The Lively Oracles Given to Us, Section 4

The Lively Oracles Given to Us · Section 4

p. 123SECT. IV. The Cuſtody of the holy Scripture is a privilege and right of the Chriſtian Church, and every member of it; which cannot without impiety to God, and injuſtice unto it and them, be taken away or empeacht.

BESIDES the keeping of the divine Law, which is obſequious, and imports a due regard to all its Precepts, commonly expreſt in Scripture by keeping the commandments, hearkning to, and obeying the voice of the Lord; walking in his waies, and obſerving and doing his ſtatutes and his judgments: there is a poſſeſſory keeping it, in reference to our ſelves and others; in reſpect whereof, Almighty God, Deut. 6. and elſewhere frequently, having enjoin'd the people of Iſrael, to love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their ſoul, and with all their might, and that the words which he commanded them ſhould be in their heart, he adds, that they ſhall teach them diligently to their children, and ſhall talk of them when they ſit down in their houſes, and when they walk by the way, and when they lie down, and when they riſe up: and that they bind them for a ſign upon their hand, and that they ſhall be as p. 124frontlets between their eies, and that they ſhall write them upon the poſts of their houſe, and on their gates. So juſtly was the Law call'd the Scripture, being written by them, and worn upon the ſeveral parts of the body, inſcrib'd upon the walls of their houſes, the entrance of their dores, and gates of their Cities; and in a word, placed before their eies wherever they convers'd.

2. AND this was granted to the Jews, as matter of privilege and favor. To them, ſaies Saint Paul, Rom. 9.4. pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the Law. And the ſame Saint Paul, at the 3. chap. 2. v. of that Epiſtle, unto the queſtion, what advantage hath the Jew, or what profit is there of circumciſion, anſwers that it is much every way, chiefly becauſe unto them were committed the Oracles of God. This depoſitum or truſt was granted to the Fathers, that it ſhould be continued down unto their children. He made a covenant, ſaies David, Pſ. 78. v. 5. with Jacob, and gave Iſrael a Law, which he commanded our Fore-fathers to teach their children, that their poſterity might know it, and the children which were yet unborn: to the intent that when they came up, they might ſhew their children the ſame. Which Scripture by a perpetual ſucceſſion was to be handed down unto the Chriſtian Church; the Apoſtles on all occaſions appealing unto them, as being p. 125read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day, Act. 13.27. and alſo privatly, in their hands; ſo that they might at pleſure ſearch into them, Jo. 5.39. Act. 17.11. Hereupon the Jews are by Saint Auſtin call'd the Capſarii, or ſervants that carried the Chriſtians books. And Athanaſius in his Tract of the Incarnation, ſaies, The Law was not for the Jews only, nor were the Prophets ſent for them alone; but that Nation was the Divinity-Schole of the whole world; from whence they were to fetch the knowledg of God, and the way of ſpiritual living: which amounts to what the Apoſtle ſaies, Galat. 3.24. That the Law was a Schole-maſter to bring us unto Chriſt.

3. AND 'tis obſervable that the very ſame word, Rom. 3.2. in the Text even now recited, which expreſſes the committing of the Oracles of God to the Jews, is made uſe of conſtantly by Saint Paul, when he declares the truſt and duty encumbent on him in the preaching of the Goſpel: of which, ſee 1 Cor. 9.17. Gal. 2.7. 1 Theſ. 2.4. 1 Tim. 1.11. Tit. 1.3. And therefore, as he ſaies, 1 Cor. 9. Tho I preach the Goſpel, I have nothing to glory of; for neceſſity is laid upon me, yea, wo is unto me if I preach not the Goſpel, for if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward; but if againſt my will, a diſpenſation of the Goſpel is committed unto me: So may all Chriſtians ſay; if we our ſelves keep and tranſmit to our poſterities the p. 126holy Scriptures, we have nothing to glory of, for a neceſſity is laid upon us, and wo be unto us if we do not our ſelves keep, and tranſmit to our poſterity the holy Scriptures. If we do this thing willingly, we have a reward; but if againſt our will, the cuſtody of the Goſpel, and at leaſt that diſpenſation of it, is committed to us. But if we are Traditors, and give up our Bibles, or take them away from others; let us conſider how black an apoſtacy and ſacrilege we ſhall incur.

