The Existence and Attributes of God, Volumes 1 and 2Charnock, Stephen
Religion
The Existence and Attributes of God, Volumes 1 and 2
Charnock, Stephen
God (Christianity) -- Attributes; Providence and government of God -- Christianity
In Paul’s account, the testimony of the creatures was without
contradiction. God himself justifies this way of proceeding by his
own example, and remits Job to the consideration of the creatures,
to spell out something of his divine perfections.[19] And this is
so convincing an argument of the existence of God, that God never
vouchsafed any miracle, or put forth any act of omnipotency, besides
what was evident in the creatures, for the satisfaction of the
curiosity of any atheist, or the evincing of his being, as he hath
done for the evidencing those truths which were not written in
the book of nature, or for the restoring a decayed worship, or the
protection or deliverance of his people. Those miracles in publishing
the gospel, indeed, did demonstrate the existence of some supreme
power; but they were not seals designedly affixed for that, but for
the confirmation of that truth, which was above the ken of purblind
reason, and purely the birth of divine revelation. Yet what proves the
truth of any spiritual doctrine, proves also in that act the existence
of the Divine Author of it. The revelation always implies a revealer,
and that which manifests it to be a revelation, manifests also the
supreme Revealer of it. By the same light the sun manifests other
things to us, it also manifests itself. But what miracles could
rationally be supposed to work upon an atheist, who is not drawn
to a sense of the truth proclaimed aloud by so many wonders of the
creation? Let us now proceed to the demonstration of the atheist’s
folly.
It is a folly to deny or doubt of a Sovereign Being, incomprehensible
in his nature, infinite in his essence and perfections, independent
in his operations, who hath given being to the whole frame of sensible
and intelligible creatures, and governs them according to their
several natures, by an unconceivable wisdom; who fills the heavens
with the glory of his majesty, and the earth with the influences of
his goodness.
It is a folly inexcusable to renounce, in this case, all appeal to
universal consent, and the joint assurances of the creatures.
_Reason I._ ’Tis a folly to deny or doubt of that which hath been the
acknowledged sentiment of all nations, in all places and ages. There
is no nation but hath owned some kind of religion, and, therefore,
no nation but hath consented in the notion of a Supreme Creator and
Governor.
1. This hath been universal. 2. It hath been constant and
uninterrupted. 3. Natural and innate.
{a30} First, It hath been universally assented to by the judgments and
practices of all nations in the world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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