foundation as their Masters speak upon which all the precepts depend is this precept of learning the Law which no man can imagine how they should do to such perfection as Moses requires unless they had the benefit of looking into the Book of the Law as often as they pleased Of which that they might be put in mind he took care also that the Law should be read to them publickly every Sabbath day whereby likewise they that could not read if there were any such among them might be assisted to inform their Children by hearing God's Word read unto them in their own language For this is certain that in the Synagogues where they met not for the Ceremonial Worship of God which was performed only at the Temple but for his Moral Service Moses had those that preached him or pronounced his Law with a loud voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from ancient ages or generations being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day They are the words of St. James in the first Christian Council XV. Acts 21. Where Grotius observes that it is believed Moses himself was the Author of this practice which the Apostle affirms had been from old times i. e. from the time of the giving of the Law And so Josephus expresly writes in his second Book against Appion where he shews how Moses propounded to the Jews the most excellent and the most necessary of all other Learning viz. the Law not by letting them hear it once or twice or thrice but every seventh day laying aside their other works he commanded them to assemble together for the hearing of the Law and to learn it throughly and exactly For which end his Five Books were anciently divided into so many Sections as there are weeks in the year that the whole by reading one Section every week might be read over once in a year ending at the Feast of Tabernacles At which Feast in the Solemnity of the year of Release which was correspondent to the Sabbath because it was the seventh of years as that was of days Moses required that there should be a more General Assembly of all Israel called to appear before the Lord their God that the Law might be read to men women and children and they might hear and learn and fear the Lord their God and observe to do all the words of this Law as he speaks XXXI Deut. 10 11 12. Where Moses declaring what God had commanded him about this matter the Hebrew Doctors understand those words v. 11. Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel in their hearing to be the Command of God to Moses himself requiring him as he did the Elders and Priests under him to read the Law at this great Solemnity as the Ordinary Levites did every Sabbath day And thence they consequently enough conclude that Joshua after his time and the Judges and the Kings of Israel in succeeding Ages were bound to read publickly in this great Assembly to as many as the largest Court of the Temple would hold the principal things in the Book of Deuteronomy that the people might be moved to have an higher esteem of their Law and more reverently attend unto it For it was of mighty force to excite the people to Religion when the chief Authority in the Nation not only owned it but commended it unto them And because all Israel could not be contained in that Court of the Temple therefore while the King was thus reading there the Levites who were specially appointed for this work did the same in the City of Jerusalem after notice had been given of their intention by a solemn sound of Trumpets Thus care was taken that what he had enjoyned Chap. VI. 7. should not be neglected For if they did forget to whet the Law as the word there signifies upon their Childrens minds they themselves were excited and whetted to their duty by the sound of the Trumpets by this solemn Convocation by the Royal Majesty appearing to awaken their attention and by his Authority pressing the Laws of God upon their Consciences This was the constant work also it might be shown of the Prophets out of whose Books there were Lessons also added in after-times to be read together with those out of the Law of Moses How ancient this was we do not certainly know for some derive it from the times of Ezra others think it began after the Persecution by Antiochus Epiphanes Who forbidding the reading of the Law in their Synagogues they chose some portion out of the Prophetical Books as near to the sense of that Section which should have been read out of the Law as could be found to be read in its stead which when that Persecution was over they thought not fit to lay aside but continued the reading of them both But however that be this is a known truth That when our Lord himself came and as his custom was went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read He took a Lesson out of the Prophets for the subject of his first Sermon at Nazareth IV. Luke 16 17. And that it was after the reading of the Law and of the Prophets that St. Paul stood up and preached to the Jews at Antioch XIII Acts 15. From which Examples the custom of reading two Lessons one out of the Old Testament and another out of the New was very early taken up by Christians in their holy Assemblies and continued so long in the Church it appears by Isidore and Gratian that it was most worthily restored by our Learned and Pious Reformers whose study it was to form such an Order of Divine Service as was most agreeable to the Primitive Patterns Which publick Reading was not intended to hinder their private but to stir them up unto it Insomuch that it is a Maxim among the Hebrews That although a man had heard the Law read in the publick Assemblies on the Sabbath yet he was bound also to read himself the Parascha or Section appointed for that Week For this is the Character which David gives of that Blessed man who walks not in the way of the ungodly His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night Psal I. 2. That is saith the Commentary under the name of St. Hierom reads the Scripture perpetually that he may do the things contained therein And thus Isaiah calls upon them in after Ages saying Seek ye out the Book of the Lord and read no one of these shall fail c. That is when you shall hereafter see some of these things fulfilled get a Copy of the Prophetical Books if you want one seek it diligently as the word denotes till you find it and read and you shall see that there is not one word of what I have said that is not come to pass but events shall exactly answer to these predictions And it is well known that Moses himself in the very beginning took particular care that the
