3. I might show at large the rationally unquestionable certainty of Scripture-History, as hand• to posterity; But in brief, when these things we• so notable, and remarked in their times; when the• were not done in corners; when they were the object of sense; when they were so many; whe• they had so many spectators and witnesses; wh•• there are divers records of the same things, an• all in the main agreeing; when the way they […] ⟨p. 191⟩declared in, speaketh so much simplicity in the relators; when there were so many Copies of the Records dispersed into so many divers places; when Enemies could not deny the truth of things recorded, only imputed them to other causes; when mention is made of these things in profane Histories; when we have the Writings of the ancient Fathers by us, who lived in all the Centuries between us, and the time of Christ, and with one consent acknowledge these things, who might easily have found out the deceit, had there been any, when they lived some of them so near to the days wherein the chief of these things were done; when we cannot rationally assign an end, which should move Christians to deceive themselves and posterity, since they exposed themselves to such losses, persecutions, reproaches and afflictions by their profession of Christianity; neither can we rationally imagine how all the Christians in the World could meet together from so many Countries, for the forging of things which were never done; much less how they should agree together •bout it; and least of all how they should keep his secret, but their adversaries would have found •t out, and made it known, some hint of it would •ave been given in History; all these things being •aid together, we may rationally conclude, that •he History of the Scripture is as certain, yea more •ertain than any profane History, which we •ave the least doubt of; and if the Histories of prophesies fulfilled, and Miracles wrought be ••ue, it is a strong Argument that the Scriptures which hereby are confirmed, are indeed the word •f God. These Arguments for the Divine Authority of the Scriptures may be sufficient to stop the ⟨p. 192⟩mouths of gain-sayers, but without the testimony of the spirit in and by them, none will be sufficient to effect a saving faith.
3. I might show at large the rationally unquesti••nable certainty of Scripture-History, as hand• to posterity; But in brief, when these things we• so notable, and remarked in their times; when the• were not done in corners; when they were the o••ject of sense; when they were so many; whe• they had so many spectators and witnesses; wh•• there are divers records of the same things, an• all in the main agreeing; when the way they 〈…〉 ⟨p. 191⟩declared in, speaketh so much simplicity in the relators; when there were so many Copies of the Records dispersed into so many divers places; when Enemies could not deny the truth of things recorded, only imputed them to other causes; when mention is made of these things in profane Histories; when we have the Writings of the ancient Fathers by us, who lived in all the Centuries between us, and the time of Christ, and with one consent acknowledge these things, who might easily have found out the deceit, had there been any, when they lived some of them so neer to the days wherein the chief of these things were done; when we cannot rationally assign an end, which should move Christians to deceive themselves and posterity, since they exposed themselves to such losses, persecutions, reproaches and afflictions by their profession of Christianity; neither can we rationally imagine how all the Christians in the World could meet together from so many Coun•ries, for the forging of things which were never done; much less how they should agree together •bout it; and least of all how they should keep his secret, but their adversaries would have found •t out, and made it known, some hint of it would •ave been given in History; all these things being •aid together, we may rationally conclude, that •he History of the Scripture is as certain, yea more •ertain than any profane History, which we •ave the least doubt of; and if the Histories of •rophesies fulfilled, and Miracles wrought be ue, it is a strong Argument that the Scriptures which hereby are confirmed, are indeed the word f God. These Arguments for the Divine Authoty of the Scriptures may be sufficient to stop the
