and blind whether is greater the gold or the Temple that sanctifieth the gold But the word sanctifies the Church so saith our Saviour Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is (b) Joh. 17.17 truth And again Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto (c) Joh. 15.3 you And saith S. Faul Christ gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washing of water through the (d) Ephes 5.20 word The word therefore communicating sanctity and so therewith authority unto the Church must needs precede and excel it in both If any ask against whom I take up this weapon seeing the Church of Rome seems to disclaim and disavow this Tenet For the Rhemists in their Annotations on Gal. 2.2 affirm the disputation of this question to be superfluous and the comparison to be altogether unfit to be made I answer in the words of the Apostle So fight I not as one that beateth the (e) 1 Cor. 9.26 air I do not with the foolish Affricans called Psylli as Gellius reports take up Arms against the wind For besides divers others hereafter mentioned the said Doctors who would seem to decline this opinion and this unseemly comparison do in the very same place depresse the Scriptures and make them inferiour to the Church in four respects 1. In respect of Antiquity in that the Church was before them 2. In excellence of nature in that the Church is the Spouse of Christ the Temple of God and the proper subject of God and his graces for which Church the Scriptures were and not the Church for the Scriptures 3. In power of judging the Church having judicial power to determine of doubtful questions touching the sense of the Scriptures and other controversies of Religion of which judicial power the Scriptures are not capable 4. In evidence the definitions of the Church being more clear and evident then those of the Scriptures Now if by the Church they understood the whole Catholique Church and so included all the Patriarks Prophets and Apostles by whom the Scriptures were penned the contestation between us and them would not be so irreconcileable But their drift is to entitle the present Church Militant which is but one small part of the whole Catholique Church to those glorious prerogatives which belong not unto it And that it 's this Church which they so strive to advance above the Scriptures it 's more then manifest outof the writings of many of their Authors of special note amongst them as namely out of Pighius Melchior Canus and Stapleton All which in their writings quoted in the margent (a) Pig de Hierar eccle lib. 2. cap. 2. Can. loc com theolog lib. 2. cap. 8. Stapl. Doctr. princip lib. 9. cap. 12. here attribute authority to the present Church Militant above the Scriptures And Cardinall Bellarmine writes after their Copy affirming That the strength of all ancient Councels and of all opinions in doctrine doth depend upon the authority of the present (b) Bellar de effectu Sacram lib. 2. cap. 25. in fine Church Whereas therefore the fore-named Doctors of Rhemes did one while affirm all comparison between the preheminence and authority of the Church and Scriptures to be unfit to be made and anotherwhile spin out a tedious comparison between them about the very same particular they bewrayed both their personal weaknesse and the weaknesse of the cause which they intended to strengthen by stating and discussing that question which with their tongues or pens they had before disallowed to be disputed of Hitherto of the Theological conclusions inferred from this principle That Scripture is demonstratively divine Now it follows to speak of some duties for practice that may be raised and urged upon all sorts of persons from it and namely both upon Magistrates Ministers and People First This challengeth from all Christian Kings and Princes who are God's Vice-roys upon Earth all honourable respect patronage and possble protection of this holy word of God against all religions and opinions in Religion which are repugnant unto it and against all persons that either in word or deed doctrine or life slight or dishonour it For they sustaining the person of God here on earth for which they are dignified with the title of gods themselves in this (a) Psal 82.6 word do owe this reciprocal respect to him whose Vicegerents and Ministers they are to see as much as in them lies all due observance honour and obedience to be exhibited to this his sacred Word Thus did the good King Josiah for when the Book of the Law which was known to be God's Book was found in the house of the Lord and shewed unto him he presently summoned all the Elders of Judah and Jerusalem to appear before him and then himself rehearsed in their ears all the words of God's Book and made a Covenant both for himself and all the people that they should keep the Commandements and accomplish the Covenant written in it and suppressed all religions which did impunge it and removed all occasions and instruments of Idolatry and whatsoever else was adverse to the contents of (b) 2 Kin. 23. it Yea further it 's said that he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Beniamin to stand to (c) 2 Chro. 34.32 it And thus have all good and godly Princes ever done both under the Law and the Gospel And it 's great reason they should for the Scepter of Christ's Kingdom which is this word of his is a Scepter of (a) Psal 45.6 righteousnesse And a rod of (b) Psal 110.2 strength And when Kings Scepters uphold it then it defends them like the roof of a building either of wood or stone and the walls or pillars thereof which afford a reciprocal and mutual aid and benefit each to other the pillars or walls support and uphold the roof and the roof doth protect consolidate and corroborate them Thus the Scepter was never taken away from the Kings