Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Secondly, These [Greek or Hebrew] or internal marks cannot be known without supernatural light.

Secondly, These 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 or internal marks cannot be known without supernatural light.

First, There are in the holy Scriptures certain marks or characters whereby they reveal themselves to be the very word of God, even as the Sun manifests it self by its own light. There is a Majesty in the stile; what book or writing ever run in such a strain, as thus saith the Lord? where before it was there ever any universal Law made unto all mankind, Kings and beggars without distinction? who ever before commanded obedience upon pain of eternal torments in another world, or allured obedience with promises ⟨p. 33⟩of everlasting glory there? The fiery Law carries an awe with it, as if the thunders and lightnings of Sinai were not yet over: And in the Gospel the kingdom of heaven approaches and opens it self to believers, as it were in sparkles of glory. Again, there is a treasure of Divine mysteries, touching the sacred Trinity. Nature is mute, but Scripture speaks out; Reason is but a little child, and cannot pass this infinite Abyss, unless Faith in the word take him upon his back and carry him over. Touching that Incarnation of the Son of God, never any natural man dreamed, or so much as started a thought of it; but in Scripture this and all the train of mysteries in our Redemption break forth in their glory. That book, which hath such and the like mysteries, infinitely transcending all the thoughts and reasons of man, doth by them show that it came out of the bosom of God himself. Again, there is an unparalleled purity in it, such as is no where else to be found. This Sun hath no spots in it, this Diamond hath no flaws in it, there is nothing terrene or carnal in this heavenly piece, as long as it hath stood in the world: not a dust or a dreg can be found therein, neither ever did or will it licence the least of erratas in man: In its pure spiritualness, it casts a chain upon the very thoughts and first motions of sin, and traces up sin to the black nest of corruption in lapsed nature; it calls for a pure heart, made from heaven in regeneration and new-creation, and the noblest births of Reason and Morality will not serve the turn. Such things as these are not so