the truth thereof be not evident to them as did the nobly-minded Beraeans n Acts. 17 1â—.11 But if the truth of the Word be delivered to their Consciences then must they beleeue it without any demurring So the Apostles beleeved that Christ his flesh is meat indeed and his bloud drinke indeed o Ioh. 6.55 â—â— 61.66.67.6â— and followed him without any offence because he had the words of eternall life whereas other seeming Disciples were offended and gaue over following Christ because it seemed to their naturall reason to be an hard saying So Abraham p â—om 4.18.19.20.21 aboue hope in regard of his olde age and his wife's barrennesse but vnder hope in regard of Gods power beleeved the Word of God promising to make him a Father of many Nations So Hezekiah q â—sa 39.5.6 â— 8 though a King was not angry with the Prophet prophecying most grievous things to him but beleeved his Prophecy so crossing natural affections as the VVord of God and sayd The Word of the Lord is good Here I suppose it will be some comfort to know how yee may iudge of your selues in the time of hearing whether the VVord be mixed with faith I 'le shew you If your hearts answer Gods VVord as did Davids when God sayd r Psal 27.8 Seeke yee my face his heart answered O Lord I will seeke thy face For Faith is such an assent to every VVord of God as produceth affections and actions answerable to the VVord wherevnto the heart assenteth So that when Iohn Baptist Preacheth Repentance Å¿ Math. 11 1.16.17.18.1â— we grieue in the sense of sinne and when Christ Preacheth the Gospell we are comforted in hope of forgiuenensse Hereby are condemned such as are like those proud men t Iere. 43.2 who tolde Ieremy that he spake falsely when he delivered the Word of God which crossed their purposes Secondly Such as be like the Prince u 2 King 7.1.2.17 who contraried the Word of God touching suddaine cheapnesse of Corne because it was contrary to his sensuall reason But the Word was fulfilled and he perished And thirdly Mockers x 2 Pet. 3.3.4 which in these last dayes will walke after their lusts not beleeving the promise of Christ his comming to iudgement because it is deferred Yea fourthly those weake ones who are like to David y Psal 116.11 who sayd in his feare All men be lyars meaning especially Samuel who annointed him to be King z Sam. 16.13 But before he got the Crowne Saul so persecuted him that he doubted of the word which Samuel had spoken Fiftly Much more are they hereby condemned who out of an humour troubled by the Word doe cavill against it contrary to the Apostle Iames his exhortation a Tam. 1.21.19 That we should receiue the Word with meeknesse and therefore should be swift to heare slow to speake slow to wrath For Wrath because the VVord crosseth our mind stirreth vp the tongue vnto gain-saying and therefore the VVord is not beleeved as the Word of God Sixtly Hereby are condemned such as despayre in the time of affliction and doe not liue by Faith b Hab. 2.3.4 waiting for the appointed time when the vision will speake comfort And seaventhly such as like the Elders of Israel c Ezek. 14.1.3 set vp Idols in their hearts which are stumbling blockes of iniquitie stopping the way betweene the VVord and Faith so as they cannot be mixed in them that heare I meane those who heare the Word with preiudicate opinions Papists or other who will stop their eares and not heare the Word so as to beleeue it as the Word of God charme the charmer never so wisely d Psal 58.5 Vse 5 The third thing required to manifest our high estimation of the Word is To obey it as the Word of God For to heare the Word and not to obey it is deemed by God a casting it away e 1 Sam. 15.22.23 Therefore wee deceiue our selues though we be hearers if we be not doers also of the Word f Iam. 1.22 But what is required of vs that we may obey the Word as the Word of God I answere many things Among the rest especially Absolute obedience to whatsoever the Word commandeth without making any question or difficultie For God is of absolute authoritie and therfore we pray g Math. 6.10 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven and His Word is perfect and right h Psal 19.7.8 Therefore our absolute obedience is not blinde as is the obedience of Iesuites to their superiours whom they must obey though they command the killing of Princes not inquiring after the lawfulnesse of such a Commandement But their superstitious and blinde obedience condemneth vs if we yeeld not absolute obedience to the Word of God which is of absolute authoritie and altogether without errour So be not the Commandements of the Pope or of any humane Superiour whomsoever Let vs consider some few examples of obedience to the Word as to the Word of God That vnmatchable example of Abraham may well be Instar omnium who obeying the Word of