SERMON
XXVII.
Sanctify
them through thy truth: thy word is truth.—john XVII. 17.
thirdly,
I
now proceed to the reasons why God sanctifieth by his
truth. It is most suitable to God's honour and to man's nature.
First, To God's honour. It was meet that God should give a rule to the creatures, or else
how should they know his will? And then it was meet to
honour this rule, by owning it above all other
doctrines, by the concomitant operation of his Spirit. This is the authentic
proof; the efficacy of the word is a pledge of the truth of it: John viii. 32,
'And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make ye free.' from the
bondage of sin, the devil, and death. A wicked man cannot have an absolute
assurance of the truth of the word; he hath no feeling of the power of it.
There is a great deal of do. How do you prove the scriptures to be the word of
God? A believer hath the testimony in his own heart: 1 John v. 10, 'He that
believeth in the Son of God hath the testimony in himself.' His conscience and
his heart are set at liberty by water and blood. This made the apostles bold,
and should make ministers so: Rom. i. 16, 'I am not ashamed [Pg. 423]
of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation.' We should not
be ashamed to preach it, and you should not be ashamed to profess it: 'It is
the power of God.' God will not associate and join the powerful operation of
his Spirit with any other doctrine. So David, when he commendeth
the law, by which he doth not mean the decalogue,
but the whole word of God: Ps. xix. 7-9, 'The law of the Lord is perfect,
converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the soul; the commandment of the
Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring
for ever; the judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.' He had
spoken before of the excellency
of the sun, now of the word, intimating that the word of God is as necessary
for the heart as the sun is for the world. We can as well be without the sun as
without the bible. But how doth he evidence it? From the effects upon the heart
and conscience: comfort and grace are two great evidences of the perfection of
the word. No doctrine in the world, save this divine truth set down in
scripture, is able to discover the sin and misery of man, the remedy and relief
of it in Christ. No doctrine save this alone can effectually humble a soul, and
convert it to God, make it sensible of the loss by sin, and restore it to a
better condition.
Secondly, It
is more suitable to man's nature The word is more morally accommodated to work
upon the heart of man than any other instrument, means, or doctrine in the
world.
1. The precepts of it. It is
the copy of God's holiness, the light by which we see everything in its own colours. The light of nature is \~nomou\~, 'the work of the law,' Rom. ii. 14, 15. It taketh notice of gross acts of sin, and the outward work of
duty; they made conscience to abstain from gross acts of sin, and to perform
outward acts of piety and devotion, as offering sacrifices and prayers. But now
there is an excellent spirit of holiness that breatheth
in the word, and all matters of duty are advanced to their greatest perfection:
Ps. cxix. 36, 'Thy commandment is exceeding broad;
'of a vast extent and latitude, comprising every motion, thought, and
circumstance in duties; not only the act is required, but the frame of heart is
regarded; not only sins, but lusts are forbidden. If ever there were an instrument
fitted to do a thing, the word is fitted to promote holiness, the true purity
that is pleasing to God.
2. The
patterns and examples of the word. We miscarry by low examples, and learn
looseness and carelessness one by another. Therefore the word of God, to
elevate holiness to the highest extent, presseth not
only the examples of the saints, whose memorials are left upon record in the
word, but the holiness of the angels, yea, the holiness of God himself. The
highest aim doth no hurt; he will shoot further who aimeth
at a star than he that aimeth at a shrub: 'Be ye followers
of them who through faith and patience have inherited
the promises,' Heb. vi. 12; 'Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in
heaven,' Mat. vi. 10; 'Be ye holy,
as I am holy,' 1 Peter i. 15. Communion begets
conformity. We need all kinds of examples; high examples, that we may not rest
in any low degrees and beginnings of holiness; low examples, that we may think
it possible. We are not [Pg. 424]
angels, but men and women, \~omoiopayeiv\~, of like affections, that have the same natural
interests, natural wants with others. It is a trodden path; in the way to
heaven you may see the footsteps of the saints.
3. Excellent
rewards, and fit arguments to induce us to the practice of holiness: 2 Cor. vii. 1, 'Having these promises, dearly
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all the filthiness of flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God;' 2 Peter i.
4, 'Whereby are given, unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by
these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption
that is in the world through last.' God covenants with us, as if we were
free-born; to interest our hearts in the love and practice of holiness, we have
as much propounded as we can wish for, nay, and more: 1 Cor.
ii. 9, 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart
of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.' Lactantius saith of the heathens, Vurtutis
vim non eentiunt, cujtu prosmiwn ignorant—They feel not the power of virtue, because they are ignorant of the
reward of virtue. Life and glory, and the great things to come, are powerful
motives; can you meet with the like elsewhere? All creatures seek their own
perfection. Philosophy is to seek of a sure reward and encouragement.
