to his Apostles into all the world and preach the Gospel to every (c) Mark 16.15 creature If indeed the Church knew who would pervert the Scriptures she might with better reason withhold them from such but this she knoweth not and therefore is tyed to hold them forth indifferently unto all Secondly As all should learn so all should believe this word yea all this word because it 's God's for therefore every tittle of it must be (d) John 17.17 truth and hence is it oft called The word of truth both in the Old Testament and in the (e) Psal 119.43 Prov. 22.21 Eph. 1.13 Col. 1.5 New So that Till Heaven and Earth perish one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the law till all be (f) Mat. 5.18 fulfilled The sons of men indeed are lyers so saith the Psalmist Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye to be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter then (a) Psal 62.9 vanity So that there is neither any sure hold of their words nor any certain truth in them that we may securely rely upon But in God's word we may trust as altogether infallible for it is impossible that he should lye or (b) Heb. 6.18 deceive I will here omit the dilatation and enlargement of this point which I might enter into by the quotation of those many Texts of Scripture which yield very copious testimony to it and will only endeavour to fasten this exhortation upon all with these two reasons First we see by experience of the time past that all things are fulfilled and still come to passe dayly according to this word and agreeably to the voice and tenour of it which therefore urgeth upon us a belief of the whole contents of it concerning things yet to come for if the event hath proved it to speak truth in all things that it hath foretold should come to passe then even common reason binds us to believe it to utter the truth in all things also that it foretels are yet to come As we see experience of mans mortality by the extinction of former generations makes all undoubtedly believe the truth thereof for all succeeding ages Now that Scripture predictions have at all times come to passe in their seasons I could produce numerous attestations both out of the Old Testament and the New but because the most of them are well known of all I will rehearse but only two of special note one of Joshua and another of King Solomon Joshua in his time speaks thus to the children of Israel Behold this day I am going the way of all the Earth and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to passe unto you and not one thing hath failed (a) Josh 23.14 thereof This Joshua spake purposely to fasten upon them a stable belief of the fulfilling of such Scripture predictions as then were to come as appears from his words following in the next verse where he adds these words Therefore it shall come to passe that as all good things are come upon you which the Lord your God promised you so shall the Lord bring upon you all evill things untill be have destroyed you from off this good Land which the Lord your God hath given you The like attestation here of gave Solomon in his time afterwards Blessed be the Lord said he that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised there hath not failed one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his (b) 1 Kin. 8.56 servant Another reason that should urge all men to believe this Word is this because he that believes it not makes God a lyar so much as in him lieth in that hereby he denieth in his heart the truth of that which God hath spoken So saith S. John He that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his (a) 1 John 5.10 Son And this is a grievous sin by God's own testimony The house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me saith the Lord They have belyed the Lord and said it is not (b) Jer. â— 11 12. he Let men therefore take heed how they remain incredulous of this Word or any part of it seeing it 's a sin so dishonourable and offensive to Almighty God How weakly then do those men project for themselves who believe so much of this word as they like so much as is pleasing and plausible to their carnal desires and fleshly wisedom namely all the gracious promises of mercy and forgivenesse of sin but as for the conditions of these promises which are upon condition of repentance and faith in Christ and new obedience and the judgements threatned against impenitent sinners wherein the Scripture is very copious which arride not their fleshly palats these they reject and put out of their belief But I beseech all such to consider that hereby they do by consequence condemn themselves for their apprehension and belief of the promises of mercy are a silent confession of their credence that Scripture is God's word and this confession is a clandestine self condemnation for their incredulity of all the other parts thereof for the Scripture being God's Word must necessarily speak truth in one part as well as another Thirdly Seeing we are sure that Scripture is Gods word it 's wisedom for all persons to joyn themselves to that Society of Christian professors which most honours it and holds best correspondence and agreement with it Now because the main controversie is between the Romane and the reformed Christian professors I will as compendiouslly as I can and as truly as I have read in approved Authors of both sides open and declare which of these ascribes most honour and reverence to the Bible of God and best accordeth and conspireth with it And first For the honour done unto it of both The reformed Churches acknowledge it a most perfect and absolute rule of life both for faith and manners to which nothing may be added and from which nothing may be detracted according to the sentence of the holy Ghost in divers places of the same Book Ye shall not add to the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from (a) Deut. 4.2 it And again Add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a (b) Prov. 30.6 lyar And again I testifie to every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this book if any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophesie God shall
of doing them or leaving them undone be understood with this caution so far forth as God shall be pleased to afford both the concurrence of his general and divine providence which enableth all creatures to motion and action and the concurrence of his common restraining grace which in some measure more or lesse he affordeth promiscuously to all sorts of men both regenerate and unregenerate Thus far an unregenerate man is able to move and bend himself toward the work of his conversion by the natural liberty of his will About the second namely How far forth mans will coâ—perates with God in his couversion I will first rehearse the Adversaries assertion amongst which the Papists are chief and leaders to the rest and then the assertion of the Reformed Churches The Papists say That the will of man before regeneration can by the help of the exciting grace of God though not without it as Pelugius said will its own conversion and either accept or reject God's grace of internal vocation and so cooperates with the grace of God in the first act of conversion So teacheth the Councel of Trent and Bellarmine in his book de gratia libero Arbitr lib. 6. cap. 15. This opinion the Reformed Churches disrellish and reject as dissenting from holy Scripture and assert the point thus That the will of man is a meer patient and not agent at all in the first act of conversion and God's grace is the sole efficient cause thereof and the will but subjectum recipiens the subject receiving the grace of conversion But in all other good acts following the first mans will so renewed cooperates with the grace of God And this was the learned S. Augustine his assertion as it 's expressed in the 17. chap. of his book de gratia libero arbit in these words Vt velimus Deus sine nobis operatur quum autem volumus sic volumus ut faciamus nobiscum cooperatur To will God works without us but when we do will and so will that we act God co-works with us That this latter assertion is the truth I shall make it appear by these three Arguments The first Argument AS is a dead man in his Revivification or Restauration to life so is a natural man to his Regeneration or Conversion which is his Restauration to spiritual life But a dead-man can be no cause of his own Revivification or Restauration to life And therefore a natural man can be no cause of his Regeneration or Restauration to spiritual life The assumption no man that hath reason can deny for there is an impossibility that a dead man should cooperate to his own Revivification The major or first Proposition is justified by those many Texts of Scripture where it 's affirmed of men unregenerate that they are dead in sin as Luke 9.60 Let the dead bury their dead id est The dead in sin their bodily dead And Luke 15.24 This my Son was dead id est