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VVHat do I speak of proving such things as these? See, if you can prove but so much as any of these that follow: namely.
n. 1.
That God Almighty ever ordain∣ed, or expressed any intent, the lay people should read the Bible, or have it to read in, if they pleased, to in∣struct themselves in Religion.
1. Argu. Deut. 6.7.
[Thou shalt write these words upon thy walls, teach them thy children, &c.]
Answer.
Nothing to the purpose. For 1. He doth not speak of (or mean perhaps) words written, but commanded by him. 2. Grant, words written; he doth not say [thou shalt read them.] If you say, he meant it; give a reason, why then he should not name it, as well as he named the other [teaching, meditating, writing:] and as well as he named it with the other, when he spake of the Law, as to be used by the chief Ruler (Deut. 17.19. Ios. 1.8.) Nor can you say, he necessarily implyed it in those commands, of writing, teaching, and meditating on it: for they might be per∣formed (sufficiently to their intent) as now they are, by pious Catholicks, without reading it; namely, by being taught the commandments, and other the principal parts of Gods Law, most useful for them, by the Priests (Exod. 24.12. Deut. 31.9, 19.21.)
2. Argu. Deut. 27.3.
[Thou shalt set up great stones, and write upon them all the words of this law, plainly.] Sure, to the end people should read them.
Answer.
It may be so. But it expresses no such intent. It doth this, and thats all it expresses, that it should there remain as a witness. Nor is it likely that he meant the whole book of Deuteronomy (much less; Genesis, and the rest of the Pentateuch;) for, what a wall would that ask? sure, longer then that hill Ebal, could contain: but onely the ten Commandments, with perhaps some o∣ther moral precepts, admonitions, and exhortations, most useful for the peo∣ple, and needing no interpreter; and the blessings on the obedient, curses on the transgressors (Ios. 8.34.) Now such a writing, in that manner set forth, is a different thing from the Bible: H. Church at this day, permitting people the one, in Primars, &c. when she will not the other.
3. Argu. Deut. 31.9.
Moses delivered the Law into the hand of the Elders, as well as the Priests. Sure, vvith intent they should read it.
Answer.
Very likely: but not as to instruct themselves in Religion, but to guide themselves by it in judicature, as it contained the Civil Law of that Na∣tion.
4. Argu. Esa. 24.16.
[Seek ye out of the Book of the Lord, and read, &c.] Spoken to the peo∣ple.
Answer.
1. It may be, not. 2. Grant it; it names not, nor perhaps meant, the Bible; nor any Book, as to instruction in Religion; but onely some Prophecy then written, touching the Captivity, or some other future temporal cala∣mity; (proper to that Nation, and age.)
5. Argu. S. Mat 12.3.
[Have ye not read, &c.] Spoken by
our Saviour to the people; there, and else where often.
Answer.
1. Never once; but to Teachers on∣ly, and as such. And one reason I have for saying so, is because when a lay Pha∣risee demanded of him the way to hea∣ven, he sent him not to the Scripture, (as he did the Lawyer, Luk. 10.26.) but to his Catechism [Thou knowest the Commandments, Mar. 10.19.]
2. Grant, spoken to the people; it supposes they did, expresses no intent they should read it.
Argu. 6. S. Ioh. 5.39.
[Search the Scriptures.] Plainly expressing intent the people should read them.
Answer.
No such thing. For 1. It is not certain be spake to the people: nay, it is probable that not to them, but to the Rulers. My reason is, because he spake it to those (v. 10.) who had (perhaps) convented afore them (for certain) pub∣likely
rebuked the man for carrying his bed on the Sabbath day, and examined him touching his author or counsellor; to whom he submissively gave the best account he then could of who it was; and as soon as he knew, went to give them a better; who thereupon prose∣cuted our Saviour for his life. All which look like proceedings of men fitting in Moses Chair: nor is it to the contrary, that they are there called bare [the Iews:] for, by that name, this Evangelist often without question meant them in authority (Ioh. 4.19. & 9.21, & 18.12.) 2. Grant, spoken to the people; perhaps he said not to them, as your Translators render it, [Search;] but onely [you do search.] For the Original is indifferent to either sense; and the later as agreeable to the scope and coherence of the Text, as the former. 3. Grant the speech as you render it [search:] it doth not ne∣cessarily infer their reading it: because they might search by their Priests, in their copy. And it is the more possi∣ble,
because the Bible was then a Book of too costly a price for the ordinary peoples purse to purchase.
7. Argu. Acts 8.28.
The Enuch reading Scripture, is set forth for an example.
Answer.
Perhaps not, no more then his sud∣den embracing a new Religion, upon no more prudencial motives then are set down; especially when (supposing it true as you hold) he had no ground in Gods word, for his reading it.
8. Argu. Acts 17.11.
The Bereans (at least) are expressely commended for it.
Answer.
1. It may be, not (vid. supra par. 2. c. 1. ob. 6.) 2. Grant they were; it im∣plies, other people, in such a case as that was, lawfully may do the same; ex∣presses no intent they should, no more then the commending of Solomon for building such a magnificent Temple; David, for intending it. 3. Grant that also; their searching it, doth not ne∣necessarilie
include their reading it, no more then the King's writing a copie of it, doth the writing it himself (Deu. 17.19.) See, what is said in the answer above to the 6. Arg. § 3.
9. Argu. Rom. 15.4.
[Scripture was written for our instru∣ction.]
Answer.
Most certain. But strange, if written for the peoples reading, it should never tell them so.
10. Argu. 2 Cor. 1.13. Eph. 3.4.
[VVhereby when ye read, &c.] Spoken to the people.
Answer.
