A short and plain answer to two questions: I. Where was your religion before Luther? II. How know you the Scriuptures to be the word of God? By a Protestant. Owen, John, 1616-1683. 1682 Approx. 36 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 14 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A53727 Wing O806A ESTC R214595 99826711 99826711 31116 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A53727) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 31116) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1768:17) A short and plain answer to two questions: I. Where was your religion before Luther? II. How know you the Scriuptures to be the word of God? By a Protestant. Owen, John, 1616-1683. [2], 21, [1] p. printed by T.N. for Jonathan Hutchinson bookseller in the city of Durham, London : 1682. "A Protestant" = John Owen. Advertisement on verso of final leaf. Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Theology, Doctrinal -- Early works to 1800. Church of England -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800. 2005-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-04 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2005-04 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A Short and Plain ANSWER TO TWO QUESTIONS : I. Where was your Religion before Luther ? II. How know you the Scriptures to be the Word of God ? By a Protestant . LONDON , Printed by T. N. for Jonathan Hutchinson Bookseller in the City of Durham . 1682. SIR , I Have received your Letter , wherein you seem to be at a loss for a ready and pertinent Answer to Two capping Questions , by which the Papists are wont to puzle and confound those silly Souls , whom they compass Sea and Land to make Proselites . I know you are well satisfied , that Popery is a grand Cheat , upheld by fraud and violence , and hath nothing truly Rational to Recommend it : But yet sometimes a Man of honesty and good Principles may be at a stand to render a satisfying Reason of his Belief , and to obviate the cunning Craftiness of those , who lie in wait to deceive . I suppose moreover you cannot expect any thing from me , but what hath been said before , and what is infinitely better perform'd in some hundreds of Printed Books already extant , than any Scribling of mine will ever amount unto . But yet since Men oftimes make most use of those Reasons , which arise in their own Minds , by thinking and Meditation ; I shall , for my own satisfaction , rather than for yours , note down , as briefly and plainly as I can , such Answers to those two Questions you mention , as shall at present occur to my Thoughts ; which nevertheless I shall communicate to you , if perhaps they may be worth your Acceptance . The first is , Where was your Religion before Luther ? To this the Answer will be very short and easie , but then it will cast the whole stress of the Business upon the later Question . I say then , That our Religion , as to the Rules and Principles of it , was before Luther , where it hath been ever since , in the Scriptures : And as to the Profession of it , it hath been own'd and maintain'd by the Faithful in all Ages , namely , such as have been kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation , against whom the Gates of Hell and Rome have not been able to prevail . The Protestant Religion , we contend for , is nothing else , but Christianity uncorrupted , which was in its greatest purity before ever the Pope was heard of in the World. And Popery , that we oppose , is Christianity adulterated , or rather Paganism Christianized , which was in the Cradle when the Mistery of Iniquity began to work , and grew up to be the Man of Sin , when Popes had gull'd the World into so much Slavery , as to endure their trampling upon Princes . And this truth , as it appears in great measure from the Fathers and Historians of the Church , and from all Antiquity , that hath had the good fortune to escape the Expurgatory Index ; so it is more especially , and most evidently manifest from the Scriptures , which makes way for the second Question , which is the main Subject of this Epistle , namely , How know you the Scriptures to be the Word of God ? With this Question chiefly , they think to undo the simpler sort of Hereticks , as they are pleased to speak ; and 't is not impossible but some weak and unsteady Minds may be shaken by it . For since we never heard God vocally pronounce it , nor ever saw him deliver it unto the World , as his Act and Deed ; they would have us so easie and credulous as to believe , that there is no way to be assured of its being his Word , but upon the Authority of the Church , and that no Church but theirs , can have that Authority . But this Plea , is as far from satisfying an inquisitive Mind , as my Arguments are like to be from convincing our Adversaries . Now , if any unlearned , well meaning Person , shall happen to be attackt by this , or any such like Question , and shall doubt of his own ability , to repel the Sophistry , whereby they are wont to manage their needy Cause : I should advise him to deal with them , as our Saviour sometime did with the captions and impertment Jews ; namely , to answer their Question by asking another . As , Who gave you Authority to call in question the Scriptures ? How dare you insinuate doubts into any Christians mind concerning the Truth and Authority of that Book , which is the Rule of our Duty both to God and Man ? Away with these too curious Questions , of which a Fool may ask more than a Wise Man can tell how to answer . It argues a desperate Cause , and a Religion highly suspicious , that cannot be maintain'd otherwise , than by such Pleas , as tend to make Men Atheists . But though it be safe and prudent for some People to put them off in this manner , yet without any tergiversation , I shall address my self to answer directly , so soon as I have propounded a Query or two , which , I think , will tend to introduce an Answer to this grand Question of theirs . I demand therefore of our Adversaries , How they know that the Sun shines , or , that there are any Bodies in the World ? Why may not all the Objects we discern about us , be certain Phantasms only , or Apparitions of the Brain , which have no real Existence in Nature ? Or , how come we to be assured , that our whole Life is any more than a Dream ? For since in our Dreams , we verily believe the truth and reality of such things , as we laugh at when we are awake : Why may we not hereafter awake into another State of Life , in which we shall conclude our Life past , to have been a meer shadow ? If they will answer these Enquiries , according to the Nature of their own Principles , then , all the proof we are to expect , is only this : We have heard many People say this and tother ; Or , Thus we have been taught by our Parents , or by our Tutors and Governours ; and we believe them , and trouble our selves no further . In this manner they would have us to speak in the Case of the Scriptures . They will not allow us to expect , or to endeavour , any Rational satisfaction in the point ; it is enough if we can but gape so wide , as to swallow that Trojan Horse of Papal Authority . But verily we are not yet perswaded to make our selves Brutes , for the Catholick Cause ; that is , we are unwilling to lay aside our own Senses and Humane Faculties , to commit the whole Reason and Conduct of our Lives to he said and she said . And surely he that should pretend to dispute , and yet so palpably beg the Question , would gain to be laught at instead of a Conclusion . Upon supposition therefore , that they would be a little more Philosophical and Gentile , in answering my Questions , in case they were propounded to them ; I will endeavour the like , according to my small skill , in answer to theirs . And that I may deal as civilly as I can , I shall insist particularly , upon none but the first , between which and this Question of theirs , I will run a Parallel , and attempt to shew , that by the same Arguments they will prove that the Sun gives Light , I will prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God. In the first place then I shall consider what would be said by our Adversaries , in Answer to those extravagant Questions , I mention'd even now ; and if I mistake their Sense in this matter , I pray do you inform me better by the next opportunity ; For I seldom come in their Company , and when I do , if they forbear , I am not forward to raise Disputes . I suppose therefore they would tell me , That these Questions are about such things , as all the World takes for granted upon the Evidence of Sense , and the uniform Experience of all Ages ; that thus to deny Principles , were to turn Sceptick , and so take the ready way never to come to any Conclusion ; just as if one that pretended to the Mathematicks , should deny the Definitions and Postulata of Geometry , which have endured the Test of most Ages , and , as the common Notions and Sentiments of Mankind , have bid defiance to all Exceptions . Who would trouble his head to Argue with such a Person , as should deny that two and three make five , or that the whole is bigger than the half ? We find by daily experience , and no body can perswade us to the contrary , that when the Sun is above the Horizon we can see our way before us , the Objects that are about us , and how to do our business , which in the dark we cannot do . If any Man walk in the day , ( saith our Saviour ) he stumbleth not ; Why ? Because he seeth the light of this World ; he needs not that any Man should tell him it is light , he sees it himself , and his own sight is beyond all other Mens Arguments . But if a Man walk in the dark , he stumbleth ; and when Night cometh , Men cannot work . So that these Questions you propound , are altogether unquestionable ; ( 1. ) From the undeniable Evidence of our Senses ; ( 2. ) From the clearest inferences of Reason ; And ( 3. ) From the universal acknowledgment of Mankind . In this manner I presume , they would answer my Queries , nor do I know any better way : And just thus it is in the Case before us ; for , from these very grounds it will appear , that the Scriptures have proceeded from God. The Sun doth not more plainly direct our Steps , than the Scriptures do our Lives and Actions . The first enlightens our Natural , and the latter , our Moral walking . The one makes us discern the Creatures that are about us , the