the same thing Thus then I argue upon the whole The Apostles when they cited the Oracles of the Old Testament comprehended them all under the Name of Scripture as if they would have said the Scripture of God Now I find that immediately after the Apostles the Saints also quoted the Writings of the Apostles under the Name of Scripture they have paid the same Honour to the Writings of the Apostles as the Apostles did to the Old Testament Have I not reason then to conclude from thence that it was the judgment of the Saints of the Primitive Church that the Writings of the Apostles were no less the Scripture of God than the Prophetick Writings wherein are recorded the Oracles of God CHAP. III. The second Proof drawn from hence that the Ancients have equall'd the Writings of the Apostles to the Oracles of the Old Testament IF what M. N. has asserted touching the writings of the Prophets were examined according to the Belief which the Primitive Church had of them it would be soon acknowledg'd that this New System is not to be maintained by dint of Argument The Proofs of which are every where to be found For the Primitive Writers of the Christian Religion being obliged to fetch from the Prophetic writings their Arguments to convince the Jews or to confirm the Christians who acknowledged their Authority this was the reason that they had frequent occasion to speak of the Inspiration of those Sacred Writings So that we plainly see that they are hardly ever cited by the Ancients without some Elogie drawn from the Sanctity of their Original Sometimes 't is the VVord of God sometimes 't is the Holy Scripture sometimes the Oracles of the Holy Ghost and sometimes the Scripture divinely inspired VVhen the Primitive Christians quoted any passage of the Old Testament it was as they phrased it the Mouth of the Lord that spoke But I do not speak this to divert me from alledging some Proofs Clemens Romanus who as 't is well known was contemporary with the Apostles speaking of the Prophets says That the Ministers of the Grace of God instigated by the Holy Spirit spoke of Repentance A little after that-reciting a Maxim drawn from the Old Testament he assures us that 't was no more than what the Holy Spirit recommended to us Quod vaticinantes non alio quam verbo divino afflati agantur vos quoque ipsos dicturos reor Dial. cum Triph. Jud. p. 8. Justin Martyr speaks of the Inspiration of the Prophets as of a Truth common to the Jews and Christians Descendens in eos spiritus Sanctus Religionem veram discere volentes per illos docendos esse statuit Id. ad Graec. Cohort p. 32. And in another place he says that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Prophets to the end they might teach all those that desired to be instructed in the true Religion * Caeterum Dei homines pleni spiriu Sancto à Deo inspirati institutique Prophetae ordinati sunt proinde fuere à Deo docti Theophil ad Autol. lib. 2. p. 87. Theophilus of Antiochia asserts that the Prophets were men filled with the Holy Spirit and inspir'd by God Clemens of Alexandria is full of Passages wherein he affirms the same thing I shall cite no more than one which is to be found at the beginning of his Protreptic Ipse est Dominus loquens in Isaia ipse in Elia ipse in ore Prophetarum All the Primitive Authors honour the Prophets and their VVritings as being inspir'd by God Origen alone would furnish me with several passages of which to be convinc'd â—here needs no more than only to read his â—hilocatia But to what purpose will some Body say â—o I quote all these Proofs The dispute is â—bout the New Testament not the Old one 〈◊〉 will not say that I had any desire of maâ—ing it my Business to let the World know â—he Character of M. N. by shewing that in â—he judgement of the Ancients he does an â—nfinite injury to the prophetic Writings by â—he liberty of writing which he assumes to â—imself That was never my Design for 〈◊〉 confine my self exactly to my Subject My â—im is still to make out that the writings of â—he New Testament are inspir'd by the Holy Ghost And is not the confirming the high Opinion which the Ancients had of the Prophets and their Writings a keeping close to â—hat Design If at the same time I shew that â—he Ancients have equal'd the Apostles and â—heir writings to the Prophets and their Prophesies without proceeding any farther that cannot be call'd a Deviation For to be convinc'd that it is a Truth Iren. adver heret lib. 3. c. 11. Because first the Apostles secondly the Prophets but all from one and the fame God Commentaria Apostolorum scripta Prophetarum sequuntur p. 98. Just Martyr Quia utrumque Testamenti Ministri uno eodemque spiritu inspirati locuti sunt Theophii ad Autol. l. 30 p. 125. Deus Aeâ—ernus Vnigenitus verbum incarnatum predicatum a Prophetis omnibus Apostolis ab ipso spiritu Iren. adv Eereticos l. 3. c. 21. Vnus eâ—â—m idem spiritus Dei quae in prophetis praeconavit c. Ipse in Apostolis Annunciavit ib. c 35. there needs no more than to read the Passages which I have quoted in the Margin the number of which I might have easily augmented more especially would I have cited the Fathers who lived after the Council of Nice CHAP. IV. The third Proof drawn from the Distinction which the Ancients made between the Canonical and Apocryphal Books THis Distinction takes place in respect of both Testaments There are join'd to the Canonical Books of the Old Testament several Pieces purely Human as the Books of Tobit Judith Baruc Macabee's c. which are call'd by the name of Apocrypha A word of which the true Original is very uncertain But whether it signifie conceal'd or obscure or whether it have any other sense certain it is that those Books which are added to the Scripture though they are not of divine Authority are call'd Apocrypha If the Books which are added to the Old Testament are not admitted to be Canonical 't is not because they are defective in their matter There are some of them whose Doctrine is sound and their Instructions pure so that there has been no scruple made to read them publickly in the Church I dare presume to say there is such a Portion of Apocryphal Books which is more Instructive and more edifying than such a portion of books we call Canonical Wherefore then are they rejected as Apocryphal I know very well that several Marks of human Frailty are to be discover'd in them but the chief Ground of their being rejected is because they are Books which the Holy Ghost has not inspir'd the Finger of God appears not in them the good things which are there to be found flow not immediately from the
ADVERTISEMENT OF Two Books lately Printed for Thomas Bennet TWelve Sermons Preached upon several Occasions by R. South D. D. Never before Printed The Second Volume The Lives of all the Princes of Orange from William the Great Founder of the Commonwealth of the United Provinces Written in French by the Baron Maurier in 1682 whose Father was Twenty Years Ambassador ar the Hague And Published at Paris by Order of the French King To which is added the Life of His Present Majesty King William the Third By Mr. Thomas Brown Together with each Prince's Head before his Life Done from Original Draughts by Mr. Robert White THE INSPIRATION OF THE New Testament Asserted and Explain'd IN ANSWER TO SOME MODERN WRITERS By C. G. LAMOTHE DIVINE LONDON Printed for Tho. Bennet at the Half-Moon in S. Paul's Church-Yard 1694. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THE State and Importance of the Question and Division of the Book CHAP. II. The first Proof of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament drawn from the mannâ—r after which the Ancients speak of it CHAP. III. The second Proof drawn from hence that the Ancients have equall'd the Writings of the Apostles to the Oracles of the Old Testament CHAP. IV. The third Proof drawn from the Distinction which the Ancients made between the Canonical and Apocryphal Books CHAP. V. The Fourth Proof drawn from the Honour which the Ancients paid to the Sacred Books of the New Testament CHAP. VI. The Fifth Proof drawn from hence that the Ancients positively asserted the Books of the New Testament to be inspir'd CHAP. VII Wherein the Objections that may be brought against the Testimony of Antiquity are answered CHAP. VIII Wherein we begin to prove by the Books of the New Testament that they are inspir'd and particularly by the Intention which God had in giving them to the World CHAP. IX Wherein the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament is demonstrated by the manner of their Composition CHAP. X. Wherein the Inspiration of the Books of the New Testament is made out from the Nature of the Covenant of which they are the Writings CHAP. XI Wherein the Inspiration of the Books of the New Testament is made out by the Prerogatives of the Apostles CHAP. XII Wherein the Inspiration of the Books of the New Testament is made out by the Promise which Christ Jesus madâ— of his Spirit to the Authors of it CHAP. XIII Wherein the Inspiration of the New Testament is made out by the fulfilling of the Promise of Jesus Christ CHAP. XIV Wherein are produc'd several Passages of Scripture which shew that the Sacred Writers of the New Testament have declared that they were Inspir'd in their Writings CHAP. XV. Wherein is drawn from the Gift of Discerning of Spirits granted to the Primitive Christians a Proof very much in Favour of the Sacred Books which the Apostles have left us The Second Part. CHAP. I. Wherein is shewn that 't is not the Common Belief that the Sacred Books of the New Testament were dictated word for word by the immediate Suggestion of the Holy Ghost CHAP. II. Wherein is explained the Nature of the Inspiration of the New Testament in respect of Revelatious CHAP. III. Wherein is Explain'd the Nature of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament in reference to things which the Apostles had heard and seen CHAP. IV. Wherein