Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	church_n	ground_n	pillar_n	2,625	5	10.3132	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96858	Gnōston tou Theou, k[a]i gnōston tou Christou, or, That which may be knovvn of God by the book of nature; and the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ by the Book of Scripture. Delivered at St Mary's in Oxford, by Edward Wood M.A. late proctor of the University and fellow of Merton Coll. Oxon. Published since his death by his brother A.W. M.A.	Wood, Edward, 1626 or 7-1655.; Wood, Anthony à, 1632-1695.	1656 (1656)	Wing W3387; Thomason E1648_1; ESTC R204118	76,854	234

price or value then really it is in it selfe and this is all the true power that the Church can challenge in relation unto the holy Scriptures wherefore the true Church we honour in respect of these things but we doe not adore it and make it of greater Authority then the Scriptures themselves Wherefore 3. We say that the Authority of them doth not so much depend on the Church as on their own innate light and testimony of the Holy Spirit within us their own innate light I say for saith Chamier there is in the Scriptures a peculiaris genius and strein whereby they may upon examination be easily discovered to be the Word of God as a Critick will know by the phrase and stile and the like that such a book is Lyvies such an one Juvenalls so also will a Christian upon the due search triall of the holy Scriptures by their matter Heavenly by their stile deep and by their divine phrase mysticall presently conclude that they are the Word of God and that they can have no other Author then the King of Heaven and then farther I say there is required a Testimony of the holy Spirit within us which Spirit is as I may so speake the seale unto all the rest and peculiar only to Gods Children a man may by the hearsay of the Church historically know the Scriptures but this will no more comfort his heart then the discourses concerning honey and sweet-meates will the stomacke a man may also be convicted of the truth of the Word from those arguments I pressed even now and yet he may be no more converted by them then the Jewes were at the Miracles of Christ which they knew were wrought by a divine power well then what is it that must ultimately perswade us and assure a child of God certitudine fidei with an assurance of faith that the Scriptures are the Word of God the Church that cannot for how can that infuse faith which the Scriptures every where set forth to be the Gift of God what then is it that assures us doubtlesse the Spirit of God co-working with us and upon our prayers and diligent reading and examining of the Word assuring us that this Word which was thus confirmed by miracles thus verifyed by the truth of the Prophesyes contained in it this Word that hath so perfect a consent within its self that hath so admirable efficacy upon the hearers and readers thereof that hath been so wonderfully preserved in all ages that this Word and this Word only is the Word of God and of divine authority so then the Church that can only report unto us the Spirit that doth firmely perswade us the Church that can ministerially only ingenerate an opinion in us the Spirit a Faith and certainty of the Scriptures as then men may heare a very great report of anothers worth learning and counsell and yet be never fully satisfied concerning it till they find it so to be by their own experience or as those Samaritans who did believe in part on Christ for the saying of the woman were yet notwithstanding further confirmed established in the faith of him when they heard his own words John 4. 24. in like manner though we may historically believe that the Scriptures are the Word of God because the Church saith so yet this testimony of the Church doth minister little assurance or satisfaction unto a child of God untill it be farther back't on and established by a farther testimony of the Spirit which undoubtedly must be the firmest assurance a man can have because it is that alone which doth open the eyes to behold the wondrous things of the Law Psal 119. 18. 't is that alone which leadeth into all truth Joh. 16. 13. 't is that alone which inseparably accompanys the faithfull in the Scriptures My Spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth Isa 59. 21. and therefore 't is that alone which gives strongest evidence unto its selfe speaking in the Scriptures if yee receive the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater saith S. Paul the witnesse of the Church is but the witnesse of men therefore the witnesse of the Spirit is greater but say they the Spirit speaketh by the Church and therefore we must believe the Church only when it testifyes of the Scriptures Whitaker answers for me that if so be the Spirit doth thus speak by the Church from whence then hath the Church this assurance but from the Spirit and so our beliefe of the Scriptures must ultimately resolve of necessity into the Testimony of the Spirit againe they say that the Church was before the Scriptures we answer no by no meanes for then how can the Word be called the everlasting wisedome of God and the immortall seed of which the Church is borne the Church was before the written Word but not before the unwritten Aske a Papist how they know that the Church is of such authority and they will prove it by the Scriptures and therefore the authority proving must needs be of greater esteem and before the authority proved but is not the Church called the pillar and ground of truth yes but what doth a candle receive any light from the candlesticke because it stickes in it what though the Church is the seat and mansion place of the Scriptures yet were it possible that there were no Church in the World yet is not the Scripture of lesse authority then now it is the Church then is only a ministeriall pillar to preserve keep and set forth the word not a fundamentall one to uphold and give being unto it and here I might wade farther into a Discourse concerning the authority of the Church and the Scriptures but it having been so fully handled already and answered by multitudes of eminent men I shall goe no farther it remaines that I should practically apply what hath been already spoken but this together with the other propertyes of Scriptures their perspicuity and perfection I shall leave to the next part This is the AVTHOVRS last Sermon that ever He preacht which was at S. Maries in Oxon. March 20. 