have advantage thereby The Sun of Righteousness is now risen upon us and Immortality is brought to light by the Gospel If we look now on the Revelations granted unto them of old we may yet see there was light in them which yields us little more advantage than the light of a Candle in the Sun But unto them who lived before this Sun arose they were a sufficient Guide unto all Duties of Faith and Obedience For 3. There was during this season a sufficient Ministry for the declaration of the Revelations which God made of Himself and his Will There was the natural Ministry of Parents who were obliged to instruct their Children and Families in the knowledge of the Truth which they had received And whereas this began in Adam who first received the Promise and therewithal whatsoever was necessary unto Faith and Obedience the knowledg of it could not be lost without the wilful neglect of Parents in teaching or of Children and Families in learning And they had the extraordinary Ministry of such as God entrusted new Revelations withal for the confirmation and inlargment of those before received who were all of them Preachers of Righteousness unto the rest of Mankind And it may be manifested that from the giving of the first Promise when divine external Revelations began to be the Rule of Faith and Life unto the Church to the writing of the Law there was always alive one or other who receiving divine Revelations immediatly were a kind of infallible Guides unto others If it was otherwise at any time it was after the death of the Patriarks before the Call of Moses during which time all things went into Darkness and Confusion For oral Tradition alone would not preserve the Truth of former Revelations But by whom these Instructions were received they had a sufficient outward means for their Illumination before any divine Revelations were recorded by Writing Yet 4. This way of Instruction as it was in it self imperfect and liable to many disadvantages so through the weakness negligence and wickedness of men it proved insufficient to retain the knowledg of God in the World For under this Dispensation the Generality of Mankind fell into their great Apostacy from God and betook themselves unto the conduct and service of the Devil of the ways means and degrees whereof I have discoursed* elsewhere Hereon God also regarded them not but suffered all Nations to walk in their own ways Acts 14. 16. giving them up to their own hearts lusts to walk in their own Counsels as it is expressed Psal. 81. 12. And although this fell not out without the horrible wickedness and ingratitude of the World yet there being then no certain Standard of divine Truth whereunto they might repair they brake off the easier from God through the imperfection of this Dispensation If it shall be said that since the Revelation of the Will of God hath been committed unto Writing men have Apostatized from the Knowledge of God as is evident in many Nations of the World which sometimes professed the Gospel but are now over-run with Heathenism Mahometism and Idolatry I say this hath not come to pass through any defect in the way and means of Illumination or the Communication of the Truth unto them but God hath given them up to be destroyed for their wickedness and ingratitude and unless we repent we shall all likewise perish Rom. 1. 18. 2 Thes. 2. 11 12. Otherwise where the Standard of the Word is once fixed there is a constant means of preserving divine Revelations Wherefore Thirdly God hath gathered up into the Scripture all divine Revelations given out by himself from the beginning of the World and all that ever shall be so to the end thereof which are of general use unto the Church that it may be throughly instructed in the whole mind and will of God and directed in all that Worship of Him and Obedience unto Him which is necessary to give us acceptance with Him here and to bring us unto the eternal enjoyment of him hereafter For 1. When God first committed the Law to writing with all those things which accompanied it he obliged the Church unto the use of it alone without Additions of any kind Now this he would not have done had he not expressed therein that is the Books of Moses all that was any way needful unto the Faith and Obedience of the Church For he did not only command them to attend with all diligence unto his Word as it was then written for their instruction and direction in Faith and Obedience annexing all sorts of Promises unto their so doing Deut. 6. 6 7. but also expresly forbids them as was said to add any thing thereunto or to conjoyn any thing therewith Deut. 4. 