A Chain of Principles, Aphorism 2
APHORISME II. We are conducted, to the fruition of God in Chriſt by Chriſtian Religion, contained in the divine oracles of holy Scripture.
EXERCITATION 1. The ſafe conduct of Saints, ſignified by the pillar Exerc. 1.in Exodus, performed by the counſel of God himſelf, the abridgement whereof we have in the doctrine of Chriſtian Religion. How that tends to bleſſedneſs.
§. 1. THere is no poſsibility of arriving at Bleſſedneſs without a ſafe conduct, nor at glory without guidance; No infallible guidance but by the counſel of God himſelf. All which the Pſalmiſt is like to have had in his eye, when in his humble addreſs to God he expreſſeth himſelf in this manner, Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, Aph. 2.and afterward receive me to glory. The Pſalm 73. 24.husbands duty in relation to his wife is to be the guide of her youth. Such Prov. 2. 17.hath Chriſt (one of whoſe names is Counſellour) been to his Church in former Iſa. 9. 6.times, is at this day, and will continue to the end of the world. In Exodus we meet with the hiſtory of the Jewiſh Church, her youth, and her ſtrange manner of guidance; which when the Levites in Nehemiah came to Nehem. 9. 19.commemorate they do it thus, Thou in thy manifold mercies forſookeſt them not in the wilderneſs; the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way, neither the pillar of fire by night to ſhew them light, and the way wherein they ſhould go. It was not onelyonly a ſeaſonable act of mercy to them in that age; but may be looked upon as an emblem of that ſafe conduct, which the Church in all ages may expect from Jeſus Chriſt. For as in that cloudy-fiery pillar there were two different ſubſtances the ſire and the cloud, yet but one pillar. So there are two different natures in Chriſt, his Divinity ſhining as fire, his Humanity darkening as a cloud, yet but one perſon. As that pillar departed not from them by day or by night, all the while they travelled in the wilderneſs. So whileſt the Churches pilgrimage laſts in this world, the ſafe conduct of Chriſt by his Spirit and Ordinances ſhall be continued. But as at their entrance into Canaan, a type of heaven, the pillar is thought to have been removed, becauſe not mentioned in the ſequele of the ſtory, and becauſe when Iſrael paſſed over Jordan we reade not of the pillar but the Ark going before them; So when the Church ſhall arrive at heaven, her reſting place, the mediatory conduct of Chriſt is to ceaſe, and the Ordinances, which are here of uſe, to diſappear.
§. 2. Mean while this infallible counſel of God hath been moſt effectually adminiſtred by the Prophets and Apoſtles, eſpecially by Chriſt himſelf, whoſe words were ſuch as led directly to everlaſting bliſs. Inſomuch as when Jeſus ſaid to the twelve will John 6. 67, 68.ye alſo go away? Peter anſwered him Lord to whom ſhall we go? Thou haſt the words of eternal life. As if he had ſaid, Go whither we will to other teachers, we ſhall be ſure not to meet with words of eternal life any where elſe. Such are proper to Chriſts ſchool taught onelyonly by himſelf, and his under-officers: whereof one hath left this profeſsion upon record, That which we have 1 John 1. 3.ſeen and heard declare we unto you, that ye alſo may have fellowſhip with us: and truly our fellowſhip is with the Father and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt. So the Diſciple whom Jeſus loved in his firſt epiſtle. Another this, I take you to record this day, Act. 20. 26, 27.that I am pure from the bloud of all men: for I have not ſhunned to declare unto you all the counſel of God. So Paul in his valedictory ſpeech to the Elders of Epheſus. Which he could not have ſaid, had not the doctrine he preached among them been ſufficient to have led all his hearers to the fruition of God in Chriſt, and therein to complete happineſs. That by the counſel of God he intended to decipher Chriſtian Religion is manifeſt, becauſe that was the ſum of all his miniſtery, as we finde him declaring elſewhere, Having obtained help of Act. 2…. 22, 27.God, I continue unto this day witneſsing both to ſmall and great, ſaying none other things then thoſe which the Prophets and Moſes did ſay ſhould come: That Chriſt ſhould ſuffer, and that he ſhould be the firſt that ſhould riſe from the dead &c.
§. 3. Counſel it is, and therefore ſtyled ſometimes myſtery, and that a great one, Without controverſie great is 1 Tim. 3. 16.the myſtery of godlineſs. foreign, of Religion, as others render it; meaning the Chriſtian, an epitome whereof followeth, God manifeſt in the fleſh and 1 Cor. 2. 6, 7.ſometimes wiſdome, and that not among punies and novices, who ſee not into the depth of things, but among them that are perfect. Sometimes, The wiſdome of foreign. Juſt. Ma…t. Expoſ. fidei.God in a myſtery, even the hidden wiſdome, which God ordained before the world, unto our glory. Which made an ancient writer affirm, that the myſteries of our Religion are above the reach of our underſtanding, above the diſcourſe of humane reaſon, above all that any creature can comprehend. Yea it will be found the Counſel of God himſelf, and not of man, if we do but conſider a few of its materials; viz. principles above the reach of mans wit, A reſurrection of the dead, a myſticall union of all beleevers among themſelves and to their head; A Trinity of perſons in one Eſſence, two Natures in one perſon; God reconciled to men by the bloud, men to God by the spirit of Chriſt, with others of the like elevation. Doctrines contrary to the bent of mans will. As that of original ſin, which repreſents him to himſelf as a childe of wrath, worthy, before he ſee the light, of being caſt into outer darkneſs. And that of ſelf-deniall, which taketh him off from confidence in his own abilities; whereas proud Nature challengeth a ſelf-ſufficiency, and will hardly be content with leſs. Laſtly, Promiſes and threatnings beyond the line of humane motives and diſſuaſives, exhibiting to the ſons of men, not temporal rewards and puniſhments onelyonly, but the gift of eternal life and the vengeance of eternal fire: Things which not any of the moſt knowing Law-givers and Princes of this world did or could hold forth, till the onelyonly wiſe God was pleaſed to reveal and urge them in the ſacred authentick records of Chriſtianity.
