if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him verse 1 2 3. As the Scripture is the Word of the Son so it is the only Rule of our Lives Now that which is the only Rule of our Lives Scriptura est luserna pedibus à qua non deflectendum Ecclesiae sapientia cognitionis forma 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cujus testimoniis omnia consumanda ex qua â—riâ—ntur demonstâ—ationes Cui quae câ—nsentiunt admittenda et quae non consentiunt rejicienda Ergo est vitae fidelque Regula Chamiâ—rus 1. Tom. de cano fidei Lib. 1. Cap. 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 11. we are in special manner to take heed unto But the Scripture and the Word of God written is the only Rule of our Lives for it is a Light unto our feet and a Lanthorn to our paths Psal 119. It is the Wisdom of the Church and People of God Deut. 4. It is that which we may not turn aside from either to the right hand or to the left Deut. 28. It is that whereby Doctrines are to be rejected or admitted Acts 17. It is that which nothing must be added to or taken from Deut. 4. Rev. 22. It is that which we are all to have recourse unto for Comfort and Direction Es 8. To the Law and to the Testimony if men say not so it is because there is no Light in them Now if the Scripture and the Word of God written be a Light unto our paths the wisdom of the Church and People of God if it be that whereby Doctrines are to be admitted or rejected if that from which we may not turn either to the right or to the left from which nothing may be taken and to which nothing may be added and if it be that which we are to resort continually unto for comfort and direction then it is the Rule and only Rule of our Lives But so it is as al these fore-mentioned Scriptures do plainly prove and therefore it is the Rule and the only Rule of our Lives As the Scripture and the Word of God written is the only Rule so it is that Salt which doth season all your Enjoyments Omne quod extra Dei verbum est est Idolatria omne quod fit in verbo est verus cultus sicut omne quod fit sine fide est peccatum et omne quod fit in fide est bonum opus quod inter verbum et fidem est conjugium indissolubile Luther It 's the Rule and Measure of your Worship for if you do not worship according to the Appointments of God in his written Word your Worship is but Idolatry and Superstition Superstitio est quicquid est supra Statutum It 's the great relief of your Souls in time of Temptation Hereby Christ answered to all his Temptations It is written and again it 's written and again it 's written and Christs Practice must be your Rule It 's that which Sanctifieth al your outward Comforts even amongst the Creatures for saies the Apostle 1 Tim. 4.4 Every Creature of God is good if it be received with thanks-giving Anima omnibus rebus carere potest excepto verbo Dei ego quidem sine verbo ne in Paradiso optarim vivere at cum verbo etiam in Inferno facile est vivere Est verbum talis thesaurus qui tractando crescit et distribuendo servando autem petir Luther Scriptura est Communis animarum officina Basil Omnipotentis Epistola ad homines missa Gregor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nutrimentum et cibus animae Athanas for it is sanctified by the Word and Prayer I profess saies Luther I cannot live without the written Word of God I can want any thing but the Scripture or the written Word of God If I were in Hell I could live with a Promise and though I were in Paradice yet if I had not the Word with me I could not live there O! saith he the Word is so great and deep a Treasure that it doth encrease by distributing yea it is even Genus generalissimum omnium bonorum that general good thing under God and Christ that hath Influence into al good things And shal the Word of God written be such a blessed Treasure and shal we not take heed thereunto As it is the Salt of al your Comforts so it is land shal be your Judg at the great day Christ is the only Judg then but this Book of the Scripture and the Word of God written is that whereby he wil Judg you and me and the World for at the last and great Day when men come to be tried for their Eternal Lives the Books shal be brought out not one Book but Books Revel 20.12 And I saw the dead both smal and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened It seems then that three Books shal be opened at the great Day one Book is the Book of Life two other there are the Book of Gods Records for a Book of Remembrance is written upon all our Actions Mal. 3. and the Book of the Scripture or the Word of God for saith our Savior John 12.48 The Word that I have spoken the same shall judg him in the last day Now this Word that Christ hath spoken is written and therefore men shal be judged thereby but if the Scripture and the Word of God written be that Book whereby men shal be judged at the last then surely it is our Duty in special manner to take heed thereunto As the Scripture is that Book whereby we shal al be judged so it shal be established upon us if we be not established by it for saies the Apostle Heb. 2. If the