have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.' The things that I shall observe from hence are these:

[First.] That the scriptures spoken by the holy men of God are a sufficient rule to instruct to salvation them that do assuredly believe and close in with what they hold forth. They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.' That is, if they would escape that doleful place, and be saved indeed from the intolerable pains of hell-fire, as they desire, they have that which is sufficient to counsel them. They have Moses and the prophets; let them bo instructed by them, Let them hear them.' For all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; why? That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.' 2 Ti. iii. 16, 17. Do but mark these words, 'All scripture is profitable.' ALL; take it where you will, and in what place you wil', All is profitable:' For what? That the man of God,' or he that is bound for heaven, and would instruct others in their progress thither.

It is profitable to instruct him, in case he be ignorant; to reprove him, in case he transgress; to correct him, if he hath need of it; to confirm him, if he be wavering. It is profitable for doctrine, and all this in a very righteous way-that the poor soul may not only be helped, but thoroughly furnished, not only to some, but to all good works. And when Paul would counsel Timothy to stick close to the things that are sound and sure, presently he puts him upon the scripture, saying, From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus.' The scripture holds forth God's mind and will, of his love and mercy towards man, and also the creature's carriage towards him from first to last; so if thou wouldest know the love of God in Christ to sinners, then search the scriptures, for they are they which testify of him.'

Wouldst thou know what thou art, and what is in thine heart? Then search the Scriptures and see what is written in them. Ro. i. 29-31; iii. 9-18. Je. xvii. 9. Ge. vi. 5; viii. 21. Ep. iv. 18, with many others. The Scriptures, I say, they are able to give a man perfect instruction into any of the things of God necessary to faith and godliness, if he hath but an honest heart seriously to weigh and ponder the several things contained in them. As to instance in things more particular for the further clearing up of this. And first, if we come to the creation of the world.

Wouldst thou know somewhat concerning that? Then read Ge. i. and ii., and compare them with Ps. xxxiii. 6.; also Is. lxvi. 2. Pr. viii. towards the end.

Wouldst thou know whether he made them of something or nothing? Read He. xi. 3.

Wouldst thou know whether he put forth any labour in making them, as we do in making things? Read Ps. xxxiii. 9.

If thou wouldest know whether man was made by God corrupt or upright, read Ec. vii. 29. Ge. i. 10, 18, 25,31. Wouldst thou know where God did place man after he had made him? Read Ge. ii. 15.

Wouldst thou know whether that man did live there all his time or not? Then read Ge. iii. 23, 24.

If thou wouldest know whether man be still in that state by nature that God did place him in? Then read Ee. vii, 29., and compare it with Ro. v. 16. Ep. ii. 1–3. God made men upright, but they have sought out many inventions.' If thou wouldest know whether the man were first beguiled, or the woman that God made an help-mate for him? Read Ge. iii. 6, and compare with 1 Tim. ii. 14.

Wouldst thou know whether God looked upon Adam's eating [the fruit of] the forbidden tree to be sin or no? Read Ro. v. 12-15, and compare it

with Ge. ii. 17.

Wouldst thou know whether it were the devil who beguiled them, or whether it was a natural serpent, such as do haunt the desolate places? Read Ge. iii. 13, with Re. xx. 1–3.

Wouldst thou know whether that sin be imputed to us? Read Ro. v. 12-15, and compare it with Ep. ii. 2. Wouldst thou know whether man was cursed for his sin? Read Ga. iii. 10. Ro. v. 15.

Wouldst thou know whether the curse did fall on man, or on the whole creation with him? Compare Ge. iii. 17, with Ro. viii. 20–22.

Wouldst thou know whether man be defiled in every part of him by the sin he hath committed ? Then read Is. i. 6.

Wouldst thou know man's inclination so soon as he is born? Read Ps. lviii. 3. The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they be born.’

Wouldst thou know whether man once fallen from God by transgression, can recover himself by all he can do? Then read Ro. iii. 20, 23. Wouldst thou know whether it be the desire of the heart of man by nature, to follow God in his own way or no? Compare Ge. vi. 5, and Ge. viii, 21, with Ho. xi. 7.

Wouldst thou know how God's heart stood affected toward man before the world began? Compare Ep. i. 4, with 2 Ti. i. 9.

Wouldst thou know whether sin were sufficient to draw God's love from his creatures? Compare Je. iii. 7, and Mi, vii. 18, with Ro. v. 6-8.