in sin And Ephes 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins And Col. 2.13 And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickned together with him having forgiven you all trespasses And this very argument though not in the same words yet to the same purpose and effect Bellarmine useth against the Pelagians in his Lib. 6. cap. 5. De gratta Libero Arb. adding only this clause to the Assumption That a dead man neither doth nor can dispose himself to life unlesse he receives some vital power from him that revives him which it appears he therefore added lest the argument should reflect and so be retorted upon himself who afterwards in the 10. Chapter of the same book attributes power to mans will to work with God in his first conversion the will being but first aided and excited by the preventing grace of God by which he means as it 's there very evident a grace preceding the work of conversion But that the argument which he there useth against Pelagius doth confute himself in that the clause which he hath added to the Assumption doth not turn away the edge of the argument from himself I make it plain thus A dead man can receive no vital power from him that revives him till he have first received soul and life because there can be no vital power but in a living subject it being a proper adjunct of a living subject quarto modo If then he must receive soul and life before he can have any vital power then cannot his vital power cooperate to his revivification but must of necessity be a consequent and an effect of his enlivening And so in like manner the case is the same with a man spiritually dead He must first be revived by God before he can have any vital power in him to work with the grace of God and therefore can be no cause at all of his revivification and conversion in respect of the first act thereof The second Argument IF all the powers of mans soul be so depraved that even the chiefest of them namely his Wisedom a power consisting both in the understanding and will be opposite to the Will of God and the Law of God and so opposite that it cannot be made conformable and subject to the Law of God while it is the wisedom of the flesh that is till it be renewed and changed from fleshly wisedom to spiritual wisedom then can there be no power in mans will whereby to co-work with God in the first act of his conversion But all the power and faculties of mans soul are depraved c. Therefore there can be no power in mans Will to co-work with God in the first act of his Conversion The consequent in the first Proposition is clear to any intelligent person for if the wisedom of the flesh which leads and guides the Will cannot conform and be subject to the Law of God while it is the wisedom of the flesh then cannot the will which is guided by it cooperate with the will of God while it is the will of the flesh and therefore by undeniable consequence must be renewed before it can cooperate with his will And the Assumption is the expresse affirmation of Scripture Gen. 6.5 Every imagination of the thoughts of mans heart is only evill continually And Rom. 8.7 The wisedom of the flesh is enmity against God for it is not subject unto the Law of God neither indeed can be The third Argument MY third Argument shall be the quotation of those many Texts of Scripture where the co-operation of mans Will with God's Grace in the first work of regeneration is clearly excluded and the work attributed to God alone For brevitie sake I will quote but some of the clearest and most convincing proofs and omit the rest which are very numerous John 1.13 The Spirit of God speaking there of regenerate persons affirmeth that they are born not of bloud nor of
proved from the atestation or testimony both of the Sibylls and the Oracles of the Heathen and from sundry of the Jews that were no Christians who confessing Christ do by consequence confesse the Gospel to be divine for if the Gospel be no fiction or humane invention in the principal matter and subject thereof which is Jesus Christ but that there was such a divine person upon earth indeed as is therein described then it follows by good consequence that the Story of Him which is the Gospell is also divine About the Sibylls it's fit to declare first who and what they were and then to rehearse their Testimony which thereby will appear to be much more ponderous and important Lactantius saith (a) Lactant lib. de ira dei cap. 22. that the word Sibylla in the Greek Tongue is consignificant with Vates in the Latin which signifies a Prophet or Counsellor to God and that the Sibylls were Prophetesses in number ten living in divers Ages and divers Countrys among the Heathen long before the incarnation of our blessed Saviour One of them saith of her self (a) Sibyll Oracul lib. 3. in fine That she was daughter in Law to Noah and also of his blood These writ divers Poems both historical agreeing with Moses and prophetical agreeing with the Prophets of Scripture in many particulars about Christ and comprised in eight Books still to be seen And these in all probability were inspired by God to foreshew Christ to the Heathen whose posterities were afterto be called to the faith of Christ as the holy Prophets were sent to reveal and foreshew him to the Jews And of this opinion was both Lactantius before named and that prime propugner and propitious defender of the Christian faith Constantine the Great as he openly professed in an Oration that he made to certain Prelates of the Church which Eusebius hath rehearsed in the story of his life (b) Euseb de Vita Constan lib. 4. cap. 19. in fine Where likewise it appeareth that these Sibylls prophesies of Christ took deep impression in him and were a means to confirm him further in the Christian faith Justin Martyr also a learned Father and a Martyr that lived in the next Age after the Apostles was of the same opinion affirming that these Sibylls Oracles seemed most near the doctrine of the Prophets and that they were inspired from above (a) Justin Mart. in Admonitor gentium lib. in fine S. Augustine also mentioning and commending some verses of Sibylla Erythraea doth affirm of her that she seemed to be esteemed of the number of those that appertain to the City of God (b) August de Civit. dei lib. 18 cap. 23. Neither may this seem any whit improbable that Almighty God should vouchsafe this divine illumination to these Heathen considering we read in Scripture of his saving graces conferred upon divers of them as the Egyptian Midwives Rahab Job Naaman before Christ came and of divine revelations imparted to others of them at the birth of Christ namely to the wise men that came from the east to worship him Mat. 2.1 2. verses And this is the more likely both from the matter and the manner of the Sibylls verses from the matter in that it is sacred and not at all scurrilous or prophane which induced St. Augustine to have that good esteem of them before mentioned as appears in the said place of his works before named And from the manner in that they aver and that sundry times as did the Prophets in Scripture that they were inspired by God from above to foreshew such occult and hidden things to come Now the testimony which they give of Christ is wonderful and strange for they reveal many more particulars to be done by him then the Prophets did and have therein jumped with the very words of the Gospels which record the very same particulars to have come to passe Amongst a rapfody of their Verses I will rehearse the contents but of a few for a drop of the sea water is enough to give us a taste of the whole Ocean And because I would not vary a syllable from the Greek Copy it self I will render them in prose Thus one of them writeth (a) Sibyl Oracl lib. n. in fine When a voice shall come by the way of the Desart crying unto men to make their paths straight to cleanse their hearts and baptize their bodies with water that being born from above they may transgresse no more and that a barbarous man ensnared with dances shall give this voice slaughtered for a reward of iniquity then the good stone preserved shall come from Egypt at which the Hebrew people shall stumble but the Gentiles shall be led by his conduct and come to know the highest God by him for he shall shew eternal life to men elect but he shall add fire for ever to the disobedient And then he shall heal the diseased whosoever believe in him the blind shall see and the lame shall go the deaf shall hear and the dumb shall speak he shall cast out divels and there shall be a resurrection of the dead he shall walk upon the floods and in a desart place shall feed five thousand with five loaves and sea fish and the remainders of these shall fill twelve baskets These and many more specialties about Christ his death and resurrection are added to the end of the book agreeing in every particular with the Evangelical story Another Sibyll called Erythraea who lived in the sixth Age