2. chap. 12 32. which he would not have done had he omitted other divine Revelations before given that were any way necessary unto the use of the Church As he added many new Ones so he gathered in all the old from the unfaithful Repository of Tradition and fixed them in a Writing given by divine Inspiration 2. For all other divine Revelations which were given out to the Church for its use in general under the Old Testament they are all comprised in the following Books thereof Nor was this that I know of ever questioned by any Person pretending to Sobriety though some who would be glad of any pretence against the Integrity and Perfection of the Scripture have fruitlesly wrangled about the loss of some Books which they can never prove concerning any one that was certainly of a divine Original 3. The full Revelation of the whole mind of God whereunto nothing pretending thereunto is ever to be added was committed unto and perfected by Jesus Christ Heb. 1. 1 2. That the Revelations of God made by him whether in his own Person or by his Spirit unto his Apostles were also by divine Inspiration committed to Writing is expressly affirmed concerning what he delivered in his own personal Ministry Luk. 1. 4. Acts 1. 1. John 20. 31. and may be proved by uncontroulable Arguments concerning the rest of them Hence as the Scriptures of the old Testament were shut up with a Caution and Admonition unto the Church to adhere unto the Law and Testimony with threatning of a Curse unto the contrary Mal. 4. 4 5 6. So the Writings of the New Testament are closed with a Curse on any that shall presume to add any thing more thereunto Rev. 22. 18. Wherefore Fourthly The Scripture is now become the only external means of divine supernatural Illumination because 't is the only Repository of all divine supernatural Revelation Psal. 19. 7 8. Isa. 8. 20. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. The Pretences of Tradition as a collateral means of preserving and communicating supernatural Revelation have been so often evicted of falsity that I shall not further press their impeachment Besides I intend those in this Discourse by whom it is acknowledged that the Bible is
as a sufficient and perfect so the only Treasury of divine Revelations And what hath been offered by any to weaken or impair its esteem by taking off from its credibility perfection and sufficiency as unto all its own proper ends hath brought no advantage unto the Church nor benefit unto the Faith of Believers But yet Fifthly In asserting the Scripture to be the only external means of divine Revelation I do it not exclusively unto those Institutions of God which are subordinate unto it and appointed as means to make it effectual unto our souls As 1. Our own personal endeavours in reading studying and meditating on the Scripture that we my come unto a right Apprehension of the things contained in it are required unto this purpose It is known to all how frequently this Duty is pressed upon us and what Promises are annexed to the performance of it see Deut. 6. 6 7. chap. 11. 18 19. Josh. 1. 8. Psal. 1. 2. Psal. 119. Col. 3. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Without this it is in vain to expect Illumination by the Word And therefore we may see multitudes living and walking in extreme darkness when yet the Word is every-where nigh unto them Bread which is the Staff of life will yet nourish no man who doth not provide it and feed upon it no more would Manna unless it was gathered and prepared Our own Natures and the Nature of divine Revelations considered and what is necessary for the application of the one to the other makes this evident For God will instruct us in his mind and will as we are men in and by the rational faculties of our souls Nor is an external Revelation capable of making any other impression on us but what is so received Wherefore when I say that the Scripture is the only external means of our Illumination I include therein all our own personal endeavours to come to the knowledge of the mind of God therein which shall be afterwards spoken unto And those who under any pretences do keep drive or perswade men from reading and meditating on the Scripture do take an effectual course to keep them in and under the power of Darkness 2. The mutual Instruction of one another in the mind of God out of the Scripture is also required hereunto For we are obliged by the Law of Nature to endeavour the good of others in various degrees as our Children our Families our Neighbours and all with whom we have Conversation And this is the principal Good absolutely considered that we can communicate unto others namely to instruct them in the knowledge of the mind of God This whole Duty in all the Degrees of it is represented in that Command Thou shalt teach my Words diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up Deut. 6. 7. Thus when our Saviour found his Disciples talking of the things of God by the way side he bearing unto them the person of a private man instructed them in the sense of the Scripture Luk. 24. 