The saints everlasting rest, or, A treatise of the blessed state of the saints in their enjoyment of God in glory wherein is shewed its excellency and certainty, the misery of those that lose it, the way to attain it, and assurance of it, and how to live in the continual delightful forecasts of it and now published by Richard Baxter ...

SECT. II.* 1.1

[ 2]

SEcondly,* 1.2 That no meer men were the inventers of Scriptures, I prove thus. If men were the devisers of it, then it was either good men, or bad: but it was neither good men nor bad: there∣fore none.

Though goodness and badness have many degrees, yet under some of those degrees do all men fall. Now I will shew you that it could be neither of these. And first, Good men they could not be. For you might better say that Murderers, Traytors, Adulterers, Parricides, Sodomites, &c. were good men, rather then such. To devise Laws and father them upon God: to feign Miracles, and father them upon God: to set themselves up in the place of God: to say their word is the word of the Lord; to promise eternal sal∣vation to those that obey them: to threat damnation to those that obey them not: to draw the world into a course so destru∣ctive to all their worldly happiness, upon a promise of happiness in another world, which they cannot give; to endeavor so egregi∣ously to couzen all mankind; If all this, or any of this, be con∣sistent with common honesty, nay if it be not as horrible wick∣edness as can be committed, then I confesse I have lost my reason. Much lesse then could such a number of Good men in all ages, till

〈…〉〈…〉 were finished, be guilty of such unexpressible crimes. 〈…〉〈…〉 will it here be any evasion, to say, they were men of a 〈…〉〈…〉 temper, partly good, and partly bad: for these are not 〈…〉〈…〉 of a middle nature, nor such as will stand with any rem∣••••nts of ingenuity or humanity. We have known wicked per∣sons, too many, and too bad: yet where or when did we ever know any that attempted any so more-then-Hellish an enterprize? False Prophets have sent abroad indeed particular falshoods: But who hath adventured upon such a systeme as this? * 1.3 Mahomets ex∣ample indeed comes neerest to such a villany: Yet doth not be pretend to the hundreth part so many Miracles, nor so great, as the Scripture relateth, nor doth pretend to be God, nor any more then a great Prophet: trusting more to his sword for suc∣cesse, then to the Authority or truth of his pretended Revelations. Not denying the truth of much of the Scriptures; but add∣ing his Alcoran, partly drawn from Scripture, and partly fitted with fleshly liberties and promises to his own ends. And doth not every man among us take that act of Mahomet to be one of the vilest that the Sun hath seen? And judg of the man himself accordingly? So that I think it beyond doubt, that no one good man, much lesse so great a number as were the penmen of Scripture, could devise it of their own brain, and thrust it on the world.

Secondly, And it is as certaine, that no bad men did devise the Scriptures. Could wicked deceivers so highly advance the glory of God? and labour so mightily to honour him in the world? Would they have so vilified themselves, and acknowledged their faults? Could such an admirable undeniable spirit of holiness, righteousness, and self-deniall, which runs through every veine of Scripture, have been inspired into it from the invention of the wicked? Would wicked men have been so wise, or so zealous for the suppressing of wickedness? Or so earnest to bring the world to Reformation? Would they have been such bitter adversaries to their own wayes? and such faithfull friends to the ways that they hate? Would they have vilified the ungodly, as the Scripture

doth? And pronounced eternall damnation against them? Would they have extolled the godly, who are so contrary to them? And proclaimed them a people eternally blessed? Would they have framed such perfect and such Spirituall laws? And would they have laid such a design against the flesh? And against all their worldly happiness, as the scope of the Scripture doth carry on? Its needless sure to mention any more particulars: I think every man of the least ingenuity, that considers this, or deli∣berately vieweth over the frame of the Scriptures, will easily con∣fesse, that it is more then probable, That it was never devised by any deceiving sinner; much less, that all the penmen of it in seve∣rall Ages were such wicked deceivers.

So then, if it was neither devised by good men, nor by bad men; then sure, by no men: and consequently must of necessity proceed from God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  § 2.
• * 1.2

  Not of man.
• * 1.3

  Mah••m•••• was 〈…〉〈…〉 by the Arabi∣an soldiers for their com∣mander. In his Alco••an he confesseth himself to be a sinner, an Idolater, an Adulterer, given to Le∣chery; His Laws run thus. Avenge your selves of your enemies: Take as many wives as you can keep, and spare not: Kill the Infidels, he that fight∣eth lazily▪ shall be damned, and he that killeth most shall be in Paradise. He saith that Christ had the Spirit and Power of God; and the soul of God; and that he is Christs servant, See Alcoran Azoar 2.3.6. Also Azoar 18.4.11.13. He confesseth that Christ is the Spirit, and word, and messenger of God; that his doctrine i•• perfect, that it enlighteneth the old Testament, and that he came to confirm it: yet denyeth him to be God. Magnus fuit Sanctus, magnus Dei amicus, magnus propheta, &c. Vide Thom. Bradwardin. de Causa Dei, lib. 1. cap. 1. Corol. part 32.