6. And let us alone in our Sins without Controul, Hof. iv. 17. Isa. i. 5. 7. Or harden our Hearts under His Judgments, Exod. iv. 21. 2 King. vi. 33. 8. And startle and affright our Confciences into Despair, Prov. xviii. 14. 3. Eternal Judgments, S. Matt. xxv. 41. fay ing, 1. Depart, Pfal. vi. 8. S. Matt. vii. 23. 3. Into Fire, 2 Theff. i. 8. 4. Everlasting Fire, ibid. ver. 9. Ifa. 33. 14. 5. Prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels. S. JOH. I. S. JOH. V. 39. Search the Scriptures. WHAT are we to understand by the Scriptures? 1. Man had at first as perfect a Knowledge of GOD, as was requifite and necessary for him, Ecclef. vii. 29. 2. This Knowledge was exceedingly impair'd by the Fall; fo that Man ftood in need of a Divine Revelation for his farther Inftruction in his Duty, and the way and means to Happiness. 3. Hence GOD was pleas'd to reveal His Mind or Will to Adam, Gen. iii. 15. 4. Which afterward was handed down by Tra dition from Him for 2500 Years; and the long Lives of the Antediluvian Patriarchs was a very proper and effectual Means to preferve that Tradition pure and uncorrupt, Methuselah living 243 Years with Adam; Shem 98 Years with Methufelan; and Ifaac 50 Years with Shem. 5. Man's Life being fhorten'd, GOD wrote His Law by Mofes, Pfal. xc. io. 6. For the clearing of it, He inspir'd Prophets continually, Hebr. i. 1. Numb. xxvii. 21. 7. When Christ was come, He inspires others for the recording His Works and Doctrine, S. Joh. xiv. 26. 8. Hence all the Scripture is contain❜d in the Books of the Old and New Teftament. 1. The Old Teftament, in Number 39. and Εισὶ παρ' ἡμῖν δύο μόνα πρὸς τοῖς εἴκοσι βιβλία, And 2. The New Teftament, confifting of the four Gofpels, the Acts, the Epiftles of S. Paul, S. James, S. Peter, S. Jude, S. John, and the Apocalyps or Revelation, as they now ftand in our Bibles. And these are all the Books that make up the Canon of the Holy Scriptures; and that the Apocrypha is no Part thereof, is plain, 1. From 1. From Scripture, Hebr. i. 1. 2S. Pet. i. 20,21. Ephef. ii. 20. Malachi was the last inspir❜d Prophet under the Old Teftament. Από το Αρταξέρξε μεχρι τὸ καθ ̓ ἡμᾶς χρόνο, 1. The Ark, with the Mercy-Seat. 3. Urim and Thummim. 4. Fire from Heaven. 5. The Holy Ghoft, or the Spirit of Pro phecy. 2. From Reafon: They are neither of the Old or New Testament, and in many Places contradict both, nor speak as from GOD. Εἰδὲ εὐτελῶς καὶ μελείως τότο ἐφικτὸν ἦν ἡμῖν, 2 Macc. XV. 39. 1 k 3. From Fathers; Melito in Eufeb. Greg. Que omnia legi quidem in Ecclefiis ve So was Clemens Epift. ad Romanos, Poly carpus ad Philippenfes, and Hermas his Paftor read. II. Why ་ II. Why are we to fearch the Scriptures? 1. Because they are the Word of GOD, 2 Tim. iii. 16. 2 Pet. i. 20, 21. This appears, 1. From the Antiquity, the oldeft Books treating of Things from the Begin ning of the World. 2. The Simplicity of the Pen-men, Exod. xxxii. Numb. xi. 11, 12, 13, 14. and xii. 3. 3. Their Law-Quality, Amos vii. 14i S. Matt. ix. 9. Act. iv. 13. 4. Their high Doctrines, as the Trinity, the Creation of the World, the Fall of Man, and thereby the Occafion of Sin and Death; the Incarnation of Chrift, and the Redemption of Man, &c. $. Fulfilling of Prophecies, as Gen. iii. 19. which was given out 4000 Years before it was accomplish'd, Gen. xii. 3. almost 2000, Gen. XV. 13, 14. 400 Years before; fo Dan. ix. 24. Gen. xlix. 10. 6. Their Speaking with fo much Majesty and Authority, 1 Cor. i. 17. 7. Their Efficacy and Power to alter and convert Mens Minds, Pfal. xix. 7, 8. Hebr. iv. 12. 8. The Hatred of wicked Men against them, S. Job, xv. 19. 2. Certainly. 1. If this be not the Word of GOD, there is none. 2. GOD hath attefted it by Miracles. R 3. If |