it not, because I know the old to be better, though what they plead is of use in its proper place. CHAP. II. What it is Infallibly to Believe the Scripture as the Word of MY defign requires that I should confine my discourse 1. What it is in general, infallibly to believe the Scripture to be the word of God, and what is the ground and reason of our so doing? Or, what it is to believe the Scripture to be the word of God, as we are required to believe it fo to be in a way of duty. 2. That there are external arguments of the divine original of the Scripture, which are effectual motives to perfuade us to give an unfeigned affent thereunto. 3. That yet moreover God requires of us, that we believe them to be his word with faith divine, fupernatural, and infallible. 4. Evidence the grounds and reasons whereon we do fo believe, and ought fo to do. Unto these heads most of what enfues in the first part of this difcourfe may be reduced. It is meet that we should clear the foundation whereon we build, and the principles whereon we do proceed; that what we design to prove may be the better understood by all forts of perfons, whofe edification we intend. For these things are the equal concernment of the learned and unlearned. Wherefore fome things must be infifted on, which are generally known and granted. And our first enquiry is, What it is to believe the fcripture to be the word of God with faith divine and fupernatural, according as it is our duty so to do. And in our believing or our faith, two things are to be confidered. (1.) What it is that we do believe; and (2.) Wherefore we do fo believe it? The firft is the material object of our faith, namely, the things which we do believe; the latter the formal object of it, or the cause and reafon why we do believe them; and these things are diftin&t. The material object of our faith, is the things revealed in the Scripture, declared unto us in propofitions of truth. For things must be fo proposed unto us, or we cannot believe them. That God is one in three perfons, that Jefus Christ is the Son of God, and the like propofitions of truth, are the material object of our faith, or the things that we do believe; and the reafon why we do believe them, is, because they are propofed in the Scripture. Thus the apostle expreffeth the whole of what we intend, 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4. “I "delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, "how that Chrift died for our fins according to the Scrip"tures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the "third day according to the Scriptures." Chrift's death and burial and refurrection are the things propofed unto us to be believed, and fo the object of our faith. But the reafon why we believe them is, because they are declared in the Scriptures, see Acts viii. 28, 29, 30. Sometimes indeed this expreffion of believing the Scriptures by a metonymy, denotes both the formal and material objects of our faith, the Scriptures themselves as fuch, and the things contained in them, fo John ii. 22. "They believed the Scrip"ture and the word that Jefus faid," or the things delivered in the Scripture, and further declared by Chrift, which before they understood not. And they did fo believe what was declared in the Scriptures, because it was fo declared in them; both are intended in the fame expreffion, «They "believed the Scripture," under various confiderations, fo Acts xxvi. 27. The material object of our faith therefore are the articles of our creed, by whofe enumeration we answer unto that question, What we believe? giving an account of the hope that is in us, as the apostle doth, Acts xxvi. 22, 23. But if moreover we are afked a reafon of our faith or hope, or why we believe the things we do profefs, as God to be one in three perfons, Jefus Chrift to be the Son of God? we do not anfwer, because fo it is, for this is that which we believe, which were fenfeless. But we must give some other answer unto that enquiry, whether it be made by others or ourfelves. The proper answer unto this question contains the formal reafon and object of our faith, that which it refts upon and is refolved into. And this is that which we look after. 2. We do not in this enquiry intend any kind of perfuafion or faith but that which is divine and infallible, both which it is from its formal reafon or objective cause. Men may be able to give fome kind of reafons, why they believe what they profefs fo to do, that will not fuffice or abide the trial in this cafe, although they themselves may reft in them. Some it may be can give no other account hereof, but that they have been fo inftructed by them whom they have fufficient reafon to give credit unto; or that they have fo received them by tradition from their fathers. Now whatever perfuafion these reasons may beget in the minds of men, that the things which they profels to believe are true, yet if they are alone, it is not divine faith whereby they do believe, but that which is merely human, as being refolved into human teftimony only, or an opinion on probable arguments; for no faith can be of any other kind, than is the evidence it reflects on, or ariseth from. I fay, it is fo where they are alone: for I doubt not but that fome who have never further confidered the reafon of their believing than the teaching of their inftructors, have yet that evidence in their own fouls of the truth and authority of God in what they believe, that with refpect thereunto their faith is divine and fupernatural. The faith of moft hath a beginning and progrefs not unlike that of the Samaritans, John iv. 40, 41, 42. as fhall be afterwards declared. 