A short and plain answer to two questions

With this Question chiefly, they think to undo the simpler sort of Heretics, as they are pleased to speak; and 'tis not impossible but some weak and unsteady Minds may be shaken by it. For since we never heard God vocally pronounce it, nor ever saw him deliver it unto the World, as his Act and Deed; they would ⟨p. 3⟩have us so easy and credulous as to believe, that there is no way to be assured of its being his Word, but upon the Authority of the Church, and that no Church but theirs, can have that Authority. But this Plea, is as far from satisfying an inquisitive Mind, as my Arguments are like to be from convincing our Adversaries. Now, if any unlearned, well meaning Person, shall happen to be attacked by this, or any such like Question, and shall doubt of his own ability, to repel the Sophistry, whereby they are wont to manage their needy Cause: I should advise him to deal with them, as our Saviour sometime did with the captions and impertinent Jews; namely, to answer their Question by asking another. As, Who gave you Authority to call in question the Scriptures? How dare you insinuate doubts into any Christians mind concerning the Truth and Authority of that Book, which is the Rule of our Duty both to God and Man? Away with these too curious Questions, of which a Fool may ask more than a Wise Man can tell how to answer. It argues a desperate Cause, and a Religion highly suspicious, that cannot be maintained otherwise, than by such Pleas, as tend to make Men Atheists.

With this Question chiefly, they think to undo the simpler sort of Hereticks, as they are pleased to speak; and 'tis not impossible but some weak and unsteady Minds may be shaken by it. For since we never heard God vocally pronounce it, nor ever saw him deliver it unto the World, as his Act and Deed; they would ⟨p. 3⟩have us so easie and credulous as to believe, that there is no way to be assured of its being his Word, but upon the Authority of the Church, and that no Church but theirs, can have that Authority. But this Plea, is as far from satisfying an inquisitive Mind, as my Arguments are like to be from convincing our Adversaries. Now, if any unlearned, well meaning Person, shall happen to be attackt by this, or any such like Question, and shall doubt of his own ability, to repel the Sophistry, whereby they are wont to manage their needy Cause: I should advise him to deal with them, as our Saviour sometime did with the captions and impertment Jews; namely, to answer their Question by asking another. As, Who gave you Authority to call in question the Scriptures? How dare you insinuate doubts into any Christians mind concerning the Truth and Authority of that Book, which is the Rule of our Duty both to God and Man? Away with these too curious Questions, of which a Fool may ask more than a Wise Man can tell how to answer. It argues a desperate Cause, and a Religion highly suspicious, that cannot be maintain'd otherwise, than by such Pleas, as tend to make Men Atheists.