prove the fulfilling of the Promise as I have said already but they deserve a Chapter by themselves CHAP. XIV Wherein are produc'd several Passages of Scripture which shew that the Sacred Writers of the New Testament have declared that they were inspir'd in their Writings 'T IS now time to pass to particular Proofs which are to be found scatter'd here and there in the Writings of the New Testament The Enemies of their Inspiration set a high Value upon the Objection which they fetch from hence that the Apostles never begin their Discourses as the Prophets do by saying The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and are so daring as to assert that the Sacred Writers of the New Testament never thought nor desired it should be thought that there Writings were inspir'd I must confess that the Apostles do not say in express Words The Mouth of the Lord hath thus spoken For in regard that the Prophets did not enjoy the Benefit of Inspiration but by Intervals there was some kind of necessity that those Holy Men should declare what things those were which they had learn'd by Revelation It was not the same thing with the Apostles in regard they were assur'd that the Holy Ghost assisted 'em always according to the Promise of Jesus Christ in Matters of Religion More especially it ought to be observed that it is not true that the Prophets always began their Prophetick Writings with these Words The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken Let 'em read the Five Books of Moses and they shall find several Proofs of what I affirm That Legislator without any more ado begins with these Words In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth Nor is the Book of Exodus signaliz'd with any other better Character of Inspiration Nevertheless 't is known that those Two Books are no less inspir'd than the Prophesies that command Attention with these Words at the Beginning The Mouth of the Lord has spoken Let 'em not therefore have a worse Opinion of the Writings of the New Testament under pretence that these Words are not there In the Old Testament that which was merely Historical was not introduc'd with this Preface The Mouth of the Lord has spoke This is usually reserv'd for parts that are purely Prophetick wherein the Spirit of God had a singular Concern Now I affirm that the New Testament in those parts that contain some Prophecies marks out their Original as distinctly as if the Apostles had said The Spirit of the Lord has spoke it As for the Historical Parts and such as undertake Argument 't is not to be thought strange if we do not there meet with the same Character That is common to both Testaments they never expresly attribute to God any more than his Oracles But that is no Obstruction but that what those Holy Men either wrote or thought under the Guidance of the Holy Ghost may not be in some measure inspir'd I shall discourse of that more distinctly in the Series of this Treatise I have said enough to shew that the Old Testament has no advantage over the New in respect of Inspiration and that they are in the wrong who deny this Truth under pretence that the Prophets say sometimes The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken but the Apostles never make use of that Expression As to what they add that the Apostles never pretended to Inspiration and that they have not mention'd any thing of it in their Writings it is easie to be discern'd that nothing stands upon a weaker Foundation than this Objection In short the Apostles let us know that they had receiv'd from Heaven what we call Prophetick Parts sometimes it was in Vision sometimes by the Suggestions of the Spirit As to other Parts besides that I have already observ'd that the Works which compose the New Testament are written by Authors which the Holy Ghost had invested with Endowments necessary to make that Book the Foundation of Truth I could wish that something of Attention might be given to some express Passages of the New Testament S. Paul assures the Corinthians that he had the Mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in another place after he had given his Judgment upon several Scruples that arose in point of Marriage he says that he speaks by permission not by command Chap. 7. and that he gives his Judgment as one that has obtain'd Mercy of the Lord to be faithful Is not this of as great Force as if he had said all these Instructions which I have given you were inspir'd into me by the Holy Ghost The Thing speaks it self S. Paul affirms that what he wrote to the Corinthians touching Marriage was the Work of the Holy Ghost For these Words Now I believe that I have the Spirit of God either signifie nothing where they are placed or else they signifie that what the holy S. Paul had wrote was by the Guidance of the Holy Spirit 'T is the general Intention of this Apostle that he should be look'd upon as a person in whom the Spirit of God resided to render him capable to instruct others The good thing that was committed unto thee 1 Tim. 1.14 2 Cor. 13.3 1 Thess 4.6 says he by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us since ye seek a Proof of Christ speaking in me He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit If any man thinketh himself to be a Prophet or Spiritual let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord. All which Passages clearly shew what