The True Treasury, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
SEcondly, Is it the word of Gods grace that we read and heare? then may wee ſafely reſt and rely upon it for direction and conſolation, eſtabliſhing our hearts theron, and delivering up our ſelves therto: When expounded and applyed. It is a ſure Word of prophecy, 1 Pet. 1.20. more ſure then ſome voyce from Heaven, for that might be a deluſion: More ſure then any words or writings of men whatſoever; ſith all men are lyers and may erre and deceive, whether they be bad men or better. For the former, the Church (by Gods, whether permiſſion or appointment for excellent ends and uſes) hath ever bin peſtered with Impoſtours, 2 Pet. 2.1. Acts 20.30. Speaking perverſe things, and ſeducing unſtable ſoules, as with the cogging of a Dye. The Divell deales by ſuch as the Fiſher doth by the baite,foreign he catcheth one fiſh with another, that he may make a prey of both.
Secondly, there are not the beſt, but if we have their perſons in over-much admiration, or think of of them above that which is written, 2 Cor. 11.3. 1 Cor. 13.they may corrupt our minds from the ſimplicity of Chriſt. Here they know but in part, and therefore prophecy but in part: By meanes of thoſe remains of ignorance (mother of miſtake) they may, if they ſpeak not according to the Oracles of God, taint our judgements and miſguide us, as Nathan did David, as Peter did Barnabas, as Saint Luke and the reſt of the Brethren would have done Saint Paul, Acts 21.12. We beſought him not to go up, &c. Wherin if they had prevailed with him, they had meerly miſled him (as the old Bethlehite did the Prophet of Judah) to his ſingular diſadvantage.1 Kin. 13. So that it is not ſafe truſting to any mans authority or bare teſtimony, without juſt ground of Gods Word: there being none ſo venerable for heigth of holineſſe, or depth of learning, but may ſtep beſides the way, Deceiving and being deceived. But now,Pro 30. Pſalme 1….7, 8 expounded. Biſ…on Coloſ. Every Word of God is pure, ſaith Salomon, there is no crookedneſſe in it: And the Law of the Lord is perfect, ſaith David, good for all occaſions, uſefull in all our wayes; ſuch as anſwereth all our needs and doubts.
Apochryphall Authours deliver themſelves doubtfully; are not confident of their owne Relations, have ſome things beſide, ſome things againſt the truth. And as in notable burglaries, a hat, glove, or ſword is often left behind for diſcovery, ſo in the Apocripha, though more honeſt, ſome errours have eſcaped to diſcover the Authours. Theſe books were added to the Canon by the Jewes of the diſperſion, called Helleniſts, in their Greek Tranſlations, as profitable to be read, but yet with Judgement,Ie… 15.19. wiſely ſeperating the precious from the vile, for what is the chaffe to the wheate, ſaith the Lord?
