in this Treatise which I divide into two parts First I shall shew in General that the Sacred Books of the New Testament were inspir'd and while I demonstrate what the nature of that Inspiration is I shall produce Principles whereby to resolve all difficulties that are already or may be rais'd upon this Subject We have but two sorts of Proofs to satisfie a Christian about matters which have no dependance upon the first Principles of Reason the unanimous consent of those Doctors that liv'd in the Primitive times of the Church and the Holy Scripture when it speaks after a plain and decisive manner These are the two sorts of Proofs which I shall make use of to shew that the Sacred Books are inspir'd I begin with the Belief of the Primitive Church after I have given the Reader two Admonitions the one that I do not undertake to drain all the Proofs that are to be found in this Fountain it being my design to confine my self to what may bring the matter to a point of Demonstration and to derive my Proofs from the first or most Primitive Ages of the Church My second Advertisement is that as M. N. assails the Body of the Sacred Books of the New Testament in gross I am not bound to defend them otherwise than in the same manner That Author believes that they are no way inspir'd that is to say that the Holy Ghost was never concern'd in the Composition of them For the repelling of this Attacque it is not requisite to follow the Sacred Books one after another by shewing upon the Subject of every one of them that they were effectually inspir'd I shall therefore consider the several Sacred Books as one single Book and I shall produce to the advantage of all together all the Testimonies which I shall find favourable to any one in particular 'T is according to this Method that M. N. attacques them for when he thought he had observ'd in any one of the Sacred Books any slip of human weakness he infers from thence an Argument against all the rest Let him in like manner be pleas'd to permit me to extend to all the Sacred Books whatever I shall meet with advantageous to any one which ought to be allow'd me so much the rather because there is not any one single where there is not something to be met withal which M. N. takes for a good Objection If only one of the Sacred Books proves to be inspir'd the Inspiration of that single Book secures the rest from the Objection which are made against them Though I speak in this manner 't is not that I am in fear for any one Sacred Book of the New Testament the whole is safe if men will but take the pains to consider the Testimonies of the Primitive Church in favour of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books they will not find any one for which there is not the Testimony of the Ancients or if any one be more remiss than the rest that negligence will be repair'd by the General Proofs that relate to all the parts of the New Testament CHAP. II. The first Proof of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament drawn from the manner after which the Ancients speak of it 'T IS known how the Christians speak at this day of the Holy Scripture of the New Testament According to their Stile 't is call'd The Scripture by way of Excellency the Sacred Oracles the Word of God when the Preacher takes his Text he says as it is written in the word of God and the People for that Reason believe themselves oblig'd to hearken with a devout Attention This Language no way agrees with M. N's System who looks upon the Sacred Books as a work purely Human and wherein there are faults which he would not pardon Livy or any other prophane Historian Were I of this Authors Opinion I should be dreadfully troubled to hear the Christians speak as they do of the Holy Scripture I should cry out Blasphemy I should never indure that they should say of the Voice of a mortal man 't is the Voice of God and not of man 'T is to be suspected that M. N. says to himself that it is one of those pieces of Superstition which are so rooted in the minds of the People that it is not safe to decry them But let him think what he pleases the language of the Christians is the same at this day as it has been all along in that particular there has been no variation In the purest Ages they exprest themselves in reference to the Scripture as we do now I defie the most Zealous Disciples of M. N. to deny it They cannot do it without speaking against their Consciences or without shewing that they are altogether strangers to Antiquity To fortifie this Proof which I draw from the Appellations that the Ancients gave the Scripture I think my self bound to make two Observations The first is that the Language cannot proceed from any superstitious Aggravation It was in use in the very first times when Christians spoke according to the simplicity of their Hearts and when they had no leasure to corrupt the Truth by Rhetorick or Superstition In that same Age of Innocence they call'd the Writings of the New Testament the Oracles of Heaven the Word of God the Holy Scripture Nor can this language be accus'd to have sprung up from the Corruption of after Ages when Superstition extended her Empire I love to speak as they spoke at a time when the Church was a Virgin if I may be allow'd to make use of the words of an Ancient Author My second Observation is this that the Ancients when they thus expressed themselves honoured the New Testament as the New Testament had honoured the Ancient I explain my self thus when the Old Testament is cited by the Apostles they usually call it the Scripture without any addition that is the Scripture by way of Excellency as when St. Paul speaking of an Oracle dictated by the Mouth of God himself says For what saith the Scripture Gal. 4.30 cast out the Bondwoman and her Son And in another place Gal. 3.8 And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed I made choice of these two Passages on purpose wherein St. Paul cites certain Oracles that M. N. would not himself deny but that it was God who spake them The Apostle calls them Scripture As he phrases it The Scripture saith this or God spoke This comes all to one sence This is so true that having said to the Romans Rom. 11.32 That God had concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all He speaks the same thing to the Galathians in these words Gal. 3.22 But the Scripture has concluded all under sin c. By which it appears that the Voice of God and Scripture signifie
'em to the Mark which he set before ' em Without which the Promise had been but a very small Comfort to ' em They had always had this to say If thou let us alone to our Infirmities we shall be never the better for seeing a way into which they shall hinder us from entring In the second place there needs no more than to consider the whole Extent of the Promise to be convinced that the fullfilling of it did not depend upon the Good Will of the Apostles 'T is properly the Church to which Christ Jesus promses to teach the Truth by their Ministry Now the Promise being made to the Church their Rebellion would not have discharged Jesus Christ of his Promise It was absolutely necessary that the Spirit of Truth should be Master of the Apostles Pens and guide 'em to the Truth to the end the Church might enjoy what was contained in the Promise If I said that the Holy Ghost constrain'd the Apostles to follow his Directions I might countenance the Word with the Opinion of some of the ancient Fathers Epiphanius is positive as to this particular He assures us that the Gospels of S. Luke and S. John were composed by a kind of violent Impulse and Constraint Spiritus Sanctus B. Lucam occultis quibusdam stimulis cogit excitat Epiph l. 2. Tom. 1. Haeres 13. which the Holy Ghost put upon those two Evangelists He says that Saint Luke was stirr'd up and constrain'd by certain secret Instigations and that S. John wrote in despite of himself We also find by a Passage in the Acts Deinde Spiritus Sanctus Joannem licet invitum ac Religione quadam animi moderatione defugientem ad scribendum Evangelium impulit Ibid. Sect. 12. that when the Saints would have gone to one place the Holy Ghost constrain'd 'em to go to another The Term therefore of Constraint is not too hard but let us take it in