The Sacred Philosophy of the Holy Scripture, Article 4

The Sacred Philosophy of the Holy Scripture · Article 4

p. 125The ſecond ſupply; Of that ineſtimable gift of God, the holy Scripture, which Hee by His holy Spirit hath given to the Church.

CHAP. XXXIIII.

THough for Adams ſinne God did hide His face from man, except, when either in juſtice Hee did puniſh his ſinne, or in mercy declare the meanes, and give aſſurance how he ſhould be freed therefrom, as it appeares in Adam, Cain, Abraham, Moſes, and the Prophets, untill the time came, that the promiſe of the redemption was fulfilled: Yet by His holy Word hath He ſo fully provided for the direction and comfort of His Church, and every one of His children therein, that there is nothing in the whole courſe of mans life, whether in things that are to be done, or left undone, or in things that are to be beleeved, or not to be beleeved; in whatſoever it is fit for us to expect any direction or comfort from God immediately, wherein He hath not moſt particularly declared His holy will. It was a wonderfull grace and favour, beyond all other men, unto Moſes, that whenſoever he went into the Tabernacle, he might talke with God, face to face, as a man converſes with his friend: Is not the ſame grace vouchſafed to us, who not onelyonly in the Churches, but even in our private chambers, or in the open fields, may talke with God, and receive His anſwere in His word? And leſt any man may pretend ignorance, or want of skill, how to preſent himſelfe unto God, all manner of formes of thankes, of of praiſe of prayers, are ſet out in the Scripture, and all ſumm'd up in that forme which our Lord hath taught us. And that we may p. 126come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, and be aſſured to find helpe in the time of need, we ſhall in His Word not onelyonly receive His owne Anſwer, but likewiſe ſee by examples, how holy and devout men have ſped in the like caſes. Thus we may ſpeake to God, and heare His ſpeech to us, in all places, at all times, either alone or with others; the holy Angels joyning in our converſation, and our ſelves never deſtitute of the fruit thereof.

And becauſe the holy Scriptures are the foundation of all our faith, therefore it muſt firſt appeare, That theſe Scriptures are the very Word of God Himſelfe. §. 1. Then how neceſſary it was and behovefull for the Church, that God ſhould vouchſafe thereto the knowledge of His Word. §. 2. Thirdly, to ſhew what theſe Scriptures are. §. 3. Fourthly, to juſtifie their perfection or ſufficiencie. §. 4. Fiftly, to ſhew that they are come unto us in the integrity as they were at firſt delivered to the Church. §. 5. Then to ſpeake of their eaſineſſe to be underſtood. §. 6. And laſtly, of their interpretation. §. 7.

Sect. 1 §. 1. Concerning the firſt, it is an irrefragable argument, that the Scriptures were given of God, becauſe the Prophecies in them which were before-hand concerning things to come, were ſuch perfect declarations of them, as that they may rather ſeeme to be Hiſtories then Prophecies. Take for inſtance that promiſe to Abraham, that his ſeed ſhould poſſeſſe Canaan after 430. yeeres, and accordingly in the ſelfe ſame day, Exod. 12.40, 41. were they brought out of Egypt: Or the promiſe of Iudahs Kingdome foretold by Iacob, Gen. 49.8, 9, 10. Of Ioſia, and Cyrus, prophecied by name, the one above 300. yeeres, the other above 100. yeeres before he was borne: Of the captivity of that nation, and deſtruction of Ieruſalem, foretold by Daniel. For ſeeing God alone is infinite in His wiſedome, and that all His workes are foreknowne to Him alone, therefore can He alone declare from the beginning what ſhall come to paſſe at the laſt, as He ſaith of Himſelfe, Iſa. 42.9. whereas the Angels being finite both in their wiſedome and knowledge know nothing of things to come, but either by ſpeciall revelation, as Gabriel foretold the birth of Iohn Baptiſt, or by the Prophecies of the Scripture, or by obſervation of naturall cauſes in their long and ſubtile experiences. And therefore it came to paſſe that all the devils that mocked the heathen by their Oracles, were ſo uncertaine in their anſweres, except they were informed by ſome of the meanes ſpoken of: As the devil gave a certaine anſwere to Alexander, concerning his expedition againſt Darius, becauſe he knew what the Decree of God was, by the Prophecie of Daniel, Chap. 8.

2. Another Argument that the Scriptures were given by the Holy-Ghoſt, is that admirable conſent of all the Doctrines contained therein, which are delivered with that certaintie of Truth and Knowledge, with that authority and power over the ſoule of the p. 127faithfull Reader, and that in ſo ſimple and plaine a manner of writing, as no other: whereas in mens writings, the unſetledneſſe of their judgement, their ignorance, and doubtfull ſuppoſitions, eſpecially when they ſpeake of their owne (as ſeldome they doe) juſtifies the holy Text, Rom. 1.22. foreign, profeſſing to teach, they ſhew their folly.

3. Moreover, the Argument, or things contained in the holy Scriptures, doth manifeſt the Author thereof, the Writers for the moſt part ſhewing their Commiſſion, Thus ſaith the Lord: and, Paul an Apoſtle, not by man, but by Ieſus Chriſt, and God the Father: Then the purport, or intent of the Commiſſion, We are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Christs ſtead to be reconciled unto God; And this under ſuch conditions, as none but God alone is able to performe: of acceptance, eternall life; or refuſall, eternall fire.

4. The glorious and mighty workes which Almighty God gave, eſpecially to the firſt Writers of the Law and of the Goſpel to doe, and thoſe miracles whereby He continually juſtified the trueth thereof, the wonderous preſervation and deliverances of the profeſſors, as of Daniel, &c. And the balefull confuſion of the adverſaries of the Trueth, contained in the Scriptures in all ages, approve that God alone is the Author thereof.

5. The hatred of the devil, and his continuall endeavours, either utterly to deface the Bookes of the holy Scripture, or upon pretext of obſcurity and danger of Hereſie, not to reade them. And againe, the providence of God, in preſerving thoſe Bookes, and the love and delight which He hath begotten in the hearts of His Saints to reade and underſtand them, are no leſſe proofe, that theſe Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, and the Teſtimony of His eternall Truth.

6. The extraordinary calling of many of the Pen-men of the holy Bookes, and the enabling of them, being ſimple and unlettered men, to write and to preach thoſe high Myſteries, which none of the Princes of this world did underſtand; as of Amos among the Herdmen, of Peter, Iames, and Iohn, and the other of the twelve Apoſtles; ſhew that the Author of that Truth and their Bookes was God alone.

7. The great 1. Antiquity of the Bookes of the Law preſerved ſo long uncorrupted: for in compariſon of Moſes, almoſt all the writings of the heathen, all their religions, and many of their Gods, are but upſtarts, and things of yeſterday. 2. The great ſimplicity and ſincerity of the Writers, who ſought not their own praiſe, nor concealed their owne faults and imperfections. 3. The conſent of the Church, which receiued the Scriptures, as the word of God. 4. The conſent of forraine Hiſtories, writing of the ſame things with ſuch uncertaintie and untruth, as time and heareſay uſe to bring into Hiſtory; as of Beroſus, Herodotus, Strabo, Trogus, p. 128and others, are a manifeſt proofe that the true records of the ſame things are the writings which God Himſelfe did dictate to Moſes, and the Prophets which followed after him. For none but God did truely know the creation of the world, and none among men did certainely record the univerſall flood, the Tower of Babel, the actes of Abraham, Iacob, Ioſeph, Moſes, Ioſhua, and others: So that if the devill might vaunt as he did,

foreign.

I did indite, and Homer did write.

In the perfection of truth might the Holy Spirit of God ſay as it is recorded, 2. Tim. 3.16. All Scripture is given by the inſpiration of God: And, 1. Pet. 1.21. Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy-Ghoſt.

6. And if wee beleeve that the writings of Hiſtorians, and Poets, and other profane Authors, are indeed theirs under whoſe names they goe: ſhall wee not much rather beleeve that they are the writings of God Himſelfe, that goe under His Name? eſpecially ſeeing wee know that Hee is a jealous God, and neither would ſuffer His authority to bee abuſed to falſhood, neither would Hee give His Church to bee ever ſeduced by lyars and falſe prophets.

Sect. 2 §. 2. And theſe holy Oracles, God of His Goodneſſe and Mercy, would have to bee written; from whence, by their excellencie, above all other, they are called Scriptures, or Writings.

1. Firſt, that wee through patience and comfort of theſe Scriptures, might have firme and ſure hope in God and His promiſes, Rom. 15.4.

2. Secondly, that nothing through mans infirmity might be forgotten, of all that which ought to be in continuall remembrance.

3. Leſt by the wickedneſſe of men, and the ſubtilty of the devil inciting them thereto, the holy Doctrine of God might be corrupted from the native and true meaning: and ſo new Doctrines, and new Religions brought in, in ſtead of that Service which we owe onelyonly to God, and that according to His owne revealed Will and Word.

4. No man knoweth the thoughts of a man, but onelyonly that ſpirit of a man which is within him: much leſſe can any know the things of God, but onelyonly the holy Spirit of God. The things of God, of which I ſpeake, are either ſuch as concerne Himſelfe; or us: Himſelfe; as that in His being, He is a Spirit Eternall, infinite in Wiſedome, &c. In eſſence one; in Perſons three: in His diſpenſation towards us, that in the fulneſſe of time the Eternall Sonne ſhould dwell in the Tabernacle of our fleſh; that in our nature, and for us, He might make ſatisfaction for our ſinne, that we might be reſtored againe to the favour of God, which wee had loſt by our p. 129tranſgreſſion, and ſo have hope of the full enjoying of thoſe benefits which come unto us thereby, as the reſurrection of our bodies, and eternall life both in body and ſoule. And becauſe it was impoſſible for us to underſtand thoſe things, except God Himſelfe had revealed them unto us, therfore it was neceſſary that He ſhould vouchſafe the certaine and immutable knowledge of them by His Holy Word.

5. No Kingdome can bee ordered according to Iuſtice, wherein the Lawes are not manifeſt, and to bee knowne of every ſubject that will know them. But Christ is that King that is to raigne in Iuſtice, Eſay 32.1. Therefore it was neceſſary that the lawes and ordinances of His Kingdome, which peculiarly is His Church, ſhould be ſo publiſhed, that every one, both ſmall and great might take knowledge of them.

6. No puniſhment is due but for ſome offence, and where no law is, there is no tranſgreſsion. Rom. 4.15. So no reward is due, but either in juſtice for ſome merit above dutie, as the merit of Christ on our behalfe: or elſe in merciemercy by promiſe, for the carefull performance of that which is due. But neither duty, nor puniſhment, nor merit, nor merciemercy, can either appeare, or be ſuch where no law is. Therefore it was neceſſary that God by His Word ſhould both ſhew what duty He did require of us, and what puniſhment was due to the breakers of His law, and what reward was due to the obſervers, as the law declares. And moreover, becauſe no man in this ſtate of corruption by originall ſinne, is able to performe the law of God as he ought, in perfect righteouſneſſe, Therefore it was alſo neceſſary in this impoſſibilitie on our parts, to make it knowne how wee might bee delivered from the puniſhment, by the mediation of another, as the Goſpel ſhewes.

