haply find him not being far from any of them giving them by these daily blessings opportunity at least to know consider and thankfully to acknowledge some divine goodness be it under what name or notion soever to be the authour and bountiful bestower of these daily mercies whereby as God leaves not himself without witness so he leaves all without excuse or ability to plead that they were destitute of all means to obtain acceptance with God to their salvation Again what means the giving of talents to some more to some less or fewer but to all some one at least to know good and evil so far as to know when another wrongs him in like proportion must he know when he wrongs another and that as he would not have another wrong him in the least so should not he do the least wrong to any other but to do as he would be done unto according to the Golden Rule or Law written in every mans heart What else meaneth the Apostle Paul in Rom. 2 26 27. If the uncircumcision keeps the righteousnesse of the Law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision and shall not the circumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the law judge thee who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the Law See further the 11 12 13 14 15 verses of the same Chapter wherein it is said thus When the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law having not the law are a law unto themselves which shews the work of the law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts in the mean while accusing or else excusing one another What may we think of Iob being an upright and just man that feared God and eschewed evil what can be thought of Iobs friends Bildad Zophâ—r Eliphaz and Elihu but that they were sober honest wise and just men fearing God although they were mistaken as who might not in Iobs particular and extraordinary case And what meaneth the story of Cornelius Act 10 being an uncircumcised Gentile destitute of the knowledge of Christ yet had acceptance with God and his prayers heard notwithstanding And what think you of Peters Proclamation thereupon saying Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Hence I conceive without offence to any otherwise minded may be concluded First That all those who never enjoyed true Ministry of the Gospel of Christ shall never be judged for not believing or not obeying the Gospel of Christ but shall be judged either as in sincerity they have indeavoured to observe the good and eschew the evil known to them or have wilfully swerved from it without repentance and amendment for God accepts men according to that they have and not according to that they have not 2 Cor. 8.12 And to whom much is given of him only much shall be required and little of him to whom little is given Secondly That God never concluded any Nation or person so to condemnation as not to afford them and him sufficient means within his reach and power to escape the same and to procure acceptance with him These J deem with submission to better Judgements may as safely and truly be concluded as to affirm That God is most just good and merciful That his mercy is extended over all the works of his hands who hateth nothing that he hath made but filleth all things with his goodness and heareth the young Ravens that cry to him for meat Ps 104.27 28. Ps 145.16 17. Ps 147.9 Accursed then are the tongues and pens of such evil servants that render this indulgent bountiful and good Master to be hard and austeer to reap where he did not sowe and to propose grace and mercy to far the greatest part of the sons and daughters of Adam when he never intended it to any of them but contrariwise had inevitably absolutely and personally concluded them to exquisite and endless misery of his meer will and power long before they were born and that without respect to any sinful or evil action of theirs FINIS Prov. 27.5 Open rebuke is better then secret love Pro. 12.1 Who so loveth instruction loveth knowledge but he that hateth reproof is bruitish Pro. 28 16. The Prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressour but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his dayes Vers 17 A man that doth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit let no man stay him Pro. 29.1 He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 27.6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful POSTSCRIPT MR. John Brayne a learned man in his Book intituled The unknown Being published 1654. in page 3. telleth us as a matter of exceeding great note and concernment to all men which is the gross corruptings of the Word of God in the false translating of it the Translators putting down in an hundred places neer life for soul rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 life and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soul which ought not to be the word and sense is destroyed by it and false doctrine taught to the people wherefore in especial there is an extream necessity of another Translation to be published and this called in The Old Testament in this particular is better translated then the New though some such in the Old as that the mind of God is no way expressed but clean contrary things And in page 11. he further telleth us viz. That it s no wonder Austine and others run to Philosophy having lost the knowledge of the Spirit which was immortal to prove the soul immortal against the Scripture upon which Philosophical hinges the Divinity of the now times are hanged in which Untruths Errours and Deceits are told the people to the overthrow of hope and shaking of faith in men and destruction of the truth And in this follow not the Lords Spirit but their own Ezek. 13.3 ☞ After my setting down this learned Authors judgement concurring with the rest of the Authors formerly cited concerning the