books of Scripture and their wonderful humility in conculcating their own glory and confessing their own grosse faults and delinquencies when they have occasion to speak of themselves that they may exhibite and ascribe all glory to God manifesteth the divine authority of their writings for we know it is otherwise in all other Authors The truth hereof appears first from the books which Moses writ wherein he hath reported not only the cruelty of his grandfather Levi to the discredit of his own birth but also openly confesseth his own sin and how much the Lord was offended with him for it several times so as he was therefore debarred the entrance into the Land of (a) Numb 20.12 Canaan This truth also appeareth from the Gospel of S. Mark for there S. Peter's sin in he denial of his Master is more expresly set forth and aggravated then in any of the other Gospels and yet was it penned if not by the dictation of S. Peter as some report yet by his approbation at least as saith (a) Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 2. cap. 15. Eusebius Lastly the Apostle Paul likewise rips up his own faults and notifies them with aggravation I was saith he a blasphemer a persecutor and an (a) 1 Tim. 1.13 oppressor This argues strongly that these men were set on work by God and guided by him and not by their own fancies and affections in that they were so far from flattery connivance or partiality that they spared not themselves at all nor regarded their own disgrace and infamy so that thereby glory might accrue to God In the eighth and last place Ar ∣ gument 12 the irresistible and supernatural power and efficacy of this word doth mightily declare it to be divine and heavenly which it expresseth not by one or two acts but by various operations and those specifically distinct one from another which ordinarily and frequently issue and proceed from it More especially we may observe these four supernaturl effects of it as demonstrative of its divinity First It 's a searcher of the heart and a discerner of the most secret thoughts and intricate imaginations of it and a revealer of the same this appears from Psalm 14.1 where it speaks thus The fool hath said in his heart there is no God Which affirmation imports that the Inditer of the Psalms was privy to some thoughts in the hearts of fools which none but God himself can discern Nay Scripture reveals some such thoughts as man himself without the light of it would searely ever have espied as that All the thoughts and imaginations of mans heart are only evill (a) Gen. 6.5 continually And that concupiscence is sin which Paul confesseth he had not known if the Law had not said thou shalt not (b) Rom. 7.7 lust And therefore this word which pierceth thus deeply as to the rifling of the very cogitations of mans heart must needs be of God whose alone property it is to search the heart and least through the propensity of mans nature to slight those things which belong unto his peace we should neglect or overslip the observation of this as a note of the divine power of Scripture it self rounds us in the ear in two places if not more and gives us intelligence and notice of it In one place it tells us That the word of God speaking of this written word is lively and mighty in operation and sharper then a two-edged sword dividing between the soul and the spirit and the joynts and marrow and is a disceruer of the thoughts and intents of the (c) Heb. 4.12 heart And in another place it saith That the illiterate unbelieving person having the thoughts of his heart made manifest by prophesie that is by the word preached will fall down on his face and worship God and report that God is in the (a) 2 Cor. 14.25 Preacher Where it gives us to understand that the discovery of mens thoughts by the preaching of the word shall extort from them this open and ingenuous confession that verily God speaks in them and that the word is his which is published by them Secondly the supernatural power of Scripture appears in that it shakes and terrifies the consciences of wicked men even the greatest upon earth of Kings and Princes and that in such a sort as is impossible for the word of any mortal to do That it doth so is clear from these instances in Scripture It 's said of Saul King of Israel that he was so affrighted with the Prophet Samuel his reproof of him for his disobedience to God's word that he confessed his sin to Samuel which he had denied before and sued to Samuel for favour with all (b) Sam. 15.24 submisnesse It 's said also of Felix who was a Vice-roy that he trembled when he heard Paul preach of righteousnesse and the judgement to (c) Acts 24.26 come Now that mans word should be thus formidable to Kings and Princes it cannot be imagined because no man hath coercive or compulsive power over the King and where such power is wanting menacies from thence are no more feared then the crack of a paper gun at least not in that manner and measure that the affrighted consciences of men do fear the thundrings and threatnings of the Law in Scripture And therefore that word which strikes such deep horror and amazement into the hearts of men yea of Kings who fear no mans word because no man hath coercive power over them must needs be more then humane Thirdly It usually prevails against the enemies and haters of it such as all men are by nature to open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God and to win them to a love and liking of it self which is an effect proper only to divine power That it doth produce this effect I presume no Christians will deny whence it testifieth of it self that it converts (a) Psal 19.7 souls and is the power of God to (b) Rom. 1.16 salvation And that it 's mighty through God to cast down strong holds casting down the imagination and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of (c) 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Christ This is a supernatural effect and wrought by the power of this word and therefore it necessarily and concludingly follows that it 's not mans word for that cannot work above the strength of nature of or by it self neither can win the affection of him that hates it without a change or variation of it self which yet this word doth If it be objected that it 's not the power of the word but the power of God's spirit that produceth this effect I answer that it 's true indeed that God's Spirit is the principal efficient cause hereof but the word is the instrumental and so the concurrence and cooperation of the Spirit of God
