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A60369
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A preservative against atheism and error wherein some fundamental points in religion ... are by way of question and answer handled, and with much brevity and clearness proved ... : to which is added a brief answer to William Russel in a book of his entituled No seventh-day-Sabbath in Christs New Testament / by W. Saller.
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Saller, William, d. ca. 1680.
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1664
(1664)
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Wing S399; ESTC R37201
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26,787
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31
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A PRESERVATIVE AGAINST Atheism and Error Wherein some Fundamental Points in Religion VIZ. 1. The Essence or Being of GOD. 2. The Divine Authority of the holy Scriptures 3. The Majesty Worth Use and Perpetuity of the Moral Law or Law of ten Commandments 4. Our Lord Jesus Christ being the true Messiah Are by way of Question and Answer handled and with much brevity and clearness proved To put a stop to that Currant of Atheism Ignorance and Error that runneth in this evil day To which is added A brief ANSVVER to William Russel in a Book of his entituled No Seventh-day-Sabhath in Christs New Testament As also A brief Word to the Dispute in Stone Chappel at Pauls London By W. SALLER LONDON Printed in the Year 1664. To the Reader Courteous Reader AS Ignorance Atheism and Prophaness hath alwayes abounded in the World so never more than at this day and not only so but even amongst the zealous and well meaning People of this Nation there have been all subtile endeavours used as far as the temper of the People could bear it to wheel them round about to the Gates of Rome again And these endeavours have not been without great success even in the Churches of Christ corrupting their Principles and wounding the very heart of Religion amongst some of them And besides this mortal growing disease there is a notorious carelesness in the most of preserving the Grounds of Religion in purity either by preaching or catechising insomuch as there is ground to fear our distempers will grow past remedy unless God by some gracious means or other put a stop to that Currant of Errour which through the Atheism of some and Ignorance of others is let out and runneth with a mighty stream the sence whereof hath engaged me to write these following lines which I entreat thee to read and consider And if thou beest not fully satisfied in every point if I may know the reason thereof in word or writing or in any such way as becomes a person fearing God and conscientiously willing to finde out the Truth in Love I shall do the best I can to satisfie thee But if I should be fallen upon by some railing Scorner or one whose Confidence out-runs his Understanding and all sober mens also it is like I may take little notice of him So commending my Lines to thy consideration and my prayers to the Lord for thy profiting as also desiring a share in thine if thou beest one that usest to call upon his Name I rest Thy Friend and Servant in the Work of CHRIST W. S. A Preservative against ATHEISM and ERROUR Question VVHat do you judge is the needful work of the day Answer The day calls for many needful works and amongst the rest this for one The laying down such foundations and principles of Religion and Godliness as may through God's blessing recover Religion into its antient Purity and preserve it therein Quest What do you think of the many Catechisms that have been imployed in this service Answ Many have done worthily in opening he Commandments of God and in shewing the use of Christ's Ordinances and several parts of Truth have been usefully opened but yet through their not knowing or not considering how the world is over-spread partly with Atheism and partly with Ignorance have missed of that which is the main and said little or nothing to that which is of most concernment Quest What are those weighty Truths or some of them that should be further spoken to Answ This for one namely The undoubted and unquestionable Being of a God Quest Do you judge that needful Answ Yea for it is not so long since Atheism appeared with an open face in the Ranters and how it appears in the lives of multitudes is too manifest For how do men at this day swear for or against any thing that stands with their present advantage and laugh at that in private as superstitious and ridiculous which they in publick subscribe to as if it were good and sutable to the mind of God with many like Abominations which men could never constantly run on in the course of doing if they did from the heart believe that there is a God For what is more inconsistent with the Being of a God than to own and countenance such works of Iniquity Quest How will you prove convincingly there is a God Answ First It is proved by the Creation of the World for it is altogether impossible for the visible Creation to give it self a being I mean there is no thing which the eye of man can behold which could possibly give it self a being muchless could it give a being to any thing lese As for example Where can any Man find a creature in heaven or in earth indued with Reason and Understanding and so accomplished with Skill to bring to pass such excellent works as he himself can do and yet could he not make himself But it is evident to reason that the first of mankind must have their Being from God muchless could Man have stretched out his hand to the Heavens and have set them at such a wonderful distance from the Earth and have stretched them round about it and so bespangled it with Stars and have given a Being to the Sun Moon and have commanded them to keep their course to all Generations neither could he have made the Earth and the Seas and have stocked them with such variety of Creatures and bound them in a round lump together and commanded this bulkie massie piece to stand firm in the midst of the Heavens these and such-like Works are too wonderful for any but only for Himself who is in Mercy Power Wisdom Fore-knowledge and all eternal Excellency Matchless and Infinite Quest But may it not be objected by an Atheist that all things are by Nature Answ It may and is so objected commonly but the answer is ready at hand thus If it should be supposed that all things are by Nature yet then of necessity this cannot be denied that Nature must be accomplished with such an Almighty Power unsearchable Wisdom and wonderful Love to the whole Earth and especially to Mankind together with all those most glorious Perfections which we commonly ascribe to God for most evident it is that He that wrought out the Being and Well-being of all things is most richly furnished with the very highest Perfections of all Excellency and Goodness and this is no less than to confess the Being of a God Quest Have you any other proof that there is a God Answ The works of Providence do further evidence the Being of a God as first The constant Preservation of the whole Creation that all the hosts of Men and Beasts Fowls and all living Creatures should be in a constant course of Providence fed every day for thousands of years together it evidently shews the Fatherly-care Faithfulness Wisdom and Bounty of a God Again if God doth alter his wonted course at any time and make
