make it the only foundation of their faith Abraham the father of the faithful he believed according to that which was spoken Rom. 4.18 and David Psal 119.42 I trust in thy Word And the Disciples Iohn 2.22 they believed the Scriptures and the Word which Jesus had said And observe S. Pauls Confession Acts 24.14 15. I confess unto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets and have hope towards God c. And the Bereans Acts 17.11 12. searched the Scriptures whether those things were so therefore many of them believed And thus you see they made the Scriptures the only foundation for their faith 4. They cannot have faith in Christ that believe not the Scriptures this is clearly proved by these Scriptures Ioh. 5.46 47. For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me But if ye believe not his writings how shall ye believe my words Luke 16 31. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the dead And saith Christ Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye look to have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me By these Scriptures it is clear that those that believe not the Scriptures cannot have faith in Christ by any other means And therefore the Scriptures must needs be the only foundation of faith 5. It is only faith in the written Word of God that will fill the soul with spiritual joy Rom. 15 12.13 and hence it is that David saith Psal 119.162 I rejoice in thy Word as one that findeth great spoil and saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 1.4 These things have I written unto you that your joy may be full There can be no spiritual joy in those that build not their faith in the written Word and promises of God It is by faith in the Word that believers of old and at all times obtained promises Heb. 11.33 And Christ when he was upon the Earth prayed for such as should believe on him through the Word written by the Apostles and Evangelists John 17.20 Therefore the written Word of God must needs be the only foundation of faith Lastly we are commanded to make the Word of God the ground of our faith and it is condemned as a sin not to believe the Word of God 2 Chro. 20.20 Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established Believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper Ps 106.24 They believed not his Word Heb. 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them not being mixt with faith in them that heard it And thus you see God commands we should build our faith upon the Scriptures therefore they must needs be the only foundation of faith Before I conclude this take this Caution Although the Word of God be the only foundation for us to build our faith on Caution yet the Word as it consisteth of letters and syllables hath no strength to beget faith in mens hearts for many hear but do not believe Isa 6.9 10 And therefore it is only from the Spirits working together with the Word that faith is wrought 1 Thess 1.5 Our Gospel came not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost The Word works not faith without the Spirit neither doth the Spirit work faith without the Word but the Spirit by the Word works sanctification and a lively faith founded upon the Word as ye may see in these Scriptures John 17.17 John 6.63 Isa 59.21 Hag. 2.5 And thus have I proved the first part of the Proposition That the Scriptures is the only foundation of faith Secondly I come now to the second That the Scriptures which are the Word of God are the only rule for our obedience I might for proof of this give you many testimonies of Scripture but I shall name a few for all Deut. 5.32 33. Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord hath commanded you ye shall not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you Deut. 6.25 And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these Commandments before the Lord as he hath commanded us Josh 23.6 Keep and do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses The Word of God in the Old and New Testament is a perfect Law Ps 19.7 James 1.25 Rom. 8.2 And hence it is the Scriptures are said to bee able to make the man of God perfect 2 Tim. 3.17 And it must needs be so because where there is no transgression of the Law of God there is no sin for all sin is the transgression of the Law of God 1 Ioh. 3.4 And therefore God promises to all those he enters into Covenant with To write his Law in their hearts Ier. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 And of every righteous man it is said The Law of God is in his heart Ps 37.31 By all which it appears the Word of God is the only rule for our obedience It may also yet farther appear if ye consider 1. The Lord is the only Law-giver Iam. 4.12 and his Word is the only right rule for our obedience Ps 33.4 and therefore it is called the sure Word 2 Pet. 1.19 it will never fail 2. It is an everlasting rule so long as we live on Earth 1 Pet. 1.25 The Word of the Lord endureth for ever 3. No man can be blameless in his life unless his conversation be ordered according to the Word of God Psal 119. 