erroneous Translations of Scripture there came to my hand another small Treatise of his intituled Heavens witness to the worship and worshippers on earth wherein he not onely confirmes what in this Discourse is asserted for the necessity of divine and powerful evidence to attest the truth of doctrine Believers and Churches of the Gospel but also shews how God by some such divine evidence gave witness to true worship both before the law in time of the law and to the worship of the Gospel from Christ to the Apostasie Anno 406. Together with abundant Testimonies of Scripture proving that the Truth and the true Church was not nor when restored shall not be without the same with which as at first God again will restore the Church ERRATA IN page 3. line 16. for incestur saith Ieremie read micetur saith S. Irency pag. 6. lin 17. for pareas minori read pareas insane minori l. 21. r. Erasmus p. 7. l. 7. r. allowable l. 16. r. Isidorus and there and elsewhere for Sextus r. Sixtus p. 12. l. 21. f. untelligable r. unintelligable p. 14. l. 1. r. Brescia p. 20. l. 7. r. in ore gladii Cruentandi p. 23. l. 25. r. Anthographs p. 27. l. 24. r. of the Trinity p. 51. l. ult r. verities p. 55. l. ult r. 1 Cor. 12.7 12. p. 72. l. 3. f. He that hath r. He that believeth hath p. 81. l. 9. f. on r. by l. 10. f. by r. on
to Gospel-times there is also a miraculous pouring out of the Spirit proper to the first age of the Church Quest How is miraculous pouring out of the Spirit proper to the first age of the Church when as Mr. Baxter himself affirms and proves by Irenaeus and others that it continued in the Church three or four hundred yeers at least after the Apostles And in pag. 31. he gives a reason why Christ would then thus convincingly send abroad such aboundance of the Spirit namely Because he had the old Law of Moses to repeal and that was well known by the Jews to be Gods own and men must not believe Gods Law ceased or abrogated without proof Quest Are there not yet many thousands of the Jews that adhere to the old Law of Moses and remain still in unbelief And was not the Gospel miraculously confirmed to the Gentiles who owned not Moses Law as well and as much and more then it was to the Jews And in page 32. 33. among many other reasons against any such miraculous use of the Spirit to continue in the Church he gives two R.B. 1. Because saith he we have the full use and benefit of the holy Ghost which was given then that seal that was then set to the Christian Doctrine and Scriptures stands there still Quest Is it to all the various and contradicting Doctrines and Scriptures in the world that this seal is set and stands there still or to some only and if but to some how may a man undoubtedly know to which of them that seal is set and to which not R.B. 2. Because Christ doth still continue his spirit to his Churches and every true member thereof but not the same use and therefore not to enable them to the same work as then Tongues are not for them that believe but for them that believe not saith Paul 1 Cor. 14. 22. that is to show the power of Christ and so convince them but now the Scripture is sealed by these there is not the same use or need of them Obj. It 's true the spirit was given and continued to true Churches and every Member thereof but not without manifestation for the manifestation of the Spirit was given to every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 as well as the Spirit it self for how else can any true Church or Member be known from false since all different sects and sorts of Christians pretend to have the Spirit yea and this learned Author with all his learned Oponents no doubt do conceive themselves to be true Members of the true Church so each of them to have the spirit notwithstanding the many great and vast differences between them in the most material and essential points of the Gospel which is inconsistent with their having the Spirit whose Office is to evince truth and to lead into all truth besides this Author himself in his Saints Rest Par. 2 pag. 206. asserts That he hath still known those that pretend to the strongest sense of spiritual Revelations to have proved the most wicked and deluded persons in the end And indeed where see we in any that manifest power which alwayes did and must accompany those that had this Spirit Joh. 7.37.38 Mar. 16.17.18.20 Joh. 14.12.16 Heb 2.4 Lu. 24 49. Act. 14.8 Joh. 16.7.8 but the use and need of this power is now denyed by this Author and by many other who yet retain the form of godliness even as Saint Paul long since foretold that such should be in these last days even then also injoined true Christians from all such to turn away 2 Tim. 3.1.5 Wherefore I conceive it would be very rash for any man to believe this Author while he alledgeth that the Scripture is sealed by the former powerful works of the Spirit untill some such powerful Works can be produced by him to evince the verity thereof and likewise in the same manner to evince and set forth undoubtedly which or what Scripture it is of all the many varius scriptures now extant in the world that is so sealed wherby it may certainly be known distinguished from all the rest for this also is absolutely necessary unless his meaning be that all Scripture whatsoever is so sealed And whereas he here tells us That the gift of Tongues was for them that believe not to convince them hence it will follow That as long as there are unbelievers in the world to be convinced so long the gifts of Tongues is necessary for that end And in Part 2. pag. 36 he gives another reason of the discontinuance of that Divine Evidence and powerfull convincement in telling us R. B. That miracles would loose their convincing force and be no miracles if they were common to all and in all ages Yet in Par. 3. pag. 242. 