it was in the Apostles time We have said enough to shew how Tradition which they so much commend and magnifie may fail and so prove no infallible Testimony And who were our Forefathers from whom we learnt our faith we have shewed already and now shall name some of them viz. The Reformers in the last ages and Jo. Hu and Hiâ—…rome of Prague and before them Wickliff and before him the Waldenses and all that protested against the Churches corruptions in all ages upward as might be shewed if it were pertinent Jo. Whites Way p. 336. § 45. 337. Digress 48. 2. Tradition being the Testimony of the Church let Papists first ascertain us which is the true Church whose Testimony we must believe For our parts we know none upon earth that pretend to Christianity that do not account themselves the true Church and that avow not themselves to have the true faith which the Apostles delivered Now there being so many pretenders we are at as great a loss wich Tradition as without it since all say they hold the Apostolick faith and yet extreamly differ one from another not in few matters or small at least some of them And it is said and granted on all hands that there are dissenters and of these some are ignorant and some obstinate and some Scepticks and we know too many professing Christians who are in their wayes and doings no better then Infidels Now may not any or all of these question Tradition as well as Scripture upon this pretence that they know not which is the Church whose Testimony they are obliged to believe If it be said as it hath been by some that there is no Christian but knows the Church It may be justly replyed that there is no Christian but knows the Scripture as well For all that own not Scripture we may justly disown them as being no Christians A man may be a Christian it is confessed though he never saw a Bible if he have heard the doctrine of Christ as many Gentiles yea all for ought I know did in the first times of the Church when the Gospel was first preached to them by the Apostles But to be a Christian and not know the doctrine of Christ is a pure contradiction Now how we shall know which Church gives the truest testimony to the doctrine of Christ if not by Scripture let Papists resolve us for we know not what to answer We think among so many pretenders there will be differences such as â—â—â—â—adition will no better reconcile then Scripture and that as Protestants cannot agree about the sense of Scripture but some interpret it one way and some another so they and others will agree no better about the Church and its Tradition For as I have said there are many Churches and those hugely differing in some things and yet all pretend to the Apostolick faith Therefore we have need of somewhat to ascertain us of that Church which hath preserved and delivered down all along the same faith which the Apostles taught For the true Catholick Church we believe it hath been faithfull in its testimony to the truth in all ages But we Protestants cannot own the Church of Rome as such though we know there was there one sound part of the Catholick Church in the Apostles times Papists indeed pretend and boast great things of their Church but what is that to us who can well distinguish between a Roman-Catholick and a Catholick Christian. Here then we Protestants resolve to believe the Church for the Scripture and not the Scripture for the Church And yet we allow what that ancient Father saith of himself That he had not believed Scripture but for the Church For we know that after he came once to learn the Scriptures he then believed it not upon account of the Churches authority but it s own only The Church we grant may at first perswade Infidels to attend and heed the Scripture as the Word of God even as the woman perswaded her neighbours to come and see Christ. But as they when they had heard him themselves believed not because of her saying but because of his own word even so is â—…in the case that now is in question The Church of Christ hath the office of ministry to hold out the light that others who are in darkeness may see it But this will never prove the Church to have such an authority as Papists plead for and much less that their Church is the Catholick Church which only holds the Apostolick faith And when they have said all they can they say no more then any Church never so corrupt will say for it self viz. That it hath the doctrine of Christ which the Apostles taught Hence we say again that Tradition leaves us at an irrecoverable loss and that we must have somewhat more certain then the Churches testimony which any company of never so corrupt principles may pretend unto as well as the Church of Rome 3. We desire to be satisfied whether the doctrine delivered down be true because the Church hath delivered it or that the Church hath delivered it because it is the truth For we think the Church ought to receive and believe the truth only and to deliver that and nothing else to be believed by others and if it received other then the truth it was deceived and if it delivered other it was not only deceived but deceived others also The Church can make nothing to be true but what is such before of it self and all it can do is to declare the truth which it hath received and perswade others to believe it Therefore when Papists press us as they do about our being assured of Scripture we say that we believe it upon account of its own authority because it speaks it self the Word of God For as when a place of trust and honor is conferred upon a person by his Prince and assured to him under the Great Seal though the messenger that brings the Patent may avow it to be the Princes