1655. Phil. c. 3. v. 8. first part Yea doubtlesse and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. IN this Chapter the Apostle armes his Philippians against their false teachers by opposing his own judgement and example to their erroneous and lying suggestions There were a company of prophane persons started up in the Church of Philippi whom Paul counts no better then doggs evill workers and of the concision verse 2. who instead of circumcising their hearts went about rather to cut and rend asunder the Church these men now being left to be brought from their old fleshly confidences the workes of the Law did vaunt much of their outward priviledges and would fain slink into circumcision and other ceremoniall performances and joyne

other mysteries they were darkely and emblematically as I may so speake hinted only in the Old Testament God thus ordering it that his people might more eagerly desire and pray for their fuller revelation But now to us under the New Testament these things are more cleerly layd open unto us so that we ought not to exspect farther revelation of them then what we have in the Word already for saith the Apostle All the Promises of God in him are yea and Amen that is they are throughly accomplish't and perfected in him and therefore they must needs be more plain and evident unto us now then they were unto the Fathers of old time the Old Testament then and the matter therein contained was not altogether so perspicuous unto the faithfull before Christ as now it is unto us after him and this shall suffice for the second point and so much also shall suffice briefely for the perspicuity of the Scriptures We shall now speake something concerning the perfection of them as the Scriptures are perspicuous so also they are most perfect that is necessary to be known of us in relation both to our faith manners this is plain from the end of them here set down Namely that the man of God may be made perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes from whence we may conclude that if the Minister of the Gospell for he is the man of God may out of the Scriptures furnish himselfe with all things necessary both for his Salvation his office it will follow that they are fully perfect for instruction of all men both in Doctrine and manners this will farther appeare from Ps 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule and Ps 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfections but thy commandement is exceeding large and so Luk. 16. 29. Abraham there sheweth in the Parable that Moses and the Prophets were sufficient to keepe men from damnation even the doctrine of the Old Testament contains in it al things necessary for mans Salvation whoever denyeth the truth of this point must of necessity say that either first God did not perfectly and fully reveale his will to the Prophets and Apostles which how absurd it is the Scriptures teach for Joh. 14. 26. 't is said there that the spirit should teach them all things and Joh. 16. 13. the Spirit will guid you into all truth or else they must say that the Prophets and Apostles did not set down the full and perfect substance of what was revealed unto them which Saint Paul doth plainely seeem to contradict for Act. 20. 27. I have not shunned saith he to declare unto you all the counsell of God Or else thirdlly he must be forced to say that it seemed not good to the Spirit fully and perfectly to reveale the will of God and so in writing to transmit it unto posterity for thus the Papists say in defence of their traditions that God indeed did reveale to the Prophets and Apostles his whole will concerning our Salvation but yet all was not written but some things were communicated say they viva voce unto the rest of the Church which never were written but still were derived unto posterity but doth not this opinion plainely accuse the Scriptures of falsehood when it is said Deut. 12. 32. Whatsoever things I command you observe to do it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it Gal. 1. 9. If any man Preach any other Gospell unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed which two texts being compared with that of Exod. 24. 