improper in matters of Religion they savour of singularity breed i rents and divisions amongst Preachers and People and take off the minde from things more essential Learned men have observed the advantage that hereticks got by the unwarie speeches of the Fathers Some of Calvins expressions not so well pondered have done no great good to some in our times a Nestoâ—ius fell into his heresie by defending an improper speech of his and Eutyches thinking to mend it fell into the other extream Dr. Thomas b Taylour speaks much to this point to very good purpose and tells us in Conclusion If we will keep the faith of our Fathers we must keep the words of our Fathers 5. For the singlenesse of his heart he was with Jacob a plain man Gen. 25. 27. that is down-right honest as 't is in the c Original a very Nathanael an Israelite indeed John 1. 47. in whom though there was some infirmity yet there was no guise He had a deal of the Wisdom that 's from above and was as far from hypocrisie as any man that ever I knew If others were made of his mettal Momus had no need to complain of the want of a window at any mans breast He was what he was in deed and in truth without dissimulation very high in his conformity to the d primitive Christians and left a brave President to all that would be what they should be in this particular We of this doubling and deceitful generation had need to look about us and see what was here set before us in Romane Characters that we may learn to be more above-board in all our dealings We are fallen into an Age like that of the Prophets wherein every one hath too much of the hypocrite We may well cry Help Lord for the faithful faile with a double heart and a double tongue do they speak The most be for all Tides and Times for any manner of Mode so as they can serve their own turnes by it a Alcibiades could swagger it at Athens take any paines at Thebes live most sparing at Lacedaemon bib amongst the Thracians hunt amongst the Persians Some can be any thing but what they should be We had need to beware of men when every brother will supplant b b The hypocrite with his mouth destroyes his neighbour 'T is good to be wise as the Serpent but we must be innocent as the Dove Though it be just with God that the doe iver shall be deceived and some c like it well yet will it not be just in us to do it They that turn aside to crooked wayes shall be led forth with the workers of iniquity Psal. 125. 5. Plain-dealing is a jewel yea though it be in sin as this acute man d tells us 'T is a dainty fine thing in our e confessing repenting and in all we are to act in He that useth it whatever men say or think shall neither live nor die a f begger Down-right honesty is the best policie 'T is delightful to God Prov. 12. 22. 't will be a comfort to us 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing we never eat our meat with more gladnesse then when with singlenesse of heart Act. 2. 46. 6. For the usefulness of his life He was born for the common good with Mâ—lâ—ncthon and lived for the publike benefit of the whole Countrey First whilest he was at his pastoral charge he gave himself fully and wholly to Reading Exhortation and Doctrine and his profiting appear'd to all so that he was generally and justly reputed a man approved of God rightly dividing the Word of truth 'T is well known what paines he took and to how good purpose during the whole a time of his abode there preaching twice constantly every Lords day and lecturing there besides one day weekly though he had but an infirm body until he was taken off by sicknesse after that his Sabbath-dayes work excepted he preached only upon the festival dayes His lips were touched with a coale from the Altar b Musculus his words so would his pierce like a two-edged sword He could be a Boanerges but his bent was most to be a Son of Consolation He was a true Evangelical Preacher and comforted many a drooping heart by his labours in publike and gave abundance of satisfaction in private to many troubled spirits that used to resort to him out of all Countreys both far and near And after this also he shewed himself to be a Tree of Gods own planting by bringing forth still more fruit in his Age When the times were such some flying so extreamly high the ceremonies being prest with rigour and such grievous penalties inflicted that he being tender in matters of conformity must needs a quit his Pastors place He betook himself then to his little b Cell as Samuel to his Ramah that had never been look't upon if he had not come there no more the Arpinum if not for Tullie nor Isâ—ebium and Bretta if not for Luther and Melancthon and there he had more health and cheerinesse of spirit then formerly which he improved well for publick advantage divers wayes 1. In his falling upon the practice of Physick His studies had bent that way before-hand foreseeing what followed yet he would do nothing in that kinde it not being his Calling so long as that great Work lay upon him But when he had quit that more special Tie of the Care of mens Soules He took himself then to be ar more freedome and upon a c Licence sent him by one that might d authorize him he fell upon the cure of mens bodies And being of great sufficiencie his fame was quickly up He was looked upon as a very Trismegistus and a second Aesculapius He could do much at the diving into a disease and in applying of medicines proper and fit Not like some that will be tampering with that Profession and give their doses * at Adventure He was quick yet in case