is Explain'd the Nature of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament in reference to the Progress which the Apostles might be able to make in reasoning upon the Truths suggested by the Holy Ghost and upon those which they had learn'd by the way of Sense CHAP. V. Wherein are set down Four Consequences that arise from the Manner of Explaining the Manner of the Inspiration of the New Testament CHAP. VI. Wherein is Consider'd the Nature of the Infallibility which springs from the Infallibility of the Holy Ghost and in particular touching the Manner how the Apostles obeyed it CHAP. VII Wherein is considered the Nature of the Infallibility which arises from the Direction of the Holy Ghost with reference to the Things wherein the Apostles were directed and whether they were in particular deceived in their Opinion of the near Approach of the End of the World CHAP. VIII Wherein is Examined What Influence the Direction of the Holy Ghost had over those Things that were only Concomitants of the Doctrine CHAP. IX Wherein it appears what ought to be the Extent of the signification of the words which the Sacred Writers have made use of in the Writings of the New Testament CHAP. X. Wherein some Objections are answered which have no Relation to the Apostelick Writings CHAP. XI Wherein some Objections are Answered which are directly made against the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament THE PREFACE THEY who have a Reverence for the Holy Scripture will never be offended to see the number of the Champions of it encrease 'T is known that in the Primitive Ages when Religion was continually attacqu'd the Church was never disgusted at the Apologies which the Christians so frequently set forth All those that knew how to write made it a part of their Duty to uphold Christianity And there is no question but that this was one of the most Potent means that Providence made use of to advance the Triumphs of the Religion of Jesus Christ We are in an Age wherein the Scripture is dishonoured sometimes after one manner sometimes after another So that I cannot believe when Libertinism exerts it self so boldly that Christians will grow weary of seeing the Number of Apologists increase who take upon them to defend that Scripture which made them Christians We dare not presume to say that all who have shaken the Authority of Scripture were profest Libertines in regard that some Persons of worth have upheld Propositions which being carry'd a little too far do great mischief to that Book for which in other respects they declare that they have an esteem even to Veneration 'T is not possible to dive into the secret intentions of Authors so as to know whether it be out of Impudence or through a hankering after Libertinism that they suffer these bold and dangerous stroaks to escape their Pens The Libertine counterfeits himself sometimes to be Orthodox and a lover of Truth and he proposes his doubts with a seeming Ingenuity and vigorously asserts the Truth for fear of being suspected Sometimes also a faithful disciple of the Truth expresses himself in a feeble and trembling manner and by his doubts and scruples gives an advantage to his Enemies God alone knows the bottom of the Heart and it is our Duty to leave it to him to decide the intentions of Authors and to endeavour to defend the Truth against all manner of Onsets on what side soever they are made There appear'd within these few Years a certain Treatise which attacqu'd the inspiration of the Sacred Scripture I shall not
go about to inform my self of the real Design which the Author had in composing a Work so injurious to Scripture but I thought it necessary to prevent the evil Consequences of such a dangerous Book Monsieur Witsius of Holland and Mr. Lowth a Divine of Oxford Father Simon and Father Le Vassour have set forth Answers to it which I have read But in regard it was their only Design to trace their Adversary step by step and not to handle this matter throughly there is therefore still room left for a new management of it The English Divine indeed in my Opinion has gone somewhat farther than the rest but I shall take the liberty to say that he might have built the Inspiration of the Holy Writings upon better foundations that he has not so sufficiently explained the nature of it as he might have done and that he has ventur'd to advance some things which in my judgment need a great deal of softning I hope he will be pleas'd to pardon me the Expression without which I could not be able to justifie my Design of writing after him In his Preface he acknowledges that the matter is nice and new and after he has besought the Readers not to censure him as if he intended to betray the cause which he defends he invites them to uphold it themselves According to this Invitation I shall make some steps in order to it If my Example should excite some other more Learned Pen to write upon the same Subject the Publick will be oblig'd to me for it I shall be well satisfied with my weak endeavours provided they may give occasion to the publishing any Treatise that shall maintain the Inspiration of the Holy Writings as effectually as the truth of them hath been asserted It will be found that I have tied my self to consider only the Writings of the New Testament there was no medling with the Books of the Old Testament without cutting out too much work for my self in a time when the Public receives not well any but small Treatises especially in matter of Divinity Therefore that I might accommodate my self to the Palate of the Age I was enforc'd to shorten my Subject After I had taken this Resolution it was no difficult thing for me to chuse which of the two Parts of Scripture it behov'd me to handle So that I determind in favour of the New Testament as being that Part upon which there has least been said We have several Books in defence of the Inspiration of the Prophets and their Writings because they have been so often attacqu'd But the Writers of the New Testament having peaceably enjoy'd the Honour pay'd them by the uninterrupted belief of their Inspiration Authors have not made it so much their Business to examine the nature of it or if any Libertine has attempted to contest it with them they have altogether relied upon the belief which the Church has had of it from time to time Besides this I may say that by maintaining the New Testament I defend the Old The Apostles have given such honourable Testimonials of the Writings of the Prophets that no Man can better maintain their honour than by demonstrating that Men inspir'd by the Holy Ghost have given Testimony to them But the chief Reason which made me chuse to defend the Writings of the New Testament is this because it is properly the Book that makes us Christians It is our Duty indeed to read the Writings of the Prophets there are to be seen those Oracles the Accomplishment of which is of glorious Consequence to the Gospel there we are inform'd of a great number of Actions wherein God appears magnificent in his Works and thence may be drawn Instructions effectual for the Sanctification of the Heart all these things were written for our Instruction but still a Christian must chiefly repair to the Writings to the New Covenant there it is that he ought to be most intent and stedfast from thence it is that he is chiefly oblig'd to receive his Faith and his Instructions in order to put himself into a state of Salvation The New Testament is that Book which God deliver'd as a Legacy to Mankind in these later times 'T is our Duty to cherish as much as in us lies the Respect which is due to that Sacred Book and to prevent it from being reckoned in the Catalogue of Common Writings for fear the Religion which it teaches us should be look'd upon as a Piece of Human Invention THE HOLY SCRIPTURES Inspir'd c. CHAP. I. The State and Importance of the Question and Division of the Work IT being my design to treat of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament I cannot forbear exactly to set down the state of the Question Which being done it will be found that all my Arguments aim at the same Mark and that I have made it my business not to amuse my Reader with any unprofitable Digression In the first place then the Reader is to be admonish'd that the Dispute is not here which are Canonical Books and which Apocryphal We suppose that those with whom we Contend agree that there is no contradiction to be made against the Canonical Authority of the New Testament according as we enjoy it at this day but that those Sacred Books were actually written or dictated by the Authors whose Names are affixed to ' em 'T is agreed that these Holy Men both saw and heard the matters of Fact which they relate and which they have written with extraordinary Fidelity and Sincerity Which being granted the Work begun is already in so great a forwardness that there is no need at all of entring into the discussion of several Difficulties which concern the Question relating to the Apocryphal Books By this means also we are freed from the trouble of proving that the Sacred Books were written by Men who were Witnesses of all the matters of Fact which are contain'd in the History of Jesus Christ or who themselves wrought great Miracles by which it appear'd that their Mission was Celestial In a word we are agreed upon the truth of these Books so that nothing remains farther to be known but whither they are inspir'd The Verity and the Inspiration make two different Questions of which the first is decided the Sacred Books of the New Testament are stedfastly and undeniably true at least so far as concerns Essential Things The main dispute is whether they are inspir'd or no So that there are some who let 'em alone with the Honour of being true but ravish from them that of Inspiration 'T is against these Innovators that I undertake the defence of the New Testament of which I maintain'd alike and equally assert both the Inspiration and the Truth even to the meanest Circumstances I could wish with all my heart that I might be able to handle this Question without chusing any certain Adversary My aim was to examine this important Matter without having any
