The True Treasury, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
THE bleſſed Authour of this excellent Epiſtle (whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, foreign.I ſtrive not) mainly ſeekes to ſet up Chriſt the Lord, in his threefold office; as ſhadowed out of old in the types of the Law, and exhibited now alate, in theſe dayes of the Goſpel. It ſeemed a hard ſaying to the Hebrewes,Durus eſt hic ſern…, Ioh. 6. that the Goſpel ſhould have the better hand of the Law, Ieſus of Moſes. He therefore makes it his firſt work to ſet a difference, and to prove a precellency of the New above the Old Teſtament: which albeit they concurre in the Authour of both, God; yet come they to a threefold difference: whether we looke upon 1. the Preachers; there, his ſervants the Prophets; here, his ſonne and heyre. Or 2. the Hearers; there, the Fathers; here, Ʋs, for whom ſome better thing was provided. Heb. 11.40.Or 3. the manner of Revelation; there,foreign. in many peeces, and after diverſe faſhions; here, fully and laſtly, together and at once. Or 4. the time of diſpenſation; there, of old, or long ſince; here,foreign. in theſe laſt dayes, foreign.which cap. 2.5. he calls the world to come.
The next thing he does, is, to advance Meſſiah above Moſes (whom yet he names not,Ne limine impingat. for avoyding offence at the firſt entrance:) and that becauſe he is preferred by God himſelfe above the very Angels; as he proves by many plaine teſtimonies: And there-hence afterward infers, that the doctrine of Chriſt is farre more attentively to be heard, (that is, to be beleeved and obeyed) than the ſpeech of Angels,Gal. 3.14. (that is, than the Law ordained by Angels in the hand of Moſes a Mediatour.)
Now the commendation he there gives our Saviour, ſtands in a ſtately deſcription of his ſacred perſon, his threefold office and ſtupendious workes, which he did, either as God; And theſe are creation, (for he made the worlds,) and preſervation, (for he upholds all things by his mighty Word:) Or ſecondly, as God with us: whether we conſider him in the ſtate of Humiliation, he purged our ſinnes by Himſelfe; or of Exaltation, he ſate downe on the right hand of the Majeſty on high.
Thus our Apoſtle wadeth at firſt into that Profundum ſine fundo, that fathomleſſe depth of Divinity, giving his Hebrews a briefe of the whole enſuing buſineſſe, in theſe three firſt verſes; and purpoſely beginning his Epiſtles with mention of God, of the Fathers, and of the Prophets (the very names of whom, he knew well, were precious and pleaſant to Hebrew eares) the better to inſinuate and get within them.
At ſundry times.] The lively voyce was ever in the Church, from the beginning of the world to the death of the Apoſtles. The ſum alſo and ſubſtance of the Law and Goſpel was one and the ſame in all ages, which made Saint Paul ſay,Act. 26.22. that he ſpake no other thing than what the Prophets and Moſes ſpake before him. OnelyOnly things were delivered at firſt more darkly and briefly; afterwards more plainly and plentifully,2 Tim. 1.10. life and immortality being brought to light by the Goſpel, ſo that a man may runne and reade, Habac. 2.2. The cloud went before the people, while Moſes led them: which, under Joſhua, vaniſhed. The veile was upon them in the reading of the Old Teſtament: But we all with open face behold as in a glaſſe the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 2.14, 18.Mark 4.11. To us it is given (above thoſe of old) to know the myſteries of the kingdome of heaven; that great myſtery, for inſtance, God manifeſted in the fleſh. 1 Tim. 3.16.To Adam was promiſed it ſhould be the ſeed of the woman, but whether of Jew or Gentile, not a word was told him. Abraham after this (the Hebrew) was given to know, that of his ſeed ſhould come the Meſſiah, but of what Tribe, nothing was revealed. To Iacob indeed it was ſhewed, that of the Tribe of Judah ſhould Shiloh come, but whether male or female,foreign Tranquillator, ſalvator, à foreign unde foreign tranquillitas. Vnde Latinum …alvere, ſalvus ſalvare: Amama. nothing certaine. David was aſſured that a ſon of his ſhould ſit upon his throne for ever, but till Eſay, t'was not knowne that he ſhould be borne of a pure Virgin; that a woman ſhould compaſſe a man. Behold a Virgin, that famous Virgin (the Originall ſets it forth with an accent) ſpoken of Gen. 3.15. ſhall conceive and beare a ſonne. Ier. 31.22. Iſai. 7.14.The very place of his birth was not ſet forth till Michah, Mich. 5.2. Dan. 9.24.nor the juſt time till Daniel. Thus by degrees and peece-meale, (as I may ſo ſay) God ſpake of old to our Fathers by his ſervants the Prophets. Every age almoſt brought forth ſome new thing touching the Babe of Bethlehem (…apt up in the ſwath-bands of the holy Hiſtory) either in expreſſe and evident termes and teſtimonies, or elſe in mirrours and miracles. John Baptiſt, Fibula legis & gratiae. Chryſolog.the buckle of the Law and Goſpel, as one ſtiles him, pointed Chriſt out with the finger. And although he ſent his Diſciples to aske him the queſtion, Art thou he that ſhould come? &c. (for the which is it unworthily agitated by Tertullian in three ſeverall places,) yet this he did, not for his owne ſatisfaction, much leſſe out of envie and ambition (as that Father miſtooke it) but for their better information.Matth 11.9. Between John that was more than a Prophet, and Malachy the laſt of Prophets, the Jews place cathimath cazon, the ſealing up of prophecy. In ſtead whereof ſucceeded (ſay they) Bath-qôl the divine Eccho or Oracle, whereby, after prophecy ceaſed, future things were revealed from heaven. But Malachy (whom Tertullian calls the limit and landmarke of both Teſtaments) propheſied about 400. yeares afore our Saviours birth:Malach: Limes inter Vetus & Novum Teſt. Zachary and Haggee much about 500: Daniel and Ezechiel 600: Eſay and Jeremy 700. (as the divine Chronologer computes it) Jonas and Hoſeas 800:…ncholcer. Elias and Eliſhah 900: Salomon 1000: David 1100: Sampſon 1200: Gideon 1300: Joſhuah 1400: Moſes 1500: Joſeph 1600: Jacob 1700: Iſaac 1800: Abraham plus minus 2000. As before him, Heber, Sem, Receptior ſententia eſt Melchiſ. non alium fuiſſe quam Shem, &c Quod tamen Chananaeus ſuerit, &c. plures habet aſſertores & textum multò faventiorem. D. Prid. Lect. p. 95.