and blind whether is greater the gold or the Temple that sanctifieth the gold But the word sanctifies the Church so saith our Saviour Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is (b) Joh. 17.17 truth And again Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto (c) Joh. 15.3 you And saith S. Faul Christ gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water through the (d) Ephes 5.20 word The word therefore communicating sanctity and so therewith authority unto the Church must needs precede and excel it in both If any ask against whom I take up this weapon seeing the Church of Rome seems to disclaim and disavow this Tenet For the Rhemists in their Annotations on Gal. 2.2 affirm the disputation of this question to be superfluous and the comparison to be altogether unfit to be made I answer in the words of the Apostle So fight I not as one that beateth the (e) 1 Cor. 9.26 air I do not with the foolish Affricans called Psylli as Gellius reports take up Arms against the wind For besides divers others hereafter mentioned the said Doctors who would seem to decline this opinion and this unseemly comparison do in the very same place depresse the Scriptures and make them inferiour to the Church in four respects 1. In respect of Antiquity in that the Church was before them 2. In excellence of nature in that the Church is the Spouse of Christ the Temple of God and the proper subject of God and his graces for which Church the Scriptures were and not the Church for the Scriptures 3. In power of judging the Church having judicial power to determine of doubtful questions touching the sense of the Scriptures and other controversies of Religion of which judicial power the Scriptures are not capable 4. In evidence the definitions of the Church being more clear and evident then those of the Scriptures Now if by the Church they understood the whole Catholique Church and so included all the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles by whom the Scriptures were penned the contestation between us and them would not be so irreconcileable But their drift is to entitle the present Church Militant which is but one small part of the whole Catholique Church to those glorious prerogatives which belong not unto it And that it 's this Church which they so strive to advance above the Scriptures it 's more then manifest outof the writings of many of their Authors of special note amongst them as namely out of Pighius Melchior Canus and Stapleton All which in their writings quoted in the margent (a) Pig de Hierar eccle lib. 2. cap. 2. Can. loc com theolog lib. 2. cap. 8. Stapl. Doctr. princip lib. 9. cap. 12. here attribute authority to the present Church Militant above the Scriptures And Cardinall Bellarmine writes after their Copy affirming That the strength of all ancient Councels and of all opinions in doctrine doth depend upon the authority of the present (b) Bellar de effectu Sacram lib. 2. cap. 25. in fine Church Whereas therefore the fore-named Doctors of Rhemes did one while affirm all comparison between the preheminence and authority of the Church and Scriptures to be unfit to be made and anotherwhile spin out a tedious comparison between them about the very same particular they bewrayed both their personal weaknesse and the weaknesse of the cause which they intended to strengthen by stating and discussing that question which with their tongues or pens they had before disallowed to be disputed of Hitherto of the Theological conclusions inferred from this principle That Scripture is demonstratively divine Now it follows to speak of some duties for practice that may be raised and urged upon all sorts of persons from it and namely both upon Magistrates Ministers and People First This challengeth from all Christian Kings and Princes who are God's Vice-roys upon Earth all honourable respect patronage and possble protection of this holy word of God against all religions and opinions in Religion which are repugnant unto it and against all persons that either in word or deed doctrine or life slight or dishonour it For they sustaining the person of God here on earth for which they are dignified with the title of gods themselves in this (a) Psal 82.6 word do owe this reciprocal respect to him whose Vicegerents and Ministers they are to see as much as in them lies all due observance honour and obedience to be exhibited to this his sacred Word Thus did the good King Josiah for when the Book of the Law which was known to be God's Book was found in the house of the Lord and shewed unto him he presently summoned all the Elders of Judah and Jerusalem to appear before him and then himself rehearsed in their ears all the words of God's Book and made a Covenant both for himself and all the people that they should keep the Commandements and accomplish the Covenant written in it and suppressed all religions which did impunge it and removed all occasions and instruments of Idolatry and whatsoever else was adverse to the contents of (b) 2 Kin. 23. it Yea further it 's said that he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Beniamin to stand to (c) 2 Chro. 34.32 it And thus have all good and godly Princes ever done both under the Law and the Gospel And it 's great reason they should for the Scepter of Christ's Kingdom which is this word of his is a Scepter of (a) Psal 45.6 righteousnesse And a rod of (b) Psal 110.2 strength And when Kings Scepters uphold it then it defends them like the roof of a building either of wood or stone and the walls or pillars thereof which afford a reciprocal and mutual aid and benefit each to other the pillars or walls support and uphold the roof and the roof doth protect consolidate and corroborate them Thus the Scepter was never taken away from the Kings of Israel and Judah so long as they swayed it for the defence of God's word but while they were observant of it God was propitious to them Nor doth this duty lie solely upon the highest powers but upon all secondary and subordinate Magistrates both Counsellors of State Nobles Judges and Justices whom god hath advanced to such high places of honour and put into their hands the sword of justice for this very end primarily that they might weild it according to his word and for it according to the directions and rules that he hath inscribed in it and for the support of the honour and authority of it by punishing and suppressing all impious scorners prophaners and transgressors thereof And verily when they do thus execute justice by the word of God and for it and without connivence or partiality then are they the very nerves and sinews of the body of the Commonwealth and bring both strength and glory unto it When
tells us that the Angels had a desire to look into certain things of Scripture namely the accomplishment of the predictions of Christ's sufferings and glory where the Original Greek word which he useth to expresse their introspection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the genuine and proper sense signifies a stooping to behold some thing hid which imports that they were ignorant of the full meaning of these prophesies till they were fulfilled and revealed by the Gospel And if to Angels the depth of this divine mystery be inscrutable much more to man who therefore is commanded very oft to read study and search the Scriptures which precepts stand in force to the end of mans life yea to the end of this world and therefore necessarily imply that as there must be no end of searching so neither can there be any end of finding but that a man may find more where he hath found much before and yet leave much unfound still when he hath searched what he can And to this truth the most accomplisht Divines of former times have afforded their suffrage St. Augustine saith In ipsis sanctis Scripturis mulâ—ò nesciâ— plura quam scio (a) August Epist 119. in the holy Scriptures I am ignorant of much more then I know And again he saith Mira profunditas eloquiorum tuorum Deus meus mira profunditas horror est intendere in eam horror honoris tremor amoris (b) Aug. Confess lib. 12. cap. 14. There is a wonderful profoundnesse in thy word O my God a wonderful profoundnesse it makes a man quake to look upon it intentively to quake for reverence and