doctrina testimonium fundamenti vice nobis esset non secus atque ipsius vox doctrina testimonium fundamentum veritatis fuit i.e. That their word doctrine and testimony is no lesse a foundation to us then the Word Doctrine and Testimony of Christ is the foundation of Truth So being well aware that whosoever should lay claim to it either those fifty bold mercenaries at Trent who called themselves an Oecumenical Counsell any other Assembly of Papists the Pope in his chaire or the Romish Church under any capacity if perchance they shall ever agree as they have not yet upon any that they joyntly pronounce Infallible would be questioned concerning the Rightfulnesse of the Title he endeavours therefore to frame them a Commission out of severall Scriptures by which as he doth acknowledge the Soveraign Authority of the Scriptures so with what poor successe he endeavours to get countenance from them for his boldnesse will easily appear if one do but repeat the Scriptures which he alledgeth and joyn with them their true and plain Interpretations which I do more willingly endeavour though I fear to be tedious for two reasons 1. First because they are such considerable quotations in the esteem of his followers that for want of better which they have sought in vain though they be sufficiently impertinent they are fain to make use of them still 2. Secondly because their Interpretations which are our Answers to them may enable some that are weak to defend themselves against disputers who shall endeavour to discompose the quietnesse of their true beliefe from acknowledged grounds of faith misinterpreted His first place is He that heareth you heareth me c. May they therefore say what they will these words were spoken to the Apostles whom Christ commanded to preach and told them what they should say and the Church now speaking as it ought declares nothing but what Christ said before for necessaries and whatsoever it doth according to his sayings is warranted by his authority and so he that heareth them heareth Christ But what proof is here for saying any thing else besides that which is written The second is You are the light of the world c. Yes so they were for Christ shined upon them and they enlightened others but it was by the reflexiou of his beames i. e. the Truths that he taught them and their writings are like Lanthorns of transparent glasse in which that divine light is preserved and through which it shines But those Popish Traditions are like new thick horn through which we cannot discern the old Apostolical Truth only it glimmers through those holes which are necessarily left open because their odde stuffe was irreconcileably unfit to be close and handsomely joyned in one entire body with the verities of the written Word The third is You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem in Judaea in Samaria and to the ends of the earth It 's true the Apostles were Christs witnesses for they testified his Life and Doctrine and wrote them for memorials to succeding ages but they would have been strange witnesses of his doctrine if they should have told other tales of their own invention and ridiculous assertours of his Institutions if they should have changed them at their pleasure as for Example If after he had given the bread and wine to his Disciples in his last Supper they should upon the first repetition of that Sacrament have given only the bread to the Communicants and so have contradicted Christs order with pretence of Tradition To prove that the Rock in the 16 of Matth. is the Pope whom he calls the supreme Vicar of this Ministery he quotes with it a place of Scripture that overthrowes his interpretation Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Jesus Christ Which place as it tells us plainly who was meant by the Rock so it is as strong a witnesse against his assertion as any thing that I have the ability to imagine yet as if it were not full enough he addes confirmation unto it though contrary to his intention by citing with it that famous testimony of Eph. 2. where Christ is called the great corner stone and the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles i.e. the foundation upon which they were built themselves and preached as such to others In the close of that paragraph to prove a little better that the Church hath power to teach that which the Scripture doth not he quotes two places I will send you the Spirit of Truth which shall lead you into all Truth and I am with you unto the end of the world And after this triumphs as if nothing could be desired further But for all that what this should be to his purpose I am not able to ghesse For what can be inferred from these places but to the benefit of our assertion for if Christ promised the spirit to lead them into all Truth did he not teach them it perfectly and if he promised to be with them unto the end did he faile to assist them in their work which was to publish the Truth by writing as well as preaching as we learn from S. John These things are written that ye might believe c. where he addes also that this was done so perfectly that whosoever should read and believe through their writing might have eternal life And as it appears from the 20. ver. of the 28. of Mat. read all together all the assistance that the Church for future times could expect from this promise is only while she does teach others to observe what Christ commanded unlesse we will break that sacred connexion which all true Christians know to be between the precepts and promises of God But to what precepts except those which we find upon divine Record the promises should be annexed we understand not nor why they should not invent new