12. "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended." Psa. xvi. 11. "In thy presence there is fulness of joy."

Q. 2. What rule hath God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?

A. The word of God which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him.

Q. 1. Why is the word contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, called the word of God?

A. Because it was not from the invention of the men who wrote the Scriptures, but from the immediate inspiration of the Spirit of God who indited them, 2 Tim. iii. 16. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God." 2 Pet. i. 21. "Prophecy [of the Scripture] came not by the will of men; but holy men of God, spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

Q. 2. How do you prove the word in the Scriptures to be the word of God?

A. 1. Because of the majesty of the Scriptures. 1. God is frequently brought in speaking to and by the prophets; and his majesty set forth in such high expressions, as are not to be found in any human writings, Isa. lvii. 15. "Thus saith the high and lofty one, who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place." 1 Tim. vi. 15, 16. "Who is the blessed and only

potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto." 2. The style and way of the Scriptures is with such majesty, as is not in other writings; duties are therein prescribed which none but God can require; sins are therein condemned, which none but God can prohibit; threatenings of punishments are therein denounced, which none but God can inflict, promises of such rewards are therein made, which none but God can bestow; and all in such a majestic way, as evidences God to be the author of this book of the Scriptures.

2. Because of the holiness and purity of the Scriptures, Rom. i. 2. "Which God had promised before by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures;" Psa. xii. 6. "The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, and purified seven times." The Scriptures are holy from the beginning of them to the end; they do not favour at all of anything that is earthly and impure; especially the laws of the word are holy, commanding everything that is holy, and forbid ding everything that is impure and unholy, whence it is evident, that the Scriptures are the word of the holy God, and that the holy men who wrote them were actuated herein by the Holy Ghost.

3. Because of the consent and harmony of the Scriptures. In the Scriptures there is a consent between the Old Testament and the New; a consent between the types and figures under the law, and the things typified and prefigured under the gospel; between the prophecies of the Scriptures, and the fulfilling of those prophecies. There is

in the Scriptures a harmony or agreement of precepts, and a harmony or agreement of histories, and a harmony or agreement of design: wherefore, since the Scriptures were written by so many several men, in so many several ages, and different places, and yet agree so well in their writings, that no irreconcilable difference is to be found in them, it is evident that they were all actuated by the same Spirit of God, and therefore, that the Scriptures are the word of God.

4. Because of the high mysteries which are revealed in the Scriptures. We read in the Scriptures of the Trinity of persons in the Godhead, the incarnation of the Son of God, the mystical union of Christ and his members. These and such like mysteries were beyond the reach of the most wise and learned men to invent, much more beyond the reach of unlearned fishermen, by whom they were revealed; whence it is evident that they /spake not their own words, but what they were taught by the immediate inspiration of the Spirit.

5. Because of the antiquity of the Scriptures. They were written in part before any other writings of men, and they contain a history of the most ancient things, namely the creation of the old world, the flood, and the like. Such ancient things are there revealed, which none but God knew, and therefore God must needs be the author of them.

6. Because of the power and efficacy of the Scriptures. 1. The Scriptures are powerful to convince, and awaken, and wound the conscience. Heb. iv. 12. "The word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword." The Scriptures are powerful to convert and change

2.

the heart, Psa. xix. 7. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." 3. They are powerful to quicken men out of spiritual death and deadness. Isa. lv. 3. "Hear and your soul shall live." Psa. cxix. 50. "Thy word hath quickened me.” 4. They are powerful to rejoice and comfort under the deepest distresses. Psa. xix. 8. "The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart." Scriptures opened and applied, are made effectual to produce such powerful effects as do exceed the power of nature, and can be effected only by the power of God; which shows that God only is the author of the Scriptures, which he would not so far own and honour, if they were not his own.

The

7. Because of the design and contrivance of the Scriptures. 1. The design of the Scriptures is to give God all the glory; the design is not to exalt any, but to debase and empty all men, and exalt God's name and grace in the world. 2. The marvellous contrivance of wisdom, in finding out a way for man's recovery and salvation by Jesus Christ, when fallen by sin into such a state of misery; which no mortal brain could have invented. This shows not only that this contrivance was from the infinitely wise God, but also that the Scriptures which have revealed this, are his book.

8. Because the Scriptures were confirmed by miracles. We read of many miracles in the Scriptures, especially those which were wrought by Jesus Christ and his disciples, to confirm their doctrine that was from God; such as curing some who were born blind, raising the dead, calming the sea with a word, and many more. Now these and the like miracles were from the immediate hand of God, and the relation we have faithfully

handed down to us, as appears by the writings still among us, of several holy men upon them, and concerning them, as also by the several copies of them, which could not be forged and not be found out, agreeing in the same relation. And as surely as God did effect those miracles, so surely is God the author of the Scriptures, which is confirmed by them..

9. Because the Scriptures were confirmed by the blood of martyrs. There were many thousand Christians in the primitive times who sealed and gave testimony to the truth of the Scriptures, with the loss of their lives. The great faith of the primitive Christians in the truth of the Scriptures, who might easily have found out the deceit, had there been any deceit imposed upon men in them; and the great patience and constancy which they showed in their sufferings, are an evidence of their faith, and a weighty argument, in conjunction with others, to prove the divine authority of the Scriptures.

10. Because of the testimony of the Spirit of God in, and with, and by the Scriptures, upon the hearts of believers, 1 John ii. 20. "Ye have an unction from the holy one, and ye know all things,' because v. 27. "The same anointing teacheth you all things, and is truth, and is no lie." Without this testimony and teaching of the Spirit, all other arguments will be ineffectual to persuade to a saving faith.

Q. 3. Why was the word of God put into Scriptures or writings?

A. 1. That the history and doctrine of the word might be the better conveyed down to posterity; for if the word revealed to holy men so many