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
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
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
scatter'd he gathered them together again as God shewed his regard to the Decalogue by writing it the second time after Moses had rashly broken the first Tables After God had spoken by severall parcels and after divers manners by the Prophets at last he sent his Son to perfect the book write it full and seal it up and this is so well done that whosoever shall adde any thing instead of mending the work and doing the world a curtesie he shall but bring a curse upon himselfe for Christ hath made it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i.e. a perfect Canon Now that appears thus God hath declared Christ to be our Prophet commanded us to hear him told him all his mind concerning us laid up in him all the treasures of divine wisdom He told his Disciples all that he heard of his Father bad them go and preach it and promised salvation to all that should believe it Paul professed that he had declared the whole Councell of God in his preaching and pronounced a curse upon any Angel that should bring another Gospel The Evangelist Luke wrote all that Christ taught till his Ascension and Saint Iohn added as much concerning the miracles of Christ as was enough for motive to faith From all which we argue Christ was in the bosome of the Father and knew all he came from thence and told all his Scholars at his command preached and for the benefit of future times wrote all We acknowledge they did received their books and are satisfied only the Papists and some other Hereticks that they might have the honour and profit to make the supply say they did not but who will believe them when Christ sayes Go and preach what I have taught you and promiseth salvation to those which believe that and no more They will make pretty work that after this appoint other necessaries to be believed i e. such necessaries to salvation as one may be saved and not believe them Now whereas 't is objected That Christ no doubt taught his Disciples all things necessary and it may be they wrote them but they are lost however they were trusted with the Church and that is to supply the defects of Scripture with unwritten Traditions Those which say this would deserve lesse blame for their boldnesse if either they truly honoured the Church as they pretend or we read not the Scriptures or if reading the Scriptures they told us their own imperfection and gave notice of a Church intrusted with a power to supply their defect But they honour the Church just as Haman did Mordecai he would never have said so much should have been done to him whom the King would honour but that he thought himself to be the man And if we did not read the Scriptures their lie might be more easily swallowed For they declare a perfection as to all necessaries and so these men peradventure speak worse then they thought at first for they make the Scriptures not only imperfect but Lyars But as it should have been difficult to say such things for men ought to speak the truth so it is harder to prove them for the holy Scriptures and the all-wise Providence are not so easily slander'd Not the Providence of God for as he was careful to give us sufficient means of salvation and hath preserved many things which are not necessary but because they were written would he not preserve what was necessary to be written and preserved And if he had meant to send us to the Church upon this Errand he would certainly have told us where she dwelt It were as bad as no direction to say there is a certain advice for you lockt up in a chest kept in terra incognita i. e. no body knowes where Abraham had given if not misadvice yet but imperfect direction when he said Hear Moses and the Prophets if this were the businesse The Scripture sayes enough to vindicate it selfe and to give satisfaction to all considering men That very place which they would suborn to speak against it self resolves against them There are many more miracles which Iesus did but these are written that you might believe If one question what they were which are not written that doubt must remain as to the particulars for it sayes nothing of them But it can never be proved that these which Rome would obtrude upon us are they much lesse that they are necessary for the place asserts those which are recorded to be enough The spirit of Truth doth often leave men to their wilfull mistakes the Text speakes of miracles and they quote it for Doctrines But that the Scripture hath no defect in this point a man may soon see for let any body compare the Provisions which are in the Scripture with his own necessities and if he be not supplyed there we may safely say he hath some want that is beyond the case of men that need nothing but salvation As to salvation we need instruction only in three points and there we have it 1. As to God and for that the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} hath suffiently declared to us his Nature and his Will what he is and what he would have us do and what we may expect How he will be worshipped How we may partake of his love continue in it and be happy in him 2. As we relate to others he hath taught us how to behave our selves to them in his most perfect Rules Love thy neighbour as thy self Do what thou wouldst have done to thee and what thou wouldst not have done to thee do not to another These he hath explained in speciall precepts so filled with all necessary