now makes the greatest differences in the Christian World requires nothing more at this day to be believed by those that are by Baptism received into the Church of Christ but only those things which are contained in the Creed commonly called the Apostles This Creed is recited there by the Priest and this alone when he comes to the Font and he interrogates the Persons to be baptized if they be adult or their undertakers if they be Infants about no other belief Upon the profession of which he bids them enter into the holy Church of God that they may receive the Celestial blessing from the Lord Jesus Christ and have a part with Him and with his Saints And having again examined adult Persons asking them Do ye believe in God the Father Almighty c. and mentioning no other Articles of Faith he baptizes them and declares them to be regenerate and to have remission of all sins And so do we do here nor is there any different practice in any other part of the Christian World but every where it is sufficient to consent to this Creed which is nothing but a brief explication what we are to believe concerning the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost in whose Name we are baptized If there were any thing beyond this which we are necessarily bound to believe it should have been then propounded when we were admitted into the state of Christianity For Baptism gives us a right and title to Salvation if we do not forfeit it afterward by Apostasie or by a wicked life and this Faith with a promise to live according to it gives us a right to Baptism Herein indeed the Roman Church contradicts it self in decreeing many other Articles of belief without which it declares Men cannot be saved and yet receiving Men at Baptism into a state of Salvation without demanding their consent to any such Articles But so they do in many other things and cannot avoid it while they forsake the ancient Universal Rule and set up their own private Authority to impose what they please under pain of Damnation SECT IV. But both contradicts it self and departs from the Ancient and truly Catholick Church FOR that no such things as they would now oblige all Christians to believe were anciently exacted it appears most manifestly by Irenaeus and Tertullian to name no others in several places Who call the Creed now mentioned the Rule of Truth and the Rule of Faith which the Church throughout all the World saith Irenaeus though it be dispersed to the most extream parts of the Earth received from the Apostles and their Disciples and believes as if there were but one Soul and one Heart in so many Men and with a perfect consent preaches and teaches and delivers these things as having but one mouth For though there be divers Languages in the World yet one and the same Tradition prevails every where For neither the Churches in Germany believe otherways or deliver any thing else nor they in Spain nor they in France nor they in the East nor they in Egypt nor they in Libya nor they that are founded in the midst of the World But as the Sun is one and the same in the whole World So is the preaching of the Truth inlightning all Men who will come to the knowledge of it And neither he who is most eloquent among the Governours of the Church preaches any thing different for no man is above his Master nor doth he that is weakest in speech lessen in the least this Tradition For there being one and the same Faith he that hath most to say cannot inlarge it nor he that hath least diminish it Thus they declared their minds in those early days when there was no Catholick Man or Woman in the World required to believe any of those Doctrines now in controversie between us and the Roman Church and set down in the Creed of Pope Pius IV. as necessary to Salvation but they all contented themselves with the simple belief of those things which the Apostles have delivered in their Creed the greatest Men in the Church delivering no more nor the meanest saying less And with this wise and good Men satisfied themselves in times succeeding as appears by this remarkable passage of St. Hilary in his little Book which he himself delivered to the Emperour Constantius Where he thus complains Faith is now enquired after as if we had none Faith must be set down in writing as if it were not in the heart Being regenerated by Faith we are now taught what to believe as if that regeneration could have been without Faith WE LEARN CHRIST AFTER BAPTISM AS IF THERE COULD HAVE BEEN ANY BAPTISM WITHOUT FAITH IN CHRIST SECT V. Christianity therefore is not there in its purity but much corrupted WHICH is a sufficient Argument to prove that the Christian Religion is not sincerely preserved in that Church and ought to with-hold us from joyning with them in imposing thus upon the Christian World and thereby breaking the bond of Unity and turning Men away from the Faith by the palpable falsities and absurd mixtures which are brought into it and that as necessary parts of the Faith of Christ To the adulterating of which we ought by no means to consent but maintain it in that purity wherein the Apostles delivered it to their Successors as we find it set down in the Works of a great many following Doctors of the Church whose Names I forbear but are ready at hand to make good what I quoted just now out of Irenaeus Who acknowledges him for a sincere Christian who holds fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Epiphanius recites his words which were then extant in Greek that Rule of Faith which he received in Baptism firm and unmoveable He cannot be a Heretick who thus believes on the Son of God in the sense wherein the Nicene Creed not adding any new Article of Faith but only declaring what was believed from the beginning hath explained the Word But they are Schismaticks who call him so and will not admit him into their Communion unless he consent to other things and hold them to be equally certain and necessary with the Ancient Rule of Faith SECT VI. Answer to an Evasion from the force of the foregoing Argument TO pretend that all those Articles of Faith which they now impose though not expresly mentioned in the Creed yet are contained in one Article of it Viz. in the belief of the Holy Catholick Church is in effect to make all the rest of the Creed unnecessary and to establish this sole Rule of Faith in the room of it For if by believing the Catholick Church we are to understand as they would have us whatsoever the Catholick Church propounds then it had been enough to have said to those Catechumens that came for Baptism Do you believe in the Holy Catholick Church and to add any more had been utterly superfluous But the vanity of this further appears in that
