the most effectual They says he who are sensible of their own Blindness since there is no other way to be rid of it but by the Word of God they should apply themselves to that and they cannot miss of a Cure. Which is enough to prove the Insufficiency of the Churches Customes or Authority as to Matters of Faith at least Secondly Neither will the Testimonies of the Fathers be of any Force in this Particular For a Rule of Faith must be full of Knowledge and sufficiently able to instruct us But what says S. Austin of himself I am Aug. ep 119. not only ignorant says he in many other Things but even in the Holy Scriptures themselves I am yet to learn more than I know already And thus he elsewhere Ep. ad Hiâ—â— expresses himself To the Books of the Scriptures only which are called Canonical do I owe this Honour that I firmly believe That none of their Pen-Men have err'd in any thing they have written But I esteem other Writers according to their Sanctity and Learning I do not think any thing true meerly because it was their Opinion Which very well agrees with that Axiom of Tertullian If says he a Bishop Tertul. de praescr haeret or Deacon if a Widow or Maid if a Doctor or even a Martyr should err from the Rule would the Error be e'r the Truer or Better for their Sakes We do not prove the Faith by the Persons but the Persons by the Faith. And the Acknowledgment of Biel is to the Bieâ— sup Can. Miss l. 41. same purpose That the Authority of the Fathers compells no Man to assent to their Sayings unless they build on the Holy Scriptures or Divine Revelation On this account therefore S. Austin might well cry out Aug. in Psal 57. Let our Writings be withdrawn that the Book of God may be introduced And as for Apostolical Traditions let the Testimony Iren. l. 3. c. 1. of Irenaeus serve for all By the Apostles says he the Gospel came down to us which they then preached and afterward by the Will of God they delivered to us in the Scriptures what was to be the future Foundation and Pillar of our Faith. Now if neither the Customes of the Church nor the Judgment of the Fathers nor Tradition can be a perfect Rule of Faith no more can all these united in a General Council be so For a Rule must be in every respect perfect But we have seen That the Church is in many respects Defective and the Fathers subject to Ignorance and Error And if Irenaeus may be credited The Apostles preached nothing contrary to what they have left us in Writing and therefore there can be no Place for Apostolical Traditions So that a Rule which is Imperfect and Defective in every Part must needs be so in the whole And Bellarmin himself has proved Bellarm. de Concil l. 2. c. 12. That the Decrees of General Councils cannot be a perfect Rule because they cannot pretend to immediate Divine Revelation That they may Err in some things and in many of their Definitions they conclude only Probably But a Rule of Faith ought to be every way Perfect and to conclude necessarily And such an absolute Perfect Rule the Scriptures appear to be not only from their own Testimony but from Testimonies of the greatest Pillars of the Church in the Second Third Fourth and Fifth Centuries And therefore if any Man's Interest has led him to a contrary Judgment in the later Ages of the Church his Opinions ought not to be set up as a Standard against Antiquity joyn'd with Truth From hence then we may infer what has been already asserted That the Scriptures being of themselves a perfect and Un-erring Rule nothing must be put to or taken from them To which purpose besides what has been produced already the Reader may give himself the trouble of Perusing the following Texts Deut. 12. 32. Josh 1. 7. Prov. 30. 6. Gal. 1. 8. and 3. 15. Rev. 22. 18 19. And let him learn the Danger of Adding or Taking away that is Doing any thing contrary to the Scriptures From these Lev. 10. 2. Isai 1. 12 13 14 and 66. 3. Hos 9. 15. Matth. 15. 6 9. Mark 7. 9. Gal. 4. 10. From all which Texts will evidently appear the Invalidity of any thing that is not built upon the true Foundation and the danger of being led away by such Vanities And so I hope I have sufficiently vindicated my Relyance on the Testimony of the Scriptures in the Business of the following Undertaking I shall only trouble the Reader with two or three necessary Cautions concerning the right Use and Understanding of those Sacred Writings and then give him his Liberty to proceed I. If any Man will make choice of the Scriptures for his Guide in matters that concern his Well-being here and hereafter he must have a care of believing every Spirit We must not take things of such Moment on Trust meerly because they are asserted by one that Pretends to great Learning or Inspiration for we are to look on the Gentlemen of these Times as such as will make the best they can of every Word when they meet with one of an ordinary Capacity Therefore II. It behoveth every Man that hath any regard to his own Safety to search into these things himself to read the Holy Scriptures diligently that so he may learn from them whether such things are true or no. But as I am now Writing to those of the meanest Rank in Learning lat east It is necessary that I caution such Readers of the Scriptures against laying too much stress on the literal Interpretation of a Text For the Holy Ghost very often makes use of Metaphors and other Obscurities wherein the Sense is not obvious to every Eye And tho' as S. Austin says There is nothing so obscure in one Place which in another is not made plain Yet it is not supposed that an ordinary Reader knows how to find that Place out or if he does that he has Judgment enough to satisfie himself For the Scriptures consist of a Soul and a Body The Body is the Letter and the Soul is the true Interpretation Every Man therefore says Origen that De princip lib. 4. desires to come to the Knowledge of the Truth must have his Eye on every Word for every Nation has a different way of speaking let him therefore mind rather what is signified than with what Words it is expressed For there are some things which no Human Words can explain but they are only conceivable in an honest Vnderstanding By which Rule also we come to the Knowledge and Vnderstanding of the Holy Scriptures that what we read is not to be understood according to the Letter but according to the Divinity of that Holy Spirit which inspired it Wherefore the Honest Reader will do well to take care That he is not drawn by the Letter out of the right