to tremble for the love thereof And a greater Divine then he saith speaking to God himself thereof Thy knowledge is too wonderful for me it is so high that I cannot attain unto it (c) Psal 139.6 And therefore prayeth to God in another place to open his eyes that he might see the wonders of his Law (d) Psal 119 18. Hence then I infer that if neither man nor Angel can wade into the depth of Scripture already invented and set forth then neither man nor Angel could be the inventers and Authors of it but of necessity a superior intelligence to these which can be no other but God himself Neither let any here think that this argument any whit favours the tenet of the Church of Rome which chargeth the Scripture with obscurity for though it be replenished and thereby indeed richly imbellished and beautified with variety of mysticall difficulties so as some things be hard to be understood as St. Peter confesseth (a) 2 Pet. 3.16 yet is it apert and perspicuous also in many places where the necessary way to life eternal is delineated and described and in so many places perspicuous as are sufficient fully to instruct men in all points of absolute necessity to be known and believed unto salvation And agreeable hereto is that speech uttered by wisedome her self (b) Prov. 8.9 All the words of my mouth are plain to him that will understand and straight to them that would find knowledge So that in it is propounded both milk and strong meat that for babes which are unexpert in the word of righteousness and this for them that are at age which through long custome have their wits exercised to discern between good and evil (c) Heb. 5.13 14. And hence have sundry of the fathers compared it to a River where there is a shallow ford for the Lamb to wade in and a profound deep for the Elephant to swim in And least any should suspect our modern Divines to be coiners of this distinction hear what the ancient Orthodox Fathers have taught us about it even from primitive times S. Chrysostome thus speaks Omnia clara sunt ac plana ex Scripturis divinis quaecunque necessaria sunt manifesta sunt (a) Chrysost in 2 Tessal 2. All things are clear and plain out of the holy Scriptures whatsoever things are necessary are manifest S. Augustine thus In his quae aperte posita funt in Scriptura inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque vivendi spem scilicet charitatem (b) Aug. de doctr Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. Amongst those things which are apertly or apparently set down in Scripture are all those things found which contain faith and good manners as namely hope and charity Irenaeus long before them thus as Chemnitius hath it (c) Chem. exa deer Conci Trid. part 1. in loco de Epist Apost prope finem Licet multa sunt obscura parabolica Scripturae loca regula tamen ipsa veritatis in Scripturis sacris in aperto posita est Albeit there be many obscure and parabolical places of Scripture yet the rule of truth it self is clearly set down Nay the Apostle Peter himself laies down the ground of this distinction in the place before cited (a) 2 Pet. 3.16 where he saith of Paul's Epistles that in them some things are hard to be understood for this of necessity implies that some things again be easie I had now done with this Argument but that meeting with Mr. Parson the Jesuite his approbation of it as a most evident declaration that God was the Author of holy Writ I thought I might do well to give notice of it His words are these as they are expressed by one Mr. Bunny who published a Treatise of the said Jesuites about Christian Resolution (b) Parson Resol part 2. cap. 2. sect 3. in 7. proof of Scripture These Doctrines and many other contained in the Bible being things above mans capacity to devise and nothing agreeing with humane reason most evidently do declare that God was the Author and Inditer of the Scriptures for that by him only and by no other those high and secret mysteries could be revealed Where it 's to be noted that he affirms the mysteries of Scripture to declare not only evidently but most evidently that God was the Author of them Which assertion infringeth the doctrine of the present Church of Rome taught by Bellarmine formerly who affirmeth That it cannot be sufficiently known from Scripture alone that there is any divine Scripture (a) Bellar de Verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 4. arg 4. And of late by one Mr. John Fisher a Jesuite in the frontispiece of his book against Dr. White dedicated to King James where he toils himself to prove That the highest ground and final resolution of faith about this point is the tradition and testimony of the Church which must needs be otherwise if the high and hidden doctrines of the Scripture it self do most evidently declare the same as Mr. Parsons there affirmeth very truly for the most evident declaration of a truth must needs be the highest ground thereof I thought it not impertinent to mention this sentence of Mr. Parsons as speaking for the truth in this controversie between us and the Church of Rome to be defended on our
part when so approved and aplauded a Doctor of their own gives his suffrage with us which I shall further and more fully manifest by other sayings of his and those more punctual and expresse to this purpose in the fift internal argument of this ensuing Treatise whereby all devout Roman Catholiques with us who have many a smooth tale told them by Priests and Jesuits of the unity and consent of all approved Doctors of the Church of Rome in all points of faith may see apparently that this it a false ostentation and a transparent untruth discovering it self also in many other points controverted between us and them and so may deservedly suspect them to be but seducers or at the best but self-seekers in their pretence of the Catholique cause I come now to a fourth evidence of the divinity of Scripture from within it self Argument 8 which is the admirable sympathy and consent the heavenly harmony and agreement between all the books and sayings thereof though penned by divers persons and those both in several places and ages and yet all conspiring together in delivering one and the same point of doctrine to wit That through the name of Christ all that believe in him shall receive remission of sins (a) Acts 10.43 And also the unanimity and concordance of all the Amanuenses and Penmen thereof being so many and yet all yielding their suffrage and approbation each to other as they succeeded one another without either detraction from one anothers persons or confutation or contradiction of one anothers writings This heavenly harmony I say suggests to the ear of an indifferent man that reads without prejudice that these holy men of God as S. Peter calls them (b) 2 Pet. 1.21 the Penmen of Scripture were God's notaries and both spake and writ as they were actuated and moved by the holy Ghost and that these their writings were the very dictates of that same spirit that searchâ—th the deep things of God (a) 1 Cor. 2.10 In which respect both Theodoret (b) In prefat in Psalm and S. Gregory (c) Grego in prefat in Psalm have fitly termed the tongues and hands of all the writers of Scripture the pens of the holy Ghost for such an agreement was never heard of amongst several Authors writing of the same subject since the beginning of the world But the contrary hath been most apparent among all