The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 7 · Controversy 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. 4. Examination of the texts and reaſons which the Cardinal brings to prove that the Saints know all things, ſee our thoughts, and hear our prayers. His foul dealing is laid open.
Pag. 989.THE Cardinal contrary to his cuſtom alledgeth many texts of Scripture upon this matter.
If (ſaith he) St. Steven being on earth ſaw the body of Chriſt exalted to heaven, Now that he hath the ſame illumination of divine light which lightned him at that time, he may well ſee and hear from heaven the things that are done upon earth. It is an humane conjecture that hath no ſolid ground. For God giveth graces to his Saints, according as he knoweth it fit for them, and for the good of his Church. He made St. Steven, when he was near his end to ſee Chriſt in heaven, to ſtrengthen his faith againſt the ſufferings of martyrdom. He made him pronounce theſe words, Behold I ſee the heavens opened, and the Son of man ſtanding on the right hand of God, for the comfort of the godly there preſent, and for ours: But the ſame reaſons equire not that God give the knowledge of all things unto the Saints, and make them ſee all the ſecrets of mens hearts.
He goeth on: The spirit of Eliſha (ſaith he) being enlightned with the light of prophecy, which is but a ſmall beam of the light of heavenly bleſſedneſs, ſaw and heard the negotiating of Gehezi abſent. Being now enlightned all about, all through, and bright with that light of glory, which ariſeth out of the ſight of God, he may with more reaſon ſee and hear the diſcourſes of humane commerce. To this I ſay, that ſometimes, yet ſeldom, God hath revealed to his Prophets the thoughts of ſome man, and that as much only, as was neceſſary for the execution of their charge. Eliſha ſaith, 2 Kings 4.27. that God had hid from him the death of the Shunamites ſon: how much more did God hide from him the thoughts of all men? The Prophet Eliah did not know, that there were ſeven thouſand in Iſrael which had not bowed their knee unto Baal: 1 Kings 19.So then that revelation of mens thoughts, and humane accidents unto the Prophets being but ſeldom, and that the Prophets might do the charge which God imployed them in; from thence one cannot infer, that the Saints have an ordinary knowledge of all things, and that they know all the thoughts of men, ſeeing that the word of God gives them no charge over men, which to exerciſe that knowledge is neceſſary. Note alſo that M. du Perron is in an error, when he ſaith that the light of propheſie is a ſmall beam of the light of heavenly bleſſedneſs. If that were true, thoſe two knowledges would differ, not in kind, but in degree only. Now they are ſo different in kind, that God hath ſometimes given that Prophetical light unto wicked and reprobate men, as to Balaam and to Caiaphas.
Falſification of the Cardinal. Pag. 990.To the ſame purpose the Cardinal alledgeth a text of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 14.24. where he makes the Apoſtle to ſay, that by the gift of propheſie the ſecrets of the hearts are manifeſted. Which is a text unfaithfully alledged, and falſified both in words and ſenſe. In words, for the true text runs thus, If all propheſie, and there comes in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: and thus are the ſecrets of his heart made manifeſt, and ſo falling down on his face he will worſhip God. In ſenſe, for by prophecying St. Paul underſtands expounding the word of God in the Church by revelation. He means not, that they that have the gift of propheſie, know the thoughts of men, but that by hearing of the word of God propounded in an intelligible way, their hearts are convinced, and come to confeſs their faults, and to give glory to God before men. The Cardinal not content to have falſified that text in this manner,Another Falſification. falſifieth it in another manner, page 992. making the Apoſtle to ſpeak thus, When a man propheſieth, they that come in are confounded, becauſe the ſecrets of their hearts are manifeſted. This licentiouſneſs is horrible, thus to wreſt and falſifie the holy Scripture. The chief fraud lyeth in the word becauſe, which he adds of his own. But the whole allegation is depraved and corrupted.
He goeth about to prove that the Saints behold in Gods eſſence, as in a perfect(a)Vaſquez. Diſt. 50. c. 4, & 5. confuteth that mirrour. mirrour, all the things that have an actual being, by Pſal. 36. In thy light ſhall we ſee light. But God may well enlighten his Saints with his light, and yet not make them know all the thoughts of men. Beſides David ſpeaks not of the light which the Saints enjoy in heaven, but of that wherewith he enlighteneth our eyes and our ſouls in this life.
The text of 1 John 3. is to no better purpoſe alledged. We ſhall be like him, becauſe we ſhall ſee him as he is. The text ſaith like, but not equal in latitude of knowledge. God had created man after his likeneſs, but he did not therefore give him the knowledge of all things. The Saints, though infinitely inferiour unto God, are like unto God, as not in ſimplicity and infinity of eſſence, nor in allmightineſs, nor in eternity without beginning, ſo not in knowledge of all things, nor in the ſight of the heart and thoughts, but in the imitation of holineſs and righteouſneſs, for God only knoweth the hearts of the children of men, 2 Chron. 6.30.
He adds another text of 1 Cor. 13.9. Now I know in part, But when that which is perfect is come, then ſhall I know as I am known. The Cardinals Expoſition is, I ſhall know others as I know my ſelf, or rather as God knoweth me. But the Apoſtle in this chapter ſpeaks not of the knowledge we ſhall have of others in the heavenly glory, but of the knowledge we ſhall have of God, whom we ſhall know perfectly; that is, with the higheſt and moſt perfect knowledge that creatures can attain unto. But that the Reader may not diſcern that St. Paul ſpeaks of the knowledge which we ſhall have of God, he clippeth and falſifieth that text,Falſification of the Cardinal. of which theſe are the words, Now we ſee through a glaſs darkly, but then face to face: Now I know in part, but then ſhall I know even as I alſo am known. Theſe words, that we ſhall ſee face to face, which he hath fraudulently omitted, ſhew that he ſpeaks of that knowledge whereby we ſhall know God, not men.