a Sense importing a more pleasing violence For tho the Apostles had no such Will the Holy Ghost infus'd it into 'em sometimes after one Manner sometimes after another When the Objects were sufficient he let 'em alone to act by themselves but when the Objects were not sufficient he acted himself as he thought it convenient but always so that it was not in the power of the Apostles to write otherwise than according to his Directions CHAP. VII Wherein is considered the Nature of the Infallibility which arises from the Direction of the Holy Ghost with reference to the Things wherein the Apostles were directed and whether they were in particular deceived in their Opinion of the near Approach of the End of the World TO the end we may well know in what things the Apostles were infallibly directed there needs no more than to consider the Design of the Holy Ghost in directing ' em This Design was beyond all Contradiction to make 'em Teachers by whose Ministry the world might receive the Gospel They were sent to establish the Doctrine of their Master To that purpose it was that they were instructed and guided by the Spirit of God There are several things in the Gospel which are usually distinguish'd The Doctrines and the Matters of Fact But if this Distinction be but never so little considered it will be found that it is a Distinction made of things which ought not to be distinguish'd For in the Christian Religion Matters of Fact are become Doctrines and Doctrines are in the Nature of Matters of Fact We find that Matters of Fact are become Doctrines Christ was born of a Virgin suffered and rose again these at the same time are all Matters of Fact and Doctrines Jesus Christ is equal to God his Father Jesus Christ has made an Attonement for our Sins by the Sacrifice which he offered upon the Cross Jesus Christ promised that he would raise his faithful Disciples again in Glory Is it not evident that these are Doctrines in the Nature of Matters of Fact seeing the Dispute is whether the Apostles taught 'em or rather whether our Saviour taught 'em to his Apostles This is Matter of Fact that he taught such or such Doctrine The Distinction which I have examin'd can have no room in reference to the Infallibility which I consider Visibly the Apostles were directed in respect of Matters of Fact and Doctrines else they could never have given us the Gospel under the Direction of the Holy Ghost 'T is much more to the purpose to admit another Distinction between the Things which the Apostles have written some as belonging directly to the Doctrine of the Gospel others as only accompanying it 'T is manifestly seen that it was the Design of the Holy Ghost to direct the Apostles in reference to the First I shall not here distinguish between things of greater Importance and things of less Weight That Distinction is of it self a Spring of Scruples That which is Important for one is not so for another Every one has his Balance wherein he weighs his Doctrines There are some indeed which are not of that weight in respect of those which we take to be Fundamentals As to that Point the Holy Ghost has given no certain Rule but it may be evaded by Subtlety Whatever directly concerns our Religion ought to be a part of our Faith Now we should never have any Repose in our Minds had not the Apostles been generally directed in all those Doctrines which it behoves us to believe as well of great as less Concernment without any Exception For as we are no way exempted from believing what seems to us of less Importance 't is clear that in things of this Nature as in others that the Authority of the Apostles must have been supported by the Direction of the Holy Ghost There is a little more Difficulty in respect of those things which are only accidental or accessary to the Evangelic Doctrine and which do not seem to be any part of the Constitution of our Faith Such are Notions purely Philosophical Proverbial Maxims Quotations of Authors the Personal and Domestic Affairs of the Apostles or if there be any other Foreign Matters that happen to be inserted in their Writings We shall discourse of these things in the following Chapter I cannot rank amongst these Matters certain Things that very nearly border upon the Doctrine as for Example the Time of the World 's Ending Now to make it appear how much Error in this would be incompatible with the Direction of the Holy Ghost there needs no more than to make the Apostles speak after this manner In a little time you shall find by experience the Truths that we have declared to ye the World shall suddenly be at an end the Bodies of the Living that are among ye shall die and shall rise again after some years and we shall never die Had the Apostles spoken after this manner would they not have hazarded the Reputation of their Miracles and their Preaching might not in this
Case the Words of Moses have been apply'd to ' em When a Prophet speaketh in the Name of the Lord Deut. 22. if the thing follow not nor come to pass that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet has spoken it presumptuously thou shalt not be afraid of him 'T is not without Cause that I have alledg'd the Example of the End of the World for that some Authors have drawn from thence an Argument which in my Opinion dishonors the Infallibility of the Apostles They have no way mistaken upon this Subject I do not say that they were acquainted with the last Hour the Son of God himself as he was the Son of Man was ignorant of it Infallibility does not consist in knowing every thing but in saying nothing but what is certainly true So long as we either say nothing or that we affirm nothing touching those things of which we have no Knowledge we cannot be accus'd of Mistake This Infallibility of the Apostles is no way wounded by the Scandal thrown upon 'em in reference to the End of the World A Reproach grounded upon Passages ill-understood the greatest part of which are to be explain'd of the End of the City of Jerusalem according to the Prediction of Jesus Christ or of the End of every Man with whom as to his own particular the World is at an end when he dies This suffices in answer to the Objection which is made against the Apostles under pretence that they believ'd the End of the World was at hand However to strengthen this Objection they quote several of the Ancients that were under this Mistake But what is that to the Apostles if what they uttered concerning the Destruction of Jerusalem were afterwards apply'd by other Doctors to the End of the World The Mistakes of succeeding Ages ought not to reflect upon the Apostles I set apart a Place wherein Grotius and some others pretend that S. Paul has expresly declar'd that the World was to last but a few years his Words are these 1 Thess 4. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel and with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with 'em in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air c. From whence they conclude that S. Paul believ'd that the End of the World was nigh at hand but it is an easie thing to demonstrate that this Interpretation is no way to be made out 1. S. Paul himself declares in express Terms that he was not of that Belief nor can we have a better Interpreter 2 Thess 2.1 Now we beseech ye Brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that ye be not soon shaken in your first sentiments nor be troubled neither upon the credit of any Prophetick Spirit nor by Word nor by Letter as from us that the day of Christ is at hand Now we may see by that Passage whether S. Paul believ'd that the End of the World was at hand He denies it in express Terms he protests that he had no such thought and to render this Protestation more solemn makes use of the Name of the Lord Jesus We beseech you Brethren c. Does he tell the Thessalonians that he was deceived in his first Epistle to them but that being better inform'd he had a mind to disabuse ' em Nothing at all of any such thing but he disowns all Epistles which affirm that the End of the World is at hand Had we nothing more than that Protestation it were sufficient to convince us that S. Paul was never of that Opinion which is imputed to him 2. The Declaration which he makes upon it