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_. [Sidenote: Their authority and interpretation.] As far as they differ not from the laws of nature, there is no doubt, but they are the law of God, and carry their authority with them, legible to all men that have the use of natural reason: but this is no other authority, than that of all other moral doctrine consonant to reason; the dictates whereof are laws, not _made_, but _eternal_. If they be made law by God himself, they are of the nature of written law, which are laws to them only to whom God hath so sufficiently published them, as no man can excuse himself, by saying, he knew not they were his.