§. 4. Now Chriſtian Religion promotes our guidance to the fruition we treat of theſe two ways, viz. by diſcovering God in Chriſt, and by uniting to him, the former it performeth as Chriſtian, the latter as Religion.
Firſt as Chriſtian it diſcovers God in Chriſt, which other Religions do not. No man hath ſeen God at any time, the onelyonly begotten Son, which is in the boſome of the John 1. 18.Father he hath declared him. So the Evangeliſt, or, as others think, the Baptiſt. All things are of God, who hath reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 18, 19.us to himſelf by Jeſus Chriſt, and hath given unto us the miniſtery of reconciliation, to wit that God was in Chriſt &c. So the Apoſtle. The poor Pagan knoweth neither God nor Chriſt, but ignorantly turneth the truth of God into a lie, worſhipping creatures; and in ſtead of Chriſt is directed by his Theology to the ſervice of a middle ſort of divine powers, called Daemons, and See M. Mede his Apoſtaſie of the latter times. pag. 9, 10, & ſequent.looked at as Mediatours between the celeſtial Sovereign Gods, whom the Gentiles worſhip, and mortal men. The modern Jew acknowledgeth the true God of his fathers Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, but owneth not Jeſus the ſon of Mary for the true Chriſt; yea diſowneth him ſo far, as not onelyonly to expect another Meſsias, but (if writers deceive us not) to blaſpheme and curſe him and his followers. The deluded Mahometan confeſſeth one God, the Creatour of heaven and earth; yea conceiveth ſo well of the Lord Jeſus, as not to ſuffer any Jew to take up the profeſsion of a Muſulman, till he have firſt renounced his enmity againſt Chriſt: yet will neither acknowledge his ſatisfaction, upon which our ſalvation is founded, nor his Divinity by vertue whereof that ſatisfaction is meritorious. Whereas the true and pious Chriſtian is by his Religion taught to ſay with Paul, in direct oppoſition to all the three forementioned ſects, We 1 Cor. 8. v. 4, 5, 6.know that an Idol is nothing in the world; and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called Gods, whether in heaven or in earth (as there be Gods many and Lords many) yet to us there is but one God the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jeſus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
§. 5. Secondly as Religion, (a term which both Auſtine and Lactantius derive à religando becauſe by the true Religion improved mens ſouls are tied and faſtened to the ſupreme Being) it unites us to God and to Chriſt. The graces of union are eſpecially Faith and Love; Chriſtian Religion is made up of theſe two. Kiſs the Son, ſaith David, Pſal. 2. 12.which implyeth the affection of love; Bleſſed are all they that put their truſt in him, which holds forth an expreſsion of faith. Hold faſt the form of ſound 2 Tim. 1. 13.words, ſaith Paul, which thou haſt heard of me, in faith and love, which is in Chriſt Jeſus. Love is the fulfilling of the Law, faith the fulfilling of the Goſpel, both the fulfilling of Chriſtian Religion. Theſe two pipes being rightly laid from a Chriſtians ſoul to the fountain of living waters fetch in from thence a dayly ſupply of ſuch grace as will certainly end in a fulneſs of glory: whereas worldlings all the pipes of whoſe ſpirits are laid to ciſterns, broken ciſterns that can hold no water, muſt needs continue empty ſtill; and for want of Chriſt (who is not ſeen but by thoſe two eyes, nor embraced but by thoſe two arms) fall ſhort of happineſs, how eminent ſoever they may be in the purſuit of by-ways. Thus to diſcover and to unite are acts of prerogative not communicable to other profeſsions. For to maintain (as ſome do) that a man may be ſaved in an ordinary courſe (I meddle not with extraordinary diſpenſations, but leave the ſecrets of God to himſelf) by any Religion whatſoever, provided he live according to the principles of it, is to turn the whole world into an Eden; and to finde a Tree of life in every garden, as well as in the paradiſe of God.
EXERCITATION 2. The inſufficiency of other Religions for bringing men to the enjoyment of God inferred from their inability to diſcover his true worſhip. John 4. 24. opened. God to be worſhiped in and through Chriſt a leſſon not taught in Natures ſchool. Faults in Ariſtotles Ethicks.
§. 1. IT hath appeared already in part by what hath been hitherto diſcourſed, that as the other Patriarchs ſheaves made obeiſance to Joſephs, ſo other Religions muſt bow down to Chriſtianity, by name thoſe three grand competitours, Paganiſme, Judaiſme, and Mahometiſme: as alſo thoſe other leading books, by name the Talmud, the Alcoran, and the much applauded writings of heathen Philoſophers muſt all do homage to the Bible. Yet will it not, I ſuppoſe, be unworthy of my pains and the Readers patience further to clear the inſufficiency of all exotick doctrines by an argument taken from divine worſhip, to which I proceed by certain ſteps.Exerc. 2.
I. Religion is a thing which diſtinguiſheth men from beaſts more then reaſon it ſelf doth. For ſome brute beaſts have appearances of reaſon, none of Religion. Man is a creature addicted to Religion may perhaps be found as true a definition, as that which is commonly received, Man is a living creature indued with reaſon.
II. Some kinde of Deity is acknowledged every where throughout the world, and wherever a Deity is acknowledged, ſome kinde of worſhip is obſerved. Should a Synode of mere Philoſophers be convented to conſult about the matters of God, I make no queſtion but in the iſſue of their debates they would pronounce one Anathema againſt Atheiſme, and another againſt Irreligion. Among the Romanes Parcus Deorum cultor & infrequens. Horat. lib. 1. Ode 34.to worſhip ſparingly was accounted the next door to being an Atheiſt.
III. None but the true God can diſcover what the true worſhip of God is. As that glorious eye of heaven is not to be ſeen but by its own proper Deſine cur nemo videat ſine Numine Numen Mirari; Solem quis ſine ſole videt?light; A million of torches cannot ſhew us the Sun: ſo it is not all the natural reaſon in the world that can either diſcover what God is, or what worſhip he expects without divine and ſupernatural revelation from himſelf.