instances of Duty Justice and Charity that well may a wronged man complain of his Brothers injury but not of Christ because he did not forbid him to do it The murmuring poore may complain of their hard-hearted neighbour but not of Christ for neglecting to command Charity He hath bid us imitate the Father with Charity as large as the Sun-beams to forgive love and help our enemies and overcome all evill with good 3. As to the Government of our selves how discreet and prudent would that be if we followed Christs directions He if any taught the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the right estimations of soul and body that we are what we are most upon the account of soul whole nature and duration he hath declared and taught to provide for immortality He hath also chalked out the proportions of worldly cares the measures of our passions Both the roots of Passion are secure if we keep his rules for Desire and Anger One may say to all other Physitians not onely How imperfect are your cures in comparison of Christs but how short your prescriptions what sobernesse of mind What Temperance Meekness and Peace are the products of his precepts He which reads Christs words duly is perfectly instructed to
his life to work miracles in his name It is possible to make a lye but impossible to hide it in so great a matter Why did none of the Antichrists rise out of their graves and confront those which adhered to Christ and after forty dayes converse with worthy persons by a glorious ascension before competent witnesses endeavour to get belief in the world No no God will not be a witnesse of falshood Besides these there is also a peculiar kind of signature or mark of divine authority upon these writings one may think that Gods character which men never usurp't i.e. Dreadfull threatnings pronounced against such as should disobey this Revelation What Philosopher ever used the mode of such Authority for the things menaced what Tyrant ever mentioned them or if he had the Majesty had been ridiculous Eternall punishments poor men when they are so ill minded they can kill the body but that is all they can do God sayes fear me who can cast soul and body into Hell What man ever stamp't that Image upon his book There are most becomming the divine Majesty for they are not onely Authority but full of wisdom and love for since fear was a tool meet for Gods work he made fit matter for it and in the use of these threatnings the great Father of the world threatens his children that so by a wise feare they may escape the feeling of his Rod {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} And as the same Poet sayes excellently in another place {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} He punisheth in love and his threatnings are in their natural tendency wholesome since God hath among many other things formed them for our preservation Threatnings are prudence and love clothed with Majesty Since men are not sufficiently frighted with being sinners and think it not enough to see how ugly sin is in it self God sets also before them its miserable Attendants Pale Death Wan Fear Grim Terrours and these Eternall Who but God commanded his servants and threatned them Hell if they obeyed not Fear ye not me who set bounds to the Sea and when it swells makes its own waves roule it in again as a stubborn slave is pull'd back by his own haire Fearest thou not me in whose hand is thy life thy breath and all thy wayes who will come in flaming fire and render vengeance to all that wilfully know me not and disobey my Gospel So much for the consideration of the divine authority of the Scripture The Scriptures contain the strongest proofs of our obligation to our duties and such as are no where else and so are the best perswasives to our wills I shall number onely four and those briefly 1. The Incarnation of the Son of God the word was made flesh A wonderfull grace to our nature and denied to Angels That we might not doubt but we may go up to God behold he cometh down to us his Tabernacle is pitched in flesh I now he is Emmanuel God comes into our Nature to call us home to himself What will make us like unto God if he do not when he is made so like unto us Who can unfold the mercies lapp't up in this Mystery In this good Angels find wonder and joy Devills horror and envie but all good men the greatest occasion of love and obedience imaginable especially if it be joyned with the second consideration 2. And that is the wonderfull death of the Son of God so made man He offered up himself by the Eternall Spirit and shed his blood for the pardon of our sins He took our Bond and nailed it to his Crosse and there cancell'd it with his blood Look up sinner and behold the guilt of thy Trespasses falling off like the waxe of a broken Seale That we the enemies of God might learn the goodnesse of Reconciliation God doth act it first who was not engaged to it but by the goodnesse of his own Nature The Father loves the Son dies we are loved and pardoned that we might see how base a thing it is to sin be impenitent and hate He slew the enmity upon the Crosse in his own death he killed our hate or in himself I in himself where else should he break the flint but upon the Cushion our hard hearts upon his own most soft and loving bosome 3. We have here the most excellent example of Christ which doth secure our direction and perfect our encouragements Men think themselves in a good safe road where they have ever and anon a Mercurial Statue pointing to their way but