9 Luke 1.6 Titus 2.5 4. Every man shall be judged according to what is written in the Book of Gods Word Iohn 12.48 Rev. 20.12 Lastly there are many promises made to the keeping of Gods Word and many threatnings denounced against such as walk contrary to the rules of Gods Word Gal. 6.16 Rev. 22.14 Luke 11.28 And for threatnings read Deut. 28.15 c. Before I conclude take these two Cautions Caution 1. Although the written Word of God be a perfect rule of righteousness and the only rule for our obedience yet know that no man can or does perfectly fulfill the Law of God for Iames 3.2 In many things we offend all and Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from sin The most eminent believer sins in many things but the unbeliever sins in all things Heb. 11.6 Yet every godly man hath respect to all and desires and endeavors to keep all the Commandments of God Ps 119.5 6. and do not willingly allow himself in any constant violation of Gods Law but delights in it in the inward man Rom. 7.15 16. and the 22 verse Caution 2. Take this Caution although believers are freed from the condemning power of the Law yet are they not freed from the commanding or directing power thereof 1 Cor. 9.21 1 Tim. 1.8 To conclude they that make not the Word of God the rule for their actions are led either by their own fancies or the Devils temptations or both FINIS
living water 2 Pet. 2.15 then doe they dig to themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water When sound doctrine will not be indured 2 Tim. 4.3 4. then such as turn away from the truth are regarded Those that deny the scriptures to be the word of God turne to be filthy dreamers despising dominion and speaking evill of dignities Iude 8. as Jude speaks they tell their dreames and pretended revelations to the people and would perswade men they are the word of God Jer. 23.25 26 27. but as the prophet Jeremiah saith The Lord is against them that prophesie false dreams Jer. 23.31 32. that use their tongues and say he saith Beloved these are the latter times prophesied of long since in which some shall depart from the faith giving heed unto seducing spirits and Doctrines of Devils For if ever there were a Doctrine of Devils 1 Tim. 4. or a Devilish Doctrine vented on earth this is one To perswade men the scriptures are not the word of God and that they must be guided only by the light within them If the Divell can but perswade men to believe this doctrine it will be easie to perswade them to deny the use of all meanes of grace and all principles of religion to be led altogether by the suggestions of Sathan while he perswades them it is the light within them by which onely they must be guided contrary to Isa 8.20 Yet these men that teach this Devilish Doctrine with many more would perswade the world although they justly suffer for their ungodly practice that they are persecuted and suffer for the cause of God But we know it is not the suffering but the cause that makes the Martyr and sure I am Mat. 5.10 they suffer not for righteousnesse sake and therefore not for the cause of God 2 Cor. 4.4 Vnlesse it be the God of this world who hath blinded their miuds c. Shall such as poysen mens bodies be punished with death And must those that poyson mens souls with Damnable doctrines goe unpunished You may read at your leasure how severe God is against seducers in Deut. 13. To conclude art thou one that standest firm in the faith pray to God thou maist keep thy standing art thou one that art wavering minded then adhere to and follow after those teachers that are sound in the faith whom God hath set over you And know 2 Pet. 2.2.14 that unstable souls are they that are beguiled by false teachers Wherefore hearken not to them and as Christ commands you Luk. 17.23 go not after them nor follow them And make use of his following antidote against them And art thou one that art already seduced into the errour of denying the scriptures to be the word of God Let me tell thee that what is written in this book shall either convince thee or be a witnesse against thee And if any one receive any benefit by these my labours all that I desire is they would blesse God for it and let him have a share in your prayers who is willing to be Your Servant in and for the truth Sampson Tounesend THE SCRIPTVRES Proved to be the Word of God DAN 10.21 I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scripture of Truth HAving undertaken to maintain against the Quakers these two Propositions I. That the Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament commonly called the Bible is the revealed Will and Word of God II. That the Scriptures which is the Word of God is the only foundation for our faith and the only rule for our obedience I begin with the first And I shall prove that the Scriptures is the Word of God First by Scripture it self Secondly by Reason He that will not believe the Scriptures is an Infidel That will not hear the voice of Reason is a Beast The Scriptures ought to convince us as Christians Reason as rational men And I doubt not but by both to clear up to every one that resolves not to be wilfully blind that the Scriptures are the revealed Will of God 1. I shall prove that the Scriptures are the Word of God by the testimony of the Scriptures We find throughout the Scriptures in several places that God is said 1. To speak them 2. To write them or 3. To cause them to