An Antidote Against Heresy, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of the holy Scriptures.
THe holy Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament are the very Word of God,Truth. written by holy men as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt, and contain all things that are neceſſary to be known, or beleeved, to eternal ſalvation, being ſufficient of themſelves to inſtruct the Church or people of God thereunto. By holy Scripture we underſtand only thoſe books that were anciently accounted, and are now received by the Church of England for Canonical.
Adverſaries and ErroursErrours. that oppoſe this truth are many; but may all be reduced to theſe three heads. 1. Are thoſe that enlarge the Canon of holy Scripture, adding many things to it that are not of it. 2. Are thoſe that diminiſh the ſame, denying ſome parts, and taking ſome books from it. 3. There be thoſe that refuſe and re…ect the whole, debaſing and deſpiſing the Authority of the holy Scriptures, and eſteeming no better of them then of humane writings.
1. Of this latter ſort were anciently Simon Magus, Montanus, and ſuch deceivers; and they are followed at this day by the Anabaptiſts, who call the written Word a dead letter, and ground their new doctrines upon revelations, dreams and viſions, whereunto they give ſuch credit that at Sangal, a Town of Switzerland, one of them cut of his brothers head, pretending a revelation or command from heaven ſo to do: Sleidan Comment. l. 6. By this art Mahomet brought his damnable religion in credit with the world; for having the falling ſickneſs, he pretended it was a trance wherein he received revelations fr…m heaven; and by the ſame art Muncer, Becold, Cnipperdolling, and other falſe Prophets of the Anabaptists in Germany ſeduced a world of poor miſerable people to their own deſtruction. The Papiſts ſay the Scriptures are of no more credit and authority then meer Fables, without the Teſtimony and approbation of the Church; and take them quite away from the reading of Lay-people as dangerous and hurtful: and have burnt not only the books of Scripture, but bodies of men too, for having them in a known tongue; ſuch bitter enemies they are to the Word of God.
2. There be others that deny not the whole, but diminiſh only the Canon of holy Scripture, refuſing ſome parts and rejecting ſome books: 1. The whole New-Teſtament, as the Jews do. Or 2. all the Old Teſtament, as the new Libertines do, who affirm it is abrogated: the Socinians, who ſay it is unneceſſary, and may well be ſpared.
3. And there be others that enlarge the Canon of holy Scripture, adding many things to it, that are not of it; ſo the Papiſts do; not only traditions or unwritten verities, as they call them, but fabulous legends alſo and written lyes, upon a pretence of want and defect in the Scriptures, as not containing all truths neceſſary to ſalvation; nor ſufficient to inſtruct us thereunto, without a ſupply of Apochryphal books, traditions, and divers humane inventions.
AntidoteThe Scriptures are the only touchſtone to try and diſcern Truth from Error by; and are called a Teſtament, becauſe they are teſtis mentis, the witneſs of Gods moſt holy will; againſt all adverſaries then, and their errours, we affirm;
Firſt, that the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament are the very Word of God; of ſufficient authority and credit without the Church, or any humane teſtimony, to eſtabliſh any point of doctrine and decide any controverſie of Religion. For ſuch as the authority of the author of any writing is, ſuch is the authority of the writing it ſelf; but God is the Author of holy Scripture, therefore the Scriptures are of divine authority, of credit ſufficient in and of themſelves to be beleeved, without the teſtimony or approbation of any man or men. If the Scriptures be the Word of God, then who dares deny their authority, refuſe what they command, or do what they forbid? But the Scriptures are the Word of God. For,
Firſt, The pen-men, that wrote them, were called and ſent of God; they were aſſiſted of God, confirming their doctrine with mighty ſigns and wonders, beyond any humane power or skill: and they were inſpired of God, teaching and writing, though themſelves ſimple and unlearned, moſt high and divine myſteries, above the reach of any natural wit, and ſuch as the very Angels of Heaven deſired to look into.
Secondly, The doctrine, or matter that is written, is, 1. Heavenly and divine about heavenly and divine things. 2. It is moſt certain and true, all things that were foretold, moſt certainly came to paſs; and though they were written in ſeveral places, ages, and times, by ſeveral perſons, of ſeveral arguments, yet all the books of holy Scripture, from the beginning to the end, do moſt ſweetly accord or agree together, as the dictates of one and the ſame Spirit of truth.
