Boring of the Ear. By either of these short Paraphrases others have made larger we see the discrepancy is naturally removed either phrase being the same in effect and both pertinent to the scope or design of the whole Paragraph And the like accommodation might be made of other seemingly discordant passages would the bounds of this discourse permit §. XVI To put into one all which has been said to this last Objection The summ of our Answer is Our Saviour and his Apostles in their ordinary preaching to the Jews used not the Septuagint part therefore of what our Adversaries object is false In the Penning of the Gospel or New Testament because a then received though not exact Version was Argumentum ad Homines a fit proof to many of that age and people and would besides serve well enough for all in general the Version of the Septuagint was used ordinarily and yet very * See herein the Appendix A. frequently deserted There is therefore still more falsity in our Adversaries clamours But it were Non-sense to infer hence as some do that therefore the Septuagint is more Authentick than the Hebrew that is a Translation than its Original Besides after all this coil the authority both of Old Testament and New stands firm above the attempts of its enemies Wit Learning or Malice For generally in both the Sense is the same the way of expressing only different The Old Testament as extant in our English Bibles is translated Grammatically or in a manner word for word What is produced out of the Old in the New Testament is often a Paraphrase of the Original text as being translated from a kind of Greek Paraphrase rather than a simple Version commonly called the Septuagint and thence arises that seeming discrepancy I conclude therefore upon the whole the Scriptures of the Old Testament to be a sure word of Prophecy notwithstanding those loud imputations of Corruptions of various Readings of None or Indeterminate sense All which imputations for the main are false and where they are not affect not any considerable substantial part of Scripture that is of DIVINE VERITY or point of Christian Faith and Practice And the same by the premises is conclusible also of the New Testament Therefore Scripture is Authentick §. XVII It remains now in the next place to propound terms on which we may be ascertained of our Faith from the Scriptures which have been thus proved to be sure And they shall be very brief few and reasonable terms which I will propound The first Article shall be That in all controverted points of Faith for there are points of Faith at least points which some men obtrude on our Faith that are controverted and rejected too very commonly and justly I say that in such controverted points of Faith That doctrine wherein both Originals and Translations generally agree whether in a deep silence or a contradiction thereof be adjudged either spurious or no point of Faith This will at once strike off all the new Articles of the Tridentine Creed I mean the Creed framed from the Decrees of the Council of Trent together with all Doctrines favoured there though not expresly decreed for Faith but since improved and received as Faith by the Romanists And particularly the Popes Infallibility will be gone for if Scripture had asserted Infallibility to any Vicegerents of God on earth it would be to Kings not to Popes Prov. xvi 10. A Divine Sentence is in the lips of the King his mouth transgresseth not in judgment Which text though it manifestly restrain it self to the Administration of Civil justice wherein none of our Church ever thought of any Appeal from a Royal Decree or in any other case of resistance to the Royal Authority yet doth it suppose a more generally infallible conduct and superintendency of God's Providence over the Decrees of Kings than is any where in Holy Scripture asserted over the Sentences or Determinations of any other Judges on Earth in any cause whatsoever And I would fain see produced from any part of Holy yea even of Apocryphal Writ so fair and express a Text for an Infallibility of Popes or any other on Earth But this by the bye Secondly I propound only further That whatsoever Originals and Translations generally agree in asserting as necessary to be believed or done in order to Salvation be admitted as such And I am sure then the whole Doctrine both of Faith and Practice of the Protestants stands establisht For our Foundation is Scripture and that interpreted by the Vniversal Tradition of the Church in its first and purest ages even when the boldest Adversaries we have dare not say those corruptions of Scripture of which now they make so clamorous pretences were in being and in Scripture our Foundation is not dubious Texts perplext with Criticisms uncertain by various Readings suspected for Corruptions Interpolations c. but plain express undoubted and repeated ones And as long as our Foundation thus is Scripture if that be a sure Word our Faith is sure §. XVIII Whether then some men dispute against Scripture