the Bereans tried the doctrine of the Apostles themfelves by the Scriptures which they then had, and are commended for it. And Peter prefers the evidence of the Scriptures before a voice from Heaven 2. And Chrift himself appeals to the Scriptures to justify himfelf and his doctrines. And if the Scriptures be the only rule,

1. Then not a natural confcience, especially as the cafe now ftands with mankind; for that is many times corrupted and false principled, puts good for evil, and evil for good: It is, and may be, a great help, guide, and direction, not a perfect rule.

2. Then not the writings and traditions of men: God that appoints the end and means, must be the difcoverer of the means of our falvation.

Then not pretended revelations; thofe may be men's imaginations, or the devil's delufions; to prevent and discover which, God hath fet up this great and ftanding revelation of his Scriptures.

4. Then not the Church, for that may err; and it hath no way to evidence itfelf but by the Scriptures, which are its foundation.

The bufinefs of man's falvation is of that importance, and the wisdom of God fo great, that he will not commit fo weighty a matter to fuch uncertain rules as these, but hath provided one of his own making, the Holy Scriptures.

THESIS III.

THE PRINCIPAL SUBJECT OF THE SCRIPTURES IS WHAT MAN IS TO BELIEVE CONCERNING GOD, AND WHAT DUTY GOD REQUIRES OF MAN.

It is the principal fubject of the Scriptures. 1. Because it is of the greatest importance and concernment. Let us hear the conclufion of the whole matter, fear God, and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole Duty of Man 4.' Fear God, which cannot 1 Acts xvii. 11. 22 Pet. i. 18. 19. John vi. 39. Eccles. xii. 13.

be

be without the knowledge of him; and keep his Commandments, which contains his duty of obedience to him. 2. Because all the other matters of the Scrip. tures have a kind of dependance upon, and connexion with this principal matter or fubject.

But though this be the principal matter or fubject of the Scriptures, yet they alfo contain very many other matters, that do very much concern us to know and believe; as namely, what we are to understand concerning ourselves; the ftate of our creation; the fall of man; the ftate wherein that fall hath put all mankind; the means of our recovery; the immortality of the foul; the refurrection; the different estate of the good and bad after death; the history of the church and houfhold of God, from the creation of man, till fome thirty years after the refurrection of Chrift; and divers other and neceffary matters to be known both for our direction, inftruction and comfort.

And as the Scriptures do principally teach the knowledge of God, and our duty, as the principal fubject; fo they do principally teach it above other teachings or means. It is true, that the very light of nature doth teach us much of what is to be known concerning God, and our duty to him: As namely, That there is a God, and that there is but one God; that this God is the first cause, and alfo the preferver of all things; that he is eternal without beginning or end; infinite, fpiritual, without mixture, moft perfect; and therefore moft free, moft powerful, most holy, most wise, most juft, moft bountiful and merciful. And upon all these grounds, the light of nature teacheth, that he is to be honoured, to be feared, to be worshipped, to be obeyed. This the Apostle fhews us. For the invifible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, be ing understood by the things that are made, even his 'eternal power and Godhead, fo that they are without excufe. And this light of nature gives this manifestation of God, 1. By the works of creation and pro

1 Rom. i. 20.

vidence

vidence. 2. By the workings of the confcience. 3. By a traditional delivery over of fome truths from man to man, which by the study and pains of fome wife men and lawgivers, raifed up by the providence of God, have been perfected and delivered over to others.

But the pre-eminence of the Scriptures in their inftruction cf mankind in the Knowledge of God, and his Duty to God, appears partly in these confiderations.

1. The knowledge the Scriptures give in these things, is more eafy to be attained; because it fets down these truths plainly, that the most ordinary ca pacity may understand; Whereas the knowledge of thefe things by the light of nature, is more difficult, requires much obfervation, and industry, and attention, deducing and drawing down one thing from another, and fo arriving at their knowledge by much pains and study.