act yet that which gives assurance to the person of his interest in that office and honour is the Patent it self and the Seal annext So we know the voice of God speaking to us in his Word and even so hath the true Church in all ages received Scripture as the true Word of God and commended it to others for such as a Patent sealed from Heaven 4. We desire to know when the Church first resolved the Case in Question and determined what is the doctrine of Christ. For the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Councils we count them of a latter date and but of yesterday in comparison For our part we think under correction of better judgments that the Canon was agreed upon very early because two eminent ones among the Ancients â—…counted upon the same number of Canonical Books which we now do and one of them saith that the Canonicall authority of the old and new Testament was confirmed in the Apostles times And that
it was so agreed very early we have reason to think because Coâ—…stantine in the first Nicene Council would not else have perswaded the Fathers assembled to examine and try all questions and controversies by the Canon of Scripture For had it been otherwise it had been rational to move them first to resolve what the Canon was Once we know the Christian Church had need to be resolved of a Rule of faith even from the beginning at least so soon as the Apostles had departed this life For if any thing surely this is of concernment to the Church viz. To have the Rule of faith stated as the standard whereby all doctrines are to be weighed and measured And this we think was done even from the Apostles times and that upon the determination which they had made so as there was no such Question of old about the Rule of faith such as Papists have made of late That some have questioned the authority of some Books of the New Testament we know but we say they were only some and not the whole Church Besides to question the authority of some few Books is not to question the authority of the whole Scripture And indeed this question was never made till of latter times when Papists could no more defend their Tenets by this Rule of faith 5. We would know how the Church came to know all the mysteries of Christian Religion And this we have reason to question because Papists make so much of the Churches Testimony as if Scripture had no authority as to us at least without it Whatâ—… did the Church devise the whole model of the Christian faith out of her own heart No certainly this will never be said by any that are sober What then Questionless she was taught it of God and in this I hope we all agree Well And how was she taught it was it not by the Revelation of Jesus Christ And where is this Revelation if it be not in Scripture But I proceed and say the Christian Church learnt the doctrine of Christ from Scripture the Spirit working with the Word For the Apostles did not in preaching the Gospel bring to light what had never been heard of or thought on before But they only declared to the world the performance of what God had foretold and promised in the old Testament concerning his Son made of a woman and made under the Law when once the fulness of time was come And so the Apostle avows Acts 26. 22. that his doctrine was no other then what Moses and the Prophets had signified before And did not Christ come to fulfill the promises made to the Fathers which promises were recorded in the old Testament Yea and Christ himself expounded the Scriptures concerning himself Lukâ—… 24. 27. And vers 25. he up 〈◊〉 he two Disciples with their not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what the Prophets had spoken 〈◊〉 iâ—… the Church in all ages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselves knew the 〈◊〉 of Christ by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is enough to shew us 〈◊〉 is the only Rule of faith Once 〈◊〉 If Scripture be not the Rule 〈◊〉 let Papists tell us what it serve â—…or Truly we are so ignorant as if it be not the Rule of our faith we know no use of it And if that be granted which our Adversaries plead for why may we not hearken to the Church and her Tradition and never look on Scripture more For they have of late framed a Rule of faith that is all-sufficient and tell us plainly Scripture is not so Surely if we thus let go the Word and take up Tradition we had best let God go also and content our selves with the Church But there are some Questions to be answered and till this be done we talk to no purpose whatever we say of Scripture or against Tradition For how know we 1. Whether the Originals be entire and the same with those which were first ponned by the Prophets and Apostles 2. What Books of Scripture are Canonical and what not 3. Whether the Originals are rightly translated into the English and other vulgar languages 4. Whether they are truly senâ—…'d and interpreted c. and what not These and such like are pressed upon us to enervate the sorce of Scriptures authority and prove it no Rule of faith For the Rule of faith say Papists must be easie to be understood of all and it must evidence it self so as we may be ascertained of it that it is the Word of God and how can the vulgar be sure of this when the wisest and most learned are not well agreed about it What shall become of the unlearned and such as make any doubts about these things And there are many such whereof some are Rational and others Sceptical and others no question are Atheistical to an high degree To all these we count our selves bound to answer and our answer in general is I. That if Scripture were never so plain and certain there will be some doubters and