26 27 32. And the neglect of this Duty in the World which is so great that the very mention of it or the least attempt to perform it is a matter of scorn and reproach is one cause of the great ignorance darkness which yet abounds among us But the nakedness of this folly whereby men would be esteemed Christians in the open contempt of all Duties of Christianity will in due time be laid open 3. The Ministry of the Word in the Church is that which is principally included in this Assertion The Scripture is the only means of Illumination but it becometh so principally by the application of it unto the minds of men in the Ministry of the Word see Mat. 5. 14 15. 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. Eph. 4. 11 12 13 14 15. 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Church and the Ministry of it are the Ordinances of God unto this end that his Mind and Will as revealed in the Word may be made known to the Children of Men whereby they are enlightned And that Church and Ministry whereof this is not the first principal design and work is neither appointed of God nor approved by him Men will one day find themselves deceived in trusting to empty Names it is Duty alone that will be Comfort and Reward Dan. 12. 3. Sixthly That the Scripture which thus contains the whole of divine Revelation may be a sufficient external cause of Illumination unto us two things are required 1. That we believe it to be a divine Revelation that is the Word of God or a Declaration of Himself his Mind and Will immediatly proceeding from Him or that it is of a pure divine Original proceeding neither from the folly or deceit nor from the skill or honesty of men so is it stated 2 Pet. 1. 19 20 21. Heb. 1. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 16. Isa. 8. 20. It tenders no light or instruction under any other notion but as it comes immediatly from God not as the Word of Man but as it is indeed the Word of the Living God 1 Thes. 2. 13. And what ever any one may learn from or by the Scriptures under any other consideration it belongeth not unto the Illumination we enquire after Nehem. 8. 8. Isa. 28. 9. Hos. 14. 9. Prov. 1. 6. Psal. 119. 34 Mat. 15. 16. 2 Tim. 2. 7. 1 John 5. 20. 2. That we understand the things declared in it or the Mind of God as revealed and expressed therein For if it be given unto us a sealed Book which we cannot read either because it is sealed or because we are ignorant and cannot read whatever Visions or means of Light it hath in it we shall have no advantage thereby Isa. 29. 11 12. It is not the Words themselves of the Scripture only but our understanding them that gives us light Psal. 119. 130. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the opening the Door the entrance of thy Word giveth light It must be opened or it will not enlighten So the Disciples understood not the Testimonies of the Scripture concerning the Lord Christ they were not enlightned by them until he expounded them unto them Luk. 24. 27 45. As we have the same instance in the Eunuch and Philip Acts 8. 31 35 36. To this very day the Nation of the Jews have the Scriptures of the old Testament and the outward Letter of them in such esteem and veneration that they even adore and worship them yet are they not enlightned by it And the same is fallen out among many that are called Christians or they could never embrace such foolish opinions and practise such Idolatries in worship as some of them do who yet enjoy the Letter of the Gospel And this brings me to my design which we have been thus far making way unto and it is to shew that both these are from the Holy Ghost namely that we truly believe
so many uncertain and fierce Digladiations wherein not any one Truth is asserted nor any one Duty prescribed that is not spoiled and vitiated by its Circumstances and Ends besides they never rose up so much as to a Surmise of or about the most important matters of Religion without which it is demonstrable by reason that it is impossible we should ever attain the End for which we are made nor the Blessedness whereof we are capable No account could they ever give of our Apostacy from God of the Depravation of our Nature of the Cause or necessary Cure of it In this lost and wandring Condition of Mankind the Scripture presenteth it self as a Light Rule and Guide unto all to direct them in their whole Course unto their end and to bring them unto the enjoyment of God and this it doth with that clearness and evidence as to dispel all the Darkness and put an end unto all the Confusions of the minds of Men as the Sun with rising doth the shades of the Night unless they wilfully shut their eyes against it loving Darkness rather than Light because their deeds are evil For all the Confusion of the minds of men to extricate themselves from whence they found out and immixed themselves in endless Questions to no purpose arose from their Ignorance of what we were originally of what we now are and how we came so to be by what way or means we may be delivered or relieved what are the Duties of Life or what is required of us in order to our living to God as our chiefest end and wherein the Blessedness of our Nature doth consist All the World was never able to give an Answer tolerably satisfactory