Jesus and he is in heaven and his spirit must descend to and into us which is the Aquaeduct the ventiduct the Luciduct which way doth Christ in his spirit and graces convey this holy water this gentle air this blessed light to our spirits Why look back to the Creation How came light at first First the spirit moves and broods o're that which was a depth and darknesse and then his mighty Word Fiat Lux. He spake and it was Light then when all was dark he made material light and Christ Jesus is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as speech is the image of the mind so he the brightnesse of his Father's glory and the expresse image of his person Heb. 1.3 The immaterial and eternal light of light that was never made And the Divine spirit goes that way still by the Word His word is and makes light This world is God's great book wherein as in a glasse of wonders we discern him But his word is the true myrror of his mind And as God engrav'd his form on his Son before all worlds so what that Son is and what the father is to us in him the spirit proceeding from both delivers in the book of his word The Sun guilds and enamels clouds and streams and hill tops with his rays but thrusts his own pure light his own living fires through the bodies of the stars so other authors can but yield a faint reflexion of that beam which here is native and direct The very Law God styles a flaming light the Prophesies a more sure word to which we do well to attend as to a light shining in a dark place till the day dawn and the day-star arise in our hearts But the Gospel is called his marvellous light He brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1.10 And in Acts 26.16 I have appeared to thee saith our Saviour to that choice vessel of his grace and name to make thee a Minister and a witnesse c. And now I will send thee to the Gentiles To what end for a glorious end To open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light from the power of Satan unto God And acordingly speaks that Apostle If our Gospel be hid 2 Cor. 4.3 4. verses 't is hid in them that perish in whom the god of this world hath blinded their unfaithful minds that the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God should not shine unto them And in the 6. verse he shews the walk and circuit of this light God who commanded light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts there first and then the casting of the beam to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Doth not S. Paul say It is both the wisedome and power of God to salvation to every one that believeth and is not that enough to give all men full satisfaction and acquiescense what a large field lies open for the further clearing this truth in those assertions in the fathers Saint Chrysostome calls the holy Scriptures Lamps of Verity before our eyes Hom. 23. in mad Serm de Temp. 237. And S. Austin ad Lucernam Scripturae ambulaing Gregorie of Valentia a Jesuit consesseth as much and diverse Pontificians in plain terms as Holcoth and Bellarmine himself cries up the Scripture with a nihil notius nihil certius Bell. de verbo dei lib. 1. c. 2. and cries him down for the veriest fool who believes not their testimony and in the 2 cap of the same book is in his superlatives with Scriptura certissima Tutissima Regula credendi He trouble you but with one more but one instar omnium 'T is he that in a traiterous itch of wit took on him purposely the wresting and prophaning of Scripture that so he might lewdly abuse our Princes and our Church Yet mark as God compelled the Divel to testifie of Christ what he is forced to say and sure 't is worth our observation The book is Latine called the Queries If I diminish him not in my English There is in Scripture saith he an Invisible Majesty an hidden splendor a glory unperishable a wisedome inexhaustible the solace of humane and the beginning of a divine life made by the holy spirit and making our spirits holy compared with which the Egyptian Sages will look pale and poor the Chaldee impure the Grecians blockish Plato no body and Philosophy it self a fool 't is the print of Heaven on Earth and if any where the joy of Paradise or at least a brave resemblance of divine light be shewed it is in Scripture containing all that is severed from the actual vision of God himself Again The paper burns me not yet am I all enflamed in reading it 't is no composure no artificial tread the Scripture uses yet am I drawn and wrapt to follow her and she lifts me up beyond my nature so that I am no more mine own but with a sacred violence and new fire I am consumed and compelled to acknowledge the voice of God that speaks therein Thus far that Papist and finally both Fathers Schoolmen and later Pontificitians freely confesse a double means to know the authors of divine Scripture one ecclesiastick i.e. perpetual Church story Hal. 3.978 m. 2. which introduces Faith saith all Hales as the Seta doth the thrid and the other totally divine which * lib. 2. d. pt divine leg Junilius and * Institu l. 1. c. 16. Cassiodor reckon ipsius Scripturae veritas ordo rerum consonantia preceptorum modus locutionis c. And Scotus of 10. arguments takes divers from the internal matter and majesty of the Books But Sir I intended but a letter and I find my style wandred into a little Homile It is time to end with my apprecation for a blessing on your labours and to let you find it under my hand That I am Your Obliged Friend and fellow-Servant in the Gospel of Christ THO. PESTEL From Leicester Nov. 1. 