should mistake in the sense of the Scriptures yet they secure us that if we with honest and upright hearts continue to inquire after the truth designing nothing else that error shall not prejudice us But God will either discover to us his mind or not condemn us for our error of weakness not of wilfulness SECT XX. The Vanity of their appeal to Traditions AS for Interpretations of Scripture by Tradition they may be pretended and talkt of but cannot be produced in most places where we are desirous of that help which we gladly receive when we can have it by a truly Universal consent But as for particular interpretations of the ancient Fathers they do not absolutely agree with each other in their Expositions of those Texts upon which controversies of greatest moment are now grounded Nay they oft times propound divers interpretations alike probable And sometimes plainly intimate their doubtfulness and make but imperfect conjectures in such a manner as if they intended to excite Posterity to seek for further resolution Therefore we shall not dissent from them though we do not assent to all their particular interpretations Nay we cannot more dissent from them than by following their interpretations on such strict terms as the Romanists would bind us all to do when they seem to make for their advantage For then there is not the least surmise or conjecture of any one Father but must suffice against the joynt Authority of all the rest To which Rule of serving their interest they are so true that they stick not to reject any interpretation of the Fathers when they think good and which is more to prefer their own expositions before theirs And so they do in the matter of all other Traditions though called Apostolical For instance the threefold immersion in Baptism which seems to have flowed from an Apostolical Canon is long ago abolished saith their Canus by a contrary custome And so is the custome of giving the communion to Infants which prevailed says their Maldonate for 600. Years in the Church not only antiquated by them but decreed to be unlawful Which clearly shows that they might if they pleased make an end of all the controversies that trouble the Church without any disparagement but rather with the increase of its Authority For challenging a power to alter even the Institutions of Jesus Christ as they have done in taking away the Cup from the People in the Holy Communion and much more those of the Apostles what need all this stir about Apostolical Traditions or the Decrees of the Church which they may lay aside at their pleasure and have laid aside as appears by many other instances besides those now named that may be given of it But it is sufficient for the direction of every honest hearted Man to know which is as certain as any thing of that nature can be and may be undoubtedly relyed on that nothing is clearer in the Tradition of the Church than this that the Doctors of it declare the Scriptures to be full and perspicuous in all needful matters And therefore there needs no other Tradition but the Tradition of the Scriptures which satisfie us abundantly in the Truth of all those things which are universally received SECT XXI And their guilt in what they say about the holy Scriptures THERE cannot therefore be a greater demonstration of their guilt than this that notwithstanding such evident testimonies from the Scriptures themselves and the concurrent stream of the ancient Doctors of Christ's Church they have been forced to avoid this trial by the Scriptures to say so many scandalous things as they have done in disparagement of the Sacred Writings Many of them are commonly known and I am not willing to repeat the rest but only say this great truth that whether they will or no their Church such as it is receives all its Authority from the Scriptures and not the Scriptures from it For we can have no notion as was said before of a Church or of its authority but from the Scriptures Which therefore must be of greater authority than that which receives authority from them and be first supposed to be infallible before they can make us believe any thing else is so For we must be secure of the proof before we can be sure of the thing proved by it otherwise it is no proof but leaves us as much in doubt as we were before it was alledged If they say and what else can be said with any colour of reason that we must indeed learn their Churches infallibility from the Scriptures but then learn the rest from their Church mark I beseech you what follows Then it is manifest First that they themselves make the Scriptures the Rule of Faith in this one Article at least concerning the Catholick Churches infallibility Which we must therefore believe and for no other reason because the Scriptures which we first infallibly believe do teach and prove it Whence it plainly follows that private Men may and must be assured of the Truth of Scriptures without the help of their Churches Authority before they can believe any thing else because it is the ground for their belief of that infallibility which their Church pretends which to them is the General Rule of Faith And from thence it follows further that the Scriptures which to us are the only Rule of Faith ought to be acknowledged by them to be more than so even the Rule of their Rule of Faith And if it be so what reason can any Man alledge why it should not be the immediate Rule of Faith without sending us elsewhere to seek it in all other Articles of the Creed as well as in that of their pretended infallible Church We may appeal to all the World and call Heaven and Earth Angels and Men to witness between