of danger he would weigh things well In desperate diseases he would adventure far according to the Rules of Reason What he gave should be safe he mixed all with his own hands he would stoop to the meanest and serve all at an easie rate His recipees amounted not to the half nor quarterth part of a common Apothecaries Bill He was blest with good successe and had such resort especially towards his lattenend out of our own and other counties that he had not time to sit at his own meales in quiet Many times he was quite tired out so God took him to his rest 2. In the words he would let fall His tongue was a tree of life his lips fed many Who ever came near him should have something dropping if he did but heed it worth his carrying away with him 'T is true he would be pleasant and jest more freely then many did or could well like Some of his
whilest they heard him winding and turning a point of Divinity like a workman that needed not to be ashamed Whereas now-a-dayes whilest some of our best Divines seeme to be too much taken up with quaint and historical flourishes there 's a sensible decay in the power of godlinesse amongst us An Exotick tongue in the publick Congregation whatever men think of it is set out as a e signe of displeasure It feeds such humours as would be purged it had no good effect in the Church of Corinth Mens wits will wax wanton when they be not over-awed by the plaine power of Gods Word When Preachers keep not close to the very f words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine that is according unto godlinesse but love to be tampering with another g doctrine though not with another in the maine but even in the manner of the delivery onely as when it savours too much of the pomp of humane Eloquence saith h Calvine when it differs from the stile of the holy Ghost saith i Danaeus the people be in danger of turning aside to vain jangling to perverse disputings desiring to be teachers and such like matters The gilt upon the pill may please the eye but it profits not the patient The paint upon the glasse may feed the fancy but the room is not well lighted by it The sword of Gods Spirit can never wound so deep till it be pluckt out of these gaudy scabbards k Nakednesse deforms too too many in these days but it is the best garnishing truth can have A sober dresse best becomes a grave Matron There be l words as well as things which the holy Ghost teacheth The Arrows fetcht out of Gods own quiver will pierce the deepest and make the people fall the soonest under Christ The weaknesse of God is stronger then men Pauls weapons were mighty The sincere milk of the Word will make Gods babes to grow best This curious age is too too much given to affectation of Words as a m good friend of mine hath well observed And Doctor Sibs was wont to say that great affectation and good affection seldome go together The swelling words of vanity may tickle the eare tip the tongue please in matters of discourse but when it comes to push of pike they afford but little comfort This grave Divine had another manner of wisdom then that of Words He was made an able Minister of the New Testament not of the letter but of the spirit that hath given n doth give and will give life Having this hope then he used great plainnesse of speech and by the manifestation of the truth He commended himself to every mans conscience in the sight of God and hath so well seasoned the country that I hope the fruit will remain and be seene many a yeare hence 3. For the livelinesse of his prayers He was a man that had a very large measure of that spirit of grace that is the spirit of supplication He was so well fitted for the opening of his minde to God as if with holy a Bradford he had been almost ever upon his knees he could tell his own errand or any other mans at the Throne of grace with as good freedome and to as good purpose as any man living He would not be rash with his mouth when he came before God nor set out what he had to say there with painted eloquence or court-like complement but his mouth should be filled with such savoury arguments as very well became an humble suppliant He would be farre from those battologies and miserable extravagancies that the greatest part of us be so sorely haunted with He would poure out his soul to God at all manner of times upon all manner of occasions with all manner of prayer and supplication and with that admirable variety of all sorts of quickning and feeling meditation that it would even ravish their hearts that could be so happy as to partake with him Yet for all this He was clear in his opinion for the lawfulnesâ—e of the use of set formes according to the tenet of all the best Divines that ever I met with that were in their cold blood and much heed is not to be given to what any man saith that 's in the height of his sick fit and according to the practice of all Churches even the best reformed saith c Master Rogers now and ever saith d Mr. Hildersam nay e Mr. Smith himself saith who was warping at that very time and afterwards wandered farre in the wayes of the separation it was the practice of the ancient Church and of all the reformed Churches in Christendome of the Church immediately after the Apostles nay saith he of the Church in the time of the Apostles as may probably be gathered out of 1 Cor. 14. 