And because it is somewhat strange that, after a long, quiet pos- session of the professed faith, and assent of the generality of the minds of men thereunto, there should now arise among us such an open opposition unto the divine authority of the Scriptures as we find there is by experience, it may not be amiss in our passage to name the principal causes or occasions hereof ; for if we should bring them all into one reckoning, as justly we may, who either openly oppose it and reject it, or who use it or neglect it at their pleasure, or who set up other guides in competition with it or above it, or otherwise
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66 THE REASON OF FAITH. [BOOK VI., PART I.
declare that they have no sense of the immediate authority of God therein, we shall find them to be like the Moors or slaves in some countries or plantations, — they are so great in number and force above their rulers and other inhabitants, that it is only want of communi- cation, with confidence, and some distinct interests, that keep them from casting off their yoke and restraint. I shall name three causes only of this surprising and perilous event : —
1. A long-continued outward profession of the truth of the Scrip- ture, without an inward experience of its power, betrays men at length to question the truth itself, at least not to regard it as divine. The owning of the Scripture to be the word of God bespeaks a divine majesty, authority, and power, to be present in it and with it. Wherefore, after men who have for a long time so professed do find that they never had any real experience of such a divine presence in it by any effects upon their own minds, they grow insensibly regard- less of it, or allow it a very common place in their thoughts. When they have worn off the impressions that were on their minds from tradition, educatign, and custom, they do for the future rather not oppose it than in any way believe it. And when once a reverence unto the word of God on the account of its authority is lost, an assent unto it on the account of its truth will not long abide. And all such persons, under a concurrence of temptations and outward occasions, will either reject it or prefer other guides before it.
2. The poiver of lust, rising up unto a resolution of living in those sins whereunto the Scripture doth unavoidably annex eternal ruin, hath prevailed with many to cast off its authority : for whilst they are resolved to live in an outrage of sin, to allow a divine truth and power in the Scripture is to cast themselves under a present torment, as well as to ascertain their future misery ; for no other can be his condition who is perpetually sensible that God always condemns him in all that he doth, and will assuredly take vengeance on him, — which is the constant language of the Scripture concerning such persons. Wherefore, although they will not immediately fall into an open atheistical opposition unto it, as that which, it may be, is not con- sistent with their interest and reputation in the world, yet, looking upon it as the devils did on Jesus Christ, as that which " comes to torment them before the time," they keep it at the greatest dis- tance from their thoughts and minds, until they have habituated themselves unto a contempt of it. There being, therefore, an utter impossibility of giving any pretence of reconciliation between the owning of the Scripture to be the word of God, and a resolution to live in an excess of known sin, multitudes suffer their minds to be bribed by their corrupt affections to a relinquishment of any regard unto it.
CHAP. IV.] MORAL CERTAINTY INSUFFICIENT. 67
3. The scandalous quarrels and disputations of those of the church of Rome against the Scripture and its authority have contributed much unto the ruin of the faith of many. Their great design is, by all means to secure the power, authority, and infallibility of their church. Of these they say continually, as the apostle in another case of the mariners, " Unless these stay in the ship, we cannot be saved." Without an acknowledgment of these things, they would have it that men can neither at present believe nor be saved hereafter. To secure this interest, the authority of the Scripture must be by all means questioned and impaired. A divine authority in itself they will allow it, but with respect unto us it hath none but what it ob- tains by the suffrage and testimony of their church. But whereas authority is \% ruv vpog w, and consists essentially in the relation and respect which it hath unto others, or those that are to be subject unto it, to say that it hath an authority in itself but none towards us, is not only to deny that it hath any authority at all, but also to reproach it with an empty name. They deal with it as the soldiers did with Christ: they put a crown on his head, and clothed him with a purple robe, and bowing the knee before him mocked him, saying, " Hail, king of the Jews!" They ascribe unto it the crown and robe of divine authority in itself, but not towards any one per- son in the world. So, if they please, God shall be God, and his word be of some credit among men. Herein they seek continually to en- tangle those of the weaker sort by urging them vehemently with this question, " How do you know the Scripture to be the word of God?" and have in continual readiness a number of sophistical arti- fices to weaken all evidences that shall be pleaded in its behalf. Nor is that all, but on all occasions they insinuate such objections against it, from its obscurity, imperfection, want of order, difficulties, and seeming contradictions in it, as are suited to take off the minds of men from a firm assent unto it or reliance on it ; as if a com- pany of men should conspire, by crafty multiplied insinuations, di- vulged on all advantages, to weaken the reputation of a chaste and sober matron, although they cannot deprive her of her virtue, yet, unless the world were wiser than for the most part it appears to be, they will insensibly take off from her due esteem. And this is as bold an attempt as can well be made in any case; for the first ten- dency of these courses is to make men atheists, after which success it is left at uncertain hazard whether they will be Papists or no. Wherefore, as there can be no greater nor more dishonourable re- flection made on Christian religion than that it hath no other evi- dence or testimony of its truth but the authority and witness of those by whom it is at present professed, and who have notable worldly advantages thereby ; so the minds of multitudes are secretly