the Heavens Brass and the Earth Iron or bring other severe judgements every considering man may clearly discern that the abounding Wickednesse of the Sons of Men have provoked the Giver of all Goodness to take his Mercy away and may well read in all his stroaks a loud call to repentance But further if men do but humble themselves under his hand and return from their evil wayes how graciously doth he return to his ordinary way of shewing Mercy Also if we do consider his governing the World it most wonderfully declares his infinite and eternal Being Take these instances first the Sun Moon and Stats keeping so constant a course ordinarily from Age to Age as also Day and Night Summer and Winter Seed-time and Harvest following each other in a setled course And if the Lord at any time alter the course of any of his Creatures as when the Sun and Moon stood still in Joshua's dayes and came back in Hezekiah's dayes ten degrees the Red-sea divided in Moses's dayes and the River of Jordan driven back or any like act done it alwayes was brought to pass at such times and for some such noble ends as that it did alway more abundantly preach forth the Power Grace Wisdom Justice and unspeakable Goodness of an Eternal God Quest But how know you that these wonderful Works were done Answ Manifest it is that in no age no not in this we now live in can any of the great Works of God get any credit in the world till they are manifest beyond all possibility of dispute therefore there can be no ground for a doubt Secondly Consider his Strength Wisdom and Goodness in governing the World so as that his poor People live in it It is most manifest to all that do consider it that of them that love and fear God and are the most conscionable in minding and observing his Word Works and Worship that they are very few few few in comparison of the multitudes numberless multitudes of blasphemous-Atheists Idolaters prophane unjust deceitful Covenant-breakers with other like workers of Iniquity all setting themselves with open mouth to devour this little Remnant and diging to Hell for deep Counsels to destroy them and yet for all their unjust and cunning policies and oft-times open violence exercised against them through the rich Goodness divine Wisdom and Providence of God they have never yet been rooted out of the Earth but although they have been almost blotted out with the rage and persecution of the World yet hath the Most High still preserved a little Flock of Lambs amidst a world of wolves who fain would but never yet could wholly devour them which plainly proves that there is a God that hath more Power Wisdom Goodness than all their Enemies have strength or malice who ever lives to take care of them Again the Signs that God often sheweth in the sudden and unexpected overturning of their Enemies from time to time is of a very convincing nature to prove that certainly there is a God that judgeth the Earth Quest Seeing you have proved the undoubted and certain Being of a God what is the next weighty Truth that stands in need of proof Answ The next Truth most needful to be cleared is the holy Scriptures to be the Words and Counsels of God Quest Is there any with us do deny them Answ Yes there is some do deny them and more would if fear or shame did not stop their mouths as appears by their works Quest What Books do you mean by holy Scriptures Answ The Writings of Moses and the Prophets till Malachies dayes committed to the antient Church of the Jews and received by them as also the Books of the New Testament from Matthew to the Revelation Quest And wherefore do you reject those Books commonly called Apocrypha do you think the Spirit of God had no hand in the writing of them Answ It seems too hard to conclude that those that wrote those stories had no Light or aid from the Spirit of God in the writing of them they might be good men and hand forth some truths and useful things as many doubtless have done both in former and latter Ages who although we may make good use of their Books yet may we not receive them as infallible Prophets writings but receive or reject or suspend our judgements as we see they agree or disagree with the Word of Truth and clear Reason or appear doubtful Quest But is there reason to take this liberty with those Books what are your grounds to doubt of their infallability Answ Clear it is that however there are good Counsels in some of those Writings yet they seem to be written by some Jews in or after the captivity when their light in all probability was much dimmed and not by the Prophets Also how far from the language and stile of the infallible Spirit of God those Writings are some of them is evident the Spirit of God useth not to acknowledge infirmity and a doing as well as he can for he is perfect and therefore doth nothing meanly Again as there be absurdities not fit to be put upon the holy Spirit as this for one to go about to make us believe the Devil will be frighted away with smoak so also there is one stark lie so rank that a fool may discern it the same person that saith in one place he is the Son of Ananias saith in another he is an holy Angel There be other exceptions I will not now spend time about these may suffice to let you see some ground wherefore I cannot own them to be of divine Authority Quest But how will you prove that those books known by the names of the Old and New Testaments are the infallible Words of God and so the safe Rule to lead men in the true Path of believing and obedience to Life everlasting Answ First They may be known by their noble stile as for example When you hear any persons express themselves judiciously acutely in excellent Language although you never saw them before yet may you safely conclude that they are persons of excellent breeding and quality although they should appear in never so mean a dress So may it much more be concluded concerning the Scriptures their dialect hath that Majesty Holiness Grace and high Wisdom in them most elegantly manifesting the perfections of a divine Being in them and declaring the judiciousness faithfulness and perfection of all his Intentions and Proceedings with the sons of men that it is not likely possible for any gracious considering man to call there Authority into question Secondly The blessed Intention and scope of them discover them to proceed from the holy Spirit all the Commandments Threatnings Promises Warnings Counsels Declarations contained in them unanimously tending to advance Godliness in the hearts and lives of men Thirdly The several Doctrines and points of Truth contained in them are so wisely and holily compacted standing in so sweet an Union together and so