they indifferently pay to all Men for that which is due to God only whereby they obey God rather than Man so this Obedience was embraced by them before the other For 't is indeed an argument of no little discretion but of a quick and most piercing Judgment if we can discern what Opinion is to be followed and what is rather to be rejected In a word our Lord himself in the Gospel says Beware of them which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are devouring wolves Therefore a watchful Soul and setled Mind are required in order to our discovering the plain simplicity of Sheep or the more hidden malice and greediness of Wolves Whence we may learn what great danger they are in who neglect the study of the Holy Scriptures from which only they can be furnished with such a knowledge and discretion St. Austin has an Expression which makes a great bluster in the World I would not believe the Gospel says he if the Authority of the Catholick Church did not move me to it Upon this the Authority of the Church is magnified above the Authority of the Scriptures But if St. Austin did not intend any such thing where are we then He express'd himself once to this purpose Thou O God hast assur'd me that not they who Aug. Conf. l. 6. c. 5. believ'd thy Books which with so great Authority thou hast establish'd in almost all the World but they who did not were culpable Neither are they to be heard who shall ask me how I know that those Books are given to Men by the Spirit of One most true God. Which shews that he did not altogether rely on the Testimony of the Church which was only outward but chiefly the inward Witness of the Holy Ghost in his Conscience But we may know more of his Mind by more of his Words We says he do not bring a false Ballance that we may make things Idem cont Donat. l. 2. c. 6. weigh what we please and how we please and so give judgment what is light and what heavy But we give you the divine Ballance of the Holy Scriptures the Treasures of the Lord and by that we tell you what is heavy yet not we but the Lord himself who having weighed all things already we tell you from him what is heavy c. And can we think that Great Father ever intended to set up the Authority of the Church above the Scriptures He does not say We tell you from the Church what is light and what heavy but we tell you from the Scriptures And thus again There are says he certain Books of the Id. de unit Eccl. c. 3. Lord to whose Authority we wholly assent which we firmly believe and in all things obey In them let us seek the Church by them let us discuss our Cause Now if St. Austin did really believe the Scriptures on no other account than barely the Churches Testimony why does he say He must find the Church in the Scriptures This would be to run round in an indeterminate circle first to look for the Church in the Scriptures and then to search for the Scriptures in the Church I don't see how these can stand together But let it be as it will we may with more safety give credit to what a Man is constant in than to what he says but once or it may be never at all and so we may assure our selves of the concession of this Holy Father to what we assert That the Scriptures are the supreme Decider of Controversies The only thing needful to be added to what has been already produc'd is That nothing ought to be put to or taken from the Word of God. Bellarmin acknowledges the Scriptures to be a Rule but says 't is only partly so for the Scriptures joyn'd with Traditions make one perfect Rule But we have seen that the Scriptures alone are a perfect Rule and An Infallible Rule says St. Basil ought to be so without addition or diminution And Basil cont Eunom l. 1. Id. Conf. Fid. further That it is a manifest departing from the Faith and an evidence of Pride either to take away any thing from what is written or to add any thing that is not written for our Lord has said My sheep hear my voice And says St. Jerom Whatever does not come from the Jerom. in Matth. 23. Holy Scriptures is as easily condemn'd as approv'd Eusebius tells us That after the Death of the Euseb Hist l. 3. c. 32. Apostles though the Scriptures were extant yet the Church did not long continue an unspotted Virgin but Heresies and Corruptions of the Gospel encreased apace And then I would fain know what method the Orthodox Doctors took to purge and refine the Church again I suppose it may be answer'd that A General Council was to represent the whole Church and to determine the Points in Controversie Granting this the next Question will be which way the Doctors assembled in Council proceeded in this great Affair Did they appeal to the Church The most impious Hereticks would confidently affirm That only they were of the True Church Wou'd they appeal to the Fathers There were many Learned Men who in their Writings maintain'd the worst of Heresies Wou'd they appeal to Apostolical Traditions The Founders of many of the greatest Heresies lived in the Times of the Apostles and on that score had as good a plea for their knowing their Sentiments as any of the Orthodox Fathers could have I am certain the first Nicene Council took no such way but on all occasions urg'd the Scriptures against the Opinions of those Hereticks they were to deal with as might be shewn at large if it was absolutely necessary to our purpose At present let us content our selves with a few Testimonies of the Fathers against such proceedings And first against Appealing to the Churches Custome St Cyprian says a Custome which some have taken up Cypr. ad Pomp. cont Steph. Pap. ought not to prevail against the Truth for Custome without the Truth is but the Ornament of an Error For which Reason let us forsake the Error of such a Custome and follow the Truth And when S. Austin bids us seek the Church in the Scriptures he cannot intend in my Opinion That we should follow the Church in any thing repugnant to the Scriptures But besides A Rule of Faith ought to be Perfect But Origen tells us That as Orig. in Ezech. hom 1. on every Floor there is Chaff as well as Wheat so is the Church on Earth some part Wheat and the rest Chaff And upon Matth. 21. 14. where it is said Id. in Matth. hom 15. That the blind and the lame came into the Temple to Christ and he healed them The Moral Construction of this says he is That in the Church all cannot see neither can all walk Upright but some are Blind and others Lame To which he immediately applies this Remedy as
A LETTER TO A LADY Furnishing her with Scripture Testimonies Against the Principal Points and Doctrines OF POPERY All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is Profitable for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness That the Man of God may be Perfect throughly furnished unto all Good Works 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. The Law of the Lord is Perfect converting the Soul c. Psal 19. 7 8 9 10 11. Search the Scriptures c. John 5. 39. Blessed is he that readeth c. Rev. 1. 3. Licensed July 6. 1688. LONDON Printed for John Taylor at the Ship in St. Paul's Church-Yard M DC LXXX VIII Admonition to the Reader concerning the Authority and Vse of the Holy Scriptures THe following Papers being intended only for a private Satisfaction and not for the publick View are writ in a Stile agreeable to the Sex to which they are dedicated and the few Arguments here and there added either to explain or Illustrate a Text of Scripture are such as are more obvious to a Female Capacity than perhaps the common way of Arguing used by one great Disputant against another is For it was no more my intent than it was my Business in writing to Women who by Reason of their general want of Learning understand nothing of Logical Reasoning and as little of Syllogismal Inferences to endeavour to make a thing plain by rendring it more unintelligible But to make every thing as obvious and plain to the most ordinary Understanding as I might tho' my Words were never so homely And though it is confest The Lady to whom these Papers were especially directed is a Person endued with better Parts and more Learning than others of her Sex generally are yet I considered That many more of her Society or Acquaintance might be concerned in the Reading of them And therefore I thought as a plain Method would not be unpleasant to the Lady her self so it would certainly be both more Acceptable and Profitable to others not loaden with so much Sagacity and Understanding But since in this Undertaking I have wholly relyed on the Testimony of the Scriptures and have drawn all my Arguments from them I think it proper to vindicate my Proceeding that way by giving the Reader a cursory Account of the Supreme Authority of the Sacred Writings consisting in two Particulars The First is Their containing fully all things needful for our Salvation And the Second Their being sufficient to determine Points of Doubt and Controversie In both which I shall still make my Appeal to the Scriptures themselves and likewise intermix a few Testimones of the Fathers not for Confirmation of the Scriptures Authority for that is evident enough in it self but to shew the Opinion of those great Pillars of the Church in a Matter about which there is so great a Disagreement betwixt us and the Church of Rome I begin therefore with the first Evidence of the Supreme Authority of the Scriptures Their containing fully all things needful for our Salvation The Evangelist Joh. 20. 