they also discern some glimmerings of Light some Prophetic Flights Were it not for that they are to be look'd upon as no other than little Books of Devotion or as short Commentaries upon the Gospel in the Composition of which the Holy Ghost never in any manner of way concern'd himself When men are arriv'd at such a Point as to put aside the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost S. James S. Peter S. John and S. Jude must be look'd upon as Doctors that only explain Religion as well as they can they must be only simple Artists who without Education or Learning took all their Instruction from their Piety after they had run through a slender Course in Theology with Jesus Christ As for S. Paul who had something a better Education than the rest they will say he had this disadvantage that he was not an Eye-witness as they were of the Principal matters of Fact in the Gospel and that what he learnt from Revelation could not be so evident as if like his Companions he had seen and felt It will be said that at most he understood but as much as they did and that he ought not to be believ'd but in such Parts where he confirms the History of the Gospel Therefore in regard S. Paul does not pretend to the Office of an Historian he is not to be credited but in some few Places His Principal Character is that of a Doctor who explains and argues Upon those occasions that is to say quite throughout all his Epistles it shall be lawful to appeal from S. Paul to the Tribunal of Human Logic Since that Apostle is to be look'd upon as no other than a person of good ability to hold an Argument seeing he was no way inspir'd If such a System should get footing in the World what would remain of Inspir'd among Christians Very little for by that means they take from us three fourth parts of the New Testament There would no longer be one Book of it inspir'd it might indeed contain something inspir'd but it would be no more inspir'd in the composition of it than any other Book wherein an ordinary Author should have inserted Doctrines which Heaven had formerly reveal'd For as those inserted Doctrines would not make the Book to be inspir'd so neither would some Oracles scatter'd here and there in the New Testament appropriate Inspiration to that Book From whence I conclude that when the Primitive and the New Christians profess'd to believe that the Sacred Books of the New Testament were inspir'd they never pretended barely to say that the Apostles knew by Inspiration certain things which they had inserted therein but that it was their Opinion that the Book it self or to explain my self more clearly the Composition of the Book was the work of the Holy Ghost This is a Reflection which I desire the Reader to remember when I come to discourse of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books in General In that sence that M. N. would have us conceive what the New Testament is it contains many human things about which it is lawful to dispute whenever S. Paul or any other Apostle shall hold any Argument which is not conformable to M. N's Principles He shall answer This is no more than the Argument of a mere man let us see whether his Argument agrees with Aristotles Logic If the Apostle has not follow'd the Rules of Consequences we may imagine that we have no reason to hearken to him He 's an Apostle that 's no matter when an Apostle wanders out of the way I am not bound to follow him St. Paul applies to Jesus Christ several Prophecies which the Holy Ghost appropriates to God in the Old Testament And from thence a very strong Argument is drawn to prove the Divinity of Jesus Christ See the Racov. Cat. p. 47. If to two Interpretations of a very difficult place we add a third The Socinians judge it a very hard matter to answer some parts of the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews Henceforward there will be no longer any difficulty about any of all those Oracles if M. N. may be believed There needs no more than to say that St. Paul understood not the Oracles of the Old Testament and therefore it shall be lawful to examine that Apostle by the Rules of Grammar and Logic The Socinians are extremely obliged to M. N. for helping them to a way to rid themselves of all their perplexing Doubts Vozog Prolegom in N. T. c. 4. Wherefore the Authority of these Books is as great as that of God himself So that when we read this Sacred Volume or hear it read we ought to think that we hear God himself speaking from Heaven Id. in c. 1. Matth. v. 22. For though all the holy Scripture be inspir'd by God and that all the sacred Writers were as it were the Amanuenses of the Holy Ghost Vid. ibid. Prolegom in N. T. c 4. toward the end and in 2. Matth. v. 6. if they are hardy enough to adopt him Several among them have testified a great respect for the Scripture at the same time that they dishonour it by wrested Interpretations they profess however to believe that it is the Work of God that it is inspir'd in all the parts of it that it contains no Contradiction and that there is no receding from this Principle without endangering the Christian Religion Now while they hold such Maxims as these it is impossible but that the Socinians must meet with great difficulties in the Scripture But if they embrace M. N's Opinion they will find a large Fountain of ready Answers and in truth it may be said that there are no Errors which may not be upheld by this new Method Though it should be said that this new Method tends to annihilate the Use of the New Testament and to bring men back to natural Reason as the only Light which they ought to follow in Religion it seems to me that they would say no more than what is just and right 'T is true M. N.'s Method does not speak altogether so plainly but it aims that way That Author to make use of a Comparison which a great Writer furnishes me withal Hooker Eccles Pol. is like a sort of people who never leave whetting a Knife till they have worn it to nothing They cannot be content to clean off the Rust that sticks to it and restoring the blade to the natural Brightness that first adorn'd it Let us keep the middle way without bringing back the Abuses with which men at other times had loaded Religion Let us leave it a Body to the end it may prove a support to our Souls It may be seen by what I have said of what Consequence it is to oppose the Career of M. N's System and more and more to confirm and settle Christians in their persuasion that the Books of the New Testament were inspir'd This is that which I pretend to make out clearly
in this Treatise which I divide into two parts First I shall shew in General that the Sacred Books of the New Testament were inspir'd and while I demonstrate what the nature of that Inspiration is I shall produce Principles whereby to resolve all difficulties that are already or may be rais'd upon this Subject We have but two sorts of Proofs to satisfie a Christian about matters which have no dependance upon the first Principles of Reason the unanimous consent of those Doctors that liv'd in the Primitive times of the Church and the Holy Scripture when it speaks after a plain and decisive manner These are the two sorts of Proofs which I shall make use of to shew that the Sacred Books are inspir'd I begin with the Belief of the Primitive Church after I have given the Reader two Admonitions the one that I do not undertake to drain all the Proofs that are to be found in this Fountain it being my design to confine my self to what may bring the matter to a point of Demonstration and to derive my Proofs from the first or most Primitive Ages of the Church My second Advertisement is that as M. N. assails the Body of the Sacred Books of the New Testament in gross I am not bound to defend them otherwise than in the same manner That Author believes that they are no way inspir'd that is to say that the Holy Ghost was never concern'd in the Composition of them For the repelling of this Attacque it is not requisite to follow the Sacred Books one after another by shewing upon the Subject of every one of them that they were effectually inspir'd I shall therefore consider the several Sacred Books as one single Book and I shall produce to the advantage of all together all the Testimonies which I shall find favourable to any one in particular 'T is according to this Method that M. N. attacques them for when he thought he had observ'd in any one of the Sacred Books any slip of human weakness he infers from thence an Argument against all the rest Let him in like manner be pleas'd to permit me to extend to all the Sacred Books whatever I shall meet with advantageous to any one which ought to be allow'd me so much the rather because there is not any one single where there is not something to be met withal which M. N. takes for a good Objection If only one of the Sacred Books proves to be inspir'd the Inspiration of that single Book secures the rest from the Objection which are made against them Though I speak in this manner 't is not that I am in fear for any one Sacred Book of the New Testament the whole is safe if men will but take the pains to consider the Testimonies of the Primitive Church in favour of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books they will not find any one for which there is not the Testimony of the Ancients or if any one be more remiss than the rest that negligence will be repair'd by the General Proofs that relate to all the parts of the New Testament CHAP. II. The first Proof of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament drawn from the manner after which the Ancients speak of it 'T IS known how the Christians speak