tells us that the Angels had a desire to look into certain things of Scripture namely the accomplishment of the predictions of Christ's sufferings and glory where the Original Greek word which he useth to expresse their introspection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the genuine and proper sense signifies a stooping to behold some thing hid which imports that they were ignorant of the full meaning of these prophesies till they were fulfilled and revealed by the Gospel And if to Angels the depth of this divine mystery be inscrutable much more to man who therefore is commanded very oft to read study and search the Scriptures which precepts stand in force to the end of mans life yea to the end of this world and therefore necessarily imply that as there must be no end of searching so neither can there be any end of finding but that a man may find more where he hath found much before and yet leave much unfound still when he hath searched what he can And to this truth the most accomplisht Divines of former times have afforded their suffrage St. Augustine saith In ipsis sanctis Scripturis mulâ—ò nesciâ— plura quam scio (a) August Epist 119. in the holy Scriptures I am ignorant of much more then I know And again he saith Mira profunditas eloquiorum tuorum Deus meus mira profunditas horror est intendere in eam horror honoris tremor amoris (b) Aug. Confess lib. 12. cap. 14. There is a wonderful profoundnesse in thy word O my God a wonderful profoundnesse it makes a man quake to look upon it intentively to quake for reverence and to tremble for the love thereof And a greater Divine then he saith speaking to God himself thereof Thy knowledge is too wonderful for me it is so high that I cannot attain unto it (c) Psal 139.6 And therefore prayeth to God in another place to open his eyes that he might see the wonders of his Law (d) Psal 119 18. Hence then I infer that if neither man nor Angel can wade into the depth of Scripture already invented and set forth then neither man nor Angel could be the inventers and Authors of it but of necessity a superior intelligence to these which can be no other but God himself Neither let any here think that this argument any whit favours the tenet of the Church of Rome which chargeth the Scripture with obscurity for though it be replenished and thereby indeed richly imbellished and beautified with variety of mysticall difficulties so as some things be hard to be understood as St. Peter confesseth (a) 2 Pet. 3.16 yet is it apert and perspicuous also in many places where the necessary way to life eternal is delineated and described and in so many places perspicuous as are sufficient fully to instruct men in all points of absolute necessity to be known and believed unto salvation And agreeable hereto is that speech uttered by wisedome her self (b) Prov. 8.9 All the words of my mouth are plain to him that will understand and straight to them that would find knowledge So that in it is propounded both milk and strong meat that for babes which are unexpert in the word of righteousness and this for them that are at age which through long custome have their wits exercised to discern between good and evil (c) Heb. 5.13 14. And hence have sundry of the fathers compared it to a River where there is a shallow ford for the Lamb to wade in and a profound deep for the Elephant to swim in And least any should suspect our modern Divines to be coiners of this distinction hear what the ancient Orthodox Fathers have taught us about it even from primitive times S. Chrysostome thus speaks Omnia clara sunt ac plana ex Scripturis divinis quaecunque necessaria sunt manifesta sunt (a) Chrysost in 2 Tessal 2. All things are clear and plain out of the holy Scriptures whatsoever things are necessary are manifest S. Augustine thus In his quae aperte posita funt in Scriptura inveniuntur illa omnia quae continent fidem moresque vivendi spem scilicet charitatem (b) Aug. de doctr Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. Amongst those things which are apertly or apparently set down in Scripture are all those things found which contain faith and good manners as namely hope and charity Irenaeus long before them thus as Chemnitius hath it (c) Chem. exa deer Conci Trid. part 1. in loco de Epist Apost prope finem Licet multa sunt obscura parabolica Scripturae loca regula tamen ipsa veritatis in Scripturis sacris in aperto posita est Albeit there be many obscure and parabolical places of Scripture yet the rule of truth it self is clearly set down Nay the Apostle Peter himself laies down the ground of this distinction in the place before cited (a) 2 Pet. 3.16 where he saith of Paul's Epistles that in them some things are hard to be understood for this of necessity implies that some things again be easie I had now done with this Argument but that meeting with Mr. Parson the Jesuite his approbation of it as a most evident declaration that God was the Author of holy Writ I thought I might do well to give notice of it His words are these as they are expressed by one Mr. Bunny who published a Treatise of the said Jesuites about Christian Resolution (b) Parson Resol part 2. cap. 2. sect 3. in 7. proof of Scripture These Doctrines and many other contained in the Bible being things above mans capacity to devise and nothing