the writing of his Gospel and not the consigning the Canon For indeed the Apostle did compile his Gospel Rogatus ab Asiâ— Episcopis at the desire Euseb l. 4. c. 18 l. 5. c. 6 Irenaeus l. 0. c. 1 l. 5. justin warâ— heronim in catalogo ut magdeb lent 1. l 2. c 10. p 569. l 2. c. 4. p. 67. of the Bishops of â—â—sia as Eusebius and Jerom and others relate that 's very true Now tho some hence would deem that his Gospel was the last book of Scripture written by any Apostle yet I rather understand it as I said before that he was the last that wrote any Gospel of the life and acts of our blessed Lord. For so the words of Jerom imports novissimus omnium c. â—he was the last of all that wrote any Gospel History not that he novissimum librum novi Testamâ—nti conscripsit wrote the last book of the Testament that cannot be fetcht out of these words of Jerom but is a force put upon them From whence they would seem to draw that if his Gospel were the last book written then he thereby consigned the Canon of the whole Scripture But the former not being clear from thâ—se words that because he was the last that writ a Gospel that therefore the Gospel was the last book of Scripture that was written by any Apostle that 's not consequent But if we can clear that the Gospel of John was the last book of holy Scripture that ever was written by the appointment of God it were to purpose indeed that the Canon were sealed up by it But if the Revelations should prove to be the last book written by command of the Spirit and pen'd at the desire of the Asian Churches according to his visions in Patmus then it must be Sigillum Canonis the finisher of the holy canon But this as yet I cannot certainly find and therefore at present must acquiesce Yet as to this Revelation book there being of old much debate it was at last determined among the Heresies to question its Authority now its being so late received it seems to imply that it was the latest penned Whatsoever hath been hitherto said I rather incline to think that this great work was not concredited to Angels or any holy men or Primitive Churches at first but performed by the Majestical Authority the Lord and King of his Church and that he himself in his own person commanded the sealing of the Canon to his Servant John from heaven in the close of the Revelation-book however it comes to pass that we have not as yet this testimony of John formally set down by any Ecclesiastick Writer of the Primitive Times that I have had the happiness to peruse happy they that shall produce it authentick just and true Eut it seems to me that our Lord himself performed this work when he added those direful and fearful curses to fall upon any that dare to add or diminish from it which looks like a sanction of heavenly Majesty Pro. 22 18 19 not only pronouncing that particular Prophecy but as extensive to the whole Bible since it was foretold by Daniel that the Messiah should not only suffer for transgression Dan 9 24 Grasserus but also seal up vision and Prophecy Which I well know may be construed in reference to all the ancient visions concentring in him but the phrase may comprehend also his sealing and determining and putting an end to all visions and prophecies after which there should come no more he being the great Prophet of his Church and his holy Spirit the great dictator of Scripture This I humbly take to be the full final and utmost period of all Scriptures according to the foretelling of Daniel and the practical consignation by our Lord himself and therefore needs no further authority Whether then this or the Gospel were written last it matters not so much as to the signing of the Canon but since the Apostles in their times did attest it and the primitive churches worshipped and walked by its light and that ever since by some notable providence it hath stood in the rear of the Canon in all ages we have received it in connexion with the other holy Scriptures as the complex or body of Divine Truths let down from heaven and therein as Tertullian expresses it we adore the fullness of the Scriptures Rom 3 2 1 Tim 3 16 2 Pet 1.21 To draw toward an upshot since we find the Scriptures of the Old Testament cited in the New as the Oracles of God-and thereby made authentical by the Spirit of God assuring us that the Prophets of old time spake as moved by the Holy Ghost and what they wrote was received by the Jewish Church which is dignified with that honour to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the keepers of the divine law since also that the New Testament is confirmed by divine miracles and oracles and the attestation of our Lord himself in the close of the Revelations what remains but to conclude that they are of heavenly original and have supremacy in and over the Church and over the whole world as the rule of life and are as a star shining in a dark place directing us in the path to eternal life Whatever the Romanists talk of their Church or any other of the Patriarchal Seats especially Jerusalem and Antioch where we are sure that Peter sat yet the Church can give no Authority to Scriptures Eph. 2. 