tion, 1 John ii. 14., " The word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.' It is the belief of scripture conduceth much to our sanctification; therefore these two are put together, sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, 2 Thess. ii. 13. If the word written be not believed, it is like writing on the water, which takes no impres sion. he sticks it at his back, and never makes use of it for the measuring and squaring his work? So, what are we the better for the rule of the word, if we do not make use of it, and regulate our lives by it? How many swerve and deviate from the rule! The word teacheth to be sober and temperate, but they are drunk ; to be chaste and holy,-but they are profane; they go quite from A. 4. Love the word written the rule. What a dishonour is Ps. cxix. 97., "O how love I thy this to religion, for men to live law!" "Lord (saith Augustine) in contradiction to scripture! let the holy scriptures be my The word is called " a light to chaste delight." Chrysostom our feet," Ps. cxix. 105. It is compares the scripture to a gar- not only a light to our eyes to den; every truth is a fragrant mend our sight, but to our feet flower, which we should wear, to mend our walk. O let us lead not on our bosom, but our heart. Bible conversations! David counted the word "sweeter than honey and the honey-comb,' Ps. xix. 10. There is that in scripture may breed delight: it shews us the way to riches, Deut. xxviii. 5., Prov. iii. 10.; to long life, Ps. xxxiv. 12.; to a kingdom, Heb. xii. 28. Well then may we count those the sweetest hours which are spent in reading the holy scriptures! Well may we say with the prophet, Jer. xv. 16., Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart!" 66 A. 6. Contend for scripture. Though we should not be of contentious spirits, yet we ought to contend for the word of God; this jewel is too precious to be parted with, Prov. iv. 13., " Keep her, for she is thy life." The scripture is beset with enemies, heretics fight against it: we must therefore "contend for the faith once delivered to the saints," Jude 3. The scripture is our book of evidences for heaven : shall we part with our evidences? The saints of old were both advocates and martyrs for truth; they would hold fast scripture, though it were with the loss of their lives. A 5. Conform to scripture, let us lead scripture lives. O that the Bible might be seen printed in our lives! Do what the word A. 7. Be thankful to God for commands. Obedience is an ex- the scriptures. What a mercy is cellent way of commenting upon it that God hath not only acthe Bible, Ps. lxxxvi. 11., " I quainted us with what his will is, will walk in thy truth." Let the but that he hath made it known word be the sun-dial by which by writing! In the old times you set your life. What are we God did reveal his mind by revethe better for having the scrip-lations, but the word written is a ture, if we do not direct all our surer way of knowing God's speeches and actions according to mind than by revelation, 2 Pet. it? What is a carpenter the bet- i. 18. This voice which came ter to have his rule about him, if from heaven we heard; we have is matter of thankfulness, that the scriptures are made intelligible, by being translated. also a more sure word of prophecy. The devil is God's ape, and he can transform himself into an angel of light; he can deceive A. 8. Adore God's distinguishwith false revelations: as I have ing grace, if you have felt the heard of one who had, as he power and authority of the word thought, a revelation from God to upon your conscience; if you can sacrifice his child, as Abraham say as David, Ps. cxix. 50., "Thy had, whereupon he, following word hath quickened me." Christhis impulsion of the devil, did tian, bless God that he hath not kill his child. Thus Satan oft only given thee his word to be a deceives people with delusion, rule of holiness, but his grace to instead of divine revelations, be a principle of holiness! Bless therefore we are to be thankful God that he hath not only writto God for revealing his mind to ten his word, but sealed it upon us by writing. We have a more thy heart, and made it effectual ! sure word of prophecy. We are Canst thou say it is of divine innot left under a doubtful sus-spiration, because thou hast felt pense that we should not know it to be of divine operation? 0 what to believe, but we have an free grace! that God should send infallible rule to go by. The out his word and heal thee; that scripture is our pole-star to direct he should heal thee, and not us to heaven; it shews us every others; that the same scripture, step we are to take; when we go which is to them a dead letter, wrong, it instructs us; when we should be to thee a savour of go right, it comforts us; and it life. THAT THERE IS A GOD. QUEST. III. What do the scriptures principally teach? Ans. The scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. Q. What is God? A. God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. 