of Twenty Cubites long where it was by the Ministers of the Temple Christ's deadly enemies kept safe enough from any hand of earthly man none but a Messenger from Heaven could rent it again the Earth did quake and the Rocks rent which could not be but by an omnipotent Power all which made the Centurion and his Company though in all probability they were Heathens being Souldiers in Caesars Army cry out and say Truly this was the Son of God and if Souldiers who are commonly rude persons especially when they have such Masters as they had if they could not chuse but see this how much more should all men consider and take notice of God's Testimony so gloriously born on his behalf Thirdly The Resurrection of Christ proves it beyond exception Quest Yea but how shall that be proved clearly Answ There be three evident proofs of it 1. The witnesses of it are a considerable number not less than Five hundred at once 1 Cor. 15.6 7 8. and some of these died for this Testimony and what their holy Doctrine and Life was is to be seen in the New Testament and neither credit nor profit was to be gained by this Testimony besides two of these witnesses were such as had they not been extraordinarily convinced of the truth of it would not have believed it themselves Thomas proclaiming his unbelief till he felt and saw the print of the nailes and thrust his hand into his side which the Spear had made John 20.24 25. And as for Paul he persecuted this Testimony unto the death and had his hand in the blood of Stephen for it not altering his bloody purpose till by a Voice and a Light from Heaven he was smitten blind and unto the earth and he made to know that that Jesus whom he persecuted in his People was risien and ascended 2. The miserable excuse that was made to blind the Peoples understandings that they might not believe he was risen proves it evidently for he was laid in a Tomb which had a stone so great on the top of it that the good women were in care to get it removed when they came to anoint him Also there was a strong guard of Souldiers set to watch lest his Disciples should steal him who were so afraid of their own lives that they durst not meet but in the night an unlikely company to steal their Masters dead body from a band of Souldiers But now to make the world believe that these poor frighted men stole him away while they slept is most impossible for who can believe that the whole Guard should be asleep all at once or who can believe his Disciples durst venture to roul off that Stone in the midst of those Armed men to steal his Corps from them they being set there on purpose to prevent them from this act muchless was it possible for them to be able to give a just account whether he were stollen away or risen again if they had been all asleep indeed and it is not at all likely that those armed Souldiers ran from the Sepulchre to the High Priest in such a fear because the Disciples had stole him but indeed because the Angel of the Lord terrified them away from that fruitless work Neither yet can it enter into any mans heart to believe that ever the Priests and Elders of the Jews would ever go about to perswade the Governour to peace and reconciliation with those Souldiers that had so much neglected their duty to suffer him to be stole if indeed he had been stole but they would much rather have perswaded him to take them and hang them up every man of them for their negligence if it had not manifestly appeared that Jesus whom they caused to be crucified was indeed risen again from the dead Thirdly and lastly Besides the wonderful Miracles his Apostles did work in his Name the Gifts bestowed upon them so suddenly after his Ascention according to the Promise made to them the which we read of Acts 2.1 to the 11. proves it clearly for from whence could poor Fisher-men ignorant and unlearned at an instance attain such Gifts of Knowledge Courage Utterance as is there exprest but that it must needs be by the Power of the holy Spirit To all which I only ask this question I desire that the most unbelieving Jews will tell me what they expect from the Messiah they look for or what they can think he should be that Jesus Christ is not When this is soberly answered I will set Pen to Paper again if the Lord please that I live to see it in the mean time as one desiring the Salvation both of Jews and Gentiles I intreat all men to consider the main grounds of Religion and to get such sound Principles for the Foundation thereof as will substantially bear up the whole body of it A brief Answer to William Russel in a Book of his entituled No Seventh-Day-Sabbath in Christ's New Testament ALthough that which I have written already is enough to stop the mouths of all Opposers of God's most holy Law yet because the ignorance and folly of men is so great in this day I shall add a few words to what I have written already upon the occasion of a late Book I have seen intituled The Seventh-Day-Sabbath not Commanded by Jesus Christ in the New Testament but I desire thee good Reader not to expect that I should waste my time or be at the cost to follow William Russel with a Reply to that green-headed Piece of his that consisteth for the most part of it of Debates and Reasonings of other men but I