ever setled in heaven however the effects thereof through the over-cloudings of manifold troubles and temptations may not sometimes appear on earth yet O Lord for ever thy word is setled in heaven there it s established and is not subject to those It a amplum ut omnes terminos metas superet ad omnia tempora aetates se extendat id est ut sit durabile firmum perpetuum nec unquam aboleri queat Moller in locum Ita ut finis illius viderâ— non potest i. e. infinitum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Junius mutations as things on earth are so Psal 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandement is exceeding broad or large that is it lasteth for ever it reacheth and extendeth to all eternity I can see an end of all other things even the perfectest that are I can see they shall have an end but I cannot see an end of thy word that shall never have an end that 's so broad as it reacheth beyond all limits and bounds and perpetually abides so Matth. 24. 34 35. verily I say unto you this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled You may probably think that what I have spoken shall not come to pass at least in all the circumstances thereof but there are some now alive shall see every whit fulfilled that I have spoken as concerning the destruction of Jerusalem heaven and earth shall pass away but my word shall not pass away * Promissiâ—num certitudo constat verbo dei quo nihil potest esse constantius aut firmius Pet Mart. in Rom. 4. these words may be taken and understood as spoken either comparatively or possitively 1. Comparatively the heavens and the earth shall sooner pass away than any of my words pass away or prove false and so Luke expresses it Luk. 16. 18. and it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the Law to fail 2. Or secondly positively thus heaven and earth shall indeed pass away as at the end of the world as the Apostle Peter expresses it 2 Pet. 3. 10. but the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the heavens shall pass away and verse 12. wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and v. 11. seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved he speaks of the heavens and the earth and the works that are therein these all shall pass away Pâ—â— 75. 3. 1 Cor. 7. 31. 1 John 2. 17. and be dissolved but the word shall not pass away or be dissolved but shall have its full and perfect accomplishment The earth saith the Prophet Isay is utterly broken down the earth is clean dissolved the earth is moved exceedingly the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall be removed like a Cottage c. Isay 24. 19 20. But now the Scripture never is nor can be broken at all or dissolved or be removed but remains most firm Thus the Scripture the word that which God hath said is more firm than the Fabrick of heaven and earth it self and shall remain firm and inviolable for ever for the mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Isay 54. 10. So Isay 55. 11. So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not return to me void but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it I will accomplish and make it good it shall not be without effect nor fall to the ground God may as well cease to be as his word be broken disanull'd and not effected and hence are those frequent expressions in Scripture that it might be fulfilled which was spoken Matth. 1. 22. 4. 14. 8. 17. 12. 17. 13. 35. 21. 4 c. implying that God will have what he hath spoken fulfill'd 2. From Reason The Scripture cannot be broken Reas 1 Because all Scripture as the Apostle speaks in the 2 Tim. 3. 16. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinitus inspirata given by the inspiration of God it is divine as is likewise exprest elsewhere Heb. 1. 1. God who at sundry times and in divers maners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets mark it was God who spake by them so Hosea 8. 12. I have written to him it is Gods writing so 2 Pet. 1. 21. Luk. 1. 70. Acts 4. 24. 25. And therefore it cannot be broken or made void because it is divine and that in a proper and more peculiar sense being immediately revealed from God what indeed is humane is subject to mutation and change as man himself is it s like himself his breath goeth forth he returns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hic titulus etsi omni veritati de quacunque re sit significatione largiori possit tribui quoniam spiritus est in hominibus inspir at io omnipotentis dat intelligentiam Job 32. 8. attamen immediatè à Deo revelata doctrina merito titulum illum sibi proprie vendicat River in Isagog pag. 9. to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish but the Scripture being divine and that which in a proper and peculiar way is the writing of God that cannot alter or change or be dissolved 2. Because as it is given by inspiration of God so it is the Scripture of that God who is a God of truth and faithfulness and cannot lye 1 Tit 2. In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began and therefore the Scripture cannot be broken being the Scripture of such a God who cannot lye whose Psal 36. 5 57. 20. faithfulness and truth reacheth unto the clouds and is great unto the heavens yea above the heavens that is it cannot be traced who though we believe 2 Tim. 2. 13. not yet abides faithful and cannot deny himself and also the strength of Israel 1 Sam. 13. 29. will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent and thus David makes the Stability of Gods word to depend on the Stability of Gods truth and faithfulness because he is most faithful his word is most stable and firm Psa 119. 89 90. thy word for ever O Lord is setled in heaven thy faithfulness is unto all generations Gods truth and faithfulness being firm his word is so likewise thus the Scripture cannot be broken because of Gods truth and fidelity which is infinite yea he is truth it self 3. Because it is the Scripture of that God who is Iehovah who is the Lord as he proclaimed his name before Moses Exod. 34. 6. and the Lord passed by before him and proclained Iehovah Iehovab which we render the Lord the Lord now this name properly belongs unto God
will Work and who shall let it or turn it back or reverse it who indeed certainly none no all the power in heaven and carth cannot in the least hinder him from accomplishing his work what he hath spoken in his word no he is above all obstacles of men or devils there is no putting of a barr in his way so as that there should not be an accomplishing of his word c He hath broken the gares of Brass and cut the barrs of Iron assunder Psa 107. 16. Amos. 4. 5 Isay 40. 17. no I will work and who shall let none could ever take up this challenge and say I I will let no for lo it is he who formeth the Mountains and createth the wind and declareth unto man what is his thought that maketh the morning darkness and treadeth upon the high places of the earth the Lord the God of Hosts is his name all Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him less than nothing and vanity so that by the greatness of his might for that he is strong in power not one of his words shall fail the greatest Mountains before him shall become a plain Psal 2. 6. there was a great combination of the Princes and potentates of the earth to keep Christ from the throne yet for all that saith God I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion And secondly as men are frail so they quickly fail and so their enterprises fail with them Psal 146. 4. his breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish and therefore put not your trust in greatest in Princes for what ever their thoughts and intentions promises or purposes may be to do this or that alas their breath goeth forth and they immediately perish and therefore cease ye saith the Prophet from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of or what can he do his breath goeth forth and he soon perisheth But now the Lord as he is the mighty God so he is the living God I lift up my hand to heaven and say I live for ever Deut. 32. 40. He lives for ever to see what he hath said accomplished and therefore saith the Apostle it is a Heb. 10. 30 fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God as an adversary as one against whom God threatens indignation and wrath vengeance and woe why because he is a living God and so for ever lives to execute what he hath threatned as Gods eternity his living for ever doth exceedingly sweeten and make pretious and most comfortable the promises so it makes as terrible his threatnings thus the Scripture cannot be broken because it is the Scripture of that God who is of so great and infinite power every way able to accomplish what he speaks and this was the ground of Abrahams not staggering at the promise of God through unbelief his being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Rom. 4. 20 21. he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory unto God and being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform and upon this ground happy is he pronounced that hath the God of Jacob for his help and whose hope is in the Lord because of his power and ability as well as his truth and faithfulness to perform what ere he promises Psal 146. 5 6. Reas 6 That the Scripture cannot be broken it appears and is proved from experience and by an induction of several particulars this is that which experience in all ages hath and still doth evidence to the truth of to which we may appeal As concerning that destruction of the old world did not God do what he said was he not as good as his word so concerning bringing Israel out of Egypt that 's very observable to this purpose which we read Exod. 12. 40 41. now the sojourning of the Children of Israel which dwelt in Egypt were 430. years and it came to pass at the end of the 430. years even the self same day it came to pass that all the Hosts of the Lord went out from the Land of Egypt So I might instance as concerning Iudahs bringing into Babylon was not God as good as his word as themselves were forc'd to acknowledge Lam. 2. 17. the Lord hath done that which he had devised he hath fulfilled the word he had commanded in the dayes of old and Lam. 4. 12. the Kings of the Earth would not have believed the enemy should enter into the gates of Ierusalem but no matter for that God having said it though they would not have believed it yet it was accomplished And so for Iudahs bringing out of captivity out of Babylon which he promised Ier. 29. 10. And this seemed so difficult and a thing so hard to be effected that the Lord appeals to his own heart the more to assure them of it v. 11. for I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord thoughts of peace and not of evill to give you an expected end and Psal 126. 1. when the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion we were like them that dream we could scarce believe we were delivered though we were delivered I but how difficult and unlikely soever it seemed yet being promised it was performed and so as concerning the ruine of Ierusalem afterward Luke 19. 43 44. was not all fulfilled Thus the proof of this point is proved by long experience d Scripturae si verae fuerunt praedictiones rerum futurarum ut eventus comprobavit cur vera non sint rerum praesentium testimonia Rivit page 20. Isag c. it was never yet known in any age but what God spake came to pass there is no instance to be given to the contrary and this is that which indeed God himself appeals unto Zachary 1. 5 6. your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever this seems to be spoken by way of concession e Quod dicit patres vestri ubi sunt prophetae an in perpetuum vivunt per concessionem positum est quasi diceret fateor patres vestros prophetas meos jam mortuos esse sed verba mea an mortua sunt distinguit in summum deus naturam verbi sui ab hominum conditione quasi diceret hominum vitam caducam esse finiri paucis annis sed doctrinam suam nunquam intermori Calv Zach. 1. 5 6. Quum ergo effectū doctrinae meae senseritis in vestris patribus cur non statuitis apud vos quum idem semper sim non posse fieri ut hodie verba mea frustra diffluant careant omni effectu Idem ibidem your Fathers indeed as also the Prophets are dead and gone they have made their beds in the grave I but mark what followes v. 6. but my