is accompanied with some Circumstances which present us with a new Demonstration After he had removed from the Minds of the Thessalomans the Error that was crept in among 'em under his Name he marks out the Events which are to forerun the End of the World Let no man says he deceive you by any means Verâ— 3. for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be reveal'd the son of perdition Which Man of Sin is character'd forth soon after as one affecting Divine Honors and counterfeiting Miracles Grotius will have this to have been accomplish'd while S. Paul liv'd in the person of Caius Caligula and because that was not sufficient to supply all that S. Paul says touching the Man of Sin that Author brings in Simon the Magician to complete his System But to give some plausible Colour to his Conjecture he must have antidated several years the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians which the Learned Men of both Communions have all alike dislik'd Besides this Consideration which is of great moment I add that Grotius goes about to bereave S. Paul of sound Judgment in making him argue thus The last day is a great way off be you assuredly convinc'd of it for it shall not appear till you have seen Caius Caligula and Simon Magus If those Men of Sin were then just ready to break forth into all their Impieties as must be granted according to Grotius's Systeme how could they have any share in S. Paul's Argument whose intention it was to shew that the Day of Judgment was far remote S. Paul had not seen yet all the Events which according to his knowledge were to precede the End of the World Did he not know that Jerusalem was to be destroy'd that the Gentiles should receive the Gospel and that the Jews should recover from their lost Condition These are Truths which are dispersed up and down in S. Paul's Epistles Had he had no other Lights but those of common Sense he would have seen that those Events and Revolutions were not at hand and consequently that the End of the World was not so near before which those Revolutions were to happen 3. In the same Chapter we meet with Expressions which are the Ground of another Argument which is no less strong than the two former I undertake to prove by S. Paul himself that he neither believ'd nor taught that the End of the World was at hand Is it not a certain proof of this same Truth that in the same place where the Apostle denies the End of the World to be at hand he engages the Thessalonians to persevere in the Doctrine that had been taught 'em both by Writing and by Word of Mouth Instead of telling 'em I was deceiv'd in my First Epistle but I have received New Lights about the Time that the World shall come to an End therefore do not believe what I said he speaks quite another Language Therefore Brethren says he stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by Word or our Epistle Is this the Stile of a Man that recants 4.
Spring Moreover we have reason to examin and suspect them because they are not recommended to us by Persons actuated by the infallible Spirit of God This Reason is express'd by the Ancients in other terms for they say that the Apocryphal Books added to the Old Testament want Canonical Authority because they were written by persons who were no Prophets and who lived after Malachi the last of the Prophets Wherein they followed Josephus who has deriv'd from thence the grand Character of the difference which we ought to make between the Canonical Books and the Apocryphal The words of the Author are so remarkable as not to be omitted Answer to Appion l. 1. c. 2. There can be nothing more certain than the Writings authoriz'd among us because they cannot be subject to any Contradiction in regard that there is nothing approv'd but what the Prophets wrote some Ages ago according to the purity of Truth by the Inspiration and Agitation of the Spirit of God They have also written all that pass'd from the time of Artaxerxes to our Time But by reason there has not been as formerly a successive Series of the Prophets there is not the same Credit given to the Books which I have mention'd The Books written after the Prophet Malachi have been constantly rejected in regard he was the last Writer whom the Holy Ghost inspir'd under the Old Testament Euseb l. 8. De monst Evangel Quod ab illo tempore servatoris nullum extet Sacrum Voâ—umen VVhat I have said in respect of the Old Testament takes place in relation to the New Several Books of Piety were compos'd in the Primitive Church the Authors were Persons of Worth and the Books were so useful that the Reading of them was not only recommended to private Persons but they made no scruple to read them in publick For example the Epistle of Saint Clement had the same Honour VVherefore was it that those Books were not put into the number of Canonical that is to say of those Books that are the constant Rule of our Faith and Manners It was not always because they were in some things erroneous but by reason they were not inspir'd by the Holy Ghost that was sufficient to hinder them from being received for Canonical The Question that was put when there was a Dispute about any Book of which they doubted was to know whether or no it were written by a Person inspired Thence it came to pass that in the History of Eusebius we find that Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria pronouncing his Sentence upon the Apocalyps said that he acknowledged it to be the work of some Holy Man inspir'd by the Spirit of God 'T is known also that Origen speaking of the Book written by Hermas Reor enim sancti cujusdam divino spiritu afflati viri id opus esse Euseb h. e. l. 7. c. 21. Quae Scriptura valde mihi utilis videtur Et ut puto divinitus inspirata Origen l. 10. reptam Epist ad Rom. c. 16. Com. 14. said That he believ'd it to be a Writing divinely inspir'd a certain proof that they believ'd those Books which the Church has admitted as Canonical were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost CHAP. V. The Fourth Proof drawn from the honour which the Ancients paid to the Sacred Books of the New Testament WE may draw a very strong Argument to prove that the Primitive Church believ'd that the Sacred Books of the New Testament were inspired from the Honour and Reverence which they paid them I shall begin with that Holy awe which kept the Ancients from attempting any alterations in the Sacred Writings Addenti aut dâ—trahenti poena non modica Iren. adv Heres l 5. c. 30. It was a piece of rashness and Sacriledge to adulterate them either by adding or diminishing They were laden with Anathemas who were so bold as to lay their mending Hands upon those Sacred VVritings We find in the Ecclesiastical History that the Heretics who denied the Divinity of our Lord had the confidence to falsifie the Scripture to accommodate the Text to their Opinions Upon which an Author of the Primitive Ages says that it was not likely that the Heretics were ignorant how criminal an Enterprize of that nature was For says he Quantae porro audaciae sit ejusmodi facinus ne ipsos quidem ignorare credibile est aut enim sacras scripturas à spiritu sancto dictatas esse non credunt ac proinde infideles sunt aut semet ipso spiritu sancto sapientiores esse existimant ac proinde quid aliud sunt quam Demoniaci Euseb h. e. l. 5. c. ult either they believe not that the Sacred Scriptures were dictated by the Holy Ghost and so are Infidels or they imagine themselves to be wiser than the Holy Ghost and then what are they other then Demoniacs They had an inviolable Veneration for the Sacred Scripture Tatianus for having only presumed to put the Epistles of St. Paul into more elegant Language incurred the Censure which may be seen in the Historian last cited Euseb l. 4.29 If the Church were so jealous of the words of the Scripture we may easily judge of the Indignation of the Christians when they saw that any body durst presume to violate the Text it self either by addition or diminution 'T is clear that the Christians would never have been so sensible of injury done to the Scripture if they had not believed it to be the work of the Holy Spirit Some small fragment of Piety affixed to human Works would never have been a crime of