us and the Roman Church as a worthy Champion of our Cause did long ago whether the Articles of Christ's Incarnation his Death Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension Intercession the Resurrection of the Dead and life everlasting c. be not much more plainly set down in the Scriptures to any Mans apprehension whatsoever than the infallibility of the present Roman Church is in such words as these Thou art Peter c. Feed my Sheep or any other from whence they challenge it And therefore why should we be required to learn these or any other part of Christian Faith meerly from their Church when we learn them so easily by the Scriptures in which they are to be found more clearly delivered than any thing we read about their Church Let no Man doubt but if the Holy Ghost will teach us that Article of the Churches Infallibility immediately by the Scriptures without the help of the Churches infallible Authority as they themselves are forced to confess because else the Church can have no authority then He will immediately teach us by the same Scriptures any other Article of our Creed and whatsoever is necessary to Salvation
or conspiring as we may call it of events to a certain end is a manifest token of a provident direction Like as at Dice if a Man now and then throw a lucky cast which wins all it may be no more than a chance but if he throw the very same an hundred times there is no body who will not conclude that this proceeds from some extraordinary Art SECT XII And by Miracles ANother most certain proof of God's providence may be taken from those miracles and prophecies which are recorded in Histories Where though many fabulous things be related in that kind yet those that are testified by sufficient Witnesses living in the time when they came to pass such I mean as were defective neither in judgment nor in honesty are not to be despised as altogether impossible For in as much as God is both omnipotent and omniscient what can hinder him from signifying what he knows or what he pleaseth to do and that even beyond the common course of nature which being made and ordained by him becomes subject unto him by the title of creation Now if any do object that such things might have been done by subordinate powers and minds inferiour to God to them we answer that so much may be granted indeed but yet this makes way that the same may the more easily be credited of God who is to be thought either to work by the mediation of those Agents or else out of his wisdom to permit them when they bring to pass any such thing For in well ordered Kingdoms there is nothing done against the Statutes and common Laws but by the arbitrement or permission of the Supreme Governours SECT XIII Specially among the Jews whereunto credit may be given by reason of the long continuance of their Religion NOW that there have indeed been some miracles seen though the credit of other Histories should be questionable yet it is manifest enough in the Jewish Religion which albeit it hath long been destitute of all humane helps yea exposed to contempt and scorn yet for all that hath still continued almost in all the climates and parts of the World even unto this day whereas all other Religions saving the Christian which is the perfection as it were of the Jewish have either vanished as soon as the Imperial Power and Authority was withdrawn whereby they were supported as all the Paganish or else are still perpetually upheld by the same power and authority as Mahometism Now if it be demanded why the Jewish Religion hath taken such deep root in the hearts of the Hebrews as that it cannot thence be eradicated no better reason can be given or conceived than this namely that those Jews that are now alive did from their Parents as those Parents from their Progenitors and so upward until the times of Moses and Joshua receive those miracles mentioned in Scripture by certain and constant Tradition which miracles were done chiefly at the departing out of Aegypt and in their journey through the Wilderness and entrance into the Land of Canaan whereof their Ancestors were then eye-witnesses Nor is it at all credible that it could otherwise have come to pass that a People who were sufficiently stiff-necked and of a stubborn disposition should take upon them a Law burdened with so many Rites or that wise Men out of the many marks of Religion which humane reason could have invented should chuse Circumcision which could not be received without very great pain nor retained without the derision of all strangers and had nothing in it to recommend it save only this that God was its Author SECT XIV Also by the truth and antiquity of Moses his story BEsides The writings of Moses wherein those miracles are recorded to posterity do gain the greatest credit thereunto not only because it was always a setled opinion and constant report amongst the Hebrews that this same Moses was commended by the Oracle of God to be a Leader of the People but also because it is manifest enough that he neither affected his own glory nor desired their riches forasmuch as himself reveals his own faults and delinquencies which he might have concealed and also he assigned the dignity of his Kingdom and Priesthood unto strangers whence his own Posterity was brought to the common condition of Levites By all which it appears that he had no reason to forge untruths Neither doth he use any dissembling or alluring language such as commonly colours over a lye but he speaks after a plain ingenuous manner according to the quality of the thing he treats of Add hereunto the undoubted antiquity of the Books of Moses to which no other writings are therein comparable An argument whereof is for that the Grecians from whom all kinds of learning were derived to other Heathens do confess they received their very Letters from others which Letters of theirs have no other order or name or ancient form than that of the Syriac or Hebrew Tongue as also for that the most ancient Grecian Laws whence the Romans collected theirs had their Original from the Laws of Moses SECT XV. And by the Testimony of many Gentiles MOREOVER besides these there are many