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lation as the Holy Scripture is declared to
be, in Order to Mankind's worshipping
God in an acceptable Manner; and from
God's Goodness to furnish out to all his
Creatures whatever is really conducive to
their Happiness: But it appears more di-
rectly true, from those Marks of Divine
Miffion which accompanied the Authors
of those Writings, viz. Prophecies and
Miracles; and likewife from the concur-
rent Teftimony of undoubted Hiftory thro'
the intermediate Ages of the World with
refpect to all thofe Circumstances, which
it is the proper Business of History to clear
up and establish. But the most affecting
Argument to evince the Divine Inspiration
of Sacred Writings feems to be the in-
trinfick Worth and Excellency of them;
and the bleffed Tendency they have to
exalt Human Nature in its Religious Ca-
pacity, and to promote the Glory of that
God, for whofe Service the Precepts of
them are calculated.

ALL the former Articles were diftinct-
ly treated of in our foregoing Discourse :
The last was mentioned only in general
Terms, and refery'd for a more particular

Сод

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Confideration under the two other Heads which the Words of the Text furnish out to us, viz. The Usefulness and the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures.

THE Usefulness of the Holy Scriptures is pointed out to us in thefe Words, is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Inftruction in Righteousnefs, for Doctrine, i.e. for those Things which are known and believed by us; for Reproof, i. e. for reforming of Errors in Point of Doctrine; for Correction, i.e. for Amendment of Life; for Inftruction in Righteousness, i. e. for the Precepts of Holy Living. The two former of these Articles relate to Religious Faith and Knowledge, the two latter to Religious Practice.

THE Holy Scripture then is profitable for Doctrine, by declaring to us moft exalted and momentous Truths, with respect to the Divine Nature and our Being. They inform us that God is a Spirit infinite in every Kind and Degree, both of Natural and Moral Perfection; that He is our Almighty Creator, our continual Preferver, our gracious Rewarder; and

thefe

But

thefe Articles, however they are esteem'd Branches of Natural Religion only, are nevertheless in the Holy Scriptures fet forth under fuch bright and affecting Characters, as do at least wonderfully enlarge and refine our Notions of the Deity, and enflame our Devotion towards Him. what Human Reason could never in the least have apprehended, they inform us likewise, that in the Unity of the Godhead do fubfift three distinct Persons, who are one in all Attributes effential to the Deity, three in their personal Relations, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft. They inform us yet farther, that these Divine Perfons are pleased likewise to bear diftinct Relations to Mankind; the Father is called our Creator, the Son our Re-, deemer, the Holy Ghoft our Sanctifier and that they satisfy all these Relations towards us under Terms of infinite Love and Kindness. With refpect to our own Being they declare we are God's Creatures placed here in a State of Probation, in order to qualify ourselves for a State of Bliss and Perfection hereafter; that we came out of the Almighty's Hands upright,

;

but

but that, through our firft Parents, we are fallen from our original Righteousness, and confequently from God's Favour: They declare that thro' the Merits of the Bleffed Jefus, we are admitted into a fecond Covenant with God, whereby we may be reftored to a State, tho' not of perfect, yet of acceptable, Righteousness; that by complying with the Terms of Worship and Obedience prescribed in this Covenant, we shall be made Partakers of exquifite Blifs to all Eternity, and that God's Holy Spirit does enable us to come up to these Terms, by enlightening our Understanding with all faving Knowledge, and fanctifying our Wills and Affections with fuch Heavenly Difpofitions of Mind as can alone qualify us for those feraphick Enjoyments, which God hath prepared for them that love Him. These are some of the main Doctrines contain'd in the Holy Scripture; and to prevent any thing of Miftake in fuch important Truths, those Sacred Writings we are told are profitable for Reproof likewife, i. e. for the reforming Errors in Point of Doctrine.

SUCH

SUCH is the Perverfeness of corrupted Men, that notwithstanding the abfolute Brightness of the Holy Scriptures, they are continually striking out fome deceitful Lights of their own, and wilfully mistake in the Knowledge of Divine Truths, by dazling their Reafon with Vapours of their own raifing; or, to speak without a Metaphor, Mankind are fond of their own Devices, and are continually fetting forth new, and therefore erroneous Doctrines. Now the Holy Scriptures, by declaring to us what are true Doctrines, do plainly declare that all Doctrines contrary to them muft be falfe; fo that by bringing any Doctrine to the Teft of Scripture, which is the Standard of Divine Truth, we may there difcover what Kind and Degree of Error is contain'd in it, and reform it accordingly. Many Errors in Religious Faith and Knowledge, are there particularly cenfured and confuted; and Error in general is fo carefully guarded against, that whatever monftrous Births of Herefie, the Ignorance or Prophaneness of Man can poffibly produce, may be entirely cut off by the Sword of the Spirit, which is the

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