other teaches how to use them to our greatest Comfort , and highest Advantage . By the one we may conclude there is a God , as he is knowable by the things that are made ; by the other we are instructed what to think of Him , and how to behave our selves in reference to Him , and to our Neighbour . The Scriptures are a Lamp unto our Feet , and a Light unto our Ways ; and whilst we take heed thereunto we walk securely , and never fail to find the benefit thereof ; but when we forsake their Conduct , we fall into a thousand Errours and mischiefs , oftimes discovered to our outward Senses , in the discomposure of our Bodies , and detriment of our Estates ; often too in the trouble , and disorder of our Minds , and not seldom in both these respects at once . As for Example , the Scripture Commands us to live soberly , to love our Neighbour , to feed the hungry , to forgive injuries , and to deal justly with all Men. And what are the consequences of our Obedience in these things ? Why these , some sleep , a healthful Body , a peaceful Soul , a chearful Life , Bread to eat , the love of Neighbours , the Prayers of the Poor , and a kind of universal Respect and deference , which vertue doth command wherever it comes . But then our Disobedience to these Precepts is usually follow'd with restless Nights , racking Pains , anxious Thoughts , scaring Dreams , trembling fears , perplexing doubts , the hatred of some , the Curses of others , and the just condemnation of all . It 's true , there are some reserv'd Cases ; God doth sometimes trie a vertuous Soul with Afflictions , and often makes a Soul vertuous by Afflictions : He doth again sometimes feed the Epicure unto the day of Slaughter , and court the Vicious by Temporal Enjoyments to reclaim them . Yet , in the mean time , the Good are born up with peace of Mind , and expectation of a Crown ; and the Wicked are busied in stupefying their Senses to abate the Sting of Conscience and fear of Hell. But not withstanding these reserv'd Cases , I dare adventure to affirm , that there is not any thing in the World , whereof I am more certain , than that the Scripture is a most excellent Rule for the Government of my Life and Actions ; and the ground of this Assurance , in a great measure is taken from Sense . I am no more assured that the Sun shines , or the Fire warms , than I am , that my Conformity to the Scriptures is highly advantageous to me . The Sun is not more necessary to the being of Mankind , than the Scriptures are to his well-being . The one gives natural Life and light to the Creation , the other enlightens the Mind , and teaches how to manage our Lives , and the Blessings thereof , to the best purpose . Without the first the World would be a Chaos , without the later it would be a kind of Hell. Now the very first step of Reason , infers the Conclusion : For , from whence should such a Treasure of Wisdom and Truth proceed , but from the inexhaustible Fountain of all Goodness , God Almighty ? And let any Man in the World ( unto whose hands Divine Providence shall bring it ) carefully peruse that Book , and consider well the vast Stock of Wisdom , the immense Treasures of Love and Bounty therein contained ; Let him observe the excellent Rules it propounds , so fitted for all purposes and occasions of Humane Life , that an universal Conformity to it , would make Heaven upon Earth ; Let him mark how all the Disorders and Miseries , Contentions and Blood-shed in the World , proceed from Mens disobedience thereunto , and do Constitute the formal Reason of Hell it self ; And in a word , let him observe , that whatever he doth well , and which afterwards leaves him a grateful Relish and easiness of Mind , is done according to the Precepts of that Book ; and whatever he doth amiss , which leaves a Sting and Poyson behind it , is nothing else but a deviation from that Rule : I say , Let him but diligently read , and impartially consider these things , and he can be no better assured , that there is a God , who is Good and Wise , Merciful and Just , than that the Holy Scriptures are the Result of his Goodness and Mercy , towards the Sons of Men ; and that they do contain a declaration of his Mind with respect unto us , and the Rule of our Duty in relation to him . Why might not our Adversaries demand of us , how we come to be certain , that God is Righteous and the Devil Wicked ? Is it lest the Question should recur upon themselves ? For since so many of their holy Fathers , have been so Flagicious , as History makes mention , and since Villany is so far Patronized by their Church , that the blackest Criminals in that Communion , are oftimes Canonized for the greatest Saints : One would be apt to suspect , they Worship no other Deity but the Pope , and that whilst they pronounce his Holiness , the secret Reservation may be , his Wickedness . I have heard indeed of a Pope that made this Question , unless perhaps it were spoken by way of Exclamation ; Quantum lucri ista fabula de Christo nobis peperit ! And this seems to be the proper language of that Church : For if they did believe the New Testament to be ought but a Fable , they could not allow those Doctrines and Practices , that are every where visible