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
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
when they have they neither know it nor are content with it They would have some body sail beyond the Sea to fetch that which is on this side already They are not pleased with what they have on earth till some body go to Heaven to fetch it Alas Such need not much trouble themselves for a Revelation as long as a private impulse will serve But let us hearken onely to these faithfull directions sealed by God for our security these cannot deceive us in things necessary for they are plain nor can obscurer places hurt us unlesse we be either rash and resolve that shall be the true sence which we fancy or else sordid and suffer others to put their sence upon us for so indeed we may build ill things not upon the most holy word of God but upon our own careless mistakes 3. To prevent this and because the Scriptures are not so much the words as the sence let us endevour to get the meaning of Gods word which to do is both our great Duty and our true Right For none will be condemned for us if we believe wrong It was a noble ingenuity in the Bereans that they would not believe Paul but upon search of the Scriptures and as it would have been a strange thing in Paul to have offered at the command of their faith denying them liberty to search so it is an ignoble pride in the Papists or any that follow so unworthy an example to require our faith upon their search of the Scriptures and not our own unlesse that we should be saved by the faith of others or that those which make us believe wrong would be punished for us or be content to have that which they are to believe imposed upon them by others Ambrose speaks pertinently to this point Coeli mysterium doceat me Deus ipse qui condidit non homo qui seipsum ignoravit cui magis de Deo quà m Deo credam i. e. let God himself teach me the mysteries of heaven who made it not man who does not know himself whose report concerning God should we credit so much as his own Now we must endeavour to obtain the true meaning of the Holy Scriptures by daily reading serious meditation and the fervent prayers of an humble spirit We should read with a desire of that heavenly knowledge and meditate so as that we discover not a negligence which is contradictory to true desire and pray that the divine spirit which indited them may teach us so to understand them that by the assistance of his excellent illuminations the wisdom of Gods word may dwell plentifully in us It is requisite also that we should abandon all prejudice and preconceived opinions and bring candid and disingaged spirits to the reading of this Holy Book Hilary speaks excellently to this point Optimus est lector qui dictorum intelligentiam expectet à dictis potius quam imponat retulerit magìs quà m attulerit neque cogat id videri dictis contineri quod ante lectionem praesumpserit intelligendum i e. he is the best Reader that expects the understanding of the words from the words themselves rather then puts it upon them takes it of them rather then brings it to them nor compells the words to seem to contain that which before reading he resolved to have understood by them Those which contradict this method may well go away without Gods meaning for they came not for it There is another thing also that does extremely facilitate our proficiency in the knowledge of divine mysteries and that is sincere obedience and humble entertainment of the heavenly light It is a sure rule that will never be antiquated If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God Whilst eager disputers lose the sence of the Scriptures and their soules withall the humble practiser of Gods will secures the sence and his salvation too He will teach the humble his ways The secret of the Lord is with those that fear him Whilest we shew our selves faithfully obsequious to this true guidance we shall not onely be led into all necessary Truths but as we do improve in goodnesse our knowledge will be enlarged The humble and obedient have advantage of all other men in this point for though they may stand upon the lower ground in regard of natural or acquired abilities God doth so love good souls that they shall not miscarry for want of such helps It were an extreme vanity to think that none shall be saved except such as can make Syllogismes or that the Bible was given only for great Scholars to dispute on How deep a sympathy the meek Lamb of God had with the fair equity of this dispensation is excellently signified by the affectionate Apostrophe which he made to his Father upon the consideration of it I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight How passionately doth the dear Son of God please himself in the embraces of the Divine will in this matter and with greatest reason for that will pleaseth it self only in such a way as is fully correspondent to the divine wisdom and goodnesse And all true followers of Christ are likewise possessed with vast satisfactions and full complacence ever accompanied with joyful thanksgiving when they are admitted to behold the rare proportions of Gods works the most admirable reasonablenesse of his proceedings Whilst men vainly puffed up with conceits of their knowledge neglect this most necessary and greatest wisdom God slights their presumption and passeth them by with disregard giveth such grace to the Humble as maketh them wise to Salvation so that This Temper is not only secured by Gods promise but is indeed in it self the most disposed qualified for divine illuminations A good and honest heart is like a soile fit prepared for the immortal seed as our Saviour hath taught us And this is so known a Truth that all wise men have propounded purification of heart as a rare method of attaining true knowledg and pronounced that the light of God shines brightest in those soules that are purified with the flames of divine love Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God Fogges of lust darken the Intellect a soule possessed with sin is low and uncapable Dishonourable affections cherisht by a wicked life bring on a sottishnesse of mind and dulnesse of fancy But I have spoken of this Temper of soule not only because it doth highly capacitate us to the knowledge of God but because the perfection of it is the true improvement of the Scriptures words and sence and in the happy product of it all excellent knowledge ought to terminate All speculation separate from this is contemptible and leaves a man miserable in the midst of his
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
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
