it must needs be granted to be the same Word of God That no other means but the voice and Word of God accompanied with his Spirit can perform these great works of melting converting and comforting the soul we have shewed already Now it may be doubted whether those effects as they are beyond the power of nature be not also beyond the power of the Word it self Seeing many hear and read that Word Object in whom we discern no such effect But many use the Word in whom it works no such effect but they remain still senslesse carelesse rebellious and carnall lovers of themselves and high minded c. and others walking in darknesse without light Isa 50.10 finding no peace nor comfort in the Word it self as if there were no balm in Gilead nor no Physitian there Jer. 8.22 Now if the power of working these effects be in the word how comes it to passe that they appear not in the greatest part of those that hear and read it To this We answer Sol. that if this effect appear in some although not in all that make use of it it sufficiently proves that it hath this power 1 t If it work it in some it proves it hath that power 2ly Where it hath not this effect 1. Either the heart is not rightly disposed Meat hath power to nourish and medicines to cure yet all are not cured by medicines nor nourished by meat To the producing of an effect besides the power of the cause is required a right disposition of the subject The high-way the stony and thorny ground we know brought no fruit to perfection which our Saviour tels us was not by any defect in the Word but by the ill disposition of the heart Mat 13.19.20 c. And the Apostle tels us that those that had not faith to mixe with the Word profited not by it at all Heb. 4.2 Again a cause powerfull enough in it self may want effect where it is not rightly applyed there are that hear the Word and understand it not Mat. 13.19 Some that understand and beleeve it not 2. Or the Word not rightly applyed Iohn 12.47 Some that beleeve it and remember it not Iam. 1.23 And lastly some that after all this apply it not at all or at least not as they ought taking hold of judgement when they need the promises of mercy or laying hold of mercy when judgement is their portion 3ly The Word works not necessarily but voluntarily Deut. 29.19 Lastly we must remember that the Word works not necessarily as fire heats but voluntarily being only mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 working by the Spirit which like the winde bloweth vvhere it lusteth Iohn 3.8 Thus Lydiaes heart was opened by God when others were shut Acts 16.14 And many scoffed at Saint Peters Sermons which notwithstanding converted three thousands Acts 2.41 We have then sufficiently manifested the Scriptures to be Gods Word First they contain Gods Law given to his Church which was neither fit nor possible to be given by any other then God himself Secondly because they bear the lively character of divine Majesty in the high and lofty plainnesse of style and in those powerfull commands which we finde therein And thirdly for those high mysteries which they handle which none could know much lesse reveal but God himself And lastly for the wonderfull effects of breaking converting and comforting and reviving the spirit which being works above nature must needs be wrought by a supernaturall instrument so that the Scriptures that effect them must needs be acknowledged to be the Word of God CAP. III. The Scriptures which have God for their Authour must needs be of divine Authority The former Position being once granted that the Scriptures are Gods Word no man can question their Authority whether that be of him or no. So that this evident truth needing no power at all our labour must be only to shew what we mean by that divine Authority which we challenge unto the Scriptures for the opening whereof we must first consider in generall what this name Authority imports In Scripture as well as in other Authors the names of Authority and Power are used indifferently Authority is not Power in genetall as if they were one and the same thing although in strictnesse of signification we may finde a reall difference between them For this tearm Power implies that strength by which any thing not only subsists but withall bears out it selfe against whatsoever opposeth it and besides is enabled to work any notable effect but this signification as making little to our purpose we shall omit for the present More pertinently to the matter in hand But right to rule govern this name of Power is taken for that dominion and right of ruling and governing which one hath over another to dispose and order that which is governed In this sense Power seems to bee a more generall name then Authority as is evident by the correlative tearms opposed thereunto For subjection which imports any kind of subordination of one under another seems most firly to answer to Power as the Psalmist matcheth mans dominion over the works of Gods hands with subjection or putting all things under his feet Psal 8.6 And obedience which is a voluntarily yeelding or submitting ones selfe to anothers will may bee conceived to bee more properly correspondent to Authority as the Centurion expresseth the subjection of his servants and soldiers by their readinesse to doe his will Luke 7.8 At least howsoever the names be sometimes used indifferently there is manifest difference between prescribing to a reasonable creature and between the disposing of that which is without reason Authority therefore And that most properly reasonable creatures being most properly restrained to the government of reasonable creatures is that power by which a superiour hath right to prescribe unto such as are under him By right in this description we exclude tyranny which is the usurping of authority without or against right Secondly when we place the exercise of Authority in prescribing As being only capable of prescription we imply that it properly extends onely to such as are capable of prescription which are reasonable creatures Lastly we extend it to all kinde of prescribing both to the understanding what to assent unto and beleeve and to the will what to follow and embrace All which particulars if we lay together we shall finde that Authority originally is founded in God alone and that men have no title unto it but by deputation from him as the Apostle expresly restifieth Rom. 13.1 Which reacheth 1. To the understanding what to beleeve Which only belongs unto God to prescribe 1. Seeing he onely knows things by vision 2. Onely hath light in himself To begin with that branch of Authority that prescribes unto the understanding what to assent unto as truth we know that this is a Power that no man may justly challenge seeing a rule
3.5 6. This phrase of infusing or shedding as hath already been intimated implies men to be meerly passive Manifesting man to bee meerely passive in receiving it in receiving this spirituall life yet not altogether as vessels are in receiving that which is poured into them To make this more evident the holy Ghost sets out that state in which grace finds us being yet unregenerate by the name of death Eph. 2.1.5 as it doth our regeneration by the name of quickning Eph. 2.5 begetting again 1 Pet. 1.3 and 1 Iohn 5.18 new birth Iohn 3.3.5 and 1 Pet. 1.23 creating Eph. 2.10 whence regenerate men are tearmed new creatures Gal. 6.15 All phrases which imply us to be as meerly passive in the act of our renovation as we were in our first creation or generation Indeed if your New birth were no more but the improving of something which we had in us before or the strengthning only of that which was weake in us it is true that man himselfe might cooperate with the Spirit of Christ in this worke But seeing it appeares to be the bestowing of that which was not at all what is there in the man to be regenerate that can cooperate with the Spirit in his Regeneration Nature can doe nothing unlesse it be to hinder and oppose the worke For we know that is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 and cannot receive the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 At the best we know nature is but the matter which is renewed or new formed and matter as we all know can have no operation at all As for grace or spirituall life we know we had none at all till it was infused and that which is not at all cannot possibly have any operation So that it must needes bee granted that there is nothing in a man to be regenerate that can worke any thing at all in the act of his regeneration It being granted then that a man is meerely passive in the worke of his regeneration And therefore not to be discerned by us how it is wrought Though we may discerne 1 the preparations thereunto it must needs be impossible for him to discover how it is wrought as impossible as it is for one to know how he receives his owne life It is true that he may discerne the preparations to the worke such as are those terrours and agonies which oftentimes are before the worke of regeneration and are raised in a mans heart by the discovery of his owne miserable condition in which he stands and of the unability of all the creatures in the world to bring him any helpe seconded with some serious deliberations what to doe and ending in some desires and purposes to make use of some meanes for the escaping of Gods wrath if it may be Such motions as these are by which the heart is many times prepared for the worke of regeneration which may be resembled to the heating of metalls before they melt and are cast into the molde to be fashioned because in them the spirit of a man is wrought upon in a naturall way and by the helpe of naturall reason one may discerne as any creature that makes use of sense and motion cannot choose but discerne and know what it selfe doth Much more may a person regenerate 2. and first operations thereof discerne and understand the motions and operations that are performed by him after he is regenerate seeing it is evident that in them his spirit workes together with the Spirit of Christ Onely the first act of infusing and receiving grace being wrought in us and not by us yea and that in an instant and not by degrees is impossible to be discerned how it is wrought either by nature which understands not spirituall things or by spirituall sense which as we have seene already flowes from that spirituall life newly received and therefore cannot discerne what was done before it had any beeing at all Notwithstanding it is not impossible for a regenerate man to feele the very first illapse of the Spirit into the soule for it may bring that sense with it selfe although it doth not alwayes so Yet it may bring the sense of it selfe even in the instant of receiving it but not usually nor perhaps usually for though when a blinde man receives sight he must needes know that he sees as soone as he sees yet in receiving this spirituall life it is not so The giving of spirituall life and the giving of the sense of it be two distinct acts of the Spirit which may but doe not alwayes goe together Howsoever even in such persons as in the instant of regeneration feele themselves regenerate though they know what is wrought in them yet how it is wrought they cannot understand The author of this worke of regeneration is Christ by the Spirit Unto this By the Spirit of Christ the fashioning and quickning of all things that are created and continually renewed is ascribed as in the first Creation Gen. 2.2 the Spirit is said to move upon the waters that is to fashion and form that rude masse out of which all things were made that Spirit garnished the Heavens Job 26.13 And the renovation of all things by continuall propagation is ascribed to the same Spirit Psal 104.30 and more especially the infusing of the soule Gen. 2.7 Job 33.4 So that the abilities thereof are most significantly termed The Spirit of understanding Iob 32.8 of strength and courage Iudg. 14.6 of counsell and government Numb 11.25 and 1 Sam. 10.9 10. But above all the Supernaturall abilities of Grace and Sanctification are ascribed to the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.8.9 called for that cause The Spirit of Sanctification 2 Thes 2.13 and 1 Pet. 1.2 in so much that all graces of regeneration are termed the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 This Spirit resting on Christ Isa 61.1 who is for that cause said to be anointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes Psal 45.7 and to be full of grace Iohn 1.14 as having the Spirit given him not by measure Iohn 3.34 flowes from him to all his members as the head sends out influence of life to all the body so that of his fulnesse they all receive grace for grace Iohn 1.16 that is graces answerable to his graces SECT II. Of the spirituall mans operations THe operations of a spirituall man we have in the former description expressed by the terms and phrase of Comprehending and Embracing All things Spiritually Where under the termes of Comprehending and Embracing we understand all the severall kinds of the operations of a spirituall man and by All things we note the subjects of those operations and by the last terme Spiritually we signifie the manner of those severall workings or motions Comprehending 1. Comprehending implying all the acts of the understanding is properly that act of the understanding by which we conceive such things as are represented us which is the ground of our judging of them afterwards
as Psal 19.7 when it is said that the Law of God converts the soule which is the most proper effect of the Gospell it is evident that in that place under the name of the Law the Psalmist must understand the Gospell too As likewise when he tells us that his delight is in the Law of God which sustained his spirit that he perished not in his afflictions Psal 119.92 he must of necessity understand Gods promises aswell as the precepts of the Law seeing they be the promises rather then the precepts that support the soule in times of triall when we know whom we beleeve who is both able and willing and ready to make good what he hath promised as his children find by experience that there failed not ought of any good which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel but all came to passe Iosh 21.45 But as for the Promises especially those that concerne the Kingdome of Christ which were revealed to the Patriarchs delivered by the Prophets and lastly enlarged and more fuly and clearly opened by the Evangelists and Apostles we shall consider them apart hereafter But only the Commandements For the present we have now in hand only that which is properely and most commonly understood by the name of the Law which containe those commandements and rules of practise which God hath given to his Church for her direction and left upon record in the Scriptures Now these we know are distinguished by the names of Laws morall Judiciall Ceremoniall Morall ceremoniall and judiciall which by Moses in sundry places are promiscuously called Laws Statutes Judgements and Ordinances Of these severall sorts of Laws that which we call Morall comes to be handled in the first place Of these this which is called the morall Law because it was given by God for regulating of mens manners and conversation is of all the rest of the Laws most ancient Which is the most ancient of all Laws most generall and most perpetuall First most ancient Psal 119.160 as being given to our first Parents in Paradise As given to Adam in Paradise that is to man assoone as he had any being I grant indeed that we have no record of any other Laws given to Adam but those which we find mentioned Gen. 2. which are only some branches of the Second Commandement in the tree of life of the Fourth in the Institution of the Sabbath of the Seventh in the Law of Marriage and of the Eight in appointing them to keep Paradise which are all of them positive Laws and therefore need to be expresly set down or else they could not have been known whereas the rest of the Laws being all Lawes of nature and therefore discernible by naturall right reason for which cause they are said to be written in mans heart might be known although they were not recorded and therefore are omitted by Moses in that briefe history But that the rest of the morall Precepts were given unto Adam although perhaps not by word of mouth Either by word or written in his heart but written in his heart at the same time must needs be granted unlesse we conceive that God made Adam more imperfect then any other of his creatures for that he gave all the rest of the creatures rules of their motions and operations either imprinted in their natures if they want sense or by the direction of sense in those that have it is as cleare as the light Now that God should either give no law or which is almost one an imperfect law to man who most needed was most capable and best able to make use of a law must needs much disparage either his kindnesse to mankind or his wisdome in rendring the most eminent and serviceable of all the creatures upon earth unusefull and unprofitable at the least for most part if he had no perfect law to guide him It must therefore be necessarily granted that the whole morall Law was given to Adam that is to mankind in Paradise And consequently most universall as given to the whole nature of man in him and by necessary consequent must be acknowledged to be of all laws the most ancient and upon the same ground must necessarily be generall or universall seeing it was given in our first parents to the whole nature of man which when that law was given was wholly in them It is true that the change of mans condition by Adams fall hath seemed to cause some small alteration in the law as it is not a duty that now binds us to labour in Paradise or to abstain from the one or to eate of the other of the trees that stood in the midst of it Notwithstanding even by that law all men in generall are bound to labour in such employments as God cals them unto and to abstain from all things that God forbids and to make use of all such ordinances as the Lord appoints for the confirmation and strengthening of their faith So that those laws given to Adam bind all men still in the grounds and scope of them although they oblige not his posterity in those things which had relation to that state wherein he then stood and from which afterwards he so sodainly fell And upon the same ground it must as necessarily follow Upon the same ground those morall lawes must needs be perpetuall that those laws which were given to Adam are perpetuall to continue as long as men have a being on earth For seeing they were given to him as the root of mankind they necessarily bind his posterity in succeeding generations to the end of the world We never find any new law given to the Church in any age It is true that the law given to Adam hath been since renewed perhaps to Noah after the floud Which have been renued as may be probably guessed by that which we read concerning murther Gen. 9.6 And it may be to Abraham after God called him out from Vr of the Chaldeans seing we find him commended for keeping Gods commandements his statutes and his laws Gen. 26.5 But most fully and cleerly it was renewed and restored by Moses upon mount Sinai But not altered And that the law then published for the substance of it was no new law appears by comparing the law given to Adam which is in effect the same with the second fourth seventh and eighth commandements of the decalogue with which in a generall consideration they are all one if they be compared together That this which we call the Morall law was founded for ever as the Psalmist witnesseth Psal 119.152 and was to remain and to be observed as a rule of life unto Gods Church our Saviour himselfe witnesseth in expresse words Mat. 5.18 where he professeth that untill heaven and earth passe that is till the worlds end one jot or one tittle shall not passe from the law Wherefore whatsoever was praescribed in that law we may observe and guide our selves
because they are all the work of his hands as Elihu speaks Iob 34.19 Secondly 2. Reaching to the very thoughts we see that the commands of the greatest earthly Potentates reach no farther then the ordering of mens outward conversation but extend not to the ordering of the motions or thoughts of the heart whence it is that we usually say and justly may in respect of humane laws that thoughts are free So then when we see that men dare not take upon them the regulating of mens thoughts by any law wee must needs suppose that they acknowledge that their power reacheth not to the minde and spirit unto which they can give no laws because they cannot know when they are broken or obeyed But God in his word gives laws to the conscience and commands the thoughts and inward motions of the minde requiring to love God with all the heart Mat. 22.37 and ones neighbour as our self ver 39. and forbidding lust anger malice c. and other inordinate motions of the minde Mat. 5.28 Lev. 19.17 Which necessarily implies that he that gives such laws is the God of the spirits of all flesh Numb 27.16 the searcher of the hearts Ier. 17.10 able therefore to know and judge the obedience or rebellion of the very thoughts of the soul and spirit In the third place 3. Extended to creatures out of mans power and command we must needs grant that though no creature be exempted from mans service yet there are many of them that are not under his command as being without his reach or too great to be mastered by his power such are the heavens with all their hosts the earth the seas the windes c. which the Lord himself seems to have reserved to his own jurisdiction Hence it was that those that thought our Saviour to be but a meer man wondred to hear him rebuke the windes Mat. 8.26 27. a thing that no meer man well advised ever did As for Ioshua's words to the Sun and Moon Iosh 10.12 they have indeed the form of a command but had onely the vertue of a prayer so that the Lord and not the Sun heard Ioshua ver 13. Seeing therefore men forbear to command the heavens earth seas windes c. and in Scriptures wee finde commands and bounds given to the seas Iob 38.11 Ps 104.79 the earth fixed to a place by Gods decree Ps 119.90 his word setled in heaven Ps 119.89 the windes fire hail snow c. fulfilling his word Psal 148.8 we must needs acknowledge that the voice that commands all these is the word of that powerfull Lord who having made all these things hath right and power to command and give laws unto them according to his pleasure Lastly no man well advised 4. Fortified with sanctions of promises and threats beyond mans power ever took upon him to threaten those things that were beyond mans power to effect and therefore seeing that reacheth onely to mens outward estate and no farther and that too limited to the bounds of this present life we never finde mens sanctions given in their laws extended beyond the promises or threats of present or outward good or evill as for instance either to give or take away mens liberty their wealth or estates or life at the most But Gods word threatens plagues upon on the soul hardnesse of heart a reprobate sense a trembling spirit a spirit of madnesse and giddinesse and promiseth light of knowledge power of faith encrease of grace c. nay reacheth beyond this life to eternity threatning the wicked with the worm that dieth not Isa 66.24 everlasting fire Mat. 25.41 everlasting chains Jude 6. and promising an inheritance immortall 1 Pet. 1.4 a Kingdome that fadeth not Rivers of pleasures in Gods presence for evermore Psal 16.11 Such promises and such threatnings which exceed the limits of any mortall power to bestow or inflict must needs be acknowledged to proceed from the God of spirits and eternity Lay all these particulars together and thus we may frame the argument drawn from the commands which we finde in Scripture to prove it to be the word of God That voice which commands and gives laws to the whole world and that without respect of persons that prescribes and gives rules to the thoughts of the heart that promiseth and threatneth rewards and punishments to the soul and that eternally that gives laws to those creatures over which no man had or ever challenged any power the heavens earth seas windes c. that must needs be the voice and word of God But such is the voice that speaks in the Scriptures therefore the Scriptures must needs be acknowledged to be the voice and word of God Thus the Majesty of the Scriptures manifested in their lofty plain style and in their transcendent commands and sanctions discover these sacred volumes to be the word of him to whom alone belongs Majesty Authority and Power MARKE II. Of the subject or matter handled in the Scriptures THe second argument The subjects handled in Scripture shew them to be Gods word by which the Scriptures may be proved to be Gods word is drawn from the consideration of the subject or matters which are handled in them and they are either principles of faith or rules of practise Now before we speak of them particularly thus much must needs be acknowledged in generall as an undoubted truth Impossible to be discovered by light of Nature 1t. The Principles of Faith Whatsoever was impossible to be known by any creature or to be found out by discourse of naturall reason that must of necessity be discovered and made known by God himself But it will appear as evidently as the very light that most of the grounds of faith which the Scripture proposeth unto us are such as neither eye hath seen nor eare heard nor ever entred into mans heart 1 Cor. 2.9 and therefore could never be either revealed or discovered by man Wherefore seeing we finde them discovered in the Scriptures we can doe no lesse then acknowledge them to be the word of God Of these two Propositions onely the Minor is questionable which will be sufficiently cleared by the ensuing instances To begin with the most eminent object of faith 1. God himself God himself No man hath seen him at any time John 1.18 neither consequently knows him as he ought as our Saviour testifies John 17.25 much lesse can manifest him unto others Indeed that God is yea his Godhead and power are understood by the works of Creation Rom. 1.20 But how little true knowledge of God is discovered to naturall men by that way of groping as the Apostle tearms it Acts 17.27 appears by the writings of the most learned amongst the Heathen to omit the phantasies of the rest who speak so little and so uncertainly concerning God that they seem like the blinde man whose eyes were not yet fully cleared by our Saviour Mark 8.24 who saw men walking like trees
was dictated by God himselfe unto those that wrote it from his mouth or the suggesting of his Spirit Again the work of the holy Ghost in the delivery of the Scriptures is set down affirmatively when the Pen-men of those sacred writings are described to speak as they were moved or carried by the holy Ghost a phrase which must be warily understood For we may not conceive that they were moved in writing these Scriptures as the pen is moved by the hand that guides it without understanding what they did For they not onely understood but willingly consented to what they wrote and were not like those that pronounced the Devils Oracles rapt and carried out of themselves by a kinde of extasie wherein the Devill made use of their tongues and mouths to pronounce that which themselves understood not But the Apostles meaning is that the Spirit of God moved them in this work of writing the Scriptures not according to nature Yet understandingly willingly but above nature shining into their understandings clearly and fully by an heavenly and supernaturall light and carrying and moving their wils thereby with a delight and holy embracing of that truth revealed and with a like desire to publish and make known the secrets and counsels of God revealed unto them unto his Church Yea beyond all this the holy Ghost not only suggested unto them the substance of that doctrine which they were to deliver and leave upon record unto the Church for so far he usually assists faithfull Ministers in dispensing of the Word in the course of their Ministery but besides hee supplyed unto them the very phrases method The holy Ghost made choice both of the expressions and methods and whole order of those things that are written in the Scriptures whereas he leaves Ministers in preaching the Word to the choice of their own phrases and expressions wherein as also in some particulars which they deliver they may be mistaken although in the main fundamentals which they lay before their hearers and in the generall course of the work of their Ministery they do not grosly erre Thus then the holy Ghost not only assisted holy men in penning the Scriptures but in a sort took the work out of their hand making use of nothing in the men but of their understandings to receive and comprehend their wils to consent unto and their hands to write downe that which they delivered When we say that the holy Ghost framed the very phrase and style wherein the Scriptures were written we mean not that he altered the phrase and manner of speaking wherewith custome and education had acquainted those that wrote the Scriptures Yet uttering his own expressions as it were in the sound of their voice but rather speaks his own words as it were in the sound of their voice or chooseth out of their words and phrases such as were fit for his own purpose Thus upon instruments men play what lesson they please but the instrument renders the sound of it more harsh or pleasant according to the nature of it self Thus amongst the Pen-men of Scriptures we finde that some write in a rude and more impolished style as Amos some in a more elegant phrase as Isay Some discover art and learning in their writings as S. Paul others write in a more vulgar way as S. James And yet withall the Spirit of God drew their naturall style to an higher pirch in divine expressions fitted to the subject in hand How needfull it was that the Spirit of God should solely manage and accomplish this work of penning the Scriptures hath been shewed already in the former point wherein we proved that the Scriptures must necessarily be the Word of God seeing faith can stay it self on no other foundation then a divine testimony and our services cannot be accompted a duty of obedience unlesse it be done in obedience to Gods will which can be made known no other way then by his own Word Now the inferences hold strongly thus The Scriptures are Gods own Word therefore they must be delivered by his owne Spirit seeing none else could know Gods minde as none knows the minde of man but the spirit which is in man 1 Cor. 2.11 CAP. V. Of the Subject or Matters handled in the Scriptures that the Scriptures containe all things necessary to salvation IT much concerns such as addresse themselves to the reading of the Scriptures The subject matters revealed in Scriptures are to know what subject they handle of what nature it is whom and what it concerns as being an effectual means to awaken the heart and quicken the affections of men unto that holy exercise For all experience makes it evident that men usually attend carefully to such things as most neerly concern themselves 1. Such as concern men 2. And in the highest degree and are not much moved usually with things in which they have no speciall interest And are serious in matters of importance on which their own safety or their estate depend but sleight things that are of small worth and of no great moment to their gain or losse Wherefore to move men to be serious in reading the Word it is needfull to make it evident that the subject thereof is high and heavenly exceeding mans wisdome and therefore worthy to bee throughly searched into And besides of such importance to us that upon it depends our everlasting happinesse the way whereunto and means whereof are set down therein Seeing therfore it appears that the Position proposed and the consideration thereof are so pertinent to our present purpose and therefore fit to be handled in this place it will be needfull to open it more fully and to that purpose to expresse First what is meant by things necessary to salvation Secondly how the Scriptures doe containe them Concerning the former of these two Necessary imports not 1. A naturall necessity 2. Nor meritorious by necessary we understand not a naturall necessity by which the beeing of one thing depends upon another as the effect doth upon the cause no nor a meritorious necessity by which salvation might be earned as one earns his wages by his labor in either of which senses it is impossible that any thing should be necessary to salvation which can have no cause in nature nor be earned by desert seeing it is a free gift But a necessity imposed by the will of God Rom. 6.23 Eph. 2.8 But by necessary we mean a necessity imposed by the will of God who bestowing eternall life freely had power to bestow it on what conditions he pleased and hath promised it onely under the Covenant of faith and obedience the rules whereof being contained onely in the Scriptures and therein fully they are for that cause said to contain all things necessary to salvation When we say it is onely the will of God that makes faith and obedience necessary to salvation we deny not but this will of his hath in this as