Word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by his Son What then Therefore we ought to give the more heed to the things we have heard lest we let them slip Why For if we be unstedfast yet the Word of God is stedfast The Word that God spake by Moses was stedfast and established upon them that disobeyed So now much more saies he if you be not stedfast and established by the Word it shal be established upon you unto your Destruction O! what infinite reason is there then that we should take heed thereunto Object But the Text saith That we shal do wel to take heed thereunto til the day dawn and Day-star arise in our hearts but the day hath dawned on me and the day-star hath arisen in my heart and therefore now what need I take heed to the Scripture or the written Word any longer Answ Yea Stil you have need to do it for did not the day dawn and the day-star arise on the hearts of the Apostles and Christians in
divers new Plates 6 Galen's Art of Physick with a large Comment 7 A New Method both of studying and practising Physick 8 A Treatise of the Rickets being a Disease common to Children wherein is shewed 1 The Essence 2 The Causes 3 The Signs 4 The Remedies of the Disease Published in Latin by Dr. Glisson Dr. Bates and Dr. Regemorter translated into English And corrected by N. Culpeper 9 Medicaments for the Poor Or Physick for the Common People 10 Health for the Rich and Poor by Dyet without Physick A Godly and Fruitful Exposition on the first Epistle of Peter By Mr. John Rogers Minister of the Word of God at Dedham in Essex The Wonders of the Load-stone By Samuel Ward of Ipswitch An Exposition on the Gospel of the Evangelist St. Matthew By Mr. Ward Clows Chyrurgery Marks of Salvation Christians Engagement for the Gospel by John Goodwin Great Church Ordinance of Baptism Mr. Love's Caâ—e containing his Petitions Narrative and Speech Vox Pacifica or a perswasive to peace Dr. Prestons Saints submission and Satans Overthrow Pious Mans Practice in Parliament Time Mr. Symsons Sermon at Westminster Mr. Feaks Sermon before the Lord Major Mr. Phillips Treatise of Hell of Christs Gâ—nealogy Eaton on the Oath of Allegiance and Covenant shewing that they oblidg not A Congregational Church is a Catholick Visible Church By Samuel Stone in New England A Treatise of Politick Powers wherein seven Questions are Answered 1 Whereof Power is made and for what ordained 2 Whether Kings and Governors have an Absolute Power over the People 3 Whether Kings and Governors be subject to the Laws of God or the Laws of their Countrie 4 How far the People are to obey their Governors 5 Whether all the people have be their Governors 6 Whether it be Lawful to depose an evil Governor 7 What Confidence is to be given to Princes The Compassionate Samaritan Dr. Sibbs on the Philippians The Best and Worst Magistrate By Obadiah Sedgwick The Craft and Cruelty of the Churches Adversaries By Matthew Newcomen A Sacred Penegerick By Stephen Martial Barrissâ— Military Discipline The Immortality of Mans Soul The Anatomist Anatomized King Charls his Case or an Appeal to all Rational Men concerning his Tryal Mr. Owâ—ns stedfastness of the Promises A Vindication of Free Grace Endeavoring to prove 1 That we are not elected as holy but that we should be holy and that Election is not of kinds but persons 2 That Christ did not â—y his Death intend to save all men and touching those whom he intended to save that he did not die for them only If they would beleeve but that they might beleeve 3 That we are not justified properly by our beleeving in Christ but by our Christ beleeving in him 4 that which differenceth one man from another is not the improvement of a common ability restored through Christ to all men in general but a principle of Grace wrought by the Spirit of God in the Elect. By John Pawson Six Sermons preached by Doctor Hill Viz. 1 The Beauty and Sweetness of an Olive Branch of Peace and Brotherly Accommodation budding 2 Truth and Love happily married in the Church of Christ 3 The Spring of strengthening Grace in the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus 4 The strength of the Saints to make Jesus Christ their strength 5 The Best and Worst of Paul 6 Gods eternal preparation for his Dying Saints The Bishop of Canterbury's Speech on the Scaffold The King's Speech on the Scâ—ffold The Magistrates Support and Burden By Mr. John Cordel The Discipline of the Church in New England by the Chu ches and Synod there A Relation of the Barbadoes A Relation of the Repentance and Conversion of the Indians in New England By Mr. Eliot and Mr. Mayhew The Institutes of the Laws of England by John Cowel Octavo A description of the Grand Signiors Seraglio or the Turkish Emperors Court By John Greaves Octavo The reigning error Arraigned at the Bar of scripture and Reason By Franscis Fulwood Octavo The state of Future Life By Thomas White Twelves The Royal and delightful Game of Picquet written in French and now rendered into English Octavo De copore Politico or The Elements of Law moral and politick By Thomas Hobbs of Matnisbury The London