of Israel and Judah so long as they swayed it for the defence of God's word but while they were observant of it God was propitious to them Nor doth this duty lie solely upon the highest powers but upon all secondary and subordinate Magistrates both Counsellors of State Nobles Judges and Justices whom god hath advanced to such high places of honour and put into their hands the sword of justice for this very end primarily that they might weild it according to his word and for it according to the directions and rules that he hath inscribed in it and for the support of the honour and authority of it by punishing and suppressing all impious scorners prophaners and transgressors thereof And verily when they do thus execute justice by the word of God and for it and without connivence or partiality then are they the very nerves and sinews of the body of the Commonwealth and bring both strength and glory unto it When
word by the Churches enunciation and report but afterwards they believe much more firmly and undoubtedly when they come to enjoy the sight and knowledge of the Scriptures themselves So that the most that can be gathered from that speech of S. Augustines is but this That the testimony and tradition of the Church is usually the first inducement to men to give credit to the truth and so consequently to the divinity of the Gospel which is not denied But then this credulity is afterwards corroborated and more fully setled and confirmed by more evident certain and infallible groundsout of Scripture it self discovered especially by the help of divine grace from the spirit of God which of all other saith Amen to this truth and sets the surest seal thereof upon the soul and conscience as our Saviour gives us to understand when he saith If any man will do God's will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of (a) Joh. 7.17 God That is he shall know best and most assuredly as having information and attestation thereof from the Spirit of God Yet always God's spirit tells the conscience this out of Scripture for as it suggested and dictated the Scripture at the first so it whispers in the ear of the soul the same note still and hath no discrepant voice or suggestion from it but whatsoever it testifieth it suggests the same not by any secret instinct and spiritual insusurration different from the written word according to the vertiginous fancy and dotage of the Enthusiasts the family of Love as they are phrased and some other of the Anabaptistical sect but by a still voice out of and according to the Scripture Whence is that saying of St. Chrysostome Frustra jactat se Spiritum sanctum habere qui non loquitur ex (b) Chrysost de Popu Antioche Homil 50. Evangelio In vain doth he boast to have the holy Ghost that speaketh not out of the Gospel And therefore we read that when our Saviour enlightened his Apostles understandings it was That they might understand the (a) Luke 24.45 Scriptures And that when he promised to send the Comforter unto them to teach them all things he addeth Whatsoever I have said unto (b) John 14.26 you which intimates that he should teach them no new doctrine So that we are not to believe an Angel from Heaven if he preach any other Gospel then that which the Apostles have (c) Gal. 1.8 preached which we have written in the New Testament And so it was said always of old To the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in (d) Isa 8.20 them Thus then I conclude That the conscience may be verily resolved and a rational man compelled to acknowledge and believe with an acquired historical faith that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are divine by convincing arguments and evidences apparent even to reason and that from Scripture it self especially Nor am I single in this opinion for I find in S. Augustine the like conclusion who speaking of the Penmen of Scripture delivers this sentence Verè illos magnos divinos fuisse legem illam Dei jussu voluntate promulgatam esse credo id quamvis perpauca illorum librorum sciam facilè persuadere possum si mihi adhibeatur aequus non pertinax (a) Aug. de Vtilita tecredendi cap. 5. animus Verily saith he I believe that they the penmen of Scripture were great and divine men and that that Law was promulgated by the commandent and will of God and this though I knew but a few of those books I am able easily to perswade if I meet but with an equal-minded man that is not pertinacious But to believe this with a divine faith without which it 's never soundly and perfectly embraced must be a work of God's Spirit only from whom alone all such faith proceedeth And so I end the first part of this Treatise The second part of this Treatise which is an application of the Doctrine proved to certaine special uses HAving now laid a sure foundation of this truth that Scripture is God's own word which cannot be shaken it behoves me to superstruct upon it lest that aspersion be cast upon me which the improvident builder is blemished withal in the Gospel This man began to build but was not able to make an (a) Luke 14.30 end This doctrine then is useful both for theory and practice both for information and for exhortation First For information of the understanding two inferences or conclusions are deducible from it First That no man may presume to dispense with this word because it 's God's for being his none but he hath authority and power to exempt any man from obligation to it or any part of it This is a conclusion undeniable and therefore speaks the practice of some late Popes of Rome to be very culpable and inexcusable who have presumed to grant dispensations for marriages within the degrees forbidden in this word of God and to exempt subjects from obedience to their lawful Soveraign strictly commanded in