1. Perhaps not; no more then divers o∣ther things in the Epistles are (1 Cor. 5.4. 1 Thes. 5.27.) but to the Pastors (pro∣perlie.) And as is ordinarie, in writing to a community, to say [when you read this] when none is meant properlie, or in his own person, but the Clerk, or, other, Of∣ficer, to the Companie. 2. Grant, to the people; it implies a supposal they did, or would; expresses no intent, they should read it.
Argu. 11. Col. 4.16.
[Read the Epistle from Laodicea.]
Answer.
Spoken to the Pastor, to cause it to be read among the people, or, in the Church; as he said in the vvords a∣fore.
12. Argu. 2 Ioh. 1.
At least, the Lady Elect, was to read the Epistle to her written.
Answer.
No doubt, it was so intended. But little to your purpose. For 1. She was but one person, and a person to whom in particular it was written; nor is there any intimation of intent she should give a copie of it, or impart it to any other. 2. Nor vvas it then, a part of the Bible. 3. Nor did it contain any doctrinal in∣struction, further then by way of ad∣monition or motive to beware of He∣reticks.
n. 2.
That God Almighty ordained, or ex∣pressed any intent, there should be any copy (or transcript) of any one sacred
book (more then, that the King of the Iews, when there should be one, should have a copy of Moses Law, Deut. 17.18.)
n. 3.
That God Almighty ordained, or expressed any intent, H. Scripture, or any part of it, should be so much as read to the people; more then the book of Deuteronomy, once in 7 years (namely, in the year of Iubilee, Deut. 31.9.) once a piece of Ieremy, exhorting to repen∣tance, and denouncing miseries else to come upon them (Ier. 36.6.) once the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, to them (1 Thess. 5.27.) that, to the Co∣losians, to them, and the Laodiceans; and that from Laodicea, to the Colosi∣ans (Col. 4.16.)
n. 1.
That in 700. years together (viz. from Iosuah's reading it (Ios. 8.34.) un∣til Iosiah's (2 Chron. 34.30.) any part of the Scripture (more then once, the piece of Ieremy abovementioned) was
ever read to the people; or the Priests ever blamed for neglecting it.
Argu. 2 Chron. 17.9.
It was read to them in Iehosaphat's time.
Answer.
Like enough. But the text faith not so: and our trial now is by expresse Text.
n. 2.
That there was in that Nation, any copy (more then the original one, in the Temple) of any one Sacred Book.
Argu. 2 Chro. 17.9.
Was not that a copy, as the Priests in Iehosaphat's time carried about with them?
Answer.
It may be so: but perhaps not.
That any one of them foresaw, that any one title of the Gospel should be written.
Argu. Ezek. 1.5.
Your self will say, Ezekiels four Beasts, presignifying the four Evange∣lists.
Answer.
I will not say, it is certain. And though I would; our trial is now by ex∣press Text.
n. 1.
That anie lay-Christian, ever read a word in the Bible.
Argu. 1. Acts 17.11.
The Bereans did.
Answer.
But they were (then) no Christians.
2. Argu. 1 Cor. 1.13.
The Corinthians did.
Answer.
It may be not (See sup. ans. to 10. arg.
3. Argu. 2 Pet. 3.16.
Those did, that wrested it to their damnation.
Answer.
1. Perhaps, those were Teachers. 2. If people; they might do that, with∣out reading it.
n. 2.
That our B. Saviour, or anie Apostle,
took anie care or order, for the means necessarie to the reading of Scripture by the people; namelie, preserving the Original, or some Authentical Co∣pie of it; transcribing, and dispersing copies of it throughout the world, translating it into vulgar languages, compiling the pieces of the New Testa∣ment (written straglinglie, some in one Countrie, some in another, 500 miles asunder) into some one volume, &c.
n. 1.
That our B. Lord, ever spake word touching H. Scripture, unto anie Chri∣stian (more then to bring proofs out of it to his incredulous Disciples, Luke 24.27, 44.) or as to anie use wherein it was to be, after his ascension.
Argu. S. Ioh. 5.39.
[Search the Scripture,] Was not that spoken to Christians?
Answer.
No, but to Infidel-Iews, and as such;
as appears by the words immediately afore, and after [you believe not in me, you will not come to me;] and by the end, for which he sent them to Scrip∣ture, namely, to bring them to faith. Consequently, neither spoken, nor meant to any properly, or necessarily, but infidel Iews.
n. 2.
That he ever intended, or foresaw (otherwise then as he was God) that, any one tittle of his Gospel should ever be written. (And pray note this well.)
That any Apostle wrote, or intend∣ed, or knew of, or foresaw the writing of, any one syllable of the Gospel.
n. 1.
That any Apostle, at his death, knew there was any tittle of the Gospel then written, more then by himself (except that S. Peter knew of some of S. Pauls Epistles, 2 Pet. 3.15.) or to be writ∣ten.
Argu. 2 Cor. 8.18.
S. Paul speaks of S. Luke, as famous then for his Gospel, throughout Chri∣stendom.
Answer.
It is certain he spake not of, and per∣haps meant not, either S. Luke, or his Gospel, or any written Gospel: but some companion of his (Silas, Barnabas, or some other) famous for his zeal and painfulness in preaching.
n. 2.
That he that dyed last of them (S. Iohn) left, at his death, any such vo∣lume, as is now called [the Bible, or New Testament:] or any two Books of the New Testament in one volume, yea, or in one Countrey (except where two Eptstles were written to one Church or person:) or any original, yea, or (perfectly) authentical copy, of any one book, of Old, or New Testa∣ment. If you can prove none of these; you cannot but see how far you are, from any hope or likelihood, of proving any such thing as your principle.