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duty so to do. And this duty it performs ministerially, not authoritatively. A church may bear up the light, but it is not the light itself. It bears witness to it, but kindles not one divine beam to farther its discovery. All the preaching that is in any church, its administration of ordinances, all its walking in the truth, hold up this light.

Nor doth it in the least impair this self-evidencing efficacy of the Scripture, that it is a moral and spiritual, not a natural light. The proposition is universal to all kinds of light; yea, more fully applicable to the former than the latter. Light, of itself, will not remove the defect of the visive faculty. It is not given for that end; light is not eyes. It suffices that there is nothing wanting on its own part, for its discovery and revelation. To argue that the sun cannot be known to be the sun, or the great means of communicating external light to the world, because blind men cannot see it, will scarcely be admitted; nor doth it in the least impeach the efficacy of the light pleaded for, that men stupidly blind cannot comprehend it, John i. 5.

Many

I do not assert from hence, that wherever the Scripture is brought, all that read it must instantly, of necessity, assent to its divine original. men (who are not stark blind) may have so abused their eyes, that when a light is brought into a dark place, they may not be able to discern it. Men may be so prepossessed with innumerable prejudices, principles received by strong traditions, corrupt affections making them hate the light, that they may not behold the glory of the Word, when it is brought to them. But it is nothing to our present argument,

whether any man living be able, of himself, to discern this light, while the defect may be their own blindness. "By the manifestation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every one's conscience in the sight of God; but if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." There is in the dispensation of the word, an evidence of truth commending itself to the consciences of men; some receive not this evidence; is it for want of light in the truth itself? No: that is a glorious light that

shines into the hearts of men.

testimony to assert this light?

Is it for want of

No: but merely

because the god of this world hath blinded the eyes of men, that they should not behold it.

From what, then, hath been laid down, these two things may be inferred :

1. That as the authority of God, the first and only absolute truth, in the Scripture, is that alone which divine faith rests upon; so, wherever the word comes, it hath in itself a sufficiency of light to evidence to all, (and will do it eventually to all that are not blinded by the god of this world,) that authority of God, its author; and the only reason why it is not received by many in the world, to whom it is come, is the advantage that Satan hath to keep them in ignorance and blindness, by the lusts, corruptions, prejudices, and hardness of their own hearts.

The word, then, makes a sufficient proposition of itself, wherever it is. And he to whom it comes, who refuses it, because it comes not so or so testified,

must give an account of his atheism and infidelity. He that hath the witness of God, need not stay for the witness of men, for the witness of God is greater.

Wherever the word is received, as it requireth itself to be received, and is really assented to as the word of God, it is so received upon the evidence of that light which it hath in itself, manifestly declaring itself so to be. It is all one by what means, whether of a child or a church, by common consent of men or peculiar providence, the Scripture comes to us; come how it will, it hath its authority in itself, towards us, by being the word of God; and hath its power of manifesting itself so to be, from its own innate light.

Now, this light in the Scripture, for which we contend, is nothing but the beaming of the majesty, truth, holiness, and authority of God, given to it, and left upon it, by its author, the Holy Ghost; an impress it hath of God's excellency upon it, distinguishing it, by infallible signs, from the product of any creature. By this it dives into the consciences of men, into all the secret recesses of their hearts; guides, teaches, directs, determines, and judges in them, in the name, majesty, and authority of God. If men who are blinded by the god of this world, will yet deny this light, because they perceive it not, it shall not prejudice those who do. By this selfevidencing light, I say, doth the Scripture make such a proposition of itself, as the word of God, that whoever rejects it, doth it at the peril of his eternal ruin; and thereby a foundation is tendered for that faith which it requireth to repose itself upon.

For the proof, then, of the divine authority of the

Scriptures, to those who do not acknowledge it, I shall only suppose, that, by the providence of God, the book itself be so brought to them, as that they bé engaged to the consideration of it. This is the work of God's providence in the government of the world; and if it evidence not itself to their consciences, it is because they are blinded by the god of this world, which will be no plea for the refusal of it at the last day and they who receive it not on this ground, will never receive it on any, as they ought. The second sort of things that evidence themselves, are things of an effectual powerful operation of any kind. So doth fire by heat, the wind by its noise and force, salt by its taste, the sun by its light and heat; so do also moral principles that are effectually operative, Rom. ii. 14, 15. Men in whom they are, do manifest them by their working and efficacy. Whatever it be that hath an innate power in itself, that will effectually operate on a proper subject, is able to evidence itself, and its own nature and condition.

To manifest the right of the Scripture to be enrolled among things of this nature, yea, under God himself, who is known by his great power, and the effects of it, to have the pre-eminence, I shall only observe one or two things, the various improvement of which would take up more space than I have allotted to this discourse.

It is absolutely called "the power of God ;" and that to its proper end, in which lies the tendency of its efficacy in operation. It is " the power of God," Rom. i. 16. The word concerning the cross," that is, the Gospel, is the "power of God;" and

faith, which is built on that word, without other helps or advantages, is said to stand in the "power of God," 1 Cor. ii. 5. That is, effectually working by the word. It worketh "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power;" its spiritual power gives a demonstration of it. Thus it comes not as a naked word, but "in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance;" giving all manner of assurance and full persuasion of itself, even by its power and efficacy. Hence it is termed "the rod of power," or strength, Psalm cx. 2. denoting both authority and efficacy. Surely that which is thus the power and authority of God, is able to make itself known so to be.

i. 21.

It is not only said to be " power," the power of God, in itself, but also "able and powerful," in respect of us. "Thou hast learned," saith Paul to Timothy," the sacred letters,' "the sacred letters," (the written word,) "which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.” They are powerful and effectual to that purpose. It is the word that hath power in it to save," James So Acts xx. 32. "I commend you to the able powerful word." And, that we may know what kind of power it hath, the Apostle tells us that it is "living and effectual," and "sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." It is designed of God, to declare the effectual working of his power. See Johu vi. 68, 69. Gal. ii. 8. By virtue of this power, it brought forth fruit in all the world, Col. i. 6. Without sword, without human wisdom or oratory, without any in

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