Scripture's affections; authority is the dignity that merits faith because God is Author
CHAPTER FOUR On the affections of Sacred Scripture, and specifically on its AUTHORITY
I. By affections of Sacred Scripture we mean the properties that belong to it properly speaking — the qualities that declare its divinity enough: authority, perfection, clarity, sense together with interpretation, and efficacy.
II. Authority here means that dignity on account of which, God being Author, every statement Scripture makes deserves to be believed. Scripture is self-attesting, authentic, and infallible; consistent throughout, and stands as the unmoved, God-appointed rule of our faith and life (2 Timothy 3:16). Augustine puts it rightly (City of God 11.3): if the divine Scriptures lose their authority, faith itself will stumble.
Latin
CAPUT QUARTUM. De sacrae Scripturae affectionibus, & quidem nominatim de ejus AUTHORITATE. I. Affectiones sacrae Scripturae sunt proprie illius qualitates, quibus divinitas ejus sufficienter declaratur, utpote authoritas, perfectio, claritas, sensus & interpretatio, efficacia. II. Autoritas ejus est dignitas, qua omnium enunciationum suarum, propter Deum authorem, fidem meretur. Est enim αὐτόπιστος, authentica, infallibilis, per omnia consentiens & immota fidei vitaeque nostrae regula divinitus constituta, 2. Tim. 3.16. Hinc recte Augustinus l.11. de civit. Dei cap. 3.: Titubabit fides, si divinarum scripturarum vacillet authoritas.