4. Where 't is said that Moses wrote all the words of the Lord and with that forementioned place of the Acts where Paul saith that he did not shun to declare unto them all the Counsell of God these places I say compared with one another do evidently shew that all things necessary for Salvation were written that this written word alone ought to be the rule canon of our faith for since by them we attaine unto Eternall Life we are made wise unto Salvation since by them also the man of God is made perfect and throughly furnished Without controversy they containe in them all things necessary to be knowne of us either in regard of our faith or manners all things necessary I say for otherwise many other things there might be traditionally conveyed unto the Church such as are the perpetuall virginity of Mary the names of Jannes and Jambres mentioned by Paul only the Prophesy of Enoch Jude 14. part of the Gencology of Christ Luk. 3 Sathan striving for Moses body Jude 9. and other the like which things they may be known or not known without any prejudice to our Salvation and being not doctrinall may very well be received from hand to hand and not mentioned in Scriptures but how say the Papists can ye know Canonicall bookes from Apocriphall but by the tradition of the Church We answer that these may be distinguish't from the other by that innate light majesty and truth that is in them besides though a new convert and beginner may first learne it from the Church yet afterwards they know it upon grounds of Scripture thus an ignorant man may be told of the Kings coine but it is not that telling but the Kings stampe that maketh it currant good coyn Again for the maintenance of their unwritten traditions they urge that of the 2 Thes 2. 15. Therefore brethren stand fast hold the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle then which saith Whitaker Nullum probabiliorem Papistae locum inveniunt but unto this we answer that they were the same things which Paul spoke and writ so that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signify a diverse doctrine from that which afterwards was written and so also the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not alwayes a note of disjunction but sometimes also of conjunction as may appeare by comparing the Originall of the 1 Cor. 13. 8. Besides this it appeares that the Canon of the new Testament was not yet established Yea saith the same Whitaker I affirme that there was no book unlesse it were the Gospell of Mathew before the Epistles to the Thessalonians wherefore though the Apostle did bid the Thessalonians hold fast that Doctrine or those Traditions which he delivered unto them yet they might very well be indeed according to substance were set down in writing afterwards by the same Apostle wherefore briefely to conclude this point since these Scriptures are purposely written for our learning and to be are witnesse of Christ and to teach the way unto everlasting life doubtlesse God will have no Doctrine received of us but what is in them or consonant unto them Traditions then however in point of ceremony discipline or other lesse substantiall matters may be received yet in points of faith and Doctrine they are in no wise to be obtruded upon

been left only to the light of nature within us and the conduct of the Creatures without us we might have eternally groped in darknesse and never have come unto Salvation for though these may direct us unto a God yet they do not properly unto a Christ nature can never throughly discover the will of God and the right meanes unto Salvation and though God be delineated and drawn out as 't were in his Creatures yet it is but in darke colours seen he may be and understood in them but never exactly worshipped and served through them there must be then some higher Principle and fountaine from whence we may draw the knowledge of his will his grace and goodnesse towards mankind his love unto us from all Eternity in designing his Sonne to dye for us and to reveale unto us all those high mysteries of Religion which otherwise nature can never reach unto now that which doth these things must needs be the Word of God which instructing heretofore the old Patriarchs either by Oracles or Vision was at length by Moses proclaimed unto the Church and set down in writing that so all might plainly see who he was what kind of worship he did approve of and by what meanes he would bring them unto Heaven so that as Christ said unto the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 22. That both shee and her nation worshipped they knew not what we say likewise of the Gentiles they worshiped they knew not what God or the true one in a false manner for before Christs time Gods words being consined closetted within the Church of the Jewes no wonder that the Gentiles without the pale became vaine in their imaginations and worshiped the Creature more then the Creator and now after Christ many Nations either through malice rejecting the Scriptures or through negligence being ignorant of them no wonder that they are given up to worship the Host of Heaven and to follow after Idolls and lying vanityes for as old and dimme eyes though they may behold a faire volume yet they cannot speak or read perhaps two words together without the help of spectacles or some other glasse in like manner though a purblind naturall man a Gentile may see God in the large volume of his creatures yet without the light and helpe of holy Scriptures he can never discover his will and the true manner wherein he will be worshiped the Scriptures alone are the Cannon and Rule unto which we must square our selves in the service of God the principium cognoscendi that instrument and ladder whereby we may climbe up into Heaven and have a more intimate and cleere knowledge of God then possibly we can attaine unto either by the light of nature or conduct of the Creatures Wherefore leaving the two former Bookes of Nature and the Creatures we must enter now into a higher forme as it were and learne the booke of the Scriptures it shall be my taske therefore at present to open unto you the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures out of these words in prosecution of which as of all other heads ensuing I shall as I have told you endeavour to couch my matter in as short a roome as I can that so I may the more