the former I answer that the same exception lies against all Gods commandements and the supposed impossibility ariseth especially from the unwillingness of their own minds and lastly the expence of time or labour is not so much as may well be spared from their vanities or if an houre or more in a day be spared from labours God can recompence it by his blessing without which early rising and hard labouring are to little purpose Psal 127.2 To the later sort I say that we come far short of our duty in all our services that we deal with a gratious Father who accepts us according to that we have if there be a willing mind 2 Cor. 8.12 as requiring mercy rather then sacrifice Mat. 9.13 Only our endevour must be to do all things as perfectly as we can and for that purpose the rule must be set downe in the exactest manner which also serves best both to direct us and to quicken our endevours and besides to stir us to thankfulness for Gods gracious acceptance of our imperfect services and pardon of our failings CAP. XII Directions for the right interpretation of the Scriptures NOt only the matters and subject which the Scriptures handle being high and mysterious in their nature which the Psalmist calls Wonders Psal 119.18 but besides that the phrase manner of expression which is in many clauses far from vulgar or common use make many things in Scripture hard to be understood as the Apostle acknowledgeth 2 Pet. 3.16 wherefore there is required much wisdome and diligence in searching after the true sense of Gods word without which we cannot but erre dangerously in the grounds of our faith and in the rules of practise It will be therefore needfull to set before us such rules as may help to direct us in finding out the true sense of the Scriptures But before we come to lay downe these rules we must necessarily agree upon two conclusions The first is acknowledged by all men without contradiction which is That there can be no infallible interpreter of the Scriptures but God himselfe The second though it be somewhat more questioned then the former yet is as true as it in all points namely That every Godly man hath within him a spirituall light by which he is directed in the understanding of Gods mind revealed in his word in all things needfull to salvation Concerning the former of these two conclusions we must necessarily acknowledge that seeing no man knows Gods mind but himself as the Apostle affirmes Rom. 11.34 1 Cor. 2.16 therefore none can interpret his word in places doubtfull None can interpret Scriptures but God himselfe but himself For seeing Gods mind cannot be otherwise known to us then by the words wherein it is expressed and when the words are such as may import divers senses who can tell in which of those senses God used them and would have them taken by us but himself that uttered them unlesse some other person were privy to his thoughts As for the second conclusion Every godly man hath a light in himselfe to shew him the mind of God in his word that godly men have a light within their own breasts by which they are able to understand Gods meaning in his word in things necessary to salvation we know that God hath promised by his Prophet that no man shall need to teach his neighbour because every man shall know him from the greatest to the least Jer. 31.34 And the Apostle that the anointing that they have abiding in them shall teach them all things 1 Joh. 2.27 the Anointing there mentioned is that spirit which is given us of God by which we know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 by which every man understands spirituall things as every man sees and discovers naturall things with his own eyes That every man should have within himself such a light or spirituall understanding Which conduceth 1. To Gods honour as we have mentioned before by which he may discover and know the mind of God revealed in his word conduceth much to Gods honour two waies 1. As having as many witnesses as believers For first God hath by this means as many witnesses of his truth as there are true believers of whom every one knows what he speaks Ioh. 3.11 by his own understanding and becomes thereby a more authenticall witness unto others of that which he believes upon a more certain ground then if he had seen it with his own eyes Secondly 2. And those more fully discovering his truth and more affected with it every godly man having this inward light by which he discovers the mind of God speaking in his word knows his truth more fully and cleerly then he could possibly do by the helps of any other mans light and finds his heart thereby more affected with those glorious and holy truths which the Word reveals understanding the righteousness and purity of that Word as David did Psal 119.138.140 which indeed is the only true means of admiring and honouring God for that holy word in which are discovered such glorious excellencies that our very souls are ravished with it as Davids was Psal 119.97 upon the discovery of the sweetnesse thereof vers 103. Besides 2. To our comfort when we see with our own eyes it is a singular comfort to every godly soul to see with his own eyes It 's true that it is a great comfort to a blind man to meet with a faithfull guide whom he may trust to lead him on in his way but it comes nothing neer the content which a man that hath eyes takes when with them he sees the way in which he walks This discovery of the truth of God revealed in his word is the only means of grounding our faith preserving us established in the truth against errours and apostasie and of filling our souls both with present comforts and future hopes This inward light may much be cleered and enlarged by 1. The Ministery of the word 2. Conferences It is true that this inward light or anointing as Saint John calls it may be much cleered and enlarged by such helps as God is pleased to afford us by the ministery of his word by private conferences and reading of godly mens writings which are therefore to be made use of diligently and constantly and therefore they are justly to be suspected who rejecting them brag of I know not what inward light which they have received 3. And reading of godlymens books which too many neglecting endanger themselves which too often by the event at least is discovered to be a seducing spirit of errour leading them from one phantasie to an other to the endangering of their own souls and such as cleave unto them These helps therefore which we have mentioned are not to be despised nor yet any farther to be depended on then as spectacles serving to make things clearer unto the light which we have within
A VVAy to the Tree of 〈◊〉 Discovered in Sundry DIRECTIONS for the Profitable Reading OF THE SCRIPTVRES Wherein is described occasionally The nature of a Spirituall Man And in a Digression The Morality and Perpetuity of the Fourth Commandment in every circumstance thereof is discovered and cleared BY IOHN WHITE Master of Arts and Preacher of Gods Word in Dorchester in the County of Dorset Search the Scriptures for in them you think you have Eternall life Iohn 5.39 LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Royston at the signe of the Angel in Ivy-lane 1647. TO The right Worshipfull the Mayor Recorder Bailives Burgesses and the rest of the Inhabitants in the Burrough of Dorchester in the County of Dorset Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ NO man I conceive will wonder Right Worshipfull and Dearely Beloved in the Lord that I present you with this small Treatise being an accompt of some of my labours which I have taken amongst you I know not of whom they are likely to finde nor desire they may have better acceptance then of those of whose love manifested unto me in so many honours and favours by which you have so many waies engaged me now neere these two and fourty yeares wherein I have continued amongst you I have had so aboundant and full experience Besides in presenting you with this poore Treatise I give you of your own as I may truely say with the Prophet David 1 Chron. 29.14 although not altogether in his sense For am not I yours as S. Paul tels the Corinthians that himselfe and Apollo and Cephas were theirs 1 Cor. 3.22 And by consequent the issues of all my weake abilities you may as justly challenge to be your own as the Master might claime the issues of the bondslaves borne in his house to be his and as in true estimation it is such so I desire you to accept it as an acknowledgement although in no proportion a satisfaction of that great Debt which I owe unto you And to speake truth it will be of speciall use to you to accompt this labour of mine such as it is as your own that you may so entertaine and embrace it so use husband and employ it to your best advantage as we use to doe those things that are our own For the chiefe reason wherefore the manifold helps which God is pleased to afford us by the labours of other men usually profit us so little is because men looke not on them as matters wherein themselves have a peculiar interest and so neglect them as we too usually doe those things which are of common and generall concernement As for the matter handled in this short Treatise I desire you to take notice that of all the Truths that I have delivered unto you in so large a time of my Ministery continued amongst you I have chosen this above all other subjects to recommend unto you in a more especiall manner and to leave with you as a memoriall of my tender affection towards you for these two weighty reasons First because this duty of studying the Scriptures whereunto this Treatise is intended as an help is of all others of most generall concernement and of most necessary and common use Secondly because it hath pleased the Lord to cast us into dangerous times wherein some men endeavour what they can to bring the Scriptures into contempt crying down that sacred booke as containing nothing else but a dead letter and being a beggerly element fit for none but the lowest forme of Christians Others that are unstable and unlearned as the Apostle tearmes them 2 Pet. 3.16 wrest them at their pleasure to their own destruction and the endangering of their brethrens soules Let me therefore in the bowels of Christ beseech you Brethren as you ever hope to get any power of grace into your hearts to have your spiritual life quickened your comforts assured and your wayes directed to take heed to this Sure and Infallible word of Truth as to a Light shining in a darke place as the Apostle speakes 2 Pet. 1.19 as containing in it your Food your Physick your Evidences your Comforts your Armes both for offence and defence and in a word which is the very life of your Soules the Light of your Vnderstanding the Director of your Wills and the Moderator of your Affections Study this Word which our Saviour tearmes Searching of the Scriptures Iohn 5.39 which is done not by Reading them over cursorily but by examining them diligently comparing Scripture with Scripture that we may know the full minde of God revealed therein who many times layes not down the whole truth together in one place but leaves us to take in some other clauses out of other places to make up the full of that truth which hee would reveale unto us For want of this care of laying Scripture to Scripture many taking up the truth of God by parts ground thereupon dangerous errours wronging God in making him to speake what he never meant and overthrowing their own Faith to the hazard of their owne Soules Of one thing we must be very carefull that we bring with us our minds free and not prepossest with any Opinion which we have either framed in our owne phantasy or received from others A mind forestalled by an erroneous conceipt is no fit Judge of any Truth or of any Testimony cōcerning Truth but as coloured glasse transmits the light and represents it to the eye infected with the same colour with which it selfe is dyed Or as the taste distempered by some ill humour relisheth all things which it receives according to that humour with which it selfe is infected so happens it with a minde prepossest with any phantasie it apprehends and judgeth of all things according to that opinion which it selfe hath entertained Lastly the Scriptures being in themselves exceeding broad to use the Psalmists expression Psal 119.96 that is of large comprehension and withall very mysterious containing in them wonders as they are tearmed ver 18. there needs together with our reading much Meditation upon what we have read as the same Prophet tells us that he did meditate upon Gods Law all the day Psal 119.97 much conference especially with Ministers and other experienced Christians much use of learned mens writings which give great light to the understanding of darke places in Scripture which wee shall often meet withall But above all fervent and continuall Prayers wherein acknowledging our owne blindnesse and inability of our selves to search into the deep Mysteries revealed in the Word with Agur Prov. 30.2 3. we beg earnestly the assistance of Gods Spirit to open our eyes Psal 119.18 to make us to understand the way of his precepts ver 27. to give us understanding that wee may know his testimonies ver 125. being assured that as there is no other meanes to reveale unto us the mind of God but his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.11 so God will not deny that
necessarily attends upon it shall we think that the God of nature the fountain of all wisdome the first and best former of societies would leave the body of a society composed by himself as it were the work of his own hand in more hazard then men do the states which they settle and stablish by their counsell Again 2ly Because the Church of all societies most needs a law as being 1 Both the largest most dispersed of all societies we know that the larger the body of a State is and the more dispersed the more need it hath to be firmly knit together by those strong bands of society Now we see the smallest societies that are amongst men and the most neerly compacted together the inhabitants of one small City the fellows of one Colledge governed by laws and orders whereas the Church is the largest of all societies in the world in extent and most dispersed as being possible to be scattered over the whole face of the earth and consequently above all other states on earth needs to be established by the best laws as being hardest to be governed and most subject to disorder and confusion without them In the next place we see the laws of men reach no farther then the ordering of mens outward conversation 2 To be ordered in the very motions of the heart and meddle not with the inward thoughts and motions of the minde But in the government of the Church the chiefest work must be the ruling of the heart and conscience as the Apostle tels us that Gods word and laws reach to the imaginations of the heart and bring under the very thoughts to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 and enter into the very dividing of the soul and spirit and to the discerning of the thoughts of the heart Which are 1 More various then outward actions 2 More speedily moved hardly governed Heb. 4.12 Now how much greater variety and diversity there is in mens thoughts then in their actions how much more easily and speedily they are moved and consequently with how much greater difficulty they are governed and kept in order is evident to all men Consequently we must conceive that the just wise and provident God that directed all men to give laws to order mens actions would himself much more give laws for the ordering and well governing of the thoughts and conscience Lastly 3ly And the Church being Gods more speciall care as being 1 His own inheritāce if God in the course of his Providence have taken order that other states to which he hath onely a generall relation as Lord of all the earth should be governed and ordered by fit laws for the preservation of society and peace we cannot deny but his care must be much greater for the governing and well ordering of his own people in whom he delights his chosen generation his peculiar inheritance which he hath set apart to bring forth fruits to himself Deut. 32.9 Rom. 7.4 in whose good or ill carriage seeing his Name is called upon them his honour is more interessed 2 In which his own honour is most interessed then any parents can be in the behaviour of his own children And consequently we must conclude that if all the States in the world were left without government yet God would give laws nay the most exact and perfect laws for the well ordering of his own Church seeing it redounds so much to his own honour as Moses tels us Deut. 4.7 8. Thus then the first Position proposed is evident enough This law can be found no where but in the Scriptures that the Church of God must have a law The next is more clear then it that this law can bee found in no other books then the Scriptures And to prove it we need no more but to put men to produce us any other volume besides this sacred book wherein that law is written let them name us to whose custody it was committed and where it may be found There is no reason the law given to the Church should bee committed to any other then the Churches keeping 1 Because the Church the keeper of its own records acknowledgeth no other 2 Other bastard-writings compared with it appear to be counterfeit now the Church acknowledgeth no other Book for the word or law of God but this alone neither did ever any dare to pretend that any other book besides this was Gods word or law if any should the very comparing of such bastard-writings with the true word would easily discover them to be no better then counterfeit But to clear this point more fully we shall desire to manifest this one truth more which any sober minded man will easily assent unto namely that it is neither possible nor in any sort convenient that the law for the governing of the Church should be given by any other then by God himself Besides 1 t It was not possible that any other then God himselfe should give this law 1 Because it rules the spirit of man to which no creature can give a law As being unable to take accompt of the breach thereof 2 Because Gods will must be the Churches law First then it is not possible and that upon a double ground The first is that God being a Spirit and therefore to be worshipped and served in spirit and truth John 4.24 the laws that prescribe the duties of that worship and service must of necessity reach to the spirit and inward man Now the giving of such laws is beyond mans power and therefore no law-giver from the beginning of the world ever took upon him that task And indeed it were absurd for a man to give such lawes of the observation or breach whereof he could take no account now we know seeing no man can know the thoughts of another mans heart it is impossible for him to judge whether they be answerable or contrary to the law by which they were appointed to be ordered The second reason why it is impossible for any other then God himself to give a law unto the Church is because it is agreeable to all rules of equity that Gods own will should be the law and rule to all creatures seeing they are all the work of his hand much more to the Church which besides her Creation Being his own both by Creatiō and Redemption he hath purchased to himself by the blood of his Son Act. 20.28 And consequently being his own by the strongest title must be disposed according to his will even by our Saviours rule which allows one to doe with his own what he will Mat. 20.15 If then Gods will must be the creatures law who can give it but himself for who hath known the minde of the Lord Rom. 11.34 Surely if none known the things of man but the spirit which is in man Now none can know Gods minde but himself the minde of God can much lesse be known by any
