Epille to the H E B. J EVV S. efpeciaf sharer alto. Now thisAuthority as it refpeEts the minds of men, is in part an emergeny of the Holy Matter contained w it, and the Heavenly Manner wherein it is declared. They have in their Conjunction, apeculiar,CharaCier ditferencing their Wri- tings from all Writing of an huniäne Original, and inanifctfing it tohe of God. Nei ther can it other wife be, but that thingsof:iving Revelation,. expreflèd in words of DivineSuggeffion and determination, will appearto be of a Divine Original. And part- ly it confifts in an IneffableEmanationof Divine Excellency, communicating unto his own Word a difliuguilhing property from its Relation unto him. We (peak not now of the work of the HolyGhi t in our hearts by his Grace, enabling us to believe, but of his work in the Word, rendring it credible and meet to be believed not of the Seal and Tellimony that hegives unto the hearts of individual Perfons of theTruth of theScripture, or rather of the.things contained in it, but of the Seal and Teftimony which in the Scripture he gives unto it, and by it, to be his own Work, andWord: Such a charatler have the Works of otherAgents, whereby they are known and 'di; famed to be theirs. By filch properties arethe Works of men difccrried, and often- times oflndividuals amongft them. They bear the likeneel of their Authors , and are thereby known to be theirs. Neither is it poflible that there thould be any work of God, proceeding fo immediately from him, as doWritings byDivine In#iration, but there willbe fuck acommunication of his Spirit and likenefs unto ir, fuch an impreliion of his Gteatnefs,Holine ,Goodneß,Truth and Majeftyupon it,as will manifeft it tobefrom him. The falfe Prophetsof old pretended their Dreams, Vifions, Predidtions and Re- velations tobe from him. Theyprefixed =la, he faith, unto allthe Declarations of them, Jer. 23. 3t. and therefore doubtlefs framed them to as great a likenefs unto thole that wereby inffirarion fromhim as they were able s And yet the . Lord declares that all- their.imaginations were as difcernable from his Word, as Chafffrom Wheat ; and this by that Authority and power wherewithhis Word is accompanied , whereof they were utterly deffitute ; verf: 28, 29. And this Authoritydo all theywhohave their fentes exercifed init, findand acknowledge in this Epifile, wherein their minds and confèiencesdoacquiefce. They hear and underftand the voice ofGod in it, andby that .Spirit which is protnifed unto them , difcern it from the voice of a Stranger. And when their minds are prepared and fortified againft Objeé}ions by the former copfide- rations, this they ultimately refolve their perfwafion of its Divine Authority into. For, From this Authority, they finda Divine Efficacy proceeding ; a. powerful operation $$ 33. upon their fouls and confciences unto all theEnds of the Scripture. A Reverence and aweof God from his Authority fhihing forth and exerting its felf in it being wrought in them, they find.their minds etlóually brought into captivity untothe obe- dieser taught therein. This Efficacy and power is in the wholeWord of Gode Is not my Word ar a Fire, faith the Lord, andlike anHammer -that breaketb the rocks in pieces, .7er. 230 29. that is, livingand powerful, and Jharper than, any two-edged !word, piercing even to the dividing afunder of the foul and mirre, and. of the pints and marrow,, and is a- difeerner of the . thoughts and intents ofthe heart, Hei,.4. 12. Asit hath an ¡E.afa, or Authority over men, Matth. 7. 29. :So it hath a Sthaµts, orpowerful! Efficacy in And towards them, Ails zo.'32. James 1.21. yea, it is the Power ofGod himfelf, for its proper end, Rom. t.16. and therefore laid to be accompanied with the demonjfration of the Spirit andpower, a Cor. a. 4. a Demonftration ',» zat i,owait ntoVi r Id lv. lv do evyxaRece(r v éAxeoa, asBafil, drawing the Soul to content beyond theEfficacyof Rational or LogicalArgu= Bahl. in ` ments, or Geometrical Demonffrations, as he adds in -the fame place. And thisDivine ¡'for. f' Power and Efficacy, of the Word, as to all the endsof it, proceedingfrom the Autho- rity ofGod in it, with his defignation of it unto thofe ends, ( which is that which . giveth energie unto allthings, enabling themto produce their proper Effects, and fet- ting limits and bounds to their Operation) as it is teftified Unto in innumerable placesof theScripture its fell, fo it hash and, /loth fufñcieinlymanifeft and evidence its fill inthe fruits and effects of it on the fouls of particular,perfons, and in that, work which it hath wrought, andBoth yet carry on invifibly in the world, in defpight of all the oppotition that is made unto it by the power of Hell, in conjunction with the unbelief, darkncfs and lulls of theminds ofmen, as may elfewhere be more at lags declared. A LearnedMan Paid well s Non monent, non perfuadent Same liiere , fed eogum, agi_ mintMirasd: ant, vie: inferuns; Legit radiaverba agreßtia, Sed viva, fed animate, flamttua, arm- EPif.adHn' D a ieäta, 104, Barka, 19
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