IFRALLWYN!
 
 DIRECTIONS 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 Profitable Reading 
 
 o F T H B 
 
 HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 TOGETHER 
 
 With fome OBSERVATIONS for 
 the Confirming their Divine Autho- 
 rity, and Illustrating the Difficulties 
 dvereof. 
 
 By WILLIAM LOWTH, B. D. 
 Prebendary of WINCHESTER. 
 
 The FIFTH EDITION. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for JOHN HINTON, at the King's -Arm;:, Jn 
 
 Patcr-nofter Row, near Warwick-lane. 
 
 MDCCLXIX.
 
 
 THE 
 
 PREFACE, 
 
 FTER fo many excellent 
 commentaries and treatifes 
 upon the Holy Scriptures, 
 it may feem needlefs to pub- 
 lifh any thing further upon this ar- 
 gument, fince it may be prefumed 
 that nothing hath efcaped the fearch 
 of fo many learned and inquifitive 
 perfons, or can be pertinently added 
 upon fb common a fubjecl. 
 
 I might, by way of apology for 
 the following treatife, truly affirm 
 that fome particulars are handled in 
 it, which have not been much infill- 
 ed on by other writers : Some of the 
 difficulties herein confidered having 
 A z been
 
 4 PREFACE. 
 
 been ftarted, or at lead revived, but 
 of late years. But I rather chufe to 
 fay, that I cannot think difcourfes of 
 this kind to be impertinent, as long 
 as fo many men of corrupt minds let 
 loofe both their tongues and pens 
 againft the holy Writings. Thefe all 
 Chriftians look upon as the oracles of 
 God, and the facred Depofitum of di- 
 vine truth : And whoever retains a 
 due reverence for them, and makes 
 them his iludy and meditation, will 
 continue grounded and fettled m the 
 faith, and not be moved from the hope 
 of the Go/pel by the little cavils and 
 exceptions of Sceptics and Infidels, 
 which we may be bold to fay proceed 
 from their not knowing the Scrip- 
 tures, and fcorning to ufe the means 
 whereby they might be better in- 
 formed. 
 
 The feat of the f corners is now-a- 
 days looked upon as the only infalli- 
 ble chair, and that temper which So- 
 lomon * fo frequently brands with the 
 
 Prov. iii. 34. xiii. i. xiv. 6. xxix. 8. 
 
 worfl
 
 PREFACE. 5 
 worft of characters, as the moft in- 
 capahle of inftruction, the mod per- 
 nicious to him that hath it, and the 
 mofl dangerous to the public, is 
 thought by many amongft us to be 
 the lureft indication of wit and parts. 
 But whether fuch perfons mil hear , or 
 iv bet her they will for bear > it is cer- 
 tainly the duty of thofe who are ap- 
 pointed to be watchmen over the hoitfe 
 0/Ilrael to warn men to take beed t left 
 there be in any of them an evil heart of 
 unbelief in departing from the living 
 God, and defpifmg his holy word, by 
 which they muft expecl: to be judged 
 at the laft day. It becomes thole 
 ivho are fet for the defence and conjir* 
 mation of the Gofpel, to ftand in ther 
 breach, and endeavour in their fe- 
 veral ftations, to give a check to 
 the overflowings of ungodlinefs^ which 
 threaten to break down all our banks* 
 and whofe principles, if they are pur- 
 fued to their j uft confequences, can- 
 cel the authority of all laws both di- 
 vine and human, 'and let men loofe 
 A 3 from
 
 6 PREFACE. 
 
 from the obligations of them : Licen^ 
 "tioufnefs in opinion always making 
 way for licentioufnefs in practice, 
 which is the true reafon why it finds 
 fo many abettors amongft us at this 
 day. Upon which account it is the 
 earneft wifh and prayer of many good 
 men, that God would put it into the 
 lieart of thofe who are in authority, 
 to take care that the Toleration be 
 fonfined within the bounds which the 
 taw hath prefcribed to it ; for it is 
 great pity that liberty of conference 
 ihould become a fhelter for men of 
 no conference, to vent fuch doctrines 
 .as are not only deftruclive of all re- 
 vealed religion, but even of civil fo- 
 ciety itfelf. 
 
 It were well if the teachers of the 
 feparate congregations (I mean as 
 many of them as have any regard 
 for a rule of faith or difcipline) 
 would mew their zeal upon this oc- 
 cafion, in {landing up for the main- 
 tenance of thofe common truths, 
 which alj that deferve the name of 
 
 Chrifliaas,
 
 P ti E F A C E. 7 
 
 Chriftians, agree in. It would be 
 great weaknefs in them to take the 
 author of the rights of the Chrijlian 
 Church, and men of his flamp for 
 their friends, becaufe they difcover 
 a particular Spite and Hatred to the 
 Pftablifted Church : That indeed is 
 the principal Object of Envy, (and 
 we hope it always will be fo to Men 
 of ill Defigns) and they are encoura- 
 ged in their Attempts againfl: it, be- 
 caufe they hope to find their own ac- 
 count in the unfettling of their foun- 
 dations : But he muft be blind that 
 does not fee, that the fame nrgu-- 
 ments which are levelled againfl the 
 prefent eflablimmcnt, may be eafily 
 applied to other constitutions, fomc 
 of which extend their claim to ayV/j 
 divinum farther than the Church of 
 England &QZS. 
 
 The feveral parties that divide us, 
 feem to agree in nothing fo much 
 as in exprefiing a great vehemence 
 againfl: Popery : Therefore it will not 
 be amifs briefly to confider what ad- 
 A 4 van-
 
 8 PREFACE. 
 
 vantages this licentioufnefs in opini- 
 on, fo much in vogue, affords to 
 that very caufe, which it declaims 
 againft with fo much fiercenefs. 
 
 Firft of all, nothing gives fo plau- 
 iible a colour to the Popijh boafts of 
 -unity and infallibility, as to fee men 
 that pretend fo much zeal againft 
 it, fall off from the common princi- 
 ples of Chriftianity, and difcard all 
 certainty in matters of religion. 
 
 In the next place, fuperftition and 
 frofanenefs are not fo far afunder as 
 fome may imagine : One extreme 
 doth ufually produce another ; and 
 when men have for fome time be- 
 wildered themfelves in the maze of 
 jcepticifm and infidelity, and can find 
 nothing whereon to fix, they will be 
 ready to hearken to the Popifi pleas 
 for the infallibility of the Churchy or 
 to any thing elfe that may put a flop 
 to their endlefs wanderings, and give 
 reft to their weary fouls. 
 
 Add to this, in the third place, 
 
 that
 
 P R E F ACE. 9 
 
 that hearty zeal for religion, though 
 it proceed upon falfe principles, will 
 in the end get the better of a luke- 
 ivarm and indifferent temper, which 
 not only makes people fufpedt that 
 the caufe which is fo coldly main- 
 tained wants truth to fupport it, but 
 likewife that the abettors of it do not 
 believe themfelves. 
 
 To recover the fpirit of piety, 
 which is fo viiibly decayed, and al- 
 moft extinguifhed amongft us, I can- 
 not but earnestly recommend to all 
 that are fincere lovers of truth, the 
 careful reading of the holy Scrip- 
 tures, which will afford to all that 
 ferioufly perufe them, fo many /;/- 
 ternal arguments of their divine au- 
 thority, as cannot be withstood by 
 an ingenuous mind, namely, fuch as 
 are taken from their general fcope 
 and defign, and the harmony of the 
 feveral parts compared with each o- 
 ther -, which proofs have this pecu- 
 liar advantage, that they may be 
 difcerned by an ordinary judgment 
 A 5 with-
 
 io PREFACE. 
 without the help of human learning. 
 It is the principal defign of the fol- 
 lowing Papers, to confider the force 
 of thofe arguments which arife from 
 the very frame and contexture of the 
 holy Writings. And I heartily pray 
 to God, that the feveral treatifes, 
 which have of late been written upon 
 this and fuch like fubje&s, the pub- 
 liming whereof is fo neceffary in this 
 age, may, by his bleffing, become in 
 fome meafure ufeful for the convin- 
 cing gainfayers, and confirming well- 
 difpofed perfons in their holy faith. 
 
 A SY-
 
 A 
 
 SYNOPSIS 
 
 O R 
 
 ABRIDGEMENT 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 HOLY SCRIPTURES, 
 
 Which teach what Man is to believe 
 concerning GOD, and what Duty 
 GOD requires of Man. 
 
 E word SCRIPTURE fig- 
 -p ;( nifies IVriting, and generally 
 ft anc ^ s ^ or the facred Books of 
 the old and New Teftament 
 written by holy Men as they were infpi- 
 red, inftrucled and enabled by the Holy 
 Ghoft. They are called the Scriptures 
 A 6 by
 
 22 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 by way of eminency and diftin&ion, be- 
 caufe they far excel all other writings. 
 2 Tim. iii. 16. * All fcripture is given 
 by infpiration of God, and is profitable 
 for doctrine," to declare and confirm the 
 truth ; " for reproof," to convince of fin 
 and confute errors ; " for correction," 
 to reform the life ; " and for inftrudion 
 ** in righteoufnefs ," that is, to teach us 
 to make a farther progrefs in the way to 
 holinefs and happinels in heaven ; or to 
 inftruct in the true Righteoufnefs ot Jefus 
 Chrift, in which we may appear vvith 
 comfort before God. 
 
 The Scriptures are often called, The 
 Bible, v that is, The Book, by way of emi- 
 nency, as being the beft book in the 
 world, and far excelling all other books : 
 For the Scriptures are a revelation from 
 God, and contain his whole will neceffary 
 to be known for our falvation : And 
 they will be in the higheft efteem, and be 
 read and iiudied by all the tru"e members 
 of the church of God, whofe faith, hope 
 and comfort are taken from thefe divine 
 Oracles. No book but this brings fuch 
 glory to God, or hath fuch an efficacy in 
 converting the foul, Pfal. xix, 7. 
 
 The
 
 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 13 
 
 The holy fcripture is divided into two 
 books, which are commonly called, The 
 Old and New Teftament, or The Old and 
 New Covenant : The Old Teftament was 
 the oid difpenfation of the Covenant of 
 grace, by types and facrifices which re- 
 prefented the coming of the Mefliah. who 
 was the promifed feed of the woman, and 
 afterwards foretold to be of the family of 
 Abrah im, and of the tribe of Judah, and 
 of the feed of David. 
 
 The New Teftament, or the Gofpel, is 
 the new difpenlation of the Covenant of 
 Grace, which fully mews the promifed 
 MefTiah to be come, and to have publifh- 
 ed his gofpel, to have died, and to have 
 rifen again, and to have afcended up into 
 heaven to plead that his atonement may 
 be accepted as a propitiation for all true 
 believers. 
 
 There is no hiftory in the world fo an- 
 cient as the Bible, nor is there any that 
 gives fo early an account of things. The 
 Oid Teftament begins at the creation of 
 the world, and acquaints us that Adam 
 and Eve were the firft man and woman 
 God made, and that he created them both 
 
 ia
 
 14 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 m his own likenefs, in a holy and happy 
 ftate, which is called The ftate of inno- 
 cence. It informs us of their fin againft 
 God in eating the forbidden fruit, and of 
 their being driven out of paradife, and of 
 the miferable ftate that fin brought man 
 into, he having broke covenant with God, 
 and being expofed to that dreadful threat- 
 ning, " In the day thou eateft thereof 
 " thou malt furely die." 
 
 The fcripture informs us, that after the 
 fall or fin of Adam God was pleaied to 
 give him a gracious promife of a Median 
 or Redeemer, " That the feed of the wo- 
 ** man mould bruife the head of the fer- 
 pent," that is, that Jefus Chrift who was 
 to afiume the human nature in the ful- 
 nefs of time mould deftroy the power and 
 wicked works of the devil. 
 
 The religion of man after the fall was 
 all the duties of the light of nature, which 
 were required before : And befides thefe 
 he was now called to repentance, faith or 
 truft in the mercy of God, and expecta- 
 tion of the promifed Saviour, and offer- 
 ing of facrifices. This is called the A- 
 damitical difpenfation, and it reached to 
 
 Noah's
 
 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. i 
 
 Noah's flood, which was about 1656 years- 
 after the creation of the world. 
 
 The fcripture tells us that mankind 
 had provoked God by their fins, which 
 were exceeding great, and that the world 
 was deftroyed by a flood for their multi- 
 plied iniquities. Noah was faved in an 
 ark or great fhip or veflel, which God 
 taught him to build, and all his family 
 were with him, and fome living creatures 
 of every kind. 
 
 The religion of Noah was the fame 
 with that of Adam after his fall, with- 
 fome few additions. The offering of fa- 
 crifices was to be continued. Flefh was 
 given to man for food, as herbs were be- 
 fore. Blood was forbidden to be eaten, 
 the blood of man was exprefly forbid to 
 be med, and murder was to be punifLed 
 with death, Gen. ix. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. And 
 this was the Noachical difpenfation of the 
 covenant of grace. 
 
 After the flood mankind did not freely 
 divide themfelves into feveral nations ; 
 but, being all of one language, they built 
 a chief city with a tower, that all men 
 might be joined in one nation or king- 
 dom.
 
 16 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 dom. But God (bartered them abroad 
 into different nations, by making them 
 fpeak different languages, and then they 
 ceafed to build their tower, which was 
 called Babel or Confufion. It is fuppofed 
 that the true religion was chiefly prefer- 
 ved in the family of Shem, for God is 
 called "the Lord God of Shem," Gen. 
 ix. 26. 
 
 The moft religious and moil famous 
 man of Shem's pofterity in thefe early 
 ages was Abraham the fon of Terah, of 
 the pofterity of Eber : He left his own 
 native country to go wherefoever God 
 pleafed : He came firft from Chaldea, and 
 then to Haran, and by the command of 
 God went to dwell among ftrangers in the 
 land of Canaan. 
 
 Sodom became very wicked, and it was 
 deftroyed by fire and brimftone from hea- 
 ven together with Gomorrah and other 
 cities, becaufe of the abominable wicked- 
 nefs of their inhabitants. Abraham plead- 
 ed with God to fpare Sodom, and he 
 would have done it, had there been ten 
 righteous men in all the city. Lot was 
 grieved for the wicked converfation of So- 
 dom, and he and his two daughters were 
 
 faved :
 
 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 17 
 
 faved : But his wife looking back and 
 hankering after Sodom, was Jtruck dead 
 immediately, and fhe flood like a pillar 
 of fait. 
 
 Abraham had two fons, Immael by Ha- 
 gar, and Ifaac by Sarah his wife. Ifaac 
 was born according to the promife of God 
 when they were both grown old. Ifaac 
 feared the God of his father Abraham, 
 and his father fent afar, and took a wife 
 for him, even Rebecca out of his own fa- 
 mily in Mefopotamia, becaufe he was un- 
 willing he mould marry among the wick- 
 ed Canaanites, whom God had doomed to 
 deflruction. 
 
 Ifaac had by Rebecca two fons Efau 
 and Jacob, hfau fold his birthright for 
 a mefs of pottage when he was faint with 
 hunting : And Jacob by his mother's 
 contrivance obtained his father's blefling. 
 Jacob was called Ifrael, becaufe he pray- 
 ed and prevailed with God for a blefling. 
 Jacob had twelve fons, and the mod fa- 
 mous of them in facred hiftory were Levi, 
 Judah, and Jofeph. The priefthood in 
 following times was committed to Levi's 
 family. The kingdom and government 
 
 ia
 
 i8 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 in future ages were promifed chiefly to 
 Judah's family. 
 
 Jofeph's brethren fold him for a flave 
 in Egypt, where he became a ruler of the 
 land. His brethren envied him becaufe- 
 his father loved him, and made him a 
 coat of many colours, and becaufe he- 
 dreamed that they mould bow down to him. 
 By a falfe accufation Jofeph was caft into 
 prifon, and he interpreted the dreams of 
 fome of his fellow-prifoners, and, when 
 the interpretation proved true, then he 
 was fent for to court to interpret the 
 king's dream about the feven years of 
 plenty and feven years of famine. 
 
 In the famine Jofeph's brethren came 
 to buy corn in Egypt, and bowed down 
 to him according to his dreams -, but he 
 treated them roughly at firft, as a great 
 lord and a ftranger, till their confcience 
 fmote them for their former cruelty to 
 him : But afterwards he made himfelf 
 known to them with much affection and 
 tendernefs. And he manifefted his for- 
 givenefs of them, for he fent for his father, 
 and bid his children bring ail their families 
 into Egypt, and he maintained them all 
 during the famine. Jacob and Jofeph 
 
 died
 
 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 19 
 
 died in Egypt, but according to their de- 
 fire their bodies were carried up and bu- 
 ried in the land of Canaan, in faith of the 
 promife that their feed mould pofiefs that 
 land. 
 
 The Ifraelites were afterwards made 
 flaves in Egypt, and a new king who 
 knew not Joleph forely oppreffed them, 
 and endeavoured to deftroy them : But 
 God heard their cry,and delivered them by 
 the hand of Moles 2nd Aaron. Upon 
 Pharaoh's refufal to let the people of If- 
 rael go, they brought ten plagues upon 
 the king and upon all the land by the au*- 
 thority and power of God. 
 
 At laft Pharaoh releafed the Ifraelites, 
 and the number of them that went out of 
 Egypt were fix hundred thoufand men be- 
 fides children, and all went on foot. 
 When they were in diftrefs with the Red- 
 Sea before them and Pharaoh's army be* 
 hind them, they cried unto God ; whereon 
 Mofes bid them " Stand fiill and fee the 
 " falvation of the Lord." Then at the 
 command of God, Mofes (truck the fea 
 with his rod, and divided the waters afun- 
 der; and the children of Ifrael went 
 through upon dry land. And the Egyp- 
 tians,
 
 20 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 tians following, the waters returned upon 
 them and they were drowned. 
 
 The Ifraelites went whensoever God 
 guided them by the pillar of cloud and 
 the pillar of fire. At every new difficulty 
 when they wanted meat or water, or met 
 with enemies, they fell a murmuring a- 
 gainft God and Mofes : And they wan- 
 dered forty years in the wildernefs for their 
 lins, before they came to the place God 
 promifed them. 
 
 While in the wildernefs about three 
 months after their coming out of Egypt, 
 God wrote with his own hand the ten 
 commandments in two tables of (lone, and 
 gave them to Mofes. The four firft com- 
 mandments contained their duty to God, 
 and the fix laft their duty towards men. 
 Thefe ten commands are called the 
 Moral Law, and relate to their behaviour 
 as men: And almoft every thing con- 
 tained in them is taught by the light of 
 nature, and obliges all mankind. But the 
 great end of the Jewifli Ceremonies was 
 to be emblems or types of Chrift and his 
 gofpel. 
 
 The
 
 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 21 
 
 Thefcripture gives an account of God's 
 bringing the Ifraelites into the land of Ca- 
 naan, under the miniftration of Jomua,their 
 government by Judges feveral hundred 
 years -, and after that there is a narrative of 
 their firfl four kings, namely, Saul, David, 
 Solomon and Rehoboam. InRehoboam*s 
 days the nation was divided into two king- 
 doms, which were called the kingdom of 
 Ifrael and the kingdom of Judah. There 
 are alfo particular records of the govern- 
 ment of thefe two diftinct kingdoms un- 
 der a long fucceffion of their own kings, 
 till they wererboth carried into captivity 
 by the kings of Aflyria. 
 
 After this the facred hiftory relates the 
 return of many of them into their own 
 land, and the rebuilding the city of Jeru- 
 falem and the temple of God, and the fet- 
 tlement of the affairs of church and 
 ftate by Ezra and Nehemiah, which is the 
 end of the hiftorical part of the Old Tefta- 
 ment. 
 
 There is alfo a large and particular nar- 
 rative of the lives or tranfa&ions of fome 
 extraordinary perfons, feveral of which are 
 much interwoven with the feries of the. 
 
 hiftory :
 
 22 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES* 
 hiftory : But there are others which feem. 
 to ftand feparate and diftincl, fuch are the 
 affairs relating to Job a rich man in the 
 eaft, Jonah a prophet in Ifrael, and Efthcr 
 the queen of Perfia. 
 
 We have an account of the feveral pro- 
 phets and meflengers which were fent from 
 God on fpecial occafions to reveal his mind 
 and will to men : We have the writings 
 of fixteen prophets, that is, of four great- 
 er, and twelve lefler prophets. The four 
 great prophets arc Ifaiah, Jeremiah, Eze- 
 kiel, and Daniel. The twelve lefler pro- 
 phets are Holeah, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, 
 Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Ze- 
 phaniah, Haggai,Zechariah, and Malachi 
 the laft prophet : He prophefied about 
 429 years before the coming of Chrift, 
 whoafTumed our nature about 4000 years 
 after the creation of the world. God 
 himfelf and his prophets, throughout all 
 ages, foretold his comingas fome great De- 
 liverer, as the Mefliah or Anointed of God. 
 
 THE chief fubjedts of the hiftory of 
 the New Teftament are our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, the great Redeemer and glorious 
 Saviour , John the Baptift, who was his 
 
 fore-
 
 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 23 
 forerunner -, and the apoftles, who were 
 his followers. 
 
 The great Median was born at Bethle- 
 hem of the tribe of Judah according to 
 the predictions andprophefies of him in the 
 Old Teftament : John the Baptift was his 
 forerunner, who preached the doctrine of 
 repentance and forgivenefs of fins, and di- 
 rected the people to Tefus Chrift the 
 Mefiiah and Saviour, " the Lamb of 
 God who takes away the fin of the 
 world. M 
 
 Jefus Chrift, the eternal Son of God, 
 veiled his divine Glory and became man, 
 was born of Mary, who was a virgin, ac- 
 cording to the prophecy of Ifaiah. Jefus, 
 being about thirty years of age, began his 
 miniitry, and appeared with the marks of 
 a divine commiffion, and the characters of 
 the Meffiah upon him. He healed the 
 fick, he raifed the dead, he preached the 
 glad tidings of forgivenefs of fin and fal- 
 vation to the poor, and received feveral 
 teftimonies from heaven. After he had 
 preached his gofpel about three years and 
 an half, he was betrayed by Judas, and 
 iu fife red the death on the crofs, and rofea- 
 gain according to the fcriptuYes. 
 
 Jefus,
 
 24 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 Jefus, after his refurredtion, appeared to 
 his apoftles, and continued on earth about 
 forty days, and gave farther inftruftions in 
 the great things of the gofpel. He ap- 
 pointed his difciples to meet him in Gali- 
 lee ; he told them that all power in heaven 
 and in earth was given into his hands ; he 
 gave them their com miflion to preach the 
 gofpel to all nations, and promifed his 
 prefence with them, and a power to work 
 miracles for the vindication of their doc- 
 trine. He commanded his apoftles to 
 tarry at Jerufalem till the promifed Spirit 
 fliould fall upon them. And on the day of 
 Pentecoft, which was ten days after the af- 
 cenfion of Chrift, the Spirit of God was 
 fent down upon them, and, upon their 
 preaching of the refurrection and exalta- 
 tion of Chrift, three thoufand fouls be- 
 lieved, and were added to the difciples of 
 Chrift, and baptifed on that day. 
 
 This was the proper beginning of the 
 Chriftian or Gofpel difpenfation, the king- 
 dom of Chrift being fet up in the world 
 in its glory at the pouring down of the 
 Spirit after his refurrection, and his ex- 
 altation to the government of the world 
 and the church. The difpenfation during 
 
 the
 
 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 2$ 
 
 the life of Chrift, was a Medium between 
 the Jewilli and Chriftian Difpenfations. 
 
 The apoflles, after Chrift's afcenfion, 
 publifhed the gofpel he had preached, 
 namely, pardon of fin and everlafting life 
 to thofe that repent and believe in him, 
 whether Jews or Gentiles, and pronounced 
 the punimments of hell upon the impeni- 
 tent and unbelieving, The apoftles in 
 their epiflles to the Chriftian Churches 
 often mention the great article of the gof- 
 pel, the redemption by Chrift's death, and 
 the atonement made for fin by his fuffer- 
 ings, and it mines every where through 
 the epiftles of St. Paul. 
 
 In the gofpels as well as epiftles faith or 
 believing in Jefus Chrift is required as the 
 way and method of being a partaker of 
 the bleflings of falvation, for without faith 
 there is no falvation according to the gof- 
 pel. This Faith unites the foul to Chrift, 
 and makes the believer a member of 
 Chrift's myftical body : Faith is wrought 
 in the foul by the Spirit of God, who con- 
 vinces him of the evil and danger of fin 
 which makes him obnoxious to the law of 
 God v and feeing no other way of help, he 
 applies to Chrift to be his prophet, prieft, 
 B and
 
 26 Of the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 and king, and receives him as propofed 
 in the gofpel, trufts and relies upon him 
 and his righteoufnefs for pardon and fal- 
 vation : And where this Faith is, it is at- 
 tended with Repentance and Holinefs, 
 which give a meetnefs for heaven ; and a 
 true Faith in Jefus Chrift and his righte- 
 oufnefs may be faid to entitle the believer 
 to the heavenly kingdom. " If any man 
 "be in Chrift, he is a New Creature." 
 Juftification and fanflification are blef- 
 fmgs connected together and gracioufly 
 beftowed upon one and the fame perfon. 
 
 The New Teftament is the laft difpen- 
 fation of the Covenant of Grace, and it 
 may be called New, becaufe it is never to 
 wax old or be abolifhed ; and this is evi- 
 dent, becaufe it concludes with a promife 
 of Chriil's fecond coming at the end of 
 the world. Rev. xxii. 20. " Surely I 
 -" come quickly. Amen. Even fo, come 
 " Lord Jefus. The grace of our Lord 
 " Jefus Chrift be with us all." Amen. 
 
 London December 18, 174.9. 
 
 A. C. 
 
 D I R E C-
 
 DIRECTIONS 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 Profitable Readin 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 HOLY SCRIPTURES, 
 
 The INTRODUCTION. 
 
 GOJOKUR Divines have taken a 
 O <*> great deal of pains, both 
 P reac hi n g an< ^ writing, 
 
 to convince men of the b- 
 ligations lying upon them to read and 
 ftudy the Holy Scriptures ; and are 
 as induftrious to lay before their peo- 
 ple the great advantages they would 
 B 2 re-
 
 28 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 receive by reading and meditating up- 
 on God's word, as the Romatitfts have 
 been felicitous to deter their Difci- 
 ples from this employment, by repre- 
 fenting to them the dangers they are 
 likely to incur thereby. A great pre- 
 fumption, that the former are well 
 allured that their doctrines will bear 
 the teft of the Scriptures ; and the lat- 
 ter are confcious to themfelves, that 
 their tenets will not abide fo fevere a 
 trial. 
 
 Thus far the argument in general 
 has been fufficiently handled ; but 
 there is another particular relating to 
 this fubject, that feems not to have 
 been much considered, and that is, 
 "The giving rules for the more profitable 
 reading of the Scriptures, and in/truck- 
 ing perfons, of ordinary underftandings* 
 what parts of Scripture are fittejl for 
 them to read, and bejl fuited to their ca- 
 pacities. This I take to be a con fide- 
 ration of great ufe and importance ; 
 the handling of which diftinctly, 
 would of itfelf contain a full anfvver 
 to all thofe popular objections which 
 
 the
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 29 
 the Pcpijh writers have made againrl 
 the promifcuous reading of the Bible : 
 As if we gave authority thereby to the 
 nieaneft and mofc ignorant people, to 
 judge of the fenfe of the abflrufeft 
 and moft difficult parts of God's word; 
 and that this private interpretation of 
 Scripture was the laft refort in all dif- 
 putes, from which there lay no ap- 
 peal either to the ancient fathers and 
 councils, or to the authority of the 
 prefent guides and governors of the 
 Church. From whence they infer, 
 that whatever Heretics or Schifms a- 
 rife among us, from mens ra{h and un- 
 warrantable interpretations of Scrip- 
 ture, we ought to bear all the blame, 
 and may thank ourfelves if weak or 
 ill-defigning men turn thofe weapons 
 againft us, which we at firft put into 
 their hands. 
 
 But there would be no ground for 
 theie clamours, if the people were 
 made fenfible, that all parts of Scrip- 
 ture are not equally fitted for the ca- 
 pacities of all men ; that as fome con- 
 tain milk for babes m Gbrift, fo others 
 B 3 * afford
 
 30 DiRECTioNSj^r reading 
 afford Jlrong meat, which is proper only 
 for thofe of a full and mature age ; 
 that is, fuch as are arrived at a com- 
 petent degree of knowledge in the 
 myfteries of the Golpel -, and that to 
 underftand the Scriptures throughly, 
 fo as to be able by found doclrine to 
 eftablim the truth, and to convince 
 gainfayersy is a work that requires as 
 good parts, and as great induflry, as 
 any ftudy whatfoever. And there- 
 fore as the Clergy ought particularly 
 to dedicate themfelves to this em- 
 ployment, and bend all their ftudies 
 chiefly this way, that their lips may 
 freferve the knowledge of thofe facred 
 oracles ; fo it is the duty of the peo- 
 ple to feek the law at their mouths : 
 Not indeed to have fuch an implicit 
 faith in what they fay, that if they 
 call evil good, and good evil, they 
 fhould be bound to believe them ; but 
 that perfons of ordinary capacities, 
 and fuch have not made the ftudy of 
 the Scriptures their Bu/inefs, mould 
 have the fame deference for the judg- 
 ment of their teachers in difficulties 
 
 rcla-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 31 
 relating to points of religion, as thofe 
 that never ftudied Law or Phyfic, have 
 for the Judgment of Lawyers or Phy- 
 ficians in matters relating to their feve- 
 ral profeffions. * Our Church is very 
 ' unjuftly reproached by the Papifts, 
 ' to ufe the words of a learned writer % 
 ' as if it left every one at liberty to in- 
 ' terpret Scripture as they pleafed ; 
 ' for we embrace the ancient Creeds as 
 
 * the fummary comprehenfion of the 
 
 * articles of our faith ; and we think 
 
 * no man ought to follow his fancy, 
 ' in rejecting any dodtrines which 
 ' have been univerfally received in the 
 
 * Chriftian Church from the times of 
 ' the Apoftles : And in difficult cafes 
 r we require ail men to call in the 
 
 * affiftance of their fpiritual guides 
 
 * and governors, whom God has ap- 
 ' pointed for the better inftru&ing 
 ' and governing private perfons.' 
 
 This I take to be the true (tare of 
 the cafe, concerning the peoples right 
 to read and expound the Scriptures : 
 
 3 jfnjwer to the royal fapers. 
 
 B 4. And
 
 32 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 And it has this fair prefumption on iti 
 fide, that it is equally placed between 
 two extremes, namely, that of locking 
 up the Scriptures, and taking the key cf 
 knoivkdge out of the peoples hands ) 
 nnd the other of making every igno- 
 rant mechanic a judge of the fenfe and 
 meaning of the moft abftrufe parts of 
 God's word. Both which opinions 
 feem to render the paftoral office ufelefs 
 andiniignificant: For there is no ufe of 
 teachers where no body is obliged to 
 learn (and there is little encourage- 
 ment for knowledge in that church, 
 which makes an implicit faith in her 
 belief fufiicient to falvation) : ' And 
 where ever^ body fets up for that em- 
 ployment, what need is there of a par- 
 ticular order of men fet apart for that 
 purpofe ? 
 
 But left any of the learned LrJty 
 fhcu-M fufpect that I intend to confine 
 the knowledge of the Scriptures to the 
 Clergy, I mall not fcruple to declare, 
 that I heartily join in that generous 
 wim of Mifcs *l would God that all the 
 Lord's people ivere Prophets : And 
 Numb. li. 20, where
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 33 
 
 any of them by the advantage 
 of a learned education, and propor- 
 tionable induftry, hath arrived to a 
 good degree of critical fkill in the 
 Scriptures, I (hall have as great re- 
 gard to his judgment in thofe mat- 
 ters, as to any church-man's whatfo- 
 ever, neither of them being to be re- 
 lied upon any further than they can 
 mew that they have reafon, the ana- 
 logy of faith, and the phrafeology of 
 Scripture on their fide. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 That the federal parts of Scripture 
 were accommodated to mens ufe, ivith 
 a- regard to their federal capacities ; 
 ichicb appears by the different fub- 
 jefts therein treated of, and the diffe- 
 rent Jliles wherein the fever ~al parts 
 of Scripture were written-. 
 
 THOSE that pleafe themfelves 
 in raifing cavils againft the Ho- 
 ly Scriptures, do it chiefly upon this 
 B 5 ground";
 
 34 DIRECTIONS'^ reading 
 ground ; That every one would have 
 them writ juft in that flile and me- 
 thod, which is moft fuitable to his 
 own genius. Men that are ufed to 
 range their thoughts in exadl method 
 and order, expect the Bible fhould be 
 writ like a regular fyftem of philofo- 
 phy, and are offended with the fundry 
 repetitions they meet with there, and 
 the want of exact order and coherence. 
 They that do not care to be at any 
 pains cr trouble in fearching the Scrip- 
 tures, would have all divine truths laid 
 down there in fuch plain terms, that 
 he that runs may read the?n. The men 
 of politenefs and elegancy decry ther 
 holy books for want of a fine thread 
 of fubtle reafoning, recommended 
 with the ornaments of wit and e- 
 loquence : So the Greeks fought af- 
 ter wifdom in the preaching and wri- 
 tings of the Apoftles. 
 
 Thus every fceptic expects that 
 Gods Spirit fhould comply with his 
 fancy and humour : But the divine 
 wifdom, inftead of gratifying each 
 particular perfon in his unreafonablc 
 
 de-
 
 t&e HOLY SCRIPTURES. 35 
 demands, has rather confultedthe ge- 
 neral profit and advantage of all to- 
 gether, and in the feveral parts of 
 holy Writ has become all things to all 
 men. The holy Spirit has conde- 
 fcended to the weaker and more igno- 
 rant part of mankind, in that plain 
 and unaffe&ed ftile wherewith all 
 necefTary truths are delivered, and 
 often inculcated in feveral parts of 
 Scripture, particularly in the Gofpels, 
 the greateft part of the Epiftles, and 
 the practical books of the old Tefta- 
 ment. The parables of our Saviour, 
 the /y^/Vtf/reprefentations of the Jew- 
 ifo (economy, and the myjlical fenfe 
 of the prophetical writings, will find 
 employment fufficient, both to hum- 
 ble the thoughts and exercife the ta- 
 lents of the moft fubtle and inquifitive 
 men. Lajily, That lofty and ma- 
 jeftic eloquence, which is fo confpi- 
 cuous in feveral parts of holy Writ, 
 particularly in the writings of the 
 Prophets, is able to recommend itfelf 
 to the greateft matters of eloquence, 
 and withal very proper to infpire the 
 B 6 minds
 
 36 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 minds of attentive readers with noble 
 ideas of the divine wifdom and provi- 
 dence, fuitable to the greatnefs of 
 thofe fublime truths which are there 
 difcovered to us. 
 
 If the whole body of the Scrip- 
 tures had been written with that ac- 
 curacy of phrafe and method, which 
 chiefly recommends human writings 
 to the perufal of the curious, it would 
 not have anfwered one great intent 
 and defign of it, which was to give 
 ivifdom to the ftmple and unlearned: 
 If" there had been nothing of ab- 
 ftrufenefsin the things there treated of, 
 or in the manner of expreifing them* 
 it would hardly have detained the 
 thoughts of the curious, or rewarded 
 the industry of the diligent. But God 
 has fo wifely tempered thofe different 
 qualities together, that he who has 
 much u-nderftandmg will find em- 
 ployment for his beft thoughts in 
 Searching out the deep things of God's 
 word -, and he that has but little, 
 may learn enough from thence to make 
 fcim wife unto falvation. 
 
 The
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 37 
 The fevcral parts of Scripture being 
 thus adapted to mens feveral capaci- 
 ties, it plainly follows from hence, that 
 he who would read the Scriptures with 
 profit, muft begin with the plaineft 
 books firft, and make them the chief 
 fubjectof his reading and meditation, 
 and not meddle with the obfcure and 
 difficult parts of holy Writ, 'till he 
 is very well vers'd in the former. 
 This is the natural method and or- 
 der to be ufed in all forts of learning, 
 to begin with the plaineft things 
 firft ; and therefore they that are un- 
 Jkilful in the ivord of right eoufnefs, and 
 tiave need of milk, and not of ftrong 
 meaty fhould not be too forward to 
 bufy their heads with the more ab- 
 ftrufe parts of God's word, but mould 
 content themfelves with ftudying the 
 plaineft books firft, 'till they become 
 perfect mafters of thofe writings, 
 which as they are eafieft to be un- 
 derftood, fo they afford the greateft 
 matter of edification to all attentive 
 readers. Such are, as I obferved be- 
 fore, the greateft part of the new Tef- 
 tament, and Pfalms, and practical 
 
 books
 
 38 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 books of the old. And yet we find 
 it a common fault, and that which 
 the weakeft and mofl injudicious peo- 
 ple are ufually moft guilty of, namely, 
 that they neglect the reading thofa 
 books of Holy Scripture which 
 deliver, with great plainnefs and 
 perfpicuity, all things neceffary for a 
 Chriftian to know and praclife, and 
 perplex themfelves with the more 
 abftrufe parts of the Bible, of fuch 
 as are the prophecies of Daniel, 
 Ezekiel,- and the Revelation, which 
 can afford but fmall edification to un- 
 learnepl and ignorant readers, but by 
 being mifunderftood, or mifapplied, 
 may lead them into great and danger- 
 ous miftakes. Accordingly experience 
 has given us many examples of un- 
 learned and unfettled heads, who by 
 this means have loft not only the true 
 fenfe of religion, but even their com- 
 mon fenfe and judgment as to other 
 matters, have fancied themfelves de- 
 figned by God to be his inilruments in 
 fulfilling of prophecies, and thought 
 themfelves difpenfed with from ob- 
 
 ferving
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 39 
 ferving the ordinary duties of fearing 
 God and keeping his commandments, 
 becaufe they were made choice of to 
 ferve him in the extraordinary way 
 of overturning kingdoms and unfet- 
 tling governments. 
 
 I doubt not but wife and fober men 
 may make a very good ufe of the 
 more abftrufe parts of God's word, 
 as I fhall farther mew in the fequel of 
 this difcourfe. God gives fome men 
 a peculiar infight into deep and my- 
 flerious truths, and furnimes them 
 with particular talents for that pur- 
 pofe : He opens the eyes of their under- 
 ftanding, that they may fee the won- 
 drous things of his word, as a reward 
 of their laborious fearch and pious 
 thirfl after divine knowledge : As he 
 did not think fit to a hide from 
 Abraham the thing he "was about to 
 do. So that to fay, as fome have 
 done, that the reading of the Revela- 
 tion either finds men mad, or makes 
 them fo, is, in the firft place, a very 
 rafh and bold cenfure of a book, 
 
 which 
 
 * Gen. xviii. \j.
 
 4-0 Di R E c T I ON sfor reading 
 which all Chriftians acknowledge to 
 have been writ by divine infpiration ; 
 and then a very odd comment upon 
 the very frontifpieceand introduction 
 to it, which fays, b Bleffed is ke 
 that readeth, and they that- hear the 
 'words of this Prophecy. But what I 
 infift upon at prefent, is this, that 
 when perfons of weak and unfettled 
 minds pafs over the plain books of 
 Scripture, and will be too prying into 
 the obfcure parts of it, it looks like 
 the prefumption of Uzzab, and the 
 men of Betbfhemejh, c who approach- 
 ed the ark with too much curiofity ; 
 and it is commonly attended with as 
 bad a confequence; it makes a breach 
 both into their underftandings and 
 their morals. St. Paul indeed fays, * 
 that all Scripture is profitable j but he 
 does not fay it is fo to all men, but 
 particularly to the man of God, to 
 the teachers of the Church, as the 
 context plainly reftrains the words. 
 The primitive Church cannot be ac- 
 
 cufed 
 
 b Rev. 1.3. c i Sam. vi. 19. 2 Sam. vi. 7. 
 * 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 41 
 cufed of encouraging ignorance in the 
 people, and yet Origen c informs us, 
 -that there was a diftinclionmade then 
 between thofe books of Scripture 
 which lay open to every body's ufe, 
 and fuch as were read only by per- 
 fons of better underftandings : A dif- 
 tinclion, which if it had been obfer- 
 ved in thefe latter ages, would have 
 not a little contributed to the peace 
 of the Church. 
 
