Of the Divine Original Authority, Treatise 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Of the Teſtimony of the Spirit. Traditions. Miracles.
Sect. 1. BEfore I proceed to the conſideration of thoſe other Teſtimonies, which are as Arguments drawne from thoſe innate Excellencies, and Properties of the Word which I have inſiſted on, ſome other things whoſe right underſtanding is of great importance in the cauſe underdebate, muſt be laid downe and ſtated. Some of theſe referre to that Teſtimony of the Spirit, that is uſually and truly pleaded, as the great aſcertaining Principle, or that, on the account whereof, we receive the Scriptures to be the Word of God. That it may be ſeene, in what ſenſe, that is uſually delivered by our Divines, and how farre there is a coincidence between that Aſſertion, and what we have delivered, I ſhall lay downe what that Teſtimony is, wherein it conſiſts, and what is the weight or ſtreſſe that we lay upon it.
Sect. 2. That the Scripture be received as the Word of God, there is required a twofold Efficacy of the ſpirit. The firſt reſpects the ſubject or the mind of man that aſſents unto the Authority of the Scripture; now concerning this Act, or worke of the Spirit, whereby we are enabled to believe the Scripture, on the account whereof we may ſay that we receive the Scripture to be the word of God, or upon the Teſtimony of the Spirit, I ſhall a little enquire, what it is, and wherein it doth conſiſt.
Sect. 3. 1ſt. Then, It is not an outward or inward vocal Teſtimony concerning the Word, as the Papiſts would impoſe upon us to believe and aſſent. We doe not affirme that the ſpirit immediatly, by himſelfe, ſaith unto every individuall Believer, this Book is, or containes the Word of God; We ſay not that the Spirit ever ſpake to us of the Word, but by the Word. Such an Enthuſiaſme as they fancy is rarely pretended, and where it is ſo, it is for the moſt part quickly diſcovered to be a deluſion. We plead not for the uſefulneſſe, much leſſe the neceſſity of any ſuch Teſtimony. Yea the Principles we have laid downe, reſolving all faith into the Publick Teſtimony of the Scriptures themſelves, doe render all ſuch private Teſtimonies altogether needleſſe.
Sect. 4. 2ly. This Teſtimony of the ſpirit conſiſts not in a perſwaſion that a man takes up, he knowes not well how, or why; only this he knowes, he will not Depoſe it though it coſt him his life. This would be like that, which by Morinus is aſcribed to the Church of Rome, which though it knew no Reaſon why it ſhould preferre the vulgar latine Tranſlation before the Originall, Morin. Excere. de Heb. Tex. fincer & excercit. 1. cap. 1.yet by the guidance of the Spirit would doe ſo, that is unreaſonably. But if a man ſhould ſay, that he is perſwaded that the Scripture is the Word of God, and that he will dye a 1000 times to give Teſtimony thereunto; and not knowing any reall ground of this perſwaſion, that ſhould beare him out in ſuch a Teſtimony, ſhall aſcribe it to the Spirit of God, our concernment lyes not in that Perſwaſion. This may befall men by the Advantage of Traditions, whereof men are uſually Zealous; and obſtinate in their defence. Education in ſome conſtitutions will give pertinacy in moſt vaine and falſe perſwaſions. It is not then a Reſolution and Perſwaſion induced into our minds we know not how, built we know not upon what foundations, that we intend in the Aſsignation of our receiving the Scripture, to be the Word of God, to the effectuall worke and witneſſe of the Holy Ghoſt.