26. this hath been the practice also of the very best f lights that ever were set up in the Churches of Christ 'T is very well known that the flower of our own Divines went on in this way when they might have done otherwise if they had pleased in their prayer before their g Sermons Nay Mr. Dod his own self as I have been often told by this great Divine would seldome end his devotions in his own family but with the use of the Lords prayer Nay yet more h Mr. Cartwright thinks it very ptobable that Christ his own self made use of a set-form at meals 'T is not good to cast stones of offence before our weak brethren that be of meaner parts wanting in ability memory or audacity that they be not taken off from or disheartened in this necessary service Nor may we lay a trap for our own feet Who knowes what times may passe over him If God plunge us in the ditch and leave us labouring in the noose the loftiest of us all may be faine to take relief from these poor contemptible props and crutches as some do deeme them When the soul 's so troubled that it i cannot speak but chatter onely like a Crane or Swallow when 't is so full of grief that it can no more then sigh and groane and k make a confused noise 't will be glad to catch at any thing to give it self vent by Dr. l Harris tells us of a second Bradford that in time of his distresse was fain to adopt Mr. Bradfords words and to spread them before God as his own because he had said more for him as he thought then he could say for himself I knew a rare and eminent Divine indeed that would be as often upon his bended knees as any man that ever I conversed with that would sometimes be in such dumps that he had no more to set before God â—o give his heart ease by then the words of David in the one and fiftieth Psalm Well might then this knowing Divine of ours that had been so tossed with
say their Church cannot erre in matters of Faith And why forsooth Because it is infallibly guided by the strait line of the spirit We say The true Church cannot so erre in matters of faith or life as to fall away from Christ and so to fall into damnation And why Because besides other helps the true Church is guided by the certain and infallible direction of the spirit the vicar general to our Lord Jesus Why then may not we twit them rather then they do us with the private spirit Aquinas the first through-Papist that ever was It is Dr. John Rainolds censure of him shall speak last for this point All holy learning is proved out of the Scriptures onely necessarily out of all other authors only probably For our faith doth rest on the revelation made to the Apostles and Prophets who wrote the Canonical Books and not on any other revelation if any be made to other Doctors So he and he was preferred by Innocent the Pope before all Writers next to the Scriptures well might the Pope so do saith the same Dr. Rainolds for that he deserved better of the Papacy then all the Fathers These things are so plaine that to argue more were to weaken them As I have read it to be the observation of Tully That things perspicuous and clear are much obscured by much arguing I hope the Papists for shame will give over fooling against us that we run after private Spirits and revelations since Aquinas the flower of the Papists speaks out as much as we do as touching the sealing of the Spirit The Application of all I have made a long and tedious discourse about the Originals and Translations because I find by my self that things let fall in Print by learned men and great reformers as touching the Originals that none can say this is the Hebrew that the Greek but because Linguists and learned men say so and they may erre Nor that this is the English of the Hebrew or of the Greek which we say is but men subject to trip do so say That the Originals transcribed into many Copies might erre and mistake and for the translations that there be flaws in them too since the transcribers and translators were no Prophets but men though not willing perhaps yet subject to speak and write besides the matter that translations are not the Word of God nor our rule These and such things as these I doubt not do stagger the thoughts of weak of strong Christians too and drive a many towards Atheisme And now saith a sick soule What shall a poore feeble-hearted Christian do My counsel is that when he is come to be certain without actual doubting by reasons arguments consent of times of the Church that our Bible is the Word of God that he would in all humility and sincerity apply himselfe to read it to hear it read to heare it preached and he may promise to himself that by the use of the word the Spirit of God will infuse inspire divine saving faith into his soul and free him not only from all actual but possible doubting that the Bible translated is the word of God And if the translation then the Originals For what ever is the instrument to convert the soul must needs be the pure word of God Some are firme that God never works a miracle but to confirme truth This is past question that the Spirit of God doth never work this miracle to convert the soule but by Gods word So say Now I know that it is the pure word of God for that it is a means to convert my soul so Psal. 19. 