6o 2 An Expofition upon Chap:15 men in faith, patience,and hope of eter- which admitted onely Moles bookes nail life. Now becaufe the Scripture as an infirument workes thefe gifts , therefore here they be called patience, comfort, and hope of the Scriptures, teaching them and caning them : To which purpofes for fo much as the new Teflament ferveth as well as the old, be- ing all infpired by one Spirit, therefore the Apoflolicall writing howfoever not then extant, yet this fentence reacheth unto them alfo. T r M. What be our leirons from the werJe thus opened? S r L. Firfl, we learn that there is nothing in the whole Scripture idle or fuperfluoufly written, but the whole and every part bath fruit and edification in it, not only to fuch as lived under the oldTeflament, but to fuch as live in the Church in all ages ; neither only is it writte n for the profit of Novices, (as Come hereticks avouch) but of the moll perfe& : all men one and others may learn from thence, and be the better for it. The reafon is,becaufe the counfel of the ma wife God, his treafures of knowledge are opened therein, fo farre as concernes mans falvation. Allo it was ordained and infpired for the pro- fit of the whole Church, 2 Tim. 3. 17. Every fentence of Scripture hath in it matter of Tome profitable inflru &ion. T t M. To what ufe ferveth this firft in- frruïlion ? S r L. Firfl, it ferveth to diflin- guifh thefe facred books from all other which have Come vanity, fuperfluity, or curiofity in them, fomething to be cut i off as needleffe. And againe, though they teach other behovefull and lawfull knowledge and fciences, yet help nOt to inflru& unto falvation ; whereas the Scriptures have nothing which may be reje&ed, but is all neceffary and whole - Come; informing men fufficiently in things of eternall life, lob. 2o. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 13 . Secondly, it checkes the arrogancy of fuch as held the old Tefla- ment to have only temporal] promi- fes, and of the Manichees which re- je& the old Teflament as vaine and unpertinent to us : likewife the Sadduces likewife of Libertines, which flicke to certaine pretended revelations, defpi- fing Scripture as written for Novices and weake ones. And of the Papifis, who affirme that there was an higher do&rine (then the Scripture bath any) to feed perfe& ones, ( their Chu ch tra- ditions forfooth: ) whereas the Apof}le Paul putteth himfelfe in the number of fuch as may learn from the Schoole- mailer (the holy Ghofl ) who indited the Scriptures, though he had been rapt into the third heavens. Thit dly,it reproves fuch profane perlons, which either reade not at all, or elfe 'fade Scriptures to paffe away time, as they reade Livie or Chronicles for flory, without confideration of further fruite thereby to be gotten. Lafily, it exhorts all Chriftians to reade them with this minde, to be edi- fied,aSking í1i11 of themfelves,what may I learn by this, or how doth this ap- pertain to me? oh that every one would do it. It were greatly to be wifhed that as God hath given his written word for fpirituall foul inflru &ion and com- fort, fo every one would Rudy, reade, hear, and preach them with this fincere heart to fee and obferve what makes for the making of them the wifer or bet- ter. For certaine it is, that fuck have the kindly and faving nee of Scriptures, as turne every branch of it to the furthe- ring of them in godlineffe anddo&rine, or inlgood life and manners. The end of Scripture ispraélife as well as do- &rine, we read and hear to learn, and we learn to know, and we know, to the end to live thereafter. Pra &ick knowledge is the very marke and end of Phifofophywhich would have fpecu- lation to end in a &ion , much more it would be fo in Divinity, where bleffed- neffe is promifed (not for doing) but to doers. Moreefpecially, let Gods mef- fengers which are to teach Scriptures to others, be here warned, that their part is in handling Seripture,(if they will be free from the groffeft facriledge) not to convert the Scriptures to ferve unto vaineglory, ambition, worldly prefer- ments,
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