speedily goe over the summe and substance of Christian Religion which is the intent of this exercise and then I shall with all plainnesse perspicuity and method both open and apply the Doctrine familiarly illustrating those things that are knotty and hard without rambling and fetching in of things wich will not consist with my intended brevity and method As for the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures which being a beaten path I shall with lesse paines goe over These words as I conceive are the most pertinent whereon I may build it which are brought in as an argument to strengthen and confirme the Doctrine which Timothy had suckt in even from his youth and received from Paul for he shewing in the beginning of this Chapter the dangers of the latter times and the errours of evill men and seducers doth give his Sonne Timothy an antidote aginst their poyson exhorting him in the 14. verse to continue in the Doctrine which he had received the times indeed are very evill errours very rife persecutions every where offered to the professours of the Gospell but saith he continue thou in the things which thou hast learned c. this exhortation he seems to presse by severall arguments thou must continue in sound Doctrine 1. Because thou hast learnt it it was to that purpose deposited with thee and instilled into thee that thou mightest continue in it 2. Because thou hast been assured of it and therefore 't would argue want of Judgement and folly in thee to fall from it and because thou knowest of whom thou hast learn'd it not from any impostor or seducer but from a Paul an Apostle acted by the Spirit teaching nothing but what he hath from Christ and the Holy Ghost and therefore whose authority ought to binde thee to persevere in the things thou hast learned 3. O Timothy thou must continue in those things thou hast learned because from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures v. 15. thou hast been so long versed in the sacred truth so long learnt and received it that now it would be a most base thing for thee to recede from it read it thou hast from thy Child hood and therefore hold it fast thou shouldest in thy riper yeares this argument he backs on 4. From the perfection and profitable effect of the Sacred Scriptures they are able to make thee wise unto Salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus thou must therefore continue in the Doctrine and Word of God because if thou believest in that 't is able to instruct thee unto Heaven and eternall Salvation these arguments he puts down in the 14 15. verses now he goes on in these words read unto you to perswade him to persevere in the faith and Doctrine of the Scriptures for saith he all Scripture is given by inspiration of God the Authority therefore of it should bind thee to continue in the maintenance of it and 't is profitable for Doctrine for Reproofe for Correction for instruction in righteousnesse and therefore the great profit of it in instructing thee in all things which tend to Religion or well living and also its perspicuity in laying down all manner of things plainly which make either for Doctrine or for decision of controversies or for regulating mens manners either in publicke or private and then in the 17. verse the Apostle confirmes his exhortation from the end of the Holy Scriptures which is that the man of God may be perfect c. it is perfect in it self and therefore it doth make men perfect and throughly instructed unto all good workes since then saith Paul the Doctrine which thou hast learnt hath so noble an Author of it as God hath so profitable an use as to make men wise unto

the Gentiles but we must not here stand too long upon these things it remaines that since the Scripture is profitable for instruction in Righteousnesse good reason therefore it is that all people being thus to be instructed should read the holy Scriptures whose end it is as the Apostle goes on that the man of God may be perfect and throughly furnished unto all good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. by comparing the 1 Tim. 6. 11. with this the Minister or interpreter of God such as Timothy was himselfe that he might be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes that he namely who is of greatest concernement and knowledge in the Church may out of the Scriptures furnish himselfe with the knowledge of such dutyes which belong unto God and his neighbour there is no kind of good worke or duty which can be thought upon but the Scripture doth prescribe and prepare us unto and this is the meaning of the words on which I have been the longer because by them I have taken occasion to resolve you of such doubts which for brevity sake I cannot at large and distinctly handle from the words themselves you may note these three common observations 1. That the Scriptures are of divine authority for they are inspired of God 2. That they are most perspicuous and in the main most easily to be understood for otherwise how could they be profitable for our instruction in righteousnesse 3. That they are most perfect for if the Minister himselfe can draw out of them all things necessary unto his duty it will follow doubtlesse that they containe all things necessary for our Salvation and that they are most perfect 1. Then we shall shew that the Scriptures are of Divine authority what these Scriptures are none here I suppose can be ignorant of for you must needs conclude from what hath been spoken that they are the Word of God or holy bookes written by the inspiration of God to make us wise unto Salvation so that in the very frontispeice as 't were of the definition you may discover from whence