The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning Part 4

Now, for the utility and profit of the scriptures, who can speak of it according to its worth? Some things may be over commended,-nay, all things but this one,-G.o.d speaking in his word to mankind. Many t.i.tles are given to human writings, some are called accurate, some subtile, some ingenious and some profound and deep, some plain, some learned, but call them what they please, the scripture may vindicate to itself these two t.i.tles as its own prerogative,-holy and profitable. The best speaker in the world in many words cannot want sin, the best writer hath some dross and refuse, but here, all is holy, all is profitable. Many books are to no purpose but to feed and inflame men's l.u.s.ts, many serve for nothing but to spend and drive over the time, without thought most part are good for nothing but to burden and over weary the world to put them in a fancy of knowledge which they have not, many serve for this only, to nourish men's curiosity and vain imaginations, and contentions about words and notions, but here is a book profitable,-all profitable. If you do not yet profit by it, you can have no pleasure in it, it is only ordained for soul's profiting, not for pleasing your fancy, not for matter of curious speculation, not for contention and strife about the interpretation of it. Many books have nothing in them, but specious t.i.tles to commend them, they do nothing less than what they promise, they have a large and fair entry, which leads only into a poor cottage, but the scriptures have no hyperbolic and superlative styles to allure men, they hold out a plain and common gate and entry which will undoubtedly lead to a pleasant palace, others _et prodesse volunt et delectare_, but these certainly _et prodesse volunt et possunt_,-they both can profit you and will profit you. I wish that souls would read the scriptures as profitable scriptures with the intention to profit. If you do not read with such a purpose, you read not the scriptures of G.o.d, they become as another book unto you. But what are they profitable for? For doctrine, and a divine doctrine, a doctrine of life and happiness. It is the great promise of the new covenant, "You shall be all taught of G.o.d." The scriptures can make a man learned and wise, learned to salvation, it is foolishness to the world, "but the world through wisdom know not G.o.d." Alas! what then do they know? Is there any besides G.o.d? And is there any knowledge besides the knowledge of G.o.d? You have a poor petty wisdom among you to gather riches and manage your business. Others have a poor imaginary wisdom that they call learning, and generally people think, to pray to G.o.d is but a paper-skill, a little book-craft, they think the knowledge of G.o.d is nothing else but to learn to read the Bible. Alas! mistake not, it is another thing to know G.o.d. The doctrine of Jesus Christ written on the heart is a deep profound learning and the poor, simple, rudest people, may by the Spirit's teaching become wiser than their ancients, than their ministers. O, it is an excellent point of learning, to know how to be saved. What is it, I pray you to know the course of the heavens,-to number the orbs, and the stars in them-to measure their circ.u.mference,-to reckon their motions,-and yet not to know him that sits on the circle of them, and not know how to inhabit and dwell there? If you would seek unto G.o.d, and seek eyes opened to behold the mystery of the word, you would become wiser than your pastors, you would learn from the Spirit to pray better, you would find the way to heaven better than they can teach you, or walk in it.

Then, it is "profitable for reproof and correction." It contains no doctrine very pleasant to men's natural humours, but it is indeed most pleasant to a right and ordered taste. You know, the distemper of the eye, or the perverting of the taste, will misrepresent pleasant things, and sweet things to the senses, and make them appear ill savoured and bitter.

But, I say, to a discerning spirit there is nothing so sweet, so comely.

"I have seen an end of all perfection," but none of thy law. "Thy word is sweeter to me than the honey, or the honey comb." If a soul be prepossessed with the love of the world, and the l.u.s.ts of the world, it cannot savour and taste of them, that vicious quality in the mind will make the pleasant gospel unpleasant. "I piped unto you and ye have not danced." But however, the scriptures are then most profitable when they are least pleasant to our corruptions, and, therefore, it is an absolute and entire piece. _Ut prodesse volunt et delectare. Omne tulit punctum, qui miscuit utile dulci._ There are sharp reproofs, and sad corrections of his holy law which must make way for the pleasant and sweet gospel. There is a reproof of life-a wounding before healing-that whoso refuse them, despise their own soul, but "the ear that heareth them abideth among the wise," Prov. xv 31, 32. Woe unto that soul that correction or reproof or threatening is grievous unto, "he shall die," Prov. xv. 10, "he is brutish," Prov. xii. 1. There is a generation of men that can endure to hear nothing but gospel promises, that cry out against all reproving of sins, and preaching of G.o.d's wrath against unbelieving sinners as legal, and meddling with other men's matters, especially if they reprove the sins of rulers, their public state enormities, as if the whole word of G.o.d were not profitable, as if reproofs were not as wholesome as consolations, as if threatenings did not contribute to make men flee from the wrath to come into a city of refuge. Let such persons read their own character out of wise Solomon, "Correction is grievous to them that forsake the way."

"Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee, give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser," Prov. ix. 8, 9. If we were pleasers of men, then were we not the servants of Jesus Christ, let us strive to profit men, but not to please them. Peace, peace, which men's own hearts fancy, would please them, but it were better for them to be awakened out of that dream, by reproof, by correction, and he that will do so, shall "find more favour of him afterwards, than he that flattereth with the tongue," Prov.

xxviii. 23.

