their written Word and with their faithfull Posterity the r Jo. 10.16 4.18 Pastonrs the Teachers thereof while the World endures Now had their Word rested in and expired with their vive or vocal Expression the Article of their natural Breath how should any People or Persons far distant or future who were never like to see or hear them either believe or benefit ought thereby And to clear this unto us We see the Lord Jesus expresly sets on Work his beloved Apostle John as doubtless he did implicitly and virtually the rest bidding him s Rev. 1.11,19 see 2 P. 3.1,2 Write what he sees hath seen and shall be hereafter in a Book I say therefore we are to conclude all such Phrases to signifie and intend as wel the written as vocal Word of God And that all the Writings of these holy Men before mentioned being by divine Providence and faithfull Hands collected into One just Volume are the same which we have in common not so carefull or conscionable Use and in way of Eminency do call t Ro. 1.2 2 T. 3.15 The holy Scriptures and might as justly term them u Ps 119.142,160 Pro. 22.20,21 Eccl. 12.10 Dan. 10.21 Jo. 10.41 21.24 2 Co. 6.7 Eph. 1.13 Col. 1.5 2 T. 2.15 Ja. 1.18 Rev. 19.9 21.5 The Word and Scripture of Truth It may be hoped there are not many incredulous in this Point yet such as be are earnestly recommended to those Orthodox Divines and Writers who have fully cleared it for the recitall would take up too much room in this narrow Treatise But we take and use it as indeed it is for that undoubted Rule of Verity by which with influence of the Spirit of God alone we are to be x Isa 8.20 Mat. 22.29 Ex. 15.26 Lev. 18.5 Numb 15.22,23,24 Deu. 5.32 6.17.25 11.1 17.9,20 28.14 31.12 Jos 1.7,8 22.5 23.6 2 K. 17.13,37 22.13 Ps 105.45 119.9 Pro. 3.1 6.22,23 Eccl. 12.13 Isa 30.21 42.4 Jer. 9.13 26.4 Ez. 20.19 37.24 Mat. 19.17,18 28.20 L. 10.26 Jo. 5.39 Ro. 1.16,17,18 4.3 15.4 1 Co. 4.6 10.11 2 T. 3.16 2 P. 1.19 2.21 1 Jo. 2.3,4 directed here and y Mal. 3.16,18 Jo. 12.48 Rev. 14.12 everlastingly doomed hereafter Nevertheless because those Tracts are not ready at hand to All these breif Considerations for the present may something sway the Minde of the Doubtfull and convince the Truth hereof as 1. It s on all hands gladly granted by those that bear the name of Christians That eternal Life and Felicity is to be looked after and is onely attainable by the Knowledge of God in Jesus Christ This cannot surely be through brain-fancies and airy Notions and therefore some direct and regular z Job 23.11 Way must needs lead thereunto a To confirm this if Scripture can do it compare Jo. 5.39 with Jo. 17.3 None can know or learn the way to God but by God teaching the Truth This Truth cannot be known to Any without Christ nor Christ without his revealed Word and Will and What can be so probable and fair a Manifest hereof as these holy Scriptures which for b All this is obvious to any seeing and single eye Purity and Perduration Impartiality and Majesty Profundity and yet perspicuous and pleasing Facility do excell and eclipse all other Writings in the World 2. Christ bids us c 1 Jo. 4.1 c. try the Spirits and if He did not Equity and Reason would evince it For we know that One Spirit may be as errone ous as another and some so deeply and dangerously that they shall d Mat 24.24 M. 13.22 1 T. 4.1 Rev. 16.14 go near to deceive the very Elect if every Spirit may be his own Moderatour and Judge and therefore no doubt but e Ez. 34.17 Ro. 16.2 the Lord Paramount f Num. 16.22 27.16 the God and g Heb. 12.9 Father of Spirits intended and appointed some determinative Rule of Triall in case of h 1 K. 22.20 L. 9.55 dissent or difference 'twixt Spirit and Spirit and what may we imagine under the Sun a truer Touch-stone herein then the Scripture we treat of 3. Although by Gods absolute unrevealed Will all things were made yet are they not preserved ruled or directed without his conditionate and revealed Will. For if there be not such a supreme directive restrictive Providence Why doth not each One live as they list which the most desperate Wretch dares not profess to do Why is not every i Jud. 7.22 1 S. 14 20. 2 S. 2.16 Mans sword in his fellows side Certainly then he ordained a Vice-gerence and subordinate Government here on Earth and to this End is that Expression if we believe Scripture l Den. 30.11 c. Joh. 6.45,46 This Commandment is not hidden from thee neither is it far off c. It would be judged an absurd Presumption to trouble a supreme earthly Magistrate with every trifling Trespass or breach of Peace in this he would easily incline to imitate m Ex. 18.21,22 Jethro's Counsel to Moses yea to desire God's Indulgence n Num. 11.14,15,17 as Moses did and shall we dare to think God either less o Ex. 19.12,13,23 20.18,19 24.17 33.20,23 Deu. 4,24,33 5.5 Job 37.22 Ps 68.8 Jer. 10.7 Heb. 12.20,21 dreadfull to be approached or less p 1 Ch. 29.11,12 2 Ch. 20.6 Ps 62.11 66.7 103.19 115.3 Dan. 4.26,37 powerfull and q Gen. 1.16 Ex. 18.22 Nū 11.17 Job 32.13 33.13 Ps 8.6 36.6 136.8,9 Pro. 8.15,16 Hos 8.4 provident in managing his Affairs then Man This may seem to fatisfie the most Yet now we may not conceive this divine Word resteth though revealed and evident in the dull r 2 Co. 3.6 Ro. 2.29 dead and killing Letter we look on however illustrious and eminent as above For how can a dead Thing be s Gal. 3.8 prophetick or t Gal. 3.22 judicative u 1 Co. 10.11 monitory or x Ro. 15.4 Jer. 15.16 consolatory Yea y Heb. 4.12 Psal 147.15 119.50 Jer. 20.9 23.29 Hos 6.5 L. 24.32 2 Co. 10.10 Eph. 6.17 Rev. 1.16 Hab. 3.9 powerfull quick and keen searching z Ps 119.161 Isa 66.2 awing a Jo. 12.48 Ro. 2.12,17,18,27 censuring b Ps 105.19 2 T. 2.9 clearing the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart strong and strange Operations and all This affirmed of the Word It must needs be then by c Eph. 6.17 some spritefull Influence more then appears on the bare and naked Letter which d Acts 9.5 Paul himself found and felt when he kicked against the Pricks And what Spirit can this be but the same which at the first e Gen. 1.2 Job 33 4. Ps 104.30 Isa 42.5 moving upon the face of the Waters gave light and life to the world bestows or restores Breath strength