8. INDEED fo many are the abuses we offer it, that he that confiders them would scarce think we own'd it for the words of a fenfible man, much less of the great omniscient God. And I believe 'twere hard to affign any one fo comprehenfive and efficacious caufe of the univerfal depravation of manners, as the dif valuing of this divine Book, which was defign'd to regulate them. It were therefore a work worthy another infpired writing, to attemt the rescue of this, and recover it to its juft eftimate. Yet alas, could we hope for that, we have fcoffers who would as well defpife the New as the Old; and like the Hufbandmen in the Gofpel, Mat. 21. 36. would anfwer fuch a fucceffion of meffages by repeating the fame injuries.

9. To fuch as thefe 'tis I confefs vain for man to address; nay 'twere infolence to expect that human Oratory fhould fucceed where the divine fails; yet the fpreading infection of thefe renders it neceffary to adminifter antidotes to others. And befides, tho (God be bleft) all are not of this form, yet there are many who, tho not arriv'd to this contemt, yet want fome degrees of that just reverence they owe the facred Scriptures, who give a confus'd general affent to them as the word of God, but afford them not a confideration and respect answerable to fuch an acknowledgment. To fuch as thefe, I fhall hope

it

ナ

it may not be utterly vain to attemt the exciting of thofe drowfy notions that lie unactive in them; by presenting to them fome confiderations concerning the excellence and ufe of the Scripture: which being all but neceffary confequences of that principle they are fuppofed to own, viz. that they are Gods word, I cannot much question their affent to the fpeculative part: I wish I could as probably affure my self of the practic.

10. INDEED were there nothing else to be faid in behalf of holy Writ, but that it is Gods word, that were enough to command the moft awful regard to it. And therefore it is but just we make that the firft and principal confideration in our prefent difcourfe. But then 'tis impoffible that that can want others to attend it; fince whatsoever God faies, is in all refpects compleatly good. I fhall therefore to that of its divine original add secondly the confideration of its fubject Matter; thirdly, of its excellent and no lefs diffufive end and defign; and fourthly, of its exact propriety and fitness to that defign: which are all fuch qualifications, that where they concur, nothing more can be requir'd to commend a writing to the efteem of rational

men.

And upon all these tests, notwithstanding the cavil of the Romanifts and others, whofe force we shall examin with the unhappy iffue of contrary counfels, this law of God

will

will be found to answer the Pfalmifts character of it Pf. 19.7. The Law of God is perfect: and 'twill appear that the cuftody and use thereof is the Birth-right and Duty of every Christian. All which feverals being faithfully deduced, it will only remain that I add fuch cautions as will be neceffary to the due performance of the aforefaid duty, and our being in fome degree render'd perfect, as this Law of God, and the Author thereof himself is perfect, Mat. 5. 48.

SECT.

SECT. II.

The divine Original, Endearments, and Authority of the Holy Scrip.

ture.

M

ENS judgments are fo apt to be biaft by their affections, that we often find them readier to confider who speaks, than what is fpoken: a temper very unfafe, and the principle of great injuftice in our inferior tranfactions with men; yet here there are very few of us that can wholly diveft our felves of it, whereas, when we deal with God (in whom alone an implicit faith may fecurely be repofed) we are nice and wary, bring our fcales and measures, will take nothing upon his word which holds not weight in our own balance. 'Tis true, he needs not our partiality to be juftified in his fayings, Pfal. 51.4. His words are pure, even as the filver tried Seven times in the fire, Pfal. 12. 6. able to pafs the ftricteft teft that right reafon (truly fo called) can put them to. Yet it fhews a great perverseness in our nature, that we who so eafily refign our understandings to fallible men, ftand thus upon our guard against God; make him difpute for every inch he gains on us; nor will afford him what we daily grant B

to

to any credible man, to receive an affirmation upon truft of his veracity.

2. I am far from contradicting our Saviors Precept, of Search the Scriptures, Jo. 7. or Saint Pauls, of proving all things, 1 Thef. 5. 21. we cannot be too induftrious in our inqueft after truth, provided we ftill reserve to God the decifive vote, and humbly acquiefce in his fenfe, how distant foever from our own; fo that when we confult Scripture (I may add reafon either) 'tis not to refolve us whether God be to be believed or no in what he has faid, but whether he hath faid fuch and fuch things for if we are convinc'd he have; reafon as well as Religion commands our affent.

3. WHATEVER therefore God has faid, we are to pay it a reverence merely upon the account of its Author, over and above what the excellence of the matter exacts: and to this we have all inducements as well as obligation there being no motives to render the words of men eftimable to us, which are not eminently and tranfcendently applicable to thofe of God.

4. THOSE motives we may reduce to four: firft, the Autority of the Speaker; fecondly, his Kindness; thirdly, his Wifdom; and fourthly, his Truth. Firft, for that of Autority: that may be either native, or acquired; the native is that of a parent, which is fuch a charm

of