The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. Other reaſons to proue that the Scriptures were indited by Gods ſpirit, taken from the Scriptures themſelues.
§ Sect. 1 THe eight reaſon to proue that the ſcriptures are the word of God,The eight reaſon, taken from the argument which they handle. is the argument which they handle, and the end whereunto they tend. For the ſubiect whereof they intreate are the great workes of the euerliuing God, how hee exerciſeth his merciemercy towards his children in ſuſtaining, defending, and ſauing them from all their enemies, and his iuſtice towards the wicked in turning their counſailes to fooliſhnes, in ouerthrowing their deſignes and purpoſes, curbing in their rage and violence, and in puniſhing and deſtroying them. Now if you conſider and peruſe all other writings in the world beſides, you ſhall finde no ſuch matter contained in them; for ſome labour in poliſhing humane Arts; ſome ſet out large hiſtories of the actions, counſailes, ſucceſſe, policies, enterpriſes and perturbations of men like themſelues: ſo that at the firſt ſight wee may know that they are indited by the ſpirit of man, ſeeing they are wholie ſpent in humane affaires, neuer intermedling with any ſpirituall matter appertaining vntounto God. Moreouer, the ſcriptures attribute the gouerning and wiſe diſpoſing of all things to Gods al-ruling prouidence, that he may hauehave the whole praiſe of his owne workes; as when they ſpeake of ſome famous victorie, they doe aſcribe it neither to the wiſedome of the Captaine, nor to the valour of the common ſouldier, but vntounto the Lord of hoaſts alone; neither doe they make poems in the praiſe of Moſes, Ioſua, Dauid, Ezechias, or any other of the Kings and Leaders, but in the praiſe of the Lord, who by his owne ſtrong arme hath giuen his children victorie ouer their enemies. Now whence can this proceed but from the ſpirit of God inditing them, who contrarie to the nature of man which deſireth rather all praiſe himſelfe, doth moue him to refuſe all glorie attributed to himſelfe, that all the praiſe may bee aſcribed vntounto God? So when they ſpeake of any benefit receiued by the Church, they doe not attribute it to worldly friends, their good fortune, or their owne induſtrie and labour, but to the bleſſing of God proceeding of his meere merciemercy & goodneſſe towards them. And contrariwiſe, when they ſet downe the deſtruction of the wicked, they doe not aſcribe it to any want of their owne care and prouidence, nor to the malice or power of their enemies, nor to blind chance, or other outward accident, but to the hand of God exerciſing his iudgements vponupon them, and puniſhing them for their ſinnes. Now if you peruſe all other writings, you ſhall finde that they aime at nothing leſſe than Gods glorie; for ſome write to ſhew their eloquence, others to extoll their wits and deepe learning, others to aduance the praiſe of mortall men aboue the clowdes, ſome for one end, and ſome for another, all aiming at their owne praiſe, pleaſure or profit, neuer ſo much as once reſpecting Gods glorie in their leaſt thought; and hence it is that ſetting downe any victorie they aſcribe it to the weakneſſe or want of wit, prouidence or courage of the aduerſe part, or to the fortitude of the Captains, the reſoluteneſſe of the ſouldiers, the aduantages of the place, Sunne, winde, and ſuch like circumſtances, in the meane time excluding ye God of battailes, as though he had no ſtroke in this buſines. So likewiſe when they ſpeake of any other affaires or accidents which fall out in the gouernment of the world, they aſcribe all to outward circumſtances, inferiour meanes and ſubordinate cauſes, as though God had giuen ouer the gouernment of the earth, and had committed the ruling of the ſterne to blind fortune. Now whence can this exceeding difference proceede, that they ſhould altogether aime at the glorie of God, and theſe wholie at the praiſe, pleaſure, & profit of man? that they ſhould alwaies aſcribe the gouernment and diſpoſing of all things to the wiſe prouidence of God, and theſe to outward accidents, naturall cauſes and inferiour meanes? Surely becauſe they were indited by the ſpirit of God, and therefore themſelues are diuine, ſauouring wholie of the author of them: and theſe by the ſpirit of man, and therfore al contained in them is meerly humane carnall & natural.