 I am fenfible fome may think it 
 too rigorous an injunction, abfolutely 
 to forbid ordinary perfons the reading 
 the more abflrufe parts of the Eible % 
 and it is likely that feveral will not 
 ftick to call it a Pcpijk doftfine, 
 and defigned for the introducing im- 
 plicit faith, and blind obedience. 
 Therefore to prevent fuch a mifcon- 
 flruclion, I fhall, in the purfuit of 
 this argument, not only give directi- 
 ons for the profitable reading of the 
 
 L. 7. f. Cclf. /. 356. OJx Iv cttxxsxufvxicrt 
 xot ar&.ycfc'C'xo/xt'KJK VITo l^yuv [MVW XU.} ^^of*aGft'. - 'j a.XX' 
 OT T* ttiA* ra B, &C. 
 
 Rom. i. 20. 
 
 plainer
 
 42 DIRECTIONS^/- reading 
 plainer parts of the Holy Scripture?, 
 but likewife confider what ufe per- 
 fons of common capacities may, and 
 ought to make of the obfcurer books 
 of the Bible. The handling which 
 fubjedl will have this benefit in it, 
 that it may prevent mens making an 
 ill ufe of thofe facred writings, and 
 thereby railing an evil report againfl 
 them. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 *T<wo prejudices which hinder many front 
 the careful reading and Jludy of the 
 Scriptures* Thefrft of them, rela- 
 tmg to the jlih and method ofthofi 
 holy writing*) conjidered. 
 
 NO T only the enemies of our 
 holy religion have raifed feve- 
 ral objections againfl the flile of the 
 Scriptures, but fome well-difpofed 
 perfons have neglected to read them, 
 becaufe they thought they could be 
 better edified and inftru&ed by the 
 
 prac-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 43 
 practical writings of private divines, 
 where they find their duty laid down 
 in an eafier method, and with greater 
 plainnefs and perfpicuity of expreffion. 
 Before I give a particular anfwer to 
 this difficulty, I mall premife^ gene- 
 ral, that fuppofing the utmoft of this 
 objection were true, yet we ought to 
 come to God with the fame fimplicity 
 of mind and refignation of judgment, 
 that every learner brings with him, 
 when he comes to his matter j and it 
 is fit we mould pay that deference to 
 his wifdom, as intirely to fubmit to 
 what method of inftruction he thinks 
 moil proper for us. And we may 
 reafonably believe, that God Will par- 
 ticularly blefs the endeavours of thofe 
 that thus come to him in his own 
 way, and acquiefce in thofe means 
 of inftrudtion which he himfelf has 
 ordained : Befides, there is a majefty 
 and authority in the word of God, 
 which is not to be found in human 
 writings ; and when we hear God 
 fpeak unto us, fometimes by his 
 Prophets, fometimes by his Apoftles, 
 
 fome-
 
 44 DIRECTIONS^;* reading 
 fometimes by his Son, and fometimes 
 by himfelf, this muft needs affeft us 
 with extraordinary reverence 3 and we 
 cannot chufe but give the fame earned 
 k^ed to the things thus fpoken to us, 
 as we would to a voice that came from 
 heaven. 
 
 Having premifed thus much in ge- 
 neral, I proceed to give a more parti- 
 cular anfwer to the objection, and 
 fhall endeavour to vindicate the IKJe 
 and method of writing ufed by the 
 facred penmen, by mewing, that it 
 affords feveral arguments to prove the 
 truth and certainty of the things con- 
 tained in the Scriptures ; as will ap- 
 pear from thcfc four confiderations, 
 
 1. As to the hiftorical booh of 
 Scripture, the principal matters are 
 there recorded with fuch circumftances, 
 that they mutually confirm andfupport 
 each other. 
 
 2. If we take a general view cf the 
 whole body of Scripture, we find one and 
 the fame dejign carried on by federal wri- 
 ters, who could not be fuppofed to com- 
 bine
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 45 
 bine together ', fince the greateft part of 
 them lived at a confiderable dijlance of 
 time from each other. 
 
 3 . We find the myjlery of our re- 
 demption, the principal fubjeft of the 
 Holy Scriptures, opened there by de~ 
 grees, according to the capacities and 
 exigences of federal ages. 
 
 4 . 'That plain and inartificial manner 
 of writing which the holy penmen ufe^ 
 affords weighty arguments to prove their 
 truth andjincerity. 
 
 i. As to the hiflorical books of 
 Scripture, the principal matters are 
 there recorded with fuch circumftan- 
 ces, that they do mutually confirm 
 and fupport each other. To make 
 this out by inftancing in a few parti- 
 culars. The hiftory of Abraham and 
 his pollerity, the preferring Ifaac be- 
 fore Jfimaef, and Jacob before Efau, 
 their fojourning in Egypt, and deli- 
 verance from thence, their fettling in 
 the land of Canaan, and the account 
 which we have of their feveral idola- 
 tries
 
 46 DIRECTIONS^;- reading 
 
 tries and captivities afterwards. Thefe 
 paiTages of the facred ftory contain in 
 them a fignal accomplishment of the 
 promifes made to Abraham, of the 
 prophecies uttered by ^acob upon his 
 death-bed, and the predictions of 
 Mofes before he left the world. We 
 are further to confider, that thefe hif- 
 torical accounts aremixt and interwo- 
 ven with feveral particulars relating 
 to the affairs of the neighbouring na- 
 tions, namely, the IJhmae/ifcs, Egypti- 
 ans t Etdomites, &c. which we cannot 
 fufpect that the facred writers would 
 forge ; for that would have been to 
 expofe themfelves to the fcorn and re- 
 proach of their profeffed enemies. 
 
 The fame writings do likewife in- 
 form us, that the fettlement of the 
 yews in the land of Canaan, their 
 form of government, their cuftoms 
 and manner of life, were nothing 
 elfe but the putting the laws of 
 Mofes in execution ; many of which 
 being burdenfome and chargeable, 
 we cannot fuppofe' a whole nation 
 would have voluntarily fubmitted to 
 
 them,
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 47 
 them, without pregnant proofs of their 
 divine authority. 
 
 In like manner, if we view the 
 hiftory of the Gofpels, we may ob- 
 ferve that it contains feveral predidH- 
 ons, concerning the deftruction of 
 Jerufaletn, the rejecting of the Jews, 
 the calling of the Gentiles, the fpeedy 
 propagation of the chriftian religion ; 
 all which, and feveral other prophe- 
 cies there recorded, are interwoven 
 with the thread of the Gofpelhiflory, 
 and delivered with fuch circumftances 
 as plainly mew thofe hiftories to be 
 writ feveral years before the events fo 
 foretold did come to pafs. 
 
 Thefe confiderations afford a full 
 anfwer to thofe thatfind fault with the 
 Scripture as confufed and immethodi- 
 cal : To whom it is a fufficient reply 
 to fay, that the hiftorical, propheti- 
 cal, and doctrinal parts of the Bible 
 are fo mixt and interwoven together, 
 becaufe they mutually add ftrength 
 to each other : The hiflories mew the 
 completion of the prophecies; the pro- 
 phecies confirm the truth of the hiflo- 
 ries;
 
 48 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 ries ; and both of them prove the di- 
 vine authority of the doctrine. 
 
 2. The harmony and agreement be- 
 tween the federal writers of the old 
 and new Teftament, tho the greatefl 
 part of them lived at a confiderable 
 diftance from each other, is a convin- 
 cing proof of their truth and fine erity . 
 
 Some that take upon them to pre- 
 fcribe to God Almighty, how he 
 fhould reveal his will to the world, 
 would have all the prophecies con- 
 cerning our Saviour's birth, life, fuf- 
 ferings, and exaltation, comprized un- 
 der one collection ; and have all faving 
 truth reduced into one fyflem. But 
 thofe correctors of the Bible do not 
 confider, that by this means we mould 
 lofe one very conliderable argument, 
 for the truth and divine authority of 
 the Scriptures, which is taken from 
 the harmony and agreement of the 
 infpired writers, tho' they lived in dif- 
 tant ages, and writ upon different oc- 
 cafions. The writings of the old and 
 
 new
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 49 
 Teftamenty. like two faithful wit- 
 neffes, verify and confirm each other's 
 teftimony : What the old Teftament 
 promifes, the misperforms : What the 
 one foretells, the other reprefents the 
 accomplifhment of. Several books of 
 the Scripture Canon were writ at a 
 great diftance of time from each other, 
 andconfequentlyby perfonsthat could 
 hold no correfpondence together, fome 
 of them living near t wo thoufand years 
 afunder. This proves that is was im- 
 poffible they could confpire to put a 
 cheat upon the world; and from thence 
 it follows, that the religion contained 
 in the 0/^/ and newTeftament, could not 
 be a piece of human contrivance, 
 fince the feveral authors of thofe 
 books could never combine together 
 in carrying on fuch a defign. 
 
 The Apoftles were fo well fatisfied. 
 
 that what they taught was agreeable 
 
 to the doctrine of the old Ye/lament, 
 
 that they flill appeal to thofe writings 
 
 upon all occaiions ; and tho' they tef- 
 
 tified nothing but 'what they had 
 
 feen and heard, yet they thought it 
 
 C added
 
 50 DiREctioNS^/cr reading 
 added great weight to their tefti- 
 rnony, that they d faid no other things 
 than what Mofes and the Prophets did 
 fayfiould come. The miraculous gifts 
 they were endowed with, were an. 
 undeniable proof of their divine corn- 
 mirTion : But yet St. Peter calls the 
 predictions contained in the oldTefta- 
 went, e A more fur e word of prophecy ; 
 as if it were in fome refpefts a more 
 convincing proof of the truth of 
 Ch riftianity , than miracles themfel ves . 
 Both the miracles, and the perfons 
 who wrought them, were necefTarily 
 confined to one particular time and 
 place -) whereas the fundry prophe- 
 cies concerning the Mejfias and his 
 kingdom, which are fcattered up and 
 down throughout the old 'Tejlament, 
 are the united fufFrage of feveral ages 
 of the world, and contain the concur- 
 ring teilimony of men, who could 
 never join in carrying on one common 
 intereft or defign, and agreed in no- 
 thing but in uttering thofe divine 
 truths, which they all received from 
 
 * Afts xxvi. 22. e 2 Pet. i. 19. 
 
 one
 
 the HOLY SCIPTURES. 51 
 one and the fame fpirit. This confi- 
 deration leads me to the 
 
 3. Particular, wherein the wif- 
 dom of God appears in the manner 
 of his inditing the Holy Scriptures, 
 namely, /;/ the different ft eps and de- 
 grees whereby the myftery of our re- 
 demption is unfolded by the/acred wri- 
 ters. 
 
 This indeed is but a continuance 
 of the former argument, and a fuller 
 difcovery of the harmony and agree- 
 ment of the feveral writers of the 
 old Teftament : In that they all pur- 
 fue one and the fame great deiign, 
 which is to foretel and defcribe the 
 coming of the Meffias, the foundation, 
 of all divine revelation, and preferve 
 in mens minds an earneft expectation 
 of his appearance. 
 
 And here I mall briefly confider 
 
 the different fleps whereby this great 
 
 truth was difcovered to the Patriarchs 
 
 before the. law, to Mofes in the ordi- 
 
 C 2 nances.
 
 52 DiRECTiONsy^r reading 
 
 nances of the law, and to the Pro- 
 phets afterwards. 
 
 Immediately upon the fall of our 
 firfl parents, God, who in the midjl 
 of judgment remembers mercy, com- 
 forted them under their defponding 
 appreheniions, by giving them the 
 promife cf the feed of the woman, which 
 
 fiould break tbeferpenfs bead, by whom 
 they had been betrayed into fin and 
 mifery. 
 
 To Abraham God afterwards more 
 fully revealed, that the promifed feed, 
 or MeJJias, fhould arife out of his fa- 
 mily, c In thy feed foall all the nations 
 of the earth be bleffed. To Jacob it was 
 ihe wed,, that he mould fpring from 
 the tribe of Jiidab, and come into the 
 world before the Scepter JJjould depart 
 
 from that tribe. 
 
 Under Mofes, the deliverance of the 
 Ifraelites from the Egyptian bondage, 
 and all the rites and facrifices or- 
 dained by his miniftry, had a particu- 
 lar relation to that deliverance which 
 
 * Gen. xxii. 18. 
 
 the
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 53 
 
 the Meffias fhould obtain for us from 
 fin and death, and were Ib many 
 figures of him that was to come. 
 
 The Prophets that fucceeded, plac'd 
 this truth ftill in a clearer light, by 
 the many illuftrious predictions which 
 they gave concerning Chrift's birth, 
 family, fufferings, refurrec~lion, af- 
 cenfion, and kingdom. And by their 
 pointing out the ieveral circumftances 
 relating to the times of the Mejjias, 
 and withal exhorting men not to reft 
 in the bare letter of the law, but to 
 fulfil the righteoufnefs chiefly inten- 
 ded by it, they prepared mens minds 
 to expect a new and better flate of 
 things, a new covenant, eftablified up- 
 on better promlfes. 
 
 And when the Prophets had thus 
 prepared the way for the reception of 
 the Mejfias, the gift of prophecy in a 
 great meafure ccafed f , neither was 
 there any public fuccefTion of Pro- 
 phets for the fpace of four hundred 
 
 f See i Mace. iv. 46. ix. 27. x!v. 41. Ecclus. 
 xxxvi. 15. 
 
 C 3 years
 
 54 DIRECTIONS^;- reading 
 years together, before the coming of 
 Chrift, on purpofe to raife in mens 
 minds a more earned expectation of 
 thofe happy days, wherein God had 
 promifed to pour out hufpirlt upon all 
 jlejb, and to afford the world greater 
 rneafures of grace and knowledge, 
 than ever it enjoyed before. 
 
 Having thus taken a brief view of 
 the different fteps by which God 
 vouchfafed to make known this fun- 
 damental truth by the holy writers, 
 we may leave it to any confidering 
 man to determine, which of the two 
 ways is moft ferviceable to the main 
 end and defign of prophecy, which 
 was to prepare the way of the 
 J&effias ; either for God fummarily to 
 have fere-fhewn all the particulars re- 
 lating to the times oftheMe/ias in one 
 fingle prophecy, which is fome mens 
 unreafonable demand, or elfe to have 
 ufed that method he has already 
 pitched upon, whereby the coming 
 of Chrift is not only in exprefs words 
 foretold by all the Prophets, but like- 
 wife myftically implied in all the 
 
 rites
 
 tke HOLY SCRIPTURES. 55 
 rites and ceremonies of the Jewifh 
 worfhip, and typically reprefented in 
 the lives and actions of the moft fa- 
 mous men of foregoing times. It is 
 evident that this latter way introduces 
 Chrift into the world with a great 
 deal more of previous folemnity, 
 whilfl it makes all the eminent men 
 of former ages fo many harbingers of 
 his coming, and raifes in mens minds 
 a juft veneration for the gofpel flate, 
 as the mafter-piece of the divine pro- 
 vidence, that point wherein all the 
 lines of God's manifold ivifdom do meet 
 as in their center \ all which is a plain 
 demonftration, that Chrift was or- 
 dained by God before the beginning of 
 the world, e though in his wife'difpo- 
 fal he did not appear until the latter 
 ages of it. 
 
 4. 'That plain and inartificial Jly I e 
 'which the holy writers make ufe of, 
 affords iveighty arguments to prove 
 their truth and fmcerity. 
 
 * Tit. i. 2. i Pet. i. 20. 
 
 C A In
 
 56 DIRECTIONS'^ reading 
 
 In the firft place it would be ab~ 
 furd to expeft, that part of Holy 
 Scripture, which confifts in giving 
 laws to mankind, mould be fine and 
 perfuafive : " Whereas the language 
 of law fhould be fhort and plain, 
 and full of authority, as an emi- 
 nent divine has obferved f : Thus 
 we find it is among men, and 
 furely it is much fitter for God to 
 fpeak thus to men, than for men 
 * to one another." 8 
 
 Likewifein hiftories and narratives, 
 the plainnefs and fimplicity of the 
 ftyle is a great proof of the truth and 
 fincerity of the writer. Now the 
 plainnefs of the Scripture hiftory is 
 truly admirable; for it is joined with 
 fuch a native grandeur and authori- 
 ty as commands an aflent, and works 
 more powerfully upon the minds of 
 men, trran all the art in the world. 
 Without queftion Mofes was able to 
 
 f 4rcb-Bp. Tillotf zd Serm. on Mat. xi. 2. 
 
 Suit cert a Legum verbs, ff quo plus author! t a- 
 tit babeaxt, faulo antiquiora. Cic. 1. 2. de Legi- 
 bus. 
 
 defcribe
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 57 
 defcribe the paffions to the life, and 
 underftood the beauties of hiilory, as 
 well as the politeft writers among the 
 Greeks or Romans. To be convinced 
 of this, we need only read his de- 
 fcription of Abrahams going to fa~ 
 crirlce his fon ; and the leveral paffi- 
 ons Jofepb and his brethren were af- 
 fected with, at their interview in 
 Egypt. Yet we may obferve, that that 
 part of his hiftory, which himfelf 
 was an eye-witnefs of, is written 
 after the plaineft and moil inartificial 
 manner that can be imagined, in the 
 nature of a journal, as if he had only 
 fet down an account of every day's 
 tranfaclions juft after they happen- 
 ed. Some perhaps may cenfure this 
 as a carelefs and immethodical way of 
 writing ; but it has this great ad- 
 vantage in it, that the very form and 
 ilyle of the work (hews that it has 
 been tranfmitted down to us juft as 
 " Mofes wrote it.. 
 
 To give his readers an undeniable 
 
 proof of his impartiality, this holy 
 
 writer neither conceals his own infir- 
 
 C 5 mities,
 
 58 DiRECTioNsyir reading 
 mitics, nor any of thofe particulars 
 which might reflect upon the ho- 
 nour of his nation, tribe, or family. 
 He records the curfe which Jacob 
 pronounced at his death upon his 
 own tribe of Levi : He vilifies his 
 own birth, by acquainting us that he 
 was born of fuch a marriage as his 
 own law condemns for inceftuous : 
 He reprefents his nation as a ftub- 
 born, untraclable people, neither to be 
 wrought upon by God's mercies, nor 
 his judgments. 
 
 The like air of fincerity runs thro' 
 the whole gofpel hiftory, where the 
 Evangelifts publifh, without any re- 
 ferve, their own and their brethrens 
 infirmities, their flownefs of under- 
 ftanding, their incredulity, their little 
 contentions among themfelves ; they 
 conceal not that one of Chrift's de- 
 fciples betrayed his matter, another 
 denied him, and all fled from him. 
 
 If there be any fuch thing as inter* 
 nal marks of the truth of any hiftory, 
 or fuch arguments as are taken from 
 the very texture and compofure of 
 
 the
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 59 
 
 the work itfelf, as all critics acknow- 
 ledge that there are, we muft confefs 
 that the Scripture hiftory has more of 
 felf-evident truth, than any hiftory 
 in the world. 
 
 We may further take notice upon 
 this head, that the practical books of 
 Scripture are written in a plain and 
 fimple ftyle, yet without being flat 
 and infipid : They deliver the weigh- 
 tieft truths in a grave and ferions 
 manner, without an affected finenefs, 
 or ftudied periods : They convey in- 
 to our minds worthy ideas of God, 
 and juft notions of our duty, with 
 out defcending to ufelefs fubtilties, 
 or foaring too much above the appre- 
 henfions of the vulgar, which made 
 the writings of the Philofophers of 
 no ufe to far the greater part of man- 
 kind. The words of the Lord are 
 pure words, as the Pfalmift fpeaks, 
 that is, they have none of that drofs 
 or alloy of error or paffion, which 
 infenfibly flides into all human com- 
 pofures : They deliver divine truths 
 pure and unmixt, though in a popular 
 C 6 and
 
 60 DIRECTIONS/^ reading 
 and inartificial manner of expreffion, 
 and in fuch a way as is worthy of 
 the majefty of God, and yet con- 
 deicends to the weaknefs of the ge- 
 nerality of men. 
 
 Some indeed have objeded againft 
 this plainnefs of the facred writers-, 
 as if it had betrayed them into an 
 unbecoming extreme, and made them 
 fet down fuch particulars as were not 
 worthy to be taken notice of by a 
 grave and wife hiftorian. But fuch 
 perfons would do well to- connder, 
 that when they pafs this cenfure up- 
 on particular paflages in holy Writ, 
 they do it by a very imperfect light : 
 for they are not acquainted with all 
 thecircumftances a?nd confequencesof 
 thofe particulars, which are but night- 
 ly men.tioned-in Scripture : A.-nd they 
 like wife judge of the fmall impor- 
 tance of thefe matters by fuch no- 
 tions and opinions as prevail in 
 their own times,, without comparing 
 them with the fentiments of the 
 age wherein thofe things were tranf- 
 
 aded,
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 61 
 acted, or inquiring whether thefacred 
 writers might not have fome further 
 profpect in recording fuch matters, 
 than they are aware of. And this, 
 learned men have made* out, as tofe- 
 veral paflages which feem light and 
 inconfiderable, and have fully vindi- 
 cated the credit and authority of 
 the facred writers againft the cavils 
 of this objection *. It was likewife 
 an opinion received among the anci- 
 ent writers, (See Juftin Martyr, Dial, 
 c. Tryph. p. 364, 3.71.) that majiy of 
 the actions of the patriarchs were /y- 
 fica/, or representations of the future 
 ftate of the Church -, which notion is 
 very much confirmed by that paflage 
 in St. Pauh GaL iv. 30. where he 
 fuppofes Abrahams cafting out the 
 bond-woman and her Son out of his 
 houfe, to prefignify the ejecting of 
 the J?ws out of the Church of 
 Chrift. 
 
 a See particularly Dr. Allix'j Reflexions, Vol. I. 
 Bart. I. Chap. 13, 15, 1 6. And Part II. Chap. 20. 
 
 Thefe
 
 62 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 
 Thefe obje&ors would mew much 
 more candor and impartiality, if they 
 would not pafs fo hafty a cenfure 
 upon fuch paflages of holy Writ, as 
 feem to them liable to exception ; 
 but rather fay as the Philofopher did 
 when he gave his opinion concerning 
 the writings of Herac/itus, Whatlun- 
 derftand is excellent ; and, I prefutne, 
 'what I under/land not 9 to befo too. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 'An anfwer to another popular objection 
 againft the reading of the Scriptures 9 
 taken from their obfcurity ; andfome 
 rules laid down to remedy this diffi- 
 culty. 
 
 ANOTHER difficulty which 
 difcourages many from reading 
 the Scriptures, is the obfcurity offeve- 
 ral phrafes and paffages therein con- 
 taine.d, which hinders them from 
 being fo inftru&ive as books origi- 
 nally written in the vulgar language 
 are ; and likewife makes them liable 
 
 to
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 63 
 
 to be perverted and mifunderftoodj the 
 confequences of which are fo dange- 
 rous, that fome think this alone a fuf~ 
 ficient reafon why perfons of ordina- 
 ry capacities mould not be too curious 
 in fearching the Scriptures. 
 
 In anfwer to this objection, I mall 
 confider, in the firft place, how far 
 it may be charged upon the Scripture; 
 or, in what fenfe the Scriptures may 
 be efteemed obfcure. 
 
 2. I fhall affign the immediate cau- 
 fes of that obfcurity. 
 
 3. I {hall offer fome rules, which 
 may help to clear up the difficulties 
 we meet with in the holy writings. 
 
 Firft, I mall confider, how far this 
 objection may be charged upon the 
 
 Scriptures. 
 
 Although we acknowledge there 
 are/caw things in Scripture bard to be 
 ttnderftood, yet flill we affirm, that all 
 things necefiary for us to believe and 
 practife, in order to our felvation, 
 
 are
 
 64 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 are delivered ther^ with the greateil 
 clearnefs and perfphruity. Some of 
 the prophets indeed defcribe their 
 writings as a book ftafeLup-, m and 
 not to be opened or understood by 
 every body. But the generality of 
 the holy writers affect great plainnefs 
 of expreffion, and make ufe of a 
 popular ftyle, on purpofe to conde- 
 fcend to vulgar capacities. St. Paul 
 tells the Corinthians*, That he ufed 
 great plainnefs of fpeecb, that they 
 might all with open face ', without any 
 Veil or covering, behold, as in a glafs, 
 the glories of the Lord. The defign 
 of all writing is to convey our 
 thoughts intelligibly to others ; and-it 
 would be a great reflexion upon God's 
 wifdom, if a book written by, his 
 direction, and for the inftrudtion of 
 mankind, mould fall mort of that 
 end which human compofures do ge- 
 nerally attain to* The difputes that 
 have rifen concerning the fenfe of 
 Scripture, is not always owing to 
 
 Ifai. xxix. 12. Dan. viii. 26. xiL 4, Rev. x. 4* 
 B 2 Cor. iii. 12, i8v 
 
 the
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 65 
 the obfcurity of the Scripture expref- 
 fions ; as may appear in feveral in- 
 ftances : That the death of Chrift is 
 a propitiatory facrifice for our Jins y is 
 as fully aflerted as words can do it : 
 In like manner, there are no plainer 
 texts in the Bible than thofe that for- 
 bid the ivorjbip of images, or the per- 
 forming the public Jervice in an un~ 
 known language : The fame may be 
 affirmed of the command of receiv- 
 ing the cup in the Lord's fupper : 
 And yet we fee the contrary opinions 
 and practices are maintained with as 
 much fUffnefs and obfHnacy, as if 
 the authority of the Scriptures were 
 clear on the other fide. But then 
 it is to be confeffed, that there are fe- 
 veral doubts relating to particular 
 texts, which arife either from the 
 darknefs and ambiguity of the phrafes 
 and expreflions therein made ufe of, 
 or from the obfcurity of the matters 
 which are there handled. Thefe two 
 are the immediate caufes of the ob- 
 fcurity we meet with in the holy 
 
 Scrip-
 
 66 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 Scripture, which I propofed to confi- 
 dcr in the fecond place. 
 
 As to the former of thefe, namely, 
 the obfcurity of Scripture phrafes, 
 we are to confider that we have but a 
 very imperfect knowledge of the lan- 
 guage in which the Old Teftament 
 was written ; and it cannot be ex- 
 pected but that in a book writ fo 
 many years ago, there muft be allu- 
 fions to cuftoms and tranfadions, the 
 memory of which is worn out by 
 length of time ; and feveral exprefli- 
 ous made ufe of which are different 
 from the genius and modes of fpeak- 
 ing ufed in modern languages. For 
 example, we have but few remains 
 of antiquity to inform us what were 
 the idolatrous cuftoms of thofe early 
 ages, and yet it is very probable that 
 they gave occafion to fome precepts 
 of the ceremonial law, one great de- 
 fign of which was to preferve the 
 Jews from falling into the idolatries 
 of their neighbouring nations. In like 
 manner, if we were exactly acquaint- 
 ed with the method which the anci- 
 ent
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 67 
 cnt Jews ufed in computing their 
 time, and the manner of their inter- 
 calations, it would, no doubt, very 
 much contribute to clear feveral diffi- 
 culties in Scripture chronology. 
 
 In the next place, the obfcurity 
 which we find in Scripture, arifes 
 from the things themfelves therein 
 treated of, feveral of which are too 
 much above our narrow capacities 
 fully to comprehend and explain : 
 Such as are, the nature and attri- 
 butes of God, his counfels and pro- 
 vidence, the nature of our own fouls, 
 and the methods God hath made ufe 
 of to recover them out of mifery. 
 It is, I think, acknowledged on all 
 lides, that our capacities are but finite, 
 which very term implies that our 
 underftanding has bounds fet to it 
 which it cannot pafs : And fince it 
 is thus limited, if any thing be above 
 its reach, certainly the infinite per- 
 fections of almighty God, his ways 
 and judgments, have the greateft rea- 
 fon to be efteemed fo. Notwith- 
 flanding this, we are to take notice, 
 
 that
 
 68 DIRECT loxsfor reading 
 that there may be, and certainly are, 
 feveral plain proportions laid down 
 in Scripture concerning thefe matters, 
 tho' the things themfelves, in their 
 utmoft extent, are above our under- 
 {landing : For inftance, thefe propo- 
 fitions, God is a Spirit, or is eternal, 
 are very plain and intelligible propo- 
 fitions, though we cannot precifely de- 
 fine what a Spirit is, nor have any 
 adequate notion of Eternity. In like 
 manner, the Scripture does plainly af- 
 firm, that the divine nature is com* 
 municated from the Father, to the 
 Son and Holy Ghojl y although the man- 
 ner of this communication be above 
 .our comprehenfion. 
 
 The obfcurity. which is generally 
 fpread over the writings of the pro- 
 phets, is partly owing to the fore- 
 mentioned caufes, but is chiefly to be 
 afcribed to providential reafons. If 
 men could fee clearly to the end 
 of prophecies, and the manner how 
 they were to be accomplished, they 
 could not be brought to pafs in a way 
 either fuitable to the holinefs of 
 
 God,
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 69 
 God, or to the free-will of men, 
 who are the great inftruments of 
 providence. The meafures whereby 
 God governs the world, make it re- 
 quifite that men mould not be able 
 to fathom his counfels, or know what 
 work he has in hand : And it is ab- 
 folutely necefTary, that the methods 
 of providence mould be fecret and 
 concealed from us, to make them 
 righteous and holy in themfelves. 
 So that what St. Paul fpeaks to the 
 Jews, concerning the accomplishment 
 of thofe prophecies, which relate to 
 the fufferings of the Meffias, may 
 be fitly applied to the fulfilling 
 o f prophecies in general a , becauje 
 they knew him nof t nor yet the voices 
 of the prophets, they have fulfilled them 
 in condemning him. But having elfe- 
 where b difcourfed at large concern- 
 ing the providential reafons of the 
 obfcurity of the prophetical writings, 
 I (hall not hear repeat what has been 
 there fpoken upon this head, and 
 
 * Als xiii. 27. 
 
 * daflw. to Five Letters, Cb. 4. 
 
 ihall
 
 70 DIRECTIONS j*9r reading 
 {hall only add, that feveral reafons 
 may be affigned, why God fliould 
 fuffer fome things in other parts of 
 the holy Scriptures to be obfcure. 
 We are apt to defpife what is plain 
 and eafy ; upon which account, as 
 the obfcurity of fome paflages in 
 Scripture is very proper to humble 
 us before God, and teach us to adore 
 thofe depths of the divine wifdom, 
 which are contained in his word ; 
 fo it is a means to excite our in- 
 duftry in fearching out divine truth, 
 and make us receive it with joy, 
 when we have difcovered it d . Our 
 value for Scripture knowledge is in- 
 creafed by the labour we took in find- 
 ing it out ; and our pains are abun- 
 dantly recompenfedin the fatisfaction 
 which devout fouls feel in the dif- 
 coveries which God makes tothem of 
 himfelf. They rejoice in Spirit, as 
 our Saviour did upon the like oc- 
 cafion % and heartily thank their 
 
 H fu>tt in fcripturis 5. profunda mjfteria, qu<e ad hoc 
 alfconduntur ne vilefcant, ad hoc qn#runtur, ut exmeant. 
 Auguft. 
 
 c Luke x. 21. 
 
 hea-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 71 
 heavenly Father for revealing that 
 truth which he hides from the worldly* 
 wife, to babes in Chrift, to thofe that 
 hunger and thirft after righteoufnefs, 
 and efteem the knowledge and love 
 of God to be the chiefeft part of 
 human felicity. 
 
 I proceed, in the third place, to 
 offer fome general rules or directions, 
 for clearing up the difficulties we meet 
 with in Scriptures, and enabling us to 
 read them with profit. 
 
 And in the firft place I premife 
 that it is abfolutely necefTary, that per- 
 fons of ordinary education and capa- 
 cities fliould depend upon the judg- 
 ment of thofe teachers and inftruc- 
 tors which God has placed over them, 
 for the fenfe of difficult places of 
 Scripture. 
 
 I readily acknowledge that there 
 are fome things fo plainly delivered 
 in Scripture, that no authority in the 
 world can oblige men to doubt of 
 their fenfe and meaning : Such is the 
 fenfe of the fecond commandment, in 
 direct terms forbidding the ivorjhip of 
 
 ima-
 
 72 DiRECTiCLtfsy^ reading 
 images j and the command of our Sa- 
 viour's exprefsly requiring all his dii- 
 ciples to partake of the cup in the 
 Lord's fupper. In thefe and luch like 
 cafes, a perfon of common fenfe may 
 fafely keep clofe to the letter of the 
 Scripture, though it be in oppofition 
 to the greateft confent of human au- 
 thority. But what I here lay down, 
 I would have underltood with rela- 
 tion to a great many other con trover- 
 fies of religion, where perfons of mean 
 capacities are not able to judge of the 
 force of a good argument, much lefs 
 of the ifTue of a long difpute. And 
 in thefe cafes, I affirm their heft fecu - 
 rity is to rely upon the judgment of 
 thofe teachers, whom providence and 
 their fuperiors have placed over them. 
 I mail not fcruple to affirm, that 
 there never was a greater piece of en- 
 thufiafm broached than this, that 
 men may be fufficiently qualified for 
 expofitors of Scripture, without the 
 help of ftudy or human learning. 
 It is granted, that the Scriptures are 
 plain in necefTary things; but no book 
 
 can
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES* 73 
 can be fo plain, but that it is requi- 
 fite for the perfect underftanding of 
 it, that men mould be acquainted 
 with the idioms and proprieties of 
 the original language, and the 
 cuitoms and notions which were 
 generally received at the time when 
 it was writ. 
 
 This is a difficulty common to 
 Scripture, with all other books of 
 antiquity : And they that in either 
 cafe cannot inform themfelves in 
 thefe matters, which require fome 
 (kill in ancient learning, muft rely 
 upon the judgment of thofe who 
 have made thofe ftudies their bufi- 
 nefs and profeffion. The meaneft 
 artificer thinks his trade and my- 
 rtery not to be learned without 
 ferving an apprenticeship ; and yet 
 many of thofe very perfons fancy 
 the profeffion of Divinity requires 
 neither parts nor induftry. This is 
 a piece of prefumption as old as the 
 times of St. Jerom ", (though very 
 
 n Sola ffripturarum an e/i, quam Jili omnes paf- 
 
 fim irerJicant Hanc garrula anus, bane jelirus 
 
 j'enex^ hanc fopbifa ver&o/us, bane uni-verfr prtffurrw , 
 
 D much
 
 74 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 much increafed by the licentioufnefs 
 of latter times) who complains, 
 " That the fenfe of the Scriptures 
 " was the only piece of knowledge, 
 ** which every one thought him- 
 " felf a competent judge of, with- 
 " out pains or ftudy, without the 
 <c help of a guide or inftructor." 
 St. Peter tells us, that unlearned 
 and unjlable men did ivrejl the Scrip- 
 tures in his time, without any regard 
 to the authority of the Apoftles them- 
 felves, who were infallible interpreters 
 of the holy oracles : But he adds, that 
 it was their own definition, and that 
 juftly; for fince God has appointed 
 paftors in his Church to be guides 
 to the people, if they, through pride 
 or obftinacy, will delpife inftruclion, 
 it is their own fault if they fall into the 
 ditch. 
 
 And this, by the way, may con- 
 vince men of ordinary capacities, 
 that it is much fafer for them to err 
 
 lacerant, decent antfquam JtfcM, Hicron. Epift. ad 
 Paulin. init. '1 om. 3. 
 2 Pet. iii. 16. 
 
 with 

 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 75 
 with the eftablifhed Church, than to 
 err by being of a party againft it : So 
 that the fcruples of our feparatifts are 
 fUll on the wrong Jide> as a great 
 man ', who was far from being their 
 enemy, hath juftly ftated their cafe, 
 all of them againft government and 
 obedience, none of them in favour of 
 two things fo neceflary to the prefer- 
 vation of all fociety. When men err 
 with their governors, they have this 
 favourable plea on their fide, that they 
 were led into error by thofe whom 
 God had placed over them : But 
 when men forfakc the truth and 
 the Church together, both thefe faults 
 will be laid to their charge - 9 Firft, 
 leaving the truth, and embracing er- 
 ror; and then caufelefsly breaking 
 the peace of the Church. It were 
 well, if this matter were ferioufly con- 
 fidered by many now- a- days, who are 
 apt to think their fouls are then in the 
 fafeft condition, when they are at the 
 
 c Arcbbijbop Tillotfon's Sermon upon Ads xxiv. 16. 
 /. 384. Edit. Fd. 
 
 D 2 great-
 
 76 DiRECTiONS^r reading 
 
 greateft diftance from the efiablimed 
 Church. 
 
 Having premifed this neceflary cau- 
 tion concerning the fubmiffion and 
 deference due to the judgment of our 
 fpiritual guides in expounding Scrip- 
 ture ; I proceed to lay down more 
 particular rules and directions for the 
 right underflanding and interpretation 
 of it. 
 
 The firft rule I fhall offer is this, 
 *rhat u-c would begin with reading the 
 flainejl books firft. This advice I have 
 recommended already f , and mail only 
 add, to what has been faid there upon 
 this head, that I take the Go/pels to be 
 one of the moft proper books for any 
 perfon to begin with, that defigns to 
 make a good pfogrefs in Scripture 
 knowledge. For thefe are plain and 
 eafy, and generally intelligible to the 
 meaneft capacity, and yet muft needs 
 afford extraordinary edification to 
 thofe that will give attendance to the 
 reading of them. For here we have 
 him fpeak unto us, who came down 
 
 f Chap. i. 
 
 from
 
 tie HOLY SCRIPTURES. 77 
 from heaven on purpofe that he 
 might inftruct us, and teach us the 
 way of God more perfectly : We 
 have himfpeak unto us, who f pake as 
 never man did. And becaufe example 
 is of greater force than bare precept, 
 we have his doctrine fet forth to the 
 life, in his mod glorious example, and 
 holy converfation. 
 
 Next to the Gofpels, I would re- 
 commend the reading of the book of 
 Pfalms, as being the great treafure of 
 fpiritual devotion, and very proper to 
 raife in our fouls devout affections of 
 faith and hope toward God, of love 
 and thankfulnefs to him, of reverence 
 to his name and word, and fubmiflion 
 to his will and providence. 
 
 I mall conclude this particular with 
 the excellent directions St. Jerom 
 gives to Ltfta, in his epiftle to her 
 concerning the education of her daugh- 
 ter, where ipeaking of this fubject, he 
 advifes bcrj&yflf to teach her daughter 
 the Pfalms, and let her, faith he, 
 be entertained with thefe holy fings : 
 Then let her be inftrufted in the common 
 D 3 duties
 
 7^ DIRECTIONS/^- reading 
 duties of life by the Proverbs of Solo- 
 mon. Let her learn from Ecclefiaftes, 
 to dcfpife worldly things j tranfcribe 
 from Job the practice of patience and 
 virtue: Let her pafs then to the Gof- 
 pels, and nmer let them be out of her 
 frauds ; and then imbibe with all the fa- 
 culties of her mind the A els and Epiftles. 
 When foe has enriched thejlore-houfe of 
 her breaft ivith tbofe treafures, let her 
 learn the books o/'Mofes, Jofhua, and 
 Judges, the books of Kings and Chro- 
 nicles, the volumes of Ezra, and Efther; 
 arul lajlly the Canticles, 
 
 2. The fecond rule I would offer 
 to this purpofe, is, To have a regard 
 to the analogy of faith, in the 
 reading and interpreting the Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 This is the Apoftle's rule, Rom. xii, 
 6. If any man prophejy (which word 
 often ngnifies explaining and inter- 
 preting Scripture in the writings of the 
 new Tejlament) let himprophefy accord- 
 ing to the analogy or proportion of faith; 
 
 This
 
 tkt HOLY SCRIPTURES. 79 
 This rule equally holds with refpect 
 to thofe that inftruct, as well as thofe 
 that learn. It implies having always 
 a regard to the fundamental principles 
 both of faith and practice, and never 
 interpreting any particular text of 
 Scripture in fuch a fenfe as to make 
 it contradict any of thofe fundamental 
 points of doctrine or good manners, 
 which we find often repeated in the 
 Holy Scriptures, and every where the 
 greateft ftrefs laid upon them. 
 
