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
may hear it and do it Neither is it beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayst do it These words Saint Paul applies to the New Testament Rom. 10. 6,7,8 it may well be so applyed in regard of the perspicuity of the Gospell For as he sayes in his Epistle to the Corinthians we all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord i.e. the doctrine of the Gospel and are changed into the same Image c. With open face for the veile that was upon Moses is pulled off The New Testament is a Counterpart of the Old written in fairer letters To this Truth the rest of the Disciples bear witness When our Saviour preached he made such plain revelations of Truth that they saw with their eyes and looked upon the word of life And that which was spoken is as easily understood being written which any body will grant unlesse he be so absurd as to say that we know not what our friend means when he writes to us that which we could have understood if he had delivered it by word of mouth Of those many Arguments to prove this Truth which are necessary consequents from divers places of Scripture I shall content my self with these three The first is taken from the Reality of that love and regard which God professeth to mans happinesse in the bestowing of his Gospel upon the world and that is expressed thus He would have all men to be saved come to the knowledge of the Truth The Apostle in the beginning of the Chapter exhorts to a great Charity which he would have expressed in prayers for the good of all men and sayes this is acceptable to God who himself hath a Love to their salvation and to that end would have them come to the knowledge of the truth so that in these words God gives us to understand that he doth not envie us eternal happinesse but doth extremely desire it and hath appointed means for the attainment of it Therefore left we should accuse the divine Love for want of sincerity we must conclude that these means are revealed understandably Would God have us saved by the knowledg or acknowledgment of his Truth and will he not make the Truth knowable but how shall we know it if it be muffled up in dark expressions The Truth which is here meant is the Gospell and that he hath written in such great Capital Letters that he which runs may read the way to salvation Why should God speak to us in an unknown tongue that which Paul sayes concerning the use of intelligible speech {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in discoursing of heavenly things is very applicable here And even things without life giving sound whether pipe or harp except they give a distinction in the sounds how shall it be known what is piped or harped for if the trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battel so likewise you except you utter by the tongue words easy to be understood how shall it be known what is spoken for ye shall speak into the ayre therefore if I know not the meaning of the voyce I shall be unto him that speaketh a Barbarian and he that speaketh shall be a Barbarian unto me Doth not God know this and doth he not speak accordingly But how shall God please this vain world some are not satisfied because the Scripture is so plain they would have had it composed in more artificiall guise There is not art enough used and is there too much too Lactantius in his sixth book de Vero Cultu whilst he reproves their impertinent folly who are not pleased with the decent plainnesse of the Scripture gives the summe of this argument for a reason of that plainnesse Num igitur Deus mentis vocis linguae artifex disertè loqui non potest imò verò summa providentia carere fuco voluit ea quae divina sunt ut omnes intelligerent quae ipse omnibus loquebatur i.e. What cannot God speak elegantly who made the mind and all instruments of speech Yes but wisdom took care that those divine things which he spake to all should not be covered with such paint and art as might make them lesse understandable to all especially being such things as concerne Eternall Happinesse The second argument is taken from the pocesse of divine Iustice which is expressed after this manner the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ We must take heed how we reason with God about his judgements but he hath given leave long since to one to aske this question Shall not the Iudge of all the earth do right If God set a law by which he will condemn us to unsufferable torments if we be disobedient doth not righteousnesse require that the law should be made known to us or knowable by us How shall a man be condemned for ignorance if wilfulnesse be not added to make it affected will not that ignorance excuse which was invincible without his fault what justice can punish a man for not doing that which he could not know The condemnation must needs be hard when the offendour could not understand that the Law was given or what it meant He which doth not the will of God shall be beaten saith our Saviour The sinner replies I could not know it what saith our Saviour against that Thou child of darknesse thou hatedst the light He which would not obey will not know that truth which God hath graciously revealed he doth detain in an unrighteous will The plain notice of Gods law will cut off all excuses from those which shall be condemned for disobedience Men may dispute but when they are upon their knees to deprecate the punishment of sin dare they object to God that they could not know his will So men sometimes cavill at God for not giving them grace and pretend to leave the matter so but in prayer do they make this plea Forgive me O Lord though I did sin I could not help it It is one thing what people may talk carelesly or upon design it is another what is whisper'd by a still voyce from an awakened conscience Vpon the plainnesse of Gods revelation depends the certainty of Christian Religion This Pillar had need be firm for the best thing in the world rests upon it What is acceptable to Christ and what he will do for us is to be known by the revelation which he hath made of his mind to us but if that revelation conceal his sence it doth not deserve its name nor benefit us For notwithstanding
