That the holy Scriptures n-ereixditedby 6odsßß rit. 335 diuell and wickedmen rage againa the word ofGod, the moreby thealmightiepower ofGod fupporting it,the glory thcreofappeareth and fpreadeth it (elfe ouer the face of the earth ; the more they labour tokecpe it downe,themore it florilheth. And as they who goe about to flop the current of a !nightie riuer,doe but make it toEwell thehigher andouer- flowall the countrie,whereas before it was containedwithin the compaffe ofhis ovine bankes:fo when Satan andhis wic- fled impes,do feek to flay this heauenly flreatne which flow- eth fromGods San6luarie, and labour might and mairie to hinder thepottage andpropagation ofGods truth ; the more it fpreaderh it felfe,maugre their málice,and ouerfloweth the whole earth. Andwhencecan the defeatingand fruflrating ofthispowerfull violenceproceede,but from a greaterpow- er,euen the power ofGod ? for though all mon fhould corn- bine themfelues together, they were vuable to refill Satans rage,or protect theword ofGod fromvtterruine : onely the Lord whole poweris omnipotent could thus vphold it, and make itpreuaileagainfl all the powerofhell. Andas the Lord by preferuing and defending the Scrip- tures,from the beginning vnto this day,doth euidently fhew thatthey are his ovvnewordand reuealed will : fo alfoby pu nifhing,euen inthis withvtterruine and deflru6lion, all thofe who haue trion violently and malitiouflie oppofed thetnfeluesagainflit, and perfecuted the Saints ofGod for theprofeffion hereof;as may appearenotably in theexamples ofA4ntiochut, Epiphanes,Herod,Nero, Doraitian,Droclean, tea_ lian the apoflata and manyothers; who by their fhamefull and horrible deaths teflifiedand prooued the Scriptures to be the truth ofGod,which theyhad oppugnedand perfecu- ted thewhole courte oftheir wicked hues.. Sixtly,the Lord hathapprooued the Scriptures to bee his §.Seal. 7 truthbywonderfull miracles, which Satan hir felfe cannot Thefixt realms, fomuch as imitate; as by giuing the blind their fight, railing taken fromPi. thedead tolife, turning backe the courfeofthe Stinne in the racles. firmament,diuiding the fea in twoparts,and fuch like; which miracles were wrought bythe almightie powerofGod; to this ende,that the faithful! might bee confirmed in the affil= rance
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