Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	natural_a	reason_n	revelation_n	1,320	5	9.7973	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90280	Of the divine originall, authority, self-evidencing light, and povver of the Scriptures. With an answer to that enquiry, how we know the Scriptures to be the Word of God. Also a vindication of the purity and integrity of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Old and New Testament; in some considerations on the prolegomena, & appendix to the late Biblia polyglotta. Whereunto are subjoyned some exercitations about the nature and perfection of the Scripture, the right of interpretation, internall Light, revelation, &c. / By Iohn Owen: D.D.	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1659 (1659)	Wing O784; Thomason E1866_1; Thomason E1866_1*; ESTC R203092	144,024	386

God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and Godhead Rom. 1. 18 19 20 All which places God assisting shall be opened before long in another Treatise The summe of them amounts to what was before laid downe namely that God reveales and declares himselfe unto us by the VVorks of his hands Sect. 11. God declares himselfe his Soveraigne power and Authority his Righteousnesse and Holinesse by the innate or ingrafted light of nature and Principles of the consciences of men That indispensible morall obedience which he requireth of us as his creatures subject to his law is in generall thus made knowne unto us For the Gentiles which have not the law doe by nature the things contained in the law they having not the law are a law unto themselves shewing the work of the law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witnesse and their thoughts in the meane time excusing or accusing one another Rom. 2. 14 15. By the light that God hath indelibly implanted in the minds of men accompanied with a morall instinct of Good and evill seconded by that selfe-Judgment which he hath placed in us in reference to his own over us doth he reveale himselfe unto the Sons of men 3ly God reveales himselfe by his Word as is confessed It remaines then that we enquire how we may know and be ascertained that these things are not deceivable Pretences but that God doth indeed so reveale himselfe by them Sect. 12. First The Works of God as to what is his Will to teach and reveale of himselfe by them have that Expression of God upon them that stampe and character of his Eternall Power and Godhead that Evidence with them that they are his that where ever they are seene and considered they undeniably evince that they are so and that what they teach concerning him they doe it in his Name and Authority There is no need of Traditions no need of Miracles no need of the Authority of any Churches to convince a rationall Creature that the works of God are his and His only and that he is Eternlal and infinite in Power that made them They carry about with them their owne Authority By being what they are they declare whose they are To reveale God by his works there is need of nothing but that they be by themselves represented or objected to the consideration of Rationall creatures Sect. 13. The Voice of God in nature is in like manner effectuall It declares it selfe to be from God by it's owne light and Authority There is no need to convince a man by substantiall Witnesses that what his Conscience speakes it speakes from God Whether it beare Testimony to the Being Righteousnesse Power Omniscience or Holynesse of God himselfe or whether it call for that morall obedience which is eternally and indispensably due to him and so shews forth the worke of the law in the heart it so speakes and declares it selfe that without further Evidence or Reasoning without the Advantage of any considerations but what are by it's selfe supplyed it discovers it's Au-Author from whom it is and in whose name it speakes Those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those common notions and generall Presumptions of him and his Authority that are inlayed in the natures of Rationall Creatures by the hand of God to this End that they might make a Revelation of him as to the Purposes mentioned are able to plead their owne divine Originall without the least contribution of strength or Assistance from without Sect. 14. And thus is it with those things Now the Psalmist says unto God Thou hast magnified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over all thy name the Word thou hast spoken The Name of God is all that whereby he makes himselfe knowne Over all this God magnifies his Word It lyes all in a subserviency thereunto The name of God is not here God himselfe but every thing whereby God makes himselfe knowne Now it were very strange that those low darke obscure Principles and Meanes of the Revelation of God and his Will which we have mentioned should be able to evince themselves to be from him without any externall helpe Assistance Testimony or Authority and that which is by God himselfe magnified above them which is farre more noble and Excellent in it's selfe and in respect of it's end Order hath far more divinely conspicuous and glorious impressions and Characters of his Goodnesse Holinesse Power Grace Truth then