Chapter 7: Scripture Vindicated

Scripture Vindicated.

With his three following Paragraphs, from pag. 82. to 108. which have only a very remote and almost imperceptible tendency to his purpose in hand, though they take up so long a portion of his Discourse, (seeming to be inserted, either to manifest his skill and proficiency in Philosophical Scepticism, or to entertain his Readers with such a delightful diversion, as that having taken in it a taste of his ingenuity, they may have an edge given their appetite to that which is more directly prepared for them,) I shall not trouble my self, nor detain my Reader about. If any one a little skilled in the Discourses of these days, have a mind to vye conjectures and notions with him, to vellicate commonly received Maxims and vulgar Opinions, to exspatiate on the events of Providence in all Ages, he may quickly compose as many learned leaves; only if he would be pleased to take my advice with him, I should wish him not to flourish and guild over things uncertain and unknown, to the disadvantage of things known and certain; nor to vent conjectures about other worlds, and the nature of the heavenly bodies, derogatory to the love of God in sending his Son to be incarnate, and to die for sinners that live on this earthly Globe. Neither do I think it well done, to mix Saint Paul and his Writings, in this Scepticism, mentioning in one place his fancy, in another his conceit, which he seems to oppose; such is the reverence these men bear to the Scripture and holy pen-men thereof; so also, that whole scorn that he casts on Man's Dominion over the Creatures, reflects principally on the beginning of Genesis, and the eighth Psalm.

An unsearchable abyss in many of God's Providential dispensations, wherein the Infinite Sovereignty, Wisdom, and Righteousness of Him who gives no account of his matters, are to be adored, we readily acknowledge; and yet I dare freely say, that most of the things instanced in by our Author, are capable of a clear resolution according to known Rules and Principles of Truth revealed in the Scripture; such are, God's suffering the Gentiles to wander so long in the dark, not calling them to repentance; with the necessity of Christian Religion, and yet the punishment of many of the Professors of it by the power of Idolaters and Pagans, as the Church of the Jews was handled of old by the Assyrians, Babylonians, and others. Of this sort also, is his newly inserted Story of the Cirubrians, which it may be was added to give us a cast of his skill in the investigation of the original of Nations, out of Cambden; for if that which himself affirms of them, were true, namely, that they were devout adoring the Crucifix, which men usually are, when they cease to worship aright him who was crucified, (the sin mentioned, Romans 1:25.) we need not much admire, that God gave them up to be scourged by their Pagan adversaries; but, not to mention that which is not only uncertain whether it be true, but is most probably false; if our Author had ever read the Stories of those Times, and the Lamentations made for the sins of them, by Gildas, Salvianus, and others, he would have found enough to justify God in his proceedings and dealing with his Cirubrians, according to the known Rules of his Word. The like may be affirmed concerning the Irish; whose decay, like a true English-man, he dates from the Interest of our Kings there, and makes the progress of it commensurate to the prevalency of their Authority; when it is known to all the world, that by that means alone they were reclaimed from Barbarism, and brought into a most flourishing condition, until by their rebellion and unparalleled cruelties; they precipitated themselves into confusion and ruin. As for that which is insinuated as the conclusion, fit to be made out of all these premises, concerning the obscurity of God's Nature, and the works of Providence, namely, that we betake our selves to the infallible determination of the Roman Church, I shall only say; that as I know not, that as yet the Pope has undertaken Pontifically to interpose his definitive Sentence, in reference to these Philosophical Digladiations he glanceth on in the most part of his Discourse; so I have but little reason on the resignation required, to expect an illumination from that obscurity about the Deity which he insists on; finding the children, indeed the Fathers, of that Church, of all men in the Earth most to abound in contradictory Disputes and endless Quarrels, about the very nature and properties of God himself.

