several interests and perswasions such different understandings and tempers such distinct abilities and weaknesses that it is no wonder there is so great variety of readings both in the Old and New Testament In the old Testament the Jews pretend that the Christians have corrupted many places on purpose to make symphony between both the Testaments On the other side the Christians have had so much reason to suspect the Jews That when Aquilla had translated the Bible in their Schools and had been taught by them they rejected the Edition many of them and some of them called it Heresie to follow it And Justin Martyr justified to Tryphon That the Jews had defalk'd many sayings from the Books of the Old Prophets and amongst the rest he instances that of the Psalm Dicite in Nationibus quia Dominus Regnavit à ligno Englished Tell it or say i.e. amongst the Nations the Lord hath raigned for or by the wood or tree The last words they have cut off and prevailed so far in it that to this day none of our Bibles have it but if they ought not to have it then Justin Martyr's Bible had more in it then it should have for there it was so that a fault there was eitheir under or over But however there are infinite readings of the New Testament for in that I will instance some whole verses in one that are not in another and there was in some Copies of Saint Marks Gospel in the last chapter a whole verse a chapter it was anciently called that is not found in our Bibles as St. Hierom ad Hedibiam Q. 3. notes the words he repeats Lib. 2. Contra Polygamos Et illi satis faciebant dicentes saeculum istu iniquitatis incredulitatis substantia est quae non sivit per immundos spiritus veram Dei apprehendi vertutem idcirto jam nunc revela justitiam tuam Englished And they did satisfie saying that age is the substance of iniquity and incredulity which by reason of unclean spirits doth not suffer the virtue power or efficacie of God to be apprehended therefore now reveal thy righteousness These words are thought by some to savour of Manichaism and for ought I can find were therefore rejected out of many Greek Copies and at last out of the Latine c. The Parable of the woman taken in Adultery which is now in Joh. 8. Eusebius sayes It was not in any Gospel but the Gospel secundum Hebraeos and St. Hierome makes it doubtful and so doth St. Chrysostome and Euthimius the first not vouchsafing to explicate it in Homolies upon St. John the other affirming it not to be found in the exacter Copies c. But the instances in this kinde are too many as appears in the variety of readings in several Copies proceeding from the negligence or ignorance of the Translators or the malicious * Graci corruperunt novum Testamentum ut Testantur Tertul. l. 5. ado Marcion Euseb L. 5. Hist C. ult Irenae l. 1. c. 29. Allu Haeres Bafil L. 2. Contr. Eunomium endeavour of Hereticks or the inserting Marginal Notes into the Text or the neerness of several words And in pag. 82. he saith That since there are in Scripture many mysteries and matters of question upon which there is a vail since there are so many Copies with infinite variety of readings since a various interpunction a Parenthesis a Letter an Accent may much alter the sense since some places have divers litteral senses many have spiritual mystical and allegorical meanings since there are so many trops metononies ironies hyperbolies properties and improperties of Languages whose understanding depends upon such circumstances that it is almost impossible to know its proper interpretation now that the proper knowledge of such circumstances and particular stories is irrecoverably lost since there are some mysteries which at the best advantage of expression are not easily to be apprehended and whose explication by reason of our imperfections must needs be dark sometimes weak sometimes untelligable And lastly Since those ordinary means of expounding Scripture as searching the Originals conference of places purity of reason analogie of faith are all dubious uncertain and very fallible he that is wisest and by consequence the likeliest to expound truest in all probability of reason will be very far from confidence because every one of these and many more are like so many degrees of improbabilities and incertainty all depressing our certtainty of finding out the truth in such mysteries and amidst so many difficulties and therefore a wise man that considers this would not willingly be prescribed to by others and therefore if he be also a just man he will not impose it upon others for it is best every man should be left to that Liberty from which no man can justly take him unless he could secure him from Error And in pag. 82. he tells us That Osiander in his confutation of a Book which Melanchthon wrote against him observes That there are twenty several Opinions concerning Justification all drawn from Scriptures by the men onely of the Augustan Confession there are sixteen several Opinions conncerning Original Sin and as many definitions of the Sacraments as there are Sects of men that disagree about them And then he proposeth a question with i'ts answer in these words viz. And now what help is there for us in the midst of these uncertainties if we follow any one Translation or any one mans Commentary what Rule have we to choose the right by Or is there any one man that hath translated perfectly or expounded infallibly No Translation challenges such a prerogative as to be authentick but the vulgar Latine and yet see with what success for when it was declared authentick by the Councel of Trent Sextus put forth a Copy much amended of what it was and tyed all men to follow that but that did not satisfie for Pope Clement reviews and corrects it in many places and still the Decree remains in a changed subject And secondly that Translation will be very unapt to satisfie in which one of their own Issidore Clarius a Monk of Brestia found and amended 8000. faults besides innumerable others which he sayes he pretermitted And then thirdly To shew how little themselves were satisfyed with it divers learned men among them did new translate the Bible and thought they did God and the Church good service in it So that if you take this for your president you are sure to be mistaken infinittly if you take any other the Authors themselves do not promise you any security If you resolve to follow any one as far only as you see cause then you only do wrong or right by chance for you have certainty just proportionable to your own skill to your own infallibility If you resolve to folllow any one whithersoever he leads we shall oftentimes come thither where we shall see our selves to become ridiculous Thus far that learned and ingenuous Doctor who also shews
