distinction and tedrously dilates upon it to amuse his Reader But the sum of all comes to this That the words of Scripture are of no further use than as they are signs of conceptions and things and under that consideration they cannot be understood unless the things signified by them be first known at least in some gross and confused manner Whereof he gives us this instance that where we sind in Scripture that God is Omniscient we cannot understand this unless we first know what God is and what Omniscience is Therefore says he all the benefit that any can get by any Book that is written is but this that it stirs up the Mind of the Reader to reflect upon the clear and distinct Idea's of those things in his Mind which the Book treats of not that the Book can of it self bring him to the true knowledge of things much less that it can beget any clear or distinct Ideas in his Mind which were not there before And thus he tells us it is with the Scripture all the use of it is to stir up the Reader or Hearer to think of the things that it propounds and inquire into them and examine them whether they be so as they are there propounded and that they may do this they must make use of Philosophy to try what is there written Therefore adds he the Scripture is to be used not that it should of it self inform us in the truth or render the truth more clear and distinct or make it more firm to us but that it may give us occasion and matter of meditating on those things which perhaps otherwise we should never have minded Therefore says he still the utility and excellency of the Scriptures above other Books consists onely in this That the things it speaks of are of so great concernment to our everlasting blessedness not for any use they are of to instruct us in the Truth This is all the use that he allows the Scripture from whence I think will inevitably follow that he owns the necessity of no knowledge of God or Religion but what is natural And so all supernatural Revelation or at least all necessity of it is denied And if there be no other use of the Written Word but what this Author assigns it it s put into the same rank with a Crucifix or a Deaths Head Indeed the whole design of his Book and of that other Tract that is prefixed to its latter Edition written as is supposed by the same Author is utterly to undermine and overthrow the credit of the Scriptures We need not wonder that he so often derides and calumniates the Protestant Doctrine of the Spirits internal illumination of the Mind which consists in curing the indisposition of the Subject and fitting it for the right understanding of Heavenly Things of which more hereafter in an Appendix to my present Discourse when he will not allow the necessity of so much as an Enternal Light for the Revelation of Supernatural Objects as acknowledging no such things And he that is thus principled must needs be very ignorant of himself and of the ruines that Sin hath made among the whole Race of Adam and the woful depravation of Mans Nature by his first Apostasie But for the Readers full satisfaction about the necessity of Supernatural Revelation I dare commend to his perusal besides many other useful Discourses that might be named that excellent Piece of the Eminently-accomplish'd Sir Charles Wolsly concerning the Reasonableness of Scripture Belief CHAP. VII 1. A fifth Argument That this would open a gap to the most pernicious Errors in Matters of Faith 2. And Practice AGain fifthly This Assertion le ts loose the Bridle to proud and wanton Wits to overthrow the Foundations of Christian Religion for though there be not the least real repugnancy between the Doctrines of Christianity and the Principles of Right Reason and Sound Philosophy which undoubtedly there is not as I have already premised and asserted yet there being no certain and infallible Record of these Principles by which as by the Rule of Judgement particular Mens Reasonings may be tried If Scripture Revelation must be interpreted by Mens Reasonings I know not the any Error that hath ever crept into the Church of Christ either in matter of Faith or Practice since the first publication of the Gospel but may be introduced anew by this Engine The heretical Blasphemies of Servetus and Socinus which sprang up of late years and those of the Marcionites and Manichees that infested the Church in former times together with the loathsome impurities of the Gnosticks who esteemed themselves the only knowing Men or to speak in the new mode the onely Rational Divines have fair way made them by this Trim Device First Let us instance in Matters of Faith whatsoever is said in Scripture about the Creation of the World the Conception of our Saviour in a Virgins Womb the Personal Union of the two Natures the Resurrection of the Body at the last Day these with many more that might be named let them be brought to the Bar of Reason and tried by its Principles as they are to be found in the Minds of Men and what will it come to We have seen already what use some Men have made of this way to subvert the weightiest Truths of the Gospel But here it will be excepted perhaps by some That the Fundamentals of Christian Religion being clear and plain in Scripture there is no fear of this inconvenience To this I answer First If Divine Revelations must be no otherwise received or understood than as Men see ground for them in their own Reason the plainest and clearest Doctrines of Scripture will be rejected I shall here give two Instances as I find them quoted by a late learned Author The one is of Socinus who says That he would not believe Christ to have satisfied for our Sins though he should read it once and again in Scripture the infallibility of the Revealer not being sufficient to establish it unless he had declared it by its causes and effects and so satisfied Mens Reason concerning the possibility of it Smalcius is the other who says That he would not believe the Incarnation of the Son of God though he should meet with it in express terms in the Bible The same Author says elsewhere that by Reason alone we determine the possibility and impossibility of the Articles of Faith To which I might add the bold assertion of a late English Remonstrant in a Volume publish'd some years ago where he says I verily believe that in case any such unchangeableness of Gods love viz. as should assure the Saints infallible perseverance were to be found in or could regularly be deduced from the Scriptures it were a just ground to any considering Man to question their Authority or whether they were from God or no. And a late Belgick Tractator having affirmed that the