sorts of humane writers every one hunting after his own praise by anothers disgrace whereof I might produce numerous instances Whereas here we have all the Canonical books of the Old Testament namely of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalmes approving each other as they follow in order and all approved of in the New Testament both by our Saviour John Baptist the Apostles and the Evangelists and all these also giving testimony and approbation each to other at all times upon just occasion as all though but slenderly versed in the reading of the Scriptures undoubtedly know Add hereunto that which wil drive this nail to the head the miraculous agreement of all these books together not only in the main point and drift of all which is the salvation of mankind by the alone incarnation death and suffering of Christ but also in all other points yea and in all circumstances as many learned Divines have sufficiently declared by clearing solving and reconciling all knotty doubts about this question and seeming contradictions whatsoever throughout the whole Scriptures that ever yet have been moved or mentioned Fifthly Argu ∣ ment 9 The certain accomplishment of those many prophesies and predictions of holy writ concerning things to come meerly causual and contingent and no way depending upon natural causes is an argument undeniable of the divinity of it if it can be demonstrated that the said prophesies were uttered before the events and were not any supposititious or counterseit writings published since the events to delude the world which I shall undertake to clear by undoubted testimony for that such prophesies must needs be truly divine no man can deny according to that in Isaiah where God himself provokes the Idols of the Gentiles to stand to their cause and to declare things to come that thereby they may be known to be gods (a) Isa 41.23 Now the precedence of these predictions both in the Old Testament and in the New before their events I thus demonstrate First For the Old Testament I will omit those many predictions which were fulfilled within the time of its own durance and continuance as not demonstrative to meer reason that they were by divine inspiration and insist onely in the prophesies about our Saviour Christ's incarnation miracles and passion and the vocation of the Gentiles to the Christian faith which were fulfilled in the time of the Gospel which being proved to have been fulfilled a long time after their prediction by the Prophets is an undeniable demonstration that they were uttered by inspiration from God himself Now that they were fulfilled a long time after their prediction and that the Books of Moses the Psalms and the Prophets where these predictions are recorded were extant before the events we have many pregnant proofs from the testimony both of Jews and Gentiles and those such as lived in the very interval of tiem between the prophesies and their accomplishment Amongst which the most remakable and famous is the Septuagints Translation of the Old Testament into the Greek Tongue still extant which was done by the means and at the charges of Ptolomy Philadelph a King of Egypt as before hath bâ—en mentioned neer upon three hundred years before our Saviour Christ and there laid up in the King's Library The History whereof is set forth by one Aristaeus a learned Gentile then living and highly in favour with the said King and the book is still to be seen Which Aristaeus together with one Demetrius Phalereus Master of the said King's Library was an especial instrument for the procuring of the said Translation to be done by 72. Elders of the Jews out of every Tribe six Which was doubtlesse purposely brought to passe by God's all seeing and all-swaying providence to take away all suspicion of contriving the prophesies of Scripture after the events Another witnesse of this Translation is Philo Judaeus (a) Philo de vita Moysis lib. 3. who lived in our Saviour Christ's time as before hath been said And a third witnesse is Josephus in his forenamed History of the Antiquity of the (b) Josep Antiq. Jud. lib. 12. cap. 2. Jews So that from these Authors testimony besides a number more that I might produce it 's most apparent that the Old Testamâ—nt and so consequently the prophesies lapped up thâ—rein were extant in their time which was long before thâ—ir evâ—nt and therefore were not forged since Now for the predictions of the New Testament I shall make it most clear and evident that they also did precede their event so many of them as are fulfilled
And omitting many other for brevities sake I will instance in some few best known and confessed of all to be fulfilled First Our Saviour Christ foretold the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction and subversion both of it and the (a) Luk. 19.43 44. Temple and the calamitous and distressed estate of the inhabitants of that City at that time to come to passe before one generation should passe (b) Matth. 24.34 away and the dissipation of the people of the Jews from thenceforth among all (c) Luk. 21.24 Nations The former of these Josephus a Jew before named and no Christian reports that he saw come to passe with his own eyes in a lamentable History which he hath written of the wars of the (d) Josep de Bella Jud. lib. 7. Jews And every Nation in Europe seeth likewise the fulfilling of the other over all which and many more Countrys also the Jews are all now dispersed and scattered Our blessed Saviour also foretold that the Gospel should be preached to all Nations before the finall (e) Mark 13.10 judgement The accomplishment of which prophesie having had its beginning in some measure in S. Augustine's time is noted by him as a special mark and cognisance of the Divinity of Scripture his words are these Ex uno homine quem primùm Deus condidit genus humanum sumsit exordium secundum sanctae Scripturae fidem quae mirabilem authoritatem non immeritò habet in orbe terrarum atque in omnibus gentibus quas sibi esse credituras inter caetera quae dixit verâ divinitate (a) Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 12. cap. 9. in fine praedixit From one man whom God first created mankind derived its beginning according to the testimony of the holy Scripture which hath admirable authority in the world and among all Nations and not without cause in that among other things which it hath divinely foretold this is one That all Nations should believe it And we our selves also see it to be dayly fulfilled still more and more for both the Indians from Spain and the Virginians and other barbarous people from England have of late years received the Gospel The Apostle Paul prophesied of some that should teach doctrines of Divels by forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from (b) 1 Tim. 4.3 meats This prophesie was fulfilled in the next succeeding age about 90 or 100 years after for then arose the Hereâ—icks Marcion Tatianus and Montanus and divers others discipled by them who taught that marriage was to be abhorred and commanded abstinence from living creatures that is from eating (c) Iren. advers Haere lib. 1. cap. 30. Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 4. cap. 27. flesh Now that the New Testament was written and so these prophesies extant before their accomplishment we have a cloud of witnesses As Clement S. Paul's disciple Justin Marryr of whom Tatianus had sometime been an auditor and disciple who also writ a book against Marcion (d) Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 4. cap. 11. Aegesippus Papias Polycarpus Ignatius with many others who writ books in their time wherein they quote the Scriptures of the New Testament and were all living in or before the time of the afore-named Hereticks which undeniably demonstrates the Gospel to be written and so these predictions to have had precedence before the event S. Pâ—ul also foretold of the conversion of the Jews to the Christian faith in several (a) Rom. 11.20 2 Cor. 3.16 places now this for ought we know is not yet fulâ—illed but undoubtly shall be in its due time which when it comes to passe shall cry down the incredulity of all such doubting spirits as will not receive the knowledge and love of this truth of the divinity of Scripture that they might be saved I have been long in this argument and yet I have not done with it for now again Mr. Parson's applause of the prevalent force of this argument as irrefragable and above all other for undoubted confirmation of the point in hand comes in my way and may not be omitted Who in the place formerly mentioned not very many lines intervening speaks thus This alone meaning the accomplishment of prophesies in Scripture doth convince most apparently all proofs and reasons and other arguments laid aside that these Scriptures are of God and of his eternal and infallible (a) Pars Resol par 2. cap. 2. sect 3. in 7. proof of Scripture spirit And again afterward he affirmeth That these prophesies being fulfilled are sufficient to establish any mans faith in the (b) Idem eâ—dem ca. 4. Ser. 1. in 4. consid world These sentences of Mr. Parson's do give his fellow Fisher such an affront for teaching the point formerly mentioned in the third internal Argument that I am confidently perswaded the most acute polite refinedwits in al that Fraternity wil never be able to reconcilethem Sixthly Let the whole form and frame of the doctrine of Scripture Ar ∣ gument 10 and the mould of mans natural disposition be compared together and we may observe and discover such a repugnancy between them as may induce us to believe that no man would ever write the same for it futits not at all with mans liking or desire nor accommodates it self in any place to humour man and please his corrupt nature But contrarily laies open the basenesse of his birth and the foulnesse of his sin and shame which every man naturally desires to conceal and cover crosseth his desires frustrates his hopes recordeth accusations indictments and restimonies against him finally denounceth judgment condemnation against him in that way which seems good unto him (a) Prov. 14.12 in that course of life which he best likes and loves Who then can imagine this to be mans devise or composed by him which is so derogatory from his estimation whereof he is so tender so averse from his humor and disposition to which he is so indulgent especially considering with what earnest and vehement asseverations the positions and doctrines of Scripture are a vouched and avoived to be divine truths If indeed this book did seem to be composed but jocose and not in earnest as that doth which Erasmus writ in the praise of folly or to be penned for â—stentation of eloquence and ingenuity like Craneades his second Oration which he made before Cato the Censor in dispraise of justice having made one the day before in the high commendation of it in the same place Then there might be some ground for surmise and suspition that some man might be the Author of it But seeing neither of these can be collected from the context and that the whole scope and drift of the book throughout is truly and verily to abase and humble all men before God it cannot probably be reputed to be any mans work In the seventh place Ar ∣ gument 11 the integrity and impartial fidelity of the writers of several
word by the Churches enunciation and report but afterwards they believe much more firmly and undoubtedly when they come to enjoy the sight and knowledge of the Scriptures themselves So that the most that can be gathered from that speech of S. Augustines is but this That the testimony and tradition of the Church is usually the first inducement to men to give credit to the truth and so consequently to the divinity of the Gospel which is not denied But then this credulity is afterwards corroborated and more fully setled and confirmed by more evident certain and infallible groundsout of Scripture it self discovered especially by the help of divine grace from the spirit of God which of all other saith Amen to this truth and sets the surest seal thereof upon the soul and conscience as our Saviour gives us to understand when he saith If any man will do God's will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of (a) Joh. 7.17 God That is he shall know best and most assuredly as having information and attestation thereof from the Spirit of God Yet always God's spirit tells the conscience this out of Scripture for as it suggested and dictated the Scripture at the first so it whispers in the ear of the soul the same note still and hath no discrepant voice or suggestion from it but whatsoever it testifieth it suggests the same not by any secret instinct and spiritual insusurration different from the written word according to the vertiginous fancy and dotage of the Enthusiasts the family of Love as they are phrased and some other of the Anabaptistical sect but by a still voice out of and according to the Scripture Whence is that saying of St. Chrysostome Frustra jactat se Spiritum sanctum habere qui non loquitur ex (b) Chrysost de Popu Antioche Homil 50. Evangelio In vain doth he boast to have the holy Ghost that speaketh not out of the Gospel And therefore we read that when our Saviour enlightened his Apostles understandings it was That they might understand the (a) Luke 24.45 Scriptures And that when he promised to send the Comforter unto them to teach them all things he addeth Whatsoever I have said unto (b) John 14.26 you which intimates that he should teach them no new doctrine So that we are not to believe an Angel from Heaven if he preach any other Gospel then that which the Apostles have (c) Gal. 1.8 preached which we have written in the New Testament And so it was said always of old To the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in (d) Isa 8.20 them Thus then I conclude That the conscience may be verily resolved and a rational man compelled to acknowledge and believe with an acquired historical faith that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are divine by convincing arguments and evidences apparent even to reason and that from Scripture it self especially Nor am I single in this opinion for I find in S. Augustine the like conclusion who speaking of the Penmen of Scripture delivers this sentence Verè illos magnos divinos fuisse legem illam Dei jussu voluntate promulgatam esse credo id quamvis perpauca illorum librorum sciam facilè persuadere possum si mihi adhibeatur aequus non pertinax (a) Aug. de Vtilita tecredendi cap. 5. animus Verily saith he I believe that they the penmen of Scripture were great and divine men and that that Law was promulgated by the commandent and will of God and this though I knew but a few of those books I am able easily to perswade if I meet but with an equal-minded