after the flood of Noah as she reports her self hath made a staff of Acrostick verses of these six Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Englished are Jesus Christ Son of God Saviour Crosse where there be so many verses as there are letters in these six words and the first letters of all the verses read together in order as they are placed one under another make the aforesaid six words And the subject of them is the description of Christ most sweetly conspiring with holy Scripture I will here set down only the two last verses as which are sufficient for the present purpose which are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is He who is now described in these Acrostick verses is our God an immortall Saviour a King that must suffer for us There remains one thing to make these testimonies authentical and creditable and that is to make proof of these Sibylls verses not to be adulterine forgeries as some have been of opinion but to have had precedence before the Gospell wherewith they so conspire and accord And this is very evidently proved by the aforenamed Emperor Constantine and cleared from all suspicion in his foresaid Oration where he produceth as most sufficient witnesses hereof sundry famous writers As first Marcus Varro a learned Roman who lived above a hundred years before the publishing of the Gospell who makes frequent mention of them in his History and withall
take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this (a) Rev. 22.18 19. book Again secondly They acknowledge it the supreme judge under the holy Ghost himself to decide and determine all doubts and questions in Religion and give it preheminence above all other sayings writings books or traditions And lastly affirm it to be absolutely necessary in the Church ever since the first writing of it by God himself as being that foundation whereon the Church is built as the Apostle teacheth the (b) Ephes 2.20 Ephesians And in these respects ascribe many glorious and magnificent yet decent and deserved titles to it which they learn and gather out of it some whereof I will mention They call it The Oracle of God the Breath of the holy Ghost the Scepter of Christ's Kingdom the Touch-stone of truth the Lanthorn of Israel the Mystery of Godlinesse and the Lamb's Book with many other such like Now by all this it appears that they give that due and condigne honour veneration and observance to the sacred Scripture which becomes the true and sincere professors and defenders of it See now on the other side what honour the Romanists exhibite to it and in what estimation they have it Sometime they celebrate it with due veneration and call it The true word of God and a most certain and safe rule of faith so Bellarmine speaks of it and affirms it to be the mind of the Catholique Church and the Councel of (a) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 1. 2. Trent Sometime again they undervalue and depress it and detract from its sublimity and excellence very indignly and namely in these four particulars First They teach that the proper and principal end of Scripture was not to be the rule of faith but to be a useful monitor or remembrancer to conserve and nourish the doctrine received by preaching This is out of Bellarmine word for (b) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 12. word And Pighius delivers this contumelius speech of Scripture to the same purpose Apostoli quaedam scripserunt non ut scripta illa praeessent fidei religionis nostrae sed potius ut subessent The Apostles saith he have written certain things not that their writings should be over our faith and Religion but rather that they should be under (c) Pigh Hierarch lib. 1. cap. 2. them This is strange new divinity for of old the Scripture was held to be the rule and Religion the thing ruled by it both in the old (d) Isa 8.20 Testament and in the (e) Mat. 22.29 2 Pet. 1.19 New and in the primitive times next after the Apostles as were easie to demonstrate both out of the Fathers and Church-Histories And therefore to make Religion the rule and Scripture to be ruled by it as the Romanists now of late times would have it as appears by the forementioned sayings and many other such like published by divers of them is an uncouth contumely and an indigne disparagement to it and an egregious derogation from the super-excellency and majesty of it and hath indeed been the unhappy means of the suffocation of a great part of God's truth in that Church Secondly They affirm that the whole Christian doctrine which is necessary to be known either for faith or manners is not contained in the Scriptures and that therefore there is required an unwritten word also beside the written word that is to say Divine and Apostolical traditions to be added to the written word to make it a perfect (a) Bellar de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 3. 4. rule And so they condemn the sacred Scripture of imperfection and insufficiency This assertion is repugnant to several assertions in Scripture for S. John saith That so much is written in Scripture as is sufficient to work faith in us and to bring us to everlasting life through the name of (b) John 20.31 Christ and then surely there needs no more for everlasting life is the highest degree of perfection that any creature can attain unto And S. Paul saith That the Scriptures are able to make a man wise unto (c) 2 Tim. 3.15 salvation and to make him perfect throughly furnished unto all good (a) 2 Tim. 3.17 works Whence it follows that seeing they make men perfect they must needs be perfect themselves for no imperfect thing can perfect another And our blessed Saviour himself hath denounced a dreadful judgement against any that shall go about to add unto it as if it were not perfect I testifie saith he to every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this Book If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this (b) Rev. 22.18 Book as before was rehearsed Thirdly They equalize Traditions with the holy Scripture and dignifie them with the same authority and reverence so teacheth the Councel of (c) Concil Trid. decr 1. session 4. Trent And Melchior Canus saith That Traditions have greater force to refel Hereticks then the (d) Canus loc commun Theo. lib. 9. cap. 3. Scriptures And Eckius saith simply That they are of greater efficacy without any limitation to that particular (e) Eck. de fide justif cap. 13. effect And yet we find in Scripture that all humane traditions are to be examined and tryed by it as was declared before and are all to be disallowed and rejected which hold not correspondence with the same as is evident from our Saviour's reproof of the Scribes and Pharisees for presuming to dispense in some case with this written commandment Honour thy father and mother for thereupon saith our Saviour unto them Ye have made the commandment of God of none effect by your (a) Mat. 15.6 tradition and again he saith In vain they do worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of (b) Mat. 15.9 men In both which sentences our Saviour gives the written word preheminence and authority above all traditions Fourthly and lastly Bellarmine denies the Scriptures to have been simply necessary or (c) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 4. sufficient This if he had spoken in relation only to the time before the Law was written by God himself we should not have contested with him but by his further dispute about it he declares his meaning to extend to the written word since that time which he manifesteth by a saying that he uttereth afterwards which I have truly transcribed to a letter without either addition amputation or alteration of the least sylable thereof Sanè saith he credere historias Testamenti veteris vel evangelia Marci Lucae esse canonica scripta inno ullas esse divinas Scripturas non est omninò necessarium ad (d) Bell. de Eccles militant lib. 3. cap. 14. salutem Surely to believe the hystories of
