Of the divine original, authority, self-evidencing light, and power of the Scriptures. With an…Of the divine originall, authority, self-evidencing light, and povver of the Scriptures. With an…

Sect. 12. Another consideration of the Doctrine of the Scripture to this purpose regards some particulars of it. There are some Doctrines of the Scripture, some Revelations in it, so sublimely glorious, of so profound and mysterious an Excellency, that at the first proposal of them, nature startles, shrinks, and is taken with Horror, meeting with that which is above it, too great and too excellent for it, which it could desirously avoid and decline; but yet gathering it self up to them, it yields, and finds, that unless they are accepted, ⟨p. 131⟩and submitted unto, though unsearchable, that not only All that hath been received, must be rejected, but also the whole dependence of the Creature on God be dissolved, or rendered only dreadful, terrible, and destructive to nature its self. Such are the Doctrines of the Trinity, of the Incarnation of the son of God, of the Resurrection of the dead, of the new birth, and the like. At the first Revelation of these things, nature is amazed, cries, how can these things be? Or gathers up it self to Opposition; this is babbling, like the Athenians; folly, as all the wise Greeks. But when the Eyes of Reason are a little confirmed, though it can never clearly behold the Glory of this Sun, yet it confesseth a Glory to be in it, above all that it is able to apprehend. I could manifest in particular, that the Doctrines before mentioned, and several others are of this importance; namely though great, above and beyond the reach of Reason, yet upon search found to be such, as without submission to them, the whole comfortable Relation between God and man must needs be dissolved.

Sect. 12. Another consideration of the Doctrine of the Scripture to this purpose regards some particulars of it. There are some Doctrines of the Scripture, some Revelations in it, so sublimely glorious, of so profound and mysterious an Excellency, that at the first proposall of them, nature startles, shrinks, and is taken with Horrour, meeting with that which is above it, too great and too excellent for it, which it could desirously avoid and decline; but yet gathering it selfe up to them, it yeilds, and finds, that unlesse they are accepted, ⟨p. 131⟩and submitted unto, though unsearchable, that not only All that hath been received, must be rejected, but also the whole dependance of the Creature on God be dissolved, or rendred only dreadfull, terrible, and destructive to nature its selfe. Such are the Doctrines of the Trinity, of the Incarnation of the son of God, of the Resurrection of the dead, of the new birth, and the like. At the first Revelation of these things, nature is amazed, cries, how can these things be? Or gathers up it selfe to Opposition; this is babling, like the Athenians; folly, as all the wise Greeks. But when the Eyes of Reason are a little confirmed, though it can never clearly behold the Glory of this Sun, yet it confesseth a Glory to be in it, above all that it is able to apprehend. I could manifest in particular, that the Doctrines before mentioned, and severall others are of this importance; namely though great, above and beyond the reach of Reason, yet upon search found to be such, as without submission to them, the whole comfortable Relation between God and man must needs be dissolved.