§. Sect. 2 The ninth reaſon, taken from the ſtile of the Scriptures.The ninth reaſon may be taken from the ſtile and manner of penning the Scriptures, in which they much differ from all other writings whatſoeuer: for whereas men in their writings affect the praiſe of flowing eloquence and loftineſſe of phraſe, the holie Ghoſt in penning the Scriptures hath vſed great ſimplicitie and wonderfull plainneſſe, applying himſelfe to the capacitie of the moſt vnlearned: in which low and humble maner of ſpeech, he doth notwithſtanding ſet foorth the deepe wiſedome of God, and the profound myſteries of religion, the bottome whereof the moſt wiſe and learned in the world can not ſearch into: and vnderunder the vaile of ſimple and plain ſpeech, there ſhineth ſuch diuine wiſedom and glorious maieſtie, that all the humane writings in the world, though neuer ſo adorned with the flowers of eloquence, and ſharpe conceits of wit and learning, cannot ſo deeply pearce the heart of man, nor ſo forcibly worke vponupon his affections, nor ſo powerfully incline his will either to the imbracing of that which is good, or auoiding of that which is euill, as the word of God: and whence can this proceed but from the vertue, power and wiſedome of the ſpirit of God who is the author of them?
Moreouer, wee may obſerue in the ſtile of the Scriptures, a maieſticall authoritie aboue all other witings, which onelyonly beſeemeth the glorious King and ſoueraigne commander of heauen and earth: for they ſpeake in the ſame manner, and inioyne the like obedience, to prince and people, rich and poore, learned and vnlearned, without any difference or reſpect of perſon; not vſing any arguments, reaſons, or perſwaſions, but abſolutely commanding that dutie which is to be done, and forbidding that ſinne which ſhould be left vndone, and that vnderunder the promiſe of euerlaſting life and bleſſedneſſe, and the paine not of the gallowes, racke, or wheele, but of eternall death and damnation; and whom beſeemeth it to promiſe euerlaſting life, or to threaten euelraſting death, but him only who is himſelfe eternall and euerlaſting? and who hath this abſolute authoritie of commanding all without any difference, but he who is Lord, Creator and gouernour of the prince as well as the people? Laſtly, this word of God doth not only extend it ſelfe to the outward actions and conuerſation, requiring onelyonly the externall obedience which is in fact and outward behauiour, which is the vttermoſt that humane lawes reſpect, becauſe the lawgiuers can ſee no further; but the law of God requireth eſpecially the obedience of the heart, and forbiddeth not only conſent to any euill, but euen concupiſcence and luſt? now who can make lawes for the heart and conſcience, or though he ſhould be ſo fond to make them, who could either reward the obedient, or puniſh the diſobedient, but God alone who ſearcheth the heart and reines? The ſtile therefore of the ſcriptures being peculiar vntounto themſelues, ſhewing maieſtie in lowlineſſe & meaneſſe, an ouerruling power in perſwading, without rendring reaſon or bringing any argument beſides abſolute authoritie, and an vniuerſall iuriſdiction ouer all without difference or reſpect, and that as well in regard of the ſecret thoughts as the outward actions, doth manifeſtly ſhew that they are not the inuention of man, but the word of God indited by his holy ſpirit.