this word This hath been practised by the Papal power of late years here in this Nation And it 's the more inexcusable in that they undertake to justifie it This I find in Cardinal Bellarmine's works who to prove the Popes Supremacy draws an argument from his power to grant dispensations and then doth instance in a dispensation which Pope Gregory granted to the English about marriages within the degrees (a) Bellar de Romano Pontif. lib. 2. cap. 19. forbidden And I can here produce a credible Author who affirms that divers of the Church of Rome have not blushed to defend openly and that under their hands that the Pope hath power to dispence Contra ius divinum contra Apostolum contra Novum Testamentum against the law of God against an Apostle and against the New (b) Favor Antiquit cap. 6. paulo post medium Testament But I am perswaded that now since the reformation hath detected many of their grosse hallucinations the wise and learned among them do distaft and disclaim all such blaspemous and unsavoury assertions A second consequent or conclusion that I deduce from this truth That Scripture is God's own word is this That therefore it 's of superior and greater authority then the present Church militant And this I prove from hence by two reasons First Because the present Church Militant is holy and divine but only in part and after a sort and in this regard is subject unto error whereas the Scripture is simply and totally divine for All Scripture is given by inspiration of God saith (a) 2 Tim. 3.16 S. Paul and therefore must needs be most authentical A second reason is this That which sanctifieth is greater then that which is sanctified by it so our Saviour himself argued against the Scribes and Pharisees Ye fools
3. 2 By miracles in the Church page 18. 3 By the death of the Martyrs of the Church page 24. 4 By the wonderful preservation of it against all adverse power that did rise up to abolish it page 27. 2 From within it self which are 8. 1 By the majesty of it page 30. 2 By the purity of it page 33. 3 By the profundity of it p. 37. 4 By the harmony of it p. 46. 5 By the prophesie of it p. 48. 6 By the repugnancy of it with man's nature page 56. 7 By the impartiality of the Pen-men of it page 58. 8 By the power of it which is manifested by four effects p. 60. 1 By revealing thoughts p. 60. 2 By terrifying consciences p. 62. 3 By converting souls p. 63 4 By comforting souls and consciences in deepest misery p. 65 2 Part The application consists of 2 parts 1 of consequents deducted for information which are two p. 76 1 That therfore no man may dare to dispence with any of the precepts of Scripture because it 's God's Word page 76. 2 Therefore it s of supreme authority to the present Church-militant p. 78 2 of practicall inferences which are applied to 3 sorts of persons p. 82 1 To all in place of Magistracy to enduce them to defend Scripture p. 82 2 To all in the office of the ministery to induce them to dispense it p. 88 3 To all of all sorts to enduce them to these four duties 1 To learn it p. 94 2 To believe it p. 105 3 To embrace that religion which holds best correspondence with it 110 4 To obey it p 131 THE FORT ROYALL OF CHRISTIANITY DEFENDED IT s a confessed maxim a known and received truth in Theology that the seeds of all sins are transmitted and propagated into the nature of every son and child of Adam who descends from him by the common way of generation amongst which the seeds of Atheism are not the least predominant whence it comes to passe that the heart of man is oft sollicited to doubt whether the books of Scripture be the very Oracles of God or a humane invention to keep in awe such protervious refractory and unruly spirits as without these would no more be awed by the laws of man then Job's Leviathan by the hook and line To affront and discountenance this suggestion and silence these whisperings of incredulity about this particular that all doubting spirits may gain plenary satisfaction in it that will not wilfully shut the eye of their own reason nor damp the light of their own understanding against the Sun-shine of this heavenly truth I have selected or collected partly out of the writings of Orthodox Divines but principally out of Scripture it self these ensuing arguments Some whereof are not only most probable but to a clear apprehension demonstrative and so undeniable reasons to prove the Bible to be Gods own book And the structure of this discourse is framed and fashioned like to Jacob's ladder to lift up the imagination of man from-Earth to Heaven and to this end I have placed in it twelve arguments as so many rounds or stairs whereby the minds of rational men may be raised up by each step and gradation to a clearer speculation and view of that celestial splendour which is diffused throughout the whole region of Scripture till at the length namely by such time as they have ascended to the top of this scale they may be able to discry and discern here in open view such radiant beams of divine light as will readily dispell and drive away all foggy mists of ambiguity and hesitation that ecclipsed and shadowed this light formerly from their sight These twelve staves of this scale or twelve arguments are digested into this order The four lowest which are first sâ—t down are drawn from without the Scripture and the eight highest from within it Those from without the Scripture are of two sorts either from without the Church or from within it First Argu ∣ ment 1 From without the Church I find but one and that is an argument inartificial as Logitians call it but very energetical and valid which is the suffrage and testimony that many of the Heathen who were out of the visible Church have afforded of the divinity of our Scriptures and that both of the