(who perhaps was Melchiſedech) Noah, Enoch, and the reſt of the Anti-diluvian Patriarchs, up to Adam. Scarce was there any age that afforded not ſome or other holy man of God, extraordinarily inſpired & enabled to deliver the doctrine of divine truth from the immediate mouth of God: Although there were intermiſſions other-whiles, as the hiſtory ſheweth, and the Church complaineth, Pſal. 74.9
In diverſe manners.] Three ſeverall wayes (as is well obſerved) God revealed his will to mankinde: 1. By the light of nature, imprinting in man certaine principles, common notions,foreign. or ſmall ſparkes and ſpinthers of divine light. 2. By the bookes of the Creatures, whereby he blew up thoſe ſparkes, and kindled them into a flame. Hence Tertullian; Praemiſit Deus Naturam magiſtram, ſubm…ſſurus & prophetiam; quò faciliùs credas prophetiae d ſcipulus Naturae.God firſt ſet us to ſchoole to dame nature, that being entred there we might more readily underſtand, & better beleeve the Scriptures. For, when by mans fall the two former failed, and proved inſufficient, God revealed himſelf (laſtly) by his Word but after a diverſe maner, as the text here hath it. Sometimes mouth to mouth, as to Adam, and thoſe Ancients; ſometimes by the miniſtery of others, whether Angels or men; and to theſe, either in dreames or viſions, repreſenting to their ſenſes, or otherwiſe imprinting upon their mindes, and ſo imparting to the world whatſoever he would have underſtood and uttered, Num. 12.6. Job 33.15, 16. ſometimes, laſtly, by his ſon Jeſus Chriſt, in humane ſhape of old, but in theſe laſt dayes, in a true humane nature, revealing unto us all, and all at once, and no more by peeces and parcels. Hence theſe times,1 Cor. 10.11. wherein Chriſt and the Apoſtles lived, are called here the laſt dayes, and elſewhere the ends of the world, though ſo many ages afore the worlds end; becauſe there ſhall be no more alteration in Religion, nor any more additions made to that which Chriſt hath taught by himſelfe and his Apoſtles;Rev. 21.14. who are therefore alſo ſaid to be the foundations of the new Jeruſalem, Eph. 2.20.and of the whole Scriptures (as now) whereupon the houſhold of God is built, Jeſus Chriſt himſelfe being the chiefe corner-ſtone. God ſpake unto the Fathers, God ſpake to us &c. Note hence that It is God that ſpeaketh in the holy Scriptures of both old and now Teſtament. Doct. It is the very minde of God that is there ſet forth unto us, Prov. 1.23. the expreſſe patterne and platforme of that truth that is originally in God the fountaine of all truth. It is the very voice of the Almighty, comming, as it were, out of his ſecret ſeat, out of his unapproachable light, and diſcloſing to his creatures his ineffable eſſence, his unſearchable counſell.
All Scripture is divinely inſpired, 2 Tim. 3.16.ſaith Saint Paul. And holy men ſpake it, foreign. 2 Pet. 1.21.as they were acted and carried thereunto by the holy Ghoſt, ſaith Saint Peter. Luc. 1.70.God ſpake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, which have been ſince the world beganne, ſaith Zachary in his Canticle. And,foreign. wee ſpeake (ſaith that great Apoſtle for himſelfe and his fellowes) not in the words which mans wiſdome teacheth, 1 Cor. 2.13.but which the holy Ghoſt teacheth: whoſe not onelyonly matter, as verſ. 12. but words they are alſo, that wee utter. Theſe are the very ſentences, yea notions that were written (as I may ſo ſay) of old in the minde of God, and are now clothed with his owne very termes, and expreſſions: though by ſome of his ſervants he hath uttered himſelfe more loftily, by ſome in a lower language, according to the ſeverall abilities of the ſpeakers, and capacitie of the hearers. But it was God that did dictate unto them both matter, and words,2 Cor. 13.3. it was Chriſt that ſpake in them.
How prove you that? may ſome ſay.
Saint Auguſtine anſwers,Confeſſ. l. 6. c. 5. Piſcatoribus credimus, non Dialecticis. Ambroſ. Fidei Chriſtianae myſteria meliùs credendo intelliguntur, quam intelligendo creduntur. Ruperius Abbas Tic cienſis. Credo, non probo; I beleeve it, I need not prove it. That the Scripture is Gods owne word, is a principle of faith, and therefore cannot be demonſtrated à priori, as they call it. We beleeve and know, ſaith Peter. Principles of faith are apprehended by faith: and this faith, howſoever it bringeth with it certainty, yet doth it not clearneſſe: whether you looke upon the matter, which are things not ſeene, Heb. 11. or the manner, it being through a glaſſe darkly, 1 Cor. 13. And here the Schools lay down two remarkable propoſitions: the one,Tho. Aquin. 1. p…t. q. 1. art. 8. that Divinity is not argumentative to prove her principles, but onelyonly to prove her concluſions. The other, that againſt one which abſolutely denyes her principles, and namely the Scriptures, one cannot proceed probando but ſolvendo, that is, not by proving the truth thereof, but by diſſolving the reaſons brought to the contrary.