man that is not pertinacious But to believe this with a divine faith without which it 's never soundly and perfectly embraced must be a work of God's Spirit only from whom alone all such faith proceedeth And so I end the first part of this Treatise The second part of this Treatise which is an application of the Doctrine proved to certaine special uses HAving now laid a sure foundation of this truth that Scripture is God's own word which cannot be shaken it behoves me to superstruct upon it lest that aspersion be cast upon me which the improvident builder is blemished withal in the Gospel This man began to build but was not able to make an (a) Luke 14.30 end This doctrine then is useful both for theory and practice both for information and for exhortation First For information of the understanding two inferences or conclusions are deducible from it First That no man may presume to dispense with this word because it 's God's for being his none but he hath authority and power to exempt any man from obligation to it or any part of it This is a conclusion undeniable and therefore speaks the practice of some late Popes of Rome to be very culpable and inexcusable who have presumed to grant dispensations for marriages within the degrees forbidden in this word of God and to exempt subjects from obedience to their lawful Soveraign strictly commanded in this word This hath been practised by the Papal power of late years here in this Nation And it 's the more inexcusable in that they undertake to justifie it This I find in Cardinal Bellarmine's works who to prove the Popes Supremacy draws an argument from his power to grant dispensations and then doth instance in a dispensation which Pope Gregory granted to the English about marriages within the degrees (a) Bellar de Romano Pontif. lib. 2. cap. 19. forbidden And I can here produce a credible Author who affirms that divers of the Church of Rome have not blushed to defend openly and that under their hands that the Pope hath power to dispence Contra ius divinum contra Apostolum contra Novum Testamentum against the law of God against an Apostle and against the New (b) Favor Antiquit cap. 6. paulo post medium Testament But I am perswaded that now since the reformation hath detected many of their grosse hallucinations the wise and learned among them do distaft and disclaim all such blaspemous and unsavoury assertions A second consequent or conclusion that I deduce from this truth That Scripture is God's own word is this That therefore it 's of superior and greater authority then the present Church militant And this I prove from hence by two reasons First Because the present Church Militant is holy and divine but only in part and after a sort and in this regard is subject unto error whereas the Scripture is simply and totally divine for All Scripture is given by inspiration of God saith (a) 2 Tim. 3.16 S. Paul and therefore must needs be most authentical A second reason is this That which sanctifieth is greater then that which is sanctified by it so our Saviour himself argued against the Scribes and Pharisees Ye fools
to his Apostles into all the world and preach the Gospel to every (c) Mark 16.15 creature If indeed the Church knew who would pervert the Scriptures she might with better reason withhold them from such but this she knoweth not and therefore is tyed to hold them forth indifferently unto all Secondly As all should learn so all should believe this word yea all this word because it 's God's for therefore every tittle of it must be (d) John 17.17 truth and hence is it oft called The word of truth both in the Old Testament and in the (e) Psal 119.43 Prov. 22.21 Eph. 1.13 Col. 1.5 New So that Till Heaven and Earth perish one jot or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the law till all be (f) Mat. 5.18 fulfilled The sons of men indeed are lyers so saith the Psalmist Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye to be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter then (a) Psal 62.9 vanity So that there is neither any sure hold of their words nor any certain truth in them that we may securely rely upon But in God's word we may trust as altogether infallible for it is impossible that he should lye or (b) Heb. 6.18 deceive I will here omit the dilatation and enlargement of this point which I might enter into by the quotation of those many Texts of Scripture which yield very copious testimony to it and will only endeavour to fasten this exhortation upon all with these two reasons First we see by experience of the time past that all things are fulfilled and still come to passe dayly according to this word and agreeably to the voice and tenour of it which therefore urgeth upon us a belief of the whole contents of it concerning things yet to come for if the event hath proved it to speak truth in all things that it hath foretold should come to passe then even common reason binds us to believe it to utter the truth in all things also that it foretels are yet to come As we see experience of mans mortality by the extinction of former generations makes all undoubtedly believe the truth thereof for all succeeding ages Now that Scripture predictions have at all times come to passe in their seasons I could produce numerous attestations both out of the Old Testament and the New but because the most of them are well known of all I will rehearse but only two of special note one of Joshua and another of King Solomon Joshua in his time speaks thus to the children of Israel Behold this day I am going the way of all the Earth and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all are come to passe unto you and not one thing hath failed (a) Josh 23.14 thereof This Joshua spake purposely to fasten upon them a stable belief of the fulfilling of such Scripture predictions as then were to come as appears from his words following in the next verse where he adds these words Therefore it shall come to passe that as all good things are come upon you which the Lord your God promised you so shall the Lord bring upon you all evill things untill be have destroyed you from off this good Land which the Lord your God hath given you The like attestation here of gave Solomon in his time afterwards Blessed be the Lord said he that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised there hath not failed one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his (b) 1 Kin. 8.56 servant Another reason that should urge all men to believe this Word is this because he that believes it not makes God a lyar so much as in him lieth in that hereby he denieth in his heart the truth of that which God hath spoken So saith S. John He that believeth not God hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his (a) 1 John 5.10 Son And this is a grievous sin by God's own testimony The house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me saith the Lord They have belyed the Lord and said it is not (b) Jer. â— 11 12. he Let men therefore take heed how they remain incredulous of this Word or any part of it seeing it 's a sin so dishonourable and offensive to Almighty God How weakly then do those men project for themselves who believe so much of this word as they like so much as is pleasing and plausible to their carnal desires and fleshly wisedom namely all the gracious promises of mercy and forgivenesse of sin but as for the