perspicuous Revelation of God's Will Whatsoever may be the ignorance or darkness of Men which hinders them from knowing what God hath said in these Sacred Records yet the objective perspicuity of them is generally asserted by Protestants against the Romanists Not that all Truths revealed in Scripture are so low and common as in their own Nature to be obvious to Man's Understanding but that as to the manner of their delivery they are so laid down in the Scripture as that they may be understood by and from the Scripture yet we mean not that every part or passage of Scripture is clear For that there are many difficulties therein we acknowledge But that the mind of God is somewhere or other in Scripture plainly propounded so far as it is necessary for us to know it one part of it giving Light to another so that the whole Scripture taken together is a Perspicuous Manifestation of his will This is proved by Moses's words in Deut. 30. 12 13 14. Speaking of the Law and the Apostles words Rom. 10. 6. c. Speaking the same of the Gospel Hence the written Word is frequently compared to a Light and is said to give understanding to the Simple Had not the Scriptures been Perspicuous how could Timothy in his Childhood have understood them How could our Saviour out of them have convinced the Sadduces of the Doctrin of the Resurrection Or the Apostles out of them prove irrefragably the truth of their Doctrin against the gainsaying Jews Or how could the Bereans try the Apostles Doctrin by searching the Scriptures These are undeniable Proofs that the Scriptures are Perspicuous and that they have a plain and certain sense obvious to a considerate Reader But all this will signifie nothing if the Scripture have not that Light in it that may discover it self and clear up its own meaning without borrowing Light from some other Principle Now because much of the stress of this Cause lies on this we must a little consider what is said against it The late Romanists do generally cry out that the Scriptures are obscure partly that they may have the fairer colour to take them out of the Peoples hands lest they should mistake or pervert them though none among them have been more guilty of that than their Doctors of greatest name for Learning partly that they may bring in their unwritten Traditions as expository of Scripture-Revelations and partly also that they may establish a necessity of an Infallible Visible Judge here on Earth to Interpret Scriptures and decide all Controversies Yet I know not any of them but will own that many things in the Scripture are clear But there is a late Writer that denies this My next work therefore shall be to deal with him and clear the Truth from his exceptions in some of the following Chapters of this Discourse CHAP. IV. The Exercitators exception against the Scriptures Perspicuity from the ambiguity of words Answered THe Belgick Exercitator whom I have oft mentioned before that he may make sure work rises higher in denying the Scriptures Perspicuity than any that I have ever met with and with confidence affirms the Scripture to be universally obscure and that no part of it is of it self clear and plain and thereupon denies that one part of Scripture can be expounded by another Yea this he laies as the foundation of his main Assertion against the Scriptures Interpreting it self And one great Reason he gives is what he hath taken a great deal of tedious pedantick pains to prove in his third Chapter That all speech being made up of Words and Phrases is abscure and doubtful because the words whereof it consists are capable of different significations and consequently may be taken in a various sense and thus it is with the Scripture it is universally ambiguous and therefore obscure To this I Answer 1. If this Reason hold then there is no Speech or Writing in the World but will fall under the same unhappy fate No Law of the Land no letter of a Friend no Oral Discourse no Treatise of whatsoever Subject and how accurately soever written shall be accounted Intelligible For all Writings and Discourses are made up of the same kind of Words and Phrases and capable of being adorn'd with the same Tropes and Figures that the Scripture is and every whit as liable to be taken in for different senses And thus no man shall know how to speak or write any thing that can be clearly understood and that excellent gift of Speech which God hath bestowed upon men to be an instrument of society and converse shall be of no other use but to be made an Engine of deceit and treachery Secondly if things be thus to what end did this Author trouble himself to Write and others to read this Book of his if all Speeches and Writings be ambiguous and obscure and not to be understood without an Interpreter of what use is this Jewel of his fancy Did he hope to lead the whole World of Interpreters out of their Labyrinths into the right path by such an ignis fatuus that by its ambiguities and uncertainties may scare and amuse them and carry them hither and thither according to the wind of their own imaginations Or hath he attain'd to a faculty above all other Writers even the best and holiest to write in such Words and Phrases as might open his meaning without entangling his Readers in ambiguities If he thinks his Book be free from this blemish methinks he might have had the modesty to conceive that the Pen-men of Scripture knew how to write as well as he If his thoughts of his Book were otherwise he might have kept it to himself and fed the Moths with it Thirdly yet again if it be thus that all words in whatsoever contexture be so ambiguous and obscure what will become of this Infallible Interpreter which our Author would set up For whatsoever Interpretation be made of any Scripture it must be framed in such words as other men use and as all kind of Writings are drawn up in and if when all is done these be obscure what are we the better For certainly according to this Authors argument even the first Principles of Nature and the most unquestionable Maxims of Philosophy when turn'd into Words and Sentences will be as ambiguous and consequently as dark as the Scriptures Fourthly whereas his impeaching the Scriptures of Ambiguity and Obscurity is not only to disable them from expounding themselves but that he may set up Philosophy as the only Interpreter he instances in several Scriptures which he says are thus Ambiguous and Obscure in the clearing whereof Philosophy cannot possibly afford us any help As for Example when he supposeth of our Saviour's Words in Joh. 5. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That it 's doubtful whether this be to be taken Imperatively search the Scripture or Indicatively ye do search the Scriptures Can any
own Will And if our Reason will not rest satisfied with that it will but weary it self in fruitless inquiries and dangerously miscarry by its bold determinations For instance what account can our Reason give why God should provide a Saviour for lost Man and none for the lapsed Angels Why he should cloath his only begotten Son with our dishonoured nature and expose him to so bitter Sufferings for the Sin of Man Why he should 〈…〉 severely punish the Crucifiers of his Son when what they did was fore-determined by himself in order to Mans Salvation And why he should suffer so much wickedness to be done which himself hates and could if he pleased by his Almighty Power hinder These and many more such instances might be given wherein Mans Reason is puzzl'd as not finding any thing wherein it can acquiesce but the Will and pleasure of God that thus it should be Again God requires we should believe him upon his naked Word though we know not which way that which he says can be And accordingly he so manifests to us his Mind that he will not gratifie our vanity or pride in resolving the queries and satisfying the objections that our curiosity may start about the Truth revealed It is enough for us to know what he hath said and to take it upon the Authority of his word without asking how or why And it is indeed the highest Reason imaginable that we should give absolute credit to what he speaks God's Sovereignty saith the learned Lord Verulam reaches to the whole Man extending itself no less to his Reason than his Will so that it well becomes man to deny