Sacriledge For example I see not what great harm it could be to sow to S. Paul's Epistle to Philemon some little Discourse upon that Indulgence which is due from Christian Masters to their Servants were it true that the Epistle to Philemon is a Peice wherein the Holy Spirit had no Share 'T is true there may be something said in dislike of such an Act in regard that Sincerity requires that other Mens Works should be let alone in their natural Dress Nevertheless the Miscarriage deserves not to be treated with the Penalties of Sacrilege there is no reason to make such a noise about it as the Primitive Christians did upon the Alterations that were made in the Writings of the New Testament Nothing more clearly shews the Opinion which the Ancients had of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books than the Honor which they paid 'em in looking upon 'em as Sovereign Decrees in Matters of Religion For which Reason it was that in several Councils they were plac'd upon a Throne as they would have seated Jesus Christ himself had he come visibly to preside in those Holy Assemblies There was the same Honor paid to his Word as they would have done to his Person Which clearly shews with what an Eye of Veneration they look'd upon the Sacred Writings of the New Testament This Honor also no less visibly appears in the use which
were left to their own Judgment and that there is no necessity of admitting the Assistance of the Holy Ghost into the Composition of their Writings On the other side I pretend to make it out in the Series of this Discourse that without that assistance the Scripture is of little use Now as the Argument upon which I insist in this Chapter is drawn from a serious Inspection into the Sacred Books I assert that if they be well considered it will appear that their Composition is not purely human I shall not prove this Proposition by heaping together the noble Passages that are to be found from time to time in the Writings of the Apostles I only ask who these new Authors were that spake so worthily of the Religion which they preach We find among 'em Galileans that is to say home-bred ignorant People born in a Country where there was nothing of Politeness we find 'em to be Fishermen that is to say People by their Profession rude and unpolish'd By them let us judge of the rest since 't is agreed that if any one of the Apostles were inspir'd in Writing the Question is decided Where was it then that these Authors learn'd to write well Let us grant that their Writings are not so fine as the Books which the World esteems The Authors of those Books had the Help both of Study and Art which is all human But where was it that the Sacred Authors learn'd their Manner of Writing We find that the Question is not whether the Writings of the Apostles are more eloquent than those which the World admires Suppose an Equality as to that matter that 's nothing to my purpose the Business is to know where the Apostles learn'd their Manner of writing those things which they deliver Upon the Day of the Pentecost they spoke new Languages that other Men spoke But the Miracle was this that the Apostles spake Languages which they had never learn'd before Some will say tho to little purpose where was the Miracle seeing that others spoke as well as they 'T is true indeed the Apostles write as other Men but here is the Difference not to be contested that the Apostles had never learn'd to write and I think this may pass for a good proof of the Inspiration of the New Testament CHAP. X. Wherein the Inspiration of the Books of the New Testament is made out from the Nature of the Covenant of which they are the Writings IT appears by inspecting into these Books that they belong to a Covenant which God has manifested with much more Advantage than the Old Testament The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews says that Jesus Christ was the Mediator of a better Covenant This Covenant is better in divers Respects It is not to be contested but that it is better in respect of Light and Certainty I understand from the Writings of the New Testament that the Old one presented nothing but Types and Shadows S. John opposes Truth to the Law in point of Evidence The Law says he John 1.17 was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ S. Paul insists upon the same Opposition in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians But if the Gospel be hid says he 2 Cor. 4.3 6. it is hid to those that perish And he gives this Reason for it For God says he who commanded the Light to shine out of darkness hath shin'd in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ These Expressions are very clear and make out as evidently as it is possible the Inspiration of S. Paul It is necessary to bear it in remembrance but I insist at present only upon the Advantage of the New Covenant which is to be more full of Light and Clearness than the former This being granted I consider the Degrees of Light that enlighten'd the Old Covenant I find that the Prophets who were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost instructed the Ages they liv'd in but they also transmitted that Inspiration to the succeeding Ages by their Writings which were consulted with as much Religion as they would have consulted their Authors had they been alive Those Sacred Monuments were read as they would have hearken'd to the Prophets themselves The Mouth of God spake still in their Writings The Nation of the Jews was of this Opinion except as it is commonly thought a Handful of Sadducees who the better to defend their Errors entrench'd themselves in the Pentateuch However this does not hinder Josephus from saying in general Answer to Apâ—â—â— c. 2. Moreover there can be nothing more certain than the Writings authoriz'd among us in regard they are not liable to any Contrariety in regard there is nothing approv'd but what the Prophets wrote several Ages since according to the Purity of Truth by the Inspiration and by the Impulse of the Spirit of God Neither do we trouble our selves with infinite Numbers of Books that contradict one another as having no more than Twenty two c. And a little after We have so profound a Respect for these Books that never any Body was so hardy as to undertake either to add or diminish or alter the least Tittle We look upon 'em as Divine we call 'em so we profess to observe 'em inviolably and joyfully to lay down our Lives if there be occasion in defence of ' em Nothing can more clearly express the high Opinion which the Jewish Church had of the Sacred Books that compose the Old Testament And Josephus is more to be believ'd upon this Subject than a modern Author who tell us that the Prophets had no other Assistance of the Holy Ghost than a pious Disposition which made 'em write like persons of Sincerity but without any Prerogative of Infallibility But this was not Josephus's Opinion this was not the Belief of the Jewish Church this was not the Judgment of S. Peter who declares that Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Nor is there any father doubt to be made of it after the Decision of St. Paul The whole Scripture is divinely inspir'd and profitable for Instruction I shall not make any stop at the nice Cavil of Grotius who would make S. Paul to say The whole Scripture which is divinely inspired is profitable c. The Answer of Theophilact is sufficient They are to know says he that the Apostle said thou hast been bred up from thy Infancy in the Holy Scriptures He says All Scripture what Scripture does he mean The same of which he said that it was Sacred It was in truth in all the parts of Scripture that Timothy had been instructed from his Infancy St. Paul therefore exhorting him to persevere in the things which he had learn'd would not have argu'd rightly if when he urg'd it as a motive for his perseverance that all Scripture was inspir'd he had not spoke of the whole Book which
