able alterations, that fall out amongst them, would otherwise have certainly run into.

Thus we have laid down the original of the Scriptures, from the Scripture itself; and this original is the basis and foundation of all its authority. Thus is it from God; entirely from him; as to the doctrine contained in it, and the words wherein that doctrine is delivered, it is wholly his; what that speaks, he speaks himself. He speaks in it, and by it; and so it is vested with all the moral authority of God over his creatures.

CHAP. II.

The main question proposed to consideration. How we may know assuredly the Scripture to be the word of God. The Scripture to be received by divine faith. The ground and foundation of that faith inquired after. The answer in the general thesis of this discourse. The authority of God that foundation. The way whereby that authority is evidenced or made known. What is meant by the authority of the Scriptures. Authority is in respect of others. First general evidence given to the thesis laid down. The various ways of God's revealing himself and his mind. 1. By his works; 2. By the light of nature; 3. By his word. Each of these evince themselves to be from him. His word especially.

HAVING laid in the foregoing chapter, the foundation that we are to build and proceed upon, I come now to lay down the inquiry, whose resolution must thence be educed. That then which we are seeking after is, how we, and the rest of men in the world, who through the merciful dispensation of God, have the book or books, wherein the Scripture given out from him, as above declared, is contained, or said to be contained, who live so many ages from the last person who received any part of it immediately from God, or who have not received it immediately ourselves, may come to be ascertained, as to all ends and purposes wherein we may be concerned therein, that the whole and entire written word in that book, or those books, hath the original, and consequently the authority, that it pleads and avows; namely, that it is oúpavoũ, and not ¿§ ávĺpρúπwv, from God, in the way and manner laid down, and not the invention of men, attending σσopioμévois μúdois, 2 Pet. i. 16. or to 'cunningly devised fables.'

Now seeing it is expected from us, and required of us, by God himself, and that on the penalty of his eternal displeasure, if we fail in our duty (2 Thess. i. 8-10.), that we receive the Scripture not as we do other books, in relation to their author, with a firm opinion, built on prevailing probable arguments, prevalent against any actual conclusions. to the contrary; but with divine and supernatural faith, omitting all such inductions as serve only to ingenerate a persuasion, not to be cast out of the mind by contrary reasonings or objections; it is especially inquired, what is the foundation and formal reason of our doing so, if we so do. Whatever that be, it returns an answer to this important question, Why, or on what account do you believe the Scriptures, or books of the Old and New Testament, to be the word of God.' Now the formal reason of things being but one, whatever consideration may be had of other inducements, or arguments, to beget in us a persuasion that the Scripture is the word of God, yet they have no influence into that divine faith wherewith we are bound to believe them. They may indeed be of some use to repel the objections that are, or may, by any, be raised against the truth we believe; and so indirectly cherish and farther faith itself, but as to a concurrence unto the foundation, or formal reason of our believing, it is not capable of it.

Having then laid down the divine original of the Scriptures, and opened the manner of the word's coming forth from God, an answer shall now on that sole foundation be returned to the inquiry laid down. And this I shall do in the ensuing position.

The authority of God, the supreme Lord of all, the first and only absolute truth, whose word is truth, speaking in and by the penmen of the Scriptures, evinced singly in and by the Scripture itself, is the sole bottom and foundation, or formal reason, of our assenting to those Scriptures as his word, and of our submitting our hearts and consciences unto them, with that faith and obedience, which morally respects him, and is due to him alone.

God, speaking in the penmen of the Scripture, Heb. i. 1. his voice to them was accompanied with its own evidence, which gave assurance unto them; and God speaking by them, or their writings unto us, his word is accompanied

with its own evidence, and gives assurance unto us. His authority and veracity did and do in the one and the other, sufficiently manifest themselves, that men may quietly repose their souls upon them, in believing and obedience. Thus are we built ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφηTwv, Eph. ii. 20. on the foundation of the prophets and apostles,' in our believing.

That then which, to the establishment of the souls of believers, I shall labour to prove and evince, is plainly this; namely, that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, do abundantly and uncontrollably manifest themselves to be the word of the living God; so that merely on the account of their own proposal of themselves unto us, in the name and majesty of God, as such, without the contribution of help or assistance from tradition, church, or any thing else without themselves, we are obliged upon the penalty of eternal damnation (as are all to whom by any means they come, or are brought) to receive them, with that subjection of soul which is due to the word of God. The authority of God shining in them, they afford unto us all the divine evidence of themselves, which God is willing to grant unto us, or can be granted us, or is any way needful for us. So then the authority of the written word, in itself and unto us, is from itself, as the word of God, and the eviction of that authority unto us, is by itself.

