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40

'71,1t

the

holy

Script,tres

were

indirect'

by

Gods

17)irit,

Morecuer,

wee may

obferue in

the

file

ofthe

Scriptures,a

nicflicall

authority above

all

other writing,which

only

be-

fecmeth the

glorious

King and foueraignc commander

of

hcauen and

earth:for they

fpeake in

the

f'ttne

manner,and in-

ioyne the like obedience,

to

prince and people,

rich and

poore,learned

and

vnlearned,

without

any difference

cr

re-

fpe&

ofperfon

;

not

'di ng

any

arguments,reafons,orpe:

a_

fions,

but

abfolutely

commanding

that

dutie which

is

to

bee

done,

and

forbidding

that

fin

which fhould

be

left

undone,

and

that

vnder the

promife

of

euerlafling

life and

bleffednes,

and the

pairie

not ofthe

gallowes, racke,

or

whcele,but

ofe-

ternall death and

damnation

;

and whom

befeemcth

it

to

promifc

euerlafling

life,

or to threaten

euerlafling death,

but

him onelie who

is

himfelfe

eternall and euerlafling? and

who hath this abfolute

authoritie

of

commanding

all

with-

out

any difference,

but

hee

who

is

Lord, Creator

and

goner-

nOur

ofthe

prince

as

well

as

the

people?

LaPdy,

this

word

of

God

dóth not

only extend

it

feltè

to

the

outward

aaions

and

conuerfation,requiring

only the external obedience which

is

in

fa&

and

outward

behauiour, which

is

ÿ vttermofl

that hu-

mane

lawes refped

&,becaufe

the lawgiuers

can

fee

no

further;

but

the law

of

God

requireth

efpecially

the obedience

of

t'ue

heart,and forbiddeth

not

only content to any'euiil,

but

euen concupifcence and

luft

?

now who

can

make

lawes

for

the heart

and confcience, or

though

he fhould be

fo

fond

to

make

them,

who

could

either

reward

the

obedient,or punifh

the

difobedient,butGodalone

who

fcarcheth the heart and

reines? The

mile

therefore

of

the

Scriptures

being

peculiar

vnto

thentfelues,fhewing

maieflie

in

lowlines

and

meannes,

an

ouerruling power

in

perfwading,

without

rendring

rea-

fon or

bringing

any

argument

befides

abfolute

authoritie,

and

an vniuerfall turifdi6tion

ouer

all

without

difference

or

efpea,and that

as

well

in

regard

of

the

fecret

thoughts

as

the

outward

a&ions,

Both

manifeflly

Phew

that

they

are

not

the invention

of

man,

but

the

word

of

God

indited

by his

holy fpirit.

But

it maybe

obie&ed,

that

if

the

Lord

who

is

infinit in

iifdome were

the author

of

the Scriptures,they would

haue

excelled