Dispensatory in Latin in Folio The London Dispensatory in Latin in Twelves These several Books of Physick and Chyrurgerie will shortly be printed in English Riverius Observations with fifteen hundred and seventie other Histories and Observations of other men Riolanus Anatomy Bartholinus Anatomy All the Works of Daniel Sennertus except some few not proper for Translation The Idea of Practical Physick being a compleat Body of Physick And Fernclius his Works Francisci Tayleri Capitula Patrum Hebraicè Latinè edita Una cum Annotationibus sensum locorum difficilium Exprimentibus Francisci Taylâ—ri Lamentationes Jeremiae vatis Denuo è fontibus Hebraicis translatae cum Parâ—phrasi Chaldaica Masora magna parva Commentariis Rabbi Shelomoh Jarchi Abeâ— Ezrae è Buxtoâ—fii Bibliis magnis excerptis Eleven Books made in NEW-ENGLAND by Mr. Thomas Hooker And printed from his own Papers written with his own hand are now Published in three Volums two in Quarto and one in Octavo Viz. The Application of Redemption by the Effectual work of the word and Spirit of Christ for the bringing home of lost sinners unto God The first Book on 1 Pet. 1.18 19. The second on Math. 1.21 The third on Luk. 1.17 The fourth on 2 Cor. 6.2 The fift on Math. 20 5 6 7. The sixt on Revel 3.17 The seventh on Rom. 8.7 The eight on Joh. 6.44 The Ninth on Isa 57.15 The Tenth on Act. 2.37 The Last Viz. Christs Prayer for Beleevers On Joh. 17. Riolanus Anatomy in which with the Anatomy is exactly described 1 The Diseases incident to every Part of the Body of Man 2. How the Diseases are Seated in each Part. 3. The Cure of each Disease as it s Seated in that Part. Mr. Burroughs on 1 Cor. 5.7 and 18 19 29. And fifty nine Sermons on Matthew 11. 28 29 30. Are Printing SCRIPTURE-LIGHT The most Sure LIGHT Compared with 1. Revelations and Visions 2. Natural and Supernatural Dreams 3. Impressions with and without the VVord 4. Light and Law within 5. Divine Providence 6. Christian Experience 7. Humane Reason 8. Judicial Astrology By William Bridge Preacher of the Gospel at Yarmouth LONDON Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. SCRIPTURE-LIGHT The most Sure LIGHT Sermon I. 2 PET. 1.19 We have also a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts IN these words ye have an Exhortation to a great Duty Viz. Attention or taking heed to the Word of God in dark and dangerous Times
of the Moon when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon then the Moon is eclipsed because the Earth keeps the light of the Sun from it So if the Earth and the World come between you and the Truth there wil be an eclipse and darkness upon al your Soul Then shall ye know saith our Savior of my Doctrine whether it be of God if ye do what I command you Those that wil not do what they know shal not know what to do Thirdly Study your Condition by the Scripture and the Scripture by your Condition Condition gives understanding In case you be under a Temptation Conditio dâ—â— Intellectum study those Scriptures that do concern such Temptation if you be in an Affliction study those Scriptures that do concern such Afflictions if you be in a Desertion study those Scripâ—ures which do concern such Desertions and whatever your Condition be study those Scriptures which do concern your Condition and this wil help you to understand rhe Scriptures Yet Fourthly Take heed that you be not too indulgent to your own Condition Optimus Scripturae interpres hic est qui sensum è Scriptura potins retulerit quam attulerit Hilar. Disposition or Opinion It 's a good speech of Hilary He is the best Interpreter of Scripture that doth rather bring his Sense from the Scripture than carry his Sense to the Scripture We are very apt to interpret Scripture according to our own opinion or disposition Interpretation ordinarily follows disposition or opinion As when there was a great Controversie in the Popish Church betwixt the two Liturgies of Ambrose and Gregory by common consent of both Parties it was agreed that both the Mass Books should be laid on the Altar expecting the decision of the matter by Revelation and the doors being opened the next morning Gregories mass-Mass-Book was rent and torn in many pieces and scattered abroad in the place but Ambroses lay whol and open upon the Altar which some thought signified thus much That Gregories Mass-Book should be cancelled others as the Pope himself said nay but this renting and scattering of the Leaves signified the dispersing of it over al the Christian World Thus men interpret things according to their own Dispositions and Opinions even when they come to Scripture also Would you therefore see cleerly into the mind of God in the Scripture then as when you come to Christ for Righteousness ye come with naked shoulders so when you come to the Truth of Christ take heed of your own Disposition and Opinion you must come to Christ as a Prophet as wel as to Christ as a Priest with naked shoulders Fiftly If you do desire so to understand the Scripture as it may be a Light to al your paths then be sure that you put nothing else in Commission with