243. he tells us That it is certain from current testimony Church-Records That the gift of casting out devils making them confess themselves mastered by Christ did remain in the Church three or four hundred yeers at least after the Apostles And for this he there produceth many Authors and after saith No where could Satan keep his possession where the power of Christ did assault him And in his Saints Rest Part 2. pag. 232. he cites the words of some of those Authors telling us R. B. That Irenaeus affirmeth That in his time the working of miracles the raising of the dead the casting out of Devils healing of the sick by meer laying on of hands by prophesying were in force and that some that were so raised from death remained alive among them long after and that Cyprian and Turtul mentioned the ordinary casting out of devils and challenge the Heathen to come and see it Quest Since miracles as is confest were common not only in the first age in the Apostles time but for four hundred years at least after and yet lost not their convincing force nor ceased to be miracles why then might they not have continued in the ages since without losing their convincing force or ceasing to be miracles And if without any absurdity a man may affirm as no doubt but he may that for those 400. years after the Apostles these miraculous and powerfull gifts were useful and necessary then he may with as little absurdity affirm and maintain That they were since and are still useful and necessary even for the very same ends and porposes for Miracles or Tongues as was said by this Author are not for them that believe but for them that believe not and are there not still Heathens Infidels Jews Turks Pagans Sorcerers Witches Conjurors Idolators in abundance of all sorts many spiritual Wickednesses in High Places now in the world as wel as then and infinite numbers of Mahometans now as were not then And are there not in the world a numberless number of all sorts and sects of Christians of various Opinions different interests and perswasions yet each pretend to have the Spirit and be in the Truth and
best then is the best still had almost made me think that he intended a perfect agreement with the truth which all along he had opposed but that I found him presently to falsifie that Text in Joh. 15 24. in like manner as he had done the same Text in many other places viz. In leaving out the Emphasis thereof even that which chiefly corroborated and upheld that truth which in his precedent assertion he seemingly maintained namely in omitting these words viz. Among them and that they did both see and hateâ— for the Text is If I had done among them c. that is in their presence that they might both see and hear the Miracles done by Christ as the Samaritans did those that were done by Philip Acts 8.6 they had not had sin but now have they beth seen and hated both me and my Father And with the like unfaithfulness doth he bring up the Rear in the words following by omitting to add to him by which it is made neither current nor found for if St. Paul were now living and had convincingly revealed the Gospel to many thousand men and not to me this though it bound them to believe yet it binds not me to whom it was never convincingly revealed but when ever it is convincingly revealed to me as well as to them then it binds me as well as them but not else These bawks are not comely in any man especially if in the least he pretends sincerity for as the sin of the Scribes and Pharisees there was much aggravated by their seeing and hating so is every mans else though not in the same degree that shall see this or any other Text flatly against his purpose and then to cite it so maimedly as to make it speak against the intention or genuine sense thereof as by this Author this is often cited whereby to make Christ whose words they were to bear false witness so much against himself and his truth this I conceive is no small offence nor is this any other then a friendly caution that when ever this Argument is again handled both Christ his truth and this Text may be better dealt with R. B. And whereas this Author here tells us from current Testimony That the gift of casting out Devils and making them confess themselves mastered by Christ did remain in the Church for three or four hundred yeers at least after the Apostles and that Satan could no where â—eep his possession where this power of Christ did assault him Now then let it be considered Quest. 1. Whether there be not many Pagan Nations whereof Satan hath full possession and wherein he is worshipped by the Inhabitants as God 2. Whether he hath not in all Nations places and persons some large possession at least in their hearts by envy pride covetousness or some other base affection and lust And shall any such man yet think that there is not now need or use of these powerful gifts of the Spirit to dispossess this powerful Prince that yet so ruleth in the world and hearts of men Or can he or any man else be so simple as to think that Satan ever was or yet is so weak or foolish as to be scared and cast out of any of all these his strong holds meerly by the various uncertain and contrary holy winds blown from Pulpits by artificial Divines any more then he ever was or will be cast out of any place or person by vertue of holy Water sprinkled by Fryars or Monks Wherefore for these and many other good causes it may be well deem'd That there was since the said four hundred yeers and is yet the same need of the said powerful gifts of the spirit as were formerly given by Christ to his Church notwithstanding all or any thing said by this learned Author to the contrary 5. Dan. Featly another Doctor in Divinity and famed for a great Schollar in his Dippers Dipt pag. 1. likewise plainly tells us That No Translation is simply authentical or the undoubted Word of God in the