difficult; you must have a Guide in it, you muft have a Lamp and a Light in it, elfe you cannot but go wrong. &c. Where you have two Points of high Concernment, The Authority of the Scrip tures, and their Utility. Their Authority, for they are given by Divine Infpiration: Their Utility, for they are profitable for Doctrine, &c. and can make us perfect, and well furnished to every good Work. The principles of Reafon within us are too dark and dim, they will never lead us through the Pits and Snares in the Way: Thefe indeed fhined brightly in The Authority of it is in a peculiar Way Adam, that he needed no Light without him, no Voice about him; but Sin hath divine, of Him, and through Him are extinguished it much, and there remains all Things: All Writings of Men, accordnothing but fome little Spunk, or Sparkle, ing to the Truth of the Scriptures, have under the Ashes of much Corruption, fome Divinity in them, in as much as they that is but insufficient in it felf, and is often have of Truth, which is a divine Thing: more blinded and darkned by Lufts. So Yet the Holy Scriptures are by way of that if it were never fo much refined, as Excellency attributed to God, for they are it was in many Heathens, yet it is but the immediately infpired of God: Therefore blind leading the blind, and both muft Peter faith, that the Scriptures came not fall into the Ditch. Our End is high and in old Time by the will of Man, but boly Divine, To glorifie God and to enjoy Men Spake as they were moved by the Him, therefore our Reafon caligat ad Holy Ghoft, 2 Pet. i. 21. God by his Suprema; it can no more ftedfaftly be- Spirit, as it were, acted the Part of the hold that glorious End, and move to- Soul, in the Prophets and Apoftles; and wards it, than our weak Eyes can behold they did no more but utter what the Spirit the Sun: Our Eyes can look downward conceived: The Holy Ghoft infpired the upon the Earth, but not upward to the Matter and the Words, and they were but Heavens. So we have fome Remnant of Tongues and Pens to speak and write it Reason in us that hath fome petty and unto the People; there needed no Debate, poor Ability for Matters of little Moment, no Search in their own Minds, for the as the Things of this Life: But if once we Truth, no Inquifition for Light, but Light look upward to the Glory of God, or e- fhined upon their Souls fo brightly, fo conternal Happiness, our Eyes are dazled, vincingly, that it puts it beyond all Queftiour Reafon confounded, we cannot fted-on, that it was the Mind and Voice of God.. faftly behold that, Eph. iv. 18. 2 Cor. i. 13, 14. Therefore the Lord hath been pleafed to give us the Scriptures, which may be a ·Lamp unto our Feet, and a Guide unte our Way, whereunto we shall do well to take heed, as unto a Candle or a Light that shines in a dark Place, till the Day dawn, 2 Pet. i. 6. These are able to make us wife unto Salvation. Let us hear what Paul fpeaks to Timothy, 2 Tim. ii, 16. All Scripture is given, You need not ask, How they did know that their Dreams or Visions were indeed from the Lord? And that they did not frame any Imagination in their own Hearts, and taught it for his Word, as many did? I fay, you need no more.ask that, than ask, How fhall a Man fee Light, or know the Sun-fhine? Light makes itself manifeft, and all other Things; it's feen by its own. Brightnefs: Even fo the-holy Men of God,. needed not any Mark or Sign to know the Spirit's Voice, his Revelation needed not the the Light of any other Thing, it was Light | Humility is here? What humble and home it felf, it would certainly over-power the Soul and Mind, and leave no Place of Doubting God who cannot be deceived, and can deceive no Man, hath delivered us this Doctrine. O, with what Reverence fhall we receive it, as if we heard the Lord from Heaven fpeak. If you ask, How you fhall be perfvaded that the Scriptures are the Word of God, his very Mind opened. to Men and made legible? Truly, there are fome Things cannot be well proved, not because they are doubt full, but because they are clear of themfelves, and beyond all Doubt and Exception. Principles of Arts muft not be proved, but fuppofed, till you find by Trial and Experience afterward that they were indeed really There are no Queftion, fuch Characters of Divinity, and Majefty, imprinted in the very Scriptures themfelves, that whofoever hath the Eyes of his Underftanding opened, though he run he may read them, and find God in them. What Majefty is in the very Simplicity and Plainnefs of the Scriptures? They do not labour to please Mens Ears, and adorn the Matter, with the curious Garments of Words, and Phrafes; but reprefent the very Matter it felf to the Soul, as that which in itself is worthy of all Acceptation, and needs no humane Eloquence to commend it. Painting doth fpoil native Beauty, external Ornaments would disfigure fome things, that are of