Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	bible_n	conclusion_n	great_a	14	3	2.1254	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33462	Capel's remains being an useful appendix to his excellent Treatise of tentations, concerning the translations of the Holy Scriptures : left written with his own hand / by that incomparably learned and jucicious divine, Mr. Richard Capel, sometimes fellow of Magdalen-Colledge in Oxford ; with a preface prefixed, wherein is contained an abridgement of the authors life, by his friend Valentine Marshall.	Capel, Richard, 1586-1656.; Marshall, Valentine.; Capel, Richard, 1586-1656. Tentations.	1658 (1658)	Wing C471; ESTC R5922	60,793	168

need or use they have of the Scriptures in the Originals or translation Before we come unto the maine of the businesse we cannot skip over a businesse of Mr. Wotton his words are these No man ever dreamed that we commonly build our faith upon our English translation What he would have by the word commonly I know not except his heart did faile his penne when he wrote this and by this word commonly he had a conceit that he might finde by it some shift and starting hole A strange speech it is to me that English men of such he speaks who can understand no language but English should be said not to build their faith on the English translation On what then The Original they know not other translations they understand not And if they must not build their faith on the English translation they are left nothing to build their faith on And what is this but to leave all unlearned in the Originals without a rule And if this be not to steale Atheisme into the hearts of the common people I know not what is sith Atheisme is such a welcome guest to the corrupt heart as it is Which makes me call to mind an Observation of Villeroy a late wise Secretary of France That the maine different Sects of Religion in the East and the fierce opposition they made each against each made the people weary of the Christian Religion and so Mahomet crept in with his religion and was too welcome to almost all who were almost weary of the sundry Heresies and Schisms which were so brief and rife amongst Christians of the East And this saith he overthrew the Christian Church first and the Christian Empires and states next over the East and let in Mahomets Alchoran and Mahomets Sword I doubt there is scarce any strange opinion pressing hither but would be welcome to us The Christian Religion was never in such danger since my time as it is now sith men runne so many and so contrary wayes that few can now tell which is true And since so great a Clerk and so great a Reformer as Wotton hath left the poore English man no rule to prove his own or to disprove the contrary For if the English translation be not to an English man let Elias come and tell us what and which is the rule and on what an English man may build his faith on being that there is nothing left him but his English translation So the old Church after Malachi what was left to the most but the Greek Translation and after the Apostles were dead and gone the Christian Churches were tied to the Greek translation of the Old Testament or else the Old Testament was no rule to them except to a few who understood the Hebrew That which all men say saith Aristotle is not to be doubted but al the learned I think agree that the Church used no translation but the Greek for a matter of six hundred yeares after the birth of Christ for two hundred yeares before So that for my part I look upon it as a position full of danger for men to affirme That translations are not a rule to ground our faith on when we understand no other That say I or none not none therefore that And now at last after the clearing of what is past we come to the maine point to find out what it is that a poore soule who understands not the Originals must rest upon First I say that the Lord is not nor will not be wanting to his Church in things necessary to salvation And to have a rule to build our faith on is absolutely necessary to salvation And that rule for common people must be the Scripture translated or nothing And therefore I take it to be a special Ordinance that the Scriptures should be translated for the use of the Church in several languages For the Original Copies I must subscribe to that of Ganus a Papist who tells us That we are not to receive into the holy Canon both for the Old and New Testament but such books as the Apostles did allow and deliver over to the Church of Christ And as the Church of the Jewes did preserve the Hebrew Original of the Old Testament safe and sure so I doubt not but the same hand of the providence of God hath and doth preserve the Greek Original of the New Testament And for that it is not possible that the Originals should serve the turne of all or immediately of any but of such as have the knowledge of those tongues who are but a poor few in respect of all the world over wherefore I take it for granted that the line of Gods providence