1656. Errata PAge 24. Line 20. for inseparable read insuperable p. 94. l. 7. for bluts r. blunts p. 102. l. 1. for of r. and p. 104. l. 4. for and r. But p. 113. l. 13. for religionis r. religioni p. 126 l. 2. for quod r. quam p. 129. in the margent for these r. Jesus In the Title of the second Treatise for decission r. decision In the Preface to the Reader before the same Treatise a little after the middle of it for falcyes r. fallacies An Index or Table representing the Contents of this Treatise the parts whereof are two 1. A doctrine propounded and proved which is this That Scripture is God's own Word 2. The application of it to certain special Uses 1. Part. Scripture is proved Gods Word by arguments drawn 1 From without it selfe which are 4. 1 By testimony out of the Church page
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
THE FORT-ROYAL OF CHRISTIANITY DEFENDED OR A demonstration of the Divinity of Scripture by way of excellency called the Bible WITH A Discussion of some of the great Controversies in Religion about universal Redemption Free-will Original Sin c. For the establishing of Christians in truth in these Atheistical trying times By THOMAS GERY B.D. and Rector of Barwell in Leicestershire All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God c 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Beloved believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world 1 John 4.1 London Printed by T.C. for Nathanael Web and William Grantham at the sign of the black Bear in Paul's Church-yard neer the little North-door of Paul's 1657. THE AVTHOR's Preface TO THE READER THis plain and course Treatise that was penned above 30. years since at the motion of a great Earl of this * Francis Earl of Rutland Land who asked of me this question and desired a resolution of it in writing namely which way a mans conscience might acquire best assurance that the Bible is God's own Word is now at last exposed to open view through the encouragement of some persons that are fast friends both to the truth of Religion and the Church of England Who taking the pains to read it and knowing that the very life power of Religion consisteth in the firm belief of that point of Religion which is here demonstrated did entertain some hope that the publishing of it might conduce to the conviction and satisfaction of some mens consciences about this particular Article of Christian belief and thereupon have prevailed with me to adventure this publication of it though there be no worth in it more then this that it 's rational and Orthodoxal If this apology will not excuse my temerity herein the world being now so glutted and ready to nauseate and surfeit with the superfluity of Printed papers I humbly beg that my good intention herein may excuse the rashnesse of the fact who endanger to blemish my self in hope to do others good TO THE REVEREND and his worthy Friend Mr. GERY RECTOR of Barwell in Leicestershire SIR as I am rejoyced to see the late works of your reverend brother in law my honoured Friend Doctor Sanderson So for our mother Cambridge sake I count it among my felicities to find our Country-man Dr. Hall and by much our elder brother in that Arcademy a modern right Reverend Father of the Church still increasing his voluminous sweet and pious writings and like a true celestial plant bringing forth more fruit in his age And that comfort is increased by beholding you also though constantly employed upon a Cure so enabled to afford the world such a testimony as these papers present of solid Theology amongst which after my perusal of the great pains and methodical clearing of that subject concerning our last resolution of faith divine into Divine Scripture and your collection to that end of so many and so convincing arguments I could not refrain my Pen from gratulating to you this work so highly conducible to the glory of God in the exaltation of his holy Word and to the edification of millions of souls who shall enjoy the happinesse of being much confirmed and comforted in their most precious faith by those assistances in your Book for the speedy Edition whereof I do not only hereby solicite but charge you on the behalf of our only Lord and Master Christ Jesus and of his Spouse the Church of God our dear Mother assuring my self that as thereby you shall distribute blessings so many blessings from others shall redound unto your self both in reputation and in their prayers and thanksgivings to God for you We deny not what they of the Romane perswasion say That the tradition of the Church is a great testimony yea take the universal Church in all ages including that of Christ and his Apostles and plain reason and experiment will enforce all men to acknowledge that a Divine testimony To which when that key hath let us in to the Scripture it self we find a light which manifests both it self and other things and so we have a second testimony internal and both Divine The fallacy then is found in making the Churches inducing testimony to be the only or the principal and then in affirming this attestation to the present Church of Rome from whom we must if they may prevail receive these two things on trust That first theirs is the Catholick Church as meer a Bull as that Tiber