shall apply my self to touch briefly some few passages asserted by William himself And first to that learned Assertion in the 12th page of his Book where he concludeth since his eyes were opened that the Ten Words being abolished as the first Covenant to do for Life they cannot continue as a Rule of Life the distinction is so nice that it is groundless To which I answer It is well you confess them to be the first Covenant and once given for Life the good Lord give thee and others Wisdom to take notice of the time when it was so given for it could never give Life therefore it must be in that day when it would have continued Life to eternity if it had been kept and therefore be not so witless as to think that when God gave his Law at Sinai as a Rule of Life for thy self confessest that so he did to Jews and Proselytes that then he intended it as a Covenant to do for Life for if he did he must intend to condemn them all for nothing is more evident than that they were all sinners and impossible it is that thou canst deny it to be against this Law they sinned For thou affirmest in the 37 page of thy Book That the New Covenant was not in force till after the Death of Christ therefore they could not according to thy judgement
A PRESERVATIVE AGAINST Atheism and Error Wherein some Fundamental Points in Religion VIZ. 1. The Essence or Being of GOD. 2. The Divine Authority of the holy Scriptures 3. The Majesty Worth Use and Perpetuity of the Moral Law or Law of ten Commandments 4. Our Lord Jesus Christ being the true Messiah Are by way of Question and Answer handled and with much brevity and clearness proved To put a stop to that Currant of Atheism Ignorance and Error that runneth in this evil day To which is added A brief ANSVVER to William Russel in a Book of his entituled No Seventh-day-Sabhath in Christs New Testament As also A brief Word to the Dispute in Stone Chappel at Pauls London By W. SALLER LONDON Printed in the Year 1664. To the Reader Courteous Reader AS Ignorance Atheism and Prophaness hath alwayes abounded in the World so never more than at this day and not only so but even amongst the zealous and well meaning People of this Nation there have been all subtile endeavours used as far as the temper of the People could bear it to wheel them round about to the Gates of Rome again And these endeavours have not been without great success even in the Churches of Christ corrupting their Principles and wounding the very heart of Religion amongst some of them And besides this mortal growing disease there is a notorious carelesness in the most of preserving the Grounds of Religion in purity either by preaching or catechising insomuch as there is ground to fear our distempers will grow past remedy unless God by some gracious means or other put a stop to that Currant of Errour which through the Atheism of some and Ignorance of others is let out and runneth with a mighty stream the sence whereof hath engaged me to write these following lines which I entreat thee to read and consider And if thou beest not fully satisfied in every point if I may know the reason thereof in word or writing or in any such way as becomes a person fearing God and conscientiously willing to finde out the Truth in Love I shall do the best I can to satisfie thee But if I should be fallen upon by some railing Scorner or one whose Confidence out-runs his Understanding and all sober mens also it is like I may take little notice of him So commending my Lines to thy consideration and my prayers to the Lord for thy profiting as also desiring a share in thine if thou beest one that usest to call upon his Name I rest Thy Friend and Servant in the Work of CHRIST W. S. A Preservative against ATHEISM and ERROUR Question VVHat do you judge is the needful work of the day Answer The day calls for many needful works and amongst the rest this for one The laying down such foundations and principles of Religion and Godliness as may through God's blessing recover Religion into its antient Purity and preserve it therein Quest What do you think of the many Catechisms that have been imployed in this service Answ Many have done worthily in opening he Commandments of God and in shewing the use of Christ's Ordinances and several parts of Truth have been usefully opened but yet through their not knowing or not considering how the world is over-spread partly with Atheism and partly with Ignorance have missed of that which is the main and said little or nothing to that which is of most concernment Quest What are those weighty Truths or some of them that should be further spoken to Answ This for one namely The undoubted and unquestionable Being of a God Quest Do you judge that needful Answ Yea for it is not so long since Atheism appeared with an open face in the Ranters and how it appears in the lives of multitudes is too manifest For how do men at this day swear for or against any thing that stands with their present advantage and laugh at that in private as superstitious and ridiculous which they in publick subscribe to as if it were good and sutable to the mind of God with many like Abominations which men could never constantly run on in the course of doing if they did from the heart believe that there is a