into the fire or into the water would he stand to deliberate whether he should recover himself yea or no no he would not and thou art in such a condition as that thou art falling into the fire of hell into everlasting fire and wilt thou stand to deliberate whether thou should'st get out of such a condition or no no what thou dost do do speedily lest thy self be broken before thou gettest out of that estate in which thou canst not be saved except the Scripture be broken Again cannot the Scripture be broken Use 5. Of Terror but what ever it speaks will it certainly come to pass then here 's matter and ground of terror and trembling First to all wicked and ungodly in general to all such as are enemies to God and persist and go on still in their sins for if the Scripture cannot be broken then look what ever the Scripture threatens against them they continuing such it shall certainly be fulfill'd upon them and made good to them and truly the Scripture threatens such heavy and sad things which being such they continuing such as cannot but be fulfill'd for the Scripture cannot be broken may well fill their hearts with horror and amazement As there is great cause why the Saints the Scripture being that which cannot be broken should be comforted in regard of what is promised so upon the like ground there is as great cause why the wicked should tremble and be terrified in regard of what is threatned it being that which shall as certainly be fulfill'd as if it were already fulfill'd We find in the prophecy of Hab that Hab. 3. 2. the Prophet there though he had matter enough of joy in the Lord himself yet he fears and trembles at what was threatned against others for their invincible obstinacy in their sins O Lord I have heard thy speech and was afraid at thy threatnings and v. 16. when I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at thy voice rottenness entred into my bones and I trembled in my self c. here are various expressions to shew how deeply he was affected and afflicted with Gods threatnings why because he knew they would be fulfilled and if the holy Prophet thus trembled and was affected how much more cause was there for the sinners themselves to tremble and be fill'd with terror upon whom they were certainly to be fulfill'd O let all wicked and ungodly men take a survay of the threatnings God hath made in his word let them look over them and that from one end of the Bible to the other and look how many or grievous soever they be they continuing such they shall none of them all fall to the ground but shall all certainly be performed and fulfill'd which might well fill their hearts with terror and amazement so as to cause with Belshazzar the joints of their loins to be loosed and their knees to smite one against another And they shall know saith God that I am the Lord and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evill unto them no but I will do it I will not leave what I have threatned unfulfilled and Eze. 12. 25. for I am the Lord I will speak and the word that I shall speak shall come to passe some expound these words I am the Lord as being an asseveration or an Oath and the sense to be this As sure as I am Jehovah the Lord that have my being of my self and give being to all others so sure will I give being to my promises and threatnings so that not only heaven and earth must pass away before any tittle of any truth of the Lords shall fall to the ground But even the Lord himself must cease to be before his word shall be without effect If the Scripture cannot be broken then many sorrows shall be to the wicked for this is part of the Scripture one of the Scripture threatnings and so cannot be broken Psal 32. 10. If the Scripture cannot be broken Proâ— 11. â—1 then though hand joyn in hand the wicked shall not go unpunished Then it shall Eccl. 8. 13. not be well with the wicked nay it shall be ill with the wicked the wicked shall 1 Sam. 2 9 10. be silent in darkness and the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces out of heaven shall be thunder upon them Then destruction shall be to the workers Prov. 10. 29. 11. 3. 19 16 29. 1. of iniquity and the perversness of transgressors shall destroy them Then he that despiseth his wayes shall dye Then he that being often reproved hâ—rdneth his neck shall be suddenly and that without remedy Then God shall wound the head of his Psa 68. 21. enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses Then upon the wicked he shall rain Ps 11. 6. snares fire and brimston and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. Then the wicked shall wring out and Psa 75. 8. drink the dreggs of that cup that is in the hand of the Lord the wine of which is red and full of mixture Then the wicked shall be turned into Psa 9. 17. hell Then as the tares are gathered and Matth. 13. 40 41 42. burnt in the fire so in the end of the world the Son of man shall send forth his Angels shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them in a furnace of fire there shall be wayling and gnashing of teeth For the Scripture cannot be broken and all these are Scripture and therefore cannot but be fulfill'd and so I might instance in many others but these may â—uffice to let all wicked and ungodly ones see what matter of terror and trembling this truth is to them that the Scripture cannot be broken for if it cannot then these and all other threatnings in the Word against them shall certainly be fulfilled they not getting reform'd Indeed at present they are as secure as if they had made a Covenaut with Death and as if Hell and they were at an agreement and they promise themselves when as the overflowing Scourge shall passe through it shall not come unto them for they have made lies their refuge and under falshood have they hid themselves but God tells such their Covenant with Death shall be disanulled and their agreement with Hell shall not stand No but Gods Word shall stand for it is said when the overflowing Scourge stall pass through then they shall be trod down by it and it shall take them Isa 28. 15 18 19. And as this that the Scripture cannot be broken is matter and ground of terror and trembling to wicked men in general so to several in particular As 1. First to all unregenerate ones for if the Scripture cannot be broken then all such continuing such cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven for this
fear the Lord I say assure but this and then in the serious consideration of this sovereign truth thou mayst sit down and say it is enough for view the promises look over them all and that from one end of the Bible to the other and see how many so ever they be or how great and pretious soever they be they shall all certainly be fulfilled be performed and made good My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gon out of my mouth Psalm 89. 34. God has spoken saies David in his holinesse I will rejoice i. e. he has promised so and so and I will rejoice I and there is great cause for what ever God has spoken and promised it shall certainly be performed it shall certainly be ful filled and made good it shall not fail no Heaven and Earth shall pass away but Gods Word shall not pass away Psalm 119. 89. For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in Heaven Here was Davids Comfort how ever things went on Earth how moveable or unsetled soever they were Gods Word on which he fixt his Faith was for â—ver setled in Heaven that was a sure rock still to bear up his Faith that would never fail what ever else did And this kept up his spirit Psal 27. 13. I had fainted unlesse I had belived to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the Living And therefore the People of God should remember God of his promises and urge him with them and sue them out as Jacob Gen. 32. 9. Hast not thou said so and so and is it not Scripture Lord and the Scripture cannot be broken thus David does often in the 119. Psalm verse 41. Let thy mercies come unto me O Lord even thy Salvation according to thy Word and 49. Remember thy Word untâ— thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope and 76. Let I pray thee thy merciful kindness be to my comfort according unto thy Word unto thy Servant and 107. I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according to thy word and 116 uphold me according to thy word that I may live and let me not be ashamed of my hope thus he pleads 2 Sa. 28 29. And now O Lord God thou art that God and thy Words be true and thou hast promised this Goodnesse therefore now let it please thee to bless the House of thy Servant that it may continue for ever before thee for thou O Lord God hast spoken it c. Whatsoever things saith the Apostle Rom. 15. 4. were written afore time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope n Scriptur a Consolationem assurt cum promissiones innumeras de dei praesentia auxilio fiberatione ab aerumins de salutari malorum exitu de gloria denique in Câ—lis reposita nobis proporit Par. in Rom. 15. 4. And how does the Scripture more work Patience and cause comfort than in the consideration of these promises wchit propounds And in regard of this that they cannot be broken O if the Scripture cannot be broken how many wayes may this comfort and cheer the hearts of the People of God Give me leave a little to instance in some of them and as it were but to open this box of so pretious ointment that so you may the better resent the fragrancy and sweetnesse thereof and that your spirits may be the better cheered and refreshed therewith as 1. If the Scriptures cannot be broken then the People of God shall not want any good thing for this is part of the Scripture it is one of the Scripture promises Psalm 34. 10. 84. 11. They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing no good thing will he with-hold c. 2. If the Scripture cannot c. then all things are theirs for this likewise is Scripture promise 1 Coâ— 3. 21 22. All things are yours c. 3. Then they shall not be forgotten for this likewise is a Scripture-promise Isay 49. 15 16. Jer. 29. 10 11. Yet will I not forget thee c. For I know the thoughts that I think towards you c. 4. Then shall they not be left nor forsaken for this is c. Hebrewes 13. 5. I will not leave thee nor forsake thee 5. Then is and shall Gods Grace be sufficient for them for this is c. 1 Cor. 12. 9. And he said My Grace is sufficient for thee c. 6. Then shall all things work together for their good for this is c. Rom. 8. 28. That all things work together for good c. 7. Then shall they be upheld and sustained in their greatest weakness for this is c. Isay 40. 11 28 29 30 31. 1 Cor. 10. 13. Lam. 3. 31 32. He shall gather the Lambs with his Armes and carry them in his Boseme c. 8. Then shall nothing be able to separat them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus their Lord for this is c. Romans 8. 35 38 39. John 13. 1. 9. Then they shall never perish for this is c. John 10. 28. 10. Then sin shall not have dominion over them for this is c. Romans 6. 14. 11. Then Satan shall shortly be bruised under their feet for this is c. Rom. 16. 14. 12. Then there is no condemnation to them for this likewise is c. Rom. 8. 1. And so I migh add then will God be with them when they pass through the waters and through the Rivers they shall not overflow them and through the fire it shall not burn them c. For this is a Scripture-promise Isay 43. 2. Then in 6. troubles shall they be delivered and in 7. there shall no evil touch them for this is c. Iob 5. 19. Then shall they shortly be received to Christ and be where he is for this is c. Iohn 14. 3 17. 24. 12. 26. And thus I might still further run forth and abundantly enlarge and expatiate my self but this I shall leave for the further inlarging of your own Meditations and Observations having shewen you the way Thus that the Scripture cannot be broken is matter and ground of singular comfort to the People of God â—or if the Scripture cannot be broken then the promises which are a main chief part thereof cannot be broken And as this is matter ground of singular comfort to the People of God so let them improve it and make use of it for their comfort let them suck out the sweetness of it cheer themselves with it Seeing the promises cannot be broken neither let your Faith nor your hopes be broken seeing the one cannot fail neither let the other fail stagger or â—efoiled but feal to the firmness and steadiness of what God has premised which shall certainly be performed by the firmness steadiness of your Faith say as David Psalm 42. 5. Why art thâ—â— cost down O
being stiled Gods surely it beseemeth them to act as God and now that Princes and Magistrates are in some sense Gods Christ here proves it because the Scripture saith so of them being that which cannot be broken it must needs be so that in some sense they are Gods But to close with the words themselves And the Scripture cannot be broken in which as considered of themselves we have two things observable 1. The Subject 2. The Predicate 1. The subject or thing spoken of and that is the word of God called here and elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scriptura the Appellantur divinae literae nomine communi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scripturae aut Scriptura 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nam etsi quicquid scribitur scriptura vocetur hoc tamen commune nomen scripturis sacris aptatur per excellentiam Rivet in Isagoge c. Pag 1. Scripture or writing and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of eminency and excellency as if it was the only writing and indeed what are all other writings in comparison of this or but as they tend to explain this or as they refer to this the word of God is the writing the main the chief the prime the principal the writing of writings it hath the preheminency of all writings in comparison whereof others deserve not the name of writings this is the writing which contains in it great things a Hosea 8. 12 excellent things b Prov. 8. 6. 22. 20. admirable things c Psal 119. 18. even such as the Angels desire to pry into d 1 Pet. 1. 12. this is the writing that Kings are commanded to write a Copy of and that it shall be with them and that they shall read therein all the dayes of their life e Deut. 18. 17. yea and the more any search into this writing the more does it enoble them f Acts 17. 11. 2. The Predicate or what it is that is spoken of the Scripture and that is this this that it cannot be broken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non potest solvi He does not say should not be broken or ought not to be broken no but cannot be broken our Saviour puts an impossibility upon it and the Scripture cannot be broken be broken that is according to the Greek unloosed dissolved or destroyed thus the word is rendred elsewhere Iohn 1. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to unloose Iohn 2. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destroy 2 Pet. 3. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be dissolved c. and thus the Scripture cannot be broken that Non potest solvi scriptura hoc est Minime fieri posse quin impleatur Pet Martyr in Rom. 9. is unloosed dissolved destroyed violated or made void as to that it saith or affirms but continues most firm and shall certainly be fulfilled other things indeed shall be dissolved even the firmest and solidest that are the heavens and the earth 2 Pet. 3. 11 12. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved but the Scriptures never can nor shall be dissolved unloosed or destroyed Or secondly The Non falsum esse potest quod in divinis literis proditum est Eraimus Nihil absurdi dixit nihil falsi babet Aretius Scripture cannot be broken i. e. It cannot be mistaken it cannot err or be deceived so Rollock on the place Ferus non potest solvi hoc est non errare potest that is it cannot err it cannot be deceived or be found false in what it saith it cannot lose its truth as the Dutch Anotat expound in part The Doctrine Now the words being thus opened and explained are as you see an intire proposition of themselves and that proposition in the verysame words that it is being explained as you have heard shall be the point which I shall at the present prosecute viz. this that Doct. The Scripture cannot be broken it cannot be unloosed dissolved or destroyed the word of God cannot become void neither can it mistake err be deceived or prove false no look whatever the Scripture saith or affirms of persons or things certainly so they are as the Scripture saith of them for the Scripture cannot be broken if the Scripture saith of Princes or Magistrates that they are Gods certainly in some sense so they are because the Scripture saith so of them and that cannot err Deus non projicit vâ—nas ampullas neque efflat sermonem aliquem fine effectu sed exequitur quicquid Mandavit suis Prophetis or mistake and look whatever the Scripture speaks either by way of Prophecie Promise or Threatning it shall certainly come to pass it shall be fulfill'd and cannot be disanull'd or broken no what God hath written he hath written he will not change nor alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth what is said of God himself that may be said of his word with it is no variableness nor shadow of turning neither Calv. in Zach. 1. 5. 6. is there any possibility of its being dissolved no we our selves indeed shall be dissolved we shall be broken our James 1. 17. bodies and souls shall separate and fall asunder each from other for we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved 2 Cor. 5. 1. Yea those very parts which are most compact and most of all firm and vital shall fail shall suffer a dissolution and be broken the Silver Cord shall be loosed and Eccl. 12. 5. the Golden Bowl be broken the Pitcher shall be broken at the Fountain and the Wheel stall be broken at the Cistern yea all flesh shall resolve into dust but the Scripture still endures and stands firm and cannot be broken all flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the Isay 40. 6. 7 8. flower of the field the grass withers the Quaemvis evanescant homines vel tollaâ—tur post exiguum tempus è medio tamen caelestis doctrina semper est stabilis retinet suum effectuÌ„ Calv. in Zac. 1. 5 6. flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for ever men they are frail and infirm creatures they and their designes quickly fail and are frustrate but Gods word still stands firm and inviolable my Counsel shall stand saith God and I will do all my pleasure the Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations Psal 33. 11. The proof of the point 1. From Scripture And here I might multiply many but three or four shall suffice besides those I have hinted already 119. Psal 89. for ever O Lord thy word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 setled in heaven or stands continues Stans Permanet Montan abides is established how ever things go in earth or what ever changes and alterations there are in the world Gods word is for ever setled in heaven thy word is for
and is not communicable to any creature in heaven or earth and as it doth denote as concerning God that he hath his being of himself as also that he gives being to all creatures so likewise that he gives being to what he speaks and doth fully accomplish and make good the same that he is most true in his promises his threatnings and in his Prophecies and makes them as really in their time to be as if they were already as himself is so he makes all to be and to be brought about that he speaks and hence it is an ordinary thing in Scripture that when the Lord promises or threatens any great matter he useth to adjoyn thereto this name Iehovah as a firm Seal and pledge of performing it as in the 31. Ier. it is observed that in that Chapter where are made many great and pretious promises the name Iehovah is used above twenty times and so oft do we meet with these expressions thus saith the Lord and I the Lord have spâ—ken it and for the Lord hath spoken it and ye shall know that I am the Lord â—zek 6. 10. and they shall know that I am the Lord and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evill unto them a word is then in vain when it is not fulfilled but thus shall none of Gods words be but shall be accomplished because the Lord hath spoken them so v. 13. 14. So 7 4 9 27. 21. 17. 24. 14 27 c. Reas 4 Because it is the Scripture of that God who is unchangeable who is still in one mind and therefore what he saith he will do what he speaks shall certainly come to passe Mal. 3. 6. for I am the Lord I change not a Deus semper idem idem perpetuo manet and as God himself is unchangeable so all that is in God is unchangeable for this saith one is an attribute that like a Silken string thorow a Chain of Pearls runneth thorow all the rest God is un changeable in his essence in all his divine attributes in his purposes and decrees yea and in his promises and threatnings so as they cannot but be performed for I am the Lord I change not men they change their minds alter they are of one mind it may be to day and of another to morrow and so what they purpose is many times not performed but it is not so with God he changes not nay with him saith the Apostle Iames 1. 17 is no variableness nor shadow of turning he is still constant and continues the same yesterday to day and for ever and therefore he will perform and bring to pass what he hath spoken both according to his promises and according to his threatnings I am the Lord I change not therefore ye Sons of Iacob are not consumeâ— which some interpret thus b though ye Sons of Iacob a Duplex potest elici expositio quamvis nondum â—stis consumpti ego tamen non mutor vel superstiâ—es manetis quia rationem habeo naturae meae potius quam rependere vobis quod meriti estis Calv. in Locum are not consumed yet I change not I am the same Lord and ye shall find so in the end however because I forbear you long you may deem otherwise but at length know ye that all shall come to passe and not one thing shall fall to the ground howsoever it be not so speedily as you think executed yet it shall in its time others thus you have deserved over and over again to be consumed and considering your demerits it may seem a wonder I have not done it but that it is thus it is because of me and my nature that I am Iehovah and change not and so will perform what I have promised be as good as my word and this Balaam himself is forced to confess Numb 23. 19. God is not a man that he should lye neither the Son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it hath he spoken and shall he not make it good for he is in one mind saith Iob and who can turn him and what his soul desireth even that he doth this notes the Job 23 13 stability unchangeableness of God he is alwayes like himself fixt and constant to his own purposes and to the dictates of his own will and wisdom and therefore the Scripture being the Scripture of that God which is unchangeable it cannot be broken but as he continues still the same so likewise doth that Reas 5 Because it is the Scripture of that God who is every way able and hath full and all-sufficient power to accomplish what ever he speaks be it matter of promise or matter of threatning what ever it be he is I say every way able to accomplish it is any thing too hard for the Lord ah Lord God saith Jer. 32. 19 the Prophet Ier. thou hast made the heavens and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm and there is nothing too hard for thee I know saith Iob that thou canst do every thing and that no thought can be with-holden from thee Iob. 42. 2. that is thou dost not want power to bring to pass what ever thou hast said or decreed no be it what it will seem it never so difficult thou art able to bring it to pass and no thought of thine can be hindred i. e. thou canst not be hindred from doing what ever thou purposest or intendest to do no the Councel of the Lord standeth for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations for the Lord of hosts hath purposed and who shall disanul it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turn it back Isay 14. 28. Men indeed many times purpose and resolve and say what they will do I but cannot effect it cannot bring it about why because they are frail creatures and want power or are hindred by a greater so that their hands cannot effect what their heads have contrived a greater than themselves disappoints them Iob. 5. 12. he disappointeth the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise in the 23. Acts 12 we find there certain of the Jewes banding together and binding themselves under a curse saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killâ—d Paul and there were more than forty which had made this conspiracy I but their hands could not perform their enterprise if they had not eaten nor drunk till they had killed Paul they must have starved why because a greater force than themselves rescued and delivered him out of their hands but who can deliver out of the hands of God none as the Prophet Isay expresses it Isay 43. 13. yea before the day was I am he and there is none that can deliver out of my hands no not all the creatures in heaven and in earth should they joyn their power and force together and it follows I
trespasses and now in these and very many others that I might mention the Scripture they continuing such cannot be broken 5. In regard of whatever it saith 5. What it saith and affirms c. or affirms of persons or things thus the Scripture cannot be broken i. e. it cannot err mistake or be deceived no look what ever it saith or affirms of persons or things so they certainly are as the Scripture saith of them and they cannot be otherwise than as the Scripture saith of them thus the Scripture cannot err as here Christ proves Princes and Magistrates in some sense to be Gods why because the Scripture saith and affirms so of them and the Scripture cannot be broken err or mistake so look what ever the Scripture saith or affirms as concerning God a Ex. 34 6 7. Gen. 17. 1. Psa 73. 〈◊〉 Nahum 1. 7. Psa 84. 11 2 Cor. 1. 3. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Acts 7. 2. Psa 8. 3. Psa 103. 13 c. as concerning Jesus Christ b Cant. 5. 10. Psal 45. Hagg. 1. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 4 as concerning the Holy Ghost c Psalm 1. 3 10. Job 15. 16. as concerning Angels d Heb. 1. 14. Psa 34. 7. as concerning men e Psal 144. 4. c. Satan f 1 Pet. 5. 8. Rev. 12. 9. c. sin the world and worldly things the word of God the wayes of God Hell Heaven or what ever else look what ever it be that the Scripture saith of them or any of them so certainly they are as the Scripture saith of them in every respect thus the Scripture cannot be broken do you think saith the Apostle Jemes 4. 5. that the Scripture saith in vain the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy no it is true enough too true that the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy that we are much carried out towards envy our corrupt nature doth much bewray it self that way the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vainly i. e. that this should not be so yes it is certainly so as we find by sad experience The 1. Octjection answered But after all that hath hitherto been 1. Object answered said as concerning the Scriptures impossibility of being broken how can it may some say be affirm'd that it should not be broken when as the commandements which are part of the Scripture are so often said to be broken so that if the Scripture in some part of it should not be broken why in this very thing the Scripture in what it saith would appear to be broken for how often doth the Scripture make mention of Gods Commandements being broken yea and much complains thereof Matth. 5. 19. whosoever therefore shall break on of these least Commandements then they may be broken thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God Rom. 2. 23 25. and Psal 89. 3. if they break my statutes and Ezra 9. 14. should we again break thy Commandements c. And what is sin indeed but in some sense a breach of Gods Law 1 John 3. 