 To this purpofe St. 'John * lays 
 down this rule for trying the fpirits, 
 that is, thofe doctrines which were- 
 taught by men pretending to the 
 fpirit : Every fpirit that confeffeth not 
 that Jefus Chrljl is come in the flefo, 
 is not of God. This was a fundamental 
 principle of Chriftianity, by which o- 
 ther doctrines were to be tried. St. 
 Paul lays down anile to the fame pur- 
 yv fe? If any man teach other wife > and con- 
 fcntnot to wholfomeiuords^andto the doc- 
 trine which is according to godlinefs, that 
 is, if any man teach fuch doctrines as 
 
 e i John iv; i, z. h i Tim. vi. 3. 
 
 D 4 con-
 
 8o DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 contradict the main defign of Chri- 
 .(Hanity, which was to promote true 
 hclinefs, they are not to be hearkened 
 to, nor is the fenfe which they give 
 of any' particular text of Scripture 
 to be received ; becaufe it contradicts 
 the chief defign of Religion in gene- 
 ral and of Chriftianity in particular, 
 which plainly tells us, That Chrift 
 tame into tie world to dejlroy the 
 ivorks of the devil d , and gave him- 
 J "elf for us that he might redeem us 
 from all antiquity, and purify unto 
 himf elf a peculiar people, zealous of good 
 works e . 
 
 For inflance, if any one interpret 
 thofe texts of Scripture which main- 
 tain our juflijication by faith only, 
 or our fahation by free grace, to fuch 
 a fenfe as excludes the neceffity of good 
 works, fuch an interpretation is to be 
 rejected, becaufe it contradicts the 
 main deiignof Chriftianity, which was 
 to make us holy as God is holy f , and cleanfe 
 us from all fill binefs both ofjiefb andfpi- 
 
 * r John iu. 8, e Tit. ii. 14. ' i Pet. i. r^. 
 
 n't *.
 
 f/jf HOLY SCRIPTURES. 81 
 rlt *. This doctrine is fo often and 
 plainly infifled upon by the holy 
 writers, that the number and evi- 
 dence of Scripture authority, as to 
 this point, ought in all reafon to o- 
 ver-balance " any argument drawn 
 from a few obfcure pafTages, that 
 may feem at firft fight to look, ano- 
 ther way. For this rule ought in^ 
 violably to be obferved in judging of 
 the fenfe of Scripture, never fo in- 
 trpret an obfcure text in fuch a 
 fenfe y as to make it contradict a plain 
 one '. For certainly we muft judge 
 of what is obfcure from what is 
 plain ; not on the contrary ; be- 
 caufe the rule whereby we judge 
 ought to be more known than the 
 thing is upon which we are to pafs 
 our Judgment. And yet this is the 
 ufual method of thofe who main- 
 
 * 2 Cor. vii. i; 
 
 k Reguia omni reifemper al initio conftituta ex pluri- 
 bui in paudora pneftribit. TertuJl. adverf. Praxeam 
 c. 20. 
 
 ' Inbarendum eft Us qua in fcriptura funt aperta, 
 ut exiis revelentur obfcura. Auguil. de Merit. Pec- 
 cat. 1. 3. c. 4. 
 
 D 5 tain
 
 82 D i R EC T ION sfw reading 
 tain forne fingular conceit or opini- 
 on : If they can find but one paf- 
 iage of Scripture that feems to coun- 
 tenance it, they prefently lay hold 
 of that,, and will hardly give a fair 
 hearing to any other texts, how 
 plain foever, that might help to 
 expound this fingle pafiage, and fet 
 it in it's tr 
 
 3. The third rule I would re- 
 commend for this purpofe, To com>- 
 pare one -place of Scripture 'with. 
 another. 
 
 This rule St. Paul has likewife 
 recommended to us by his own 
 practice, k We fpeak^ faith he, not 
 in the words, which mans ivifdom 
 teacheth) comparing fpiritual things 
 with fpirituaL Not to exclude 
 any other helps for underftand- 
 ing the holy text from their due 
 ufefulnefs, it is a common, and 
 true obfervatibn, that Scripture doth 
 
 * i 'Cor. ii. \>t* 
 
 bejl
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES, 83 
 befl interpret itjelf. This we may 
 aiiign, as one reafon, why the Bible 
 is not writ with an exact order, or 
 the artificial method of a fyflem of 
 Divinity i but the fame truths are 
 often repeated and inculcated over 
 again. This neglect of art and me- 
 thod may perhaps give offence to 
 fome overnice palates ; but it is really 
 of great ufe, efpecially to common 
 readers. The very repeating of 
 weighty truths makes a deeper im- 
 preflion upon ordinary underfland- 
 ings -, what is obfcurely delivered in 
 one place, is more dearly exprefled 
 in another; and what is figurative- 
 ly fet forth in the old f eft amen f t 
 is more plainly laid down in 
 the new. And in this cafe the 
 comparing the prediction with the 
 event, does not only add aew light 
 to the former,, but moreover the 
 holy writers thereby mutually con- 
 firm each other's teftimony. The 
 comparing one text of Scripture 
 with another, is further ufeful upon 
 feveral accounts. . : 
 
 06 i. This
 
 84 DiRECTiONSj^r reading 
 
 1 . This method doth acquaint tr$ 
 with the peculiar phrafes of Scrip- 
 ture, and forms of fpeeeh which 
 are proper to thofe languages where- 
 in the Scriptures were written, by 
 which means we learn how to re- 
 concile feveral texts th?t feem to 
 contradict each other. So the doc- 
 trine of St. Paul and St. James con- 
 cerning juflification- by faith, may- 
 be eafily reconciled by obferving the 
 different acceptations of the word 
 
 faith in the holy writers. 
 
 2. From hence, in the next place, 
 we learn in what fenfe we are to un- 
 derftand feveral met-apkorlcal expreffi- 
 fcns which we meet with in the fa- 
 cred writings. For inflance ; God is 
 often defcribed there as having hands 
 and eyes, ears, and bowels, and 
 other parts of a human body. Thefe 
 expreffions are apt to make us 
 conceive God to be like ourfelves, 
 as fome of the ancient heretics did; 
 To correct fo abfurd a conceit, we 
 mufl compare thofe places with 
 
 thofe
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 85 
 thofe of other texts, which tell us, 
 that God is a fpirit, and which up- 
 braid the heathen for the abfurdnefs 
 of their idolatry in reprefenting the 
 infinite power and majefty of God 
 by a material and fenfelefs image ; 
 thereby fuppofing God to be like 
 the work of his own hands, and 
 changing bis glory into the tikenefs of 
 a corruptible creature. Thus the 
 comparing thefe feveral texts toge- 
 ther will convince us, that the 
 places which mention the hands, of 
 other parts of God Almighty, in- 
 tend only to fet forth God's know- 
 ledge, power, and mercy by fuch 
 fenlible reprefentations, as might 
 make a deeper impreflion of his great- 
 nefs and rnajefty upon our carnal 
 minds and affe&ions. 
 
 La/My, The comparing one text 
 with another is particularly ufeful 
 for explaining the writings of the. 
 Prophets, efpecially thofe prophecies 
 which relate to the times of the 
 Gofpel. For example ; when it is 
 
 fore-
 
 86 DiRECTioNsy^r reading 
 
 foretold that the mountain of the 
 Lord's houfe ftould be ejlablified upon 
 the top of the mountains, and all na- 
 tions foould flow unto it J : Our Sa- 
 viour gives the true interpretation 
 of this prophecy, m when he tells the 
 woman of Samaria, that the hour co- 
 meth, when ye Jhall neither in this 
 mountain [of Samaria] nor that at 
 Jerufalem, worfhip the Father : But 
 the true worfhippers foall ivorjhip the 
 Father infpirit and in truth -, that is, 
 with a fpiritual and reafonablefervice, 
 without being confined in one certain 
 country or place. 
 
 4. The laft rule I {hall offer for 
 the explaining difficult places of 
 Scripture,, efpeciallyyk^ as relate ta 
 the outward government and ordi- 
 nances of the Church, is, that we 
 jhould have an efpecial regard to the 
 practice and ufage of the Jirfl and 
 pureft ages of the Church) and thofe 
 
 1 ifa. ii. i, 
 
 * Joh. iv. 21, 23. 
 
 that
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 87 
 that were nearejl the times of the 
 Apoftles. 
 
 This direction perhaps is not fo 
 proper for the ufe of unlearned 
 perfons ; but if it had been obferted 
 by fome that fet up for teachers, it 
 would have prevented feveral dif- 
 putes that have very much difturbed 
 the peace of the Church. 
 
 It is a received maxim, that every 
 law is beft explained by the Jubfequmt 
 practice -, and if we apply this rule 
 to the Chriftian law, it is certain 
 that the primitive Chriftians had 
 better advantages of knowing the 
 mind of the Apoftles, and the fenfe 
 of their writings, meerly by living 
 fo near the apoftolic age,, than the 
 greateft induftry or learning can fur- 
 nifh us with, that live at this di- 
 ftancc. And to fuppofe that the Chri- 
 ftians who lived in thofe early days> 
 would either carelefsly lay afide, or 
 wilfully deviate from the rules and 
 orders which the Apoftles gave to 
 the Church by the direction of God's 
 
 Spirit,
 
 88 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 Spirit, is a great reflection upon the 
 providence of God and his care of 
 the Church, upon the honour of 
 our holy religion, which, upon this 
 fuppofition, could not maintain it's 
 firft conftitution fo long as moft 
 human polities have done, and upon 
 the memory of thofe glorious con- 
 feflbrs and witneffes to Chriflia- 
 nity, who planted the Gofpel with 
 their preaching, and watered it with 
 their blood, and on whofe credit 
 and teftimony the authority of the 
 Scripture-canon itfelf does very much 
 depend. 
 
 So much reafon is there for oar 
 paying a due deference to the judg- 
 ment and practice of the primitive 
 Church, in doubts relating to the 
 writings and institutions of the 
 Apoftles. And perhaps the only 
 vifible means that is left to heal 
 the breaches which diftracl: the ca- 
 tholic Church, would be, if all 
 parties were willing to refer their 
 differences to the arbitratiqn of the 
 fourfirjl ages. At leaft, if men would 
 
 hear-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 89 
 hearken to the judgment of the earli- 
 eft times of Chriftianity, it would be 
 a very proper means to put an end 
 to fome diiputes, which do very much 
 difturb our prefent age and Church, 
 as will appear by inftancing in a 
 few particulars. 
 
 i. There have been, and flill are, 
 fcveral difputes relating to original 
 fin, the nature of the gofpel cove- 
 nant, and the means of entering into 
 it, which would be in a great mea- 
 fure filenced, if men would but have 
 a regard to the fenfe and ufage of 
 the primitive times ; when the bap- 
 tizing of infants was univerfally 
 practifed in all churches, as can be 
 plainly proved by undeniable tefti- 
 mony. Pe!agms and his followers, 
 were the firft that openly denied 
 the dodlrine of original fin : And 
 when they were urged with the argu- 
 ment taken from infant baptiim, 
 they could not deny hut the prac- 
 tice of it was as old as Chriftianity 
 
 it-
 
 90 DiRECTioNsy^r reading 
 itfelf, n though the granting thus 
 much did, in effect, overthrow the- 
 whole icheme of principles which 
 they had advanced againft the receiv- 
 ed doctrine of the catholic Church. 
 The great efteem which the primi- 
 tive Chriilians had for the facrament 
 of the Lord's fupper, their looking 
 upon it as the higheft part of the 
 chriflian worfhip, and never omit^ 
 ting the ufe of it upon their folemn 
 days of devotion, fufficiently dif- 
 covers what their opinion was con- 
 cerning the death and facrifice of 
 Chrift therein commemorated, and 
 that they efteemed it to be the me- 
 ritorious caufe of their redemption. 
 So that the Socinians, who deny the 
 merit of Chrifl's death and fuffer- 
 ings, aft very confidently with them- 
 
 " Coelefiii Pelagian, verba ap. Auguftin. 1. 2. 
 contr. Pelag. & Coeleftium c. 5. Infantas deberi 
 taptizari in rerxij/io)tem pec cat or urn, fecundum regulant 
 L'ni'verfalis Ecclf/t^r, & fecundum E'vangelli jnten~ 
 Ham, c njitemur, Eadem fatentem Pelagium videre 
 eft, ibid. c. 17, 1 8. 
 
 feives
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 91 
 fclves in laying afide the ufe of this 
 holy facramcnt j but at the fame time 
 they confefs that their doctrine, as 
 well as their practice, in this parti- 
 cular, is a dire<ft contradiction to the 
 judgment of the univerfal Church in 
 the beft and pureft ages. 
 
 2. Every one is fenfible what eager 
 difputes there are on foot about 
 church-government, and how com- 
 mon it is to hear unlearned and ignorant 
 people, who cannot poffibly be judges 
 of the merits of the caufe, exclaim a- 
 gainfl the government of Bijkops as 
 antichriftian, and the introducing of 
 tyranny and ambition into the 
 Church. To bring this controverfy 
 to a fhort iflue, we only defire our 
 adverfaries would grant us thefe two 
 things, which feem to be rnodeft 
 and reafonable requefts. Firft, that 
 the Scripture is at leaft as favourable 
 to Epifcopacy as to any other form 
 of church-government, which they 
 would fet up in its room : (They 
 that will not grant this, fliew that 
 
 they
 
 92 DiRECTioNsj^r reading 
 they never throughly ftudied this 
 controverfy.) And, fecondly,* that 
 the fenfe of the Scriptures, as to 
 this point, may be decided by the 
 judgment of the primitive Church, 
 as the moll competent witnefs of 
 the practice of the Apoftles. It is 
 certain that feveral of thofe who 
 were the difciples to the Apoftles, 
 fuch as Timothy, Titus, Ignatius* 
 Poly carp, Clemens Ro?nanus, and 
 Dionyjius the Areopagite, a &c. did 
 exercife the epifcopal office, the fame 
 for fubftance which is practifed in 
 our Church at this day ; that is, 
 tliey had in their {ingle capacity the 
 chief care and overfight of many parti- 
 cular churches or congregations * : 
 Not to infift now, that St. James, one 
 of the twelve Apoftles, did plainly 
 exercife the epifcopal office, having his 
 refidence fixt at Jerufalem, and prefid- 
 ingover the elders andchurch there . 
 
 a V. Eu/eb. Hift. Eccl. I. 3. c. 4. and 1. 4. 
 c. 23. 
 
 b See ibiffu'ly proved in Dr. Maurice "s defence of 
 piocefan Epifcopacy. 
 
 c See Afts xxi. 18. xii. 17. xv. 13. 
 
 It
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 93 
 
 It is as evident that there could be no 
 room for ambition, or fecular intereft 
 in thefe early times, when all the 
 bifhopricks brought along with them 
 was a nearer ftep to fufferings and 
 martyrdom. It is no lefs certain, that 
 this form of government was univer- 
 fally fettled over the whole Chriftian 
 Church in the age immediately fuc- 
 ceeding the times of the Apoftles. 
 The adverfaries of Epifcopacy have 
 been often challenged to produce one 
 fingle example of any Church fettled 
 without Bimops, for the fpace of a- 
 bove fifteen hundred years afterChrift; 
 and they have not yet been able to 
 give any inftance to the contrary, that 
 could fatisfy any perfon of ordinary 
 learning or judgment. 
 
 Now after fuch pregnant proofs of 
 the antiquity of the epifcopal govern- 
 ment, for men ftill to cry out upon it 
 as a remnant of Popery, is to make 
 Popery much older than it really is, 
 and thereby give greater advantage to 
 its caufe, than it becomes thofe men 
 to do who profefs themfelves to be 
 
 fuch
 
 94 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 fuch zealous Proteftants. For if it is 
 once yielded that Popery was fettled 
 in the times next to the apoftolic age, 
 it will be no hard matter for the 
 emiftaries of that Church to per- 
 fuade people, that what we call Po- 
 pery is really the true and primitive 
 ftate of Chriftianity. Such advan- 
 tage does a raft and ignorant zeal 
 againft Popery afford to that very 
 caufe, which it feems with fo much 
 vehemence to oppofe. And as a great 
 matter of controverfy hath obferved, 
 d <c Thofe who forego the teftimony 
 of antiquity, as all oppofers of the 
 " Church of England mull do, muft 
 < unavoidably run into infuperable 
 " difficulties in dealing with the Pa- 
 " pifts, which the principles of our 
 " Church do lead us through," 
 whofe glory and happinefs it is to have 
 been reformed by the rule of God's 
 word, and the pattern of the beft and 
 pureft ages : Upon which account it 
 is fo much envied and maligned by 
 
 A Bijhop Stillingfleet, Preface to the Unreafonablenefs 
 ef Separation, p. 5, 
 
 the
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 95 
 the popifti party, who, not without 
 reafon, look upon it as the moft 
 formidable enemy that they have, be- 
 caufe it confutes their falfe pretences 
 to antiquity upon the fureft principles. 
 The inference I (hall make from 
 what has been faid concerning the 
 obfcurity of feveral Scripture pafTages, 
 is this, That we ought to read the 
 Scriptures with an humble, modeft, 
 and teachable difpofition with a 
 willingnefs to embrace all truths 
 which are plainly delivered there, 
 how contrary foever to our own for- 
 mer opinions or prejudices : That 
 we ought in matters of difficulty rea- 
 dily hearken to the judgment of our 
 teachers, and thofe that are fet over 
 us in the Lord : That we fhould 
 check every prefumptuous thought or 
 reasoning { 'which exalts itfelf again ft 
 any of thofe myfterious truths there- 
 in revealed, ftill remembring that God 
 is great , and we know him not 5 , and 
 
 . 
 
 * Omnisfcripiurafacra rofpir'itu debet legi quvfcripta 
 tfl. Kempis Imit. Chrifti, 1. i. c. 5. 
 f Aoykrt*f> 2 Cor. x. 5. s Job xxxvi. 26. 
 
 it
 
 96 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 it is impoflible, for us to fear cb out the 
 Almighty unto perfeffiion h . And if we 
 .thus fearch after the truth in the love 
 of it * we mall not mifs of finding that 
 knowledge which will make us wife 
 unto falvation. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Concerning the Hiftorical books of the 
 old Teftament, and what things are 
 chiefly obfervable in our reading of 
 them. 
 
 Hitherto I have offered only fome 
 general confiderations, which 
 tend to the illuftrating the ftile of the 
 holy Scriptures, and juftifying that 
 method which the holy Spirit hath 
 pitched upon for inflrucling us in all 
 faving truths, and taking off thole pre- 
 judices which hinder many from the 
 careful reading and fludy of the holy 
 Scriptures. I fliall now proceed to 
 give more particular directions con- 
 h Jobxi. 7. J ,zTlief. ii. 10. 
 
 cerning
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 97 
 cerning the ufe we are to make of the 
 feveral parts of the holy writings. 
 And becaufe I do not intend to treat 
 of every book by itfelf, I (hall con- 
 fider them under fome general heads, 
 to which they may conveniently be 
 reduced. 
 
 And to begin with the old Tefta- 
 menty we may divide the books of 
 it into thefe four forts ; the Hiftori- 
 ca/, the Moral, the Pfalms, and the 
 Prophets. I mall make fome obfer- 
 vations upon each of thefe general 
 heads, which may help to explain 
 the chief intent and deilgn of thofe 
 feveral writings, and the principal 
 iifes we are to make of them. 
 
 The fir/1 that come under our con- 
 fideration are the hiflorical books. 
 
 Reading of hiflory is commonly 
 reckoned one of the moft diverting 
 fludies we can entertain ourfelves 
 with, in which refpecl: the Scripture 
 hiflory has incomparably the advan- 
 E tagc
 
 98 DIRECTIONS'^ reading 
 tage above all other writings in that 
 kind, inafmuch as it contains the moft 
 ancient records that are extant in 
 the world, and relates the moft re- 
 markable occurrences that ever hap- 
 pened in it. The Bible gives us an ac- 
 count of the beginning of the world, 
 and affords us a profped: unto the end 
 of it. It begins with the hiftory of 
 the creation, of the ftate of innocence, 
 of the deluge, and of the peopling 
 the world afterwards : Of all which 
 wonderful tranfadtions the heathens 
 had only an obfcure tradition -, a tra*- 
 dition indeed fo univerfally fpread, as 
 doth fufficiently atteft the truth of the 
 Scripture records, as to each of thefe 
 particulars j but withal fo mixt and 
 darkened with fabulous circum- 
 ftances, as very much weakened the 
 credit of the whole relation. So that 
 thofe vvho could not have recourfe 
 to a more authentic account of thefe 
 important affairs, were in doubt whe- 
 ther the world had any beginning or 
 not, and from thence came to quef- 
 tion the being of its author. 
 
 The 

 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 99 
 The facred hiftory gives likewife 
 an account of the fall of man, of 
 the entrance of fin into the world, and 
 thofe many evils and calamities which 
 it brought along with it. This the 
 wifefl Philofophers were very much 
 puzzled to trace the original of, or 
 give a fatisfa&ory reafon, how fo much 
 evil mould come into a world that 
 was made by a good God. But the 
 Scripture account difplays both the 
 juftice and goodnefs of God in this 
 matter, becaufe it difcovers to us, that 
 God took occafion from thence to 
 make known the riches of his mercy 
 toward the loft fons of Adam, by fend- 
 ing his own Son into the world to re- 
 deem them, that where Jin bad abound- 
 ed, grace might much more abound*. 
 Here we fee the fcene of man's re- 
 demption beginning to open imme- 
 diately after the creation, to iliew 
 us that Chrift was the end of the law ', 
 and of all the difpenfations of Provi- 
 dence which preceded it ; that be* 
 
 k Rom. v. ZQ, ' Rom. >:. 4. m Rev. 
 
 xiii. 3.
 
 DIREC TiONsy^r reading 
 *ivas the Lambjlain in the purpofe and 
 decree of God, before the foundation of 
 the world, and promifed uno %povuv al- 
 uvluv from or before ancient times % 
 though for great and wile reafons he 
 Aid not appear till towards the condufion 
 of the ages of the world. So we find 
 one and the fame defign purfued from 
 one end of the Bible to the other, and 
 all the facred writers agree in difplay- 
 ing the great myjlery of godlinefs by va- 
 rious fteps and degrees, from the pro- 
 mi fe of the blc&edjetd'w Paradife p , to 
 the end and confummation of all 
 things. 
 
 I am fenfible that there are great 
 difficulties to be met with in the three 
 firft chapters f Genejis, which have 
 made fome ancient writers queftion 
 whether all the particulars therein re- 
 lated were to be underftood literally 
 or not: And of late an opinion has 
 much prevailed, which maintains that 
 
 * Tit. i. 2. confer LXX. Interp. ad Pfal. Ixxvii. 5. 
 Ifai. Ixiii. 9, II. 
 
 'Em ffvfltteM tut luwv, Heb. ix. 26. p Gen. 
 
 *"' '>' T r 
 
 Mofcs
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 101 
 Mofes 'wrote this part of his hiftory as a 
 law-giver, and not as a philofopher. 
 
 If the meaning of this expreffion 
 be, that Mojes did not write with that 
 accuracy of phrafe, or with thofe 
 terms of art which Des Cartes or G#- 
 lileeo would have done upon the fame 
 fubject, it is readily granted ; for fuch 
 a difcourfc would have been above the 
 apprehenfion of common underftand- 
 ings, and fo not anfwered the intent 
 of Mofes 's writing. I think we may, 
 without derogation to the Scripture 
 authority, own that the Philofophy of 
 it is popular, and fuited to the appre- 
 henfions of the unlearned : Of which 
 kind we may allow thofe Scripture 
 expreffion s to be, which fuppofe the 
 fun to move, and the earth toj}andjlill\ 
 and I cannot fee why we mould lay 
 fuch a ftrefs upon them, as out of de- 
 ference to their authority, to check 
 anyphilofophical enquiries which may 
 favour the contrary opinion ; fince the 
 great ailerters of the earth's motion 
 would in a popular difcourfe comply 
 with the common way of fpeaking. 
 E 3 ' But
 
 1C2 DiRECTiONsy^r reading 
 But when this pretence is carried ib 
 far, as to explode the hiflory of the 
 fix days creation, delivered with fuch 
 particular circumftances by Mofes, and 
 thofe confirmed by the reft of the fa- 
 cred writers, and to rejedt his whole 
 narrative as a piece of pure invention, 
 becauie it does not agree with an hypo- 
 t be/is, where I think it is plain, thatin- 
 yention has a very great {hare j and 
 where the difficulties that may be ob- 
 jected, will be found to be greater : 
 Such an undertaking betrays the 
 over-fondnefs ingenious men are 
 apt to have for their own fchemes, 
 and the little regard they pay ta 
 Scripture authority, when it flandsr 
 in competition with a beloved no- 
 tion. 
 
 I would not be thought to under- 
 value Philofophy, which is certainly 
 a noble and ufeful ftudy, as it fearches 
 out the wifdom of God in his works. 
 But I think it may find employment 
 enough, without entering into that 
 nice and uncertain fpeculation, how 
 God made the world, which a modern 
 
 Phi-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 103 
 Philofopher of fome- note has looked 
 upon as an undertaking above the 
 reach of human under(1:anding q j which 
 may very well content itfelf, with 
 enquiring by what laws nature works 
 ever fince its fettlement at the crea- 
 tion, and not prefume to confine God 
 almighty to the fame rules in creating 
 the world, which inferior agents are 
 tied to follow in continuing it. For 
 we may obferve, that even in the or- 
 dinary courfe of generation, the firfl 
 vital functions are not performed in 
 the fame manner before the formation 
 of the heart, liver, and brain, as they 
 are when thzftetus is brought to per- 
 feclion. And granting this diffe- 
 rence between God's works whilft 
 they were making, and after they 
 were made, and the courfe of na- 
 ture fettled, I doubt not but Mofess 
 hiftory of the creation will deferve 
 that character, which one that was 
 an eminent Philofopher,- as well as a 
 
 <3 Majus eft mundm opus, quam ut ajjequi mem kumana 
 ejus molitionern pojjit. Gaflend . Phyfic. 
 
 E 4 good
 
 104 VittcTlons for reading 
 good Divine e gives of it, viz. 'That it 
 is fuel) a plain, brief, and unaffected ac- 
 count cf the creation, as muji needs re- 
 commend itfelf to the belief of all impar- 
 tial men. 
 
 Efpecially if we add this confi- 
 deration to the former, viz. That 
 Mofess principal defign in writing 
 this hiftory of the fix days crea- 
 tion, was to give a plain intel- 
 ligible account of the vifible part 
 of it d , or of this planetary fyftem, 
 which has the fun for it's center, 
 as our excellent expofitor Bimop 
 Patrick fpeaks, in order to the con- 
 futing that fort of idolatry, which 
 chiefly prevailed in his time, and 
 confirmed in giving wor/hip to the hea- 
 verrly bodies, or fome principal parts 
 of the lower world. 
 
 Thefe two confiderations will, I 
 prefume, afford a fufficient anfvver 
 to the philofophical objections which 
 are commonly urged againfl the 
 
 c Pp. Wilkins of Nat. Rellg. p. 6c. 
 d y. Cyril. /. 2. font. Julian, p. 50. &c. Edit. 
 Spanhem. 
 
 Scrip-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 105 
 
 Scripture hiftory of the creation. 
 But becaufe fome modern hypothefes, 
 whatever reputation they may have 
 procured to their authors, yet have 
 manifestly tended to weaken the 
 credit of Mofes's account of the pri- 
 maeval ftate of the world, it may 
 not be amifs briefly to vindicate the 
 authority of this firft, and as I may 
 juftly call it, fundamental part of 
 Scripture revelation, by pointing out 
 the moft remarkable ftrokes of di- 
 vine wifdom, which are fo confpi- 
 cuous in this narrative, that fome of 
 them have been honourably men- 
 tioned, even by heathens them- 
 felves. 
 
 And the firft remarkable pafiage 
 I malt take notice of is, that Mofcs 
 afcribes the creation of the world 
 wholly to the free pleafure of God, 
 and affigns no other caufe of it, 
 but the divine decree, which he ex- 
 preiTes by God's pronouncing the c 
 
 e Gen. i. 3. 
 
 E 5 Fiat:
 
 jo6 DIRECTIONS for r 
 Fiat within himfelf. Now this is 
 ib worthy a conception of the al- 
 mightinefs of the divine will, that 
 Longinus f , who looked upon Mo- 
 fes only as a wife law-giver, not 
 as an infpired writer, pitches upon 
 this expreffion as an inftance of 
 the true fublime, as having a gran- 
 deur in it fuitable to the majeity of 
 the perfon whom he reprefents, and 
 fuch as conveys to our minds a juft 
 idea of God's omnipotence. Thetruth 
 here aflerted ought the more to be 
 regarded, becaufe it was above the 
 reach of fome of the wifeft philofo- 
 phers, who thought that God's good- 
 nefs could not lie idle and not exert 
 itfelf ; and from thence inferred, that 
 fmce God was good from all eternity, 
 the world muft be co-eternal with 
 him. Whereas reafon itfelf, rightly 
 informed, inftrufts us, that though 
 God be efTentially good, yet as he is, 
 or can be, a debtor to none, fo the e- 
 manationsof his goodnefs muft befree 
 and unconflrained, and confequently 
 
 the
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 107 
 the exercife of it muft be limited by 
 fuch meafures as feem befl to his 
 infinite wifdom. And this doctrine, 
 which is fo clearly deducible from 
 the place before us, is exprefsly 
 delivered in that heavenly hymn, 
 recorded in the revelation s , thou- 
 haft created all things y and for thy 
 pleafure they are and were created, 
 
 The next remarkable pafTage, 
 which I mall recommend to the 
 devout reader's obfervation, is, that 
 reft which Mofes b informs us God 
 enjoyed, when he had finifhed his 
 works of creation. And I the ra- 
 ther infift upon this paflage, becaufe 
 it is mentioned with approbation by 
 that eminent Philofopher my Lord 
 Bacon l , and therefore I hope his 
 judgment may fcreen it from the 
 cenfure of being, a popular and un- 
 pMofophical notion^ For we are not 
 to underftand by it, fuch a reft as 
 poor mortals are refrefhed with after' 
 
 t Ch. iv. 11. k Gen. ii. 2. * Preface to Inftaur. 
 xnagna, & alibi. 
 
 E 6 their
 
 io8 DIRECTIONS^/- reading 
 their being wearied with hard la- 
 hour, but that pleafure which the 
 Almighty took in viewing his works, 
 and pronouncing them to be ex- 
 ceeding gocd t which the Pfalmiji calls 
 the Lord's rejoicing In his works k . 
 Whereas in all that fore travel which 
 God gives to thefons of men to be exer- 
 cifed therewith, they can take no laft- 
 ing reft nor comfort, but find all of 
 them to end in vanity and vexation of 
 fplrlt.^ 
 
 It is likewife agreed by the una- 
 nimous confent of all interpreters,, 
 both Jewijfj and Chriftian, that the 
 Sabbat h y a feaft of God's own imme- 
 diate inftitution, was defigned to- 
 typify and reprefent that heavenly, 
 reft which remains for the people cf 
 God ' after this world is ended, 
 when they mail ceafe from the la- 
 bours and troubles of life, fee God 
 and contemplate his works with, 
 the greateft pleafure and delight,, 
 and alfo take a view of their own 
 
 * P/al.civ. 31, J Keb. iv. 9. 
 
 good
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 109 
 
 good works with comfort and fa- 
 tisfaction ; for the Scripture tells, 
 us m , that they will alfo follow us y 
 or go along with us n into that flate of 
 blifs. 
 
 The fame confent of antiquity 
 will juftify us in affigning this as 
 one reafon, why God thought fit 
 to divide the creation into fix days 
 work; viz. to pre-fignify that this^ 
 world mould laft fix millennaries of 
 years, (according to that maxim of 
 Scripture , That one day is with 
 the Lord as a thoufand years) and 
 then the Sabbath, or millennium of 
 reft, mould follow. 
 
 However that be, the arguments 
 which learned men p have brought 
 to prove that the Sabbath was ob- 
 ferved by the patriarchs from the 
 very creation, and that the fourth, 
 commandment, and the preceding 
 institution mentioned, Exod. xvi. 23. 
 
 m Rev. xiv. 13. n 'AxoAsSs? p^r' avVwV. Comp. 
 Luke ix. 49. 2 Pet. iii 8. 
 
 P See Bijhop Ulher'/ Epi/i. 205. and Dr. Allix'j^- 
 feftions upon Genefis, Chap. vii. 
 
 was
 
 I ro D IRE c Tioxsfor reading 
 wap only a revival of that primi- 
 tive^ufage which had been intermit- 
 ted during -"me Egyptian bondage ; 
 as alfo that cuftom which has gene- 
 rally prevailed among all nations, 
 of reckoning their time by a fepte- 
 nary revolution of days q . All thefe 
 arguments, I fay, are a very good 
 proof that Mofes's account of the 
 fix days- work of creation is literally 
 true.. 
 
 A third particular that deferves 
 eur notice in the Scripture hiftory 
 of the creation, is the account which 
 Mofes gives us of the nature and 
 origin of the foul, vi&. that is was 
 not made out of matter, but imme- 
 diately created by God, and breath- 
 ed into the body which was formed 
 out of duft ; that it is the breath of 
 life, which gives life, fenfe, and mo- 
 tion to the body : Nay, that it has- 
 a principle of true divine life in 
 
 i V. Theophil. ad Autolycum. 1 2. p. 95. EJit; 
 Oxon, 3* Grotii notas ad\. c. 16. de Vtritat. Cbr. 
 Rtlig. 
 
 itfelf,
 
 tie HOLY SCRIPTURES. ITU 
 
 itfelf, being made after the image* 
 and likenefs of God, the intellectual 
 perfections of human underhand- 
 ing and will, bearing the neareft re- 
 femblance to the divine nature of 
 any powers we can difcover in this 
 lower part of the creation. From 
 whence it follows, that the foul has 
 a happinefs of it's own, indepcndant 
 of the body, and confequently is 
 capable of a divine and heavenly 
 ftate. I hope this may pafs for a 
 ft rain above vulgar notions, and; 
 gives as good an account of the 
 dignity and prerogatives of human 
 fouls, as the acuteft philofophers can 
 furniih us with. 
 
 Fourthly, Mofes makes the in- 
 ftitution of marriage co-equal with 
 the creation, and confines it to one 
 man and one woman, or at lead re- 
 prefents this as the mofl perfect and 
 primitive pattern of that ftate ; 
 which is fuch a wife and juft re- 
 flraint of mens appetites as the 
 
 laws
 
 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 
 laws or manners of few nations be- 
 fore the times of Chriftianity did 
 countenance. Hereby we are in- 
 truded likewife that the ftate of 
 matrimony is the ordinance of God, 
 and not only the prudent inftitution 
 of human law-givers, as the heathens- 
 generally thought it to be. 
 
 I have already obferved that Mofes 
 gives us a better account of man's 
 fall, than the wifeft of the heathens 1 
 could attain to, though they reafon- 
 ably concluded from the unrulinefs of 
 mens paffions, and the want of fuffi- 
 cient power in the mind to check 
 and controul them, that there was a 
 lapfe, or weakning, of the higher 
 powers of the foul % whereby it had 
 loft that dominion which it originally 
 had over the whole man : So that' the 
 Scripture hiftory of this matter ought 
 to be valued, if it were only for this 
 
 q Homo iron ut a matre, fed ut a noverca natura 
 
 editus eft in vitam animo anxio ad mok'Uas, 
 
 humili ad timores, molli ad labores, prone au libi- 
 dines, in quo tamen inell tanquam obrutus quidam dl 
 lnus ignis in^enii & mentis. Cicero apud Auguftin. 
 ./. 4. contr. Julianum. 
 
 rea-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES, i 1 3 
 reafon, that it is the only account that 
 hath been tranfmitted to us of that 
 univerfal corruption which has over- 
 fpread the world, and which all 
 men have reafon to "be fenfible of, 
 and to lament. Thus much may 
 be faid in general for the j unification 
 of that part of the Mofaic hiftory j and 
 if we proceed to examine the feveral 
 circumftances of this ftory, we may 
 obferve that Mofes has in a very lively 
 manner defcribed the paflions and 
 weak fide of human nature, in the ac- 
 count he gives us of the fall. 
 
 Firft, He gives us to underftand, 
 that the tempter infufed into Eve a 
 diflike of her own condition, and an 
 aiming at a happinefs above it : Ac- 
 cordingly experience juftifies the truth 
 of this obfervation, that pride goes 
 before a fall ; and ambition and dif- 
 content are the ufual inlets to ruin and 
 mifery. 
 
 The lovely afpecl of the forbidden 
 fruit does adrnonim us, that prefent 
 temptations work ' more powerfully 
 upon our fenfes and affections, than 
 
 dry
 
 114 DIRECTIONS^/- reading 
 
 dry thinking and reafoning can da 
 
 upon our judgments. 
 
 As foon as our parents had eaten 
 the forbidden fruit, the text tells us, 
 that ' the eyes of them both 'were opened-, 
 implying, that their eyes were opened 
 jn a different fenfe from that which 
 the tempter had infinuated to them, " 
 namely, to apprehend clearly the evil 
 they had done, and the mifery they 
 had brought upon themfelves, thereby 
 intruding us in this great and ufeful 
 truth, that however fin may blind the 
 eyes while we are in the eager purfuitof 
 it, yet when it is once fmimed and 
 the pleafure over, the mafk is taken 
 off, and it appears in its true colours ; 
 the mind is awakened to a thorough 
 fenfe of thegreatnefs of the crime, and 
 her own folly in committing it. Per- 
 fefto demum Jcdere, magnltudo ejus in- 
 telletta eft, as that accurate defcrib- 
 er of human nature, Tacitus ', repre- 
 fents it, 
 
 ' Gen. iii. 7. * Ibid. viif. 5. : Annal. lib. xiv. 
 
 Their
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 Their hiding themfehes among the 
 trees of the garden c is a lively repre- 
 fentation of cowardlinefs of guilt, 
 and that the noife of a Jhaken leaf 
 is enough to fright thofe that are 
 confcious to themfelves that they de- 
 ferve punifhment. 
 
 Having mentioned this circum- 
 fiance, I fhall venture to digrefs a 
 little for the explaining the true 
 meaning of the whole verfe where 
 it is mentioned, becaufe I find great 
 exception taken againft the literal 
 fenfe of the former part of it, where 
 it is faid, that our firft parents beard 
 the 'voice of the Lord God walking 
 in the garden in the cool of the day,. 
 as if it were a very improper repre- 
 fentation of the divine nature. But 
 furely that learned perfon who makes 
 this objection, is too well acquaint- 
 ed with antiquity, to be ignorant, 
 that it was the unanimous fenfe of 
 the ancient Church, both * Jeivifi 
 
 e Gen. iii. 8. 
 
 * See Dr. Allix's Judgment of the Jewifh Church 
 ogainjt the Unitarians, ejpetiallyi. 13, 14,15.
 
 1 16 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 and Chriftian % that as God made 
 the world by his Son, all the dif- 
 penfations of providence, efpecially 
 the affairs of the Church, were or- 
 dered and difpofed by him. This 
 opinion is built upon thofe texts of 
 Scripture, where the incommunicable 
 name of yebovab is given to an 
 angel T and cannot be reafonably un- 
 derftood of any other but the Son 
 of God, who is exprefsly called the 
 angel of the covenant, by the pro- 
 phet Malachi * : This fecond per- 
 fon of the blefTed Trinity, as he 
 fometimes took upon him the cha- 
 racter of an angel, fo at other times 
 he affumed an human mape, as an 
 emblem, or earneft, of the incarna- 
 tion. Thus he appeared to Abra- 
 
 e See the Proofs, loth from tl>e New Teflament, and 
 tie Primitive Fathers, in Bijhop Bull'j Defenf. Fid. 
 Nic. c. i. . i. 
 
 f See Gen. xxii. 11, 12, 15, 16, 18. ch. xxxi. it, 
 13. Kxod. iii. 7, 4, 6. ch. xxiii. 20, 21. comp. with 
 Exod. xxxiii. 2, 3, 14. and <with ch. xiii. zi. </ch. 
 xiv. 19. 
 
 Malachi iii. i. 
 
 bam.
 
 tie HOLY SCRIPTURES. 117 
 ham h , to Jacob S to Jofiua k , 
 to Gideon 1 -, and it is altogether 
 as probable he might converfe with 
 our firft parents under the fame 
 fliape in paradife, as it is particu- 
 larly affirmed by Tbeophihts Antio- 
 chenus m ; and thofe expreffions, 
 let us make man, and Adam is be- 
 come like one of us, plainly imply a 
 plurality of divine perfons concerned 
 in thefe tranfactions, and were al- 
 ways interpreted to that fenfe by the 
 antient writers, both Jews and Chri- 
 Jlians. And as for the expreffion of 
 God's walking in the wind, or cool 
 of the day, it is a manifeft allufion to 
 the time of walking in thofe hot coun- 
 tries, which was ufually toward the 
 evening. 
 
