this will nothing at all support those unwritten verities For it is utterly denyed and that according to reason and the word of God that any part of the holy Scripture is perished 1. For can we thinke that it stood with the goodnesse of God to give His Word to His Church for comfort and instruction and stood it not with His providence to preserue that Word that it should not perish but accomplish that thing for which it was sent Esay 55.11 But divers objections are brought hereto as you may see in the author G. Langf forenamed in the 4. § 1. The booke of the warres of IEHOVAH is mentioned Numb 21.14 but not extant Therefore some part of the holy Scripture is perished Answer It ought first to be manifest what this booke was but in briefe the bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah and of the Kings of Israel are often mentioned in the bookes of Kings and Chronicles yet were not those bookes therefore holy Scripture written by the Prophets but rather by the Recorders or Secretaries of state appointed for that purpose as the histories of other kingdomes are or ought to be written and of this ranke may that booke mentioned by Moses seeme to be For it is not necessary that all writings mentioned in the holy Scripture should be holy Scripture For the Poets whose writings Saint Paul mentions were but Heathens and Iannes and Iambres as profane writers call him Mambres are no where mentioned in holy Scripture but onely 2 Tim. 3.8 2. A second doubt is from that which is in Ioshua 10.13 and 2 Sam. 1.18 where mention is made of the booke of Iasher whereto though some according to the interpretation of the word just or upright will have the sence of that text of Ioshua Is it not recorded by him whose writings are upright and true as it is said Iohn 21.24 This is the Disciple that testifieth these things and we know that his testimony is true yet because the booke is mentioned in times above 390. yeeres distant it seemes to me rather to be some Liger or booke of record wherein such memorable things were written by the appointment of their Synedrion as might serue for remembrance to future ages for that Synedrion or great Councill of 70. Elders instituted by God under Moses Numb 11. never failed so long as their state lasted 3. The writings of the Prophets themselues as of Nathan and Gad mentioned in 1 Chron. 29.29 of Ahia and Iddo 2 Chron. 9.29 of Iehu 2 Chron. 20.34 are utterly lost Answer Not so For as it is manifest that all the things written in the 2 of Sam. were done after his death so likewise may we very well thinke that both the bookes of Iudges and Ruth 2 of Samuel and the two bookes of Kings for some give the Chronicles wholly to Ezra were written by divers Prophets whom God raised up in all the ages of that Church to bee inditers of His Word and were as Saint Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-witnesses of the things which they recorded and these Prophets here mentioned with others were the Authors of those bookes 4. But some texts are cited in the new Testament which are 1. not found in the old as that in Matth. 2.23 Hee shall be a Nazarite or else are 2. not found in the Author cited by which we may thinke that some booke of his is lost as that which S. Matthew cites out of Ieremy Chap. 2.17 is not found in all that booke 3. Moreover S. Paul remembers the word of our Lord Actes 20.35 which is no where extant beside 5. And the Epistle to the Laodiceans mentioned Coloss 4.16 is utterly lost For that schedule which is found here and there is rejected by every one as unworthily to be remembred by the Apostle 5. Iude likewise cites the prophecie of Henoch which is not found except in the Talmud Answere 1. Some referre that of Matth. 2.23 to Esay 11.1 The Branch that should grow out of the roote of Iesse But it is more fully verefyed in that which is written Iud. 13.5 Where Sampson the Figure that should begin to save Israel is a Nazarite unto God and Hee much more which is separate from sinners and should perfect the deliverance of all the Israel of God and the text cited by the Evangelist may not onely intend both these but whatsoever else either the Law or the Prophets understand by the figurative snow-white puritie of the Nazarites Lam. 4.7 and is therefore cited in the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all the Prophets 2. The other citation in Saint Matthew where one Prophet is named by another doth not prove that any booke of Ieremiah is lost neither was it of any ignorance or forgetfulnesse in the Evangelist or yet mistaking of them that have copied out that booke but because that the seed of the Woman so long expected was now to come into the world it may be that Zachariah by interpretation Remember the Lord is now Ieremiah exalt the Lord who never ought to hee remembred without his praise especially in the performance of that inestimable benefit for man-kind 3. Concerning that which is cited by Saint Paul Actes 2.25 If he had that which he cites by the suggestion of the Holy-Ghost as wee may well thinke or that the saying of Christ was in fresh remembrance with them that heard it it is not therefore to bee concluded that S. Paul cites it out of any booke now lost seeing he might receive it from those Disciples which had heard it 4. And as to that Epistle to the Laodiceans it is but a common errour that S. Paul makes mention of any such but hee perswades the Colossians for the better understanding of some passages in the Epistle written to them to read the Epistle sent from Laodicea to him and that they of Laodicea should read that which he sent to the Colossians as containing doctrine and instruction fit for both the Churches to know and doe 5. And if Saint Iude were taught of God that Henoch had so prophecied though the prophecie were never written or if he cited it from any booke which went under the name of Henoch if nothing in the booke were Henoch's beside this prophecie Saint Iudes citing doth not make the booke Canonicall Scripture no more than S. Pauls citing the heathen Poets or if S. Iude had it onely by tradition that Henoch had so prophecied how doth it make for the question For it is not said that all things are false which are delivered by tradition but that in the matiers of the faith and doctrine of the Church those traditions have no force or credit which are contrary to the truth of God revealed in His Word 5. But it is yeelded that though some part of Scripture be lost yet that which remains is sufficient and containes all things necessary Answere Our Lord saith Luk. 10.42 That one thing is necessary which in Iohn 17.3 he