2â— but commendatory and all else is but Sophism For the Church is built upon the doctrine of the holy Apostles and Prophets So that altho at first we receive the scriptures in and from the ministry of Christ in his church Yet as Austins saâ—ing to this point may be glossâ—d The whole Autâ—ority both for Ministers to preach and churches to act is deduced only from thâ— holy scriptures so that the Churches of Christ ought to do nothing in doctrine worship or manners but as the holy scriptures are their best their unerring and most authentick guide There rests yet a small objection before I conclude this chapter which is that if citations in the new as I said above do ratifie the Old then the Septuagint translation should receive a higher character than the Hebrew because in some places it s cited when differing from the Hebrew Then Aratus being cited in the Acts and Menander in the Corinths acts 17.28 1 Cor 15 22. T it 1â— 12 and Epimenides in Titus are all authorized by the Apostles I answer That the Septuagint Greek is cited only as a Translation which by wonderful providence was composed at the command of Ptolomy to prepate the Grecian Gentiles for receiving the Gospel But I must not enlarge As to the heathen authors Aratus and Epimenides are urged ad hominem as arguments from their own Prophets to convince theâ— of some heathenish follies and impieties As for Menander he is cited as
bitter root of all this Wormwood and Gall and being very desirous to deal in compassion as having been under some tentations I spake with several and found upon conference these following to be the principal causes of this Bondage of Spirit The 1. Was great ignorance of the true nature of Faith and of the main fundamental Truths of the Gospel which did amaze me to find upon search in so many glittering talking but indeed shallow Professors 2. Another was the great Levity Vanity and Laxness of their lives trifling out their precious time in fidling querks tales and jests to please some whose Trenchers they hang upon like the Parasites in Theophrastus not liâ—e the blessed People of the former age who far outshined us in the purity of Conversation and therefore in the brightness of their assurance 3. Others I observed to be of a froward perverse ill-natur'd ill-conditioned sower humor full of prate and unprofitable multiplicity of words censures backbitings hollowness of true friendship often murmuring at God and quarrelling with their Superiors 4. Others I perceived to be naturally of a fearful timorous wavering inconstant suspitious spirit ever learning and never coming to the knowledg of the Truth 5. And to end most people extream worldly couvetous full of sordid over-reaching tricks and cunning cheats in dealing and unless for a show basely backward to any excellent works of charity and strict in examining the poor to find an evasion which Jerom so complains of in some of his age Such as these eat out the very power of godliness and rob themselves of the season of meditation Periclitatur religio in negotiis Piety is lost in a crowd of worldly business with these and the rest I must declare that the holy Spirit of God delights not to hold communion as being fiery or miry Spirits Hereupon in my retirements I hope by the Grace of God I pitcht my thoughts when I could not be so publickly useful as formerly upon the composing a small Treatise of the genuine nature of Faith and in a peculiar Chapter to shew the individual connexion of Sanctification of heart and life in every gracious Believer In the management whereof I thought it might not be inexpedient to lay its foundation upon the Doctrine of the verity of the Scriptures in one Chapter and of the Deity of our blessed Lord in a second after the Preface the former being the Doctrinal object of Faith the latter the personal Now forasmuch that in all Sciences there be certain Principles on which their Theoremes and Maximes are built we may consider of the like in Divinity that the Holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 16. being able to make us wise to Salvation are the only true Basis and Foundation on which all the great Doctrines of Holiness and Happiness do most firmly insist In particular that great point of Faith which bears it self on the new Covenant of Grace revealed in those sacred Pages I thought meet therefore briefly to endeavour the proof of this high point that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the undoubted Word of the living God and thereby to be received with all veneration imaginable as the solid fundamental of true Christianity in special of the weighty Doctrine of Faith And this I have the more willingly performed at the entrance of this Tract that good Christians may not I hope need to go otherwhere to draw but have sufficient to settle their Faith on this Foundation tho it be more amply enlarged upon abroad Now whereas it may be said that Principles are indemonstrable as in Mathematicks and other Sciences Suarez 5 to Mettaph L. C. we must understand that Maxim of the Principles of Essence and not of cognition or knowledg It is so as to the verity of Holy Scriptures we cannot demonstrate them any further and t is enough than that they are founded on the glorious Authority of the infinitely wise true and most holy God as consentanious to the verity and excellency of his nature and published by his injunction as the rule of life and means of communion with himself