at this day of the Holy Scripture of the New Testament According to their Stile 't is call'd The Scripture by way of Excellency the Sacred Oracles the Word of God when the Preacher takes his Text he says as it is written in the word of God and the People for that Reason believe themselves oblig'd to hearken with a devout Attention This Language no way agrees with M. N's System who looks upon the Sacred Books as a work purely Human and wherein there are faults which he would not pardon Livy or any other prophane Historian Were I of this Authors Opinion I should be dreadfully troubled to hear the Christians speak as they do of the Holy Scripture I should cry out Blasphemy I should never indure that they should say of the Voice of a mortal man 't is the Voice of God and not of man 'T is to be suspected that M. N. says to himself that it is one of those pieces of Superstition which are so rooted in the minds of the People that it is not safe to decry them But let him think what he pleases the language of the Christians is the same at this day as it has been all along in that particular there has been no variation In the purest Ages they exprest themselves in reference to the Scripture as we do now I defie the most Zealous Disciples of M. N. to deny it They cannot do it without speaking against their Consciences or without shewing that they are altogether strangers to Antiquity To fortifie this Proof which I draw from the Appellations that the Ancients gave the Scripture I think my self bound to make two Observations The first is that the Language cannot proceed from any superstitious Aggravation It was in use in the very first times when Christians spoke according to the simplicity of their Hearts and when they had no leasure to corrupt the Truth by Rhetorick or Superstition In that same Age of Innocence they call'd the Writings of the New Testament the Oracles of Heaven the Word of God the Holy Scripture Nor can this language be accus'd to have sprung up from the Corruption of after Ages when Superstition extended her Empire I love to speak as they spoke at a time when the Church was a Virgin if I may be allow'd to make use of the words of an Ancient Author My second Observation is this that the Ancients when they thus expressed themselves honoured the New Testament as the New Testament had honoured the Ancient I explain my self thus when the Old Testament is cited by the Apostles they usually call it the Scripture without any addition that is the Scripture by way of Excellency as when St. Paul speaking of an Oracle dictated by the Mouth of God himself says For what saith the Scripture Gal. 4.30 cast out the Bondwoman and her Son And in another place Gal. 3.8 And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed I made choice of these two Passages on purpose wherein St. Paul cites certain Oracles that M. N. would not himself deny but that it was God who spake them The Apostle calls them Scripture As he phrases it The Scripture saith this or God spoke This comes all to one sence This is so true that having said to the Romans Rom. 11.32 That God had concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all He speaks the same thing to the Galathians in these words Gal. 3.22 But the Scripture has concluded all under sin c. By which it appears that the Voice of God and Scripture signifie
Spring Moreover we have reason to examin and suspect them because they are not recommended to us by Persons actuated by the infallible Spirit of God This Reason is express'd by the Ancients in other terms for they say that the Apocryphal Books added to the Old Testament want Canonical Authority because they were written by persons who were no Prophets and who lived after Malachi the last of the Prophets Wherein they followed Josephus who has deriv'd from thence the grand Character of the difference which we ought to make between the Canonical Books and the Apocryphal The words of the Author are so remarkable as not to be omitted Answer to Appion l. 1. c. 2. There can be nothing more certain than the Writings authoriz'd among us because they cannot be subject to any Contradiction in regard that there is nothing approv'd but what the Prophets wrote some Ages ago according to the purity of Truth by the Inspiration and Agitation of the Spirit of God They have also written all that pass'd from the time of Artaxerxes to our Time But by reason there has not been as formerly a successive Series of the Prophets there is not the same Credit given to the Books which I have mention'd The Books written after the Prophet Malachi have been constantly rejected in regard he was the last Writer whom the Holy Ghost inspir'd under the Old Testament Euseb l. 8. De monst Evangel Quod ab illo tempore servatoris nullum extet Sacrum Voâ—umen VVhat I have said in respect of the Old Testament takes place in relation to the New Several Books of Piety were compos'd in the Primitive Church the Authors were Persons of Worth and the Books were so useful that the Reading of them was not only recommended to private Persons but they made no scruple to read them in publick For example the Epistle of Saint Clement had the same Honour VVherefore was it that those Books were not put into the number of Canonical that is to say of those Books that are the constant Rule of our Faith and Manners It was not always because they were in some things erroneous but by reason they were not inspir'd by the Holy Ghost that was sufficient to hinder them from being received for Canonical The Question that was put when there was a Dispute about any Book of which they doubted was to know whether or no it were written by a Person inspired Thence it came to pass that in the History of Eusebius we find that Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria pronouncing his Sentence upon the Apocalyps said that he acknowledged it to be the work of some Holy Man inspir'd by the Spirit of God 'T is known also that Origen speaking of the Book written by Hermas Reor enim sancti cujusdam divino spiritu afflati viri id opus esse Euseb h. e. l. 7. c. 21. Quae Scriptura valde mihi utilis videtur Et ut puto divinitus inspirata Origen l. 10. reptam Epist ad Rom. c. 16. Com. 14. said That he believ'd it to be a Writing divinely inspir'd a certain proof that they believ'd those Books which the Church has admitted as Canonical were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost CHAP. V. The Fourth Proof drawn from the honour which the Ancients paid to the Sacred Books of the New Testament WE may draw a very strong Argument to prove that the Primitive Church believ'd that the Sacred Books of the New Testament were inspired from the Honour and Reverence which they paid them I shall begin with that Holy awe which kept the Ancients from attempting any alterations in the Sacred Writings Addenti aut dâ—trahenti poena non modica Iren. adv Heres l 5. c. 30. It was a piece of rashness and Sacriledge to adulterate them either by adding or diminishing They were laden with Anathemas who were so bold as to lay their mending Hands upon those Sacred VVritings We find in the Ecclesiastical History that the Heretics who denied the Divinity of our Lord had the confidence to falsifie the Scripture to accommodate the Text to their Opinions Upon which an Author of the Primitive Ages says that it was not likely that the Heretics were ignorant how criminal an Enterprize of that nature was For says he Quantae porro audaciae sit ejusmodi facinus ne ipsos quidem ignorare credibile est aut enim sacras scripturas à spiritu sancto dictatas esse non credunt ac proinde infideles sunt aut semet ipso spiritu sancto sapientiores esse existimant ac proinde quid aliud sunt quam Demoniaci Euseb h. e. l. 5. c. ult either they believe not that the Sacred Scriptures were dictated by the Holy Ghost and so are Infidels or they imagine themselves to be wiser than the Holy Ghost and then what are they other then Demoniacs They had an inviolable Veneration for the Sacred Scripture Tatianus for having only presumed to put the Epistles of St. Paul into more elegant Language incurred the Censure which may be seen in the Historian last cited Euseb l. 4.29 If the Church were so jealous of the words of the Scripture we may easily judge of the Indignation of the Christians when they saw that any body durst presume to violate the Text it self either by addition or diminution 'T is clear that the Christians would never have been so sensible of injury done to the Scripture if they had not believed it to be the work of the Holy Spirit Some small fragment of Piety affixed to human Works would never have been a crime of Sacriledge For example I see not what great harm it could be to sow to S. Paul's Epistle to Philemon some little Discourse upon that Indulgence which is due from Christian Masters to their Servants were it true that the Epistle to Philemon is a Peice wherein the Holy Spirit had no Share 'T is true there may be something said in dislike of such an Act in regard that Sincerity requires that other Mens Works should be let alone in their natural Dress Nevertheless the Miscarriage deserves not to be treated with the Penalties of Sacrilege there is no reason to make such a noise about it as the Primitive Christians did upon the Alterations that were made in the Writings of the New Testament Nothing more clearly shews the Opinion which the Ancients had of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books than the Honor which they paid 'em in looking upon 'em as Sovereign Decrees in Matters of Religion For which Reason it was that in several Councils they were plac'd upon a Throne as they would have seated Jesus Christ himself had he come visibly to preside in those Holy Assemblies There was the same Honor paid to his Word as they would have done to his Person Which clearly shews with what an Eye of Veneration they look'd upon the Sacred Writings of the New Testament This Honor also no less visibly appears in the use which