Well then, let this be established in your hearts as the foundation of all true religion, that the scriptures are the word of the eternal G.o.d, and that they contain a perfect and exact rule both of glorifying G.o.d and of the way to enjoy him. They can make you perfect to every good work. I shall say no more on this, but beseech you, as you love your own souls, be acquainting yourselves with them. You will hear, in these days of men pretending to more divine and spiritual discoveries and revelations than the scriptures contain but, my brethren, these can make you "wise to salvation," these can make you "perfect to every good work." Then, what needs more? All that is besides salvation, and beyond perfection, count it superfluous and vain, if not worse, if not diabolical. Let others be wise to their own destruction,-let them establish their own imaginations for the word of G.o.d, and rule of their faith,-but hold you fast what you have received, and "contend earnestly for it." Add nothing, and diminish nothing, let this lamp s.h.i.+ne "till the day dawn, 'till the morning of the resurrection," and walk ye in the light of it, and do not kindle any other sparkles, else ye shall lie down in the grave in sorrow, and rise in sorrow. Take the word of G.o.d as the only rule, and the perfect rule,-a rule for all your actions, civil, natural, and religious, for all must be done to his glory, and his word teacheth how to attain to that end. Let not your imaginations, let not others example, let not the preaching of men, let not the conclusions and acts of a.s.semblies be your rule, but in as far as you find them agreeing with the perfect rule of G.o.d's holy word.

All other rules are _regulae regulatae_, they are but like publications and intimations of the rule itself. Ordinances of a.s.semblies are but like the herald promulgation of the king's statute and law, if it vary in any thing from his intention, it is not valid and binding. I beseech you, take the scriptures for the rule of your walking or else you will wander, the scripture is _regula regulans_, a ruling rule. If you be not acquainted with it, you must follow the opinions or examples of other men, and what if they lead you unto destruction?

Lecture IV.

The Scriptures Reveal Eternal Life Through Jesus Christ

John v. 39-"Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me." Eph. ii.

20-"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets."

As in darkness there is need of a lantern without and the light of the eyes within-for neither can we see in darkness without some lamp though we have never so good eyes, nor yet see without eyes, though in never so clear a suns.h.i.+ne-so there is absolute need for the guiding of our feet in the dangerous and dark paths to eternal life (that are full of pits and snares,) of the lamp, or word written or preached, without us, and the illumination of the Holy Ghost within us. These are conjoined, Isa. liv.

21, "This is my covenant," "The Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, will not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed," &c. There are words without, and there must needs be a spirit within, which makes us to behold the truth and grace contained in these words. There is a law written without, with pen and ink, and there is a law written within, upon the heart, with the Spirit of the living G.o.d. The law without is the pattern and exact copy, the law within, is the transcript or the image of G.o.d upon the heart, framed and fas.h.i.+oned according to the similitude of it, 2 Cor. iii. 3, Heb. viii. 10.

So then, there needs be no more question about the divine authority of the scriptures among those who have their senses exercised to discern between good and ill, than among men who see and taste, concerning light and darkness, sweet and bitter. The persuasion of a Christian is fetched deeper than the reasons of men. Their faith is "the evidence of things not seen." It is an eye, a supernatural eye whereby a soul beholds that majesty and excellency of G.o.d s.h.i.+ning in the word, which, though it s.h.i.+ne about the rest of the world, yet tis not seen, because they cannot know it nor discern it. Wonder not that the mult.i.tude of men cannot believe the report that is made, that there are few who find any such excellency and sweetness in the gospel as is reported, because saith Isaiah, liii. 1, the arm of "the Lord is not revealed to them." The hand of G.o.d must first write on their heart, ere they understand the writings of the scriptures, his arm must create an eye in their souls, an internal light, before it can behold that glorious brightness of G.o.d s.h.i.+ning in the word. The word is G.o.d's testimony of himself, of his grace and mercy, and good will to mankind. Now no man can receive this testimony, unless it be sealed and confirmed by the Holy Ghost into the heart, saith Peter, "We are his witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost whom G.o.d hath given to them that obey him," Acts v. 32. The word witnesses to the ear, and the Spirit testifieth to our spirits, the truth and worth of that, and therefore the Spirit is a seal and a witness. The word is the Lord's voice to his own children, b.a.s.t.a.r.ds cannot know it, "but my sheep know my voice," John x. 4, 16. You know no difference between the bleating of one sheep from another, but the poor lambs know their mother's voice, there is a secret instinct of nature that is more powerful than many marks and signs, even so those who are begotten of G.o.d know his voice,-they discern that in it which all the world that hear it cannot discern-there is a sympathy between their souls and that living word. That word is the immortal seed they are begotten of and there is a natural instinct to love that, and to meditate in it, such an inclination to it, as in new born babes to the b.r.e.a.s.t.s, so the children of G.o.d do desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby, as they were born of it, 1 Pet. ii.

2. In those scriptures which we read in your audience, you have something of their excellency, and our duty. There is a rich jewel in them, a precious pearl in that field, even Jesus Christ and in him eternal life; and therefore we ought to search the scriptures for this jewel, to dig in the field for this pearl, the doctrine of the prophets and apostles, as a sure foundation whereupon souls may build their eternal felicity, and the hope of it. Jesus Christ is the very chief stone in that foundation, whereupon the weight of all the saints and all their hope hangs. And therefore we ought to lean the weight of our souls only to this truth of G.o.d, and build our faith only upon it, and square our practice only by it.

We shall speak something of the first, that it may be a spur to the second. The Jews had some respective opinion of the word of G.o.d; they knew that in them was eternal life; they thought it a doctrine of life and happiness, and so cried up Moses' writings, but they would not believe Christ's words. They erred, not understanding the scriptures, and so set the writings of Moses' law at variance with the preaching of Christ's gospel. What a pitiful mistake was this! They thought they had eternal life in the scriptures, and yet they did not receive nor acknowledge him whom to know was eternal life. Therefore our Lord Jesus sends them back again to the scriptures:-"Go and search them; you think, and you think well, that in them ye may find the way to eternal life; but while you seek it in them you mistake it; these scriptures testify of me, the end of the law, but you cannot behold the end of that ministry, because of the blindness of your hearts, (Rom. x. 3; 2 Cor. iii. 13, 14.) Therefore search again, unfold the ceremonies; I am wrapt in them, and life eternal with me. Dig up the law till you find the bottom of G.o.d's purpose in it,-till you find the end of the ministration,-and you shall find me, 'the way, the truth, and life;' and so you shall have that eternal life which now you do but think you have, and are beguiled. While you seek it out of me, in vain you think you have it, for it is not in the scriptures, but because they testify of me, the life and the light of men." May not this now commend the word to us? eternal life is in it. Other writings and discourses may tickle the ears with some pleasing eloquence, but that is vanis.h.i.+ng; it is but like a musician's voice. Some may represent some petty and momentary advantage, but how soon shall an end be put to all that? So that within a little time the advantage of all the books of the world shall be gone. The statutes and laws of kings and parliaments can reach no further than some temporal reward or punishment; their highest pain is the killing of this body; their highest reward is some evanis.h.i.+ng and fading honour, or peris.h.i.+ng riches; but "he showeth his word and judgments unto us, and hath not dealt so with any nation," Psal. cxlvii.

