Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	apostle_n	doctrine_n	prove_v	3,310	5	5.9535	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77757	God all in all or The highest happines of the saints. Jn [sic] two parts. The I. Asserting this happiness to consist in the enjoyment of God. II. Enquiring into the quality of that enjoyment. Together with a short appendix, wherein is very briefly considered, the claim of natural reason, and private inspirations to a guidance of us in the things of God. Also what courses dishonour the Gospel, and what duties we owe it. By Edward Buckler, preacher of the Gospel.	Buckler, Edward, 1610-1706.	1655 (1655)	Wing B5349; Thomason E1442_2; ESTC R209631	53,023	167

and practise what God to that purpose reveals in the Gospel is the greatest reason because the truth and certainty of it depends upon a wisdom that can neither deceive nor be deceived upon a light in which there is no darkness at al 1 Ioh. 1.5 The Lawyers say that natural reason may be alleadged where the Law hath not determined * Ratio naturalis potest allegari ubi deficit Lex so it may where the Gospel is silent but in other cases it must stand mute 10. Conclus To take upon us to controle the dictates of the Gospel by or to refuse them upon their non-adaequation to our reason a design of being wiser then the wisdom the manifold Wisdom of God a folly too ridiculous to have any residence in a sober imagination I hope the foolishness of God is wiser then men 1 Cor. 1.25 In matters of Religion * Non aliam putes esse sapientiā nisi veritatem Aug. nothing is wisdom but what is truth and nothing is truth for us to beleeve to walk by to subscribe to but the Word * sapientia est sapida de Deo scientia Religious wisdom is a savory knowledge of the things of God and not to be attained by any other mediums then what God hath ordered to be written for our instruction Rom. 15.4 and if any previous disposition be necessary to fit a man for it it is to become a fool 1 Cor. 3.18 to deny himself and al his carnal wisdom * Abnegando seipsum carnalem suam sapientiam Piscat in locum SECT II. Whether we may be guided by any supposed inspiration or impulse of spirit that is beside or contrary to theword of God THat I may not seem in the least to limit the Holy one of Israel I shal answer by laying down this Proposition In matters of Faith and practise in case it were not the onely way yet it is the safer way to be guided by the Scriptures then by any impulses suggestions or revelations within us supposed to be from the spirit Of this First in Hypothesi in case it were not the onely way the contrary to which I am abundantly perswaded of from these Grounds 1. Ground It seems to me a truth sufficiently bottom'd upon the Scriptures that the Spirit of God doth not immediately reveal any thing in these latter days beside or above what is revealed in the Scripture Because First The Scriptures contain al things necessary to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15.16 17. If an inspiration be for Doctrine or reproof or correction or instruction or to furnish us to any good work al this is done by the Scripture and so the inspiration is not beside or beyond it If it be for more then this it is for more then is necessary 2ly There is a curse pronounced against adding any revelations or discoveries as of the mind of God to those that are in the Scriptures already read Apoc. 22.18 19. and note 1. That this book is a discovery of the mind of God concerning the affairs and duty of his Church cha 1.1 2. That it is a discovery of what shal concern the Church of God from the time it was written to the end of the world chap. 1.19 3. That it is a discovery of no more then is sufficient therefore he is cursed that shal take any thing from it Chap. 22.19 4. That together with what we have in other Scriptures for so I would in each particular be understood it is a discovery of as much as is sufficient and all the discoveries we must look for and therefore is he cursed that shal add to it * Vid. Aret Forbes in locum 2. Ground What was unquestionable from the Spirit of God was not yet imposed upon us any further then as it was confirmed by the Scriptures That the Apostles spake by in spiration I shal take it for granted Gal. 1.1.11 12. Yet 1. They were wont to prove their Doctrine by Scriptures and that you may see the sweet correspondency that is between both Testaments as they are called I shal set you down these instances Rom. 