but deliver others also that are deceived and draw them out of the danger But it is time to make an end of this and therefore I shall only add these few memorable words of his out of his second Sermon upon St. Matthew that you may see how faithfully they follow the Fathers who pretend to be wholly guided by them If there be a greater sin than that of not reading the Scriptures it is this to be perswaded that we need not read them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for these are words of a Satanical suggestion the studied invention of the Devil I have been the longer upon this Head because some are more moved by a great Authority than by bare Reason And I have alledged this Father's Authority alone not for want of other which are ready at hand in great abundance but because it is deservedly very weighty and as he is full and express in his Judgment about this matter so he intermixes his Discourse upon it with many excellent Instructions But if we had neither his Testimony nor any other to produce there is one piece of History remaining which is sufficient to satisfie any man in this matter Which is that it was the very Mark and Character of a Christian to have a Bible and of an Apostate to deliver his Bible to be burnt when the Inquisitors came to search for it in times of Persecution As they did particularly in the Reign of Maxentius and of Dioclesian when they sought to destroy all Bibles as the Foundation of Christian Religion which they thought would fall when these Books were gone And that Lay-men generally had Bibles as well as Priests and were guilty of this foul Crime of delivering them up to the Persecutors appears by Optatus in his first Book against Parmenio Quid commemorem Laicos c. What need I stand to mention the lay-Lay-people who then had no Dignities in the Church or many Ministers he means inferiour Officers or Deacons in the third Order or Presbyters in the second Priestood when the very Supreme some Bishops in those times impiously delivered up the Instruments of the Divine Law He names several and among the rest Donatus And the same we find in St. Austin Epist XLVIII and CLXXI. and other places Where he relates how some delivered up the Holy Books to the Persecutors and others who did not communicated with them that did mixing with the Church TRADITORVM plebem congregatam a whole Congregation of people that were Traditors Which shows that Bibles were then as common as they are now and that S. Chrysostom's complaints were very just against those who were grown so cold and negligent in providing themselves these Holy Books as if they still had been under Persecution and it were not safe to have them now that they lived under Christian Emperours VIII BUT now let us hear what common Reason saith as well as the Scripture and the best Interpreters of them such great Lights as he now named and that teaches us that since the Holy Scriptures were written for the use and benefit of all all should have liberty to read them They were written for all it is plain for that which they teach is the duty of all that which they promise is the portion of all And if any one say it doth not therefore follow they should be read by all because the people may be taught by others without looking into the Scriptures themselves they render themselves suspected that they intend not to teach the people sincerely what is written but to establish their own Authority instead of that of the Divine Writings For otherwise why should they not rather when they pretend to teach others bid them look into their Bibles and there satisfie themselves that they do not abuse them assuring them it is a faithful Translation of God's Book which they have in their hands whose meaning it is their business to help them to understand That is why do they not imitate God himself Who commanding his Prophet to proclaim him to be the only God among the Babylonians and that the Gods which made not the Heavens and the Earth should perish from the Earth and from under these Heavens ordered him to do it in their own Language that they might read and understand it X. Jer. 11. Where when all the rest of the Book is Hebrew this Message is delivered in the Chaldee Tongue Which we may justly look upon as a Praeludium to the publishing of the Name of God among the Gentiles in their own Language in the days of Christ When as Theodoret witnesseth the words of the Apostles and Prophets were turned into the Language of the Romans Egyptians Persians Indians Armenians Scythians and Sauromatans and all the Languages that any other Nation used And therefore why should not we now have them in English And having them why should not all read that they may learn the way to be happy here and eternally and that they may be sure they are not led into a wrong way and abused by pretended Authority from God who perhaps saith the quite contrary to what is delivered in his Name This is the Peoples Right and it it their Duty to use it as that Great Man S. Chrysostom whose words let me set down once more teaches his Church upon 2 Corinth VII in the conclusion of his XIII Sermon For how can we think it not to be absurd that having to deal in money-matters men will not trust to others but the Counters are brought out and they cast up the Summ but in the business of their Souls are barely led and drawn aside by the Opinions of other men And this even when they have an exact Scale wherein to weigh all things an exact Rule or Square whereby to measure them the dictate of the Divine Laws Therefore I beseech and intreat you all that not minding what such or such a man saith about these things you would consult the Holy Scriptures concerning them all c. And if you consider what kind of Auditors Christ had you may soon come to a conclusion in this matter and learn from thence what his intention is Were they not the promiscuous multitude People of all sorts and conditions And will He take it ill to be read of those by whom He would be heard Some will say there is danger in reading the words may be mistaken or perverted And may they not be so in hearing Can any Preacher in the Roman Church so frame his discourse that he can warrant not a word he saith shall be misunderstood or misinterpreted and turned to another sense than he meant it By this reason the poor people shall be taught nothing at all if we must do them no good because some may possibly abuse it and turn it to their hurt Nay if God himself may not be heard by the people speaking to them in the vulgar Tongue I see far less reason why men should who can say nothing but what
Search the Scriptures A TREATISE Shewing that all CHRISTIANS Ought to READ the HOLY BOOKS WITH DIRECTIONS To them therein In Three PARTS LONDON Printed for R. Royston Bookseller to His most Sacred Majesty 1685. Introduction THE Holy Scriptures as the first Homily of our Church teaches all its Children in the very beginning of it are such a Fountain and Well of Truth that as many as be desirous to enter into the right and perfect way unto God must apply their minds to be acquainted with them without which they can neither sufficiently know God and his Will nor their own Office and Duty For in Holy Scripture is fully contained what we ought to do and what to eschew what to believe what to love and what to look for at God's hands at length And therefore these Books ought to be much in our hands in our eyes in our ears in our mouths but most of all in our hearts Vnto which sort of Discourse which is grounded upon the VI. Article of our Religion they of the Church of Rome are wont to make a double Exception One is That there are some things necessary to be believed and practised which are not to be found there but must be received from ancient Traditions The other is That those Truths which are delivered in the Holy Scriptures are not so clear and perspicuous that common people should be intrusted with the reading of them Now to the First of these there hath been some time ago a plain Answer made in a Discourse about Traditions Therefore this Treatise is intended only as an Answer to the Second Exception For the maintaining of which they are wont to alledge among other places those remarkable words of St. Peter in his Second Epistle the Third Chapter and Sixteenth Verse Where having made mention of St. Paul's Epistles which treated of the same matter that he had just before explained he says In which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction Behold say they how dangerous it is for common people to meddle with the Holy Scriptures which being compared by St. Paul himself to a two edged Sword ought not to be put into their hands for fear they destroy themselves therewith It is true indeed the same St. Paul teaches us Rom. XV. 4. that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning and are profitable as he writes elsewhere 2 Tim. III. 16. for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness But this notwithstanding there are say they such difficulties and obscurities in the Holy Scriptures as we learn from this great Apostle St. Peter that they ought not to be thought profitable for all people but rather hurtful to them that are ignorant who therefore ought not to read them By which single Instance the Reader may learn if he mark it well what sort of Interpretations of Scripture we are like to have if we trust to them alone and do not see with our own eyes when these very words of St. Peter do plainly teach us the quite contrary Doctrine to that which they would establish by them I. For they are so far from containing a Reason why the people should not read them that First they evidently suppose the common people even the unlearned among them did in those days read the Scriptures Else they could not have wrested them as the Apostle says they did and complains of that but not of their reading them And II. Secondly These words do not affirm the whole Scripture to be hard to be understood but only some part of it St. Paul's Epistles at the most or rather the things of which St. Peter had been treating And not all of them neither but only some things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some few things which would require pains and diligent attention of mind to comprehend the meaning of them And III. Thirdly The Apostle doth not say that all who read those difficult passages are in danger to wrest them but only the unlearned and unstable who abuse the plainest Truths to their own ruine As for others they may read even the hardest places in St. Paul's Epistles safely enough nay receive great profit from thence as well as from other Scriptures and they who wrest them are not to leave reading them but to grow in true Christian knowledge and in Stability of mind These are the three Parts of the insuing Discourse In treating and reading of which Let us pray to God as the second Homily concludes that we may speak think believe live and depart hence according to the wholsom Doctrine and Verities of these holy Books And by that means in this World have God's defence favour and grace with the unspeakable solace of peace and quietness of Conscience and after this miserable life enjoy the endless Bliss and Glory of Heaven PART I. THat the Right of God's People to read the Holy Scriptures is not at all prejudiced by these words of St. Peter appears from hence That the Wresting of the Scriptures by the unlearned and unstable doth suppose that even such persons did then read them Which overthrows the Conclusion which they of the Roman Church endeavour to draw from this place For there had been no possibility of perverting their sense if they had not been in their hands at that time as they are in ours now And yet the Apostle doth not reprehend their medling with them but their Ignorance and their heedlesnes which was the cause they misunderstood them and might have been prevented by a little diligence and care without throwing them quite away For the fault was not there but in themselves who came to the perusal of holy things with unprepared minds Now for the establishing of this Truth that the people were not then and therefore ought not now to be debarred the liberty of reading the holy Books which God our Saviour hath left unto his Church as a common Inheritance you may be pleased to weigh these things following which will fully settle your minds in this perswasion I. First That the ancient People of God the Jews were not only permitted but required by God himself to be so conversant in the Law of Moses and so well acquainted with it as to be able to teach their Children God's Commandments and for that end to talk of them when they sate in their houses or walkt by the way when they lay down and when they rose up nay to write them upon the doors of their houses and on their gates that whensoever they went out or came in they might have them before their eyes and be put in mind of them Deut. VI. 6 7 8. This the Lawgiver thought a matter of so great importance that a little after in the very same Book he enjoyns it over again for fear they should neglect it Chap. XI 18 19 20. For the very Root and
King should be furnished with a Copy of the Law and keep it by him that he might read therein all the days of his life and learn to fear the Lord his God and to keep all the words of this Law and these Statutes to do them XVII Deut. 18 19. Nay the more to imprint the words of this Book upon his mind the Law enjoyns this as a duty belonging to the King himself saying He shall write him a Copy of this Law in a Book out of that which is before the Priests the Levites Which though some are pleased to think a Priviledge indulged only to the King the Jews who are willing enough to excuse themselves from such laborious things constantly affirm that every private man was bound to do the same and that though the King had done it before as others were obliged to do yet being exalted to the Throne he was bound to do it over again out of the most authentick Records that it might be the more imprinted on his mind and work in him a greater reverence thereof This Maimonides grounds upon those words XXXI Deut. 19. which concern them all Now therefore write ye this Song for you as if he had said Write the Law for your selves of which this Song is a part for they were not wont to write the Law by parcels Wherein perhaps they go too far but there is little doubt to be made that pious Kings took care the people should be acquainted with the Law as well as themselves imitating that pious Prince Josiah who after a long forgetfulness of the Holy Scriptures having a Copy of the Law brought to him which was found in the Temple not only caused it to be read in the ears of the people but as the Jews with great reason affirm commanded the Priests and Scribes to write Copies of it and deliver them to the people For how should they be able to perform the words of the Covenantwritten in that Book unto which Josiah ingaged them 2 Kings XXIII 2 3. unless they knew them And how should they know them more than they had done formerly if they did only once barely hear them Which might give them some present sense of their duty but could not be remembred unless they had the words they were to perform constantly before their eyes There might much more be added on this subject but this is sufficient to introduce what follows II. THAT what was thus enjoyned by Moses and practised by the people of the Jews our Saviour confirmed by his Command or at least by his approbation saying V. John 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me Some indeed translate the words thus Ye search the Scriptures for in them c. and so they are a plain acknowledgement of what was then in use nay an approbation if not commendation of their diligence in turning over the holy Books wherein they hoped to find so great a Treasure as Eternal life But if they be rendred as we and as many of the Romanists themselves translate them Search the Scriptures then they are a Command wherein our Blessed Saviour requires what Moses had formerly done and charges them not to neglect this duty of making a diligent inquiry into the meaning of the holy Writings for there they would find plain testimonies concerning the Messiah and be satisfied that he was the Christ whom they expected And I cannot see how this Precept may be safely disobeyed But as our Lord in the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus XVI Luke 29. brings in Abraham sending the Rich