242 SERMONS upora Srm.2j, Trial of all Do&rines. God himfelf wrote the firft Scripture that ever was written, with his ocdn Finger. Exod. 24. 12. ,Acrd the Lord faid to Mofes, Come up to me into the Mount,.. and be there, and I willgiMe thee Tables of Stone, and a Law, and Command- ments which I have written, that thou mayeft teach them. And then commanded e%Ylofès and the Prophets to do the fame ; Exod. 17. 14. And the Lord Paid unto Mofes, GI /rite this for a Memorial in a Book: And, Exod. 34. 27. And the Lord faid .unto Mofes, Write thou theft Words ; for after the Tenor of theft Words I have made a Covenant with thee, and with ICrael. So he bids 7eremiah, Chap. 36. 22 Take thee a Roll ofa Book, and write therein all the Words that I have fpoken to thee. And fo God fpake to all the Pro- phets, tho it be not expreft,. and by inward Infin& bids them write their Prophecies, that it might be a publick Record for the Church in all Ages. Now this Way was al- ways accompanied with Prophetical Revelationsuntil Chrifl's time, .who, as the great Door of the Church, perfe&ed the Rule of Faith, and by the Apoftles, as fo many Publick Notaries, confignedit to the ufe of the Church. And fo when the Canon was compleat, then john, as the last of the Apoftles, and outliving the ref, doled up all, and therefore clofethup his Prophecy thus; Rev.22.18,19. For 1 teftify unto every Man, that heareth the Words of the Prophecy of this Book; If any Man add unto theft things, God fl:all add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book And if any Man fhall takeaway from the Word; of the Bookof this Prophecy, God fhall take away his part out of the Book of Lift, and out of the holy City, and from the Things that are written in this Book .Which, fealeth up the whole Canon and Rule of Faith, as well as the Book of the Revelations. And therefore, 3. There is nowWriting only without the Word, without Vifions and Revelations. There needeth no more now, becaufe here is enough to make us wife unto Salvation. 2 Tim. 3.15, 16, 17. And that from a Child thou haft known the Holy ,Scriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto Salvation, through Faith which is in Chrift f efus. Ad Scrip- ture is given by Infpiration of God, and is profitable for Dolirine,' for Reproof for Correcâi on, for Inftruaion in Righteonfnefs. That the Man of God may be perfil, throughly fur - nifhedunto all good Works. It is fuffìcient to make us wife to preach, and you wife to praltife. It is now certain enough; God bath left a publick Record, that we might . not fpend our time in doubting and difputitig : And it is full enough; you need no- thing more, either tofatisfy the Deliires of Nature, or to repair the Defeéts of Nature, to fatiate the Soul with Knowledg. For God hath given to the Church fufficient In- flru&ion to decide all Controverfies, to affoil all Doubts, and to give us fure Conduet and Dire &ion to everlafting Glory. III. The neat Qefion is, Of what Concernment it is to enquire of the Truth of the Scripture ? Many think that fuch a Difcuffion needs not, becaufe this is a princi- pal matter to be believed, not argued, and Arguments at leaft beget but an humane Faith.: Yet certainly it is of great neceffity, if you confider four things. t. It is good to prepare and induce carnal Men to refpe& it, and to wait for the Confirmation of the Spirit. An Humane Faith maketh way for a Divine; when Men hearken to the Word upon common grounds, God may fatisfy them; as thofe, john 4. 42. Now we believe, not becaufe of thy filing, for we have heard him our films, and know that this is indeed the Chr f, the Son of the Living God. They firft believed upon the Woman's Report, and then upon their own Experience. So-it is good to eltablifh found Grounds, that we may know the Truth of God, fort upon Hear -fay, and after- ward upon Experience. This way we induce and invite Men to make a Trial. 2. Becaufe it giveth an additional Confirmation,and greater Certainty to the Peo- ple of God. Foundation- Stones can never be laid with exa&nefs and care enough. For if you mark it, you will find all doubting in your Belief, all difproportion in your Pra &ice arifeth from this, becaufe the fupreme Truth is not Celled in the Soul. We ought to believe it more and more; then it firs up greater Reverence, greater Admi- ration, 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 Con - fèience. 3. It awakeneth them that have received the Word upon flight grounds, to be bet- .ter fetled. Molt Men look no further than humane Authority, and publick Counte- nance ; they have no other grounds to believe the Scriptures, than the Turbo to believe the Alcoran, becaufe it is the Tradition of their Fathers. Molt Mens Belief is but an happy
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