AMONG all his creatures in heaven or earth, God hath not made any like unto the sun in the firmament, the beams whereof are beautiful and pleasant, and give comfort in all places, to all things. It rejoices the whole, and relieves the sick; it causes birds to sing, fishes to play, cattle to stir, worms to creep, grass to grow, and trees to bring fruit; it renews the face of the whole earth.

Yet a blind man has no pleasure in the beauty thereof, because he is blind, and cannot see it; yet a dead man has no warmth by the heat thereof, because he is dead, and feels it not.

Adam was placed in paradise in perfect estate, and in the company of God's angels. God walked and did talk with him. He heard the voice, and beheld the presence of God. The rivers yielded waters abundantly, the trees brought him food of life. He had plenty without travail, he had pleasures, joy, and his heart's desire.

But Adam was unthankful; he knew not God, the worker of his happiness; he knew not the place in which he was; he knew not his own state and blessedness; therefore the wrath of the Lord grew against him; he fell into the snares of the devil, he became mortal, and returned to dust.

What nation in all the world so happy as Israel! They were delivered by a mighty hand out of Egypt, from the tyranny of Pharaoh, from servage and villainy.* Their children were no more slain before their faces. They passed through the bottom of the sea, as upon dry land. When they were hungry, there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought them quails from the sea, and manna was given them from heaven to eat. When they thirsted, the

* Slavery, villain formerly meant a serf or bondsman.

rocks opened and poured out water, that they and their beasts might drink.

In battle they were mighty and strong; no power was able to stand against them. The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light. When they called upon the Lord, he heard them. When they trusted in him, they were not confounded.

But they grew unmindful of all these mercies, and murmured against the Lord, and against his servants; therefore God raught forth his hand against them. He sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest. He sent his angel, and destroyed them in the wilderness.

Even so fares it with all such as regard not the word of their salvation; because they have ears and hear not, nor will understand with their hearts, the fury of the Lord shall be kindled against them. The prophet saith in the name of God to Israel, Jer. vii. I have sent unto them all my servants the prophets, yet would they not hear me, nor incline their

ear.

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Samuel tells Saul, 1 Sam. xv. Thou hast cast away the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath cast away thee. Again, Jeremiah saith, chap. vi. How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? They have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them? Again, Unto whom shall I speak, and admonish, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken; behold the word of the Lord is unto them as a reproach, they have no delight in it; I will cause a plague to come upon this people, even the fruit of theirown imaginations; because they have not taken heed unto my words, nor to my law, but cast it off.

After this manner God shows the cause why his word takes not place in us; because we are wilful, and will not hear it, nor receive it, nor take delight in it, nor let the fruit thereof appear; but reject it and make it a reproach, and cast it away from us. And therefore is it that the Lord doth cast us away; that we are unwise; that we please ourselves with our own devices, and follow our own imaginations, and perish, because we have not understanding to hear the instruction of the Lord's word, but like ignorant men, disallow it, and cast it behind the back.

The consideration hereof moves me to say somewhat of

* Stretched.

the HOLY SCRIPTURES, which are the bright sun of God; which bring light unto our ways, and comfort to all parts of our life, and salvation to our souls; in which is made known unto us our estate, and the mercy of God witnessed in Christ our Saviour.

That we may the better see the path which we have to walk in; my meaning is, truly, and plainly, and shortly, to show you what authority and majesty the word of God beareth; then, what profit we may reap by it; also how needful it is that we be well instructed in the Holy Scriptures; and what pleasure and delectation a Christian conscience may find in them; and lastly, whether they are dark and doubtful, or plain and easy for your understanding: that when we know the majesty and authority of the word, and what comfort and profit God giveth us by it, we deprive not ourselves thereof by our unthankfulness, nor close up our eyes that we see it not; but hear it in reverence and in fear, that it may be fruitful in us, and we receive it not in vain.

THE SCRIPTURES ARE THE WORD OF GOD. What title can there be of greater value? What may be said of them to make them of greater authority, than to say, The Lord hath spoken them? that they came not by the will of men, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost? 2 Pet. i. At the word or proclamation of an earthly prince we stand up and vail our bonnets, and give good heed to it: we are bound so to do, it is our duty; such honour belongeth to the powers that are placed to rule over us; for they are ordained of God. And whosoever resisteth them, resisteth the ordinance of God.