Sect. 5. Two things then we intend by this VVorke of the ſpirit upon the mind of man 1. His communication of of ſpirituall Light; by an act of his Power, enabling the mind to diſcerne the ſaving Truth, Majeſty, and Authority of the Word, foreign. There is a blindneſſe, a darkneſſe upon the minds of men, foreign, that not only diſenables them from diſcerning the things of God, in their certainty, Evidence, Neceſſity, and beauty; (for foreign;) but alſo cauſes them to judge amiſſe of them; as things weake and fooliſh, darke, unintelligible, not anſwering to any Principle of Wiſdome whereby they are guided: 1 Cor. 2. Whilſt this foreign abides on the minds of men, it is impoſſible that they ſhould on any right abiding foundation aſſent to the Word of God. They may have a prejudicate opinion, they have no faith concerning it. This darkneſſe then muſt be removed by the Communication of Light by the Holy Ghoſt, which work of his Illumination is commonly by others ſpoken unto; and by me alſo in another place.
Sect. 6. 2. The Holy Ghoſt together with, and by his worke of Illumination, taking off the perverſe diſpoſition of mind that is in us by nature, with our Enmity to, and Averſation from the things of God, effectually alſo perſwades the mind, to a receiving and admitting of the Truth, Wiſdome, and Authority of the word; Now becauſe this perverſe diſpoſition of mind, poſſeſſing the foreign of the ſoule, influences the Will alſo into an Averſation and diſlike of that Goodneſse, which is in the Truth propoſed to it; it is removed by a double act of the Holy Ghoſt.
§ 7. 1. He gives us Wiſdome, Underſtanding, a ſpirituall Judgment, whereby we may be able to compare ſpirituall things with ſpirituall, in a ſpirituall manner, and to come thereby to a cleare and full Light of the heavenly Excellency and Majeſty of the Word; and ſo enables us to know of the doctrine, whither it be of God. Under the benefit of this Aſſiſtance, all the parts of the Scripture in their Harmony and Correſpondency, all the Truths of it in their power and neceſſity, come in together to give Evidence one to another, and all of them to the whole; I meane as the mind is enabled to make a ſpirituall Judgment of them.
§ 8. 2. He gives foreign, a ſpirituall ſenſe, a Taſt of the things themſelves upon the mind, Heart, and Conſcience; when we have foreign ſenſes exerciſed to diſcerne ſuch things. Theſe things deſerve a more full handling, and to be particularly exemplified from Scripture, if the nature of our preſent deſigne would admit thereof.
Sect. 9. As in our naturall Eſtate in reſpect of theſe things of God, the mind is full of vanity, darkneſſe, blindneſſe, yea is darkneſs its ſelfe, ſo that there is no correſpondency between the faculty and the Object; and the Will lies in an utter unacquaintedneſſe, yea impoſſibility of any acquaintance with the life, power, ſavour, ſweetneſſe, reliſh, and Goodneſſe, that is in the things propoſed to be known and diſcerned, under the darke ſhades of a blind mind; ſo for a removall of both theſe, the Holy Ghoſt communicates Light to the Underſtanding, whence it is able to ſee and judge of the truth, as it is in Jeſus, and the Will being thereby delivered from the dungeon wherein it was, and quickened a new, performes its office, in embracing what is proper and ſuited unto it in the object propoſed. The Spirit indeed diſcovereth to every one foreign; according to the counſell of his will; but yet in that way, in the Generall whereby the Sun gives out his light and heate, the former making way for the latter: But theſe things muſt not now be inſiſted on.
Sect. 10. Now by theſe works of the Spirit, He doth, I ſay, perſwade the Mind concerning the Truth and Authority of the Scripture; and therein leave an Impreſſion of an effectuall Teſtimony within us: And this Teſtimony of his, as it is Authoritative, and infallible in its ſelfe, ſo of inconceivably more Efficacy, Power and Certainty unto them that doe receive it, then any Voice, or internall Word, boaſted of by ſome, can be. But yet this is not the work of the ſpirit at preſent enquired after.