undoubted Word of God there can be no error but in Translations there may be and are errors The Bible translated therefore is not the undoubted Word of God but so far onely as it agreeth with the Original Now these passages coming forth by Authority as licenced Vertues if the learned Licencer know any and this Argument being approved as sound and good by other of the learned in my hearing I cannot chuse but query thus of my own understanding or of any mans else that hath charity and ability to inform me better Whether the very same Argument upon the very same grounds and reasons may not in like manner be enforc't against all Copies whatsoever in any Language whatsoever as well and as truly as against Translations thus viz. No Copy is simply authentical or the undoubted Word of God in the undoubted Word of God there can be no Error but in Copies there may be and are Errors The Bible copyed therefore is not the undoubted Word of God but so far onely as it agreeâ—h with the Original For although it be admitted by many that the original Pen-men of the Scripture were all inspired by God yet it may be and is by all denyed that the Copyers thereof were any more inspired then the Translators but that they might erre and have erred as well as Translators as before is manifest how else came there such diversities of Copies into the world as well as of Translations And whereas in the conclusion of the Argument is implyed That so far as either Translation or Copy can be proved to agree with the Original so far only it is to be accounted the Word of God Whence I query Whether it be possible for any to produce the undoubted several Originals of the several Books of the Bible or undoubtedly to know them if it were possible to produce them they being written by divers persons in divers places in diver ages in divâ—rs Languages and upon divers occasions And if none be able to do this I then query How it can be possible for any undoubtedly to prove any Book Chapter or Verse either of Translation or Copy to agree with the Original Besides seeing reason experience teach That time produceth such variations and changes in languages as that a word signifying one thing in one age may often hath another signisication put upon it by use and custom in another age whence else is it that some Hebrew and Greek words bears divers some six some seven and some contrary significations as one word to signifie both to bless and to curse in Job 2.9 And it cannot in reason be imagined but that some words may have quite lost their Original signification since the first writing of the Bible wherefore it would prove a very difficult work if not impossible for any to give to each passage and word its genuine sense and undoubted signification if it were possible as it is not
that the very true originals might be both produced and known For Resolution in the Premises conference being had with divers Schollars of eminent esteem for piety learning and ability in Divinity one whereof with womanish frowardness used altogether authoritative admonitions and censures instead of Argument and Reason which was expected and onely could satisfie But the other no less learned but much more ingenuous acknowledging the charge in the general to be just answered That notwithstanding the variations or contradictions either in Copies or in Translations yet they were all true in the substance whereas the truth in the substance was not the doubt nor question but this How the said Copies or Translations so qualified as aforesaid could or can with any Justice or Reason be imposed in each several Language on each several Nation people as the undoubted Word of God And how the various Expositions Doctrines and Conclusions drawn from these by their several and respective Ministers can be proposed to the people in each several Nation as the preaching of the true Gospel of Christ and Word of God to be believed in for salvation especially considering how that their preaching is altogether fallible seldom probable often contradicting and condemning one the other for erronious persons and Hereticks and one the others Doctrine for Error and Heresie c. Whereas it is evident by these Scriptures we have that the true onely Gospel Gal. 1.8 9. or Word of God being a great Mystery was hid in God Eph. 3.9 and first delivered to Christ Joh. 12.49 50. who gave it to his Disciples Joh. 17.8 14. Whom he deligated as his Witnesses and Embassadors Acts 10.41 2 Cor. 5.20 Authorizing them to publish the same unto the world as Gospel to every creature Mar. 16.15 Act. 10.42 Yet this their deligation or Authority was not compleat until they were endued with power from on high by coming down of the holy Spirit upon them Lu. 24.49 Act. 1.4 And when they were thus baptized with the holy Spirit themselves Acts 1.5 they then preached this Word of God 1 Pet. 1.25 or this Gospel by the holy Spirit sent down from heaven 1 Pet 1.12 i.e. God confirming the Word Mar. 16.20 and bearing witness thereto with signs and wonders and divers miracles and gifts of the holy Spirit Heb 2.4 Upon which infallible Testimony and evident Divine demonstration of the Spirit and Power of God was the Christian faith and Churches then founded by the Apostles and true Ministers 1 Cor 2.4 5. Heb. 6.1 2. and no other then the same Foundation can any man now lay more lawfully then he may now preach any other Gospel then the same that was then preached by the Apostles and true Ministers 1 Cor. 3.11 Gal. 1.8 9. Nor did these only publish this Gospel or Word of God thus witnessed but did also in their Ministry propose the gifts of the Spirit to be promised to all believing the Gospel or called thereby both near and afar off Acts 2 38 39. And they being made able Ministers of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 did accordingly administer