But for arguments à poſteriori, (as they call it) there is and may be enough and enough ſaid, to ſettle weake conſciences, and to ſilence all ſuch wicked Atheiſts and adverſaries, as whoſe mouths the devill hath borrowed at any time to call the matter into queſtion. The venerable Antiquity, matchleſſe majeſtie, lively efficacy, beautifull harmony, incorrigible purity, invincible perennity, and continuance of the Scriptures, notwithſtanding the injury and iniquity of times and tyrants, who have ſought to ſuppreſſe them, doe all plainly evince them to be the undoubted word of God. Beſides the confirmation by miracles, confeſſion of Martyrs, deſtruction of oppugners, fulfilling of prophecies, conſent of Churches, yea aſſent of enemies. As 1. of heretikes, who in oppugning of Scripture doe yet alledge Scripture; ſo fighting againſt God with his owne forces,Irenaeus l. 3. adv. haer. c. 11. Tertull. lib. de praeſcrip. adv. haer. cap. 15. as Jehu did againſt Jehoram his maſter; with his owne ſword, as David did againſt Goliah the Gittite, but (with unlike ſucceſſe) to their owne utter deſtruction, 2 Pet. 3.16.
2. Of Jewes,Aug in Pſal. 56 p. 384. Gods Library-keepers, as Auſtin calleth them: for to them were committed the lively Oracles, the bookes of the Old Teſtament, which they ſtudiouſly read, and curiouſly kept, by a ſingular providence of God, for our behoofe and benefit. As for the New Teſtament, thoſe Jewes of Italy complain they can never ſee it. That Italian tranſlation which they had, is now called in, and taken from them by thoſe of the Inquiſition, alledging that they will have no diſpute in matter of Religion either way.Sands his Relation of weſt. Religion. Much like to an Edict ſet up at Dole by the Jeſuites, forbidding any talke of God either in good ſort or in bad. This though it be unjuſt in them, yet is juſt in God upon the Jews, for depraving Chriſts miracles as done by I know not what ſuperſtition of the word Shemhamphoreſh: Alſted Lexic. Theolog. Evangelium hodie vocant Aven-gelaion, volumen vanitatis.And for his Oracles, they have ſcornfully rejected the Goſpel, as a volume of vanity, ſtumbling at that paſſage eſpecially, where it is ſaid, that neither did his brethren beleeve in him,Blunts voyage into the Levant. 115. John 7.5. not knowing faith to be the gift of grace onelyonly. But their Anceſtours (which yet were no Chriſtians) beare us witneſſe, that Jeſus Chriſt was famous for his wiſdome, and wonders, was ſlaine by the people,Joſeph. lib. 18. cap 14. Contra Appion. lib. 1. non ita proculab initio. Dan. 5.25. Mene mene techel upharſin. They were the Samaritan characters, therefore the Babylonians could not read them? nor could the Iewes underſtand them, though they knew the characters, becauſe they underſtood not the Chaldee tongue, as Daniel did. Weemſe. roſe againe the third day, &c. All this, and more, Joſephus the Jew: who alſo teſtifieth that the bookes of the Old Teſtament were the very word of God. Which is further alſo confirmed by the Samaritane Bible (the Copy whereof was brought by one Petrus de Valle from Damaſcus Anno Domini 1626.) wherein (though written in a different character from the Hebrew) yet for the matter they as much agree, as the Jewes and Samaritanes did utterly diſagree.
3. Heathens alſo not a few have ſealed to the truth of the Scriptures by their teſtimonies, and confirmed them to be divine. Porphyry in his fourth book againſt Chriſtians beareth this record of Moſes, that hee had written the hiſtory of the Jews truly. Numenius the Pythagoriſt recites Moſes his hiſtory almoſt word for word, teſtifying of him that he was a great Divine, Law-giver, and Prophet. Diodorus Siculus affirmeth that Moſes gave a Law to the people of Iſrael, which he had received of JAH, for ſo ſaith he, do they call the God whom they worſhip.Geogr. lib. 15. And Strabo writeth that Moſes having rebuked the Egyptians for their vanities and ſuperſtitions, withdrew himſelf from among them that he might ſerve God.In Vandalicis lib. 2. Calunmiae hae binae olim in Tingitana viſendae. Selden de Diis Syr. proleg. cap 2. Procopius tells of two marble pillars in Numidia, wherein are engraven theſe words in the Phenician tongue, We be thoſe that fled from the robber Joſhuah the ſonne of Nun. The mighty deeds of Hercules are held to be fained out of the doings of Sampſon, and the vow of Agamemnon out of Jephtaes vow, Orpheus his forfeiting his wife (whom he had fetcht from hell) by unſeaſonable looking back upon her, out of the hiſtory of Lots wife,Virg 4. Georg. who turn'd