The like we may ſay of other humane Authours, though never ſo Authenticall.Cuffes d…ffer: of ages. Ariſtotle, the Patriarch of Phyloſophers, denies Gods ſingular providence, affirmes the worlds eternity, commends Revenge,*Ariſt: Rhet: cap. 1. l 9. &c. Hom…r the Prince of Poets is baniſhed by Plato out of his Common-wealth, as a teacher of vices,foreign. 1 Pet. 1.18. De nat: deor: l. 3. Stantibus Hieroſolymis, pacatiſ que Iudaeis, tamen iſt orum religio ſacrorū a ſplendore hujus imperij, gravitate nomini… noſtri, mai…rum inſtitutis abhor rebat, &c Cic… pro L. Flacco. by the example of their gods. Cicero, the chiefe Oratour, refuſeth to be reduced from the ſuperſtition received by tradition from his fore-Fathers by any argument: And judgeth the Romane Religion, to be better than that of the Jewes, becauſe more ſutable to the ſplendor of the Empire, and cuſtomes of their Anceſtours, and becauſe they proſpered and were victorious, when the Jewes were their ſlaves and vaſſailes. Of thoſe ſince our Saviours time, Seneca jeares the Jews for caſting away a ſeventh part of their time upon a weekly Sabbath: And although hee write many things divinely,Epiſt. 53 yet one thing execrably, Eſt aliquid, quo ſapiens antecedat Deum: ille Naturae beneficio non ſuo ſapiens eſt. Tacitus is ſaid to be Primus in Hiſtoria, yet how baſely doth he ſpeak of the Chriſtian Religion,Tacitum Lipſiu… immemorē ſecum que pu… ̄ tem… Tertu… mendacioril loquac…ſſimii ap…ellat, Iohnſ: d… Nat. G…enus. biblia irriſit, &c. …. Pride: and for other matters Lipſius ſhewes how he forgets and thwarts himſelf in many things: And Tertullian calleth him, Mendaciorum loquaciſſimum, a loud and lewd lyar. Galen the chiefe Phyſitian laughes at the Bible: Ʋlpian the chiefe Lawyer by his impious whiſperings, incenſed Severus the Emperour againſt the Martyrs. Porphyry the chiefe Aristotelean, and Plotinus the chiefe Platoniſt wrote bitterly againſt Chriſtianity.B. Andrews So did Libanius and Lucian the chief Oratours: And Julian made and publiſhed falſe Dialogues between Chriſt and Peter to induce youth to the hatred of our Religion.
Come to the Fathers, whom we worthily follow,1 Cor. 11.1. ſo farre as they follow Chriſt, and Sait Paul requires no more.Non audiamus Haec ego dico, haec tu dicis, ſed haec dicit Dominus, Aug: de unit, Eccleſ c. 3 Hieron: non dubitat anathema illi denunciare qui dlxerit legis impletionē eſſe impoſſibilem …ed quid viſum ſit Hieronymo, nihil moramur: nos quid verum ſit inquirimus, Calv: Scholaſtici vel hoc nomine non ta…ti ſunt à nobis faciēdi quia in Iuſtifica…ionisarti…ulo, vix quicquā tradiderunt ſolidi, O Prideaux. But they had their errours many of them, and will not paſſe (though currant gold) without their allowance. Jreneus affirmes that our Saviour dyed at the age of fifty. Auſtin that the Communion ought to be given to Infants. Origen that at length all (Divels and men) ſhall be ſaved. Hierome Anathematizeth all that ſhall ſay, It is impoſſible to fullfill the Law, &c. After them the Schoole-men ſprung up a rotten Generation of dung-hill Divines, in compariſon of the Fathers, from whom they would needs diſſent, in the Article of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper eſpecially, for the forming and fomenting of their monſter of Tranſubſtantiation, the fountain of innumerable other errours. Their whole time and pains is ſpent about fooliſh and unlearned queſtions, 1 Tim. 6.for moſt part, and oppoſition of ſcience falſely ſo called. About theſe they Spider-like eviſcerate themſelves and wrack their wits, and all to weave a curious net-work to catch a fly.