Opinion it was that S. Paul desired Men should have of his Writings S. Peter is no less positive This Second Epistle beloved I now write unto you That ye may be mindful of the Words which were spoken before by the Holy Prophets 2 Pet. 3.1 and of the Commandment of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour S. Peter in these Words designs two Things which are proper for our Subject 1. He parallels that Epistle with the Writings of the Prophets 2. He puts a great Value upon that Epistle because it was written by an Apostle of Jesus Christ Will any Man say that a person who thus expresses himself did believe that the Writings of the Apostles were not inspir'd In the same Chapter S. Peter gives an Authentick Testimony in favour of the Epistles of S. Paul Even as our beloved Brother Paul also according to the Wisdom given unto him 2 Pet. 3.15 16. has also written unto you as also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these Things in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures These Words furnish us with two convincing Arguments in favour of the Inspiration of the Epistles of S. Paul 1. They were written according to the Wisdom which S. Paul had receiv'd
to his Opinion Every Body knows that Origen would have a Mystery conceal'd in every part of Scripture pretending that God had infus'd something considerable into every Letter of the Scripture Quod sacrae Literae ne unum quidem Apicem habeant vacuum sapientia Dei Origen in Jerem. Ita nos censemus de omnibus ex afflatu divino scriptis tanquam illa quae sapientiam humana superiorem tradit Magna Providentia per divinas Literas hominum generi salutaria Dooumenta inseruerit ut ita dicam Literis quo ad unaquaeque potest capere vestigia sapientia impresserit Id. ib. ex Tom. 1. in Psalm I have cited a sufficient Number of Authors of the three first Ages to prove that at that very time the Christians were convinced as at this day that the Sacred Books of both Testaments were inspir'd by the Holy Ghost Therefore I thought it needless to extend the Chain of my Citations any farther because no Body can deny but after the Nicene Council when they had more Occasion to explain themselves upon this Subject the universal Voice of the Church was for the Inspiration of the New Testament CHAP. VII Wherein the Objections that may be brought against the Testimony of Antiquity are answered M. N. does not so far despise Antiquity but that he makes use of it when he believes it never so little favourable to him He omits nothing that may give an advantageous Air to his Opinion Had he found in his way any lucky Fragment to his purpose he would not have failed to have made the best of it I remember what he says in one place Sentiments Lect. 12. p. 262. Thus you see that the most able and subtle Interpreters of Scripture which Christian Antiquity produced have been of the same Opinion as my self that is to say as it is apparent by some Lines before that they did not acknowledge any Inspiration that continually and stedfastly impuls'd the Apostles to write what they wrote It might be thought that this Conclusion was the product of a croud of Citations after which there was no question to be made but that the Ancients were of M. N's Opinion But it was no small wonder to us that the beginning of the Conclusion should be reduc'd to these two or three words It behoves us to joyn with St. Jerome Origen from whom he had drawn this Opinion touching the Dispensation which he attributes to these two Apostles and several other Greek Fathers Should I say that neither St. Jerome nor Origen nor any of the other Greek Fathers ever contradicted the Inspiration of the Apostles such as we affirm it to be permanent and constant M. N. has an answer ready and will tell us that he did not cite those Ancients but to shew how they believed that St. Peter and St. Paul conmade use of Dispensation at what time Saint Paul contradicted St Peter Certain it is that no other use can be made of that Quotation but it is placed so cunningly after these words It appears from thence that they did not acknowledge a continual Inspiration c. That it is easie to be perceived that the Author had a desire to dazzle those people who have any respect for Antiquity but who are not acquainted with it but at a distance However it is to be seen by the Passages which I have cited out of Origen that he is positive in the Point of Inspiration of the Sacred Books Nor does St. Jerome speak less expresly neither shall I consult any other Part but that which M. N. has marked out for me See says he the Preface of St. Jerome to his Comment upon the Epistle to Philemon Would not any Man who read that Reference believe that it would be infallibly found in that Preface that St. Jerome proves by the little Things which are to be met with in Scripture that he did not believe the Holy Ghost concern'd in the Composition of all the Sacred Books I have read the Preface very seriously and I am confident that M. N. has read it also for the Persons which he there mentions spoke much after the rate as he does Wherefore then had he not so much sincerlty as to acknowledge that the Objection drawn from the Minute things in Scripture give me leave to make use of the expression is like the rest in the mouths of those Adversaries which St. Jerome undertakes to refute He declares at first that he speaks