A Difcourfe conccrmng txccllent Theme that hath filled up many Chapters of the Old Teftament · as the firft Draught of a Pitl:ure reprefents the features and proportion of the Perfan, but afterwards is added the complexion and life to it. So is it here the Pens of the Prophets drew the fi rft Lineaments and Proportion of Chrift i~ the Old Teftamcnr, and the Pens of the Apoftlcs and Evangc lifts have added the Life and Swectnefs to it in the New. Yea, Chrift is fo truly dcfcribed in the Old Te .. ftament, by his Life, by his Death, by all the greater Remarks of either that in his Conteft with the Jews, he appeals. thither for a Teftimony, John 5· 3~. Search the Scriptures, fo)· they are rhq 1Phzch teftifie of me. And St. Peter, Afls 3· 24- affirms That aU the P,rophett, aJ many ,u have fpoken, have foretold of thefe days. And .AEt; ' ?· 43· To him glf".Je a/J the Prophets ~Vitnefs. Chrift,_ who is the true Expolitor, being h1mfelf the true Author, makes them all fpeak his Senfe. Luke l+ 27. Beginning at Mofos and alL the Prophtt.t, he expounded to them in a!i the Scripture;, the fayingsconcerning himfelf So that St. Chryfoftorh's Obfervation holds true, that the Gofpcl was in the Wo rld before Chr ift. 'EPP,(rJ!'311 ~ it' 7TJ'It (3/f}Aa~t 1'fJ ""fo~tl'lrolv) fl),>..d~:n ~ 'TIJ K»f&-.Ypa'/1 ,;., dmdA(o)v. lt rook Root in the \Vritings of the Prophets bnt flowed forth in the preaching of the Apoftles; fo that in both thefe rcfpeds, the Holy Scripture may well be called the Word of Chrift; of Chrift as the Author and as the SubjeCt of it. ' And in both thefe lies couch'd a very cogent Argument, that may inforce this Exhortation of the Apofrle, and excite them to a diligent ftudy of the Scripture!. For, Firft, Is Chrift the Author of them, and Jhall we not with all Care and Diligence pcrufe thefe Books which he hath Compofed? The Writings of Men are valued according to the Abilit i e~ of their Author:- If th~y be of approved lnte&rity, prow found Knowledge, folld Judgment, the1r Work'ii are Efteemed and Studied. And fha\1 we not be much moreConverfant in thefe, which are fet forth by the Author who is Truth it fe lf, and the eJfential Wifdom of the Father? Thefe that were di~ ttated by the immediate Infpiration of the Holy Ghoft, and writ as it were with a Quill of the Heavenly Dove? Secondly, Chrift is t he SubjeCt of the Scriptures: And what is all other Learning and Knowledge but beggarly Elements, if compared with this? Here we have t he Cabinet of God's Counfels unlock' d, the eternal Purpofes of his Grace, in fend· ing his Son into the World publickly declared. Here we have the Stupendious Hi· ftory of God1s becoming Man, of all the Miracles this God M maR did upon Earth; of all the Cruelties he fuffered. Here we: have the Defctiption of his ViCtory in his Rcfurretlion, of his Triumph in his Afcen fion, of his Glory in his Scffion at the righ t Hand of the Majefty on H igh. Surely, great i; the Myjlcry of Codlinefs, Gotl. manifefted in the Fiefh, jujfify'd in the Spirit, feen of Angels, p~e;zched unto the Gmtiln, belitved on in the World, received up into Glory, as the Apofrlc With admiration recounts it, 1 'lim. 3· 16. And of all thefe wonderful Paffages, the Scripture gives us a perfeCt Narrative. And what have the great Wits of the World ever treated on like this, either for Strangenefs or Truth? All their Learning is but idle and con~ temptible Speculation, compared to this great Myftery of a Crucified Saviour; who fubdued Death by dying, and without force converted the World to believe a Do~ Chine above Reafon. It W:lS a very odd Saying of 1·ertulli4n, de carne Chrifti cont. 11-farc. and yet there is fomet hing in it that itrikes, Natus eft Dei filius, non pudet, qui~t pudmdum eft; the Son of God was Born, we blufh not at it, becaufe it is fh.ame~ ful. Mortuus eft Dei filius, pror{us credibile eft, quilf incptum eft: The Son of God died; it is incredible, pecaufe it is unfit and unlikely it fhould be fo: Sepultus refurre.-..·it, certum eft, quia impoffibile eft; he rofe from the Dead, it is certain true, becaufe it is impoflible. Now t hefe unlikely and impoffiblc th ings,judged fo by Humane Rcafon; thefe deep things of God the Scripture declares, and declares them in fuch a manner as convinceth even Reafon it fclf to alfcnt to them, though it cannot comprehend them. If therefore you defire to know Chrift and him Crucified, and thofe Myfterious DoCl:rines which the Wit of Man could not invent, for it can hardly receive them, be converfant in the Holy Scriptures; for they are the Word of Chrift, and reveal all the Wonders of Wifdom and [{now ledge, to which all the Wifdom of the World is but Folly. This therefore I fuppofe lies in the Expreffion, the Word of Chrift, viz.. the Word of which he is both t he AuEhor, and the SubjeCt! Secondly,
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