It is a question much disputed between the divers sects of Christian religion, “from whence the Scriptures derive their authority”; which question is also propounded sometimes in other terms, as, “how we know them to be the word of God, or why we believe them to be so”: and the difficulty of resolving it, ariseth chiefly from the improperness of the words wherein the question itself is couched. For it is believed on all hands, that the first and original “author” of them is God; and consequently the question disputed, is not that. Again, it is manifest, that none can know they are God’s word (though all true Christians believe it), but those to whom God himself hath revealed it supernaturally; and therefore the question is not rightly moved, of our “knowledge” of it. Lastly, when the question is propounded of our “belief”; because some are moved to believe for one, and others for other reasons; there can be rendered no one general answer for them all. The question truly stated is, “by what authority they are made law.”