dissenters and enemies to it also There are too many who question and some who deny the Existence of God Is there no certainty therefore of Gods Existence Or hath not God sufficiently shewed himself to be known as he is so did Christ give evidence enough of himself though the blind Pharisee could nor or rather would not see him to be what he was We know there are many in the world who are dissenters to the Rules of common honesty and righteousness and yet they are plain enough and Papists I am confident think so It is abundantly sufficient if Scripture prove it self so far as all honest sober and uninterested persons may be satisfied These I am sure will be contented with such proofs as the matter in question will bear And who that is reasonable will expect arguments in this case to prove more then a moral certainty alwayes excepting that inward assurance which a gracious soul hath by the seal of Gods Spirit 2. We answer That the Rule may be easie though all men do not understand it And such is Scripture easie we say to be understood by all that will use means for that end What! do our Adversaries think it may be known by dreaming of it or shall we think that God hath not sufficiently provided for our souls because we cannot come to the knowledge of the Truth and Salvation by it without pains-taking This is to say no more unreasonable What can be learnt without using means and taking pains 3. We may justly look on these Queries about Scripture as if a man should ask another How do you know light from darkness white from black sowre from sweet For Scripture gives as clear a discovery of it self as things white and black sowre and sweet shew their taste and colour But I shall endeavour to answer particulars as they lye in order To the first Question about the Originals we answer 1. That we know them to be entire and not defective and the same with those that
to Revelations now adayes And for any other way of knowing these mysteries then by Scripture we know none and therefore resolve it is of God and cannot be of any other How much will this argument be enforc'd when we further consider of many other particulars reveal'd in Scripture which none but God could possibly know As that there are three that bear record in heaven That God was manifested in our flâ—…sh so as the alone Mediatour was God-Man in one Person Could any creature declare these if it were not inspir'd and â—…ht of God Again How could any Creature come to know how â—…he world was made or how could man come to know how himself was first made out of the dust Can the creature remember the time or know the manner of its own Creation And where have we these but in Scripture You will say these and the like are reveal'd in Scripture But how doth the argument hold good that the Scripture is of God because these things are revealed in it The argument is good and cannot be otherwise accounted by any that are not professed Antichristians because they own these Revelations as Divine and Heavenly Truths For I say again seeing we have in Scripture the great concernments of our Eternity and so many things past finding out by any creature we must of necessity own and acknowledge God alone to have written this word Nay Atheists themselves cannot but know that they are dust And now I shall enforce this by shewing further that Scripture cannot be the work or invention of any Creature either Angels or Men good or bad Good men or Angels would never devise such things and say they were of God For that would be such a belying God as we cannot rationally believe them capable of Wicked men and Devils would never attempt any such thing as penning publishing such a Book which tends so much to the exalting of God and the abasing of themselves This would have been to destroy and overthrow all which they labour so much to uphold Hence we make this challenge who it was that composed this Book we call the Bible if God did not If any object that it may be a collection of many things made up out of the monuments of many ages We may justly demand what hands they were that compiled them and when and where they liv'd If they lived in Moses time how could they write of the Kings If in the times of the former Kings how could they give an account of the latter If in the times of the latter how came the dispersed Jews to have so many Copies of the Law of Moses In a word how could any man or men write of so many things done in so many ages so far distant one from another or how could any man give an account of what was done from the very beginning and before man was made If it be said that it is the work of many in several ages we desire to be satisfied How all should agree so exactly together and who were they that compiled our Bibles or how came they all to agree in calling it the Word of God Mahomet indeed compiled a Book which is to Turks and others as the Scripture is to us For those deluded souls count the Alcoran their Rule of faith and manners And Mahomet calls himself a great Prophet and so his followers account of him to this day But what reasonable man sees not a bundle of fallacies and follies in that Book which by its contradictions and ridiculous relations confutes it self without more ado There are many passages in Scripture which seem to contradict one another There are so but they seem only contradictions and are not such indeed And who are they which apprehend such contracictions are they not commonly such as are most ignorant or least affected to the Scripture But the mutual consâ—…ency of all those passages may be soon found out by all that are intelligent and will use their diligence for that end And what is there