The Way to Heaven Discovered, Religious treatise · Stumbling block 1 – Stumbling block 3
The firſt ſtumbling block that lyeth in the way is this; ſaith one, I am ſometimes unſatisfied and remain ſtaggering, and doubting whether the Scriptures called the Old and New Teſtament be the Word God, yea or no.
Anſw. If the Scriptures be not the Word of God, then there is no rule to walk by, but that every man may walk according to his own heart, and as it ſeems good in his own eyes: and this is a moſt pleaſing bait, whereby our Rantors and new upſtart wantons are inſnared, and become the tribe of diſobedience, begotten by the ſeed of the Serpent, and travelling towards the land of confuſion, and they will ſhortly arrive at the anger of God, and be caſt into the pit of his eternall diſpleaſure. But that the Scriptures are the Word of God, it will clearly appear, if we conſider
1. By the powerfull effects that the Word hath, and doth work upon the conſciences of men, as to avoid the evill and to chuſe the good, beſides many wonderfull effects that have been wrought thereby in all ages.
2. It doth appear that the Bible is the Word of God, becauſe it holds out holineſſe more then any book in the world, and they hold forth a ſelf-denying ſpirit, more then any book beſides in the world, by all which it doth appear, that it is the Word of God.
3. It doth further appear to be the Word of God, becauſe we finde many of the ſame things written in our hearts by the Finger of God, his Spirit bearing witneſſe with ours that we are his, and both bearing witneſſe that this is his Word.
4. In reſpect of the matter of the Scripture, it doth appear to be the Word of God; for there cannot be more glorious matter for the creature to be centred upon; ſo alſo for the ſweet dependency of the creatures one upon another: beaſts nouriſh men, and graſſe them.
5. The Scripture doth appear to be the Word of God, becauſe thoſe things that have been promiſed the rein, have in the appointed time come to paſſe in all ages, ſo that things have fallen out in every age, according to their ſeverall propheſies: and all this being ſo, doth make it plainly appear to be the Word of God. Now when a poor ſinner converted hath gotten over this ſtumbling block, and is in ſome meaſure ſatisfied that this is the Word of God, ſo that the ſubtle Devill, and his own deceitfull heart, cannot cheat him here, then he caſts in a ſecond ſtumbling block.
II.
It is true, it cannot be denyed, but this is the Word of God, and were it truly tranſlated as it was left by the Prophets and Apoſtles, in Hebrew and in Greek, it were ſomething, but alas, the Scripture is corrupted by a ſpirit of ignorance, or a ſpirit of ſelf-ends, in our tranſlations.
Anſw. It is poſſible here and there a word is not ſo clearly tranſlated, but what is that to thee, ſeeing thou art not to build thy faith, and adventure thy ſoul upon God as held forth in any ſingle text, but according to the harmony of Scriptures, or generall ſcope, and ſo they be truly tranſlated: as to inſtance, in the Scriptures of the Old Teſtament. Chriſt exhorted them to read the Scriptures, and it cannot appear that the Bible ſhould be corrupted ſince: for beſides the Apoſtles, there were many thouſands of learned Jewes, that came to profeſſe the Goſpell: Act. 21. 20. Jam. 1. 1. And the truth being ſo gloriouſly planted, it doth appear it could not be corrupted: the generality of Scriptures are truly, clearly and faithfully tranſlated, ſo that whoſoever readeth, and underſtandeth, affecteth, beleeveth, and applyeth, and practiſeth, what is there held forth, it is able to make him wiſe, throughly furniſhed unto every good work, &c. and ſo we come to the third ſtumbling block.
III.
I cannot but grant, ſaith the doubting ſinner, but that the Scriptures are the Word of God as hath been proved, and that they are not ſo much corrupted by the Tranſlators, but in the main and generall bulk, are pure and clear; but what is all this to me? (ſaith the poor ſoul) If God had ſpoken particularly to me by his Prophets and Apoſtles, as he did to the Jewes and Gentiles, then it it were ſomething; but alas, theſe promiſes were made to the people then as being, and what is that to me, unleſſe God had ſpoken to me as he did to them?
Anſw. The promiſes do belong unto us now in being as well as unto them, as doth clearly appear by theſe and the like Scriptures: Rom. 15. 4. For whatſoever was written afore-time, was written for our learning: Joh. 17. 20. Neither pray I for theſe alone, but for them alſo that ſhall beleeve in me through their word: 1 Cor. 9. 10. Saith he it altogether for their ſakes? for our ſakes no doubt this is written: Rom. 4. 23, 24. Now it was not written for his ſake alone, but for us alſo: 1 Cor. 10. 11. Now all theſe things happened unto them for enſamples unto us: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Peter tels us from the Lord, 2 Pet. 1. 20. that we muſt not make the Scripture ſpeak in a private ſenſe: that is, wee muſt not analyſe or interpret them ſo, as if the Propheſies thereof did relate only to the particular times, places, and perſons, in, by and to whom they were at firſt uttered, &c.