themselves proportioned and lovely, therefore the Lord chooses a plain and fimple Stile, which is Foolishness to the World; but in thefe fwaddling Cloaths of the Scriptures, and this poor Cottage, the Child Jefus, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, is contained. There is a Jewel of the myfterious Wifdom of God, and Man's eternal Bleffednefs in this Mineral: What glorious and aftonishing ly Glory and Majefty alfo? He is moft high, and yet none fo lowly. What excellent Confent and Harmony of many Writers in fuch diftant Times? Wonder at it! All speak one Thing, to one Purpose, to bring Men to God, to abafe all Glory, and exalt him alone. Muft it not be one Spirit that hath quickned all these, and breathes in them all this one heavenly Song, of Glory to God on High, and Good-will towards Men. Other Writers will reafon thefe Things with you to convince you, and perfwade you, and many think them more profound and deep for that Reafon, and do defpife the Bafenefs of the Scriptures: But to them whofe Eyes are opened, the Majefty and Authority of God commanding and afferting, and teftifying to them, is more convincing, from its own bare Affertion, than all Humane Reafon. Although there be much Light in the Scriptures to guide Men's Way to God's Glory and their own Happiness, yet certainly it will all be to fmall Purpofe, if the Eyes of our Understanding be darkned and blinded. If you shall furround a Man with Day-light, except he open his Eyes he can. not fee. The Scriptures are a clear Sun of Life, and Righteoufnefs; but the blind. Soul compaffed with that Light is nothing the wifer, but thinks the Lamp of the Word hines not, because it fees not, it hath its own Dungeon within it; therefore the Spirit of God muft open the Eyes of the Blind, and enlighten the Eyes of the Understanding, that a Soul may fee wonderful Things in God's Law, Pfal. cxix. 5, 8. John 1. 5. The Light may fhine in the Darkness, but the Darkness cannot comprehend it. I wonder not that the most Part of Men can fee no Beauty, no Maje fty, no Excellency in the holy Scriptures to allure them, because they are natural and and have not the Spirit of God, and fo, kind. Many Titles are given to humane thing in them, but fpecious Titles to commend them; they do nothing less than what they promife, they have a large and fair Entry which leads only into a poor Cottage; but the Scriptures have no hyperbolick and fuperlative Styles to allure Men, they hold out a plain and common Gate and Entry which will undoubtedly lead to a pleafant Palace; others & prodeffe volunt & delectare, but thefe oertainly, &prodeffe volunt & poffunt, they both can profit you Now for the Utility and Profit of the and will profit you. I wish that Souls would Scriptures, who can fpeak of it, according read the Scriptures as profitable Scriptures, to its Worth? Some Things may be over- with Intention to profit. If you do not commended, nay, all Things, but this read with fuch a purpose, you read not the One, God speaking in his Word to Man-Scriptures of God, they become as another C Book Book unto you. But what are they profitable for? For Doctrine, and a Divine Doctrine. A Doctrine of Life and Hap pinefs: "Tis the great Promife of the New Covenant, You shall be all taught of God, the Scriptures can make a Man learned and wife, learned to Salvation. It is Foolihnefs to the World, but the World through Wisdom know not God. Alas! what do they then know? Is there any befides God? And is there any Knowledge befides the Knowledge of God? You have a poor petty Wisdom among you, to gather Riches and manage your Bufinefs: Others have a poor imaginary Wisdom that they call Learning; and generally People think, to pray to God is but a Paperskill, a little Book-craft; they think the Knowledge of God is nothing else but to learn to read the Bible. Alas! mistake not, it is another thing to know God: The Doctrine of Jefus Chrift written on the Heart, is a deep profound Learning, and the poor, fimple, and rudeft People may by the Spirit's teaching become wifer than their Ancients, than their Minifters: Qtis an excellent point of Learning, to know how to be faved. What is it, I pray you, to know the Course of the Heavens? number the bs, and the Stars in them? to measure their Circumference, to reckon their Motions, and yet not to know Him that fits on the Circle of then, and not know how to inhabite and dwell there? If you would feek unto God, and feek Eyes opened to behold the Mystery of the Word, you would become wifer than your Paftors, you would learn from the Spirit to pray better, you would find the way to Heaven better than they can teach you, or walk in it. to Then it is profitable for Reproof and Correction: It contains no Doctrine very pleafant to Mens natural Humours; but it is, indeed, moft pleafant, to a right and ordered taste. You know, the Distemper of the Eye, or