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
of our expectations For his Precepts they are all such as become the holy and just God full of benignity like the Father of the World It 's most worthy of him to teach love that shews so much and it becomes a Saviour to command his Disciples to forgive If any thing might be cavill'd at as contrary to reason because it seems so to ours it is assured because he that made right reason asserts it or if some great thing seem hard to us who know not the true compasse of created power yet they are made credible enough since they are said by God who is Almighty in his works and true in all his words and so we are secured from the error of misbelief knowing the Scriptures and the Power of God 2. They are such things as agree with Goodnesse Truth and Wisdome in us so farre as there is any in us Since the testimony of most known witnesses is the best we have here the most proper witnesse the correspondency of revealed Truth with the in-dwelling Truth of our own souls What hath God propounded but it doth enable our minds enlarge our capacities direct our choice secure us in the use of meanes his commands are such as if we do we live in them i.e. find great reward in obeying them observance of them makes us happy in all our considerations and terminates in a Calm of soule a true peace of Conscience i e. settles us in the fairest possession of this life and by all prepares us for an immortall state of Blisse and wise heathens preferred this before all the world So Plotinus {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c. i.e. This is the greatest and last strife of soules in which we are to spare no labour lest we should lose our part of that best vision for which we ought to despise all the Kingdomes of the world How doth this consent to the Scripture whose main design is to fit us for that Immortality which Christ hath by them brought to light I could wish that Hierocles had written alwayes after that sashion which he does in the end of his Commentaries upon the doctrine of the Pythagoreans a noble Sect as Origen that well knew them calls them his words are these {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} This is the end of the Pithagorean Discipline that we may be made all wing for the pursuit of divine things and that when the time of death shall approach all those that have been exercised in the strifes of vertue leaving the Mortall body upon the ground and putting off this lower nature may be prepared for their heavenly journey How much these things correspond with the Design of revealed Truth every one knowes and therefore I need not report further Thirdly the Expressions in which God hath delivered his mind are plain and fairly intelligible his Truths are perspicuously laid down before the eyes of men but here we must distinguish of Truths some are necessarily to be known to salvation some are not Some things being written ad necessitatem salutis and some ad ubertatem cognitionis All thing in the Scripture are not plain wo ever said that they were Neither are all plain things necessary but nothing which is necessary is obscure There are many things in Scripture of which there is use though they be not in themselves necessary that are plain and some of these are obscure but whatever our salvation requires us necessarily to know we may know for there it is plainly revealed Such is Faith and Piety by which we worship God Charity and Righteousnesse which we owe to our neighbour i e. to all men Prudence and Sobriety by which we are taught to govern our selves according to true reason and are directed to the attainment of our last end which is happinesse in God And as long as these things are made plain in which we are so concern'd we may well give thanks to God in the Philosophers words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Thanks be unto the blessed God that hath made all necessary things easie but things more difficult not necessary These necessary Truths are laid down plainly in two respects 1. Simply and freed from all deceitful Amphibologies There is no covering of a double mind under dark words The Oracles of old were infamous for jugling in speeches equally capable of contrary interpretations Those which lie and fear discovery as all liars do had need speak as doubtfully as they can but God who hath told us nothing but Truth hath done as it became Truth with plainnesse The Devills being forc't sometimes to give acceptable answers of whose Truth they doubted themselves hid a contrary sence under the vain shew of a promise and put the bâ—ey side outward that