himself universally and yield up all to him Wherefore as we are bound to obey the Law of God notwithstanding the reluctancy of our Will so are we also to believe his Word though against the reluctancy of our Reason I shall conclude this with the Words of the learned Grotius who having asserted the Doctrines of Scripture to be no way contrary to sound Reason but agreeable thereunto he he hath this remarkable passage Ultra haec pro comperto aliquid affirmare aut de Dei natura aut de ejus voluntate solo ductu humanae rationis c. How dangerous and deceitfull a thing it is to affirm any thing for certain either of the Nature or Will of God beyond what we have in Holy Writ by the sole conduct of Humane Reason we are taught by the many dissentient opinions not only of Schools but of particular Philosophers among themselves Nor is this any great wonder for if they ran out into very differing apprehensious when they disputed about the nature of their own Mind much more must it needs be so with those who are desirous to determine any thing concerning that Supreme Mind that is so far above us If prudent Men count it dangerous to search into the Counsels of Kings which by all our search we cannot discover who is there so sagacious as can hope by his own conjectures to find out what God will do among those things that depend upon his meer pleasure CHAP. V. A third Argument from the absurdity of resolving a Mans Faith into himself and his own Reason IN the third place If the Sense of Scripture be to be regulated and determined by Natural Principles then the last resolution of a Mans Faith in those points as to the formal object of it will be into Man himself and the dictate of his own Reason For the ultimate reason or ground of our believing in this case will not be the veracity of God speaking in the Scripture but the Voice of our own Reason persuading us from its own Principles when we can see nothing in the Words of Scripture to require it And this plainly falls in with the absurd conceit of the Quakers who commonly profess to own nothing that is laid down in the Bible as the Mind of God but what is witnessed by the light within them Which is no more in other terms than this That they will take nothing from the Scripture but what is agreeable to their own Reason For the light they speak of with which they say every Man comes into the World for which they alledge that in Joh. 1. 9. is nothing else but Mans Reason and the common notions of it which though some of them have heretofore denied yet now their chief Heads and Leaders do openly avow And this is that which they make the standing Rule of what they believe and practise and not the Holy Scriptures We rather say with an ancient Schoolman Apud Aristotelem argumentum est ratio rei dubiae faciens fidem sed apud Christum argumentum est fides faciens rationem The way of arguing in Aristotle's School is by Reason begetting assent but in Christ's School it is by Faith which is instead of all Reason CHAP. VI. A fourth Argument from another absurdity viz. That in Matters of pure Revelation the Mind of God may be better known by Natural Light than by Scripture Or that all supernatural Revelation is to be shut out FOurthly It will follow from this supposal That in matters of pure Revelation the Mind of God may be better known by the common principles of Natural Light than by the Holy Scriptures which carries with it a palpable contradiction For matters of pure Revelation are supposed to be supernatural and if these as laid down in Scripture cannot be understood from the Scripture it self but must have such a Sense given them as the Maxim of Natural Reason shall determine then certainly it is not Revelation but Reason that discovers them And so what need will there be of Scripture Indeed this conceit looks very like that absurd dotage of Weigelius if it be not the same with it that Mans knowledge of all things whatsoever must be fetcht from within himself not from without Tenôris says he omnia nôris omnia enim es non minus quam Deus Which besides many other prodigious absurdities plainly shuts out all supernatural Revelation And that this lies at the bottom of the Exercitators Discourse I find reason enough to suspect if not conclude For besides what he says in his sixth Chapter the first Paragraph which I shall wave insisting on in his Epilogue at the end of his Book he propounds an Objection against his whole Discourse viz. That if Philosophy be the Rule of Interpreting the Holy Scripture then the Scripture is useless and written to no purpose for seeing the truth of all the Senses of Scripture which are to be search'd out and tryed by Philosophy must first be perceived before they be drawn out and examined to what end is it that we should have recourse to Scripture to learn any thing from it This is the Objection which himself makes against his own Position In answer whereto he runs out into a long Harangue of words and as his manner is propounds a frivolous
Interpreter preclude them 3. Were this Argument allowed it would for ever debarr us from alledging Scripture against the Romanists in any Controversie that we have with them it being notorious to all Men that this is one great difference betwixt us and them who must be the Supreme Interpreter of Scripture which they challenge as the Priviledge of their Church and we ascribe to the Scripture it self But it is a miserable Plea that this Author makes elsewhere for himself viz. That he had to do with one whom he esteemed to be no Christian but an Heathen for so he accounts the Exercitator who would no more regard the Testimony of Scripture in this Case than a Jew would regard any proof from the New Testament and therefore it was that he declined dealing with him about those Testimonies from Scripture It seems then he would make the World believe that what he had said about this was onely spoken ad hominem By which it plainly appears that our Author began to see he could not stand his ground but was not so ingenuous as to confess his Error and therefore runs behind this Bush to hide himself For 1. His Words which I quoted before out of his Book De Scripturarum Interprete do evidently shew that he speaks according to his own Mind that it was a preposterous thing in this Controversie to alledge the Testimony of Scripture and that in this Case no such proof was to be allowed see him page 217. 