THE FORT-ROYAL OF CHRISTIANITY DEFENDED OR A demonstration of the Divinity of Scripture by way of excellency called the Bible WITH A Discussion of some of the great Controversies in Religion about universal Redemption Free-will Original Sin c. For the establishing of Christians in truth in these Atheistical trying times By THOMAS GERY B.D. and Rector of Barwell in Leicestershire All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God c 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world 1 John 4.1 London Printed by T.C. for Nathanael Web and William Grantham at the sign of the black Bear in Paul's Church-yard neer the little North-door of Paul's 1657. THE AVTHOR's Preface TO THE READER THis plain and course Treatise that was penned above 30. years since at the motion of a great Earl of this * Francis Earl of Rutland Land who asked of me this question and desired a resolution of it in writing namely which way a mans conscience might acquire best assurance that the Bible is God's own Word is now at last exposed to open view through the encouragement of some persons that are fast friends both to the truth of Religion and the Church of England Who taking the pains to read it and knowing that the very life power of Religion consisteth in the firm belief of that point of Religion which is here demonstrated did entertain some hope that the publishing of it might conduce to the conviction and satisfaction of some mens consciences about this particular Article of Christian belief and thereupon have prevailed with me to adventure this publication of it though there be no worth in it more then this that it 's rational and Orthodoxal If this apology will not excuse my temerity herein the world being now so glutted and ready to nauseate and surfeit with the superfluity of Printed papers I humbly beg that my good intention herein may excuse the rashnesse of the fact who endanger to blemish my self in hope to do others good TO THE REVEREND and his worthy Friend Mr. GERY RECTOR of Barwell in Leicestershire SIR as I am rejoyced to see the late works of your reverend brother in law my honoured Friend Doctor Sanderson So for our mother Cambridge sake I count it among my felicities to find our Country-man Dr. Hall and by much our elder brother in that Arcademy a modern right Reverend Father of the Church still increasing his voluminous sweet and pious writings and like a true celestial plant bringing forth more fruit in his age And that comfort is increased by beholding you also though constantly employed upon a Cure so enabled to afford the world such a testimony as these papers present of solid Theology amongst which after my perusal of the great pains and methodical clearing of that subject concerning our last resolution of faith divine into Divine Scripture and your collection to that end of so many and so convincing arguments I could not refrain my Pen from gratulating to you this work so highly conducible to the glory of God in the exaltation of his holy Word and to the edification of millions of souls who shall enjoy the happinesse of being much confirmed and comforted in their most precious faith by those assistances in your Book for the speedy Edition whereof I do not only hereby solicite but charge you on the behalf of our only Lord and Master Christ Jesus and of his Spouse the Church of God our dear Mother assuring my self that as thereby you shall distribute blessings so many blessings from others shall redound unto your self both in reputation and in their prayers and thanksgivings to God for you We deny not what they of the Romane perswasion say That the tradition of the Church is a great testimony yea take the universal Church in all ages including that of Christ and his Apostles and plain reason and experiment will enforce all men to acknowledge that a Divine testimony To which when that key hath let us in to the Scripture it self we find a light which manifests both it self and other things and so we have a second testimony internal and both Divine The fallacy then is found in making the Churches inducing testimony to be the only or the principal and then in affirming this attestation to the present Church of Rome from whom we must if they may prevail receive these two things on trust That first theirs is the Catholick Church as meer a Bull as that Tiber is all Rivers or a whole Palace is in one room And secondly that he who must be the head of the Church though sometime confessed to be no true member is absolutely infallible Concerning which pretended infallibility so long time contended for though doubtlesse their learned men hold and know it a point ridiculous for in time of three Antipopes at once chairing themselves at Rimini at Bologne and Abignon about 1429. to which head was then this biggen of Infallibility bound it hath now pleased God in this last age to produce amongst us such worthies as have beaten down this Babel of papal pride and levell'd it with the ground I mean this chiefly by that monumental piece The conference of Bishop Laud with Fisher and Mr. Chillingworth's Book against Knot another of the Jesuits On both which one made this Epigram Two little Wills Both understandings great Did fond Infallibility defeat That Supreme Sconce call'd Fisher 's folly won Next Knot their gordian knot was quite undon And for a further manifest of this I refer you to a book of Hugh Paulin de Cressie once a Dean in Ireland and Prebend of Windfor who is gone over to Rome and published the motives of his conversion I read his book newly extant in Essex from the hand of a very worthy Matron Ms. B. a zealous Papist and shewed her therein where he openly confesses That infallibility is a word unfortunate That Mr. Chillingworth hath combated against it with too too great successe He wishes the Word were forgotten or at least laid by That we Prorestants have in very deed very much to say for our selves when we are prest unnecessarily with it and advises his Romists that we may never be invited to combate the authority of their Church under that notion And professes no such word as Infallibility is to be found in any Council c. Magna est veritas c. We and they must of force yield to that of St. Paul Eph. 5.8 We were darknesse in the abstract and all our light in Dom. are now light in the Lord. But how Certainly that Oriens ab Alto that great Bishop of all our souls doth baptize all true believers with the holy Ghost and with the celestial fires of his Grace But since this Arch-prelate and universal Superintendent for properly all cure of souls all Baptism and confirmation is from that our Lord and Saviour Christ
Jesus and he is in heaven and his spirit must descend to and into us which is the Aquaeduct the ventiduct the Luciduct which way doth Christ in his spirit and graces convey this holy water this gentle air this blessed light to our spirits Why look back to the Creation How came light at first First the spirit moves and broods o're that which was a depth and darknesse and then his mighty Word Fiat Lux. He spake and it was Light then when all was dark he made material light and Christ Jesus is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as speech is the image of the mind so he the brightnesse of his Father's glory and the expresse image of his person Heb. 1.3 The immaterial and eternal light of light that was never made And the Divine spirit goes that way still by the Word His word is and makes light This world is God's great book wherein as in a glasse of wonders we discern him But his word is the true myrror of his mind And as God engrav'd his form on his Son before all worlds so what that Son is and what the father is to us in him the spirit proceeding from both delivers in the book of his word The Sun guilds and enamels clouds and streams and hill tops with his rays but thrusts his own pure light his own living fires through the bodies of the stars so other authors can but yield a faint reflexion of that beam which here is native and direct The very Law God styles a flaming light the Prophesies a more sure word to which we do well to attend as to a light shining in a dark place till the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts But the Gospel is called his marvellous light He brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 And in Acts 26.16 I have appeared to thee saith our Saviour to that choice vessel of his grace and name to make thee a Minister and a witnesse c. And now I will send thee to the Gentiles To what end for a glorious end To open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light from the power of Satan unto God And acordingly speaks that Apostle If our Gospel be hid 2 Cor. 4.3 4. verses 't is hid in them that perish in whom the god of this world hath blinded their unfaithful minds that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God should not shine unto them And in the 6. verse he shews the walk and circuit of this light God who commanded light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts there first and then the casting of the beam to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Doth not S. Paul say It is both the wisedome and power of God to salvation to every one that believeth and is not that enough to give all men full satisfaction and acquiescense what a large field lies open for the further clearing this truth in those assertions in the fathers Saint Chrysostome calls the holy Scriptures Lamps of Verity before our eyes Hom. 23. in mad Serm de Temp. 237. And S. Austin ad Lucernam Scripturae ambulaing Gregorie of Valentia a Jesuit consesseth as much and diverse Pontificians in plain terms as Holcoth and Bellarmine himself cries up the Scripture with a nihil notius nihil certius Bell. de verbo dei lib. 1. c. 2. and cries him down for the veriest fool who believes not their testimony and in the 2 cap of the same book is in his