4. THE Moſaic Law was a temporary conſtitution, and only a ſhadow of good things to come, Heb. 10.1. but the Goſpel being in its duration as well as its intendment, everlaſting, Rev. 14.6. and to remain when time ſhall be no more, Rev. 10.6. it is an infinitly more precious depoſitum, and ſo with greater care and ſolemner atteſtation to be preſerv'd. Not only the Clergy, or the people of one particular Church, nor the Clergy of the univerſal are entruſted with this care, but 'tis the charge, the privilege and duty of every Chriſtian man, that either is, or was, or ſhall be in the world; even that collective Church which above all competition, is the pillar and ground of truth, 1 Tim. 3.15. againſt which the aſſaults of men and devils, and even the gates of hell ſhall not prevail, Mat. 16.18.

5. THE Goſpels were not written by their holy Pen-men to inſtruct the Apoſtles, but to p. 127the Chriſtian Church, that they might believe Jeſus was the Chriſt, the ſon of God, and that believing they might have life thro his name, Jo. 20.31. The Epiſtles were not addreſt peculiarly to the Biſhops and Deacons, but all the holy brethren, to the Churches of God that are ſanctified in Jeſus Chriſt, and to all thoſe that call upon the name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 1.7. 1 Cor. 1.2. 2 Cor. 1.1. Galat. 1.2. Eph. 1.1. Col. 4.16. 1 Theſ. 5.27. Phil. 1.1. Jam. 1.1. 1 Pet. 1.1. 2 Pet. 1.1. Revel. 1.4. Or if by chance ſom one or two of the Epiſtles were addreſt to an Eccleſiaſtic perſon, as thoſe to Timothy and Titus, their purport plainly refers to the community of Chriſtians, and the depoſitum committed to their truſt; Tim. 6.20. And Saint John on the other ſide directs his Epiſtles to thoſe who were plainly ſecular; to fathers, young men, and little children; and a Lady and her children, Epiſt. 1. chap. 2.12, 13, 14. and Epiſt. 2.1.1.

6. BUT beſides the intereſt which every Chriſtian has in the cuſtody of the Scripture upon the account of its being a depoſitum entruſted to him; he has alſo another no leſs forcible; that tis the Teſtament of his Savior, by which he becomes a Son of God, no more a Servant but a Son; and if he be a Son; it is the Apoſtles inference, that he is then an heir, an heir of God thro Chriſt, Gal. 4.7. Now as he who is heir to an eſtate, is alſo to the p. 128deeds and conveiances thereof; which without injury cannot be detain'd, or if they be, there is a remedy at Law for the recovery of them: So it fares in our Chriſtian inheritance; every believer by the privilege of faith, is made a ſon of Abraham, and an heir of the promiſes made unto the fathers, whereby he has an hereditary intereſt in the Old Teſtament; and alſo by the privilege of the ſame Faith he has a firm right to the purchaſt poſſeſſion, Eph. 1.14. and the charter thereof, the New. Therfore the detention of the Scriptures, which are made up of theſe two parts, is a manifeſt injuſtice and ſacrilegious invaſion of right, which the perſon wrong'd is empower'd, nay is ſtrictly oblig'd by all lawful means to vindicate.

7. WHICH invaſion of right; will appear more flagrant when the nature and importance of it is conſider'd; which relating to mens ſpiritual intereſt, renders the violation infinitly more injurious then it could be in any ſecular. I might mention ſeveral detriments conſequent to this detention of Scripture, even as many as there are benefits appendant to the free uſe of it; but there is one of ſo fundamental and comprehenſive a nature, that I need name no more; and that is, that it delivers men up to any deluſion their teachers ſhall impoſe upon them, by depriving them of means of detecting them. p. 129Where there is no ſtandard or meſures, 'tis eaſy for men to falſify both; and no leſs eaſy is it to adulterate doctrins, where no recourſe can be had to the primary rule. Now that there is a poſſibility that falſe teachers may ariſe, we have all aſſurance; nay we have the word of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles that it ſhould be ſo: and all Eccleſiaſtic ſtory to atteſt it has bin ſo. And if in the firſt and pureſt times (thoſe Ages of more immediat illumination) the God of this world found inſtruments whereby to blind mens minds, 2 Cor. 4.4. it cannot be ſuppos'd impoſſible or improbable he ſhould do ſo now.

