CHAP. I.] PRELIMINARY REMARKS. 9
church if they had not carried along with them their own evidence that they were from God. Of what nature that evidence was we shall afterwards inquire. For the present I shall only say, that it was an evidence unto faith, and not to sense; as is that also which we have now by the Scripture. It is not like that which the sun gives of itself by its light, which there needs no exercise of reason to assure us of, for sense is irresistibly affected with it; but it is like the evidence which the heavens and the earth give of their being made and created of God, and thereby of his being and power. This they do undeniably and infallibly, Ps. xix. 1, 2; Rom. i. 19-21. Yet it is required hereunto that men do use and exercise the best of their rational abilities in the consideration and contemplation of them. Where this is neglected, notwithstanding their open and visible evidence unto the contrary, men degenerate into atheism. God so gave out these revelations of himself as to require the exer- cise of the faith, conscience, obedience, and reason of them unto whom they were made ; and therein they gave full assurance of their proceeding from him. So he tells us that his word differeth from all other pretended revelations as the wheat doth from the chaff, Jer. xxiii. 28. But yet it is our duty to try and sift the wheat from the chaff, or we may not evidently discern the one from the other.
2. The things so revealed were sufficient to guide and direct all persons in the knowledge of their duty to God, in all that was re- quired of them in a way of faith or obedience. God from the begin- ning gave out the knowledge of his will -iroXvpepZg, by sundry parts and degrees; yet so that every age and season had light enough to guide them in the whole obedience required of them, and unto their edifi- cation therein. They had knowledge enough to enable them to offer sacrifices in faith, as did Abel ; to walk with God, as did Enoch ; and to teach their families the fear of the Lord, as did Abraham. The world perished not for want of sufficient revelation of the mind of God at any time. Indeed, when we go to consider those divine in- structions which are upon record that God* granted unto them, we are scarce able to discern how they were sufficiently enlightened in all that was necessary for them to believe and do ; but they were unto them " as a light shining in a dark place." Set up but a candle in a dark room, and it will sufficiently enlighten it for men to attend their necessary occasions therein; but when the sun is risen, and shineth in at all the windows, the light of the candle grows so dim and useless that it seems strange that any could have advantage thereby. The Sun of Righteousness is now risen upon us, and im- mortality is brought to light by the gospel. If we look now on the revelations granted unto them of old, we may yet see there was light in them, which yields us little more advantage than the light of a candle
10 THE REASON OF FAITH. [BOOK VI., PART L
in the sun ; but unto them who lived before this Sun arose, they were a sufficient guide unto all duties of faith and obedience ; for, —
S. There was during this season a sufficient ministry for the de- claration of the revelations which God made of himself and his will. There was the natural ministry of parents, who were obliged to in- struct their children and families in the knowledge of the truth which they had received; and whereas this began in Adam, who first received the promise, and therewithal whatsoever was necessary unto faith and obedience, the knowledge of it could not be lost without the wilful neglect of parents in teaching, or of children and families in learning. And they had the extraordinary ministry of such as God intrusted new revelations withal, for the confirmation and enlargement of those before received ; who were all of them preachers of righteousness unto the rest of mankind. And it may be manifested that from the giving of the first promise, when divine external revelations began to be the rule of faith and life unto the church, to the writing of the law, there was always alive one or other, who, receiving divine revelations immediately, were a kind of infal- lible guides unto others. If it was otherwise at any time, it was after the death of the patriarchs, before the call of Moses, during which time all things went into darkness and confusion ; for oral tradition alone would not preserve the truth of former revelations. But by whomsoever these instructions were received, they had a sufficient outward means for their illumination, before any divine revelations were recorded by writing. Yet, —
4. This way of instruction, as it was in itself imperfect and liable to many disadvantages, so through the weakness, negligence, and wickedness of men, it proved insufficient to retain the knowledge of God in the world: for under this dispensation the generality of man- kind fell into their great apostasy from God, and betook themselves unto the conduct and service of the devil; of the ways, means, and degrees whereof I have discoursed elsewhere.1 Hereon God also re- garded them not, but " suffered all nations to walk in their own ways," Actsxiv. 16, " giving them up to their own hearts' lusts," to "walk in their own counsels," as it is expressed, Ps. lxxxi. 12. And although this fell not out without the horrible wickedness and in- gratitude of the world, yet there being then no certain standard of divine truth whereunto they might repair, they brake off the easier from God, through the imperfection of this dispensation. If it shall be said, that since the revelation of the will of God hath been com- mitted unto writing men have apostatized from the knowledge of God, as is evident in many nations of the world which some time professed the gospel, but are now overrun with heathenism, Mo- 1 De Natura Theologiae, lib. iii.