be written 4. They bear Gods name and title upon them Lastly by the titles that are given to the Ministers that declare them I shall give you several instances in Scripture for all these 1. The Scriptures declare in a multitude of places That God said the words that are therein written I shall give you some few for all Gen. 1.3 God said c. and in several places in that Chapter and throughout the Book it is often written God said and the Lord said and in Exod. 3.14 And God said unto Moses I am that I am And in many places it is said The Lord spake to Moses and it is written what God said to him Exod. 20.1 God spake all these words saying c. Lev. 10.3 This is that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me Num. 11.25 And the Lord came down in a Cloud and spake unto him Deut. 5.22 These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly Josh 24.2 And Joshua said unto all the people Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Josh 7.13 Thus saith the Lord There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee O Israel 1 Sam. 2.30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith I said indeed c. 1 Sam. 15.2 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts 1 Kin. 8.15 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which spake with his mouth unto David my Father and hath with his hand fulfilled it saying c. 1 Chron. 21.9 And the Lord spake unto Davids Seer saying c. Iob 1.7 8. And the Lord said unto Satan Psal 50.1 The mighty God the Lord hath spoken c. Psal 12.5 Now will I arise saith the Lord. Isa 24.3 The Lord hath spoken this word And in many places he saith Thus saith the Lord. Ier. 1.1 2 4 9. The words of Ieremiah c. to whom the word of the Lord came c. The Lord saith unto me Behold I have put my words in thy mouth and in many places in that Book he saith Thus saith the Lord. Ezek. 7.1 The word of the Lord came unto me saying and in many places also he saith Thus saith the Lord. Hos 1.1 The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea Ioel 1.1 The word of the Lord that came to Joel Amos 3.1 Hear the Word that the Lord hath spoken and Ver. 8. The Lord hath spoken who can but prophesie And in many places he saith Thus saith the Lord. Obad. 1. The vision of Obadiah Thus saith the Lord. Ionah 1.1 Now the Word of the Lord came to Jonab Micah 1.1 The Word of the Lord that came to Micah Nabum 1.12
Thus saith the Lord. Zepha 1.1 The Word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah Hag. 2.1 The Word of the Lord by the Prophet Haggai saying Zach. 1.1 The Word of the Lord came unto Zachariah Mal. 1.1 The burden of the Word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi Thus have I noted some few of a multitude of Scriptures in the Old Testament that declare What is written in the Scriptures is no other but what God said and therefore his Word I shall now also mention a few of the many Scriptures in the New Testament that declare it to bee the Word of God because the Lord did speak it Luke 12.20 But God said Thou fool c. Heb. 1.1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son And in every place almost throughout the 4 Evangelists the verie words of our Saviour Christ the Son of God God and Man are mentioned Mat. 4.4 7.10 In all which places Jesus Christ repels the Devils temptations by telling him what God hath written in the Old Testament I shall not need to mention the sayings and doings of our Saviour Jesus Christ which are frequently recorded in the New Testament And hence it is that it is called the Word of Christ Col. 3.16 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you And the Gospel is called the Gospel of Christ Mark 1.1 The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ I shall not need to multiply more Texts of Scripture It is called the Word of the truth of the Gospel Col. 1.5 Because Jesus Christ that is the Truth John 14 6. is the Authour of it And thus it appears the Scriptures are the Word of God because as the Prophet Micah saith Micah 4.4 The mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it For it is all one to say the Scripture saith and God saith Heb. 13.5 He that is God hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee And where saith he it In the Scripture Josh 1.5 The word Scripture is put for God speaking in the Scripture Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe And in Rom. 11.32 it is said God hath concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all And thus it clearly appears that the Scriptures are the Word of God because God hath spoken them 2. I shall prove that the Scriptures are the Word of God because God writ them The two Tables of stone delivered unto Moses were written with the finger of God Exod. 31.18 Deut. 9.10 Exod. 32.16 And the Tables were the work of God and the writing was the writing of God graven upon the Tables Hos 8.12 I have written to them the great things of my Law And thus it appears the Scriptures are the Word of God because they are written by God But here arises an Objection that I must needs resolve before I goe any farther and that is this Object How can the Scriptures be the Word of God when we know the Prophets and Apostles writ much of them Answ To which I answer