The Certainty of Christianity Without Popery, Chapter 3 – Chapter 4
CHAP. III.
The rude and summary answer to the confused Question.
§. 1. LEst the Querist should pretend that by distinguishing I avoid a plain and direct answer to his Question, I will here first suppose him to be as rude and confused as his Question would imply, and give him such an answer as it will bear. But so as that it cannot be satisfactory to a distinguishing understanding, for whom therefore I shall afterward answer more distinctly.
§. 2. I cannot answer with common sense in a narrower compass than by distinguishing these Questions: 1. How know I the words and Bible? 2. How know I that this Doctrine and Book is the same, which was delivered by the Apostles to the Churches? 3. How know I the meaning of the words? 4. How know I that this Doctrine and these words are of God, (or a Divine Revelation)? 5. How know I that they are true?
§. 3. I. To the first Question I answer, that I know that I hear and read the words, and that this Bible containeth in it all its visible contents, by my sense (my sight and hearing) and my intellective perception of things sensible. And though this be a principle in which the Papists agree not with us, I am never the more in doubt, whether I see and hear the words.
§. 4. II. To the second, I know that this Doctrine and Book is the same which by the Apostles were delivered to the Churches, by Infallible History; not such as dependeth on the honesty of the speakers only, and so begetteth but a humane faith; much less such as depends on the bare Authority of the King of Rome and his narrow selfish sect or party and Kingdom; but by such History as hath a certainty in it from natural principles, by which we prove it impossible that there should be deceit; there being so full a concurrence of all sorts of Christians, and enemies also, and infallible circumstantial evidence. Even as I know that there was such a man at Rome as Gregory 1. and Gregory 7. and such persons in England, as Henry 8. King Edward 6. Queen Mary. Queen Elizabeth, &c. And as I know that our Statute Books are not counterfeit: And as your Doctors know that the Acts and Decrees of Councils, the Works of Bellarmine, Baronius, &c. are not counterfeit: which is not because the Pope or a General Council saith so, but by rational evidence of certain History, which leaveth not mens minds in doubt.
§. 5. But I am not equally certain of some questioned Books, or Readings, (no nor of the sense of some difficult words) as I am of all the rest, which being more evident are more past controversie.
§. 6. III. I know the meaning of the words (spoken or written) as you know the meaning of a man that talketh with you, or of any other writings; as of your Councils, Decretals, Mass-book, Bellarmine, &c. that is, by the significance of such words by humane usage from those daies till now, which Lexicons, Books, and successive practice fully prove.
§. 7. But there are plain passages in Scripture which I understand certainly, (not because the Pope saith This is the meaning:) Such are all the essentials of Christianity and abundance more. And there are difficult passages which I am not certain of the sense of.
§. 8. IV. I know that this Doctrine and the Bible containing it as such, are of God, (or are his word,) by the spirit attesting and fealing it; not in the fanatick sense, as they think they have an inward impulse perswading them that so it is; (as some Papists think the Pope and Councils know that to be of God which they decree, by Prophetical Inspiration:) But, 1. As to the Gospel, the spirit attested it by antecedent Prophesie. 2. The image of Gods Power, Wisdom and Goodness imprinted on the Scripture, is its essential constitutive evidence, being unimitable by meer man, and that which is its intrinsick self evidencing light: so that a spiritual well disposed soul, may from a sensibleness, tast that it is Gods word; if a Bible had come to them by chance and they had never heard of it before. I say that they may do so, if you can suppose them spiritually disposed before: But if not, yet they may strongly suspect that it is Gods word, when they read that it affirmeth it self to be so, and that the image of God upon it is so clear. 3. But the Concomitant Evidence of the spirit maketh up the proof; in the miracles of Christs Life, Resurrection and ascension; and in the miracles of Apostles and primitive Christians, abroad the world by which the Gospel was fully sealed, 4. And the effected subsequent evidence of the spirit compleateth all the evidence; which is the spirit of holiness given by the means of this same word to all true serious Believers in the world in all ages and nations: which Holiness is the Image of God himself, and is such a gift as none but God can give, and as God would not give by a Doctrine, which he abhorreth as a lie. Therefore, 1. It witnesseth objectively as an evidence; 2. And it witnesseth effectively, by inclining the heart to tast and close with and receive the foreign the innaturalized word; as life and health cause a man to know suitable food, by a gust which proceedeth from a suitable nature; so is it in the new nature and the sincere milk of the word. And indeed though the intellect be the proper apprehender of Truth as such suo modo, yet the will is quaedam natura, and hath a natural propensity to Good as Good, which is natural to it, and is the pondus motuum in the rational soul: And it is not an universal notion, or nothing under the name of good which it thus inclineth to; but existent good, in some being that is, Vnum, Verum, Bonum, as Rada and other Scotists well prove. And therefore it hath necessary volitions (as of its own felicity, &c.) which yet are free, and not meerly per modum naturae, though natural as being ex sua natura.
And this three or foursold witness or attestation of the spirit, (sometime Antecedent, alwaies Constitutive, Concomitant, and subsequent) though a holy soul that is suited to it, and hath the witness in it self may most fully and certainly discern, yet another also may discern; The Miracles being Intelligible attestations to them, and the beauty of Wisdom and Holiness in the Scripture and in the Saints being refulgent and discernable by a stander by, though not as by a possessor.