The like we may ſay of moſt of the Jewiſh Rabbines. Onkelos the Chaldee Paraphraſt (the ſame is held to be that Aquila that tranſlated the old Teſtament into Greek) is a work of good uſe: ſo are ſome of their Targums and Commentaries upon Scripture. Sunt mala mixta bonis, ſunt bona mixta malis. But for their Talmud; beſides that it hath many things fabulous and ſuperfluous, the Jewes make too much of it, as Cleopatra in Plutarch did of the viper that deſtroid her: For they ſet it and their Kabbalah in equall Authority with the holy Scriptures. After the ſealing up of the Babyloniſh Talmud, that is, after the years of grace 500. till the yeare 1000, there was little written among the Jewes by reaſon of their many calamities.Alſted: Chron: pag. 417 Ius Caronicum voluminibus infinitis Canoniſtae declararunt, codemferè tempore quo Talmudiſtarū celebrari coepit nomen apud Iudaeos, & apud Arabas Alchorant valere caepit authoritas, Heidelfield. Buxtor: in Rab Bibliotheca. Alſted: Chronol p. 447. It is written in Arabique verſe in forme of dialogue betweē the Angell Gabriel and Mahomet. That which was, were ſome frothy Commentaries upon the Talmud, (as the Schoole-men altogether almoſt upon Peter Lombard, and the Canoniſts upon their Canon Law, neglecting the ſacred Canon of the Scriptures) ſaving that they delighted (as there is not a more vain-glorious people under Heaven) to prefix ſome ſtately titles before their books out of the Bible, as Caphtor uperach, An Apple and a flower; out of Exodus 21.23, &c. But Joſippus Ben-gorion is an Ocean of Jewiſh Fables patched together by the Rabbines in the time of Charles the great. The Turkiſh Alcaran is a very mixture and hodge-podge of froth and filth, vanity and villany, lyes and lewdneſſe. Yet they will need be the the only Muſulmans, that is right Beleevers. The Papiſts alſo will ſeem the only Catholikes,I am caſt out with the Fathers: I defend the doctrine of the Fathers: I tranſgreſſe the not, &c. as the Donatiſts did before them. They challenge all the Fathers as theirs, as Dioſcorus the Heretike did in the Councell of Chalcedon. And let but ſome bragadochio Jeſuite ſoulder and peece together ſome ſentences of the Fathers or Schoolmen, ſo as the books may come forth in folio, with ſome goodly pictures in the Frontiſpice, then Cedite Romani Scriptores, cedite Gray: Such a flaunt is made in the world, as if there was never the like ſeen. They ſay that the Empire of learning is within the territories of the Jeſuites; Literarum imperiū eſt penes Ieſuita…, Cauſab ex Apologiſ… a Sands his Relationthat Satan ſent Luther, and God ſent them to withſtand him, that a Jeſuite cannot be an Heretike, that the Church is the ſoule of the World, the Clergy of the Church, and they of the Clergy. Great Clearks we yeeld them to be for moſt part,Paterculus. great Polititians and Oratours, ſuch as was Caius Curio, ingenioſe nequam, wittily wicked. But withall we ſay, that in all the Shop of Hell there is no anvile ſo well ſet, wheron to forge any choyce peece of miſchiefe as that man that is both learned and lewd. Ten of their crew obviated and encountred Martin Luther at once;Eiuſdē ſarinae. ſummo conatu, acerrimo deſiderio, non vulgari doctrina, Tom: 1. Epiſt. Relinquo priora ut in illis latrē …, ſequor poſteriora, ut & illis allatrent, He put him in mind of Aeneas Sylvius, who changing his opinions becâe of a poore Canon of Trent, both Biſhop, Cardinall and Pope. Alſo Beſſarion of Nice, who of a poor Caloyer of Trapezond, became a Renowned Cardinall, and wanted not much of being Pope Hiſt of Conc of Trent, pa. 73 Heb. 11.37. they were tēpted. He rankes their uſing tongues with their terrifying ſawes, foreign.with a great deale of heat, wit and learning, at his firſt ſetting forth. But all in vain (ſo God would have it) Quo magis illi furunt (ſaith he in a certaine Epiſtle) eò ampliùs procedo, &c. The more they rage, the