Sect. 11. 2 There is a Teſtimony of the ſpirit, that reſpects the object, or the Word its ſelfe; and this is a publick Teſtimony, which, as it ſatisfies our ſoules in particular, ſo it is, and may be pleaded, in reference unto the ſatisfaction of all others, to whom the Word of God ſhall come. The Holy Ghoſt ſpeaking in and by the Word, imparting to it Vertue, Power, Efficacy, Majeſty and Authority, affords us the Witneſse, that our faith is reſolved unto. And thus whereas there are but two heads, whereunto all Grounds of Aſſent do belong, namely Authority of Teſtimony, and the ſelfe Evidence of Truth, they do here both concurre in one. In the ſame Word we have both the Authority of the Teſtimony of the ſpirit, and the ſelfe Evidence of the Truth ſpoken by him; yea ſo, that both theſe are materially one and the ſame, though diſtinguiſhed in their formall conceptions. I have been much affected with thoſe verſes of DANTES the Italian Poet, which ſome body hath thus word for word turned into Latine.
—larga pluvia
Spiritus ſancti quae eſt diffuſa
Super veteres, & ſuper novas membranas,
Eſt ſyllogiſmus qu… eam mihi concluſit
Acutè adeo ut prae illa
Omnis demonſtratio mihi videatur obtuſa.
The ſpirits communication of his owne Light, and Authority to the Scripture, as Evidences of its originall, is the Teſtimony pleaded for.
Sect. 12. When then we reſolve our faith into the Teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt, it is not any Private whiſper, Word, or voyce given to individuall Perſons; It is not the ſecret and effectuall perſwaſion of the Truth of the Scriptures, that falls upon the minds of ſome men, from various involved conſiderations of Education, Tradition, and the like, whereof they can give no particular account: It is not the effectuall work of the Holy Ghoſt upon the minds and wills of men, enabling them ſavingly to believe, that is intended; The Papiſts for the moſt part pleading about theſe things, do but ſhew their ignorance and malice. But it is the Publick Teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt given unto all, of the Word, by and in the word, and its own divine light, Efficacy, and Power.
Sect. 13. Thus far then have we proceeded. The Scripture, the Written Word hath its infallible Truth in its ſelfe; foreign Joh. 17. from whence it hath its Verity, thence it hath its Authority; for its whole Authority is founded in its Truth. Its Authority in its ſelfe, is its Authority in reſpect of us; nor hath it any whit more in its ſelfe, then de jure it hath towards and over all them to whom it comes; That de facto ſome do not ſubmit themſelves unto it, is their ſin & rebellion. This Truth and conſequently this Authority, is evidenced and made known to us, by the publick Teſtimony which is given unto it by the Holy Ghoſt ſpeaking in it, with divine Light and Power, to the minds, ſoules, and conſciences of men: being therein by its ſelfe propoſed unto us, We being enlightned by the Holy Ghoſt, (which in the Condition wherein we are, is neceſſary for the Apprehenſion of any ſpirituall thing or truth in a ſpirituall manner) we receive it, and religiouſly ſubject our ſoules unto it, as the VVord and VVill of the everliving, ſoveraigne God, and judge of all▪ And if this be not a bottome and foundation of faith, I here publickly Profeſſe, that for ought I know, I have no faith at all.
Sect. 14. Having laid this ſtable foundation; I ſhall with all poſſible brevity conſider ſome pretences, and Allegations, for the confirmation of the Authority of the Scripture, invented and made uſe of by ſome, to divert us from that foundation, the cloſing wherewith, will in this matter alone bring peace unto our ſoules; and ſo this Chapter ſhall as it were, lay in the ballance, and compare together, the Teſtimony of the Spirit before mentioned and explained, and the other pretences and pleas, that ſhall now be examined.