so their Clients might carry away a present comfort when the event answer'd not the expectation the Oracle had still a reserve The poor men besides the undoing of their hopes suffering also the abuse of their understanding They were deluded as much with the uncertainty of Directions they could have no better then the Devill knew how to give and so when the Enquirer had received his advice he knew not what to do because his Counsellour when he gave it knew not what to say Secondly Gods will is plainly revealed i. e. the meaning of his words is so intelligibly offered to all sorts of capacities that it requires not strong parts or great learning to find it out The Lamb may wade into it securely if any willing soule seek there for what he is necessarily to believe and do he will find the matters of his Faith and Practice clearly laid down in direct expressions and familiar consequences which flow as naturally from the expresse words as sweet drops do from an honey comb not to be wrung out with captious syllogismes and strained with subtle art which do onely resolve our faith into farre fetch consequences Here the learned and unlearned may read and easily understand how they are to be saved Their Ignorance is their sinne that do not read or that read they care not how And it is no wonder that such as live wickedly bring such a disgust upon their soules against the things here written that at last they neither care to read nor understand them and by Gods just permission being blinded let the Print be never so fair it will not be legible to them so neither can a blind man see the Sun That these necessary Truths are so plainly revealed appears 1. From the positive affirmation of holy writ 2. By arguments which are the just consequents of sundry places of Scripture 1. For the first sort of proofs we may take notice of that famous place of Moses For this Commandment which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far off It is not in heaven that thou shouldest say who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we
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
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
lies or any thing Scribe nt libet securus quod velis dicas habiturus mendaciorum comites quos historicae eloquentiae miramur autores and to take off his scruples if he had any which he makes no shew that he had concerning Truth he told him that he should not be the first that wrote lies among true things many other Historians having done the same I have made no mention of Iulian called the Apostate because I suppose his dying confession witnessed to the Truth that he contradicted before if that be true which Theodoret relates i.e. that he flung his blood in the ayre not with a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Here Cyclops drink thy wine buth with the discontent of a conquered enemy making a murmuring acknowledgement of victory {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Galilaean thou hast overcome Poor Iulian {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Is thy tongue regenerated and dost thou thus joyn with the Churches of the Galilaeans which words he used by way of scorn in one of his Epistles to Iamblicus This I have said in part to answer what is objected by the Heathen Philosophers but if we look a little further we shall find others of their own more deserving faith that blurr'd all the fore-mentioned contradictions with sufficient reproach by reporting much more against their own Religion in which there is nothing of worthy mention but they witnessed against it i. e. their Gods their Worshippers their Worship and the Motives of it which were fained miracles Of their Gods what sayes the learned Satyrist deriding the AEgytians for worshiping Onions and Leeks O Sanctas Gentes quibus haec nascuntur in hortis Numina O heavenly people their Gods grow in their gardens And Poliaenus in Petronius having killed a Goofe which was consecrated to the obscene Idol of Lampsacum when the Priestesse or rather Witch scolded at him Peace saith he Ecce duos aureos pono unde possitis Deos Anseres emere here is money for thee to buy both Gods and Geese The forementioned Satyrist speaking of the Roman worshippers having described their vile manners by which they were loathsome to all good men addes En animam mentem cum queis dii nocte loquantur These are soules meet for divine communion which are indeed fitter to be transported into swine then to know divine Extasies As for their worship the obscure Poet who it may be wrote as plain as he durst sayes that their oblations wanting that which is the spirit and excellency of true worship Compositum jus fasque animi sanctosque recessus Mentis incoctum generoso pectus honesto i.e. Holinesse of soules deeply tinctur'd with vertue were to as slight purpose as could be Nempe hoc quod veneri donatae à virgine puppae i. e. as much as the Virgins received help towards their fruitfulnesse by offering their babies and puppets to Venus at their marriage But this is not all for the worship of their Gods and Goddesses were full of such villanies that modest persons were ashamed to be present at them and their consecrated places were filthy sinks of all fleshly lust as they confesse themselves Nota bōnae secreta Deae Nam quo non prostat faemina templo These things the Christians did not forget to object to them Arnobius in his fifth book