quens Secure enim noverant illarum sensum Prophetae spiritus discipuâ—i Cl. Alex. Strom. l. 1.292 The Spirit of God says he spoke occultly to the Prophets and Apostles and those Holy Men were the Disciples of the Spirit In another place the same Author assures us that the Authority of the Scripture distinctly and clearly makes out the Holy Spirit Qui divinis ergo credidit Scripturis firmum habens judicium cui contradicâ— nequit demonstraticnem ejus qui Scripturas dedit vocem accipit Id. l. 2. p. 362. and that they who have that Authority have a Demonstration from the Spirit that the Scriptures proceed from an Omnipotent Authority and that it was meant of the whole Scripture of the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ib. l. 4. p. 475. what the Psalmist speaks when he said Apertè itaque de tota Soriptura nostra in Psalmis scriptum est audite Populus meus Legem meam Ibid. Strom. l. 5. p. 557. My people hear my Law In this Sense Tertullian calls the Scripture the Voice of God by which it may be seen what Opinion that Author had of the Scripture He attributes it in several other Passages to the Spirit of God I shall chuse out some of ' em In his Treatise of Prescriptions he cites the Words where S. Paul ad monishes the Colossians not to suffer themselves to be seduced by Human Traditions and adds this Expression Praeter Providentiam Spiritus Sancti visibly intimating thereby that it was the Holy Ghost who had set down the Measures of our Faith in the Scriptures It is more express in other parts disputing against Hermogenes It was the Holy Spirit says he Atque adeo Spiritus Sanctus hane Scripturae sunt rationem constituit Si tantam curam instructionis nostrae resumpsit Spiritus Sanctus Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem Ter. adv Hermog c. 22. that methodiz'd the Scripture in that Form as we now behold it That the Holy Spirit took care of our Instruction in the Holy Scripture and after that glorifies the Author of that Sacred Book with an Expression that would be profane were it made use of in Applause of any other Book I adore says he the Fulness of the Scripture Thus it is that we find Tertullian speaking of the Scripture in general tho the Subject of his Discourse was only Genesis where he treats of the Creation of the Matter the Eternity of which Hermogenes asserted But here is something yet more positive If you ask Tertullian who it is that speaks in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians he will answer Et ideo Majestas Spiritus Sancti perspicax ejusmodi sensunm in ipsa ad Thessalonicenses Epistolas suggerit De Resur Carnis c. 24. 'T is the Majesty of the Holy Ghost When the same Author discourses of the Rules that S. Paul gives the Bishops after what manner to carry themselves The Holy Ghost says he foresaw that some would say Prospiciebat Spiritus Sanctus dicturos quosdam omnia licent Episcopis Tert. de Monog c. 12. That it was lawful for the Bishops to do what they pleas'd By which it appears that Tertullian believ'd those Rules to be deriv'd from the Holy Spirit who deem'd 'em to be necessary Origen has explain'd himself in so many Places upon the Inspiration of the whole Scripture that I should have contented my self with only naming him if M. N. had not borrow'd the Authority of that ancient Doctor in saying That be did not acknowledge a continu'd Inspiration Sent. p. 262. The Author applies to Origen what he had said of S. Jerome by the Impulse of which the Apostles were constantly and stedfastly mov'd to write what they wrote But I need no more to shew the true Senâ—â—ments of Origen than to make choice of some parts of the Philocalia which is a Peice that S. Basil and S. Gregory Nazianzen compos'd out of Passages which they took out of Origen Persuasum habent sacros libros non hominum esse Commentarios sed ex Sancti Spiritus afflatu voluntate Dei per Jesum Christum Parentis universcrum descriptis Philoc. c. 1. ex lib. 4. De principiis He says That the Christians were convinced that the Sacred Books were not Human Commentaries but that they were inspir'd by the Holy Spirit He had also said a little before Postquam in discursu divinitus inspiratas esse Scripturas Sacras probavimus Idem ibid. that he had prov'd that the Scriptures were divinely inspired In the same Chapter we find that Origen affirms that the Prophets and Apostles were illuminated by the same Spirit while they compos'd the Scriptures Ac principio demonstrandum est spiritui Divinae Providentiae per verbum quod in principio erat apud Deum Ministros veritatis Prophetas Apostolos illuminanti c. Id. p. 11. Nor has Origen only explain'd himself upon the Inspiration of the Sacred Books in general but he takes 'em separately Vnius ejusdem Dei Spiritus idem in Evangeliis Apostolorum scriptis fecit Id. ib. p. 12. and has explain'd himself so clearly that it is not to be conceiv'd how M. N. could cite in favour of his Opinion an Author which has condemn'd it in express Terms In the Chapter already quoted he shews that the Obscurity of some Words which are to be found in Scripture no way prejudices the Divinity of it To that purpose he makes use of a Comparison drawn from Providence of which there is no manner of Question made tho there be several Occasions wherein the Conduct of it may seem to be obscure So neither is any thing abstracted from the Divinity of the Scripture diffus'd through every part of it because that in every particular word our Imbecility cannot reach the hidden Splendour of the Doctrine that lies latent in an ordinary and seemingly contemptible Phrase for we have that Treasure in Earthern Vessels to the end the Exuberance and Excellency of the Power of God might shine forth Origen expressed himself so vehemently that he declares that the smallest Letter of the Scripture was placed there by the Divine Wisdom and that for that Reason it was perhaps that our Lord and Saviour said that the least Iota of it should not pass away Exquisitissima cura studio Spiritus Sanctus per Ministros Verbi illa subjecit ne unquam nos latere posset ratio secundum quam Divina Sapientia omnem Scripturam Divinitus datam vel ad usque unam Literulam attigit propterea forsan servator Iota inquit unum vel Apex unus c. After this Origen shews that as the Care of God appear'd in the smallest Insects and the Seeds of the smallest Plants in like manner we ought to believe that the Holy Ghost has dispers'd the Traces of his Wisdom in every Letter of the Scripture I do not believe that M. N. could have cited an Author less favourable
Commission to write his Gospel That Luke was excited and constrain'd by the secret impulses and instigations of the Holy Ghost §. 7. Spiritus Sanctus B. Lucam occultis quibusdam stimulis cogit excitat That the Holy Ghost enforc'd St. John to write his Gospel against his will §. 6. Spiritus Sanctus Joannem invitum licet ad scibendum Evangelium impulit §. 9. Quae cum Apostolus ex sancti spiritus afflatu pronunciaret necesse non habuit spiritus sancti mentionem facere Cum igitur Apostolus vel potius spiritus sanctus per Apostolum loqueretur ibid. quippe Apostolus sancto spiritu impulsus ibid. de quibus adeo mihi videtur in Epistola Judae commotus spiritus hoc est in Catholica ejus Epistola in qua per Apostoli vocem sanctus inquam spiritus Haeres 26. which is the Gnostic §. 11. That St. John has related all things faithfully under the Conduct of the Holy Ghost Spiritu sancto Gubernant an expression that ought to be born in mind for the better understanding of the nature of the Inspiration of the sacred Writings that the Holy Ghost spoke by Saint Paul That the Holy Ghost spoke by the mouth of Saint Jude in his General Epistle Thus it is that the Fathers generally express themselves after the Nicene Council But I have laid an Injunction upon my self not to descend too low and I have only spoken of Epiphanius by reason of Aetius who profest the same Opinion with M. N. Nor do I find that that same Arian was able any more than his Disciples to interrupt the Series of Tradition or to hinder the common Belief of the Universal Church from being altogether for the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament As for Saint Jerom's anonymous Persons and Epiphanias's Anomeans they make not a part of the Church considerable enough for any man whatever to produce them as Testimonies But in regard it has been all along my aim to confine my self to the three first Ages of the Church I shall say no more than this that 't is apparent that these Innovators who appear'd not till the Ages following cannot hinder me from concluding that I have on my side the Universal testimony of the Church truly Primitive This Testimony is of great moment in the Minds of all men that consider those Ages to be the most pure at what time they had things deliver'd to them as it were from the first hand I know not what I ought to think of a Christian who despises such Antiquity Such a Scorn may be excus'd in people who are ignorant of it but when we find the learned neglecting a Testimony so authentick 't is a temptation to believe that either they have not well considered the influences which that Testimony has upon the Foundations of the Christian Religion or that else they would not be sorry to see that Foundation shaken It may be said that the Fathers which we so highly extol were guilty of divers Errors I grant it 't was by the permission of God that by that means the Writings which he has solely abandon'd to human Wisdom should be distinguish'd from those which he infallibly directed by his Spirit But we ought to know what those Errors are before we draw an argument against what the Fathers have said for the Inspiration of the Sacred Books First I observe that those Errors are not universal among the Fathers now that wherein they contradict themselves can never be said