world; that man is fallen and redeemed; that he hath eternal happiness or misery set before him; and what the means are of procuring the one, and avoiding the other. For reason could discover but little of these things, and did discover much less and tradition is unable to convey any thing far down with certainty. In this narrow compass lies the proof, and it is a complete proof, of the benefits that we may receive from holy writ. However it hath graciously condescended to invite us to partake of them, by specifying them more distinctly. I shall only mention a few of those, which are enumerated in one Psalm, the 119th. You will judge from thence of the rest. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? Even by ruling himself after thy word*. Thy words have I hid within my heart, that I might not sin against thee. Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors. So shall I have wherewith to answer him, that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy words. I will walk at liberty, for I seek thy commandments||. Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrim age¶. The law of thy mouth is dearer unto me, than thousands of gold and silver**. If my delight had not been in thy law, I should have perished in my troublett. Through thy commandment I get understanding: therefore I hate all evil ways. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my paths §§. Thy testimonies have I claimed as mine heritage for ever: and why? they are the very joy of my heart. Great peace have they, which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them¶¶. These and many other advantages, which the inspired writings ascribe to themselves, are also in reason to be expected from them; the authors had experienced them; all pious men have experienced them since; every one, that will, may at this hour. And therefore I shall enlarge no farther at present on the direct evidence of them; but proceed to answer the objections of those, who are hindered by unjust prepossessions from trying them: who either contest the usefulness of Scripture, in order to overturn its authority; or, which is wonderfully inconsistent, think very lowly of the former, while they acknowledge the latter. For I fear many entertain injurious opinions of the word of God, without daring to own it, even to themselves: which influence them powerfully, though secretly, first to read, then to esteem it, less and less; then to indulge a life unsuitable to it, and perhaps in the last place to reject it entirely. These ensnaring sentiments therefore I shall plainly bring forth into your view without disguise, and confute them; that you may have answers ready to the bad suggestions of other men, or your own minds. It is said then, that these books are not in our own language, but in translations, which most of us must take upon trust, and which often differ. But have men the least pretence to say, that God shall not instruct them, unless he will convey his instructions to them in all the several tongues of the several countries and ages of the world? Is it not better, that he should give them in any one, than in none? Are we not informed by translations of the most important events, that have passed formerly upon earth? Do not most of the subjects of some large empires to this day learn the will of their sovereign from translations? And what if the translations of some parts of Scripture vary? They agree in the main: and there can be no gross impositions; because the clergy of one communion will be sure to detect those of others in such attempts: and there are multitudes of learned laity also in lands of freedom; and it is the common interest of all persons not to be deceived. It is said further, that one should expect a book, written by direction from God for instructing the world in religion, to be a short plain methodical system of belief and practice, unincumbered with any other matters: and the Bible is quite a different thing. But is not the whole system of nature, and the whole conduct of Providence, quite a different thing from what one should have expected? Had we been set to imagine before-hand, what sort of a world God would create, and in what manner he would govern it; we should none of us have pitched on such a creation and government, as we see in fact: but had the scheme of either come into our thoughts, we should probably have fancied there were innumerable and insuperable objections against it. And hence we should learn, that, in the case of revelation also, our fancies are not the measure of God's proceedings; but we are humbly to acquiesce in whatever it appears by proper evidence that he hath done, and not erect ourselves into judges of what he ought to do, or in what manner. Hear his own words: My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts*. The proceedings of divine wisdom will always justify themselves to human inquiry, so far as we are capable of comprehending them. But of necessity many of God's actions must be infinitely more beyond our * Is. lv. 8, 9. reach, than the actions of a prudent man are beyond that of a little child. And were the whole plan of Scripture such, as in our first crude notions we should have conceived likely; that very circumstance would have furnished a presumption against it: whereas now we have cause to look on it with that reverence, which the Psalmist expresses: Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them*. However let us enter a little more particularly into the merits of this plea. The instruction given us in the Bible, we are told, is not ranged in a just method: but we are to pick out the doctrines and precepts of it often from the midst of histories and prophecies, and put them together as we can. But is not the natural instruction, which God gives us, just of the same sort? Are we not obliged to gather almost the whole of it, from hints and intimations afforded by objects dispersed through the earth: from observations, experiments and reasonings of persons, who have lived in different countries and ages? Yet these are undeniably the means, which he hath appointed to furnish us with one part of our knowledge. And why then may not the Scripture, notwithstanding its apparent want of order, be the means, which he hath appointed to furnish us with another part? It is alledged yet farther, that some very curious and interesting things are entirely omitted, or but briefly hinted there: while some very obvious ones are inculcated, and repeated without end. But curious things are part of them probably unfit to be known perfectly at present: and we may well be content to see now through a glass darkly, since hereafter we shall see face to facet. Again, such of them, as may properly be * Ps. cxix. 129. + Prov. ii. 4. known, are useful in comparison to few; who also will seek after them with more spirit, and discover them with more joy, when they must search for them as for hid treasures*: whereas plain things are useful for all; and therefore should be easily found: for most minds cannot labour. Besides, consider how it is in worldly things: look around you: are not matters of small price, but great utility, the commonest! And must not they, who will have things that are curious and rare, seek after them with difficulty, and pay dear for them? Farther, had every thing in the Bible been easy of access to us, in proportion as we were likely to place a value upon it; we should soon have looked it through, then have laid it down, and seldom taken it up again: whereas now we return to it over and over, in fresh hopes of discovering something more: and at each reading, we meet, whether we will or not, with the commonest indeed, but most necessary doctrines and precepts, in such a variety of lights assisting each other, and they are sometimes impressed so suddenly and advantageously upon us, that if our understandings are not gratified with the most beautiful arrangement, and most entertaining speculations, our hearts are however excited to acts and habits of faith and virtue with the strongest efficacy. Besides, repetitions might be extremely necessary, in different books, written at different times: and may be very useful even now, when these books are laid before us all at once, to inculcate what after all we learn insufficiently. But further yet: the Scripture is not indeed a plan of Christianity, finished with minute accuracy, to instruct men as in something altogether new to them, which it was not; or to excite a vain admiration in * 1 Cor. xiii. 12. |