were some passages to us irreconcilable will it follow they are such in themselves Surely the general consistency of Scripture with it self might be enough to perswade us rather to charge our selves with ignorance then to suspect it of any mistake And here I cannot omit what a learned man hath observed viz. a majestick kind of security as he is pleased to câ—…ll it in the Scriptures under many 〈◊〉 yea maâ—… sâ—…mingly bold and â—…urous contradictions that yâ—… either the honour of their truth nor that unity which they have in and with themselves shall as he saith at all suffer by For reconciling those seeming contradictions it is not my work at present Only I shall give you one consideration which I find in the same Author and it is this That Scriptures do not stand to excuse or purge themselves as if there were any cause to â—…ffect them of any crossâ—… or contrariety unto one another No They speak from place to place what they have a mind to say with that liberty and freedom as if there were nothing said by them elsewhere that either was like to suffer the least prejudice by it or else to cast the least prejudice on it They that have a mind to satisfie themselves further about this consideration may read his Discourse of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures Pag. 55 56 c. I shall adde for a further confirmation of Scriptures Divine Authority That whatever it hath foretold hath been accordingly fulfilled and that not as Stâ—…gazers Prognoflications atrandom and adventure but punctually and precisely in every particular circumstance So the New Testament confirm the Old by shewing how what was foretold many ages and some thousands of years before came to be fulfilled and accomplished in every particular just as it was foretold Many things we know may be foreseen in their causes so as intelligent and observant men may foretell them as more then meer surmises or conjectures and the Devil probably can do very much this way But Scripture foretells those things of which no reason of man can make any probable conjecture because as they are high and heavenly so they are purely contingent depending only on the will and pleasure of God and therefore the exact performance of those things in all particulars is a strong evidence to prove it written by the singer of God And hence it is so often repeated in the New Testament That it might be fulfilled c. But here is no warrant more then Scripture whose authority is the thing that is questioned 1. We have the consent and testimony of an ient Heathen writers who have recorded and hinted many of those particulars Besides none of the Heathens ever contradicted those Prophecies or the fulfilling of them as for instance our Saviours Birth Death Resurrection c. Though questionless they would have done their utmost had they not been silenced by the notoriety
compare all together And let them shew too if they can how the written word should be privy to all their inmost thoughts if it were not penn'd by him that searcheth the hearts and reins The wisest of men could never frame a Law to control more then the overt act But this Law gives a check to mens inward thoughts and lusts when no act appears and spits Hell-fire in their faces for what no creature knows besides themselves To discourse it a little farther where is such another Law as that of the Decalogue or who but God could frame a Law all compriz'd in ten words to order the hearts and lives of all men in all ages to the worlds end A Law that discovers and condemns all offences in thought word and deed and never had nor will have need to be altered in any the least tittle of it And where do we find this Law Is it not in Scripture It is indeed all of it written in every mans hearr â—…nless any please to except one Commandment in it But how doth Scripture explain and clear up those inbred notions of Religion and moral righteousness imprinted in the hearts of men which otherwise would be very obscure and uncertain as they have been in all or most of the Heathens Though nature teach that there is a God and he to be served and worshipped yet Scripture alone teaches the right way of Divine Service And it alone shews us the right way of doing all offices of love to men so as our charity and righteousness may be more then an outside shew of fair dealing when the inside is nothing but hypocrisie and deceir In one word Scripture alone gives us a Law that commands body and sonl and therefore we have cause to believe it a Law which God alone bath made And if any proud and scornfull men shall say they know no such thing I can deny it with more truth then they can affirm it And affirm what they will not be able to deny when they shall find it true by wofull experience on their death-beds or before as others have done I could here to prove Scriptures Divine authority ask the reason why such as are most vicious and abominable in their conversation contrary to the rule of Reason care so little for Scripture If it were the word of a man or any creature what need they be afraid or troubled about it For what were it more to them then a Play-book or a Romance certaâ—…nly 't is not for nothing that the vilest of men care so little for Scripture read or open'd and applyed No Scripture searches thâ—…ir sores even to the bottom and farther by far then they have a mind to be discovered to others or themselves And now let the world be judge if the vâ—…st of men be not mostly the greatest enemies to Scripture This is enough if there were no more to prove Scriptures descent and pedigree as I may say to be from above Let me adde this to all the rest That a man may read a philosiphical