Old and New Testament And first for the divinity of the Old Testament I find a notable testification thereof out of Josephus his History of the Antiquities of the Jews and that from divers of the Heathen with which therefore I shall content my self and I hope the Reader also This Author saith (a) Joseph Antiq said lib. 12. cap. 2. in fine cap. That after the translation of the Books of Moses Law into the Greek Tongue by the seventy two Elders of the Jews was finished by the means and at the cost and charges of Ptolomy Philadelph King of Egypt the said King was highly contented therewith and took pleasure in reading the said Law admiring at the deep conceit and wisedom of the Law-maker And thereupon began to question with one Demetrius the Master of his Library and the chief instrument by him used to obtain of the Jews this translation of their Law what might be the reason that neither Poet nor Historiographer had made any mention thereof considering that in it self it was so admirable To whom Demetrius returned this answer That no man was so hardy to touch that work by reason that it was divine and every way venerable assuring him also that certain men who had attempted to set their hands thereto had been punished by God And thereupon acquainted him how one Theopompus an Historian intending to reduce certain contents of that Law into his History had been distracted in mind for more then thirty days and that having some intermission of his fit he appeased God by prayer as having perceived this attempt to be the cause of his malady and thereupon desisted from his foresaid intention He likewise certified him further That one Theodectes a Tragick Poet intending to make mention in some of his Poems of a certain History written in the sacred Scriptures was stricken blind acknowledging the cause thereof to proceed from his audacious presumption in that intent was restored to his sight after that he had appeased Gods displeasure meaning by his repentance and desistence from his said purpose He alledgeth there also to the King in the former part of the forementioned Chapter a saying out of Haecateus Abderita who was a Philosopher brought up with great King Alexander and writ a Book of the Jewish Nation who affirmed these Scriptures to be pure and not to be uttered by impure lips Hence we have clear testimony that the Scriptures of the Old Testament were at this time had in great reverence by the very Heathen as sacred and divine as there also Demetrius is said to have told the King several times Secondly For the Divinity of the Gospel it may be
how they were gathered from all parts of the world where they were heard of by the Romans with great care and diligence and were laid up in their Capitol as writings most precious and momental Secondly the famous Orator Cicero who lived in the time of Marcus Antonius which was above forty years before Christ mentioneth these Sibylls writings in divers places of his works (a) Cicero lib. 2. de divina lib. 1. Epist ad Lent Epist 7. Yea Constantine affirmeth that the former Acrostick verses were by Cicero translated into the Roman Dialect and at that time to be seen in his works when he made this Oration Thirdly the renowned Poet Virgil who lived immediately after Cicero in the beginning of the reign of Augustus Caesar rehearseth divers verses out of Sibylla Cumaea and records her very name (a) Virgil Eglog 4. To these I will add but one record more which is out of the learned Aristotle who lived many years before any of these yet named namely under the great Alexander of Macedony who writes thus of one of the Sibylls Cumae in Italia ostenditur quoddam ut videtur conclave subterraneum Sibyllae vatis quam diutissimè vixisse virginem permansisse perhibent quae esset Erythraea sed a quibusdam Melanchraena vocaretur (a) Aristot de mirabil Narrat At Cuma saith he in Italy is shewed a certain subterraneous conclave or cave in the earth as it should seem of a Sibyll Prophetesse which men say lived very long and continued a Virgin which should be Erythraea but of some she was called Melanchraena Plato also who was Aristotle's Master makes mention of this Sibyll (b) Plato in Phaedro And Justin Martyr that ancient father before mentioned reports that he was at this Cuma and saw the Temple where this Sibyll uttered her predictions arithmetical and therein as a special monument of her a brazen vessel wherein were kept certain of her reliques (a) Justin Martyr in Admonitor Gentium libro in fine So that hence it s cleared from all doubt that the Sibylls verses at least some of them which spake of Christ which is sufficient for the present purpose were no forgeries but prophetical Poems for certain written long before the Gospell if any humane testimonies may be credited and so are potent proofs of Christ and consequently of the Divinity of the Gospell It follows now to speak something of the Oracles likewise which were nothing else but deluding Divels speaking out of Heathen Images and these also gave many attestations of Christ especially that notorious one of Apollo at Delphos in Greece And for proof hereof I will alledge only one speech of Porphyrius a great worshipper of these Oracles and an arch enemy of Christians Constantine called him The sworn adversary and deadly foe of divine service (b) Socrat Histor Eccle. lib. 1. cap. 6. who upon meditation of divers speeches uttered by the Oracles concerning Christ Jesus breaketh forth into this confession It is exceeding wonderful what testimony the gods so he styl'd the Oracles do give of the singular piety and sanctity of Jesus for which they avouch him to be honoured with immortality (a) Porphyr in Libr. de Laud Philosoph So that the Scripture we see hath implicite testimony and by consequence to