superlatives with Scriptura certissima Tutissima Regula credendi He trouble you but with one more but one instar omnium 'T is he that in a traiterous itch of wit took on him purposely the wresting and prophaning of Scripture that so he might lewdly abuse our Princes and our Church Yet mark as God compelled the Divel to testifie of Christ what he is forced to say and sure 't is worth our observation The book is Latine called the Queries If I diminish him not in my English There is in Scripture saith he an Invisible Majesty an hidden splendor a glory unperishable a wisedome inexhaustible the solace of humane and the beginning of a divine life made by the holy spirit and making our spirits holy compared with which the Egyptian Sages will look pale and poor the Chaldee impure the Grecians blockish Plato no body and Philosophy it self a fool 't is the print of Heaven on Earth and if any where the joy of Paradise or at least a brave resemblance of divine light be shewed it is in Scripture containing all that is severed from the actual vision of God himself Again The paper burns me not yet am I all enflamed in reading it 't is no composure no artificial tread the Scripture uses yet am I drawn and wrapt to follow her and she lifts me up beyond my nature so that I am no more mine own but with a sacred violence and new fire I am consumed and compelled to acknowledge the voice of God that speaks therein Thus far that Papist and finally both Fathers Schoolmen and later Pontificitians freely confesse a double means to know the authors of divine Scripture one ecclesiastick i.e. perpetual Church story Hal. 3.978 m. 2. which introduces Faith saith all Hales as the Seta doth the thrid and the other totally divine which * lib. 2. d. pt divine leg Junilius and * Institu l. 1. c. 16. Cassiodor reckon ipsius Scripturae veritas ordo rerum consonantia preceptorum modus locutionis c. And Scotus of 10. arguments takes divers from the internal matter and majesty of the Books But Sir I intended but a letter and I find my style wandred into a little Homile It is time to end with my apprecation for a blessing on your labours and to let you find it under my hand That I am Your Obliged Friend and fellow-Servant in the Gospel of Christ THO. PESTEL From Leicester Nov. 1. 1656. Errata PAge 24. Line 20. for inseparable read insuperable p. 94. l. 7. for bluts r. blunts p. 102. l. 1. for of r. and p. 104. l. 4. for and r. But p. 113. l. 13. for religionis r. religioni p. 126 l. 2. for quod r. quam p. 129. in the margent for these r. Jesus In the Title of the second Treatise for decission r. decision In the Preface to the Reader before the same Treatise a little after the middle of it for falcyes r. fallacies An Index or Table representing the Contents of this Treatise the parts whereof are two 1. A doctrine propounded and proved which is this That Scripture is God's own Word 2. The application of it to certain special Uses 1. Part. Scripture is proved Gods Word by arguments drawn 1 From without it selfe which are 4. 1 By testimony out of the Church page
patience humility and comfort that their blood in this manner shed in the Gospels cause seals unto us their successors the infallible certainty of the Divinity of it It 's not denied but that Hereticks have dared to die for defence of their erroneous opinions but never did any of them suffer with those apparent characters and impressions of God's divine Spirit upon them that were now before mentioned nor in that infinite number that the Martyrs of the Gospel have done for they so shined throughout the world in their afflictions saith Eusebius (a) Euseb Histo Eccles lib. 8. cap. 12. in fine that the beholders wondred at their patience and noble courage and that not without cause for they expressed and shewed forth unto the world special and manifest signs of the divine and unspeakable power of our Saviour working by them I might here illustrate and amplifie this point by innumerous instances of Martyrs both out of all the forenamed Historians and out of Mr. Fox his book of our own late English Martyrs in the days of Queen Mary who by the vertue and splendency of their divine graces in suffering namely innocence alacrity courage patience and humility so blanked and amated their persecutors that they converted many of them to the Christians faith yea so far forth they prevailed with some of them that they induced them to suffer Martyrdom with them as Eusebius testifies (b) Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 2. cap. 9. lib. 8. cap. 9. But I will spare this labour as hoping it may be an allurement unto the Reader to peruse some of the now named Authors for further satisfaction in this point I come now to the last external Argument Argu ∣ ment 4 which is the miraculous preservation of Scripture against the iniquity and enmity of all times which have been so malevolent and violent against it that it could never have been preserved hitherto but by the hand of Heaven for all the impetuous power and policy of man and the precipitant stream and strength yea and fury of the whole world hath invaded it to extinguish and suppresse it sundry times Antiochus a cruell Tyrant and successor of great Alexander getting domination over the Jews cut in pieces and burnt all the books of the Law which he could find and followed his intended mischief so malevolently and violently that all those with whom any such books were found were put to a most cruel death (a) Machab 1.59 Joseph Autiq. lib. 12. cap. 7. Dioclesian also Emperor of Rome a savage and belluine persecutor of the Christians sought by all means possible to obliterate and abolish the holy Scriptures and for that end caused his Edicts to be published everywhere throughout his Dominions in which it was commanded That all the Christian Churches should be demolished and made even with the ground yea and the very foundations thereof to be digged up and that the holy Scriptures should be all burned and so be utterly extinguished (a) Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 8. cap. 2. 3. Which mischief hath been intended and attempted also by many other nefarious and wicked instruments of Satan often times yet hath it ever been preserved whole and entire and continued in the Church unto this day yea even in the original Tongues wherein it was first written which is verily a miracle And therefore we may fitly apply unto this miraculous preservation of it that acclamation of the people Great is the truth and prevaileth (b) 1 Esdras 4.41 And the words of the Psalmist This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes (c) Psat 118.23 I have done with the Arguments from without the Scripture which may move any mans mind very prevalently to entertain a belief of the Divinity of this book and yet they have shewed him but as it were the out side of it Let me now lead the Reader a little higher and nearer to it as namely to open it and look within it and then he shall see as the Jew saith very truly God's own hand God's own characters yea God's own sign and seal and subscription upon the paper For as corporal light reveals to the bodily eye both other things and it self too so doth Scripture as a true spiritual and heavenly light both reveal the way to Heaven and make ostension also of it self to be a light of Heaven Particularly there be to be discerned in it these eight sparks or beams of divine authority First Argu ∣ ment 5 There is such an incomparable sublimity and majesty of style herein expressed as doth so highly advance and exalt it above all humane writings and makes it so transcendently glorious above them all that as was said of Christ That never man spake like him (a) Joh. 7.46 Nor with that authority (b) Luk. 4.32 So may be said of this Book of Christ never book spake like it that is in such a superlative and high strain of authority there is such an august majestical and venerable state in the words and such steps and prints of divine excellency displayed in it as neither man nor Angel could or durst expresse and such as never was nor will be found in any other writing for it breathes divinely in every part and page Let any man parallel this Book among humane Authors for heavenly majesty in the sayings and sentences thereof and I will sample him the Sun amongst lucid bodies for radiant lustre in the light and shine thereof for the Sun is not more gloriously lightsome above all other Stars then this Scripture is divinely majestical and glorious above all other writings To which purpose St. Augustine speaks thus (a) August de Civitat Dei lib. 11. cap. 1. Scriptura summae dispositione providentiae super omnes omnium gentium literas omnia sibi genera ingeniorum humanorum divinis excellens authoritate subjecit The Scripture saith he being by the disposition of the highest providence above all the literature of all Nations excelling in divine authority hath stooped all kinds of humane wits unto it self And as in many other Texts so in Deut. 32.39 40 41 42. verses there be such sublime and majesticall expressions as neither man nor Angel durst utter For there we have these sayings uttered from the mouth of God I even I am he and there is no god with me I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver cut of my hand For I lift up my hand to Heaven and say I live for ever c. Thus no man nor Angel ever did speak or dare speak There have been indeed some men in former Ages so advanced and exalted in their own thoughts and transported with vain glory having been mounted to the highest stair of honour and authority here upon Earth that they have ambitiously affected to be called gods and to be reputed to descend from more then humane race and parentage yet never durst