4. Our many advantages in
Christ. We have not only encouragement offered, but help and assistance. Christ
hath purchased grace to make us holy: 1 Peter ii. 24, 'Who his own self bare
our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead unto sin, might live
to righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.' He hath not only purchased
the rewards of grace, to wit, that God should not deal with us in sovereignty;
but purchased the abilities of grace,' redeemed us from a vain conversation.' 1 Peter i. 18. By his death the
covenant is made a testament, and all the precepts are turned into so many promises
and legacies. Christ will give what he requireth. All
excuse is taken away from laziness, and wickedness is no longer allowed the
plea of weakness. There is help offered in Christ.
5. Terrible threatenings. The word is impatient of being denied; it
would have holiness upon any terms. There is somewhat propounded to our fear as
well as our hope; not only the loss of happiness: Heb. xii. 14, 'Follow peace
with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see God, which is loss
enough to an ingenuous spirit; but the forfeiture of the soul into eternal
torments, without ease» without end: 'Go, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.'
God hath a prison for obstinate creatures, a worm that never dies, a fire that never goes out. Whose heart doth not tremble at
the mention of these things? We cannot endure the torment of one night under a
feverish distemper; how shall we think of lying down in everlasting burnings?
6. The word presseth all this with such a majesty and power, that it astonisheth the conscience, and maketh
the hearts and souls of men to quake within them. Felix trembled at the mention
of judgment to-come. There is so much of God in the word, that if it doth not
renew men, it doth restrain them, maketh them
tremble; where it hath least force, it cometh with a manifestation of divine
authority upon the conscience. Lactantius saith, Nihilponderis habent ilia prcecepta, qua sunt [Pg. 425] humana.
There is no such majesty in human precepts. Nemo
credit, quia tarn se hominem
putat ease qui audivit quam ilium qui prcedicat. Man is not astonished by man. Verba dedi, verba reddidi. But now the
word of God searcheth the heart, pincheth
the conscience, and where it worketh least it maketh men to quake within themselves. It is said, Mat.
vii. 28, 29, 'The people were astonished at Christ's
doctrine, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.'
God's word cometh with evidence and conviction upon the conscience, that they
admire the power of it; there is a sovereign majesty in it, the draught is like
the author. Thus you see what a powerful instrument the word is, even in a
moral way; therefore the fittest means whereunto God should join his assistance
to work on the heart of man.
Use I. Of information.
1. It informeth
us what a treasure truth is, and what a value we should put upon it. There are two
things in the world that God is very tender of—his truth, and his saints. In
the controversy about toleration, men, on the one side, have urged the danger
of meddling with saints; on the other side, others have urged the value of
truth. If the whole controversy did depend upon this issue, which are to be
most respected, the truth or the saints, since God is tender of both, it would
soon be decided; for besides this, that it is strange that they only who are
called saints should be afraid of a vigorous prosecution and defence of the truth, it is clear truth must have the
pre-eminence,, for it is truth that maketh saints,
and we had need be more tender of the root than of the branches.
2. It informeth
us that out of the true religion there is no salvation, because there is no
true holiness, and without holiness no man shall see God: Heb. xii. 14, 'Follow
peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see God.' It is
not without peace; the necessity is not laid upon that, but holiness; for peace
is often broken for strictness' sake. A man that is faithful and sincere may
have little of the world's respect; but now without the true religion there is
no holiness, that is clear. Hence it is said, 'Sanctify them by thy truth.'
There may be civility, and the exactness of a moral
course, counterfeit grace; but there can be no true sanctification, because the
heart can never be good that is ignorant of the truth and poisoned with error.
There may be superstition, which is but a bastard religion; there may be a good
life, but there cannot be a good heart, no true
comfort, and true grace. Anima, que a Deo fornicata est, ccuta ease non potest. He that believeth ill,
can never live well. Grace and truth are twins that live and die together.
Moral virtue is very defective in itself. Bapientia
eorumplerumqve abecondit vitia; non abecindit—All
their craft was to hide a lust, not to root it out.
3. That they
have not a sound apprehension of truth that have no
grace. There may be a naked and inactive apprehension that is not accompanied
with power; they learn truth by rote, and rest in a vain speculation, but have
no strength to perform their duty: 2 Tim. iii. 5, compared with Rom. ii. 20.