3. When we enquire after faith that is infallible, or be lieving infallibly, which, as we shall shew hereafter, is ncceffary in this cafe, we do not intend an inherent quality in the fubject, as though he that believes with faith infallible must himself also be infallible; much lefs do we speak of infallibility abfolutely, which is a property of God, who alone from the perfection of his nature can neither deceive nor be deceived. But it is that property or adjunct of the affent of our minds unto divine truths or fupernatural revelations, whereby it is differenced from all other kinds of affent whatever. And this it hath from its formal object, or the evidence whereon we give this affent. For the nature of every affent is given unto it by the nature of the evidence which it proceedeth from, or relieth on. This in divine faith is divine revelation, which being infallible, renders the faith that rests on it, and, is refolved into it, infallible also. No man can believe that which is false, or which may be falfe, with divine faith, for that which renders it divine, is the divine truth and infallibility of the ground and evidence which it is built upon. But a man may believe that which is true, infallibly fo, and yet his faith not be infallible; that the Scripture is the word of God is infallibly true, yet the faith whereby a man believes it fo to be, may be fallible, for it is fuch as his evidence is, and no other; he may believe it to be fo on tradition, or the teftimony of the church of Rome only, or on outward arguments, all which being fallible, his faith is fo alfo, although the things he affents unto be infallibly true. Wherefore unto this faith divine and infallible, it is not required that the perfon in whom it is, be infallible; nor is it enough that the thing itself believed be infallibly true, but moreover that the evidence whereon he doth believe it be infallible alfo. So it was with them who received divine revelations immediately from God: It was not enough that the things revealed unto them were infallibly true, but they were to have infallible evidence of the revelation itself; then was their faith infallible, though their perfons were fallible. With this faith then a man can believe nothing but what is divinely true, and therefore it is infallible; and the reafon is, because God's veracity, who is the God of truth, is the only האמינו יחוה אלחיכם,object of it: Hence faith the prophet 1-2 Chron. xx. 20. "Believe in the Lord your God, and you fhall be established ;" or that faith which is in God and his word is fixed on truth, or is infallible. Hence the enquiry in this case is, what is the reason why we believe any thing with this faith divine or fupernatural ? or what it is the believing whereof makes our faith divine, infallible and fupernatural? Wherefore, 4. The authority and veracity of God revealing the material objects of our faith, or what it is our duty to believe, is the formal object and reason of our faith, from whence it ariseth and whereinto it is ultimately resolved. That is, the only reason why we do believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God, that God is one fingle effence fubfifting in three perfons, is because that God who is "truth, the God of truth," Deut. xxxii. 4. who "cannot "lie, Tit. i. 2. and whose word is truth, John xvii. 17. " and the Spirit which gave it out is truth," i John v. 6. hath revealed these things to be fo; and our believing these things on that ground renders our faith divine and fupernatural. Suppofing also a refpect unto the subjective efficiency of the Holy Ghost, inspiring it into our minds, whereof afterwards. For to speak diftinctly, our faith is fupernatural, with refpect unto the production of it in our minds by the Holy Ghoft; and infallible, with respect unto the formal reafon of it, which is divine revelation; and is divine, in oppofition unto what is merely human on both accounts. As things are proposed unto us to be believed as true, faith in its affent respects only the truth or veracity of God; but whereas this faith is required of us in a way of obedience, and is confidered not only phyfically in its nature, but morally alfo as our duty, it refpects also the authority of God, which I therefore join with the truth of God, as D |