§. Sect. 3 But it may bee obiected,Why the Scriptures were penned in a ſimple lowly and plain ſtile. that if the Lord who is infinite in wiſedome were the author of the Scriptures, they would hauehave excelled all humane writings in conceit of wit, and excellencie of phraſe and ſtile, as farre as God excelleth man, whereas wee ſee that they are penned after a moſt ſimple plaine and vnpoliſhed manner. To which I anſwere, that it doth not become a Prince to play the Oratour when he ſetteth out an edict, nor to vſe Rhetoricall figures and alluring perſwaſions when he hath to deale with his ſubiects, but rather peremptorie commandements and plaine phraſes, full of grauitie and authoritie without all affectation; and how much leſſe ſhould the chiefe commander of King and ſubiect, vſe ſuch a ſtile as ſauoured any whit of humane eloquence, ſeeing, it better beſeemeth his maieſtie plainly to commaund, than to perſwade, or allure with inticing ſpeeches? Secondly, the Scriptures were penned by the holy Ghoſt, not onelyonly for the wiſe and learned, but alſo for the ſimple and ignorant: and therefore howſoeuer the Lord in the profunditie of his wiſedome, could hauehave written in ſuch a loftie ſtile as would hauehave filled euen the moſt learned with admiration, yet hee vſeth a ſimple eaſie ſtile fit for the capacitie of all, becauſe it was for the vſe of all, and neceſſarie to ſaluation to be vnderſtood of all ſorts and conditions. As therefore he frameth himſelfe to our ſhallow capacitie in the penning of the Scriptures, and ſpeaketh not according to his vnſearchable wiſedome, but after the manner of men, or els no man, no not the moſt wiſe and learned could vnderſtand him: ſo he thought it fit to ſpeake aſwell to the capacitie of the ſimple as the wiſe, becauſe the knowledge of his word was no leſſe neceſſarie to ſaluation to theſe than to the other; and in his merciemercy and goodneſſe hee vouchſafed as well milke to the babe, as ſtrong meate to thoſe who were come to more ripe yeeres in knowledge and ſpirituall wiſedome. At which the wiſe and learned hauehave no reaſon to be offended, ſeeing the ſaluation of one is as deare to God as of another, and they may with greater facility vnderſtand the Scriptures being plaine and eaſie, which could not be vnderſtood of the ſimple, if they were penned in a lofty eloquent phraſe. And yet if they examine the Scriptures in the balance of a true iudgement, they may finde food therein contained fit for their owne pallat and taſte; for vnderunder this humilitie they ſhall diſcerne more maieſtie, vnderunder this ſimplicitie more deepe wiſedome, vnderunder this vnpoliſhed plainneſſe more powerful perſwaſions to work vponupon and incline the affections, than in all humane writings whatſoeuer. Thirdly, humane eloquence and wittie ſharpe conceits, are not onelyonly vnfitting the graue maieſtie of our heauenly King, but alſo needleſſe in reſpect of the Scriptures themſelues; for what are they but Gods truth, and what is more agreeable and beſeeming truth, than plainneſſe and ſimplicitie? For what needes beautie the helpe of painting, or a precious Diamond much art to poliſh it, ſeeing they are glorious in their own nature? And what needs the truth of God, which in it ſelfe ſhineth cleerely like the Sunne in his chiefeſt brightnes, the goodly ornaments of humane eloquence which would but darken the beames thereof? Or what needes that which is heauenly and diuine, any helpe from that which is earthly and carnall to commend it to mans iudgement? No, no, the flowers of Rhetoricke and helpe of wittie Sophiſtrie, is more fit for Tullies orations, whereby oft times a good cauſe is made bad, and a bad one good, right wrong, and wrong right, than for Gods diuine truth, which like the Sunne ſhineth moſt gloriouſly when it is bare & naked. Laſtly, it is to be obſerued that the Lord in his wiſedome doth manifeſt his power in weakneſſe, his maieſtie in baſenes; and his wiſedome in fooliſhnes, to the end that weaknes baſenes, and follie, may ſerue as foiles to make his power, maieſtie, and wiſedom appeare to vsus more glorious, though in truth in themſelues they are infinite, and nothing can be added to their excellencie. But becauſe wee lie groueling on the earth, and are readie to aſcribe al to the inferiour means, and nothing vntounto God: therefore the Lord chuſeth weake and ſimple meanes, that his own power and wiſedome may be in