more reſolved I am upon my courſe: I leave what's behind, for them to barke at: I follow after that which is yet before me, that they may have further matter for them to barke at. The more out-ragious were they, the more couragious was he. Ʋergerius was ſent to offer him a Cardinalſhip, would he relinquiſh his opinions. But he anſwered, Contemptus eſt à me Romanus & favor & furor, I care neither for the favour nor fury, the allurements nor aff…ightments of Rome. Another time, there was a deſigne of proffering him a great ſumme of mony, but one wiſer then the reſt, cryed out, Hem! Germana illa Beſtia non curat aurum. That Beaſt of Germany cares for no mony. In his book of the Babyloniſh Captivity he profeſſeth that whether he would or no, he became daily more learned, and inſighted into matters of Religion; and whence thoſe Meditations came into his head, but from Heaven, he could not imagine. Yet in the buſineſſe of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, this brave man ſhew'd himſelf to be but a man: And in a certain work of his profeſſeth, that he will rather admit of Tranſubſtantiation, Scultet. Annal… tom. 1. p. 13.then remit any thing of the Corporall Preſence. Yea, that he might ſhift the Arguments wherewith Zuinglius preſſed him,In libro, quod verba Chriſti adhuc firma ſtent. he feared not once to affirme that our Saviours Body even before his Aſcenſion was in Heaven and in Earth, yea in all places at once. Zuinglius alſo himſelfe though he had the better end of the ſtaffe, yet, was hee not ſo fully enlightned in the point he defended. For in his anſwer to Jacobus Struthio, Res enim externas internum hominem aliqua in re iuvare, vel fidem aug re nō poſſeamong other things he affirms that the holy Supper was not inſtituted for the confirmation or increaſe of Faith (for how could outward things any way helpe the inward man, or tend to the increaſe of Faith?) But rather for a teſtimony of our thankfullneſſe, and for a Commemoration of the death of Jeſus Chriſt, till his comming again. So great need is there (we ſee) that we try all things we are taught, before we truſt any thing,1 Cor. 14.32. being neither over-cenſorious (Let the ſpirits of the Prophets be ſubiect to the Prophets) nor over-credulous (the foole believeth every thing) but that we proove all points (whither of Faith or fact) as Lapidaries do their ſtones,Pro. 14.15. as Gold-ſmiths their mettals, by bringing them to the Teſt, that is to the Teſtimony, Eſa. 8.20. to the patterne of wholeſome words, 2 Tim. 1.13. (as they of old did to the patterne delivered in the Mount) to that ſure word of Prophecy, 2 Pet. 1…that ſafe beame and ballance of the Sanctuary. If here they hold weight and proove approovcable, Hold faſt that which is good, 1 Theſſ. 5.22.account every parcell of truth precious, defend it to the death,Funccius Chro. as the Barons of Polonia anciently profeſſed to do,foreign. by pulling their Swords half out when the Goſpell was read. As if you find it to be a falſhood, Abſtaine, 1 Theſſ 5.22, 23.ſaith the Apoſtle from all appearance of evill, that is, if it looke but ill-favouredly, Quicquid ſuerit malè coleratū.as S. Bernard phraſeth it, if it be either ſimply evill, or but ſeemingly ſo, if it appeare but hetorodox, or carry a ſuſpition of ſin, abſtain from it, as you would do from poyſon in your meats, from a Serpent in your way,foreign, Euſeb as St. John ſprang out of Bath where Cerinthus was, for feare of further miſchiefe.Pſ. 93.5. Thorough thy Precepts J get underſtanding, therfore hate J every falſe way, though never ſo plauſible. Thy teſtimonies are very ſure, ſaith David. And, the Promiſe is ſure to all the ſeed of Abraham, ſaith Paul: Rom. 4.16.For therin we are ſure we heare God himſelfe ſpeaking, and that it is the Truth that we heare, becauſe it comes immediately from God, the firſt truth. And although it be tranſlated by men, yet is there