Sect. 15. 1. Some ſay, when on other accounts they are concerned ſo to ſay, that we have received the Scripture from the Church of Rome, who received it by Tradition, and this gives a credibility unto it. Of Tradition in generall, without this limitation which deſtroies it, of the Church of Rome, I ſhall ſpeak afterwards. Credibility, either keeps within the bounds of probability, as that may be heightned to a manifeſt uncontr…leableneſſe, whilſt yet its principles exceed not that ſphere; in which ſenſe it belongs not at all to our preſent diſcourſe; or it includes a firme, ſuitable foundation, for faith ſupernaturall and divine. Have we in this ſenſe received the Scripture from that Church, as it is called? is that Church able to give ſuch a credibility to any thing? or doth the Scripture ſtand in need of ſuch a credibility to be given to it from that Church? are not the firſt moſt falſe, and is not the laſt blaſphemous? To receive a thing from a Church, as a Church, is to receive it upon the Authority of that Church: If we receive any thing from the Authority of a Church, we do it not becauſe the thing its ſelfe is foreign, worthy of Acceptation, but becauſe of the Authority alleadged. If then we thus receive the Scriptures from the Church of Rome, why (in particular) do we not receive the Apocryphall Books alſo, which ſhe receives? How did the Church of Rome re…eive the Scriptures? ſhall we ſay that ſhe is authorized to give out what ſeemes Good to her, as the Word of God? not: but ſhe hath received them by Tradition; ſo ſhe pleads, that ſhe hath received the Apocryphall books alſo; we then recive the Scriptures from Rome; Rome by Tradition; We make our ſelves Judges of that Tradition; and yet Rome ſaith, this is one thing, that ſhe hath by the ſame Tradition, namely, that ſhe alone is judge of what ſhe hath by Tradition; But the common fate of lyars is befallen that Harlot: ſhe hath ſo long, ſo conſtantly, ſo deſperately lyed in many, the moſt things that ſhe profeſſeth, pretending Tradition for them, that indeed ſhe deſerves not to be believed, when ſhe telleth the Truth. Beſides, She pleads that ſhe received the Scriptures from the Beginning, when it is granted that the copies of the Hebrew of the old, and Greek of the new Teſtament were only authentick: Theſe ſhe pleads now under her keeping to be woefully corrupted, and yet is angry that we believe not her Tradition.
Sect. 16. Some adde that we receive the Scripture to be the Word of God upon the account of the miracles that were wrought at the giving of the Law, and of the new Teſtament; which miracles we have received by univerſall Tradition. But firſt I deſire to know whence it comes to paſſe, that ſeeing our ſaviour Jeſus Chriſt wrought many other miracles beſides thoſe that are written, Joh. 20. 30. ch. 21. 25. and the Apoſtles likewiſe, they cannot by all their Traditions help us to ſo much as an obſcure report of any one, that is not written; (I ſpeak not of Legends) which yet at their performance were no leſſe known then thoſe that are; nor were leſſe uſefull for the end of miracles then they. Of Tradition in Generall afterwards▪ But is it not evident that the miracles whereof they ſpeak, are preſerved in the Scripture and no otherwiſe? And if ſo; can theſe miracles operate upon the underſtanding or judgment of any man, unleſſe they firſt grant the Scripture to be the Word of God, I meane to the begetting of a divine faith of them, even that there were ever any ſuch miracles. Suppoſe theſe miracles alleadged, as the Ground of our believing of the word, had not been written, but like the Sybills leaves had been driven up and downe, by the Worſt and fierceſt wind that blowes in this world, the breath of man; Thoſe who ſhould keepe them by tradition, that is men, are by nature ſo vaine, fooliſh, malicious, ſuch lyars, adders, detracters, have ſpirits and minds ſo unſuited to ſpirituall things, ſo liable to alteration in themſelves, and to contradiction one to another, are ſo given to impoſtures, and are ſo apt to be impoſed upon, have been ſo ſhuffled and driven up and downe the world in every Generation, have for the moſt part ſo utterly loſt the Remembrance of what themſelves are, whence they come, or whether they are to goe, that I can give very little credit to what I have nothing but their Authority to rely upon for, without any Evidence from the nature of the thing it's ſelfe.