word choraiham their dung hath the derivation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chor that hole from which it comes out and the word Sheyenaiyehem their changes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shanah to change meanes their urine which they should drinke and pisse out and then drinke in againe whereby the railing Rab-scaeb would be as bitter as he could But for the first of these the margent hath a more mannerly word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dzoatham that which comes from them and for the second by way of exposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meimei raghleihem the water at their feete and these are read for the words in the line Translators have little or nothing to doe with the Keries of the first kind in them of the last they usually take the word in the margent In the second kind they take the word in the line or that in the margent indifferently because the Keries or marginall words are both of the ancient Iewes and learned Christians held to be of divine authoritie as they in the text as you may see it made manifest by Henry Ainsworth's Aduertisement n. 7. where by sundry examples he shewes that the word which in one Prophet is put in the margent is by another put in the text Moreover the most ancient translators even from the 70. which were almost 300. yeeres before Christ if that which is now extant be any remnant of it and that Chaldee of Ionathan who is said to have beene the disciple of Hillel which lived as some write 100. yeeres before Christ and all that have followed after these have translated sometime after the margent somtime after the line often-times have noted both as you may see in many instances in the place cited And that which is above all the Pen-men of the new Testament use in some places the word of the margent for that in the line So that Galatinus with his late Rabbins may still sleepe upon the pillow of their owne dreame For nothing of the Talmud was gathered together till about the yeere of Christ 150. when one Rabbi Iudas compiled into one volume the expositions on the law and the Prophets which other Doctors had written some before some after Christ which Booke hee called Mishna a copie or second reading and divided it into Six Sedarim or orders Some 200. yeeres or more after him Rabbi Iohanan or Iohn gathered the Talmud or Doctrinall of Ierusalem out of the writings of such Rabbins as wrote after the other and this Talmud is but a commentary on the former Mishna After him likewise about the yeere of Christ 500. Rabbi Asse made a further collection of the Babylonian Talmud of speciall use among the Iewes Both these Talmuds are full of fables and idle fictions to the depravation of the trueth of God But about the yeere 1200. Rabbi Moses ben Maimon thence called Ra M Ba M and Maimoni gathered out that which was good and any way availeable for understanding the rites and ceremonies of the Law and left out those fooleries of which the Talmuds were full and therefore Postellus said rightly of him that hee is Instar omnium For further knowledge of which things you may read Galatinus H. Ainsworth Shickard P. Ricius and others Now if neither the Talmud nor the Mishna were extant of so long time after Christ how could the writings there cited being in private hands bring in any publike corruption into the text of the Scripture which long time before that had beene delivered safe and intire into the hands of the Church of the Gentiles But although it be yeelded unto that either the Masôrites or the Talmudists or the Cabalists by any private notes of theirs or their expositions have corrupted either the text or native meaning thereof yet doth it not therefore follow that the Nation of the Iewes have accepted these corruptions much lesse that they hold them of divine authoritie as they doe the marginall Keries and yet much lesse can it be made to appeare that the Translators of the Christians have at any time accepted of any such notes no more then we heretofore accounted the notes on the Geneva Bibles to bee Canonicall Scripture But you will aske when those Keries or marginall readings for they are alwayes read for the Cethib or word written in the text came to the Holy Scripture Answere The most voyces are for Ezra that he having care of the Ecclesiasticall policie and especially of the integritie of the Holy Scripture in conferring the copies and the differences among them noted such as hee thought fittest and that the Copies might not differ any more began that Masôreth of which I spake But Galatinus Lib. 1. Cap. 8. saith that this is a lewd lie of the later Iewes for then they should not have beene called corrections of the Scribes but of Ezra yet hee confesseth that they were long before the time of Christ seeing Ionathan the Author of the Chaldean translation doth often-times translate according to the margine yet will he not have Ezra the Author of them for then he durst not I thinke so saucily refuse them or for them the Cethib as errours and corruptions of the text as hee doth But Shikkard as he cites the common consent of the ancient Hebrewes puts it constantly upon Ezra That with much care and diligence he got divers copies of the Scripture compared them with those that were authenticall and noted them as you heard 1. But if there were any copies that were authenticall what needed this superfluous diligence 2. Beside what could 70. yeeres of the captivitie doe to corrupt so many copies when they had in the captivitie so many Prophets As Daniel Ezechiel Ezra beside so many worthies as you read of in Daniel and Ezra and Ieremiah among them that were left at home Especially seeing a copie may continue many seuenty of yeeres as you read in Rambam of one of 700. yeres in his time and Cunaeus cites the Chronicle called Iuchasin concerning a Bible written by Hillel betweene whose times were 900. yeeres and yet more the learned Patrick Young assures us of a beautifull Copie of the whole Scripture written by Tecla in the time of the first Councell of Nice at this time extant in his Majesties Library Praef. in epist. Clementis ad Curinthios 3. And that which is most of all to proove that Ezra was no Author of the Keries in the Bookes of the Scripture written before his time is this That as almost none of the Scripture written before him so none of the Bookes after the captivitie except perhaps Malachi are without them Did not Ezra Daniel Zachary Haggai know their owne meaning Were they not able to expresse it Yes You will say then what needed those Keries in their Bookes of the Chronicles and those that beare their owne names written by themselues I speake not this to uphold that fancie of Galatinus that these corruptions of the Scripture as he the admirer of himselfe