19, 20. And no nation under the whole heaven hath such laws and ordinances; eternal life and eternal death is wrapt up in them. These are rewards and punishments suitable to the majesty and magnificence of the eternal Lawgiver. Consider, I beseech you, what is folded up here,-the scriptures show the path of life; life is of all things the most excellent, and comes nearest the blessed being of G.o.d. When we say _life_, we understand a blessed life, that only deserves the name. Now this we have lost in Adam. Death is pa.s.sed upon all men, but that death is not the worst: 'tis but a consequence of a soul-death. The immortal soul-whose life consisteth in communion with G.o.d, and peace with him-is separated from him by sin, and so killed, when it is cut off from the fountain of life; what a life can it have more, than a beam that is cut off by the intervention of a dark body from the sun. Now then, what a blessed doctrine must it be that brings to light, life and immortality? especially when we have so miserably lost it, and involved our souls into an eternal death. Life is precious in itself, but much more precious to one condemned to die,-to be caught out of the paws of the lion,-to be brought back from the gibbet. O how will that commend the favour of a little more time in the world! But then if we knew what an eternal misery we are involved into, and stand under a sentence binding us over to such an inconceivable and insupportable punishment as is the curse and wrath of G.o.d; O how precious an esteem would souls have of the scriptures, how would they be sweet unto their soul, because they show unto us a way of escaping that pit of misery, and a way of attaining eternal blessedness as satisfying and glorious as the misery would have been vexing and tormenting! O that ye would once lay these in the balance together,-this present life and life eternal! Know ye not that your souls are created for eternity; that they will eternally survive all these present things? Now how do ye imagine they shall live after this life? Your thoughts and projects and designs are confined within the poor narrow bounds of your time. When you die, in that day your thoughts shall perish. All your imaginations and purposes and providences shall have an end then; they reach no farther than that time. And if you should wholly perish too, it were not so much matter. But for all your purposes and projects to come to an end, when you are but beginning to live, and enter eternity, that is lamentable indeed!

Therefore I say, consider what ye are doing, weigh these in a balance,-eternal life and the present life; if there were no more difference but the continuance of the one, and the shortness of the other,-that the world's standing is but as one day, one moment to eternity,-that ought to preponderate in your souls. Do we not here flee away as a shadow upon the mountains? Are we not as a vapour that ascends, and for a little time appears a solid body, and then presently vanisheth?

Do we not come all into the stage of the world, as for an hour, to act our part and be gone; now then, what is this to endless eternity? When you have continued as long as since the world began, you are no nearer the end of it. Ought not that estate then to be most in your eyes, how to lay up a foundation for the time to come? But then, compare the misery and the vexation of this life with the glory and felicity of this eternal life.

What are our days? But few and full of trouble. Or, if you will, take the most blessed estate you have seen and heard of in this world, of kings and rich men, and help all the defects of it by your imaginations; suppose unto yourselves the height and pitch of glory and abundance and power that is attainable on earth; and when your fancy hath busked up such a felicity, compare it with an eternal life: O how will that vanish out of your imaginations! If so be you know any thing of the life to come, you will even think that an odious comparison,-you will think all that earthly felicity but light as vanity, "every man at his best estate is altogether vanity." Eternal life will weigh down eternally, 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. O but it hath an exceeding weight in itself,-one moment of it, one hour's possession and taste of it! but then what shall the endless endurance of it add to its weight? Now there are many that presume they have a right to eternal life, as the Jews did. You think, saith he, that you have it; you think well, that you think 'tis only to be found in the scriptures; but you vainly think that you have found it in them: and there is this reason for it, because "you will not come to me that you might have life," John v. 40. If you did understand the true meaning of the scriptures, and did not rest on the outward letter and ordinances, you would receive the testimony that the scriptures give of me. But now you bear not me, the Father's substantial Word, therefore "ye have not his word abiding in you," ver. 38. There was nothing more general among that people, than a vain carnal confidence and presumption of being G.o.d's people, and having interest in the promise of life eternal, as it is this day in the visible church. There is a mult.i.tude that are Christians only in the letter, and not in the spirit, that would never admit any question concerning this great matter of having eternal life; and so by not questioning it, they come to think they have it, and by degrees their conjectures and thoughts about this ariseth to the stability of some feigned and strong persuasion of it. In the Old Testament the Lord strikes at the root of their persuasions, by discovering unto them how vain a thing it was, and how abominable it was before him, to have an external profession of being his people, and to glory in external ordinances and privileges, and yet to neglect altogether the purging of their hearts and consciences from l.u.s.t and idol-sins, and to make no conscience of walking righteously towards men. Their profession was contradicted by their practice, "Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and yet come and stand in my house?" Jer.

