yet may properly be comprehended in two. The Scriptures are profitable,
1. For the estabhshment of sound doctrine —
[They declare all tliat is needful for us to know : and they lay down every " doctrine" of our holy religion with the utmost precision. At the same time, they enable us to " reprove," or, as the word imports, to refute, by the most convincing mode of argumentation, every error, which ignorant or conceited men may labour to maintain. There is such a perfect unity in the system of revelation, that you cannot overthrow one part, without overturning the whole. Let the divinity of our Lord and Saviour be denied, and you entirely destroy the doctrine of the atonement also. Let the influences of the Holy Spirit be denied, and the transformation of the soul into the Divine image must fall with it. Let the merit of good works be maintained, and the whole covenant of grace is annihilated. There are indeed matters of less moment, which are less clearly revealed, and respecting which persons of equal piety may differ : but in every thing which is of fundamental importance, we find in the Scriptures the most abundant means of dis- covering truth, and of refuting error. To them we must on all occasions make our appeal, and by their testimony we must abide.]
2. For the securing of a holy practice —
[Innumerable evils obtain in the world : but every one of them is condemned in the inspired volume ; whilst, at the same time, the ways of true piety are pointed out with clearness to all who desire to walk in them. There is not so much as a secret evil of the heart which does not find " correction" there, nor any attainment of true righteousness in relation to which we do not find the most explicit " instruction." The works of the flesh, and the fruits of the Spirit, are set in contrast with each other, and are portrayed with such exactness, that there is no room left for ignorance to any one who will search the Scriptures, nor for mistake to any one that is truly upright before God.]
From these immediate uses we may easily discern,
in. Their ultimate design —
To render men " perfect," is the great object of God, in all that he has revealed : and tins the Scrip- tures are admirably calculated to effect ; since they leave nothing wanting, either to ministers or others.