Wouldst thou know whether God's love did still abide towards his creatures for anything

As if he should say, what need have they that one should be sent to them from the dead? Have they not Moses and the prophets? Hath not Moses told them the danger of living in sin? De. xxvii. 15-26; xxviii. 15-68; xxix. 18–22. Hath he not there told them, what a sad state those persons are in that deceive themselves with the deceit of their hearts, saying they shall have peace though they follow their sins, in these words: And when he heareth the words of this curse, he blesseth himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace though I' go on, or 'walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst. The Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven,'

Again, Did not Moses write of the Saviour that was to come afterwards into the world? De. xviii. 18. Nay, have not all the prophets from Samuel, with all those that follow after, prophesied, and foretold these things? Therefore what need have they that I should work such a miracle, as to send one from the dead unto them? They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.'

[Second.] From whence observe again, that God doth honour the writings of Moses and the prophets, as much, nay more, than if one should rise from the dead: Should not a people seck unto their God?' What, seek for the living among the dead? To the law, and to the testimony,' saith God, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.' Is. viii. 19, 20. And let me tell you plainly, I do believe that the devil knows this full well, which makes him labour to beget in the hearts of his disciples and followers light thoughts of them; and doth persuade them, that even a motion from their own beguiled conscience, or from his own wicked spirit, is to be observed and obeyed before them. When the very apostle of Jesus Christ, though he heard a voice from the excellent glory, saying, This is my beloved Son,' &c., yet writing to the churches, he commends the writing of the prophets before it, saying, 'We have also a more sure word of the prophets, to which ye do well to take heed,' &c. 2 Pe. i. 17-19. Now if thou doubtest whether that place be meant the scriptures, the words of the prophets or no, read but the next verse, where he addeth for a certain confirmation thereof, these words, Knowing this first, that no

This quotation, probably made from memory, is from the Genevan or Puritan version of the Bible.-(ED.)

And therefore what a sad thing is it for those that go about to disown the Scriptures! I tell you, however they may slight them now, yet when they come into hell, they will see their folly: They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.'

Further, who are they that are so tossed to and fro, with the several winds of doctrine that have been broached in these days, but such for the most part, as have had a light esteem of the scriptures; for the ground of error, as Christ saith, is because they know not them. Mar. xii. 24. And indeed, it is just with God to give them over to follow their own dark blinded consciences, to be led into errors, that they might be damned into hell, who did not believe that the things contained in the Scripture were the truth, that they might be saved and go to heaven. I cannot well tell how to have done speaking for, and on the Scriptures' side; only this I consider, a word is enough to the wise; and therefore I shall commit these things into the hands of them that are of God; and as for the rest, I shall say to them, rather than God will save them from hell with the breach of his holy Word, if they had a thousand souls apiece, God would destroy them all; for the Scripture cannot be broken.' Jn. x. 35.

Verse 30. And he said, Nay, Father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repeut.' The verse before, you know, as I told you, it was part of an answer to such as lose their souls; so it is a vindication of the Scriptures of Moses and the prophets, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.'

Now this verse is an answer to what was said in the former; and such an one as hath in it a rejection of the former answer. Nay, father Abraham.' Nay, saith he, do not say so, do not put them off with this; send one from the dead, and then there will be some hopes. It is true thou speakest of the Scripture, of Moses and the prophets, and sayest, let them hear them;' but these things are not so well as I could wish, I had rather thou wouldst send one from the dead. In these words therefore, Nay, father Abraham, there is a repulse given; nay, let it not be so; nay, I do not like of that answer. Hear Moses and the prophets, nay. The same expression is used by Christ, Lu. xiii. 2, 3.

Think you that they upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, were sinners above others? I tell you nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.' So here, Nay, father Abraham, &c.

By this word Nay, therefore, is signified a rejecting the first answer.