is all Rivers or a whole Palace is in one room And secondly that he who must be the head of the Church though sometime confessed to be no true member is absolutely infallible Concerning which pretended infallibility so long time contended for though doubtlesse their learned men hold and know it a point ridiculous for in time of three Antipopes at once chairing themselves at Rimini at Bologne and Abignon about 1429. to which head was then this biggen of Infallibility bound it hath now pleased God in this last age to produce amongst us such worthies as have beaten down this Babel of papal pride and levell'd it with the ground I mean this chiefly by that monumental piece The conference of Bishop Laud with Fisher and Mr. Chillingworth's Book against Knot another of the Jesuits On both which one made this Epigram Two little Wills Both understandings great Did fond Infallibility defeat That Supreme Sconce call'd Fisher 's folly won Next Knot their gordian knot was quite undon And for a further manifest of this I refer you to a book of Hugh Paulin de Cressie once a Dean in Ireland and Prebend of Windfor who is gone over to Rome and published the motives of his conversion I read his book newly extant in Essex from the hand of a very worthy Matron Ms. B. a zealous Papist and shewed her therein where he openly confesses That infallibility is a word unfortunate That Mr. Chillingworth hath combated against it with too too great successe He wishes the Word were forgotten or at least laid by That we Prorestants have in very deed very much to say for our selves when we are prest unnecessarily with it and advises his Romists that we may never be invited to combate the authority of their Church under that notion And professes no such word as Infallibility is to be found in any Council c. Magna est veritas c. We and they must of force yield to that of St. Paul Eph. 5.8 We were darknesse in the abstract and all our light in Dom. are now light in the Lord. But how Certainly that Oriens ab Alto that great Bishop of all our souls doth baptize all true believers with the holy Ghost and with the celestial fires of his Grace But since this Arch-prelate and universal Superintendent for properly all cure of souls all Baptism and confirmation is from that our Lord and Saviour Christ
patience humility and comfort that their blood in this manner shed in the Gospels cause seals unto us their successors the infallible certainty of the Divinity of it It 's not denied but that Hereticks have dared to die for defence of their erroneous opinions but never did any of them suffer with those apparent characters and impressions of God's divine Spirit upon them that were now before mentioned nor in that infinite number that the Martyrs of the Gospel have done for they so shined throughout the world in their afflictions saith Eusebius (a) Euseb Histo Eccles lib. 8. cap. 12. in fine that the beholders wondred at their patience and noble courage and that not without cause for they expressed and shewed forth unto the world special and manifest signs of the divine and unspeakable power of our Saviour working by them I might here illustrate and amplifie this point by innumerous instances of Martyrs both out of all the forenamed Historians and out of Mr. Fox his book of our own late English Martyrs in the days of Queen Mary who by the vertue and splendency of their divine graces in suffering namely innocence alacrity courage patience and humility so blanked and amated their persecutors that they converted many of them to the Christians faith yea so far forth they prevailed with some of them that they induced them to suffer Martyrdom with them as Eusebius testifies (b) Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 2. cap. 9. lib. 8. cap. 9. But I will spare this labour as hoping it may be an allurement unto the Reader to peruse some of the now named Authors for further satisfaction in this point I come now to the last external Argument Argu ∣ ment 4 which is the miraculous preservation of Scripture against the iniquity and enmity of all times which have been so malevolent and violent against it that it could never have been preserved hitherto but by the hand of Heaven for all the impetuous power and policy of man and the precipitant stream and strength yea and fury of the whole world hath invaded it to extinguish and suppresse it sundry times Antiochus a cruell Tyrant and successor of great Alexander getting domination over the Jews cut in pieces and burnt all the books of the Law which he could find and followed his intended mischief so malevolently and violently that all those with whom any such books were found were put to a most cruel death (a) Machab 1.59 Joseph Autiq. lib. 12. cap. 7. Dioclesian also Emperor of Rome a savage and belluine persecutor of the Christians sought by all means possible to obliterate and abolish the holy Scriptures and for that end caused his Edicts to be published everywhere throughout his Dominions in which it was commanded That all the Christian Churches should be demolished and made even with the ground yea and the very foundations thereof to be digged up and that the holy Scriptures should be all burned and so be utterly extinguished (a) Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 8. cap. 2. 