2. The knowledge of these things delivered by the Scripture is much more full and perfect than that knowledge which can be attained by the light of nature, as appears in these two refpects. 1. Thofe things concerning God, that the light of nature doth in fome measure discover, are more fully, completely and clearly difcovered by the light of the Scriptures. 2. The Scriptures do difcover those things concerning God, and his works, and ourselves, that were never difcovered nor indeed difcoverable, by the light of nature; which as they are of the greatest importance to be known, fo being difcovered by the Scriptures they do wonderfully clear and fatisfy the defects of the light of nature. As for instance in both kinds; the light of nature discovers that there is a God; but the manner of his subsistence in Three Persons, yet in Unity of Effence, is only learned by the Scriptures. The light of nature discovers, that he is the Firft Cause and Preferver of all things; but the manner how all things were produced, and when, is only learned by the Scriptures. The light of nature tells us, that this

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God is to be worshipped and obeyed; but in what manner he is to be worshipped, and the particulars of his commands wherein he is to be obeyed, it difcovers not, or, at least, very darkly: The Scriptures only fhew us clearly the manner of his worship, and the certain rule of our obedience. The light of nature fhews us, that there is a great defection and diforder in our natures; but whence it did arife, or how it is to be helped, the Scripture only teacheth. The light of nature fhews us, that all fin is an offence against the purity, juftice and will of God, and therefore deferves his anger and difpleafure; but how the guilt of fin may be done away, and the favour of God again procured, is not within the reach of the light of nature to dif cover, but is only learned from the Scriptures.. The light of nature teacheth, that furely there is a reward for the righteous, and a punifhment for the obftinate finner; but how it fhall be inflicted, and when, and how mankind fhall be put into a capacity of receiving rewards and punishments by Refurrection from the Dead, the light of nature difcovers not, or at least but darkly and diffidently, and confufedly; the light of the Scriptures only discovers all plainly, clearly, and evidently. These and divers other truths are discovered in the Scriptures, which the light of nature, either not at all, or if at all, yet but darkly pointed at.

3. The light of nature is very uncertain, and eafily corrupted either by lufts or weakness, or variety of imaginations. And from hence grew all the falfe gods, falfe worships, idolatries, and fuperftitions among the heathen, that were only led by the light of nature, changing the truth of God into a lie, and changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to a corruptible man 1. But the light of the Scriptures is an unchangeable, ftable, fixed light, not adulterated, nor to be corrupted; but though men's imaginations and fancies be as unstable as the waters, and thereby corrupt and pervert themselves, yet the light of the

Scriptures continue firm and ftable, unchangeable in the fucceffions of thoufands of generations.

Now the things that the Scriptures thus principally teach, are two, in order to the two great powers, or faculties of man. 1. In order to his understanding, What is to be believed, and to be believed principally touching God? 2. In order to his will, or practical faculty, What God requires to be done?

As touching the former, What is to be believed? Believing, and knowledge, and opinion, differ in this :

1. Knowledge is that whereby we certainly know any thing to be, or not to be, by our fenfes, or reason, or experience.

2. Opinion is a doubtful uncertain perfuafion of mind that any thing is, or is not; yet not without a mixture of doubting or distrust.

3. Belief is a certain perfuafion of the truth of any thing upon the credit and authority of another. Now if we be affured, that whatsoever God faith, is most certainly true (as needs it must be, because Truth is an effential attribute of God), and if we be perfuaded furely, that these Scriptures are the Word of God, then of neceffity we must believe whatsoever Almighty God in the Scriptures reveals. And this is belief. So that the very fame truth that may be known by reafon or obfervation, may likewise be believed as revealed in the Word of God. Though many things are to be believed, because revealed in the Scriptures, which cannot be fully demonftrated by reason. Thus though it be partly evident to reason that God made the world, and fo is the object of our knowledge; yet the fame truth as revealed in the Scriptures, is to be believed, and fo is the object of our faith. Through 'faith we understand that the worlds were framed by 'the Word of God1;' that is, we do acknowledge and subscribe unto it as true; because God in the Scriptures, which are his Word, hath revealed and difcovered it unto us.