agreeing with humane reason most evidently do declare that God was the Author and Inditer of the Scriptures for that by him only and by no other those high and secret mysteries could be revealed Where it 's to be noted that he affirms the mysteries of Scripture to declare not only evidently but most evidently that God was the Author of them Which assertion infringeth the doctrine of the present Church of Rome taught by Bellarmine formerly who affirmeth That it cannot be sufficiently known from Scripture alone that there is any divine Scripture (a) Bellar de Verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 4. arg 4. And of late by one Mr. John Fisher a Jesuite in the frontispiece of his book against Dr. White dedicated to King James where he toils himself to prove That the highest ground and final resolution of faith about this point is the tradition and testimony of the Church which must needs be otherwise if the high and hidden doctrines of the Scripture it self do most evidently declare the same as Mr. Parsons there affirmeth very truly for the most evident declaration of a truth must needs be the highest ground thereof I thought it not impertinent to mention this sentence of Mr. Parsons as speaking for the truth in this controversie between us and the Church of Rome to be defended on our
take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy City and from the things which are written in this (a) Rev. 22.18 19. book Again secondly They acknowledge it the supreme judge under the holy Ghost himself to decide and determine all doubts and questions in Religion and give it preheminence above all other sayings writings books or traditions And lastly affirm it to be absolutely necessary in the Church ever since the first writing of it by God himself as being that foundation whereon the Church is built as the Apostle teacheth the (b) Ephes 2.20 Ephesians And in these respects ascribe many glorious and magnificent yet decent and deserved titles to it which they learn and gather out of it some whereof I will mention They call it The Oracle of God the Breath of the holy Ghost the Scepter of Christ's Kingdom the Touch-stone of truth the Lanthorn of Israel the Mystery of Godlinesse and the Lamb's Book with many other such like Now by all this it appears that they give that due and condigne honour veneration and observance to the sacred Scripture which becomes the true and sincere professors and defenders of it See now on the other side what honour the Romanists exhibite to it and in what estimation they have it Sometime they celebrate it with due veneration and call it The true word of God and a most certain and safe rule of faith so Bellarmine speaks of it and affirms it to be the mind of the Catholique Church and the Councel of (a) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 1. 2. Trent Sometime again they undervalue and depress it and detract from its sublimity and excellence very indignly and namely in these four particulars First They teach that the proper and principal end of Scripture was not to be the rule of faith but to be a useful monitor or remembrancer to conserve and nourish the doctrine received by preaching This is out of Bellarmine word for (b) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 12. word And Pighius delivers this contumelius speech of Scripture to the same purpose Apostoli quaedam scripserunt non ut scripta illa praeessent fidei religionis nostrae sed potius ut subessent The Apostles saith he have written certain things not that their writings should be over our faith and Religion but rather that they should be under (c) Pigh Hierarch lib. 1. cap. 2. them This is strange new divinity for of old the Scripture was held to be the rule and Religion the thing ruled by it both in the old (d) Isa 8.20 Testament and in the (e) Mat. 22.29 2 Pet. 1.19 New and in the primitive times next after the Apostles as were easie to demonstrate both out of the Fathers and Church-Histories And therefore to make Religion the rule and Scripture to be ruled by it as the Romanists now of late times would have it as appears by the forementioned sayings and many other such like published by divers of them is an uncouth contumely and an indigne disparagement to it and an egregious derogation from the super-excellency and majesty of it and hath indeed been the unhappy means of the suffocation of a great part of God's truth in that Church Secondly They affirm that the whole Christian doctrine which is necessary to be known either for faith or manners is not contained in the Scriptures and that therefore there is required an unwritten word also beside the written word that is to say Divine and Apostolical traditions to be added to the written word to make it a perfect (a) Bellar de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 3. 