promises as well as pretend to other precepts Neither do we trouble our selves at all with those big words which to amuse ignorant people they speak concerning the imperfection of the Scriptures to be supplyed by the dictates of a pretended infallible Church since we could never yet hear of any one Truth necessary to salvation but we found it in Scripture nor had any certain newes of one Tradition that is universall and of Primitive derivation and so of good use in the Church of God but we receive it willingly I have judged this Discourse the more seasonable because the adversaries of our Church make account that we are in such a strong tendency to the Romish belief which contradicts what is here asserted that one of their late Proselytes with high approbation of his Fellowes doth not fear to publish to the world their swelling hopes That the fields are even white unto the harvest and thereupon with other of his companions doth thrust in his sickle which he sharpens with such assertions as these viz. That the Scriptures contain
he wrote of me What did he write you may read in his book called Deuteronomy these words God will raise up unto thee a Prophet like unto me of thy brethren according to thy desire and I will put my words into his mouth and whosoever will not hearken unto the words which he shall speak in my Name I will require it of him The single-hearted Jews aware of the divine truth of this Prophesy were guided as the Magi by a star to Christ So Philip and Nathanael true Israelites embraced him saying with joy We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the Law Whom when the degenerate Jewes rejected the wise Apostles reproved them from the same Moses quoting the forecited words as we see Acts 3. 22. therefore well might our Saviour say Had you believed Moses that is Had you been as you pretend true children of Abraham and genuine disciples of Moses you would not have disowned me whom Moses acknowledged for his Master and esteemed so worthy of honour that he counted the sufferings of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt For as Abraham saw my day afar off and rejoyced so Moses knew the liquid Rock which followed them in the Desert was i.e. did signifie Christ The Prophets also told the same tale and Malachi that brought up the rear and claspt the Old Testament bad the Jewes expect the Sunne of Righteousnesse which was to rise and spread his wholesome rayes like wings of salvation over the world This was written in the close of that Oeconomy since therefore Moses and the Prophets told us the desire of all Nations whom they had long waited for was coming and bad the people to prepare his way by fitting their wicked hearts for so great a comfort whofoever doth not receive Christs Gospel doth not hear Moses and the Prophets Neither do they consider the great reasons which they afford to convince us of this matter For they taught that Christ was to be the light of the Gentiles and the Glory of Israel and this in a sence so raised that the former glory stood valuable by it in no degree of comparison He was to fulfill the Prophesies which had been but glorious vanities if he had not made them good He was to chase away shadows and what is the day to night To heighten their motives with better promises and take off the false Comments which had crept upon the Law by the iniquity of the times viz. the carelesnesse of the people and the wickednesse of the Pharisees so that the New Testament must not be left out But then one may say and some have been as foolish as to say it We do not care for Moses and the Prophets we have no need of the Old Testament This is to run upon the other post of the doore He that is no better advised is just like a man who having a great cause depending is resolved let it go right or wrong he will use but one witnesse he can have more but he cares not for them We do not use to burn the Records of our Ancestors nor to cut in pieces the evidences of our lands nor the Counter-parts of deeds He which values the possession of truth will not easily part with one of its best witnesses The Scripture saith as much as one can well desire in this point Moses and Elias appeared in the transfiguration of Christ and were witnesses of his glory The Gospel is his spiritual transfiguration and unto that Glory they bear a full and well agreeing witnesse This spirit might murmur thus Why could not one Cherubin have served to cover the Mercy-seat God put two whose faces were towards each other and their wings did meet So do both the Testaments spread their golden wings over our Throne of Grace Christ Jesus What is thus said of the Old Testament we easily learn of Christ and his Apostles who acknowledged the usefulnesse of its divine Truth whilest they proved their assertions by it nay they declared nothing but what the Prophets foretold and longed to have seen by which it appears that God hath so put them together that it is devillish to attempt a divorce The Apostle Paul did not only advise Timothy to read them but told him that they were able to make him wise to salvation i.e. were full of divine instructions and as fit for the Jews to walk by towards heaven as the morning light is for a traveller to begin his journey and as to himself he professed that he had great consolation and hope through the knowledge of the rare instances of the Old Testament in which he saw his hopes verified Who would destroy such famous memorials of Truth and writing to the Ephesians concerning the Church under the New Testament which is an habitation of God through the spirit he saies it is built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ being the great Corner-stone