Fides Divina The Ground of TRUE FAITH Asserted OR A useful and brief Discourse shewing the insufficiency of humane and the necessity of Divine Evidence for divine or saving Faith and Christian Religion to be built upon Being a Transcript out of several Authors extant Joh. 10.37 If I do not the works of my Father believe me not Joh. 15.24 If I had not done among them the works that none other man did they had not had sin but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father 1 Cor. 2.4 5. My speech and my preaching was not with perswasible words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God LONDON Printed for the Author 1657. A Just and necessary Vindication of all such as endeavour to be satisfied concerning the anthentickness and demonstrative authority and perfection of Copies or Translations of Scripture or any Expositions Doctrines or Conclusions drawn from them to be a ground sufficient for Divine and saving Faith scruples herein unavoidably arising from the Tongues and Pens even of the learned themselves who both in publike and private will ofâ—en tell us That this or that is not rightly translated but should be read out of the Hebrew or Greek word for word thus or thus much different from the Translation or that this or that word or sentence is not in some or most of their Greek Copies or here or there should be a Parenthesis or that the Comma is not rightly placed or the like something or other is usually amiss especially when from some Text of Scripture the unreasonable or doubtfulness of their Opinions or Doctrines are questioned In further prosecution hereof I shall not need to cite any of the learned Papists who urge many shrewd Arguments and Reasons to prove the corruption of our Scriptures and the insufficiency of any Scripture for the purposes aforementioned Nor need I insist on our learned Countreyman Mr. Hugh Broughton though a Protestant who being a great Linguist charged the Bishops with perverting the Text in the Old Testament in the English Translations in 848. places Nor on the Charge delivered to King JAMES by the Ministers of Lincoln Diocess telling him in the Abridgement of their grievances That the English Translation of the Bible was such as takes away from the Text and addes to the Text and that to the changing or obscuring of the meaning of the Holy Ghost Nor yet on the palpable differences and contradictions in Translations wherein some Texts are rendred with much suspition of Nonsense untruth or both observed by private men Nor will I at present descant Whether it was through negligence ignorance or design in the Translators or otherwise that all this was done yet that de facto it is so done may be seen and must be confest by all intelligent men not blinded with superstition like the Ephesians Acts 19.17 18. nor pindiced with worldly interest like the chief Rulers Joh. 12.42 43. But for the present among many other that might be cited I shall produce some few modern English Protestant Authors of most eminent learning whose concurrent Testimony herein together with the precedent and subsequent considerations may be more then sufficient to our purpose it being also back't with such Arguments and Reasons as are evident to our own understanding and experience THe Translators of King JAMES his Bible in their Epistle to the Reader do set forth how they wtre charged and upbraided by some of their Brethren as well as by the Papist in that they so often altered and changed the Bible by their new translating it thus viz. Many mens mouths have been open a good while and yet are not stopped vvith speeches about the translation so long in hand or rather perusals of Translations made before and ask vvhat may be the reason vvhat the necessity of the Employment hath the Church been deceived say they all this vvhile Hath her svveet bread been mingled vvith leaven her silver vvith dross her Wine vvith Water her Milk vvith Lime Lactè Gypsum malè incestur saith Jeremy We hoped that vve had been in the right vvay that vve had had the Oracles of God delivered unto us and that though all the vvorld had cause to be offended and to complain yet vve had none Hath the Nurse holden out the Breast and nothing but vvind in it Hath the bread been delivered by the Fathers of the Church and the same proved to be Lapidosus as Seneca speaketh What is to handle the Word of God deceitfully if this be not Thus certain Brethren Also the Adversaries of Judah and Hierusalem like Samballat in Nehemiah mock as vve hear both at the vvork and vvorkmen saying What do these vveak Jews c Will they make the stones vvhole again out of the heaps of dust vvhich are burnt Although they build yet if a Fox go up he shall even break dovvn their stony Wall Was their Translation good before Why do they novv mend it Was it not good Why then vvas it obtruded to the people Yea VVhy did the Catholicks meaning Popish Romanists alvvayes go in Jeopardy for refusing to go to hear it Nay if it must be translated into English Catholicks are fittest to do it They have learning and they knovv vvhen a thing is vvell they can manum de tabula VVe vvill ansvver them both briefly The former being Brethren thus c. And after their ansvvering these they ansvver the Papists and retort as many or more faults of the same kind upon them in these vvords follovving viz. Yet before vve end vve must ansvver a cavil and objection of theirs against us for altering and amending our Translations so oft vvherein they deal hardly and strangely vvith us for to vvhom ever vvas it imputed for a fault by such as vvere vvise to go over that vvhich he had done and to amend it vvhere he savv cause Saint Augustine vvas not afraid to exhort St. Hierome to a Palmodia or Recantation The same St. Augustine vvas not ashamed to retractate vve might say revoke many things that had passed him and doth even glory that he seeth his infirmities If vve vvill be sons of the Truth vve must consider vvhat it speaketh and trample upon our ovvn credit yea and upon other mens too if either be any vvay an hinderance to it This to the cause Then to the persons vve say That of all men they ought to be most silent in this case for what variety have they what alterations have they made not only of their Service-Books Portesses and Breviaries but also of their Latine Translation The Service-Book supposed to be made by St. Ambrose Officium Ambrosianum was a great while in special use and request but Pope Hadrian called a Councel with the aid of Charls the Emperor abolished it yea burnt it and commanded the service-Service-Book of St. Gregory universally to be used Well