§. 2. IV. Before the ſettling of Chriſtianity and ſpreading the Goſpel throughout the world, many every where were unſatisfied concerning the worſhip they performed, and inquiſitive after ſome teacher who might help them therein by his advice. This may be gathered not onelyonly from that, which was ſaid by the woman of Samaria in that diſpute of hers with our John 4. 25. Donec in terris apparuerit ſacratior aliquis qui fontem veritatis aperiat, &c. Marſil. Ficinus in vita Platonis. Vid. Livium Galan. praetar. pag. 8.Saviour about worſhip, I know that Meſsias cometh, which is called Chriſt: when he is come, he will tell us all things. But alſo by what Ficinus reporteth concerning Plato, to wit, that being asked by one of his ſcholars, how far forth and how long his precepts were to be obeyed, he returned this anſwer, Untill there come a more holy one, by whom the fountain of truth ſhall be opened, and whom all may ſafely follow.
V. The precepts and practiſe of ſuch as teach and profeſs other Religions are inconſiſtent with thoſe Goſpelrules which Chriſt and his Apoſtles have given for the regulating of divine worſhip. Two whereof I ſhall inſtance in.
The firſt is that which fell from our Saviours own mouth, God is a Spirit, John 4. 24.and they that worſhip him, must worſhip him in Spirit and in truth. Where Spirit in the latter clauſe ſeems to ſtand in oppoſition partly to the formality of the Jews, who did ſo wholly addict themſelves to outward obſervances in a ſpiritleſs way, as to give our Saviour occaſion of ſaying, well hath Iſaiah propheſied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worſhip Mark 7. 6, 7.me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Partly to the Idolatry of the Gentiles, who in ſtead of tendring ſervice ſutable to a ſpiritual Being, worſhipped God in and by repreſentations and images of this or that viſible creature. The word Truth in like manner may probably ſeem to be oppoſed partly to the typical worſhip of the Jews, in which there were many reſemblances and ſhadows of things to come, as ſacrifices, incenſe and other rites, the truth whereof was exhibited in Chriſt and in Goſpel-ſervice: partly to the perfunctory worſhip of the Gentiles, who for want of Scripture-light framed to themſelves ſorry forms of devotion, which the wiſeſt among them were altogether unſatisfied with, yet as knowing no better, and being loth to give offence, obſerved them onelyonly for faſhions ſake, ſo worſhipping in ſhew, rather then in truth.
§. 3. Doubtleſs what Seneca profeſt in his time, was a principle, which the moſt judicious Heathen walked by, both in that and the ages foregoing. He, ſpeaking of their religious obſervances, plainly ſaid, A wiſe man Quae omnia ſaptens ſervabit tanquam legibus juſſa, non tanquam Diis grata. Sic adorabimus ut meminerimus cultum magis ad morem quàm ad rem pertinere &c. Auguſt. De Civit. Dei lib. 6. cap. 10.will keep them all as things commanded by our laws, not as things acceptable to the Gods; for cuſtome rather then conſcience ſake. Thereby ſhewing (as Auſtine obſerveth) that he himſelf miſliked what he practiſed, and did not approve his own adoration. What elſe was this but mock-worſhip? And although it muſt be granted that ſome of them were more ſerious in that way of ſuperſtition which the Gentiles Theology preſcribed, yet was not their worſhip in Truth; for being deſtitute of Chriſt, who is the way, the truth and the life, they John 14. 6. Pſal. 51. 6.wanted that Truth in the inward parts, required by God in all holy ſervices. The Pelagians indeed were of opinion that thoſe vertues which appeared in heathen Philoſophers and others of eminent note for morality, though they had not received the knowledge of Chriſt, were true graces. But if Auſtin may be credited, this above all their Hoc eſt unde vos maximè Chriſtiana deteſtatur Eccleſia. Contr. Julian. pelag. lib. 4. cap. 3.corrupt tenents was that for which the Chriſtian Church did moſt abominate them & their doctrine. Yea Paul, whom we are bound to beleeve, in the fourth Chapter of his epiſtle to the Epheſians, is thought to have concluded the contrary: we finde there the life of the Gentiles Epheſ. 4. verſ. 17. 18. 21. 24.clearly oppoſed to the life of God, which they, ſaith he, were alienated from; as alſo to the truth as it is in Jeſus, and to that true holineſs, or holineſs of truth wherewith every ſpiritual worſhipper is endued. And ſo far is the Apoſtle in that place from excepting their philoſophers, that, as Grotius thinks, he aims eſpecially at them; becauſe his phraſe in the ſeventeenth verſe, That ye Vide Grotium in Epheſ. 4. 17. & in Rom. 1. verſ. 21, 22.walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their minde, is fully parallel with that in his epiſtle to the Romanes, They became vain in their imaginations: which is certainly meant of their philoſophers, for it follows profeſsing themſelves to be wiſe foreign (the name whereby that ſort of men were commonly known, witneſs the ſeven wiſe men of Greece) before Pythagoras invented that other of foreign lovers of wiſdome, as more modeſt.