her but, and ſhe was turn'd: Niſus robbed of his golden haire,Metamorph. l. 8. Janus Oenotrius is Noah, lapetus, lapheta, and lupuer Hammon that gelded his father Saturne, is Ham that diſcovered his fathers nakedneſſe, &c Ex Henochi hiſtoria originem ſumpſit foreign Ethnicorum. and betrayed by Scylla, out of Sampſon and Dalilah. It was the devill, doubtleſſe, that found out theſe fictions, in an apiſh imitation of the ſacred hiſtory, and for a cunning eluſion of divine truths. Who was it elſe that ſet Herodatus aworke to write that Sethon King of Egypt and Prieſt of Vulcan, being invaded by Senach…r… King of Aſſyria with a formidable army, and ſeeking help of his god, was admoniſhed in a dreame to encounter his adverſary, though with unequall forces, and to expect helpe from heaven? Sethon did accordingly, and the night before the armies ſhould meet, an innumerable company of Mice and Rats were ſent into the …amp of the Aſſyrians, which ſo …nawed aſ…under their quivers, bucklers, bridles, and other harneſſe, that they were forced to flye with the …oſſe of many of their baſt ſouldiers, the King himſelfe being ſhortly after ſlaine at home. Herodotus addes further, that even in his time there was yet to be ſeene in Vulcans temple in Egypt the picture of Senacherib holding a Mouſe in his hand, with this inſcription,foreign. Herod. lib. 2. Learne by me to feare God. This was a meere ſleight of Sathan that loud lyar, ſhameleſly ſeeking by the Egyptian prieſts to elevate the truth and authority of the holy Scriptures, and to transferre upon himſelfe the glory of ſo great a worke of God. But Demetrius Phalareus diſciple to Theophraſtus, told Ptolomy Philadelph King of Egypt, that the Bible of the Hebrewes was the onelyonly booke that was divine indeed, who therefore at his great charge cauſed it to be tranſlated into Greeke by the ſeventy Seniours. Which when the King had read, and marvelled that of ſo many things, and ſo worthy of remembrance, there was little or no mention made by the Hiſtorians and Poets of Greece, Demetrius Phalereus anſwered him (as both Joſephus and Euſebius report it out of Ariſtaeas, Ioſeph. Antiq. lib. 12. cap. 2. Huſ…b praep-Evang. lib. 8. c. 1a Chamberlaine of King Ptolomies) that it was a divine Law, given of God, which ought not to be touched but with cleane hands. And that if any prophane perſons had preſumed to meddle with it, he was ſure to ſmart for daring to defile thoſe holy matters with the gloſſe of their owne inventions. Moreover he told the King that Theopompus a Scholler of Ariſtotles, Ariſtaeas in in calce libelli de 72. legis Hebr. interpretibus, p. 512.for attempting to diſguiſe the Scriptures of the Jewes with Greek eloquence, was ſtricken with amazedneſſe for above thirty dayes together. And that Theodates a Tragoedian having intermingled ſome Scripture-matters with his Tragedies, ſuddenly loſt his ſight: which was afterward reſtored again to him upon his prayers, when he once dame to a ſight of his ſin.
Thus for Humane Teſtimonies of the Authority and Divinity of the Scripture, we have heard ſufficient both from) friends and foes, heretikes, Jewes and Gentiles. But wee have better teſtimonies than theſe, & thoſe are Divine, which are of two ſorts, 1. Outward, 2. Inward.
That without us (firſt) is the Scripture, teſtifying of it ſelfe, and we know its teſtimony is true, becauſe it is the word of that God that can as ſoone dye as lye. Hence heare we ſo often in Moſes, I am the Lord; in the Prophets, Thus ſaith the Lord; in the Goſpels, Jeſus ſaid; in the Epiſtles,1 Cor. 11. I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you, &c. And the truth is, the beſt proofe of Scripture is to bee fetcht out of it ſelfe, whence it is alſo called Light, Pſal. 119.105. becauſe it diſcovers it ſelfe; and the Teſtimony of the Lord, becauſe it beares witneſſe to it ſelfe. And this it doth not authoritativè onelyonly, by an unartificiall argument, as above-ſaid; but ratiocinativè, by ſound reaſons, whether we looke to the Pen-men of the Scripture, the ſubject matter, or the admirable effects thereof.
The Pen-men (beſides their divine vocation, miſſion, inſpiration) were plaine men, poore men, ſhepherds, neat-herds, fiſhers, publicans, &c. neither eloquent Oratours, nor cunning-headed Politicians,Romani ſicut non acumina ita nec imposturas habent. Bell. foreign. Act. 4.13. to art out an impoſture; nor witty enough to deceive, as Bellarmine ſaith (but how truly?) of his Italians. The Rulers and Elders tooke them for no better than unlearned and ignorant perſons.
