to gospel-Gospel-times there is also a miraculous pouring out of the Spirit proper to the first age of the Church Quest How is miraculous pouring out of the Spirit proper to the first age of the Church when as Mr. Baxter himself affirms and proves by Irenaeus and others that it continued in the Church three or four hundred yeers at least after the Apostles And in pag. 31. he gives a reason why Christ would then thus convincingly send abroad such aboundance of the Spirit namely Because he had the old Law of Moses to repeal and that was well known by the Jews to be Gods own and men must not believe Gods Law ceased or abrogated without proof Quest Are there not yet many thousands of the Jews that adhere to the old Law of Moses and remain still in unbelief And was not the Gospel miraculously confirmed to the Gentiles who owned not Moses Law as well and as much and more then it was to the Jews And in page 32. 33. among many other reasons against any such miraculous use of the Spirit to continue in the Church he gives two R.B. 1. Because saith he we have the full use and benefit of the holy Ghost which was given then that seal that was then set to the Christian Doctrine and Scriptures stands there still Quest Is it to all the various and contradicting Doctrines and Scriptures in the world that this seal is set and stands there still or to some only and if but to some how may a man undoubtedly know to which of them that seal is set and to which not R.B. 2. Because Christ doth still continue his spirit to his Churches and every true member thereof but not the same use and therefore not to enable them to the same work as then Tongues are not for them that believe but for them that believe not saith Paul 1 Cor. 14. 22. that is to show the power of Christ and so convince them but now the Scripture is sealed by these there is not the same use or need of them Obj. It 's true the spirit was given and continued to true Churches and every Member thereof but not without manifestation for the manifestation of the Spirit was given to every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 as well as the Spirit it self for how else can any true Church or Member be known from false since all different sects and sorts of Christians pretend to have the Spirit yea and this learned Author with all his learned Oponents no doubt do conceive themselves to be true Members of the true Church so each of them to have the spirit notwithstanding the many great and vast differences between them in the most material and essential points of the Gospel which is inconsistent with their having the Spirit whose Office is to evince truth and to lead into all truth besides this Author himself in his Saints Rest Par. 2 pag. 206. asserts That he hath still known those that pretend to the strongest sense of spiritual Revelations to have proved the most wicked and deluded persons in the end And indeed where see we in any that manifest power which alwayes did and must accompany those that had this Spirit Joh. 7.37.38 Mar. 16.17.18.20 Joh. 14.12.16 Heb 2.4 Lu. 24 49. Act. 14.8 Joh. 16.7.8 but the use and need of this power is now denyed by this Author and by many other who yet retain the form of godliness even as Saint Paul long since foretold that such should be in these last days even then also injoined true Christians from all such to turn away 2 Tim. 3.1.5 Wherefore I conceive it would be very rash for any man to believe this Author while he alledgeth that the Scripture is sealed by the former powerful works of the Spirit untill some such powerful Works can be produced by him to evince the verity thereof and likewise in the same manner to evince and set forth undoubtedly which or what Scripture it is of all the many varius scriptures now extant in the world that is so sealed wherby it may certainly be known distinguished from all the rest for this also is absolutely necessary unless his meaning be that all Scripture whatsoever is so sealed And whereas he here tells us That the gift of Tongues was for them that believe not to convince them hence it will follow That as long as there are unbelievers in the world to be convinced so long the gifts of Tongues is necessary for that end And in Part 2. pag. 36 he gives another reason of the discontinuance of that Divine Evidence and powerfull convincement in telling us R. B. That miracles would loose their convincing force and be no miracles if they were common to all and in all ages Yet in Par. 3. pag. 242. 243. he tells us That it is certain from current testimony Church-Records That the gift of casting out devils making them confess themselves mastered by Christ did remain in the Church three or four hundred yeers at least after the Apostles And for this he there produceth many Authors and after saith No where could Satan keep his possession where the power of Christ did assault him And in his Saints Rest Part 2. pag. 232. he cites the words of some of those Authors telling us R. B. That Irenaeus affirmeth That in his time the working of miracles the raising of the dead the casting out of Devils healing of the sick by meer laying on of hands by prophesying were in force and that some that were so raised from death remained alive among them long after and that Cyprian and Turtul mentioned the ordinary casting out of devils and challenge the Heathen to come and see it Quest Since miracles as is confest were common not only in the first age in the Apostles time but for four hundred years at least