6., " He that comes to God, must believe that he is.' There must be a first cause which gives a being and existence to all things besides. I We come to know that there is a God: 1. By the book of nature; the notion of a Deity is engraven on man's heart,—it is demonstrable by the light of nature. think it hard for a man to be a natural atheist. He may wish there were no God, he may dispute against a Deity, but he cannot in his judgment believe 1st. Implied, That there is a there is no God, unless by accuGod. The question, What is mulated sin his conscience be God? takes it for granted that seared, and he hath such a lethere is a God; the belief of thargy upon him, that he hath God's essence is the foundation sinned away his very sense and of all religious worship, Heb. xi. reason. Here is, 1st. Something implied, that there is a God; 2d. Expressed, that he is a Spirit; 3d. What kind of spirit. 2. We come to know that there there is a God. God is the great is a God by his works; and this superintendent of the world; he is so evident a demonstration of holds the golden reins of governa Godhead, that the most athe- ment in his hands, guiding all istical spirits, when they have things most regularly and harconsidered these works of God, moniously to their proper end. have been forced to acknowledge Who that eyes providence, but some wise and supreme power, must be forced to acknowledge the maker of these things; as it there is a God? Providence is is reported of Galen and others. the queen and governess of the (1.) We will begin with the world; it is the hand that turns greater world: 1. The creation the wheel of the whole creation; of the glorious fabric of heaven providence sets the sun its race, and earth; sure there must be the sea its bounds. If God some architect or first cause: the should not guide the world, things world could not make itself. Who would run into disorder and concould hang the earth on nothing, fusion. When one looks on a but the great God? Who could clock, and sees the motion of the provide such rich furniture for wheels, the striking of the hamthe heavens, the glorious con- mer, the hanging of the plumstellations,― the firmament be- mets, he would say, there were spangled with such glittering some artificer did make it, and lights? All this speaks a Deity. put it into that order: so when We may see God's glory blazing we see the excellent order and in the sun, twinkling in the stars. Who could give the earth its clothing,-cover it with grass and corn,-adorn it with flowers, -enrich it with gold? Only God, Job. xxviii. 4. Who but God could make the sweet music in the heavens,-cause the angels to join in concert, and sound forth and every creature acting within the praises of their Maker, Job its sphere, and keeping its due xxxviii 7., "When the morning bounds,-we must needs acknowstars sang together, and all the ledge there is a God, who wisely sons of God shouted for joy?" orders and governs all these If a man should go into a far things. Who could set this great country, and see stately edifices army of the creatures in their there, he would never imagine several ranks and squadrons, and that these could build themselves, keep them in their constant but that some greater power built march, but HE, whose name is them; to imagine that the work THE LORD OF HOSTS? And as of the creation was not framed by God doth wisely dispose all things God, is as if we should conceive in the whole regiment of the a curious landscape to be drawn creatures, so, by his power, he by a pencil without the hand of doth support them: did God susa limner: Acts xvii. 24,, "God pend and withdraw his influence that made the world, and all ever so little, the wheels of the things therein.". To create is creation would unpin, and the proper to the Deity.-2. The wise axle-tree break asunder.-3. The government of all things evinces motion of the creatures.. harmony in the universe,-the sun, that great luminary, dispensing its light and heat to the world, without which the world were but a grave or a prison,the rivers sending forth their silver streams, to refresh the bodies of men, and prevent a drought, All motion, as the philosophers say, 6 3. We may prove a Deity by our conscience. Conscience is God's deputy or vicegerent. Conscience is a witness of a Deity; if there were no Bible to tell us there is a God, yet conscience might. Conscience, as the apostle saith, either accuseth,' or 'excuseth,' Rom. ii. 15. Conscience acts in order to a higher judicatory.-1. Natural conscience, being kept free from gross sin, excuseth. When a man doth (2.) Let us speak of man, who virtuous actions,-lives soberly is a microcosm, or lesser world. and righteously,-observes the The excellent contexture and golden maxim, doing to others frame of his body, which is as he would have them to do to wrought curiously as with needle- him, then conscience approves, work, Ps. cxxxix. 