2.24 Proved by Is 52.5 Rom. 2.24 Proved by Eze. 36.20.23 Rom. 4.5 proved by Psal 32.1 2. Rom. 9.7 proved by Gen. 21.12 Rom. 10.9 proved by Isa 28.16 Rom. 11.7 proved by Isa 29.10 1 Cor. 2.29 proved by Ier. 9.23 That the Gentiles should be called the Apostle affirms was made known to him by revelation Eph. 3.5.6 yet he proves it from Gen. 12.3 Gal. 3.8 And 2. Those that would not receive these inspirations until they had examined them by the Scriptures are passed with a noble character for so doing Acts 17.11 12. From these grounds am I convinced that in matters of faith and practise our onely way is to be guided by the Scriptures However Secondly In these it is a safer way then to be led by any impulse suggestion or revelation within us supposed to be from the spirit which I am constrained to beleeve by these Reasons 1. Reason Many have pretended to revelations from the Spirit of God when there was no such thing but the pretenders were either Impostors and deceivers or deluded by a lying spirit and deceived See 1 Reg. 22.23 2 Thes 2.11 2 Tim. 3.13 of this we have examples of above 1500 years old * Rosse his View of all Religions sect 7. p. 184. Martinium de vera relig p. 58 and in our days if there be two men pretending to an immediate inspiration from God and the spirit that is in one be contradictory to the spirit that is in the other one of them at least is a spirit of delusion Whence a 2. Reas We cannot so certainly know whether it be God that speaks in us as that it is God that speakes in the Scripture in that we may be mistaken 2 Cor. 11.14 not so in this 2 Pet. 1.21 Ioh. 9.29 Heb. 1.1 Galat. 1.1.11 12. 3. Reas Be the Inspiration or Impulse from whence it will yet must the Word of God be obeyed before it I argue thus That Power that is supream must caeteris paribus be obeyed before that which is but subordinate But the power of Gods Word is supream and the power of Inspirations as such is subordinate to it ergo c. the minor proposition onely needs proving which the definition of a supream power will sufficiently doe Now a * Summa potestas est cujus actus alterius juri●n●n subs●nt Grot. de jure belli l. 1. c. 3. ect 7. supream power is that which is not questionable by any other jurisdiction But every Inspiration is so far under the jurisdiction of the Word of God as that it ought to be tryed and judged by it for which see Gal. 1.8 2 Thes 2.2 1 Ioh. 4.1 Acts 17.11 And this hinteth a 4. Reas That which proves Inspirations to be true in case they be so must needs be more certain and infallible at least to us than the

sum sine te male est mihi Aug. Soliloq cap. 13. What wanted David of any outward blessing when those expressions fell from him in Psa 30.6.7 In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved Lord by thy favor thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong but see what follows Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled thou withdrewedst the sence of thy favour and loving kindness * Mollerus in loc which I had fondly enjoyed and miserable comforters did I then find all other enjoyments and indeed When God giveth quietness who then can make trouble and when he hideth his face who then can behold him whether it be done against a Nation or against a man onely Job 34.29 This is one thing that doth illustrate the point we have in hand That at what rate our enjoyment of God is here below at the same is our happynesse and for this the Lord himself and his Saints have given in their verdict 2. Gods own blessednessse doth consist in the enjoyment of himself For if we beleeve the Schoolmen * Lomb 1. Dist. 1. g. he doth not enjoy any thing else he hath some use of the Creatures but no Fruition or if he had there is not in them that absolute freedom from evil nor perfection of goodnesse which is requisite unto happinesse that must needs be Gods blessednesse which he aimeth at and resteth in as his utmost and last end but that God in all his actions and administrations aimeth at and resteth so in himself besides the testimony of diverse Scriptures * Pro. 16.4 Apo. 1.8 Rom. 11.32 Apo. 4.11 Is 43.7.21 seems even by reason it self not impossible to be demonstrated Let us look upon these Six Propositions 1. Prop. All things in their motions and actings aym at some end or other which they may Acquiesce and rest in * Arist 2. Phys c. 8. Text. 77. c. If this Proposition were doubted it would be proved by another that God and Nature do nothing in vain 2. Prop. The end of all