30. tells us That Jesus did many signs in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book But these says he are written That ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name And Cyril in Praef. in Johan this Gospel by S. John may without Injury be thought to excel the other three says S. Cyril and he gives no weak Reasons for it One of which is That it contains all things pertaining to Truth which the other do also but not in so high a Strain For whereas the rest do most Exquisitely describe the Genealogy of our Saviour either descending from Abraham to Joseph or ascending from Joseph to Adam S. John has not much laboured in these Matters but with an aspiring Mind seems to soar beyond Human Possibility and is not afraid in express Words to set down his Ineffable Generation In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God And so aspires directly to the Foundation of Divine Truth Where by the way it will not be amiss to observe That this Evangelist was the beloved Disciple of our Lord and therefore it cannot reasonably be supposed he would conceal any thing from him that was necessary to be known But on the contrary he revealed more to him than was needful to be set down in some Particulars whereof he was commanded to be Silent as may be seen Rev. 10. 4. But when any thing might be known he is to declare it Chap. 22. 10. and Chap. 1. 3. They are blessed who read and hear the words of this prophecy with an intent to keep those things which are written therein So then though we are ignorant of some things yet by what is written we may sufficiently be acquainted with whatever is necessary for us to know S. Paul Acts 20. after he had told the Ephesians Verse 30 That of their own selves should arise men speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them At the 32 Verse he commends them to God and to the Word of his Grace which he tells them is able to build them up and to give them an inheritance among all them which are sanctified And lest it should be thought that he had broached some unwritten Traditions of his own he professes Chap. 26. 22. That having obtained help of God he still continued witnessing both to small and great but saying no other things than those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Accordingly he tells the Romans in his Epistle to them Chap. 1. 16. That he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth And Chap. 15. 4. Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through Patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And says S. Chrysostom Wherefore are these things written but that we should In Rom. hom 9. In 2 Cor. hom 13. In synop Athan. learn them For says he The Scriptures are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all the most exact Ballance Guide and Rule And according to S. Athanasius they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Anchors and Support of our Faith. And Irenaeus calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iren. l. 3. c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the immoveable Canon of Truth and the Pillar and Foundation of our Faith. And we being sure of what the Apostle says 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. That all Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrin for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto Canonem fidei in Prophetarum Apostolorum libris figi atque terminari Aug de C. D. l. 11. c. 41. all good Works may safely conclude with S. Austin
That the Rule of Faith is fixed and terminated in the Books of the Prophets and Apostles It was the constant Opinion of this great Doctor of the Gentiles That the Scriptures were of themselves able to make Men Wise unto Salvation Neither is he alone for St. James assures us That they are able to save our Souls Jam. 1. 21. And therefore St. Peter calls 'em a more sure word of Prophecy than a Voice from Heaven and says That all Men would do well that they take good heed to 'em as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place 2 Pet. 1. 19. And our Lord himself in the Parable brings in Abraham telling the Rich Man in Hell That his Brethren had Moses and the Prophets whom let 'em hear says he for if they will not hear them neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the Dead Luk. 16. 29. 31. Upon which words St. Chrysostom's Inference was That we should believe the Scriptures Though the Dead should rise and though Angels should descend from Heaven we must prefer the Testimony of Scriptures before them According to the Apostle Gal. 1. 8. Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed All which I take to be Indications plain enough of the sufficiency of the Scriptures as to all things pertaining to Salvation But besides this I said they were also in themselves sufficient to determin Points of Controversie The Psalmist says of the Word of God That it is a Lamp to his Feet and a Light to his Path Psal 119. 105. And therefore it was that he so often speaks of ordering himself according to this Word and prays so earnestly to God to enable him to do it And thus the Prophet expostulates with the Jews Isa 8. 19 20. When they shall say unto you Seek unto them which have familiar spirits and unto wizards that peep and mutter Should not a people seek unto their God for the living to the dead To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them It was the way of the Apostles on all occasions to have recourse to the Scriptures Thus St. Peter in his Sermon to Cornelius to confirm his Doctrin of the Messias says To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins Act. 10. 43. And that it was the constant practice of St. Paul no Man can deny that has had the least converse with his Writings especially that great Axiom of his which has never been contradicted That the Scriptures are given by Inspiration of God and are profitable for Doctrin for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness is a more than ordinary instance of his Opinion in this particular And as it is written was the only refuge of those Primitive Builders of the Church And it was the very same method that our Lord himself took to reprove the Tempter Matth. 4. 