year and commands the Lictors as if he that can kill a man cannot but be infallible and if he be not why should I do violence to my conscience because he can do violence to my person Force in matters of Opinion can do no good but is very apt to do hurt for no man can change his Opinion when he will or be satisfied in his reason that his Opinion is false because discountenanced if a man could change his opinion when he lists he might cure many inconveniences of his life all his fears and his sorrows would soon disband if he would but alter his Opinion whereby he is perswaded that such an accident that afflicts him is an evil and such an object formidable let him but believe himself impregnable or that he receives a benefit when he is plundered disgraced imprisoned condemned and afflicted neither his sleeps need to be disturbed nor his quietness discomposed but if a man cannot change his Opinion when he list nor ever doth heartily or resolutely but when he cannot do otherwise then to use force may make him an hypocrite but never to be a right believer and so instead of erecting a Trophee for God and true Religion to build a monument for the Devil Infinite examples are recorded in Church story to this very purpose but Socrates instances in one for all for when Elucius Bishop of Cyzicum was threatned by the Emperor Valence with banishment and confiscation if he did not subscribe to the Decree of Ariminum at last he yeelded to the Arian Opinion and prosently fell into great torment of conscience openly at Cyzicum recanted the Error asked God and the Church forgiveness and complained of the Emperors injustice and that was all the good the Arian party got by offering violence to his conscience and so many families in Spain which are as they call them new Christians and of a suspected Faith into which they were forced by the Tyranny of the Inquisition and yet are secret Moors is evidence enough of the inconvenience of preaching a Doctrine more gladly Ceventandi for it either punishes a man for keeping a good conscience or forces him into a bad it either punishes sincerity or perswades hypocrisie it persecutes a truth or drives into an error and it teaches a man to dissemble and to be safe but never to be honest Thus far he Notwithstanding all which where can we see it otherwise with any Nation or people in any form of religious Worship but that they have drank so deep of that Whores cup as to thirst for the blood of their opposites especially if they shall but in the least discover to the world the unsoundness of the foundation on which their Babel is built All which the aforesaid Mr. G. well knowing and by experience finding that a little Light will much offend the tender sights of many who therefore like Owls in the dark will both skreech and strick at the meer shine of a Candle yet nevertheless in this Divine Authority of Scripture pag 10. he tells us If no Translation whatsoever nor any any either written or printed Copy whatsoever be the Word of God or foundation of Religion certainly our English Translations cannot challenge this honor And in pag. 18. of the same he saith Questionless no writing whatsoever whether Translations or Originals are the foundation of Christian Religion And in his Youngling Elder pag. 35. he saith It is very possible that either through negligence ignorance want of memory or the like in Scribes and Correctors of the Press some such Error may be found in every Copy of the Scriptures now extant in the world which will render this Copy contradictious to it self yea it is possible that many such errors as this may be found in the best and truest Copies that are And in the 36. page of the same Book he saith The true and proper foundation of Religion is intrinsecally essentially and in the nature of it unchangeable unalterable in the least by the wills pleasures or attempts of men But there is no Book or Books whatsoever Bible or other but in the contents of them may be altered or changed by men Ergo The major he proveth thus If the proper Foundation of Religion were intrinsecally and in the nature of it changeable and alterable by men then can it not be any matter of truth because the nature of truth is like the nature of God himself unchangeable unalterable by men Angels Devils or any creature whatsoever yea God himself cannot alter it any whit more then deny himself or change his own nature or being And for the minor saith he That also is no less evident experience teacheth us that Books or Bibles themselves are de facto changed and altered by men from time to time every new Edition or Impression almost commending it self for somewhat corrected or amended in it which was delinquent or defective in the former Yet this learned Author notwithstanding all the aforesaid passages of his in his Divine Authority of Scripture pag. 13. doth affirm If by Scripture be meant the matter and substance of things contained and held forth in the Books of the Old and New Testament commonly known amongst Protestants by the Name of Canonical he fully with all his heart and all his soul believes them to be of Divine Authority and none other then the Word of God And in the 26. page of his Youngling Elder he doth distinguish and lay down a double sense and acceptation of the word Scripture and in the one sense clearly acknowledgeth them to be of Divine Authority and so the foundation of Christian Religion onely denying them to be such in the other sense And in that sense here denyed by this Author his learned Oponent Mr. William jenkin doth affirm them to be both of Divine Authority and the Word of God disallowing that distinction made by our Author demanding How any can believe the matter and substance of the Scripture to be the Word of God when he must be uncertain whether the written Word or Scriptures wherein the matter is contained are the Word of God or no. Now although both these learned men do affirm the Scripture to be of Divine Authority the Word of God yet it is so that the one affirms it to be such in one sense and the other in another sense neither of them allowing it to be such in the others sense nor yet producing any competent proof to evidence it to be such in his own sense The truth of it in either sense must still therefore remain much the more to be doubted and that from these grounds and reasons following First Because the Scripture as it came from the Original Pen-men was then if at all of Divine authority the word of God to the world but it was not so then being in an unknown Tongue to the generality of man-kind and therefore according to St. Pauls Doctrine was both in form matter and substance so far from being