§. 4. The ſecond grand direction about the manner of worſhip is, that it be performed in the name, and through the mediation of Jeſus Chriſt, who ſaith of himſelf I am the way, No man Joh. 14. 6.comes to the Father but by me: And of whom Paul ſaith, Whatſoever ye do in Coloſſ. 3. 17.word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jeſus; whereupon Luther was bold to Quicquid oratur, docetur & vivitur extra Chriſtum eſt idololatria coram Deo & peccatum. Luther. tom. 3. edit. Jenenſ. p. 300.aſſert, That all the prayings, teachings and actings of men are out of Chriſt idolatry and ſin in the ſight of God. Now although the firſt direction were not altogether unknown to ſome of the Gentiles, as may be gathered from ſundry paſſages in their writings, cited by Grotius in his notes upon John the fourth at the four and twentieth verſe, and by Doctour Meric Caſaubon in his ſecond book De cultu the third chapter: yet of this ſecond they had no knowledge at all; for it is not a leſſon to be learned in Natures ſchool. The heavens indeed, and ſo the earth, with all the creatures in them both, declare the glory of God in himſelf; but the glory of God in the face of Chriſt as mediatour is not declared by any of them. Inſomuch as Paul tells the Epheſians, that while they Epheſ. 2. 11, 12.were Gentiles, they were at that time without Chriſt; although Epheſus then was full of Philoſophers and eminent ſcholars, witneſs the proverb of Epheſian letters, foreign Act. 19. 19.and that ſtory in the Acts, which mentions the burning of books there to the value of fifty thouſand pieces of ſilver, by ſuch as were taken off from the ſtudy of curious arts upon their converſion to the faith. As for Jews and Mahometans, the former we know have eſpouſed long ſince another Meſsias, and the latter ſet up that impoſtour Mahomet for their mediatour.
§. 5. Now the argument built upon the foundation of theſe premiſed conſiderations ſtands thus, No religion or doctrine can bring us to the fruition of God but ſuch as inſtructs us how to worſhip him aright; No religion or doctrine but Chriſtianity teacheth the right worſhip of God; Therefore none but it can bring us to enjoy him. The propoſition is bottomed upon that neceſſary connexion which is between the fruition of God and his adoration; he being wont to communicate himſelf in or after acts of worſhip, according to theſe and the like places. He that hath Joh. 14. 21.my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifeſt my ſelf to him. Behold I ſtand at Rev. 3. 20.the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will ſup with him, and he with me. The Aſſumption hath been already cleared. But if further proof be needfull, I ſhall add one argument more. So far is the light of nature from making a full diſcovery of what belongs to divine worſhip, that the wiſeſt Philoſophers in their morall tractates have not onelyonly been ſilent as to faith in Chriſt, and repentance from dead works and ſuch other eminent duties of religion, but commended to their readers ſome habits and actions for vertues and duties, which in Scripture are repreſented as vices and ſins. For example, Ariſtotle one of Natures high prieſts, in his Ethicks, one of the choiceſt pieces of morality extant, maketh a vertue of Eutrapelia, which Paul under that very term prohibits as a thing inconvenient for Chriſtians, Neither filthineſs, nor Epheſ. 5. 4.fooliſh talking, nor Eutrapelia Jeſting, which are not convenient. So alſo Nemeſis, that is, grief and indignation at the proſperity of unworthy men is by him reckoned among ſuch affections as are near of kin to vertues, but condemned at large by David in Pſalm the thirty ſeven, and by Solomon in the Proverbs, ſaying, Fret not thy ſelf becauſe of evil Prov. 24. 19.men, neither be thou envious at the wicked. Another of his vertues is foreign Magnanimity, which he deſcribeth to be the judging of a mans ſelf worthy of great things when he is ſo. Whereas our Saviour directeth us even when we have Luke 17. 10.done all things that are commanded us, yet to ſay we are unprofitable ſervants. He would have ſuch a perſon a deſpiſer foreign.and contemner of others, which is plainly Phariſaical; thinks all that ſavoureth of humility unworthy of his magnanimous man, whereas Solomon telleth us, It is better to be of an humble Prov. 16. 19.spirit with the lowly, then to divide the spoil with the proud. Yea he alloweth him in caſe of contumely to ſpeak evil of his adverſaries, whereas our Saviours rule is, Bleſs them that curſe you, pray for them Matth. 5. 44.that despitefully uſe you.
EXERCITATION 3. Oracles of God vocal, or written. Books of Scripture ſo called in five reſpects, viz In regard of their declaring and foretelling, their being conſulted, prized and preſerved.
§. 1. IN the epiſtle to the Hebrews theſe two phraſes The firſt principles Hebr. 5. 12. and 6. 1.of the oracles of God, And the principles of the doctrine of Chriſt import one and the ſame thing, implying alſo that Scripture Records are the onelyonly Storehouſe and Conſervatory of Chriſtian Religion. I ſhall therefore from hence take occaſion to ſhew, That books of Scripture are oracles of God, why they are ſo called, and wherein they excell other oracles. For the firſt. There were two ſorts of Oracles belonging to God, vocal and written. The vocal were thoſe anſwers he gave from between the Cherubims on the top of 1 Kings 6. often and Chapt. 8. 6.the Mercy-ſeat which covered the Ark, by reaſon whereof the Holy of Holies, where that Ark ſtood, was ſtyled the Oracle. The written are the two tablesExerc. 3. of the Law, called by Stephen the lively Acts 7. 37.oracles, and the Canonical books of Scripture, as well thoſe of the old Teſtament of which Paul ſpeaketh when he declareth it as the great priviledge of the Jews, that to them were committed the Rom. 3. 2.oracles of God; as thoſe of the New, to which Peter is like to have had a peculiar reſpect in that ſaying of his, If 1 Pet. 4. 11.any man ſpeak, let him ſpeak as the oracles of God, foreign. Eſpecially if his meaning be to admoniſh ſuch as ſpeak in congregations, publick teachers, or as another Apoſtle ſtyleth them Miniſters 2 Cor. 3. 6.of the new Teſtament, that they be carefull to deliver Scripture-truths in Scripture-words, New-Teſtamentmatter in New-Teſtament-language, taking the particle foreign in that text for a note, not of ſimilitude, but of identity; as when it is ſaid, We beheld his John 1. 14.glory, the glory as of the onelyonly begotten of the Father, it is not meant of a glory like his, but the very ſame; So let him ſpeak as the Oracles of God, that is, the ſelf-ſame things which Vid. Gerhard Coment. in 1 Pet. 4. pag. 631, 634.God hath ſpoken in his word.