4. for sin is the transgression of the Law And how can it be affirmed then that the Scripture cannot be broken except we will make the Commandements to be no part of the Scripture To this I answer That if we indeed take breaking of Gods Commandements for disobeying Gods Commandements for transgressing and going beyond the bounds and limits of them for not keeping within the Compass of them l Thus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies transgressio digressio aberratio Mâ—taphor sumpta sen a lineasive a via recta a qua ad latus declinare vitium est Parâ—us in Rom. 2. 23. so its true that the Commandements may indeed be broken yea and are too too frequently broken alas we have too too sad experience of this which indeed did break Davids heart and it was well if it did more affect and afflict ours for this is it that hath so broken our Nation and broken our Churches and broken so many in their estates in their limbs in their lively-hoods yea in their lives this broke Davids bones that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce and Jerusalems Lam. 3. 4. my flesh and my skin hath he made old he hath broken my bones this made Jerusalems breach and so hath it ours Lament 2. 13. great like the Sea the Lord heal it this was it that broke Jesus Christ himself he was wounded for our transgressions he Isaiah 53. 5. 1 Cor. 11. 24. was bruised for our iniquities this is my body which is broken for you for your sins for your transgressioÌ„s yea God himself complains that he is broken Ezek. 6. 9. because I am broken with their whorish heart which hath departed from me c. and it was well it more brake our hearts that in this sense the Law and Commandements which are part of the Scripture are so much broken But if we take breaking of Gods Commandements for disanulling them dissolving loosing and destroying them for abrogating them for taking them away or frustrating them and making them voyd so the Law and Commandements cannot be broken no the Scripture is express to the contrary for ever O Lord thy word is setled in heaven concerning thy Testimonies I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever and thy word is true from the beginning and every one of thy righteous judgements endureth for ever Psal 119 89. 152. 160. Matth. 5. 8. for verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law till all be fulfilled one jot or one iota this is the least Letter of the Greek as jod of the Hebrew whereby Christ would say that even the least thing which is written in the Law shall not perish or one title i. e. stroke of a Letter or point not the least letter or particle of a letter shall fail Men indeed have been mineing at Gods Commandements and have assayed to make some of them null and voyd the Papists dispence with the second Commandement and the tenth others with the fourth but what ever men assay Gods Commandements do continue still the same without either addition or substraction that which God once made and Commanded as a Law and Rule to walk by that continues so still there 's no change or dissolution in Gods precepts but they are still one and the same in themselves and have the same obligation upon us thus the Commandements in this sense cannot be broken though wicked men they labour indeed and do as much as in them lies thus to break them namely to destroy them abolish them make them voyd as David complains Psa 119. 126. It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made voyd thy Law they have indevoured it they have done it as much as in them lies and what they intended and drove at is
shall but only allude to it here and apply it in this sense O it 's a blessed thing when the Lord deals well with us and blesses us according to his word I mean in this sense as his word Judges and determines as concerning dealing well with and blessing and this is not when meerly he gives us wealth and riches and abundance or when he gives us health or â—ase when we are not in trouble as other men nor plagued like other men this indeed the world counts the only dealing well with but it may be ill enough with us and we may be far enough from being blessed for all this Psa 73. 3 4 12. Zach. 1. 15. that rich man in the 12th of Luke he no doubt thought it well with himself and therefore he sings a requiem to his soul v. 19. because he had heapt so much wealth together Soul thou hast goods laid â—p for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry But what saith God to him thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee then whose shall those things be wch thou hast provided so is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God Thus for God meerly to give us wealth and riches or health and ease this is not to bless us according to his word but then the Lord blesses us and deals well with us according to his word when he gives us himself his Son his Spirit his Grace his Favour when he makes his face to shine upon us and teaches us his Statutes as David prayes Psal 119. 135. make thy face to shine upon me and teach me thy Statutes when he gives faith forgives us our sins turns us away from our iniquities makes us rich towards himself with 2 Cor. 8. 9. those riches which Jesus Christ became poor to inrich our souls withall then God deals well with us and blesses us according to his word and that is a dealing well with and a blessing indeed for the word cannot be broken It 's said in Isay 65. 16. that he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth O it 's a blessed thing when we ground our blessedness upon God and his truth I am blessed because I am such a one whom Gods truth whom Gods word which cannot be broken pronounces blessed I such are blessed indeed And so I might adde that this point informs us gives us to see who are indeed excellent and honourable and noble and so who are indeed base vile and contemptible namely such whom the Scripture saith and affirms to be so for that cannot err or mistake and therefore such as the Scripture saith are excellent are indeed excellent and such as the Scripture saith are vile are indeed vile Now the Scripture saith and affirms that the Saints are excellent Psal 16. 11. Prov. 12. 26. that such as search the Scripture are Noble Acts 17. 11. that such as are pretious in Gods sight are honourable Isay 43. 4. and these now are indeed excellent noble and honourable the Scripture so affirming and we can never indeed be truly such till we come to be of the number of these the very heathens themselves had a kind of notion of this e Claudius his Motto Generis virtus nobilitas is virtue not Scutchions or images of Ancestors makes men noble Aemilias Motto Non gens sed mens non genus sed genius â—ot race or place but grace truly sets forth a man and Very observable to this purpose is that of Juvenal Satyr 8. Stemmana quid faciunt quid prodest Pontice longo Sanguine censeri pictosque ostendere vultus Majorum c. Tota licet veteres exornent undique cerae Atria Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus So the Scripture saith and affirms of the wicked that they are vile though otherwise never so great high and honourable in the eyes of the world Psa 15. 4. 12. 8. when the vilest men are exalted vile though exalted thus Antiochus though otherwise great is called a vile person Dan. 11. 21. And man in honour and not having a saving understanding in the things of God is like the heasts that perish Psa 49. 20. Hence God is said to tread down the wicked even as mire in the street and to put them all away like dross the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scorias drosses that is vilest dross Pro. 10. 20. the heart of the wicked is little worth it may be his House Lands or Revenues are somewhat worth but his heart is little worth And so I might likewise add that this point it informs us also who are indeed wise and who foolish namely such whom the Scripture saith and affirms to be so for that cannot err or mistake and therefore such as that affirms to be wise are indeed wise and such as that pronounces to be foolish are indeed foolish now the Scripture saith such are wise That fear God and depart from evill Job 28. 11. Psal 111. 10. That understand and consider their latter end Deut. 32. 29. That hear Christs sayings and do them Matth. 7. 24. that walk circum spectly Eph. 5. 15. That foresee the evill and hide themselves Prov. 22. 3. That win souls Prov. 11. 30. Dan. 12. 3. And so the Scripture saith likewise of all wicked men that they are foolish Psa 5. 5. Job 5. 3. Prov. 9. 6. 10. 23. And so I might give you many other places but they are every where obvious more particularly such as hear Christs sayings and do them not Matth. 7. 26. That reject the word of the Lord Jer. 8. 9. that leave off to do good Psal 36. 3. That lay up treasure for themselves and are not rich towards Godâ— Luke 12. 20 21. that trust in their own heart Prov. 28. 26. And thus I might further dilate but this at present shall suffice 3. Again Cannot the Scripture be broken then this further informs us and gives us to see what a firm and strong prop such lean and rely upon that make the Word of God their stay that there trust and hope and bear up themselves that can say as David For I trust in thy Word and but I hope in thy Word Psalm 119. 49 81. I say if the Scripture cannot be broken if it cannot be unloosed or dissolved what a firm and strong prop do such lean and rely upon even such as cannot fail as is more firm than Heaven and Earth it self for Heaven and Earth shall pass away sayes Christ but my words shall not pass away For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in Heaven Solomon tells us the rich mans wealth is his strong City and an high Wall but it is but in his own conceit Prov. 18. 11. For he that trusteth in his riches shall fall Prov. 11. 28. But so shall never such do who trust in the Word no for all flesh is as grass and all the glory of Man
we should not be saved the Scripture would be broken First I say let us be exhorted to be much in blessing and praising of God yea and in admiring and adoring his infinite wisdom mercy and goodness that the Scripture being that which cannot be broken he should contrive and find out a way so as for man to be saved and yet his truth the Scripture what he had said upon mans sinning be salved and not be broken man had sinned and man must dye for sin according to what God had said Gen. 2. 19. for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye i. e. not only spiritually and temporally but eternally and now God out of his infinite wisdom and according to his infinite goodness contrives and finds out such a way by his Son becoming man that as man had sinned so man he doth dye for sin his Son becoming man and dying yea suffers what was equivalent to the second death even to eternal death and the pains of hell for ever the whole wrath of God due to the sin of man being poured forth upon him those sufferings though only for a short time yet being the sufferings of such a one of him who was God as well as man were more than if all the world had suffered for ever and did countervail everlasting death and damnation And thus man is saved and yet Gods truth salved and his justice satisfied the Scripture not broken and this it was the Lords own doing the contrivement of his wisdom and the product of his goodness and mercy and it is that which should be very marvellous for ever in our eyes and provoke us to be much in blessing and praising of his name And the more to provoke and stir us up hereunto consider but these few particulars 1. That according to what God had said we were all upon sinning in a lost and undone condition c. 2. That if God could not have saved us and withall have salved what he had said but that must have been broken he would never have saved us no he would rather break a whole world yea were it ten thousand worlds than have his truth broken he is Iehovah and cannot but give being to what he speaks Heaven and earth shall pass away but his words cannot pass away Again 3. Consider that it was beyond the Wisedom and contrivement of all the Creatures in Heaven and in Earth to finde out such a way as that Man might be saved and yet withall what God had said be salved the Scripture not be broken We find in the 6th of Daniel that Darius there signes a Writing and a Decree That whosoever should ask a Petition of any God or man for 30. daies save of him should be cast into the Den of Lions Daniel yet when he knew that the Writing was signed prayed as he did aforetime thrice a day And now when the King hears of this he is sore displeased with himself and sets his heart on Daniel to deliver him and he labeured it is said Verse 14. till the going down of the Sun to deliver him but his Statute and Decree being that which might not be changed he could not do it but Daniel is cast into the Den of Lions No more could all the Creatures in Heaven or in Earth have found out a way for Man to have been saved and Gods Word be verified no but he must for ever had it been left to them have been cast into Hell the redemption of their Souls though never so pretious must have ceast for ever as concerning such Wisdom we might say as Job 28. 12. Where shall it be found and where is the place of it man knoweth not the price of it neither was it to be found in the Land of the living the depth saith it is not in me and the Sea saith it is not in me c. And then consider 4. Fourthly that God now after all this should find out a way so to save man as that what he had said should not be dissolved nor violated O what thanks can we render unto God for this that he should do it when all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth could never have done it and yet when as if it had not been done if such a way had not been contrived man must have been undone for ever and that God should now do it O what thanks can we I say render to God for this how admirable should this be in our eyes especially if we consider the way he contrived and took to do it that we might be saved and the Scripture not be broken he is pleased to break his Son to bruise him Isay 53. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief c. That he might spare us he did not spare him no not his own Son his dear Son his beloved Son his onely begotten Son but delivered him up he comes down from Heaven becomes Man and being found in fashion as a Man humbles himself and becomes obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross and all that we might live and Gods truth not be violated For God so loved the Word that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believes on him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. And in this was manifested the Love of God towards us because that God sent his onely begotten Son into the World that we might live through him thus by the grace of God as the Apostle speaks Hebrewes 2. 9. Jesus Christ he tastes death for every man i. e. for all sorts of men for every of the Elect for every one who believes for every one who hath life and salvation he tastes Death he dyes for them in their place and in their stead Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us his Soul was in our Souls stead when he told his Disciples it was troubled and when he cryed What shall I say Father save me from this Joh. 12. 27. hour but for this cause came I to this hour my Soul is exceeding sorrowful Mat. 26. 38 even to Death And when he was in Luc. 22. 44 such an Agony as his sweat is said to be as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground then I say he was in our sted surely he hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borne as a Porter bears an heavy burthen borne our griefs carried our sorrowes it was for our transgressions that he was wounded and for our iniquities that he was bruised they were laid upon him or else they must have lain upon us and sunk us to all eternity But by the grace of God that the Scripture might not be broken in our being delivered from everlasting breakings Christ he is broken and dies and by the grace of God his death stands for ours and his pains though for a short time yet being
in the least circumstance of those sufferings which it had fore-told he should undergo but in every thing were they all perfectly fulfilled Then it being a thing so sure that the Scripture cannot be broken O be admonished warned from hence to take heed of continuing in such a state and condition in which you cannot be saved except the Scripture be broken or in which if you be saved the Scripture must be broken I say be admonished and warned of continuing in such an estate and condition and is there not infinite cause and ground when as you have heard and had it made out so abundantly unto you that the Scripture can by no meanes be broken and therefore to continue in such an estate in which you cannot be saved except the Scripture be broken is indeed to continue in such an estate in which abiding you cannot possibly be saved For the Scripture cannot be broken that 's the poynt in hand and that which hath been so abundantly proved No God never did nor never will break one jot or tittle of his Word were it to save a whole World yea ten thousand Worlds were there so many extant yet will he not to save them break his Word and hereof hath he given full and certain assurance unto all men in that he suffered not any thing to fall to the ground or to be broken that was foretold as concerning those heavy and grievous breakings of his dear Son but all were fully undergon by him And he that would not have the Scripture broken or dispenc'd with for his Son his dear and blessed Son will he have it broken or dispenc'd withall for thee no never expect it he that would not have the Scripture broken no not for Jesus Christ he will never have it broken for the Creature he that would not have it broken for the Son of his love for him in whom his Soul delighted will never have it broken for thee with whom he is daily provoked if he did these things in a green Tree that the Scripture might not be broken O what shall be done to the dry Tree rather than the Scripture be broken And therefore O how much doth it concern every one to see to it that they do not continue in such an estate in which they cannot be saved except the Scripture be broken the Scripture being that which cannot be broken But you will say what estate is that in which I cannot be saved except the Scripture be broken in which if I must be saved the Scripture must be broken I shall instance at present only in five that the Scripture makes mention of 1. First if continuing in a state of spiritual blindnesse darknesse and ignorance you be saved the Scripture must be broken You cannot continuing in such an estare be saved except the Scripture be broken for the Scripture in several places speaks quite contrary as to such continuing such being saved Isa 27. 11. It is a people of no understanding and therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them but will destroy them and he that formed them will shew them no favour because a people of no understanding such as were blind and ignorant that knew neither God nor themselves nor any thing of God as they should and ought Pray observe it that which poor Creatures are wont to make use of for to plead for themselves and to produce in favour of themselves as because they are ignorant and not Book-learned as they term it therefore they think to find mercy and favour at Gods hands but that here God produces against them It is a people of no understanding therefore c. Their ignorance aggravates their woe and is a bar to the mercy and favour of God and then it s said he that made them will shew them no mercy whereas this uses to be a poor ignorant Souls plea God that made me will have mercy on me and he that formed me will shew me favour I am his Workmanship I but no matter for that if thou continuest still in a state of blindnesse and ignorance so livest and so dyest if he that made thee has mercy on thee or he that formed thee shew thee favour the Scripture must be broken so 2 Thess 1. 7 8. It is there said The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God f Ex defectu notitiae Dei sequitur Dei contemptus tandem Mors Calv. in Loc. i. e. aright so as his Word has revealed him as they ought so as to love him honour him trust in him and obey him g Verba notitiae in Scriptura affectus comprehendunt Now we are ready generally to think when Christ shall be revealed in such a way as this from Heaven with his mighty Angels and in flaming fire O then woe be to Cain who slew his Brother to Judas that betrayed his Master these and such like as these Christ will take vengeance on I but the Scripture saies he will take vengeance on thee that knowest not God I and thou continuing such a one as is ignorant of God and knowest not God if Christ should not when he shall so be revealed take vengeance on thee the Scripture must be broken and therefore when the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 2. 4. That God will have all men to be saved i. e. some of all sorts he adds as the meanes conducing thereunto and to come unto the knowlege of the truth and when Paul is sent to the Gentiles that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and inheritance amongst them which are sanctified the way is by opening their eyes and turning them from darknesse to light and for this end has the day-spring from on high visited us to give light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet in the way of peace Luc. 1. 78 79. And if the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost sayes the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 3. And my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge Hosea 4. 4. So that Ignorance is a far greater evil than people ordinarily are aware of It is so great an evil that if thou continue such thou canst not be saved except the Scripture be broken and therefore how should we labour after Knowledge saving Knowledge that the Soul be without Knowledge saies Solomon Prov. 9. 2. it is not good nay it is not only not good but exceeding evil and pernitious For without Knowledge we cannot be saved except the Scripture be broken And therefore it is good as Solomon speaks to cry after Knowledge and to lift up the voice for Vnderstanding Prov. 3. 4. to seek her as Silver and to search for her as for hid treasures and how much better is it to get Wisdom than Gold and to get Vnderstanding rather than choice Silver and Wisdom is the
THE SCRIPTURES STABILITY OR The Scripture cannot be BROKEN Proved Explained and several wayes applied whereby all Scripture may with singular advantage come to be IMPROVED Very seasonable and usefull in these last and worst dayes wherein the Authority and Truth of the Scripture is now much oppugned and by few so improved as it ought By ROBERT PERROT B. M. and Minister of Gods Word at DEANE in BEDFORDSHIRE For ever O Lord thy word is settled in Heaven Psal 119. 89. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Verbum dei Caelo praevalet terrae Bernard Scriptura pura absque omni cummixtione falsitatis stabilis c. Rivet in Orat. ante Isag ad S. Sacram. LONDON Printed by S. G. for Iohn Rothwell at the Fountain in Cheap-side and Iohn Hancock in Popes-head-Ally 1658. TO The truly PIOUS and Worthily Honoured Lady the Lady Elizabeth Alston wife of the Right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Alston Baronet Grace Mercy and Peace MADAM THose many and great Obligations wherein I stand ingaged to your Ladiship for those many Favours and Respects vouchsafed to me since the happiness of my first acquaintance with you have made me very studious of taking all occasions whereby I might testifie my sensibleness thereof and well knowing there was nothing in which I could do it more acceptably than in the tender of that which might any wayes contribute to your Ladiships spiritual advantage I have made bold to adventure to make tenders of this what it is to your Ladiship Truly Madam I know not to give flattering titles to any in so doing my Maker would soon take me away But this I must needs acknowledge to Gods glory and your Ladiships own encouragement yea and for the happy imitation of others of your Ladiships Rank that my self and all that know you have much cause to bless God upon every remembrance of you when we consider your exemplary piety adorned with such remarkable humility * Magna rara virtus est ut magna licet operantem magnum te nescias manifestam omnibus tuam tibi solum latere Sanctitatem Mirabilem te apparere contemptibilem te reputare hoc ego ipsis virtutibus mirabilius judico Bernard your so singular pretiousness of spirit and yet being withall so poor in spirit your steeliness as to the truth and yet tenderness both to and for sin your great care and unwearied pains to promote Religion in your Family yea and in the place where you live having a heart to bewail what according to your Ladiships earnest desire you cannot see reclaimed and to mourn for what to your Ladiships great grief you cannot see amended your countenancing and so much encouraging God's so much despised Ministry in these last worst daies God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which herein you have shewed and made manifest towards his name Blessed be God for your love of firm stedfastness to and zeal for his truth against whatever is opposite thereunto in these times wherein so many have left their first love and are fallen from their stedfastness being like Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine But blessed be God who hath kept you firm the Lord confirm and establish you still unto the end Madam I have the rather Dedicated what here followes unto your Ladiship because it is that which indeed does so much and so many wayes make for your Ladiships comfort and encouragement for if the Scripture cannot be broken as indeed it cannot then your Ladiship hath chosen that good part that shall not be taken away having chosen that part of which the Scripture so affirms And if the Scripture cannot be broken then your Ladiship is indeed blessed being among those whom the Scripture pronounceth blessed then doth your Ladiship lean on a firm and strong prop having made that word which cannot be broken your stay then what infinite cause hath your Ladiship to bless God that through grace you should have hopes upon good grounds of entrance into the Kingdom of heaven the Scripture that cannot be broken affirming that a rich man shall hardly enter into the Kingdom of heaven and the Scripture elsewhere thus speaking you see your calling brethren how that not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1. 26. And hath not God chosen the poor of this world Rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom James 2. 5. the poor of this world And yet that your Ladiship should enter into the Kingdom of heaven when such of your Ladiships Rank do so hardly enter hardlier than others as the Scripture which cannot be broken doth affirm such having greater temptations and hinderances than others * Plenitudo abundantia temporalium oblivionem inopiam facit aeternorum Bernard though greater Obligations to God and that though not many noble are called yet that your Ladiship should make one * That though orta è magnis yet â—na è paucis and that though the poor of this world are such as God usually and for the most part hath chosen rich in Faith and Heirs of the Kingdom yet that the Lord should choose you though rich in the world to be rich in Faith too and an Heir of the Kingdom and that that happy conjunction which is so desirable but so exceeding rare should yet unite in your Ladiship that grace and place should meet together and godliness and greatness should kiss each other Truly this Madam is the Lords wonderful and gratious doing and should be marvellous in your eyes it should be matter of praise and admiration continually here and it will be so to all eternity hereafter and all little enough In a word if the Scripture cannot be broken O what a River of consolation doth hence then flow to your Ladiship the streams whereof I hope shall much make glad your heart But I shall not longer at present detein your Ladiship but humbly refer you to that which followes which that it may contribute to your Ladiships comfort and spiritual benefit as also to the benefit of others yea of all who shall read it is and shall be the Prayer of him who is MADAM Your Ladiships humble and much obliged Servant in the Lord ROBERT PERROT TO The CHRISTIAN READER Reader THou maist probably wonder as I do my self that in these dayes wherin such throngs of Books still daily come forth some of which indeed are of so great and singular worth though others do but as it were weary and oppreâ—â— the Press that I if thou knowest any thing of me of what I know very much my self namely of my own unworthiness that I after so many already come and still daily comming forth should appear amongst them truly there were several things that long retarded what I have been at length prevailed with to do as the multitude of Books that still daily come forth * Quis leget haec min