meerly out of wantonness and to shew their Learning or for other ends it concerns not us to enquire But both they and all our Enemies must know 't is past time of day to put us out of conceit with our Bibles or to perswade them out of our Hands or Hearts Graecum est non potest legi might down in Monkish ages it will not now no not even with those whom some disdainfully and with a greater pride than is due to the Merits of their own Learning call Laicks And God be blessed for this glorious Light Upon the whole therefore We remain sure both of our Scriptures and of our Faith §. XIX And here by the way I must take the liberty to say All other imaginable ways of making us sure of our Faith without Scripture in the present state of things are idle and vain And whatever carries any plausible pretence of certainty will at length resolve it self into this of Scripture There has been a long time and still is a great cry in the world about Tradition But if we look into the case it is not Tradition that is the Constant consent of the Antient and Catholick Church which the Romanists have to vouch for their present Traditions or peculiar Doctrines but the late corrupt use and bold say-so of their Church Thus in the Council of Trent when the Evidence of any of these their new at least comparatively new Doctrines had been sifted and could be found neither in Scripture nor Fathers or any ancient Councils it was but saying the point was so held or practised by the Church and the Church was Infallible therefore being the Church taught it it must be an Apostolick Tradition though not extant in Scripture and so whatever they pleased to give this venerable name to was thereby presently dub'd an Article of Faith And particularly thus was the matter carried in the
SCRIPTURE AUTHENTICK AND Faith certain A DISCOURSE Which may serve for an Answer to divers late Aspersions on the Integrity of Originals and Validity of our modern Translations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. X. 35. By EDWARD Lord Bishop of CORK and ROSSE LONDON Printed for H. Faithorne and J. Kersey at the Rose in S. Paul's Church-yard 1686. IMPRIMATUR Jo. Battely RRmo P. D no Wilhelmo Archiep. Cant. à Sacris Domesticis Ex Aedib Lamb. Sept. 12. 1685 To His GRACE The DUKE of ORMOND May it please Your GRACE I Have presumed to Intitle Your Grace to this small Piece not out of conceit of its Merits but sense of mine own Obligations People use to pay their debts as they are able and when All they can do is in effect Nothing to have publickly acknowledged themselves Insolvent is to have aimed at being Just May then Your GRACE please to Accept of my having intended well both in the Book and Dedication And to believe amongst the Numerous Votaries to Your Illustrious Self and Family he who brings only this mite of Gratitude has as much Zeal to approve his full Duty and as industriously watches opportunity to do so as any man living MY LORD I shall never fail daily till Your GRACE shall be above such Services to offer up to that God whom You have imitated in humbling Your self to raise the poor out of the dust my most cordial Supplications for the encrease of Your Glories and Felicities The Supreme Lord the Master of the whole Family in Heaven and in Earth will repay what his poor Menials cannot all the Good Your GRACE has done to his House and therein to the unworthiest of his Vassals YOUR GRACES Ever Bounden Orator and Servant E. Cork and Rosse THE PREFACE WHILE the late Attempts made on Scripture by two or three Persons of some Learning but too much Leisure remaine◠in the Language wherein they were written I hoped that for the main they would only be read by men of Judgment past the danger of a shock or at worst by some young Students in the Vniversities where the Profound Judgment and Vigilance of those who preside would soon stifle any mischief that could proceed from them But when they began to fly about in English and that even in these remoter parts into the hands of all sorts considering how greedily most Men catch at Novelties what Patience the most curious and delicate Tempers have for Discourses which pretend to Relax the Obligations that some Priests say lye on Mankind and withal how great the Number of those who are or are ready to be Tainted every where is I could no longer totally temperate either Tongue or Pen. I thought no Wounds to Religion more dangerous than those which fall on Scripture for that these affect the very Vital Fountains of the common Christianity Hence still my concernment grew on me which I desire may be admitted in excuse for Exposing this Remedy how weak soever It is what for the present I had I ought not to be wanting to my Duty and if what I thus have done should prove effectual to the staying up but one Tottering Person I am assured the Righteous Judge of all will one day acquit me from the Imputation of having been Impertinent or over-busie My extreme Brevity is from Design not Sloth I look upon the Cause I defend as