to be the unanimous Voice of Antiquity This is the Character of the Errors with which the first Authors of Christianity were upbraided Some deviated after one manner others after another but they were not found in company under the same deviation Such Errors have nothing common with the truths which they teach both constantly and without variation of which nature is the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament I add to this consideration that it is requisite to examine well the nature of the Errors of which the Fathers are accus'd before an argument be rais'd from thence against their unanimous Testimonies for the inspiration of the Scripture Sometimes they mistake in speaking of something to come which never was revealed to them as when they discourse with too much confidence how near at hand the end of the World is Sometimes they err in matters of Fact which they have admitted with too much Credulity as when they tell the Story of a Phoenix rising again out of her ashes But nothing of all this does any injury to what they have averr'd touching the inspiration of the Sacred Books That is a Truth that marches step by step with the delivery it self of those Books They were deliver'd from hand to hand with this Advertisement that they were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost It is as certain that the Holy Ghost directed and order'd the Composition and structure of the Gospels as that the Gospels were written by St. Matthew Saint Mark Saint Luke and Saint John This is one of those things that were essential to the Honour of the Sacred Books and which were every day said of them So that 't was impossible that this Tradition so lively and universal as it was should come from any other hand than the Apostles themselves who when they left their works behind them acknowledged they had been written by the enlivening inspiration of the Holy Ghost This has no resemblance in the least with the story of a Phoenix nor with what the Father 's imagin'd about the end of the World while they crosly interpreted the words of the Apostles There is not any more plausible Objection than that which may be drawn from the judgment of the Fathers upon the Version of the Septuagint Justin Martyr Ireneus and Clement of Alexandria were of Opinion that those Interpreters were guided by the Spirit of God However at this day many people believe that they were subject to Error like the rest of the Interpreters and by consequence left to themselves Upon which some may raise this argument Since the Fathers were deceived in their Opinion touching the inspiration of the Greek Interpreters of the Old Testament the testimony which those Fathers give in relation to the Apostolic Writings ought not to be so strongly urged 't is from thence to be seen that 't is not an infallible Testimony I have several things to observe by way of solid answer to this Objection 1. There are learned Men of the first Rank who indeed maintain that the Seventy Interpreters were really guided by the Holy Spirit It cannot be deny'd but that it was by a special direction of Providence that the Sacred Books were translated into a Language that was almost Universal It was proper that at a time when God would not be known but in a small corner of the World the Sacred Books should be in Hebrew But when Grace was ready to disperse them over the Earth was
an assistance I cannot repose upon Commentators who setting aside the Succour of the Holy Ghost were less learned and of less Abilities than many Doctors at this day Moreover had the Apostles always distinguish'd what they knew by Revelation from what they spoke of their own Heads there would be less difficulty in the thing but they present us almost all the whole Bulk in a Mixture where it is a hard matter to discern what is Divine from what is not My Conscience cannot be satisfied with this Method I am always in doubt whether I ought to argue after the Apostles or whether I ought to appeal from their Decisions to my own Reason I can never be able to stop the Progress of Error if after I have found a Passage which utterly and clearly destroys it it shall be reply'd upon me this comes from the Apostle not from God and thus there will be never any thing of Certainty But most assuredly God has not made Choice of a Means that authorises our Doubts for a Rule of our Faith Of Necessity therefore all the Parts of Scripture must be divinely inspir'd to the end the Scripture may render the Man of God accomplish'd in all good Works CHAP. IX Wherein the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament is demonstrated by the manner of their Composition It is a difficult Thing to conceive that the Sacred Books of the New Testament should be inspir'd by the Holy Ghost and yet that there should appear no Footsteps in it of that Inspiration and this is that which I design to examine I do not pretend by any means to prove that every Page or every Line of the Holy Scripture carries imprinted in it a sensible Character of the Splendor of the Holy Ghost that inspir'd it Take the best Book if you pull it to pieces you lessen the Value of it 'T is only esteemed for the happy Assemblage of Words and Things of which it is compos'd After you have destroy'd the Proportion and the Symmetry you will no longer find what caus'd it to be admir'd Let the whole Scripture be but duly consider'd and it will be found to be a Work worthy of Heaven There are some Peices of it without question which being considered apart cease not however to deserve our Admiration But there are others which being remov'd out of their proper place will appear very common Let us look upon the Scripture in that Point of Perfection as the Holy Ghost represents it to us and we must needs acknowledge it to be his Work It were to be wish'd some will say that the Holy Ghost had manifested himself more distinctly in the Writings of the New Testament How would ye that the Holy Ghost should not have spoken the Language of Men I confess indeed that he might have spoken the Language of the Third Heaven but it would not have been intelligible to us who are not there as yet Since he spoke to Men to the end they might understand him 't was necessary he should conform his Style to human Apprehension He was oblig'd to take upon him our Manners our Words our Shape and our Air to convert us To that purpose he made choice of Men made as we are after they were sufficiently instructed in what they had to say to us and he was to guide their Pens for fear they should make any false step Had the Holy Ghost either sent an Angel or form'd a Voice in the Air to settle the Doctrine of Heaven such means had appear'd more extraordinary but they were not fit for Instruction It was the Wisdom of God to prefer Useful before Miraculous The only Difficulty is to know which way to find out that they who wrote like other Men were guided by the Holy Ghost There are two Ways whereby to attain to this Knowledge the One is the Attestation of the Apostles strengthened by the Proofs which they have given of their Sincerity and by the Miracles by which they made it appear that they were Men who were sent from God The other Way is to search into the Composition it self of the Sacred Books for Proofs of their Inspiration As to the first way 't is not our Intention at present to call it in question As to the Second I shall conclude in a few Words 'T is a strange thing to consider the various Oppositions of human Wit This Book wherein some behold the Finger of God by others is look'd upon as a Piece of human Workmanship Let us impartially examine the Matter The profane must acknowledge that they are prepossessed in their Judgments which they make of the Scripture for when they read another Peice that is but a little study'd according to the Rules of Art they are charm'd with it they cry 't is all divine they affirm that there is nothing great without Inspiration Nihil magnum sine afflatu divino But when they come to the Scripture they are quite of another Opinion they despise what they would have admir'd in another Book Nevertheless it has so happen'd that upon some Occasions the Force of Truth has extorted several Approbations in favour of Moses the Prophets and S. Paul The World has found that there was something extraordinary in those great Men. But if we would but search into the Original of the Scripture without prepossession we should soon confess that it is a Work of Heaven This does not appear perhaps upon the first Reading Read it again and the more you read that Book the less you will be weary of reading it nay it will appear more lovely the last time than the first Had I to do with Christians only that with delight have read over and over again the New Testament I would refer 'em to their own Experience and ask 'em whether their Hearts ever found that Satisfaction in any other Book which they found in this But it behoves us to speak something which may be more generally satisfactory Was ever known a Doctrine more sublime or Instructions of a purer Extraction 'T is true that there are in the World certain People who have so disguis'd this Doctrine as to make it appear low and mean Now I consider it such as it is in it self in this Prospect I dare say that Men never saw any Book so much worthy of their Admiration This Argument is not proper but for persons that have absolutely declared themselves against the Christian Religion M. N. will say that the Question whether it be inspired or no is not the Subject of the Dispute He grants that Jesus Christ was divinely inspir'd and in regard it was by him that his Evangelists and Apostles were instructed 't is clear that the Religion which they preach'd bears the Character of its first Author I must confess that the Question between M. N. and my self chiefly concerns the Manner how they publish'd those Truths which they learn'd from the Lord. Our Author believes that in that respect they