in eternal happiness The Lord hath spoken and who shall not tremble Amos 3.8 Oh that Majestick stile Ezek 14.4 c. Thus saith the LORD makes Men and Devils to quake and rottenness to enter into their Spirits when God sets it home upon their Consciences My Design then is to shew that at the Revelation and Exhibition of the holy volumes that I may both satisfie and confirm weak Believers and convince if possible scoffing Atheists that there were such mighty Testimonies of their divine original attending the dispensing of them to the Church and the World that may convince all of their Heavenly Off-spring if persons put not on the veil of wilful ignorance 2 Cor. 3.15 detaining the truth in unrighteousness And in the close it will appear that Hystorical Faith well grounded is useful to true and saving Faith. There are then two principal points which did await their sliding down from Heaven into the hearts of the illuminated Pen-men inspired by the Holy Ghost and the uttering of them to the People in their distinct Ages which may be comprehended in the first Chapter 1. The wonderful Oracles and Prophecies mentioned in those sacred leaves which have been punctually fulfilled in the several Generations of the Church 2. The Divine Miracles above and beyond the power of nature exhibited at those two great junctures the delivery of the Law by Moses and the promulgation of the Gospel at Mount Zion In the conclusion of this first Chapter I intend God willing to treat somewhat of the consignation of the Canon of Holy Scripture a Point much desired by some and may be of use to others In the second Chapter let us speak to the Deity of our blessed Lord which indeed is the grand point of Christian Religion the very Foundation of the Church of God as Nicephorus Callistus reports a Story of a deep Cave discovered at Jerusalem under the ruines of the old Temple when the Jews by the permission and instigation of Julian to contradict the Prophecy of our Lord would needs attempt to build it again but were beaten off by Thunder and Lightning where they found within it upon a Stone Pillar the Gospel of the Apostle John fairly laid and preserved Let the Patriarch protect the truth of the story I mention it allusively to this great Truth that lies at the Foundation of the true Church that the Deity of Christ the principal design of John's Gospel is the only Rock laid by the Father in Zion Isai 28.16 without which our Faith sinks and all our hopes vanish If that be a nullity all is gone Christianity is a vain Profession and our Bibles as to Christ and the new Covenant of Grace of no value Wherefore O Professors of this true Religion hold these two points inviolable as your lives The verity of the Scriptures and the Deity of
are not able to ioynt every Oracle so its precise complement I shall yet endeavour to recal as many as I can leaving the test to further oppertunities by Divine leave Besides I do not think it very proper to over-burden this tract or insist very long on such things which else are useful to settle our faith upon a solid foundation since our chief aim is the Doctrine of Faith it self In the first place then because the transactions about our blessed Lord and Saviour are the very kernel and marrow of the whole bible I shall set them down before I present any other Prophecies First we read that God himself immediately foretold to our first parents the incarnation of his Son our blessed Lord by a Woman and by the Prophet Isaiah that she should be a Virgin Gen 3 15 Isai 7 14 Postel in speed hist c 6. p 204. Spotswood hist scotl p â— Lond 1668 and so it s related that the Druids which were so famous of old here in Britain did of ancient times declare that he should be born of a blessed Virgin whence we may observe that our Lord took upon him the humane nature not the Angelical and likewise that he took upon him no mans person but a distinct one of his own Heb 2 16 Luke 1 35 Gen 12 3 18 18 22 18 Gen 26 4 28 14 Num. 6 24 17 his body being formed of the Hoiy Virgin by the inumbration of the Holy Ghost 2. It is foretold that he should proceed from Abraham and therefore of the Hebrew Nation excluding Japhet and Cham and all their Posterity Again he was to come of Isaack excluding all the Midianites and Hagarens After that from Jacob excluding the Edomites since he was to be their glittering starr proclaimed by Balaam to arise out of the loins of Israel and should in the latter dayes have dominion over Gog or the Turk according to the Samaritan Copy The lustre of this star shined upon the Magi or wise men the posterity of Abraham by Keturah and is also toucht by Chaleidius upon Plato's Timeus Est quoque alia sanctior venerabilior historia quae perhibet ortu stellae cujusdam non morbos mort esque denunciatas sed descensum Dei venerabilis ad humanae conservationis rerumque mortalium gratiam Quam stell am cum nocturni itinere suspexissent chaldcorum profecto sapientes viri consideratione rerum caelestium satis exercitati quesissae dicuntur recentem ortum Dei repertaque illae majestate puerili veneratos esse vota Deo tanto convenientia noncupasse quae tibi multo melius sunt comperta quam Caeteris Mat 2 Chalcid in plat Timeum p 219 Edit p 4 to 1617 Gen 25 15 These are the words of Chalcidius to Orostus Bp. of