More reasons for the Christian religion and no reason against it, or, A second…

And thus much being past doubt, what if we were now at a loss about some Appurtenances of the Gospel, whether they were any of the Spirits dictates, or any part of the word of God: or any proper part of that which the Apostles were Commissioned for, and Spiritually Enabled to teach? What if in some points which they could know by common sense infallibly as well as other men, any one should think that they were left merely to that certainty of sense. What if one be uncertain which are the Parts, and which but the Appurtenances of the Gospel in some things which salvation is not laid on? Or were uncertain whether the Spirit did determine the Speakers tongue or pen about every such Appurtenance? What's this to the invalidating of any of the rest? If indeed when they speak by the Spirits Revelation, they spake falsely at any one time, we could never be sure that they spake true. ⟨p. 41⟩But when we are sure that all is true which they speak by the Spirit, and sure that they spake the Gospel, or delivered the Christian Religion by the Spirit, and are only not sure whether every word in Genealogy, or by circumstances were spoken by the Spirit, nothing will follow hence, but that every word of God is true, and every word of the Apostles which was a word of God: And it is perverseness to argue, They▪ may err when they speak their own words as men: Therefore they may err when they speak Gods words by the Spirit.

And thus much being past doubt, what if we were now at a loss about some Appurtenances of the Gospel, whether they were any of the Spirits dictates, or any part of the word of God: or any proper part of that which the Apostles were Commissioned for, and Spiritually Enabled to teach? What if in some points which they could know by common sense infallibly as well as other men, any one should think that they were left meerly to that certainty of sense. What if one be uncertain which are the Parts, and which but the Appurtetenances of the Gospel in some things which salvation is not laid on? Or were uncertain whether the Spirit did determine the Speakers tongue or pen about every such Appurtenance? What's this to the invalidating of any of the rest? If indeed when they speak by the Spirits Revelation, they spake falsly at any one time, we could never be sure that they spake true. ⟨p. 41⟩But when we are sure that all is true which they speak by the Spirit, and sure that they spake the Gospel, or delivered the Christian Religion by the Spirit, and are onely not sure whether every word in Genealogy, or by circumstances were spoken by the Spirit, nothing will follow hence, but that every word of God is true, and every word of the Apostles which was a word of God: And it is perversness to argue, They may erre when they speak their own words as men: Therefore they may erre when they speak Gods words by the Spirit.