sacrae et ratter is Psal 87.1 Foundations as that it only is able only worthy to binde the conscience of a reasonable man whereas all other religions or rather false worships although examined in themselves onely by their owne principles are found to be false and against common sense what triumph is this of a Christian over all Heathens and misbeleevers that will they nill they if they will bee men and stand to reason they must confesse that the Christian religion is onely true And seeing the world hath beene called to the marriage of the Kings Son Luc. 14.16 c. First by the voyce of nature declaring the wisdome and power of God in the creature and that they that were so called would not come because their mindes were set on earthly things Secondly by the Law but the Iew who sought righteousnesse by the Law would try what his five yoke of oxen that is his keeping of the Ceremoniall Law contained in the five bookes of Moses could doe and so would be excused Thirdly by the Gospell but the carnall Gospeller and false Christian could not come because he is marryed to pleasure and worldly lusts what remaines but that they who are yet strangers and walke in the broad wayes of sinne and the by-paths of their owne inventions should by reason that servant of God bee compelled to come in And seeing the time cannot bee farre off that all the nations of the earth are to bee called to the knowledge of Christ For great shall his name be from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same Psal 103.3 What hinders that the truth of Christ bee taught according to common reason whereto every man doth listen For it cannot bee but that all Idolatry and false worship all heresies and dissentions about Religion must then cease when the truth is taught in the evidence of that Spirit whereby every man is guided For as God made man reasonable so doth hee command nothing to bee done which in true reason is not the best nor require any thing to bee beleeved which in true reason is not most true You will say is there no difference then betweene faith and reason yes very great For Reason is busied in the proofe of some generall conclusion which is to bee held for a truth and so received of every man but faith is the application of that conclusion to a mans owne selfe As if it be concluded that because Christ being so conceived and so borne had no sin and therefore he suffered not death for himselfe but to save them that should beleeve on him faith applies this generall conclusion thus but I doe beleeve and therefore I shall be saved Now this application is not made by reason but by the speciall instruction of the Spirit of God in the heart of the beleever although it were inferred upon such a conclusion as was proved by reason I have not endevoured herein to heap up arguments by numbers but by weight and therfore have Ilet passe all reasons from forrein autority and all that were but likely onely and of small importance neither have I brought any one but such as seemed to mee sufficient of it selfe to confirme the question The reasons here used are for the most part from the goodnesse power wisdome and other dignities of God because the questions are concerning the things of God and no arguments can be of greater force and more immediate then such as are drawne from the verie being or immediate properties of the things in question they are handled by necessities and impossibilities to shew that all things that are and are not stand for the truth of the promises of God to us that by all meanes wee might have strong hope and comfort in Christ And though I sometimes bring one argument for divers conclusions yet it is not therefore of lesse force no more than a good toole is of lesse worth because it serves for divers uses I have studied for plainenes as much as I may and therfore have I sometimes handled the same reason both affirmatively and negatively that he that cannot take it with one hand might hold it with the other for that purpose also are divers reasons brought though all satisfying as I thinke yet perhaps all of every one not equally understood but he that understands all may upon these grounds or the like bring many other to the same purpose and give glorie to that infinite mercy which hath so fortified this glorious truth which hee hath bound us to beleeve with such walles bulwarkes ravelings and counterscarpes of reason that all the power of hell all the batterye of Atheists Turkes Iewes and other adversaries shall never bee able to overcome it And because a little light is soone lost if dispersed as in the Starres called Nebulosae and those of endlesse number and distance in the milkie way I have proposed the reasons together in as short and few words as I can that the light of the reason may more easilie appeare For oftentimes while men desire to enlarge themselves the reason vanishes into words The autorities of the sacred Text I bring as need is that the Christian may see whence the Article of faith in question is taken and whereon it is grounded and that in the proofe thereof I bring no other doctrine than the holy Scripture doth reach Let no man carrie my words or meaning awry for although in this search of causes and reasons other conclusions offered themselves yet I held it not meet to propose any other things than the holy Church of old thought fit to be held as sufficient for the saving faith of Christians conteined in the Creed which is called the Apostles as being gathered from their writings and that according to that order as it is therein delivered yet with such prefaces and notes as the necessitie of the things did drive me unto leaving those other things to the higher speculation of them whom God shall vouchsafe to enlighten for their further progresse from faith to faith from knowledge to knowledge till all the holie Church come to bee partakers of those things new and old that are kept for her in store when she shall come unto the fulnesse of the measure of the age of Christ that is the perfect knowledge of all those things which our Lord in his time taught his Disciples who were not able then to beare them till they had received the light of the holy Spirit from above If any man learned bee pleased to read in this booke let him forgive me the harshnesse of my speech being to teach the unlearned in English a language not taught that nicetie of words whereby to expresse the difference of things which I easilie hope he will doe because hee knowes that the infinite differences of things do much exceed the sharpnesse of our understanding and yet the subtiltie of mans understanding doth goe farre beyond the rudenesse and scarcitie of all words