after and yet lost not their convincing force nor ceased to be miracles why then might they not have continued in the ages since without losing their convincing force or ceasing to be miracles And if without any absurdity a man may affirm as no doubt but he may that for those 400. years after the Apostles these miraculous and powerfull gifts were useful and necessary then he may with as little absurdity affirm and maintain That they were since and are still useful and necessary even for the very same ends and porposes for Miracles or Tongues as was said by this Author are not for them that believe but for them that believe not and are there not still Heathens Infidels Jews Turks Pagans Sorcerers Witches Conjurors Idolators in abundance of all sorts many spiritual Wickednesses in High Places now in the world as wel as then and infinite numbers of Mahometans now as were not then And are there not in the world a numberless number of all sorts and sects of Christians of various Opinions different interests and perswasions yet each pretend to have the Spirit and be in the Truth and
best then is the best still had almost made me think that he intended a perfect agreement with the truth which all along he had opposed but that I found him presently to falsifie that Text in Joh. 15 24. in like manner as he had done the same Text in many other places viz. In leaving out the Emphasis thereof even that which chiefly corroborated and upheld that truth which in his precedent assertion he seemingly maintained namely in omitting these words viz. Among them and that they did both see and hateâ— for the Text is If I had done among them c. that is in their presence that they might both see and hear the Miracles done by Christ as the Samaritans did those that were done by Philip Acts 8.6 they had not had sin but now have they beth seen and hated both me and my Father And with the like unfaithfulness doth he bring up the Rear in the words following by omitting to add to him by which it is made neither current nor found for if St. Paul were now living and had convincingly revealed the Gospel to many thousand men and not to me this though it bound them to believe yet it binds not me to whom it was never convincingly revealed but when ever it is convincingly revealed to me as well as to them then it binds me as well as them but not else These bawks are not comely in any man especially if in the least he pretends sincerity for as the sin of the Scribes and Pharisees there was much aggravated by their seeing and hating so is every mans else though not in the same degree that shall see this or any other Text flatly against his purpose and then to cite it so maimedly as to make it speak against the intention or genuine sense thereof as by this Author this is often cited whereby to make Christ whose words they were to bear false witness so much against himself and his truth this I conceive is no small offence nor is this any other then a friendly caution that when ever this Argument is again handled both Christ his truth and this Text may be better dealt with R. B. And whereas this Author here tells us from current Testimony That the gift of casting out Devils and making them confess themselves mastered by Christ did remain in the Church for three or four hundred yeers at least after the Apostles and that Satan could no where â—eep his possession where this power of Christ did assault him Now then let it be considered Quest. 1. Whether there be not many Pagan Nations whereof Satan hath full possession and wherein he is worshipped by the Inhabitants as God 2. Whether he hath not in all Nations places and persons some large possession at least in their hearts by envy pride covetousness or some other base affection and lust And shall any such man yet think that there is not now need or use of these powerful gifts of the Spirit to dispossess this powerful Prince that yet so ruleth in the world and hearts of men Or can he or any man else be so simple as to think that Satan ever was or yet is so weak or foolish as to be scared and cast out of any of all these his strong holds meerly by the various uncertain and contrary holy winds blown from Pulpits by artificial Divines any more then he ever was or will be cast out of any place or person by vertue of holy Water sprinkled by Fryars or Monks Wherefore for these and many other good causes it may be well deem'd That there was since the said four hundred yeers and is yet the same need of the said powerful gifts of the spirit as were formerly given by Christ to his Church notwithstanding all or any thing said by this learned Author to the contrary 5. Dan. Featly another Doctor in Divinity and famed for a great Schollar in his Dippers Dipt pag. 1. likewise plainly tells us That No Translation is simply authentical or the undoubted Word of God in the undoubted Word of God there can be no error but in Translations there may be and are errors The Bible translated therefore is not the undoubted Word of God but so far onely as it agreeth with the Original Now these passages coming forth by Authority as licenced Vertues if the learned Licencer know any and this Argument being approved as sound and good by other of the learned in my hearing I cannot chuse but query thus of my own understanding or of any mans else that hath charity and ability to inform me better Whether the very same Argument upon the very same grounds and reasons may not in like manner be enforc't against all Copies whatsoever in