God is said to have written the Scriptures in these two respects First because the Ten Commandments were undoubtedly written by God himself as before was proved and all the rest that is written in the Volume of the Book is but as it were a Comment or Exposition of those ten Precepts Secondly God is said to have written the Scriptures though men were the instruments because that what they writ was by the appointment of God and by the help and assistance of God God appointed them to write it Exod. 17.14 And the Lord said unto Moses Write this for a memorial in a Book Isa 8.1 Moreover the Lord said unto me Take thee a great Roul and write it with a mans pen c. Jer. 30.2 Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel saying Write thee all the words that I have spoken to thee in a Book Jer. 36.1 2. This is the word that came unto Ieremiah from the Lord saying Take unto thee a Roul of a Book and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee c. Hab. 2.2 And the Lord answered me and said Write the Vision and make it plain upon Tables that he may run that readeth it And Iohn in the Revelations is commanded by Christ to write the things which he had seen and the things which are and things which shall be hereafter Rev. 1.19 And in Rev. 14.13 I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed c. And thus it appeares the Scriptures are the written Word of God because God himself writ them and caused them be written 3. I come now in the third place to prove by Scripture that they are the Word of God because what the Prophets and Apostles writ it was written as from the mouth of the Lord by the help and aslistance of the Spirit of God Hence it is said That God spake by their mouths Luke 1.70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have bin since the world began Acts 1.16 This Scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake And Acts 3.18 21. But those things c. which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began Isa 51.16 I have put my words in thy mouth Ier. 1.9 And saith David 2 Sam. 23.2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me his Word was in my tongue By all which Scriptures it clearly appears that God helpt them to speak he gave them a mouth and wisdome to declare his mind And we find that they spake by the help of the Spirit of God Neh. 9 30. Yet many years didst thou forbear them and testified against them by thy Spirit in thy Prophets 2 Pet. 1.21 For the prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God And thus you see the Pen men of the Scriptures were inspired by the Holy Ghost to write them And they were so assisted by God in that work as God is said to speak by their mouths and therefore the Scriptures must needs be the Word of God 4. I come in the fourth place to prove by Scripture that it is the Word of God by the several Epithets or Titles that are given to the Scripture I shall instance in some few of the many that are throughout the Scriptures They are called the Law of the Lord Psa 1.2 And often in the 119 Psa David acknowledges it to be Gods Law and Ps 81.4 The Law of the God of Iacob They are called the
Oracles of God Rom 3.2 1 Pet. 4.11 The Counsel of God Act. 20.27 Psa 33.11 Prov. 19.21 The Will of the Lord Eph. 5.17 the Mystery of Gods will Eph. 1.9 the Gospel of God 1 Thess 2.9 the glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1.11 the Gospel of Christ Rom. 1.16 Rom. 15.19 the words of the Lord Ier. 36.8 the words of the living God Ier. 23.36 the words of the Lord Jesus Acts 20.35 and very frequently they are called the Word of God Isa 40.8 Mark 7.13 Rom. 10.17 and very remarkable is that place in 1 Thess 2.13 For this cause thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God And to conclude this God himself calls the Scriptures his Word Zach. 1.6 My Word and my Statutes Micah 2.7 Does not my Word doe good to him that walks uprightly And Ezek. 2.7 Thou shalt speak my words unto them And saith Christ Mark 8.38 Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words By all which places it clearly appears that the Scriptures are the Word of God because they bear the title and name of God upon them and God himself acknowledges them to be his words Lastly in the fifth and last place I come to prove that the Scriptures are the Word of God by the titles that are given to the Ministers that declare the Scriptures they are called the Messengers of the Lord Hag. 1.13 then spake Haggai the Lords Messenger in the Lords Message unto the people Mal. 2.7 The Priests lips should preserve knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts And 2 Chron. 36.15 16. The Lord God of their Fathers sent to them by his Messengers c. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words And they are called the Lords Ministers Ioel 1.9 and Isa 61.6 Ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord men shall call you the Ministers of our God And the Apostle calls them Ministers of the New Testament 2 Cor. 3.6 Ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 Ambassadours for Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 Now if the Scriptures be not the Word of God how can those that declare them be truly called the Messengers of God and the Ministers of God and of Christ and the stewards of the Mysteries of God and Ambassadors for Christ but they are thus called in the Scripture therefore the Scriptures are the Word of God else the Messengers thereof could not be the Lords Messengers And thus have I done with the first thing propounded To prove by the testimony of Scripture it self that they are the Word of God and that because God spake them writ them or caused them to bee written And they are frequently in Scripture called the Word of God and the Messengers that declare them are called the Messengers and Ministers of God and Ambassadors for Christ and therefore they must needs be the Word of God 2. I come now in the second place to shew by Reasons that the Scriptures are the Word of God I shall lay down several Reasons Reason 1. The Antiquity of the Scriptures do clearly prove them to bee of God For man could not write of things done before ever he had a beeing But the works of the five first dayes Creation are mentioned in Scripture and man was not made till the sixt day Gen. 1. therefore they must needs be the Word of God Reason 2. They discover those things man could not declare As that the world was made of nothing that man was at the first made of the dust of the Earth that there is but one God in essence and yet that in this one essence there should be three Persons that a Virgin should bring forth a Son that God should take the nature of man upon him and suffer c. these things cannot come into the thoughts of man but the Scriptures declare these things therefore they are the Word of God Reason 3. No word of man can distinguish the true God from the false but this doth the Scriptures Isa 41.20 to 24. therefore they are the Word of God Reason 4. No word of man can work a change in his heart and make the stoutest heart to tremble at the hearing thereof But the Scriptures convert the soul and work grace Psal 19.7 Iohn 15.3 Iames 4.5.6 and the opening thereof will make the heart burn and tremble Luke 24.32 Acts 24.25 therefore they are the Word of God Reason 5. No word of man is able to make a man wise unto salvation But the holy Scriptures are able to make a man wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 therefore they are the Word of God Reason 6. No man only by his own writings can discover Jesus Christ But the Scriptures discover Jesus Christ Acts. 18.28 Iohn 1.45 Therefore they are the Word of God Reason 7. No man can make Laws for mens thoughts But the Scriptures discover mens thoughts and make Laws for them Heb. 4.12 Eccles 10.20 Therefore they are the Word of God Reason 8. Men make Laws to binde those that are under them But the Scriptures make Laws to bind the greatest Rulers upon the Earth Therefore they are the Word of God Reason 9. It speaks in a lofty style to the King and the subject and to all men alike But thus doth not the word of man for that puts a distinction between persons Therefore the Scriptures are the Word of God Reason 10. No writings of man can procure eternal life to them that observe and do them But to believe and to do what the Scriptures require will bring eternal life Iohn 5.24 29. Deut. 32.46 47. Ezek. 20.11 Iohn 6.68 Iohn 20.31 Therefore they are the Word of God Reason 11. No word of man can be truly called righteous pure or holy For who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Iob 14.4 But the Scriptures are righteous pure and holy Ps 19.8 9. Ps 119 151 172. Rom. 7.12 Therefore it is the Word of God Reason 12. If the Scriptures be not the Word of God but of man then Ministers ought to teach nothing contained in the Scriptures for Doctrines or Rules for Gods worship Mat. 15.9 In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men Isa 29.13 Col. 2.22 But Ministers ought to teach no other doctrine but what is contained in the Law and in the Gospel Isa 8.20 1 Tim. 1.3 10 11. And if any man bring any other Gospel then what is already received he is accursed Gal. 1.9 Or any that shall adde or diminish from the prophesie of the Book of the Scriptures Rev. 22.18 Deut. 4.2 Prov. 30.6 And the Scriptures also teach us an holy life 1 Pet. 1.16 Lev. 11.44 and how we are to worship God Acts 24.14 Therefore they must needs be the
Word of God Reason 13. The sweet Harmony of the Scriptures prove them to be the Word of God for no writings of man do so debase man exalt God and presse men to obedience But the Pen-men of the Scriptures doe all agree together in these things and although there were many Pen-men yet there is no contradiction in their writings but the Old Testament witnesses to the New and the New to the Old It is not thus in the writings of men Therefore they must needs be the Writings of God Reason 14. If they were written by man they were written either by good men or bad men But they were not written by bad men for they hate the purity of the Scriptures and to be sure they were not written by good men as the Authours thereof for they abhor to lie and say The Lord saith if the Lord hath not said the Word Therefore they must needs be the written Word of God Reason 15. The wonderful calling of Moses the Prophets and Apostles to make known the Scriptures doe manifestly prove them to be the Word of God see for