vii. 9, 10. Doth not that say as much as if I had given you liberty to do all these abominations? Even so it is this day; the most part have no more of Christianity but a name. They have some outward privileges of baptism and hearing the word; and, it may be, have a form of knowledge, and a form of wors.h.i.+p; but in the meantime they are not baptized in heart,-they are in all their conversation even conformed to the heathen world,-they hate personal reformation, and think it too precise and needless. Now, I say, such are many of you, and yet you would not take well to have it questioned whether ye shall be partakers of eternal life. You think you are wronged when that is called in question. Oh that it were beyond all question indeed! But know a.s.suredly that you are but Christians in the letter,-in the flesh and not in the spirit. Many of you have not so much as "a form of knowledge"-have not so much as the letter of religion. You have heard some names in the preaching often repeated,-as Christ, and G.o.d, and faith, and heaven, and h.e.l.l,-and you know no more of these but the name. You consider not and meditate not on them, and though you know the truth of the word, yet the word abideth not nor dwelleth in you. You have it in your mouth, you have it in your mind or understanding, but it is not received in love, it doth not dwell in the heart. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly," Col. iii. 16. You have it imprisoned in your minds, and shut up in a corner where it is useless, and can do no more but witness against you, and scarce that. As the Gentiles incarcerated and detained the truth of G.o.d, written by nature within them, in unrighteousness, (Rom. i. 18) so do many of you detain the knowledge of his word in unrighteousness. It hath no place in the heart, gets no liberty and freedom to walk through the affections and so to order the conversation of men, and therefore the most part of men do but fancy to themselves an interest and right to eternal life. You think it, and do but think it, it is but a strong imagination, that hath no strength from the grounds of it, no stability from any evidence or promise, but merely from itself, or it is but a light and vain conjecture that hath no strength in it because there is no question or doubts admitted which may try the strength of it. But then I suppose that a man could attain some answerable walking, that he had not only a form of knowledge, but some reality of practice, some inward heat of affection and zeal for G.o.d and G.o.dliness, yet there is one thing that he wants, and if it be wanting will spoil all, and it is this, which Christ reproves in the Jews, "you will not come to me to have life, the scriptures testify of me, but you receive not their testimony." Suppose a man had as much equity and justice towards men, piety towards G.o.d, and sobriety towards himself, as can be found amongst the best of men, let him be a diligent reader of the scriptures, let him love them, and meditate on them day and night, yet if he do not come out of himself, and leave all his own righteousness as dung behind him, that he may be found in Jesus Christ, he hath no life, he cannot have any right to the eternal. You may think this is a strange a.s.sertion, that if a man had the righteousness and holiness of an angel, yet he could not be saved without denying all that, and fleeing to Christ as an unG.o.dly man, and you may think it as strange a supposal, that any person that reads the scriptures, and walks righteously, and hath a zeal towards G.o.d, yet are such as will not come to Christ and will not hear him whom the Lord hath sent.

But the first is the very substance of the gospel. "There is none other name whereby men may be saved, but by Jesus Christ," Acts iv. 12. Life eternal is all within him. All the treasures of grace and wisdom and knowledge are seated in him, Col. i. 19, ii. 3. All the light of life and salvation is embodied in this son of righteousness, since the eclipse of man's felicity in the garden. Adam was a living soul, but he lost his own life, and killed his posterity. Christ Jesus, the second common man in the world, is a quickening spirit. He hath not only life in himself, but he gives it more abundantly, and therefore you have it so often repeated in John, who was the disciple most acquainted with Christ, "in him was life, and the life was the light of men," John i. 4. And he is "the bread of life, that gives life to the world," John vi. 33, 35. He is "the resurrection and the life," xi. 23, and "the way, the truth, and the life," xiv. 6. The scriptures do not contain eternal life, but in as far as they lead to him who is life, and whom to know and embrace is eternal life and therefore, saith he, "these are they which testify of me." Man lived immediately in G.o.d when he was in innocency, he had life in himself from G.o.d, but then he began to live in himself without dependence on G.o.d the fountain of life, and this himself being interposed between G.o.d and life, it vanished even as a beam by the intervening of any gross body between it and the sun. Now man's light and life being thus eclipsed and cut off, the Lord is pleased to let all fulness dwell in his Son Jesus Christ, and the fulness of the G.o.dhead dwelt in him bodily, Col ii. 9, that since there was no access immediately to G.o.d for life (a flaming fire, and sword of divine justice compa.s.sing and guarding the tree of life, lest man should touch it) there might be access to G.o.d in a mediator like unto us that we might come to him, and might have life from G.o.d by the intervention of Jesus Christ.

Look then what is in the Holy Scriptures, and you shall find it but a letter of death and ministration of condemnation while it is separated from him. Christ is the very life and spirit of the scriptures by whose virtue they quicken our souls. If you consider the perfect rule of righteousness in the law, you cannot find life there, because you cannot be conformed unto it, the holiest man offends in every thing, and that holy law being violated in any thing will send thee to h.e.l.l with a cure.

"Cursed is he that abideth not in all things." If you look upon the promise of life, "do this and live," what comfort can you find in it, except you could find doing in yourselves? And can any man living find such exact obedience as the law requires? There is a mistake among many.

They conceive that the Lord cannot but be well pleased with them if they do what they can. But be not deceived,-the law of G.o.d requires perfect doing, it will not compound with thee and come down in its terms, not one jot of the rigour of it will be remitted. If you cannot do all that is commanded, all you do will not satisfy that promise, therefore thou must be turned over from the promise of life to the curse, and there thou shalt find thy name written. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that Jesus Christ be made under the law, and give obedience in all things, even to the death of the cross, and so be made a curse for us, and sin for us, even he "who knew no sin." And thus in him you find the law fulfilled, justice satisfied, and G.o.d pleased. In him you find the promise of life indeed established in a better and surer way than was first propounded.