all the Creation should lye dead obscure and have nothing in it's selfe to reveale it's Author untill this or that superadded Testimony be called in to it's Assistance We esteeme them to have done no service unto the Truth who amongst innumerable other bold denyalls have insisted on this also that there is no naturall knowledge of God arising from the innate Principles of Reason and the Workes of God proposing themselves to the consideration thereof let now the way to the progresse of supernaturall Revelation be obstructed by denying that it is able to evince it selfe to be from God and we shall quickly see what bankes are cut to let in a flood of Atheisme upon the face of the Earth Sect. 15. Let us consider the issue of this Generall Induction As God in the creation of the World and all things therin contained hath so made framed them hath left such characters of his Eternall Power and Wisdome in them and upon them filled with such Evidences of their Author suited to the Apprehensions of rationall Creatures that without any other Testimony from himselfe or any else under the naked consideration and Contemplation of what they ARE they so farre declare their Creator that they are left wholly unexcusable who will not learne and know him from thence So in the giving out of his Word to be the foundatiō of that VVorld which he hath set up in this world as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wheel within a wheel his Church He hath by his Spirit implanted in it and impressed on it such Characters of his Goodnesse Power Wisdome Holinesse Love to mankind Truth Faithfulnesse with all the rest of his Glorious Excellencies and Perfections that at all times and in all Places when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Expansion of it is stretched over men by his Providence without any other Witnesse or Testimony given unto it it declares it's selfe to be his and makes good it's Authority from him so that the refusall of it upon it's own evidence brings unavoidable condemnation on the soules of men This comparison is insisted on by the Psalmist Psal 19 where as he ascribeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a voice and line to the creatures so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Light Power stability and Permanency like that of the heavens Sun in

Doctrine after a sufficient discovery of the insufficiency of all other meanes for that End and purpose And hence the malice of Satan hath raged no lesse against the Book then the Truth contained in it The dealings of Antiochus under the old Testament and of sundry persecuting Emperours under the new evince no lesse And it was no lesse crime of old to be Traditor libri than to be Abnegator fidei The reproach of Chartacea scripta and membranae Coster Enchirid Cap. 1. reflects on it's Authour It is true we have not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Moses and the Prophets of the Apostles and Evangelists but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have or copies containe every iota that was in them Sect. 14. It is no doubt but that in the Copies we now enjoy of the old Testament there are some diverse readings or various lections The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are are of another nature the various lections of Ben-Asher or Rabbi Aaron the Son of Rabbi Moses of the tribe of Asher Ben Nepthali or R Moses the Son of David of the Tribe of Nepthali of the East and Westerne Jewes which we have collected at the End of the great Bible with the Masora evince it But yet we affirme that the whole Word of God in every Letter and Title as given from him by Inspiration is preserved without Corruption Where there is any variety it is alwayes in things of lesse indeed of no importance God by his Providence preserving the whole entire suffered this lesser variety to fall out in or among the copies we have for the quickning and exercising of our diligence in our search into his Word Sect. 15. It was an unhappy Attempt which must afterwards be spoken unto that a learned man hath of late put himselfe upon namely to prove variations in all the present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the old Testament in the Hebrew Tongue from the Copies used of old merely upon uncertaine conjectures and the credit of corrupt Translations Whether that Plea of his be more unreasonable in it's selfe devoid of any reall ground of Truth or injurious to the Love and care of God over his Word and Church I know not sure I am it is both in an high degree The Translation especially insisted on by him is that of the LXX That this Translation either from the mistakes of it's first Authours if it be theirs whose name and number it beares or the carelessenesse or ignorance or worse of it's Transcribers is corrupted and gone off from the originall in a 1000 places twice told is acknowledged by all who know ought of these things Strange that so corrupt a streame should be judged a fit meanes to cleanse the fountaine That such a Lesbian Rule should be thought a fit measure to correct the originall by and yet on the account hereof with some others not one whit better or scarce so Good we have 1826 various lections exhibited