Give Credence to the Word written; believe it to be of God; see Direct. 10 the Name of God in every line. The Romans, that they might gain Credit to their Laws, reported that they were inspired by the Gods at Rome. Believe the Scripture to be Coelo missa, divinely inspired. 2 Tim. 3.16. All Scripture is [Greek or Hebrew], of Divine inspiration. Who but God could reveal the great Doctrines of the Trinity, the Hypostatical Union, the Resurrection? Whence should the Scripture come, if not from God? 1. Sinners could not be the Authors of Scripture; would they indite such holy lines? or inveigh so fiercely against ⟨p. 166⟩those sins which they love? 2. Saints could not be the Authors of Scripture; how could it stand with their Sanctity to counterfeit God's Name, and put Thus saith the Lord to a Book of their own devising? 3. Angels could not be the Authors of Scripture. What Angel in Heaven durst personate God, and say, I am the Lord? Believe the Pedigree of Scripture to be Sacred, and to come from the(d) father of lights. The Scriptures Antiquity speaks its Divinity. No humane Histories extant reach further than Noah's Flood, but the Scripture writes of things(e) before time. Besides, the Majesty, Profundity, Purity, Harmony of Scripture, show it could be breathed from none but God himself. Add to this the(f) Efficacy the Word written hath had upon mens Consciences; by reading Scripture they have been turned into other men, as might be instanced in St. Austin, Junius, and others. If you should set a Seal upon a piece of Marble, and it should leave a Print behind, you would say there were a strange virtue in that Seal; so, that the Word written should leave a Heavenly Print of Grace upon the heart, it argues it to be of Direct. 11 Divine Authority: If you would profit by the Word, believe it to be of God.4 Some Sceptics question the Verity of Scripture; though they have the Articles of Religion in their Creed, yet not in their belief, Isa. 53.1. Who hath believed our Report? Unbelief enervates the Virtue of the Word, and makes it abortive; who will(g) obey those truths he doth not believe? Heb. 4.1. The Word did not profit them, not being mixed with Faith.
Give Credence to the Word written; believe it to be of God; see Direct. 10 the Name of God in every line. The Romans, that they might gain Credit to their Laws, reported that they were inspired by the Gods at Rome. Believe the Scripture to be Coelo missa, divinely inspired. 2 Tim. 3.16. All Scripture is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, of Divine inspiration. Who but God could reveal the great Doctrines of the Trinity, the Hypostatical Union, the Resurrection? Whence should the Scripture come, if not from God? 1. Sinners could not be the Authors of Scripture; would they indite such holy lines? or inveigh so fiercely against ⟨p. 166⟩those sins which they love? 2. Saints could not be the Authors of Scripture; how could it stand with their Sanctity to counterfeit God's Name, and put Thus saith the Lord to a Book of their own devising? 3. Angels could not be the Authors of Scripture. What Angel in Heaven durst personate God, and say, I am the Lord? Believe the Pedigree of Scripture to be Sacred, and to come from the(d) father of lights. The Scriptures Antiquity speaks its Divinity. No humane Histories extant reach further than Noah's Flood, but the Scripture writes of things(e) before time. Besides, the Majesty, Profundity, Purity, Harmony of Scripture, show it could be breathed from none but God himself. Add to this the(f) Efficacy the Word written hath had upon mens Consciences; by reading Scripture they have been turned into other men, as might be instanced in St. Austin, Junius, and others. If you should set a Seal upon a piece of Marble, and it should leave a Print behind, you would say there were a strange vertue in that Seal; so, that the Word written should leave a Heavenly Print of Grace upon the heart, it argues it to be of Direct. 11 Divine Authority: If you would profit by the Word, believe it to be of God.4 Some Scepticks question the Verity of Scripture; though they have the Articles of Religion in their Creed, yet not in their belief, Isa. 53.1. Who hath believed our Report? Unbelief enervates the Vertue of the Word, and makes it abortive; who will(g)
- (d)Jam. 1.17.
- (e)Id verum, quod primum. Tertul.
- (f)Cum animum tangit, est sicut fulmen. Luth.
- 4[Greek or Hebrew]〈non-Latin alphabet〉
- (g)Ubi male creditur, ibi nec bene vivitur. Hierom.Ʋbi male creditur, ibi nec bene vivitur. Hierom.
