to be content to live here any longer.

the sun on the dial, but swift, as the sun in the firmament. Why was he so zealous in glorifying God, but that he might at last centre and terminate in him? Thess. iv. 17., "Then shall we be ever with the Lord."

1

2d. Let this be a spur to duty. How diligent and zealous should we be in glorifying God, that we may come at last to enjoy him? If Tully, Demosthenes, and Plato, who had but the dim watch-light 3d. Use of Consolution. Let of reason to see by, and did fancy this comfort the godly in all the an elysium and happiness after present miseries they feel. Thou this life, did take such Herculean complainest, Christian, thou dost pains to enjoy it, O then how not enjoy thyself,-tears disquiet should Christians, who have the thee, wants perplex thee,-in light of scripture to see by, be- the day thou canst not enjoy ease, stir themselves that they may in the night thou canst not enjoy attend at the eternal fruition of sleep,-thou dost not enjoy the God and glory! If any thing Let this can make us rise off our bed of revive thee, that shortly thou sloth, and serve God with all shalt enjoy God, and then shalt our might, it should be this,—the have more than thou canst ask or hope of our near enjoyment of think; thou shalt have angels' God for ever. What made Paul joy,-glory without intermission so active in the sphere of religion? or expiration. We shall never 1 Cor. xv. 10., "I laboured more enjoy ourselves fully till we enjoy abundantly than they all." His God eternally. obedience did not move slow as

comforts of thy life.

OF THE SCRIPTURES.

QUEST II. What rule hath God | verenced and esteemed, because given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him ?

Ans. The word of God (which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament) is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

we are sure it came from heaven, 2 Pet. i. 21. The two Testaments are the two lips by which God hath spoken to us.

Q. How doth it appear that the scriptures have a jus divinum, 'a divine authority,' stamped upon them?

2 Tim. iii. 16, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God," A. Because the Old and New &c. By scripture is understood Testament are the foundation of the sacred book of God. It is all religion. If their divinity given by divine inspiration; that cannot be proved, the foundation is, the scripture is not the con- is gone on which we build our trivance of man's brain, but of a faith. I shall therefore endeavour divine original. The image of to evince this great truth, that the Diana was had in veneration by scriptures are the very word of the Ephesians, because they did God. I wonder whence the suppose it fell from Jupiter, Acts scriptures should come, if not xix. 35. This book then of the from God!-1. Bad men could holy scripture is to be highly re- not be the authors of scripture.

Would their minds be employed left; and the church of God hath

in inditing such holy lines? Would they declare so fiercely against sin?-2. Good men could not be the authors of scripture. Could they write in such a strain? or could it stand with their grace to counterfeit God's name, and put, "Thus saith the Lord," to a book of their own devising?3. Nor could any angel in heaven be the author of scripture: Because, 1. The angels pry and search into the abyss of gospelmysteries, 1 Pet. i. 12., which implies their nescience of some parts of scripture; and sure they cannot be authors of that book which themselves do not fully understand. Besides, 2. What angel in heaven durst be so arrogant as to personate God, and say, "I create," Isa. lxv. 17., and "I the Lord have said it," Numb. xiv. 35.? So that it is evident, the pedigree of scripture is sacred, and it could come from none but God himself.

Not to speak of the harmonious consent of all the parts of scripture, there are seven cogent arguments which may evince it to be the word of God.

1. By its antiquity. It is of ancient standing. The grey hairs of scripture make it venerable. No human histories extant reach farther than since Noah's flood; but the holy scripture relates matters of fact that have been from the beginning of the world; it writes of things before time. Now, that is a sure rule of Tertullian, "That which is of the greatest antiquity, id verum quod primum,-is to be received as most sacred and authentic."

2. We may know the scripture to be the word of God, by the miraculous preservation of it in all ages. The holy scriptures are the richest jewel that Christ hath

kept these public records of heaven that they have not been lost. The word of God hath never wanted enemies to oppose, and, if possible, to extirpate it. They have given out a law, concerning scripture, as Pharaoh did the midwives concerning the Hebrew women's children, to strangle it in the birth: yet God hath preserved this blessed book inviolable to this day. The devil and his agents have been blowing at scripture light, but could never prevail to blow it out,-a clear sign that it was lighted from heaven. Nor hath the church of God, in all revolutions and changes, only kept the scripture that it should not be lost, but that it should not be depraved. The letter of scripture hath been preserved, without any corruption, in the original tongues. The scriptures were not corrupted before Christ's time, for then Christ would never have sent the Jews to the scriptures; but he sends them to the scriptures, John v. 39., " Search the scriptures." Christ knew these sacred springs were not muddied with human fancies.