What in one place is called 'a form of godliness,' is in the other called 'a
form of knowledge.' Poor, slight, and superficial
apprehensions of the truth; they take up truth, not [Pg. 426] upon any divine testimony or evidence of the Spirit, but
upon the credit and authority of men, the practice and profession of the nation,
or the injunctions of a civil state. This is the account of most men's truth
and faith. Alas! truth thus received entereth not upon the heart Men gain but a disciplinary
knowledge; a literal knowledge and a spiritual knowledge differ: Eph. iv. 21, 'If so be that ye have heard of him, and have been taught by
him, as the truth is in Jesus.' When a man receiveth
it out of the hands of the Spirit of Christ, it frameth
and disposeth the heart to godliness. So Col. i. 6, 'Since ye heard of it, and
knew the grace of God in truth.' The tasting of a thing excelleth
the reading of it; the true, inward, powerful, affectionate knowledge affecteth the heart, and altereth
and changeth it. A man knoweth
no more of Christ than he valueth, esteemeth, and affecteth, and
which puts the whole inward man into a holy spiritual frame. Good principles,
if heartily embraced, will breed a good conversation. The point needeth to be heeded in these times, when knowledge is
increased, but practice and strictness suffereth an abatement
and decay. Boni esae
desinunt, postqvam docti ewuerint. What strength
and power of religion possesses the heart? When you know the truth, doth it
carry you to God and godliness?
4. They that are above
scriptures have no fame holiness. God sanctifieth by
the truth. It is strange how charily overreacheth to
saint antiscripturists and men above ordinances;
whereas it is the true ground and reason of sanctification. As Bernard saith of
some, that whilst they plead for the salvation of heathens, scarce show themselves
Christians; so I am afraid our excessive charity to men argueth
little affection to God. God accepteth no holiness
but word-holiness, and worketh holiness no other way.
I doubt they that despise prophesying quench the Spirit When men neglect and
contemn the word of God, they dam up the fountain of holiness.
5. What is the true witness of the scripture's certainty? Not the
testimony of the church, but feeling the sanctifying virtue of it. It is good
to take the testimony of the church at first, as we take a medicine from others
upon their experience; but we must not rest in it; 1 Thess.
i. 5. 'For our gospel came not unto you in word only,
but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and n much assurance;' this giveth certainty. At first we believe upon the church's
saying, as the woman: commended Christ to her citizens: John iv.
42, 'Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have
heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world.' There is a preparative human
faith; as in taking pills, we do not chew them, but swallow them. It is not
good to be disputing away our hopes. But we should not rest in this, but labour to get an experience of the power of the truth upon
our hearts.
6. The
difference between civility and sanctification. Civility is wrought by mere
moral education, according to natural principles, without any knowledge, or so much as a desire to be acquainted with the word of God.
Thus many are careful of common honesty in matters of traffic and commerce,
obedience to civil laws, being restrained from gross enormities, but have no
true grace; but in true holiness we are inclined by the word: 1 Peter ii. 2,
'As new-born babes desire the [Pg. 427]
sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.'
This is true holiness, when we conform and subject ourselves in heart and
practice to the will of God, revealed in the word. The word of God must be
reason and rule. Reason: 1 Thes. v. 18, 'This is the
will of God concerning you;' and rule: Gal. vi 16, 'As
many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them.' Why do you do this? as the children must ask their parents, 'Why do ye keep the passover?' Still all must be examined by the word: John
iii. 21, 'He that doth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made
manifest that they are wrought of God; he trieth
every action by it. Only the word is our rule in all our actions; we seek to it
as our guide, obey it for truth's sake.
Use 2. Exhortation.
1. Beware of error. It is a
defiling thing; the more mixture of falsehood, the less awe of God upon the
soul, and the more carnal affections are gratified. A constant use of the word
discovers sin.
2. To press you to wait upon
God for the purifying of your hearts through the word, in the use of the word,
through the Spirit, to look for the purification and sanctification of your
souls. Here I should press you to take heed that you hear, how you
hear, and what you hear.
[1.] That you hear. You need
wait upon God, and hearken diligently. The apostle infers it: James i. 18, 'Of his own will begat he
us by the word of truth.' What then? 'Therefore be swift to hear.' Continually
you will find some new enforcement or new consideration to promote your
holiness and sanctification.
[2.] Take heed what ye hear,
Mark iv. 24 You must get the distinguishing ear; that
as the mouth tasteth meats, so the ear may taste
doctrines, and you may judge of things that differ.
[3.] Take heed
how you hear, Luke viii. 18; that is, wait for the
operations of the Spirit, do not hear carelessly, negligently. It is said, Acts
x. 44, 'While Peter was speaking those things, the Holy Ghost fell upon them.'
While we are speaking to you there are many good motions stirred up in your
hearts. Take heed how you hear, that the blessing may not escape from you.
'Thy word is truth.—The punt which I am now to discuss is, the truth of the
word. In managing this discourse I shall show
1. What necessity there is
that God should give us his word, or a declaration of his will.
2. Where we shall infallibly
find this word or declaration of his will.
3. Of what concernment it is
to be established in the truth of this word.
4. Whether it be possible
that carnal men, remaining so, can have any assurance of this truth; or whether
it be only left to be cleared op infallibly to the soul, by the light and
working of the Spirit.