the Jews look'd upon to be all Scripture In the Main the observation of Grotius does my argument no harm though it were well grounded for the design of that Author is only to deprive the Historical Books of the Old Testament of the Honour of Inspiration He acknowledges in another place that Moses Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel David and Daniel were divinely Inspired So that according to Grotius the Jewish Church had Books wherein the Holy Ghost spake Had they need of the Spirit of God they found it in the writings of the Prophets and this Light has constantly endur'd in all Ages of the Jewish Church even in the later times as corrupt as they were Ought we not to have a Light at least equal to it under an Oeconomy wherein it is agreed that God has manifested himself with more advantage than under the Law We have no longer any Apostles there are no longer any men inspir'd if we have not writings which repair that loss by means of that Infallibility with which the Holy Ghost would have invested them To whom is it not apparent that our condition is worse than that of the ancient Jews The Day shin'd out to them but it is Night with us All the advantage is on the side of the Carnal posterity of Abraham even of that which is rejected The Jews had formerly and still have Books wherein they find the infallible Voice of God But if we believe M. N. we must rely upon the Credit of Histories which some persons of sincerity have written for the Doctrine of our Saviour and to the arguments which only sound Reason and Judgement dictated to Authors without Logic or Education I cannot believe that this Hypothesis will ever be relished by those who are never so little acquainted with the Prerogatives of the Christian Church CHAP. XI Wherein the Inspiration of the Books of the New Testament is made out by the Prerogatives of the Apostles THE best way which we have to know certainly whether the Christian Church has not as great a share of divine Illumination as the Jewish Church is to see what sort of Persons the Authors of the New Testament were The Jewish Church had Prophets and we have Apostles our Books except two or three which were made under the inspection of the Apostles were written by the order and with the approbation of the Apostles There needs no more than to see whether our Apostles were not equal in worth to the Prophets of the Old Testament In the Epistle to the Ephesians I find them equalled together C. 2. v. 20. in the work of Salvation being built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets In this place to speak of Equality would be an injury to the Apostles in regard that here they are named before the Prophets Nor is it without good Ground that I make this observation since St. Pauls Custom is to put the Apostles at the head of the Ministers of the Christian Church She had also Prophets and Prophets inspir'd like those of the Old Testament Would you know which are the most Excellent the Apostles or the Prophets There needs no more than to see what rank they hold in the Catalogue which St. Paul gives of the Ministers of Grace 1 Cor. 12.28 First Apostles secondarily Prophets then Teachers Besides that this is a Place where the Apostle is bound to mark out to every one his Station Chance had no share in Ranging them under that Order So that we find that St. Paul observes the same Order in the sequel of his Argugument Are all Apostles 1 Cor. 13.29 are all Prophets are all Teachers In his Epistle to the Ephesians the Evangelists are set before the Teachers but he is constant in the precedency which he gives the Apostles before the Prophets He has appointed some for Apostles and others for Prophets Nevertheless notwithstanding his humility he gives the first Place to his own Dignity when he acted in his Apostleship he gave way to no Man If we may believe him the Apostles of the Christian Church were more excellent than the Prophets Nor do we too highly exalt the Apostleship by adding that it included in it self all the advantages affixed to the inferiour Degrees The Apostles were Prophets and Teachers they had the Gift of working Miracles which the Holy Ghost divided among them Had they all the Gift of Healing Did they all speak divers Languages Did they all Interpret No but the Apostles did all this the Grace of the Apostleship included all other Graces We ought not slightly to pass by the words of Saint Paul when designing to set forth that subordination which Grace had established in the Primitive Church by the variety of Gifts he declares that to every one is given the manifestation of the Holy Ghost so far as is expedient Though St. Paul had not said it 't is a Truth which common Sence would have given us to understand For do we not find that it is incumbent upon the wisdom of God to order the Means according to the Purpose which he proposes to himself Let us then say that the Apostles had a measure of the Holy Ghost proportionable to the designs of the Apostleship They had at least as much of the Spirit of Truth as the Prophets had received We say at least for in regard the Apostolic Writings were to be serviceable toward the edification of the Church at all times and in all places 't is clear that those Writings wanted a more especial assistance than those other of which the primitive use was only for a particular Nation and for a very limited time But 't is sufficient for me to extend the force of my Argument so far that the Prerogative ought at least to be equal If then the writings of the Prophets were inspir'd as I have prov'd certainly the writings of the Apostles who were the more excellent ought à fortiore to be inspired 'T is not any thing of personal Excellence which is the Business in dispute for the Prophets and Apostles are not to be here considered but with reference to the Use that they were made for The Prophets were not Prophets for themselves 1 Pet. 1.12 unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the Things c. The Apostles were not Apostles for themselves but it was for our sakes that they administer'd They are our Masters we are grounded upon their Writings Let us compare the Prophets and the Apostles we shall find that as it is certain that the Apostles were much more excellent than the Prophets 't was requisite they should have a more advantageous share of the Holy Ghost They stood in need of a lively and durable Light which was not to be extinguish'd by time but to enlighten all Ages I do not believe this argument is to be eluded with the least Tittle of Solidity Some will say that we ought to look upon the Writings of
the Prophets with a more awful respect because upon some occasions we find that they speak like Prophets and as it were the immediate Embassadors of God But this Consideration brings no advantage to the writings of the Old Testament For we see something of the same nature in the greatest part of those of the New Testament even in those wherein according to M. N. there are the fewest of the inspired Passages I speak of the Epistles of St. Paul which he begins with a Preface wherein is to be seen under what Quality he writes Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ He writes like an Apostle like a man inspired by the Spirit of God like a man set apart to preach the Gospel The Title is sufficient to shew that he wrote like an Apostle and with all the advantages of the Grace of the Apostleship Infallibility was one of the dependencies upon that Grace for the Holy Ghost conferr'd it upon every one so far as was expedient Was it not expedient that the first Ministers of the Gospel should be infallible when they proclaimed such Mysteries to the VVorld It is visible that the Grace of Infallibility was necessary in the exercise of the Apostleship The Question then returns to this Did S. Paul exercise his Apostleship in writing Did he make use of that Grace in his VVritings We cannot have a better Testimony than himself who tells us that he wrote as an Apostle of the Lord. By vertue of that Character which he assumes in the Prefaces of his writings he exacts from us our Belief of all that he says To contradict him in any thing is to dishonour the Apostleship and to offend the Holy Spirit who made the Apostles From time to time St. Paul informs us even in the body of his Epistles that it is by vertue of the Grace of God which he has received as an Apostle that he instructs his Readers For I say Rom. 2.3 through the Grace given unto me to every man among you says he to the Romans He lays his Foundation