Adde hereunto their unpartiall faithfulneſſe in relating the naked truth, enough to the diſcredit (as it might bee deemed) of themſelves and their beſt friends.Adulatione enim multa celat aut velat: imò & palam aliter norrat. Ald. Manut. Ne amori erga ſuum parentem nimium aliquando indulſerit, nonnulli hand leviter ſuſpicantur. Deg. Whe…. in Method. In quamlibet partem nimius odio & amore, gratia & ſimultate: & quoniam pecuniam amabat, &c. Mel. Canus. Paterculus is an honeſt faithfull Hiſtorian (ſaith one) till he comes to the Caeſars: but then he ſmoothes and ſmothers many foule facts through flattery; yea plainly falſifies in many particulars. Anna Comnena, daughter to the Emperour Alexius Comnenus, wrote a Chronicle of the noble acts of her father, and called it Alexias. But being over-borne by naturall affection, ſhe reports not matters ſo ſincerely as many could have wiſhed. Paulus Jovius the Hiſtorian was too much carried by love and hatred to ſome particular perſons, and becauſe he loved money well, in writing his hiſtory alſo hee was the ſlave of money. In that famous battle at Belgrade, where Mahomet the great Turke was foiled and driven out of the field, Capiſtranus the Friar Minorite,Bucholcer. Index Chronol. De quo ita Sylvius exclamat: Ingens dulcedo gloriae faciliùs contenmenda dicitur, quam contemnitur. Exulat à Pontificiis talis ingenuitas, quae Dei dona in hoſte agnoſceret. D. P…ideaux cont. Eudoem Ioh. Facit Annales, non ſcribit. and Hunniades were chiefe commanders. Both of theſe wrote the hiſtory of that battle, without once making mention the one of the other, each one aſſuming the entire honour of that dayes worke to himſelfe. Bellarmine in his booke of Eccleſiaſticall writers, …ath not the honeſty to name any one of our ſide, notwithſtanding it is certaine that he pickt up the beſt crums that he hath under their tables. And Baronius writes not Annales, but frames them, ſaith learned Scaliger. Not ſo the Pen-men of holy Scripture. Moſes reports the ſinne and doome of his grandfather Levi, of his brother Aaron, and ſiſter Miriam, nay of himſelfe, how he ſinned and was ſentenced at the waters of ſtrife. David ſhames himſelfe in his preface to the 51. Pſalm. Iſay tells the world of the wickedneſſe of Ahaz and weakneſſe of Hezekiah, Eſay 7. & 39.his naturall Princes. Ezekiel makes honourable mention of Daniel his coetaneus,Ezek. 14.14. & 28.3. and Peter of Paul, 2 Pet 3.15. with Gal. 2.11 1 Tim. 1.13.who yet tooke him up publikely for halting at Antioch. I was a blaſphemer, an oppreſſour, a perſecutor, ſaith that bleſſed Apoſtle. This ſhewes the Scripture to have beene indited, and the Pen-men guided by ſome higher Spirit, it being ſo free from partiality or flattery.
From the Men, come wee next to the Matter of the Scripture, the majeſty whereof is ſuch (beſides the ſtately plainneſſe of the ſtile) as farre ſurpaſſeth the creatures capacity, the fathom of fleſh, the reach of reaſon. There is no jot nor tittle of it that ſavours of any earthlineſſe. But as Xenophon ſaid of Cyrus his Court,foreign. Cyrop. l. 8. that though a man ſhould ſeeke or chuſe blindefold, he could not miſſe of a good man there: ſo neither can you miſſe of a good text in the whole Bible. Every word of Gods mouth is pure,De Thucidide Cicero ſcribit eum eſſe adeo plenum vefert…mque rebus, ut prope verberum numerum …umero rerum ex…equ…t. Si animalibus (dixit Xen…phanes) pingere daretur, Deum proculdubiò ſibi ſimilem fingerent, quia nihil animal animali ſupertus cogitare poteſt. Mornaeus de veril. rel. precious, and profitable, not a ſyllable ſuperfluous. The very majeſty of the ſentence is ſuch as cannot be conceived, and yet is it alwayes more powerfull in matter than in words. It ſets forth ſuch an admirable concurrence of Gods Mercy and Juſtice in mans redemption, by the man Chriſt Jeſus, as no creature could poſſibly contrive: or if they could, yet certainly would not. Not good men or Angels, for they would never have put upon the world ſuch a notorious impoſture. Not evill men or devils, for it croſſeth and controuleth their contrary courſes, and condemnes them to the pit of hell. It utterly over turns the devils kingdome, who therefore ſharply eggeth and edgeth all his inſtruments againſt it: yea and tempts better men, other whiles, to doubt of it. Whereas if it were forged and falſe he would (like a lyar as he is) foment and fight for it, promote and propagate it, as he doth Tur…iſme, Paganiſme, and other falſhoods abroad the world, though never ſo abſurd and impious.
Thus we have ſeene how the holy Scripture, by the divine matter of it, proves it ſelfe to be no leſſe than divine: and that as plainly, and with as much evidence of truth, as if it ſhould ſay to us, as the Angell did to John, Rev 21 …. Rev. 22.6. Iohn 21.24.Theſe words of God are true. And againe, Theſe words are faithfull and true. Looke how wee learne not Grammar, but by Grammar; ſee not the Sunne, but by the light of the Sunne; and as a learned man proves himſelfe to be learned: So doe the Scriptures prove themſelves to be the undoubted Word of God,Ad probandani veritatent … efficacius testimonio adverſariorum. Greg. Arch. Nazar. Libros Scripturae canmicos eſſe divin…s, praeter argumenta alia, etiam haberi ex Scriptura ipſa. lib. 1. cap. 2. de Verbo Dei. the Wiſdome of God in a myſtery, and Wiſedome is juſtified of her children, nay of her enemies.
Bellarmine impudently affirmes in one place, that it cannot poſſibly be proved out of Scripture, that any Scripture is of God. But in another diſcourſe, forgetting what hee had elſewhere ſaid, hee gives himſelfe the lye, telling us, that among other arguments tending to evince the divinity of the Canonicall bookes of Scripture, there is ſufficient ſaid in the Scipture it ſelfe.