If we should have a revelation, and hear an angel speak unto us, how careful would we be to mark, and remember, and to be able to declare the words of the angel! yet an angel is but a glorious creature, and not God. And what is a king? great and mighty, yet mortal and subject to death; his breath departeth, and his name shall perish. Both he and his word, his power and his puissance shall have an end.

But the word of the gospel is not as the word of an earthly prince. It is of more majesty than the word of an angel. The apostle saith, Heb. ii. If the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be preached by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?

God saith, by the prophet Isaiah, chap. Iv. My word shall accomplish that which I will, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. And the same prophet saith, chap, xl. The word of God shall stand for ever. And, It is more easy that heaven and earth pass away, than that one tittle of the law should fail, saith our Saviour, Luke xvi. For it is the word of the living and almighty God, of the God of hosts, who hath done whatsoever pleased him, both in heaven and in earth.

By this word he maketh his will known. I have not spoken of myself, saith Christ, John xii. but the Father which sent me, gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak. And again, John xv. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they should not have had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin. No man hath seen God at any time.. He is invisible, no eye can reach unto him. The only begotten Son which is in the bosom of his Father, he hath declared him; he hath showed us the throne of grace, that we may seek for mercy, and find grace in time of need; he hath disclosed unto us the will of his Father; he hath left unto us, and ordained, that we should hear his holy word.

This word the angels and blessed spirits used when they came down from heaven to speak unto the people; when they came to the blessed virgin, and to Joseph, and to others, they spake as it was written in the prophets, and in the Scriptures of God; they thought not their own authority suf ficient, but they took credit to their saying, and authority to their message, out of the word of God.

This word the prophets vouched and alleged to the people. Albeit they were sanctified in their mothers' womb; albeit God had endued them with his heavenly Spirit; although a seraphim came unto one of them and touched his mouth with a hot coal; albeit he saw the Lord sitting upon a high throne; yet they would not speak as of themselves, but only in the name of the Lord; for thus they used to say, The Lord hath spoken-This is the word of the Lord-Hear what the Lord saith. Saint Paul, albeit he was taken up into the third heaven, and into paradise, and heard words that are not lawful for man to utter, yet he wrote not his own words to the churches of Rome, of Corinth, and Thessalonica, and of other places, but delivered those which he had received, and taught them according to the Scriptures. This word is the true manna; it is the bread which came

down from heaven; it is the key of the kingdom of heaven; it is the savour of life unto life; it is the power of God unto salvation. In it God showeth unto us his might, his wisdom, and his glory. By it he will be known of us. By it he will be honoured of his creatures. Whatsoever truth is brought unto us contrary to the word of God, it is not truth, but falsehood and error; whatsoever honour done unto God, disagrees from the honour required by his word, it is not honour unto God, but blasphemy.

As Christ saith, Matt. xv. In vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines men's precepts. By Isaiah God saith, Who required this at your hands? And by Jeremiah, chap. vii. I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and walk ye in all the ways which I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

Again, Jer. xxiii. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. What are your dreams to be weighed with the truth of God? Search the Scriptures. In them ye shall learn to know me, and how you should worship me; in them ye shall find everlasting life. The words of the Lord are pure words, as the silver tried in the furnace; there is no filth nor dross remaining in them; they are the storehouse of wisdom, and of the knowledge of God; in respect whereof, all the wisdom of this world is but vain and foolish.

Numa Pompilius, king of the Romans, Lycurgus, king of Lacedemon, and Minos, king of Crete, were wise men, and of great government; they devised laws to rule the people, and bare them in hand, that they were taught by revelation, that so their ordinances might win the more credit, and be established for ever. But where are they now? Where is Numa, Minos, or Lycurgus? Where are their books? What is become of their laws? They were unwise, and had no knowledge nor understanding of God; they and their laws are dead, and their names forgotten. But the law of God came from heaven indeed. God wrote it with his finger; it is the fountain of all wisdom, and therefore shall it continue for ever, and never have an end.

Here let us behold the great power and work of God. When Moses received the law, God himself came down in person, with thousand thousands of angels; the air was darkened at his presence, the mount stood all covered with fire,