according to the Grace of God 1 Cor. 3.10 11. and he builds upon that Foundation according to the Grace which is given him that Grace which he so frequently mentions with such great Elogies In the first Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans he calls it Grace by way of Excellency Rom. 1.5 By whom we have received Grace and Apostleship c. In his Epistle to the Ephesians he speaks of this Grace with a greater emphasis whereof I was made a Minister according to the gift of the Grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power to me is this Grace given c. The Grace of the Apostleship was then a Gift of the first Degree and according to that degree it was that St. Paul both taught and wrote But besides the testimony which St. Paul gives of himself we have on his behalf the attestation of Saint Peter who tells us that St. Paul wrote according to the wisdom which was given to him This is a Talent which he had not hid in the Ground he could not do it I speak thus not only in reference to the probity of Saint Paul who had too much Sincerity to disguise the Counsel of God but because the Counsel of God was such that the Gospel should be preserv'd in its Purity by the means of the Apostolick writings This was the Business of the Almighty nor could the Apostles but obey that Sovereign Order upon which depended the Salvation of the whole World The Apostles wrote according to that wisdom which God had imparted to them which clearly enough confirms their Inspiration Nor have the Prophetic Writings any stronger argument on their side CHAP. XII Wherein the Inspiration of the Books of the New Testament is made out by the Promise which Jesus Christ made of his Spirit to the Authors of it IT will be easie to make a Demonstration of this to Persons who are convinc'd that Christ had sincerity and Power sufficient to perform his Promises 2 Joh. 14.26 But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name said Jesus to his Apostles he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you This Promise puts us in hopes of two things the one is that the Apostles should be instructed by the Holy Ghost in reference to their Apostleship the second is that the Holy Spirit would bring distinctly to their Remembrance whatever they had heard their Master say VVe ought to observe that our Lord and Saviour makes this Promise at a time when he was desirous to comfort his afflicted Apostles He had declared that he was about to leave them What shall we then do said they to themselves Thou hast established us Masters in Israel while thou art with us we shall acquit our selves of our Ministry without any trouble or disquiet if we meet with difficulties thou art here to resolve them we are assur'd that we shall speak the truth while we speak after Thee Therefore Jesus Christ to deliver them out of this Perplexity promises them an Infallible Spirit that should remain with them all along John 4.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that be may abide with you for ever In the Verse which I cited before Christ explains the Function of this new Comforter He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your Remembrance C. 15.26 whatsoever I have said unto you In the following Chapter this Comforter is for the same Reason called the Spirit of Truth 16. v. 13. and his Function is more particularly described in the 16th Chapter where it is said that the Spirit of truth should guide the Apostles in all truth This was a general Promise which dissipated the disquiet of those Holy men Luke 12.11 12. They had been already assured that they should never want words when they should be called before Tribunals And when they bring you unto the Synogogues and unto Magistrates and Powers take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye shall say The Repetition of this Promise was very necessary when Christ was ready to leave the World and that the Apostles were upon the Point of being hauled before Magistrates Nor was this the only occasion wherein the Disciples of the Lord had need of his assistance he makes them a much larger promise and assures them that the Holy Ghost shall guide them in all truth to the end they may fulfil the Functions of their Apostleship A Promise so glorious fixes the Infallibility of the Apostles above all manner of Objection So long as our Lord and Saviour shall be acknowledged for Infallible we must confess that his Promise has been fulfill'd and that as he had promised his Apostles exempt from error
be agreed also that their Memory might deceive them It is clear then that if the Holy Ghost left them to their Infirmities our warrants for the truth of their Revelations is not over abounding Therefore we must of necessity admit the Guidance of the Holy Spirit VVhen we seriously dive into the writings of these Gentlemen there is a great deal of reason to suspect that they seem to have some regard for the Apostolic Revelations only to make some shew They do not believe they do any injury to their Darling Principle which reduces all Religion to Reason purely Natural They know well that the number of these Revelations is not considerable And should we oppose against them any one that annoy'd them never so little they would from the Infirmities of the Apostles derive an argument which should bring their Revelations to the trial Their Concessions are exactly calculated for their Principles specious appearances which signifie little Such is their Confession of the Infallibility of Jesus Christ They discourse of it in pompous Terms which however are of no great advantage to the Christian Religion For since he has not written any thing all that comes onely to the infallibility of Preaching If a Doctrine taught viva voce with Infallibility be intrusted to Writers that may falsifie it 't is evident that their Writings can be no foundation of a certain Belief And therefore we have a priviledge to examin what they have written by the Rules of sound Judgement And to this it is that they would reduce all Religion But not to speak at present of any other Revelations than what the Apostles had 't is seen that though an Infallible Spirit suggested them they lose the Prerogative of their original Infallibility when they come once to be handled by the Apostles in case the Holy Ghost had suffered those Revelations be obscur'd by human infirmities I say then that the Holy Ghost acts two ways by relation to the truths which he hath revealed by the Apostles First he suggested those truths which he imprinted in their Souls by some of those ways which I have set down wherein the Apostles were in a passive disposition like a piece of Cloth that receives the Colours 'T is in this manner that they were instructed but when they set themselves to instruct others and communicate in writing what the Holy Ghost had taught them he acted after another manner he push'd them forward to write he strengthen'd and refreshed their Memories and so directed their Pens that they wrote nothing which was not to the purpose and according to the most exact Rules of Truth There was then in the written Revelations which they have left us two sorts of Inspiration Inspiration of Suggestion and Inspiration of Direction CHAP. III. Wherein is Explain'd the Nature of the Inspiration of the Sacred Books of the New Testament in reference to things which the Apostles had heard and seen WE must acknowledge that we should expose our selves to very smart Objections in maintaining that the Holy Ghost dictated all the Words and all the Things which the Apostles wrote The Infallibility of their VVritings does not depend upon that Hypothesis as we shall shew hereafter The Holy Ghost suggested to those Holy Men the things which they knew not But as for those things which they knew they had need only of his Direction to render 'em infallible in their VVritings To the end my Notion may be the better understood I distinguish those things which the Apostles knew by the ordinary ways of Knowledge There were some that had a regard to ordinary Education and others that were the Consequences of Instruction in Religion I refer to common Education whatever the Apostles might have learn'd from Nature and Society There are an infinite