7. And becauſe ſo great a benefit as the deliverance of mankind from the thraldome of the devill, was never to bee forgotten: therefore it was neceſſary, not onelyonly that the Church ſhould bee prepared unto the expectation thereof; and dayly put in mind by ſuch lively ſignes as the ſacrifices were, the true meaning of which they were taught by the Prophets: but alſo when the time came that the promiſes ſhould bee fulfilled, that the Church ſhould be throughly informed and confirmed in the trueth thereof, by the powerfull doctrine, and glorious miracles which were done both by the authour and finiſher of our faith; and by thoſe who were eye-witneſſes of all things which they teſtified to the world. Therefore it was neceſſary, that both before the comming of Chriſt, the Church ſhould be catechiſed unto Chriſt, by the doctrine of the Law, and the Prophets; and after His comming bee fully inſtructed by the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts, the Holy-Ghoſt evermore working in the hearts of the elect, that the things which were taught, ſhould be beleeved.

§. 3. Hath it indeede beene the practiſe of the devill by his principall p. 130agents the perſecuters of the Church, to deface the Holy Scripture, and to put out their remembrance among men? Hiſtories affirme it. Neither can the Father of lies hate any thing ſo much as the trueth: nor the enemie of man-kind, endeavour any thing ſo earneſtly, as to deface that, by the knowledge whereof man may find the way to eternall life: yet great was the trueth, and prevailed. Then by hereticks he would corrupt it; but yet the trueth prevailed. Then hee would keepe it from us in an unknowne tongue; but yet the trueth appeared, and every man may reade in his owne tongue the wonderfull workes of God, Engliſh and Germanes, and French, and the reſt: yet the devill had one tricke more in his budget; that ſeeing hee could neither deface, nor corrupt, nor conceale the bookes of Holy Scripture in a forraine tongue, whoſe vulgar uſe is vaniſh't among men, he would ſhuffle in other bookes among them, that ſo we might not diſcerne the true Mother from the falſe. And if any queſtion grew about the Child; traditions which wee muſt receive with equall affection of piety, muſt decide it. Strange Divinitie! Did the Church deale thus of ancient time? For you onelyonly are wiſe, you onelyonly will be the people: Shew the cuſtome of the Church: you claime to Fathers: ſhew it from them. Saint Athanaſius in Synops. divides the bookes of the Old-Teſtament (as wee) into Canonicall, and not Canonicall. The Canonicall, he accounts all as wee, ſave Eſther: the not Canonicall, he accounts the booke of Wiſdome, Eſther, Iudith, and Tobit. The books of the New-Teſtament all Canonicall, hee numbers as wee; the foure Goſpels, the Actes, the ſeven Catholike Epiſtles, fourteene of Saint Paul, among which following, Saint Peter, Second Epiſtle 3.15. he puts that to the Hebrewes; and the Revelation: Epiphanius alſo, Lib. de Menſ. & pond. accounts the Canonicall bookes as Athanaſius; but puts Eſther among them: he accounts Wiſedome and Eccleſiaſticus, to be apocryphal, Ierom. in Prol. Gal. accounts the Canonicall bookes of the Old-Teſtament as Epiphanius, and as the manner of the Hebrewes was of old, they count the books according to the number of the Hebrew letters, 22. as the knops, nuts, or almonds on the golden candleſtick, were 22. for the Lamentations was one book, with the propheſie of Ieremiah; and the 12. ſmall Prophets made but one Booke, and as five of their bookes were double, that is, Iude and Ruth. 2. of Samuel. 2. of Kings, and 2. of Chron. Ezra and Nehem. in one booke; ſo are 5. of their letters foreign which in the end of words are thus written, foreign. But in Summe, they ſpeake of their bookes altogether, the Law and the Prophets, as Luk. 16.29. and 31. and 24.27. Actes 24.14. and 26.22. and 28.23. And yet ſome-what more particularly, the Law, the Prophets, and the Pſalmes; and this diviſion of the bookes of the Holy Scripture, our Lord alſo allowes Luke 24.44. But in this laſt diviſion, the bookes are numbred 24. firſt of Moſes 2. Foure of the former Prophets, as they call them. p. 131Ioſhua, Iudges, Samuel, and Kings 3. Foure alſo of the later Prophets, Eſay, Ieremie, Ezechiel, and the Booke of the 12. ſmall Prophets. 4. The Kethubim, or holy writing, contained 11. bookes: the 5. Poeticall, that is, the Pſalmes, Proverbs, Eccleſiaſtes, Iob, and the Canticles: three, which they called Megilloth, volumes or rolles, Ruth, Lamentations, and Eſther, among which, the booke of Canticles is ſometimes accounted; and 2. halfe Chaldee, which were laſt written: Daniel, Ezra, with Nehemiah and the Chronicles. And theſe holy writings they divided from the other prophecies, becauſe they were not given either by dreame, or by viſion, or by hearing a voice, or in any extaſie, but were inſpired by the Holy-Ghoſt immediately. And according to this order of the bookes of the Holy Scripture, divers Hebrew Bibles have bin lately printed: as one by Plantin in Oct. another by Hutterus in Folio, and others.

Now concerning the bookes of the New-Teſtament, Saint Ierom ad Paulin. reckons them as wee. And are not theſe Aramites ſtrucke with blindneſſe, that print the Bible, the decree of Trent, and thoſe prologues of Ierom before it, that it may appeare how they ſet the Fathers at naught? But for the full deciſion of this queſtion, let us looke unto the undoubted truth of the Scripture, & by the Scripture it ſelfe, let us learne what is Scripture, or the word of God. 1. Therfore concerning the books of the New-Teſtament, M. Luther accounted the Epiſtle of S. Iames to bee aridam & ſtramineam, dry as a Kix, and his followers give their reaſons againſt it; 1. the ſeeming oppoſition which is betweene him and S. Paul, in the queſtion of juſtification by faith, and by works. 2. becauſe hee teacheth not, but ſuppoſeth onelyonly that which is the ſum of the Goſpel, that is, the redemption of the world by the death of Chriſt, as ſome men ſpeake for Athanaſius concerning the booke of Eſther, that none of the names of God are mentioned therein: to which others anſwere that the words foreign mimmakom acher, in Chap. 4. v. 14. is for ſenſe in that place, equivalent to any of the names of God, which the prophet did there forbeare to remember, becauſe hee would not that any of the names of God ſhould bee prophaned among the heathen, with whom he lived: So alſo Luther held, the Revelation to be the writing of ſome well-meaning honeſt man, but not Canonical. Wherein I thinke the wonderfull wiſdome and mercy of God appeared; to hide the meaning of that booke from him, leſt he ſhould be deſtroyed with pride, when he ſhould ſee himſelfe and his miniſtery ſo alluded to therein. But let Luther and his followers in this queſtion thinke by themſelues: betweene us and the Church of Rome there is no difference, both parties holding all the bookes of the New-Teſtament to be canonical. The onelyonly doubt is about the books which we call Apocryphal, of unknowne and obſcure Authors, or ſtrange doctrines delivered therein. In which queſtion, the Canon or rule of the New-Teſtament is for us. For concerning all the books of the Old-Teſtament, the reaſon ſtands thus.

p. 1321. All the oracles of God or Canonicall Scripture, was received in the Church of the Iewes. But none of the Apocryphall bookes were received in the Church of the Iewes. Therefore none of the Apocryphall bookes are the Oracles of God. The propoſition is Saint Pauls, and he accounts it (as well hee may) the firſt and chiefe preeminence of the Iew, that unto them the Oracles of God were committed, Rom. 3.2. The aſſumption is manifeſt: for the Apocryphall bookes were extant onelyonly in Greeke, which language the Iewes never uſed in their holy ſeruices. And although the booke of Eccleſiaſticus were begun by the grandfather in Hebrew; yet was it augmented and finiſhed in Greeke by the grand-child. And although the firſt booke of the Maccabees were extant in Hebrew; yet was it not therefore Canonicall, no more than the ſecond that was written in Greeke. So the concluſion ſtands ſure. And if neither the Church before Chriſt received thoſe Apocryphall bookes: nor the ancient Church ſince His ſuffering, accounted them Canonicall (for the Authour of the Sophiſticate Cannons of the Apoſtles, wee receive not) upon what ground then ſhould the Fathers of Trent preſume to doe that, which neither the Primitive Church, or Fathers attempted before?

2. Such another argument you have from Luke 24.27. where it is ſaid, that Christ beginning at Moſes, and all the Prophets, expounded unto them all the Scriptures, the things that were written concerning Himſelfe. So all the Scriptures are underſtood by the Law and the Prophets (as I ſhewed before) and yet for further explication, it is added in verſe 44. the Law, the Prophets, and the Pſalmes. For of all the Cethubim, the booke of Pſalmes was firſt, and by a Synecdoche, is put for all the reſt. Now to which of all theſe will you bring the Apocryphall bookes? By the Law you underſtand the five Bookes of Moſes, which the Samaritanes, and all the ſects of the Iewiſh Religion, except the hereticks called Naſacheans, …id receive. The ſects of the Sadduces and Samaritanes rejected the reſt; but the Church of the Iewes held all the Prophets, both former and later, with all the Kebuthim to bee holy Scripture, but the Apocrypha are reckoned with none of theſe.

3. A third argument from the holy Scripture againſt theſe apocryphals is from Revel. 19.10. The teſtimony of Ieſus, is the Spirit of prophecie. But in theſe apocryphals which the Iewes received not, there is no prophecy, no evident teſtimony of Ieſus that was to come. Therefore they are no witneſſes of Him, no word of His. And although in the fourth booke of that ſuppoſed Eſdras, there be mention of Ieſus Christ, Chap. 7.27, 28. yet the falſe narration of things never done, and other fictions, See Maſter Brerew: Enq. Chap. 13. have diſcredited thoſe bookes ſo farre, that the Papiſts themſelves doe not mention them in their new Canon, and vouchſafe them a place in the end of their Bibles onelyonly, leſt they ſhould be loſt. Object. But the Fathers themſelves call theſe bookes Canonicall. p. 133Anſwer. And our Church yeelds they are ſo, in the meaning of the Fathers, that is, ſerving for rules of good life and vertue; but not of faith, as the holy Scriptures; and that is the queſtion betweene us and Trent.

Sect. 4 § 4. That the holy Scripture is abundantly ſufficient to teach all things that belong to faith and godlineſſe, is manifeſt by the reaſons brought for the proofe of the ſecond queſtion. That it was neceſſary for us, that God, by His written Word, ſhould vouchſafe unto us, the knowledge of His will. 1. For how could either our hope and comfort in God be firme and ſure, if they were not grounded upon His holy promiſes that never faile? 2. And if no man know the things of God, but onelyonly the Spirit of God; how could we beleeve that which is to be beleeved of Him, or hoped for, our ſelues? as the Trinity of Perſons, the Incarnation of the Son, the reſurrection of the body, &c. but by the inſtruction of His holy Word? 3. How could we have the true knowledge of ſinne, and the puniſhment thereof, but by His Law; whereby He hath taught us what duty we owe to Him, to our neighbour, and to our ſelues? And if the holy Scripture doth thorowly inſtruct us in all things that we ought to doe or to beleeve, is not the ſufficiency and perfection thereof able to teach us how to be perfect in every good worke? See 2. Tim. 3.16, 17.

