Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A28310
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A soul-searching catechism wherein is opened and explained not onely the six fundamental points set down Heb. 6. I. but also many other questions of highest concernment in Christian religion : wherein is strong meat for them that are grown and milk for babes, in a very short catechism at the end, exceeding needful for all families in these ignorant and unsetled times / written by Christopher Blackwood.
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Blackwood, Christopher.
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1653
(1653)
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Wing B3101; ESTC R24658
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62,833
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92
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Devil and his Angels Q. But seeing there are some wretched men that deny the Scriptures how shall I know the Scriptures to be Gods Word A. There are many grounds to sway the Conscience to belief of them as 1. The Witness of Gods Spirit which is promised to be given to all the Elect together with the word Isa 59.21 2. As natural bodies declare what they are as Sun Moon Stars Fire Water Gold Silver Hony so doth the word Psal 19.7 8 9 no book but breaths out holiness to the Lord no Chapter hardly but takes off our hearts from the World it sets forth his infinite mercy to his Saints and infinite justice to the wicked The Scripture is like the light which not onely shews other things but it self 3. The agreement of the Scriptures one part with another though the writers lived remote one from another and in several ages of the World How could they have so agreed were they not written by one Spirit Seeing two Historians if they write of any time or occurrence through ignorance partiality and forgetfulness they will contradict each other if they be onely humane writers besides for the old Testament we have the Jews the utterest enemies of Christianity witnessing it and and for the new it doth harmoniously agree with the old 4. The impartiality of the pen-men they speak impartially to all to Princes as well as beggers David speaks of his own murther Psal 51.14 Moses tells of the faults of his own Granfather Levi Gen. 49.5 7. whereas men naturally raise up their Ancestors to the highest Paul sets forth his blasphemy and persecution 1 Tim. 1.13 5. By the end at which they aime had these Pen-men wrote as men they would have lifted up themselves but every book throws down man as low as hell and exalts God with the highest excellence Isa 40.15 16. and gives the glory of all to God 1 Cor. 15.10 6. By the subject matter of the Scriptures Hardly any writings of men but some lusts are scattered up and down of pride vain-glory But in the Scriptures every word is pure Prov. 30.5 more then silver seven times purified Psalme 12.6 7. had men writ it they would never have tyed themselves to such strict points 7. There are many things in the Scripture that could never have proceeded from the brain of man for example that in one essence or being the Father Son and Spirit should subsist that our bodies turned to dust should rise again the in same number though with more glorious qualities so the incarnation of Christ by a Virgin for the appeasing the justice of God So that all things which befall a Christian shall work together for his good in reference to Salvation If these and many other things could not enter into his brain much less could they proceed from his pen. 8. The powerful effects the Scriptures have upon the Conscience prove them to be of God for example they melt the heart in in reading them 2 Reg. 22.19 they strike a terrour into the hearts of the ungodly No writings of men can so awe the hearts of men as these Psal 119.11 they over-power the will One verse of self-denial will make a man part with all his Estate Friends and Life and what not they work a wonderful change in many persons that they are not the same they were yea they quicken dead hearts and revive the dejected Psalme 119.49 50. Heb. 4.12 9. The books themselves bear witness they are from God In most books of Scriptures in the entrance of them the names of the pen-men together with the Author of the word are expressed See Jer. 1.1 Ezek. 1.3 Hos 1.1 Ioel 1.1 c. But you will say its possible for false writings to have such Titles prefixt A. True the name is not enough were there nothing else but this being joyned with other signs is of great force Shall we believe Aristotles or Plato's works to be their works when they have their names affixt thereto and shall we not believe the Scriptures to be of them whose Title they bear that is the word of God by such and such a writer 10. The death and sufferings of the Martyrs who have given their lives to seal the truth proves them to be of God Revel 6.9 20.4 Where do we ever find any to dye to defend the opinions of Plato or the dreams of Mahomet 11. Satans malice proves it he never tempts us to unbeliefe of any writings save these 12. The fulfilling of the Prophecies proves them to be of God Isaiah chap. 44.28 named Cyrus to be the deliverer of Gods people an hundred and sixty yeers before Cyrus was born Jeremiah set the bounds of seventy yeers to the Babylonish Captivity Daniel lived onely in the two first Monarchies the Caldean and Persian yet he prophesies of the Grecian and Roman Monarchies So that Israel should be in Egypt four hundred yeers and then come out so that he that should build Jericho should lay the foundation of it in his eldest son Jos 6.26 compared with 1 Kin. 16.34 Paul prophesied of Doctrines forbidding Marriage and meates 1 Tim. 4.1 And now it s come to pass in the Papacy Jacob Gen. 49. speaks of all the portions his Children should have assigning to one the Corn-Countrey to others the Sea to others the vine-grounds as they were after divided by lot certain hundred yeers after how could he come to the knowledge thereof but by him that over-rules all lots sure they could not be suggested by any but God who knew what he would do The seeing so many of the Prophecies to be fulfilled may assure us also that the rest shall be fulfilled and consequently that they are all of God 13. Either the Scriptures must be of God or of man not of man because then they must be either of bad men or of good not of bad men for they would never have forbid evil so rigorously nor command good so expresly nor aimed so at Gods glory nor of good men for they durst not have belied God nor take the glory so due to God which is to rule in the Conscience unto themselves therefore must they needs be of God 14. The wonderful preservation of the Scriptures notwithstanding Tyrants endeavour to abolish it and Hereticks endeavour to corrupt it yet it hath been kept pure in both the Originals the two Tables writ by Gods own finger were laid up in the Arke Deut. 10.2 When Manasses and Ammon that they might the better draw the people to Idolatry had supprest the book of the Law it pleased God in rhe dayes of Iosiah that it was found in the ruines of the Temple 2 Chron. 34.14 Antiochus 1 Mach. 1.56 57. rent the book of the Law in peeces and burnt it in the fire and made it matter of death for a man to have a Testament by him Dioclesian the persecuting Emperor forbad the use of the Scriptures and burnt them yet were the Scriptures still