unto us with frequent insinuations of an infinite number more yet to be collected It were desirable that men would be content to shew their learning Reading and diligence about things where there is lesse danger in Adventures Nor is the reliefe He provides against the charge of bringing things to an uncertainty in the Scripture which he found himselfe obnoxious unto lesse pernitious than the opinion he seeks to palliate thereby although it be since taken up and approved by others The Saving Doctrine of the Scripture He tells us as to the matter and substance of it in all things of moment it is preserved in the Copies of the originall and Translations that doe remaine Sect. 17. It is indeed a great Reliefe against the inconvenience of corrupt Translations to consider that although some of them be bad enough yet if all the Errours and mistakes that are to be found in all the rest should be added to the worst of all yet every necessary saving fundamentall truth would be found sufficiently testified unto therein But to depresse the sacred Truth of the originalls into such a condition as wherein it should stand in need of this Apologie and that without any colour or pretence from discrepancies in the Copies themselves that are extant or any tollerable evidence that there ever were any other in the least differing from these extant in the world will at length be found a work unbecoming a Christian Protestant Divine Besides the injury done hereby to the Providence of God towards his Church and care of his Word It will not be found so easy a matter upon a supposition of such corruption in the Originalls as is pleaded for to evince unquestionably that the whole saving doctrine its selfe at first given out from God continues entire and incorrupt The nature of this doctrine is such that there is no other Principle or meanes of it's discovery no other Rule or measure of judging and determining any thing about or concerning it but only the writing from whence it is taken it being wholly of divine Reevlation and that Revelation being expressed only in that writing Upon any corruption then supposed therein there is no meanes of rectifying it It were an easy thing to correct a mistake or corruption in the transcription of any Probleme or Demonstration of Euclide or any other antient Mathematician from the consideration of the things themselves about which they treate being alwaies the same and in their owne nature equally exposed to the knowledge and understanding of men in all Ages In things of pure Revelation whose knowledge depends solely on their Revelation it is not so Nor is it enough to satisfy us that the doctrines mentioned are preserved entire every Tittle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Word of God must come under our care and consideration as being as such from God But of these things we shall Treat afterwards at large returne we now to the Apostle Sect. 17. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this written Prophesy this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not of any private Interpretation Some thinke that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which according to Hesychius denotes Afflation inspiration conception within so Calvin In this sense the importance of the words is the same with what I have already mentioned namely that the Prophets had not their private conceptions or selfe fancyed Enthusiasmes of the things they spake To this Interpretation assents Grotius And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is reckoned amongst the various Lections that are gathered out of him in the Appendix to the Biblia polyglotta Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the other side of that usuall expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camero contends for the retaining of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

being wiser then any others and more able to discerne then they Now though I shall easily grant them to be very subtle and cunning yet that they are so much wiser then all the world besides that they are meet to impose upon their beliefe things that they neither do nor can discerne or know I would not be thought to admit untill I can believe my selfe and all others not of their society or combination to be beasts of the field and they as the serpent amongst us Sect. 26. If it be from the Scripture that they seek to make Good this claime then as we cause them there to make a stand which is all we aime at so their plea must be from the promise of some speciall Assistance granted to them for that purpose if their assistance be that of the spirit it is either of the spirit that is promised to believers to worke in them as before described and related or it is some private Testimony that they pretend is afforded to them If the former be affirmed we are in a condition wherein the necessity of devolving all on the scripture its selfe to decide and judge who are beleivers lies in every ones view if the latter who shall give me Assurance that when they pretend that witnesse and Testimony they do not lye and deceive we must here certainly go either to the Scrippture or to some cunning man to be resolved Isa 8. 