3. Which mischief hath been intended and attempted also by many other nefarious and wicked instruments of Satan often times yet hath it ever been preserved whole and entire and continued in the Church unto this day yea even in the original Tongues wherein it was first written which is verily a miracle And therefore we may fitly apply unto this miraculous preservation of it that acclamation of the people Great is the truth and prevaileth (b) 1 Esdras 4.41 And the words of the Psalmist This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes (c) Psat 118.23 I have done with the Arguments from without the Scripture which may move any mans mind very prevalently to entertain a belief of the Divinity of this book and yet they have shewed him but as it were the out side of it Let me now lead the Reader a little higher and nearer to it as namely to open it and look within it and then he shall see as the Jew saith very truly God's own hand God's own characters yea God's own sign and seal and subscription upon the paper For as corporal light reveals to the bodily eye both other things and it self too so doth Scripture as a true spiritual and heavenly light both reveal the way to Heaven and make ostension also of it self to be a light of Heaven Particularly there be to be discerned in it these eight sparks or beams of divine authority First Argu ∣ ment 5 There is such an incomparable sublimity and majesty of style herein expressed as doth so highly advance and exalt it above all humane writings and makes it so transcendently glorious above them all that as was said of Christ That never man spake like him (a) Joh. 7.46 Nor with that authority (b) Luk. 4.32 So may be said of this Book of Christ never book spake like it that is in such a superlative and high strain of authority there is such an august majestical and venerable state in the words and such steps and prints of divine excellency displayed in it as neither man nor Angel could or durst expresse and such as never was nor will be found in any other writing for it breathes divinely in every part and page Let any man parallel this Book among humane Authors for heavenly majesty in the sayings and sentences thereof and I will sample him the Sun amongst lucid bodies for radiant lustre in the light and shine thereof for the Sun is not more gloriously lightsome above all other Stars then this Scripture is divinely majestical and glorious above all other writings To which purpose St. Augustine speaks thus (a) August de Civitat Dei lib. 11. cap. 1. Scriptura summae dispositione providentiae super omnes omnium gentium literas omnia sibi genera ingeniorum humanorum divinis excellens authoritate subjecit The Scripture saith he being by the disposition of the highest providence above all the literature of all Nations excelling in divine authority hath stooped all kinds of humane wits unto it self And as in many other Texts so in Deut. 32.39 40 41 42. verses there be such sublime and majesticall expressions as neither man nor Angel durst utter For there we have these sayings uttered from the mouth of God I even I am he and there is no god with me I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver cut of my hand For I lift up my hand to Heaven and say I live for ever c. Thus no man nor Angel ever did speak or dare speak There have been indeed some men in former Ages so advanced and exalted in their own thoughts and transported with vain glory having been mounted to the highest stair of honour and authority here upon Earth that they have ambitiously affected to be called gods and to be reputed to descend from more then humane race and parentage yet never durst
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
of Jerusalems (d) Isa 66.11 cousolations For these brests of Jerusalem are the two Testaments the Old Testament and the New which are called the brests of her consolation because they yield consolation to all such as suck the knowledge of them by reading and meditation And therefore as people would be comforted in poverty or persecution or in any trouble of this life especially in the hour of death when it is most needful it concerns them to be well versed in Scripture for it 's the only store-house of comfort there is no true and lasting comfort to be found but in this well for here are those wells of salvation out of which it 's said we are to draw the waters of (a) Isa 12.3 joy Great need therefore have all Christians to be well acquainted with that which must be their only comfort when they stand most in need thereof Thirdly Scripture is a Christians best piece of armour to defend him against all the assaults of his spiritual enemies sin and Satan and all his band of Hereticks and other nefarious and wicked men For the Apostle setting down the panoply or compleat armour of a Christian wherewith he had need to be at all times appointed reckons up this as one principal part thereof and calls it the sword of the (b) Ephes 6.17 spirit The wise man also in the Proverbs notably sets forth the usefulnesse of it in this respect saith he When wisedom entreth into thine heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul discretion shall preserve thee understanding shall keep thee to deliver thee from the way of the evill man from the man that speaketh froward things who leaves the paths of righteousnesse to walk in the ways of (c) Prov. 2.10 11 12 13. darknesse Herewith our blessed Saviour foiled Satan sundry (d) Mat. â— 4 c. times And herewith the Prophet