First, What
necessity there is of God's word, or some outward signification of his will An
absolute necessity of an outward rule there is not. God might immediately
reveal himself to the heart of man; he who made the heart can stamp it with the
full knowledge of his will. But the written word is best for God's honour, and for the safety of religion, and because of the
weakness of our nature.
1. For the honour of God, that he should give man a rule. You [Pg.
428] know all creatures that God hath made, they have a rule without
themselves, by which they are guided and directed in their operations. It is
God's own privilege to be a rule to himself. The angels have a rule, that is distinct from their essence. And in innocency, though God stamped the knowledge of his will
immediately upon man's heart, that Adam's heart was as
it were his bible, yet his rule was-distinguished from his essence, otherwise
he could not have sinned against God. If man were his own rule there would be
an impossibility of sinning, and so there would be an intrenchment
upon God's own privilege. You know it is God's own privilege that his act is
his rule, and therefore it is impossible that God should sin. Look, as when a
carpenter choppeth and squareth
a piece of timber, there is a line and rule without him, by which he is guided
and directed: if it were to be supposed that his hand could never strike amiss,
that would be his rule, he would need no line or rule without him. But this is
proper to no creature, it is God's own privilege that his essence and his rule
are not distinguished; but still a man should not share with him in his
peculiar privilege, therefore he hath given him a rule. Besides, if man were a
rule to himself, there would be no room for rewards;
there is no commendation nor praise where there is a natural necessity of doing
good; as stocks and stones are not capable of a reward for not sinning, because
they cannot sin.
2. For the safety of
religion, now man is fallen, that he might not obtrude fancies on his neighbour: Isa. viii. 20, 'To the
law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is
because there is no light in them.' Let it be voice or oracle, all is to be
measured by the outward rule which God hath given to the church.
3. In respect of man, to
repair the defects of nature, and to satisfy the desires of nature.
[1.] To
repair the defects of nature. Fallen man is brutish, and knows not how to carve
out a right worship for God, or a rule of commerce between him and us. We have
not light enough in our own-hearts for such a work. You see what sorry devices
of worship man frameth when he is destitute of the
knowledge of God's will, and left to the workings of his own heart. The apostle
observes it of the philosophers, Rom. i. 22, 23; the
wisest of heathens, when they sat abrood upon
religion, it proved but a monstrous misshapen piece: 'Professing themselves to
be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible
God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed
beasts, and creeping things.' You see how sottish
man, if left once to himself, is ready to worship a stick, or straw, or piece
of red cloth, instead of God. Though the Knowledge of the law of God be written on man's heart, as it was on Adam's, who was his
own bible, yet it is so blurred and defaced that we cannot read the mind of God
in our own heart. It is true there are some scattered fragments and relics, and
some obscure characters, that will teach us something of morality and duties,
to fit us for commerce between man and man, but very little to teach us how to
have commerce with God. The Gentiles have the work of the law written upon
their hearts: Rom. ii. 14, 15, 'For when the Gentiles, which have not the law,
do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, [Pg. 429] are a law unto themselves;
which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their consciences also
hearing witness, and their thoughts in the meanwhile accusing, or else excusing
one another;' that is, they are sensible of the necessity of external
obedience, but nature goes no further. There is no article of belief, if we
consider it with all its circumstances, and in that exact manner that is
propounded to us in the word of God, that could ever have entered into the
heart of man. And therefore, since man's heart is so weak, we need a rule that
we might know God's will. His works indeed declare God's glory, that indeed
there is an infinite, eternal, incomprehensible power, that
made all things and guides all things: Ps. xix. 1, 'The heavens declare the
glory of God, and the firmament showeth forth his
handiwork;' but they speak nothing of the fall, of the restitution by Christ,
of the mystery of the Trinity, and those glorious representations that are now
made of God in the scriptures; and therefore there was a necessity in this
"kind to repair the defects of nature.
[2.] To satisfy the desires
of nature. There are two things that render us unsatisfied with the light of
nature—an insatiable desire of knowledge in the soul, and a trouble of heart
about misery, sin, and death.
(1.) An insatiable desire of
more knowledge, and full satisfaction concerning God and the way to enjoy him.
