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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	place_n	time_n	write_v	2,965	5	5.2112	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85327	Faith in five fundamentall principles, strongly fortified against the diabolical, atheisticall, blasphemous batteries of these times Serving for the conviction of opposers, the satisfaction of doubters, and the confirmation of believers. In a conference which a godly independent minister and a godly Presbyterian minister had with a doubting Christian. By E.F. a seeker of the truth.	Fisher, Edward, fl. 1627-1655.	1650 (1650)	Wing F993; Thomason E1375_2; ESTC R209221	23,410	56

argument That that Doctrine which tends to the advancement of Gods glory and the debacing of man must needs be of God for mans Doctrine doth alwayes tend to his owne glory but the Doctrine contained in those bookes which we call the Scripture doe wholly tend to the glory of God and the debacing of man as you have heard and therefore wee must needs conclude they are the word of God 4 And in the fourth place I would beseech you to consider that the Doctrine contained in those bookes which wee call the Scriptures are both above and opposite to the wisedome and will of man as he is by nature so that it is not onely above the naturall power of man to understand them but also directly contrary to his will to yeild obedience thereunto there is neither precept nor prohibition contained in these bookes that is agreeable to mans naturall disposition but directly contrary thereunto there is no man that is acquainted with and takes notice of the disposition of his owne heart but he findes by experience that naturally he beares little love to the Scriptures and that by the little delight he hath to read or meditate therein nay doe we not see that for the most part those young men and others that have nothing in them but flesh and blood had rather read in any vaine booke then in the Bible whence we may truely frame this argument That that Doctrine which is directly contrary to the wisedome and will of man must needs be of God for mans Doctrine is alwaies agreeable to the wisedome and will of man but the Doctrine conained in those bookes which wee call the Scripture is directly opposite and contrary to the wisedome and will of man and therefore these bookes must needs be of God 5 And in the fifth place I would beseech you to consider that the Doctrine contained in these bookes which we call the Scriptures is altogether heavenly and savoureth nothing of an earthly and worldy affection but every where renounceth and condemneth the same they doe wholly tend to the withdrawing of man from all earthly things and to the leading of him to salvation in God these Bookes doe point out unto man wherein true and eternall blessednesse doth consist and how he may attaine unto it there hee may see how man by sinne became the enemie of God and how he may be reconciled unto God and saved eternally there he may see the incomprehensible love of God in Jesus Christ towards man Whence we may truely frame this argument That that Doctrine which tendeth to the with-drawing of man from all earthly things and to the leading of him to salvation in God must needs be of God but the Doctrine contained in those bookes which we call the Scriptures doe wholly tend to that end and therefore they must needs be of God 6 And in the Sixth place I would beseech you to consider that the prophesies contained in those bookes which we call the Scriptures are not general doubtfull and abscure as the Oracles of the heathen are but particular and plaine such as expresse the persons and things by their names as you may see 1 King 13. 2 3. Isa 45. 1. I tell you truly if we do compare the prophesies contained in Scripture with the fulfilling of them we shall perceive that they cannot be attributed to any thing else saving the inspiration of the most wise God as may sufficiently appeare by the comparing the prophesies of the old Testament touching Christ the calling of the Gentiles and rejection of the Jewes with the accomplishment of them in the new besides the foretelling of things to come so precizely and manifestly and so long before hand and the fulfilling of them at the very instant of time fore-told doth aboundantly shew that these bookes are not of man but of God 7 And in the seventh place I would intreat you to consider that there is in those bookes which we call the Scriptures a most holy and heavenly consent and agreement of all the parts thereof together though written in sundry Ages by sundry men in sundry places by the which it is manifest that God guided all their hearts in writing of them 8 And in the eighth and last place I would intreate you to consider that these bookes which we call the Scriptures have ever been hated and opposed by the Devil and all wicked men they have had many and mighty enemies and adversaries who have endeavoured by all the meanes they could utterly to extinguish them yet could they never doe it and though the raging floods of the Roman Tyrants have overflowed these bookes yet could they never drowne them no nor yet deface them they have been condemned to the fire yet could they never be burnt but have ever been preserved by the wonderfull providence of God in dispight of the Devill and all wicked men which must needs put all out of doubt that these bookes are not from man but from God Inde Indeed Mr. H. you have spoken to this point according to mine own heart and I hope he is convinced that the Scriptures are the word of God and I shall be glad to heare you speake to the next point also Pres O no Mr. B. if I speake to one I beseech you doe you speake to another Touching the Deitie of the Sonne and Holy Ghost Inde Well then if it must be so then I beseech you my friend consider that the Deitie of the Sonne and holy Ghost is clearly and manifestly proved by the Testimony of holy Scripture and first as touching the deitie of the Sonne I would intreate you to consider that there are in Scripture many such things asscribed unto him as cannot be properly ascribed unto any but God onely doe you not know that in Joh. 3. 31. Heb. 1. 3. Joh. 15. 16. 17. he is said to be Omnipotent and to have the same equall power with the Father and how could hee be so if he were not God And doe you not know that in Mat. 9. 6. Mar. 2. 5 7 9. It is said that he forgiveth sinnes by his own proper power and authority and who can doe that but God onely And doe you not know that in Mat. 9. 4 5. Mar. 2. 8. He is said to know the secrets of mans heart and who can doe that but God onely And doe you not know that in Col. 1. 16. he is said to be the Creator of all things and in Heb 1. 3. he is said to be the upholder of all things and who can doe that but God onely and doe you not know that in Mat. 14. 25. he is said to walke upon the waters and can any doe that of himselfe but God onely And so in very deed we finde all his actions whilst he lived here on earth to make sufficient proof that he was God aswell as man for though we reade Luk. 2. 7. that he was borne of his mother and wraped in swadling Clouts as he was