them either took from the Sibylls books or from some other directions pretended to be given by the Gods themselves Neither can we possibly be assured that such rites as we worship God withall In the observation of the Sabbath use of the Sacraments c. are accepted unlesse God himself prescribe them as we see he did the whole form of ceremoniall worship in the Leviticall law and the Sabbath and Sacraments both in Paradise and under the Gospel by our Saviour Christ And for the services which are to be performed to men first we finde little in the Precepts of such as are meer Moralists concerning that fountain of those duties whence they ought to flow which is love without which none of them is accepted 1 Cor. 13.3 Neither doe we finde that measure of love required by them which our Saviour commands to love our neighbour as our self Mat. 5.44 wherein he affirms we go beyond naturall men and consequently implies that we doe more then naturall reason teacheth whence it will follow that the law which requires that duty was not given by man and therefore must needs be acknowledged to be the Precept and Word of God and not of man Nay beyond all this 3. Most of all self-deniall which nature never taught we find that Gods Word requires of us the deniall of our selves and that every way both of our own vvisdome to prescribe as the Lord requires his people to do not vvhat is right in their own eyes Deut. 12.8 but what is right in the eyes of the Lord their God Deut. 13.18 and of our own ability to undertake and perform as our Saviour requires us to bring forth fruit in him vvithout vvhom vve can doe nothing Iohn 15.5 and of our own ends as the Apostle tels us that vve must bring forth fruit unto God Rom. 7.4 that he may be glorified Mat. 5.16 and therefore the Prophet cals Israel an empty Vine because he brought forth fruit to himself Hos 10.1 whence it is that our Saviour makes this self-deniall the first step to Religion Mat. 16.24 A duty that humane reason is so far from prescribing that it cannot so much as allow and submit unto it when it is prescribed and that because it cannot finde out mans emptinesse and weaknesse the ground on which self-deniall is founded or at least sensibly acknowledged Wherfore the Scriptures which require that duty which is so contrary to the principles of nature must needs be the Word of God Thus we see that the subject which the Scriptures handle is above the pitch of humane wisdome whether vve look to the grounds of faith or rules of practise which are layed down therein The true knowledge of God vvhom the world hath not known the great and glorious works of the worlds Creation vvith the time manner and order thereof And of mans Redemption after his fall and corruption thereby together with the state into which he is redeemed to be mystically united to Christ by the Spirit which gives him interest in his merits and righteousnesse makes him Gods childe by adoption and an heir of glory The duties of fear love and affiance in God all grounded on the true knowledge of him And lastly the service of love to man binding him to love his neighbour as himself yea his very enemies and above all things to deny himself So that the Scripture discovering those things which naturall reason could never finde out must needs be acknowledged to be delivered by God himself and to be his Word MARK III. Of the powerfull effects of the Scriptures upon mens hearts which discover them to be the Word of God THe two former Markes of the Scriptures which manifest them to be the Word of God appear as it were in the face and body of that sacred volume this third Mark is taken from the wonderfull and supernaturall effects that they work upon the heart and conscience which are such as cannot possibly be performed by any other then a divine Power These effects may be reduced unto three heads First the wounding and terrifying Secondly the converting and renuing Thirdly the comforting and reviving of the heart Neither of which being possible to bee wrought by the power of man as we shal manifest by and by it must needs be granted that the Scripture which produceth such wonderfull effects is not of man but of God seeing we know no cause can work an effect greater and of an higher nature then it self To begin with the first The first Effect of the Word the pricking of the heart Differing from naturall terrours the terrours and prickings of heart which are caused in men by Gods Word It cannot be denyed but there may be and are sometimes wrought in mens hearts some naturall terrours which may cause in them much unquietnesse but between such naturall passions and these spirituall agonies which are wrought by the word there will appear a wide difference if they be well examined and that more ways then one 1. In the grounds upon which they be raised 2. In the effects produced by them The grounds of naturall terrours 1. A naturall sense of sin 2. A naturall acknowledgment of Gods Justice Holinesse and Power which may be easily made manifest by observing first the grounds whence either of them doe arise And secondly the effects which the one and the other produce in those on whose hearts they make impression with the different consequents that follow thereupon Concerning the grounds upon which terrours are raised in mans heart the causes of such as are naturall appear to be evidently different from those which raise spirituall passions For we cannot be ignorant that every man by nature having imprinted in his heart some rude notions at the least both of good and evill and withall some acknowledgement of Gods Justice Holinesse and Power and having besides a conscience within his own breast sitting as Judge to passe censure upon his own ways and actions before which his thoughts accuse or excuse one another as the Apostle speaks Rom. 2.15 must needs have usually some sense of every known sin either more or lesse Whence it follows that the more the conscience is illightned and by that means awakened to look back upon a mans own sin and the wrath of God lying upon him for sin and his powerfull revenging hand pursuing him the more he must of necessity be distracted in his thoughts with fearfull terrours which may cause his life to hang before him All working in the heart fears of punishment Deut. 28.65 and to be bitter unto him and yet these terrours as arising from naturall principles are meerly naturall being caused by a naturall sense of sin and acknowledgment of Gods wrath and fear of his own danger thereby which any man may have by nature From this apprehension of the guilt of sin The grounds of spirituall terrours and fear of the punishment that follows it the causes that affect a godly
by vertue of another under whom it commands is humane 2. In the subject matters prescribed 1. Principles of faith The second difference between the Authority of God and man is in respect of the subjects or matters prescribed which are either principles of saith or rules of life for the former because God is true every man a lyer Rō 3.4 therefore in grounds of faith Which only God can deliver 1. Because many of them are unsearchable by man we admit no testimony but Gods alone for two reasons First the imperfection of our knowledge arising partly by the nature of the things to be beleeved whereof many are unsearchable by mans wisdome and therefore must be revealed by the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.11 12. and partly from the weaknesse of the means of our knowledge which is the information by sense that looks onely on the outward appearance 1 Sā 16.9 so that it is impossible that man should know any thing in matters of faith but by revelation from God which also he apprehends weakly and imperfectly So that in matters of faith there is no infallibility in mans knowledge and that which is depends upon the credit not of the man but of the Spirit which reveals it Another reason why mans testimony is no sufficient ground of faith 2. Because men may lye is because men may deceive as well as be deceived wherefore though they often speake truth we are not sure that they doe so always because it is not contrary to their nature to lye Whereas Gods knowledg is infallible 1. Because he hath light in himself 2. And knows by vision not by discourse as it is unto Gods Tit. 1.2 Neither of these imperfections are found in God whose knowledge must needs be every way perfect because he sees by his own not by a borrowed light which must therefore be without any mixture of darknesse 1 John 1.5 And because the means of Gods knowledge is by vision not by discourse yea by such a sight as pierceth through the very nature of all things seeing God himself is in and through all Ephes 4.6 Besides the most of the things which we beleeve 3. And must needs understād what he freely gives are things freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 which therefore he must needs understand fully seeing the spirit in man understands the things of a man although no man else know them 1 Cor. 2.11 Now in the next place there can be no more question of Gods fidelity in revealing then there is of his infallibility in understanding all things seeing truth is Gods nature And can no more deceive then be deceived which therefore he can no more swerve from then from himself So seeing we finde Gods testimony every way infallible and mans uncertain it must needs be granted that it is peculiar to God alone to establish grounds of faith Againe for the regulating of mans practise 2. And rules of life onely to be prescribed by God 1. Whose will is infallibly good 2. And the duties prescribed are his services there is a wide difference between Gods and mans Authority for if we respect the substance of duty that can be prescribed by none but God alone both because onely his will is infallibly good Psal 143.10.119.39 and therefore only fit to be the rule of righteousnesse and besides because the duties commanded being all of them immediately or mediately services unto God it was most fit that God alone should appoint the duties of his own service The truth is in matters of practise mans authority hath to doe only in two things First in applying the rules of morall duties to particulars for the preservation of order and peace thereby Secondly in compelling men to obedience in such duties as are prescribed In brief then divine Authority establisheth principles of faith and prescribes the substance of morall dutie humane authority meddles not in laying down any grounds of faith at all and in morall duties prescribes not the substance but onely the order and manner of outward performance of that which divine authority hath commanded The third difference between divine and humane Authority 3. In the extent of this authority which bindes the consciēce belonging onely to God is in the extent of them both Humane authority being ordained for preservation of order and by it of peace in civill society for the furtherance and supporting of godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2.2 reacheth no farther then to binde men to conform to order in the course of their practise but divine Authority having an higher scope even the renuing of the heart and bringing under the thoughts thereof to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 bindes the conscience that is both the judgement of man to allow that which is commanded as holy and just with the Apostle Rom. 7.12 and the will to choose it as good and the affections to embrace it Rom. 7.22 accordingly yea the whole man to follow it with the strength of constant endeavours after the Prophet Davids example Psal 119.106.112 Hence it follows that in obeying mens commandements he that doth what Authority requires so he perform it in a willing submission thereunto in obedience to God which the Apostle cals obeying for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 hath performed his duty neither hath cause to judge himself a transgressour though he approve not the law it self as good and holy nay though upon good ground he think the contrary to that which is commanded more fit and convenient so he think not so out of any self-conceipt rash judgement or distaste of the Authority that commands But in obeying Gods Commandements it is far otherwise For though a man fulfill the law in the outward act yet if he allow it not as holy and just if his endeavour be not to conform his will to Gods will therein if he rejoyce not in performing it as a good man doth Prov. 21.15 his own conscience ought to condemn him as a transgressour and sinner against God at least in some degree So then divine Authority bindes the conscience by a double band both of the power that commands and of the justice of the commandement but humane Authority bindes onely by vertue of the power that commands not by the equity of the commandement further then it agrees with Gods law or conduceth to order and peace for which Authority was established The last difference between divine and humane Authority 4. In the sanctions annexed to the precepts is in respect of the sanctions annexed to their laws which are proportioned to the nature and quality of the obedience required and to the power of him that requires it For Gods commands in his laws are specially inward holinesse righteousnesse love c. and that under the penalty of the curse and wrath of God 1. Reaching to the soul 2. And reaching to eternity to bee poured out on the soul as well as on the body both in this life
in all things else respect to his own glory For the advancing of his own glory 1. Our faith bearing witnesse to his Al-sufficiency Truth 2. Our obedience to his Authority Righteousnesse Yet are not all things in Scripture alike necessary which is testified at least by our faith and obedience For our relying on him by faith bears witnesse to his sufficiency faithfulnesse truth as our obedience in submitting chearfully to his will in all that he commands acknowledgeth his Authority Wisdome and Holinesse So then this will of God in requiring of us these conditions is every way just as well as free Now when wee say the grounds and rules of faith and obedience contained in Scripture are necessary to salvation we mean not that all are of like necessity Ignorance or unbeleef in God or Christ excludes absolutely from salvation John 3.18 so doth not ignorance or unbeleef in some temporall promise although it cannot be excused from sinne In brief then when we say all things necessary to salvation are contained in Scripture we mean both that the things written therein are necessary to that end although not alike necessary and that there is nothing necessary to that end that is not to be found there We are next to shew what we understand by this tearm containing Scriptures containe things 1. In expresse tearms 2. By necessary consequence Now things may be contained in Scripture either expresly and in plain tearms or by consequence drawn from some grounds that are delivered in Scripture and one of these two ways all grounds of faith or rules of practise are to be found in these holy writings It is no where affirmed in Scripture in expresse tearms that the holy Ghost is God but we read 1 John 5.7 that the Father the Word and the holy Ghost are one and from thence infer by necessary consequence that the holy Ghost is God because he is one with the Father who is God We are no where in precise words commanded to baptize infants but from the precept given to the Fathers to circumcise them we take our selves to be warranted to baptize them because Baptisme and Circumcision are in substance one Sacrament Wee are no where expresly commanded to discover the fault of what we sell or to give a just value for that which we buy But we have generall rules commanding us to speak the truth from the heart Ps 15.2 To doe as we desire to be done unto Mat. 7.12 and forbidden to defraud our brother in any matter or goe beyond him in bargaining which imports as much Thus where all things needfull to be beleeved or done are not clearly expressed in Scripture yet they are implied and drawn out from thence by necessary consequence This truth that the Scriptures contain