told them home of them Quis est enim qui credat honestatis aliquid in ea re esse quam ineant viles galli c. i. e. their religious rites were so base that to name them was against modesty 〈◊〉 full of shame that they were only to be reproved with silence and shut eyes And for their Miracles Polybius libr. 16. in that Paragraph which is inscribed {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} doth not onely confesse that they were invented {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. to uphold the superstition of the vulgar but he saith also that those who wrote such things for true History were {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} such as wanted common sence and addes further {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} let them be rejected This Testimony is not more full then the Relator was faith-worthy for he was so great a lover of Truth that in writing a story he regarded not Country or friends and for that omongst other Excellencies was admired by Cicero Strabo and Plutarch as Causabon hath recorded to his praise in the Preface which he hath written to his noble History So that the Adversaries proofs being disturbed and discredited by themselves they have no better successe in their evidence against the doctrine of Christ then they had in the condemnation of his person whom the heathen judge condemned by compulsion and absolv'd according to his conscience for after they had packed and shuffled the matter when all was done the witnesses did not agree among themselves 2. As the way of proposal appears very credible by what hath been said so secondly the things so propounded are in themselves for the most part evidently true Great Truths have an innate proof by which they are apt to prevaile upon mens minds to vanquish unbelief and chase away errour The words of the forementioned Historian as they are recited by Causabon in his Epistle to the King of France are most full to this purpose Existimo equidem naturam humano generi veritatem constituisse Numen Maximum maximamque vim illi attribuisse Nam cum ab omnibus oppugnetur atque adeo omnes nonnunquam verisimiles conjecturae à mendacio stent ipsa per se nescio quo modo in animos hominum sese insinuat modo repente suam illam vim exerit modo è tenebris longo tempore obiecta ad extremum suapte vi ipsa vincit obtinetque de mendacio triumphat How fitly did the Historian praise the Truth which he loved The Truths of the Scripture like the Sun-beams are their own Discovery but one may contract them into these two glasses wherein we may have a clear view of them and perceive a warm influence from thence falling upon our minds and hearts 1. The first is this They are such things as are most worthy of the Goodnesse Truth and Wisdom of God What is more becoming the Maker of the world then its Reparation considering his Goodnesse which all the world doth acknowledge to be infinite What more pertinent means then Repentance and Remission of sins What more can be done but to forgive our Ill and make us Good again what way to take off our sins but his Grace since we could never make him amends And for the way in which he doth it i.e. Christ Iesus why should we make scruples when he hath revealed it Did the Heathen hope from the Nature of God a good ground and shall not we much more trust in that and his Declarations which are indeed the measure
Pentateuch saying What nation is so happy whose Statutes are so righteous c. how happy are we did we but know it when God hath finished the Revelation of his will filled it with all necessary truths plainly set down and given us the Bible for the Pandects of them He hath drawn down his love from generation to generation and hath made this great instance of it to teach us also That which is made for great necessities is kept with equal care The Sun is not so appointed that it can be blowne out with bellowes or that the light of it can be infected with noysom vapours 2. Secondly Let us be content with the Scriptures i.e. let us be satisfied with what God hath not only esteemed enough but also proportioned to us as a very bountiful allowance These are perfect and plain we need no more and those which pretend a further want are not only phantastical or deceivers but they must needs be also injurious unto God as to say that he hath neglected to tell us what or where it is Let all sober minds repose here as in their safe conduct and not suffer themselves to be led out of the way either by mens usurped authority or pretended revelations i.e. by other mens or our own private spirits By mens usurped authority either as dictating new things or putting themselves for Infallible Interpreters of the sence of these writings All Vsurpers in this kind finding it impossible to make a new Scripture attempt to make the sence which is the Scripture in the most effectuall name They would have but the interpretation why that 's too much of all conscience But do they think so to get the Soveraignety over our soules and make that an obligation to believing which was never in any mans power to appoint Chrysostome told them otherwise in his twentieth Homily upon the seventh of Matthew if that work be his Omnis doctor est servus legis quia neque supra legem addere potest aliquid de suo sensu nec subtrahere aliquid secundum proprium intellectum sed hoc tantummodo praedicat quod habetur in lege i. e. Every Doctor is a servant