I76 E'xpofitio: of the C FIA P. IL proceeding to take vengeance on them by whom it is negle6ded. The punithment of tranfgreffors is a meetRecompenseofReward; becaufe the word fpoken untothem is ftedfaff. And thíslatterfollows upon the former: For if the word be not a ffabk firmfoundation for the Faith and Obedience ofmen, they cannot be juftly punifhedfor theneglefi of it. That therefore mutt bebriefly fpoken unto,and this will naturally enfue, as a confequent thereof. Godhath, as we Caw on the firft Verfi of this Epiftle, by variotu Mayes and means, declared and revealedhis mind unto men. That Declaration, what meansor intleu- inents foever he is pleafed tomake ufe of therein,is called his Word. And that becaufe originally, it is his, proceedsfrom him, is delivered in his name and Authority, reveals his mind, and tendsto his Glory. Thus fometimes he fpake by Angels, tiling their Miniflry, either `in delivering his Meffages, by words of an outward found , or by Reprefentation of things inVifionr and Dreams; and fometimes by the Infßiration of the HolyGhofs, enabling them fo infpired, to give out the word which they re-, ceived, purely and entirely; all remaining his Word 1ä1l. Now what ways foever God is pleated to ufe, in theCommunication of his Mindand Will unto men for tlieit Obedience, there is thatJtedfaffnefl in the Word it Pelf, that Evidence to be from him, as make it the duty of men tobelieve in it, with faithdivine and fupernatural ; and that liability which will never deceive them. It is , I fay thus Jtedfaft upon the account of its beingffioken from God, and (lands inno need of the contribution ofany ftreitgth, Authority or Teflimonyfrom men, Church, Tradition, or ought elfe that is extrinfecal unto it. The Teftimonies given hereunto in the Scripture it felf, which arevery many, with the general Grounds and Reafons hereof, I (hall not here iota upon ; and that becaufe I have done it elfewhere. I (hall only mention that one confideration, which this place of the Apolile fuggetts unto us; and which is con- tained in our fecond Obfervation from the word Jtedfaff. Take this word as fpoken fromGod, without the help of any other Advantages, and thefedfàffnefl of it,. is the GroundofGods inflieling Vengeance on them that receive it not, that obey it not. Becaufe it is his Word,becaufe it is cloathedwith his Authority; if men believe it not, they mull perifh. But now if this be not fufficiently evidencedunto them, namely that it is bit Word, God could not be jail in taking vengeance of them ; for he fhould pu- nifh them for not believing that, which they hadno fufficient Reafon tobelieve,,which fuits not withthe Holinefs and JufliceOfGod. The Evidence then that this Word is from God, that it is his, being the foundation of the Juftice ofGod in his proceeding again( them that do not believe it, it is of indifpentibleneceffity that he himfelfalfo do give thatEvidence unto it. For whence alfo fhould it have it ? from the Te(ti- mony of theChurch, or from Tradition, or from probable moral inducements, that men can tender one to another ; Then thefttwo things will inevitably follow. s. That if men fhould negleft their duty in givingTeftimony unto the Word, as theymaydo, be- cane they arebut men, thenGod cannot juffly condemn any man in the world, for the negleei ofhisWord, in not believing it, or not yielding obedience unto it. And the Reafon is evident; becaufe if they havenot fufficient Grounds to believe it to be his, without fuch Teflimonies as are not givenunto it, it is the higheff Injuftice tocondemn them for not believing it; and they fhould perifb without a carafe. For what can be mòre unjufl, than to punifh a man, efpecially eternally, for not doing that which he had no jufl or fufficient Reafon todo ? This be far fromGod, to defìroy the innocent with the wicked. (a.) Suppofe all men aright to difcharge their duty ; and that therebe afull Tradition concerning theWord ofGod ; that theChurch give Tellimony unto it,and Learnedmen produce their Arguments for it ; if this,all, or anypart here- of, be esteemed as the fufficient Propoftion of the Scripture to be the WordofGod, then is the Execution of infinite divine Mice built upon the Teflimonyof men, which is not divine or infallible, but fuch as might deceive. For God on this fup- pofal mutt condemnmen for not believing with faithdivine andinfallible, that which is propofed unto them by Tettimoniesand Arguments, humane andfallible; quad abfit. It remaineth then that theRighteoufnefs of the Ads ofGod in condemning unbe- lievers, is built upon theEvidence, that the Objeh of Faith or Word to be believed is from him. And this he givesunto it, both by the Imprebrion of his Majefty and Authority upon it, andby the Power and Efficacy wherewith by his Spirit it is accompanied. Thus is everyWord of GodJ?edfaft as a Declaration of his Wilt unto. us; by what means fo- evert it is made known unto us. y, &very
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