule, is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament.
Prop. 1. THAT Man muſt have a RULE to direct him, with which he is well acquainted; or elſe he can never attain to his chief End. There are two things contained in the Propoſition.
(1) That there muſt be a Rule.
(2) That we muſt have Acquaintance with it. Both theſe may be evidenced.
Article 1. THERE muſt be a Rule. Man cannot be led to his End without one. The neceſſity of Man's having a Rule, may be argued from two Conſideration.
[1.] FROM the Conſideration of the Reſpect … Man bears to his End: and that whether lookt upon in a ſtate of Integrity or of Apoſtaſy.
(1.) LOOK upon him in his Primitive Perfection, ſtanding in his Integrity; and here he could never reach his End without a Rule. The following Concluſions will evidence the Truth of this Aſſertion.
1. MAN was not made happy. That Man was (ſtrictly ſpeaking) neither happy nor miſerable in his firſt ſtate, is a Truth undeniable, if we do but acknowledge his happineſs to conſiſt in his attaining his chief End, and his miſery in his miſſing of falling ſhort of it. He was fitted for happineſs, inaſmuch as he had all the ſtock of Grace put into his hands, which was ſufficient by improvement to make him happy. There was nothing wanting in that Image of God, which he had ſtamped upon him: And yet he was capable of loſing his felicity, and becoming unhappy; being made mutable, and capable of loſing that … the Event unhappy proved. Man was therefore at firſt made a Pobationer for happineſs: and that by the law of ſpecial Government.
2 HAPPINESS was pro…oſed to Man … firſt in a Covenant-Way. That there was a Covenant between God & …, the Scripture … ſures us and gives us an account of the Nature and Terms of it. Now in a Covenant there are always thoſe two things, Something promiſed upon condition on one part, and the conditions required on the other part, in order to the obtaining it. The Thing propoſed to Man in the firſt Covenant was Happineſs. The manner of propoſing it, was by telling him how he was to come by it if ever he expected to become the owner of it. The Terms therefore ſo run, Do & Live, Rom. 10.5.
3. HENCE there was a fixed or ſtuted way, to which Man's being made happy was reſtrained. For, if Happineſs were not promiſed to man abſolutely, but hypothetically, it muſt needs depend upon that …hy… …is; and the performance of the Condition is the way to his felicity: and that this was fixed, is therein evident, becauſe together with a firm Promiſe made to him, That if he obeyed, he ſhould be happy, there was as ſtrong a Threatning, That if he came ſhort of it, he ſhould undoubtedly be miſerable, Gen. 2.17.
4. HE could neither find nor keep this way, without a Rule of direction; and conſequently could never have reached bleſſedneſs. He could never have known, when he ſerved to his end, or when he miſt of it. He had been loſt in a wilderneſs, out of which he could not have gotten, but muſt have been at an utter Loſs. In ſumm, there was a Medium between a ſtate of Innocence, and a ſtate of Felicity: there was a way to paſs ſafe to it, and a way to miſs of it. And to enable him to chuſe the one, and avoid the other, he muſt have a Rule.
(2.) MUCH more does Man need a Rule, if we look upon him in his ſtate of Apoſtaſy. And this is that which we are moſtly concerned in; for that is the Condition of all Adam's Poſterity. That …allen Man needs a Rule to guide him to Salvation, will appear if we conſider, —
1. THAT Sin hath made him truly & wofully Miſerable and Wretched. He is not only not happy, but he is fallen from that Nearneſs to it, in which he once ſtood, into a great Diſtance from Felicity. He is ſeparated from his end; is fallen ſhort of the Glory of God. (Rom. 2.23.) and is removed from the Enjoyment of him, (Iſai. 59 2.) and becauſe in theſe Two, his Bleſſedneſs did conſiſt, the loſs of them declares him wretched.
2. THAT if ever fallen Man recover happineſs, he muſt be brought back again to this great End of his. As long as he is out of his read, nothing but deſtruction and miſery are in his ways, (Rom 3.16.) He can never be truly bleſſed, but only in the glorifying God, and enjoying him; becauſe happineſs is only in reaching his chief end.
3. THERE is ſomething required of man, in order to his recovering his Felicity. He is not only to be paſſive, but active too in this affair. There is Faith in Chriſt and new Obedience requiſite, as will afterwards appear. As man was at firſt made capable of being happy in a Covenant-way: So fallen man is recovered to Bleſſedneſs in a Covenant-way. Hence the terms are declared in the Goſpel … 16.16. Rom. 8.12. He… ▪ ….
4. HENCE be muſt have a Rule for this. The Goſpel muſt have its Precepts, as well as the Law. Fallen Man cannot ſteer his courſe without a Compaſs. The gate is ſtrait, and the way is narrow, and few find it. (Mat. 7.14.) It is vain for him to endeavour it, unleſs he have a Clue to direct him.