2. And if it might with due reverence unto God be ſuppoſed, that the holy Scriptures have not ſufficiently inſtructed us in every thing; Yet who is he, or what is that Church that may preſume to adde to His word? Proverb. 30.6. Leſt if they teach things that are not to be beleeved, or command that which is not to be done, our faith be found to be fooliſhneſſe, and our obedience become, if not ſinne, yet without reward, as the Prophet ſaith, Eſay 1.12. Who hath required this at your hand?

3. As the man is, ſo is his ſtrength, Iud: 8.21. as his wiſedome is, ſuch are his words. And ſeeing it is evident by the Scripture which is given, that it was the good will and pleaſure of Almighty God, to give inſtructions unto His Church; and that it hath already been prooved, that the Wiſedome, Chapter 5. and the Trueth of God, as all His other dignities, are infinite, Chapter 7. if the inſtructions and directions of the Scriptures were not in every reſpect perfect and ſufficient for the Church, to that end for which they were written; then the Wiſedome or Goodnes of God ſhould be defective in that which was neceſſary for His Church to know. But that is impoſſible. Therefore the Holy Scripture is ſufficient.

4. If God have not ſufficiently and perfectly inſtructed us by His word what we ought to doe, and to beleeve; then can He not in Iuſtice puniſh thoſe defects which ſhall be found in our Faith or obedience, eſpecially ſeeing we are not bound by any precept in His revealed will, to hearken to any traditions with that reverence as to His word, but rather are every where commanded to hearken p. 134to His word, and that without any adding thereto or taking away therefrom, Deut. 4.1, 2. and 5.32. Eſay 8.20. ſends us to the Law and to the Teſtimony; and if any one ſhall ſpeake not according to this Word, it is becauſe there is no light in them. So our Lord ſends us to the Scriptures, Iohn 5.39. Therefore the holy Scriptures are perfect and ſufficient to teach all things that belong by way of divine revelation, to faith and godlineſſe. All the Fathers runne this way, and the moſt learned among the Schoolemen, and later Papiſts; as you may ſee them cited by Maſter G. Langford Enquiry after verity. § 2.

Of Traditions.

Obiect. 1 Object. 1 Againſt this doctrine of the ſufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures, doubts are raiſed two wayes. Firſt from the neceſſity of Traditions: Secondly, for that it is ſuppoſed that ſome bookes of the holy Writ are loſt. For the firſt, it is manifeſt, even by the reaſons that are brought for the ſufficiency of the Scripture. For if it were alwayes neceſſary, that the ſervice of God in His Church ſhould be according to His owne commandement, and direction; it muſt follow neceſſarily, either that the Scriptures ſhould have beene given even from the beginning of the world (for the Church of the redeemed began in Adam) or elſe that the ſeruice of the Church, was onelyonly according to tradition. The firſt is apparently falſe. For Moſes was the firſt inditer of any Scripture, and that after the deliverance out of Egypt, which was after the Creation of the world 2513 yeeres. Therefore the ſecond followes of neceſſity, that Traditions were neceſſary.

Anſwer. This is a wilfull miſtaking of the queſtion, which being about the ſufficiency of the Scriptures, muſt needs be limited to the times ſince the Scripture was given. But Moſes was not the firſt inditer of the holy Scripture; but God Himſelfe, who had firſt written His Law in mans heart, did ſecondly write it in two Tables of ſtone, with His owne hand, in mount Sinai. And thirdly againe when the Tables of the Covenant were broken; this was the firſt of all that which we call holy Scripture. After which time God taught Moſes the Originall of the world, the ſinne, and redemption of mankind, the order of times, and whatſoever was neceſſary for that people to know, and to doe. And although it bee moſt true, that the faith and ſeruices of the Church before the law, was onelyonly according to tradition; yet becauſe thoſe traditions were not kept as God had taught them, God brought upon the world of the ungodly, the Flood. Yet even within foure hundred yeeres after the Flood, by the craft of the devill, and his new revelations, the beſt among men became Idolaters, as it is manifeſt in p. 135Ioſh. 24.2. And therefore God gave Ordinances and Lawes by Moſes in writing, to the obſeruation of which, the whole Church of Iſrael was bound, without any addition thereto, or taking away therefrom. Deut. 12.32.

Obiect. 2 Object. 2. But traditions may be neceſſary for the Church, as well ſince the Scriptures were written, as before; as Saint Paul 2. Theſſ. 2.15. exhorts them to hold the Traditions which they had been taught, whether by word or by Epiſtle. So the Councill at Trent, Seſſ. 4. Can. 1. commands them to be received as the holy Canonicall Scripture.

Anſwer. The word Tradition there, is doubtfull. For either it may ſignifie at large, any thing that is delivered, either by word or by writing; and that may be any fundamentall trueth, according to the holy Scripture; as Saint Paul meanes in that place: as Saint Athanaſius, Epiſt. ad Adelphium, & de Incarn. Contr. Samoſ. calls it foreign, an Apoſtolicall Tradition, and foreign, the faith delivered by tradition, that God was manifeſt in the fleſh: or elſe it may ſignifie any canon or rule, for the ordering of things indifferent in Eccleſiaſticall policy, wherein all things ought to be done in order. And in theſe two ſences traditions are to be held: the firſt in obedience to God and His trueth, as we receive the Apoſtles Creed, and as you read in the Note on Chap. 33. § 2. N. 4. how Hoſius ſpeakes of the coeſſentiall Perſons of the Trinity, as a tradition from Chriſt to His Apoſtles, and from them to us; the ſecond for peace, and avoiding of diviſions in the Church; as to kneele at the holy Communion, rather then to ſit, or to ſtand; though none of all theſe geſtures be eſſentiall to the Sacrament. In the third place, Traditions may ſignifie any rule thruſt upon the Church, as neceſſary to be beleeved or obſerued quite beſides, or contrary to the word of God, for conſcience ſake toward God; that Prieſts and Nunnes may not marry: which things, though they be brought in as Apoſtolicall, or Eccleſiaſticall Traditions, yet by the rule of Saint Paul. 1. Tim. 4.1, 2, 3. they ſeeme rather to leane to the doctrines of devills, beleeved by ſuch as ſpeake lyes in hypocriſie, and have their conſciences ſeared.

No part of Holy Scripture loſt.

Obiect. 3 Object. 3. ANd if Traditions might therefore ſeeme to be neceſſary, becauſe it is yeelded by ſome of the Fathers, that ſome of the Canonicall Scriptures are loſt; by whoſe reaſons, or authority, ſome of the later writers have ſtrayed after them; yet this will nothing at all ſupport thoſe unwritten verities. For it is utterly denyed, and that according to reaſon, and the word of God, that any part of the holy Scripture is periſhed. 1. For p. 136can we thinke that it ſtood with the goodneſſe of God, to give His Word to His Church, for comfort and inſtruction; and ſtood it not with His providence to preſerue that Word, that it ſhould not periſh, but accompliſh that thing for which it was ſent? Eſay 55.11.

But divers objections are brought hereto, as you may ſee in the author G. Langf. forenamed in the 4. §.

1. The booke of the warres of IEHOVAH, is mentioned, Numb. 21.14. but not extant. Therefore ſome part of the holy Scripture is periſhed.

Anſwer. It ought firſt to be manifeſt, what this booke was: but in briefe, the bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah, and of the Kings of Iſrael, are often mentioned in the bookes of Kings, and Chronicles; yet were not thoſe bookes therefore holy Scripture, written by the Prophets, but rather by the Recorders or Secretaries of ſtate, appointed for that purpoſe; as the hiſtories of other kingdomes are, or ought to be written; and of this ranke may that booke mentioned by Moſes, ſeeme to be. For it is not neceſſary that all writings mentioned in the holy Scripture, ſhould be holy Scripture. For the Poets, whoſe writings Saint Paul mentions, were but Heathens: and Iannes and Iambres (as profane writers call him Mambres) are no where mentioned in holy Scripture, but onelyonly 2 Tim. 3.8.

2. A ſecond doubt is from that which is in Ioſhua 10.13. and 2 Sam. 1.18. where mention is made of the booke of Iaſher; whereto, though ſome according to the interpretation of the word juſt, or upright, will have the ſence of that text of Ioſhua, Is it not recorded by him, whoſe writings are upright and true? as it is ſaid, Iohn 21.24. This is the Diſciple that teſtifieth theſe things, and we know that his teſtimony is true: yet becauſe the booke is mentioned in times above 390. yeeres diſtant, it ſeemes to me rather to be ſome Liger, or booke of record, wherein ſuch memorable things were written by the appointment of their Synedrion; as might ſerue for remembrance to future ages; for that Synedrion, or great Councill of 70. Elders, inſtituted by God under Moſes, Numb. 11. never failed ſo long as their ſtate laſted.

3. The writings of the Prophets themſelues, as of Nathan, and Gad, mentioned in 1 Chron. 29.29. of Ahia, and Iddo, 2 Chron. 9.29 of Iehu, 2 Chron. 20.34. are utterly loſt.

Anſwer. Not ſo: For as it is manifeſt, that all the things written in the 2 of Sam. were done after his death: ſo likewiſe may we very well thinke, that both the bookes of Iudges, and Ruth, 2 of Samuel, and the two bookes of Kings (for ſome give the Chronicles wholly to Ezra) were written by divers Prophets, whom God raiſed up in all the ages of that Church, to bee inditers of His Word, and were as Saint Luke ſaith, foreign, eye-witneſſes of the things which they recorded, and theſe Prophets p. 137here mentioned, with others, were the Authors of thoſe bookes.

4. But ſome texts are cited in the new Teſtament, which are 1. not found in the old, as that in Matth. 2.23. Hee ſhall be a Nazarite: or elſe are, 2. not found in the Author cited; by which we may thinke, that ſome booke of his is loſt: as that which S. Matthew cites out of Ieremy, Chap. 2.17. is not found in all that booke, 3. Moreover S. Paul remembers the word of our Lord, Actes 20.35. which is no where extant beſide. 5. And the Epiſtle to the Laodiceans, mentioned, Coloſſ. 4.16. is utterly loſt. For that ſchedule which is found here and there, is rejected by every one, as unworthily to be remembred by the Apoſtle.

5. Iude likewiſe cites the prophecie of Henoch, which is not found except in the Talmud.

Anſwere 1. Some referre that of Matth. 2.23. to Eſay 11.1. The Branch that ſhould grow out of the roote of Ieſse. But it is more fully verefyed in that which is written Iud. 13.5. Where Sampſon the Figure that ſhould begin to ſave Iſrael, is a Nazarite unto God, and Hee much more which is ſeparate from ſinners, and ſhould perfect the deliverance of all the Iſrael of God, and the text cited by the Evangeliſt may not onelyonly intend both theſe, but whatſoever elſe, either the Law or the Prophets underſtand by the figurative ſnow-white puritie of the Nazarites, Lam. 4.7. and is therefore cited in the name foreign of all the Prophets.

