The Scriptnre the onlyRuleofall our thoughtsof God. CAP. X1.4: t 5. difprove it; Andthat this tis his refolved judgement, hemanifefteth in the nèxt words Iverily believe, That in cafe any filch afsurance were tobe found in &C. That is Si Deus homini non placuerit, Deus non erst. What more con- temptible could the Pagansof old have fpoken of theirdunghill Deities, with their Amphibolous oracles? were it not fitter language for the Indian Conju- rers, whobeatand aflli&t their hellifh Gods, ifthey anfwer not according to their defires? The whole Authority ofGod,andofhis Word in theScriptures, is herecalf downe before the confideration ofan intelligent man (forfooth) or a vaine man, that mouldbewife, but is like the wildAfsescolt; and this intel- ligent man(it feemes) may contend to reject the Word ofGod, and yet be accounted molt wife; Ofold,the Prophet thought not fo. To what end is any farther difpute? If the Scripture fpeaketh not to Mr Goodwin mind, ( for doubtleffehe is an intelligentandconfidering man,) he feethfuffecient ground to queftion its Authority. By what way pof{ible, any man can more advance himfelfe into the Throneof God , then by entertaining filch thoughts and conceptions as thefe, I know not. An intelligent man isfuppofed to have from himfelfe, and his own Wifdome and Intelligence, confederationsof Gods nature and perfection, by which he is to regulate and meafure all things, that areaffirmed ofGod, or his will in the Scripture. If what is fo delivered fuit thefe conceptions ofhis, that Scripture wherein it is :delivered may paffe for Canonicall &Authentick: Ifotherwife, eâdemfacilitate rejiciturqua oferitur; which was fometimes fpokenofTraditionalls; but it feems may now be ex- tended to the written Word. The Scripture is fuppofed toholdout things contrary towhat this intelligent Man bath conceived and confïdered , and this is afferted, as a juft ground toqueftion itsAuthority. And if thisbe not a Progreffe in the contempt oftheWord ofGod, to what ever yet Papi.fls, so- cinians,or Enthufafts have attempted, I am deceived. To the Lam, and to the Tefiimony, with all the conceptions andnotions of the m )ft intelligent man: if they anfwer not to this Rule, it isbeeaufe there isno truth in them. But headdeth the Reafon of this bold Affertion: for (faith he) That a God 0. t9. infinitely righteous and holy, fbould irreverfibly &c. Anf. Neither yet doth this atall mend the matter. Neither doth the particular inítance given alter at all, but confirme the firft generali Afièrtion: (viz.)that Ifthere be any thing in theScriptures contrary to thofe thoughtsofGod, which an intelligent man ('without the Scripture) doth conceive ofhim, he bath full grounds to quellion theirAuth.ority,which wholly cafes downe the Wordof Go fro: its E cellency, and fettetha poore, datke, blind creature, under t e notion _ n intelligent man, at liberty from his fubje&ion thereunto, making him his owne rule, and guide, as to his Apprehenlions ofGod andhis Will: And is it pofTble,that fuch athought fhould enter into the heart ofa man fearing God,& reverencing his Word,which God bathmagnifzed above all his name?There is fcarce any one Truth in the whole Booke ofGod, but fome men, paffing in the world for intelligent and confidering mendoe Tooke upon it, and profeflè it to be unworthy ofan infinity Righteous, andHoly God. So do the Socinians think of the Doctrine ofthe SatiffaEfion ofChrif, the great treafure ofthe Church; At the rate that men paffeat in this world, it will be difficult to exclude manyofthem from the number of intelligent confidering men ;And are they not all abfolved here by Mr G. in this Principle, from bowing to theAuthorityofGod in the Scriptures, having juif ground to tiueftion, whether they are from God or no. The cafe is the fame with the Papifls &others in fundry particulats. Frame the fuppofition how you will, in things never founcouth and ftrange, yet ifthisbethe pofition, That in things which appeasefo tomen, upon their confideration, ifany thing in the Scrip- K k 3 titre Zii
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