THAT Man muſt have a Rule further appear, —
[2.] FROM the Conſideration of the nature of a Rule. A Rule is nothing elſe but that whereby a man is guided ſo to do his Work, as to ſu…e it to the End and Uſe for which the doth it: and the reaſon of it is, becauſe he may elſe miſs, and ſo loſe his Labour. There is neceſſarily requiſite a Sutableneſs between the Means, and the End, for which they are uſed: Elſe means are vain. The right ſuting of them, 'tis the nature of a Rule to diſcover, and no man can be an Artiſt in any employment without it. And how then ſhall Man work out his Salvation, if he have no ſuch Direction?
Articl. 2. THAT Man muſt have Acquaintance with this Rule. It is not enough that there be one, but he muſt be ſkilled in it. To clear this, Conſider —
1. Man is made a Cauſe by Counſel of his own Actions. God hath given him an underſtanding, capable of diſcerning; and a will, able to chooſe his way. This is a priviledge beſtowed upon Man above all other Creatures in this lower World. Job. 35.11. God teacheth us more than the beaſts of the earth, and maketh us wiſer then the fowls of heaven.
2. GOD deals with man in a way that is ſuited to his Nature. He treats him as a Reaſonable Creature. He ſutes his ſtate to his Conſtitution, accommodates it to ſuch a ſort of Being. Inferior Beings have a Rule, as well as Man: But God guides them only by Inſtinct They cannot know their Rule. It is ſufficient for them, that He knows it, and hath imprinted it upon their Natures. But God deals with Man in a way of Precepts, Promiſes, & Threatnings, which is a Moral Way. The whole Scripture gives us account of this manner of God's treating Man.
3. HENCE Man can never attain his End, without he knows his Rule. The Service God expects of Man is a reaſonable Service, (Rom. 12, 1.) He muſt be voluntary in his Obedience: God requires the Heart. He muſt chooſe the ways of God: And how can he do ſo, except he knows them? For this reaſon it is ſaid, that without knowledge the mind of Man cannot be good, and that a people are deſtroyed for lack of Knowledge. There is no ſuch thing as blind Obedience in Religion.
Prop. II. THAT this Rule can be but ONE. This Propoſition is not ſo to be underſtood, as if there were not many particular Rules preſcribed, to be followed by men, in order to Salvation. Out of doubt, ſo many ſeveral Precepts as are laid down in Scripture, are ſo many particular Rules to direct us in our way. But the meaning is, that there is but one Syſtem or Body of Rules; but … Directory, according to which he can ſo order his way as to be happy. This is called a Rule, Gal 6.16. And that this is but One, will appear, if we conſider theſe Arguments.
1. THAT Man's Happineſs depends upon his performing the Conditions of the Covenant, in which it is …ffered to him. God is the Author of Bleſſedneſs, and it is his free gift. He therefore hath ſovereign arbitrary Authority to propoſe the Terms on which he will beſtow it: and having ſo done, if Man expects to be happy, he muſt ſee to the fulfilment of thoſe Terms; elſe he can never lay Claim or pretend a Title to it. Nay, if he miſs of the Condition of the promiſe, he preſently brings himſelf under the Threatning▪ and for this reaſon Precepts are not only given affirmatively, but negatively too.
2. THAT there is but one Way, in one Covenant, according to which God hath engaged to make Man happy. It is true, there are two Covenants, in which God hath been concerned with Man; the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace: and theſe have their ſeveral ways and rules. In the firſt, Man was to be made happy by Works: in the ſecond, by Grace. The former depended upon man's perſonal Obedience: the latter upon Chriſt's. The former called for doing, the other for believing. But each of them have their limited way. And man being fallen from the firſt Covenant-Condition, and ſet it againſt him, and having loſt his ſtrength, it can no more be a Rule of Happineſs to him. It is now only by the New Covenant, that he can ever hope to obtain Life & Salvation: and the Way to it, according to this Covenant, is determined; and therefore the Rule can be but one. For,
1. THERE is no Salvation without Reconciliation to God. As long as God and He are Enemies, He is unhappy. God only can ſave him; and he will ſave him only in the way of Reconciliation. Nay, he cannot be happy but in the Enjoyment of God; which how can he come at, till reconciled? Till then, he is without God, Eph. 2.12.
2. THERE is but one Mediator of reconci…i…n, and that is Jeſus Chriſt, as the Apoſtle tells us expreſly, 1 Tim. 2.4. There is no coming to God but by him: out of him God is a Conſuming Fire. He only hath ſatisfy'd provoked Juſtice, and pulled down the wall of partition. Thro' him then, and in no other way muſt we obtain Reconciliation.
3. THERE is but one way to become intereſted in the Satisfaction of (briſt, and partake in reconciliation by him; and that is by believing in him. Joh. 3 36. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlaſting life: and he that believeth not the Son, ſhall not ſee life; but the wr…th of God abideth on him. Chriſt is not actually a Saviour to all men indiſcriminatively, but only to Believers. He therefore had his Diſciples to preach That, as the Sum of the Goſpel. Mark 16.15, 16. Preach the goſpel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved; but he that believeth not ſhall be ….
4. THERE is but one way of ſerving God in new & evangelical Obedience, and that is by living to the will of God. (1 Pet. 4.2.) God hath told man what is his Will, …rein he expects to be ſerved by him, (M…. 6.8) and this only hath a Fr…, given to it: without which, it is bold preſumption for a man to challenge to himſelf a reward of Bleſſedneſs.
AND here we have an eaſy Reſolution to that CASE which ſome ſo perplex themſelves about, viz.
Queſt. WHETHER Man may be ſaved in any Religion, provided he be true to the Obſervance of it?
Anſw. TO bring this Caſe to be Promiſſes, I'll lay down theſe few following Concluſions;
1. THAT, if there be but one Rule guiding to bleſſedneſs, and Man muſt know that Rule, or he cannot be bleſſed, then no Religion can ſave a Man, but that only in which this Rule is made known. Hence therefore the Word of God diſcovers the miſery of men who are S…rangers to this Rule. The Apoſtle argues, Rom. 10.14. How ſhall they believe in him of whom they have not board? How ſhall man guide his ſteps to Life, if he have not a diſcovery of the Way? Or guide them right, if he have not the true Way? The Wiſe Man tells us, Where there is no Viſion, the people periſh, Prov. 29.18.
2. THAT there may be different S…s in Religion, and yet men may be ſaved in them. We are to diſtinguiſh between diverſe Religions, and Diverſity in Religion. Through out knowing but in part, it is come to paſs, that Profeſſors of Chriſtianity have been of diverſe Opinions in many things; and their difference hath occaſioned ſeveral Denominations; but while they agree in the Foundation, they may be ſaved. So Paul aſſures us, 1 Cor. 3.11, 12, &c.
3. THAT there are Religions in the World, that not only have no diſcoveries of this one Rule, but preſcribe to men Rules contradictory thereunto. The Truth of this Aſſertion cannot be ſuſpected, by him that hath but a little Acquaintance with the ſeveral Religions, which the Children of Men have taken up, and followed. If we look upon all the Sects of the Gentile Religion, we ſhall not find in them any the leaſt footſteps of man's Salvation by Chriſt, and faith in him. They have ſet up … Worſhip, and ſerved gods of their own making, bo…ed down to ſtocks and ſtones: among Twenty Thouſand gods, have miſt of the true One; have betook themſelves to moral Vertues, as the way to felicity; and though they had Sacrifices, yet they neither uſed them as typical ſhadows of Chriſt, nor did they offer them to GOD, but to Devils. If we look upon the M…t…n; though they do in word acknowledge God and Chriſt, yet they neither acknowledge Chriſt as a Redeemer, nor do they preſcribe faith in him as neceſſary, nor yet do they acknowledge his Laws: but ſet up their … in Oppoſition to his. If we conſider the Anti-Chriſtian; whatever pretence they make, yet they have ſubverted this Rule, in the foundations of it; inaſmuch as they have joyned other Mediators unto Chriſt; have …ted faith in his Righteouſneſs for Juſtification & Salvation; and brought back a Covenant of Works; have ſet up their own C…s, not only in equality …, but in Oppoſition to his Commands; and becauſe they loved not the Truth, have been left to believe ….
4. HENCE the cloſer ſuch men follow theſe Religions, the further they are from Happineſs; becauſe they thereby keep at the greater diſtance from the only Rule of Salvation. They miſtake, that think conſcientious following an erroneous Rule, is a Salve for the Errors of it. Ignorance is a damning evil; and Ignorance in the Underſtanding will beget Error in the Conſcience, and there is no reaſon why God ſhould not puniſh Sin in the Conſcience, as well as Sin in the Will.
IT therefore tells us, that it is a matter of great, yea infinite Concernment to us, that we labour to be rightly acquainted with the Rule we are to follow in our purſuit of happineſs: and therefore that we do not take it upon Credit; but make diligent inquiry to know, what is the good & perfect and acceptable Will of God, left otherwiſe we take a great deal of pains to no purpoſe, and following a falſe guide, do in the end miſs of, and finally fall altogether ſhort of our deſired Salvation.
[APRIL 24. 16…8.]