testimonies of such as were aliens from the Jewish Religion which declare that the most ancient reports which passed for truth among all Nations were agreeable to what Moses hath related in his Writings Thus what things he related concerning the beginning of the World the same are found also recorded in the most ancient Histories of the Phoenicians which are collected by Sancuniathon and translated by Philo Byblius and partly also found amongst the Indians and Aegyptians Hence it is that in Linus Hesiod and many of the Grecians mention is made of a Chaos which some have intimated by the name of an Egg also of the making of living creatures and last of all of Man according to a Divine Image and of Man's dominion over other creatures all which may be read in sundry Authors and at last in Ovid who transcribed them out of the Greek Writers That all things were made by the Word of God was confessed even by Epicharmus and the Platonicks and before them by a most ancient Writer not of those Hymns which now go under that name but of those Verses which antiquity called Orphean verses not because they had Orpheus for their Author but because they summarily comprised his Doctrine Empedocles acknowledged that the Sun was not the primitive light but a fit receptacle of light Aratus and Catullus think that above the sphere or orb of the stars there is a Divine habitation wherein Homer imagined there was perpetual light THAT of all things God was the most ancient because not begotten the World most beautiful because the work of GOD and that darkness was before the light were all the doctrines of Thales out of the ancient Learning The last point whereof is found in Orpheus and Hesiod whereupon the Gentiles that are commonly superstitious in following
for the love of Religion and that such a Religion be induced to tell untruths Besides these Men were of an upright conversation their life was spotless and unblameable even in the judgment of their adversaries who had nothing to object against them save their simplicity which of all other dispositions is the most unlikely to forge a lye Nay there were none among these Primitive Christians whereof we speak who did not suffer grievous torments for professing that Jesus was risen and many of them were put unto most exquisite pains of death for bearing testimony of the same Now granting it to be possible that a Man in his wits may be content to endure such things for some opinion which he hath conceived and really believes in his mind yet that for a falshood which he knows to be so not only some one Man but a great many Men who are like to gain nothing at all by making that falshood to be believed should consent to suffer such cruel torments is a thing altogether incredible Now that these were not Mad-men both their conversation and their writings do abundantly testifie Likewise what is spoken of the first Apostles may also be said of Paul who openly taught that he saw Christ sitting in Heaven who also was not inferiour to any in the Jewish Religion nor might he have wanted dignities and preferments if he would have followed the foot-steps of his Fathers Whereas on the contrary by taking upon him the profession of Christianity he became liable to the hatred and malignity of his kinsfolks and ingaged himself to undertake difficult dangerous and laborious travels thorough the World and last of all to undergo a disgraceful death and torment SECT VIII Answer to the Objection that the Resurrection seems impossible SUCH and so great testimonies no Man can disprove or gainsay unless some will reply that the thing it self is impossible to be done for so are those things which imply a contradiction as they speak Howbeit that cannot be affirmed of this matter It might indeed if one could say that one and the self same Man lived and died at the self same time But that a Man may be restored from death to life especially by the power and vertue of him who first gave life and being unto Man I see no reason why it should be accounted for a thing impossible Neither hath it been thought impossible by wise Men For Plato writes that this was done to Eris an Armenian And the like is related of a certain Woman by Heraclides a Philosopher of Pontus of Aristaeus by Herodotus and of another by Plutarch all which whether true or false do shew that in the opinion of learned and wise Men the thing was conceived to be possible SECT IX The Resurrection of Jesus being granted the Truth of his Doctrine is confirmed NOW if it be neither impossible that Christ should return to Life again and it doth sufficiently appear by great testimonies wherewith Rabbi Bechai a Master of the Jews was so convinced that he acknowledged the truth of this thing and this Christ himself also as both his Disciples and others confess did publish a new Doctrine as by a Divine commandment truly it necessarily follows that that Doctrine is true For it doth not consist with the divine Justice and Wisdom to honour Him after so excellent a manner who had committed the crime of falsifying in so weighty a matter Especially considering that before his Death He had foretold to his Disciples both his Death and the kind of it and his Resurrection to Life again adding this withal that these things should therefore come to pass that they might testifie and confirm the truth of his Doctrine And thus much for the Arguments which arise from the facts themselves which were done Let us proceed to those which arise from the nature and quality of his Doctrine SECT X. Christian Religion preferred before all others AND here truly we must say that either all kind of divine worship whatsoever must be rejected and utterly banished from among Men which impiety will never enter into the heart of any one that can believe there is a God who takes care of all things and withal considers how Man is endued with excellency of understanding and liberty to chuse what is morally good or evil and upon that account is capable as of reward so of punishment or else this Religion is to be admitted and approved of for the very best not only in regard of the outward testimonies of works and miracles aforesaid but also