as all the wisdome and power of man could never do it As for example If you do but consider the excellent subordination of the creatures you shall see a wonderfull order if you do but cast your eyes downward and behold the lowest creature in the earth you shall perceive that when it is wet with the dew of heaven it nourisheth the grasse and the grasse serveth to nourish the beasts and the beasts they do nourish and feed man whereby you may perceive the combination and connexion that is amongst these creatures and here you may see an order from one thing to another and all to one end all to serve man and must you not then think and conclude That man is to serve him who is the Author of this Order and that is the very same whom wee call God And if you doe but cast your eyes upward you shall perceive such an heaven so beset and furnished with Sunne Moon and Stars as no man could make And if you look into the fabrick of the world you shall in your apprehension behold one thing contrary to another the water contrary to the fire and drynesse contrary to moysture and the nature of contraries is one to destroy another and yet you may see these brought to such a comely agreement that they doe not intrench or usurpe one upon another but match together in the composing of many things The Earth you know is heavy and massie and very huge in bignesse and there is no solid thing to uphold it nor piller to support it for it is founded upon the waters and yet notwithstanding it is setled or rather hung as a Ball in the Ayre and stirreth not a whit The Sea likewise doth continually threaten the Earth and the nature thereof is to overflow the same and yet we see it passeth not its bounds now all these things considered must it not needs follow that there is a great and soveraigne power which over-ruleth all these things who maketh them thus to keepe their order and who can that be but onely the God of Order Thus my loving friend you see that the whole world with all that is therein is a plaine booke laid open to all men yea even for Children to reade and as it were to spell God therein the consideration whereof caused one learned man Avicen to say that he who acknowledgeth not a God-head is void not onely of reason but also of sence yea and caused another learned man to Duples say that all men ought to be forbidden to call the being of a God into question upon paine of being men any more Many other lively Characters of the Godhead stamped upon the Creatures might be held forth for the further confirmation thereof but hoping that by this time you are convinced of this truth I will proceed no further therein at this time Chris Indeed Sir I am so convinced for I know not how to contradict what you have said and therefore I pray you proceed to the next point namely to prove that the Scriptures are the word of God Touching the Scriptures being the word of God Pres WEll Sir in my judgement you have done exceeding well touching this point And I hope not onely done him good but me also for though I doe beleeve that there is a God yet I hope the hearing of these your arguments will be a meanes to strengthen this my beliefe and confirme this conclusion and adde more to this my assent But now Sir to the intent that he may perceive that those whom they call Independent Ministers and those whom they call Presbyterian Ministers doe not differ but agree in these Fundamentals let me crave leave to speake to the next point Inde With a very good will Sir I beseech you doe Pres Well then my good friend I would pray you and beseech you as you tender the everlasting welfare of your soule to be perswaded in your heart that those Bookes which are called the Scriptures are the only word of that one God which Mr. B. hath I hope throughly convinced you of and that they are that onely writing whereby he hath shewed even from the beginning after what manner hee will be worshipped and served 1 And that I may with arguments also convince you of this truth I doe in the first place beseech you seriously to consider that these Bookes are more ancient then any History in the world I tell you truely that all Historians have beene forced to confesse that the writings of Moses w●re before all other writings and that the very latest of our old Testament writers are of more antiquity then the ancientest Authors amongst the Heathen Have you not read how Eupolimus in his booke of the Kings of Iury saith that Moses taught Letters to the Iewes the Iewes to the Venetians and the Venetians to the Greeks also Diodorus of Sicilia saith that hee understood by the Egyptians that Moses was the first Law-giver of all now the learned doe agree that the antiquity of the Scripture doth shew and prove both the trunesse and divineness of them 2 And I would also in the second place intreat you seriously to consider that the majesty and authority of the great God of heaven doth wonderfully appeare in the manner of the delivery of his minde in these bookes no proeme is there used but thus saith the Lord no reason is rendred but I the Lord have spoken it So that they doe require credit to be given to the matter onely because the Lord hath spoken it the duty of every man is therein required without respect of person the King and Ruler is there told his duty aswell as the Subject judgements are there threatned against the Rich man as well as against the Poore there are duties prescribed to the inner man as well as to the out-ward man they require obedience in heart as well as obedience in life they prescribe lawes to the thoughts to which no man can pierce they forbid lusting and coveting which no writing of man doth Now who can prescribe lawes to the heart and thoughts but onely he who knowes the heart and thoughts and that is God onely And in the third place I would also be-beseech you seriously to consider that the matter contained in those bookes which wee call the Scriptures doth wholly tend to the exalting of God and debacing of man the power wisedome justice and mercy of God is abundantly set forth in these bookes and so is mans vanity and weaknesse yea the greatest sinnes and foulest faults of Gods own people are there left upon record yea the penmen of these bookes were so void of all carnall affections in their writings that they neither spared themselves nor their dearest and nearest friends in their writings an example whereof you may see in Moses Numb 27. 13. 14. Deut. 32. 51. Exod. 6. 20. Num. 12. 1. And also in the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13. from whence we may truely frame this