whatsoever is necessary to salvation is sufficiently ratified by evident testimony of the Word it self which sends us to the Law and to the Testimony Isa 8.20 tels us that in them we have eternall life John 5.39 that they alone are able to make the man of God perfect to every good work 2 Tim. 2.17 and wise to salvation ver 15. that the Law of God is perfect Psal 19.7 and though there be an end of all other perfections yet the commandement is exceeding broad Psal 119.96 that is comprehends all needfull things so that nothing is wanting in it Whence proceeds that curse upon every one that addes as well as upon them that take away from that Book Rev. 22.18 Yea besides this truth is consonant to all grounds of reason whatsoever our adversaries alledge to the contrary For first we have reason to presume It was fit that God should deliver his will in writing 1. As the most easie way to make it publike that God would take the easiest way for the instruction of his Church now it is evident that it is more easie to leave things upon record in writing then to charge them upon mens memories especially when they are many and consequently must burthen the memory whereas lying before mens eyes in writing they may easily be overlooked at all times without trouble If it be replied that traditions are few and may therefore be easily remembred VVe answer first they may bee infinite for ought we know seeing no man ever took upon him to tell us how many they are And secondly be they more or fewer yet they are more easily preserved by writing then by tradition as all men know Again it was fit that in teaching his Church 2. As the safest way to prevent corruption God should take the safest way and freest from errour as well for his own honour as for his peoples good both which must needs be extreamly hazarded and hindered by corrupting the truth with errours which lead men into perdition and can hardly be prevented by delivering the word by tradition partly because many mens memories are weak and a great part are negligent especially in things of this nature and lastly because many are maliciously bent against the law which the wisdome of the flesh cannot admit Rom. 8.7 whereas the word written being an unerring record easily helps the weak and convinceth the refractary by setting the undoubted truth before mens eyes Farther 3. As the best way to win credit to his Word seeing the word is the ground of faith it is fit that it should be so delivered as might win most credit and estimation amongst men Now we know that written records are most authenticall and of most accompt with men and therefore are fittest to work men to assent unto the truth of God It is true I grant that mens faith depends neither upon wirting nor tradition but upon the testimony of the Spirit that dwels within the godlies hearts manifesting that the truth proposed is the word of God Notwithstanding the outward credit which the Scriptures carry amongst men by which such as are won afterwards to beleeve beginne at first to think reverently of them and others that beleeved not are restrained from scorning or opposing them seems to be much furthered by the Authority that the writing brings unto those records which are received and submitted unto by the Church and commanded and countenanced by the testimony thereof Lastly 4. And as most honourable whereas there is so much honour done to all humane laws by which States are governed that they are composed into one body and preserved in books written or printed for that purpose it seems absurd that God should deliver his law thus by patches part by writing and part by tradition resembling the feet of Nebuchadnezzars image Dan. 2.33 part of iron and part of clay and unworthy both of the Majesty of him that gives the law and of the law it self that is given And if we may take precedent from former times we may say with our Saviour from the beginning it was not so For when God left the law to be delivered by tradition he delivered it
the all-sufficiency of God may be more admired as Isa 51.12 13. Psalm 146.3 4 6. manifesting that they were nothing at the first have nothing now but what is borrowed from God and that too in a very scant proportion So that if we enquire where wisdome power sufficiency and perfection are to be found the depth saith it is not in me the sea answers it is not in me all creatures they have heard the fame thereof Job 28.22 but onely the mighty Creator of heaven and earth hath possessed all these things in the beginning of his ways Thus the Word sets out riches mens strong City Prov. 18.11 to be nothing Prov. 23.5 strong wals no better then ripe figges that fall into the eaters mouth Nah. 3.12 horses and chariots a broken reed Psal 20.8 unable to save a man Psa 33.17 honour an empty breath gracing no man without wisdome Psal 49.20 men lighter then vanity Ps 62.9 Princes but a puffe Psal 146.4 nay whole Nations but as the dust of the ballance Isa 40.15 nothing nay lesse then nothing ver 17. Thus the Scriptures setting God and the creatures one against another like a foil under a diamond God in his absolute and transcendent perfections the creatures though excellent by the beauty that God hath given them yet empty weak and contemptible compared with God doe advance his glory beyond comparison So that as the height of heaven is seen by this that when wee have climed the top of some high mountain which when we stood in the low valley seemed to touch the skye we find our selves to be as far from heaven as we were before So when we have beheld the greatest excellencies of the most admired creatures it is no more in comparison of Gods perfections then if we had seen the basest worm By these divers ways doe the Scriptures advance Gods honour and throw down all creatures at his foot The next scope of the Scriptures The secōd scope of the Scriptures our salvation furthered 1. Proposing the meanes thereof is the furthering of mans salvation which they effect two ways First by proposing the means of salvation and secondly by winning our hearts to entertain them First then they present unto us God himself offering life and salvation in Christ that beleeving in him we might have eternall life John 3.16 Next the Scriptures propose the rules of an holy life being the way that leads to salvation and so serve for a guide to direct us Psalm 119.105 A Counsellor to advise us ver 24. shining out unto us as a light in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 discovering unto us the way and the crooked paths on either side of it leading to death and destruction The next means by which the Scriptures further our salvation 2. Winning our hearts to embrace it by the Spirit accompanying it is by winning our hearts to embrace and seek it which it performs by the Spirit that accompanies it for that onely quickens the soul Iohn 6.63 by giving us a taste of the heavenly gift and enabling us to comprehend with all Saints the breadth length depth and heighth thereof Eph. 3.18 whereupon we desire and seek it with all our souls Withall it causeth us to relish Gods Gommandements which we finde sweeter then honey to our mouths Ps 119.103 or at least provokes us to a longing desire after them as David opened his mouth and panted longing for them Ps 119.131 wishing that his ways were directed to keep Gods statutes Psal 119.5 craving Gods help to assist us therein to order our steps in his word Ps 119.133 promising to run the way of Gods Commandements when he shall enlarge our hearts Ps 119.32 afflicting our selves for our wandrings from them and praying to be brought back into a right way Ps 119.176 Thus Gods word stirs up the desires of the soul after God and Christ and thereby moves us to take hold of eternall life An effect of which none misse but such as reject and put it off from themselves with those Acts 13.46 CAP. VII Who they are that profit by reading the holy Scriptures that they must be men of spirituall mindes IT is an evident and known truth They must have spiritual minds that understand the Scriptures Because the Scriptures thēselves are spirituall that to the apprehending of any thing there must be a correspondence in nature between the faculty and the object that it apprehends as between light and the eye between meat and the taste Seeing therefore as we have made it evident already the most part of the matters handled in Scripture are spirituall it is impossible that they should be comprehended by any other then by a spirituall minde 1 Cor. 2.15 A naturall man being as uncapable of the right understanding of spirituall things as a beast is of rationall discourse That is both uncapable to comprehend them in their own nature and much more to approve them seeing he esteems them foolishnesse 2 Cor. 2.14 It is true Yet it is all mens duty to read and study them that the study of the Scriptures is every mans duty according to that generall exhortation John 5.39 seeing they were intended by God unto the whole Church whose revealed will is that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 And if all men are bound to doe the things revealed Deut. 29.29 it must needs be granted that they are bound to know them Wherefore it must necessarily follow that none can be excluded from the reading of the Scriptures in which those duties are prescribed All that we affirm is this But onely spirituall men profit by them as they ought that of those that doe and ought to read them none can profit by them as they ought unlesse they be men of spirituall mindes without which they can neither understand nor beleeve them such as mixe not the word with faith profit not by it at all Heb. 4.2 Notwithstanding Notwithstanding those that come not prepared with a good heart 1. May receive it while they are reading the endeavours of those that have not yet gotten such spirituall mindes are not altogether vain if there be in them any true desire to get the knowledg of those heavenly mysteries revealed therin For though they come not prepared with such an heart as is required when they take the work in hand yet God may give it them while they are about the duty as he opened Lydiaes heart while she was hearing S. Pauls Sermon Acts 16.24 and converted three thousand in hearing of Saint Peters Sermon Act. 2.41 Or the Spirit may afterwards bring those things to remembrance 2. Or the Spirit may bring them after to remembrace 3. Or at least they may by reading be restrained if not converted which they seemed to sleight at the first reading and may then work effectually by them as he dealt with his own Apostles Iohn 12.16 Or lastly though there follow no
effectuall work of grace yet there may ensue by the knowledge of the ways of godlinesse some restraint from evill and the practise of some good duties as Herod did many things upon Iohn Baptists preaching Mark 6.20 though he were far from effectuall reformation SECT I. The description of a spirituall man A Spirituall man is a member of Christ A spirituall man is 1. A member of Christ endowed by his Spirit with an habituall power to comprehend and embrace all things spiritually We call him a member of Christ because he becomes such an one in the very instant of his regeneration being united to him by the Spirit of sanctification For seeing there is no fountain of life but God alone nor any means of conveighing it to us but onely by Christ especially the life of grace Iohn 5.26 who therefore cals himself the life Iohn 14.6 and with whom our life is hid in God Col. 3.3 we cannot receive this spirituall life any way but by our union with him Wherefore every regenerate person is said to abide in Christ Iohn 15.4 to live in him Gal. 2.20 to dwell in him Eph. 3.17 to be a member of his body 1 Cor. 12.27 to be quickned in him Eph. 2.5 to be created in him Eph. 2.10 to bee nourished and encrease in him Col. 2.19 So evident a truth it is that every regenerate person is made a member of that body whereof Christ is the head This person thus made a member of Christ 2. By his Spirit abiding in him hath the same spirit by which he is united unto Christ continually flowing unto him from him who is the head and fountain of life and quickning him with that habituall power which enableth him to do all things spiritually A power it must be to distinguish it from those acts of illumination wrought sometimes in unregenerate men as in Balaam Num. 23.5 24.15 16. and Saul 1 Sam. 10.10 whereby they have some light at present and remain afterwards in darknesse like the Air illightened by the Sun which retains that light no longer then the Sun shines into it because it hath no fountain of light in it self whereas a regenerate man hath an anointing abiding in him 1 Iohn 2.27 a mind to know God 1 Iohn 5.21 We call this power habituall 3. And planting in him a spirituall ability wanting a fitter name to expresse it because it abides constantly in him that receives it as habits doe in those that have them from which notwithstanding it differs because habits are partly and sometimes wholly acquired by use and often practise whereas this is not gotten but infused And besides this cannot be lost as naturall habits may but abides for ever Iohn 14.16 as flowing to him that enjoys it from the never-failing springs of Gods all-sufficiency and immutability and conveighed unto him and continued by the infallible means of his inseparable union with Christ by the eternall Spirit We tearm it for distinctions sake a power or ability though in proper speech names of natural things cannot in all things expresse or fit those which are spirituall Called a seed The Scriptures tearm it a seed 1 Iohn 3.9 as being indeed the beginning of spirituall renovation from which it grows and encreaseth to farther perfection sometimes they tearm it a spring or fountain A spring or fountain as Iohn 4.14 yeelding a lasting supply of grace as a fountain doth of water sometimes from the Authour from whom it is derived The life of Christ Aspirituall principle the life of Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 11. There are that call it a spirituall principle and that is the name that we shall most frequently use in the ensuing discourse What name soever we give it we may not conceive it to be a new faculty added unto those which are in men by nature A man when he is regenerate hath no more faculties in his soul then he had before he was regenerate Which is no faculty added to those which are naturall But a natural faculty altered Only in the work of regeneration those abilities which the man had before are improved and receive a farther strength to comprehend and work spiritually as they did naturally before regeneration Thus our bodies in the resurrection from the dead shall have no more nor other parts then they have at present onely those which are now naturall shall then be made by the power of God spirituall 1 Cor. 15.44 But a more lively resemblance of this change in the faculties of the soul And brought under the government of the Spirit in this work of regeneration we may discern in those naturall and sensitive faculties which we have common with beasts For they having no higher principle then sense use them sensually but a man enjoying the same faculties under the command of a reasonable soul useth them rationally So happens it in a regenerate man his understanding will and affections which when they had no other command but reason had no more but rationall operations now being under the guiding of the Spirit of Christ ruling in him work spiritually Hence it is that a regenerate man every where in Scripture is said to walk after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 to be led by the Spirit Gal. 5.18 to walk in the Spirit ver 25. This principle of spirituall life Which is the root of spiritual habits improperly so called planted in a regenerate person by his union with Christ is the fountain or root of all those habits of spirituall grace which are severally distinguished by the names of faith hope love fear c. although to speak properly Properly onely diversifications of the actings of that spirituall principle they are but the diversifications of the actings of that spirituall principle within us distinguished by these names which withall after the manner of naturall habits are much encreased and strengthned by the use and much exercise of them and are as much weakned by disuse and neglect of exercise Out of that which hitherto hath been spoken we may see that a regenerate man hath in him these three things First a principle of spirituall life Secondly spirituall habits of faith hope love fear c. which flow or spring from that principle Lastly spirituall motions and operations according to those habits The manner of giving or planting this spirituall principle in a regenerate man 4. Given by way of infusing or shedding we expresse by the tearm of endowing now that wholly excludes all working or endeavours of men in gaining it as indeed it must be acknowledged to be Gods gift Iohn 3.10 In a more strict signification it is called infusing or pouring in or out as that phrase is applyed Ioel 2.28 and Acts 2.35 to expresse the large and plentifull bestowing of the gift of tongues as it is in other places to signifie the like manner of giving other spirituall graces which the Apostle affirms God shed on us abundantly through Christ Tit.