any Language whatsoever as well and as truly as against Translations thus viz. No Copy is simply authentical or the undoubted Word of God in the undoubted Word of God there can be no Error but in Copies there may be and are Errors The Bible copyed therefore is not the undoubted Word of God but so far onely as it agreeâ—h with the Original For although it be admitted by many that the original Pen-men of the Scripture were all inspired by God yet it may be and is by all denyed that the Copyers thereof were any more inspired then the Translators but that they might erre and have erred as well as Translators as before is manifest how else came there such diversities of Copies into the world as well as of Translations And whereas in the conclusion of the Argument is implyed That so far as either Translation or Copy can be proved to agree with the Original so far only it is to be accounted the Word of God Whence I query Whether it be possible for any to produce the undoubted several Originals of the several Books of the Bible or undoubtedly to know them if it were possible to produce them they being written by divers persons in divers places in diver ages in divâ—rs Languages and upon divers occasions And if none be able to do this I then query How it can be possible for any undoubtedly to prove any Book Chapter or Verse either of Translation or Copy to agree with the Original Besides seeing reason experience teach That time produceth such variations and changes in languages as that a word signifying one thing in one age may often hath another signisication put upon it by use and custom in another age whence else is it that some Hebrew and Greek words bears divers some six some seven and some contrary significations as one word to signifie both to bless and to curse in Job 2.9 And it cannot in reason be imagined but that some words may have quite lost their Original signification since the first writing of the Bible wherefore it would prove a very difficult work if not impossible for any to give to each passage and word its genuine sense and undoubted signification if it were possible as it is not
Officium Gregorianum gets by this means to be in credit but doth it continue without change or altering No the very Romen Service was of two Fashions the new Fashion and the old the one used in one Church the other in another as is to be seen in Pamilius a Romanist his preface before Micrologus The same Pamilius reporteth out of Radalphus de Rive That about the year of our Lord 1277 Pope Nicholas the third removed out of the Churches of Rome the more ancient Books of Service and brought into use the Missals of the Fryars Minorites and commanded them to be observed there insomuch that about an hundred yeers after when the above named Radulphus happened to be at Rome he found all the Books to be new after the new stamp Neither was this chopping changing in the ancient times only but also of late Pius Quintus himself confesseth That every Bishopprick almost had a peculiar kind of Service most unlike to that which others had which moved him to abolish all other Breviaries though never so ancient and priviledged and published by Bishops in their Diocesses and to establish and ratifie that only which was of his own setting forth in the year 1568. Now when the Father of their Church who gladly would heal the sore of the Daughter of his people softly and slightly and make the best of it finding so great fault with them for their odds and jarring we hope the children have no great cause to vaunt of their uniformity But the difference that appeareth in our Translation and our often correcting of them is the thing that we are specially charged with Let us see therefore whether they themselves be without fault this way if it be to be counted a fault to correct or whether they be fit men to throw stones at us o tandem major pareas minori they that are less sound themselves ought not to object infirmities to others If we should tell them that Valla Stapulensis Erusinus and Vives found fault with their vulgar Translation and consequently wished the same to be mended or a new one to be made they would answer peradventure That we produced their Enemies for Witnesses against them albeit they were in no other sort Enemies then St. Paul to the Galatians for telling them the truth and it were to be wished that they had dared to tell it them plainer oftner But what will they say to this That Pope Leo the tenth allowed Erasmus Translation of the New Testament so much different from the vulgar by his Apostolick Letter and Bull That the same Leo exhorted Pagnine to translate the whole Bible and bare whatsoever charges was necessary for the Work surely as the Apostle reasoneth to the Hebrews that if the former Law and Testament had been sufficient there had been no need of the later So we may say That if the old Vulgar had been at all points ollowable to small purpose had labour and charges been undergone about framing a new If they say it was one Popes private Opinion and that he consulted onely himself then we are able to go further with them and to aver That more of their chief men of all sorts even their own Trent-Champions Paiva Vega and their own Inquisitors Hierominus ab Oleastro and their own Bishop Isadorus Clarius and their own Cardinal Thomas a vio Caietan do either make new Translations themselves or follow new ones of other mens making or note the Vulgar Interpreter for halting none of them fear to dissent from him nor yet