8. BUT to leave generals, and to ſpeak to the caſe of that Church which magiſterially prohibits Scripture to the vulgar ſhe manifeſtly ſtands liable to that charge of our Savior, Luk. 11 52. Ye have taken away the key of knowledg: and by allowing the common people no more Scripture then what ſhe affords them in their Sermons and privat Manuals, keeps it in her power to impoſe on them what ſhe pleaſes. For 'tis ſure thoſe portions ſhe ſelects for them, ſhall be none of thoſe which claſh with the doctrins ſhe recommends: and when ever ſhe will uſe this power to the corrupting their faith, or worſhip (yea, or their manners either) they muſt brutiſhly ſubmit to it, becauſe they cannot bring her dictats to the teſt.

p. 1309. BUT 'twill be ſaid, this danger ſhe wards by her doctrin of infallibility: that is, ſhe enervates a probable ſuppoſition atteſted by event, by an impoſſible one confuted by event. For 'tis certain, that all particular Churches may err; and tho the conſciouſneſs of that, forces the Roman Church upon the abſurd pretence of univerſality, to aſſert her infallibility; yet alas, Tyber may as well call it ſelf the Ocean, or Italy the world, as the Roman Church may name it ſelf the univerſal; whileſt 'tis ſo apparent that far the the leſs part of Chriſtians are under her communion. And if ſhe be but a particular Church, ſhe has no immunity from errors, nor thoſe under her from having thoſe errors (how pernicious ſoever) impos'd upon them. As to her having actually err'd, and in diverſe particulars, the proof of that has bin the work of ſo many Volumes, that 'twould be impertinent here to undertake it: I ſhall only inſtance in that of Image-worſhip; a practice perfectly irreconcileable with the ſecond Commandment; and doubtleſs, clearly diſcern'd by her to be ſo: upon which account it is, that tho by Tranſlations and Paraphraſes ſhe wreſts and moulds other Texts to comply with her doctrins, yet ſhe dares not truſt to thoſe arts for this: but takes a more compendious courſe, and expunges the Commandment; as is evident in her Catechiſms p. 131and other Manuals. Now a Church that can thus ſacrilegiouſly purloin one Commandment (and ſuch a one as God has own'd himſelf the moſt jealouſly concern'd in) and to delude her children ſplit another to make up the number, may as her needs require, ſubſtract and divide what others ſhe pleaſe: and then whilſt all reſort to Scripture is obſtructed; how fatal a hazard muſt thoſe poor ſouls run, who are oblig'd to follow theſe blind, or rather theſe winking guides into the ditch?

10. BUT all theſe criminations ſhe retorts, by objecting the dangers of allowing the Scriptures to the vulgar; which ſhe accuſes as the ſpring of all Sects, Schiſms, and Hereſies. To which I anſwer firſt, that ſuppoſing this were true, 'twas certainly fore-ſeen by God, who notwithſtanding laid no reſtraint; probably as fore-ſeeing, that the dangers of implicit faith (to which ſuch a reſtraint muſt ſubject men) would be far greater: and if God ſaw fit to indulge the liberty, thoſe that ſhall oppoſe it, muſt certainly think they do not only partake, but have tranſplanted infallibility from God to themſelves.

11. BUT ſecondly, 'tis not generally true, that Sects, Schiſms, and Hereſies are owing to this liberty: All Eccleſiaſtical Story ſhews us that they were not the illiterat Lay-men, but the learned Clerks who were uſually the broachers of Hereſies. And indeed many of p. 132them were ſo ſubtil and aerial, as could never have bin forg'd in groſſer brains; but were founded not on Scripture merely miſtaken, but rackt and diſtorted with nice criticiſms, and quirks of Logic, as ſeveral of the Ancients complain: ſom again ſprang from that ambition of attaining, or impatience of miſſing Eccleſiaſtical dignities: which appropriates them to the Clergy. So that if the abuſe infer a forfeiture of the uſe, the Learned have of all others the leaſt title to the Scriptures; and perhaps thoſe who now ingroſs them, the leaſt title of all the Learned.