in consideration of such inward and essential properties as are agreeing thereunto namely because there is not neither ever was there any other Religion in the whole World that can be produced either more honourable for excellency of reward or more absolute and perfect for precepts or more admirable for the manner according to which it was commanded to be propagated and divulged SECT XI For excellency of reward FOR to begin with the reward that is at the end propounded to Man which though it be the last in fruition and execution yet is it the first in his intention If we consider the institution of the Jewish Religion by the hand of Moses and the plain or express covenant of the Law we shall find nothing there promised save the welfare and happiness of this life as namely a fruitful Land abundance of Corn and Victual victory over their Enemies soundness of Body length of Days the comfortable blessing of a hopeful Issue and surviving Posterity and the like For if there be any thing beyond it is involved in dark shadows or must be collected by wise and difficult reasoning Which indeed was the cause why many in particular the Sadducees who professed themselves to be followers and observers of Moses his Law had no hope of enjoying any happiness after this life As for the Grecians who received their learning from the Chaldeans and Aegyptians and had some hope in another World after this life was ended they spake thereof after a very doubtful manner as appears by the disputations of Socrates by the Writings of Tully Seneca and others And the Arguments they produce for it are grounded upon uncertainties proving no more the happiness of a Man than of a Beast Which while some of them observed it was no wonder if they imagined that Souls were translated and conveyed from Men to Beasts and again from Beasts into Men. But because this opinion was not confirmed by any testimonies or grounded upon certain reason and yet it was undeniable that there is some end proposed to Man's actions therefore others were induced to think that vertue was the end or reward of Mens endeavours and that a wise Man was happy enough even though he were put into that tormenting brasen Bull made by Phalaris Howbeit this fancy was justly distasteful and improbable to another sort who saw well enough that Man's happiness especially the highest could not consist in any
and piety And that they might confirm this to be their sense of the Divinity they bid the Jesuites observe one part of the Altar in their Temple to be void of Images and to be hid in an obscure and dark place which they said was the proper seat of the most high God the Maker of Heaven and Earth who could not be represented in any form and shape and that the Images which stood about that place were the representations of their Intercessors with Him who having great power with the most high God did obtain many gifts and blessings for those that invocated them How this differs from the notions of the Roman Church I do not see unless it be in this that they have sometimes adventured to represent God himself in a shape Otherwise the worship is the very same the dead Men who are the objects of it only changed and may very well justifie us if we say and therein we speak very moderately that their worship is an Image at least of the ancient Idolatry And moves them to make the resemblance more perfect unto the very same rage and violence which was in the Pagans against all those that differ from them and cannot consent to worship God in that way prosecuting them with all manner of cruelty as if they were utter enemies of God and of all Religion By which we may certainly know that they are so far from being the only true Christians that they are a very degenerate part of Christs Church wanting that great mark of his faithful Disciples to love one another even as Christ loved us To which they are such strangers that quite contrary they not only hate and persecute but endeavour as I said to root out those from the face of the Earth who obediently believe all that they can find our Lord and his Apostles have delivered and profess they are ready with all their hearts to receive and do whatsoever any body can further teach them to be his mind Nay are very desirous and diligent to know it sparing no pains to understand the whole Truth as it is in Christ Jesus SECT XV. Answer to what they say about Miracles THEY pretend indeed abundance of Miracles wrought in their Church as a sufficient condemnation of those who obstinately refuse to invocate Saints to worship their Images and the consecrated Hoste to believe Purgatory and all other things for the proof of which these wonders are alledged But herein also they imitate the Pagans who were guilty of the like deceit and the same answer will serve here which Grotius gives there L. iv Sect. 8. in his confutation of the old Idolatry For First the wisest Men among them have rejected many of these Miracles as not supported by the testimony of any credible witnesses nay as plain fictions Others also of them which are pretended to be of better credit hapned in some private place in the night before one or two Persons whose eyes crafty Priests as he speaks might easily delude with false shows and counterfeit appearances of things And further there are others which only raise admiration among People ignorant of the nature of things and are no true miracles I deny not but there may have things been done among them which no humane power could effect by the strength of natural causes and yet no Divine that is omnipotent Power be needful to their production For those Spirits which are interposed between God and Man are able by their nimbleness cunning activity and strength to make such strange application of things very distant one to another as shall astonish the Spectators with wonderful effects But there is too great reason to think they are not good Spirits that do these feats because they revive hereby the ancient superstition or uphold the Image of it still in the Christian World to the great dishonour of our Saviour and the indangering the Souls of his People Who have been so far misled as not