that word was made flesh that is tooke on him the whole nature of man body and soule and dwelt among us and we saw on the holy mount Mat. 17.2 c. 2 Pet. 1.18 the glory thereof that is of that flesh or man as the glory of the only begotten Sonne of the Father And againe Col. 1.16 By him that is the Sonne were all things created which are in heaven and which are in earth things visible and invisible all things were created by him and for him and in him all things consist 1 Cor. 8.6 There is one God the Father of whom were all things and we by him Eph. 3.9 God hath created all things by Iesus Christ And Heb. 1. v. 1.2 God hath spoken unto us in these last dayes by his Sonne whom He hath made heire of all things by whom also he made the worlds By all which texts it is cleere which S. Paul hath Rom. 11.36 of him through him and for Him are all things That is that God the deliverer which should come out of Sion vers 26. And thus have these Apostles explained that which is written Gen. 1.1 In the beginning Elohim created heaven and earth which word in the whole body of the old Testament as wisemen have observed is almost never spoken but of the Person of the Mediator onely I suppose then that it is plaine enough which is spoken by our Lord Iohn 5. v. 19. The Sonne can doe nothing of Himselfe save what he seeth the Father doe for whatsoever things He doth the same things doth the Sonne in like manner That is whatsoever the eternall Godhead ordeined in his everlasting Counsell and decree to bee done that same doth the Sonne execute and performe in the creature answerably and brings forth every thing in time according to the possibilities and opportunities of the creature For as the wiseman saith Ecclus. 18.1 He that liveth for ever made all things together or at once So the Psalmist as also the other Scriptures tels us by whom and in whom Psal 104.24 In wisdome hast thou made them all that is in our Creator and Saviour So then it being cleered by the text of the holy Scripture that the creation of the world was of God the Father in Christ by Christ and for Christ it will easily follow how necessary it was that He our creator by His eternall Spirit should offer himselfe to God for the sin of his creature as it will further appeare when I come to that article Notes a EVery tenne thousand yeares You may reade the position in Aug. de Haer. cap. 43. and the refutation thereof in his 20.21.22 bookes de civit Dei But the Cabalists for the renewing of this lower world put seven thousand yeares and no more for the restoring of the whole creature both heavenly and earthly they put fifty thousand yeares You may read the opinion and partly see their reasons in Leo Hebr. de Amore. pag. 500. c. b The world is not eternall The most famoused opinions that have beene concerning the worlds eternity are these One that which the Christian faith doth hold according to the truth of the holy oracles of God and the voice of Reason as you have heard and to this truth the Stoicks are said to haue consented The second opinion is that of Plato and his followers who held that the world had a beginning in time but of an eternall matier and that the continuance thereof should bee eternall For seeing generation and corruption is onely by the change of formes the matier still remaining one therefore they thought that as that forme which is purely without matier was incorruptible and eternall So likewise must matier bee which of it owne nature is utterly without forme And because matier is greedy of all formes how differing or contrary soever Therefore it is ever subject to change Neither is the heaven it selfe utterly freed from all power of Change because of that matier whereof it is in which the power of Change is ever hidde Therefore the world is not eternall in respect of any power in it selfe either to the production of formes or the continuance of it selfe under the same formes but first in respect of the vnformed matier and most of all in respect of that Spirit or life whereby it is guided and ordered as by the internall causes and in respect of the divine will and goodnesse as the outward principle and the end which will as it cannot repent to have done good in giving being unto the world and the things therein contained so can it not will contrary to it selfe and cease to doe good in the continuance of the creature in that being which it hath You may reade more to his purpose in Plot. Ennead 2. lib. 1. and his commentator Marsilius Ficinus The third opinion is that of Aristotle that the world was eternall and from God as an eternall effect of an eternall cause For because it seemed to him impossible and if you looke no higher than nature alone it is indeed impossible that any thing being can come out of nothing therefore matier must needs be eternall and therewith generation and corruption without which nothing is brought forth And because these two could not be thought to be without the moving of the heavens as the cause thereof therefore both the heavenly bodies and motion especially circular must be also eternall and herewith time which is measured by the motion of the heavens But what this eternall matier should bee the Philosophers went into divers opinions Heraclitus thought it to be fire Archelaus ayre Empedocles all the elements and among the rest one one thing and another another as you may reade in Aristotle where hee refutes them in Tull. Acad. q. lib. 4. and especially in Plutarch de placitis Philosophorum and from him in many other Aristotle himselfe from Hesiod and they that had beene before him cals it Chaos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In theogonia First was the Chaos then the earth which word if they borrowed not of Moses his Tohu which signifies empty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sometimes meanes to bring to nought nor of that which seemes to come from thence Chohus whereby as Festus saith the old Latines called the world yet of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they meant by it confusion and no way of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a countrie or an appointed place Sometime this matier is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mud For so the conclusion of earth and water is best understood and fittest for generation of earthly things as Ovid delivers the opinon and cleeres it by comparison of the overflowing Nilus Metam lib. 1. All other Creatures tooke their different birth And figures from the voluntary Earth When her cold moisture with the Sunne did sweat And Slimy Marishes grew big with heat So when seven-mouthed Nyle forsakes the plaine Anantient channel doth his streames containe And late
