7'heanfvvere : that all reliai- on dependetb vpoa thcau- thoiritíe ofthe ,.Scriptures. §.See12. Rearons to proue that the Scripture mas indrtcd ly Gods fjirit. .The antiqui- tie ofthefcrip- tures. 330 That the holyScripturesmereind:ted6y Godsfpirit. forefee, preuent or punifh any faults and offences,which are not open and manifef}? why fhouldeft thou therebybema. ued to forfake thy delightful!finnes, and to imbrace vnplea. fant godlincffe, to abandon thy pleafures, and tovndertake an auttere and ftricet courfe of life, Peeing. thou knoweft not whether the Scriptures be true or falfe,theword ofthe euer- laf}ing Godorthe inuentionofmortall man? A ,ainfi which temptation it behoueth euerie man moo carefully to arme himtelfe, as vndermining thevery founda- tionofall true religion ; fvr take away the authoritie. of the fcriptures,andyou (hall open awide dore to al carnali world- IinefTe,beallly epicurifine,and diuelifh atheifrne; theybeing theonly true ruleofvertue, wherbywe are direí}ed tochufe the good and refufe the euill; the fcepter ofGod whereby he iuleth all the fubie6tsofhis kingdome,which being reie, e}edwegi tie ouer our felues tobe ruled by.thcdiuell,and the lulls ofour ovine flefh; the light ofour eyes,without which wee are blind and walke in darknes; the foodofour foules, which being taken away, they languifh in all fpirituall gra- ces, and fall into miferable deathand deftrucion; and the fwordofthe fpirit wherebywedefend our felues, andbeate backe ourfpirituall eneinies,whichbeingplucked outofour hand, wearc eafily vancluithed andledcaptiuevntoall finne and wickednes. And thatwe maybe thebetterprouidedagairìft this temp- tation let vs propound fome reafons wherebygainefayers may be convinced andGodschildrenperfvvaded;ofthe truth and authoritieoftheScriptures. The firfi argument to proue theScriptures tobewritten by the motion and revelationof Gods fpirit,is the antiquitie thereoffor whatfoeuer religion is molt ancient,,thatproceedeth fromGod :hut thereligion containedin-theScriptures,is.olai.! othermof! ancient :and therefore Godwas the author.:thereof. The firft part ofthis reafon is cleere andmanifeft; forfeeing manwas createdfor Gods glorie, to the end hee fhould worfhipand fernehim, and could not perfortne acceptable worfhip and feruice vn- toGod,vnlefTe he reuealed his will vntohim; therefore that man inight.attaine unto the end..o£his.creation,it wasneed facie
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=