of the Law because he can neither adde any thing to it of his own sence nor take away any thing from it according to his private understanding but onely deliver that which he findes there Those which conform not to this truth by him worthily asserted may pretend that whilst they go to God they permit him to sit in his Throne but when others come to them I am sure they sit down in it themselves If any man tell us what is the plain sence of the Scripture we are bound to believe it not because he tells us but because it is the plain will of God But if any man sayes this is the word of God this sence is plain to me I do interpret it right and you must and shall believe it this is to make his own will to us what he pretends Gods is to him i.e. a Law When one had fitted such a yoke to Augustines neck in a letter of Cyprian he thrust it by thus Ego hujus Epistolae authoritate non teneor quia literas Cypriani non ut Canonicas habeo sed eas ex Canonicis considero quod in iis divinarum scripturarum authoritati congruit cum laude ejus accipio quod autem non congruit cum pace ejus respuo i. e. I am not obliged by the authority of this Epistle because I take not Cyprians letters for Canonical but I consider them by those that are Canonical and whatsoever I find in his that agrees with the authorty of the Holy Scriptures I receive it with his praise but that which agrees not by his good leave I refuse See the improvement of cruell pride The eager Tyrant cryed for another world to plunder but these men are not content with another of the same sort they invade the intelligible world commit rapine upon Soules and make havock of the Church to which Angels referre but as ministring Spirits and Lord it over Gods heritage which the Apostles besought to be reconciled to God never commanded any thing in their own name and onely those things for which they shewed unquestionable Commission These Considerations made Tertullian say Nobis nihil licèt ex nostro arbitrio indulgere sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit Apostolos Domini habemus authores qui nec ipsi quicquam de suo arbitrio quod inducerent eligerunt sed acceptam à Christo disciplinam fideliter nationibus assignârunt i. e. We may not indulge our owne will nor chuse that which others bring in at their pleasure Herein following the example of the Apostles of our Lord who neither appointed any thing of their own choyce but faithfully delivered to the world that which they had received of Christ There is a Church which calls her self by a fine name The Mistris of our Faith but it is too imperious for Christs Spouse for she is and we know who taught her commanded her to be meek but usurpation needs cunning and cannot stay in moderate bounds and therefore the Romanists deny the people leave to read the Scriptures which is but a needfull artifice for if that Screen were not put up they would see them usurp their power and understand how groundlesse it is and besides beholding there the naked lovely face of Gods Church they would soon perceive how unlike their ugly vizard is to it But we are secure if we keep here and if any body talk of something that is not in these two Testaments every good Christian may answer with Origen Si quid autem superfuerit quod divina scriptura non decernat nullam aliam tertiam Scripturam debere ad authoritatem scientiae suscipi id Deo reservemus i. e. That which is not declared in these two Testaments we permit not to be supplyed by a third we leave it to God who hath made these two Canistrum perfectionis as the same Origen calls them a fair large basket perfectly containing all that heavenly bread which we need for our soules and therefore we may justly say further with him Servemus eas mensuras quas nobis per legislatorem Lex spiritualis enunciat Let us be content with that which God hath thought enough for us to know and keep those measures which the Law-giver hath appointed in his spiritual Law i.e. the Scriptures Let us take heed also of Enthusiasmes What would vain man have he cares not for these poor Scriptures he would have a Revelation i.e. he slights the greatest Revelation that ever was Such men make the same use of the Scripture as those do who having received a command to pray for divine assistances will not pray till they be so assisted as that they cannot well chuse and yet will not pray then neither They will have divine Revelation and
when they have they neither know it nor are content with it They would have some body sail beyond the Sea to fetch that which is on this side already They are not pleased with what they have on earth till some body go to Heaven to fetch it Alas Such need not much trouble themselves for a Revelation as long as a private impulse will serve But let us hearken onely to these faithfull directions sealed by God for our security these cannot deceive us in things necessary for they are plain nor can obscurer places hurt us unlesse we be either rash and resolve that shall be the true sence which we fancy or else sordid and suffer others to put their sence upon us for so indeed we may build ill things not upon the most holy word of God but upon our own careless mistakes 3. To prevent this and because the Scriptures are not so much the words as the sence let us endevour to get the meaning of Gods word which to do is both our great Duty and our true Right For none will be condemned for us if we believe wrong It