charg'd upon them as if effected but in vain do they attempt this it cannot really and indeed be abolished or made voyd no all his Commandements are sure and they stand fast for ever and ever Psalm 111. 7 8. it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the Law to fail and thus the Commandements cannot be broken and I might add further in another respect that though the Law be broke by sinners in regard of their disobedience to it yet shall it certainly be fulfilled in regard of the penalty and punishment threatned by it to such as so break it either by them or their surety one way or other if we do not take hold of the preceptive part of the Law by obedience the Penal part of the Law will take hold of us for our disobedience The second objection answered But there is another objection yet in 2. Objection answered our way and that is this How can it be affirmed the Scripture cannot be broken when as we find the threatnings which are part of the Scripture have not many times been fulfilled nor accomplish'd but in that sense broken as among many to instance only in one as most remarkable that in the Prophecy of Jonah we find there the Prophet Jonah sent to Nineveh with this direct threatning against it Jonah 3. 4. and he cryed and said Yet forty dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed and yet we find afterward this threatning was not fulfilled God did not do what he said he would do for it is said vers 10. that God repented of the evill that he said he would do and did it not and how then can this place and other the like and the point in hand be reconciled how can it be said the Scriptures cannot be broken and yet the threatnings which are part of the Scripture not be fulfilled nor be accomplished but in some sense be broken yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be overthrown and yet not overthrown To this I answer That this and the like places and the point in hand may very well be reconciled for this threatning was conditional as all other threatnings are of the Law m Deunciatio ypothetiâ— prout â—nt minae â—y promisiones legis â—y confirnant seâ—uentia Junius Intelligenda conditionaliter nimirum cum â—ac exceptione nisi egerint paenitentiam Piscat in locum So Gen. 20. 3. Behold thou art but a dead man sub conditione â—isi mulierem hanc restituas So Isay 38. 1. God said to Hezekiah Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live Denunciatiâ— ista non intelligenda simpliciter sed cum tacita conditione nempe nisi Hezek vitam diuturniorem is deo petiverit idque â—o modo quâ— petivit and though in this place it be not exprest yet is it to be understood else what needed the Lord to have sent the Prophet unto them he might have destroyed them without that sending and warning but he sends Ionah that by his warning they might speedily provide for their own safety by timely repentance hence it is said vers 10. and God saw their works that they turned from their evill way and God repented of the evill that he said he would do unto them and he did it not i. e. he recalled his sentence which was but conditional in his decree and mind though he gave little or no notice thereof to and by Ionah thus God he did not change properly but Nineveh changed the change is in man not in God when that which God threatens conditionally concerning man is changed he is still the same and his word and all the change is in man The application of the point But to come to the application of the point and now to build upon this foundation thus laid which is indeed the life and soul of Sermons when sacred truths are brought home to each mans particular conscience and case and this is indeed the main which in all this discourse I drive at and truly there is as I think I may safely say no one point as in reference to the Scripture of greater use nor any of which more singular improvement in the application thereof may be made than of this one indeed the right improvement of this one point as concerning the Scripture that it cannot be broken is the way to improve all Scripture I may say of this point as to the usefulness of it what is said of Ioseph in another case Gen. 49. 22. that it is fruitful bough or rather a fruitful Tree even a fruitful Tree by a well whose branches run over the wall But all that I shall speak as to the application of this point I shall reduce to these six uses in general 1. Of Information and Instruction 2. Of Humiliation 3. Of Exhortation 4. Warning and Admonition 5. Of Terror and Trembling 6. Of Consolation Of Information and Instruction if Use 1. â—f Inforâ—ation the Scripture cannot be broken but what it speaks shall certainly come to pass then 1. This it informs us and gives us to see what a desperat hazard most people run and what a desperat course most people take even all who still persist and go on in their sins for if the Scripture cannot be broken but what it speaks shall certainly come to pass then certainly such continuing so must be broken and must perish and be destroyed for this is it the Scripture speaks and holds forth Psa 68. 21. But God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one that goeth on still in his trespasses Job 31. 3. is not destruction to the wicked and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity Prov. 10. 29. the way of the Lord is strength to the upright but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity Prov. 6. 12 13 14 15. A naughty person a wicked man walketh with a froward mouth he winketh with his eyes he speaketh with his feet he teacheth with his fingers frowardness is in his heart he deviseth mischief continually he soweth discord therefore mark that shall his calamity come suddenly and suddenly shall he be broken without remedy 1 Sam. 2. 10. the adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces out of heaven shall he thunder upon them and now the Scripture cannot be broken that is the point we have proved and abundantly confirmed it is easier for heaven and earth to pass than one jot of the Scripture to fail and not be fulfilled and what a desperat hazard therefore do such run and what a desperat course do such take who still go on in their trespasses for they must needs be destroyed they must be broken for the Scripture cannot be broken and therefore it's blessed Counsel for such to break off their sins by repentance or else their sins will break them body and soul for ever this is the Counsel given by Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 27. wherefore let my Counsel O King
as the flower of the grass the grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever The Words of the Lord are pure Words as silver tryed in a fornace of earth purified seven times that is many times â—ully sufficiently seven being a perfect number 1 Sam. 2. 5. The baren hath born seven that is many all contain'd therein is firm and solid there is not in them the least dross of vanity or falshood David seals to this Psal 119. 65. Thoâ— hast dealt well with thy Servant O Lord according to thy Word as if he should have said O Lord I have found thee as good as thy Word to me thou didst not fail in performing what thou promisedst what thou spakest came to pass thy Word was not violated or made void and hence sayes David Psa 56. 4. In God will I praise his Word and again in the 10. Verse in God will I praise his Word in the Lord will I praise his Word that is as I suppose we may â—â—terpret it among other things in God that are so observable and praise-worthy I will praise his Word I will observe and take notice of that and praise and extol that which is so true so firm so solid so indissoluble this Faith especially looks at in God and there leanes and relies and well it may it being so firm being that which cannot fail hence sayes David Psalm 119. 74. They that fear thee will be glad when they see me because I have hoped in thy Word I and well they might there is great cause why we should rejoyce and be glad when we see such as hope in Gods Word O that there were more such that did it in truth because such hope well they fix their hope upon what is most firm upon what will hold and they cannot place their hopes better such shall never be ashamed of their hope Heaven and Earth shall pass away but that Word in which they hope shall never pass away for the Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee God may break his peoples estates he may break their relations yea he may break their bones break their limbs break their loines break them with breach upon breach as he did Job Job 16. 14. God brake his estate his relations laid waste his family made desolate all his company Job 16. 7. 29. 5. 1. 18 19. and brake his body 7. 5. So Isay 38. 13. I reckoned sayes Hezekiah till Morning that as a Lion so will he break all my bones from Day even to Night wilt thou make an end of me But though God break all else he never doth nor will nor can break his Word and therefore sayes Job still though he slay me yet I will trust in him Job 13. 15. And Hezekiah Isay 38. 16. O Lord by these things men live i. e. by the promises and therefore as Elizabeth told Mary Luke 1. 45. Blessed is she that believeth for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord thus Elizabeth by the instigation of the Holy Ghost pronounces Mary and all such as believe and rely on Gods Word blessed upon this ground because the Word of God cannot be broken but shall certainly be performed Blessed is she that believeth yea blessed are all that believe and rely on the Word but woeful is their estate that rely on any thing else for they shall come down wonderfully we may say of all other things that people trust in or leane on let them he what they will as is said of Egypt they trust but in the staff of a broken reed whereon if a man lean it will go into his hand and peirce it so are all other things to all those that trust in them and lean on them but the word is most firm and abideth for ever and therefore on a most firm prop do such lean and rely that stay themselves thereon 4. Again cannot the Scripture be broken nor Gods word therein fail or be found false then this it further informs us and gives us to see how exceeding abundant God is in his goodness and gratious condescention to his people p Consideranda exosculanda dei immensa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasese ad nostram infirmitatem in tantum demisit ut quasi aliquis nostrum verbis suis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etiam jure jurando aâ—thoritatem conciliare voluerit Pareâ—s in Locum and how exceeding tender he is of their comfort and consolation who as concerning what he hath promised hath not only given his people his word though that cannot be broken as you have heard proved but hath likewise added his oath hath not only spoke but sworn O how abundant herein doth appear the goodness of God and his tenderness of his peoples comfort and consolation as the Apostle expresses it in the Heb. 6. 17 18. wherin God willing more abundantly to shew unto the hâ—irs of promise the immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us q In Deo tam dicere quam jur are immutabile est hominum longe alia est ratio c. Sermo vero dei certa est veritas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum vero additur jus jurandum quasi câ—mulus ad plenam mensurâ—m aâ—â—â—dit hinc nobis valida consolatio quod deus qui fallere lo◠〈◊〉 â—oâ— potest promittere non contentus etiam jurat Calv. in loc For God saith Calv. to add his Oath to his promise is as when a heap is put to a full measure by two immutable chings that is his immutable promise and his immutable Oath we might have strong consolation God would have his people joyful Iohn 15. 11. and their consolation strong the ground there of being so firm and strong and solid O let us admire and adore Gods wonderful goodness and gratious condescention herein that we should have two such immutable things that God should both say and swear God cannot lie nor deceive whether he say or swear his nature makes it impossible and yet he is pleased to do both both to say and swear such is his wonderful goodness and condescention and if yet notwithstanding both these we shall so far dishonour God and be wanting to our own comfort as not to believe and rely on both these how sad and unworthy a thing will it be how derogatory to Gods glory as well as to our own comfort Nudis ejus promissis fidem haberi oportuit c. we ought saith Pareus upon the place to give credit to his bare promises because he is truth it self and goodness it self wisedom it self and power