12. ON the other ſide, Church-ſtory indeed mentions ſom lay-propugners of Hereſies; but thoſe for the moſt part were either ſo groſs and beſtial, as diſparag'd and confuted themſelves and Authors, and roſe rather from the brutiſh inclination of the men, then from their miſtakes of Scripture: or elſe they were by the immediat infuſion of the devil, who backt his heretical ſuggeſtions with ſorceries and lying wonders, as in Simon Magus, Menander, &c. And for later times, tho ſomtimes there happens among the vulgar a few pragmatic ſpirits, that love to tamper with the obſcureſts Texts, and will undertake to expound before they underſtand; yet that is not their common temper: the generality are rather in the other extreme, ſtupid and unobſervant even of the plaineſt doctrins. p. 133And if to this be objected the multitude of Quakers and Fanatics, who generally are of the ignorant ſort; I anſwer, that 'tis manifeſt the firſt propugners of thoſe tenets in Germany were not ſeduc'd into them by miſtakes of Scripture, but induſtriouſly form'd them, at once to diſguiſe and promote their villainous deſigns of ſedition and rapine: and as for thoſe amongſt us, it is not at all certain that their firſt errors were their own productions: there are vehement preſumtions that the ſeeds were ſown by greater Artificers; whoſe firſt buſineſs was to unhinge them from the Church, and then to fill their heads with ſtrange Chimera's of their privileges and perfections; and by that intoxication of ſpiritual pride, diſpoſe them for all deluſions: and thereby render them, like Samſons Foxes, fit inſtruments to ſet all in combuſtion.

13. BUT admit this were but a conjecture, and that they were the ſole Authors of their own frenzy; how appears it that the liberty of reading the Scripture was the cauſe of it? Had theſe men bin of the, Romiſh communion, and ſo bin interdicted privat reading, yet ſom broken parts of Scripture would have bin in Sermons and Books of devotion communicated to them; had it not bin as poſſible for them to have wreſted what they heard as what they read? In one reſpect it ſeems rather p. 134more likely: for in thoſe looſe and incidental quotations the connexion is ſomtimes not ſo diſcernable: and many Texts there are whoſe ſenſe is ſo interwoven with the context, that without conſulting that, there may be very pernicious miſtakes: on which account it is probably more ſafe that the Auditors ſhould have Bibles to conſult. So that this reſtraint of Scripture is a very fallible expedient of the infallible Church. And indeed themſelves have in event found it ſo; for if it were ſo ſoveraign a prophylactic againſt error, how comes it to paſs that ſo many of their members who were under that diſcipline have revolted from them into that which they call hereſy? If they ſay, the defection was made by ſom of the Learned to whom the Scripture was allow'd, why do they not (according to their way of arguing) take it from them alſo upon that experiment of its miſchief, and confine it only to the infallible chair? but if they own them to have bin unlearn'd (as probably the Albigenſes and Waldenſes, &c. were) they may ſee how inſignificant a guard this reſtraint is againſt error: and learn how little is got by that policy which controles the divine Wiſdom.

14. NOR can they take ſhelter in the example of the primitive Chriſtians, for they in the conſtant uſe of the holy Scriptures yielded not unto the Jews. Whereas the Jews had p. 135the Scriptures read publicly to them every Sabbath day; which Joſephus againſt Appion thus expreſſes: Moſes propounded to the Jews the moſt excellent and neceſſary learning of the Law; not by hearing it once or twice, but every ſeventh day laying aſide their works, he commanded them to aſſemble for the hearing of the Law, and throughly and exactly to learn it. Parallel to this was the practice of the primitive Church, perform'd by the Lector, or Reader, of which Juſtin Martyr in his 2. Apol. gives this account. On the day call'd Sunday, all that abide in towns, or the countries about, meet in one place, and the writings of the Apoſtles and Prophets are read, ſo far as there is place. So Tertullian in his Apol. deſcribing the offices in the public Aſſemblies: We feed our faith with the ſacred Words, we raiſe our hopes, and eſtabliſh our reliance.