You find life by his death, you find life in his doing for you. And again, consider the ceremonial law,-what were all those sacrifices and ceremonies? Did G.o.d delight in them? Could he savour their incense and sweet smells, and eat the fat of lambs and be pacified? No, he detects and abhors such abominations! Because that people did stay in the letter, and went no further than the ceremony, he declares that it was as great abomination to him as the offering up of a dog. While they were separated from Jesus Christ, in whom his soul rested and was pacified, they were not expiations, but provocations; they were not propitiations for sin, but abominations in themselves. But take these as the shadow of such a living substance; take them as remembrances of him who was to come, and behold Jesus Christ lying in these swaddling clothes of ceremonies, until the fulness of time should come, that he might be manifested in the flesh, and so you shall find eternal life in those dead beasts, in those dumb ceremonies. If you consider this Lamb of G.o.d slain in all these sacrifices, from the beginning of the world, then you present a sweet smelling savour to G.o.d,-then you offer the true propitiation for the sins of the world,-then he will delight more in that sacrifice than all other personal obedience.

But what if I should say, that the gospel itself is a killing letter, and ministration of death, being severed from Christ? I should say nothing amiss, but what Paul speaketh, that his gospel was "a savour of death" to many. Take the most powerful preaching, the most sweet discourse, the most plain writings of the free grace and salvation in the gospel,-take all the preaching of Jesus Christ himself and his apostles,-and you shall not find life in them, unless ye be led by that Spirit of Christ unto himself, who is "the resurrection and the life." It will no more save you than the covenant of works, unless that word abide and dwell in your hearts, to make you believe in him, and embrace him with your souls, whom G.o.d hath sent. Suppose you heard all, and heard it gladly, and learned it, and could discourse well upon it, and teach others, yet if you be not driven out of yourselves, out of your own righteousness, as well as sins, and pursued to this city of refuge, Jesus Christ, you have not eternal life.

Your knowledge of the truth of the gospel, and your obedience to G.o.d's law, will certainly kill you, and as certainly as your ignorance and disobedience, unless you have embraced in your soul that good thing Jesus Christ, contained in these truths, who is the diamond of that golden ring of the scriptures, and unless your soul embrace these promises as soul-saving, as containing the chief good, and "worthy of all acceptation," as well as your mind receive these as true and faithful sayings, 1 Tim. i. 15.

Thus ye see Jesus Christ is either the subject of all in the scriptures, or the end of it all. He is the very proper subject of the gospel. Paul knew nothing but Christ crucified in his preaching, and he is the very end and scope "of the law for righteousness," Rom. x. 3. All the preaching of a covenant of works, all the curses and threatenings of the Bible, all the rigid exactions of obedience, all come to this one great design, not that we set about such a walking to please G.o.d, or do something to pacify him, but that we being concluded under sin and wrath on the one hand, and an impossibility to save ourselves on the other hand, Gal. iii. 22, Rom. v.

20, 21, may be pursued unto Jesus Christ for righteousness and life, who is both able to save us and ready to welcome us. Therefore, the Gospel opens the door of salvation in Christ, the law is behind us with fire and sword, and destruction pursuing us, and all for this end, that sinners may come to him and have life. Thus the law is made the pedagogue of the soul to lead to Christ, Christ is behind us, cursing, condemning, threatening us, and he is before with stretched out arms ready to receive us, bless us, and save us, inviting, promising, exhorting to have life. Christ is on Mount Sinai, delivering the law with thunders, Acts vii. 38, and he is on the Mount Zion in the calm voice, he is both upon the mountain of cursings and blessings, and on both doing the part of a mediator, Gal. iii. 10, 20.

It is love that is in his heart which made him first cover his countenance with frowns and threats; and it is love that again displays itself in his smiling countenance. Thus souls are enclosed with love pursuing and love receiving, and thus the law, which seems most contrary to the Gospel, testifies of Christ. It gives him this testimony, that except Salvation be in him, it is nowhere else. The law says, "It is not in me, seek it not in obedience, I can do nothing but destroy you, if you abide under my jurisdiction." The ceremonies and sacrifices say, "If you can behold the end of this ministry,-if a veil be not upon your hearts, as it was upon Moses' face, (2 Cor. iii. 13) you may see where it is, it is not in your obedience, but in the death and suffering of the Son of G.o.d whom we represent." Then the Gospel takes all these coverings and veils away and gives a plain and open testimony of him "There is no name under heaven to be saved by, but Christ's." The Old Testament spake by figures and signs, as dumb men do but the New speaks in plain words and with open face. Now I say, for all this that there is no salvation but in him, yet many souls-not only those who live in their gross sins and have no form of G.o.dliness, but even the better sort of people that have some "knowledge"

and civility and a kind of "zeal for G.o.d,"-yet they do not "come to him that they may have life," they do not "submit to the righteousness of G.o.d," Rom. x. 2, 3. Here is the march that divides the ways of heaven and h.e.l.l,-coming to Jesus Christ, and forsaking ourselves. The confidence of these souls is chiefly or only in that little knowledge, or zeal, or profession they have, they do not as really abhor themselves for their own righteousness as for their unrighteousness. They make that the covering of their nakedness and filthiness which is in itself as menstruous and unclean as any thing. It is now the very propension and natural inclination of our hearts, to stand upright in ourselves Faith bows a soul's back to take on Christ's righteousness, but presumption lifts up a soul upon its own bottom. "How can ye believe that seek honour one of another?" The engagements of the soul to its own credit or estimation,-the engagements of self-love and self honour,-do lift up a soul that it cannot submit to G.o.d's righteousness, to righteousness in another. And therefore many do dream and think that they have eternal life, who shall awake in the end, and find that it was but a dream, a night-fancy.

