SERMON I. 2 TIMOTHY iii. 16, 17. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God, and is profitable for Reproof, for Correction, for Instruction in Righteousness. That the Man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all goodWorks. T HERE is nothing gives a Man greater Pleasure, and inspires him with firmer Constancy in the profecution of any Affair, than the afssurance of his having laid a true Foundation, and acting upon right Principles; because this en VOL. I. B ables ables him to press forwards with Certainty, and makes him entire Master of himself and Circumstances in every Part of his Procedure: But such an Afsurance as this is particularly serviceable in Sacred Matters; because the infinite Importance of Religion infers the Necessity of the striaest Caution in every Step we take; and renders every Degree of Certainty we can arrive at concerning it, as it is more eminently useful, so likewife more satis factory. HERE then we see the wonderful Goodness of Almighty God, in that He hath so fully and clearly revealed in his Holy Word whatever is to be known and praAised by us, that no one can fatally mistake in the Paths of Righteousness but by his own Default; no one, except wilfully, need be ignorant or uncertain in the Way that leads to Happiness: But such, on the contrary, is the Perverseness of Mankind, that they frequently neglect and decry this sure, this only, Means of Salvation; and set up their own Devices in opposition to what the Almighty hath eftab 4 established for the certain Guidance to bring them to Heaven. MEN of this Character; Men who refift the Truth, Seducers, deceiving, and being deceived, the Apostle is largely animadverting upon in the Chapter of which our Text is a Part, and gives it in charge to Timothy, that he wou'd continue in those things which he had learned and was affured of, i. e. that he wou'd not fall into the innovating Spirit of those Times, but adhere stedfastly to that Form of found Words which he had already receiv'd; those pure and well-establish'd Doctrines which had been delivered to him under Terms of all possible Assurance. This Charge the Apostle enforces by two Motives, viz. the Manner of his having been instructed; and the Nature of the Instruction he had receiv'd; Continue in those things which thou hast learned and haft been affured of; knowing of whom thou hast learned them. St. Paul himself had been his Instructor; and Timothy cou'd not but know him to be a true Apostle of Chrift: Again Timothy had been well-principled from his Youth in Scrip tural Knowledge; from a Child, faith the Apostle, thou hast known the Scriptures ; which are able to make thee wife unto Salvation, through Faith which is in Chrift Jefus. A Departure therefore from the good Instructions which he had so early and, consequently, sointimately imbibed, wou'd in him be much more inexcusable. The Nature of the Instruction he had receiv'd is fully set forth in the Words before us : In order to treat of which more particularly, it may be proper barely to observe, THAT as the Holy Scripture is the Foundation of true Religion; so it always shares the same Fate with it: the same Adversaries set themselves to oppose both; and they always oppose them both in the fame manner. The Profane, for instance, who are Enemies to all Religion in general, labour to undermine it, by denying the Divine Authority of the Scriptures; the Superftitious, who lay so much stress upon the Form of Godliness, as to neglect the Power of it; and the Enthusiasts, who wou'd fondly resolve the Whole of Religion into Vapour and Imagination, do both of them endeavour to decry the Suf ficiency ficiency of the Holy Scriptures; the fofmer, by teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men; the latter, by impo fing their own delusive Dreams for imme diate Revelation from the Almighty. We cannot therefore do greater service to Religion than by establishing the Holy Scriptures upon that foot of Certainty and Excellency which are required to make them a sufficient Revelation of God's Wil to Mankind; and this the Words of the Text will furnish out Matter for, by point ing out to us, I. THE Divine Authority of those facred Writings in these Words, All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God. II. THEIR Usefulness in these Words, III. And Lastly, THEIR Sufficiency in : B3 1. THEN |