be divine from the most livid and professed enemies of it according as we read also in the Gospell where the divels themselves were oft enforced to confesse Christ to be the holy one of God Lastly For the testimony of the Jews which were no Christians concerning Christ I will produce only two but those Classical writers and most famous of all other of them for their learning namely Josephus before mentioned who was born if not before our Saviours passion yet within a few years after and one Philo who was a Coaetan with our Saviour and was sent Embassador to Rome in behalf of the Jews the same year that our Saviour was baptised by John Both these in sundry places of their Histories make mention of our Saviour Christ in such sort as giveth proof sufficient that what is written of him in the Scripture is no feigned story but a known and confessed and undoubted truth for brevities sake I will reherse but one of their testimonies but it is so punctual and illustrious that it may stand in stead of many Thus Josephus (a) Joseph Antiq Jud. Lib. 18. cap. 4. writeth of him At that time was Jesus a wise man if it be lawful to call him a man for he was the performer of divers admirable works and the instructer of those who willingly entertain the truth And he drew unto him divers Greeks and Jews to be his followers This was Christ who being accused of the Princes of our Nation before Pilate and afterwards condemned to the Crosse by him yet did not those who followed him from the beginning forbear to love him for the ignominy of his death for he appeared unto them alive the third day after according as the divine Prophets had before testified the same and divers other wonderful things of him And from this time forward the race of the Christians who have derived their name from him hath never ceased This spontaneous perspicuous and ample confession of Christ proceeding out of the mouth of an adversary for he that is not with Christ is against him (b) Luk. 11.23 speaks so peremptorily for the truth of the History and so consequently for the divinity of the Gospel that it admits no exception Thus much for the first argument to prove the sacred authority of Scripture which is the testimony that hath been yielded by many out of the Church either explicitely or implicitely of the divinity of it which is not a contemptible argument but very prevalent to sway the conscience of any intelligent man to a credence of this truth Now follow those arguments which are drawn from within the Church but from without the Scripture which are three First Argu ∣ ment 2 This truth is proved by the miracles wrought by our Saviour Christ and the Pen-men of Scripture for the confirmation of the divinity thereof which miracles being acknowledged by the confession of adversaries is an argument of great validity to convince the most incredulous person in this point if he will but hear reason Now confessions hereof we find exceeding many from our professed adversaries in Religion And first to begin with the miracles which Moses wrought in Egypt before Pharaoh they are reported by divers Heathen Authors as namely by one Demetrius and Eupolemus two Greek Historiographers and by one Artabanus who writ a History of the Jews wherein he speaks thus of Moses as witnesseth the noble French Author in the Margent (a) Morn de Verita Christ Relig. cap. 26. This Moses saith he was occupied in continual prayer to God for the deliverance of the people and one day as he was earnest in praying there issued a
part when so approved and aplauded a Doctor of their own gives his suffrage with us which I shall further and more fully manifest by other sayings of his and those more punctual and expresse to this purpose in the fift internal argument of this ensuing Treatise whereby all devout Roman Catholiques with us who have many a smooth tale told them by Priests and Jesuits of the unity and consent of all approved Doctors of the Church of Rome in all points of faith may see apparently that this it a false ostentation and a transparent untruth discovering it self also in many other points controverted between us and them and so may deservedly suspect them to be but seducers or at the best but self-seekers in their pretence of the Catholique cause I come now to a fourth evidence of the divinity of Scripture from within it self Argument 8 which is the admirable sympathy and consent the heavenly harmony and agreement between all the books and sayings thereof though penned by divers persons and those both in several places and ages and yet all conspiring together in delivering one and the same point of doctrine to wit That through the name of Christ all that believe in him shall receive remission of sins (a) Acts 10.43 And also the unanimity and concordance of all the Amanuenses and Penmen thereof being so many and yet all yielding their suffrage and approbation each to other as they succeeded one another without either detraction from one anothers persons or confutation or contradiction of one anothers writings This heavenly harmony I say suggests to the ear of an indifferent man that reads without prejudice that these holy men of God as S. Peter calls them (b) 2 Pet. 1.21 the Penmen of Scripture were God's notaries and both spake and writ as they were actuated and moved by the holy Ghost and that these their writings were the very dictates of that same spirit that searchâ—th the deep things of God (a) 1 Cor. 2.10 In which respect both Theodoret (b) In prefat in Psalm and S. Gregory (c) Grego in prefat in Psalm have fitly termed the tongues and hands of all the writers of Scripture the pens of the holy Ghost for such an agreement was never heard of amongst several Authors writing of the same subject since the beginning of the world