When wise men pull stones out of the foundations of their houses then good Christians may reject the writings of Moses and the Prophets So having reconciled two that were never at oddes only some weak or ill-minded people seek occasion to put difference amongst near friends and having proved that neither are to be refused as superfluous it remains to shew for some doubt it that both are enough and of that we have this fourfold assurance 1. As they are Perfect Counsels of excellent wisdom concerning the way to happinesse 2. As they are strict injunctions of Divine Authority concerning our Duties 3. As they containe the strongest Proofes of our Obligation to these Duties and such as are no where else and so are the best perswasions to our Wills 4. As they are a Proposal of all these Truths to our understandings in a way of most fair and full credibility They are perfect Counsels of excellent wisdome concerning the way to Happinesse They are a full advice and a most exact Method of attaining Blisse prescribed by him who is the Way the Truth and the Life or the true way to Life What lay scatter'd in many places and must have been gathered with much care and many collections difficult to our short apprehensions often tired and so missing it may be what was not much further then we had gone is here comprized to our hands in a perfect summary Truths otherwhere hid under much Rubbish and mixed with many mistakes are here pure and clear in the spring not mudded with carelesse or beastly feet What is obscured in others by naturall weaknesse or affected stile is here plain enough through the superintendency of the Divine spirit So that good men may here expect whatsoever is true wise necessary or usefull There is no plant of Righteousnesse no wholesome herb in the world but it was carried out of Christs garden who planted them in Paradise and therefore he might well put them in his Gospel they were his own and when they were
only such necessaries as may serve in some desperate cases that they were pen'd only for some particular persons or congregations that it is impossible but that the text of the Scripture is corrupted That the Protestants do but guiltily defend the universal sufficiency of the Scriptures c. I know not why he delights so much in that word guilty for he useth it more then once in the forementioned application unless he was an Hypocrite when he was of our Religion but I am sure he doth it not without grosse impudence For he knew well enough with what hearty courage such arguments of Truth as he thought unanswerable and all other testimonies of a good conscience the learned Protestants have discharged themselves in that point Having disparaged the Scriptures He and Rushworth in his Dialogues reprinted with Whites enlargements endeavour to lodge amongst us again as if they had never been rejected before with deserved scorn a sorry company of their beggerly Innovations great strangers to the Word of God and the Primitive Church as Transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ Invocation of Saints Veneration of Images Prayers for the dead Purgatory Indulgences and publick services in Latin nay the generality of Romish Ceremonies and that we must believe there to be necessary forsooth and that they were ever used in the Church of Christ Now this is but to revive the old trick by which they still endevour'd our revolt to their Religion viz. by making us disbelieve the perfection of the Scripture that we must for a supply receive their Traditions as that unworthy Faction of Trent sayes Pari pietatis affectu reverentia with the same holy regard which we give to the Scriptures concluding absurdly that because some silly people and others disaffected to our profession by the trouble of worldly temptations that have happened of late among us are unwarily inclined towards them upon shallow or perverse grounds therefore few or none of us understand the Truth of our own Principles or the impertinency danger of their bold additions or as if because they had no mind to remember it being to their grief that therefore we have forgot that Bishop Jewel did long since shew them that for six hundred years after Christ the Church taught not many of those things which Rome did in his time and as if Doctor Featly had not put the Jesuits to a loss to prove that for the first five hundred years there was any City or Parish in which there was any visible Assembly that taught the Articles of the Councel of Trent As if we did not know by their writings that the Fathers acknowledged the Perfection of the Scriptures that we were at last by some strange Accident grown so foolish as to take their corrupt present party for the Catholick Church or that they could make us tamely believe that we differ from the ancient primitive institution if we reject their Innovations or as if we did not understand their horrid uncharitablenesse which denies salvation to those multitudes of Christian Churches and Nations in the world that receive not their new doctrines and also as absolutely necessary though they have no testimony of antiquity and are contrary to Scripture and therefore for our selves were as much afraid of their Excommunications and sentences of damnation as we should be in danger of burning or hanging if they had the same power over us now which they cruelly executed in Queen Maries dayes But I will insist no further upon this discourse Some attempt the disgrace of the Scriptures another way making the pretence of the spirit an argument of the imperfection of holy Writ and of such I think it is no offence to affirm that they do not consider what they say What good man ever denied the necessity of the help and guidance of the divine Spirit We stand not in so much need of fire and water as of Gods Grace and Spirit but what wise man ever made this an argument of the Scriptures imperfection but such a proof as this serves the inconsiderate God helps us to understand the Scriptures therefore they are an imperfect Revelation of his wil And if the Spirit be pretended further then so i.e. to teach us other neeessaries to salvation besides the Gospel of Christ I answer that this is such a spirit as was not promised to the Primitive Church no nor the Apostles for the spirit was to lead them into all Truth but by bringing to their remembrance what Christ taught them and that was enough As Christ had received a commandment from the Father what he should say Joh. 12.49 so he gave the words to them which he had received Joh. 17. 