Reason, you know, is the property and excellency
of man, and his privilege above the beasts; now reason desires to replenish
itself with knowledge and perfection in its kind. The stomach no more desires
true food for sustenance than a man doth knowledge. Man that is born to know
hath a strong desire to it, and delight in it when it is increased. This was
Adam's bait in paradise: Gen. iii. 6, 'The tree was
good for food, and pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one
wise.' And it is a mighty delectation, even to man's natural soul, to view any
truth; the contemplation of it is a mighty rejoicing and delight. Therefore the
word of God may beget, even in natural men, such a kind of delectation: Ps.
xix. 10, 'More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than fine gold; sweeter
also than the honey and the honeycomb.' They rejoice the soul because they fill
it with light. That there is such an impatient thirst and desire after more
knowledge than we have in ourselves appears by the very idolatry of the
Gentiles; they were unsatisfied with their own thoughts, they would know more,
and that was the reason they were so ready to close with every fancy that was
offered to them. As a man that is very hungry, and almost famished, will fasten
upon any food that comes next to hand, many times that which is most hurtful
and noxious, so man, being desirous of some more knowledge concerning the
nature of God, when he can meet with no other, he fastens upon gross
superstitions and fables, whatever comes next to hand. Some outward rule and
direction they will have, a bad one rather than none at all, out of a despair to find a better.
(2.) As there is an impatient
thirst and desire after knowledge, so there is a trouble in conscience about
misery, death, and sin. This bondage is natural, and we cannot be eased of it
without some knowledge of a means of reconciliation. Nature is full of
inquiries which way God will be pleased: Micah vi. 6,
7, 'Wherewith shall I come [Pg. 430] before the
Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with
burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? will the
Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit
of my body for the sin of my soul?' What shall I do to pacify God? This is the
great inquiry of nature. Nature knows that some satisfaction must be given to
offended justice; and until conscience have: firm ground of rest it will not be
quiet. This put the heathens upon such barbarous actions as giving the
first-born for the sin of their soul; and this made the Jews so unsatisfied;
they looked no farther than the sacrifice: Heb. ix. 9, 'In which were offered
both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service
perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; that is, their conscience had no firm
ground of satisfaction and quiet by sacrifices. Therefore you shall see how God
makes use of this advantage, this dissatisfaction, without some external rule,
and the knowledge of means how to be reconciled: Jer.
vi. 16, 'Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and
see, and ask for the old paths, Where is the good way? and
walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.' As if the Lord had said, There is now a dissatisfaction, a natural bondage upon man.
Now look to all the religions in the world, see where you can find rest for
your souls. God leaves it upon that issue and determination. These things show
there must be some external rule for guiding of the creature. It is for God's
glory, for the safety of religion, to repair the defects of nature and to
satisfy the desires of nature.
Secondly, What
is God's word? This is necessary to be cleared; for the question is not so
much, whether God's word be truth? as
whether this or that be the word of God or no? This will be easily granted by
every one that hath the sense of a godhead, that what God speaks must needs be
true; for God is so infinitely wise that he cannot be deceived, and so
infinitely just and true that he will not deceive us, and so omnipotent that he
cannot be jealous of our knowledge, and so gracious that he is not envious of
our knowledge, as the devil would insinuate: Gen. iii. 5, 'For God doth know
that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be
as gods, knowing good and evil.' It will be no infringement to his interest if
we should know his nature and his will. But the great question is, what we should take for the word of God? Now that we may
have a sure ground in this kind, let us consider how he hath revealed himself
to man. The dispensations of God are several:—(1.) To Adam; (2.) To the world; (3.) To the church.
1. To
Adam. His bible was his heart; the law was written there, and God preached to
him immediately, and by oracle gave him all extraordinary commands, and the
book of the creatures for his contemplation; not so much to better his
knowledge, as to increase his reverence.
2. To the world. To heathens God gave the book of nature, which
was more than they made use of, and therefore he stopped there: Ps. xix. 1-3,
'The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth
his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and
night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no
speech nor language [Pg. 431] where their voice is not heard.' &c. This
revelation God hath made of himself, even to all nations; they have sun and
moon to look upon, and the structure of the heavens to behold, which are so
many pledges of the excellency and infiniteness of
God: Rom. i. 19, 20, 'Because that which may be known
of God is manifest to them, for God hath showed it unto them; for the invisible
things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead; so that they
are without excuse;' Acts xiv. 17, 'Nevertheless, he left not himself without
witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from
heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.' In the
book of nature there is the rough draught of God's will. Trismegistus
said it was liber units
divinttate plentis—creation
was nothing else but one book, that was full of the glory of God and his excellency. God spake
to them by things, not by words. This, with some instincts of conscience,
the relics of the fall, was all the heathens had. Conscience was God's deputy,
to put them in mind of a judge; and the heavens put them in mind of a God.
Look, as Job's messengers said,' I alone am escaped to tell thee,' so there are
some few relics and principles alone escaped out of the ruins of the fall, to
tell us somewhat of God, and somewhat of a judge. That light proclaims
everywhere, and speaks to every nation, and proclaims it aloud to all people,
kindred, and tongues of the earth: Take notice there is one infinite eternal God, that made us, and you, and all things else. God's
refreshing the parched earth with showers of rain shows how willing he is to be
gracious to poor hungry creatures. Fruitful seasons show us the abundance of
his mercy. The decking the heavens with stars, and the earth with plants, show
us what glory he can put upon the creatures. This language may be gathered out
.of the creation, and thus did God speak to all creatures by the voice of his
creatures.