Justified Rom. Historicall faith assents to the truth of Gods promises 3.24 In these Promises both generall and particular an Historicall faith may beleeve both the truth and the goodnesse of them But the goodnesse of them to himselfe in particular he beleeves not which a justifying Faith assents unto and embraceth Justifying faith embraceth the goodnesse of them to himselfe in particular That it is good to draw neere unto God Psal 73.28 that his Law is good Rom. 7.16 his Judgements good Psalm 119.39 yea his very chastisements Psalm 119.71 all working together to good Rom. 8.28 Not onely because God who is good doth good Ps 119.68 but besides because all is sanctified and made good in Christ for whom one findes it good to accompt all things losse not onely his owne righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 but his owne will and desires which he casts aside desiring to be guided by his Spirit which is good Psal 143.10 seeking Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption in Christ 1 Cor. 1.30 It is indeed impossible for any man to rely wholly on Christ Without which one can never be brought to affect Christ with all his heart unlesse his will be brought to choose and desire him for that excellency of goodnesse which is to be found in him seeing God hath planted in all Creatures man especially as strong desire of or propension to their owne chiefest good which cannot be destroyed without the destruction of Nature it selfe So that a man will never be brought to denie all things for Christ unlesse he be well assured that he shall finde in Christ that sufficiency that makes him more happy then all things can doe besides Now it may be easily Demonstrated that Historicall faith though it may assent unto the truth yet cannot embrace the goodnesse of the Covenant made by God with man in Christ For how can he who never yet learned to deny himselfe which no naturall man can doe thinke it good to abhor his owne righteousnesse or be pleased to have no ability in himself to any good no wisdome of his owne no will of his owne but to fetch all his Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption from Christ to take onely the Will of Christ for his Rule To referre the glory of his best works unto God alone and to his honour as our Saviour requires Mat. 5.16 and the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.31 So then howsoever Historicall and Justifying faith seeme to embrace the same object namely the promise of Salvation by Christ yet to speake properly it is the same onely Materially but not Formally because though they embrace the same promise yet they embrace not the same thing in that promise Historicall faith acknowledgeth it to be true but onely Iustifying faith beleeves it to be good at the least to be good in particular to himselfe that beleeves From this different apprehension of the object of Faith ariseth another difference between these two kinds of Faith in the Minde of him that beleeves As a true Beleever doth For a true Beleever having in himselfe by the Spirit a cleere Evidence not only of the truth but besides of the goodnesse of the Promise which he beleeves and that to himselfe in particular is strongly carried after it with all the desires and affections of his Soule closing not onely with the Promise but with Christ himselfe tendred unto him therein For in all Regular Motions of the Spirit of man such as were Adams in his innocency and such as are those that are in the regenerate as farre as they are regenerate the Will is so guided by the Understanding that when that judgeth any thing to be the chiefest good the other cannot choose but embrace it So that a man clearely apprehending and judging that there is no true happinesse to be found but in Christ the whole heart necessarily relieth upon him and closeth fully with him denying himselfe wholly both in opinion and judgement and in purpose and choice Thus farre a true Beleever goes in embracing Christ But a temporary Beleever cannot How neare one that hath no more but Historicall faith may come unto him we are now to enquire The comming on of such a person towards Christ our Saviour himselfe describeth unto us in that parable of the Sower Mat. 13.20 21 22. but more clearely the Apostle Heb. 6.4 5. who sets out before us the distinct steps and degrees by which one may advance forwards towards the entertaining of the Promises of Salvation and Life and yet fall short at the last To begin therefore with the Apostles expressions in that place he tells us that one which may afterwards fall away and therefore was never truly one of Christs 1 Iohn 2.19 may notwithstanding be inlightned Although he may may taste of the Heavenly gift may be Partaker of the Holy Ghost may taste of the good Word of God and Powers of the World to come These particulars it will be needfull to examine severally in their order That a naturall man may be the gift of Illumination Be inlightned understand more of the Mysteries of Godlinesse then his naturall reason could teach him no man can deny and we have already shewed that this may be done without any change of the heart onely by the Improvement of Naturall Reason by the light of the Spirit Now when a man is thus inlightned and convinced by reason of the truth of those divine Misteries 2. And may have some Taste of the Heavenly Gift he may very well have some pleasing taste of that Heavenly gift mentioned in the next place not onely the gift of tongues and Prophecying called the gift of the Holy Ghost Act. 2.38 whereof the Apostle acknowledgeth that men out of the state of Grace may be partakers 1 Cor. 13.2 But besides of Christ himselfe and the favours and free mercies of God bestowed in him called the gift of God Iohn 4.10 and things freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 which the temporary beleever apprehending and observing that they promise much good unto man may easily be delighted withall But this delight which such a man hath in these heavenly gifts can be but a taste as the Apostle calls it such as one hath of things that he never takes down nor much lesse digests to receive any true strength thereby in the Inward man Which comes far short of that full content which true Beleevers finde in Christ Such a taste the Hearer had resembled by the stony ground Mat. 13.21 affecting him with a present Joy and Delight as those things doe that have a pleasant taste such the Iewes found in Iohn Baptists Doctrine wherein they rejoyced for a season Iohn 5.35 But this taste comes farre short of that satisfying content which Godly men find in God Psal 116.7 and in his Word Psal 119.103 which moves them to love them above all things ver 127. and to cleave to them for ever verse 111.112 For if it be well
some subject or other as that Fire is hot and Snow cold Sometimes the very subject it selfe if it be a thing invisible is likewise discovered by Experience As by Experience I know that there be Windes though I never saw them because I have heard the sound and felt the violence of them as our Saviour speakes Iohn 3.8 So the Experience of Gods Workes manifests that there is a God Ps 58.11 though no man hath seene him at any time John 1.18 That there is such a kinde of Naturall Experience as we have spoken of That there is Naturall Experience all acknowledge all men will readily acknowledge because all men finde it in themselves whether there be any Spirituall Experience it is no marvell though many men doubt because there be so few that have it For if few men had the sense of sight and all the rest of the world were blinde the generality of men that never had the benefit of seeing might perhaps doubt whether there were any such thing as light or colours or sight or no. Now that there must be Spirituall Experience if there be Spirituall Sense no man can deny And that there is such Spirituall Sense is evident by the Apostles Testimonies expresly naming Senses by which men discerne betwixt good and evill Heb. 5.14 And when Moses acknowledgeth that the Israelites had seene Gods wonders And there is Spirituall Experience is proved and yet denies that they had eyes to see Deut. 29.4 he evidently implyes that there is a double Sense one outward and Naturall and another inward and Spirituall To make this truth that there is such a Spiritull Sense yet more manifest If there be Spirituall Sense there must needs be Spirituall Experience There is such a Spirituall Sense let us but consider Godly mens Affections and whence and how they are raised For that affections are most commonly and alwaies most effectually moved by fense it is evident wherefore if there be Spirituall Affections it must needs be granted that there be Spirituall Senses that move them Now that Davids longing after God Psal 42.1.21 Panting after his Word Psal 119.140 Delight in the sweetnesse of it ver 103. 1. Because there are Spirituall Affections Trembling at his presence ver 120. Griefe for breach of his Laws ver 136. Zeale for it ver 139. and for his house Psal 69.9 are Spirituall affections is apparent seeing they were raised by Spirituall objects and consequently the Sense that apprehending them begat these Affections must be Spirituall 2. Because there is an ability to discerne and distinguish both Naturall Affections from Spirituall A farther argument that these Senses are Spirituall is this that by them men are able to discover not onely Spirituall things from Carnall but Spirituall things themselves one from another comparing Spirituall things with Spirituall things as the Apostle speakes 1 Cor. 2.13 And that not onely in their generall natures for so farre the understanding may judge of them but the very particular subsistence of the things themselves And Spiritual things one from another Thus a Godly man that hath the motions of carnall joyes feares sorrows c. when he feeles the like affections in Spirituall things is able to say of both this feare joy or griefe is Spirituall and that is carnall And when he hath felt Spirituall Agonies and heart-breakings is able to say when they come againe these are the very same that afflicted my soule heretofore as a woman that hath felt the Throwes of Child-birth can say when she feeles them againe these are the paines of travell Againe 3 Because men finde inward comfort and ease by Spirituall objects But none in outward and carnall things when Godly men finding themselves afflicted in spirit finde by their owne experience that carnall comforts releeve and ease them no more then Iacobs Children and Wives did him Gen. 37.35 or then Iobs friends helped him in his distresse whom he calls Miserable comforters Iob 16.2 But for all that carnall reason can say unto them they remaine still in darknesse without light as the Prophet speakes Isa 50.10 till God make them heare the voyce of Joy and Gladnesse Psal 51.8 till a Messenger in his Name assure them that there is a ransome accepted for them Iob 33.24 I say when carnall comforts worke nothing on them but onely Spirituall comforts ease their hearts as Gods word quickned David Psal 119.50.92 it manifestly discovers a Spirituall sense within which is affected with nothing but that which is Spirituall Of this Spirituall Sense 4. Because the same spirituall objects that affect the godly at some times at other times affect them not this is a farther Evidence that the same things proposed to the same or divers men though all godly affect them not alike at all times sometimes moving the heart in a strong manner whereas at another time they have little or no operation at all That message that God had accepted a Ransome had a great effect upon that distressed Man Iob 33.24 in reviving his spirit the same message by the mouth of Nathan 2 Sam. 12.13 wrought nothing for the present upon Davids heart which remained broken still Psal 51.8 And generally all godly men finde by their owne experience that those instructions reproofes and consolations which at some times awaken wound and revive their spirits at another move them no more either way then a charme doth a deafe Adder as the Psalmist speakes Psal 58.4 Which must needs happen because Spirituall Sense is at sometimes bepummed and awakened at other times Now they being still men of spirituall mindes and at all times understanding alike those things that are proposed no reason can be given why they are so ineffectuall at one time and powerfull at another but this that at some times Spirituall Sense being benummed they then heare onely by the hearing of the eare as Job speakes Iob 42.5 but at other times when those senses be awakened they taste and see and feele the same and consequently are affected as Iob was in that place and Iacob when he saw the Chariots sent to bring him into Egypt Gen. 45.27 No man knowes that he lives but by sense 5. Because we know that we have in us Spirituall Life which cannot be felt but by Spirituall Sense Naturally by Naturall sense and Spiritually by Spirituall Sense for the Naturall man understands not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 Now godly men know that they live by Faith in the Sonne of God Gal. 2.10 and feele in themselves the operations and motions of the Spirituall life both in seeking after those things that cherish it as Gods Law and Word Psal 119.130 131. Good company ver 63. and 101. especially Gods Spirit Psal 51.12 as also by shunning whatsoever might impaire it as evill practises Psal 119.101 wicked company ver 115. and by their delight in things agreeable to them Gods Love Psal 116.7 Holy