Now from all this I would enforce this duty upon your consciences, to "search the Scriptures" if you think to have eternal life, search them if ye would "know Christ, whom to know is life eternal," then again search them, for "these are they that testify of him." Searching imports diligence,-much diligence,-it is a serious work, it is not a common seeking of an easy and common thing, but a search and scrutiny for some hidden thing, for some special thing. It is not bare reading of the Scriptures that will answer this duty, except it be diligent and daily reading, and it is not that alone, except the spirit within meditate on them, and by meditation accomplish a diligent search. There is some hidden secret that you must search for that is enclosed within the covering of words and sentences. There is a mystery of wisdom that you must apply your hearts to search out, Eccl. vii. 25. Jesus Christ is the treasure that is hid in this field. O a precious treasure of eternal life! Now then, souls, search into the fields of the Scriptures for him "as for hid treasure,"

Prov. ii. 4. It is not only truth you must seek and buy, and not sell it, but it is life you would search, here is an object that may not only take up your understandings, but satisfy your hearts. Think not you have found all when you have found truth there, and learned it, no, except you have found life there, you have found nothing, you have missed the treasure. If you would profit by the Scriptures, you must bring both your understanding and your affections to them, and depart not till they both return full. If you bring your understanding to seek the truth, you may find truth, but not truly, you may find it, but you are not found of it. You may lead truth captive, and enclose it in a prison of your mind, and encompa.s.s it about with a guard of corrupt affections, that it shall have no issue, no outgoing to the rest of your souls and ways, and no influence on them. You may "know the truth," but you are not "known of it," nor brought into captivity to the obedience of it. The treasure that is hid in the Scriptures is Jesus Christ, whose entire and perfect name is, "Way, Truth, and Life." He is a living truth and true life, therefore Christ is the adequate object of the soul, commensurable to all its faculties. He has truth in him to satisfy the mind, and has life and goodness in him to satiate the heart, therefore if thou wouldest find Jesus Christ, bring thy whole soul to seek him, as Paul expresseth it. He is true and faithful, and "worthy of all acceptation," then bring thy judgment to find the light of truth, and thy affections to embrace the life of goodness that is in him. Now, as much as ye find of him, so much have ye profited in the Scriptures. If you find commands there which you cannot obey, search again, and you may find strength under that command. Dig a little deeper, and you shall find Jesus the end of an impossible command. And when you have found him, you have found life and strength to obey, and you have found a propitiation and sacrifice for transgressing and not obeying. If you find curses in it, search again, and you shall find Jesus Christ under that, "made a curse for us," you shall find him "the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes." When you know all the letter of the Scripture, yet you must search into the spirit of it, that it may be imprinted into your spirits. All you know does you no good but as it is received in love, unless your souls become a "living epistle," and the word without be written on the heart, you have found nothing. As for you that cannot read the Scriptures, if it be possible, take that pains to learn to read them. O if you knew what they contain, and whom they bear witness of, you would have little quietness till you could read at least his love-epistles to sinners! And if you cannot learn, be not discouraged, but if your desires within be fervent, your endeavours to hear it read by others will be more earnest. But it is not so much the reading of much of it that profiteth, as the pondering of these things in your hearts, and digesting them by frequent meditation, till they become the food of the soul. This was David's way, and by this he grew to the stature of a tall and well bodied Christian.

Lecture V.

Of The Scriptures

Eph. ii. 20.-"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."

Believers are "the temple of the living G.o.d," in which he dwells and walks, 2 Cor. vi. 16. Every one of them is a little sanctuary and temple to his Majesty, "sanctify the Lord of hosts in your hearts." Though he be "the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity," yet he is pleased to come down to this poor cottage of a creature's heart, and dwell in it. Is not this as great a humbling and condescending for the Father to come down off his throne of glory, to the poor base footstool of the creature's soul, as for the Son to come down in the state of a servant, and become in the form of sinful flesh? But then he is a temple and sanctuary to them. "And he shall be for a sanctuary," (Isa. viii. 14.) a place of refuge, a secret hiding place. Now, as every one is a little separated retired temple, so they all conjoined make up one temple, one visible body, in which he dwells. Therefore Peter calls them "living stones built up a spiritual house" to G.o.d, 1 Pet. ii. 5. All these little temples make up one house and temple fitly joined together, in which G.o.d shows manifest signs of his presence and working. Unto this the apostle in this place alludes. The communion and union of Christians with G.o.d is of such a nature, that all the relations and points of conjunction in the creatures are taken to resemble it and hold it out to us. We are citizens, saith he, and domestics, household-men, and so dwell in his house, and then we are this house besides. Now ye know there are two princ.i.p.al things in a house-the foundation and the cornerstone, the one supports the building the other unites it and holds it together. These two parts of this spiritual building are here pointed at. The foundation of every particular stone, and of the whole building, is the doctrine of the prophets and apostles, as holding out Jesus Christ to souls, "the rock on which our house shall be builded," not the apostles or prophets, far less pastors and teachers since,-for they are but at best, "workers together with G.o.d, and employed in the building of the house," nor yet their doctrine, but as it holds out that "sure foundation" that G.o.d has laid in Zion, (Isa. xxviii. 16.) which is Jesus Christ for "other foundation can no man lay." And then, "the corner stone" is that same Jesus Christ, who reaches from the bottom even to the top of the building, and immediately touches every stone, and both quickens it in itself, and unites them together.

Well then, here is a sure foundation to build our eternal happiness upon, the word of G.o.d, that endures for ever, holds it out to us. All men are building upon something. Every man is about some establishment of his hopes,-lays some foundation of his confidence which he may stand upon.

