4d SERMONS upo» Serm.21: molt fami(hed, will fatten upon any Food that comes next to hand, many times that which is molt hurtful and noxious : So Man being defirous of fome more Knowledg concerning the Nature of God, whtei he can meet with no other, he fattens upon grols Superftitions and Fables, whatever comes next to Hand. Some outward Rule and Dire &ion they will have, a bad one rather than none at all, out of a delpair to find a better. 2. As there is an impatient thirft and delire after Knowledg, fo there is a trouble in Confcience about Mifery, Death, and Sin. This Bondage is natural, and we cannot be eafed of it without fome knowledg of a Means of Reconciliation. Nature is full of Enquiries, which way God will be pleafed. Micah 6. 6, 7. wherewith fhall I come be- fore the Lord, and bow my felf before the high God ? fball l come before him with Bure- t! Oprings, with Calves of a Tear Old ? Will the Lord be pleafed with thoufands of Rams, or with ten thoufands of Rivers of Oil ? Shall I give my Firfl -born for my Tranfgreon, the Fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Said ? What (hall I do tó pacify God ? this is the great Enquiry of Nature. Nature knows that Come Satisfaetion mull be given to of- fended Juftice ; and until Confciencehave a firm ground of Reft, it will not be quiet. This put the Heathens upon fuch barbarous A &ions, as giving the Firft-born for the Sin of their Soul. And this made the Jews fo unfatisfied, they look'd no farther than the Sacrifice. Heb. 9. 9. In which were offered both Gifts and Sacrifices, that could not poke him that did the Service perfell, as pertaining to the Confeience; that is, their Confcience had no firm ground of Satisfaetion and O iet by Sacrifices. Therefore you (hall fee how God makes ufe of this Advantage; this Diffatisfa &ion, without fome external Rule, and the Knowledg Of Means how to be reconciled. Jer.6.16. Thus faith the Lord, Stand yein'theWays and fee, and ask for the Old Paths, Where is the Good i'vay? and walk therein, and ye (hall find ref for your Souls. As if the Lord had faid, There is now a difatisfaction, a natural Bondage upon Man. Now look to all the Religions in the World, fee where you can find reft for your Souls. God leaves it upon that Iffue and Determination. There Things Phew there muff be tome external Rule for guiding of the Creature; It's for God's Glory, for the Safety of Religion,to repair the Defects of Nature, and to fatisfy the Delires of Nature. H. What is God's Word ? This is neceffary to be cleared; for the Queftion is not fo much, Whether God's Word be Truth ? as whether this or that be the Word of God or no? This will be eafily granted by every one that hath the fenfe of a Godhead, that what God fpeaks muff needs be true; for God is fo infinitely Wife, that hecannot be deceived, and fo infinitely Jult and True, that he will not deceive us ; and fo Om- nipotent, that he cannot be jealous of our Knowledg ; and fo Gracious, that he is not envious of our Knowledg, as the Devil would intimate: Gen. 3. ;. For Gad doth know, that in the Day ye eat thereof then your Eyes flail be opened, and ye ¡hall be as Gods, Inowing Good and Evil. It will be no infringement to his Intereft, if we ( hould know his Nature, and his Will. But the great Qieftion is, What we thould take for the Word of God ? Now that we may have a Cure ground in this Kind, let us confider how he hath revealed himfelf to Man. The Difpenfations of God are feveral 3 T. To 4dam. a. To the World. 3. To the Church. t. To1dam. His Bible was his Heart; the Law was written there, and God preached to him immediatly, and by Oracle, gave him all extraordinary Commands, and the Book of the Creatures for his Contemplation ; not fo much to better his Know- ledg, as to increafe his Reverence. 2. To theWorld, to Heathens God gave the Book of Nature, which was more than they made ufe of, and therefore be flops there. Pfal. 19. t, 2, 3. The Heavens de- clare the Glory of God, and the Firmament fheweth his Handy - Work, Day unto Day ut- tereth Speech, and Night unto Night fheweth Knowledg. There is no Speech nor Language where their Voice is not heard, &c. This Revelation God hath made of himfelf, even to all Nations; they have Sun and Moon to look upon, and the StruCture of the Heavens to behold, which are as fo many Pledges of the Excellency and Infinitenefs of God. Rom. 1.19,2o. Becaufe that which may be known of God is manifefi to them, for God bath ¡hewed it unto them : For the invi (ible Things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly feen, being underfoodby tbeThings that are made, even his eternal Tower and Godhead; fo that they are without excafe. Aâs 14. 17. Neverthelefs, be left not himfelf without
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