Obs. 1. The mercy of God in delivering this faith to chosen men, that by their means the world might come to the knowledge of it. The doctrine of salvation first came out from God, and then was con- veyed to us by the hands of holy men. We are not sensible enough of the privilege, Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20, ' He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and judgments unto Israel, he hath not dealt so with any nation,' &c. It is not a common mercy, for many nations want it ; nor no casual thing. In the primitive times not only the doctrine of the apostles was directed and ordered by the Holy Ghost, but also their journeys ; the gospel came not to them by chance, but as a special gift from heaven. But that we may be more sensible of the privilege, I shall show you : —
1. The benefit of the word. By it God's heart is opened to us, and our own hearts to ourselves ; by it we are acquainted with the way of salvation, and come to understand the courses of the Lord's justice and mercy, and in what manner he will govern and rule the world, which are altogether unknown to them that have not such a revelation delivered to them. "VVe should never have known the cause of our misery, our fall in Adam, nor the means of om- recovery, redemption by Jesus Christ, if they had not been de- livered to us in this doctrine and rule of faith ; we should never have known how to worship God, or enjoy God. If carnal men should have a liberty to let nature work, and set down a divinity of their own, what a goodly religion should we have in the world ! a very comely chimera no doubt ! For practicals it would be large enough I am sure, for natural conscience hateth fetters and restraints ; in doctrinals it would be absurd enough. Man can never take a right draught and image of
^ ' Quod tibi creditum, non a te inventum ; quod accepisti, nou excogitasti.' — Vine. Lyr- inensis.
VeR. 3.] UPON THE EPISTLE OF JUDE. 107
God. Who can empty an ocean with a cockle-shell ? And since the fall we are grown quite brutish ; our conceits are not so monstrous in anj'thing as in the worship of God. The pagan philosophers, that were most profound in the researches and inquiries of reason, they sat abrood, and thought of hatching an excellent religion ; but what was the issue ? ' Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools/ Kom. i. 22. All that they produced was fables and high sti'ains of folly, mixed with popular rites and customs. There are many things necessary to religion, which the angels themselves could not have known if they had not been revealed ; therefore their knowledge in- creaseth by observing God's dispensations to the church, Eph. iii. 10. The way of salvation by Christ is such a mystery as could not have entered into the heart of any creature, no, not of an angel. If an angel had been to set down which way man should be redeemed, nay, if all the cherubim and seraphim, thrones, dominions, and powers had met together in a synod and council, and had taken in all the world to their assistance, it would have posed them all to have found out such a way as God hath appointed. But not to speak of mysteries. There is in the word some moralities suitable to the law of nature, which was once written upon man's heart ; but alas ! now there remains only some scattered fragments and obscure characters, so defaced that they cannot be read ; and how blind are we in these things without the word ! Witness the sottish idolatry of those nations that want it, worshipping stocks or stones, yea, a piece of red cloth, or whatever they saw first in the morning. And witness those brutish customs among other nations, whereby uncleanness and unnatural sins have been authorised by a law. Therefore, it is a great mercy that something is delivered, and given out as a rule of faith and manners.
2. That this tradition is written, and put into a stated course in those books Avhich we call scriptures. If the revelation of God's will had been left to the tradition of men of such a rank or order, what a liberty might they take of coining oracles, and obtruding their fancies upon the world ! It is a great mercy that our faith does not depend upon uncertain suggestions, but some main public records, to which all may appeal and find satisfaction. Heretofore the Lord re- vealed himself by visions, oracles, and dreams, to persons of eminent holiness and sanctity, that they might instruct others ; which course was sure enough while the people of the world were but a few families, and the persons entrusted with God's message had authority and credit sufficient with the present age, and lived long to continue the tradition with the more certainty to future ages. But afterwards the Lord was pleased to speak to his' church both by word and writing. His word was necessary for further revealing and clearing up the doctrine of salvation; and writing was necessary, because when precepts were multiplied it was needful for men's memories that they should be written; the long life of God's witnesses was lessened, corruptions began to increase, Satan giving out lying oracles and visions, idolatrous rites and customs crept into the best families. Josh. xxiv. 3, Gen. xxxi. 19 ; the people of God were grown numerous enough to make a com- monwealth and politic body ; therefore, to avoid man's corruptions and Satan's deceits, the Lord thought fit that we should have a written rule