8. all of them Joh. 15.15 all things that I heard of my Father I have made known to you So that those which pretend the assistance of the spirit for divine teaching neglect these incomparable directions do not well know what those words The assistance of the spirit do signify and so slight that which they pretend to desire For the Scriptures given by inspiration of the Holy Ghost and written by his instinct for our instruction are a great part of his assistance and are therefore most truly called by the Italian Poet La larga ploia Dello spirito sancto ch'e diffusa In sù le vecchie ' en sù le nuove coia i.e. a great shower of the holy spirit powred down through both the Testaments for the refreshment of Gods Church These few things designed to do honour to the H. Scriptures I humbly devote unto you That approbation which you have bestowed upon them already shall be to me a sufficient defence against any petty froward dislike I hope they will be more acceptable to good men and that the businesse to which they are destin'd will be more effectually promoted by your recommendation I have only further to pray that God would continue your prosperity and this I do not referring only to your particular capacity though that well deserveth my best wishes but also to your publick looking upon you if I may use the Emperours words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Your private welfare is a great publick good May those which wish you ill repent and instead of doing you harm may they receive that benefit which you are never unwilling to administer as any opportunity presents it self to you Julian and some others used to despise the Galileans so they termed the Christians for fools and to make them more such they interdicted their children the use of Schools intending by this means to deprive them of that wisdom divine accomplishment which ariseth from true learning It were a shamefull thing if Christians should grow so silly now as to chuse that for a priviledge which he forced upon them and they resented as a grievous affliction God of his Grace preserve both the Universities till
THE PERFECTION AUTHORITY And CREDIBILITY Of the Holy SCRIPTVRES Discoursed in a SERMON before the Vniversity of CAMBRIDGE At the Commencement July 4. 1658. By NATHANAEL INGELO D. D. and Fellow of Eton Coll. The Second Edition In his scriptis veritas non coacescit sed statim de prelo purissimae commendata testae suum saporem servat Hieron. Praef. in lib Salom {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Iambl in vit. Pyth. cap 28. London Printed by E.T. for Luke Fawn at the Sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church yard 1659. TO THE Right Worshipfull Doctor JOHN WORTHINGTON Vice-Chancellour And the rest of the Heads Together With the Fellowes of the severall Colledges in the University of CAMBRIDGE Right Worshipful and Reverend I Have made bold to prefixe your Names to this short Discourse since you were pleased to honour it with your courteous acceptance I cannot but pay it down as your own by grateful acknowledgment The Benignity of which I have had experience makes me confident the second time your Candor takes off those feares which otherwise I should justly entertain upon the thoughts of your Judgement I have here represented to your eyes what you heard with a small addition of some things which could not conveniently be spoken for want of time which was then more then ordinarily but very justly shortened by the Commemoration My designe in the choyce of this Argument was not to inform you {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} But as it is one of the great Truths taught by our learned and pious Mother of whom I received it and confirmed with the testimony of all Protestant Churches so when I weighed the Importance of it I thought there was scarce any thing that could be known more necessary and considering some things which I shall by and by set down I judged it not unseasonable I was satisfied as to the Importance of it since it includes the Fundamentall concernements of Christian Religion and the opening of it discovers the strong Pillars upon which it leanes and shewes written upon them clear testimonies that it came from God by the consideration of which well-meaning Christians will strengthen a rational belief in God and easily perceive that Unbelievers of what sort soever are not such because the Christian Religion doth not give proof of its Truth but because they have either by some sad mis-hap lost the faculty of believing most necessary Truths or because something or other doth hinder them from considering that which is more then sufficiently credible Not that I presume to comprehend all those things which belong to the full explication of so great a matter much lesse to comprise them in this small Treatise for that I may with