15. AND as the Jews thought it indecent for perſons profeſſing piety, to let three daies paſs without the offices thereof in the congregation; and therefore met in their Synagogues upon every Tueſday and Thurſday in the week, and there perform'd the duties of faſting, praier, and hearing the holy Scriptures; concerning which is the boaſt of the Phariſee, Luk. 18.12. in conformity hereto the Chriſtians alſo, their Sabbath being brought forward from the Saturday to the day following; that the like number of daies might not paſs them without performing the p. 136aforeſaid duties in the congregation; met together on the Wedneſdaies and Fridaies, which were the daies of Station, ſo frequently mention'd in Tertullian, and others, the firſt writers of the Church. Tertullian expreſly ſaies, that the Chriſtians dedicated to the offices of Piety, the fourth and ſixth day of the week: and Clemens Alex. ſaies of the Chriſtians, that they underſtood the ſecret reaſons of their weekly faſts, to wit, thoſe of the fourth day of the week, and that of preparation before the Sabbath; commonly call'd Wedneſday and Friday. Where, by the way, we may take notice what ground there is for the obſervation of the Wedneſday and Friday in our Church, and the Litanies then appointed, ſo much neglected in this profligate Age.

16. BUT ſecondly, as the Jews were diligent in the privat reading of the Scripture; being taught it from their infancy: which cuſtom Saint Paul refers to 1 Tim. 3.15. whereof Joſephus againſt Appion ſaies, That if a man ask any Jew concerning the Laws, he will tell every thing readier then his name: for learning them from the firſt time they have ſenſe of any thing, they retain them imprinted in their minds. So were the firſt Chriſtians equally induſtrious in improving their knowledg of divine Truth. The whole life of a Chriſtian, ſaies Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 7. is a holy ſolemnity: there his ſacrifices are praiers and praiſes; before p. 137every meal he has the readings of the holy Scriptures; and Pſalms, and Hymns at the time of his meals. Which Tertullian alſo deſcribes in his Apol. and Saint Cyprian in the end of the Epiſt. to Donatus.

17. AND this is farther evidenc'd by the early and numerous verſions of the Scriptures into all vulgar Languages; concerning which Theodoret ſpeaks in his Book of the Cure of the Affections of the Greeks, Serm. 5. We Chriſtians (ſaies he) are enabled to ſhew the power of Apoſtolic and prophetic doctrins, which have fill'd all Countries under Heaven. For that which was formerly utter'd in Hebrew, is not only tranſlated into the Language of the Grecians, but alſo the Romans, Egyptians, Perſians, Indians, Armenians, Scythians, Samaritans; and in a word to all the Languages that are us'd by any Nation. The ſame is ſaid by Saint Chryſoſtom in his firſt Homily upon Saint Iohn.

18. NOR was this don by the blind zeal of inconſiderable men, but the moſt eminent Doctors of the Church were concern'd herein: ſuch as Origen who with infinit labor contriv'd the Hexapla. Saint Chryſoſtom, who tranſlated the New Teſtament, Pſalms, and ſom part of the Old Teſtament into the Armenian Tongue, as witneſſes Geor. Alex. in the life of Chryſoſt. So Vlphilas the firſt Biſhop of the Goths tranſlated the holy Scripture into the Gothic; as Socrat. Eccl. Hiſt. l. 4. cap. 33. p. 138and others teſtify. Saint Jerom, who tranſlated them not only into Latin from the Hebrew, the Old Italic verſion having bin from the Greek; but alſo into his native vulgar Dalmatic: which he ſaies himſelf in his Epiſtle to Sophronius.