4. It is written Man shall not live by bread alone c. And Vers 7. It is written Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And Vers 10. It is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God. And thus he us'd always to bring the Testimonies of Moses and the Prophets against the impious Objections of the Jews very often telling them That he did not speak his own Words but the Word of him that sent him that is the Word of God. And now would it not be a thing to be wonder'd at if the Holy Fathers of the Church should be ignorant of this way of arguing Or if they did know it that they would not chuse to follow his Example whom they pretended to worship and obey But we have no cause to wonder at this but rather at their ignorance or wilful stubbornness who pretend to be acquainted with them and yet seemingly at least assert their Sentiments and Practice in this matter to be contrary to their Predecessors It was usual with Basil thus to express himsel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist ad Eustath 80 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the Scriptures which are divinely inspir'd be Judge between us For says he Whatsoever Idem Etb. Defin. 80. c. 22. 6. is contrary to them is not of Faith and therefore sinful Every Word or Cause ought to be tried and confirm'd by the Holy Scriptures Neither does St. Cyprian come behind him in this Cypr. ad Pomp. cont Steph. Pap. particular If says he the Pipes through which Water is conveyed into the City should be suddenly deficient should we not go presently to the Spring that thence we may know the cause of the defect whether the Spring it self is dry or whether the Pipes are stopt by any thing which may hinder the course of the Water And so the Pipes being clear'd the City may be supplied with Water as before So ought the Ministers of the Gospel to do In matters of Doubt they should go to our Lord and his Apostles that they may model their Actions by their Doctrin as the Fountain and Original of Divine Truth Tertullian likewise would accept of no Argument that was not drawn from the Scriptures And by this Tertul. de carne Christ Idem de Resur mort he confuted the Hereticks of his time For says he take away the Sophistry of the Heathen Philosophers which the Hereticks make use of and when they come to argue from the Scriptures they will not be able to stand St. Chrysostom says That if any thing is asserted without the authority of the Scriptures to back it on it leaves Chrys in Psalm 95. the Hearers in doubt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Clemens Alexandrinus We say nothing against the Scriptures Cl. Al. de Pet. Strom. lib. 6. Theod. dial 1. cap. 6. Id. Hist lib. 1. cap. 3. And Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I confide in the Scriptures only To which we may add his Testimony of the Saying of Constantine the Great That the Books of the Evangelists and Apostles and the Oracles of the the ancient Prophets do evidently teach us what we are to think of the Divine Power Therefore in every seditious Controversie let us discuss the Point in question by the Testimony of those divinely inspir'd Writings Whence we may see that all the Fathers are not against us in this matter I think Origen may come in for one on our side For in his Comment upon the Sixteenth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans having explained those Admonitions of the Apostle vers 17 18. and coming to vers 19. where the Apostle tells the Romans That their Obedience is come abroad unto all Men And that he is therefore glad on their behalf The Apostle says he therefore rejoyces over those that were obedient being sure that as he had taught them not to use that general Obedience which
night that thou mayest observe to do all that is written therein This is the Psalmist's Character of a Good Man Psal 1. 2. His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night This was the Commendation of Apollos Acts 18. 24. That he was not only an eloquent Man but mighty in the Scriptures And this was the Confidence of the Apostle concerning the Romans Rom. 15. After he had told them verse 4. That whatever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope At the 14. Verse he concludes And I my self also am perswaded of you my brethren that ye also are full of goodness filled with all knowledge and able to admonish one another Col. 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs c. And Ch. 4. 16. When this epistle is read amongst you cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans and that ye likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea Parallel to which is his Command to the Thessalonians 1 Epist 5. 27. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren And indeed it would be some Comfort if they of the Church of Rome could but have the Gospel read in the Congregation purely and without Adulteration in a Tongue understood by the Common People This would be much more to Edification than a few Stories out of the Golden Legend or the History of S. George's killing the Dragon which I assure you Madam is a part of the Service of his Day and in their Prayer to him they solemnly commemorate this Act of his as if it were as True as the Gospel But Lastly S. Peter speaking of the Voice from Heaven This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased says We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts knowing this first That no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. I give you both Verses because I know some Men would be apt to object the last to the first But we may observe That if S. Peter does condemn the Private Interpretation of Scriptures he does not condemn the Private Reading of them but says That all men will do well if they take good heed to them as to a more sure word than a voice from heaven And thus Madam I think it sufficiently appears That it is the necessary Duty of every Christian to Read and be well acquainted with the Scriptures they being the pillar and ground of truth and the power of God unto salvation But if after all it is objected as I suppose it will That the Scriptures are dark and hard to be understood be pleased to consider with me these few Texts Deut 30. 11. This commandment which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far off it is not in heaven that thou shouldest say Who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall go over the sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it Psalm 119. 130. The entrance of thy words giveth light It giveth understanding to the simple Prov. 14. 6. A scorner seeketh wisdom and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that understandeth I take these to be sufficient indications of the Plainness and Intelligibleness of the Law. But we have God's own Word if he may be believed That the Gospel should be much more easie to be understood Jer. 31. 33. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my law into their inward parts and write it in their hearts and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least unto the greatest of them saith the Lord. And that the Understanding of the Scriptures is not reserved for the more Learned of Mankind only is plain from our Saviours own Words Matth. 11. 25. I thank thee O father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight And when his Disciples asked him Why he spake to the Jews in parables he answered and said unto them Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them it is not given Matth. 13. 