mans Brethren unto Moses and the Prophets i. e. to their Writings for they themselves were dead and gone for their instruction from whom they might learn enough to keep them from coming into that place of Torment So we in like manner ought to tell men if they will know how to be saved they must repair to Christ and his Apostles and out of the Gospel and Apostolical Instructions learn the way to Heaven and how to escape Eternal damnation For there can be no good reason alledged why the Jews should be permitted nay commanded to read Moses and the Prophets and we not be allowed but forbidden to read the words of Christ and his Apostles For we are as much concerned or rather more in these as they were in them and they are not harder to be understood by us than the old Scriptures were by them we have the same means the same helps that they had if not far better to prosit by them and to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And therefore it is no fault in our Preachers now but an honest discharge of their duty to say to their people as Origen doth to his in his second Homily upon Isaiah Would to God we did all practise that which is written Search the Scriptures And as St. Basil in his Second Book of Baptism Cap. 4. Let us obey our Lord who saith Search the Scriptures and let us imitate the Apostles who inquired of the Lord himself the interpretation of his own words learning the truth and wholesomness of what He saith in one place by what He speaks in another So far were these great and Holy men from discountenancing the reading of the Holy Scriptures that they most earnestly press every body to it as I shall show more fully before I have done III. LET us now further consider that the Apostles of our Lord were concerned that what they wrote concerning the Christian Doctrine should be read not only by the Elders of the Church to whom their Writings were directed but be communicated to all the Members thereof who were under their Instruction This appears from St. Paul's most solemn Charge in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians that it should be read to all the holy Brethren 1. v. 27. Who should read it to them but the Bishops and Pastors of the Church Who no doubt first received it but were not to keep it to themselves but impart it to the whole Community And if they read it to the whole Society we cannot think they refused to give Copies of it to them if any desired it that they might read it themselves Or rather they took care to disperse this Letter of their own accord among their Flock as they did also send it to other Churches whereby by it became common to the whole Christian World And it was a matter of such great importance that all the people should be acquainted with his sense that his Charge is in the form of an Adjuration That if they neglected him the Command should be obeyed for the Adjuration sake For Adjurations were dreadful to the ancient Christians though now alas wo be to us they are little regarded They are words of Theophylact. And to the same effect Theodoret glosses He adds an Adjuration contriving that all might have the
presumption that God blessed these pious endeavours and gave them a right understanding as a reward of their search into the Scriptures according as it there follows therefore many of them believed And thus St. Peter also in this very Epistle Chap. I. 19. commends his Country-men who attentively read and considered the Prophetical Writings We have also a more sure word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts The plainest meaning of which words to me seems to be this That it was a laudable and praise-worthy thing in those Jewish Converts to whom he writes who as yet were but weak in the Faith that they did give heed to the Writings of the ancient Prophets which they took to be the surest ground of their Faith for in them they would sind the Lord Jesus plainly descrihed if they compared what the Apostles preached with that which they foretold as the Beraeans did Those Writings indeed of the Prophets did but obscurely treat of Christ in comparison with the discoveries of him in the Gospel and the Apostolical Writings which he compares to the Day-star and the old Prophets but to a Candle shining in a dark place yet the one would lead them to the other and by taking attentive heed to the Prophetical Writings they would in time find the day dawn and the Day-star arise in their hearts that is arrive by degrees at clearer demonstrations and a fuller and brighter knowledge of Christian Truths delivered by our Saviour and his Apostles who being the Light of the World gave light even to the ancient Prophecies To conclude this particular they were so far from discouraging any Christians in their reading the Holy Scriptures that they commend those who read even the hardest Books among them Those words are very remarkable I. Revel 3. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things that are written therein Which comfortable incouragement I do not see why we may not with the greatest satisfaction apply to our selves now as they did then to quicken us to read and hear the things contained therein For though we do not certainly understand every one of those Prophecies yet there are abundance of most excellent instructions and admonitions incouragements and consolations interspersed throughout that Book which make it sit to be read by Christian people for their direction and support And we may likewise from hence take the confidence to argue in this manner If a Blessedness be pronounced to those that read or hear that Prophecy and keep those things that are written therein then they cannot be accursed who for the same end read other holy Books where such instructions and comforts are more plentifully and plainly and on purpose delivered nor can they expect God's blessing who prohibit the reading even of those easie and more familiar Scriptures which are accommodated by the Divine Wisdom and Goodness to the most vulgar capacity Every one ought to drink of these Fountains nor would I forbid saith Erasmus very piously those that thirst after Christian knowledge to read even those Books which are not so open but like a Fountain sealed up Because they will reap this fruit at least that they will come more sit to the hearing of Sermons which touch upon or allude to those more obscure passages They will hear also those things more willingly of which they have already some knowledge and understand those things more easily of which they have a small taste VI. AND there is the greater reason for it because the Holy Scriptures are a considerable part of our compleat Spiritual Armour without which we shall lie so open to the assaults of our Enemies that it will very much hazzard our Salvation And why should we be exposed to any danger when we may defend our selves by the use of those weapons which God himself hath provided for us Or how can they be Friends to our Souls who would expose us by taking those weapons out of our hands Read the VI. Ephes 11. c. Where the Apostle exhorting them to put on the whole Armour or compleat Armour of God that they might be able to stand against all the wiles of the Devil in the following Verses enumerates the several parts of this Armour and the last piece of it but one is v. 17 the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God This shews that as while we have Enemies to fight withal and very powerful subtil Enemies we have need of all sorts of Weapons that God hath furnished us withal for our defence so we are not completely appointed for our defence without this weapon the Word of God no more than a Souldier is without his Sword And