They are one of the two that Christ speaks of, Luke vi. 48, 49; one builds on the rock, another on the sand. Now as the foundation is, so is the house. A changeable foundation makes a falling house, a sure foundation makes an unchangeable house, a house without a foundation will prove quickly no house. Now whatsoever men build their hope and confidence upon,-besides the word of G.o.d, his sure promise and sure covenant, and Jesus Christ in them,-they build upon no foundation, or upon a sandy foundation. "All flesh is gra.s.s, and the flower and perfection of it is as the flower of the field." Here is the name and character of all created perfections,-of the most excellent endowments of mind,-of all the specious actions of man it is all but vanis.h.i.+ng and vanity! "Every man at his best estate is such, yea, altogether such." You who have no more to build upon but your prosperity and wealth, O that is but sand and dung! Would any man build a house upon a dunghill? You who have no other hope but in your own good prayers and meanings,-your own reformations and repentances,-your professions and practices-know this, that your hope is like a spider's house, like the web that she has laboriously exercised herself about all the week over, and then when you lean upon that house it shall fall through, and not sustain your weight. Whatsoever it be, besides this "living stone," Jesus Christ, who is the very substance of the word and promises, it shall undoubtedly prove thy shame and confusion. But behold the opposition the prophet makes between the word and these other things.

"The word of our G.o.d shall stand for ever," Isa. xl. 6-8. And therefore Peter makes it an "incorruptible seed" of which believers are begotten, 1 Peter i. 23. It is the unchangeable truth and immutable faithfulness of G.o.d that makes his word so sure, "it is builded up to the heavens."

Therefore the Psalmist often commends the word of the Lord as "a tried word,"-as "purified seven times." It hath endured the trial and proof of all men,-of all temptations-of all generations. It hath often been put in the furnace of questions and doubtings,-it hath often been tried in the fire of afflictions,-but it came forth like pure gold, without dross. This is faith's foundation, "G.o.d hath spoken in his holiness," and therefore, though "all men be liars, yet G.o.d will be found true, he deceives none, and is deceived of none." The Lord hath taken a lat.i.tude to himself in his working, he loves to show his sovereignty in much of that, and therefore he changes it in men and upon men as he pleaseth. Yet he hath condescended to limit and bound himself by his word, and in this to show his faithfulness. And therefore, though heaven and earth should pa.s.s away,-though he should annihilate this world, and create new ones,-yet "not one jot of his word shall fail." The earth is established sure, though it hath no foundation, for the word of his command supports it, and yet a believer's confidence is upon a surer ground. "Though the earth should be removed, yet it cannot pa.s.s or fail" saith our Lord. And therefore the Psalmist useth to boast in G.o.d, that though the earth were moved, and the floods lifted up their voice, yet he would not fear, because his foundation was unshaken for all that, the word is not moved when the world is moved, and therefore he was not moved. The world's stability depends upon a word of command, but our salvation depends on a word of promise. Now ye know, promises put an obligation upon the person, which commands do not. A man may change his commands as he pleases to his children or servants, but he may not change his promises. Therefore the promises of G.o.d put an obligation upon him who is truth itself, not to fail in performance, or rather he is to himself, by his unchangeable will and good pleasure, by his faithfulness and truth, an obliging and binding law. When no creature could set bounds to him, he encloses himself within the bounds of promises to us, and gives all flesh liberty to challenge him if he be not faithful.

Now all "the promises of G.o.d are yea and amen in Jesus Christ," that is, established and confirmed in him. Christ is the surety of them, and so the certainty and stability of them depend upon him, at least to our sense, for G.o.d in all his dealing condescends to our weakness that we may have strong consolation. A promise might suffice to ground our faith, but he addeth an oath to his promise, and he takes Christ surety for the performance, and therefore Christ may be called the truth indeed,-the substantial word of G.o.d,-for he is the very substance of the written and preached word. And then he is the certainty and a.s.surance of it, the Scriptures testify of him, and lead us to this "rock higher than we," to build upon, and against this "the gates of h.e.l.l cannot prevail." If the word lead not a soul into Christ himself, that soul hath no foundation.

Though thou hear the word,-though thou know the word,-yea, suppose thou couldest teach others, and instruct the ignorant,-yet all that will be no foundation, as good as none, except thou do it. And what is it to do the word but believe in him whom the word testifies of? This is the work of G.o.d, to resign thy soul to his mercies and merits, and have no confidence in the flesh, to sc.r.a.pe out all the rubbish of works and performances and parts out of the foundation, and singly to roll thy soul's weight upon G.o.d's promises and Christ's purchase, to look with Paul on all things besides, in thee, and about thee, as dung and dross that thou can lean no weight upon, and to remove that dunghill from the foundation of thy hope, that Jesus Christ may be the only foundation of thy soul, as G.o.d hath laid him in the church for "a sure foundation that whoso believeth in him may not be ashamed." Whatever besides a soul be established on, though it appear very solid, and the soul be settled and fixed upon it, yet a day will come that will unsettle that soul and raze that foundation. Either it shall be now done in thy conscience, or it must be done at length, when that great tempest of G.o.d's indignation shall blow from heaven "against all unrighteousness of men," in the day of accounts. Then shall thy house fall, and the fall of it shall be great! But a soul established upon the sure promises and upon Christ, in whom they "are yea and amen" shall abide that storm, and in that day have confidence before G.o.d,-have wherewith to answer in Jesus Christ, all the challenges of divine justice, and the accusations of conscience. "He that trusts in him shall be as mount Sion, which cannot be moved." You see all things else change, and therefore men's hopes and joys perish. Even here the temptations and revolutions of the times undermine their confidence and joy, and the blasts of the northern wind of affliction blow away their hopes.

Now as Christ is "the foundation," so he is "the corner stone" of the building. It is Christ who hath removed that "part.i.tion wall between Jews and Gentiles, even the ceremonies of the one, and the atheism of the other." "He is our peace, who hath made both one." The two sides of the house of G.o.d are united by this corner-stone, Jesus Christ. Thus we, who were the temples of Satan, are made the temples of G.o.d. Thus poor stranger Gentiles, who had no interest in the covenant of promises, come to share with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and to be founded upon the doctrine of the prophets who taught the Jewish church. Christ is the bond of Christians; this is "the head" into which all the members should grow up into a body.