§. 9. But I have not an equal Certainty of all the parts of it, that they are the word of God, because, 1. All the Books, Texts and Readings are not brought to me with equal historical Evidence. 2. And there are abundance of passages in it which are but Accidental to the Christian Religion which have not the same self-evidencing luster in them as the Essentials have. And there is no Necessity of an equal knowledge of the parts.
§. 10. The parts which I am fully Certain of in the Scripture are, 1. All the Essentials of the Christian Religion; Because, 1. They are delivered in Scripture frequently, plainly, past all Controversie of which I will cite your testimonies anon. 2. Because they were as certainly delivered to all Christians and Churches in the whole world distinctly by themselves, (twelve years before any of the New Testament was written, and above threescore and ten years before all of it was written,) even in the Covenant of Baptism, renewed in the Lords Supper, and in the Creed, Lords Prayer and Decalogue, which are the exposition of the Covenants, professed by all Christians, in all Christian Churches at every sacred meeting. And these two waies of Tradition (in Scripture and by themselves) are fuller than one.
2. And all the rest of the holy Scriptures in which the full concord of Copies, and the plainness of the words doth leave no room for rational doubting.
§. 11. V. I know that all this word is True, because God is True, (verax,) and it is impossible for him to lie. For whoever lieth, must want either Wisdom, to know what to say, or Goodness to Love Truth, or Power to make good his word, and attain his will by better means. But God is perfect in all these. Which you seem to grant us.
§. 12. That all things necessary to Salvation have been delivered by the Apostles to the Churches two waies, as by two hands, viz. Distinctly by word of mouth, and in the Bible, is our Doctrine. That more than all in the Bible hath been delivered by word of mouth, and this as necessary to the Salvation of some men (I know not whom, who have no more wit than to create necessity to themselves,) is your Doctrine. But yet your famousest contentious Doctors confess that all things commonly necessary to Salvation are plainly expressed in the holy Scriptures.
Concil. Basil, Orat. Ragus. Bin. pag. 299. [The holy Scripture in the literal sense, soundly and well understood, is the Infallible, and most sufficient Rule of faith.]
Bellarm. de verbo Dei, lib. 4. c. 11. [In the Christian Doctrine both of faith and manners, some things are simply necessary to the salvation of all, as the knowledge of the articles of the Apostles Creed, of the ten Commandments and of the Sacraments. The rest are not so necessary that a man cannot be saved without the explicite knowledge, belief and profession of them—These things which are simply necessary and profitable to all, the Apostles preached to all—All things are written by the Apostles which are necessary to all, and which they openly preached to all.]
Costerus in Enchirid. cap. 1. p. 49. [We do not deny that those chief heads of faith which to all Christians are necessary to be known to Salvation, are plainly enough comprehended in the writings of the Apostles.]
§. 13. By the way, hence judge of the jugling of your praters, when they call to us for a Catalogue of Essentials, or Fundamentals, as if no such distinction were to be made.
§. 14. But the ancient Fathers talkt at a higher rate; even as Theophil. Alexandr. Epist. Paschal. 2. Cont. Orig. Biblioth. Patr. To. 3. pag. 96. [Ignorans quod daemoniaci spiritus esset instinctus sophismata humanarum mentium sequi, & aliquid extra Scripturarum authoritatem putare divinum. i. e. not knowing that it is the instinct of a devilish spirit, to follow the sophisms of mens minds, and to think that any thing is Divine, without (or besides) the authority of the Scriptures.]
CHAP. IV.
The distinct Questions all Implied or Confounded in his one.
Quest 1. What are the Revelations in Controversie.
§. 1. I Must now for the satisfaction of him if he be judicious, answer his Question more distinctly, and therefore divide it into all these Questions.
Quest. 1. What are the Revelations of God, about which our Controversies lie. 2. Whether it be true that the Papists grant us that all Divine Revelations are true. 3. What Certainty have we what is a real Revelation of God. 4. What Certainty have we of the true Copies and Readings. 5. What Certainty of the Canonical or Divine books. 6. What Certainty of the Truth of Translations. 7. What Certainty have we of the true sense of the words. 8. What unity of faith may be expected to be consferred, by such certainties. 9. What Determination is necessary to this Certainty and Unity. And the Questions, what Principle, and what Medium is established, will be Answered in these.
§. 2. Quest. I. What are the Revelations of God about which our Controversies lie?
Answ. To mention no more, than I needs must, there are three sorts of Revelation which we assert and rest in: 1. Of Natural Production and Evidence; such as is the Light and Law of Nature, in the Nature of all things, especially of man himself, as revealing Gods will per modum signi.
2. Infallible, Oral and Historical, Traditition: And so, 1. All the Covenant of Grace in the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper, with the Catechistical explanation in the Creed, Lords-prayer and Decalogue, have been particularly delivered by themselves. 2. And so the Bible hath been delivered to us in the bulks. 3. Written Revelation, in the sacred Records of the Spirit, which is the holy Scriptures themselves.
§. 3. Of the first, more anon. The second they grant us so far as to confess, 1. That the said Covenant and Catechistical Principles have had that way of delivery by themselves, as well as in the Scripture: But they tell of much more (I know not what) delivered the same way, than is in them, and the Scripture it self. 2. Yet (as you see) they confess that none of that addition is commonly necessary to Salvation.
The third they grant us (that all those books which we receive are the Certain word of God) But, 1. They say that there are more; 2. And that we must receive them as such, because the Pope and his Council, as the only Judges, say they are such. Of which more anon.