Corduba Edit Lug 4 to 1617 These wise men that I may a little gloss upon that point I take to be of the posterity of Abrahams second wife and mingled among Ishmaelites whom their fath or sent away and planted in the East Countâ—â— that is called in the Hebrew Kedemah from Kâ—dem one of the sons of Ishmael who dwelt among the Itureans of Jetur and the Nabathaei of Nebaioth and the Cedraei in Pliny of Kedar c Gen 25 15 on the East of the Land of Canaan before you come to the River Euphrates and this was the Land that should be composed into a Map by it self and called the Land of Kedemah or the east country and here it was that Job lived being of the Race of Keturah or of Ishmael in Kedem and here the rest of his friends also dwelt that were petty Kings over little Territories adjoining to some little Cities in those elder dayes Among these were the Zabii of Balaams Kindred cultores Dei the worshippers of God that sprang out of Abrahams family but were polluted with divers superstitions and magical corruptions fardled together out of Astronomy physick and several blind abfurd traditions yet retaining some reliques of truth not utterly obliterated but degenerating worse and worse Of whom were the Ancient Chaldeans and Genethliaci observers of stars and times and daily grew more corrupt and confused till it came to the Arabians their Haly and such like patrons of folly The former were those that dwelt among the Mountains of the East and by the Rivers of Mesopotamia whose successors are prophecied to come with presents to Christ Our second Solomon and the very time of their coming to our blessed Lord at Bethlehem Numb 22.5 23.7 Psal 72 10 may be stated from the Ecclipse of the Moon within the same year that Herod dyed But enough of this at present 3 In the next place it was declared by Jacob on his death-bed in his swan-like song that the Messiah should descend of Judah and rise up like a Lion out of that Tribe Gen. 49 10 but who dares rouze him up or encounter with him 4 The particular family in that Tribe was predicted to David to be from himself and other where Ichro 17 11 4 Psal 89 20 Isai 11 1 that he should spring from the root of Jesse the Father of David 5. The place of his birth is also specified to be the little city of Bethlebem and of his education to be Nazareth as some interpret that place in Zechary Micah 5 2 Zech 6 12 Mat 2 23 4 15 Isa 9 2 not only because he was the Branch but as to the Town where he lived and that he should appear in the second Temple and fill it with glory and that the crowns which were hung up in the windows of that Temple should presignifie the counsel of peace to be between his Kingly and Priestly Office and besides there are many other specialties mentioned concerning him Zech 9 9 which came exactly to pass as his riding to Jerusalem on the foale of an Ass and the peoples crying Hosanna before him his being sold for thirty pieces of silver and pierced on the cross Psal 69 21 his drinking vinegar and feeding on Gall his tasting of myrrhine wine the wine of the condemned to soporate the senses Mark 15 23 and stupifie pain 6. The time of his coming into the world is also distinctly predicted First in general when the Land of Israel should be sorsaken of both their kings nor onely the Syrian of Damascus Isai 7 16 but the royal scepter or at least the Supream Government shall depart and utterly be cut off from Israel and Judah Gen. 49.10 Josephus which was compleatly performed when Herod caused the Sanhedrin to be put to Death But yet more particular Dan. 27. when the middle of the last week of Daniel or the 486th year and an half should be fully accomplished at his sufferings in the midst of that week the Periocha or compass of which year took up their Epocha or commencement at the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus when the Commandment
of the Tides or saltness of the Sea or can by calculation set down that or the like appearances of the Sun and Moon both above the Horizon and in the meridian when they are in opposition partile so as to determine them exactly to a point of time M. Na Revel as they appeared to a Relation of mine at the Cape of Norway who can open and discover the vertues and the reasons of Specificks and occult qualities called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unspeakable properties Nay to go much lower who among the Learned in Chronology can truly state the age of the world considering the years of the Antediluvian Fathers are set down in round numbers and yet how positive are many weak pretenders What the admirable sagacity of future ages may compass as to thousands of problems within the circle of Sciences or in that most noble Art of Chymistry or the analysis of the three kingdoms of nature the tubes and glasses of our present inventions give us no sufficient prospect We and our Fathers pitty Austin and Lactantius and others for denying the Antipodes and which makes the jest for deriding those that held that opinion Philaster Brixâ—ensis and some so zealous as Pope Zachary to Excommunicate Bp Virgilius for holding it And some of the Antients put down very odd heresies of the like kind The learned of this age wonder at the denial of the motion of the Earth tho now the truth of it appears clear to all