Alexander Aphrod {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but however it will briefly exhibit several things towards the vindication of divine Truth from Atheistical unbelievers for the justification of our profession against Romish aspersions some of which are foul enough and take off that which is said against the perfection of the Scriptures by dreaming Enthusiasts and so may possibly contribute something to undeceive some which are in errour or rescue from temptation an endangered soule Indeed the comprehensive sence of this Truth That the holy Scripture does perfectly contain and plainly discover all things necessary to salvation doth include the Defence of our Saviours honour the Demonstration of the Grace and Wisdome of the divine Providence and the Churches security in point of salvation As for the honour of our Lord and Saviour how shall that be safe if it can be proved that when he came to declare Gods mind to us he went home again having done but half his errand if being to write an Epistle from God to us he left some of the main concernments of it to be supplyed in a Postscript to be written by any that would take up his Pen and being about to make his own will he was so forgetful of that which is to be done in such a matter that he left out many principal things to be inserted in unattested posthumous Codicills But it was quite otherwise for Christ in the close of his Sermons declareth plainly that he had perfected the Revelation of necessary Doctrine saying a little before his Death Go and preach what I have taught you and those which believe shall be saved And for the Grace and Wisdome of divine Providence how can they but suffer if God pretending a great love to the happinesse of Man-kind hath either not appointed sufficient meanes for their salvation or not let them know what and where it is If the Scriptures be not plain what wisdom was it to write our highest concernments in such words as we cannot understand If they be not perfect how is his good will reall for having given us but an imperfect notice of our way there he doth not mention any power to make the supply nor say whom he would intrust with it From both of these the insecurity of our salvation is a necessary consequence For how shall we attain so great an end with uncertain and insufficient meanes But as our Master that would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledg of the Truth taught all that Truth before he left this world so the Evangelist Luke in his Preface to the History of the Acts of the Apostles affirms that what Christ taught before his death and till the Ascension was written by himself not long after The Truth of these things doth so distresse those that endeavour to believe against it that they are fain to summon their wits to find evasions from the mighty power of it To salve the Honour of our Master one whom Cressy selects as the incomparable assertor of Roman opinions and therefore chuseth him for the chief guide of his Apostasie from the Protestant Church having rejected Cassander Padre Paulo Picherellus for their moderation and forgotten that ten Chapters before he professed to chuse such as had expressed themselves most moderately and allowing the greatest latitude viz. Stapleton sayes * That what they adde to the Scriptures is not aliud à Christo quod esset ab illo recedere sed à Scripturis A pretty Sophisme As if the subjects of a lawfull Prince making such additions as they please to his Lawes could defend themselves by saying they added not aliud à Rege sed à Legibus i.e. a subject doth not derogate from the Kings Honour though he accuse his Government of Imperfection and his Lawes of Insufficiency To avoyd this Imputation he sayes as his Partners do that Christ made Delegates and gave them authority to teach other things besides the Scriptures praeter illas multa docere But as this power is very great for he sayes of it Tantùm sanè ac tale est eorum ministerium ut eorum vox
that divine accomplishment they preacht and Christ whom they preacht was believed on in the world So that it is great reason we should believe their writings for they are the word of God If any ask How does that appear I answer By three divine Seales annexed to them and a peculiar signature or mark of divine authority which I do not find in any other book 1. The spirit of Prophesie which foretold such things as are beyond the skill of nature and art to foresee 2. The power of miracles which performed such things as are above the power of nature and art to doe 3. The resurrection of the great Preacher of the Gospel Christ Iesus after he had been dead aad buried three dayes 1. The spirit of Prophesie which foretold such things as are beyond the skill of nature and art to foresee I call the first Seale All the world hath acknowledged divinity in such praescience The Latines made known their sense of it to be such in the name by which they called it that is Divinatio and they and the Greeks both confirmed this opinion by offering sacrifice when they consulted their Oracles concerning things to come Men can fore-see what is visible in the causes and curious eyes will discern that which is hid from common sight but to foretell future contingents as we call them is a thing not to be done but by extraordinary communion with God Isaiah by this divine prerogative put the heathen Idols to a Non-plus Declare things to come that we may know you are Gods Nebuchadnezzars Magi would have been as much to seek for the true interpretation if he had told them his prophetical dream as they were for the dream it self when he had lost it which a pen-man of the holy Scripture found out and interpreted and they