discourse or any Book that treats of any civil and worldly matters and nâ—…ver be tempted as men commonly are about Scripture What 's the reason and why should it be thus If I may judge I must proâ—…ess from my heart I can think of none so probable as this That Scripture is of God For certain the Devil is as I may say tooth and naile against it and if it were of men the Devil would cherish as much as he could the belief of it because it were a lye But now when all Books almost are own'd and receiv'd under the names of their respective Authors it shews Scripture to be of God whose name only it bâ—…ars because there is so much ado about the authority of it Another beame of light to shew Scriptures Divine authority is its Antiquity beyond all Records that make the fairest pretence to it as hath been shewed of lare by an emineâ—…t Scholâ—…r in his labours this way The gray hâ—…rs as one saith which are upon the hend of Scripture shew it to be the off-spring of the antient of dayes and this writing hath the preeminency to be in this respect the first born of all its brethren What Book dare to compare with it as to Antiquity And that not only as to the matter and contents which were in the mind of God from eternity but as to the writing which now pastes up and down the world and may be seen and read of all Let the world shew if it can any Book of so long standing as the five Books of Moses Alas The most antient of all the Antients are but novices in comparison and how uncertain and confused any of them are in their discoveries is to be seen at large in the learned Author of Orig. Sâ—…cr abovesaid Hath any given us an account of the worlds Creation and begining such as we have in Moses Surely any that will be at pains to compare all together will soon perceive the difference and vote our Bible as most transcendent To say no more Unumquodque sapit authorem and Scripture in this is a resemblence of God who is call'd the antient of dayes Yea Scripture is in respect of its contents eternal as delivering to us the everlasting counsels of God What Book ever pretended to such discoveries Heathens have talkt ridiculously and absurdly enough of the feats and famous exploits of some of their dunghill Deities But never any dreamt of their counsels Whereas Scripture shews us the only living and true God not only in his effects and properties but also acquaints us with his mind and will as it was from all Eternity Once the long standing of Scripture shews that it bath outstood all tryals whiles the world hath had so much opportunity to enquire into it and prove it unsound and vain if it had not been far otherwise For still it retains and keeps up its reputation though there have been so many in all ages that would gladly if they knew how have fastened on it absurdity vanity or contradiction or any thing else that their wit or malice could devise So we see in it as an experiment how truth is everlasting whiles mens opinions vary and alter much and as the leaves of trees spring and flourish awhile and then fade and fall to the ground So a lye is never long liv'd but as paint or varnish wears out or washes off because it hath no substance to uphold it But great is the truth and shall prevaâ—…le this truth especially when Heaven and Earth shall fall And this argument hath the more force because that Scripture hath met with so much opposition and conquered notwithstanding For what else but an Almighty power coâ—…ld preserve it when all the ungoâ—…ly that ever were could look upon it no otherwise then an Engine fram'd to batter and overthrow all their fleshly and filthy interests And that is indeed the designe of Scripture to throw
to multiply arguments in this kind as so many evidences of Gods speaking to us in â—…he Scriptures But I shall forbear â—…nd proceed to somewhat that comes nearer to the Question concerning â—…he Rule of Faith It is well known that this Question hath been much disputed between us and our Adversaries for many years and that two things especially have been insisted on by them to prove the Scripture no competent Rule of Faith viz. the obscurity and the imperfection 〈◊〉 it In this dispute they have laboured to puzzle and plunge us by putting us to shew how Scripture proveâ—… it self to be what we account it the Word of God To this we may justly think it 〈◊〉 sufficient answer to say as one yea many have said long since thaâ—… in every profession the Principles aâ—… indemonstrable assented to without discourse and the Scriptures are thâ—… Principles of Christian Religion anâ—… therefore first we must grant them to be the very Word of God and therâ—… say they contain all points needfull to be known And since Scripture avoucheth it self to be the word of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pâ—…t 1. 20 21 Luke 1. 70. it is rational in us to believe it Notwithstanding our Adversaries are not satisfied but insisâ—… much on this Question viz. How we know that the Scripture that saith it is the Word of God is so in very deed To this the Protestants have long since answered That they know this first and principally by the illumination of Gods Spirit as the inward means and then by the restimony of the Scriptures themselves as the outward means and lastly by the ministry of the Church inducing us to assent Here we say not that the certainty of the Scripture is written in any particular place or Book of it but the vertue and power that sheweth it self in every line and leaf of the Bible proclaimeth it to be the Word of the eternal God and the sheep of Christ discern the voice and light thereof as men discern light from darkness and as children are known