But the contrary hath been most apparent among all sorts of humane writers every one hunting after his own praise by anothers disgrace whereof I might produce numerous instances Whereas here we have all the Canonical books of the Old Testament namely of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalmes approving each other as they follow in order and all approved of in the New Testament both by our Saviour John Baptist the Apostles and the Evangelists and all these also giving testimony and approbation each to other at all times upon just occasion as all though but slenderly versed in the reading of the Scriptures undoubtedly know Add hereunto that which wil drive this nail to the head the miraculous agreement of all these books together not only in the main point and drift of all which is the salvation of mankind by the alone incarnation death and suffering of Christ but also in all other points yea and in all circumstances as many learned Divines have sufficiently declared by clearing solving and reconciling all knotty doubts about this question and seeming contradictions whatsoever throughout the whole Scriptures that ever yet have been moved or mentioned Fifthly Argu ∣ ment 9 The certain accomplishment of those many prophesies and predictions of holy writ concerning things to come meerly causual and contingent and no way depending upon natural causes is an argument undeniable of the divinity of it if it can be demonstrated that the said prophesies were uttered before the events and were not any supposititious or counterseit writings published since the events to delude the world which I shall undertake to clear by undoubted testimony for that such prophesies must needs be truly divine no man can deny according to that in Isaiah where God himself provokes the Idols of the Gentiles to stand to their cause and to declare things to come that thereby they may be known to be gods (a) Isa 41.23 Now the precedence of these predictions both in the Old Testament and in the New before their events I thus demonstrate First For the Old Testament I will omit those many predictions which were fulfilled within the time of its own durance and continuance as not demonstrative to meer reason that they were by divine inspiration and insist onely in the prophesies about our Saviour Christ's incarnation miracles and passion and the vocation of the Gentiles to the Christian faith which were fulfilled in the time of the Gospel which being proved to have been fulfilled a long time after their prediction by the Prophets is an undeniable demonstration that they were uttered by inspiration from God himself Now that they were fulfilled a long time after their prediction and that the Books of Moses the Psalms and the Prophets where these predictions are recorded were extant before the events we have many pregnant proofs from the testimony both of Jews and Gentiles and those such as lived in the very interval of tiem between the prophesies and their accomplishment Amongst which the most remakable and famous is the Septuagints Translation of the Old Testament into the Greek Tongue still extant which was done by the means and at the charges of Ptolomy Philadelph a King of Egypt as before hath bâ—en mentioned neer upon three hundred years before our Saviour Christ and there laid up in the King's Library The History whereof is set forth by one Aristaeus a learned Gentile then living and highly in favour with the said King and the book is still to be seen Which Aristaeus together with one Demetrius Phalereus Master of the said King's Library was an especial instrument for the procuring of the said Translation to be done by 72. Elders of the Jews out of every Tribe six Which was doubtlesse purposely brought to passe by God's all seeing and all-swaying providence to take away all suspicion of contriving the prophesies of Scripture after the events Another witnesse of this Translation is Philo Judaeus (a) Philo de vita Moysis lib. 3. who lived in our Saviour Christ's time as before hath been said And a third witnesse is Josephus in his forenamed History of the Antiquity of the (b) Josep Antiq. Jud. lib. 12. cap. 2. Jews So that from these Authors testimony besides a number more that I might produce it 's most apparent that the Old Testamâ—nt and so consequently the prophesies lapped up thâ—rein were extant in their time which was long before thâ—ir evâ—nt and therefore were not forged since Now for the predictions of the New Testament I shall make it most clear and evident that they also did precede their event so many of them as are fulfilled
of Jerusalems (d) Isa 66.11 cousolations For these brests of Jerusalem are the two Testaments the Old Testament and the New which are called the brests of her consolation because they yield consolation to all such as suck the knowledge of them by reading and meditation And therefore as people would be comforted in poverty or persecution or in any trouble of this life especially in the hour of death when it is most needful it concerns them to be well versed in Scripture for it 's the only store-house of comfort there is no true and lasting comfort to be found but in this well for here are those wells of salvation out of which it 's said we are to draw the waters of (a) Isa 12.3 joy Great need therefore have all Christians to be well acquainted with that which must be their only comfort when they stand most in need thereof Thirdly Scripture is a Christians best piece of armour to defend him against all the assaults of his spiritual enemies sin and Satan and all his band of Hereticks and other nefarious and wicked men For the Apostle setting down the panoply or compleat armour of a Christian wherewith he had need to be at all times appointed reckons up