God For what is more inconsistent with the Being of a God than to own and countenance such works of Iniquity Quest How will you prove convincingly there is a God Answ First It is proved by the Creation of the World for it is altogether impossible for the visible Creation to give it self a being I mean there is no thing which the eye of man can behold which could possibly give it self a being muchless could it give a being to any thing lese As for example Where can any Man find a creature in heaven or in earth indued with Reason and Understanding and so accomplished with Skill to bring to pass such excellent works as he himself can do and yet could he not make himself But it is evident to reason that the first of mankind must have their Being from God muchless could Man have stretched out his hand to the Heavens and have set them at such a wonderful distance from the Earth and have stretched them round about it and so bespangled it with Stars and have given a Being to the Sun Moon and have commanded them to keep their course to all Generations neither could he have made the Earth and the Seas and have stocked them with such variety of Creatures and bound them in a round lump together and commanded this bulkie massie piece to stand firm in the midst of the Heavens these and such-like Works are too wonderful for any but only for Himself who is in Mercy Power Wisdom Fore-knowledge and all eternal Excellency Matchless and Infinite Quest But may it not be objected by an Atheist that all things are by Nature Answ It may and is so objected commonly but the answer is ready at hand thus If it should be supposed that all things are by Nature yet then of necessity this cannot be denied that Nature must be accomplished with such an Almighty Power unsearchable Wisdom and wonderful Love to the whole Earth and especially to Mankind together with all those most glorious Perfections which we commonly ascribe to God for most evident it is that He that wrought out the Being and Well-being of all things is most richly furnished with the very highest Perfections of all Excellency and Goodness and this is no less than to confess the Being of a God Quest Have you any other proof that there is a God Answ The works of Providence do further evidence the Being of a God as first The constant Preservation of the whole Creation that all the hosts of Men and Beasts Fowls and all living Creatures should be in a constant course of Providence fed every day for thousands of years together it evidently shews the Fatherly-care Faithfulness Wisdom and Bounty of a God Again if God doth alter his wonted course at any time and make
the Heavens Brass and the Earth Iron or bring other severe judgements every considering man may clearly discern that the abounding Wickednesse of the Sons of Men have provoked the Giver of all Goodness to take his Mercy away and may well read in all his stroaks a loud call to repentance But further if men do but humble themselves under his hand and return from their evil wayes how graciously doth he return to his ordinary way of shewing Mercy Also if we do consider his governing the World it most wonderfully declares his infinite and eternal Being Take these instances first the Sun Moon and Stats keeping so constant a course ordinarily from Age to Age as also Day and Night Summer and Winter Seed-time and Harvest following each other in a setled course And if the Lord at any time alter the course of any of his Creatures as when the Sun and Moon stood still in Joshua's dayes and came back in Hezekiah's dayes ten degrees the Red-sea divided in Moses's dayes and the River of Jordan driven back or any like act done it alwayes was brought to pass at such times and for some such noble ends as that it did alway more abundantly preach forth the Power Grace Wisdom Justice and unspeakable Goodness of an Eternal God Quest But how know you that these wonderful Works were done Answ Manifest it is that in no age no not in this we now live in can any of the great Works of God get any credit in the world till they are manifest beyond all possibility of dispute therefore there can be no ground for a doubt Secondly Consider his Strength Wisdom and Goodness in governing the World so as that his poor People live in it It is most manifest to all that do consider it that of them that love and fear God and are the most conscionable in minding and observing his Word Works and Worship that they are very few few few in comparison of the multitudes numberless multitudes of blasphemous-Atheists Idolaters prophane unjust deceitful Covenant-breakers with other like workers of Iniquity all setting themselves with open mouth to devour this little Remnant and diging to Hell for deep Counsels to destroy them and yet for all their unjust and cunning policies and oft-times open violence exercised against them through the rich Goodness divine Wisdom and Providence of God they have never yet been rooted out of the Earth but although they have been almost blotted out with the rage and persecution of the World yet hath the Most High still preserved a little Flock of Lambs amidst a world of wolves who fain would but never yet could wholly devour them which plainly proves that there is a God that hath more