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I.

S. JOH. V. 39.

Search the Scriptures.

WHAT are we to understand by the

Scriptures?

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1. Man had at firft as perfect a Knowledge of GOD, as was requifite and necessary for him, Ecclef. vii. 29.

2. This Knowledge was exceedingly impair'd by the Fall; fo that Man ftood in need of a Divine Revelation for his farther Instruction in his Duty, and the way and means to Happiness.

3. Hence GOD was pleas'd to reveal His Mind or Will to Adam, Gen. iii. 15.

4. Which afterward was handed down by Tra dition from Him for 2500 Years; and the long Lives of the Antediluvian Patriarchs was a very proper and effectual Means to preferve that Tradition pure and uncorrupt, Methuselah living 243 Years with Adam; Shem 98 Years with Methufelah; and Ifaac 50 Years with Shem.

5. Man's Life being fhorten'd, GOD wrote His Law by Mofes, Pfal. xc. 10.

6. For the clearing of it, He infpir'd Prophets continually, Hebr. i. 1. Numb. xxvii. 21.

7. When Christ was come, He infpires others for the recording His Works and Doctrine, S. Joh. xiv. 26.

8. Hence all the Scripture is contain❜d in the Books of the Old and New Testament.

1. The Old Testament, in Number 39. and
which the Jews reduc'd to 22.
Εισὶ παρ' ἡμῖν δύο μόνα πρὸς τοῖς εἴκοσι βιβλία,
Fof. lib. 1. cont. Apion.

And

And they divided them in this manner;
Genefis,

1. The Pentateuch, Exodus,

or the Books Leviticus,

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of Moses.

Numbers,

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2. The Books of

the Prophets,

in Number 8,
as they divide
them.

3. Hagiographa, or the reft of the HolyWriters, in Number, 9.

ing reckon

Fudges and Ruth, ed the 4 for-
Samuel 1, and 2..
Kings 1. and 2.

Ifaiah,

mer Books of the Pro

phets.

Jeremiah and his And thefe

Lamentation,

Ezekiel,

the 4 lat

ter Books

of the Pro

The Book of 12 phets.
leffer Prophets.

The Pfalms of David, &c.
The Proverbs of Solomon.
His Ecclef. or the Preacher,
His Song of Songs,

fob,

Daniel,

Ezra and Nehemiah,

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2. The New Teftament, confifting of the four Gofpels, the Acts, the Epiftles of S. Paul, S. James, S. Peter, S. Jude, S. John, and the Apocalyps or Revelation, as they now ftand in our Bibles. And these are all the Books that make up the Canon of the Holy Scriptures; and that the Apocrypha is no Part thereof, is 1. From plain,

1. From Scripture, Hebr. i. 1. 28. Pet. i. 20,21. Ephef. ii. 20. Malachi was the laft infpir'd Prophet under the Old Teftament.

Από το Αρταξέρξε μεχρὶ τὸ καθ ̓ ἡμᾶς χρόνια, there was no Prophet, Jofeph. contra Apion. lib. 1. There were five Things wanting in the Second Temple, that were in the First, as the fews obferve, from the want of the Letter M, in the word 238, Hag. i. 8. 1. The Ark, with the Mercy-Seat. 2. Shekina, i, e. the Divine Presence, or Cloud of Glory.

3. Urim and Thummim. 4. Fire from Heaven.

5. The Holy Ghost, or the Spirit of Prophecy.

2. From Reafon: They are neither of the Old or New Teftament, and in many Places contradict both, nor fpeak as from GOD.

Εἰδὲ εὐτελῶς καὶ με]είως τᾶτο ἐφικτὸν ἦν ἡμῖν, 2 Macc. XV. 39.

3. From Fathers; Melito in Eufeb. Greg. Naz. Epiphan. Cocil. Laod. Can. 6. &c. But then may the Apocrypha be read? Yes.

Quos tamen Ecclefia ut bonos & utilės ljbros admittit. Hieron.

Que omnia legi quidem in Ecclefiis veLuerunt, non tamen proferri, &c. Ruffin: in Expof. Fid.

So was Clemens Epift. ad Romanos, Polycarpus ad Philippenfes, and Hermas his Paftor read.

II. Why

II. Why are we to fearch the Scriptures?... 1. Because they are the Word of GÖD, 2 Tim: iii. 16. 2 Pet. i, 20, 21.

This appears,
i. Probably.

1. From the Antiquity, the oldest Books treating of Things from the Begin ning of the World.

2. The Simplicity of the Pen-men, Exod. xxxii. Numb. xi. 11, 12, 13, 14. and

xii. 3.

3. Their Law-Quality, Amos vii. 14. S. Matt. ix. 9. A&t. iv. 13.

4. Their high Doctrines, as the Trinity, the Creation of the World, the Fall of Man, and thereby the Occafion of Sin and Death; the Incarnation of Christ, and the Redemption of Man, &c.

Fulfilling of Prophecies, as Gen. iii. 15. which was given out 4000 Years before it was accomplish'd, Gen. xii. 3. almoft 2000, Gen. XV. 13, 14. 400 Years before; fo Dan. ix. 24. Gen. xlix. 10.

8. Their Speaking with fo much Majesty and Authority, 1 Cor. i. 17.

7. Their Efficacy and Power to alter and convert Mens Minds, Pfal. xix. 7, 8: Hebr. iv. 12.

8. The Hatred of wicked Men against them, S. Job. xv. 19.

2. Certainly.

1. If this be not the Word of GOD, there

is none.

2. GOD hath attefted it by Miracles.

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3. If

3. If they were not from GOD, then ei ther from Satan or Men.

1. Not from Satan, for they destroy his Kingdom, S. Jam. iv. 7.

2. Not from Men.

1.

2.

Not good Men, because they would
not fo cheat the World.
Not from bad Men, because then

they would condemn them-
felves.

Are the Scriptures the Word of GOD? then,

1. Here is Terror to the Wicked, Ifa. xlviii. 22.

2.

3.

Comfort to the Godly, S. Matt.

V. 2, 3, 4.

Counsel to All.

Wherefore,

1. Reverence the Scriptures.

2. Believe them, for there can be no Ground of Faith fo certain as GOD's Word.

3. Prize them above all earthly Treafures, Pfal. xix. 10. Prov. iii. 14,

15:

4. Be thankful to GOD for them, S. Matt. xi. 25.

5. Conform your Lives to them. 6. Delight in Reading and Searching of them, Pfal. i. 2. and xix. 10. 2. We are to fearch the Scriptures, because they contain all Things neceffary to be known; that is, all Things abfolutely neceffary to be known and believ'd, not doxée, but either explicitly or implicitly; and this appears,

1. From Scripture.

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