amongst them . For I reckon , that imposing upon the Conscience things unrevealed , and beyond all possibility of belief , upon no less penalty than the Inquisition here , and Damnation hereafter , is the very next door to Infidelity and Atheism . How can he be said to believe the Truth , that would force another to believe a Lie ? So that whilst our Adversaries would seem to question the grounds upon which we assent unto the Scriptures ; it 's more than probable , they themselves do not believe them at all . I nothing doubt , for all that , but there are within the Romish Church , thousands of pious and devout Souls , whose Education and other unhappy Circumstances , God will in great Mercy consider ; and , though under gross Error and much Ignorance , will bring them through the power of his Grace unto Salvation . If their Foundation be upon the Rock , though they have built thereon Hay and Stubble , they may indeed suffer loss , but shall escape utter Ruine . I think too there are amongst them , some Learned Men , as the Jansenists , and perhaps some others , whose Lives and Principles are far better than the rest , and who by an odd kind of fatality preserve their Station in that Church . These , if they pursue their own Rules and Practice according to what they Write , shall not ( I hope ) smart with the rest , when God comes to visit their iniquity . But as for those designing Men , whose business it is to prie into the Cabinets of Princes , and to influence the Affairs of Kingdoms for the advantage of the Catholick Cause ; who though Priests , affect to be Ministers of State , not of Jesus Christ , whose Kingdom is not of this World ; they whose Gospel is Fire and Sword , and their glad tidings of Salvation some Bloody Massacre ; whose Faith is in the Pope , and whose Heaven it is , to be Courted and Canoniz'd by a Scarlet Whore : I look upon these to be a Generation of the vilest Wretches that ever the Earth bore , and in a far worse condition than Turks or Pagans . And yet these are the Men that would have me receive the Scriptures upon their Credit , who are the great Shame and Discredit of that Holy Christian Religion contained therein , and whose Lives are one entire contradiction thereunto . I suppose it will not be denied , that , had we no inspired Writings at all to direct us , there were nevertheless many reasons to believe the Being of God. Scarce any People under Heaven so brutish , as not to have some impressions of a Deity . Scarce any Person in the World so profligate , as not to have some checks of Conscience : Besides what Arguments may be drawn from the Beauty of Providence and Harmony of the Creation . Now the very Notion of a God includeth Goodness , and the Notion of Goodness supposeth a God : One is the Stream , the other is a Fountain . Let any Man trie how he can phansie the Stream that should proceed from no Original Fountain at all . It is not imaginable sure , that any Creature should be in the World , or that good things should be bestow'd upon any Creature , but they must proceed from some Original , and that can be nothing else but God blessed for ever . From whence I argue thus ; If the invisible things of him , from the Creation , be clearly seen , being understood by the things that are made , much more may the visible Characters of Divine Goodness , every where evident in the Scriptures , be clearly concluded to be from God. Will any man object and say , Where are those visible Characters of Divine Goodness contained in the Scriptures ? Many People cannot see them . True indeed , and there are some too that cannot see the Sun , but then they are blind , and cannot see any thing at all . The Sun illuminates the material visible World , and the Scripture gives us a prospect of a Spiritual World , and lets us see things Divine ; but then we must have Eyes , and if we complain of darkness in the Meridian light , where 's the fault ? Now if any Man will say , he can see no marks nor footsteps of Divine Goodness in the Scriptures ; I would ask him , whether health and vigour of body , whether easiness and pleasure of Mind , are good things or not ? And whether he would choose to lie upon a Rack , or a Bed of Roses ? Or suppose a Man by his own default , and wilfulness in going astray , be fallen into a Pit , where he is certain either to be stung with Vermine , or to die by wild Beasts , or famish to Death ; Would he not account it a kindness , not only to be delivered from the present danger , but conducted throughout the remainder of his journey , in such a way , as is both safe and easie ? If he answer in the Affirmative , he yields the Cause ; if he deny , he must be a Mad Man , past all sense of understanding of good or evil . Now if I pursue our Adversaries to the Gates of Bedlam , they must excuse me , if I there bid farewell , and follow them no further . The summ is this ; That which teacheth us the best way imaginable , to preserve health in our Bodies and peace in our Souls , to live comfortably at Home and profitably to our Neighbours , to Honour our Creator and know our selves , to avoid Misery and attain Happiness , must needs be an excellent Rule , very much for our good , and must proceed from the true