2. The other citation in Saint Matthew, where one Prophet is named by another, doth not prove that any booke of Ieremiah is loſt: neither was it of any ignorance or forgetfulneſſe in the Evangeliſt; or yet miſtaking of them that have copied out that booke; but becauſe that the ſeed of the Woman, ſo long expected, was now to come into the world, it may be that Zachariah, by interpretation, Remember the Lord, is now, Ieremiah, exalt the Lord, who never ought to bee remembred without his praiſe, eſpecially in the performance of that ineſtimable benefit for man-kind.

3. Concerning that which is cited by Saint Paul, Actes 2.25. If he had that which he cites by the ſuggeſtion of the Holy-Ghost, as wee may well thinke: or that the ſaying of Chriſt was in freſh remembrance with them that heard it: it is not therefore to bee concluded, that S. Paul cites it out of any booke now loſt, ſeeing he might receive it from thoſe Diſciples which had heard it.

4. And as to that Epiſtle to the Laodiceans, it is but a common errour, that S. Paul makes mention of any ſuch; but hee perſwades the Coloſsians for the better underſtanding of ſome paſſages in the Epiſtle written to them, to read the Epiſtle ſent from Laodicea to him, and that they of Laodicea, ſhould read that which he ſent to the Coloſsians, as containing doctrine and inſtruction fit for both the Churches to know and doe.

5. And if Saint Iude were taught of God, that Henoch had ſo prophecied, though the prophecie were never written; or if he cited p. 138it from any booke which went under the name of Henoch, if nothing in the booke were Henoch's beſide this prophecie; Saint Iudes citing doth not make the booke Canonicall Scripture, no more than S. Pauls citing the heathen Poets: or if S. Iude had it onelyonly by tradition that Henoch had ſo prophecied, how doth it make for the queſtion? For it is not ſaid, that all things are falſe which are delivered by tradition: but that in the matiers of the faith and doctrine of the Church, thoſe traditions have no force or credit, which are contrary to the truth of God, revealed in His Word.

5. But it is yeelded, that though ſome part of Scripture be loſt; yet that which remains, is ſufficient, and containes all things neceſſary.

Anſwere. Our Lord ſaith, Luk. 10.42. That one thing is neceſſary, which in Iohn 17.3. he confeſſeth to bee this, To know the Father the onelyonly true God, and Ieſus Chriſt whom he hath ſent; and according to the neceſſitie of this one thing, the 3. Chapter of Gen. with the 53. of Eſay, and any one of the Goſpels might ſeeme ſufficient. And in this ſufficiencie onelyonly wee dwell hither-unto. But becauſe S. Peter ſaith, 1. Epiſtle 1.11. that the inqueſt of the Prophets was not onelyonly concerning the ſaluation of the ſoule, but likewiſe what times, and what manner of times they ſhould be, wherein the ſufferings of Christ ſhould bee fulfilled, and the glories which ſhould follow thereupon: and becauſe both the ſufferings of Christ, and his glories are to be accompliſhed, not onelyonly in Himſelfe, but alſo in His Church, as they were prefigured in all the types that were of Him, in the Church under the Law: and that God the Lord doth nothing, but He revealeth His ſecret unto His ſeruants the Prophets, Amos 3.7. when wee ſhall grow paſt milke, and be able to digeſt ſtronger meat, when wee ſhall underſtand how the Law and the Prophets are to be fulfilled, to every jod and title contained in them, Matth. 5.17.18. when wee ſhall be able to apply every text to the proper time and meaning, according to the perfection of the uttermoſt underſtanding thereof: then ſhall we ſee that the Law of the Lord is a perfect Law, and His Statutes and judgements are ſweeter then honey, and the honey combe: then ſhall the Church ſee and know, that nothing in the whole body of the Holy Scripture is either ſuperfluous, or that any word, letter, or prick therein might bee miſſing.

Sect. 5 §. 5. That the Scriptures are come unto us as they were at firſt delivered to the Church by the Prophets and Apoſtles, that were the Pen-men thereof; it may be manifeſt by thoſe reaſons which are brought for proofe of the former queſtion.

1. For if God, who is prayſed for His trueth, in that Hee hath magnified His Word above all His Name, Pſal. 138.2. hath not preſerved His Scripture, intyer from the corruption of man, from the alteration, addition, or taking away that they might make: what comfort or certaine inſtruction can wee have thereby? What aſſurance of hope by thoſe promiſes of which wee are not ſure whether p. 139they be the promiſes of God, or the imaginations of men? Thus the end for which God of His goodns gave thoſe Scriptures ſhould be fruſtrate; and man in that incertainty nothing furthered toward eternall life. Thus the Church ſhould fayle in the duty and faithfull performance of that truſt which ſhe owes unto God, in preſerving that treaſure which was committed to her charge and ſafe keeping. But theſe things are not to be granted. And therefore the Scriptures are come unto us in that integrity or purity in which they were at firſt delivered to the Church: they of the old Teſtament in the Hebrew tongue; they of the new in Greeke.

2. The conſtant conſent of all the doctrines and promiſes contained in the Scriptures, the efficacie and power of that Spirit which is manifeſt in the deliverie thereof, are evident proofes, that the Scripture is ſtill in that purity in which God gave it unto the Church. And although God in thoſe Scriptures have vouchſafed to apply Himſelfe to our underſtanding, and as a nurſe, to liſp with her infant; yet ſo much is the fooliſhneſſe of God wiſer than man, and the weakneſſe of God ſtronger than men, 1. Cor. 1.25. as that it is ſtill manifeſt in the whole body of the holy writ, that nothing of humane droſſe is mixt there-with; but that His Word is ſtill as before, pure as ſilver, that hath beene tryed ſeven times in the fire.

3. This fire is that dampiſh ſmother-fire of hereſies, which the devill did kindle among his brands: among whom, though ſome rejected the authority of ſundry bookes of Holy Scripture, as Marcion and others: ſome corrupted the ſence thereof by Allegories, and forraine interpretations, as the Origeniſts, See Auguſtin de Gen. ad literam: others by wreſting it from the native ſence, to the ſupportance of their owne hereſies: yet the Church which continued faithfull in the doctrine of God, conſtantly with-ſtood all theſe attempts, and ever maintained the ſincerity, as of the doctrine, ſo of the Holy Scripture, on which it was founded. And becauſe the Scripture is either of the old, or of the new Teſtament, it is fit to ſpeake to each of them in particular.

4. And firſt, concerning the old Teſtament, it is manifeſt that the Church of Iſrael, whoſe hope was ſet on that Meſsiah that was to come, had no cauſe to corrupt the text of the holy writ; but according to the promiſes which they had in the Law, and in the Prophets, the expoſitors thereof, ſo to hope, that He ſhould be ſuch a deliverer and Saviour, as was promiſed; by which hope they were bound to preſerue the Scripture in all integrity, that they might ſee the full accompliſhment thereof when He was come.

5. Beſide the Prieſts, whoſe lips ſhould preſerue knowledge; and at whoſe mouth they ſhould ſeeke the Law, Mal. 2.7. there was from Samuel unto the dayes of Ezra, a perpetuall ſucceſſion of Prophets, who could not in any wayes have endured ſo great a corruption uncontrouled, as that the Word of the Lord ſhould be p. 140changed or depraved. And although the Scriptures before the time of Ezra had beene corrupted, yet he being a Prophet, a Prieſt, and a perfect ſcribe of the Law of the Lord, and of the Statutes of Iſrael; that had prepared his heart to teach the Law of God, and His ſtatutes and judgements, Ezra 7. who changed the forme of their Chaldean, or Samaritane letters, for thoſe which are now in uſe: hee (I ſay) would have taken away all ſuch corruptions or changes, as had come to the Holy Scripture, if it might bee imagined that any could come in the time of the Prophets that were before; as far as the diverſitie of Copies gave them light.

Of the Iſraelites care in writing the Scriptures, and of the Masôreth.

6. MOreover that exceeding care and diligence which the Scribes were to uſe in writing, is ſufficient proofe that the bookes of the old Teſtament are come to us in that purity in which the Church received them: which care, how great it ought to bee, you may ſee by that which their Doctors have recorded. Henry Ainſworth Aduertiſement, n. 3. cites out of Rambam, Sopher Torah, Chap. 7. and 10. thus much. If the booke of the Law doe want but one letter, or have one letter too much; if one letter touch another; if the forme of any letter be corrupted; if the word which is full, be written defective; or that full which is defective: if the word of the margent be written in the line, or that of the line in the margent, the Booke is not allowable to bee read in the Synagogue, neither hath it the holineſſe of the Booke of the Law at all; but is a booke on which Children may learne. To this purpoſe you may take that which you read in Shickard. Prodrom. in Bechinah happeruſhim, Diſp. 1. cited out of the booke Sopherim. Chap. 1. Halach. 1.4, 5. by which you may ſee with what a ſuperſtitious care (if any care could be too much) they regarded the writing of the Booke of the Law, wherein nothing might bee blotted, nothing ſcrap't out, neither might they write it in any Parchment or Velam, but ſuch as was of the skinnes of cleane beaſts: in Parchment on the fleſhie ſide; in Velam, on that ſide which had the haire; And if this ordinance were changed, they read not in it. And this was the manner: Becauſe the lines being written in length, according to the bredth of the skinne, as in an Indenture, might bee troublous to finde; they divide the skinne into certaine pages, which in Iere. 30.23. are called foreign dlathoth, which wee interpret, leaves, becauſe they were like the leaves of a doore, and may fitly bee termed pages: neither was it lawfull to write it with a coale, or with Inke wherein was either Gum or Coperas, and all this (ſay they) by the Tradition of Moſes on mount Sinai. Then with what reſpect they uſed the Booke, being written, p. 141you may ſee in Oſeh Torah. Chap. 3. Halach. 10. and in Anthony Margaritha a converted Iew, in his booke of the Iewiſh faith, and others. They touch it not but with waſhed hands; neither doe they take the rolle by the midſt, but by the margent, and that onelyonly with the right hand, for which they bring Deut. 33.2. At His right hand was a fiery Law. No man may lay it on His knees, nor leane upon it when he reads, nor read it as other writings, &c. leſt the holy Bookes grow into contempt; no man may ſit upon the fourme or bed on which it lyes, nor lay it towards the beds feet, nor lay other bookes upon it; and their reaſon, for that the whole Law is holy, and that every letter therein, containes infinite wiſdome; and that God hath more care of the Letters and Syllables of the Law, then of the ſtarres of heaven. And that this care was not onelyonly of the bookes of the Law, but likewiſe of all the holy Scripture of the old Teſtament indifferently; you may know by that infinite diligence of the Masôrites, who to the intent, that the purity of all the holy Text might be preſerued intier, numbred in the whole Bible, the Verſes, the Words, the Letters; and of them, the common, and the finall; and what verſe, what word, and letter, was the midſt of every booke: and among the Letters, they noted how many times every one was found in every booke; if any one were bigger, or leſſe then the due proportion, or higher then the reſt; or pointed extraordinarily: what holem was with vau, and what without it; what hirick was written with jod, and what not; what ſpace was more, what leſſe, betweene the paragraphs: when two words were to be read as one; when one as two: when the letters in the midſt of a word ſhould be tranſpoſed, and that which was in the end of one word, to be put to the beginning of another, with many ſuch obſeruations which you may read in Shickard cited before De Masôreth pag. 45. &c. So that no corruption or alteration could come into the text of the old Teſtament, but by theſe rules of the Masôreth it might be eaſily detected. Neither is this Masôreth wonderfull onelyonly, for the infinite diligence and paines that was uſed in the compiling thereof, but alſo venerable for the Authors, which by the authorities of the Hebrewes, were Ezra, and the Prophets of his time, which were called the men of the great Synagogue, or more truely, the great men of the Synagogue, Haggai, Zachary, Malachy, Daniel, Hananiah, Miſheel, Azariah, Nehemiah, Mardoche, Zorobabel, and of the moſt wiſe and learned among the reſt, to the number of 120. For this could not be the worke of one man, or of one age. And although the ſucceſſion of the Synagogue ſtill continued, in ſome ſort; yet by reaſon of the many warres and troubles, after their returne from Babylon, even untill the laſt ruine of their nation by Adrian, about the yeere after the death of Chriſt, one hundred, this worke was often at a ſtand, and not fully finiſhed, till about the yeere five hundred and tenne, after the Incarnation. Whereupon, thoſe Masôrites p. 142are by ſome, unduely thought to bee the firſt Authors of that worke.

