shall shortly be strip't of everything in this World. There is nothing so Profitable, nothing so Necessary, as to be Reli∣gions. The Rules of Religion are prescribed by the Only Wise GOD; The GOD of whom we are assured, Psal. 145.5. His Understanding is Infinite. They must needs be Wise Rules; It must needs be our Wisdom to adhere unto them.
One main stroke in Religion is, FAITH towards our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is in the Bible often called by the Name of, Wisdom. 'Tis most Justly called so. It Beholds, It Re∣ceives, It Enjoyes, that Glorious CHRIST, in whom there is, The Wisdom of God. And, The End of our Faith will be the Salvation of the Soul.
Another main stroke in Religion is, REPENTANCE towards God. Repentance is a Resipiscence, of Growing Wise again. It must be Wisdom, to Abhor Sin, to Avoid Sin; Sin is always Folly; To Sin, is to Do very Foolishly. And, Repentance, This will be unto Salvation.
There is no man, but what will own, 'Tis the Wisdom of every man, to Save his own Soul: For, What is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own Soul? Now the Issue of conformity to the Rules of Religion, will be the Salvation of the Soul. We read, Heb. 5.9. CHRIST, is the Author of Eternal Salvation, unto all them that obey Him.
II. Our KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, is that by which we come to know the Rules of Religion, and be Religiously wise unto Salvation. The Rules of our Holy Religion, are all of them delivered in those Oracles of God, which we call, The Holy Scriptures. If ever we come unto Salvation, it must be by conversing with the Holy Scrip∣tures. We are so called upon; Joh. 5.39. Search the Holy Scriptures, for in them ye think, ye have Eternal Life: and they are they who testifie of me. It was very Fit, that the Will of God, giving us the Rules of Living unto Him, should be contain'd in some Writings or other. These Inspi∣red Writings which we have in our Old and New Testament, are the only Ones, that can pretend unto this Dignity. In these Holy Scriptures we have the Rules of Religion, and the Rules by the Observation whereof we shall be wise unto Sal∣vation. Here, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 i•• the Gospel, whereof we are told;