219. and 247. and not only so but alledges the Reasons beforementioned such as they are for this wilde Position 2. He knows very well that the Jews to whom he compares his Antagonist do not at all own the Authority of the new Testament but professedly reject it Whereas the Exercitator whatever his Religion be does avowedly own the Divine Authority of the Scripture and delcares himself willing to be dealt with in that way in that he cites our Divines Arguments from thence and endeavors to answer them for which this Author reproves him So that the case is not the same And yet I appeal to the Authors Reason Should any Jewish Writer either cite any Testimonies out of the New Testament for himself or endeavor by his own Interpretations to evade any Testimonies thence alledged against him which is plainly the Case here whether should a Christian that pretends to answer him do well to say That the New Testament is not here to be heard and that it were a preposterous thing to alledge it Should he not rather endeavor to answer the objections that are made and clear the places cited And if in case he should do as this Author doth here might he not justly be condemned for a Betrayer of the Christian Cause If it be said that though the Exercitator acknowledge the Divine Authority of the Scriptures yet he holds them to be universally ambiguous and obscure further than Humane Reason expounds them and therefore it was to no purpose to use Scripture to him till they had agreed about the Rule of Interpretation I answer The Exeroitator does indeed charge the Scripture with obscurity because of its ambiguity but it is upon this ground because hesays all words whatsoever are ambiguous If therefore this should shut out the Scripture from bearing witness in the Controversie then all Arguments from Reason must upon the same account be excluded too for they must be made up of Words and Phrases the ambiguity whereof according to the Exercitators Doctrine will render them obscure as well as the Scripture Come we now to speak something to the Scriptures alledged by our Divines which the Exercitator labors to evade But methinks it is a pleasant thing to see how he betrays his own Cause by acting against his own Method and Principles For having all along cried up Philosophy as the onely Interpreter of Scripture when himself comes interpret the Scriptures brought against him one would think he should bring his own Tools to this Work and labor by Philosophick Principles to make out the Sense that he gives of these Scriptures But he waves this and seeks to fetch out his own Sense from the Scripture it self by examining the Antecedents and Consequents and the Authors scope Now he either takes this way of Interpretation to be right or he does not If he do not he doth but juggle with his Reader and designs to cheat him but if he do indeed think it to be right he yields the Cause that not Philosophy but the Scripture it self is the Rule of Interpretation Now for the Scriptures alledged The first is that in 1 Cor. 1. 19 20 21. where the Apostle speaks very contemptibly of Humane Wisdom the like may besaid of the next 1 Cor. 2. 6. Now in these places saith the Exercitator the Apostle does not go about to deny or condemn true Wisdom but the earthly sensual Wisdom of the World that is grounded upon vain opinions and puts Men upon the eager pursuit of earthly things such as Riches and Honors and Sensual Pleasures I answer The Apostle having to do with those who thought meanly of the Doctrine of Christ Crucified and affected a name for that which the world counted Wisdom endeavors to lay all Humane Wisdom in the dust and to discover its insufficiency to conduct man to true happiness for which he prefers the Doctrine of the Gospel which was so derided as foolishness above that which the World so much admired This therefore is no impertinent allegation against the Exercitators opinion That in 1 Cor. 2. 14. I have already pressed in the prosecution of my first Argument and have vindicated it from the corrupt glosses that some have put upon it The last is that in Coloss. 2. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit Here saith the Exercitator the Apostle doth not condemn sound Philosophy but that which is vain and useless I answer Undoubtedly he doth not condemn Philosophy truely so called But he gives a caution to take heed of being deceived by it as Men may be when the use of it is extended beyond its Line and is not kept within its own proper Bounds Thus saith our learned Davenant Philosophy or Humane Reason which is the Mother of Philosophy is always found vain and deceitfull when it is carried beyond its proper limits That is says he when it attempts to determine of those things that fall not under the cognisance of Natural Reason such are those that belong to the Worship of God and to the Salvation of Man as the Points of Justification Reconciliation with God and other Matters of Faith that are above the reach of Reason and depend altogether upon Divine Revelation CHAP. XVII 1. That Sound Philosophy asserts nothing contrary to Scripture granted 2. Two Principles instanced in and Wolzogen's Tergiversation taxed 3. The two great Articles of the Creation of all things out of nothing and the
which the words offer may be plain and easie when the sense that the Author intends by them which is a clean other thing is very dark and obscure And so confident is the Gentleman in this conceit that he superciliously slights Expositors of Scripture for not minding this distinction and for want hereof taking oft times the simple sense for the true one To make this wild and senseless distinon good he instanceth in several passages of Scripture wherein he would make us believe this Two-fold sense is to be found I shall therefore before I proceed endeavour to clear those Passages or the principal of them Sect. 2. One instance he gives is of those expressions in Scripture The Arme and Finger of God The simple sense of which Words and that which they do of themselves offer to the Reader he sayes is very obvious being known by common use but â—he thinks no Divine so void of Wit as to take that obvious sense for the true meaning of the Author By this it appears this Gentleman conceives that the sense which those Words of themselves offer is proper without any Trope or Figure as if God had a bodily Arme or Finger as a Man hath But by his favour he is greatly out The Arme and Finger of God according to common acceptation with any that are vers'd in the Scriptures have no other than an improper sense nor do they signifie any more than the Power of God though the word Arme or Finger either singly taken or applyed to Men signifies somewhat else according to that known Maxime Verba sunt intelligenda secundum subjectam materiam Words are to be understood according to the subject matter about which they are used And this holds in all manner of Speeches and Writings whatsoever the matter in hand directs to the sense of the Words A second instance is in Joh. 14. 6. where our Saviour says I am the Way the Truth and the Life What obvious sense it is that this Author conceives from common use of speech to be in these words different from our Saviours meaning I cannot divine Nor can I see how they can signifie any more or less to him that is acquainted with the Doctrine of the Gospel than what our Saviour means by them who calls himself The Way by no unapt Metaphor because as himself expounds it in the latter end of the Verse it is by Him that Sinners are to come to the Father that is to Reconciliation with him and fruition of him It is by Him that is by the Merit of his Blood by the Light of his Doctrine by the Conduct of his Pattern and by the Power of his Spirit And herein he is The Truth that is the Substance and real Completion of all the Types and Shadows under the Law and consequently he is The Life by a known Metonyme of the effect for the cause in that he is the Author that is the Purchaser and Bestower of that Eternal Life that Sinners come to enjoy in God A further instance is given in those words of our Saviour This is my Body where he affirms That the plain and easie sense which the words of themselves offer to the Reader is that which the Romish Church takes them in but the sense of our Saviour in speaking them which he grants to be that which the Reformed Churches give of them this he says is dark and obscure But I suppose he cannot be ignorant that there are considerable Doctors of the Romish Church eminent for Learning who have acknowledged that they should never have entertained that sense of the words which asserts Transubstantiation if the Authority of the Church had not moved them And our Writers have abundantly manifested the gross absurdity of that sense and among others Dr. Brevint in his late excellent Discourse of the Mystery of the Romish Mass hath clearly and to great satisfaction proved the Protestant sense of that speech of our Saviours from the very words themselves I cannot well understand by this Authors discourse of what setled Perswasion he is in matters of Religion He now and then insinuates something that carries with it a dislike of the Romanists and their way But it is plain enough by this and many other passages in his Book that the Reformed Churches are little befriended by him Lastly He instances in those Scriptures where God is said to be Lord of Heaven and Earth the King of Nations and King of Kings and where he is said to have begotten a Son Psal. 2. and to have loved the World Joh. 3. 