6. Alſo the whole Art of the Kabalists, in high eſteeme among the Hebrewes, above all others; without this purity of the holy Text, were either nothing worth, or rather in it ſelfe, nothing at all. But the argument from hence, to proove the purity of the Scripture, among the common ſort, for whom I write, would not be eaſie to be underſtood. Therefore I referre them that are deſirous to know further hereof, to the author forenamed, pag. 60. &c. to Iohn Reuchlin, and others that have written of that Art. For by this which I have already ſaid, I thinke it is cleare, to him that is not wilfully blind, how farre it was from the Church of the Iewes, to offer any ſacriledge to the Booke of God; who with ſuch infinite paines and care, have wall'd in that holy ground, leſt beaſts ſhould breake into it.

7. 1. And for further proofe, that the Hebrewes were the faithfull Library-keepers of that booke, as Saint Auguſtine calls them; you may take the teſtimony of Saint Paul. 1 Tim. 3.15. where hee calls the Church, the pillar and ſtay of Faith: not that in an implicite and ignorant faith, we ſhould hold it ſufficient to beleeve as the Church beleeves; but becauſe the Church had evermore, truely and faithfully, preſerued and followed the trueth of God, revealed in His Word, as it had received it from Him at the firſt. And if this be true of the Church in generall, it muſt needs be moſt true of that moſt ancient and publike Church, firſt choſen from all nations, by whom the Name of the Lord ſhould be called upon, from whom the word of the Lord was to proceed to other nations, Eſay 2.3. whereas the Church of the Gentiles was then ſo lately called, as that it could give no proofe of it ſelfe, to be worthy of ſuch honourable titles. 2. Moreover, in the ſecond Epiſtle to Tim. 3.15. he ſaith, That the Scriptures are able to make a man wiſe unto ſaluation, through the faith which is in Chriſt; But how ſhall we be aſſured of this, if we be not firſt perſwaded, that they are free from corruption? 3. And why ſhould our Lord ſend us to ſearch the Scriptures, which were then onelyonly the Old Teſtament, there to find eternall life, if in ſtead of the trueth of God, we ſhould there find the falſhood of men? See Luke 16.29, 31. and Iohn 5.39. 4. And that which is above all proofe, is, that teſtimony which our Lord Himſelfe gave to the teachers of that people, who are accuſed of ſuch treaſon againſt God. For He reprooving their faults, and ſhewing how the Law did bind the thoughts and intents of the heart, as you may read Mat. 5. Lu. 6.27. and elſewhere: yet doth neither He, nor any of His Apoſtles, at any time, lay this ſinne to their charge, that they had corrupted the Word of God, otherwayes then by their traditions, or by their peruerſe interpretation thereof: but rather commands His hearers, to follow that which they taught ſitting in the Chaire of Moſes; that is, teaching according to the p. 143Law as Moſes delivered it: which they could not doe, if it were corrupted from that purity which it had at the firſt. And they that are acquitted by ſuch a Iudge, ought certainely to be held free, by all them that reverence His judgement. 5. Now among theſe were many who did beleeve, beſides many thouſands of other Iewes which were obedient to the faith, as it is manifeſt Act. 6.7. and 21.20. And moreover, the Chriſtians of the Gentiles, having with that glorious gift of the Holy-Ghoſt, received the gift of tongues, as you may reade Ast. 10.45. and 19.6. and 1 Cor. 1.7. were able both to underſtand the Scriptures in their native language, the Hebrew tongue, and alſo able to judge if any falſifying of the Text had beene made: by all which it is manifeſt, that neither the beleeving Iewes would have offered, nor the Gentiles have received any mans forgery, for the trueth of God: and ſo it is manifeſt, that the Iewes were the faithfull keepers of thoſe holy Treaſures.

Objections, againſt the purity of the Old Teſtament; of Keri and Cethib; and by the way, of Miſhna and Talmud.

Obiect. 1 Object. 1. BVt it is plaine, by Galatinus, lib. 1. cap. 8. that many corruptions, which they call ticcun Sopherim, or corrections of the Scribes, have crept into the Hebrew Text.

Anſwer. The Sopherim named of foreign, Saphar, which ſignifies, to tell, or number, doeth eſpecially meane, thoſe Masôrites of which I ſpake even now, for their exceeding diligence in numbring the Letters, as I ſpake. And this objection is brought in by two or three of thoſe later Iewes which they call Talmudijm. For there be three ſects of them; that the greateſt, who, beſide the Scriptures, hold the doctrine of the Talmud, to be authenticall. The ſecond is of them, who hold all the Scriptures of the Old Teſtament only, to be of full authority; The third, who hold onelyonly the fiue books of Moſes to be held and beleeved, as I ſpake before of the Samaritans. What this degenerate brood of the Talmudiſts hold of the Scripture, you may perceive by their homely compariſon, cited by Shickard, pag. 6. The Text of the Bible is like water; the Miſhna, as wine; the Talmud, as condite: and againe, ſee the like blaſphemie. The Law is like ſalt; the Miſhna like pepper, and the Talmud like ſpices, and bleſſed is he that ſpends his time in the Talmud, ſo that he doe not utterly forget the Bible, nor the Miſhna. And of theſe worthies are they that make the objection; who as they hate our holy Faith, and inly enuy that knowledge which the Chriſtians have whereby to uphold it againſt their impudency; ſo p. 144would they ſhake the foundation thereof, by making the Scripture to be full of uncertainety.

Obiect. 2 Object. 2. I, but ſome learned among the Chriſtians, ſide with them.

Anſwer. Tis true, that to make the vulgar tranſlation onelyonly authenticall, and that ſubject to the Popes correction, that he might be Lord of our faith, and bring in a new goſpel more profitable for him, as he endeavoured by the Franciſcans, See Ia. Vſher de ſucceſſ. Eccleſ. cap. 9. Galatinus Lindanus, and ſome other Papiſts, ſway with the degenerate Apellits; but others, more learned then they, in the Romane Church, hold with us, the integrity and purity of the holy Scriptures, in thoſe languages wherein they were writ, as you may read in G. Langford, § 5. But wherein is this corruption? Galatinus loco citato, brings it to three heads. The firſt is the changing one letter for another; The ſecond in changing the pricks, or vowells; The third in their Keries, or marginall readings, for the Cethib, or word written in the line. And theſe changes they make (ſay they) not out of any ill meaning to corrupt the Text, but to cleare the meaning thereof to their underſtanding. But can any meaning be worſe, then to adulterate the trueth of God? you may ſee what he meanes in the reſt, by the firſt example, which he brings in Mal. 1. verſ. 13. foreign hippachtem otho; ye ſnuffed at it, that is, you grudged to offer that which was good for a ſacrifice: where ſome, for otho, at it, would have foreign othi, at Mee, ſaith the Lord, becauſe God Himſelfe was grudged at, when for the good, they offered that which was naught. But curſed be the deceiver, which hath that which is good, and offers that which is naught to God. And thrice curſed be the ravenous impropriator, that takes away all, and leaves nothing for God. Of the change of words, by reaſon of the vowels, he brings onelyonly two examples; one out of 2 Sam. 16.12. foreign beeini, which Pagnin tranſlates, ad afflictionem meam, or mine affliction, as Hutterus makes it of foreign anah, to afflict; but Montanus, of foreign ain, an eye, and turnes it, in oculum meum, upon mine eye, as the Targum tranſlates it, the teares of mine eye, and this is the Keri, or reading in the margent, for that in the line, foreign beeuni: but nothing of this will ſerue Galatinus, but he from his Talmudiſts, will have it foreign beeino, The Lord will looke on his affliction, quite contrary to Davids meaning, when Shimei vaunted over him. But both this, and the other example which he brings, are of thoſe Keries, or marginall words, which are read in ſtead of the words in the text: ſo his diviſion ſhould have had but two parts.

Of theſe Keries (as Elias Levita ſaith, he told them more then once or twice) there be in all the Old Teſtament 848. of which, many belong onelyonly to the firſt grammar of that language: as if in Engliſh you ſhould write, When you be come together, and in the margent, write, Yee are. 2. Some words are for clearing the p. 145ſence, and are as ſhort commentaries upon the Text. 3. Some for avoiding of words harſh to the eare; as when the Prophet in indignation, or mockage, or tyed to relate anothers ſpeech uſes ſuch termes as ſeeme needfull to be ſweetned by other more uſuall words. You may take an example of both theſe, 2. Kings 18.27. where the Prophet as a faithfull Hiſtorian repeating the words of Rabſhakeh, hath that which hee ſpake, foreign le ecol eth choraihā, uliſhtoth eth Sheyenayehem immacem: which our Engliſh tranſlates, that they may eate their owne dung, and drinke their owne piſſe with you: the word choraiham, their dung, hath the derivation of foreign Chor, that hole from which it comes out: and the word Sheyenaiyehem, their changes, of foreign Shanah, to change, meanes, their urine which they ſhould drinke, and piſſe out, and then drinke in againe; whereby the railing Rab-ſcab, would be as bitter as he could. But for the firſt of theſe, the margent hath a more mannerly word, foreign dzoatham, that which comes from them, and for the ſecond, by way of expoſition, foreign meimei raghleihem, the water at their feete, and theſe are read for the words in the line. Tranſlators have little or nothing to doe with the Keries of the firſt kind; in them of the laſt, they uſually take the word in the margent: In the ſecond kind, they take the word in the line, or that in the margent indifferently; becauſe the Keries or marginall words are both of the ancient Iewes, and learned Chriſtians, held to be of divine authoritie, as they in the text; as you may ſee it made m…nifeſt by Henry Ainſworth's Aduertiſement, n. 7. where by ſundry examples he ſhewes, that the word which in one Prophet is put in the margent, is by another put in the text. Moreover the moſt ancient tranſlators, even from the 70. which were almoſt 300. yeeres before Chriſt (if that which is now extant be any remnant of it) and that Chaldee of Ionathan, who is ſaid to have beene the diſciple of Hillel, which lived, as ſome write, 100. yeeres before Christ, and all that have followed after theſe, have tranſlated ſometime after the margent; ſomtime after the line, & often-times have noted both, as you may ſee in many inſtances in the place cited.