they proceed God is the Authour of them that is certaine and 't were as absurd for a Christian to deny this as for any man to deny that beames and rayes proceed from the Sonne and therefore he that calls into question or denys that the Scriptures are the Word of God is as unworthy the name of a Christian as he is of a Phylosopher or a Metaphysitian that disallowes of a naturall body or entity because these are things which are necessary to be presupposed of him should all the men of the world unanimously conspire to deny that the Scriptures are the Word of God yet are they no lesse divine and authenticall then the Sunne would be light if all men otherwise were blinded let Turkes and Pagans say what they will yet the Scriptures will be still Gods word and there are such sufficient reasons for to prove it that he that is not either wilfully blinded or maliciously bent must needs confesse the same for that they are from God and so in themselves of divine Authority sundry reasons may be given we shall only for brevity sakename three or foure For besides that they doe most cleerly reveale unto us the nature and workes of God as the three Persons in the Trinity the mystery of the regeneration and the like things altogether above the reach and contrivance of man besides the impartialnesse and candour of the Pen-men of them for so Moses setteth down the incest of his Parents of whom he was begotten Ex. 6. 2. and his own disobedience Numb 11. 11. Jonah his murmering and Jeremiah his fretting which undoubtedly shews that they were not biassed with any carnall respects but altogether overruled and inspired by an higher Spirit besides also the quality condition of the Pen-men Amos an heardsman Mathew a publican the Apostles many of them fishermen which evidently shew that there was some higher power which did instill into them that profoundnesse of wisedome which all the art and Phylosophy in the world can never reach unto Adde to these the consent and holy conspiracy as 't were between all their writings notwithstanding the great difference of times they wrote in the remotenesse of places and the diversity of matters whereof they have written so incredible and divine is their mutuall harmony that you would rather think one man writ them with divers penns then that divers men writ them by one Spirit besides these and sundry other reasons I say which may sufficiently declare who is the principall Authour of this holy writ another great argument testimony of their originall is first the truth and events of Scripture Prophesyes Can any man Angel or created being foretell future contingent events can they tell the very name of a man and the time of his birth a hundred yeares before hand as the Spirit by Esay did concerning Cyrus and in the 1 of the Kings 13. concerning a Josias by name above 300 yeares say Annalist's before he was borne could ever any of the cheating Oracles of the Heathens or any counterfeited Sybill tell of a Messias to be borne 4000 years after then to come to passe just as 't was foretold as it did according to the promise made to Adam Gen. 3. 15. we our selves of this Nation are living examples of the truth of holy predictions succeeding events the Scriptures many thousand yeares ago did foretell the calling of the Gentiles for in him say they shall the Gentiles trust and all the ends of the earth shall see the Salvation of God and behold the Prophesy accomplished in our selves we who heretofore sate in darknesse and the shaddow of death doe now lye under glorious light who before were not a people but are now a people 't were endlesse to relate unto you all the Prophesyes which were exactly accomplish't according to the times places and circumstances foretold 2. But secondly the miracles that were wrought by and did accompany the teachers and writers of the Word may sufficiently confirme our faith in the authority of the Scriptures themselves unlesse we are worse then the Magitians who upon the Miracle of lice could cry out this is the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. but how may we know that the Miracles we read in the Gospells are true since by some the Gospell it selfe is doubted of Answer that were they not true they would have either been refuted or rejected by the men of those dayes but so farre were they then from that as a learned man notes that Josephus a Jew an enemy to the Christian truth did acknowledge Christ to be the worker of many miracles A 3d main argument of the Divinity of the Scriptures may be that admirable force and power which they have upon the minds and hearts of men which believe in them sometimes to humble and cast down sometimes to comfort and raise up the Spirits what vigour doth it

put into a man enabling him to resist even his own desires to fight against his own flesh and blood to suffer and beare all afflictions and tribulations for Christ his sake shew me any humane eloquence that can alter and change the very natures of men that can over-awe keep under hatches the rebellions mutinies and motions of the flesh that can put a Felix into a trembling a stubborne Pharaoh into a relenting that can give light unto the simple stop the mouth of gainsayers that can divide between the heart and the world between a mans selfe and his selfe humane eloquence that can only move and perswade this force and command it comes with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus saith the Lord and therefore exacts obedience Adde to all these the testimonies of all times concerning the Scriptures their Antiquity Moses being borne before the very Gods of the Heathens the latest of the Prophets matching the antientest of the