Now observe, I pray you, the reason why he says Nay, is, because God doth put over all those that will be saved, to observe and receive the truth contained in Scripture, and believe that. To have a high esteem of them, and to love and search them, as Christ saith, Search the Scriptures,' for they are they which testify of me.' Ju. v. 39. But the damned say, Nay; as if he had said, This is the thing. To be short, my brethren are unbelievers, and do not regard the Word of God. I know it by myself, for when I was in the world, it was so with me; many a good sermon did I hear, many a time was I admonished, desired, entreated, beseeched, threatened, forewarned of what I now suffer; but alas! I was ignorant, self-conceited, surly, obstinate, and rebellious. Many a time the preacher told hell would be my portion, the devil would wreck his malice on me; God would pour on me his sore displeasure; but he had as good have preached to the stock, to the post, to the stones I trod on; his words rang in mine ears, but I kept them from mine heart. I remember he alleged many a Scripture, but those I valued not; the Scriptures, thought I, what are they? A dead letter, a little ink and paper, of three or four shillings' price. Alas! What is the Scripture? Give me a ballad, a news-book, George on horseback, or Bevis of Southampton; give me some book that teaches curious arts, that tells of old fables; but for the holy Scriptures I cared not. And as it was with me then, so it is with my brethren now, we were all of one spirit, loved all the same sins, slighted all the same counsels, promises, encouragements and threatenings of the Scriptures; and they are still, as I left them, still in unbelief, still provoking God, and rejecting good counsel, so hardened in their ways, so bent to follow sin, that let the Scriptures be showed to them daily, let the messengers of Christ preach till their hearts ache, till they fall down dead with preaching, they will rather trample it under foot, and swine-like rend them, than close in with those gentle and blessed proffers of the gospel.

How favourable an alteration has been produced by permitting the free publication of the Bible. In Bunyan's time, under the monopoly of church and state, they were full of typographical errors, and at a high price. When eggs were foura-penny, one hundred and sixty must have been paid for an ordinary copy; while now a handsome one, with gilt edges, may be had for eighteen or twenty. Thanks to those good men who brought about this wondrous change.-(ED.)

The improvement in the whole class of books used by children, since the Tract Society commenced its operations, is almost incredible. None but antiquarians have seen the books which Bunyan names, but they are as inferior to Who killed Cock Robin, as that is to Dr. Watt's Divine Songs. -(ED.)

will not repent and close in with Jesus Christ, though the Scriptures do witness against them. If therefore there be any good done to them, they must have it another way. I think, saith he, it would work much on them if one should rise from the dead.' And this truth indeed is so evident, that ungodly ones have a light esteem of the Scriptures, that it needs not many strong arguments to prove it, being so evidently manifested by their every day's practice, both in words and actions, almost in all things they say and do. Yet for the satisfaction of the reader, I shall show you by a scripture or two, though I might show many, that this was and is true, with the generality of the world. See the words of Nehemiah in his 9th chapter concerning the children of Israel, who though the Lord offered them mercy upon mercy, as it is from verse 19-25, yet verse 26, saith he, Nevertheless they were disobedient' for all thy goodness towards them, and rebelled against thee.' But how? And cast thy law behind their backs; slew thy prophets which testified against them, to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.'

Observe, 1. They sinned against mercy. And then, 2. They slighted the law, or Word of God. 3. They slew the prophets that declared it unto them. 4. The Lord counts it a great provocation. See Пleb. iii. 10-19. Zec. vii. 11, 12. But they refused to hearken,' saith he, there of the wicked, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear' the law. Yea, they made their hearts' hard as 'an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent' unto them in his Spirit by the former prophets,' &c.

Mark, I pray you, here is also, (1.) A refusing to hearken to the words of the prophets. (2.) That they might so do, they stopped their ears. (3.) If anything was to be done, they pulled away their shoulder. (4.) To effect this, they labour to make their hearts hard as an adamant stone. (5.) And all this, lest they should hear and close in with Jesus, and live, and be delivered from the wrath to come. All which things do hold out an unwillingness to submit to, and embrace the words of God, and so Jesus Christ which is testified of by them. Many other scriptures I might bring in for confirmation of the thing, as that in Am. vii. 12, 13; also 1 Sa. ii. 24, 25. 2 Ch. xxv. 15, 16. Je. vii. 23-28; xvi. 12. Read also seriously that saying in 2 Ch. xxxvi. 15, where he saith, " And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place.' And did they make them welcome? No, but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words. And was that all? No, they misused his prophets.' How long?

Until the wrath of the Lord arose against

them.

Till there was no remedy.' See also Je. xxix. 19; xxv. 3-7. Lu. xi. 49.