3. The scripture appears to be the word of God, by the matter contained in it.-1. By its profundity. The mystery of scripture is so abstruse and profound, that no man or angel could have known it had it not been divinely revealed. That eternity should be born; that He who thunders in the heavens should cry in the cradle; that He who rules the stars should suck the breasts; that the Prince of life should die; that the Lord of glory should be put to shame; that sin should be punished to the full, yet pardoned to the full; who could ever have conceived of such a mystery, had not the scripture been the oracle

4. That the scripture is the word of God, is evident by its predictions; it prophesieth of things to come. This shows the

to reveal it to us? So, for the | Where is there such holiness to doctrine of the resurrection: that be found, as is digged out of this the same body which is crumbled sacred mine? who could be the into a thousand pieces, should author of such a book, but God rise idem numero, the same indi- himself? vidual body, (for else it were a creation not a resurrection,) how could such a sacred riddle, above all human disquisition, be known, had not the scripture voice of God speaking in it. It made a discovery of it?-2. By was foretold by the prophet, "A its purity. It is, for the matter virgin shall conceive," Isa. vii. of it, so full of goodness, jus- 14.; and, the "Messiah shall be tice, and sanctity, that it could cut off," Dan. ix. 26. The scripbe breathed from none but from ture fortels things that should fall God; the holiness of it shows it out many ages and centuries to be of God, it bears his very after; as, how long Israel should image. The scripture is com- serve in the iron furnace, and the pared to silver refined seven times, very day of their deliverance, Ps. xii. 6. This book of God Exod. xii. 41., "At the end of hath no errata in it; it is a beam the four hundred and thirty of the Sun of Righteousness," -a years, even the self-same day, it crystal stream flowing from the came to pass, that the host of the fountain of life. All laws and Lord went out of Egypt." This edicts of men have had their prediction of future things, merely corruptions, but the word of God contingent, and not depending hath not the least tincture, it is upon natural causes, is a clear of a meridian splendour, Ps. cxix. demonstration of its divine origi140., "Thy word is very pure," | nal.

like wine that comes from the 5. The impartiality of those grape, which is not mixed nor men of God, who wrote the adulterated. It is so pure, that scriptures. They do not spare to it purifies every thing else, John set down their own failings. xvii. 17., "Sanctify them through What man that writes an history thy truth." The scripture pres- would black his own face, viz., seth holiness, so as never any record those things of himself book did; it bids us live "soberly, that might stain his reputation ? righteously, godly," Tit. ii. 12. Moses records his own impatience Soberly, in acts of temperance; when he struck the rock, and tells righteously, in acts of justice; us, therefore he could not enter godly, in the acts of zeal and into the land of promise; David devotion. It commends to us writes of his own adultery and whatever is just, lovely, and of bloodshed, which stand as a good report, Phil. iv. 8. This blot in his scutcheon to succeedsword of the Spirit, Eph. vi. 17. ing ages; Peter relates his own cuts down vice. Out of this tower pusillanimity in denying Christ; of scripture is thrown down a Jonah sets down his own passions, millstone upon the head of sin. "I do well to be angry to the The scripture is the royal law, death." Surely, had not their which commands not only the pen been guided by God's own actions, but affections; it binds hand, they would never have the heart to its good behaviour. written that which did reflect

C

dishonour upon themselves! Men | eth for us a far more exceeeding do usually rather hide their and eternal weight of glory." blemishes than publish them to When he hath been deserted, the the world but these penmen of word hath dropped in the golden holy scripture eclipse their own oil of joy into his heart: Lam. iii. name, they take away all the 31., " The Lord will not cast off glory from themselves, and give for ever." He may change his the glory to God. providence, not his purpose; he may have the look of an enemy, but the heart of a father. Thus the word hath a power in it to comfort the heart: Ps. cxix. 50., "This is my comfort in mine affliction; for thy word hath quickened me." As the spirits are conveyed through the arteries of the body; so divine comforts are conveyed through the promises of the word. Now the scriptures having such an exhilarating, heart-comforting power in them, it shows clearly that they are of God, and it is he that hath put this milk of consolation into these breasts.