16. In all which he says the obvious but mistaken sense and that which the Vulgar apprehend is that God after the manner of men is a Lord and King and doth beget and love which he esteems to be grosly absurd To these I answer distinctly 1. As for the places where God is called Lord and King and said to Reign over the Nations with all of like import in these we are taught by what we find elsewhere in Scripture to remove from God whatever savours of imperfection and to ascribe nothing to him but what suits with a most excellent and most perfect Being Nor do the aforesaid Expressions in their plain and obvious sense signifie either more or less than that God is the Universal Sovereign of the World Ruling his Creatures with infinite Wisdom and Power according to their different natures and conditions the Inferiour sort by instinct and natural necessity his Intellectual Creatures by Laws as the proper Instrument of Moral Government And what the Exercitators sentiments are about this I cannot conjecture If he be for that Novel Opinion of Thomas Anglus ab Albis that God doth not properly Govern us by Laws as Kings do their Kingdoms but as an Engineer doth his Engine by Physical Motion and that therefore he is call'd our Lord and King only in a Metaphorical sense I must enter a dissent against such an absurd and Atheistical conceit and put him to prove his Assertion and answer the Arguments that are in print against it 2. As for the second Of begetting a Son Psal 2. 7. Interpreters do much differ about it Some conceive the first and immediate sense of the words to respect David whom God had delivered out of his great afflictions and rais'd to a Kingdom which deliverance and exaltation was to him as a second Birth And this they illustrate by what is said of the Roman Emperors that they had two Birth-days the one of their Persons when they came into the World the other of their Empire when they were seated in the Throne and that Christ is here intended only as the Antitype prefigured by David Others understand these words properly and immediately of Christ and that with respect to one of these two either 1. To his Eternal Generation in reference to which he is called the Eternal and only begotten Son of God The truth of which Generation we
of Scripture may have correspondency with another and this so far as that the one may expound the other But now the case is alter'd If it be replied in his behalf That these places by him quoted were penned by one and the same Writer and therefore might well have correspondency each with other but this makes nothing for those who interpret one part of Scripture by some other that was not written by the same Hand I rejoin That the first and second Book of Kings were endited by the same Spirit I grant and shall make some use of it in my third Answer to this Authors Objection But that they were both written by the same Hand or suppose they were that the Writer intended by the latter to explain what he had written in the former is more than he or any other for him can prove 3. The Scriptures though written by parts and at several times and by several persons yet they all own God for their Author by whose Spirit they were endited and they are all together to be taken for his Counsel to Sinners And then what injury or incongruity is there in making use of what one hath written more plainly to unfold what was more darkly written by another When we compare the Evangelists together to explain what one says more briefly by what another lays down more fully we do not in this so much inquire into the sense and meaning of the Evangelists as into the Mind of God whose Secretaries they were The like may be said of the Prophets If the Prophets or Apostles spake of their own heads or wrote only a signification of their own private Sentiments there might be some colour for this Objection But the Apostle tells us That no Prophesie of Scripture is of private Interpretation that is the Prophets in their Writings were not the Interpreters of their own Mind but of the Mind of God by whom they were sent and by whose Spirit they were acted as it follows in the next Verse For Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And thus much the Exercitator acknowledgeth where he saith That God is the Author of the Scriptures and that he did always guide his Amanuenses to write the Truth giving them the assistance of his unerring Spirit and that whatsoever they wroteâ—… pure Truth free from all mixture of Fâ—â—shood or Errour But there is another Discourse prefixed to a latter Edition of the so oft-mentioned Exercitation and thought by many to come from the same Author the Writer whereof sticks not to assert this audacious Falshood That the Prophets in their Narkatives and in all matters of Speculation that is whatsoever was not matter of moral Duty did disagree among themselves and â—onsequently that what is said by one is not to be explained by the words of another Which with other passages of like import does at once call in question the whole Truth and consequently the Divine Authority of the Scriptures For if the Pâ—â—men of Scripture elash one against another in their Writings either God was not the Author of whâ—â— they wrote but themselves or the God of Truth must be charged with Falshood for of two diâ—…ent Opinions both cannot be true Whose design it is that the Author of that Theologico-Political Tractat drives except that of the great Enemy of Mankind I know not But he sufficiently manifests a vile esteem of the Holy Scriptures and a desire to beget the like in others For he takes very earnest pains with the utmost of his art and skill to â—â—ke up and exagitate their seeming disagreements as real contradictions casting a great deal of scorn upon all Expositors as Fools or Madmen that attempt to reconcile them His discourse in this and sundry other odious passages which I abâ—or to mention doth apparently tend to promote the cause of the Antiscripturists besides the help 〈◊〉 affords which is not a little to the Romish Interest The Author indeed would seem by some Expressions here and there to intimate his dislike of the Ponâ—ifician Party But we know it is consistent enough with the Politick Principles of Men of that way to speak much more than he hath done against that very Cause that they are studiously projecting under that Covert to advance But I return from this Digression to what I was about If any thing in the Laws