authority or else it signifies a tribe and in this sence the tribe or distinction of a tribe never departed from Inda till our Lord came whereas the ten tribes carried away by Salmanasar in the dayes of Hezekiah were ever after utterly left out of all remembrance in the holy records see further in the 27. chap. R. 2. But concerning the cunning Scribe or lawyer for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies brought up betweene his feet as Paul at the feet of Gamaliel it is most certaine that such a Prince never failed from Iuda till the time of Herod the great who not being able to win the Iewes either by his most sumptuous building of the Temple or by his Largis in their famine or by all the favours that he could doe them to acknowledge his right to the kingdome by the gift of the Romans because they daily expected him that was to come of David murdered their Sanbedrim and all the males that hee could finde of the house of David so that he spared not his owne Sonne that was descended thence by his mother burnt also the bookes of the genealogy of their Kings and afflicted them with other calamities till they after thirty yeeres reigne of his were compelled to acknowledge him their lawfull king and then according to the promise was our Lord incarnate that true Shiloh her only Sonne But you say Shiloh may be interpreted his Son I answer The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shiloh by the consonants or substantiall letters signifies her Sonne but by the vowell or spirit above it may signifie his Sonne but because the vaâ—â— is wanting it shall signifie his sonne that is invisible and therefore our Saviour is both God and man So there is no letter present no letter wanting in the holy word without a deepe mystery higher than heaven c Dan. 9. v. 24. Seventy weekes are determined upon thy people vpon thy holy Citty to restraine transgression to seale up sinne to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse to seale the vision and Prophesie and to annoint the Holie of holies c. to the end of the chapter The more evident and plaine any text of Scripture is for the clearing of the truth of Christ the more hath the devil laboured to darken it and to pervert the truth thereof And though by other texts of Scripture it be plaine enough to us that this Iesus is the Christ yet seeing no Scripture is so direct and punctuall as this for the certaine designement of the time the devill hath the more earnestly laboured to bewitch mens understanding so that they have taken more paines to make the time uncertaine nay some make it nothing at all belonging to Christ our Lord. The errours of the Iewes you may read in Pet. Galatinus lib. 4. cap. 14. to the 19. the contradictions of the Christians against the truth and against one another you may finde in D. Willet his most diligent com on Dan. Among the Iewes one Porphyry because he saw the text was so plaine for the truth of Christ suffering at the time appointed by this prophecie said that there was no reckoning to be made of this text of Daniel because he was no propher contrary to the consent of all other Iewes and the manifest authority of the Scriptures as you may reade Eze. 14.14.20 28.3 Math. 24.15 wher his innocency wisdome gift of prophecie are testified others among them doe wrest the time concerning the end thereof For the true Messiah not comming as they lookt for Him in pompe and worldly glory they stil looking for him that should come according to their fancy have made these weeks to mean some 700 yeers some 7. Iubilees others 7. tens And because many in Scripture are stiled by the title of Messiah as you may reade Psal 105.19 Esay 41.1 and elsewhere therefore some of them will have Cyrus to be meant hereby some Zorobabel others Iehoshua some Nehemiah but because neither the time nor circumstances accord others will needs refer it to Agrippa who was King when the Citty and Temple were destroyed by Titus And I would the faithlesse Iewes had wandred thus alone and that no Christian by his lifelesse interpretation had sided with them But the circumstances of the text doe easily overthrow them For this Messiah must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah Naghid the Prince or chiefe Messiah or of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messiah that was to be manifested that Messiah that was to be annointed with the oyle of gladnesse above all his partners Psal 45.7 because He received not the Spirit by measure Ioh. 3.34 Moreover who is he that can be that Holy of Holies but onely Christ our Lord both God and man who is hee that can restraine men from transgression that can seale up sin that can cover iniquity that can bring in eternall righteousnesses but Christ our Lord in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed Therefore the text by these circumstances is tyed onely to the promised seed Gen. 3.15 which should utterly destroy the workes of the devil But the errors and disagreements of the Christians have beene a great cause to withhold the Iewes from the acknowledgment of the truth For they have been more different in their opinions hereabout than the Iewes who held constantly that the beginning of the time was according to the word of the Angel in the first yeere of Cyrus when they had liberty to returne and to build the Citty and Temple But the Christians make questions whether from the going forth of the word from God to the Angel or from the Angel to Daniel or from the king who gave the commission to the Iewes Gordonii Chronol cap. 15. pag. 237. And here againe out of Ezra because it is said chap. 6.14 that the house was sininished by the commandement of Cyrus and Darius and Arteshaste king of Persia question arises whether these seventy weekes begin in the first yeere of Cyrus or of Darius Hystaspis or of Artaxerxes Longhand and whether in his seventh or in his twentieth yeere And here while every man is rich in his owne opinion and prizes at an high rate his owne reading and praises his Authors and despises as deceived or counterfeit such as make against him men have so puzled themselves by prophane stories and the reckoning by the olympiads that they cannot finde as not where to begin so not where to end the account whether at Pompeies taking of Ierusalem or at the birth of our Lord or at his death or with the destruction of Ierusalem or in the daies of Adrian when the Iewes were banished out of Palestina And whether these sevens of yeares for on that the Christians agree be moone-yeeres or Sun-yeeres for such fine subtilties they are driven unto who apply their wits and studies to make good their profane authorities How much more necessary were it to hold constantly the limits