as the devils instruments they unjustly hold their Fellow-brethren as captives in oppression slavery It is therefore to be lamented when at any time we see him thrive in any such devillish project The Lord in mercy deliver every honest man from being overcome by any such temptation Amen But to find the word answer of God in the way aforementioned may apear to be very uncertain by this viz. If four pious men should each of them seek by prayer for an answer from God in one and the same thing be it of publicke concernment or otherwise wherein their interests judgements and perswasions are different and various each from other you will find the propencity and bent of their hearts and desires after prayer for the most part will vary as much as before which will manifest this to be no sound or sure way to find out or know the word or answer of God nor is this intended to discourage any from seeking to the Lord in any occasion but from trusting to the bent of their own hearts to be any sure Rule to know the answer of God by because that may be the effect of some pride or vain desire of wordly glory or of some other lust secretly lurking in the heart of man undiscerned for the heart of man being deceitful above all things who then can know his own heart or the secret turnings thereof Jer. 17.9.10.11 or who can say his heart is so pure and clean as to be quite purged from all kind of vain carnal and eatthly affection and lust he must then be no longer a man having flesh blood or any other infirmity like other men on earth but be equal to the purest Angel in heaven And now having proposed left these things to consideration we will proceed to the next Fourthly Mr. R Baxter a man of Eminency both for exquisite learning parts in his Saints Rest Part. 2. pag. 201. of the sixth Edition tells us thus viz. R.B. That Divine Faith hath ever a Divine Fvidence And in page 205. thus We must know it to be a Divine Testimony before we can believe Fide Divina And in page 211. he saith As Translations are no further Scripture then they agree with the Copies in the Original Tongues so neither are these Copies further then they agree with the Authographs or original Copies or with some Copies perused and approved by the Apostles Obj. But it is a thing worth the knowing of this Author Whether he or any man else can infallibly produce the Authographs or any such original Copies of the Bible as have been so perused and approved of by the Apostles and if none can do this how can they then prove any Copie or Translation to be true or Scripture as he phraseth it And if any can do this how shall it be known to be such without Divine Evidence undoubtedly to prove it Answ But to this he gives us a general answer in his Preface to his Book of Infidelity where he tells us R.B. That the Holy Ghost by special inspiration was the Author of the Scriptures and by extraordinary Endowments was the Author of the miracles which were wrought for its confirmation Obj. But here it is necessary that he tells us where when by whom those miracles were wrought which so confirmed the scriptures And in the second place he should tell us where which are those Scriptures that were so confirmed withal to produce some Divine Evidence to prove what he therein sayes before any wise man believe him for he himself in his Rest Pag. 201. before cited informs us R. B. That to believe implicitely That the Testimony is Divine or the Scripture is the Word of God this is not to believe God but to resolve our faith into some humane Testimony even to lay our foundation upon the Sand where all will fall at the next assault And yet notwithstanding in Pag 238. 239. of his Saints Rest before mentioned he tells us R.B. That something must be taken upon trust from man whether we will or no yet no uncertainty in our faith neither For 1. saith he The meer illitterate man must take it upon trust that the Book is a Bible which he hears read for else he knows not but it may be some other Book Obj. What! may he not take it so upon trust that the Book is a Bible and yet never the more know but it may be some other Book or doth not a mans simple taking a thing especially of such high concernment so groundlesly upon trust argue some diminution of his knowledg and wisdom too rather then any augmentation of either R. B. 2. That these words are in it which the Reader pronounceth 3. That it is translated truly out of the Original Languages Obj. How can it be translated truly and imperfectly or imperfectly and truly for in pag. 211. of the same Book he positively asserts That there is an impossibility that any Translation should perfectly express the sense of the Original R. B. 4. That the Hebrew and Greek Copies out of which it was translated are true authentick Copies 5. That it was originally written in these Languages 6. Yea and the meaning of divers Scripture-passages which cannot be understood without the knowledge of Jewish ustoms of Cronology Geography c. though the words were never â—o exactly translated all these with many more the vulgar must take upon the word of their Teachers Obj. Alas poor Vulgars what miserable hard tasks are here imposed upon you and almost all men with a must much like those put upon the children of Israel to make their full tale of brick without any allowance of straw whereby they were put to take up any stubble where-ever they could find it But can any wise man take these Doctrines to be divine or come from God they being so irrational and absurd and so contrary to him and his wayes who oppointed his Gospel to be dispensed not in an unknown Tongue or upon any such uncertainties to any but to all people in their own language himself also evidently and powerfully attesting the same otherwise he obligeth no man to take it for truth nor blameth any man for taking it otherwise And whereas he positively asserts in pag. 211. of his Saints Rest as before is noted R. B. That there is an impossibility that any Translation should perfectly express the sense of the Original Obj. It 's now incumbent on him to tell us whether it was the expressable imperfect sense in Translations or the unexpressable perfect sense of the Original that was so confirmed by miracles or whether it was all or any of those many books which are mentioned in Scripture and whereof we have neither original nor Copy that were so confirmed plain dealing herein would be very satisfactory and is even more then necessary In his book of Infidelity Part 1. Pag. 11. he tells us That R. B. Besides the sanctifying Spirit of Christ proper
