Full and easy satisfaction which is the true and safe religion in a conference…Full and easie satisfaction which is the true and safe religion in a conference…

P. A heavy charge, if you can make it good.

R. To make it good, do but first observe, 1. That Gods Essential Will or mind is not in it self immediately seen by man; but known only by some Revelation. 2. That this Revelation is nothing but some SIGNS: For there is nothing in the Universe of Beings, but GOD and CREATURES and the ACTS or Works of Creatures. Now it is not Gods own Essence which is the Revelation in question. Therefore it must be either A Creature (or work of God), or an Act or Work of a Creature. As the voice on Mount Sinai, and that of Christ at his baptism and transfiguration, and the written Tables of Stone, &c. were either the works of God immediately, and so created Signs of his mind; or else the Acts of Angels, and so Imperate Signs of his mind. Nor it is not the ordinariness or extraordinariness of the way of making these signs, which maketh them currant and true, or credible: For if God can make a Natural false sign, he can make a supernatural false one, for ought any mortal man can prove. Only all the question is, Whether it be indeed a sign of the mind and will of God or not? Now the works of Nature are Gods Natural Signs, and his Natural objective Light and Law; as the perception of them is the Subjective ⟨p. 80⟩or Active Light and Law of Nature: Something of God, these Natural signs do signify or reveal plainly, and some things darkly: And so it is with supernatural signs; As the written Tables, the voice of an Angel, the words of an inspired Prophet or Apostle, &c. Now there is no other way for God to speak or reveal falsely, could he do it, but 1. Either to make a false sign, naturally or supernaturally, or 2. To determine mans sense or mind to a false perception. And if God can do this naturally, why not supernaturally? Nay, à fortiore mark how you teach the Infidel to infer? 1. Gods Natural Revelations are Common, and his supernatural rare. 2. Gods Natural Revelations are most certainly his own Acts: But how far a Voice or Book from a Spirit, may be the Act of that Spirit or Angel as a free Agent, and how far that Agent is fallible or defectible, we could not tell, if we had not farther Evidence of Gods owning it. Therefore if you make Gods own ordinary Natural Revelations or significations to be false, how will you be able to disprove the Infidel about the rest? 3. And then note, that our Case is yet lower and plainer than all this: