by meer Natural precepts For we suppose what afterwards wil manifest it self that all Truths necessary for men to Believe have a distinct relish from all falshood or other unnecessary or superfluous Truths and may be known by their fruit so men wil be careful to preserve the Sincerity of their Spiritual Taste 4 Gods written Word then is the only pure Fountain and Rule of Faith yet not such immediately unto all as it is written but the Learned or Spiritual Instructors only whose Hearts and Consciences must be ruled by it as in all other spiritual duties so especially as they are Instructors in this That they may not commend any Truths or principles of faith unto the illiterate but such as are expresly contained in Gods written Word or at least are in substance the self same with these written Truths If the Unlearned through Gods just Judgement absolutely admit of other principles and equalize them with these such shal lead them into Errour and pervert their faith If they doubt of any mans Doctrine whether it be truly Spiritual or consonant to the foundation of faith they may appeal to Scriptures as they shal be expounded to them by others Finally they are tied to no visible Company of men whom they must under pain of damnation follow but for their Souls Health they may trie every Spiritual Physitian If they wil be Humorous they may but at their own peril both for Temporal Punishment in this life and for Eternal in the life to come 5 For conclusion the Scripture according to our doctrine and the general Consent of Reformed Churches is the only Infallible rule of faith in both respects or conditions of a Perfect Rule First in that it contains all the principles of faith and points of salvation So that no Visible Church on earth may commend any doctrine to others as a doctrine of Faith unlesse it be commended to them for such by the Scriptures by which every ones doctrine that acknowledgeth God for his Lord must be examined as by a Law uncontrollable Secondly in that these principles of faith are plainly perspicuously and distinctly set down to the Capacities of all that faithfully follow their practical rules most plain most perspicuous and easie to all capable of any rule or reason So that this Sacred Canon needs no Associate no Addition of any Authoritie as equally infallible nor more perspicuous then it self to supply what it wants only the Ministery of men skilful and industrious in the search or Exposition of it is to be supposed And all these be they never so excellent and wel conversant in them are unto Scriptures but as the ordinary Expositors of Classick and Authentick Books are unto the chief Authors or Inventors of the science contained in them Supposing that the first Authors were men of extraordinary and infallible skil and their Expositors as they usually are but of ordinary Capacity or Experience in those faculties 6 Finally the Books of Scriptures are to be reputed a more absolute Rule for all Matters of Faith and Divine Mysteries then any Books or Writings of men are for natural sciences or secular professions as in sundrie other Respects so in This that they give as more facile so more infallible directions for finding out their true Sense and Meaning then any other Writings do or Writers could have done who though present could not be so fully Assistant but cannot so much as affoord their presence to their Expositours in the search of Truths rather professed then fully conceived much lesse infallibly taught by them whereas the Spirit of Truth which first did dictate is every where present alwayes Assistant to such as seriously and sincerely seek the Truth contained in these Divine Oracles conducting them from Knowledge to Knowledge both by all such Means as Artists have for increasing their skil and by other Means extraordinary such as none in any other Faculty can have nor any may hope for in the Search of Scriptures but only such as Delight in and Meditate upon them Day and Night SECT II. That the pretended Obscurity of Scriptures is no just Exception why they should not be acknowledged the absolute Rule of Faith which is the Mother-Objection of the Romanist CAP. XII How far it may be granted the Scriptures are Obscure with some Premonitions for the right state of the Question 1 IT is first to be supposed that these Scriptures for whose Soveraignty over our Souls we plead against the pretended Authority of the Romish Church were given by God for the Instruction of all succeeding Ages for all sorts of Men in every Age for all Degrees or divers Measures of his other Gifts in all several sorts or Conditions of Men. This diversitie of Ages and Conditions of Men in several Callings who so wel considers may at the first sight easily discover our Adversaries Willingnesse to wrangle in this point whose usual practise as if they meant to cast a Mist before the weak-sighted Readers eyes is to pick out here and there some places of Scriptures more Hard and difficult then Necessary or requisite to be understood of Every man perhaps of Any man in this Age. The Knowledge of all or any of which notwithstanding those that live after us though otherwise peradventure men of far meaner gifts then many in this present Age shall not therefore need to give for lost or desperate when they shall be called unto this Search For God hath appointed as for every thing else so for the Revelation of his Word certain and peculiar Times and Seasons Daniel though full of the Spirit of Prophecie and one that during the Reign of Nebuchadnezzar and Balthasar his son had as it were continually travelled of Revelations concerning the Estate of Gods Church and the affairs of forrain Kingdoms for many generations to come yet knew not the approaching Time of his peoples deliverance from Captivity until the first year of Darius son of Ahashuerosh And this he learned by Books even in the first year of his Raign I Daniel understood by Books the number of the years whereof the Lord had spoken unto Jeremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolation of Jerusalem And of his own Revelation he saith And Daniel was commanded to shut up his words and seal up his book unto the end of the Time or as some read unto the appointed Time and then many shall run to and fro and Knowledge shall be increased For at the Time appointed as he intimates in the words following others though no Prophets were to know more of this Prophecy then the Prophet did himself Then I heard it but I understood it not then said I O my Lord what shall be the end of these things And he said Go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed till the end of the Time 2 The Prophets of later Ages did see Revelations of matters which had been hid from the Ancient
is no help for him in his God Yet he as an expert souldier cannot be terrified with stales or brags but betaketh himself unto his weapons V. 3. Thou I ord art a buckler for me my glory and the lifter up of my head So little is he dismaied that after his prayers he taketh his quiet rest V. 4. I did call upon the I ord with my voice and he heard me out of his holy mountain I laid me down and slept and rose again for the Lord sustained me V. 5. I will not be afraid for 10000 of the people that should beset me round about The same confidence raised from the experience of Gods assistance was in the Author of the 46 Psalm God is our help and strength a very present help in trouble Therefore will we not fear though the earth be moved and though the mountains fall into the midst of the Sea The manner of Davids carriage his confident presaging of good success in times more apt to breed despair in others lesse experienced in assistance from above exprest in sundry Psalms composed when he fled from Saul yeeld abundance of observations pregnant for this purpose 5 Otherwiles this Kingly Prophet expostulates the wrongs offered by his enemies so confidently and relateth his own integrity in such pathetical and serious manner that unless the inscription of his Petitions or other historical circumstance did give us notice to whom he tendred his complaints we would think that they had been so many reports of what he had openly pleaded at some Bar or Court of civil Justice in the personal presence sight or audience of some visible Judge ready to give sentence for him upon the first hearing of his cause If any civil Heathen that never had heard of any invisible God should have taken up some of his Psalms the ninth for example in the streets he would have imagined that the Author of them had either heard some supream Magistrate in his time deeply protesting his resolution for righting the poor or else had been most intimately acquainted with the integrity of his proceedings in matters of Justice that he durst so confidently avouch unto the World on his behalf Psalm 9. v. 8. He shall judge the world in righteousnesse and the people with equity V. 9. The Lord also will be a refuge for the poor a refuge in due time even in affliction V. 10. And they that know thy Name will trust in thee for thou Lord hast not failed them that seek thee So lively was Davids and other Ancient Psalmists experience of the invisible Gods assistance alwayes ready as well in war as in peace as well in executing judgement upon their treacherous deceitful or secret enemies as in giving them victory over their profest and potent Foes 6 But posteritie had not oftentimes so full Experience of the same assistance as appeareth from the manner of their complaints The reason of this Diversitie in the Ancient and later Psalmists apprehension of Gods favour either in delivering them from danger or righting them from wrong was from the Diversity of Times the later not yeelding so manifest and frequent Documents of Gods mercy or justice as the former had done As Gods plagues upon the Ancient Israelites were oft-times sudden and for the time violent so their deliverance from them was speedy because their stubbornnesse was lesse and the sins for which they were to repent of lesse continuance But the continual increase of this peoples wickednesse in their successions and posterities slacknesse in sorrowing either for their own or Predecessours sins made Gods plagues inflicted upon them more durable as appeareth by the long Captivities and oppressions of this people in later Ages If we compare them with the often but short afflictions which in former times had befallen them This long durance of great calamities made Posteritie lesse apprehensive of Gods promises then their forefathers had been at the least whiles these continued they were lesse acquainted with Gods favour then their Predecessors were And from the want of like sensible Experience of his present help in time of trouble later generations are more querulous and lesse confident in their prayers uttered in their distresse as we may see in the 98 and other Psalms conceived by the Godly amongst this people in the calamities of later Times Thus we may see how truly the diversity of Gods dealing with his people in different Ages is represented in the Character Stile or Affection of these sacred Writers all much different in former and latter Ages much more may we presume that the general and true Diversity of Times and GODS divers manner of proceeding with mankinde in their several Generations is most truly related and exemplified in the Historical relations of the same sacred Volumes of which in the Section following 7 Thus much of Experiments or Observations drawn from the Character or tenor of these sacred Writings themselves or their Writers Affections represented in them These I have gathered not that I can hope to perswade any man so much by reading them as by occasioning him to observe the like whiles he readeth these sacred Volumes For every man that readeth them with attentive Observation may apprehend much more for the framing of true Belief in his own heart then he can expresse to others yea to seek to make ful resemblance of our inward Belief or such Experiments as confirm it by outward discourse were all one as if a man out of the slight impression or transitorie representation of his own face which he had lately beheld in a Glasse should seek to describe it as fully and perfectly to another mans Apprehension as if he had looked upon it with him in the same Glass 8 As there presentation of our bodily shape is lively and perfect whilest we behold it in a true and perfect Glasse but the Memorial or Phantasie of it when we are gone thence imperfect and dull So is the apprehension of our own or Experiments of others Belief sensible and fresh whilest we set our hearts and mindes unto this perfect Law of Libertie the onely true Glass of our Souls but more hard to retain in memorie or to be fully represented to another by Discourse then our bodily shape is by a bare description And as in the Art of Painting general rules may be given for the right drawing of Pictures yet he that will take any particular mans must look upon the love face it self or use the benefit of his Glass So in this case there may be good directions given how men should draw Experiments or take Observations of this kinde which being taken can not be fully imprinted in another by him that took them but every man must have continual recourse unto this Spiritual Glasse which far surpasseth all bodily Glasses in this that in It we may see not onely the true shape and proportion of our Souls as they are or of what fashion they should be but It hath also an operative
have done here And those places shall in time come to the self same temper and disposition which we now enjoy and the posterity of such as now live there shall hereafter suspect the undoubted stories of our times concerning their Ancestors as we do many Ancient stories of Jewry Syria Asia or our own countreys for want of like modern experiments in our land 2 For the better rectifying of our Assent which must be by the right balancing of Credulity and Mistrust it shall not be amisse to consider that besides these general diversities of times and places Particular Kingdoms and nations have their several ages proportionable to Infancy Youth Virility and Old Age in men Nor is the Period either of the whole Age or the several parts thereof one and the same in all but varies in divers kingdoms as the course of life or several ages do in divers men Some Kingdoms bear age well unto a Thousand Some to six hundred years Others break and decay in half that time Again as in the course of mans life diversitie of ages requires divers manners or conditions so in the same people or nation some events are usual as best befitting them in that degree of their growth which answers to Youth or Infancy which seldom or never fall out in that part of their age which answers unto mature or Old age in men because not convenient for their constitution then and yet the want of like experience makes them as distrustful and incredulous of what formerly had been as old men are forgetful of their own disposition or temper in youth Generally when the fulnesse of any nations Iniquity wherein their decrepit age consisteth is come They grow more and more incredulous so as they verisie the Latin Proverb concerning the disposition of old men Nullus senex veneratur Jovem more true of states As they grow old Their zeal grows cold 3 As the world was redeemed by Christ so do nations begin a new Computation of their ages from their Admission to Christianity Some were come to Youth or Virility in that profession before others were born in Christ as Asia and Asrica for the most part were Christians before Europe Again the Ancient inhabitants in some provinces had been Christians long before other people that afterward subdued them and lived in their countreys as the Brittains in this Island had been long partakers of Gods mercy in Christ before the Saxons and the Ancient Gauls before the Franks which afterward seated themselves in their habitations Generally Miracles were usual in the Infancy of Christianity as we read in Ecclesiastical stories nor can it be certainly gathered when they did generally cease To say they indured no longer then the Primitive Church can give no universal satisfaction save only to such as think it enough for all the world to have the light of the Gospel lookt up in the Chancel of some one glorious Church for some Churches were but in the Prime or Change when others were Full of Christian knowledge The use of Miracles at the same instant was befitting the one not the other For God usually speaks to new-born children in Christ by Miracles or sensible declarations of his Power Mercy or Justice as parents deâ—… their children from evil in tender years by the rod or other sensible signs of their displeasure and allure them to goodnesse with apples or other like visible pledges of their love but when they come to riper years and are capable of discourse or apprehensive of wholsom admonitions they seek to rule them by reason Proportionably to this course of parents doth God speak to his Church in her Infancy wheresoever planted by sensible documents of his Power in her Maturity by the ordinary Preaching of his word which is is more apt to ripen and confirm true Christian Faith then any miracles are so men would submit their reason unto the rules set down in Scripture and unpartially examine all events of time by them as elsewhere God willing we shall shew 4 These grounds wel considered wil move any sober spirit at the least to suspend his assent and not suffer his mind to be hastily overswayed with absolute distrust of all such Miracles as either our writers report to have bin wrought in this our land at the Saxons first coming hither or the French Historiographers record in the first conversion of the Franks or in the Prime of that Church 5 And the Franks and Saxons before their conversion to Christianity were much-what of that temper in respect of their present posterity as Greece was of in Homers or Italy in the dayes of Romulus in respect of Cicero's or Plutarchs time nor would I deny but that admonitions by dreams were usual amongst them as they had been amongst the Eastern nations And without prejudice to many noble Patriots and worthy members of Christ this day living in that famous Kingdom of France I should interpret that dream of Bassina Queen unto Childerick the first of the present state of France in which the last part of that threefold vision is more truly verified then it was ever in the lineal succession of Childerick and Bassina or any of the Merovingian or Carlovingian Families 6 The vision was of three sorts of beasts The Frst Lions and Leopards The second Bears and Wolves The third of Dogs or lesser creatures biting and devouring one another The interpretation which Bassina made of it was registred certain hundred years ago That these troupes of vermin or lesser creatures did signifie a people without fear or reverence of their Princes so pliable and devoutly obsequious to follow the Peers or Potentates of that Nation in their factious quarrels that they should involve themselves in inextricable tumults to their own destruction 7 Had this vision been painted only with this general notification that it was to be Emblematically understood of some state in Europe who is he that can discern a picture by the known partie whom it represents but could have known as easily that this was a map of those miseries that lately have befalne France whose bowels were almost rent and torn with civil and domestick Broyles God grant her closed wounds fall not to bleed a fresh again and that her people be not so eagerly set to bite and tear one another like dogs or other testie creatures until all become a prey to Wolves and Bears or other great ravenous Beasts which seek not so much to tear or rent in heat of revenge as lie in wait continually to devour and swallow with unsatiate greedinesse the whole bodies of mightie Kingdoms and to die her Robes that rides as Queen of Monsters upon that many-Headed beast with streams of bloud that issue from the bodies squezed and crushed between their violent teeth yea even with the Royal bloud of Kings and Princes Many such examples of admonitions by dreams and other extraordinarie signs of future wo or calamities both foretold and fulfilled many hundred years since
by a Condition requisite thereunto And so this Juglers ring or circular Fallacy is avoided and only a Reason is given of things connexed mutually from the things themselves connexed under a divers Reason or respect which is no Leger demain but fair play If the divers Objects of the Divine Revelation and the Churches Infallibility were the only Cause or Reason why we take this Resolution for circular Proof then this Exception of the diversity of their Objects were to some purpose But we impeach this his Resolution of naughtinesse for the very form or manner because the Proof is idem per idem And being so alalbeit the Object of the Divine Revelation and the Churches Proposal be divers yet is this no sufficient Testimony to acquit it unlesse they wil affirm that there can be no circular Proof where the Object of the things mutually proved are divers which if they universally affirm as without an Universal Affirmation in this kind there can be no Proof we shal as easily impeach this Affirmation of open Falshood as their form of Argument of circular Fallacie For wheresoever any thing uncertain to us is inferred by another thing alike uncertain and that other only proved by the former there is a circular Proof albeit we should by this form of Argument seek to prove one thing by another whose object was quite contrary to the former Nay although we should prove the very diversity or contrariety of the Objects in two several terms proposed by this or the like circular Form yet were our Proof naught albeit this same diversity of Objects might be proved by some other lawful Form of Argument For the diversity or Identity of Objects in syllogistical terms is meerly accidental to the nature of circular Proof or inference of idem per idem 18 To fit our Adversaries with a familiar Example every way parallel to their own Resolution in this point if they wil acknowledge their own Valentians Resolution for their own but more plain and easie to the Capacitie of the unlearned Reader Suppose some ambitious Captain or Courtier for whose Integrity no man of place would promise much should bring unto our King or some States-man in this land some forrain Princes as the renowned King of Denmarks Letters commendatory for his great sufficiencie in good place in War or State I would request but any ordinary Reader wel to consider what matter of resolution it would be if with reverence I may suppose that either his Majestie or any States-man in this land in the bestowing of any such place of worth as this supposed messenger would sue for might thus resolve Surely the King of Denmark is a renowned religious Prince and one that wisheth exceeding wel unto our King and State and whatsoever he should write in any mans commendations for his advancement to such a place as this party makes suit for I dare not once cal in question lest I should seem to disparage his Princely word but how shal I know that these are his Letters and no counterfeit If thus he should doubt and yet finally rest content with this or like suggestion why doth not he say they are his true Letters whose Fidelity and Integritie the King in his Letters commends no man in the world I think of any ordinary experience although he had never traverst the Schools to know the meaning of a circular proof but could perceive this resolution to be but dolus circulatorius and he that would be cozened with this or the like by any Traveller of what fashion soever may easily be circumvented by any domestick Pedlar or circumforaneal Copes-mate Yet is this resolution in every point the self same with Valentians resolution concerning the Roman Churches Infallibility and the Exception which here he brings why this resolution of his is none may altogether as directly and fitly be brought to shew that this supposed resolution is no circular resolution First let us parallel the several parts of both resolutions In that resolution of Faith which Falentian brings All Christians Believe that whatsoever God saith is true and so in this other resolution it is supposed that his Majestie or any of his States-men firmly Believes that whatsoever the King of Denmark writes or avoucheth in matters of this nature as of civil Integritie and Sufficiency for the discharge of such an Office is altogether true and may not be suspected yet may they suspect whether he wrote thus much in this mans commendations as these Letters import or no. And so saith Valentian and other Papists all Christians may suspect certain they cannot be whether God wrote those looks which we call Scripture or no. The Assurance which Christians in matters concerning Faith and States-men in this present case could have for their security is altogether the same For the States-man hath no other reason to perswade himself that these are the King of Denmarks Letters but only the Report Asseveration or Testimony of this Messenger whose preferment they concern And so likewise by the Papists Positions no private Christian can have any other certain Assurance that these Scriptures are the Word of God but only the Testimonie or Confirmation of the present Romish Church whose state and dignity they likewise seek to maintain by countenance of the Scriptures whose mis-interpretation did either first occasion or not hinder her rising to that height of temporal Dignity which she now enjoyes Thus finally it appears that all the reason or ground of Belief which any Papist following the Jesuites for their Instructors can have must be the Infallibility of the Romish Church whose Infallibility therefore cannot be proved out of Scripture because the Scriptures by their Positions cannot be infallibly proved to be Scriptures or that authentick Word which only can afford sure Proof in matters of Faith but by this their Churches supposed Authority As for Valentians Exception concerning the divers Object of the Churches Proposal and the Divine Revelations by it proposed the self same Diversity of Object may be observed in the former instance of the counterfeit Messenger whose resolution in effect is thus You must Believe these Letters because I commend them unto you in the King of Denmarks name and you must Believe me in commending them unto you because the King of Denmark whose words you trust in them commends my trust and sidelity To apply Valentians Exception to this resolution As the Object of that the Church proposeth or rather of the Churches Proposal is the Divine Revelation so likewise is the Object of this counterfeits Proposal the often mentioned Kings supposed commendation of him Again as the object of the â—ivine Revelation is the Truth Believed Veritas credita ut Deum esse trinum unum aut propositionem Ecclesiae esse in fallibilem as that there is a Trinity in the Godhead or the Churches Proposal is infallible So likewise the Object of the Kings commendation in the other instance is the Truth Believed or that
of their vanity dispose our minds to embrace the stability of Gods Word with greater stedfastnesse We know the vertue and benefit of the Sun not so much by looking upon it self continually or directly as by the variety of other objects or colours all pleasant with it to the eye but altogether invisible or indistinguishable without it so for mine part I must professe that such historical narrations poetical fictions or other conceits of Heathens as they themselves knew little use of nor should I have done had I been as they were being compared with this heavenly light of Gods Word did much affect me even in my best and most retired meditations of sacred mysteries their observation as it were tied my soul by a new knot or fest more surely unto that truth which I knew before to be in it self most sure most infallible Yea even in points wherein my heart unto my seeming was best established it much did nourish augment and strengthen belief already planted to observe the perfect consonancie of profane with sacred Writers or the occasions of their dissonancie to be evidently such as Scriptures specifie that of many events wondred at by their Heathenish relators no tolerable reason could be given but such as are subordinate to the never-failing rules of Scripture And whosoever will may I presume observe by Experiment the truth of what I say There is no motive unto belief so weak or feeble but may be very available for quelling temptations of some kind or other either in speculation or practise oft-times such as are absolutely more weak or feeble more effectuall for expelling some peculiar distrust or presumption then others farre more forcible and strong for vanquishing temptations of another kinde in nature most grievous Many half students half gallants are often tempted either to distrust the commendations of this Eden which we are set to dress or distaste the food of life that grows within it from delights suggested by prophane books wherewith commonly they are first acquainted and hence much affect the knowledge their Authors profer as likely to Deifie them in the worlds eies Our proneness to be thus perswaded is a witness of our first parents transgression and these suggestions as reliques of Satans baits whereby he wrought their bain But what is the remedy not to tread in any heathenish soil lest these serpents sting us rather the best medicine for this malady would be a confection of that very flesh wherein such deadly poyson lodged Other arguments may more perswade the judicious or such as in some measure have tasted the fruits of the spirit But none the curious artist better then such as are gathered from his esteemed Authors Even such as are in faith most strong of zeal most ardent should not much mispend their time in comparing the degenerate fictions or historical relations of times ancient or modern with the everlasting truth For though this method could not add much encrease either to their faith or zeal yet would it doubtless much avail for working placid and milde affections The very pencilmen of sacred writ themselves were taught patience and instructed in the waies of Gods providence by their experience of such events as the course of time is never barren of not alwaies related by Canonical Authors nor immediately testified by the spirit but oft times believed upon a moral certainty or such a resolution of circumstances concurrent into the first cause or disposer of all affairs as we might make of modern accidents were we otherwise partakers of the spirit or would we mind heavenly matters as much as earthly Generally two points I have observed not much for ought I know if handled at all by any writer albeit their fruit and use would fully recompence the best pains of any one mans life-time though wholly spent in their discussion whose want in my mind hath been the bane of true devotion in most ages The first is an equivalencie of means in the wisedome of God so proportioned to the diversity of times as no age could have better then the present howsoever they may affect the extraordinary signs and wonders of former generations Of this argument here and there as occasion shall serve in this work elsewhere at large if God permit The second is an equivalencie of Errors Hypocrisie Infidelity and Idolatry all which vary rather their shape then substance in most men through ages nations and professions the ignorance of God remaining for the most part the same his attributes as much though in another kind transformed by many in outward profession joyned with the true Church as in times past by the Heathen The truth of which assertion with the original causes of the error and means to prevent it are discussed at large in the article of the God-head Many likewise for ought their conscience because not rightly examined will witness to the contrary are strongly perswaded they love Christ with heart and soul and so detest as well the open blasphemy or professed hatred which the Jew as the secret enmity the Jesuit or other infamous Hereticks bear against him when as oft times the onely ground of their love to him is their spite to some or all of these as they are deciphered to them in odious shape the onely original of their despite to these the very dregs of Jewish Popish or other Heretical humours in themselves by some light tincture of that truth which they outwardly profess exasperated to more bitter enmity against them with whose internal temper they best agree then otherwise they could conceive as admission to place of credit or authority makes base minds conscious of their own forepast villanies more rigid censurers of others misdemeanors or cruel persecutors of such malefactors as themselves in action have been and in heart yet are were all occasions and opportunities the same then any moderate or sincere man in life and action could be Of the original of this disease with the crisis and remedy as also the tryal of faith inherent in the articles concerning Christ and remission of sins From the manner of Jerusalems progress to her first destruction and discovery of the Jews natural temper the principal subject of my subcisive or vacant hours from these meditations and other necessary imployments of my calling I have observed the original as well of most states as mens miscariages professing true religion to have been from presumption of Gods favour before dangers approach and distrust of his mercy after calamities seiz upon them The root of both these misperswasions to be ignorance or error in the doctrin of Gods providence whose true knowledge if I may so speak is the fertil womb of all sacred moral truths the onely rule of rectifying mens wils perswasions and affections in all consultations or practises private or publick Unto this purpose much would it avail to be resolved whether all things fall out by fatal necessity or some contingently how fate and contingency if compatible each
v. 37. The manner of his relenting chap. 43. v. 6. upon necessitie of their going for more food and his sons peremptory refusal to go without Benjamin in the five first verses of the 43 Chapter * His condescending v. 11. upon their just Apologie for mentioning their youngest brother to the Governour and Judahs undertaking for Benjamins safe conduct back and forth in the 10. 9. 8. and 7. verses lastly the close or Epiphonema of his speech v. 13. and 14. Whilest I compare one of the circumstances with another and all of them with other precedent and consequent chiefly with Judahs speech to Joseph Genesis 44. from the sixteenth verse to the end of the Chapter although I knew no other Scripture to make me a Christian this one place would perswade me to become a Pythagorean and think that my soul had been in some of Jacobs sons where it had heard this controversie rather then to imagine that it could have been fained by any that lived long after 7 Or if we consider not the particular relations onely but the whole contrivance and issue of this storie what patern of like invention had Moses to follow If the Atheist grant such a Divine Providence as he describes let him tell us whence he learned it If from any more ancient description let this be suspected for artificial if not let this be acknowledged for the first natural representation of it Without either a former patern to imitate or true resemblance of such a Divine Providence in events immediately to be related how could such a Supream Power governing and disposing all things contrary to the designes and purposes of man be by mortal man conceived More probable is the Poets fiction that Minerva should be conceived in Jupiters brain then that Humane Fancie should bring forth a more Omnipotent more wise or excellent Deity than the Poets make their Jupiter without any true image of his Providence manifested in the effects But after the manifestation of it in the story of Joseph and the live-picture of it taken by Moses all imitation of it was not so difficult though he that would seek to imitate him fully should herein come as far short of the solid marks of his historical truth as the Egyptians Juglers tricks did of true Miracles 8 As all these and many other places yeeld undoubted Characters of true Historical narrations so do his speeches unto this people Deut. 29. 30. 31. Infallible symptoms of a dving man and one that indeed had born this mighty Nation as an Eagle bears her voung ones upon her wings These admirable strains of his heavenly admonitions and divine prophesies compared with the live images of former truths witnsse that he was the Janus of Prophets Vates oculatus tam prateritorum quain futurorum one that could both clearly see what had been done beso â—… what should fall out after his death Both which shall hereafter God willing better appear by matters related and event foretold by him 9 But to proceed the whole Historical part of the Bible not Moses his Books alone yeeld plenty of such passages as being compared with other circumstances or the main drift and scope of the entire stories whereof they are parts leave no place for imagination either why they should or how possibly they could have been inserted by Art or Imitation or have come into any mans thoughts not moved by the real occurrence of such occasions as are specified in the matters related And seeing all of them are related by such as affect no Art many of them by such as lived long after the parties that first uttered or acted them we cannot conceive how all particulars could be so naturally and fully recorded unless they had been suggested by his Spirit who giveth mouth and speech to man who is alike present to all successions able to communicate the secret thoughts of forefathers to their children and put the very words of the deceased never registred before in the mouths or pens of their successors for many generations after as distinctly and exactly as if they had been caught in Characters of Steel or Brass as they issued out of their mouths 10 When I reade that speach in Ovid. 4 Metam Fab. 8. Sive es mortalis qui te genuere beati Et Mater foelix fortunata profectò Si qua tibi Soror est quae dedit ubera Nutrix If mortal thou thrice happy sure thy Parents be Or if thou any Sister hast thrice happy she Thrice happy Nurse whose breasts gave suck to thee I see no inducement to believe this for a true Story because I know the end and aim of his writing was to invent Verisimilia to feign such speeches as best besitted the persons whose part he took upon him to express thereby to delight his hearers with variety of lively representations But when I reade that narration of our Saviours Apology for himself against the Jews which said he had an unclean spirit Luke 11. 14. and a woman coming in with her verdict Now blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps that gave thee suck v. 27. This unexpected strain with our Saviours reply unto it Yea rather blessed are those that hear the word of God and keep it v. 28. so briefly inserted into the Story inforce me to think that it was penned by one that sought onely to relate the truth part of which was this womans speech But with the means of knowing the New Testament to be the Word of God I will not here meddle the Old Testament sufficiently proveth it besides many other experiments to be prosecuted in the unfolding of sundry Articles CAP. V. Of the Harmony of sacred Writers AN other Inducement for believing the truth of the Old Testament is the Harmony of so many several writers living in such distance of Ages handling such diversity of arguments and covering them with stiles for the majesty of some and the familiarity of others more different then Virgils verses and the rudest countrymans talk and yet all of them retaining the self same relish Whiles we reade Tully Virgil Livie Salust and Ovid though all living near about one time yet their writings differ as much as Flesh and Fish Many learned men like some one or few of these and yet much mislike others reputed as excellent writers in their kinde living about the same time much more might he that should have read the common or vulgar Historiographers Poets or Orators of that time have contemned them as base in respect of the former But the Prophets of the Old Testament and the Historiographers of the same though differing infinitely in degrees of stile and invention yet agree as well in the substance or essential quality of their writings as the same Pomander chafed and unchafed There is the same odour of life and goodnesse in both but more fragrant and piercing in the one than in the other And no man that much likes the one can mislike
force of assimilating them unto the paterns of godly and religious mens Souls represented herein yea even of transforming them into the similitude of that Image wherein they were first created The Idaeas of Sanctity and Righteousnesse contained in this Spiritual Glasse are the causes of our Edification in good life and Vertue as the Idaea or Platform in the Artificers head is the cause of the Material House that is builded by it SECT II. Of Experiments and Observations External answerable to the rules of Scripture CAP. VII Containing the Topick whence such Observations must be drawn 1 IF the Books of some Ancient rare Author who had written in sundry Arts should be found in this Age all bearing the Authors name and other commendable Titles prefixed a reasonable man would soon be perswaded that they were His whose name they bore but sooner if he had any positive arguments to perswade himself or their Antiquitie or if they were commended to him by the authoritie or report of men in this case credible But besides all these if every man according to his Experience or Skill in those Arts and Faculties which this Ancient writer handles should upon due examination of his Conclusions or discourse find resolution in such points as he had alwayes wavered in before or be instructed in matters of his Profession or observation whereof he was formerly ignorant this would much strengthen his Assent unto the former reports or traditions concerning their Author or unto the due praises and Titles prefixed to his Works albeit he that made this trial could not prove the same truth so fully to another nor cause him to Believe it so firmly as he himself doth unlesse he could induce him to examine his writings by like Experiments in some Facultie wherein the examiner had some though lesse Skill And yet after the like trial made he that had formerly doubted would Believe these works to be the supposed Authors and subscribe unto the Titles and commendations prefixed not so much for the Formers Report or Authoritie as from his own Experience Now we have more certain Experiments to prove that the Scriptures are the word of God then we can have to prove any mens works to be their supposed Authors for one Author in any Age may be as good as another He perhaps better of whom we have heard lesse We could in the former case only certainly Believe that the Author whosoever was an excellent Scholler but we could not be so certain that it was none other but he whose Name it did bear For there may be many Aristotles and many Platoes many Excelllent men in every Profession yet but One God that is All in All whose Works we suppose the Scriptures are which upon strict examination will evince him alone to have been their Author 2 The meanes then of establishing our Assent unto any part of Scripture must be from Experiments and Observations agreeable to the rules in Scripture For when we see the reason and manner of sundrie events either related by others or experienced in our selves which otherwise we could never have reached unto by any Natural Skill or generally when we see any effects or concurrence of things which cannot be ascribed to any but a Supernatural Cause and yet they fully agreeing to the Oracles of Scriptures or Articles of Belief This is a sure Pledge unto us that he who is the Author of Truth and gives being unto all things was the Author of Scriptures 3 Such Events and Experiments are divers and according to their diversities may work more or lesse on divers dispositions Some may find more of one sort some of another none all Some again may be more induced to Believe the truth of Scriptures from one sort of Experiments some from others Those observations are alwayes best for every man which are most incident to his Vocation With some varietie of these observations or Experiments we are in the next place to acquaint divers Readers CAP. VIII That Heathenish Fables ought not to Prejudice divine Truth 1 NOthing more usual to men wise enough in their generation then for the varietie or multitude of false reports concerning any Subject to discredit All that are extant of the same And all inclination unto diffidence or distrust is not alwayes to be misliked but onely when it swayes too far or extends is self beyond the limits of its proper Circumference that is matters of Bargain or secular Commerce As this diffident temper is most common in the cunning managers of such affaires so the first degree or propension to it were not much amiss in them did they not Transcendere à genere ad genus that is were not their Mistrust commonly too generally rigid and stiff For most men of great dealings in the world finding many slipperie companions hold it no sin to be at the least suspitious of all Others being often cozened by such as have had the name and reputation of Honest men begin to doubt whether there be any such thing indeed as that which men call Honestie and from this doubting about the real nature of Honestie in the Abstract they resolve undoubtedly That if any man in these dayes do not dâ—… ill with others it is onely for want of sit opportunitie to do himself any great good But as Facilitie in yielding Assent unless it be moderated by discretion is an infallible Consequent of too great simplicitie and layes a man open to abuse and wrong in matters of this life so General Mistrust is the certain forerunner of Insidelity and makes a man apt enough to cozen himself without a tempter in matters of the life to come though otherwise this is the very disposition which the great Tempter works most upon who for this reason when any notable truth of greater moment fals out labours by all means to fil the world with reports of like events but such as upon examination he foresees wil prove false for he knows well that the Belief of most pregnant truths may be this means be much impaired as honest men are usually mistrusted when the world is full of knaves And to speak the Truth It is but a very short Cut betwixt general and rigid Mistrust in worldly dealings and Infidelity in spiritual matters which indeed is but a kind of diffidence or mistrust and he that from the experience of often cozenage comes once to this point That he will trust none in worldly affairs but upon strong securitie or legal assurance may easily be transported by the varietie or multitude of reports in spiritual matters notoriously false to Believe nothing but upon the sure pledge and Evidence of his own Sense or natural Reason This is one main fountain of Atheism of which God willing in the Article of the Godhead In this place I onely desire to give the Reader notice of Satans Policy and to advertise him withall that as there is a kind of Ingenuous Simplicity which if it match with sobâ—ieâ—ie and serious
misery for their former Idolatry made them so averse from this sin And the certain signs of the Messiahs approach did support them from falling into Atheism Such violence as these later willingly suffered at the hands of Heathen Princes rather then they would consent unto Idolatry their Forefathers in the wildernesse were as ready to offer unto Aaron for not furthering them in their idolatrous imaginations So we read Exod. 32. when God had but for a while withdrawn his extraordinary presence from them and Moses his instrument in working miracles had been but a short time out of their sight they complain he taâ—ied long and gather themselves together against Aaron and say unto 〈◊〉 Up and make us Gods to go before us for of this Moses the man that brought us out of the land of Egypt we know not what is become of him There was no danger lâ—st they should turn Athiests this was a sin unknown in that age And this people had experience enough of extraordinary powers in Egypt which they took for Gods So far are they from thinking there was no God that guides the world that they thought there were Many and if one did withdraw his presence another might serve to conduct them one they must have otherwise all help of man was in vain As Jannes and Jambres had withstood Moses Miracles with their Magick so had the devils their masters sought to work wonders about the Egyptian idols which did stupisie the people For albeit Their Wonders were not so great as Gods yet were they more delightful to their outward sense for their service for the most part was sport and play They were never dainty to shew their jugling tricks for their own advantage alwayes pliable to the humours and lusts of men whereas the Omnipotent Majesty of God would have all to frame their lives and actions according to his written Laws which might not be altered or misinterpreted at the pleasure of men nor would he vouchsafe to work his miracles in all ages or unto such as were unworthy spectators of them Thus had Satan his Oracles and sacrifices oft times better frequented then God had his As in these times such Preachers as will accommodate themselves unto the peoples Humors are most frequented but such as hold this sin as Sacriledge and dishonour to their God are despised and set at nought And though we may not mitigate Aarons fault nor diminish these Israelites transgression as their fooâ—… posâ—…v doth by transferring the blame of this idolatrous fact upon the Mâ—…which followed the Host of Israel out of Egypt yet it is more then probable from the circumstance of the Text besides the tradition of the ancient Hebrews that there was some magical or demoniacal skill practised in the 〈◊〉 moultin of this Egyptian god whence this peoples superstition towards it was merâ—ased The Heathen Princes of those times were no Babies as waâ—y we may presume upon what occasion to forgo their children as misers are to part with money and yet these were wrested from them and their bloud shed by their own hands to pacifie the rage of powers then manifestly known for supernatural But when both Gods Wonders grew rare and the devils tricks waxed scant either by restraint from above or of their own free choice as if by their long continuance they had grown out of request they see it more boot to draw the Politick world unto Atheism which never did florish until the rising of the Roman Monarchie Unto this main inconvenience of the late Romans and other worldly wise mens distrust of wonders past this second mischief did accrew That sundry Writers of those times did hold it a part of their Profession to fill their Books with such stuff as they found in Ancient stories as if their Histories or Poems had not been Current without as many parts or heads of invention as others had in former Ages And this experience of counterfeit wonders meeting with the want of experience of any true wonders of that time did concur as Form and Privation for the producing of Insidelity in mens minds already disposed to this evil by secular Policie And these were enough to carry our minds below the lowest degree of any credulitie or suspition of truth in like reports unlesse the Scripture did forewarn us of this guile and policy of Satan which we may the better prevent if we diligently observe First the difference of times and places Secondly how strange Fables and lying wonders receive Being from notable and admirable decayed Truths as Baser Creatures do life from the dissolution of more Noble Bodies CAP. XIII Of the Diversitie of Events in different Ages THe divers Characters of different times rightly taken give us as easie and perfect a Crisis between the Fictions of latter and the true Annals of former Ages as out of ordinary discretion men usually make between foolish Travailors reports of great wonders in Spain or France and the judicious records of uncouth sights and strange events in the East and West Indies And we have altogether as little reason to deny either the general truth of strange events recorded by the Ancient or the Prototypes of Poetical inventions in former times for the want of like experience in later as we have to discredit Benzos martyrs or other late navigators observations of the East and West Indies because many who have travelled France Spain and Italy while they make true relations of their travels relate no such event as the Indies afford many And yet Guls when they flie abroad will relate among such as know them not as strange matters of near adjoyning countreys as he that hath compassed the utmost ends of the world Now it were a great folly to discredit all late Navigators for the absurdity of some few Guls as great madnesse it were to disparage all Ancient stories for the absurd and preposterous imitation of latter writers against all experience of later times For diversitie of times yield as great diversity of observations as the diversity or distance of place onely this is the difference daily observation yields experiments of this diversity in place whereas the word of God alone which endures for ever giveth us the sure rules and grounds of alterations in the events of different ages And yet in many remote places lately made known unto the inhabitants of Europe such strange events as Antiquitie hath told us were sometimes frequent in thâ—se Countreys which we now inhabit are not at this day altogether unusual And the face of Time is now there much-what such as the Ancient Registers of Times have pourtrayed unto us as if the affairs and fashion of this visible world were framed according to some invisible patterns or supercoelestial Characters which varying their aspect in revolutions of time did now by reflecting that force upon those remote countreys which they did on these near adjoyning in times past produce the like shape and fashion of things there as they
this Jew at his return to Paris then flourishing with all manner of Arts and Sciences found his Country-men marvellous great Students in Divinity and in much better state then might be expected to continue any long time 13 Lewes the seventh albeit instigated thereto as was said before had not shorn them so near upon his Expedition to the Holy Land but that they might bear Fleece again for his Son to pluck off Their Synagogues had remained still beautified and their private wealth either before his death much increased or in his time not much impaired But Almighty GOD who in Testimony of his rejoycing to do them good had raised up Cyrus to Balthazar 's Throne to release their Nation from that Captivity which Nabuchad-nezzar had brought upon them to give the world as perfect a proof of his Rejoycing over them to destroy them and bring them to nought Deut. 28. 63. did Advance Philippus Augustus son unto the former Lewes unto the Crown of France to defeat the Jews throughout that Kingdom in an instant of all their former hopes No sooner was he enthroned King but presently he giveth forth his Edict That their Synagogues should be spoiled of all Donatives and ornaments belonging to them and enformed of the grievances which Christians sustained by them granteth a general Release of all debts due unto them from Christians consiscating all their lands and immoveable goods This was done that Moses his prophecy might be fulfilled in part Deut. 28. 30 31 33. Thou shalt build an house and not dwell therein thou shalt plant a Vineyard but shalt not eat the fruit thereof Thine Ox shall be slain before thine eyes but thou shalt not eat thereof Thine Asse shall be violently taken away before thy face and shall not be restored unto thee Thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies and no man shall rescue them for thee the fruit of thy I and and all thy labours shall a people which thou knowest not eat And thou shalt never but suffer wrong and violence alwayes CAP. XXIX Of the fulfilling other particular Prophecies of Moses in the Jews persecutions in England Germany France and Spain 1 THat they should not once or twice in this or that Age in some one or few Kingdoms only but alwayes in every place where they have come since their rooting out of their own Land suffer such wrong and violence must needs be thought to have proceeded rather from Divine Justice then mans Injustice which could not but have varied with the diversity of times places and the several dispositions of parties amongst whom in this their long Pilgrimage they have lived And yet this brief Enumeration following of their particular spoils and hard usages since Philippus Augustus time throughout the most civil and best governed States of Europe will abundantly confirm the truth of Moses general Induction in the place now cited Thou shall never but suffer wrong and violence alwayes To begin with their persecutions in this Land 2 Had Henry the eldest son of Henry the second who was present at the fore-named French Kings Coronation acquainted with these severe Edicts against the Jews lived to enjoy the Crown of England after his Father as he was entituled King with him the grievous wrongs and violence immediately after befalling these Jews throughout this Kingdom had been ascribed to this politick imitation of the French King his Brother at least men would have thought they had been done by his sufferance or connivence But God had taken him away and yet these Jews Intreaty continues much worse under Richard the first who never intended them like harm onely upon his Coronation day with his Raign begins their Wo which ends not till their final Extirpation hence not willing to be beholden unto them for their presents or as some think partly afraid lest admitted to his presence they might practise some Sorcery upon his body he gave command that no Jew should come either within the Church where he was Crowned â—or the Palace where he was to dine But they desirous to present him with some gift in hope to have their Charters and other Priviledges granted by other Kings confirmed by him presse in at the Palace gate amongst others making perhaps more hast but worse speed one of them receiving a blow for his forwardness by one of the Kings servants who might well justifie the fact by the Kings command to keep them out The people about the gate apprehend the matter so as if this Jew had been beat by the Kings commandment and so they thought might all the rest of that crew and hence fall upon them with such weapons as they could find as it was easie to find bats to beat these doggish Jews home to their kennels where they found but silly shelter For albeit their houses were strong yet the rage of the people was too great against them With the multitude the former rumour was enlarged that it was the Kings pleasure to have all the Jews destroyed And as the Axiom is Mens own desires are quickly believed So far more apt they were to apprehend this rumour as true then to examin whether it were true or no that the Lord chief Justice and other Officers sent from the King to appease the tumult were more likely to catch harm themselves then to free these Jews from present danger some of whose houses now flaming gave the people light to spoil and rifle others in the dark For so violently were they set to wrong them and eat their labours that they could not be satisfied from dinner time on the one day to two a clock on the other many of these Jews in the mean time being rosted or smothered with their goods other leaping out of the fire fell upon their enemies weapons Although the outrage was such as in a peaceable state might seem intolerable yet was the hainousness of the offence quite swallowed up by the multitude of the offenders But as the English escapt unpunished so the Jews were not amended by their correction Their Stubbornness as the Scripture tels me did first procure their Blindness and their Blindnesse becoming Hereditarie hath confirmed their Stubbornness to posterity 3 The former violence which they suffered would have been a sufficient Caveat to any people in the world besides to have carried themselves with more moderation in a strange land but not the flies so stupid and senselesse in discerning the causes of their smart as this people is Their perfidiousnesse and daily sucking of Christians bloud had made them most odious in this as in other Lands and though a number of them be Massacred to day for like attempts yet the rest are as ready again to morrow to seize upon every sore either to exhaust the reliques of life from such as are shrunk in their estate by cruel exactions and damned usurie or else to intrude themselves as wedges or instruments of divisions into every breach that shall appear
the Holy Ghost did write we answer briefly That the Language Tongue or Dialect is but the Vesture of Truth the Truth it self for substance is one and the same in all Languages And the Holy Spirit who instructed the first Messengers of the Gospel with the true sense and knowledge of the Truths therein revealed and furnished them with Diversity of Tongues to utter them to the capacitie of divers Nations can and doth throughout all succeeding Ages continue his gifts whether of Tongues or others whatsoever are necessarie for conveying the true sense and meaning of saving Truth already taught immediately to the Hearts of all such in every Nation as are not for their sin judged unworthy of his societie of all such as resist not His Motions to follow the Lusts of the Flesh And as for men altogether Illiterate that cannot read the Scripture in any Tongue we do not hold them bound nor indeed are any to Beleive absolutely or expresly every Clause or sentence in the sacred Canon to be the Infallible Oracle of Gods Spirit otherwise then is before expressed but unto the several Matters or substance of Truth contained in the principal Parts thereof their souls and Spirits are so surely tied and fastned that they can say to their own Concences Wheresoever these men that teach us these good Lessons learned the same themselves most certain it is that Originally they came from God and by the gracious Providence of that God whose Goodnesse they so often mention are they now come to us Such are the Rules or Testimonies of Gods Providence the Doctrines or real truths of Oriâ—…il Sin of our Misery by Nature and Freedom by Grace Such are the Articles of Christs Passion and the Effects thereof of the Resurrection and Life everlasting Unto These and other Points of like Nature and Consequence every true Christian Soul indued with Reason and Discourse gives a ful a firm and absolute Assent directly and immediately fastned upon these Truths themselves not tied or held unto them by any Authority of Man For albeit true and stedfast Belief of these Fundamental Points might be as scant as the true Worship of God seemed to be unto Flias in his daies yet every Faithful Soul must thus resolve Though all the World besides my self should worship Baal and follow after other Gods yet will I follow the God of Heaven in whom our Fathers trusted and on whose Providence who so reâ—…es shal never fall So likewise must every Christian both in Heart resolve Cutwardly profess with Peter but with unfaâ—â—ed praiers for better Succesâ—… diligent Indeavours by his Example to beware of all Presumption Though the World beside my self should abâ—ure Christ and admit of Mahomet for their Mediator yet would not I follow so great a Multitude to so great an Evil but always cleave unto the cruciâ—ied Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer who I know is both Able and Willing to save all such as follow him both in Life and Death So again though all the subtiltie and wisdom of Hell the World and Flesh should joyntly bend their Force stretch Invention to overthrow the glorious Hope of our Resurrection from the dead yet every Faithful Christ an must here resolve with Job and out of his Believing Heart profess I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and he shal stand the last on the earth and though after my skin this Body be destroyed yet shal I see God in my Plesh whom I my self shal see and mine eyes shal behold and none other for me Job 19. 25. As we hope to see Christ with our own eyes immediately and directly in his Person not by any other mens eyes so must we in this life stedfastly believe and fasten our Faith upon those Points and Articles which are Necessarie for the aâ—taining of this sight of Christ In and For Themselves not from any Authoritie or Testimonie of Men upon which we must relie for this were to see with the eyes of others Faith not with our own 12 Many other Points there be not of like Necessitie or Consequence which unto men specially altogether unlearned or otherwiâ—e of less capacity may be proposed as the Infallible Oracles of God unto some of which it is not lawful for them to give so absolute and firm irrevocable Asâ—ent as they must do unto the former because they cannot discern the Truth of them in it self or for it self or with their own eyes as it is supposed they did the Truth of the former CAP. III. The general Heads of Agreements or Differences betwixt us and the Papists in this Argument 1 Aâ—… the Diâ—â—iculties in this Argument may be reduced to these Three Heads First How we can know whether God hath spoken any thing or no unto his Church Secondly What the Extent of his Word or Speech is as whether All he hath spoken be VVritten or some Unwritten or how we may know amongst Books written which are written by Him which not Likewise of Unwritten Verities which are Divine which Counterfeit Thirdly How we know the Sense and Meaning of Gods VVord whether VVritten or Unwritten 2 These Difficulties are common to the Jews Turks Christians and all Hereticks whatsoever All which agree in this main Principle That whatsoever God hath said or shall say at any time is most undoubtedly and infallibly True 3 But for this present we must dismisse all Questions about the Number or Sufficiencie of Canonical Books or Necessitie of Traditions For these are without the lists of our proposed Method All the Professours either of reformed or Romish Religion agree in this Principle That certain Books which both acknowledge do contain in them the undoubted and infallible Word of God 4 The first Point of Breach or Difference betwixt us and the Papist is concerning the Means how a Christian man may be in Conscience perswaded as stedfastly and infallibly as is necessarie unto Salvation That these Books whose Authoritie none of them denie but both outwardly acknowledge are indeed Gods Words 5 The second Point of Difference admitting the stedfast and infallible Belief of the former is concerning the Means how every Christian man may be in Conscience perswaded as infallibly as is necessary to his Salvation of the true Sense and Meaning of these Books joyntly acknowledged and stedfastly believed of both 6 In the Means or Manner how we come to Believe both these Points stedfastly and infallibly we agree again in this Principle That neither of the former Points can ordinarily be fully and stedfastly Believed without the Ministerie Asseveration Proposal or instructions of men appointed by God for the begetting of Faith and Belief in others hearts both of us agree that this Faith must come by Hearing of the Divine Word 7 Concerning the Authority of Preachers or men thus appointed for the begetting of Faith the Question again is Twofold 8 First whether this Authority be primarily or in some peculiar sort
Seers And as it fared with them in the Succession of Visions immediately inspired from God not framed in imitation of any precedent written Word but to be then first written for posterities instruction some saw one Vision some another alwayes such were seen by the present Prophet as most concerned the present Times So fares it still with the Ministers of Gods Church and Christian people throughout all succeeding Ages wherein Visions have failed and only the written stories of former Visions are reserved for perpetual Direction Some part of Gods Will con ained in Scripture is revealed in one Age some in another alwayes that which is most necessary for the present Time is most easie to be understood by the Faithful then living so they seek the Meaning of it as they should not upon Curiosity of knowing Mysteries for the Raritâ—… of that Skill but for the Edifying of Christs Church which is sometimes out of Reparations in one Point sometimes in another for which case God suffereth the Knowledge of sundry places to grow and increase according to the necessity of the present Times nourishing as it were a continual Spring for repairing or beautifying of his Temple 3 For this reason those places which seem most plain and easie unto us might be more hard and difficult to such in former Times as should have sought their Meaning too Curiously yea it might have been Curiositie in that Age to have sought half so much Knowledge in them as we now see at the first Sight because the Time of their Revelation now is was not then come 4 It is but a silly Shift for our Adversaries to say that some of the Ancient Fathers did otherwise interpret the Apocalyps then our men do the perfect Interpretation and Knowledge of which Book more peculiarly concerns this later then that flourishing Age of Ancient Fathers most of all these dayes wherein we live in which the true and perfect Meaning of it were most likely to be Revealed as God be praised in good measure it hath been and daily shall be more and more unlesse the daily increase of our Sins deserve the contrary Many Godly men yea Disciples in our Saviours time were ignorant of sundry Mysteries which since his Glorification have been communicated to the meanest of his Flock by the Holy Spirit who never failes to Reveal Gods Will either by extraordinary or ordinary Means so men be not negligent to enquire after it by lawful Means For God is as far from partial respect of Ages as of persons so the persons of several Ages respect his Word alike and as they should 5 The like Observation we may take from the diversitie of Place or Nations As the Knowledge of Jeremies Prophecies did more concern the State of Judah under Jehoiachim and Zedekiah then the Prophecie of Isaias or some more ancient Prophet did so in this our Age the knowledge of some one Part of either their Prophecies and the manner of Judah his progresse in their times to her Overthrow may more concern this our Land then the knowledge of some other Parts of the same or other Prophets And yet those other whose Knowledge concerns us lesse may at this instant concern some other Land or People more Alwayes the gracious Providence of our God directs the study and industry of all that love him to the search of those Points which most concern them but suffers the endeavours of such as by their Transgressions have procured his Wrath to run at random never seeking after those things which belong unto their Peace until his Judgements overtake them 6 These Collections are no Paradoxes but Truths probable enough of themselves to win the Assent of sober and unpartial minds so capable of external Fortification as they may easily be made evident and strong enough to convince the froward minds of such as delight most in Contradiction From their Truth supposed which we are ready to make good against all Gain-sayers it necessarily follows that this Question about the Scriptures Obscuritie or Perspicuitie cannot be universally meant of all and every Part of Scripture in respect of all Persons and Ages as whether no Part be obscure or difficult to all or any this day living For from this diversitie of Ages we may easily discern some things kept secret from the Ancient Patriarches by the Wisdom of God made manifest unto us and some things again by the disposition of the Divine Providence become obscure and difficult unto us which were more manifest unto them as the particulars concerning the Mysterie of Mans Redemption were more obscure to them then us although the Mysterie it self was in some sort Revealed to them in the Prophetical and Mosaical Writings So likewise all the Prophetical Predictions or Prelusions unto the time of Grace are better and more distinctly known of us then them because the express Knowledge of these particulars more concerns us that have lived since then those that lived before the fulness of Time So the Israelites Judaical Constitutions their Types and Ceremonies were much more plain and easie unto them then us because the knowledge of these Matters if we speak of their Judicial Law more concerned theirs then any other State as their Types and Ceremonies did their Persons unto whom the Messias was to be pourtraied or shadowed out more then any in this present or other precedent Age since he was manifested in our Flesh and substance The knowledge of the Moral Law the End and Scope thereof the Observation of Gods Commandments and Doctrine of Repentance after their Transgression was equally Perspicuous to both because equally Necessarie most necessarie to both for their Salvation 7 Again from the divers Conditions of men living in the same Age this Resolution is most evident and most certain The same Portion of Scripture may be difficult unto some sort of men and easie unto others without any prejudice to their sufficiency for being the perfect and infallible Rule of Faith to all For what we said before of divers Ages we may conclude again of divers sorts or Conditions of Men. Sundry places are more Necessary and requisite to be understood of this or that sort and other places of others nor are all places necessary for the one to know requisite for men of another Condition or Calling to search into Thus the Knowledge of many places is necessary for him that is a publick Reader Teacher Instructer or general Overseer of Gods Flock which to search into or laboriously to examin would be Curiosity in him that had no such Calling especially if engaged to any other which might justly challenge the greatest portion in his best endeavours or take up the most part of his choicer hours for study 8 In this Assertion we avouch no more then our Adversaries must of Necessitie grant and expresly do acknowledge in their supposed infallible Rule which they do not suppose should be alike plain and easie to all sorts or Conditions of
for such By tradition Yes By tradition onely No But how at all by tradition As by a joint part of that rule on which they were finally to relie Rather it was a mean to bring them unto the due consideration or right application of the written rule which Moses had left them So hard were their hearts with whom this great Law-giver had first to deal that faith could not take root in them unlesse first wrought and subacted by extraordinary signes and wonders but once thus created in them the incorruptible seed thereof might by means ordinary easily be propagated unto posterity with whom it was to grow up and ripen not by bare credence to their Ancestors traditions nor by such miraculous sights as they had seen but by assiduous and serious observation of Gods providence in their own times For all his wayes to such as mark them are ever parallel to some one or other rule contained in this book of life The Israelites in every age might have discerned the truth of his threats or promises alwayes fulfilled according to the diversity of their wayes though thus much the best amongst them would seldome have observed perhaps not so much as once have compared their course of life with either part of Gods covenant of life and death unlesse thus forewarned by their Ancestors The tradition then of former was of like use for begetting true belief in latter generations as the exhortations of tutors who have already tasted the sweet of Helicon are unto their pupils for attaining true knowledge in good Arts of whose pleasantnesse they never conceive aright untill they tast it themselves though tast it but upon the others commendation they would not without their direction ordinarily they could not 2 This Method Moses himself prescribes Consider this day for I speak not unto your children which neither have known nor seen the chastisement of the Lord your God his greatnesse his mighty hand and his stretched-out arm and his signes and his acts which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the King of Egypt and all his land For your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which be did Therefore shall yee keep all the Commandments which I command you this day that ye may be strong and go in and possâ—sse the land whither ye go to possesse it Gods wonders past they were to consider to what end That they might lay up their Law-givers words in their hearts and in their souls â—ind them 〈◊〉 remembrances upon their hands that they might be as frontlets between their eyes or sights whereby to level their steps lest they trode awry Gods Word so rooted in the fathers as thus to fructifie in their carriage gesture speech and action the seed of it was to be sown in the tender and supple hearts of children as Moses in the next words addes And ye shall teach them your â—â—â—lâ—ren speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the war and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up And thou shalt write them upon the posis of thine house and upon thy gates Thus was Gods Covenant with his people first briefly drawn in signes and wonders and uttered by a mighty voice in mount Horeb as it had been a Demise Paroâ— afterwards conceived in more ample sort and written in more special termes by Mâ—ses but was to be sealed to every generation by their sure experience of Gods mereâ—e and justice the one infalliblie accomplishing their prosperitie for obeying the other their calamities for transgressing it as in the same place followeth For if ye keep diligently all these commandements which I coâ—… 〈◊〉 to â—…o that is to lâ—ve the Lord your God to walk in all his wayes and to â—â—eaâ—e unto 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 the Lord â—ast out all these nations before you and ye shall â—… great nations â—â—ghtier then you All the places whereon the soles of your feet 〈◊〉 â—â—eaâ— shall â—e â—â—â—rs yâ—ur coast shall be from the wildernesse and from Lebanon 〈◊〉 from the river even the river Perah unto the uttermost Sea No man shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you for the Lord your God shall cast the fear of you upon all the land that ye shall 〈◊〉 upon as he hath said unto you 3 Every light or formal observation of this covenant sufficed not to avert Gods threats or make them capable of those bounteous promises which he never failed to fulfill as long as in heart and deed they used Moses writings for their rule not weighing the foolish traditions of the Elders â—… he â—â—ew them saith the Psalmist they sought him and they returned an sought God 〈◊〉 And they remembred that God was their strength and the meâ— high God thâ—â—r redeemer Proportionally to their repentance but far above or rather without all proportion of deserts did the Lord deal with them For as their hâ—aâ—ts though in some sort turned unto him were not upright 〈◊〉 him neither were they faithfull in his covenant so he bâ—iâ—g mercifull thus far for gave their iniquitie that he destroyed them not but oâ—t-times called back his anger and suffered not his whole displeasure to arise 4 The whole historical part of the old Testament untill Davids time epitomized by this Psalmist witnesseth what way soever this people went either the blessing or the curse which Moses there sets before them did alwayes surely meet them Behold I sâ—t before you this day a blessing and a curse the blessing if ye obey the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you this day and the curse if ye will not obey the commandements of the Lord your God but turn out of the way which I command you this day to go after other Gods which ye have not known In these terms of blessings and cursings he enâ—tiles the former disjunctive covenant If ye shall hearken therefore to my commandements which I shall command you this day that you love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and with all your soul I also will give 〈◊〉 unto your land in due time the first rain and the latter that thou mayest gather in thy wheâ—t and thy wine and thine oyl Also I will send grasse in thy field for thy cattâ—ll that thou mayest eat and have enough But beware lest your heâ—â—t deceâ—ve you and lest ye turn aside and serve other Gods and worship them and so the anger of the Lord be kindled against you and he shut up the heaven that there be no rain and that your land yeeld not her fruit and ye perish quickly from the good land which the Lord giveth you To stir them up to more stâ—â—t observance of the former covenant the blessings and cursings here mentioned were to be pronounced with great solemnitie at their first entrance into the land of Caâ—â—an When the Lord thy God therefore hath brought thee into the land weaher thoâ— goest
the Obscuritie or Difficulty of Scriptures cannot be meant of all Scriptures in respect of all Ages or all Men. â—…rs degrees of Scriptures Perâ—… arising from the Diversity of mens Conditions or Callings * ‖ Scripture more or lesse difficult to men of the same Profession from the different Measure of their natural Capacities or Gods Gifts bestowed upon them * This is a Point to be obsâ—…ved because the Weaknesse and 〈…〉 of all our Ad 〈◊〉 Ar 〈◊〉 will 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 if 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—all 〈◊〉 by the particulars in this and the next Section * Prov. 3. 34. James 4. 6. 1 Pet. 〈◊〉 5. †〈◊〉 29. 14. 1 Cor. 1 19. 1 Cor. 3. 19. †* Esay 29. 9 10 c. ver 13. * Velamen quod ipse Paulus 2. Cor. 3. 15. assiâ—mat usque in hodiernum diem cum legitur Moses esse positum supra cor Judaeorum profecto textum ut ita dicam bona ex parte est ex difficultate Scripturarum illarum Valent. tom 3. in Aquin disp 1. quaest 1. punct 7. parag 4. He addeth immediately Hoc enim ut antea monuimus est scripturam essedifficilem ejusmodi eam esse tam multa ut illa intelligatur requâ—ri ut proclive fuerit Judaeis 〈◊〉 aliis omnibus non percipere veram ejus sententiam quod quia dare nobis coguntur velint nolint sâ—ctaâ—ij rectè ac 〈◊〉 inde concludimus communem illam regulam magistram fidei quam necesse est esse propositam fidelibus 〈◊〉 non esse scripturam cum non sit cognitu facilis ipsis hominibus Huc illud Isaiae 29. pertinet †So our Saviour expoundeth it Matth. 15. verse 8 9. O Hypocrites Esaias prophesied well of you saying This People c. using the words before cited out of the 13. verse of Esay cap. 29. Out of both places it appears that their Hypocrisie and disobedience is the Truth known caused this Blindnesse and what the Prophet threatned ver 14. our Saviour ratifieth Mat. 15. ver 12 13 14. For when his Disciples said unto him Perceivest thou not that the Pharisâ—es are offended in hearing this saying He answered Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up let them alone they be blind leaders of the blind and if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch So the Prophet had said in the 14. ver The wisdom of their wise men to wit the Pharisees shall perish and the understanding of the prudent shall be hid and in the 9. verse They are blind and make you blind For this cause our Saviour in the fore-mentioned place calleth not them as be did the multitude to hear and understand verse 10. Nor expounds the Parable unto them as he did to his Disciples verse 15. * Jâ—hn 7. 17. * Our Saviour fully confirmeth this Truth unto us which the Psalmist had before in effect delivered Psal 25. ver 14. The secret of the Lord is revealed unto them that fear him and his Covenant to give them understanding and vers 9. Them that be Meek will he guide in judgement and teach the Humble his way vide etiaÌ„ vers 10. 12. This evidently confuteth their folly who think or rather say our Saviour spake in this place of his own peculiar Doctrine and Authority Albeit Canus amongst others might be excused by such as would salve his credit by the common Answer non locutus est ex sua sententia as appeareth by the manner of his replie Lib. 2. de Loc. Theol. cap. 8. †Non hoc dicit Dominus ut ostendat omnes viros bonos per se intelligere posse omnia loca Scripturarum sed ut doceat viros probos carere quibusdam impedimentis propter quae alij quidem nec per se nec per alios fidei veritatem intelligere possunt ut Johan 5. 44. Luke 16. 14. Bellarm. Tom. 1. Lib. 3. cap. 10. Canus in his first Answer to this place seems willing to assent unto the Truth Concediâ—us inquit liberaliter doctrinam cusque in sua vita statu necessariam illi fore perspectam cognitam qui fecerit voluntatem Dei. Sicut enim gustus bene affectus differentias saporum facilè discernit sic animi optima affectio facit ut homo doctrinam Dei ad salutem necessariam discernat ab errore contrario qui ex Deo non est Quae vero Ecclesiae sunt communia nec ad judicium nec ad fidem spectant singulorum ea non à quovis discerni judicari possunt quantumcunque is Dei faciat voluntatem In his second Answer he bewrayes a willingnesse to dissent from us or perhaps a fear not to say somewhat against us and therefore to such as will not be satisfied with the former he gives a second Answer in effect the same with Bellarmines We â—ay admit both their Conclusions without harm to our Cause From that which Canus granteth of private men both in his Answer to the second and third Argument we may conclude against him thus As God giveth them the Spirit of discerning true from false Doctrine in Points necessary to Salvation without all respects of persons so likewise will be by his Providence direct the learned or spirituall Overseers in every Nation without respecting Person Place or other Pâ—…gative for discerning Apocryphal from Canonical Books Nor is there any more Reason to appropriate their Discretion to the Pope or Clergie of Rome more then to appropriate the gift of discerning Truth from Falshood in Points reâ—… to Salvation to their Servants V. Can. Lib. 2. de Loc. Theol. Cap. 8. Responsione ad secundum terâ—… * Râ—m 12. 2. Vâ—â—n which place He whom Bellarmin â—… laterâ—… â—… saith thus Per 〈◊〉 â—â—vationem â—… per â—idem in Christum accepistis â—… ut sic â—eddamini apâ—… quid à vobis 〈◊〉 per toâ—… at Deus Quid gratum sit beneplaâ—… Deo Simile quiddam dâ—cet â—… Prebantâ—s quid sit 〈◊〉 placitum Deo â—… cupiditates caâ—nis noâ—â—â—ae â—… nâ—i ut in actionibus nostris inâ—… voluntas Dei sed quod nostro â—… aâ—rider interpâ—… in id esse voâ—… Dei Sâ—… in 〈◊〉 â—… Vide annotat â—… Beâ—a ad paragraph 5. * * Denique quòd Honorius nonnulli alii Pontifices in errorem lapsi fuisse dicuntur quanquam de nullo prorsus satis compertum est pertinaciter erravisse id quidem utcunque res habeat non nisi ad privatum attiner personarum vitium atque adeo nihil nobis obstare potest ut qui non tam ipsas personas quà m authoritatem illam Apostolicae sedis in definiendo defendimus siâ—… supra Augustini etiam exemplo respondebamus Valent. Tan. 3. Disp 1. Quaest 1. Punct 7. Paragr 41. Casu 11. ‖ Valentianus loco citato Ad fidelitatem Dei erga Ecclesiam speciat ut impediret in eo casu quo minus per Pontificem illum controversia