number of Things which enter into the Minds of the most vulgar Souls even without study I do not pretend that the Apostles were learned and witty Men at the time they were called 'T is known that unless it were S. Paul whose Education had been singular the other Apostles were very rude and unpolish'd and they had reason to make of their Ignorance a Glorious Monument to the Holy Ghost who with such feeble Instruments triumph'd and caus'd the Gospel to triumph in all Places However this is no Hinderance but that it must be agreed that the Apostles had replenish'd their Minds with several things which they had learn'd without the Help of Study They had general Ideas that are obvious to the most illiterate and they had other Ideas with which their Profession and common Conversation furnish'd ' em The Instruction which they receiv'd in Religion was at two times before and after their Call to the Apostleship Before their Call they knew as much as had been usually taught of the Jewish Religion to the common People whether by the Exposition of Scripture or the Rehearsal of some Traditions After their Call for three or four years they saw and heard what is to be read in the Gospels These are those things which enter'd into the Minds of the Apostles by seeing and hearing and which have their Place in the Apostolick Writings Common Knowledge furnish'd 'em with Allusions Metaphors Proverbs and Maxims of Wisdom The Knowledge of Religion challenges the first Rank in Scripture there we see the Christian ingrafted upon the Jew the Gospel added to the Law the Apostles wrote concerning Christianity as People that had been Jews Our Business is to decide how the Holy Ghost guided the Apostles in those things which they knew by the ways already observ'd 'T is clear that a new Suggestion was absolutely useless and as we ought not at any time to have Recourse to Miracles but in a Case of Necessity we should violate that Maxim by affirming that the Holy Ghost suggested and whisper'd into the Ears of the Apostles what they knew before He was not oblig'd to begin but where Nature had ended 't was enough that he spoke when she became silent Let us not imagine however that he was only a Spectator of the Functions of Nature He brought her to perfection and hinder'd her from going astray In the Hands of this great Master the Faculties of the Soul receiv'd a new Degree of Strength the Senses more faithfully admitted the Images of Objects the Memory was refresh'd and confirm'd and the Judgment found the way not to be deceiv'd 'T is my Opinion that it cannot be deny'd but that the Apostles found all these Advantages in the assistance of a Spirit that in a moment taught 'em to speak Foreign Languages that in Answer to their Prayers reviv'd the dead but which appears to us yet more considerable for our Purpose who made choice of the Apostles to make 'em Masters whose Credit should be so great as that the Faith of the People might rely upon their Testimony We have thus seen that the Apostles learn'd by the assistance of their Senses several things before they were call'd and after
Direction has produc'd 'T is agreed that God cannot err and that by Consequence the way which he shews us is the way of Truth But if they whom he conducts prove Rebels to his Conduct or if we are not capable to discern the Things wherein they are directed or those to which they are not guided it will not be any great matter to us whether or no we are assur'd that the Holy Ghost was pleas'd to direct them Therefore to lay some foundation of Christian assurance distinguish the manner how the Apostles obey'd that Direction and the nature of the Things wherein they were infallibly directed It is essential to know the manner how the Apostles obeyed the Direction If it were in their power not to have obeyed we have no assurance that they were directed in the Composition of the Sacred Writings and in making the Analysis of our Faith we shall ascend to a very dubious Point We might put the Question to our selves could it be impossible that the Apostles Fishers as they were should withdraw themselves from their Obedience in the same manner as formerly Jouas did when he was sent to Ninive it may be that they have not written when and how they ought to have done If ever this Doubt be rais'd 't is easie to confute it To which purpose there are two things to be considered the one in reference to the Apostles the other in reference to God 1. The Dispute does not lie as to one Apostle singly there are twelve or thirteen who serve to be Examiners the one of the other For they who have wrote and they who have not written are equally called to the trial If among them there was any one who through a Spirit of Rebellion was not absolutely conformable to the direction of the Master the rest would have been all in Tumult and either would have reclaim'd or cried down the Mutineer But when we see that all the Apostles are in a perfect Harmony as to the Apostolic Writings and in a Union Cimented with the Blood which they have shed to seal the Truth of their Testimony the Doubt is disperc'd and we are persuaded that it is not possible that twelve or thirteen Witnesses known to be people of Integrity should concur to the stedfast maintenance of the least Lye 2. What I have said in reference to the Apostles receives a new Reinforcement from what I have to say in reference to God He had engaged himself to honour the Ministry of the Apostles with Miracles which were the attestation of Heaven Are not the Apostles fit to be Credited while they are supported by the Deposition of such a Testimony As it is impossible that God should tell Lyes there is also the same impossibility that he should authorize a Lye Had the Apostles refused to obey the direction of the Holy Ghost God would have reassumed those Gifts of Miracles from 'em which he never had granted them but to verifie their Doctrine and their Mission Let us conclude then from his perseverance to glorifie their Apostleship to the end of their Lives that they inserted nothing but what was true in those Writings where they laid up our sacred Religion as a Trust committed to their Charge This Observation shews us that in case the Apostles had gone astray God would have made known their deviation by a Cessation of their Miracles But it behoves us to add that it was Gods design to prevent that starting aside He was resolved that such and such Men should be the Ministers of his Grace throughout the Universe Unless you will say that God was not able to render them fit for this great Design which is infinitely absurd it must be acknowledged that he took that preventive Care that their infirmitives should not turn them out of the right Path. Judas might be guilty of Treachery without doing the least injury to this Reflexion He lost himself at a time when our Saviour was still upon Earth Though all the Apostles had then become Traytors the Gospel would not have suffer'd Jesus Christ would have chosen Ministers more faithful But since he had cleans'd his Floor and that he has solemnly confirm'd his Apostles by the Mission of his Spirit let us fear nothing 't is for his Honour to guide 'em to the Truth and his Design by their means to present us with the Riches of his Grace engages him to have a strict Eye upon those Ministers to whose Functions he has affixed the Salvation of Mankind If the Salt loose it's savour wherewith shall it be season'd If the Holy Ghost suffers the Apostles to fall all men fall with them Provided we consider it well we shall find that the Apostles might not be without sin and yet be infallible Infirmities are as it were the Portion of Human Nature they are to be met with in the choicest Saints it being the pleasure of Providence to shew that they are but men But these Infirmities are not Essentials They are surprizes from which they recover themselves after a little Recollection What has this in Common with such faults as the Apostles might have committed in their Writings which the composed in the height of serious Thought and which they never recanted The Infirmities of the Apostles shewed that they were Men but such a constant Prevarication in the most essential Duty of their Function would have made 