Sect. 17. Abſtracting then from the Teſtimony given in the Scriptures to the miracles wrought by the prime Revealers of the mind and will of God in the Word; and no tolerable aſſurance as to the buſineſſe in hand, where a foundation for faith is enquired after, can be given that ever any ſuch miracles were wrought. If numbers of men may be allowed to ſpeake, we may have a Traditionall Teſtimony given to the blaſphemous figments of the Alcoran, under the name of True miracles. But the conſtant Tradition of more than a 1000 yeares, carried on by innumerable multitudes of men, great, wiſe, and ſober, from one Generation to another, doth but ſet open the gates of hell for the Mahumetans; Yet ſetting aſide the Authority of God in his Word, and what is reſolved thereinto, I know not why they may not vye Traditions with the reſt of the world. The world indeed is full of Traditions flowing from the Word; that is, a knowledge of the Doctrines of the word in the minds of men; but a Tradition of the Word, not reſolved into the Word, a tradition referred to a fountaine of ſenſe in ſeeing, and hearing, preſerved as an orall law, in a diſtinct channel, and ſtreame by it's ſelfe, when it is evidenced, either by inſtance in ſome particular preſerved therein, or in a probability of ſecuring it through the Generations paſſed, by a compariſon of ſome ſuch effect in things of the like kind, I ſhall be ready to receive it.
Sect. 18. Give me then, as I ſaid before, but the leaſt obſcure report, of any one of thoſe many miracles that were wrought by our Saviour and the Apoſtles, which are not recorded in the ſcriptures, and I ſhall put more valuation on the pretended Traditions, than I can as yet perſwade my ſelfe unto. Beſides! many VVriters of the Scripture wrought no miracles, and by this Rule their writings are left to ſhift for themſelves. Miracles indeed were neceſſary to take of all prejudices from the Perſons, that brought any new doctrine from God; but the doctrine ſtill evidenced it's ſelfe: The Apoſtles converted many, where they wrought no miracles. Act. 16. 17, 18; and where they did ſo worke, yet they for their doctrine, and not the doctrine on their account was received. And the Scripture now hath no leſſe Evidence and demonſtration in it's ſelfe of it's Divinity, than it had, when by them it was preached.
Sect. 19. But becauſe this Tradition is pretended with great confidence as a ſure bottome and foundation for receiving of the Scriptures, I ſhall a little farther enquire into it. That which in this caſe is intended, by this foreign or Tradition,Eſt r…i de manu in manu…, aut doctrinae ex animo in animum mediante docentis voce, quâ ſeu manu doctrina alteri traditur. Buxtor. Comment. Maſ. is a Report of men, which thoſe who are preſent have received from them that are gone before them. Now this may be either of All the men of the World, or only of ſome of them; if of All; either their ſuffrages muſt be taken in ſome Convention, or gathered up from the individualls as we are able, and have opportunity. If the firſt way of receiving them were poſſible, which is the utmoſt improvement that Imagination can give the Authority enquired after, yet every individuall of men being a Liar, the whole convention muſt be of the ſame complexion, and ſo not be able to yeild a ſufficient baſis to build a faith upon, cui non poteſt ſubeſſe falſum, that is infallible, and cannot poſſibly be deceived: much leſſe is there any foundation for it, in ſuch a Report as is the Emergencie of the Aſſertion of Individualls.
Sect. 21. But now if this Tradition be alledged as preſerved only by ſome in the World, not the halfe of rationall Creatures, I deſire to know, what reaſon I have to believe thoſe who have that Tradition, or plead that they have it, before and againſt them who profeſſe they have no ſuch Report delivered to them from their forefathers; Is the Reaſon hereof becauſe I live among theſe who have this Tradition, and they are my neighbours whom I know? by the ſame Rule thoſe who live among the other Parts of men, are bound to receive what they deliver them upon Tradition; and ſo men may be obliged to believe the Alcoran to be the Word of God.