what perfection would be added to their guidance if it went along with them Christ doth not onely shew us where we should go as in a Map but goes before us as a sure guide and a comfortable companion Si quis unquam fuerit ille comes in via pro vehiculo est I may we say now we know what we should be and do in these bodies for the word made flesh hath shewn us This is great encouragement to all that are of the right brood of Travellers for in the worse way Christ goes before breaks the Ice and when we go up hill lends us his hand But why do I point any longer unto this Sun which from the Scriptures shines so comfortably upon all good men 4. He hath engaged our obedience with most incomparable promises such as he onely could make such as he onely could perform What the Pharisees said of one sort we may say of the rest Who can forgive sins but God It is impossible to serve God for nothing For he payes all his servants before hand but he is not so content for he will adde such wages as none can give their servants Not Earth or Tinne or poor matters in the power of Kings but things worthy of God Eternall Life and Blisse If these were as truly believed as they are plainly revealed we should find our selves sufficiently obliged to obedience and it concerns all that desire to be saved to look to it but because they are so plainly revealed I shall speak no further of them Now if any say that these things are enough if they can be proved to be true I hasten to the fourth particular head i.e. That the Scriptures are a proposal of all these Truths to our understandings in a way of most fair and full credibility that appears in these three things 1. The way of proposall is most credible 2. The things propounded are in themselves evidently true 3. The expressions in which they are laid down are plain and fairly intelligible No man can say but when things are propounded so he is fairly dealt withall 1. First The way of proposall is most credible That whatsoever God sayes is true is the ground upon which this assertion sets its foot and that is such a great Truth that it is above the necessity of proof He
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
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
THE PERFECTION AUTHORITY And CREDIBILITY Of the Holy SCRIPTVRES Discoursed in a SERMON before the Vniversity of CAMBRIDGE At the Commencement July 4. 1658. By NATHANAEL INGELO D. D. and Fellow of Eton Coll. The Second Edition In his scriptis veritas non coacescit sed statim de prelo purissimae commendata testae suum saporem servat Hieron. Praef. in lib Salom {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Iambl in vit. Pyth. cap 28. London Printed by E.T. for Luke Fawn at the Sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church yard 1659. TO THE Right Worshipfull Doctor JOHN WORTHINGTON Vice-Chancellour And the rest of the Heads Together With the Fellowes of the severall Colledges in the University of CAMBRIDGE Right Worshipful and Reverend I Have made bold to prefixe your Names to this short Discourse since you were pleased to honour it with your courteous acceptance I cannot but pay it down as your own by grateful acknowledgment The Benignity of which I have had experience makes me confident the second time your Candor takes off those feares which otherwise I should justly entertain upon the thoughts of your Judgement I have here represented to your eyes what you heard with a small addition of some things which could not conveniently be spoken for want of time which was then more then ordinarily but very justly shortened by the Commemoration My designe in the choyce of this Argument was not to inform you {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} But as it is one of the great Truths taught by our learned and pious Mother of whom I received it and confirmed with the testimony of all Protestant Churches so when I weighed the Importance of it I thought there was scarce any thing that could be known more necessary and considering some things which I shall by and by set down I judged it not unseasonable I was satisfied as to the Importance of it since it includes the Fundamentall concernements of Christian Religion and the opening of it discovers the strong Pillars upon which it leanes and shewes written upon them clear testimonies that it came from God by the consideration of which well-meaning Christians will strengthen a rational belief in God and easily perceive that Unbelievers of what sort soever are not such because the Christian Religion doth not give proof of its Truth but because they have either by some sad mis-hap lost the faculty of believing most necessary Truths or because something or other doth hinder them from considering that which is more then sufficiently credible Not that I presume to comprehend all those things which belong to the full explication of so great a matter much lesse to comprise them in this small Treatise for that I may with Alexander Aphrod {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but however it will briefly exhibit several things towards the vindication of divine Truth from Atheistical unbelievers for the justification of our profession against Romish aspersions some of which are foul enough and take off that which is said against the perfection of the Scriptures by dreaming Enthusiasts and so may possibly contribute something to undeceive some which are in errour or rescue from temptation an endangered soule Indeed the comprehensive sence of this Truth That the holy