God spared not Isaac his onely sonne i Gen. 22.1.2 â— 9.10.16 begotten in his olde age k And 21.2 and in both these respects dearely beloved Yea the Sonne of Promise l Gal. 4.28 with whom and his seede God promised to establish an everlasting Covenant m Gen. 17.19 But without pleading any of these things n Zach. 12. arose early to goe to sacrifice him with his owne handes Now wheras Abraham is the Father of all o Rom. 4.1 who walke in the steps of his Faith I will tell you one other example of his obedience to the Word of God which is remarkeable too the rather because the Spirit of God taketh speciall notice thereof p Heb. 11. shewing vs that Abraham obeyed God commanding him to goe he knew not whither VVhich last words imply that he obeyed readily without questioning whether dangers were in the way and what commodious dwelling was in the place wherevnto he should goe therefore it is said that by Faith he obeyed So also it is written in the same Chapter Verse 17. that Abraham offered vp Isaac by Faith Whereby the Spirit of God intimateth that in both these obediences Abraham esteemed the Commandements as the words of God I shall expresse this point yet more plainely by an example of Peters walking vpon the Sea at Christ his bidding q â—at 14.34 â—â— 36.37 â—8 39 But note that Peter perceiving that it was Christ and not a Spirit as he and his fellowes feared who walked on the Sea in the night sayd Master if it be thou bid me come vnto thee on the water Which sheweth how highly he esteemed of Christ his Word perswaded that obeying it he should neither tempt God r 〈◊〉 4.5.6.7 nor perish by going on the water I will adde but
his so wonderfull preservation Now it is time to proceede to the testimony of Scriptures Reason 4 But first I will answer this question Is the testimony which the Scriptures giue to themselues of sufficient credit Yes For the same reasons wherewith Christ m â—ohn 1.13.14.17.18 iustified the record which he bare of himselfe 1 We know from whence the Scriptures came even froÌ„ Gods spirit n Pet. 1.20.21 2 The Father as we haue proved is a witnesse therefore the testimony of two is true and consequeÌ„tly of credit Now Christ saith o â—hn 5.39 The Scriptures that is the old Testament which were before Christ testifie of me If of Christ then of his Word that is his Gospell For the woman of Samaria could tell p â—â—hn 4.25 that the Messiah that is Christ when he came should tell vs all things It may be she had heard that Moses prophecyed of Christ who was to be heard in all things q Acts 7. â—â— Besides Christ is the corner stone of the foundation that is doctrine as of the Apostles so of the Prophets Therefore the Prophets giue testimony to Christ and his word As Moses and the Prophets that is the old Testament giue testimony to Christ and his word which is the doctrine of the new Testament So Christ in those words Iohn 5.39 doth giue an honourable testimony to the old Testament saying In them ye thinke to haue eternall life And two of the chiefe Apostles giue likewise testimony to the old Testament For Peter sayth r 2 Pet. 1. â— Wee haue a most sure word of the Prophets Here Prophets as Eph 2.20 is put for the whole old Testament And Paul sayth Å¿ 2 Tim. 3â— The whole Scripture is given by inspiration Whereby the old Testament without doubt is signified the new Testament may be vnderstood Having finished this course of Testimonies to the word by way of imitation as well as I can I am now to shew how the other three grounds doe proue this â—â—ason 5. The first is There is a God to be worshipped therefore there is a word of God to be beleeved There be many Gods so called t Cor. 8.5 Every one hath his prescribed worship whereby he is honoured according to his owne minde as Saturne had his Saturnalia and drunken Bacchus his Bacchanalia Yea the Scriptures intimate as much u â—cts 7.43 Moloch had his tabernacle and Remphan his Starre So that the true God forbiddeth his people x â—eut 12.30 to enquire how other Nations serue their Gods Now can we think that our great and onely true God is lesse zealous of his glory then false Gods be of their supposed honour Heathen men concluded otherwise For when they heard that the Samaritans were devoured by Lyons they deemed the cause was Not worshipping the God of the Land after his owne manner y 2 King 17.25.26 God hath made all things for his owne sake yea even the wicked for the day of evill z Prov. 16. that he may be glorified as by all things made so by the lust condemnatioÌ„ of the wicked Therefore he hath given a Word that by holy Worship according to it he may be glorified For by such worship especially is He glorified a Levn 10.2.3 and therefore the Glory departed from Israel when the Arke before which Israel worshipped was taken by the Philistims b 1 Sam. 4. â— Exod. 