designs and actings at least in every reasonable nature is something that is good either truly so or in appearance see before Sect. 4. about the beginning hence is good in general defined to be that which all do desire * Id quod omnia appetunt Arist 1. Eth. 3. Prop. The last end of all motions and actings in every reasonable nature is the chiefest good All even natuturally desiring to be blessed and happy * Scot. in 4. Sent. ●ist 49. Q. 9. though many doe not distinctly know what happiness is or which is the way to it 4. Prop. If there were no blindnesse in our understandings that we could with clearnesse apprehend what the chiefest good were nor any perversity in our wils to rebel against the dictates of our understandings wee should then particularly and distinctly aim at it and rest in it 5. Prop. This chiefest good is God being good naturally independently perfectly and the onely cause of all that good which is any where else 6. Prop. God perfectly and disstinctly knows himself to be the chiefest good * Aq. part 1. Q. 14. Art 2.3 his understanding is infinite Psal 147.5 From all which it seems to look like an impossibility that God should aim at or rest in any thing as his last end but himself This is the Second The blessedness of God himselfe is the enjoyment of himselfe before any thing else was he was the blessed God neither hath he received any addition to his happinesse by the things which he hath made Thirdly The greatest misery of the damned in hell is that they are denyed the enjoyment of God * Biel exposit Can. miss lect 33. e. this is enough to make a hell of it selfe yea it hath ten thousand hels in the womb of it What is that darknesse which the damned are threatned to be cast into not the absence of the light of the Sun for the Saints in heaven have not this light because they need it not and how should such a darknesse be any punishment to the condemned Angels who never made any use of such a light It is rather the absence of the light of heaven which is God himself * See Willet Synops cont 20. Q. 5. Surely that the damned are said to weep and to gnash their teeth doth proceed from the greatest of their torments which Christ tels us shall be from this when they shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God and they themselves thrust out Luke 13.28 Punishment of sense though it be infinite as to the duration of it yet as to its extremity we may have leave to judge otherwise for if it were infinite not to mention how inconsistent this would be with that diversity of degrees in the pains of hell which with good countenance from Scripture * Mat. 11.24 Mat. 23.14 15. Luk. 12.47 48. is by many beleeved it would follow that God could not punish them a jot more but it is a medium by which we are wont to prove the Lords omnipotency that he never doth so much in reference to the creature but that he is still able to doe more * Zanch. de nat Dei l. 3. c. 1. q. 3. So what the damned suffer in their pain of sense is but a finite evill what they are excluded from in their pain of losse is an infinite good 'T is in Gods power to lay upon them a greater evil than what they suffer 't is not in his power to deny them a greater good than what they want SECT VI. First Use for information LEt us from this Doctrine in the first place see what may be concluded for the better information of our judgements It follows First That God is of a transcendent and infinite goodnesse both 1. In himselfe Many good things doe we read of in the Scripture and of many persons that are passed under that character * Act. 11.24 and yet we are told again that there is none good but one that is God Mat. 19.17 Are there contradictions in the Scripture or is not this the meaning that goodnesse is not any where at the rate that it is in God 'T is in God originally 't is in the creature but by way of participation in him as in a fountain in them but as in a vessel in him universally in them but to some purposes in him an ocean in them but a drop their 's so deficient that they need something else to their happinesse in earth Gods so full that we shall need nothing else to our happinesse in heaven How transcendently good is our God that even in heaven it self nothing but himself can make us blessed we have none in heaven but him Psalm 73.25 and 2. To all his people that he will bestow himself upon them What he promised to the Father of the Faithfull he will make good to all his