Fountain of all Goodness . But such is the Scripture , therefore it is the Word of God. Thus far I have considered the Scripture , in reference chiefly to its Utility ; Let us now observe it a little with respect to its Verity : For sometimes it happens , that a thing may be useful , which yet is not exactly true ; As for Example , Decimal Arithmetick resolves a Question speedily , but not altogether exactly ; yet it will come so near the truth , as not to miss the 10000th . part of a Farthing . And a Clock will follow the Motion of the Sun for a weeks time , with the Errour only of some few Minutes ; but neither the one nor the other in strictness of speech can be said to be true , though both are very useful . But now , if the Scriptures appear to be both useful in the highest degree , and infallibly true , it must needs speak the very great Perfection of those Sacred Writings . They may be distinguished into four parts according as they contain , 1. Things related , or matter of History ; 2. Things fore-told , or matter of Prophesie ; 3. Things to be done , as matter of Action , or Duty ; 4. Things to be believed , or matter of Faith. As for the Historical part of that Book , how hath it bidden defiance to Time to discover any just Exception ! Nay , even the Enemies of Truth , have own'd and confirm'd the matters of Fact therein contained . And many profane Writers , who either knew not of , or have not rightly acknowledged the Scriptures , have nevertheless inserted into their own Stories , the same things therein contained , as is well known , and hath been oft observed by those that look into Books . And though the Divine History bears such Authority and Majesty in its Style , that it needs not the Confirmation of Prophane ones ; yet the Testimony of Adversaries against themselves , is always considerable . And hath not much of the Prophetick part been verified to the amazement of all those that duly consider it ? How many , and how punctually were the Prophesies , concerning our Redemption by Christ ? How plain was that , concerning the Type thereof , namely , Israels deliverance from Egyptian Slavery , Gen. 15. verse 13 , 14. and yet how wonderfully fulfill'd , many hundreds of Years after they were fore-told ? But I am not at leisure to enlarge upon these things , many Learned Men have done it , more especially the incomparable Sir Charles Wolseley . And then for the Preceptive part , containing Rules of Life and Manners , it is so Rooted in the Nature of things , so obvious to Sense , so agreeable to Reason , so beneficial to the World , and so confirmed by the Experience of all Men , whose Faculties are not depraved , That Heaven and Earth shall pass away , before one jot or tittle thereof shall fail , or be found deficient . Lastly , The Divine Mysteries therein revealed , as the Doctrine of the Trinity , the Incarnation of the Blessed Jesus , &c. though they are above our Capacity , to explain the Nature of them , yet are they so suitable to Gods Goodness , and do make such a Harmony of Divine Attributes , that Reason it self , will rather from thence infer the truth of their being , than that they cannot be , because we understand not the manner how they are . How could God be Just , if Justice were not satisfied ? And could be Merciful , if all Men were to be damned ; How could lost Man Redeem himself ? Or , how could he be saved , if he should suffer for himself ? But now in the Person of our Blessed Redeemer , the Law is satisfied , Justice is done , and even thereby , Mercy doth the more eminently appear ; God is glorified , and Man is not left to perish in his iniquity . If a Man will be so morose as to urge , that Three in one , Eternal Generations , a Virgins Conception , and the like , sound so harsh to Humane understanding , that they cannot be true : He may after the same rate conclude , that there is no such thing as Humane Generation , since the Nature and process thereof , is very obscurely , if at all understood . That there are no Souls , because it is not yet agreed , whether they are immediately Created of God , or they are Ex traduce , or Pre-existent . No such thing as Milk in a Womans Breast , since Anatomists are confounded with difficulties to find what Matter it is made of , or by what secret Chanels conveyed thither : In so much that one very Learned Writer in that Faculty , flies to the force of Imagination to produce it . No such thing as Quantity , because no Man ever yet could demonstrate unexceptionably , whether it be infinitely divisible , or ultimately resolvable into indivisibles . No Bodies in the World , since no Man knows what kind of Original Particles they are made of . These and many things more , as to the manner how they are , have difficulties attending them , which are insuperable and incomprehensible . And methinks it is somewhat hard , that we should do things our selves , and see many things before our Eyes , of which we can give no tolerable account , and should yet think , that God cannot do somewhat more than we can apprehend ; and should be so inclinable to reject even God himself , his Word , and all his Works of Wonder , if they will not accommodate themselves to our little