33. So that God did iustly forsake the Gentiles because when they knew him by his Workes of Creation c Rom. 1. c. they did not glorifie him as God by worshipping him according to his will That this consequence may yet better appeare to be good it is to be duely observed that immediately after God in the Decalogue d Exod. 20 3â— required Worship as due to him onely he commandeth that worship to be according to his word and not by mans inventions And that where God forbiddeth to inquire how other Nations serue their Gods e Deut. 12.30.32 he commandeth to take heed to his Word And lastly that when God commanded his people to sanctifie him he presently commanded to binde vp the Testimony f Isa 8.13.16 and to seale vp the Law among his Disciples For indeed no Booke doth so glorifie God as doth the Bible therefore it is the true Word of God g Ioh. 7.18 All that is said being well considered this consequence is good There is a God to wit Iehovah therefore there is a Word of God viz The olde and new Testament The other ground Reason 6 and consequence is this There is a Resurrection of the iust and vniust to be expected therefore there is a Word of God that is the Scriptures to be beleeved For howsoever Cicero held the Immortalitie of the soule yet the Athenian Philosophers deemed the resurrection of the bodie to be an vnheard of point h Act. 17 1â—.32 For indeed it is an Article of Christian faith and not a Tenet of naturall reason So that the Sadduces though Iewes reiected it i Mat. 22.33 Therfore if it be an Article of Faith then the Scriptures being the only booke that doth clearely avouch and proue it must needs be the word of Faith Againe Why must there be a Resurrection That the iust may arise vnto life and the vniust vnto condemnation k Ioh. 5.29 For the last day is The day of the generall declaration of the iust iudgement of God l Rom. 2.5 Dan. 12 2â— Now that God may appeare iust when he iudgeth it is requisite that he make his Will knowne by his Word For where no Law is there is no transgression m Rom. 4.15 Therefore saith Christ If I had not come and spoken to them they should not haue had sinne n Ioh. 15.22 but now they haue no cloake for sinne The Gentiles had not the Law o Rom. 2.12.14.15 how can they be iudged Yes because they haue the effect of the Law written in their hearts The third ground Reason 7 and consequence is this There is a Conscience to be tendered therefore there is a Word of God to be beleeved For the Spirit of God which speaketh in the Scriptures so inlightneth the mindes of Gods people that the Word worketh vpon their Consciences That as face answereth face in Water p Prov. 27.19 So where the Spirit of the Lord is there is such libertie q Cor. 3.17 that is Freedome from the vaile over our hearts that we behold as in a glasse the glory of the LORD with open face and are changed into the same image So that the Apostle doth presently affirme r And 4.1.2 That having this Ministry he did not handle the Word deceitfully but in declaration of the truth he approoved himselfe to every mans Conscience In another place Å¿ â— Tâ—es 4.8 he thus writeth He that despiseth these things despiseth not man but God who
of a man be worthily so to be esteemed for the Contents sake how highly are we to esteeme the doctrine of the Bible being the Word of God But how are we to manifest our high estimation of the Word of God Not chiefely by binding the Bible faire though that sheweth some good respect thereof Nor by setting it handsomely in the Window or some eminent place and never or seldome reade therein But by hearing beleeving and obeying it as the Word of God In such hearing Vse 2 two things are required Readie diligence and Religious reverence Touching the former it is Prophecied That in the last dayes Christ his people shall come willingly at the time of Assembly as an Army in holy beautie i Psal 110â— and That many people shall flow to the house of the Lord k Isa 2.2 inciting one another And why Because the Word of the Lord goeth from Ierusalem This is to seeke after the knowledge of Gods will in his Word as for treasure l Prov. 2. According to those Prophecies The Kingdome of God was Preached and every man pressed vnto it m Luk. 16. after the comming of Iohn Baptist The Apostles would not goe from Christ n Ioh. 6.67.68 as some Disciples did because He had the words of eternall life And Cornelius a Captaine when he heard that Peter should tell him what he ought to doe sent immediately for him and having called together his kinsmen and speciall friends waited for him o â—ct 10.5.6.7 â—4 33 and were ready to heare whatsoever he should say from God Hereby are condemned such as haue small zeale in repairing to the Word but absent themselues vpon small occasions as prooving of Oxen p â—uk 14.19 â—1 with whom God