Power Wisdom Goodness than all their Enemies have strength or malice who ever lives to take care of them Again the Signs that God often sheweth in the sudden and unexpected overturning of their Enemies from time to time is of a very convincing nature to prove that certainly there is a God that judgeth the Earth Quest Seeing you have proved the undoubted and certain Being of a God what is the next weighty Truth that stands in need of proof Answ The next Truth most needful to be cleared is the holy Scriptures to be the Words and Counsels of God Quest Is there any with us do deny them Answ Yes there is some do deny them and more would if fear or shame did not stop their mouths as appears by their works Quest What Books do you mean by holy Scriptures Answ The Writings of Moses and the Prophets till Malachies dayes committed to the antient Church of the Jews and received by them as also the Books of the New Testament from Matthew to the Revelation Quest And wherefore do you reject those Books commonly called Apocrypha do you think the Spirit of God had no hand in the writing of them Answ It seems too hard to conclude that those that wrote those stories had no Light or aid from the Spirit of God in the writing of them they might be good men and hand forth some truths and useful things as many doubtless have done both in former and latter Ages who although we may make good use of their Books yet may we not receive them as infallible Prophets writings but receive or reject or suspend our judgements as we see they agree or disagree with the Word of Truth and clear Reason or appear doubtful Quest But is there reason to take this liberty with those Books what are your grounds to doubt of their infallability Answ Clear it is that however there are good Counsels in some of those Writings yet they seem to be written by some Jews in or after the captivity when their light in all probability was much dimmed and not by the Prophets Also how far from the language and stile of the infallible Spirit of God those Writings are some of them is evident the Spirit of God useth not to acknowledge infirmity and a doing as well as he can for he is perfect and therefore doth nothing meanly Again as there be absurdities not fit to be put upon the holy Spirit as this for one to go about to make us believe the Devil will be frighted away with smoak so also there is one stark lie so rank that a fool may discern it the same person that saith in one place he is the Son of Ananias saith in another he is an holy Angel There be other exceptions I will not now spend time about these may suffice to let you see some ground wherefore I cannot own them to be of divine Authority Quest But how will you prove that those books known by the names of the Old and New Testaments are the infallible Words of God and so the safe Rule to lead men in the true Path of believing and obedience to Life everlasting Answ First They may be known by their noble stile as for example When you hear any persons express themselves judiciously acutely in excellent Language although you never saw them before yet may you safely conclude that they are persons of excellent breeding and quality although they should appear in never so mean a dress So may it much more be concluded concerning the Scriptures their dialect hath that Majesty Holiness Grace and high Wisdom in them most elegantly manifesting the perfections of a divine Being in them and declaring the judiciousness faithfulness and perfection of all his Intentions and Proceedings with the sons of men that it is not likely possible for any gracious considering man to call there Authority into question Secondly The blessed Intention and scope of them discover them to proceed from the holy Spirit all the Commandments Threatnings Promises Warnings Counsels Declarations contained in them unanimously tending to advance Godliness in the hearts and lives of men Thirdly The several Doctrines and points of Truth contained in them are so wisely and holily compacted standing in so sweet an Union together and so
and good the end of them all tending to advance Love with Holiness Witness Baptism the Lord's Supper and the rest of his Appointments so that to his time and in him this Prophecy of good old Father Jacob is fulfilled but since him there hath been no Law-giver to the House of Judah and therefore the Messiah cannot be to come unless we should reject Moses's writings and account them fables which God forbid The other two Texts are Haggai the 2.7 9. and Mal. 3.1 In the former of these Texts you have a Promise made to Zerubbabel that the desire of all Nations should come and that the Temple he built should be filled with Glory yea have greater Glory than the former built by Solomon although it were in comparison of it as nothing yea so great a difference was there between them for all outward glory that the old men that had seen the first House lamented the meanness of this latter House as much as the young men rejoyced at its Glory Ezra 3.12 13. So that it is evident to every indifferent and impartial man that the coming of Christ to that House while it remained should be the great Glory promised to it Likewise the Promise in Malachi cuts off all cavels about the matter