Sect. 22. It is more probable it will be anſwered, that their Teſtimony is to be received becauſe they are the Church of God; but it doth not yet appeare, that I can any other way have any Kowledge of them ſo to be, or of any Authority that any number of men, more, or leſſe, can have in this caſe, under that Name or Notion, unleſſe by the Scripture it's ſelfe; And if ſo, it will quickly appeare what place is to be allotted to their Teſtimony, who cannot be admitted as Witneſſes, unleſſe the Scripture it's ſelfe be owned and received; becauſe they have neither plea nor claime to be ſo admitted, but only from the Scripture: If they ſhall averre, that they take this honour to themſelves, and that without Relation to the Scripture they claime a right of Authoritative witneſſe bearing in this caſe, I ſay againe, upon the generall grounds of naturall Reaſon, and Equity, I have no more inducements to give credit to their Aſſertions, then to an alike number of men holding out a Tradition utterly to the contrary of what they aſſert.
Sect. 23. But yet ſuppoſe, that this alſo were granted, and that men might be allowed to ſpeake in their owne name and Authority, giving Teſtimony to themſelves, which upon the hypotheſis under conſideration, God himſelfe is not allowed to doe; I ſhall deſire to know whither, when the Church declares the ſcriptures to be the Word of God unto us, it doth apprehend any thing in the Scripture as the Ground of that Judgment and declaration or no? If it ſayes no; but that it is propoſed upon it's ſole Authority; then ſurely if we thinke Good to acquieſſe in this deciſion of this doubt and enquiry, it is full time for us, to lay aſide all our ſtuddies and enquiries after the Mind of God, and ſeek only what that man, or thoſe men ſay, who are intruſted with this Authority, as they ſay, and as they would have us believe them, though we know not at all how or by what meanes they came by it; ſeeing they dare not pretend any thing from the Scripture, leaſt thereby they direct us to that, in the firſt place.
Sect. 24. If it be ſaid, that they doe upon other accounts judge and believe the ſcripture to be true, and to be the Word of God; I ſuppoſe it will not be thought unreaſonable if we enquire after thoſe Grounds and accounts, ſeeing they are of ſo great concernement unto us; All Truths in Relations conſiſting, in their conſonancy and Agreement, to the nature of the things they deliver, I deſire to know how they came to judge of the conſonancy, betweene the nature of the things delivered in the Scripture, and the delivery of them therein? The things whereof we ſpeake being heavenly, ſpirituall, myſterious, and ſupernaturall, there cannot be any knowledge obtained of them but by the Word it's ſelfe. How then can they make any Judgment of the Truth of that Scripture in the Relation of theſe things, which are no where to be known (I ſpeak of many of them) in the leaſt, but by that Scripture its ſelfe.
Sect. 25. If they ſhall ſay, that they found their judgment and declaration upon ſome diſcovery, that the Scripture makes of its ſelfe unto them; they affirme the ſame that we plead for: only they would very deſireouſly appropriate to themſelves the Priviledge of being able to diſcerne that diſcovery ſo made in the Scripture. To make good this claime, they muſt either plead ſomewhat from themſelves, or from the Scriptures: if from themſelves, it can be nothing, but that they ſee, like the men of China, and all others are blind, or have but one eye at the beſt, being wiſer then any others, and more able to diſcerne then they. Now though I ſhall eaſily grant them to be very ſubtle and cunning, yet that they are ſo much wiſer then all the world beſides, that they are meet to impoſe upon their beliefe things that they neither do, nor can diſcerne or know, I would not be thought to admit, untill I can believe my ſelfe and all others not of their ſociety or combination, to be beaſts of the field, and they as the ſerpent amongſt us.
Sect. 26. If it be from the Scripture that they ſeek to make Good this claime; then as we cauſe them there to make a ſtand, which is all we aime at, ſo their plea muſt be from the promiſe of ſome ſpeciall Aſſiſtance granted to them for that purpoſe; if their aſſiſtance be that of the ſpirit, it is either of the ſpirit that is promiſed to believers, to worke in them as before deſcribed and related, or it is ſome private Teſtimony that they pretend is afforded to them; If the former be affirmed, we are in a condition, wherein the neceſsity of devolving all on the ſcripture its ſelfe, to decide and judge who are beleivers, lies in every ones view; if the latter, who ſhall give me Aſſurance, that when they pretend that witneſſe and Teſtimony, they do not lye and deceive; we muſt here certainly go either to the Scrippture, or to ſome cunning man to be reſolved. Iſa. 8. 19, 20.