such which Pleads its self when once heard nor needs more words than just suffice to Open it And besides I had a mind to Gratifie those who cannot obtain from themselves Leisure or Patience for perusing Books on this Subject were they of length proportionable to those they answer The Time the Reader adventures on this Discourse is very little the Argument and Concern very great and he may without Imposition on himself conclude such Person must write very ill indeed who pretending to entertain men for an hour on this Theme should therein give them occasion to repent of loss of time Be pleased therefore to resolve to go through the whole with a placid free and unbyast Mind and then judge as you list God guide us all above Error and our present Crepuscular Knowledge into Light and Glories Eternal ERRATA PAge 42. line 18. read false In Pag. 52. lin 21. blot out so absolutely pag. 79. lin 15. and 21. for xxxviii read xlviii pag. 105. l. 6. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 121. l. 20. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 122. l. 1. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. ibid. l. 7. for Hezekias r. Hesychius p. 129. l. 10. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SCRIPTURE AUTHENTICK AND FAITH CERTAIN §. 1 THE most Sacred sort of Oracle among the Jews was reputed a voice immediately from Heaven and therewith was our Saviour own'd several times and particularly at his Transfiguration on the Mount Matt. xvii 5. 2 Pet. i. 17. Then and there he received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased With which miraculous attestation the Apostle S. Peter there comparing the proofs that the Scriptures of the Old Testament and especially the Prophetical ones gave of his being the Son of God the Messias or Saviour of the World affirms in the 19th verse those Scriptures to be the surer and stronger evidence of the two and commends the believing Jews for attending to them and admitting them as such And yet so bold a vein of Scepticism shall I say or Atheism has possest some who would appear to be of the most knowing if not infallible part of the Christian world as that it has been publickly contended and now of late with fresh earnestness and new-started Pleas some endeavour to justifie that there is no certainty at all in Scripture especially in that of the Old Testament and all persons are reproached as fools illiterate and of short judgment who pin their Faith on Holy Writ For neither Original say some nor any Version whether old or new cry others are to be depended upon The Language in which the Scriptures were written is lost the Copies corrupt the Versions imperfect and the newest which some believe to be the exactest are really say they the worst so that nothing of them must be relied upon but Tradition that is what a Party of cunning men have agreed to tell us is the only sure foundation of Faith On occasion of these importunate instances I crave leave to say after the Apostle and speak a few words for the Old sure word of Prophecy and I hope I shall make it out that they do well who take heed thereto §. II To which purpose I shall endeavour 1. Positively to establish the certainty of the Scripture and chiefly of the Old Testament or the demonstrative Evidence it bears 2. To answer the new-devised or fresh-started Objections against its certainty 3. To lay down such Rules by which we may from
question of the Sacrifice of the Mass of the present Canon of the Mass of the Sacraments of Penance and Extreme Vnction in the Interdict of Priests marriage not to name more points of like nature For if indeed truly named that is Vniversal Tradition Quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus c. were the thing urged upon us we are and ever have been as much for it as any men To this day we cry Let us go to tryal on this issue in the name of God But such Tradition as this we shall find amongst all the controverted points only for Scripture I will be bold to say we have not so unvariable Tradition for the Articles of the Creed which we call the Apostles Creed as we have in behalf of the Books of the Old and New Testament So that according to these measures we are but where we were before Universal Tradition must prescribe our Faith and Universal Tradition we have for no point controverted but for the Original Scriptures nay indeed scarcely for any other point of Faith so uniformly Original Scripture therefore as before still stands unshaken §. XX But these Rules will some say are for Learned men who understand and can search Originals compare Versions and see wherein they agree What shall the unlearned Common people do I say still Keep to your English Translation good people keep to what you are Your English Bibles to you are the surest word of Prophecy and Gospel too that you can meet with The Translation of the Old Testament has been confest by Foreigners of excellent judgment usque ad invidiam aliarum gentium elaborata Accurate even to the