understandings . From these considerations , and many more , that will occur to any impartial thinking Man , it doth appear beyond all possibility of doubting , that the Scripture is most certainly true ; and if so , it must be the Word of God ; for it testifieth of it self , that it is given by Divine Inspiration . Never did any Book contain so much Wisdom , Kindness , and Usefulness to the Sons of Men as it doth . Summ up the whole World together , except the Bible and what is taken out of it , and the Total will neither afford you half so many Excellent Rules , and Observations , for the government of Mens Lives , nor one thousand part of that clear discovery of Divine Truth , which that Book contains . Shall we now say , that this Book is a Forgery , a Cheat and Imposture of the Devil ? For so it must be , if it be not the Word of God. And what follows ? Why , that a Corrupt Tree brings forth good Fruit , and that most pure and wholsome Streams proceed from a putrid Fountain . That truth is falshood , that good is evil , and that light is darkness . He that denies the Scriptures to be the Word of God , must quit his Sense , his Reason , and his Conscience , that he may admit of these Conclusions . To which it may be added , That all the malicious and cunning Adversaries of God and true Religion ; all the Pagans , Popes , and Hellish Apostates ; all the Devils themselves , and their incarnate Brethren the Jesuits , with all their Subtilty and Contrivance , have not been able to destroy nor discredit that Book : No , nor to Corrupt it neither , in any such degree , but that still there remains good Copies thereof in several Languages . And though there may be deficiency and Humane frailty , in some Readings and Versions , as to some particular words , yet is not that any blemish unto , or diminution of the Beauty and Excellency of the whole , but may rather teach us to value it the more : For since neither the failings of some , nor the fraud of others hath availed in Sixteen hundred years , to do any substantial dammage to that Book , it is a convincing Argument , that Divine Providence hath been engaged for it's preservation . If it should be here objected , That since there are so many various Readings of the Scriptures , it may be doubtful which of them is the best : I readily grant it , but then there can be no doubt , but that every one of them , for the main Substance of it , is the Word of God. Let us suppose Religio Medici to be turned into several Laguages ; there may be divers faults in every one of them , as is observed to be in the Latine Copy , and some of them very gross ones : But , will any body from thence infer , that Sir Tho. Brown is not the Author ? For though indeed he is not the Author of those Errors , wherein the true Sense of some particular Words is mistaken : Yet since they are not such , nor so many , as to evacuate the design and scope of the Book , much less to denominate the whole Work from the Translator ; I may say , with good Propriety of speech , that that Book was written by the Learned Sir T. Brown , though I should find the same in Latine or French , and had never seen the Original English. Thus I scruple not to say , the Rhemists Translation is the Word of God. That is , for the Substance , and main Purpose of it , it is not so spoil'd as to lose the Nature of Divine Truth , but is profitable for Doctrine , for Reproof , for Correction , for Instruction in Righteousness : And , to such as cannot procure a better , it may doubtless be sufficient to make them Wise unto Salvation . But I intend not in the mean time , to Entitle God Almighty to the failings or frauds of that Version , or of any other . The Errors that have been occasioned from various Copies taken , and Translations made , are either of Infirmity or Knavery . As for this latter , I suppose it cannot be proved , that ever any Person was so audacious , as to attempt the palpable Corruption of the Scriptures , until the Aspiring Popes had set up an infallible Chair at Rome , a Court only fit to protect such Undertakings , because indeed it could not be supported without them . So that in the Primitive Times , the Errors which have crept into the Bible , have been first , only such failings as have escaped unawares in the Transcribing thereof : And secondly , afterwards , when it came to be Translated into other Languages , some difficulty and contest could not choose but arise , about the rendring such words as were of various , & doubtful signification , from which I believe there are very few Languages entirely free . Now I say , it was impossible that both these together , whilst Men were sincere and honest , should ever stifle or quench the Divine Spirit which breaths every where in those Sacred Writings , And we may reasonably suppose , that the Christian Church was stockt with a competent number of good Copies , before the Mystery of Iniquity came to such a height , as to attempt the wilful depravation of the Scriptures . Two things are considerable in this matter ; First , That in the Infant State of Christianity , Believers were cordial , and in good earnest , about the business of Religion . The power of Godliness prevail'd , and those who