only to fancy great Virtue in the Images of the Saints and to cry up also some Images particularly of our Lady of Loretto for instance as indued with some singular power and vertue which is not to be found in others but to honour them so highly as for one Miracle said to be done by a Crucifix to report a hundred to be wrought at such or such a Shrine of hers It is very considerable also to omit the rest which he notes in the V. Book out of the Law of Moses that it supposes God might permit some wonders to be done only for their trial whether the People would persist in the worship of the true God which had been confirmed by undoubted and far greater and more numerous Miracles Read Deuteron xiii 1 2 3 c. This is excellently expressed and with advantage by a great Man of our own in these words or to this effect The Doctrine which we believe that is the Bible hath been confirmed as is confessed on all sides by innumerable supernatural and truly Divine Miracles and consequently the Doctrine of the Roman Church which in many points is plainly opposite to the Bible is condemned by them I mean the Miracles of Christ and his Apostles And therefore if any strange things have been done in that Church they prove nothing but the truth of Scripture which foretold that God's Providence permitting it and the wickedness of the World deserving it strange signs and wonders should be wrought to confirm false doctrine that they which love not the Truth might be given over to strong delusions So that now we have reason rather to suspect and be afraid of pretended Miracles as signs of false Doctrine than much to regard them as certain arguments of Truth Neither is it strange that God should permit some true wonders to be done to delude those who have forged so many wonders to deceive the World SECT XVI Answer to another Objection BUT it is not likely they say that Religion should be thus depraved in the Roman Church because their Ancestors were Men of greater vertue and honesty than to suffer the least alteration Which is the very thing that is alledged by the Jews why they should not believe our Saviour was unjustly condemned and his Religion rejected by their Priests and Elders as Grotius observes in the Vth. Book Out of which I might produce several things as I have done out of the foregoing to prove the vanity of the Romish Traditions as well as of the Jewish and show also how they have brought back Judaism in a great measure by the vast burden of Rites and Ceremonies wherewith they have incumbered Christian Religion But I shall wave all this because I would make this Book as short as the rest and only observe in answer to what was now pretended that whosoever shall consider as he speaks of the Ancestors of the Jews what kind of Men for several Ages sate in the Chair of Rome and how ignorant the People generally were he
which are plainly and perspicuously enough set down in the Scriptures without the help and assistance of the Churches infallible authority which the Scriptures cannot be supposed to teach but by places far more doubtful SECT XXII It is our Wisdom therefore to adhere to the Scriptures TO this Rule then let us stick keeping those words of our Saviour always in mind iii. Joh. 21 22. He that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Let that be his Guide who would not go astray in dangerous Paths into which he cannot fall who keeps close to the directions of the Holy Books wherein all necessary Truth being set down as the most ancient and best Doctors unanimously agree we are certain every way by believing them to believe all necessary Truth and if our lives be accordingly without which they tell us our belief will be vain it is impossible we should fail of everlasting Salvation To these alone as St. Austin speaks for himself in his Book of Nature and Grace we owe an absolute consent without refusing any thing they propound to us Whatsoever it be as his words are in his CXII Epistle that is confirmed by the perspicuous authority of the divine Scriptures those viz. which are canonical in the Church it must be believed without any doubting But as for any other witnesses or testimonies to which thou art perswaded to give credit thou mayest believe them or not believe them according as thou perceivest them to deserve or not deserve to be relied on A great reverence is due to the Church and its testimony though less to the present Church of Rome than others because it hath so grosly abused the World by false records and forged Miracles and such like things yet only as to an humane Testimony which cannot equal that of the Holy Scriptures SECT XXIII Which have more manifest notes of certainty than the Church FOR if we take their own way and method to assure our minds that we follow an infallible Guide there is no note which they give of the true Church which they say ought to be our Guide but pleads far more strongly for the Holy Scriptures that we should rather follow them and give an undoubted credit to them I shall not run over all those Notes nor examine the certainty of them but only briefly name some of them and show that if they prove any thing it is the Authority of the Scriptures above the Church First they say the very name of the Catholick Church is venerable and ought to be regarded But as that Name is not proper to them alone so if there be any power in Names to make us respect any thing what more awful than the Name of the Word of God and the Sacred Scriptures which were always given to these Books to which we advise all Christians to adhere The next Note which is Antiquity is on the side of the Scriptures also which more justly claim to be ancienter than all other Books which pretend to any Divinity than the Catholick Church can claim to be ancienter than all other Societies which call themselves by the Name of a Church Nay the Doctrine contained therein must be supposed as I have shown to be before the Church which is made by belief and profession of that Doctrine and the Old Testament certainly written long before the Church was made Catholick As for unity in that the Church is not comparable to the Scriptures whose agreement and