duties wherein they please him Object But some feele no such Spirituall life in themselves 1 Chron. 29.9 and griefe at sinfull courses Psal 119.136 What shall we thinke then of the condition of those that feele no Spirituall life at all in themselves but are alwayes complaining that they are senselesse and dead I Answer Answ 1. Their cōplaints argue that they have it For dead men as they feele not so they complaine not that a wicked man may judge himselfe to be without Spirituall life by the very judgement of Naturall Reason or being convinced by the Word but such a man feeles not his deadnesse nor is grieved at it though he may be affected with the consequents of it sometimes nor labours to get life but he that grieves and is continually unquiet in such a seeming dead condition and labours all he may to get out of it manifestly discovers to others though himselfe discerne it not that there is yet life remaining in him ◠For he that is once dead complaines nor grieves no more Yea the same persons 2. Their striving to move go on even in their greatest weaknesse farther discover some degree of Spirituall life remaining in them not onely by their striving to walke in God's wayes when they finde no ability to doe it with the Apostle Rom. 7.19 and though they cannot runne the wayes of Gods Commandements with that largenesse of heart they desire Psal 119.32 yet they move forwards according to their ability 3. Their griefe at Gods dishonour by themselves others and in the middest of their senslesnesse can be grieved both at foule dishonours done to God and at the miseries of his people As some persons being so weakned by sicknesse that they know not either what they doe or what is done unto them nor have any sense of their owne life yet are offended at the flashing of a candle in their eyes or a pinch or other violence done unto their bodies Wherefore we must needes grant a Spirituall Sense exercised in discerning good and evill Heb. By this Experience we discern 1. Good 1. God himselfe exceeding good 5.14 and by that a Spirituall Experience of both Of Good the Author whereof is God whom we taste to be Good 1 Pet. 2.3 Psal 33.8 by the experiments of his mercies in generall Psal 145.9 10. and to our selves in particular as David found in his owne case Psal 116.5 7. and righteous as he proves and shews himselfe experimentally by his workes Psal 58.11 especially faithfull to his servants By the same experience we finde the things given us of God to be good his Spirit 2. His coūsells and graces Psal 143.10 his Counsells good and that such bring great peace Psal 119.165 the work of Sanctification in us exceeding good in mortifying our corruptions in quickning to holinesse yea all the fruits of the Spirit love joy peace c. Gal. 5.22 Besides 3. The effects of his ordinances Prayer by this Experience we finde the good effects of Gods ordinances Prayer powerfull with God Psal 18.6 as appeares if not by a direct answer by message as Dan. 9.13 Act. 10.4 or voice from Heaven as Iohn 12.48 yet by reall effects Psal 116.2 3. and evidence to our own spirits Psal 66.19 20. which much easeth the heart The Word 1 Sam. 1.18 The Word searching the thoughts 1 Cor. 14.25 Heb. 4.12 Pricking the heart Act. 2.37 and subduing it to the obedience of Christ Act. 2.37 41. Converting the soule Psal 19.7 yea making wife to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 wiser then all the World Psal 119.98 99 100. Comforting the spirit ver 50. By the same Experience we discerne evill 2ly By the same Experience we discern evill The vanity of all the creatures riches and honour which make one no better then a dogge that dies in a ditch Ps 49.20 and leave him a foole at last Ier. 17.11 Wisdome and whatsoever is admired amongst men Vanity Eccles 2.15 so that by experience one findes an end of all perfection Psal 119.96 the pleasures of sinne leaving a man in all evill Prov. 5.14 without fruit Rom. 6.21 sinne it selfe out of measure sinfull as the Apostle expresseth it Rom. 7.13 making a man a very beast Psal 73.22 Withall it makes one finde the corruption of his whole nature Psal 51.5 Abomination of his righteousnesse Isa 64.6 Inability to any good Rom. 7.18 even so much as to thinke any good thing 2. Cor. 3.5 This Experience wonderfully strengthens Faith This Spirituall Experience much 1. Strengthens faith when by the events we finde all things to be as we beleeved as the Israelites beleeved God when they saw the Egyptians drowned Exod. 14.31 and David knew that God favoured him by his deliverance Psal 41 11. and his confidence that God would deliver him was because God had delivered him 1 Sam. 17.37 see 2 Tim. 2.17 18. Secondly 2. Quickens Affection Experience wonderfully quickens affections by those sensible Objects which it discovers as the sight of Iosephs chariots wonderfully revived Iacobs heart Gen. 45.27 and Gods deliverances of David wonderfully encreased his love Psal 18.1 and 116.1 It is true indeed that Faith workes more stedfastnesse and firmnesse of adherence Markes of Spirituall Affections 1. When they are kindled by Spirituall objects but Experience usually breeds the greater strength of affections These Affections we may know to be Spirituall if First they be kindled by Spirituall objects such as are the Sense of Gods Love manifested unto us in the experiments thereof in pardoning our sinnes Psal 103.3 Luke 7.47 in guiding us by his Counsell Psal 73.24 mastering our corruptions preventing our errours 1 Sam. 25.32 griefe and feare for his displeasure Psal 77.7 8. occasioned by our sins Ezra 9.15 yea for his dishonour by other mens sinnes Psal 119.136.139 Secondly 2. When they are seasonable when they are answerable to Gods dealing with us rejoycing and mourning seasonably when God calls us to either Eccl. 7.14 not preposterously 3. When they keepe the heart humble and tractable as Isa 22.12 Thirdly when they keepe us within our bounds humble and tractable like the Psalmist Psa 131.2 in a reverend feare of Gods Majesty Lastly when they provoke and quicken us to holy duties not onely of Prayer or thankesgiving but generally of all service and obedience as they doe the holy Prophet Psal 116.16 17. It is true that Yet it is only the Spirit of God which must testifie to our spirits that they are such when all is done none can assure us that our affections and motions are Spirituall but the same Spirit which workes them in us which as it testifies with our Spirit that we are Gods children Rom. 8.16 so doth it assure us that we are moved by his Spirit It cannot be prevented but that many men will deceive themselves mistaking carnall motions for Spirituall as Iehu did 2 King 10.16 But although some men think they
1.21 and particularly of worldly cares which choak the word Mat. 13.22 2. Of all worldly thoughts and of all manner of distracting thoughts of what nature soever which must needs hinder attention while we are about this serious work And lastly of all unquiet passions of anger feare joy sorrow c. 3. And of all distempering passions which unsettle the heart pervert the judgment and bring perversnes into the will and so hinder and distract all the faculties of the soul that it cannot receive discern imbrace the word as it ought Next 2. By awing the heart with due reverence of God before whom we stand and hath power to command us to possess the heart with Reverence we must advisedly consider with what and whom we have to doe while we are reading the Scriptures That the God before whose presence we stand first is our God by Creation Psalme 100.2 3. and Redemption Isa 43.1 and Covenant Deut. 26.17 and therefore hath right to command us what he pleaseth according to our Saviours intimation Mat. 20.15 to whose will and word we have already vowed obedience which we must the more carefully perform because he can find us out in all our failings as knowing our very thoughts afar off Psalme 139.2 much more having all our waies before him Psalme 119.168 and being one who will not forgive our wilfull transgressions Iohn 24.19 20. such considerations cause us to receive the Word with that trembling of heart which God so much respects Isa 66.2 withall we must know that the Word is a Law that must sway our hearts being so righteous and holy in all things Psalme 119.128 that we cannot but approve it Nay so good verse 39. that we cannot but submit to it with all cheerfulness as being ordained to us for our good Deut. 6.25 who submitting thereunto and walking according to it have our fruit in holiness and the end everlasting life 3. By stirring up in our selves a spirituall Appetite to the word Rom. 6.22 Thirdly we must labour to quicken and work into our hearts a Spirituall appetite after the Word such as Iob found in himself Job 23.12 and holy David Psal 119.131 which ariseth both from the sense of our emptinesse for the full soule loatheth the hony and the hony combe Prov. 27.7 and withall of the fitnesse of the Word to supply unto us whatsoever we want hunger after as being the food of our souls 1 Pet 2.2 the word of eternall life Iohn 6.68 which quickens us Psalme 119.50 and is besides sweet and pleasant above measure verse 103. In a word all those Motives which we prescribed before to be used to stirre up our selves to undertake this holy exercise must be againe called to mind when we set about it Fourthly 4. By awaking our faith 1. By remembring that it is the word of the God of truth That we may awaken and strengthenen our faith to entertaine and beleeve the Word we must consider that it is the word of him that speakes righteousnesse Isa 45.19 whose faithfullnesse is to all generations Psalme 119.90 and who hath founded his testimonies forever verse 152. So that we have great reason to build firmely upon every tittle and syllable which we find in this Word without doubt or question 2. That he hath made it his power to salvation Besides that we must remember that God hath made this word his power to salvation Rom. 1.16 mighty through him to cast down strong holds 2 Cor. 10.5 and hath promised that it shall not returne empty but shall surely execute that for which it was sent Isa 55.10 11. Indeed it wondrously furthers the operation of the Word in our hearts when we set these promises before our eyes and urge God with them and challenge the making of them good unto our soules God indeed much delights to be pressed with his word and to be called upon as Elisha did when he stood by the waters of Iordan and smote them with Elijahs Mantle crying out Where is the God of Elijah 2 Kings 2.14 In the fifth place the heart must be made pliable and soft 5. By softening the heart and making it pliable like that good ground Luke 8.15 for soft things we know easily take impression of any forme that is imprinted on them as the Apostle calls the Doctrine delivered to the Romans Rom. 6.17 It was the tendernesse of Iosiahs heart mentioned 2 Chron. 34.27 which caused that deep impression in his spirit by the reading of the Law verse 19.21 This pliablenesse of heart we are brought unto by casting aside of our owne wills and wisdome which stiffen our hearts against Gods counsells as appeares by those rebellious Jewes Ier. 44.16 Indeed a very foole is more tractable then one that is wise in his own eyes Prov. 26.12 This tendernesse is called opening of the heart Acts 16.14 which is the work of the Spirit much furthered by awing our hearts with a reverend feare of his Majesty before whom we stand Which being to be wrought by God onely it is needfull when we begin the work to lift up the heart unto God in prayer Their presence before God made Cornelius and his company so apt and ready to heare S. Peters Sermon Acts 10.33 Now seeing it is the work of God only to frame us to such a disposition of heart who only can take away the stony heart out of our bowells and can in stead of it give us a heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 we must in the last place before we enter upon this work lift up our hearts to him in prayer to open our eyes Psalme 119.18 enlarge our hearts verse 32. incline them to his testimonies verse 36. and that to keep them to the end verse 112. Ordering our steps in them verse 133. and acquainting us with the will of God by his Spirit to teach us to doe them Psalme 143.10 according to his promise to send his Spirit to lead us into all truth Iohn 14.16.30 Some short effectuall prayer to this purpose to close up our meditations in this preparation of ours to the reading of the Word representing unto God our dependence on him alone which is a meanes to make us humble thankfull for his assistance to prosper us in the use of his own ordinance seldome returnes without a gracious answer and is of great use unto us both to keep down the swelling of our hearts if we find that this work prospers in our hand 2. And to make us good bushands of the grace which we receive as manifestly discovering that the grace we receive comes from God unto whom we have addressed our selves by prayer which takes away all glorying in our selves 1 Cor. 4.7 and withall it makes us carefull to be good husbands of that which we have received from Gods hands as well knowing that seeing we have no more then he is pleased to bestow upon us it is not in our power
in it we must labour earnestly to work our hearts to the love of those Counsells of God which we embrace by faith for their Righteousnesse Psal 119.128 Purity ver 140. Perfection ver 96 97. and especially for the usefulnesse and wonderfull benefit of them to our selves that we may desire them with all our soules Psal 119.131 and delight and rejoyce in them ver 162.174 To this purpose it will be needfull to set before us the wonderfull efficacy of the Word which not only counsells Psal 119.24 and directs us in our waies v. 105. but helps us farther in clensing them ver 9. in quickning the spirit ver 93. giving wisdome v. 98 99 100. converting the soul Ps 19.7 bringing great reward that we obtained by observing them ver 11. and great peace which they have that love them Psal 119.165 These eminent excellencies of the Word set before us in such particulars cannot choose but make these heavenly counsells precious in our eyes as they are to holy David Psal 119.72.127.162 and bring the soule to delight in them exceedingly Such fervent affections This will make us serious in devising how we may put the counsels of God in practise if they once quicken a mans spirit cannot choose but move him to advise seriously with himselfe how he may bring both his heart and practise to conforme to those holy counsells and directions which he finds laid before him in Gods Word wherupon he must necessarily fall to the considering of his disposition condition employments and occasions and to the devising of a way how to frame out of the Word rules to himself for the ordering of them aright according to the mind and will of God with the Prophet David Psal 119.59 bethinking himself what means he may make use of to that purpose taking the Word with him as a light in his hand to guide his steps Psal 119.105 joyning to the company of godly persons v. 63. chasing away the wicked that might withdraw him vers 115. and this he doth with all speed vers 60. with a resolution to hold on in this holy course to the end vers 112. unto which he binds himself by a solemn vow and covenant v. 106. A man having thus resolved upon the practise of such duties as the Word prescribes For which end we are to take hold of the first Opportunities offered must embrace the first opportunity offered unto him to put his resolution in execution Partly because Opportunities are not alwaies presented and besides because the time of this life which is allotted for the practise of the duties required is short and the duties themselves are many wherein the more we abound the more we increase our reward and further our account at the last day 2 Cor. 9.6 And lastly because the inlargement of the heart is requisite to the running of the way of Gods Commandements Psalme 119.32 which therefore it will be needfull for us to make use of when it comes upon us knowing that we cannot command it when we will Now in setting to the Practise of such duties as the Word prescribes although we must have respect to all Gods Commandements after Davids example Psalme 119.6 for that is our Righteousnesse Especially for those duties which are layed before us in Reading the Word Deuteronomy 6.25 yet seeing all duties cannot be performed at once we must take more speciall care for the present not only of those things which our imployments in our particular callings or incident occasions press upon us but of those also which the Word which we have read or heard directs unto conceiving that God thereby more especially commends them unto us for that present We know that we are not onely to do what God hath commanded In all our Practise we must observe not only what is commanded but withall as it is commanded but besides to do it as he hath commanded Deut. 5.25 without turning aside to the right or left hand verse 32. that is to perform the duties which God prescribes in such Manner Forme and Order as he requires them to be done Wherefore he that desires to be accepted in his Obedience ought to set the Word of God before him as David doth his judgments Psalme 18.22 as a man doth the coppy by which he writes This is done by keeping