it for your Rule 'T is with the Scripture in this respect as with God Christ and the Spirit If you come to God for help yet if you joyn another God in Commission with him he wil not give down his help so if you joyn any thing with Christ in the matter of Mediation though you come to him he wil not give in the comfort of his Mediation to you so for the Spirit though you come unto him for comfort being the Comforter yet if you joyn any thing else in Commission with the Spirit it wil not give down his Comfort And so here though you come and tend and wait upon God in the Scripture yet if there be any thing else which you do make your Joynt-Rule with the Scripture any Light within you or Precept of Man without you it wil not give down its Light to you but you wil be left in the dark Do you desire therefore to understand and know the true sense and meaning of the Scripture then take heed that you joyn no other thing in Commission with it as to the matter of your Rule And thus I have done with the first thing that we must do in taking heed to the Scripture we must take heed to know and understand the same If you would so take heed unto the Scripture as it may be indeed a Light unto you in a dark place then you must keep it for though the Meat be never so good yet if the Stomach throw it up presently and do not keep it it doth the man no good So in regard of the Scripture therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 2.1 We ought to take the more earnest heed unto the things that we have heard lest at any time we should let them slip or run out We must keep what we have we must keep what we know else we do not take heed to the Word Now that you may keep and not forsake the Word First Observe what those things are whereby men have been led off and carried away from the Scripture and above al things take heed of them Now those are three especially Somtimes this evil doth arise from the corruption of a mans Nature boyled up to a secret unperceived malice against the Word and Scripture As in case two Professors be at varyance and a third person stand by and saith Do you see these Professors what proud wrangling people these are they are al such doth not this argue that this third man hath an aking tooth at Profession So when men shal observe some variations in Scripture and they shal say do ye see what Contradictions there are they are al so What doth this argue but that these men have an aking tooth and secret malice at the good Word of God oâ— the Scripture You know how it was with Moses when he saw two men fighting one an Egyptian and another an Israelite he killed the Egyptian but when he saw two Hebrews fighting now saith he wil I go and â—â—concile them for they are Brethren why so but because he wâ—s a good man and gracious So also 't is with a gracious hea t when he sees the Scripture fighting with an Egyptian an Heathen Author or Apocryphal he comes and kils â—he Heathen he kils the Egyptian or the Apocripha but when he sees two Scriptures at varyance in view though in truth not O saith he these are Brethren and they may be reconciled I 'le labor al I can to reconcile them but when a man shal take every advantage of â—eeming difference in Scripture to say Do ye see what Contradictions there are in this Boâ—k and not labor to reconcile them what doth this argue but that the corruption of a maâ—s Nature is boyled up to an unknown malice against the Word of the Lord take heed therefore of that Somtimes this evil of denying and forsaking the Scripture Donatistae jactantes veram Ecclesiâ—m penes se solos esse qui habitabant regionem meridionalem ad id confirmandum adducebant illud Canticorum 1. v. 6. Judica mihi quem diligit anima mea ubi pascâ—s ubi cubes in Meridiâ— ne vagaâ—i incipiâ—m
So in honoring God a man honors himself yea and thereby God doth put hâ—nor on him for what is honor but Testimonium de alicujus excellentia Testifying of anothers Excellency and the more I testifie of any Excellency in a man the more I honor him Now when God doth betrust a man with his Work he testifies of an excellency in him The Lord hath counted me faithful and put me into his Work saith Paul yea the greatest greatness in this world is to wait upon the great God Therefore faith our Savior of John the Baptist Amâ—ngst them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than he Matth. 