commission to build the wall of Ierusalem in the twentieth yeere of Artaxerxes otherwise called Darius Longhand Nehem. 2. And it is plaine by the words of the Angell Dan. 9.25 that the account of the seventy weekes must begin from the commission to build the wall and so forraine histories will accord with the Angell a shrewd blocke whereat many have stumbled but the building of the wall is no limit of the time but a thing to bee done in those troublous times ver 25. Beside this forreine histories will not so accord to the death of Christ from thence neither by Moone-yeeres nor Sun-yeeres nor with exclusivè or inclusivè Pers Mon. pag. 183 c. But suppose that by some beggerly shift some likely agreement were made yet from the end of the seventy yeeres captivity to this twentie of Artaxerxes are fourtie nine yeeres at the shortest reckoning now would I aske with what faithfulnesse the Angell discharged his message if being sent to give Daniel skill and understanding of the time for that onely was the thing whereof the Prophet was ignorant hee should by foure hundred ninety give him to understand five hundred thirty nine or as some will have it five hundred ninetie two or any other number and neither in the whole nor in the parts give him the least iuckling of any such reckoning Gordon Chronol Cap. 19. thinkes that here is obscuritie sought out of purpose and that Daniel was still ignorant of the time I say that this answer is cleane contrarie to the profession of the Angell in the 22. 23. v. Was his comming to give him skill and understanding and would hee blinde him in obscuritie binde his understanding unto falshood by giving him one number for another he durst not doe it it was against his nature neither dare I beleeve the Iesuite Beside where Daniel is ignorant he professes it as chap. 12.8 but here is not a word to that purpose But I answer that the strength of this objection depends onely upon the ill interpretation of the text for the words in 25. verse From the going forth of the Commandement to restore and build againe Ierusalem as the old Latin hath it Vt iterum aedificetur Ierusalem that Ierusalem may be built againe were in our former bibles much better to bring againe as Montanus ad faciendum reverti to cause the people to returne for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to returne in the neuter signification in the conjugation here used is active to make to returne Now who were to bee made to returne but they that had gone from thence But take it at the hardest to restore and to build or to build againe should not they build that should enioy it and dwell there so that of force these words must have reference to that word from Cyrus who gave the libertie to the people to returne and to build their Temple and the citie And all the commissions in the favour of the Iewes which were after Cyrus were onely to strengthen and make good that first grant of Cyrus as it is manifest Ezech. 6. and 7. and Nehem. 2.8 For the freedome of the people was the maine and first thing and for their convenience the building of the citie first their owne houses for necessitie Ezech. 3.7 Hag. 1.4 then the house of God for his service Ezech. 4.3 and lastly the wall of the citie for their securitie Neh. 1.3 the freedome liberty of all this was granted by Cyrus as it appeares Ezech. 44.28 and 45.13 1 Chron. 26.22 Ezech. 1.2 and accordingly about five thousand of the people returned and the foundation of the Temple was laid in the second yeere after their returne and by the malice of their enemies hindred till by the encoragement of the Prophets Haggai and Zacharie the building of the Temple went forward in the second yeere of Darius most likely Hystaspis as Iosephus Mr. Calvin Lydyat Pererius Gordon and others affirme But especially Ezra observeth precisely the difference betweene Darius under whom the Temple was finished and Artaxerxes in whose seventh yeere he came to Ierusalem with a certaine Caravan of the Iewes about 1600 Ezech. 7. And in the twentieth yeere of the same Artaxerxes Nehemiah had a further comission to build the wals and brought none of the captivity with him but was compelled to desire a Convoy of the King neither did hee build any thing besides the walls for as for timber for any houses hee had not a sticke onely by speciall grace hee had out of the kings Parke timber for the gates of the citie for his owne house and for the gates of the palace or court of the Temple Nehem 2.7 8. And from the foundation to this time were fortie sixe yeeres Iohn 2.20 fully complete though the body of the house had beene finished foureteene yeeres before Ezech. 6.15 Therefore I say first that seeing the Temple was already finished and the citie wanted not houses but inhabitants Nehe. 11.1.2 it may appeare easilie how far this one act of building the wall was from that which was spoken of Cyrus both by Esay and the Angell Secondly and because the Iewes were already returned from Babylon and that none returned with Nehemiah And thirdly because the wall was the last thing performed in the end of these troublous times of the first seven Sevennits or 49 yeeres of which the Angell spake it is impossible and contrary to the very record of the holy Scripture that these foure hundred ninety yeeres should take their beginning in the twentieth of Artaxerxes or at any time either after or before but onely at that time when Zorobabel fanned Babel and brought out the people thence Hee that will see more to this question may reade Dr. Willet whom I cited before and Ioh. Speed Cloud of witnesses Chap. 5. d Haggai 2.9 The glory of this latter house shall bee greater than of the former saith the Lord of hosts and in this place will I give peace What the statelinesse and magnificence of Solomons Temple was himselfe exceeding all the Kings of his dayes both in riches and honour the Temple among the most sumptuous buildings being the most excellent and about which he tooke most care his father David a Prophet as himselfe having described the paterne to represent that Temple not made with hands wherein the king of Glorie would dwell may easilie be thought to bee such as the wisest richest and most glorious king of the whole world could make it But lest wee should not conceive sufficiently thereof the bookes of the Kings and Chronicles doe enlarge our understandings by the imployment of almost two hundred thousand men for seven yeeres and an halfe by the descriptions of the materials and their preparation the roofe being set with precious stones the walles overlaid yea the very pavement and hinges of the doores being of pure gold so that no historie remembers the like building both for cost and workmanship Now what this