them more manifeſt. For example, if the Lord had penned the Scriptures in ſuch an eloquent ſtile as would hauehave rauiſhed the readers with delight, we would like fooles hauehave ſtood admiring at the curious worke of the casket, and neuer opened it to looke vponupon the precious iewel therin contained; & hauehave bin ſo much affected with the words, that in the meane time we would hauehave neglected the matter; but when this treaſure is brought vntounto vsus but in an earthen veſſell, when this beautifull feature is cloathed in meane attire, and the diuine wiſedome of God ſet foorth in an humble and ſimple ſtile, wee leaue ſhadowes and behold the ſubſtance, neither doe we reſt in the outward letter, but ſearch after the inward truth. So alſo if the Lord had in the penning of the Scriptures vſed inticing eloquence, or affected humane learning, men would hauehave been readie to hauehave ſaid, that by the force thereof ſo many were drawne or inticed, to embrace religion and to ſpend their liues in Gods ſeruice; but when as in outward ſhew there is nothing but vnpoliſhed plainneſſe and ſimple rudeneſſe, by which neuertheleſſe the hearers vnderſtanding is more inlightened, his wil more powerfully inclined, his affectiōs more ſtrongly ruled, than by all the eloquent perſwaſions which wit and learning can inuent, they are driuen to confeſſe that the wiſedome of God is hidden vnderunder this ſimplicitie, his power vnderunder this outward weaknes, and that the Scriptures hauehave their vertue and force, not from the inticing ſpeech of mans wiſedome and excellencie of words, but from the power and plaine euidence of Gods ſpirit, who was the author and inditer of them.
§. Sect. 4 The tenth reaſon,The tenth reaſon, taken from the Contents of the Scriptures, which in many things are aboue the reach of humane reaſon. to proue that the Scriptures are not the inuention of man, but the word of God indited by his ſpirit, is, that many things contained therein are aboue the reach of humane vnderſtanding, and ſo deepe that mans wiſedome and reaſon cannot conceiue them nor ſearch them to the bottome. For example, though all men know by the light of nature that there is a God, ſeeing this truth is written in large characters in the faire volume of the creatures, ſo as none can behold them but he muſt needes know and acknowledge it; yet that this God being one in nature ſhould be diſtinguiſhed into three perſons, the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt, without any diuiſion of ſubſtance or confuſion of perſons, mans reaſon cannot conceiue, though the Lord hath reuealed it, and much leſſe could inuent it ſeeing now it cannot comprehend it. So, that the world and the creatures therein contained were created, the light of nature ſufficiently teacheth vsus, ſeeing they hauehave an end and therefore had a beginning, a time of corruption and therefore a time of generation alſo, and as is the nature of eueryevery ſeuerall part, ſo is the nature of the whole vniuerſall; ſeeing alſo one effect brings vsus to his cauſe, and that cauſe to a ſuperiour cauſe, and that to another vntill we come to the higheſt and ſupreame cauſe which is God, who hauing his being of himſelfe giueth being to all things: but that all this goodly order ſhould bee brought out of confuſion, this light out of darknes, that al theſe excellent creatures ſhould be created of nothing, by the alone word of their omnipotent Creator, it paſſeth the conceit of humane reaſon, & therefore his inuention alſo. So, that we are wretched and full of miſerie, not only our reaſon but euen our ſenſes can teach vsus; but how wee ſhould be freed out of this miſerie and attaine vntounto euerlaſting happineſſe, is a thing aboue the reach of mans wiſedome. And that we are vnable to performe thoſe duties we ought, and leaue thoſe ſinnes vndone which we ſhould omit, and by both offend God, the law of nature written in our hearts, and the checks and feares which eueryevery one feele in their owne conſciences doe ſufficiently teach vsus: but the meanes whereby wee ſhould be reconciled vntounto God whom we hauehave offended, as they are ſet down in his word, namely, that the ſecond perſon in Trinitie ſhould take vponupon him mans nature and be borne of a pure virgin, that in this nature hee ſhould for vsus perfourme perfect obedience to Gods law, and ſuffer affliction, miſerie, yea death it ſelfe to reconcile