by their faces and favours resembling their parents As the purity and perfection of the matter and many particulars else some of which I have hinted before and whoever will see them more fully may find them in a large and learned discourse of the Divine authority of Scripture which I name the rather because it is a Book which the vulgar may better understand then many others that handle this question Though the grounds I have hinted and others which I have omitted induce us strongly to believe the Scriptures Divine authority and we may count them sufficient to fence us against the cavils of our Adversaries yet it is one thing to answer the arguments of men and another to satisfie the doubts and fears of our own consciences Therefore we stand to this That no man can be effectually perswaded of the Scriptures authority as he ought to be in order to a sound and saving belief of the truths therein contained unless he be taught of God by the teachings of his Spirit which alone teacheth to know spiritual things in a spiritual manner God we say is the best witness to his own Word and his Spirit the best seal that can be put to it In the particulars fore-mentioned and many others we see evident tokens of God speaking to us in the Scriptures But the faith that saves us must have this foundation viz. Gods sealing the truth of Scripture by the special grace of his own Spirit to our souls And when this is done then is a man fully perswaded and confident indeed so as he can say and swear too if there be need the doctrine of Christ in Scripture is that which God hath revealed to lead and guide me to my happiness in the enjoyment of God for ever Then and not before a man hath comfort and peace in believing having not only a grant of eternal life but the great seal of the Kingdom of Heaven put to it Such a man so assured and sealed by the Spirit unless in a fit of temptation never troubles himself about this Question Whether Scripture be the Word of God His trouble is most about his own deceitfull and unbelieving heart that he can trust God no better when he hath so good security for all that is needfull in order to his happiness He never thinks what some have said that the Scriptures have been corrupted and are not what once they were He knows that Gods Word is pure and perfect and is only troubled at the corruption of his own heart Papists to shew what good will and respects they have to Scripture have a long time been quarrelling it as if some part of the Canon were lost and some of ours seem to yield somewhat to this thinking no prejudice to come thereby to it But others conceive that no part or member of Scripture that ever was Canonical is lost buâ—… that we have it as whole and compieat as ever it was Indeed aâ—… one faith if any Book were lost oâ—… those which were commended to the whole Church it must argue a strang conspiâ—…acy of this whole Church iâ—… carelessness and negligence such aâ—… is not lightly incident to this generation of men We grant that some particular Churches and single persons have doubted some parts oâ—… Scripture now generally acknowledged for Canonical But we deny that the whole Church hath ever done any such thing As for the old Testament who can justly suspect â—…he Jews for corrupting them when â—…heir zeal for them even almost to â—…uperstition hath been so notorious â—…n all ages and is so still even to this â—…ay Our Saviour blamed them â—…uch and often for their vain Traâ—…itions but never spake one word â—…out their corrupting the Scripture â—…hich questionless he would have â—…ne had there been cause since was a matter of such high concernent And if any had attempted it had been impossible for them to complish it when there were so any Copies dispersed in all places â—…d Countries which were many â—…erein the Jews dwelt If any â—…ereticks had essayed it since the â—…w Testament was written how â—…uld one party have observed anoâ—…er and so prevenâ—…ed the design â—…d to say no more it is impossible â—…ess we imagine that all and every one who had a Bible should at once with one consent in all places oâ—… the world resolve to corrupt those antient Records commended to mankind as the Word of God To clear this further having inserted it here occasionally The Scriptures have been written in parchment and papeâ—… which are things perishable and ic are subject to the injuries of time But who knows not the difference that is between the Word of God and the paper and parchment anâ—… ink which have been used to preserve and conveigh it to us Gods Woâ—… must and shall stand when all theâ—… parchments and paper Records shâ—… be no more And whatever alteâ—… tion there hath been we stand to iâ—…
appointment But the only wise God who certainly could foresee all these things thought it best to have his Word written and yet made no extraordinary provision for transcribing them upon occasion or preventing such questions as are now made by some Sure we are that our Saviour calls the Jews to Scripture and they do not excuse themselves by saying they know not whether they have the Law of Moses as it was first delivered nay they confess that God spake by Moses and they knew it And our Saviour pu s the question whether he were the Ch in to be proved by Scripture Strange that the only wise God should not foresee this quarrel miâ—…h be made in after ages which Pâ—…pists make now For might not the 〈◊〉 the Law of Moses and the writings of the Prophets were no Rule of faith and manners to them because they could not evidence their own certainty so as to ascertain them And how could they â—…icertain them then more then us new But Tradition is it which must