Ver.17. the 17th Chapter of St. J O H N. /6>f the truth of them. It is above Keaton, that theweth it to be of Divine Original ; if the Creature had been put to ftudy it, they could never have found it out; it ex- ceedeth all humane Contrivance, and therefore maketh us wonder. And there are Do &rines of Judgment; take it of Judgment to come, Relurre &ion, La} Judgment, it is not incredible; Reafon fheweth it may be. Aas 26. 8. Why ffsould it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God fliouId 'wife the Dead ? Juflice mull have a folemn Triumph. The Heathens dreamed of a revere day Of Accounts. As 24 25. Is he reafoned of Righteoufnefs, Temperance, and Judgment to come, Felix trembled. Korn. r. I 8. The Wrath of God u revealed from Heaven againfb all `Jngodlinef and Vnrighteouf nef of Men, who hold the Truth in Vntighteaufnefa. There is a fad Prefage of it in a guilty Heart. 4. The Hiftories of the Word. The Scriptures are a Hiftory of the Creation of the World, which puzled the Philofophers ; fome thought it was produced by Chance, others that it was from Eternity. Mofes with Plainnef, and yet with Majelty, fpeaks of the Original of all Things, the Propagation of Mankind, &c. There is no fuch ancient hiftorical Monument; for above the Funerals of Troy, all is uncertain. And all the roil of the Bible is but a Comment on Mofes. 5. The Prophecies of the Word ; future Contingencies are in it foretold many Years before the Event. Ifa. 4r. 22, 23. Let them few the former Things, what they are, that we may confider them, and know the latter end of them, or declare us things for to come. Shen) the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are Gods. Cyrus was mentioned by Name an hundred Years before he was born. Ifa. 45. r. Thus faith the Lord to his Anointed, to Cyrus, whofe right Hand 1 have holden. The Birth of y fah, three hundred Years before it came to pals, t Kings 13.2. Behold, a Child (hall be born lento the Houle of David, Jofiah by Name, &c. The building of Jericho, five hundred Years before it was reedified ; Jofhua 6. 26. Curf[;d'be the Man before the Lord, that raifth up and buildeth this City Jericho; he (hall lay the Foundation thereof in his Firal- born, and in his youngef San hall he fit up the Gates of it. Which was fulfilled, r Kings 36.34. In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho ; he laid the Foundation thereof in Abiram his Firfl -born, and fit up theGates thereof in his youngefi Son Segub, according to the Word of the Lord, which he Jake by Jothua the Son of Nun. The great Promu e of Chrilt made in Paradile, was accomplifhed fome thoufands of Years afterward. life r. It informeth us how to fettle the Confcience in fore Temptations. When we doubt of the Truth of the Scriptures, take this courfe. r. There muff be thine Word and Rule from God to guide the Creatures ; how elle thall.he be ferved and worthipped ? The inward Rule of Reafon is not enough, as ap- pears by the fad Experience of the Heathens. Rom. r. 2 r, 22. B'ecaufe that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful: but became vain in their Imaginations, and their flak', Hearts were darkned : ProfefTing themfelves to be cif, they became Fools. There muff be fome fecond Edition of his Will. Reafon will teach us that God is to be worlhipped ; and every Man's Heart will tell him, that he mutt not be worfhipped as we will, but as he will ; for the Servant muff not prtfcribe to the Ma- iler, but the Matter to the Servant. Now we have no Rule of Worfhip but in the Scriptures. The Alchoran is a filly Piece, fit for Sots; As for Revelation, thofe that are ingenuous, cannot fpeak of any fuch thing ; and we fee how Men fplit themfelves upon that Rock : all is proved Lies at length. 2. There is far more Reafon to receive the Scriptures as the Word of God, than to firfpeff them. There is none more credulous than the Atheift, he offereth violence to his owes Heart. The firf4 Temptation to it, arifeth from his Lulls, he would not have them true r and then afterward he is hardned and grown obfiinate in his Preljudices. If he would but hearken-to the Books ofMoes, as to the Story of an ordinary Man, as of HeePirthe' Eighth, there is enough to make him tremble. Now there is no fueh Hiftory m theWorld, of fuch a genuine native Style, fa free from weakneffes, Co likely even to a common, Eye; and if Mofes be true, fo is all the rest, the fame Vein run - neth through all, Now the Caute being fo weighty, the inducements fo rational, why fhould we not believe it ? at lealt we may fay, as of the blind Man, if it be not he, it is like him, John g. 9. 3. To what hath been alledged, add only this ; Confider the Matter andAim of the Scriptures. The Scriptures feek to effablifh &thing, but the Worthip and Glory of the true God, the Creator and Governor of the World ; they difcover the God of Nature
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