Scripture does perfectly contain and plainly discover all things necessary to salvation doth include the Defence of our Saviours honour the Demonstration of the Grace and Wisdome of the divine Providence and the Churches security in point of salvation As for the honour of our Lord and Saviour how shall that be safe if it can be proved that when he came to declare Gods mind to us he went home again having done but half his errand if being to write an Epistle from God to us he left some of the main concernments of it to be supplyed in a Postscript to be written by any that would take up his Pen and being about to make his own will he was so forgetful of that which is to be done in such a matter that he left out many principal things to be inserted in unattested posthumous Codicills But it was quite otherwise for Christ in the close of his Sermons declareth plainly that he had perfected the Revelation of necessary Doctrine saying a little before his Death Go and preach what I have taught you and those which believe shall be saved And for the Grace and Wisdome of divine Providence how can they but suffer if God pretending a great love to the happinesse of Man-kind hath either not appointed sufficient meanes for their salvation or not let them know what and where it is If the Scriptures be not plain what wisdom was it to write our highest concernments in such words as we cannot understand If they be not perfect how is his good will reall for having given us but an imperfect notice of our way there he doth not mention any power to make the supply nor say whom he would intrust with it From both of these the insecurity of our salvation is a necessary consequence For how shall we attain so great an end with uncertain and insufficient meanes But as our Master that would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledg of the Truth taught all that Truth before he left this world so the Evangelist Luke in his Preface to the History of the Acts of the Apostles affirms that what Christ taught before his death and till the Ascension was written by himself not long after The Truth of these things doth so distresse those that endeavour to believe against it that they are fain to summon their wits to find evasions from the mighty power of it To salve the Honour of our Master one whom Cressy selects as the incomparable assertor of Roman opinions and therefore chuseth him for the chief guide of his Apostasie from the Protestant Church having rejected Cassander Padre Paulo Picherellus for their moderation and forgotten that ten Chapters before he professed to chuse such as had expressed themselves most moderately and allowing the greatest latitude viz. Stapleton sayes * That what they adde to the Scriptures is not aliud à Christo quod esset ab illo recedere sed à Scripturis A pretty Sophisme As if the subjects of a lawfull Prince making such additions as they please to his Lawes could defend themselves by saying they added not aliud à Rege sed à Legibus i.e. a subject doth not derogate from the Kings Honour though he accuse his Government of Imperfection and his Lawes of Insufficiency To avoyd this Imputation he sayes as his Partners do that Christ made Delegates and gave them authority to teach other things besides the Scriptures praeter illas multa docere But as this power is very great for he sayes of it Tantùm sanè ac tale est eorum ministerium ut eorum vox
every good work He that hath lodged these provisions in his soul may bring out of his treasures new and old like a Scribe throughly instructed to thè Kingdome of God So that if the Grace which Christ hath brought to light in the Gospel hath taught us Godlinesse Righteousnesse and Sobriety we may say with Tertullian Nobis curiositate opus non est post Christum Iesum nec inquisitione post Evangelium Hoc enim prius credimus non esse quod ultra credere debemus The Scripture is so far from defect in this kind that it is redundant we have many things very profitable added besides the necessary and both these more then once or in one book See a strange appetite when men have more then they will do though it be necessary yet they would have more to do though it be not necessary nor it may be at all profitable What folly is this This is a design not to be keepers but makers of Commandements praeceptorum emendatores as Hilary calls them not to do Gods will but serve their own Our Saviours words do easily accommodate themselvs to such people You teach for doctrines the Commands of men and make the word of God of no effect by your Traditions But at what perill any can adde to Gods word the second Argument will shew which is That the Scriptures are also strict injunctions of Divine Authority concerning our duties The reason of our faith and obedience to the Scriptures is resolved into their divine Authority which as it is the greatest of all so upon lesse we may not depend Of his Authority we may truly say that it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} God is infallible in his understanding faithfull in his declarations and so highly deserves our Assent He is Almighty and most true and therefore we believe and hope in the promises of his word As God he hath a Right to command and we as creatures are obliged to obey and so we receive his commands Gods authority onely could justly make us believe obey and fear what is there declared promised commanded and threatned There is a place of Scripture which the Papists do impertinently alledge for the obscurity i. e. the dishonour of Gods