The Virginia Gazette

To the PRINTER.

SIR,

HAVING Reason to fear Deism has some Adherents in Virginia, I
desire you to publish, in your Paper, some Reasons I have transcribed from an eminent Author, to shew that the Scriptures are the Word of
God. Tho' they may not convince Infidels, yet they may be of some Use
to Believers; and your making 'em known will oblige, Sir,

Your affectionate Friend, and humble Servant,

ANONYMUS.

First,
the Scriptures shined as Lamps in their Times, and far surpassed all Men of other Religions, which sheweth the Work of God's
Spirit in them, and how unlikely it is that such Men should obtrude into
the Church their own Inventions instead of God's Word.

Secondly, The Simplicity, Integrity, and Sincerity of these Writers in
Matters that concern themselves and those that belong unto them, doing
nothing by Partiality, 1 Tim. v. 21. neither sparing their Friends nor themselves; so Moses, for Example, in his Writings, spared not to report the
Reproach of his own Tribe, Gen. xxxiv. 30. and xlix. 5, 7. nor the Incest
of his Parents of which he himself was conceived, Exod. vi. 20. nor the Idolatry of his Brother Aaron, Exod. xxxii. nor the wicked Murmuring
of his Sister Miriam, Numb. xii. nor his own declining of his Vocation by God to deliver the Children of Israel out of Egypt, Exod. iv. 13,
14. nor his own Murmuring against God in his Impatience, Numb. xi. 11,
12, 13, 14, nor his Want of Faith after so many wonderful Confirmations, Numb. xx. 12. and xxvii. 14. Deut. xxxii. 51. And tho' he were
in highest Authority, and having a Promise of the People to believe whatsoever he said, Exod. xix. 8. & xx. 19. & xxiv. 3. he assigneth no Place
for his own Sons to aspire, either to the Kingdom or to the high Priesthood; but leaveth them in the mean Degree of common Levites: All
which Things declare most manifestly, that he was void of all earthly
and carnal Affections in his Writings, as was meet for the Penman and
Scribe of God; hereunto also may be added, that he writeth of himself,
Numb. xii. 3. that he was the meekest of all the Men that were upon the
Face of the whole Earth, which no wise Man would in such Sort report
of himself, if he were left to his own Discretion.

Thirdly, The Quality and Condition of the Pen-men of these holy
Writings, some of whom were never trained in the School of Man, and
yet in their Writings shew that Depth of Wisdom that the most learned
Philosophers could not attain unto. Some also were before professed Enemies to the Truth, whereof afterwards they were Writers: Amos was no
Prophet but a Herdsman, and a Gatherer of wild Figs, Amos vii. 14.
Matthew a Publican, employed only in the gathering of Toll, Matt. ix. 9.
Peter, James, and John, Fishermen, whose Liberty of Speech when the
Chief Priests and the Elders of Jerusalem beheld, and understood that they
were unlettered and ignorant Men, it is recorded, Acts iv. 13. that they
marvelled, and took Knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus:
Paul, from a bloody Persecutor converted to be a Preacher and a Writer of
the Gospel, shewed by that sudden Alteration, that he was moved by a
Command from Heaven to defend that Doctrine which before he so earnestly
impugned.