1. Sect. 1 Concerning the first it is an irrefragable argument that the Scriptures were given of God because the Prophecies in them which were before-hand concerning things to come were such perfect declarations of them as that they may rather seeme to be Histories then Prophecies Take for instance that promise to Abraham that his seed should possesse Canaan after 430. yeeres and accordingly in the selfe same day Exod. 12.40 41. were they brought out of Egypt Or the promise of Iudahs Kingdome foretold by Iacob Gen. 49.8 9 10. Of Iosia and Cyrus prophecied by name the one above 300. yeeres the other above 100. yeeres before he was borne Of the captivity of that nation and destruction of Ierusalem foretold by Daniel For seeing God alone is infinite in His wisedome and that all His workes are foreknowne to Him alone therefore can He alone declare from the beginning what shall come to passe at the last as He saith of Himselfe Isa 42.9 whereas the Angels being finite both in their wisedome and knowledge know nothing of things to come but either by speciall revelation as Gabriel foretold the birth of Iohn Baptist or by the Prophecies of the Scripture or by observation of naturall causes in their long and subtile experiences And therefore it came to passe that all the devils that mocked the heathen by their Oracles were so uncertaine in their answeres except they were informed by some of the meanes spoken of As the devil gave a certaine answere to Alexander concerning his expedition against Darius because he knew what the Decree of God was by the Prophecie of Daniel Chap. 8. 2. Another Argument that the Scriptures were given by the Holy-Ghost is that admirable consent of all the Doctrines contained therein which are delivered with that certaintie of Truth and Knowledge with that authority and power over the soule of the faithfull Reader and that in so simple and plaine a manner of writing as no other whereas in mens writings the unsetlednesse of their judgement their ignorance and doubtfull suppositions especially when they speake of their owne as seldome they doe justifies the holy Text Rome 1.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 professing to teach they shew their folly 3. Moreover the Argument or things contained in the holy Scriptures doth manifest the Author thereof the Writers for the most part shewing their Commission Thus saith the Lord and Paul an Apostle not by man but by Iesus Christ and God the Father Then the purport or intent of the Commission We are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God And this under such conditions as none but God alone is able to performe of acceptance eternall life or refusall eternall fire 4. The glorious and mighty workes which Almighty God gave especially to the first Writers of the Law and of the Gospel to doe and those miracles whereby He continually justified the trueth thereof the wonderous preservation and deliverances of the professors as of Daniel c. And the balefull confusion of the adversaries of the Trueth contained in the Scriptures in all ages approve that God alone is the Author thereof 5. The hatred of the devil and his continuall endeavours either utterly to deface the Bookes of the holy Scripture or upon pretext of obscurity and danger of Heresie not to reade them And againe the providence of God in preserving those Bookes and the love and delight which He hath begotten in the hearts of His Saints to reade and understand them are no lesse proofe that these holy Scriptures are the Word of God and the Testimony of His eternall Truth 6. The extraordinary calling of many of the Pen-men of the holy Bookes and the enabling of them being simple and unlettered men to write and to preach those high Mysteries which none of the Princes of this world did understand as of Amos among the Herdmen of Peter Iames and Iohn and the other of the twelve Apostles shew that the Author of that Truth and their Bookes was God alone 7. The great 1. Antiquity of the Bookes of the Law preserved so long uncorrupted for in comparison of Moses almost all the writings of the heathen all their religions and many of their Gods are but upstarts and things of yesterday 2. The great simplieity and sincerity of the Writers who sought not their own praise nor concealed their owne faults and imperfections 3. The consent of the Church which receiued the Scriptures as the word of God 4. The consent of forraine Histories writing of the same things with such uncertaintie and untruth as time and heare-say use to bring into History as of Berosus Herodotus Strabo Trogus and others are a manifest proofe that the true records of the same things are the writings which God Himselfe did dictate to Moses and the Prophets which followed after him For none but God did truely know the creation of the world and none among men did certainely record the universall flood the Tower of Babel the actes of Abraham Iacob Ioseph Moses Ioshua and others So that if the devill might vaunt as he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I did indite and Homer did write In the perfection of truth might the Holy Spirit of God say as it is recorded 2. Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God And 1. Pet. 1.21 Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy-Ghost 6. And if wee beleeve that the writings of Historians and Poets and other profane Authors are indeed theirs under whose names they goe shall wee not much rather beleeve that they are the writings of God Himselfe that goe under His Name especially seeing wee know that Hee is a jealous God and neither would suffer His authority to bee abused to falshood neither would Hee give His Church to bee ever seduced by lyars and false prophets § 2. Sect. 2 And these holy Oracles God of His Goodnesse and Mercy would have to bee written from whence by their excellencie above all other they are called Scriptures or Writings 1. First that wee through patience and comfort of these Scriptures might have firme and sure hope in God and His promises Rom. 15.4 2. Secondly that nothing through mans infirmity might be forgotten of all that which ought to be in continuall remembrance 3. Lest by the wickednesse of men and the subtilty of the devil inciting them thereto the holy Doctrine of God might be corrupted from the native and true meaning and so new Doctrines and new Religions brought in in stead of that Service which we owe onely to God and that according to His owne revealed Will and Word 4. No man knoweth the thoughts of a man but onely that spirit of a man which is within him much lesse can any know the things of God but onely the holy Spirit of God The things of God of which I
