6. The mighty power and efficacy the word hath had upon the souls and con- sciences of men. — 1. It hatli changed their hearts. Some by reading of scripture liave been turned into other men, they haA-e been made holy and gracious. By reading other books the heart may be warmed, but by reading this book it is transformed, 2 Cor. iii. 3., " Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God." The word was copied out into their hearts, and they were become Christ's epistle, so that others might read Christ in them. If you should set a seal upon marble, and it should make an impression upon the mar- ble, and leave a print behind, there were a strange virtue in that seal : so, when the seal of the word leaves a heavenly print of grace upon the heart, there must needs be a power going along with that word no less than divine. — 2. It hath comforted their hearts. When Christians have sitten by the rivers weeping, the word hath drop- ped as honey and sweetly revived them. A Christian's chief comfort is drawn out of these wells of salvation : Rom. xv. 4., " That we through comfort of the Scrip- tures might have hope." When a poor soul hath been ready to faint, he hath had nothing to comfort him but a scripture- cordial. When he hath been sick, the word hath revived him : 2 Cor. iv. 17., " Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more e.vceed- in<r and eternal weiijht of glory." When he hath been deserted, the word hath drop, ped in the golden oil of joy into his heart : I^am. iii. 31., " Tiic Lord will not cast off for ever." He may change his providence, not his purpose ; he may have the look of an enemv, but the heart of a father. Thus the word hath a power in it to comfort tlie heart : Ps. cxix. 50., " This is my comfort
in mine affliction ; for thy word hath quick- ened me." As the spirits are conveyed through the arteries of the body; so divine comforts are conveyed through the pro- mi.ses of the word Now the scriptures having such an exhilarating, heart-com- forting power in them, it shows clearly that they are of God, and it is he tliat liath put this milk of consolation into tlieso breasts.
7. The great miracles wherewith the Lord hath confirmed scripture. Miracles were used by Moses, Elijah, Christ, and continued many years after by the apostles, to confirm the verity of the holy scriptures. As props are set under weak vines, so tliese miracles were set under the weak faith of men, that if they would not belicA^e the writings of the word, yet they might be- lieve the miracles. We read of God's di- viding the waters, — making a causeway in the sea for his people to go over, — the iron swimming, — the oil increasing by pouring out, — Christ's making wine of water, — his curing the blind, — and raising the dead : thus God hath set a seal to the truth and divinity of the scriptures by miracles.
Object. T/te papists indeed cannot deny hut that the scripture is divine and sacred ; but they affirm that quoad nos, ' with respect to us,' it receives its divine authority from the church ; and they briny that scripture, 1 Tim. iii. 1;")., tvherc the church is said to be ' the ground, and pillar of indli.'
Ans. It is true, the church is the pillar of truth ; but it doth not therefore follow, that the scripture hath its authority from the church. The king's proclamation is fixed on the pillar, tlic ])illar holds it out, that all may read, but the proclamation doth not receive its authority from the ])il- lar, but from the king; so the church holds forth the scriptures, but they do not receive their authority from the church, but from God. If the word of God be divine, mere- ly because the church holds it forth, then it will follow, that our faith is to be built upon the chinch and not upon the word ; contrary to that, Eph. ii. 20., " Built upon the foundation (that is the doctrine) of the ajtostlcs, and prophets."
Q. Are all the books in the Bible of the same divine authority ?
OF THE SCRIPTURES.
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A. Those which we call canonical.
Q. / Vhy are the scriptures called canonical ?
A. Because the word is a rule of faith, — a canon to direct our lives. The word is the judge of controversies, the rock of in- fallihility ; that only is to be received for truth, which is consonant to, and agrees witli scripture, as the transcript with the original. All maxims in divinity are to be brought to the touchstone of scriptui'e, as all measures are brought to the standard.
Q. Are the scriptures a complete rule ?