Sect. 27. I confeſſe the Argument which hath not long ſince been ſingled out, and dextrovſly mannaged by an able and learned pen, namely; of proving the Truth of the doctrine of the Scripture,D. Ward Eſſay &c. from the Truth of the ſtory, and the Truth of the ſtory from the certainty there is that the Writers of the Books of the Bible, were thoſe Perſons whoſe names and inſcriptions they beare; ſo purſuing the Evidence, that what they wrote was true and known to them ſo to be, from all requiſita that may poſſibly be ſought after for the ſtrengthening of ſuch Evidence, is of great force and efficacy. It is I ſay of great force and efficacy as to the end for which it is inſiſted on; that is to ſatisfy mens rational Enquiries; but as to a ground of faith, it hath the ſame inſufficiency with all other Arguments of the like kind; Though I ſhould grant that the Apoſtles & penmen of the Scripture were perſons of the greateſt induſtry, honeſty, integrity, faithfullneſſe, holineſſe that ever lived in the world, as they were; and that they wrote nothing, but what themſelves had as Good Aſſurance of▪ as what men by their ſenſes of ſeeing and hearing are able to attaine; yet ſuch a Knowledge and Aſſurance is not a ſufficient foundation for the faith of the Church of God; if they received not every Word by inſpiration, and that evidencing it's ſelfe unto us, otherwiſe then by the Authority of their Integrity, it can be no foundation for us to build our faith upon.
Sect. 28. Before the committing of the Scriptures to writing, God had given the World an Experiment what keepers men were of this Revelation by tradition; Within ſome hundreds of yeares after the flood, all knowledge of him, through the craft of Sathan, and the vanity of the minds of men which is unſpeakable, was ſo loſt, that nothing, but as it were the creation of a new World, or the Erection of a new Church ſtate by new Revelations, could relieve it. After that great triall what can be farther pretended, on the behalfe of Tradition I know not.
Sect. 29. The ſumme of all is; The mercifull Good Providence of God, having by divers and various meanes; uſing therin amongſt other things, the miniſtry of men and Churches, preſerved the Writings of the Old and New Teſtament in the World; and by the ſame gratious diſpoſall afforded them unto us, they are received and ſubmitted unto by us, upon the Grounds and evidences of their divine Originall before inſiſted on.
Sect 30. Upon the whole matter then, I would know, whither if the Scriptures ſhould be brought to any man, when, or where, he could not poſſibly have it atteſted to be the Word of God, by any publick or private Authority of man, or Church, Tradition, or otherwiſe, he were bound to believe it or no? whither he ſhould obey God in believing, or ſin in the rejecting of it? ſuppoſe de do but take it into conſideration, doe but give it the reading or hearing, ſeeing in every place it avers it's ſelfe to be the Word of God, he muſt of neceſſity either give credit unto it, or disbelieve it; To hang in ſuſpenſe, which ariſeth from the imperfect actings of the faculties of the ſoule, is in it's ſelfe a weakneſſe, and in this caſe being reckoned no the worſt ſide, is interpretatively a Rejection. If you ſay it were the duty of ſuch an one to believe it, you acknowledge in the ſcripture it's ſelfe a ſufficient Evidence of it's own originall Authority; without which it can be no man's duty to believe it. If you ſay, it would not be his ſinne to reject and refuſe it, to disbelieve all that it ſpeakes in the name of God; then this is that you ſay; God may truly and really ſpeake unto a man, (as he doth by the Scripture) and yet that man not be bound to believe him. We deale not thus with one another.
Sect. 31. To wind up then the plea inſiſted on in the foregoing Chapter, concerning the ſelfe evidencing Light and Power of the Scripture, from which we have diverted, and to make way for ſome other conſiderations, that tend to the confirmation of their divine Originall, I ſhall cloſe this diſcourſe with the two generall conſiderations following.