conditions of these promises which are upon condition of repentance and faith in Christ and new obedience and the judgements threatned against impenitent sinners wherein the Scripture is very copious which arride not their fleshly palats these they reject and put out of their belief But I beseech all such to consider that hereby they do by consequence condemn themselves for their apprehension and belief of the promises of mercy are a silent confession of their credence that Scripture is God's word and this confession is a clandestine self condemnation for their incredulity of all the other parts thereof for the Scripture being God's Word must necessarily speak truth in one part as well as another Thirdly Seeing we are sure that Scripture is Gods word it 's wisedom for all persons to joyn themselves to that Society of Christian professors which most honours it and holds best correspondence and agreement with it Now because the main controversie is between the Romane and the reformed Christian professors I will as compendiouslly as I can and as truly as I have read in approved Authors of both sides open and declare which of these ascribes most honour and reverence to the Bible of God and best accordeth and conspireth with it And first For the honour done unto it of both The reformed Churches acknowledge it a most perfect and absolute rule of life both for faith and manners to which nothing may be added and from which nothing may be detracted according to the sentence of the holy Ghost in divers places of the same Book Ye shall not add to the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from (a) Deut. 4.2 it And again Add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a (b) Prov. 30.6 lyar And again I testifie to every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this book if any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophesie God shall
take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this (a) Rev. 22.18 19. book Again secondly They acknowledge it the supreme judge under the holy Ghost himself to decide and determine all doubts and questions in Religion and give it preheminence above all other sayings writings books or traditions And lastly affirm it to be absolutely necessary in the Church ever since the first writing of it by God himself as being that foundation whereon the Church is built as the Apostle teacheth the (b) Ephes 2.20 Ephesians And in these respects ascribe many glorious and magnificent yet decent and deserved titles to it which they learn and gather out of it some whereof I will mention They call it The Oracle of God the Breath of the holy Ghost the Scepter of Christ's Kingdom the Touch-stone of truth the Lanthorn of Israel the Mystery of Godlinesse and the Lamb's Book with many other such like Now by all this it appears that they give that due and condigne honour veneration and observance to the sacred Scripture which becomes the true and sincere professors and defenders of it See now on the other side what honour the Romanists exhibite to it and in what estimation they have it Sometime they celebrate it with due veneration and call it The true word of God and a most certain and safe rule of faith so Bellarmine speaks of it and affirms it to be the mind of the Catholique Church and the Councel of (a) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 1. 2. Trent Sometime again they undervalue and depress it and detract from its sublimity and excellence very indignly and namely in these four particulars First They teach that the proper and principal end of Scripture was not to be the rule of faith but to be a useful monitor or remembrancer to conserve and nourish the doctrine received by preaching This is out of Bellarmine word for (b) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 12. word And Pighius delivers this contumelius speech of Scripture to the same purpose Apostoli quaedam scripserunt non ut scripta illa praeessent fidei religionis nostrae sed potius ut subessent The Apostles saith he have written certain things not that their writings should be over our faith and Religion but rather that they should be under (c) Pigh Hierarch lib. 1. cap. 2. them This is strange new divinity for of old the Scripture was held to be the rule and Religion the thing ruled by it both in the old (d) Isa 8.20 Testament and in the (e) Mat. 22.29 2 Pet. 1.19 New and in the primitive times next after the Apostles as were easie to demonstrate both out of the Fathers and Church-Histories And therefore to make Religion the rule and Scripture to be ruled by it as the Romanists now of late times would have it as appears by the forementioned sayings and many other such like published by divers of them is an uncouth contumely and an indigne disparagement to it and an egregious derogation from the super-excellency and majesty of it and hath indeed been the unhappy means of the suffocation of a great part of God's truth in that Church Secondly They affirm that the whole Christian doctrine which is necessary to be known either for faith or manners is not contained in the Scriptures and that therefore there is required an unwritten word also beside the written word that is to say Divine and Apostolical traditions to be added to the written word to make it a perfect (a) Bellar de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 3. 4. rule And so they condemn the sacred Scripture of imperfection and insufficiency This assertion is repugnant to several assertions in Scripture for S. John saith That so much is written in Scripture as is sufficient to work faith in us and to bring us to everlasting life through the name of (b) John 20.31 Christ and then surely there needs no more for everlasting life is the highest degree of perfection that any creature can attain unto And S. Paul saith That the Scriptures are able to make a man wise unto (c) 2 Tim. 3.15 salvation and to make him perfect throughly furnished unto all good (a) 2 Tim. 3.17 works Whence it follows that seeing they make men perfect they must needs be perfect themselves for no imperfect thing can perfect another And our blessed Saviour himself hath denounced a dreadful judgement against any that shall go about to add unto it as if it were not perfect I testifie saith he to every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this Book If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this (b) Rev. 22.18 Book as before was rehearsed Thirdly They equalize Traditions with the holy Scripture and dignifie them with the same authority and reverence so teacheth the Councel of (c) Concil Trid. decr 1. session 4. Trent And Melchior Canus saith That Traditions have greater force to refel Hereticks then the (d) Canus loc commun Theo. lib. 9. cap. 3. Scriptures And Eckius saith simply That they are of greater efficacy without any limitation to that particular (e) Eck. de fide justif cap. 13. effect And yet we find in Scripture that all humane traditions are to be examined and tryed by it as was declared before and are all to be disallowed and rejected which hold not correspondence with the same as is evident from our Saviour's reproof of the Scribes and Pharisees for presuming to dispense in some case with this written commandment Honour thy father and mother for thereupon saith our Saviour unto them Ye have made the commandment of God of none effect by your (a) Mat. 15.6 tradition and again he saith In vain they do worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of (b) Mat. 15.9 men In both which sentences our Saviour gives the written word preheminence and authority above all traditions Fourthly and lastly Bellarmine denies the Scriptures to have been simply necessary or (c) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 4. sufficient This if he had spoken in relation only to the time before the Law was written by God himself we should not have contested with him but by his further dispute about it he declares his meaning to extend to the written word since that time which he manifesteth by a saying that he uttereth afterwards which I have truly transcribed to a letter without either addition amputation or alteration of the least sylable thereof Sanè saith he credere historias Testamenti veteris vel evangelia Marci Lucae esse canonica scripta inno ullas esse divinas Scripturas non est omninò necessarium ad (d) Bell. de Eccles militant lib. 3. cap. 14. salutem Surely to believe the hystories of