19 20. Sect. 27. I confesse the Argument which hath not long since been singled out and dextrovsly mannaged by an able and learned pen namely of proving the Truth of the doctrine of the Scripture from the Truth of the story and the Truth of the story from the certainty there is that the Writers of the Books of the Bible were those Persons whose names and inscriptions they beare so pursuing the Evidence that what they wrote was true and known to them so to be from all requisita that may possibly be sought after for the strengthening of such Evidence is of great force and efficacy It is I say of great force and efficacy as to the end for which it is insisted on that is to satisfy mens rational Enquiries but as to a ground of faith it hath the same insufficiency with all other Arguments of the like kind Though I should grant that the Apostles penmen of the Scripture were persons of the greatest industry honesty integrity faithfullnesse holinesse that ever lived in the world as they were and that they wrote nothing but what themselves had as Good Assurance of as what men by their senses of seeing and hearing are able to attaine yet such a Knowledge and Assurance is not a sufficient foundation for the faith of the Church of God if they received not every Word by inspiration and that evidencing it's selfe unto us otherwise then by the Authority of their Integrity it can be no foundation for us to build our faith upon Sect. 28. Before the committing of the Scriptures to writing God had given the World an Experiment what keepers men were of this Revelation by tradition Within some hundreds of yeares after the flood all knowledge of him through the craft of Sathan and the vanity of the minds of men which is unspeakable was so lost that nothing but as it were the creation of a new World or the Erection of a new Church state by new Revelations could relieve it After that great triall what can be farther pretended on the behalfe of Tradition I know not Sect. 29. The summe of all is The mercifull Good Providence of God having by divers and various meanes using therin amongst other things the ministry of men and Churches preserved the Writings of the Old and New Testament in the World and by the same gratious disposall afforded them unto us they are received and submitted unto by us upon the Grounds and evidences of their divine Originall before insisted on Sect 30. Upon the whole matter then I would know whither if the Scriptures should be brought to any man when or where he could not possibly have it attested to be the Word of God by any publick or private Authority of man or Church Tradition or otherwise he were bound to believe it or no whither he should obey God in believing or sin in the rejecting of it suppose de do but take it into consideration doe but give it the reading or hearing seeing in every place it avers it's selfe to be the Word of God he must of necessity either give credit unto it or disbelieve it To hang in suspense which ariseth from the imperfect actings of the faculties of the soule is in it's selfe a weaknesse and in this case being reckoned no the worst side is interpretatively a Rejection If you say it were the duty of such an one to believe it you acknowledge in the scripture it 's selfe a sufficient Evidence of it's own originall Authority without which it can be no man's duty to believe it If you say it would not be his sinne to reject and refuse it to disbelieve all that it speakes in the name of God then this is that you say God may truly and really speake unto a man as he doth by the Scripture and yet that man not be bound to believe him We deale not thus with one another Sect. 31. To wind up then the plea insisted on in the foregoing Chapter concerning the selfe evidencing Light and Power of the Scripture from which we have diverted and to make way for some other considerations that tend to the confirmation of their divine Originall I shall close this discourse with the two generall considerations following Sect. 32. 1 Then laying aside these failing pleas there seemes to be a morall impossibility that the Word of God should not manifest it 's own Originall and it's Authority from thence Quaelibet herba deum There is no Worke of God as was shewed but reveales it's Authour A curious Artificer imparts that of forme shape proportion and comelinesse to the fruit of his Invention and worke of his hands that every one that looks upon it must conclude that it comes from skill and Ability A man in the delivery of his mind in the writing of a Book will give it such an impression of Reason that though you cannot conclude that this or that man wrote it yet you must that it was the product of a man or Rationall creature yea some individuall men of Excellency in some skill are instantly knowne by them that are able to judge in that Art or skill by the Effects of their skill This is the Peice this is the hand the Worke of such an one How easy is it for those who are conversant about antient Authours to discover an Authour by the spirit and stile of his writings Now certainly this is strange beyond all beliefe that almost every Agent should give an impresse to it's worke whereby it may be appropriated unto him and only the