 But if this fenfe of the words be 
 not accepted, they are fairly capable 
 of another, by joining the participle 
 [walking] with thefubftantive [voice] 
 
 h Gen. xviii. 2, 13, 17, 22, 26. ' Gen. xxxii. 
 24. k Jofh. v. 13, 14, 15. ' Judg. vi. n, 14, 
 16, 21. ro Lib, 2. ad Autolycum, p. 129. Ed. 
 Oxen. 
 
 and
 
 1 1 8 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 and tranflating the word thus, they 
 heard the voice of the Lord God dif- 
 perfing itfelf, (fo the phrafe is ufed 
 Jerem. xlvi. 22.) or waxing loud, or 
 increafmg among the trees of the gar- 
 den. Thus the word ^^ fignifies, 
 when it is joined with ^p Exod. xix. 
 19, and then the fenfe will be, that 
 the divine Schechmah appeared with 
 a terrible found accompanying it as 
 a token of God's difpleafure. A 
 #ill voice is fometimes mentioned in 
 Scripture " as a mark of God's pre- 
 fence ; and the very apprehension of 
 his appearing is enough to put guilty 
 perfons in a great confirmation ; but 
 a. ftormy wind and tempeft is the 
 token of his coming with anger and 
 vengeance . And taking the words 
 in either of thefe fenfes, the context 
 feems to favour the expofition ; for 
 when God called Adam, in the fol- 
 lowing verfe, he replies, / heard 
 thy 'voice in the gar den, and was afraid. 
 
 See 2 Sam. v. 24. I Kings xix. 12. 
 See Pfal. xviii. 10, 14. ifa, xxx. 30. Ezek. 
 *iii. 13. 
 
 I am
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 1 19 
 I am fenfible that there are feveral 
 difficulties relating to the three fir ft 
 chapters of Genefis, which ftill want 
 to be placed in a better light ; and 
 in order to the clearing them, we 
 muft acknowledge, that fometimes 
 a myftical and fpiritual fenfe is hid- 
 den under a literal one : That by 
 the Serpent we are to underftand 
 the Devi/, making ufe of the Ser- 
 pent as his inftrument, is confirmed 
 by the unanimous expofition of the 
 facred writers themfelves, and thofe 
 both of the old and new ^Tefta- 
 went q . Nor indeed was it con - 
 gruous that Mofes, who had taken 
 notice only of the vifible creation, 
 /hould prefently introduce angels or 
 fpirits into this lower world. In 
 like manner by the nakednefs y at the 
 difcovery of which our firft parents 
 were confounded immediately upon 
 their fall, we are not only to under- 
 ftand the nakednefs of the body, 
 but likewife their minds being di- 
 
 i Ifa. xxvii. i, Lukex. 19. John viii, 44. Rev. 
 xii. 9, xx. 2. 
 
 vef-
 
 J2O DIRECTIONS'^ reading 
 vefted of it's natural ornaments of 
 purity and innocence r . By that 
 jlrict guard which is kept about 
 the tree of life, we are to under- 
 ftand that eternal life is a happinefs 
 out of our reach, and from which we 
 muft be totally excluded, unlefs 
 Chrifl gives us power to cat of the 
 tree of life y 'which is in the midji of the 
 faradife of God, which he has promi- 
 fed to do to his faithful fervants *. 
 
 I (hall leave the further purfuit 
 of this argument to thofe that have 
 underftanding in the depths of the 
 holy oracles, who in this, as well as 
 in many other parts of the Scrip- 
 tures, will difcover feveral impor- 
 tant truths to be couched under fuch 
 expreffions, as a carelefs and unat- 
 tentive reader would take little or no 
 notice of, and fhall only juft obferve, 
 that two of the principal difficul- 
 ties relating to this place, viz. con- 
 cerning the fituation ofparadife, and 
 why the tempter difcourfed with Eve 
 
 * Compare Exod. xxxii. 25, Rev. Ui. 18. xvi. 15. 
 2 Cor. v. 3. s Rev. ii. 7. 
 
 under
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 121 
 under the iL ape of a Serpent, have 
 been happily cleared by two learned 
 critics of our own age ; the one by 
 Monfieur Hitet, in his accurate trea- 
 tife, de Paradifo ; the other by his 
 prefent Grace of Canterbury, in his 
 learned difcourfe of Idolatry a , who 
 obferves that the Hebrew word Sa- 
 ra f A, which fignifies a Jury Ser- 
 pent b , in the plural Seraphim, de- 
 notes likewife an order of angels with 
 wmgs e , who, by the clearnefs and 
 brightnefs, of their afpedl:, appear 
 as it were flaming and fiery. From 
 whence this moft reverend author in- 
 geniouily conjectures that the Devil 
 appeared in the form of fuch a fiery 
 Serpent, as refembled a flaming an- 
 gel, and fb was miftaken by Eve 
 for one of thofe bright Serapbims, 
 which made up part of the Scbechi- 
 nah of the Logos ; and from the 
 fame grounds affigns the reafon why 
 Serpents were eileemed facred and 
 
 8 P. 356. b Numb. xxi. 6. Deut. viii. 15. Ifa. 
 xiv. 19. c Ifa. vi. 2, 6. 
 
 F worfhip-
 
 122 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 worfhipped in feveral parts of the 
 Heathen world. 
 
 My chief defign being to illu- 
 ftrate the fenfe, and affert the au- 
 thority of Holy Scripture, I thought 
 it would be no improper digreffion, 
 if I fpent fome time in clearing the 
 fenfe of this important portion of 
 Holy Writ, and vindicating it from 
 fome objections, which have been 
 of late induftrioufly revived againfl 
 its credit and authority. And I 
 hope, that what has been faid, may 
 be in fome meafure ferviceable to 
 fatisfy mens doubts in this point, 
 and to preferve a due reverence for 
 this moft primitive part ofthean- 
 tiquktes of the world, and upon the 
 truth of which the authority of 
 both Ye/laments doth very much de- 
 pend. 
 
 Another particular relating to the 
 books of Mofes, which I would 
 recommend to the obfervation of 
 the attentive reader, is this, that in 
 his writings, and indeed throughout 
 the old Teftament, we may obferve, 
 
 two
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 two different fyftems or fchemes 
 of religion d if I may fo term 
 them, the one of the patriarchs, 
 prophets, and eminent perfons among 
 the Jews ; the other more adapted 
 to the temper of the more ignorant 
 and inferior fort, and moft regarded 
 by thofe who lived in the corrupt 
 and degenerate times of the Jewijb 
 flare. 
 
 The former is an institution pure- 
 ly fpiritual, and built upon the foun- 
 dations of natural religion, (whofe 
 principles are there placed in their 
 trueil and heft light) efpecially upon 
 thefe two fundamental principles of 
 it, the love of God above, all things, 
 of our neighbour as ourfelves e . 
 It enjoins men to do juftly, to love 
 mercy, and to walk humbly with God { : 
 To live under a grateful fenfe of 
 God's providence, and a comfort- 
 able hope of obtaining his promifes, 
 efpecially that great one concerning 
 the Meffias, and all thofe heavenly 
 
 d See Eufeb. pr^parat. Evang. lib. 7.c. 6, 7, &c 
 Set Mark xii. 28, &c. f Mich. vi. 8. 
 
 F 2 blcf-
 
 124 DIRECTIONS^/- reading 
 bleffings of which he was to be the 
 author. The law taken in this fenfe, 
 St. Paul calls fpiritual and holy, and 
 juft and good z , and thofe Jews that 
 praftifed it, he calls Jews inwardly* 
 icbofe circumci/ion was that of the 
 heart, in the fpirit, and not in the 
 ktter. Rom. ii. and with a regard to 
 this more perfect part of the Mo/ai* 
 07/dtfpenfation, he often infills upon 
 thefe points, that the Fathers, Abel, 
 Enoch, Noah, and Abraham, were juf- 
 tified by faith, as well as we Chriftians b , 
 that all the faithful, both before and 
 under the law, eat the fame fpiritual 
 meat, drank the fame fpiritual drink *, 
 and embraced the fame heavenly promi- 
 fes*, which are now more explicitly 
 revealed by the Gofpel. 
 
 The other fyflem of religion con- 
 fided merely in outward obfervan- 
 ces, either fuch as related to the pub- 
 lic worfhip of God in the taber- 
 nacle, or concerned mens private be- 
 
 Rom. vii. 12, 14. h Heb. xi. 2^ &c. Rom. 
 13. Gal. 
 k Heb. xi. 13. 
 
 iv. 13. Gal. iii. 8, 17, 18. * I Cor. x. 3, 4 
 "Teb. xi. 
 
 haviour
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 125 
 haviour in the ordinary way of life. 
 And thefe the fame Apoille f fliies 
 iveak and beggarly elements* 
 
 The former of thefe none can 
 deny to be worthy of God ; for it 
 lays down a much more perfect 
 fcheme of religion than the wifeft 
 Heathens could ever difcover by the 
 dim light of corrupt nature; and it is 
 often taken notice of by the antient 
 Fathers g , and the other learned ad- 
 vocates for Chriftianity h , that the beft 
 notions the Philofophers and Heathen 
 Legiflators had about religious matters 
 were drawn from the writings of the 
 old Tejlament. 
 
 But the other part of the Mofakal 
 fyftem, confiding chiefly of external 
 rites andordinances, hath been thought 
 by Infidels aconfiderable objection a- 
 gainit the'divine authority of the law 
 
 f Gal. iv. 9. 
 
 * Fid. JuiHn. M. Apol. II. (Venus I.) . 76, 77. 
 Edit. Oxon. Clem. Alex. Strom. /. \.p. 302. /. z. 
 /. 394. /. 5. p. 39 u Eufeb. Przp. Evan. /. 9. c. 3, 
 /. 13. r. 7. & alibi paflim. 
 
 " Huetii Deraonllr. Evang. Prop. 4. c. z. ti. 14, 
 & c. ii, per totum. 
 
 F 3 of
 
 i 26 DiRECTioNSj^r reading 
 of Mefes, as containing in it fuch un- 
 accountable injunctions, as they think 
 unworthy of the wifdom of God. 
 
 But the force of this objection will 
 be taken off by thefe two conlidera- 
 tions. i. That fome of the Jt'ivffi 
 laws and ordinances which feem 
 ilrange to us, had a particular refpeft 
 to the rights and religious cufloms of 
 the neighbouring nations, as has been 
 iully proved by learned men , and is 
 confeiTed by that learned Jew Maimo- 
 nides * : God intending to preferve the 
 Jews from falling into the idolatries of 
 the Heathen, partly by retaining in 
 their laws fome indifferent cuflorns of 
 theirs, innocently introduced -, and 
 partly, by infKtuting other ceremo- 
 nies in oppofition to the cruel, im- 
 pure, and abfurd rites, which the 
 Pagans ufed in the worfhip of their 
 idols, 2. That feveral precepts of 
 the ceremonial law have a moral 
 Jenfe couched under them, it being 
 the ancient way of inftrudting men 
 
 9 See particularly Dr. Spencer de Legib. Hebr. 
 P MoH Ne-vccb. par. 5. (. 2Q. & fe^uertt* 
 
 by
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 127 
 by outward figns and fymbolical re- 
 prefentations, as appears by the fa- 
 mous Symbols of Pythagoras : A me- 
 thod of inftruction which he probably 
 learnt from the Eaftern Sages, with 
 whom he had converfed d . To this 
 fenfe, Jofepbus expounds c many pre- 
 cepts of the ceremonial law, and feve- 
 ral places of the f new T^ejlament do 
 plainly favour fuch an interpretation. 
 And the precept of circumcifion is ex- 
 pounded to a moral fenfe by Mofes 
 himfelf, Deuf. x. 16. 3. That a 
 great part of the rites enjoined in the 
 fervice of God by the ordinances 
 of the law, were a figure or parable 
 for the time then prefent g , did typify 
 and exhibit in myftical reprefenta- 
 tions the days of the Meffias, as the 
 Apoftles have fully proved in their 
 writings, particularly St. Paul in the 
 Epiftle to the Hebrews, the Jews 
 themfelves of thofe times agreeing 
 
 d See Prov. 5. 6. Antiq. I. 4. f 'See Afts x. 
 14, 15, 28. i Cor. v. 6, 7. andch. ix. 9. 
 
 F 4
 
 J28 DjRECTioNs^r reading 
 
 with them in the fame notions d , as 
 feveral of the more modern Jews have 
 done fmce. Indeed without fuppo- 
 ling the ceremonial law to be a figure 
 of the Gofpel, it is as hard to. recon- 
 cile thefe two fchemes of the Jew/fit 
 religion with each other, as with the 
 Gofpel itfelf. Whereas if we com- 
 pare the * rudiments of the law with 
 the more perfect revelation of the 
 Gofpel, and explain them by the light 
 which that lets in upon them, we 
 prefently fee the veil taken away from 
 t/jefaceofWotes, and are able to look 
 to the end or principal defign of that 
 inititution, which though ordained 
 by God himfelf, was to be aboliflied, 
 nnd give place unto a better. So that 
 this very objection affords us a new 
 proof of the divine original of 
 the holy Scriptures, becaufe it 
 helps to difcover the harmony and 
 connexion of the feveral parts of thofe 
 divine writings. 
 
 The next remarkable paffage re- 
 lating to the books of Mofes, which 
 
 d See PhiloV Writings. * ZTQIXU** Gal. iv. 9. 
 
 I would
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 I would define the attentive reader to 
 take particular notice of, is, God's 
 chufing Abraham and his feed, fepa- 
 rating them from the reft of the 
 world, and making a covenant with 
 them, that he would be their God y 
 and they mould be his people > and 
 that in the fulnefs of time the pro- 
 mifed feed mould arife out of that 
 nation. This was the firft great ftep 
 that God mad,e towards the fulfilling 
 the promife of the Meffias : In order 
 to the making which promife good, 
 it was fit that God mould make 
 choice of fome particular family, or 
 people, from whence he fliould de- 
 fcend, or elfe he muft have fprung 
 from idolaters, which would have 
 been by no means fuitable to the dig- 
 nity of his perfon, or the defign of 
 his coming. Accordingly the people 
 from whence he was to derive his ori- 
 ginal, was feparated from all the reft 
 of the world by a peculiar fet of rites 
 and ordinances, which made them 
 nicely fcrupulous of converfing or 
 mixing with other nations. It was 
 F 5 like-
 
 130 DiRECTioNs^/or reading 
 likevvife convenient, thatChrift mould 
 not come into the world without fbme 
 necefTary preparations, in order to- his 
 due reception there. Thereupon God 
 tanctified a people on purpofe, among 
 whom Chrift Should be born, and 
 rai-fed up a fucceffion of prophets a- 
 inong them who foretold all the cir- 
 cumflances relating to his appearance,, 
 from whofe writings a certain defcrip- 
 tion might be given of him, whenever 
 he fhould appear. 
 
 If fo great a perfon had of a fud- 
 den appeared in the world without 
 any notice given of his coming, the 
 unexpectednefs of fo extraordinary a 
 bleffing might have caufed wonder 
 and furprife ; but it would not have, 
 been reckoned an efFecl of 'God's deter- 
 minate counfel and fore- knowledge, and 
 of that sro^vTToiKiX^ a-oQia that mani- 
 fold wij'dom b , which by various fteps 
 and degrees carried on this defign:for 
 the fpace of four thoufand years toge- 
 ther, before it was fully compleatand 
 brought to perfection. But when the 
 
 b Eph. iii. IQ. 
 
 Mef-
 
 t&e HOLY SCRIPTURES. 1 3 1 
 Meffias was ufhered into the world 
 with fo much previous pomp and fo- 
 lernnity, that ^was a fenfible demon- 
 ftration that this great myjlery of god- 
 linefs, Godmanifejl intbejiejh, was the 
 matter- piece of the divine wifdom, 
 and that all the lefler difpenfations of 
 providence were fubfervient to this 
 great end. 
 
 This variety of prophecies whichh 
 prepared the way. for the coming of 
 rhe Meffias, doth likewife afford a 
 fatisfadlory anfwer to that objection, 
 which worldly-minded men ere apt to< 
 fuggeft againft theobfcurityof Chrift's 
 birth and manner of living. They 
 think it ftrange, that the Saviour of 
 mankind mould be born, and live ob- 
 fcurely in a corner ; that he that is de- 
 fcribed as the defire of all nations c , muft 
 be fought for in Pale/line, an incon- 
 fiderable fpot of ground, and in Gali- 
 lee, the moft defpicable part of that 
 country.. 
 
 In reply to which obje&ion, I mail 
 not now infift upon the anfwer which 
 St. > rf#/ d 'givestoit, that God's power 
 
 *' Hag. ii, 7. d i Cor. i. 27.. 
 
 E 6 doth/
 
 1 3,2 D i RE CT i oN-s for reading 
 doth then moft eminently appear, 
 when he chufes the iveak and contemp- 
 tible things of the 'world to confound the 
 things that are mighty. It is a fufficient 
 reply to fay, that the many prophecies 
 of the oldTeftament, which gave a cha- 
 racter of the Meffias from his cradle 
 to his grave, render him as eafily dif- 
 coverable, as if he had fpent his 
 whole life in the moft public place in 
 the world ; and like the Star which 
 appeared at his birth, give a fufficient 
 direction to thofe that were at the 
 greateft diftance where to find him. 
 If fuch a perfon was to come into the 
 world, he muft necefTarily make his 
 fir ft appearance in fome particular 
 place or country ; and furely no nation 
 Ib fit for that purpofe, as that which 
 had the cuflody of thofe oracles which 
 foretold the moft remarkable circum- 
 ftances of his life and actions.. 
 
 The obfervatipns I have hitherto 
 made, do chiefly relate to the account 
 the Scripture gives- of thofe two- 
 remarkable occurrences,, the creation 
 of the world,, and the promife of the 
 
 Meffias,
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 133 
 
 Meflias. Thefe are the two pillars, 
 or boundaries of providence, if I may fo 
 fpeak, and all the wheels and move- 
 ments of it are confined within this 
 fphere. The holy writers call them 
 by the name of the old and new crea- 
 tion -, and by their afMance we can 
 take an intire view of both worlds, 
 that which we now live in, and the 
 other which we expect hereafter. 
 And this certainly ought to recom- 
 mend the facred writings to the pe- 
 rufal of all thofe, who have the curio- 
 fity either of fearching out the original 
 of things, or of prying into their end 
 and conclufion. 
 
 Before I leave this head, I mall 
 make one general remark concerning 
 the remaining parts of the old ejia- 
 ment hiftory, namely, That there we 
 find the hiflory of this nation exactly 
 purfued, and in a natural feries of 
 events for the fpace of near one thoiir- 
 fand five hundred years, the principal 
 tranfactions having fuch a connexion 
 with,, and dependence upon, each 
 other, that they do mutually fupport 
 
 and
 
 134 DIRECTIONS^" reading 
 and confirm one another's credit, as 
 hath been already obferved e . During 
 all which time we may take notice 
 that this people were fure to be happy 
 or miferable, according as they kept 
 clofe to, or departed from, the wor- 
 fhip of the true God, and the obfervance 
 of that law which he had given them. 
 Which circumftance is not only a 
 remarkable inftance of God's over- 
 ruling providence, but likewife a fig- 
 nal verification of thofe promifes and 
 threatnings which God had made the 
 fandion of his laws and ordinances. 
 
 I mail clofe up my remarks upon 
 this head, with this obfervation, that. 
 the main body of the facred hiftory, 
 and all the chief materials of it, are 
 taken out of the public records and 
 monuments of the nation, to which 
 the writers themfelves do often appeal, 
 particularly in the books of Kings and 
 Chronicles. The connexion which 
 is obfervable between the feveral 
 books of the Scripture hiftory, is 
 likewife a plain indication, that they 
 
 Chap. H. 
 
 were
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 
 were digefted by public authority, 
 and not the product of private pens. 
 Which one thing is a pregnant proof 
 of the divine authority of the facred 
 writings, to any one that confiders 
 that all the pious princes and magif- 
 trates among the Jews undertook no- 
 thing of moment without advice and 
 direction from God, who raifed up a 
 a fucceffion of prophets among them 
 for that very purpofe. In this re- 
 fpedl: the compilers of the Jeivtjh 
 hiftory have very much the ad- 
 vantage, in point of credit, of the 
 hiftorians of moft other nations, 
 efpecially of the Greek hiftorians, 
 as Jofepbas e obferves ; inafmuch as 
 the 'Greek writers were neither ap- 
 pointed by authority to preferve the 
 memory of former tran factions, nor 
 compiled their writings out of public 
 or antient records, and were more 
 ambitious of mewing their wit and e- 
 loquence, and telling their flory in an 
 elegant and plaufible ftile, than of 
 tranfmitting a faithful account of 
 
 Lib. I. cont. dppian*initio. 
 
 mat-
 
 136 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 matters of fadt to pofterity. Whereas 
 the holy writers difcover nothing of 
 vanity or oftentation, of partiality or 
 corrupt affedion, but write with a 
 a native fimplicity, and unaffected air 
 of fincerity, without flattery or pre- 
 judice, neither concealing their own 
 private infirmities, nor palliating the 
 vices or mifcarriages of their greateft 
 princes, but delivering their thoughts 
 with great freedom, and fpeaking the 
 truth without referve : As if their on- 
 ly defign was to give God the glory, 
 and recommend their writings to the 
 good opinion of their readers by a 
 naked manifeftation of the truth 
 which, when it is delivered plainly 
 and without difguife, commands an 
 affent, and works more powerfully 
 upon the mind, than all the art in 
 the world.. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 137 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Concerning the Moral Writings of the 
 Old Teftament. 
 
 TH E books of the old Tefta- 
 ment that come next under 
 our confederation, are the moralwri- 
 tings properly fo called, that is, fuch 
 whofe chief defign is to inftruft us in 
 the ways of virtue, and give rules for 
 the direction and good government of 
 our lives. Such are the books vtjob, 
 the Proverbs and Eccle/iafles. 
 
 The book of Job was written on 
 purpofe to teach us the great duty 
 of patience and fubmiffion to God's 
 will in all events : A duty, which 
 it powerfully recommends to us, 
 both by the example of that holy 
 perfon who was fo eminent an in- 
 ftance ofjitfertng afflittion and of pa- 
 tience i and alfo by many argu- 
 ments taken from the confideration 
 ef the greatnefs of God's majefty, 
 
 with
 
 138 Di R E c T lONsy^r reading 
 with whom it is high preemption 
 for poor mortals to contend j of 
 his infinite purity and holinefs, in 
 ivbofe Jigbt the beft men cannot be 
 juftijiedy if God will enter into ftricl: 
 judgment <with them : And, laftly, 
 from the unfearchablenefs of his 
 judgments, which are always true 
 and righteous, though we cannot al- 
 ways comprehend the reafons of 
 them. And I doubt not but pious 
 and devout fouls may find great plea- 
 fure, as well as reap much profit by 
 the careful perufal of this book ; 
 which recommends itfelf to the rea- 
 der above all other books of holy 
 Writ, by the wit and elegancy of 
 the compofure, where human paf- 
 fions are defcribed with the moft 
 tender and lively ftrokes, where 
 are to be found the moft elevated 
 and noble thoughts concerning the 
 power and majefty of God, and the 
 moft devout exprerfions of that fub-< 
 mirTion and refignation which i$ 
 due to his will, and of that truft 
 
 and
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 139 
 and confidence which good men 
 have in his mercy, even in the 
 depth of their afflictions, arifing 
 from the teftimony of their confci- 
 ence and the fenfe of their own 
 integrity. And thefe pious medita- 
 tions are clothed in fuch natural and 
 eafy words, as convey to our minds 
 a juft idea of natural Religion when 
 it was in its prime, and as it was 
 practifed in thofe early ages, before 
 the tradition of the creation and of 
 the flood was loft, or the world 
 quite over-run with idolatry. 
 
 The Proverbs, as they were writ- 
 ten by Solomon, a Prince famous in all 
 ages for his wifdom and experience, 
 fo they contain excellent inftru&i- 
 ons for the ordering mens actions in 
 all ftates and conditions of life, from 
 the higheft to the loweft ; and en- 
 force each part of our duty from 
 religious motives : Such as are the 
 obedience due to God, our Creator 
 and Governor, the rewards which 
 attend righteoufnefs, and the punifh- 
 
 ments
 
 140 DIRECTIONS^*?;- reading 
 ments which follow wickednefs by 
 God's juft appointment, both in this 
 world and in the next : In which 
 refpect this book has much the ad- 
 vantage above all the moral tracts of 
 the philofophers, in that it prefles 
 the practice of our duty from the 
 principles of religion, whereas they 
 perfuade us to virtue by arguments 
 taken from the agreeablenefs of it, 
 to our reafon and the dignity of 
 our nature, without taking notice of 
 the authority which God has over 
 us, and whofe vicegerent our reafon 
 and confcience is, and the obedience 
 which his laws challenge from us, 
 which way foever his will and plea- 
 fure is notified to us, whether by the 
 inward dictates of our own mind, or 
 the outward voice of his prophets, 
 and meffengers h . We find Solomon 
 
 h Duplex eft regula humanorum aftuum, Ratld 
 humana, & Deus ; fed Deus eft prima regula, a qua 
 etiam humana Ratio regulanda ft ; & ideo virtute* 
 Thtologicae excellentiores funt virtutibus moralibus. 
 A$uin zda zd# qu> 23. Art. 6. 
 
 lays.
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 141 
 lays down this rule as the foundation 
 of all his inftrudions n , the fear of 
 the Lord is the beginning of ivifdom. 
 This is a true and folid principle 
 of an univerfal probity and integrity 
 both of mind and adtion ,- it is fuch 
 as the meaneft is capable of appre- 
 hending the force of, and being 
 convinced by it. Whereas the no- 
 tions of philofophers are only fine 
 fpeculations to amufe men of fub- 
 tilty and leifure, and not fitted for 
 the ufe of ordinary capacities : Ac- 
 cording to Tu/fy's own obfervation 
 recorded by Latfantius, Pbilofo. 
 phia eft res abhorrens a multitudine. 
 It difdains to condefcend to vulgar ap- 
 prehenfions. But yet the meaneft 
 have fouls to be faved as well as the 
 greateft, and that inftitution mutt 
 needs be defective which doth not an- 
 fwer the neceflitiesof the far greater 
 part of mankind. 
 
 n Prov. i. 7. 
 
 ^DU-, '; 3 'J- 24 * v - Ciceron ' in ' itio ' l - 2- */< 
 
 g'7 ? - /hilofophja eft P aucis contenta judicibus, 
 Multiludinem confulto fugiens, &c. 
 
 The
 
 142 DiRECTioNSjftr reading 
 
 The great fayings of the Philo- 
 fophers are apt to ftrike us with ad- 
 miration at the firft hearing, and per- 
 haps prevail with many of our own 
 age to be of Julian the dpoftates " 
 opinion, who did not flick to prefer 
 the precepts of Phocylides> heognis t 
 and Ifocrates, before the Proverbs of 
 Solomon. But when we thoroughly 
 examine the maxims of thefe, and 
 iuch like practical treat! fes, of the 
 heathen philofophers, we mall find 
 many of them to be rather vain- 
 glorious boafts, or the high flights o 
 a fanciful eloquence, than the word; 
 of truth and fobernefs. They an 
 fuch as the authors of them woul< 
 never abide by when they came t( 
 trial : And what force can we thei 
 fuppofe them to have, toward the 
 reforming of habitual offenders ? Tc 
 tell fuch perfons that they act in con- 
 tradiction to their reafon, and bekn 
 the dignity of their nature, is to 
 
 A pud Cyrillum, contr. Julian. /. ;,/. 224. Edit. 
 Spanheim, 
 
 make
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 143 
 
 make them accountable only to 
 themfelves ; and confcience is but an 
 empty name, unlefs we fuppofe that 
 it binds men over to appear before 
 a higher Tribunal. So faint are the 
 perfuafives and feeble the reproofs of 
 philofophy, when compared with the 
 inftruftions and motives contained in 
 the books of Proverbs, which being 
 fo peculiarly adapted to the meanefl 
 capacities, I would particularly re- 
 commend it to their frequent reading 
 and diligent perufal. 
 
 The defign of the book of Ecck- 
 fiaftes is to convince us of the va- 
 nity of all things here below, and 
 that from the experience of one who 
 had tried what fatisfadtion could 
 be found in all manner of worldly 
 enjoyments, and was acquainted with 
 the extravagancies of madnefs and 
 folly*, as well as with the myfte- 
 ries of wifdom and knowledge. This 
 great prince, who had tried all 
 things, inftructs us not to fet our 
 
 k Ecdef. i. 17. 
 
 hearts
 
 144 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 hearts too much upon the things of 
 this world, as being empty and un- 
 fatisfactory in the enjoyment, and at 
 laft ending in vexation offpirit : Nor 
 to promife ourfelves too much happi- 
 nefs in any worldly bleffings, for 
 then we fhall be fure to find our- 
 felves difappointed : But to ufe the 
 good things of this world with fo- 
 briety and moderation in refpect to 
 ourfelves, with fubmiffion and thank- 
 fulnefs to God, and with cha- 
 rity to our neighbours c , always 
 remembring that the fafhion of this 
 'world pafjes aivay y and the flower of 
 youth foon decays and withers : And 
 this consideration mould engage * 
 us to confecrate the beft 'of our 
 years to the fervice of God, whilf 
 we have a quick and lively fenfe o. 
 his bleffings ; and not defer the 
 thoughts of religion till the evil day* 
 come, till old age fleal upon us, 
 
 * See Ecclef. iii. n, 12, 13, 14. v. i, Wr. vii. 13 
 14. ix 7. xi. I. 
 < Ecclef. xii. i, fck. 
 
 (which
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 145 
 (which he admirably defcribes) when 
 we are come to the dregs of life, 
 and death is juft ready to feize us, 
 after which comes judgment, and we 
 muft give a ftrict account to God of 
 all our actions. 
 
 This is the fubftance and main 
 defign of this book ; which if it 
 were ferioufly read, and confldered, 
 would be an effectual prefervative 
 againft the inordinate love of this 
 world, which is the root of all the 
 evil that abounds in it. And to 
 prevent the ill ufe which men of 
 corrupt minds are apt to make of 
 forne pafTages in it, I fhall juft ob- 
 ferve, that thofe who will read this 
 book with profit ought to have a 
 regard to the main fcope and drift 
 of it, which is plainly fet down ia 
 the conclufion of the whole % 
 and not lay hold on one fmglc 
 fcrap, or fentence, which they think 
 doth countenance a carelefs and li- 
 centious life. The reader that will 
 
 f Chap. xii. 13, 14. 
 
 G fix
 
 146 DiRECTioNs^r reading 
 fix his eye upon the principal de- 
 fjgn of this book, will eafily per- 
 ceive that the contradictory opini- 
 ons which are mentioned in it, are 
 only a reprefentation of the feveral 
 fentiments of mankind concerning 
 providence and their own fouls, or 
 elfe fliew the various thoughts which 
 Solomon himfelf had tofTed up and 
 down in his own mind, which 
 at laft came to the refolution where- 
 with he clofes his book. The 
 fcope and ufefulnefs of which is fo 
 fully made out by our excellent ex- 
 pofitor, the Lord Bifhop of Efy, 
 in his Paraphrafe and Commentary 
 upon this book, that I mail rather 
 refer the reader to that ufeful treatife, 
 than enlarge any further upon this 
 fubjecl. 
 
 CHAP,
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 147 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Concerning the Book of Pfalms, and 
 their Ufefulnefs. 
 
 TH E book ' of Pfalms deferves 
 to be confidered by itfelf, as 
 being efteemed by pious men in all 
 ages, the great ftorehoufe of devo- 
 tion, and making up a principal 
 part of the public worfhip both in 
 the yewijh and . Chrijlian Church. 
 Among the Jetvs they were ufcd at 
 the time of their facrifices, which 
 were the moil folemn part of the 
 Jewi/b worihip d . The Evange- 
 lifls inform us that our Saviour and 
 his difciples fung a Hymn after the 
 pafchal fupper% which learned men 
 iuppofe to have been the fame col - 
 lection of Pfalms which the Jews ufed 
 
 d See i Chron. xvi. 40, 41. Ecclus, 1. 16, 17, 
 18. 
 6 Math. xxvi. 30. 
 
 G 2 upon
 
 148 DIRECTIONS^/* reading 
 upon that folemnity. St. Paul 
 horts the ColoJJians that the word 
 of God fiould dwell richly in them, 
 and particularly recommends the 
 Pfalms to their frequent ufe f . 
 St. Jerome * compares the finging of 
 Pfalms in the publick aflemblies of 
 Chriflians in his time, to the hea- 
 venly Hallelujahs, which refembled 
 the voice of great thunderings y men- 
 tioned Rev. xix. 6. and tells b us, 
 that the hufbandman * and com- 
 mon artificers refrefhed themfelves in 
 the midft of their work, and fweet- 
 ned their labours with fmging the 
 Pfalms of David, and at once ferved 
 God, and attended upon the duties 
 of their calling j from all which it 
 appears, that the book of Pfalms 
 was defigned by God for the per- 
 
 f Coloff. iii. 1 6. 
 
 s Pr<efat. in 1. 2. Comment, in Epifl. ad 
 Galat. 
 
 h Epift. 17. ad Marcellam. <viJ. etiam Theodo- 
 ret. Prof, in Pfalm. & Chryfoft. dt P&nitent. 
 Horn. 6. 
 
 ' TswfySfAflv JsTs?, 'm^fOf^^ J/*S!ijt Clem. Alex* 
 Strom. /. 5. /. 720.
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 petual ufe of the Church, to be both 
 a pattern and treafure of devotion, 
 at once to enlighten our minds and 
 warm our affections, and teach us 
 to pray and praife God with the 
 Jpirif, and with the understanding 
 alfo. 
 
 There is an agreeable variety in 
 the compofure of the Pfalms, which 
 are all very beautiful and proper in 
 their feafons, and fuited to the fe- 
 veral circumftances of devout minds. 
 Some of them inflruct us to give 
 God the glory due unto bis name, 
 and praife him according to his ex~ 
 cdlent greatnefs> as it is made mani- 
 fefl in the works of creation and 
 providence, as particularly the 8th, 
 the i Qth, the 33d, the iO3d, the 
 1 04th, the j 07th, and the i48th. 
 Others (hew forth his marvellous lov- 
 ingkindnefs to his Church, to Jacob 
 his people, and Ifrael his inheritance ; 
 and foretel the glories of Chrift's 
 coming, and his kingdom. Of 
 which fort are, the 2d, 45th, 68th, 
 G 3 7 2d,
 
 150 DiRECTioNsy^r reading 
 72d, 78th, 96th, 98th, icjth, 
 io6th iioth, Jiith, 1 3 6th, and 
 many more. Again, fome Pfalms 
 declare the excellency of God's law, 
 which he hath given us to be a light to 
 our feet, and a guide to our paths, and 
 mew the happinefs of thofe who 
 live under the conduct of it. Such 
 are, Pfahn the ift, [9th and above 
 all the 1 1 9th, which confifts of the 
 higheft encomiums of God's law, 
 and the moft earned prayers for 
 grace to understand and practife it. 
 At other times the Pjalmlft directs 
 us how to humble ourfelves in the 
 fight of God, to implore the pardon 
 of our fins, and help in the time of 
 trouble : Of which kind the mod; 
 principal Pfalms are, the 25th, 51 ft, 
 I3oth 1 41 ft, J 43^' Laftly, In 
 many Pfalms he exhorts us to fub- 
 mit to God's will in all events, a;;d 
 put cur truft in his mercy, to. tarry 
 'Gods kifure g , as he fpmetimes ex- 
 preffes it, who will never fail thofe 
 
 Pfal. xxvii. 14. 
 
 that
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 151 
 
 tkatfeek him, and is the helper of the 
 friendlefs. Of which fort the moft 
 remarkable Pfalms are, the pth, 
 loth, and nth. Not to mention 
 many others, in feveral of which the 
 Pfalmift inftrucfls us not to regard our- 
 feives only ; but likewife to be mindful 
 of the afflictions 0/^Jofeph, and to pray 
 to God to deliver Ifrael out of all bis 
 troubles. 
 
 So rich a flore-houfe is the book 
 of Pfalms of all kinds of devotion, 
 and able to furnim every pious foul 
 \vith holy meditations fuitable to his 
 prefent circumftances, confiding both 
 of the moft affectionate prayers and 
 interceiTions, and exalted firains of 
 praife and thankfgiving. So defer- 
 vedly is that divine author fliled the 
 fweet Pfalmift of Ifrael h , as being 
 the greateft author and pattern of fpi- 
 ritual devotion ; whofe foul was 
 touched with a heavenly flame, bis 
 heart and his flefo rejoiced in the tiv- 
 
 fc 2 Sam. xxiii. I. 
 
 G 4 ing
 
 Pfal. Ixxxiv. 2. ' 
 Ecclus. xlvii. 8. 
 
 re-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 153 
 
 revenge -, and are thought by fome to 
 be contrary to the exprefs commands 
 ofChrift 1 . 
 
 This objection I have conlidered 
 and anfwered at large in a former 
 treatife M , and mall not here re- 
 peat what I have there delivered, 
 but mall only fuggefl to the reader 
 two obfervations, and leave him to 
 apply them to the feveral impreca- 
 tions that are to be met with in the 
 Pfa/ms. 
 
 i. It is not inconfiftent with Chri- 
 flian Chanty to wiih and pray for 
 the profperity of the righteous ; and 
 in order to that, for the difappoint- 
 ment of the devices of the wicked, 
 efpecially when they are public ene- 
 mies and difturbers of the peace of 
 the community. Nor, 2. Is it un- 
 lawful to pray, that God's glory may 
 be made manifeft by his fending 
 fome remarkable judgment upon no- 
 torious offenders, in order to their 
 
 1 Math. v. 43. 
 
 * Anfwer to five Letters, Chap. v. 
 
 G 5 own
 
 r reading 
 and for a terror to 
 
 154 
 
 own amendment, 
 
 others. 
 
 The fecond objection is made 
 againft the uie of the Pfalms, as a 
 ftanding office of publick ivorjbip ; 
 againfi which it is pretended, tha 
 fince they were compofed upon pa 
 ticular exigencies relating to th 
 times and circumftances of their f< 
 veral authors, they cannot be fo fui 
 able either to the public Rate of t 
 prefent Church, or the private n 
 cefiities of particular Chriftians. 
 
 In anfwer to which objection it 
 to be confidered, that we join in the 
 public fervice of the Church, not as 
 private perfons, but as a religious 
 Society ; and therefore as members 
 of the Tame myftical body, we ought 
 to rejoice 'with thofe that do rejoice, 
 and mourn with thofe that mourn: 
 that is, we ought to return thanks to 
 God, not only for his private fa- 
 vours to ourfelves, but like wife for 
 his public mercies conferred upon 
 our brethren : And in like manner 
 
 we 

 
 tie HOLY SCRIPTURES. 155 
 we ought to be mindful of their 
 wants and afflictions, as well as our 
 own, and implore God's help and 
 affiftance for all thofe that are in any 
 trouble or adverfity. Granting there- 
 fore that fome of the deprecatory 
 or thankfgiving Pfalms may not fuit 
 the particular circumftances of each 
 private perfon j yet fince there will 
 be always fome among the faithful 
 to whofe condition they may be fitly 
 applied, we may exercife that Spirit 
 of univerfal charity in the ufe of 
 them, which is the peculiar badge 
 of our Chriftian profeffion at all 
 times, and the qualification of mind 
 efpecially required of us, when we 
 join together in the public worfliip, 
 the moft folemn mark or bad^e of 
 Chriftian Communion and Fellow- 
 fhip. 
 