Laſtly, looke we upon its admirable effects, and irreſiſtible power to effect the thing whereunto it is appointed, to breake the ſtubborne, binde up the broken-hearted, &c. not onelyonly to informe, as other writings, but to reforme, yea transform the ſoule from glory to glory, till it be wholly conformed to that heavenly patterne.1 Cor. 24, 5. Num. 24.17. Chriſt ſhall unwall (or caſt down the wals) of all the children of Seth, is by the Goſp. Rev. 6.2. Gods Word is his arme to gather his Saints about him out of the world, his power of ſalvation to as many as beleeve, his mighty weapon of warre to caſt downe ſtrong holds, his charriot of ſtate, whereon the King of glory rides triumphantly into the hearts of his choſen. Upon thoſe white horſes (his holy Apoſtles) the Lord Chriſt rode with a crowne on his head,Britannorum inacceſſa Romanis loca, Chriſto vero ſubdita. Adverſ. Iudaeos cap. 7. and another in his hand, conquering, and to conquer. Tertullian tells the Jewes that thoſe places among the Britaines that the Romanes could never come at, were ſoone ſubdued by Chriſt.De nat. door. Britanni hoſpitibus feri. Hor. carm. l. 3. od. 3. Hoſpi…es mactabunt pro hostia. Acron: Ʋt à ſole longè diſtabant, &c. Bond in loc. Tully tells us that the Britaines in his time were every whit as barbarous and bruitiſh as the Scythians. S. Hierome makes frequent mention of this our Iſland, but ſo, as he ever oppoſeth it to ſome other well-ordered country. Wilde our forefathers were, and wicked above meaſure, fierce, and inhoſpitall, not further remote from the Sun, than from the Sun of righteouſneſſe, yea from all civility and humanity; little better than thoſe poore people of Braſil, who are ſaid to be ſine fide, ſine lege, ſine rege, without religion, law, or good government; till Chriſt the King came with his bow in his hand (to wit, his mighty Goſpel) wherewith he wounds his elect to converſion, his enemies to confuſion. But as wee were of the firſt that received the Goſpel, ſo likewiſe among the firſt that fell from the purity thereof, putting our neckes under the yoke of Antichriſtian tyranny and bondage. Among all thoſe authentique Records of the Popes uſurpations,Hiſt of Trent by Laugh. preſ. It was truly and trimly ſaid by Pope Innocent 4. Ve… è enim hertus deliciatum Papis fu… tum Anglia & put…us mexhauſtus. none more wofull tragedies are found of his cruelty, than ſuch as were acted upon our ſtage, no higher trophies erected to his ambition than here, no more rare examples of a devout abuſed patience than ours. England was called the Popes Aſſe, for bearing his intolerable burdens, and became at length his feudatary, ſo leaving Gods bleſſing for the warme Sunne,Poſiquam Deo, ut dixi, reconciliatus, me ac mea regna (prob dolor!) Romanae ſubjeci Eccl…ſiae, nulla mihi proſpera, ſed omnia adverſa evenerunt. …ex Io…n. as King John found it to his coſt, and complained, but without remedy. Nevertheleſſe this we retaine ſtill to the glory of our Nation, that as wee were the firſt of thoſe ten Kingdomes, Rev. 17. in defection, ſo were we firſt in reformation: and that ſuch as the former age had deſpaired of, the preſent admires, and the future ſhall be amazed at. The eſtabliſhing of this reformation wrought amongſt …s by the mighty Word of Gods grace, to be done by ſo weake and ſimple meanes, yea by caſuall and croſſe meanes,Sands Relation (as one ſpeaketh) againſt the force of ſo potent and politike an adverſary (the beaſt whom all the world wondred after) this is that miracle that wee are in theſe laſt times to looke for. As Joſhuah ſubdued Jericho by Rams-hornes, Gideon the Midianites by lamps and trumpets, Jehoſaphat the Ethiopians by muſicall inſtruments: ſo Chriſt, by the onelyonly ſound of his word, without drawing weapon, ſubdued us to the faith. Thoſe Angels, the firſt Reformers, were ſet and ſent to flye in the midſt of heaven with the everlaſting Goſpel, and to cry, Feare God, and give glory to him, by abdicating and abrenoun…ing thoſe your hereticall tenets, and doctrines of devils, that you may receive the truth in love, and be ſaved, Rev. 14.7.
And this is ſomewhat to prove the point in hand. But there is yet a further mighty worke of the word, whereby it well appeares and approves it ſelf to be the very word of God: and that is the effectuall converſion of a ſinner from the errour of his way. Not from the errour of his minde onelyonly, but of his manners alſo. For the minde may be throughly convinced, and yet the man not truly converted. A pagan or papagan, for inſtance, muſt give two turnes, ere he turne indeed. As corn muſt not onelyonly be threſhed out of the ſtraw, but afterwards winnowed out of the chaffe: ſo muſt a Papiſt turne not onelyonly from his popery, but from his prophaneneſſe:Pacian in epiſt. ad Sempton. he muſt have Catholike for his name, and Chriſtian for his ſirname: not onelyonly be no Papiſt, but a zealous Proteſtant: he muſt bee of thoſe valiant ones in Eſay, foreign Matth. 11.12. Arripiunt, vel diripiunt, ut citatur ab Hilar. Metaph. A caſtris aut arce quapiam quae irrumpentibus hoſt…bus diripitur.and of thoſe violent ones in the Goſpel, that take Gods kingdome by maine force, as thoſe doe that take a ſtrong caſtle, or a defenced city, or as the people of Iſrael invaded and ſurprized the promiſed land. There are that reſt in a careleſſe indifferency, or a negative goodneſſe at the beſt, as it is ſaid of Ithacius, that the hatred of Priſcillianiſme (ſo now adayes of Popery) was all the vertue that he had*Hooker ex Sulpitio.. But the Scripture gives more grace, ſaith Saint James, Iames 4.more than conviction of the judgement,Acts 20.32. it gives inheritance among them that are ſanctified, ſaith Paul. It converts the ſoule, ſaith David. Pſal. 19.7.It quickens thoſe that were dead in ſinnes and treſpaſſes,Eph. 2.1. as a ſavour of life; for it is, heare, Iſai 55.3.and your ſoules ſhall live. And when the ſpirit feeles it ſelfe dead and decayed (as in a relapſe into ſome foule ſin) this good Word revives it, as the breath of God did thoſe dry bones in Ezechiel, Ruth 4.15.as Boaz is ſaid to be a reſtorer of the old age of Naomi. The words