6. The mighty power and efficacy the word hath had upon the souls and consciences of men.1. It hath changed their hearts. Some by reading of scripture have been turned into other men, they have been made holy and gracious. By reading other books the heart may be warmed, but by reading this book it is transformed, 2 Cor. iii. 3., "Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God." The word was copied out into their hearts, and they were become Christ's epistle, so that others might read Christ in them. If you should set a seal upon marble, and it should make an impression upon the marble, and leave a print behind, there were a strange virtue in that seal: so, when the seal of the word leaves a heavenly print of grace upon the heart, there must needs be a power going along with that word no less than divine.2. It hath comforted their hearts. When Christians have sitten by the rivers weeping, the word hath dropped as honey and sweetly revived them. A Christian's chief comfort is drawn out of these wells of salvation: Rom. xv. 4., "That we through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." When a poor soul hath been ready to faint, he hath had nothing to comfort him but a scripture cordial. When he hath been sick, OBJECT. The papists indeed the word hath revived him: 2 cannot deny but that the scripture Cor. iv. 17., "Our light affliction, is divine and sacred; but they which is but for a moment, work-affirm that quoad nos, 'with re

7. The great miracles wherewith the Lord hath confirmed scripture. Miracles were used by Moses, Elijah, Christ, and continued many years after by the apostles, to confirm the verity of the holy scriptures. As props are set under weak vines, so these miracles were set under the weak faith of men, that if they would not believe the writings of the word, yet they might believe the miracles. We read of God's dividing the waters,-making a causeway in the sea for his people to go over, the iron swimming,

the oil increasing by pouring out,-Christ's making wine of water,-his curing the blind,and raising the dead: thus God hath set a seal to the truth and divinity of the scriptures by miracles.

spect to us, it receives its divine hast known the holy scriptures, authority from the church; and which are able to make thee wise they bring that scripture, 1 Tim. unto salvation." It shows the

truth.'

iii. 15., where the church is said credenda,-what we are to believe; to be the ground and pillar of and agenda,-what we are to practise. It gives us an exact model Ans. It is true, the church is of religion, and perfectly instructs the pillar of truth; but it doth us in the deep things of God. not therefore follow, that the The papists therefore make themscripture hath its authority from selves guilty, who go to eke out the church. The king's procla- scripture with their traditions, to mation is fixed on the pillar, the which they equalise it. The pillar holds it out, that all may council of Trent saith, that the read, but the proclamation doth traditions of the church of Rome not receive its authority from the are to be received pari pietatis pillar, but from the king; so the affectu,-with the same devotion church holds forth the scriptures, that scripture is to be received but they do not receive their with; so bringing themselves authority from the church, but under the curse, Rev. xxii. 18., from God. If the word of God" If any man shall add unto these be divine, merely because the things, God shall add unto him church holds it forth, then it the plagues that are written in will follow, that our faith is to this book." be built upon the church and not upon the word; contrary to that, Eph. ii. 20., "Built upon the foundation (that is the doctrine) of the apostles and prophets."

Q. What is the main scope and end of scripture?

A. To chalk out a way to salvation. It makes a clear discovery of Christ: John xx. 31., Q. Are all the books in the Bible" These things are written, that of the same divine authority? ye might believe that Jesus is the 4. Those which we call canoni- Christ, and that believing ye might have life through his

cal.

Q. Why are the scriptures cal-name.' The design of the word led canonical? is to be an examen whereby our grace is to be tried; a sea-mark to show us what rocks we are to avoid. The word is to sublimate and quicken our affections; it is to be our directory and consolatory; it is to waft us over to the land of promise.

4. Because the word is a rule of faith, a canon to direct our lives. The word is the judge of controversies, the rock of infallibility; that only is to be received for truth, which is consonant to, and agrees with scripture, as the transcript with the original. All maxims in divinity are to be brought to the touchstone of scripture, as all measures are brought to the standard.

Q. Who shall have the power of interpreting scriptures?

The papists do assert that it is in the power of the church. If you ask who they mean by the

Q. Are the scriptures a com-church, they say, the Pope who plete rule?

4. The scripture is a full and perfect canon, containing in it all things necessary to salvation: 2 Tim. iii. 15., "From a child thou

is the head of it, and he is infallible; so Bellarmine. But that assertion is false, because many of the Popes have been ignorant and vicious, as Platina affirms,