of this, in these things which they are fure the observing world could never know; but the most fecret haunts of their foul are unvailed, which from their dearest friend they have concealed. 6. Can this demonftration of the Sripture, and fo manifeft a witnefs thereto be denied, that whilft man is a free agent in his actions, and doth therein act fpontaneously, he hath notwithstanding of this in his own breast, both a judge and an accufer, which, though within him, doth without his confent exercise a power over him, and fuch an authority, which he would, yet cannot decline. 7. I dare attest the conscience of men, who are themselves ftrangers to the way of God, if they can fo far fhut their eyes, but they must fee ferious godlinefs is a marvellous thing, and that there is fomething here above nature, which by its effects on others, may fhew a divine Spirit and power, that wherever it comes, makes so great a change, and one to exceed another moft difcernably, though of the fame parts, that fuits and does accommodate itself to the various conditions and employments of men; it puts a fpecial honour on the greateft prince, and does inftruct the wife and prudent; yet will it lodge with the pooreft artificer in his fhop, or labouring man in the field: and doth it not also appear, that here must be a native motion, and unconftrained, from inward principles, when on outward grounds there is not the leaft incitement, which fhews it is a living thing, that hath its difcernible languishing and wearing out, and its more vigorous actings, as well as any living man. It is ftrange the report of this, is not a matter of aitonishment, to bring men once to question, if fuch an account as others give of this marvellous thing religion, can be true; how it is here the Chriftian's joy is fown by weeping, and his tears the feed from whence gladnefs of heart breaks up; how fweet that reft is, which is found in his work and labour, and with his fowing to the Spirit, the harveft then begins in a prefent reaping, and his laying forth himself, with a giving of the heart unto God, does enrich the giver by fuch a gift; yea, that here men fhould differ fo much when alone with God, and brought near him, from what they are at other times, and in thefe retirements of their foul, have that difcovery and conception of this truth, which is not to be found in turning over the volumnious tractates of the greatest of writers. 8. If men have any ferious reflection, and do not shut up the Bible, can they fhun this remark thereof? how well it anfwers the various fucceflions of time, and fo marvellous a VOL. I. 3 M variety of things, that are fo many ages diftant from other; yea, that all alongst there is a gradual discovery and breaking up of the gospel in the feveral times of the church, where it is eafy to difcern the antiquity of this excellent record, and fo great a distance of time betwixt the penmen thereof, yet in its compofure is one entire piece, fo connected, and clofely knit together, that men may see the same spirit in the whole, and in each part thereof, moving and carrying forward one great defign. 9. I fhall but further add, if religion hath a being and reality, which men cannot lose the sense of, and deny, without falling fo far below reason, into the condition of the beafts, must there not be a rule alfo? for it is eafy to judge in what a strange and monftrous fhape this would appear, were it left to the choice and arbitrement of men. Now, let the most profeffed Atheists turn their eyes through the whole earth, and in a calm and fober compofure of fpirit but judge, if there be any thing more abfurd, and to aftonishment irrational, than the face and appearance religion hath among thefe where this excellent rule of the Scripture is not owned; yea, could thefe fubject themselves to fuch extravagancies, and therein turn fo mad, without a divine ftroke on their judgment and reafon, which the righteous God, in verification of his word, inflicts on fuch who do even shut their ears from the report of the truth, the found whereof forth through the earth. And here I challenge men, though ftrangers themselves to ferious religion, if at a distance it doth not appear, how great a difference there is betwixt thefe parts of the world, where the gofpel fhines in its power, and the rest of the nations. goes CONTENTS. PART I. Page. THE Scripture's accomplishment, confidered in fome fpecial truths, previously held forth, for giving light to the fame. What is thereby to be understood, in nine particulars opened up. The verification of the Scripture, confidered as the How clear and manifeft this great truth is. What an unanswerable witness and argument, the ful- How weighty a duty it is, and on what preffing Five arguments fet down, whence this truth is in the following treatise clearly demonftrated. ARGUMENT. I. THE firft argument, from the folid and fure experience of the godly in all ages, doth witness the real performance of the Scripture. 15 ibid. 20 24 27 33 36 42 45 49 50 52 A particular following out of this, in five inftances. I. Inftance, That there is a contrariety betwixt the flesh and the Spirit, witneffed by Chriftian experience, as clearly as it is held forth in the Scripture. ibid. II. Inftance, of the deceitfulness of man's heart, with that witnefs given in from experience, thereto, 54 III. Inftance, That there is an invifible adversary with- IV. Inftance fhews, That real intercourfe betwixt a A more particular demonftration, in ten fpecial promif- 1. The promise, confidered with respect to our be- 2. That God hears and anfwers prayers, from folid ex- 3. That the pouring out of the Sprit, and its fealing 4. That light and counsel to the godly, and the direct- 56 59 бо 62 63 65 67 70 5. The promise of pardon and forgiveness, how it is 72 6. The promife of fupport and encouragement to the 75 7. The promise of integrity and uprightness in an evil time. 77 3. That the promise of affiftance and strength for duty, 79 81 9. This promife, of all things working together for their V. Inftance, Holds forth the verification of Scripture- Some things premitted for clearing this. 83 86 87 88 96 The great import of this argument from experience, in SECOND Argument demonftrates the certain accom- plishment of the Scripture, from the church's con- tinued obfervation in all ages. This demonftration in three branches followed out. i. What concerns the church's continuance and pre- fervation, and how great and marvellous a thing it is, 2. Her advance and increase, and how in an ordinary way this could not be, without a miraculous and 3. The promise of the Spirit, as it refpects the church,` and its accompanying the truth and doctrine of Chrift in all ages, demonftrate from clear evidences 4. How the Lord hath given his church deliverance in 5. That comprehenfive promise, Rom. viii. 28. with respect to the church, clearly verified in the obfer- The fecond branch of the argument demonftrates the fulfilling of thefe Scriptúrc-threatenings, which con- Seven inftances held forth, wherein this is made clear. The third branch of the argument doth witnefs the clear verification of the Scripture, in thefe paffages of providence, which feem to the world dark and aftonishing, whereat many are fhaken. This demonftration in fourteen inftances followed out; how these convincingly verify the Scripture, and are great confirmations of the truth, whereat, upon the first appearance, we are ready to fumble. 1. That with the firft ftirrings of the church's delive- 105 ibid. ibid. |