confessed the Truth that it was onely by the power of the immortall God Of this testimony the Scripture hath abundance of instances and though they be not so common in the New Testament there is good reason for that because then was the time of accomplishing predictions and therefore it sayes This is the acceptable time behold the Lamb of God c. To foresee now was to overlook yet this spirit also appears manifestly in the Gospel both in Christ and his Apostles Who hath not read the twenty fourth of Matthew where the whole progress of the Gospel is foretold to wit that it should be preacht to all nations by the Apostles that they should be questioned before Rulers and Judges about it that Jerusalem should be destroyed for disobedience to it and since the prophesies which concerned Christ the Messiah were concredited to the Jewes Christ did let them see the Justice of their destruction because they knew not the day of their visitation though all the marks of prophesie concerning it were visible Christ himself often holding them before their eys A deplorable sign of a ruinous state a fatall blindnesse {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Miserable wretches how can they escape destruction they neither see what is good for them though it be laid before their eyes nor give heed to those who for a long time warned them of their danger That the Apostles of Christ had this spirit also is manifest by their respective writings 2. The second seale is the power of miracles that is such things as are above the power of nature and art to do Miracles are demonstrations of the divine presence in a way extraordinary Nothing can produce an effect above the power of its causality Those things which Christ performed transcend all ordinary power A privatione ad habitum non datur regressus naturalis But he raised the dead Lazarus also was buried four days As he spake as never man spake so to make his works parallel with his words he did as never man did It was never so seen in Israel Nicodemus inferred right he did such things as no man can do unlesse God be with him meaning above ordinary concourse and therefore added rationally We know thou art a Doctor sent from God It was a double argument of the Messiah which Christ sent to Iohn by his disciples in his Symbolicall answer The blind receive their sight the lame walk the deaf hear c. i. e. such things as were not only forâ—told but miraculous It is true Mountebanks may play tricks and cunning men put cheats upon easie people so the Thessalians knowing the time of Eclipses made their ignorant neighbours believe that they pull'd downe the Moon with their verses but by which of their Devices nay by which of Hippocrates Aphorismes may one learn to cure a lame man with ones shadow or a fever with a handkerchief What is further to be said in confirmation of this proof I shall bring in by and by to discredit the mock-miracles of some heathen pretenders quoted in opposition to Christ only here I may add these two things concerning such Devices 1. That they are not onely a testimony of the worlds opinion concerning the Divinity of miracles but also a tacit confession that Christ did them As counterfeit coin speaks the use of true money If there had not been such a way of proof why did they ape it 2. That they were foretold by Christ and his Apostles and so people were not only forewarned of a danger but confirmed in the beliefe of the Truth when they saw the predictions written concerning Impostors exactly fulfilled For as the predictions and prefigurations of Christ by the Prophets made way for his reception when he came as the true Messia so the predictions and predescriptions of Antichrist written by Christ and his Apostles gave argument against them when they came accordingly to be Impostors 3. The third Seale is the Resurrection of the great Doctor of divine Truths after he had bin dead and buried three dayes And here behold the incomparable wisdome of divine Providence which brings day out of darknesse and turns the shadow of death into the morning the death of Christ a great piece of the mystery of Redemption for his blood was shed for the Remission of our sins put a doubt upon his doctrine and stagger'd his Disciples But this cloud made onely way for a more illustrious appearance of his Truth for the Resurrection took off all doubts arising from his death and his Gospel gained confirmation as a Truth doth from a clear answer to a strong objection Indeed it was to be feared that the doctrines of Christ would have lien in the dust if he had not brought it forth with his own Resurrection and therefore Saint Paul doth well say that he was strongly declared to be the Son of God by the Resurrection from the dead Indeed his murderers perswaded the souldiers with money to affirm that his Disciples stole him from the grave but how came they to steale his soule into him and to steale a power from