§. 2. The word foreign, whereby heathen writers had been wont to expreſs their oracles, (chiefly ſuch are were uttered in proſe, while ſuch as were delivered in verſe went under the name of foreign) was enfranchiſed by the holy Ghoſt, and applied to the books of Scripture to intimate (as I conceive) that theſe books were to be of like uſe to Chriſtians, as thoſe oracles had been to Infidels; whereof take a five-fold account.
I. Thoſe declared to heathen men the will of their Idols, whence alſo they had their names of foreign from foreign, and oracula from orare, quod inerat illis Deorum oratio, as Tully giveth the etymologie, becauſe they contained what the Gods ſpake, and delivered to be their minde. The Scriptures in like manner contain the minde of Jehovah. Somewhat of his nature we may learn from the creatures, but ſhould have known little or nothing of his will, had not canonical Scripture revealed it. We uſe to call a mans Teſtament his laſt will, becauſe in it he makes a final declaration of what he would have his executours do. He that would exactly know the will of God, muſt look into his two Teſtaments: there he ſhall finde it fully expreſſed, and no where elſe.
§. 3. II. Thoſe foretold future events, which made them to be ſo much frequented by ſuch as thirſted after knowledge of things to come. Theſe reade every one his deſtiny, and acquaint him aforehand with what he may or may not infallibly expect according to his preſent and future qualifications. Not to mention propheſies in the New teſtament, whereof the principal magazine is the Apocalypſe, the old contains very many predictions beyond the activity of humane foreſight. For although ſuch effects as depend upon natural cauſes (which are uniform in their workings) may be foretold by a skilfull naturaliſt; and a wiſe Stateſman, obſerving the preſent conſtitution of a government, may prognoſticate what events are like to enſue upon thoſe counſels and courſes which he ſees taken: yet the quickeſt eye upon earth cannot foreſee ſuch future contingents as have their dependance upon the mere free-will of perſons yet unborn; and whereunto, when they are born, not common principles, but heroick impulſes muſt incline them. Whereas in the Scriptures we meet with the names of Joſiah and Cyrus, and with their performances long before they had a being. We finde old Jacob foretelling the reſpective fates of all his children, and of their poſterity; Iſaiah ſpeaking of Jeſus Chriſt, as if he had written an hiſtory rather then a propheſie; And Daniel, who lived under the fitſt, deſcribing the ſeverall revolutions under all the other Monarchies, as if he had ſeen them with his eyes.
§. 4. III. Thoſe gave advice in doubtfull caſes, and were in all undertakings of moment conſulted with by devout Heathens, who as Strabo teſtifies, Lib. 16. in deſcript. Judaeae.in their chief affairs of ſtate relied more upon the anſwers of their oracles then upon humane pollicies. Theſe were Davids delight and his counſellours, Pſal. 119. 24.as we uſe to adviſe with thoſe friends, whom we take moſt pleaſure in. He had many wiſe men about him, but in all their meetings for advice the word of God was ſtill of the Quorum, and nothing to be concluded of in the reſult without its conſent. Scripture muſt not onelyonly be heard in all our debates, but when any thing comes to be voted, always have a negative voice. Concerning Achitophels advice it was ſaid, what he counſelled in thoſe days was as if a man had enquired at the Oracle of God; 2 Sam. 16. laſt.which words (being as it is well ſaid by Peter Martyr, Comparatio non aequiparatio, a compariſon onelyonly, not a parallel) ſufficiently intimate that all the Oracles of God are to be conſulted, and alſo that their counſel is to be reſted in. I ſhall therefore be bold to ſay to him that reads, whoever he be, as Jehoſhaphat once did to Ahab, Enquire I pray thee 2 Chron. 18. 4.of the word of the Lord to day; As Paul to his Coloſsians, Let the word of Chriſt Coloſſ 3. 16.dwell in you richly in all wiſdome. yea as Chriſt to his hearers, Search the Scriptures. Joh. 5. 39.Other books may render men learned to oſtentation, none but theſe can make them really wiſe to ſalvation. Philoſophical ſpeculations, quaint notions and ſtrains of wit, if compared wth theſe oracles, are but as ſo many ſpiders webs to catch flies, fitter for the taking of phanſies then the ſaving of ſouls.
§. 5. IV. Thoſe were exceedingly prized by ſuch as enjoyed them, as the great advantage of their States, and the great donative of their Gods, who were thought to gratifie their worſhippers by nothing more, then by oracular diſcoveries. Theſe are certainly the higheſt priviledges wherewith a people can be gratified; witneſs that diſcourſe of Paul in the beginning of his third chapter to the Romanes; where he handles and decides the controverſie between Religionum vincula ſunt arctiſsima. Religionum odia ſunt acerbiſſima. Reddimus obſtoenae convitia debita genli, Quae genitale caput propudioſa metit. Septima quae que dies turpi damnata veterno, Tanquam laſſati mollis imago Dei. Rutil. Itiner. lib. 1.Jew and Gentile about precedencie. Conſent in Religion is wont to tie the faſteſt knots of mutual accord; but there are no greater animoſities then thoſe that ariſe from diverſity of profeſsions. The Jews of old abhorred the Gentiles as uncircumciſed, ignorant Idolaters; the Gentiles on the other ſide derided the Jews for their circumciſion as ſavouring of obſcenity, & for their ſabbaths, as favouring idleneſs: Paul who was by birth a Jew, by office a teacher of the Gentiles, well knew what fewds, and alſo what odds there were between them; yet equally involves them in the guilt of original ſin throughout the whole ſecond chapter. And becauſe the Jew, who ſtood upon his points, eſteeming himſelf every way the better man, would be ready to take offence at this, and to ſay, as it is, in the firſt verſe of the third chapter, What advantage then hath the Jews, or what profit is there of circumciſion? The Apoſtle anſwereth by way of conceſſion: and though he hold his concluſion firm (which is that both Jews and Gentiles, conſidered in their naturals, are all under ſin, and that in this Rom. 3. 9. 22.reſpect there is no difference) yet he readily granteth that in ſome regards the Jews far excelled the reſt of the world. Divers of their priviledges are inſinuated in the former part of the ſecond verſe, Much every way; in the latter one inſtanced in, as moſt conſiderable, Chiefly becauſe unto them were committed the Oracles of God.