is said hath said in his heart there is no God and so Psal 14. 1. how often have we and do we say in our hearts and say in our behaviours there is no truth as it were in Gods word we make as if it was of no force of no effect and how sad is this shall man be more credited than God a creature more than the Creator who is blessed for ever if we recâ—ive saith the Apostle John the witness of men the 1 John 5. 9. witness of God is greater but how do we make it less how long saith thâ— Lord will this people provoke me how long will it be ere they believe me O it much provokes the Lord when he is not believed when we make at least really as if his word was not true but did lye and what do we lesse when God threatens and we do not fear neither are affected therewith or warned thereby O Lord saith the Prophet Habakkuk I have heard thy speech and was affray'd he â—â—ally assented to what God by his word threatned so when we professe our selves to be heires of the promises and yet do not rely on them nor comfort our selves in them what is this but really to make as if what God speaks should never come to passe O there are many wayes as I might shew you and O that it might humble us that we really at least cross and contradict this truth and make as if the Scripture could be broken as to instance in some As first when we do not fear noâ— stand in awe of God but go on to provoke him what do we but really make as if the Scripture could be broken and as if it were not true as concerning what it saith and affirms of the absolute and irresistable power of God of his infinite Majesty greatness and dreadfulness 1 Cor. 10. 22. Heb. 12. 29. Matth. 10. 28. So when we do not love God and are not much in praysing of God and still give thanks to God what do we lesse than really make as if the Scripture could be broken as if it did err and was false as concerning what it saith and affirms of the bounty and great goodness of God and of his beauty amiableness and sweetness Psal 145. 9. Zac. 9. 17. So when we do not depend nor rely on God when we do not cast our care on him what do we less than really make as if the Scripture was false as concerning what it affirms of his care for us and of that respect which he hath to us 1 Pet. 5. 7. Matth. 6. 30. So when we do not walk before God and are upright keep close to him and not turn aside from him what is this but really to make as if the Scripture did err as concerning what it saith of Gods all-sufficiency Gen. 17. 1. So while we make not God our happiness and chief good what is this but to make as if what the Scripture testifies of his being so was not true So when we love and embrace this present world what is this but to make as if the Scripture did err concerning what it speaks of the vanity of it and the danger of adhering to it and so when we do not hate and abhor sin what iâ— this but to make as if the Scripture did err concerning what it speaks of its vileness so while we refuse to walk or do not delight in wisdomes wayes what is this but to make as if the Scripture did err as concerning what it saith of their pleasantness and peace Prov. 3. 17. So while we do not make out after heaven nor dread hell what do we but make as if the Scripture was false as concerning what it assirms of the glory and excellency of the one and of the horror and terror of the other In a word while we neglect Faith Repentance Regeneration Holiness and the like what do we but really make as if the Scripture was not true but false as concerning what it affirms of the indispensable necessity of these John 3. 36. 8. 34. Mark 16. 16. Luke 13. 3 5. John 3. 3 5. Heb. 12. 14. And so I might dilate my self and run forth into many other particulars but these shall at present suffice and O that they might suffice exceedingly to humble us for which of us have not in some of these wayes crost and contradicted this truth and made as if the Scripture could be broken yea and many other wayes but I shall leave it to your own meditations to inlarge herein Again cannot the Scripture be broken then there are several duties which from hence we are to be exhorted and stirred up unto as 1. Cannot the Scripture be broken Use 3. Exhortation can it not err nor mistake nor be deceived then let the consideration hereof ingage us and prevail with us much to read it and often to excercise our selves in it why why because it cannot be broken it cannot err or mistake there 's nothing in it but what is true nothing that is false or erronious and this is that which prevailed with David so much to love it and delight in it and excercise himself in it Psa 119. 140. thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it it 's clear from all mixture of falshood the Hebrew word which we render pure signifies tryed purged or purified and so renderd in the margin x Tzerufhah a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He melted Metal or he purified or purged in the fire as Goldsmiths do Gold c. tryed or refined and Ainsworth renders it thy saying is fined vehemently Iunius Purgatus est Sermo tuus valde and so Piscator a metaphorical expression implying there is not the least mixture or dross of falshood or deceit therein suitable to that in Psal 12. 6. the words of the Lord are pure words as Silver tryed in a Furnacé of Earth purified seven times and Psal 119. 160. thy word is true from the beginning c. y A principio id est à seculo quasi dicat semper verbum tuum fuit verum i. e. The whole Scripture from the beginning to the ending is nothing but truth truth and all truth is the short sum of it or since thou first spakest or promisest even to the end all thy sayings are true hence David did so love them and delight in them and still converse with them and excercise himself in them he made them the men of his Counsel verse 24. thy testimonies also are my delight and my Counseltors Hebrew men of my Counsel z they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viri consilii mei with whom I still consult here was no deceit or falshood mens writings indeed are many times full of falshood and error and for the most part are but mixt but here 's all truth and nothing but truth and how should we then be provoked much to use them and often to converse with them O let not God have cause to
of such a one frees us from everlasting pains and hence himself saith if a man ' keep my sayingt he shall never see John 8. 51 52. Death nor taste of Death that is eternal for that onely indeed deserves the name of Death why because Christ hath tasted Death for him his Soul has been in his Souls stead and so Gods Word comes to be salved man saved And how can we now but cry out O the depth of the riches of the Wisdom of God and of the grace of God how unsearchable is his Wisdom and Grace and the wayes thereof past finding out this love indeed we may admire but reach its demensions we never can O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good Psal 107. 1 2. for his mercy indureth for ever let the redeemed of the Lord say so I they have infinite cause indeed so to say I shall conclude this first part of this 6th use with that of the Apostle Iude Now to the onely wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen Again Secondly cannot the Scripture be broken then from hence are we further to be exhorted and provoked to be much in blessing and praising of God that those things that are of so great importance and of such infinite concernment and afford so great cause and ground of comfort yea upon which our whole happiness and comfort depends are according to Scripture which cannot be broken As that Christ died for our sins it is according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day is according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 3 4. For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received how that Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buryed and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures mark according to the Scriptures For that he was delivered for our offences and raised again for our Justification Romans 4. 25. And that he ascended and now sits at the right hand of God and there makes intercession for us is according to the Scripture Iohn 20. 17. Romans 8. 34. And now what can be matter of greater comfort or sweeter consolation than this nay is not this that on which all our comfort and happinesse depends that Christ died for our sins and that he rose again and now sits at the right hand of God and there makes intercession for us is not this I say the sum of all our comfort and now blessed be God these they are according to the Scripture So 1 Peter 2. 6. It is contained in the Scripture Behold I lay in Syon a chief corner-stone elect precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded so he that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living Watter John 7. 38. And so the Scripture saith whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Rom. 10. 1. So it is written it is Scripture that Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2. 9. So that God is merciful and gracious Exo. 34. 6. long-suffering is according to Scripture That he forgives iniquity transgression Verse 7. and sinn is according to Scripture That he will sub due his peoples iniquities Mich. 7. 19 and cast their Sinns into the depths of the Sea is according to Scripture That he delights in mercy and to Mich. 7. 18 Jer. 9. 24. exercise loving kindnesse in the earth is according to Scripture That he will heal his peoples back-slidings Hos 14. 4. and love them freely is according to Scripture That such as come unto Christ he will Joh. 6. 37 in no wise cast out is according to Scripture That a bruised Reed shall he not break Mat. 12. 20 and smoaking Flax will he not quench till he send forth judgement unto victory is according to Scripture That he will give the Holy Spirit to Lu. 11. 13. them that ask him is according to Scripture That they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength that they shall Isa 40. 31. mount up with wings as Eagles that they shall run and not be weary and walk and not faint is according to Scripture That he said unto the seed of Jacob Isa 45. 19. Seek not me in vain is according to Scripture That he will gather the Lambs with Isa 40. 11. his arm and carry them in his bosom c. is according to Scripture That the gates of Hell shall not prevail Mat. 16. 18 against the Church is according to Scripture That Christ holds his stars in his right Rev. 2. 1. hand is according to Scripture That he is with them alway even to Ma. 28. 20 the end of the World is according to the Scripture And now the Scripture being that which cannot be broken what a comfort is it what cause have we to bless God that these yea and innumerable more which are of like importance with these and make so much for our comfort are according to Scripture which cannot be broken Thirdly Again cannot the Scriptures be broken and it is easier for Heaven and earth to pass away than one tittle of Gods Word to fail then let such in the Third place be exhorted and provoked to be much in blessing and praising God whom he hath brought into such a condition for whom he hath done such great things Great things indeed as that they may be saved and the Scripture not be broken Let such I say be much in blessing and praising God for there is infinite cause for the Scripture cannot be broken for any it was not for Christ himself and for God to do that for thee to bring thee into such an estate and condition through Grace as that thou mayest be saved and the Scripture not be broken O what infinite cause hast thou to be much in blessing and praising God Now if thou art one who art regenerate born again become a new creature one who art holy and pure in heart thou mayst be saved and the Scripture not be broken So if thou art such a one who dost indeed believe and repent of thy sins and art fruitful in good works thou mayest then be saved and the Scripture not be broken nay let me tell thee to thy comfort that if being such an one thou shouldest not be saved the Scripture it would be broken it would not be fulfilled for that such shall be saved it is every where according to Scripture 1. That such as are regenerate and holy shall be saved is according to Scripture Matthew 5. 8. Rom. 6. 22. John 3. 3 5. And what doth this imply but that if a man be regenerate and born again he shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven 2. That