And that which is above all, the Pen-men of the new Teſtament uſe in ſome places, the word of the margent for that in the line. So that Galatinus with his late Rabbins, may ſtill ſleepe upon the pillow of their owne dreame. For nothing of the Talmud was gathered together till about the yeere of Chriſt, 150. when one Rabbi Iudas compiled into one volume, the expoſitions on the law and the Prophets, which other Doctors had written, ſome before, ſome after Christ, which Booke hee called Miſhna, a copie, or ſecond reading, and divided it into Six Sedarim or orders. Some 200. yeeres or more after him, Rabbi Iohanan, or Iohn, gathered the Talmud, or Doctrinall of Ieruſalem, out of the writings of ſuch Rabbins, as wrote after the other: and this Talmud is but a commentary p. 146on the former Miſhna. After him likewiſe, about the yeere of Chriſt, 500. Rabbi Aſſe made a further collection of the Babylonian Talmud; of ſpeciall uſe among the Iewes. Both theſe Talmuds are full of fables and idle fictions, to the depravation of the trueth of God: But about the yeere, 1200. Rabbi Moſes ben Maimon, thence called RaMBaM, and Maimoni, gathered out that which was good, and any way availeable for underſtanding the rites and ceremonies of the Law, and left out thoſe fooleries of which the Talmuds were full, and therefore Poſtellus ſaid rightly of him, that hee is Instar omnium. For further knowledge of which things, you may read Galatinus, H. Ainſworth, Shickard, P. Ricius, and others. Now if neither the Talmud, nor the Miſhna were extant of ſo long time after Chriſt, how could the writings there cited, being in private hands, bring in any publike corruption into the text of the Scripture, which long time before that, had beene delivered ſafe and intire into the hands of the Church of the Gentiles? But although it be yeelded unto, that either the Masôrites, or the Talmudiſts, or the Cabaliſts by any private notes of theirs, or their expoſitions, have corrupted either the text, or native meaning thereof; yet doth it not therefore follow that the Nation of the Iewes have accepted theſe corruptions, much leſſe that they hold them of divine authoritie, as they doe the marginall Keries; and yet much leſſe can it be made to appeare, that the Tranſlators of the Chriſtians have at any time accepted of any ſuch notes, no more then we heretofore accounted the notes on the Geneva Bibles to bee Canonicall Scripture.

But you will aske, when thoſe Keries, or marginall readings (for they are alwayes read for the Cethib, or word written in the text) came to the Holy Scripture?

Anſwere. The moſt voyces are for Ezra, that he having care of the Eccleſiaſticall policie, and eſpecially of the integritie of the Holy Scripture, in conferring the copies, and the differences among them, noted ſuch as hee thought fitteſt: and that the Copies might not differ any more, began that Masôreth, of which I ſpake. But Galatinus, Lib. 1. Cap. 8. ſaith, that this is a lewd lie of the later Iewes; for then they ſhould not have beene called corrections of the Scribes, but of Ezra; yet hee confeſſeth that they were long before the time of Chriſt, ſeeing Ionathan the Author of the Chaldean tranſlation, doth often-times tranſlate, according to the margine; yet will he not have Ezra the Author of them, for then he durſt not (I thinke) ſo ſaucily refuſe them, or for them the Cethib, as errours and corruptions of the text, as hee doth. But Shikkard, as he cites the common conſent of the ancient Hebrewes, puts it conſtantly upon Ezra. That with much care and diligence he got divers copies of the Scripture, compared them with thoſe that were authenticall, and noted them as you heard.

1. But if there were any copies that were authenticall, what needed p. 147this ſuperfluous diligence? 2. Beſide, what could 70. yeares of the captivitie doe to corrupt ſo many copies, when they had in the captivitie ſo many Prophets? As Daniel, Ezechiel, Ezra; beſide ſo many worthies as you read of in Daniel and Ezra: and Ieremiah among them that were left at home? Eſpecially ſeeing a copie may continue many ſeuenty of yeeres, as you read in Rambam of one of 700. yeres, in his time, and Cunaeus cites the Chronicle called Iuchaſin, concerning a Bible written by Hillel, betweene whoſe times were 900. yeeres; and yet more, the learned Patrick Young, aſſures us of a beautifull Copie of the whole Scripture, written by Tecla, in the time of the firſt Councell of Nice, at this time extant in his Majeſties Library, Praef. in epist. Clementis ad Corinthios. 3. And that which is moſt of all, to proove that Ezra was no Author of the Keries, in the Bookes of the Scripture, written before his time, is this. That as almoſt none of the Scripture written before him; ſo none of the Bookes after the captivitie, except perhaps Malachi, are without them: Did not Ezra, Daniel, Zachary, Haggai, know their owne meaning? Were they not able to expreſſe it? Yes. You will ſay then, what needed thoſe Keries in their Bookes of the Chronicles, and thoſe that beare their owne names, written by themſelues? I ſpeake not this to uphold that fancie of Galatinus, that theſe corruptions of the Scripture (as he the admirer of himſelfe, ignorantly termes them) were made by the Iewes after Ezra, and before the time of our Lord: for could ſuch treaſon be wrought againſt God and His trueth, as to peruert His ſtraight waies, and His words, and would not His Sonne, who ever honoured the Father, and did that which was pleaſing in His ſight, ſo much as reprove it, not once ſay, ſinne no more? Nor doe I ſay it to contradict them who could find no Critick of the books of the Bible before Ezra: but to juſtifie the trueth: That the Prophets by the revelation of that Spirit by which they wrote, were every one of them the authors of thoſe Keries or notes in their owne bookes, as the Doctors, in Talmud Babeli in Nedarim, or treaties of vowes, Chap. 4. fol. 37. b. affirme. The word read, and not written, (that is the Keries which are read from the margine, and not written in the text) and written and not read, are the tradition of Moſes from mount Sinai, and they explaine it ſo: Moſes received in Sinai, and ſo delivered it to Iſrael. An example or two by the way will guide us well. It is ſaid, Gal. 3.19. That the Law was ordained by Angels: as miniſtring Spirits (by the divine appointment) to Moſes the Mediator of the old Covenant. He received it by voice, and although the eare doth judge of words, as the mouth doth taſte the meate; yet where the meaning of the words was doubtfull, there it was neceſſary for him ſo to write, as in Exod. 21.8. the word foreign lo not, and foreign lo, to himſelfe, have no difference at all in ſound, but onelyonly in ſence. Our laſt tranſlation followes the margine, If ſhe pleaſe not her maſter, who hath betrothed p. 148her unto himſelfe: others thus; If ſhee be ill in the eyes of her maſter, that he doth not betroth her, &c. The ſence is every way excellent, and the Law moſt juſt: and who ſhall preſume to underſtand the Law better than Gods owne Secretary that writ it, or to alter that hee hath written? So foreign Ieiſh in Gen. 36.5. and 14. is in the margin, foreign Ieuſh, and is ſo written in the line, verſe 18. In verſe 40. Duke Aluah is in 1. Chron. 1.51. Duke Aljah, and Aluah in the margine. I brought before the reaſons which are alledged for the marginall readings, and now you call for a reaſon of the difference in the text. For if (ſay you) the text bee not faulty, what needes the wordes in the margine? If the margine bee right, then mend the text.

Anſwere. Neither the one, nor the other is faulty, but both of God: and if matier of knowledge, or inſtruction, or comfort, be in one, which is not manifeſt in the other; why ſhould God want of His praiſe? Or the Church be deprived of that benefit which it might receive by both, when God ſhall vouchſafe to make the meaning of both to be fully knowne? Moreover the letters of the Hebrew tongue are all numerall letters, and He that in His infinite wiſedome made all things in number, waight, and meaſure, doth alſo governe all things in number, waight, and meaſure, to bring forth every thing in their appointed times and places. And ſeeing He doth nothing which he doth not reveile to His ſeruants the Prophets, and that it is neceſſary that the Scripture be fulfilled in every perfection, as of the things to bee done; ſo of the numbers of times, and perſons whom they doe concerne: Therefore although wee cannot yet ſee how theſe things ſhould be, yet when the time is come that every ſecret ſhall be knowne, Matth. 10.26. Then ſhall the Church glorifie God in this behalfe. The number of the word foreign is 390 of foreign 386. So the words with their conſignificant numbers are taken into their places, as they fit the prophecies there intended. And for this cauſe as Menahem declares it, it is not lawfull to write the bookes of the Law, which are for the uſe of the Synagogue, which with ſo great ſolemnitie are ſhewne to all the people on expiation-day, with the vowels or pricks, becauſe all poſſibilitie of underſtanding and interpretation may bee conceived by the ſubſtantiall letters of the words, which by the vowels might be tyed to one onelyonly meaning. If you ſee this explained by the Scripture it ſelfe, you will both beleeve & underſtand it better. Take then that word of Pſ. 16.10. Thou ſhalt not give thine Holy one to ſee corruption: which text in Act. 2.27. and elſe-where is brought to prove the reſurrection of Chriſt, before His body ſhould be corrupted in the grave; and is applied unto Him peculiarly, as to the Prince of our peace, and the Author of our full redemption from ſinne and death, and therefore is the word with the vowels onelyonly of the ſingular number. Yet becauſe therein (as Plantin and the beſt printed copies expreſſe it) is a jod ר which without the vowels p. 149may bee read as a plurall foreign Chaſideica, thy holy ones, for foreign Chaſideca, thy holy one: thereby is ſecretly a hope given to the faithfull, that they ſhall not for ever dwell under corruption, but that by the vertue of His reſurrection they ſhall riſe againe, as Saint Paul ſaith, Epheſ. 2.5, 6. That God hath quickned us together with Chriſt, and hath raiſed us up together, and made us ſit together in heavenly places, in Chriſt Ieſus. And againe, 1 Theſ. 4.14. If we beleeve that Ieſus died, and roſe againe, even ſo them alſo which ſleepe in Ieſus, will God bring with Him: For the dead in Chriſt ſhall riſe firſt, verſ. 16. but the reſt of the dead, in Saint Iohns viſion, Revel. 20.5. lived not, till the 1000. yeeres were finiſhed. And this I thinke is ſufficient to ſhew, that the Scriptures of the Old Teſtament are come unto us as they were at firſt delivered to the Church in the Hebrew tongue.