19. BUT the peoples having them for their privat and conſtant uſe appears farther, by the Heathens making the extorting of them a part of their perſecution: and when diverſe did faint in that trial, and baſely ſurrender'd them, we find the Church level'd her ſeverity only againſt the offending perſons, did not (according to the Romiſh equity) puniſh the innocent, by depriving them of that ſacred Book, becauſe the others had ſo unworthily proſtituted it (tho the prevention of ſuch a profanation for the future had bin as fair a plea for it as the Romaniſts do now make:) but on the contrary the primitive Fathers are frequent, nay indeed importunat in their exhortations to the privat ſtudy of holy Scripture, which they recommend to Chriſtians of all Ranks, Ages, and Sexes.

20. AS an inſtance hereof, let us hear Clemens of Alex. in his Exhort. The Word, ſaies he, is not hid from any; it is a common light that ſhineth to all men; there is no obſcurity in it; hear it you that be far off, and hear it you that are nigh.

p. 13921. TO this purpoſe St. Jerom ſpeaks in his Epiſtle to Leta, whom he directs in the education of her young daughter, and adviſes, that inſtead of gems and ſilk, ſhe be enamour'd with the holy Scripture; wherein not gold, or skins, or Babylonian embroideries, but a correct and beautiful variety producing faith, will recommend its ſelf. Let her firſt learn the Pſalter, and be entertain'd with thoſe ſongs; then be inſtructed unto life by the Proverbs of Solomon: let her learn from Eccleſiaſtes to deſpiſe worldly things; tranſcribe from Job the practice of patience and vertue: let her paſs then to the Goſpels, and never let them be out of her hands: and then imbibe with all the faculties of the mind, the Acts of the Apoſtles, and Epiſtles. When ſhe has enrich'd the ſtore-houſe of her breaſt with theſe treſures, let her learn the Prophets, the Heptateuch, or books of Moſes, Joſhua and Judges, the books of Kings and Chronicles, the volumes of Ezra and Eſther; and laſtly the Canticles. And indeed, this Father is ſo concern'd to have the unletter'd female ſex skilful in the Scriptures, that tho he ſharply rebukes their pride and over-wening; he not only frequently reſolves their doubts concerning difficult places in the ſaid Scriptures, but dedicates ſeveral of his Commentaries to them.

22. THE ſame is to be ſaid of Saint Auſtin, who in his Epiſtles to unletter'd Laics, encourages p. 140their enquiries concerning the Scripture, aſſuring Voluſianus Ep. 3. that it ſpeaks thoſe things that are plain to the heart of the learned and unlearned, as a familiar friend; in the myſterious, mounts not up into high phraſes which might deter a ſlow and unlearned mind, (as the poor are in their addreſſes to the rich;) but invites all with lowly ſpeech, feeding with manifeſt truth, and exerciſing with ſecret. And Ep. 1.21. tells the devout Proba, that in this world where we are abſent from the Lord, and walk by faith and not by ſight, the ſoul is to think it ſelf deſolate, and never ceaſe from praier, and the words of divine and holy Scripture, &c.

23. SAINT Chryſoſtom in his third Homily of Lazarus thus addreſſes himſelf to married perſons, houſe-holders, and people engag'd in trades and ſecular profeſſions; telling them, that the reading of the Scripture is a great defenſative againſt ſin; and on the other ſide, the ignorance thereof is a deep and head-long precipice; that not to know the Law of God, is the utter loſs of ſalvation; that this has caus'd hereſies, and corruption of life, and has confounded the order of things: for it cannot be by any means, that his labor ſhould be fruitleſs, who emploies himſelf in a daily and attentive reading of the Scripture.

24. I am not, ſaies the ſame St. Chry. Hom. 9. on Coloſ. 3. a Monk, I have wife and children, p. 141and the cares of a family. But 'tis a deſtructive opinion, that the reading of the Scripture pertains only to thoſe who have addicted themſelves to a monaſtic life; when the reading of Scripture is much more neceſſary for ſecular perſons: for they who converſe abroad, and receive frequent wounds, are in greateſt need of remedies and preſervatives, ſo Hom. 2. on Mat. Hearken all you that are ſecular, how you ought to order your wives and children; and how you are particularly enjoin'd to read the Scriptures, and that not perfunctorily, or by chance, but very diligently.

