et hoc ad causam nostram, quod apud vos de humano arbitratu divinitas pensitatur; nisi homini Deus placuerit, Deus non erit; homo jam Deo propitius esse debebit.' Would it be otherwise in this case, if the Scripture must stand to the mercy of man for the reputation of its divinity? nay of its verity; for whence it hath its authority, thence it hath its verity also, as was observed before; and many more words of this nature might be added.

CHAP. VI.

Consequential considerations for the confirmation of the divine
authority of the Scripture.

I SAID, in the former chapter, that I would not employ myself willingly, to enervate or weaken any of the reasons or arguments that are usually insisted on, to prove the divine authority of the Scripture. Though, I confess, I like not to multiply arguments, that conclude to a probability only, and are suited to beget a firm opinion at best, where the principle intended to be evinced is de fide, and must be believed with faith divine and supernatural. Yet because some may happily be kept to some kind of adherence to the Scriptures; by mean grounds, that will not in their own strength abide, until they get footing in those that are more firm; I shall not make it my business to drive them from their present station; having persuaded them by that which is better.

Yea, because on supposition of the evidence formerly tended, there may be great use at several seasons, of some consequential considerations, and arguments to the purpose in hand, I shall insist on two of that kind, which to me, who have the advantage of receiving the word on the forementioned account, seem not only to persuade, and in a great measure to convince to undeniable probability, but also to prevail irresistibly, on the understanding of unprejudiced men, to close with the divine truth of it.

T

first of these is taken from the nature of the doc-
contained in the Scripture, the second from the
t of the whole design therein; the first is innate,
a more external and rational consideration.
first of them, there are two things considerable

in the doctrine of the Scripture, that are powerful, and, if I may so say, uncontrollably prevalent as to this purpose.

First, Its universal suitableness, upon its first clear discovery and revelation, to all the entanglements and perplexities of the souls of men, in reference to their relation to, and dependance upon, God. If all mankind have certain entanglements upon their hearts and spirits, in reference unto God, which none of them that are not utterly brutish, do not wrestle withal, and which all of them are not able in the least to assoil themselves in and about, certainly that doctrine, which is suited universally to satisfy all their perplexities, to calm and quiet their spirits in all their tumultuatings, and doth break in upon them with a glorious efficacy, to that purpose in its discovery and revelation, must needs be from that God, with whom we have to do, and none else. From whom else I pray should it be. He that can give out the word, ille mihi semper erit Deus.

Now there are three general heads of things, that all and every one of mankind, not naturally brutish, are perplexed withal, in reference to their dependance on God and relation to him.

1. How they may worship him as they ought.

2. How they may be reconciled, and at peace with him, or have an atonement for that guilt which naturally they are sensible of.

3. What is the nature of true blessedness, and how they may attain it, or how they may come to the enjoyment of God.

That all mankind is perplexed and entangled with and about these considerations, that all men ever were so, without exception more or less, and continue so to be to this day; that of themselves, they miserably grope up and down in the dark, and are never able to come to any satisfaction, neither as to what is present, nor as to what is to come, I could manifest from the state, office, and condition of conscience, the indelible poλnes, and presumptions about them, that are in the hearts of all by nature. The whole history of all religion which hath been in the world, with the design of all ancient and present philosophy, with innumerable other uncontrollable convictions (which also, God

assisting, I shall in another treatise declare) do manifest this truth.

That surely then which shall administer to all and every one of them, equally and universally, satisfaction as to all these things, to quiet and calm their spirits, to cut off all necessity of any farther inquiries, give them that wherein they must acquiesce, and wherewith they will be satiated, unless they will cast off that relation and dependance on God, which they seek to confirm and settle: surely, I say, this must be from the all-seeing, all-satisfying truth, and being, and from none else. Now this is done by the doctrine of the Scripture, with such a glorious uncontrollable conviction, that every one to whom it is revealed, the eyes of whose understanding are not blinded by the god of this world, must needs cry out "Evpnea, I have found that which in vain I sought elsewhere, waxing foolish in my imaginations.