to except against him And call they this an uniform Tenor of Text judgement about the Text so many of their Worthies disclaiming the now received conceit Nay we will yet come a little nearer the quick doth not their Paris Edition differ from the Lovaine and Hentenius his from them both and yet all of them allowed by authority Nay doth not Sextus Quintus confess That certain Catholicks he meaneth certain of his own side were in such a humour of translating the Scriptures into Latine that Satan taking occasion by them though they thought of no such matter did strive what he could out of such uncertain and manifold a variety of Translations so to mingle all things that nothing might seem to be left certain and firm in them c. Nay further did not the same Sextus ordain by an inviolable Decree and that with the counsel and consent of the Cardinals That the Latine Edition of the Old and New Testament which the Councel of Trent would have to be authentick is the same without controversie which he then set forth being diligently Corrected and Printed in the Printing House of the Vatican thus Sextus in his Preface before his Bible And yet Clement the eight his immediate Successor to account of publisheth another Edition of the Bible containing in it infinite differences from that of Sextus and many of them weighty and material and yet this must be authentick by all means What is it to have the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with yea and nay if this be not Again what is sweet harmony and consent if this be Therefore as Dimaratus of Corinth advised a great King before he talked of the dissentions among the Grecians to compose his own domestick broils so all the while that our adversaries do make so many and so various Editions themselves and do jarre so much about the worth and authority of them they can with no shew of Equity challenge us for changing and correcting Thus far the said Translators From which may be observed At what great uncertainty the most wise and learned on both sides have been and are about the Scripture contesting which side hath the true not knowing that either side hath it 2. At what great uncertainty they likewise are in respect of those Scriptures which they have not certainly knowing the undoubted true sense and meaning thereof this plainly appears in that they do on each side so often alter change amend and new translate their respective Bibles wherein will be found many variations if not contradictions to the former and when they have done all they can it will be far from satisfying all the learned of the same party who having opportunity will alter and new translate it to their own minds which will as much displease others who will take their turn again to alter it and in this manner may it run ad infinitum from time to time and still upon like uncertainties and that the case is no better with us our next Author more fully sets forth 3. Jer. Taylor Dr. in Divinity and a great Schollar he in his Discourse of Liberty of prophesying pag. 61 62 63. shews and by many Reasons proves that which in effect amounts to an impossibility for any man to find out a true Copy or Translation or right sense of Scripture his words are these Viz. There are so many thousand of Copies that are writ by persons of
year and commands the Lictors as if he that can kill a man cannot but be infallible and if he be not why should I do violence to my conscience because he can do violence to my person Force in matters of Opinion can do no good but is very apt to do hurt for no man can change his Opinion when he will or be satisfied in his reason that his Opinion is false because discountenanced if a man could change his opinion when he lists he might cure many inconveniences of his life all his fears and his sorrows would soon disband if he would but alter his Opinion whereby he is perswaded that such an accident that afflicts him is an evil and such an object formidable let him but believe himself impregnable or that he receives a benefit when he is plundered disgraced imprisoned condemned and afflicted neither his sleeps need to be disturbed nor his quietness discomposed but if a man cannot change his Opinion when he list nor ever doth heartily or resolutely but when he cannot do otherwise then to use force may make him an hypocrite but never to be a right believer and so instead of erecting a Trophee for God and true Religion to build a monument for the Devil Infinite examples are recorded in Church story to this very purpose but Socrates instances in one for all for when Elucius Bishop of Cyzicum was threatned by the Emperor Valence with banishment and confiscation if he did not subscribe to the Decree of Ariminum at last he yeelded to the Arian Opinion and prosently fell into great torment of conscience openly at Cyzicum recanted the Error asked God and the Church forgiveness and complained of the Emperors injustice and that was all the good the Arian party got by offering violence to his conscience and so many families in Spain which are as they call them new Christians and of a suspected Faith into which they were forced by the Tyranny of the Inquisition and yet are secret Moors is evidence enough of the inconvenience of preaching a Doctrine more gladly Ceventandi for it either punishes a man for keeping a good conscience or forces him into a bad it either punishes sincerity or perswades hypocrisie it persecutes a truth or drives into an error and it teaches a man to dissemble and to