call'd themselves Christians , were really such ; nor had they yet learn'd those Crafts of Cousnage and Deceit , which afterwards , the Mystery of Iniquity furnisht the World withall . And therefore they would be careful , in the highest degree , to Transmit faithful Copies of those precious Papers unto Posterity : A Duty more especially incumbent on them , who had the keeping of the true Originals . Secondly , That God Almighty , having by the Holy Ghost inspired his Pen-Men , to deliver his Mind unto the World , it is not likely , that he should relinquish the same , to perish in the hands of ignorant or wicked Men : For since the Blessed Spirit did so manifestly appear in it , Divine Providence was sure to guard it , and will doubtless secure it to the end of the World. These inducements , with others of like nature , are sufficient I count , to convince any Man , unto whose hands the Bible shall come , that it doth contain the words of Eternal Life : For it carries that Self-evidencing Light , that Majestick plainness , that unaffected Gravity , and substantial Utility throughout the whole ; that no Man , who will but consider , can possibly doubt of its Original . And though Mens Corruptions may prevail so far with them , as to make them pretend at least , to call in question the Being of God , as well as the Truth of his Word : Yet it shall certainly operate upon them so far , as to leave them without excuse . I do not believe , that Nature ever yet produc'd so profligate a Wretch , but would be sensible of some reluctancy and grief , to see his Child murder'd , his House fir'd , and have his Limbs torn asunder , without any just cause or provocation given . But if these things have no evil in them , why should any body be grieved at them ? If they have , why should any one do the like to his Neighbour ? Now , if Men ought not to do wrong in one respect , no more ought they to do it in any other : From whence ought to follow the universal rectitude of all our actions . And where are there such Rules of Equity and Righteousness as the Scriptures afford , teaching us to do unto others , as we would that they should do unto us ? The faithful observation of which short Precept , would confine Astrea to this lower World , and yet banish all her Courts , as being useless : It would set such a face on things , as would far exceed all the imaginary beauties of the Golden Age. From whence now should this proceed , but from the Fountain of all Righteousness , God Almighty ? There is yet a further means of assurance , that the Scriptures are the Word of God , namely , from the evidence of the Spirit bearing witness in our Consciences , to the truth of those things contained in our Bibles ; of which there is a Counter-part written in our Hearts , and attested by the Holy Ghost . There are indeed many false Spirits , and many vain pretences to the true one ; yet a measure thereof is given to every Child of God , and promised to all those , that seek it with sincerity and perseverance . Now I say this Evidence of the Spirit , wherever it is , doth fill the Mind with assurance and satisfaction , about Divine Truth , beyond all Arguments : It is so convincing , that St. Paul calls it a Demonstration . And though perhaps it may not have that force to those who deride it in others , and stifle its motions in their own Breasts , ( for neither is Geometrical Demonstration of force to them that understand it not ) yet to a mind enlightened by it , and brought under the power of it , the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit , is beyond all other Arguments and Demonstrations whatsoever . To summ up all , we need not to go to a Corrupt and Adulterous Church , to have its Authority and Imprimatur stampt upon our Bibles , from whence on the contrary it ought to derive its own Authority : And it will one day sink under the weight and force of those Laws and Precepts , which it now vainly pretends to Authorize . I say then , the Scriptures are known to be the Word of God beyond all possibility of mistake or dubitation , by Evidence of Sense , by Arguments of Reason , and by Demonstration of the Spirit . This ( Sir ) is all , I shall trouble you with in this Matter , till either I have your Objections , or some further opportunity of discovering my Zeal to serve you , according to the utmost of my power . I am Sir , &c. FINIS . These Books following to be Sold by Jonathan Hutchinson in Durham . Folio . DR . Hammond 's Annotation on the New Testament . H. Grotii Opera omnia Theologica 4 vol. 1679. Eusebii , Socratis , Sozomeni , Theodoriti & Evagrii Historia Ecclesiast Gr. Lat. notis Hen. Valesii 3 vol. Mogunt . 1672 — 77 — 79. Bishop Taylor 's Course of Sermons for all the Sundays in the Year . — His Ductor Dubitantium , or Rule of Conscience . Quarto . Bishop Nicholson on the Church Catechism . Dr. Donns Pseudo Martyr . Rogers on the Thirty nine Articles of the Church of England . Octavo . Dr. Combars Exposition of the Book of Common Prayer , 4 Parts . Dr. Hammond 's Practical Catechism . Bishop Morton of Episcopacy . Dr. Basire of Sacriledge Arraign'd and Condemn'd by St. Paul. Twelves . Dr. Breviul on the Sacrament . Bishop Cousins Devotions . THE END .