unto any one of these Enquiries yet unless they are all infallibly determined we are not capable of the least Rest or Happiness above the Beasts that perish But now all these things are so clearly declared and stated in the Scripture that it comes with an Evidence like a Light from Heaven on the Minds and Consciences of unprejudiced Persons What was the Condition of our Nature in its first Creation and Constitution with the Blessedness and Advantage of that Condition how we fell from it and what was the Cause what is the Nature and what the Consequents and Effects of our present Depravation and Apostacy from God how Help and Relief is provided for us herein by infinite Wisdom Grace and Bounty what that Help is how we may be interested in it and made partakers of it what is that System of Duties or Course of Obedience unto God which is required of us and wherein our eternal Felicity doth consist are all of them so plainly and clearly revealed in the Scripture as in general to leave Mankind no ground for Doubt Enquiry or Conjecture set aside inveterate Prejudices from Tradition Education false Notions into the Mould whereof the mind is cast the Love of Sin and the Conduct of Lust which things have an inconceivable power over the Minds Souls and Affections of Men and the Light of the Scripture in these things is like that of the Sun at Noon-day which shuts up the way unto all further Enquiry and efficaciously necessitates unto an Acquiescency in it And in particular in that Direction which it gives unto the Lives of Men in order unto that Obedience which they ow to God and that Reward which they expect from him there is no instance conceivable of any thing conducing thereunto which is not prescribed therein nor of any thing which is contrary unto it that falls not under its Prohibition Those therefore whose Desire or Interest it is that the Bounds and Differences of Good and Evil should be unfixed and confounded who are afraid to know what they were what they are or what they shall come unto who care to know neither God nor themselves their Duty nor their Reward may despise this Book and deny its divine Original others will retain a sacred Veneration of it as of the Off-spring of God 4. The Testimony of the Church may in like manner be pleaded unto the same purpose and I shall also insist upon it partly to manifest wherein its true Nature and Efficacy doth consist and partly to evince the vanity of the old Pretence that even we also who are departed from the Church of Rome do receive the Scripture upon the Authority thereof whence it is further pretended that on the same Ground and Reason we ought to receive whatever else it proposeth unto us 1. The Church is said to be the Ground and Pillar of Truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. Which is the only Text pleaded with any Sobriety to give countenance unto the Assertion of the Authority of the Scripture with respect unto us to depend on the Authority of the Church But the Weakness of a Plea to that purpose from hence hath been so fully manifested by many already that it needs no more to be insisted on In short it cannot be so the Ground and Pillar of Truth that the Truth should be as it were built and rest upon it as its Foundation for this is directly contrary to the same Apostle who teacheth us that the Church it self is built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner Stone Eph. 2. 20. The Church cannot be the Ground of Truth and Truth the Ground of the Church in the same sense or kind Wherefore the Church is the Ground and Pillar of Truth in that it holds up and declares the Scriptures and the things contained therein so to be 2. In receiving any thing from a Church we may consider the Authority of it or its Ministry By the Authority of the Church in this matter we intend no more but the weight and importance that is in its Testimony as Testimonies do vary according to the Worth Gravity Honesty Honour and Reputation of them by whom they are given For to suppose an Authority properly so called in any Church or all the Churches of the World whereon our Reception of the Scripture should depend as that which gives its Authority towards us and a sufficient Warranty to our Faith is a nice Imagination For the Authority and Truth of God stand not in need nor are capable of any such Attestation from Men all they will admit of from the children of Men is that they do humbly submit unto them and testify their so doing with the Reasons of it The Ministry of the Church in this matter is that Duty of the Church whereby it proposeth and declareth the Scripture to be the Word of God and that as it hath occasion to all the World And this Ministry also may be considered either formally as 't is appointed of God unto this End and blessed by him or materially only as the thing is done though the Grounds whereon it is done and the manner of doing it be not divinely approved We wholly deny that we receive the Scripture or ever