the Scriptures our rule to live and walk according unto them, till we be first justified, and made righteous: our obedience to the rule of the law written in the Scriptures, proceedeth from those suitable impressions of holiness, wrought in the soul by the Spirit of regeneration, which is called "the writing of the law in our hearts d;" or the casting of the soul into the mould of the Word, as the phrase of the apostle seemeth to import, Rom. vi. 7: We are never fit to receive God's truth in the love and obedience of it, till we repent and be renewed :—If God (saith the apostle) will "give repentance for the acknowledgement of the truth." "The wise in heart," that is, those that are truly godly, (for none but such are the Scriptures' wise men) these “will receive commandments, but a prating fool will fall ";" where by "prating" I understand cavilling, contradiction, taking exceptions, making objections against the commandment, and so falling and stumbling at it ;--according to that of the apostle"; "Let every man be swift to hear;" that is, ready to learn the will of God, and to receive the commandment: but "slow to speak, slow to wrath;" that is, careful that he suffer no pride and passion to rise up and speak against the things which are taught;-according as Job says, "Teach me, and I will hold my peace." For the only reason why men fret, and swell, and speak against the truth of God, is this, because they will not work righteousness. "The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God:" therefore men are contentious, because they "love not to obey the truth." Disobedience is the mother of gainsaying. When we once resolve to lay apart all filthiness, then we will receive the Word with meekness, and not be fore. None hear God's words, but they who are of God'. None hear the voice of Christ, but the sheep of Christ ". Christ preached is the power of God, and the wisdom of God; but it is only to them that are called, to others a stumbling-block and foolishness". "We speak wisdom," saith the apostle, but it is "amongst them that are perfect." He that is subject unto one prince, doth not greatly care to study the laws of another; or if he do, it is in order to curiosity, and not unto duty. So long as men resolve of Christ, "We will not have this man to reign over us," so long either they study not his Word at all; or it is in order to some carnal and corrupt ends, and not either to obedience or salvation. Hereby we may try our spiritual estate, whether we be just men or no; if we make God's Word our way, our rule, our delight, laying it up in our hearts, and labouring to be rich in it, that we may walk with more exactness. It was an ill sign of love to Christ, the master of the feast, when men chose rather to tend their cattle and grounds, than to wait on him an ill sign of valuing his doctrine, when the loss of their swine made the Gadarenes weary of his company. There was much work to do in the house, when Mary neglected it all, and sat at his feet to hear his doctrine, and yet was commended by him for it: he was better pleased to see her hunger after the feast that he brought, than solicitous to provide a feast for him; more delighted in her love to his doctrine, than her sister's care for his entertainment'. This is one of the surest characters of a godly man, that he makes the Word, in all things, his rule and counsellor, labouring continually to get more acquaintance with God and his holy will thereby. It is his way and every man endeavours to be skilful in the way which he is to travel. It is his tool and instrument: every workman must have that in a readiness, to measure and carry on all the parts of his work.-It is his wisdom: every one would be esteemed a wise man in that, which is his proper function and profession'.-It is the mystery and trade unto which he is bound: and every man would have the reputation of skill in his own trade. It is his charter, the grant of all the privileges and immunities which belong unto him: and every citizen would willingly know the privileges which he hath a right in.-It is the testament and will of Christ, wherein are given unto us P Luke xiv. 18. 4 Luke viii. 37. r Luke x. 41, 42. s Prov. x. 14. Col. iii. 16. John xv. 7. Turpe est patricio, et nobili, et causas oranti, jus in quo versaretur, ignorare. Pompon. P. de origine Juris. leg. 234. Sect. Itaque in medicum, imperite secantem, competit actio. 1. 7. P. ad Leg. Aquil. Sect. 8. quia imperitia culpæ adnumeratur Instit. lib. 4. de Leg. Aquil. Sect. 7. et l. 132. de Regulis Juris. exceeding great and precious promises: and what heir or child would be ignorant of the last will of his father?— Lastly, It is the law of Christ's kingdom: and it concerns every subject to know the duties, the rewards ", the punishments that belong unto him in that relation. SECT. 17. Fifthly, In that he saith that the "transgressors shall fall therein," we learn, That the holy and right ways of the Lord, in the ministry of his Word, set forth unto us, are, unto wicked men, turned into matter of falling; and that two manner of ways;-1. By way of 'Scandal; they are offended at it. 2. By way of Ruin ;' they are destroyed by it. -- a 1. By way of Scandal;' they are offended at it. So it is prophesied of Christ, that as he should be for a sanctuary unto his people, so to others, who would not trust in him, but betake themselves to their own counsels, he should be for a stone of stumbling,' and for a rock of offence;' for ‘a gin, and for a snare *;' for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign to be spoken against.' So he saith of himself," For judgement, am I come into this world, that they which see not, might see; and that they which see, might be made blind "." And this offence b which wicked men take at Christ, is from the purity and holiness of his Word, which they cannot submit unto. stone of stumbling' he is, and a rock of offence,' to them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient. Thus Christ preached was a sanctuary' to Sergius Paulus the deputy, and a 'stumbling-block' to Elymas the sorcerer; a 'sanctuary' to Dionysius and Damaris, and a stumblingblock' to the wits and philosophers of Athens; a 'sanctuary' to the Gentiles that begged the preaching of the gospel, and a stumbling-block' to the Jews that contradicted and blasphemed the former primarily and per se,' for salvation was the purpose of his coming; there was sin enough to condemn the world before: "I came not," saith he, "to judge the world, but to save the world." The other occa u Juris ignorantia cuique nocet. 