7 The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul By this then I know that it is without dispute the perfect Law of the Lord because it doth not only evince and convince me but convert my soul St Austine saith that he was converted by reading the last verse of the thirteenth to the Romans and that did prove to Austine that it was the perfect Law and word of God It is storied that Cyprian was converted by reading the Prophet Jonas And Iunius in his life written by himself saith that he was converted by reading the first Chapter of the Gospel of Iohn For Austine Cyprian I think neither of them had much skill in the Originals no nor Iunius neither at that time wherefore it is plain enough that they were converted by reading translations When then a man doth finde that by reading or hearing translations read or preached upon it hath pleased God to warme thy heart to turn and change thy poor soul to convert thee into a new creature go thy ways doubt nothing its an argument past answer that the Bible even as translated is the Word of God Go on look on it as Gods word read on still be diligent to hear it with the best ears thou hast and thou shalt finde it more and more to convert and sanctifie thee and so by consequence to assure thee by an undoubtful and divine faith inspired and infused into thy poor soul by the Spirit of God that this book no other is the very Word of God By this you see where and how the poor crazy soul may find rest and it is to rest on the translated Word of God waiting therein on the line of the sweet providence who by the use of the word will breath into his soul divine faith infused by the sure influence of the Spirit of God which spirit brings a light with it by which we know that what we know this is done by a divine faith not by humane conjecture being wrought in us by a special providence of God perswading and drawing us to acknowledge the contents therein to be of Divine authority Nor is this as I said to make our private spirit the rule of our faith but we lay all at the foote of the divine providence to put light into our minds and then to work in us a firm assent to the Word of God that it is indeed and truth the very Word of God And none of this is done otherwise then by the Word of God itself and the spirit joyning with the Word In a word nothing can work saving grace in any man to the conversion of his soule but the very Word of God But this the word translated hath wrought in me therefore I know by this that the Scripture translated is the word of God sith nothing but Gods word can turne and convert the soul Make the most of that which some call universal tradition it can bring us no farther then an humane belief little better is it then that which the Papists call the authority of the Church The Ministry of the Church we grant needful and useful but for the authority of the Church we acknowledge none Thus the Jewes are for their Rabbines and their universal tradition So did the Saracens like as the Gentiles
Christ is the Scriptures which being the first is to prove not to be proved but in an higher School the Schoole of heaven by evidences unprovable and unreprovable evidences taken from the Prover and Spirit of God Of which hereafter N 2 Of translations How Anabaptists overthrow all Translations I No way like that of Cajetan That to understand the Latine Translation was not to understand the infallible Word of God but the word of the Translatours subject to errour Though he took it from Hierome that to write holy Books proceeded from the Holy Ghost but to translate them into another Tongue was a work of humane skill For if an Ambassadour deliver his minde by an Interpreter are not the words of the Interpreter the words of the Ambassadour Right say you if the Interpreter do it truely So say I a Translation is a translation no further then he doth translate and interpret truely for a false translation as farre as it is false is no translation I have read in a great Papist That it is a great error for a man to think that he can understand or interpret the holy Scriptures without some peculiar guift of the Holy Ghost And sith the Lord hath commanded his people to heare and read the word and the cōmon people cannot read the word but in some translation of other that therefore translations are in special a special Ordinance of God and that therefore God being in his providence very careful that his Church shall not want sufficient provision for their soules hath ever doth and will ever so assist Translatours that for the main they shall not erre I am of minde that there was never any Christian Church but the Lord did so hold the hands and direct the pens of the translators so that the translations might well be called the Word of God The vulgar Latine which the Papists out of a veine of opposition do advance too much is faulty enough yet it is so sound that I think many have beene led by it to their conversion Why may I not think that those many who have been converted from Popery in the Church of Rome and joyned themselves to our Church have beene beholding for the most of them next to God to their vulgar translation as Martyr Zanchius Luther Oecolampadius and a many others The Ephesians were builded in their faith on the Prophets and Apostles the Apostles were living but the Prophets were dead and gone long since they could no way build their faith on the Prophets but on their writings Now the writings of the Prophets in the Original were in Hebrew and I take it for granted that the Ephesians being bred and borne Grecians did not understand the Hebrew tongue and that therefore there were translations of the Prophets which translations were made by such men as were ordinary as ours are subject I confesse to some errour but not such errour but that it did serve to help the Church to faith for the salvation of their souls In the Apostles time I know that they that did know the Apostles to be Apostles and that they did preach they did preach as Apostles they were to take them at their