that I ſpeake unto you,Iohn 6.63. they are ſpirit and life, ſaith Jeſus,Non cum Ieſu itis quippe itis cum Ieſuitis. Heidfeld. E ſocietate Ieſu ſuit, qui illum nefariè prodidit. Pſal. 119.68. not a brute and dead thing, as the Jeſuites baſely ſlander it, but quicke and powerfull, as our Authour hath it. The Word both hath life & gives life, as David ſaith of God the Authour of it, Thou art good, and doſt good: as the Sunne both hath light and diffuſeth light. And as the beams of the Sunne beating upon a fitly diſpoſed matter, beget life, and make a living creature: ſo doth this Word of God, applyed to the conſciences, make a new-creature. Mannah was but a ſmall thing, but of great vertue, ſo is the word. I can ſpeak it by experiēce, ſaith Eraſmus, Expertus ſum in meipſo patum eſſe fructus ex Evangelia ſiquis oſcitanter & perſunctoriè legat. &c. Praefat in Lucam.that there is little good to be got by the Goſpel, if a man reade it curſorily and careleſly: but if he exerciſe himſelfe therein conſtantly and conſcionably, hee ſhall feele ſuch a force in it, as is not to be found againe in any other booke whatſoever. Humane writings may ſhew ſome faults to bee avoided, but give no power to amend them: but the feare of the Lord is cleane, Nemo adeo f…rus eſt, qui non micaſcere poſsit, Si modò culturae patientem accommodet aurem. Hor.ſaith David: and, Now are ye cleane by the word that I have ſpoken unto you, ſaith our Saviour. Sanctifie them by thy truth, thy Word is truth, Philoſophy may civilize,Abſcondit vitia non abſcindit. Lactan. Sireſipuit à vino suit ſemper tamen temu'entus ſacrilegio. Ambr. de Elia & jejunio, cap. 12. not ſanctifie; hide ſome ſins, not heale them; cover, not cure them; barb and curb them, not abate and aboliſh them. Ambroſe ſaith well concerning Poleme, who of a drunkand by hearing Xenocrates became a Philoſopher: Though hee forſooke his wine-bibbing, yet he continued drunke with ſuperſtition.Porphyry ſaith, it was pity ſuch a man as Paul ſhould be caſt away upon our religion. Plato came thrice into Sicily to convert Dionyſius the tyrant to morall Philoſophy, and could not. But Peter by the fooliſhneſſe of preaching converted his thouſands,Hieron. de clar. ſcriptorib. and Paul his ten thouſands. And as Scipio was called Africanus, Da mihi virum qui ſit iracundus, maledicus, effraenotus, pauciſſimis Dei verbis tam placidum quàm ovem reddam. Da cupidum, avarum, tenacem, jam tibi eum libera'em, dab…, &c. Da libidinoſum, crude'em, injuſtum, continuò & aequue & castus & clemens, &c. Nunquis haec Philoſophorum aut unquam praeſtitit, aut praeſtare poteſt? Lactant. l…b. …. Inſt t. cap. 86.another Numantinus, a third Macedonicus from the countries they conquered: ſo had this worthy Warriour his name changed from Saul to Paul, for a memoriall (likely) of thoſe firſt ſpoiles hee brought into the Church of Chriſt: not the head, but the heart of that noble Sergius Paulus. After whoſe converſion he beganne to be knowne by the name of Paul, and not till then, Act. 13.9. So then, the efficacy and vertue of the Scripture to produce the love of God, and our enemies, to purifie the heart to pacifie the conſcience, to rectifie the whole both conſtitution and converſation of a man, to take him off from the delights of the world and fleſh, to make him glory in afflictions, ſing in the flames, triumph over death: all theſe and more, doe neceſſarily conclude the divine authority of the Scriptures. What words of Philoſophers could ever make of a Leopard a Lamb, of a Viper a Childe, of a leacher a chaſte man, of a Nabal a Nadib, of a covetous carle a liberall perſon? Iſay 23.18. Tyrus turning to God, and receiving the Goſpel, leaves hoarding and heaping her wealth, and findes another manner of employment for it, viz. to feed and cloath the poore people of God. Two or three words of Gods mouth (ſaith that Father) worke ſuch an evident and entire change in a man,Pauca Dei praecepta ſic t…tum hominem immutant, ut non cognoſca… eundem eſſe. Lactant. ubi ſupra. that you can ſcarce know him to be the ſame, as in Zacheus, Paul, Oneſimus, and others.
Neither need we wonder hereat, conſidering that Dei dicere eſt facere, Gods words (where he pleaſeth to ſpeake home to the heart) are operative, and carry a vertue in them: together with his Word there comes forth a power, as his bidding Lazarus ariſe and came forth, cauſed him to doe ſo. And as in the Creation he ſaid, Let there be light, and there was light: ſo in the new creation; ſee 2 Cor. 4.6. As there the ſpirit moved upon the face of the waters, and there-hence hatched the creature, ſo here he ſpake unto them,foreign Gen. 1.2. and at the ſame time breathed on them the holy Ghoſt, Job. 20.22. It is ſaid Luke 5.17. that as Chriſt was teaching, the power of the Lord was preſent to heale the people, ſo is it ſtill in his Word and Ordinances. As for me, this is my covenant with them, ſaith the Lord, My ſpirit which is upon thee, Iſay 59.21.and my words which J have put in thy mouth ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeed, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeeds ſeed, ſaith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. The Word and Spirit runne parallell in the ſoule, as the veines and arteries doe in the body. The veines carry the blood, and the arteries carrie the ſpirits to beat forth, and to quicken the blood. Hence 2 Cor. 3.6. ſpirit is put for the Goſpel, in and with which it worketh: and grace in the heart is elſewhere often likened to ſeed in the wombe, becauſe it is firſt formed there, by an admirable coition of the Word and Spirit, till Chriſt be formed in us. It is the worke of the Spirit to make the ſeed of the Word prolificall and generative;foreign. Iam. 1.21. to make it an inbred Word, as Saint James calleth it, not onelyonly able but effectuall to ſave the ſoule. Surely as the earth is made fruitfull when the heavens once anſwer the earth: Hoſ. 2.21. Rom. 7.4.ſo are our hearts, when the Spirit workes with the Word, cauſing us to bring forth fruit to God. And this, doubtleſſe, is that reall teſtimony given by the Spirit to the Word, that it is indeed the Word of God.