11. And we know that his Disciples were for the most part Poor Ignorant Unlearned and among the Jews came very often the Scribes Pharisees and great Doctors All that I shall add at present to compleat this Subject is That Ignorance in the Scriptures is very Dangerous 1. Because it is generally the Cause of Mens committing all maner of sins Isai 1. 3. The ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider God Almighty had been so Gracious to them as to give them his law first for them to read and the Prophets afterwards to explain it that they might know and understand his Will therein but they would neither read the one nor give ear to the other And this without doubt was the cause of God's crying out How long shall I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet for my people is foolish they have not known me they are sottish children and they have no understanding they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge Jer. 4. 21. and Chap. 5. 21. Hear now this O foolish peopole and without Vnderstanding which have eyes and see not ears and hear not Because they would neither read the Law nor give Ear to the Prophets therefore they were justly called Sottish Children a foolish people and without understanding therefore they were wise to do evil but not to do good For it is most certain The Devil will be sure to make his best of Ignorance and use his utmost endeavour to keep Men in it because the more Light Men have the more Work they can do and the better they are informed the better they will act here and so he will be like to lose their Company hereafter I think then that S. Austin's tolle lege will be good Advice to all that are willing to live Virtuous Lives and as Luther's advice to Governours
was to read the Books of the Kings for their Information how to Rule well so that all Men would read the Holy Scriptures in general would be good Counsel because they afford the best Instructions for living well 2. Ignorance in the Scriptures is dangerous because it is the greatest Reason of Mens running into all sorts of Errors When the Sadducees proposed to our Saviour the Business of the Woman that had had seven Husbands asking him whose wife she should be at the resurrection falsly supposing If there ever would be a Resurrection there would also be Marrying and giving in Marriage at the Resurrection Jesus answered and said unto them Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures And here Madam I might take notice of the Subtlety of the Church of Rome in denying the Scriptures to the Laity because maintaining so many Errors so directly contrary to Scriptures that any discerning Eye must needs discover them Such are Purgatory Pope's Pardons Adoration of Images praying to Saints and Angels and the like But our Lord said of the Pharisees Matth. 15. 14. Let them alone they are blind leaders of the blind And if the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch I shall say nothing therefore to these at present but proceed 3. To shew That Ignorance in the Scriptures is very Dangerous because as it is the cause of Sin and Error so by Sin and Error it must consequently be the cause of Destruction Isay 5. 13. Therefore my people are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge and their honourable Men are famished and their multitude dryed up with thirst Therefore hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pomp and he that rejoyceth shall descend into it Psalm 95. 10. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation and said It is a people that do err in their hearts and they have not known my ways Vnto whom therefore I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Prov. 1. 24. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirl-wind when distress and anguish come upon you Then shall ye call upon me but I will not answer ye shall seek me but ye shall not find me for that ye hated knowledge and did not chuse the fear of the Lord. But to come a little nearer home Christ Jesus has brought Life and Immortality to Light by the Gospel But this says he is the condemnation by way of Eminence That light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh he to the light lest his deeds should be reproved but he that does truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 19. And surely Madam If they that deny us the Scriptures had not something to be ashamed of they would not shew themselves so much concerned to keep People in Darkness It must needs be a Device of the Devil to keep Men in Ignorance that they might be damned according to the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine upon them But we know that Christ will one day be revealed in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thessal 1. 8. If it is objected That this Text speaks of Heathen Persecutors we may answer That those Christians who are not acquainted with and consequently not obedient to the Gospel of Christ are worse than Heathens I beseech you Madam to consider If it was through Ignorance of the Scriptures the Jews crucified the Lord of Glory as the Apostle says it was 1 Cor. 2. 8. We that are Christians had best take heed That we do not through Ignorance crucifie him again And if it was a Shame for the Corinthians not to know the Scriptures in the very dawning and twilight of Christianity 1 Cor. 15. 34 what an abominable shame must it needs be for us after almost seventeen hundred Years to know no more or it may be not so much To conclude this Point The Apostle dedicates his First Epistle to the Corinthians To All that in Every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. And what he should do so for unless he intended it should be read by All I can't imagin If he intended it only for the Fathers of that Church he might in fewer words and consequently with less trouble have said To the Elders of the Church at Corinth or else directed it to the Bishop of that Church only But he knew the Scriptures were able to make Men wise unto salvation and therefore would have all Men read them And our blessed Saviour knew that the Jews thought they had Eternal Life in the Scriptures therefore he bids 'em Search them Joh. 5. 39. The Injunction is the same upon Christians also And then certainly if the Captain and Author of our Salvation bids us Search we may notwithstanding the Insinuations of some bold Men to the contrary By what Rule else should we try the Spirits whether they be of God as St. John adviseth us 1 Ep. 4. 1. if not by the Rule of God's Word Upon this account therefore among others we are bound to read search and be well acquainted with the Scriptures I presume then after all that has been produc'd to prove this first Position what the Evangelist says of the Revelations Chap. 1. 3. may on good grounds be attributed to the rest of the Sacred Writings Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things that are written therein And now Madam having made good from Scripture Testimonies the Necessity of being acquainted with the Scriptures though I have already gone beyond the ordinary bounds of an Epistle yet I crave leave to trespass a little farther on your Patience in giving you a cursory view of some of the Principal Doctrins of the Church of Rome and demonstrating how contrary they are to the Word of Truth In order to which I shall with all possible brevity enquire I. Whether any Man can do more than he ought to do II. Whether any Man by his own Works can merit Heaven III. To whom it belongeth to Forgive Sins IV. Whether the Scriptures warrant Worshiping of Images or Praying to Saints and Angels V.