8. Concerning the integrity of the New Teſtament, leſſe queſtion will be, if we ſhall firſt put that which muſt needs be yeelded unto, that through the diverſity of copies, and careleſſeneſſe of the writers, divers differences are found: But although in that booke, ſet out in folio by Robert Stephan 1550. the differences (I thinke) are not fewer, then the divers readings in the Old Teſtament, yet are they not ſuch as make any change of the ſence at all, except ſuch as all will confeſſe to be the fault of the writer, as foreign for foreign Rom. 12.11. and theſe are very ſeldome found. Then concerning that which ſome others bring, for the vulgar edition of the Latine to be authenticall: if upon better view, they will be content, where it is faulty or doubtfull, to examine and correct it by the Greeke copy, we ſhall not need to ſpend any time about it. So the onelyonly oppoſition is from Mahumed, who although he ſpeakes more then can be look't for from an aduerſary, concerning Christ, and commends His diſciples, and other penne-men of the New Teſtament, as men, Holy, True, and Faithfull followers of their Maſter: yet he ſaith, that the Chriſtians which were after them, corrupted their writings. And that it may appeare what ſpirit ſet this mutinous ſouldier a worke, he denies that which is the ground and foundation of our redemption, ſaying, That Christ was neither the Sonne of God, nor yet that He was crucified for us. See Cusa Cribr. Alchoran lib. 1. cap. 3. I have already prooved, that our Mediator muſt be God, Chap. 21. And likewiſe that our Saviour was crucified for us. Chap. 27. N. 2. And if the reaſons there delivered, be of force to proove the concluſions, then doe they ſufficiently refute this falſhood of Mahumed: and if this Forger had wit to underſtand it, we ſay no other thing of Chriſt, when according to the Scriptures we call Him the Sonne of God, then Mahumed himſelfe ſaith, when according to the ſelfe ſame Scriptures, he calls Him the Word of God: For though Sonne in the Scripture, be of large ſignification; As ſonnes of the quiver, for arrowes, Lam. 3.13. Sonnes of Sion, that is, citizens there, Pſal. 149.2. Sonnes of the wedding- … p. 150chamber, that is, the bridegroomes friends, Matth. 9.15. and many ſuch like, in which the word may ſeeme to bee vſed metaphorically: yet is the word properly and truely ſpoken of every effect that is homogeneous, although there be no generation betweene a male and a female, as the branches are the daughters of the Vine, Gen. 49.22. and the ſparks are truely called the ſonnes of the cole, Iob, 5.7. So in that which the mind or underſtanding of man doth view, the name thereof, the word, the foreign, the ratio under which it is conceived, and the expreſſion thereof is likewiſe the Son of the underſtanding; and much more in that eternall and infinite underſtanding of God, in the view of His owne being, ſhall the character, or actuall expreſſion of that infinite being, be truely called the Word, or Sonne of God. 1. But it cannot be true which Mahumed ſaith, concerning the writings of the Apoſtles, that they are corrupted. For (as in all other) ſo in the particulars, the Teſtaments doe both agree; and it hath been prooved before, that the bookes of the Old Teſtament doe ſtill remaine in their integrity. 2. Neither can the trueth in theſe two points, concerning Chriſt, which had been profeſſed 600 yeeres almoſt, before Mahumed was borne; which ſo many Chriſtians, in all their perſecutions, had ſo conſtantly ſealed unto, with ſo many thouſands of their bloods, ſhed in every corner of the world, be defaced by a new deviſed forgery of Mahumed. 3. Moreover, what can be more abſurd, and witleſſe, then to ſay, or thinke, that the Chriſtians would falſify the Scriptures in theſe two points, for which above all other things their Religion was hated by the Infidels, and themſelues ſo deadly perſecuted, becauſe they held Him to be God, that had died as a man? and affirmed that He had riſen againe, whom they confeſſed to have died on the Croſſe?

Neither doth he accuſe the Chriſtians in theſe two things only, but alſo that they had defaced his name and memory out of that promiſe which our Lord made to His diſciples concerning the Holy-Ghoſt. For Mahumed would be he by whom they ſhould be led into all trueth. Marſ. Fic. de Chriſt. Rel. cap. 36. and out of him, Hugo Grocius de Rel: Chriſt. lib. 6. But Mahound, you never declared what things ſhould come, as the promiſe of the Holy-Ghoſt doth ſtand; For as you diſclaime miracles, ſo where you ſpeake beſide the text of the Scripture, you utter onelyonly your owne errours. 2. Moreover this promiſe was made to the Apoſtles, and to bee fulfilled in them, eſpecially by whoſe miniſtery the word was to proceed from Sion among the Gentiles; which was never promiſed to be preached by Mahumed, or his theeues of Arabia. 3. Beſide that glorious gift of the Holy-Ghoſt, the manifeſtation whereof, by ſpeaking with tongues, and working miracles, had ceaſed in the Church long before Mahumed was borne, inſomuch that Aug. 200 yeeres before him, had profeſt that he that would not then beleeve without a miracle, Magnum ipſe miraculum eſt. And therefore that p. 151tricke of the whiſpering Dove, the lie of the Camel that ſpake to him in the night; and that piece of the Moone that dropt into his ſleeve; as they came too late, as they were to no end, and without witneſſes; ſo are they againſt his owne profeſſion, that he came not with miracles. 4. And againe, if our Lord had made any ſuch promiſe as might concerne him; the Chriſtians, who ever reverenced His word, were bound by that promiſe to reverence the memorie of Mahumed, and to expect what further light or manifeſtation of the trueth hee would bring to the Church. But his doctrine brings in againe thoſe weake and beggerly rudiments of the law; circumciſion, and the difference of meats, directly contrary to Christ, and the doctrine of His Apoſtles, who teach the fulfilling, and utter abrogating of all theſe ceremonies by Chriſt. And yet in thoſe ceremonies of meats and drinkes, there is ſuch a diſſenſion about Wine, as that his followers cannot agree unto this day. His doctrine of many wives, though tollerated for a time by Moſes, in in that hard-hearted people of the Iewes; yet is contrary to the doctrine of the Prophets, Mal. 2.14, 15. & of Chriſt, and His Apoſtles. By all which things it may appeare, that Mahumed ran when he was not ſent: which he himſelfe (if his ſenceleſſe followers could ſee it) doth confeſſe, in that he doth utterly forbid them to queſtion any thing in his Alchoran, or to diſpute about his religion, but to follow it in blind obedience. And whether the wares be counterfeit, which you muſt buy unſeene, every man may judge. And theſe reaſons againſt Mahumed in particular, with the reſt that are againſt Simon Magus, and his competitors, in the Note on Chap. 23. § 1. are ſufficient to proove, that our Lord made no ſuch promiſe of Mahumed to come, as he did dreame, and therefore that the Scriptures of the Apoſtles are not corrupted, either to foreſtall his doctrine, or to deface his memory.

9. And yet more particularly, to free the writings of the Apoſtles from this Mahumetan ſlaunder, take that word of God Himſelfe, which is in Iohn 17.20. Neither pray I for theſe alone, but for them alſo which ſhall beleeve on me, through their word. This word of the Apoſtles, cannot be underſtood onelyonly of that word which they ſpake unto the people; but much more of all the Scriptures of the New Teſtament, which ſhould be left in writing to the Church; by which, in all ages of the Church, ſince their time, children were to be begotten unto God through a lively faith, by which they ſhould apprehend the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, and ſo have an entrance unto God by Him. And ſeeing that in all ages ſince the Apoſtles, we find the effect of our Mediators prayer, that their writings have beene that Word by which the faithfull have beleeved on Him; and ſo hath done, and ſtill doth, that worke for which it was ſent: thereby are we ſure that it is their word, their owne word, as they delivered it, not corrupted, or ſophiſticate by any device of man, for any purpoſe or intent, as that falſe prophet doth pretend. And p. 152that you may ſee how great the trueth is, and how it prevailes, take out of Ficinus, in the ſaid 36. cap. what this Mahumed confeſſeth of himſelfe: whereby you may ſee, how betweene his arrogance, and his ignorance, the trueth doth ſhew it ſelfe. He confeſſeth that he neither had done any miracle, nor none could doe. That he was pure man, and no more. That he could give no pardon for ſinne: That he would not be call'd upon, or worſhipped: And although in his madneſſe, he pretended himſelfe to be a meſſenger ſent from God, and inſpir'd by Him, and that he was the Holy-Ghoſt; yet when his raving fit was off, hee confeſt that hee was ignorant of many things, and that there were ſomethings in his bookes, of the trueth of which there might be doubt, and whoſoever ſhall worſhip one God, and live honeſtly, whether he be Iew, Chriſtian, or Sarazen, ſhall have mercy from God. What is then the preferment of his Alchoran before the holy Scriptures? or why ſhall wee forſake our moſt holy guide, whom he confeſſeth to be the breath and word of God, and to have the next place unto God in heaven; that we may become circumciſed, and abſtaine from Swines-fleſh and wine, and enjoy fleſhly pleaſure with many wives, if nothing of all this give us any furtherance to eternall life?

10. To end this queſtion, I will bring this only argument, which for ſubſtance is indifferent to both the Teſtaments, the circumſtances only differing. If the writings of the holy Scriptures be corrupted, either thoſe corruptions muſt come in by little and little into the copies of the Scripture, while they were diſperſed by writing: or elſe all at once. If they came in by little and little, then the books that had beene written without thoſe faults, might bee patternes to correct the faulty by, and ſo the text might bee ſtill preſerved pure, as wee find it was done when Printing flouriſhed under the managing of learned men; in thoſe copies of the Greeke Teſtament, printed at Compludo, and at Paris. To ſuppoſe they came in all at once, is againſt all reaſon and poſſibilitie of experience. I have ſhewed that till the time of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, the Old-Teſtament was pure: and can it be ſuppoſed that all the Churches of the Iewes in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Aſia and Bithinia, 1. Pet. 1. nay, all the twelue tribes in the Cities of the Medes, in places ſo diſtant, ſhould conſpire to ſuch an act for which they were perſwaded they ſhould goe downe irrecoverably to hell? Can the imputation of a baſe Iewe or two in a thing of ſo great importance, to the diſgrace of their owne Nation, without any proofe of the thing, naming of the place, time or Perſons, againſt all poſſibilitie of trueth, ſticke ſo faſt, as that no nitre can be able to waſh it off? To ſay that the Chriſtians of the Gentiles, ever endeavoured to corrupt the Hebrew text, hath yet more impoſsibilities. For during the time of the gift of tongues, no ſuch crime might touch them; and after that, none among them, no not the Fathers themſelues, except perhaps Origen, or Hierom, had ſo much skill in Hebrew, as to be p. 153able to corrupt it. Beſide, the whole nation of the Iewes would have oppoſed it; and as they deteſt our religion and faith, ſo had they had juſt cauſe to brand us with infamy, for that endeavour; and to proclaime our folly, which ſhould corrupt that, in the ſincerity of which alone, is the aſſurance of our hope. So the Hebrew text remaines intier.