the generality of the ingenious of Europe and might be easily demonstrated by the transition of the Moon constantly eastward by the fixed Stars in the Zodiack by the six-fold bigness of Mars at his opposition to the Sun and by other invincible reasons mentioned by Gallaeo and others Indeed so may posterity deride at these our ages and the more ingenious of future times may stand amazed at our dulness and stupidity about minerals meteors and the cure of diseases and many thousand things bosides about the lustre of stars and precious stones which may be as easy to them as letters to us which was so wonderful a mystery at first and is so still to the American Heathens to form the fleeting breath of our lips into painted scrawles upon paper To them the longitude may be as easy as the Latitude to us and that by methods we yet do not dream off Such rare inventions may be given in of God to beautifie the glory of the latter days All our writings in Divinity will be like insipid water to what shall then appear upon the Stage when the Jews come in and the Artists that shall then be born may discover more things in the works of God to be discust and endeavoured to be explained then they themselves shall arrive to The supâ—erflne Wisdom and Learned Wits of those acute times will discover vast regions of darkness and ignorance There will be a plus ultra to the end of the world The scope for which I mention these or the like curiosities is that if nature can posâ— all men in the matter and composition of the heavenly bodies and in the various mixtures of all things under the Moon and puts forth new riddles continually to vex and torture mens brains in making water malleable or to measure mineral winds c. to find the weight of fire or to make artificial carbuncles to shine and burn in the night or exuberate Mercury yea and malleable glass too Rev. 21.18 Pers. Stat 1. which some boasters pretend to if in millions of things we are stunted and fooled at every turn that we may cry out with the Satyrist Auriculas Asini quis non habet What fearful sots are we in the things before us Then what shall dull reason do in the great sublimities and solemnities of faith and the doctrines set forth by Infinite Wisdom What long ears had Socius and many others that will admit little or nothing but what must come to this scale that will scarce turn at an hundred weight Nay things that the glorious Angels do strain at and makes their wisdoms to bend like an Ozier in a storm and can never feel the bottom of these deeps without drowning Mat. 18.10 though they stand always beholding the face of God. 2. Reason besides its finiteness being less then the dwindle of a rush candle to pierce into the concameration of the heavens it s also very corrupt since the fall of man polluted with many stains and filthy contagions The pia mater is now grown impia The strongest brain is now shrunk into a cerebellum and that stayned with yellow poyson The pure spirits in the nerves are now grown thick and corporeal with many feculencies The ey 's chrystalline humour has a thousand black motes swimming in it that we can difcern nothing but what 's confused inverted distorted The most serend and shning intellect that ever was in meer man Schotti iter Eâ—sâ—aticum Schâ—iner Kircher is now become more cloudy and smoky than thofe Mountainous spots said to be found of late in the body of the Sun by the Telescope It is most deplorable to think how imperfect and obscure the minds of men appear and yet thru ' the obstinate perverseness of their wills how desperately tenacious of old fond and foolish notions So that not only the stupid Countryâ— an who is immerst in the dungil of conceitedness and will not alter his old customs 〈◊〉 But also many that sacrifice to Minerva in the School of Philosophy can hardly stride one step beyond Aristotle but are mockt and traduced by ignorant Caprisios How much more blind then the very Moles and Beetles are in discerning the motions of the heavenly bodies are natural men as to spiritual objects they are stark and stone blind and see not one spark of light The nature of man as truly says the Apostle perceiveth not the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 neither indeed can do for they are spiritually discerned He hath no eyes suitable and proper for such excellencies 3. Because reason as such was never appointed to obtain those sublime ends God never designed the great matters of eternity and the other world and the tremendous issues of his glorious Dâ—creâ—s to be scanned and examined by the weak brains of silly worms that crawl at his foot-stool but has ordained them to be believed and received for supreme truth upon his soveraign authority Our bodily hands can sooner span the visible heavens thâ—n our shallow and short reason the invisible mysteries within the heavens And who is that bold sceptick that dares to enter the lists and contend with his Maker Isai 45.9 Let pot-sherds strive with their fellow potsherds and not with the Almighty potter himself A proud usurpation and a sawcy intrusion no ways fit for such atomes of being as we are to meddle with These mysteries surpass the ingeny of the most intuitive Angels their morning or evening science is blacker than the deepest midnight neither