such as do indeed believe shall be saved is according to Scripture Acts 16. 31. Rom. 10. 9. 16. Mark 15. 16. Heb. 10. 39. 1 Pet. 1. 9. John 3. 36. 3. That such as repent shall be saved is according to Scripture Ezek. 18. 30. Acts 11. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 10. Job 33. 23 24. Prov. 28. 13. 4. That such as are fruitful in good works shall be saved is according to Scripture Iohn 5. 28 29. Rom. 2. 7. Matth. 26. 21. Thus if this be thy condition indeed if God hath brought thee into such an estate as this is if he hath done so great things for thee as these thou maist be saved and the Scripture not be broken nay let me tell thee again as I told thee before if thou shouldst not be saved the Scripture would be broken which the point tells thee cannot be and O how happy art thou then to be brought into such an estate and condition as that if thou shouldst not be saved the Scripture would be broken how much shouldst thou be in blessing and praising God and confess with David thou hast dealt well with thy servant O Lord I well indeed he hath dealt better with thee and done more for thee than if he should have made for thee and given to thee many worlds and therefore be thankfull unto him and speak good of his name Col. 1. 12. giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light 2 Thess 2. 13. But we are bound alwayes to give thanks to God for you brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 7. Again Cannot the Scripture be broken can it not err mistake or be deceived is it an infallible and unerring rule then le ts be exhorted from hence to try all doctrines and opinions by Scripture to bring all to this touchstone to this adaequate measure of all divine truth for that cannot err 2 Tim. 3. 16. all Scripture saith the Apostle is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine it being given by divine inspiration and so being that which cannot err it is profitable to teach us what is truth and what is error what is sound doctrine and what is false b Scripturis tuto inniti passumus neâ— est quod fraudem ullam metuant qui harum lucernâ—m sibi proponunt revera impii qui adversus â—as dispâ—tare audent This is the true touch-stone and publique standard as it were for the triall of all doctrines set up for this end to reveal truth and discover error And this is that unto which God himself doth demit us and send us to try opinions for the finding out of truth from error and discovering error from truth as you may see Esay 8. 20. To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them to the Law c. To the Scripture as to the touch-stone whereby you are to try all doctrines that cannot be broken that 's unerring infallible immutable unalterable ever the same truth it self and the standard of truth such a rule as cannot deceive and therefore whereas the Apostle bids us prove or try all things we must bring them to this touch-stone what saith the Scripture this man it may be saith this another that a third the other thing I but what saith the Scripture that must determine the Bible must still be the umpire all are to be examined by this we are sure the judgement of that is according to truth As it is said of those Acts 17. 11. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether these things were so and search the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. Christ tells the Saduces Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures they did not search nor enquire there for if they had that would have discovered to them their error and by this it is that the Church hath still tryed and condemned all Heresies as the Arrian the Pelagian and others c Solis divinis literis verâ— doctrina a falsa discerni potest Pet. Mâ—râ— in Rom 16. 17. and this the Apoâ—tle Peter makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure word and way to evidence truth than a revelation from heaven as 2 Pet. 1. 19. we also have a more sure word of prophâ—cy whereunto you do well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dâ—wâ— aâ—d the day-star arise in your hearts the Apostle in the three verses immediately going before had been speaking of a revelation from heaven and that the clearest that ever was revealed namely that in the transfiguration of Christ of which the Apostles themselves were eye-witnesses and heard that voyce from heaven then uttered and yet verse 19. we have saith he a more sure word of Prophecy than Gods own audible voyce in the Mount i. e. more sure as to us of greater perspicuity and certainty besides inspiration it being both written and sealed for the former vision and revelation being from God was in it self most sure and therefore some interpret it a most sure word or very sure a comparative for a superlative hence the Scripture is called a Canon or Canonical that is as much as a rule and the use of a rule is to discern that which is right from that which is distort and crooked Recto i. e. canone nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rectum idem sunt ipsum rectum obliquum cognoscimus regula namque judex est utriusque and this is most true of the Scripture that in this sense is a canon or canonical per excellentiam by way of excellency and therefore let us upon all occasions have still recourse to this as an unerring rule or canon to try all Doctrines and opinions by d Hoc universae Scripturae tribuendâ—m est quod sit linea regula amussis ad quam omnis de fide moribus doctrina est examinanda referenda comformanda judicanda sicuti ad legem in republica civium mores negotia sunt referenda constituenda exigenda dirimenda ad quam propterea tanquam ad Lydium lapidem fidei ac vitae Christianâ— documenta omnia probanda sunt Rivet in Isag ad scripturam sacram Again eighthly cannot the Scripture be broken can it not err then let us so judge of things as the Scripture saith of them Iudge not saith our Saviour Iohn 7. 24. according to the outward appearance but judge righteous judgement and
my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God â—e will certainly be as good as his Word make good what he has said the Scripture sayes it and I will believe it and comfort my self in it for the Scripture cannot be broken Let us do as Abraham did the Father of the Faithful it is said of him Romans 4. 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving Glory to God As the promise was firm so was his Faith as the one could not fail so neither did the other In God sayes David I will praise his Word Let us do it really by relying thereon and so comforting our selves therein O what a singular means would this be to fill our Souls with joy as Gods promises are firm and cannot fail so to have our Faith firm to rest assured and fully perswaded of the accomplishment of what God hath premised why this is the very life of the Soul Is 38. 16. O Lord by these things men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit by these things what things why by or in through the proÌ„ises therefore some read it by these words and in all these is the life of my spirit i. e. the joy and comfort of my spirit the joy of the spirit being indeed the life of the spirit and the Dutch Anot do therefore interpret it a merry and a quiet life while I believe them seal to them rest assured and am fully perswaded of the accomplishment of them thus it is said the just shall live by Faith Hab. 2. 4. God having promised deliverance after such a time as appears in the foregoing verse it might be demanded but what shall the just do in the mean time do why they shall in the mean while live i. e. they shall still be comforted and cheared but how by Faith by a sweet and firm dependance on God for the fulfilling of what he had promised in due time by sealing to what God had said by believing and relying on the promises thus the just should live comfort and chear themselves and stay up their soules And thus David lived this was that which bore up and supported him in all his troubles he lived by faith in Gods promises a blessed sweet and comfortable life this is indeed Psa 119. 50. this is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me i. e. what thou hast spoken and promised and unless thy word had been my delights I should then have perished in my affliction v. 92. and so often Psa 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living Ps 28. 11. the Lord is my strength and my shield my heart trusted in him and I am helped so the people of God what comfort and help might they still have did they but trust in God and rely on his word The divine promises are saith Bernard panis cordis o Promissiones divine panis sunt cordis Scriptura sacra demulset animi affectus Bernard they are the bread of the soul and by Faith it is we do as it were feed on this bread and so come thereby to have our hearts strengthned Cant. 2. 5. stay me saith the spouse with flagons comfort me with apples now what are these flagons or apples but the pretious promises and comfortable doctrines of the Scripture and then do these flagons stay and support us when by Faith we do as it were drink of them and then do these apples comfort and chear us when by Faith we do as it were eat them And therefore to conclude this use yea and this whole discourse that which the Apostle prayes for in behalf of the Romans that shall I pray for in behalf of you Christians Now the Rom. 1â— 13. God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost why the Scripture-promises are full of joy and peace and they are such as cannot fail but are firm and shall certainly be performed and now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing for this is the way Christians to be fill'd with all Joy and peace to draw that joy and peace that is in the promises upon your selves it is to believe them to be thorowly perswaded of the truth of them and to rest fully assured of the accomplishment of them that they cannot be broken and the Scripture cannot be broken otherwise though the promises be full of joy and peace we may have little enough if we do not believe and seal to the truth of them if we believe 2 Tim. 2. 13. not saith the Apostle yet he abideth faithfull I but we may abide comsortless you know what the Prophet Isay said to Ahaz and his people Isay 7. 9. If ye will not believe ye shall not be established if ye will not believe i. e. the promise of God which I preach unto you if ye will not rest and rely on his good and gracious word whereby he ingages himself unto you surely ye shall not be established but your hearts and minds will still remain unsettled and disquieted though Gods word be for ever settled and established in heaven yet if you do not believe your hearts shall not be established much to the same purpose is that of Jehoshaphat 2 Chro. 20. 20. believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established believe his Prophets i. e. the truth of that word they deliver you from the Lord so shall you be established so shall you prosper And O fools saith our Saviour â—â—a slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spokâ—n O in being slow to believe what God hath said and promised is great folly for God hereby doth not only lose of his honour but we likewise of our peace and comfort what a foolish thing is it that God should say so much make so many sweet and gratious promises for to comfort and uphold us and we for want of believing them should both cause God to lose his glory and we our selves lose that comfort which otherwise we might have by them that he in and by the many gratious promises which he hath made should provide so abundantly for his peoples comfort and peace and they lose it for want of belief hence all the promises of God are said in Christ to be yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us p 2 Cor. 1. 20. Sicuti dixerat in Christo deum sanxisse omnium suarum promissionum sidem it a nunc nostrum officium esse admonet ejusmodi sanctioni accinere quod fit dum certa fide in Christo acquiescentes subscribimus signamus quod dens verax idque ad ejus gloriam quia hic finis est quo referri debent omnia Calâ— in locum i. e. while we believe them and seal to Gods truth in them else they are neither to the glory of God nor our comfort as it is said Rom. 4. 20. concerning Abraham he not staggering at the promise of God through unbelief but being strong in faith gave glory to God * Quod addit dedisse gloriam deo in eo Notandum est non posse deo plus honoris afferri quam dum fide obsignamus ejus veritatem Rursum nulla re gravins inhonorari quam diffidentia incertitudine Calv. in Rom. 4. 20. believing that God would and could do what he had promised and so setting to his seal that God is true and indeed as Calvin observes upon the place God cannot have more honour brought him than while by faith we seal to his truth and in nothing is he more dishonoured than by diffidence and unbelief q De promissionibus dei dubitare non aliud est quam deum vel mendacem vel infirmum facere Pet. Martyr in Rom. 4. 21. The God of hope therefore fill you with all joy and peace in believing that the word being that which cannot be made void for want of believing God may neither lose his glory nor you your comfort but that by believing and firmly relying on those promises which cannot fail but shall certainly in due time be fulfilled God may both have his glory and you live comfortably here till you come to live eternally hereafter Amen FINIS Some of the most material Faults escaped are thus to be corrected PAge 1 l. 2. for Scriptures read Scripture p. 54. l. 10. add a. p. 72. l. 21. for Stemmana r. Stemmana in the Margent 72. p. for Aemilias r. Aemilians p. 79. l. 16. for people joy ful read peoples joy full p. 91. l. 22. for Greeks r. Greek p. 93. Margent for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 93. l. 24. leave out the. p. 94. l. 25. add to to be p. 130. l. 3. for for r. sâ— p. 147. l. 11. after is add all p. 167. l. 21. â—ur our yet p. 177. l. 8. for eb read be