Thirdly, The effects of this heavenly doctrine are divine and wonderful, as never any writings in the world did produce the like; For though it be contrary to humane reaſon, and moſt croſs to our natural luſts and affections, yet it works and wins ſo upon men both powerfully and ſweetly, that it wooes and weans men, not only from the world, but alſo from themſelves; It diſcerns the thoughts, comforts the heart, enlightens the mind, convinceth the conſcience, and makes ſuch a change in the whole man that it makes him a new man, transforming and conforming him to the image of God in true holineſs, all moſt ſure arguments of a divine Spirit.
Fourthly, It hath made a thorough conqueſt of the whole world, by the endeavors of very weak and ſilly men, bringing mighty Nations in obedience unto Chriſt, maugre all oppoſition that could be made againſt it, a plain demonſtration that it is the Word of God and not of man; and it hath continued and been preſerved even to admiration, though a world of counſels have been taken, and attempts made to deſtroy it.
Fifthly, The teſtimony of the Church in its due place is to be eſteemed as not a little moving; the conſent and confeſſion of Chriſtians in all ages, but eſpecially the ſufferings of holy Martyrs in defence of the ſame.
Sixthly, The teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt to our hearts and conſciences puts all out of doubt: this doth not only perſwade, but moſt certainly aſſure us that the Scriptures are the Word of God; it imprints a firm belief of it in our hearts, called the ſealing of the Spirit, Eph. 1.13.
Laſtly, The holy Scriptures give teſtimony of themſelves: 2 Tim. 3.16. All the Scripture is given by inspiration of God. 2 Pet. 1.21. Holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt. And the Prophets always delivered their meſſage, with, Thus ſaith the Lord, The Mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it.
The Scriptures then are of ſupream and ſoveraign authority; above the Church and greater then the Church by ſo much as the authority of God is greater then the authority of men. The Scriptures, for the matter or ſubſtance, were before the Church, even that immortal ſeed whereof the Chu…ch ſprang and grew, and is ſtill the ground whereon it ſtands, the pillar whereby it is ſupported; Epheſ. 2.20. The pillar and ground of the Church is the Scripture: Irenaeus l. 3. cont. Haer. c. 11. The authority of him that ſpake it, is ſufficient to confirm it: Theodor. in Ezek. c. 34. The Scripture is to be judg in all matters of concroverſie: Iſa. 8.20. To the Law and to the Testimony. Joh. 5.39. Search the Scriptures for they teſtifie of me. Acts 17.11. The men of Berea ſearched dayly the Scriptures, whether thoſe things were ſo as Paul ſpake.
Secondly, The Old Teſtament is not abrogated, or grown unprofitable; but together with the New is ſtill neceſſary for our inſtruction. 2 Tim. 3.16. All Scripture (the Old Teſtament as well as the New) is profitable for inſtruction. Joh. 5.39. Search the Scriptures, ſaith our Saviour, (i.) the Old Teſtament; for then there was no other. Our Saviour ſpake many things out of the Old Teſtament to confirm the doctrine of the New, therefore it is of as great authority.
Object. But the Law and the Prophets were until John, ſince that time the Kingdom of God is preached, Luk. 16.16.
Sol. They were until John, and then not abrogated but ſwallowed up of a greater light; the Old Teſtament is the ſame Goſpel that is in the New; the ſame Spirit, ſame Chriſt; Chriſt yeſterday, to day, and the ſame for ever, Heb. 13.8. Yeſterday under the Law, to day under the Goſpel, and the ſame ſtill. The Old and New Teſtament give mutual light and teſtimony one to another; the one foretelling thoſe things that the other teſtifies are really and truly come to paſs.