And besides, the conversion of almost all men doth bear witness to the same, both religious and profane persons, in that they daily neglect, reject, and turn their backs upon the plain testimony of the Scriptures. As,

First. Take the THREATENINGS laid down in holy writ, and how are they disregarded? There are but a few places in the Bible but there are threatenings against one sinner or other; against drunkards, swearers, liars, proud persons, strumpets, whoremongers, covetous, railers, extortioners, thieves, lazy persons. In a word, all manner of sins are reproved, and without faith in the Lord Jesus, there is a sore punishment to be executed on the committers of them; and all this made mention of in the Scriptures.

But for all this, how thick, and by heaps, do these wretches walk up and down our streets?1 Do but go into the alehouses, and you shall see almost every room besprinkled with them, so foaming out their own shame, that it is enough to make the heart of a saint to tremble, insomuch that they would not be bound to have society with them any long while for all the world. For as the ways of the godly are not liked of by the wicked, even so the ways of the wicked are an abomination to the just.' Fr. xxix. 27. Ps. cxx. 5, 6.

[1.] The Scripture says, Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.' Je. xvii. 5.

And yet how many poor souls are there in the world, that stand in so much awe and dread of men, and do so highly esteem their favour, that they will rather venture their souls in the hands of the devil with their favour, than they will fly to Jesus Christ for the salvation of their souls? Nay, though they be convinced in their souls, that the way is the way of God; yet how do they labour to stifle conviction, and turn their ears away from the truth, and all because they will not lose the favour of an opposite neighbour? O! I dare not for my master, my brother, my landlord, I shall lose his favour, his house of work, and so decay my calling. O, saith another, I would willingly go in this way, but for my father, he chides and tells me he will not stand my friend when I come to want; I shall never enjoy a pennyworth of his goods; he will disinherit me. And I dare not, saith another, for my husband, for he will be a railing, and tells me he will turn me out of doors, he will beat me, and

Such was the then state of society, fostered by the Book of Sports and Pastimes, authorized by Charles I. to be used on Sunday, and by Rupert and his cavaliers with the civil war, notwithstanding the restraints of the Commonwealth. They are very young, or dim-sighted, or badly read, who do not now see a wonderful improvement in the state of public morals and religion.--(ED.)

cut off my legs. But I tell you, if any of these, or any other things be so prevalent with thee now, as to keep thee from seeking after Christ in his ways, they will also be so prevalent with God against thee, as to make him cast off thy soul, because thou didst rather trust man than God; and delight in the embracing of man rather than in the favour of the Lord.2

2. Again, the Scripture saith, IIe that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.' Pr. xxix. 1. Yet many are so far from turning, though they have been convinced of their wretched state a hundred times, that when convictions or trouble for sin comes on their consciences, they go on still in the same manner resisting and choking the same, though remediless destruction be hard at their heels.

3. Again thou hast heard say, 'Except a man be born again,' he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.' Jn. iii. 3-Z And yet thou goest on in a natural state, an unregenerate condition; nay, thou dost resolve never to turn nor be changed, though hell be appointed on purpose to swallow up such. Is. xiv. 9. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.' Ps. ix. 17.

4. Again, the Scripture saith plainly that he that loveth and maketh a lie shall have his part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.' Re. xxi. 8, 27. And yet thou art so far from dreading it, that it is thy delight to jest and jeer, and lie for a penny, or twopence, or sixpence, again. And also if thou canst make the rest of thy companions merry, by telling things that are false, of them that are better than thyself, thou dost not care a straw. Or if thou hearest a lie from, or of another, thou wilt tell it, and swear to the truth of it, O miserable!

5. Thou hast heard and read, that 'IIe that believeth not shall be damned.' Mar. xvi. 16. And that 'all men have not faith.' 2 Th. iil. 2. And yet thou dost so much disregard these things, that it is like thou didst scarce ever so much as examine seriously whether thou wast in the faith or no; but dost content thyself with the hypocrite's hope, which at the last God will cut off, and count it no better than the spider's web, Job viii. 13, 14, or the house that is builded on the sands. Lu. vi. 49. Nay, thou peradventure dost flatter thyself, and thinkest that thy faith is as good as the best of them all; when, alas, poor soul, thou mayest have no saving faith at all; which thou hast not, if thou be not born again, and made a new creature. 2 Co. ii. 17.

2 These persecutions are fast disappearing. One of my near relatives was locked into a first floor parlour in Whitechapel, without hat or shoes, to prevent his going to hear Mr. Whitefield; but, at the risk of being turned out of doors by his parents, he escaped out of the window, by clinging to the rain waterpipe, and enjoyed the public service at the Tabernacle.—(ED.)