[4.] They are holy in respect of their effects and operations ; they are a means to effect and work holiness, and they are a means to complete and perfect holiness. Job xvii. 17. The word is not only a pure word, but also a purifying word ; it is not only a clean word, but also a cleansing word, Ps. xix. 8, 9.
[5.] They are called holy by way of distinction, and in opposition not only to all human and profane wiitings, but also to the writings of the best and choicest men that ever wrote ; for they have had their failings, weaknesses, and infirmities, and therefore must have their many grains of allowance ; but the holy Scripture is most perfect and complete. Now, sirs, if ever you would be holy, it stands upon you to make more conscience of reading the holy Scriptures than ever yet you have done. Many a man has been made holy by reading the holy Scriptures ; and why mayest not thou also be made holy by reading of the same holy word ? Certainly aU the angels in heaven, and all the men on earth, can't tell to the contrary, but that thou mayest be made
^ 'Ingenuousness.' — G. VOL. IV. »
226 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RAEITY, [HeB. XII. 14.
holy even by reading of the holy word. The Holy Ghost is a free agent, and he can as well work holiness in thy heart by reading as by hearing, and therefore set thyself about this noble and necessary work. Ah, friends, the Scriptures are God's epistle ; they are God's love-letter to the sons of men ; and why then will you not read them ? Count Anhalt, that princely preacher, was wont to say that the Scriptures were Christ's swaddUng- bands, the child Jesus being to be found almost in every page, in every verse, and in every line. Oh, who would not therefore be often in looking upon and in handling of these swaddling-bands ! 0 sirs, there are no histories that are comparable to the histories of the Scripture.
[1.] First, For antiquity. Moses is found more ancient than all those whom the Grecians make most ancient, as Homer, Hesiod, and Jupiter himself, whom the Greeks have seated in the top of their divinity.
[2.] Secondly, For rarity.
[3.] Thirdly, For brevity. Here you have much wrapped up in a little room : here you have Homer's * lUads' comprised in a nutshell. i
[4.] Fourthly, For perspicuity. The foundations of religion and happiness are so plain and clear, that every one may run and read them. It was a true saying of Augustine, Inclinavit Deus Scripturas, ad infantium et lactentium capacitatem — That God hath bowed down the Scriptures to the capacities even of babes and sucklings.
[5.] Fiftlily, For harmony. Though there may seem to be a con- trariety between scripture and scripture, yet there is a blessed harmony between all the parts of Scripture ; the contrariety is seeming, notjreal. As when a man is drawing water out of a well with two vessels of a different metal, the water at the first seemeth to be of a different colour, but when he draweth up the vessels nearer to him, the diversity of colours vanish, and the water appeareth to be of one and the same colour, and when he tasteth them, they have one and the same relish ; so though at first sight there may seem to be some contradictions in the Scriptures, yet when we look more nearly and narrowly into them, and compare one place with another, we shaU find no contrariety, no repugnancy in them at all, but a perfect harmony, and a full and sweet consent and agreement between one place and another, between text and text, scripture and scripture.
[6.] Sixthly, For verity. The Scriptures are most sure and certain ; heaven and earth shall pass away before one jot or tittle of the Scripture shall pass unfulfilled.
[7.] Seventhly, For variety. There are no varieties to those that are to be found in Scripture ; as in Noah's ark all sorts of creatures were to be found, so in this heavenly ark, the Scriptures, aU varieties are to be found. Here you may find physic for every disease, and balm for every wound, and a plaster for every sore. Here the lamb may wade, and here the elephant may swim ; here is milk for babes, and here is meat for strong men ; here is comfort for the afflicted, and succour for the tempted, and support for the distressed, and ease for the wearied ; here is a stafi" to support the feeble, and a sword to de- fend the mighty. That which a Papist reports lyingly of theii- sacra-
HeB. XII. 14.] AI^D BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 227
ment of the mass — viz., that there are as many mysteries in it as there are drops in the sea, dust on the earth, angels in heaven, stars in the sky, atoms in the sunbeams, or sands on the sea-shore, &c. — may be truly asserted of the holy Scriptures ; there are many thousand thousand varieties in this garden of paradise, the Scripture.
[8.] Eighthly, For fulness. The Scriptures are full of light, and full of life, and full of love ; they are full of righteousness, and full of holiness, and full of all goodness. It was a weighty saying of Tertullian, Adoro plenitvdinemScripturarum — I adore the fulness of the Scripture. Many men talk much of the philosopher's stone, that it turns copper into gold, and of cornucopia, that it had all things necessary for food in it, and of the herb panaces, that it was good for all diseases, and of the drug cathoUcon, that it is instead of all purges, and of Vulcan's armour, that it was full proof against all thrusts and blows ; but that which they vainly attribute to these things for bodily good, may safely and honourably be attributed to the blessed Scriptures in a spiritual manner. The Scriptures turns hearts of copper into hearts of gold ; it is a paradise that is full of the trees of life, and these trees of life are both for food and physic ; here is all manner of fruit to feed you and fill you, to delight you and satisfy you, and the very leaves of these trees are singular medicines to heal you and cure you, Kev. xxii. 2. The Scripture prescribes the choicest drugs to purge you, viz., repent- ance and the blood of Christ ; and it is the Scripture that furnishes you with the best armour of proof against all principalities and powers, and against all spiritual wickednesses in high places, Eph. vi. 11, 18. Oh, how should the consideration of all these things work you to be much in reading of the holy Scriptures ! If you will but make trial, you should be sure to find in them stories more true, more various, more pleasant, more profitable, and more comfortable than any you will find in all ancient or modern writers. Ah, friends, if you would but in good earnest set upon reading of the holy Scriptures, you may find in them so many happinesses as cannot be numbered, and so great happinesses as cannot be measured, and so copious happinesses as can- not be defined, and such precious happinesses as cannot be valued ; and if all this won't draw you to read the holy Scriptures conscientiously and frequently, I know not what will.