That falſification is followed with another.Another Falſification. For after he hath alledged the fabulous book of Tobit which is not found in the original Hebrew of the Bible (where yet it is not written that the Saints know our thoughts) he alledgeth the eighth chapter of the Revelation, which (ſaith he) teacheth us that the Angels offer the prayers of the godly unto God, and by conſequent know them. But that is falſe; for there it is not ſpoken of many Angels, but of one Angel who hath that Office,1 Tim. 2. foreign. who can be none elſe but the Lord Jeſus, whom St. Paul calls our only Mediator. Yet let us ſuppoſe that the Angels preſent our prayers unto God; What doth that for the deceaſed Saints? For the Angels are appointed keepers of the godly, Pſal. 34.8. Heb. 1.14. which the word of God aſcribeth not unto Saints. Wherefore St. Paul ſaith that he was made a ſpectacle to Angels and to men, but not to the deceaſed Saints. The Angels rejoyce for a converted ſinner;1 Cor. 4▪ 9. For being appointed by God to be keepers and leaders of men, they ſee the fruits of their repentance. But Scripture ſaith not that an Angel, keeper of a godly perſon knoweth all things, or that he knoweth the hearts of all men. In the ſame place he quoteth in the Margin, Matth. 22.30. & Mark 12.25. and maketh them ſay, that we ſhall be equal unto Angels, but there is only that they are as the Angels. Yet let us receive that tranſlation, for the Angels know the hearts no more then the Saints do. Beſides, Chriſt in that text ſpeaks not of the knowledge which the Saints now have, but of the glory which they ſhall have after the reſurrection.
The other allegations which he brings, ſcarce deſerve an anſwer. It is written (ſaith he) Rev. 3.21. To him that overcometh will I grant to ſit with me in my throne: and John 12.26. Where I am, there ſhall alſo my ſervant be. And 2 Pet. 1.4. Chriſt hath made us companions of the divine nature; and Rev. 14. They follow the Lamb whitherſoever he goeth; and 1 Cor. 15. God ſhall be all in all. What can he pick out of all theſe texts to prove that the Saints know the thoughts of all men, or hear their prayers? Is not this an abuſing either of the ignorance, or the patience of the Reader?2 Pet. 1.4▪ foreign. We muſt not omit that he falſifieth the text of St. Peter, who ſaith not that God makes us companions of the divine nature, but partakers. The Saints being partakers of Gods nature, that is, of his vertues, are not therefore his companions.
The text of Rev. 5.10. which he alledgeth, affords us an anſwer to his allegation. There the twenty four Elders ſay that Chriſt hath made them Kings and Prieſts unto God, and that they ſhall reign on the earth. By ſaying they ſhall reign, they ſhew that they ſpeak not of the preſent glory of the Saints, nor of their conducting or knowing humane buſineſſes, but of the glory which they ſhall enjoy after the reſurrection. Neither is that earth which they ſhall reign upon, the earth which we live in now, but that which is mentioned, 2 Pet. 3.13. New heavens and new earth. And that of which David ſpeaks, Pſal. 37.11. and Chriſt, Matth. 5.5. Bleſſed are the meek, for they ſhall inherit the earth; according to the ſtyle of the Prophets, as Iſa. 33.17. Thine eyes ſhall ſee the King in his beauty; they ſhall behold the land that is very far off. And that becauſe the land of Canaan was a figure and a Sacrament of the Kingdom of heaven.
Pag. 992. Falſification of the Cardinal.Here is another falſification. The ſame Apoſtle (ſaith he) forbids us to judge one of another in this life, and commands us to ſtay till the other life, where the thoughts of the hearts ſhall be manifeſted the one to the other. And he alledgeth St. Pauls words in this manner, judge of nothing before the time, untill the Lord hath enlightened the hiding places of darkneſs, and manifeſted the thoughts of the hearts. He will perſwade us that St. Paul bids the godly to put off the judgement of the actions of others till they be in the heavenly glory, and that then God will give them the knowledge of mens thoughts. But St. Paul ſaith no ſuch thing; only he forbids us to judge of the actions of others before the time, but to put off the judging of them untill the Lords coming, who ſhall judge of all things, and lay open the ſecret actions and thoughts. Theſe are the Apoſtles words, 1 Cor. 4.5. Judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkneſs, and will make manifeſt the counſels of the hearts: and then ſhall every man have praiſe of God. The Reader may obſerve how fraudulently the Cardinal hath clipt that text, having left out theſe words, untill the Lord come. And theſe words again, and then ſhall every man have praiſe of God, that it may not be perceived that the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the judgement and retribution of the laſt day at the Lords coming.
Muſt we wonder now why this Prelat hath recourſe unto the Fathers, and to humane writings, ſince he can find no help in the holy Scripture but by falſifying the ſame? He hath then his refuge to the Fathers. But himſelf hath confuted all his allegations by his confeſſion, that in Auſtins time, that is in the fifth Age, the Church had not decided yet whether the ſouls of Saints enjoy the ſight of God and heavenly glory. And we have ſhewed before how diverſly and dubiouſly the Fathers write of this matter.