thing so lively as a glasse doth So the happiest sight of God out of heaven is to see him in the Gospel because it is the fullest I hope men wil take heed how they carry themselves to such a Gospel as this is and I wil anon speak with them about it Secondly It is comfort for the Saints that their highest happinesse shal be in the ful injoyment of God your hungrings and thirstings after more of him shal one day end in a compleat satisfaction you shal have as much of him as your souls can hold here it is much of your happinesse to have some glimpses of his glory shining upon you and some drops of his favour distilled into your hearts hereafter it shal be all your happinesse to have it poured in til you shal be able to receive no more and because all your Lords joy cannot enter into you to be sure of having enough you shal enter into it Mat. 25. v. 21. SECT XI That the enjoyment of God in which our highest happinesse shall consist is to be everlasting ALL that we have said of the injoyment of God though it rise to very much yet were it of any shorter date then eternity it would not be enough for an absolute blessednesse He ce 1. The Scriptures do every where expresse it to be everlasting and without end We shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4.17 and the pleasures at his right hand are for evermore Psal 16.11 our weight of glory shall be eternall 2 Cor. 4.17 and our inheritance incorruptitible which fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1.4 and you know it is called life eternal and everlasting in a multitude of Scriptures 2. Were it any thing short of this two things would prove it short of its perfection First There would be a possibility of being one time or another miserable and so every desire would not be satisfied Misery set it at what distance you wil is not onely what we do not desire to come under but what we cannot * Miseri esse non solum nolumus sed nequaquam velle possumus Aug. 2d There were then some places for fear and so for pain 1 Joh 4.18 and consequently for evil and that condition is not perfectly happy which is capable of this for every evil is not excluded SECT XII This briefly applied by way of exhortation and comfort WEE have seen the immediate injoyment of God that nothing may shadow our happinesse the sole injoyment of God that nothing may abate it the free injoyment of God that nothing interrupt it wee have seen it so full that there is no room for more and yet all this must and shal be eternal too that we may * Beatitudo non est de eujus eternitate dubitatur Aug. never see the expiration of it And shal we not hence 1. Be exhorted not to place our happinesse in any thing that shal have an end and not to nauseate you with particulars such are all that our eyes behold here below the things that are seen are temporal 2 Cor. 4.18 were there no other insufficiency in them yet would this prove their injoyment infinitely short of happinesse that they can bee injoyed but for a time and upon this account the Apostles did not think them worth the looking upon 2 Cor. 4.18 what a fool was he that comforted his soul with goods laid up in store for many years Luk. 12.19 it seems the enjoyment of God himself would not amount to an absolute beatitude were it not everlasting how much lesse the enjoyment of the creature which to the happiest man under the sun cannot be above a span long Psal 39.5 2. Is not here comfort for the Saints in all their afflictions these can be suffered but for a time God shal be enjoyed to all eternity are we a while groaning under a burthen of sin Rom. 7.24 we shall be loaded with an eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 have we a spirit ful of wounds for a time Prov. 18.14 we shal have a soul ful of God for an eternity Doth God forsake us for a smal moment Isa 54.7 We shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thess 4.17 Doth heaviness endure for a night Psal 30.5 joy shal come in a morning that hath no night at all have we paines ever and anon Wee shall have pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 do we die daily we shal live everlastingly Saints comfort your selves Comfort one another with these words 1 Thes 4.18 SECT XIII A brief Application of the whole FRom all that hath been said of the quality of our enjoyment of God when we shal come to be at the happiest We may learn First That not one of the Saints is perfectly blessed in this life because not one of them doth enjoy God either immediately but what we do is darkly thorow a glasse