David fenced himself against sin so he saith himself By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the (e) Psal â— 4 destroyer And again Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against (a) Psal 19.11 thee We therefore being in continual warfar had not need to have this our principal weapon to seek for what else makes many take the foil so oft but because they are unskilful in the word of righteousnesse Fourthly By this Book we shall all be judged at the last day and therefore it concerns us to be well acquainted with the principal contents of it That we shall be judged by it is affirmed by our Saviour He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last (b) John 12. day And by the Apostle Paul At the day when God shall judge the secrets of men according to my (c) Rom. 2.16 Gospel Lastly Without some competent knowledge hereof we can never have Christ The day-star and Sun of righteousnesse as he is (d) 2 Pet. 1.19 Mal. 4.2 called arise in our hearts for as before the Sun ariseth it first sends up its bright beams of light as the harbingers of its approach so before Christ Jesus come into our souls he first enlightens them with the glorious beams of the knowledge of his Word according to that speech of Peter 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 darke place vntill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your (a) 2 Pet. 1.19 hearts And that also of S. Paul God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus (b) 2 Cor. 4.6 Christ The Scripture is full of proofs for this that Christ's Word must first be in some measure learned of us and entertained by us before he will condiscend to dwell with us It 's therefore a most opacous error of an ungodly assertion to affirm that ignorance is the mother of devotion which in Scripture is so much condemned and is made both the mother of error Ye erre saith our Saviour to the Sadduces not knowing the (c) Math. 22.29 Scriptures and the mother of many other sins For S. Paul affirmeth that his sins of blasphemy and persecution and oppression of Christ's Church before his conversion were the product and brats of his ignorance I was saith he a blasphemer a peâ—secuter and injurious But I obtained mercy because I did it (d) 1 Tim. 1.13 ignorantly And he informs the Ephesians that the Gentiles were alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that was in (e) Ephes 4.18 them And by experience it 's found to be the mother both of will-worship and superstition This Paradox some of the Church of Rome in former ages have not blushed to utter for truth and though now of late they would seem to disclaim this irrational Paradox yet covertly they adhere to it For the Rhemists in their front of their Preface prefixed before their translation of the New Testament affirm it to be an erroneous opinion to hold that the Scriptures were ordained of God to be read indifferently of all And therefore the Councel of Trent took order which was confirmed by supreme authority say the same Doctors in the same place within a few lines after that the holy Scriptures might not be read indifferently of all men nor of any other then such as have expresse license from their lawful Ordinary Whereby it appears that they seek to detain the Scriptures from the vulgar people purposely to keep them in ignorance And to put a little glosse and colour upon this their in justifiable opinion and practice the said Doctors afterwards yield this reason for it Because presumptuous Hereticks mistaking or depraving in many places the true sense of Scripture draw from thence many pernicious errours and many other that are unlearned and unstable pervert the same to their own destruction as S. Peter (a) 2 Pet. 3.16 teacheth And how weak a ground this is for them to presume from hence to restrain the common reading of Scripture I declare these two ways First This Argument takes for granted that the abuse of a good thing by some nulls and takes away the lawful common use of it from others But this is nothing so for the word preached as well as read is abused by many through their corruption and so becomes the savour of death unto death unto (a) 2 Cor. 2.16 them and an occasion of their greater sin as our Saviour saith (b) John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin And yet this hinders not but that it must be preached unto all as our Saviour hath commanded Go ye saith he
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
is commanded I need not quote any particular poof for this for it 's a common tenet among them and how crosse and contradictory this is to our Saviour's speech every ordinary capacity may easily discern Secondly The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews saith that Marriage is honourable in (a) Heb. 13.4 all And S. Paul saith It 's better to marry then to (b) 1 Cor. 7.9 burn Bellarmine saith Vtrumque est malum nubere uri immo pejus est nubere quicquid reclament adversarii praesertim ei quae habet votum (c) Bell. de Monach lib. 2. cap. 3. sclenne Both are evil saith he both to marry and to burn yea it's worse to marry whatsoever the adversaries say to the contrary especially for the person who hath made a solemn vow That which the Scripture saith is good and honourable in all without exception Bellarmine saith is evill and especially in some persons he condemns it as evil without exception and with an