for there the Promise runs clear The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in And if it be considered no man can doubt but that our Lord Jesus is the Christ who did come to that Temple and by his Presence and blessed Doctrine made it glorious even while it was yet standing for if these Texts be not fulfilled in Christ our Lord they never can be fulfilled at all for the Promises were made of his coming to that Temple which Zerubbable built and cannot be understood of one that is yet to be built although it should be built the next month for that can never be said to be done suddenly that remains so many hundred years undone as it is since Malachi wrote neither if the Messiah should come to another Temple not yet in being would it signifie any thing as to the fulfilling of any Promise made concerning that Temple then which Zerubbabel built but the Promises were made to that Temple then known and in being if ever those Prophets intended their meaning should be known by their words and therefore we must own our Lord Jesus for the true Messiah and Saviour of mankind or else reject Moses and the Prophets or put out the eye of our understanding and reason Quest Have you some further proof of this great Truth Answ The glorious Miracles which he did in the dayes of his flesh and his Ministers after him so plentifully recorded in the New Testament be an evident witness of the truth of his being sent of God Who that is not assisted with omnipotency can give eyes to the blind yea to those born blind and cure such as are lame from the womb cast out Devils by a word of command raise the dead four dayes dead with cures of all kinds Quest But may not an unbelieving person say how shall the truth of all this be known Answ To which I say where is the Book the Author or Record that could ever be produced that hath substantially discovered the falfity of the Records of the New Testament if not we may be sure it is most true for there never wanted either malice or skill to have done it if it could possibly have been done Quest Is there any further proof of this because it is a point of great importance Answ The Prophecies that went before of him where he should be born and of whom a Virgin of the House of David what he should suffer and by what hands how he should be numbred with transgressors be pierced his garments parted lots cast upon his vesture and He sold for 30 pieces of Silver which should come into the Potters hands with whatsoever was written in the Old Testament of the Messiah it was to a tittle fulfilled in our Lord Jesus and that in the very letter of it so that here is no place left for our doubting if malice blind not our understandings Quest Is there any thing more to be said to this point Answ Yea this may be further added as a proof in the case The holiness unspottedness of his Life and Doctrine As for his Doctrine it speaks for its self and lies fair to be seen in the New Testament and as for his Life although many scandals were raised upon him as if he were a friend of publicans and sinners a Devil a Sabbath-breaker yet no jot of this dirt can stick to this spotless Lamb for whosoever shall make the closest search and scruteny into his actions shall see that that which seems most probable to be true is most false how far are his cures on the Sabbath from breaking the Sabbath the man that he commanded to carry his bed who had been 38 years sick was an action so far from breaking the Sabbath that there was nothing like that could have been done or said that could have preached Christ so convincingly to the Consciences of men to be the Anointed of God that they might believe and be saved so neither this nor any thing else can manifest the least evil in him but contrarily his Life is so innocent that in the face of his greatest opposers he could say Which of you convinceth me of sin John 8.46 Quest Indeed Holiness is a glorious Argument and much tends to stop an enemies mouth but if you have another let us hear it Answ I have two more and the first of them is The constant Experience of all true Believers in all Ages never did any person go to the Father by prayer and supplication in his necessity asking in Christ's Name and according to his Commandment believing in Him that ever was disappointed of his hope This not only I have many hundred experiences of but it is a general case all the truly Faithful since Christ to this day can set their seal to this Truth Quest Experience is a strong Argument but let us hear your sixth and last Answ My last is not my least it is taken from that glorious Testimony that God gave of him in his Death and Resurrection First at his Death The Darkness that was from the sixth hour to the ninth that is from that you call 12 a Clok to that you call 3 a Clok in the afternoon is a clear manifestation that God accounted his enemies cruelty against him a blak action for this darkness could come from no natural cause the Passover being alwayes at a Full Moon and therefore in the North and North-East at that time of the day far enough from causing any Eclipse and he died at the time of the Passover all this is beyond dispute Secondly The Vaile of the Temple rent in twain from the top to the bottome this being a hanging