words But when they did heare them preach as the Bereans did not so I think a many else did not look on them as Apostles and infallible speakers And no question there were many Pastours and Teachers then who though many had more then a common gift of prophecying yet had not the infallible spirit of the Apostles Those Prophets had not the same supreame spirit which the Apostles had as saith to me the most Learned amongst the Learned but yet saith he they had a more extraordinary spirit not to write nor to translate but to interpret Scripture then the ordinary Pastors and Teachers had but I think that gift of interpreting died with them Now what the Bereans did to Paul so all stood bound to do to the ordinary Pastors and Teachers even to examine by the Scriptures whither those things they taught were right or not And those who were thus to examine the Sermons of the ordinary Pastors and Teachers were to do it by the Greek Translation sith many did not understand the Hebrew and they that did understand the Hebrew yet were to do it no question by Transcripts made by ordinary men after the Prophets ended with Malachi which Transcripts of the Hebrew text some quarrel at as done by ordinary gifted men which were they say subject to mistake in transcribing as well as translatours might mistake in translating In which neither of them must be looked as free from all mistake Wotton saith saith truly that many thousands were converted and many Churches settled by the preaching of the several Apostles sent abroad to convert the world amongst the Jewes and Gentiles without the knowledge and before the penning of the Books of the New Testament but that they did it without the use and authority of the Old Testament and the Word of God written there there is no proof nor I think can there be any Besides the Apostles carried the Word of God in their bosoms having that holy Library in their Heads by immediate and infalible inspiration I doubt not but the Ephesians were converted by Paul but yet Paul when he did convert them did it by the truth of doctrine left behinde them by the Prophets which is cleare in that the Apostle makes the Prophets the Foundation as well as the Apostles By Prophets I take it for granted he meanes the writing Prophets of the Old Testament not the preaching Prophets of the New And I take it also to be clear of it selfe that the Ephesians living so long after all those Prophets were dead and gone had their writings only so then the Ephesians were converted by the truth of doctrine left for them by the Prophets and preached to them by the Apostles I will also take it for granted till I heare or reade any deny it that the Ephesians understood not the Hebrew In which tongue the Prophets left their doctrine as the Canon of the Church And hence it cannot but follow that saving what help the Ephesians had from Paul they were to have recourse to the doctrine of the Prophets not in Hebrew which they understood not but in some Translation of others which without dispute must be the Greek translation of the Seventy there then being no other translations The Ephesians being also not Jewes but Grecians The resolution 1. As touching the Originals 2. As touching the Translations 1. I cannot but confesse that it sometimes makes my heart ake when I seriously consider what is said That we cannot assure our selves that the Hebrew in the Old Testament and the Greek in the New are the right Hebrew and Greek any further then our Masters and Tutors and the General consent of all the Learned in the world do so say not one dissenting But yet say these
do the work till they come to the testimony of the spirit They may and do work and acquire in us an humane faith which may stand free from actual hesitation and doubting but not from possible dubitation for lay them all together yet they may deceive or be deceived Canus disputes strongly against Scotus Durand Gabriel and others who rested themselves on the authority of the Church by an acquired faith first before they come to an infused faith This saith he were to sit down by the Authority of man not of God and the formal reason of our infused faith would be other then the increated truth of God whereas the difference of faith gotten by helps may erre but faith infused by God cannot erre So that when we have all done and got all the help we can to rest on the Scriptures the work is not done till we by the Spirit of God have this sealed by infused faith in our souls that these books which we have translated are the very words of God Smith himself that grand backbiter of translations confesseth at last that if the translations of the Word of God do agree with the Originals that then they are the Word of God nor are they the Translations except they do and as far as they do concord w with the Originals If an Ambassadour deliver his minde by an Interpreter and the Interpreter do relate things right else he is not an Interpreter then his words are the speeches of the Ambassadour Well then though all humane reasons the consent of all the world will not help us to that faith in the Word which will help us to heaven yet they are a preparation and such a preparation to this faith infused that we cannot ordinarily look for faith infused but by the way of this faith which is gotten by the arguments reasons considerations convictions and helps wrought by the Argumentations and considerations proposed by men which do work as most often it doth in us an acquired humane faith free from actual though not from possible