this as one principal part thereof and calls it the sword of the (b) Ephes 6.17 spirit The wise man also in the Proverbs notably sets forth the usefulnesse of it in this respect saith he When wisedom entreth into thine heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul discretion shall preserve thee understanding shall keep thee to deliver thee from the way of the evill man from the man that speaketh froward things who leaves the paths of righteousnesse to walk in the ways of (c) Prov. 2.10 11 12 13. darknesse Herewith our blessed Saviour foiled Satan sundry (d) Mat. â— 4 c. times And herewith the Prophet David fenced himself against sin so he saith himself By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the (e) Psal â— 4 destroyer And again Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against (a) Psal 19.11 thee We therefore being in continual warfar had not need to have this our principal weapon to seek for what else makes many take the foil so oft but because they are unskilful in the word of righteousnesse Fourthly By this Book we shall all be judged at the last day and therefore it concerns us to be well acquainted with the principal contents of it That we shall be judged by it is affirmed by our Saviour He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him in the last (b) John 12. day And by the Apostle Paul At the day when God shall judge the secrets of men according to my (c) Rom. 2.16 Gospel Lastly Without some competent knowledge hereof we can never have Christ The day-star and Sun of righteousnesse as he is (d) 2 Pet. 1.19 Mal. 4.2 called arise in our hearts for as before the Sun ariseth it first sends up its bright beams of light as the harbingers of its approach so before Christ Jesus come into our souls he first enlightens them with the glorious beams of the knowledge of his Word according to that speech of Peter We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your (a) 2 Pet. 1.19 hearts And that also of S. Paul God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus (b) 2 Cor. 4.6 Christ The Scripture is full of proofs for this that Christ's Word must first be in some measure learned of us and entertained by us before he will condiscend to dwell with us It 's therefore a most opacous error of an ungodly assertion to affirm that ignorance is the mother of devotion which in Scripture is so much condemned and is made both the mother of error Ye erre saith our Saviour to the Sadduces not knowing the (c) Math. 22.29 Scriptures and the mother of many other sins For S. Paul affirmeth that his sins of blasphemy and persecution and oppression of Christ's Church before his conversion were the product and brats of his ignorance I was saith he a blasphemer a peâ—secuter and injurious But I obtained mercy because I did it (d) 1 Tim. 1.13 ignorantly And he informs the Ephesians that the Gentiles were alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that was in (e) Ephes 4.18 them And by experience it 's found to be the mother both of will-worship and superstition This Paradox some of the Church of Rome in former ages have not blushed to utter for truth and though now of late they would seem to disclaim this irrational Paradox yet covertly they adhere to it For the Rhemists in their front of their Preface prefixed before their translation of the New Testament affirm it to be an erroneous opinion to hold that the Scriptures were ordained of God to be read indifferently of all And therefore the Councel of Trent took order which was confirmed by supreme authority say the same Doctors in the same place within a few lines after that the holy Scriptures might not be read indifferently of all men nor of any other then such as have expresse license from their lawful Ordinary Whereby it appears that they seek to detain the Scriptures from the vulgar people purposely to keep them in ignorance And to put a little glosse and colour upon this their in justifiable opinion and practice the said Doctors afterwards yield this reason for it Because presumptuous Hereticks mistaking or depraving in many places the true sense of Scripture draw from thence many pernicious errours and many other that are unlearned and unstable pervert the same to their own destruction as S. Peter (a) 2 Pet. 3.16 teacheth And how weak a ground this is for them to presume from hence to restrain the common reading of Scripture I declare these two ways First This Argument takes for granted that the abuse of a good thing by some nulls and takes away the lawful common use of it from others But this is nothing so for the word preached as well as read is abused by many through their corruption and so becomes the savour of death unto death unto (a) 2 Cor. 2.16 them and an occasion of their greater sin as our Saviour saith (b) John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin And yet this hinders not but that it must be preached unto all as our Saviour hath commanded Go ye saith he