the same by laying on of hands upon them Acts 8.17 18. Acts 19.6 Gal. 3.5 making good the promise of Christ to all believers that these signes should follow them that believe Mar. 16.17 18. Thus were they all baptized into one body by one spirit and were all made to drink into one spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 i.e. every one of this body had some manifest gift of the Spirit whereby they became Members of that body to profit the body withal 1 Cor. 12.7.12 Rom. 12.4 5 6. so as if any one had not some such gift of the spirit the same was none of Christs i.e. none of that his body or Church Rom. 8.9 The consideration of all which puts me thus further to query 1. Whether the said Copyes or Translations of the Bible or any Doctrines or Conclusions drawn from thence by men fallible and subject to error and mistake as other men are be any other or more then humane Testimony or so great as that of John Baptist mentioned Joh. 1.27 28 29 31 36 2. Whether all humane Testimony even that of John Baptist among the rest was not rejected by Christ as an insufficient ground for divine and saving faith to be built upon Joh. 5.32 33. 3. Whether did not Christ produce greater witness then that of John or any other humane Testimony without which the sons of men were not bound or required to believe Joh. 5.36 Joh. 15.24 Joh. 10.37 4. Whether any ought to be received for true Ministers or Ambassadors of the Gospel of Christ who seek their Ambassie out of Books or Libraries or make the various Commentaries or Expositions of the said Copâ—es or Translations or their own or other mens Doctrines or Conclusions therefrom the matter or ground of their Ministry or Embassie 5. Whether any ought to be received for true Ministers or Ambassadors of the Gospel of Christ who are not witnessed to by evident demonstration of the Spirit and Power of God as aforesaid seeing the reasons thereof both in the Apostles time and since are the same so that if it was not then superfluous it was since and is yet necessary even for the same ends and purposes Rom. 15.18 19. Acts 8.6 9 35 42. 11.21 and if the said witness of God was so absolutely necessary to evidence the Truth of Christs own Ministry as without it his own and other mens Testimony of him was invalid and not to be believed but might be waved without sin then no Ministry of the Gospel since ought to be believed or received as such upon easier or lesser terms for no servant is greater then his Master but the first is true Joh. 5.31.33 34 36. John 15.24 Joh. 10.37 6. Whether any ought to be accounted true Churches or Members of a true Church of Christ who are destitute of the said baptism of the spirit or who make the said fallible matter or Ministry or humane Testimony the ground of their faith and where in Scripture can we find mention of any such Church of Christ it being most consonant both to Scripture and Reason 1. That every member of that body be conformable to its Head in partaking of the Spirit in some measure with manifestation which Christ the Head received above measure whereby it ran down or extended it self to the whole body to each member in particular whereof the Oyle poured on Aarons head and running down to the very skirts of his Garment was a lively type and figure Psal 133.2 2. That the great structure of Christianity whose Principle is That a man at his first entrance therein should be required to deny himself and to forsake all his worldly enjoyments in this life only on the assurance he then receives of the great glory and rewards promised in the life to come should then also have this faith of his established upon Divine and infallible Evidence less
from doing this that each various and contrary Faith and Doctrine is stifly upheld and maintained from the various Copies and Translations thereof and from the various and contrary readings and meanings which each Opinionist respectively may and doth put upon the Scripture it self insomuch that indeed it is now made capable of any impression which every learned and witty man can invent and pleaseth to put upon it to serve his own turn and occasion though he face about and change never so much never so often And thus each man still makes the Scriptures to be like to Pictures wherein every man in the Room believes they look on him only and that wheresoever he standeth or how often soever he changeth his station Now whether all this doth arise from a natural hidden sense of the Scripture or from the brevity of them or for want of many Books mentioned in Scripture whereof we never had either Original or Copy or from mistakes made by Transcribers Printers or Translators or from the varions acceptation of words and phrases contained in them and in probability understandable only by such persons to whom they were first written who being before-hand grounded in the Faith and Principles of Christianity and instrueted in the things treated upon were thereby enabled aright to understand the mind of the Pen-men in what they did but briefly touch upon in their Writings to them Or whether from all of these or from any other cause or causes I leave to the wise and considerate to determine but certainly were they perspicuous in their sense so many learned studious good men could not possible so much have erred and been divided in their understanding of them And if such as these notwithstanding all their advantages of learning have not been able to resolve the truth of these Doctrines so familiarly mentioned in the Scripture and so necessarily required to true Christianity who shall conceive that they were intended by God for the ground of Faith and Worship for all or any sort of men whatsoever except we shall conceive that the unlearned sort of men are in a better capacity perfectly to resolve the sense of Scripture then the