of those who refused to admit the Epistle of St. Paul to Philemon and who said exactly the same thing as M. N. and Spinosa say Non semper Apostolum nec omnia Christo in se loquente dixisse They alledged what St. Paul says of the Cloak which he left at Troas that the Prophets were wont expresly to tell the people when they spoke in the Name of the Lord because they were not always Prophets These are exactly M. N's scruples But St. Jerome supports them no manner of way quite the contrary he declares that they are in the wrong for not admitting the Epistle to Philemon under pretence that it contains several things of little moment and makes use of a Comparison which Origen has made use of upon the same Subject If says he they have a mind to deny that the great and the little Things come from one and the same hand then let them admit two Creators one Creator of the Insects and another of Heaven and Earth Is this any satisfaction for a Man that would favour the Opinion of M. N. It seems by the Preface of St. Jerome upon Philemon that from that very time there have been anonymous Persons who thought as M. N. does I will also grant him that we find in Epiphanius that the Anomeans explained themselves much after the same manner Haeres 76. which the Anomaean Aetius corrupted them sufficiently to the persuading them to defame the Prophets and Apostles Did any man cite the Prophets These Sectaries cried out VVhat d' ye tell us of the Old Testament Did ye press hard upon them any Argument taken from any of the Apostles Quid tu mihi vetus Testamentum objicis The Apostle say they in that part spoke like a Man Ista inquiunt Apostolus tanquam Homo dixit Were I not precisely confin'd to the three first Ages I could shew how Epiphanius maintain'd the Honour and Inspiration of the Apostolical Writings For there is not any one of the Fathers from whence there might be drawn more express Passages for the Belief which I defend Epiph. Heres 51. However it behoves me to quote some few to shew that I do not talk at Random disputing against the Alogians who rejected the Apocalyps he takes an occasion to set forth the true original of the four Evangils which he pretends to be divinely inspir'd He says that Mark full of the Holy Ghost Marcus spiritu sancto completus conscribendi Evangelii munus accepit receiv'd a
the Prophets never argu'd with men All the Old Testament is full of Proofs to the contrary Was it not by way of reasoning the case that God said to Cain Gen. 4.6.7 Why art thou wroth and why is thy countenance fallen If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted And if thou dost not well sin lieth at the door And unto thee shall be his desire and thou shalt rule over him Wherefore then is thy Countenance fallen This is certainly a Reasoning the Case if ever there were any such thing the like may be said of these words Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shall not always strive with man for that he also is Flesh yet his days shall be above a hundred and twenty years Let them read the eighteenth Chapter of Genesis where they may see how God argues with Abraham before he went to destroy Sodom After all this are they so bold as to affirm that God never argues with man I think it needless to run over the Prophets to shew that they frequently argue the Case There needs no more than to open the Old Testament to find proofs of this assured truth Know they not how Isaiah begins his Revelations Isai 1.2 Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth I have nourished and brought up Children but they have rebelled against me 1.3 This way of arguing shews the ingratitude of Israel The Ox knows his Owner and the Ass his masters Crib but Israel doth not know This manner of arguing puts Israel to shame 1.5 Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more This way of arguing justifies God he resolves to take no farther care of his People and indeed all the Prophets are full of these Expostulations M. N. professes however to believe that our Saviour Jesus Christ was a Prophet and a Prophet infallible Could any man have ever read the Gospel and seriously maintain that so great a Prophet never argu'd All his Exhortations are full of Arguments which he sometimes grounds upon the Old Testament sometimes upon Natural Notions and sometimes upon Maxims receiv'd among the Jews After this to say that the Prophetic Spirit never argues is either to deprive Christ Jesus of the Honour which they pretend to pay him or else to be ambitious of speaking those things which are altogether repugnant to truth Quite the contrary 't is evident considering the manner how God is used to converse with men that it was his pleasure to use them like rational Creatures and convince them by requiring their Obedience When he produc'd the Light which made all Bodies visible he never disputed the matter but with a commanding Voice Let there be light said He. 