Whether there is any such Place as Purgatory VI. Whether the Mass is a Sacrifice for Quick and Dead VII Whether the Doctrin of Transubstantiation can be maintain'd by Scripture The first Enquiry must be whether any Man can do more than he ought to do Where we are to consider That though a Man as a Christian is in the state of Grace yet he is not in the state of Innocence nor can be till he arrives at the state of Glory where all Infirmities will be done away For as he is Flesh and Blood liable to be tempted to evil and apt to commit it he must expect to meet with Afflictions and Crosses from the World without and the Suggestions and Temptations of the Devil from within And being naturally more prone to Evil than Good I think it a hard thing to say That 't is in his power to do more Good than is requir'd he should do and a harder to prove it Under the Law Men were not able to keep the Law perfectly nor to walk in the Commandments of God as they ought For Moses himself who took them from God's mouth and gave them to the Israelites err'd in so much that he must not enter the promised Land. That Text Josh 11. 15. has been objected by some Gentlemen of the Church of Rome but plainly to no purpose For any one may see that Joshua's keeping the Commandments was only his doing those things he was commanded to do in order to establish the Israelites in the Inheritance of the Land of Canaan And we find the same Joshua in another place asserting the impossibility of serving God Josh 24. 19. at least he did not believe Men could do more It may be objected That the light of the Gospel is much clearer than that of the Law and the burthen easier to be born c. But for all that 't is certain the Gospel requires as full and perfect Obedience as ever the Law did Nay it proceeds farther for under the Law Men thought it no great Crime to murther their Neighbour in his good Name so they let his Body alone They also thought it no Sin to Lust after a Woman provided they did not come to Action But under the Gospel our Saviour tells us the contrary Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time Thou shalt not kill and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the Judgment But I say unto you That whosoever is angry with his Brother without a cause shall be in danger of the Judgment and whosoever shall say unto his Brother Racha shall be in danger of the Council but whosoever shall say Thou Fool shall be in danger of Hell Fire Again Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time Thou shalt not commit Adultery But I say unto you That whosoever looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart Matth. 5. 21 22 27 28. So that we may see though the Law was such a yoke as neither we nor our Fore-fathers were able to bear Act. 15. 10. yet the Yoke of the Gospel is not so light as to be run away with As easie as it is 't is very irksom to Flesh and Blood yet 't is what we must bear so long as we live and then it is God's mere Mercy if the heavier yoke of Everlasting Misery is not laid on us instead of it If Man has Free-will to do good as well as evil yet I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not For the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me And on the contrary if I do that good I would it is no more I that do it but the grace of God that is in me 1 Cor. 15. 18. I find then a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man. But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members says the Apostle Rom. 7. 18. And he at last concludes So then with the mind I my self serve the Law of God but with the flesh the law of sin To which we may add what the same Apostle says 1 Cor. 2. 14. But the natural man that is flesh and blood receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned And then certainly our Free-will can do us little good towards making us do more than we should when by reason of the stubborness of our Flesh we can't do what we would But the Apostle tells us That we are not able to do any thing of our selves but 't is God that worketh in us both to will and do after his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. And our Saviour himself says That no man can come unto him unless the Father draw him Joh. 6. 44. Therefore I think it strange that a Man should be able to do more than he can 'T is a Contradiction Certainly he that made us can tell best what we can do And he says That the heart of man is only evil continually Gen. 6. 5. 8. 21. If then we are naturally more prone to do evil than good how is it possible for us to be better than we should be And if under the Gospel we must observe every Punctilio so strictly as not to be angry with our Neighbour not to look on a Woman to lust after her c. how are we able to do all that 's required of us The Apostle St. James goes a step farther If ye fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self ye do well But if ye have respect to persons ye commit sin and are convinced of the Law as Transgressors Jam. 2. 9. To have respect to Persons in civil Conversation one would think a small matter to make one guilty of the breach of the Law but so it is And our Saviour goes farther yet Matth. 5. 43. Ye have heard that it hath been said Thou shalt love thy Neighbour and hate thine Enemy But I say unto you Love your Enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despightfully use you and persecute you This is a hard lesson and not agreeable to Flesh and Blood yet 't is made the condition of becoming the Children of our Father which is in Heaven From what has been said we may gather That if any Man can do what he is required to do he cannot do more And if as we are told Jam.