therefore they who go about to deprive us of this leave us in great part naked to our Spiritual Enemies By wresting that weapon out of our hands whereby we should beat them off There is not one of the Devils temptations ye may observe IV. St. Matth. but our Saviour vanquished it by this weapon telling him it is so and so written and the Tempter had no more to say nor knew what to oppose thereunto And therefore our safety lies in the same Divine Armory of the Holy Scriptures unto which we ought to have resort upon all occasions and there furnish our selves with such holy Precepts Examples Promises and Threatnings as we may have ready at hand to oppose to every temptation It is usually said as I noted in the beginning that men may wound themselves with a Sword as soon as their Enemies and therefore it is not safe to let every body take this weapon into his hand But was not the Apostle as much aware of this as we Were not the Holy Scriptures as liable to be perverted then as now And we by this reason shall leave neither Sun in Heaven nor any good Creature here upon Earth as a great Man of our own somewhere speaks for they have been all wretchedly abused to very ill purposes by evil men And besides this it is not true that men may as soon hurt themselves as their Enemies with this Sword For who but mad men or desperate persons run that weapon into their own bodies wherewith they should defend their lives And who but they that are distracted themselves will suppose the generality of Christians to be such a frantick fort of people that they are not to be trusted with the means of their preservation but must have even the bread of life taken from them for fear they surfeit of it But this will be more fully answered hereafter and that which I have next to represent to your consideration will give great satisfaction to it which is this VII THAT the greatest Doctors in the Church have most earnestly exhorted the people with all the Rhetorick they could invent to give themselves leisure
in all things to please God who would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth Let us not deceive our selves but the more we are intangled in such kind of cares let us so much the more carefully search for a remedy in the reading of the Holy Scriptures Was not Noah and such like good men of the same Nature of which we are and yet had not the benefit of those helps and assistances that we enjoy How can we then be excused who enjoy such a Doctrine who have obtained such Grace who have helps from above and have received the promises of ineffable good things if we do not come to the measure of that Vertue at which those Patriarchs arrived I beseech you therefore again that you would not only simply look into those things which are contained in the Holy Scriptures but that you would read them with attention that by the profit we receive from them we may at last though we have been a long time about it come to that degree of Vertue which God will approve The same he urges again in the XXXV Homily upon the same Book from the Example of the Eunuch reading the Scriptures in his Chariot which he thus concludes I have laid this History before you that we may not be ashamed to imitate this Eunuch nor neglect reading no not in a journey For this Barbarian alone may suffice for a Master to us all both to those that lead a private Country-life and to those who are listed to serve in the Army and to those that live in the Court and in general to all men and to women too and to those that live in Monasteries also that no time should be thought unfit to the reading of the Holy Oracles For it is possible not only within doors but to those who go to Market that are in Journies that fall into a great deal of Company that are intangled in business to be conversant in them that doing what we can we may meet with one to guide us And what if we do not understand what we read let us go it over again For frequent meditation imprints things on the memory and oft-times what we could not understand to day we may find out presently when we read it again to morrow the most gracious God invisibly illuminating our understanding Which leads me to the last Proposition which he maintains in Answer to all Objections that can be made a-against this Doctrine III. That as none ought to neglect reading because they are men of business so they ought not to excuse themselves because they want Bibles or because the Scriptures are so obscure that they do not understand them Concerning business you have heard already what he was wont to say And concerning want of Bibles he tells them the rich cannot pretend this And as for the poor I would ask them saith he this Question Whether they have not all the tools belonging to their Trade And since they can furnish themselves with such necessary implements why they should not judge it most absurd to be wholly unprovided of the Holy Scriptures which are as necessary for their spiritual as the other for their bodily subsistence But to the greatest Objection of all the obscurity of the Holy Scriptures and that it is impossible to understand them he answers very largely in several places of his Works particularly in that Homily forenamed upon Genesis XXXV speaking of the Eunuch of the Queen of Ethiopia Who did not say as many do now I understand nothing of what I read I cannot dive into the depth of these Scriptures to what purpose should I take all this pains and tire my self in vain by reading when I have none to lead me into the meaning No such thought was entertained by him who was a Barbarian in his language but a Philosopher in his mind and rather concluded he should not be despised but receive help from above if doing all that lay in his power he continued reading the Holy Scriptures And therefore the most Gracious Lord of all seeing his ardent desire did not overlook him nor left him unprovided but straightway sent him a Master to inform him See here the Wisdom of God how He expected till he first did what he could and then He manifested his own powerful aid Because he prepared himself the best he was able an Angel of the Lord was sent to Philip that he might do the rest c. But this Argument he prosecutes most largely in his Third Sermon upon Lazarus Where first of all he says a man cannot look into the Holy Scriptures but he must be made better God conversing with him there in those Writings so that though he do not understand what he reads yet his mind will be much purified by reading by a holy sense of God he means upon whom his mind is fixed as speaking to him But immediately he further adds that what is objected is not true of all Scriptures some being so plain that it is impossible to be without understanding of all things whatsoever that we read there For the Grace of the Holy Spirit on purpose ordered these Books to be composed by Publicans by Fishermen by Tent-makers by Shepherds and such like mean and unlearned men that none of the common people might flee to this Pretence but the things that are there written might be intelligible to all That the Handicrafts-men and the Servants and the poor old Women and the most illiterate of all mankind might be gainers and profit by the hearing of them And what they designed they effected For to whom are not all things in the Gospel manifest and clear Who is there that reads these words Blessed are the meek blessed are the merciful blessed are the pure in heart and the like that needs any other Teacher to instruct him what it is that is said And are not all things that relate to signs and wonders and the History of Christ clear and easie to be understood of all These objections are but a cover and pretext under which men hide their sloth and idleness Which further appears from the temper of those men that from the beginning were counted worthy of the Grace of the Spirit who composed all things not as they without the Pale of the Church for Ostentation and their own Vain-glories sake but for the Salvation of those that heard them The Heathen Philosophers indeed and Orators and other Writers not seeking the common good of all but aiming at the making themselves admired when they said any profitable thing made it difficult to be understood and wrapt it up in some obscurity But the Apostles and Prophets did all quite contrary making all plain and clear as the common Teachers of the whole World that every one might be able of himself to learn by the bare reading only such necessary things as those now mentioned Which the Prophet foreshewed when he said they shall all be taught