§ 6. V. Thoſe were preſerved with much ſolicitude. Hiſtory telleth us how great care the Romanes took for Vid. Molinaei Vates, lib. 3. cap. 12.the ſafe cuſtody of the Sibylline oracles in their Capitol after Tarquin had bought them: when the Capitol was burnt and thoſe books in it, what means were uſed to get other copies out of Greece; and how a Colledge of Prieſts was appointed to keep them ſafe. Theſe do ſurely deſerve as much and more care in every ſuitable, poſſible way. The antient Jews preſerved the letter of Scripture entire, but loſt the ſenſe; as the Papiſts now keep the text, but let go the truth. A good Chriſtian will not be backward in giving all diligence to hold-faſt both, by laying the Scripture up in his judgement, conſcience and memory. We are all deſirous to have fair and well-printed Bibles. Beleeve it, the faireſt impreſsion of the Bible is, to have it well printed on the readers Acts & Monum. vol. 3. edition laſt. p. 705.heart. Mr Fox telleth us of one Crow a ſea-man, who being ſhipwrackt loſt all his wares, and alſo caſt five pounds in money into the ſea, but kept his New Teſtament hanging ſtill about his neck, ſo ſwimming upon a broken maſt, till after four days (all the reſt of his company being drowned) he was diſcovered and taken up in that poſture alive. The onelyonly way of preſerving ſouls from being drowned in eternal perdition, is having the grace and truth of Scripture ſo bound upon the heart as to be willing to part with money or any thing elſe, for the ſafety of them. It is well worthy of our beſt conſideration how much and how often Solomon in the proverbs preſſeth this. It is known how carefull the moſt are to get and keep ſilver and gold, but Receive Prov. 8. 10.my inſtruction (ſaith Wiſdome there) and not ſilver; and knowledge rather then choice gold. Yet as well as men love money they will rather let go that then loſe their members, whereof none are more dear then the apple of the eye. My ſon (ſaith Chap. 7. 1, 2.he) keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee: keep my commandements and live, and my law as the apple of thine eye. Yet skin for skin and all a man hath will he give for his life: if the loſs of a member or two will ſave that they ſhall go. His advice to his ſon is, Take faſt hold of Chap. 4. 13.inſtruction, let her not go; keep her for ſhe is thy life. Yet the martyrs parted even with their lives to ſave their ſouls; our keeping of theſe is really as of great concernment as the keeping of our very ſouls, for ſo ſaith Solomon, He that Chap. 19. 16,keepeth the cōmandment, keepeth his own ſoul.
EXERCITATION 4. How Scripture-Oracles far excell thoſe of the heathen in point of perſpicuity, of piety, of veracity, of duration, and of authority. The divine authority of Scripture aſſerted by two arguments. An inference from the whole Aphoriſme.
§. 1. HAving ſhewed wherein they Exerc. 4.agree, I am now to make known wherein theſe Scripture-Oracles differ from and excell thoſe other. viz.
I. In point of perſpicuity. Apollo's oracles were delivered in ſo dark and ambiguous terms, as gave the Grecians, though they were his chief worſhippers, occaſion to ſtyle him by the name of foreign, becauſe he ſeldome anſwered directly in doubtfull caſes, but Euſeb. praeparat. Evangelic. lib. 4.uſed ſuch a form of words as might be diverſly interpreted, to the end his credit might be ſalved, whatever event the buſineſs had about which he was conſulted with. Whereas Scripture is ſo framed, as to deliver all things neceſſary to ſalvation in a clear and perſpicuous way. There are indeed ſome Paſcimur apertis, exercemur obſcuris, illic fames pellitur, hic faſtidium. Auguſt.obſcure paſſages in it to exerciſe our underſtandings, and prevent our lothing of overmuch plainneſs and ſimplicity: yet whatſoever is needfull for us to ſatisfie hunger, and nouriſh our ſouls to life eternal, is ſo expreſt (I do not ſay that it may be underſtood, but ſo) as men that do not wilfully ſhut their eyes againſt the light, cannot poſſibly but underſtand it.
§. 2. II. In point of piety. The heathen were put upon many ungodly practiſes Plutarch. in Publicols. Livius lib. 21, & 22. Sr Walt. Raleigh, lib. 5. pag. 374, & 393.by their oracles, if good hiſtorians may be credited, even by thoſe of the Sibyls, which were of greateſt eſteem for ſanctity. But the frame of Scripture is according to godlineſs. Piety ſparkleth in every leaf, and throughout the whole there runs a conſtant exaltation of God in Chriſt. Well nigh all ſorts of Poems (to inſtance in them) with which we meet in humane writings have their parallels in the Canonical books; but they are ſuch as carry in them a genius and ſtrain of godlineſs far beyond any thing that occurs in the Poems of men. There are foreign, Songs of victory; but ſuch as exalt, not the proweſs of man, but, the glory of God. So Exodus the fifteenth. foreign funeral ſongs, but ſuch as celebrate Chriſts death and the good will of God therein; ſo Pſalm the twenty ſecond, and Iſaiah the fifty third. foreign ſongs of love, but ſuch as ſet forth the love of Chriſt to his Spouſe the Church, and her mutual affection to him. So Pſalm the fourty fifth, and the Canticles. There are alſo foreign ſacred paſtorals, but ſuch as magnifie no other Shepherd but God alone, ſo Pſalm the three and twentieth. Yea foreign too, but ſuch as aſcribe all to him. So Pſalm ſixty fifth. Let Virgil be asked Quid faciat laetas ſegetes, he will wholly inſiſt upon this or that ſecondary cauſe of fertility. Ask David, he preſently falls in his Georgicks upon praiſing God as the authour of all fruitfulneſs. Thou viſiteſt the earth and watereſt it, Thou makeſt it ſoft with ſhowres. Thou bleſſeſt the ſpringing thereof; Thou crowneſt the year with thy goodneſs, Thy paths drop fatneſs, &c. in the end of that forecited Pſalm.