from an aduersary concerning Christ and commends His disciples and other penne-men of the New Testament as men Holy True and Faithfull followers of their Master yet he saith that the Christians which were after them corrupted their writings And that it may appeare what spirit set this mutinous souldier a worke he denies that which is the ground and foundation of our redemption saying That Christ was neither the Sonne of God nor yet that He was crucified for us See Cusa Cribr Alchoran lib. 1. cap. 3. I have already prooved that our Mediator must be God Chap. 21. And likewise that our Saviour was crucified for us Chap. 27. N. 2. And if the reasons there delivered be of force to proove the conclusions then doe they sufficiently refute this falshood of Mahumed and if this Forger had wit to understand it we say no other thing of Christ when according to the Scriptures we call Him the Sonne of God then Mahumed himselfe saith when according to the selfe same Scriptures he calls Him the word of God For though Sonne in the Scripture be of large signification As sonnes of the quiver for arrowes Lam. 3.13 Sonnes of Sion that is citizens there Psal 149.2 Sonnes of the wedding-such chamber that is the bridegroomes friends Matth. 9.15 and many such like in which the word may seeme to bee vsed metaphorically yet is the word properly and truely spoken of every effect that is homogeneous although there be no generation betweene a male and a female as the branches are the daughters of the Vine Gen. 49.22 and the sparks are truely called the sonnes of the cole Iob 5.7 So in that which the mind or understanding of man doth view the name thereof the word the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ratio under which it is conceived and the expression thereof is likewise the Son of the understanding and much more in that eternall and infinite understanding of God in the view of His owne being shall the character or actuall expression of that infinite being be truely called the Word or Sonne of God 1. But it cannot be true which Mahumed saith concerning the writings of the Apostles that they are corrupted For as in all other so in the particulars the Testaments doe both agree and it hath been prooved before that the bookes of the Old Testament doe still remaine in their integrity 2. Neither can the trueth in these two points concerning Christ which had been professed 600 yeeres almost before Mahumed was borne which so many Christians in all their persecutions had so constantly sealed unto with so many thousands of their bloods shed in every corner of the world be defaced by a new devised forgery of Mahumed 3. Moreover what can be more absurd and witlesse then to say or thinke that the Christians would falsify the Scriptures in these two points for which above all other things their Religion was hated by the Infidels and themselues so deadly persecuted because they held Him to be God that had died as a man and affirmed that He had risen againe whom they confessed to have died on the Crosse Neither doth he accuse the Christians in these two things only but also that they had defaced his name and memory out of that promise which our Lord made to His disciples concerning the Holy-Ghost For Mahumed would be he by whom they should be led into all trueth Mars Fic de Christ Rel. cap. 36. and out of him Hugo Grocius de Rel Christ lib. 6. But Mahound you never declared what things should come as the promise of the Holy-Ghost doth stand For as you disclaime miracles so where you speake beside the text of the Scripture you utter onely your owne errours 2. Moreover this promise was made to the Apostles and to bee fulfilled in them especially by whose ministery the word was to proceed from Sion among the Gentiles which was never promised to be preached by Mahumed or his theeues of Arabia 3. Beside that glorious gift of the Holy-Ghost the manifestation whereof by speaking with tongues and working miracles had ceased in the Church long before Mahumed was borne insomuch that Aug. 200 yeeres before him had profest that he that would not then beleeve without a miracle Magnum ipse miraculum est And therefore that tricke of the whispering Dove the lie of the Camel that spake to him in the night and that piece of the Moone that dropt into his sleeve as they came too late as they were to no end and without witnesses so are they against his owne profession that he came not with miracles 4. And againe if our Lord had made any such promise as might concerne him the Christians who ever reverenced His word were bound by that promise to reverence the memorie of Mahumed and to expect what further light or manifestation of the trueth hee would bring to the Church But his doctrine brings in againe those weake and beggerly rudiments of the law circumcision and the difference of meats directly contrary to Christ and the doctrine of His Apostles who teach the fulfilling and utter abrogating of all these ceremonies by Christ And yet in those ceremonies of meats and drinkes there is such a dissension about Wine as that his followers cannot agree unto this day His doctrine of many wives though tollerated for a time by Moses in in that hard-hearted people of the Iewes yet is contrary to the doctrine of the Prophets Mal. 2.14 15. of Christ and His Apostles By all which things it may appeare that Mahumed ran when he was not sent which he himselfe if his sencelesse followers could see it doth confesse in that he doth utterly forbid them to question any thing in his Alchoran or to dispute about his religion but to follow it in blind obedience And whether the wares be counterfeit which you must buy unseene every man may judge And these reasons against Mahumed in particular with the rest that are against Simon Magus and his competitors in the Note on Chap. 23. § 1. are sufficient to proove that our Lord made no such promise of Mahumed to come as he did dreame and therefore that the Scriptures of the Apostles are not corrupted either to forestall his doctrine or to deface his memory 9. And yet more particularly to free the writings of the Apostles from this Mahumetan slaunder take that word of God Himselfe which is in Iohn 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word This word of the Apostles cannot be understood onely of that word which they spake unto the people but much more of all the Scriptures of the New Testament which should be left in writing to the Church by which in all ages of the Church since their time children were to be begotten unto God through a lively faith by which they should apprehend the satisfaction of Christ and so have an entrance unto God by Him And seeing that in all ages