3. To
the church. And the dispensations of God to the church have been various and
diverse: Heb. i. 1, 'God who at sundry times, and in
divers manners, \~polumerwv\~ \~kai\~
\~polutropwv\~, spake in times past unto our fathers by the prophets,' &c. He spake his mind by pieces, that is signified by the word;
now he gave a piece of his mind, and then a piece; and he hath spoken also in
'sundry manners,' by several ways of revelation. The church never wanted
sufficient revelation nor means of knowledge to guide
them to the enjoyment of God and true happiness. God's dispensations to the
church may be reduced to three heads. There was—(1.) His word
without writing; (2.) Then word and writing; (3.)
Then writing only.
[1.] There
was the won! without writing, by visions, oracles, and
dreams, by which he manifested himself to persons of the greatest sanctity and
holiness, that they might instruct others, and impart the mind of God to others.
Now mark, this dispensation was sure enough, to guide them to communion with
God. Why? Because the people of the world were then but few families,
and the persons intrusted with God's message were of
great authority and credit, therefore sufficient enough to inform that present
age of God's counsel; and (which was another advantage) they lived long, to
continue the tradition with certainty to others for hundreds of years. Vision
and [Pg. 432]
tradition was sure enough; for, as it is observed by some,
three men might continue the tradition of the counsel of God from Adam till
[2.]
Afterwards there was both word and writing. God's word was necessary for the
further revealing and clearing up of the doctrine of salvation, which was
revealed by pieces. And writing was necessary, partly because in process of
time precepts were multiplied, and it was needful for men's memories that they
should be registered in some public record; and partly because the long life of
God's witnesses was much lessened, and the corruption of the world was
increased, and Satan began to imitate God by oracles, visions, and answers, and
idolatry and superstition crept into the best families. Into Tenth's: Josh.
xxiv. 2, 'Your fathers dwelt on the other side the flood, in old time, even Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nachor, and they served other gods.' And Jacob's family was
corrupt: Gen. xxxv. 2, 'Then
Jacob said to his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the
strange gods that are among yon, and be clean, and change your garments.' The
people were grown numerous enough to make a commonwealth and a politic body,
and it was fit they should have 8 public record and common rule; and therefore,
to avoid man's corruptions, and to give a stop to Satan's deceits, the Lord
thought fit there should be a written rule at hand, for the trial of all
doctrines. God himself wrote the first scripture that ever was written with his
own finger: Exod. xxiv. 12, 'And
the Lord said to Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there, and I will
give them tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written,
that thou mayest teach them.' And then commanded
Moses and the prophets to do the same: Exod. xvii.
14,' And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book;' and Exod. xxxiv. 27, 'And the Lord said unto Moses, Write thou
these words; for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with
thee and with
[3.] There is now writing
only without the word, without visions and revelations. There needeth no more now, because here is enough to make us wise
unto salvation: 2 Tim. iii. 15-17, 'And that from a child thou hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith
which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto
all good works.' It is sufficient to make as wise to preach, and you wise to practise. It is now certain enough; God hath left a public record, that we might not spend our time in doubting and
disputing. And it is full enough; you need nothing more, either to satisfy the
desires of nature or to repair the defects of nature, to satiate the soul with
knowledge; for God Lath given to the church sufficient instruction to decide
all controversies, to assoil all doubts, and to give us sure conduct and
direction to everlasting glory.
Thirdly, The
next question is, of what concernment it is to inquire of the truth of the
scripture? Many think that such a discussion needs not, because this is a
principal matter to be believed, not argued, And arguments at least beget but a
human faith; yet certainly it is of great necessity if you consider four
things:—
1. It is good to prepare and
induce carnal men to respect it, and to wait for the confirmation of the
Spirit. A human faith maketh way for a divine; when
men hearken to the word upon common grounds, God may satisfy them; as those,
John iv. 42, 'Now we believe, not because of thy
saying, for we have heard him ourselves and know that this is indeed the
Christ, the Son of the living God.' They first believed upon the woman's report
and then upon their own experience. So it is good to establish sound grounds,
that we may know the truth of God, first upon hearsay, and afterward upon
experience. This way we induce and invite men to make a trial.
2. Because it giveth an additional confirmation, and greater certainty to
the people of God. Foundation-stones can never be laid with exactness and care
enough. For if you mark it, you will find all doubting in your belief, all disproportion
in your practice, ariseth from this, because the
supreme truth is not settled in the soul. We ought to believe it more and more;
then it stirs up greater reverence, greater admiration, and makes way for your
delight and joy, to have your charter cleared. It is good to look upon this
argument, that it might further our comfort, and that this fire may be blown up
into a flame, and that truth may have more awe upon the conscience.