hath and doth and will carry the matter in having translations of several languages so inti●e as to be a sufficient rule to ground their faith else God in his providence must needs be wanting in providing necessaries for his Church Nor do I think that there was or ever shall be a Church of Christ or a Church of Christians in the belly of Antichrist but have had translations sufficient to rest their souls on I doubt not but the vulgar for all its faults hath sufficient for the saving of some soules Besides among the Papists they have Pagnine allowed by two Popes which runs as pure as any Translation in the world and Arias Montanus a translation without exception Senensis much commends Jacobus de Voragine a Papist Arch-Bishop of Genua his translation into the Italian and Senensis could well tell having great skill in the Originals To me it is much that Senensis so sharp a Papist as he is should in print and that since the Councel of Trent so highly commend a translation of the Bible into the Italian tongue And Leo the tenth Bishop of Rome did just before Luthers dayes print a recommendation of Erasinus translation of the New Testament into Latine So that I look on it as a special providence of God that there were translations and those exact too in the heart of Popery And if so then he will not suffer the visible Church to be without a sufficient translation as a sufficient rule Smith himself the great backbiter of translations saith That if the Translation agree with the Original it may well be said to be the Word of God and if it do not agree with the Original it is not the translation of the Original And now we will draw towards the main conclusion How a simple Countrey-man is to believe our Bible to be the Word Doctor Jackson and Master John Goodwin have set downe many and many excellent things but they flie so high that they are for Eagles One may say of their books as Aristotle said of his books of Philosophy That they were published yet not published seeing not to be understood without his help Now all the considerations these great Sophies have and let there be as much more added to them yet they will not

cannot but call upon and encourage all much that tender their own weale to fall on with more boldnesse and eagerness upon the reading of the holy Scriptures seeing now it is so infallibly proved by this man of a thousand that it is the very Word of God that 's reached to them in that Translation that they have before them in the tongue wherein they were borne We of this Nation have great cause to blesse God for that * learned Prince that caused our last and best Translation which hath gained an high Testimony from a * learned Writer of a forreign Countrey when he calls it the most accurate Translation of the English Honour we then the reading of the Word of God 1. In the publike Congregation Deut. 31. 11. Ezra 8. 2 3. Act. 15. 21. that is attended with the greatest blessing Ezra 8. 14 16. Nehem. 13. 1 3. 2. In our private houses 2 Reg. 22. 10. Jer. 36. 12. 15 16. 3. In our proper Closets or where we can have our opportunities See Acts 8. 30. Apoc. 1. 3. Reade so as we reade all Josh. 8. 34 35. though it be never so difficult 't is given by inspiration and 't is profitable The very a Craggs and Rocks have their physical he bs We are b fed by the clear and tried by the obscure There 's an c immanent where 's not a transient power to edifie Something is a going when we little think it If it be but to humble us that we cannot see the reason of the setting those hard names together The wisdome of God is there though man cannot fathom it Besides it keeps our hearts in order and gives us cause of thanks when we meet with other things that be more facile in things that be most essential And reade in d order young Beginners may take the New Testament first as being the easier and the Old after it The Books be writ in Order Luke 1. 3. Let them be reade in Order Work goes on best when men take it as 't is before them He that reades confusedly will come to little He that takes the Bible as it lies will get most good by it See Neh. 8. 13 14. Reade every day Josh. 1. 8. all the dayes of our lives Deut. 17. 19. Psal. 119. 96. Alphonsus King of Arragon read the Bible over fourteen times with some Comments upon it Reade in thine own book the King was to write him out a Copy of the Law for his own peculiar use Deut. 17. 18. * Theodesius the second had writ out the New Testament with his own hand Men shoot best in their own Bowes work best with their own Tools David did best with his own Scrip and Sling The side of the leafe is remembred when the chapter and verse cannot be thought on Reade with the greatest reverence for it is the Word of God See Neh. 8. 3. 5 6. with the best understanding Mat. 24. 15. with sincerest affection bringing our selves to the Bible not the Bible to us A Veile is upon them that comes with prejudice 2 Cor. 3. 14. and reade with heartie prayer unto God thar he will open our eyes Psal. 119. 