25. LIKEWISE Hom. 3. on Laz. What ſaieſt thou, O man? it is not thy buſineſs to turn over the Scripture, being diſtracted by innumerable cares; no, thou haſt therefore the greater obligation: others do not ſo much ſtand in need of the aids of the Scripture, as they who are converſant in much buſineſs. Farther, Hom. 8. on Heb. 5. I beſeech you neglect not the reading of the Scriptures; but whether we comprehend the meaning of what is ſpoken or not, let us alwaies be converſant in them: for daily meditation ſtrengthens the memory; and it frequently happens, that what you now cannot find out, if you attemt it again, you will the next day diſcover: for God of his goodneſs will enlighten the mind. It were endleſs to tranſcribe all the Exhortations of the ancient Doctors and Fathers of the Church; they not only permitted, but earneſtly preſt upon all Chriſtians, whatever their p. 142eſtate or condition were, the conſtant reading of the holy Scripture. Nor indeed was their reſtraint ever heard of till the Church of Rome had eſpous'd ſuch doctrins as would not bear the teſt of Scripture: and then as thoſe who deal in falſe wares are us'd to do, they found it neceſſary to proportion their lights accordingly.

26. THIS Peter Sutor in his ſecond Book cap. 22. of the Tranſlation of the Scripture honeſtly confeſſes, ſaying, that whereas many things are enjoin'd which are not expreſly in Scripture, the unlearned obſerving this, will be apt to murmur and complain that ſo heavy burthens are laid upon them, and their Chriſtian liberty infring'd. They will eaſily be with-drawn from obſerving the Conſtitutions of the Church, when they find that they are not contain'd in the Law of Chriſt. And that this was not a frivolous ſuggeſtion, the deſperat attemt of the Romaniſts above mention'd, in leaving out the ſecond Commandment in their Primers and Catechiſms which they communicate to the people, may paſs for an irrefragable evidence; For what Lay-man would not be ſhockt, to find Almighty God command, not to make any graven image, nor the likeneſs of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth; that no one ſhould bow down to them, nor worſhip them: when he ſees the contrary is practic'd and commanded by the Church.

p. 14327. BUT would God none but the Romamaniſt were impeachable of this detention of Scripture: there are too many among us that are thus falſe and envious to themſelves: and what the former do upon policy and pretence of reverence, thoſe do upon mere oſcitancy and avow'd profaneſs; which are much worſe inducements. And for ſuch as theſe to declaim againſt detention of the Scripture, is like the Law-ſuits of thoſe who contend only about ſuch little punctilio's as themſelves deſign no advantage from, but only the worſting their Adverſaries: and it would be much ſafer for them to lie under the interdict of others, then thus to reſtrain themſelves: even as much as the errors of obedience are more excuſable, then thoſe of contemt and profaneſs.

28. AND here I would have it ſeriouſly conſider'd that the Edict of Diocletian for the demoliſhing the Chriſtian Churches, and the burning their Bibles; became the character and particular aggravation of his moſt bloudy perſecution. Now ſhould Almighty God call us to the like trial, ſhould Antichriſtian violence, whether heathen or other, take from us our Churches and our Bibles, what comfort could we have in that calamity, if our contemt of thoſe bleſſings drove them from us; nay, prevented perſecution, and bereft us of them even whilſt we had them in p. 144our power? He who neglects to make his conſtant reſort unto the Church, which by Gods mercy now ſtands open; or to read diligently the holy Scriptures, which by the ſame divine Goodneſs are free for him to uſe, is his own Diocletian; and without the terrors of death, or torments, has renounc'd, if not the Faith, the great inſtruments of its conveiance, and pledg of God Almighties preſence among the ſons of men.

29. BUT what if men either upon the one motive or the other, will not read; yet the Scriptures continue ſtill moſt worthy to be read: they retain ſtill their propriety for all thoſe excellent ends to which God deſign'd them: and as the Prophet tells the Jews, Ez. 2.5. whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, they ſhall know there has bin a Prophet among them; ſo whether we will take the benefit or no, we ſhall one day find that the holy Scriptures would have made us wiſe unto ſalvation. If thro our fault alone they fail to do ſo, they will one day aſſume a leſs grateful office; and from guides and aſſiſtants, become accuſers and witneſſes againſt us.