any of them personate the God of Heaven to call themselves Jehovah or Elohim But this is oft the affirmation of the Author of Scripture as is evident both from the Text last named and from many other of which I will rehearse but these four Exod. 20.12 And God spake all these words saying I am Jehovah thy God Isa 52.6 Therefore my people shall know my name therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak Behold it is I. Ezek. 21.17 I will also smite my hands together and I will cause my fury to rest I Jehovah have said it And again in the last verse of the same Chapter Thou shalt be for fewell to the fire thy bloud shall be in the midst of the land thou shalt be no more remembred for I Jehovah have spoken it Whereas therefore the Author and Inditer of Scripture calls himself Jehovah the true and very God which title no mortal man durst ever yet assume to himself it 's an undeniable inference that therefore God was the Author of it and no man on earth Now as this celestial splendor and brightnesse Argu ∣ ment 6 which resulteth from the very phrase and style of Scripture revealeth the divinity of it so also doth immaculate holiness and purity of doctrine therein contained for such a description have we of Gods word in Scripture it 's said that All the words of his mouth are righteous there is no lewdness nor frowardness in them (a) Prov. 8.8 And that his statutes are right and his commandements pure (b) Psal 19.8 And like silver tried in the fire (c) Psal 12.6 So that if men will but acknowledge that there is a God and that he hath revealed to man his will by word which who saith not that is a Christian nay an intelligent man for this is a thing needfull wherein God never faileth as the Philosophers say of nature and it cannot be denied but that this is that word of his for there is no word written nor unwritten that can so deservedly claim him for the Author none that is ex omni parte every way and so exactly quadrate and proportionate to his nature and holinesse For no picture can more lively expresse the portraiture lineaments and feature of any man then this word doth resemble the nature and properties of God for as is said of the substantial word of God so may be said of this vocall and written word it 's the very character of his person (a) Heb. 1.3 It 's the very model idea and graphical picture of his divine attributes for it 's no accepter of persons regards not rich more then poor is no willer of wickednesse nor doth any evill dwell with it As it is said of God in the same Scripture in the Texts quoted in the Margint (b) Eph. 6.9 Job 34.19 Psal 5.4 So like God is no other word neither written in paper nor in the fleshly tables of mans heart nor proceeding from the mouth of man be he the holiest upon Earth so impartially reproving sin and in such an authoritative form of increpation and in all sorts of persons from the King that sits on the Throne to the beggar that lieth on the dunghil and so fully and fairly unmasking sin and stripping it of those specious dresses of virtue wherewith it usually vails it self and displaying it in its own dusky infernal colours that the uâ—ly shape thereof may be seen and so abhorred This of all other either word written or continued by tradition aims not at all in any part of it at sinister respects but ascribes to God his due glory in all things and discovers to man his sin shame and just demerit which attestation hath ever been confessed to be a divine truth and that by the most callous and cauterized consciences that ever were for an open confession of it we have from the most remarkable and notorious exemplar for obstinancy and obduration in ungodlinesse since the world began from hard hearted Pharaoh himself The Lord said he (a) Exod. 9.27 is righteous but I and my people are wicked Again this of all other delivers the most undoubted way to salvation for it teacheth such a way thereto as is most consonant and suitable to God's holinesse justice and mercy and yields best satisfaction to mans conscience And no other hath so heavenly a subject nor so heavenly an end that is God's glory and mans salvation so purely and sincerely set forth as this and therefore this and no other is God's own Book which only thus truly describes him reveals to man the most certain and safe way to him and ascribes to him his due glory in all points without the least diminution thereof In the third place As the majesty and purity of this word argue the divinity of it Argu ∣ ment 7 so doth the inscrutable profundity of it also for here be hid those deep things of God which the Apostle Paul speaks of to the Corinthians (a) 1 Cor. 2.10 And here also Abyssus abyssum invocat as the Psalmist speaketh (b) Psal 42.7 One deep calls another till there be so many deeps multiplied that shallow man is easily absorpt and swallowed up in them Of this Book in this respect especially may that be more truly and deservedly affirmed which Seneca said of Quintus Sextius his book which he affected applauded and admired Vivit viget liber est supra hominem est (c) Sen. Epist 64. ad Lucil. The Scripture is a living Book or a Book of life as it is called Revel 21.27 a Book of strong lines a Book indeed above the reason of man to understand and above the reach of man to comprehend for though in it God doth set before us wisedom and heavenly manna and true treasure yet all are hid The wisedom is hid (d) 1 Cor. 2.7 The treasure is hid (e) Mat. 13.44 The manna is hid (f) Rev. 2.17.3.16 For it 's full of mysteries yea great mysteries (g) 1 Tim. And therefore it is said of it in the same Book That no man in Heaven nor in Earth was able to open the Book nor to look thereon (a) Rev. 5.3 And to it may be applied that which is said of widome (b) Eccles 7.26 It is a profound deepnesse who can find it This made the Apostle Paul cry out as one confounded and overwhelmed with the contemplation and meditation of those profundities O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and of the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out (c) Rom. 11.33 It 's possible if I be not mistaken to canvase any meer mans writing so throughly as to scrute it to the bottome but here is no bottome to be found in this writing no not by the Angels of Heaven themselves as is colligible from that place of Peter (d) 1 Pet. 1.12 where he
part when so approved and aplauded a Doctor of their own gives his suffrage with us which I shall further and more fully manifest by other sayings of his and those more punctual and expresse to this purpose in the fift internal argument of this ensuing Treatise whereby all devout Roman Catholiques with us who have many a smooth tale told them by Priests and Jesuits of the unity and consent of all approved Doctors of the Church of Rome in all points of faith may see apparently that this it a false ostentation and a transparent untruth discovering it self also in many other points controverted between us and them and so may deservedly suspect them to be but seducers or at the best but self-seekers in their pretence of the Catholique cause I come now to a fourth evidence of the divinity of Scripture from within it self Argument 8 which is the admirable sympathy and consent the heavenly harmony and agreement between all the books and sayings thereof though penned by divers persons and those both in several places and ages and yet all conspiring together in delivering one and the same point of doctrine to wit That through the name of Christ all that believe in him shall receive remission of sins (a) Acts 10.43 And also the unanimity and concordance of all the Amanuenses and Penmen thereof being so many and yet all yielding their suffrage and approbation each to other as they succeeded one another without either detraction from one anothers persons or confutation or contradiction of one anothers writings This heavenly harmony I say suggests to the ear of an indifferent man that reads without prejudice that these holy men of God as S. Peter calls them (b) 2 Pet. 1.21 the Penmen of Scripture were God's notaries and both spake and writ as they were actuated and moved by the holy Ghost and