18. and sanctifie our hearts Psal. 119. 36. and order our steps Psal. 119. 133. It will be else as a book sealed up to us See Isa. 29. 11 12. The result of all is this We must so reade and so heare besides that there may be both an holy faith and an holy life too Nor this alone not that by its own selfe What God hath set together let not us put asunder 'T will but little availe a man to be sound in his opinion if he be loose in his conversation without holinesse there is no seeing God Heb. 12. 14. Nor will strictness of Life be much advantageous where there be rotten principles He was utterly unclean in the Law that had the Leprosie in his head and under the Gospel men of corrupt mindes have but a sad character for all their forme of godlinesse See 2 Tim. 3. 5 8 13. * Swenck feldius was a man of plausible behaviour and so was * Rotman too for a while 'T is no mean stroke to be given over to strong delusion 2 The● 2. 11 12. Nor was it a light thing which they received as a recompence of their errour and yet it was but meet too Rom. 1. 27. See then that our faith be most holy Jude 20. and that our lives be according 2 Pet. 3. 12. in all holy * conversations and godlinesses How shall we hold up our faces before God before men in all cases conditions and appear without spot in the day of Christ Jesus Give attendance to reading 'T is too little thought on even of some well-minded people The Bible is the Book of Books a full Store-house There be Rules for all sorts of persons young and old Tit. 2. 2 3. rich and poor in all manner of conditions prosperous and adverse in all cases whatsoever we shall be put upon The * exactest Rules too to keep a man so far from usurie that he shall not be as anusurer Exod. 22. 25. And those that will be for his greatest glory too Deut. 4. 6 7 8. even in the eyes of common men Here we shall meet with that that will enlighten our eyes Psal. 119. 130. Dan. 9. 2. humble our hearts Deut. 17. 20. kill our sins Psal. 119. 9. enable us against Satan and all his temptations 1 John 2. 14. Matth. 4. 4 7 10. strengthen our faith Rom. 10. 8. Though we have much ado to beleeve what we reade sometimes yet reading will master it * Antonius Musa complain'd to Luther he had much ado his own self to believe what he preached to others Luther was glad there was any as bad as himself but the Word help't rhem and it will help us Here we shall have that that will over-awe our hearts Psal. 119. 161. that will encrease our patience and our comfort Rom. 15. 4. Here we shall have that that will help in life Prov. 16. 22. 23. and support in death Luke 2. 29. And reade we shall again and again too If 1. We be so truly taken up with God we shall then look upon the Scriptures as upon his * love-letters Hos. 8. 12. 2. If we so truly taste the sweet that 's there See 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. If we taste we shall desire 3. If we be so much advantaged by the use of the other Ordinances See Acts 8. 30. when he had been at Jerusalem So Acts 17. 11. 4. If we be so far above the world as it doth become us Martha was cumbred and could not heare no more then we can reade when we be so clutter'd but Mary sate down at Christs feet Luke 10. 41 42. 5. If we be so willing to order our steps to be so exact in our doings then we shall see to that word that 's a light and

Prophets own hands those were not then extant nor when extant to be seene of every body What then when he bade them search the Scriptures he must needes meane some transcribed Copies or some Translations For Copies in the Hebrew I doubt me whether the common people did then understand the Hebrew and amongst the Bereans who did search the Scriptures I think it past question that there were many ordinary people and perhaps Coblers or Taylors or such as Dr J. Rainolds seems to judg If this be granted that those who were commanded to search the Scriptures and commended for searching the Scriptures did not could not search the Original Hebrew what shall we think then No other can be imagined but some Translations which they did understand Syriack Chaldee but chiefly the Greek Translation which the most if not all understood But you will say the Translators were subject to mistake and erre or worse being no Prophets and if they did understand the Hebrew yet sith they could not come by the first Original Copy they must needs have recourse to some transcribed Copies Whether the Church were to repaire to Translations or to transcribed Copies all comes to one sith neither Transcribers nor Translators were Prophets Very good men let them be yet men they were and subject to errour May I speake my Opinion I think when Christ said search the Scriptures he meant the Sciptures translated into Greek and by Scriptures the Apostles meant the Greek Translation which tongue if not in Christs time yet in the Apostles times in a manner all did understand VVherefore when the Apostle saith is given by inspiration and is profitable he meanes it is profitable to be read or heard read