3. It awakeneth them that have received the word upon slight
.grounds, to be better settled. Most men look no further than human Authority
and public countenance; they have no other grounds to [Pg. 434] believe the scriptures than the Turks to
believe the Alcoran, because-it is the tradition of
their fathers. Most men's belief is but a happy mistake, a thing at peradventnre, and they are Christians upon no other grounds
than others are Turks. God loveth a rational worship;
he-would have us to render \~logov\~, 'a reason of the faith that is in us.' But they are Christians by chance,
rather than choice and solid reason; it is because they know no other religion,
not because they know no-better. Well, then, that you may be able to justify
your religion 'for
wisdom is justified of her children.' Mat xi. 19), that you
may take up the ways of God upon a rational choice, it is good to see
what ground» and confirmations we have for that holy faith we do profess.
4. That we may know the distinct excellency
of our profession· above all other professions in the world. The daughters of
Fourthly, Whether
a wicked man remaining wicked, may be convinced of the truth of the word? I should
think they can have no absolute assurance till they have some work of grace,
because that is the fruit of grace: Col. ii. 2, 'That
your hearts might be comforted, and knit together in love, and unto all riches
of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of
God, and of the Father, and of Christ;' 2 Cor. iv. 4, 'If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost;' 1 Cor. ii. 14, 'The natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither
can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' He receives not the
things of God, that is, doth not perceive them with demonstration, nor receive
them with acceptation. A natural man may have an opinion, a light conjecture, a
slight conviction upon his heart, enough to beget an awe, so as he knows not
how to contradict the truth of the scriptures; but not an absolute assurance of
the· truth of the word. It is Christ's sheep only that are
able to distinguish his voice: John x. 27, 'My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me.' They that look upon the scripture in the light of
the Spirit, they are only able to see that it is from God. We may convince
them, and use preparative inducements, but they cannot be absolutely assured of
the truth of the doctrine, and that for two reasons:
1. Because all external
arguments, without the light of the Spirit, work but a human faith. He that
inspired the scriptures must open our eyes to know them, and incline our hearts
to believe them; otherwise we shall look upon them but as a traditional report;
Isa. liii. 1, 'Lord, who hath
believed our report?' The church maketh
report; what is the reason wicked men do not entertain it? 1
John ii. 20, 'Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all
things.' Men may speak of Christ by hearsay, as a parrot talks after a man; but
it is the Spirit only that must reveal him to the heart The disciples
themselves knew not the truth of the gospel so much by Christ's outward
ministry as by the inward illumination of the Spirit So Christ himself saith,
John xvi. 13,' Howbeit, when the Spirit of truth is come, he
shall guide you into all truth.' Christ had brought it out of the bosom
of the Father, and had taught them by an external ministry; but the Comforter
was to bring it into their hearts, to lead them into all truth. Therefore
though carnal men may have a rational conviction, and may be so overpowered
with reason that they cannot contradict the word, and so far understand it as
to be condemned by it, yet they have not an absolute assurance; it is
accompanied with atheism, doubts, and dissatisfactions.
2. Because
the Spirit worketh not by way of certioration
and full assurance, but where he sanctifieth. And
therefore the apostle saith, 1 Thes. i. 5, Our gospel came not to you
in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.'
It cleanseth and sanctifieth
the heart. And in the text it is said, 'Sanctify them through thy truth; thy
word is truth.' Wherever there is an inward plenary conviction, there is the
Spirit, and where the Spirit of God [Pg.
436] works, he changeth the heart It is true a wicked man, remaining carnal, may have common
gifts from the Spirit: Heb. vi. 4, 'They may be enlightened, and taste of the heavenly
gift, and be made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and taste the good word of God,
and the powers of the world to come' They may be able to make use of the model
and form of knowledge that is in the brain; but there is not an absolute
assurance. This partial conviction is soon lost; it is led in by man, and led
off by man. A natural man, being in the church, may have great presumption and
probability; he may know nothing to the contrary why it is not God's word; nay,
he may in bravery die for his profession; but he dies in his own quarrel, and
for his own humour, not for the love of the truth;
because it is his, not because it is God's, because his own profession may not
be disparaged; but a true certainty they cannot have, such as is affective,
transforming, settled.
use 1. To wicked
men, that stagger about the truth of the scriptures,
and are haunted with a spirit of atheism and continued doubts.