eyes that if we do not wilfully shut them we cannot but read it to our infinite satisfaction For so God loved the world saith our Lord Himself that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved III. John 16 17. And so St. Paul writes But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ Jesus by Grace ye are saved And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus II. Ephes 4 5 6 7. Who can doubt at all of the favour of God his exceeding great and rich favour towards us who doth but cast his eyes on such words as these and believes the Truth of the Gospel of Christ Which were written for this very end that in all future Ages of the World after the Apostles were gone men might discern how abundant the Grace of God is in his kindness manifested towards us in our Blessed Lord. And therefore we in this Age of the World as well as all that were before us may conclude without any scruple that God is Love as St. John speaks and that he will be good to us for Christ's sake though we have greatly offended his Majesty Sixthly For that is the next thing the kindness of God towards sinful men and his readiness to pardon them and receive them into his favour and love again is here also so perspicuously revealed that there need be no question made of it In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 1 John IV. 9 10. And in the same manner writes St. Paul After the kindness and love or pity of God our Saviour towards man appeared not by works of righteousness that we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost That being justified by his Grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of Eternal life III. Tit. 4 5. Nay for this very end he saith God shewed mercy to him though a very great Sinner a Blasphemer of Christ a Persecutor of his Disciples that men might be incouraged to hope in God if they would repent and turn to Him as he did 1 Tim. I. 14 15 16 c. Read the place and you will see that all the wit of man cannot devise plainer and clearer words to express the exceeding Grace of God towards all men which is declared so fully as well as familiarly that his words need no Commentary to explain them and make them more easie to be understood Seventhly With the same Evidence the Gospel speaks of the way and means whereby this Forgiveness was procured for us and that is by the Death and by the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Who was delivered saith the Apostle for our offences and rose again for our justification IV. Rom. ult In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace I. Ephes 7. It is God that justifies who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us who shall separate us from the love of Christ c. VIII Rom. 34 35 c. It would be endless to recite all that the Scriptures speak on this subject in terms as plain and clear as these So that we cannot reasonably doubt if we believe these Books that by one offering of Himself he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified as the Author to the Hebrews speaks X. 12 13 14. This man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever sate down at the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool For by one offering he hath perfected for ever c. They that would make any other Satisfaction necessary by the Merits of Saints or any other Oblation of Christ necessary but that one which he Himself offered directly contradict the express words of this Book which are as easie to be understood as any that the most studied invention of men can indite Eighthly And so is the way and means whereby these Blessings thus purchased are communicated to us viz. the Mediation and Intercession of Christ Jesus on our behalf whereby he can save us to the utmost seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us VII Heb. 25. Nor is there any other that can perform this Office for us but he for as there is one God so one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus as St. Paul teaches in so many words 1 Tim. II. 4. Whereby we cannot but in reason think he means there is no more than One Mediator as it is certain there is no more than one God who communicates his Mind to us by this alone Mediator as we must address our selves to Him by no other Which St. Paul declares more fully in 1 Cor. VIII 5 6. Where he saith though there be many that are called Gods as there are gods many and lords many yet to us Christians there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in or for or to him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him That is As there is but one sole Fountain of all good unto whom we are to direct our Prayers and all we do for the first Cause must be our last End so He derives all unto us by his Son Jesus Christ alone by whom therefore and by Him alone we are to go to God the Father for what we are desirous to receive from Him None else in Heaven or Earth is capable of this Honour but this great Lord alone whom the Father loveth and hath given all things into his hands III. John 35. as any one that reads this place seriously may easily discern And therefore they who betake themselves unto any other Patron to recommend them to the Heavenly Grace are concerned to hide this Book from the Peoples Eyes and to discourage them from reading it by telling them it is obscure and hard to be understood For they who do read it see this truth so fully and expresly asserted there that if their minds be not prejudiced they cannot think it safe to implore the assistance of any other in the Heavenly Court which apparently derogates from the Honour of our
against vain Philosophy II. Col. 8. From whence we may note that the Scriptures themselves assign the Original of Heresies and teach us to beware of it so far are they from leading us into them Thirdly And there is a third Cause of them mentioned in Scripture also viz. the Traditions of men VII Mark 7 8. And thus Firmilian observes in his Letter to St. Cyprian That Marcion the Disciple of Cerdo a great while after the Apostles induxit sacrilegaem adversus Deum traditionem brought in a sacrilegious Tradition against God Apelles also consenting to his Blasphemy added multa alia nova many other Novelties which were more grievous and directly opposite to Faith and Truth And so did Valentinus and Basilides who rebelled against God's Church by their wicked Forgeries And thus St. Hierom introduces Hereticks maintaining their Errours in the very Dialect of the now Roman Doctors We are the Sons of those wise men who from the beginning delivered unto us the Apostolical Doctrine c. Lib. VII in Esaiam Cap. XIX But S. Cyprian every where appeals from all pretended Tradition whatsoever unto the Dictates of our Lord and his Apostles i. e. unto Scripture-Tradition Particularly in that famous