aggravation of the evil of it in some persons Thirdly S. Paul calls concupiscense or lust sin I had not known sin but by the law for I had not known lust if the law had not said Thou shalt not (d) Rom. 7.7 covet and four or fives time more afterwards in the same Chapter he calls it sometime sin and sometime evill and speaks so of it with reference to himself then a regenerate person The Councel of Trent saith Hanc concupiscentiam quod aliquandò Apostlus peccatum appellat sancta Synodus declarat Ecclesiam catholicam nunquam intellexisse peccatum appellari quòd verè propriè in renâ—tis peccatum sit sed quia ex peccato est ad peccatum inclinat Siquis autem contrarium senserit anathema (a) Conc. Trident. de Peccat origin sess 5. cap 10. sit This concup iscense saith the Councel which the Apostle sometime calleth sin the holy Synod declareth that the Catholique Church did never understand to be called sin because it is truly and properly sin in the regenerate but because it cometh from sin and inclineth to sin If any man think the contrary let him be Anathema or accursed By which decree they not only contradict the Apostle but implicitely also gain-say themselves for if concupiscence be the fruit of sin as they acknowledge then it must needs be sin till it be wholly cleansed which cannot be done here on Earth For a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good (b) Mat. 7.18 fruit If these be not insalvable contradictions of holy Scripture I shall ingenuously confesse the shallownesse and deficiency of my understanding and judgement when any shall make it appear to the contrary And as Papists so likewise Anabaptists contradict Scripture in sundry points And I will charge them with no more then what I have heard proceed from their own mouths First Scripture abundantly testifies that all men since Adam's fall are by birth stained with sin Christ only excepted How can he be clean saith Bildad that is born of a (a) Job 25.4 woman The wicked are estranged from the womb saith (b) Psal 58.3 David And the house of Jacob is called a transgressor from the (c) Isa 48.8 womb They impudently deny it and say that children are not born in sin 2. The Scripture saith that faith is the gift of God so saith S. Paul to the Ephesians By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of (d) Eph. 2.8 God And to the Philippians To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his (e) Phil. 1.29 sake Where both faith and patience are affirmed to be given of God This some of them cotradict and say Faith is not the gift of God And to evade the contradiction they distinguish between the habit of faith and the act of faith and so say That the habit of faith indeed is the gift of God but not the act But this distinction will not salve the contradiction for the Apostle afterwards affirms both the habit and the act also of all grace to be given of God It is God saith he which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good (a) Phil. 2.13 pleasure And elsewhere he saith There are diversities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12.6 Thirdly Scripture saith Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my (b) Prov. 20.9 sin And If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in (c) 1 John 1.8 us Some of them say that a believer is free from all sin which they affirm not only in respect of the imputation of sin for that is agreeable to Scripture but in respect of the inherency of it which contradicts the former Scriptures and many other And that they speak this of the inherency or stain of sin one Mr. John Eaton hath declared who affirms That he who beliveth that Christ hath taken away his sin is as clean without sin as Christ (d) Hony-comb of free justific by John Eaton cap. 3. himself And also one Mr. Randal who delivered in a Sermon the like blasphemous speech namely that it 's as possible for Christ himself to sin as for a child of God to sin as it 's attested by the whole body of the Ministers of (e) Testimony to the truth of these Chr. page 16. London And my self heard one of that sect fay of himself that he had no sin I will winde up this point with a short advertisment and a short advice The advertisment is this I shall desire all persons â—ence to take notice how signantly and notoriously false that arrogant ostentation is which both these now mentioned Sects blush not to ventilate in calling themselves the only Saints and Church of God upon Earth for it was never heard nor read that God's Church and Saints did gain-say and contradict his holy Word as these do The Divel was the first that did so as we read in the book of (a) Gen. 3.1 2 3 4. verses Genesis and some ungracious wretches in the Prophet Jeremiah's time did the like They belyed the Lord and said it is not (b) Jer. 5.12 he But God's Church and people in all ages and places have evermore assented and submitted unto it The advice is this That seeing Scripture is a most sure and safe rule of faith and that by the confession both of Papists and the greatest number and major part of Anabaptists it 's wisedome for all such as desire to walk by a safe rule to decline and desert all association and communion with either of these Sects as who gain-say and contradict it in divers points of their faith as hath been demonstrated and to adhere to the professors of the reformed Protestant Religion and to hold communion with them as