The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…

First, The word of God is instrumental to open the eyes, to enlighten the dark understanding. David doth wonderfully commend the Scripture for this use, that it was a lantern to his feet, and a lamp to his paths; whereby he became wise, and understood even more then his Teachers, Psal. 119. This is the EYE-SALVE. For want of searching into the Scriptures, it was they erred so grossly about the resurrection. When Christ is promised to be as a refining fire (Mal. 3.) to the Sons of Levi, how did he this, but by the clearing of the Word from Pharisaical interpretations? And Estius, though a Papist, thinks this place alludes to that of Malachi; and indeed there is a great resemblance.

First, The word of God is instrumental to open the eyes, to enlighten the dark understanding. David doth wonderfully commend the Scripture for this use, that it was a lanthorn to his feet, and a lamp to his paths; whereby he became wise, and understood even more then his Teachers, Psal. 119. This is the EYE-SALVE. For want of searching into the Scriptures, it was they erred so grossely about the resurrection. When Christ is promised to be as a refining fire (Mal. 3.) to the Sons of Levi, how did he this, but by the clearing of the Word from Pharisaical interpretations? And Estius, though a Papist, thinks this place alludes to that of Malachi; and indeed there is a great resemblance.

Secondly, The word of God is fire to try mens works, because it containeth all matter necessary to salvation. So that when we believe hoc credimus, quod nihil ultra credere debemus: the Scriptures are said to be able to make us wise to salvation, 2 Tim. 3 15. If nature doth not fail in natural necessities, much less will the Scripture in supernatural. These things are written, that believing you might have eternal life,