was a noble ingenuity in the Bereans that they would not believe Paul but upon search of the Scriptures and as it would have been a strange thing in Paul to have offered at the command of their faith denying them liberty to search so it is an ignoble pride in the Papists or any that follow so unworthy an example to require our faith upon their search of the Scriptures and not our own unlesse that we should be saved by the faith of others or that those which make us believe wrong would be punished for us or be content to have that which they are to believe imposed upon them by others Ambrose speaks pertinently to this point Coeli mysterium doceat me Deus ipse qui condidit non homo qui seipsum ignoravit cui magis de Deo quà m Deo credam i. e. let God himself teach me the mysteries of heaven who made it not man who does not know himself whose report concerning God should we credit so much as his own Now we must endeavour to obtain the true meaning of the Holy Scriptures by daily reading serious meditation and the fervent prayers of an humble spirit We should read with a desire of that heavenly knowledge and meditate so as that we discover not a negligence which is contradictory to true desire and pray that the divine spirit which indited them may teach us so to understand them that by the assistance of his excellent illuminations the wisdom of Gods word may dwell plentifully in us It is requisite also that we should abandon all prejudice and preconceived opinions and bring candid and disingaged spirits to the reading of this Holy Book Hilary speaks excellently to this point Optimus est lector qui dictorum intelligentiam expectet à dictis potius quam imponat retulerit magìs quà m attulerit neque cogat id videri dictis contineri quod ante lectionem praesumpserit intelligendum i e. he is the best Reader that expects the understanding of the words from the words themselves rather then puts it upon them takes it of them rather then brings it to them nor compells the words to seem to contain that which before reading he resolved to have understood by them Those which contradict this method may well go away without Gods meaning for they came not for it There is another thing also that does extremely facilitate our proficiency in the knowledge of divine mysteries and that is sincere obedience and humble entertainment of the heavenly light It is a sure rule that will never be antiquated If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God Whilst eager disputers lose the sence of the Scriptures and their soules withall the humble practiser of Gods will secures the sence and his salvation too He will teach the humble his ways The secret of the Lord is with those that fear him Whilest we shew our selves faithfully obsequious to this true guidance we shall not onely be led into all necessary Truths but as we do improve in goodnesse our knowledge will be enlarged The humble and obedient have advantage of all other men in this point for though they may stand upon the lower ground in regard of natural or acquired abilities God doth so love good souls that they shall not miscarry for want of such helps It were an extreme vanity to think that none shall be saved except such as can make Syllogismes or that the Bible was given only for great Scholars to dispute on How deep a sympathy the meek Lamb of God had with the fair equity of this dispensation is excellently signified by the affectionate Apostrophe which he made to his Father upon the consideration of it I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight How passionately doth the dear Son of God please himself in the embraces of the Divine will in this matter and with greatest reason for that will pleaseth it self only in such a way as is fully correspondent to the divine wisdom and goodnesse And all true followers of Christ are likewise possessed with vast satisfactions and full complacence ever accompanied with joyful thanksgiving when they are admitted to behold the rare proportions of Gods works the most admirable reasonablenesse of his proceedings Whilst men vainly puffed up with conceits of their knowledge neglect this most necessary and greatest wisdom God slights their presumption and passeth them by with disregard giveth such grace to the Humble as maketh them wise to Salvation so that This Temper is not only secured by Gods promise but is indeed in it self the most disposed qualified for divine illuminations A good and honest heart is like a soile fit prepared for the immortal seed as our Saviour hath taught us And this is so known a Truth that all wise men have propounded purification of heart as a rare method of attaining true knowledg and pronounced that the light of God shines brightest in those soules that are purified with the flames of divine love Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God Fogges of lust darken the Intellect a soule possessed with sin is low and uncapable Dishonourable affections cherisht by a wicked life bring on a sottishnesse of mind and dulnesse of fancy But I have spoken of this Temper of soule not only because it doth highly capacitate us to the knowledge of God but because the perfection of it is the true improvement of the Scriptures words and sence and in the happy product of it all excellent knowledge ought to terminate All speculation separate from this is contemptible and leaves a man miserable in the midst of his