11.11 And if ye look into Gen. 1. ye shal find That the Moon is câ—lled one of the two great Lights ver 16. And God made two great Lights the greater to rule the day and the lesser to rule the night But though the Moon is said to be lesser than the Sun yet it is said to be one of the two greaâ— Lights And why so are there not other Stars greater than the Moon Yes but because the Moon is the most influential and serviceable to the world therefore it is said to be greater than others So that in â—ods account the more service we do in the world the greater we are and the more honorable in Gods Eyes Answ 3 Thereby also we are kept from the dint of Temptations idleness breeds Temptation Our Vacation is the Devils Term Homines nihil agendo male discunt agere otium est vivi hominis sepultura Sen. when we are least at work for God then is Satan most at work about us By doing nothing men learn to do evil yea Idleness is the burying of a living man Answ 4 Great and good Employment is the Mercy promised That can hardly be a smal mercy which the great God doth promise promised Mercies are the sweeâ—est Mercies Now thâ— Lord promiseth Esay 58.18 That if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry c. The Lord shall guide thee continually and they that shall be of thee shal build the old wast places thou shalt raise up the Foundations of many Generations and thou shalt be called the Repairer of the Breaches the Restorer of Paths to dwell in Here is Employment and Betrustment promised Answ 5 The more useful and serviceable a man is to God the more apt and ready God wil be to pardon his failings not only the failings of his present employment but of the other part of his life also What a great failing was that in Rahab to say the Spyes were gone when she had hid them in the top of her house yet the Lord pardoned this failing to her Why Because she beleeved and was useful and serviceable unto Gods great design in that her day And if ye look into Numb 〈◊〉 ye shall find That though Aaron and Miriam were both engaged in the same sin and evil of envying and murmuring against Moses yet the Lord spaâ—ed Aaron when he strook Miriam with a Leprosie But why saith Abulensis was not Aaron smitten with the Leprosie as well as Miriam what because he was not so deeply in the Transgression as she was No for verse 1. it 's said Then spake Aaron and Miriam not as if she were put on by him Or because that Aaron confessed his sin as she did not No for so did Miriam also for she was a good woman Or because that God owed Aaron a punishment till afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom Hom. 3. ad Collos No for that appears not by the Text but he was the High-Priest and if he had been smitten with Leprosie it would have brought his Ministry under some contempt the Work of the Lord would have ceased for a time also and though he failed in this thing yet he was otherwise a very useful and serviceable man and God would shew his aptness and readiness to pardon such rather than others Answ 6 If a man be employed for God in any special Service and Work the Lord will not only pardon his failings but if he be faithful in his Work God will bless him and set a Character of Love and Favor upon him What a Character of Love did the Lord set on Caleb and Joshua Of all men in Scripture it 's said of Caleb that he followed the Lord fully and this Character God himself did set upon him Numb 15.24 But my Servant Caleb because he had another spirit with him and hath followed me fully c. But why did God own and dignifie Caleb thus Even because he was faithful in that Work Service and Employment which God did call him to Answ 7 Yea The Serviceable man is the only man who doth live and speak when he is dead I mean for God Some are very active and serviceable for the Devil whilst they live they write and print wanton filthy Books and they speak while they are dead but it is still for Satan Others are very active and serviceable for God while they live they write and print works of Faith and Holiness and they also speak when they are dead as it 's said of Abel Who being dead yet speaketh but how doth he speak now The Apostle tels us Heb. 11. by Faith By which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It relates unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith Well but what cast of Faith did he do He offered a more excellent Sacrifice than his Elder Brother which was the work and Service of his day So that the Serviceable man is the only man who doth speak when hâ— is dead Surely therfore it is a very great Priviledg and Mercy to be used and employed for God in his Work and Service Yet if God will not use me why should I be discouraged or complain Is not God free and may not he employ whom he pleaseth Shall the poor Potsheard say unto him why doest thou lay me by What if God will cross hands and lay his right hand on anothers head and his left hand on mine Shall I think to direct and order the hands of Gods Providence as Joseph would have altered Jacobs Iâ— not his Work his own and may not he put it out unto whom he please and if I complain thereof is not this my pride Proud men scorn their own employment and envy at others It 's a mercy indeed to be employed for God yet if God will not trust me with his Service as I desire why should I be discouraged Yet I may be Gods Servant For First The Service of God is two-fold Somtimes it is taken for some special Employment which a man is called forth unto And somtimes it is taken for our ordinary Obedience unto Gods Commandements In the first sence it is used often in Numb 4. and frequently in the old Testament called The Service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation So in the new Testament also Rom. 15.31 That my Service may be accepted In the second sence it is used