is angry Such as remember not the Sabbath day so as to dispose of their businesse that they may be ready in due time to attend the Word They will remember and pleade that it is a day of rest sleepe the longer that day But they forget that the rest must be holy to the Lord q â—od 31.15 Yea such are hereby condemned who though they seeme to haue some mind to heare the Word Preached and therefore cast to come to that betime yet are not diligent to come to heare the Word read As if the Word read be not to be regarded as the Word of God and As if it be not necessary that Gods people should know in some measure the letter and body of the Scriptures Wherevnto they cannot attaine by hearing onely those small Texts wherevpon Preachers Discourse Therefore Christian Churches haue well imitated the auncient people of God r Act. 13.1 15 21â— in appointing the Scriptures to be read in the great Congregations especially on the Lords day so as the body thereof may be read over againe and againe in time Wherevnto if the people doe not diligently resort especially such as want learning leisure or Bibles to reade doe they esteeme the Word read as the Word of God Vse 3 A second thing required in hearing the word as the word of God is religious reverence When we pray we speake to God then we kneele Å¿ Psal 95â— or should doe when the word is read or preached God speaketh to vs and shall we not heare him with religious reverence We heare the Iudge giving a charge in the Assises with vncovered heads and all civill reverence and shall not our demeanure be religiously reverent when God speaketh vnto vs in his word Moses was to put off his shooes because of the presence of God speaking out of a burning bush t â—od 3.4.5.9.10.11.17 And the people were to be sanctified when they were to meete with God speaking the tenne Commaundements When we heare the word preached wee are in Gods speciall presence therefore wee are exhorted by the Spirit u â—â—cles 5.1 to looke to our feete before we enter into the house of God and bee more ready to heare than to offer the sacrifice of fooles And Christ stood when he read his text x â—â—ke 4.16.20 but he sat after when he preached All this doth shew that the word is to be heard with religious reverence Yea there be some learned Divines who hold that men ought to be vncovered that is put off their hatts the whole Sermon while But for my part I dare not precisely binde the conscience of any man to this or that particular demonstration of religious reverence Though I graunt that a Sermon is to be heard with religious reverence as well as the word read For Ministers of the Gospell are the messengers of God as were the Priests of the Law z Mal. 2.7 2 Cor. 5. â— 1 Cor. 4. 〈◊〉 and it is to be presumed that their lips also preserue knowledge therefore people must with religious reverence hearken to the word from their mouth Heereby are condemned such as come to Wisedomes feast a Prou 9.3 without a wedding garment b Math. 22. that is due preparation and fitnesse As also such as sleepe talke gaze about or otherwise haue their minds drawne from hearing the word Is this to haue either their eyes fastned c Luke 4 2â— vpon the Preacher or to haue hearts opened by the Lord d Acts 16. 〈◊〉 to hearken to his word Vse 4 It is not a sufficient estimation of the Word to repaire therevnto with diligence and to heare it with reverence except we beleeue it as the Word of God For if the Word be not mixed with Faith in those that heare it e Hebr. 4.2 it will not profit them vnto either reformation aedification or consolation which are the effects of Prophecy f 1 Cor. 14.3.24.25 that is of powerfull Preaching Againe He who beleeveth the Word so as to receiue g Ioh. 1.12 that is to beleeue the testimony thereof doth seale that God is true h 〈◊〉 3.33.34 But God is true I may adde Absolutely and to be iustified in his wordes i Rom. 3.4 I may adde because they be absolutely true as God is Therfore they are to be heard with Faith resting vpon them absolutely without all doubting of their truth For the Word of God is called the Faith of God k Rom. 3.3 Which intimateth that if we beleeue Faith to be in God we must beleeue his Word accordingly This is a maine difference betweene the Word of God which is to be heard with Faith howsoever it crosse our iudgement for Faith surmounteth Reason and the Word of man which is no further to be beleeved than it agreeth with the Word which is Truth it selfe l Ioh. 17 1â— For every man is by nature a Lyar m Rom. 3. â— and therefore is not to be iustified in all his wordes So that Gods people may lawfully so it be with Discretion and Humilitie examine the Doctrine by what Preacher soever delivered whether it be warranted by the Scriptures or no if