vsus to his Father and procure his louelove, to free vsus from euerlaſting death and damnation, and to purchaſe for vsus euerlaſting life and happineſſe, and that his obedience and merits ſhould become ours, by reaſon of that vnion whereby hee becommeth our head and wee his members, which vnion is made principally by his ſpirit, and inſtrumentally by faith, doe all ſeeme ſtrange, yea abſurd to humane reaſon; and therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, that the natural man perceiueth not the things which are of the ſpirit of God, 1. Cor. 2.14.for they are fooliſhnes vntounto him, neither can hee know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned; as it is 1. Cor. 2.14. And if he cannot know and conceiue them when in the preaching of the Goſpell they are reuealed vntounto him; how much leſſe could hee inuent them hauing neuer heard of them? or who can imagine that in policie he would hauehave deuiſed ſuch a religion to keep the world in awe and obedience, as to eueryevery worldly man ſeemeth fooliſh and abſurd, yea contrary to his nature? For what can be more againſt the haire, than to deny our ſelues and to take vp our croſſe and follow Chriſt? than to reiect our owne workes and worthineſſe, and to ſeek for iuſtification in Chriſts death and obedience alone? than to imagine that manifold afflictions and great miſerie, is the high way that leadeth to glorie and endleſſe felicitie? and that pleaſures, honours, and riches, make vsus vnfit to enter into Gods kingdome? And therefore ſeeing the doctrine of the Scriptures are not onelyonly aboue the reach of humane reaſon, but alſo flat contrary to naturall wiſedome, it plainly prooueth that they are not the inuention of mortall man (for then the effect would bee like the cauſe) but the word of the euerliuing God, which ſauoureth of his hidden and ſpirituall wiſedome.
§ Sect. 5 The eluenth argument,The eleuenth reaſon, taken from the prophecies of holy Scriptures. to proue that the Scriptures were indited not by man but by Gods ſpirit, are the prophecies therein contained, which were fulfilled in their due time; as that there ſhould be enmitie betweene the ſeed of the woman and the ſeed of the Serpent, and that the promiſed ſeede Chriſt Ieſus ſhould vanquiſh the diuell; that the poſteritie of Cham ſhould be accurſed; that Abraham ſhould hauehave a ſonne by his wife Sarah, when they were both old, and ſhe paſt the time of child-bearing; that his poſterity ſhould be bond men in Egypt foure hundred yeres, foretold before hee had Iſaac of whom they came; that Iudaes poſteritie who was but the fourth ſonne, ſhould hauehave ſoueraigntie and dominion ouer the reſt; that the ſcepter ſhould not be taken from him till the Meſſias ſhould come; that the tribe of Ephraim ſhould excell the tribe of Manaſſes; that hee who ſhould ree difie Iericho after it was deſtroyed,Ioſh. 6.26. ſhould be puniſhed with the death of his ſonnes, as appeareth Ioſh. 6.26, which was fiue hundred yeeres after fulfilled in Hiel the Bethelite,1. King. 16.34. as it is 1. King. 16.34; that Ioſias by name ſhould deſtroy idolatrie and the idolaters, and reſtore the true religion,1. King. 13.1.2. 2. King. 22. and 23. foretold almoſt 300 yeeres before he was borne, 1. King. 13.1, 2. 2. King. 22. and 23; that the people of Iſrael ſhould bee led captiue into Babylon, and be ſet free by Cyrus by name,Eſa. 44.26.27.28. prophecied of aboue an hundred yeeres before Cyrus was borne, Eſa. 44.26, 27, 28. And to theſe we may adde the prophecies of Ieremy, concerning the taking of Ieruſalem and their captiuitie into Babylon, and the time of ſeuentie yeeres limited for their abiding there; the prophecies of Daniel concerning the foure Monarchies, which are ſo cleere and perſpicuous as if hee had ſeene them in his time; the prophecie of Chriſt concerning the deſtruction of Ieruſalem; the prophecies contained in the Reuelation of S. Iohn, many of which we ſee fulfilled in our time, eſpecially that concerning the Antichriſt of Rome, his manner of comming, his increaſing, his workes, ſeate and place of reſidence; and which are ſo manifeſtly and plainly deſcribed, as if the Apoſtle had written an hiſtorie and not a prophecie. Which plainly proueth that the Scriptures were not deuiſed by man, but penned by the inſpiration of Gods ſpirit, who by his prouident wiſe dome foreſeeth all things, and by his wiſe prouidence ruleth all things.