When the authority of the Scripture is inquired after, strictly its power to command, and require obedience in the name of God, is intended. To ask then, whence it hath its authority, is to ask, whence it hath its power to command in the name of God. Surely men will not say, that the Scripture hath its power to command in the name of God from any thing but itself. And it is indeed a contradiction for men to say, They give authority to the Scriptures. Why do they do so? Why do they give this authority to that book rather than another? They must say, Because it is the word of God. So the reason why they give authority unto it, is the formal reason of all its authority, which it hath antecedently to their charter and concession of power ; & λóyos ó oòs, áλýdelá kori, John xvii. 17. Thy word is truth.'

Some say indeed, that the Scripture hath its authority in itself, and from itself, or its own divine original, but not

quoad nos; not in respect of us; that it may reach us, that we may know, and understand, and submit to its authority, it must be testified unto aliunde, from some other person, or thing appointed thereunto.

Ans. 1. But may not this be said of God himself, as well as of his word? If God reveal himself to us, it must be by means, and if those means may not be understood to reveal him, unless they are testified unto from somewhat else, God cannot reveal himself to us. Si Deus hominibus non placuerit, utique Deus non erit.' If God and his word, will keep themselves, within themselves, to themselves, they may be God and his word still, and keep their authority; but if they will deal with us, and put forth their commands to us, let them look that they get the church's testimonials, or on this principle, they may be safely rejected.

But,

2. Authority is a thing that no person or thing can have in him, or itself, that hath it not in respect of others. In its very nature it relates to others, that are subject unto it. All authority arises from relation; and answers it throughout. The authority of God over his creatures, is from their relation to him as their Creator. A king's authority is in respect of his subjects. And he who hath no subjects. hath no kingly authority in himself, but is only a stoical king. The authority of a minister relates to his flock; and he who hath no flock hath no authority of a minister; if he have not a ministerial authority, in reference to a flock, a people, a church, he hath none, he can have none in himself. So is it in this case; if the Scripture hath no authority from itself, in respect of us, it hath none in itself, nor can have. If it hath it in itself, in hath it in respect of us. Such a respect, that is, a right to command and oblige to obedience, is as inseparable from authority, or a moral power, as heat is from fire. It is true, a man may have, de jure, a lawful authority over them, whom, de facto, he cannot force or compel to obedience. But want of force doth not lessen authority. God looseth not his authority over men, though he put not forth towards them, ὑπερβάλλον μέγεθος τῆς δυνάμεως, οι ἐνεργείαν τοῦ κράτους τῆς ἰσχύος, “ the greatness of his power, or the efficacy of the might of his strength,' to cause them to obey. It is fond then to imagine, that a man, or any thing, should have an authority in himself, or itself,

.

and yet not have that authority in respect of them who are to be subject thereunto. That is not a law properly at all, which is not a law to some. Besides, all the evil of diso-. bedience relates to the authority of him that requires the obedience; James ii. 10, 11. No action is disobedience, but from the subjection of him who performs it, unto him. who requires obedience. And therefore if the Scripture hath not an authority in itself, towards us, there is no evil in our disobedience unto its commands; or our not doing what it commandeth, and our doing what it forbiddeth, is not disobedience, because it hath not an authority over us; I speak of it as considered in itself, before the accession of the tes-, timony pretended necessary to give it an authority over us. Hitherto then have we carried this objection, To disobey. the commands of the Scripture before the communication of a testimony unto it by men, is no sin; credat Apella.

The sense then of our position is evident and clear; and so our answer to the inquiry made. The Scripture hath all its authority from its author both in itself, and in respect of us; that it hath the author and original pleaded for, it declares itself, without any other assistance by the ways and means, that shall afterward be insisted on: the truth whereof I shall now confirm by one general induction. 2. By testimonies. 3. By arguments, expressing the ways and means of its revelation of itself.

There are three ways, whereby God in several degrees revealeth himself, his properties, his mind, and will, to the sons of men.

6

t

6

1. He doth it by his works, both of creation and providence. All thy works praise thee;' Psal. cxlv. 10, &c. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament telleth the works of his hands. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night declareth knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out throughout the earth, and their word to the end of the world;' Psal. xix. 1-4, &c. So Job. xxxvii. xxxviii. xxxix. throughout. God who made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein, suffered in times past all nations to walk in their own ways; yet he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our