'T is not the same thing with the light of Conversion God makes use of Argument in the Creation of that new Light This is the course I might have held in framing my answers had I affirm'd that the Holy Spirit suggested to the Apostles what they wrote But there was no need for me to enter into a discussion for me who assert that the Apostles were commonly no otherwise inspir'd than by the way of Direction Their Reason acted under the infallible Guidance of the Holy Ghost From thence it is apparent after what manner we ought to answer to what is objected concerning the dubious expressions which the Apostles make use of For this is one of those Objections which M. N. alledges to refute the Inspiration of the Sacred Writings of the New Testament The Evangelists says he Sentiments p. 2 6. when they mention a certain time never determine it exactly because they knew it not so precisely that they could fix the number of the Days and Months We find in several places about a certain Time or about such a Number What is concluded from thence That the History was not dictated immediately by the Holy Ghost who knew exactly the Number and Time that was in question This is true and therefore I do not affirm that the Holy Ghost immediately dictated the Apostolic History like an Author from whose lips an Amanuensis writes whatever he dictates According to that Principle which I have laid down the Sacred History was written under the Direction of the Holy Ghost which was no hindrance but that the Apostles might speak after their usual manner He did not acquaint them with all that he knew There is one Objection rais'd against the Inspiration of the Sacred Writers that they often stumble into Contradictions But this is more than they can ever prove It may be easily shewn that the one relates some Circumstances which the other omits But this is only Variety no Contradiction In Contradiction one of the two extreams must be false which is a miscarriage that never befel any of the Apostles But in Variety there is not so much as the shadow of an untruth If two men relate the same story the one may forget some Circumstance which may be recited by the other and yet neither the one nor the other be guilty of Falshood Without question Varieties of this nature are to be found in the Gospels If they will maintain that there are any real Contradictions in them that is what it behoves them to prove But I have already made it out in my Animadversions upon the History of Judas that there is no solid ground for the most seeming Contradictions that are to be found in the Gospels M. N. insists upon this that God has permitted different readings in various parts of the Scripture and they from thence alledge that Providence would have been more careful of the words had they been inspir'd But do they not know that the Prophets also have their various Readings notwithstanding all the Nicety and diligent care of the Synagogue If there be any thing which proceeded from the Mouth of God it is his own Name Nevertheless 't is well known that the true manner of pronouncing it is quite lost I know not what Opinion M. N. has of the Terms which Jesus Christ makes use of in his Exhortations though they were inspiâ—'d no body will deny that some of them were lost and that those which are lest are exposed to the variety of Reading By which it evidently appears that what is objected in reference to the Variety of Readings no way prejudices the first inspiration of the Sacred Writings Nor can we find how they should be prejudic'd in the least by saying that God permitted the words of the Apostles made use of under the direction of the Holy Ghost in process of time to suffer some slight alteration through the presumption or carelesness of the Transcribers This is no hindrance but that the Apostles might be Infallible according to the Promise which Jesus Christ had made them their mistakes would otherwise be a disgrace to the Holy Ghost who took upon him to guide them in the Functions of their Apostleship Lastly 't is observed that St. Paul makes a distinction between his own thought and the express direction of Jesus Christ Thus when he speaks of the indissoluble Tie of Marriage in general 1 Cor. 7.10 But for those that are marry'd I command yet not I but the Lord. But when the Question is about a particular Fact upon which he gives his Opinion according to the wisdom which God had infus'd into him he makes use of this Expression But to the rest speak I not the Lord. Whence they conclude that many times S. Paul speaks as a wise Man and that all his words are not to be look'd upon as the words of the Lord. There needs no more than to answer in one word that S. Paul distinguishes between the directions which our Lord Jesus Christ gave when he was upon Earth and those which he gave by the Ministry of his Apostles Jesus Christ declared Marriage to be a Tie not to be dissolv'd as is apparent in the Gospel Afterwards upon a particular case among the Corinthians Saint Paul gives his Opinion this was the foundation of these expressions I command yet not I but the Lord. This Distinction perfectly agrees with the System which I have made out It supposes that the Apostles frequently spoke argu'd advis'd exhorted according to their own Prudence but under the infallible Direction of the Holy Ghost Thence it comes to pass that S. Paul after he has decided several Cases in the Chapter whence the Objection is taken declares that it was by the Spirit of God that he made those Revelations And I think also that I have the Spirit of God I do not believe that I have omitted any material Objection but if there be any that slipped out it will be an easie matter to resolve it when once the Reader becomes never so little the Master of that Principle which I think I have very clearly made out THE END