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. III.

SEcondly, That it proceeded not meerly from man, I also [ 2] prove thus. That which was done without the help of humane learning, or any extraordinary endowments of nature, and yet the greatest Philosophers could never reach neer it, must needs be the effect of a Power supernaturall: But such is both the doctrine and the Miracles in Scripture: therefore, &c.

It is only the Antecedent that here requires proof: which consists of these two branches, both which I shall make clear.

First, That the doctrine of Scripture was compiled, and the Mir∣acles done, without the help of much humane learning, or any ex∣traordinary naturall endowments.

Secondly, That yet the most learned Philosophers never could reach neer the Gospel Mysteries, nor ever work the Miracles that were then done.

But I shall say most to the Doctrine. For the proof of the former, consider;

First, The whole world was in the times of Moses, and the Prophets comparatively unlearned. A kinde of learning the Egyp∣tians then had (and some few others) especially consisting in some small skill in Astronomy: But it was all but barbarous igno∣rance,

in comparison of the Learning of Greece and Europe. Those Writings of greatest Antiquity, yet extant, do shew this. See also Dr. Hackwell, as before.

2. As rare as Learning then was, yet did God chuse the un∣learned of that unlearned time, to be instruments and Penmen of his choisest Scriptures: David, who was bred a Shephard, is the Penman of those divine unmatchable Psalms. Amos is taken from a Heardsman to be a Prophet.

3. But especially in those latter Ages when the world was grown more wise and learned, did God purposely chuse the weak, the foolish, the unlearned to confound them; A company of poor Fishermen, Tentmakers, and such like, must write the Laws of the Kingdom of Christ; must dive into the Spiritual Mysteries of the Kingdom; must silence the Wise, and Disputers of the world; and must be the men that must bring in the world to be∣lieve. Doubless, as Gods sending David, an unarmed Boy, with a Sling and a Stone against an armed Gyant, was to make it appear, that the victory was from himself: So his sending these unlearned men to Preach the Gospel, and subdue the world, was to convince both the present and future generations, that it was God, and not man that did the work.

4. Also the course they took in silencing the learned adversaries, doth shew us how little use they made of these Humane helps. They disputed not with them by the precepts of Logick: Their Arguments were to the Jews the Writings of Moses and the Pro∣phets; and both to Jews and Gentiles, the miracles that were wrought; They argued more with deeds, then with words: The blinde, the lame, the sick that were recovered, were their visible Arguments. The Languages which they spake, the Prophesies which they uttered, and other such supernatural gifts of the holy Ghost upon them; these were the things that did convince the world. Yet this is no president to us, to make as little use of Learning as they, because we are not upon the same work, nor yet supplied with their supernatural furniture.

5. The reproaches of their enemies do fully testifie this, who cast it still in their teeth, that they were ignorant and unlearned men. And indeed this was the great rub that their Doctrine found in the world: it was to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness, and therefore it appeared to be the power of

God, and not of man: This was it that they discouraged the people with, Do any of the Rulers, or Pharisees believe on him? but this people that know not the Law are accursed

6. To conclude, The very frame and stile of these sacred Wri∣tings, doth fully tell us, that they were none of the Logicians, nor eloquent Orators of the world that did compose them. This is yet to this day, one of the greatest stumbling blocks in the world, to hinder men from the reverencing and believing the Scriptures. They are still thinking, sure if they were the very words of God, they would excell all other Writings in every kinde of excellency, when indeed it discovereth them the more certainly to be of God, because there is in them so little of man: They may as well say, If David had been sent against Goliah from God, he would sure have been the most compleat souldier, and most compleatly armed. The words are but the dish to serve up the sense in: God is content that the words should not onely have in them a savor of Humanity, but of much infirmity, so that the work of convincing the world may be furthered thereby. And I verily think, that this is Gods great design▪ in permitting these pretious spirits of divine Truths, to run in the veines of infirm Language, that so men may be convinced in all succeeding ages, that Scripture is no device of Humane Policy. If the Apostles had been learned and subtil men, we should sooner have suspected their finger in the contrivance. Yea, It is observable, that in such as Paul, that had some Humane Learning, yet God would not have them make much use of it, least the excellency of the Cross of Christ should seem to lye in the inticing words of mans wisdom; and least the success of the Gospel should seem to be more from the ability of the Preacher, then from the Arm of God.

Besides all this, It may much perswade us, that the Apostles never contrived the Doctrine which they Preached, by their sudden and not premeditated setting upon the work. They knew not whether they should go, nor what they should do, when he calls one from his Fishing, and another from his Custome; They knew not what course Christ would take with himself or them, no not a little be∣fore he leaves them. Nay, they must not know their imployment till he is taken from them. And even then is it revealed to them by parcels and degrees, and that without any study or invention of their own; even after the coming down of the Holy Ghost;

Peter did not well under stand that the Gentiles must be called. All which ignorance of his Apostles, and suddenness of Revelation, I think was purposely contrived by Christ, to convince the world that they were not the contrivers of the Doctrine which they Preached.

Notes

• § 3.
• Vid. Wigandum in Method. ante comment. in mino pro∣phetas.
• Joh. 7 48.49.
• Acts 10.