CHAP. III.] EXTERNAL ARGUMENTS FOR DIVINE REVELATION. 25
the very infancy of the Babylonian empire, with which it afterwards contemporized about nine hundred years. By £his monarchy, that people which alone had these oracles of God committed to them were oppressed, destroyed, and carried into captivity; but this book was then preserved amongst them whilst they were absolutely under the power of their enemies, although it condemned them and all their gods and religious worship, wherewith we know how horribly mankind is enraged. Satan had enthroned himself as the object of their worship, and the author of all ways of divine veneration amongst them. These they adhered unto as their principal interest; as all people do unto that they esteem their religion. In the whole world there was nothing that judged, condemned, opposed him or them, but this book only, which was now absolutely in their power. If that by any means could have been destroyed, then when it was in the hands of but a few, and those for the most part flagitious in their lives, hating the things contained in it, and wholly under the power of their adversaries, the interest of Satan and the whole world in idolatry had been secured. But, through the mere provision of divine care, it outlived that monarchy, and saw the ruin of its greatest adversa- ries. So it did also during the continuance of the Persian monarchy, which succeeded, whilst the people was still under the power of ido- laters; against whom this was the only testimony in the world. By some branches of the Grecian monarchy a most fierce and diligent attempt was made to have utterly destroyed it; but still it was snatched by divine power out of the furnace, not one hair of it being singed, or the least detriment brought unto its perfection. The Romans destroyed both the people and place designed until then for its preservation, carrying the ancient copy of the law in triumph to Rome, on the conquest of Jerusalem; and whilst all absolute power and dominion in the whole world, where this book was known or heard of, was in their hands, they exercised a rage against it for sun- dry ages, with the same success that former enemies had. From the very first, all the endeavours of mankind that professed an open en- mity against it have been utterly frustrated. And whereas, also, those unto whom it was outwardly committed, as the Jews first, and the antichristian church of apostatized Christians afterwards, not only fell into opinions and practices absolutely inconsistent with it, but also built all their present and future interests on those opinions and practices; yet none of them durst ever attempt the corrupting of one line in it, but were forced to attempt their own security by a pre- tence of additional traditions, and keeping the book itself, as much as they durst, out of the hands and knowledge of all not engaged in the same interest with themselves. Whence could all this proceed but from the watchful care and power of divine Providence? And
26 THE REASON OF FAITH. [BOOK VI., PART I.
it is brutish folly not to believe that what God doth so protect did originally proceed from himself, seeing it pleads and pretends so to do ; for every wise man will take more care of a stranger than a bas- tard falsely imposed on him unto his dishonour.
8. The design of the whole, and all the parts of it, hath an impress on it of divine wisdom and authority: and hereof there are two parts; first, To reveal God unto men; and, secondly, To direct men to come unto the enjoyment of God. That these are the only two great concerns of our nature, of any rational being, were easy to prove, but that it is acknowledged by all those with whom I treat. Now, never did any book or writing in the world, any single or joint en- deavours of mankind or invisible spirits, in the way of authority, give out a law, rule, guide, and light for all mankind universally in both these, — namely, the knowledge of God and ourselves, — but this book only; and if any other, it maybe, like the Alcoran, did pretend in the least thereunto, it quickly discovered its own folly, and exposed itself to the contempt of all wise and considerate men. The only question is, how it hath discharged itself in this design? for if it have com- pletely and perfectly accomplished it, it is not only evident that it must be from God, but also that it is the greatest benefit and kindness that divine benignity and goodness ever granted unto mankind ; for without it all men universally must necessarily wander in an endless maze of uncertainties, without ever attaining light, rest, or blessed- ness, here or hereafter. Wherefore, —
(1.) As it takes on itself to speak in the name and authority of God, and delivers nothing, commands nothing, but what becomes his infinite holiness, wisdom, and goodness; so it makes that decla- ration of him, in his nature, being, and subsistence, with the necessary properties and acts thereof, his will, with all his voluntary actings or works, wherein we may be or are concerned, so as that we may know him aright, and entertain true notions and apprehensions of him, according to the utmost capacity of our finite, limited under- standing. Neither do we urge his authority in this case, but here and elsewhere resort unto the evidence of his reasonings, compared with the event or matter of fact. What horrible darkness, ignorance, and blindness, was upon the whole world with respect unto the know- ledge of God, what confusion and debasement of our nature ensued thereon, whilst God " suffered all nations to walk in their own ways, and winked at the times of their ignorance/' the apostle declares at large, Rom. i., from the 18th verse to the end of the chapter. The sum is, That the only true God being become unknown to them, as the wisest of them acknowledged, Acts xvii. 23, and as our apostle proved against them, the devil, that murderer from the beginning, and enemy of mankind, had, under various pretences, substituted