Discourse About Christ and Antichrist, Title page – Preface
A DISCOURSE ABOUT CHRIST AND ANTICHRIST: OR, A DEMONSTRATION THAT Jeſus is the Chriſt, From The Truth of His PREDICTIONS, Eſpecially, The Coming and the Seduction of ANTICHRIST. To which is added, A TREATISE about the RESURRECTION.
BY Edward Bagſhaw Stu. of Ch. Ch. in Oxon.
LONDON, Printed for Simon Miller, at the Star in St. Pauls Church-Yard, 1661:
INSIGNISSIMIS ET Fidaei Chriſtianae Studioſiſsimis Viris, HUMPHREDO WYNCH, Equiti & Baronetto, ET JOHANNI BROWNE, Armigero; Opellam hanc, De JESU & RESURRECTIONE, Religionis noſtrae Fundamenta confirmantem, ET Piis, uti ſperat, omnibus non inutilem futuram AUTHOR Sui amoris ac obſervantiae ergo D. D. C. Q.
Edwards Bagſhawe.
The Preface to the Chriſtian and Candid Reader.
ALthough the Diſputes and Controverſies in Religion, have multiplied themſelves into many large and tedious Volumes, yet, I believe, Chriſtian Reader, thou wilt eaſily agree with me, that were but one Queſtion rightly ſtated, and throughly believed, moſt other might ſafely be neglected by us, as Uſeleſs and Impertinent. And the Queſtion is this, Whether the Scriptures be the Word of God; or, to uſe an Expreſsion, which will give no Party offence, A full and perfect declaration of Gods Will. Were this but once really aſſented to, who doth not ſee, that all Additionals are either Impious, or, elſe, at the beſt, but needleſs and unneceſſary Appendixes: much like rotten and painted Poſts, affixed unto a ſtately Edifice; which do not only deface the Beauty of the Building, but likewiſe make the ſtrength of it to be ſuſpected. Since Scripture, if it indeed it did come from God, doth beſt alone, without the leaſt mixture of Humane Inventions to underprop it.
This therefore is that great thing, which in this following Treatiſe I have undertaken to demonſtrate, in a Method, if my Reading and Obſervation fail me not, which none have attempted before me: For whereas there are two waies, by which men ordinarily do come to be aſcertained of the Truth of Scripture: The one, by an Inward Experimental Aſſurance; the other, by an Argumentative and Rational Evidence; The firſt of theſe I have altogether waved, becauſe though Experience be an Infallible Argument to him that hath it, yet it is not a Demonſtration that can be improved to the Conviction of another; And therefore I have applied my ſelf wholly unto the ſecond way of Proof; wherein dealing with men as men; and enlarging upon thoſe common and known Principles of Reaſon, that all acknowledge; the Unbeliever, muſt find ſome ſtronger Arguments, than any I have yet met with, to juſtifie himſelf by; or elſe, with me, be won over to the Obedience of the Faith of Chriſt. I do not ſpeak this, as if I thought it poſsible for any Endeavour or Art of Man to perſwade another to believe: but becauſe this foreign, or Poize, to which the mind is brought by a ſober and calm debating the matter on both ſides, is that way by which the Spirit of God in Inquiſitive men doth uſually prepare an Entrance for Faith; for the ſtrong man must firſt be caſt out, and every Objection ſingled out and diſarmed, before a ſtronger than he can enter in. And this, Chriſtian Reader, is the very utmoſt deſign of this ſmall Treatiſe, which I had never publiſhed, but that I thought it my duty, to impart unto others that ſatisfaction which I my ſelf have received. If there be any that make another Interpretation, and from what I have ſpoken concerning Antichriſt (wherein I have uſed the very Language, and, ſo far as I underſtand it, the ſenſe of Scripture) will infer, that I am either for, or againſt any of the Parties, who now contend about their ſeveral Forms of Worſhip: They will wrong me very much, but themſelves more; ſince the misjudging of others is an Uncharitable Preſumption which is incompatible with a Christian Temper. What my Judgement is concerning Epiſcopacy, and how ſutable to right Reaſon and Scripture that Order is, I have already aſſerted? And I think none are greater Enemies to Biſhops than thoſe who ſeek to eſtabliſh them, by pleading a Neceſsity of Ceremonies, which whether they may at all be uſed, is a Queſtion: but that they may very ſaſely be diſuſed, is no Queſtion at all. It is therefore liberty in ſmall things alone that I have formerly and do yet plead for; and that upon this ſingle Argument, becauſe I think Chriſt came to ſet his Church free from all unneceſſary Yokes; and therefore it doth not lye in the power of any man to bring them into bondage again: And let but any ſober diſintereſſed perſon convince me once that the Church (i.e. where the State is Chriſtian the civil Magiſtrate) hath power to impoſe in Religious Worſhip, and I ſhall then ſo far alter my Judgment, as inſtead of being troubled that we are gone thus far, be very ſorry that we go no farther in our conformity. But till then, it is my conſtant Prayer, That, if our Rulers will ſtretch their Power, to make ſome Harmony between the Chriſtian and the Civill State, all men may quietly ſuffer for what they cannot chearfully ſubmit to; without making any more noiſe in the World, than what a calm and diſpaſsionate debate of Truth may amount to. Had this Courſe at firſt been taken, we ſhould not have had ſome cry down Dagon, and ſet up Baal-Berith, i.e ſuperſtitiouſly, if not worſe, diſplace ſuperſtition; and exerciſe a greater Tyranny than that which they complained of. But I leave this ſad Argument, and entreat thee, Chriſtian Reader, to look upon me as one, that, by the goodneſs of God, can call himſelf a Chriſtian in the moſt large and comprehenſive Notion of the Word, according to our Saviours explication, Whoever is not againſt Chriſt, is for him; and whereever I ſee the least appearance of ſincerity and uprightneſs, though in Perſons differing from my ſelf in Judgement, I can preſerve my own opinion, without the leaſt prejudice to that Charity I ow Mankind in general, or that endearedneſs of Affection which is particularly due to all ſorts of Zealous, though miſtaken, Chriſtians. With this Confeſsion I cloſe my Preface, and diſmiſs thee to the Book it ſelf; which I deſire may be read, as it was writ, with a ſingle and unprejudiced mind. And if thou findeſt anything of ſatisfaction by it, give God the glory, who hath made uſe of a very unlikely Inſtrument to do thee good by: But if in any place thou findeſt my Reſoning doth not ſeem Cloſe and Pertinent, let me know my Errour, and I ſhall think my ſelf more obliged to thee for thy ſerious reproof, than for thy partial and unweighed Commendation. Farwell.
EDW. BAGSHAWE. Chriſt Church in Oxon. May 21. 1661.