hath been preferred by some translations. This can't be | such a conduct be judged! But the depriving of posterity questioned, that divine truths, and instructions, have the of the light and efficacy of Gospel truth, is an injury, an character of a sacred trust, which is to be preserved with injustice unspeakably greater: because the former only utmost care and fidelity. The very light of nature, the affects the temporal and lesser interests of men, but the dictates of reason, discover this obligation; so that all latter endangers their souls, and eternal felicity: and who agree in condemning the base injustice of him, who be- would not tremble at the thought of such guilt, if he really trays a trust, and is negligent in preserving that which is believes, and expects a future judginent, in which a severe deposited with him, and the crime is judged the more hei- account must be given of this sacred talent, that hath been nous and inexcusable, but how much the depositum, the intrusted with him? What answer shall he give in the day thing committed to another, is more precious and valuable. of accounts, who was very solicitous and diligent to guard Who but a blinded infidel, will deny the incomparable every other trust, to transmit with great fidelity, houses, value of sacred and divine truths, which are of a hea-lands, trade, and such low matters, but was unfaithful to venly original, and are a principal treasure committed to his principal charge, and (as much as lay in him) by not the church. How solemn a charge was given to Timothy, continuing in the things himself had learned, suffered the 1 Tim. vi. 20. O Timothy, keep that which is committed Gospel to fail and be lost out of this world? In the to thy trust. And it is repeated, 2 Tim. i. 14. That good 5th and last place, Without continuing in the things thing which was committed to thee, keep; q. d. give all di- you have learned of your deceased pastor, you cannot ligence to guard the excellent depositum of the Gospel, come where he now is. The present separation is matter which thou hast been intrusted with. The same obliga- of just sorrow, that we shall see his face (on earth) no tion is laid on us, who learned the same Gospel, which more: but what must an everlasting separation be? To must deserve a far more solicitous concern than any of the behold him shining as the sun in the kingdom of his Faprecious and admired treasures of this earth, which are ther, and yourselves cast into outer darkness: to see him guarded with greatest care. But if we continue not in the crowned with never-fading life and glory, and yourselves things we have learned, we are guilty of the worst injus- shut up in the place of torment: what heart can bear the tice, and unfaithfulness to others, and of greatest unkind- very thought? But nothing is more unquestionable, than ness to ourselves; for the things we have learned, are not that there is but one passage, one path to heaven, where made our property, to do with 'em as we please; but we he had never come, if he had not continued himself in the are obliged to transmit them to others of the succeeding things which he first learned, and afterwards taught. Nay, age, that they who rise up after us may enjoy the same if you should depart from the holy truth and duty, in which blessed advantages, Psal. lxxviii. 5, 6. How great is the you have been instructed by him; notwithstanding the crime of a parent, who having received a fair patrimony, tender love he bore to you, he must stand forth as a witor honour, doth waste the estate, and forfeit the honour, ness and accuser, to aggravate your guilt, and greaten your which he ought to transmit to those who are to succeed condemnation. I shall conclude with the advice of the him. If those of this generation should betray the civil apostle, to his dearly beloved Philippians, applied to the rights and liberties of the nation, which have been trans- present subject, Phil. iv. 9. Those things, which you have mitted by their ancestors, and entail poverty and slavery both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in him, on the succeeding generations; how unpardonable would do: and the God of peace snall be with you.

70

THE PRINCIPLES OF

THE ORACLES OF GOD.

IN TWO PARTS.

PART I.

CONTAINING

L. AN INTRODUCTION, PROVING THE NECESSITY OF THEIR BEING TAUGHT, IN TWO LECTURES, ON HER V 2. TH

II. THE EXISTENCE OF GOD, MANIFEST FROM THE CREATION, IN FOUR LECTURES, ON ROMANS I. 20.

III. THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES, IN FOUR LECTURES, ON 2 TIMOTHY III. 16.

IV. THE UNITY OF THE GODHEAD, IN TWO LECTURES, ON JAMES II. 19.

V. THE TRINTY OF PERSONS IN TIIE DIVINE ESSENCE, IN FOUR LECTURES, ON JOHN V. 7.

VI. THE ATTRIBUTES AND PERFECTIONS OF THE DIVINE BEING, IN NINE LECTURES, ON MATTHEW V. 48.

THE PRINCIPLES OF

THE ORACLES OF GOD.