the perverting of the Tafte, will mif-reprefent pleafant Things, and fweet Things to the Senfes, and make them appear ill favoured and bitter : But I fay to a difcerning Spirit, there is nothing fo fweet, fo comely. I bave feen an End of all Perfection, but none of thy Law! Thy Word is fweeter to me than the Honey, or the Honey-comb. If a Soul be pre-poffeffed with the Love of the World, and the Lufts of the World, it cannot favour and tafte to them; that vitious Quality, in the Mind, will make the pleasant Gofpel unpleasant: I piped unto you, and you have not-danced. But however, the Scriptures are then moft profitable, when they are leaft pleasant to our Corruptions; and therefore, it is an abfolute and intire Piece, Et prod Je volunt & delectare. Omne tulit punctum, qui mifcuit utile dulci. There are fharp Reproofs, and fad Corrections of his holy Law, which must make way for the pleafant and sweet Gofpel: There is a Reproof of Life, a wounding before healing, that whofo refuse them, difpife their own Soul, but the Ear that beareth them abid eth among the wife, Prov. xv. 31. unto that Soul that Correction, or Reproof, or Threatning is grievous unto, He fall die, ver. 10. He is brutish, Pro. xii. 1. There is a Generation of Men, that can endure to hear nothing but Gofpel-promises, that cry out against all reproving of Sins, and preaching of God's Wrath against unbelieving Sinners, as legal, and medling with other Mens Matters, efpecially if they reprove the Sins of Rulers, their publick State-enormities: As if the whole Word of God were not profitable; as if Reproofs were not as wholfome as Confolations; as if Threatnings did not contribute to Wo make The Spirit neceffary for understanding the Word. make Men flee from the Wrath to come into a City of Refuge. Let fuch Perfons read their own Character out of wife Solomon, Correction is grievous to them that for fake the Way. Reprove a wife Man, and be will love thee, and he will be yet wifer, Pro. ix. 9. If we were Pleafers of Men, then were we not the Servaars of Jefus Chrift; let us ftrive to profit Men, but not to please them: Peace, Peace, which Mens own Hearts fancy, would please them, but it were better for them to be awakened out of that Dream, by Reproof, by Correction; and he that will do fo, hall find more Favour of bim afterward, than be that flattereth him with bis Tongue, Pro. xviii. 23. Well then, let this be established in your Hearts as the Foundation of all true Religion, That the Scriptures are the Word of the eternal God, and that they contain a perfect and exact Rule both of glorifying God, and of the way to enjoy Him; they can make you perfect to every good Work. I fhall fay no more on, this, but befeech you, as you love your own Souls, be acquainting your felves with them. You will hear, in thefe Days, of Men pretending to more divine and fpiritual Discoveries, and Revelations, than the Scriptures contain: But, my Brethren, these can make you wife to Salvation, these çan make you perfect to every good Work: Then, what needs more? All that is befide Salvation, and beyond Perfection, count it fuperfluous and vain, if uot 19 worse, if not diabolical. Let others be wife to their own Deftruction; let them eftablish their own Imaginations for the Word of God, and Rule of their Faith, but hold you faft what you have received, and contend earnestly for it; add nothing. and diminish nothing; let this Lamp fhine till the Day dawn, till the Morning of the Refurrection, and walk ye in the Light of it, and do not kindle any other Sparkles, elfe ye fhall ly down in the Grave in Sorrow, and rife in Sorrow: Take the Word of God as the only Rule, and the perfect Rule, a Rule for all your Actions, Civil, Naturall, and Religious, for all must be done to his Glory, and his Word teacheth how to attain to that End. Let not your Imaginations, let not others Example, let not the Preaching of Men, let not the Conclusions and Acts of Affemblies, be your Rule, but in as far as you find them agreeing with the perfect Rule of God's holy Word: Atl other Rules are regula regulata; they are but like Publications and Intimations of the Rule it felf. Ordinances of Affemblies are but like the Herald-promulgation of the King's Statute and law; if it vary in any thing from his Intention, 'tis not valid and binding. I befeesu, take the Scriptures for the Rule of four walking, or else you will wander; the Scripture is Regula regulans, a ruling Rule. If you be not acquainted with it, you must follow the Opinions, or Examples of other Men, and what if they lead you unto Destruction? Joh. v. 39. Search the Scriptures, for in them, &c. Eph. ii. 20. And are built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apoples. As Sin Darkness, there is need of a Lanthorn without, and the Light of the Eyes within; for neither can we fee in Darkness without some Lamp, though we |