mistake and doubting This may be and is a faire meanes to bring us to look on the Scripture without any actual question made of it as the Word of God And then by the use of the Word to attain to a Divine faith which is infallible by reason of the Divine infallible truth rightly conceived and believed by it For it is out of question that by the Ministry of men who are not simply infallible both we may and do attain unto that faith in the divine Revelations of the Word which are or is infallible It s no Paradox to hold that a thing not infallible may by way of Ministry lead us to that certainty which is infallible For my part I hold universal tradition as far as it looks onely on the votes and vices of men to be of all reasons the weakest For the arguments from the authority of God be the strongest yet conclusions from the authority of men is an unartificial argument the weakest However what Arminius saith is true that this humane faith built on such an universal tradition may be a fit preparation to that other faith which is built on the Authority of God I am farâ—e from once thinking that in universal tradition men do once dreame to make the last resolution of their faith into the veracity of any such universal tradition For our faith must rest on the same that the Apostles and Prophets did rest their faith on But they did resolve their faith onely on truth uncreated and divine and not on the votes of the Church or any universal tradition Canus speaks the truth when he saith that the authority of the divine Scriptures is not to be sought from the reason or authority of men For the assent to a conclusion cannot be more certain then the assent to the premisses and proofs of that conclusion Now if our infused faith did rest onely or chiefly on the credit of the Church or universal tradition then our infused faith could go no higher then an humane and created truth I mean onely or chiefly on the voices or reasons of men and not on the voice and authority of God But what is this to translations Much every way I argue thus The end of the Church and people of God is that they should be saved Now if God set down the end he will provide the means of their salvation and that is faith and faith is not built on the authority of the Church or of universal tradition all which are the voices of men but on the Word of God Now this Word of God cannot concerne common people but onely as translated Now what shall a poore unlearned Christian do if that he hath nothing to rest his poore soul on the originals he understands not if he did the first Copies are not to be had and he cannot tell whether the Hebrew and Greek Copies be the right Hebrew or the right Greek or that which is said to be the meaning of the Hebrew or Greek but as men tell us who are not Prophets and may mistake Besides the Transcribers were men and might erre These considerations may let in Atheisme like a flood To help all this we will deliver our mind in some Propositions I. That God as I shewed did lay up the Hebrew Copies to be kept by the Jewes who were ordered by God to be faithful notaries to keep these Records and a world of places are cited out of the Old in the New Testament according as they are nowe in the Hebrew Copies and the Old Testament hath in it the life and soule of the New Testament Moses and the Prophets wrote of Christ The New Testament is but a cleare and infallible counter-part of the Old It s cleare that the Hebrew of the Old Testament stood cleare and uncorrupt without any breaches made in them by transcribers or otherwise till the time of the publishing of the New Testament as appears by the manie places cited in the New out of the Old chiefly where Hebrew words are kept and repeated as Hosanna Golgotha Eli Eli Lamasabachthani Mat. â—7 sutable unto the places whence they are taken out of the Old chiefly in Saint Matthews Gospel who was most punctual in applying and suiting the Prophesies of the Old Testament of all the holy penmen of the New Testament And it is easie to be proved that Matthew wrote after that was done which Luke wrote in the Acts of the Apostles Doctor Jackson saith a long time after Peter made that Sermon Act. 1. Saint Matthew addes and saith saith he it was called the field of blood unto this day Which argueth that he wrote his Gospel a long time after St. Peter made his Comment upon the Psalmist Acts 1. 15 16 17. Well then as God committed the Hebrew Text of the Old Testament to the Jewes and did and doâ—h move their hearts to keep it untainted to this day
So I dare lay it on the same God that he in his providence is so with the Church of the Gentiles that they have and do preserve the Greek Text uncorrupt and clear As for some scapes by Transcribers that comes to no more then to censure a book to be corrupt because of some scapes in the printing and 't is certaine that what mistake is in one print is correctin another A second Proposition is That God never did suffer his Church to be without a sufficient Rule and there can be no rule but translations to the Vulgar Therefore I make no question but the sweet providence of God hath held the hearts and hands and pens of translators so in all true Churches in all times that the virnacular and popular translation into mother tongues have beene made pure without any considerable tincture of errour to endanger the soules of his Church For what if Interpreters and Translators were not Prophets yet God hath and doth use so to guide them that they have been are and shall be preserved from