Moses how he was called Exod. 2.7 10. and 3.2 Acts 7.20 21. and Amos and divers of the Apostles were unlearned men which had not been brought up in the schools of men Amos 7 14 15. Mark 1.16 And yet these declared the Scriptures which manifest more wisdome then all the wise men in the world can declare yea the Apostles that were unlearned and ignorant men spake in several tongues the wonderful works of God to the admiration of the hearers Acts 2.11 and 4.13 this could not come from man Therefore it must needs be the Word of God Reason 16. No writings of man could declare the heavy wrath of God against sin and the remedy how to get rid of that wrath But this doth the Scriptures Psa 9.17 Rom. 5.9 1 Thess 5.9 Luke 21.36 therefore they are the Word of God Reason 17. If the Scriptures were not the Word of God but of man then certainly God would not have wrought so many miracles to confirm the truth of mans sayings But there are many miracles both in the Old and New Testament to confirm the truth of the Scriptures Therefore they are the Word of God Reason 18. No creature Angels men or Devils if all were put together could ever be able to declare before hand what particular persons should be born and what should be their names and what they should do some thousand and hundred years before their parents were born But this do the Scriptures as we read of the Messias Gen. 3.15 Isa 9.6 7. and Iosiah 1 Kings 13.2 2 Kings 23.16 17. Therefore it is the Word of God Reason 19. No man will write and declare to the world their own failings and infirmities But many of the Pen-men of the Scriptures do declare their own failings and infirmities which they would never have done had they not been moved thereunto by the Spirit of God Therefore the Scriptures must be the Word of God Reason 20. All the prophecies of the Scripture from time to time have been punctually performed and fulfilled But so are not all mans prophecies Therefore they are the Word of God Reason 21. The word of man is often broken But the Scripture cannot be broken Iohn 10.35 Therefore it is the Word of God Reason 22. If the Scriptures were not the Word of God the Churches of God would long before this time have found them out to be only the word of man as Jeremiah found out Hannaniah Jer. 28.15 16. and as the Church of Ephesus found out the false Apostles Rev. 2.2 But the truth of Gods Word in the Scriptures hath ever been held forth by the Churches of God as a Proclamation upon a pillar 1 Tim. 3.15 Now as a Proclamation receives not its authority from the pillar nor the light from the Candlestick that bears it So neither do the truths of the Scriptures receive their authority from the Church or any member thereof but from God which is the onely Authour thereof and so all Christian Churches acknowledge And thus you see that the Scriptures are the Word of God 1. Reason shews it 2. The Spirit of God perswades it Isa 59.21 3. The Scriptures themselves affirm it and 4. The Churches of God have ever received it as the Word of God Therefore it must needs be the Word of God To conclude this If the Scriptures be not the Word of God but of man only then 1. Man should teach himself his duty towards God 2. We should have no certain rule for our Faith and Religion 3. There should be no necessity of reading and hearing the Scriptures 4. If we deny the Scriptures to bee the Word of God we cast off all means which God hath appointed for eternal life Iohn 5.39 And lastly doubting of this exposes us to all Atheisme and contempt of Religion and Justice Therefore seeing as hath been fully proved the Scriptures themselves and Reason also make it apparent that the Scriptures are the Word of God let us believe they are so And as the Apostle exhorts Phil. 3.16 Let us walk by the same rule and mind the same thing And thus have I done with the first Proposition That the Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament commonly called the Bible is the revealed Will and Word of God Prop. II. I come now to the second Proposition That the Scriptures which is the Word of God is the only foundation for our faith and the only rule for our obedience This Proposition falls into these two parts 1. That the Scriptures is the only foundation for our faith 2. That it is the only rule for our obedience I shall very briefly speak to both these things First That the Scriptures is the only foundation of our faith 1. The Scriptures are the means by which faith is wrought Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Eph. 1.13 In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation And saith Christ John 5.24 He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life And the Word is called the word of Faith Rom. 10.8 The mystery of Faith 1 Tim. 3.9 The faith of the Gospel Phil. 1.27 And all this to teach us that all true faith is wrought by and founded upon the Word of God 2. It is the very end why the Scriptures are written John 20.31 That we might make them the foundation of our faith and hope in God 1 John 5.13 These things have I written c. that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 3. The Scriptures must needs be the only foundation to build faith on because we find the faithful in Scripture did ever