of a Kingdom be difficult and perplex and there be something in some other Law of the same Kingdom though written or printed by other hands that speaks more clearly of that matter what wrong is it to the Law or the Law-maker or Printer if a Learned Council comparing one with another expound that which is more dark in one part of the Laws by that which is more perspicuous in another both proceeding from the same Authority and both obliging to the same persons Judge alike in the present case This Objection therefore is of no force But it is further urged That there are some difficult places of Scripture that are no where explained in any other part and some things that being but once spoken in Scripture cannot be explained by any parallel place And here our â—â—ercitator refers us for instances to his great Friend Stapleton For answer 1. Whereas it is said there are difficulties in some parts of Scripture that are no where cleared how does any Man know this Doth it follow that there is no such thing because we cannot find it Do we think our selves of so piercing or capacious understandings that nothing in the Scripture that is intelligible can escape our discovery Those who have acquainted themselves with Antient and Modern Expositors do know that many difficulties which former Interpreters have in vain struggled with and some that they have wholly left untoucht either as not apprehending them to be difficulties or conceiving them insuperable have been made very clear and plain by some later Writers Verily God will have us know that the opening of his Mind doth not depend only or chiefly upon the pregnancy of Mans Wit but upon his gracious assistance and blessing which he affords or withholds when and where himself sees fit Again the Scriptures were penn'd not only for the past and present but for all succeeding Ages of the Church to the end of the World And as some parts of them which peculiarly concern'd some Ages past were perhaps better understood in those Ages than they can be by us now as certainly many things were that belong'd to the Jewish Oeconomy so I know not but we may rationally suppose that some other parts of Scripture which to us seem unintelligible may have special reference to the Church in after-Ages and that those whom they so nearly concern shall have more light afforded for the understanding of them in their days than we have in ours As without doubt some Prophetick Scriptures not
Authentick Record of his Mind to conduct us in our way to Blessedness and is this all it is good for It seems by this Mans account all the Knowledge that we have any use for is in us already by Natures Light and whatsoever is delivered in Scripture must be tryed by that What could a blind Pagan have said more to the Scriptures dishonour As it is past all doubt that the Lord of Heaven and Earth in whom we live and move and are ought to be worshipp'd and served by his Rational Creatures so me thinks it should be as unquestionable that he cannot be served rightly and acceptably but by such a Worship as is according to the appointment of his own Will The meanest Man living that hath any depending on him looks they should serve him according to his Mind and not according to their own arbitrary choice And shall we think the Great Sovereign of the World will be pleased with a Worship of Mens own â—â—aming without any order or direction from him Now by which way or means could we know what that Worship is which God approves if we were in this inpsed state left to the meer conduct of Natural Light and had nor Divine Revelation to inform and guide us What piâ—…ful Work did the â—…st and learnedst of the. Heathen make about this 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did they admit into their Religious Worship as I have already 〈◊〉 in the first part of my Discourse Besides there are in Scripture many things Historicalâ— and many Prophetical Can these 〈◊〉 known by Natural Light or can we judge whether these be true or no by the help of Philosophy Moses gives us the Hâ—story of the Creation 〈◊〉 the general Deluge of the Destruction of Sodom of Israels Deliverance out of Egypt by strange Wonders and the bringing of them after forty years wandring into the Promised Land and their Establishment there for some years till for their Idolatry and other sins they were removed is recorded by other sacred Writers besides many other remarkable Histories of more personal concernment Now if we must not take these for truth from the testimony of Scripture which way shall we be satisfied Reason indeed may convince us that these things are not impossible But whether they were really so or so done as is reported all the Principles of Reason all the Maxims of Philosophy will never resolve us The like may be said of the many Prophesies concerning Christ and the after-state of the Church and about the four great Monarchies that were successively to arise with their progress and period If these and such like be examined by Philosophy what can it say to them Must these be all rejected So it seems by this Author's Discourse for he hath no kindness for any thing in Scripture but what may mind us of what we know naturally and may by the Principles of Reason be examin'd and determin'd And then what shall we say to the great Doctrine of Mans Salvation by Christ which is the grand Subject and principal Scope the of Scriptures Was there ever any syllable of this made known to the World otherwise than by Revelation There is indeed a Natural Theologie but I could never yet see ground to be perswaded that there is a Natural Christianity The knowledge of God as our Creator and Preserver is in some measure but very imperfectly attainable by Natural Light But the knowledge of Christ as the Redeemer of Sinners reconciling them to God and delivering them from the power of Satan had never been attained had there not been something above Nature to discover it If any think otherwise let them tell me how it comes about that in those Countries where the Doctrine of the Scriptures was never published there is not the least print or footstep of this great Mystery to be found But certainly he that talks of the Scriptures after the rate of this Author cannot be thought to apprehend himself to stand in any need of a Redeemer or to have any better esteem of the Gospel than that Triple-Crowned Gentleman at Rome is said to have manifested long since in his discourse with Cardinal Bembus For ought I see this Man owns nothing in the Scripture but what may be reduced to three Heads 1. The Being of God and his Attributes 2. The Immortality of the Soul and consequently Man 's future state in another World and 3. The Rules or Laws of Moral Duty because of these we have some notice by Natural Light But how miserably defective is that Light even in these So that here also we stand in need of a further Guide Some knowledge the Heathens had of God and of Mans future state but alas what does all that they have written hereabout come to but some faint guesses and probable conjectures And though they have in their Ethicks many excellent things and of great use yet they fall extream short in sundry particulars of very weighty concernment whereof we should have been utterly ignorant if the Holy Scriptures had not afforded us a more clear and perfect Rule of practice And it hath been observed by some that those Gentile Philosophers who flourish'd after the general promulgation of the Gospel