But his direct improvement of this long Oration that he enters on, Pag. 122. may be further considered. It is, in short, this; That by the Scripture no man can come to the knowledge of, and settlement in, an assurance of the Truth; nor is there any hope of relief for us in this sad condition, but that living Papal Oracle, which if we are wise we will acquiesce in, Pag. 125, 126. To this purpose, men are furnished with many exceptions against the Authority of the Scripture, from the uncertainty of the rise and spring of it, how it came to us, how it was authorized, and by whom, the doubtfulness of its sense and meaning, the contemptible condition of the first pen-men of it, seeming a company of ignorant men imposing their own fancies, as oraculous visions upon us; of whom how can we know that they were inspired, seeing they say no such things of themselves; not those especially of the New Testament: besides, the many appearing contradictions with other humane infirmities, seeming to critics ever and anon to occurre in them; and why might not illiterate men fail as well as, &c. With much more of the same nature and importance; to all which, I shall need to say nothing but that of Job, Vain man would be wise, but is like to the wild Ass's Colt. Never is the folly of men more eminently displayed, than when confidence of their wisdom makes them bold and daring. I doubt not, but our Author thought, that he had so acquitted himself in this passage, as that his Readers must need resolve to quit the Scripture, and turn Papists; but there is an evident gulf between these reasonings and Popery, whereunto they will certainly carry any that shall give way to their force and efficacy: This is no other but downright Atheism. This the supplying of men with cavils against the Scripture its power and authority do directly lead to. Our Author would have men to believe these suggestions, at least so far as not to seek for rest and satisfaction in the Scriptures, or he would not: If he would not; to what end does he mention them, and sport himself in shewing the luxuriancy of his wit and fancy in cavilling at the Word of God? Is not this a ready way to make men Atheists, if only by inducing them to an imitation of that, which by his example he commends to them? But it will be said, He only shews the uncertainties that are about Scripture, that men may not expect by, or from them, deliverance from the darkness and ignorance before spoken of? Suppose then they come to be persuaded of such an uncertainty, What course shall they take? Apply themselves to the Roman Church and they are safe. But seeing the being of a Church, (much less the Roman Church) has no foundation in the light of nature, and men can never know any thing of it, especially of its prerogative, but by and from the Scripture whose authority you have taught them to question, and made doubtful to them, What remains for rational men but to renounce both Scripture and Church, and betake themselves to your commendable piece of witty Atheism. This is the old lurry, The Scripture cannot be known, believed, understood, but by the Church; the Church cannot be proved to have being, constitution, or authority but by the Scripture; and then if you doubt of the authority of that proof of the Church, you must return to the Church again; and so on, until all faith and reason vanish, or men make shipwreck of their faith, and become brutish in their understanding, pretending to believe, they know neither what nor why. And this employment of raising surmises and stirring up jealousies about the Word of God, its pen-men, and their authority, do men put themselves upon, I will not say, to gratify the Roman Court; but, I will say, in obedience to their prejudices, lusts, and darkness, and saddest drudgery that any of the sons of men can be exercised withal. And if he would be believed, he professeth himself an Anti-Scripturist, and in that profession which he puts upon himself, an Atheist. For my part, I am amazed to think how men are able to hold their pens in their hands, that a horror of the work they have before them, does not make them shake them out, when they are thus traducing the holy Word of Christ, and exciting evil surmises about it. Should they deal with a man of any power and authority, they might not expect to escape his indignation; even, to publish to all the World, that he is indeed an honourable person, but yet, if men will question his honor, truth, honesty, authority, and affirm him to be a cheat, thief, murderer, adulterer, they cannot see how they can be disproved; at least, he would have a difficult task in hand, that should endeavour to free him from objections of that nature: Yet thus men dare to deal with the Scripture, that Word which God has magnified above all his Name. If this be the spirit that breathed in the Apostles, the holy army of Martyrs of old, and all the Fathers of the Primitive Church, I am much mistaken; no, I am greatly so, if with one consent they would not denounce an Anathema against such a defence of any religion whatever. But you will say, The same person defends also the Scripture; just as he in the Poet did Pelilius. *Me Capitolinus convictore usus amicoque A puero est, causaque mea permulta rogatus Fecit, & incolumnis laetor quod vivit in urbe; Sed tamem admiror quo pacto Judicium illud Fugerit.* A defence worse and more bitter than a downright accusation. I am not now to observe what prejudice this excuse brings to the cause of our Author, with all intelligent persons, having noted it once and again before; nor what contentment Protestants take, to see that the Truth they profess cannot be shaken without inducing men to question the fundamental principles of Christian religion; and, if this course be persisted in, for ought that I can understand, the whole controversy between us and the Romanists, must needs be at last reduced to this head, Whether the Scripture of the Old and New Testament, was given by divine inspiration. For the present, having, in the consideration of the general suppositions of this Treatise, spoken before to this head, I shall not need to answer particular exceptions given in against its authority; nor do I think it incumbent on me so to do; unless our Author own them for his sense, which if he be pleased to do, I promise him, if God give me life, to give him a distinct answer to every one of them, and all that is contained in them. Moreover these things will again occurre in his 15. Section, where he expresly takes the Scripture to task, as to its pleas for judging of, and settling men in the Truth.

Proceed we to his next Section, p. 126.