'em to have been worse than Devils 'T is therefore no true way of arguing to say that because the Apostles were not altogether without sin they might betray the Church by a voluntary Suppression of the Council of God But the grand Reason which warranted their Fidelity in the Administration of Holy Things ought to be drawn from our Saviour's Design in the Choice which he made of the Apostles and the Promise which render'd 'em capable of the Apostleship The Design was by their Preaching or by their Writing to publish the Doctrine of the Gospel Had they dealt treacherously in their Ministry this Design upon which depended the Faith of the Elect had never been put in execution The Promise was to guide the Apostles in all Truth So that the supposing they might have prov'd unfaithful involves the Lord Jesus himself in this Accusation of Infidelity He promises that he will guide his Apostles to the Truth that is to say that he will make 'em faithful So that if they cease to be faithful he ceases to be so himself he fails of his Word because he does not fullfil his Promise To evade this Demonstration they cry that provided our Saviour Jesus Christ declares and shews the Truth to his Apostles he is not to be blam'd in the least tho they refuse either to follow or teach it To which I answer two things First that this Promise The Spirit of Truth shall guide you in all Truth implies more than a bare shewing of the Truth The Holy Ghost if he design'd to be a true Conductor of the Apostles was to guide
forgot what kind of death Christ Jesus died The death of Judas was an Accident so considerable and so extraordinary that they could not but remember it will they say that Saint Luke was deceived How could that be He wrote under the Inspection of the Apostles concerning a notorious Accident That says he which was known to all the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Doubtless he had read the Gospel of Saint Matthew whom he acknowledged to be a testimony of sufficient Credit After which would he in common sence have undertaken to contradict such a Testimony By these Reflexions it appears that it is impossible that either of the two Evangelists should have been deceived Nevertheless one says that Judas hang'd himself the other that he threw himself headlong But easie satisfaction may be given upon this seeming Contradiction 1. Nothing hinders the reconciling these two Idea's by saying that Judas hang'd himself upon some high place but that the Rope broke which was the reason that his Body falling headlong he burst himself and his Bowels gush'd out this is very possible In this the Evangelists agree perfectly One says what the other says not but they do not contradict themselves Therefore M. N. is in the wrong to assure us with so much confidence that it is a manifest Contradiction 2. 'T is known that there is a difference between hanging and strangling a mans self Judas might strangle himself and yet not hang himself Hammon and other good Authors say that upon this occasion Grief did the Office of a Hangman and proves by several Examples that men have been strangled with Grief that is to say that they were choked by intercepting the passage of the Spirits The original Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies no more Let us say then that this Accident befell Judas in some High place from whence his Body falling might burst out 3. I ought not to forget a third Opinion according to which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or strangled himself includes not the death of Judas but barely an extream Grief As if a man should say though he did not die at the same time I am stifl'd with Grief only to express a considerable degree of anguish of mind In the Book of Tobit Tob. 3.12 vid. Ham. in Matth. 27.5 there is an express example of it We find the Daughter of Raguel so terribly griev'd with the Reproaches that were cast upon her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that she thought to have strangled her self However she did not die as appears by the sequel of the History Thus it was say they that Judas was surpriz'd by his Grief he did not die presently but some days after he went and threw himself headlong in the height of that Rage which attends people in in despair Saint Matthew speaks of the excessive Grief of Judas Saint Luke of his Death there is no contradiction After these three Explanations can a man with so much confidence affirm that 't is a manifest Contradiction which the Learned in vain endeavour to reconcile Must he not have declar'd open War against the Sacred Writers to call this a manifest Contradiction I appeal to all Persons of Justice and Moderation whether it does not appear by the manner after which the Answers are made to both Examples that they are not sufficient to prove that the Evangelists contradicted themselves or were deceived even in things of little Importance CHAP. IX Wherein it appears what ought to be the Extent of the signification of the words which the Sacred Writers have made use of in the Writings of the New Testament I Have distinguish'd those things which the Holy Ghost immediately suggested to the Apostless from those wherein he only presided by way of Direction They would not make any Scruple to grant that the signification of the Expressions dictated by the Holy Ghost are to be taken in a full sence but 't is pretended that there is no need of being so exact in those that may be called the product of Human Wit M. N. cannot brook there should be any search made after the Reasons why the Holy Ghost made use of one word rather than another and maintains that it is Ridiculous because often the Language of the Sacred Authors is Human and Careless enough The ordinary Method hath as he thinks a grear affinity with the Opinion of the Jews who hold it for a Maxim that the Books of the Law are inspired even to a Letter Defence des sentim pag. 235. lett 9. There is not one Letter in the Law say they upon which great Mountains do not depend He alledges the Example of the Antecedent Imputation of the Sin of Adam which is grounded upon a Comparison that S. Paul makes use of that Comparison says he is taken in a rigid sence whereas it should be consider'd that the Style of S. Paul being the Style of a man who is not exact in his expressions though the ground of his Arguments are to be admir'd Now to be so nice about the full signification of all his Expressions would expose one to a world of mistakes I am glad he acknowledges that the grounds of S. Pauls Arguments are to be admir'd Were the Author hard put to it I question whether he would not enervate this Confession with some distinction But that we may examin what he says concerning those who insist too severely upon the Sacred Language of the authors of the New Testament I think it necessary to observe two Things 1. That by this sort of Divinity they annihilate the use of the Sacred Books They will make them speak whatever they think fit Who does not plainly see that if they can make us believe that the Sacred Authors wrote things without exactness there must be a door open'd for all manner of Errors Though I set down a Truth which I might support upon words that seem clear to me they will presently dispute it with me because they may tell me there is no exactness in the Terms You deceive your self by confining your thought to the meaning of the words This is awonderful Rampart for all manner of Heretics Had the Holy Ghost abandon'd the Holy Writers to such a Negligence I should believe that his design was to have made the Scripture a Nursery of Errors and Divisions and not a Nursery of Truth 2. That although the Style of the Sacred Authors be Human it cannot be said to be Careless in respect of Things we know that there are Careless Expressions which Grammar would never pardon The Holy Ghost had no design to make the Apostles Masters of Language his aim was only to instruct them in the Truth provided they render'd it Intelligible that was sufficient According to this supposition 't is plain that we ought not to take the Language of the Apostles for a Model of pure Greek that was never the design of the Holy Ghost But since it is certain that he made them intelligible