Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	apostle_n	scripture_n	word_n	2,523	5	4.0634	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66395	The divine authority of the scriptures a sermon peached at St. Martin's in the Fields, May 4. 1695 : being the fifth of the lecture for this present year, founded by the honourable Robert Boyle, Esquire / by John Williams ...	Williams, John, 1636?-1709.; Boyle, Robert, 1627-1691.	1695 (1695)	Wing W2703; ESTC R1958	15,579	40

D r WILLIAMS's FIFTH SERMON AT Mr. BOYLE'S Lecture 1695. IMPRIMATUR Guil. Lancaster May 1. 1695. The Divine Authority of the Scriptures A SERMON Preached at St. Martin's in the Fields May 4. 1695. BEING THE Fifth of the LECTURE For this present YEAR Founded by the Honourable ROBERT BOYLE Esquire By JOHN WILLIAMS D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty LONDON Printed for Ri. Chiswell and Tho. Cockerill Sen r Jun r At the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Church-Yard and at the Three Legs in the Poultrey MDCXCV HEB. I. 1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son c. IN these words there is contained as I have before shewed 1. A description of Revelation 't is God's speaking 2. The Certainty of it 't is by way of declaration God who at sundry times c. 'T is taken for granted 3. The Order observed in delivering this Revelation it was at sundry times and in divers manners c. 4. The Perfection and Conclusion of all 't is in these last days by his Son Under the Second I have shewed 1. That God has actually revealed his Will at sundry times and in divers manners 2. What are the Characters of true Revelation 3. I am now in order to prove that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do contain the Matter of Divine Revelation and have upon them the Characters belonging to it In which there are two things to be considered 1. The Matter contained in Scripture 2. The Books containing that Matter Which two will admit of a distinct Consideration For 1. These two the Matter and the Books were originally distinct for the Matter was revealed before it was written and would have been of the same Authority if unwritten as written The writing not being essential to the Authority but only made use of as a fit means for the conveyance and preservation of the Matter 2. These two are capable of a different proof For the matter of Scripture was confirmed by Miracles and had a Divine Attestation given to it But we don't find the like Testimony given to the Books There were Miracles upon Miracles to confirm the truth suppose contained in the Four Evangelists but none to prove those Four Gospels to be wrote by Persons inspired or that these were the Books wrote by them For that has another sort of Evidence to be hereafter inquired into 2. 'T is fit these two should be considered apart For 1. If we were to discourse with a professed Infidel we must begin with the Truth of the Matter and then proceed to the Authority of the Books And we may make Converts as the Apostles and others in those primitive times did from the proof we are able to make of the Truth and Authority of our Religion though at the present we have not the Books 2. It 's of no little advantage For by handling the Matter apart from the Books we need not for the present concern our selves in the Doubts and Objections about the Books such as the supposed Inconsistencies in Scripture the various Readings the uncertainty of the Authors the Subject of Inspiration whether words as well as matter c. These being laid aside for the present by this distinct consideration of the Matter and the Books will shorten our Work and if we prove the matter to be of Divine original we also gain a great point toward the proof of the Books themselves I am to begin with the Matter contained in Scripture Now that is of a diverse nature and therefore according to the nature of it so is its Authority For there is matter of Fact and Historical Relations of things and when we say these are of Divine Authority we thereby mean they were recorded and committed to writing by the Appointment Direction or Command of God Again there are Matters of a moral nature which might be found out by and are the Dictates of pure Reason and when we say these are of Divine Authority we thereby understand that they are authorised by the Divine Command as well as in their own nature obligatory In which cases holy men of God spake and wrote as they were moved incited by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. But the more especial way was when the Matter was purely of Divine Revelation and wholly proceeding from it and though this were not to be learned and found out by Reason as has been before shewed yet 't is agreeable to it as I shall now proceed to prove and that I shall do in this order 1. I shall consider The Claim which the Matter of Scripture hath to Revelation and Inspiration 2. The Characters upon which that Claim is grounded 3. The Proof by which that Claim to Revelation is made good 1. I shall consider the Claim c. And that is if the Matter contained in the Scripture be not a Revelation from God and the True Revelation then there neither is nor ever was nor can be such a Revelation 1. If That be not a Divine Revelation there is no Revelation for as That denies and rejects all Revelation besides it self so there is none other that can produce such Evidence for it And consequently if notwithstanding the Evidence producible for Scripture That is not to be admitted for Divine then there is no Revelation existent in the World since no other has the Evidence which That appears to have This we may leave to any indifferent person to judge of by comparing the Alcoran with the Bible and the Chinese Divinity of a Confutius with that of Christianity 2. If this be not a Revelation from God then there never has been such a Revelation and that for the Reason before given viz. That there is no other Revelation extant save this But if there ever had been a Revelation and a Revelation design'd for all Mankind as that of the Gospel apparently is what was once would always and for ever afterwards have been existent since the same reason there was once for a Revelation to Mankind the same would have been for the Continuance of it and the same Divine Goodness that took care there should be a Revelation would certainly have taken the like care for the preserving of it But if there be no Revelation as there is not if the Scripture be not that Revelation then there never was a Revelation and so all that has been before said upon this Argument about the Existence Usefulness and Necessity of a Revelation must go for nothing 3. If the Scripture be not of Divine Revelation then there never can be a Revelation or at least such a Revelation as shall oblige us to receive and believe it Since there can be no stronger Evidence produced for the Proof of it than there is for that of Scripture And therefore he that will pretend not to believe the Scripture-Revelation for want of