learned which is too gross to imagine or else that all men are bound to know and conform their Faith and Worship to a Doctrine that none of them certainly understand which none will affirm it being inconsistent with that Justice and Goodness which all confesse to be in Almighty God Let us see what to this point is said by learned Dr. Taylor in his forecited Book pag. 13. his words are these viz. It is a demonstration that nothing can be necessary to be believed upon pain of damnation but such propositions of which it is certain that God hath spoken and taught them to us and of which it is certaine that this is their sense and purpose for if the sense be uncertaine we can no more be obliged to believe it in a certaine sense then we are to believe it at all if it were not certaine that God delivered it but if it be only certaine that God spake it and not certaine to what sense our faith of it is to be as indeterminate as its sense nor is it consonant to Gods justice to believe of him that he can or will require more But to go on and bring this neater It is manifest even in those Scriptures we have that Jesus Christ requires no credit to be given to his Doctrine either upon his own bare word or the bare word of any persons whatsoever as before is set forth If I bear witness of my self saith he my witness is not true neither receive I testimony of men the works that I do in my Fathers Name they bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me And when he is blaming the Scribes and Pharisees for their unbelief in him he thus far excuseth them in it That if he had not done among them the Works that none other man did they had not had sin Now who can conceive that Christ should pronounce men guiltless for not believing him upon his own bare testimony and yet not hold men much more guiltless for not believing the Scripture upon its bare testimony Christ though he bare witness of himself his witness was certain and true whereas Copies and Translations as before we have seen are uncertain and erroneous Christ disclaims the Testimony of men yea of John the Baptist as a ground insufficient to engage men to believe in his Doctrine though all that John said of him was true and what he had heard and seen that he testified And shall we imagine that he will binde all the succeeding generations of men to believe the truth of Christ and the Gospel upon any such inferior testimony as the testimony only of such as disclaim infallibility and have neither heard nor seen as John did Shall God and Christ be true and all men lyars and yet shall fallible men be preferred before them in being believed upon lower easier terms then either they or their most infallible servants Or shal God be conceived to require contraries of men as not to believe super-natural truths such the Gospel is judged to be without a sutable evidence and on the other side require men to believe it without any such evidence Shall men be blameless and blamed by him upon one and the same account If this cannot be as surely it cannot then it must necessarily follow That the Scripture was never instituted or intended by Almighty God to be the ground of Christian Faith and Religion or to be believed in and obeyed by mankind to salvation Moreover it is evident if we may take the meaning according to the sense of the words as they are delivered to us in Translations That the Epistles and St. Johns Revelation in the New Testament were all written unto Believers and that both the Acts and Lukes Gospel were written to Theophilus an instructed Disciple Luke 14. And it is most probable that the other three Gospels were written to believers also at least for their sakes especially for such of them as did not see Christ themselves after his resurrection whereby he mightily declared himself to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 whereof the rest of the Apostles as well as Thomas much doubted whilest he lay dead as may appear by 1 Pet. 1.3 where St. Peter speaking of himself and of the rest saith That God of his abundant mercy had begotten them again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and what may be understood by this but that all their hope was extinct or languished by his death and revived again by his resurrection And that his being risen from death was very hardly believed by any of them may appear from Mark 16.10 11. when Mary Magdalen told the Disciples as they were mourning and weeping that Christ was alive and that she had seen him they believed it not and
circumcize all his male-servants whether born in his house or bought with money of any stranger though not of his seed as well as his natural seed Gen. 17. but these baptize no servant from that ground which they may as warrantably do as baptize any Infant Nor are the Anabaptists who deny the baptizing of Infants excusable upon the same account in pretending to derive divine authority to preach and baptize from the meer recital of that authority which was by Christ given personally to the eleven Apostles who both received and exercised the same long before the recital thereof in Matth. 