best then is the best still had almost made me think that he intended a perfect agreement with the truth which all along he had opposed but that I found him presently to falsifie that Text in Joh. 15 24. in like manner as he had done the same Text in many other places viz. In leaving out the Emphasis thereof even that which chiefly corroborated and upheld that truth which in his precedent assertion he seemingly maintained namely in omitting these words viz. Among them and that they did both see and hateâ— for the Text is If I had done among them c. that is in their presence that they might both see and hear the Miracles done by Christ as the Samaritans did those that were done by Philip Acts 8.6 they had not had sin but now have they beth seen and hated both me and my Father And with the like unfaithfulness doth he bring up the Rear in the words following by omitting to add to him by which it is made neither current nor found for if St. Paul were now living and had convincingly revealed the Gospel to many thousand men and not to me this though it bound them to believe yet it binds not me to whom it was never convincingly revealed but when ever it is convincingly revealed to me as well as to them then it binds me as well as them but not else These bawks are not comely in any man especially if in the least he pretends sincerity for as the sin of the Scribes and Pharisees there was much aggravated by their seeing and hating so is every mans else though not in the same degree that shall see this or any other Text flatly against his purpose and then to cite it so maimedly as to make it speak against the intention or genuine sense thereof as by this Author this is often cited whereby to make Christ whose words they were to bear false witness so much against himself and his truth this I conceive is no small offence nor is this any other then a friendly caution that when ever this Argument is again handled both Christ his truth and this Text may be better dealt with R. B. And whereas this Author here tells us from current Testimony That the gift of casting out Devils and making them confess themselves mastered by Christ did remain in the Church for three or four hundred yeers at least after the Apostles and that Satan could no where â—eep his possession where this power of Christ did assault him Now then let it be considered Quest. 1. Whether there be not many Pagan Nations whereof Satan hath full possession and wherein he is worshipped by the Inhabitants as God 2. Whether he hath not in all Nations places and persons some large possession at least in their hearts by envy pride covetousness or some other base affection and lust And shall any such man yet think that there is not now need or use of these powerful gifts of the Spirit to dispossess this powerful Prince that yet so ruleth in the world and hearts of men Or can he or any man else be so simple as to think that Satan ever was or yet is so weak or foolish as to be scared and cast out of any of all these his strong holds meerly by the various uncertain and contrary holy winds blown from Pulpits by artificial Divines any more then he ever was or will be cast out of any place or person by vertue of holy Water sprinkled by Fryars or Monks Wherefore for these and many other good causes it may be well deem'd That there was since the said four hundred yeers and is yet the same need of the said powerful gifts of the spirit as were formerly given by Christ to his Church notwithstanding all or any thing said by this learned Author to the contrary 5. Dan. Featly another Doctor in Divinity and famed for a great Schollar in his Dippers Dipt pag. 1. likewise plainly tells us That No Translation is simply authentical or the undoubted Word of God in the undoubted Word of God there can be no error but in Translations there may be and are errors The Bible translated therefore is not the undoubted Word of God but so far onely as it agreeth with the Original Now these passages coming forth by Authority as licenced Vertues if the learned Licencer know any and this Argument being approved as sound and good by other of the learned in my hearing I cannot chuse but query thus of my own understanding or of any mans else that hath charity and ability to inform me better Whether the very same Argument upon the very same grounds and reasons may not in like manner be enforc't against all Copies whatsoever in any Language whatsoever as well and as truly as against Translations thus viz. No Copy is simply authentical or the undoubted Word of God in the undoubted Word of God there can be no Error but in Copies there may be and are Errors The Bible copyed therefore is not the undoubted Word of God but so far onely as it agreeâ—h with the Original For although it be admitted by many that the original Pen-men of the Scripture were all inspired by God yet it may be and is by all denyed that the Copyers thereof were any more inspired then the Translators but that they might erre and have erred as well as Translators as before is manifest how else came there such diversities of Copies into the world as well as of Translations And whereas in the conclusion of the Argument is implyed That so far as either Translation or Copy can be proved to agree with the Original so far only it is to be accounted the Word of God Whence I query Whether it be possible for any to produce the undoubted several Originals of the several Books of the Bible or undoubtedly to know them if it were possible to produce them they being written by divers persons in divers places in diver ages in divâ—rs Languages and upon divers occasions And if none be able to do this I then query How it can be possible for any undoubtedly to prove any Book Chapter or Verse either of Translation or Copy to agree with the Original Besides seeing reason experience teach That time produceth such variations and changes in languages as that a word signifying one thing in one age may often hath another signisication put upon it by use and custom in another age whence else is it that some Hebrew and Greek words bears divers some six some seven and some contrary significations as one word to signifie both to bless and to curse in Job 2.9 And it cannot in reason be imagined but that some words may have quite lost their Original signification since the first writing of the Bible wherefore it would prove a very difficult work if not impossible for any to give to each passage and word its genuine sense and undoubted signification if it were possible as it is not
