66 the cause of the causes, in things necessarily subordinate, must be the cause of the caused. But can our hearts bear the thoughts of such blasphemies as these? or can we think that a man can tell by the stars, what shall come to pass hereafter, when the Scripture saith, "Who can tell what a day will bring forth?" And Eccles. x. 14, “ A man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell?” Again, chap. viii. 7, " For he knoweth not that which shall be; for who can tell him when, or how it shall be?" These astrologers do indeed hit the matter sometimes, and have foretold that which hath come to pass, and where such a thing lost may be found again. But I will tell you how; the devil doth assist them therein, and as they erect their scheme, he doth suggest unto them, and leaves his impressions upon their hearts concerning the matter, it being easy for him to make discovery of those things which pass through his own hands. Now because they do not go professedly to the devil, they think that they have nothing to do with the devil; whereas the thing is wholly from the devil, and not from the stars. And is this light then? or is the knowledge of this mystery to be called light? No, it is darkness, and a work of darkness. But the light of the Scripture is a pure light, a clear light, a light without any darkness, a light which doth come from God, and lead us unto God, not unto the devil. Surely, therefore, this light of Scripture is the best light, the most excellent light; more excellent than that of revelations and visions; more excellent than that of dreams and immediate voices; more excellent than that of impressions; more excellent than that of the law and light within; more excellent than that of christian experience, or that of divine providence, or that of human reason; more excellent than this pretended light (but in truth, darkness) of judicial astrology. Surely therefore it is the most excellent, safe and sure light in the world. Shall we then forsake the Scripture, and cleave to pretended lights and lying vanities? No, but if the Scripture be the best light, the most safe and sure light, then it is the duty of all the saints to take heed thereunto, and that especially in their dark times and seasons, which is the fourth general thing propounded. And thus I have done with the third general, namely, That Scripture light is the most safe, sure, and the best light.* The fourth followeth. SERMON III. "We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts."-2 PETER I. 19. As Scripture light is the most excellent light, the best and most sure light, in compare with all other lights, or whatever may pretend to light; so, Fourthly, it is our duty, the duty of all the saints and people of God, to take heed thereunto, and that especially in their dark times and places; which is the fourth thing propounded to your consideration, and which doth necessarily follow from the former. For if the Scripture, or the written word of God, be our great and most sure light; then it is our duty, the duty of all the saints and people of God, to take heed thereunto, especially in their dark times and places. Yet further, ye shall do well that ye take heed thereunto, for the doctrine of the gospel written is, 1. The word of the Son of God. The more excellent the person is that speaks unto you, the more diligently ye will * Occulto instinctu fieri spirituum non bonorum.-Austin de civit. Dei, lib. v, cap. 7. Sunt hæc astrorum indicia ex pactis cum dæmonibus et instinctu; eorum occultissimo, quem nescientes humanæ mentes patiuntur.—Austin 2 lib. de Doctr. Christiana. Et omnes hujusmodi artes vel nugatoriæ vel noxiæ superstitionis ex quadam pestifera societate hominum et dæmonum.-Ibid. Prima causa istarum predictionum nonnunquam provenit ex pacto et societate quam inivit astrologus cum dæmone vel ex occulto ejus inflatu et instinctu.-Pererius in Genes. cap. i. v. 14, 15. Lib. 2, de astromantia. Cælum est solum influens generale cujus ratio particularizatur vel singularizatur aut a Deo solo aut a dispositione materiæ, si autem objicitur quod inveniuntur predicere multa vera respondetur, quod multo plura falsa et ideo vera dicunt vel a casu, vel a multitudine eorum quo dicunt, vel ab observatione eorum quæ audiunt, aut fit ab mixtione operationis dæmonum propter seducendos tam predicentes quam fidem adhibentes in talibus, per damnabilem curiositatem sciendi futura et ca quæ pater solus habet in sua potestate.-Gerson pars prima Trilog. Astrolog. Theolog. prop. 11. take heed unto what he saith. Now the gospel, or the word of God written, is the word of the Son. Some there are who say, that Christ only is called the Word, or the Word of God; and that the doctrine preached or written, is not the word, or the word of God. But though Christ be called the Word, John i, yet I do not find all in the New Testament, that he is called the Word of God for the present: there is a time a coming when he shall be called King of kings, Lord of lords, and the Word of God; but for the present he is called the Word. And if the doctrine preached be not called the word of God, why doth our Saviour say, "The sower went forth to sow, and some fell in the highway, some on stony ground, and some on thorny ground, and the seed is the word of God." Is that Christ? what, doth Christ himself in person fall on the highway ground, and stony ground? and is Christ divided? for the seed is the word of God, and some of it fell on one ground, and some on another: doth Christ himself fall thus? No, but the doctrine preached doth, and therefore that is called the word of God. And if the word written be not called the word of God, what doth the apostle mean when he saith, Rom. ix. 6, "Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect?" doth he mean Christ thereby? No, but he speaketh plainly the word of promise, which is written in the Scriptures. Yea, the whole Scripture is so full of this, that I need not turn to any particular place. The Scripture is every where called the word of God; and if the word of God written be the word of the Son, then we are to take heed thereunto; for says the apostle, Heb. ii, "Therefore ought we to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard; for if the word spoken by angels were stedfast, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?" verses 1, 2, 3. 