Epistle of his to Pompeius All religious and simple minds have a compendious means both to lay aside Errour and to find out Truth nam si ad divinae traditionis caput originem revertamur cessat error humanus for if we go back to the Head and Original of Divine Tradition there is an end of humane Errour And a little after he tells us what he means by this Divine Tradition when he saith If there be any doubt any wavering about the Truth let us return ad originem Dominicam Evangelicam Apostolicam Traditionem to our Lord 's Original or beginning both the Evangelical and Apostolical Traditions that is to the Doctrines delivered in the Goâ—pels and in the Writings of the Apostles Fourthly Another Spring of Heresie were pretended Revelations Thus the Cataphrygae as the same Firmilian tells us novas Prophetias usurpare conantur endeavoured also to make use of new Prophecies And a little after We know they cannot have Christ who challenge to themselves their false Prophecy against the Faith of Christ And whence they had their Illuminations who in the bosom of the Roman Church invented a Fifth Gospel which threatned the overthrow of our four is not hard to resolve Not out of the Holy Scriptures we may be sure and therefore the taking away them from the people will not prevent all Heresies but they will start up as they have done from other Causes and they will the sooner start up if the Scriptures be neglected II. But I desire it may be further considered that as Heresies will spring up from other Causes though men do not read the Scriptures so Lay-men have not been always the Devisers of them but they to whom none deny the liberty of reading the Holy Books For the most pernicious Heresies that have been in the Church had their beginning from Priests as appears by Arius and Nestorius And indeed no man can frame an Heresie but he that is of excellent Parts as St. Hierom's opinion is whose words are these upon the X. of Hosea No man can devise and set up a Heresie but he that is ardentis ingenii of an extraordinary Wit and hath gifts of Nature created by God the great Artificer such was Valentinus such was Marcion whom we read to have been most learned such was Bardesanes whose Wit the Philosophers themselves admired And therefore either the Scriptures must be wholly laid aside the greatest men for Learning and Parts being apt to abuse them if they be not humble and thoroughly good or men must be taught how to prepare themselves for the reading of them and what to seek for there and then any body may safely take them into their hands and make them their constant Companions III. It must likewise be further considered that there is something else to be feared beside Heresie and that is stupid ignorance or gross Infidelity which Experience shows us have followed upon the taking the Scriptures from the people even as darkness comes and covers the Earth when the light is withdrawn from it And ought we not in all reason to be as studious and solicitous to prevent these as to prevent Heresie Since they are no less dangerous or rather more dangerous by far even for this reason because they make men liable to fall into the most sottish Superstitions if not into down-right Idolatry which is a worse thing than Heresie How Images came to be Lay-mens Books it is needless to relate the matter being very plain and how Image-Worship thence arose and how fatal this hath been to the vulgar people I have not room to discourse nor how Legends of Saints were invented full of absurd and incredible stories which have disgraced the Doctrine of Christianity and tempted many to disbelieve the true History of our Saviour's and his Apostles Miraculous Operations But this is certain that they were devised to supply the place of the Holy Scriptures that the people might have something to entertain them when they were taken away from them It was the effect at least of that these fabulous stories being recommended to the peoples affection when they were frighted from medling with the Bible as a dangerous Book nay when it 's credit was disgraced by many words of reproach Which we in this Church think our selves bound to wipe off by recommending it to the peoples best affection and constant perusal as a means to preserve them from sottish ignorance and stupid Impostures and all vain Superstitions and false Worship IV. Nor is it easie for our people by this means to fall into Heresie because they have the liberty of reading the Scriptures but interpreted to them by the Ministry of the Church whereby they are taught continually to have recourse to their Pastors and by sundry Tracts Expositions and Paraphrases allowed by publick Authority Particularly in the beginning of the Reformation care was taken that Erasmus his Paraphrase should be placed in every Parish-Church of the Realm in which he doth not follow his own private Fancy but like a truly great Man represents the sense of the ancient Doctors of the Church V. Now if after all this men do fall into Heresie it must be imputed to some other Cause than their reading the Scriptures For if they had minded them they would have learnt to be humble modest peaceable tractable to their Guides and to take heed of those who cause Divisions and are proud and dote about Questions and strises of Words and that creep into houses to instill private Doctrines and very frequently lead men from the Scriptures to pretended Revelations or Traditions That is they would not have faln into any sort of Heresie but kept unto the wholesom words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is
according unto Godliness Unto which if men will not attend there is no remedy they will fall into Heresies or worse whether they read the Scriptures or read them not The Scripture it self tells us as much that there must be Heresies 1 Cor. XI 19. that is God will not hinder it unless men will be guided by him and be truly good But he hath a very good end as it there follows in permitting it which is that it may be manifest who are honest-hearted Christians sincerely in love with Truth and Goodness and who are not And that must be the care of every good man not to take or throw away the Scriptures to prevent Heresies but if Heresies do arise to endeavour according to the direction of the Scriptures to approve his integrity unto God by stedfast continuance in Faith and Holiness And after the same manner must he govern himself if the Guides of his Soul do not perform their Duty Which I shall represent in the words of Erasmus out of his Preface to the Reader before his Annotations on the New Testament It is the Pastors Office to distribute the Bread of Life to the people But what if they do not their Duty What must the people do They must implore the help of the Supreme Pastor Christ Jesus who still lives and hath not forsaken the care of his Flock But being solicited by the publick Prayers of his People will do what is promised in Ezekiel Behold I will both search my sheep and seek them out As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that they are scattered so will I seek out my sheep and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day with all the rest that there follows XXX Ezek. 12 13 c. The vulgar people are Sheep but endued with reason and out of those Sheep are Pastors made And sometimes it falls out that a Sheep may know more than his Pastor As a Lay-man therefore ought not seditiously to rebel against the Priests lest that order be confounded which St. Paul would have in the Body of Christ so the Priests ought not to exercise Tyranny over the Flock of Christ for if they do the Sedition will lye at their door When the Pastors do their duty they are