from doing this that each various and contrary Faith and Doctrine is stifly upheld and maintained from the various Copies and Translations thereof and from the various and contrary readings and meanings which each Opinionist respectively may and doth put upon the Scripture it self insomuch that indeed it is now made capable of any impression which every learned and witty man can invent and pleaseth to put upon it to serve his own turn and occasion though he face about and change never so much never so often And thus each man still makes the Scriptures to be like to Pictures wherein every man in the Room believes they look on him only and that wheresoever he standeth or how often soever he changeth his station Now whether all this doth arise from a natural hidden sense of the Scripture or from the brevity of them or for want of many Books mentioned in Scripture whereof we never had either Original or Copy or from mistakes made by Transcribers Printers or Translators or from the varions acceptation of words and phrases contained in them and in probability understandable only by such persons to whom they were first written who being before-hand grounded in the Faith and Principles of Christianity and instrueted in the things treated upon were thereby enabled aright to understand the mind of the Pen-men in what they did but briefly touch upon in their Writings to them Or whether from all of these or from any other cause or causes I leave to the wise and considerate to determine but certainly were they perspicuous in their sense so many learned studious good men could not possible so much have erred and been divided in their understanding of them And if such as these notwithstanding all their advantages of learning have not been able to resolve the truth of these Doctrines so familiarly mentioned in the Scripture and so necessarily required to true Christianity who shall conceive that they were intended by God for the ground of Faith and Worship for all or any sort of men whatsoever except we shall conceive that the unlearned sort of men are in a better capacity perfectly to resolve the sense of Scripture then the learned which is too gross to imagine or else that all men are bound to know and conform their Faith and Worship to a Doctrine that none of them certainly understand which none will affirm it being inconsistent with that Justice and Goodness which all confesse to be in Almighty God Let us see what to this point is said by learned Dr. Taylor in his forecited Book pag. 13. his words are these viz. It is a demonstration that nothing can be necessary to be believed upon pain of damnation but such propositions of which it is certain that God hath spoken and taught them to us and of which it is certaine that this is their sense and purpose for if the sense be uncertaine we can no more be obliged to believe it in a certaine sense then we are to believe it at all if it were not certaine that God delivered it but if it be only certaine that God spake it and not certaine to what sense our faith of it is to be as indeterminate as its sense nor is it consonant to Gods justice to believe of him that he can or will require more But to go on and bring this neater It is manifest even in those Scriptures we have that Jesus Christ requires no credit to be given to his Doctrine either upon his own bare word or the bare word of any persons whatsoever as before is set forth If I bear witness of my self saith he my witness is not true neither receive I testimony of men the works that I do in my Fathers Name they bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me And when he is blaming the Scribes and Pharisees for their unbelief in him he thus far excuseth them in it That if he had not done among them the Works that none other man did they had not had sin Now who can conceive that Christ should pronounce men guiltless for not believing him upon his own bare testimony and yet not hold men much more guiltless for not believing the Scripture upon its bare testimony Christ though he bare witness of himself his witness was certain and true whereas Copies and Translations as before we have seen are uncertain and erroneous Christ disclaims the Testimony of men yea of John the Baptist as a ground insufficient to engage men to believe in his Doctrine though all that John said of him was true and what he had heard and seen that he testified And shall we imagine that he will binde all the succeeding generations of men to believe the truth of Christ and the Gospel upon any such inferior testimony as the testimony only of such as disclaim infallibility and have neither heard nor seen as John did Shall God and Christ be true and all men lyars and yet shall fallible men be preferred before them in being believed upon lower easier terms then either they or their most infallible servants Or shal God be conceived to require contraries of men as not to believe super-natural truths such the Gospel is judged to be without a sutable evidence and on the other side require men to believe it without any such evidence Shall men be blameless and blamed by him upon one and the same account If this cannot be as surely it cannot then it must necessarily follow That the Scripture was never instituted or intended by Almighty God to be the ground of Christian Faith and Religion or to be believed in and obeyed by mankind to salvation Moreover it is evident if we may take the meaning according to the sense of the words as they are delivered to us in Translations That the Epistles and St. Johns Revelation in the New Testament were all written unto Believers and that both the Acts and Lukes Gospel were written to Theophilus an instructed Disciple Luke 14. And it is most probable that the other three Gospels were written to believers also at least for their sakes especially for such of them as did not see Christ themselves after his resurrection whereby he mightily declared himself to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 whereof the rest of the Apostles as well as Thomas much doubted whilest he lay dead as may appear by 1 Pet. 1.3 where St. Peter speaking of himself and of the rest saith That God of his abundant mercy had begotten them again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and what may be understood by this but that all their hope was extinct or languished by his death and revived again by his resurrection And that his being risen from death was very hardly believed by any of them may appear from Mark 16.10 11. when Mary Magdalen told the Disciples as they were mourning and weeping that Christ was alive and that she had seen him they believed it not and