2. As the Scripture is the word of the Son, so it is the only rule of our lives. Now that which is the only rule of * Scriptura est luserna pedibus, a qua non deflectendum. Ecclesiæ sapientia, cognitionis forma Tuños didaɣns; cujus testimoniis omnia confirmanda ex qua oriuntur demonstrationes. Cui quæ consentiunt admittenda et quæ non consentiunt rejicienda. Ergo est vitæ fideique regula.-Chamierus, 1 tom. de cano fidei, lib. i, cap. 3, 4, 5, 7, 8-11, our lives, we are in special manner to take heed unto. But the Scripture, and the word of God written, is the only rule of our lives; for it is a "light unto our feet, and a lanthorn to our paths," Psalm cxix. It is the wisdom of the church and people of God, Deut. iv. It is that which we may not turn aside from, either to the right-hand or to the left, Deut. xxviii. It is that whereby doctrines are to be rejected or admitted, Acts xvii. It is that which nothing must be added to or taken from, Deut. iv, Rev. xxii. It is that which we are all to have recourse unto for comfort and direction, Isa. viii. "To the law and to the testimony: if men say not so, it is because there is no light in them." Now if the Scripture, and the word of God written, be a light unto our path, the wisdom of the church and people of God; if it be that whereby doctrines are to be admitted or rejected; if that, from which we may not turn, either to the right or to the left, from which nothing may be taken, and to which nothing may be added; and if it be that which we are to resort continually unto for comfort and direction; then it is the rule, and only rule of our lives. But so it is, as all these forementioned scriptures do plainly prove; and therefore it is the rule and the only rule of our lives. 3. As the Scripture and the word of God written, is the only rule; so it is that salt which doth season all your enjoyments. It is the rule and measure of your worship; for if you do not worship according to the appointments of God in his written word, your worship is but idolatry and superstition: Superstitio est quicquid est supra statutum.* It is the great relief of your souls in time of temptation. Hereby Christ answered to all his temptations: It is written; and again, It is written; and again, It is written: and Christ's practice must be your rule. It is that which sanctifieth all your outward comforts, even amongst the creatures; for says the apostle, 1 Tim. iv. 4, “ Every creature of God is good, if it be received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word and prayer." I profess, says Luther,† I cannot live * Omne quod extra Dei verbum est, est idolatria, omne quod fit in verbo est verus cultus sicut omne quod fit sine fide est peccatum et omne quod fit in fide est bonum opus: quod inter verbum et fidem est conjugium indissolubile.Luther. † Anima omnibus rebus carere potest excepto verbo Dei, ego quidem sine without the written word of God; I can want any thing but the Scripture or the written word of God. If I were in hell, I could live with a promise; and though I were in paradise, yet if I had not the word with me, I could not live there. Oh, saith he, the word is so great and deep a treasure, that it doth increase by distributing. Yea, it is even genus generalissimum omnium bonorum; that general good thing under God and Christ, that hath influence into all good things. And shall the word of God written be such a blessed treasure, and shall we not take heed thereunto? 4. As it is the salt of all your comforts, so it is, and shall be your judge at the great day. Christ is the only judge then; but this book of the Scripture, and the word of God written, is that whereby he will judge you, and me, and the world; for at the last and great day, when men come to be tried for their eternal lives, the books shall be brought out: not one book, but books. Rev. xx. 12, "And I saw the dead, both small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened." It seems then that three books shall be opened at the great day: one book is the book of life; two other there are; the book of God's records, for a book of remembrance is written upon all our actions, Mal. iii.; and the book of the Scripture, or the word of God for saith our Saviour, John xii. 48, "The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." Now this word that Christ hath spoken, is written; and therefore men shall be judged thereby. But if the Scripture, and the word of God written, be that book whereby men shall be judged at the last; then surely it is our duty in special manner to take heed thereunto. 5. As the Scripture is that book whereby we shall all be judged; so it shall be established upon us, if we be not established by it: for says the apostle, Heb. ii, “If the word spoken by angels were stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience, received a just recompense of reward; how verbo ne in paradiso operatim vivere at cum verbo etiam in inferno facile est vivere. Est verbum talis thesaurus qui tractando crescit et distribuendo servando autem perir.- Luther. * Scriptura est communis animarum officina.-Basil. Omnipotentis epistola ad homines missa.-Gregory. Toon ʊxns nutrimentum et cibus animæ.-Athanasius. |