PART I.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE following important discourses on "The Principles of the Oracles of God," were first published in 1814, by the Rev. John Hunt, from the original manuscripts preserved in Dr. Williams's library; and their appearance in the present edition of the Works of Howe will without doubt be generally acceptable.

In many instances posthumous publications have added little to the celebrity of their authors, and sometimes they have been most injurious to their reputation. But there are no grounds for apprehension, that the well-deserved fame of John Howe will be disparaged, by the publication of writings, which had not the advantages of his own careful preparation for the press. In these, as well as in his other discourses, being dead he yet speaks. The same originality of thought, depth of piety, and fervent glow of expression are here discernible. The serious and judicious reader still finds himself contemplating the truths upon which the Temple of God is raised, and still feasting upon the Blessedness of the Righteous; nor can he retire from the survey of these intellectual treasures without the deepest impression of the grandeur of that mind, and the goodness of that heart, which collected these stores, and poured them forth to bless generations yet unborn.

The publishers of the present complete edition of the Works of Howe are therefore fully satisfied, that in adding these discourses to this volume, they are meeting the wishes and gratifying the expectations of the religious public, while at the same time the honour of the esteemed author is untarnished.

LECTURE I.*

HEBREWS V. 12.

YE HAVE NEED THAT ONE TEACH YOU AGAIN, WHICH BE THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF THE ORACLES OF GOD.

My design is to open unto you the principles of Chris- | tian religion, and for an introduction hereunto, I have pitched on this passage, without any intention to accuse (much less to upbraid) any in particular, with ignorance of those principles; but only in the general, and indefinitely, to show the necessity of their being taught. And considering the matter abstractly, without reference to this or that people, or to this or that age, whether they be Jewish or Hebrew Christians that did need to be so taught; or whether they be English or London Christians in particular; my design is only in general to assert, the necessity of being taught such principles: that some time or other they be taught, and we be instructed in them. And if they have been taught, that they be taught again, (as the apostle's expression here is,) that you be taught again, taught over and over, for these are things that we cannot too thoroughly have learned, or be too much versed in.

For the expressions here used,-"the oracles of God," and "the first principles" of those oracles-there is not much of obscurity in them. The word rendered oracles, doth by universal consent (as well in pagan as Christian and sacred writers) signify divine revelations. It was the word among pagans by which it was usual for them to express the responses of their gods, or those they took to be such. It generally signifies what is divinely revealed, or understood, or taken to be so, nor is therefore the addition "of God," needless or useless. Such pleonasms are ornative of speech, especially when they render the same thing more emphatically so, than if there were not that

* Preached November 7th, 1690.

pleonastical addition. And besides, inasmuch as there are many (as the apostle speaks) that are called gods, and are worshipped as gods, the oracles of God are taken to be from God. And when he saith "the oracles of God," (as the article may be well held, and often is to be understood emphatically,) it may be understood, the oracles of the God; he that is really so called, or to be called. And so it is an expression of latitude enough to take in what is of natural revelation, and what is of supernatural revelation; for what is of natural revelation is as truly from God as the other. All truth is from the first truth, there is no beam of light but what proceeds from the Father of lights in whatsoever way it comes.

And then for the word here rendered principles, that is wont to be mentioned in as great latitude as can be supposed; it signifies all sorts of principles, whether of nature, or of art, or science whatsoever: and whereas, the apostle speaks here (as we render it) of the first principles; lite rally, it is the principles of the beginning, and that imports to us, that he did intend those principles in a very great latitude, all from first to last that can come under that notion, or within that compass. There is a chain or subordination of principles, even in principles themselves, as we shall have occasion, more hereafter, to take notice of: there are former, and there are latter principles. First principles do suppose within this compass, that there may be latter and last principles, but plain it is, that the apostle doth here intend principles of religion, and chiefly of Christian religion, but not solely. That is, principles of