§. Sect. 6 But here Sathan will be readie to obiect,That the Scriptures were penned by the holie men of God which are in them mentioned, and not forged in their names by ſome polititian. that we are not able to prooue that theſe prophecies were written by any ſuch Prophets and holy men as are mentioned in the Scriptures, ſo long before the things contained in them were done, and that for ought wee know they might be forged and foyſted in by ſome cunning fellow after the things were come to paſſe. The like obiections alſo he maketh againſt the reſt of the Scriptures, as that either there was not any ſuch Moſes, or if he were, that he was but ſome cunning fellow who writ of miracles and wonders neuer done, to gaine credit to his law which he had publiſhed; or if he wrote nothing but truth in his time, yet we know not whether theſe books which goe vnderunder his name are perfect as he left them, or depraued and corrupted, hauing many things altred, added, & detracted, according to the pleaſure of thoſe who hauehave had the keeping of them. And ſo alſo hee obiecteth againſt the other parts of holy Scriptures. To this I anſwere, that as it were great abſurditie to call in queſtion the writings of Cicero, Seneca, Plutarch and other Heathen men whether they were penned by any ſuch men or no, becauſe the next age receiued them from the authors themſelues, and deliuered them to the next inſuing, and ſo by tradition from hand to hand they are come vntounto vsus; ſo it is no leſſe abſurditie to call into queſtion whether the ſcriptures were written by the Prophets and Apoſtles who liued in their ſeuerall times, ſeeing the Church hath receiued them from time to time, and deliuered them to their ſucceſſors to this day. Moreouer, the law publiſhed by Moſes was not in ſecret or in a corner before ſome few witneſſes, but in the preſence of ſixe hundred thouſand men, beſides women and children, and the ſtrange miracles and workes of God full of wonder, which hee wrought for the better confirmation of his law giuen, were done and perfourmed in the preſence of many thouſands, who made relation of them to their poſteritie, and they to theirs to this day. Neither was it eaſie to be corrupted, altred or changed, ſeeing the lawgiuer did ſtraightly charge all men that they ſhould not adde, detract, or alter any thing vponupon paine of preſent death in this world, and euerlaſting death in the life to come; who therefore would incurre the danger of ſuch fearfull puniſhment for the ſatisfying of his fruitleſſe phantaſie? Moreouer, this book of the law was ſafely kept in the Tabernacle, and after in the Temple in the Arke which was placed in the holy of holieſt, and diuers authenticall copies written out of it for eueryevery one of the twelue tribes, which were eueryevery Sabbaoth day read and expounded in their Sinagogues; yea ſo familiar were theſe writings with the Iewes, that they were written in their houſes, and vponupon their garments, ſo as it was not poſſible for any man to falſifie them but it would preſently bee eſpied. Yea (will the tempter ſay) but though they could not be depraued or corrupted, yet they might at firſt bee inuented by ſome more ſubtill than the reſt, and ſo thruſt vponupon men vnderunder the authority of God himſelfe, as being the writings of his Prophets and Apoſtles. To which I anſwere, that there is no probabilitie of truth in this obiection; for I would faine know in what age this man ſhould write. In the time of Moſes? how then could he write the hiſtorie of the Iudges who ſucceeded him? In the time of the Iudges? how then could he write the hiſtorie of the Kings? What then? could he write theſe things in the time of the Kings, and ſo faine a relation of ſuch things as went before? why then it is neceſſarie that hee ſhould hauehave liued in the time of the laſt Kings, or els he could not hauehave penned their hiſtorie alſo: but before this time, there were many copies abroad of the Scriptures in diuers nations, by reaſon that the Iewes were ſcattered abroad through their captiuitie, where they as conſtantly profeſſed their religion as in their owne countrey. Beſides, if theſe writings had been fained, in what age could they come to light but men diligently inquiring into them, as being matters importing no leſſe than their eternall ſaluation or condemnation, would hauehave found them counterfeit? For if they had been penned in the ſame age wherein the things were done, who would hauehave beleeued them, if they did not aſſuredly know that they contained nothing but certaine truth? If in an after age, who would hauehave ſtraight ſubſcribed vntounto them, vnleſſe they had by tradition from their anceſtors bin aſſured that ſuch things were done in former times? Furthermore, it is not probable but that the Iewes would hauehave made mentiō of ſuch an author if they had known him; or if they had by ſome accident found them written in this forme, it is not likely that they would hauehave been ſo ſimple as to hauehave built their faith ſo firmely vponupon them, that they would rather chuſe to ſuffer all torments than be brought to denie any one part of them.