Distance of place, difference of nations, distinction of languages, all these cannot separate the members of Jesus Christ, they are more one-though consisting of divers nations, tongues, and customs and dispositions-than the people of one nation, or children of one family, for one Lord, one spirit, unites all. Alas, that all are not united in affection and judgment! Why do the sides of this house contend, and wrestle one against another, when there is such a cornerstone joining them together? Are there not many Christians who cannot endure to look upon one another, who are yet both placed in one building of the temple of G.o.d?

Alas, this is sad and shameful! But that which I would especially have observed in this, is, that Jesus Christ is such a foundation that reacheth throughout the whole building, and immediately toucheth every stone of the building. It is such a foundation as riseth from the bottom to the top, and therefore Jesus Christ is both "the author and finisher of our faith,"

"the beginning and the end." The first stone and the last stone of our building must rise upon him, and by him, the least degree of grace and the greatest perfection of it, both are in him, and therefore Christians should be most dependent creatures,-dependent in their first being, and in after well-being,-in their being, and growing, wholly dependent upon Christ; that out "of his fulness they may receive grace," and then more "grace for grace," that all may appear to be grace indeed.

Now, I beseech you, my beloved in the Lord, to know whereupon ye are builded, or ought to be builded. There are two great errors in the time, take heed of them; one is the doctrine of some, and another is the practice of the most part. Some do prefer their own fancies and night-dreams, and the imaginations of their own heart, to the word of G.o.d, and upon pretence of revelation of new light,(135) do cast a mist upon that word of G.o.d which is a light that hath s.h.i.+ned from the beginning. "Be not deceived," but "try the spirits whether they be of G.o.d," or not. There are many pretend to much of the Spirit, and therefore cry out against the word, as letter, as flesh. But, my brethren, believe not every doctrine that calls itself a spirit. That spirit is not of G.o.d that hears not G.o.d's voice as Christ reasoneth against the Jews. Seek ye more of the Spirit of Christ which he promiseth, who is a Spirit that teacheth all things, and bringeth to remembrance these blessed sayings, and leads us in all truth.

It shall be both safest and sweetest to you to meditate on that word of the prophets and apostles, and the entrance into it shall give you light,-an old light which was from the beginning, and therefore a true light-for all truth is eternal-and yet a new light to your sense and feeling. It is both an old command, and a new command; an old word, and a new word; if thou search it by the Spirit's inspiration, that old word shall be made new, that letter made spirit and life. Such are the words that Christ speaks. But yet there are many who do not reject the Scriptures in judgment, who, notwithstanding, do not build on them in practice. Alas, it may be said of the most part of professed Christians among us, that they are not built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, but upon the sayings of fallible and weak men! What ground have many of you for your faith, but because the minister saith so, you believe so? The most part live in an implicit faith, and practise that in themselves which they condemn in the papists. You do not labour to "search the scriptures," that upon that foundation you may build your faith in the questioned truths of this age, that so you may be able to answer those that ask a reason of the faith that is in you. Alas! simple souls, you believe every thing, and yet really believe nothing, because you believe not the word, as the word of the living G.o.d, but take it from men upon their authority! Therefore when a temptation cometh, from any gainsayings of the truth,-you cannot stand against it, because your faith hath no foundation but the sayings of men, or acts of a.s.semblies. And therefore, as men whom you trust with holding out light unto you, hold out darkness instead of light, you embrace that darkness also. But, I beseech you, be builded upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, not upon _them_, but upon that whereon they were builded, the infallible truths of G.o.d. You have the Scriptures, search them; since you have reasonable souls, search them. Other men's faith will not save; you cannot see to walk to heaven by other men's light, more than you can see by their eyes. You have eyes of your own, souls of your own, subordinate to none but the G.o.d of spirits, and the Lord of consciences, Jesus Christ, and therefore examine all that is spoken to you from the word, according to the word, and receive no more upon trust from men but as you find it upon trial to be the truth of G.o.d.

Lecture VI.

What The Scriptures Princ.i.p.ally Teach: The Ruin And Recovery Of Man. Faith And Love Towards Christ.

2 Tim. i. 13.-"Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus."

Here is the sum of religion. Here you have a compend of the doctrine of the Scriptures. All divine truths may be reduced to these two heads,-faith and love; what we ought to believe, and what we ought to do. This is all the Scriptures teach, and this is all we have to learn. What have we to know, but what G.o.d hath revealed of himself to us? And what have we to do, but what he commands us? In a word, what have we to learn in this world, but to believe in Christ, and love him, and so live to him? This is the duty of man, and this is the dignity of man, and the way to eternal life.

Therefore the Scriptures, that are given to be "a lamp to our feet, and a guide to our paths," contain a perfect and exact rule,-_credendorum et faciendorum_,-of faith and manners,-of doctrine and practice. We have in the scriptures many truths revealed to us of G.o.d, and of the works of his hands,-many precious truths, but that which most of all concerns us, is to know G.o.d and ourselves. This is the special excellency of the reasonable creature, that it is made capable to know its Creator, and to reflect upon its own being. Now, we have to know ourselves, what we are now, and what man once was, and accordingly to know of G.o.d, what he once revealed of himself, and what he doth now reveal. I say, the Scriptures hold out to our consideration a twofold estate of mankind, and according to these, a twofold revelation of the mystery of G.o.d. We look on man now, and we find him another thing than he was once, but we do not find G.o.d one thing at one time, and another thing at another time, for there is no "shadow of change" in him, and "he is the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever."

Therefore we ask not, what he was, and what he is now; but how he manifests himself differently, according to the different estates of man.

As we find in the Scriptures, man once righteous and blessed, Eccles. vii.