(2.) It doth it by the light that is in it, and that spiritual illumi- nating efficacy wherewith it is accompanied. Hence it is called a "light shining in a dark place/' 2 Pet. i. 19 ; that light whereby God " shines in the hearts" and minds of men, 2 Cor. iv. 4, 6. Without the Scripture all the world is in darkness: "Darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people," Isa. lx. 2. It is the kingdom of Satan, filled with darkness and confusion. Supersti- tion, idolatry, lying vanities, wherein men know not at all what they do nor whither they go, fill the whole world, even as it is at this day. And the minds of men are naturally in darkness; there is a blindness upon them that they cannot see nor discern spiritual things, no, not when they are externally proposed unto them, as I have at large evinced elsewhere; — and no man can give a greater evidence that it is so than he who denies it so to be. With respect unto both these kinds of darkness the Scripture is a light, and accompanied with a spiritual illuminating efficacy, thereby evidencing itself to be a divine revelation ; for what but divine truth could recall the minds of
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98 THE REASON OF FAITH. [BOOK VI., PART I.
men from all their wanderings in error, superstition, and other effects of darkness, which of themselves they love more than truth? All things being filled with vanity, error, confusion, misapprehensions about God and ourselves, our duty and end, our misery and blessed- ness, the Scripture, where it is communicated by the providence of God, comes in as a light into a dark place, discovering all things clearly and steadily that concern either God or ourselves, our pre- sent or future condition, causing all the ghosts and false images of things which men had framed and fancied unto themselves in the dark to vanish and disappear. Digitus Dei! — this is none other but the power of God. But principally it evinceth this its divine efficacy by that spiritual saving light which it conveys into and im- plants on the minds of believers. Hence there is none of them who have gained any experience by the observation of God's dealings with them but shall, although they know not the ways and methods of the Spirit's operations by the word, yea, can say, with the man unto whom the Lord Jesus restored his sight, "One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see." This power of the word, as the instrument of the Spirit of God for the communication of saving light and knowledge unto the minds of men, the apostle de- clares 2 Cor. iii. 18, iv. 4, 6. By the efficacy of this power doth he evidence the Scripture to be the word of God. Those who believe find by it a glorious, supernatural light introduced into their minds, whereby they who before saw nothing in a distinct, affecting manner in spirituals, do now clearly discern the truth, the glory, the beauty, and excellency of heavenly mysteries, and have their minds trans- formed into their image and likeness. And there is no person who hath the witness in himself of the kindling of this heavenly light in his mind by the word but hath also the evidence in himself of its divine original.
(3.) It doth, in like manner, evidence its divine authority by the awe which it puts on the minds of the generality of mankind unto whom it is made known, so that they dare not absolutely reject it. Multitudes there are unto whom the word is declared who hate all its precepts, despise all its promises, abhor all its threatenings, like nothing, approve of nothing, of what it declares or proposes; and yet dare not absolutely refuse or reject it. They deal with it as they do with God himself, whom they hate also, according to the revelation which he hath made of himself in his word. They wish he were not, sometimes they hope he is not, would be glad to be free of his rule; but yet dare not, cannot absolutely deny and disown him, because of that testimony for himself which he keeps alive in them whether they will or no. The same is the frame of their hearts and minds towards the Scripture, and that for no other
CHAP. VI.] THE NATURE OF DIVINE REVELATIONS. 99
reason but because it is the word of God, and manifesteth itself so to be. They hate it, wish it were not, hope it is not true ; but are not by any means able to shake off a disquiet in the sense of its divine authority. This testimony it hath fixed in the hearts of multitudes of its enemies, Ps. xlv. 5.
(4.) It evidences its divine power in administering strong conso- lations in the deepest and most unrelievable distresses. Some such there are, and such many men fall into, wherein all means and hopes of relief may be utterly removed and taken away. So is it when the miseries of men are not known unto any that will so much as pity them or wish them relief; or if they have been known, and there hath been an eye to pity them, yet there hath been no hand to help them. Such hath been the condition of innumerable souls, as on other accounts, so in particular under the power of perse- cutors, when they have been shut up in filthy and nasty dungeons, not to be brought out but unto death, by the most exquisite tortures that the malice of hell could invent or the bloody cruelty of man inflict. Yet in these and the like distresses doth the word of God, by its divine power and efficacy, break through all interposing diffi- culties, all dark and discouraging circumstances, supporting, refresh- ing, and comforting such poor distressed sufferers, yea, commonly filling them under overwhelming calamities with '*joy unspeakable and full of glory." Though they are in bonds, yet is the word of God not bound ; neither can all the power of hell, nor all the dili- gence or fury of men, keep out the word from entering into pri- sons, dungeons, flames, to administer strong consolations against all fears, pains, wants, dangers, deaths, or whatever we may in this mor- tal life be exposed unto. And sundry other instances of the like nature might be pleaded, wherein the word gives evident demon- stration unto the minds and consciences of men of its own divine power and authority: which is the second way whereby the Holy Ghost, its author, gives testimony unto its original.