word which as it is nothing to their purpose so it doth most excellently serve to prove what we have in hand {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Knowing this first that no prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation The designe of the Apostle was the same with mine to exhort Christians to give heed to the Scriptures as such Oracles which would not deceive them He affirms the prophetick word surer then a private revelation which he Iames Iohn had in the Mount and commends the diligent heed they gave to it till the day-star should arise peradventure till the truth of the prophesies of Christ shined forth in their accomplishment But the stresse of all this hope in the Scriptures lies upon this that none of them were {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of pri 〈…〉 impulse meaning as Saint â—aul sayes in other words {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} All Scripture is divinely inspired And this appeares by the verse that followes For the prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} signifies they are not of mens private will but from the divine spirit The Prophets did not go on their own head as we say but on Gods errand When God reproved those that went without his bidding he sayes thus {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} I sent them not and yet they ran So that the sence will be those holy men who deliver'd the Scriptures upon which you relie w 〈…〉 ot what came into their minds as from themselves but they set down Gods will The other sence of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for solution or explication in which some worthy persons do take it and in which sence it is used in good authors for so Iamblicus in the 21 Chapter of his Protrepticks being about to expound Pythagoras his short precepts sayes {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} I will give the exposition of every precept is so far from disagreeing with the former that it is a necessary consequence from it as the best ground for if the Prophets deliver'd not their own will but Gods mind we must not resolve them into our sence but take his The Scriptures were given to expresse Gods meaning not to have ours impressed upon them So that take the word in any possible sence this place is pitifully urged against the plainnesse of the Scriptures unlesse we imagine that the Apostle should urge good men to trust the Scriptures because they could not tell what they meant which as it is most absurd to his purpose so all that it does afford for argument to prove the obscurity of the Scriptures is but this Because a man will not let me put what sence I please upon his words therefore I cannot tell what he sayes But as we see what little reason there is for that triumph in which the Papists bring this particular Scripture to accuse the whole of obscurity for it neither speaks of their obscurity nor plainnesse so we see by it how great reason we have to believe the Scriptures since their authority is from God It is a plain consequence since the holy perimen neither invented them by their wit nor writ them of their own will but delivered Gods sence at his appointment that we ought to give them all possible credit and observance But what should I speak of mens authority or of believeing Moses the Prophets or Apostles upon their own account Moses was but a servant and once so disobedient that for it he was kept out of Canaan and if his design had been to have had credit for his own authority he would never have lessened it with that story The Prophets were subject to like passions with our selves i.e. they were men The Apostles were weak in themselves and so far from being the New Wine of the Gospel that till Christ had strengthened them with new principles they were like old torn bottles they could not receive it But this hinders not their acceptance their authority is from God He took the stammering Moses and made him a God i.e. a divine teacher to the Church Moses was conscious of his own inability and loth to stir but at Gods command he took up his bundle of ceremonies and carried an Vmbrella to the Sun of Righteousnesse The Prophets as was said just now spake not of private impulse but God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets ever since the world began The Apostles were commanded to stay till they were cloathed with power from on high and when they had
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
the assistance we receive from it we are left to acknowledge him with blind conceptions to worship him with uncertain expresses and depend upon him with a very infirm expectation But O blessed Saviour we have no reason to think our selves at a losse thou hast told us plainly of the Father thou hast explained the two great Commandements and in them the substance of the Law and the Prophets Thy Gospel holds forth to us all particular duties both of Faith and Love and Righteousnesse and Mercy Thou hast shewen us what kind of worship worshippers thou dost regard having commanded us to worship God in Spirit and in Truth with all true apprehensions and worthy affections to serve God in all good conscience and with purity of heart and hast rejected the vanities of superstition though they be never so gay or costly all exteriour shews which want the correspondencie of inward goodnesse so that now we may well say thou hast shewed us men what is good and what the Lord our God requires of us even to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with