to be reverently heard as Angels of God by whom Christ speaks to us And when they teach unsincerely the people must pick out all that 's good if there be any mixed with it But if they teach not at all or teach those things that are plainly repugnant to the Gospel let every man refresh his Soul with private reading And Christ who promises to be present when two or three are gathered together in his Name will not be wanting by his Spirit to one Soul that meditates piously in his Holy Word In vain are six thousand gathered together if it be not in his Name Now they are gathered together in Christ's Name who have respect to Nothing but his Glory and the eternal Salvation of their Souls CONCLVSION I shall conclude all with the sense of that great Man St. Athanasius who wrote a little Treatise on purpose to reprove the audaciousness as he calls it of those who said that it was needless to look into the Scriptures and bad men not to search into them nor to speak out of them but to content themselves with the Faith they had received For searching into the Scriptures said they doth but make things more obscure To which he replies many things which I might digest into Heads but I shall present them to the Reader just as they lie in the Second Tome of his Works pag. 295. of the Paris Edition MDCXXVII This very Assertion saith he shows the inconsistency of their Doctrine and that it hath Nothing to support it He means they would not be afraid men should search into the Scriptures if they thought what was taught by them would be there justified But we trust to the truth of the Mystery i. e. the Scripture and to the help of him who cannot lye who saith Every one that seeks shall find Therefore we seek as we ought and we find what we ought and we speak with demonstration and we hear with a genuine intention that we may perswade our domesticks and that we may confute our Adversaries and that we may by our search be gainers our selves and not propound any thing that is inconsistent unto others Would you have me neglect the Scriptures Whence then should I have knowledge Would you not have me to mind knowledge But whence then should I have Faith Paul cries How should they believe unless they hear And again Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God He then who forbids the Word obstructs hearing and throws out Faith No man can be ignorant of the Roman Laws being a Member of the Empire without danger They then who forbid us to study and learn the great Oracles of the King of Heaven what kind of mischief do they not craftily contrive against us The Scripture is the food of the Soul Cease then O man to starve the inward man and to kill it with hunger introducing a famine not of bread nor of water but of hearing the Word of the Lord. There is one that inflicts wounds and dost thou forbid the application of medicines For shame do not talk as if the various wisdom in the Books of Physicians were vain and to no purpose One may as well he means bid people not mind their Prescriptions though there be many Diseases in the World as not read the Scriptures when their Souls are in danger Reverence that Lover of God's Word the Eunuch who did not neglect reading upon the road Whose good intentions our Lord accepting sent him straightway an Instructer who made him understand what he read and by the Scriptures brought him to his Saviour Hence it is that our Saviour commands Search the Scriptures by searching meaning careful and sober inquiry into hidden things Out of the Scriptures is the manifestation of things obscure the confirmation of hope the event of promises the finding of our Saviour according to that We have found Him of whom Moses and the Prophets wrote Paul himself uses Scriptures for the establishment of the Truth And if he that heard ineffable things he that was thoroughly instructed in secrets he that had Christ speaking in him doth not simply use his own private Authority without the testimony of the Scriptures how can we with safety now neglect the Divine Legislation and speak what we think good out of our own hearts But there are some things transcending our Conceptions I say so too and this we learn out of the Scriptures that we may understand what things are fit for us to seek after as being attainable For it is neither pious to venture upon all things nor is it consistent with Holiness to neglect all things What we worship we ought all to be acquainted withal according to that which is written We know what we worship But how great or what kind or after what manner or where it is the part of mad-men to inquire They that would have none to judge of their Doctrines but themselves deter men from reading the Scriptures pretending it is immodest to pry into such inaccessible things but in truth fearing to be convinced out of them of holding bad Opinions I omit the rest which is but little more than I have represented and shall end all with his words to Macarius in the very beginning of his Works against the Gentiles The holy and divinely inspired Scriptures are sufficient of themselves for the declaration of the Truth and there are many Books composed about the same things by our Teachers of blessed Memory Which if any man peruse he will know in some measure the meaning of the Scriptures and be able to attain the knowledge he desires The End of the Third Part. THE END A Catalogue of some Books Printed for R. Royston at the Angel in Amen-Corner Books written by the Reverend Doctor Patrick THE Christian Sacrifice A Treatise shewing the Necessity End and Manner of receiving the Holy Communion Together with sutable Prayers and Meditations for every Month in the Year and for the Principal Festivals in Memory of our Blessed Saviour In Four Parts The Eighth Edition corrected in Octavo The Devout Christian instructed how to pray and give thanks to God Or A Book of Devotion for Families and particular persons in most of the concerns of Humane Life The Fifth Edition in Twelves An Advice to a Friend The Fourth Edition in Twelves Jesus and the Resurrection justified by Witnesses in Heaven and in Earth In Two Parts in Octavo The Book of Job Paraphras'd in Octavo The Book of Psalms Paraphras'd in Octavo The Truth of Christian Religion in Octavo The Glorious Epiphany with the Devout Christians Love to it in Octavo The Proverbs of Solomon Paraphrased with the Arguments of each Chapter which supply the place of Commenting in Octavo A Paraphrase upon the Books of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon With Arguments to each Chapter and Annotations thereupon In Octavo New A Book for Beginners Or A Help to Young Communicants that they may be sitted for the Holy Communion and receive it with profit A Friendly Debate between a Conformist and a Non-Conformist In Two Parts The Sixth Edition Corrected and Englarged A Treatise of the Necessity and Frequency of rece ving the Holy Communion With a Resolution of Doubts about it In three Discourses begun upon Whitsunday in the Cathedral Church of Peterburgh New Winter-Evening Conference between Neighbours In Two Parts The Second Edition Corrected in Octavo The Old Religion demonstrated in its Principles and described in the Life and Practice thereof In Twelves New 22 Sermons preach'd partly before His Majesty at Whitehall and partly before Anne Dutchess of York at the Chappel at St James's By Henry Killigrew D. D. Master of the Savoy and Almoner to his Royal Highness New in Quarto Animadversions upon a Book Intituled Fanaticism Fanatically imputed to the Catholick Church by Dr. Stillingfleet and the Imputation Refuted and Retorted by S. C. By a Person of Honour The Third Edition in Octavo The End of the Catalogue