so erring in translating the Scriptures that the souls of his people may have that which will feed them to eternal life that they shall have sufficient for their instruction and consolation here and salvation hereafter This is the opinion of Bellarmine himselfe albeit he appropriates it to their vulgar Translation yet I think the eye of providence provides for all vulgar and vernacular translations in their mother tongue for all true Churches in the world Translations are sufficient with all their mistakes to save the Church I will deliver this in the words of Master Baine Faith cometh by hearing of the word from a particular Minister who by confession of all is subject to errour As God hath not immediately and infallibly assisted Ministers that they cannot erre at all so we know that he is in some measure with them that they cannot altogether erre A Translation that erreth cannot beget faith so farre forth as it erreth The word Translated though subject to errour is Gods Word and begetteth and increaseth faith not so farre forth as man through frailty erreth but as he is assisted through speaking and translating to write the truth So he This gives full satisfaction to me and I hope it will to others The maine Conclusion for a ground of all is the evidence and seale of the Spirit of God which perswadeth us of the saving truth in the Translation and by way of Ministry to come to saving faith by the preaching of the Word by our several Ministers Papists cry up the inerrable and infallible authority of the Church and yet they themselves deny not but their particular preachers whom they heare are as subject to erre as any of ours are I know no authority the Church hath whatever the Church doth is but Ministerial The Papists and we agree in this That Translations Originals Reading Preaching is of no saving effect without the Revelation and Testimony of the Spirit Canus I rather choose to mention him the oftener because Dr. John Rainolds saith that he was of better minde and sounder judgement then Popish Doctors are the most of them It is a great errour saith he in them who think they can either understand or interpret the Scripture without the peculiar gift of the holy Ghost And againe The last resolution of our faith must be in the inner efficiency of God moving to beleeve We believe not for that John or any man else saith it but because God hath revealed it Now that God hath revealed his minde we do immediately believe it by special instinct And again The formal reason of our assent is the light of God which God doth infuse into us and for this he cites Aquinas Lect. 2. ad Rom. 10. And as the understanding in us discernes of natural things and the taste in matters of sense so when the minde of a man is inlightened by the Spirit we are inabled to discerne doctrines necessary to salvation from errours which are not of God This his resolution is often up and down in his book Bellarmine is for the same conclusion A man cannot saith he without the special illustration of God believe the mysteries of faith And again Faith cannot arise in the heart but by divine revelation which is either immediately from God alone or by the instrument of the Word reade or preached I think it hath truth in it which Canus observes That Peter had heard the Testimony of John Baptist when with open voice he proclaimed Christ to be the Son of God John 1. 84. and had moreover with his own eyes seene many miracles of Christ yet after all these Christ doth ascribe Peters confession of his saith to none of of these but onely to divine revelation So then Protestants and Papists we and they concurre in this That at last we must sit down by the evidence and sealing testimony of the Spirit but with this difference They say The Spirit gives light and evidence to the authority of the Church we say To the Sovereignty of the Scriptures Nothing can be seene without some light or other Things of Reason cannot be conceived without the light of reason nor things of the Spirit without the light of Faith and of the Spirit Though Wotton hath cast an unhappy stone or two at translations yet when he comes to answer Fisher who said That the Spirit of God teacheth and perswadeth men to believe the Church Are you saith Wotton they who mock at private spirits and yet are glad to flie that help Is it not as likely the Spirit should teach men which is the Scripture as which is the Church and assure them of a translation as of this or that mans Ordination and Priesthood So he thus at last he is for the divine authority of translations But is not this to fall upon private revelations No such matter for we call not in for the Testimony of revealing of the Spirit to teach us any thing but what is revealed in the word that wer to bring in privat revelations But because none doth or can know the secrets of God but the Spirit of God therefore we say that we are made to see the evidence of truth first revealed in the Word and then by that light which the Spirit kindleth in our hearts both the Scripture to be the Word of God and the minde of the Sripture is not onely revealed but confirmed to us by the Testimony of the Spirit in us and to us So here is no use of the Spirit to reveal new lights but to shew us the evidence of these truthes which are in the Word A private spirit is to lead us from this is to lead us to the Word And all this is done by illightning our understandings and sanctifying our wills to discern and to approve the evidence of truth which is in the Scripture and no other They