Phylosophers adde also their constant preservation and continuance even till now maugre all the fury and rage of Tyrants the malice of Divells and divelish men who have done and doe still oppose these holy writings adde finally unto all these the testimonies of an army of Martyrs maintaining even to death the truth of the Scriptures men of all sorts ignorant who though they could not dispute could yet dye for the truth wise rich poore of all ages and sexes women children aged folkes enduring all manner of torments with all manner of torments with all patience and constancy for the maintenance of Gods Word and the truthes therein contained these with many other reasons may sufficiently demonstrate that God alone is the Author of the Scriptures but now as there may be many witnesses unto a bond and yet still all be of little moment unlesse the seale be put on too in like manner all these witnesses and arguments here produced will be of little concernement unto our Salvation unlesse they be sealed with the Spirit of promise as the Apostle speakes Ephes 1. 13. we may be convicted by the foregoing arguments that God is the Authour of the Holy Scriptures but yet they can never per se worke faith nor a full assurance of them unlesse the Spirit which beareth witnesse unto our Spirits jointly cooperates and opens our eyes more fully to see this light for as Hagar Gen. 21. 19. could not see the fountain that was neer her untill God had opened her eyes so neither can we perfectly discerne or savingly know the holy Scriptures untill the Holy Ghost doth open our eyes as David speakes to behold the marvellous things of the Law we have therefore occasion here to enquire how it may appeare unto us that the Scriptures are the Word of God or how a man may savingly and truely know that the Scriptures are the Word of God and of divine authority the Papists they say that the reason why they believe the Scriptures are the Word of God is because the Church saith so we say that the reason why we believe them so to be is because they are in themselves worthy of all beliefe and because the Spirit of God witnesseth and sealeth unto our Spirits that they are the Word of God now whether the witnesse of men or the witnesse of God be greater judge ye however it hath been a point very much controverted and canvassed on both sides therefore I shall endeavour briefly and cleerly to state it and to make you understand the absurdity and vanity of their position Our thesis on which I shall ground my Discourse shall be this namely that the Authority of the Scriptures in esse cognito and quoad nos doth not so depend on the Church as on their own innate light and testimony of the Spirit within us the termes of this Thesis being explained you will easily understand the whole matter I say then that the Authority of the Scriptures in esse cognito and quoad nos for though some of the Papists have been so impudent as to affirme that the Scriptures have no more divine authority in them without the Testimony of the Church then Aesops Fables or Ovid's Metamorphosis hath yet some of the moderne and ingenuous of them doe acknowledge that in themselves indeed they are of divine authority yet this cannot say they otherwise appeare unto us then by the testimony of the Church we say then that they may otherwise appeare unto us to be Gods Word then by the church as we may know that light is light and gold is gold by their owne qualities and lustre without any mans telling of us that they are so besides if they are as they confesse of divine authority in themselves by what Law then can their Church usurpe authority over them unlesse as needs it must come to passe they account the authority of their Church above that of God and so become no lesse blasphemers then absurd 2. I say that the authority of the Scriptures in esse cognito and quoad nos doth not so much depend upon the Church as on their own innate light and testimony of the Spirit within us doth not so much I say for I doe not deny but that the Church is a great confirmer of the truth and divinity of the Scriptures and that it doth execute many good offices toward them As First it is a witnesse unto them and a keeper and preserver of them but now will any one be so absurd to say that the records or writings of a King doe receive authority from their Notary or Register because he keeps them Secondly the Church may discerne and judge between true and false supposititions Scriptures and that by examining them according to the originall Canon and platforme of Moses his Law for my sheep saith our Saviour John 10. heare my voyce and so can distinguish it from another but now as a Goldsmith may by his weights and touchstone distinguish Gold from Copper yet not be said to make the Gold yea or to make it so unto us but only to make us the more easily believe that Gold it is in like manner the Church in its examining distinguishing of Scriptures can be only said to confirm unto us the divinity of them not in any wise either in themselves or unto us to make them divine The third thing that the Church doth is to preach and divulge the Scriptures but now as we believe and obey the Proclamation of a King not because such an one proclaimeth it but for it selfe so likewise we obey and believe the Scriptures not for the Church but it s own sake Fourthly the Church doth expound and interpret Scriptures but now as a faithfull Interpreter of an Embassadour doth not either adde or take from the true sence and meaning of him so likewise neither doth or ought the true Church to adde or diminish any thing of Holy Writ and therefore much lesse hath it power to make it in any wise of any greater