that these their writings were the very dictates of that same spirit that searchâ—th the deep things of God (a) 1 Cor. 2.10 In which respect both Theodoret (b) In prefat in Psalm and S. Gregory (c) Grego in prefat in Psalm have fitly termed the tongues and hands of all the writers of Scripture the pens of the holy Ghost for such an agreement was never heard of amongst several Authors writing of the same subject since the beginning of the world But the contrary hath been most apparent among all sorts of humane writers every one hunting after his own praise by anothers disgrace whereof I might produce numerous instances Whereas here we have all the Canonical books of the Old Testament namely of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalmes approving each other as they follow in order and all approved of in the New Testament both by our Saviour John Baptist the Apostles and the Evangelists and all these also giving testimony and approbation each to other at all times upon just occasion as all though but slenderly versed in the reading of the Scriptures undoubtedly know Add hereunto that which wil drive this nail to the head the miraculous agreement of all these books together not only in the main point and drift of all which is the salvation of mankind by the alone incarnation death and suffering of Christ but also in all other points yea and in all circumstances as many learned Divines have sufficiently declared by clearing solving and reconciling all knotty doubts about this question and seeming contradictions whatsoever throughout the whole Scriptures that ever yet have been moved or mentioned Fifthly Argu ∣ ment 9 The certain accomplishment of those many prophesies and predictions of holy writ concerning things to come meerly causual and contingent and no way depending upon natural causes is an argument undeniable of the divinity of it if it can be demonstrated that the said prophesies were uttered before the events and were not any supposititious or counterseit writings published since the events to delude the world which I shall undertake to clear by undoubted testimony for that such prophesies must needs be truly divine no man can deny according to that in Isaiah where God himself provokes the Idols of the Gentiles to stand to their cause and to declare things to come that thereby they may be known to be gods (a) Isa 41.23 Now the precedence of these predictions both in the Old Testament and in the New before their events I thus demonstrate First For the Old Testament I will omit those many predictions which were fulfilled within the time of its own durance and continuance as not demonstrative to meer reason that they were by divine inspiration and insist onely in the prophesies about our Saviour Christ's incarnation miracles and passion and the vocation of the Gentiles to the Christian faith which were fulfilled in the time of the Gospel which being proved to have been fulfilled a long time after their prediction by the Prophets is an undeniable demonstration that they were uttered by inspiration from God himself Now that they were fulfilled a long time after their prediction and that the Books of Moses the Psalms and the Prophets where these predictions are recorded were extant before the events we have many pregnant proofs from the testimony both of Jews and Gentiles and those such as lived in the very interval of tiem between the prophesies and their accomplishment Amongst which the most remakable and famous is the Septuagints Translation of the Old Testament into the Greek Tongue still extant which was done by the means and at the charges of Ptolomy Philadelph a King of Egypt as before hath bâ—en mentioned neer upon three hundred years before our Saviour Christ and there laid up in the King's Library The History whereof is set forth by one Aristaeus a learned Gentile then living and highly in favour with the said King and the book is still to be seen Which Aristaeus together with one Demetrius Phalereus Master of the said King's Library was an especial instrument for the procuring of the said Translation to be done by 72. Elders of the Jews out of every Tribe six Which was doubtlesse purposely brought to passe by God's all seeing and all-swaying providence to take away all suspicion of contriving the prophesies of Scripture after the events Another witnesse of this Translation is Philo Judaeus (a) Philo de vita Moysis lib. 3. who lived in our Saviour Christ's time as before hath been said And a third witnesse is Josephus in his forenamed History of the Antiquity of the (b) Josep Antiq. Jud. lib. 12. cap. 2. Jews So that from these Authors testimony besides a number more that I might produce it 's most apparent that the Old Testamâ—nt and so consequently the prophesies lapped up thâ—rein were extant in their time which was long before thâ—ir evâ—nt and therefore were not forged since Now for the predictions of the New Testament I shall make it most clear and evident that they also did precede their event so many of them as are fulfilled
and blind whether is greater the gold or the Temple that sanctifieth the gold But the word sanctifies the Church so saith our Saviour Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is (b) Joh. 17.17 truth And again Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto (c) Joh. 15.3 you And saith S. Faul Christ gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water through the (d) Ephes 5.20 word The word therefore communicating sanctity and so therewith authority unto the Church must needs precede and excel it in both If any ask against whom I take up this weapon seeing the Church of Rome seems to disclaim and disavow this Tenet For the Rhemists in their Annotations on Gal. 2.2 affirm the disputation of this question to be superfluous and the comparison to be altogether unfit to be made I answer in the words of the Apostle So fight I not as one that beateth the (e) 1 Cor. 9.26 air I do not with the foolish Affricans called Psylli as Gellius reports take up Arms against the wind For besides divers others hereafter mentioned the said Doctors who would seem to decline this opinion and this unseemly comparison do in the very same place depresse the Scriptures and make them inferiour to the Church in four respects 1. In respect of Antiquity in that the Church was before them 2. In excellence of nature in that the Church is the Spouse of Christ the Temple of God and the proper subject of God and his graces for which Church the Scriptures were and not the Church for the Scriptures 3. In power of judging the Church having judicial power to determine of doubtful questions touching the sense of the Scriptures and other controversies of Religion of which judicial power the Scriptures are not capable 4. In evidence the definitions of the Church being more clear and evident then those of the Scriptures Now if by the Church they understood the whole Catholique Church and so included all the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles by whom the Scriptures were penned the contestation between us and them would not be so irreconcileable But their drift is to entitle the present Church Militant which is but one small part of the whole Catholique Church to those glorious prerogatives which belong not unto it And that it 's this Church which they so strive to advance above the Scriptures it 's more then manifest outof the writings of many of their Authors of special note amongst them as namely out of Pighius Melchior Canus and Stapleton All which in their writings quoted in the margent (a) Pig de Hierar eccle lib. 2. cap. 2. Can. loc com theolog lib. 2. cap. 8. Stapl. Doctr. princip lib. 9. cap. 12. here attribute authority to the present Church Militant above the Scriptures And Cardinall Bellarmine writes after their Copy affirming That the strength of all ancient Councels and of all opinions in doctrine doth depend upon the authority of the present (b) Bellar de effectu Sacram lib. 2. cap. 25. in fine Church Whereas therefore the fore-named Doctors of Rhemes did one while affirm all comparison between the preheminence and authority of the Church and Scriptures to be unfit to be made and anotherwhile spin out a tedious comparison between them about the very same particular they bewrayed both their personal weaknesse and the weaknesse of the cause which they intended to strengthen by stating and discussing that question which with their tongues or pens they had before disallowed to be disputed of Hitherto of the Theological conclusions inferred from this principle That Scripture is demonstratively divine Now it follows to speak of some duties for practice that may be raised and urged upon all sorts of persons from it and namely both upon Magistrates Ministers and People First This challengeth from all Christian Kings and Princes who are God's Vice-roys upon Earth all honourable respect patronage and possble protection