by such mediums as do eclipse much of what that Lumen gloriae the light we shal have in heaven wil discover unto us or solely but in conjunction with other enjoyments which call out much of our hearts and many Item's of our love which hereafter shal be totally summed up and all laid out upon one God or freely but are thwarted with a thousand impediments which shal all be left behind us when we go to heaven or fully they are but part of his waies that we trace him in and how little a portion is heard of him Job 26.14 wee shal never see the compleatment of our happinesse until we go hence and be no more seen Ob. Why then do some persons say that they are as happy and do enjoy as much of God as ever they shall Sol. Can I tell perhaps it is too true in reference to some of them others may bee under a temporary delusion but sure I am they bee none of the Saints who have their portion in this life Psal 17.14 See before Sect. 2. Ob. Saints are happy in this life But why do the Scriptures so frequently call the Saints blessed and happy Sol. I shall lay before you what I conceive of it in these 6 particulars It s because First 1 Pretio The price by which we have a title to the happinesse we have enquired into is already paid and accepted of the possession of God is a purchased possession Eph. 1.14 and the purchase is made to our use upon which account our names are written in the book of life to bee of those many children whom God by the sufferings of his son meant to bring unto glory Heb. 2.10 when a captives ransom is paid he may be said to have his liberty although his Manu-mission be a while delayed 2. 2 Promisso God hath made us a promise of this happinesse before the world began to Christ for us Titus 1.2 and since the world began to us in Christ John 3.16 to have any thing in a promise is to be as sure of it as if we had it in ful possession it being

is not here Sure I am if it be wisdom here is the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 2.7 Beauty here 's the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 the fairest of ten thousand Cant. 5.10 Splendor 't is a glorious Gospel 2 Cor. 4.4 Truth 't is the word of truth Eph 1.13 Goodnesse 't is the good Word of God Heb. 6.5 Piety 't is a Doctrine that is according to godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.3 Power 't is the arm of the Lord Isa 53.1 Peace 't is the Gospel of peace Eph. 6.15 5. Duty Take off by your practices whatever disparagements shall be cast upon the Gospel Will any say it is not the Word of God and so make it such an imposture as would cheat the whole Christian world of their precious souls Pray confute this blasphemy by giving it such a power over your hearts and lives as none but the Almighty God can either challenge or exercise Suffer it to sway you simply without any quatenus or limitation against any counter-cōmand under heaven Will any say it is not a compleat Rule for belief and practice You must disprove this slander by keeping only and constantly to it and by professing that you doe so that peace may be upon you and mercy Gal. 6.16 because it is able to make you wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 because you may not receive any other though an Angel offer it you Gal. 1.8 c. 6. Duty Be not ashamed of the Gospel Rom. 1.16 Will you be ashamed of your God wil you blush at any degree of heaven * Timor justae vituperationis rei turpiter actae Shame is a fear of reproof for some unseemly action and is it such to own your highest blessednesse It was a preamble to Peters denyal of Christ that he followed him afar off Mat. 26.58 and Nicodemus was but in the infancy of his Discipleship when he came to Jesus by night Joh. 3.2 Read 2 Tim. 2.12 Luke 9.25 26. 7. Duty Hold fast the Gospel Do not part with one truth one ordinance one duty of it You have sad experience of the Devils nibling away of one piece of some mens Religion after another till they have no more left than Davids fool had Psal 14.1 8. Duty Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel Phil. 1.27 So holy humble harmlesse honest sober just chast peaceable as becomes persons owning a Gospel so full of a holy God See Phil. 2.15 16. 