sof

I fhall fave my felf and Reader the labour, and fhall prove it in general (as at first I propofed) from the confeflion of the Papifts themselves, who condemn the rafhneffe of thofe of their own Brethren, (which out of a prepofterous respect to the vulgar Tranflation, affert the malicious corruption of the Hebrew Text,) and pofitively maintain the incorruption of the Bible in matters o importance. Of this opinion are, among the Papifts, Bel larmine, Arias Montanus, Driedo, Bannes, Tena, Acofta, Lorinus,and diverfe others: If you please, we will hear the fore-man of the Jury speak for the reft. I confeffe (faith be) that the Scriptures are not altog ther pure, they have fome errors in them, but they are not of fuch moment, that the Scripture is defective in things that belong to faith and manners. For for the most part, thofe differences and various lections confist in some words which make little or no difference in the Text (a). To whom I will adde the acknowledgment of a late Author S. Clara, whofe words are thefe: Confidering a moral thing morally, it is altoge ther impoffible, that the Books of the New Teftament were or are confiderably adulterated b). And fo he goes on, proving what he had afferted. This may fuffice for the fecond thing.

S. 4. For the third particular, (which alone now remains in doubt) concerning the fenfe of Scripture. My af

(a) Scripturæ non funt omnino integra, ac pure, fed habent fuos quofdam errores. Cæterùm non taati momenti funt ejufmodi errores,ut in iis, que ad fidem & mores pertinent, Scriptura facræ integritas defideretur. Plerumque enim tota difcrepantia variarum lectionum in dictio nibus quibufdam pofita eft, que fenfum aut parum aut nihil mutant. De verbo Dei, lib. 1. c. 2. verfùs finem.

(b) Rem moralem, moraliter confiderando, planè impoffibile eft libros præfertim Novi Teftamenti fuisse vel effe notabiliter adulteratos. System. fidei c.1.8.

fertion

fertion is this: A Proteftant hath or may have a fuffici ent affurance of understanding the fence of Scripture in things neceffary to falvation. This I fhall briefly prove by this argument: Gods promife is fufficient affurance, (the Papifts do not pretend an higher affurance for their Churches infallibility,) but a Proteftant is, or may be affured of this by Gods promife, as appears from Joh. 7. 17. If any man will do his will, he hall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. Proteftants have the affurance of Reafon, and whatever the Papists talk, they have no other. It is true, they talk of feveral things, Fathers, Coune tels, Tradition, Motives of Credibility, &c. but in these and all other arguments; both Papifts and Proteftants a gree in this, that when they go to fettle and fatisfie their confciences, though they hear many things, yet reafon weighs them all, and rejects what it judgeth falfe, and holds faft what it efteemeth true and good: if that will not do, they have the affurance of the Spirit, which God hath promifed to those that ask it, Luk. 11.13. and this is as much as the Church her felf pretends. In a word, to ftrike the bufineffe dead, you fhall fee the perfpicuity and evidence of the Scriptures, in things neceflary to falvation, acknowledged by our Adverfaries, from whom the force of Truth extorted thefe confeffions: That part of Scripture is plain and evident, which contains the first and chief principles of things to be believed, and the principal rules of living: fo Sextus Senenfis (a). We deny not, that the chief articles of faith, which are necessary to falvation to all Chriftians, are plainly enough comprehended in the writings of the Apostles: la Cofterus (b). And Salmeron,

(a) Illam Scripture partem apertam & dilucidam effe, quæ prima fummaque rerum credendarum principia ac præcipua videndi præcepta comple&itur, Biblioth. faut,lib.6. Annot. 151.

(b) Non inficiamur præcipua illa fidei Capita, quæ omnibus Chriftianis cognitu funt ad falutem neceffaria, perfpicuè fatis effe Apoftolicis fcriptis comprehenfa, in Enchirid. p. 48.

baving

having faid, that all Doctrines and Traditions are to be examined by Scripture, he faith, The Scripture is fo framed and ordered by God, that it might be accommodated to all places, times, perfons, difficulties, dangers, difeafes, to drive away evil, to procure good, to overthrow errors, to ftablish truths, to inftil virtue,to expel vice (a). And Hierony mus a ab Oleaftre faith, We are to praise God for it, that those things which are necessary to falvation, he hath made easie(b). From all these things put together, I think I may fay, it undeniably follows, (which I propofed to evince,) That the foundation of a Proteftants Faith is folid and fuffici ent, our adverfaries themfelues being Judges, cal