with patience wait for it and why may not the same be said of being justified by faith iâ— being likewise the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 which when they once come to be seen or actually to be injoyed then faith as well as hope in respect of those things believed and hoped for shall cease for what need a man either to hope or trust any longer for that of which he hath already the sight or actual possession 1 Peter 1.19 The like may be understood at least as I conceive of these and the like texts He that hath everlasting life is already passed from death to life must not the meaning be That he believes in this that he shall actually enjoy everlasting life in the world to come and at the resurrection even that everlasting life which he hath here onely by faith unless it can reasonably be imagined that every believer must have actually two everlasting lives one here in this world and the other in the world to come to commence not until the resurrection Luke 20.35 36. And whereas it was said of believers That Christ was in them this was by faith likewise and where it was told them that they were partakers of the divine nature it was there also told them that it was by having promises 2 Pet. 1.4 which they laid hold on by faith and to be actual partakers of the divine nature at the resurrection 1 Cor. 15.47.48 And for the white stone that is likewise to be received in the life to come actually even at the same time when believers shall receive power over Nations c. which will not be until the resurrection Revel 2.17 26 27. Revel 20.4 How sottish therefore is the practice of all such as attribute any divine esteem honour or worship to any man conceiving him from these and the like texts to have Christ or the divine nature in him or to be sent of God to have the Spirit of God or to have divine authority not bringing with him divine power evidently to attest the same And since there are such various and contradictory opinions even among men of eminent learning parts and integrity as before is seen about justification wherein it s more probable that all have erred then possible all to be in the truth I have also proposed my opinion though different from all theirs declaring what I conceive may be meant by believers being justified by faith comparing it to and expounding it by the phrase of the Apostle we are saved by hope and by some other texts of like import as He that believeth hath everlasting life and is already passed from death to life and I think that no text can be found more positive for present and actual justification of a believer in this life then these and some other texts are for his everlasting salvation and glorification here also as namely He hath translated us into the Kingdome of his dear son Col. 1.13 hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly place in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.6 but ye are come to Mount Sion c. Heb. 12.22 whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.30 And now without offence to any let me here propose in this point my thoughts alittle further not imposing any thing upon any man but leaving all men to that freedome from which no man can justly take them Thus whether that actual justification and salvation of men come not both together and neither to be untill the day of judgement and that faith or believing simply considered will not then save any man How then can it now justifie or make any man at any time the more acceptable in the sight of God To make that which is here intended plain to be understood we need distinguish of believing 1. There is a believing a thing to be true which is the proper act of the understanding this I call a believing simply considered Thus to believe not being in a mans choice but imposed upon him by force of the evidence that is brought to evince it procures no reward or acceptance with God and the not believing in the same sence procures no punishment 2 There is obeying or disobeying of that truth so believed which being an act of the will and in a mans choice procures reward or punishment This also is called a believing or a not believing and in some places a hearing or a not hearing in Joh. 16.8 9. it 's called a not-believing and in Act 3.22 23. it 's called a hearing and a not hearing and when or wheresoever eternal life or salvation was promised upon believing or hearing or punishment threatened upon not believing or not hearing there alwayes obeying or disobeying is implied though not exprest And herein let appeal be made to any rational and impartial man if any of the Jews who onely believed Christ to be the true Messiah or the Gospel to be truth without obeying him or it should have been saved thereby when as we find that salvation and damnation at the last day to be disposed onely according to obedience and disobedience Matth. 16.27 Matth. 25.27 c. Rom. 2.6 to the end Herewith judicious Dr. Taylor concurs speaking the very same in sence though different in expression In his fore-cited Book pag 24 25. his words being as followeth Faith saith he if it be taken for an act of the understanding meerly it is so far from being that excellent grace that justifies us that it is not good at all but in genere naturae and makes the understanding better in it self or pleasing to God just as strength doth the arm or beauty the face or health the body these are natural perfections indeed and so knowledge or true belief is to the understanding but this makes us not at all more acceptable to God for then the unlearned were certainly in a damnable condition and all good Scholars should be saved whereas I am afraid too much of the contrary is true but unless faith be made moral by mixture of choice and charity it is nothing but a natural perfection not a grace or a vertue and this is demonstrably proved in this that by the confession of all men of all interests and perswasions in matters of meer belief invincible ignorance is our excuse if we be deceived which could not be but that neither to believe aright is commendable nor to believe amiss is reprovable but where both one and the other is voluntary and chosen antecedently or consequently by prime election or ex post facto and so comes to be considered in morality and it is part of a good life or a bad life respectively And if any shall say otherwise it is to say that some men shall be damned when they cannot help it perish without their own fault and be miserable for ever because of their unhappinesse to be deceived thorow their own simplicity and natural or accidental but inculpable infirmity for it is inconsistant
