4. Divine Goodness is eminent in providing a Scripture as a Rule to guide us, and continuing it in the World. If Man be a Rational Creature governable by a Law, can it be imagined there should be no revelation of that Law to him? Man by the light of Reason must needs confess himself to be in another condition than he was by Creation, when he came first out of the hands of God; and can it be thought, that God should keep up the World under so many Sins against the light of Nature, and bestow so many providential influences, to invite Men to return to him, and acquaint no Men in the World with the means of that return? Would he exact an Obedience of Men, as their Consciences witness he doth, and furnish them with no Rules to guide them in the darkness, they cannot but acknowledge, that they have ⟨p. 653⟩contracted? No, Divine Goodness hath otherwise provided; This Bible we have, is his Word and Rule. Had it been a falsity and imposture, would that Goodness that watches over the World, have continued it so long? That Goodness that overthrew the burdensome Rites of Moses, and expelled the foolish Idolatry of the Pagans, would have discovered the imposture of this, had it not been a transcript of his own Will. Whatever mistakes he suffers to remain in the World, what goodness had there been, to suffer this anciently amongst the Jews, and afterwards to open it to the whole World, to abuse Men in Religion and Worship, which so nearly concerned himself and his own Honour, that the World should be deceived by the Devil without a remedy in the morning of its appearance? It hath been honoured and admired by some Heathens, when they have cast their Eyes upon it, and their natural Light made them behold some footsteps of a Divinity in it. If this therefore be not a Divine Prescript, let any that deny it, bring as good Arguments for any Book else, as can be brought for this. Now the publishing this is an argument of Divine Goodness: 'Tis designed to win the affections of beggarly Man, to be espoused to a God of Eternal Blessedness, and immense Riches. It speaks words in season; No doubts but it resolves; No Spiritual Distemper but it Cures; No Condition but it hath a Comfort to suit it. 'Tis a Garden which the hand of Divine Bounty hath planted for us; In it he condescends to shadow himself in those Expressions that render him in some manner intelligible to us.
4. Divine Goodness is eminent in providing a Scripture as a Rule to guide us, and continuing it in the World. If Man be a Rational Creature governable by a Law, can it be imagin'd there should be no revelation of that Law to him? Man by the light of Reason must needs confess himself to be in another condition than he was by Creation, when he came first out of the hands of God; and can it be thought, that God should keep up the World under so many Sins against the light of Nature, and bestow so many providential influences, to invite Men to return to him, and acquaint no Men in the World with the means of that return? Would he exact an Obedience of Men, as their Consciencies witness he doth, and furnish them with no Rules to guide them in the darkness, they cannot but acknowledge, that they have ⟨p. 653⟩contracted? No, Divine Goodness hath otherwise provided; This Bible we have, is his Word and Rule. Had it been a falsity and imposture, would that Goodness that watches over the World, have continued it so long? That Goodness that overthrew the burdensom Rites of Moses, and expell'd the foolish Idolatry of the Pagans, would have discover'd the imposture of this, had it not been a transcript of his own Will. Whatever mistakes he suffers to remain in the World, what goodness had there been, to suffer this anciently amongst the Jews, and afterwards to open it to the whole World, to abuse Men in Religion and Worship, which so nearly concern'd himself and his own Honour, that the World should be deceiv'd by the Devil without a remedy in the morning of its appearance? It hath been honour'd and admir'd by some Heathens, when they have cast their Eyes upon it, and their natural Light made them behold some footsteps of a Divinity in it. If this therefore be not a Divine Praescript, let any that deny it, bring as good Arguments for any Book else, as can be brought for this. Now the publishing this is an argument of Divine Goodness: 'Tis design'd to win the affections of beggarly Man, to be espous'd to a God of Eternal Blessedness, and immense Riches. It speaks words in season; No doubts but it resolves; No Spiritual Distemper but it Cures; No Condition but it hath a Comfort to suit it. 'Tis a Garden which the hand of Divine Bounty hath planted for us; In it he condescends to shadow himself in those Expressions that render him in some manner intelligible to us.