 To which we may add this fur- 
 ther coniideration, that according to 
 the general fenfe and expofition of 
 the univerfal Church, the prayers 
 againft temporal enemies which we 
 G 6 meet
 
 156 DIRECTION sfor reading 
 meet with in the Pfa/ms, ought to 
 be applied in a myftical fenfe to 
 our conflicts with our fpiritual ad- 
 verfaries : And the thankfgivings for 
 temporal mercies do in a more fub- 
 lime fenfe relate to that great de- 
 liverance of mankind from fin and 
 death, accompli/hed by our Lord 
 and Saviour. In whom not only all 
 the promifes of the old Teftament re- 
 ceive their utmoft completion a , 
 but likewife all the remarkable oc- 
 currences relating to the eminent 
 perfons of thofe times, were fo 
 many types and figures of him that 
 was to come, and of the redemption 
 which he was to accomplim. And 
 this way of expounding feveral paf- 
 fages in the Pfalms, is authorized 
 by Chrift himfelf, who applies thofe 
 words of the Pfalmift * they hated 
 me without a caufe t and f he that 
 tats bread with me hath lift up hu 
 
 * 2 Cor. i. 20. 
 
 Pfal. xxxv. IQ. 
 ' Pfal. xli. 5 
 
 tit*
 
 tie HOLY SCRIPTURES. 157 
 
 bed againft me ; (which in their 
 primary fenfe are plainly under* 
 flood of David's enemies) to his 
 own fufferings from the malice of 
 the Jews, and the treachery of 
 Judas. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 158 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Concerning the Prophetical Writings, 
 and their Ufefulnefs. 
 
 I Come now in the fourth place to 
 make fome obfervations concern- 
 ing the prophets, and give directi- 
 ons for the profitable reading of this 
 laft part of the old Teftament writ- 
 ings. 
 
 I have elfewhere f fpoken at 
 large concerning the great defign 
 and ufefulnefs of the prophetical 
 writings, and have (hewed that they 
 were intended by God chiefly for 
 thefe three purpofes. i. To ad- 
 monifh the people of their duty, 
 and quicken them to the practice of 
 it, by fetting God's judgments and 
 mercies before their eyes. 2. To 
 keep up a fenfe of providence in 
 their minds. And 3. To foretel the 
 times of the Meffias, and prepare 
 
 * Anfwerto 5 Letters, chap. iii. 
 
 mens
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 159 
 mens minds for the reception of 
 him. 
 
 I {hall not repeat what I hav 
 there difcourfed upon thefe heads, 
 but mall only make fome further 
 obfervations upon thefe books, in 
 order to confirm their divine autho- 
 rity, and mew the chief uies we 
 ought to make of them, and fuch 
 as we may draw even from the ob- 
 fcurer parts of thofe writings, where 
 we cannot perhaps fully comprehend 
 the full intent and drift of the 
 writer. 
 
 I. And the firft obfervation which 
 I fhall recommend to the confidera- 
 tion of the devout reader of the 
 prophets, is this, that the hijlorical 
 and prophetical writings of the old 
 Teftament do mutually fupport and 
 verify each other ; and both of them 
 afford us an undeniable proof of God's 
 univerfal providence. 
 
 This obfervation I have briefly 
 touched upon already s , and now I 
 
 i Chap. i. 
 
 mall
 
 i6o- DIRECTIONS'^ reading 
 fhall illuftrate and confirm it by in- 
 ftancing in feveral particulars. We 
 find, for example, the captivity of the 
 ten tribes clearly foretold by Hofea 
 *, Amos fc , and Ifaiah *, at a con- 
 liderable diflance of time before that 
 calamity came upon them. The 
 feventy years captivity of the two 
 remaining tribes by Nebuchadnezzar 
 is as plainly foretold by "Jeremiah 
 * and their reftoration under Cyru* 
 by Jfaiah * , the exact accomplim- 
 ment of which prophecies is taken 
 notice of by the facred writers, who 
 lived feveral years after thefe predic- 
 tions were made m . 
 
 No lefs remarkable is the fucceffi- 
 on of the four great monarchies fore- 
 told by Daniel ", and particularly 
 the wonderful fuccefles si Alexander, 
 together with the divifion of his mo- 
 narchy into four kingdoms ; the 
 ftate of the two principal divifions of 
 
 * Hof. ix. 3. x. 5. xi. 5. xiii. 16. h Amos v. 
 27. vi. 14. vii. ii. i m. vii. 8. * Jer. xxv. 
 12. xxix. 10. * Ifa. xliv. 28. 2 Chr. xxxvi. 22. 
 Ezra. i. i. n Dan. ii. 39, 40. </Ch. vii. Dau. 
 viii. 4, 22. and Ch. xi. 3, 4. 
 
 that
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 161 
 that empire, under the kings of Sy- 
 ria and Egypt p , the alliances they 
 iliould make with each other, and 
 the fmall fuccefs which thefe alli- 
 ances mould have toward the ending 
 the differences between them : And 
 to name no more particulars, the 
 profanation of the temple under An- 
 tiocbus Epipbanes, one of thofe kings. 
 All which particulars were fo punc- 
 tually foretold by Daniel above three 
 hundred years before feveral of them 
 came to pafs, that Porphyry q , a 
 moft bitter enemy to Chriftianity, 
 had no other way to evade the force 
 of this argument for the truth of 
 the Scriptures, but by afTerting that 
 the book of Daniel was forged after 
 the times of Antiocbus Epipbanes. 
 An abfurd and groundlefs conceit ! 
 fince it is certain, that the whole body 
 of the old Tejlament writings was 
 tranflated into Greek before the time 
 of Antiocbus -, fo that it would have 
 been a very eafy matter to difcover 
 any forgery of this kind. Beiides 
 
 f Dan. xi. 5, &c. Vid. Hieron. Pr<ef. in Dan. 
 
 that,
 
 1 62 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 that, it appears by the teftimony of 
 Jofepbus ", (and the ftory, as it is 
 there related, has feveral circum- 
 flances which fufficiently atteft the 
 truth of it) that the Jews {hewed 
 this very prophecy to Alexander the 
 Great, as he pafled through their 
 country, and thereupon obtained fe- 
 veral privileges and immunities from 
 him. 
 
 Thefe, and feveral other prophe- 
 cies, carrying along with them fuch 
 an undeniable evidence of their truth, 
 and divine original, will afford many 
 ufeful remarks to the attentive and 
 devout readers. 
 
 I. They warrant the accomplim- 
 ment of thofe parts of the prophe- 
 tical writings which remain yet to 
 be fulfilled ; forafmuch as both the 
 plain .and the obfcure prophecies 
 were uttered by the fame Spirit, and 
 particularly the Revelation in the 
 new Teftament, takes the old c Tefta- 
 mmt prophecies, chiefly thofe 
 
 1. n. c. viii. 
 
 Daniel
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 163 
 Daniel, for its platform and ground- 
 work. 
 
 2. Thole prophecies which imme- 
 diately concern the Jwvifo flate, prove 
 that there was a particular providence 
 always attending that nation ; and 
 they are an evident accomplishment 
 of thofe judgments which were de- 
 nounced againil: that people in the 
 law of Mq/es, whenever they mould 
 depart from the worfhip and fervice of 
 the true God. 
 
 3. They are a fenfible proof of 
 God's univerfal providence, and an 
 evident demonftration that the eter- 
 nal mind comprehends the whole 
 feries of caufes and effects at one 
 fingle view, fees through all the in 
 tricate turnings and windings of hu- 
 man counfels, and over-rules and 
 conducts them to what end he 
 pleafes. / am God, and there is 
 none like me, faith he, in the pro- 
 phet, declaring the end from the 
 beginning, and from ancient times the 
 
 I&. xlvi. io. 
 
 things.
 
 
 164 DIRECTIONS'^ reading 
 things that are not yet done, faying, 
 my counfel foall Jland> and I will do 
 all my flcafure. The fignal accom- 
 plimment of feveral prophecies uttered 
 many ages beforehand, opens our 
 minds and lets us into that noble 
 contemplation, how God carries on 
 one fteady and uniform defign with- 
 out being interrupted by thofe many 
 changes and chances which are in 
 the world, and that confufion and 
 diforder which appears among fe- 
 veral fecond caufes. It convinces us 
 his infinite wifdom does unerringly 
 forefec the moft diftant and cafual 
 events, and makes them all fubfer- 
 vient to the carrying on the great 
 ends of providence, That God by 
 his almighty power is able to bring 
 good out of evil, as he did light out 
 of darknefs at the beginning of the 
 creation, and to make the rage and 
 fury, the malice and Jiercenefs of men 
 to turn to bis pratfi, and his ene- 
 mies themfelves become inftrumen- 
 tal in promoting his glory : Accord- 
 ing.
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 165 
 
 ing to the obfervation of the wife 
 
 man, p T^hy wifdom, O Lord, reaches 
 
 from one end to another mightily, and 
 
 jweetly doth Jhe order all things. 
 
 4. It follows from hence in the 
 fourth place, that the moft obfcure 
 parts of the prophetical writings 
 ought not to be defpifed, as if they 
 were altogether ufelefs. For though 
 we mould fuppofc them of no ufe 
 to the Church at prefent, yet they 
 may be ufeful to after- times ; and 
 what they mean, though we know not 
 now, yet we may know hereafter. 
 But befides this, even from the ob- 
 fcureft prophecies we may learn 
 this important truth, that the de- 
 figns of providence reach from one 
 age to another, and fome greater 
 lines of it run through many ages ; 
 in all which time there is one defign 
 purfued with infinite turnings and 
 great variety of wifdom, all the parti- 
 cular occurrences being directed by a 
 fteady and unerring counfel to fome 
 
 p Wifd.viii. i. 
 
 glori-
 
 166 DIRECTIONS^/- reading 
 glorious conclusion, and that with a 
 particular regard to the good of the 
 Church, the point wherein all the 
 great lines of providence do meet as in 
 their center. 
 
 And perhaps this is the bed ufe 
 that perfons of ordinary capacities- 
 can make of the darker prophecies ; 
 and it is not only a rafh undertak- 1 
 ing for any to venture the fathom- 
 ing thofe deep things of God, with- 
 out the necefTary helps of learning, 
 and being able to compare fpiritual 
 things ivith fpiritual ; but it is like- 
 wife apt to lead fuch perfons into 
 great and dangerous miftakes. So 
 that it highly concerns every one to 
 think foberly of himfelf, according to 
 that meafure of faith * and knowledge 
 which God hath given him, and not 
 to be curious in unnecessary matters, nor 
 parch out things that are above their 
 \ftrength T . 
 
 But there are feveral pra&ical truths 
 of great ufe for the governing mens 
 lives, which may be learnt from the 
 
 * Rom, xii. 3. r Ecclus. iii. 21, 23. 
 
 ob-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 167 
 
 oblcurer books of the prophets, 
 without undertaking to unfold the 
 particular events therein foretold, or 
 to decypher the perfons there de- 
 fcribed. For example, the Revela* 
 tion may upon many accounts be 
 reckoned one of the obfcureft books 
 of all the prophetical writings -, but 
 yet without venturing upon a parti- 
 cular explication of the feveral vifions 
 of it, an ordinary reader may re- 
 ceive great edification from thofe 
 noble hymns offered up there to 
 God and Chrift *, and may likewife 
 difcover very ufeful truths frequently 
 recommended in it ; fuch as the ado- 
 ration of the one fupreme God in 
 oppofition to all creature-worfhip k ; 
 the relying upon the merits of Chrift 
 only for pardon, fanclification and 
 falvation c ; that we ought to wait 
 patiently for Chrift's appearing and 
 his kingdom, and in an earneft expec- 
 tation of it, to continue ftedfaft in 
 
 a Rev. iv. 8, ii. v. 9, 10, 12, 13. vii. 12. xv. 
 
 3>4- 
 
 b Rev. ix. 20. xiv. 7. xxi. 8. xxii. 15. 
 Rev. v. 9. vii. 14. xii. 1 1. xiii, 18. 
 
 the
 
 x68 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 the profeflion of the true faith, and 
 practice of fincere holinefs, notwith- 
 flanding all the fufferings that may 
 attend a good confcience *. And 
 though every ordinary reader mould 
 not ramly undertake to determine 
 who Antichrift is, that is there de- 
 fcribed ; yet every one may certainly 
 be informed from feveral paflages of 
 that book, of thofe marks and cha- 
 rafters of him, which it moft nearly 
 concerns us to take notice of, namely, 
 pride and ambition, and an affectation 
 of worldly pomp and grandeur e , 
 a cruel and persecuting temper f , 
 and fuch as feeks to reduce others 
 rather by force and compuKion, than 
 by reafon and argument ; the love of 
 eafe and foftnefs, and a carelefs and 
 luxurious life g : and that whoever 
 are guilty of thefe things, they are fo 
 far departed from the true Spirit of 
 Chriflianity. And furely he that takes 
 
 d Rev. ii. 3, 10, 26. xiii. 10. xiv. 12, 13,xvi.i5. 
 e Rev. xiii. 7. xvii. 4. 
 
 f Rev. ix. 21. xi. 7. xiii. 7, 10, 15, 17. xvi. 6. 
 xvli. 6. xviii. 20, 2^. xix. 2. 
 
 * Rev.iii, 3. xviii. 3, 7, 9, 12, &c.
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 169 
 warning from the plain and frequent 
 admonitions of this book to avoid 
 thefe fins, has not wholly loft his 
 labour in reading it, and withal has 
 intitled himfelf to the bleffing which 
 is pronounced upon thofe who keep the 
 fay ings of it *. 
 
 Thefe ufes perfons of ordinary ca- 
 pacities may make even of the obfcu- 
 reft parts of the prophetical writings ; 
 but I am perfuaded that God in- 
 tended men of better talents fliould 
 reap greater benefit from a fober and 
 devout fearch into them : And that 
 as a reward of their thiril after di- 
 vine truth, he often admits fuch per- 
 fons wit kin the veil, and gives them 
 the key of knowledge wherewith to 
 unlock thofe facred treafures of God's 
 hidden counfels. However that be, 
 this one thing is a fufficient reward of 
 their labour, that they have the fatif- 
 fa&ion of obferving the exadl har- 
 mony and correfpondence that is to 
 be found between the feveral jymbols 
 d Rev. i. 3. xxii. 7. 
 
 H and
 
 170 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 and figurative exprejfions, which arc 
 made ufe of in clivers parts of thofe 
 myfterious writings : Which amounts 
 to a demonstration, that the prophets 
 were not under illufions of an en- 
 thufiaftic heat or roving imagina- 
 tion, but had always fome certain 
 views which guided and influenced 
 their pen. Accordingly they often 
 word their prophecies with a critical 
 nicenefs of expreflion, (a remarkable 
 in (lance of which may be feen> Rev. 
 xii. 3. compared with Chap. xiii. i.) 
 and the emblems and figures which 
 they make ufe of are as capable of 
 being reduced under rules, as the terms 
 of any art or fcience whatfoever. 
 
 II. Another particular very obferv- 
 able in thofe prophecies, which re- 
 late to the times of the Meflias, is 
 the myjlical Jenfe of federal paffages 
 in them contained under the literal ; 
 of which we may aflign feveral exam~ 
 pies. As, i. when the prophets de- 
 fcribe the Meflias under fuch charac- 
 ters as Have a more immediate afpect 
 
 upon
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 171 
 upon fome eminent perfon in or 
 near their own times e . 2, When 
 they reprefent the redemption of 
 mankind, which he was to accom- 
 plifh, by fuch expreffions as do, in 
 their firft and primary fenfe, allude 
 to fome temporal deliverance which 
 God had f , or would vouchfafe to 
 their own nation B . Or, laftly, when 
 they fet forth the benefits of" the Gof- 
 pel by phrafes taken from the forms 
 of divine worfkip prefcribed by their 
 law k . 
 
 Any one that carefully reads the 
 prophets, will quickly be convinced, 
 that the views which they had of 
 future events, reached a great way 
 beyond their own times; and were 
 not confined to the narrow limits of 
 their own nation. I mall prove this 
 
 8 See 2 Sam. yii. 14. Pfal. ii. 6, 7. Pfal. xlv. 
 & Ixxii. Ixxxix. 26, 27. Hagg. ii. 23. Zech. vi. 
 
 1 I, 12. 
 
 f See Pfal. Ixviii. 22,23. 
 
 See Ifa. xl. 3, &c. xlix. 8, &c. lii. 7, &c. liv. i, 
 &c. Ix. i,&c. 
 
 h See Ifa. ii. I. Ixvi. 20, 23. Zech. xiv. 16. 20. 
 
 Hz by
 
 172 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 
 by two plain inftances, out of many 
 
 that might be alledged. 
 
 We will allow that the wonderful 
 reiteration of the JewiJJ} captivity,, 
 and their return into their own land, 
 might be the ground-work, of all 
 thofe predictions concerning the 
 flouriming ftate of the Church, which 
 we find foretold by Ifaiab with a very 
 pompous eloquence, from the 4oth 
 chapter to the end of his prophecy. 
 But none can fay, that all thefe glo- 
 rious promifes could in any tolerable 
 fenfe be accomplimed in thofe poor 
 remains of God's chofen people, or 
 thofe inconfiderable fucceiies which 
 they afterwards obtained under the 
 Maccabees againfh their enemies : 
 when their condition at beft, was 
 nothing near fo profperous as it had 
 formerly been in the days of David 
 and Solomon. So that we cannot main- 
 tain the truth of fo confiderable a 
 part of the Old Teftament, prophecy, 
 but by averting, that the prophet was 
 carried on from his firft fubjecl: to a 
 
 more
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 173 
 more agreeable profpedt of the en- 
 largement of the Church under the 
 Gbfpel, ^and perhaps forefaw a more 
 flourifhing flate of it than the world 
 hath yet been bleffed with. 
 
 A fecond proof of this point mall 
 be taken from thofe prophecies of 
 IJa'iah and Jeremiah, which foretel 
 the destruction of Babylon f ; and 
 they both defcribe it as a decifive 
 ftroke which mould thoroughly vin- 
 dicate the caufe of oppreffed truth 
 and innocence s , and mould put a 
 final period to idolatry h , and to the 
 miferies and afflictions of God's peo- 
 pie'. 
 
 None can with any mew of pro- 
 bability pretend, that any of thefe 
 ends were attained by the overthrow 
 of the Babylonian monarchy by Cy~ 
 
 f See Ifa. xiii. 19, 20. Jer. 1. 39, 40. H. 64. 
 8 See Ifa. xiv. j, 2, &c. Jer. 1. 34. li. II, 3$, 
 36. 
 
 h See Ifa. xxi 8. xlv. 16. Jer. 1. 2, 38. li. 17, i, 
 44 47- 
 
 [ Set Jer. 1.4,5,19, 20. 
 
 H 3 rus.
 
 174 DiRECTioNsyir reading 
 rus. For neither was Babylon itfelf 
 deftroyed till a confiderabie time 
 after , nor did that great turn of af- 
 fairs give any remarkable check to 
 idolatry. For the Perfians were as 
 great Grangers to the true God, as 
 the Babylonians ; this was the only 
 difference between them, that the 
 Perjians did not wormip images d , 
 but contented themfelves with repre- 
 fenting the Divine Majefly fey the 
 external fymbol of fire, or it may be 
 wormipped him in fome other of the 
 elements. From whence we may 
 conclude that thefe prophets had 
 fome further event in their view, and 
 took occafion from that remarkable 
 judgment of God upon the Babylo- 
 nffi monarchy, the great enemy and 
 oppreficr ofGod's people, togivefome 
 
 ^ I7='ca a/VXfAaraKai j3wfx.? HV. la r vt>!leu Stran. 1. 
 I-. De Perfis iff Medis eadtm babti* Clem. Alex. 
 PfOtrept. p. 43. A . 'A^^a.-ra,^iv Stun v v>.a X-M Xi8i?t 
 
 Mil ?c.XX? f/uflot v'recw 
 
 w/ av'TB? Btjgwcro'c? in T^IT>? 
 
 general
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 175 
 
 general hints of the great downfal 
 of Antichrifty the laft and finishing 
 ftroke of the divine vengeance which 
 mall be inflicted upon the adverfaries 
 of God's Church and truth, as it is 
 more fully defcribed by St. John in 
 his Revelation. 
 
 That a great part of the propheti- 
 cal writings have a myftical fenfe in- 
 volved under a literal one, is a point 
 generally agreed both by the Jews 
 and Chriftians. When Chrift and his 
 Apoftles explained the prophecies of 
 \\\tOldTeftament in this manner, we 
 do not find that the Jews contradicted 
 the notion in general, or charged 
 them with mifapplying the particular 
 texts which they alledged, as if they 
 did not relate to the times of the 
 Meflias. So both parties agreed in 
 this k , that all the remarkable oc- 
 currences of former times were fi- 
 gures of that which mould come to 
 pafs in the latter days. Accordingly 
 
 k See Dr. Allix, againfl the Unitar. c. 2. & 3. 
 
 PI 4 we
 
 176 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 v/e find that the Apoftles not only 
 argued againft the Jews, from the 
 plain predictions of the prophets, but 
 likewife from the rites and ordinances 
 of the Jewi/h worfliip ', as types 
 and figures of the times of the Mef- 
 fias, and do further take it for grant- 
 ed, that all the eminent perfons of 
 foregoing- ages, and the remarkable 
 pafTages of their lives, did bear fome 
 rcfemblance or reprefentation m of 
 him that was to come. They fuppofe 
 that the preferring Jfaac before Ifi- 
 mael, and Jacob before Efau, did pre- 
 figure the rejection of the Jews, and 
 the calling of the Gentiles n . they 
 draw a parallel between the flate of 
 the Ifraelltes in the wildernefs, and 
 the condition of Chriftians during 
 their pilgrimage in this world *. 
 And to pafs by many other inflances, 
 we may obferve that feveral expref- 
 
 1 See Heb. viii 5. ix. 8, 1 8. 
 
 m See Heb. ii. 12, 13. 
 
 " Rom. ix. 6, &c. 
 
 Heb. Hi, & iv. i. Cor. x. I, &c. * 
 
 fions
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 177 
 
 lions in the "Revelation allude to the 
 Egyptian bondage h ; to the apoftacy 
 of the ten tribes begun by Jeroboam, 
 and increafed by the wicked kings 
 who fucceeded him ', to the Baby- 
 lonift captivity, and to the taking 
 away of many Jews in the time of 
 Antiochus Epipbanes k . As fo many 
 prczludia, or forerunners of the days 
 of Antichrifty (who is likewife de- 
 fcribed under the characters of the 
 idolatrous governments, and perfe- 
 euting princes mentioned in the Old 
 Tejlament] ', and of the grand apo- 
 ftacy which St. Paul foretold * 
 fhould break out, and which that 
 prophecy doth more particularly de- 
 fcribe. 
 
 Thefe providential co?igruitief be- 
 tween the times of the Old and New 
 'Tejiament, as a learned writer ftiles 
 them, do very much confirm the au- 
 
 h Revel, xi. 6, 8. xii. 6. xv. 3. xvi. 2, 3, 4. 
 1 Ibid. ch. ii. 20. xi. 3. 5, 6. Chap. xiv. 8. 
 
 &C. 
 
 Chap. xi. 2. xi 
 ee Chap. xiii. 
 zTheff. ii. 3. 
 
 k Chap. xi. 2. xiii. 5. 
 *'See Chap. xiii. &. xviii. 
 
 H 5 tlio-
 
 178 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 thority of both Teftaments, From 
 hence we learn that the Scrip- 
 tures comprehend one intire fcene 
 of providence which reaches from 
 one end of the world to t the other : 
 and that God, who is the beginning 
 and end of all things, by various fteps 
 and degrees purfues one great defign, 
 namely, The fetting up the kingdom 
 of his Son, through the feveral ages of 
 the world, and will ftill carry it on by 
 fuch meafqres as feem beft to his in- 
 finite wifdom, till the great day of 
 the confummation of all things. Such 
 a gradual opening this wonderful fcene 
 of providence, is a new argument of 
 that infinite wifdom which contrived 
 it, and fo fully juftifies this myftical 
 way of propounding it. 
 
 Several other confiderations may b 
 offered that juilify the wifdom of 
 God's conduct in fore-fhewing the 
 times of the new covenant under the 
 types and figures of the old. 
 
 i. It was necefTary that the pro- 
 phecies relating to the Gofpel, and the 
 
 fpi-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 179. 
 fpiritual benefits thereof, mould be 
 delivered to the yews under the 
 emblems of temporal bleffings, and 
 fuch reprefentations as would ap- 
 pear moil glorious in their appre- 
 henfions * in order to recommend 
 them more powerfully to their carnal 
 minds, and worldly affections. Where- 
 as if the nature of Chrift's kingdom 
 had been fet forth plainly by the pro- 
 phets, as it, was in itfelf, they would 
 have received the promifes but coldly, 
 and had but a faint defire to fee them 
 accomplimed. It was theearthly king- 
 dom of the Meffias which they fet 
 their hearts upon ; this raifed in their 
 minds an earneft expectation of the 
 Redeemer of Ifrael, and made them 
 fuch zealous prefervers" of thofe holy 
 records, which gave them a title to 
 that glorious promife : whereas if the 
 fpiritual nature of Chrift's kingdom 
 had been clearly fore- mewed, if the 
 prophets had plainly difcovered that 
 
 k Loquitur Propbeta Figuris y qua fit* convtniunt 
 <etati : Calvin, in lfa Ivi. 7. 
 
 H 6 the
 
 1 80 DIRECTIONS/^ reading 
 the Gentiles were to be fellow- heirs 
 with the Jews, and partakers of the 
 fame promifes, they would in all pro- 
 bability have flighted and rejected the 
 prophecies concerning the Meffias, as 
 they did Chrift himfelf when he ap- 
 peared. 
 
 2. It was requifite that the times 
 of the Gofpel mould be foretold with 
 fome degree of obfcurity, and couched 
 under veils and figures, becaufe the 
 yews themfelves were to be inilru- 
 ments in bringing about the work of 
 man's redemption by the death and 
 fufferings of the Meffias : which if it 
 had been clearly foretold, the pro- 
 phecies would have defeated their own 
 accomplimment, and we cannot fup- 
 pofe, humanly fpeaking, that the 
 yews when they were thus fore- 
 warned would have had a hand in cru- 
 cifying their king, and defpitefully ufing 
 him that was the hope, the expecta- 
 tion, and the g/ory oflfrael: whereas 
 becaufe they knew him not, nor yet the 
 
 voices.
 
 tie HOLY SCRIPTURES. 181 
 voices of the prophet s y they fulfilled them 
 in condemning him, as St. Paul tells 
 them ! . 
 
 3. The veil drawn over the pro- 
 phecies, is very ferviceable to that 
 wonderful conduct of providence, in 
 appointing the Jews to be witnefles 
 and confervators of thofe very pro- 
 phecies which (hew the unreafonable- 
 nefs of their unbelief. They carry 
 the Chriftians books and evidences 
 for them, as St. Auftin " acutely 
 obferved, and God hath therefore dif- 
 perfed them over the world, that 
 they might bear witnefs to that truth 
 which they themfelves refufe to ac- 
 knowledge, whilft they continue zea- 
 lous aflertors of thofe divine oracles, 
 which prove that our Jefus, whom 
 they deny, is the very Chrift. O 
 God, how wonderful art thou in thy 
 works ! through the greatnefs of thy 
 power fliall thy enemies become liars unto 
 
 1 Afts xiii. 27. 
 
 - 7Pfalm Iviii. (lix. fecund. Hebr.) fef alibi. 
 
 thee\
 
 1 82 DIRE CTIONS for reading 
 
 thee n , and ftand condemned out of their 
 own mouths. 
 
 III. A third particular which I 
 would dcfire the pious reader to ob- 
 ferve, in the writings of the pro- 
 phets, (and which is that part of 
 them that is beft fuited to common 
 capacities) is that holy zeal wherewith 
 they reprove the vices of the times they 
 lived in, and thofe pathetic exhorta- 
 tions r whereby they perfuade finners 
 to amend their ways, and break off 
 their fins by a fincere repentance. 
 Here they give us a true pattern of 
 that courage and conftancy, that zeal 
 and fervency, wherewith we ought 
 to maintain the caufe of religion, 
 when they rebuke the vices of the 
 great ones, as well as of the meanefly 
 without fear or flattery ; when -they 
 reprove great and hainous offen- 
 ces, with an awful authority, with 
 great feverity againft fin, and yet 
 great companion towards finners : 
 and exhort them to repent, and 
 
 Pfalm Ixvi. 3. 
 
 turn
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 183 
 
 turn to God, by all the powerful 
 perfuafives of an holy eloquence. 
 Fir ft bejeeching them by the mercies of 
 God, by all that he has done for 
 them, by the obligations he has laid 
 upon them, and the right that he has 
 to their fervice : recounting his pad 
 favours towards them, and renewing 
 his gracious promifes for the time to 
 come : and if thefe gentle methods 
 will not prevail with finners, they 
 then reprefent to them the greatnefs 
 
 i of God's majefty, the dread of his 
 power, the fiercenefs of his anger, 
 their own monftrous ingratitude and 
 
 ; incorrigiblenefs, in abufing his mer- 
 cies, defpifing his judgments, re- 
 fifting his Spirit, and rendering inef- 
 
 t fedlual all thofe methods which di- 
 vine wifdom itfelf could make ufe 
 of, to recover finners from the er- 
 ror of their ways. Thefe difcourfes 
 verify that faying of the prophet Je- 
 remiah % that God's Word in the 
 mouth of his prophets is as a Jire* 
 
 Jer. xxiii. 29. 
 
 which
 
 i 4 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 
 which makes its way through all op- 
 pofition, and like a hammer that 
 breaks the rocks in pieces j is able to 
 fubdue the moft obdurate heart, if 
 it be ferioufly attended to, and to beat 
 down the confidence of the moft dar- 
 ing offender. 
 
 We may farther obferve, that thefe 
 moral difcourfes of the prophets- 
 favour very much of a true and evan- 
 gelical fpirit of piety and holinefs. 
 They exhort men not to lay toa 
 much ftrefs upon the practical ob- 
 fervance of the ceremonial law m , 
 but to fulfil the right eoiifnefs chiefly 
 intended by it, in walking not after 
 the flejh, but after the Spirit. The 
 Jews think that the chief ftrength 
 of their caufe lies in this point, that 
 God himfelf has declared that the 
 law of Mofes fhould be of perpetual- 
 obligation. But thefe difcourfes of 
 the prophets afford an unanfwerable 
 confutation to this their pretence. 
 
 * Ifa. i. n. xvi. 3. Jerem. vii. 21, 22, 23. Hof. 
 vi. 6. Amos v. 21. Mic. vi. 6, 7, 8. 
 
 For
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 185 
 For there we fee the prophets them- 
 felves, who lived under the law, 
 fhewing men a more excellent way 
 of pleafing God, than by the for- 
 mal a&s of an external obedience, and 
 plainly foretelling b that the Mofai- 
 cal covenant mould at laft give way 
 to a better, which I come in the 
 next place to confider. 
 
 k Jer. xxxi. 31. 
 
 CHAP.
 
 1 86 DiRECTiONsy^r reading 
 
 CHAP. VIIL 
 
 Qbfervations upon the Gofpels, m order 
 to the more ufeful reading that part 
 of Holy Scripture. 
 
 I Proceed to difcourfe of the parti- 
 cular ufes we are to make of the 
 writings of the New 'Fejlament, as 
 it is commonly called, becaufe the be- 
 nefits therein contained are conveyed 
 to us by the death of (Thrift, who 
 has as it were bequeathed them to 
 us in this his laft will and teflament. 
 But the title of thofe books might 
 more properly be tranflated the new 
 covenant % as it is diftinguimcd 
 from the former covenant, which 
 God made with the Jews, by the 
 miniflry and mediation of Mofes^ 
 That was a law, taking the word in 
 its proper fenfe, requiring ftrict obe- 
 
 dience
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 187 
 dience under fevere penalties : Or a 
 covenant of works, denouncing an ir- 
 reverfible curfe upon thofe who did 
 not continue in an exact obedience to 
 all the duties therein commanded d . 
 Whereas the new covenant is a cove- 
 nant of grace, and thereupon is called 
 the gijt of grace and abundance of 
 grace ", becaufe it makes merciful 
 allowances for the unavoidable frail- 
 ties of human nature, and fets forth 
 Chrift to be a propitiation for the 
 fins of all thofe who truly repent, 
 and endeavour to pleafe by a fincere, 
 though imperfect obedience. 'The law 
 was given by Mofes, but grace and 
 truth came by Jefus Chrtjl f .- The 
 Gofpel is there called grace in oppofi- 
 tion to the feverity of the law, which 
 denounced judgment againft great of- 
 fences without mercy ; and truth, 
 whereby it is diftinguifhed from the 
 figures of the law, which was but a 
 fiadow of good things to corns 5 . 
 
 A Deut. xxvii. 26. e Rom. v. ij, 17. 
 
 f Johni. 17. s Heb. x. i. 
 
 I have
 
 1 88 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 
 I have already obferved h , that 
 the books of the Old Teftament give 
 two different fchemes or reprefenta- 
 tions of the ye-wifh religion -, and ac- 
 cording to thofe different views of it, 
 St.Pau/ gives very different characters 
 of that inftitution, Sometimes he 
 calls the law fpiritual ', at other 
 times he ililes it k a carnal com" 
 mandment. The ambiguity of the 
 word No/*, as it is taken for the 
 Jewijh law under its feveral accepta- 
 tions, is, I conceive, a principal 
 caufe of the obfcurity of St. Paul's 
 difcourfes upon the fubjecT: of juftifi- 
 cation, and of the many different 
 opinions, which have been advanced 
 concerning that point. It feems moft 
 probable that the word Law, as it is 
 oppofed in the New Teftament to 
 the Gofpel, ufually fignifies that fyf- 
 tem of laws and ordinances, which 
 were the terms of the covenant made 
 
 h Supr. chap. iv. ' Rom. vii. 14, 
 
 k Hebr.vii. 16. 
 
 with
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 189 
 with the Jews at mount Sinai l : 
 Efpecially as their extent and obliga- 
 tion was underftood and explained in 
 the time of Chrift and the Apoflles, 
 both by the dictates of the Jewifl) 
 Rabbies, and the concurring practice 
 of the people m . Thefe were a bo- 
 dy of laws chiefly intended for the 
 government of that common- wealth ; 
 which according to the nature of all 
 political laws, laid a greater ilrefs 
 upon the outward act of obedience, 
 than the inward fincerity of the 
 mind : It was rather defigned as a 
 reftraint to the lawlefs and difobedient * 
 than as a rule of perfection to the 
 righteous * . It did not exprefsly 
 promife any internal affiftances % 
 nor future rewards ', nor did it of- 
 fer any method of propitiation for 
 great and prefumptuous offences. In 
 which refpects the Apoftle faith, that 
 
 1 See A& xv. 5. Galat. iii. 17. Rom. Hi. 19. 
 See Rom. ix. 32. x. 3. Matth. v. 20. & ch. xv. 
 IT, 12. n i Tim. i. 9. Gal. iii. 19. See Rom. 
 iv, 4. & ch. xi. 6. ~ f V, Heb. vii. 19. viii. 6. 
 
 the
 
 190 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 the law ivas weak through thefleft \ 
 that it was the Jlrength of fm r , that 
 it could not jufttfy ' nor give life E , 
 that the Jews were in the flefo u , in 
 a carnal flate, and trujled in the 
 flejh w , in flemly privileges d , and 
 carnal ordinances e : That the law 
 Was a dead letter f , whereas the 
 Gofpel wa&Jpirit and life E : That 
 it worketh wrath h , that it in- 
 volves thofe that rely upon it under 
 a curfe l , that it was weak and un~ 
 profitable k , made nothing perfect, 
 nor could attain the end which the 
 zealous contenders for it propofed to 
 themfelves, that is, It could neither 
 juftify them here, nor fave them 
 hereafter. Taking the law in the 
 forementioned fenfe, we may give a 
 fatisfadory account why the Apoftle 
 Ipeaks of it in fuch undervaluing 
 
 i Rom. viii. 3. r i Cor. xv. 56. s Rom. 
 iii. 20. Gal. ii. 16. l Gal. iii. 21. u Rom. 
 vii. 5. w Phil. iii. 3. d Ibid. v. 5, 6. 
 
 e Heb. ix. 10. f Rom. vii. 9, 6. % Rom. 
 viii. 2. 2 Cor. iii. 6. h Rom. iv. 15. * Gal. 
 Hi. 10. k Heb. vii. 18, 19. 
 
 terms ;
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 191 
 terms; and may eafily affign the rea- 
 fon why he excludes 'works from 
 having any relation to our juflifica- 
 tion. And the famous prophecy of 
 Jeremy, where ra he Hates the dif- 
 ference between the old and new co- 
 venant, does very much confirm this 
 interpretation. There he exprefsly 
 calls the former covenant ', that which 
 God made with our fathers when he 
 brought them out of the land of Egypt ; 
 and then reckons up the advantages 
 which the new covenant mould have 
 above it ; wherein God promifes that 
 he would put his laws into their in- 
 ward parts, and write them in their 
 hearts ; that is, He would require in- 
 ward purity inftead of external obe- 
 dience, and a reafonable fervice in 
 the place of carnal ordinances, and 
 would put his fpirit within them to 
 enable them to perform their duty 
 heartily and fincerely. It follows, 
 / will be their God, and they Jh all be my 
 people, and their fins and iniquities 
 
 * Jer. xxxi. 3 1 . 
 
 Will
 
 19* DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 'will I remember no more ; that is, Gad. 
 would fet forth Chrift to be a per- 
 fect propitiation for fins to all thofe 
 that truly repent and turn from their 
 evil ways, and thereby allure them 
 of his favour and loving kindnefs, 
 and that nothing mall feparate them 
 from an intereft in his love. This is 
 that fecond and better covenant, as 
 St. Paul calls it n , of which Chrifl 
 is the Mediator : Eftablifoeduponbet* 
 ter Promifes, namely, the clearer re- 
 velation of a future ftate, and more 
 plentiful effufion of the divine 
 grace p , than was granted under 
 the law : And confifting of more ex- 
 cellent precepts, and thofe recom- 
 mended to our practice by the mofl 
 engaging motives, fuch as are taken 
 from this confideration, that the 
 Son of God came down from hea- 
 ven, that he might give life unto the 
 world*. 
 
 " Heb, viii. 6, 7. * 2 Tim. i. 10. f See 
 Ifa. xliv. 3. liv. 13. Ezek. xi, 19. xxxvi. 27. Joel 
 ii. 28. Joh. vii. 39. Gal. iii, 2. Ephef. i. 13. 
 
 * Joh. vi. 33. 
 
 The!
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 193 
 Thefe glad tidings of peace and 
 fahation which the Gofpel brings 
 unto us, for our comfort and in- 
 ftrudion, are delivered to us in the 
 writings of the Apoftles and holy 
 pen-men of the New ejlament, to 
 whofe words we ought to give the 
 mqft earnejl heed and attention ; for 
 bow fhall we efcape, if we neglect Jo 
 great falvation, which at the Jirft be- 
 gan to be fpoken by the Lord, and 
 was confirmed to us by them that heard 
 him ? 
 
 The ufefulnefs of which writings 
 I come now to confider, and fhall 
 divide them into two forts, i. The 
 Gofpels which contain the hiftory of 
 our Lord's life and doctrine j and 
 2. The Afts and Epiftles, which 
 give us an account of the preaching 
 of the Apoftles, and the manner how 
 they propagated Chriftianity in the 
 world. 
 
 In difcourfing upon the firft head, 
 I lhall in the firil place confider the 
 Heb. ii. 3 . 
 
 I prin-
 
 DiRECTiGNsy*0r reading 
 principal matters contained in the 
 Gofpels, and then the manner how 
 they are delivered. 
 
 The principal matters contained 
 in the Gofpels may be reduced to 
 thefe four heads, i . Our Lord's doc- 
 trine. 2. His miracles. 3. His man- 
 ner of life, and 4. The circum- 
 ftances of his death. 
 
 i . Our Lord's dodr.rine. He came 
 down from heaven to mew us the, 
 way thither, to bring us from dark- 
 nefs to light, and from the power of 
 Satan to God: To inftru<5l us in the 
 knowledge of the true God, and the 
 means whereby we might approve 
 ourfelves to him. And this he did 
 two ways j more plainly and openly 
 in his fermons and other difcourfes ; 
 more obfcurely and refervedly in his 
 parables. 
 
 Of all his difcourfes, that which 
 I mall chiefly take notice of is, that 
 glorious, full, and admirable fermon 
 which he delivered upon the mount, 
 and is contained in the 5th, 6th, 
 
 and
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 and 7th chapters of St. Matthew. 
 This divine difcourfe comprehends 
 in it the very marrow and quintef- 
 fence of Chriflianity, and ought to be 
 the daily fubjecl: of every good Chri- 
 flian's reading and meditation, till 
 he has copied it into his life and 
 converfation. 
 
 The great defign of our Saviour in 
 this fermon, is to exhort us to ckanfe 
 ourf elves from all jilt hinefs both ofjlefo 
 and fpirit ; to bring forth the fruits 
 of righteoufnefs out of a pure con- 
 fcience : To purify our hearts from 
 all corrupt affections, as thofe that 
 would approve themfelves to that 
 God whofe property it is to fearch 
 the heart, and who knows the mofl: 
 fecret thoughts and defires that lie 
 lurking in the retired corners of it. 
 
 And that men might not fatisfy 
 themfelves with faying that their 
 heart is right toward God, he fur- 
 ther teaches us, that we muft teflify 
 the fincerity of our inward difpofi- 
 tions by bringing forth the vifible 
 1 2 fruits
 
 196 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 fruits of good works, juft as the 
 life and goodnefs of the tree is 
 known by its fruit : That we muft 
 demonftrate the reality of our in- 
 ward love toward God, by real acts 
 of mercy and charity to our bre- 
 thren : That we muft mew all kind- 
 nefs to all men, and do injury to 
 none -, that we muft not render evil 
 for evil, but love our enemies, and do 
 good to them that hate us, in imita- 
 tion of our heavenly Father, who is 
 the moft glorious inftance of free 
 bounty, of unwearied patience, and 
 of unconfined mercy. 
 
 In mort the great aim of this, and 
 all our Saviour's difcourfes is, to give 
 men a true notion of pure and un- 
 dtfikd religion > and to preferve it 
 from thofe two cankers which are 
 apt to eat out the very life and heart 
 of it, which are hypocrify and fpiri- 
 tua/ pride. Thofe were the reigning 
 fins of the Scribes and Pbarifees, 
 whereby they had corrupted the very 
 vitals of the Jewifi religion, and 
 
 which
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 197 
 which rendered all their high pre- 
 tences to godlinefs of none effect, 
 and unferviceable to any of the true 
 ends of religion. 
 
 To prevent mens being guilty of 
 hypocrify, our Saviour often puts 
 them in mind that God is a Spirit, 
 arid they that ferine him, miift worfliip 
 him in fpirit and in truth p : That 
 the true way to make the outfide of 
 the cup clean, is to ivajh the infide 
 Jirjl q : That we muft not content 
 ourfelves with appearing righteous r 
 in the eyes of the world, nor greedi- 
 ly feek the praife of men, but that 
 which comes from God ', the moft 
 righteous and uncorrupt judge, by 
 whofe fentence we mufl ftand or fall, 
 and who alone is able to fave and to 
 dcftroy. 
 
 Nor was he lefs induftrious to 
 check the beginnings of fpiritual 
 pride, a fubtile and dangerous ene- 
 my, which very often lurks under 
 
 p Joh. iv. 24. * Mat. xxiii. 26. r Ibid, 
 
 ver. 28. John v. 44. 
 
 I ? the
 
 198 DIR E CTION 3 for reading 
 the difguife of mortification and re- 
 nouncing of the world. Pride in- 
 deed was always detected as an un- 
 reafonable and unfeemly vice, but 
 yet the world was never taught the 
 true lefTon of humility, until our 
 Saviour came to inftrudt it. The 
 foundation of Chriftianity is laid in 
 that divine truth ' that Jefus Chrift 
 came into the world tofavefmners ; a 
 faithful faying and worthy of all ac- 
 ceptation, as the Apoftle truly ftiles 
 it f : A faying more valuable than 
 whole volumes of philofophy and 
 human wifdom, which both difco- 
 vers our diftemper, and directs us 
 where to find a cure. How diffe- 
 rent from this felf-denying maxim 
 were the notions of the philolb- 
 phers ? among whom no principle 
 was more current than this, that 
 virtue andhappinefs ivere in mens own 
 power 8 . They that were of this 
 
 opinion 
 
 * See John 5ii. 1 6. Matth. xviii. n. 
 f i Tim. i. 15. 
 
 s Jt is true that the Philofophers did fometimes, 
 when they fpoke more corrciilf, acknowledge fit- 
 vine
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 opinion could have but little fenfe of 
 the inbred corruption- of human na- 
 ture, and they who were not fenfi- 
 ble that they were lick, would not 
 be very forward to feek out for a phy- 
 fician. Their wife man had no need 
 of repentance r , and confequently 
 was not under any apprehenfion of 
 the wrath to come. As he did not 
 place his happinefs in God, fo nei- 
 ther did he lift up his foul to him. 
 He was willing to believe that virtue 
 was its own reward, and made ufe of 
 this fpecious mew of prefent fatif- 
 faction, only to hide his diftruft of a 
 future reward '. 
 
 I 4 Thefe 
 
 vineaffiftantes, as ha?h been (hewed by learned men, 
 particularly by Mr. Dodwell, Prolegom. ad lib. D. 
 Steam, de obftinaticne Stfi 55, 56 But the general 
 ftrain of their writings takes no notice of any fuch 
 thing, and the common readers underflood the ex- 
 preflions they ufe concerning felf-fufficiency, in a 
 fenfe exclufive of it, as appears by that noted'expref- 
 fion of Horace, Lib I . Ep. xviii. 
 
 Hoc falls eft Of-are Jovem 
 
 Det i>it am, Jet opes, tequttm annnum ipfe parabo . 
 
 T Sapiens mhilfacit quod non debet, nihil preetermii- 
 tit quod debet. Senec. de Clement. /. 2 c 7. 
 
 s Socrates himfelf fpeaks very doubtfully of this 
 jnatter, in his apology^ whole words are thus tran- 
 
 flattd
 
 200 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 
 Thefe were fome of the great at- 
 tainments of the Heathen philofo- 
 phers, or rather great Dwelling words 
 ef vanity, which their pride fug- 
 gelled to them, utterly void of truth 
 and fobernefs. Whereas the great 
 defign of all our Saviour's inftru&i- 
 ons was to exalt God, and to hum- 
 ble man. To this end he taught 
 nien * that they were naturally 
 ilaves to fin and error, that he was 
 come a light unto the world, that e wbo- 
 foever believes in himjhotild not abide 
 in darknefs k : That by his dying 
 for them * he was to redeem them 
 
 flated by Cicero, Tu/c. Quteft. 1. i.. Ttmpus ejt 
 jam bine abire me, ut monar, was ut <vitam agatis : 
 utrttm autem fit tnelius Dii immortaJet fciunt : homi- 
 nem quidem fcire or bit r or neminem, Nor does Tully 
 in that place, or in his book de Sensflute fpeak with 
 greater afTurance. Seneca labours under the fame 
 uncertainty, as will appear to any that compare 
 the places where he afierts the foul's immortality, 
 with his ,4th Epiftle and igth Ch. de Confolat. ad 
 Marciam. Even Antoninus himfelf could come to 
 no refolution in this point. See I, 4. . 15. Edit. 
 Oxon. 
 
 1 John iii. 6. k John xii. 46. J Matth. 
 
 xx. 28. John vi. 51. 
 
 from
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 201 
 from the power of fin, and the 
 wages of it, death eternal ; and by 
 his living in them m he was to 
 enable them to bring forth fruit unto 
 holinefs, the end of which would be 
 ever loft ing life. He inftrudts us not 
 to be proud of our fpiritual attain- 
 ments, that when we have done 
 our beft, ftill we ought to fay, we 
 are unprofitable fervaxfs n : Foraf- 
 much as all our righteoufnefs is but 
 as Jilt by rags, and our beft actions 
 have fo great an alloy of fin and im- 
 perfection,, that they cannot be ac- 
 ceptable to fo holy and pure a being 
 as God almighty is, but only thro* 
 the all-fufficient merits of his Son, 
 in whom alone he is well pleafed. 
 
 To conclude this point, the fum 
 of our Saviour's preaching confifts in 
 inculcating this one great and funda- 
 mental truth of Chriftianity, that we 
 are nothing, and God is all in all, 
 it is his word- that enlightens our 
 
 n Johnxiv. 19. xv-. 4, 5. Luke xvii. i o. 
 
 I 5-. minds*
 
 202 DiRECTiONS^r reading 
 minds, his Spirit directs our wills, 
 his providence orders our affairs, his 
 grace guides us here, and his mercy 
 muft bring us to heaven hereafter. 
 So that if we will needs glory, we 
 muft glory only in the Lord, we mufl 
 acknowledge that all good things 
 come from him, and nothing is 
 truly valuable but what renders us 
 accepted with him. 
 
 Thefe difcourfes fhew that the 
 author of them knew what was 
 in man, was perfectly acquainted 
 with all the weakneffes and infir- 
 mities of his constitution, and un- 
 djerftood how to apply fuitable re- 
 medies- to his moft prevailing dif- 
 tempers. 
 
 Thus I have endeavoured briefly to 
 reprefent the great aim and tendency 
 of our Saviour's do&rine, and (hew- 
 ed how much it exceeds the higheft 
 attainments of human wifdom, be- 
 cauie it teaches us to know God and 
 ourfelves, to give him the honour 
 which is due unto his name, and to 
 
 hum-
 
 the HOLY SCRIRTURES. 203 
 humble ourfelves before him, as lin- 
 ful dull and afhes. 
 
 I proceed to take a fhort view of 
 our Saviour's parables, and fhew the 
 great ufefulneis of them. 
 
 It was the cuflom of the wife 
 men among the ancients to cloath 
 their inftructions in apt ftories and 
 fuitable comparifons : Such is the 
 parable of Jotbam , and that very 
 appofite one of Nathan to David 
 f -, this they did at once to pleafe 
 and to inftrucl:, to excite mens at- 
 tention by gratifying their curiofity, 
 and to quicken their memory by 
 entertaining their fancy. Our Savi- 
 our took this method to recommend 
 his weighty inftructions, and make 
 them link deeper into the minds of 
 his auditors. The fame method was 
 likewife very proper for another pur- 
 pofe, namely, to deliver the myfteries 
 of the Gofpel with fome degree of 
 obfcurity and referve -, which he did 
 
 * Judg. iv. 8. f 2 Sam. xii. i. 
 
 I 6 both
 
 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 both to excite mens induft ry in fearch- 
 ing further into the deep things of 
 God, and withal to punifh the floth 
 and negligence of thofe who grudge 
 taking any pains to learn God's will 
 and their own duty. This reafon 
 you may find our Saviour himfelf 
 affigns why he fpake to the multi- 
 tude in parables, Mattb. xiii. 10, 
 &c. Thefe were the reafbns why 
 our Saviour chofe to convey his 
 inflructions in parables. And we 
 may obferv in general concerning 
 them, firft that they have a pleating 
 variety fuited to mens different ap- 
 prehenfions and capacities, and in the 
 next place that there is an extraor- 
 dinary decency, and if I may fo ex- 
 prefs it,, a genteelnefs, which runs 
 through them all. Our Saviour puts 
 the cafe in all his parables on the 
 charitable fide, and makes the moft 
 favourable reprefentation of things 
 which the matter will bear. In the; 
 parable of the ten virgins % he 
 
 e Mat. xxv. 2. 
 
 fup-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 205 
 
 fuppofes the number of the wife 
 to be equal to that of the foolifh. 
 In the parable of the loft Jheep r , 
 he fuppofes but one of an hundred to 
 goaftray: And yet \\\z good Jhepherd 
 is content to leave all the reft, and go 
 in queft after that fingle ftraggler. 
 In the third place there is an exact 
 decorum obferved in all Chrift's pa- 
 rables, and every thing that is fpoken 
 is fitted to the character of the per- 
 fon who fpeaks it : A beauty which 
 the critics g look upon as the 
 greateft ornament of a poem, and 
 which of its fdf is fufficient to 
 make it heard, or read with delight 
 and admiration : And therefore, I 
 hope, it may recommend our Savi- 
 our's parables to the nice and delicate 
 tafte of our modern wits, who are 
 apt to think every thing in Scrip- 
 ture fo mean and flat, as not to be 
 worth their reading. 
 
 f Luke XV. 4. r Si Plauforis eges ./Etatis 
 cujufque notandi font tibi mores. Herat. Art. Poet. 
 v. 154, ttiam v. 319. 
 
 Thus
 
 206 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 
 Thus much we obferve in general 
 concerning our Saviour's parables : 
 Let us now take a brief view of 
 fome of the more remarkable ones. 
 
 To begin with the parable of the h 
 prodigal : In what lively colours * 
 doth our Saviour there defcribe the 
 follies and madnefs of an extravagant 
 courfe of life, and the hardships and 
 miferies it ufually betrays men to; 
 how repentance is a man's coming to 
 bimfelf* again, and firfl of all return- 
 ing to his own right fenfes, and then 
 to God and his duty. And yet not- 
 withftanding the inexcufablenefs of 
 fuch tranfgreffions, how ready our 
 heavenly Father is to receive thcfe 
 that return to him, though after a 
 long courfe of difobedience, and how 
 willing to pardon their hainous and 
 repeated provocations* 
 
 The parable that follows in the 
 next chapter of the rich man and 
 
 h Luke xi. 11, iffr. 
 
 * Inter omnes Cbrtjli parabolas b<tcfane ex i mi a eft, 
 plena affeftuum, & <ui*vidis pitta cohribus. Grot, ad 
 
 V. 20. 
 
 * v, 17.
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 207 
 Lazarus, reprefents to us with very 
 affecting circumftances how apt a 
 plentiful fortune is to benumb and 
 ftupify the foul, to fhut out all ferious 
 confideration,' to make men unmind- 
 ful of the wants and neceffities of 
 their poor brethren, to regard no- 
 thing but the prefent gratification of 
 their fenfes, and never lift up their 
 eyes to heaven, till they fee them- 
 felves furrounded with the flames of 
 hell, and irreverfibly doomed to take 
 their portion in that place of tor- 
 ment. 
 
 The parable of the king that 
 'would take an account of bis fervtints 
 K offers powerful arguments to con- 
 vince us of the great equity, and in- 
 deed neceffity cf forgiving others, 
 in order to obtain forgivenefs our- 
 felves at the hands of God. 
 
 The parable of the good Sama- 
 ritan k does very appofitely fhevv 
 
 * Matth. xviii. 23, 
 h Luke x. 30. 
 
 US
 
 2 oS D i R E c Tioxsfor reacting 
 us that we ought to extend our kinck- 
 nefs to all that ftand in prefent need 
 of our help, .however differing from 
 us in affections, perfuafion, or in- 
 tereft. 
 
 The parable of the rich man, who 
 f leafed himfelf with the profpeft of 
 living many years in wealth and jol- 
 lity p , doth exactly reprefent the 
 carnal fecurity of wordly-minded 
 men, and how terrible the meffage 
 f death is to fuch perfons, which 
 very often cuts them off with a fud- 
 den ftroke in the midft of their fins, 
 and blafts all their fond hopes and 
 vain expectations. 
 
 It would be too large an under- 
 taking to give a particular account of 
 all our Saviour's parables, and there- 
 fore I mail only juft take notice of 
 thofe which are put together in the 
 xiiith chapter of St. Matthew: The 
 firfl of which, the parable of the 
 Svwer, affigns the feveral reafons 
 
 P Luke xii, i^' s ." 
 
 whichu
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 209 
 which hinder men from receiving 
 any benefit by the many fermons and 
 instructions which they hear ; and in 
 thofe that follow, as alib in many o- 
 thers, Chrifl in a prophetical manner 
 defcribes the fpeedy growth and pro- 
 grefs of the Chriftian Religion, and 
 the ftate of the Church here upon 
 earth unto the end of the world : In 
 all which there are feveral myfterious 
 admonitions, (not to be difcovered 
 but by a diligent fearcher of the 
 Scriptures) both instructing all ranks 
 and orders of Chriftians in their fe- 
 veral duties, and alfo warning the 
 Church againft thofe errors and cor- 
 ruptions, which mould in procefs of 
 time over-fpread it. So that Orlgen ' 
 with great reafon challenges Celfus, 
 who defpifed the plainnefs of the 
 Scriptures, to explain the parables of 
 our Saviour, and unfold all thofe my- 
 fterious truths which are there 
 couched under emblems and figures. 
 And as our Saviour himfelf vouch- 
 
 * Orig. cont. Celf. /. 3. /. 122. 
 
 fafed
 
 2 1 o DIRECTIONS'^ reading 
 
 fafed to expound fome of his parables- 
 to his difciples, apart from the mul- 
 titude, fo ftill there is need of a more 
 intimate converfe with the oracles of 
 heaven, to enable us to difcover all 
 that fpiritual wifdom which is there 
 concealed under fenfible reprefenta- 
 tions. 
 
 II. The fecond thing obfervable 
 in the Gofpels, is our Saviour's //- 
 racks. 
 
 I mall not enter into a large dif- 
 courfe concerning the ufe of miracles, 
 or the marks whereby we may dif- 
 tinguifh true miracles from counter- 
 feit ones. I mall only obferve that 
 our Saviour's miracles were not de~ 
 figned for oftentation, nor meerly to 
 furprife men or gratify their curiofity,. 
 but to be really ufeful and beneficial 
 to mankind j as if he intended there- 
 by to inftrudl: us, that all power 
 ought to be employed to the doing 
 of good, inafmuch as goodnefs is the 
 moft glorious and godlike quality of 
 the divine nature, and that which 
 
 gives
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 211 
 gives a luftre to omnipotency it- 
 felf *. Chrifl's miracles made way 
 for the reception of his doctrine, not 
 only as they were a demonftration, 
 that he who wrought them was a 
 teacher fent from God, but likewife 
 as they were an argument of our 
 Saviour's own affectionate love and 
 kindnefs to the fons of men, and a 
 pledge and affurance of God's gra- 
 cious purpofes towards them. When 
 he gave fight to the blind, at the 
 fame time he opened the eyes of 
 their underftanding, that they might 
 fee the day -fpr ing from on high that 
 was come to vtfit them. When he 
 made the deaf to hear, fuch a work 
 of mercy prepared them to receive 
 with joy the glad tidings of the Gof- 
 pel. When he cleanfed the lepers, 
 it was natural for thofe that were 
 cured, to conclude that the fame per- 
 fon was able to purge them from the 
 
 * Rcddere Diis bonitatem, fine qua nulla jnajeftas 
 </. Senec. Epiit. 95. 
 
 pol-
 
 2 1 2 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 pollution of their fins, and prefent 
 them without fpot to God. So fuit- 
 able were all ChrifVs miracles, to the 
 great defign of his coming into the 
 world, and difpofed men to believe 
 that he who was the healer of their 
 bodily infirmities, was beft qualified 
 to be the phylician of their fouls. 
 
 And I think without perplexing 
 ourfelves with that nice enquiry, 
 what are truly and properly mira- 
 culous works ? or when muft natural 
 powers end, and fupernatural begin ? 
 this may be fufficient determination 
 of the queftion, concerning true and 
 falfe miracles, that wherever any ex- 
 traordinary work is wrought in a 
 manner worthy of God, and bene- 
 ficial to men, agreeing with funda- 
 mental truths formerly revealed, or 
 confirming fome new revelation of 
 God's will, and promoting the great 
 ends of piety and virtue in the world, 
 thefe are certain marks of a true mi- 
 racle, and we need no better evidence 
 than this to diftinguifh God's meflen- 
 gers from impoflors. 
 
 We
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 213 
 We may further confider, that the 
 prophets foretold ' that the Meffias 
 ihould come with miracles, and have 
 inftanced in the principal kinds of 
 miracles which he wrought. So that 
 here we have God himfelf bearing 
 witnefs by the mouth of his pro- 
 phets to the truth of our Saviour's 
 miracles, and guarding them from 
 all fufpicion of impoflure. And thus 
 the miracles of our Lord did not only 
 give teftimony to him, as they were 
 wonderful works in themfelves, but 
 likewife as they were an accom- 
 plifhment of fome of thofe pre- 
 dictions, which went before concern- 
 ing him. And this muft needs be 
 an undeniable argument for the truth 
 of our Saviour's omiffion, to thofe 
 that received the " writings of the 
 prophets ; and thofe that did not, by 
 comparing thefe prophecies of the 
 Old Teftament, with the events re- 
 corded in the New, might from hence 
 
 * See Ifa. xxxv. c, 6. 
 
 Matth. xi. 5. 6. 
 
 be
 
 214 DIRECTIONS'^ reading 
 be fully convinced of the divine au- 
 thority of both. 
 
 III. The third particular ob- 
 fervable in our reading the Gofpel 
 is, our Saviours manner of life and 
 converfation -, which was exactly a- 
 greeable to his doctrine and pre- 
 cepts. 
 
 St. Luke tells us d that the defign 
 of his Gofpel was to give an account 
 of all that Chrift both did and taught : 
 Implying that he pra&ifed firft him- 
 felf what he taught others, and laid 
 no other burdens upon his difciples, 
 but what he willingly underwent 
 himfelf, and wherein he was their 
 pattern as well as their director. 
 
 Humility and a patient fubmiffion 
 to God's will ; Charity, and a con- 
 tempt to the world, are the peculiar 
 doctrines of the Chriftian religion, 
 and never were effectually recom- 
 mended to the world till that ap- 
 pered ; and our Saviour's life was 
 one intire inftance of thefe eminent 
 virtues. 
 
 * Aftsi. i. 
 
 He
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 215 
 He made it his meat and drink to 
 do the will of him that fent him : He 
 went about doing good, and healing 
 both the bodies and fouls of men. 
 He fubmitted to the loweft offices 
 for the fake of others, and was at 
 every body's fervice that defired his 
 affiftance. He condefcended to the 
 meaneft company, that of Pub- 
 licans and Sinners, when he had a 
 profpedl of doing any good upon 
 them, and was content to lofe the 
 reputation of being a good man, 
 that he might more effectually 
 ferve the ends of piety and good- 
 nefs e . 
 
 Never did fo much goodnefs meet 
 with fuch ungrateful and unfuitable 
 returns ; and yet this did not difcou- 
 rage him from going on as he had be- 
 gun : He ftill continued unwearied in 
 well-doing, endeavouring to conquer 
 mens malice by kindnefs, and over- 
 come evil with good. 
 
 e Seat viri famam ptrdere, tie cotifcitntiam ferderet. 
 Senec. 
 
 He
 
 2 1 6 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 
 He was the noblefl inftance of a 
 fincere and unaffeded contempt of 
 the world that ever appeared in it. 
 When he came into the world be 
 came unto his own, as St.Jobn fpeaks f , 
 he made it, and could eafily have 
 commanded all the glories and plea- 
 fures of it : Yet he made hlmjelfofna. 
 reputation, and took upon him fo 
 lowly a difguife, that when be 'was in 
 the world, though the world were made 
 by him, yet It knew him not. He 
 chofe to appear in fuch a mean con- 
 dition, on purpofe to ftaln the pride 
 of all worldly glory , and to convince 
 men that there were things of a quite 
 different nature, namely, the favour 
 of God and the unfeen glories of the 
 world to come, that did infinitely 
 more deferve their efteem and re- 
 gard. And he not only defpifed the 
 glories of the world, but likewife 
 patiently endured its affronts and re- 
 proaches ; and when he was reviled* 
 
 f Johni. u; 
 
 be
 
 the HOLY SCRIP TUHES, 217 
 -not again ; when be fuffered he 
 threatened not y but committed his cauje 
 ,to him that judges righteoufly * - y to 
 teach us by his behaviour in all con- 
 ditions, to have an equal mind both 
 in profperity and adverfity ; to value 
 that honour which comes from God 
 cnly, and when we are unjuftly dealt 
 -with, to comfort ourfelves with the 
 testimony of our confcience, and re- 
 fer all to the righteous judgment of 
 
 This eminent example ofa patient 
 continuance in well doing, which 
 appears fo confpicuous in every part 
 of our Saviour's life, is of great ef- 
 ficacy to perfuade VLS to go and do like- 
 wife. It is commonly obferved, that 
 Example is of greater force than bare 
 precept, becaufe it lets forth the 
 beauty of holinefs to the life, and 
 inflames men with a holy emulation 
 of imitating thofe works, which ap- 
 pear fo lovely and alluring. Precept 
 
 K i Pet. ii. 22. 
 
 K. indeed
 
 2i8 DIRECT IONS yc?r reading 
 indeed lays a higher obligation, and 
 commands with greater authority ; 
 but example attra&s more flrongly, 
 and hath a more powerful art of per- 
 fuafion ; in which refpecl: we may 
 juftly fay, that precept is but a dead 
 letter, in comparifon of a living 
 example. Efpecially the example of 
 our Saviour doth powerfully excite 
 us to tread in his fteps, fince he, as 
 the captain of our fall) at ion , hath led 
 the way, and if we follow him here, 
 we fhall afluredly reign with him 
 hereafter. 
 
 IV. The fourth particular, very 
 obfervable in our reading the Gof- 
 pels, is the circumjlances of our Savi- 
 our's death. 
 
 And here the virtues of humility, 
 charity, and refignation to God's 
 will, which are the particular glories 
 of Chrift's life, appear ftill more emi- 
 nent and confpicuous. In great hu- 
 mility he took upon him the form of 
 afervanf, and now he fubmitted to 
 a fervile and ignominious death, and 
 
 was
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 219 
 iff as numbered among the tranfgr effort. 
 Out of his fervent charity he fpent 
 his life in the fervice of mankind, 
 and now he laid it down to be a ran- 
 Jomfir many. He gave the great- 
 eft demonftration of his charity, in 
 dying even for his enemies, and 
 offering up his blood, as well as his 
 prayers, to procure a pardon for 
 thofe that med it. And received 
 the traiterus kifs of Judas with 
 fuch an un parallelled meeknefs, 
 with fuch a gentle, and yet con- 
 founding, reproof, as was fufficient 
 to melt down the malice of any 
 one that was capable of repent- 
 ing. And how tender his affecti- 
 ons were towards his friends and 
 followers, fully appears from his 
 laft difcourfes wherewith he took 
 his leave f his difciples, recorded 
 in the I3th, T4th, 15111, and i6th 
 chapters of St. John, a portion of 
 Scripture which we cannot too of- 
 ten read and confider, fo full k is 
 f excellent advice, and heavenly 
 K 2 confo-
 
 220 DIRECTIONS /0/- reading 
 
 confolation. This we may call the 
 
 loft fermon of our dying Lord, 
 
 which we ought to lay up in our 
 
 minds, as the pledge of his love, and 
 
 our own fecurity. And when we 
 
 feel any dejection of fpirit, which 
 
 the beft of men fornetimes labour 
 
 under ; how doth it revive our 
 
 hearts, to hear him comforting his 
 
 Difciples againfl. their fears and for- 
 
 rows, affuring them of his love 
 
 and of God's favour, arming them 
 
 with admirable inftrucliions againfl 
 
 the hour of temptation, and at 
 
 lafl recommending them to God, 
 
 in a moft affectionate and fervent 
 
 prayer, chap. xvii. the pattern of 
 
 his interceffion for us in heaven j and 
 
 particularly praying for Peter, that 
 
 h is faith might not f ail \ and when 
 
 afterward through fear he had denied 
 
 his Mafter, recalling him to a fenfe 
 
 of his duty by a gracious look, and 
 
 by this firft great inftance of patience 
 
 And long-fuffering toward a believer, 
 
 inftru&ing us all not to defpair of 
 
 mercy,
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 221 
 mercy, though we fall into fin after 
 we have received the knowledge ot 
 the truth, but fpeedily to recover our- 
 felves out of that evil ftate by a 
 fincere repentance. And we may 
 juftly fay, that the Church was built 
 upon St. Peters repentance, as well 
 as upon the confeffion which he 
 made of his faith. And when our 
 Lord had in fo an affectionate a 
 manner performed all the tendered: 
 offices of the kindeft mafter, and 
 the beft friend, he abfolutely re- 
 figned himfelf to the will of his 
 father, and became obedient to the 
 death, even the death of the crofs /And 
 when he had thus finimedhis courfe, 
 we find him commending his foul to 
 God in that his laft ejaculation, 
 Father, into thy hands I commend my 
 fpirit * / 
 
 Thus our Saviour hath given us 
 an example how to live, and how to 
 die 5 and if we follow this glorious 
 
 4 Luke xxiii. 46. 
 
 K 3 pat-
 
 222 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 
 pattern which he hath fet us, neither 
 death nor life will be able tofeparate us 
 from him. 
 
 Thus I have taken a brief view of 
 the moft remarkable occurrences in 
 the Gofpels ; a part of Scripture that 
 does particularly recommend itfelf to 
 our frequent reading and meditation, 
 becaufe it is fo full of comfort and 
 edification to all Chriftians, and with- 
 al fo admirably fitt d to the under- 
 itandings and capacities of the mean- 
 eft, as I have already obferved, k and 
 will further appear if we confider 
 in the 
 
 II. Place, the manner of writing, 
 made ufe of by the Evange/i/ts, their 
 plainnefs oj'fpeech, and the other Jignal 
 marks of integrity, which are Jo con- 
 fpicuous in all the parts of the evange- 
 lical hijlory. 
 
 Our Saviour fpoke with the plain- 
 nefs and majefty of a law-giver, not 
 with the nlcenefs or fubtilty of a phi- 
 
 k Chap iii. 
 
 lofo-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 223 
 lofopher. He made it a greater part 
 of his bufinefs to preach the Gofpel to 
 the poor, and in condefceniion to the 
 meanefl capacities ufed great plain- 
 nefs of fpeech. Accordingly the E- 
 vangelifls related his difcourfes witli 
 the fame plainnefs and fimplicity of 
 expreinon with which he fpake to 
 them, and recommended themfelves 
 and their writings by an unaffected 
 manifeitation of the truth, and not 
 by the enticing words of art and fo~ 
 phiftry. They recorded their own 
 weaknefTes and miftakes, as hath 
 been already obferved fc , and we 
 cannot difcover in their writings the 
 leaft biafs of paffion or private inte- 
 reft, which is fo vifible in all human 
 compofures. The feveral Evange- 
 lifts fometimes relate the fame flory 
 with difFerent circumftances ; an un- 
 doubted argument of their fincerity, 
 and a certain fign that the hiftory 
 which they relate is not a fable of 
 
 * Chap. ii. 
 
 K 4 their
 
 224 DIRECT JON syr reading 
 
 their own contrivance. Men that 
 have combined together to put a 
 cheat upon the world, are naturally 
 very apprehenfive of being difcover- 
 ed, and to make all fure, take the 
 utmoft care that their evidence may 
 agree in every point and tittle ; but 
 honed men need not be fo fcrupu- 
 lous : And this unaccuracy of the 
 Evangelifts, if any one pleafes fa 
 to ftile it, may juftly be aferibed 
 to a particular direction of pro- 
 vidence, becaufe it ihews that they 
 were well allured, that their caufe 
 did not ftand in need of the bor- 
 rowed helps of exacl: method, ftu- 
 died expreffions, and laboured pe- 
 riods. 
 
 I (hall conclude this chapter with 
 that weighty exhortation of the A- 
 poftle*, Take hted that ye dcfpife not 
 him that fpeaks to you in the holy 
 Gofpels, for if they efcapt not, who 
 dcfpifed him that fpake on ear(/j, hoia 
 
 * Hcb.xii, 25..
 
 fie HOLY SCRIPTURES, 225 
 
 we efcape, if we turn away 
 from him that Jpeaks to us from Hea- 
 ven? Nay, that came down from 
 Heaven on purpofe that he might 
 fpeak unto us, and converfe with us, 
 and become both our teacher and 
 our example. 
 
 K 5 C H A P.
 
 226 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The principal matters to be obfervedin 
 reading the Adts and Epiftles of the 
 dpoftles. 
 
 OUR Saviourconfinedhispreach- 
 ing to the loft fheep of the honfe 
 of Ifrael* : But he chofe his Apo- 
 ftles to be with him whilft he con- 
 tinued in the world, to be trained 
 up under his difcipline, and be wit- 
 neflcs of his life and doftrine, his 
 death and refurredlion. And when 
 he was juft departing out of the 
 world he commanded them to teftify 
 what they had ieen and heard, not 
 only in jfudea and the countries ad - 
 jacent, but even to the uttermoft parts 
 of the earth f . 
 
 A ftrange and improbable defign, 
 as it appears at firft fight ! that a 
 few men of obfcure birth and mean 
 
 Matth. xv. 24. 
 i. 8. 
 
 educa-
 
 t&e HOLY SCRIPTURES. 227 
 education, that had neither learning 
 nor intereft, mould undertake to 
 propagate a new religion in the 
 world, that was in many points con- 
 trary to mens carnal inclinations and 
 worldly interefls -, and perfuade them 
 to forfake the religion of their fore- 
 fathers, which was not only deeply 
 rooted in their minds, by cuftom 
 and education, but alfo had all the 
 external advantages of ftrength and 
 intereft which worldly power and 
 policy could give it. No perfons in 
 their fenfes would have undertook 
 fuch a defign as this, unlefs they had 
 been fully aflured of a divine power 
 that mould affift them. And we can, 
 give no rational account of the won- 
 derful fuccefs which accompanied 
 their preaching, but that he who was 
 in them was greater than he that was 
 in the world. Godchofethe weak things 
 of the world, to confound the things 
 that are mighty, that no flejh might 
 glory in his Defence q ; and the plant- 
 
 ? i Cor. i. 29. 
 
 K 6 ing
 
 228 DiRECTiONS^r reading 
 ing of the Gofpel might appear to be 
 the work of God, and not of man. 
 And when the Chriftian Religiort 
 prevailed over all the Urength and 
 policy of the world, it was a demon- 
 ftration that it came from God, be- 
 caufe men could not overthrow it ; 
 and though they oppofed it with 
 their united force, yet they could 
 not prevail againft it, becaufe God 
 was with it. Therefore the Apoftle: 
 defervcdly reckons Chrift being 
 preached among the Gentiles, and be- 
 lieved on in the world, as part of the 
 great myftery ofgodlinefs, and accounts 
 it as wonderful a work as God's being 
 manifeft in the/eft, andjujlified in the 
 fpirit '. 
 
 Now the doctrine which the A- 
 poftles preached to the perfons who 
 lived in their own time, they after- 
 ward by God's direction committed 
 to writing, for the perpetual ufe of 
 the Church in all ages. It was ne- 
 ceiTary that the Apoftles fhould pro- 
 
 e i Tim. iii, 16. 
 
 vide
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 229- 
 
 vide for the inftru&ion of after- times 
 as well as their own * ; as they 
 were the founders of the univerfal 
 Church, which however enlarged by 
 theacceffion of believers, or increafed 
 in extent by the continuance of 
 time, mult ftill be fupported by the 
 fame foundation, that is, the doctrine 
 which the Apoflles at firft delivered ; 
 and which fucceeding times could 
 never have been certainly informed 
 of, unlefs it had been committed to 
 writing, the only fafe and fure way 
 of conveying things down to pof- 
 terity. This doctrine is contained 
 in the Atts of the Apoftles^ written 
 by St. Luke, and in the Epiftles di- 
 rected to the feveral Churches, in> 
 order to confirm and build them up 
 in that holy faith, wherein they had 
 been inftru&ed. 
 
 * Aa THi ruv EnvroXwij afil^f (ITai>X0 a ra? T&TS 
 fWfox 7nr? aXXx Keti TJ i^ tx.tiva fM%g* T^ 
 yt vopun}f t x ra? (At'footle $i iffipftxt fx. 
 T Xf 15 "" tsapacriaf, upitwo-t rs xo* wftf^M x* i 
 voavinlon, rare incjaJ* { an ro tv atQpviruv i^ttni 
 Cbryfoft. \. 4. de factrdotio prope fin. 
 
 The
 
 230 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 
 The ufefulnefs of thefe holy wri- 
 tings I come now to confider : And 
 (hall firft make fome general obfer- 
 vations concerning them : and then 
 proceed to con fider fome of the prin- 
 cipal matters to be regarded in our 
 reading of them. 
 
 i. And firft, I mall obferve the 
 agreement that is between thole 
 apoftolical [writings and the Gofpel 
 hiftory, and how they mutually con- 
 firm and fupport each other. 
 
 The Atts relate feveral paffages 
 which confirm the truth of the Gof- 
 pels, namely, the teltimony which 
 theApoftles gave to the life,do<ftrine, 
 miracles, death, refurredion, and 
 afcenfion of Chrift, exaclly agreeing 
 with that account of each particu- 
 lar which we find in the Gofpels ; 
 how they all of them joined in 
 giving this teflimony fc and per- 
 iifted in it, notwithstanding all the 
 
 evils
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 231 
 
 evils which cither threatened them*, 
 as were actually inflicted upon them'. 
 
 2. In the fame book we find feve- 
 ral promifes which our Saviour made 
 to hisDifciples punctually perform- 
 ed : As that he would endue them with 
 power from on high, and enable them 
 to be his witneffes among all nations ' 
 That they mould work great and ex- 
 traordinary miracles in his name '-: 
 That they ihould fuffer many hard- 
 {hips for his fake, but that he would 
 fupport them under their fufferings, 
 and give them fuch wifdom, and 
 prefence of mind as mould baffle and 
 .confound all their oppofers g . 
 
 3. The Epiftles of the Apoftles 
 do likewife abundantly confirm all 
 the confiderable paflages related in 
 the Gofpels and the Afts. 
 
 The particulars of our Saviour's 
 life and death, are often referred to 
 in them, as grounded upon the un- 
 doubted teftimony of eye-witneffes, 
 
 e Chap. iv. 21. * Chap. v. 41. * Luke xxiv. 
 47, 49. ( Mark xvi. 17, 3V. John xiv. 12. 
 Match, x. 17, &c. Luke xxi. 12, &(. 
 
 and
 
 232 DIRECTIONS for rehding 
 
 and being the foundation of theChri- 
 
 ftian Religion. 
 
 The fpeedy propagation of the 
 Chriftian faith, recorded in the Acts, 
 is confirmed beyond all contradiction* 
 by innumerable pafiages in the Epi- 
 ftles written to the Churches already 
 planted : And that within the com- 
 pafs of ihe fame age wherein Chrift 
 lived, when it had been the ealieft 
 thing in the world to have difproved 
 the matters of fact which the Apoftles 
 attefted concerning him, if they had 
 not been true. 
 
 The miraculous gifts which the 
 Apoftles were endued with, and par- 
 ticularly the gift of tongues, are often 
 appealed to in the fame writings, as 
 an undeniable evidence of the divine 
 million of the Apoftles, Particularly 
 in theyfry? Epiftle to the Corinthians 
 we may obferve fuch an evident proof 
 that the gift of tongues was notori- 
 qufly communicated to believers, as 
 I think mould be fufficient to fatisfy 
 any unprejudiced man. V/e find, in 
 the 1 2th and I4th chapters of that 
 
 Epi-
 
 tht HOLY SCRIPTURES. 233 
 Epiftle, the Apoftle with great ex- 
 adnefs diftinguimes the feveral gifts 
 of the Spirit*, and gives directions 
 for the orderly ufe and exercife of 
 thofe gifts, particularly that of 
 tongues *, and corrects feveral abufes 
 which were crept into the Church 
 by a vain and unfeafonable ollenta-^ 
 tion of that gift *. Now can any 
 one fuppofe that a perfon in his right 
 fenfes would make an elaborate dif- 
 courfe upon this argument, if there 
 had been no fuch thing as the gift 
 of tongues in the Church at that 
 time ? This would be to fuppofe the, 
 moft abfurd thing in the world, ra- 
 ther than believe the Scripture to be 
 true. 
 
 I proceednow to confider theprin- 
 cipal matters to be obferved in our 
 reading this part of the New Tefla- 
 ment writings. And thofe are of 
 three forts. 
 
 a i Cor. *ii. 8, 9, 10. * Chap. xiv. 26, &c. 
 c ibid. v. 6, tfc. 
 
 j. n*
 
 234 DIRECTIONS/?/- reading 
 
 1 . The docJrine contained in them > 
 as being an authentic commentary upon 
 the Gofpehy or a fuller explication of 
 
 fundry articles of the Chrlftian faith, 
 which our Saviour had but fparingly 
 fyoke of in his own difcourfes. 
 
 2 . The exaSt idea thefe writings give 
 us of the faith and manners of thejirjl 
 Chrijlians : A fignal evidence of the 
 divine power which accompanied the 
 
 Jirft preaching of the Gojpel, and a 
 noble pattern for us to imitate. 
 