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
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
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
Pentateuch saying What nation is so happy whose Statutes are so righteous c. how happy are we did we but know it when God hath finished the Revelation of his will filled it with all necessary truths plainly set down and given us the Bible for the Pandects of them He hath drawn down his love from generation to generation and hath made this great instance of it to teach us also That which is made for great necessities is kept with equal care The Sun is not so appointed that it can be blowne out with bellowes or that the light of it can be infected with noysom vapours 2. Secondly Let us be content with the Scriptures i.e. let us be satisfied with what God hath not only esteemed enough but also proportioned to us as a very bountiful allowance These are perfect and plain we need no more and those which pretend a further want are not only phantastical or deceivers but they must needs be also injurious unto God as to say that he hath neglected to tell us what or where it is Let all sober minds repose here as in their safe conduct and not suffer themselves to be led out of the way either by mens usurped authority or pretended revelations i.e. by other mens or our own private spirits By mens usurped authority either as dictating new things or putting themselves for Infallible Interpreters of the sence of these writings All Vsurpers in this kind finding it impossible to make a new Scripture attempt to make the sence which is the Scripture in the most effectuall name They would have but the interpretation why that 's too much of all conscience But do they think so to get the Soveraignety over our soules and make that an obligation to believing which was never in any mans power to appoint Chrysostome told them otherwise in his twentieth Homily upon the seventh of Matthew if that work be his Omnis doctor est servus legis quia neque supra legem addere potest aliquid de suo sensu nec subtrahere aliquid secundum proprium intellectum sed hoc tantummodo praedicat quod habetur in lege i. e. Every Doctor is a servant of the Law because he can neither adde any thing to it of his own sence nor take away any thing from it according to his private understanding but onely deliver that which he findes there Those which conform not to this truth by him worthily asserted may pretend that whilst they go to God they permit him to sit in his Throne but when others come to them I am sure they sit down in it themselves If any man tell us what is the plain sence of the Scripture we are bound to believe it not because he tells us but because it is the plain will of God But if any man sayes this is the word of God this sence is plain to me I do interpret it right and you must and shall believe it this is to make his own will to us what he pretends Gods is to him i.e. a Law When one had fitted such a yoke to Augustines neck in a letter of Cyprian he thrust it by thus Ego hujus Epistolae authoritate non teneor quia literas Cypriani non ut Canonicas habeo sed eas ex Canonicis considero quod in iis divinarum scripturarum authoritati congruit cum laude ejus accipio quod autem non congruit cum pace ejus respuo i. e. I am not obliged by the authority of this Epistle because I take not Cyprians letters for Canonical but I consider them by those that are Canonical and whatsoever I find in his that agrees with the authorty of the Holy Scriptures I receive it with his praise but that which agrees not by his good leave I refuse See the improvement of cruell pride The eager Tyrant cryed for another world to plunder but these men are not content with another of the same sort they invade the intelligible world commit rapine upon Soules and make havock of the Church to which Angels referre but as ministring Spirits and Lord it over Gods heritage which the Apostles besought to be reconciled to God never commanded any thing in their own name and onely those things for which they shewed unquestionable Commission These Considerations made Tertullian say Nobis nihil licèt ex nostro arbitrio indulgere sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit Apostolos Domini habemus authores qui nec ipsi quicquam de suo arbitrio quod inducerent eligerunt sed acceptam à Christo disciplinam fideliter nationibus assignârunt i. e. We may not indulge our owne will nor chuse that which others bring in at their pleasure Herein following the example of the Apostles of our Lord who neither appointed any thing of their own choyce but faithfully delivered to the world that which they had received of Christ There is a Church which calls her self by a fine name The Mistris of our Faith but it is too imperious for Christs Spouse for she is and we know who taught her commanded her to be meek but usurpation needs cunning and cannot stay in moderate bounds and therefore the Romanists deny the people leave to read the Scriptures which is but a needfull artifice for if that Screen were not put up they would see them usurp their power and understand how groundlesse it is and besides beholding there the naked lovely face of Gods Church they would soon perceive how unlike their ugly vizard is to it But we are secure if we keep here and if any body talk of something that is not in these two Testaments every good Christian may answer with Origen Si quid autem superfuerit quod divina scriptura non decernat nullam aliam tertiam Scripturam debere ad authoritatem scientiae suscipi id Deo reservemus i. e. That which is not declared in these two Testaments we permit not to be supplyed by a third we leave it to God who hath made these two Canistrum perfectionis as the same Origen calls them a fair large basket perfectly containing all that heavenly bread which we need for our soules and therefore we may justly say further with him Servemus eas mensuras quas nobis per legislatorem Lex spiritualis enunciat Let us be content with that which God hath thought enough for us to know and keep those measures which the Law-giver hath appointed in his spiritual Law i.e. the Scriptures Let us take heed also of Enthusiasmes What would vain man have he cares not for these poor Scriptures he would have a Revelation i.e. he slights the greatest Revelation that ever was Such men make the same use of the Scripture as those do who having received a command to pray for divine assistances will not pray till they be so assisted as that they cannot well chuse and yet will not pray then neither They will have divine Revelation and