Credentials of the Bible.
1. The Bible claims to be the word of God. Those who wrote it assert that they wrote as they “were moved by the Holy Ghost;” and they append to what they utter, a “Thus saith the Lord.”
2. If it is not what it claims to be, it is an imposture invented by deceivers and liars.
3. Good men would not deceive and lie; therefore they were not the ones who invented the Bible.
4. If, therefore, it was invented by men at all, it must have been invented by bad men.
5. All liars and religious impostors are bad men; but—
6. The Bible repeatedly and most explicitly forbids lying and imposture, under the threatening of most condign punishment.
7. Would, therefore, liars and impostors invent a book which more than any other book ever written, denounces lying and imposture, thus condemning [pg 035] themselves to the severest judgments of God, and at last to eternal death?
8. If, then, the Bible is not the invention of good men,—because such men would not lie and deceive; nor of evil men,—because such men would not condemn themselves; nor of good or evil angels, for the same reasons, who else can be its author, but he who claims to be, that is, the living God?
9. If, therefore, from the very nature of the case, it must be God's book, why not believe it, and obey it?