4. rule And so they condemn the sacred Scripture of imperfection and insufficiency This assertion is repugnant to several assertions in Scripture for S. John saith That so much is written in Scripture as is sufficient to work faith in us and to bring us to everlasting life through the name of (b) John 20.31 Christ and then surely there needs no more for everlasting life is the highest degree of perfection that any creature can attain unto And S. Paul saith That the Scriptures are able to make a man wise unto (c) 2 Tim. 3.15 salvation and to make him perfect throughly furnished unto all good (a) 2 Tim. 3.17 works Whence it follows that seeing they make men perfect they must needs be perfect themselves for no imperfect thing can perfect another And our blessed Saviour himself hath denounced a dreadful judgement against any that shall go about to add unto it as if it were not perfect I testifie saith he to every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this Book If any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this (b) Rev. 22.18 Book as before was rehearsed Thirdly They equalize Traditions with the holy Scripture and dignifie them with the same authority and reverence so teacheth the Councel of (c) Concil Trid. decr 1. session 4. Trent And Melchior Canus saith That Traditions have greater force to refel Hereticks then the (d) Canus loc commun Theo. lib. 9. cap. 3. Scriptures And Eckius saith simply That they are of greater efficacy without any limitation to that particular (e) Eck. de fide justif cap. 13. effect And yet we find in Scripture that all humane traditions are to be examined and tryed by it as was declared before and are all to be disallowed and rejected which hold not correspondence with the same as is evident from our Saviour's reproof of the Scribes and Pharisees for presuming to dispense in some case with this written commandment Honour thy father and mother for thereupon saith our Saviour unto them Ye have made the commandment of God of none effect by your (a) Mat. 15.6 tradition and again he saith In vain they do worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of (b) Mat. 15.9 men In both which sentences our Saviour gives the written word preheminence and authority above all traditions Fourthly and lastly Bellarmine denies the Scriptures to have been simply necessary or (c) Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 4. cap. 4. sufficient This if he had spoken in relation only to the time before the Law was written by God himself we should not have contested with him but by his further dispute about it he declares his meaning to extend to the written word since that time which he manifesteth by a saying that he uttereth afterwards which I have truly transcribed to a letter without either addition amputation or alteration of the least sylable thereof Sanè saith he credere historias Testamenti veteris vel evangelia Marci Lucae esse canonica scripta inno ullas esse divinas Scripturas non est omninò necessarium ad (d) Bell. de Eccles militant lib. 3. cap. 14. salutem Surely to believe the hystories of
And omitting many other for brevities sake I will instance in some few best known and confessed of all to be fulfilled First Our Saviour Christ foretold the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction and subversion both of it and the (a) Luk. 19.43 44. Temple and the calamitous and distressed estate of the inhabitants of that City at that time to come to passe before one generation should passe (b) Matth. 24.34 away and the dissipation of the people of the Jews from thenceforth among all (c) Luk. 21.24 Nations The former of these Josephus a Jew before named and no Christian reports that he saw come to passe with his own eyes in a lamentable History which he hath written of the wars of the (d) Josep de Bella Jud. lib. 7. Jews And every Nation in Europe seeth likewise the fulfilling of the other over all which and many more Countrys also the Jews are all now dispersed and scattered Our blessed Saviour also foretold that the Gospel should be preached to all Nations before the finall (e) Mark 13.10 judgement The accomplishment of which prophesie having had its beginning in some measure in S. Augustine's time is noted by him as a special mark and cognisance of the Divinity of Scripture his words are these Ex uno homine quem primùm Deus condidit genus humanum sumsit exordium secundum sanctae Scripturae fidem quae mirabilem authoritatem non immeritò habet in orbe terrarum atque in omnibus gentibus quas sibi esse credituras inter caetera quae dixit verâ divinitate (a) Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 12. cap. 9. in fine praedixit From one man whom God first created mankind derived its beginning according to the testimony of the holy Scripture which hath admirable authority in the world and among all Nations and not without cause in that among other things which it hath divinely foretold this is one That all Nations should believe it And we our selves also see it to be dayly fulfilled still more and more for both the Indians from Spain and the Virginians and other barbarous people from England have of late years received the Gospel The Apostle Paul prophesied of some that should teach doctrines of Divels by forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from (b) 1 Tim. 4.3 meats This prophesie was fulfilled in the next succeeding age about 90 or 100 years after for then arose the Hereâ—icks Marcion Tatianus and Montanus and divers others discipled by them who taught that marriage was to be abhorred and commanded abstinence from living creatures that is from eating (c) Iren. advers Haere lib. 1. cap. 30. Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 4. cap. 27. flesh Now that the New Testament was written and so these prophesies extant before their accomplishment we have a cloud of witnesses As Clement S. Paul's disciple Justin Marryr of whom Tatianus had sometime been an auditor and disciple who also writ a book against Marcion (d) Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. 4. cap. 11. Aegesippus Papias Polycarpus Ignatius with many others who writ books in their time wherein they quote the Scriptures of the New Testament and were all living in or before the time of the afore-named Hereticks which undeniably demonstrates the Gospel to be written and so these predictions to have had precedence before the event S. Pâ—ul also foretold of the conversion of the Jews to the Christian faith in several (a) Rom. 11.20 2 Cor. 3.16 places now this for ought we know is not yet fulâ—illed but undoubtly shall be in its due time which when it comes to passe shall cry down the incredulity of all such doubting spirits as will not receive the knowledge and love of this truth of the divinity of Scripture that they might be saved I have been long in this argument and yet I have not done with it for now again Mr. Parson's applause of the prevalent force of this argument as irrefragable and above all other for undoubted confirmation of the point in hand comes in my way and may not be omitted Who in the place formerly mentioned not very many lines intervening speaks thus This alone meaning the accomplishment of prophesies in Scripture doth convince most apparently all proofs and reasons and other arguments laid aside that these Scriptures are of God and of his eternal and infallible (a) Pars Resol par 2. cap. 2. sect 3. in 7. proof of Scripture spirit And again afterward he affirmeth That these prophesies being fulfilled are sufficient to establish any mans faith in the (b) Idem eâ—dem ca. 4. Ser. 1. in 4. consid world These sentences of Mr. Parson's do give his fellow Fisher such an affront for teaching the point formerly mentioned in the third internal Argument that I am confidently perswaded the most acute polite refinedwits in al that Fraternity wil never be able to reconcilethem Sixthly Let the whole form and frame of the doctrine of Scripture Ar ∣ gument 10 and the mould of mans natural disposition be compared together and we may observe and discover such a repugnancy between them as may induce us to believe that no man would ever write the same for it futits not at all with mans liking or desire nor accommodates it self in any place to humour man and please his corrupt nature But contrarily laies open the basenesse of his birth and the foulnesse of his sin and shame which every man naturally desires to conceal and cover crosseth his desires frustrates his hopes recordeth accusations indictments and restimonies against him finally denounceth judgment condemnation against him in that way which seems good unto him (a) Prov. 14.12 in that course of life which he best likes and loves Who then can imagine this to be mans devise or composed by him which is so derogatory from his estimation whereof he is so tender so averse from his humor and disposition to which he is so indulgent especially considering with what earnest and vehement asseverations the positions and doctrines of Scripture are a vouched and avoived to be divine truths If indeed this book did seem to be composed but jocose and not in earnest as that doth which Erasmus writ in the praise of folly or to be penned for â—stentation of eloquence and ingenuity like Craneades his second Oration which he made before Cato the Censor in dispraise of justice having made one the day before in the high commendation of it in the same place Then there might be some ground for surmise and suspition that some man might be the Author of it But seeing neither of these can be collected from the context and that the whole scope and drift of the book throughout is truly and verily to abase and humble all men before God it cannot probably be reputed to be any mans work In the seventh place Ar ∣ gument 11 the integrity and impartial fidelity of the writers of several
word by the Churches enunciation and report but afterwards they believe much more firmly and undoubtedly when they come to enjoy the sight and knowledge of the Scriptures themselves So that the most that can be gathered from that speech of S. Augustines is but this That the testimony and tradition of the Church is usually the first inducement to men to give credit to the truth and so consequently to the divinity of the Gospel which is not denied But then this credulity is afterwards corroborated and more fully setled and confirmed by more evident certain and infallible groundsout of Scripture it self discovered especially by the help of divine grace from the spirit of God which of all other saith Amen to this truth and sets the surest seal thereof upon the soul and conscience as our Saviour gives us to understand when he saith If any man will do God's will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of (a) Joh. 7.17 God That is he shall know best and most assuredly as having information and attestation thereof from the Spirit of God Yet always God's spirit tells the conscience this out of Scripture for as it suggested and dictated the Scripture at the first so it whispers in the ear of the soul the same note still and hath no discrepant