envy of other Nations That of the Gospels is no less so especially taking in the Margin And though it were to be wisht the Epistles had been translated with that strictness according to the letter and so unbyast judgment with which the other parts of our Bibles are yet this may be said even as to them What the Text has less exact according to the Original or dubious not only the Margin but the very different Character of several words in the Text directs to a genuin or wholesome sense of My meaning is whereas it is not possible to translate Hebrew or Greek into English strictly word for word and to make such translation sense the Idiom or propriety of the languages so vastly differing that we must in English put in several particles or little words to make good sense with us all those words so put in or supplied are printed ordinarily in a different sort of letter from the rest by which means we may easily discover any word that is not in the Original and from such discovery know what weight to lay upon that text so translated So that there is no danger of peoples miscarrying in their Faith who humbly and soberly keep to their English Bibles which God be blessed now we have extremely cheap and frequent in our hands Only the people are here to be minded in case of doubts to have recourse to their spiritual Guides By these means then we are or may be as sure of our Faith from Scriptures as we are of the Scriptures themselves §. XXI Now To put a due Conclusion to this Discourse there are some Christian Practices which the scope of it does naturally recommend and some advices which it may occasion And First Let the reflexion on what has been discoursed touching the certainty of Holy Scriptures and their Authentick Verity raise in our hearts a due Esteem and Cordial Reverence of them as not being from Man nor meerly by man but given by inspiration of God and in a peculiar and marvellous manner preserved and transmitted by his special Providence from age to age through multitudes of hands down to us who live probably near the end of time It was once the great priviledge of the Jews that to them were committed the Oracles of God that priviledge is now common to us with them Though perhaps therefore we may not keep those Oracles with so superstitious a care and curiosity as they did yet let us both keep and treat them with as cordial adherence and as awful esteem But especially let us take care that we use not passages out of them in our ordinary discourse slightingly in Jest and Drollery to create Laughter to our selves and others Holy things should not be plaid with and we are to remember that if we do play with them we teach people to think we do not believe them to be Holy Secondly Let not a Prize be put into our hands and we such fools as not to have hearts to use it Have we the Word of Prophecy surer than other Miraculous Revelation Have we the Gospel of Truth too both mutually confirming and confirmed by one another and shall we be so idle and gross as to be any of us in a manner uncapable of using either Why should there be a person in a Christian Church or Nation to whom the Holy Scripture should be as a Book sealed who should know no more by the Book open and laid before him than if fast closed up I mean who should not be able himself to read the glad tidings and terms of his Salvation Good people deny not your selves that which an excellent Person has most justly stiled the CHRISTIANS BIRTH-RIGHT the use of Holy Scriptures Take care and endeavour that both you and yours be able to read And being so whatever Book you read not through or rarely look into let not the Bible be that neglected one Rather account such a day lost in which you have not attentively and considerately read some part thereof Thirdly Remember him who said Hold fast till I come that no man take thy Crown He sits at the right hand of his Father ready to give it and will in good time come and give it us if we faint not And Lastly As most excellent means to insure to our selves a right use of Scriptures and to preserve us from misinterpreting or misapplying them let us be careful of the two following particulars First To furnish our minds with a form of sound Doctrine gathered out of Holy Scripture This it is to be hoped we had in some degree in our early years by Catechism and without this both Scripture and Sermons are in a great measure unserviceable It is the Apostle's Rule that they who Prophesie that is in the New Testament notion of Prophesying interpret Scripture do it according to the proportion of Faith Rom. xii 6. his meaning seems to be that understanding first the several Articles of Christian Faith we should interpret or take Scripture in consistency therewith This rule will prevent the abuse of Holy Scripture to Errour and Novelty Secondly To endeavour the Honest and Impartial practice of what we know in the fear of God and as we shall answer the not Doing according to our Lords will when we have known That his will This most