28. from which no such authority can be derived to any because on that recital no authority at all was conferred by the eleven Apostles themselves there mentioned nor was their authority the more for it 's being there recited nor had it been the less if it had never been recited either there or any where else and therefore no such authority can be derived from that or any other Text. Besides these are very partial in that they assume such great and sublime authority to themselves from the meer recital of such authority given by Christ to his Apostles and not withall judge themselves also as well bound by the recital of that prohibition given also by Christ to the same Apostles viz. That they should not go out in the excercise of that Ministerial Function until they were indued with power from on high by the coming down of the Holy Ghost upon them Luke 24.49 Act. 1.4.8 And therefore upon due consideration of the whole matter it will be found That these do assume to themselves from meer recitals more authority then that which Christ gave to the Apostles themselves and whereof the Scriptures are but bare recitals Some other there are who disowning all the former wayes of conveyance yet to keep on foot that divine authority and that reverence accommodation which usually they received thereby in the world would by another trick both cozen themselves and all others their own consciences only excepted by telling the people that this divine authority which hitherto they have mist of must needs be in them and that they by their free election and bountiful contribution may convey it on whom they will and on them if they please but this also will be found a meer shuffle and as vain as any of the former for we finde both by Scripture and reason That a true Ministry divinely authorised and impowered did and alwayes must precede beget and constitute a true Church divinely authorised and that no Church or people whatsoever who are not so begotten and indued with divine power and authority themselves can possibly convey any such divine authority on any other this is evidently seen a truth by all the empty vain and fruitless laying on of hands used as well in particular Churches as by others in their Ordination of Ministers in imitation of the Apostles laying on their hands whereby the manifest and powerful gifts of the Spirit as that of tongues and prophesie c. were conveyed Act. 19.6 This form is still retained generally throughout Christendome as well as amongst us but where 's the power that should follow here 's the shell but where 's the kernel Might not little children or Apes in imitation of these lay hands one upon one another to as good purpose and with as much success Nor want we many amongst us who would needs have this whole Nation governed meerly by the Lawes and Ordinances of the Jews recited in Scripture and by Scriptural precepts onely pretending its divine authority to be alike over us as the Lawes and Ordinances given by Moses were over the Jews but how by this our case would be better then now it is I cannot imagine unless our Lawyers could which is not likely and would against their own profit which is not to be hoped make more certain and undoubted Translations Commentaries and Expositions of Scripture then ever any of the most Orthodox Divines have hitherto done But these men as it seems deeming themselves Saints and to be divinely authorized from Scripture to make this Nation the Kingdome of Christ and to set up and enthronize themselves to rule and raign for Christ and in his stead do declare it now their duty to effect all this by force and power * In their Standard set up pag. 10. inviting all the upright in heart to follow and joyn with them in this the work of the Lord * I wish that all Christians besides such as do jump with them were not to be numbred among the Heathen upon whom they would execute vengeane if they had power in their hands to do it To execute vengeance upon he Heathen and punishment upon the people c. and for this take their warrant from Psal 50.5 Psal 94.15 Psalm 149.7 applying these and very many other Scriptures of like import now unto themselves which do properly belong to other times persons and not to be fulfilled until the times of restoration of the Jews and the personal coming of Christ to set up his Kingdome But these mistakes at least as I conceive do arise from their deeming as many others inconsiderately do that the coming of Christ and his Kingdome is to be meerly spiritual by his grace coming and ruling in mens hearts without his personal coming whereas the Scripture plainly sets forth his personal coming in power and great glory visible to all men Act. 1.11 Act. 3 20 21. Matth. 24.30 Luke 21.27 Esa 40.5 after which he will gather together his ancient and elect people the Jews out of all Countreys where they are dispersed Luke 21.28 Matth. 24.31 compared with Esa 11.12 c. after which he will set up his Kingdome Luke 21.30 31. Luke 19.11 12 13. which shall be upon the earth and at the end of this world when he will gather and destroy out of his Kingdome the earth all the wicked and them that work iniquity Matth. 13.39 40 41. Then and not till then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of ther father vers 23. and then Christ will be King over all the earth Zach. 14.9 which will not be until his personal coming on the earth as ver 4 5. do manifest And then will be fulfilled the promise to Abraham and his seed to inherit the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession Gen. 17.8 wherein whilest he lived he did but so journ and dwell as in a strange Countrey with Isaac and Jacob heirs with him of the same promise Heb. 11.8 9. Act. 7.4 5. these all died in faith and expectation of that promise nevertheless to be performed to them afterward Hebr. 11.13 Then will the Kingdomes of this world become the Kingdomes of our Lord and his Christ wherein he shall reign for ever and ever Rev. 11 15. having the Heathen for his inheritance and the utter parts of the earth for his posession Psal 28. And