the rules given us in the Word fresh in our memories reviving them by often meditation This use David made of the Word which he caryed alwaies with him as a Lanthorne to direct him in every step Psalme 119.105 having it ever with him verse 98. and having respect to his statutes continually verse 117. Thus it behoves us to make use of the Word after we have read it Examining our waies how neere they come up to the rule or come short of it But withall because we know the rules thereof are not only given for direction but besides for examination of our waies it will be good for us to call our selves daily to account how our practise answers the rules that are from time to time set before us in reading or hearing the Word Both that on the one side we may be incouraged in conforming our practise to the Law and rejoyce in the grace of God working in us with thankfulnesse That wee may be either thankfull or humbled and on the other side when we find that we have swarved from the duty required and the rule set before us we may be humbled and grieved for our failings and driven to seek unto Christ to make up our peace and may pray more earnestly for Gods assistance to look better to our waies for time to come as David doth Psal 119.131 132 133 176. I make no question but that the consideration of these directions given for the profitable reading of Scriptures will work diversly upon divers persons * 1. Obj. Such a strict rule will discourage some 1. As conceiving it impossible to be followed 2. Or requiring more time then can be spared 2. Object And others to mourne when they come short of what is prescribed To the first 1. The difficulty ariseth from their unwilling minds 2. As much time may be spared from their vanities To the second 1. We deal with a gratious Father who accepts a willing mind 2. Only we must endevour to come as neer to the rule as we may Some conceiving the rules impossible to be observed in that exact manner as is prescribed or at least that such a strict observation of them will cause greater expence of time labour then they are willing to spare are deterred from the performance of the duty as the Jewes were from following our Saviour upon the hearing of his Sermon Joh. 6.60 61. Some others men of tender hearts may pondering all these duties in their thoughts be driven to mourn in secret when they find their own performances so unanswerable to the rules formerly delivered and may doubt whether they are accepted or no. To
that only in the body of the action not in the circumstances also they approve in the body of the action but not in the circumstances thereof For example the Hebrew mid-wives are commended for saving alive the men-children of the Israelites yea and rewarded too by God himselfe Exodus 1.20 21. But whether they are approved in their defence which they make unto Pharaoh which can hardly be excused from a lie it may be very questionable Rebecca did well in endeavouring to establish the blessing upon the head of Jacob to whom it belonged by the decree of God that settled it upon him before he was borne Gen. 25.23 But it is not so certaine that the way by which she brought her husband to give him the blessing by deluding him was to be justified At least if Iacob did well in desiring the blessing and may be some way excused in following his mothers counsell for obtaining it he cannot be commended much lesse imitated in telling his father a flat lye Gen. 27.19 that he was Esau the first borne In such examples we may lawfully imitate the faith both of the midwives and of Rebecca but must take heed that we follow not the errors of their waies in doing that 2. We may not imitate actions approved in men if they were done upon speciall command which in it selfe was commendable in an unlawfull way Secondly some actions in Scripture are approved which yet we may by no meanes imitate as being justifiable by a particular commanded from God to do what they did though it were not according to the generall rule of the Law As the Israelites borrowed Jewells of Gold and Jewells of Silver of the Aegyptians by Gods expresse command Exod. 11.2 which they never paid againe yet we know that to borrow and not pay againe is the Character of a wicked man Psal 37.21 Yea where there is no outward and verball command from God yet some times men by a secret instinct of the Spirit are warranted to do that which without it had been unlawfull as it was not lawfull for the Apostles to call for fire from heaven to consume those Samaritanes that refused to receive Christ Luk. 9.54 because Elijah had done the like 2 Kings 1.10 12. Thirdly in imitating warrantable examples we must wisely compare our case with that which we set before us for our patterne to see 3. Where we follow examples of good men we must consider whether our case and theirs be alike in all things whether they be alike in all circumstances For circumstances in actions doe much vary the nature of them as we know Wherefore our Saviour to justifie his Disciples rubbing the eares of Corne on the Sabbath day by Davids example of eating the shew-bread shewes the case of his Disciples to be the same with Davids that they did it to relieve their hunger as David had done Luk. 6.3 Otherwise we have no warrant to disobey Magistrates commands in lawfull or indifferent things because the Apostles refused to obey the rulers at Ierusalem in a case where they had a command from Christ to the contrary Acts 4.19 Fourthly 4. Where we imitate a good action we must withall strive to imitate the faith zeale c. wherewith it was acted in taking precedents from the actions of godly men it is not enough to set before us the act done by them but we must with all strive to imitate their faith zeale and other holy affections which they manifested in doing it and the right end at which they aimed therein For we know that the works of men have their just estimation from the inward disposition of the heart from whence they spring and from the end to which they are directed The end of the Commandement saith the Apostle is Charity out of a pure heart and a good confidence and faith unfained And the scope of all our actions ought to be Gods glory Mat. 5.16 1 Cor. 10.31 Lastly when we follow the examples of holy men in those things wherein they walked according to the rule of the Law 5. Lastly we may not make the example but the Law the ground of imitating the best men we must not make their example the ground of our action but the Law only which they were guided by and which is the only rule that must be our direction as we said before The only use which we are to make of examples is to provoke and stirre us up and to encourage us to such duties of Obedience as we see godly men have been enabled to performe assuring our selves that if we put to our endeavours the same power of the Spirit of grace that wrought in them will be present with us to assist us in the like performances FINIS AN EXPLICATION Of the following DIRECTION For the Reading of the BIBLE over in a year With an EXHORTATION to the necessary Use and Practise thereof THE scope of this Direction is to guide thee in the Annuall reading of the holy Scriptures The way of it is plain and familiar because it most concerns the weak Each page hath the figures for the day of the Moneth set in the first place which serve for the three Moneths that are in that page Each days task is three Chapters two in the Old Testament and one in the New so long as the New doth last And this order is constant excepting in the Psalmes where because some are so very short there is sometimes two sometime more to bee taken together at one reading Onely the hundred-nineteenth because it is too long for one reading is divided into four portions Six parts apeece for the two former and Five a peece for the two latter which portions exceed not the length of an ordinary Chapter As for the day which is supernumerary in the Leap years that is which is above 365. I rather leave to thy Discretion and Piety how to imploy to Gods glory and thy own solace then prescribe any thing 2. For the time It is very requisite to observe it strictly that is to read one Chapter in the morning another at noon and the third at night so thou shalt never want heavenly matter to take up thy thoughts But whatever is omitted in the day time must be made out at night If it so fall out that some days or weeks task be omitted as by sicknesse or the like when thou comest to it again double the daily task till the losse be repaired And whereas the Lords day is here made onely equall to other days in its task and service thou must ever make it a Feast of Fat things by adding to it a Portion in some Book or other which thy soul most affecteth be it Isaiah or the Epistle to the Romans or any of the Gospels c. But the Psalms in this respect may not wholly be omitted this day being a singular day above others for singing and rejoycing 3. For good successe and proficiency in this holy employment
but his own Spirit 1 Cor. 2.11 It is true concerning a mans mind seeing it is moved according to reason in order to the end which he proposeth to himself therefore one that knows another mans end may with some probability guesse at his thoughts and purposes tending to that end which Solomon implies in affirming that though counsell be hidden deep in the heart of man yet a man of understanding may draw it out Prov. 20.5 And so a man knowing that Gods main end in all his ways is his own honour may conclude that Gods law must be such as may direct men in those ways in which they may most glorifie God But what those particular directions must be it is impossible for men to guesse till God himself reveal them It is true that the very light of nature which God hath planted in every man will discover unto him some of the chief heads of the duties that he requires of him as to love the Lord with all our hearts and to fear and serve him Deut. 10.12 And to serve one another through love Gal. 5.13 But in what particular services we are to expresse our piety to God or love to men what man can prescribe or imagine For that the ways by which both these main duties may be performed are various and divers it is evident now to which of these different ways God would direct one it was impossible to guesse till God himself had made it manifest in his own word To give instance of this truth in some particulars Especially laws positive must needs bee given by God alone it was impossible for any man to conceive what ceremonies or outward acts God would accept and be best pleased withall in the duties of his worship No man could divine that the tree of life should be a Sacrament to Adam in Paradise or Circumcision to the Jews or Baptisme and the Lords Supper to Christians For ought any man could conceive to the contrary the Priesthood might have been setled upon the Tribe of Simeon as well as Levi. The rest of the Sabbath might have been fixed on the second or sixth day as well as on the seventh and on the first if God had so appointed it And for the duties of the second Table it was not of absolute necessity that God should establish such a kinde of subordination and subjection of one man to another as he hath done or give every man a propriety in his goods to possesse them as severall to himself or limit one man to one wife and ordain marriage for the onely way of propagation of mankinde seeing that although all these are fit and convenient yet God if hee had pleased might have given other rules for the governing and establishing peace amongst men and it was as lawfull for him to give the creatures what laws he pleased as to give them what natures he pleased So that seeing the law for the right ordering of the creatures depends meerly upon Gods will which cannot be known unlesse himself reveal it it must needs be granted which was first proposed that none could give the law to Gods Church but God himself Next if it had been possible 2ly Nor is it convenient that any other then God should give this law 1 For preserving Gods authority it was no way fit either for the advancing of Gods honour or for the furthering of mans good that any other should give that law then God himself Not fit for Gods honour in two respects First Gods authority could be no way so well preserved as by giving his own law to his people seeing all men acknowledge that giving of laws is an honour annexed to the highest power although the execution of them be committed to Magistrates of a lower degree It may be probably guessed that even heathen Law-givers by pretending either consulting with their gods in giving their laws or allowance of them by them acknowledged law-making to be a divine prerogative which yet is more fully manifested by this that we acknowledge no law to bee just that is not either founded on or consonant to Gods law either written in mans heart or delivered in his word So that it was fit that God should give the law to his own people to preserve his own authority amongst them Again it is requisite for Gods honour in another respect 2 And that we might have a perfect mirrour of him Which none could give but himself that none but God himself should give his own law to his people because none is able to give so perfect a mirrour of God as himself As for men we know none of them hath seen God at any time John 1.17 and it is so little a portion that they know of him Job 26.14 that it is impossible they should set him out as he deserves Now it is for Gods honour that hee should be expressed as fully as may be which neither is nor can be performed so exactly by any man as it may be by his law which represents unto us the image of his minde and will and gives us a more distinct knowledge of him then his works can doe Nay his word serves as a Commentary to his works as laying before us the rule according to which God orders all his ways so that by the help thereof we understand the righteousnesse and holinesse of all his acts as David did Psa 73.17 which he could not finde out before It is true indeed that the very works themselves praise God and shew him in his tender mercies Psal 145.5.8 in his mighty power Job 36.22 37.23 Godhead Rō 1.20 yea commonly in his righteousness in rewarding and punishing Psa 58.11 But they neither expresse him so distinctly nor consequently affect the heart so deeply as they doe when they are illustrated by the word as Job confesseth chap. 42.6 that he never saw God so clearly nor abhorred himself so much as when God described unto him his works in that conference Job 38. c. Wherefore seeing the image of God is most exactly expressed unto us in the word it is most fit that the word that represents him to us should be given by God himself who knowing himself best can give us the most perfect draught of his own face Besides these respects unto Gods honour in regard of mans good it was not convenient that the Scriptures which contain Gods law to his Church should be given by any other then God himself For first 3ly For mās good 1. To subdue his heart to obedience mans heart would hardly be brought to stoop to any power but Gods alone whose voice onely prevails upon the conscience and subdues the very thoughts and imaginations of the spirit which the voice of no man can doe Besides 2. To make his services accepted nothing can make our services performed to God or man to be duties of obedience but the undertaking of them upon Gods command which we do when we know the