take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this (a) Rev. 22.18 19. book Again secondly They acknowledge it the supreme judge under the holy Ghost himself to decide and determine all doubts and questions in Religion and give it preheminence above all other sayings writings books or traditions And lastly affirm it to be absolutely necessary in the Church ever since the first writing of it by God himself as being that foundation whereon the Church is built as the Apostle teacheth the (b) Ephes 2.20 Ephesians And in these respects ascribe many glorious and magnificent yet decent and deserved titles to it which they learn and gather out of it some whereof I will mention They call it The Oracle of God the Breath of the holy Ghost the Scepter of Christ's Kingdom the Touch-stone of truth the Lanthorn of Israel the Mystery of Godlinesse and the Lamb's Book with many other such like Now by all this it appears that they give that due and condigne honour veneration and observance to the sacred Scripture which becomes the true and sincere professors and defenders of it See now on the other side what honour the Romanists exhibite to it and in what estimation they have it Sometime they celebrate it with due veneration and call it The true word of God and a most certain and safe rule of faith so Bellarmine speaks of it and affirms it to be the mind of the Catholique Church and the Councel of (a) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 1. 2. Trent Sometime again they undervalue and depress it and detract from its sublimity and excellence very indignly and namely in these four particulars First They teach that the proper and principal end of Scripture was not to be the rule of faith but to be a useful monitor or remembrancer to conserve and nourish the doctrine received by preaching This is out of Bellarmine word for (b) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 12. word And Pighius delivers this contumelius speech of Scripture to the same purpose Apostoli quaedam scripserunt non ut scripta illa praeessent fidei religionis nostrae sed potius ut subessent The Apostles saith he have written certain things not that their writings should be over our faith and Religion but rather that they should be under (c) Pigh Hierarch lib. 1. cap. 2. them This is strange new divinity for of old the Scripture was held to be the rule and Religion the thing ruled by it both in the old (d) Isa 8.20 Testament and in the (e) Mat. 22.29 2 Pet. 1.19 New and in the primitive times next after the Apostles as were easie to demonstrate both out of the Fathers and Church-Histories And therefore to make Religion the rule and Scripture to be ruled by it as the Romanists now of late times would have it as appears by the forementioned sayings and many other such like published by divers of them is an uncouth contumely and an indigne disparagement to it and an egregious derogation from the super-excellency and majesty of it and hath indeed been the unhappy means of the suffocation of a great part of God's truth in that Church Secondly They affirm that the whole Christian doctrine which is necessary to be known either for faith or manners is not contained in the Scriptures and that therefore there is required an unwritten word also beside the written word that is to say Divine and Apostolical traditions to be added to the written word to make it a perfect (a) Bellar de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 3. 4. rule And so they condemn the sacred Scripture of imperfection and insufficiency This assertion is repugnant to several assertions in Scripture for S. John saith That so much is written in Scripture as is sufficient to work faith in us and to bring us to everlasting life through the name of (b) John 20.31 Christ and then surely there needs no more for everlasting life is the highest degree of perfection that any creature can attain unto And S. Paul saith That the Scriptures are able to make a man wise unto (c) 2 Tim. 3.15 salvation and to make him perfect throughly furnished unto all good (a) 2 Tim. 3.17 works Whence it follows that seeing they make men perfect they must needs be perfect themselves for no imperfect thing can perfect another And our blessed Saviour himself hath denounced a dreadful judgement against any that shall go about to add unto it as if it were not perfect I testifie saith he to every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this Book If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this (b) Rev. 22.18 Book as before was rehearsed Thirdly They equalize Traditions with the holy Scripture and dignifie them with the same authority and reverence so teacheth the Councel of (c) Concil Trid. decr 1. session 4. Trent And Melchior Canus saith That Traditions have greater force to refel Hereticks then the (d) Canus loc commun Theo. lib. 9. cap. 3. Scriptures And Eckius saith simply That they are of greater efficacy without any limitation to that particular (e) Eck. de fide justif cap. 13. effect And yet we find in Scripture that all humane traditions are to be examined and tryed by it as was declared before and are all to be disallowed and rejected which hold not correspondence with the same as is evident from our Saviour's reproof of the Scribes and Pharisees for presuming to dispense in some case with this written commandment Honour thy father and mother for thereupon saith our Saviour unto them Ye have made the commandment of God of none effect by your (a) Mat. 15.6 tradition and again he saith In vain they do worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of (b) Mat. 15.9 men In both which sentences our Saviour gives the written word preheminence and authority above all traditions Fourthly and lastly Bellarmine denies the Scriptures to have been simply necessary or (c) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 4. sufficient This if he had spoken in relation only to the time before the Law was written by God himself we should not have contested with him but by his further dispute about it he declares his meaning to extend to the written word since that time which he manifesteth by a saying that he uttereth afterwards which I have truly transcribed to a letter without either addition amputation or alteration of the least sylable thereof Sanè saith he credere historias Testamenti veteris vel evangelia Marci Lucae esse canonica scripta inno ullas esse divinas Scripturas non est omninò necessarium ad (d) Bell. de Eccles militant lib. 3. cap. 14. salutem Surely to believe the hystories of