consent of parts is admirable And if we speak of the surest bond of true Catholick Vnity it is as manifest as the Sun that the Holy Scriptures lay the foundation of it and preserve us in it if we adhere to them by keeping us close to one Lord one Faith one Baptism but the Church of Rome which hath usurped the Name of Catholick makes this blessed Unity impossible For there being but two ways to it either that we all agree in our Opinions about Religion or that while we differ it be no hinderance to Communion they have made the latter as impossible as the former because they make it absolutely necessary to communion and salvation to believe in every thing as they do The like might be said of Holiness and efficacy of Doctrine which depends upon the Churches speaking according to the Scriptures sanctity of the authors of our Religion which cannot be known but out of the Scriptures the glory of Miracles the light of Prophecy and all the rest but I shall only touch upon one more the Amplitude and Universality of the Church in which they make their boast But herein the Scriptures most evidently excel their Authority being there sacred where the Church of Rome whose Notes these are is not known or not regarded For all Christians in the World of whatsoever Sect they be believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God whereas they alone say that they are the only true Church of God All Christians besides who know any thing of this pretence of theirs absolutely deny it and maintain the Divinity and Authority of the Scriptures against all their Cavils SECT XXIV The great incouragement we have to do so BY following the Scriptures then we follow the surest Guide by their own confession For first by following the Scriptures we are certainly led by God but by following the Church we are only led by Men. And consequently the Faith we build upon the Scriptures is a Divine Faith but the Faith we build upon the authority of the Church meerly can be no more than humane For the Scriptures are fully and amply proved to be of Divine Authority by all those Arguments which are alledged in the Third Book of this Work the like to which cannot be produced to prove the infallible authority of the Church Which cannot so much as pretend that God hath bid us believe it but by sending us to the Holy Scriptures from whence it derives all its Authority Which is the second thing to be considered and here I will take the liberty to transcribe part of the discourse of a great Man on this Subject with some Additions that by following the Scriptures we follow that which they themselves are forced to follow as was noted before and on which they intirely depend for the proof of their own authority on which they would have us intirely depend Who have reason rather to rely on that which they rely and in so doing tacitely confess the Scriptures are of greatest authority and that they are surer of their Truth than of the Churches Infallibility And Thirdly by following the Scriptures we follow that which must be true if their Church which they would have us follow have any truth in it for their Church cannot but give attestation to them whereas if we follow their Church we must follow that which
Truth of Christian Religion p. 47 Sect. II. Here is showen that Jesus lived p. 48 Sect. III. And was put to an ignominious death ib. Sect. IV. Yet afterward was worshipped by prudent and godly Men. p. 49 Sect. V. The cause whereof was for that in his life time there were Miracles done by him p. 50 Sect. VI. Which Miracles were not wrought either by the help of Nature or assistance of the Devil but meerly by the Divine Power of God p. 51 Sect. VII Christ's Resurrection proved by credible Reasons p. 55 Sect. VIII Answer to the Objection that the Resurrection seems impossible p. 60 Sect. IX The Resurrection of Jesus being granted the Truth of his Doctrine is confirmed p. 61 Sect. X. Christian Religion preferred before all others p. 62 Sect. XI For excellency of reward p. 63 Sect. XII Answer to an Objection that Bodies once Dead cannot be revived again p. 66 Sect. XIII The excelency of holy Precepts given for the worship of God p. 69 Sect. XIV Concerning the Offices of Humanity which we owe unto our Neighbour p. 72 Sect. XV. Of the Conjunction of Man and Woman p. 74 Sect. XVI Touching the use of Temporal goods p. 76 Sect. XVII Of Swearing p. 79 Sect. XVIII Of other Matters ib. Sect. XIX Answer to an Objection touching the Controversies abounding among Christians p. 80 Sect. XX. The excellency of Christian Religion is further proved from the dignity of the Author p. 82 Sect. XXI Also from the wonderful spreading of this Religion p. 86 Sect. XXII Considering the meekness and simplicity of them that first taught this Religion p. 88 Sect. XXIII What great impediments there were that might terrifie Men from the embracing or the professing hereof p. 90 Sect. XXIV Answer to them that require more forcible Reasons p. 94 The Contents of the third Book Sect. I. TO Prove the authority of the Books of the New Covenant 〈◊〉 Sect. II. Here is known that such Books were written by the Authors the Names they have prefixed p. 99 Sect. III. Some Books were anciently doubted of p. 100 Sect. IV. The authority of such Books as have no Titles is proved from the quality of the Writers p. 101 Sect. V. These Pen-men writ the Truth because they had certain knowledge of what they writ p. 102 Sect. VI. As also because they would not lye p. 104 Sect. VII A confirmation of the fidelity of these authors from the Miracles which they wrought p. 106 Sect. VIII The Truth of the Writings confirmed from hence that many things are found there which the event hath proved to be divinely revealed p. 108 Sect. IX As also from God's care in preserving his People from false writings p. 109 Sect. X. Answer to the Objection that divers Books were not received by all p. 110 Sect. XI Answer to an Objection that these Books seem to contain things impossible p. 113 Sect. XII Or things contrary to Reason p. 114 Sect. XIII Answer to an Objection that some of these Books are repugnant to the other p. 116 Sect. XIV Answer to an Objection taken