be safe but never to be honest Thus far he Notwithstanding all which where can we see it otherwise with any Nation or people in any form of religious Worship but that they have drank so deep of that Whores cup as to thirst for the blood of their opposites especially if they shall but in the least discover to the world the unsoundness of the foundation on which their Babel is built All which the aforesaid Mr. G. well knowing and by experience finding that a little Light will much offend the tender sights of many who therefore like Owls in the dark will both skreech and strick at the meer shine of a Candle yet nevertheless in this Divine Authority of Scripture pag 10. he tells us If no Translation whatsoever nor any any either written or printed Copy whatsoever be the Word of God or foundation of Religion certainly our English Translations cannot challenge this honor And in pag. 18. of the same he saith Questionless no writing whatsoever whether Translations or Originals are the foundation of Christian Religion And in his Youngling Elder pag. 35. he saith It is very possible that either through negligence ignorance want of memory or the like in Scribes and Correctors of the Press some such Error may be found in every Copy of the Scriptures now extant in the world which will render this Copy contradictious to it self yea it is possible that many such errors as this may be found in the best and truest Copies that are And in the 36. page of the same Book he saith The true and proper foundation of Religion is intrinsecally essentially and in the nature of it unchangeable unalterable in the least by the wills pleasures or attempts of men But there is no Book or Books whatsoever Bible or other but in the contents of them may be altered or changed by men Ergo The major he proveth thus If the proper Foundation of Religion were intrinsecally and in the nature of it changeable and alterable by men then can it not be any matter of truth because the nature of truth is like the nature of God himself unchangeable unalterable by men Angels Devils or any creature whatsoever yea God himself cannot alter it any whit more then deny himself or change his own nature or being And for the minor saith he That also is no less evident experience teacheth us that Books or Bibles themselves are de facto changed and altered by men from time to time every new Edition or Impression almost commending it self for somewhat corrected or amended in it which was delinquent or defective in the former Yet this learned Author notwithstanding all the aforesaid passages of his in his Divine Authority of Scripture pag. 13. doth affirm If by Scripture be meant the matter and substance of things contained and held forth in the Books of the Old and New Testament commonly known amongst Protestants by the Name of Canonical he fully with all his heart and all his soul believes them to be of Divine Authority and none other then the Word of God And in the 26. page of his Youngling Elder he doth distinguish and lay down a double sense and acceptation of the word Scripture and in the one sense clearly acknowledgeth them to be of Divine Authority and so the foundation of Christian Religion onely denying them to be such in the other sense And in that sense here denyed by this Author his learned Oponent Mr. William jenkin doth affirm them to be both of Divine Authority and the Word of God disallowing that distinction made by our Author demanding How any can believe the matter and substance of the Scripture to be the Word of God when he must be uncertain whether the written Word or Scriptures wherein the matter is contained are the Word of God or no. Now although both these learned men do affirm the Scripture to be of Divine Authority the Word of God yet it is so that the one affirms it to be such in one sense and the other in another sense neither of them allowing it to be such in the others sense nor yet producing any competent proof to evidence it to be such in his own sense The truth of it in either sense must still therefore remain much the more to be doubted and that from these grounds and reasons following First Because the Scripture as it came from the Original Pen-men was then if at all of Divine authority the word of God to the world but it was not so then being in an unknown Tongue to the generality of man-kind and therefore according to St. Pauls Doctrine was both in form matter and substance so far from being
as the devils instruments they unjustly hold their Fellow-brethren as captives in oppression slavery It is therefore to be lamented when at any time we see him thrive in any such devillish project The Lord in mercy deliver every honest man from being overcome by any such temptation Amen But to find the word answer of God in the way aforementioned may apear to be very uncertain by this viz. If four pious men should each of them seek by prayer for an answer from God in one and the same thing be it of publicke concernment or otherwise wherein their interests judgements and perswasions are different and various each from other you will find the propencity and bent of their hearts and desires after prayer for the most part will vary as much as before which will manifest this to be no sound or sure way to find out or know the word or answer of God nor is this intended to discourage any from seeking to the Lord in any occasion but from trusting to the bent of their own hearts to be any sure Rule to know the answer of God by because that may be