It would be too long to insist on the severals; take one instance in the business of atonement, reconciliation, and acceptance with God. What strange horrible fruits and effects have men's contrivances on this account produced? What have they not invented? What have they not done? What have they not suffered? and yet continued in dread and bondage all their days. Now with what a glorious soul-appeasing light doth the doctrine of satisfaction and atonement, by the blood of Christ the Son of God, come in upon such men. This first astonisheth, then conquereth, then ravisheth, and satiateth the soul. This is that they looked for, this they were sick for, and knew it not. This is the design of the apostle's discourse in the three firstchapters of the Epistle to the Romans. Let any man read that discourse from chap. i. 18. and onward, and he will see with what glory and beauty, with what full and ample satisfaction this doctrine breaks out; chap. iii. 22-26.

It is no otherwise as to the particulars of present worship, or future blessedness; this meets with men in all their wanderings, stops them in their disquisitions, convinces them of the darkness, folly, uncertainty, falseness of all their reasonings about these things; and that with such an evidence and light, as at once subdues them, captivates their understanda De Natura Theologiæ.

ing, and quiets their souls: so was that old Roman world conquered by it; so shall the Mahometan be, in God's good and appointed time.

All man

Of what hath been spoken, this is the sum. kind that acknowledge their dependance upon God, and relation to him, are naturally (and cannot be otherwise) grievously involved and perplexed in their hearts, thoughts, and reasonings about the worship of God, acceptation with him, having sinned, and the future enjoyment of him; some with more clear and distinct apprehensions of these things; some under more dark and general notions of them are thus exercised; to extricate themselves, and to come to some issue in, and about, these inquiries, hath been the great design of their lives, the aim they had in all things they did, as they thought, well and laudably in this world. Notwithstanding all which, they were never able to deliver themselves, no not one of them, or attain satisfaction to their souls, but waxed vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were more and more darkened; in this estate of things, the doctrine of the Scripture coming in with full, unquestionable satisfaction to all these, suited to the inquirings of every individual soul, with a largeness of wisdom and depth of goodness not to be fathomed, it must needs be from that God with whom we have to do. And those who are not persuaded hereby, that will not cast anchor in this harbour, let them put to sea once more, if they dare; turn themselves loose to other considerations, and try if all the forementioned per plexities do not inevitably return.

Another consideration of the doctrine of the Scripture to this purpose regards some particulars of it. There are some doctrines of the Scripture, some revelations in it, so sublimely glorious, of so profound and mysterious an excellency, that at the first proposal of them, nature startles, shrinks, and is taken with horror, meeting with that which is above it, too great and too excellent for it, which it could desirously avoid and decline; but yet, gathering itself up to them, it yields, and finds that unless they are accepted and submitted unto, though unsearchable, that not only all that hath been received must be rejected, but also the whole dependance of the creature on God be dissolved, or rendered only dreadful, terrible, and destructive to nature itself.

Such are the doctrines of the Trinity, of the incarnation of the Son of God, of the resurrection of the dead, of the new birth, and the like. At the first revelation of these things, nature is amazed, cries, How can these things be? Or gathers up itself to opposition; this is babbling like the Athenians; folly, as all the wise Greeks. But when the eyes of reason are a little confirmed, though it can never clearly behold the glory of this sun, yet it confesseth a glory to be in it, above all that it is able to apprehend. I could manifest in particular that the doctrines before mentioned, and several others are of this importance; namely, though great, above and beyond the reach of reason, yet upon search found to be such, as without submission to them, the whole comfortable relation between God and man must needs be dissolved..

Let us take a view in our way of one of the instances. What is there in the whole book of God, that nature at first sight doth more recoil at, than the doctrine of the Trinity? How many do yet stumble and fall at it? I confess the doctrine itself is but sparingly, yet it is clearly and distinctly delivered unto us in the Scripture. The sum of it is, that God is one; his nature or his being one; that all the properties or infinite essential excellencies of God, as God, do belong to that one nature and being. This God is infinitely good, holy, just, powerful; he is eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent; and these things belong to none but him, that is, that one God. That this God is the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; which are not diverse names of the same person, nor distinct attributes or properties of the same nature or being, but one, another, and a third, all equally that one God, yet really distinguished between themselves by such incommunicable properties as constitute the one to be that one, and the other to be that other, and the third to be that third. Thus the Trinity is not the union, nor unity of three, but it is a Trinity in unity, or the ternary number of persons in the same essence; nor doth the Trinity, in its formal conception, denote the essence, as if the essence were comprehended in the Trinity, which is in each person; but it denotes only the dison of the persons comprised in that number,

I say, is the sum of this doctrine, as it is delivered the Scripture. Here reason is entangled; yet