Neither is he wanting in his vocall teſtimony (that inward divine teſtimony above-mentioned) which yet is heard by none but Gods own houſhold, & is confined to the communion of Saints, whoſe conſciences he ſecretly perſwadeth of this truth, and ſweetly ſeales it up to them. This is promiſed, Eſay 52.6. They ſhall know in that day that I am he that doth ſpeake, behold it is I. And Joh. 7.17. If any man will doe his will, he ſhall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I ſpeake of my ſelfe. And as it is promiſed, ſo is it performed too; for he that beleeveth, hath the witneſſe in himſelfe; 1 Iohn 5.10. Cant. 2.8. Cant. 5.2. 1 Cor. 2.15. 1 Iohn 2.20, 27. Iſay 53.1. Matth. 13.11.ſo that he can ſafely ſay, It is the voice of my beloved that knockes. The ſpirituall man diſcerneth all things, for he hath the minde of Chriſt, and an unction within, that teacheth him all things; to him is the arme of the Lord revealed, and to him it is given (that which is denyed to others) to know the myſteries of the kingdome of heaven: So that he no ſooner heares, but he beleeves,Eph 1.13. and is ſealed with that holy ſpirit of promiſe, whoſe inward teſtimony of the truth and authority of the Scriptures, is ever met by a motion of the ſanctified ſoule, inſpired by the ſame ſpirit, more ſtedfaſtly reſting it ſelfe in that teſtimony,1 Cor. 12.3. 1 Cor 14.37. than if he ſhould heare from heaven, as Auſtin did,Sae penume…ò m…ceum cogitans unde tam ſitadibilis ſit haec ſcriptura, unde tam potenter inſtuat, &c. Vide an id ſit in cauſa quod perſuaſi ſumus, eam à pr m… veritate ſluxiſſe: Sed undè ſumus ita perſuaſi niſi a … ipſa? &c. Becan… baculus pag 104. Tolle, lege, take and reade this booke of God: or than if ſome Angell ſhould bring him a Bible and ſay, This is the very word of the living God. For ſuch a voice might haply be ſuſpected for a deluſion of the devill, who can eaſily tranſforme himſelfe into an Angell of light. But this teſtimony of the Spirit we know to be true, Joh. 14.17. becauſe he is both a Spirit of truth, and a ſearcher of the deepe things of God, 1 Cor. 2.10. OnelyOnly it muſt be remembred, that this inward witneſſe is not to be pretended or produced for confirmation of doctrine to others, or for confutation of adverſaries; but that every one for himſelfe might be hereby certified and ſatisfied in his very conſcience, that the holy Scriptures are of God. The Churches teſtimony without this is of little value or validity with us;Teſtatu… Eccleſia, ſed ut index, non ut judex. Eph. 2.20. Lib. contra ep. Fundam. cap. 5. it being meerly informativum & directivum, non certificativum & terminativum fidei. And whereas Auſtin ſaith, I ſhould not beleeve the Goſpel, but that the authority of the Church moved me thereunto: we muſt know that hee ſpeaketh there of himſelfe as then unconverted to the faith, and ſo not acquainted with the Spirits teſtimony.Testificatio Eccleſiae poteſt apud infidel s eſſe occaſio ut credere incipiant, at nihil facit ad fidei foreign. Alſted. ſyst. Th. Now what wonder if ſuch be moved by the conſent and authority of the Church, which is to them an introduction whereby they are better prepared to beleeve the Scriptures, yea inclined at firſt to thinke them to be the Word of God, and ſo made willing to reade and heare them. This is all that that Father intends, and as much as the Scripture allowes. As for the Papiſts, that are all for their holy mother-Church in this buſineſſe, they plainly proclaime hereby that they are an adulterous generation, a baſtardly brood. foreign ſpuria ſoboles.whereas the babes of Chriſt know their Father, 1 Joh. 2.13. and that the excellency and authority of his Word is above all both men and Angels, Gal. 1.8. how much more above that Church malignant which they reſolve, at laſt, into the Pope, whom they ſay to be the Church vertuall.Illud neſcio an ſit argumentum omnibus argumentis m jus: quod qui vere Chriſtians ſunt, ita ſe animo divinitùs affectos eſſe ſentiant, ut praecipuè quidem propter nullum argumentum, ſed propter ſupernaturalem divinam revelationem, &c. Greg. de Valentia de analyſi fidei, lib. 1. c. 20. But how can I better ſhut up this part of my diſcourſe, than with that of a famous Jeſuite ſubſcribing to this truth. I know not, ſaith he, but that this is an argument above all arguments, that they that are Chriſtians indeed, finde themſelves ſo affected from heaven toward the Scriptures, that they beleeve them to be divine, for no other argument ſo much, that can be drawne from their antiquity, efficacy, number of Martyrs, confeſſion of adverſaries, &c. as for a ſupernaturall divine revelation, that ſtrongly perſwadeth them thereunto.