God Thou hast taught us how in all our religious addresses we may come acceptably before the Lord and what Mediatour we are to use we need no longer ask for thou hast shewed us the one Mediatour between God and man and told us for whom he will intercede even all that come to God by him and make themselves like unto him Thou hast shewen us how thou didst converse with Abraham Isaac and Iacob the Prophets and Apostles and that we also upon the same terms may become the friends of God by Christ Iesus who is the same yesterday and to day and for ever so that all good Christians may say and conclude they are certain of their way to God the Scripture having revealed it as clearly as with Sun-beames The Scripture given by inspiration is so profitable for doctrine reproofe correction and instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God teacher or learner is perfectly furnished with direction to all good works Now if any shall say the force of these arguments may be avoyed though the Scriptures be not plain if we have an infallible Interpreter to resolve their doubtfulnesse and cleare their obscurity I answer There is no question of that But where is that Interpreter it is harder to find him then the sence of the most difficult Scripture What will be answered if we aske these few questions concerning him What is his name what Countrey-man is he where doth he dwell If his Commission be not in the Scripture how came he by it if it be in what words is it set down We read but of one infallilible Interpreter of Gods mind Christ Iesus and he hath required of all his servants that they presume not to take any Mastership in this point And call no man your Father upon the earth for one is your Father which is in heaven Neither be ye called Masters for one is your Master even Christ These words are justly interpreted by most learned men as a command of Christ directed against mens usurpation of authority to impose upon others what they are to believe The chief Master in the Shoole of the Iewish Prophets had such authority that no man might contradict what he said and in this sence we are to call no man Father but God who hath taught us by him whom he appointed to be our onely Master i.e. Christ Iesus How much those are deceiveed that assume to themselves to be infallible guides and indeed Dictators to Gods Church hath been shewen abundantly by themselves and many learned men have forced them to take notice of their errours and therefore I will insist no further upon this point And now we see with what reason our Saviour closed his discourse saying If they believe not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead With which I shall also close the doctrinall part of this discourse Those which are not satisfied with Gods truth so fairly propounded in the Scriptures may pray to Abraham to send one from the dead to preach to them if their eares itch for such teachers but when he comes would they believe him No they would rather accost him thus Art thou come out of thy Grave to fright us Where is thy Certificate that thou wast in the other world Wed do not know that ever thou wast dead or if thou art a Ghost we know not whether thou camest from heaven or hell whether thy design be to teach or to disturb us They say good spirits do not walk What thou hast hid some money somewhere If thou comest to discover any murder tell us People talk of Goblins to fright children and fooles but dost thou think that we will leave our profits or pleasures for a shade That this is too true we have an instance in the Iews to whom our Saviour preached this point For they had Lazarus whether Christ alluded to his name or no raised from the grave and he discoursed with the Pharisees but as soon as he asserted a truth that crossed their humour they would have killed him and sent him to the other world again a messenger of their unbelief When men have no mind to do their duty they will quarrell with the Messenger and ask for another not that they will then obey but to gain a truce for disobedience {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and in the mean time they will seek for that which no doubt they will find i.e. something to make themselves believe that the next will not be so sent neither but that they shall be able to except against him Application 1. Upon the consideration of the things premised first Let us be thankeful to the Grace of God and the care of his divine Providence for transmitting to us the Holy Scriptures great Testimonies may one call them or high Courtesies of that Providence High Courtesies they are being the streames of that River of Truth which refreshed the City of God i.e. his Church so long agone But they are also great Testimonies of Gods Providence when so many with busie eagernesse sought to damme them up that they might not come at all or to poyson them that they might arrive as Ministers of errour and death Gods goodnesse permitted not the mischief his care hindred it This is that Alpheus that runs under the earth dives under the Sea not mixing with its brackish waters but rises up sweet and clear in the beloved Arethusa unto which God sends it When this holy Writ seemed to be sunk in one place as Ovid speaks of Lycus Sic ubi terreno Lycus est epotus hiatu Existit procul hinc alioque renascitur ore It riseth in another and brings up and lands safe the Truths which were committed unto it as Historians report of the aforesaid river If Moses applauded the Jewes happinesse when he had finished his