TheDigtlitie oftheScripture. cannot fiend. It bathalwaiesbeene the badgeofheretikes,that there were(fcrip- Tertulibidê rararamlaifugté)men thatcould not abide the light ofthe Scriptáre. And thusmuch for this queflion,When theward wasWruten,asid bow the Cbarobof GodWas infra. Qedmntillthen; '' 7óeeh;rd Now come wee to theLath and weightieft, namely, that teeingGodfaith here Theih,,d in our Teat, that heehubwrittenbis Law vmovs ,howWemaybealnredlhatthat hin atfw 'which weenow haue, and iscalled by vs;Gods word, is indeede that holy will of rancérhatrhe his , which commanded to be written forthe good andcomfortof hispeople ? acriproreis An d this iSa point ofgreat moment,becaufe ifwe ftaggertherein,wecan haue no thcwofdof certainty ofreligion. Wherefore I pray youlet vi oblerue itthe rather,.that we God. mayKane Wherewith tofoppe the mouthesOfAtheilisand profanefcoffers,and auoyd alto the doubtingsandqueftions which may fometimes arife inonown hearts. ynded}and therefore this firll ofall,hat nothing is able to perfwadea mans confcience; that the Scripture is theword ofGod, butonely theSpirito£ God. The Apo(ìlePaal faith truely,that noman carefay that lefu ,is theLord,bpt ttor mi by the Holy Gbojt t. Thereforemy meaningistofpeáke onely of fach teftimonie® which are of forcetoconuincethe confcience, and tomake men thatthey (hall not be able todeny the Scripture robeefromGod, though to frame their hearts to yeeld ruto it,is ja the poser ofGodontly to elf. Nowto come a degree neerer co the matter, wemuff knowalto that thebell proofes for theScripture that it is Godsword, are tobefetched out of it felfe ; for which caste it is cal, led bgbe °ibecaufe itdifcouereth it felfe : and many times the teftimaniesofthe uPt.uq,toq, Lord.,becaute it beareth witnelf to itlelfe. The Ppillswould hauevufiand s &v.0.ry. to theiudgenient of the Church, which isaltogetheidoubtful' ; for there may ='&c bee as great quellion made oftheChurch , whether it b'ee the true Churchof God, as of the Scripture, whether it bee the true wordofGod. The tefll- monie end authority of the Churchmaybeefome inducement to u manin this cafe,according to Saint Aagaffinefayth it wasto him, but it canbee no certaine Non eredi. Argument. Know this then , that there is a certaineuidence of Gods Spirit, d5rmeac r as it were imprinted In the Scripture, which (heweth the Diuine excellencie hgauthor ras thereof, about all the writings of men whatfoeuer. Andthis flandethvpon rommoueret. fundry particulars ; Fir% the purityof theLawofGod writtenbyiMofer,aboue Lihrontra r. all the !awesthat hauebin euerena&ed anddeuifedby thewife omen: We trade l lPunda.e.g ofmany worthy Low.giuersamong theheathen, that ordained Ilatutcs ofgreat r p wifedone for the gouernementof theirpeople a yet wastheir neuerany Lawe m°é:4ntown doffed by thewit 'ofman, but it needed Come reuiewing, andforfometefpcft to be God; was eyther ro bee repealed,or abridged,or enlearged s betides that,Ccarceany word. law canbesfo wiLlyframed byafixte, but foine orotherwill findeafhifttodoe thevery thing, which the intent of theLaw wanto fobidde, andyet freebins.. felte from thedanger ofthe Law,& (land upon termes as ifhe had not brokenit. It is not fo inthe lawof God,as it wasr. ginenout,fo it (landswithout anychan- ging, neitherwasthere euer any foundable to carryhimfelfeCo cunningly in the pradlife ofsay coil, but this law in onerefpeet or other wouldfurelyfiedehim guiltie. Secondly, thequalitieofthetnatterinScripture :Inthewritingsofthe a heathenwe (hall finde Cane touch giuenhere and there ofthemiferyofmankind and tomecoldcomforts taught for therelieuiug it,but thetrue opening ofthedi_ re&cauleofmansmiferie, towitfirne, and theentrioginoffmne into the world by Adamsfall , andthe perfe&and fullremedie for all this;namely Chriftsdemis 3' was neuerknownor heard of, but only from theScripture. Thirdly, the anti- quity of theScripture; forthe bookesofMojes aremore ancientthenany hit. mane Writers, in that they fet downaEliftory from the beginning of the world, a thing whichother Writers knewnot of,or elfe borrowed from ',7tlo- fes,or eile,corrupted withmany fables, and ridiculous narrations. Befides,there is no writer ofanyhumane dory, that canbeprooned tobee moreanciencthen H a Nebemialr
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