in the Greek Translation And the rather am I of this minde because Schollars do know that the New Testament doth cite the places out of the Old Testament according to the Greek Translation and most an end are very punctual in it However whither we look on Translations or Transcriptions sith the first Table written by God himselfe was lost with the Temple and the Original Greek Copy of the Translation of the Old Testament was the Learned think and I think they think well in it burned by Julius Coesars Army when they fired Alexandria and the famous Library there The Ephesians were built on the Prophets and Apostles the Apostles they had with them but the Prophets were dead and gone Malachi was the last the Apostles they might consult with and they had their writings but for the writings of the Prophets the Ephesians being Gentiles I take it for granted understood not the Hebrew at least the body of them but being Grecians they might and did understand the Greek translation which I doubt not was purer then then it is now yet then being but a translation and the Original it self but carried up and down in transcribed Copies it is consented unto by all parties that the Translators and Transcribers might erre being not Prophets nor indued with that infallible spirit in translating or transcribing as Moses and the Prophets were in their Original writings The tentation lies on this side how the Ephesians then and much more sith there are no Prophets no Apostles no nor any infallible spirits in the Church how can we build on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles now sith the Scriptures in their translated Copies are not free from all possible corruptions in the Copies we have either by transcribers or translators Besides many are unlearned and cannot read a Letter For these last though they cannot read yet they can hear it read to them Do not we see many blinde men in Schooles come to great learning by hearing others read Philosophy and Divinity and the body of other Arts Sciences to them so it is with the Scriptures they cannot read them but they can hear them read preached by others Dr. Jackson in his first book of his Commentaries on the Creed and Mr. John Goodwin in a set and large Treatise to justifie the authority of the Scriptures have shewed much learning and taken great paines in this Argument But like two Elephants they both swimme so deep that the benefit and comfort of it can reach but to a few we must fight lower and in a briefer way least we weary the Reader and charge the Printer and set down the brief of the matter in it so that common people and men of ordinary braines who are most subject to Tentation may find a way to spell out the right of this how faith can be had and the soule built on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles sith this foundation was in their Writings and their Writings are under no other notion to any but either the Original transcribed or translated Take it either way it is done by ordinary men not by Prophets or postles and so subject to mistake insomuch that Cajetan was wont to say That to believe translations of the Scripture was not to beleeve the Word of God but the words of men Yet the Papist is more to seek then the Protestant for the Papist hath no Translation to compare as we have most of them allow no not Schollars to correct their translations as we all do The Papist doth allow no translation to be read in Churches no nor in Houses but under caution but the Latine none in the mother-tongue which all the people understand And therefore they are to take up their faith on the credit of the Priest and he many times little wiser then a foole little better then a son of Belial Cajetan did much rely on the words of Hierome who said That to prophesie and write holy Books proceeded from the Holy Ghost but to translate them into another tongue was a work of humane skill Nay for the Originals themselves Wotton is bold to Print That no man can tell what the signification of the Hebrew and Greek Word is even in the Bible but by the report of man And another as learned as he tells us That we can know further that that is the Hebrew tongue or Greek tongue wherein the Old and New Testaments are in the Originals but by the credit of men who tell us so In the Councel of Trent there were many great wits and men of great learning too who did tosse this Argument up and down about Translations and when they had done left it little better then they found it Upon these grounds the third of the Popish Articles passing under the name of Wrights Articles in termes is thus All Protestants who are ignorant of the Greek and Latine Tongues are Infidels and why because forsooth he relies upon the Ministers who may and do erre The second Article is That all learned Protestants are Infidels so that by his sentence all Protestants learned and unlearned are Infidels because they relie on a private spirit Thus with him and the rest of that Tribe all Protestants are damned All this