In the Old Testament God commanded that the Levites who were the persons set apart to attend upon the service of God in those times under the Law as the Ministers of the word are under the Gospel should have allowance both by Tithes and other emoluments and profits out of sacrifices and oblations as every one knows and moreover they had given them by God's appointment 48. Cities with their suburbs and land annexed and appropriated to every one of them extending in quantity to 2000. Cubits of ground round about every City as it 's recorded in the 25th Chapter of the Book of Numbers and the first verse and so forward Secondly In the new Testament our Saviour Christ sending forth his 70. disciples to preach the Gospel bids them take neither bag nor scrip nor shooes but to eat and drink with those into whose houses they entred for the labourer is worthy of his hire Luke 10.4 5 6 7. verses S. Paul also justifies this at large and several times in 1 Cor. 9.9 10 11. verses He writes thus It is written in the Law of Moses Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corn Doth God take care for Oxen or saith he it altogether for our sakes for our sakes no doubt this is written that he that ploweth should plow in hope and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope If we have sowen unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things And then he addeth in the 23. verse Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers with the Altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell Here is no ambiguity nor obscurity in this Text but a plain and punctual affirmation that they which preach the Gospel should have their maintenance and livelihood for preaching of it But see yet further proof hereof to beat down if it may that unreasonable and unjust desire that is in some niggardly people who would have Ministers do all their work and labour for nothing Gal. 6.6 The Apostle gives this precept Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things And again in 1 Tim. 5.17 18. verses Let the elders which rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine For the Scripture saith Thou shalt not muzzle the Oxe that treadeth out the corn and the labourer is worthy of his reward Here then is plentiful proof of Scripture for the justification of this point But now see it proved also by force of reason which I have learned out of Scripture also namely out of 1 Cor. 9.7 8 12. here the Apostle reasons after this manner Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock Say I these things as a man or saith not the Law the same also And then in the verses following rehearsed before applies it to the Ministers of the Gospel As if he should have said Every vocation and profession from the highest to the lowest from the King to the day-labourer affords some emolument and recompence to them that labour in them this cannot be denied And therefore if all other men live by their functions and callings it 's just that Ministers also should also live by theirs Again I read in Scripture namely in 1 Tim. 3.2 That a Bishop should be hospitable Now if people should afford him no allowance and compensation for his labour and pains but rather subduct that which hath been formerly given both by God as I shall make appear hereafter and devout men to the support of the Ministry I demand which I know cannot be rationally answered by what means a Bishop should maintain hospitallity So that very reason equity and justice claim an allowance to be yielded to the maintenance of the Ministry 2. Now I shall prove That it stands with equity and justice That Ministers have Tithes for their allowance And this I prove four ways or by four Arguments Argument 1. First Because God himself appointed this payment of Tithes first to his Ministers the Levites as was mentioned before in way of compensation for their work of the Ministry And therefore it stands with equity and justice because it hath him for the first Author who doth all things justly Argument 2. Secondly Because the payment of Tithes hath been used and continued here in England many hundred years by the appointment of the supreame Magistrates from time to time without any interruption and hath been also confirmed and established by sundry laws under the Saxon Kings of this Realm long before the Conquest and by many Acts of Parliament since in their several Ages which never yet were repealed Who herein have followed the pattern which God had set them so that to charge them with injustice herein is both against Reason Religion Duty and charity From whence it 's clear that Beneficed Ministers of the Church of England in their several respective Incumbencies have as full just and legal title and claim to their Tithes and as much right thereunto as any Lord of a Mannour Freeholder or other person hath to any of the Lands or Goods whereof he standeth possessed to wit Per Leges Consuetudines Angliae Wherefore seeing it's evident out of the Chronicles and Histories of the Politick Government of this Nation that Tithes have been so long alienated from the Layity and dedicated and given to the maintenance of the Ministry by those persons in supreme power from whom Lay-mens title to their Lands and to the other nine parts of the increase and fruits of the same was derived it 's therefore contrary to all equity and reason that they should claim any property or interest in Tithes now who have been so long time out of possession of them and divested of all interest and property in them Argument 3. Thirdly Because Tithes are assigned to the Ministers in England by the peoples own consent and Vote in Parliament For the Parliaments Vote is their Vote the Parliament being the Representative body of all the people in the Land Furthermore it 's also to be considered for the defence of the justice of the peoples payment of Tithes to Ministers that seeing it 's not nominated in the New Testament where a compensation is allowed and enjoyned for the work of the Ministry what or how much this compensation or allowance shall be therefore there was great equity that the supreme lawful Magistrate and the Parliament should determine and appoint what it should be as being the fittest intermediate Judges between the Ministers and the People For it was neither fit that Ministers should have