1 Tim. 6.1 Tit. 2.10 Why else doe ye professe it Answer that Quaere of Christ if you can in Luke 6.46 See Mat. 7.23 Mat. 3.10 The Christianity of those that live counter to this Gospel is but meerly * Qui non vivit ut ipse docuit certum id documentum est non esse Christianum Just Mart. ad Anton. orat p. 128. titular that which is indeed true * Christianismus est similitudo Dei quantum possibile est humanae naturae Basil is as fair and full a draught of God upon the soul as it is capable of in a body of death For a conclusion take Phil. 4.8 9. The Table PART I. The First Proposition viz. The highest happiness of the Saints is the enjoyment of God This is 1 Explained by shewing FIrst What the enjoyment of God is made up of 1 The knowledge of God to let in Which he opens 1 His face 2 Our understandings 2 Influences from God 3 Acquiescence in God 4 Converse with God Secondly What our highest happiness is viz. 1. A perfect good 2. In possession 3. Excluding every evil 4. Filling every desire 2. Proved 1. By Scripture 2. By Reason all that makes us happy is in God only being a good 1. Pure 2. Sufficient 3. Satisfying 3. Illustrated by 3. Particulars First All our happiness here is in what we enjoy of God here proved by 1. God 2. The Saints Secondly Gods blessedness is in the enjoyment of himself Proved by 1. Scriptures 2. Reason Thirdly The greatst misery of the damned is that they do not enjoy God 4. Improved by way of First Information in five Particulars viz. 1. God is of a transcendent goodness 1. In himself 2. To his people 2. In things where there is most of God there is most of happiness 3. It is a false draught of Heaven that is not made to consist in the enjoyment of God 4. Most men but pretenders to a desire of going to Heaven as 1. Defying the means where God may be enjoyed 2. Trading in practises where they cannot expect it 5. Who are a peoples greatest enemies Secondly Reproof of such as place their happiness in outward things where Their 1. Charracter 2. Folly Thirdly Exhortation To labour for the enjoyment of God where First Motives From the excellency 1. Of its Object God 2. Of its Act in respect of Its 1. Kinde 2. Degree Secondly Directions viZ. 1 Increase your Knowledge 2 Maintain your assurance 3 Abate of your love to the world 4 Walk close with God Fourthly Declaration why we enjoy no more of God in Ordinances either we do 1 Neglect them 2 Not seek God in them 3 Not seek God in all of them 4 Not seek after a due Order PART II. The Second Proposition layed down That enjoyment of God which is the Saints highest Happinesse shall be immediate sole free full and everlasting FIrst That it shall be immediate is 1 Proved by 4 Particulars viz. 1 Christs Kingdom shal be delivered up 2 All rule c. shal be put down 3 To enjoy God by means is to see him but in a glasse 4 Gods immediate enjoyment groaned after by the Saints 2 Applied in 3 particulars viz. 1 The enjoyment of God by means far short of what it shall be without them 2 When the Saints shal be above the need of Ordinances 3 Death desirable Secondly That it shall be Sole 1 Proved in that 1 God shall be all 2 The world shal be ended 3 Much of our enjoyment is by love 4 The Saints thirst is after God Solely 2 Applied by way of First Exhortation to 4 duties Secondly Instruction in 3 things viz. 1 It s impossible to make the Saints miserable 2 The less we have of the world the more we may have of happiness 3 No cause to be troubled at the dissolution of all things Thirdly That it shall be Free 1 Proved in that 1 All Enemies shall be subdued 2 Every disturbance of Enjoyment is an Eclipse of happinesse 2 Applied for our 1 Information No Heaven where any sin 2 Instruction how to be much in Heaven here 3 Comfort In Heaven we shall enjoy God freely Fourthly That it shall be Full. 1 Proved in that 1 Our enjoyment here and hereafter do but differ gradually 2 Else every evil not removed c. 2 Applied To shew us that 1 The happiest sight of God out of Heaven is in the Gospel 2 The longings of the Saints after more of God shal be satisfied Fifthly That it shall be everlasting 1 Proved by 1 Scripture 2 Reason else 1 A posibility of being miserable 2 Some place for fear 2 Applied by way of 1 Exhortation Place not happiness in any thing that shall have an end 2 Comfort afflictions short happiness Eternal The whole Applied very briefly 1 In what sence we are said to be happy in this life 2 No nature below ours capable of blessedness 3 It is not vain to serve God ERRATA PAge 5. lin 25. for al one read alone p. 7. l. 3 prefix to the beginning of the l. 5. p. 10. l 7. for without r. with our p. 17. l. 22. for frownesse r. frownes p. 30. l. 12. dele ha●● p. 30. l. 17. for come r. came p. 31. l 13. for fondly r. formerly p. 46. l. penult adde 2. FINIS