Sect. 32. 1 Then laying aſide theſe failing pleas, there ſeemes to be a morall impoſſibility that the Word of God, ſhould not manifeſt it's own Originall, and it's Authority from thence. Quaelibet herba deum. There is no Worke of God, as was ſhewed, but reveales it's Authour. A curious Artificer imparts that of forme, ſhape, proportion, and comelineſſe to the fruit of his Invention, and worke of his hands, that every one that looks upon it, muſt conclude, that it comes from skill and Ability. A man in the delivery of his mind in the writing of a Book, will give it ſuch an impreſſion of Reaſon, that though you cannot conclude that this, or that man wrote it, yet you muſt, that it was the product of a man, or Rationall creature: yea ſome individuall men of Excellency in ſome skill, are inſtantly knowne by them, that are able to judge in that Art or skill, by the Effects of their skill. This is the Peice, this is the hand, the Worke of ſuch an one. How eaſy is it for thoſe who are converſant about antient Authours to diſcover an Authour by the ſpirit and ſtile of his writings. Now certainly this is ſtrange beyond all beliefe, that almoſt every Agent ſhould give an impreſſe to it's worke, whereby it may be appropriated unto him, and only the Word, wherein it was the deſigne of the Great and Holy God to give us a portraiture as it were of his Wiſdome, Holineſſe and Goodneſſe, ſo farre as we are capable of an Acquaintance with him in this Life, is not able to declare and evince it's Originall. That God who is prima Veritas, the firſt and ſoveraigne Truth, infinitely ſeperated and diſtinguiſhed from all creatures on all accounts whatever, ſhould Write a Book, or at leaſt immediately indite it, commanding us to receive it as his, under the penalty of his Eternall diſpleaſure, and yet that Booke not make a ſufficient diſcovery of it's ſelfe to be his, to be from him, is paſt all beliefe. Let men that live on things received by Tradition from their Fathers, who perhaps never had ſenſe of any reall Tranſaction betweene God and their ſoules, who ſcarſe ever peruſed the Word ſeriouſly in their lives, nor brought their Conſciences to it; pleaſe themſelves in their owne imaginations; The ſure Anchor of a ſoule that would draw nigh to God in and by his Word, lyes in the things laid downe.
Sect. 33. I ſuppoſe it will not be denyed but that it was the Mind and Will of God, that thoſe to whom his Word ſhould come, ſhould owne it and receive it as his; if not, it were no ſinne in them to reject it, unto whom it doth ſo come; if it were, then either he hath given thoſe Characters unto it, and left upon it that impreſſion of his majeſty whereby it might be knowne to be his, or he hath not done ſo; and that either becauſe he would not, or becauſe he could not; To ſay the latter, is to make him more i… firme than a man, or other wormes of the earth, than any naturally e…fectuall cauſe. He that ſaith the former, muſt know, that it is incumbent on him, to yeild a ſatisfactory account, why God would not doe ſo, or elſe he will be thought blaſphemouſly to impute a want of that Goodneſſe & Love of mankind unto him, which he hath in infinite Grace manifeſted to be in himſelfe. That no man is able to aſſigne any ſuch Reaſon, I ſhall firmly believe, untill I find ſome attempting ſo to doe; which as yet none have arrived at that height of Impudence and wickedneſſe as to owne.
Sect. 34. 2ly. How horrible is it to the thoughts of any Saint of God, that the ſcripture ſhould not have it's Authority from it's ſelfe. Tertullian objects this to the Gentiles; Apol. Cap. 5. Facit & hoc ad cauſam noſtram, quod apud vos de humano arbitratu divinitas penſitatur; niſi homini Deus placuerit, Deus non erit; homo ja… Deo propiti…s eſſe debebit. Would it be otherwiſe in this caſe if the Scripture muſt ſtand to the mercy of man for the Reputation of its Divinity? nay of its verity; for whence it hath its Authority, thence it hath its verity alſo, as was obſerved before; and many more words of this nature might be added.