§. 3. III. In point of veracity. Many falſhoods were uttered, much flattery practiſed by their oracles. As when Socrates was declared by the father of lies to be the wiſeſt man upon earth, Helvicus p. 18.notwithſtanding the two great Prophets Haggai and Zechary were his contemporaries: and when Apollo was ſaid foreign by reaſon of his ſo palpable Vide Sirenium de fato l. 9. c. 12 & 13.favouring of king Philip in his reſponſes. Whereas Scripture is free, not onelyonly from all degrees of falſhood (for of it we may ſay, Verity of verities, all is verity) but of flattery too. Inſomuch as it may be obſerved concerning the pen-men of holy Scripture, that, contrary to the cuſtome and guiſe of humane writers, they are not more free, full and impartial in any relations, then in thoſe which concern their own failings, and theirs who were neareſt and deareſt to them. Moſes his unbelief, Davids bloud-guiltineſs, Jonahs pettiſhneſs, Jeremies impatience, Pauls perſecution are recorded by their own pens. And whereas the other Evangeliſts in the enumeration of Chriſts Apoſtles barely name Matthew for one, without ſetting any brand upon him, he himſelf telleth us what he had been before Chriſt called him, Matthew the publicane. Matth. 10. 3.Yea whereas Paul in his epiſtle to the Galatians had brought in a charge againſt Peter for Judaizing, and ſpoken Galat. 2. 11.of his own reſiſting him openly, becauſe he was indeed to be blamed; yet Peter for all this in his ſecond epiſtle (which was written a good while after) ſtyleth him his beloved brother Paul, and commendeth 2 Pet. 3. 15, 16.not his wiſdome onelyonly, but all his epiſtles, even that wherein he himſelf was reproved. As for their carriage toward others, Moſes who loved the Hebrews ſo well as to wiſh himſelf blotted out of Gods book, rather then they ſhould periſh, yet ſpareth not to relate their many rebellions, with the aggravations thereof to the full. The idolatry of his brother Aaron, the murmuring of his ſiſter Miriam, the frowardneſs of his wife Zipporah, are as freely recorded by him, as any other hiſtorical paſſages whatſoever. Luke who was Pauls companion and ſcholar telleth us in the Acts what havock he had made, and how ſore an enemy he had been to the Church of Chriſt. Mark, whom Peter 1 Pet. laſt. 13.ſtyleth his ſon, aggravateth the ſtory of his dear fathers ſin againſt Chriſt, more then ſome of the other Evangeliſts. Luke and John telleth us barely of his denying; but Mark addeth further Mark 14. verſe 68. 70. 71.that he began to ſwear and curſe, ſaying, I know not the man.
§. 4. IV. In point of duration. Satan, who is Gods ape in very many things, had his oracles alſo of both ſorts, Vocal; as at Delphi and Dodona, which Ovid in that reſpect joyneth together in one verſe, Non mihi ſi Delphi, Dodonáque diceret ipſa; Written; as in the Sibyls books contained at firſt in three volumes, two whereof, as it is ſaid, were purpoſely caſt into the fire by her that preſented them, becauſe Tarquin Plin. natur. hiſt. lib. 13. cap. 13.would not go to the price of them; and the third ſold for as much as was demanded in the beginning of the treaty for all three. Now providence ſo ordered things that there was was a remarkable failing of the former ſort upon the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, and a total ceſſation of them not long after his death, inſomuch as Plutarch wrote a book of their defect: and a deſtruction of the latter after Chriſtianity —Sibyllinae fata cremavit opis. Vide Baron. tom. 4. ad annum Chriſti 389. n. 56. & Molin. Vates p. 182.had taken root in the Romane empire, when Stilico burnt the Sybils books as fomenters of paganiſme and profaneſs. He that was manifeſted to deſtroy the works of the devil ſtopped the mouths of thoſe evil Angels that gave anſwers by oracles. The Sun of righteouſneſs aroſe, and thoſe wilde beaſts were forced to betake themſelves to their dens. Then was the prince of this world judged, and his Angels diſlodged, for the Lord Chriſt had ejected them. But the old Teſtament Scriptures received a ſtrong confirmation from Chriſt by his appealing to them, arguing from them and expounding of them. Yea ſo far were the Oracles of God from any diminution by his coming, preaching and dying, that they received not a confirmation onelyonly but a glorious augmentation, in that within a while after there was added to them by his Secretaries the Evangeliſts and Apoſtles another Volume, I mean the books of the New Teſtament; upon the publiſhing whereof there came out from God as it were a ſecond edition of his Oracles much enlarged.
§. 5. Fifthly and laſtly. In point of authoritie. Thoſe were from the father of lies, as hath been ſaid; but theſe from the Father of lights. Scripture is of divine authority: Holy men of God 2 Pet. 1. 21.(ſaith Peter) ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt. They wrote accordingly. All Scripture, ſaith Paul, was given 2 Tim. 3. 16.by inſpiration of God. It is not more true that they are oracles for their uſe, then that they have God for their authour. Many large volumes have been written for to make good this aſſertion. It is a thing wherein the Spirit of God, who indited the Scripture, gives ſuch abundant ſatisfaction to the ſpirits of godly men, as to make other arguments, though not uſeleſs, yet to them of leſs neceſsity; He alone bearing witneſs to the divinity of holy writ, and to the truth of his own teſtimony, ſo putting a final iſſue to that controverſie. But becauſe there is need of other reaſons for the conviction of other men, I have produced certain arguments T…ctica Sacra. lib. 2. cap. ult.elſewhere, and ſhall here make an addition of two more, which are not mentioned in that diſcourſe, one from conſent, another from continuance.