the effect of some pride or vain desire of wordly glory or of some other lust secretly lurking in the heart of man undiscerned for the heart of man being deceitful above all things who then can know his own heart or the secret turnings thereof Jer. 17.9.10.11 or who can say his heart is so pure and clean as to be quite purged from all kind of vain carnal and eatthly affection and lust he must then be no longer a man having flesh blood or any other infirmity like other men on earth but be equal to the purest Angel in heaven And now having proposed left these things to consideration we will proceed to the next Fourthly Mr. R Baxter a man of Eminency both for exquisite learning parts in his Saints Rest Part. 2. pag. 201. of the sixth Edition tells us thus viz. R.B. That Divine Faith hath ever a Divine Fvidence And in page 205. thus We must know it to be a Divine Testimony before we can believe Fide Divina And in page 211. he saith As Translations are no further Scripture then they agree with the Copies in the Original Tongues so neither are these Copies further then they agree with the Authographs or original Copies or with some Copies perused and approved by the Apostles Obj. But it is a thing worth the knowing of this Author Whether he or any man else can infallibly produce the Authographs or any such original Copies of the Bible as have been so perused and approved of by the Apostles and if none can do this how can they then prove any Copie or Translation to be true or Scripture as he phraseth it And if any can do this how shall it be known to be such without Divine Evidence undoubtedly to prove it Answ But to this he gives us a general answer in his Preface to his Book of Infidelity where he tells us R.B. That the Holy Ghost by special inspiration was the Author of the Scriptures and by extraordinary Endowments was the Author of the miracles which were wrought for its confirmation Obj. But here it is necessary that he tells us where when by whom those miracles were wrought which so confirmed the scriptures And in the second place he should tell us where which are those Scriptures that were so confirmed withal to produce some Divine Evidence to prove what he therein sayes before any wise man believe him for he himself in his Rest Pag. 201. before cited informs us R. B. That to believe implicitely That the Testimony is Divine or the Scripture is the Word of God this is not to believe God but to resolve our faith into some humane Testimony even to lay our foundation upon the Sand where all will fall at the next assault And yet notwithstanding in Pag 238. 239. of his Saints Rest before mentioned he tells us R.B. That something must be taken upon trust from man whether we will or no yet no uncertainty in our faith neither For 1. saith he The meer illitterate man must take it upon trust that the Book is a Bible which he hears read for else he knows not but it may be some other Book Obj. What! may he not take it so upon trust that the Book is a Bible and yet never the more know but it may be some other Book or doth not a mans simple taking a thing especially of such high concernment so groundlesly upon trust argue some diminution of his knowledg and wisdom too rather then any augmentation of either R. B. 2. That these words are in it which the Reader pronounceth 3. That it is translated truly out of the Original Languages Obj. How can it be translated truly and imperfectly or imperfectly and truly for in pag. 211. of the same Book he positively asserts That there is an impossibility that any Translation should perfectly express the sense of the Original R. B. 4. That the Hebrew and Greek Copies out of which it was translated are true authentick Copies 5. That it was originally written in these Languages 6. Yea and the meaning of divers Scripture-passages which cannot be understood without the knowledge of Jewish ustoms of Cronology Geography c. though the words were never â—o exactly translated all these with many more the vulgar must take upon the word of their Teachers Obj. Alas poor Vulgars what miserable hard tasks are here imposed upon you and almost all men with a must much like those put upon the children of Israel to make their full tale of brick without any allowance of straw whereby they were put to take up any stubble where-ever they could find it But can any wise man take these Doctrines to be divine or come from God they being so irrational and absurd and so contrary to him and his wayes who oppointed his Gospel to be dispensed not in an unknown Tongue or upon any such uncertainties to any but to all people in their own language himself also evidently and powerfully attesting the same otherwise he obligeth no man to take it for truth nor blameth any man for taking it otherwise And whereas he positively asserts in pag. 211. of his Saints Rest as before is noted R. B. That there is an impossibility that any Translation should perfectly express the sense of the Original Obj. It 's now incumbent on him to tell us whether it was the expressable imperfect sense in Translations or the unexpressable perfect sense of the Original that was so confirmed by miracles or whether it was all or any of those many books which are mentioned in Scripture and whereof we have neither original nor Copy that were so confirmed plain dealing herein would be very satisfactory and is even more then necessary In his book of Infidelity Part 1. Pag. 11. he tells us That R. B. Besides the sanctifying Spirit of Christ proper