though they continued still in their old Gentilism yet they wrote much more clearly and sublimely of the Nature of God and of Mans Duty here and his Eternal state hereafter than those who were before them Whether the cause of this were the converse they might have with Christians and their Writings or whether that plentiful effusion of the Spirit that was vouchsafed in those times might in some degree as to common enlightenings extend it self beyond the Churches Pale I will not determine But sure something there was beyond mere Natural Light that made them in their Notions of God and Religion so much 〈…〉 of their Predecessors I shall shut up all with this hearty and serious Wish That all who call upon God by Jesus Christ would highly honour and esteem the Holy Scriptures making them their study and delight in order to the bettering of their Hearts and manifesting the power and purity of this Word by a sober righteous and godly Conversation which would more effectually vindicate this Blessed Book from the Scorns and Reproaches of Atheists and Antiscripturists than all Disputes AN APPENDIX Concerning Internal Illumination And other Operations of the Spirit upon the Soul of Man Vindicating the Doctrine of the Protestants and the Practice of all Serious Christians from the Charge of Enthusiasm and other Unjust Criminations In the SAVOY Printed by Tho. Newcomb for Robert Boulter at the Turks Head in Cornhill over against the Royal Exchange 1677. A brief Account of the Contents of the following Appendix CHAP. I. THe Protestants Doctrine concerning the Spirits Illumination explained and defended CHAP. II. The Nature of Distresses of Conscience and Spiritual Joys open'd and the reality of them proved CHAP. III. True Zeal in the Exercises of Religion justified An
deep Cave in the Mount Parnassus near Apollo's Temple out of which proceeded a cool Air which being driven upward by a certain Wind did turn the minds of the Prophets into Madness who being thus inspired were forced to give Responses to those who came to consult with the Oracle Wolzogen is much briefer in citing this of Justin for he says no more out of him but this That the minds of the Prophets were turned into madness when they were filled with God But I have related it something more largely out of the Author himself that the Reader may the better understand the Historians meaning And is it not a goodly piece of service and greatly for the honour of Religion that a Christian Writer should compare the temper of the Lords Prophets speaking by Inspiration from Heaven to the Fanatick Fury of those Diabolical Prophets that were evidently acted by a blast from Hell He that hath so little Reverence for those Worthies who were infallibly asssted in what they preach'd and wrote as to speak thus reproachfully of them no wonder if he trample upon the Servants of the same Lord now But what do I speak of the dishonour done to the Servants of God by a Man that speaks so irreverently of God himself and his Holy Word in many passages throughout his Book as is obvious enough to the view of every unbyass'd Reader 2. Let it be consider'd what colour there can be for this Imputation when the Persons thus charged are known to be sober and considerate and in all their discourses and affairs as rational as other Men and as composed every way as any of those who thus traduce them As therefore when some said blasphemously of our blessed Saviour He hath a Devil and is mad why hear ye him Others made answer These are not the words of him that hath a Devil As if they had said Men possest or mad do not speak after this rate or carry themselves after this manner So may I say of those who are now reproach'd for Mad-men by a Generation of the same profane temper Examine the behaviour of those who are thus calumniated observe their grave deportment their serious discourse their circumspect carriage their prudent conduct of affairs and let sober Reason judge whether these be the effects of Madness Tush may some say this is nothing Men may have a partial or particular madness that takes them in some things while they remain sober in others They may be very sedate and composed in their other affairs and yet in matters of Religion they may be quite beside themselves For a Reply to this 1. Be it so then perhaps the Objectors may be as much concern'd in this as any others and the charge may be retorted upon themselves though they speak and act like Men of Reason in other things yet it seems in matters of Religion they may be mad Ipsi viderint Let themselves look to it The Prophet Jeremy saith of the Babylonians that they were Mad upon their Idols And I have heard many years ago that Doctor Holdsworth then Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge did in his Speech at the Publick Commencement complain of some in his time that were ad insaniam usque superstitiosi superstitious unto madness But 2. We will not let it go thus The Persons we are speaking of and pleading for are such as can and do give as intelligent an account whensoever required as any other of what they profess and practise in matters of Religion from the unerring Word of Truth This they plead for to this they appeal by the Precepts of this they live and in the hopes of what is there promised through the Grace of Christ they resolve to die And if this be the Cognisance and Character of Mad-men then let us henceforth look for Sober Persons no where but in Taverns Play-Houses and Bedlams and reckon all other for Mad. 3. Many instances might be given of those who while in the days of their vanity they were strangers to the power and life of Godliness had the same contemptible apprehensions of these things and have with a kind of disdain wonder'd what those persons ailâ—d whom they perceived to be zealously affected in matters of Religion above the common rate But after they came to feel the perswasive efficacy of that Regenerating Grace which some are bold to deride changing their hearts they have seen things with other eyes and with indignation wonder'd at themselves that they should be so slight and stupid in matters of so infinite concernment I doubt not but St. Paul while he was a persecuting Pharisee wonder'd at the Christians as a company of Mad-men for what they profess'd and did But afterward when his eyes were open'd to see his errour he counted himself no better than Mad for what he had formerly done agaiâ—st them To which I may add in the last place That many of those who in the days of their health and jollity have derided the persons we speak of for a company of silly distracted Fools when a Death-bed hath awaken'd their Conscience and brought them to a more sober use of their Reason and a more serious view of Eternity have then changed their minds and heartily wisht themselves of the number of those whom they have formerly reproach'd and would be glad to have some of their Oyl to put into their own dying Lamps before they were to engage in their last conflict and pass from hence into another World But however the time is hastening when these Calumniators will be sufficiently convinced of their folly and take their own reproaches home to themselves when that shall be fulfill'd that the Author of the Book of Wisdom tells us That the Righteous Man shall stand with great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted him and made no account of his labours When they see it they shall be troubled with terrible fear and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his Salvation so far beyond all that they looked for And they resenting and groaning for anguish of spirit shall say within themselves This was he whom we had sometimes in derision and a proverb of reproach We Fools counted his life madness and his end to be without honour How is he numbred with the Children of God and his lot is among the Saints But may some say there have been many Pretenders to the Spirit both in former and latter Ages who have abused the World 1. Very true and what will you conclude from thence There likewise have been and are many Pretenders to Learning and Honesty who by their cunning slights and artifices have deceived many Is this any prejudice to Learning and Honesty where they indeed are Or must we resolve that these are no where to be found because of such false Pretenders Is this to argue like Men of Reason 2. The Apostle tells us That the Devil transforms himself into