 3 . The graces and virtues which ap- 
 pear fo confpicuoujly in the apojlolical 
 writings, and prove the authors of 
 them to be men fent from God. 
 
 i. In refpeff of the dottrine therein 
 contained. The doctrine which the 
 Apoftles taught their converts was 
 the fame in fubflance which Chriil 
 taught them, according to the tenor 
 of Chrift's commiffion to them, 
 Matth. xxviii. 20. Yet the apoftolical 
 writings have this particular advan- 
 tage, that they are a divine and in- 
 fallible commentary, or an authentic 
 
 exf/i-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES, 235 
 explication of Ch rift's words in the 
 Gofpels, wherein the fundamentals 
 of Chriftianity are admirably illuf- 
 trated, and the myftcrious parts of 
 our holy faith more fully opened and 
 explained, than they were by Chrift 
 himfelf k . He told his difciples 
 whilft he was upon earth, J that 
 he had many things to fay unto them* 
 but they could not bear them at the 
 prefent, and therefore he referred 
 them for fuller instructions in thefe 
 matters, to the teaching of the Holy 
 Ghoft, which he promifed to fend 
 down upon them after his depar- 
 ture. 
 
 To inftance in fome particulars of 
 this kind. 
 
 i . There were fome things which 
 our Saviour did not fully and clearly 
 explain to his difciples, but accom- 
 modated his expreffions to thofe pre- 
 judices in which they had been 
 
 Chryfoft. Horn. //. in 
 Ep. ad Rom. 
 / John xvi, 12. 
 
 bred
 
 236 DiRECTioNS^r reading 
 bred up j as when he difconrfes con- 
 cerning the nature and glories of his 
 kingdom. 
 
 2. In other cafes, though Chrift 
 fpoke clearly and plainly, yet hisDif- 
 ciples did not apprehend his mean- 
 ing at all, as namely, when he dif- 
 courfes concerning his own death and 
 refurredlion, and the redemption of 
 the world, which was to be accom- 
 pliihed by that means. 
 
 3. Laftly, when our Saviour dif- 
 courfes concerning the calling of the 
 Gentiles, he doth not exprefs the 
 thing in plain words, but only hints 
 it in fome general expreffions, as 
 when he fays m , Many Jha// come 
 
 from the eajl and weft, and Jit down 
 with Abraham in the kingdom of hea- 
 ven: Or elfe obfcurely intimates it 
 in parables, particularly thofe of the 
 prodigal Son ", and of the houjholder 
 that went out at the latter end of the 
 
 w Matt. viii. ii. 
 Luke xv. 11. 
 
 day
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 237 
 day to hire labourers info his vine- 
 yard . 
 
 In all which cafes, what the Apof- 
 tles did not perfectly underftand, 
 they could not be fuppofed exactly 
 to remember ; but as the Holy 
 Spirit brought our Saviour's words 
 more diftinctly to their remembrance, 
 according to Chrift's promife p , fo 
 by the direction of the fame Spirit, 
 they explained thefe great and impor- 
 tant truths more fully than our Savi- 
 our did whilft he was upon earth j 
 as will appear upon a brief view of 
 what they fay upon each of thefe 
 heads. 
 
 To begin with the firfl, namely, 
 Our Saviour s difcourfes concerning t^e 
 nature of his own kingdom. 
 
 The Jews all along expected that 
 the kingdom of Chrift mould come 
 with observation % that is, with the 
 fame pomp and fplendor which ac- 
 companies an earthly monarchy, 
 
 Matth. xx. I. 
 P John xiv 26. 
 ' Luke xvii ao. 
 
 thereby
 
 238 DiRECTioNs^r reading 
 thereby to draw the eyes of the 
 world after it. This is ftill the 
 great ftumbling-block of the Jews ; 
 and the moft confiderable objection 
 they have againft our Meffias is, that 
 his kingdom is not of this world. This 
 opinion was fo deeply rooted in the 
 minds of the Apoftles, that our Sa- 
 viour did not think it proper to tear 
 it up all at once, but rather to re- 
 move it by gentle and eafy degrees. 
 Accordingly, in compliance with 
 their prejudices, we find him de- 
 fcribing his kingdom, and the pre- 
 eminence they were to enjoy in it, 
 by eating and drinking at his table, 
 and fitting on thrones, and judging 
 t%e twelve tribes oflfraef. 
 
 But after the Holy Ghoft had 
 given the Apoftles clear and diftindl 
 apprehensions of the fpiritual nature 
 of Chrift's kingdom,- and wherein 
 the happinels of it did confift, we find 
 what noble reprefentations they give 
 
 Lukexxii. 30. Matth. xix. 28. 
 
 US
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 239 
 us of the glories which are laid up 
 for us in heaven, and what powerful 
 arguments they take from hence to 
 perfuade us not to fet our minds upon 
 the things of this world. They de- 
 .fcribe the happinefs of the world to 
 come, by an inheritance incorruptible, 
 undefiled) and that fadeth not away : f 
 by a new heaven, and a new earth, 
 wherein dwelleth right eoufnefs f , where 
 God Jhall be all in all: h he mall 
 reign with an abfolute dominion, 
 and it (hall be our honour and hap- 
 pinefs that God is exalted. They 
 exhort us not to fet our minds upon 
 the things that arefeen and are tempo- 
 ral ; but on thofe which are not J'een, 
 and are eternal 1 : and by the con- 
 tinual exercife of faith and patience, 
 of mortification and contempt of this 
 world, to make ourf elves meet to be 
 partakers of the inheritance of the 
 faints in light k . 
 
 f i Pet. 1.4. e 2 Pet. Hi. 12. h i Cor. xv, 
 28. 2 Cor. iv. 18. * Col. i. 12. 
 
 The
 
 &4O -DIRECTIONS^/- reading 
 
 The fame prejudice concerning 
 the temporal glories ofChrift's king- 
 dom, made his difciples not under- 
 iftand the meaning of thofe feveral 
 difcourfes of his concerning his fuf- 
 ferings, death, and refurrection l . 
 The early conquefls and triumphs 
 of their matter was what they dream- 
 ed of, and could not apprehend how- 
 he mould become glorious thro' fuf- 
 ferings. Whereupon the doctrine of 
 the crofs, and the feving effects of 
 it not being underftood by the 
 Apoftles ra , till our Saviour had 
 opened their underftandings by his 
 difcourfes upon this fubjedt after his 
 refurrection, we -cannot expect fo per- 
 fect an explication of that great and 
 fundamental article of Chriftianky in 
 the Gofpels, as in the Epiftles. In 
 which, Cbrift's dying for our Jim , and 
 and rtfing again for our juftification, 
 is every where infilled upon as the 
 
 . See Mark ix. 10. Luke ix. 45. xviii. 34. m Ste 
 Mauh. xvi. 2^5. 
 
 foun-
 
 tbt HOLY SCRIPTURES. 241 
 foundation of all our hopes : and the 
 doctrine of the crofs is there ipoken 
 of as a truth of fuch importance, 
 that St. Paul d , in comparifon of it, 
 defpifes all other fort of knowledge, 
 whether divine or humane. From 
 hence it is that the Apoftles deduce 
 thofe powerful motives to obedience, 
 which are taken from the love, humi- 
 lity, and condefcenfion of our Lord, 
 and the right which he has to our 
 fervice, having purchafed us with the 
 price of his blood c . From hence 
 they derive thofe great obligations 
 which lie upon Chriftians to exercife 
 the duties of mortification and felf- 
 denial ; of crucifying the feflj with 
 the affections and hijh fc : of pati- 
 ence under afflictions, and rejoicing 
 in tribulations ' : of being dead 
 to this world, and faking -tkoj? 
 
 * i Cor. ii. 2. See i Cor. vi. 20. 2 Cor. v. 
 15 i Gal. ii. 20. Tit. ii. 14. i Pet. 5. i3, IQ. 
 11 Oal. v. 24. vi. 14. Rom. vi. 6. i Pet. iv. i, 2. 
 1 Phil. iii. 10. z Tim. ii. n, 12. i Pet. ii. 19, 
 t?V. iv. 13-. 
 
 L things
 
 242 DiRECTiONsy^r reading 
 things which are above, where Chrijl 
 Jitteth at the right hand of God ra . 
 Thus as our Saviour fpoiled principa- 
 lities and powers, and triumphed over 
 his enemies by the crofs n , fo the 
 good Chriftian overcomes the world 
 by being crucified to it, and becomes 
 more than conqueror through Chrijl 
 that loved him. 
 
 The third inflance which I gave 
 of doctrines that may more fully be 
 learned from the Epiflles and other 
 writings of the Apoftles, than from 
 the words of Chrift recorded in the 
 Gofpels, was the calling of the Gentiles 
 to make one and the fame Church with 
 the Jews. 
 
 The many prophecies of the Old 
 'Teflament which foretel the calling of 
 the Gentiles, were fufficient to con- 
 vince the Jews that in the times of 
 the Meffias, God would reveal the 
 knowledge of himfelf, and his will 
 to the world more fully than ever 
 
 CololT. iii. i. 5V. Chap. ii. 15. 
 
 he
 
 ihe HOLY SCRIPTURES. 243 
 fee had done before. But the extra- 
 ordinary value which they had for 
 themielves, and the privileges which 
 they fancied were peculiar to their 
 own nation, made them unwilling 
 to believe that the Gentiles mould 
 ever be fell heirs with the yews 
 of the fame body or Church with 
 them, and partakers of the fame pro- 
 mifes in Chrift by the Gofpel *. This 
 St. Peter himfelf could hardly beper- 
 -fuaded to believe, till he was con- 
 vinced by a particular vifion vouch- 
 fafed to him for that purpofe . 
 And St. Paul tells us that this was a 
 myftery which was but newly re- 
 sealed to the Apoftles by the Spirit f : 
 and therefore not fully difcovered by 
 Chrift before. 
 
 And here it is proper to obferve to 
 
 what excellent purpofes the Apoftles 
 
 -improve this new Revelation which 
 
 was vouchfafed to them : how they 
 
 n F.phef. iii. 6. 
 Aft* x. 28. 
 
 P Eph 
 
 111. 
 
 L 2 take
 
 244 DiRECTioNs^r reading 
 take occafion from hence in their 
 writings to magnify the riches of 
 God's grace, in making his ways 
 known upon earth, and bringing men 
 DUt of darknefs into his marvellous 
 light : how they fet forth the divine 
 power which accompanied the 
 preaching of the Apoftles, whereby 
 they that were fometimes fooKJh, difo- 
 bedient^ and ferving divers lufls and 
 pleafures b were wo/bed^ were jufti- 
 jied in the name of the Lord Jefus % 
 and learned to put off' the old man 
 *uhich was corrupt according to tht 
 deceitful lufts : and to be renewed in 
 the fpirit of their mind d . Laflly, 
 from hence they powerfully exhort 
 us Gentiles, now we have the light to 
 walk as children of the light % and 
 to walk worthy of that holy calling 
 wherewith we are called { : Always re- 
 membring that we were not redeem- 
 fdfrom our vain converfation withfil- 
 
 b Tit. ill 3. c i Cor. vi. n. d Eph. iv. 24. 
 Eph. v. 8. ' Chap. iv. i. 
 
 ver
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 245; 
 *ver and gold, but with the precious bkod 
 of the Son of God*. 
 
 I mall conclade my remarks con- 
 cerning the doctrinal parts of the 
 EpiftleSy with one general obferva- 
 tion ; namely, That although moffc 
 of them were writ upon particular 
 occafions, and with relation to the 
 prefent exigencies of the Churches^lo- 
 which they are directed, yet you 
 may find the Apoftles take occafioa 
 from every hint that is offered to 
 them, to explain the myfteriesof the 
 Gofpel, to fet forth the excellency of 
 it, to perfuade men to live up to the 
 height of its precepts. They defcend 
 to give particular directions for dif- 
 charging the duties relating to all 
 ftates and conditions of life; thoie 
 of princes and fubjects * -, of paftorsr 
 and people h , of husbands and 
 wives ', of parents and children *. 
 
 f I Pet. i. 1 8, 19. 8 Rom. xiii. i Pet. ii. i j, 
 &c.. ^ In the Epifi. to Tim. and Titus. See alft I- 
 ThefT. v. 12, ij, and Heb. xiii. 7, 17. Eph. 
 v. 22, &(. Colofl". iii. 1 8, 13 c. i Pfet. iii. ij 
 tfc. k Eph. vi. i, fcff. Coloff. iii. 20, 21. 
 
 L 3. of
 
 246 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 of matters andfervants l . This is a. 
 convincing argument that the holy 
 Spirit which influenced their pens,, 
 had not only an eye to the particular 
 exigencies of the Chriftians, who 
 lived in thole times, but likewife 
 directed the holy writers to enlarge- 
 themfelves upon fuch points of doc- 
 trine and practice, which were of 
 univerfal concern, and would be for 
 the benefit of the faithful in all fuc- 
 eeeding generations. I proceed t& 
 conflder, 
 
 II. The exaft idea which theft apo- 
 Jlolical writings give us of the faith and 
 manners ofthefrft Chriftians : A fig- 
 nal evidence of the divine power 
 which accompanied the firft preach- 
 ing of the Gofpel, and a noble pat- 
 tern for us to imitate. 
 
 Amidftthofe numerous fects which 
 divide the Chriftian Church, the fo- 
 ber men of all parties feem to agree 
 
 5 Eph. vi. 5, fcfr. Col. ill 22, &c. Tit. ii. 9. 
 1 Pet. ii. 1 8.
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 247 
 in this, that the true model and pat- 
 tern of the Chriftian Religion, with 
 refpecl: to faith and manners, is to 
 be taken from the doctrine and 
 practice of the apoflolical Church. 
 And without meddling at prefent 
 with doctrinal points, (as being 
 more fubject to difpute and contro- 
 terfy) if we take a view of the man- 
 ners and behaviour of the primitive 
 Chriftians, as they are defcribed in 
 the Afts and the Epiftles, we may 
 draw fuch a portraiture of that firft 
 and pureft Church, as will at once 
 ravifh us with delight and admira- 
 tion at the fight of its beauties and 
 perfections, and ftrike us with fhame 
 and confuiion, when we find how 
 much we are degenerated from the 
 virtues of our fore-fathers. It is 
 therefore very proper frequently to 
 reprefent to ourfelves and others the 
 pattern and fafkion of this houfe of 
 God, as it is delineated by the mafter- 
 buttders thereof, that ive may all be 
 afhamed of what ive have done, *n< 
 L 4 of
 
 248 DIRECTION *> for reading 
 
 of our iniquities and deviations front 
 it*. 
 
 We cannot look upon thofe writ- 
 ings but we fhall every where dif- 
 cover with what joy and gladnefs, 
 with what reverence and attention, 
 the rkft converts received the Gof- 
 pel, not as the word of men, but as 
 k ivas indeed the word of God % 
 and the power of God unto foliation : 
 How highly they efteemed the mi- 
 nifters and preachers of this word, 
 and r&eived them as meffengers, or 
 angels of God, and even as Cbrift 
 Jtfus % in whofe name they fpake. 
 From the fame holy writings we 
 may learn, how much their thoughts 
 were fixed upon heavenly things j 
 in the midft of their employments 
 meditating upon God's word, and 
 celebrating his praifes r : being 
 careful to perform their private De- 
 votions, at thofe folemn hours of 
 
 Esek. xliii. jo, ii. P i Thef. 5i 13. ' Ga 
 lat. iv. 14. ' Eph. v. 19. Colof. i. 16. Jamw 
 *. 13. 
 
 Pray-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 249 
 Prayer ', which pious men in for- 
 mer times * had fet apart for that 
 purpofe : And laying hold of all op- 
 portunities of joining in the public 
 worfliip of God, infeafon and out of 
 Jeaforty early in the morning % and 
 late at night w , according as they 
 could affemble with the greateft fe- 
 cirrity : And^when any public cala- 
 mity threatened them, imploring the 
 aid of Heaven without ceafing, anc 
 continuing inflant in Pray ers- and Sup~ 
 plications night and day *. 
 
 The fame Scriptures- do abundant- 
 ly declare how ready the firft Chrifti- 
 ans were, to do or fuffer any thing 
 that might promote the glory of 
 God, and teftify the fincerity of their 
 obedience to his laws ; doing good 
 with an unwearied diligence b , and 
 
 1 See Als ii. if. iii. I. y. q. xvi. 2^; I Thcf. 
 v. 19. See Pfalm lv. 17. Darr vi. 10. u $ : e 
 Afts xii. i2. & Plin. Epift. 1. 10. Ep. 97. 
 Tertull. Aoolog. cap. 39. w A^s xx. 7. Chap-.- 
 -.e Phil. i. 3, &V. Col6C i. 3, fcV. i. 
 2Thef.i. 3 . 
 
 L c endu-
 
 DIRECTION sfor reading 
 enduring evil, not only patiently, but 
 joyfully c . What unfeigned love 
 they fhewed toward all their bre- 
 thren f , and with what a fervent 
 charity, even beyond their power, they 
 relieved the neceffities of thofe that 
 were in want *. How fober and re- 
 gular they were in their private de- 
 portment h , ufing the things of the 
 world as thofe that looked upon them- 
 felves to be fir angers here, and deni- 
 zens of the heavenly city *. 
 
 The apoftolical writings afford us 
 two undeniable proofs of the un- 
 blameable lives of the firftChriftians. 
 The firft is, that the Apoftles there 
 glory in the lives of their Difciples, 
 as a convincing argument of the di- 
 yine grace which accompanied their 
 
 2 Thef. v. 4. Heb x. 34. AL xiii. 52. 
 1 Fph. i. 15. i Thef. iv. jo. Heb. xiii. i. 
 i Pet. i. 22. ^ Afts xi. 29. Rom. xv. 26. 
 i Cor. xvi. T. 2 Cor. viii. 2, 3. Philem. 
 ver. 7. 3 John. vi. h i Thef. iv. i . Per. 
 iv. 4. * 'HfAW taohikviAU u a^vsTs V7rif^=t, Phil, 
 iii, 20. 
 
 con-
 
 t&e HOLY SCRIPTURES, 251 
 
 eonverfion k , an argument we are 
 forced now to decline : And in the 
 next place, that whofoever among 
 them was guilty of any fcandalous 
 behaviour, had a mark prefently fet 
 upon him l : his acquaintance firft 
 avoided his converfation, and then 
 the Church turned him out of their 
 Communion, as a perfon unworthy 
 f that holy fociety "V They did 
 notproftituteChurch-cenfurestobafe 
 and fecular ends,- which has- made 
 them lofe all their authority in thefe 
 latter ages, but they inflicted them 
 for edification and not for dejlrutfion % 
 with a hearty concern for the honour 
 of God and the fouls of men, with 
 all the figns of mourning and for- 
 
 k i- Cor. vi ii. Phil. ii. *;, 16. r Thef. 
 .19,20. 2 Thef. i. 4. Colof. i. 6. i John 
 n-. 14. 
 
 1 Idem defua <etate teftantnr, Juflin. M. Apol. IF. 
 reftius 1. n. 17. & 20. Edit. Oxon. & Laflant. Di- 
 vin. Inftit. b. 3.0. 25. Tertull Apoiog. cap. 3. 
 
 i Cor. v. 1 1, 13. 2 The!" iif. 6', 14. 
 
 2 Cor. xiii. 10. 
 
 L 6 row %
 
 252 DIRECTIONS/^ reading 
 row , for him who had incurred 
 them, as one who by his fins had 
 provoked God, had endangered his 
 own falvation, and had difhonoured 
 that worthy name 'whereby he ivas 
 called. So ofFenfive was a; f*ngle ble- 
 mim in that Church, which endea- 
 voured to keep itfelf without fpot or 
 wrinkle, and fit to be the fpoufe of 
 the immaculate Lamb, 
 
 This fhort view of the ftate of the 
 apoftolical Church, is of ifefelf fuf- 
 ficient to fatisfy any confidepkig: man 
 of the truth of that holy religion, 
 which then firft appeared in the 
 world. For we find the Apoftles 
 often appealing to the experience of 
 their converts, for the truth of what 
 they fay concerning the divine power, 
 which accompanied their preaching : 
 And it appears that thofe firft Chri- 
 ilians, who could with the greater! 
 cafe trace their religion to its origi- 
 nal, were moft fully convinced of the 
 
 Set 1 Cor.v. 2. z Cor, vii. n, 12, 21. 
 
 truth
 
 *<? HOLY SCRIPTURES, 253 
 
 truth of it, lived up to the height of 
 its principles, and fealed it with their 
 death and fufferingSv 
 
 III. A third thing very obfervable 
 in the apoftolical writings, is, The 
 graces and virtues of the authors of 
 them, which appear there fo confpicu- 
 ott/ly, and prove the perfons endued 
 with fach extraordinary qualities \ to 
 be men fent from God: Out of the a- 
 bundance of the heart the mouthfpeak- 
 ctb % as our Saviour obferves* 
 Speech is one of the fureft indicati- 
 ons of mens inward difpofitions. In- 
 deed, hypocrites do often fhew great 
 zeal and religion, and pretend to all 
 the heights and raptures of an in- 
 flamed devotion : But they, cannot a& 
 a part fo cunningly, but that the 
 vizard will at fome time or other 
 drop off unawares, and they will 
 difcovera great deal of fpiritual pride, 
 or fecular ambition lurking under 
 the fpecious ihew of religion and 
 
 ' Matth. xii. 34. 
 
 godli-
 
 254 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 godlinefs. But the writings of the 
 Apoftles have all the air of an unaf- 
 fected piety, and untainted integrity 
 that can be imagined -, As offmce- 
 rity, as of God> in the Jight of God 
 fpeak they in Cbri/l d ; they fpeak 
 as thofe that believed them felves, and 
 were thoroughly convinced of the 
 truth and great importance of the 
 things they deliver. 
 
 We cannot look into the hiftory 
 of their Afts or their Epiftles, but 
 we may every where obferve remark- 
 able inftances of their conftancy 
 and patience in fuffering for the 
 teftimony of the Gofpel > of their 
 unwearied labours in publifhing it ; 
 of their hearty concern for the good 
 fuccefs of their miniftry ; of their 
 renouncing all felf-intereft and world* 
 ly confiderations, and feeking no- 
 thing but the honour of God, and 
 the good of mens fouls. There is- 
 fet before our eyes their work of 
 faith t their labour of /ove, their pa- 
 
 * ^ Cor, ii. 17. 
 
 tientc
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 255 
 
 tlence of hope, their unafTe&ed con- 
 tempt of the world, their zeal for 
 the advancement of Chrift's king- 
 dom, and in general how they make 
 it their chief aim to approve them- 
 felves to God, 70 jintft their courfe 
 with joy, and faithfully to difcharge 
 the miniftry they had received from 
 the Lord Jefus. Thefe characters 
 carry their own evidence along with 
 them, and are of far greater force 
 than all the enticing 'words of man s 
 ivifdotn. They are a demonilration 
 of that holy Spirit which influenced 
 the fpeakers, and muft needs fink 
 deep into the minds of all attentive 
 hearers. 
 
 But it may not be amifs to take a 
 more particular view of the virtues 
 and graces which appear fo emi- 
 nently in the writings of the Apo- 
 flles. 
 
 Andyr/? we will confider the evi- 
 dent marks we find there of their 
 Jincere piety towards God, 
 
 Nothing
 
 256 DIRECTION s for reading 
 
 Nothing but a hearty fenfc of 
 their duty to God, and a defire to 
 approve themfelves to him, could 
 have engaged them in fo difficult an 
 undertaking as that of publishing 
 the Gofpel, and (landing up in the 
 defence and confirmation of it, when 
 it was every, where fpoken againjl. A 
 great part of the world became their. 
 enemies* becaufe they told them that 
 truth, which they had no mind to 
 hear, and had not ib much civility; 
 as to thank them, for their good in- 
 tentions, and to take the good ad- 
 vice, which they offered, kindly at 
 their hands. Our Saviour fore- 
 warned them, that in the world 
 they, mujf expetf tribulation e , and 
 the event juftified the truth of -the 
 prediction. So that they could have 
 no reafonable inducement to under- 
 take a work attended with fo much 
 trouble and difficulty, but only a 
 hearty zeal for the glory of 
 
 John. xvi. 33. 
 
 whofe
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 257 
 whole they were ', and whom they fer- 
 wa in the Gofpel &f bis Son g . As 
 we were allowed of God to be put in 
 truft with the Gofpel, faith St. Paul, 
 Jo wefpeak not as pleafag men, but 
 God, whofearcbetb the hearts fc . 
 
 Secondly, the ^pqftles charity to 
 tie fouls of men, and their hearty 
 concern for their fahation, does in 
 the next place offer itfelf to our con- 
 federation. 
 
 3 "hey bad no greater joy than to hear 
 that their children in Chrift walked in 
 the truth, as St. John teftifies '. 
 Now we live, faith St. P&ul to the 
 TbeJ/alonians, if we Jland fajl in the 
 Lord k . In like manner, nothing 
 affedted them with fo much grief 
 and fadnefs, as when they understood 
 that any of their converts had 
 brought a fcandal upon his holy pro- 
 fefiion by his evil behaviour. Who 
 
 f Afts xxvii. 23. t Rom. i. 9. * i Thef. 
 ii. 4. ! 3 John iv. * i Thef. iii, 8, See 
 thap. ii. 19, 20.
 
 258 DIRECTIONS^?- reading 
 is weak, faith the Apoftle, and I am 
 not weak, who is offended, and I burn 
 not l ? T?hat which comes upon me 
 daily, adds he in the fame place, is 
 the care of all the Churches, and my 
 concern for their fpiritual welfare. 
 This made him fo diligent to avoid 
 giving any occajlon of offence, left the 
 mtniftry itfelf foould be blamed for his 
 fake m : This made him preach the 
 Gofpel freely ", and wave that 
 right which he had of demanding 
 maintenance from thofe to whom he 
 preached it, and chofe to Juff'er. any 
 hardships, rather than hinder the Gof- 
 pel of Ghrift, or flop the progrefs 
 of it : This made him not only 
 labour without ceafing in the work 
 of the Gofpel, that by all means he 
 might fave fame -, butlikewife rejoice 
 in his fufferings for the fake of it, 
 
 1 2 Cor. xi. z9, 29. 
 
 m 2 Cor. vi. 3, % 
 
 n 2 Cor. xi. 7. 
 
 i Cor. ix. 12, 13, 14. See i Thef. u. 6, 7, 
 9< 9. 
 
 when
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 
 when he found that they were fer- 
 viceable to fo noble an end, as that of 
 the falvation of men. / endure all 
 things, faith he, for the Eleffsfake* 
 that they may obtain the foliation 
 which is in Chrift Jefus, with eternal 
 glory fr . And no wonder that his 
 charity was fo fervent toward his 
 Converts,, his children in Ghrift, as he 
 often ftiles them f , when he could 
 find in his heart to be accurfedfrom 
 Chrift * for the fake of the Jews 
 his flefhly brethren. Such an ex- 
 preffion of charity as we fcarce dare 
 venture to interpret, and as much 
 exceeds our comprehenfion as it is 
 above our imitation ! If we would 
 give an exact idea of an evangelical 
 paftor, and the concern he ought 
 to have for the fouls committed to 
 his charge, we cannot do it in more 
 fignificant words than thofe of St. 
 
 e 2 Tim. ii. 9. 
 
 1 i Cor. iv. 15. Gal. iv. 19. Philem, ver. 10* 
 
 * Ronu ix. 3,. 
 
 Paul
 
 2 6 o DIRECT lomfor reading 
 Paul in the fecond Epijile to the 
 Corinthians, chap. vi. from the be- 
 ginning to the eleventh verfe : And 
 in \hefrjl Epiftle to the Tbe/ahnians > 
 chap. ii. from verfe i, to 14, both 
 which places contain a defcription 
 of his own and the reft of the Apo- 
 ftles behaviour in that weighty of- 
 fice, and are a pattern for all that 
 fhall fucceed them in that employ- 
 ment. 
 
 Thirdly, Let us take a fhort view 
 of the Apoftles Jincere and unaffefted 
 contempt of the world, as it appears 
 every where in their writings. 
 
 Indeed they met with fo much 
 hard ufage in the difcharge of their 
 office, as would have difcouraged 
 any men that had the leaft regard 
 for the honours, the profits, or the 
 pleafures of the world : But their 
 minds were above fuch low confide- 
 rations. Hear St. PWs atteftation 
 fo.r himfelf and his brethren * : 
 
 I. Thef. ii. 3, 5, 6. 
 
 Our 

 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 261 
 
 Our exhortation was not of deceit, 
 nor of uncleannefs, nor in guile ; 
 neither at any time ufed we flattering 
 words, as ye know, nor a cloak of cove- 
 toufnefs, God is witnefs : nor of men 
 
 fought iv e glory. When the men of 
 Lycaonia would have offered facrifice 
 to him and Barnabas, we find them 
 renting their cloaths with the great- 
 eft indignation, and crying out 1 , Sirs! 
 Why do ye thefe things ? We are men 
 of like paffions and infirmities with 
 
 yourfehes. 
 
 It is confefied, that there have 
 been thofe who have facrificed their 
 cafe, interefl, and even life itfelf, to 
 vain glory : But if we fuppofe this 
 to have been the ruling principle in 
 the minds of the Apoflles, it was cer- 
 tainly the mofl unaccountable vanity 
 that ever was heard of, and fuch as 
 adled mofl in contradiction to itfelf. 
 For they that were fuppofed to be 
 
 governed by it, voluntarily chofepo- 
 
 1 Afls xiv. i;. 
 
 verty,
 
 262 DiRECTioNS^r reading 
 
 verty, reproach and.fufferings, things 
 which naturally bring contempt up- 
 on men in the eyes of the world, (and 
 which none, if in their fenfes, can 
 make matter of choice, but upon a 
 principle of confcience) and at the 
 fame time difclaimed all worth and 
 merit in themfelves, and took all 
 occafions to magnify the grace of God 
 beftowed upon fuch great fmners as 
 they profefs themfelves to be. 
 
 The chief defign of all their wri- 
 tings is to exalt God, and to humble 
 man : They often exprefslheir de- 
 lire, that in all things God may be 
 glorified, from whom they acknow- 
 ledge every good and p-erfeff gift to 
 proceed, and to whom they judge it 
 moft fit, that all honour and praife 
 jfhould be returned. 
 
 Lajily, I mall briefly confider that 
 conftancy and patience in fuffering for 
 the truths fake, of which there are 
 fo many eminent inflances in the 
 writings of the A pottles. 
 
 Not
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 263 
 Not to mention any more particu- 
 lars, which every one's reading may 
 fuggeft to him, let us hear the cata- 
 logue which St. Paul gives us of 
 the perfecutions he endured k : In 
 labours more abundant, in Jlripes 
 above meafure, in prifons more fre- 
 quent, in deaths oft. Of the Jtwsjive 
 times received I forty Jlripes, fave 
 one: Thrice was I beaten with rods, 
 once was I Jloned : Thrice I fuff'ered 
 Jhipwrecky and a night and a day I 
 have been in the deep. In journeying 
 often, in perils of waters, in perils of 
 robbers, in perils by my own country- 
 men, in perils by the heathen, in perils 
 in the city, in perils in the wiidernefs, 
 in perils in the fea, in perils among 
 falfe brethren. In wearinefs and pain- 
 fulnefs, in watchings often, in hunger 
 and thirji, in fajlings often, in cold 
 and nakednefs. 
 
 Nothing could havefupported men 
 under fuch continual hardfhips and 
 
 * 2 Cor. xi. 23, &t. 
 
 dan-
 
 264 DIRECTION sj9r reading 
 dangers, but a good caufe and a good 
 conscience ; and thefe two comforts 
 made them endure afflictions not 
 only patiently, but joyfully. And 
 there cannot be a more convincing 
 argument either of mens fincerity, or 
 of the divine afliftance attending 
 them, than to fee perfons of a cool 
 reafon and fettled judgment, triumph 
 over the fears of death, and lay down 
 their lives in teftimony unto the 
 truth. 
 
 Thus I have briefly furveyed thofe 
 eminent characters of piety and vir- 
 tue, which fo fignally appear in the 
 writings of the Apoiiles, and are 
 both an evident proof of that divine 
 fpirit which influenced their pens, 
 and a glorious pattern for us to imi- 
 tate. The inftances I have pitched 
 upon, are chiefly taken out of the 
 Epiflles of St. Paul. But becaufe it 
 may be pretended that he had the 
 afliftance of human learning, where- 
 by his mind was enlarged and im- 
 proved, we will take a mort view of 
 
 the
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 265 
 the writings of the other Apoftles, 
 who cannot be faid to have had the 
 advantages of a learned education. 
 And here it is eafy to obferve what 
 an afFe&ionate ftrain of piety runs 
 thro' the Epiftles of St. Peter, how 
 much edification and instruction is 
 conveyed to us in the humble plain- 
 nefs of St. James. But that which 
 more efpecially offers itfelf to our ad- 
 miration, is that noble fimplicity of 
 flile and expreflion, which is fo re- 
 markable in the writings of St. John. 
 With what a native grandeur and 
 majefty does he fet forth the mod 
 elevated thoughts and fublimeft 
 myfteries, in plain and inartificial 
 words n ? God, who diftributes his 
 graces and gifts feverally as he pleafes, 
 ieems to have given to St. "John a 
 peculiar infight into the myfteries of 
 the divine love. He was Chrift's be- 
 loved Difciple j he lay in his bofom ; 
 
 n See (he beginning of bis G^fpel and firjl Et>if- 
 ffe. 
 
 M from
 
 66 DIRECTIONS far reading 
 from whence the love of God was 
 transfufed, and as it were breathed 
 into his holy breaft. His foul was 
 touched with a deep and lively fenfe 
 of it: His thoughts were big with 
 that noble argument : He takes a 
 particular delight in enlarging upon 
 it, and he treats of it in a plain and 
 inartificial ftile ; but yet with fuch 
 a lofty eloquence, as is above the 
 rules of human art, and can only 
 be afcribed to the influence of 
 that holy Spirit which gave him 
 utterance. 
 
 Hos cum legimuS) quern philofophum 
 non contcmnimus ? How dry and in- 
 fipid are the witty fayings, and the 
 fhidied periods of the philofophers, 
 when compared with the words of 
 eternal life, which thefe holy men 
 fpake ? The foundation of the reli- 
 gion which they preach, is folid, and 
 not to be ihaken ; they deliver no- 
 thing upon that fubje6t, but what 
 they have feen and heard : (and mat- 
 ters of fat are not fo eafily attacked 
 
 by 

 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 267 
 by fophiftry, as points of fpeculati- 
 on.) The arguments they propound 
 to convince men, are firm and folid : 
 The motives they ufe to perfuade 
 them, are weighty and powerful j 
 the beft underftandings muft yield to 
 the itrength of them, and the mean- 
 ell are capable of apprehending the 
 force of them. And how rnuft the 
 heart of every attentive reader burn 
 'within him* when he fees thefe holy 
 writers unfold the myfteries of the 
 Gofpel, and difcover the whole 
 counfel of God, not in the words 
 which man's ivifdom teacheth, but 
 which the Holy Ghoft teachcih ? Who 
 can forbear crying out, From whence 
 have thefe men fuch mighty gifts, and 
 ivbat wifdom is this that is given to 
 them, that unlearned and ignorant 
 men mould confound the ivtfdom of 
 the wife, and baffle the fubtilty of the 
 difputers of this world ' ? 
 
 M 2 To
 
 263 DiRECTioNsy2?r reading 
 
 To conclude this chapter : The 
 virtues and graces which Ihine forth 
 in every part of the apoflolical wri- 
 tings, are alone a demonftration that 
 the doctrine which they taught came 
 from God, the fountain of truth and 
 holinefs : For certainly the Father of 
 lies would never pitch upon fuch per- 
 fons to carry on a contrivance of 
 fraud and falfhood. Either make the 
 tree good, and its fruit good \ or elfe 
 make the tree corrupt, and its fruit 
 corrupt -, for the tree is known by it's 
 fruit m : As our Saviour unanfwer- 
 ably argues. And as St.P<2#/reafons 
 to the fame purpofe % What fel- 
 lowjbip can right eonfnefs have with un~ 
 right eoufnefs ; or what Communion can 
 light have with darknefs ? As little 
 concord hath Chrijl with Belial. And 
 to fay that Perfons of fuch holi- 
 jjcfs and integrity as himfelf and 
 
 his 
 
 Ch r )' r oft. Prtffat. in Ep. <?</Rom. 
 01 ^jatth xii. 33. 
 a Cor. vi. 14.
 
 the HOLY SCRPTURES. 269 
 his Apoftles undeniably appear to 
 have been, fhould either make or 
 advance a lie, is to fuppofe one of 
 thefe two things ; either that God 
 Almighty fhould be affifting in fet- 
 ting up the Devil's kingdom, or that 
 Satan fhould join a helping hand 
 to pull down his own. 
 
 C HAP,
 
 DIRECT ION s^r reading 
 
 C H A P. X. 
 
 Advantages of Revelation above 
 natural Light, or any Syjiem of 
 the Law of Nature. 
 
 ALthough we have juft reafon 
 to prefer revelation before the 
 bare light of nature, as may eafily 
 appear from what has been hitherto 
 ebierved, and from a great deal more 
 that might be added upon fo copious 
 a fubjec~t; yet I would not have any 
 thing I have faid mifconftrued, as if 
 it were fpoken in derogation to na- 
 tural religion . For I readily acknow- 
 ledge, that all revelation fuppofes the 
 truth of the principles of natural re- 
 ligion, and nothing is to be received 
 as fuch, which evidently contradicts 
 or overthrows thole principles. So 
 we are to look upon natural religion, 
 as- the foundation, and revelation as 
 the fupcrflructure, that which adds 
 
 the:
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 271 
 the lift and finiming ftnoke to the 
 whole work. 
 
 And in my judgment this one con- 
 fideration is fufficient to recommend 
 the Scripture Revelation to every im- 
 partial reader, viz. That it not only 
 iuppofes and builds upon the received 
 principles of natural religion, con- 
 cerning the being and providence of 
 God, and the rewards and punifli- 
 ments of a future ftate, but likewife 
 improves and enforces them, by 
 ^placing them in a better light, and 
 giving us greater evidence for them, 
 than bare reafon could fugged. 
 
 But alas ! there are too many now- 
 a-days that fancy God might have 
 faved all this trouble, that revelation 
 is a clog to religion inftead of a help : 
 They are of opinion that the law of 
 nature is a fufficient rule for prac- 
 tice, and the intimations of another 
 life; and the general notices of God's 
 mercy, which reafon offers to us, 
 are as good a fecurity for men's fal- 
 vation as they need dtfire. Thus do 
 M 4 ungrate-
 
 DIRECTIONS for residing 
 ungrateful men requite God for his 
 mercies ; and this is all the return 
 they think fit to make to him for 
 thofe wonderful expreffions of his 
 Iov 7 e, in fending bis Son into the world, 
 that we might the through him. 
 
 To convince men of their folly, 
 zs well s their ingratitude, I mall 
 briefly confider the great advantages 
 cf revelation above the bare light of 
 nature, or any fyflem of natural rdi- 
 gion ; and that upon three ac- 
 counts. 
 
 1. Becaufe revelation explains our 
 duty more fully and diftinftly. 
 
 2. // enforces it by a more com~ 
 vianding authority. 
 
 3. The arguments it makes ufe of 
 to that purpofe, are more powerful and 
 'perj'utiflve ; and like wife more popular 
 u*!(i better fuhcd to common capa- 
 cities. 
 
 j. Revelation explains our duty 
 more fully and dijlinctly ; that is, it 
 gives us a more diflinct account of 
 the feveral branches of our duty, 
 
 and
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 273 
 and explains the due extent of each 
 particular branch. 
 
 There is no quettion, but the laws 
 of nature are God's laws, who is the 
 author of nature, and that their obli- 
 gation is enforced upon men by natu- 
 ral fanctions; but yet the authority of 
 each particular branch of them is not 
 fo clear and indifputable, as to be 
 obvious to every capacity, And this 
 uncertainty gives a pretence to men 
 to judge for themfelves, how far the 
 obligation of natural duty extends,, 
 and no doubt but they will find out 
 fome favourable exception for their 
 own darling lufts and vices. Upon 
 this account, confidering the great 
 degeneracy of the world, the law of 
 nature is too uncertain a rule for 
 men to fquare their lives by. And 
 indeed here lies that myftery of ini~ 
 quity, which is now working under 
 the pretence of Deifm, or the main- 
 taining natural religion in oppofition 
 to revelation ; viz. that men would- 
 fain have a religion of their own* 
 M 5. making,,
 
 274 EfrRECTicrNsycrr reading 
 making, and be obliged by the laws 
 of God no farther than they like 
 them. So that there is abfolute need 
 of a fuperior authority to over- rule the 
 cavilling wits of men m , and filence 
 thole objections which mens lufts 
 will be induftrious to raife againft 
 fuch parts of their duty, which they 
 are unwilling to be retrained by. 
 And fmce -eternal life is the free 
 gift of God, it muft needs be the 
 moft certain and fatisfaftory way for 
 God himfelf to declare his mind con- 
 cerning it, and the means whereby 
 k may be obtained. 
 