farre leſſe mixture of humane ignorance and infirmity, then in the Sermon of any Preacher in the world; which muſt be examined by it. Hence our Saviour in token of Reverence ſtood up to read, Luke 4.16, 20but ſate downe to preach. The people alſo ſtood up all when Ezra opened the booke to read: But when they heard the Sermons they were wont to ſit; My people ſit before thee, and heare thy words, Ezek. 33.31. The Word preached muſt be prooved: but the Word read ſimply and abſolutely obey'd, without making any queſtion; unleſſe it be to be further informed or confirmed therin, as Gen. 15.8. Judg. 6.34, 37. 2 King. 20.8. Luk. 1.34. with 45. that ſo we may yeeld the obedience of Faith, Rom. 16.26. to this word of Faith, Rom. 10.8. to this Faith of Truth, 2 Theſſ. 2.13.Pſalm 119.31 Hold faſt the faithfull Word therfore, Tit. 1.9. Cleave and cling to Gods teſtimonies that you be not confounded:foreign, Epheſ. 5.15. Stand ſtrictly to them: Walk preciſely by them; ſo may you ſafely ſay, Lord if I be deceived,Ier. 20.7. Pſalm 130.5. Pſalm 119. thou haſt deceived me. J have waited on the Lord, my ſoule hath waited, and I have truſted in his Word: Thy teſtimonies are my delight and my councellours. Theſe he found more faithfull then Ahitophel, more certaine then Polibius, whoſe counſell while the Romane Generall followed, he prevailed, as where he did not,Pro. 20.18. he miſcarried, if Pauſamas may be believed. Eſtabliſh thy thoughts by counſell, ſaith the Wiſe-man, q. d. conceive not a thought without warrant of Gods word. Aime at it as an Archer at a mark,Pſalme 119.15 Pro. 7.2. Pro. 2.11. with David. Keepe it in thy heart as the pot of Manna in the Arke unputrified: Keep it as the apple of thine Eye, keepe it and it will keep thee. 2 Theſſ. 1.5 Veniat, veniat verbū Domini, & ſubm…emu… ei, ſexcenta ſi nobis eſſent colla. Baldaſſar in Epiſt: ad …ecolamp.Let it run through thy whole life, as the woofe runs through the web. Receive it conſtantly, and with thy, as thoſe Theſſalonians did, though it coſt them many perils and pains, croſſes and diſgraces. In all thy waies acknowledge God, and he ſhall direct thy ſteps, as the Angell did Iſrael in the Wilderneſſe. Only as they, ſo muſt we,Lord, ſaith Nazianzen, I am an Inſtrument for thee to touch. follow him and the line of his Law, though it ſeeme to lead us in and out, backward and forward, as he did them there, as if we were treading a maze. Let the watch of our will be ſet by the Sun-diall of his ward, let us yeeld our ſelves up to him as inſtruments to touch. And if it be God that ſpeaks in the Scriptures, what remaines but that we heare him with ſilence; obey him with chearfullneſſe in all things, as well as in any thing, Acts 3.22, 23▪ making his Word thy Rule and Rudder, thy Lanthorne and Loadſtarre to ſteere thy whole courſe by.Eadem ratione hanc vitae vi… quaeri oportet qua in alto iter navibu… quaeritur: niſi aliquid …oeli lumen obſervent, incertis …rſibus v…gantur, Lactant: l: 6 c 8 Hunc audite, Matthew 17 A good mans way is like the Marriners guided by the heavens: his hand is on the oare, but his eye on the ſtarre. And as the wiſe-men went no further then the ſtarre, and the ſtarre no further then Chriſt: ſo doth the godly Chriſtian, He follows the Lamb wherſoever he goeth, he heareth him (according to the voyce from heaven) ſticketh to him as cloſe as Eliſha to his Maſter Eliah, lets fals his plumes afore him with the Angels,Magnus eſt animus, qui ſe Deo tradidit: Puſillus, & degener, qui obluctatur, & deos mavult emendare quam ſe. Sen. Ep. 107 Matthew 11.28 Eze. 1.24. caſts down his crown at Chriſts feet with the Elders, Rev. 4. ſets the Crowne on Chriſts head, with the Spouſe, Cant. 3.11. puts a Scepter into his hand by ſubmitting to the Word of his Kingdome, by admitting of his Government, by taking his yoke upon him, by learning of him to be humble and holy, that he may find reſt to his ſoule.