be declared to their Consciences let them remember what Christ sayth p Luk. 10.1.16 speaking not of the Apostles but of the seaventie Disciples He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Lastly let it be considered Whether Naaman could haue excused his not-washing in Iordan q 2 King 5.10 by saying He was commanded so to doe by a messenger and not by the Prophet Elisha seeing that which the Messenger commanded was the Word of God as well as if Elisha had spoken it Vse 6 If then Gods people are to say one to another much more to their owne hearts as did the people in Ezechiels time r Ezek. 33.30 but with better mindes Let vs goe and heare what is the Word that commeth from the Lord. When they goe to heare their Pastors and Teachers they must not bring with them eares either Antichristian to hearken after Doctrines strange or not grounded vpon the Word For Christ his Sheepe know his voyce and follow him Å¿ Ioh. 10.4 They know not the voyce of a stranger nor follow him or itching t 2 Tim. 4.3 to hearken after the enticing speech of mans wisedome u 1 Cor. 2.4.5 as if their faith dependeth thereon But let them be of Davids minde who professed that he loued Gods Word x Ps 116.113 but hated vaine inventions Much lesse are they to be so obstinate and wicked as to say either in their hearts or with their mouthes y Isa 30.10 Let not our Seers Prophecy right things but errours and flattering things Againe Vse 7 if people must come to Sermons with minds expecting onely Doctrine grounded vpon Gods Word such as they must beleeue and obey as the Word of God then the Preacher must be wise to seeke out the wordes of truth z â—ccles 12.9 â—0 and faithfull to Preach them as the wordes of God * Pet. 4 11. that is with all authoritie a Tit. 2.15 in the plaine evidence of the Spirit b Cor. 2.4 For if any man Preach not according to the Word what reading soever he make shew of he hath no light in him c Isa 8.20 And howsoever his affected humane eloquence be applauded by itching eares yet he doth but make Merchandize of the Word of God d 2 Cor. 2.17 Let Ministers therefore speake as God himselfe admonisheth e Ier. 23.28 the Word faithfully For what is chaffe to the wheate Lastly Vse 8 Whereas I haue sayd that every one of the afore-mentioned grounds of religion is of that powerfull truth that if it be beleeved indeed it perswadeth the beleever to make Conscience of sinne I must make it good touching this ground viz. There is a Word of God to wit the Bible to be beleeved This is soone done both these Propositions being prooved 1. Whosoever beleeveth the Word as the Word of God maketh Conscience of sinne and 2. Whosoever maketh not Conscience of sinne beleeveth not the Word as the Word of God Touching the former What other cause can be supposed why the Word was as a fire in Ieremy f Ier. 20.7.9.10 compelling him to speak in the name of God though in a strong passion he had said he would not but that he verily beleeved that it was the Word of GOD which he was commanded to speake which coÌ„manded him to speake The answer which Abraham gaue to the rich man in hell torments desiring that Lazarus might be sent vnto his brethren to prevent their torments viz. g Luk. 16 2â—.28.29 They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them that is their doctrine sheweth plainely that whosoever heareth the words of God as the Words of God cannot but make conscience of sinne And Paul telleth the Romanes h Rom. 6.17 that howsoever they had beene servants of sin yet after they were delivered vnto the forme of doctrine that is heard the Word as the Word of God they obeyed that forme from the heart that is made conscience of sinne 2. That whosoever maketh not Conscience of sinne beleeveth not the Word to be the Word of God whatsoever he pretend briefely thus appeareth That wicked one who hath Gods Word in his mouth i Psal 50.16.17 and yet will not be reformed is iudged by God himselfe to cast his words behinde him The remnant of the people of Iudah and their Chieftaines prayed Ieremiah k Ier. 42.1.2.3 6.19.20.21 â—â— 43.1.2 to enquire of God whether they might not fly into Egypt to saue themselues from the Caldeans protesting to obey the Word of God whatsoever it should be Yet when the VVord crossed their purpose to fly into Egypt they would not beleeue it And when the rich man in hell further pressed Abraham to send Lazarus he had this further answere l Luk. 16 3â— If they heare not with Faith Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the dead againe Both the Propositions are confirmed by these wordes of Christ m Ioh. 3.20.21 He that doth evill hateth the light that is doth not beleeue the Word as the Word of God But he that doth the truth commeth to the light that his deedes might be made manifest that they be wrought according to God To whom be glory by all men in their obedience of FAITH Amen FINIS