this Subject He seems indeed says he Sentiments p. 261. to disapprove this Sentiment in another place But 't is his Custom to accommodate himself to the Common Opinion yet not to omit the producing his own The testimony therefore of a man that contradicts himself ought to be of no great weight it may be here observ'd Vid. l. 3. in cap. 2 Matt. v. 6. Putant Evangelistas Apâ—stâ—â—â—s in Adegandis locis â—â—t Testam noununquam â—â—ivâ—â—ne â—el insirâ—â—â—â—â— memoriae lapses esse qâ—ae seâ—â—â—ntiae Hyeronimo quaâ—â—â—â—â— immerito adscriâ—â—◠〈◊〉 sâ—â—et Hoc quippe 〈…〉 â—â—â—atteretur actum 〈…〉 totius scriâ—â—â—â— that M. N. goes farther than the Socinians Wolsog Which I have cited already justifies Saint Jerome and at the same time declares that the Opinion which some lay to his Charge concerning defect of Memory in the Apostles utterly annihilates the Authority of the Scripture As for Erasmus I have very near the same thing to say of him that M. N. asserts in reference to S. Jerome and what S. Jerome says of himself that he frequently reported the Opinions of other men and not his own in his Commentaries In like manner might not Erasmus when he confesses that the Apostles might be deceived for want of Memory in things of slight importance speak as he had heard and not according to his own judgment For he acknowledges himself that he followed that very same way of Commenting upon Scripture For says he Cum viderem eam esse libertatem Commentariorum ad quam sapenumero provocat divus Hieronimus hoc colore causam tuetur suam Arbitrabar multo magis idem jus mihi tribuendum in opere quod praeter humiles ac poene grammaticas quasdam Annotationes nihil profiteretur praesertim cum semel immo non semel sed crebro moneam me Annotationes scribere non Dogmata Erasm Apol. ad Jacob. Fabr. Stapulens Hieronymus aliquoties haereticorum recenset Opiniones nec rejicit sententias nec indicat Authores Hic primum in jus trahatur si non licet referre quid censerint alii Nor does it seem to me that Episcopius is more of his side than S. Jerome or Erasmus The Passage which M. N. takes out of Episcopius is quoted only side-ways we see no more than what favours the Sentiments of M. N. But that we may shew Episcopius with a whole Face it behoves us to add what he adds Quod si cui tamen id videtur durum is amplestatur si velit interpretationes tales quae aptissimae dari possunt ad vindicandum Scriptores sacros ab omni ignorantia memoriae lapsu quae piis mentibus sufficere possunt etsi rigidioribus ingeniis non satisfaciant Praestat enim rigore deposito piam quamlibet interpretationem licet cavillo aut difficultati alicui obnoxiam anplecti quam Lapsum ullum etiam Levem qui circa rei narratae circumstantiam solum versatur admitti These words sufficiently make it manifest that Episcopius had much ado to be of M. N's Opinion Neither does Capel speak more affirmatively upon this Subject And thus you see what heed we ought to give to the Quotations that are produced against us 2. If the Question were to be decided by Authority M. N. knows well that it would not turn to his account He acknowledges that he has a Croud of leaned men against him whose authority he neglects I do not believe my self says he obliged to submit to the Authority of a Croud of learned Men who do but repeat the same things over and over again without ever having examin'd them or without producing any Reason for what they say Are we more oblig'd to submit to M. N's Learned men than he to ours Let him but only remember as to this particular that his Learned men are reduc'd to one or two at most and that we have all the rest of our side So that if the Dispute were to be carried by Authority the Contest would soon be at an end I must confess I would not absolutely renounce the advantage which we draw from the Consent of so many learned men but not to insist too much upon their Testimony I would willingly agree that setting all Authority aside the Question might be examin'd to the very bottom And this is that which I have done by shewing that there is no likelihood that the Holy Ghost ever intended to lessen the Reputation of the Apostles by permitting them to fall into the defects of Memory though they were never so slight I should lookupon the Objection which is drawn from Examples to be of greater force were they well grounded I will not here enter into a particular examination of the passages upon which the Enemies of Christianity build their Pretences that the Apostles stumbled into Contradictions for want of memory I shall only pick out two the most seemingly apparent Contradictions and they shall be those that M. N. has mark'd out himself The one is that S. Matthew relating the story of Judas's Treachery seems to mistake Jeremy for Zachary The other relates to the manner of the Traytors death There is nothing to hinder us from affirming upon occasion of these two Examples but that it might so happen that the greatest part of the pretended Errors which are imputed to the Evangelists ought rather to be charged upon the Copyers of the Books than upon the Apostles The Sacred Books were originally without Blemish and this perfection extended it self even to things of least moment If it be said that Providence whose cares are constant for the substance of Religion did afterwards permit that the Scripture should suffer by the Hands of Amanuenses in respect of certain petty things wherein Religion was no way concern'd yet the work of the Holy Ghost is secur'd and is no way liable to the difficulties we meet with in some parts of the Scriptures The faults of Copyers or Printers ought not to do any prejudice to the Original which formerly was delivered forth by those Infallible Hands which the Holy Ghost directed But there is no need of bringing this Answer Providence hath guarded the Holy Scripture so that after a slight examination the Scruples vanish There is requisite for that no more than such an Examen as is necessary for Common Authors to avoid the Lashes of Criticism And now I shall demonstrate this Truth in reference to the two Examples which I have produc'd by way of Objection VVe don't beg here for any favour though such a matter wherein remoteness of Time when several Circumstances were known whereby the Scripture was more intelligible and which are lost for us would require that we should not exercise the severity of Criticisin with too much Rigor Saint Matthew Matt. 27.28 relating the Story of Judas's Treachery says that the thirty pieces of Silver which the Traytor restor'd were laid out in the purchase of a Field to bury Strangers and adds that then was fulsilled
were left to their own Judgment and that there is no necessity of admitting the Assistance of the Holy Ghost into the Composition of their Writings On the other side I pretend to make it out in the Series of this Discourse that without that assistance the Scripture is of little use Now as the Argument upon which I insist in this Chapter is drawn from a serious Inspection into the Sacred Books I assert that if they be well considered it will appear that their Composition is not purely human I shall not prove this Proposition by heaping together the noble Passages that are to be found from time to time in the Writings of the Apostles I only ask who these new Authors were that spake so worthily of the Religion which they preach We find among 'em Galileans that is to say home-bred ignorant People born in a Country where there was nothing of Politeness we find 'em to be Fishermen that is to say People by their Profession rude and unpolish'd By them let us judge of the rest since 't is agreed that if any one of the Apostles were inspir'd in Writing the Question is decided Where was it then that these Authors learn'd to write well Let us grant that their Writings are not so fine as the Books which the World esteems The Authors of those Books had the Help both of Study and Art which is all human But where was it that the Sacred Authors learn'd their Manner of Writing We find that the Question is not whether the Writings of the Apostles are more eloquent than those which the World admires Suppose an Equality as to that matter that 's nothing to my purpose the Business is to know where the Apostles learn'd their Manner of writing those things which they deliver Upon the Day of the Pentecost they spoke new Languages that other Men spoke But the Miracle was this that the Apostles spake Languages which they had never learn'd before Some will say tho to little purpose where was the Miracle seeing that others spoke as well as they 'T is true indeed the Apostles write as other Men but here is the Difference not to be contested that the Apostles had never learn'd to write and I think this may pass for a good proof of the Inspiration of the New Testament CHAP. X. Wherein the Inspiration of the Books of the New Testament is made out from the Nature of the Covenant of which they are the Writings IT appears by inspecting into these Books that they belong to a Covenant which God has manifested with much more Advantage than the Old Testament The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews says that Jesus Christ was the Mediator of a better Covenant This Covenant is better in divers Respects It is not to be contested but that it is better in respect of Light and Certainty I understand from the Writings of the New Testament that the Old one presented nothing but Types and Shadows S. John opposes Truth to the Law in point of Evidence The Law says he John 1.17 was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ S. Paul insists upon the same Opposition in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians But if the Gospel be hid says he 2 Cor. 4.3 6. it is hid to those that perish And he gives this Reason for it For God says he who commanded the Light to shine out of darkness hath shin'd in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ These Expressions are very clear and make out as evidently as it is possible the Inspiration of S. Paul It is necessary to bear it in remembrance but I insist at present only upon the Advantage of the New Covenant which is to be more full of Light and Clearness than the former This being granted I consider the Degrees of Light that enlighten'd the Old Covenant I find that the Prophets who were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost instructed the Ages they liv'd in but they also transmitted that Inspiration to the succeeding Ages by their Writings which were consulted with as much Religion as they would have consulted their Authors had they been alive Those Sacred Monuments were read as they would have hearken'd to the Prophets themselves The Mouth of God spake still in their Writings The Nation of the Jews was of this Opinion except as it is commonly thought a Handful of Sadducees who the better to defend their Errors entrench'd themselves in the Pentateuch However this does not hinder Josephus from saying in general Answer to Apâ—â—â— c. 2. Moreover there can be nothing more certain than the Writings authoriz'd among us in regard they are not liable to any Contrariety in regard there is nothing approv'd but what the Prophets wrote several Ages since according to the Purity of Truth by the Inspiration and by the Impulse of the Spirit of God Neither do we trouble our selves with infinite Numbers of Books that contradict one another as having no more than Twenty two c. And a little after We have so profound a Respect for these Books that never any Body was so hardy as to undertake either to add or diminish or alter the least Tittle We look upon 'em as Divine we call 'em so we profess to observe 'em inviolably and joyfully to lay down our Lives if there be occasion in defence of ' em Nothing can more clearly express the high Opinion which the Jewish Church had of the Sacred Books that compose the Old Testament And Josephus is more to be believ'd upon this Subject than a modern Author who tell us that the Prophets had no other Assistance of the Holy Ghost than a pious Disposition which made 'em write like persons of Sincerity but without any Prerogative of Infallibility But this was not Josephus's Opinion this was not the Belief of the Jewish Church this was not the Judgment of S. Peter who declares that Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Nor is there any father doubt to be made of it after the Decision of St. Paul The whole Scripture is divinely inspir'd and profitable for Instruction I shall not make any stop at the nice Cavil of Grotius who would make S. Paul to say The whole Scripture which is divinely inspired is profitable c. The Answer of Theophilact is sufficient They are to know says he that the Apostle said thou hast been bred up from thy Infancy in the Holy Scriptures He says All Scripture what Scripture does he mean The same of which he said that it was Sacred It was in truth in all the parts of Scripture that Timothy had been instructed from his Infancy St. Paul therefore exhorting him to persevere in the things which he had learn'd would not have argu'd rightly if when he urg'd it as a motive for his perseverance that all Scripture was inspir'd he had not spoke of the whole Book which
the Jews look'd upon to be all Scripture In the Main the observation of Grotius does my argument no harm though it were well grounded for the design of that Author is only to deprive the Historical Books of the Old Testament of the Honour of Inspiration He acknowledges in another place that Moses Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel David and Daniel were divinely Inspired So that according to Grotius the Jewish Church had Books wherein the Holy Ghost spake Had they need of the Spirit of God they found it in the writings of the Prophets and this Light has constantly endur'd in all Ages of the Jewish Church even in the later times as corrupt as they were Ought we not to have a Light at least equal to it under an Oeconomy wherein it is agreed that God has manifested himself with more advantage than under the Law We have no longer any Apostles there are no longer any men inspir'd if we have not writings which repair that loss by means of that Infallibility with which the Holy Ghost would have invested them To whom is it not apparent that our condition is worse than that of the ancient Jews The Day shin'd out to them but it is Night with us All the advantage is on the side of the Carnal posterity of Abraham even of that which is rejected The Jews had formerly and still have Books wherein they find the infallible Voice of God But if we believe M. N. we must rely upon the Credit of Histories which some persons of sincerity have written for the Doctrine of our Saviour and to the arguments which only sound Reason and Judgement dictated to Authors without Logic or Education I cannot believe that this Hypothesis will ever be relished by those who are never so little acquainted with the Prerogatives of the Christian Church CHAP. XI Wherein the Inspiration of the Books of the New Testament is made out by the Prerogatives of the Apostles THE best way which we have to know certainly whether the Christian Church has not as great a share of divine Illumination as the Jewish Church is to see what sort of Persons the Authors of the New Testament were The Jewish Church had Prophets and we have Apostles our Books except two or three which were made under the inspection of the Apostles were written by the order and with the approbation of the Apostles There needs no more than to see whether our Apostles were not equal in worth to the Prophets of the Old Testament In the Epistle to the Ephesians I find them equalled together C. 2. v. 20. in the work of Salvation being built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets In this place to speak of Equality would be an injury to the Apostles in regard that here they are named before the Prophets Nor is it without good Ground that I make this observation since St. Pauls Custom is to put the Apostles at the head of the Ministers of the Christian Church She had also Prophets and Prophets inspir'd like those of the Old Testament Would you know which are the most Excellent the Apostles or the Prophets There needs no more than to see what rank they hold in the Catalogue which St. Paul gives of the Ministers of Grace 1 Cor. 12.28 First Apostles secondarily Prophets then Teachers Besides that this is a Place where the Apostle is bound to mark out to every one his Station Chance had no share in Ranging them under that Order So that we find that St. Paul observes the same Order in the sequel of his Argugument Are all Apostles 1 Cor. 13.29 are all Prophets are all Teachers In his Epistle to the Ephesians the Evangelists are set before the Teachers but he is constant in the precedency which he gives the Apostles before the Prophets He has appointed some for Apostles and others for Prophets Nevertheless notwithstanding his humility he gives the first Place to his own Dignity when he acted in his Apostleship he gave way to no Man If we may believe him the Apostles of the Christian Church were more excellent than the Prophets Nor do we too highly exalt the Apostleship by adding that it included in it self all the advantages affixed to the inferiour Degrees The Apostles were Prophets and Teachers they had the Gift of working Miracles which the Holy Ghost divided among them Had they all the Gift of Healing Did they all speak divers Languages Did they all Interpret No but the Apostles did all this the Grace of the Apostleship included all other Graces We ought not slightly to pass by the words of Saint Paul when designing to set forth that subordination which Grace had established in the Primitive Church by the variety of Gifts he declares that to every one is given the manifestation of the Holy Ghost so far as is expedient Though St. Paul had not said it 't is a Truth which common Sence would have given us to understand For do we not find that it is incumbent upon the wisdom of God to order the Means according to the Purpose which he proposes to himself Let us then say that the Apostles had a measure of the Holy Ghost proportionable to the designs of the Apostleship They had at least as much of the Spirit of Truth as the Prophets had received We say at least for in regard the Apostolic Writings were to be serviceable toward the edification of the Church at all times and in all places 't is clear that those Writings wanted a more especial assistance than those other of which the primitive use was only for a particular Nation and for a very limited time But 't is sufficient for me to extend the force of my Argument so far that the Prerogative ought at least to be equal If then the writings of the Prophets were inspir'd as I have prov'd certainly the writings of the Apostles who were the more excellent ought à fortiore to be inspired 'T is not any thing of personal Excellence which is the Business in dispute for the Prophets and Apostles are not to be here considered but with reference to the Use that they were made for The Prophets were not Prophets for themselves 1 Pet. 1.12 unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the Things c. The Apostles were not Apostles for themselves but it was for our sakes that they administer'd They are our Masters we are grounded upon their Writings Let us compare the Prophets and the Apostles we shall find that as it is certain that the Apostles were much more excellent than the Prophets 't was requisite they should have a more advantageous share of the Holy Ghost They stood in need of a lively and durable Light which was not to be extinguish'd by time but to enlighten all Ages I do not believe this argument is to be eluded with the least Tittle of Solidity Some will say that we ought to look upon the Writings of