secure all by its affidavit made to Scripture And what do we then believe in believing Scripture the authority of God or men If Scriptures authority as to us depends upon the Churches Testimony in our belief of Scripture we believe men and not God at least we believe God for the Testimony of men And what kind of faith that is let them who question us so much about Scripture resolve us For the various readings that are in the Originals we acknowledge them and think they happened much through the mistakes of those who transcribed the Copies from time to time However they happened for we stand not much upon it Papists know that the Jews Masoreth hath well provided for the Old Testament And though the New hath very many we stand to maintain that all those various readings put together let the worst be made of them can never be improved to prejudice the authority of Scripture in one Article of Faith For all the written and printed Copies of the Original Bibles do concurre in the whole main doctrine of Christ throughout And thereupon we challenge Papists to shew any alteration that clashes with the doctrine first delivered notwithstanding all the various readings in so great a multitude of Copies Hence we conclude as a learned man hath it That the true and proper foundation of Christian Religion is not ink and paper nor any writing or writings whether Originals or Translations but that substance of matter those gracious counsels of God concerning the salvation of the world by Jesus Christ which are indeed represented and 〈◊〉 both in Translations and Orginals but are really and 〈◊〉 distinct from both and no wayes for their natures and beings depending on either of them The writing as he saith declares the nature or tenour of the bargain which was in reality and compleatness of being before the writing and consequently the wâ—…iting can be no part of it In like manner the good pleasure of God concerning mans salvation bad its being in God himself long before any part of it was imparted unto the world by any writing For it was savingly imparted first By immediate inspiration of God unto some men And secendly By word of mouth from these to many others long before any part of it was ordered by God to be set down in writing So that no Book or writing whatsoever is either in whole or in part the Word or Will of God and consequently no foundation of Christian Religion unless we make some other foundation besides the Word of God As for the Originals we are assured that they are intire and not defective as any can be sure of any thing that is of so long standing And therefore we are bold to think that they who question us as they do in this kind might rather have questioned God himself for representing his mind and will in writing when he could not but foresee that such manner of questions might be put in after-ages as are made now adayes None dare say that God never ordered his will to be written And seeing it is so ordered by him why should we question the wise and gracious hand of his providence in contriving the preservation of these antient Records unto all posterity for whom he intended them Methinks it were a more direct course for our Adversaries to take if they would say downright that God never committed his mind and will to writing then now to say as they do that no man can be sure that these writings are the same which were at first For this seems to cast an aspersion upon God for taking such a way of representing his mind unto the sons of men as must leave those of these latter ages of the world under invincible doubtings about his will that respects their greatest and only concernments As for their expedient of Tradition what doth it other then resolve all the Divine authority of Scripture into the authority of men For they say Scripture cannot ascertain us concerning it self nor can any thing else but Tradition which yet is no more then the Testimony of men And so the Testimony of God as to us must be less then that of men To the second Querie we need not say much in way of answering it seeing the Books accounted by us Apocryphal do sufficiently shew what account we are bound to make of them while they confute themselves by their own contents That the Maccabees are a story of which there is good use we deny not and that Ecclesiâ—…sticus and the Book of Wisdom c. contain many and sundry moral instructions we do not question no more then that the like are found in other Books which yet pretend not to Divine authority But this proves them not to be Canonical as the Church of Rome hath determined Once the Jewish Church never owned them for part of the Canon nor were they ever written in their language as the other parts of the Old 〈◊〉 True they have been allowed to be read in some Churches for instruction in manners But the Christian Church never received them into the Canon of Scripture nor will it ever be proved The Romish Church indeed for what cause she best knows hath Canonized these Books But what is that to us who can as easily distinguish in this case as we can between light and darkness But we appeal to the Churches Testimony and say that the true Christian Church had no other Canonical Books then what we own for such There were indeed some who questioned some particular Books of the New Testâ—…ment but that question continued not long and if some also gave too much to these Apocryphals that is not enough to countervail the general vote of the whole Church which alwayes rejected them from having any place in the Canon Hence our answer is that we know what Books are Canonical by that light and lustre of Divine truth which shines out and shews it self in