§. 6. From conſent thus. Writings of men differ exceedingly one from another, which made Seneca ſay, Philoſophers Tunc inter Thiloſophos conveniet quando inter Horologia.would then be all of one minde when all clocks were brought to ſtrike at one and the ſame time. Yea it is hard finding an authour that doth not differ from himſelf more or leſs, if he write much, and at various ſeaſons. But here is a moſt harmonious conſent. The word ſince written fully agrees with that which in former times was delivered to the Patriarchs, and tranſmitted by word of mouth. As the word God is the ſame to day, yeſterday and for ever, although not incarnate till the fulneſs of time came, and then made fleſh: So the word of God, although till Moſes received a command to put it in writing, there wanted that kinde of incarnation, was for ſubſtance the ſame before and after. And as the written word agreed with the unwritten, ſo doth one part of that which is written harmonize with another. The two Teſtaments, Old and New, like the two breaſts of the ſame perſon give the ſame milk. As if one draw water out of a deep well with veſſels of different mettal, one of braſs, another of tin, a third of earth, the water may ſeem at firſt to be of a different colour; but when the veſſels are brought near to the eye, this diverſity of colours vaniſheth, and the waters taſted of have the ſame reliſh: So here, the different ſtyle of the hiſtoriographers from Prophets, of the Prophets from Evangeliſts, of the Evangeliſt from Apoſtles may make the truths of Scripture ſeem of different complexions till one look narrowly into them and taſte them adviſedly, then will the identity both of colour and reliſh manifeſt it ſelf.
§. 7. From continuance thus. Notwithſtanding all the confuſions that have happened in the world, all the fires that have been kindled, the maſſacres that have been executed, and the battels that have been fought againſt the true Chriſtian Religion, the ſtorehouſe thereof hath continued to this day, and theſe Oracles of God been preſerved in ſpite of hell. Solomons philoſophical treatiſes, which the world had no ſpleen againſt, but a liking of, are long ſince loſt; whereas his Canonical writings are extant ſtill. When the earth clave aſunder to ſwallow up Korah & his company, there are that think ſome of his children were taken up by the hand of God into the air till the earth cloſed again, then ſet down without having received any harm becauſe in the titles of ſundry Pſalms mention is made of the ſons of Korah, whom Tirinus in Numer. 16. notâ ultimâ.they ſuppoſe then preſerved to propagate theſe whoſe ſervice the Lord had a purpoſe to uſe ſo long after. How often hath perſecution opened her mouth from age to age, and ſwallowed up millions both of men and books! Yet the bible hath been continued ſtill by the over-ruling hand of heaven, yea, which maketh it more remarkable, God hath ſo befooled the devil herein, as to preſerve his own Book many times by the hands of his and its enemies. It is too well known how ſmall friends the Jews are and have heretofore been to the truth contained in the old Teſtament, yet of them did the Lord make uſe to keep it, and they proved carefull feoffes in truſt for making over the aſſurances of life to us Gentiles. Concerning one book of the New Teſtament, viz. the Apocalypſe, it is very obſervable that when the authority thereof was queſtioned of old, the Church of Rome ſtruck in with her teſtimony, and was a ſpecial means to have it kept in the number of Canonical books; not without a ſpecial providence. God, who made Pharaohs daughter a ſecond mother to Moſes, whom he had appointed to bring deſtruction afterwards upon her fathers houſe and kingdome; did then make the Romiſh Church a drie nurſe to preſerve this Book (whoſe meaning ſhe knew not) that it might bring deſolation upon her ſelf and her children afterwards. Well may we therefore conclude and ſay of the holy Bible, as Gamaliel once did of the Apoſtles Acts 5. 38, 39.preaching, Had this work been of men it would have come to nought longere this, but being it is of God, the devil and his complices have not been able to overthrow it.
§. 8. Learn we alſo from that hath been ſaid, to magnifie the grace of God, who in order to the promoting of our bleſſedneſs, hath brought us of this nation to the knowledge of Chriſtian Religion, for want whereof many millions in other parts ſtill ſit in darkneſs and the ſhadow of death. It was a memorable act of Witekindus, Sr H. Spelman in Aſpilogia p. 71.one of the Dukes of Saxony, who flouriſhed about the nine hundredth year of Chriſt; after his renouncing paganiſme, and receiving the faith of the goſpel, he cauſed the black horſe, which he had formerly born in his military colours, to be laid aſide, and in ſtead thereof a white horſe to be born, in teſtimony of his triumphant joy for that great change: perhaps becauſe among Qui candore cum nive certabant. Pompon. Laetus.the Romanes the manner was to make uſe of ſuch coloured ſteeds in their triumphs. It put me in minde of what we reade in the ſixth of the Revelation verſe the ſecond, where Chriſt is deſcribed as going out in the miniſtery of the Goſpel, which was then newly embraced by that Prince; Behold a white horſe, and he that ſat on him had a bowe, and a crown was givne unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer. Yea whereas there are ſundry modes of the Chriſtian Religion, we are therefore to have our hearts and mouths filled with the higheſt praiſes of God, becauſe we have it in the pureſt, that is, the Proteſtant way, which allows the people in general a free uſe of Bibles in their native language. In In Hiſpania in Indice librorum prohibitorum Regulae ſexta ſic habet. Prohibentur Biblia in vulgari lingua cum omnibus ſuis partibus. Azor. Inſtit. moral. Tom. 1. lib. 8. cap. 26. pag. 714. Anglia, mons, pons, ſons, Eccleſia, foemina, lana.ſundry parts even of Europe it is far otherwiſe, particularly in Spain, where the Bible in their vulgar tongue is reckoned among prohibited books, and ſufficeth to bring him that reads it into danger of the Inquiſition. Wherefore let ſuch as liſt make their boaſt of other things which England is ſaid to be famous for, as beautifull Churches, bridges, women, &c. If I were asked what advantage have Engliſh men and what profit is there of living in that Iſland, mine anſwer ſhould be much every way; but chiefly becauſe to them are cō mitted the Oracles of God, & liberty to reade their fathers minde in their mother tongue.