from outward testimonies which make more for these Books p. 118 Sect. XV. Answer to the Objection that the Scriptures were changed p. 119 Sect. XVI For the authority of the Books of the Old Testament p. 123 The Contents of the fourth Book Sect. I. A Particular Confutation of the Religions opposite to Christianity p. 129 Sect. II. And first of Paganism that there is but one God Created Spirits are good or bad the good not to be honoured but as the most high God directs p. 131 Sect. III. Evil Spirits adored by Pagans and how impious a thing it is p. 132 Sect. IV. Against the worship which in Paganism is exhibited to men after their death p. 135 Sect. V. Against worshipping of Stars and Elements p. 136 Sect. VI. Against worshipping of Bruit-beasts p. 137 Sect. VII Against worshipping of things that are no substances p. 139 Sect. VIII Answer to the argument of the Gentiles taken from Miracles done among them p. 141 Sect. IX And from Oracles p. 144 Sect. X. Paganism decayed of its own accord so soon as humane aid ceased p. 146 Sect. XI Answer to the Opinion of some that think the beginning and decay of Religions depend upon the efficacy of the Stars p. 147 Sect. XII The chief Points of Christianity are approved of by the Heathen and if there be any thing that is hard to be believed therein the like or worse is found among the Pagans p. 150 The Contents of the fifth Book Sect. I. A Refutation of the Jews beginning with a speech unto them or prayer for them p. 153 Sect. II. The Jews ought to account the Miracles of Christ sufficiently proved p. 154 Sect. III. And not believe that they were done by the help of Devils p. 156 Sect. IV. Or by the Power of Words and Syllables p. 158 Sect. V. The Miracles of Jesus were divine because he taught the worship of one God the Maker of the World p. 159 Sect. VI. Answer to the Objection taken from the difference between the Law of Moses and of Christ where is shown that a more perfect Law than that of Moses might be given p. 160 Sect. VII The Law of Moses was observed by Jesus who abolished no Commandements that were essentially good p. 163 Sect. VIII As the Sacrifices which of themselves were never well-pleasing unto God p. 167 Sect. IX The difference of Meats p. 172 Sect. X. And of Days p. 174 Sect. XI Also of outward Circumcision p. 177 Sect. XII And yet the Apostles of Jesus were gentle in the toleration of these things p. 179 Sect. XIII A Proof against the Jews from the promised Messias p. 180 Sect. XIV Who is proved to be already come by the limited time of his coming which was foretold p. 181 Sect. XV. Answer to that which some conceive touching the deferring of his coming for the sins of the people p. 184 Sect. XVI Also from the present state of the Jews compared with those things which the Law promiseth p. 185 Sect. XVII Jesus is proved to be the Messias by those things which were foretold concerning the Messias p. 188 Sect. XVIII Answer to that which is objected of some things that are not fulfilled p. 190 Sect. XIX And to that which is objected of the mean condition and death of Jesus p. 192 Sect. XX. And as though they were honest men that put him to death p. 197 Sect. XXI Answer to the Objection that many Gods are worshipped by the Christians p. 200 Sect. XXII And that a humane nature is worshipped p. 201 Sect. XXIII The Conclusion of this part with Prayer for the Jews p. 203 The Contents of the sixth Book Sect. I. A Confutation of Mahumetanisme the beginning of it p. 205 Sect. II. The overthrow of the foundation of Mahumetanisme in denying inquiry into Religion p. 208 Sect. III. A Proof against the Mahumetans taken out of the Books of the Hebrews and Christians which are not corrupted p. 209 Sect. IV. By comparing Mahumet with Christ in their Persons p. 212 Sect. V. And in their Deeds p 213 Sect. VI. Also such as first embraced both Religions p. 214 Sect. VII The manner how both their Laws were pro pagated ib. Sect. VIII The Precepts of both Religions compared p. 216 Sect IX Answer to the Mahumetans Objection concerning the Son of God p. 218 Sect. X. Many absurd things in the Books of Mahumetans p 219 Sect. XI A Conclusion directed unto Christians admonishing them of their duty upon the occasion of what hath formerly been handled p. 220 The Contents of the seventh Book Sect. I. AN Introduction showing what makes the Addition of another Book necessary p. 229 Sect. II. Divisions among Christians no such objection against Christianity as is imagined 230 Sect. III. As appears even in the Roman Church which hath given the greatest scandal p. 232 Sect IV. But both contradicts it self and departs from the ancient and truly Catholick Church p 234 Sect. V. Christianity therefore is not there in its purity but much corrupted p. 236 Sect. VI. Answer to an Evasion from the force of the foregoing Argument p. 237 Sect. VII Their absurd explication of the Vnity of the Catholick Church p. 239 Sect. VIII Which forbids us to joyn in Communion with them upon such terms p. 240 Sect. IX But on the other side not to slight Episcopal Authority p. 243 Sect. X. Arguments enough in the foregoing Books to prove the true Christian Religion not to be sincerely preserved in the Roman Church one is their way of worship p. 244 Sect. XI Another is the way of promoting their Religion p 248 Sect XII The Romanists themselves overthrow their own Religion p. 250 Sect XIII Other Instances of it p. 256 Sect XIV Whereby they have spoil'd Christianity as the Pagans did the Natural Religion p. 259 Sect. XV. Answer to what they say about Miracles p. 262 Sect. XVI Answer to another Objection p 265 Sect. XVII Popery and Mahometisin had the same Original p. 268 Sect. XVIII And supports its self by the same means p. 269 Sect XIX And refuses to be tried by Scripture p. 272 Sect. XX. The Vanity of their appeal to Traditions p. 277 Sect. XXI And their guilt in what they say about the holy Scriptures p. 279 Sect XXII It is our wisdom therefore to adhere to the Scriptures p. 283 Sect XXIII Which have more manifest notes of certainty than the Church p. 284 Sect. XXIV The great incouragement we have to do so p. 287 Sect. XXV Conclusion of all p. 294 THE END