of this holy word of God against all religions and opinions in Religion which are repugnant unto it and against all persons that either in word or deed doctrine or life slight or dishonour it For they sustaining the person of God here on earth for which they are dignified with the title of gods themselves in this (a) Psal 82.6 word do owe this reciprocal respect to him whose Vicegerents and Ministers they are to see as much as in them lies all due observance honour and obedience to be exhibited to this his sacred Word Thus did the good King Josiah for when the Book of the Law which was known to be God's Book was found in the house of the Lord and shewed unto him he presently summoned all the Elders of Judah and Jerusalem to appear before him and then himself rehearsed in their ears all the words of God's Book and made a Covenant both for himself and all the people that they should keep the Commandements and accomplish the Covenant written in it and suppressed all religions which did impunge it and removed all occasions and instruments of Idolatry and whatsoever else was adverse to the contents of (b) 2 Kin. 23. it Yea further it 's said that he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Beniamin to stand to (c) 2 Chro. 34.32 it And thus have all good and godly Princes ever done both under the Law and the Gospel And it 's great reason they should for the Scepter of Christ's Kingdom which is this word of his is a Scepter of (a) Psal 45.6 righteousnesse And a rod of (b) Psal 110.2 strength And when Kings Scepters uphold it then it defends them like the roof of a building either of wood or stone and the walls or pillars thereof which afford a reciprocal and mutual aid and benefit each to other the pillars or walls support and uphold the roof and the roof doth protect consolidate and corroborate them Thus the Scepter was never taken away from the Kings of Israel and Judah so long as they swayed it for the defence of God's word but while they were observant of it God was propitious to them Nor doth this duty lie solely upon the highest powers but upon all secondary and subordinate Magistrates both Counsellors of State Nobles Judges and Justices whom god hath advanced to such high places of honour and put into their hands the sword of justice for this very end primarily that they might weild it according to his word and for it according to the directions and rules that he hath inscribed in it and for the support of the honour and authority of it by punishing and suppressing all impious scorners prophaners and transgressors thereof And verily when they do thus execute justice by the word of God and for it and without connivence or partiality then are they the very nerves and sinews of the body of the Commonwealth and bring both strength and glory unto it When
of Jerusalems (d) Isa 66.11 cousolations For these brests of Jerusalem are the two Testaments the Old Testament and the New which are called the brests of her consolation because they yield consolation to all such as suck the knowledge of them by reading and meditation And therefore as people would be comforted in poverty or persecution or in any trouble of this life especially in the hour of death when it is most needful it concerns them to be well versed in Scripture for it 's the only store-house of comfort there is no true and lasting comfort to be found but in this well for here are those wells of salvation out of which it 's said we are to draw the waters of (a) Isa 12.3 joy Great need therefore have all Christians to be well acquainted with that which must be their only comfort when they stand most in need thereof Thirdly Scripture is a Christians best piece of armour to defend him against all the assaults of his spiritual enemies sin and Satan and all his band of Hereticks and other nefarious and wicked men For the Apostle setting down the panoply or compleat armour of a Christian wherewith he had need to be at all times appointed reckons up this as one principal part thereof and calls it the sword of the (b) Ephes 6.17 spirit The wise man also in the Proverbs notably sets forth the usefulnesse of it in this respect saith he When wisedom entreth into thine heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul discretion shall preserve thee understanding shall keep thee to deliver thee from the way of the evill man from the man that speaketh froward things who leaves the paths of righteousnesse to walk in the ways of (c) Prov. 2.10 11 12 13. darknesse Herewith our blessed Saviour foiled Satan sundry (d) Mat. â— 4 c. times And herewith the Prophet David fenced himself against sin so he saith himself By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the (e) Psal â— 4 destroyer And again Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against (a) Psal 19.11 thee We therefore being in continual warfar had not need to have this our principal weapon to seek for what else makes many take the foil so oft but because they are unskilful in the word of righteousnesse Fourthly By this Book we shall all be judged at the last day and therefore it concerns us to be well acquainted with the principal contents of it That we shall be judged by it is affirmed by our Saviour He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last (b) John 12. day And by the Apostle Paul At the day when God shall judge the secrets of men according to my (c) Rom. 2.16 Gospel Lastly Without some competent knowledge hereof we can never have Christ The day-star and Sun of righteousnesse as he is (d) 2 Pet. 1.19 Mal. 4.2 called arise in our hearts for as before the Sun ariseth it first sends up its bright beams of light as the harbingers of its approach so before Christ Jesus come into our souls he first enlightens them with the glorious beams of the knowledge of his Word according to that speech of Peter We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your (a) 2 Pet. 1.19 hearts And that also of S. Paul God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus (b) 2 Cor. 4.6 Christ The Scripture is full of proofs for this that Christ's Word must first be in some measure learned of us and entertained by us before he will condiscend to dwell with us It 's therefore a most opacous error of an ungodly assertion to affirm that ignorance is the mother of devotion which in Scripture is so much condemned and is made both the mother of error Ye erre saith our Saviour to the Sadduces not knowing the (c) Math. 22.29 Scriptures and the mother of many other sins For S. Paul affirmeth that his sins of blasphemy and persecution and oppression of Christ's Church before his conversion were the product and brats of his ignorance I was saith he a blasphemer a peâ—secuter and injurious But I obtained mercy because I did it (d) 1 Tim. 1.13 ignorantly And he informs the Ephesians that the Gentiles were alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that was in (e) Ephes 4.18 them And by experience it 's found to be the mother both of will-worship and superstition This Paradox some of the Church of Rome in former ages have not blushed to utter for truth and though now of late they would seem to disclaim this irrational Paradox yet covertly they adhere to it For the Rhemists in their front of their Preface prefixed before their translation of the New Testament affirm it to be an erroneous opinion to hold that the Scriptures were ordained of God to be read indifferently of all And therefore the Councel of Trent took order which was confirmed by supreme authority say the same Doctors in the same place within a few lines after that the holy Scriptures might not be read indifferently of all men nor of any other then such as have expresse license from their lawful Ordinary Whereby it appears that they seek to detain the Scriptures from the vulgar people purposely to keep them in ignorance And to put a little glosse and colour upon this their in justifiable opinion and practice the said Doctors afterwards yield this reason for it Because presumptuous Hereticks mistaking or depraving in many places the true sense of Scripture draw from thence many pernicious errours and many other that are unlearned and unstable pervert the same to their own destruction as S. Peter (a) 2 Pet. 3.16 teacheth And how weak a ground this is for them to presume from hence to restrain the common reading of Scripture I declare these two ways First This Argument takes for granted that the abuse of a good thing by some nulls and takes away the lawful common use of it from others But this is nothing so for the word preached as well as read is abused by many through their corruption and so becomes the savour of death unto death unto (a) 2 Cor. 2.16 them and an occasion of their greater sin as our Saviour saith (b) John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin And yet this hinders not but that it must be preached unto all as our Saviour hath commanded Go ye saith he