1. 9. P. de juris et facti ignor.-Arist. Ethic. lib. 3. cap. 7.-Greg. Tholos. syntag. Jur. 1. 30. c. 10. * Isai, viii. 14. a John ix. 39. b Bonæ y Luke ii. 34, 35. res neminem scandalizant, nisi malam mentem Tert. de veland. virg. c. 3. z Folio-Edition, p. 604. 1 Pet. ii. 8. 2 Cor. ii. 14, 15. d Acts xiii. 42, 45. e John xii. 47. sionally, not by any intrinsecal evil quality in the Word, which is 'holy, just, good,' and dealeth with all meekness and beseechings, even towards obstinate sinners ; but by reason of the pride and stubbornness of these men who dash against it-as that wholesome meat which ministereth strength to a sound man, doth but feed the disease of another that sits at the same table with him; the same light which is a pleasure to a strong eye, is a pain to a weak one; the same sweet smells that delight the brain, do afflict the matrix when it is distempered; and none of this by the infusion of malignant qualities, but only by an occasional working upon and exciting of those which were there before. SECT. 18. And there are many things in the Word of God, at which the corrupt hearts of wicked men are apt to stumble and be offended: as First, The profoundness and depth of it, as containing great mysteries, above the discovery or search of created reason. Such is the pride and wantonness of sinful wit, that it knows not how to believe what it cannot comprehend; and must have all doctrines tried at her bar, and measured by her balance. As if a man should attempt to weigh out the earth in a pair of scales, or to empty the waters of the sea with a bucket. As soon as Paul mentioned the resurrection, presently the Athenian wits mocked his doctrine; and it was a great stumbling-block to Nicodemus to hear that a man must be born again *. Sarah hath much ado to believe beyond reason';' and Moses himself was a little staggered by this temptation". A A very hard thing it is for busy and inquisitive reason to rest in an bábos, in the depth of the wisdom and counsel of God, and to adore the unsearchableness of his judgements, though even human laws tell us ", that reason of law is not always to be enquired into. The first great heresies against the f Vid. Iren. in 1. 5. c. 27. 8. Οὐχ αἱ γραφαὶ γεγόνασιν αὐτοῖς αἰτίαι, dλλ' † opûv aútŵv kakоppoσúvŋ. Athan. de Syn. Arim. et Seleuc. · Δεῖ μὴ λογισμοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις διευθύνειν τὰ θεῖα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ βούλευμα τῆς διδασ καλίας τοῦ πνεύματος τῶν λόγων ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἔκθεσιν. Just. Exposit. Fidei. i Acts xvii. 32. k John iii. 4. 1 Gen. xviii. 12. m Numb. xi. 21, 22. η Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὓς ἄνθρωποι νόμους τίθενται, τὸ εὔλογον ἁπλῶς ἔχουσι καὶ πάντοτε φαίνομενον. Plut. de sera numinis vindicta.-Non omnium quæ à majoribus constituta sunt, ratio reddi potest; et ideo rationis eorum, quæ constituuntur, inquiri non oportet. P. lib. 1. T. 4. Leg. 20, 21. • Vid. Hooker. 1. 5. 3.-Mater omnium hæreticorum superbia.-Aug. de Gen. contr. highest mysteries of Christian religion, the Trinity,--the two natures of Christ,-the hypostatical union,-the deity of the Holy Spirit,-had their first rise amongst the Grecians, who were then the masters of wit and learning, and esteemed the rest of the world barbarous; and the old exception which they were wont to take at the doctrine of Christianity, was the foolishness' of it, as the apostle notes P. SECT. 19. Secondly, The sanctity and strictness of it is contrary to the carnal wills and affections of men for as corruption doth deify reason in the way of wisdom, not willingly allowing any mysteries above the scrutiny and comprehension of it; so doth it deify will in a way of liberty and power, and doth not love to have any authority set over that which may pinch or restrain it. As Joshua said to Israel, "Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God ";" we may say of the law,-We cannot submit to the law, because it is a holy law. "The carnal mind is not," cannot be, "subject to the law of God "." Heat and cold will ever be offensive unto one another, and such are flesh and spirit'. Therefore ordinarily the arguments against the ways of God, have been drawn from politic or carnal interests. Jeroboam will not worship at Jerusalem, for fear lest Israel revolt to the house of David. Amos must not prophesy against the idolatry of Israel, for the land is not able to bear all his words". The Jews conclude, Christ must not be let alone, lest the Romans come and take away their place and nation *.' Demetrius and the craftsmen will by no means have Diana spoken against, because, by making shrines for her, they got their wealth. Corruption will close with religion a great way, and hear gladly,' and do many things' willingly, and part with much to escape damnation: but there is a particular point of rigour and strictness in every unregenerate man's case, which, when it is set on close upon him, causeth him to stumble,' and to be offended, and to break the treaty. The hypocrites, in the prophet, will give “rams, Manichæos, 1. 2. c. 8. viii. 17. * Rom. xi. 48. r Rom. u Amos vii. 10. Acts xix. 24, 25. p 1 Cor. i. 23. * See Perkins' Works, Tom. 1. p. 356, 362.-Bolton's Course of True Happiness.— Sanderson's Sermon, 1 Kings xxi. 29.-Dan. Dykes' Deceit of the Heart, c. 6, 7, 8.-Downham of Christian Warfare, part 4, 1. 1. c. 13. sect. 3. et l. 2, 11. |