'310 That the holyScriptures*ereinditedbygodsfjirit. fufficient for the conuielion ofall oppofers, and for flop. pingthe mouthes ofal Atheifls,Epicures andmeere naturals; yet notwithflanding,not any of thefe, nor all thefe are in themfeluesfufficient, to beget faith in the heartofany,or to perfwade him with full affurance, to .beleeue that the Scrip- tures are the word .ofGod, vnleffe there bee adioynedvnto them the teflünonic of Gods fpirit, which doth not onely conuince,but alto throughly perfwadevs of this truth ; and thisalone in itfelfe is al-fuf1 cient,thoughwe neuer heard a- ny other ofthe former reafons,for the working offaith invs, anda full perfwafionofthis truth. That al otherargumentsare infufficient without 'teflimo That all ether !tie ofGodsfpirit,herebyitis more thenmanifefl,in that not ar umeutsare manywife, nor many learned in the world doe beleeue the without this Scriptures,whichis thecaufe why they do not fubmit them- vnfufcient. felues to the obedience thereof; whereas iffaith might bee wrought inmenby force ofargumétsor natural reafon,they whobefl conceiue themwould mofi eafily be perfwadedby them :but contrariwife,wefee that therethingsarehid from Match. st.z t. the wife &prudent,& are reuealedvntobabes,not bymeans ofnaturall reafon,but by the tefhmonie ofGods fpirit. For naturallyweAre all blindin fpirituall things, neither can the naturali man*erne ern thethinvofthef#iritofGod,neitker cscbe i,Car,ss . knew them,becaufe theyarefpiritualydifcerned,asit is t.Cor.2. i4.and therfore, though theScriptures be theglorious light ofGods truth,fhining asbright as the Sun in the firmament, to thofe wholeeyes are inlightenedwithGods fpirit; yet to thofewho continue in their naturallblindnes, .&were neuer anoynted with the preciouseie-falue ofGods fpirit,this glo- rious light appearethnot,nomore than the lunfhíne to thofe who want their fight, & hence it is that theygrope at noone daies.Andas thepoore woman, ofwh6 Seneca fpeaketh,be- ing fuddenly inthenight flrickenwith blindnes, defied the next day tovndraw thecurtains & open thewindowes that fbc might fee,wherasÿ caufeofher not Peeing wasnot want oflight,but ofwát ofeles: fo thefe méwhoare firickenwith naturall blindnes,c6plaine theycannot feeÿglorious light ofGods truth fhining inhis word,& therefore delire tohauç K
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