S 5. Only I must remove one block out of the way. Peradventure they will fay,that if all these things be true, concerning the word of God in its own language, yet there is one notorious defect in the groundwork of the Proteftants Faith, viz. That they build it upon the credit of a Tranflation, made by perfons confelledly fallible, This, because they make fuch a noife with it amongst ignorant and injudicious perfons, (however to men of understanding it is but an impertinent difcourfe in will be convenient to fay fomething to it and but a little. To this then I anfwer 1. The Papifts cannot in reafon charge us with that fault, of which them felves are equally guilty, nor can they accuse our Faith of that infirmity, to which their own is no leffe obnoxious: for the generality of une learned Papifts in the world have nothing but a Tranflation, or, which is worse, a meer Report, for the foundas

·(a) · Scriptura fic est à fpiritu fanéto concinnata atque contexta, ul omnibus locis,temporibus, perfonis, difficultatibus,periculis, morbis, malis pellendis, bonis accerfendis, erraribus jugulandis, dogmatibus ftatuendis, virtutibus inferendis, vitiis propulfandis fit accommodata. Salmeron in Prolog. 1.

(b) Gratificandum Deo valdè,quòd,quæ funt neceffaria ad falutem, facilia fecit, fuper Deut.30.

Q4

tion

tion of their Faith. If their fuppofitions were admitted that the Pope or Councell is the infallible Judge of controverfies, and that their Decrees are of undoubted verity, yet forafmuch as it is the lot of very few Papifts to be eye or ear-witneffes of them, they are forced to receive the rules of their Faith, (i..the Decrees of Popes or Councels) either from the meer reports of fuch men, whom they acknowledge fallible, (unleffe they will (as indeed they may upon as good grounds, having once fallen into the humor of inventing) devife Infallible Notions, as well as an Infallible Judge) or at beft, if they be tranfmitted to them in writing, yet fince they are written in a ftrange language, and unknown to vulgar Papifts, they cannot understand them but by a Tranflation. And confequently the cafe of vulgar Proteftants, who rely upon a Tranflation of the decrees of holy Scripture, is not one jot inferior to that of vulgar Papifts, who rely upon a Tranflation of the Popes decrees.

§. 6. Anf. 2. Thofe Proteftants that understand not the original languages, have a fufficient foundation of their Faith in the Tranflations they enjoy, and that for two reafons. 1. They have fo great a moral affurance of the verity of their Tranflation in all matters of moment, that no man can doubt of it that is not within one remove of madneffe: and this is fuch a certainty, as the Papists have no reafon to quarrel with. It is the obfervation of a grave Author of their own, Those things are certain amongst men, which cannot be denied without per verfenesse and folly (a). And again, Such things as are de livered by common confent of hiftories, it is a moft foolish.

(a) Certa apud homines ea funt, qua negari fine pervicaciâ & flults ria non poffunt. Canus loc, com, lib. 11. de humana biflorie authoritate c. 4. P. 468,

thing either to deny them, or doubt of them (a). Now to apply this. A man may have as great an humane affu. rance as is poffible of the verity of our Tranflations, by the collation of differing Tranflations, made by feveral perfons in diverse times and places, and they too in feveral languages, and fometimes by men of oppofite principles in Religion, yet all agreeing in the main; by the impoffibility of a defign among fome learned men to cheat the vulgar by a falfe Tranflation, there being lo many watchful eyes upon them in every Tranflation, fo little benefit by fuch a deceit, fuch extreme danger and difgrace attending upon it, fuch improbability of any fucceffe: by the ridiculoufneffe and impertinency of Po pifh exceptions against our Tranflations, (as may be feen in the difcourfes between Dr. Fulk and Gregory Martin upon that Subject) being in the groffe fo inconfiderable, that if all were granted they defire, we need nothing elfe. to confute them but their own Doway Bible, or Rhemish Teftament and feveral other wayes. In a word, the Papists themselves have not so good fecurity for that, upon which all theirReligion and Infallibility depends,viz.whe. ther Alexander the 7th. be a regular Pope: for, if he be not a Prieft, which he is not,fay the Papifts, if his Ordainer did not intend to make him a Prieft, (and who knows another mans intentions?) or if there was any Symony in his election to the Popédome, (which how is it poffible for us to be affured that there was not?) in which cafe by their own profeffion. the Election is null, and all the actions done by him afterward: fo till they have better for tified their own Faith, I am fure they have no reafon to quarrel with ours.

(a) Plurima funt ejufmodi, que communi historicorum confenfione traduntur.Hec non modo negare, fed in his etiam addubitare, ftultiffimum efişibid.