15., "I was and saith, "Well done!" Concuriously wrought in the lowest science, like a bee, gives honey. parts of the earth;" and the en- 2. Natural conscience in the dowment of this body with a wicked doth accuse. When men noble soul; who but God could go against the light of conscience, make such an union of different then they feel the worm of consubstances, flesh and spirit? "In science. Eheu quis intus scorpio! him we live, and move, and have SEN. Conscience, being sinned our being." The quick acute against, spits fire in men's faces, motion of every part of the body shows that there is a God. We may see something of him in the sparkling of the eye. And if the cabinet of the body be so curiously wrought, what is the jewel? The soul hath a celestial brightness in it; as Damascene saith, "It is a diamond set in a ring of clay." What noble faculties is the soul endowed with? Understanding, -Will, Affections, should put a man's conscience which are a glass of the Trinity, into such an agony, but the imas Plato speaks. The matter of pression of a Deity, and the the soul is spiritual; it is a divine thought of coming before God's spark lighted from heaven; and tribunal? being spiritual, is immortal, as Scaliger notes; anima non senescit, the soul doth not wax old, it lives for ever. And who could create a soul ennobled with such rare angelic properties, but God? We must needs say, as the Psalmist, "It is he that made us, and not we ourselves," Ps. c. 3. fills them with shame and horror; when the sinner sees an handwriting on the wall of conscience, his countenance is changed. Many have hanged themselves to quiet their conscience. Tiberius the emperor, a bloody man, felt the lashes of his conscience; he was so haunted with that fury, that he told the senate he suffered death daily. And what is it Those who are above all human laws, yet are subject to the checks of their own conscience. And it is observable, the nearer the wicked approach to death, the more they are terrified, and conscience gives a louder alarm to them: and whence is this, but from the apprehension of judgment approaching? The 66 soul, being sensible of its immor- who shall let it." Nothing can tal nature, trembles at him, who hinder action but some superior never ceaseth to live, and there- power; but there is no power fore will never cease to punish. above God,-all power that is, is 4. That there is a God, ap- by him-therefore all power is pears by the consent of nations, under him; he hath a mighty by the universal vote and suffrage arm,' Ps. lxxxix. 13. He sees of all. Nulla gens tam barbara the designs men drive on against cui non insideat hæc persuasio, him, and plucks off their chariotDeum esse, "No nation so bar- wheels; he maketh the diviners barous," saith Tully, as not to mad; Isa. xliv. 25.; he cutteth believe there is a God." Though off the spirit of princes; he bridthe heathen did mistake in their leth the sea, gives check to the devotion, and did not worship the leviathan, binds the devil in true God, yet they worshipped a chains; he acts according to his God. They set up an altar, " To pleasure; he doth what he will: the unknown God," Acts xvii. 22." I will work, and who shall let They knew a God should be worshipped, though they knew not the God whom they worshipped. Some did worship Jupiter, some Neptune, some Mars; rather than not to worship something, they would worship any thing. it?" 7. There are devils, therefore there is a God. Atheists cannot deny but there are devils, and then they must grant there is a God. We read of diverse possessed of the devil. The devils 5. That there is a God, appears are called in scripture, Hairy by his prediction of future things. Ones,' because they often apHe who can fortel things which peared in the form of goats or shall surely come to pass, is the satyrs. Gerson, in his book De true God. God foretold, that a probatione spirituum, tells us how virgin should conceive; he pre- Satan on a time appeared to an fixed the time when the Messias holy man in a most glorious manshould be cut off, Dan. ix. 26. ; ner, professing himself to be he foretold the captivity of the Christ: the old man answered, Jews in Babylon, and who should" I desire not to see my Saviour be their deliverer, Isa. xlv. 1. here in this desert, it shall suffice This is such a strong argument me to see him in heaven." Now, to prove a Deity, as God himself if there be a devil, then there is useth it to prove he is the true a God. Socrates, an heathen, God, and that all the gods of the when he was accused at his death, heathens were fictions and nulli- confessed that, as he thought ties, Isa. xli. 29. Testimonium there was a malus genius, an evil divinitatis est veritas divinationis, spirit, so he thought there was a TERTUL. To fortel things con- good. tingent, and which depend upon no natural causes, is proper to a Deity. 6. That there is a God, appears by God's unlimited power and Sovereignty. He who can work, and none can hinder him, is the true God; but God can do so, Isa. xliii. 13., “I will work, and Use 1. Seeing there is a God, this reproves such atheistical fools as deny it. Epicurus denied there was a providence, saying, that all things fell out by chance. He that saith there is no God, is the wickedest creature that is; he is worse than a thief, who doth but take away our goods from us, but |