The Abridgement ofthegofpel. E17 temptuous vfing of Godsword: That whichGod bath fpoken mutt needesbee The r. note tetoiel1icall. If the Scripture bee fuch an euidence ofhis eternal'and incompre- touching the henfible Maiefiie , who (hall dareto ere itwithout refpe& ? The Maieftieofthe Scripture. Scripture is drawne fundrywaies into contempt Firft,ifitbeinpreachingban- died negligently and irreuerently. Secondly, if thephrafes and fentencesof it bee drawne intocommon fpeech. Thïrdly,ifit beeheard idlely,carelefly,Ccorne. fully, fleepily, which is the ordinary indignity offered totheMaieftyoGods Word. If it werebut oneof Eppsfables, ora tale ofRebinhoed, it could not bee heart with leffe refpe&,or with moredifdaine, then it is bymany. Yet, euenEg- lon, though but a Heathen, was betterthen filch ; whowhen hee was toldeby e.- 104,that hehad 4 meffage tohimfromGod,rofe out ofhis throne 2.When Pilateheard aiud. ;.zo. of hauing to doe with theSonne ofGod,hetrembledi'. Well then, when the Mini- bloh.,9S, 'ter addrci1thhimfelfeto the reading, and tothe openingoftheSctiptutes, re. member we,that that which wee(hall heare is thevoyce of God:He fpeakethby Maumonth; let vs thinke with our films howgreat Maiefty mull needesbein his words;and let vs labour to makeourbehauiour in hearing,futable tothe flare andexcellency ofthat which is delivered. The fecondnote touchingthe Scripture,is the Authoritieofit.Is it Gods voice? Theo of it felfe it is offufficient credit, andneedesnoother teflimony to con. firme it :It isalfoan ibfoluteIudge forthe over-rulingofalldoubts, and the de- termining of all cafes and queflions in Religion. For who ishigher then God :z when hismonth andword Rathgiucn the fentence,what exception (hall we make, or to whom(hall weeappeale ? Thus you feethat hereupon is grounded the au- thority of the Scripture: of which authority oftheScripture you fee alfo that there are twobranches: One, that it isfufficient credit to it felfe: Theother,that it is in matters ofReligion the fupreme Iudge. Touching the firft,weehauethis proofe: 7receive not (faith Chrill) the record ofmen '. Hismeaning is,that he was a Ioh.g, ;q. ofcredit enoughofhimfelfe, and needed no teftimony from anyother, for the confirming of that whichhe haddeliuered. That whichis true ofChrilt, is true ofthe wordofChrift,which isthe Scripture : It is thevoiceofGod,and needes noother witneffetoavow it.lf tee receive (faith S.lobn)thewitneffeofmen,the Wit- neßà of God isgreater d. There is none greater ormore certaine, then thedivine d r.Iob ;9, rellimeny.' This is enough, Godbathfpokenit; where (hall weehahea witneffeof better credit?Now forthe Cnpreme authoritywhich theScripture Rath in iudge- ing, it is thefamein the Church, that theLaw ismthe common-wealth : Tv the Law(faith God) and to the teflimony e. Chrill fubmitted hisdo&rine to the deci- elf.s.ro. fion of the Scriptures: So didPeals. AndVmpireformatter ofReligion had floh,v.;9, neede ofthreethings. Fiel, is mull beeofthat nature, that wee maybeeaffured g Aß 28'13' that the verditthereof is true. Secondly, itmull beefuch, as from which it !hall not be Iawfulltoappeale. Thirdly, it mull beindifferent,andwithoutpartiality. Now nothing bath there three propertiesbut theScripture, and therefore that ouely is fit tobe rhelirpremo ludge inmatters ofReligion. the !7e of This makes fir(' againit the Papifls : Their opinion is, that`the Authorityof thes. note the Scripture dependeth upon the Church,that is,thatit is therefore Canonical' touching the and ofdiuine credit andauthority, becaufe the Church,(that is,indeede,when the Scripture. matter is wellrifted, thePope*) Rath Co determined. This oneplace isfufficient ' Eckins in toouerthrowthis fancy. The Scripture isthe voyceofGod : ¡hall not the royce En;rid.de ofGodbe ofcredittoitfelfe? mull mencome in for a witneffe toiullifie that vn- aueh,adefz, ch to vs whichGodbath laid is true? God forbid. But, how (hallIknow (thouwilt t'' 3ad ob. ieft.haaetico- fay) that Godhathfpoken thisor that ?Ianfwer; What, by the Church? Thou rum. (perhaps)wilt fay Co : but Idemand; How (hallI know,which is theChurch ? Greg deVa. The Church mull prooae it felfe by the Scripture, and therefore the Scripture len.n,fpua frith not its de endance vpon Church. Yetthou vrge, howthou Tharom.;. p° g dil.uqu Malt know theScripture tobe thevoiceofGod. Ianfwer: By itfelfe:Therefore puoA.t. a. L it
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