Thirdly, The Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament are perfect and ſufficient of themſelves, without any other help or ſupply, to inſtruct us in the means of ſalvation. We are forbidden to add to, or diminiſh any thing from it, Deut. 12.32. Rev. 22.18, 19. And if a part were ſo perfect that it needed no addition, how much more the whole? Pſa. 19.7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the ſoul. Joh. 20.31. Theſe things were written, that beleeving we might have life everlasting; and what can be deſired more? 2 Tim. 3.15.17. The Scriptures make us wiſe unto ſalvation: they make the man of God perfect. This perfection of the Scripture excludes tradition; For what ſhall be added to that which is perfect? or what ſupply needs to that which is ſufficient of it ſelf? Tradition is either written or unwritten: 2 Theſ. 2.15. Written Tradition is the Scripture it ſelf: Unwritten Tradition, if it be agreeable to the Scripture, is included in the ſame, and ſo to be received as the Scripture it ſelf: if it be againſt or contrary to the Scripture, it is to be rejected as the fruit of ſome lying ſpirit, and not the Spirit of God, for as much as that Spirit of truth cannot contradict the written Word, whereof himſelf was the Author.
Fourthly, In all neceſſary points of faith the Scriptures are plain and eaſie enough to be underſtood, ſo that the ſimple and unlearned may and ought to read them. Prov. 6.23. The Commandment is a lamp or candle, and the Law is light. Pſa. 19.7, 8. The teſtimony of the Lord is ſure, and giveth wiſdom unto the ſimple; the Commandment of the Lord is pure and giveth light unto the eyes. Pſa. 119. Thy Word is a lanthorn unto my feet, and a light unto my paths. And if it be a light, it muſt needs enlighten others, and cannot be hid but only to them that are loſt; not that the Scriptures themſelves are hidden, dark, and obſcure, but the god of this world hath blinded Their eyes, &c. 2 Cor. 4.3. The end of the Scriptures, is the inſtruction of the Church; Rom. 15.4. Whatſoever things were written, were written for our learning; and one neceſſary mean to attain this end is the perſpicuity and plainneſs of the Scripture; for if it were dark or doubtful, how ſhould it inſtruct us? In vain is it called a Light, if it be dark in it ſelf; and to no purpoſe are we ſent to learn it, if it be ſo to us. The Scriptures are an inſtrument to beget Faith: Joh. 20.31. Rom. 10.17. And the firſt ſtep or degree of faith is knowledg, which the Scriptures could not beget if they were dark, difficult or obſcure.
Object. But S. Peter ſays, there are many things in S. Pauls Epiſtles hard to be understood, which unlearned men wreſt to their own deſtruction, 2 Pet. 3.16.
Sol. If any thing be hard in one place, either it is ſuch as the ignorance thereof will not hazard our ſalvation, or elſe it is explained and made eaſie in another place. And by unlearned men the Apoſtle underſtand not men wanting humane learning, as the liberal arts and ſciences, &c. but men unlearned in the Scriptures themſelves, ſuch as moſt times the learned and wiſe men of the world are. For it is known, that men otherwiſe unlearned, ſimple a…d ignorant, coming in humility, the fear of God and love of truth, uſing prayer, reading, comparing of Scriptures, &c. have attained unto a ſufficient meaſure of ſaving knowledg. For the Scriptures diſcover themſelves by their own proper light, one place expounding and opening the meaning of another; Auguſt. de Doct. Chriſt. .l 2. c. 2.9.24. all things are ſeen by the light, but light by it ſelf.
Laſtly, Thoſe books that we commonly call Apocrypha are not of divine authority, becauſe they were not written by the Prophets or men divinely inſpired, as the other Scriptures were, that are therefore called the Scriptures of the Prophets, Rom. 12.26. Our Saviour divides all Canonical Scripture into Moſes and the Prophets, Luk. 16.29. But none of thoſe books were written by Moſes or any of the Prophets, nor dictated by the Spirit of God, but ſavour of a prophane and lying ſpirit, as containing matter and ſtories, both vain, fooliſh, and fabulous, very often contradicting themſelves, and alſo the known Word of God; as in the books of Tobit and the Maccabees, the Stories of Bell and the Dragon, are ſpecially to be found.
The Jews received none of thoſe books in their Canon: neither by any of the primitive Chriſtians or ancient Fathers were accounted for Canonical: and what account the learned Papiſts themſelves make of them, may appear by Arias Montanus, who in the front of his Bible hath theſe words: There be added in this Edition the books written in Greek, which the Catholick Church, following the Canon of the Hebrew, reckoneth amongst the Apocrypha.