increase Now Judge Madam what a horrid thing it must needs be to make Images and Pictures of the Saints whereby to Worship 'em if it was so great a Crime to esteem one of 'em before another while they were on Earth But as we are not to Worship the Saints so neither must we pay such honour to Angels Col. 2. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels c. Rev. 19. 10. 22. 9. And I fell at his feet and worshipped him and he said unto me see thou do it not I am thy fellow-servant and of thy Brethren that have the Testimony of Jesus Worship God c. And certainly if we must not Worship an Angel if we shou'd see him I know not which way it can be prov'd lawful to intrude into those things which we have not seen as the Apostle says of them that Worship Angels Col. 2. 18. I can find no Text of Scripture for it but you see Madam how many I have produc'd against it And I believe we shall see as little reason to pray to Saints and Angels as to worship ' em Isai 63. 16. Doubtless thou art our Father tho' Abraham be ignorant of us and tho' Israel acknowledge us not thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer thy Name is from Everlasting Where be pleas'd to observe that if it was lawful to pray to and in so doing to worship Saints departed why might not the Israelites have made them Images of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and pray'd to them to help 'em in time of trouble or to put the best face upon it that they wou'd pray to God for their own Offspring on Earth as well as they of the Church of Rome have their Representatives of and Prayers to their Saints who for the most part we are apt to believe are only titular ones They knew this wou'd be to no purpose for Abraham was ignorant of 'em and Israel acknowledged them not But Jer. 15. 1. Then said the Lord unto me Tho' Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind cou'd not be toward this People That is If it was possible for Moses and Samuel whose Prayers were so prevalent with me when they liv'd on Earth to interceed for this People now yet my Mind cou'd not be toward them Thus then appears the Vanity of invocating Saints departed in that the Dead know nothing neither have they any more a portion for ever of any thing that is done under the Sun Eccl. 9. 5 6. But whether Angels and Saints departed are acquainted with our Condition or can hear our Prayers is not much to the purpose 't is enough to tell you that supposing they are endued with such Faculties our Worshipping them wou'd detract from the Honour of God which he has said he will not give to another and our invocating them wou'd make them Mediators and Intercessors when the Apostle plainly affirms That there is but one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. To conclude this because I wou'd be as brief as possibly I may I shall refer you to the Fourth Chapter of Deuteronomy where you 'll find the great Reason that Moses gives the Children of Israel why they shou'd not make 'em Images is because when they heard the Voice of the Lord from the Mountain they saw no Similitude which he urges more than once And then what Grounds can they of the Church of Rome pretend for exposing a Picture of him who always was Invisible This has been lately acknowledg'd to be Idolatry by one that writ more for the Church of Rome in this particular than as he said afterwards he intended tho' all little enough to the purpose or at least more was added by some-body else to what he did as may be conjectur'd from the variation of the Style but no matter which The Author makes Idolatry of two Sorts Reasons for abrogating the Test p. 128. The first whereof is the Worshipping any Image or Symbols of false Gods as the Supreme Deities and says If they do not this then they are innocent of the worst part of Idolatry The second is the making or as he says the attempting to make a Similitude of the true God or uncreated Divine Nature That says he is the other part of Idolatry and the Scripture knows no more therefore however Superstitious they may be in their use of Images yet they cannot be guilty of Idolatry but upon one of these two accounts I suppose he means the bare use of Images in the Worship of God was none because he says p. 124 that God was so far from forbidding the use of Images in his Worship that he wou'd not be Worshipp'd without them And he says that no Man was ever so hardy as to charge either of these two Kinds of Idolatry upon that Church But not to enquire whether their Worshipping God by an Image which he seems to Vindicate in another P. 126. place be the making a Similitude of the true God or uncreated Divine Nature I assure you Madam I have seen the Ancient of Days pictur'd like an Old Man with a great Beard by which they represented the Unity of the Godhead And in another place the Trinity of Persons standing on a row in a Sheet held up by two Angels two of the three viz. The Father and the Holy Ghost with their Backs toward me to express their Invisibility tho' in the other Picture I had seen God face to face and the Son in the middle as the second Persons place with his face visible Now in my opinion one or both of these Representations must be Idolatry by their own confession But the present Circumstances of the Roman Church are such that if they can't make People believe they Practise no such things as these they 'll do little good on those of the Church of England and 't is to be hoped they 'll get but little ground that way while there are any left to discover their Forgeries No more Authority have they for invocating Saints and Angels than for Worshipping Images The only President as I know of in the Primitive Times was the voluntary Humility of the Gnosticks condemn'd by St. Paul himself Col. 2. But for these they must have recourse to the Revelations made to doating Women and the Visions of mad Franciscans and I know not whom That Raphael shou'd be invocated on a Journey and against Diseases in general but in particular Apollonia against the Tooth-ach Sebastian and Roch against the Plague St. Nicholas against Tempests Michael and St. George against Enemies From whom if Serrar lit 2. q. 32. they be invocated particularly say they Experience and Tradition have discover'd special help in these Cases But what is this but the ancient Heathen Idolatry reviv'd in the Church of Rome Which is so much the worse there because of the Profession of Christianity and Men that pretend to