And concerning the New-Teſtament written in Greeke, it was ſo ſuddainely diſperſed among the converts of the Gentiles, and that while ſome of the Apoſtles were yet liuing, that there could be no poſſibilitie of any corruption to come unto the text by any common conſent. And becauſe that our Lord was to be made a light unto the Gentiles, and a ſalvation unto the ends of the earth, Actes 13.47. Therefore were the bookes of the New-Teſtament alſo Tranſlated into many languages, even in the birth and infancie of the Church of the Gentiles, as you may read in Aug. de Doctr. Chr. lib. 2. Cap. 5. in Chryſ. hom. 1. in Iohn: who alſo tranſlated the Scriptures for the Armenians, as Hierom for the Dalmatians his countrey-men. I ſaid many languages, becauſe they name the Indian, Ethiopian, Perſian, Syrian, Egyptian, Sarmatian, Scythian; but Theodoret De Graec. affect. cur. lib. 5. ſaith, into all languages which were in uſe. And if it might be put that the Greeke copies were corrupted; yet theſe Tranſlations being out of them while they were intire, would detect the corruption. But all theſe Tranſlations among the Chriſtians, though differing in ſome points one from another, as the Neſtorians, Euticheans, &c. doe ſtill agree in the ſubſtance of the meaning, and ſhew the purity of that fountaine from whence they flowed. And there is none of theſe tranſlations, or Fathers here named, but were before Mahumed of a Chriſtian became a renegado at leaſt 200. yeeres. All which things being put together, it will be manifeſt that neither the falſhood of the Iewes, nor the forgery of Mahumed have any ſhew of trueth, but that the Holy Scriptures both of the old and new Teſtament are ſtill in their purity, as the Church received them.

Of the Scriptures eaſineſſe to bee underſtood. §. 6.

THat compariſon of the Prophet, Pſalme 36. that the judgements of God are like a great deepe, was by a Father fitly and wittily applyed to the Scripture, to bee as a ſea, in which the Elephant may ſwim, but yet with Shallowes, in which the Lambe may wade. And although David prayed that God would teach him the wonderfull things of His Law; yet hee honours it for this, that it is perfect, that it hath power to convert the ſoule, that it is ſure, that it makes the ſimple wiſe, Pſal. 19.7. And therefore are p. 154they not the meſſengers of Christ, but rather the miniſters of Satan, who under any pretext of falling into hereſie, of hardneſſe to be underſtood, or the like, with-hold the laytie from the reading of the Scriptures. It is not denied, but that many things therein are hard to be understood; yet that one thing which is needfull, Luk. 10.42. That myſtery of the knowledge of Chriſt, which was kept ſecret ſince the world began, is now made manifeſt by the Scriptures of the Prophets, to all Nations, for the obedience of faith, Rom. 16.25.26.

1. For ſeeing the inſtruction of God muſt be of all ſuch things as are above our knowledge; and yet of ſuch things as are moſt neceſſary for us to know: if nothing be more neceſſary for us to know, than the meanes of our delivery from ſinne and death, by the merit of Chriſt, it is neceſſary that one needfull thing be made manifeſt unto us by the Scriptures of God, that every one may know and come freely to the fountaine of living Waters. But what helps a fountaine that is ſealed up? Therfore it is neceſſary that our redemption by Chriſt be cleerely, plainely, and for every mans underſtanding taught in the holy Scriptures.

2. Moſt of the arguments of §. 2. are eaſily brought to prove that the Scriptures are eaſie to bee underſtood. 1. For what comfort or hope could wee have by them, if wee underſtood them not? 2. How is our memory helpt, by that we know not? 3. How are wee confirmed in our moſt holy faith and religion, by that wee underſtand not? 4. How ſhould wee underſtand thoſe high myſteries, ſo farre beyond our apprehenſion, as the Trinitie of Perſons in Vnitie of the Deitie, &c. but that the Holy Scriptures have made them eaſie unto us? 5. How ſhould wee know the danger and puniſhment of our ſinne, or the reward of our obedience, if the Scripture did not fullie inſtruct us therein? 6. You may alſo bring hither the reaſons in §. 4. I need not repeat them, nor teach a child how from the ſufficiencie of the Scripture, he may proove their eaſineſſe to be underſtood. See there.

Object. 1 Object. 1. But doth not Saint Peter, 2. Epiſtle, 3.16. ſay, that in Saint Pauls Epiſtles, as in the other Scriptures, there are ſome things hard to bee underſtood?

Anſwere. Though ſome things be hard; yet the fundamentall points of our Religion, as the articles of our faith, and the rules of a Chriſtian life, are plaine and eaſie to bee underſtood therein: and theſe are the things, by the knowledge and performance of which, wee may hope to have everlaſting life.

Object. 2 Object. 2. But it is not the word of the Scripture, that the unlearned and unſtable, wreſt the things which they underſtand not to their owne deſtruction? Nay, did not the Hereticks, though many of them learned, peruert the Scripture to the ſupportance of their damnable Hereſies? And were it not better that they had never read the Scriptures, than that they ſhould read them with ſo p. 145great danger, both to themſelues and to others, as it hath appeared by the hereſies that have beene ſowne in the Church?

Anſwere. If I ſeeme to give you a ſullen anſwere, yet reprove it not if it ſtand with the trueth. It is ſaid, 1. Pet. 2.9. That Chriſt is a ſtone of ſtumbling, and a rocke of offence to the diſobedient; but to them that obey the trueth, elect, and precious. But ſhould Chriſt therefore not have come to redeeme His Elect, becauſe ſome ſhewed themſelves unworthy of eternall life? Therefore, if the Goſpel be uneaſie, or hid, it is hid to them that are without, whoſe eyes the God of this world hath blinded, that they ſhould not perceive the trueth. Therefore as Chriſt redeemed the elect, prayes for the elect, not for the world, but for them whom God had given him out of the world, Iohn 17.9. So the benefits which are peculiar to the Church, of which the true underſtanding of the Scripture is one, belongs to them, who with an honeſt and pure heart, receive the word, and bring forth fruit with patience. But it is true, that even to thoſe many things are yet unknowne, and ſome things doubtfull, and this by the diſpe ſation of God. 1. To avoid wearineſſe in the reader. 2. To ſtirre up our diligence, and further inqueſt. 3. That wee may aske wiſedome of God, and not truſt to our owne underſtanding. 4. That in the high and g…eat myſteries of God, wee ſhould hold our ſelues contented with that knowledge of them which God hath vouchſafed to give us in His word, and ſuch concluſions as doe neceſſarily follow thereupon.

But if the Scriptures be able indeed to give wiſedome to the ſimple, to make Children wiſe to ſaluation through faith in Chriſt, if they give inſtruction in righteouſneſſe, and make the man of God perfect, and throughly furniſhed to every good worke, 2. Tim. 3.16.17. then doubtleſſe are they for every mans reading: for the perfect, and him that is throughly furniſhed; for children, and for the ſimple for all ages of men and women. Ho, every one that thirſteth come to t…e waters; Come, buy Wine, and Milke without money or price, Eſ. 55. verſe 1.

Of the Scriptures Jnterpretation. § 7.

ANd if the Scripture be for every ones reading, then certainely for eueryevery ones interpretation, privately to his owne underſtanding, according to the meaſure of his capacity. For the interpretation of any word, or writing, is nothing elſe but the declaration of the native and true meaning thereof; whether it be literall; and that either ſimple or figurative: or myſticall, and that either allegoricall, morall, or anagogicall. But that ought not to bee taken for the true meaning of the Scripture, which every one p. 156according to his private fantaſie, is able to wring out: but that onelyonly is the true and lawfull interpretation thereof, which doth offer it ſelfe according to the meaning of the words, with due conſideration of the argument or purpoſe of the text: which is gathered by that which goes before, and that which followes after. And this interpretation is eſpecially to be hoped from them, who having knowledge of the Hebrew and Greeke, wherein the Scriptures were originally written, have made it all their ſtudie and delight truely to underſtand them for their owne ſoules health, and the inſtruction of others. But that wee bee not overſwayed by any opinion which wee may have of their learning, or mightineſſe in the Scriptures, let nothing be taken for a true interpretation of the Scripture, which is diſhonourable to God, contrary to any Article of the faith, or any of the ten Commandements, or the petitions of the Lord prayer, or any received doctrine, which is plainely taught by other places of Scripture. Secondly, nothing which is contrary to common reaſon and underſtanding, or repugnant to civill cuſtome, and good manners.

3. No man knoweth the things of God, but onelyonly the Spirit of God; therefore, in the interpretation of doubtfull places of Scripture, the Spirit of God, whereby it was written, muſt give alſo the true underſtanding, or interpretation, thereof: and this Spirit, and the meaning thereof, is moſt eaſily found in the holy Scripture. Therefore the ſureſt, and beſt interpretation of Scripture, is by Scripture it ſelfe.

4. The Scribes and Phariſes were to be heard, ſitting in the Chaire of Moſes; that is, teaching the Law, according to the true meaning of Moſes. Therefore the interpreters of the New-Teſtament alſo, are to be heard, ſpeaking the voice of Christ. But His ſheepe will not heare a ſtranger, for they know not the voice of ſtrangers, Iohn 10. Therefore the interpretation of the Scripture is chiefely by the Scriptures. And by the Scriptures onelyonly, every queſtion of faith and doctrine to bee decided, not by the Church, or any humane voice, except they ſpeake according to the word of the Scripture. 1. For ſeeing the Holy-Ghoſt is the chiefe judge in all controverſies, on whoſe infallible ſentence wee may ſafely relye, and that the Scriptures are His immediate word, therefore from thence are wee to expect His immediate anſwere; whereas the Church ſpeakes not from God immediately, but as a meane, conueighs unto us the voice of the Scripture. 2. Beſide this, the Church may erre, the Scripture cannot erre. 3. The Scriptures ſhine by their owne light: the Church by the light and Doctrine of the Scriptures. 4. The Scriptures are alwayes at hand to be reſorted unto, the Church never all aſſembled, nor a Councill ſcarce once in an age, and they that vaunt moſt of the name, for the moſt part have leaſt of the true Church. And therefore the Prophets ſend us to the Law, and to the Teſtimonies, p. 157and our Lord, to ſearch the Scriptures. See 2. Peter 1.19.

Object. 2. By this meanes, making it lawfull for every one to reade, and interpret the Scriptures, you ſet open a doore, to all manner of hereſies to enter into the Church, and make every private ſpirit, a judge, and an interpreter of the ſence of Scripture.

Anſwer. Though every one may, and ought to read the Scripture for comfort and inſtruction; yet the interpretation of the harder places, belongs eſpecially to the Paſtours and Doctors appointed by the Church thereto: and if any private man doe interpret according to the former rules, yet cannot that interpretation be ſaid to proceed from a private ſpirit, although the man be private. For the holy Spirit is the common author of all light and underſtanding. And the meanes whereby He uſeth to teach, is, the holy Word, the common light of all the faithfull.

And this may ſeeme ſufficient to have ſpoken of the Author, and uſe of the holy Scriptures, and what they are: then of their ſufficiency, purity, eaſineſſe, and interpretation. And bleſſed is that man that meditates in them day and night, that he may finde by them, the full aſſurance of his hopes, and live in obedience and thankefullneſſe to the Author and finiſher of his faith.