upon the heart, with the Spirit of
the living God. The law without is the pattern and exact copy, the law
within, is the transcript or the image of God upon the heart, framed and
fashioned according to the similitude of it, 2 Cor. iii. 3, Heb. viii. 10.
So then, there needs be no more question about the divine authority of the
scriptures among those who have their senses exercised to discern between
good and ill, than among men who see and taste, concerning light and
darkness, sweet and bitter. The persuasion of a Christian is fetched
deeper than the reasons of men. Their faith is "the evidence of things not
seen." It is an eye, a supernatural eye whereby a soul beholds that
majesty and excellency of God shining in the word, which, though it shine
about the rest of the world, yet tis not seen, because they cannot know it
nor discern it. Wonder not that the multitude of men cannot believe the
report that is made, that there are few who find any such excellency and
sweetness in the gospel as is reported, because saith Isaiah, liii. 1, the
arm of "the Lord is not revealed to them." The hand of God must first
write on their heart, ere they understand the writings of the scriptures,
his arm must create an eye in their souls, an internal light, before it
can behold that glorious brightness of God shining in the word. The word
is God's testimony of himself, of his grace and mercy, and good will to
mankind. Now no man can receive this testimony, unless it be sealed and
confirmed by the Holy Ghost into the heart, saith Peter, "We are his
witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath
given to them that obey him," Acts v. 32. The word witnesses to the ear,
and the Spirit testifieth to our spirits, the truth and worth of that, and
therefore the Spirit is a seal and a witness. The word is the Lord's voice
to his own children, bastards cannot know it, "but my sheep know my
voice," John x. 4, 16. You know no difference between the bleating of one
sheep from another, but the poor lambs know their mother's voice, there is
a secret instinct of nature that is more powerful than many marks and
signs, even so those who are begotten of God know his voice,--they discern
that in it which all the world that hear it cannot discern--there is a
sympathy between their souls and that living word. That word is the
immortal seed they are begotten of and there is a natural instinct to love
that, and to meditate in it, such an incli