haply find him not being far from any of them giving them by these daily blessings opportunity at least to know consider and thankfully to acknowledge some divine goodness be it under what name or notion soever to be the authour and bountiful bestower of these daily mercies whereby as God leaves not himself without witness so he leaves all without excuse or ability to plead that they were destitute of all means to obtain acceptance with God to their salvation Again what means the giving of talents to some more to some less or fewer but to all some one at least to know good and evil so far as to know when another wrongs him in like proportion must he know when he wrongs another and that as he would not have another wrong him in the least so should not he do the least wrong to any other but to do as he would be done unto according to the Golden Rule or Law written in every mans heart What else meaneth the Apostle Paul in Rom. 2 26 27. If the uncircumcision keeps the righteousnesse of the Law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision and shall not the circumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the law judge thee who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the Law See further the 11 12 13 14 15 verses of the same Chapter wherein it is said thus When the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law having not the law are a law unto themselves which shews the work of the law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts in the mean while accusing or else excusing one another What may we think of Iob being an upright and just man that feared God and eschewed evil what can be thought of Iobs friends Bildad Zophâ—r Eliphaz and Elihu but that they were sober honest wise and just men fearing God although they were mistaken as who might not in Iobs particular and extraordinary case And what meaneth the story of Cornelius Act 10 being an uncircumcised Gentile destitute of the knowledge of Christ yet had acceptance with God and his prayers heard notwithstanding And what think you of Peters Proclamation thereupon saying Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Hence I conceive without offence to any otherwise minded may be concluded First That all those who never enjoyed true Ministry of the Gospel of Christ shall never be judged for not believing or not obeying the Gospel of Christ but shall be judged either as in sincerity they have indeavoured to observe the good and eschew the evil known to them or have wilfully swerved from it without repentance and amendment for God accepts men according to that they have and not according to that they have not 2 Cor. 8.12 And to whom much is given of him only much shall be required and little of him to whom little is given Secondly That God never concluded any Nation or person so to condemnation as not to afford them and him sufficient means within his reach and power to escape the same and to procure acceptance with him These J deem with submission to better Judgements may as safely and truly be concluded as to affirm That God is most just good and merciful That his mercy is extended over all the works of his hands who hateth nothing that he hath made but filleth all things with his goodness and heareth the young Ravens that cry to him for meat Ps 104.27 28. Ps 145.16 17. Ps 147.9 Accursed then are the tongues and pens of such evil servants that render this indulgent bountiful and good Master to be hard and austeer to reap where he did not sowe and to propose grace and mercy to far the greatest part of the sons and daughters of Adam when he never intended it to any of them but contrariwise had inevitably absolutely and personally concluded them to exquisite and endless misery of his meer will and power long before they were born and that without respect to any sinful or evil action of theirs FINIS Prov. 27.5 Open rebuke is better then secret love Pro. 12.1 Who so loveth instruction loveth knowledge but he that hateth reproof is bruitish Pro. 28 16. The Prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressour but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his dayes Vers 17 A man that doth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit let no man stay him Pro. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 27.6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful POSTSCRIPT MR. John Brayne a learned man in his Book intituled The unknown Being published 1654. in page 3. telleth us as a matter of exceeding great note and concernment to all men which is the gross corruptings of the Word of God in the false translating of it the Translators putting down in an hundred places neer life for soul rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soul which ought not to be the word and sense is destroyed by it and false doctrine taught to the people wherefore in especial there is an extream necessity of another Translation to be published and this called in The Old Testament in this particular is better translated then the New though some such in the Old as that the mind of God is no way expressed but clean contrary things And in page 11. he further telleth us viz. That it s no wonder Austine and others run to Philosophy having lost the knowledge of the Spirit which was immortal to prove the soul immortal against the Scripture upon which Philosophical hinges the Divinity of the now times are hanged in which Untruths Errours and Deceits are told the people to the overthrow of hope and shaking of faith in men and destruction of the truth And in this follow not the Lords Spirit but their own Ezek. 13.3 ☞ After my setting down this learned Authors judgement concurring with the rest of the Authors formerly cited concerning the erroneous Translations of Scripture there came to my hand another small Treatise of his intituled Heavens witness to the worship and worshippers on earth wherein he not onely confirmes what in this Discourse is asserted for the necessity of divine and powerful evidence to attest the truth of doctrine Believers and Churches of the Gospel but also shews how God by some such divine evidence gave witness to true worship both before the law in time of the law and to the worship of the Gospel from Christ to the Apostasie Anno 406. Together with abundant Testimonies of Scripture proving that the Truth and the true Church was not nor when restored shall not be without the same with which as at first God again will restore the Church ERRATA IN page 3. line 16. for incestur saith Ieremie read micetur saith S. Irency pag. 6. lin 17. for pareas minori read pareas insane minori l. 21. r. Erasmus p. 7. l. 7. r. allowable l. 16. r. Isidorus and there and elsewhere for Sextus r. Sixtus p. 12. l. 21. f. untelligable r. unintelligable p. 14. l. 1. r. Brescia p. 20. l. 7. r. in ore gladii Cruentandi p. 23. l. 25. r. Anthographs p. 27. l. 24. r. of the Trinity p. 51. l. ult r. verities p. 55. l. ult r. 1 Cor. 12.7 12. p. 72. l. 3. f. He that hath r. He that believeth hath p. 81. l. 9. f. on r. by l. 10. f. by r. on