Devotion as may stand with the quiet enjoyment of their lusts and not disturb their dead and sleepy Consciences And therefore the less life and vigour there is in those exercises of Religion wherein they think good to bear a part the more pleasing they are to them they dread all other as much as a Child doth the sound of a Trumpet or the terrible crack of Thunder as that which amazes and affrights them and breaks them of their beloved ease Who is there that looks abroad in the World and sees not this And therefore whenever any have harden'd themselves into the confidence of casting reproaches upon such as are observed to be most hearty and fervent in the Worship of God they usually have the Vogue of the profane multitude to side with them and are by that advantage embolden'd more freely to pour out their venom though sometimes they run so far beyond all bounds of Candâ—r Modesty and Truth that they give the deepest wounds to their own reputation in the esteem of those who are sober and ingenuous Did the Persons thus accused take to themselves the honour of what good they have or do or did they endeavour or attempt to gain or exercise any Dominion over the Faith or Consciences of their Brethren there might be some better colour for this Imputation But it is evident to all that they disown all such self-admiring and self-exalting conceits making themselves Servants to all in order to the furtherance of their Masters honour to whom they desire to sacrifice all they have not seeking their own emolument or advancement but the profit of many that they may be saved But it 's usual with those whose Worldly Interest is their Summa Ratio to measure others by themselves and to lay that at the doors of those whom they distaste which they are conscious of in their own hearts and which every one can discern to be too conspicuous in their lives I shall conclude this with those words of the Apostle Judge nothing before the time till the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every Man have praise of God FINIS Books to be sold by Rob. Boulter at the Turks-Head in Cornhil over against the Royal-Exchange FOLIO RUshworth's Collections Baronage of England in two parts by William Dugdal Esq Hooker's Ecclesiastical Policy Cursellei Opera Bishop Taylor 's Cases of Conscience Spiritual Refinings in two parts by Anthony Burgess His 145 Sermons on John 17. His Treatise of Original Sin Curia Politiae or the Apologies of several Princes justifying to the World their most eminent Actions by Reason and Policy A Concordance to the Holy Scriptures with the various Readings both of Text and Margin by S. N. Sixty five Sermons by the Right Reverend Father in God Ralph Brownrig late Lord Bishop of Exeter Published by William Martin M. A. sometime Preacher at the Rolls in two Volumes QUARTO An Exposition with Practical Notes and Observations on the five last Chapters of the Book of Job by Jos. Caryl Husbandry Spiritualized or the Heavenly use of Earthly things by J. Flavel A Treatise of the Sabbath in four parts by Mr. Dan. Cawdry Vindiciae Legis or a Vindication of the Law and Covenants from the Errors of Papists Socinians and Antinomians by Anthony Burgess The Saints Everlasting Rest or a Treatise of the blessed state of the Saints in their enjoyment of God in Glory by Richard Baxter His plain Scripture-proof of Infant-Baptism The saurus medicinae practicae ex praestâ—ntissimorum tum Veterum tum Recentiorum Medicorum Observationibus Consultationibus Consiliis Epistolis summa diligentia collectus ordineque Alphabetico dispositus per Tho. Burnet A Treatise of the right use of the Fathers by John Dailly Annotations on the Book of Ecclesiastes by a Reverend Divine The Doctrine of Justification by Faith by John Owen D. D. Man of Sin or a Discourse of Popery wherein the numerous and monstrous Abominations in Doctrine and Practice of the Romish Church are by their own hands exposed to open sight that the very Blind may see them By no Roman but a Reformed Catholick De Origine Moribus rebus Gestis Scotorum Libri decem Authore Joanne Lesâ—aeo Episcopo Rossensi Large OCTAVO A Discourse of Growth in Grace in sundry Sermons by Samuel Slater late of St. Katherines near the Tower The Grounds of Art teaching the perfect work and practice of Arithmetick both in whole Numbers and Fractions by R. Record A Cloud of Witnesses or the Sufferers Mirrour made up of the Swan-like Songs and other choice Passages of several Martyrs and Confessors to the end of the Sixteenth Century in their Treatises Speeches and Prayers by T. M. M. A. A Treatise of the Divine Promises in five Books by Edw. Leigh Esq The unreasonableness of Infidelity in four parts by R. Baxter His Method for getting and keeping Spiritual Peace and Comfort His safe Religion against Popery Quakerism no Christianity clearly and abundantly proved out of the Writings of their chief Leaders with a Key for the understanding their sense of their many usurped and unintelligible words by John Faldo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiodi ASCRAEI quae extant Cum notis Cornelii Scrivelii A Treatise of the Bulk and Selvedge of the World wherein the Greatness Littleness and Lastingness of Bodies are freely handled with an Answer to Tentamina de Deo by N. Fairfax M. D. Small Octavo and Duodecimo A Saint indeed or the great Work of a Christian opened and pressed from Prov. 4. 23. by J. Flavel Artificial Arithmetick in Decimals shewing the Original Ground and Foundation thereof by R. Jagar § I. * Flac. Illy Cl. Scr. parte 2. Gerard. Loc com de Int. Scr. cap. 2. Glass Philol lib. 2. pag. 280. And. Riveâ— Isagog cap. 18. § 2. Lud. Croc. praeloq in S. Theol. c. 3. ex Ludov Granatensis § 3. * Dr. Stillingflect Dr. Tiliotson Mr. Pool c. §. 4. Philosophia S. Scr. Interpres Exerciâ—atio Paradoxa In Prologo Ib. cap. 5. par 1. Cap. 16. par 8. §. 1. * Ph. Scr. Int. c. 5. par 1. * Lud. Walzog in Censura Censur p. 59. § 2. Aqu. 2. 2â— Q. 2. 〈◊〉 4. § 3. * Lib. de Author Script cap. 1. p. 16 c. 4. p. 66. 71. * Phil Scr. Int. cap. 16 par 7. 8. * Aâ—g Retract cap. 14 de utilitate credendi cap. 1. § 1. Arg. 1. § 2. Duâ—…or Dubitâ—… l. 1. c. 2. Exception 1. Schlicâ—tingiâ—â— Velâ—husius alii Sol. 1. Expos. ep ad Coloss. in cap. 2. 8. Exception 2. Phil. Scr. Int. cap. 7. par 4. Sol. 1. §. 3. Aug. de C. D. l. 61. c. 10. § 1. Exception 1. Sol. § 2. Exception 2. Sol. Duct Dub. lib. 3. c. 3. Inst. Sol. §. 3. Exception 3. Sol. Exception 4. Phil. Scr. Int. cap. 5. par 7. c. 8. par 1.