place the land of Canaan and would cause them to dwell safely and would give them one heart and one way that they should fear him for ever for the good of them and their children after them Which plainly sets forth the conversion of the Jews to the true fear of God and never more to depart from him and their being gathered out of all Countreys into their own land again to be there safely planted assuredly both they and their children after them to fear the Lord for ever which was never yet performed to this people It cannot be meant that this Covenant is promised to be made with any Gentile believers or Churches already converted whose fathers were never led by the hand out of Egypt nor planted in the land of Canaan to be there again re-planted much less can it be meant of every Gentile Church or Congregation of supposed believers as it is usually expounded and applied by the several Pastors and Ministers to their respective Congregations but they may as soon make me believe that all they say is truth as to believe this exposition of theirs or that this is not meant of Israel and Juda the very natural seed of Jacob or that it doth not mean the general conversion and gathering of that people into their own land again out of which they have been driven even the natural Israelites whose conversion Saint Paul also positively asserts Rom. 11. by the name of Israel the natural branches and his kinsmen according to the flesh affirming them to be holy and beloved for their fathers sake even when they were broken off and in the state of unbelief wherein they yet remain unto this day terming the Christian Romans though their faith was then famous throughout the whole world Gentiles and in comparison of them but wild branches cut out of the wilde Olave-tree and then after many hints of their coversion of their being received and graffed in again at last affirms that all or the whole house of Israel shal be saved and proves it by that which is written in Esa 59.20 which is That the Redeemer shall come to Sion and to them which turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Hence it is evident by Saint Paul's exposition that the great deliverance blessing and mercy intended and meant in this text properly belongeth unto Jacob or natural children of Israel whence it will follow That the great exaltation permanent glory security and peace prophesied and spoken of in the chapter immediately following appertains to them also none whereof being fulfilled when Saint Paul wrote that Epistle nor at any time since it is all yet to be fulfilled to them And therefore whosoever expounds this Scripture otherwise thwarts Saint Paul to the deceiving both of themselves and others which is much and often done by such as turn the true and plain sense of this and other Scriptures into mystical or allegorical meanings the meer inventions of mens brains whereby many excellent passages of Scripture yea in effect the whole Scripture hath been and is perverted and made not helpful but hurtful to many which if rightly understood would be of excellent use and benefit to all men but by such and the like misinterpretations and blind senses put upon the Scriptures by our blinde guides and * And have we not seen Curse ye Meroz displayed nor heard them cursed bitterly who came not out to help the Lord nor yet known many honest and sincere hearts extreamly cheated on all sides and by none more then by such charms and charmers who though they knew little of the right application of that text yet it bearing a sound for their purpose it was made use of by them meerly upon design interest for no sooner did they perceive the waters begin to run besides their Mill i.e. their ambitions covetous domineering ends were not served but they turned cat in paâ— cursed as fast the contrary way this at pleasure upon occasion can they do viz. bless curse curse and bless one the same person one and the same cause one and the same opinion with one and the same mouth and possible from one the same text corrupt interessed men as it may seem the honest zeal and good meaning of these men I speak as charity bindes me hath been so much misled as to conceive themselves divinely authorized to make this rash and un-advised attempt so dangerous both to themselves and the whole Nation But if instead thereof they had imployed all the power interest they had in a lawful way upon a civil account to have procured for the honest and good people of the Nations the performance of such honest and righteous things as of right do belong unto them and are but the just return of all the blood treasure laid out and spent by them for the purchase or rather for the redemption of them and which have been so much and so often promised to them and that upon most-solemn sacred appeals to heaven and yet hitherto most unjustly * But we be to them and him by whom these offences come deteined from them I conceive they had been far less if at all blamable then in that which they have attempted For can they think it just for them to domineer over their fellows and brethren meerly by a supposed divine authority from Scripture and may not any other upon the same account by a contrary exposition put upon the Scripture challenge the like superiority over them and must not we then needs fight it out and after conclude the strongest to have expounded truest for the weakest must to the wall perhaps into some castle or prison or into the bottome of some dungeon as erroneous or heretical persons whilst all such as have but the power over castles and prisons are alwayes orthodox all the world over and who may say to the contrary Or can they think it reasonable or feasable for them to set up that Kingdome of Christ to prevent and save him the labour of coming and so to rob him of the glory of doing it himself by the mighty power of his own arm without the arm of flesh Esa 63.1 to 7 whereby he will exalt his great name and glory to all eternity more then by any of his former archievements The bringing the children of Israel thorow the red Sea out of the hands of Pharaoh was indeed a very wonderful and glorious work whereby God made his Name great in all the earth yet this his deliverance and restoring of them yet to come and his setting up of his Kingdome will so far and so much exceed that