1. Wait upon common grounds,
consent of the church, and probable arguments. You ought out of
respect to search into it, whether it will be found to be the word of God or
no. You read in Judges, when Ehud said to Eglon, Judges iii. 20,' I have a
message from God unto thee, he rose out of his seat' If a king's letter,
threatening great peril, were brought to a man, he doth not know whether it he
the king's letter or no, but because the peril is great, he will inquire further
into the matter. So when the word of God is brought unto you, propounding
everlasting hope, threatening everlasting death, this should make you wait,
inquire, and see if it be the word of God or no. We venture far for great gain
upon a probable hope. If there were but a loose probability of having a great
price for a shilling, a man would venture .upon that probability. Now here is
not only a possibility of gaining, but you are threatened with horrible
torments, everlasting death and horror, more than is propounded in any
religion. Bo not think this is a foolish credulity:
'The simple believeth every word;' there is none more foolishly credulous than
the atheist and the antiscripturist, who withhold
their assent from the word of God upon very slight reasons, and venture then·
salvation upon them.
2. Do not in
such a matter rest upon the credit of any man, but seek to have a firm ground
in your consciences, an inward certioration from the
Spirit of God: Phil. i. 9,' This I pray, that your
love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in judgment,' \~aisyhsei\~, in all
sense. Wait till you have an inward feeling. He that is led by a man into the
acknowledgment of the truth will be led off again by men. There will be no
stability till you have an inward assurance: 2 Peter iii. 16, 'Beware, lest ye
also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own
steadfastness.' \~idion\~ \~sthrugmon\~. Every child of God should have some ballast in
his own spirit, some ground and experience upon which he durst venture his
soul. Labour for this proper ballast and
steadfastness of your own. And for your comfort let me tell you, if you, with a
humble and pious mind, wait upon God, you will not want it long. He that with a
sincere mind, and studiousnees of his own salvation,
desires to find out the truth of the scriptures, certainly God will settle him.
[Pg. 437]
Use 2. Here is
advice to the people of God.
1. Prize this way of
dispensation; bless God that the rule of faith is put into a settled coarse, the greatest gift, next the Lord Jesus Christ, that
the world ever had. The scriptures are God's charter given to man, the evidence
of his happiness, by which he holds heaven and grace, and all his privileges in
Christ Though the bible alone were extant in the world, here were sufficient
direction, a doctrine full enough to guide us to happiness; and though all the
world were full of books, if the bible only were wanting, you would have no
sure doctrine. Some books are of Satan's inditing,
they that are full of filthiness and folly; other book smell of men; there is
not another book in the world but hath something of man in it, and a human
spirit But this is all of God, this is the truth, the touchstone of words and
deeds. Other writings speak man's heart, but this speaks to man's heart with a
divine power; this is the book that is the best discovery of God's heart to us,
and our own to ourselves; it is the touchstone, not only to try doctrines, but
to try all men's dispositions, how we stand affected to him.
2. Best in the certainty of
this doctrine. We are foolish creatures, and would give laws to heaven, and
indent with God to believe upon our own terms. Look, as the devil would indent
with Christ: Mat iv. 3,' If thou be the Son of God,
command that these stones be made bread;' so we indent with God: If it be his
word, let God testify it by some oracle, or some visible dispensation. We think
it were better, and that the world had more assurance, when God spake 'in divers manners,' than when the canon and rule of
faith is closed up, and he speaks by writing only, and not by voice. No; God's
terms are surer than if a man should come from hell and speak to them. We are
apt to think, if a messenger should come up in garments of flaming fire, and
preach the horrors of the· world to come, then there would be no atheists; but
there is a far greater certainty in such a dispensation as we are now under:
Luke xvi. 30, 31, 'If one went unto them from the dead, they
will repent. And he said, If they hear not
Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one arose from
the dead.' Satan still appears to the blind world in horrible shapes to terrify
them; so would we look upon this as a horrible shape, as the malice and cunning
of the devil. Nay, it is surer than if an angel should come from heaven to
preach tile gospel to us, for that would not be such an absolute assurance:
Gal. i. 8,' For though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let
him be accursed.' Nay, it is more sure than an oracle from God; though that is
as sure in itself, because it is from tile true God, yet it is not so sure to
us: 2 Peter i. 19,' We have a more sure word of
prophecy.' More sure than what? Than
visions and the voice from the excellent glory. He alludes to that voice
which came from heaven: Mat iii. 17, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.' Ay! but saith he, 'We have a more sure word of prophecy. Therefore
rest in this way of dispensation; do not blame God, as if he had ill provided
for the comfort and safety of the church.
3. Improve
it to a solid hope and comfort; it is the word of God. and
venture upon it If you be deceived, God hath deceived you, as [Pg. 438] the prophet saith, Jer. iv. 10. Venture upon the promises of God; entertain
the precepts of it, as if God himself had spoken them: 1 Thes.
ii. 13,' For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye
received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word
of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.' When you hear any
particular thing pressed out of the word, entertain it as if God spake from heaven. What will you venture upon God's word in
a way of suffering? and what lust will you thwart and
crucify, that God by his word commands?