so far about for Mercy and Forgiveness when they may have it nearer home Here 's a Merchant has Indulgences to sell at reasonable Rates by virtue of which a Man may gratifie the Lusts of his Flesh here and when he Dies a small Matter towards Building or Repairing some religious Conventicle will purchase Masses enough to deliver him out of Purgatory and then let any judge if such a Man is not far wiser than a sneaking Heretick who lives in ignorance of these Catholick Helps and Salvo's But for all that if we may be allow'd to believe the Scriptures we have no such by-ways to Heaven the way that leads thither is strait as well as narrow So then let others trust to Indulgences and so be cheated of their Souls and Money too while we tread in the Path which is made plain before us and tho' we may want a little Elbow-room yet t is better travelling so in a clean and safe way than by rambling out of it for more liberty to trust to the Promise of a false Guide that we shall come into it again and so follow him through Boggs and Rivers in danger of Drowning every step of the way 'T is evident enough that the Son of God is our only Sacrifice for the Apostle says 1 Cor. â—â— 7 Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us And the Scriptures sufficiently testifie that by one Oblation of himself once offer'd he made sufficient Satisfaction for the Sins of the whole World. And then what need have we of farther Sacrifices nay what warrant can be brought from the Word of God to justifie the Sacrifice of the Mass which is the only new one contended for The Apostle Rom. 12. 1 Exhorts us to present our Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God as our reasonable Service Which Text Bellarmin thinks sufficient to the purpose and thus he argues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Sacrifice properly so call'd that is an External Oblation made only to God wherein by a lawful Minister some sensible Substance is by Mystical rites consecrated and so chang'd or in reference to what it was before destroy'd But Christians have no such Sacrifice to offer to God but the Mass Neither are the Romans here commanded to Kill themselves for that wou'd be an heinous Sin. Therefore the Mass must be the Sacrifice here spoken of And farther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the word here used by the Apostle is that Sacrifice which is offer'd by a lawful Minister But no Sacrifice is among Christians offer'd by the Minister but the Mass Therefore the Mass is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a proper Sacrifice Now not to say the Mass is no sensible Substance which he makes the main condition of a Sacrifice I shall at present thus examine the Argument 1. The Apostle does not speak here of the office of a Minister but the Duty of the Ministers and People both All are to present their Bodies a living Sacrifice I beseech you therefore Brethren c. 2. Therefore supposing the Mass was a sensible Substance yet the Apostle can't intend that because that is to be offer'd by the Minister only 3. Granting all he wou'd have in reference to the Mass's being a Sacrifice yet the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as properly us'd by the Apostle in reference to the Sacrifice of a Man's Body as of the Mass For 't is confess'd that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an Oblation made to God only wherein some sensible Substance is by mystical Rites consecrated and so chang'd or in reference to what it was before destroy'd Accordingly the Apostle advises us to present our Bodies a living Sacrifice unto God and in the next Verse Be not conformed to this World where by our renouncing the World we consecrate our Bodies to God's Service and so as the Apostle farther exhorts us we are transform'd or chang'd by the renewing of our Mind and our Bodies in reference to what they were before corrupted and polluted by Sin are destroy'd 4. So then the Apostle here makes use of a Metaphor to express a reasonable Duty as a Sacrifice is laid on the Altar kill'd and cut in pieces so we must die to sin and mortifie our Members which are upon the Earth cut off all Affections to this World keep our Bodies under and bring 'em into subjection to the Will of God and so being transformed from what we were before Servants and Sacrifices to Sin we become holy Sacrifices and acceptable to God. Whence 5. Let us enquire what are the proper Sacrifices of Christians because he says that they have no other but the Mass St. Peter 1 Ep. c. 2. v. 5 says we as lively Stones are built upon a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ And what those spiritual Sacrifices are we may be inform'd by other places of Scripture The Psalmist Psal 4. 5. advises us to offer to God the Sacrifices of Righteousness And Psal 50. 23 Whoso offereth Praise glorifieth God. And 51. 17 19 The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit and the Lord will be pleas'd with Sacrifices of Righteousness And Psal 141. 2 Let my Prayer be set before thee as Incense and the lifting up of my hands as the evening Sacrifice These are great Expressions from one under the Law when the Morning and Evening Sacrifices were so absolutely necessary But what have we from those that were under the Gospel Our Blessed Saviour of right challenges the first place who in his own Person blames the Pharisees for not knowing the meaning of this I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Matth. 12. 7. The Apostle is very plain to the purpose Phil. 4. 15 c. Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the Gospel when I departed from Macedonia no Church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving but ye only For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity Not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your account But I have all and abound I am full having receiv'd of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an Odour of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God. From all which the Sacrifices of Christians are Mercy Alms-Deeds Prayer Praise Contrition and all Christian Duties And these are the Sacrifices which are to be offer'd up to God by every living Christian for himself But I can find no such Sacrifice as the Mass nor indeed any other than those above-mention'd For Christ Jesus is the Sacrifice for all Christians in general and these are Sacrifices which every Christian must offer to God for himself in particular And thus I have briefly given my Opinion of the Mass which amounts to this in the general that Christ being our Sacrifice and Propitiation we have no reason to think of any other and he having offer'd himself once to God for all