 ' If we be fentto read the laws 
 ' of nature in the tables of our own 
 ' hearts, faith our excellent bimop 
 *' Taylor " where fome things are 
 '* diibrdered by paflion, man^y mors 
 ** are written by intereft ; fome are 
 *' indited by euflom, and others 
 
 "* T)ocemur non infinitis convfrf&tionumqite plenh 
 dlfputaiionibus, fed authoritate Legum domitai babirg 
 Ubidines, &c. Cic de Orat. lib. i. 
 
 " D.:fi. dubitant. 1. 2 c. 2. Rule 7. n. 1.5, &c. 
 
 " im-
 
 fe HOLT- SCRIPTURES.- 275 
 " imprinted by education ; and a- 
 " mongft feveral men thefe are the 
 " authors of contrary infcriptions : 
 " I fay, if we have no better direc- 
 " tor than this, whereby to fquare 
 *' our adtions, we fhall find ourfelves 
 *' at a lofs for the managing our be- 
 " haviour in fome of the weightiefb 
 fe concerns of life." 
 
 They that contend for the fuffici- 
 ency of natural religion in oppofi- 
 tion to revelation, or the written 
 word of God, do not confider how 
 much revelation hath contributed to 
 clear up mens minds, and give them 
 more diflincl: apprehenfions of natu- 
 ral truths than the world had before. 
 When a new difcovery is made, we 
 find moil people flatter themfelves fo 
 far, as to fancy that they could have 
 hit upon the very fame thing, if they 
 had but given their minds to it. 
 The lame prejudice lies- in the cafe 
 before us : The word of God hatli 
 placed the principles of natural re- 
 ligion in their true light ; and when 
 M & truth
 
 276 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 truth is once made plain and evi 
 dent, it feems to be fo eafy and ob- 
 vious, that every body fancies he 
 knew as much before. But whoever 
 confiders how much the wifeft and 
 heft philofophers were at alofs when 
 they undertook to fettle the great 
 foundations of religion, and the prin- 
 cipal branches of moral duty, may 
 be eafily convinced, that reafon is 
 but a blind guide in heavenly things* 
 even to thofe who had made the 
 beft improvement of their natural 
 talent. 
 
 I mall illuftrate this matter by 
 inflancing in a few particulars. 
 
 The laws of purity of heart, of 
 loving our enemies t and overcoming 
 evil with goad-, thefe and feveral 
 other fublime duties are exprefsly 
 commanded, and if 1 may fo fpeak, 
 enatted under the Gofpel. But al- 
 though moft of them have been re- 
 commended as highly reafonable by 
 the wifeft heathens, yet they never 
 could obtain, the force and eflimation 
 
 of
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 277 
 of laws in the world, until the word 
 of God re-inforced their obligation. 
 Which one confideration is an unde- 
 niable proof that the corruption of 
 human nature, and that degeneracy 
 of manners which overfpread the 
 world before the times of the Gofpel, 
 had fo far obfcuredthe laws of nature, 
 that there was need of teachers fent 
 from God to inftruft mankind in 
 fome parts of their duty, which 
 might indeed have been difcovered 
 by the light of reafon, when it was 
 in its primitive perfection, but was 
 in a great meafure defaced and obli- 
 terated by falfe principles and corrupt 
 euftoms. 
 
 St. Prf#/fpeal iagof himfelf, whilft 
 he was under the yeivijh difpenfati- 
 on, tells us*, that/<? had not known 
 lujl to be a fin, unle/s the law hadfaid, 
 in exprefs words, thoujhalt not covet* 
 Without doubt, if he had narrowly 
 eonfulted his own reafon, that would 
 
 * Rom. vii. 7. 
 
 have
 
 278 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 have informed him, that we ought 
 to obey God wi{h the whole man 
 and are bound to ferve him with 
 all the faculties both of our foul and 
 body > and confequently that the 
 irregular motions of the mind and 
 thoughts were properly fins, as being 
 breaches of that intire obedience 
 which is due to God Almighty. But 
 the Apoftle's meaning is this, that his 
 own natural corruption, joined with 
 the prejudices of his education, 
 which was among the Pharifees p , 
 and confirmed by the falfe notions of 
 good and evil; which ran current in 
 the world, had fo far blinded his- 
 judgment, as to make him overlook 
 fo considerable a part of his duty, 
 and nothing but the exprefs com- 
 mands of the law could have recti- 
 fied his miftake in this matter. 
 
 And if the law of Mofes were fo 
 very inflrumental in clearing up the 
 
 To [Ar,x& tao 
 
 aor, inquit Jofepbui de Antiocbo, Antiq, 
 LL2. C. 13. 
 
 due-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 279 
 due meaning and extent of the law 
 of nature, certainly the laws of Chrill 
 are much more ufeful to that pur- 
 pofe ; fo that both together may jufr,- 
 Jy be efleemed the moft perfect rule 
 of life the world was ever yet ac- 
 quainted with, and abundantly fuf- 
 ficientto render us thoroughly fur nifo- 
 ed unto every good ivork. 
 
 2. A fecond advantage which re- 
 velation hath above the unwritten 
 law of nature, is, that itfpeaks to us 
 with a more commanding authority. 
 
 The law of reafon is indeed the 
 voice of God within us. But yet it 
 is but ttftiRJmOll voice, and fuch as is 
 fcarce heeded, but by a liftening and 
 attentive ear : nor is it of fufficient 
 authority to reform mankind, con- 
 fidering with how much violence 
 mens lufts and paffions make head 
 againft it. Reafon can exercife but 
 a feeble authority over fuch rebellious 
 fubjects; it can only admonim them, 
 as old Eli did his profligate Sons, 
 and fay to them, ivfy do ye fiicb 
 
 things ?
 
 280 DiRECTioNS^r reading 
 things ? It is no good report that I 
 bear of you : and in both cafes you 
 {hall find the reproof to be equally 
 defpifed. 
 
 How faint are the reproofs of phi - 
 lofophers, when applied to the cor- 
 rection of obftinate offenders ? to 
 tell fuch perfons that they a<ft in 
 contradiction to their reafon, and be- 
 low the dignity of their nature, is to 
 make them accountable only to 
 themfelves, and they will eafily find 
 ways to difcharge themfelves from 
 fuch feeble obligations. What fin- 
 ner would not rather part with a fine 
 notion, than deny himfelf the fatif- 
 fadlion of his lulls and pleafures ? It 
 is in vain to think to reform the 
 world by any rules or precepts, but 
 fuch as are enforced by the authority 
 of God, thatfupreme law-giver, 'who 
 is able both to fave and to dejlroy ; 
 who hath the power of eternal life 
 and death in his hands, and can 
 make the moft daring finner tremble 
 at his word, 
 
 ' Ac-
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 281 
 * Accordingly our Saviour, who 
 was the brightnefs of his Father s 
 glory > and the exprefs image of bis 
 per/on, fpake with authority, as his 
 hearers themfelves confefTed '. He 
 delivered his precepts with the plain- 
 nefs and majefty of a lawgiver, not 
 with the nicenefs and fubtilty of a 
 philofopher. His words iverefpirit, 
 and they were life ', they pierced into 
 the foul and conference, and laid 
 open the innermoft recefles of the 
 heart ; and in his difcourfes we find 
 the majefty of a God, joined with 
 the gentlenefs of a friend, and the 
 kindnefs of a brother. 
 
 In like manner if we confult the 
 writings of the Apoftles, with what 
 authority do they teach? With what 
 majefty do they command ? With 
 what feverity do they rebuke ? With 
 
 d Quanta eft prudentia hominis ad dtmonftran- 
 (titm tcttuM, quanta aulhoritas ad exigendum : Ian 
 iUafallifacilh, quant ijia csntmni, Teitull. Apol. 
 .45. e Matth. vii. 29. 
 
 what
 
 282 DIRECTIONS^;- reading 
 what tender concern do they chaflife ? 
 and with what weighty arguments do 
 they perftiade all Chriflians to adorn 
 the doctrine of God their Saviour in 
 all things. 
 
 3. A thin! advantage which Reve- 
 lation hath above the light of nature, 
 confifls in this, that the arguments It 
 makes life of to explain and enforce our 
 duty, are more powerful andperfuafi've, 
 and withal more popular, and better 
 fuited to common capacities. 
 . Our Saviour by taking our nature 
 upon him, hath brought heaven down 
 to us, and given us an aflurance of 
 its promifes in fuch a way as lies moil: 
 level to our capacities, and works 
 moft forcibly upon our affedHons. 
 The revealing the deep things of 
 God in fuch a familiar and fenfible 
 manner as the Gofpel does, carries a 
 mighty and convincing evidence along 
 with it, as St.Jo&n fets forth in very 
 emphatical expreffions, at the be- 
 ginning of his firft epiftle, *That ivhich 
 'was from the beginning, which we 
 
 have
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 283 
 have heard, which we have feen 
 with our eyes, which we have look- 
 ed upon, and our bands have hand- 
 ltd of the 'word of life : for the 
 life was manifejled, and we have feen 
 it, and bear witnefs, and flew unto 
 you that eternal Ufe which was with 
 the Father, and was tnani/efted unto 
 7/j. That which we have feen and 
 heard, declare we unto you. 
 
 If we will allow the principles of 
 natural Religion all the force and 
 evidence they can reafonably be de- 
 fired, yet it is certain they are but of 
 little ufe to perfons of ordinary ca- 
 pacities B , who before the Revela T 
 tion of the Gofpel, were rather 
 governed by the general inflincls of 
 natural confcience, and the autho- 
 rity of human laws and cuftoms, 
 than by the dictates of reafon metho- 
 dically deduced from clear and felf- 
 evident principles. The arguments 
 which philosophers made ufe of to 
 prove the immortality of the foul, 
 
 * See i Cor. i. 21. 
 
 and
 
 284 DiRECTiONsy^r reading 
 and a future ftate, were too nice 
 and metaphyfical to be apprehended 
 by the vulgar underftandings : And 
 in order to make our perfect fyftem 
 of the laws of nature, men muft 
 attend to along train of proportions, 
 and be able to difcover how one de- 
 pends upon another. 
 
 Whereas in the holy Writings, 
 inflead of the uncertain dilates of a 
 natural law, too often obfcured by 
 pafTion, and depraved by ill cuftom, 
 we have the Will of God made 
 known to us by his Son, who 'was in 
 the bofom of his Father ', intimately ac- 
 quainted with all his counfels and 
 purpofes, and was pleafed to come 
 down from heaven, that he might 
 mew us the way thither. 
 
 Inftead of a general hope in God's 
 mercies, (which thofe have little rea- 
 fon to rely upon, who defpife the 
 gracious offers of mercy tendered to 
 them by the Gofpel) we have the 
 pardon of our fins fealed to us in the 
 blood of the new covenant. 
 
 Inflead
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 285 
 Inftead of the obfcure notices of 
 a future ftate which reafon offers. 
 we have life and immortality brought 
 to light by him, who is fazfirft-born 
 from the dead % and the jirji fruits 
 of them that Jleep d : who died 
 that he might deftroy death, and 
 free us from the dominion of it % 
 and rofe again to allure us of a life 
 after death, and convince us that he 
 had all power given him by God to 
 beftow eternal life upon as many as 
 were duly qualified for it f . Our 
 Saviour's vifible afcenfion into hea- 
 ven, was a lively and fenfible inftance 
 of the rewards of another world : 
 and it is matter of unfpeakable com- 
 fort to all good Chriflians, to con- 
 iider that he is gone into heaven, 
 as our forerunner, to prepare a place 
 for us *, in thofe manfions of blifs, 
 where he fits at God's right hand, 
 
 c Colof. i. 1 8. d i Cor. xv. 20. e Heb. 
 
 ii. 14, i^. f John xvii. 2. Rom. xiv. 9. 
 
 See i Cor. i. 21. * John xiv. 2. Heb. 
 vi. 20. 
 
 and
 
 286 DiRECTiONsy^r reading 
 and makes interceffion for us, as a 
 merciful and faithful high- prieft, who 
 is both able and willing to fuccour 
 them that are tempted h , being 
 touched with a compaffionate fenfe 
 of the weaknefles and frailties of hu - 
 man nature j forafmuch as in the 
 days ofhisfefh he himfelf was com- 
 pafTed about with the fame infirmi- 
 ties, and was in all points tempted 
 like as we are '. All which confi- 
 derations give us all imaginable affu- 
 ranee, that if we be not wanting to 
 ourfelves, nothing will be able tofepa- 
 rate us from the love of God, in Jejiis 
 Chrift our Lord. k . 
 
 The facred writers never fpeak up- 
 on this fubjec~r, but in a triumphant 
 ftile, and in a holy rapture of fpiri- 
 tual joy. It is Chrift, that died, faith 
 St. Paul 1 , yea, rather that is rifen 
 again, who is even at the right hand 
 
 h Heb. ii. 17, 18. * Zt;fA'7ra9v;<7-o r^Tv Sri 
 
 Trjv V9>;st> TXK O"P"S? avroiraSus ETreipaaaf. Clem. 
 
 Alex. Psedagog. 1. i. c. 8. k Rom. viii. 39. 
 1 Ibid. v. 33, &V. 
 
 ef 

 
 tie HOLY SCRIPTURES. 287 
 
 of God, who makes intercejjionfor us ; 
 and in all our adverlities ivejball be 
 more than conquerors through him that 
 loved us. When Chrift 'who is eur 
 lifejhall appear, ive Jhall appear with 
 him in glory, faith the fame Apof- 
 tle h . To the fame purpofe are thofe 
 admirable words of St. Peter *, 
 'whom not feeing ye love, in ivhom, 
 though now ye fee him not, yet believ- 
 ing, ye rejoice with joy unfpeakable and 
 full of glory. All which expreffions 
 fo full of heavenly comfort are 
 grounded upon the words of Chrifl 
 himfelf, recorded by St. John, be- 
 caufe I live, ye foall live alfo k .- 
 And again, at the beginning of the 
 Revelation, * where our Saviour ap- 
 pearing to St. John fupports and con- 
 firms his faith by thofe remarkable 
 words, fear not, 1 am the firft and 
 the loft : I am he that liveth and was 
 dead, and behold I am alive for ever- 
 
 h Colof. iii. 3. J ' i Pet. i. 8. k John xiv. 
 jg. i Chap.i, 17, 18. 
 
 more*
 
 283 DiRECTioNsy^r reading 
 more, and have the keys of bell and of 
 death. 
 
 What arguments can reafon fug- 
 geft to us of God's love toward 
 mankind, which are comparable to 
 thofe that are taken from this con* 
 lideration, that he has given us his 
 Son * ? The greateft gift that he 
 was able to beftow, or we capable 
 of receiving. Or what motives of 
 obedience can be fo forcible, as thofe 
 which our Saviour's wonderful love 
 and kindnefs, his amazing humility 
 and condefcenfion do furnifh us 
 with ? when we reflect upon all 
 that he has done and fuffered for us, 
 the obligations he hath laid upon 
 us, and the right that he has to our 
 fervice, as having purchafed us with 
 the price of his blood. What a 
 powerful perfuafive to obedience do 
 thofe words of Chrift contain in 
 them, As my Father has loved 
 
 " John iii. 16. 
 John xv. 9, to.
 
 tbe HOLY SCRIPTURES. 289 
 me, Jo have I loved you ; continue ye 
 in my love : If ye keep my command- 
 ments, ye flail abide in my love. To 
 reflect upon his love conftraining 
 us, gratitude obliging us, redemption 
 engaging us to be his fervants, does 
 without queftion afford the ftrongefl 
 comforts againft our fears, the great- 
 eft encouragement to the perfor- 
 mance of our duty, and the mod 
 powerful prefervative in the time of 
 temptation, that can be delired. 
 
 And do tbefe confolations of God 
 fecmfmall unto us ? or is there any 
 fecret method of obtaining heaven 
 and happinefs, which hath been 
 luckily found out by the ivlts of the 
 prefent age, as much inferior to their 
 heathen predecejjors in parts, as they 
 are in ingenuity, after it had lain hid 
 fo long, and was undifcovered by all 
 the eminent fages of the. Gentile 
 world ? Who miferably groped like 
 the blind in their fearch after heaven- 
 ly truth, and wim for a better guide 
 than they found their own reafou to 
 N be
 
 290 DIRECTIONS for reading 
 be * to direct them in the untrod- 
 den paths of pure and undejikd re- 
 ligion. 
 
 So great is our natural blindnefs 
 in things relating to God, fo great is 
 the averfenefs of our wills to the 
 fpiritual excrcifes of Religion, that 
 all the helps both of nature and 
 grace are little enough to enable us 
 rightly to difcharge our duty '. 
 Surely then God's mercy ought to 
 be thankfully acknowledged if he 
 vouchfafes us greater meafures of 
 
 1 Utinam tarn facile vera invenire poflem, 
 quara falfa convincere : Cic. lib. i. de Nat. Dior. 
 There is a remarkable paflage to the fame Purpofe 
 in Plato's Phaedro, cap. 23. where fpeaking of the 
 enquiries of reafon, concerning a future ftate, he 
 compares its afliftance to a boat or vefTel that 
 carries us through the waves of this trouble- 
 ibme world, and then adds this further reflexion : 
 El p,r> T; ^ii1o otf-faXc'rfsc'i' *** af&wnrftfu eal 
 giSaiol^a o^al^, EIOY AOPOY TI o*- 
 "rro%o S?>i : unlefs a man can have a fafer and 
 fecurer paflage by the help of fome ftronger veflel, 
 or a Divine Revelation. 
 
 u Ecce adhuc tepefcimus, aud'tis tot fignis tuis 
 & do&rinis : quid fieret, fitantum lumen ad te fe 
 quendum non haberemus ? Kempis de Imit. Cbrijli t 
 Lb. 3-c. 1 8. 
 
 ilrength 

 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 291 
 ilrength and knowledge in order to 
 this end, than the bare light and 
 powers of nature can furnifh us 
 with : And it is a great argument 
 both of his wifdom and goodnefs, 
 that whenyfrz had fo much abounded 
 in the world, grace Jbould much mere 
 abound. 
 
 N 2
 
 292 DIRECTIONS^/- reading 
 
 The CONCLUSION. 
 
 OR a conclufion to the whole, 
 I (hall give the reader a general 
 view of the reafons which prove the 
 Scriptures to be the word of God ; 
 all which joined together will amount 
 to the force of a demonftration. 
 
 In fhort then ; this book contains 
 the moft ancient records which are 
 extant in the world, and informs us 
 of the mofl remarkable occurrences 
 that ever happened in it. It gives us 
 an account of the beginning of the 
 world, and affords us aprofpecl: unto 
 the end of it : nay, it leads us be- 
 yond it, and {hews us the way to a 
 better, that new heaven, and new earth, 
 wherein dwells right eoufnejs. 
 
 Thefe holy writings are the only 
 means of coming to the knowledge 
 of God and of ourfelves : they open 
 
 an
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 293 
 an intercourfe between heaven and 
 earth, by the account they give us of 
 the feveral tranfactions between God 
 and man, efpecially the wonderful 
 contrivance of man's redemption, 
 and that gracious covenant made with 
 him by God in Chrht. 
 
 The Bible inftrudts us in fuch 
 fublime truths, as are fufHcient to 
 raife admiration in the greateft un- 
 derftandings, and yet delivers them 
 in fuch plainnefs and Simplicity of 
 expreflion, as is proper at once to in- 
 form, and to affect the meaneft ca- 
 pacities. It lays down the moft per- 
 fect rules and directions for all ftates 
 and conditions of life, offers the moft 
 powerful motives to perfuade men to 
 practife accordingly. 
 
 Although the feveral books of it 
 were written in diflant ages, by per- 
 fons of different qualities, conditions 
 rnd interefts, with great variety both 
 (f matter and manner of exprelTion ; 
 jet tl ey all agree in teaching the fame 
 iu idam.'ntal truths, aad promoting 
 N 3 ons
 
 294 DIRECTIONS^ reading 
 one and the fame excellent defign, 
 viz. the glory of God, and the eter- 
 nal happinefs of men. The feveral 
 parts of holy Writ do likcwife cor- 
 roborate each other's teftimony; what 
 one part promifes, the other per- 
 forms ; what is prophefied in the 
 Old Tejtament, we find accomplifhed 
 in the New* 
 
 Thus far the holy Scriptures car- 
 ry their own evidence along with 
 them. But if we proceed to examine 
 the external proofs of their divine au- 
 thority, we fhall find ourfelves en- 
 compared with a whole cloud ofwit- 
 tie/es. 
 
 Thefe holy books have flood the 
 tell of the moft inquifitive men in all 
 ages, and bore up againfl the injuries 
 of time itfelf, that devours all things, 
 Jews and Gentiles, as well as Cbri- 
 Jlians, have fome way or other given 
 teftimony to their truth. The hea- 
 thens never durft call in queftion the 
 principal miracles therein related, 
 
 which
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 295 
 which are the credentials of its divine 
 authority, and the fed which God 
 hath fet to this his will and teftament. 
 The oldefl monuments of the hea- 
 then flory, and all their ancient 
 theology is derived from the Scrip- 
 tures k , though difguifed with fables 
 for the confirming their own fuper- 
 ititions and idolatries. 
 
 The Jews are zealous afTerters of 
 the authority of thofe very prophe- 
 cies which bear witnefs to that 
 Chrift whom they themfelves refufe 
 to acknowledge. 
 
 The Chriftians of all ages, a great 
 and venerable body of men, have re- 
 verenced thefe books as the oracles of 
 heaven. No body ever thoroughly 
 fearched into them, and lived up to 
 their directions, that ever found caufe 
 to repent them of their pains. On 
 the contrary, the wifeft and befl 
 
 ^ fee tins fully priced by (he learned Huetius, in 
 Us Quzftibnes Alnetanx, & Demonilrat. Evangel. 
 Prop. 4. cap. 3. &c. 
 
 N * of
 
 296 DiRECTJONSj^r reading 
 of men, the more they have ftudied 
 them, the more caufe they have 
 found to admire them, and ftill the 
 greater comfort and fatisfaction they 
 have felt, by being devoutly exer- 
 cifed in them. 
 
 To conclude, if this- book every 
 way anfwers all the ends of Revela- 
 tion, if it propofes fuitable remedies 
 to all the defects of human nature, 
 if it fetteth forth natural truths in 
 their proper light, and difcovers fuper- 
 natural ones in a way worthy of the 
 majefty of God, and moft effectual 
 to give fatisfadtion to the inquifitive 
 minds of men : I fay, if all thefe 
 characters of a divine original are 
 to be found in thefe holy Writings, 
 and in none other, then we muft con- 
 clude, either that God never vouch- 
 lafed to make any extraordinary Re- 
 velation of his will to the world, or 
 that the Scriptures which we em- 
 brace as the word of God are tha,t 
 very Revelation, 
 
 I Hull
 
 the HOLY SCRIPTURES. 297 
 I (hall clofe up this argument 
 with thofe excellent words of Tatian, 
 in his oration to the Greeks, where 
 he gives this account of his conver- 
 fion to Chriftianity ' : When I 
 gave my mind, faith he, to a Jerious 
 fearch after truth, it happened that I 
 met with books written in a barbarous 
 language, which, in refpect to the 
 doctrine contained in them, were much 
 older than any writings of the Greeks, 
 and contained divine truths in oppojition 
 to their errors and Jitperftit ions. And 
 I was fully convinced of the truth of 
 thefe writings, from the plainnefs and 
 unaffettednejs of the Jlile, Jrom t he Jin- 
 cerity of the writers, from the intel- 
 ligible account they give of the creation 
 
 foi; rat 
 txi'uur 
 
 O r^oywriKo Koti run Tratuyfrptruv TO 
 
 ti TUV oXwj 1 TO lAoiotxon. Tatian, Orat. ad 
 
 Grwcos, n. 46. Edit, Qxon. 
 
 N 5 tf
 
 298 DIRECTION sfor reading 
 cf the world, from the prophetical 
 forefight they contain of things to 
 come, from the excellency cf their pre- 
 cepts, and becaufe the 'whole dejign of 
 thofe books is to injirutt men in the 
 knowledge and worfhip of the one true 
 Cod. 
 
 With what reverence and atten- 
 tion, with what joy and gladnefs 
 ought we then to receive thefe holy 
 oracles ? not as the words of men, ex- 
 treamly liable to error and uncer- 
 tainty, efpecially in matters of the 
 greater! importance, but as they are 
 in truth the words of God, the author 
 of eternal happineis, and the only in- 
 fallible guide and conductor thither. 
 When many withdraw themfelves 
 from our Saviour's inftructions, St. 
 Peter thus exprefled his fteady adhe- 
 rence to his Matter's words and 
 doclrine ', "Lord, faith he, to whom 
 Jhould we go ? tbou haft the words of 
 eternal life. And we may juftly ap- 
 
 1 John vi. 68. 
 
 ply
 
 tke HOLY SCRIPTURES. 299 
 ply the fame words to our own cafe, 
 to confirm ourfelves in our moffc holy 
 faith j and when we find it attacked 
 by the open afTaults, or fly infinua- 
 tions of our modern fceptics and in- 
 fidels, this will be a furficient reply 
 to demand of them, to whom fhall we 
 go ? Shall we go to the men of rea- 
 ibn ? But every man is forward to 
 think his own reafon as good as 
 his neighbour's ; and reafon never 
 puts on fo many different fhapes, as 
 when it undertakes to determine 
 points of religion. Or (hall we ap- 
 ply ourfelves to the philofophers for 
 greater certainty and better informa- 
 tion ? the holy Writings alone contain 
 the words of eternal life ; a truth which 
 the wifeft heathens never arrived to a 
 certain knowledge of themfelves, 
 much lefs could they give their fcho- 
 lars any fatisfa&ion or afiurance in fo 
 important a point : Learn of me, faith 
 our Saviour h , for I am meek and 
 
 h Matth. xi. 29. 
 
 N 6
 
 300 DfRECTioNsy^r reading, &c. 
 
 lowly of heart, and ye fhallfind reft un- 
 to your fouls. Let us learn of him, the 
 gentleit Matter, and the kindeft In- 
 itructor, who will have compaflioa 
 on our ignorances, and help our in- 
 firmities, who will fupply our imper- 
 fections with his own all-fufficient 
 merits, and reward thofe good works 
 which he himfelf hath wrought in us* 
 with an eternal weight of glory. His 
 laws are the light of our eyes, and 
 the joy of our hearts ; his Gofpel is a 
 guide of the blind, an injlru&or of the 
 foolifb, a teacher of babes, a light that 
 Chines in a dark place, and clears up 
 the doubts of our dim reafon ; and if 
 we fallow, its conduct will lead thro* 
 this vale of mifery into thofe blefled 
 regions, where there is light, and 
 life, and happinefs for evermore*
 
 A Prayer for the Morning, 301 
 
 A Jhort Prayer to be ufed by any one 
 alone In the Morning. 
 
 I Adore thee, O Lord, the poflef- 
 for of Heaven and Earth : Who 
 furpafTeth all our thoughts,, and doft 
 us good beyond all ourdenres. There 
 is all reafon that I fhould acknow- 
 ledge thee continually ; that I fhould 
 worfhip and praife, and love, and 
 obey thee, whilft I have my Being. 
 I cannot but witnefs againft myfelf, 
 whenfoever I neglect thee ; much 
 more when I oppofe thy moft high 
 authority, by doing contrary to thy 
 laws. For thy almighty goodneis 
 gave me my Being ; and by that alone 
 have I been maintained and liberally 
 provided for : Yea, it hath born with 
 me very patiently in my rebellion, 
 and ufed extraordinary means to 
 make us Friends, and ceafes not its 
 intreaties after many unkind de- 
 nials j but continues to importune 
 
 me,
 
 302 A Prayer for the Morning. 
 me, till my heart confent to yield 
 itfelf intirely to thee. 
 
 I cannot with -hold myfelf, O 
 Lord, from thee, when I confider 
 what thou art, and what thou haft 
 been to me : Such a tender gracious 
 and compaffionate father, as my 
 greateft affections cannot find words 
 to exprefs. I muft again furrender 
 foul and body into thy hands, which 
 have been fo long, fo lovingly ftretch- 
 ed out toward me : Refolving to ftay 
 with thee, and never to depart away 
 from thee. 
 
 For the more I know of thee, the 
 more I find that I muft needs love 
 thee : And the more I love thee, the 
 more I defire to love thee, and to 
 refemble thee, and to be beloved of 
 thee. O that I may feel the power 
 of thy love fo great in my heart, 
 that it may govern the reft of my 
 paffions and affections. And nothing 
 in the World may tempt me to dif- 
 pleafe thee, but every thing provoke 
 me more to love thee, and delight in 
 thee, and obey thee, For whom is 
 
 there
 
 A Prayer for the Morning. 303 
 there in Heaven that I can defire but 
 thee, or on earth be/ides thce ! ivbo 
 art the blejfed and only Potentate, the 
 King of Kings, and Lord of Lords ; 
 who only haji immortality ? And de- 
 figneft by thy Son Jefus to raife us, 
 finful Duft and Ames, to a King- 
 dom, Glory, Honour and Immorta- 
 lity in the Heavens. 
 
 I moft earneftly befeech thee that 
 this fenfe of thee may accompany me 
 wherefoever I go, and in whatfoever 
 I do this day* That approving my- 
 felf to thee in fuch a godly, fober, 
 righteous, charitable and prudent be- 
 haviour, as may adorn the Gofpel of 
 my Lord and Mafter Chrift Jefus ; I 
 may have a greater afTurance of thy 
 good will towards me, and an un- 
 doubted hope of thy mercy in him 
 to eternal life. In whofe moft blef- 
 fed name and words I humbly re- 
 commend myfelf, my friends, and 
 all thy fervants to thy infinite cha- 
 rity ; faying, as he hath taught us, 
 
 Our Father, &c. 
 
 Another
 
 304 A Prayer for the Evening. 
 Another for the Evening. 
 
 BLeffing, Glory, Honour, and 
 Praife be again returned to thee, 
 O father of mercy, from a mod 
 thankful heart; which offers up itfelf 
 alfo in holy devotion to thee. Who 
 art my fovereign Lord, my moft lov- 
 ing Saviour, my deliverer and bene- 
 faSor ; the fountain of all the good 
 things I enjoy at prefent, and the 
 hope of my foul for ever and ever. 
 Blefled be thy renewed kindnefs to 
 me this day paft : Both to myfelf and 
 my relations, to my foul and my body, 
 in mytranfadlions with men, andin the 
 liberty thou alloweft me of addreflesto 
 thyfelf. Pardon, good Lord, whatfoe- 
 ver hath efcaped me in thought, word, 
 or deed, contrary to my duty : And 
 accept of thofe fincere intentions, and 
 unfeigned purpofes, which were, and I 
 hope mall always be in my heart to 
 ftudy to approve myfelf to thee in all 
 well-doing. 
 
 It is but j'uft and reafonable that I 
 fhould follow thy Will, and not my 
 
 own :
 
 A Prayer for the Evening. 305 
 own : And in a grateful fenfe of what 
 I have received from thee, I ought to 
 be moved to employ all the powers of 
 my Soul and Body for thee. But fuch is 
 the Goodnefs of thy Will, that it is for 
 my eafe and pleafure, andgreatefthap- 
 pinefs to be abfolutely led and govern- 
 ed by it. I am fenfible, O Lord, how 
 much I am indebted to thee for teach- 
 ing me byChriftJefus,andalfoflrong- 
 ly obliging me toexercife myfelf to all 
 godlinefs, purity, righteoufnefs, humi- 
 lity, goodnefs and truth. And accord- 
 ingly I thank thee, above all things, for 
 his holy inftructions and example -, for 
 the hope thou haft given us by his 
 blood, that thou wilt be fo merciful to 
 our fins, as not to deny us the power 
 of thy Holy Spirit to enable us to fol- 
 low him, and obey his commands ; 
 and for that exceeding great and pre- 
 cious promife which he hath given us 
 of immortal life, to encourage us to 
 follow him willingly and cheariully, 
 even to the Death. 
 
 O that I may feel a lively and fted- 
 fail faith in his word, continually 
 
 working
 
 306 A Prayer for the "Evening. 
 working with great power in my 
 heart, exciting me to an unwearied 
 diligence, and zeal, and love, and pa- 
 tient continuance in my duty towards 
 thee, and towards all Men : That fo 
 my hope in thee may grow and in- 
 creafe, and I may joyfully expedl that 
 hour which mail tranflate me hence 
 to the eternal happinefs of the other 
 World. And during my ftay here, I 
 commend myfelf to thy good provi- 
 dence, which hath hitherto been fo 
 tender of me. I truit thee wholly 
 with myfelf, and all belonging to me : 
 And am willing in every thing to be 
 difpofed of, as thou feeft good. This 
 night I flee unto thy almighty pro- 
 te&ion - y hoping thou wilt keep me 
 fafely, and whether I wake in this or 
 the other life, I {hall ftill be praiiing 
 thee ; whofe mercy endureth for 
 ever, Amen ; for Chrift Jefus his fake, 
 by whom thou haft encouraged me 
 to hope in thee, and taught me to 
 call thee father ; faying* 
 Our Father, &c. 
 
 THE
 
 THE 
 
 T A B L E. 
 
 jSynop/ts Page II 
 
 ^ The Introduction 27 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Tliat the fever al Parts of Scripture were accom- 
 modated to Men* Ufe, with a regard to their 
 federal Capacities which appear t by the dif- 
 ferent Subjects therein treated of, and the dif- 
 ferent Stiles wherein the fever al Parts of Scrip- 
 ture are written 33 
 
 T1)e Reafin of the different Stiles ufedin the fevered 
 Parts of Holy Writ ?6 
 
 The ufe that unlearned Perfans Jhould make of toil 
 difference 39 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Two Prejudices which hinder many from the careful 
 reading and Study of the Scriptures, the firjl of 
 them, relating to the Stile and Method of thofe 
 holy Writings, confidered 42 
 
 The peculiar Advantages of receiving Inftruftion 
 from the Scriptures themselves 44 
 
 A defence of the. Scripture Stile comprized in four 
 Particuutrs. 
 
 I. As to the Hijlorical Books, the principal mat- 
 ters are there recorded with fuch Circumjianefs 
 as mutually confirm andfupport tath other 45 
 
 2. Tht
 
 TABLE. 
 
 2. The harmony and agreement between the eld 
 and new Teftament is a convincing proof of 
 the truth of both 48 
 
 3. // was fit that the myjlery of our redemption 
 Jhould be opened by degrees^ according to the 
 capacities and exigencies of fever al ages 5 1 
 
 4. The plain and inartificial Stile which the holy 
 Writers make ufe of, is a great Argument of 
 their Truth ana Sincerity 55 
 
 jf Jhort defence offuch PaJJages as feem to contain 
 trivial andinconfidezable Matters 60 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Jin anfwer to another popular ObjecJion again/} 
 the reading of the Scriptures^ taken from their 
 obfcurity : and fame Rules laid down to remedy 
 this Difficulty 62 
 
 All things necejfary to falvation are plainly re- 
 vealed 63 
 
 General Reafons ajjigned of the obfcurity of the 
 Scriptures 67 
 
 From hence appears the Obligation lying upon the 
 unlearned to fubmit to the judgment of their 
 lawful Paftors 7 1 
 
 Four Rules laid down for the right under/landing of 
 the Scriptures. 
 
 I. Rule^ that we Jhould begin with reading the 
 plainefl Books 76 
 
 II. Rule, that we Jhould have a regard to the 
 analogy of Faith in judging of the fenfe of parti- 
 cular Texts 78 
 
 III. Rule,
 
 rbe TABLE. 
 
 III. Rule, to compare one place of Scripture with 
 another 82 
 
 IV. Rule, to have an efpecial regard to the 
 judgment and practice of the primitive Church 86 
 
 This Rule of great uft to ftlence the difputes about 
 Church-Government 91 
 
 The inference from the whole, that we ought to 
 read the Scriptures with humility and reve- 
 rence 95 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Concerning the hijlorical Books of the old Tefta- 
 ment, and what things are chiefly obfervalle in 
 eur reading of them 96 
 
 A general divifion of the Books of the old Tefta- 
 ment, into Hiftorical, Moral, the Pfalms 
 and the Prophets 07 
 
 The advantages of the Scripture hijtory above all other 
 hi/lories 0,9 
 
 Several pajjages in the three firft chapters of 
 Genefis explained and vindicated from the ex- 
 ceptions in the Theoria Sacra, and Arehaeo- 
 logia ioo 
 
 Two fchemes or SyJIems of Religion , laid down in 
 the writings o/"Mofes 104 
 
 Reafons afjigned for the ritual ordinances in the 
 law o/Mofes. 108 
 
 Concerning the account Mofes gives of Gods chu- 
 Jing Abraham's fami/y, and the promife of the 
 .JMeJ/ixs 129 
 
 Tht
 
 The TABLE. 
 
 The old Feftament hi/lory an evident proof cf on 
 over-ruling providenee 130 
 
 The Scripture hi/lory of the Jewifli nation writ 
 with greater care ana fidelity than thofe of other 
 countries. 133 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Concerning the moral writings cf the old Tefta- 
 
 ment 137 
 
 The xfefulnefs of the Book of Job 1 38 
 
 - - - - And of the Proverbs ; and in what re~ 
 
 tfts that book exceeds the writings of the 
 
 ithen moralifts 139 
 
 The proper ufe of Ecclefiafles 143 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Concerning the book of Pfalms, and their ufeful- 
 nefs 147 
 
 Two objections againjl the ufe of them briefly con- 
 fidered 153, 154 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Concerning the prophetical writings, and their 
 ufefulnefs 158 
 
 The hi/lorical and prophetical books do mutually 
 fupport and confirm each other 159 
 
 The ufes we ought to make of the plain prophe- 
 cies 162 
 
 - - - - And of the obfcure ones 165* 
 The feveral Prophecies have a myjlical fenft\ 
 
 proved j 69 
 
 Tfe
 
 TABLE. 
 
 The reafont aligned why a myjlical fcnfe is fometimet 
 involved under a literal 170 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Observations upon the Gofpels, in order to the 
 more ufeful reading that part of holy Scrip- 
 ture ' 1 86 
 
 The difference between ike new Covenant and the 
 old 187 
 
 In the Gofpels four things chiefly to beobferved. 
 
 1. Our Saviour' t dolrine y which is delivered ei- 
 ther in fermon or parables 194 
 
 2. His miracles 210 
 The difference between true and falfe miracles 
 
 briefly Jlated ibid. 
 
 3. Our Lord's manner of life and converfation 
 
 214 
 
 4. The clrcumjlances of his death 218 
 
 Tlie marks of integrity which appear in the evan- 
 gelical writings 222 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The principal matters to be- obferved in reading the 
 Als and Epiftles of the dpojiles 226 
 
 The fuccefs of the dpojlles preaching an evident 
 proof oj the truth of Chriftianity 227 
 
 The feveral parts of^ the new Teftatnent do mutu- 
 ally confirm andfupport each other 230
 
 We TABLE. 
 
 *Tht ufefulnefs of the Als and Epi/tles confidercd in 
 three particulars. 
 
 1. As they are an authentic commentary upon the 
 Gofpels 234 
 
 2. As they give us an exatt idea of the faith and 
 manners of the fir Jl Chriftians 246 
 
 3. - And likewife of the graces and virtues 
 of the Apojiles themf elves 253 
 
 A brief furvey of the writings of St. Peter, St. 
 James, and St. John 265 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 < The advantages of Revelation above natural light ^ 
 or any fy ft em of the law of nature 270 
 
 This proved by three arguments. 
 
 1. Becaufe Revelation explains our duty more 
 fully and dijlinttly 272 
 
 2. // enforces it by a more commanding authority 
 
 279 
 
 3. The arguments it makes ufe of are more power - 
 fulj and withal better Juited to common capa- 
 cities 282 
 
 Tht Conclufion 292 
 
 FINIS.
 
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