voice or suggestion from it but whatsoever it testifieth it suggests the same not by any secret instinct and spiritual insusurration different from the written word according to the vertiginous fancy and dotage of the Enthusiasts the family of Love as they are phrased and some other of the Anabaptistical sect but by a still voice out of and according to the Scripture Whence is that saying of St. Chrysostome Frustra jactat se Spiritum sanctum habere qui non loquitur ex (b) Chrysost de Popu Antioche Homil 50. Evangelio In vain doth he boast to have the holy Ghost that speaketh not out of the Gospel And therefore we read that when our Saviour enlightened his Apostles understandings it was That they might understand the (a) Luke 24.45 Scriptures And that when he promised to send the Comforter unto them to teach them all things he addeth Whatsoever I have said unto (b) John 14.26 you which intimates that he should teach them no new doctrine So that we are not to believe an Angel from Heaven if he preach any other Gospel then that which the Apostles have (c) Gal. 1.8 preached which we have written in the New Testament And so it was said always of old To the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in (d) Isa 8.20 them Thus then I conclude That the conscience may be verily resolved and a rational man compelled to acknowledge and believe with an acquired historical faith that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are divine by convincing arguments and evidences apparent even to reason and that from Scripture it self especially Nor am I single in this opinion for I find in S. Augustine the like conclusion who speaking of the Penmen of Scripture delivers this sentence Verè illos magnos divinos fuisse legem illam Dei jussu voluntate promulgatam esse credo id quamvis perpauca illorum librorum sciam facilè persuadere possum si mihi adhibeatur aequus non pertinax (a) Aug. de Vtilita tecredendi cap. 5. animus Verily saith he I believe that they the penmen of Scripture were great and divine men and that that Law was promulgated by the commandent and will of God and this though I knew but a few of those books I am able easily to perswade if I meet but with an equal-minded man that is not pertinacious But to believe this with a divine faith without which it 's never soundly and perfectly embraced must be a work of God's Spirit only from whom alone all such faith proceedeth And so I end the first part of this Treatise The second part of this Treatise which is an application of the Doctrine proved to certaine special uses HAving now laid a sure foundation of this truth that Scripture is God's own word which cannot be shaken it behoves me to superstruct upon it lest that aspersion be cast upon me which the improvident builder is blemished withal in the Gospel This man began to build but was not able to make an (a) Luke 14.30 end This doctrine then is useful both for theory and practice both for information and for exhortation First For information of the understanding two inferences or conclusions are deducible from it First That no man may presume to dispense with this word because it 's God's for being his none but he hath authority and power to exempt any man from obligation to it or any part of it This is a conclusion undeniable and therefore speaks the practice of some late Popes of Rome to be very culpable and inexcusable who have presumed to grant dispensations for marriages within the degrees forbidden in this word of God and to exempt subjects from obedience to their lawful Soveraign strictly commanded in this word This hath been practised by the Papal power of late years here in this Nation And it 's the more inexcusable in that they undertake to justifie it This I find in Cardinal Bellarmine's works who to prove the Popes Supremacy draws an argument from his power to grant dispensations and then doth instance in a dispensation which Pope Gregory granted to the English about marriages within the degrees (a) Bellar de Romano Pontif. lib. 2. cap. 19. forbidden And I can here produce a credible Author who affirms that divers of the Church of Rome have not blushed to defend openly and that under their hands that the Pope hath power to dispence Contra ius divinum contra Apostolum contra Novum Testamentum against the law of God against an Apostle and against the New (b) Favor Antiquit cap. 6. paulo post medium Testament But I am perswaded that now since the reformation hath detected many of their grosse hallucinations the wise and learned among them do distaft and disclaim all such blaspemous and unsavoury assertions A second consequent or conclusion that I deduce from this truth That Scripture is God's own word is this That therefore it 's of superior and greater authority then the present Church militant And this I prove from hence by two reasons First Because the present Church Militant is holy and divine but only in part and after a sort and in this regard is subject unto error whereas the Scripture is simply and totally divine for All Scripture is given by inspiration of God saith (a) 2 Tim. 3.16 S. Paul and therefore must needs be most authentical A second reason is this That which sanctifieth is greater then that which is sanctified by it so our Saviour himself argued against the Scribes and Pharisees Ye fools