which believes there is a God believes his Veracity and he which believes not that there is a God hath no reason to believe any thing He hath no reason to believe any thing if there be not Truth And if there be not a God there is nothing and so no truth But as that foundation is firm and unquestionable What God saith is true I must build two things upon it and on them the credibility of the first particular is founded viz. 1. That since what God sayes is true we ought to receive whatsoever we have abundant reason to believe that God did say it 2. Whatsoever comes to us as Gods word we ought by no means to reject it without most weighty reasons to make us think that God did not say it 1. As to the first Scripture is the way of proposal i. e. God hath written his mind to us now we have two great reasons to make us believe this writing to be his word 1. Because writing was the fittest way to communicate his will to us 2. Because since all writings need witnesse that we might not doubt this to be his he hath sent it attested by the witnesse of all those that were worthy to be believed i. e. the good men of all ages 1. Because writing was the fittest way to communicate the Gospel or his will to us that appears thus All the Nations and ages of the world could not be present at the birth of Christ nor be eye-witnesses of his miracles see him rise out of grave and ascend into heaven put their fingers into his side c. what then will they not believe unlesse they do shall Christ be crucified afresh in every age that we may see him rise from the dead but because Christ was not to remain alwayes below nor come again in that manner and it concerned the world to know the Gospel God committed it to writing and hath made the holy Scriptures the safe Repositories of his Truth that is excellent preservatives against weaknesse of memory and the rust of malicious designes Monumentum Christi est divina Scriptura in qua divinitatis humanitatis ejus mysteria densitate literae veluti quadam muniuntur Petra How much God was in love with this way appeared of old for though he was pleased to converse familiarly with his plain friends the Patriarchs yet lest his counsels should slip out of the frail minds of men he commanded Moses to write them Litera scripta manet The Jewes nice care of the letters was well made use of by God for it became Septum Legis whilest they looked to the words God secured the sence and how unsure all other wayes are we may perceive in that the Church hath not preserved the remembrance of Christs miracles which were unwritten Language is the Garb of Truth it comes not abroad till it be cloathed in words and since Christ was not to stay here to preach alwayes he enabled those whom he deputed to declare his will in several languages that it might be understood by divers Nations when it was spoken and heard and because the Apostles were to die too he commanded them to write it and hath enabled his Church to translate it into the several languages of the world and so they understand it being written and read And herein God shewed his care of the Vnlearned who are the greater part of the world for though they cannot read the Originall yet having a Translation which in that it is a Translation agrees with the Original they receive the same mind of God that the Learned do Why should any man be unsatisfied with this way of delivery whereas Princes and States in matters which they esteem the greatest receive the Proposals of Ambassadours by an Interpreter If to read or hear these read be not sufficient to direct us what shall become of the blind who can neither read Original nor Translation And if any think that they say a great matter against Translations when they affirm That we know not the signification of Hebrew and Greek words but by the report of men They may as well say so of our Mother-tongue for we know not that this word Book signifies that which men commonly understand when they heare that word pronounced but that we are told so shall an English-man for this fine reason doubt whether he can speak true English or no or shall any child neglect his Duty to his Parents whom he can know but by Report Behold how many ways can the divine Providence use one thing The first division of Tongues broke a foolish attempt of scaling the skies This second further'd a Noble Designe of lifting us up the right way to Heaven By the curtesie of so many Translations the Holy Ghost appears again in cloven Tongues Those men which would make us believe the written word is no fit Rule because every body skills not the Hebrew and Greek do not onely say that they are not a rule to us but that they were not to the Jews or Grecians For it is probable some Jews and more then probable that many Greeks could no more read Greek or Hebrew then many now can read English and how did they do If we may be deceived by those which interpret so might they by those which read But if they say as they would fain have it that the Jews had an infallible spirit then it 's lawfull to ask where he lay asleep whilst the Jews being wickedly misled rejected the Messiah 2. As the Scripture was the best way and therefore most likely to be made use of by the wise God so that we might believe that he did We have the testimony of all that were worthy to be believed i. e. good men in all ages The first age saw things writ the truth and so witnessed to it The next age received believed and obeyed the truth and expressed as great effects of the power of it as the first and so on So that we may say as Saint Paul to Timothy We will mind the Scriptures knowing of whom we have received them Those who could not be willing to deceive themselves for they ventur'd this and the other world on 't and they which did so what design could they have upon us 2. The second assertion above-mentioned is that whatsoever comes to us as Gods word we ought not to reject it without weighty reasons to make us think he did not say it Against the Scriptures we can imagine but two things objectable in this point 1. Invalidity in the evidence given for them 2. Sufficient Counter-witnesse against them 1. As to the first what can invalidate the evidence Insufficiency can be imputed but upon two accounts either they know not the things they wrote or they did not write the truth they knew as some Hereticks said in Tertullians time Solent dicere non omnia Apostolos scisse eadem agitati dementia qua rursus convertunt omnia quidem