§ Sect. 7 Laſtly, it is obiected that in the time of Antiochus, That the books of holy Scripture periſhed not in the time of Antiochus.the books of the Scriptures were by his tyrannie and extreame crueltie wholy aboliſhed, and theſe which we hauehave, afterwards inuented by the Iewes to grace their religion. To which I anſwere, that this obiection is ſo ſotriſhly fooliſh, that it ſauoureth not of common ſenſe, much leſſe of any force of reaſon, for ſeeing now there were extant almoſt innumerable copies of the Scriptures, what meanes could be inuented by with and rage vtterly to ſuppreſſe them, eſpecially ſeeing the Iewes made farre more precious account of them than of their liues, ſo that for the profeſſion of this truth they were content to ſuffer euen in this tyrants time cruell deaths? Beſides, if they had been all deſtroyed and aboliſhed in his time, how came it to paſſe that preſently after his death they were againe (as it were) pulled out of the aſhes and reuiued? Or how could others be put in their place, ſeeing innumerable men liued before and after his perſecution, who had the ſight and peruſing of the ſame bookes before they were ſuppreſſed, and afterwards againe when they came to light? Laſtly, though it ſhould be granted that all the bookes of holy Scriptures had bin vtterly defaced in al the dominions of Antiochus, yet this were nothing for the tempters purpoſe: for the Iewes were now ſcattered far and wide, and had their Sinagogues and ſchooles in ſundrie nations where he had no authoritie; & therfore though he had deſtroyed all the copies of the Scriptures in all places of his kingdome, yet there were many in other places where hee bare no ſway. Neither were they now in the Hebrew tongue alone, but alſo tranſlated into the Greeke by the 70 Interpreters, at the requeſt of Ptolomey Philadelphus, and the tranſlation carefully kept in his Librarie long before the time of this Antiochus. By al which it is more then manifeſt, that the Scriptures are the ſame which were penned by the Prophets and holy men of God, inſpired with his diuine ſpirit, confirmed with ſo many and wonderfull miracles, and ſealed with the bloud of innumerable Martyrs.
To this which hath been ſaid, I might adde the teſtimony of heathen writers, who in their ſeueral times hauehave in their writings made mention of the moſt principal things which are contained in the ſtory of the Bible: but as we neede not the helpe of a candle to ſee the ſunne, which more ſufficiently ſheweth it ſelfe by his own light: ſo this glorious light of Gods truth is in it ſelfe ſo cleere and manifeſt, that it needeth not the teſtimony of Infidels to confirme it, vnleſſe it be to thoſe who farre exceede them in infidelitie. And that noble learned and religious Gentleman, Philip Mornay in his bookes of the Truneſſe of Chriſtian Religion, hath eaſed me of this labour, from whoſe neuer waſting candle I hauehave borrowed the chiefeſt part of my light in the handling of this queſtion.